Abstract: Photo-optical switch apparatus useful for example in keyboard switches includes a photopolymerized orthogonal matrix of horizontal and vertical intersecting light channels or guides, monolithically formed by exposure to ultraviolet light on a flat planar, plastic substrate. Each intersection has a refractive index higher than either the channel or the adjacent substrate area. A curved tap or light coupler couples the horizontal to the vertical channel of the array. The intersections of the channels are disposed over an array of upstanding projections on a flat mounting substrate with each projection located at a respective intersection of the horizontal and vertical light channel. A light absorbing key pad is arranged adjacent to each intersection to couple light from the channel up into the key pad. A relative loss of light indicates the key being depressed.

Abstract: A servomechanism avoids load-damaging conditions by being shut down whenever a power-amplifier saturation detector fails to detect a change in the saturation state of the power amplifier in response to the periodic and momentary replacement of the demand signal by one or other of two test signals, which of the two test signals is selected being dependent upon the expected direction of possible saturation of the power amplifier and the polarity of both test signals being the same as the polarity of the applied demand signal.

Abstract: Photo-optical switch apparatus provided with integral, positive, mechanical, tacticle feedback mechanism wherein a horizontally disposed biasing spring carried by a light blocking and unblocking element or member is arranged to engage and be angularly deflected by an angularly projecting tang carried by an insert structure adapted for insertion within a keyboard matrix assembly.

Abstract: Disclosed is an electrostatic ink jet printing system which provides improved frequency response of the mass flow of ink deposited on a recording medium. In accordance with the invention, an ink jet nozzle is conductively connected to an ink reservoir. A conductive platen maintained at a reference voltage level is positioned in front of the nozzle. A sheet of paper is positioned on the surface of the platen. Positioned between the paper and nozzle is a conductive plate having an aperture through which ink emanating from the nozzle is directed.A video data signal input to the system is amplified and biased before being applied to the nozzle. At the same time, the video data signal is also inverted, then fed through a differentiator and finally amplified before being applied to the conductive plate. As a result of the voltage signals applied to the nozzle and plate, a unique electric field is generated between the tip of the nozzle and the plate.

Abstract: Continuous sheet item delaminating apparatus for electrographic drum printing/copying devices including a relatively flat horizontal coupler member having an upstanding vertical attachment portion and a u-shaped portion normal thereto. A plurality of curved, knife edged item picker fingers are mounted between the parallel legs of the u-shaped portion. The vertical attachment portion is pivotally secured to a rotatable crank rotated by a pulley driven from an associated synchronizer. A rocker-idler arm is fixedly pivoted at one end and is coupled at the opposite end to the coupler member such that rotation of the crank causes the picker fingers to follow a four bar coupler curve toward and away from the sheet item effective to lift the forward edge of the item off the drum and permit the item to fall by gravity onto a safe area for further handling.

Abstract: A speed control circuit for a motor having a drive shaft which carries an optical encoder which generates pulses whose frequency is representative of the speed of the motor. The circuit includes a clock and a counter which generate a count between pulses, and a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) designed to receive each such count and to generate therefrom a corrective signal for maintaining the proper speed of the motor.

Abstract: A memory system includes an integrated circuit comprising a plurality of testably interconnectable cells in a tessellation on a semiconducting wafer. A controller for acting as an interface between the wafer and some host system is coupled to the wafer via a port formed by the omission of one of the cells from the tessellation. Each cell comprises plural-bit data storage registers each having an associated single-bit access register and an associated single-bit control register. During a growth phase a state machine co-operates with global signals and test data from the controller to operate data-testing and inter-register coupling logic to form a branched-labyrinth of tested cells characterized by rapid growth and efficient incorporation of functional cells. After growth data is transferred between the chain of data storage registers and the chain of access registers so formed dependently upon the contents of an associated chain of control registers.

Abstract: A replaceable cartridge for use in an electrostatic ink jet printer includes not only a sealed ink supply, but the ink jet itself. The cartridge forms part of a printer head which is mounted to move transversely back and forth across the width of a recording paper.The cartridge includes an ink reservoir which is divided into two compartments by a ramp-shaped structure, one end of the first compartment formed by the perpendicular end of the ramp, the ink jet mounted to a wall of the first compartment. The head's transverse movement serves to shift ink from the second compartment up the ramp and into the first compartment where it is trapped by the perpendicular end of the ramp. As a result, the ink supply to the jet is maintained at a constant optimum level as ink is dispensed from the jet.The cartridge additionally includes a venting mechanism which allows air to replace ink which has been dispensed from the jet.

Abstract: A display panel comprises a gas-filled envelope made up of a base plate and a face plate sealed together hermetically. The base plate is provided with a plurality of parallel, longitudinal slots in its top surface, and vertical slots in its end edges, and an anode wire is disposed in each of the longitudinal slots in the base plate, and they are recessed in the edge slots and terminate at pins secured to the bottom surface of the base plate. Cathode electrodes are provided on the base plate, and they also terminate at pins secured to the bottom surface of the base plate. With this arrangement, panels can be butted end to end to provide a longer line of characters than one panel alone.

Abstract: A printer-processor is used to print multi-ply business forms. The printer processor uses paper from a paper roll and uses an absorptive ink which dries substantially by absorption. The ink stays in liquid form during stopping and starting periods of the printer processor. The ink is also thixotropic so as to remain at proper film thickness on the printing surfaces of the printer processor at operational speeds or when stopped. The absorptive thixotropic ink enables the printer processor to deliver to the collator webs of paper having an uninterrupted sequence of images of uniform quality. The paper has one continuous path between the printer processor and the manifold forms collator. To enable the printer processor to print all common form sizes from small cylinders, a unique cluster of gears arrangement is attached to the impression cylinder of the printing unit. This cluster contains gears with circular pitches which are the increments which are evenly divisible into the common form sizes.

Abstract: A decoder decodes and accurately scales so-called "tribit" servo signals after the receipt of only one tribit pattern without the use of A.G.C. by storing the peak values of the position indicating pulses the capacitors in first and second peak-and-hold circuits and thereafter discharging both capacitors with the same time constant, activating a sample-and-hold circuit to hold the value of the output of a difference amplifier at the instant when the output of a summing amplifier falls below a predetermined value.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a heat exchange element for attachment to the external surface of a package containing an integrated circuit chip or die. The element has particular application in high density electronic packaging configurations, where space limitations severely curtail the volume which can be occupied thereby. The structure of the present element is such that both the effective cooling area per given volume and the heat transfer coefficient are maximized. Basically the element is an integral structure comprised of a generally helical wire form with substantially elliptic turns wrapped around a metallic plate in symmetrical fashion and in intimate contact with opposed edges of the latter. The wire form provides a plurality of parallel closely spaced-apart cylindrical sections capable of being disposed in an air stream for dissipating the heat generated in the integrated circuit package to which the element is attached.

Abstract: A method of making a display panel comprising the steps of providing a glass base plate with an array of slots and securing an anode electrode in each slot; forming parallel depressions in one surface of a thin sheet of metal, and then securing it to the top surface of the base plate, with the unetched surface up and the depressions down, and then removing the material of the unetched surface of the metal sheet down to the depressions to form separate strips of metal as cathodes, on the top surface of the base plate; and finally assembling the other electrodes and parts of the panel with the base plate carrying the anode and cathode electrodes.

Abstract: Disclosed is a timed token protocol which may be implemented on a physical or logical ring, the ring interconnecting a plurality of stations to form a local area network. Each station on the ring may be assigned one or more of three priority levels, the priority levels corresponding to the type of service required by a station. The highest priority level (Class 1) corresponds to applications requiring a guarantee of bandwidth (e.g., digital voice), the second priority level (Class 2) corresponds to applications requiring minimum throughput, but no absolute guarantee of bandwidth (e.g., interactive data communications between terminals and hosts), and the lowest priority level (Class 3) corresponds to applications where no minimum throughput is required (e.g., batch information transfer).Class 1 stations share a pool of bandwidth, portions of which may be allocated to each Class 1 station in accordance with a bandwidth allocation procedure.

Abstract: A data processing system, having a volatile main memory prepares for power supply failure, at the first instance of power supply potential falling below a predetermined limit, by readying its current task for restart, data-saving by storing the contents of volatile, processor registers in the main memory, and completing any non-postponable tasks. If power deficiency lasts for longer than a predetermined period, the memory is maintained by a battery power source if and only if data-saving has been completed. Restoration of power during the predetermined period causes instant reversal and restart, but after the elapse of the predetermined period, causes reversal and restart if and only if a data save has been completed, otherwise causing reinitialization.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for drilling holes with a laser comprising a support member carrying an insulating sheet which supports a metal plate in which holes are to be drilled by a laser. The insulating sheet serves to blow molten metal out of the holes as they are formed and prevents metal from depositing on the plate around the holes.

Abstract: A snap-on unitary, one piece photo-optical item position sensor fabricated as a clothes-pin-like plastic member from a material which is substantially transparent to infra-red radiation obviating lenses. The sensor member is bifurcated at one end to form two parallel leg portions the outboard end of each one of which carries one element of the photo-optical sensing apparatus. The opposite end of the sensor member is rectangularly shaped and slotted on opposite parallel sides forming a polarized receptacle for a mating polarized plug as well as a handle for griping. Compression of the handle portion contacts the slotted end slightly while opening or spreading the two parallel leg portions enabling the sensor to be snapped over an orthogonally disposed item guide or track. Oppositely disposed parallel members on the lower portion of the track automatically position the sensor over the track.

Abstract: Disclosed is a timed token protocol which may be implemented either on a physical loop or a logical loop superimposed on a physical bus, the loop interconnecting a plurality of stations to form a network. Each station on the network may be of the same priority level, or may be of one or both of two priority levels.In the single priority level network, a station can transmit information upon the receipt of a write token if the time since the previous receipt of a write token is less than a preset amount of time, the difference between the observed write token rotation time and the preset amount of time representing the amount of unused capacity on the previous rotation of the write token.

Abstract: A toner concentration sensor assembly wherein a toner cartridge carrying a fresh supply of toner material is demountably insertable into the assembly so as to bring the fresh toner into the original developer mix and wherein a portion of developer mix is metered off the magnetic brush application roller of the apparatus into an inductor surrounding a chute-like, open ended cannister. An electromagnet is used to close the chute by immobilizing the developer mix within the chute while a signal output is taken from the inductance and applied to a sensing circuit to determine the quantity of toner to stabilize the mix concentration to a predetermined level for copy printing output. An interconnected mechanism operably associated with the toner cartridge replenishes the toner on command from the system software as a result of a comparison between toner concentration levels and a preset concentration required for clear, clean, crisp printing/copying.

Abstract: An improved document feeder employs sets of rollers between which it feeds documents of different lengths to generate and maintain gaps of equal length between the documents while transporting them at a constant speed. A first group of rollers separate stacked documents and start the documents moving at a low speed along the track. A second group of rollers, operated at a higher speed, receive documents from the first group of rollers and increase the speed of the first document relative to a second document, still in contact with the first group of rollers, thereby providing an initial gap which continues to lengthen until the second document reaches the second group of rollers. A third group of rollers receives the documents after they leave the second group, imparting a constant system transport speed to them.