Abstract: A laminar air flow passageway through which ink droplets are directed before striking a moving print medium, having a portion of the passageway contoured to expand toward the print medium for slowing a column of air passing therethrough before the column reaches the document. Air suction apertures located in the expanded portion of the passageway and near the print medium provide withdrawal of the airflow to prevent air buildup at the document interface and to maintain laminarity as the air slows. A separate embodiment includes a single air suction aperture located in the upper portion of a gently expanding air passsageway for airflow withdrawal.

Abstract: An improved CML (Current Mode Logic) gate having voltage and temperature compensating means for maintaining output levels and input thresholds invariant with fluctations in supply voltage and junction temperature. The output of the compensating means, measured with respect to ground, will track variations in supply voltage on a one-to-one basis except that the output is allowed to vary by one V.sub.be with junction temperature. This output is supplied to the base of the constant-current source transistor which feeds the differential amplifier stage of the CML gate and to the base of a constant current source transistor whose collector is coupled to the base of the non-input transistor of the differential amplifier stage of the CML gate.

Abstract: A bar graph display panel comprises a gas-filled envelope containing a series of fine, closely-spaced cathode lines connected in groups so that they can be energized sequentially and individually. The panel also includes an anode film supported on the face plate and aligned with and in operative relation with the series of cathode lines. The anode and cathodes are closely spaced and the panel contains an ionizable gas at relatively high pressure.In order to use the display panel to display a bar of light, the anode and cathodes are connected in an operating circuit wherein each of the cathodes is energized or scanned and caused to glow sequentially. An analog signal to be displayed as a bar of light and a ramp signal are coupled to a comparator, the output of which energizes the anode electrode.

Abstract: Paper feeding and handling apparatus, especially for a facsimile receiver, including a cradle for supporting a roll of paper and for raising and lowering it to permit handling of the roll. Roll and guide means lead the paper from the supply roll to a writing station which also includes sheet-cutting means. A sheet-handling tray is disposed to receive the written and cut sheets, and various mechanical means are provided to feed and support the cut sheets.

Abstract: A paper roll holder having a cylindrical spring freely floating about one end of a spindle to frictionally engage the inner cord of a paper roll as the roll is pushed onto the spindle, retaining the roll securely in position. A thin cylindrical tube interposed between the spring and the spindle prevents interference of the spring with the spindle during insertion and rotation of the paper roll.

Abstract: The display panel comprises a gas-filled envelope containing an array of line-like glow cathodes. Circuit means is coupled to the panel to scan the array of cathodes and to energize a number of cathodes determined by the magnitude of an input analog signal. The cathodes which are energized at any instant, display a bar of light. A light source is provided behind the panel to transmit light through the panel and between the line-like cathodes so that a viewer sees both a bar of cathode glow light, the length of which is determined by the analog signal, and a bar of light generated by the light source, the length of which is determined by the number of cathodes which are not energized and do not generate cathode glow.

Abstract: The display panel comprises a gas-filled envelope made up of a base plate and a face plate. The base plate carries a plurality of display cathodes arrayed in rows and columns and, substantially coplanar therewith, a plurality of scan cathodes arrayed in rows and columns, with each row of scan cathodes being positioned between two rows of display cathodes. A single anode is formed on the face plate of the envelope, and suitable masking is provided so that a viewer can see only the display cathodes through the face plate.In operation of the panel, the scan cathodes are energized column-by-column, and selected adjacent display cathodes are energized simultaneously to display a message or character.

Abstract: A power supply system for use in conjunction with digital systems and particularly adapted to avoid impairment of digital system performance by power supply generated noise. The clock frequency of the digital system is monitored, divided and then applied to control the switching frequency of a D.C. to D.C. power converter. The converter thus switches at a synchronized submultiple of the digital clock frequency such that switching transients are confined to transition times within the digital system.

Abstract: A FIFO (first-in-first-out) buffer register in which memory data words flow in parallel from an input register through a plurality of registers towards an output register under the automatic control of a one-shot (monostable multivibrator) data transfer system. A one-shot device and a status flip-flop are associated with each individual register in the plurality of registers to asynchronously transfer a data word register-by-register from the input register to the register nearest the output register that is not occupied by a previously inputted data word. The automatic data word transfer system is initiated by either reading a word into the input register or reading a word out of the output register. Logic controls for handling the reading-in and reading-out functions operate asynchronously and independently.

Abstract: A controller implemented on a single LSI MOS chip is described for linking a typewriter console to a processor unit. The controller comprises a FIFO (First-In-First-Out) buffer for storing the keyboard data characters read-out from the console. The buffer includes a flag for each stage, each flag being controlled to assume a first condition when its respective stage is occupied by a character, and a second condition when it is vacant of a character. The keyboard data characters are inputted into the first stage by strobe pulses, and are continuously shifted by high-speed clock pulses to the highest stage of the buffer whose flag is in the stage-vacant condition, the characters being read-out from the last stage. The buffer includes means for preventing the entry of a new character, and also for providing an indication of an "Overflow" condition, whenever a strobe pulse is received by the buffer while the first-stage flag of the buffer is in the stage-occupied condition.

Abstract: A display device adapted to display one or more characters side by side in a row and including an insulating support plate, on the top surface of which are formed a plurality of groups of conductive members, each group being adapted to be energized to display a character. The device includes various configurations of anode electrodes, shielding electrodes, and interconnections of common characters in each group to provide manufacturing economies.

Abstract: The cassette of the invention comprises a plastic tray having at one end an array of projecting curved fingers and an auxiliary member having an array of curved fingers, with the auxiliary member adapted to seat on the base so that the curved fingers of the base form a smooth curve with the curved fingers of the auxiliary member. Before the auxiliary member is seated on the base, a plurality of separator sheets to be carried thereby are secured to the base by means of holes which are threaded on the first curved fingers. The auxiliary member is then seated in place, and ultrasonic vibrations are applied to heat and fuse the separate fingers to form unitary continuous curved rings which hold the sheets in place.

Abstract: The display panel comprises a first insulating plate which carries a set of pins to which a first set of wires and other electrodes can be attached, and a second similar insulating plate having a set of pins to which a second set of wires and other electrodes can be secured. A set of cathodes is disposed between the two plates oriented at an angle to the first and second arrays of electrodes to form a dot matrix therewith. The cathodes are electrically connected to selected pins. One insulating plate is secured to the panel base plate to form one complete sub-assembly, and the other insulating plate is secured to the panel face plate to form another complete sub-assembly, and the two sub-assemblies are sealed together hermetically to form the completed panel.

Abstract: An electromagnetic circuit for controlling the travel of a stylus by attaching the stylus to a movable core. The movable core cooperates with a drive coil to form a magnetic circuit with annular portions extending into the drive coil from both ends thereof.

Abstract: The apparatus of the invention comprises a cup-shaped metal ring carrying a mercury amalgam from which mercury can be released, the ring being held within a supporting mass of fibrous insulating material and the entire assembly loosely mounted in the tubulation secured to the base plate of a display panel.

Abstract: A fixture for interfacing electrical leads with the terminal edges of a printed circuit card, having a frame for supporting the card, a fixed connector for receiving one of the card's terminal edges and a movable connector slidably mounted on the frame and responsive to the operation of an actuating member for mating with the card's second terminal edge while simultaneously forcing mating of the fixed connector and first terminal edge. As mating occurs, resilient fingers mounted in conjunction with the second connector and previously cammed away from the card engage apertures in the card. These fingers serve to extract the card from the fixed connector when the movable connector is actuated away from the fixed connector toward a stop. At the stop, the fingers are cammed out of the apertures, and the progression of the card is halted while the movable connector continues its motion and thereby decouples from the then stationary second terminal edge.

Abstract: A mercury capsule comprises a mercury-filled metal tube, of measured capacity, having closed ends, each of which includes end portions which are cold welded and resistance welded to form an hermetic seal and intermediate portions, which are crimped closed. The length of the intermediate crimped portions of each capsule is designed to permit the mercury within the capsule to expand and stress the lightly crimped portions, during processing operations of a device in which a capsule is mounted, without opening the hermetically sealed end portions of each capsule.The method of the invention comprises filling a metal tube with mercury, closing the open end, and forming light crimps in the tube at spaced locations to form individual capsules, each of which is filled with a measured quantity of mercury.

Abstract: A communication system using a single transmission line for the simultaneous bidirectional transmission and reception of a plurality of asynchronous digital data signals. At each end of the transmission line, transmitting means are provided for converting a plurality of individual digital data signals into a multi-level signal. The system permits simultaneous bidirectional transmission of these multi-level signals without requiring the incorporation of a clocking signal into the transmitted signals for decoding purposes. Multi-threshold receivers at each end of the transmission line provide for unclocked decoding of a received multi-level signal, the resulting decoded signals being applied to a pulse discriminating filter for removing spurious pulses which may be introduced during the unclocked decoding as a result of phase shift errors in the signals being decoded.

Abstract: A stack memory having a last-in-first-out memory organization comprising a plurality of pairs of two-phase charge coupled device shift registers arranged into a plurality of rows, the CCD registers of each pair being interconnected by digital logic to provide a circular shift register cell and to direct data into and out of the cell. Each cell is interconnected through its logic to an adjacent cell within the same row, and each row of a plurality of circular shift register cells is interconnected between an input buffer register and an output buffer register. The input buffer register is used to write data into each one of the plurality of rows of cells, and the output buffer register is used to retrieve the data from each row of cells.

Abstract: The panel comprises a gas-filled envelope including an elongated base plate having a transverse slot at about its center which divides the plate into two portions. Both portions of the base plate are provided with parallel slots in their top surfaces, and two sets of scan anodes are provided, one set seated in the slots in each portion of the base plate. The inner ends of the scan anodes are bent into and secured in the transverse slot. Two sets of scan-display cathodes are seated on the base plate, one associated with each set of scan anodes, and oriented transverse to the scan anodes and forming rows and columns of scanning or priming cells therewith. An apertured insulating cell sheet having two sets of apertures or cells is seated on the cathodes, with each set of apertures arrayed in rows and columns and overlaying a set of scanning cells, with each display cell aligned with a scanning cell beneath it. Two sets of display anodes are provided, one associated with each set of display cells.