Abstract: A magnetic brush developing unit for an electrophotographic copy-machine of the type having a magnetic applicator which moves toner particles along a path passing adjacent the photoconductive element having the latent electrostatic image to be developed, in which a grid having a fine mesh is interposed in this path for separating clots of toner from the toner particles. The clots entrapped in the mesh are vibrated by the magnetic applicator till they are shattered and pass through the mesh.

Abstract: A memory addressing device for a memory divided in a plurality of elements each storing a plurality of information words. Each address for the memory comprises a first part which controls addressing means which address all the words of the memory elements stored in the address identified by said first part. All the addressed words are stored in corresponding output registers of the memory elements. The second part of the address enables the selection of the output register associated therewith. Consequently the reading operation for a block of information requires only one memory access time plus the read time of the output registers.

Abstract: A circuit for the decoding during reading of data prerecorded on a magnetic medium comprising a circuit for recognition of the recording code of the data recorded on the support by the recognition of the frequency of an input signal generated during the reading of the support and a frequency generating circuit controlled by the recognition circuit for generating a signal of predetermined frequency for the conversion of the recording code recognized into a binary code. A read-only memory comprising two zones is responsive to the recognition means for generating correcting words applied to a counter for controlling the position of a decoding window generated by a phase locked loop oscillator.

Abstract: A precision transducer for position measurements comprises a pair of supports, one of which is movable with respect to the other. Each support is provided with an electric winding constituted by equidistant serially connected printed circuit conductors extending transverse to the direction of movement. The winding of one of the supports comprises a plurality of groups of conductors connected in series and intercalated with the conductors of the other group(s). Each group of conductors is printed on one face of a substrate, the other face of which bears auxiliary conductors connecting the conductors of the groups in series, through metallized holes formed through the substrate. The substrate is bonded to the said one support after the printing of the auxiliary conductors on the said other face, the groups of conductors being printed on the said one face after the substrate has been bonded to the support.

Abstract: A serial printer comprising a character carrier having a plurality of flexible leaf springs bearing characters on the extremities thereof. A desired character is selected by positioning the corresponding leaf spring to a printing position. A pushing mechanism exerts pressure against the leaf spring in the printing position to effect a controlled motion thereof such that the character meets the paper at a low velocity instead of from acquired kinetic energy thereby resulting in noiseless printing.

Abstract: An automatic industrial robot is provided with an autoadaptive tactile device connected to a tool for performing at least one operation upon a workpiece. The tool is carried by a working head including a toolholder, and control means for effecting relative movement between the workpiece supporting means and the working head so as to bring a tool in the toolholder into a predetermined position relative to the workpiece subject to a certain tolerance. The toolholder is connected to the working head by a coupling which can be selectively freed to allow limited shifting of the toolholder relative to the working head and clamped so as to clamp the toolholder relative to the working head.

Abstract: A new, high capacity switching center for telegraphic lines which employs digital elements is herewith described. The system resembles a multiprocessor with hierarchical organization. The general coordinating functions of the system are carried out by a minicomputer having a main memory and a mass memory. Several high speed microcomputers (known as the multiplex subsystem or multiplexer), each having in turn a local working memory, are interconnected to each other and to the minicomputer through a multiplex channel. Telegraphic lines are connected to each microcomputer. These in turn are linked to users in remote locations. The local memories of the microcomputers include an area reserved for the recording of incoming messages from the connected users and an area for recording the outgoing messages to the connected users. The messages received from one of the various microcomputers are sent to the microcomputer linked with the recipient user by employing the time division multiplex technique (TDM).

Abstract: In a computer, a display is controlled by a dedicated asynchronous control unit and can be selectively connected either to a program buffer or to a keyboard buffer. A special key is operable for alternately switching the display from one to another of the two possible connections. The display has a capacity of a number of characters less than that of the buffers. Service keys are provided for controlling the progressive or selective displaying of all the characters in a buffer.

Abstract: The precision measuring apparatus comprises a portal mounted to translate on a platform and comprising two uprights supporting a first cross-piece along which runs a carriage bearing a measuring head. The weight of the carriage is unloaded through resilient means on to a second cross-piece disposed parallel to and below the first cross-piece. The second cross-piece is a part of a second portal having two columns translating on the platform together with the first portal. The columns of the second portal are disposed inside the uprights of the first portal, which uprights are hollow, and are moved by the upwriters by means of opposed pairs of compression springs disposed between each column and the corresponding upright.

Abstract: An autoadaptive working center for programmable automation comprises at least a pair of independently programmable autoadaptive devices adapted to recognize a set of different situations of the working process for addressing a corresponding subroutine of the program. Each device comprises at least a force transducer adapted to sense a wall of the workpiece under the control of a wall search instruction. The working center is also adapted to correlate the movement of the two devices under the control of correlation instructions and anti-collision setting instructions defining the dimensions of the two devices.

Abstract: The teleprinter is provided with a bialphabetic keyboard, for example latin and arabic, and a dot printing head controlled by two different character generating units corresponding to the two alphabets. The teleprinter is normally predisposed for one of the two alphabets and can be switched to the other alphabet by means of a sequence of characters. The arabic character generating unit is adapted to recognize predetermined sequences for generating composite characters, i.e. the lam-alef group. Furthermore, some characters at the end of a word are generated by adding a tail to the normal character in response to the spacing code. The teleprinter can be connected to the conventional existing teleprinters, since neither the composite characters, nor the tails are transmitted on the line.

Abstract: A cartridge for an endless inked ribbon for printing office machines comprises a container in which are disposed separating elements which define a storage zone. An endless inked ribbon is disposed in loops and is distributed at random in the storage zone. The inked ribbon passes from a slit to the exterior of the storage zone and through one aperture to the exterior of the container. A section of the inked ribbon is twisted through 180.degree. to form a Mobius loop, by guide elements which localize the twisted section in a zone of the container outside the storage zone. The inked ribbon passes back into a container through a second aperture and returns to the interior of the storage zone through an opening thereof. At least one curved wall, adjacent to the slit, defines an housing for receiving any loop which have escaped from the slit for preventing a plurality of loops of the ribbon emerging simultaneously from the storage zone.

Abstract: A removably mountable electrothermal print head for writing dots-matrix characters while moving along a thermosensitive recording medium and a mounting for the hand or a movable carriage of a printer, the head comprises a plurality of electrically energizable resistive printing elements coated on a support; the outer surface of said elements is partly cylindrical with the generatrices in parallel relation with a common direction which is transversal with respect to the printing line of the recording medium. The print head is positioned with respect to the recording medium with the part-cylindrical outer surface of the resistive printing elements in tangential relation with the recording medium. The printing head is positioned on and removably fixed to the carriage by a manually actuatable latch.

Abstract: Electrophotographic copying machine comprising a discharge device for discharging the area of the movable photoconductive element which exceeds the area of the copy-sheet residing in the machine. The discharge device comprises a lamp and a mask interposed between the lamp and the photoconductive surface, the mask has a plurality of slots, each slot being associated to a copy-sheet format; each slot comprises a first portion for discharging the margin zones of the photoconductive element, which zones has a length equal to the difference between the width of the photoconductive element and a dimension of the copy-sheet format selected; and a second portion for discharging the entire width of the photoconductive element, the second portion is positioned in front of the lamp after that a length of the photoconductive element equal to the other dimension of the format has been moved in front of the discharge device.

Abstract: A keyboard of a typewriter comprises a common actuator biased by a spring. The depression of a key causes a corresponding intermediate member to engage with the actuator to initiate an operating cycle and to move the intermediate member to a position which causes selection of an operation corresponding to the key which has been depressed. The engagement of the common actuator with more than one intermediate member consequent upon depression of more than one key causes the common actuator to move under the spring bias at a substantially reduced speed and a locking mechanism to lock selected operations. A reloading mechanism is responsive to the speed of the actuator for unlocking the locking mechanism and restoring the actuator and the intermediate member when the reduced speed is sensed.

Abstract: An arrangement for detecting the angular position for a rotatable part, for example, the printing head of an office machine comprises a shaft coupled to the rotatable part for rotating in synchronism therewith, a first rotatable cylinder arranged to rotate with the shaft and having disposed along a circumferential track a plurality of recognition apertures which are associated with predetermined discrete angular positions of the rotatable part. A first detecting unit is arranged to co-operate with the plurality of apertures to detect the predetermined discrete angular positions of the rotatable part. A second rotatable cylinder is rotatably mounted inside the first cylinder and is coupled to the shaft through speed reduction gears. On the second cylinder there is disposed at least one synchronizing element co-operating with a second detecting unit to detect complete revolutions of the rotatable part.

Abstract: A printing office machine of the type having a carriage, a controllable line spacing mechanism and a controllable carriage return mechanism for returning the carriage to the beginning of the printing line with a manually actuatable control actuated by a first key for enabling both the line spacing mechanism and the carriage return mechanism to effect both the line spacing and the return of the carriage to the beginning of the printing line. A manually actuatable stop device, actuated by a second key, is provided for preventing the movement of the carriage to override the carriage return mechanism to effect the line spacing of the carriage without the return of the carriage to the beginning of the printing line.