Abstract: A multiple camera automatic digitizer includes a plurality of spaced video cameras mounted within a housing under a transparent digitizing surface. Multiplexing circuitry multiplexes video signals from a selected video camera into a video amplifier, the output of which is converted to a digital number representing the darkness of the point of the document most recently scanned by a presently selected one of the video cameras. In accordance with the invention, the automatic digitizer includes a microprocessor, system controls that allows selection of various ones of the video cameras to achieve digitizing of corresponding areas of a large document, and computes skew correction factors for each camera as the basis of digitizing of a plurality of permanent alignment marks on a bottom surface of a cover for the digitizing surface. The skew correction factors are used to skew correct the camera data produced by the corresponding camera.

Abstract: A ribbon machine which is capable of feeding ribbon to the inlet or feed opening of a ribbon cassette is improved by providing the ribbon machine with a support surface having a ribbon pathway thereon and at least two cassette adapters, each one of which can be positioned at one of a plurality of adapter positions on the support surface. The cassette adapters each are capable of holding at least one type of a variety of types of ribbon cassettes. Each of the adapter positions on the support surface includes a member capable of driving either an internal or external sprocket wheel or other drive wheel which feeds the ribbon into the cassette and a cassette adapter holding member which holds the cassette adapter at a particular adapter position. Each of the cassette adapters is constructed to include the capability of allowing the drive member at each of the adapter positions to interact with the cassette to feed the ribbon into the cassette.