Abstract: Apparatus for detecting the presence of documents in a document pathway employing a light source and a light sensor positioned to function in cooperation with a drum. The drum employs a peripheral surface for support of documents as they are transported across a cylindrical surface which is recessed below the peripheral surface for reflecting light. The positions of the light source and the sensor are selected so that, when no document is present, light from the light source will be reflected from the recessed cylindrical surface onto the sensor enabling the sensor to provide an output indicating no document is present. When a document is present, light from the light source will be reflected from the surface of the document along a path which will substantially miss the sensor and not energize it, thereby enabling associated circuitry to determine that a document is present.

Abstract: Demountable, replaceable, printer ribbon cartridge transport apparatus comprising an elongated, flat, rigid, support member provided with oppositely disposed parallel recessed areas co-extensive with the longer dimension thereof and having means intermediate the ends for adjusting the length of the member and thereafter retaining the adjusted length. An endless inked ribbon is disposed within the recessed areas with each opposite end of the ribbon looped around the end of the support member and back upon itself so as to be moveable lengthwise in opposite directions along the long dimension of the support member. Demountable end caps are secured to each opposite end of the support member to protect the ribbon as it reverses direction about the end of the support and to enable the support member to be cammed into and out of engagement with ribbon drive means.

Abstract: Air assisted document stacking apparatus wherein document items are moved into a directional control channel including a pair of rotatable rollers operating in offset relationship with respect to an elongated drive belt effective to entrain and move said items into a stacker pocket, the latter having means for applying positive air pressure to said pocket so as to move incoming items out of the path of following items entering the pocket and for applying negative pressure to said pocket for closely stacking items together in said pocket by removing residual air from between said items.

Abstract: A rotable circular disc ribbon for use with a high speed impact printer. The disc ribbon includes a central ink storage chamber enclosing ink saturated porous material. The disc ribbon also includes an outer circumferential film portion positionable between the character dies or dot matrix pins of an impact printer and an image receiving web. Capillary action between ink storage chamber and the film portion of the ribbon provides continual replenishment of the ink in the film portion as it is depleted by impact printing on the web. This replenishment is further aided by centrifugal forces propelling the ink from the storage chamber to the film portion in amounts which are related to the speed of rotation of the ribbon disc.

Abstract: A lid providing access to an operating area of a document processor is provided with simplified mechanism for controlling the opening and closing of the lid, and for preventing its accidental closing when in a full or partially opened state, such mechanism requiring but minimal actuating force for opening and closing the lid, and additionally providing for the full and automatic closing of the lid when it is manually actuated to a position proximate its fully closed position.

Abstract: A mechanism for incrementally advancing continuous paper forms comprising a pair of opposing cams which drive said forms therebetween, each said cam having a plurality of camming surfaces whose phase relative to the other said cam may be manually varied. For each rotation of said pair of cams, said forms are incremented a number of times equal to the total number of camming surfaces per one said cam where an increment is phase dependent.