Abstract: A ribbon control mechanism for a serial encoding device is provided to conserve the usage of single-strike ribbon consumed during printing. The mechanism includes a ribbon transport mechanism and means for signaling the transport mechanism to reverse the ribbon between documents to position the ribbon for printing in unspent ribbon.

Abstract: A dual belt drive for use in a document transport using two belts having teeth thereon which mesh to lock a document in place. The belt is spring loaded to compensate for documents of various thickness.

Abstract: A document transport for data entry and document processing for such documents as checks or credit card slips with transport means for entering the documents into a feed station, moving the documents past two read stations, wait in a hold station then return through a print station and a validator station with provision for entering data into the system and printing upon the document. The transport moves document in one direction and is reversed and moves documents in a second direction in the processing steps prior to depositing the document into a stack station.

Abstract: Flexible material secured at one end and pressed against a document guide of the other end is used to provide a directional document guide and diverter. Dual fingers press against the guide with a feed belt moving through a slot in the diverter. The document forces the diverter to one side permitting the document to pass therethrough. However, upon return the diverter changes the course of the document directing it away from its original input position to a storage hopper.

Abstract: A valve system for selective control of flow of fluids from plural sources to a common conduit. Plural valves, are aligned along the conduit at different distances from a system axis. A cam array serves to selectively force the valves against a diaphragm to close off ports leading to the conduit upon rotation about the system axis.The invention is particularly suitable for use with a pressurized ink reservoir connected to one port, an ink solvent to a second port, and a drying gas to a third port. The valve system then may be rotated sequentially for initiating an ink operation, cleansing with the ink solvent, and drying with the gas without necessitating a disassembly of the system.