Abstract: An improved floppy disc drive, with direct disc rotational drive, characterized by a step motor having a plurality of pole pairs with pole pieces fabricated from a portion of the drive housing at predetermined locations, and a disc having radial webs and positioned so that pairs of such radial webs align one pair at a time with successive ones of successively energized pole pairs, thereby providing a highly efficient and compact disc drive motor. The drive assembly also contains a read head drive with a step motor and transmission means for driving the read head radially with respect to the floppy disc. Means are provided which enable clutch operation to engage the disc with the drive only when the disc is properly seated within the drive assembly.

Abstract: A holder is provided for the tools of a food processing machine, the tools being of the kind which have stems that can be driven by a food processor motor, with cutting or other active elements radial to the stems. The holder includes a plurality of panels with spaces between the panels to accommodate the active elements of the tools, and with slots which extend inwardly from edges of the panels and along which the stems can slide to positions where the active elements do not protrude beyond the edges of the panels.

Abstract: A generator for producing droplets of liquid by subjecting a confined body of such liquid to varying pressures at a given frequency and causing such liquid to issue from a discharge orifice first as a continuous stream and thereafter to break up into a succession of separate droplets. A particular use of the generator is to produce a controlled stream of ink droplets for the purpose of forming printed characters on documents. It accomplishes this object by making use of acoustic and ultransonic vibrations in a body of ink contained in a cavity of tapering dimensions having an ink intake passage and a discharge orifice, and causing periodic variations (or varicosities) in the hydraulic pressure at the discharge orifice which in turn causes the issuing stream of ink to break up into uniformly spaced apart fine droplets of ink.

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.