Abstract: A method of and apparatus for producing a 3-D model by forming a continuous plurality of parallel layers of modeling material comprising a) producing a plurality of bead producing drops of the modeling material for deposition at desired locations b) controlling the locations and timing of deposition to produce vectors, in any and all directions required to produce an outer surface defining wall of said layer with a desired surface finish; c) adjusting the distance of the location of drop production to the location of drop deposition in preparation for the formation of a subsequent said layer; and d) repeating steps a), b), and c) as required to complete the model.

Abstract: The 3-D Model Maker of the present invention is a device that builds three dimensional models of computer generated (e.g., CAD) structures by vector plotting layer-upon-layer applications of solidifiable substances. The layers are formed by expelling minuscule beads of the substances in liquid or flowable phase onto a platform from one or more jets, the jets and platform being relatively movable in X, Y and Z coordinate system. The beads are deposited along vectors, during X/Y relative movement, on the stage, one at a time, layer-upon-layer, to build the model. The jets and platform are moved relatively to one another in accordance with instructions from the computer (controller) to form each layer in the X-Y plane (in a manner analogous to an X-Y vector plotter) and either the stage or the jets may move in the Z direction to allow the jets to form subsequent layers.

Abstract: A method and associated apparatus for quickly and accurately advancing paper between the platen and printing mechanism on a line-by-line basis in a high speed printer for printing lines of text including a platen and a printing mechanism disposed adjacent the platen.

Abstract: A radar jamming system comprises a target vehicle and a slave vehicle. A master thread radar detection system is provided in the target vehicle and a slave transmitter system in the slave vehicle with a data link between the target vehicle and the slave vehicle. A threat analyzer is carried by the target vehicle, the threat analyzer being capable of measuring the distances between the target and thread radar as well as between the target and slave vehicle and includes means for calculating a suitable time delay signal and doppler shift for masking the target. The signals are transmitted to said slave vehicle by the data link and means carried by the slave vehicle under control of the data link generate and transmit a radar pulse having the calculated time delay and doppler shift. The signal emitted from the jammer is coincident with the signal reflected from the target in both time and frequency.

Abstract: A method of operating an impact printer having a printhead normally intended to create letter quality characters during one pass across the printing medium at a carriage speed at least three times slower than the carriage speed at which the printer creates draft quality characters wherein the method of operation produces letter quality characters at least 50% faster than the prior art method of operation. To accomplish the throughput increase, the printer is operated in the same faster draft speed for the printing of both draft and letter quality characters. Letter quality characters, however, are created in two passes and the printing medium is not advanced to a next row position until after the two passes. During the first pass, the carriage is moved across the printing medium while printing one of each pair of horizontally close adjacent dots includes in the vertical strokes of the characters comprising a row of characters and a portion of other dots included in the row of characters.

Abstract: In a serial printer wherein a bi-directionally operating motor with a shaft drives a carriage in an oscillatory motion between two end points, an improvement for minimizing the time for direction reversal of the carriage. There is a ballistic rebound device for transferring energy of the moving motor and carriage in one direction into a resilient member and for retransmitting energy absorbed by the resilient member back into the motor and carriage in a direction opposite the one direction. There is also an electrically operated clutch for selectively coupling the ballistic rebound device to the shaft of the motor. Sensing apparatus is provided for sensing the position of the carriage with respect to the two ends.

Abstract: An improvement to a dot matrix printer of the shuttle variety wherein a printhead is oscillated from side to side within a printer base. The shuttle is disposed within a ballistic energy transfer device mounted for oscillating movement from side to side in the opposite direction to the instantaneous movement of the shuttle. A rebound spring is operably connected to exert a rebounding force against the shuttle to aid it in reversing direction. Also, a centering spring is operably connected for exerting a centering force against the ballistic energy transfer device. A linear motor is connected for driving the shuttle back and forth in an oscillating motion with respect to the ballistic energy transfer device. Optionally, the linear motor is connected for driving the ballistic energy transfer device back and forth in an oscillating motion with respect to the printer base. The turnaround time of the shuttle is adjusted by adjusting the span of the shuttle or the spring constant of the rebound spring.

Abstract: A method and associated apparatus for quickly and accurately advancing paper between the platen and printing mechanism on a line-by-line basis in a high speed printer for printing lines of text including a platen and a printing mechanism disposed adjacent the platen.

Abstract: A unique Dot Scanning System is described which gives superior quality speed performance. One form of this dot scanning system is intra-dot and is applicable to both serial and line impact dot matrix printers, line and serial thermal printers, ink jet, as well as laser and LCD printers. In general, the speed of quality printing is more than doubled for given printhead performance. Another aspect of the invention involves inter-dot scanning as well as intra-dot recording and can be used in all the above applications. The scanning is preferably perpendicular to the printhead motion over the paper.

Abstract: A unique intra-dot/inter-dot scanning system which gives superior quality speed performance. The intra-dot and inter-dot scanning system is applicable to both serial and line impact dot matrix printers, line and serial thermal printers, ink jet, laser and LCD printers, as well as computer monitors and television. The scanning is perpendicular to the beam's motion over the tube and one synchronized cycle is completed while the beam travels one-half dot diameter to three dot diameters. In the preferred embodiment, the raster scanning system is a cathode ray tube display having a source of an intensity modified electron beam and a main means for deflecting the beam to create a series of horizontal sweeps of the beam from the top to the bottom of a display screen; the deflection means comprises a secondary means for deflecting the electron beam; and, the driver means comprises signal producing means for applying a repetitive sinusoidal electrical signal to the deflection means.

Abstract: A high speed print pin driver for a dot matrix printer. A U-shaped core having a pair of parallel spaced legs is formed of a plurality of laminations of silicon iron. A rectangular magnetic field-forming coil is on one of the legs. A magnetic flux plate of silicon iron is disposed across the open end of the U of the core between the legs, the flux plate being attached to the other of the legs and in close-spaced adjacent relationship to the one of the legs. The top surface of the flux plate over the other leg is slightly longitudinally beveled and the flux plate has a bore therethrough over the one of the legs and longitudinally aligned therewith. A longitudinal spring-metal beam is disposed along the flux plate, being attached on one end to the beveled top surface and extending out over the flux plate on the other end. The beam includes an armature piece of magnetically attractable material disposed within the bore in the flux plate.

Abstract: Several new print heads are disclosed for use in serial and line printers. The print head is of the solenoid operated type without stored energy magnets and has a very low mass armature beam which the solenoid specifications are matched for performance at less than 300 microseconds. Damper mechanisms are provided for absorbing recoil sufficiently that refire rates of 350 microseconds or less are achieved. A new lightweight line printer is based on the low and the overall mass of the disclosed print head. Serial printers are also disclosed.

Abstract: A dot matrix print head includes a solenoid and a spring assembly for driving a print pin, with a positioning means for holding the assemblies in a predetermined relation. The solenoid assembly preferably has a first positioning means adjacent its upper surface and a second positioning means preferably forms a part of the spring assembly. The first and second positioning means are preferably circumferential and the second means is preferably adapted to engage the first positioning means around more than 180.degree. of arc thereof and is expandable to permit sliding engagement with the first positioning means so as to hold the spring assembly locked onto the solenoid assembly. Preferably a molded stiffening rib is carried by the spring assembly and extends from the armature to the pin-carrying tip of the spring assembly. The molded pin support is formed integrally with the stiffening rib and permits rotation of the end of the pin in the support.

Abstract: The method of assembling a dot matrix print pin driving spring in relation to a solenoid having an axial hole, the spring carrying a cylindrical armature and the hole being designed for receiving the cylindrical armature, the solenoid being carried by a housing, positioning a plastic sheet adjacent the hole, with an edge of the plastic sheet overlying the hole, inserting the armature into the hole thereby partially drawing the plastic sheet into the hole so that it engages more than 180.degree. of circumference of the armature to center the armature in the hole.

Abstract: In the printer pin control circuitry described herein, data bits which request the actuation of respective pins are entered, indirectly, into respective digital equivalent shift registers to provide, for each pin, a respective short term history of actuation requests. A high speed, special purpose digital processor sequentially examines the several shift registers to determine, at successive points in time, whether each pin winding should then be energized or not to produce an effective energizing and damping waveform under a variety of sequential actuation conditions.

Abstract: The printing apparatus disclosed herein generates alphanumeric characters of high quality, using a multi-pin printing head capable of forming discrete dots or pels, by controlling the actuation of the printing head with a timing resolution which is an order of magnitude finer than the nominal dot diameter so that a line smoothness for slanted or curved lines is obtained which is greater than that obtainable by a uniform matrix. The printing head is repeatedly traversed or scanned across the paper to provide essentially parallel lines of scan separated vertically by a distance which is a submultiple of the vertical spacing of the pins so that overlapping dots may be provided in the vertical dimension. By these means the apparatus facilitates the formation of smooth lines of essentially arbitrary slope or curvature.

Abstract: A satellite relay communications system includes a ground relay station arranged so that each message from one subscriber to another is relayed by the satellite relay to the ground relay, processed by the ground relay and then transmitted to the second subscriber by way of the satellite relay. Processing at the ground relay station includes a switching function in which the carrier frequency of each message is changed from the frequency used for transmitting by the subscriber sending each message to the frequency used for reception by the subscriber to whom the message is addressed. This permits each subscriber to use a single transmitting frequency and a minimum number of receiving frequencies.