Abstract: The invention features a high speed thermal printing mechanism having a dichotomized printing sequence. The thermal printing mechanism is particularly useful for printing postal values and indicia upon postage tape in a variable and fixed format, respectively. The variable information can be imprinted by a thermal head under the influence of a microprocessor. The fixed information can be imprinted by an etched thermal print screen.

Abstract: A cleaning apparatus for use in an electrostatographic reproducing machine to remove magnetic toner particles from a moving surface such as a photoreceptor or transfer belt is disclosed. The cleaning apparatus comprises a frame member which includes means for containing toner particles therein; scraping means positioned in contiguous relation to said moving surface whereby toner particles adhering to the surface are removed therefrom; and magnetic means positioned on the frame opposite to the location of the scraping means for attracting the magnetic toner particles away from the moving surface and into the container means.

Abstract: A fusing apparatus for an electrophotographic copying machine in which heat fusible developing material is deposited in image-wise configuration on a sheet of paper and fixed thereto by the application of heat. The fusing apparatus has a conveyor system for conveying the sheet of paper past a source of heat for fusing the developing material into the paper. The fusing apparatus includes a secondary driving means to maintain operation of the conveying system in the event of any failure of the normal source of driving power to the conveying system so that the conveying system does not stop with the sheet of paper still adjacent the source of heat, which would allow the sheet of paper to catch fire. The secondary driving means includes stored energy means which becomes automatically operable to maintain operation of the conveying system for a period of time sufficient to eject the copy sheet from the fusing apparatus in the event of an electrical power failure in the copying machine.

Abstract: An electrostatic copying machine of the type which includes apparatus for forming a developed graphic image on, for example, a sheet of paper, and includes a heatable enclosure space within which the image bearing paper is disposable and apparatus for heating the space to bond the image to the paper; is provided with a circuit for controlling operation of the machine in consideration of the temperature of the enclosure space. The circuit includes a switch for energizing the forming and heating apparatus from a suitable source of electrical power, and a switch for actuating the energized forming apparatus. In addition, the circuit includes apparatus for sensing the temperature of the space and disabling operation of the actuating switch, and thus the forming apparatus, until the enclosure space heats up to a predetermined graphic-image-bonding temperature level.