Abstract: Electrically conductive magnetic toner is supplied to an electrostatic printing apparatus by dispensing it pneumatically from one of two different toner bottles mounted on dispenser blocks. The toner passes through a chute into a container having an air previous, toner impervious, bottom. The toner particles are fluidized in the container, and come into contact with the rotating surface of an applicator roller having interior magnets, and the amount of toner which stays on the applicator roller surface is controlled in part by rotating the surface past a metering blade. To periodically declump the toner, a mechanical element is depressed which reverses the direction of the applicator roller, and brings a scraper blade into contact with the surface of the applicator roller, and applies a high level of vacuum to remove scraped off toner.

Abstract: A method and apparatus provide enhanced longevity of the ion cartridge in an MIDAX (silent electric discharge) electrostatic imaging processing system. The conventional ion cartridge comprises a solid dielectric with driver and control electrodes on opposite sides, the second electrode defining a discharge region at the junction of the edge surface of the solid dielectric member. Alternating current is supplied to the electrodes to induce charged particle production electrical discharges. Gas is supplied to the discharge region to replace the vast majority of the air during charge particle generation. The gas is a mixture consisting essentially of nitrogen with an amount of argon, neon, xeon, or krypton effective to provide a catalyst for nitrogen ionization while preventing arcing. Typically, the gas is a mixture of nitrogen and argon in a ratio of about 5 to 1 to about 20 to 1 (e.g. about 10 to 1), with the total gas flow rate to the discharge region about 4.75-6.25 cubic feet per hour.