Sci Systems, Inc.

Olin B King

A device for recording both machine readable information and visible information on a recording member such as a time-card or ledger card or pass-book with a strip of magnetic record material on it. The device includes recording apparatus for recording machine readable information on the recording member, a transport mechanism for moving the recording member and the recording apparatus relative to each other, a printer for printing visible characters or other marks upon the recording member, and print spacing apparatus which uses the relative motion between the recording member and the recording apparatus to space the characters from one another on the recording member. In a preferred embodiment, the recording apparatus is a magnetic recorder and the magnetic recorder and the printer are fixed relative to each other during the motion created by the transport mechanism. Preferably, the same mechanism which creates the relative motion for recording also moves the record card into and out of the device.

Apparatus and method for recording both machine-readable and printed

The printer records images in the form of dots on electrical discharge-sensitive paper. Three groups of five styli are mounted on a rotor. The paper is fed continuously through a curved guide in a direction perpendicular to the plane of rotation of the rotor. A disc is mounted on the same shaft and rotates with the rotor. The disc is transparent but has opaque lines spaced around its edge with a spacing corresponding to the desired spacing between dots. This divisional patent is directed to the feature in which three detectors, each comprising a lamp and photocell combination, detect the lines and produce corresponding timing pulses which are used to enable the styli. Each group of styli is enabled to operate only when it is in proper printing position. Location of the stopping and starting positions for two of the three groups is controlled by changing the time lapse between the enablement of adjacent groups. This is used to adjust the alignment of printed characters by simply moving the detectors relative to one another, thus avoiding movement of the styli and the attendant problems caused by such movement.

Electrical stylus adjustment means and method for rotary electrical

The device records images in the form of dots on electrical discharge-sensitive paper. Electrical styli are mounted on a rotor. This individual patent is directed specifically to the feature of the invention whereby the platen against which the styli press the paper during recording is a simple cylinder so that it serves both as a platen and a protective housing for the rotor and styli. The paper is fed continuously through a curved guide into the cylindrical platen. In another aspect of the invention, a timing disc bearing dot location indicia rotates with the rotor. Detectors and electrical circuitry are provided to supply one electrical timing pulse for every circumferential dot location. The dot placement and paper feed mechanism are synchronized with the rotation of the rotor so that the printer can operate at wide variety of speeds. A direct current drive motor is used to give high starting torque at low speeds, low size and cost, and to make the printer usable in portable battery-driven equipment.

Record drive system for rotary electrical stylus device

The printer records images in the form of dots on electrical discharge-sensitive paper. Three groups of five styli are mounted on a rotor. The paper is in strip form and is fed continuously through a curved guide in a direction perpendicular to the plane of rotation of the rotor. Characters are formed from a 5 dot by 7 dot matrix. A disc is mounted on the same shaft and rotates with the rotor. This divisional patent is directed to the feature in which the disc has timing marks located around its edge with a spacing corresponding to the desired spacing between dots. The marks are detected and electronic circuitry produces corresponding timing pulses, one for every desired dot location. The paper feed mechanism is geared to the same drive shaft as the rotor. Thus, the formation of each dot is synchronized with the paper feed so that the printer can operate at a wide variety of speeds, and can start printing relatively soon after starting. Also, means are provided for varying the circumferential spacing of images by varying the dot count between successive images. Means also are included for providing a variable blank margin at the edge of each printed area on the paper.

Rotary electrical printer and method using dot-by-dot synchronization

The device records images in the form of dots on electrical discharge-sensitive paper. A plurality of styli are mounted on a rotor. The paper is fed past the rotor. The paper has a coating which is eroded away by sparks between the styli and the paper. This divisional patent is directed to the provision of a support structure which supports the device with the coated side of the paper down so that when it is recorded on any debris caused by the erosion will fall away from the paper under the force of gravity and will not accumulate near the styli.

Mounting structure for rotary electrical stylus device

The device records images in the form of dots on electrical discharge-sensitive paper. A plurality of styli are mounted on a rotor. The paper is in strip form and is fed continuously through a curved guide in a direction perpendicular to the plane of rotation of the rotor, so that the paper is wrapped part-way around the rotor as it moves past. Characters are formed from a 5 dot by 7 dot matrix. This divisional patent is directed to the feature whereby the paper is pushed towards the rotor by means of a drive roller located closely adjacent the platen, at a location in which the paper is curved to form an arc. The drive roller is much narrower than the width of the paper, and the stiffness of the paper column which the roller pushes is relatively great. The curved exterior of the housing is used both as a housing and as a curved paper guide. A hinged guide co-acts with the housing in guiding the paper and forming it into an arc.

Record drive means for rotary electrical stylus device

The device records images in the form of dots on electrical discharge-sensitive paper. Multiple styli are mounted on a rotor. This divisional patent is directed to the paper feed means in which the paper is fed past the styli through a concave guide. The housing of the device is cylindrical with a curvature to match that of the concave guide, and is used both as a housing and as a convex paper guide. A drive roller extends through an opening in the cylinder wall to make contact with the paper. An idler roller on the other guide member mates with the drive roller to grip the paper. The concave guide member is hinged to the housing so as to be movable out of the way to facilitate threading the paper through the machine at the start. The rotor rotates within a cylindrical platen of a diameter larger than that of the housing. The paper moves from the outside of the housing to the inside of the platen, where images are formed on the paper by the styli.

Record feed means for rotary electrical stylus device

The printer records images in the form of dots on electrical discharge-sensitive paper. A plurality of styli are mounted on a rotor. The paper is in strip form and is fed continuously through a curved guide in a direction perpendicular to the plane of rotation of the rotor. Each stylus is energized by a voltage sufficient to create an electrical discharge between the paper and the stylus, in accordance with a code supplied from an electrical memory in which the codes for the character images are stored. This divisional patent is directed to the feature whereby words and sentences are formed longitudinally on the strip. Several lines of text can be formed on the strip, and a whole page of text can be printed relatively quietly and at a relatively high speed and low cost. Characters forming one message are stored in memory. Then they are read out in the sequence in which characters from different lines are to appear in transverse columns. The length of the lines can vary over a wide range.

Rotary printing method

The printer records images in the form of dots on electrical discharge-sensitive paper. A plurality of styli are mounted on a rotor. The paper is fed continuously through a curved guide in a direction perpendicular to the plane of rotation of the rotor. This divisional patent is directed to the provision of an automatic blackness control circuit for varying the stylus voltage directly with the rotor speed so that the blackness and readability of the images remains relatively stable despite wide variations in operating speed.

Rotary electrical printer and method automatic blackness control for

The printer records images in the form of dots on electrical discharge-sensitive paper which has a conductive coating on one surface. A plurality of styli are mounted on a rotor. The paper is fed continuously through a curved guide in a direction perpendicular to the plane of rotation of the rotor. This divisional patent is directed to the feature whereby current is supplied to the styli from a power supply through the conductive coating on the paper. The return path to the power supply is made by means of a simple brush consisting of a curved, helical spring. The spring makes good electrical contact and also serves to help shape the paper into an arc before it passes over the rotor.

Grounding device for rotary electrical printer and method

The printer records images in the form of dots on electrical discharge-sensitive paper. Three groups of five styli are mounted on a rotor. The paper is in strip form and is fed continuously through a curved guide in a direction perpendicular to the plane of rotation of the rotor, so that the paper is wrapped part-way around the rotor as it moves past. Characters are formed from a 5 dot by 7 dot matrix.

Growing community of inventors

Huntsville, AL, United States of America

Olin B King