General Instrument Corporation

Thomas P Sapitowicz

Gerald S Stevens, Jr

Robert A Meloni

Edward D Davis

Mark T MacLean-Blevins

The processor has a 'U'-shaped transport path with input and output slots in closely situated parallel planes. An overrunning clutch forms part of the transport drive between the reader and the printer to shorten the transport path by permitting the leading edge of the ticket to enter the printer while the ticket is being read by the higher speed reader. The processor can be either horizontally or vertically oriented. When vertically oriented, the input and output slots can be situated on opposite sides of a glass partition to permit customer insertion of a pre-marked ticket.

Horizontally or vertically orientable compact ticket processor

A housing defines a reservoir containing a flowable, electrically conductive ink, which may be a liquid or powder. The housing includes a printing surface in the form of a non-conductive face plate having a plurality of spaced orifices. A plurality of electrically isolated conductive electrodes are associated with the face plate, and located adjacent the various orifices. An impeller, situated behind the face plate, is rotated to distribute the ink to the orifices. A spring-loaded piston member maintains the ink in the reservoir under pressure. An electrical source is connected between the ink and selected electrodes to cause the ink to be ejected through the orifices adjacent the selected electrodes and onto a paper strip proximate the face plate to imprint dots thereon.

Non-impact spark jet print head

Sets of radially mounted solid ink spark jet capsules are situated around the circumference of a cylindrical drum rotated at high speed. A commutation disc, mounted on one end of the drum, has a surface with spaced concentric conductive strips. Each strip corresponds to a different one of the capsules in each of the sets. The strips are divided into arcuate sections, one section for each set. The sections are aligned in groups. A line of stationary contacts, one for each of the strips, energize sections in the group aligned therewith when connected through electrical switches to a pulsed high voltage source. The mechanical commutator significantly reduces the number of electrical switches required. A single motor rotates the drum, as well as print speed and slew speed capstans.

Rotary drum non-impact printer

A bar coded or user marked document is moved along a first transport path, where it is read. A portion of the document is situated in a curved retaining section. If validated, the document is moved completely into the retaining section and then into a second transport path, past a head for imprinting bar codes and text, to an output hopper. If invalid, the document is returned along a portion of the first transport path, along a reject transport path, to a hopper designated for this purpose. Blank documents may be fed from an internal stack into the second transport path for printing and then to an output hopper. First, second, and third frame sections define the first and second transport paths and are pivotally interconnected. Correspondingly curved portions of the first and second frame sections define the retaining section. The first frame section is mounted to the second frame section and can be pivoted relative thereto to provide access to the first path. The first and second frame sections can be pivoted as a unit relative to the third frame section to provide access to the second path.

Document processing apparatus

Each hammer includes a frame-like portion with a recess into which an electrically energizable flat coil is received. Affixed to opposite sides of the frame portion, and extending therefrom over the recess in contact with the sides of the coil, are thermally conductive metallic foil sheets which serve to dissipate heat from the coil, retain the coil intact and maintain the proper position of the coil relative to the frame. The exterior surfaces of the sheets form bearing surfaces to protect the hammer and coil from wear caused by contact with other parts of the head as the hammer is displaced. An elongated recess is formed along the axis of a portion of the frame, in the direction of displacement, by cutting transverse slots therein so as to form a plurality of clamping elements, alternate ones of which are situated on opposite sides of the axis. A print wire is received within the recess and frictionally engaged by the elements so as to form a strong rigid joint without significantly increasing the mass or thickness of the hammer. The print wire is affixed to the frame portion at the center of percussion thereof to eliminate torsional vibrations, otherwise created on impact.

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Bel Air, MD, United States of America

Thomas P Sapitowicz