Xerox Corporation

Vernon W Ulrich

William M OuYang

Carl B Lewis

Steven W Baldwin

James R York

Randall E Van Ryne

Ana M Perez

Wayne Cheng

Ronald E McGarvey

Carolina Creus

The physical integrity of a large-scale hardware connection between two modules, such as in the context of high-speed digital printing, is tested by entering a diagnostic mode in which single-instruction handshake routines are repeatedly sent from one module to another through a parallel bus. Each handshake routine activates all of the communication lines in the bus. If a sending module does not receive the expected response to the single-instruction handshake routine within a predetermined time, the sending module causes an audible signal to be emitted. Service personnel can manually manipulate various cables, connectors, and sockets forming a hardware connection while the system is in diagnostic mode, to isolate the location of a hardware fault.

Method and apparatus for testing a connection between digital processing

An apparatus for mounting a scanner along a paper path in an electrostatographic printing machine for permitting scanning of an information bearing code from a copy sheet traveling in a process direction of travel through the paper path. The scanner mounting apparatus includes a a slidable support platform, for permitting slidable movement of the scanner in a direction transverse to the process direction of travel of a copy sheet, the slidable support platform further having a rotatable housing mounted thereto for permitting rotational movement of the optical scanner in a plane parallel to the copy sheet. The freedom of movement provided by the combination of the slidable support platform and the rotatable housing cooperate to provide a mounting which permits selective positioning of the scanner for proper alignment with the information bearing bar code independent of its location on the copy sheet, while further permitting selective orientation of the scanner for proper orientation with the information bearing bar code independent of its orientation on the copy sheet.

Scanner mounting apparatus for an electrostatographic printing machine

A relief device for the tamping mechanism of an offset sheet set stacker. A sheet set stacker is provided having a plurality of retractable tamping mechanisms for alternately offsetting sheet sets within the stacker. Each tamping mechanism is provided with a spring biased follower arm which locks the tamping mechanism in an operative position. A relief device in the form of an oblong pivot mount allows the tamping mechanism to not only pivotally retract from an operative position but to also shift a slight amount transversely to the paper path process direction. This slight shift prevents a binding of the tamper against the just compiled sheet stack and minimizes the occurrence of sheet stack disturbance.

Relief device for offset stacker tamping mechanism

Growing community of inventors

Fairport, NY, United States of America

Vernon W Ulrich