Ing C. Olivetti C., S.p.a.

Walter Gillone

Michele Bovio

Pierangelo Berruti

Aquilino Barbero

Lino Sella

Luciano Ceresa

A cash register with a keyboard (31), journal printer (47) and a check slip printer (32) is controlled by a microprocessor system with a CPU (102), a program ROM (105) and a RAM (106) including various registers for storing running totals of various types. The printer (32) prints till receipts and end-of-day check slips authenticating non-rigged operation of the cash register. Thus, each time such a check slip is printed a fresh bit of an EPROM memory (106) is set from 1 to 0 under control of a register (181) and a pulser circuit (191), the EPROM being fixed non-removably to the machine and shielded aginst UV erasure. The printed check slip includes the serial number thereof as represented by the EPROM contents, a special symbol identifying a non-manipulatable machine and the machine number recorded in a section (161) of the EPROM. In a modified embodiment the EPROM is replaced by a counter, e.g. a mechanical counter, which can only be incremented (and cannot be decremented or zeroized). The counter is incremented each time a check slip is printed and the number in the counter is included in the printout. Check slips with unbroken series of check slip numbers provide evidence of non-rigged operation.

Data recording machine

The printer comprises a solid or liquid ink jet head 100 arranged to print one dot at a time on paper running over a platen 80. The head is carried by a carriage 48 movable transversely with simple harmonic reciprocating motion. In order to reduce the effect of inertial forces when the carriage reverses its movement, the drive is effected by an eccentric peg 70 on a disc 276, the peg engaging in a guide slot 54 of the carriage perpendicular to the direction of reciprocation. An eccentric cam track 71 in the disc engages a peg 92 on a counterweight 90 for counterbalancing the inertial forces of the carriage. In order to synchronize the printing operation with the carriage movement, an optical strobe disc 258 is rigid with the disc 276 and has slots 258 disposed at a pitch varying according to the harmonic motion. The platen 80 is rotated intermittently by a helical cam 277 carried by the disc 276 and a peg wheel 280, 281. In order to compensate for discharge of a smoothing or reservoir circuit feeding the printing head 100, the duration of the pulses applied thereto can be increased in accordance with the rate at which dots are being printed. In a modification the strobe disc is replaced by a linear transducer of capacitive type, with one part carried by the carriage.

Serial dot printer for office machines

The printer comprises a solid or liquid ink jet head 100 arranged to print open dot at a time on paper running over a platen 80. The head is carried by a carriage 48 movable transversely with simple harmonic reciprocating motion. In order to reduce the effect of inertial forces when the carriage reverses its movement, the drive is effected by an eccentric peg 70 on a disc 276, the peg engaging in a guide slot 54 of the carriage perpendicular to the direction of reciprocation. An eccentric cam track 71 in the disc engages a peg 92 on a counter-weight 90 for counterbalancing the inertial forces of the carriage. In order to synchronize the printing operation with the carriage movement, an optical strobe disc 258 is rigid with the disc 276 and has slots 258 disposed at a pitch varying according to the harmonic motion. The platen 80 is rotated intermittently by a helical cam 277 carried by the disc 276 and a peg wheel 280, 281 . In order to compensate for discharge of a smoothing or reservoir circuit feeding the printing head 100, the duration of the pulses applied thereto can be increased in accordance with the rate at which dots are being printed. In a modification the strobe disc is replaced by a linear transducer of capacitive type, with one part carried by the carriage.

A serial dot matrix printer is of the non-impact solid ink type has the ink 102 contained in a tubular container 100 provided at one end with a printing orifice 106. In order to facilitate replacement of empty container, the container is provided with a grip 103 fixed to its central zone, which fits into the space between two resilient fixing forks 95, 96 rigid with the printer carriage 48. The end of the container remote from the orifice 106 is closed by a cap 110 which engaged by an electric contact 116 and connects to the ink rod 102 through a spring 107, for establishing the operating voltage between the ink rod and a counter-electrode 89 in the form of a laminar spring guiding the paper 82 round a platen 80.

Non-impact dot printer

A non-impact printing method with selective emission of solid ink particles is disclosed. A rod of solid ink is spring-pressed in an insulating housing against an end wall with a nozzle therein. A pulsed high voltage applied between the ink rod and a counter-electrode (which can be behind a paper target) causes ink particles to be eroded from the rod and ejected through the nozzle onto the paper. The method includes incremental line-feed paper movement, movement of printing devices as just described along the printing line, and selective control of the high-voltage pulsing such as to form characters by a dot matrix technique.

Non-impact printing method

A solid ink cartridge for a non-impact printer with emission of solid ink particles is disclosed. A rod of solid ink is spring-pressed in an insulating housing against an end wall with a nozzle therein. A pulsed high voltage applied between the ink rod and a counter-electrode (which can be behind a paper target) causes ink particles to be eroded from the rod and ejected through the nozzle onto the paper. The printer includes incremental line-feed paper movement, movement of printing devices as just described along the printing line, and selective control of the high-voltage pulsing such as to form characters by a dot matrix technique.

Solid ink cartridge for a non-impact printer

A non-impact printing device with selective emission of solid ink particles is disclosed. A rod 19 of solid ink is pressed by a spring 20 in an insulating housing II against an end wall with a nozzle 13 therein. A pulsed high voltage applied between the ink rod and a counter-electrode 16 (which can be behind the paper 25) causes ink particles to be eroded from the rod and ejected through the nozzle on the paper. Printers are described which employ incremental line-feed paper movement, movement of printing devices as just described along the printing line, and selective control of the high-voltage pulsing such as to form characters by a dot matrix technique.

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Ivrea, Italy

Walter Gillone