Patent GB-945603-A (GB)
Title: Printer reperforator
IPC: H04L13/02
Filed: 1960-04-21
Abstract: 945,603. Printing - telegraph receivers. SMITH-CORONA MARCHANT Inc. April 21, 1960 [July 24, 1959], No. 13958/60. Heading H4P. For recording on a message medium, the receiving apparatus comprises an electronic device for receiving code combination signals and a controlling device for the recording operation in combination with a mechanical recorder having a plurality of rotatable selectively operable means to effect the recording operations and to feed the message medium, the co-ordinating means between the electronic and mechanical devices operates to detect identity or phase coincidence between signals derived from the recorder means and signals obtained from the electronic receiving and controlling device and receives actuation signals to initiate a cyclic action of an appropriate rotatable actuator for controlling an associated recording means corresponding to an electrical code signal group received by the receiving and controlling device. The selectively operated means include rods corresponding to the characters mounted in a rotatable wheel or wheels and operated by the detected coincidence to control the operation of associated recording members, the cycle of actuation of which utilizes elastic impact reaction forces. Diagrammatic arrangements of general operation, Figs. 7, 8, 9. For operation in response to code pulses received sequentially over the line, an oscillator 64 is triggered by the start pulse and applies a pulse via the distributer 68 to trigger a time-base generator 69 which provides stepping pulses for the distributer and through a delay 84 applies pulses to " AND " gates 1. . .5 which also receive sequential pulses from the distributer and effect selective storage of marks of the code combination on the first stores 78. At the end of a code combination time base 69 is disabled and stores 78 are read out to and effects read out of the fivesecond storage registers 88, Fig. 8, which store a single character. For parallel input over leads 1 . . . 5, the switches 80 are reversed and the pulses are passed simultaneously to the five " AND " gates under the control of a synchronizing pulse. The first two bits in store 88 are passed to a one-out-of four gate selectively energizing a MM, MS, SM or SS magnet selecting a group of printing control rods. The three remaining bits are applied to a coincidence detector which in conjunction with position pick-up coils on the shaft of the typewheel detects the angular position corresponding to the 3rd, 4th and 5th pulses. The position detector provides a pulse over connection 150 to operate the appropriate MM . . . SS selector magnet to effect the printing and perforating. A manual tape-feed button 222 eauses three space elements to be applied to the detector so that whilst tape is fed a blank signal is printed or recorded, but a received signal applies a pulse over lead 94 to override the manual control of button 222. Case shift is controlled by input from the MM circuit and inputs from the 3rd, 4th and 5th stores 88 to gates 96, Fig. 9, operating " figures " and " letters circuits 97, 98 controlling corresponding shift magnets. The circuit 100 for operating the bell is energized by the output of gate 101. The ribbon is fed in a predetermined direction by energizing one or the other of ribbon-feed clutch magnets. If signals cease no pulses appear on lead 93 and a circuit holds gate 102 or 103 open for one second, after which the ribbon feed ceases until signals are again received. The circuits for performing the various operations referred to in the description of the diagrammatic arrangement shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are described in detail in connection with Figs. 10A to 10F (not shown), and with reference to the timing diagrams of Figs. 11, 12 (not shown). The distributer is preferably a beam-switching tube, the gates are constituted by biased diodes, and transistors are employed for the various circuits such as those for the multivibrators, timing arrangements, amplifiers, storage devices, ribbon-feed, shiftsignal detectors, &c. Signal storage arrangements, Figs. 14, 15. If incoming signals are received at a rate in excess of that of the operation of the printing and perforating mechanisms, a buffer storage is provided between the first stores 78, Fig. 7, and the second stores 88, Fig. 8. Signals from the stores 78 are passed to stores 1 . . . 20, Fig. 14, under control of the input distributer, preferably a ten terminal beam-switching tube BST with an input decade selector which changes from odd channels to even channels at, for example, the seventh terminal. The output from the storage channels is similarly controlled by a B.S.T distributer with a decade selector effecting the odd-even transition at the seventh terminal. Whilst signals are in stores 88, the output distributer is stepped over terminals 1, 3, 5 . . . 2, 4, 6. . ., and the operation of the output distributer is disabled for various short periods, for example when a signal is being fed to a storage channel, and also for a short time after it has been stepped before read-out of a signal takes place. The output distributer is also held until the previous signal has been printed and perforated. In the diagrammatic arrangement, Fig. 15, the input signals 1. . . 5 and the synchronizing pulse 6 are applied simultaneously to twenty columns of stores A 1 , B 1 <SP>1</SP> ... B 1 <SP>6</SP> . . . A2, B<SP>1</SP> 20  . . . B<SP>6</SP> 20  . . ., the effective column being determined by the input distributer, and the output 1, 2 . . . 6 being provided by the appropriate terminal of the output distributer. The details circuits for " reading in " and " reading out " the code information under control of the distributers, for driving the distributers, for operating the " read-in " and " read-out " decade (odd-even) selectors, and for producing the small delays imposed on the operation of the output distributer are described in connection with Figs. 17, 18 and 19 (not shown). General operation, Fig. 2. The thirty-two rods are mounted on two synchronously rotated code wheels 282 and 284, eight rods being operable from each side of a code wheel. The first two impulses are employed in a selective circuit 54 to operate one of four magnets MS(520), MM(521), SM(522) or SS(523), each associated with eight rods. The three remaining code pulses are applied to a coincidence detector 60 which applies combinations of three pulses to the circuit 54 during rotation of the pulse-producing members in synchronism with the code wheels. When the generated pulses are identical with the three received code pulses, a pulse is applied to the circuits of the magnets MM . . . SS, and the circuit selected operates a member impacting the corresponding code rod which is moved axially in its code wheel. Each code rod is formed with a number of machined flanges, described in connection with Fig. 29 (not shown), which control tape feed, code punch retraction, selective actuation of punch members, a feed-hole punch and the printing member. A rod, when actuated is latched for a short period and through its flanges effects the desired operations. After actuation, the rod is returned to its normal position. As shown in Fig. 28 the code wheel 282 has axial recesses 402 for the rods 462 which are normally in the position of the upper rod 462. The various flanges are associated with grooves 404 . . . 412 in which inter. mediate or transfer members are located. The actuated rod is released by a cam 464 and a camming sleeve which moves the latching member 418 inwardly. A plunger 520, Fig. 2, operated by a magnet, e.g. MS, is normally held by a latch, and when the magnet is energized the plunger moves forward under the action of a spring and is impacted by the head of a code bar. On rebound the plunger is again latched. Perforating mechanism and tape feed.-The code-element punch pins and the feed-hole punch pin are actuated by members rocked by the flanges on the code rod selected and selectively engaging the heads 629, Fig. 54, of the punch pins. -The pins are withdrawn by retractor bails 674 carried by sleeves 682 and one or the other of these is rocked by a member 591 engaged by a flange on the selected code bar, and a bail engaging the flanged heads 629 of the pins is moved downwardly to effect their retraction. Tape feed after punching is effected by a transfer member 590, Fig. 60, having an arm 704 engaged by a flange on the operated code rod and withdrawing for a very short period a pawl 600 from a ratchet wheel 794 on the shaft of the tape-feed sprocket 324 which is biased for rotation through a torsionwire drive from a friction clutch and continuously rotating member, Fig. 63 (not shown). Printing operation and case shaft.-Printing is effected by the printing lever 648, Fig. 65, with its head 654 impinging the tape and ink ribbon against the appropriate character on the type-wheel 286 having two rows of type characters. The lever 648 is actuated by a member, similar to the punch actuating members engaged by the operating flange on the actuated code rod and striking the head of the hammer-actuating rod 660. Case.shift is effected by axial movement of a sleeve 840, Figs. 69, 70, carrying the type-wheel 286 connected to the continuously rotating shaft 310, and held in its shifted position by spring- biased detents engaging notches on the shaft extension. The axial movement for the shaft operation is effected by plungers coacting with grooves 870, 872 in the surface of sleeve 840. The plungers are normally latched by means of recesses engaged by levers operated by shift magnets E4, E5 energized by the reception of the " figures " and " letters " signals to allow the appropriate plunger to enter the groove 870, 872. During rotation of the sleeve 840, the actuated plunger is returned to its latched position out of contact with the sleeve 840. Ink-ribbon feed mechanism.-The i