Patent GB-877511-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to devices for providing predetermined spacing in facsimile apparatus
Filed: 1957-10-04
Abstract: 877,511. Facsimile printing apparatus. EASTMAN KODAK CO. Oct. 4, 1957 [Oct. 5, 1956], No. 31093/57. Class 40(3) A facsimile reproduction arrangement for providing a predetermined spacing between the characters represented by code arranged in successive columns and in adjacent areas of codebearing medium, each of said areas having a predetermined number of code columns, means for reading said columns, and distribution means for receiving pulses derived from said column and delivering further signals to memory means associated with each code column in each designated area, and connected to the distribution means in any predetermined order for read-out of said electrical signals in the same predetermined order, an auxiliary memory means associated with each of those of said memory means into which a signal can possibly be delivered, each of the auxiliary memory means being connected to the distribution means associated with the next code line and receiving an electrical signal only when no electrical signal is delivered to its associated memory means, means associated with each memory means and said auxiliary memory means for initiating the read out of said electrical signals successively from said memory means in a predetermined relation to said electrical signals received from said distribution means and the read out of any electrical signal in said auxiliary memory means, means associated with each of said areas for switching said initiating means to the memory means preceding that associated with the first code column and into which no electrical signals have been delivered in the next adjacent area for establishing said predetermined spacing, control means responsive to the first electrical signal derived from any one of the said auxiliary memory means associated therewith for initiating said switching means and means responsive to the electrical signals read-out of said memory means for printing characters in accordance with the code in each column and with said predetermined spacing between the characters in each designated area. A perforated card 100 carrying the full address and provided with 80 columns of selective 12-position holes 107 is fed past a scanning position 101 comprising a linear lightsource 103 and twelve photo-cells 102. The outputs from the cells 102 are fed to a circuit arrangement 108 which converts the 12-position code to a corresponding six-unit binary code applied to amplifying and gating circuits 109. A disc 110 rotated at a speed corresponding to the rate of travel of the card 100 has slots 110<SP>1</SP>, equal in number to the columns, to provide synchronizing pulses applied via any amplifier 113 to the gate circuits 109 and to the stages 114(1), 114(2) ... of a stepping ring chain having a number of stages equal to the number of columns, and set to an initial position by a start signal provided when a card 100 is in position for the scanning of the first column of perforations. Six-unit sets of pulses from the successive columns are selectively fed via OR gates 119 to 80 sockets 116(1), 116(2) ... which are provided with associated plugs 126(1), 126(2)..., each having connections to columns 121(1), 121(2) . . . six memory devices, each of which has a core 122(1), a read-in coil 123(1), a read-out coil 124(1) and an output coil 125(1). The columns of memory devices are provided in groups corresponding to the maximum number of characters to be dealt with in the various parts of an address, and correspond to the number of columns provided for this purpose in the appropriate sections of the card 100. When pulses are applied by the read-in coils and have been stored, the subsequent read-out pulses provide pulses from the associated output coils which are passed as successive combinations of pulses over conductors 150 to a synthesizing matrix 141 providing for each character, five successive sets of pulses selectively operating seven electromagnetic reproducers, each having a pair of actuating coils 152, 153 operating the associated impression members 155 which are spaced transversely of a recording tape 144 fed in conjunction with a carbon paper 158, generally as described in Specification 711,498. The five groups of successive selective pulses are fed to the impression devices under the control of a ring chain 140 and a pulse-producing circuit providing seven pulses for each character-five for reproduction and two for spacing derived from a light source 145, photo-cell 146 and slotted disc 142 driven at a speed corresponding to the feed of the tape 144 past the reproducing members 155. The pulses from the photo-cell 146 are passed to seven flip-flops 148 from which five outputs are passed to the matrix, and one of the remaining two pulses included to provide spacing is also utilized to pulse a voltage source 136 and also to step the units or stages of the ring chain 140 once for every seven pulses. The synchronizing control of the read-out of the pulses stored on the columns of the memory assembly, Fig. 8, and the printing is effected by a further rotating disc 164 with a slot 165 generating from a photo-cell 167 a pulse which is passed over a connection 169 to a valve 170, Fig. 9, controlling the first doubletriode flip-flop circuit 140(0) of the control chain 140. The pulse from the slot 145 is synchronized with the position of the tape 144 for the printing of the first character of each line of print, and is arranged to occur midway between any two successive pulses generated by the disc 142. Each column of memory devices 121(1), 121(2) ... is associated with an auxiliary memory 130 providing a control action dependent on the detection of the presence or absence of a code combination on the corresponding column of memory devices 121(1), 121(2) ... If, for example, there is no character set up for the initial letter of the title, which can be such as MR, MISS, REV, . . . a signal is provided by the "OR" circuit 119 and conductor 120 to the read-in coil 132(0) of the auxiliary memory 130(0). The read-out pulse applied to the auxiliary memory 131(0) will provide a pulse over lead Al to render valve 138(0) conducting which will change over flip-flop 200 and bias the valve 161(1) well below cut off so that it cannot respond to any synchronizing pulse over the line 180. The change over of valve 200 also renders valve 139(1) operable by the first pulse in line 180 and causes flip-flop valve 140(6) to switch so that read-out takes place from the memory 121(6)-since there are no characters for the four positions allocated to the title, and there is also provision for a letter space between sections of the address. If, however, the title of the addressee is MR so that code combinations are stored in the first two columns 121(1), 121(2) of memory devices, pulses are not passed to the read-in coils of the auxiliary memories 130(0), 130(1). The start signal over the conductor 169 makes valve 170 conductive and switches over trigger circuit 140(0) so that valve 161(1) becomes operable by the next synchronizing pulse on the line 180 and also passes a pulse over line 130 making the valve 135(0) conducting in response to the next pulse from the source 136 to read-out memory 130(0) which, however, does not produce any pulse. The next pulse on the line 180 makes the valve 161(1) conductive and switches over trigger circuit 140(1) which makes valve 161(2) receptive to the next synchronizing pulse on line 180 and by a bias voltage on line B1 allows valve 135(1) to conduct on the next pulse from the source 136 to read core 130(1), which does not produce any pulse from its output coil, and also to read the cores 121(1) set according to the 6-unit code for the letter M, and to pass the corresponding pulses over the conductors 150 to the decoding circuit and matrix 141. The next pulse on line 180 makes the valve 161(2) conductive to switch the valve 140(2) which conditions the valve 135(2) to conduct on the next pulse from the source 136 to read the auxiliary memory 130(2) and also the cores 121(2) set according to the letter R. As a character is not set up in the third column 121(3) of the memory 121(1), 121(2) ... a pulse is passed over conductor A3 to make valve 138(2) conducting and to switch over the flip-flop circuit 160 so that its left-hand side becomes conducting. This imposes a negative bias on the grid of the valve 161(3) which cannot now respond to the next synchronizing pulse on the line 180, but also reduces the negative bias on the valve 139(3) which is rendered conducting by the next synchronizing pulse on the line 180. Valve 139(3) switches over the trigger circuit 140(5) so that the control valve which would be designated 161(6), but is not shown, is operable by the next synchronizing pulse on the line 180. Also the fifth column, which is blank, is read to provide a space between the last character of the title and the first letter of the next portion of the name of the addressee. In a modification, Fig. 10 (not shown), employing also a disc 185 to generate pulses at a multiple of the frequency of the pulses derived from the disc 142, the valves 138(1) 138(2) ... 139(1), 139(2) ... of Fig. 9 are replaced by a single valve and a gating circuit controlled by a flip-flop valve. When a column of memory devices not registering a character is detected, the single valve is made conducting to switch the flip-flop valve so that the gating valve responds to the fast pulses and passes them in amplified form to operate valves functioning somewhat similarly to the valves 161(1) to switch the units 140(1).. 140(2) ... in turn until the unit of the chain corresponding to the space between that section of the address and the beginning of the next section is reached. Specifications 711,497, 792,861, 792,862 and 816,434 also are referred to.