U.S. patent number 3,650,204 [Application Number 05/005,035] was granted by the patent office on 1972-03-21 for reprography machine controlled by information on master.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Addressograph-Multigraph. Invention is credited to Jack E. Burger, Fritz A. Deutsch, Warren B. Howe, William Kyle.
United States Patent |
3,650,204 |
Burger , et al. |
March 21, 1972 |
REPROGRAPHY MACHINE CONTROLLED BY INFORMATION ON MASTER
Abstract
Automatic control of reproduction and sorting of reproduced
copies is accomplished in a printing or duplicating machine, a
reprography machine, of the type which utilizes masters or
originals from which copies are made and which has a hopper,
magazine, bunker or chamber for masters, with provision for feeding
them in succession to a cylinder associated with inking,
duplicating and cleaning mechanisms. Masters are employed which are
formed with indicia or coded markings along one or two edges which
provide signals for causing a desired number of copies of each
successive master to be produced and for sorting the produced
copies in a desired manner, for example according to the number of
copies to be sent to each of a plurality of different destinations.
A scanner is provided for examining the code marks to produce
signals, and circuits responsive thereto serve to actuate parts of
the duplicating machine. A digital memory device is utilized to
store information supplied by the code of one master while
reproduction from a previous master is going on.
Inventors: |
Burger; Jack E. (Moreland
Hills, OH), Deutsch; Fritz A. (Euclid, OH), Howe; Warren
B. (Euclid, OH), Kyle; William (Euclid, OH) |
Assignee: |
Addressograph-Multigraph
(Cleveland, OH)
|
Family
ID: |
21713800 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/005,035 |
Filed: |
January 22, 1970 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
101/45; 101/91;
101/144; 235/454; 101/2; 101/132; 235/449; 235/474 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B41L
47/60 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B41L
47/00 (20060101); B41L 47/60 (20060101); B41l
009/00 (); G06k 017/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;101/132.5,91,144,369,247,322,45 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Penn; William B.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. In a reprographic device comprising:
means for reproducing an image from each master of a series of
masters upon each of a plurality of copy sheets, said means
including mechanisms operating to perform a plurality of
subfunctions related to the accomplishment of said reproducing
function, said master being one having a control indicia pattern of
data increments placed thereon characteristic of instructions for
performance of at least one such subfunction;
reading means for sensing the control indicia pattern placed on the
master to indicate the performance of a predetermined subfunction
by the appropriate mechanism said reading means embodying sensing
and signal producing means activated to produce signals upon the
sensing of said indicia pattern;
means responsive to signals produced by said signal producing means
for regulating the operation of said appropriate mechanism to
perform the subfunction in accordance with the instructions
contained in the control indicia pattern;
the improvement comprising:
storage means for a master awaiting processing;
said reading means being associated with said master storage means
and operable to sense the control indicia on a master stored
therein before processing of a previous master is complete;
signal storage means for storing the output of said signal
producing means while the reproduction of copies from a previous
master is proceeding;
and mean for calling forth the content of said signal storage means
and applying the same to the signal responsive means in response to
completion of the copy reproduction of the previous master in the
series and the device arriving in condition to reproduce the sensed
master.
2. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which the master storage
means is a hopper for holding a stack of masters and the reading
means senses the indicia on the top master of the stack of masters
in the hopper.
3. A device as set forth in claim 2 in which the masters are
provided with a control indicia track extending transversely of the
direction of master travel in exiting from the hopper, and the
reading means is powered to move parallel to the track while the
master is stationary in the hopper.
4. A device as set forth in claim 2 in which the masters are
provided with a control indicia track extending parallel to the
direction of master travel in exiting from the hopper and the
reading means is powered to move parallel to the track while the
master is stationary in the hopper.
5. A device as set forth in claim 2 in which the masters may be
provided either with a control indicia track extending parallel to
or transversely of the direction of master travel in exiting from
the hopper, and the reading means is powered for linear travel and
mounted upon a guide disposable parallel to either track depending
upon the type of master being processed.
6. In a reprographic device comprising:
means for reproducing an image from a master upon each of a
plurality of copy sheets, said means including mechanisms operating
to perform a plurality of subfunctions related to the
accomplishment of said reproducing function, said master being one
having a control indicia pattern consisting of indicia units
arranged in a linear track and characteristic of instructions for
performance of at least one of such subfunctions;
reading means at a point adjacent one of the locations normally
occupied by each master on the device for sensing the control
indicia pattern placed on the master to identify and call for
performance of a predetermined subfunction by the appropriate
mechanism, said reading means embodying sensing and signal
producing means activated to produce signals upon the sensing of
said indicia pattern;
means responsive to signals produced by said signal producing means
for regulating the operation of said appropriate mechanism to
perform the subfunction in accordance with the instructions
contained in the control indicia pattern;
the improvement comprising:
said sensing and signal producing means embodying a single sensing
device for sensing the control indicia, and producing signals in
response thereto;
means for progressing the single sensing device and the master
relative to each other in such direction that the sensing device
effectively proceeds lengthwise of the indicia unit track on the
master and generates signals serially in response thereto;
means to store the signals received serially from said reading
device as electrical control information accessible in
parallel.
7. A device as set forth in claim 6 in which the signal storage
means is a digital device having individual bistable storage stages
corresponding each to one of the indicia unit positions on the
master indicia track, in which control means are also provided for
directing the serially incoming indicia unit signals each to its
corresponding storage stage, and which includes means for
transferring in parallel the information in certain stages of the
storage means to corresponding stages of a utilization device.
8. A device as set forth in claim 7 in which the control means for
directing the incoming unit signals comprises a clock counter
generating counting signals and an AND gate matrix jointly
responsive toe the clock counter signals and the input unit
signals.
9. A device as set forth in claim 8 in which there is also provided
a second sensing element for reading a clock track parallel to the
control indicia track with individual positions corresponding to
the unit positions on the indicia track, and generating signals for
stepping the clock counter.
Description
PRELIMINARY DESCRIPTION
An object of the invention is to make it unnecessary in reprography
for the operator to stop the machine after the number of copies
desired for any master has been run and to reset the machine for
the number of copies desired for the next master. It is thus an
object of the invention to obviate the need for manually set
counters and to provide counting mechanism which is wholly
responsive to the encoded master.
Another object of the invention is to provide for automatic
distribution of the copies with any desired number of copies
distributed to each of the plurality of different destinations.
Other and further objects, advantages and features will become
apparent as the description proceeds.
In carrying out the invention in accordance with a preferred form
thereof in conjunction with a printing or duplicating machine such
as a "Multilith 2750" manufactured by Addressograph Multigraph
Corporation, masters are employed similar to those ordinarily used
with such machines except for the fact that the master is formed
with a code along at least one edge, preferably two adjacent edges
which contain instructions as to the number of copies to be made
from each master and the manner in which the copies are to be
distributed. A computer apparatus is provided responsive to the
code for carrying out the instructions.
A scanner is provided with a carriage so constructed that the
scanner will move along either the side or the end of the master
and receive the coded instructions. In one embodiment of the
invention, the master is provided also with a set of clock marks
along the instruction code marks for synchronizing the computer. In
another embodiment of the invention, the clock signals are produced
in response to rotation of the shaft of the carriage for the
scanner.
A memory or storage device is provided for storing the instructions
received from one master in order that the instructions provided
from the previous master may be carried out by the machine while a
new set of instructions is being obtained by the scanning of the
next master. A subtracting counter is provided for response to the
storage information which saturates when the desired number of
copies has been produced and stops a paper feeder. When the
invention is employed with a type of duplicator such as "Multilith
2750" there is a magazine for masters.
Bistable circuits are employed for the clock and paper
counters.
In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, the encoding on the
masters is in the form of black marks which may be "read" by a
scanner or reader provided with a lamp and photoresponsive
detectors. The invention is not limited thereto, however, and does
not exclude the use of other types of encoding and sensing means
such as magnetic markings and magnetic responsive scanner
equipment, or punched holes with scanning equipment responsive
thereto or any other indicia which provides control data and which
can be read. By reading is meant not merely traversing the indicia
with a scanner, or moving the master with its indicia with respect
to a reading head or scanner, but also utilizing a bank of pickup
devices such as photoelectric cells to view separate parts of the
indicia simultaneously for reading information in parallel as
arrayed on the master. The invention relates to any type of machine
which makes copies of some original, a process generally referred
to as "reprography." Although specially prepared masters may be
employed in reprography the invention is not limited thereto. The
invention encompasses a procedure whereby the item inserted into
the machine for copying is not such a printing master but is merely
an original document carrying the appropriate control data,
referred to herein as "indicia." This document, upon being fed into
the machine has its control data read, and then proceeds to have
some sort of copies made from it either by direct repetitive
photography, or by first making a special master by some sort of
photographic process and then printing copies from the special
master. The term "master" as employed herein when used in its
broadest sense, is intended to include such an original document
with indicia marked thereon carrying control data as well as
specially prepared duplicating masters.
A better understanding of the invention will be afforded by the
following detailed description considered in conjunction with the
accompanying in which:
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a printing apparatus in which the
scanning apparatus and computer circuits of FIGS. 4-7, 9-12, and
14-16 are employed in conjunction with coded masters;
FIG. 2 is a view of a master employed in carrying out the
invention;
FIG. 3 is a diagram of a coded master similar to that shown in FIG.
2, but in which clock marks as well as control data information are
coded;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the scanner carriage and mounting
therefor arranged for scanning marks on the side of the master in
the hopper;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view corresponding somewhat to FIG. 4 with
the scanning head turned for scanning marks on the end of the
master, and illustrating further how the scanning carriage and its
mounting are related to the master hopper and its supporting
structure;
FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the system employed for automatic
control of a duplicator function such as the copy paper feed;
FIG. 6a is a detail diagram of a magnetic pulse generator which may
serve as an alternate source of clock signals;
FIG. 7 is a logic diagram of two subtracting binary paper counters
employed in carrying out the invention;
FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram of the type of bistable circuit
illustrative of the clock counter but due to space limitations,
showing 4 binary stages instead of 6;
FIG. 8a is a logic diagram indicating the functions performed by
the counter circuit of FIG. 8;
FIG. 9 is a logic diagram of the binary scanning apparatus and
clocking device in which the clocking impulses are produced by
rotation of the scanner carriage shaft utilizing magnetic pulses
produced by magnetic or magnetizable material mounted on the
shaft;
FIG. 10 is a logic diagram corresponding somewhat to FIG. 9, but
showing an embodiment of the invention in which there are clock
marks on the master and a clock mark scanner is employed;
FIG. 11 is a circuit diagram of the apparatus employed for
controlling the scanning;
FIG. 12 is a circuit diagram of the data pickup scanning device and
amplifier;
FIG. 13 is a circuit diagram of the feeder control relay and
amplifier driver;
FIG. 14 is a circuit diagram of the clock pulse amplifier
responsive to rotation of the scanner drive shaft;
FIG. 15 is a circuit diagram of the clock inhibitor employed in the
computer apparatus;
FIG. 16 is a logic diagram of the binary storage device for use in
conjunction with the apparatus, and
FIG. 17 is a schematic perspective diagram of one form of apparatus
for imaging and encoding the masters.
Like reference characters are utilized throughout the drawing to
designate like parts.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
A typical automatic printer or duplicator in connection with which
the invention may be employed is illustrated in FIG. 1 which
comprises certain conventional elements not constituting a part of
the present invention, namely structure 11 carrying a magazine or
hopper 12 for master plates, adapted to rest in a stack 13, means
14 for feeding paper or other sheets upon which printed matter is
to be duplicated, if desired an auxiliary paper feeder 15, a
mechanism not shown in FIG. 1 for delivering the masters
successively to a master cylinder 16, means not visible in FIG. 1
for ejecting each master after the requisite number of copies of
that master has been impressed on sheets to be printed, and a
collector or sheet distributor 17 having a plurality of bins or
pockets 18 into which printed paper copies may be segregated. There
are also a blanket cylinder 16a and an impression cylinder 16b, the
paper being fed between the latter two cylinders. Such machines
have also heretofore been provided with mechanical counters which
may be set by the operator to cause a predetermined number of
impressions to be made from the master and distributed to the
distributor 17 in successive pockets. Such machines operate
automatically, according to predetermined cycle which include the
steps of feeding a master, treating and inking the master, feeding
copy paper, stopping the copy paper feed on count down, ejecting
the master, and cleaning a blanket which transfers the impression
to the paper. The foregoing as thus far described in connection
with FIG. 1 is conventional and does not constitute a part of the
present invention.
In accordance with the present invention, however, among other
features in an illustrative embodiment specially prepared masters
are employed. These specially prepared masters differ from those
heretofore employed in that they contain not only the writing,
drawing and so forth which are to be reproduced on the paper copies
but also indicia cooperating with the computer equipment provided
in accordance with the invention to control the operation of the
duplicator FIG. 1, including the number of copies made from each
master and the manner in which the copies are sorted in the sorting
bins or pockets of FIG. 1.
As illustrated in FIG. 2, there is a master 19, the central portion
of which is left blank and is this is where the usual message to be
duplicated is written or drawn. However, in accordance with the
invention, the master 19 is provided with one or two rows of boxes
or spaces 20 and 21 in which indicia in the form of coded markings
are placed for effecting the operation of the circuits to control
the duplicator. As illustrated, there is one row of spaces 20 along
the end and another row 21 along the side so that either end or
side scanning may be employed. For example, there may be spaces 22,
23, and 24 which may be employed for various control markings such
as markings to indicate last of the set, if desired. Then there may
be a set of seven spaces 25, to permit applying a seven bit binary
code for controlling a first counter and a similar set of spaces 26
for applying a code to control a second counter. There are
electronic counters provided in accordance with the invention,
replacing the mechanical counters heretofore employed, and making
it possible for each master to determine the number of copies of
that master which will be made independently of the number of
copies made of any other master in the hopper. In addition to
spaces for the foregoing markings, spaces such as 27 are provided
in the row 21 or 20 for digital code markings, for instance
five-bit markings for controlling distribution to successive
pockets, for example, the first 2 of the pockets 18 of the
distributor 17 of FIG. 1. The spaces 27 are followed by additional
spaces 28 which may be used for other control purposes, for example
a general program selection control for selecting any one of
several distribution programs already prepared on punched tape and
each associated with its own tape read head.
For use with conventional duplicators the masters are specially
prepared sheets. However, in equipment for automatically copying or
duplicating original copy such as clippings or pages from
publications the coding which is selectable for operation by
entering an appropriate binary designation in the spaces 22 to 28,
may be marked directly on each original copy or on paste-on sheets,
and the original material then serves as the master. It may be fed
into the copier or duplicator by appropriate mechanism or first
automatically photographed to form a secondary master to be
received by the master cylinder 16 of a duplicator.
A scanner 29 is provided including an element which travels along
the rows 20 or 21 and reads the information markings for supplying
their data to storage and control circuits. However, in the
arrangement shown, in order to enable the storage and control
circuits to assign to the coded information the correct
interpretation, clock impulses are also required. These may be
provided by clock marks on the master 19 as illustrated in FIG. 3
or the scanner itself may be arranged to produce clock signals.
A form of scanner which may be employed is illustrated in FIGS. 4
and 5 having a supporting housing 31 which may be secured to one or
both of the sidewalls or master sheet guides 32 of the master
hopper 13 in either of two alternative positions by suitable
conventional mounting means, not shown. The position for side
reading of the master encoded information is illustrated in FIG. 4
and the position for end reading is illustrated in FIG. 5. It will
be understood that the surrounding structure shown in FIG. 5 would
be present in the FIG. 4 arrangement also, but has been deleted to
avoid redundancy. Within the housing 31 is a screw 33 driven by a
motor concealed in an enclosure 34 for traversing a reading head
35, which contains a lamp for illuminating the edge of the master
and photoelectric responsive reading elements in the form of
scanner illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. If the form of the master
illustrated in FIG. 3 is employed, the photoresponsive reading head
is a dual head adapted for reading markings on each of two rows 36
and 37, one the information row, the other the clock counting
row.
If the type of master is employed which is illustrated in FIG. 2,
the scanner shaft 33 is provided with means for producing clock
counter impulses at the same rate as the rate of rotations of the
shaft 33. Such synchronized pulse producers are conventional and do
not constitute a part of the present invention and need therefore
not be illustrated herein. Examples of shaft-rotation-responsive
pulse generators for producing electrical impulses in response to
movement of a magnet or magnetizable member carried by a shaft are
found in U.S. No. 3,301,053 to Walch et al. and U.S. Pat. No.
3,287,969 to Hardy.
The block diagram of FIG. 6 illustrates the general arrangement of
the apparatus responsive to coded information on the master with
the clock signals, and the storage and control circuits for
responding to the information to control the number of copies made
of each master and to control the distribution or sorting of the
copies. Where the clock marks are provided on the master as in FIG.
3, the scanner reading head 35 includes dual pick-ups 38 and 39
provided with amplifiers 41 and 42 respectively. For the sake of
illustration it has been assumed that the pick-ups 38 and 39 are of
the photoelectric type in which the current increases and decreases
according to whether the scanner "sees" the blank space or a black
mark in each information area of the master as the head traverses
the master. The invention is not limited to the use of
photoelectric responsive scanners, however, and does not exclude
the use of electrical impulse producing magnetic pick-ups in case
magnetic marks are employed on the master or electrical feelers or
other pick-ups in case punched holes are used on the master.
In case a master is of the type illustrated in FIG. 2 and the clock
signals are produced by rotation of the scanner shaft, the signals
are fed to an amplifier 42', which takes the place of amplifier 42,
from an electrical pickup such as the coil 43, responsive to
rotation of a magnet 44 carried by the scanner shaft 33 as
illustrated in FIG. 6a.
A suitable counter 45 serving as a clock counter is connected to
the output of the clock pulse amplifier 42 or 42'. For
synchronizing and indicating the significance of the output signals
from the data scanner pickup 38, an AND gate circuit 46 is provided
to which the outputs of the clock counter 45 and the data scanner
amplifier 41 are supplied. In order that the data output of one
master may be processed while the preceding master is being
reproduced a data storage device or memory 47 is provided which
receives the output of the AND gate circuit 46.
First and second feeder controls 48 and 49 are provided for the
conventional paper feeders 14 and 15 in the duplicator 51. In the
form of circuitry illustrated by way of example, subtracting
counters 52 and 53 are provided for actuating the feeder controls
48 and 49 when the desired number of copies stored in the memory 47
has been produced. The subtracting counters 52 and 53 are
responsive to the output of AND gate circuits 54 and 55
respectively, each having input from the storage 47 through lines
56 and 57, respectively, and an input from a counter accept line
58.
The storage also has an output line 59 to a distributor. Provision
is made for erasing the information in the storage 47 when this
information has been utilized for actuating the counters 52 and 53.
As illustrated in FIG. 6 schematically, it takes the form of a line
62 from the counter accept line 58 through a delay device 65 to a
line 66 to storage erase circuits. The subtracting counter
arrangement is indicated in greater detail in the logic diagram of
FIG. 7. The logic diagram for the scanning and clocking device is
shown in FIG. 9 or 10.
FIG. 8 illustrates the type of circuit which may be employed for
the clock counter, the storage, and the subtracting counters for
the feeders and the distribution pockets. As shown, there is a
plurality of electronic valves 67 which may be of the solid state
transistor type in cascaded, cross-coupled pairs to form successive
bistable circuits, each bistable circuit or pair of transistors
being capable of being shifted from one bistable state to the other
by output from the previous stage or pair of transistors. Suitable
cross-coupling elements including resistors 68, capacitors 69 and
diodes 71 are employed. The transistors 67 are shown as PNP by way
of example. Power is supplied through a negative terminal 1, which
may by way of example be -15 volts. An over bias terminal 2 is
provided. Input counting signals are supplied at a terminal 3 to
either side of the first stage, and output signals of successive
digital orders are taken at terminals 4, 6, 8, and 10. There is a
grounded or 0-volt terminal 5 and positive bias is supplied at a
terminal 7, for example at 9 volts. A terminal 9 is provided for
reset signals to restore all stages in parallel to zero position.
The functioning of the circuit of FIG. 8 as counting device is
illustrated in a logic diagram of FIG. 8a. In the interests of
space economy, the circuit of FIG. 8 and *a is shown as having a
four bit capacity. It will be understood, however, that it may be
extended to embrace as many bits as required for the particular
application.
FIG. 7 is a logic diagram illustrating the arrangement of elements
in the subtracting paper counters, such as the counters 52 and 53,
which are shown as being of the binary type, and which are used in
place of the mechanical or electrical counters usually found on
such duplicators. In the arrangement illustrated, the first counter
52 is a seven-bit binary counter and the counter 53 is a six-bit
binary counter, each having both a serial input and a parallel
input. In serial input lines 72 and 73, outputs from AND gate 54a
and 55a are received, which have inputs from enabling signal lines
74 and 75 which are energized by the relays which cause paper to
feed from the feeders, and from a signal generator which acts each
time a sheet is fed from the feeder. Output terminals from the
storage devices are connected to the respective parallel input
lines for the first and second subtracting counters represented
schematically by the cable bundles 76 and 77. The outputs from the
counters 52 and 53 are supplied through AND gates 78 and 79 to
control lines 81 and 82 for controlling the first and second
feeders.
FIG. 9 is a logic diagram illustrating the arrangement of the
scanning and clocking device when the clock pulses are obtained
from the rotation of the scanner shaft 33 by a magnetic pulse
generator 43. The clock counter 45 has its input terminal 3
connected to the output of an AND gate 88 one of whose inputs is
the output of the amplifier 42' of the clock signal pulse generator
43, the other inputs being the output of a clock inhibitor 83 via
an output line 87, and a scanner return travel inhibit line 84 (See
FIG. 11) which likewise supplies an AND gate 90 whose other input
is derived from the data scanner amplifier 41 and whose output is
the data pulse line 92. The clock counter 45 also has a parallel
reset line 85 connected to its parallel reset terminal 9.
The clock inhibitor 83 has a signal input terminal 89 receiving the
output of the data scanner amplifier 41, and has a reset terminal
91, the latter supplied from the reset line 85. The output signal
terminals of the clock counter 45 are connected through a
fragmentarily represented logic circuit 46 to parallel input
terminals in the memory stages of the storage 47.
FIG. 10 illustrates a logic diagram corresponding to FIG. 9 except
for an arrangement in which clock marks are provided on the master,
and the clock mark scanner pickup 39 is employed. In this case the
clock inhibitor 83 is not required since the clock marks on the
master are not continued beyond the number required for
synchronizing the code marks in the information line of the
master.
The arrangement for producing data signals or clock mark signals
when the clock marks are placed on the master in the case of a
photoelectric type of scanner is illustrated in FIG. 12. There is a
lamp (not shown) for projecting a beam of light on the data spaces
in the master through a suitable optical lens system (not shown),
and a photoelectric response device such as a selenium cell 98 for
example, which has relatively low resistance, for example 300
kilohms, when the light is reflected upon it but increases to a
relatively high resistance value, for example 20 megohms, when the
beam of light reaches the dark mark on the master so that
relatively little light is reflected to the photoelectric device
98. The photoresponsive device 98 is connected in series with a
resistor 99 having a resistance comparable with that of the
photoelectric device 98 when it is dark, for example of the order
of 10 megohms.
The elements 98 and 99 are connected in series across a power
supply having terminals 101 and 102 which may for example be at +9
volts and -15 volts with a grounded or zero-volt terminal 103. Two
amplifier stages are provided including solid state devices such as
NPN transistors 104 and 105 connected between power supply
terminals 102 and 103 and having load resistors 106 and 107
respectively. The transistor 104 has a base 108 connected to a
junction terminal 109 of the photoelectric response device 98 and
the resistor 99 and the transistor 105 has a base 111 connected to
the collector terminal 112 of the transistor 104, which is in turn
slightly positively biased through a resistor 113 connected to the
positive bias terminal 101. The collector terminal 114 serves as
the signal output terminal of the amplifier. When the photoelectric
response device 98 is darkened upon scanning a black mark on the
master its resistance rises, causing potential of the junction
terminal 109 and the transistor base 108 to rise thus cutting off
the flow of current in the transistor 104, permitting the potential
of the terminal 112 to fall from approximately 0 volts to very
nearly the potential of the negative terminal 102. This lowers the
potential of the base 111 of the transistor 105 causing it to
become conducting. Current then flows through the load resistor 107
raising the potential of the signal output terminal 114. In this
manner a positive voltage pulse is supplied by the amplifier
whenever a code mark is scanned. It will be understood that the
scanner and amplifier shown in FIG. 12 represents a circuit usable
as the scanner and amplifier 38, 41 of FIGS. 9 and 10 or 39, 42 of
FIG. 10.
The feeding of paper in a duplicator 51 such as that illustrated in
FIG. 1 is caused by conventional means controlled by a relay. Such
a control, specifically the control 48, is represented in FIG. 13
by a relay winding 115 operating contacts which perform
conventional functions in such apparatus. However, in accordance
with the present invention, circuit devices such as hereinbefore
described are employed for the control of the feeder relay winding
115 as illustrated in FIG. 13. Each control relay is actuated by
the output of one of the subtracting counters through a diode gate
and amplifier means.
An amplifier 117, shown as being of the solid state PNP transistor
type, is provided which is connected in series with the feeder
relay winding 115 and a direct current power supply circuit having
positive terminal 118 represented as being grounded or at 0 volts
and a negative terminal 119 represented as being -15 volts. The
transistor 117 has a base 121 supplied by the outputs of the stages
of the subtracting counter 52 or 53 through diode AND gate 78 (or
79) and normally closed contacts 115a of the feeder relay which are
associated with and driven by the winding 115. As shown, the base
121 is positively biased by the AND gate 78 so that the transistor
117 and the winding 115 normally do not conduct current. The
winding 115 is not energized while the subtracting counter is
waiting to be satisfied. When the counter is satisfied, all the
diodes of the AND gate 78 go negative and the transistor 117
conducts. This energizes the winding 115 and causes the associated
normally closed contacts 115a to open, allowing the base 121 to be
held negative by the bias resistor 123 connected to the negative
terminal 119. A reset terminal 124 is provided which is connected
to the base 121 for resetting the transistor to nonconducting
condition when a positive pulse is supplied at the terminal
124.
A suitable amplifier for the counting pulse received from a
magnetic induction-type clock pulse generator 43 is illustrated in
FIG. 14. It includes a pair of amplifier stages such as PNP
transistors 125 and 126 connected across a direct-current power
supply source having a 0-voltage terminal 127 and a negative
voltage terminal 128. The stages are connected as collector
follower stages with collectors resistors 131 and 132. A signal
output terminal 134 is connected to the collector of the transistor
126.
The input circuit of the transistor 125 includes a resistor 126
positively biasing the transistor 126, and a resistor 137, a
capacitor 138 and the pulse generator 43 series connected between
the base of a transistor 125 and the negative terminal 128. The
generator 43 is shunted by a rectifier or diode 139, poled so that
only positive pulses from the generator 43 are supplied to the
transistor 125. The circuit of FIG. 14 represents in more detail
the pulse generator amplifier combination 43, 42' of FIG. 9.
As illustrated in FIG. 15 the clock inhibitor 83 is a bistable
circuit which may comprise a pair of solid state devices such as
PNP transistors 141 and 142 connected to a grounded or 0-volt power
supply terminal 143 and negative power supply terminal 144, for
example at -15 volts, through collector resistor 145 and 146 and
cross coupled through resistors 147 and 148 shunted by capacitors
149 and 150 of high capacity such as one-tenth microfarad. The
bases of transistors 141 and 142 are preferably positively biased
through resistors 152 and 153. Signal input is provided through the
terminal 89 from the data scanner amplifier 41 to the base of
transistor 141 through a resistance-capacity circuit 154. The
external reset line 91 is coupled to the base of the transistor 142
through a resistance-capacity circuit 155.
The arrangement of the storage device 47 is illustrated by the
logic diagram of FIG. 16 representing the connections of the binary
units employed. Registers or groups of storage stages 156 and 157
are provided for storing the data concerning the number of sheets
to be duplicated from each of the two copy sheet hoppers, and are
caused to discharge their data into the subtracting counters 52 and
53 via lines 76 and 77 upon reception of a counter accept signal
via counter accept line 58. Such a signal triggers the AND gate
circuits 54 and 55 (fragmentarily illustrated) at the appropriate
time to cause transfer of the stored data. The counter accept line
58 is also connected through a line 62 and through a delay device
65 to a line 66 for supplying a storage erase impulse to the
storage after the subtracting counters have emptied.
In order that the desired number of copies will be placed in each
of the pockets 18 of the distributor 17, the storage 47 also
includes registers 170 and 171 for the first group of pockets. For
simplicity in the drawing only two such pockets counters are shown,
although there may be a greater number. For distribution in excess
of such a predetermined number of pockets, an additional general
distribution program register 172 is provided and instruction
tapes, which may be punched tapes or magnetic tapes, are provided
containing the instructions for any desired additional number of
pockets together with suitable tape reader and distributor control
thereby. The general distribution program register 172 is arranged
to select by code number and activate the reader for whichever one
of such tapes is desired. While not illustrated in this view, it
will be understood that suitable analogous counter accept circuitry
including appropriate AND gate circuits similarly related to the
storage stages 170, 171, 172, and similar storage erase provisions,
will be provided on the distributor frame and will be suitably
timed and triggered on the basis of the chosen pattern of
distributor functions. The counter accept signals in either case
will be drawn from any suitable machine function occurring at the
appropriate time for transfer, such as the signal for ejecting a
master from the master cylinder in the case of line 58, and the
signal which indicates completion of the previous count or program
in the case of the distributor apparatus.
The master 19' illustrated in FIG. 3 for use with the clock marks
on the master is shown blank. It will be understood, however, that
if desired the masters may be pre-printed with the black marks in
every space of the clock track 3 7 for the number of spaces
utilized in the information track 36. The masters may be produced
in any desired manner. Foe example, blanks printed in manner
illustrated by FIGS. 2 or 3 may be provided with the rectangles
delineating space for signal marks already printed on the blanks.
Then whatever message is to be duplicated is typed, written or
drawn on the blank. If clock marks have not already been
pre-printed in the spaces 27 these are marked in with black pencil
or black crayon and suitable markings for the digital code
representing the desired information in the spaces 22, 23, 24, 25,
26, 27 and 28, referring to FIG. 2, (or their corresponding spaces
in FIG. 3) are marked in which black pencil or crayon. Then the
filled in sheet forms a completed master and is utilized to produce
copies on a duplicator of the type illustrated in FIG. 1.
If desired a projector 173, FIG. 17 may be utilized with suitable
lens system 174 for projecting an image from a typed or written
sheet 175 on a photosensitive master 19" which is subsequently
developed in the usual manner. If it is desired to use an original
sheet not preprinted with the spaces for code markings, a separate
blank 176 with the code markings may be placed in a separate
projector 177 and projected along edges 20' and 21' of the
photosensitive master at a location which lies beyond the normal
typed or printed page on which the message normally appears.
Instead of printers 173 and 177 there may be provided, if desired,
printers of the cathode ray tube used in photo typesetting
described by Klensch and Simshauser in "The CRT in Photo
Typesetting Systems" -- IEEE Spectrum, Volume 6, Number 9, pages
75-80, September 1969. As another alternative, the masters may be
output of computers in a high speed line printer which prints not
only the text material but also the code and clock marks for the
rows 36 or rows 36 and 37 on the margin of each master.
Suitable means are provided for causing the scanner to make an
excursion along the edge tracks of the next exposed master at
either the side or the end, according toe the arrangement selected,
whenever the top master is removed from the hopper and placed in
printing position with respect to the roll of the duplicator. Then
the scanner is arranged to return at the end of the scan so that
the master which has been read may in turn be transferred from the
hopper to the printing position and the next master code marks may
be read, etc. Preferably a reversible drive motor 178 is provided
having a separate winding 179 for a forward movement and winding
180 for reverse rotation to produce a return movement as
illustrated in FIG. 11. Any desired type of reversible motor may be
employed.
The circuit of FIG. 11 can best be understood by considering that
the circuit means in the duplicator 51 provide, in a known manner,
at an intermediate point in the previous printing cycle, whenever
it is time to feed a new master into ready position, a maintained
alternating voltage on line 183 which may be considered a "master
feed signal," and that lines 192 would normally carry the effect of
this signal directly to the master feed clutch. As soon as the
mater being fed in response to this signal will have progressed out
of the hopper and into a certain position approaching the cylinder,
its presence will be sensed and circuitry on the duplicator will
terminate the master feed signal on line 183. The circuit of FIG.
11, however, acts as a delay circuit superimposed upon this normal
function, and so controls switching as to prevent forwarding of the
master feed signal from line 183, when received, until after the
scanning of the master about to be fed has been performed.
If alternating current is the supply source, the motor may be of
the single-phase, split-phase condenser type having a condenser or
capacitor 182 interposed in the connections. The connections are
shown only schematically in FIG. 11 since reversible motors are
well known to those skilled in the art. The motor 178 is connected
in a circuit between line 183 which is energized by the master feed
signal and a return or common line 184 which may be neutral or
ground line. The forward winding 179 is normally energized when
voltage appears on the line 183. There is then circuit from the
line 183 through normally closed contacts 185a of a limit relay,
which has a winding 185, the motor winding 179 and the return line
184. There is also a circuit from the line 183 through normally
closed contacts 185c of the limit relay 185 and a winding 187 of a
scan relay to the return line 184.
In addition there is also a potential connection from the line 183
through normally open contacts 185b of the limit relay 185, contact
B of a double throw scan switch 186 which normally lies on its
contact A, but senses the home position of the scanner and shifts
to its contact B in response to activation by the scanner head upon
arrival thereat. This connection further proceeds via line 190, the
normally closed contacts 187a of the scan relay 187, the input or
alternating-current terminals of a full-wave rectifier 189 and back
to the return line 184, but this circuit is open whenever voltage
first appears on line 183 since the relay 185 is not energized and
contacts 185b are normally open. The direct current output
terminals 191 of the full-wave rectifier 189 are connected through
lines 192 to the winding of a conventional master feed control
clutch (not shown).
A normally open scan limit switch 181, in circuit between the line
183 and the limit relay winding 185, is mounted at the end of the
forward travel of the scanner, and when activated, energizes
winding 185 to open the contacts 185a and 185c and close the
contacts 185b to start the return travel of the scanner. At this
point, of course, the scan home switch 186 is unaffected by the
scanner and therefore lies in normal position on contact A
completing the circuit to the return motor winding 180. Since it is
off of contact B the circuit to the rectifier and line 192 is still
incomplete. There are also relay contacts 185e which are normally
open, and which close when the limit relay winding 185 is
energized. Since they are in parallel with the scan limit switch
181 they provide a holding circuit for maintaining energization of
the return motor winding 180 even after the scanner carriage backs
off the limit switch 181.
When the carriage completes its return excursion it strikes the
switch 186 and moves it to contact B breaking its circuit and
stopping the motor. Since limit relay 185 is still held in by its
holding contacts 185e, contacts 185b are closed and 185c are
opened, deenergizing scan relay 187 allowing contacts 187a to
close. There is now a circuit from line 183 through switch 185b,
switch 186 on contact B and switch 187a to the rectifier and line
192, causing the master to feed out of the hopper and into a
position where it eliminates the voltage signal on line 183, thus
causing relay winding 185 to drop out and restoring the circuit of
FIG. 11 to its initial state.
The limit relay winding 185 also has normally open contacts 185d in
the inhibit clock counter return line 84 of FIGS. 9 and 10. The
scan relay winding 187 has normally open contacts 187b in the
parallel reset line 85.
In the apparatus illustrated the scanning is intended to be done
with the master in static condition. As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and
5, the scanning head 35 travels toward the lower right hand corner
(See FIGS. 2 and 3) of the master in either of the two attitudes of
the motor driven lead screw 33. Then the head returns to await
another signal to scan.
The track markings containing the information blocks may be printed
with a non-reproducing ink of low color contrast so that they will
not be seen by the photoelectric responsive devices nor will they
be printed. However, if it is desired that the clock and
information marks be in the same medium as the printed image, the
clock and information tracks can be located in the margin of a
master that is larger than the printed copy so that the marks will
be beyond the edge of the copy.
As illustrated, in FIG. 2, the information field is made up of
eight items of information. The first three and the last two deal
with the duplicator proper and the remainder deal with the
distributor. Those dealing with the duplicator proper are the index
block 22, the "first hopper" block 23 the "last of set" block 24
(which represent any particular two duplicator functions which it
is desired to control), the first feeder counter blocks 25, and the
second feeder counter blocks 26. The two groups of blocks
designated 27 are for distributing to the first two distributor
pockets, and the last group of blocks 28 are for the selection of
an appropriate general distributor program.
In the alternate embodiment of the invention, represented by the
master of FIG. 3, there are two rows of track markings on each
margin, one for information marks and one for clock marks,
designated 36 and 37 respectively. The clock marks in row 37 must
appear one in each block, and they re counted serially in the
binary manner by the clock counter illustrated in FIG. 10.
in the FIG. 2 embodiment the counting pulses are generated by
rotation of the shaft 33 and are counted serially by the clock
counter illustrated in FIG. 9.
The clock counting arrangements in the two forms are largely
analogous however, so that the scanning operation will be described
in detail mainly for the FIG. 2 form, from which the corresponding
operation for the FIG. 3 form will be readily apparent. In this
embodiment there are no clock marks on the master nor is there a
clock mark scanner. In an illustrative arrangement, the lead screw
33, the revolutions of which are counted, has 10 turns to the inch
and makes one revolution for each of the information blocks which
are spaced one-tenth inch apart. On the approach to the information
field, the clock counter is inhibited from counting by the clock
inhibitor 83 shown in FIG. 15. The first information block, the
index block 22, requires a mark in every case. When the
photoresponsive device sees a mark in this information block 22,
the inhibitor stage 83 flips over and enables the clock counter to
make use of the amplified magnetic pulse delivered to the gate 88
in FIG. 9.
At the end of its travel the lead screw driver motor is reversed
and the scanning head is returned to its starting position. During
the return travel both the clock counter amplifier 42' and the
information pickup amplifier 41 are inhibited from transmitting
count signals to the clock counter 45 and the storage 47.
Reverting momentarily to the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 10, as the
scanning head travels over the field, the clock counter 45 counts
all the spaces since each will contain a mark. When the data
scanner 38 sees a mark at a particular block a "yes" signal
combines with the clock counter output, at that time, and a
discreet AND gate which is associated with that particular count
value, such as gate 194, 194' or 194", sends a signal into storage
(FIGS. 10 and 16). Storage is necessary because the subtracting
counters are still in use, being now occupied in performing the
function ordered by the previous master. While specific storage
stages have not been illustrated for the functions represented by
spaces 23 and 24 on the master track, it will be readily understood
that similar storage provision for these can be made if
required.
After the scan the duplicator completes its cycle and ejects the
old master and inserts the new one. The storage has in it the
information relative to the new master that is being put on the
cylinder. Since the subtracting counters are through with counting
for the old master, they can now accept the information for the
current master out of storage. This is done by a counter accept
signal from a set of contacts on a conventional sequence start
relay (not shown) in the duplicator 51 through line 58 and discreet
AND gate circuits 54 and 55 (FIGS. 6 and 16).
On this transfer, the complement of the desired count is put into
the subtracting counters 52 and 53 shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.
Then, when the paper feeds begins, they need only to count to
saturation and the function takes place. The relay or control 48
that causes paper to feed from the first feeder provides the
enabling signal via AND gate 54a to the first counter, and the
relay 49 that causes paper to feed from the second feeder provides
enabling signal via AND gate 55a to the second counter as
illustrated in FIG. 7.
Before either of the counters count to saturation the zero level
voltages come through the diode gate 78 of the subtracting counter
as illustrated in FIG. 13. This view represents specifically the
gate arrangement in connection with counter 52, but, except for the
number of bits, it is also representative of the gate associated
with the counter 53. All or any one bit of the subtracting counter
can keep the transistor 117 backward biased. When all the bits to
go minus 15 volts, the transistor 117 is forward biased, pulls in
the relay 115, opens the normally closed contact 115a between gate
78 and the base 121 of the transistor 117 and the transistor 117 is
thereafter forward biased until the reset signal is applied to the
base 121 from the line 124. The relay stops the feed of the
associated feeder via one of its normally open contacts 115b (FIG.
13) which, upon closing, provide a feeder stop signal to the
conventional circuit (not shown) which governs feeder
operation.
DISTRIBUTOR
The first group of two pockets 18 of the distributor 117 are
counter controlled. The remainder of the distributor pockets, along
with the general distributor program, are tape controlled. There is
a choice on each master of a predetermined number of tape programs,
for example 31. The first two pockets counters in the illustrated
apparatus are shown as having each a 31 sheet capacity. The
voltages are retained in the memory device for a period of time
from when the master is scanned until the end of the duplicator
cycle. At that time, the memory data is transferred to suitable
subtracting counters in the distributor, similar to the previously
described sheet feed counters (or in the case of register 172, to
an appropriate tape selection circuit) and then the storage is
erased. This is effected by duplicator counter accept and storage
erase circuits corresponding to the circuits 58, 65 and 66 for the
feeder counters. Thus the memory of FIG. 16 can command the number
of sheets to be accepted by each of the first two distributor
pockets (registers 170 and 171) and can command which of the 31
general program tapes to employ (register 172). The general
distributor program tape which is thus selected controls the number
of sheets that the remainder of the sorter pockets will accept.
Certain embodiments of the invention and certain methods of
operation embraced therein have been shown and particularly
described for the purpose of explaining the principle of operation
of the invention and showing its application, but it will be
obvious to those skilled in the art that many modifications and
variations are possible, and it is intended therefore, to cover all
such modifications and variations as fall within the scope of the
invention. It will be recognized, for example, that although the
preferred form shown involves reading the data on a master in the
hopper, or before it reaches the master cylinder, this function can
just as well be performed with the master on the master cylinder
during the printing operation, in which case the indicia on the
master can be read directly and applied to the printing operation
of the current master without necessarily being held in memory. In
a particular example, a peripheral location of the indicia relative
to the home position of the master cylinder can be used to indicate
the number of copies to be printed, and the signal derived from the
sensing of this indicia directly on each revolution can be combined
with information derived from a stepping operation occurring at the
feed of each sheet. When the signal coincide a further signal would
result, stopping the copy paper feed and/or shutting off the
printing machine at the number of copies represented by the indicia
on the master margin.
* * * * *