GB1498981A - Printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

1498981 Printing fixed and variable data MEAD CORP 6 Jan 1975 [21 Jan 1974] 489/75 Heading G4H A printing system comprises means for printing in dot matrix form a variable field of information, obtained alternately from two memories, upon a moving web 25 (Fig. 2, not shown) which also has printed thereon fixed repetitively produced information. The fixed information is produced by print rolls (24), and the variable information is used to update successive editions of continuously produced newspapers. The print format comprises lines of forty 16 x 12 dot matrix characters, dots in the same row for all characters being printed simultaneously and each line-row being printed in turn. The printer 33 may comprise 480 ink jets (in two staggered rows, using delays 77) as in U.S. Specification 3,701,998 (Fig. 3, not shown), where drops (38) are either deflected away from the web or are uncharged so that they pass thereto. Each "dot" consists of three drops to avoid phasing errors. Alternatively, solenoid-operated electrodes may be used with an ink-ribbon, or the print signals may be used to modulate a scanning laser beam. The variable data is input in the form of "graphics" (scanned pictures) and characters (entered on a keyboard, format control being possible) into stores 41a, 41b used alternately under the control of switch 46, flip-flop 48 and gates 45, 58. For each store, all the graphics are printed, then all the character codes. Graphics are output via gates 82 to a store 67 which accumulates forty 12-bit groups, then applies a 480-bit parallel output 71 to printer 33. Forty 8-bit character codes are then output for each line of print via gates 58-59 to a recirculating store 60 which outputs each line 16 times to decoder gates 63. For each of the 16 rows, forty of gates 63 are enabled in turn to enable corresponding groups of 12 gates 64 whose outputs are connected to store 67; for each of the 16 rows, a register 69 enables a corresponding row 68 of diode character matrices 66, Fig. 5 (not shown) connected to the respective gate groups 64, so that store 67 is filled 16 times with 40 twelve-bit dot matrix codes. Loading and unloading of data into and out of stores 41, 60, 67, and control of register 69 is effected by means of counters, bi-stables and gates 78-100 controlled by clock pulses and pulses from a tachometer 51 attached to the web driver. An optical scanner 23 recognizes a "begin printing" code (e.g. a bar code) on the web and produces a signal which is delayed 44 before setting a flip-flop 55 to open a gate 52 for the pulses from 51. Flip-flop 55 is reset by a decoded "end of text" signal 96 which also clocks flip-flop 48 when switch 46 has been changed.