DE1958282A1 - Line printing device - Google Patents

Description

PATeNlANWKLTE

DR. E. WIEGAND DIPL-ING. W. NIEMANN 19 5 8 2 82

DR. M. KÖHLER DIPL-ING. C. GERNHARDT

MÖNCHEN HAMBURG

TELEPHONE: 395314 2000 H AMB U RG 50, f 7, II, 60

TELEGRAMS: KARPATENT KDNIGSTRASSE 28

W. 23 967/69 12 / P1

Mohawk Data Sciences Corp., Stoneham, Massachusetts (V.St.A.)

Line printing device

The invention relates to line printing and, more particularly, to a line printing apparatus comprising Length-adjusted lines with proportionally spaced characters at relatively high speeds can print.

Up until now, it was possible to create a print copy with an adjusted line length and proportional spacing of characters is an expensive operation that takes place at a relatively low speed. Typewriters and line typists (linotype), for example, have been equipped with means to enable the generation of Producing copies with adjusted line length and proportional character spacing, however, require both Machine types have a relatively long period for the Preparation of the print master, as both are time-dependent on the operator.

Furthermore, the linotype technique is relatively expensive and only economical on the basis of large-volume production executable.

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It is therefore a purpose of the invention to provide an improved apparatus for making hard copies or prints to generate adjusted line length and proportional character spacing at a multiple of the speed, which is possible with a typewriter, with only a slight increase in costs compared to typewriter technology

Another purpose of the invention is to provide an improved on-the-fly line printing apparatus which which can print length-adjusted lines with proportional character spacing.

Yet another purpose of the invention is to provide an improved data buffer memory and controls therefor to create which the use of a conventional line printing device with little mechanical change as a means for generating templates or matrices with adjusted line length and proportional character spacing which can be economically reproduced by conventional methods on a volume basis.

According to the invention, a print line is subdivided into a plurality of discrete character position codes, each of which is equal to the narrowest printable character iat _o A buffer memory is provided which has a number of character storage locations which is equal to the number of character position increments in a line. Each character to be printed is received in the buffer memory cha ¹ and stored in a character position which corresponds to the position in the line at which it is to be printed, taking into account the widths of the preceding characters in the line. The recording of data characters in the buffer memory is automatically terminated, namely at a point in time before the memory is completely filled. When the memory entry is finished, the memory positions of certain characters in the line are shifted to cause justification of the right margin. This is done through systematic shifting

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the last characters of the line are executed to the right, while the distance between them is increased slightly until the unfilled part of the line is completely is filled out. ·

Once the input and adjustment cycles are finished are, the memory is read systematically and the characters are printed by a printing device that comprises a continuously moving carrier and a plurality of print hammers. Every hammer is wide enough to print the widest character, and the number of hammers reflects the maximum number of widest characters, that can be printed on one line. Means are provided to move the print medium in the direction of To move the print cell relative to the print hammers to an extent that is equal to the width of the widest printable Sign is. Offers during this slip movement the type carrier every hammer a full series of types represents when the print medium is a basic character position increment advanced so that after the full scrolling movement is completed, each character position increment the line has been presented with all printable characters. Accordingly, the plant is capable of. any sign at any sign position link in line to print. During this working method the buffer in synchronism with the shifting movement of the print medium so that each character in memory on the line is at the character position increment is printed which corresponds to its position in memory.

Further purposes and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description in which the invention is explained with reference to the drawing, for example.

Fig. 1 is a schematic block diagram of the overall arrangement of buffers and control circuits of a preferred embodiment the invention.

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Pig. 2a to 2d if they are in the Pig. 8th indicated way are put together, a detail showing schematic Diagram of the in Pig. 1 shows the general circuits shown.

Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the basic mechanical components of a preferred embodiment of the invention reproduces including the print drum, print hammers, and paper advance mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a timing diagram showing the basic Timing signals generated by timing circuit 100 are shown are.

Pig. Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram of which certain principles of the proportional spacing features of the invention are explained.

Pig. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating the operation of the invention in creating a Part of a proportional distance print line reproduces.

Pig. Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing the operation of a preferred embodiment of the invention during operation of an adjustment cycle «

Pig. 8 is a schematic diagram showing the correct orientation of the Pig. 2a to 2d is reproduced.

In Pig. 1 is the general arrangement of the buffer memory and the pressure control circuits according to a preferred embodiment sf ο rm of the invention reproduced. Further in accordance with the preferred embodiment is one complete print line divided into 640 character position increments and the widest printable character W has a

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Width corresponding to eight position increments. Therefore a maximum of eighty such characters can be printed in one line, and accordingly there are eighty print hammers present in the printing mechanism along with a printing drum having eighty identical character type columns.

The creation of any print line requires three basic principles Working circuits i an input circuit, a line length adjustment circuit and a pressure circuit.

During the input cycle, the Signs of the plant presented in series by an input circuit 10, as it is in Pig. 1 is shown. A buffer store 20 is provided with 640 character locations to allow a full line to accumulate before some printing takes place. Each character is allowed through a gate circuit 400 and temporarily in one A character register is held until it is transferred to the correct location in memory 20. The first character the line is automatically transferred to character position 1 in memory 20 under the control of an addressing ring 40 saved. With the first character stored, input control circuit 200 causes the addressing ring 40 advances a number of character positions equal to the width (in character position increments) of the first character is. When the second character of the line is received, it is stored in the newly accessible memory location of the memory 20 and then the input control circuit 200 causes the ring 40 to advance by a number of storage locations equal to the width of the second character "

This sequence of steps continues until the input ^{cycle is terminated by the receipt of an M} spacing "character after the addressing ring 40 has advanced into the" adjustment zone ". The latter determines those character storage locations in memory 20 which are a predetermined number of character position increments at the right end

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Match one line. The number of increments in the character length adjustment zone represents the maximum number of increments that must be "filled in" during the adjustment cycle. Accordingly, for the purpose of good appearance, it is desirable that the adjustment zone be as short as possible. However, if the length of this zone is shortened, the likelihood that hyphenated separation will be necessary at the end of a line increases. Accordingly, starts to shorten the adjustment zone as much as possible? while still eliminating any need for separation, the justification zone in the preferred embodiment is located at storage location 560, which results in a zone that is eight-digit pitch increments in length. Since the average character width can be assumed to be a width relaxing four position increments, this zone creates space for about twenty characters, giving the chances of a spacer character falling in this zone being about 100 I / o , ensuring that each The input cycle is completed before the maximum capacity of the buffer memory 20 is reached «

Immediately after the end of the input cycle switches the system into the adjustment cycle. The ZSSKX The line length adjustment cycle is made possible by two binary counters controlled in the adjustment control circuit 300. One counter is a "sliding" counter and the other is one "Pad" counter. The counters are set to a count which is the number of character position increments between the position of the last character entered in the Line and the right margin. This count is in the counters are entered by setting them to a count of eighty or resetting them before the entry cycle begins, and then for each advance step of the addressing ring 40 beyond the memory position 559 count down by one during the input cycle »

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The first operation in the adjustment cycle causes the addressing ring 40 to be moved backwards or vice versa in order to have access to the memory 20 Sequence d / is incremented until a stored character is detected. When a character is detected, it is placed in the single character register in gate circuits 400 is entered and the operation of the ring 40 is stopped

Thereafter, the ring 40 is in. Forward direction in the direction advanced toward memory position 640, and each time ring 40 advances one position, it counts Sliding counter down by one. When the counter reaches a count of zero, advancement of the ring 40 is stopped and the character located in the indent register is entered into that memory location in memory 20, to which the ring 40 then has access. This memory location corresponds to the right edge of the print line, i.e. it represents represents the rightmost character position increment that the particular character can occupy. It is to be understood that since characters have different widths, the left edge of narrower characters is closer to the right edge than the left edge of wider characters. Because the special storage location in memory 20, which occupies a given character, represents the position of its left edge on the print line, the adjustment requires that the last character on the line be stored at location 638 if there is a character with a width corresponding to two increments, and that it is stored in location 637 if it is a character with a width corresponding to three increments, etc.

After the last line in the line is in memory 20 has been moved to a memory location which represents the right Rrtnd, the count in the ped counter decreased by one and the sliding counter is increased with the count that is presented at the output of the pad counter is. When this count is zero, the adjustment cycle ends. If it's not zero, sits down

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the cycle with repetition of the above Sequence of work processes forto

Therefore, during the adjustment cycle, the last character in the line becomes the last possible memory location in memory 20 and then the characters preceding it are successively to the right moved and stored in places such that an additional memory location (position increment) between added or added to each character. This operation continues until the pad counter is zero which is an indication that any unused character position increments are at the end of the line are occupied.

The pressure cycle can best be understood from a review of FIGS. 1 and 3 in summary. As indicated schematically in FIG. 3, a continuously rotating printing drum 501 is arranged, which cooperates in the usual manner with a group of eighty printing hammers 503-1 to 503-80. In the circumference of the printing drum 501, at least a complete series of type characters for each of the printing hammers 503 is engraved or formed in a similar manner. In Fig. 3 only the first and the last two series of types are shown. Each type series is abbreviated for the sake of simplicity and includes only a selection of characters to show the range of different character widths. For example, the "i" is the narrowest character and has a width corresponding to two position increments, and the "W" is the widest character with a width corresponding to eight position increments. It should be noted that the width of the character is measured from a position in alignment with the right edge of the character to a position extending two position increments beyond the left edge of the character. In Fig. 3, the distance Em, which is determined by the arrows on the drum surface, represents eight position increments. It should also be noted that the right edges of all characters of a type

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row are in alignment with the rightmost part of the face of the print hammer aligned with that row. Furthermore, the distance from the right & ante of one print hammer to the right edge of the adjacent print hammer is equal to the distance Em. Approximately one position increment (Em / 8) is provided between adjacent hammers 503 to prevent friction between them. The pious one! 501 rotates in the sighting indicated by the arrow reproduced in Pig o 3 and there is an empty space on the drum surface between the first and. The last character in a series of fypeheads is provided for timing purposes and the reason for this will be seen later. "' ^:

«Feder Druckhammer is assigned to one of eighty driver circuits HD 1 to HD 80. These circuits are of the usual design and they are © in for the ö-esamtdruekstromkreise 70 Ci ¹ Ig. $ 1. When an Ireiberstioukreis HD is actuated, the associated hammer 503 is advanced against the pressure medium 505 so that it and a farbibaiad strike against the surface of the drum. As a result, a look is printed on the Isdiuin $ 05 in the usual way, B. 1st ZVL notice that the type characters are mirrored on the pious! 501 are present. This of course leads to a correct character printer on the upper surface of the Druekmediuffls 5Q5.

The printing medium 505 is provided with perforated edges in the usual manner and it is supported by two traction elements 509 provided with drive wheels, which can be of conventional design. After each print line is completed, not a means effectively "^ shown are m the traction elements 509 additionally continued ehalt s to the jUruckmedium 505 to move out of the plane to the next pressure cell in the printing position to position. According to the invention, the paper feed mechanism is also provided with means for stepping the print medium 505 in a series of seven

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Steps in a forward (right) direction from a starting position Mistake. Each step spans a distance equal to Em / 8.

The Vorsehubzugorgane 509 are laterally displaceable on one Shaft 511 is arranged, which is mounted in machine frame parts 513 and 514. A covenant 521, the is pinned or bolted to the shaft 511, can lie against the side of the frame part 513 around the shaft 511 to be arranged in the starting position. A tension spring 519 connected at one end to the frame and at the other end to the the shaft 511 is connected, the shaft 511 is preloaded in the initial position. A switch 523 is in a slot in the G it divides part 513 attached and represents the presence of the federal 521 when the shaft 511 is in the starting position. A signal H is generated by the Switch generated to indicate this state »

A step stop cam 515 is arranged to rotate clockwise and operates with one Follower approach 517 on the shaft 511 together. One engine drives the printing drum 501 and the squat 515. A gear reduction device 525 is provided to the drive given to Hocken 515 by a factor of to reduce or reduce. That is, for every ten revolutions of the engine output sw ele and the drum 501 the cam 515 performs one revolution.

The cam 515 has eight circular cam segments. The first segment (which is shown in ^{alignment with the trailing element 517 in J 1} Ig. 3) has the shortest & adius and enables the shaft 511 to remain in the initial position for a tenth of the cam revolution, which represents one revolution of the drum 501, the next circular cam segment shifts the shaft 511 by one position increment (Em / 8) to the right and holds it there during one revolution of the printing drum 501. The next six cam segments each move the shaft 511 by one

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additional character position increment to the right and continue each holds the V / elle 511 during one revolution of the Printing drum 501 stationary. As shown in Fig. 3, the radial difference between the tallest and the lowest cam segment is Em so that total rightward movement of shaft 511 is Em.

After the high dwell time of the cam on the Trailing part 517 has passed enables a transition segment on the cam surface that the spring 519 returns the shaft 511 to the original position. This occurs over two tenths of a cam revolution (two revolutions of the printing drum 501). During this time I experience that Print medium 505 a line feed operation. The drive connection between cam 515 and motor 527 is carried out so that the gradual right shift of the shaft 511 occurs whenever the empty space on the push barrel 501 is opposite to the print hammers 503 located

A plurality of magnetically lockable markings 533 and 535 are arranged around the circumference of the printing drum 501. There is a marking 533 for each horizontal row of type characters. A sensing magnetic transducer 531 is arranged to detect the marks 533 when the printing drum 501 rotates, and generates a pulse C every time a mark 533 is scanned. The single mark 535 is arranged to cooperate with a transducer 529 so that a pulse PI is generated for each revolution of the printing drum 501. The transducers 529 and 531 are, as is usual, arranged for angular adjustment about the center of rotation of the printing drum 501. This is of course necessary to enable correct phasing of timing pulses C and P1 to compensate for the various electrical delays that exist in the puck mechanism and control circuits.

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A pressure cycle is initiated when the adjustment cycle is complete and when the electronic controls have caused the shaft 511 in the output or Rest position has been returned and that the paper feed has ended. The complete pressure cycle consists of eight revolutions of the drum 501. During each Frommel revolution there is one for each C-pulse complete scanning of every eighth character storage location of the memory 20 caused. During the first revolution of the drum the eighty character positions 1, 8, 15, 22 etc. to 633 are scanned. When each memory location is read, the data saved in it are about gate circuits 50 (Fig. 1) led to a comparator in the pressure circuits. The comparison device votes each of the eighty Characters from the memory 20 with a coded representation of the characters on the printing drum 501, which is then in the printing position comes. Every time / when an equal comparison occurs, the output of the comparison device is used uses a hammer driver circuit for later actuation to adjust. After all eighty comparisons are completed or made, a single trigger is issued fed to all eighty hammer driver circuits to simultaneously trigger those hammers that are through the comparison device are set accordingly.

After the last compare and hammer trigger sequence of the first drum revolution is completed, the print medium becomes 505 by the lateral shifting cam 515 by one Character placement increment shifted to the right (Fig. 3). During the second revolution of the drum, a second sequence of scanning eighty characters and comparing eighty Characters performed for each C-pulse. The second sequence causes a reading of the character storage locations 2, 9 »16, 23 etc. to 634. On the third drum revolution after the paper 505 is again shifted laterally by one character position increment, the storage positions 3, 10, 17, etc. to 635 read for printing.

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The above-mentioned operation continues until all character storage locations of the memory 20 are read, are compared and printed. At this point, a complete line of printing has been completed and the system is ready, to print the next line after the print media 505 advanced by one line and back to the left is moved to the starting position.

Since the control circuits are completely independent of the mechanical elements of the print head during the Input and adjustment cycles are working, the next input cycle can begin at the point in time to which the last hammer trigger pulse of the Dyuck circuit is finished. Accordingly, during the two revolutions of the drum, those for the paper feed between print lines are required, the input and adjustment cycles are fully carried out, so that at the time, too which is the paper feed and the return to the starting position are finished, another pressure cycle can begin. This means that the plant for each ten TJmdrehunoen the printing drum 501 a complete Can print line with proportional spacing of the characters and with adjusted line length. If thus the drum 501 rotates at 1800 revolutions per minute, becomes a maximum printing speed of 180 lines per minute, i.e. three lines per second, is achieved.

Description of the control circuits

FIGS. 2a and 2d, when in the in-Fig. reproduced way are composed, a details showing explanation of the control circuits, which generally, shown in Fig. 1 and described above.

The timer control circuit 100 is shown in FIG. 2d. Circuit 100 includes a fixed frequency free running oscillator 101 which provides a train of output pulses! DS. Sin inverter 107 creates a train of reverse pulses "TSf ₉ " for the following

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purposes described. Bin counter 103 switches at each 3? S pulses and after each group of eighty such pulses, the counter 103 delivers a pre-stroke pulse a 12-stage ring circuit 105. The ring circuit 105 generates twelve timing signals at its output 3? 1 to T12. Each of the pulses T1 to T12 therefore defines a time period of eighty IS pulses » Delays built into the ring circuit 105 cause a slight dwell time between the point in time, to to which a T-pulse goes negative and the point in time to which the next T-pulse begins. This is done for the reasons set out below. The waveform diagram according to Pig. 4 shows the relationship between the various timing pulses,

In addition to the circuits just described, the timing control circuit includes 100 flip-flop circuits 109, 111, 113 and 115, which work to the effect of the three basic working cycles, namely input, Adjustment and - ^ jerk to determine. The flip-flop 111 generates the input control signal LD at its set output. This signal goes around an input circuit to be initiated when the flip-flop 111 is set by an output of an AND circuit 117. Of the AND circuit 117 operates to the effect of flip-flop the first T1 pulse, the one after resetting of flip-flop 115 appears.

The flip-flop 113 generates a signal JFY at its set output, which prevents the system from working Adjustment controls. The signal JFY goes positive when the Flip-flop 113 by an output from an AND circuit 119 is set «The AND circuit 119 represents the Flip-flop 113 on at the Tt pulse after resetting of the flip-flop 111 appears.

The flip-flop 115 generates at its set output the pressure control signal PT, which the pressure circuit

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certainly. The flip-flop 115 is activated by an output of an ANI) circuit 121 set, which in the first T1 pulse after resetting the flip-flop 113 and after Receipt of the signal EPF becomes effective, which indicates the end of the paper advance. When there is a signal on the Line 66a indicates the completion of the pressure cycle, the flip-flop 115 is reset and generates a Paper advance initiating signal IPF to cause the printhead to move the print medium 505 to the next Pressure cell advances. At the same time, the signal IPF is transmitted to the input of the AND circuit 117, so that the new input cycle begins when the next T1 pulse appears.

A delay circuit D4 is between the reset output of the flip-flop 111 and the input of the AHD circuit 119 is used to prevent flip-flop 113 from being set during the same 11-pulse which resets the flip-flop 111. The signal EPF is generated by the print head by conventional means, not shown Means provided which indicate completion of the advance of the print medium.

The flip-flop 109 acts to force termination of the input cycle in the unlikely event that that the input does not create a space in the adjustment zone. During any input-watch cycle, when the addressing circuits are driven past the character location 632 in the memory 20, the Flip-flop 109 on, and at pulse T12 of this sub-circuit an AND circuit 123 is made effective and transmits a pulse via an OB circuit 125 for Bücltstellen of flip-flop 111. In this way no data character are lost or only partially printed at the end of a line.

The input circuit 10 (Fig. 2a) carries data signals,

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bit by bit in parallel and character by character in series, on six Input lines 11 to. Each data character consists of six binary bits. The repetition speed at which Data on the input lines 11 must be presented be at least equal to or less than the repetition speed for pressure circuits of the system in order to to prevent a loss of data.

The gate circuits 400 include first and second character gates 401 and 409, a ^set of six OR circuits 403, a register 405 storing a character, and an output character gate 407. The OE circuits 403 carry characters from either gate 401 or gate 409 in FIG the register 405. D _a s gate 407 transfers the data stored in the register ^ calibrate to the buffer memory 20 for storage therein. Sin MD circuit 411 opens gate 401 for the duration of every Ti pulse that appears during an input cycle. An AHD circuit 425 opens gate 409 for the duration of each T2 pulse that occurs during an adjustment circuit. The register 405 is periodically cleared (including zero and reset) by an output from an OR circuit 417. The OR circuit 417 responds to an output of either an AITD current circuit 413 or an AND circuit. Circuit 415 to generate the travel signal. The AHD circuit 413 is actuated for every J? 4 pulse of an input circuit, and the AND circuit 415 is actuated for each T9 pulse during the adjustment cycle. An OR circuit 423 operates to open the gate 407 under the control of two AND circuits 419 and 421. The AND circuit 419 creates a Tora signal for every? 2 pulse during the input cycle and the AHD circuit 421 creates the gate signal for every T4 pulse during an adjustment cycle. A set of six lines 406 is used to transfer the character bit data from the output of the register 405 to a detector circuit 201 (Fig. 2c) and a monitoring

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decoding circuit 219 (weight decoder circuit) by Input control circuit 200 are included.

The input control circuits 200 are shown in Figure 2c. 3> he empty detector 201 always creates an output signal if a space or space is stored in register 405. The output from detector 201 sets an AUD circuit 205 partially. TheAND circuit 205 is set when the output from detector 201 coincides with a T1 timing pulse and © inem Output from a flip-flop 203 made effective. The latter circuit is when responding to a signal set by addressing circuit 40, which indicates that access to memory location 560 of memory 20 was available during the input cycle. Of the Output from AND circuit 205 is on the OB ^ circuit 125 (Fig. 2d) in the timing circuits transmitted '' to set the flip-flop 111, creating an input circuit is terminated.

Decoder 219 provides an output signal on one of eight output lines, labeled 1 through 8, upon response to each character stored in register 405. The output circuit 219 indicates the width rating of the character. Outputs 1 to 7 from circuit 219 are transmitted via a series of OR circuits 221, 223, 225, 227, 229 and 231 to the input side of an OR circuit 213. Due to the action of the OR circuits, the number of input lines to the OR # 213, which are activated, are inversely proportional to the "weight" of the decoded characters. If, for example, the output line 1 goes positive and thus represents a character which has a width corresponding to a position increment, seven input lines leading to the gate 213 are "activated", since the signal on the one output status continues via the six OB circuits 221 to 231 runs to the six other lines leading to gate 213

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activate. If the output line 2 goes positive, all input lines to gate 213 activated except for the right input line. When the output line 7 goes positive, only the left one goes Entrance to gate 213 activated.

An AND circuit 211 opens the _gate 213 at every T3 pulse during the input circuit in order to transfer the outputs from the evaluation decoder 219 to an 8-stage shift register 215. On the T1 pulse, a reset line 214 has been activated to set a 1-bit in each stage of shift register 215, and when gate 213 opens, an 0-bit is put into the corresponding stage of shift register 215 through each activated output from it . Therefore, for a character having a 'weight' of ¹ of 1, an 0 bit is set in each of the first seven stages of shift register 215 and the last right stage is left at 1. Similarly, for a character weighing "7", an O-bit is set in the first (left) stage of shift register 215 and the remaining seven stages remain set to one.

After the shift register 215 is loaded with the "weight" count for the T3 pulse, an AHD circuit 209 generates eight shift pulses, one during each of the timing pulses T4 to 111 · Bin OR circuit 207 supplies the timing pulses to the ASD Circuit 209 'and the output of the latter circuit 209 sets an AiTD circuit 217 and drives the shift register 215 through a delay circuit D5. The delay of the circuit D5 is essentially equal to the full length of a T-pulse, so that each of the timing pulses T4 to T11 causes the data in the register 215 to be shifted one step to the right at the end of the timing pulse. The AifD strobe circuit 217 receives the output from the last stage of the shift register 215 at its second input. Therefore, as long as there is a 1 bit in the last stage of the

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Shift register 115 remains stored, the output of the AND circuit 217 in response to each of the shift pulses positive. Each output from AND circuit 117 is used to move the addressing circuit to the next advance higher storage position in the memory 20. The shift register 215 therefore acts to the effect of the addressing circuit to advance a number of memory locations equal to the width weighting of the i in register 405 stored character is.

Fig. 2b shows the design of the buffer storage tank 20 .. The memory 20 comprises a magnetic core memory matrix 21 for 640 characters, a set of read-write drivers 27 and a set of reading drivers 29. Each character storage location in matrix 21 comprises at least six magnetic cores for Store the six bits of a character. Access to the character positions is given individually by the. Driver 27 and 29 either of the addressing circuits 40 and the reading control circuits 60 are obtained under control. The read / write driver 27 has 640 output lines, each of which concatenated to a character storage location in matrix 21 is. When the driver circuits have an output from an OE circuit 23 for writing "^ aten to the Memory 20 are set, the activated drive line creates a selection stream to the six cores of the associated memory location, so that when the gate 407 is opened, the character presented to the memory matrix 21 is written into the accessible memory location. The write driver circuits are made by the OR circuit while typing full! »'Skating and during every T4 time of the adjustment cycle made effective.

When the reading drivers of the circuit 27 through a Output from an AHD circuit 25 at any one time T2 pulse of an adjustment circuit made effective each energized driver output line supplies a full switching current to the six cores of the associated

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Storage location so that the stored in the location Data can be read destructively on the six memory output lines 22. The sign on lines 22 will be via lines 24 to the inputs of a lores 409 (Fig. 2a) returned.

The only reading Ireiberstromkreise 29 have also 640 output lines, one of which is linked to a memory position of the matrix 21. These Driver circuits are like that during a pressure cycle set the characters from the Read memory 20, namely non-destructive or non-erasing. During this reading process, the ^ or 50 opened to lead the characters to the - ^ jerk circuits 70.

The addressing circuit 40 is shown in Fig. 2d and it comprises a 640-stage bidirectional ring circuit 41, three AND circuits 43, 47 and 49 and one 01 circuit 45. Each applied to the ADV input of the Hinges 41 Impulse causes the Hinges 41 to be advanced or advanced by one place in the direction of 640 and each Pulse applied to the DEC input terminal causes the ring 41 is moved backwards or downshifted by one position in the direction of the stage 1. The 640 output lines des Hinges 41 are individually excited in order to activate one of the writing or reading ireiber in the circuit 27. The AND circuit 43 generates a pulse at each Ti point in time of a ^ back cycle to the Hing 41 to the Level 1 reset 11 s. The OH circuit 45 delivers ADV input of the Hinges 41 pulses when responding to pulses from the IND circuit 217, which causes the ring 41 to to shift forward. The OR circuit 45 continues to receive ^ upward switching pulses from the AND circuit 49t of the one Forward stop pulse at each TS point in time during one T3-Impulsa of an adjustment cycle delivers as long as the output of a zero detector circuit 317 into the Juating control circuits 300 negative (and thereby the absence of a zero output from counter 301

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displays). The AUD circuit 47 provides a reverse switching pulse to the Hing 41 for each TS pulse that appears during the T2 time of an adjustment cycle, if the flip-flop 235 in the input control circuit turns into its reset state.

The readout control circuit 60 is shown in Figure 2a and it acts to control the operation of the addressing circuit 30 to provide non-releasing reading of the Data in the memory matrix 21 during a printing cycle to evoke. An AUD circuit 67 is during the first P1 pulse of a pressure circuit activated after the presence of the pressure medium 505 in the starting position has been indicated by a Η signal. The output from AND circuit 67 sets a flip-flop 61, and the set output from this represents AHD circuits 65, 68 and 69 partially. The AND-StromlOBis 65 produces an output which sets flip-flop 63 in response to the first -SS signal which is after the setting of the flip-flop 61 and after a delay period Di has elapsed after the appearance of a character pulse C appears. The set output of flip-flop 63 partially sets AND circuit 69 and sets the readout driver 29 and opens gate 50.

The AUD circuit 69 responds to every TS pulse, dir after setting the flip-flop 63 appears to one Forward switching pulse to a hanging circuit 31 in the To transmit addressing circuits 30. TheASTD circuit responds at the time the flip-flop 61 is set in order to transmit a forward switching pulse to a ring 33. Daa first P1 signal during the pressure cycle causes the hanging 33 from β an 8-state to its 1-state continued becomes, and any bi-impulse that occurs afterwards, during the Pressure circle appears, switches the ring 33 by one step in the direction against the 8-state.

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A delay circuit D2 generates a pulse to reset flip-flop 63 one at a time after the appearance of the C-pulse. The one from that The delay created in circuit 332 is precisely timed to prevent the Hinges 31 from switching forward Level 1 to enable level 80. When the latter stage is reached, the flip-flop 63 is reset and the AND circuit 69 is disabled so that the ring remains at level 80. The reading heads 29 and the SDor 50 are reset by resetting the flip-flop 63 also made ineffective.

A flip-flop 62 is provided in order to terminate the pressure cycle after the last C-pulse which follows the eighth P1-pulse of the circuit. Each C pulse sets flip-flop 62. During the eighth rotation of the _Prin .cktrommel 501 of the cycle the Adressierstromkreise 30 provide a pulse to the flip-flop 62 after each C-pulse reset. A delay circuit D3 leads this reset pulse to an AlD circuit 64 which delays it by a length of time which is longer than the time between the reset pulse and the subsequent C pulse. After the last C_i _m pulse, the flip-flop 62 remains in its reset state, so that after the D3 delay period, the AND circuit 64 supplies a lens-foot multivibrator with pulses and the output of this δ, βπ flip-flop 61 resets, causes the driver 29 to free the memory matrix 21 and reset the flip-flop 115 via the line 66a in order to end the printing cycle and to initiate the paper advance.

The addressing circuit shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b 30 includes ring circuits 31 and 33 and 640 ASD circuits 35. The ring circuit 31 has eighty stages and therefore eight / zillion output lines, of which only the first and the last are shown. The ring 33 has eight steps and eight output lines. The IND circuits 35 are eighty

009323/1682

Groups of eight circuits each switched. Whore the first and the last circuit of the first AND circuit group (labeled 1 and 8 ", respectively) and the first and the last Circuit of the last AND circuit group (labeled 633 and 640, respectively) are shown. The exit line the first stage of ring 33 is with the first AND circuits each of the eighty groups connected. The output line of the second stage of the ring 33 is with connected to the second AND circuit of each group, etc. up to the output line of the eighth stage of the ring 33 » which is connected to the eighth circuit of each of the eighty groups of AND circuits 35 «,

The second input to each of the AND circuits 35 is fed by the ring 31. The output line of the first Stage is connected to all eight AND circuits 35 of the first group. Similarly, the Xoutput line is of the second stage connected to all eight AND circuits 35 of the second group and so on up to the output line the eightieth stage connected to all AND circuits 35 in the eightieth group as shown is ο

Accordingly, during the first revolution of the printing drum 501 during a printing cycle, the AEN circuit 69 advances the ring 31 by one step, in order to subsequently excite the AND circuits 35 in the sequence 1, 9, 17, 25, etc. up to 633. At the beginning of the second revolution of the drum 501, the AND circuit 68 switches the ring 33 to its second output stage, so that when the AND circuit advances the ring 31 through the next eighty stages, the AND circuits 2, 10, 18 be made 26 etc * irksam up to 634 "," This continues for eight revolutions of the drum 501 continues until the end of the eighth turn of Auegang of 640sten AHD-Stromkreiaes 35 flip-flop resets 62 and the completing the ^D smooth circulation Sequence triggers as described above.

009823/1662

Therefore, the control during a pressure cycle MD circuits 35 the only reading drivers 29 for non-erasable reading of the data stored in the matrix 21 in eight basic scanning patterns. Each Sampling pattern reads every eighth memory location in memory 20. During each revolution of the drum 501 becomes a basic scan pattern in a number repeats that is equal to the number of C pulses that are generated during one drum revolution.

The pressure circuits 70 are shown in Fig. 2b. Each character read from the memory 20 via the gate 50 is applied via lines 51 to the input of a comparison circuit 71. D _e m input of the comparison circuit 71 is further supplied to the six bit full output of a character code generator 72nd The ^above odegenerator 72 provides at its output a sequence of character codes, which determines the Eeihenfolge, turn come in wether character rows on the printing drum 501 for printing. Each C-pulse generated by the print drum switches the C _O degenarator 72 to the next character. A set of eighty flip-flops 74-1 through 74-80 are provided to temporarily store the results of each comparison made during a scan sequence. The C-pulse is applied to reset each of these flip-flops 74 shortly before the time at which the comparisons take place. Since each memory character is presented to the input of the comparison circuit 71 via the gate 50, one of the eighty AUD circuits 73-1 to 73-80 is partially set by the activated output line from the Hing 31. If the memory character corresponds to the output of the code generator. 72 matches, the partially activated AFD circuit 73 is activated to set its corresponding flip-flop 74. As soon as the sequence of scanning of eighty characters is completed, a delay circuit D6 generated by the

009823/16

C-pulse has been activated »a. Exit that all * eighty AND circuits 75-1 through 75-80 activated that are on Flip-flops 74 are connected, which during the equalization sequence were set. The outputs of the activated AMD circuits 75 cause the corresponding hammer driver circuits KD1 to HD80 their corresponding print hammers drive. The hammer driver circuits HD1 to HD 80 correspond to the circuits shown in.! Ig · 3.

The adjustment control circuits 300 are shown in detail in FIGS. _{3 and 2d.} A seven-stage binary counter 301, hereinafter referred to as a shift counter, and a seven-stage binary tuning counter 303, hereinafter referred to as a pad counter, function to provide basic control of memory 20 during the adjustment cycle. At the beginning of each input cycle, the payment in each of these counters 301, 303 represents a count of eighty. This count was set by a pulse from an AEFD circuit 321 at the end of the previous adjustment cycle.

During the bingabe cycle, an AliD circuit creates 315 an output pulse every time the input 41 past the position 559 by one memory position is moved forward. Each output of AND circuit 315 becomes fed through OH circuits 309 and 313 to the counter 303 and the counter 301 to switch one count down each time. As previously described, the count of these counters 303, 301 gives an indication of the distance - expressed by character position increments - between the techth band of the line and the last one entered into memory Sign.

Therefore, when the adjustment cycle begins, the count presented at the outputs of counters 301 and 303 the number of unused position increments in of the line that must be filled during the adjustment. The one from the AHD circuit 49 of the addressing drum

009823/1662

circle 40 generated output is also to the input of the OB circuit 313 is applied so that every time the input 41 is advanced during an adjustment cycle or is moved forward, the counter 301 in sighting towards zero is counted down. Whenever the count in counter 301 reaches zero, full detector 317 creates a positive one Signals to the output of inverter 319 and partially sets AED circuit 321.

ASTD circuit 307 operates at every T5 time during an adjustment cycle to count down a pulse to be applied to the counter 303 via the OE circuit 309. A opens at the I8 point in time of the adjustment cycle AFD circuit 311 a gate circuit 305 »to cause that the counter 301 is set equal to the counter 303.

Working method - input cycle

The input cycle comprises a sequence of sub-cycles, where a sign from the input circuit 10 during each sub-cycle in the. Buffer memory 20 is entered. Each sub-circuit is made up of a sequence of timing pulses 21 to T12. The following The table summarizes the mode of operation of the control circuits for an input sub-cycle together?

T1 evaluation of gate 401 (strobe gate 401)

and entering the input character in the

Eegister 405.

Resetting the shift register 205.

End of the input cycle

Reset flip-flop 111 when the

The output from the empty room detector 201 is positive

and the flip-flop 203 is set o T2 input of the character from register 405 into the

Speicher 21 at the accessible »Helle. T3-Sin positions of shift register 215 in

Match the "weight" of the

Character.

0C9B23 / 1S82

14-Clear the register 405

15th

T6 '

17-Advancing the input 41 by a number of sign positions equal to the sign "weight" (Character width).

18th

T9

T10

111

T 12 termination of the input circuit by resetting the flip-flop 111 when the flip-flop 109 is set. Repeat from Ϊ1 to Ϊ12 if flip-flop 111 is still set.

At time T1, AND circuit 411 evaluates the gate 401 (strobes gate 401) and inputs an input character into the register 405. Continue to go to this point the reset line 214 positive to put a 1 bit in all eight stages of the shift register 215. The MD circuit 205 is evaluated by the timing pulse '! I (strobed) and when the space detector 201 does the Presence of a space or spacer in the Register 205 indicates and the flip-flop 203 is set, which indicates that the Hing 41 is moving to the character position 560 has moved forward or has moved beyond this point, the AITD circuit 205 generates the output pulse, the via the OR circuit 12 ^ goes to the flip-flop 111 reset and accordingly terminate the input cycle and the system in the adjustment cycle switch. However, if the AlD circuit 205 does not If a pulse is generated, the input sub-cycle continues.

At the time T2, the AND circuit 419 opens the tot 407 and enters the character from the register 405 into the-

0C9822 / 1G82

those storage atelle of the storage matrix 21 Hin, which then through the ring 41 and the write driver circuits 27 is accessible.

At time T3, the MD circuit 211 opens the gate 213 and puts a number of O bits in the shift register 215 in accordance with the width weight of the character in register 405.

At time T4, AND circuit 413 generates one Pulse passed through OE circuit 417 to clear register 405. The first shift pulse continues to the shift register 215 to generate the first pulse for port switching the ring 41. Thereafter seven more shift pulses are generated during times T5 to Ϊ11 fed through the MD circuit 209 to the shift register to switch the ring 41 forward to one new location in accordance with the width of the last entered ^ ate character to be completed »

At the time T12, the AND circuit 123 generates an output pulse when the flip-flop during the previous Ringfortscfcr ^"1 tvorganges has been set 109th The output from the AND circuit 123 is passed via the OR circuit 125 to the flip-flop 111 reset and terminate the input cycle.

When the next Ti pulse appears, the gate becomes 401 again evaluated (strobed) and the next input character is entered into the memory 20 and the cycle repeats itself as described above, and it continues to repeat itself until an outcome either from AND circuit 205 or from AND circuit 123 is generated to complete the input cycle. It should be noted that during an input cycle the first input character is always in the memory location is stored in the matrix 21 and that each subsequent character is stored in a memory location which determined by the width of the last character entered.

009823/1682

This feature of the operation of the plant is shown schematically in FIG. As shown there, is the first part of a print line, starting with the Expression "With many" shown, the width of each Character (specified in digit position increments) under the character, and the memory location in which the character is entered, is shown above the character. How out As shown in the diagram, a space character is five position increments wide.

Mode of operation - adjustment cycle

As in the case of the input circuit, the adjustment circuit is made up of a number of sub-circuits, each of which by a train of timing pulses T1 until T12 is determined. As described above, causes termination of the input circuit a reset of the flip-flop 111, and the adjustment circuit started on Beginning of the subsequent 11 pulse when the AND circuit 119 sets the flip-flop 113. The operations

that appear during an adjustment sub-cycle are summarized as follows

T1 rear parts of the flip-flop 235 "

T2-hold the binge 41 backwards until the last entered characters found in memory 21 and entered into register 405 is.

^ Forward switching of the sing 41 and simultaneous Counting down the counter 301 until it reaches Mull.

T4-Entering the character from the Begister 405 in the memory 20 at the accessible. Job.

TS backward counting of the counter 303 xtm one Counting one.

CÜSS23 / 16S2

- 50 -

Τ6.

Τ7.

Τ8- Setting the counter 301 to a

Count equal to the count in counter 303. T9 clearing of register 405.

Ϊ10 ₉

T11.

112-Split the flip-flop 113 to get the End the adjustment cycle if • the output of the ÜTulldetector 317 is positive iet.

Repetition of the processes at times 11 to T12 when the flip-flop 113 is still set _e

At time T1 of the first adjustment sub-cycle the flip-flop 235 is reset. This creates the AND circuit 47 conditioned or activated to reset the reverse hold pulses during the subsequent S2 time period to be transferred to the input 41. Each time input 41 is switched back, it switches the read driver circuits 27 proceeds by one storage location in the reverse direction and causes the at that storage location the characters located are read and deleted via lines 24 and a gate circuit 409 in the character register 405 »

Since all data characters including the space characters have at least one 1-bit, and since at the end of the previous printing cycle the output from the bullet multivibrator 66 was used to simultaneously actuate all reading drivers 29 in order to free the memory 21 (leaving all character positions in a total zero state be), the rating decoder 219 is used to detect the presence or Hlchtvorhandensein a data character in the Begister 405 determine, as the decoder generates no output at 219 'in response to a ^ö esamtnullzeichen. Accordingly,

009823/1682

if the first character in the backward access mode is encountered, the output of the OE power supply 233 (Fig. 2c) positive to set flip-flop 235, thereby providing the disabling input to the MD circuit is removed or removed. This becomes the reverse access operation stopped at the location of the first character encountered and that character becomes leave stored in register 405.

At time 2-3 the TS pulses go through the AUD circuit 49 to advance the ring 41 forward. The • output from the ÄUD circuit 49 continues via the OR circuit 313 to count down the shift counter 301 so that when the counter 301 reaches a count of zero, the detector 317 generates a positive output signal, whereby the inverter 3 ^ 3 makes the AND circuit 49 ineffective, to stop the forward access operation. At this point the Sing 41 has access to the memory location in the Memory 20, which represents the rightmost end of the print line as far as the character in register 405 is concerned. This is due to the fact that at the beginning of the sub-cycle the count in counter 301 is the exact number of position increments from the right edge of the last entered character to the right band of the print line. When the ring 41 in the reverse direction was stepped during the 12-pulse to the To detect the most recently entered characters, it has been driven backward by an equal number of character positions is the width of this character. Thus, if the ring 41 is under the control of the counter 301 during the T3 time was switched forward, it was stopped at a memory location that is the exact same as that of memory location 640 Number of digits removed or eliminated that is required to make up for the width of the To create characters.

009823/1632

- 52 -

At T4 time, MD circuit 421 opens gate 407 and the character in register 405 is stored in memory 20 entered

At time T5, the AND circuit switches or counts 507 the count in the pad counter 505 backwards by bins. to No work processes are carried out at times T6 and T7. At the time T8, the AND circuit 511 opens the gate 505 to equal a count in the shift counter 501 that appears at the output of the pad counter 505. At time T9, AND circuit makes 415 the register 405 free, and at time T12 checks the AND circuit 521 sets the output of zero detector 517 and, if that output is positive, the output of AND circuit 521 the flip-flop 115 back to the adjustment circuit to end. If the output of zero detector 517 is not positive, the detection cycle begins a new sub-cycle which is identical to the sub-cycle just described.

Ba the pad counter 505 at time T5 backwards by bins is switched, the penultimate character in the print line, if it is under the control of the shift counter 501 is shifted during the next sub-cycle, shifted a number of memory locations to the right, which is bins smaller than the number by which the last character was shifted. This becomes an extra Position increment or an e ± ra empty position increment inserted between the two characters. In a similar way becomes, if the adjustment cycle is not ended at the end of the second sub-cycle, the third from last Moved characters in the line to a new location so that an additional empty increment between iha and the penultimate character is inserted. This process of inserting position increments in the line continues of course, continues until the pad counter or insert counter 503 has counted down to zero, after which the Adjustment cycle has ended.

0 0 9 8 2 3/1682

Pig. 7 shows the operation of the adjustment circuit in schematic form. For the sake of simplicity, Pig. 7 assumes that a full print line represents only 110 print position increments instead of 640 such increments as are present in the preferred embodiment of the invention. Furthermore, Fig. 7 starts in accordance with the adjustment zone at the position 101, so that the ^B eginning of the adjustment circuit the pad counter 303 to a count of ten is set.

The first line shows the characters of the print line as they are distributed in the buffer memory 20 at the end of the input cycle. The last character of the line, "1", is stored in character location 101, which means that when the input cycle was completed, input 41 was held at memory location i03 (since the width of character ^M 1 ^{M is} two), and the count in the shift counter 30.1 and the pad counter 303 is 7 »

As shown in the second line of FIG the last character of the line during the first adjustment sub-cycle moved from storage location 101 by seven increments to the right to storage location 108, been. The count in the pad counter 303 is decreased by one, so that it is at the beginning of the second adjustment cycle (third line) is set to a count of 6. Accordingly, during the second sub-cycle the penultimate character of the print line moved from position 99 by six positions to position 105 and the count in counter 303 is decreased to 5.

During the third sub-cycle, the character "a" is shifted from position 94 by five positions to position 99, and during the fourth sub-cycle the space character is moved from position 89 by five positions to position 93, and so on, until during the seventh sub-cycle ( lowest line of FIG. 7) the ^H f ^{H is moved} from the position by one position to the point 77. The adjustment

009823/1682

1558282

cycle ends at the end of the seventh sub-cycle, since the pad counter 303 has counted to zero and the flip-flop 113 has counted to the time T12 of the sub-cycle is reset.

How the pressure circuit works

The basic timing for the pressure cycle must be supplied by the printhead mechanism the natural cyclical changes inherent in the way the mechanism works. The only timing impulses of the circuit 100 that are used during a pressure cycle are the TS and TS ~ pulses that are used to do this can be used to control the sampling of memory 20 between each C-pulse. From this G-round it can be seen that the repetition rate of TS must be high enough to allow at least eighty TS cycles between to enable each C-pulse. The pressure circuit consists of eight sub-circuits, one for each revolution the printing drum 501. After the flip-flop 61 is set to initiate the printing cycle, everyone steps Pressure sub-circuit continues as follows:

P! -Forward switching of the ring 33. Ci -forward switching of the code generator and resetting all flip-flops C + D1-setting the flip-flop 63 at TS, to condition AND circuit 69 and read drivers 29 and opening gate 50, thereby causing the next eighty TS pulses the ring 31 reads the eighty memory locations designated by the ring and the flip-flops are set each time an identical comparison is established by the comparison device 71.

009323/1 ^ 82

1958232

C + D2 resetting the flip-flop 63 to the

Hinged 31 to stop at position 80 * C + D6 actuation of the AND circuit 75 to

to excite the Hainmer driver circuit. Repetition from C to C + D6 for each remaining C-pulse during the drum revolution

During the eighth pressure sub-cycle, the 64Est IND circuit becomes 35 at the end of each scan cycle of the ring 31 is actuated. Terminated at the end of the last scan cycle after the last E "C pulse has appeared the output from the bullet vibrator 66 on the Line 66a allows the return cycle by resetting the flip-flop 115 and the print control flip-flop 61. The pulse on line 66a continues to act to the memory 21 to vacate.

In Fig. 6 the mode of operation of a pressure circuit is shown schematically, the first six pressure hammers shown printing "With many". The characters of the expression are in the memory 20 at those indicated in FIG Places saved. During the first pressure sub-cycle and the first revolution of the printing drum 501, the rings 31 and 33 operate to non-releasing the data read from memory locations 1, 9, 17, 25, 33, 41, 49 and 57. As indicated by the circles in FIG. 6, appear the data characters "W", "i" and "m" in the three Storage locations 1, 9 and 2-5. Accordingly, during the first revolution of the printing drum 501, the hammers 1, 2 and activated by the associated hammer driver circuits to print the characters "W", "i" and "m" * Thereafter, the indexing cam 515 (Fig. 3) shifts the print media 505 to the left by one position increment, so that the characters assume a position relative to the printing hammers, as shown in line 2 of FIG. During the second pressure sub-cycle, the

009 823/1882

Claims (1)

1958 262 Character locations 2, 1.0, 18, 27, 34, 42, 50 and 58 are read for comparison and, as indicated by the circle in Figure 6, "y ^M stored in location 42 is the only data character encountered. The hammer 6 is operated during the second sub-cycle to print the "y". The print medium 505 is then advanced to a further position to the left and in the third subcircuit, the hammer 2 prints the "t". In the fourth subcircuit, no printing occurs because no data characters are encountered in the memory scan. In the fifth sub-circuit, the "n ⁿ " is printed by the hammer 5, and in the seventh and eighth sub-circuits, the "h ^H and the" a "are printed by the hammers 2 and 4. After the eighth sub-cycle, the full line is printed and the printing cycle is ended. 3/1682 Claims 1, device for line printing with in proportional Spacing characters on a print medium, identified by a character spreader, An input device for storing the characters representing a print line in the memory at character positions determined by the width of the characters, a facility with which sequentially Access to the character positions of the memory is obtained, means for printing each stored character, if access to it is obtained, means for translating the printing medium relative to the printing means in alignment of the print line, making successive spots along the line in alignment with the Printing device are brought, and by a device for actuating the device providing the access in a temporal relationship to the shifter, causing the characters to depend on locations along the line from their respective locations in memory. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that that the printing device has a movable type carrier which is arranged on one side of the printing medium and type characters arranged to pass through aligned positions with the print line Print hammer, which is arranged on that side of the print medium that is opposite the type carrier, and a 009823/1682 Having means to operate the hammer to the To bump media against the carrier at a selected time to print a selected character. 3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that that the type carrier has a rotating disc with the types engraved around its circumference and the is arranged to move the characters in one direction moved across the print line. 4o device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized characterized in that the input device comprises a device with the successive access to the storage locations of the memory, starting with its first location means by which the first character of the line is presented to memory when the first is accessed Digit is obtained, whereby the first character is stored in the first digit, a decoder for generating a signal output representing the width of each character presented to the memory, and means which responds to the decoder after storing each character presented to the accessing facility by a number of storage locations proportional to the width of the last one stored To advance the character. 5o device for printing characters in lines with aligned bands, with a predetermined number of character position increments, indicated by a character memory having a number of character memory locations equal to the aforesaid predetermined number of character position increments, means for entering one to characters to be printed in the memory, each character in the Storage location is stored, which corresponds to the position increment at which it should be printed 009823/1632 counter means for indicating the number of storage locations between the location at which the last character entered is stored, a sliding device that can be actuated, after the last entered character is saved to move the characters in the direction against the last digit by a number of digits equal to the count in the counter device, with the characters in a Order can be moved reverse to the order in which they were entered and by control means for changing the count in the counter means by a predetermined amount after shifting each character. 6. Apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that that the control device includes a device for counting down the counter in the counter device-by 1 after each character shift. 7. The device according to claim 6, characterized by a device for ending the working of the sliding device, when the counter in the counter device is returned to zero. 8. Device according to one of claims 5 to 7, characterized characterized in that the input device comprises a device for successive input of Characters in memory locations provides access to these, means for setting the counter means before the Inputting characters to a predetermined count, and comprising means for counting the count in the counter means change by a predetermined amount each time access to one of a predetermined plurality of Storage locations is created. 9. Apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that that the predetermined plurality of storage locations comprises those storage locations which correspond to a series of be- 009823/1682 adjoining point-to-point increments that correspond to extend from the right end of the print line to the left. 10. Apparatus for printing one line of proportional Spaced characters on a print medium, the line being a predetermined number of Has pointer position increments, characterized by an S-memory with a character storage location , for each character position increment in the line, a facility with which successively Access to each memory location for entering characters into them is obtained, means for successively presenting characters of a line for storage in the Storage, a decoder for generating a signal output which is the width of each presented Character represents, and by a device that acts on the decoder after saving each character presented, responds to the facility creating the access to advance a number of memory locations equal to the width of the most recently saved character is proportional. 11. The device according to claim 10, characterized by a device for setting the access creating Means for accessing the first memory location in the memory before the first character of the line is presented to accomplish. 009823/1682