FR2581931A1 - Printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

a) The invention relates to a printing system. b) System, characterised in that it comprises a document and a printer, this document being provided with a first, a second, a third and a fourth edge, the printer comprising a printing head movable along a path and a detection member for detecting and giving information so as to know whether the first, second, third or fourth edge is an edge presented in parallel alignment with the path of movement of the printing head, the latter being coupled to receive the information coming from the detection member and being capable, in response to the latter, of selecting a printing orientation of the characters on the document, the characters printed on the document always being aligned with a predetermined one of these edges, without taking into account which of these edges is aligned with the path of movement of the printing head.

Description

"Printing system"
The present invention relates to a printing system intended to serve as an ATM terminal element in an automatic banking installation for printing a writing of a banking transaction on a client book for the information and the retention of the client of the bank. .

 Modern banking practice is to use ATM terminals as individual ATMs to communicate with a supervisory data processing system. Both as a keyboard unit and as a display unit, the practice has integrated a printer into the counter terminals to print the client's book.

 When printing a book, the window opens the book on the last page and indicates on the keyboard the line of the book which will be filled next.

The open book is then inserted into the book printer and the supervision data processing system controls the book printer to print the details on the open book on the line indicated according to the information entered in the work system. supervision data, from the counter, by his or her keyboards.

 It is customary in the design of notebook printers to provide a narrow slot through which the open notebook is manually inserted.

This requires a certain degree of maneuverability and can slow down the processing speed of clients of an individual counter. In addition, as the book is introduced through a narrow slot, there is a maximum thickness that the book can have as well as a maximum height or length depending on the depth of the slot.

In addition, the book must be inserted into the slot at a predetermined height, otherwise the printer does not work and prints in the wrong location.

 It is therefore desirable to have a notebook printer which requires no precision in positioning the notebook before printing, making it possible to receive a thick notebook as well as a thin notebook, and in which a correct printing of the notebook is carried out. whatever the attitude of setting up the notebook with respect to the printer.

 According to a first characteristic, the present invention relates to a printing system characterized in that it comprises a document and a printer, this document being provided with a first, a second, a third and a fourth. edge, the printer comprising a print head movable along a path and a detection member for detecting and for giving information to know whether the first, second, third or fourth edge is an edge presented in parallel alignment with the path of movement of the print head, the latter being coupled to receive the indication coming from the detection member and being anointed in response to the latter to choose an orientation for printing the characters on the document, the characters printed on the document being always aligned with a predetermined one of these edges regardless of which of these edges is aligned with the path of movement of the print head.

 According to another characteristic, the present invention relates to a printing system characterized in that the document comprises a first mark near the intersection between the first and the fourth edge and a second mark near the intersection between the third and the fourth edge, the sensing member operable to examine the presented edge of the document in order to detect these marks and to detect the transverse position of the document so that if a mark is detected at a distance greater than the first predeter distance mixed by detection of the transverse position of the document and that no other mark is detected during the examination of the edge presented, the detection device operates to give an indication as to whether the edge presented is the first edge, if, moreover, a mark is detected during the second predetermined distance by detection of the transverse position of the document and another mark is detected along the pre edge sensed, the sensing member operates to give an indication of whether the fourth edge is the presented edge; if no mark at all is detected during examination of the presented edge, the sensing member operates to give an indication in order to know if the edge presented is the second edge and if only a mark is detected during the examination of the edge presented during the second predetermined distance by detection of the transverse position of the document, this second distance being less than the first distance predetermined by the detection of the transverse position of the document, the detection member operates to give information in order to know whether the third edge is the presented edge.

 According to another characteristic of the invention, the detection member comprises a photodetector, the printer comprising a print head, movable along a fixed path and the photo-detector being coupled to move with the head of 'impression.

 According to another characteristic of the invention, the print head is movable in incremental steps, along the path and the detection member operates to count these steps in order to measure the first and second predetermined distances.

 According to another characteristic of the invention, the detection member operates to detect a mark if a dark area is detected on the document for a number of incremental steps greater than the predetermined number of incremental steps of the print head.

 According to another characteristic of the invention, the document is a notebook.

 The printing system consists of a transport device formed by two spaced pairs of drive rollers in the flat bed as well as a set of clamping rollers which can be lowered. As soon as the barrier is lowered, the book printer lowers the clamping rollers on the book to press the book against the drive rollers. The drive rollers advance in measurable increments preferably using a stepper motor. All drive rollers are moved simultaneously by a common drive source. The drive rollers can be used to move the now aligned booklet, over a selected distance to or away from the flat bed.

 A print head assembly is located behind the barrier and consists of a sensor as well as a matrix print head on a common strip driven by a stepping motor, common transverse to the direction of movement, The transport device being used to move the book. The sensor is preferably an optical sensor.

 When the barrier is lowered, the drive rollers advance the book by a predetermined number of steps so that it is under the printhead assembly. The notebook printer moves the sensor and the print head to a starting position, then scans the sensor across the notebook to detect the start of the edge. The print head is at a predetermined number of steps behind the sensor, so that the book printer knows at all times the position of the print head relative to the edge of the book by counting the number of countries communicated to the print head assembly and the sensor.

The notebook contains two types of preliminary printing. The first type of preliminary printing is done in thin lines and the second type in thick lines. The sensor moves across the book. The thin lines darken the optical sensor for one or a few steps. The matrix printer's own print also retains the light reflected back to the sensor for one or a few steps. On the contrary, the second type of printing is in thick, accented lines, which retain the light reflected towards the sensor for four or more steps from the sensor across the book.
The sensor can thus detect the mark.

 The notebook has two dense markers, one at the top and one at the bottom of the pages when the book is open. Depending on whether the sensor detects a mark very far from the point where it first detected the edge of the book, or whether it detects a mark near the point where it first detected the edge of the book, or if it detects two marks during a scan across the book or stil does not detect any marks during its scan across the book, the sensor makes it possible to detect which of the four possible edges of the book which has been aligned with respect to the barrier. control characters of the character generator supplying the printer with a print head matrix are thus pivoted according to the appropriate direction of presentation of the book and the print head and the drive rollers are controlled to print the desired row of characters in the notebook regardless of the orientation of the notebook.

The present invention will be described in more detail with the aid of the description relating to the accompanying drawings, in which
- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the lower half of the preferred embodiment of the invention, the cover having been removed.

 - Figure 2 is an elevational view of the preferred embodiment of Figure 1, this figure being taken on the opposite side from that of Figure 1, the outline of the cover being shown in light lines.

 - Figure 3 is a cross section of the entire apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the section being taken along line X-X 'of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

 FIG. 4 is a view of the print head assembly shown in FIG. 3, and which is shown in light lines in FIG. 2, when looking in the direction of the arrow Y in FIG. 3.

 - Figures 5A ... 5D are plan views of the assembly of Figure 1, the clamping roller assemblies being removed to show how a book is aligned with respect to the conveyor belt.

 FIG. 6 shows the detail of the printing of the notebook during the implementation of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

 - Figures 7A ... 7F are flowcharts indicating how to implement the preferred embodiment of the invention.

 Figure 1 is a perspective view of the embodiment of the present invention, the cover having been removed. The preferred embodiment consists of a base 10 with an upper part in the form of a flat bed 12 composed of a feed drawer 14, a conveyor belt 16 and a printing bed 18. L base 10 is normally housed in a cavity of a support table up to the position indicated by the dashed line 20. It is clear that base 10 can be pushed in until the feed drawer 14 or flush with the support table to constitute a larger feeding surface.

 The clamping roller assemblies 22 are rotatable around clamping rods 24 to form a first part of a book transport device.

The clamping rods 24 are shown by way of example as being capable of being driven in rotation by a spool 26 pulling on a lever 28 to rotate a first pulley 30 and thus rotate a second pulley 32 via 'a connecting belt 34 so that the second pulley 32 rotates the clamping rod 24. Specialists will find other means for rotating the clamping rods 24. As will appear more clearly below, only the rod clamping before 24, the closest to the conveyor belt 16 must be rotary, the clamping roller assemblies 22 of the transport device. distant from the conveyor belt 16 which can be used in permanent contact with their corresponding drive roller.

 Figure 2 is an elevational view of the assembly of Figure 1, the cover 36 and the print head assembly 38 being shown in phantom. A barrier 40 can be raised between the clamping roller assemblies 22 of the printing bed 18. A first drive motor 42, that is to say a stepping motor, drives a first toothed belt 44 common with the pulleys of the drive rollers 46 so that the four pulleys 46 of the drive rollers rotate simultaneously. A second drive motor 48 drives the conveyor belt 16; it can be a stepper motor up to a simple electric motor.

 Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the entire apparatus, this sectional view being taken through the portion of the preferred embodiment indicated in Figure 1 by line XX 'looking in the direction of the arrows .

 The pulleys 46 of the drive rollers rotate to drive the rollers 50 as indicated. When the drive roller assembly 22 closest to the conveyor belt 16 is lowered onto its corresponding drive rollers 50, this assembly takes the position shown for the drive roller assembly 22 most away from the conveyor belt 16. A bank book can be clamped between the clamping roller assembly 22 and the corresponding drive rollers 50 to advance or be pulled into the apparatus with the precision of the stepwise movement of the first drive motor 42.

The barrier 40 can be raised by a simple second reel 52 and be brought back into position by
a first spring 54. When the second coil 52 is supplied, the barrier 40 is interposed in the path of a book as will be described later, below the print head assembly 38.

 The preferred embodiment further comprises an electronic assembly 56 whose role is to control the print head assembly 38 and the various motors 42, 48 as will be explained later.

 A book put on the feed drawer 14 on the conveyor belt 16 can (after printing) either be returned from where it came, on the feed drawer 14 by the reverse movement of the transport device formed of clamping roller assemblies 22 and drive rollers 50 and a possible reverse movement of the conveyor belt 16; it can also be directed through the ballot box or the other from a first rear opening58 or from a second rear opening 60 as indicated respectively by a first arrow 62 and a second arrow 64 via a deflection blade 66 which can be raised to a higher position by a third reel 65 to allow the book to pass through the second rear opening 60 or which, when the third reel 65 is not supplied, can be returned by a second spring 70 on the flat bed 12 to deflect the book through the first rear opening 58. As indicated by the second arrow 64, a book can also be introduced through the first rear opening 58 to slide and descend along the blade of diversion 66 to arrive on the transport device 22, -5û and be printed by the notebook printer. As will appear more clearly later, to implement this, the transport device 22, 50 must transport the book directly on the conveyor belt 16 so that the book is treated as a result of this in a conventional manner like this. will be described later.

 FIG. 4 is a view of the print head assembly 38 of FIGS. 2 and 3 looking in the direction of the arrow Y in FIG. 3.

 The print head assembly 38 consists of a support bracket 72 for holding the toothed wheels 74 and the stepper motor 76 so as to maintain and drive a second toothed belt 78 transversely to the movement of the strip. conveyor 16. The second toothed belt 78 carries a sensor 80 and a matrix print head 82. The sensor 80 and the matrix print head 82 are spaced apart by a known number of steps of the stepper motor 76. Thus, when the sensor 80 passes over a point, it suffices for the stepping motor 76 to advance by a predetermined number of steps to put the matrix print head 82 above the same point.

 The sensor 80 is an optical reflection sensor. This type of sensor is well known. A focused light beam is emitted by a photo-emissive diode directed at a point at a predetermined distance in front of the sensor 80. A focusing photodetector also in the sensor 80 looks at the same point as that on which the light from the light emitting diode or other light source is focused. When a target such as a piece of paper is placed on or near the focused light area, the photo detector detects the light and becomes a current conductor. Current is transformed into a voltage by resistors, amplifiers and similar circuits and can be transformed into logic levels for control using comparators. The printing carried out on the paper makes that the light of the light source of the sensor 60 is temporarily cut off for the photodetector of sensor 80 which detects a dark state. When no target paper is in the focused light area, the sensor 60 again detects a dark state. So when the sensor passes over a paper surface, it goes from detection from a dark state to a light state when it meets the paper surface and it detects the dark state for the points on the corresponding paper surface. an impression of sufficient density.

 The matrix print head 82 is a conventional matrix print head known in the art. The print head consists of a set of parallel needles which can each be activated separately to strike an ink ribbon against the product on which we want to print a diagram forming characters that are legible for the owner of the notebook. each step of the stepper motor 76, a different network of needles of the matrix print head 82 is chosen so that this particular portion of the current character is printed while the print head 82 in matrix moves in a sense and in the other as indicated by the double arrow 84. it is known to use as a network of dots forming each printing character, a network of nine characters in height and seven characters in width. An integrated circuit memory belonging to the electronic assembly 56 keeps track of the diagrams of each character. and when each character is called, the electronic assembly 56 drives the various hands of the head.

82 matrix printing through electronic switches and coils to create the characters. As will be described, the electronic assembly 56 can also choose one of the four distinct sets of diagrams according to the orientation of the book, as it has been detected in the book printer.

 Figure 54 is a plan view of the apparatus of Figure 1, the clamping roller assemblies 22 having been removed. The book 86 is placed on the feed drawer 14 and part of the book 56 is pushed against the conveyor belt 16. The user of this book printer then provides the indication relating to the printing operation to be carried out. achieve. This indication can be automatic by the detection of the book 56 on the feed drawer 14 or it can be carried out by a switch or by communication through the keyboard of the counter. It does not matter in the context of the present invention how this indication is provided. During a first operation, the notebook printer raises the barrier 40 through slots in the printing bed 18 of the flat bed 12.

The barrier 40 is located across the path of the conveyor belt 16.

 Figure 5B shows the next operating step. The conveyor belt 16 is used to drive the booklet 86 by a friction connection, in the direction of the third arrow 88 until a corner of the booklet 86 meets the raised barrier 40.

 FIG. 5C shows the next step of the alignment operation of the book 86 against the barrier 40. The conveyor belt 16 continues to move after the corner of the book 86 first meets the barrier 40. The friction connection between the conveyor belt 16 and the booklet 86 causes the remaining part of the booklet 86 which has not encountered the barrier 40 topples over as indicated by the fourth curved arrow 90 so that one of the edges of the booklet 86 is aligned against the barrier 40. The conveyor belt 16 is kept mobile for a predetermined time at least equal to the time required following the operations shown in Figures 54-5C. In practice, there is an excess of time to avoid consequences of carelessness or poor friction bonding.

 FIG. 5D corresponds to FIG. 5C except that the book 86 is aligned with respect to the barrier 40 with a different edge. This different situation stems from the fact that the book 86 was placed at a different angle in the feed drawer 14, compared to the position shown in FIG. 5. It should be noted that the book 86 when it slides on the feed drawer 1, complete its movement, so that one of the four edges is aligned against the barrier 40. Although it is possible to detect alignments other than that shown in FIG. 5C and not to print the book 86, the present invention attempts to print the book 86 regardless of its alignment with respect to the barrier 40.

 When the book 86 is aligned against the barrier 40, there is uncertainty as to its transverse position on the conveyor belt 16. Thus, the sensor 80 of the print head assembly 38 is used not only to detect the orientation of the book 56 but also to detect the position of the book 86 transversely to the direction of movement of the conveyor belt 16.

 As soon as the book 86 is aligned with respect to the barrier 40, any further movement of the conveyor belt 16 stops. The barrier 40 is lowered.

The booklet 86 can thus continue its progression across the print head 18. To facilitate this movement, the clamping roller assembly 22 closest to the conveyor belt 16 is lowered by the rotation of its clamping rod 24 corresponding under the action of the coil 26. The first drive motor 42 is used to advance the book 86 by a predetermined number of steps under the print head assembly 38 so that this assembly at print head 35 a scanning operation begins.

 The printhead assembly 38 is first brought to its initial position on one side of the notebook printer. The sensor 80 and the matrix print head 82 are moved in common across the book 86. When the sensor 80 first detects the reflected light, it knows the step of the step motor 76 corresponding to the start of the book 86 .

 FIG. 6 shows the details of the book 86. If the book 86 ends with a first edge 92 aligned against the barrier 40, the sensor 80 performs the line P-P '. The electronic assembly 56 begins a step counting state S for the stepping motor 76 each time the sensor 80 detects the edge of the book 86. The sensor 80 does not detect any print except that of a first dense marker 94. The first dense marker 94 takes the form of a capital letter print. The extension of the printed lines is such that the sensor which retains its state of counting of the steps S detects a dark state for four or more steps. Depending on the thickness of the print, this number can be modified according to the particular design wish. In the line P-P ', if the dense print of the first dense marker 94 is not encountered before the state of step count S a exceeds a first predetermined counting state A, this constitutes a certain indication that the book 86 has been aligned with its first edge 92 against the barrier 40.

 If the book 86 has been aligned with its second edge 96 against the barrier 40, the sensor 80 performs the line TT 'across the book 86. The usual printing on the book and the previous printing by the print head in matrix 62 have a thickness such that the sensor 80 does not see a dark state during the required number of four stages. Thus, any usual print on the notebook 86 is ignored by the cap te 60. By traversing the line T- T ', the sensor 60 is no dense mark ~. By not seeing any reference point 9; in all of its possible excursion from Sot steps. notebook printer is certain that the book 66 has been aligned by its second edge 96 against the barrier 40.

 If the book 86 has been aligned along a third edge 98 against the barrier 40, the sensor 80 describes the line QQ 'across the book 86. The book 66 has a second dense mark 100 similar to the first dense mark 94 and directly in- below. This is why, the sensor 80 encounters two dense marks along the line Q-Q '. By detecting these two dense marks, the notebook printer has confirmation that the third edge 98 of the notebook 86 has been the edge aligned with the barrier 40.

 If the book 86 has been aligned with its fourth edge 102 against the barrier, the sensor 80 travels the line RR 'across the book 86. In this way, it detects the second dense marker 100 early in the route of the R-R 'line. In fact, it detects the second dense mark in a number of steps lower than the second predetermined number of steps W of the stepper motor 76 from the point at which the sensor 80 has first detected the edge of the book 86. When the book printer 86 detects a dense mark for a number of steps lower than the second predetermined number of steps W from the point where the sensor 80 first detected the edge of the book 86, it is certain that the book 86 was aligned with the fourth edge 102 against the barrier 40.

 In this way, the book printer can detect the direction of book alignment 86.

 FIG. 7 shows a first part of a computer graph describing the operation of the electronic assembly 56 for controlling the notebook printer. From the starting operation 104, the electronic assembly 56 proceeds to a first operation 106 during which the assembly raises the barrier 40. Then, the electronic assembly 56 performs a second operation 108 for which the conveyor 16 operates for a predetermined number of seconds, sufficient to align the book 86 against the barrier 40. Then, the electronic assembly 56 controls the cutting of the second coil 52 so that the first spring 54 lowers the barrier 40 during the. third operation 110. Following this, the electronic assembly 56 feeds the coil 26 during a fourth operation 112 so that the clamping rollers 22 apply the book 86 against the drive rollers 50.

 Finally, the electronic assembly 56 performs a fifth operation 114 to advance the drive rollers 50 by a predetermined number M of steps of the first drive motor 42 to put the book 86 in one of the relative positions relative to to sensor 80 as shown in Figure 6.

 FIG. 7B shows another part of the operating diagram of the electronic assembly 56.

The book 66 having been advanced, the electronic assembly 56 performs a sixth operation 116 to put the print head assembly 82, 80 in its rest position at the left end of FIG. 4 as shown. This can be done by stepping the stepping motor 76 until a microswitch (not shown) establishes electrical contact or even simply by stepping the stepping motor 76 for a predetermined period of time, to be sure that enough steps have been applied to the in
dragging of the assembly 50, 82 so that it is
pushed against 53 off end.

After performing the sixth operation,
the notebook printer. commissioned by its electrical ensemble
taper 56 moves the print head assembly 5,
82 e through book 86 during the seventh opera-
tion 118. At each step, we make a first test 120 of
sensor output 80 to check if sensor 80 has
detected light. If no light has been detected,
o performs a second test to check if the assembly
print head 80, 82 has passed through its ex position
very right. If not, the operation returns
on the seventh operation to apply another step to
the print head assembly 80, 82. If the excursion
maximum is reached without light being
detected, this means that no booklet 86 has been pre
smelled at the notebook printer and some information is
provided before the printer stops.

As soon as the sensor 80 detects read
the electronic assembly 56 begins to count
steps of stepper motor 76 after first setting
the counting state S equal to zero and after also
set the count of the number of dense marks met
very, M, also equal to zero. The print head assembly
sion 80, 82 continues to advance step by step across the
logbook 86 during a ninth operation 126 and we
count the steps. At each step, we perform a third
test 125 to see if we have reached the maximum number
not SMAx. If the maximum number of steps S has been
not MAX reached, the routine exits on the test phase represented
in Figure 7C. If not, we apply a fourth
test 130 to check if the sensor 80 has seen a som area
bre in at least four steps. If he hasn't seen a
such dark area, dense landmark has not been encountered
and the command returns to the eighth operation 124. If it has encountered the dense marker 94, 100, the dense marker counting state M is incremented by one and the value of the step counting state (SM) for which we first encountered the dense mark, is noted.

All these operations are completed in the tenth operation 132. Then, the tenth operation 132 returns to the eighth operation 124.

 It should be noted that the detection of the dense marker 94, 100 must be carried out only as a function of the first encounter. Specialists will note that letters and printing on the contrary interfered with the functioning of this detection system by indicating the erroneous presence of many dense markers. Thus, only the first existence of a dense landmark is recorded.

 FIG. 7C shows the test phase of the operational sequence represented in FIGS. 7A and 713. If the third test 128 has shown that the state of counting of steps S was equal to or greater than the state of maximum counting of steps SMAX, the command is transferred to a fifth test 134 which verifies that the state of counting of dense mark M is equal to zero. If the dense landmark counting state M is equal to zero, the book 86 is aligned along its second edge 96 against the barrier 40. This is why the command is transferred to the routine 136 corresponding to the second edge.

 If the fifth test 134 has not been carried out, the command passes to the sixth test 138. The sixth test 138 checks whether the state of counting of dense mark M is equal to two. If the dense landmark counting state M is equal to two, the book 86 has been presented so that its third edge 98 is aligned with respect to the barrier 40. Control therefore passes to routine 140 corresponding to the third edge.

 If the sixth test 138 has not been executed, the command passes to a seventh test 142. The seventh test 142 checks whether the number of steps of the step counter S as noted against the dense mark is to say 511 exceeds the first predetermined number of steps A. If so, the command passes to routine 144 corresponding to the first edge. In the negative, the command passes to an eighth test 146. The eighth test 146 checks whether the number noted corresponding to step 5M is less than or equal to a second predetermined number of steps W. If so, the command passes to routine 145 corresponding to the fourth edge. If not, there is an error somewhere, that is to say a bad book or document type which has been presented to the book printer. Thus, the command passes to an error routine 150 which indicates the error and prohibits any subsequent operation.

 FIG. 7D shows the routine 144 corresponding to the first edge according to FIG. 7C. During an eleventh operation 152, the electronic assembly 56 advances the drive rollers 50 using the first drive motor 42 towards the chosen line, already indicated to the notebook printer by the counter used.

This is why, the electronic assembly 56 performs a twelfth operation 154 during which the matrix printing head 82 is again scanned through the book 86 to print a normal row of straight characters. Then, during a thirteenth operation 156, the drive rollers 50 are reversed as well as the conveyor belt 16 to bring the book 86 to the user. Then, the operation of the notebook printer stops.

 FIG. 7E shows the routine 148 corresponding to the fourth edge according to FIG. 7C. When the fourth edge 102 is presented to the print head assembly 38, the book is actually reversed. The electronic assembly 56 performs a fourteenth operation 15B to advance the drive rollers 50 and move the book towards the chosen line so that it is below the print head 82. However, it does not move the book in the same direction as during the eleventh operation 152 since the book is overturned and must travel a number of different steps by the first drive motor 42. In the course of the fourteenth operation 158, the electronic assembly 56 moves the book 86 of the number of steps necessary to put the desired line, inverted, below the print head 82. Then, the electronic assembly 56 performs a fifteenth operation 160 to print a single row of printing across the booklet 86 with, however, inverted matrix characters, the characters of the control memory being inverted so that the first row becomes the seventh row, the second row becomes the sixth row etc. In addition, the directions to the left and right are changed, so that the characters come out in an opposite print sequence. Having carried out the fifteenth operation 160, the electronic assembly 56 reverses the drive rollers 50 and the conveyor belt 16 returns the book 86 to the counter as for the thirteenth operation 156.

 FIG. 7F shows the case where either the second edge 96 or the third edge 98 have been aligned with respect to the barrier 40. Thus FIG. 7F applies in the same way to the program 136 corresponding to the second edge or to the program 140 corresponding to the third edge as in Figure 7C.

 During the seventeenth operation 164, the electronic assembly 56 moves the print head 82 to align it with the desired line on the book 86 at the place where it is necessary to print. It should be noted that in these two cases, the notebook. is on the side with respect to the print head 82. The electronic assembly 56 thus reconstitutes the characters to be sent to the print head in matrix 82 so that the rows become columns and that the columns become rows. these conditions, to print a character, in place of the normal mode for which a print head with nine high needles scans seven printing positions to achieve a character of nine by seven, in this case the two extreme needles among the nine are not used and only the seven inner needles are used, the printhead assembly 38 scanning nine vertical printing positions to create the character.

 Thus, during the eighteenth operation 166, the print head 82 first begins either at the top or at the bottom of the printed line and it prints a character Then, the command passes to the ten -ninth operation 168 for which the electronic assembly 56 advances the drive rollers 50 to move the book 86 the width of one character. Then during the nineteenth operation 170, the next character, in whatever order necessary, is presented for printing. If the line is not completely complete, the command returns during a ninth test 172 to the eighteenth operation 166. If the printing line is finished, then during a twenty-first operation 174, the drive rollers 50 and the conveyor belt 16 are inverted again to return the book 86 to the counter.

 It should be noted that, according to FIG. 7F taken as representing the routine 136 of the second edge or the routine 140 of the third edge, the columns of the characters printed on the line of the notebook 86 will or may not be scanned to achieve a correct straight impression. a visual recording in the notebook 86.

 The present invention is not limited to bank books but can be used for any transaction document that can be printed when presented flat to a printer.

Claims (5)

CLAIMS 1 j Printing system characterized in that it comprises a document and a printer, this document being provided with a first of a second, a third and a fourth edge, 1 printer comprising a head of mobile printing along a path and a sensing member for detecting and providing information as to whether the first, second, third or fourth edge is an edge presented in parallel alignment with the path of travel of 1a print head, the latter being coupled to receive the indication coming from the detection member and being operative in response to the latter to choose a printing orientation of the characters on the document, the characters printed on the document always being aligned with a predetermined one of these edges regardless of which of these edges is aligned with the path of movement of the print head.  20) Printing system according to claim 1, characterized in that the document comprises a first mark near the intersection between the first and the fourth edge and a second mark near the intersection between the third and the fourth edge, l sensing device operable to examine the presented edge of the document in order to detect these marks and to detect the transverse position of the document so that if a mark is detected at a distance greater than the first predetermined distance by detecting the transverse position of the document and that no other mark is detected during the examination of the edge presented, the detection member functions to give an indication as to whether the edge presented is the first edge, if, in addition, a mark is detected during the second predetermined distance by detection of the transverse position of the document and another mark is detected along the edge presented, the detection member works to give an indication of whether the fourth b6td is the edge shown; if no mark at all is detected during the examination of the edge presented, the detection member functions to give an indication in order to know if the edge presented is the second edge and if only a mark is detected during the examination of the edge presented during the second predetermined distance by detecting the transverse position of the document, this second distance being less than the first predetermined distance by detecting the transverse position of the document, the detection member operates to give information in order whether the third edge is the presented edge.  30) Printing system according to claim 2 above, characterized in that the detection member comprises a photo-detector, the printer comprising a print head, movable along a fixed path and the photo- detector being coupled to move with the print head.  40) Printing system according to claim 3 above, characterized in that the print head is movable in incremental steps, along the way and the detection member operates to count these steps in order to measure the first and second predetermined distances.  50) Printing system according to any one of the preceding claims 3 or 4, characterized in that the detection member functions to detect a mark if a dark zone is detected on the document for a higher number of incremental steps to the predetermined number of incremental steps of the print head.  60) Printing system according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the document is a notebook (86).