GB849026A - Improvements in printer format control system - Google Patents

Abstract

849,026. Selective printing. GENERAL ELECTRIC CO. Feb. 4, 1958 [Feb. 5, 1957], No. 3602/58. Class 100(4). An output printer associated with e.g. a statistical machine has a format control system comprising a plurality of storage registers 40, 42, 44, each of which is assigned to hold items for printing at different portions of a line so that data received from a source 20 read from a magnetic tape or drum can be printed on a sheet in specified positions. As shown in Fig. 1 data on a magnetic tape comprises different items e.g. name, debit, credit, and item count, each being preceded by an identifying code #, -, +, and I respectively and these codes determine the position the data is printed on a sheet Fig. 2 by the effect of that identifying code on a symbol senser 22 and the control system. In printing out the information it can be arranged that certain format rules are complied with viz. the name shall occupy a line on its own, there shall not be more than two debits on one line, there shall not be more than three items per line, there shall not be more than one credit per line, and that there shall be only one item count on a line. The recognised identifying code is applied by the symbol senser 22 to a data routing circuit 24 and to a format-matrix control 26 which has relays that establish predetermined connections in a format matrix 28 to partly control operation of the output printer in a manner which complies with the printing format shown in Fig. 2. The manner of printing is also controlled by the data routing circuit 24 in conjunction with the input signals. The output from 24 is applied to AND gates 30, 32, 34, the particular opened gate, applying data to one of the registers 40, 42, 44, and these allocate the data to the beginning, middle or the end of a line. The printer is of the kind having a rotating cylinder which has type columns on its periphery, and a series of hammers actuated by solenoids when a particular character is in printing position. The position of the characters on the cylinder is identified by information on the type drum itself or an auxiliary code wheel device 48, and this is connected to a comparator 50 so that printing of correct characters occurs. Specifications 767,431 and 769,908 are referred to.