DE2713128A1 - Form advancing unit for printing machine - uses programmable plug-in memory with line step binary counter combined with memory as program cassette - Google Patents

Abstract

The form advancing unit for printing machine avoids the use of a mechanically transported program carrier e.g. a punched card or tape and employs instead a programmable electronic read-only plug-in memory. With each line step an electrical signal is generated which is registered by a binary counter whose summing output for direct addressing is hard wired to the memory. The counter and memory are formed as an exchangeable plug-in unit esp. a program cassette. The memory has several groups of addressable storage cells switchable through the counter. The cells hold several control programs.

Description

Method and device for controlling the form feed

push in printing units or for printing units DESCRIPTION The invention relates to a method and a device for controlling the form feed in printing units or for printing units.

When printing continuous forms or individual forms in the printing unit For example, an office machine, the form feed is often after one fixed program, which is different for single forms for each form and for continuous forms continuously repeated.

To control the form feed according to the desired program different program carriers have been used so far. As a program carrier are for example Known punched tape or punched cards. It is also known as a program carrier Use timing chains or cam disks. Disadvantageous with all of these known ones Program carriers is that they have to be transported mechanically.

The transport of the program carriers must be synchronized with the transport movement of the form.

It is therefore a for every form length or for every line spacing separate program carrier required, even if they are of different lengths Forms are to be printed using the same program. Otherwise they would be interchangeable Transmission gear between the form feed device and the program transport device necessary.

The known program carriers also require mechanical or electro-optical ones Scanning or reading devices, which under certain circumstances increase the effort considerably.

Ultimately, both these well-known program carriers and are subject to their mechanical transport devices as well as the mechanical scanning devices constant wear and tear, which can lead to malfunctions, and costly maintenance makes necessary.

The invention is based on the object of a method and a To create device that avoid the disadvantages mentioned and in particular manage without mechanically transported program carriers.

This task is performed in a method of the type mentioned at the beginning solved according to the invention in that the form transport movement in line steps is carried out that the line steps carried out are counted and that in each case the address of a control program corresponding to the sum of the counted line steps containing read-only memory is queried to control the following feed step will.

According to the invention, one is suitable for carrying out this method Device which is characterized by a transporting the form in line steps Feed device, through a signal transmitter coupled with the feed device, which generates at least one electrical signal at each line step, by a these signals counting electrical counter and through one to the total output of the counter connected and addressed by this sum output electrical read-only memory (Programmable Read-Only-Morlory), its read-out connection is connected to the control input of the feed device.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are in the claims specified.

The main advantage of the invention is that instead of the known mechanically transported program carrier a permanent memory as a program carrier is used. Each line of the form is a memory cell in the permanent memory assigned in which the control command for the Feed step is permanently stored. The addressing of each for the next Feed step to be queried memory cell is done by a counter that is digital the line increments by which the form has already been transported In this way, the total content of the counter corresponds to the currently printed one Line of Form and also the address of the permanent memory, According to the invention, there are therefore no mechanical movements whatsoever for the feed control Parts required that are structurally complex and subject to wear and give rise to disturbances. In addition, there is no synchronization between one mechanically moved Progranull carrier and the form transport required. There the query of the permanently stored control commands exclusively on the basis of the digitally counted line steps is done, a certain can be permanently stored Control program for any form length and any line spacing be used.

In a particularly simple and advantageous embodiment, a Electronic read-only memory is used as a program carrier. A Such commercially available permanent storage can be used for storage depending on its storage capacity one or more programs can be used.

The number of memory cells required for a program corresponds to thereby the number of lines of the form, while by the number of different control commands the program determines how many bits are required per memory cell.

Each program is assigned its own PROM, which is activated by means of a Programming device programmed according to the requirements of the respective form can be.

A binary counter is preferably used as the counter. Dr Sum Output this counter represents the number of line steps in binary coding which the form has already been advanced and thus gives the number of the line which is currently in the print position. The connections of the sum output this binary counter, for example eight connections in an eight-digit binary counter for 256 lines of forms, can be connected directly to the electronic permanent memory so that the binary counter directly addresses 256 memory cells of the read-only memory.

For shorter forms, such as DIN A4 portrait (72 lines) or DIN A 4 across (48 lines) must be the binary counter when the last line of the form is reached be reset to the beginning (biluir-zero). This clipped to one very simple way by adding an electron 1 link to the meter automatically clears as soon as a certain program command, e.g.

the command top of form is read and the counter is not set to binary is zero.

If, for example, there is a program error (start of form, feed start, Feed stop, end of form) four bits are required, so a control program requires for a form with 256 characters, 256 x 4 = 1024 storage units. Is the storage capacity If the permanent memory is larger, several programs can be stored in the permanent memory will. The addressing of the binary counter is then assigned to the memory locations of the various programs switchable.

In this embodiment of the invention, the binary counter and the read-only memory is preferably hard-wired together and as a common one Plug-in unit formed. This brings about a considerable simplification of the operation of the printing unit with itself.

Should the control program for the printer be changed for the forms are, it is only necessary to remove this plug-in unit and through a to replace other appropriate ones.

The line steps are counted by a signal generator, the one or more egg-crystal signals are generated per line step, which fed to the meter. A solid, for example, is suitable as a signal transmitter perforated disc coupled with the form feed device, the electro-optical is scanned and has one or more holes per line step. Of course other known signal generators are also suitable.

In order to avoid that in the event of a failure of the supply voltage or if the supply voltage is unintentionally switched off, the status of the counter is lost and thus the addressed memory cell of the control program is not corresponds more to the current line of the form, the counter is expediently equipped with an auxiliary power storage, for example from a battery or a rechargeable battery and that in the event of a failure the power supply the electricity required to maintain the meter reading supplies. It is advantageous if, if possible, only electronic ones for the counter Components are used that have a very low power requirement, such as C-MOS components.

Of course, according to the invention, it is not only possible between to switch permanently stored complete control programs. Voices, for example several control programs partially match, so it can be used to better utilize the memory capacity the fixed memory of these several programs common program part only once be stored and the addressing is only for the different Program parts switched as required.

A major advantage of the inventive use of an electronic Finally, there is permanent storage compared to conventional mechanical program carriers nor that the entire stored control program is queried in a very short time can be, i.e. in a much shorter time than it is for the form transport is required. This can be used for the saved program in each case query before form feed to allow larger feed steps without printing of the form to be determined in advance and a rapid feed for these feed steps to use. In this way, the invention can also save a considerable amount of time can be achieved in form processing.

Claims (9)

PATENT CLAIMS 1. Form feed control method in printing units or for printing units, characterized in that the form transport movement it is carried out in line steps that the line steps carried out are counted and that in each case those corresponding to the sum of the counted line steps Address of a read-only memory containing the control program for controlling the following Feed step is queried. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the line steps are counted electronically as electrical impulses. 3. The method according to claim 1 and 2, characterized in that the Control program for the form feed in a programmable electronic Fixed memory (Programmable Read-Only-r1 wry) is saved. 4. Device for controlling the form feed in printing units according to the method according to claims 1 to 3, characterized by the form Feed device transporting in line steps, by one coupled to the feed device Signal generator that generates at least one electrical signal for each line step, through an electrical counter that counts these signals and through one to the total output of the meter connected and addressed by this sum output Electronic read-only memory (Programmable Psead-Only - rlemory) with its read-out connection is connected to the control input of the feed device. 5. Apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that the read-only memory is exchangeable by means of a plug connection. 6. Apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that the counter is a binary counter whose total output is fixed for direct addressing is wired to the read-only memory. 7. Apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the counter and the permanent memory as an exchangeable plug-in unit, preferably in the form of a Program cassette are formed. 8. Device according to one of claims 4-7, characterized in that that the counter is assigned a Stromsveicher, which in the event of a power failure this takes over and that the counter is made up of C-MOS elements. 9. Device according to one of claims 4-8, characterized in that that the read-only memory has several groups of switchable addressable by the counter Has memory cells for storing a plurality of control programs.