Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~88~7
AUTOMATIC BINDING ~ACHINE USING INSERTION TOOLS
DESCRIPTIQN
This invention relates to a binding machine for
forming booklets from prepunched sheets, and more
specifically, to an apparatus for applying curled-finger
ring-type binder to prepun~hed sheets where the binders
may be carried in a cartridge.
The use of plastic curled-finger ring-type edge
binders for forming booklets with prepunched materials is
known. One class of equipment is the office-style punch-
and-binding machine as disclosed in UOS. Patent
3,122,761; 3,125,887; 3,227,023; 3,793,660; and
4,645,399. These machines are used to apply ring-type
edge binders to prepunched sheets, usually paper, so as
to form bound booklets. ~ ring-type edge binder includes
an elongated spine having a plurality of curled ~ingers
spaced therealong. (See, for example, U.S. Patent
1,970,258.~ Each finger has one end integral with one
edge of the spine, and the other end of the finger i5
free but resiliently engages the othPr ~dge of the spine.
In prior art machines, the binder was held in a comb and
L-shaped machine ~ingers were manipulatad to engage the
binder fingers and to spread them from the spine so as to
open the binder for fitting of prepunched sheets onto the
open fingers and then to close the fingers so as to ~irm
the booklet by binding the sheets together with the edge
binder.
German Patentschrift 830~36 and Ge~man
Offenlegungsschrift ?362440 disclose a hand operated
paper editing device which is axially inserted into the
end of a binder for spreading the fingers. U.S~ Patent
2~88~7
2,234,045 shows a tapered hand-operated opening device.
In recent developments an improved insertion tool
and portable ~ystem has been developed for opening a
binder and a binding booklet. ~See also U.S. Patent
4,900,211 and U.S. patent application Serial NoO 346,918
filed May 1, 1989.)
In some circumstances, as in an office,'a heavy-
duty, faster and more flexible machine or apparatus is
desirable. Moreover, it is desirable ~or such machines
to employ a replaceable binder system ~rom which booklets
of different thicknesses and different colors can be
formed and bound. This requires the selective use of
different diameter and/or different color edge binders.
A cartridge system which carries such edge binders is
disclosed in U.S. patent application Serial No. 481,857
filed February 20, 1990 and entitled "Cartridge System
~or Tool Insertion Type Binding Machine".
It is therefore an object of this invention to
provide an o~fice-style binding machine suitable ~or
using an insertion-type tool to open the binder and hind
the sheets therewith.
It is another object of this inven~ion to provide
an office-style binding machine which is suitable for use
with a cartridge carrying binders of differenk types.
These and other objects of this inventi~n will
become apparent from the following disclosure and
appended claims.
There is provided by this invention a heavy-
duty, office-style binding ~achine employing an ins~r
tion tool type opening device for forming booklets by
binding prepunched sheets together~ This machine is
particularly suitable for use with a cartridge which
` 2~8~7
carries the binders.
The machine includes guide means for receiving
binding tool car~ridge and guiding a binder in the
cartridge to a binding position. Paper guide means are
provided for receiving prepunched paper and delivering
the same to the binding position. An insertion to~l drum
extension, retraction and storage system is provided for
storing the different sizes of in~ertion tools and
inserting the appropriate tool into a binder at the
binding position so as to open the same and receive pre-
punched sheets. A clamping system is provided for
selective use with binders of varying sizes to assure
alignment of the prepunched sheets with fingers of the
binder. Sensors are provided in various positions ~o
detect the presence of a cartridge, the presence of a
bind~x, to determine the type of binder within the
cartridge, actuate the insertion tool, and to sense the
tool insertion step and withdrawal step. A control means
coordinates the operation o~ the bindiny apparatus,
namely the cartridge, the paper guide insertion tool,
clamp and sensors ~or the purpose of forming a bound
booklet.
FIGURE 1 is a perspective ~iew of a ~ombined
binding and punching machine;
FIGURE 2 is a perspective view showing a ring-
style binder with insertion tool about to be inserted in
there:
FIGURE 3 is a perspective view showing an open
ring-style bindex with the insertion tool therein;
FIGURE 4 is a perspec~ive view showing the
cartridge ~or the insertion tool~
FIGURE 5 is an elevational and sectional view
8 ~ 7
showing the posi~ioning o~ ~he bin~ing apparatus, paper
guide, and insertion tool apparatus;
FIGURE 6 is a top plan ~iew showing the clamping
system and the cartridge support system;
FIGURE 7 is a front elevational view showing the
insertion tool system;
FIGURE 8 is an elevational and sectional view
showing the paper guide system in binding system;
FIGURE 9 is an elevational and sectional view
showing a sensor system used in connection with the tool
advancing or insertion system of Fig. 6;
FIGURES 10, 11, 12, and 13 are elevational and
sectional views showing the operation of the clamping
system in relation to the blnder and binding operation;
FIGURES 14, 15, 16 and 17 are portions of a flow
chart showing the operation of th combined binding and
~unching machine; and
FIGURE 18 is a schematic circuit block diagram of
a control circuit for controlling the operation of the
2Q combined binding and punching machine in accordance with
the flow chart of FIGURES 14-17.
ON THE DRAW NGS
Referring now to the drawings, the combined
binding and punching system i~ re~erred to as lO gener-
ally. The apparatus includes a base 12 and housing 14.
The punch system 16 is generally of a known type and is
shown in Fig. 1 encased in the lower portion of the
housing 14. However, the punch has a sensing provisîon
which disables the punch mechanism if paper to be punched
is misaligned. This insures that the backgau~e positions
of the punched holes is accurate and consistent. The
binding system is formed in the upper portion of lg of
~0~8817
the housing. The binder systsm generally includes the
cartridge-receiving area 20, the paper guide 22 for
receiving sheets of prepunched paper, such as 24, and
internally of the housing there is provided the insertion
system/clamping system at the binding position as well as
the various sensors, ~n appropriate power switch 26 is
shown along with the control panel 28.
Binder and Cartridge
The binder system generally includes the ring-
style binder 30 generally, which includes the binder
spine 32 having spaced therealong curled fingers such as
34, 36 and 38. For example, see ~igs~ 2 and 3. A tape-
like insertion tool such as 40 is shown in Fig. 2 axially
aligned with the binder so as to open the same~ The
opening is shown in Fig. 3 wherein the fingers are
separated from the rotating spine due to insertion o~ the
tool 40 so as to for~ an upwardly facing gap into which
paper can be deposited. It is to be note~ that the
binder spine has in e~fect rotated ~rom a substantially
horizontal to substantially vertical position by the
insertion of the tool 40.
Binders 30 can be carried in cartridges, such as
cartridge 42 shown in Fig. 4, which are vacuum formed and
have a bottom portion 44, top portion 46, ~ront wall 48,
hack wall 50, sid~ walls 52 and 54, and a peripheral edge
56. A removable strip 58 is provided which exposes a
binding ~lot 60, at which the binder can be po~itioned~
Side protrusions 62 and 64 for cooperation with
the paper guid~ caliper arms are also molded into ~he
cartridge. Sev~ral indicator padst such as 65, 66, 67
and 68, are provided on the peripheral edg~ o~ the
cartridge adjacent the front ~or identifying the types of
20~8~
binders carried in the cartridge. A detailed descrip-
tion of the cartridge will be found in U.S. patent
application Serial No. 481,857 entitled "Cartridge System
for Tool Insertion Type Binding Machine", filed February
20, 1990.
Also shown schematically in Fig. 4 are contact
members 65a, 66a, 67a and 68a which electrically contact
the indicator pads 65, 6~, 67 and 6$ to detect an
encoding representativ~ of the characteristics of the
cartridge and the binders therein, for example, the ~ize
of the binders, etc. Sensors 86, 88, 90 and 92 are
provided for each contact member 66a, 67a, 68a and 69a,
the sensors being connected to a control circuit ~hown
generally at 200. The sensors 86-92 sense whether the
corresponding indicator pad is an open circuit or a short
circuit. The combination of the sensor outputs is an
encoding of the cartridge and binder character:istics.
The number of indicator pads and sensors depend~ upon the
maximum number o~ di~rent charact~ristics desired to be
sensed. In the present device, ~our indicator pads are
provided. It is also contemplatPd to provide other
sensing i~dicating means than those shown. For example,
spring biased pin~ connected to electrical contacts which
sen~e the presence or absence of holes in the cartridge
may be provided. Also optical sensors which sensP the
presence of holes may be used.
The Bindin~ Apparatus - Cartri~g~ QEr
Referring to Figs. 6 and 8, it is seen that the
cartridge, such as 42, is supported on an angle support
plate 84 which is positioned at an angle alpha (~) to
horizontal, which angle is about 5. The support plate
~4 extends ~rom the operator side o~ the machine ~o the
2~317
back side of ~he machine. Associated with the machine
and the support plate ~re a pluraliky of sensors such as
86 in Fig. ~ and ~6, 88, 90, and 92 in Fig. 6, each of
which engage a conductive pad on the cartridge to sense
the diameter, color, and information of that type from
the cartridge~ When the cartridge is in the home
position, the interlock system or ~olenoid 93 and plunger
94 engages the cartridge 42 and the plunger is inserted
into the cartridge, thereby indicating that the cartxidge
is in position. The plunger locks the cartridge in
position and acts as a sensor relative to its presence.
Paper Guide
In the operative position, the binding slot 60 is
positioned at the binding position at the bottom of the
paper guide 22. The paper guide ~ generally includes
two stationary plates 96 and 9~. A paper thickness
caliper system 99 i6 pivotally mounted to the rear plate
and has two L-shaped arms, such as lOnl to con~rol the
thickness o~ paper in the guide, and lower arms, such as
101, to be engaged by the cartridge protrusions such as
62 and 64. The caliper system is spring biased to a
closed position by a tor5ion bar and spring system 102.
The caliper system also ejects cartridge via spring force
when solenoid 92 is released. The plate 98 includes
elongated, generally vertically-extending rib~-like
springs~ such as 103, that engage ~hé calipers and the
paper and control thickness of the paper to be accepted
and also permit a bound booklet to be withdrawn ~rom the
paper guide.
The front and back plates define an entry throat
104 and an exit throat 106 that cooperate in guiding
paper through the paper guide. The paper guide is tilted
~8817
with respect to the horizorltal at an angle beta (~ In
this case ~ is approximately 82. A sensor, such as 108,
is provided for determining whether a binder in a
cartridge is in the binding position. Another sensor 109
detects presence of paper in the entry/exi~ throat.
Tool Insertion and Retraction System
Once thP binder cartridge is in position and
paper is to be delivered, it is essential to select an
opening tool and insert the same through the binder. One
type o~ system is best seen in Figs. 6 and 7. The tool
insertion and retraction sy~tem 110 includes a rotatable
drum 112 that houses four separate insertion tools 114,
116, 118 and 120. An appropriate tool is selected by
microprocessor control and inserted into the nip of ths
drive and idler rollers 122 and 12~. These rollers are
connected by a drive belt 126 to ~he remote drive 128 and
idler 129. It i5 noted that the ~irst se~ of drive and
idler wheels 122 and 124 is on one side of the binder
apparatus and the other 128 and 129 is on the other ~ide.
The drive and idler rollers are driven by the gear 125a
and drive motor 125b.
Briefly, the drum 112 is rotated, a tool, such as
tool 118, engages the nip of khe first drive rollers 122
and 124 and is urged through a binder 30 as it is
withdrawn from the drum. That tool then extends to and
engages the second drive rollers 128 and 129. Tn this
way the binder 30 i~ spread open and the fingers and
spine separated so as to be in position to receive a
stack of paper. In order to close the binder 30, the
tool i5 moved in exactly the opposite direction. It is
essential that the operation o~ the tool drum be
understood in detail.
2~817
In Fiys. 5, 6 and 7, it can be seen that the tool
drum is rotated by a gear assembly 132. The gear
assembly includes a motor 136 that drives a worm 137.
That gear i~ turn drives a worm gear 138. Gear 138 has a
shaft 139, which connects to the cartridge drum 111. The
worm gear prevents any backlash or release of tolerance
on the casing or movement of the casing.
The drum casing 112 rotates in a clockwise
direction so that the tail on each of the insertion tools
114, 116, 118 and 120 pass the nip as is shown. When the
appropriate size of the tool, as determined by the
control means through the sensors 86-92, passes the nip,
then the drum casing is reverse rotated so as to pus~ the
tip of the insertion tool into the drive roll r nip. The
positioning and operatio~ of the drum casing is
ccntrolled by a microprocessor and sensox 141~ The
insertion tool, such as tool 11~, has a lead ~ront end
118a which has a length a little bit longer than the
binder 30, and once f~d throuyh the binder 30 and to the
take-up rollers 128 and 129, the wider portion ~ tha
insertion tool 119 is pulled through the binder to fully
open the binder. In this way th~ corxect size insertio~
tool is determined and usedO
A sensor 130 is provided for detecting the
presence of an insertion tool in the nip, The
illustrated sensor 130 is an optical receiver and
arranged so that the insertion tools interrupt the light
beam, which may be an infrared beam, when the insertion
tool is in position in the binder. Onc~ the tip of tha
insartion tool is detected, the clamping system as
dascribed hereinafter is activated. The sensor 130 can
also detect a slot in the insertion tool which represent~
20~17
the end of the tool or its travel. A spring-loaded rod
131 pushes the insertion tool rearwardly so as to keep
the tool in the correct path.
The Clampin~ System
In addition, the machine includes a clamping
system 133 for positioning, guiding and feeding of the
binder and receipt of the paper in the event of certain
conditions. Generally speaking, the clamping system
includes a plate or clamp 150 that is positioned above
and on top of the cartridge 42. The plate as seen in
Fig. 6 includes a plurality of fingers such as 152, 154
and 156. A drive mechanism which includes a pair of
spaced spur gears, such as 158 and 160, is provided to
rotate in the rack-like slots, such as 162 and lS4, in
the plate so as to advance the plate to a position where
it engages the top sur~ace of the binder positioned just
before the binding position and under microprocessor
control the fingers can receive paper which is deposited
thereon. The drive includes motor 165a that rotat~s gear
~0 16~b that communicates with a spur gear such as 15~. It
is to be noted that the operation of the driv~ for the
clamping plate is related to the sensors or kabs on the
cartridge as well as the positioning o~ the tool and the
nip. Very briefly what oc~urs is the plate 150 i~
2s advanced toward th~ binder position slot, can engage the
binder ~nd, if appropriate, can engage the paper. In
some cases it will withdraw to clamp the paper thereon so
as to grasp the paper and assure alignm nt o~ the binder
fingers with the cartridge.
In general, the plate and binder fingers are
advanced to guide all fingers or actuators to insertion
and retraction positions only in situatisns where the
-- 10 --
8 1 7
binder is o~ a relatively ~mall diameter such as one-
fourth inch and three-eighth inch in diameter. In that
case the paper falls and engages the insertion tool
directly as shown in Fig. 8. However in other situa-
tions such a~ where the binder is of a larger diameter,such as one-half inch and five-eighth inch, the plate
actually extend between the binder fingers so as to
receive paper falling thereon and then retracts to
tighten and grasp the paper ~nd in effect clamp the paper
for binding. At the end of binding there is a small
jogging motion which occurs.
The clamp or plate 150 can be thought of as
moving to a feed posi~ion, a load position, where the
paper falls on the clamp 150 to a clamping position where
there is a retraction of the clamp so as to tighten the
paper, a jog and remove position so as to loosen the
paper and remove the clamp and home position.
Referring to ~igs. 10-13, it is seen that the
clamping plate, such as 150, advances to engage the top
of a binder, such as 166. Where the binder is of a larye
diameter, the clamp continues so that the paper, ~uch as
16B, which is fed into the paper guide falls on the clamp
rather than on the insertion tool such as 170~ The
fingers clamp the paper between the upstanding end leg of
each ~inger and the rear plate o~ the paper guide 22.
This aligns the apertures in the paper, such as 172, ~or
receipt of fingers on the binder 166. When the binders
are aligned and the papers aligned, the tool 170 is
withdrawn~ as seen in Fig. 13/ and the fingers snap
through the binder as shown in Fig. 13. Therea~ter, the
book can be withdrawn and at the same time the clamp
moves to the rearward position.
2 ~ 7
The foregoing operation is controlled in the
following way and by the following apparatus:
Figs. 14-17 show a flow chart ~or the op~ration
and control of the automatic binding apparatus of the
present invention. The operation of the apparatus is
initiated in Fig~ 14 by turning on the power switch 26 at
step 202, whereupon the control circuit for the present
device immediately retracts any insertion tool which may
be in an extended position, at step 204. Since it is
desired that the tool retraction occur within a
predetermined maximum time, such as 3 seconds, the timer
~tep ~n6 determines whether a predetermined time interval
t1 has expired. If less than the predetermined interwal
t1 has expired, a check is made at step 208 to determine
whether the tool is in the home position. If not, a
branch of the flow chart loops back to continue timing
the time interval. If the predetermined time interval t
expires, then a branch from block 206 triggers blinking
of a fault lamp in block 210.
Assuming fault free operation, the apparatus
senses the tool in khe homP position before the expira-
tion of the predetermined time interval tl and moves to
block 212 to sense whether paper is in the throat of the
device. If paper is sensed in the throat of the device,
a blinking fault lamp is turned on at block 214 and the
operating circuit continuas to check for paper removal at
block 216 until the paper has been removed, which causes
the ~ault lamp to be turned o~f at block 218.
I~ no paper wa~ found in the throat or if the
paper found in the throat has been removed, the control
moves the clamp to a home position at block 220~ This
likewise is timed over a predetermined time interval t2,
- 12 ~
2~817
such as two seconds at block 222 to determine whether the
time interval has expired. If the time interval t2
expires, the fault lamp is blinXed in hlock 224, but if
the sensor determines that ~he clamp is in the home
position, in blsck 226, before the expiration of the time
interval t2, then a sequence of steps 228, 230, 232 and
234 which are substantially equal t~ the steps 212, 214,
216 and 218, respectively, are carried out to determine
whether paper is in the throat~
Following these steps, a determinati~n is made as
to whether a binder cartridge is in place, at step 236 as
shown in Fig. 15. I~ not, the cartridge lamp is blinked
at step 238 until the cartridge is in place. Once a
cartridge is sensed, the cartridge lamp is turned off at
step 240 and the tool drum is rotated to select the
appr~priate tool size for the cartridge at step 242~ A
maximum time t~ o~, for example, five seconds is allowed
for the selection of the appropriately sized tool, as
determined by step 244. As before, if the time i~terval
t3 expires then a fault lamp is blinked at step 246; on
the other hand, if the tool i5 selected within the time
interval t3, this is sensed at block 2~8 and the control
process again checks to determine whether there is paper
in the throat of the device, at steps 250~ 252, 254 and
2560
After determining that no.paper is in the throat,
the step 258 determines whether the cartridge switch is
activated. If the ~artridge switch has been activated,
there are no more binders in the cartridge and the
cartridge is ejected at step 260, after which the :
cartri~ge lamp is blinked at StPp 238. If the rartridge
switch is not activated, indicating the presenee of at
- 13 - ;
least one binder in the cartridge, then the ~ind cycle is
initiated at step 262 and the clamp is moved to the feed
position at step 264.
Continuing in Fig. 16, a time interval t4, for
example two seconds, is measured at block 266 to
determine if the clamp reaches the feed position, in
block 268. If not, the fault lamp is blinked at block
270. Once the clamp is in the feed position, the binder
is opened at block 272. The time interval t5 of, for
example, thr~e seconds in block 274 which is permitted
for the opening of the binder, which is checked at block
276. If the binder lS not open after the time t5, the
~ control blinks the fault lamp at block 278. Once the
binder is opened, the clamp is moved to the load posikion
at block 280, a time interval t6 f, for ~xample, one
second being allowed for opening o~ the clamp via blocks
282, 284 and 286.
Once the binder has been opened and the clamp
moved to the load position, a ready lamp is turned on and
a timer, which is in this embodiment a ~ive minute timer,
is set at step 288. The throat paper sensor i5 checked
at step 290, and if paper is in the throat, a
determination is made in step 292 as to whether the bind
switch is activated. On the other hand, if no paper i~
sensed in the throat in step 290, a check of the timer is
made at step 294 and if the timer has counted down to
zero the control is returned via connector D to the
beginning of the control sequence in Fig. ~4. I~ the
timer has not reached zero, the cartridge switch is
checked in step 2g6. Activation o~ the cartridge switch
transfers control through connector C to the portion of
the flow chart shown in Fig. 17. Lack of activation of
14 -
2~81~
the cartridge switch trans~ers control back to step 290.
If the control process reaches step 292 and the bind
switch is not activated, a check is made of the five
minute timer to see if it has reached zero at step 29g.
If the timer has reached zero, then the connector D
transfers control of the process back to the beginning in
Fig. 14. If the timer has no~ reached zero, then control
is transferred back in a loop to block 290.
Referring once again back to block 292, if the
bind switch is activated, the connector B transfers
control to Fig. 17 wherein blocX 300 indicates movement
o~ the clamp to the clamp position~ As with many of the
other actions taken in this process, a time interval t7
which is, for example, one second? is measured in block
302 and if the time t7 expires before the clamp is in the
clamp position then the fault lamp is blinked in block
304. If, on the other hand, the clamp reaches the clamp
position before the expiration of the time interval, this
is sen~ed in block 306 and the tool is retracted to the
home position in block 308. The retraction o~ the tool
i~ given a maximum time interval t8 of, for example 9
three seconds in block 310 after which the ~ault lamp is
blinkad in block 312 if the tim~ interval has expired.
If the tool reaches the home. position before the
expiration of th~ time interv~l t8, this is ~ensed in
block 314 and then block 316 c~uses the ready lamp to be
~urned off and the timer to be reset. Block 318 turns on
the "remove book" lamp, indicating that the book has bePn
bound and is ready for removal. A sensor is checked in
block 320 to determine if the book has been removed and
once the book is removed, the "rsmove boo~" lamp is
turned off in block 322. The clamp is then moved to a
- 15
2~8~7
home position in block 32~ and, as before, a time
interval tg of, for example, two seconds is permitted in
block 326 for the clamp to move to the home position
before the Pault lamp is blinked in block 328. The home
position of the clamp is sensed in block 330, after which
the cartridge switch is checked ~o determine whe~her it
is empty or not at block 332. Activation of the
cartridge switch causes ejection of the cartridge at
block 334, while lack of activation transfers process
contrvl at connector F to the portion of the process
shown at the bott~m of Fig. 15.
Fig. 18 shows a circuit for carrying out the
control process shown in Figs. 14-17. In particular, a
microprocessor 350 is programmed with the necessary
software or firmware to follow the control process. In
detail, an input line 352 to the microprocessor in~orms
the microprocessor of the ondition of the power switch,
whether it is on or vff, while input lines 35~ and 356
transmit signals from the cartridge switch and the
cartridye sensor, respectively. A clamp position sensor
signal is transmitted over the input line 358.
Additional input to the microprocessor is ~ed through a
first input buffer 360 and includes, for example, a line
362 for the punch switch, a line 364 for the bind switch,
a line 366 ~or the tool home sensor, an input line 368
for the paper thro~t sensor, a line 369 for start/reset,
and lines 370 and 372 for punch sensors. Additional
input lines may be provided as needed. A second input
buffer 374 receives a four bit cartridge code over the
lines 376, 378, 380 and 382, a punch paper alignment
sensor signal from lines 334 and 386, a clamp home sensor
signal on line 388 and, finally, a ~ool mechanism sensor
- 16 -
2~8~7
on line 390. The input signals from these input bu~rs
360 and 374 are fed through a data bus 392 to the
microprocessor 350O
To enable the microprocessor 350 to control the
various operators and light the various indicators, a
control and select bus 394 connects the microprocessor to
a chip selector 396 which has outputs connected to the
enable inputs of the input buffer 360, the input buffer
374, an output latch 398 and an output latch 400. When
enabled by the chip selector 396, the buffers and latches
control the flow of data on the data bus 392. The
microprocessor based control circuit has an interface
with various electromechanical devices through a bank of
optical couplers 402. The microprocessor 350 through the
data bus 392 and the output latch 398, as well as one of
the optical couplers 402, controls a forward drive 404 o~
a punch motor 406 as well as the reverse drive 408
thereof. Also controlled is the brake drive 410 which
operates the brake 412 ~or the punch. Not only does the
microprocessor 350 control the operat.ion of the punch but
also the operation of the insertion tools 414 through a
forward and reverse drive 416, the paper clamp 418
through a forward and reverse drive 420, the tool drum
422 through a forward and reverse drive 424, and a
- 25 cartridge solenoid 426 through a solenoid drive 428. The
tool drum and the cartridge solenoid are controlled
directly by the microprocessor in the illustrated embodi
m~nt, rather than through th~ output latches 398.
The output latches 400, on the other hand, are
used to control indicators, In particular, a driver 430
at the output o~ the latche~ 400 drive a faulk lamp 432,
a check cartridge lamp 434, a rem~ve book lamp 436, and a
- 17 -
2~8~7
ready lamp 438. A start/reset lamp 439 is also provided.
Each of the indicator lamps 432 439 is connected by a
resistor to a positive supply. In the illustration of
Fig. 18, a power supply 440 is provided for the control
circuitry while a separate power supply 442 is provided
for the mechanical operators.
Although the invention has been described with
respect to preferred embodiments, it is not to be so
limited as changes and modifications can be made which
are within the full intended scope of the invention as
defined by the appended claims.
