Triggering electronic devices for the control of electromagnetic actuating devices

Claim 1

A PRINTING MECHANISM COMPRISING A CONTINUOUSLY ROTATABLE WHEEL PROVIDED WITH A SET OF CHARACTERS, A STRIKER HAMMER FAST WITH A POLARISED ELECTROMAGNETIC ACTUATING DEVICE COMPRISING AN INDUCTIVE WINDING IN WHICH THERE CAN FLOW AN ELECTRIC CURRENT WHOSE DIRECTION DETERMINES THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT WHICH IS IMPARTED TO THE STRIKER HAMMER, A CONDENSER, MEANS FOR CHARGING THE SAID CONDENSER, AN IONISABLE GAS TUBE PROVIDED WITH A CONTROL ELECTRODE, THE CONDENSER AND THE INDUCTIVE WINDING OF THE ACTUATING DEVICE BEING CONNECTED IN SERIES WITH THE GAS TUBE, A UNIDIRECTIONAL RECTIFIER ELEMENT CONNECTED IN PARALLEL WITH THE GAS TUBE IN SUCH MANNER THAT THE DIRECTION OF FLOW OF THE CURRENT THROUGH THE SAID UNIDIRECTIONAL ELEMENT IS OPPOSITE TO THE DIRECTION OF FLOW OF CURRENT THROUGH THE GAS TUBE WHEN IT IS IONISED, MEANS FOR APPLYING AN ELECTRIC PULSE TO THE CONTROL ELECTRODE OF THE GAS TUBE AT AN INSTANT DETERMINED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CHARACTER TO BE PRINTED, THE SAID PULSE HAVING THE EFFECT OF IONISING THE SAID TUBE AND OF TRIGGERING IN THE CIRCUIT A DAMPED OSCILLATION, OF WHICH THE FIRST HALF-CYCLE, DURING THE DISCHARGE OF THE CONDENSER, PASSES THROUGH THE WINDING OF THE ACTUATING DEVICE IN A DIRECTION SUCH THAT THE STRIKER HAMMER IS ACTUATED TO PRINT THE SELECTED CHARACTER, WHILE THE SECOND HALF-CYCLE OF THE SAID OSCILLATION PASSES THROUGH THE WINDING OF THE ACTUATING DEVICE IN AN OPPOSITE DIRECTION TO THE FIRST HALF-CYCLE AND MOVES THE STRIKER HAMMER AWAY FROM THE CHARACTER WHEEL DURING THE RE-CHARGING OF THE CONDENSER THROUGH THE RECTIFIER ELEMENT, THE GAS TUBE BEING DEIONISED BY THE VOLTAGE DROP ACROSS THE TERMINALS OF THE SAID RECTIFIER ELEMENT.