Xerographic plate charging method and apparatus

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR CHARGING A XEROGRAPHIC PLATE COMPRISING MEANS TO SUPPORT A XEROGRAPHIC PLATE IN POSITION TO BE CHARGED, A PLURALITY OF UNIFORMLY SPACED ELECTRONICALLY CONDUCTIVE CHARGING ELECTRODES SUBSTANTIALLY ALIGNED, MEANS TO SUPPORT SAID ELECTRODES WITH A PORTION THEREOF IN SURFACE CONTACT WITH A PLATE ON ITS SUPPORT MEANS, EACH OF SAID ELECTRODE CONTACT PORTIONS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY INSULATED ELECTRICALLY FROM ADJACENT ELECTRODE CONTACT PORTIONS, A RESISTANCE MATERIAL CONNECTED TO A NON-CONTACT PORTION OF EACH ELECTRODE, SAID RESISTANCE MATERIAL HAVING AN ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE OF AT LEAST 10**4 OHMS PER SQ. CM. PER CM. LENGTH, TERMINALS FOR CONNECTING A POTENTIAL SOURCE TO THE RESISTANCE MATERIAL, AND MEANS FOR MOVING THE ELECTRODES AND PLATE RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER IN A DIRECTION TRANSVERSE TO THE ALIGNMENT OF SAID ELECTRODES, WHEREBY WHEN SAID TERMINALS ARE ENERGIZED WITH PLATE CHARGING POTENTIAL A CHARGE PATTERN IS DEPOSITED FROM THE ELECTRODES ONTO THE PLATE SURFACE CORRELATED TO THE SPACING OF SAID ELECTRODE CONTACT PORTIONS.