Electrostatic printing apparatus with inking means between electrodes

Claim 1

AN ELECTROSTATIC PRINTING METHOD WHICH COMPRISES POSITIONING A MATERIAL TO BE IMPRINTED ON ONE SIDE OF AN UNCHARGED STENCIL, PLACING AN ELECTRODE PLATE ADJACENT THE SIDE OF THE SAID MATERIAL TO BE IMPRINTED REMOTE FROM SAID STENCIL, BRINGING INTO CONTACT WITH THE STENCIL A POWDERED INK CARRYING MEMBER CAPABLE OF MOVING PAST SAID STENCIL, PROVIDING ANOTHER ELECTRODE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE INK CARRYING MEMBER FROM THE STENCIL AND WHICH IS ELECTRICALLY INSULATED FROM THE SAID CARRYING MEMBER IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF THE POINT WHERE THE SAID CARRYING MEMBER COMES INTO CONTACT WITH THE STENCIL IN A POSITION SUCH THAT THE ELECTRODE IS OPPOSED TO THE ELECTRODE PLATE BENEATH THE MATERIAL TO BE IMPRINTED WITH THE STENCIL AND THE MATERIAL TO BE IMPRINTED BETWEEN THE ELECTRODE AND ELECTRODE PLATE, ESTABLISHING A POTENTIAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE ELECTRODE AND THE ELECTRODE PLATE, SUPPLYING A POWDERED INK TO THE SAID CARRYING MEMBER, ELECTRICALLY CHARGING THE POWDERED INK ON THE SAID CARRYING MEMBER BY APPLYING A CORONA DISCHARGE THERETO, BRINGING THE SAID CHARGED POWDERED INK ONTO THE STENCIL BY MOVING THE SAID CARRYING MEMBER, AND PASSING THE SAID POWDERED INK THROUGH OPENINGS OF THE STENCIL BY MEANS OF AN ELECTROSTATIC FORCE WHICH ACTS BETWEEN SAID POWDERED INK AND SAID MATERIAL TO BE IMPRINTED, WHEREBY THE SAID INK IS ADHERED TO THE SAID MATERIAL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PATTERN OF THE STENCIL.