Ink flow control means for ink pen recorders

Claim 2

A multipen ink recorder system having individual flow control means for each pen, each said flow control means comprising: a valve body means having an inlet passage for fluid ink from a source of fluid ink under pressure and an outlet passage for the fluid ink, said valve body means having a chamber portion connecting said inlet passage and said outlet passage, said chamber having a movable wall portion; and valve means mounted within the inlet passage to said chamber portion of said valve body means for rectilinear motion for selectively opening and closing said inlet passage to said chamber portion to control the flow of fluid ink, said valve means when moving from the open to closed position moving said movable wall portion thereby varying the volume of said chamber to cause a decrease in pressure therein and to thereby cause a volume of fluid ink to flow from said outlet passage into said chamber.

Claim 3

A flow control means as set forth in claim 1 wherein said valve means when moving from the closed to open position moves said wall portion thereby to vary the volume of said chamber to cause an increase in pressure therein to cause a volume of fluid ink to flow into said outlet passage from said chamber.

Claim 4

A multipen ink recorder system having individual flow control means for each pen, each said flow control means comprising: a single source of ink under pressure; a plurality of writing pens, flexible conduit means connecting each of said pens to said source of ink for providing a plurality of visible traces on the record member; a separate ink flow control means for each writing pen located between said source of ink and each of said plurality of pens; each of said control means having a valve body means with an inlet passage for the ink from said source of ink and an outlet passage for the ink to the writing pen; said valve body means having a chamber portion connecting said inlet passage and said outlet passage; and valve means mounted within the inlet passage to said chamber portion of said valve body means for rectilinear motion for selectively oPening and closing said inlet passage to said chamber portion to control the flow of ink to the pan, movable wall means forming part of said valve body means, said valve means when moving from the open to closed position varying the volume of said chamber by moving said wall means to cause a decrease in pressure therein and to thereby cause a volume of ink to flow from said conduit connected to said outlet passage into said chamber, the volume of ink being sufficient to withdraw ink from said pen tip to prevent smudging.

Claim 5

A multipen ink recorder system having individual flow control means for each pen, each said flow control means comprising: a single source of ink under pressure; a plurality of writing pens, flexible conduit means connecting each of said pens to said source of ink for providing a plurality of visible traces on the record member; a separate ink flow control means for each writing pen located between said source of ink and each of said plurality of pens; each of said control means having a valve body means with an inlet passage for the ink from said source of ink and an outlet passage for the ink to the writing pen; said valve body means having a chamber portion connecting said inlet passage and said outlet passage; and valve means mounted within the inlet passage to said chamber portion of said valve body means for rectilinear motion for selectively oPening and closing said inlet passage to said chamber portion to control the flow of ink to the pan, movable wall means forming part of said valve body means, said valve means when moving from the open to closed position varying the volume of said chamber by moving said wall means to cause a decrease in pressure therein and to thereby cause a volume of ink to flow from said conduit connected to said outlet passage into said chamber, the volume of ink being sufficient to withdraw ink from said pen tip to prevent smudging.

Claim 6

An ink flow control means as set forth in claim 3, wherein said valve means when moving from the closed to open position moves the wall means to vary the volume of said chamber to cause an increase in pressure therein to cause a volume of ink to flow from said chamber into said conduit connected to said outlet passage.

Claim 7

An ink flow control means as set forth in claim 3, wherein said valve means further comprises: a valve member for rectilinear motion, said valve member having an internal portion within said chamber of said valve body means, said valve member having an external portion extending from said chamber of said valve body means toward said inlet passage a valve seat in said inlet passage supporting said valve member in said chamber and forming a seal around said valve member; a ball valve means in contact with said internal portion of said valve member; a coil spring having one end biasing said ball valve means into contact with said valve member, said coil spring having another end biased against said valve body means; the inlet passage to said valve body having a constriction smaller than the diameter of said ball valve means, said internal portion of said valve member extending into said constriction; and an actuating means for effecting rectilinear movement to said valve member.