Master controlled copy count method and apparatus

Claim 2

In a duplicating machine including duplicating means for operation during a duplicating cycle of said machine to reproduce information from a master sheet upon individual copy sheets passing through said machine, a master controlled copy count unit for determining the number of copy sheets to receive a reproduction from said master sheet in accordance with a code provided on the master sheet indicating the number of copy sheets to be reproduced therefrom comprising sensing means mounted upon said machine to sense the code on said master sheet and provide an output signal indicative of said sensed code, sheet count means for providing output signals indicative of the number of copy sheets passing through said duplicating machine, and comparison means connected to said sheet count means and said master sensing means, said comparison means operating to compare the output signals from said sheet count means and master sensing means and to provide a control signal to said duplicating machine when said sheet count is equal to the copy numbeR sensed from said coded master sheet.

Claim 3

The master controlled copy count unit of claim 1 wherein said code includes a plurality of individual code indications extending across the top, leading edge of said master sheet, said sensing means including a plurality of individual sensing units, each said sensing unit being mounted upon said duplicating machine to sense one of said coded indications.

Claim 4

The master controlled copy count unit of claim 1 wherein said sheet count means operates to discontinue output signals upon failure by said duplicating machine to reproduce from said master sheet upon said copy sheets.

Claim 5

The master controlled copy count unit of claim 1 wherein said comparison means includes a memory circuit connected to receive and store the output signals from said sensing means and a comparator circuit connected to said sheet count means and said memory circuit, said comparator circuit operating to compare the output signals from said sheet count means with the signals stored by said memory circuit.

Claim 6

The master controlled copy count unit of claim 1 wherein said code includes a plurality of individual binary code indications, said sheet count means operating to convert a digital sheet count into a corresponding binary output signal for comparison with said sensing means output signals.

Claim 7

In a duplicating machine including duplicating means for operation during a duplicating cycle of said machine to reproduce an image from a master sheet upon individual copy sheets passing through said machine, a master controlled copy count unit for determining the number of copy sheets to receive the image from said master sheet in accordance with a code provided on the master sheet indicating the number of copy sheets to be reproduced therefrom, comprising sensing means mounted upon said machine to sense the code on said master sheet and provide electrical output signals indicative of said code, said sensing means including a plurality of individual sensing units mounted upon said duplicating machine, each said sensing unit being adapted to provide an output electrical signal in response to the presence of a code indication sensed thereby, memory means connected to receive and store the output signals from said sensing means, said memory means including a memory section connected to each of said sensing units to receive and store the output signal therefrom, sheet count means for providing electrical output signals indicative of the number of copy sheets passing through said duplicating machine, said sheet count means including a plurality of sheet count sections equal in number to the number of memory sections in said memory means, each said sheet count section being adapted to provide an output count signal, and comparator means connected to receive and compare the count output signals from said sheet count sections with the signals stored in said memory sections, said comparator means operating to provide a control signal to said duplicating machine when coincidence between said compared signals occurs.

Claim 8

In a duplicating machine including duplicating means for operation during a duplicating cycle of said machine to reproduce an image from a master sheet upon individual copy sheets passing through said machine, a master controlled copy count unit for determining the number of copy sheets to receive the image from said master sheet in accordance with a code provided on the master sheet indicating the number of copy sheets to be reproduced therefrom, comprising sensing means mounted upon said machine to sense the code on said master sheet and provide electrical output signals indicative of said code, said sensing means including a plurality of individual sensing units mounted upon said duplicating machine, each said sensing unit being adapted to provide an output electrical signal in response to the presence of a code indication sensed thereby, memory means connected to receive and store the output signals from said sensing means, said memory means including a memory section connected to each of said sensing units to receive and store the output signal therefrom, sheet count means for providing electrical output signals indicative of the number of copy sheets passing through said duplicating machine, said sheet count means including a plurality of sheet count sections equal in number to the number of memory sections in said memory means, each said sheet count section being adapted to provide an output count signal, and comparator means connected to receive and compare the count output signals from said sheet count sections with the signals stored in said memory sections, said comparator means operating to provide a control signal to said duplicating machine when coincidence between said compared signals occurs.

Claim 9

The master controlled copy count unit of claim 6 wherein each said memory section includes a controlled rectifier having a gate electrode connected to receive the output signal from said sensing unit, an anode electrode having an output connected to said comparator means and a cathode electrode, said controlled rectifier operating to normally block current flow between said anode and cathode but operating when a signal is received by said gate electrode from said sensing unit to permit substantially free current flow between said anode and cathode electrodes to provide an output signal at said anode output.

Claim 10

The master controlled copy count unit of claim 7 wherein said comparator means includes an input power source, an output, switch means connected between said input power source and said output, and electrical switch actuating means connected between said memory and copy count sections, said switch actuating means operating to maintain Said switch means in an open position to break the circuit between said input power source and said output when the output signals in said copy count sections are not coincident with the signals in said memory sections, and to close said switch means to complete the circuit between said input power source and said output when coincidence between said signals occurs.

Claim 11

The master controlled copy count unit of claim 6 wherein said code includes a plurality of individual binary code indications, said sheet count means operating to convert a digital sheet count into corresponding binary output signals at the outputs of said sheet count sections.

Claim 12

The master controlled copy count unit of claim 9 wherein said sheet count means includes switching means in each of said sheet count sections to selectively control the sequence of output signals therefrom, drive means for controlling the operation of said switching means, said drive means being operable to set said switching means to provide binary coded output signals, and sequencing means responsive to the imaging of each copy sheet reproduced by said duplicating machine, said sequencing means operating to control said drive means whereby the binary coded output signals from said switching means are indicative of the number of copy sheets reproduced by said duplicating machine.

Claim 15

The method of claim 11 which includes counting the copy sheets reproduced from said master sheet during said duplicating cycle, said code signal being employed to cause the termination of said duplicating cycle at a copy count indicated by said code.

Claim 16

The method of claim 11 wherein said master sheet is coded adjacent the leading edge thereof to facilitate conversion of the code before the duplicating cycle and to prevent reproduction of the code by the duplicating machine.

Claim 17

The method of claim 11 which includes producing electrical signals indicative of the digital sheet count indicated by a copy counter for said duplicating machine and comparing said sheet count signals with said electrical code signals.

Claim 18

The method of claim 14 which includes coding said master sheet with a binary code, and converting the digital sheet count of said copy counter to corresponding binary sheet count signals.

Claim 19

The method of claim 11 which includes employing said electrical signals to control the presetting of a copy counter for a duplicating machine.

Claim 20

The method of claim 16 which includes driving said copy counter from a zero sheet count position to increase the sheet count registered thereby, converting the counts indicated by said counter to electrical signals indicative thereof, and comparing the electrical signals indicative of said count with those indicative of said code.

Claim 21

The method of claim 17 which includes providing an output control signal upon coincidence between said code and count signals.

Claim 22

The method of claim 17 which includes providing an output difference signal derived from the comparison between said code and count signals and employing said difference signal to control drive means for said copy counter.

Claim 25

The method of claim 20 wherein the electrical signals indicative of said code are stored during the increase of said sheet count to provide an electrical signal coincident therewith.

Claim 26

A master controlled copy count unit for operation with a duplicating machine copy sheet counter means to control the number of copy sheets to be fed through the duplicating machine during a duplicating cycle thereof in accordance with a sheet count code provided upon a master sheet for said duplicating machine comprising sensing means mounted to sense the code on said master sheet, said sensing means being operative to provide an electrical output indicative of the number of copy sheets shown by said code and control means to receive said electrical output, said control means including means to produce an electrical counter signal indicative of the count on said sheet counter, said control means operating to compare the electrical output of said sensing means with said counter signal to determine when coincidence occurs between such signals.

Claim 27

A master controlled copy count unit for operation with a duplicating machine copy sheet counter means to control the number of copy sheets to be fed through the duplicating machine during a duplicating cycle thereof in accordance with a sheet count code provided upon a master sheet for said duplicating machine comprising sensing means mounted to sense the code on said master sheet, said sensing means being operative to provide an electrical output indicative of the number of copy sheets shown by said code and control means to receive said electrical output, said control means including means to produce an electrical counter signal indicative of the count on said sheet counter, said control means operating to compare the electrical output of said sensing means with said counter signal to determine when coincidence occurs between such signals.

Claim 28

The master controlled copy count unit of claim 22 wherein said sensing means includes a plurality of individual sensing units, each such sensing unit being adapted to sense a corresponding individual code indication on said master sheet.

Claim 29

The master controlled copy count unit of claim 23 wherein said code includes a plurality of individual binary code indications, said control means being responsive to the binary code output from said sensing units and digital count position of said sheet counter means.

Claim 30

The master controlled copy count unit of claim 24 wherein said control means includes a binary coded decimal counter connected to receive said binary code output from said sensing means, said binary coded counter including decimal count means connected to operate as a copy sheet counter for said duplicating machine, and output means to provide an output control signal when said decimal count means reaches the copy count indicated by said binary code.

Claim 31

The master controlled copy count unit of claim 22 wherein drive means are provided to drive said copy sheet counter means from a zero count position toward the sheet count position indicated by said sheet count code.

Claim 32

The master controlled copy count unit of claim 26 wherein said individual sensing units are divided into sensing decades, the sensing units in each such decade being connected in parallel with the remaining units in such decade, a voltage supply source for each decade, and output means for developing an output voltage from the sum of the outputs of said sensing decades.

Claim 33

The master controlled copy count unit of claim 27 wherein said control means includes voltage comparator means to compare the counter signal with the output voltage from said output means, said comparator means operating to provide an output difference signal, and a counter drive means connected to receive said difference signal, said counter drive means being operative to drive said counter from a zero count position toward the sheet count position indicated by said sheet count code.

Claim 34

The master controlled copy count unit of claim 28 wherein said voltage supply sources for said sensing decades provide a voltage to each such decade having an amplitude which is 10 times that of the voltage provided to a preceeding decade.

Claim 35

The master controlled copy count unit of claim 28 wherein said means to produce an electrical counter signal indicative of the count on said sheet counter includes a variable resistance circuit means having a power source, a resistor connected to said power source, and a movable wiper for said resistor, said movable wiper being electrically connected to said comparator means and being connected to said drive means wherebY said drive means drives both said counter means and said movable wiper.

Claim 36

The master controlled copy count unit of claim 22 wherein said code includes a plurality of individual binary code indications, said means to produce an electrical counter signal indicative of the count on said sheet counter operating to convert a digital sheet count indication on said sheet counter into corresponding electrical output signals for comparison with the electrical output of said sensing means.

Claim 37

The master controlled copy count unit of claim 31 wherein said sensing means includes a plurality of individual sensing units, each such sensing unit being adapted to sense a corresponding individual binary code indication on said master sheet, said means to produce an electrical counter signal indicative of the count on said sheet counter being operative to convert a digital sheet count on said sheet counter in the corresponding output signals for comparison with said sensing unit.

Claim 38

A master controlled copy count unit for operation with a duplicating machine copy sheet counter means to control the number of copy sheets to be fed through the duplicating machine during a duplicating cycle thereof in accordance with a sheet count code provided upon a master sheet for said duplicating machine comprising sensing means mounted to sense the code on said master sheet, said sensing means being operative to provide an electrical output indicative of the number of copy sheets shown by said code, means for applying said electrical signal to preset the counter means at a predetermined level representative of said number of copy sheets, and a copy sheet sensing unit for counting down said counter means from said predetermined level.

Claim 39

A master controlled copy count unit for operation with a duplicating machine copy sheet counter means to control the number of copy sheets to be fed through the duplicating machine during a duplicating cycle thereof in accordance with a sheet count code provided upon a master sheet for said duplicating machine comprising sensing means mounted to sense the code on said master sheet, said sensing means being operative to provide an electrical output indicative of the number of copy sheets shown by said code, means for applying said electrical signal to preset the counter means at a predetermined level representative of said number of copy sheets, and a copy sheet sensing unit for counting down said counter means from said predetermined level.