Twin row drop generator

Claim 1

A multiple channel jet drop marking head comprising: a. an orifice plate including means defining two substantially parallel rows of orifices, b. means for supplying marking fluid to said orifices and producing at their exits parallel rows of fluid filaments, c. a charging plate spaced from said orifice plate and having means defining parallel rows of apertures in register with said orifices for passage therethrough of said marking fluid filaments, d. said apertures being electrically insulated from one another and each aperture being provided with means for individually controlling electrical charging of said filaments, e. means for stimulating said fluid filaments to break up into spaced curtains of drops corresponding to said rows of orifices, each of said curtains comprising closely spaced trains of uniformly sized and regularly spaced drops corresponding to the orifices in each of said rows thereof, the charge on each drop being determined by the charge condition of the parent fluid filament at the instant of drop separation therefrom, f. electrically conductive strip means positioned downstream of said charging plate intermediate the rows of apertures therein between said drop curtains, g. means cooperating with said strip means to bound said drop curtains and set up therebetween electrical fields whereby the drops in said curtains are selectively deflected outwardly away from said strip means in accordance with the electrical charges thereon, and h. means for catching drops deflected outwardly therefrom more than some predetermined distance.