Printer variable form length controller

Claim 2

A printer vaRiable form length controller providing line advance signals for advancing a paper web upon which characters are to be printed, comprising: line advance gating means for providing a line advance signal output when enabled; means for coupling timing signals as the first input to said line advance gating means; a skip counter; means for coupling the line advance signal output from said line advance gating means to said skip counter for counting said line advance signals; a skip flip-flop; means for coupling the output of said skip counter as a first input to said skip flip-flop; means for coupling a first output of said skip flip-flop as the second input to said line advance gating means; set switch means coupled to the second input of said skip flipflop for enabling said line advance gating means to couple said line advance signals to said skip counter to toggle said skip counter to a predetermined skip count and then to toggle said skip flip-flop and to disable said line advance gating means.

Claim 3

A printer variable form length controller providing line advance signals for advancing a paper web upon which characters are to be printed, comprising: line advance gating means for providing a line advance signal output when enabled; means for coupling timing signals as the first input to said line advance gating means; a skip counter; means for coupling the line advance signal output from said line advance gating means to said skip counter for counting said line advance signals; a skip flip-flop means for coupling the output of said skip counter as a first input to said skip flip-flop; means for coupling a first output of said skip flip-flop as the second input to said line advance gating means; set switch means; skip switch means; form setting gating means; means for coupling said set switch means as a first input to said form setting gating means; means for coupling the output of said form setting gating means as a second input to said skip flip-flop; means coupling said skip switch means as an enabling second input to said form setting gating means for enabling said set switch means to toggle said skip flip-flop whereby said skip flip-flop enables said line advance gating means to couple said line advance signals to said skip counter to toggle said skip counter to a predetermined skip count and then to toggle said skip flip-flop and to disable said line advance gating means.

Claim 4

A printer variable form length controller providing line advance signals for advancing a paper web upon which characters are to be printed, comprising: line advance gating means for providing a line advance signal output when enabled; means for coupling timing signals as the first input to said line advance gating means; a skip counter; means for coupling the line advance signal output from said line advance gating means to said skip counter for counting said line advance signals; a skip flip-flop means for coupling the output of said skip counter as a first input to said skip flip-flop; means for coupling a first output of said skip flip-flop as the second input to said line advance gating means; set switch means; skip switch means; form setting gating means; means for coupling said set switch means as a first input to said form setting gating means; means for coupling the output of said form setting gating means as a second input to said skip flip-flop; means coupling said skip switch means as an enabling second input to said form setting gating means for enabling said set switch means to toggle said skip flip-flop whereby said skip flip-flop enables said line advance gating means to couple said line advance signals to said skip counter to toggle said skip counter to a predetermined skip count and then to toggle said skip flip-flop and to disable said line advance gating means.

Claim 5

A printer variable form length controller providing line advance signals for advancing a paper web upon which characters are to be printed, comprising: line advance gating means for providing a line advance signal output when enabled; means for coupling timing signals as the first input to said line advance gating means; a skip counter; means for coupling the line advance signal output from said line advance gating means to said skip counter for counting said line advance signals; a skip flip-flop; means for coupling the output of said skip counter as a first input to said skip flip-flop; means for coupling a first output of said skip flip-flop as the second input to said line advance gating means; a thumbwheel switch assembly capable of assuming positions indicative of the form length of the forms into which said paper web is prepared for generating corresponding form length signals; a latch circuit for accepting and storing said form length signals; a line counter for counting said line advance signals; means for coupling said form length signals from said thumbwheel switch assembly to said latch circuit; means for coupling the line advance signal output from said line advance gating means to said line counter for counting said line advance signal; a comparator coupled to said latch circuit and said line counter for comparing the form length stored in said latch circuit to the line count stored in said line counter and generating an end-of-form signal when said comparison is equal; an end-of-form gating means; means for coupling said end-of-form signal as a first input to said end-of-form gating means; means for coupling said end-of-form signal to said line counter for resetting said line count to zero; means for coupling the output of said end-of-form gating means to the second input of said skip flip-flop; skip switch means coupled to the second input of said end-of-form gating means enabling said end-of-form signal at said end-of-form gating means to toggle said skip flip-flop for enabling said line advance gating means to couple said line advance signals to said skip counter to toggle said skip counter to a predetermined skip count and then to toggle said skip flip-flop and to disable said line advance gating means.

Claim 6

A printer variable form length controller providing line advance signals for advancing a paper web upon which characters are to be printed, comprising: line advance gating means for providing a line advance signal output when enabled; means for coupling timing signals as the first input to said line advance gating means; a skip counter; means for coupling the line advance signal output from said line advance gating means to said skip counter for counting said line advance signals; a skip flip-flop; means for coupling the output of said skip counter as a first input to said skip flip-flop; means for coupling a first output of said skip flip-flop as the second input to said line advance gating means; a thumbwheel switch assembly capable of assuming positions indicative of the form length of the forms into which said paper web is prepared for generating corresponding form length signals; a latch circuit for accepting and storing said form length signals; a line counter for counting said line advance signals; means for coupling said form length signals from said thumbwheel switch assembly to said latch circuit; means for coupling the line advance signal output from said line advance gating means to said line counter for counting said line advance signal; a comparator coupled to said latch circuit and said line counter for comparing the form length stored in said latch circuit to the line count stored in said line counter and generating an end-of-form signal when said comparison is equal; an end-of-form gating means; means for coupling said end-of-form signal as a first input to said end-of-form gating means; means for coupling said end-of-form signal to said line counter for resetting said line count to zero; means for coupling the output of said end-of-form gating means to the second input of said skip flip-flop; skip switch means coupled to the second input of said end-of-form gating means enabling said end-of-form signal at said end-of-form gating means to toggle said skip flip-flop for enabling said line advance gating means to couple said line advance signals to said skip counter to toggle said skip counter to a predetermined skip count and then to toggle said skip flip-flop and to disable said line advance gating means.

Claim 7

In a printer having a printer controller providing timing signals, a variable form length controller, comprising: advancing means for advancing a paper web, upon which characters are to be printed, one line upon receipt of a line advance signal; a line advance gating means for providing a line advance signal output when enabled; a skip flip-flop; means for coupling said timing signal as the first input to said line advance gating means; means for coupling the line advance signal output from said line advance gating means to said advancing means; means for coupling the first output of said skip flip-flop as the enabling second input to said line advance gating means; a skip counter; means for coupling the line advance signal output from said line advance gating means to said skip counter for incrementing said skip counter one line skip count; a skip gating means; means for coupling the output of said skip counter as the first input to said skip gating means; means for coupling the second output of said skip flip-flop as the second input to said skip gating means; means for coupling the output of said skip gating means to the first input of said skip flip-flop; set switch means coupled to the second input of said skip flip-flop and through said line advance gating means enabling said timing signal to couple said line advance signal to said advancing means and said skip counter for incrementing said skip counter and enabling said skip gating means to toggle said skip flip-flop and to disable said line advance gating means.

Claim 8

In a printer having a printer controller providing timing signals, a variable form length controller, comprising: advancing means for advancing a paper web, upon which characters are to be printed, one line upon receipt of a line advance signal; a line advance gating means for providing a line advance signal output when enabled; a skip flip-flop; means for coupling said timing signal as the first input to said line advance gating means; means for coupling the line advance signal output from said line advance gating means to said advancing means; means for coupling the first output of said skip flip-flop as the enabling second input to said line advance gating means; a skip counter; means for coupling the line advance signal output from said line advance gating means to said skip counter for incrementing said skip counter one line skip count; a skip gating means; means for coupling the output of said skip counter as the first input to said skip gating means; means for coupling the second output of said skip flip-flop as the second input to said skip gating means; means for coupling the output of said skip gating means to the first input of said skip flip-flop; set switch means coupled to the second input of said skip flip-flop and through said line advance gating means enabling said timing signal to couple said line advance signal to said advancing means and said skip counter for incrementing said skip counter and enabling said skip gating means to toggle said skip flip-flop and to disable said line advance gating means.

Claim 9

In a printer having a printer controller providing timing signals, a variable form length controller, comprising: advancing means for advancing a paper web, upon which characters are to be printed, one line upon receipt of a line advance signal; line advance gating means for providing a line advance signal output when enabled; a skip flip-flop; means for coupling said timing signal as the first input to said line advance gating means; means for coupling the line advance signal output from said line advance gating means to said advancing means; means for coupling the first output of said skip flip-flop as the enabling second input to said line advance gating means; a skip counter; means for coupling the line advance signal output from said line advance gating means to said skip counter for incrementing said skip counter one line skip count; a skip gating means; means for coupling the output of said skip counter as an input to said skip gating means; means for coupling the second output of said skip flip-flop as an input to said skip gating means; means for coupling the output of said skip gating means to the first input of said skip flip-flop; a thumbwheel switch assembly capable of assuming positions indicative of the form length of the forms into which said paper web is prepared for generating corresponding form length signals; a latch circuit for accepting and storing said form length signals; a line counter for counting said line advance signals; means for coupling said form length from said tHumbwheel switch assembly to said latch circuit; means for coupling the line advance signal output from said line advance gating means to said line counter for incrementing said line counter one line count; a comparator coupled to said latch circuit and to said line counter for comparing the form length stored in said latch circuit to the line count stored in said line counter and generating an end-of-form signal when said comparison is equal; an end-of-form gating means; means for coupling said end-of-form signal as an input to said end-of-form gating means; means for coupling said end-of-form signal to said line counter for resetting said line count to zero; means for coupling the output of said end-of-form gating means to the second input of said skip flip-flop; skip switch means for enabling said end-of-form signal at said end-of-form gating means to toggle said skip flip-flop and through said line advance gating means to enable said timing signal to couple said line advance signal to said advancing means whereby said skip counter is incremented to enable said skip gating means to toggle said skip flip-flop and to disable said line advance gating means.

Claim 10

In a printer having a printer controller providing timing signals, a variable form length controller, comprising: advancing means for advancing a paper web, upon which characters are to be printed, one line upon receipt of a line advance signal; line advance gating means for providing a line advance signal output when enabled; a skip flip-flop; means for coupling said timing signal as the first input to said line advance gating means; means for coupling the line advance signal output from said line advance gating means to said advancing means; means for coupling the first output of said skip flip-flop as the enabling second input to said line advance gating means; a skip counter; means for coupling the line advance signal output from said line advance gating means to said skip counter for incrementing said skip counter one line skip count; a skip gating means; means for coupling the output of said skip counter as an input to said skip gating means; means for coupling the second output of said skip flip-flop as an input to said skip gating means; means for coupling the output of said skip gating means to the first input of said skip flip-flop; a thumbwheel switch assembly capable of assuming positions indicative of the form length of the forms into which said paper web is prepared for generating corresponding form length signals; a latch circuit for accepting and storing said form length signals; a line counter for counting said line advance signals; means for coupling said form length from said tHumbwheel switch assembly to said latch circuit; means for coupling the line advance signal output from said line advance gating means to said line counter for incrementing said line counter one line count; a comparator coupled to said latch circuit and to said line counter for comparing the form length stored in said latch circuit to the line count stored in said line counter and generating an end-of-form signal when said comparison is equal; an end-of-form gating means; means for coupling said end-of-form signal as an input to said end-of-form gating means; means for coupling said end-of-form signal to said line counter for resetting said line count to zero; means for coupling the output of said end-of-form gating means to the second input of said skip flip-flop; skip switch means for enabling said end-of-form signal at said end-of-form gating means to toggle said skip flip-flop and through said line advance gating means to enable said timing signal to couple said line advance signal to said advancing means whereby said skip counter is incremented to enable said skip gating means to toggle said skip flip-flop and to disable said line advance gating means.

Claim 11

In a printer having a printer controller providing timing signals, line feed signals and form feed signals, a variable form length controller, comprising: electromechanical means for advancing a paper web, upon which characters are to be printed, one line upon receipt of a line advance signal; a line advance NOR gate; a line advance NAND gate for providing a line advance signal output when enabled; a three line skip flip-flop; a six line skip flip-flop; means for coupling said timing signal as a first input to said line advance NAND gate; means for coupling the output of said line advance NOR gate as the second input to said line advance NAND gate; means for coupling the line advance signal output from said line advance NAND gate to said electromechanical means; means for coupling said line feed signal as a first input to said line advance NOR gate; means for coupling said form feed signal as the second input to said line advance NOR gate; means for coupling the first output of said three line skip flip-flop as a third input to said line advance NOR gate; means for coupling the first output of said six line skip flip-flop as a fourth input to said line advance NOR gate; a skip counter; means for coupling the line advance signal output from said line advance NAND gate to said skip counter for counting said line advance signals; a skip counter enable OR gate; a three line skip NAND gate; a six line skip NAND gate; means for coupling the output of said skip counter as an input to said three line skip NAND gate and said six line skip NAND gate; means for coupling the output of said skip counter enable OR gate as an enabling input to said skip counter; means for coupling the second output of said three line skip flip-flop and said six line skip flip-flop as first and second inputs to said skip counter enable OR gate; means for coupling the second output of said three line skip flip-flop as an input to said three line skip NAND gate; means for coupling the second output of said six line skip flip-flop as an input to said six line skip NAND gate; means for coupling the output of said three line skip NAND gate to the first input of said three line skip flip-flop; means for coupling the output of said six line skip NAND gate to the first input of said six line skip flip-flop; a skip counter reset NOR gate; means for coupling the outputs of said three line skip NAND gate and said six line skip NAND gate as first and second inputs to said skip counter reset NOR gate; means for coupling the output of said skip counter reset NOR gate as a resetting input to said skip counter; a thumbwheel switch assembly capablE of assuming positions indicative of the form length of the forms into which said paper web is prepared for generating corresponding form length signals; a latch circuit for accepting and storing said form length signals; a line counter for counting said line advance signals; means for coupling said form length signals from said thumbwheel switch assembly to said latch circuit; means for coupling the line advance signal output from said line advance NAND gate to said line counter for counting said line advance signals; a comparator coupled to said latch circuit and said line counter for comparing the form length stored in said latch circuit to the line count stored in said line counter and generating an end-of-form signal when said comparison is equal; an end-of-form NAND gate; an end-of-form NOR gate; means for coupling said end-of-form signal as inputs to said end-of-form NAND gate and said end-of-form NOR gate; means for coupling the output of said end-of-form NOR gate to said line counter for resetting said line count to zero; means for coupling the output of said end-of-form NAND gate to the second input of said six line skip flip-flop; means for coupling the output of said six line skip flip-flop; means for coupling the output of said three line skip NAND gate as an input to said end-of-form NOR gate; means for coupling the output of said six line skip NAND gate as an input to said end-of-form NOR gate; a form setting NAND gate; skip switch means; set switch means; means for coupling said set switch as an enabling input to said form setting NAND gate and to said end-of-form NOR gate; means for coupling said skip switch as an enabling input to said form setting NAND gate and to said end-of-form NAND gate; means for coupling said set switch to said latch circuit for enabling said latch circuit to accept and store said form length signals; said set switch means setting said three line skip flip-flop and through said line advance NOR gate and said line advance NAND gate enabling said timing signal to couple said line advance signals to said electromechanical means and to said skip counter for incrementing said skip counter three line skip counts to enable said three line skip NAND gate to toggle said three line skip flip-flop and to disable said line advance NAND gate; said skip switch means enabling said end-of-form signal at said end-of-form NAND gate to toggle said six line skip flip-flop and through said line advance NOR gate and said line advance NAND gate enabling said timing signal to couple said line advance signals to said electromechanical means and to said skip counter for incrementing said skip counter six line skip counts to enable said six line skip NAND gate to toggle said six line skip flip-flop and to disable said line advance NAND gate.

Claim 12

In a printer having a printer controller providing timing signals, line feed signals and form feed signals, a variable form length controller, comprising: electromechanical means for advancing a paper web, upon which characters are to be printed, one line upon receipt of a line advance signal; a line advance NOR gate; a line advance NAND gate for providing a line advance signal output when enabled; a three line skip flip-flop; a six line skip flip-flop; means for coupling said timing signal as a first input to said line advance NAND gate; means for coupling the output of said line advance NOR gate as the second input to said line advance NAND gate; means for coupling the line advance signal output from said line advance NAND gate to said electromechanical means; means for coupling said line feed signal as a first input to said line advance NOR gate; means for coupling said form feed signal as the second input to said line advance NOR gate; means for coupling the first output of said three line skip flip-flop as a third input to said line advance NOR gate; means for coupling the first output of said six line skip flip-flop as a fourth input to said line advance NOR gate; a skip counter; means for coupling the line advance signal output from said line advance NAND gate to said skip counter for counting said line advance signals; a skip counter enable OR gate; a three line skip NAND gate; a six line skip NAND gate; means for coupling the output of said skip counter as an input to said three line skip NAND gate and said six line skip NAND gate; means for coupling the output of said skip counter enable OR gate as an enabling input to said skip counter; means for coupling the second output of said three line skip flip-flop and said six line skip flip-flop as first and second inputs to said skip counter enable OR gate; means for coupling the second output of said three line skip flip-flop as an input to said three line skip NAND gate; means for coupling the second output of said six line skip flip-flop as an input to said six line skip NAND gate; means for coupling the output of said three line skip NAND gate to the first input of said three line skip flip-flop; means for coupling the output of said six line skip NAND gate to the first input of said six line skip flip-flop; a skip counter reset NOR gate; means for coupling the outputs of said three line skip NAND gate and said six line skip NAND gate as first and second inputs to said skip counter reset NOR gate; means for coupling the output of said skip counter reset NOR gate as a resetting input to said skip counter; a thumbwheel switch assembly capablE of assuming positions indicative of the form length of the forms into which said paper web is prepared for generating corresponding form length signals; a latch circuit for accepting and storing said form length signals; a line counter for counting said line advance signals; means for coupling said form length signals from said thumbwheel switch assembly to said latch circuit; means for coupling the line advance signal output from said line advance NAND gate to said line counter for counting said line advance signals; a comparator coupled to said latch circuit and said line counter for comparing the form length stored in said latch circuit to the line count stored in said line counter and generating an end-of-form signal when said comparison is equal; an end-of-form NAND gate; an end-of-form NOR gate; means for coupling said end-of-form signal as inputs to said end-of-form NAND gate and said end-of-form NOR gate; means for coupling the output of said end-of-form NOR gate to said line counter for resetting said line count to zero; means for coupling the output of said end-of-form NAND gate to the second input of said six line skip flip-flop; means for coupling the output of said six line skip flip-flop; means for coupling the output of said three line skip NAND gate as an input to said end-of-form NOR gate; means for coupling the output of said six line skip NAND gate as an input to said end-of-form NOR gate; a form setting NAND gate; skip switch means; set switch means; means for coupling said set switch as an enabling input to said form setting NAND gate and to said end-of-form NOR gate; means for coupling said skip switch as an enabling input to said form setting NAND gate and to said end-of-form NAND gate; means for coupling said set switch to said latch circuit for enabling said latch circuit to accept and store said form length signals; said set switch means setting said three line skip flip-flop and through said line advance NOR gate and said line advance NAND gate enabling said timing signal to couple said line advance signals to said electromechanical means and to said skip counter for incrementing said skip counter three line skip counts to enable said three line skip NAND gate to toggle said three line skip flip-flop and to disable said line advance NAND gate; said skip switch means enabling said end-of-form signal at said end-of-form NAND gate to toggle said six line skip flip-flop and through said line advance NOR gate and said line advance NAND gate enabling said timing signal to couple said line advance signals to said electromechanical means and to said skip counter for incrementing said skip counter six line skip counts to enable said six line skip NAND gate to toggle said six line skip flip-flop and to disable said line advance NAND gate.