Drum control system

Claim 2

A drum control system for providing a predetermined incremental lateral spacing on a drum surface to be accessed in response to a request signal therefor, said system comprising means for rotatably driving said drum about the longitudinal axis thereof; means operatively connected to said drum rotatable driving means for controlling the degree of rotation of said drum in response to said request signal to provide said predetermined incremental lateral spacing, said rotation control means comprising a plurality of optically readable encoded discs, each of said discs having at least a first circumferentially extending band comprising a plurality of optically readable sense marks, said plurality of discs being coaxially rotatably mounted for simultaneous incremental rotation with said drum in response to said request signal, each of said sense marks is a given band corresponding to a predetermined uniform proportionate degree of incremental rotation of said drum, each of said disc circumferential bands being encoded to correspond to a different uniform proportionate degree of incremental rotation of said drum, said plurality of discs comprising at least a pair of said coaxially mounted discs spaced apart from each other with said first bands optically aligned with each other; said rotation control means further comprising a first light source means mounted so as to be optically common to both discs of said pair and optically alignable for illumination of said first bands when energized, a pair of optical reader means optically aligned with said first common light source and associated therewith, each one of said optical reader means being associated with a different one of said discs of said pair and being optically alignable with said first band associated with said associated disc, each of said optical reader means being selectively energizable and being responsive to said sense marks on said associated first band when said optical reader is selectively energized and said first light source illuminates said first band for providing an output signal indicative of the proportionate degree of incremental rotation of said disc, and means for substantially simultaneously selectively energizing said optical reader associated with the disc band corresponding to the requested incremental lateral spacing and said first common light souce in response to said request signal; said system further comprising braking means operatively connected to said drum rotatable drive means for halting the rotatable drive of said drum in response to a braking signal, and comparator means operatively connected to said braking means and to receive said request signal and said selectively energized optical reader output signal for providing said braking signal to said braking means when said selectively energized optical reader output signal corresponds to said requested incremental lateral spacing, whereby the proportionate degree of rotation of said drum corresponds to said requested incremental lateral spacing.

Claim 3

A drum control system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said plurality of optically readable encoded discs comprises at least one other of said coaxially mounted discs with each of said plurality of discs being spaced apart from each other and with said first bands being optically aligned with each other; and said rotation control means further comprises a second light source means mounted so as to be common to said one other disc and optically alignable for illumination of said first band on said one other disc when energized; an additional optical reader means optically aligned with said second light source and associated therewith and being optically alignable with said first band associated with said one other disc, said pair of optical reader means and said additional optical reader means being selectively energizable and being responsive to said sense marks on said associated first band when said associated one of said optical readers is selectively energized and said associated optically alignable light source illuminates said associated first band for providing said output signal indicative of the proportionate degree of incremental rotation of said disc, said optical reader selective energizing means being capable of selectively energizing any one of said optical reader means and substantially simultaneously energizing the light source associated with said selectively energized optical reader means in response to said request signal.

Claim 4

A drum control system in accordance with claim 2 wherein each of said discs further comprises at least a second one of said circumferentially extending bands radially spaced apart from said first band and comprising a plurality of optically readable sense marks, each of said second bands being optically alignable with each other; said system further comprising a first common incrementally movable platform means, said first and second light source means and said associated optical reader means being mounted on said first common incrementally movable platform means so as to be simultaneously movable therewith, said first platform means having at least a first incremental index position in which said first and second light source means and said associated optical reader means are commonly optically aligned with said associated first bands and a second incremental index position in which said first and second light source means and said associated optical reader means are common optically aligned with said associated second bands, and means for incrementally moving said first common platform to a predetermined incremental index position corresponding to the band to be optically read in response to said request signal for optically aligning said associated light source and optical reader means with the band capable of providing the requested incremental lateral spacing for said drum, said selective energization means being enabled when said incremental indexed platform has been positioned for providing said capable band to be read.

Claim 5

A drum control system in accordance with claim 3 further comprising a second incrementally movable common platform means, said drum and said first incrementally movable common platform means being mounted on said second common platform means for simultaneous movement therewith, said second common platform being axially movable in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the drum, and means for incrementally axially moving said second common platform in response to said request signal to a different predetermined axial position on said drum surface relative to a fixed access location, said rotation control means providing said predetermined lateral spacing at said fixed access location by rotation of said drum about said longitudinal axis at said different predetermined relative axial position, said rotation control means being enabled when said predetermined axial position has been obtained, whereby a predetermined lateral spacing at a predetermined axial position of said drum may be provided by axial and rotational movement thereof in response to said request signal.

Claim 6

A drum control system in accordance with claim 4 wherein said second common platform axial moving means further comprises bidirectional means for bidirectionally incrementally axially moving said second platform in a forward direction along said drum longitudinal axis in a first state and in the opposite reverse direction along said drum longitudinal axis in a second state, and means for controlling the state of said bidirectional means in response to said request signal.

Claim 7

A drum control system in accordance with claim 4 wherein said second platform incrementally axially movable means comprises carriage advance means operatively connected to said second platform for axially incrementally moving said second platform in a predetermined axial direction, motor drive means for driving said carriage advance means in said predetermined direction, and control means capable of dynamically incrementally varying the quantity of incremental axial movement of said second platform operatively connected to said motor drive means for controlling the operation thereof in response to a dynamically variable request signal for a different predetermined axial position of said drum relative to said fixed access location, whereby line feed for the drum may be dynamically varied in accordance with a dynamic variation in said axial position request signal.

Claim 8

A drum control system in accordance with claim 6 wherein said control means comprises comparator means operatively connected to said motor drive means and to receive said axial position request signal and a reference signal corresponding to said request axial position for providing a braking signal to halt said motor drive means when said requested predetermined axial position is reached by said drum.

Claim 9

A drum control system in accordance with claim 7 wherein said control means further comprises flip-flop means for providing said reference signal in response to said axial position request signal.

Claim 10

A drum control system in accordance with claim 6 wherein said motor drive means comprises a bidirectional motor drive means for incrementally axially moving said second platform in a forward direction along said drum longitudinal axis in a first state and in the opposite reverse direction along said drum longitudinal axis in a second state, said axial position request signal comprising a state control signal portion, said control means comprising means for selecting the state of said bidirectional motor means in response to said state control signal for axially advancing the said platform in the direction provided by said selected state.

Claim 11

A drum control system in accordance with claim 9 wherein said state selection means comprises means for sensing a predetermined axial position of said drum when in the second state and selecting the first state when said predetermined position is sensed, said second platform being incrementally axially advanced in said forward direction in said first state.

Claim 12

A drum control system in accordance with claim 9 wherein said control means further comprises comparator means operatively connected to said motor drive means and to receive said predetermined axial position request signal and a reference signal corresponding to said requested axial position for providing an output signal when said drum has been advanced to said request axial position, said bidirectional motor drive means having a first winding which is energized in said first state for energizing said motor drive means in said forward direction and a second winding which is energized in said second state for energizing said motor drive means in said reverse direction, said control means further comprising dynamic braking means operatively connected to said comparator means for providing a braking signal of predetermined duration to said second winding in response to said output signal when said motor drive means has previously been in said first state and said first winding has been substantially simultaneously deenergized to dynamically brake said motor drive means to a halt.

Claim 13

A drum control system in accordance with claim 11 wherein said braking signal providing means comprises a capacitor means for providing said braking signal, said capacitor means being charged only during axial advance of said drum when said motor drive means is in said first state and only discharging to provide said braking signal of predetermined duration dependent on the discharge time constant in response to said output signal.

Claim 14

A drum control system in accordance with claim 3 wherein said first common platform incremental moving means comprises a rotary solenoid means incrementally driven in response to said request signal, gearing means operatively connected to said first common platform means, and rotary-to-linear conversion means operatively connected to said rotary solenoid means for driving said gearing means for linearly incrementally moving said first common platform in response to said drive of said rotary solenoid means.

Claim 15

A drum control system in accordance with claim 3 wherein said first common platform incremental moving means comprises bidirectional drive means for incrementally moving said first common platform in a first direction toward the center of the discs in response to a first optimum direction control signal and in the opposite direction away from the center of the discs in response to a second optimum direction signal, means for sensing a present position of said platform and for providing an output signal indicative thereof; direction control signal providing means operatively connected to said first platform present position sensing means for receiving said indicative output signal therefrom and to receive said request signal and responsive thereto for providing either said first or said second direction control signal to said bidirectional drive means dependent on the optimum shortest incremental movement of said first common platform from said initial position required to reach a final position of said first common platform associated with the radially located disc band and corresponding to the requested lateral spacing; means for dynamically sensing a current incremental position of said first common platform and providing an output signal indicative thereof, each incremental first platform position corresponding to a different common radially spaced band on the discs; and condition responsive means operatively connected to receive said current position indicative signal and said request signal for providing a braking signal to said bidirectional drive means for halting the incremental movement of said platform when said first platform current position corresponds to said final position associated with the radially located disc band corresponding to the requested lateral spacing.

Claim 16

A drum control system in accordance with claim 14 wherein said bidirectional drive means comprises a rotary solenoid means incrementally driven in response to said request signal, gearing means operatively connected to said first common platform means and rotary-to-linear conversion means operatively connected to said rotary solenoid means for driving said gearing means for linearly incrementally moving said first common platform from said initial position to said final position in response to said drive of said rotary solenoid means in response to said provided optimum direction control signal.

Claim 17

A drum control system in accordance with claim 14 wherein said incremental moving means further comprises memory means for temporarily storing at least the portion of the request signal corresponding to the radially spaced band requested, said memory means being operatively connected to said condition responsive means for providing said temporarily stored request signal portion thereto until said memory means is cleared of said stored position.

Claim 18

A drum control system in accordance with claim 14 wherein each of said discs further comprises at least a third one of said circumferentially extending bands radially spaced apart from said first and second bands and comprising a plurality of optically readable sense marks, each of said third bands being optically alignable with each other, said first common platform means further having at least a third incremental index position in which said first and second light source means and said associated optical reader means are commonly optically aligned with said associated third bands.

Claim 19

A drum control system in accordance with claim 3 wherein said first common platform incremental moving means comprises drive means for incrementally moving said first common platform from an initial position to a final position associated with the radially located disc band corresponding to the requested lateral spacing, and means for dynamically sensing a current incremental position of said first common platform and providing an output signal indicative thereof, each incremental first platform position corresponding to a different common radially spaced band on the discs; and condition responsive means operatively connected to receive said current position indicative signal and said request signal for providing a braking signal to said driven means for halting the incremental movement of said platform when said first platform current position corresponds to said final position associated with the radially located disc band corresponding to the requested lateral spacing.

Claim 20

A drum control system in accordance with claim 2 wherein each of said light source means includes a light focusing means associated with each of said associated optical reader means for focusing said associated light source at a predetermined location on said first band in optical alignment with said associated optical reader means.

Claim 21

A drum control system in accordance with claim 2 wherein said selective energizing means comprises means for deenergizing the previously selectively energized light source and associated optical reader means in response to a band change code signal prior to selectively energizing the light source and associated optical reader means corresponding to the disc band capable of providing the requested incremental lateral spacing for the drum in accordance with said request signal.

Claim 22

A drum control system in accordance with claim 20 wherein said selective energizing means comprises gating means and an associated relay coil means operatively connected to said gating means for control thereby associated with each of said discs, each of said optical reader means and said light source means having an associated relay coil means for energizing said optical reader means and light source means respectively associated therewith when energized, each of said relay coil means associated with the respective light source means optically aligned with said associated optical reader means and said associated optical reader means associated relay coil means being operatively connected together, said gating means being responsive to said request signal to substantially simultaneously energize the relay coil means associated with the optical reader means corresponding to the disc band capable of providing the requested incremental lateral spacing for thd drum and the relay coil means associated with energizing said associated light source means in response to said request signal, said gating means further being responsive to said band change code signal to deenergize any of said relay coil means previously energized.

Claim 23

A drum control system in accordance with claim 2 wherein said selective energizing means comprises gating means and an associated relay coil means operatively connected to said gating means for control thereby associated with each of said discs, each of said optical reader means and said light source means having an associated relay coil means for energizing said optical reader means and light source means respectively associated therewith when energized, each of said relay coil means associated with respective light source means optically aligned with said associated optical reader means and said associated optical reader means associated relay coil means being operatively connected together, said gating means being responsive to said request signal to substantially simultaneously energize the relay coil means associated with the optical reader means corresponding to the disc band capable of providing the requested incremental lateral spacing for the drum and the relay coil means associated with enegizing said associated light source means in responsive to said request signal.

Claim 24

A drum control system in accordance with claim 2 further comprising a plurality of clamping means for removably coaxially clamping each of said discs on a common shaft at predetermined axial location therealong spaced apart by a predetermined axial distance determined by the longitudinal axial length of said clamping means, one of said clamping means being provided for each of said discs.

Claim 25

A drum control system in accordance with claim 23 wherein said clamping means comprises a threaded socket slidable on said shaft and an insertable threadable member having a resilient threadable portion threadably insertable into said socket and a mounting portion for said associated disc, said resilient portion being slidable on said shaft prior to said threadable insertion in said socket and being squeezed to tighten against said shaft for preventing slidable movement therealong when said member has been threaded into said socket to fix said clamping means at one of said predetermined axial locations.

Claim 26

A drum control system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first light source means includes a light focusing means associated with each of said associated optical reader means for focusing said associated light source at a predetermined location on said first band in optical alignment with said associated optical reader means.

Claim 27

A drum control system in accordance with claim 1 wherein each of said optical reader means comprises photocell means.

Claim 28

A drum control system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said selective energizing means comprises means for deenergizing the previously selectively energized light source and associated optical reader means in response to a band change code signal prior to selectively energizing the light source and associated optical reader means corresponding to the disc band capable of providing the requested incremental lateral spacing for the drum in accordance with said request signal.

Claim 29

A drum control system in accordance with claim 27 wherein said selective energizing means comprises gating means and an associated relay network means operatively connected to said gating means for control thereby, each of said optical reader means and said first common light source means having an associated relay coil means for energizing said optical reader means and light source means respectively associated therewith when energized, said relay network means comprising a parallel connection of said associated relay coil means with said first light source means associated relay coil being connected in common to both of said optical reader means associated relay coil means, said gating means being responsive to said request signal to substantially simultaneously energize the relay coil means associated with the optical reader means corresponding to the disc band capable of providing the requested incremental lateral spacing for the drum and the relay coil means associated with enegizing said associated light source means in response to said request signal, said gating means further being responsive to said band change code signal to deenergize any of said relay coil means previously energized.

Claim 30

A drum control system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said selective energizing means comprises gating means and an associated relay network means operatively connected to said gating means for control thereby, each of said optical reader means and said first common light source means having an associated relay coil means for energizing said optical reader means and light source means respectively associated therewith when energized, said relay network means comprising a parallel connection of said associated relay coil means with said first light source means associated relay coil being connected in common to both of said optical reader means associated relay coil means, said gating means being responsive to said request signal to substantially simultaneously energize the relay coil means associated with the optical reader means corresponding to the disc band capable of providing the requested incremental lateral spacing for the drum and the relay coil means associated with energizing said associated light source means in response to said request signal.

Claim 31

A drum control system in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a plurality of clamping means for removably coaxially clamping each of said discs on a common shaft at predetermined axial locations therealong spaced apart by a predetermined axial distance determined by the longitudinal axial length of said clamping means, one of said clamping means being provided for each of said discs.

Claim 32

A drum control system in accordance with claim 30 wherein said clamping means comprises a threaded socket slidable on said shaft and an insertable threadable member having a resilient threadable portion threadably insertable in said socket and a mounting portion for said associated disc, said resilient portion being slidable on said shaft prior to said threadable insertion in said socket and being squeezed to tighten against said shaft by being threaded into said socket for preventing slidable movement therealong when said member has been threaded into said socket to fix said clamping means at one of said predetermined axial locations.

Claim 33

A drum control system for providing a predetermined incremental lateral spacing on a drum surface to be accessed in response to a request signal therefor, said system comprising means for rotatably driving said drum about the longitudinal axis thereof; means operatively connected to said drum rotatable driving means for controlling the degree of rotation of said drum in response to said request signal to provide said predetermined incremental lateral spacing, said rotation control means comprising a plurality of optically readable encoded discs, each of said discs having at least a first circumferentially extending band comprising a plurality of optically readable sense marks, said plurality of discs being coaxially rotatably mounted for simultaneous incremental rotation with said drum in response to said request signal, each of said sense marks in a given band corresponding to a predetermined uniform proportionate degree of incremental rotation of said drum, each of said disc circumferential bands being encoded to correspond to a different uniform proportionate degree of incremental rotation of said drum, said plurality of discs comprising at least first and second coaxially mounted discs spaced apart from each other with said first bands optically aligned with each other; said rotation control means further comprising a first light source means mounted so as to be optically common to at least said first disc and optically alignable for illumination of said first band thereon when energized, and a second light source means mounted so as to be optically common to said second disc and optically alignable for illumination of said first band thereon when energized, a first optical reader means optically aligned with said first light source and associated therewith and a second optical reader means optically aligned with said second light source and associated therewith, said first and second optical reader means being associated with said first and second discs respectively and being optically alignable with said first band associated with said associated disc, each of said optical reader means being selectively energizable and being responsive to said sense marks on said associated first band when said associated one of said optical readers is selectively energized and said associated optically alignable light source illuminates said associated first band for providing an output signal indicative of the proportionate degree of incremental rotation of said disc, and means for substantially simultaneously selectively energizing said optical reader associated with the disc band corresponding to the requested incremental lateral spacing and said associated optically alignable light source in response to said request signal; said system further comprising braking means operatively connected to said drum rotatable drive means for halting the rotatable drive of said drum in response to a braking signal, and comparator means operatively connected to said braking means and to receive said request signal and said selectively energized optical reader output signal for providing said braking signal to said braking means when said selectively energized optical reader output signal corresponds to said requested incremental lateral spacing, whereby the proportionate degree of rotation of said drum corresponds to said requested incremental lateral spacing.

Claim 34

A drum control system for providing a predetermined incremental lateral spacing on a drum surface to be accessed in response to a request signal therefor, said system comprising means for rotatably driving said drum about the longitudinal axis thereof; means operatively connected to said drum rotatable driving means for controlling the degree of rotation of said drum in response to said request signal to provide said predetermined incremental lateral spacing, said rotation control means comprising a plurality of optically readable encoded discs, each of said discs having at least a first circumferentially extending band comprising a plurality of optically readable sense marks, said plurality of discs being coaxially rotatably mounted for simultaneous incremental rotation with said drum in response to said request signal, each of said sense marks in a given band corresponding to a predetermined uniform proportionate degree of incremental rotation of said drum, each of said disc circumferential bands being encoded to correspond to a different uniform proportionate degree of incremental rotation of said drum, said plurality of discs comprising at least first and second coaxially mounted discs spaced apart from each other with said first bands optically aligned with each other; said rotation control means further comprising a first light source means mounted so as to be optically common to at least said first disc and optically alignable for illumination of said first band thereon when energized, and a second light source means mounted so as to be optically common to said second disc and optically alignable for illumination of said first band thereon when energized, a first optical reader means optically aligned with said first light source and associated therewith and a second optical reader means optically aligned with said second light source and associated therewith, said first and second optical reader means being associated with said first and second discs respectively and being optically alignable with said first band associated with said associated disc, each of said optical reader means being selectively energizable and being responsive to said sense marks on said associated first band when said associated one of said optical readers is selectively energized and said associated optically alignable light source illuminates said associated first band for providing an output signal indicative of the proportionate degree of incremental rotation of said disc, and means for substantially simultaneously selectively energizing said optical reader associated with the disc band corresponding to the requested incremental lateral spacing and said associated optically alignable light source in response to said request signal; said system further comprising braking means operatively connected to said drum rotatable drive means for halting the rotatable drive of said drum in response to a braking signal, and comparator means operatively connected to said braking means and to receive said request signal and said selectively energized optical reader output signal for providing said braking signal to said braking means when said selectively energized optical reader output signal corresponds to said requested incremental lateral spacing, whereby the proportionate degree of rotation of said drum corresponds to said requested incremental lateral spacing.

Claim 35

A drum control system in accordance with claim 32 wherein each of said discs further comprises at least a second one of said circumferentially extending bands radially spaced apart from said first band and comprising a plurality of optically readable sense marks, each of said second bands being optically alignable with each other; said system further comprising a first common incrementally movable platform means, said first and second light source means and said associated optical reader means being mounted on said first common incrementally movable platform means so as to be simultaneously movable therewith, said first platform means having at least a first incremental index position in which said first and second light source means and said associated optical reader means are commonly optically aligned with said associated first bands and a second incremental index position in which said first and second light source means and said associated optical reader means are common optically aligned with said associated second bands, and means for incrementally moving said first common platform to a predetermined incremental index position corresponding to the band to be optically read in response to said request signal for optically aligning said associated light source and optical reader means with the band capable of providing the requested incremental lateral spacing for said drum, said selective energization means being enabled when said incremental indexed platform has been positioned for providing said capable band to be read.

Claim 36

A drum control system in accordance with claim 33 further comprising a second incrementally movable common platform means, said drum and said first incrementally movable common platform means being mounted on said second common platform means for simultaneous movement therewith, said second common platform being axially movable in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the drum, and means for incrementally axially moving said second common platform in response to said request signal to a different predetermined axial position on said drum surface relative to a fixed access location, said rotation control means providing said predetermined lateral spacing at said fixed access location by rotation of said drum about said longitudinal axis at said different predetermined relative axial position, said rotation control means being enabled when said predetermined axial position has been obtained, whereby a predetermined lateral spacing at a predetermined axial position of said drum may be provided by axial and rotational movement thereof in response to said request signal.

Claim 37

A drum control system in accordance with claim 34 wherein said second common platform axial moving means further comprises bidirectional means for bidirectionally incrementally axially moving said second platform in a forward direction along said drum longitudinal axis in a first state and in the opposite reverse direction along said drum longitudinal axis in a second state, and means for controlling the state of said bidirectional means in response to said request signal.

Claim 38

A drum control system in accordance with claim 34 wherein said second platform incrementally axially movable means comprises carriage advance means operatively connected to said second platform for axially incrementally moving said second platform in a predetermined axial direction, motor drive means for driving said carriage advance means in said predetermined direction, and control means capable of dynamically incrementally varying the quantity of incremental axial movement of said second platform operatively connected to said motor drive means for controlling the operation thereof in response to a dynamically variable request signal for a different predetermined axial position of said drum relative to said fixed access location, whereby line feed for the drum may be dynamically varied in accordance with a dynamic variation in said axial position request signal.

Claim 39

A drum control system in accordance with claim 36 wherein said control means comprises comparator means operatively connected to said motor drive means and to receive said predetermined axial position request signal and a reference signal corresponding to said requested axial position for providing a braking signal to halt said motor drive means when said requested predetermined axial position is reached by said drum.

Claim 40

A drum control system in accordance with claim 37 wherein said control means further comprises flip-flop means for providing said reference signal in response to said axial position request signal.

Claim 41

A drum control system in accordance with claim 36 wherein said motor drive means comprises a bidirectional motor drive means for incrementally axially moving said second platform in a forward direction along said drum longitudinal axis in a first state and in the opposite reverse direction along said drum longitudinal axis in a second state, said axial position request signal comprising a state control signal portion, said control means comprising means for selecting the state of said bidirectional motor drive means in response to said state control signal for axially advancing the second platform in the direction provided by said selected state.

Claim 42

A drum control system in accordance with claim 39 wherein said state selection means comprises means for sensing a predetermined axial position of said drum when in the second state and selecting the first state when said predetermined position is sensed, said second platform being incrementally axially advanced in said forward direction in said first state.

Claim 43

A drum control system in accordance with claim 39 wherein said control means further comprises comparator means operatively connected to said motor drive means and to receive said predetermined axial position request signal and a reference signal corresponding to said requested axial position for providing an output signal when said drum has been advanced to said requested axial position, said bidirectional motor drive means having a first winding which is energized in said first state for energizing said motor drive means in said forward direction and a second winding which is energized in said second state for energizing said motor drive means in said reverse direction, said control means further comprising dynamic braking means operatively connected to said comparator means for providing a braking signal of predetermined duration to said second winding in response to said output signal when said motor drive means has previously been in said first state and said first winding has been substantially simultaneously deenergized to dynamically brake said motor drive means to a halt.

Claim 44

A drum control system in accordance with claim 41 wherein said braking signal providing means comprises a capacitor means for providing said braking signal, said capacitor means being charged only during axial advance of said drum when said motor drive means is in said first state and only discharging to provide said braking signal of predetermined duration dependent on the discharge time constant in response to said output signal.

Claim 45

A drum control system in accordance with claim 33 wherein said first common platform incremental moving means comprises a rotary solenoid means incrementally driven in response to said request signal, gearing means operatively connected to said first common platform means, and rotary-to-linear conversion means operatively connected to said rotary solenoid means for driving said gearing means for linearly incrementally moving said first common platform in response to said drive of said rotary solenoid means.

Claim 46

A drum control system in accordance with claim 33 wherein said first common platform incremental moving means comprises bidirectional drive means for incrementally moving said first common platform in a first direction toward the center of the discs in response to a first optimum direction control signal and in the opposite direction away from the center of the discs in response to a second optimum direction signal, means for sensing a present position of said platform and for providing an output signal indicative thereof; direction control signal providing means operatively connected to said first platform present position sensing means for receiving said indicating output signal therefrom and to receive said request signal and responsive thereto for providing either said first or said second direction control signal to said bidirectional drive means dependent on the optimum shortest incremental movement of said first common platform from said initial position required to reach a final position of said first common platform associated with the radially located disc band corresponding to the requested lateral spacing; means for dynamically sensing a current incremental position of said first common platform and providing an output signal indicative thereof, each incremental first platform position corresponding to a different common radially spaced band on the discs; and condition responsive means operatively connected to receive said current position indicative signal and said request signal for providing a braking signal to said bidirectional drive means for halting the incremental movement of said platform when said first platform current position corresponds to said final position associated with the radially located disc band corresponding to the requested lateral spacing.

Claim 47

A drum control system in accordance with claim 44 wherein said incremental moving means further comprises memory means for temporarily storing at least the portion of the request signal corresponding to the radially spaced band requested, said memory means being operatively connected to said condition responsive means for providing said temporarily stored request signal portion thereto until said memory means is cleared of said stored portion.

Claim 48

A drum control system in accordance with claim 44 wherein said bidirectional drive means comprises a rotary solenoid means incrementally driven in response to said request signal, gearing means operatively connected to said first common platform means and rotary-to-linear conversion means operatively connected to said rotary solenoid means for driving said gearing means for linearly incrementally moving said first common platform from said initial position to said final position in response to said drive of said rotary solenoid means in response to said provided optimum direction control signal.

Claim 49

A drum control system in accordance with claim 44 wherein each of said discs further comprises at least a third one of said circumferentially extending bands radially spaced apart from said first and second bands and comprising a plurality of optically readable sense marks, each of said third bands being optically alignable with each other, said first common platform means further having at least a third incremental index position in which said first and second light source means and said associated optical reader means are commonly optically aligned with said associated third bands.

Claim 50

A drum control system in accordance with claim 33 wherein said first common platform incremental moving means comprises drive means for incrementally moving said first common platform from an initial position to a final position associated with the radially located disc band corresponding to the requested lateral spacing, and means for dynamically sensing a current incremental position of said first common platform and providing an output signal indicative thereof, each incremental first platform position corresponding to a different common radially spaced band on the discs; and condition responsive means operatively connected to receive said current position indicative signal and said request signal for providing a braking signal to said drive means for halting the incremental movement of said platform when said first platform current position corresponds to said final position associated with the radially located disc band corresponding to the requested lateral spacing.

Claim 51

A drum control system in accordance with claim 32 wherein each of said light source means includes a light focusing means associated with each of said associated optical reader means for focusing said associated light source at a predetermined location on said first band in optical alignment with said associated optical reader means.

Claim 52

A drum control system in accordance with claim 32 wherein said selective energizing means comprises means for deenergizing the previously selectively energized light source and associated optical reader means in response to a band change code signal prior to selectively energizing the light source and associated optical reader means corresponding to the disc band capable of providing the requested incremental lateral spacing for the drum in accordance with said request signal.

Claim 53

A drum control system in accordance with claim 50 wherein said selective energizing means comprises gating means and as associated relay coil means operatively connected to said gating means for control thereby associated with each of said discs, each of said optical reader means and said light source means having an associated relay coil means for energizing said optical reader means and light source means respectively associated therewith when energized, each of said relay coil means associated with the respective light source means optically aligned with said associated optical reader means and said associated optical reader means associated relay coil means being operatively connected together, said gating means being responsive to said request signal to substantially simultaneously energize the relay coil means associated with the optical reader means corresponding to the disc band capable of providing the requested incremental lateral spacing for the drum and the relay coil means associated with energizing said associated light source means in response to said request signal, said gating means further being responsive to said band change code signal to deenergize any of said relay coil means previously energized.

Claim 54

A drum control system in accordance with claim 32 wherein said selective energizing means comprises gating means and an associated relay coil means operatively connected to said gating means for control thereby associated with each of said discs, each of said optical reader means and said light source means having an associated relay coil means for energizing said optical reader means and light source means respectively associated therewith when energized, each of said relay coil means associated with the respective light source means optically aligned with said associated optical reader means and said associated optical reader means associated relay coil means being operatively connected together, said gating means being responsive to said request signal to substantially simultaneously energize the relay coil means associated with the optical reader means corresponding to the disc band capable of providing the requested incremental lateral spacing for the drum and the relay coil means associated with energizing said associated light source means in response to said request signal.

Claim 55

A drum control system in accordance with claim 32 further comprising a plurality of clamping means for removably coaxially clamping each of said discs on a common shaft at predetermined axial locations therealong spaced apart by a predetermined axial distance determined by the longitudinal axial length of said clamping means, one of said clamping means being provided for each of said discs.

Claim 56

A drum control system in accordance with claim 53 wherein said clamping means comprises a threaded socket slidable on said shaft and an insertable threadable member having a resilient threadable portion threadably insertable into said socket and a mounting portion for said associated disc, said resilient portion being slidable on said shaft prior to said threadable insertion in said socket and being squeezed to tighten against said shaft by being threaded into said socket for preventing slidable movement therealong when said member has been threaded into said socket to fix said clamping means at one of said predetermined axial locations.