Transverse recording head for magnetic printing

Claim 1

A magnetic printing head for selectively simultaneously magnetizing at least one of a multiplicity of regions of a relatively thin magnetizable recording belt in a direction transverse to a direction of essentially linear movement of the recording belt past the stationary printing head, comprising: an elongated member of magnetizable material and having a multiplicity (N×M) of linearly arrayed slots formed into an edge thereof closest to the moving magnetic belt, said multiplicity of slots being divided into a plurality (N) of sequential word groups each containing a like number (M) of ordered slots; a plurality (N) of conductive word lines, each arranged within the plurality of ordered slots of a different one of a plurality of word groups of slots, each word line independently and selectively energizable for carrying an electrical current of magnitude less than the magnitude of current required to selectively form a magnetic field of magnitude sufficient to magnetize one of the regions of said belt adjacent to an open end of each slot of said plurality of slots in each said word group; and a plurality (M) of conductive digit lines, each arranged within a like ordered slot of all of said plurality of word groups, each digit line independently and selectively energizable for carrying another electrical current of magnitude less than the magnitude of current required to selectively form a magnetic field of magnitude sufficient to magnetize one of the regions of said belt adjacent to the open end of each slot containing that digit line; at least one word line and at least one digit line being independently and simultaneously energized to cause formation of a magnetic field of direction essentially transverse to the direction of linear motion of the belt and of magnitude sufficient to magnetize each region of said belt adjacent to those of said slots containing the simultaneously energized lines.