INK DROP PRINTER WITH TRAVERSING ORIFICE BAND

摘要

A signal responsive printer selectively deposits drops of liquid ink onto an advancing sheet of ordinary paper. A flexible endless band having a plurality of uniformly spaced orifices is drawn through a stationary ink source. Liquid ink emerging under pressure from the orifices forms columns of ink drops which have the linear and constant speed motion of the orifice band. Frictionless constraint of the orifice band is provided by air bearings and noncontacting drive is provided by a linear induction motor acting on the orifice band. Simultaneous printing on both sides of a sheet of paper is attained by a configuration wherein a common orifice band loops through two printers which project selected ink drops toward advancing paper.