System for printing particular information-bearing symbols corresponding to data emanating from a source comprising: source means capable of generating data in a particular sequence; memory means for storing information-bearing symbols; selection means for selecting particular symbols from said memory means corresponding to data emanating from said source; said selection means ordering said particular symbols in a predetermined sequence for printing; a medium adapted to bear printed information-bearing symbols; and transmitting means for transmitting each of said particular characters from said memory means to said medium.

An electrographic photocomposing machine including a rotary type carrier with negative images of characters and an electrophotographic section including a cylindrical intermediate image carrier with a drive. The intermediate image carrier has its surface coated with a photoconductive layer and a dielectric layer transparent in the sensitive area of the photoconductive layer. The electrophotographic section also includes a charging device having a main and two additional chargers arranged in direct proximity to the intermediate image carrier. Therewith, the luminous flux carrying the image of characters from the type carrier projects them on the intermediate image carrier portion between the additional chargers. In addition, the charging device has a main lamp for exposure of the intermediate image carrier, illuminating the latter in the area of action of the main charger, and an additional lamp for exposure of the intermediate image carrier, arranged downstream of the additional chargers in the direction of rotation of the intermediate image carrier.

An electrographic photocomposing machine comprises a rotary type carrier provided with a flashtube having a control unit, a photographic unit, and a line forming mechanism, the latter two being arranged in series downstream of the type carrier along the beam from the flashtube. The line forming mechanism is provided with a drive made as a start-stop mechanism comprising a series arrangement including an electric pulse generator, a switch and a step motor. The machine also comprises an electrophotographic section including a cylindrical intermediate image carrier having a drive similar to that of the line forming mechanism and being optically associated with the latter, a device for transferring the powder image with a paper feed system, and a unit for fixing the powder image on the paper with heaters arranged in proximity to the paper web. The unit for fixing the powder image on the paper has a self contained means for contact heating of the paper web, a means for air cooling of the powder image, and a unit for pulsed actuation of the heaters, the latter unit being essentially a series arrangement including a cyclic pulse counter of the intermediate image carrier drive and a switch. One of the outputs of the unit for pulsed actuation of the heaters is connected to the latter, while the other output is connected to the means for air cooling of the powder image. In addition, the machine comprises a computer unit coupled to the control input of the switch of the drive of the line forming mechanism, to the control unit of the flashtube, and to the control unit of the switch of the drive of the intermediate image carrier.

An automated assembly line is operated and controlled by a computer system. The assembly line includes of a plurality of machines which are each segmented into its basic unit operations providing work stations. The work stations are then controlled by the computer system and operated asynchronously with respect to the other work stations of the assembly line.