Method of continuous printing of documents

In an electronic system which handles input data representing the particulars of transactions such as wager transactions according to a corresponding transaction program and which is of the type comprising a plurality of ticket vending stations at different locations with each of the vending stations storing the input data, processing the input data in the form of coded characters, and printing and issuing a ticket under control of a computer provided at a central station which incorporates the program and receives the coded characters from the vending stations, the improvement wherein:

• processor means are provided at each vending station for writing said coded characters in a dot matrix having a predetermined number of writing elements arranged in mutually perpendicular scan and sweep lines;
• and wherein each vending station is further provided with a controllable means for feeding electrosensitive tape in a continuous manner past a printing head through each successive cycle of printing operation, the duration of each cycle of printing operation and the length of the electrosensitive tape so fed being dependent upon the number of coded characters to be printed and thus the complexity of a transaction;
• an assembly of printing electrodes representing said sweep lines of said matrix and being disposed at the printing head across the direction of feed of said tape, said electrodes being operable through said matrix as the tape is fed past the printing head to print the successive matrix characters on the tape in the form of legible characters representative of the particular transaction;
• and means operable at the end of each printing cycle for severing that length portion of the tape which has been printed from the unprinted part thereof to thereby provide a printed ticket serving as a valid voucher for a properly registered transaction.