Abstract: A system and method for enabling a networking product for National Language Support (NLS) that presents end users with a single-system-image view of the network, preserves the independence of individual installations with respect to language enabling, and minimizes the amount of data that must be transmitted through the network to effect program-to-program communications. In addition, it provides a method and system for communicating messages from program to program in a standardized, program-readable format, free from the language text that would be used to communicate the same messages to human readers.

Abstract: Apparatus for use with a printer which has a pair of tractors that engage sprocket holes in the paper to adjust for different paper widths or to adjust the lateral position of the paper. The apparatus comprises a pair of coaxial lead screws, one attached to a rotatable shaft and the second rotatable on the shaft adjacent to and relative to the one lead screw. One tractor is coupled to each lead screw. Rotation of the one lead screw is obtained by a knob keyed to an end of the rotatable shaft. Rotation of the second lead screw is prevented during rotation of the knob by spring loaded fingers with detent elements engageable with detention gearing on the end of the second lead screw. Rotation of both screws is obtained by rotation and axial movement of the knob on the shaft so that a cam surface on the knob engages cams of the spring fingers to disengage detent elements from the detention gearing and drive gearing on the knob engages drive gearing on the second lead screw.

Abstract: An interposer device for an impact band line printer comprises a spring steel interposer plate member with plural chevron flexure elements etched therein so that the apexes thereof are arranged in a row across the plate. A polymer striker strip has a series of cutouts configured in a herringbone pattern and forms a longitudinal spine section with support ribs connecting the spine section to the margins of the strip. Two sided pressure adhesive tapes attached along the margins of the strip are bonded to the surface of the interposer plate with the spine section aligned with but unattached with the apexes of the chevron elements. A laminated interposer strip assembly comprises a polymer striker strip layer with adhesive attachment layers on one side along the margins and a backing layer removably attached to the other side of the striker strip layer.

Abstract: A coil is connected to a voltage source by a switch enabled by a drive signal of fixed duration. Drive current in a coil is terminated by a chopper circuit if it reaches a predetermined peak level before the end of preselected rise time interval. The chopper circuit is inhibited from operation until the end of the rise time interval during which time the drive current is allowed to decay. The chopper circuit is enabled at the end of the rise time interval for chopping the drive current at an average peak current value for the duration of the preselected time. The total amount of energy supplied to the actuator is adjusted by allowing the current to decay if the peak current is reached before the end of the predetermined rise time interval and then by chopping the current at a predetermined switching rate for the duration of the preselected time of the drive signal. Short circuit protection is also provided during the predetermined rise time interval.

Abstract: A synchronization system for locking a data input signal to a local clock uses the data input signal to provide the timing for capturing phase waveforms generated by a delay element string and a local oscillator. A transition detector generates bit patterns which correspond to a captured phase waveform which is in synch with the data input signal. The bit pattern of the captured in synch waveform is stored in a storage device under control of window detection and control logic also timed by the data input signal. The control logic stores a new bit pattern of a new phase waveform when the window detection logic determines that the new bit pattern is outside a 2-bit window and then selects the new phase waveform correponding to the new bit pattern for clocking the data input signal if the new bit pattern hasn't changed after N consecutive cycles of the data input signal.

Abstract: A printer apparatus has a frame member supporting an endless revolving type band in alignment with a row of print hammers with a gap therebetween. Ribbon spools with ribbon wound thereon are rotatably supported in spool housings at either end and on opposite sides of the frame member. The spool housings each have a receptacle portion and a cover portion which enclose the spool. A gap in the spool houses enables the ribbon to extend between the housing and through the gap. The ink ribbon is guided through the gap in parallel with the row of hammers and at an angle to the print line by a set of guide pins on the cover of one spool housing and a set set of guide pins mounted on the frame member in proximity with the other spool housing. Both sets of guide pins engage the same side of the ink ribbon in a manner whereby touching the ribbon is not required to install or remove the ribbon from the printer apparatus.

Abstract: A printing apparatus having a printhead which is moved relative to a print medium in a print direction. The printhead has at least one print elements aligned in the print direction. A print control receives print data to perform print operations, including the printing of two horizontally adjacent dots, such as for characters having portions which include two adjacent vertical lines of dots. The print control controls the print operations to provide the printing of two horizontally adjacent dots in high speed print mode as well as normal speed mode.

Abstract: A platen for a line printer has a polymer wear resistant strip on a base support. To reduce frictional drag on the band which is in sliding engagement with the wear strip, the leading edge of the strip is slanted against the direction of motion of the band and is provided with grooves that run perpendicular with the leading edge.

Abstract: A tractor mechanism has an endless pin belt entrained around spaced drive and idler sprockets mounted between a pair of frame members. The idler sprocket is supported by a carrier movable longitudinally by springs to apply tension to the belt. The edges of the belt overhang gear teeth of the belt and are prevented from contact with the frame members by the gear teeth engaging an endless vertical wall on one of the frame members. The frame members and sprocket carrier are molded polycarbonate with carbon fiber and solid lubricant fillers to reduce electrostatic charge buildup and wear of the belt. The frame members are bolted together to clamp the sprocket carrier in place to maintain the belt tension applied by the springs. The sprocket carrier and frame members have aligned elongate openings for receiving a tractor guide shaft with a concentric plastic tube, the latter being attached to a retainer plate held loosely between the sprocket carrier and a frame member.

Abstract: A paper gap adjustment mechanism having two coaxially mounted cams which have a camming surface with a linear transition area for forms thickness adjustment and an adjacent ramp area for moving the platen open position plus a straight radius area at the top of the ramp area. A lever is attached to the cams for both controlling forms thickness and platen gap open but the printer operator actuates this lever itself only when controlling the forms thickness positions. A second lever is rotatable on the cam shaft also. The second lever is provided with detent means engageable by the first lever so that rotation of the second lever rotates the first lever and the cams from the set position of the first lever to the open position. The detent means has multiple set positions at which the first lever is engaged when the first lever is rotated to set thicknesses. Rotation of the second lever from the open position to closed position automatically returns the first lever to the prior set position.

Abstract: A printer has first and second print mechanisms separated by a gap for the passage of a print medium. The print mechanisms are mounted on relatively movable support members. A gap adjustment mechanisms has one set of cam means for moving the support members relative to each other for both forms loading and forms thickness adjusting. The cam means comprises a pair of elongate cam bars translatable along one support member and follower pins on the other member which are located in camming slots formed in the cam bars. The camming slots have first and second camming sections in the form of linear ramps with gentle and steep slope angles respectively. The cam bars are translatable by pinion gearing in engagement with rack gearing on the cam bars, the pinion gears being on a shaft rotatable by a knob to thereby cause the follower pins to be cammed by either the first linear ramp for forms thickness adjustment or the second linear ramp for forms loading.

Abstract: A motor drives, through a gear train, a cam set to force the printhead of a wire matrix printer against the platen and record sheet(s) with a force great enough to cause the cam to stop rotating. Continued driving of the gear train causes one of the gears to be driven around another gear, relieving the drive force. A detection of the stopping of the cams causes the stopping of the drive motor and a slight reversal. This adjusts the head to paper gap regardless of the paper thickness.

Abstract: A system and method for automatically compensating for inaccuracies in the positioning of the timing mark sensor of a band line printer. A selected hammer is operated to impact a test character and an adjacent space between characters or a space provided by a blank character on the type band. The flight times of the hammer for the character and space impacts are measured under control of a microprocessor programmed to locate the edge of the test character and to compute a timing adjustment value for use by the printer control to obtain centered impacts of characters during printing.

Abstract: A passive lubrication system for use in a high speed print hammer mechanism to provide continuous lubrication to all print hammers over the lifetime of the mechanism. A plurality of hammer elements are pivotally engaged by a common pivot pin element. The lubrication system comprises a hammer block and a reservoir block both made of sintered material and each containing a supply of lubricant. The hammer block supplies lubrication to the pivot pin/hammer element bearing interfaces by capillary action. The reservoir block in turn supplies lubricant to the hammer block by capillary action to replenish the supply of lubricant as depleted in the hammer block. The reservoir block has a porous microstructure in which the porosity is at least equal to but preferably in coarser than the porosity of the porous microstructure of the hammer block.

Abstract: An impact printing device for printing bar code patterns on an information carrier, the patterns including a combination of parallel thin and wide bars separated by spaces wherein the wide bars can have an imprint width which is a multiple of the thin bars, comprising a movable type carrier, a plurality of bar code type elements on said type carrier, the bar code type elements including first type elements having a pair of imprint forming parallel thin bars and second type elements having a single imprint forming thick bar, and a plurality of print hammers each defining a print position of a print line and each operable selectively to successively impact combinations of the first and second type elements at the same print position to form completed bar code imprints at the print position having a wide bar imprint with a width greater than the single thick bars of the second type elements.

Abstract: A feed mechanism for transporting paper has an endless band with transport pins for insertion into the perforations in circular perforations in the paper. The feed pins are part of drive elements attached through perforations in an endless flexible band to gear teeth which are engaged by grooves in a drive pulley. The transport pins have a cap portion on top of a base portion. The cap portion is tapered in the shape of a circular involute and extends from the top of the truncated circular conical base portion. The perforations in the band have the shape of an ellipse with the major axis thereof aligned in the direction of movement of the band. The band can be either thin flexible steel or polymer and the pin portion and gear portion of the drive elements can be integral and molded from an elastomer material through the elliptical perforations in the band.