Abstract: Apparatus for maintaining tension on a ribbon in a printer used for transferring an image, e.g., thermally, from a print head through the ribbon to a print medium. By maintaining ribbon tension and thus keeping the ribbon essentially without wrinkles, print quality is enhanced. This tension maintenance apparatus uses a pair of torqued reel subassemblies with the ribbon extending between and is of particular significance when used in conjunction with a label stock as a printer medium when the printer mechanism bidirectionally moves the label stock to assist removal of labels from its backing. These torqued reel assemblies are sufficiently loaded such that ribbon tension is maintained between these reel assemblies despite this bidirectional movement.

Abstract: This invention relates to a device (11) for the feeding of a printing ribbon (12), comprising a train of three gears having a first gear (13) arranged centrally in the train and meshed with the second (14) and with the third gear (20). The gears (13, 14, 20) are provided for being made to rotate by a driving shaft (17) integral with the second gear (14). In order to increase the feeding force for the printing ribbon (12), the latter is interposed both between the first (13) and second gear (14), and between the first (13) and the third gear (20), in such a way as to follow the profile of the meshed teeth of the gears (13, 14, and 20) and consequently to assume a form with windings. The diameter of the third gear (20) is greater than the diameter of the second gear (14), so that in an intermediate portion (27) between the third gear (20) and the second gear (14) the ribbon (12) is constantly tight.

Abstract: A universal cylinder mount for mounting at least one a plurality of cylinders between a headstock and a tailstock of an engraver. Each of the cylinders has a mounting aperture at each end adapted to receive a universal cylinder mount associated with each of the headstock and tailstock. The universal cylinder mount is adapted to accommodate a plurality of mounting apertures formed with different sized and having various sloped walls for facilitating alignment and frictional gripping engagement of the cylinders. The universal cylinder mount comprises at least one helically-shaped spiral or engaging edge to facilitate reducing or completely eliminating the seizing action between the cylinder aperture and the universal cylinder mount of the cylinder when the mounts are rotated in a non-engraving direction or are moved away from the mounting surfaces.

Abstract: A paper or sheet material embossing press that uses snap-fit parts with a minimal use of bolts, rivets, welding, is disclosed. The embossing press has an embossing (or forward) end and rear end, and is constructed of a base frame having a lower arm extending from the rear end to the embossing end and having structure for supporting a lower die or die-holder at the embossing end. The embossing press further has a lever extending upwardly from the rear end and forwardly to a position over the embossing end, the lever supporting portion pivots yet has removably supported thereon the anchoring end of an operating lever.

Abstract: A digital printing machine including an endless conveyer belt having an elongated section whereon substrates to be printed are successively transported through the printing machine in a transport direction includes at least one printing unit having a cylinder arranged opposite the elongated section of the conveyer belt and the substrates conveyed thereon, respectively, the cylinder having an axis extending transversely to the transport direction and being rotatable in synchronism with the transporting movement of the conveyer belt, so as to transfer printing ink to the substrates in accordance with a distribution corresponding with a desired printing image, the cylinder being disposed so that an angle defined between the cylinder axis and the transport direction has a value differing from 90.degree..

Abstract: The present invention provides a thermal transfer printer which causes neither blur in first printing nor stain on a sheet even in both-side printing, and which can securely maintain ink writing properties in recording to write an ink image by an intermediate transfer member, and re-transfer properties in re-transfer of an ink image to a printing medium over a long period time.

Abstract: A printer includes a variable torque assembly that allows a printer controller to vary torque on supply and take-up reels in response to monitored diameter of the supply or take-up reels. In one embodiment, the variable torque assembly is a torque divider that divides a fixed amount of torque between a supply reel and a take-up reel. The ratio of torques on the supply and take-up reels is controller by a control stepper motor that adjusts respective Acme gears to adjust pressure on respective clutch plates to increase or decrease the amount of "drag" applied by the clutch plates. In another embodiment, separate control stepper motors control torque to each of the supply and take-up reels so that the overall amount of torque can be varied to accommodate changes in print media lengths.

Abstract: A pre-ink die-plate dater includes a casing having a bolt transversely extending therethrough to which at least one disk member is mounted, a die-plate rotatably reeved around a first shaft of the disk member and a second shaft, a bottom board pivotally connected to an underside of the casing and having an oblong opening defined therein so as to receive a stamping face of the die-plate therein. An adjusting member is disposed between the casing and the bottom board and connected to the bottom board by two screws. A distance between the bottom board and the adjusting member is adjusted by rotating the screws.

Abstract: Multiple copies of an image including a textural base may be produced using a reproducible process. The process may include preparation of an image by scanning a pre-existing work and/or manipulating a digital representation of an image or electronically generating an image. The digital representation of the image may be created through a scanning process or through a illustrating or painting computer program such as Adobe Illustrator, Paintbrush or Correll Draw. The scanning may be advantageously performed using a Dicomed camera, flat-bed or film scanner or any other suitable method. The digital representation of the scanned or created image may be manipulated using image editing software such as Adobe PhotoShop. The image editor may also create a number of separations. The separations may include a four color image separation and a special relief separation. The special relief separation may include a representation of the Z axis of the image.

Abstract: A printer is provided with a platen having a sloping plane platen surface, a medium guide path for smoothly guiding paper along the plane including the platen surface, a transparent open/close paper guide positioned above the medium guide path, and two pairs of drive rollers and driven rollers arranged along the platen, with one pair of drive roller and driven roller being disposed in an upstream direction and the other pair of drive roller and driven roller being disposed in a downstream direction with respect to the platen and the paper print movement. The printer is further provided with a ribbon cassette which makes it possible to position a linear portion of an ink ribbon in parallel to the platen surface, a mechanism for switching the linear portion of the ink ribbon between a printable position and a nonprintable position, and a mechanism for attaching a ribbon cassette to a carriage while moving it in a downwardly forward direction.

Abstract: A printer including a paper guide auxiliary member for guiding recording paper to the vicinity of the lower end of a printing area in which a print head performs printing, a paper side regulating member formed of elastic material for guiding both sides outside of the printing area of recording paper transferred from the paper guide auxiliary member towards the exit of the recording paper, and a gap forming member located outside of recording paper path and pressed between the paper side regulating member and platen. The recording paper is guided along the platen by the paper side regulating member while being transferred in the predetermined gap formed between the paper side regulating member and platen without frictional force, thereby avoiding the need for a mask plate which often causes problems.

Abstract: A doctor blade device of a rinsable ink application device of a rotary press is cleaned by first pumping ink back out of an ink chamber of the doctor blade device via a discharge line into an ink tank. Subsequently, from a solvent tank and via a feed line, solvent is directed into the ink chamber. During a predetermined time span, solvent is directed via the discharge line into the ink tank. Subsequently, the solvent, which is still contaminated with ink, is pumped into a contaminant chamber within a predetermined time span. The solvent flow from the solvent tank is interrupted and the solvent is pumped into the contaminant tank. Fresh solvent is then pumped via the feed line into the ink chamber, the suction line to the solvent tank is closed, and the solvent is pumped via the feed and discharge lines within a closed rinsing cycle for a predetermined amount of time. The circulating solvent is then directed into the contaminant tank.

Abstract: An ink cartridge for use in a thermal ink jet printer has a printhead with an edgeshooter configuration and improved heat management. The cartridge has a supply of ink in a chamber and a passageway for placing the chamber in fluid communication with the printhead. The printhead has an array of heating elements, one in each of a plurality of ink channels, and located a predetermined distance from the channel opens which serve as nozzles. The passageway directs the ink in a path closely adjacent the heating elements, so that more of the waste heat generated by the heating elements are transferred to the ink prior to entry of the ink into the channels, thereby resulting in more waste heat being carried away by the ejected ink droplets.

Abstract: In the present invention, the platen bar is compositely formed of three materials. For a sole layer, a material is used which has high hardness and strength, and has a property that the repulsion against the impact of the print wires is large. For an elastic layer, a material is used which transmits less vibration to the platen base in the print operation and absorbs the impact when the wires of a printhead strike the sole layer. For platen bases, a material is used which has a very high hardness, a high molding precision, and less dimensional change due to temperature change or change with time. The elastic layer is exposed on the surface and a gap roller is positioned at the exposure location. With this, the occurrence of the dent by the gap roller can be prevented when the printing on a copy form is performed.

Abstract: A thermal printer for printing on a continuous print medium by ink transfer from a thermal print ribbon has a print head which is pivotally mounted and which is driven in an oscillatory pivotable motion by a stepper motor so as to repeatedly bring a linear array of energizable printing elements to bear against a platen roller. The print medium is fed through the printer between the platen roller and the print head. The instantaneous rate of travel of the print medium past the print head is substantially the same as the rate of feed of the print medium to the printer. The ribbon also travels between the print head and the platen roller, overlying the print medium, and is driven in such a manner that it travels at the same rate as the print medium during each printing operation up to a speed equivalent to the maximum printing speed of the print head.

Abstract: The stall manager system controls food distribution and mealtimes in a given number of animal stalls arranged in stall lines. The system comprises a given number of electronically controllable feeding devices mounted in the animal stalls, which are controlled by a stall manager module for each one of the animal stalls. A central computer unit manages food distribution and mealtimes relative to the feeding devices in the animal stalls. The central computer unit has communication resources for addressing selective command messages to the stall manager modules to accomplish the management. The stall manager modules are connected in series, and are each provided with a repeater circuit for relaying data between the central computer unit and the next stall manager module in line.

Abstract: Rolls of printer paper are marked with information which indicates the length of paper remaining on a roll by measuring the distance between indicia successively applied by two separate print drums which each apply indicia at substantially equally spaced first and second intervals, respectively. The length of paper remaining on the roll is determinable by measuring the spacing between indicia applied by each drum. Some of the applied indicia may also be bar-coded with roll length indicia which includes a second means of determining length of paper remaining on a print roll and other information such as paper type, total roll length and name of the manufacturer. The indicia can be applied at speeds of paper travel substantially higher than the fastest known dynamic printing techniques.

Abstract: Sheet guiding device for a printing press having a guide surface member for guiding sheets includes blast air or suction nozzles provided in the guide surface member, the guide surface member being formed, as viewed in a sheet transport direction, successively of an entry region, a guide zone and an exit region, the nozzles provided in at least one of the entry and the exit regions of the guide surface member being suppliable selectively with suction or blast air in accordance with a type of printing material or stock to be processed, and the nozzles provided in the guide zone disposed between the entry region and the exit region of the guide surface member being suppliable with blast air, at least some of the nozzles being disposed so as to emit blast air substantially tangentially to a guide surface of the guide surface member.

Abstract: A ticket-printing device has a ribbon sensor and a mode-switching circuit. The mode-switching circuit automatically selects different printing conditions depending on whether or not the ribbon sensor detects the presence of an ink ribbon. The ink ribbon is wound on a supply spool and take-up spool. When the ink ribbon is replaced, a ribbon fixture holds the supply spool and take-up spool in correct relative positions so that they can be easily slipped onto a supply spool shaft and take-up spool shaft in the ticket-printing device.

Abstract: In a remoistening device for remoistening a freshly printed and dried web of printed material has a housing through which the web of printed material runs. The remoistening device is a disposed downstream from a dryer, preferably in the area between the dryer and a cooling device. The remoistening device is provided with an inlet and outlet slot, in which spray nozzles, which are arranged above and underneath the conveyance plane of the web of printed material and which can be supplied with a moistening agent, are provided. It is possible to achieve a high degree of freedom from trouble and soiling is achieved in that drip catchers are arranged at the lower edges of the walls of the upper housing area of the remoistening device which cross an conveyance plane of the web of printed material.