Abstract: A refillable ink ribbon cartridge for use in an electronic typewriter which includes a housing, a changeable feed spool member having a semi-global member for slidably inserting into and removing from an aperture of a tensible plate supported on the cartridge through one side opening, a winding spool member having a semi-global head engagement for converting into the feed spool member, a spring arm for easily removing the winding spool member from the cartridge through the other side opening of the cartridge, and a plurality of stoppers for easily controlling the tensibility of winding spool spring, and a jagged wheel, whereby the used ink ribbon cartridge can be reused and maintains a constant tension on an ink ribbon between the feed and winding spools.

Abstract: The reflectivity and shininess of print applied in a thermal-printing process using a thermocolor or thermocarbon ribbon can be reduced by providing a nonmeltable intermediate organic layer between the thermocolor transfer layer and the carrier which comprises a water-soluble material in the form of an aminoplast, a starch or cellulose derivative or a polymer such as polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinylalcohol, polyacrylate or polymethylacrylate.

Abstract: Needle printing head of the permanent magnet type where the armatures of a plurality of printing actuators are attracted, in rest position, against the poles of a permanent magnet and released in printing position by the "cancellation" of the magnetic flux caused by control windings and where the impact of the armatures against the permanent magnet poles, when they return to the rest position is damped by a multilayer element interposed between armatures and magnetic poles and consisting in two thin sheets of magnetic steel between which a thin film of resilient material such as polyester is interposed.

Abstract: In an imprinting device including a pressure cylinder and a movable counterpressure cylinder, the counterpressure cylinder is disposed opposite the pressure cylinder and is elastically attached to a rocker which is pivotal about a point. The device includes at least one electro-dynamic actuator so as to vary the axial distance between the pressure cylinder and the counterpressure cylinder in that the actuators move the rocker about its pivot point.

Abstract: A printing head for a needle printer includes a cylindrical switching head, rotatably arranged in the front region of the printing head and a guide piece for holding printing needles extending substantially perpendicularly to the printing direction. The cylindrical switching head accommodates the guide piece 2 is journalled through a conical support in a central inner bore of the printing head is in rotation by abutments and is held by a holding clamp.

Abstract: A refillable ink ribbon cartridge for use in an electronic typewriter which includes a housing, a feed spool member having symmetric C-shaped springs for slidably receiving and removing a changeable feed spool, a winding spool member having a lever and a lever opener for slidably inserting and removing a winding spool, and a jagged wheel whereby the used ink ribbon cartridge can be reused and maintains a constant tension on the ink ribbon between the feed and winding spools.

Abstract: A refillable ink ribbon cartridge for use in an electronic typewriter which includes a housing, a feed spool having a semi-globe member for slidably mounted to and removed from a movable diamond-shaped plate, a winding spool for slidably inserting into and removed from the diamond-shaped plate, and a jagged wheel, whereby the used ink ribbon cartridge can be reused and maintains a constant tension on an ink ribbon between the feed and winding spool.

Abstract: A printing head includes a plurality of printing levers, each having a front end portion and a rear end portion, with each printing lever being rotatable about its rear end portion. An electromagnetic drive is operable to individually drive the printing levers in a driving direction so as to apply a printing force to printing elements operated by the printing levers. Resilient springs operatively associated with the printing levers resiliently apply a return force to each of the printing levers in a return direction opposite to the driving direction. Stopper devices are disposed to be operatively engaged by each of the printing levers upon application of the printing force to thereby preclude contact between each of the printing levers and the electromagnetic drives upon application of the printing force.

Abstract: In a printer of the type in which printing is carried out on a recording medium with a print element through an ink ribbon interposed between the print element and a sheet or paper, a ribbon cassette accommodating therein the ink ribbon has a ribbon stopper removably provided for limiting the movement of the ink ribbon within the ribbon cassette. A switch is provided for detecting the presence of the ribbon stopper in the ribbon cassette when the ribbon cassette is mounted on the printer. If the ribbon stopper is detected by the switch, then a ribbon feed motor is not energized so that the ink ribbon is not withdrawn from the ribbon cassette. Thus, the ink ribbon will not be cut off, which may otherwise be caused if the ribbon is forcibly withdrawn without removing the ribbon stopper.

Abstract: A fabric ribbon having multicolored regions has coloring matter in the regions of only flushed pigments in a liquid vehicle. Flushed pigments do not migrate between colored regions under normal conditions, and therefore mixing of the colors is avoided without alteration of the fabric or use of a fabric with special characteristics or regions.Flushed pigments have very small article size and perform like dyes with respect to replenishing the ribbon for good ribbon life. Yet, the ribbon colors do not bleed together, a characteriztic of pigments.

Abstract: A device for cleaning the working surfaces of a plurality of cylinders in a printing press is provided wherein a plurality of pressing elements are disposed each for selective engagement with the working surface of at least one of the cylinders and a web of cleaning cloth is disposed to move successively over the pressing elements and is selectively urged by the pressing elements into relative rubbing contact with the working surfaces of at least two of the cylinders. A drive for stepwise advancing and arresting the movement of the cleaning cloth with respect to the pressing elements and the working surfaces of the cylinders includes a clean cloth spindle disposed transverse to the stepwise movement for supplying said web of cleaning cloth and a stepwise drivable dirty cloth spindle disposed parallel to the clean cloth spindle and adapted to receive the used cleaning cloth.

Abstract: A printer of a type ensuring a rapid and easy shift between a mode for effecting printing onto a continuous form and another mode for printing onto a cut sheet, comprises a delivery unit pivotally supported by a printer body frame. When the delivery unit is held at its first operational position wherein a platen fixed to the same unit is disposed close to a printing head, a continuous form delivered from tractors is further delivered along a continuous form feeding path which forms a flat plane, and printing is performed on the aforementioned platen of the delivery unit. On the other hand, when a cassette is mounted to the printer after the delivery unit is moved downward up to a second operational position, a cut sheet delivered from the cassette is delivered along a cut sheet feeding path which forms the same plane as the aforesaid flat plane, to be printed on a platen fixed to the cassette.

Abstract: A receipt cutting mechanism includes a round knife or blade which is positively and rotatably driven and which engages with a fixed knife edge as the round knife travels across the printer on a driven carriage. The positive drive includes a gear cluster arrangement operated by a toothed belt which is stretched across the printer. The round knife is maintained in engagement with the fixed knife edge by means of a torsion spring tending to rotate the knife and its support in one direction.

Abstract: A printer in which the heat build-up in the printhead is limited by determining whether the printhead temperature is at its temperature threshold. If so, the printing is not allowed to proceed untilt the printhead has cooled sufficiently so that the printing will not cause it to exceed its temperature threshold. The temperature limiting feature is accomplished by testing before each unit of printing whether the temperature of the printhead is below the threshold and therefore printing may occur as usual or whether to take some action to limit the temperature, analyzing the activity during each time period to determine whether heating or cooling of the printhead is occurring, and adjusting the present (calculated) temperature of the printhead accordingly.

Abstract: A very small displacement enlargement mechanism is disclosed, in which a first stationary frame and a second movable frame are disposed on the opposite sides of a piezoelectric element for producing a strain in a longitudinal direction according to an applied voltage. A movable member consisting of a plurality of elements linked together into a substantially parallelogrammic form is disposed between the two frames such as to surround the piezoelectric element. An element of the movable member or the side of the first frame is united integrally to the first frame, and another element which is on the side of the second frame and faces the first-mentioned element is united integrally to the second frame. The strain of the piezoelectric element produces a relative displacement of the two frames via the movable member, and the relative displacement is transmitted as an enlarged output to a drive wire.

Abstract: A keyboard operable with one hand includes a plurality of keys arranged on a keyboard base so as to be opposite to the fingertips of the operator's hand in a naturally spread state and each having switching contacts which are selectively engaged by moving the operator's fingers. Therefore, it is possible to impart many kinds of key signals with a simple operation.

Abstract: An endless inked ribbhon provided in a case is twisted in the form of a Mobius band. An inverting device is provided in the case for inverting the inked ribbon, and a reinking device is provided adjacent the inverting device for supplying ink to a lower half portion of the ribbon. The upper half portion of the ribbon, which has been supplied with the ink during the preceding cycle of the operation of the ribbon, is used for printing dots on paper.

Abstract: A tape printer for use with a detachably loaded tape cassette including a thermal printing head secured to a frame, and a platen roller mounted together with a tape feed roller in a platen holder rotatably mounted on the frame. When the tape cassette is loaded in the tape printer, an image source tape in the cassette is biased by a spring member outwardly of a head insertion recess. In a subsequent printing operation preparation, the spring member is engaged with a spring pushing piece on the platen holder to release the biasing to the image source tape and permit contact thereof with the printing head.

Abstract: To permit radial removal of a cylinder, roller or similar element in a printing machine from between the side walls (1) thereof, the cylinder or roller (9) is formed with two stub shafts (8) coupled by separable half-shells (5, 6) to the ends of shaft elements (3) passing through the side wall (1) of the printing machine. One of said shaft elements can be coupled to a drive gear (4). In accordance with the invention, and to permit rolling off of the stub shaft (8) of the cylinder over the half-shell, the separating surfaces (10, 11, 12, 13) between the half-shells are formed to extend essentially tangentially with respect to the part-circular clamping surfaces (14, 15) which clamp the stub shaft to the shafts (3) passing through the side wall, one of the half-shells being secured to the shaft elements.

Abstract: A print head assembly for use with a screen printing machine of the carousel type having a multiple armed fixed frame and a multiple armed movable frame mounted for rotation relative thereto. The print head assembly (40) comprises: a mounting frame (45) operatively connected to an arm of the carousel. A carriage (44) is operatively connected to the mounting frame (45) and arranged for reciprocating movement relative thereto along a path of travel. Drive means is provided for causing the reciprocating movement, the drive means comprising a piston/cylinder assembly (41) including a cylinder (43) having a longitudinal axis, and opposed ends with a piston rod (42) extending from one of those ends there being a region defined between the lateral axes at respective ends of the cylinder (43) these lateral axes extending at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the assembly.