Abstract: A device suitable for printing bar codes is disclosed, this device comprising a housing, means for holding a label supply roll, printing means for applying indicia to a label, means for supplying data to determine the nature of the indicia printed on the label, and means for supplying electrical energy to operate the device, characterised in that said print unit is an ink jet printer.

Abstract: A method of bar code printing is disclosed. The bar code is printed directly onto packaging material associated with the product, and in that the ink used to produce the bar code is such that indicia constituting the bar code can be discriminated regardless of the background onto which the bar code is printed.

Abstract: The invention provides a number of improvements useful in printers which may be of the fixed, portable or hand-held types. In one aspect, the printer, which comprises a housing, a printing unit, means for feeding to said printing unit a substrate onto which indicia are to be printed, means for feeding a thermal transfer ribbon to said printing unit, and means for providing electrical power to operate the printer, is characterized by means permitting independent movement of said substrate and said thermal transfer ribbon within said printing unit. In another aspect, the printer includes means for supplying power to operate the printer, for example dynamo driven by a manual trigger. In a further aspect, the means for supplying power comprises a piezoelectric motor.

Abstract: Improved printers are disclosed which are characterized by means for inputting data which is arranged to function without the use of an alpha-numeric keyboard. The data inputting means may be a cursor moving device operating in conjunction with a graphics display system; a graphics display system having a touch-sensitive screen; a speech recognition unit; a memory or "smart card"; or an integral bar code reader. The cursor moving devices may be, for example, a tracker ball or a mouse.

Abstract: Independent control by a single motor of two members mounted on a shaft, e.g. print wheels in a printing machine such as a postal franking machine, is enabled by having the first member either fixed in rotation to the shaft or connected to the shaft by a one-way clutch, and having the second member connected to the shaft by a one-way clutch, the arrangement being such that rotation of the shaft in one direction causes movement of the first member only (by direct drive or by the action of the associated clutch) and rotation of the shaft in the other direction causes movement of the second member only, by the action of the associated clutch.

Abstract: A franking machine adapted to print variable data as well as constant data onto mail as it is presented to the variable data including a plurality of endless bands of self-inking material containing printing indicia around their external surfaces; a separate drive for each band for advancing same to present different ones of said printing indicia to the printing station; microprocessor adapted to control the operation of the separate drive; transducers adapted to produce an electrical signal indicative of the position to which a band has moved at any instant relative to a reference position; and, a device for feeding to the microprocesser the electrical signal or signals derived therefrom whereby the microprocessor is continually made aware of the position occupied by each movable band.

Abstract: In a clutch-and-brake unit for use with a continuously rotating, motor-driven shaft, for example in an industrial sewing machine, a single disk has a clutch surface on one side and a brake surface on the other side. The disk is magnetically urged into operative engagement with clutch and brake pressure plates facing the respective clutch and brake surfaces of the disk, the clutch pressure plate being rotated by the motor-driven shaft to rotate the disk and a shaft connected thereto when operatively engaged, and the brake pressure plate being non-rotatable to brake the shaft. The brake pressure plate is also constantly urged into light contact with the brake surface sufficient to brake the disk and shaft only when the disk is not operatively engaged with the clutch pressure plate. This prevents the disk and connected shaft from rotating when neither the clutch nor the brake are operatively engaged and eliminates engagement noise when the brake pressure plate is operatively engaged.