Abstract: A punch and die alignment system. A first die includes a first die aperture for receiving a punch. A second die includes a second die aperture for receiving the punch. A first housing includes a first die-receiving passage for receiving at least a portion of the first die. A second housing includes a second die-receiving passage for receiving at least a portion of at least one of the second die and the first die and for permitting at least one of the first die and the second die to rotate therein, thereby permitting the first die aperture and the second die aperture to be aligned with each other.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting performance of an apparatus for punching holes in a substrate, ensuring hole quality and/or minimizing or eliminating damage to the films during the hole punching process.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting performance of an apparatus for punching holes in a substrate, ensuring hole quality and/or minimizing or eliminating damage to the films during the hole punching process.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting performance of an apparatus for punching holes in a substrate, ensuring hole quality and/or minimizing or eliminating damage to the films during the hole punching process.

Abstract: Hole punching apparatus for punching holes in thin sheet material and having a punch mounted for reciprocating movement. The punch includes a punch stem, and an elastomeric bumper mounted on the punch stem. The bumper acts as a shock absorber when the punch is moved in a first direction to punch a hole in the thin sheet material and eliminates collision of metallic parts as the punch reaches the end of its stroke.

Abstract: A ribbon shield for an impact printer having a row of print hammers and an endless moving type band comprises an elastic separator sheet in which an edge thereof is formed with an offset projecting from the plane of the sheet. The offset projects an amount which is greater than the thickness of the sheet. The sheet, which is made preferably from a polyester material, can be very thin so that it will not cause underscoring and its compliance to force from the print hammer will not extract the energy therefrom.

Abstract: An interposer device for use in an impact printer for printing at condensed pitches includes an interposer plate and a striker strip attached thereto. The interposer plate is a thin spring steel plate slotted to have a plurality of chevron flexure elements symmetrically disposed across the plate. The striker strip is a thin strip of elastomeric material which is similarly slotted to have a plurality of chevron wear prevention flexure elements. Tabs on the edges of the striker strip and pockets on the surface of the interposer plate which receive the tabs provide for removably attaching the strip to the plate whereby the chevron wear flexure elements of the strip overlay the chevron flexure elements of the plate for joint deflection by impact.

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 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: The disclosure describes a passive lubrication system for use in a high speed print hammer mechanism to provide continuous lubrication to all print hammer elements. Channels are formed along the length of a pivot pin and filled with a porous material having a finer porosity than the sintered print hammer block serving as the principal reservoir. Fins located at each side of print hammer elements also are of the same porosity as the print hammer block and communicate lubricant to the material in the pivot pin channels. From the channels, lubricant is conveyed to the interface between each print hammer element and the pivot pin by capillary action.

Abstract: A platen assembly for an impact printer comprises the combination of an impact transducer between the backup plate and the type band of a printer and an impact isolator interposed between the transducer and the type band. The transducer comprises a strip of force sensitive material. The strip extends over a plurality of print positions. Electrode means in contact with the surfaces of the force sensitive material form discrete impact zones aligned with the print hammers. One of the electrode means is a continuous conductive strip on one side of the force sensitive strip. Plural conductive pads on the other side of the strip form the discrete impact zones. The continuous conductive strip is preferably on the side facing the type band and serves as the ground connection. The impact isolation means comprises plural force elements between the type band and the transducer element and preferably is part of a comb which can be conductive and provides stiffening to the force sensitive strip.

Abstract: A printer for printing both standard pitch and condensed pitch characters which includes print hammer faces which have a single wide section for standard pitch characters and a double wide section for printing condensed pitch characters. Using this hammer face one obtains the advantage of high speed when printing standard pitch characters and yet one is able to print condensed pitch characters with the same printer.The face of each hammer is divided into two sections. The first section of each hammer face is identical to the hammer face in a conventional single width hammer. The second section of each hammer face spans the width of two condensed pitch characters.The hammers are divided into two groups. The first group of hammers has the single width section on the top of the hammer face and the second group of hammers has the single width section on the bottom of the hammer face.

Abstract: Damping apparatus for minimizing print hammer settle time permits an increase in the hammer repetition rate, and in which the damping element is a reactive mass which is freely movable behind the actuated element to effect one or more energy transfer collisions with the actuated element. A return spring applies a return force to restore the actuated element and the reactive mass to a rest position. A bias spring, having an applied spring force which is lower than the return spring moves the reactive mass at a slower rate than the actuated element to cause the actuated element to collide with the reactive mass in advance of the rest position whereby the rebound energy of the actuated element is dissipated and restoration of the actuated element can occur as a result of the restore force applied by the return spring.

Abstract: Damping apparatus within an actuator device in which a backstop is supported on one portion of a dual cantilever to match the movement of the impacting actuator to reduce wear and provide positive restoration of initial position, wherein the backstop-supporting cantilever portion is embedded in energy-absorbing elastomeric material that is symmetrically confined to shorten settling time of the actuator and remain unaffected by temperature changes.

Abstract: An actuator element having a fixed end and a magnetizable deflection end is releasably held in spring loaded condition at a non-operative position by an electromagnetic operator. In the preferred form, the actuator element is an elastic beam of magnetically permeable material. The operator comprises first and second permanent magnets for generating separate magnetic fields of the same polarity proximate the magnetizable deflection end of the actuator element and a magnetic core combined with the permanent magnets to form at least first and second magnetic holding circuits with the deflection end of the actuator element through a common return path. A winding on the return path of the core when energized generates flux in opposition to the flux from the permanent magnets to release the actuator element for movement to an operative position. Upon de-energization of the winding, the deflection end of the actuator element is retracted and held by the permanent magnets in spring loaded condition.

Abstract: A linear solenoid device comprises a cylindrical armature or plunger freely movable within the central opening of a stator which comprises a cylindrical coil wound between a pair of annular end pole members and surrounding one or more intermediate annular pole members. The intermediate pole members are axially spaced and aligned with the end pole members by a bobbin which preferably is injection molded. The armature has plural axially spaced and aligned annular pole members concentrically arranged within the central opening of the single cylindrical coil. The magnetic stator and armature poles take the form of rings which are dimensioned and arranged so that the magnetic flux generated by the coil passes in a series path alternately from the stator to the armature rings and then through a cylindrical magnetic casing which forms a magnetic flux path between the end pole members. The armature includes a support body of non-magnetizable material which may be plastic and can be injection molded.

Abstract: A dot matrix printer is provided which has a row of hammer elements having horizontal impactor bars aligned at upper and lower levels and in partial overlapping relation with adjacent impactor bars. A row of print elements is also provided which alternately have horizontal upper and lower level non-overlapping impact receiving bars positioned opposite the hammer elements and in alignment with corresponding upper and lower impactor bars. Each print element has a dot print element on its opposite side and the row of print elements is mounted on a reciprocating shuttle. Means are provided for actuating the hammer elements whereby selected hammer impactor bars will impact the impact receiving bars to effect transverse deflection of the print elements to form dot impressions on a print medium.

Abstract: Magnetic actuator arrangement in which the actuator or armature is retained in a cocked position by unidirectional magnetic flux having a density that cyclically varies in magnitude with time and is released by selective energization of a bucking coil to counteract the retention flux when the flux density is less than maximum. The modulated retaining flux may be made sufficient at its maximum density to retract the released actuator to the cocked position.

Abstract: A cartridge for an inked ribbon has spring support means which maintains a constant back pressure on a uniformly folded ribbon stack inside the storage compartment of the cartridge. The spring support means is displaceable to adjust for dimensional variations occuring within the stack during use.

Abstract: Apparatus for packing ribbon into a storage compartment in regular, uniform pleats. A pair of eccentric rotating feed rolls form a nip gripping the ribbon and alternately extend peripheral portions into the storage compartment beyond fixed stripping elements on opposite sides of the nip to form the ribbon in corresponding folds. The regular folding provides efficient storage and uniform compaction pressures, and permits reliable ribbon withdrawal when the storage compartment is used for an endless ribbon.