Abstract: A printer apparatus including a slide assembly for advancing a receptor material and a ribbon material relative to a print head and platen for printing color images.

Abstract: A printing apparatus employing a print ribbon provided with at least two print zones divided in width direction thereof wherein the print zones are cyclically located opposedly to a print position on a platen.A single drive power source is used to drive a ribbon holder rocking mechanism and a ribbon winding mechanism. The drive force of the drive power source to rock the ribbon holder is transmitted to the ribbon winding mechanism through a gear train. The gear train is arranged such that the drive force is transmitted therethrough only during a predetermined range of the stroke of the rocking motion of the ribbon holder.The rocking motion of the ribbon holder is controlled to vary the amount thereof depending upon the width of characater or symbol to be printed so as to vary the winding volume of the ribbon.

Abstract: A printer has a ribbon cassette with an ink ribbon wound between a feed reel and a take-up reel mounted in a stationary state independently of a carriage, so that the ink ribbon may be let off from the ribbon cassette and is recovered into the ribbon cassette by means of a print head mounted on the carriage along with the movement of the carriage in the printing direction, in which the carriage is provided with a control roller that is disposed on the transfer route of the ink ribbon and is controlled so as to transfer the ink ribbon in the length corresponding to the printing portion at every printing by the print head in the printing action in the direction of the take-up reel and to fix the ink ribbon when the carriage returns or when transferring without printing.

Abstract: In an electronically controlled typewriter, a printer or the like with an exchangeable ribbon cassette, which is provided with identifying codings and where the ribbon cassette is pivotable between a lowered position of rest and an elevated printing or operating position around the cassette base facing away from the printing area, it is provided in order to attain a simple and dependably readable coding which can discriminate between a plurality of different types of ribbon cassettes, that at a defined radial distance from the base of the ribbon cassette, which is to be inserted, a sensor is disposed at the side of the pivot path of the same, which gives off an electrical output signal in reference to a changing magnetic field. It is provided in a ribbon cassette for such a typewriter or such a printer to dispose at least one bistable magnetic element on a lateral surface of the ribbon cassette.

Abstract: A ribbon cassette, such as in inked ribbon for a printing machine, has a supply spool and a take-up spool. An unwinding force is applied to the ribbon and the take-up spool is driven from the supply spool through a slip coupling. The configuration of the driving connection between the spools is such as to lead to a theoretical speed of the take-up spool which is always geater than is actually needed to match the speed of unwinding from the supply spool. Slip however occurs to match the speeds and to maintain tension in the ribbon.

Abstract: A thermal printer having a take-up spool for taking up a print ribbon, an elongate normally stationary member disposed parallel to a direction of movement of a carriage along a platen, and a power transmitting mechanism supported on the carriage, for engagement with the normally stationary member, to rotate the take-up spool when the carriage is moved relative to the normally stationary member. The normally stationary member is held stationary by a frictional resistance applied thereto, but is movable in its longitudinal direction when a load applied to the take-up spool exceeds a predetermined limit. The normally stationary member and the power transmitting mechanism may be replaced by an immovably disposed stationary member, and a rotatable member rotatably supported on the carriage for engagement with the take-up spool for rotation of the spool. In this case, the rotatable member is rotated due to frictional engagement with the stationary member when the carriage is moved relative to the stationary member.

Abstract: A method for using and reusing an invertible correction tape assembly on a typewriter, the assembly comprising a dispensing reel and a winding reel united by a length of correction tape wound upon each. The assembly is designed for invertible attachment to typewriters having correction tape reel-attaching support shaft members, each having a base flange, a first locking pawl and a second locking pawl, so that the assembly can be mounted in both normal and inverted positions. In both positions the dispensing and winding reels are mounted on the base flange, engaged at the lower side by the first locking pawl at the upper side by the second locking pawl. After the correction ribbon is fully dispensed, the assembly is removed, inverted and reattached to redispense the correction ribbon for reuse as many times as permitted by its effectiveness.

Abstract: A printer ribbon cartridge of the type employing two ribbon spools mounted in spaced relation in the cavity formed in the case of the cartridge. The ribbon is driven by a belt engaging the spools. The belt is rotated over the spools by rotation of a predetermined drive wheel of two spaced sets of two intermeshing drive wheels. Means are provided for operating the cartridge in various printers having drive locations of varying spatial location as well as direction of rotation.

Abstract: A friction device, preferably for printer-typewriter ribbons, intended to provide engagement between a drive roller and the ribbon and wherein a counter pressure roller is supported by a flexible shaft in the form of a helical spring which is mounted at a distance from the peripheral driving surface of the drive roller which is less than the radius of the counter pressure roller.

Abstract: A movement monitoring device for monitoring the movement of items past or through a work station wherein the items move synchronously with a ribbon through or past the work station. The transport of the items is monitored by a detector which monitors the linear movement of the ribbon. Signals from the detector can be used to activate the work station at intervals corresponding to the passage of the items.

Abstract: A ribbon supply arrangement for a printer is provided with a first ribbon supply portion having supply and take-up reels therein, the ribbon being provided to a second ribbon supply portion which is installed on a carriage of the printer. In one embodiment, the first ribbon supply portion is pivotally coupled to the second ribbon supply portion, and also pivotally coupled to a pivot coupling on the frame of the printer such that the bulk of the weight of the first ribbon supply portion, including the ribbon supply therein is borne by the frame, and not the print carriage. In a further embodiment, the first ribbon supply portion is provided with a large supply reel and a plurality of take-up reels.

Abstract: A cartridge (1) is attached to a carrier and tiltable around a tilting axis (2). The carrier is movable along platen (3) and parallel to the print line and tilting axis (2). On the rear and on the bottom of the cartridge a drive knob (4) is provided as part of the internal cartridge ribbon drive. On the carrier a ribbon feed device with wheel (6) and upright standing blades (7) is provided. Those blades (7) cooperate with walls (9) inside the knob surface and form a kind of screw driver interconnection. Both engaging parts (7) and walls (9) allow a movement perpendicular to their rotational axis and to each other. Wheel (6) with blades (7) rotates around an axis (11) and knob (4) rotates around axis (12). Intentionally the two rotational axes (11, 12) are offset to each other relative to tilting axis (2). Thus, always a moment around this tilting axis (2) is created.

Abstract: A printer ribbon cassette of the type employing two ribbon spools. In this one, the ribbon is driven by a belt engaging the spools and, in turn, the belt is engaged by both of two alternately driven drive rollers and wherein each drive roller, when it is driven, effects removal or unwinding of ribbon from the spool with which it is directly associated.

Abstract: A cartridge for an inked ribbon for type bar typewriters comprises a container adapted to be mounted on one side of the printing point and a terminal part which guides a length of ribbon to the printing point and reverses the direction thereof for reentry of the ribbon into the container. Two return surfaces of the terminal part carry the ribbon reentering the container back at the same height as the emerging ribbon. The container is of elongated shape and is mounted removably on a support on the machine which rocks in front of a platen in such manner that the terminal part of the cartridge is disposed below the printing line. There is provided a mechanism for actuating the inked ribbon which comprises a control element actuatable by the type bars and a toggle joint which rock the cartridge support for effecting a precise raising of the ribbon in response to variable stroke control actuated by the selected key.

Abstract: In a high speed impact printer having means for receiving a ribbon cartridge and for driving the ribbon in said cartridge, the improved apparatus comprising a ribbon cartridge to be inserted in said receiving means and adapted to be reversed one time only which comprises a cartridge housing with first and second reels rotatably mounted in said housing; each of the reels is adapted to support a portion of inventory of a ribbon web which is being driven from one reel to the other reel by the impact printer means for driving said ribbon. A keyed tenon projects from said housing and has an initial position and a second position; the keyed tenon is switchable from the initial position to the second position but irreversible from said second position.

Abstract: An imprint marking device utilizing transfer tape moved from a tape supply reel to a take-up reel across an imprint station with a moving marker head having raised indicia movable against the tape to press the tape against an article to be marked. A tape drive system includes a drive roller and an opposed idler roller. Both the tape drive system and the marker head are actuated by a single power cylinder which has power rods extending from opposite ends connected to a single common internal piston, one of the rods operating the marker head and the other of the rods operating the tape drive system.