Abstract: In medium to high volume printers using more than one print head, multiple documents may be printed side by side in one pass. Multiple rolls of ribbon are utilized on the ribbon mandril to accommodate the documents. The ribbon is kept taut across its print head by the feed system controller. When the outside diameters of the two rolls of ribbon vary, the system keeps one ribbon taut and the other tends to go slack at the print head. A split sleeve mandril with a differential mechanism connecting the two sleeves of the mandril assures that both ribbons are maintained taut. The preferred differential mechanism may be a planetary gear arrangement, or a thrust bearing arrangement. A unique ribbon roll holding mechanism, to hold the ribbon roll at the selected place on the mandril is also provided.

Abstract: Tape feed control apparatus for a correction tape cassette 11 for a typewriter for controlling the amount of correction tape being fed to a printing point for lifting-off or covering-up a typed character, comprises a housing 13, a post 15 mounted in the housing 13, a brake finger 17 pivotally mounted on post 15 so that an end portion 17a of the brake finger 17 is in frictional contact with correction tape 18 on a take-up spool 19 to hold the tape firmly on the take-up spool 19, a spring 20 in contact with brake finger 17 urges a brake finger end portion 17a against the tape 18 on the take-up spool 19, an opening 25 in the sidewall 13a of housing 13 admits a typewriter metering post 26 into the housing 13, a stop member 27 formed in the housing 13 limits the travel of typewriter metering post 26 into housing 13, the stop member 27 is stationary so that its position does not change in response to the amount of correction tape 18 on the take-up spool 19 so that the distance travelled by the metering post 26 corr

Abstract: In a printed character printed with a printing apparatus provided with a plurality of type elements and a print hammer, the specified left or right edge portion thereof has ink adhered heavily on the paper, and this specified edge portion is difficult to be erased when erasing a wrongly printed character with a correction ribbon.In the disclosed character erasable printing apparatus, after moving the carriage from the print position by a predetermined minute distance in the printing direction or in its opposite direction toward the specified edge portion, a first hammering for erasure is carried out, and subsequently after moving the carriage in the direction opposite to above-described movement, at least, and without feeding the correction ribbon relative to the carriage, a second hammering for erasure is carried out with an unused fresh portion of the correction ribbon made to face the specified edge portion having residual ink.

Abstract: A printing system includes print ribbon wound on first and second rotatable reels and a rotatable capstan for moving the ribbon between the first and second reels, such that ribbon is supplied from the first reel and is collected after use on the second reel. A microprocessor controls both the reel and capstan movements and computes the quantity of ribbon wound on each reel based on a known diameter of the capstan and the relationship between the number of rotational steps moved by the capstan and the number of rotational steps moved by the corresponding reel during a given time period. The microprocessor includes a random access memory in which a plurality of ramp tables are stored for controlling the movements of the reels. Each ramp table includes a speed parameter representing a particular rotational speed and an acceleration parameter representing a number of rotational steps for ramping up to and down from the particular speed, for a discrete range of ribbon diameters.

Abstract: Disclosed is a ribbon forwarding apparatus of impact type printer for printing on a recording paper wound on a platen by moving printing means disposed at a specified position of a carrier which moves along this platen to the printing position, and striking it by way of an ink ribbon, comprising,an elevation table which is mounted on said carrier, has an ink ribbon cartridge and a correction tape cartridge mounted on the upper and lower parts thereof, and is moved up and down to position the ink ribbon at said printing position when printing and the correction tape when erasing,a ratchet wheel which is mounted on this elevation table and drives to selectively change over the ink ribbon feed in printing and ink ribbon feed in erasing,a slider which is mounted on said elevation table and has a feed pawl engaged with said ratchet wheel; anda rocker arm which is perpendicularly disposed on said carrier with one end pivoted on and moves said slider reciprocally, whereinsaid rocker arm is disposed so that the abutt

Abstract: A multi-format document printer and processor has a plurality of data writing and reading means for data in different formats, disposed along a transport path. Forms are separated from a continuous perforated form supply and advanced along the transport path. Bidirectional drive rollers disposed along the path advance the documents and reverse them for reprocessing as necessary. At the end of the transport path, the documents are routed to an exit hopper or a reject hopper and a sensor at the exit detects already-issued forms manually loaded by an operator, which already-issued forms can be likewise bidirectionally processed for reading, verification, modification and the like. The processor is preferably embodied for transportation tickets and boarding passes, having: optical character recognition (OCR) write and read devices, magnetic strip write and read devices and a dot matrix printer having an array of print heads operable to print a document in one pass.

Abstract: A tape cassette has a sensing arm pivotally mounted therein biased against a correction tape on a take-up spool for sensing the amount of correction tape thereon. A correction tape feed mechanism mounted in a typewriter has a metering post for engaging the sensing arm at varying locations to cause the correction tape feed mechanism to feed the correction tape at substantially equal amounts regardless of the amount of correction tape on the take-up spool.

Abstract: Ribbon feed control apparatus includes a rotatable supply roll on which a supply of ribbon to be dispensed is placed, a rotatable take-up roll on which the ribbon is collected after being used in printing, a mechanism for driving the take-up roll in one direction for pulling the ribbon from the supply roll, a device for determining the amount of ribbon required for a printing operation, a device for measuring the amount of ribbon used in such an operation, a device for comparing the amount of ribbon required with that actually used, and for terminating operation of the take-up roll driving mechanism when the amount required and the amount used are equal, tension sensing mechanism for determining when the ribbon becomes slack while it is being driven between the supply roll and the take-up roll, driving mechanism controlled by the tension sensing mechanism for driving the supply roll in a direction opposite to the direction in which the take-up roll is driven in order to take up the slack in the ribbon, and de

Abstract: A printing ribbon positioning apparatus and method of operation thereof advances a ribbon in connection with the printing of a character with one of a plurality of print rows across the width of the ribbon by an amount that takes into consideration the past advancement of the ribbon in connection with the last characters printed with each of the other rows of the ribbon and the widths of the character to be printed and the last character printed with the same print row of the ribbon as the character to be printed.

Abstract: A ribbon feed device includes; a drive gear capable of rotating about a first shaft in clockwise and counter-clockwise directions by a rotation force transmitted from a drive source; a ribbon feed gear for feeding an ink ribbon capable of rotating about a second shaft; and an intermediate gear which swings about the first shaft while meshing with the drive gear, meshes with the ribbon feed gear at a first position during the rotation of the drive gear in the clockwise direction, meshes with the ribbon feed gear at a second position during the rotation of the drive gear in the counter-clockwise direction, and renders the ribbon feed gear rotate always in the same direction irrespective of the rotation direction of the drive gear.

Abstract: An electrothermal printer having a print head provided with a plurality of wire electrodes, an ink ribbon, and a heating ribbon separate from the ink ribbon. The heating ribbon is in the form of a layer of material which is a poor conductor of electricity and a layer of electrically conductive material. The current passing between one or several of the electrodes in the print head to the heating ribbon conductive layer which is in contact with an appropriate sliding contact or electrode heats a localized area, or localized areas, of the heating ribbon which in turn transfers heat to corresponding localized areas of the ink ribbon for transferring ink on a sheet of paper. The ink ribbon and the heating ribbon are displaced at the same speed past the print head. The printer of the invention permits high rate printing at a relatively low cost of supplies. With the ink ribbon omitted, printing can be effected directly on thermo-sensitive paper.

Abstract: Apparatus attached to the reciprocating chase of a cylinder press for carrying one or more supply spools of a web of foil-carrying material, together with an adjustable computerized controller and web-pulling rollers associated with the cylinder press and responsive to the controller, for holding a portion of the foil-carrying web suspended above the chase and moving the foil-carrying web a predetermined distance after each impression from the foil onto print stock. An articulated support rack extends from the chase to a structure supporting the web-pulling rollers, to maintain tension in the web as the chase moves. The controller is adjustable to pull a preselectable incremental length of the web a preselectable number of times and to pull a different preselectable length of the web automatically after each group of such selectable number of pulls each having that incremental length.

Abstract: An ink ribbon cassette having a multicarbon ribbon for switching from a rapid to a slow multicarbon mode is provided. The cassette includes a coupling element to be driven by a printing device. The coupling element rotates a manually shiftable gear mechanism which includes two sets of gears, which are axially displaceable with respect to each other. Each set of gears includes gears of different sizes with a driving wheel mounted on one set of gears. The driving wheel engages the ink ribbon take-up reel. The ability to change the speed of the ribbon advance makes it possible to use the same multicarbon ink ribbon cassette either for high print quality or for longer print duration.

Abstract: A printing device in which a printing ribbon moves in one direction and a printing head moves back and forth parallel to the ribbon. When the head and ribbon move in the same direction, printing is not started until the ribbon is moving at a faster speed than the head. When the head and ribbon move in opposite directions, printing is not started until the ribbon is moving at a given speed which is a fraction of the speed of the head.

Abstract: A ribbon feed mechanism for printing machines has a motor coupled to a ribbon drive mechanism for feeding a ribbon in response to energization of the motor. A control mechanism is coupled to the ribbon drive mechanism and responsive to the ribbon drive mechanism during ribbon feeding for limiting the amount of ribbon feed to predetermined feed increments.

Abstract: A thermal printing apparatus is disclosed in which ribbon advancing mechanism including a supply spool and a take-up spool operated by a stepping motor is disclosed. Mechanism is provided for reversing the direction in which the take-up spool is driven by a specified amount during the printing cycle, in order to provide ribbon slack, so as to avoid smudging of the transferred ink on the receiving document and possible ribbon breakage during printing. The circumference of the accumulated ribbon on the take-up spool at any given time is considered in determining the number of steps and the step rate of the stepping motor in the reverse direction which must be taken in order to produce the desired amount of ribbon slack and slack take-up.

Abstract: A typewriter misprint correction method in which misprint is completely erased when ink is lifted from the paper by erasing impressions through correction tape, erasing impression being conducted two or more times for each character and a prescribed length of correction tape being fed after at least one erasing impressions.

Abstract: A printer using a disposable ribbon which is fed from a feed section toward a take-up section of a feeding device upon completion of printing of each line of characters. The printer comprises a memory for storing position data representing a feed-side end of an active portion of the ribbon which has been used for the last printed line, the feed-side end being located on the side of the feed section of the feeding device, and another memory for storing another position data representing a take-up-side end of another active portion of the ribbon which is to be used for the next line of characters, the take-up-side end being located on the side of the take-up section of the feeding device.

Abstract: A ribbon feed mechanism for a bi-directional printer that produces a constant relative ribbon to print-head velocity. The invention produces the constant relative velocity by coupling the ribbon to the print-head through a reciprocating shuttle, which moves in an opposite direction to and at one-half the speed of the print-head. As the shuttle reciprocates it engages the ribbon such that a constant length is maintained between the ribbon supply and the print-head and between the print-head and the ribbon take-up. The ribbon is taken up at a constant speed. By this method, the relative ribbon to print-head speed is fixed at the ribbon take-up speed.

Abstract: A check encoder (11) for printing of full field MICR (Magnetic Ink Character Recognition) codes on checks, includes a check guide (19) and means for sensing the position of the check (25,27) in the check guide (19). A pair of fixed roller assemblies (29,31), coact with a pair of movable roller assemblies (33,35) to grip the check and move the check under the action of a stepper motor (44) to an initial known position. A hammer (87), mounted in a hammer mount (83) and activated by an electrical solenoid (91) impacts the check against successive selected characters on a font wheel (61) to print the desired MICR code. A computer program, controls the operation of the check positioning, check encoding and check moving operations. When the desired MICR code has been printed on the check, the check is moved out of the encoder (11) by means of the fixed and movable roller assemblies (29,31,33 and 35).

Abstract: Where the ribbon advance mechanism of a printer is driven by the motion of the print head carrier, ink in the ribbon will be differentially depleted depending upon the density of print. This varied depletion becomes a problem for printers capable of printing high density graphics images, particularly color filled images. In accordance with this invention, the printing density is monitored and when the printing density exceeds a predetermined value, the print head is caused to be moved an amount greater than that necessary to position the print head at a succeeding print position so as to thereby cause additional ink ribbon to be advanced and to avoid overprinting on areas of the ribbon where high density printing has occurred.

Abstract: A ribbon cartridge having a self-contained ratchet assembly and drive gear assembly. Three principal components are provided: a drive gear; a ratchet gear spool connected by a ring gear formed thereon to the drive gear; and a take-up spool having internal teeth which are rotatably mounted on a ratchet formed on the external diameter of the ratchet gear spool. The drive gear is driven by a simple printer motor at a constant speed, which, in turn, drives the ratchet gear spool at a constant speed. This action, in turn, drives the take-up spool through the flexible plastic ratchet at a speed that varies with the amount of ribbon accumulating on the take-up spool.

Abstract: The invention concerns a mechanism for raising and feeding different types of ink ribbons in typewriters and similar machines. With a simple design and using only one motor under programmed control, the mechanism is capable of utilizing ink ribbons economically, e.g. printing alternately in several printing zones of a ribbon or in several colors. It also feeds ribbon by a length which corresponds to the type of ribbon, or type of operation, e.g. proportional typing. The starting point for the various functions is a basic position to which the mechanism is positioned by the motor.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for proportional ribbon (23) tracking on a printer (20), the printer (20) including a carrier (30) upon which implements of printing, for example the printwheel (25), ribbon (23) and hammer (28) are all mounted for translation opposite a platen (21). Ribbon lift mechanism is provided for effecting elevation of a ribbon (23) to multiple predetermined positions or tracks (1-10) (FIG. 3B) intermediate a printwheel (25) and a platen (21) so that indicia or character may be printed on print receiving medium (22) held thereby. In essence, an input means (11) receives a character to be printed. The microprocessor (13), in conjunction with the ROM (15), characterizes the character in accordance with a predetermined plurality of characteristics. In accordance with ribbon lift and feed algorithms, a particular characteristic of the character to be printed is added to a position on the ribbon upon which at least one prior character has been printed.

Abstract: Conservation of ribbon 40 is achieved by underfeeding ribbon 40 relative to movement of thermal printhead 16. Pressure of printhead 16 may be low enough that smearing from a typical ribbon 40 does not occur. Gears 208, 210, 212, 214 and 216 may be positioned in one of two settings by action of bellcrank 230. One position provides a 1.04 to 1 underfeed ratio and the other provides a 5 to 1 underfeed ratio. Control 232 lowers print current for the 5 to 1 ratio. A printer having a single ratio of 1.04 to 1 provides printing of unimpaired quality with significant saving of ribbon.

Abstract: Rather than repeatedly using the entire length of a multi-color print ribbon in an impact printer until the reaching of a lower quality threshold requires replacement of the ribbon, this invention causes only a subsection of limited length of the ribbon to be used until the lower quality threshold of any one of the color tracks of this subsection is reached, after which the ribbon is advanced to enable use of a fresh subsection.The quality status of the currently used subsection may be monitored by counting the number of impacts on each individual color track and comparing that number with a predetermined, stored value, or by shining light through the ribbon and optically comparing the passing light with a preset value. The method is flexible enough to permit manual advance of the ribbon to a fresh subsection in case a printing job requires highest possible quality.

Abstract: Apparatus for feeding ribbon in an impact printer or typewriter is provided in which the ribbon metering means are very simple and minimize the potential for damage to the ribbon. Ribbon is fed from a supply reel to a take-up reel each of which is adapted to support a portion of an inventory of ribbon running from the supply reel to the take-up reel. The apparatus includes a drive mechanism which drives the take-up reel at a selected one of a plurality of different rotational velocities, apparatus for sensing the portion of the inventory of ribbon on one of the reels and for producing an electrical signal representative of the radius of said portion, and apparatus for selecting one of said rotational velocities in response to said signal. The sensing apparatus used to sense the portion of the ribbon inventory which remains on the supply reel is capacitive sensing apparatus.

Abstract: A feed mechanism for advancing an ink ribbon, supported in a cartridge which is inserted into a typing machine, in feeding steps whose length is determined in dependence upon the type of the ribbon, the mechanism including: a feed roller rotatably mounted in the cartridge for engaging the ribbon to advance it in feeding steps, the roller being selected from a plurality of rollers having respectively different diameters on the basis of the type of the ribbon; a driving device mounted in the machine and including a pressure roller movable into a position against the feed roller when the cartridge is inserted in the machine; and a mechanism for rotating the feed roller in angular steps for advancing the ribbon in corresponding feeding steps, which mechanism is settable for causing each angular step of rotation of the feed roller to have a selected one of at least two different magnitudes, each magnitude corresponding to a respectively different ribbon feeding step length, and is coupled to the pressure roller in

Abstract: A ribbon drive mechanism for a typewriter or similar machine in which the supply spool and a first ribbon guide are fixed with respect to the machine frame, and the take-up spool and a second ribbon guide are vertically moveable with respect to the machine frame. The ribbon is fed past the print point when the take-up spool and the second ribbon guide adjacent thereto are in their raised position. Means are also provided for feeding a constant increment of ribbon, regardless of the amount of ribbon on the take-up spool.

Abstract: Apparatus for advancing equal increments of tape to a takeup reel utilizes a drive blade having an edge that tends to slip in one longitudinal direction and grip in the other. Reciprocation of the drive blade at the circumference of the accumulated tape results in incremental tape movements in the direction corresponding to gripping of the drive edge. For a preferred implementation, the drive edge has the contour of an involute. By so contouring the drive blade, the engagement at the tape circumference is essentially tangential for a broad range of diameters of the accumulated tape.

Abstract: Leaf spring (20) is overcome by a coil spring (15) when a cartridge cylinder (42) is not in place. In that status bottom gear (11) is engaged with bottom gear (17) so that movement from shaft (1) produces long ribbon feed. When a cartridge (40) is mounted having a cylinder (42) adapted to squeeze the spring (20), the force of coil spring (15) is overcome, and top gear (9) engages top gear (16), producing short ribbon feed.

Abstract: A high-speed printer, such as a daisy wheel printer, utilizes a carriage which transports a printing font, such as a daisy wheel, laterally along a print line adjacent a paper-supporting platen. An ink ribbon is supported on the machine frame rather than the printing font carriage and is positioned between the daisy wheel and the platen. This ribbon is adjusted so that, as the printing font progresses along a print line, it impacts the ribbon along the line which is slanted relative the lengthwise axis of the ribbon. When plural such slanted printing tracks are overlapped along the length of the ribbon, efficient use is made of the ribbon without incurring problems associated with a narrowed ribbon. In addition, the slanted ribbon impact line permits the ribbon to be mounted on the machine main frame rather than on the font carriage while still permitting a minimum of over-impacting on the ribbon, all while eliminating the requirement of rapid ribbon movement during carriage return.

Abstract: The present invention is an inked ribbon advancement mechanism which is used in combination with a printer having a movable print head. The printer includes a frame and a print head mechanically coupled to the frame so that it travels laterally along the front of the frame. The inked ribbon advancement mechanism includes an apparatus for continuously advancing an increment of inked ribbon in response to the position of the print head. The apparatus includes a device for positioning the increment of inked ribbon adjacent to the print head and a slidable member which is slidably coupled to the print head in parallel juxtaposition so that the slidable member can move differentially in response to the print head. The apparatus also includes a cam for continuously displacing the slidable member in response to the movement of the print head.

Abstract: The present invention is an improved pawl for use in combination with an inked ribbon advance and reverse mechanism which includes a plate member, a pair of ribbon spools which are disposed on the surface of the plate member and are mechanically coupled thereto so that they can rotate bidirectionally, a pair of ratchet wheels, each having teeth disposed in an opposite direction and each being mechanically coupled to one of the pair of ribbon spools, and a mounting device for mechanically coupling the improved pawl to the plate member. The improved pawl includes an elongated member having a pair of ends, each end having a plurality of teeth which are disposed along the surface of the elongated member that mechanically engages one of the ratchet wheels. The elongated member is pivotally coupled to the mounting device which includes a pivot pin which mechanically couples the elongated member to the mounting device by means of a pair of springs.

Abstract: A feed mechanism for advancing a cartridged ink ribbon in feeding steps whose length is determined dependent upon the type of the ribbon contained in the ribbon cartridge. The feed mechanism includes a feed roller mounted in the cartridge and operatively connected with the ribbon for advancing the ribbon. The feed mechanism further includes a driving device mounted in the machine and operatively connectable to the drive roller upon insertion of the cartridge in the machine. The driving device has at least two output components arranged to rotate with unlike speeds. The feed mechanism further has a coupling arrangement mounted in the cartridge and continuously operatively connected with the feed roller. The coupling arrangement connects a selected one of the output components to the feed roller when the cartridge is in place in the typing machine.

Abstract: A mechanism for winding a ribbon on a take-up spool effects a constant winding rate as the diameter of the wound ribbon on the spool increases. A wrap spring intermittently drives a gear which rotates the spool in a stepwise fashion, the free end of the wrap spring being reciprocated by the stroke of an actuating arm. The amount of ribbon which is wound on the spool is sensed by a diameter sensor, which sensor controls the point on the free end of the wrap spring which is contacted by the actuating arm.

Abstract: A ribbon feed mechanism for typewriters operable to incrementally feed a ribbon with a dual segment continuous motion ribbon feed. The ribbon is advanced an initial segment by a power actuated linkage and advanced a final segment by a spring urged arm acting on a multi-toothed cam. The initial segment feed occurs when a bellcrank is pivoted, and through a linkage, urges a ribbon metering shaft to rotate which, in turn, feeds the ribbon. Simultaneously, a spring biased cam follower is gradually displaced by the multi-toothed cam which is supported on the metering shaft. The final segment feed occurs as the spring biased cam follower is rapidly displaced down a cam surface of a tooth on the multi-toothed cam.