Abstract: A printer wherein a print head is movable by a head release mechanism, between a printing position and a release position, and a print ribbon is fed only when the print head is in the printing position. The printer has a space commanding member such as a space key adapted to feed the print head to provide a single space, when the space commanding member is momentarily operated, and feed the print head continuously to provide successive spaces while the space commanding member is held operated. The printer has a head-release control device which inhibits the head release mechanism from operating to move the print head to the release position if the space commanding member is momentarily operated, and activates the head release mechanism to move the print head to the release position if the space commanding member is operated continuously.

Abstract: The invention provides a conversation device having a space key for instructing feeding of a printing tape without printing, a pulse oscillator for producing pulses of predetermined period upon depression of the space key, a counter for counting the pulses generated from the pulse oscillator, a one-shot multivibrator for producing a pulse to indicate that the count value has reached a predetermined value, a flip-flop which is set by the pulse from the one-shot multivibrator and allows the pulses from the pulse oscillator to be supplied to a motor driver for amplifying the pulses and which is reset when the predetermined number of pulses from the pulse oscillator is received and prohibits the supply of the pulse oscillator to the motor driver, and a pulse motor for feeding the printing tape without printing. Therefore, when the flip-flop is set, the motor driver causes the pulse motor to drive the printing tape for a predetermined length corresponding to a plurality of characters.

Abstract: A typewriter space bar touch control apparatus comprises a bell crank member, mounted on a support frame, which supports the space bar and a lever member which engages the bell crank when the space bar is depressed more than a small initial displacement. The motion of the bell crank is resisted by a helical tension spring and the engagement of the bell crank by the lever causes an operator to sense a sudden increase in resistance to displacement. Position transducers are provided on the support frame to sense the position of the lever member and the initial small displacement of the space bar corresponds to single space operation and larger displacement corresponds to repeat space operation.