Abstract: A high speed printer comprises a molded base having a plurality of plastic towers integrally molded thereon. A cylindrical platen is mounted on a first pair of plastic towers and a drive shaft having a helical groove along the length thereof and an eccentric drive pin at one end is mounted on a second pair of plastic towers. A slide bar mounted for reciprocating motion and having a drive slot for receiving the eccentric drive pin supports a paper feed pawl and a ribbon feed pawl. A single motor drives the drive shaft, whereby the helical groove drives a print head across the platen and the eccentric drive pin reciprocates said slide bar to drive the paper feed pawl and the ribbon feed pawl.

Abstract: A transport system for a dot matrix printing mechanism including an improved overall design for the transport system and improved designs for individual elements of the system and combinations of elements. The overall design of the present invention uses snap fits extensively throughout for ease of assembly and disassembly, integrates many previously separate parts into one-piece members, employs common part designs wherever possible, and uses single parts to perform multiple functions wherever possible. For examples, the strike bar and ribbon frame of the present invention are combined into one piece and the ribbon cartridge is releasably mounted to the ribbon frame using one end of a latch member while the other end of the latch member is used to bias a pressure roller against the paper advancing roller. The overall design also includes a common drive train interconnected between the moving parts of the transport system whereby all of the moving parts can be powered by a single motor.