Abstract: A compact ribbon cassette for dispensing and storing a ribbon or tape. The supply and take-up rolls of ribbon or tape are disposed upon a common rotatable shaft mounted for rotation within the housing. A unique chevron disposed adjacent the take-up roll and on the post-printing portion of the cassette causes the dispensed ribbon to change level and reverse direction and be presented for storage upon the take-up roll. A partitioning plate in the ribbon cassette separates the supply roll from the take-up region of the cassette. Ink particles are thereby prevented from migrating from the post-printing, take-up region of the cassette to the pre-printing, supply region thereof.

Abstract: A media presenting device that allows for the presenting of various media, such as receipts, slips, forms, labels, tickets, tags, etc. The media are introduced into the device by an adjacently disposed printer or supply roll of paper. The web of the paper enters a curved raceway of a presenting device and is folded upon itself, thereby changing its direction by ninety degrees with respect to the normal flow direction.

Abstract: A compact ribbon cassette for dispensing and storing a ribbon or tape upon integrally formed dispensing and storage spools. The dispensing and storage spools are disposed upon a common rotatable shaft mounted for rotation within the housing. An integral, self-adjusting friction plate bears upon the ribbon on the dispensing spool and provides a predetermined, varying drag to maintain uniform ribbon taughtness.

Abstract: An improved ribbon cassette is provided for a receipt printer of the impact printing type. The ribbon cassette has two raised areas disposed on the distal ends of the ribbon presenting arms, about the print area defining the ribbon window. These raised areas act as pressure bumps or spring-like retaining pads that bias the paper against the platen. In accomplishing the bias, a paper bubble commonly formed in the ribbon window area is substantially reduced or eliminated. This has the effect of reducing the noise generated by the impact wires of the print head striking the paper.

Abstract: A compact ribbon cassette for dispensing and storing a ribbon or tape upon integrally formed dispensing and storage spools. The dispensing and storage spools are disposed upon a common rotatable shaft mounted for rotation within the housing. A pair of meshing gears provide a positive ribbon drive that ensures that fresh ribbon is in place at the thermal print head for each MICR encode operation. The meshing gear positive ribbon drive system provides the optimum amount of ribbon for the print cycle to assure that MICR encode characters meet accepted industry quality standards.

Abstract: The present invention features a new type of spring-loaded axle. The spring-loaded axle of this invention has a single element. The single component of this invention has a specially-designed spring that acts both as a detent and an axle, all in one. The spring includes an elongated, flexible, coiled, spring portion that has a compressible, coiled midsection that is flanked by a generally non-compressible, coiled section on either side of the compressible, coiled midsection. At the distal end of each of the non-compressible, coiled sections is located a flexible, generally non-compressible, curvilinear, coiled end section. Each of the conically-shaped, coiled end sections acts like a detent; further, because of their conical shape, they can automatically adjust to the bores of the supporting frame. The elongated, coiled spring portion acts like an axle.

Abstract: A point-of-sale printer including a facility for encoding MICR indicia at a precise location called the amount field. A single stepper motor in combination with a unique bi-direction clutch mechanism is used to engage the print head with a platen, and to engage a read head with the check, so that indicia can be sequentially imprinted and read within the transaction printer.

Abstract: A new, miniaturized guillotine blade cutting mechanism is for cutting the paper web of the supply roll of a receipt printer. The miniaturized cutting mechanism features a direct drive mechanism and home switch which are both integral with the cutting blade holder.

Abstract: A print head is disclosed which includes a unitary armature assembly including a thin resilient spring, thick structural members and cores upon which a magnetic flux path can be electrically imposed, such that motion of the armatures is constrained to only the desirable back-and-forth axial movement of an ideal print stroke. Lateral movement of the armatures is prevented, so that armatures wires wear only very slowly, resulting in long and reliable service life. Improved performance for size is obtained by having the magnet plate positioned with the working air gap on the outside and the return pole on the inside, with the armature pivot at the outside periphery of the print head, so that the larger magnet area imparts greater magnetic force, an increased length of the lever arm for the print wire, and enhancement of the print stroke and the printing performance of the device. The wire guide pattern provides bidirectional and orthogonal printing capability. Heat transfer is obtained through a heat sink.

Abstract: A transaction printer includes the MICR encoding of indicia. A diagnostic test procedure reads a printed test document and determines whether the MICR indicia are within a certain specification. A test document found to be out of specification prompts the adjustment of the print parameters of the printing system of the transaction printer. The machine establishes and maintains a data base of each print transaction, and compares the printing parameters to determine the degree to which each parameter complies with the specification.