Abstract: A shuttle assembly comprises a first mass, including printheads, connected by springs to a second mass. Both masses are suspended for low friction long-stroke linear oscillation on bearing rollers. A small electromagnetic drive force from a frame-mounted voice coil is coupled to the first mass so that it will ultimately assume, and thereafter maintain, linear oscillation at a natural resonant frequency. The second mass is symmetrically connected, thereby inducing but an extremely minor net moment of force about the shuttle center of mass. The shuttle assembly is internally force-balanced and couples, through the small drive forces, but very small forces to the machine frame. A control circuit maintains resonant sinusoidal oscillation in a manner insensitive to printing impacts or outside disturbances by sensing shuttle velocity and position in a phase-locked loop.

Abstract: In a line printer, an integrated meter package developing a clock incorporates a microprocessor receiving a line printed signal, power on voltage, and a preset ribbon exhaust count in order to compute in reference to the clock, and selectively display on an alphanumeric display panel, the total the lines printed, total on hours, total print hours, preset ribbon exhaust count, and number of print lines remaining until exhaustion of the ribbon. The microprocessor stores accumulated values to a non-volatile electrically programmable memory upon receipt of a power going down signal warning of incipient power off. The microprogrammed control is adaptable to maintain general maintenance and fault histories and periods.

Abstract: An impulse ink jet apparatus provides bar coding using one or more ink jet chambers having a plurality of orifices in each chamber. A transducer is coupled to each chamber for ejecting droplets from each of the plurality of orifices in the chamber in response to the state of energization of the transducer.

Abstract: A print head assembly includes the feature of snap-in, tool-less replaceability. The print head is intended for an application where extended use is expected and replacement, due to wear, will be necessary by nontechnical users of the printing system. In one embodiment, the print head utilizes two pins which slide into slots formed in the printer body. The print head is free to pivot about the two pins and is urged against a platen by the force of bias springs and a loaded pin. The loaded pin engages with, and forces upwrd on the heat-radiating fins extending from the bottom of the print head. Shelves formed in the printer body cover engage the two pins of the print head and force the print head, against the forces of the bias springs, into a proper alignment position when the cover is closed. This allows firm engagement of the print head with the platen, and proper alignment thereof, without fixing the print head to a mounting structure.

Abstract: An electro-expulsive apparatus including at least two superposed, flexible flat, separately jacketed continuous ribbons of metallic electrical conductor disposed within a sealed outer jacket so that portions of said separately jacketed electrical conductors are separable within said outer jacket to create a void when said conductors are energized simultaneously by an electrical current. The disclosure also includes the method of manufacture.

Abstract: In order to minimize the effects of heating on performance and reliability in a phase change ink jet system, the ink jets comprise a material having a thermal conductivity of at least 0.03 g cal/sec cm.sup.2 (.degree.C./cm). The material may comprise stainless steel or aluminum. The reservoir of the system comprises the same material.

Abstract: A thin metal ribbon shield for mounting in a standard data processing printer ribbon guide. The ribbon shield has a short insert tab and a long insert tab, and is particularly designed for ease of installation and removal. The thin metal ribbon shield is durable and permits printhead gap settings from the paper of the minimum distance capable in a printer. The ribbon shield is unlikely to kink during installation or removal because the stress when bending the shield is at the juncture of the long insert tab and the ribbon shield, rather than down the middle of the shield face.

Abstract: An ink jet printer having an ink jet printing device for printing characters in a printing region on a surface of a substrate, the device being constructed to effect optimum printing at a predetermined distance from the device, and a device for holding a substrate having a surface which is to be printed upon in printing position relative to the printing device, the holding device including a referencing plate having a reference surface which lies in a plane which extends past the printing device at the predetermined distance therefrom, and the holding device further including a leaf spring mounted to bear against the side of the substrate opposite the surface to be printed upon for pressing the surface to be printed upon against the reference surface of the referencing plate.

Abstract: A magnetic actuator particularly suitable to be arranged in a circular array to form a wire matrix printhead for mosaic, or dot, matrix printing. Each such magnetic actuator of three poles being (1) and "E"-shaped core defining three magnetic poles which is substantially thin in the thickness of the "E", which is that direction circumferentially along a circular array of such magnetic actuators, (2) a single coil wound around the center magnetic pole of such "E"-shaped core, and (3) an armature striding over all three magnetic poles. The armature is maintained at its pivot point by an O-ring which creates no moment of force to the striding of the armature. The "E"-shaped core may be comprised of laminated, or of solid, magnetic material and may further be structurally in common with the cores of other ones of the magnetic actuators as are arranged in the circular array.

Abstract: A tractor is provided with an endless belt which travels in a triangular path and a drive shaft located well below the level of the paper path. The tractor body has both an inner and outer body portion, each of which contains a journal bearing for support on the support shaft. An adjustable torsion spring lock is provided on the outer body portion and surrounds the support shaft to allow for easy locking adjustment of the axial location of the tractor on the support shaft. A front and rear closeable panel are provided along the document feed path. Only the front panel need be opened during feeding while both front and rear panels may be opened to clear the feed path during advancement jam. Two mirror image features are provided at the entrance of the feed path on either body portion such as to cover document pins located on the belt path and thereby decrease likelihood of injury to an operator during feeding operations.

Abstract: A hammer assembly for incorporation in a hammer bank assembly useful in high-speed impact printers of the type generally employed in data processing systems is disclosed to comprise an impact tip carried on a rigid coil structure disposed in a permanent magnet field, a foot member for precisely, removably positioning the hammer assembly with respect to the hammer bank assembly, and first and second conductive spring members supporting the rigid coil structure from the foot member and, concurrently coupling the ends of the coil within the rigid coil structure to electronics associated with that particular hammer located within the impact printer. The first and second spring members serve to provide a restoring force to return a rest position within the hammer bank assembly after impact energization of the coil has been discontinued.

Abstract: An ink jet image transfer lithographic apparatus is coupled to a source for supplying graphics and textual material to an ink jet printhead. The ink jet printhead melts a hydrophobic solid ink and sprays the ink onto a lithographic plate in a predetermined pattern. The solid ink solidifies upon contact with the plate. The plate is then mounted in a lithographic press for lithographic printing. As an alternative, the ink jet printhead may be mounted in a lithographic press for imaging a lithographic plate mounted in the lithographic press or for spraying ink directly onto the plate cylinder of the press. A succession of lithographic plates may be provided around the plate cylinder of the lithographic press and each plate discarded after use, leaving a clean plate on the plate cylinder.

Abstract: A head tending system for purging and cleaning an ink jet print head includes a self-aligning purge nozzle which can float into positive engagement with a vent hole of the print head and a wiping roller of a non-circular contour about which a tape of wiping cloth passes.

Abstract: Impulse ink jets utilizing elongated transducers which expand and contract along the axis of elongation are formed by plates lying in planes parallel with the axis of elongation. The plates containing the chamber also include a drive portion for coupling the transducer to the chamber where the drive portion is supported by struts which extend to a support means also formed by the plates.

Abstract: A novel ink jet composition for use in drop on demand ink jet printers is disclosed comprising 85-99 weight percent of a vehicle consisting essentially of dibutyl sebacate and oleic acid. In the preferred embodiment, the dibutyl sebacate comprises between about 40 to 65, preferably about 60 weight percent of said ink. The subject ink, when utilizing an infrared readable colorant such as nigrosine base, is particularly suited for generating IR readable bar codes.

Abstract: An improved cartridge for containing a pellet of hot melt or phase change ink in an ink jet apparatus having at least one ink jet, a reservoir for containing and melting the hot melt or phase change ink from its solid state to a liquid state, and a receiver adapted to receive the cartridge, wherein the receiver includes an outlet at the base thereof for flowing liquified ink into the reservoir, and wherein the pellet is comprised of a size and shape so as to substantially fill the receiving means. The improvement consists of a hollow member of a predetermined geometry corresponding substantially to the geometry of the receiver, open at one end and deformable so as to permit the discharge of the pellet contained within the member through its open end, a retainer for the pellet, and a seal at the open end to protect against contamination of the ink.

Abstract: An ink jet apparatus has a manifold and a feed tube of substantially the same cross-sectional areas as the manifold, thereby connecting the manifold with an ink reservoir so as to effectively present the large compliance characteristic of the reservoir at the manifold, and enabling a reduced volume print head construction which efficiently reduces cross talk and vibrational problems.

Abstract: Commencing with the first print hammer(s) "out", or actuated, on each print line the hammer drive current is boosted 10% for a period, ranging from 25%=650 microseconds for single part forms to 50% for multi-part forms, of the total print hammer flight time. Earlier striking hammers on each print line strike harder, alleviating displaced first-printed characters on single part forms and light characters on multipart forms due to hammer energy loss in forms compression.

Abstract: A tractor is provided with an endless belt which travels in a triangular path and a drive shaft located well below the level of the paper path. The tractor body has both an inner and outer body portion, each of which contains a journal bearing for support on the support shaft. An adjustable torsion spring lock is provided on the outer body portion and surrounds the support shaft to allow for easy locking adjustment of the axial location of the tractor on the support shaft. A front and rear closeable panel are provided along the document feed path. Only the front panel need be opened during feeding while both front and rear panels may be opened to clear the feed path during advancement jam. Two mirror image features are provided at the entrance of the feed path on either body portion such as to cover document pins located on the belt path and thereby decrease likelihood of injury to an operator during feeding operations.