Abstract: A printer for an electric cash register or the like which performs at least two print related functions. The printer includes a printing head adapted for lateral displacement across a printing paper for effecting printing on the paper. The printer also includes a drive mechanism for effecting the lateral displacement of the printing head and a paper feeding mechanism for advancing the printing paper. The printer may also include a stamping mechanism, an automatic receipt paper cutting mechanism and a journal paper winding mechanism. Each of these mechanisms includes a control lever for actuating the operation thereof. A displaceable selecting lever is arranged and constructed to selectively operate each of the control levers. A single electromagnet controls the operation of the selecting lever.

Abstract: A tuning fork type quartz crystal vibrator has electrodes formed on its surfaces with the electrodes being divided into separated portions along the length of the tuning fork arms such that opposite electric fields and charges are juxtaposed in the same arm. Dividing the electrode at a location along the tuning fork arms where strains induced during vibration reverse direction, enhances the ability to induce vibrations. A low resonant resistance and high capacity ratio are provided for an overtone frequency of flexual vibrations.

Abstract: A liquid crystal calendar display device presents a full month of dates in a large-sized format. Sunday is always located in the left column or in the alternative in the right column of the calendar display regardless of the day which is the first date in the presented month. Only 16 electrode patterns are used to form all dates, and months of twenty-eight to thirty-one days are accommodated. Display elements are driven by a V-2V AC amplitude selective multiplexed system.

Abstract: An improved quartz crystal wristwatch having an analog display and a reduced thickness is provided. The wristwatch includes a battery for powering a circuit and driving coil of a step motor for operating a gear train which are all arranged on a main plate so as not to overlap in plan view. The battery is disposed adjacent to a winding stem which is provided in the longitudinal direction of a diameter or line bisecting the main plate. A center wheel bridge is mounted on the main plate and a pillar-shaped member having a tubular region and a perpendicular disc-shape region is mounted in an opening in the center wheel bridge for supporting the cannon pinion which passes through the main plate about the tubular portion of the pillar-shaped member.

Abstract: An improved thermally sensitive printer for recording characters on a thermally sensitive medium is provided. An exothermic printing head includes a substrate and a plurality of selectively energized resistance elements supported on the substrate, the resistance elements being energized during a printing operation to print characters on a thermally sensitive medium in contact therewith. A rotary platen is provided for bringing the thermally sensitive medium into printing contact with the resistance printing elements to thereby effect printing on the thermally sensitive medium during a printing operation. The rotary platen is also adapted to incrementally advance the thermally sensitive printing medium after each printing operation.

Abstract: An electronic timepiece including an external member which by linear and rotating motion actuates three switch functions, comprises circuits to correct for inadvertent improper sequencing in actuation of the external member. A counter-timer discriminates between inadvertent actuations occurring at abnormally short time intervals and normal actuations at longer intervals, and in cooperation with memory circuits, restores conditions which have been inadvertently altered.

Abstract: A single external stem member of an electronic timepiece operates independent switches by push-pull motions and by a rotary operation. Many functions are controlled or adjusted with signals generated by particular sequential combinations of stem member operations in the push-pull and rotary modes. In an alarm timepiece, the rotary switch controls the alarm time setting, and the push-pull switch determines whether an audible alarm and hour markers are to sound, no sounds are to be emitted, or only the alarm is to sound.

Abstract: Ester compounds suitable for use in liquid crystal compositions are provided. The ester compounds are (2'-chloro-4'-n-alkylphenyl)-3-cyano-4-n-alkoxybenzoates represented by the general formula: ##STR1## wherein R and R' are straight-chain alkyl groups having from one to eight carbon atoms. The ester compounds alone do not exhibit a liquid crystal phase, but have a relatively high value of dielectric anisotropy. Addition of minor amounts of at least one such ester compound to a liquid crystal composition lowers the value of the dielectric anisotropy of the composition in the high frequencies range. Such compositions are particularly well suited for the two-frequency matrix-addressing drive in a display of complex characters or graphic displays by reducing the driving voltage.

Abstract: The fifth or intermediate wheel and pinion assembly of a gear train cooperates directly with the motor rotor pinion and the fourth wheel to provide a full stepdown in angular rotation between the motor rotor and a second hand. The upper tenon of the fourth wheel and pinion is supported on a third wheel bridge, and the upper tenon of the fifth wheel and pinion is supported on a fifth wheel bridge with the fifth wheel overlapping the tenon of the fourth wheel and pinion. This overlapping and elimination of wheels provides a compact, reliable and durable gear train for a timepiece of reduced dimensions.

Abstract: A character ring-selecting type printer for printing m laterally spaced columns includes less than m character rings with lateral spacing between adjacent character rings. The character rings are translated in unison to enable one character ring to print in more than one column.

Abstract: An electronic tone generator capable of providing improved musical and tone quality by providing a primary melody and a secondary melody such as an accompaniment or the like is provided. The electronic tone generator of the instant invention is characterized by the use of a primary electronic scale generator circuit for producing a primary scale signal representative of a primary melody scale and a secondary electronic scale generator circuit for producing a secondary scale signal that is representative of a secondary melody and that is distinct from the primary scale signal. The primary scale signal and second scale signal are respectively shaped and summed and thereafter applied to an electro-acoustic transducer in order to produce music having a primary melody and secondary melody of considerable musical quality.

Abstract: An analog-to-digital tester having at least two distinct ranges of full scale sensitivity is provided. The tester includes signal conditioning means for receiving an analog measurand and digital display for displaying a value representative of the measurand. The signal conditioning means includes first and second attenuation levels differing by a multiple of at least 100 and circuit means for selecting the attenuation level corresponding to the magnitude of the measurand. The analog-to-digital converter circuit has full scale sensitivity over a first range and additionally full scale sensitivity over a second range ten times greater than the first range and includes range detecting means for detecting the magnitude of the measurand applied to the signal conditioning means and in response thereto selects the first or second full scale sensitivity range to thereby apply a digital value representative of the measurand to the digital display.