Abstract: The device comprises an electric motor whose rotor is capable of rotating selectively in either direction and a transmission unit which comprises a sleeve carrying a gear at an input end in mesh with a pinion on the motor shaft. At the output end of the sleeve a toothed pulley is engaged with a tensioned, toothed belt for moving the print unit back and forth. The sleeve is journalled on a shaft which can shift laterally at the input end and is urged by a spring and lever to shift in the sense forcing the gear into mesh with the pinion, thereby to minimize the radial clearance between the pinion and the gear.

Abstract: A foldable trencher boom assembly including a first boom portion pivotally connected to a second boom portion by a hinge. One leg of the hinge is connected to the first boom portion while the other leg of the hinge is connected to the second boom portion. When the boom portions are aligned, fasteners secure the hinge to maintain the colinear relationship between the boom portions. In the initial phase of folding, the fasteners are removed thereby permitting the boom portions to pivot relative to each other. The digging boom is conveniently folded by securing the digging chain to one of the foldable boom portions and employing the trencher drive motor as an actuator to achieve the folding action. With the foldable trenching boom of the present invention, an overall decrease in the machine length is attained for transport and maneuverability. Further, when the folded trencher boom is in its transport position, the machine height is decreased and a better distribution of weight is achieved.

Abstract: An improved orthopedic support device for body portions employs a pliable wrap which encircles the body portion and which has a pocket which receives a thermo-formable bracing element. A pocket-forming panel is secured only partially to the wrap for allowing the wrap to stretch more readily to mold with contours of the body portion. The invention further includes a process for fitting the device to a body portion with quick closure of the pocket for enhanced safety and for rapid molding of the bracing element to body contours.

Abstract: A resilient sheet gripper for a sheet-fed rotary printing press having a gripper shaft and a gripper finger disposed in a recess of a cylinder of the printing press and including an asymmetrical four-pivot mechanism having the gripper finger as one of its links for governing the motion of the gripper finger and ensuring perpendicular closing of the tip thereof with respect to a sheet engaged on a gripper support at the edge of the recess.

Abstract: There is disclosed a printer provided with a sheet advancing roller to be wound by a printing sheet and for advancing the printing sheet upon rotation, first and second movable pressure rollers which can be contacted with or separated from the sheet advancing roller, and a mechanism for contacting or separating the first and second movable pressure rollers with or from the sheet advancing roller, further provided with an operating knob for contacting either of the first and second movable pressure rollers with the sheet advancing roller.

Abstract: An arrangement of a paper guide trough supporting pressure rollers to guide paper about the platen of a typewriter is used in conjunction with a platen having an elastic bearing to effect an automatic adjustment of the platen according to the thickness of paper inserted to maintain the same printing plane without additional components.

Abstract: A printing apparatus having a carrier which reciprocates along a print line defined on a platen, comprising a first printing assembly supported on the carrier and having type elements abuttable on the platen for printing characters, and a second printing assembly supported on the carrier for printing characters by a dot matrix. The first and second printing assemblies have a first and second print point, respectively, which are spaced from each other in a direction parallel or perpendicular to the print line. Each print assembly has its own ribbon cassette; one is parallel to the print line and one is perpendicular to the print line.

Abstract: A cervical collar including a flexible panel and a member extending therefrom. The member is located against the outer surface of the panel when the panel is flat and flips over the panel to form a chin support member when the panel is formed into a neck encircling band.

Abstract: A guard is used to close the gap between the print ribbon and a check supported by the platen in a check writing machine. The guard inhibits paper or metal shims from entering the gap to receive the check amount and payee data thereby protecting the printer from issuing blank checks which could later be filled out to create a counterfeit document.

Abstract: An ink fountain for a printing machine comprises metering segments individually adjustable to adjust the thickness of the film of ink formed between them and the inking roller. To facilitate assembly of the metering segments and to avoid infiltration of ink, the common pivot axis of the metering segments is constituted by a rod maintained clamped between aligned horizontal grooves in the various adjacent metering segments and a horizontal groove in a support of the metering segments fast with the body of the ink fountain.

Abstract: A non-impact printer having a biasing mechanism which provides for constant and self-adjusting pressure between the associated print head and platen. The biasing mechanism includes a base member, a pivoting member, and a biasing member. The biasing mechanism has one end which slides longitudinally in an aperture in the pivoting member which is pivotally mounted in the base member which is secured to the frame of the printer, and the remaining end of the biasing member is pivotally jointed to the associated carriage of the printer to move the carriage with the print head thereon into printing relationship with the platen.

Abstract: A ribbon cassette for typewriters is provided with an end-of-ribbon signaling device which takes the form of a switch comprising a contact web on a ribbon tensioning lever associated with the supply spool in the ribbon cassette and two contact pins provided in the machine. The contact web is adapted to bridge the contact pins signaling end of ribbon when the ribbon supply is used up.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for indexing the print hammer of typewriters or the like having a carriage supported type matrix positionable in X-Y directions to present a selected character for printing wherein the matrix positioning motor is used to index the hammer in advance of matrix positioning movement.

Abstract: A printing press sidelay and circumferential register mechanism having cooperating elongated operator elements which are rotatably driven by remotely controlled motors to laterally and circumferentially adjust the position of the plate cylinder through thrust bearings that support the ends of the operator elements adjacent the end of the plate cylinder.

Abstract: An adjustable carriage assembly for a printing device having a print mechanism to be translated along a linear print path. The carriage assembly includes an upper carriage sub-assembly and a lower carriage sub-assembly, the lower carriage sub-assembly having a pair of laterally spaced arm members joined together by a pair of cross members. Each arm member has an open pivot slot and a support ramp portion. A spring coupled between the upper and lower carriage sub-assemblies in the region adjacent the pivot portions provides a spring detent for the upper carriage sub-assembly with respect to the lower carriage sub-assembly in both the first operative position and a second inoperative position. The guide members are adjustable eccentric washers.A cartridge latch is configured to be removably mounted in an aperture formed in a platform on the upper carriage sub-assembly.

Abstract: A thermal printer has carriage means supporting a print head for travel along a platen and has camming means operably associated with the carriage means for providing a predetermined pressure of the print head against the platen in one direction of travel of the print head and for releasing or reducing such pressure in the other direction of travel.

Abstract: A mounting mechanism for releaseably mounting a print head to the carriage of a printer includes a pair of pivotable levers respectively located on opposite sides of the print head. A spring member biases the levers in a predetermined direction. The levers are pivotable between a first position where the print head is secured to the carriage and a second position where the print head is released.

Abstract: A printer and in particular a printer adapted for use with a thermal print head is provided. The printer includes a power transmission which controls two clutches with a single electromagnetic driving unit. A clutch of a power transmission is initialized without the use of a detector by dividing the perimeter of the clutch into N equal rotating angles each equal rotating angle being further subdivided into a large rotating angle and a small rotating angle in combination with a preselected energization period for an electromagnetic control member which assures the initialization of the clutch in a desired position. The clutch is advanced one position by a second energization period of the electromagnetic control member. The carriage mover of the printer allows the carriage to reciprocate in response to forward and backward rotation of a shifting shaft and at at least one end of the range of motion of the carriage the shifting shaft can continue to freely rotate even though the carriage cannot.

Abstract: An adjustable stamp is provided having at least one loop-shaped type ribbon guided by an adjustment wheel and a support strip, the type set for printing being disposed at the bottom side of the support strip, and a frame plate supporting a printing plate producing a permanent imprint and having a window through which the type disposed on the support strip projects. The frame plate is displaceably supported by means of guide strips leading into the interior of the housing of the stamp and is displaceable by means of a manipulating device connected to the guide strips.

Abstract: An assembly for positioning a print head so as to transfer ink from an ink ribbon to a printing medium positioned on a movable platen adjacent to said ribbon supports the print head on a rocker member which enables the head to be swung between a print position wherein it engages the ink ribbon and a feed position wherein the head is spaced from the ribbon enabling ribbon to be moved. The rocker is rocked to move the head between its two positions by a rotary cam driven by a small low-power electric motor. When the cam engages the rocker member at selected angular positions, the head is maintained in its retracted feed position; otherwise, the head resides in its print position. The assembly also includes provision for detecting the angular position of the cam so as to produce signals to facilitate repositioning the cam and head promptly.