Abstract: A document feed-in device for an electronic typewriter comprises a lower guide member for guiding a document towards a typing line on a platen cylinder and a plate or bar member for guiding the document beyond the typing line. The plate or bar member is carried by two movable levers for moving that member away from the platen cylinder and at the same time actuating a switch for signalling the presence of the document to the electronic control means of the machine, to cause rotation of the platen cylinder so that the document goes beyond the typing line by a predetermined distance such that the top edge of the document is moved into a region in which it is engaged by the plate or bar member to permit typing in a region immediately adjacent to the top edge of the document.

Abstract: In the present invention, a frame, mounted above the platen of a typewriter or a word processing machine, supports a drive roller in contact with the platen. This drive roller is also in contact with a tray-moving mechanism, supported above the drive roller. A plurality of trays carried in the frame are supported above the platen so as to hold sheets of paper or envelopes vertically between trays and in alignment with the sheet insert side of the platen. When the platen is turned backward, the drive roller actuates the tray-moving mechanism, causing a tray to move, separating it from the next adjacent tray and permitting a sheet of paper which had been placed therebetween to drop into position against the platen. Thus the sheets are fed automatically against the platen when the platen rotation is reversed.

Abstract: A printer stand for supporting a printer apparatus and for storing fanfold paper and which printer stand comprises an integral, plastic, generally U-shaped frame element, defining a storage space for fanfold paper within the frame for use by a printer apparatus placed on the top surface of the frame. The printer stand includes upright support elements within the storage area and toward the one open end of the frame element, which support elements are secured to only one surface of the top and bottom of the frame element. The printer stand also includes a paper-bar-retaining element on the lower upright bottom surface of the frame element to restrain the fanfold paper in the storage space, and to permit the free, upward movement of the fanfold paper from the storage area out the back open end of the frame to the printer apparatus on the printer stand.

Abstract: A multiple overstrike carbon ribbon utilizes a low-viscosity oil base in the form of mineral oil with 25 to 50% of aromatics and nevertheless does not permit the transferred color to bleed on the substrate. The ribbon is particularly useful for daisy wheel and like high-velocity printers.

Abstract: A ribbon cartridge engageable with an upper stopper member of a cartridge receiving apparatus which includes a cartridge body of substantially U-shaped form having at least one front leg member and an engaging member extending from the at least one front leg member of the cartridge body for engagement with the upper stopper member so as to secure the cartridge body in a predetermined position with respect to the cartridge receiving apparatus. The engaging member extends from a bottom portion of the cartridge body and further includes a reinforcement portion cooperably connected to the engaging member. The cartridge body is engageable with at least one holding member of the cartridge receiving apparatus and the cartridge body includes at least one retaining lug engageable with the at least one holding member for positioning the cartridge with respect to the cartridge receiving apparatus.

Abstract: Method for altering the supply of characters which are represented by data stored in the character generator of an ideographic typewriter and which can be displayed, under control of the character generator, in at least one standard character area of a display device for the display of ideographic characters, which method includes: displaying, in the standard character area, a first character for which data is already stored in the character generator; reducing the size of the first character displayed in the standard character area with respect to at least one dimension of the character if required; displaying, in the standard character area, at least one further character for which data is already stored in the character generator, to create a new character constituted by the first and further characters as thus displayed; and storing in the character generator data representing the new character which then forms part of the supply of characters.

Abstract: A color printer includes a print head assembly including a plurality of independently actuable print heads serially arranged along a printing direction. Each print head includes a plurality of impact pins and an associated different color printing ribbon having a portion disposed between the associated print head and a media to be printed upon. The serial alignment of the print heads enables four color images to be produced by a single pass of the print head assembly along the media in a printing direction. Control apparatus includes pulse modulation circuitry for controlling the impact force of each impact pin to cause intensity modulation of printed colored marks. In addition, a feedback system enables the control apparatus to vary the impact force of each impact pin to maintain good color fidelity.

Abstract: A typewriter baseplate attachment for generating electrical signals that identify operations performed by the typewriter wherein, through the actuation of solenoids located in the baseplate attachment, the keys of the typewriter can be depressed to initiate the functional operations without the characters associated with the keys printing on the paper in the typewriter. This non-printing is effected through solenoid actuation of the correcting mechanism of the typewriter and suppression of the backspacing movement that normally accompanies operation of the correction mechanism.

Abstract: The ink ribbon feed mechanism comprises a pair of spool shafts adapted for carrying ribbon spools, a pair of feed pawls selectively engaged with one of the ratchet wheels on said spool shafts for imparting intermittent rotation to the spool shafts, and a reverse mechanism for changing the engaging state of the feed pawls relative to the ratchet wheels. The reverse mechanism includes a first member movable from one to the other direction through a connecting member which is adapted to rotate in unison with the ratchet wheel in dependence upon an operation of a sensor for indicating that reversal of the ribbon take-up direction is required, a second member movable from one to the other position after travel of the first member through a predetermined distance, for changing the engaging state of the feed pawl, and first and second detent members being provided for positioning the members in their two positions.

Abstract: An improved daisy-wheel printer of the type in which a hammer contacts a daisy-wheel to print characters is designed so as to facilitate the position setting of the hammer and other movable parts for actuating the type head. According to the design, it is possible to shift the type head with a reduced force and to eliminate the necessity for the adjustment of same during assembly. The stability and tilting operation of the carriage is enhanced. The carriage is stably secured, eliminating lateral oscillation of the same without the necessity of manufacturing the carriage using highly precise machining. The ribbon cartridge is held in such a manner as to be able to move rapidly, with reduced generation of vibration and with high durability. The design facilitates the determination of relative positions of constituents of the magnet device which drives the hammer, and facilitates fine adjustment of the same. The magnet assembly includes a substrate and an arm extending from the substrate.

Abstract: A printing ink is vulcanized on the top surface of an operation indicating member consisting of a silicone-type elastomer and is integrated with the elastomer to form a character of a predetermined shape on the top surface. The printing ink consists essentially of a material which exhibits a vulcanizing mechanism similar to that of the silicon-type elastomer. In manufacturing the operation indicating member, the predetermined character is formed by means of the printing ink on a transfer plate disposed within a mold for molding the body of the indicating member. Next, the silicon-type elastomer is introduced into the mold and heated under elevated pressure to vulcanize and integrate the character on the transfer plate and the silicone-type elastomer, whereby the character is integrally embedded in the top surface of the operation indicating member formed in the mold.

Abstract: The printing and correcting device is applied to a daisywheel printer and comprises a frame supporting a cartridge for a typing ribbon and a correcting ribbon arranged below the typing ribbon. The frame is able to swing as the result of operation of an electromagnet, from a rest position providing visibility of the print, to an intermediate position for printing the characters. A second electromagnet raises the frame through a greater length of travel in order to position the correcting ribbon in front of the printing point. A rotating electromagnet causes automatic unidirectional advance of the typing ribbon after each character has been printed. The correcting ribbon is wound between two spools and its motion is provided by means of a pawl which engages with a gear wheel for driving the spool only in the case where the path of travel of the frame is greater than that which relates to positioning of the typing ribbon.

Abstract: A method and system for semiautomatically setting a sheet of paper in a typewriter, printer and the like is provided. In accordance with the present invention, when a manually operable auto-set lever is moved from a first setting position to a second setting position, pressure and bail rollers are moved away from a platen roller around which a sheet of paper is to be set. At the same time, a carriage is moved to a first predetermined position of its travelling path. After inserting the leading edge of the sheet, when the auto-set lever is returned to the first setting position from the second setting position, the platen roller is driven to rotate with the pressure rollers in pressure contact therewith to advance the sheet over a predetermined distance along its line-feed direction and thereafter the carriage is moved to a second predetermined position during which the bail rollers are moved to press the sheet against the platen roller thereby setting the sheet ready for typing or printing.

Abstract: A ribbon cartridge for a serial printer includes a casing containing a supply reel, a take-up reel and a ribbon drive roller. A lower axial end of the drive roller is slotted to receive a drive shaft of a ribbon advance motor on the serial printer. The upper axial end of the drive roller is connected by a tension band to the upper end of the take-up reel shaft. The cartridge may be inverted by removing the tension band from the shafts of the drive roller and take-up reel, inverting the cartridge, and replacing the tension band on the shaft of the other reel and the shaft of a drive roller associated with the second reel.

Abstract: A printing apparatus having a daisy-shaped type wheel which is equipped with a multiplicity of radially disposed type element holders each carrying at its outer end a type element. A printing head comprising the type wheel, an electric drive motor coupled to the type wheel, a print hammer and a ribbon cartridge, is pivoted, with a simple manipulation of a manual lever, from its lower, normal operating position to its upper non-operating, about 45.degree.-from-horizontal position at which the type wheel is mountable on, or removable from, the end of a rotor shaft of the motor in an axial direction thereof, without interference with a platen, and with the ribbon which is put out of the mounting and removing path of the type wheel when a platform on which the cartridge is mounted is pivoted to its upper position together with, and by larger amount than, the printing head due to the manipulation of the manual lever.

Abstract: Mechanisms are disclosed for modifying conventional single element and typebar typewriters, having character-for-character correction systems, with automatic backspacing or non-backspacing, and non-forward spacing, after obliteration, to provide an additional operational mode whereby character-for-character correction can be achieved with automatic forward spacing, after each obliteration, thereby to provide simplified word obliteration.

Abstract: Chemical heat amplification is provided in thermal transfer printing, wherein some of the heat necessary for melting and transferring ink from a solid fusible layer in a ribbon to a receiving medium is provided by an exothermic reaction. This chemical reaction is due to an exothermic material that is located in the ink layer, or in another layer of the ink bearing ribbon. The exothermic reaction reduces the amount of the input power which must be applied either electrically or with electromagnetic waves. Examples of suitable exothermic materials are those which will provide heat within the operative temperature range of the ink, and include nonaromatic azo compounds, peroxides, and strained valence compounds, such as monomers, dimers, trimers, of the type which change their chemical bonding when they decompose to either a valence isomer or break into a number of molecular species.

Abstract: A resistive ribbon printing technique is described in which the ribbon includes a resistive layer comprised of a metal-wide bandgap insulator combination. The ribbon also includes a support layer, where the support function can be provided by the resistive layer, and a fusible ink layer. Electrical current through the resistive layer produces heat which locally melts the ink for transfer to an adjacent receiving medium. The wide bandgap insulator of the resistive layer must have a bandgap of at least three volts. Many different metals and insulators can be used, where the relative amounts of metal and insulator are chosen to provide a desired resistivity for any type of resistive ribbon printing application.

Abstract: A typewriter is described which has an electronic keyboard utilizing a timed delay to determine whether a depressed key is indicative of the desire to print or display repetitive letters represented by that key. The typewriter is provided with a technique for automatically adjusting the length of the delay such that a slow typist with sluggish finger movement will automatically cause the extension of the delay time and thereby prevent unwanted repetitive characters while a fast, very rhythmic typist will not cause the automatic extension of the delay time and thereby will benefit from a shorter delay time and will have a higher output or productivity as a result thereof.The automatic extension is accomplished by timing the period of time that keylevers are held depressed and when that time approaches but does not exceed the preset automatic delay time, the delay time is then extended a predetermined amount.

Abstract: There is disclosed a printing apparatus having control equipment for controlling the printing position. The control equipment is detachably mounted on the printing apparatus.