Abstract: A serial impact printer 11 includes a frame 15 mounted drive motor 47 coupled to a print wheel 31 to effect rotation thereof. The print wheel 31 is mounted on a movable print carrier 29 which serially moves from print position to print position along the print line. The motor 47 is coupled to the wheel pulley 51 of the print wheel 31 through a belt 49 which is wrapped about two idler pulleys 57 and 59 located on a sub-carrier 61. The sub-carrier 61 moves one half the distance of the print carrier 29 so that during escapement motion of the print carrier 29, the belt 49 imparts no rotary motion to the wheel pulley 51 and hence to the print wheel 31. The print carrier 29 may be clamped by clamp 77 to the belt 49 to effect the return motion thereof. The motor 47 is also coupled through a clutch 127 to the line feed apparatus of the platen 23.

Abstract: An ink ribbon for a printing device comprises a substrate of a long thin web of a synthetic resin film having a solid ink coated on one surface thereof, the color of the substrate being the same as that of the solid ink. After the ink ribbon is used, the negative impressions left from the transfer of information to a printing sheet will be illegible.

Abstract: A method for the automatic center tab insertion within a column example line comprising the steps of an operator cursor move to a column margin to define an end position; and responsive to a function key stroke, the machine steps of concurrently moving the cursor to the other column margin and counting the text characters of the example; calculating the distance to the column center position; concurrently moving the cursor to the calculated center position, and inserting a centered tab stop control character therein.

Abstract: A thermal ribbon particularly suited to be used once for printing at one temperature and for lift-off correction at a lower temperature. The bottom, resistive layer is a blend of an aliphatic polyurethane and a urethane acrylic copolymer with conductive carbon black. The next layer is 1000 angstroms thick aluminum. The next layer is the release layer, of an ethylene organic acid copolymer, a low-melting material. The top layer is an ink layer containing ethylene vinyl acetate and polyethyacrylate. The resistive layer has a light dusting of graphite. Low print currents for both printing and lift-off correction are achieved.

Abstract: A printer subsystem is interconnected with a host system from which it receives command and data information and to which it provides status information. The printer subsystem has two microprocessors, one of which communicates with the host system for transfer of command, data, and status signals and the other of which directly controls the printer unit in the subsystem especially with respect to the print assembly, forms feed assembly, ribbon drive assembly, and print wire actuators.

Abstract: A ribbon cartridge having a supply spool (3) and a take-up spool hub (27) to receive ribbon (1). A section (49) of a wire (32) extends from the mounting post (33), with its pointed end resting against the take-up hub (27). Movement in the take-up direction causes a sliding action. Attempted unwinding causes the end to dig into the take-up hub (27) so that the wire section (49) immediately prevents unwinding.

Abstract: The automatic tab insertion in those null-entry positions in a tab-stopped positioned multicolumn table having row lines which include text right adjacent the null entries so as to inhibit right-to-left, text-to-null-entry migration in the same row.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus in an interactive text processing system for creating documents by selectively merging text data from two or more text records by signalling the location in a document at which the insert of text data is to be added, displaying a Merge Tasks Menu which provides an option for executing a merge operation in response to either Switch Code or Named Variable control codes, specifying the identification and location of the text data comprising the Shell Document and the Fill-In Document, and executing the Merge operation based on the specified data and Merge control mode.

Abstract: A printing device in a typewriter including a rocker bracket turned in a direction of printing by a cam rotated when a key is pressed, a type head vertically movable and rotatably supported by the rocker bracket, a vertically movable pulley and rotatable pulley which are mounted on the bracket which are connected to a letter selecting mechanism and rotated by a predetermined value in accordance with a letter selected by the key, a printing arm for pivotally supporting a trigger detachably engageable with the rocker bracket and abutting against and being rotated by the cam to turn the rocker bracket, vertical direction selecting means for moving to a predetermined position in accordance with a value of rotation of the vertically movable pulley, rotational direction selecting means provided on the rotatable pulley and a printing pressure control member for being movable in accordance with the movements of the vertical directional selecting means and the rotational direction selecting means and having at least t

Abstract: A single stepper motor is utilized in a printing device to lift a print head from the surface of recording material upon the initial angular rotation of the stepper motor output drive shaft and to move the recording material within the printing device upon further rotation of said drive shaft. The print head is returned to the surface of the recording material by operating the stepper motor in the reverse direction until the output drive shaft of the stepper motor traverses an angular displacement equal but opposite to the initial angular displacement. A cam surface couples the output drive shaft of the stepper motor to a drive gear and transforms the initial angular displacement of the output drive shaft into linear motion to lift the print head from the surface of the recording material. Further rotation of the stepper motor drive shaft rotates the drive gear to move material within the printing device.

Abstract: An improved method in an interactive text processing system for creating/revising documents by adding a multi-page insert of text data at a specified location in the document comprising displaying the document, signalling to the system the location within the document into which the text data is to be copied, specifying to the system the identification and location within the document into which the text data is to be copied, specifying to the system the identification and location of the insert text data, scanning the insert text data for INCLUDE instructions, resolving the INCLUDE instructions prior to adding the text data into the document, and copying the specified text data into the document at the signalled location. In a specific embodiment, text data up to ten pages can be copied and up to five levels of nested INCLUDE instructions can be resolved.

Abstract: A machine for embossing cards or plates is provided with features which give it the capability of handling and feeding a wide variety of plate sizes both in length and height, and also make it possible to effectively process pieces which are of many unusual non-rectangular shapes. A trackway made up of several segments is arranged to have a rail of each segment readily adjustable towards and away from the other rail. Special hopper and receiver equipment is made available which can accept plates of different lengths by merely adjusting fixed side rails which cooperate with trays which are substantially standardized for the novel system. The plate holding means at the embossing station is so constructed that it can effect its retention function without inhibiting embossment on the margins or other portions of the plate regardless of its unusual size or shape limitations. Slightly modified alternate tray constructions are provided for easily accommodating, feeding and storing plates of more unusual outline.

Abstract: A character shaping device includes a tablet or the like upon which characters are written or drawn, and a device for determing distribution functions for the character as projected in the x- and y-directions. From this information the "center of gravity" of the character is calculated, and the x- and y-dimensions of the character are detected to determine the character area. The image is then centered within a normalization area and enlarged or reduced in size according to scale factors dependent upon the relative dimensions of the character area and the normalization area, to obtain a well balanced and sized character which may then be printed along with other characters to form sentences on a printed document or the like.

Abstract: A feed mechanism for advancing an ink ribbon, supported in a cartridge which is inserted into a typing machine, in feeding steps whose length is determined in dependence upon the type of the ribbon, the mechanism including: a feed roller rotatably mounted in the cartridge for engaging the ribbon to advance it in feeding steps, the roller being selected from a plurality of rollers having respectively different diameters on the basis of the type of the ribbon; a driving device mounted in the machine and including a pressure roller movable into a position against the feed roller when the cartridge is inserted in the machine; and a mechanism for rotating the feed roller in angular steps for advancing the ribbon in corresponding feeding steps, which mechanism is settable for causing each angular step of rotation of the feed roller to have a selected one of at least two different magnitudes, each magnitude corresponding to a respectively different ribbon feeding step length, and is coupled to the pressure roller in

Abstract: A tape cassette for use with a thermal printing apparatus includes a cassette housing; supply and take-up reels rotatably mounted in the cassette housing; tape having a pigment thereon wound about the supply and take-up reels and having a segment extending between the reels, the length of the segment being adjustable; a hollow projecting portion extending from the cassette housing and having a free end at which a first guide pin is connected; a second guide pin moveably mounted, in a sliding or pivotal relation, with respect to the cassette housing for guiding the segment of tape; and optionally, a tape drawing member to which the second guide pin may be connected and which is moveable with respect to the cassette housing for adjusting the length of the segment of tape.

Abstract: An improved typewriter escapement disengagement and engagement mechanism wherein a separator member disengages the escapement mechanism from the carriage rack to prevent damage to the mechanism and/or rack during transport of the typewriter. A restraining means prevents the carriage from moving while the escapement mechanism is disengaged. When the restraining means is removed causing carriage movement, the separator member is automatically removed from between the escapement mechanism and the carriage rack and the escapement mechanism is engaged.

Abstract: In a ribbon cartridge for an office writing machine, which cartridge includes a housing having a base plate, a supply reel and a take-up reel mounted in the housing, a carbon ribbon wound around the reels and mounted to be conducted from the supply reel to the take-up reel while traveling over a guidance path having a first portion located outside of the housing and a second portion located inside the housing and extending between the first portion and the take-up reel, the housing being provided with an entrance opening located between the first and second portions of the guidance path for the passage of the ribbon into the housing, and the cartridge further including guide elements located for guiding the ribbon along the second path portion and a transport roller located along the second path portion for transporting the ribbon to the take up reel, the base plate is provided with recesses for damping noise generated during operation of the machine, and the cartridge is constructed for preventing particles

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for sequentially feeding pieces of stationery such as envelopes from a supply hopper to a conventional printer mechanism for printing addresses or the like thereon, and for sequentially transporting printed pieces to a storage hopper. The system of the invention utilizes a dispensing mechanism for feeding one piece of stationery at a time from the supply hopper, a positioning mechanism for receiving a piece of stationery and positioning it along the path of travel of a pair of transport belts, and a transport mechanism for belt-feeding pieces of stationery around a printing platen for printing.

Abstract: A cartridge which contains two spools. The supply spool has wound about it a printing ribbon and the take-up spool being used for wrapping the used ribbon. The cartridge has a ribbon exit at one location and a ribbon entry at a remote location to define a path for the ribbon to pass therealong. Two drive gears are engaged with each other and a pressure roller. The drive gears are located and their lower portions are configured to engage the respective drive shafts of various printers. When the first drive gear is driven by a printer, the second gear, which includes the drive wheel, rotates in the opposite direction of the drive shaft of the printer. When the second gear is driven, the integral drive wheel rotates in the same direction as the drive shaft of the printer. The pressure roller is provided with internal flexible spokes, or springs, and provides a self-adjusting bias against the drive wheel to drive the ribbon and provides an extremely efficient pinching action.

Abstract: A printing machine capable of printing characters on two kinds of paper sheets, long paper sheets and short paper sheets, comprises two paper holder members movably provided relative to a paper feed roller to cause the long paper sheet to be clamped between the paper holder members and the paper feed roller, and a drive mechanism for moving the paper holder members to clamp a long paper sheet between the paper holder members and the paper feed roller when a pinch roller is pivoted away from the paper feed roller by another drive mechanism in order to set a short paper sheet into a space between a platen and a printing head.