Abstract: A cartridge for accommodating a daisy wheel type printer includes a supply spool for holding a fresh supply of ribbon and a take-up spool for holding used ribbon. The cartridge includes two arms which define a path for the ribbon to pass between the paper and the printer mechanism. In one embodiment, two drive gears are serially engaged with each other and with a ribbon drive wheel. When the first drive gear is driven by a drive shaft of the printer, the direction of ribbon advance is the same as that of the rotation of the drive shaft. When the second gear is driven, the rotational direction of the ribbon advance is opposite that of the drive shaft. In an alternate embodiment, a ribbon drive gear is mounted on a common shaft with the first drive gear and biased against a single idler wheel.

Abstract: A device for mounting a paper tractor assembly between the side frames of a computer printer which allows the entire paper tractor assembly to be "popped out" by the application of finger pressure alone, and which eliminates the cost of rounding the ends of the square drive rod of the paper tractor assembly. The mounting device consists of mounting brackets to secure the rods of the paper tractor assembly, bushings to engage the ends of the square drive rod and adapt them to fit into the mounting brackets, and springs or other resilient means to allow the paper tractor assembly to be "popped out.

Abstract: Four layer resistive ribbon transfer tapes for use in electrothermic printing devices are fabricated. The tapes are comprised of a substrate having a heat transferable ink on one of its surfaces, and on its opposing surface there is disposed a metal layer. Bonded to the metal layer is a resistive layer. This resistive layer is caused to be bonded to the metal layer by a layer of an alkoxysilane compound therebetween.

Abstract: A ribbon cassette is fastened on one side of a printer and is operator reloadable. The endless ribbon is loaded in coil form and is driven from the cassette in a path past the printing station of the printer and back into the cassette where it assumes a random form corresponding to a stuffing type cassette.

Abstract: A ribbon cartridge handling apparatus has a pair of pivotal couplings for three position handling of a ribbon cartridge in a typewriter. The apparatus includes a cartridge receiving receptacle pivotally supported on a first pivot coupling on a rocker. A second pivot coupling on a frame support structure in the typewriter pivotally supports the rocker. A first operative position of the apparatus locates the receptacle in an open position for allowing insertion of the ribbon cartridge into the typewriter. A second operative position of the apparatus locates the receptacle together with the ribbon cartridge in a non-printing position located near a print station in the typewriter. The receptacle is operatively pivoted about the first pivot coupling between the first and second operative positions. A third operative position of the apparatus locates the rocker together with the receptacle carrying the ribbon cartridge in a print position at the print station in the typewriter.

Abstract: A sheet feeder for an impact daisywheel type printer is interconnected with an existing system by reconnecting the ASCII type data cable to the sheet feeder. The internal logic of the sheet feeder is cabled to the printer and provides for all necessary automatic control. The sheet feeder also includes a mechanical bail control which opens the bail to allow for automatic feeding of the paper around the platen.

Abstract: In thermal printing the guide (29) positionable toward the platen (3) on a pivoted arm (50) during lift-off correction allows a bond for correction to set before the ribbon (22) is pulled away. The ribbon (22) has an outer layer which adheres to printed characters at somewhat elevated temperatures but is non-tacky at room temperatures. Thermal printing is conducted by setting the switch (44) for heating to temperatures higher than the lift-off temperature.

Abstract: A decimal tab mechanism for a typewriter of the type having a printing element carried by a carriage comprises a tab bar 1 capable of being displaced longitudinally and comprising a series of tab blades 2 which may be separately selected. A stop 19 of bar 1 is capable of cooperating with a decimal tab stop 67 placed in active position from an assembly of decimal tab stops 67.Said mechanism further comprises an apparatus 28, 35-41 for driving bar 1 longitudinally ahead in the direction of typing, a cam 28 for the placing in active position of the selected tab blades 2 before longitudinal displacement of tab bar 1, and connection means 50-62 between a drive shaft 29 and the assembly of decimal tab stops 67 comprising devices 51, 53, 54 for assuring that a selected decimal tab stop 67 is placed in active position only after longitudinal displacement of tab bar 1.

Abstract: The electronic controls for a typewriter disclosed herein allow the operator to erase a character using automatic erase capability such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,780,846 and at the same time to remove any underscores associated with that character. When an underscore command is entered the memory which stores the code representing the characters typed is caused to be altered in its content to indicate upon the reading of that code segment that the character has been underscored and that the character must be erased along with the underscore. The apparatus accomplishes multiple erase cycles to remove the underscore and then the character. In proportional space mode of operation it is possible that multiple underscore erase cycles will be necessary to remove an underscore which is wider than the underscore type font on the type element.

Abstract: Disclosed is drive apparatus especially useful for controllably displacing the carrier of a printer, the drive apparatus including a lead screw having laterally spaced apart and floating threaded followers thereon. Intermediate the threaded followers are a first pair of preloaded springs which press the followers against the opposite flanks of the threads on the lead screw to thereby inhibit backlash intermediate the followers. A second pair of springs are mounted intermediate a bracket, which is fastened to the carrier, and at least one of the followers for effecting coupling between the carrier and the follower while controlling backlash therebetween. A pair of arms extend from the followers and are coupled to a restraining shaft in such a manner as to inhibit rotational movement of the arms (and thus the followers) while permitting motion of the followers in any perpendicular direction to the lead screw to accommodate runout or eccentricity.

Abstract: A printing cartridge for supplying image carrying tape and printing ribbon in a printing apparatus including a cartridge housing comprising a tape and ribbon supply section and an elongated guide section rigidly and integrally joined with the supply section, a spool of image carrying tape rotatably supported within the tape and ribbon supply section and a supply of printing ribbon disposed within the tape and ribbon supply section. The printing cartridge also includes a wall section for retaining the spool of image carrying tape in a generally circular configuration, a device for limiting the movement of the image carrying tape from the tape and ribbon supply section in a forward direction only, an improved guide structure for guiding the tape and ribbon through the elongated guide section and an improved structure for aligning the cartridge with respect to a cartridge carrier.

Abstract: A ribbon machine which is capable of feeding ribbon to the inlet or feed opening of a ribbon cassette is improved by providing the ribbon machine with a support surface having a ribbon pathway thereon and at least two cassette adapters, each one of which can be positioned at one of a plurality of adapter positions on the support surface. The cassette adapters each are capable of holding at least one type of a variety of types of ribbon cassettes. Each of the adapter positions on the support surface includes a member capable of driving either an internal or external sprocket wheel or other drive wheel which feeds the ribbon into the cassette and a cassette adapter holding member which holds the cassette adapter at a particular adapter position. Each of the cassette adapters is constructed to include the capability of allowing the drive member at each of the adapter positions to interact with the cassette to feed the ribbon into the cassette.

Abstract: In a typewriter a carriage spacing mechanism is mounted on a support element to space a paper bearing carriage independently from a base structure and is connectable for assembly of the machine to a control means supported by the base structure. Keys, intermediate levers and type basket are assembled independently from the base structure and are fixed to the base structure only through the medium of a supporting block for the keys and fixing means for the type basket. A plate picks up the striking movement of the type bars and comprises a plurality of bearing elements disposed so as to cause the plate to rock about two pivot elements of the bearing elements and a cam portion which is dimensioned so as to regularize the stroke of a transmission element in dependence upon the particular type bar actuated for the striking.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for correction of non-impact printed material which is formed by depositing a thermoplastic marking material on the print sheet. The method and apparatus uses a correction tape or ribbon comprising a substrate which carries a pressure transferable pigmented material on one face. The correction ribbon is positioned between the erroneously printed character and a correction device which is actuated to produce sufficient pressure to move the correction ribbon into intimate contact with the erroneously printed character, and the pigmented material is transferred selectively only to the character area to cover the erroneously printed character, so that the correct character can then be printed. In an alternate embodiment, the correction device is actuated concurrently with a backspace operation.

Abstract: Bi-directional, constant velocity, carriage shuttling mechanisms particularly suitable for use in dot matrix line printers, are disclosed. The carriage shuttling mechanisms comprise a pair of identically sized bi-lobed, second order elliptical gears (41, 45) connected together in a 90.degree. phase relationship either directly or via a belt. One of the bi-lobed gears is rotated at a constant velocity and the other is eccentrically linked (47) to the carriage (11) to be bi-directionally shuttled at a constant velocity.

Abstract: Printing apparatus, having a rotatable platen with a printing element in front of it and a reversible platen drive for rotating the platen counterclockwise or clockwise relative to the printing element, is operable to feed, from an upper hopper extending upwardly and rearwardly from the bottom of the platen, an unprinted sheet to the bottom of the platen and forwardly and upwardly to the front of the platen into printing position. A selector switch may be provided for selecting the direction of rotation of the platen after completion of printing so that its rotation counterclockwise moves the printed sheet upwardly and rearwardly toward the upper hopper and its rotation clockwise moves the printed sheet downwardly for sequential stacking in the lower hopper to collate successive printed sheets in their order of printing.

Abstract: An interface for converting standard computer character code, in either serial or parallel form, into a sequence of simulated acoustic wave pattern signals. These wave pattern signals are then applied to an acoustic bar operated typewriter, like the typewriter sold under the mark "Typetronic" by the SCM Corporation, duplicating the acoustic wave fronts that are generated by the keyboard. Thus the typewriter is conformed to operate as a data processing printer without any reduction in the functions thereof.

Abstract: A ribbon (22) in thermal printing has an outer layer (50) which adheres to printed characters at somewhat elevated temperatures but is non-tacky at room temperatures. The embodiment has an active layer of an ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, an acrylic polymer, and carbon black. Thermal printing is conducted from the preferred ribbon by setting the switch (44) for heating to temperatures higher than the lift-off temperature. Lift-off is accomplished by returning to the printing position of the error and setting the switch (44) for lower voltage to the printing electrodes (9). The guide (29) allows cooling so that the bond is set before the ribbon (22) is pulled away.

Abstract: A ribbon cartridge for use in a high speed band printer includes a body having a ribbon storage compartment where the ribbon is contained in a multiplicity of serpentine folds. The body has a ribbon inlet and an outlet end and guide arms extend from the inlet and outlet ends to guide the endless ribbon into and out of the cartridge and to define an exposed loop of the ribbon between the outermost end of the guide arms. The outlet end and outlet arm of the cartridge is formed to define a ribbon inverting device which serves to invert the ribbon 180.degree. each time the ribbon passes through the device.

Abstract: A word processing machine for printing text in the form of successive lines of characters on a record carrier and including a printing mechanism constructed to operate with interchangeable typing elements, each typing element carrying a selected set of type characters each corresponding to a respective character representation, a function keyboard for effecting input of first and second function instructions, input of the first instruction being effected when character representations are to be inputted which correspond to type characters carried by another typing element; and a control unit responsive to the first function instruction for temporarily preventing printing of characters corresponding to character representations subsequently inputted via a character input keyboard and for storing each character representation together with the first function instruction in the memory in a manner to indicate the intended location of the associated character on the record carrier, while causing the printing mecha