Abstract: A vertically disposed placard has two sections, one disposed over the other, with the upper section of the placard attached to a pole, standard or other mount. A hinge connects the bottom perimeter edge of the fixed section with the top perimeter edge of the lower, pivotable section, allowing the front surface of the pivotable section to rotate and fold flat against the front surface of the upper, fixed section. A catch mechanism releaseably holds the two sections flat against each other, preventing the pivotable section from unfolding. An electrical controller is attached to the back surface of the fixed section of the placard and senses when a condition to which the sign is responsive occurs. Upon the occurrence, the controller causes release of the catch mechanism, allowing the pivotable section to unfold under the force of a bias (e.g., spring) and/or gravity, or by an electric motive mechanism to display the front surfaces of both sections of the placard.

Abstract: A display enclosure includes a case, a driver board assembly configured to provide signals to a display, a clamp assembly having a head configured to slidably engage the case and a protrusion configured to secure the driver board assembly to the case. A message center enclosure includes a case, a driver board assembly configured to generate a display, a pivot clamp assembly coupled to the case, and configured to couple the driver board assembly to the case, in a manner that is devoid of apertures through the driver board assembly for coupling the driver board assembly to the case. A method of manufacturing a message center enclosure includes obtaining a case having opposing first and second ends and at least one pivot clamp assembly, sliding a driver board assembly into the case, and sliding the pivot clamp assembly into the case.

Abstract: An inked ribbon cartridge having a cassette housing, a printing roller in a roller bracket, and a carrier member. The carrier member has an inked ribbon stored on two winding reels that lie parallel to the printing roller, and is separately removable from the cartridge. The cartridge has at least one locking mechanism with an actuation element to both unlock and remove the carrier member from the cassette housing. The carrier member also has a guard member preventing unintentional contact with the ribbon, and through which the printing roller extends.

Abstract: A paper feed tractor comprising a main frame, a sub frame secured to the main frame with a major portion thereof and disposed in parallel to the main frame, and a belt driving unit supported for sliding movement between the main and sub frames. The main and sub frames have first openings formed in a coaxial relationship at locations adjacent one end portions thereof so as to loosely fit a drive shaft therein and second openings formed in a coaxial relationship at locations adjacent the other end portions thereof so as to support a support shaft for sliding movement and for fixation therein. The belt driving unit includes a belt driving sprocket wheel supported for rotation on a plate-formed belt receiving member, and an endless belt extends between the sprocket wheel and a belt guide formed on the belt receiving member.

Abstract: A web holding device in which elastic pieces of tapered form projecting out towards a bearing and expanding in the outer peripheral direction are formed on a web driving shaft which is coupled with a driving unit and rotatably supported at one end on a frame; and a core having an engaging section formed at one end is mounted on the web driving shaft, such that the core is retained by a contact portion formed on the end of each of the elastic pieces.

Abstract: An ink ribbon cartridge for a printing apparatus, in which two reels for the supply and take-up of a ink ribbon are rotatably mounted, incorporates a cartridge body and cover in which support sections for retaining the ends of the reels are provided. At an end of the cartridge, leaf springs are included which apply a constant frictional force to the reel hubs to prevent unwanted rotation of the reels. Therefore unwanted slackening of the ribbon is prevented, whether or not the printing apparatus is engaged in a printing operation.

Abstract: A keyboard section and a print mechanism section of a typewriter are housed in separate housings which may be mechanically joined together through connect means comprising first and second engaging means provided in the respective housings. In the assembled condition, the keyboard housing may be held in position relative to the print mechanism housing against moving in any direction and therefore operated even when there is no available space for the keyboard housing itself.

Abstract: An armature device of a printing head for use in a wire printer includes stylus having a free end to strike a recording medium, an armature connected to the stylus for reciprocating the stylus in a longitudinal direction thereof, a permanent magnet for generating a magnetic flux, a core for conducting the magnetic flux into the armature to form a magnetic path, a coil winding wound around the core for selectively substantially cancelling the magnetic flux, and a spring member having a free end supporting the armature for spring biasing the armature away from the core. The armature has a generally elongated shape, and a transverse groove formed in an end portion of the armature. The end portion of the armature has a first portion forming one wall of the groove and a second portion forming the other wall of the groove, the first and second portions opposing each other along the longitudinal direction of the armature. One of the walls is higher than the other wall.

Abstract: A gripper finger for a sheet gripper system for a printing press, to which gripper unwanted paper dust, dirt, debris, or the like cannot stick, the profiled retaining surface of the finger has in its front part a single bead-like protuberance which contacts the sheet, has a bead radius (R) of from 0.4 to 1.0 mm, extends parallel to the front edge of the sheet and is coated with a hard substance.

Abstract: In a printer for printing information onto a recording medium, rotation of a platen in a normal direction causes the recording medium to be transported in a normal-feed direction. Rotation of the platen in a reverse direction causes the recording medium to be transported in a reverse-feed direction opposite to the normal-feed direction. Discharge rollers are arranged above the platen for rotation about an axis parallel to a longitudinal axis of the platen at respective peripheral speeds higher than that of the platen. A rotation transmitting mechanism is arranged between the platen and the discharge rollers for transmitting rotation of the platen to the discharge rollers.

Abstract: Method and apparatus capable of automatically cleaning a dampening water supply passage to a plate cylinder in an offset press, as well as an ink supply passage to the late cylinder. The apparatus comprises an operation instruction means producing operation signals in a sequence to driving portions of various means which include ink supply-stopping means, means for supplying a cleaning solvent, cleaning waste recovering means, means for bringing ink supply rollers out of contact with the plate cylinder, means for bringing dampening water supply rollers out of contact with the plate cylinder, and main control means, a start instruction means that starts the operation instruction means, and a manual instruction means. This manual instruction means permits the operator to select either cleaning of only the ink supply passage or cleaning of all the ink supply passage and the dampening water supply passage.

Abstract: A printer case adaptable to print individual sheets of paper and fan-fold computer paper has a bottom case and a cover pivotably supported on the cover. The printer components are supported within the bottom case and a sheet guide is pivotably supported on the cover. The sheet guide pivots between a first position for guiding individual sheets into the printer and a second position for guiding fan-fold paper out of the printer once printing has occurred. A coupling structure is provided for pivotably coupling the cover to the bottom so that the cover may pivot between a first position in which the cover is closed to permit printing to occur and a second position in which the cover is open to expose the printer components and permit insertion of fan-fold paper.

Abstract: A screen printing machine includes a lifting block liftably provided relative to a movable block. The movable block is reciprocatingly movable in a horizontal direction above a screen disposed on an article to be printed. A printing member includes at least one of a scraper and a skid mounted to the lifting block to facilitate screen printing by extruding ink on the screen. Mounting structure pivotally supports the lifting block so as to be displaceable in a widthwise direction of the lifting block so that the printing member can automatically follow the upper surface of the screen even though it is inclined.

Abstract: In an electronically controlled typewriter, a printer or the like with an exchangeable ribbon cassette, which is provided with identifying codings and where the ribbon cassette is pivotable between a lowered position of rest and an elevated printing or operating position around the cassette base facing away from the printing area, it is provided in order to attain a simple and dependably readable coding which can discriminate between a plurality of different types of ribbon cassettes, that at a defined radial distance from the base of the ribbon cassette, which is to be inserted, a sensor is disposed at the side of the pivot path of the same, which gives off an electrical output signal in reference to a changing magnetic field. It is provided in a ribbon cassette for such a typewriter or such a printer to dispose at least one bistable magnetic element on a lateral surface of the ribbon cassette.

Abstract: The invention provides means to protect a widely used keyboard such as the IBM XT PC and PS/2 keyboard against vandalism and spill if such a keyboard is used in exposed situations, e.g. in self-service application/transaction machines which are publically accessible and unattended. On the base plate or housing 1 respectively of the keyboard 12 a grid plate 8 is fixed. This grid plate has openings 10 arranged in the pattern of the keys and in such a size that the cone-like keys 11 cannot be removed toward the top. The grid plate may be fixed directly to the keyboard housing or by means of a supporting frame 4 which is secured to the housing. In both cases grid plate or supporting frame respectively include a rim 5 to form a shallow trough 21 with the keyboard housing. A gasket 2 is provided between grid plate or supporting frame respectively and the keyboard housing. A drain 3 is provided in the rim to give controlled outflow.

Abstract: Sensor arm (5) detects paper (1) at the printing stations of a printer (13). The sensor arm is linked through shaft (37) to position ledge (43) where it encounters and extension (47) of spring clutch (31) to decouple the spring clutch. Sheetfeed (11) is both driven and controlled from the platen (3) of the printer. With the spring clutch deactivated by the presence of paper, pawl (39) continues to hold the sheetfeed in an inactive status. In the absence of paper, the sensor arm (5) moves past the printing region, moving the ledge (43) away from contact with the spring clutch. Backward movement of the platen then initiates a sheetfeed cycle by movement of gear (35) being transmitted through the spring clutch (31).