Abstract: Disclosed is a mechanism for shifting the rack of a selection mechanism for a single element printer from one position to another in timed relationship to the translation of a barrel cam which provides the necessary mechanical input to control the amount of rotation of the typehead. The control of the rack shift mechanism is a cam arrangement operated in timed relationship with the translating barrel cam to provide for the shifting of the rack at the beginning of each print cycle, if necessary, and the retaining of the rack in its shifted position at the completion of the cycle, thereby eliminating the necessity to provide for the time required to shift the rack back to its home position at the end of the cycle.

Abstract: Striking device for a dot printer, comprising an electrodynamic coil connected with a striking hammer, subjected to the action of at least one magnetic field substantially perpendicular to its plane and connected to a fixed support by means of a deformable elastic suspension unit. The device is characterized in that the electrodynamic coil is formed by at least one spiral cut in a thin metal foil and in that the elastic suspension unit is formed by narrow metal strips which are coplanar with each other and with the spiral.

Abstract: A high-speed printer with a printing wheel with the individual type elements supported by radially extending spokes. Separate servo systems provide intermittent movement for the printing wheel and the carriage carrying the printing wheel.

Abstract: An electromechanical writing device comprising a writing head, a writing head carrier for carrying the writing head, a guide along which the writing head carrier is movable during a writing operation, a writing platen over which, in operation, a recording medium, e.g. paper, is moved during the writing operation, a shearing edge forming part of the writing platen and extending in a direction parallel to the direction of movement of the writing head, and a roller knife mounted for movement along the guide and cooperating with the shearing edge to permit the recording medium to be cut.

Abstract: An electromechanical writing device comprising a writing head, a carrier for carrying the writing head, a guide bar along which the carrier is movable during a writing operation, a writing platen disposed parallel to the direction of movement of the carrier, an upper frame part on which the guide bar is mounted, a lower frame part, and a pivot axis about which the upper frame part and the lower frame part are mounted for pivotal movement relative to one another. The pivot axis is disposed parallel to the length of the writing platen which itself is disposed in a plane which bisects an imaginary cylinder coaxial with the pivot axis. An adjustable stop is provided for adjusting the distance between the writing head and the writing platen and the position of closest approach of the upper frame part and the lower frame part.

Abstract: Disclosed is a mechanism for shifting the rack of a selection mechanism for a single element printer from one portion to another in timed relationship to the translation of a barrel cam which provides the necessary mechanical input to control the amount of rotation of the typehead. The control of the rack shift mechanism is a cam arrangement operated in timed relationship with the translating barrel cam to provide for the shifting of the rack at the beginning of each print cycle, if necessary, and the retaining of the rack in its shifted position at the completion of the cycle, thereby eliminating the necessity to provide for the time required to shift the rack back to its home position at the end of the cycle.

Abstract: An ink supply means for a matrix printer with means for replenishing the ribbon ink for increased ribbon life and a ribbon transport combining high-speed reversibility and means for preventing ink depletion and for preventing ribbon destruction at the print head wires; all particularly adapted for a point-of-sale terminal.

Abstract: An electromagnetic circuit for controlling the travel of a stylus by attaching the stylus to a movable core. The movable core cooperates with a drive coil to form a magnetic circuit with annular portions extending into the drive coil from both ends thereof.

Abstract: Marking dial in an electrically actuated nameplate marker is indexed by a ratchet gear means having two adjacent rows of gear teeth which are out of phase relative to each other. A solenoid-actuated detent plate is adapted to engage a gear tooth in one of the two rows of gear teeth in response to a signal from a rotary switch means, thereby positioning the marking dial so as to imprint a desired character. The rotary switch means is operably connected to an alphanumeric keyboard which completes a circuit to solenoids which actuate the detent plate.

Abstract: Orthogonal ten-finger keyboards are disclosed for typewriters, computer terminals, and other devices processing alphanumeric information that maximize entry rates and stroking accuracy--and minimize finger motions and the time needed to master the keyboard. The invention employs a plurarity of vertically oriented keys adjacent to horizontal home keys. The invention places five high frequency consonants on home keys under the fingers of the right hand; the space and four high frequency vowels on home keys under the fingers of the left hand; and ten medium frequency characters on adjacent vertical keys. Two-key chords executed by fingers of the same hand generate common two-character sequences belonging to the keys stroked. The keyboard is split into rotated halves containing curved key rows and slanted key tops of variable height to follow the architecture of the hand. The invention discloses optimum orthogonal keyboards for English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish, and Dutch.

Abstract: A tine mounting for a cultivator includes an elongated horizontal support with passages at each end thereof to receive a tine. The passages are enlarged and have securing surfaces at each side thereof to interfit with the fastening portions of tines and prevent same from being displaced.

Abstract: A syllabic keyboard and the devices through which its keys control different mechanisms and/or apparatus, for example : printers and/or other recording systems. The material structure of the keyboard, these devices and their arrangements have made possible different layouts of syllabic keyboards for different languages in which certain keys each control simultaneously up to five characters plus a spacing. Several character keys and spacing keys may be depressed simultaneously.

Abstract: Printing apparatus including a multi-phase stepping motor having a shaft rotated thereby, and detecting means opto-electronically coupled to the shaft. A printing stylus is mechanically coupled with the shaft such that the shaft drives the stylus along a path. A control circuit coupled with the opto-electronic detecting means correlates signals to the stylus with the position of the shaft.

Abstract: A printer of the wire type including 8 print wires disposed in a row and each actuatable by an electromagnet for printing individual characters defined by eight dots high and seven dots wide on a longitudinally movable ticket medium. The printing mechanism is also capable of printing fractions including numerators defined by the top six print wires and denominators defined by the bottom six wires together with a diagonally extending slash mark the printed dots of which lie within the seven dot wide character areas and a three dots wide normally blank area between characters. The printing mechanism may be so controlled either by a hardware embodiment of control or a micro controller.

Abstract: A cultivator tine and mounting includes an elongated tube support that rotates about an upwardly extending shaft that is secured to a bracket at the upper central portion on the support. Each end of the support is closed by tine holders having vertical passageways with tapering surfaces to secure upper fastening portions of the tines. Each tine includes a soil-working portion which is integrally joined to the working portion. A collar with a conical surface is located adjacent and above the juncture. Also, projections on the tine immediately adjacent the collar extend laterally beyond the collar and the projections are received in their holders.

Abstract: The "touch" or "feel" of a key in a keyboard is controlled by a system of permanent magnets. A first magnet is attached to one end of a key lever and the key lever is pivoted intermediate its ends. A bias spring is provided to normally bias the key lever against a stop. A second magnet is disposed adjacent the path of movement of the first magnet whereby the force required to depress the key lever is dependent upon the spring constant and the interaction of the fields of the magnets. The magnets are positioned such that, as the lever is depressed there is a repelling force between the magnets. Thus, the force required to depress the key is the sum of the spring bias force and the repelling force between the magnets as the first magnet is moved from the home position to a position opposite the second magnet, but is the difference between the spring bias force and the repelling force between the magnets as the key is further depressed.

Abstract: An all-electronic control system for a high-speed column sequential dot matrix printer, using a permutation code signal of given pulse rate p comprising a series of individual code words each including a fixed number of data pulses preceded by a start pulse; the control system comprises a plural-stage FIFO storage register with a capacity of at least three, and preferably four or more, code words, for storing input data, as during a carriage return of the printer. A print timing oscillator having a frequency f is coupled to countdown means that develops a normal print rate signal f/n and a fast print rate signal f/m, where f >>p and n>m. A print rate selector selects one of the print rate signals, to control the printing speed of the printer, depending on whether a code word is stored in a given stage of the storage register.

Abstract: In high-speed serial-type wire printer with platen for backing impression-receiving media and carriage for traversing print head having printing wires reciprocable at right angles to platen to effect impressions against media along a print line on platen; a print head mounted on the carriage for independent movement perpendicular to print line, biasing means urging print head away from platen, and a plurality of individually selected rotatable stop members on a shaft in a series extending for length of platen, the shaft being carried by adjustable bearings to insure its being axially parallel to platen, with each stop member comprising polyhedron presenting plurality of peripheral faces each differently spaced from shaft, and a roller on print head for engagement with stop member faces by the biasing means, the print head thereby being maintained a predetermined distance from the media during traversing of carriage regardless of the thickness of the media so as to accommodate media of different thicknesses.

Abstract: A simple carriage mechanism for a thermal printer or the like is provided wherein an escapement mechanism advances the printer from one character to the next.

Abstract: A shift mechanism for a typewriter comprises a platen supporting frame which is mounted for movement about a predetermined axis to align the position of the platen with the type case, numeral or symbol to be printed. The mechanism has capability of shifting the platen and is used both for the change-over of the two different types and for selecting one of three different types. A locking device is provided for the typewriter which allows the continuous printing operation with the changed-over type position maintained as it is, while, for the change-over of letters, such as from a lower to an upper case letter for a single printing operation, the changed-over position is released from the locked state. The holding and releasing of the changed-over position of type can be effected by actuating the key for the type change-over operation without requiring any specific manipulation.