Abstract: A type carrier arrangement for producing a roller print, which includes a continuously rotating type drum having arranged thereon a plurality of type carriers respectively carrying one type. Each type carrier has one gear segment arranged thereon for producing a rolling print. This print is brought about by a control member in cooperation with a gear segment associated with the printing area and not rotating with the type drum. The gear segment of the type drum includes a guiding section formed by the omission of a tooth. After the gear segment has meshed with the tooth segment designed as inner tooth segment, the guiding section is held by fixing means in the starting position thereof. The control means is designed as pawl controlled to act upon a ratchet tooth on the type carrier shaft so that the gear segment is turned in the direction toward the inner tooth segment. Each type shaft comprises in one cross-sectional plane at least two types offset relative to each other at an angle.

Abstract: A jam release control for a typewriter provided with a motor driven power train to rotate a power roll. The train includes a normally engaged clutch which can be momentarily disengaged by an operator when the power train is jammed thereby allowing the motor to come up to speed and develop torque as will overcome a jam incident to reengagement of the clutch.

Abstract: A matrix print wire solenoid actuator for a high speed wire matrix printer is disclosed wherein a small diameter print wire is propelled against printing paper and ribbon by the linear motion of the solenoid plunger, to which the print wire is attached, in an improved impact printer having one or more in number and variously arranged print wires for use in dot matrix printing. High magnetic circuit efficiency, high repetition rate and minimized plunger coil heating and plunger mass are achieved by providing a continuous magnetic flux path through the solenoid interrupted only by two working air gaps of low reluctance for generating accelerating force on the plunger during coil energization. The opposing air gap surfaces formed by the plunger and solenoid pole pieces are conical for insuring that both air gaps generate accelerating force on the plunger.

Abstract: A recording element for a matrix printer having an armature which is capable of movement relative to a casing under spring action by means of electric energization and to which a recording stylus is secured. The restoring spring surrounding the stylus is centered in the element in that its two end parts each comprise a plurality of closely wound turns. The spring part intermediate the end parts provides the spring action. Thus wear of the spring and the stylus due to rubbing contact is avoided.

Abstract: A printing device and a carriage transport motor are mounted separately on a carriage and driven in a step-wise manner. The motor shaft rolls over a rubber guide at least under the influence of the weight of the motor, while a driving pinion on the shaft engages a rack.

Abstract: A wire printing device comprises a frame removably mounted on a carriage which can move parallely to a platen. On the frame is removably mounted a guide block of resin material which guides a plurality of printing wires individually actuatable by a plurality of electromagnets, mounted on the frame. For an easy assembly of the printing device, a terminal guide is removably mounted on the frame for guiding the printing wires in proximity of the platen. Moreover, between the terminal guide and the guide block, a lubricating pad is disposed at contact with the printing wires and an oil container, mounted on the guide block, is connected through a wick to the pad for holding it constantly impregnated.

Abstract: An electronic keyboard is provided with a centrally operable elongated spacer bar that affords a smooth response to depression anywhere along its linear spans, a bail preloadably anchored at various points along the keyboard base being pivotally coupled to the extremities of the spacer bar to effectuate an even load distribution and minimal central drag upon each spacer bar depression, the preloadable anchoring of the bail at the various points along the keyboard base permitting convenient assembly of the spacer bar on the keyboard without the use of tools.

Abstract: A serial matrix printer has a print head mounted to move along a print line. The print head has means to change the relative vertical positions of some of the print wires with respect to the others. A first embodiment uses a pair of wire guides arranged so that one is translatable with respect to the other, thereby altering the relationship of the wires in the one guide with respect to the other, and a second embodiment employs a rotatable guide which positions the wires at angles such that the desired spatial relation between the wires is obtained.

Abstract: A printer is disclosed which comprises a type platen and a type head opposite the periphery of said type platen and spaced apart therefrom to form a given gap spacing therewith. The type head is located in a plane extending perpendicular to the axis of the type platen and is movable in a direction parallel to the axis of the platen. The typehead includes a plurality of impacting wires arranged radially about the axis of said type platen, a plurality of operating pins each secured to the rear end of each of the impacting wires, and a plurality of solenoids having corresponding armatures whose free ends are adapted to be engaged with the operating pins when the solenoids are energized in response to given print signals, the front ends of the impacting wires are caused to impact upon the peripheral surface of said type platen to imprint characters corresponding to these signals on a record sheet.

Abstract: Automatic justifying typewriter includes incremental drive means operatively coupled to a printer for effecting controlled horizontal and vertical movement between a printout sheet and the character printing means. The operation of the printer and the drive means may be controlled either by direct keyboard entry or by coded printing operation and spacing operation control signals from a data source, such as, a computer programmed to prearrange the data, assign a preselected horizontal space to each printing character and compute the horizontal space between words for a preselected line length. The coded control signals control the drive means so that after each character is printed, the drive means will advance the character printing means a preselected number of times for that character; and at the end of each line the drive means will index a preselected number of times according to a predetermined setting.

Abstract: A wire matrix printhead having a plurality of wire styli wherein each stylus is capable of being actuated by an electromagnetically actuated hammer. Each of the wire styli has an input end which is impacted by the armature of an electromagnet and has an output end which is used to impact a recording medium for printout purposes. The impact or input ends of each of the wire styli are arranged or configured along the periphery of an ellipse while the output or printout ends of the wire styli are arranged in a straight line configuration. Each of the wire styli are of equal length to the others and they all reside in a straight line longitudinal elongation. The output or printing ends of each of the wire styli are held in a jeweled bearing which is capable of being retracted to expose the printing ends of the wire styli for grinding and polishing and other corrective actions. This permits the wire matrix printhead to have its life extended three to four times its normal usage period.

Abstract: A wire matrix print head for a dot matrix printer employs a plurality of electromagnetically actuated print wires converging forwardly through a wire guide member for termination at their leading ends in confronting and adjacent relation to the print medium. The trailing ends of the print wires are mounted within electromagnetic actuators for movement in a lengthwise direction to cause their leadings ends to be driven into the print medium to form a series of even impressions or dots thereon, the print wires being displaced at equal included angles between adjacent print wires. The wires diverge in different directions along equal radii of curvature preferably corresponding to their elastic curves from their leadings ends toward the trailing ends whereby to minimize frictional surface engagement in supporting the wires for movement into the print medium under an equal degree of force to assure uniform impressions or dots in forming each character or symbol.

Abstract: A new and improved print head apparatus for applying ink in a selectively controlled matrix of dots to form letters, numbers, characters and symbols onto packages, containers and the like, which is compact in size and adapted for rapid, accurate movement with controllable ink flow therethrough.

Abstract: An improved means for attaching print wires in a wire matrix print head mechanism is disclosed which enables the use of brittle wire materials having long wear life, such as tungsten carbide, to be attached to a moving armature in a manner which eliminates or reduces the flexural stresses so that the wires will not be broken in use. A flexural hinge means is utilized to connect the moving armature to the printing wire, the hinge being of a unitary piece of high strength, flexible material having a lower stiffness than the printing wire.

Abstract: A printing device for printing characters, composed of dot-like or line-like elements, by means of recording pins which are driven by electromagnets. The recording pins are connected to the armature of the electromagnets and are guided in a bar which can be displaced in front of a recording sheet. The electromagnets are also accommodated in this bar.

Abstract: A dot matrix impact printer includes a retractable platen which positions an elongated sheet of paper in a location where a print head prints a line of data on the paper. In a second mode of operation, the insertion of a form, shorter than the elongated sheet of paper, is detected by photodetecting means. The form is inserted in overlying relation to the elongated sheet, where it is juxtaposed against the retractable platen. The photodetecting means in turn activate a solenoid. Activation of the solenoid displaces relatively small rollers against the inserted form in a manner pressing the form against the elongated sheet of paper. An intermediate length of the sheet is supported by a relatively large roller which undergoes indexed movement. As the sheet undergoes indexed movement during a printing operation, so does the form. At the end of a printing operation, the solenoid automatically retracts the relatively small rollers thereby permitting the withdrawal of the form.

Abstract: A non-linear spring design for use in a high speed solenoid assembly especially adapted for use in impact printers of the dot matrix type. The solenoid coil--when energized--drives the solenoid armature and a print wire connected thereto for impact against an inked ribbon and a paper document to form a dot upon the paper document. The armature is initially driven against an initially "weak" spring biasing force of a large beam-radius spring member to facilitate rapid acceleration to impact velocity. The radial beam length of the spring member is continually shortened as the armature is displaced in the activated direction by contact at continuously varying support points on the armature head or flux ring, whereby the normally linear spring develops more force in a non-linear manner for the same displacement.

Abstract: In one form of the invention, an electronic scale transmits data responsive to the weight of an article on the scale to a driver or control unit which activates selected segments of a digital printer to project those segments beyond the face of the printer for inking and subsequently applying indicia to the article showing its weight. Also, visual display means may be provided with the electronic scale. The digital segments are activated simultaneously by a switch on the portable printer and remain in extended locked position until the switch is subsequently closed to activate the printer to release those segments which have been extended and to extend segments indicative of a new weight on the scale. In a second form of the invention, an electronic scale activates a stationary printer which sequentially extends and retracts the segments for each digit to be printed onto a box which has been previously been weighed.

Abstract: A tabulation drive mechanism is described for use with an asynchronous printer mechanism of the sort including a rotating type wheel which has its characters arranged thereon along a helical path. The wheel is rotated continuously about the axis of the helical path during printing and a print drive mechanism includes a lead screw which is coupled to the wheel. A rack and pawl mechanism selectively holds the print wheel at columnar printing positions. The tabulation drive mechanism is basically independent of, and in addition to, the lead screw for driving the print wheel to the right or left during tabulation. The tabulation drive mechanism includes two oppositely acting motors which are linked to the print wheel via magnetic particle clutches. A logic circuit activating the magnetic clutches coordinates the print and tabulation drive mechanisms.

Abstract: A printer of the dot matrix type for printing, single, double and triple sized characters. Normal sized characters are printed in the conventional fashion. Double and triple sized characters are printed through a segmented technique in which segments of the double and triple sized characters are stored within readable memories (ROMS). For double sized characters which occupy two adjacent character lines, the segmented patterns for the upper portions of the characters are printed along the first normal sized character line. The lower half of the double sized characters is printed on the next adjacent character line by selection of the appropriate segmented patterns. Triple sized characters are printed in a similar manner, utilizing three lines of conventional sized characters. The same technique may be employed to create other graphic patterns of 1 to N lines, where N is a real integer equal to or greater than 2. The technique permits the utilization of either unidirectional or bidirectional printers.