Abstract: Apparatus for color printing for installation in a printer having a platen, a carriage, a printing head mounted on the carriage, a mechanism for moving the carriage along parallel to the platen and a control for actuating the print head so that the print head can print on a printing medium engaged on the platen employs a guide for guiding a segment color-banded ink ribbon between the printing means and the platen parallel to the platen so that, when actuated, the print head prints indicia in a color corresponding to the ribbon segment color band located opposite the print head. The apparatus also includes a rigid beam pivotally connected to the guide, the pivotal connection being displaced along the beam from the beam transverse centerline. First and second pivots are connected adjacent to opposite ends of the beam.

Abstract: A clutch assembly which provides selective output drive especially adapted for use in incrementally driving a platen and tape reader mechanism for use in printers. An output gear is freewheelingly mounted upon the clutch assembly driven shaft and is mechanically linked to a free wheeling cam through a helical spring wound tightly about the driven shaft. The free wheeling cam is provided with at least one notch for selective engagement by a pivotally mounted solenoid actuated latch. When the latch is disengaged from the free wheeling cam, the spring is rotated by the driven shaft and imparts its rotation to both the output gear and the cam. Upon actuation of the solenoid, the latch member engages the free wheeling cam member to restrain it from rotation, causing the helical spring to unwrap itself (i.e., loosen) about the shaft and stop the output gear from rotating.

Abstract: 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 paper document to form a dot upon the paper document. The armature is initially driven against the biasing force of a "weak" spring to facilitate rapid acceleration to impact velocity. Just before the print wire strikes the inked ribbon and paper document, the armature comes under the influence of a "kicker" spring having a greater spring force and which is flexed by the moving armature which serves to return the armature to the non-impact position at a more rapid rate when the solenoid coil is deenergized.The use of a headed armature with a depression along its rear surface serves to significantly reduce armature "bounce".