Abstract: A highly stable rotating platform with a base, a roller deck assembly on top of the base, and a shooting deck coupled to the roller deck via leg assemblies. The leg assemblies contain two vertical members with an angled cross member between the vertical members providing strength and stability. Bi-directional, unrestricted rotation of the roller deck assembly and shooting deck (in an unlimited number of degrees—e.g. multiple rotations) is accomplished by wheels in the roller deck which rotate around, and to the outside of, a safety guide attached to the base. The wheels may protrude through the top of the roller deck permitting the operator to precisely, easily, and smoothly rotate the roller deck and shooting deck by only moving his/her foot on the protruding wheel thereby not substantially changing their position relative to the shooting deck. The wheels may also be cambered and/or crowned to add lateral stiffness.

Abstract: A cassette for ribbon for a printer, particularly a thermal printer, is disclosed. The cassette is configured to be stably mounted to a print carriage of a thermal printer, or to a storage turret mounted to the printer for storing a number of cassettes, and to be transferred by a passive transfer system between the print carriage and the storage turret simply in response to movement of the print carriage. A smooth, low friction path is provided for the ribbon within the cassette with no acute angle changes in the path when the cassette is in a printing position and being acted upon by the printer's print head. The cassette is provided with a brake mechanism which automatically engages the supply and take-up reels in the cassette when the cassette is removed from the print carriage, and automatically disengages the brake mechanism when the cassette is mounted to the print carriage.

Abstract: A belt-drive tensioning system for a motor drive positioning system, especially for X-Y digital plotters. The tensioning system employs spring-loading involving motion along only one translational direction to accurately preset and maintain constant the desired belt tension. Preferred embodiments to provide a self-contained modular unit include a dual plate assembly in roller-bearing relationship, and the use of V-shaped mounting springs.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for use with printers (or plotters) for storing and transferring ink-containing ribbon cassettes between a print head and a storage location. The printers (or plotters) are of the type which include a print head that is not as wide as the width of the medium to be printed on so that the print head has to be moved to print (or plot) across the full width of the medium. The apparatus automatically removes a cassette mounted to the movable carriage to which the print head is also mounted and deposits it in the storage station, and automatically removes a selected cassette from the storage station and deposits it on the print carriage. The apparatus includes cassette holders at the storage location and a cassette holder mounted to the print carriage.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for determining the diameter of sheet material wound on a reel, and for setting the tension on sheet material as it is wound on the reel. According to one embodiment, the diameter of a take-up reel including sheet material wound thereon is determined from the angle of rotation or instantaneous angular speed of the take-up reel, and movement of the sheet material as obtained from rotation of a circular element such as a drive roller in a pinch roller drive system which rotates in proportional to sheet material movement. In another embodiment, the diameter of a reel in a reel-to-reel transport system is determined from the angles of rotation or instantaneous angular speeds of the supply and take-up reels, the total amount of sheet material in the system, and the packing factor of the sheet material rewound on the take-up reel.

Abstract: A robotic pipe crawling device comprises two three-wheel modules pivotally connected at their centers, each having one idler wheel and two driven wheels. Each module comprises an idler yoke and a driveline yoke chassis with parallel laterally spaced rectangular side plates, the idler side plates being pinned at one end to the chassis and the idler wheel mounted on the other end. The driveline side plates are pinned to the chassis and the drive wheels are rotatably mounted one at each end. A motor at each end of the chassis pivots the wheeled modules independently into and out of a wheel engaging position on the interior of the pipe and a drive motor carried by the driveline yoke drives the two drive wheels in opposite directions to propel the device. A motor mounted within each idler yoke allows them to pivot independently of the driveline yokes. A swivel joint in the chassis midsection allows each end to rotate relative to the other. The chassis may be extended with additional driveline yokes.