Abstract: A printer mechanism including a frame, a platen, a printhead, a compensator mechanism supported on a frame and movable relative thereto to compensate for print media of various thicknesses, a drive motor for driving the printhead rotatable in the first direction to drive the printhead and rotatable in the second direction and a sector gear connected to the compensator mechanism for effecting movement of the compensator mechanism to move the platen supported thereby away from the printhead. The drive motor when rotated in the second direction is effective to drive the sector gear to move the compensator mechanism to move the platen to a position in which it is spaced apart from the printhead.

Abstract: A dual station printer mechanism (10) including a first feed roller (22), a second feed roller (24), drive means (16) having an output shaft (20) for driving the first and second feed rollers (22, 24) and coupling means in the form of one-way clutches (34, 36) for selectively coupling and decoupling the first and second feed rollers (22, 24) from the output shaft of the drive means. Mechanism (10) further preferably includes a first pressure roller (68) normally biased against first feed roller (22) and a second pressure roller (80) normally biased against second feed roller (24) for enabling effective movement of first and second data carriers respectively therebetween to a position between a printhead 70 and a print bar 72 at which printing occurs.

Abstract: A printer apparatus including a printhead (14) for printing on a data carrier (20), a printhead carrier (15) for moving the printhead along a path, a cutter mechanism (30) for cutting the data carrier upon command, a bi-directional drive means (34) having an output shaft (36) operable to be driven in first and second directions and a one-way clutch means (46) operatively associated with the output shaft for actuating the cutter mechanism (30) and driving the printhead carrier (14). The drive means when effecting rotation of the output shaft (36) in the first direction effecting movement of the printhead carrier and printhead along the path and when effecting rotation of the output shaft in the second direction effecting actuation of the cutter mechanism (30) to cut the data carrier.

Abstract: A lightweight, extremely compact printer apparatus has a constant speed drive which imparts reversible, translatory motion to a print head; and as the print head is advanced with respect to a platen imparts a direct mechanical drive to a paper advancing roller in order to advance paper from a feed roll line by line between printing operations. In turn, advancement of the paper or other recording medium from the paper roll drives a print ribbon supply holder to advance a print ribbon across the platen in front of the paper. The power requirements and size of the apparatus are substantially reduced to the extent that the apparatus is of a size corresponding to hand held calculator printers, since the movement of each element is utilized to drive another element successively from the print head carrier, paper advancement roller, paper roll to the print ribbon in close correlation to one another during each print cycle.