Abstract: An arrangement for the automatic positioning of axial lead electronic components upon a walking beam includes a tray positioning mechanism and a tray removal mechanism. The tray positioning mechanism in positioned above the walking beam and includes a pair of facing end guides for receiving a plurality of component positioning trays in a stacked arrangement whereon are positioned a plurality of aligned electronic components. The tray positioning mechanism further includes a pair of vertically displaceable support rails for engaging each tray in turn and lowering it beneath the walking beam whereupon all of the components positioned on the tray are removed from the tray and are deposited upon the walking beam. The thus empty tray is then removed from a position adjacent to and straddling the walking beam by a roller assembly which sequentially displaces each emptied tray onto the tray removal mechanism.

Abstract: A matrix print head operates 24 or more print wires to produce high quality characters. The head includes multiple levels, each of which contains common parts. Each level has a cup-shaped magnet frame, the bottom of which mounts poles. Around each pole is a bobbin-wound coil located via a tab on the bobbin which is held in a slot in the side wall of the magnet frame. An armature with a wide base and a narrow finger is associated with each pole. Each base pivots on a bevel edge formed in the side wall of the frame causing the finger to move a print wire. Posts on the bobbin extend through the holes in each armature to locate it on its pivot edge. The side wall of the frame and the armatures are configured so that only those portions capable of effectively contributing to moving the armatures are given substantial mass and size. Return force is applied to the armatures by a tensioned elastomeric band acting between the armature bases and a beveled surface spaced from the armatures.

Abstract: A wire matrix printer includes a plurality of electromagnetic actuators for use as dot-matrix printer drive elements. Each actuator has a unitary bobbin body made of insulating material which includes a slot arranged to receive a flat plate armature of ferromagnetic material. The bottom of the slot is sufficiently wide to receive an edge of the plate armature and the open portion of the slot is sufficiently wide to permit the plate to pivot around the edge positioned in the bottom of the slot towards a pole of an electromagnet and then away from it to the armature's rest position. The flat plate armature includes an integral spring portion with an end which is arranged to engage a notch in the bobbin body. Positioning of the end of the spring portion in the notch flexes the spring portion sufficiently so as to provide a spring force to return the armature to its rest position, as well as, keep the armature in the slot.

Abstract: The elements of a drive assembly for punched paper tape are arranged in a fixed relation on a shaft (42) to which the paper feed wheel (70) is attached. The assembly includes a drive mechanism (25 or 27) for selectively imparting equal increments of rotational motion to the shaft, first and second ball bearing assemblies (65, 75), spacers (74, 68, 69) and a nut (76). The shaft assembly is slidable within holes in the frame sideplates (71, 73) and within curved surfaces of projections (66, 67) of the paper guide body (28).

Abstract: A guide system for arranging a plurality of print wires from a converging arrangement into a parallel arrangement aligned with a column of dot locations to be printed on a record medium, the guide system including a first guide more remote from the record for bearing against the wires as they are bent into a direction perpendicular to the record medium. And a second guide nearer the record medium than is the first guide, for applying the bending force to the wires to bring them into alignment perpendicular to the record medium. A final guide still nearer to the record medium finally assures that the wires are in a straight, columnar line as they face the record medium.

Abstract: An armature locating and holding structure in which the armature only partially overlaps one of the magnetic poles so as to produce a magnetic tensile force on the armature tending to pull the armature toward the partially overlapped pole and a magnetic gap tending to apply a rotational balance force so as to pull the armature structure toward a pair of stops that limit movement of the armature toward the partially overlapped pole and also limits the rotation of the armature by reason of the magnetic gap.

Abstract: A wire matrix printer includes a print head having one or more banks of a plurality of generally horizontal, vertically spaced print wires arranged parallel to each other for linear reciprocation toward and away from a recording surface by associated actuators. The print wires in each bank are of progressively varying length so that the wire associated with the actuator furthest from the recording surface is the longest and each adjacent wire is a predetermined amount shorter than the preceding wire. Outer or actuator ends of the wires define a vertically spaced and stepped array. The actuators in each bank are also in an array vertically spaced and stepped and are respectively coupled to the outer print wire ends by armatures. The inner or printing ends of the wires define a vertically spaced, nearly planar array near the recording surface, and a spaced, planar array at such surface.

Abstract: A line feed mechanism for use with high speed, lead screw driven printers, such as of the dot matrix type, utilizes a solenoid with a dual pivotal armature to effect the coupling of a uniquely mounted and eccentrically displaceable platen gear to a lead screw connected gear. As such, single or multiple platen controlled line feeding is effected in a manner which is correlated with the linear advancement of the carriage-mounted and lead screw-driven print head. The pivotal armature, when actuated, is also employed to hold a detent lever out of engagement with a ratchet wheel associated with the platen during multiple line feeding. This advantageously obviates the "clatter" sound otherwise generated, with but one solenoid being required for both variable line feeding and ratchet wheel release.