Abstract: An ink ribbon feeder having a pair of rotatable ratchet wheels for driving ribbon spools. A control member rockable toward either ratchet wheel carries a ratchet wheel drive member movable on the control member for driving a respective one of the ratchet wheels to which the control member has been rocked. When ribbon from a spool has run out so that ribbon tension prevents further driving of a particular ratchet wheel, the control member rocks toward the other ratchet wheel to bring the ratchet wheel drive member into position to drive the other ratchet wheel and feed the ribbon in a reverse direction.

Abstract: A one revolution clutch assembly is provided which transmits the rotation of a normally rotating drive shaft to a driven rotating body through gears and which interrupts the rotation of the driven body when it has rotated through one revolution. The one revolution clutch assembly includes a drive gear mounted on the drive shaft and which meshes with a driven gear on the driven body. The driven gear is formed with a hiatus along part of its periphery, and when the hiatus is located opposite to the drive gear, the rotation of the driven gear is interrupted. The driven gear is maintained in this position where it ceases to rotate, by a cam mounted on the driven assembly and formed with a notch which is engaged by a movable piece of an electromagnetic plunger. A crank lever has its one end rotatably mounted on the driven assembly, and imparts a rotating force to the driven gear to cause a meshing engagement of the driven gear with the drive gear when the driven gear is located at said position.

Abstract: A molded one-piece wire guide which aligns the free ends of a plurality of reciprocating print wires in a given vertical plane which extend from a set of solenoid assemblies disposed in the transverse array. The wire guide comprises first guides which constrain the individual wire so as to suppress a movement thereof in a direction transverse to the reciprocating movement of the print wires, and second guides which constrain the individual wires to suppress a vertical movement thereof.

Abstract: A wire printer comprises a platen which guides a record medium, a carriage supported for reciprocable movement parallel to the platen, and a print head assembly carried by the carriage and including a plurality of print wires. The head assembly includes a plurality of print wires. The head assembly includes a plurality of solenoids, each of which is connected with one end of an associated print wire, the other end of which is disposed adjacent to the platen with a small clearance therebetween. The other end of each print wire is provided with a portion which is aligned with each other on a common vertical plane. The print head assembly is pivotally connected with the carriage and is guided to undergo a composite motion including an angular and a radial motion such that as the carriage is moved, a given point on the extension of the linear portion of the print wire moves along an imaginary centerline which passes through the center of stroke of the carriage and which is at right angles to the platen.

Abstract: A conveying device for conveying long articles within heat treatment furnaces, the driving means of which includes a drive mechanism and at least one element of linear form, for conveyance of the articles, driven by means of the drive mechanism. Product carriers are conveyed by means of the linear conveying element, each product carrier having a plurality of product supports for supporting the long articles thereon. The foremost one of the carriers, with respect to the direction of motion, has a means of engaging the linear conveying element whereby the linear conveying element transports the product carriers, and thereby the product supports and the long articles disposed thereon.