Abstract: A keyboard switch having a dustproof and droplet-proof push-button includes an elastic tube having upper and lower open ends fastened to a slider capped with a keytop and a panel supporting the push-button, respectively, to prevent a dust or droplet of water from being sucked into a space under the slider connecting to an area where pressure sensitive electric switches are located. The elastic tube is collapsible telescopically when the keytop is pushed down, but recovering the original shape by its own elasticity when the pushing force on the keytop is removed. One embodiment of the present invention is one having another elastic member mounted between the slider and one of immobile members, which works predominantly in the final stage of the stroke of the keytop to protect the pressure sensitive electric switch from an excessive impact of tapping.

Abstract: A head-driving and ink ribbon feeding mechanism for an ink-transfer thermal printer comprises a print carriage mounted for parallel and non-rotational movement in a direction parallel to the platen of the printer. A support element carrying a thermal print head at a free end thereof is pivotally mounted on the carriage and is normally resiliently biased to press the thermal print head against the platen in a head-down position. Mechanical actuating means are switched selectively between a first position for advancing a thermo-ink ribbon in a cartridge received on said carriage past the thermal print head in the head-down position and to a second position in which the drive for the ribbon is disengaged and in which the elongated support element is engaged and pivoted to switch the thermal print head to a head-up position.

Abstract: An item input device for a data processing system wherein plurality of flexible page sheets with input information provided thereon overlap the circumference of a rotating shaft in the device main unit and the fixed ends of the sheets are separated by a constant space. The desired page sheets are selected through rotation of the rotating shaft in the winding direction and the reverse direction of the page sheets, thereby guiding the page sheets to the display location. The page sheets overlap each other such that the page sheet unit has the page sheet ends bound thereto separated by a constant space thus the page sheet unit is formed separately from the rotating shaft. The page sheet unit is taken up to the rotating shaft in the page selection ready condition by rotation in the winding direction, and the page sheet unit taken up is released from the rotating shaft by rotation in the reverse direction. Moreover, a clamping member for holding the winding condition of the page sheets is provided.