Abstract: An electrophotographic apparatus having an image carrying and an optical scanning unit, wherein an optical scanning unit support means is provided, the optical scanning unit support means serving to turn the optical scanning unit in a horizontal direction, so that an error in positioning the image carrying body with respect to the optical scanning unit can be corrected by the turning operation.

Abstract: A thermal printer wherein a sheet of recording paper is interposed between two drums provided on axially opposite sides of a shaft of a platen roll facing a line-type thermal head and an endless belt mounted on outer peripheries of the drum. One way clutches provided on a shaft of the drum will cause the paper to rotate together with the drums during recording and the recording paper is driven by the endless belt during paper feed and delivery operations to slide relative to the drums. The sheet of paper is fed to a lower portion of an open portion of the drums and is removed from an upper portion of the open portion of the drums so that the feed and delivery of the sheet of paper can be effected upon rotation of the drums in one direction, and the printing operation is started after a detection of a trailing end of the sheet of paper so that the printing operation can be reformed regardless of the length of the sheet of paper immediately after the feed of the sheet of paper.

Abstract: A shuttle printer carries out printing on a printing paper when a hammer bank shuttles back and fourth. At the beginning of the hammer bank reversal at the right or left end in the hammer bank shuttling path, a braking force is exerted to a shuttle motor which drives the hammer bank and an acceleration force is exerted to the shuttle motor immediately after the hammer bank turns around. In order to set a reversing duration of the hammer bank at constant, the braking force and the acceleration force exerting durations are prolonged from a predetermined minimum to a value when the hammer bank reversing duration is shortened to an extent as desired, whereby a printing paper can be fed a predetermined amount within the hammer bank reversing duration as desired.

Abstract: An actuator for actuating a print hammner includes a yoke made of a magnetic material, an electromagnetic coil mounted on the yoke, and an armature rotatably supported by bearings mounted on opposite sides of the yoke. Upon excitation of the electromagnetic coil, the armature is attracted to the yoke to drive the print hammer through a push rod. The yoke includes a plurality of laminated sheets of a magnetic material formed by stamping using a press. An insulating material and an adhesive are coated on the sheets.

Abstract: A paper tension adjusting device in which one of the tractors with feeding pins changing feeding apertures in the paper is movable widthwise to adjust widthwise paper tension. The desired tension is determined from paper thickness which is in turn determined from the hammer flight time. Lengthwise tension is adjusted by adjusting paper clampers separated from the tractors. The tension is both widthwise and lengthwise directions is determined by optically sensing the positions of the feeding pin with respect to the aperture in which that pin is engaged.

Abstract: A sound reducing construction for shielding sound in a confined box, the box including a first plate component formed with a first open end portion and a second plate component formed with a second open end portion and accommodating therein a machine which generates the sound, the first plate component being movable with respect to the second plate component. The sound reducing construction comprises: a packing unit having one end fixed to the first open end portion of the first component and having another end portion in contact with the second open end portion when the first component is rested on the second component; and, the first and second open end portions providing stepped portions in conformance with each other. The first and second open end portions define two horizontally extending gaps whose vertical heights are different from each other and a vertically extending gap. The packing unit is positioned in one of the horizontally extending gap.

Abstract: In a control device for an impact printer for performing a printing operation at a first printing speed, a temperature sensing element, provided such that the temperature of an electromagnet unit can be directly or indirectly detected, is operated at a first temperature and restored at a second temperature lower than the first temperature. A controller changes the printing speed to a second printing speed lower than the first printing speed when the temperature sensing element is operated, returns the printing speed to the first printing speed when the element is restored, and changes the operating speed to a third printing speed lower than the second printing speed when the element is operated for a predetermined period of time, whereby the printer is made high in reliability.

Abstract: A type arrangement data editing apparatus in which type arrangement data from a type carrier is automatically edited in accordance with the carrier set carried by the type carrier. A first area of a ROM stores the basic type arrangement data for a plurality of basic character sets. A second area of the ROM stores replacement data which is replaced for specific symbols in the basic character sets, and the start addresses of the type arrangement data for each set. An identifier identifies which character set and which replacement data are carried on the type carrier. A microprocessor stores a program for retrieving the respective type arrangement data and inserting the replacement data therein. The data is sent to a RAM, where it is compared to input data to print a specific print symbol.

Abstract: A device for cleaning a rotary type-carrier, in which a brush which contacts the type-carrier continuously to clean it during normal operation may be moved so that its rotary center is positioned more closely to the type-carrier. As a result, as the brush wears out, it may maintain contact with the type-carrier, obviating the need for frequent replacement.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a feeding of paper has a reflector which is mounted on a bottom of a switch lever. The switch lever, in turn, is slidably mounted on black paper retainer plate which has poor reflecting properties, and a light emitting element emits light which is reflected by the paper towards a light receiving element. When paper which has good reflecting properties is being fed, the reflector is slid so that it is no longer located opposite the light emitting element, and any light passing through holes in the paper is thus poorly reflected by the black paper retainer plate, thereby enabling the light receiving element to readily detect the presence or absence of a hole in the paper. However, when the paper being fed has poor reflecting properties, the reflector is slid so that it is located opposite the light emitting element, and any light passing through one of the holes in the paper is strongly reflected by the reflector.

Abstract: A 384-character type carrier for use in a line printer coupled to a computer using a 240-character type data array of Q sets of P printable characters each. The type carrier includes K sets of characters each including P printable characters and R dummy characters, with K>Q and 384=K.multidot.(P+R).

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding a paper having holes utilizes an endless belt which contains a plurality of pins which are mounted so that they are positioned to a side of an outer periphery of the endless belt. The pins fit into holes in the paper to feed the paper as the endless belt is driven by two main pulleys. An auxiliary pulley is rotatably mounted on one of the shafts which supports one of the main pulleys in such a manner that the auxiliary pulley confronts and supports the bottoms of the pins, thus preventing the pins from being deflected inward. Because the auxiliary pulley is driven with one of the main pulleys, friction between the bottoms of the pins and the auxiliary pulley is minimized.

Abstract: A clamping device for a printer has a plurality of sideways-slippage preventing rollers housed in a roller housing which is fixed to a rear face of a wall of a ribbon shield. These preventing rollers prevent the printing paper from slipping sideways during a printing operation. A plurality of pressing plates are fixed on a hammer cover and biased towards the preventing roller by springs. A printing paper travels between the preventing rollers and the pressing plates, and the preventing rollers are oriented to rotate in the direction in which the printing paper travels. Since the preventing rollers prevent the printing paper from slipping sideways during printing, the printing lines are aligned properly. The preventing rollers also exert a minimum forward clamping force on the printing paper, which thus prevents the paper from tearing.

Abstract: A line printer of the type using a 384-character type carrier receives a 240-character type data array from a computer designed for a 240-character line printer and converts the 240-character array into a 384-character data array with no partial character sets. The converted 384-character data array corresponds exactly to the characters on the type carrier. The type carrier includes a number of dummy characters in each character set if the type carrier employs other than 48-character sets.

Abstract: An upper cover for a line printer in which an upper cover hood can be easily opened forwardly to permit full maintenance of the printing mechanism. The upper cover hood is pivotally coupled through a rear hinge holder to a forwardly-extending support member via a balance holder. A balancing mechanism is pivotally coupled at one end to the balance holder. At the front end of the support member a hook member is hingedly attached, the other end of which is adapted to be swung into position and coupled to a pin which is rigidly coupled to a side wall of the upper cover hood. A cushioning packing is disposed along the front edge of the upper cover hood.

Abstract: An impact printing apparatus of the back-impact or front impact type having a frame construction composed of first and second frame structures positioned in a fore-and-aft direction of the apparatus and having impact hammers mounted on one of the frame structures, and a tiltable member positioned on one side of the frame structures, wherein the first frame structure is pivotally connected to the tiltable member about a vertical axis along one side end of the first frame structure and the tiltable member in turn is pivotally supported on the second frame structure about an axis in a lateral direction of the printing apparatus.