Abstract: A bench vice comprises a fixed jaw and a moveable jaw, both sliding on a slide bar. The jaws are made of plastics material and are supported against pressures imposed by the slide by pins retained in the jaws. One of the pins on the fixed jaw is knurled to provide a jamming function against the slide. The moveable jaw has a knob screwed onto a block fixed on the slide, so that rotation of the knob advances the moveable jaw along the slide, or releases it.

Abstract: In a thermal printer in which ink is transferred from a single-use thermal print ribbon to a substrate such as packaging material by energizing selected print elements of a thermal print head (22), a first print run is executed by energizing only a group of print elements in registry with one half of the ribbon width so that ink is depleted from only one half of the ribbon, and a second print run is executed by energising the same group of elements using the same ribbon but with the ribbon supply and take-up spools interchanged in order that ink is depleted only from the other half of the ribbon. This allows printing on comparatively narrow printing areas using ribbon which is at least twice the width of the printed area without undue ribbon wastage and with reduced ribbon breakage frequency compared to the breakage frequency with a ribbon of a width nearer to the width of the printed area.

Abstract: A thermal printer for printing on a continuous print medium by ink transfer from a thermal print ribbon has a print head which is pivotally mounted and which is driven in an oscillatory nodding motion by a stepper motor so as to repeatedly to bring a linear array of energizable printing elements to bear against a platen roller. Both the element array and the platen extend transversely to respective paths of travel of the print medium and the ribbon. The print medium is fed through the printer from an inlet region, between the platen and print head, and thence to an outlet region. The instantaneous rate of travel of the print medium past the print head is substantially the same as the rate of feed of print medium to the printer. Typically this rate is of the order of 250 to 400 mm per second. The ribbon also travels between the print head and the platen, overlying the print medium and is driven in such a manner that it travels at the same rate as the print medium during each printing operation.

Abstract: An injection molded storage container is provided which is formed with three covers or walls and a spine for storing magnetic media and documentation. Two living hinges on either side of the spine are connected to the edges of the first wall and the second wall, respectively. Two sets of opposed sidewalls, molded to and perpendicular from the first wall, are connected to form a recess for holding documentation. A third wall is hinged to the top of the opposed sidewall which is parallel to and furthest from the spine. The third wall is sized to fit within the first set of opposed sidewalls. The inner surfaces of the first wall, third wall and opposed sidewalls form an interior enclosure. Vinyl pages for holding magnetic media are attached to the inner surface of the second wall. The second wall and spine fold over the interior enclosure.