Abstract: Pellets of solid ink are stored in a row vertically in an ink holder of an ink jet printer. The pellets are supplied one-by-one as needed by action of a stopper which supports the pellet stored at the bottom of the holder, and a presser which presses the pellet stored next to the bottom pellet, working together in association with the action of a solenoid. A seal cover, provided at the inlet of an ink container, normally shuts out leaking chemicals from the liquified ink and opens only when the solid ink falls. Deterioration of the liquified ink is thereby prevented. The open-close action of the seal cover is associated with the solenoid action.

Abstract: This application discloses an inked ribbon operation device in a printer in which a carriage having printing means is moved in parallel to the platen to perform printing, a reversible motor is supported on the carriage, a pair of spaced ribbon shafts are rotatably supported on the carriage for re-winding the ribbon from one ribbon shaft to the other ribbon shaft, a guide member is supported for holding the inked ribbon between the pair of ribbon shafts for moving the ribbon between the printing position and printed area viewing position, ribbon feed means is disposed between the motor and the ribbon shafts for rotating the ribbon shafts in response to the rotation of the motor in the forward direction, first connection means is disposed between the motor and guide member for moving the guide member to the raised position in response to the rotation of the motor in the forward direction, second connection means is disposed between the motor and guide member for moving the guide member to the lowered position i

Abstract: A stabilizing device containing two bonded elastomeric materials with restitution coefficients that vary inversely with temperature changes. The resultant restitution coefficient of the printer hammer back-stopper remains relatively constant regardless of temperature variations in the back stopper caused by heat generated by the operation of a hammer solenoid.

Abstract: This invention relates to a device for controlling the rotation of the stepping motor in a printer. The device comprises a U-shaped frame member fixedly secured to the carriage of the printer and having opposing light emitting and receiving elements formed by the opposing legs of the frame member and a detector fitted on the drive shaft of the stepping motor for rotation with the drive shaft so as to intervene between the light emitting and receiving elements to interrupt the passage of the light from the light emitting element to the light receiving element to thereby turn the light receiving element OFF and also clear the light emitting and receiving elements to allow the light to pass from the light emitting element to the light receiving element so as to turn the light receiving element ON as the detector rotates.

Abstract: This invention relates to a device for mounting a printing type array on a printer. The mounting device comprises a pin supported on the casing of a printing type array for moving into and out of a hole in the printing type array under and against resilient force, respectively, a pressure member secured to the machine framework for urging the pin into the hole in the printing type array, a motor movably supported on a carriage and having a rotary shaft including a flange and a latch pin normally subjected to resilient force to protrude from one face of the flange and retract from the one face of the flange against resilient force and resilient retainer means on the motor rotary shaft and printing type array for preventing the printing type array from moving in the axial direction of the shaft as the motor moves to the operative position and for allowing the printing type array to rotate together with the shaft as the shaft rotates.

Abstract: A printer in which a platen is secured to a machine frame, a carriage is movably supported on the machine frame for movement along the platen, a motor is movably supported on the carriage for reciprocal movement in a direction at right angles to the direction of movement of the carriage towards and away from the platen, a pedal type wheel is fixedly secured to the carriage and has a plurality of types, mating coupling means is formed on each of the motor and type wheel, detection means is provided to generate a detection signal upon detection of a particular rotational angle of the motor during one complete rotation of the motor, a drive circuit is provided to drive the motor and a control circuit is provided to determine presence of a detection signal and arrests the rotation of the motor when no detection signal is generated within a predetermined time period required for the motor to rotate one complete rotation.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing thermoplastic duplication plates having a relief image transcribed thereto from a matrix which has a relief pattern in complemental relation to the transcribed relief image. To this end, a thermoplastic resin sheet is fed onto a rotating cylinder heated to a predetermined temperature and is then transported towards a transcription station carried by the rotating cylinder while it clings to the outer peripheral surface of the cylinder. At the transcription station, the thermoplastic resin sheet then heated to a semi-fluidized state is registered or aligned with the matrix being moved in a linear direction substantially tangential to the outer peripheral surface of the cylinder. During passage through the transcription station, the thermoplastic resin sheet is transferred onto the matrix with the material penetrating deep into indentations in the matrix.