Abstract: An imprinter particularly for credit cards, includes a printing bed, a support secured to one end of the printing bed and two spaced guide frames turnably supported on the support and provided with elongated guide grooves receiving rollers of a carriage supporting a printing roller. The carriage is turnable together with the guide frames between an operative position in which the carriage is on the printing bed and an inoperative position in which the carriage is away from the printing bed. The support includes two portions bent downwardly and spaced from each other and each being provided with an inclined edge and a vertical edge. A transverse shaft mounted between guide frames engages with the vertical edges of the respective portions of the support to lock the frames and the carriage in the operative position.

Abstract: An imprinter having a roller platen assembly movably mounted on a head member for imprinting data from a printing plate such as a credit card onto a form positioned over the plate. The roller platen assembly has a reciprocally driven carriage means containing at least one removably mounted cartridge containing at least one row of roller platens mounted therein in parallel, spaced apart relationship to each other. A plurality of backup rollers are rotatably mounted within said roller platen assembly, each in contact and vertical alignment with each of the platen rollers when the cartridge means is in position within the carriage means. At least one of the roller platens is in contact with the raised printing elements of the printing plate at all times during each printing cycle of the imprinter to thereby lessen any tendency for smudging of the form to occur.

Abstract: A data recorder for imprinting credit card data on to paper sales forms for credit card transactions. The recorder includes a printing bed and a platen mounted for movement across the bed, whereby, when the card and form are in position on the bed, a roller on the platen moves over indicia on the card so transferring the data to the form. A lever is pivotally mounted and has two fingers projecting through apertures in the bed. When a card is correctly positioned the lever is pivoted so that the fingers are retracted whereby a form can be correctly positioned without disturbance upon movement of the platen. When the card is not correctly positioned, the lever is biased so that the fingers stand proud of the bed whereby movement of the platen displaces the form.

Abstract: A credit-card-adhering transaction record for use with credit cards and an imprinting device having a defined region for receiving a card on a support surface, and a pressure platen manipulatable relative to the surface. The transaction record includes a plural-detachable-sheet recording booklet including a customer-return sheet. A stretch of the customer-return sheet is directly placeable on the support surface so that it has an expanse extending over a portion of a card received in the defined region of the support surface. An exposable pressure-responsive adhesive film distributed over the expanse of the sheet-captures and releasably retains the credit card following an imprinting operation.

Abstract: A varible data imprinting machine having an elongated flat printing bed section providing a document supporting surface and having a print wheel pack formed of closely adjacent peripherally notched print wheels, an imprinting carriage moveable through advance and return strokes longitudinally along the document support surface and an elongated rack section perpendicular to the printing bed section subadjacent the wheel pack having a number-indicating rack control panel projecting therefrom and including a plurality of toothed racks coarse manually adjusted longitudinally in the rack case to rotatably index the print wheels to number-printing positions. The rack case includes a pivoted centering blade activated by carriage movement to fine adjust the racks as the carriage leaves parked position and interlock means provided to latch the carriage at parked position following an imprinting cycle until one of the racks is readjusted.

Abstract: A duplication printer has a movable base slidably accommodated in a frame case and provided with a cushioning layer on which a relief plate bearing a relief pattern on top is placed, and then, on the relief plate, are stacked successively from bottom to top a paper sheet, a transfer sheet having a lower surface of an ink layer facing the paper sheet, a tacky sheet with a tacky layer on its upper surface, and a display sheet having light transmitting characteristic. The movable base is positioned within the frame case and is drawn outwardly from the frame case, a pressure bar passes relatively over the stack of sheets, whereupon the relief pattern is printed via the ink layer on the paper sheet and, simultaneously, the image of the pattern is displayed on the display sheet. Thus, the pattern on the display sheet can be observed by an operator without removing the paper sheet from the printer.

Abstract: A variable data imprinting machine having an elongated flat printing bed section providing a document supporting surface and having a print wheel pack formed of closely adjacent peripherally notched print wheels, an imprinting carriage movable through advance and return strokes longitudinally along the document support surface and an elongated rack case section perpendicular to the printing bed section subjacent the wheel pack having a number-bearing rack control panel projecting therefrom and including a plurality of flexible band-like toothed racks coarse manually adjusted longitudinally in the rack case to rotatably index the print wheels to number-printing positions. The rack case includes serpentine elongated guide slot trackways sized to receive and guide the toothed racks for their longitudinal wheel-indexing movement.

Abstract: Imprinters for making printed impressions from tokens such as credit cards are provided in which the carriage which traverses the bed of the imprinter includes two independent roller platen mechanisms. Translation means responsive to travel of the platen along the bed at certain points causes the platen rollers to be raised to nonprinting position or lowered to printing position. The mechanism also includes a transition device which makes it possible to convert the imprinter from a condition in which the platen rollers are raised and lowered in concert to one in which the raised condition of one roller occurs when the other is lowered and vice versa. In the illustrated form the translation devices include interacting cam members, one set for each platen roller, and the transition device is shown as being one of the cam members which can occupy alternate positions in the assembly.

Abstract: A small and simply operated recording apparatus employing an elastic pressure element is utilized to make a three dimensional recording in thin metallic foil from each of the two sides of a primary key from which a secondary key is to be manufactured, the recordings placed in an interpreting apparatus, which may be located remotely from the recording apparatus, which permits extraction of precise three dimensional data stored in the recordings whereafter the extracted data is utilized in key cutting apparatus to produce a secondary key, in all comprising a key making system.

Abstract: An imprinter comprising a unitary, extruded base with an elongated receptacle extending along the upper length thereof and a molded plastic print bed inserted within the receptacle. An elongated recess in the print bed may also be provided so that a portion of a credit card or the like overlying the recess can be depressed therein to raise the remainder of the card and permit easy removal thereof.

Abstract: An improved portable cassette recorder for use in an imprinter or the like, the recorder being adapted to process fan-folded transaction log sheets or the like. Each sheet incorporates a plurality of transaction data entry blocks disposed along the length thereof and a plurality of registration holes respectively associated with the data entry blocks. The recorder includes a sensing pin mechanism which senses the registration holes in the log sheets to ensure that each data entry block is in registry with the recorder imprinting station. In order to advance the log sheet from one entry block to the next, the sensing pin is first lowered beneath the log sheet and awaits the next registration hole. When it arrives, the pin is urged upwardly through the hole. At the same time, a brake engaging mechanism is actuated to brake the take-up spool and thus maintain the data entry blocks in registry with the imprinting station.

Abstract: A portable cassette recorder for use in an imprinter or the like, the recorder including a supply cartridge, a take-up spool and a brake for the take-up spool and a document holder. The take-up spool has incorporated thereon a leader to which the transaction log sheets may be easily attached in alignment with the take-up spool. The brake for the take-up spool includes a first gear rotatable with the spool, a second gear in engagement with the first gear and a pivotally mounted third gear in normal engagement with both said first and second gears to engage the brake for the take-up spool, the brake being disengaged by pivoting the third gear out of contact with the first gear. The document holder includes a support surface of preferably ferromagnetic material disposed in the upper surface of the recorder upon which a document such as an invoice is positioned.

Abstract: A bidirectional imprinter having a print roll carriage with sidewalls and two pairs of inclined slots disposed in the sidewalls where the first pair is oppositely inclined with respect to the second pair. First and second print rolls are respectively associated with the first and second pairs of slots so that movement of the carriage over the print bed causes the first print roll to move down its associated slot pair to effect imprinting while the second print roll is moved up its associated slot pair in a non-imprinting relation with respect to the print bed. The functions of the print rolls are interchanged during the reverse stroke. The imprinter may comprise a unitary, extruded base with an elongated receptacle extending along the upper length thereof and a molded plastic print bed inserted within the receptacle.

Abstract: Apparatus for embossing and imprinting information on credit card sales slips in a manner compatible with fully automatic data processing, including a movable magnetic read head mounted to an embossing mechanism for reading the customer information from a magnetic stripe on the credit card during the embossing operation, and means for temporarily storing the information. An impact printer movably mounted below the sales slip pack is positioned to imprint the complete transaction information in a form compatible with existing automatic character recognization apparatus. The reverse side of the credit card issuer's copy of the credit card sales slip is printed with scannable print font setting forth the customer's identification, merchant's identification, sale amount, transaction date, etc., so as to be automatically readable by existing optical character recognition (OCR) or magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) apparatus.

Abstract: An imprinting machine has a surface for receiving an embossed card and a form to be imprinted and a carriage having a roller which is movable over the surface to effect an imprinting operation. The machine is capable of being mounted with the surface substantially vertical, and has a groove for retaining one edge of the form and for retaining the card to prevent them falling away from the surface when the machine is disposed vertically. The other edge of the form is preferably located by a guide and the bottom edge of the form by a stop on the surface.

Abstract: The invention concerns apparatus and method to provide timing imprints on a sheet or sheets. The imprints are characteristically provided in association with other imprints provided by a card having indicia thereon.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a credit card printer apparatus which includes inkless fingerprinting directly on a medium, such as a check or credit card slip. The printer can include a housing or bed having one or more replaceable cartridges with a pair of reservoir resilient foam cell pads having a semi-sealed surface. A platen roller is movable across the bed to both print the information from a credit card and to deposit fluid from the pads for a subsequent fingerprint development. Generally, the pads can be resiliently mounted to the bed to permit a pressure contact of the respective pads with the surface of the medium.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improvement in printing devices whereby type may be set and bumper stickers and other items printed with an increase in speed and convenience on equipment of inexpensive design by providing a system of slots which line up metal type and then lock them in place for printing.

Abstract: A pressure applying element, a sheet to be printed, and an ink ribbon, an interchangeable form carrying printing indicia, and a pressure absorption plate are arranged in vertical sequence to be pressed together by the pressure applying element in the printing process whereby the pressure absorption plate absorbs the applied pressure, the ink ribbon being wound on a delivery spool and a wind-up spool mounted for rotation in a cassette housing, the cassette housing forming a guide delivering ribbon from the delivery spool about one free edge of the pressure absorption plate, transversely across the pressure absorption plate in spaced relation thereto, about the opposite free edge of the pressure absorption plate and to the wind-up spool, the cassette being removeable from and insertable in the press in a direction parallel to the spool rotational axes and the free longitudinal edges of the pressure absorption plate.

Abstract: An apparatus for imprinting the raised indicia from a credit card on a copy sheet has a support provided with a holder for the credit card. A printing head is movable on the support between a raised position spaced from the holder and a lowered position juxtaposed therewith. In this lowered position an electrical actuator in the head can roll a platen roller across the card to imprint indicia on the card on a copy sheet overlying the card. An electromagnet in the support holds the head in the lowered position during the printing cycle. Switches are provided to energize the actuator once the head is fully in the lowered position and to deenergize the holding electromagnet after the printing cycle is completed so that the head can return to the raised position.

Abstract: Apparatus for printing from a conventional embossed credit card and an embossed identification card having a picture, thumbprint and other embossed identifying indicia of the holder thereon. The apparatus includes an inker for inking the embossed indicia and a platen, both including carriages riding in a common track. In several modifications the apparatus includes means for cleaning the residual ink off the indicia after printing.

Abstract: A portable imprinter for transferring indicia from a printing plate to a document comprising a generally rectangular base adapted to support the document in printing disposition over the plate, a frame mounted on the base, a pair of longitudinally extended slots located on opposite sides of the base at its junction with the frame for insertion of the printing plate and the document, and an imprinting roller assembly comprising a generally rectangular reciprocable carriage movably mounted within said frame, a printing roller supported within a U-shaped bracket, said bracket pivotally retained within said carriage on the side thereof juxtaposed to said base, and a rectangular cover mounted on said carriage on the side thereof opposite said bracket, wherein said bracket is under spring bias, placing said roller in constant contact with said base. During the printing cycle, the bracket pivots into rigid abutment with the cover to provide printing tension to the roller.

Abstract: A document holder for use with identification card imprinters for holding a card carrying an embossed message and the document to be imprinted with the message in a fixed, predetermined relationship so that the message is imprinted at a predetermined location on the document. The document holder is dimensioned to fit standard embossed card imprinters.

Abstract: Marking apparatus is provided having a reciprocable carrier assembly composed of two parts. One part comprises a motor driven reciprocable carrier, while the other part comprises a movable carrier member which is pivotally supported at one end of the reciprocable carrier. The movable carrier member supports an inking roller and a printing roller and is mechanically coupled to the motor so as to cause the movable carrier member to be positioned, in the course of a first cycle of reciprocation by the reciprocable carrier, such that the inking roller is moved across the entire extent of an impression stamp supported and positioned on a fixed plate, and in the course of a second cycle of reciprocation by the reciprocable carrier, such that the pressure roller is rolled across a document which has been positioned over the stamp between the two cycles of reciprocation. The rolling action of the pressure roller causes the document to be pressed against the stamp to effect the desired marking.

Abstract: There is disclosed a printing press comprising an ink reservoir above the plurality of ink feed rollers in communication with said reservoir, at least one inking roller disposed below and in communication with said feed rollers, a plurality of ink application rollers displaceable into communication with said at least one inking roller by swing arms connected at one end to said ink application rollers and having tension springs attached to their other ends, a printing roller beneath said ink application rollers having a horizontal center support laid in a center notch or a carrier frame, a plurality of rollers supporting said frame for reciprocating movement towards and backwards on a horizontal rail, a paper feeding device arranged to feed paper periodically and in sequence with said movement of the frame beneath a printing block on the printing roller, entrainment means for said printing roller to rotate it at the same peripheral speed as the speed of the frame movement, and driving means for driving the fra

Abstract: A credit card imprinter with a base for retaining the printing elements and transaction form. The imprinter includes a platen adapted to be moved from an initial position to an extreme position and back over the printing area on the base. Gear wheels are provided for positioning print wheels, and a stop means is provided to prevent movement of the platen to a movable mode until all the print wheels have been reset by actuation of a reset handle preceding a printing operation.

Abstract: A device for applying pressure to a pressure sensitive duplicating master and a sheet of copy paper positioned on a hard surface includes two rollers of differing hardness. The rollers are used simultaneously with the harder roller applying substantial duplicating pressure while the softer roller conforms to irregularities in the hard surface and prevents these irregularities from causing voids in the duplicated image.

Abstract: This invention relates to a printing device of the type having a carriage which supports a printing roll. In order to perform the printing operation, the carriage is pivotally and slidably mounted on a slide rod. An arm of the carriage is mounted in a housing and is provided with a guide roller that is located in the same vertical plane as the printing roll. The guide roller cooperates with a guide means that extends parallel to the slide rod to keep the printing roll in engagement with a printing anvil and to enable the printing roll to swing upwardly into a raised position when arriving at one of the ends of the slide rod.

Abstract: A printing machine in which a series of selectively settable type wheels arranged in the housing of the machine extend with portions thereof through openings in a printing bed fixedly mounted on the machine housing. A credit card supporting plate is mounted on the printing bed adjustable relative thereto and a curved leaf spring, substantially of the same outline as the credit card supporting plate, is placed between the latter and the printing bed to bias the credit card supporting plate in a direction away from the upper surface of the printing bed. A carriage, rotatably carrying a platen roller, is mounted on the printing bed movable across the latter so that a credit card supported on the credit card supporting plate and types on the type wheels may be printed on a sheet placed over the credit card and the type wheels.

Abstract: This invention relates to a manual printing device of the type for printing onto a print medium of the kind comprising at least one form and an ink transferring ribbon or the like associated with it. The printing device has a printing anvil serving as support for the print medium and a plate having raised characters. The printing plate is preferably made of plastic. The printers have a printing head which is moved across the print medium and plate to cause imprinting upon the print medium.

Abstract: A precision hand-held label imprinter and dispenser includes a compact case or frame with a projecting handle and an applicator roller located remote therefrom, together with a dialable imprinter and platen assembly arranged so that a trigger lever associated with the handle may be manually acutated in one direction to imprint label stock (tape) by driving the platen across an imprinter in an engaged condition to force the printing medium and label stock thereagainst and operates in the opposite direction to separate the imprinter and platen and to simultaneously advance the printing medium and to advance the printed label stock to the applicator roller. Through a series of connected drive elements with the trigger lever, the device times the several functions so that accurate reproductions with high resolution of the dialed imprint information on each label is assured.

Abstract: An imprinter with a lifting system for lowering the platen roller during the imprint stroke and raising the platen roller during the return stroke. The lifting system includes a lift cam lever and lifting cam associated with the front wheel and kept under constant bias. The lifting cam lever engages in slots arranged along a track of the imprinter bed, and the front axle is eccentrically mounted in the lifting cam such that when a carriage assembly having a platen roller is moved through the imprint stroke the platen roller applies pressure, and as the carriage assembly is ready to be returned, the lifting cam lever will be in registration with a slot on the track such that upon the return stroke the lifting cam lever will lift the carriage assembly.

Abstract: A bound booklet is opened and inserted into a guide. A platen, having individual spring biased segments, is positioned against the booklet covers while printing means move horizontally across the open pages of the booklet. A first platen segment contacts the front cover of the open booklet, while a second segment contacts the back cover. An intermediate shortened segment yields to the binding edge of the booklet. Thus, the varying thickness of the booklet is compensated for and a flat printing plane is presented to the printing means. A single leaf document may be accommodated, instead of a booklet. In the case of a single leaf, the resilient nature of the platen compensates for single leaf documents of different thickness, within a permissible range.

Abstract: A portable imprinter for transferring data, in the form of raised characters on a credit card or the like, to a receiving paper by pressure. A pressure element is mounted directly in an actuator which slides in grooves formed in the wall of a frame member, and travels across an opening into which it protrudes slightly to press the receiving paper with its transfer element against the card.

Abstract: A machine particularly adapted for printing card stock. A head or carriage is mounted to reciprocate over a type bed. The carriage mounts the impression roller, inking rollers, doctor roller and an oscillating roller. The impression roller is mounted on an adjustable eccentric shaft adjustable to compensate for different thicknesses of card stock to thereby control the printing pressure. The impression roller is driven through roller members that move on rails which are coupled by way of a positive clutch to the ends of the impression roller which is positively driven in any adjusted position. The inking rollers, oscillating and doctor roller are mounted between side plates of the carriage, improved means being provided for lifting the inking rollers and for lifting the oscillating roller and doctor roller.

Abstract: An inking roller is provided which has both inking and non-inking portions and which has substantially uniform deflection characteristics across its entire axial length; and, an improved apparatus and method for printing using such roller is also provided.

Abstract: A roller cage having at least one needle roller on one side and larger rollers having axes parallel thereto on the other side, a print transfer plate having a reciprocal sliding drive means extending through the roller cage with opposite sides in contact with the respectively oppositely disposed rollers, the larger rollers adapted to roll on a plate disposed parallel to a printing form, which plate has lateral recessed grooves into which the rollers roll prior to and after the printing operation to increase the distance between the needle roller and the printing form for inserting sheets to be printed and removing printed sheets which are pressed against a dye support and printing form by the needle roller during the printing process, and an inclined plane and stop mechanism functioning to raise and lower said plate as it moves back and forth under the influence of the reciprocating print transfer plate during the printing operation.

Abstract: A variable amount imprinter and a portable transaction-log recorder usable therewith, the imprinter having a pivotally mounted head assembly, upon which is mounted a roller platen assembly for effecting imprinting. Two interlocks are provided to prevent closing of the head assembly until (a) a tray for a printing plate such as a credit card has been latched in place in the recorder and (b) at least one preselected item of the variable amount data has been set to a non-zero value. Releasable latching means lock the head in its closed position until the imprinting stroke of the roller platen assembly has been completed, at which time the head is automatically returned to its open position.Means responsive to movement of the roller platen assembly during the imprinting stroke reset the variable amount data to zero after it has been imprinted. Means are also provided for centralizing the digit wheels of the variable amount assembly prior to the imprinting thereof.

Abstract: A data recorder is provided including a roller platen carriage adapted to be manually reciprocated and normally locked in a home position by a manually releasable interlock mechanism. A release lever is associated with the interlock mechanism, with manual release of the lever being required to free the carriage before each reciprocation. This avoids imprints of unacceptable quality due to inadvertent multiple operations of the carriage.

Abstract: A roller platen imprinter is provided with means for selectively raising and lowering the roller platen for the imprinting and return strokes. The said means includes regions on the platen shaft of different sectional dimensions, together with cam means for axially shifting the support position of the shaft between the portion having the large sectional dimension and the portion having the smaller sectional dimension to selectively raise and lower the platen.