Abstract: This is disclosed a portable printer that is easy to load with an ink ribbon cartridge and record members web supplies, that is simple, has relatively few parts, is lightweight and has a small footprint.

Abstract: The tension in a moving web of material is measuring using a measuring roller or cylinder. This tension is repeatedly compared to a threshold value. If the measured value deviates from the threshold value beyond a certain amount, this is used as an indication of web tear or breakage.

Abstract: An adaptation of an inked ribbon cassette to printers of higher printing speed is achieved where a supply spool is used as inked ribbon storage. Furthermore, the problem of an environmentally proper disposal of used inked ribbon cassettes is solved. At least two rotary drivable spool axles (3, 4) are spaced apart from each other on a base plate (1), open toward the upper side and open on the bottom side, where the spool axles (3, 4) are rotary supported on the base plate (1). The inked ribbon reels (2, 5) can be individually attached onto the spool axles (3, 4). A first inked ribbon guide element (7) is coordinated to one spool axle (3, 4). The inked ribbon (6) is guided from a first inked ribbon reel (2) along the first inked ribbon guide element (7) and parallel to the print path (17) and back via a second inked ribbon guide element (8) onto the second inked ribbon reel (5).

Abstract: A printer apparatus has a frame member supporting an endless revolving type band in alignment with a row of print hammers with a gap therebetween. Ribbon spools with ribbon wound thereon are rotatably supported in spool housings at either end and on opposite sides of the frame member. The spool housings each have a receptacle portion and a cover portion which enclose the spool. A gap in the spool houses enables the ribbon to extend between the housing and through the gap. The ink ribbon is guided through the gap in parallel with the row of hammers and at an angle to the print line by a set of guide pins on the cover of one spool housing and a set set of guide pins mounted on the frame member in proximity with the other spool housing. Both sets of guide pins engage the same side of the ink ribbon in a manner whereby touching the ribbon is not required to install or remove the ribbon from the printer apparatus.

Abstract: A pivotally journalled ink ribbon cassette and an ink ribbon fork are coupled to the carriage of a printing head and arranged so as to be displaceable transversely to the line direction, in a simple manner such that both a multi-color and a single-color mode of operation are obtained. The ink ribbon fork is arranged at its free end so as to be pivotable and longitudinally displaceable on a guide rod journalled in guide arms of the ink ribbon cassette, and in that with respect to the position of the printing roller and of the printing head both means for transverse displacement of the ink ribbon fork and means for oblique positioning of the ink ribbon cassette with ink ribbon are provided.

Abstract: A shuttle matrix printer cartridge has a housing for storing the ribbon, an exit arm, an entrance arm spaced from the exit arm and a drive mechanism for removing ribbon from the storage chamber through the exit arm into position for printing between a printhead and a substrate and reentry into the cartridge through the entrance arm. The entrance arm is flexible in the plane of the cartridge toward and away from the exit arm to facilitate changes in ribbon drag produced during high dot density printing. The cartridge has three spacer legs along its underside for supporting the cartridge on the printer platform in use. Additionally, a post engages a recess in the exit arm to maintain the latter arm rigid during use, while such post, in conjunction with a drive shaft carried by the printer and received in a cartridge drive wheel, positions the cartridge in the printer against lateral movement.

Abstract: An endless loop ribbon cassette wherein the storage of a ribbon in a ribbon cassette is effected by a belt assembly which causes the ribbon to move along a generally linear path substantially corresponding to one dimension of a storage cavity. This effects an ordered, rather than a random, storage of a ribbon. In addition, a ribbon is obliquely positioned with respect to a line of print of a printer with which a cassette is to be used.

Abstract: A ramp ribbon cartridge adapted for ramp mounting of a ribbon in a printer device which comprises a cartridge housing having a first end and a second end, a ribbon stored in and extending from the cartridge housing and on which a printing head makes a printing track while printing, a drive wheel for pulling the ribbon out of the housing, with the drive wheel being rotatably mounted at a first end of the cartridge housing and being adapted to connect with a drive shaft in a printer device, a ramping mechanism between the cartridge housing and positioned near the second end of the housing so as to place the ribbon at a ramp angle to the horizontal, a loose fitting connection between the drive wheel and the drive shaft of the printer device so that the drive shaft still drives the drive wheel without binding when the drive wheel is tilted on its axis away from the vertical, whereby the printing track of the ribbon is at a ramp angle to the top and bottom edges of the ribbon and is wider than if the ribbon were p

Abstract: A color printer for effecting impression of images on a paper bidirectionally along a print line, using plural bi-color ribbons or a single multi-color ribbon, so as to provide plural color portions of different colors. The printer comprises plural print head units corresponding to the plural color portions of the ribbon or ribbons, and support and feed devices for supporting the paper, ribbon or ribbons and the print head units, such that the color portions of the ribbon or ribbons in opposed relation with the print head units are spaced from each other along the print line and arranged in order of brightness of the colors thereof in selected one of the opposite printing directions along the print line. An assembly of the ribbon or ribbons and the print head units is moved along the print line relative to the paper.

Abstract: Inked ribbon storage and transport mechanism for electronic printers for economical ribbon positioning and inversion.

Abstract: A combination of a printing head supporting carriage in a printer, and an ink ribbon cassette adapted for mounting on the carriage at an angle thereto and having a recess in which a printing head can be positioned. The cassette has at least one positioning pin at its bottom. A resilient lever is provided on the peripheral surface of the cassette which is substantially perpendicular to the bottom thereof. The lever has a lower end secured to the peripheral surface and a free upper end. The carriage has at its top a first inclined surface adapted to support the bottom of the cassette thereon, and having a hole for receiving the pin of the cassette therein. The carriage also has at its top a second inclined surface which is substantially perpendicular to the first inclined surface, and adapted to support the peripheral surface of the cassette thereon. The lever is engageable with the second inclined surface to hold the cassette on the carriage.

Abstract: A dot matrix type serial printer wherein a print medium is printed with indicia such as letters, characters, symbols, or the like by selectively driving a number of print elements while moving a print head having the print elements in a direction of a printing line. To enable the simultaneous printing of a number of print lines in different colors, an ink ribbon is provided having a plurality of tracks in the different colors. The print head includes groups of print elements which are arranged such that the respective groups face and are associated with the respective different tracks of the ink ribbon thereby enabling the simultaneous printing of a number of print lines in the different colors by moving the print head.

Abstract: A long-life inking cassette is provided wherein an inkable ribbon is pumped into a ribbon storage zone by a pair of textured nip rollers. The ribbon is drawn from storage, rotated 180.degree., re-inked, and passed at an angle and under tension past a print head before being returned to the nip rollers. A pair of dams are positioned to contact opposed edges of the ribbon as the ribbon leaves the storage zone to prevent folds of the ink ribbon from passing outwardly from the storage zone. Means are provided to amplify the drag on the ribbon between a dispensing pin at the outlet of the storage zone and an end of a first leg of the cassette. The drag amplification causes the ribbon to be taut when drawn past the printhead.

Abstract: A transport system for a dot matrix printing mechanism including an improved overall design for the transport system and improved designs for individual elements of the system and combinations of elements. The overall design of the present invention uses snap fits extensively throughout for ease of assembly and disassembly, integrates many previously separate parts into one-piece members, employs common part designs wherever possible, and uses single parts to perform multiple functions wherever possible. For example, the striker bar and ribbon frame of the system are combined into one piece and the ribbon cartridge is releasably mounted to the ribbon frame using one end of a latch member while the other end of the latch member is used to bias a pressure roller against the paper advancing roller. The overall design also includes a common drive train interconnected between the moving parts of the system whereby all of the moving parts can be powered by a single motor.

Abstract: A printer subsystem is interconnected with a host system from which it receives command and data information and to which it provides status information. The printer subsystem has two microprocessors, one of which communicates with the host system for transfer of command, data, and status signals and the other of which directly controls the printer unit in the subsystem especially with respect to the print assembly, forms feed assembly, ribbon drive assembly, and print wire actuators.

Abstract: A serial impact printer capable of performing multicolor printing at high speed. In this printer an inked ribbon divided into multiple colored bands each along the longitudinal direction thereof is arranged to extend and move in a direction intersecting the print line. A print head assembly is provided with print wire units arranged along the print line, as many in number as the number of the colored bands. Each of the print wire units comprises a plurality of print wires and is disposed in opposition to each of the colored bands respectively.In this arrangement and method multicolored impact serial printing can be performed, just as in conventional monocolor impact printing, without any color change motion of the multicolor inked ribbon or of the print head.

Abstract: A ribbon cassette is fastened on one side of a printer and is operator reloadable. The endless ribbon is loaded in coil form and is driven from the cassette in a path past the printing station of the printer and back into the cassette where it assumes a random form corresponding to a stuffing type cassette.

Abstract: An inked ribbon winding device and an inked ribbon cartridge for use in a printing apparatus. A dispensing and a takeup spool, located closely together and at different elevations in the cartridge, establish a skewed angle of the ribbon traversing the exterior of the cartridge. The ribbon wound about the takeup spool engages a rotatable member fixedly rotatably mounted on a support structure for rotating the takeup spool and drawing the ribbon across a printing position at a substantially constant average rate of movement. The cartridge is longitudinally slidably mounted on the support structure and is urged toward the rotatable member by a biasing means.

Abstract: A high-speed printer, such as a daisy wheel printer, utilizes a carriage which transports a printing font, such as a daisy wheel, laterally along a print line adjacent a paper-supporting platen. An ink ribbon is supported on the machine frame rather than the printing font carriage and is positioned between the daisy wheel and the platen. This ribbon is adjusted so that, as the printing font progresses along a print line, it impacts the ribbon along the line which is slanted relative the lengthwise axis of the ribbon. When plural such slanted printing tracks are overlapped along the length of the ribbon, efficient use is made of the ribbon without incurring problems associated with a narrowed ribbon. In addition, the slanted ribbon impact line permits the ribbon to be mounted on the machine main frame rather than on the font carriage while still permitting a minimum of over-impacting on the ribbon, all while eliminating the requirement of rapid ribbon movement during carriage return.

Abstract: A multiple imprint transfer tape marking device, which will imprint a multiplicity of imprint surfaces, substantially simultaneously.The imprint marking device includes a plurality of laterally aligned, individually powered marker heads which are adjustably positioned for cyclically imprinting a packaging film movable along an imprint path, normal to the laterally aligned marking heads. The imprint marking device further provides a transfer tape assembly pivotally adjustable to a suitable angle relative to the aligned marker heads to provide a proportioned width of the tape for individual use by each of the marker heads. The tape assembly is provided with an automatic tape advance mechanism and is arranged to accept various width transfer tapes selected in accordance with the number of marker heads utilized and the size of the imprint indicia.

Abstract: An operator changeable and disposable ribbon cassette of molded plastic serves as a protective guard and as a part of the cabinetry on a printer and has a built-in tear-off edge for paper. The ribbon, ribbon guides and ribbon drive rollers are angled at two degrees with respect to the line of print wires or line of printing to make better use of the ribbon width, and the cassette includes a ribbon tension spring and a drive pressure spring, the tension spring being used to maintain the endless ribbon in a desired position upon exit from a stuffing box portion of the cassette and the drive pressure spring being a part of the drive roller mechanism for driving the ribbon in a continuous manner. The cassette is connected to the printer framework and includes cam surfaces and latches to hold the cassette in place on the printer.

Abstract: This invention is concerned with a mosaic printer, for example, of the needle print head type which comprises a stationary print head and means for feeding an article, for example a web of paper to be printed, in a direction orthogonal to a row of print devices of the head and in synchronism with operation of the print devices so that, by selective operation of the print devices, the article is provided by the print devices with a pattern which constitutes visual data.