Including A Type-head (e.g., Cylinder, Disc, Etc.) Patents (Class 400/25)
  • Patent number: 6666626
    Abstract: An apparatus (10) for and a method of transporting sliders to the slider insertion area (27) of a slider insertion device (18). A first sensor (30) on a sender track (20) detects a lack of sliders (21) in the sender track. A signal is sent from the first sensor (30) to a controller (24) to actuate a vibratory bowl (14) of sliders (21), and a first solenoid operated plunger (34) thereby releasing the sliders (21) to the sender track (20). Air connections (38) pneumatically push the sliders (21) along the sender track (20) to a second solenoid-operated plunger (44). When a second sensor (46) detects a lack of sliders in the loading rack (26) , the second sensor (46) signals the controller (24) to actuate a second solenoid-operated plunger (44) and a solenoid-operated pneumatic valve (48). The second solenoid-operated plunger (44) opens a passage and the pneumatic valve (48) opens to provide an air blast, thereby launching the sliders (21) into the feed tube (22) and onto the slider insertion area (27).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Michael McMahon, Stanley Piotrowski
  • Patent number: 6036381
    Abstract: A printer prints upon a book having a plurality of pages bound at a binding edge (1). The book is opened, placed on a supporting surface (16) and fed in a feed direction parallel to the binding edge. A supporting shaft (13) extends parallel to the supporting surface. A channel (17) receives the binding edge in the middle of supporting surface and extends perpendicular to the supporting shaft thereby dividing the supporting surface into a first area and a second area. A first supporting frame (14) is pivotally supported on the supporting shaft over the first area. A first rotating shaft (25) is rotatably supported by the first supporting frame parallel with the supporting shaft. A first upper feeding roller (26, 27) is fixed on the first rotating shaft and forced to engage any page placed upon the first area. A second supporting frame (15) is pivotally supported on the supporting shaft over the second area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2000
    Assignee: International Manufacturing & Engineering Service Company
    Inventors: Tokio Mizukami, Hiroshi Fujikura
  • Patent number: 5183347
    Abstract: An apparatus for printing images on a booklet comprises, first and second paired pinch rollers for conveying pages of the opened booklet to a printing head, located between these paired pinch rollers, a rotatable platen opposed to the printing head and located between the paired pinch rollers, guide plate for guiding one page of the opened booklet to the platen, and a press member for fixing the free end of the one page to the platen. The second paired rollers hold the other page of the booklet but may slipe the page when the free end of the one page is fixed onto the platen thereby adding tension to the other page of the booklet as the platen is rotated. The layout of the recorded images are changed and then printed on the page.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1993
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Higuchi, Shuzo Hirahara, Tutomu Saito, Hitoshi Nagato, Akito Iwamoto
  • Patent number: 5035521
    Abstract: The elements of a printing mechanism, including a platen, print head and drive motors, are constructed and arranged to provide a clearance permitting an envelope to remain entirely in a flat condition in a plane tangent to the platen at the location of the printing line while the envelope is being printed by the print head. The housing of the printing mechanism is constructed with specially configured slots. First and second opposite end walls of the housing, and a third wall, extending from one end wall to the other, provide at least partial coverage of the print head and platen. The third wall has a slot extending from one end wall to the other, the slot being arranged to receive an envelope and to allow the envelope to be inserted in a flat condition between the print head and the platen. The end walls have parallel slots, meeting and continuous with the slot of the third wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1991
    Assignee: Addressease, Inc.
    Inventor: Bernard D. Stone
  • Patent number: 4870258
    Abstract: A booklet, such as a passbook is transferred to the position, in which a page turning device is provided, on a base, by a transfer mechanism comprising driving and follower rollers. During a page turning operation, the booklet is pressed from the rear side thereof against the page turning device by a pressing force which is varied in accordance with the rigidity of the paper in the booklet. The page turning device is turned with the booklet, pressed against the same, to transfer the booklet at a speed according to the turning condition of the uppermost paper in the booklet, whereby the page turning operation is carried out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 26, 1989
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Mochizuki, Masataka Kawauchi, Kenichiro Takezawa, Jyunichi Matsuno, Kihachiro Tanaka, Shinobu Yoshida
  • Patent number: 4544289
    Abstract: A print disk positioning system is disclosed herein which provides rotational and lateral movement of a print disk (20) having raised or depressed characters thereon with the objective of locating the appropriate character within the jaws of a printing station (22). The positioner includes a fixed rail (44) which is driven by the rotation of a motor (38) having a pinion gear (42) which drives a rack gear (82) connected to a rack arm (80) which in turn slides a second motor (54) mounted on bearings (56) on rail (44). Motor (54) provides the rotational movement to the disk and motor (38) provides the lateral movement. Each motor is controlled electrically to cause an appropriate sequence of movements to bring the disk into proper alignment in the printing station at the appropriate time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1984
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1985
    Assignee: Varitronic Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas K. McGourty, Lawrence F. McGourty
  • Patent number: 4516866
    Abstract: Disclosed is a printing apparatus for printing a page of a book. The printing apparatus comprises printing means, page turning means, and a shutter movable between the printing means and the page turning means for guiding the book. The shutter is located inside the printing means to guide the book when the book is transferred to the printing means, and is taken out from the printing means and transferred to the page turning side to allow printing when the page of the book is to be printed by the printing means. The shutter is located inside the page turning means to guide the book when the book is transferred to the page turning means, and is taken out from the page turning means to allow page turning when the page of the book is to be turned by the page turning means. In such construction, the single shutter can guide the book for both printing and page turning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1982
    Date of Patent: May 14, 1985
    Assignee: Tokyo Shibaura Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahide Yamauchi, Kunio Fukatsu
  • Patent number: 4488367
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for selectively turning the pages of a book forward and backward. The apparatus of the present invention comprises a roller, first transfer means, pressing means, driving means, and second transfer means. The roller can rotate selectively in one and the other rotating directions. The first transfer means selectively transfers the roller between first and second positions. The pressing means presses the book against the roller. The driving means drives the roller to rotate selectively in the one and the other rotating directions. The second transfer means moves the book so that one page of the book lifted by the roller is laid on top of the other page. In such construction, the pages of the book can be turned selectively in the forward and backward directions by means of the single roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1982
    Date of Patent: December 18, 1984
    Assignee: Tokyo Shibaura Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahide Yamauchi, Kunio Fukatsu
  • Patent number: 4280036
    Abstract: A banking apparatus using passbooks, such as for example a passbook printing apparatus built-in an automatic depositing machine, in which a passbook inserted in the apparatus is transferred to a printing position by means of a driving belt. A printing mechanism located in the printing position has a single platen on which a journal paper is normally wound. The passbook is positioned in an opened state on the platen keeping the journal paper thereon, and transaction information is printed on the passbook by the printing mechanism. Thereafter, the passbook is removed from the printing position by means of the driving belt, and the transaction information is printed on the journal paper by the printing mechanism. A page turning mechanism for the passbook is arranged in the vicinity of the printing mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1979
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1981
    Assignee: Tokyo Shibaura Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kunio Fukatsu
  • Patent number: 4277186
    Abstract: A printing and displaying apparatus for printing characters on a heat-sensitive recording medium and, at the same time, providing a visual display of printed characters to permit visual observation of the state of printing. The apparatus comprises a transparent platen having a surface area larger than the area of one frame of the recording medium which is brought into engagement at its heat-sensitive surface with the associated surface of the platen, and a thermal printing head making printing engagement with the non-heat-sensitive surface of the recording medium. The thermal printing head is carried by a carriage which is mounted on supporting means supporting the carriage so as to be movable in both the row direction and the column direction. This supporting means is controlled by drive means and drive control means so that the printing head can be moved to any desired position within the extent of one frame of the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1979
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1981
    Assignee: Pentel Kabushkik Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiromichi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 4265550
    Abstract: An ink ribbon cartridge for a printing machine of the type which includes a carriage moving in a direction parallel to the line of typing and a needle printing head, which can move on the carriage perpendicular to its direction of movement to advance and retract the head with respect to that on which printing is effected. The cartridge is supported by the carriage and includes a container having a cover, a base and a series of inner walls which bound an opening to house the needle printing head. The cartridge comprises two arms to guide out a portion of an inked ribbon near the head. The container arranges the ribbon in loose folds and supports a pair of rollers for the single directional feed of the ribbon. A tensioning unit in the cartridge includes a roller borne by a coupling having two ends housed and guided in corresponding slots of the base and of the cover, substantially parallel to the direction of movement of the head in relation of the carriage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1979
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1981
    Assignee: Ing. C. Olivetti & C., S.p.A.
    Inventors: Gian P. Donnis, Giancarlo C. Borca