Abstract: A linkage system for printers that raises and lowers the print head between the printing of individual labels and that further engages and disengages a ribbon take-up spool. The linkage operates off of the same motor which is utilized to drive the web forward and rearward. A camshaft is coupled to the drive motor through an electrically-operated clutch. A cam follower link engaging the cam is attached to the pivoting connection joint of two cooperating levers. The cooperating levers are pivotally connected between the frame and the pivoting print head. Rearwardly movement of the cam follower link extends the cooperating levers through and just beyond an over-center position locking the cooperating levers and consequently the print head in the raised position. The print head is lowered to the platen when the cam follower link is moved forwardly, unlocking and retracting the levers.

Abstract: A bracket is provided which is supported by a shaft so as to be freely rotatable between a pair of supporting frames, a line head is fixed on the bracket through an elastic member, a platen is disposed in a position opposing to a heating element array of the line head and is capable of freely approaching to or receding from the platen, engaging holes are formed on a supporting frame, an engaging claw to be engaged with the engaging hole is formed on the bracket, and the pressing force of the line head toward the platen is varied in several steps by holding the bracket stepwise.

Abstract: Piezoelectric elements that can resonate at a certain frequency with a coil are extended and contracted as they are repeatedly charged and discharged. The extending and contracting movements of the piezoelectric elements are amplified and transmitted to move the print wires toward and away from the platen. The waveform of a voltage generated across the piezoelectric element is detected by a monitoring device. Then, the detected voltage waveform is compared with the waveform of a voltage that is produced when the print gap is proper, and lets the user to know the magnitude of the print gap between the distal ends of print wires and a platen at any time during printing operation.

Abstract: A thermal line printer includes a frame. The head holding member is rotatably mounted on the frame and holds a thermal head therein. The thermal head holding member is biased towards the platen by a spring. A first level cooperates with a head holding member to separate the thermal head from the platen. A second lever member cooperates with an auxiliary member to rotate the auxiliary member through a large angle. The head holding member engages the auxiliary member and further rotates through a large angle to move the thermal head further away from the platen.

Abstract: A carriage is displaceable parallel to a record carrier and supports a head displaceable in a direction essentially perpendicular to the record carrier. In order to obtain a mounting free of play while maintaining parallelism of the head during its movement and at the same time reduce the risk of damage to the head in the event of a collision, the head is supported by at least one leaf spring pair. Each leaf spring pair consists of a front and a rear leaf spring attached between the carriage and the head in attachment points. The connecting lines between the attachment points of the leaf springs substantially form a parallelogram. The apparatus is used as a printer for printing information on record carriers of paper type.

Abstract: A computer printer which has a print head and a printing bed plate comprises an apparatus to adjust the distance between the print head and the printing bed plate to thereby allow for printing on charts which are not of uniform thickness. The distance adjustment apparatus comprises a rigidly mounted sensing roller and/or a leading or trailing feeler lever, which electronically controls the print head distance.

Abstract: A thermal head in a thermal printer is biased by a plurality of springs which are provided between the thermal head and stopper of the movable shafts, respectively. The distances between the thermal head and the stoppers are commonly adjusted by a rotating shaft through gears fixed to the rotating shaft and worms formed on the movable shafts, thereby subtly adjusting the thermal head biasing force of the springs in accordance with the condition of a sheet to be used.

Abstract: A head (9 or 10) records information on or reads information from a document (29) transportable along a transport path (3). A guide slide (17) guides the document (29) along the transport path (3). The guide slide is displaceable into and above the interaction region (28) for the head and the document to essentially bridge over this region during the feeding in and/or feeding out of the document.

Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus capable of manually adjusting a gap between a print head and a platen so as to prevent a print operation from being executed when the gap is outside of an appropriate range for a paper being used. The position of the print head can be manually adjusted by use of an adjusting lever. Further, the print head can be moved by a step motor under the control of a CPU to adjust the gap. After the gap adjustment is accomplished by the adjusting lever, the CPU causes the print head to shift toward a rear standard position and stores the count N1 of driving pulses required for the shift movement. The set printing gap is detected on the basis of this value N1. The print head is then moved until it contacts the printing sheet and a count N2 of driving pulses required for the contact movement is stored in the memory of the CPU. The paper thickness is measured on the basis of this value N2.

Abstract: A dot matrix printhead is adjusted automatically or manually with respect to a platen in accordance with the thickness of a recording medium on which printing is to occur. When a host data processor sends a control signal to a printer microprocessor to indicate that a recording medium of a different thickness is to be printed, a carrier, which has a first portion supporting the printhead and pivotally and slidably mounted on a front guide rail, is moved so that a shift arm on the carrier engages a right side plate of the frame. This disconnects a ribbon drive motor gear from a ribbon drive gear and moves the ribbon drive motor gear into engagement with a gear train. Rotation of the gear train rotates a gear, which has a threaded shaft and is rotatably supported by a second portion of the carrier slidably mounted on a rear guide rail, to cause pivoting of the first portion of the carrier about the front guide rail to change the gap of the printhead from the platen.

Abstract: A pair of ink jet print heads are arranged on opposite sides of a conveyor to apply ink markings to the opposed surfaces of material conveyed on the conveyor. The print heads support ink jet nozzle blocks having at least one ink jet nozzle and are pivotally biased out over the conveyor in the path of the conveyed material. A pair of cams positioned on opposite sides of the ink jet nozzle blocks maintain a critical spacing between the nozzle block and the surface of the material. Ramp surfaces and an exit cam control the rate at which the ink jet print heads are pivoted away from and toward the path of the conveyed material as the material is conveyed before the ink jet print heads.

Abstract: A printer having a printing mechanism for placing printed matter on a substrate, the printing mechanism including character printing elements and an electrically driven hammer unit which is connected to receive an actuating current and is operative for causing the printing elements to print characters on the substrate by impacting against the elements with an impact force dependent on the magnitude of the actuating current, the printer being further provided with: a substrate thickness monitoring device mounted in the printer for monitoring the thickness of a substrate disposed to be printed upon by the mechanism and for producing an electrical output signal indicative of the substrate thickness within a predetermined amount of time; and an actuating current control circuit connected to receive the output signal from the monitoring device and to control the actuating current in a manner to reduce the impact force when the substrate thickness is less than a selected value.

Abstract: A printing device is disclosed, consisting of a chassis (10), an abutment (40), and relative to the abutment in the direction of lines, an adjustable printing head (36) and a chassis fixed stop (16) for fixing the printing position of a print carrier (18), inserted between the printing head (36) and the abutment (40). The stop (16) is assigned a holding device (20) for holding the print carrier in its printing position, whereby the beam-shaped abutment (40) and the printing head (36) are carried on a pivoting frame (42), which on chassis (10) parallel to abutment (40) and a distance to an axis (44) is carried in a pivoted mode and by way of a pivoting drive (62-72) is adjustable.

Abstract: An adjustable shaft mechanism for adjusting the gap between a print head and a platen in a dot matrix printer has a printer frame with two end frame members and a fixed guide member. An adjustable shaft runs substantially parallel to the guide member between the end frame members. A print head carriage runs along the guide and shaft members. A substantially vertical slot in each of the end frame members is employed to adjust the adjustable shaft for movement up and down with respect to the end frame members. Spring loading means biases the shaft toward the guide member. A cam on each end member is mounted for rotation for adjusting the shaft in the slots to raise and lower the print head carriage and the associated print head with respect to the platen.

Abstract: A method and apparatus including a circuit for measuring the displacement of an electromagnetic device wherein the measuring is effected by utilizing the perturbations which occur in the energizing current of the device when the moveable member contacts a second member during a "gap" measurement, for example. The circuit includes circuitry for obtaining a first derivative signal having indicator portions corresponding to the perturbations. An apparatus including a test block is used for testing center-to-center distances.

Abstract: A printer includes a platen (3), a print head (7) and a front carriage guide shaft (4) for supporting the print head and adjustable for selectively varying the print head-to-platen spacing. The guide shaft is mounted to the printer frame by an eccentric (11) and a setting lever (12) secured to the eccentric is selectively movable for adjusting the print head-to-platen spacing. A detent plate (13) is mounted to the printer frame (1, 2) and carries stops (14, 15) for limiting movement of the setting lever and, therefore, the print head-to-platen spacing adjustment. Releaseably engageable lock elements (16) on the detent plate and frame provide relative adjustability and retention of the position of the detent plate on the frame for setting the position of the front limit stop (15) and, thereby, the minimum permitted print head-to-platen spacing obtainable through movement of the setting lever.

Abstract: A thermal transfer printer includes a head holding member for holding a printing head and for applying an urging force for urging the printing head against a platen and separating the printing head from the platen. An elastic member biases the head holding member to urge the printing head against the platen. A regulating member regulates displacement of the elastic member to change the urging force of the printing head against the platen. A driving unit drives the regulating member. A detecting unit detects either one or both of the type of ink ribbon or the surface roughness of recording paper. A control unit controls the driving unit in accordance with the result of the detecting unit. The urging force of the printing head is thus changed in accordance with either one or both of the type of ink ribbon or the surface roughness of the recording paper.

Abstract: A serial impact printer and including a single cam member for properly establishing and maintaining the throat gap distance between a character imprinting surface and the platen at a print point and for raising and lowering a selected ribbon, of a composite marking correcting ribbon pack assembly, to and from the print point. A short throat gap distance is needed for commercially acceptable printing speeds in this hammer mass printer, and is needed for high quality printing; conversely, a long throat gap distance is needed for print point visibility at all other times. The cam member has plural camming surfaces which coordinate ribbon position with throat gap distance.

Abstract: A guide shaft guides a print head, which moves along a print line of a platen to perform a printing operation. A rotating member and an eccentric cam member, having a toothed sector portion on its periphery, are mounted on the guide shaft. The guide shaft is guided on a frame by a bearing slot, so as to be movable toward and away from the platen. The eccentric cam member rotates as it is always spring-urged to engage a fixed engaging pin. As a result, the guide shaft moves in a direction transverse to its axis, thus changing a gap between the print head and the platen. As the eccentric cam member rotates in one direction, the print head moves away from the platen, in a retreat stroke. In a rear half of the retreat stroke, the toothed sector portion of the rotating member engages a toothed arm, which is connected to a paper bail member for holding a printing medium down on the platen.

Abstract: Several problems of alignment associated with ink-jet printers are alleviated by four aspects. In the first, a reverse bow (B) in the paper (12) is created for printing on single sheets of paper. The reverse bow, which in the transverse axis of the paper, forces the paper flat against the platen (14) by using the paper's own stiffness.In the second aspect, the paper and the carriage (30) are referenced to the same part (the carriage guide (10)). In this configuration, the paper is urged against the underside of the carriage guide off of drive rollers (18), through the reverse bow, and onto the platen, where it is printed. The carriage is referenced to the carriage guide through a slider bump by means of a carriage shaft and gravity.The carraige guide comprises stiff thin sheet metal, which is closely-toleranced and has well-controlled dimensions. Thus, this part is good to reference to, rather than molded-in parts, which are not stiff enough at the required thickness.

Abstract: An ink jet head holder supported from a frame and includes a transversely movable rod supporting an ink jet print head with a similar print head holder on the opposite side of the frame. A conveyor for conveying an object having opposed print-receiving surfaces between the print heads. Longitudinal channels are supported by the frame on opposite sides of the conveyor. The print heads are supported on the longitudinal channels and side guide rails are also supported on the channels. The channels are laterally movable to vary the width of the path of packages on the conveyor. The side guide rails are also adjustable laterally relative to the print heads. The print heads have cam faces for contacting the packages at a predetermined transverse distance from the print head nozzles. Biasing means hold the print heads with the cam faces bearing against the print-receiving surfaces that are printed by ink from the nozzles.

Abstract: A printing gap adjustment mechanism compensates for the change in the pring gap variation caused by the relative motion between two side walls of the printer frame supporting a platen and two guide rods slidably supporting a print head. The mechanism includes a compensator rod and a pair of eccentric members rotatably mounted in a compensator plate which is pivotally mounted on one side wall of the printer frame. One end of the compensator rod is frictionally secured to the opposite side wall while the other end is rotatably supported in an opening in the other side wall and is secured to an eccentric mounted to the compensator plate. One of the guide rods supporting the print head is located near the platen and is secured between two eccentric members, one of which is rotatably mounted in the compensator plate and the other is rotatably mounted in the opposite side wall. The other guide rod is secured between the two side walls.

Abstract: A compliant head loading mechanism for a thermal printer which in a loaded condition compliantly loads a thermal head against a dye-carrier and a receiver to form a printing nip. The mechanism includes two brackets each of which is pivotably mounted on a fixed pivot shaft. A head loading spring connects the two brackets. The lower bracket has two arms which have holes that receive the pivot shaft. One hole permits only rotational motion of the lower bracket while the other hole is a slot that permits rotational and translation motion of the lower bracket. The slot is tilted to prevent the drag force exerted by the rotating roller against the media (dye-carrier and receiver) from the inducing a twisting moment into the lower bracket.

Abstract: A printer includes a platen having a longitudinal axis and a printing head mounted in opposition to the platen. The guide shaft is mounted to extend parallel to the axis of the platen. A carriage supports the printing head and includes a carriage frame mounted on the guide shaft for movement axially therealong and for movement rotatably thereabout and a base plate having a first end integral with the carriage frame and a second end directed away therefrom. A guide plate is fixed at a position below the second end of the base plate and extends parallel to the guide shaft. A parallel link mechanism includes a fixing member attached to a lower surface of the second end of the base plate and a slider memebr connected to the fixing member. The slider member has a slot within which fits the guide plate, such that movement of the carriage axially of the guide shaft causes the parallel link mechanism and the second end of the base plate to be guided by the guide plate.

Abstract: A non-impact printer having a biasing mechanism which provides for constant and self-adjusting pressure between the associated print head and platen. The biasing mechanism includes a base member, a pivoting member, and a biasing member. The biasing mechanism has one end which slides longitudinally in an aperture in the pivoting member which is pivotally mounted in the base member which is secured to the frame of the printer, and the remaining end of the biasing member is pivotally jointed to the associated carriage of the printer to move the carriage with the print head thereon into printing relationship with the platen.

Abstract: An impact-type, printing apparatus which is readily adjusted to enable the impact face of the associated print hammer to be precisely located with reference to the plane of a character (or a typewheel) to be printed to enable printing in special fonts like E13-B. First and second eccentric members and a separate moveable member are used to provide the adjustments necessary for the precise location of the impact face.

Abstract: A printing apparatus including a feed path for print medium to be imprinted. A printing station defined by a printhead that is biased towards abutting contact with a platen roller. A floating mount pivotally mounts the printhead with respect to the platen roller so that a uniform contact pressure is established between the printhead and print medium during printing. The printhead is also mounted for pivotal movement about an axis transverse to the first axis which allows the printhead to move towards and away from the platen roller to facilitate loading of the print medium. A printhead sensor monitors the position of the head and automatically deactivates the printhead when it is about to be, or is separated, from the platen roller. A stripper mechanism is provided for automatically stripping a backing from the print medium and includes a stripper assist bar that causes the backing to follow, and frictionally engage, a peripheral region on the platen roller that is at least 90.degree..

Abstract: A printing apparatus having a platen for supporting a sheet of paper, comprising: a carriage movable along the length of the platen, and including an upward protrusion having a top surface which includes a first slant part inclined downwardly in a direction toward the platen; a print head including a mounting portion resting on the upward protrusion, the mounting portion having a bottom surface which includes a second slant part in abutting contact with the first slant part; and a fixing device for clamping the mounting portion of the print head to the upward projection of the carriage substantially in a direction of height of the upward protrusion. An angle of inclination of the first and second slant parts being selected such that a clamping action of the fixing device produces a component force sufficient to force a portion of the print head against a side surface of the protrusion on its side opposite to the side facing the platen.

Abstract: Apparatus for adjusting the position in two dimensions of a device relative to a support. At least one strut is pivotally connected to the device and is connected to the support. The length of the strut between the device and support is controlled to translate and rotate the device to adjust its position.

Abstract: A device for adjusting the position of the printing head of a printer has a leaf spring received in a groove formed in the carrier of the printer. The spring is bent into a doglegged form such that the spring force is applied to both ends of the carrier backwardly. The printing head is mounted on a support plate which is provided with a groove with which the anchoring portions of the leaf spring engage. The support plate is mounted on the upper surface of the carrier so as to be slidable forwards and backwards by a counter-sunk screw.

Abstract: Apparatus for mounting a print head on a movable carriage which moves the print head across a record medium supported by a platen. The apparatus includes a projection extending from the front portion of the carriage, an opening in the print head arranged to accommodate the projection aligning the print head with respect to the platen, a compression spring maintaining the projection in the opening and a movable camming surface in contact with the projection for positioning the print head a variable distance away from the platen.

Abstract: Arrangement for a print head having at least one print electrode and being movable relative to a record carrier transported over a support, and pressed down onto the record carrier by the effect of an actuator, where a first frame piece (4) carrying the print electrode (6) supported in a holder (5) is pivotably fixed, via a spring arrangement (2,3) biasing the print head towards the record carrier, to a second frame piece (1) opposite the first frame piece (4), where furthermore an electromagnetic actuator (9, 10) between the two frame pieces is attached to the second frame piece (1) to which a resilient ferromagnetic armature (14) is also fixed and through its greater bias acting against the bias of the spring arrangement (2, 3) abuts against a non-ferromagnetic stop (15) provided at the first frame piece and facing the end of the armature, which thus lifts the print head against the force of the spring arrangement (2, 3), and where by the operation of the actuator (9, 10), the print electrode ( 6) places it

Abstract: Apparatus for adjusting the relative position of a carriage assembly to a platen on a printer frame comprising first and second parallel supports mounted to a printer frame in spaced apart relationship parallel to said platen, a pulley support assembly mounted on one of the supports for movement parallel to said one support, a bearing assembly slidably mounted on the other of the supports, a carriage assembly detachably mounted to said pulley support assembly and slidably attached to the bearing assembly to allow movement of the carriage assembly towards or away from the bearing assembly while maintaining contact with the bearing, and means for adjusting the one support in a horizontal plane towards or away from the platen whereby the carriage assembly is moved toward or away from the platen.

Abstract: For use in a printing machine, such as an office typewriter, employing a replaceable printing head to be mounted on a carriage, there is provided a printing head fastening arrangement for releasably clamping the printing head to the carriage and permitting adjustable spacing of the printing head relative to the cooperating print support for containing the recording medium. The inventive arrangement enables the fastening and adjustment function to be integrated such that both functions can be carried out in one step. To this end, a rotatable pin is disposed upstanding from the carriage and provided with an operating element, which is resiliently seated relative to the printing head, for selectively engaging against a support surface formed on the printing head to clamp the printing head against the carriage.

Abstract: Means are disclosed for use in a line printer having a print head on a carriage traversing parallel to a platen for printing characters through an inked ribbon onto a print medium drawn between the ribbon and platen. The inventive means provide for adjusting the print head position. Bracket means slidably mounted on the carriage provide for movement of the bracket toward and away from the platen. The bracket provides for mounting the print head on the carriage. A bracket adjusting member consisting of a lever in the preferred embodiment is coupled between the carriage and the bracket for manual adjustment of the spacing of the print head with respect to the platen. Pointer means are pivotally mounted on the carriage engage the bracket such that bracket movement and hence print head movement is translated into pointer movment, providing for a gross indication by means of indicia beneath the pointer of print head location with respect to the platen.

Abstract: A support for the paper carrier in typewriters or similar machines extends between a base frame and the paper carrier. The support not only has the function of interconnecting the base frame and the paper carrier but it also functions, due to the provision of a tool deformable slot, as an adjustable support whereby the platen mounted on the paper carrier can be adjusted both vertically and horizontally relative to a printing element.

Abstract: A printer subsystem receives command and data information from a host system and retains a large number of font images in an associated storage area within the printer subsystem. A base font image set is ordinarily selected by the user but provision is made to dynamically change the font images as may be required in a real time fashion during actual printing operations. The font images are stored in a compressed form in the storage area. Routines involve use of pointer tables and data tables. It is possible to select an entire set of new font images in place of the base set of images or to modify only selected character images within the base font image set.

Abstract: A method of, and apparatus for, engaging and disengaging a selection motor drive hub and a daisy wheel print element. Included therein and utilized therefor are means for permitting a pivoting of a ribbon cartridge and means for connecting the ribbon cartridge to a selection motor. The motor and cartridge are connected such that upon a pivoting of the ribbon cartridge for (1) a print element change, the hub is translated out of engagement with the print element, and (2) continued printing, the hub is translated into engagement with the print element.

Abstract: A daisy wheel printer carrier for print element and ribbon cartridges. The carrier is made up of a frame having a vertically oriented print element cartridge receptacle adjacent one end and support means for carrying a pivotable ribbon cartridge adjacent the other end. The frame is structured to be mounted on adjustable eccentric rails for slidable translation toward and away from a printer platen, and for orientation relative to the platen upon adjustment of the rails.

Abstract: A bidirectional belt-drive for printers and the like comprising a carriage assembly movable across a paper web and supporting a print head mounting bracket. A belt has upper and lower runs extending through guide passageways in the carriage assembly. Independent jam cleat assemblies are normally biased by single spring means to a neutral position so as to be displaced from both runs of the belt.Swingably mounted knurled supporting surfaces cooperate with the jam cleat assemblies to enhance gripping of the fabric belt. Each jam cleat assembly has a pair of cooperating arms whose free ends are arranged to engage one another and extend between the arms of the single torsion spring means.The carriage assembly print head slidably receives the mounting bracket which is urged in the forward direction by bias means and may be adjustably positioned by adjustable cam means to enable the carriage assembly to maintain a fixed position relative to the platen and requiring only movement of the print head mounting bracket.

Abstract: A drive assembly for printer carriages and the like comprised of a closed looped metallic tape entrained about a drive and a driven pulley and being moved at a substantially constant rate. The carriage assembly reciprocally slides along guide rods for linear movement in a forward and reverse direction and is provided with guideways for enabling substantially unimpeded movement of the upper and lower runs respectively of said closed looped tape. Solenoid operated jam cleat assemblies are respectively engageable with the upper and lower runs of said closed looped tape in a mutually exclusive fashion. Connecting rod means is provided to assure engagement of only one of the jam cleats with the associated run of the closed loop tape to prevent stopping or jamming of the tape and to assist in the release of the deactivated jam cleat. By selective energization of the pair of solenoid assemblies, the carriage assembly may be moved in either the forward or reverse direction at any given instant of time.

Abstract: An apparatus adjusts the angular orientation of a moving carriage carrying a type font in a true font, stop-to-print, moving head high speed printer. This rotational adjustment provides a simple but accurate paper thickness adjustment which simplifies the printer construction and increases its reliability.

Abstract: In order to enable ink ribbon transport and ribbon reversal on the one hand and on the other hand the withdrawal of the printing head from the platen to be performed by means of only a single motor, a pawl-and-ratchet device is provided between the drive gearwheels for the reel holders and the drive motor. The cord for the withdrawal of the printing head is connected to a deflection lever which follows the profile of a cam disc of a cam mechanism, which is connected via a further pawl-and-ratchet device to the common shaft driven by the electric motor. The two pawl-and-ratchet devices drive in opposed directions. The common drive motor is reversible and is electrically controlled by the cam mechanism.

Abstract: A platen gap adjuster for a printer utilizes a shaft along which the print head carriage slides during printing of each line. The shaft is eccentrically mounted by means of unitary, offset spindles the common axis of which is parallel to but spaced from the shaft axis. By rotating the shaft about the common spindle axis, the carriage and print head will be moved transversely of the shaft, thereby adjusting the gap between the print head and platen without impairing the longitudinal sliding motion of the carriage.

Abstract: A printhead alignment mechanism is used in a non-impact type printer, such as a thermal printer for use, typically, in an electronic calculator. The printhead may pivot in a direction around an axis that is orthogonal to the axis of rotation of the print roller over which the printing medium is driven. The printhead may also pivot in a direction around an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the print roller. This enables the printhead to follow small irregularities in the printing medium and the print roller. Substantially even pressure is thereby applied across the printhead to provide uniform printed characters.

Abstract: Described is a printer mechanism which includes a platen rotatably mounted above a base, a medium upon which printing is to be accomplished and a printer unit disposed in printing relationship to the medium and the platen. A holder holds the printer unit and includes a ball and socket assembly for permitting the holder and printer to pivot about first and second orthogonal axes with respect to the platen. The holder also includes a projection which projects into a channel for inhibiting the holder and the printer unit from pivoting about a third axis, the third axis being orthoganol to both a first and second axes. The channel and an end of the ball and socket assembly are attached to the base. The printer unit is preferably of a non-inpact type such as a thermal printer unit which is mounted on a ceramic substrate for instance. The holder is urged toward the platen by means of a spring, which is attached to the holder and to the base.

Abstract: A label printer is described herein for printing on a tape information indicative of the cost of an item. The tape has a top print-receptive layer and a supporting layer and is disposed to be advanced between a printing head and a platen. The printing head is disposed near the tape egress end of the platen, which platen is pivotable at its tape ingress end about an axis perpendicular to the path of tape feed. Platen adjusting means are included at the tape egress end for adjusting the print head working distance. A delaminating bar and a tape advancement wheel are disposed in spaced apart sequence in the path of tape feed and downstream of the tape egress end of said platen so that, as the tape is advanced through the printer, the tape is pulled over the delaminating edge and separates the print-receptive layer from the supporting layer of tape.