GB1298885A - High-speed printer - Google Patents

Abstract

1298885 Selective printings ING C OLIVETTI & C SpA 15 April 1970 [23 April 1969] 18055/70 Heading B6F Arrangement of characters on type-wheels and endless bands.-A high speed printer comprises at least one continuously moving type-bearing surface, e.g. type wheels 38, Fig. 1, or an endless type-band not shown, on which is arranged at least one complete series of alphanumeric characters A-B, Fig. 13, and at least one group of characters C, B, within the series, e.g. the numeric characters appearing a plurality of times: by varying the speed of the type-bearing surface relative to the speed of the type wheel(s) or endless band across the page width faster printing speeds for the group of characters (numerals) than for the complete series (letters plus numerals) may be obtained. The speed of the type-bearing surface is altered by an electromagnetic gear change. Type carriages; letter spacing.-As shown in Fig. 1 eight type-wheels 38 are arranged in standing overlapping relationship, and print in eight areas across the page. They are driven by helical gears from a shaft 46, Fig. 4, slidingly keyed to a driving shaft 49. The carriage carrying the wheels is letter-spaced in either direction by a cam (132, Fig. 5) which moves a slider 124, Fig. 1, linked by an arm 121 to the type carriage. Hammer impression arrangements.-A hammer carriage 61 travels with the typecarriage and comprises eight electromagnetic, spring returned hammers (62, Fig. 2). Hammer construction.-The hammer 62 each have a projection 66 curved in accordance with the type-wheels 38 and have a transverse dimension such that a character is covered irrespective of the time it occrues in printing position. Anti-rebound arrangement.-A spring damper (71 Fig. 4) is provided. Paper guides.-A web 111 is fed by pin wheels 112 and guided to printing position by funnel 113 in which a paper holder 114 is arranged. Ink-ribbon mechanism.-A ribbon 201 is, Fig. 9, continuously fed from a shaft 258 coupled flexibly to a shaft 138, Fig. 1, driving the type-wheel carriage. Automatic ribbon for reversing occurs when a button 231 shifts a slider 224 and pivots a lever 276, due to a roller 277 thereon riding on surfaces 278, 279. At the lower end of lever 276 a roller 272 in a groove 271 on a sleeve 268 axially shifts a pair of toothed 266, 277 into engagement with toothed rings 263, or 264 to effect feed to the spool required. A friction drive acting as a tensioning brake 251 is connected between the driving shaft 258 and each ribbon spools shafts. A resilient spring 243 connects the ribbon shafts 241, 242 to the spools plates 233. The ribbon frame 206 is turned anticlockwise, Fig. 4, as it moves in letter-space direction to use the whole width of the ribbon. The frame can be moved about pivots for ribbon changing and access to the type-wheels.