US3300017A - Electrosensitive printing apparatus with print head continuously moved across paper - Google Patents

Electrosensitive printing apparatus with print head continuously moved across paper Download PDF

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Publication number
US3300017A
US3300017A US452273A US45227365A US3300017A US 3300017 A US3300017 A US 3300017A US 452273 A US452273 A US 452273A US 45227365 A US45227365 A US 45227365A US 3300017 A US3300017 A US 3300017A
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United States
Prior art keywords
print head
driving
lever
shaft
paper
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Expired - Lifetime
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US452273A
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English (en)
Inventor
Yazejian Zaven
Jerome R Fuld
Walter V Benkler
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Unisys Corp
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Sperry Rand Corp
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Publication date
Application filed by Sperry Rand Corp filed Critical Sperry Rand Corp
Priority to US452273A priority Critical patent/US3300017A/en
Priority to NL6605209A priority patent/NL6605209A/xx
Priority to GB17337/66A priority patent/GB1132301A/en
Priority to BE680004D priority patent/BE680004A/xx
Priority to FR59121A priority patent/FR1477327A/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3300017A publication Critical patent/US3300017A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/385—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective supply of electric current or selective application of magnetism to a printing or impression-transfer material
    • B41J2/425—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective supply of electric current or selective application of magnetism to a printing or impression-transfer material for removing surface layer selectively from electro-sensitive material, e.g. metal coated paper
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
    • G03G15/22—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern involving the combination of more than one step according to groups G03G13/02 - G03G13/20
    • G03G15/32—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern involving the combination of more than one step according to groups G03G13/02 - G03G13/20 in which the charge pattern is formed dotwise, e.g. by a thermal head
    • G03G15/321—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern involving the combination of more than one step according to groups G03G13/02 - G03G13/20 in which the charge pattern is formed dotwise, e.g. by a thermal head by charge transfer onto the recording material in accordance with the image

Definitions

  • Certain known printing arrangements provide a plurality of styli in a patterned arrangement capable of producing characters through selective time energization of the styli as the printer is swept across the face of the record material.
  • the styli are physicalyl separated and electrically isolated from each other in a pattern most conducive to the generation of the desired characters.
  • the styli rest directly upon the record material and current is caused to pass from the selected styli through the record material to a ground plate located at the opposite side of the record material, or from one styli through the paper to another styli.
  • the current in passing through the record material causes distinct marks or dots which can be combined through proper timed energization of the styli to form the data to be printed.
  • the present invention provides a print head drive mechanism for use with such a styli printing arrangement and serves to drive the print head across the record paper in a carefully timed and synchronized manner so as to insure proper printing of output data and to effect control in a completely automatic manner of the print operation.
  • FIGURE 1 is a simplified schematic view in perspective of portions of a printer in accordance with the invention.
  • FIGURE 2 is a simplified schematic view greatly enlarged of the printing head of FIGURE 1, showing the configuration of the styli matrix;
  • FIGURE 3 is a schematic, cross-sectional view in side elevation and greatly enlarged of a pair of pin styli taken through the printing head of FIGURE 1;
  • FIGURE 4 is a side view of the print head partially in section
  • FIGURE 5 is a simplified schematic block diagram of the energizing circuits for the printing head
  • FIGURE 6 is a front view of the print head drive mechanism in accordance with the instant invention.
  • FIGURE 7 is a top view of the print head drive mechanism illustrated in FIG. 6;
  • FIGURE 8 is a detail front view of the print head drive mechanism in accordance with the invention illustrated in FIG. 6 with portions thereof cut away to illustrate the detail thereof;
  • FIGURE 9 is a side section view through the print head drive mechanism of FIG. 6;
  • FIGURE 10 is a side view of the print head drive mechanism of the invention.
  • FIGURE 11 is a detail view of the cam arrangement for retracting the pressure rollers associated with the platen of the printer
  • FIGURE 12 is a left side view of the printer arrangement of the instant invention.
  • FIGURE 13 is a simplified detail view illustrating the print head retracting mechanism in accordance with the instant invention.
  • FIGURE 14 is a side section view of the printer mechanism illustrating the print head drive controls in accordance with the instant invention.
  • FIGURE 15 is a top section detail view of the print head drive controls illustrated in FIG. 14;
  • FIGURE 16 is a detail front view of the print head drive control illustrated in FIG. 14.
  • a stylus or printing head generally designated by reference numeral 334 is slidably mounted on a guide rod 336 for movement transversely of record paper 330, or the like at the printing position.
  • Printing head 334 may be driven by any suitable means from a starting point at the left edge of record paper 330, the initial printing position, to the right edge of the paper during the printing cycle, and then back to the left edge, in preparation for printing the next line.
  • Such driven movement is effected at a substantially constant speed by the printing head conveying mechanism of the invention to be described in detail hereinafter, which transmits driven motion to printing head 334 by means of a timing belt 338 attached by fasteners 340 to printing head 334. It is to be understood that incident to printing head 334 being returned to its initial printing position at the end of a printing cycle, roller 332 of the record paper conveyor moves tape 330 in the direction of the directional arrow a to place the next printing line of paper 330 into printing position.
  • Printing head 334 is formed of an electrically nonconductive material and is provided in the illustrated embodiment with sixteen individual styli assemblies 342 (FIGURE 3), each having a stylus or electrode in the form of a rod-like pin 344.
  • the pins are designated P1 through P16 (FIGURE 2) to differentiate the pins from one another.
  • Styli pins 344 protrude from the bottom of printing head 334, fourteen of which pins (P1P14) are arranged into a matrix having the configuration of a digit 8 slightly slanted to the left, as seen in the bottom view of the printing head 334, shown at FIGURE 2.
  • a pair of pins, P and P16 are provided for inserting the decimal point designation in the proper position between numerals along the line of print.
  • each styli assembly 342 is formed of conductive material, preferably of tungsten and is slidably disposed in an associated pin hole or channel 348 defined in a bottom portion 352 of printing head 334.
  • Each pin 344 is provided with a sleeve 354 of conductive material, such as stainless steel, which sleeve is press fit onto the upper end of the pin.
  • Sleeve 354 is slidably confined in a channel 356 aligned with channel 348 and defined in an intermediate portion 358 of printing head 334 to permit up and down movement of pin 334 and sleeve 354 in channel 356.
  • a biasing spring 362 of the coil type and of conductive material is provided for each pin 344 and is loosely disposed under compression in the channel 356 provided for its associated pin.
  • Spring 362 presses against sleeve 354 of its associated pin 344, biasing the pin downward to maintain the free or lower end of the pin in constant contact with the upper surface of record paper 330.
  • Downward movement of pin 344 is limited by its sleeve 354 abutting a shoulder 364 formed by printing head portion 352 where channel 348 joins channel 356.
  • An electrical connecting lead 366 is provided for each pin 344 and extends through a hole 368 defined in a portion 370 of printing head 334. Each lead 366 enters the channel 356 of its respective pin 344 and is connected electrically to the uppermost portion of the spring 362 in such channel. The leads 366 serve to connect their respective pins 344 (P1P16) to the pin energizing circuits.
  • each styli pin 344 is individually spring biased to continually bear upon and frictionally engage the top surface of record paper 330, as printing head 334 is driven transversely of the tape.
  • Such individual spring biasing automatically compensates for unevenness of the tape surface and for variation in the wear rates of the individual styli pins 344.
  • this direct contact of the styli pins with the paper surface has a tendency, should the styli pins be exposed from the print head, to pick up fibers from the paper, dust particles and other foreign matter which shortly will cause a fouling of the print head considerably reducing, if not altogether disrupting, the print capability of the arrangement.
  • a boot 350 is positioned over the print head as seen in FIG. 4, which boot consists of a cap 351 made from phenolic or similar material and a gasket 353, made from a thermoplastic resin such as that which is commonly known and sold under the trademark Teflon.
  • the boot 350 is provided with a plurality of holes, each in substantialy alignment with one of the styli pins of the printing head so that the individually spring biased styli pins may protrude through the boot and contact the recording surface of paper 330.
  • the boot 350 is spring loaded with respect to the print head by springs 380 (one shown) recessed in channels or grooves 381 in the cap 351.
  • the springs 380 act upon pins 382 in contact with the collar 384 surrounding the print head.
  • the bias provided by springs 380 forces the Teflon gasket 353 against the surface of record paper 330 so that the styli pins 344 are completely isolated except for the cross-sectional ends which contact the surface of the tape.
  • the end of the cap and Teflon gasket have a radius comparable to that of the roller 332 so as to insure good contact between the gasket and the paper over the full gasket area.
  • the holes in the cap 350 through which the print pins pass have a dimension only slightly larger than the pins themselves; however, due to the natural lubrication provided by the Teflon material, the pins may very easily slide in and out of the print head in response to pressure by the springs 362 insuring good contact between the pins 344 and the surface of record paper 330.
  • boot 350 is shown as being formed of two separate elements 351 and 353, it is within the purview of the invention to provide the entire boot of a single material such as fluorocarbon resin with a filler so as to combine the low friction and high dielectric properties of Teflon with low wear and rigidity.
  • gasket 353 may be made from other materials having properties similar to Teflon.
  • the gasket 353 which follows the record sheet curvature is maintained firmly against the record surface as it and the print head are driven transversely of the record sheet.
  • the Teflon sheet biased against the record surface eliminates the gap which was heretofore present between the print head and the record sheet and in which dust particles accumulated, fouling the pins.
  • the gasket effectively mashes the exploded dust particles of the record sheet surface back into the sheet surface such that no noticeable loose dust particles are formed to foul the pins.
  • This wiping action of the Teflon gasket as it moves across the record surface under pressure forcing the dust particles back into the surface impregnates the surface with all loose particles preventing these particles from entering the pin channels in the print head and from generally fouling the styli or other portions of the printing arrangement.
  • the provision of the boot 350 over the print head provides an added support for the styli pins over substantially their entire length to the very ends which contact the record surface of paper 330 resulting in an increased stability and more accurate registration of the pins so that greater clarity in printing is achieved and scratching of the surface due to vibrations in the pin is completely eliminated.
  • the electrical pulsing of the pins is substantially instantaneo us, such that movement of printing head 334 relative to record paper 330 is effectively stopped during relative motion between pin 344 and record paper 330 during the printing.
  • the sixteen styli pins 334 (Pl-P14, FIG. 2) comprising the digit 8 styli matrix and a decimal point designation as mentioned above, are electrically connected to the pin energizing circuits in pairs.
  • the pin styli 344 are therefore divided into pin pairs and an electrical styli energizing circuit (FIGURE 5) is provided for each pair of pins.
  • an electrical styli energizing circuit (FIGURE 5) is provided for each pair of pins.
  • eight pin energizing circuits, or driving circuits 371378 are utilized for energizing the sixteen pins.
  • the digits 0 and 1 through 9, plus certain symbols, such as the letter C and the decimal point may be printed by causing the driving circuits to successively energize selective pin pair combinations in accordance with a particular time sequence.
  • the driving circuits utilize means in the form of a decoding matrix 383 for detecting the input of certain pin selection signals derived from an input processor.
  • the decoding matrix translates the selection signals and conditions the driving circuits to eifect subsequent energization of associated pin pairs, or to prevent such energization, as to the signals dictate.
  • the detecting means also automatically and continually responds to changes in pin selection as denoted by the selection signals.
  • a print signal causes energization of print initiating means (not shown) which generate initiating or gating signals which are applied simultaneously to all driving circuits via the decoding matrix 383. This causes the driving circuits of the selected pin pair combination to be simultaneously energized to form the desired character on the record medium, while those of the unselected pin pairs are maintained unenergized in accordance with the preconditioned state of the driving circuits.
  • the print initiating signals are in the form of electrical pulses.
  • the printing head 334 is moved at a substantially constant speed transversely of the record paper 330.
  • Selection of the pin pairs to be energized and pulsing of their respective driving circuits are synchronized with transverse movement of the print head such that desired characters are printed sequentially on a print line.
  • energization of selected pin pairs in response to the common print initiating pulses will be sufficiently instantaneous so as to appear to stop relative motion between the print head and record material, producing distinct printed characters on the record material, notwithstanding such relative motion.
  • the print head drive mechanism of the instant invention as seen in FIGS. 6 and 7, includes the print head 334 .mounted on guide shaft 336 for sliding movement along the shaft length from the extreme left hand margin to the extreme right hand margin of the record paper 330.
  • the guide shaft 336 for the print head is secured eccentrically of a pair of rotatable discs 501 and 502, seen most shows in detail disc 501 in registration with the aperture in bracket 510.
  • a platen or paper roller 332 is secured to shaft 506 (FIG. 8) by suitable means, such as set screws 508, which shaft 506 is notatably supported in the side support plates 514 and 516.
  • the paper 330 is held against the platen 332 by three sets of pressure rollers 518, 520 and 522, all of which are shown in the FIG. 7 top view.
  • the two sets of rollers 518 and 520 each consist of pairs of individual rollers mounted on respective stud shafts 519 and 521, guided in slots 517 and 523 (FIGS. 9 and 10) in the side support plates 514 and 516.
  • the rollers 518 and 520 are spring biased into pressure contact with the platen 332 by springs 523 and 525 (FIG.
  • rollers 522 are mounted on a spring loaded shaft 526 guided in slots 527 in the side support plates 514 and 516.
  • the shaft 526 is spring loaded to pins (not shown) secured to the side support plates 514 and 516 by means of springs 528 (FIG. 10).
  • the pressure rollers 518 also support a transparent tear bar assembly consisting of a tear bar 531 (shown in FIGS. 6 and 9 only for purposes of clarity) supported by suitable bracket 532 on the stub shafts 519 of the pressure rollers.
  • a lever 530 and actuating bar 537 are pnovided inter-connecting a pair of cams 535 (FIG. 11) and 536 (FIG. 9) mounted on the platen support shaft 506 on either side of the platen 332, such that cam surfaces on the cams 535 and 536 contact the shafts 519, 521 and 526 of the three pressure roller sets and force the rollers outwardly from the platen 332 in response to clockwise rotation (direction arnow b) of the cams by the lever 530, as seen in phantom line in FIG. 11..
  • the paper support bar 529 which extends between the side support plates 514 and 516 also serves as an abutment for the lever 530 determining the starting position thereof.
  • the springs biasing the various bars associated with each of the sets of pressure rollers serve to naturally force the lever 530 against the paper support bar 529 unless pressure is applied thereto, to oppose the natural bias of these springs.
  • a paper feed guide 539 is positioned beneath the platen 332 and supported by the side support plates 514 and 516.
  • the guide 539 serves the well known purpose of maintaining the paper against the bottom side of the platen 332 and guides the paper upwardly between the print head 334 and the platen.
  • the guide 539 is provided with suitable apertures through which the rollers may extend to press the paper against the platen.
  • a means for retracting the pressure rollers other than the specific carns '535 and 536 may also be provided; however, as will be seen hereinafter, these cams in combination with other control elements of the system make possible a simplified control of the print head and pressure roller sets during operation of the printing mechanism.
  • the pin carrying portion 540 of the print head forms an integral print head construction with the cylindrical body member 541.
  • the print head 334 is mounted to the guide bushing assembly 545 by flanges 542 on the print head secured to an upright flange 543 forming part of the bushing assembly.
  • the bushing assembly is formed primarly of hollow housing member 546 (FIG. 8) which surrounds the guide shaft 336 and is spaced therefrom by a pair of tubular bushings 547 made preferably of a synthetic material such as Teflon or any other known self-lubricating material suitable for serving as a bearing means between the housing member 546 and the guide shaft 336.
  • a thin jacket or casing 548 almost completely surrounds the, assembly 545 providing the flange 543 and insuring that the elements of the assembly are maintained in proper position.
  • the print head 334 and guide bushing assembly 545 are freely rotatably mounted on the guide shaft 336 and are maintained in proper upright position with respect to the platen 332 by a slide bar 550 riding in a slot 551 provided in a longitudinally extending guide member 552 positioned beneath the platen 332, as illustrated in FIG. 9.
  • the guide bar 552 extends at least between the limits of print head scan and serves to maintain the print head 334 in a proper upright position at all times.
  • the slide bar 550 is provided at its extreme end with a bushing member 553 which rides on the inner surface of the channel 551 maintaining the end of the slide bar 550 at a proper distance from the channel and facilitating the sliding movement thereof.
  • the slide bar 550 is secured to the bottom of the guide bushing assembly 545 by means of screws or other suitable fastening means secured through the slide bar 550 and into the housing member 546 and the tubular guide bearings 547, thereby not only fastening the slide bar to the bushing assembly 545 but also serving as a key preventing relative rotation between the guide bushings 547 and the housing member 546.
  • the guide bushing assembly 545 is clamped to the timing belt 338 by means of a clamp formed by opposed clamping jaws 555 and 556 clamped to the belt by means of screws 340.
  • the clamp is secured to the guide bearing assembly 545 by means of opposed projections 557 formed on the clamping jaw 555 and interlocking with corresponding projections 558 on the housing member 546 thereby locking the clamp to the bushing assembly.
  • a toothed belt is provided and the clamping jaw 556 is provided with a surface corresponding to the configuration of the timing belt teeth, so that a positive locking between the clamp and the timing belt is effected, thereby eliminating all possibility of slippage during movement of the print head assembly.
  • the print head may be manually retracted from its normal position with the energizing pins in contact with the surface of the record paper for any purpose by means of a manually operated lever 560 secured to the center shaft 561 of the rotatable disc 501.
  • the guide shaft 336 upon which the print head assembly is mounted for sliding movement, is eccentrically secured to the rotatable discs 501 and 502 such that rotation of the discs will effect a transverse displacement of the guide shaft 336, and consequently also the print head 334, in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface of the platen 332. This action is seen most effectively in FIG. 13 which has been simplified for purposes of clarity.
  • the manual lever 560 is retained in its rest position by an adjustable stop 562 and is biased into this rest position against the stop 562 by a spring 563 connected between a pin 564 on the lever 560 and a pin 559 connected to the side support plate 514.
  • a spring 563 connected between a pin 564 on the lever 560 and a pin 559 connected to the side support plate 514.
  • a pin 565 (FIGS. 6 and 14) is carried by the cam 535 and is secured to an operating lever 566 operatively connected to control lever 567 by means of a pin 568 carried by the lever 566 riding in a slot 569 in the control lever 567.
  • the control lever 567 is also provided with an ear 570 which contacts the stop 562 determining the rest or neutral position of the control lever.
  • the control lever 567 is directly connected to the rotatable disc 501, as seen in FIG. 16, and is normally biased into its rest position With the car 570 against the stop 562 by the spring 563 (FIG. 10) connected to the manual control lever 560.
  • the control lever 560 being secured to the center shaft 561 for the rotatable disc 501, the spring 563 determines the neutral or rest position for the lever 560 and the control lever 567, in turn properly positioning the print head with respect to the platen 332.
  • the platen 332 is rotated during normal machine operation to effect advance of the paper 330 automatically by means of a spring clutch 572 located on the left side of the printer mechanism, as seen in FIGS. 68, which spring clutch 572 is actuated in the well-known manner by a suitable control linkage (FIG. 7).
  • the automatic paper ad vance mechanism does not form a specific part of the instant invention and may be provided in accordance With any conventional paper advance mechanism construction capable of effecting rotation of the platen 332 either automatically or in response to control from the keyboard or other control portion of the printer.
  • Single line paper advance may also be performed manually by rotation of the manual paper advance handle 26 located at the right side of the printer, as seen in FIG. 8, which handle drives the platen via a unidirectional spring clutch.
  • the operation of the lever 26 provides a forward advance of the paper equivalent to one printing line, and the spring clutch 574 slips when the lever is moved in a counter-clockwise direction to the initial position in preparation for a forward advance.
  • the print head 334 is driven by means of the endless toothed belt 338 looped around a driving pulley 580 and a driven pulley 581.
  • the pulley 581 is driven by means of a motor 582 mounted on the frame 500 of the printer.
  • pulley 581 is referred to as a driven pulley it functions as a driving pulley when considering its relationship to belt 338.
  • the driving function of pulley 580 is discussed hereinbelow.
  • Drive is obtained from the motor 582 via reduction gears 583 and 584 which effect rotation of drive shaft 585, supported by U-shaped support bracket 586' also mounted on the frame 500 of the printer.
  • the drive from shaft 585 is once again applied through suitable .reduction gears 587 and 588 to a drive shaft 589 which is supported, as seen in FIGS. 10 and 15, by a second U- shaped bracket 590 mounted on the frame 500.
  • the shaft 589 is supported on the frame 590 at the forward end thereof adjacent the pulley 581 by a suitable bushing 591 and at the rear portion of the mechanism by a sleeve 592 keyed to the shaft 589 and supported within a guide bearing 593.
  • the sleeve 592 extends beyond the bearing 593 toward the pulley 581 and is provided with a pair of collars 594 and 595 which serve to maintain the proper position of the sleeve 592 and the shaft 589, and prevent axial shifting thereof.
  • the pulley 581 is mounted upon the drive shaft 589 on suitable bushings 596 and 597 so that the pulley 581 may freely rotate regardless of the drive provided by the shaft 589.
  • An extension 598 on the pulley 581 abuts with the sleeve 592 and has a diameter substantially identical to this portion of the sleeve 592.
  • a clutch spring 600 is positioned over both the sleeve 592 and the extension 598 of the pulley 581 with one end of the spring secured at 599 to the sleeve 592.
  • the spring 600 is wound upon the sleeve 592 and the extension 598 of pulley 581 such that normal rotation provided by the drive shaft 589 will result in a tightening of the spring locking the sleeve 592 to the pulley 581 so long as some means is provided for holding the free end of the spring coil. It is therefore possible to activate and deactivate the spring clutch applying driving power and withdrawing driving power, respectively, from the pulley 581 by controlling the free end of the clutch spring 600.
  • the clutch interconnecting the drive shaft 589. and the pulley 581 is engaged by pressing a nylon shoe 601 (FIGS. and 16) against the outside diameter of the free end of spring 600 thereby effectively holding or locking the free end of the spring causing the spring to tighten up and locking the sleeve 592 to the pulley 581.
  • the nylon shoe 601 is mounted on the end of a spring loaded lever 602 pivoted at 603 to a frame member 604 of the machine.
  • the lever 602 is biased by spring 605 interconnected between the levers 602 and a pin 606 mounted on the frame of the machine, so as to be biased in the direction of the spring 600.
  • a latching lever 607 is pivoted at 608 to the frame member 604 of the machine and is provided with a hook portion 609 which engages with a latch 610 on the lever 602, normally holding the lever 602 against the bias of spring 605 and preventing the shoe 601 from contacting the clutch spring 600.
  • the latching lever 607 is normally biased in the clockwise direction by a spring 611 interconnected between the lever 607 and a pivot pin 612 fastened to the plate 604 of the machine.
  • the end of the locking lever 607 opposite the hook shaped end 609 communicates with an electromagnet 615 which when energized, attracts the lever 607 causing counter-clockwise rotation thereof against the bias of spring 611 disengaging the hook shaped member 609 from the latch portion 610 on the lever 602.
  • the lever 602 is also provided with a cam follower 616 which communicates with a cam portion 617 on a plate 10 618 secured to the inside surface of the pulley 581. Contact between the cam surface 617 and the follower 616 effects a counter-clockwise rotation of the lever 602 about the pivot shaft 603 against the bias of spring 605.
  • the print operation is initiated by energization of the electromagnet 615 which attracts the locking lever 607 causing counter-clockwise rotation thereof against the bias of spring 611.
  • the hook-shaped end 609 disengages from the latching portion 610 of the lever 602 and spring 605 will rotate the lever 602 in a clock-wise direction about the pivot shaft 603 urging the shoe 601 into contact with the clutch spring 600.
  • the constantly rotating shaft 589 will then transfer its driving force through the sleeve 592 and the spring clutch 599 to the pulley 581 thereby driving the print head 334 through the timing belt 338.
  • the print head begins its scan at the extreme left hand position of the guide shaft 336 and moves along the length of the guide shaft across the width of the paper 330.
  • the driving pulley 581 is dimensioned so that one complete revolution of the pulley will effect a reciprocation of the print head 334 from its extreme left hand position to its extreme right hand position.
  • the cam surface 617 By then positioning the cam surface 617 at a proper point along the circumference of the drive pulley 581, when the print head 334 reaches its extreme right hand position, the cam surface 617 will contact the follower 616 forcing the lever 602 to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction disengaging the shoe 601 from the spring 600.
  • the lever 602 is rotated at distance sufficient to re-engage the latch portion 610 with the U-shaped portion 609 on the latching lever 607 and since the electromagnet 615 is no longer activated, the shoe 601 will be retained in this inactive position until the next print cycle is required.
  • a clock spring within the driving pulley 580, which has been wound during the initial scan of the print head, will serve as a means for driving the pulley 580 and the pulley 581 reciprocating the print head 334 back to its initial position.
  • the pulley 580 is also provided with a detent 619, seen in FIG. 6, within which a follower 620 carried by a lever 621 pivoted at 622 to the machine frame is biased so that the follower 620 is normally urged into the detent 619 by a spring 623, interconnected between the lever 621 and a pin 624 on the machine frame.
  • This combination serves to determine the initial or start position of the print head more accurately since in returning the print head to the start position, the pulley 580 will substantially completely lose the driving force from the spring therein as the print head reaches the start position at the extreme left of the guide shaft 336, and at this time the follower 620 will drop into the detent 619 holding the pulley 580 in this position.
  • the start position for the print head is accurately determined at all times thereby insuring proper registration of the data that is printed since this registration is dependent upon the accurately time positioning of the print head after initiation of the print operation through energization of the electromagnet 615.
  • a stop member 625 and spring 626 are positioned at the extreme left end of the guide shaft 336 to help determine the start position of the print head arrangement and cushion the arrival of the print head at this position during the return excursion.
  • the invention therefore provides a means for automatically retracting the print head when it reaches the end of the print scan and automatically returns the print head to the surface of the record paper as soon as the print head reaches the start position.
  • FIGS. 14-16 The print head retracting mechanism is illustrated in FIGS. 14-16.
  • a lever 628 (also shown in FIG. 6) is loosely mounted at one end of pivot lever 629, which is rotatable about the pivot shaft 612 mounted on the frame 604 of the machine.
  • the lever 628 as seen in FIGS. 15 and 16, is provided with an ear 631 which limits clockwise rotation of the lever 628 on the lever 629 and is connected via a spring 632 to a similar car 633 on the lever 629.
  • spring 632 As a result of the bias provided by spring 632 the lever 628 is normally retained in a position with the car 631 in contact with an edge of the lever 629.
  • a lever 635 is rigidly secured to the lever 629 between -the pivot shaft 612 and the end carrying the lever 628 such that clockwise rotation of the lever 629 will result in a downward movement of the free end of lever 635 to which is connected an actuating lever 636 by suitable fastening means 637.
  • the lever 636 as seen in FIG. 14, is connected to the control lever 567 by means of a pin 638 riding in a slot 639. Downward movement (arrow d) of the lever 636 effects a clockwise rotation of the control lever 567 until the projection 640 on the lever 567 overrides the lip 641 on a latching lever 642 thereby locking the control lever 567 in the rotated position.
  • clockwise rotation of the control lever 567 effects a clockwise rotation of the rotatable disc 501 connected eccentrically to the guide shaft 336, which in turn effects a retracting of the print head.
  • the above-described print head retract mechanism operates in the following manner. As the print head reaches the extreme right-hand position of the print head scan, an extension 645 (FIG. 16) on the clamp member 556 on the print head guide assembly will strike the lever 628 rotating the pivot lever 629 in a clockwise direction. It should be noted at this point that should the print head pass beyond the control lever 628 by any means, it can pass back over the control lever 628 against the bias of spring 632 without effecting the position of lever 629 during the return movement of the print head.
  • the guided support member 661 serves as a means for maintaining the cables in alignment and providing sufiicient slack so as to prevent undue tension on the cables during reciprocation of the print head.
  • print head means including a print head
  • driving means for driving said print head from one end of said guide shaft means to the other at an essentially constant rate, motor means for energizing said driving means, clutch means and actuating means therefor for connecting said motor means to said driving means in response to a control signal, said clutch means comprising a shaft driven by said motor means, a first hub afiixed to said shaft, a second hub rotatably mounted on said shaft, and means responsive to said actuating means for coupling said first and second hubs for conjoint rotation about said shaft under conditions where said driving means is driving said print head,
  • print head means including a print head
  • said driving means including guide belt means secured to said print head and pulley means operatively supporting said guide belt means for rotation, said driving means further including means for biasing said pulley means and said print head into a neutral position under conditions where said driving means is not driving said print head, said print head being disposed at said one end of said guide shaft means when said neutral position is effected.
  • print head means including a print head
  • said clutch means including a driven element, a driving element coupled to said driving means and concentric with said driven element, a spring element secured to said driven element and encompassing a portion of said driving element, and means for selectively fixing said spring element with respect to said driving element in response to said actuating means.
  • said actuating means includes electromagnet means for actuating said means for selectively fixing said spring element.
  • print head means including a print head
  • said clutch means including a driven element, a driving element coupled to said driving means and concentric with said driven element, a spring element secured to said driven element and encompassing a portion of said driving element, and means for selectively fixing said spring element with respect to said driving element in response to said actuating means,
  • said actuating means including electromagnet means for actuating said means for selectively fixing said spring element
  • said means for deactivating said clutch means including cam means secured to said driving element for deactivating said means for selectively fixing said spring element.
  • print head means including a print head
  • said guide shaft means being mounted eccentrically for movement with respect to said record material in response to rotation thereof,
  • control means for automatically moving said guide shaft means away from said record material in response to said print head being moved to and occupying said other end of said guide shaft means
  • control means including a control lever, a latching lever for locking said control lever in the rotated position and cam means on said driving means for deactivating said latching lever in response to said print head being moved to and occupying said one end of said guide shaft means.
  • print head means including a print head
  • said guide shaft means being mounted eccentrically for movement with respect to said record material in response to rotation thereof,
  • control means for automatically moving said guide shaft means away from said record material in response to said print head being moved to and occupying said other end of said guide shaft means
  • said print head being freely rotatably mounted on said guide shaft means, and guide means secured to said print head for retaining said print head in a given disposition with respect to said record material,
  • said guide means including a guide member having a slot in spaced parallel relationship with said guide shaft means and a guide bar having one end thereof secured to said print head and the other end thereof riding in said slot.
  • print head means including a print head
  • said driving means including a guide belt means secured to said print head and pulley means supporting said guide belt means for rotation, said driving means further including means for biasing said pulley means and said print head into a neutral position under conditions where said driving means is not driving said print head, said print head being disposed at said one end of said guide shaft When said neutral position is effected, and
  • detent means for positively determining said neutral position of said pulley means.
  • said clutch means including a driven element, a driving element secured to said pulley means concentric with said driven element, a spring element secured to said driven element and encompassing a portion of said driving element, and means for selectively fixing said spring element with respect to said driven element in response to said actuating means,
  • said actuating means includingelectromagnet means for actuating said means for selectively fixing said spring element
  • said means for deactivating said clutch means including cam means secured to said pulley means for deactivating said means for selectively fixing said spring element
  • control means including a control lever, a latching lever for locking said control lever in the rotated position and cam means on said pulley means for deactivating said latching lever in response to said print head being moved to and occupying said one end of said guide shaft means,
  • said print head being freely rotatably mounted on said guide shaft means, and guide means secured to said print head for retaining said print head in a given disposition with respect to said record material,
  • said guide means including a guide member having a slot in spaced parallel relationship with said guide shaft means and a guide bar having one end thereof secured to said print head and the other end thereof riding in said slot.
  • print head means including a print head, a cylindrical platen for accommodating the record material, a guide shaft for slidably supporting said print head, means for mounting said guide shaft parallel to said platen and adapted to permit engagement between said print head and the record material during an excursion across the width of said material,
  • timing belt means secured to said print head for driving said print head and including a driving pulley and a driven pulley and an endless belt supported by said pulleys in parallel relationship with said shaft,
  • clutch control means for selectively connecting said motor drive means to said driving pulley in response to a control signal
  • said clutch control means including spring clutch means for connecting said motor drive means to said driving pulley when actuated, and actuating means for actuating said spring clutch means in response to said control signal, and means for driving said print head in a return excursion along said shaft when said driving pulley is disconnected from said motor drive means.
  • said mounting means includes eccentrical support means for said shaft adapted for rotation to move said shaft and print head about an axis parallel to the record material, and
  • said print head is freely rotatably mounted on said guide shaft, and including guide means secured to said head for maintaining said print head in a given disposition with respect to said record material.
  • print head means including a print head
  • guide shaft means for guiding said print head adjacent said record material, during movement thereof across the width of said material
  • timing belt means secured to said print head for driving means and a guide shaft supported by said eccentric support means for conjoint movement of said shaft and print head with respect to the record material
  • said print head being freely rotatably mounted on said guide shaft, and guide means secured to said print head for maintaining said print head in a given disposition with respect to said record material,
  • said guide means including a guide member having a slot in spaced parallel relationship with said guide shaft means and a guide bar having one end thereof secured to said print head and the other end thereof riding in said slot.
  • print head means including a print head
  • guide shaft means for guiding said print head adjacent said record material during movement thereof across the width of said material
  • timing belt means secured to said print head for driving said print head at an essentially constant rate including a driving pulley and a driven pulley and an endless beltsupported by said pulleys,
  • clutch control means for selectively connecting said motor drive means to said driving pulley in response to a control signal
  • said clutch control means including spring clutch means for connecting said motor drive means to said driving pulley when actuated, and actuating means for actuating said spring clutch means in response to said control signal,
  • said actuating means including a spring actuating member normally latched in an inoperative position and control means for selectively releasing said spring actuating member in response to said control signal
  • timing belt means including means for latching said spring actuating member in said inoperative position after one complete rotation of said driving pulley,
  • the circumference of said driving pulley being equal to the length of the path of movement of said print head such that one complete rotation of said pulley produces one complete scan of said print head.
  • said guide shaft means including eccentric support means and a guide shaft supported by said eccentric support means for conjoint movement of said shaft and print head with respect to the record material
  • said print head being freely rotatably mounted on said guide shaft, and guide means secured to said print head for maintaining said print head in a given disposition With respect to said record material,
  • said guide means including a guide member having a slot in spaced parallel relationship with said guide shaft means, and a guide bar having one end thereof secured to said print head and the other end thereof riding in said slot,
  • detent means for positively determining the position of said driven pulley corresponding to the start position of said print head
  • control linkage means for actuating said eccentric supresponse to said print head reaching a predetermined position along said guide shaft.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Common Mechanisms (AREA)
  • Character Spaces And Line Spaces In Printers (AREA)
US452273A 1965-04-30 1965-04-30 Electrosensitive printing apparatus with print head continuously moved across paper Expired - Lifetime US3300017A (en)

Priority Applications (5)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US452273A US3300017A (en) 1965-04-30 1965-04-30 Electrosensitive printing apparatus with print head continuously moved across paper
NL6605209A NL6605209A (en)) 1965-04-30 1966-04-19
GB17337/66A GB1132301A (en) 1965-04-30 1966-04-20 Data printing apparatus
BE680004D BE680004A (en)) 1965-04-30 1966-04-25
FR59121A FR1477327A (fr) 1965-04-30 1966-04-26 Dispositif d'impression pour imprimer par voie électrique sur un support d'enregistrement électrosensible

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US452273A US3300017A (en) 1965-04-30 1965-04-30 Electrosensitive printing apparatus with print head continuously moved across paper

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Publication Number Publication Date
US3300017A true US3300017A (en) 1967-01-24

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US452273A Expired - Lifetime US3300017A (en) 1965-04-30 1965-04-30 Electrosensitive printing apparatus with print head continuously moved across paper

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US (1) US3300017A (en))
BE (1) BE680004A (en))
GB (1) GB1132301A (en))
NL (1) NL6605209A (en))

Cited By (21)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3400798A (en) * 1967-08-21 1968-09-10 Friden Inc Last character visibility mechanism for a matrix page printer
US3405392A (en) * 1965-04-30 1968-10-08 Sperry Rand Corp Electronic calculators
US3429414A (en) * 1967-04-24 1969-02-25 Scm Corp Printer with print hammer mounted on movable carriage
US3509980A (en) * 1968-03-12 1970-05-05 Ncr Co Thermal printer
US3518699A (en) * 1967-10-23 1970-06-30 Hewlett Packard Co Scanning apparatus for driving an electrostatic recording structure
FR2027424A1 (en)) * 1968-12-31 1970-09-25 Texas Instruments Inc
US3592311A (en) * 1968-10-02 1971-07-13 Ibm Wire printing head
US3685629A (en) * 1970-09-21 1972-08-22 Scope Inc Print head carriage mechanism for impactless printer
US3703949A (en) * 1970-05-07 1972-11-28 Centronics Data Computer High-speed printer
US3711646A (en) * 1971-01-25 1973-01-16 Sector Corp System and method for printing alpha-numerics and graphics
US3710913A (en) * 1968-12-31 1973-01-16 Texas Instruments Inc Electronic printing input-output station
US3845850A (en) * 1973-02-22 1974-11-05 Bowmar Instrument Corp Thermal printer
US3858703A (en) * 1973-01-05 1975-01-07 Centronics Data Computer Bidirectional dual head printer
US3881587A (en) * 1972-11-01 1975-05-06 Copal Co Ltd Device for controlling the movement of the printing head in printers
US3924528A (en) * 1972-10-06 1975-12-09 Bauer Messinstrumente Ag Printer
US3931761A (en) * 1970-10-09 1976-01-13 Andre Carrus Method of continuous printing of documents
US3985216A (en) * 1975-04-14 1976-10-12 Centronics Data Computer Corporation Thermal print head assembly
US4050568A (en) * 1975-12-05 1977-09-27 Sperry Rand Corporation Stylus carriage drive
US4136977A (en) * 1976-10-16 1979-01-30 Triumph Werke Nurnberg A.G. Mount for a consumable electrode matrix printer
FR2402360A1 (fr) * 1977-08-29 1979-03-30 Exxon Research Engineering Co Dispositif d'ecriture avec style utilisable dans un recepteur de fac-simile
US4170422A (en) * 1975-02-03 1979-10-09 Texas Instruments Incorporated Printhead alignment mechanism

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1079447A (en) * 1912-12-31 1913-11-25 Soblik Schreibmaschinen Ges Mit Beschraenkter Haftung Pneumatic printing mechanism for type-writers.
US1453867A (en) * 1921-04-30 1923-05-01 New Era Mfg Company Check writer
US1841116A (en) * 1929-03-20 1932-01-12 Victor Adding Machine Co Typewriter paper feed mechanism
US2005450A (en) * 1933-12-09 1935-06-18 Burroughs Adding Machine Co Paper feeding mechanism
US2723897A (en) * 1950-07-15 1955-11-15 Western Union Telegraph Co Stylus scanning devices for facsimile machines
US2770517A (en) * 1954-03-18 1956-11-13 Western Union Telegraph Co Facsimile scanning mechanism
US2879129A (en) * 1953-03-19 1959-03-24 Alden Milton Recording electrode
US2879876A (en) * 1955-11-17 1959-03-31 Ibm Single element printing machine
US2919002A (en) * 1957-04-19 1959-12-29 Ibm Selection mechanism for a single printing element typewriter
US2944868A (en) * 1958-10-04 1960-07-12 Electroacustic Gmbh Recording instrument
US2997152A (en) * 1959-01-26 1961-08-22 Dirks Gerhard Electrically controlled character printing apparatus
US3012839A (en) * 1954-07-15 1961-12-12 Burroughs Corp Electrographic printer
US3014569A (en) * 1960-03-28 1961-12-26 Ibm Keyboard mechanism
US3145822A (en) * 1960-10-24 1964-08-25 Monroe Calculating Machine Tape actuated movable mechanical writing head
US3167166A (en) * 1960-04-07 1965-01-26 Int Standard Electric Corp Printing arrangement for high-speed teleprinters
US3225883A (en) * 1962-11-13 1965-12-28 Waldemar A Ayres Word writing machine producing closed-up printing in response to simultaneous actuation of keys

Patent Citations (16)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1079447A (en) * 1912-12-31 1913-11-25 Soblik Schreibmaschinen Ges Mit Beschraenkter Haftung Pneumatic printing mechanism for type-writers.
US1453867A (en) * 1921-04-30 1923-05-01 New Era Mfg Company Check writer
US1841116A (en) * 1929-03-20 1932-01-12 Victor Adding Machine Co Typewriter paper feed mechanism
US2005450A (en) * 1933-12-09 1935-06-18 Burroughs Adding Machine Co Paper feeding mechanism
US2723897A (en) * 1950-07-15 1955-11-15 Western Union Telegraph Co Stylus scanning devices for facsimile machines
US2879129A (en) * 1953-03-19 1959-03-24 Alden Milton Recording electrode
US2770517A (en) * 1954-03-18 1956-11-13 Western Union Telegraph Co Facsimile scanning mechanism
US3012839A (en) * 1954-07-15 1961-12-12 Burroughs Corp Electrographic printer
US2879876A (en) * 1955-11-17 1959-03-31 Ibm Single element printing machine
US2919002A (en) * 1957-04-19 1959-12-29 Ibm Selection mechanism for a single printing element typewriter
US2944868A (en) * 1958-10-04 1960-07-12 Electroacustic Gmbh Recording instrument
US2997152A (en) * 1959-01-26 1961-08-22 Dirks Gerhard Electrically controlled character printing apparatus
US3014569A (en) * 1960-03-28 1961-12-26 Ibm Keyboard mechanism
US3167166A (en) * 1960-04-07 1965-01-26 Int Standard Electric Corp Printing arrangement for high-speed teleprinters
US3145822A (en) * 1960-10-24 1964-08-25 Monroe Calculating Machine Tape actuated movable mechanical writing head
US3225883A (en) * 1962-11-13 1965-12-28 Waldemar A Ayres Word writing machine producing closed-up printing in response to simultaneous actuation of keys

Cited By (22)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3405392A (en) * 1965-04-30 1968-10-08 Sperry Rand Corp Electronic calculators
US3429414A (en) * 1967-04-24 1969-02-25 Scm Corp Printer with print hammer mounted on movable carriage
US3400798A (en) * 1967-08-21 1968-09-10 Friden Inc Last character visibility mechanism for a matrix page printer
US3518699A (en) * 1967-10-23 1970-06-30 Hewlett Packard Co Scanning apparatus for driving an electrostatic recording structure
US3509980A (en) * 1968-03-12 1970-05-05 Ncr Co Thermal printer
US3592311A (en) * 1968-10-02 1971-07-13 Ibm Wire printing head
FR2027424A1 (en)) * 1968-12-31 1970-09-25 Texas Instruments Inc
US3638197A (en) * 1968-12-31 1972-01-25 Texas Instruments Inc Electronic printing input-output station
US3710913A (en) * 1968-12-31 1973-01-16 Texas Instruments Inc Electronic printing input-output station
US3703949A (en) * 1970-05-07 1972-11-28 Centronics Data Computer High-speed printer
US3685629A (en) * 1970-09-21 1972-08-22 Scope Inc Print head carriage mechanism for impactless printer
US3931761A (en) * 1970-10-09 1976-01-13 Andre Carrus Method of continuous printing of documents
US3711646A (en) * 1971-01-25 1973-01-16 Sector Corp System and method for printing alpha-numerics and graphics
US3924528A (en) * 1972-10-06 1975-12-09 Bauer Messinstrumente Ag Printer
US3881587A (en) * 1972-11-01 1975-05-06 Copal Co Ltd Device for controlling the movement of the printing head in printers
US3858703A (en) * 1973-01-05 1975-01-07 Centronics Data Computer Bidirectional dual head printer
US3845850A (en) * 1973-02-22 1974-11-05 Bowmar Instrument Corp Thermal printer
US4170422A (en) * 1975-02-03 1979-10-09 Texas Instruments Incorporated Printhead alignment mechanism
US3985216A (en) * 1975-04-14 1976-10-12 Centronics Data Computer Corporation Thermal print head assembly
US4050568A (en) * 1975-12-05 1977-09-27 Sperry Rand Corporation Stylus carriage drive
US4136977A (en) * 1976-10-16 1979-01-30 Triumph Werke Nurnberg A.G. Mount for a consumable electrode matrix printer
FR2402360A1 (fr) * 1977-08-29 1979-03-30 Exxon Research Engineering Co Dispositif d'ecriture avec style utilisable dans un recepteur de fac-simile

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB1132301A (en) 1968-10-30
BE680004A (en)) 1966-10-03
NL6605209A (en)) 1966-10-31

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