US3397766A

US3397766A - Printer having plural hammers and a single hammer actuating means

Info

Publication number: US3397766A
Application number: US619253A
Authority: US
Inventors: Spalinger Hans; Reber Walter
Original assignee: Hasler AG
Current assignee: Hasler AG
Priority date: 1966-03-01
Filing date: 1967-02-28
Publication date: 1968-08-20
Anticipated expiration: 1985-08-20
Also published as: DE1561222B2; ES337357A1; FR1516358A; AT285692B; GB1166188A; NL155151B; SE330182B; BE694800A; DE1561222A1; NL6702876A; CH452589A; DE1561222C3

Description

0, 1968 H. SPALINGER ETAL 3,397,766

PRINTER HAVING PLURAL HAMMERS AND A SINGLE HAMMER ACTUATING MEANS Filed Feb. 28, 1967 United States Patent Olfice 3,397,766 Patented Aug. 20, 1968 3,397,766 PRINTER HAVING PLURAL HAMMERS AND A SINGLE HAMMER ACTUATING MEANS Hans Spalinger and Walter Reber, Bern, Switzerland, assignors to Hasler A.-G., Bern, Switzerland, a corporation of Switzerland Filed Feb. 28, 1967, Ser. No. 619,253 Claims priority, application Switzerland, Mar. 1, 1966, 2,948/66 7 Claims. (Cl. 197-57) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This disclosure provides a printer which has a plurality of hammer means, but only one hammer actuating means. The hammer actuating means is moved into registry with a selected hammer means and then actuates the selected hammer.

The present invention relates to an improved printing device for teleprinters, typewriters and the like, Wherein it has already been proposed to provide such printing device with a type carrier being displaceable in the direction of the lines to be printed on a paper, in front of a stationary paper carrier.

One of the reasons which led to this development which deviate from usual typewriter construction is that the printing device can be made lighter than the paper carrier extending along the full line width. Since in teleprinters the return of the printing device from the end of the line to the start of the line occurs during the time occupied by one or at most two type impressions, the displaceable part of the printing device must be made particularly light. The teleprinters employed nowadays operate with a writing speed of approximately impacts per second. The time available for the return of the printing device thus amounts to less than 100 milliseconds.

It is a main object of the present invention to provide a printing device of extremely lightweight construction so that proper return can be accomplished in this short time.

More specifically, it is a nobject of the invention to provide a printing device for teleprinters, typewriters and like writing machines, which comprises a carrier for the paper to be :printed .on and a type carrier which is at least partly formed by a comparatively thin spring leaf, said part being contiguous to the paper carrier and multisegmentally divided into a plurality of spring tongues which have their free ends in front of the paper carrier, each tongue carrying at least one printing type near its free end, and which device comprises further a striking mechanism having a plurality of striking hammers for cooperation with any of the type carrying tongue ends, one hammer for each impact per line of printing, and a cam plate adapted to be driven by rotation and displaceable in the direction of the lines of printing for actuating said striking hammers consecutively.

The characteristic features of the invention are fully disclosed in the following description and the accompanying drawing of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 shows the printing device according to the invention in section, and

FIG. 2 shows an elevation as viewed from A in FIG. 1, of the printing device.

Referring to the drawings a type carrier for a teleprinter printing device is constructed as a thin spring leaf 1, whose upper part is divided into a plurality of narrow tongue-like type elements 3 which are elastical transversally to the spring leaf 1. These each carry two different printing types 4, which are arranged one above the other. The types 4 are unitary with the spring leaf 1. The spring leaf 1 of a thickness of about 0.3 mm. only, is fastened on a light spring leaf holder 5 and is displaceably arranged on guide means including two

track bars

6 and 7 extending in the direction of the lines to be printed.

The setting of a character to be printed occurs in the horizontal direction by means of a connecting element 8 which is positively connected to a setting roll 10 by means of an endless band 9.

The spindle 11 of this setting roll 10 controlled direct by means of a decoder which is not illustrated. A roll 12 merely serves the purpose of a deflecting roller. Members 8-12 are first control means for the type carrier 1,3. A toothed bar or rack 15 (illustrated in FIG. 1 only), extends across the full printing width and is pivotable to engage in a toothed member 16 fastened on the spring leaf holder 5 immediately after the coarse setting of a character and type element by the control means 8-12, and before the impingement of a type element by a printing hammer 2. The fine setting of the character to be printed is thus accomplished by engagement of the elements 15 and 16 so that each type is located opposite a corresponding impact zone of a line on the platen and sheet thereon.

A hammer 2 is provided for each impact zone per line of writing. The hammers are pivotably mounted in a hammer frame 17 on a common shaft 27 and are drawn against a hammer rest 18 by means of a spring which is not illustrated. The actuation of each printing hammer 2 is effected by means of a rotary cam plate 19 which is provided with several lobes 20 uniformly distributed around its periphery. The cam plate 19 is automatically rotated in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 1 by a square section driving shaft 21.

In the embodiment illustrated, it is possible to actuate consecutively three hammers to obtain three impacts per revolution of the driving spindle 21. The cam lobe 20 which is operative, rolls against the projecting part 26 of the hammer 2, thereby speeding it up, until the hammer is released by the lobe and freely moves as it passes through the last part of its pivotal movement towards the paper support platen 28 and drives type elements 3 located in its path of movement into impact with platen 28. The springy type element which immediately springs back to its initial position as shown at 3 and the weight of the hammer causes the hammer to fall back onto the hammer rest bar 18. The cam plate 19 is displaced in the direction of the lines to the next position by the connecting element 22 in each instance. The movement of the connecting element 22, i.e. the advance in steps during typing and the return at the end of the line, occur in similar manner to that of the horizontal setting of the type carrier, the endless band 23 being in engagement with the setting roll 24 as well as with the connecting element 22. The roll 25 acts as a guide roller. Members 22-25 are second control means for moving the

drive cam plate

19, 20 to a selected operative position.

A vertical shifting mechanism, which occurs optionally in two or three steps, is incorporated for setting of the type carrier in the vertical direction. The step a (FIG. 1) corresponds to the basic position. No type impression is possible in this position, but it is needed however in order to ensure full visibility of the written test. The step b is intended for the upper row and the step c for the lower row of the characters. If visibility of the written test is not needed, a vertical displacement between the steps b and c alone is sufiicient, wherefor means are provided which are not illustrated but adapted to permit only such displacement. This has the advantage that the displacements are less frequent and less extensive and that wear and noise thus diminished considerably. During this vertical shifting action, the complete type carrier with the spring leaf holder 5 and the two

track bars

6 and 7, is displaced vertically by means of the

lavers

13 and 14.

What we claim is:

1. A printing device comprising, in combination, support means for supporting a sheet along a line of impact zones; type carrier means including a series of type elements having a series of types representing the characters of a system of characters arranged in a row extending in one direction along said line, each type element being mounted movable toward and away from said support means and sheet, and adapted to cooperate with an impact zone; guide means supporting said type carrier means for movement in said one direction; first control means for moving said type carrier means in said one direction so as to place a selected type element in a position of readiness located opposite a selected zone of said line; a row of printing hammers respectively located opposite said impact zones of said line and having the same number as said impact zones so that each type element registers with one of said hammers in displaced positions of said type carrier means, said printing hammers being mounted for movement between a position of rest and a printing position for driving the type element registering therewith toward the respective impact zone; drive means including a single rotary drive cam means having at least one cam lobe and being mounted for movement in said one direction along said row of printing hammers between a number of operative positions disposed in registry with any single selected one of said printing hammers, and second control means for moving said drive cam means to a selected operative position registering with the printing hammer which registers 'with the selected type element for moving the respective printing hammer to said printing position so that the selected type element is driven to a position in which the type thereof cooperates with a selected zone of said line.

2. A printing device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said type carrier means includes a spring leaf having a series of spring tongues constituting said type elements and having said types at the ends thereof, respectively; and wherein said printing hammers resiliently deform the respective spring tongue during movement to said printing position so that the deformed spring tongue returns to an initial position of rest when the respective printing hammer returns to said position of rest thereof.

3. A printing device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said cam means includes a plurality of cam lobes, each cam lobe being operative to move a printing hammer to said printing position; and wherein said second control means move said drive cam means along said row of printing hammers at a speed related to the rotary speed of said drive cam means so that each of said lobes engages and operates a different printing hammer during each revolution of said drive cam means.

4. A printing device as claimed in claim 3 wherein said drive cam has three lobes spaced 120; wherein said printing hammers have cam follower portions cooperating with said lobes; and comprising means supporting said printing hammers for pivotal movement.

5. A printing device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said drive means include a shaft extending in said one direction; wherein said drive cam means is a drive cam plate having the width of a printing hammer, and being mounted on said drive shaft for rotation therewith and for axial movement along the same; and wherein said second control means are connected with said drive cam plate for moving the same along said drive shaft.

6. A printing device as claimed in claim 5 wherein said second control means include an endless band connected with said drive cam plate and roller means supporting and driving said endless band.

7. A printing device as claimed in claim 1 comprising a rack bar extending in said one direction and having a number of rack teeth and notches equal to the number of said impact zones and being correspondingly spaced; and a toothed means secured to said type carrier means for movement therewith along said rack bar in said one direction, said rack bar engaging said toothed means whereby the respective selected type element is exactly placed opposite a selected zone by said rack bar after having been moved with said type carrier means -by said first control means to a position of readiness substantial- 1y opposite the selected zone.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 620,960 4/1899 Pratt 197-57 2,686,469 8/ 1954 Toggenburger 101-46 2,874,634 2/1959 Hense 101-93 2,936,704 5/1960 Hense 101-93 3,135,195 6/1964 Potter 101-93 3,152,540 10/ 1-964 Pensavecchia et al. 101-93 3,155,033 11/1964 Nelson et al. 101-93 3,217,853 11/1965 Gentilini 197-17 3,255,693 6/ 1966 Eissfeldt et al. 101-93 3,256,969 6/ 1966 Bretti 101-93 ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner.

E. S. BURR, Assisiant Examiner.