US3442366A - Ribbon tension control - Google Patents

Ribbon tension control Download PDF

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Publication number
US3442366A
US3442366A US535516A US3442366DA US3442366A US 3442366 A US3442366 A US 3442366A US 535516 A US535516 A US 535516A US 3442366D A US3442366D A US 3442366DA US 3442366 A US3442366 A US 3442366A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
ribbon
tension
pawl
spool
ratchet
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Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
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US535516A
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English (en)
Inventor
Jesse W Spears
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International Business Machines Corp
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International Business Machines Corp
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Publication date
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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
    • B41J33/00—Apparatus or arrangements for feeding ink ribbons or like character-size impression-transfer material
    • B41J33/14—Ribbon-feed devices or mechanisms
    • B41J33/16—Ribbon-feed devices or mechanisms with drive applied to spool or spool spindle
    • B41J33/22—Ribbon-feed devices or mechanisms with drive applied to spool or spool spindle by gears or pulleys

Definitions

  • This mechanism accomplishes accurate ribbon tension control through the use of an ultra simple structure.
  • this mechanism is so simple and its effectiveness so great that it is possible to employ substantially longer ribbon length without impairing print quality or feed reliability due to length related tension changes, while also reducing the overall cost of the ribbon feed mechanism.
  • High quality typewritten material is produced through the use of so-called total release or single pass ribbons. It is desirable, from economic and user acceptance considerations, to minimize the frequency that a new single pass ribbon must be inserted. To this end, large reels and thin ribbon have been employed whenever possible. In traversing-printhead printers, such as the IBM Selectric typewriter where the ribbon and its feed mechanisms are carried bodily along a stationary printing line, large diameter reels or spools become impractical. A low ribbon change frequency is obtained by use of a precision ribbon lift mechanism that scatters strike points over a wide ribbon in a vertically overlapped pattern.
  • ribbon tension variation has been limited by limiting the ribbon spool size, such that dimensional variations between full and empty spools is limited. This solution is less than totally satisfactory since it defeats the objective of minimizing the ribbon change frequency.
  • Another partial solution has been to provide a simple spring loaded brake acting directly on the ribbon periphery to create a drag that varies inversely with the geometrical changes in the ribbon. This method does not take into account the inertial effects of geometrical changes and thus is also less than totally satisfactory.
  • Another object of my invention has been to devise and develop a simply constructed web tension control mecha- 3,442,366 Patented May 6, 1969 nism especially for printer ink ribbon feeding to make accurate control economically practical.
  • My tension control mechanism is principled upon a novel, simple mechanical closed loop concept for controlling a step-function-operative brake, and thereby maintain ribbon tension within predetermined limits.
  • Ribbon tension at any instant is a function of both applied forces and reactive or inertial forces.
  • variations in inertial forces are fixed.
  • Applied forces can be varied and by appropriate variation, can compensate for the variations of the inertial forces.
  • I provide a ratchet and pawl combination which, when mutually engaged, totally prevents rotation of a supply spool. Conversely, when the pawl and ratchet are not mutually engaged, they exercise no control whatsoever over the supply spool.
  • the pawl and ratchet constitute a step-functionoperative control which is either on or off.
  • the pawl is spring-biased to normally prevent motion of the supply spool.
  • the pawl When ribbon tension exceeds a predetermined maximum level, the pawl is driven from this normal position. The pawl is permitted to re-engage after suflicient ribbon has been fed to permit the ribbon tension to fall below this maximum level.
  • the ribbon tension will be controlled essentially by the inertial or reactive forces acting on the ribbon spools. If the reactive forces are low, as when the angular acceleration of a supply spool is low during early stages of feeding a ribbon, the ribbon tension will quickly fall below the prescribed maximum and the pawl will re-engage immediately. Continued motion induced by the feed mechanism quickly restores a minimum tension as ribbon is fed while the supply spool is held by the pawl.
  • the pawl when removed from the ratchet, will remain out of the ratchet until acceleration has lowered, and the ribbon tension falls below the prescribed maximum. It can be seen that the mechanism will maintain ribbon tension substantially constant within limits while permitting only transient deviations therefrom which do not adversely affect the ribbon feed. Of particular importance is the absence of any cumulative ribbon tension between feed cycles.
  • Another phase of my invention involves the employment of a spring connection between the ribbon tension sensing or engaging mechanism thereof and the pawl, such that all changes in ribbon tension are not immediately delivered to the pawl. A time lag is thus provided and the sensitivity of the mechanism is reduced to a practical level, considering normal control problems of hunting or chattering.
  • This phase is practically implemented by employing a unitary spring wire as both the sensing mechanism and the pawl.
  • FIGURE 1 is a partial perspective view of a ribbon supply mechanism constructed in accordance with my invention.
  • FIGURE 2 is an enlarged top or plan view of the ribbon supply mechanism, more clearly showing the tension control mechanism therefor.
  • My invention is shown as applied to a ribbon feed mechanism generally as described in the article entitled Typewriter Ribbon Feed, by J. B. ODaniel and L. E. Palmer, published September 1963 in the IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, vol. 6, No. 4, pp. 1718.
  • the feed mechanism is part of a typewriter or printer like that disclosed in US. Patent 2,919,002 entitled Selection Mechanism for a Single Printing Element Typewriter, inventor L. E. Palmer, issued Dec. 29, 1959, having a platen or reaction part 11 and a printhead 12 defining a printing station 13 therebetween.
  • the printhead 12 is supported on a carrier 14 that is movable laterally to traverse a writing line 15.
  • the ribbon feed mechanism is also mounted on the carrier 14 and includes a ribbon or web supply spool 21, a takeup spool or used ribbon collection means 22 (FIGURE 2), ribbon lift guides 23' and incrementally operating ribbon feed capstan and pinchroll mechanism or meshing rubber gears 24.
  • the capstan mechanism 24 is driven by a stepping drive (not shown) to move a constant linear amount of a web or ink ribbon 26 past the printing station 13.
  • the guides 23 are thrust upward by different amounts each print cycle by a cam device (not shown) to scatter strike points in a vertically overlapped pattern over the ribbon.
  • the takeup spool 22 is supported for rotation by a shaft 27 that engages a spool hub 22a and is driven by garter spring 25 to collect the ribbon pulled by the capstan mechanism 24.
  • the supply spool 21 is supported on a ratchet wheel 31 and is keyed thereto by mechanism 32.
  • a pin shaft 33 rotatably supports the ratchet wheel 31 and spool 21.
  • My control mechanism includes a pawl or detent 34 that is dimensioned to fit in and tightly engage the teeth of the ratchet 31 and provide an on-off or step-function operated brake in cooperation therewith.
  • the pawl 34 is pivoted for movement about an axis 35 and is biased counterclockwise by a spring 36 into a normal condition of engagement with teeth of the ratchet 31.
  • a tension sensing finger 37 engages ribbon 26 coming from the supply spool 21 and is movable to the right in response to a tension increase.
  • the sensing finger 37 is connected to the pawl 34 through a long flexible arm or spring portion 38 to permit a degree of finger movement without a total corresponding movement of the pawl 34.
  • This internal spring action reduces the sensitivity of the control to a practical level and thereby avoids hunting or chattering.
  • the pawl 34, the arm 38, and the finger 37 are all made of an integral or unitary piece of bent, spring, so-called piano wire or resilient steel. This piano wire is reinforced at the pivot axis 35 by a small block 39.
  • ribbon from a full supply spool 21 is threaded about the sensing finger 37 of the control mechanism, through the ribbon lift guide 23, past ribbon al- 'ready wound on takeup spool 22, through the capstan mechanism 24 and is attached to the takeup spool 22.
  • the supply spool 21 is required to rotate only very small amounts to deliver the required length of ribbon past the printing point 13. Accordingly, a very small acceleration is required of the supply spool 21 and inertial forces will be low.
  • the ribbon 26 pulled past the printing point 13 first moves the sensing finger 37 by merely bending the flexible arm 38. Ribbon tension builds up, due to the pawl 34 which prevents ribbon feeding by the supply spool 21.
  • my invention provides an effective, and yet simple mechanism for maintaining a substantially constant ribbon tension over a wide variation in inertial tension creating conditions.
  • the improved web tension control mechanism comprising:
  • a detent mounted adjacent said ratchet and movable into engagement therewith for preventing rotation of said supply spool
  • a printer having a platen, a laterally movable carrier cooperable with said platen for traversing a writing line, printhead means supported on said carrier for impacting with said platen to print characters, and ink ribbon feeding means supported on said carrier for delivering ink ribbon past said printhead means in incremental steps, wherein said feeding means includes means for rotatably supporting a supply spool, means for guiding said ribbon between said printhead means and said platen, and means for incrementally moving said ribbon past said printhead; the improved ribbon tension control mechanism comprising:
  • a detent mounted adjacent said ratchet and movable into engagement therewith for preventing rotation of said supply spool

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  • Impression-Transfer Materials And Handling Thereof (AREA)
US535516A 1966-03-18 1966-03-18 Ribbon tension control Expired - Lifetime US3442366A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US53551666A 1966-03-18 1966-03-18

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3442366A true US3442366A (en) 1969-05-06

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US535516A Expired - Lifetime US3442366A (en) 1966-03-18 1966-03-18 Ribbon tension control

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US (1) US3442366A (US20100012521A1-20100121-C00001.png)
JP (1) JPS493770B1 (US20100012521A1-20100121-C00001.png)
AT (1) AT284884B (US20100012521A1-20100121-C00001.png)
BE (1) BE694111A (US20100012521A1-20100121-C00001.png)
CH (1) CH446405A (US20100012521A1-20100121-C00001.png)
DE (1) DE1561245B1 (US20100012521A1-20100121-C00001.png)
ES (1) ES338167A1 (US20100012521A1-20100121-C00001.png)
FR (1) FR1519781A (US20100012521A1-20100121-C00001.png)
GB (1) GB1159165A (US20100012521A1-20100121-C00001.png)
NL (1) NL148831B (US20100012521A1-20100121-C00001.png)
SE (1) SE330389B (US20100012521A1-20100121-C00001.png)

Cited By (18)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3528536A (en) * 1967-03-15 1970-09-15 Ibm Ribbon feed mechanism for a single pass ribbon
US3572601A (en) * 1969-04-14 1971-03-30 Data Products Corp Web feed system suitable for use in high-speed printers
US3724633A (en) * 1970-12-30 1973-04-03 Ibm Feed system for an adhesive ribbon or the like
US3966036A (en) * 1973-12-28 1976-06-29 Ing. C. Olivetti & C., S.P.A. Inked ribbon feed arrangement
US3998313A (en) * 1973-04-16 1976-12-21 Docutel Corporation Paper web and ink ribbon feed control for character printer
DE2632146A1 (de) * 1975-07-17 1977-02-03 Brother Ind Ltd Schreibmaschine mit einer farbbandkassette
US4010839A (en) * 1974-11-25 1977-03-08 Ing. C. Olivetti & C., S.P.A. Cartridge for a ribbon of a typewriter or like office machines
DE2835002A1 (de) * 1978-08-10 1980-02-21 Olympia Werke Ag Bandspannvorrichtung fuer ein nur einmal verwendbares farbband in schreib- oder aehnlichen bueromaschinen
US4337001A (en) * 1980-07-28 1982-06-29 Scm Corporation Releasable ribbon locking device in a ribbon cartridge
US4373824A (en) * 1981-06-22 1983-02-15 Xerox Corporation Ribbon tension and metering control
US4408908A (en) * 1980-12-19 1983-10-11 International Business Machines Corporation Ribbon feed system for a matrix printer
US4605327A (en) * 1984-07-31 1986-08-12 Silver Seiko Ltd. Print ribbon cassette including ribbon tensioning means
US4790677A (en) * 1985-10-03 1988-12-13 Primages, Inc. Method and apparatus for determining halt of tape feed in a tape cartridge for a printer
US4806033A (en) * 1983-03-07 1989-02-21 Ing. C. Olivetti & C., S.P.A. Ribbon cartridge for printing machines
US4958782A (en) * 1988-12-28 1990-09-25 Pitney Bowes Inc. Reeled tape supply
US5007749A (en) * 1988-05-09 1991-04-16 Ing. C. Olivetti & C., S.P.A. Cartridge including tension means for a typewriter correction ribbon
US5741081A (en) * 1996-03-12 1998-04-21 Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Ribbon cassette with feed member
US20050286951A1 (en) * 2004-06-25 2005-12-29 Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Image formation device

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CH638438A5 (fr) * 1980-10-09 1983-09-30 Hermes Precisa International Cassette a ruban d'impression pour machine a ecrire.
DE3106252A1 (de) * 1981-02-20 1982-10-21 Geha-Werke Gmbh, 3000 Hannover Farbbandkassette

Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1399480A (en) * 1919-03-19 1921-12-06 Underwood Typewriter Co Typewriting-machine
US1947034A (en) * 1931-02-26 1934-02-13 Burroughs Adding Machine Co Double ribbon mechanism
US2107074A (en) * 1937-01-23 1938-02-01 Folmer Graflex Corp Copying camera equipment unit
CH252778A (fr) * 1945-06-29 1948-01-31 Ets Japy Freres Mécanisme de commande et d'inversion du mouvement du ruban encreur d'une machine à écrire.
US2906203A (en) * 1958-10-13 1959-09-29 Olympia Werke A G Fa Apparatus for feeding and guiding ribbons in typing and printing machines
US3069107A (en) * 1958-12-01 1962-12-18 Continental Copper & Steel Ind Reel play-off stand
US3171530A (en) * 1962-06-26 1965-03-02 Ibm Ribbon feed mechanism
US3283876A (en) * 1962-05-14 1966-11-08 Siemens Ag Endless ink ribbon arrangement for typewriters

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3193211A (en) * 1962-12-20 1965-07-06 Dennison Mfg Co Strip feed tension equalizer

Patent Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1399480A (en) * 1919-03-19 1921-12-06 Underwood Typewriter Co Typewriting-machine
US1947034A (en) * 1931-02-26 1934-02-13 Burroughs Adding Machine Co Double ribbon mechanism
US2107074A (en) * 1937-01-23 1938-02-01 Folmer Graflex Corp Copying camera equipment unit
CH252778A (fr) * 1945-06-29 1948-01-31 Ets Japy Freres Mécanisme de commande et d'inversion du mouvement du ruban encreur d'une machine à écrire.
US2906203A (en) * 1958-10-13 1959-09-29 Olympia Werke A G Fa Apparatus for feeding and guiding ribbons in typing and printing machines
US3069107A (en) * 1958-12-01 1962-12-18 Continental Copper & Steel Ind Reel play-off stand
US3283876A (en) * 1962-05-14 1966-11-08 Siemens Ag Endless ink ribbon arrangement for typewriters
US3171530A (en) * 1962-06-26 1965-03-02 Ibm Ribbon feed mechanism

Cited By (20)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3528536A (en) * 1967-03-15 1970-09-15 Ibm Ribbon feed mechanism for a single pass ribbon
US3572601A (en) * 1969-04-14 1971-03-30 Data Products Corp Web feed system suitable for use in high-speed printers
US3724633A (en) * 1970-12-30 1973-04-03 Ibm Feed system for an adhesive ribbon or the like
US3998313A (en) * 1973-04-16 1976-12-21 Docutel Corporation Paper web and ink ribbon feed control for character printer
US3966036A (en) * 1973-12-28 1976-06-29 Ing. C. Olivetti & C., S.P.A. Inked ribbon feed arrangement
US4010839A (en) * 1974-11-25 1977-03-08 Ing. C. Olivetti & C., S.P.A. Cartridge for a ribbon of a typewriter or like office machines
DE2632146A1 (de) * 1975-07-17 1977-02-03 Brother Ind Ltd Schreibmaschine mit einer farbbandkassette
US4074799A (en) * 1975-07-17 1978-02-21 Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Ribbon cartridge having slack preventing means
DE2835002A1 (de) * 1978-08-10 1980-02-21 Olympia Werke Ag Bandspannvorrichtung fuer ein nur einmal verwendbares farbband in schreib- oder aehnlichen bueromaschinen
US4337001A (en) * 1980-07-28 1982-06-29 Scm Corporation Releasable ribbon locking device in a ribbon cartridge
US4408908A (en) * 1980-12-19 1983-10-11 International Business Machines Corporation Ribbon feed system for a matrix printer
US4373824A (en) * 1981-06-22 1983-02-15 Xerox Corporation Ribbon tension and metering control
US4806033A (en) * 1983-03-07 1989-02-21 Ing. C. Olivetti & C., S.P.A. Ribbon cartridge for printing machines
US4605327A (en) * 1984-07-31 1986-08-12 Silver Seiko Ltd. Print ribbon cassette including ribbon tensioning means
US4790677A (en) * 1985-10-03 1988-12-13 Primages, Inc. Method and apparatus for determining halt of tape feed in a tape cartridge for a printer
US5007749A (en) * 1988-05-09 1991-04-16 Ing. C. Olivetti & C., S.P.A. Cartridge including tension means for a typewriter correction ribbon
US4958782A (en) * 1988-12-28 1990-09-25 Pitney Bowes Inc. Reeled tape supply
US5741081A (en) * 1996-03-12 1998-04-21 Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Ribbon cassette with feed member
US20050286951A1 (en) * 2004-06-25 2005-12-29 Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Image formation device
US7309178B2 (en) * 2004-06-25 2007-12-18 Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Image formation device

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
NL148831B (nl) 1976-03-15
SE330389B (US20100012521A1-20100121-C00001.png) 1970-11-16
JPS493770B1 (US20100012521A1-20100121-C00001.png) 1974-01-28
NL6704014A (US20100012521A1-20100121-C00001.png) 1967-09-19
DE1561245B1 (de) 1970-01-29
FR1519781A (fr) 1968-04-05
ES338167A1 (es) 1968-04-01
BE694111A (US20100012521A1-20100121-C00001.png) 1967-07-17
AT284884B (de) 1970-10-12
GB1159165A (en) 1969-07-23
CH446405A (de) 1967-11-15

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