US3805941A - Ballistic print hammer and type-bearing element combination for on-the-fly printer - Google Patents
Ballistic print hammer and type-bearing element combination for on-the-fly printer Download PDFInfo
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- US3805941A US3805941A US00279559A US27955972A US3805941A US 3805941 A US3805941 A US 3805941A US 00279559 A US00279559 A US 00279559A US 27955972 A US27955972 A US 27955972A US 3805941 A US3805941 A US 3805941A
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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
- B41J9/00—Hammer-impression mechanisms
- B41J9/02—Hammers; Arrangements thereof
- B41J9/04—Hammers; Arrangements thereof of single hammers, e.g. travelling along printing line
- B41J9/06—Hammers; Arrangements thereof of single hammers, e.g. travelling along printing line of stationary hammers, e.g. engaging a single type-carrier
Definitions
- This invention relates to high-speed impact, or onthe-fly, printers used in data processing systems and particularly to high-speed serial, parallel, or serialparallel impact printers.
- bed printers which print by means of one or more print elements or hammers, and a support plane, platen, or fixed printing bed.
- a type-bearing element consisting, for example, of an assemblage of flexible character tongues supported by a belt is interposed between a hammer and the printing bed and is suitably moved so that all the characters of the type-bearing element are positioned, one after the other, at a predetermined print position.
- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art impact printer
- FIGS. 2a, 2b, and 2c are top views which show schematically the successive steps of a printing operation in the printer of FIG. 1;
- FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of a printer in accordance with the invention.
- FIG. 4 is a detailed perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the printer of the invention.
- FIG. 1 shows a prior art serial platen printer.
- Each of the different type characters of the print assemblage is arranged on the outer end of a flexible support tongue 1 and disposed along a circumference of the assemblage.
- the assemblage of tongues 1 forms a daisy, which is rotated at constant speed by means of a motor M.
- Print hammer 3 is provided with suitable resilient return springs to urge the hammer toward a home position and with appropriate damping means to eliminate vibrations and rebounds.
- the flexible support tongues l are of rectangular cross-section and have a very small moment of inertia in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the typebearing daisy. Thus, the energy of elastic deformation required to bring the end of the tongue into contact with the print-receiving member is very small.
- the printing is carried out by exciting electromagnet 5 at selected times, so that head 2 of hammer 3 urges the outer end of the selected tongue, which bears the character to be printed, against an inked ribbon 6, thenatureceiving member 7 and a printing bed, or platen, 8 behind member 7.
- the printing mechanism, comprising hammer 3 and type-bearing daisy is arranged on a carriage 9, which slides along guides 10. This printing mechanism is moved either incrementally or continuously so as to enable the successive printing in the various printing positions along a print line.
- FIGS. 2a, 2b, 2c illustrate the printing operation in three successive steps, and emphasize the relative positions assumed by the type-bearing tongues l and head 2 of print hammer 3 to demonstrate the interference problem.
- the instant of the start of excitation of electromagnet 5 is shown in FIG. 2a.
- the striking surface 11 of head 2 is at a sufficient distance from platen 8 that type-bearing tongues I can pass by freely without striking head 2.
- the direction of motion of tongues 1 is indicated by the arrow A.
- electromagnet 5 is excited, forcing head 2 to begin to move toward platen 8. This is the situation illustrated in FIG. 2a.
- Each type character, FIG. 3, is disposed on a typebearing element 15, which has a suitable mass m,. Element is affixed by welding, brazing or other convenient method to the outer end of a flexible support tongue 1.
- the assemblage of flexible tongues 1, forming a type-bearing daisy, is rotated at constant angular velocity W.
- Print hammer 3 acts on element 15, preferably by means of an interposer, or ballistic, element 16, which has a suitable mass m and is guided appropriately.
- ballistic element 16 is supported and guided by two flexible fingers 17 and 18, which are held by a suitable support 19 so that ballistic element 16 can move without friction.
- flexible fingers 17 and 18 exercise a slight elastic-return force when ballistic element 16 is displaced from its normal rest position.
- the ballistic element 16 is projected against element 15, FIG. 3, by excitation of electromagnet 5, which actuates hammer 3. After hammer 3 strikes ballistic element 16 and imparts to it a predetermined velocity V toward type-bearing element 15, the stroke of hammer 3 is arrested, either by means of suitable stopping devices, not shown, or by closure of the air gap of the electromagnet 5.
- the ballistic element 16 continues the stroke with a velocity V which can be considered constant, neglecting the slight reaction of fingers, l7 and 18 and strikes against type-bearing element 15.
- element 15 has a considerable peripheral velocity V perpendicular to the path of motion of ballistic element 16, its velocity component V in the direction of motion of element 16 is zero before the impact.
- equations (1) and (2) can be simplified to:
- the consequent projection velocity required is approximativelySm/sec.
- the mass of ballistic element 16 can then be 0.5 grams, or can be slightly less so as not only to avoid the danger of interference but to provide a small inherent component of return speed for ballistic element 16 after the impact.
- the respective masses m, and m of the type-bearing tongues and the interposed ballistic element may be slightly displaced in the striking direction, and the striking surface of at least one of these two members, for example that of the ballistic element, may be somewhat convex.
- Stiffening plate 23 extends radially close to the outer .end of tongues 21 and is provided with two annular grooves 24 and 25.
- outer groove 25 is arranged a ring of suitable resilient material, which ring protrudes slightly out of groove 25 to form a support for typebearing tongues 21, thereby slightly preloading such tongues.
- This resilient ring is provided for damping the elastic vibrations of each tongue 21 about its home position when it returns to this home position after a printing operation.
- resilient ring establishes a well-defined, stable home position for tongues 21, which position is not influenced by small dynamic imbalances in the daisy, imbalances which otherwise would cause vibrations of .the tongues.
- the daisy and stiffening plate 23 are driven in rotation on shaft 22 by a motor 26, supported on a carriage member 27.
- Carriage member 27 slides along guides 28 and 29 to occupy successively all printing positions provided along the print line.
- On carriage member 27 there is also arranged an actuating electromagnet 30, whose movable armature 31 acts to suitably project an interposer ballistic, element 32 against a type-bearing element 20.
- Armature 31 is pivoted on a pin 33 and is maintained in a rest position against a stop device, which is preferably resilient and'adjustable by means of a screw 34.
- a similar resilient stop device adjustable by means of a screw 36, is provided for ballistic element 32 and acts, for example, on a flat spring 37.
- Spring 37 together with a spring 38, form a resilient support device for ballistic element 32.
- printer shown in FIG. 4 relates to a serial printer and, particularly, one employing a daisyshaped type-bearing element, it is evident that the same design principles can be applied to parallel and serialparallel printers, as well as to printers employing different type-bearing elements, such as print bars, belts, chains and the like, wherein the characters to be printed are supported by flexible tongues, without departing from the scope and the objects of the invention.
- an actuating apparatus comprising: hammer means selectively actuable for moving in a second direction transverse to said first direction, an interposer element disposed be tween said hammer means and said type-bearing elements in said printing position and having a portion thereof interposed to be struck by said hammer means when actuated and a portion aligned for striking onthe-fly one of said type-bearing elements being moved along said path through said printing position, and arresting means located to arrest said hammer means 6 to move substantially in said second direction upon
- the printer of claim 3 further including a stiffening plate mounted on said movable member for providing partial support for said type-bearing elements.
- a high-speed on-the-fly printer mechanism comprising:
- each of said tongues being affixed to said movable member, whereby said type-bearing elements are driven successively in a path in a first direction through a printing position and are flexurally supported by said tongues for movement in a second direction transverse to said first direction,
- interposer element disposed opposite said printing position, and means for selectively actuating said interposer element for movement ballistically in said second direction transverse to said first direction to strike the one of said type-bearing elements being moved in said path through said printing position on-the-fly, the mass of said interposer element being no greater than the mass of each of said type-bearing elements, whereby said interposer element' upon striking said one of said type-bearing elementswill transfer its momentum to said one of said type-bearing elements without moving into said path.
- a high-speed on-the-fly printer comprising in combination:
- a movable member having a plurality of type-bearing elements mounted thereon, one adjacent the other, for successive movement in a path past a printing position on said platen, supporting means for flexurally mounting each of said typebearing elements on saidmovable member providing for relative movement with respect to said movable member of said type-bearing elements toward and away from said platen,
- interposer element disposed in spaced relation with said platen and on the opposite side of said type-bearing elements from said platen, said interposer element being resiliently supported for relative movement toward and away from a typebearing element disposed adjacent said platen printing position,
- each of said type-bearing elements and said interposer element being so formed that the mass of said interposer element is no greater than the mass of each of said type-bearing elements, whereby said interposer element upon striking said one of said type-bearing elements will transfer its momentum to said one of said typebearing elements without moving into said path.
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- Character Spaces And Line Spaces In Printers (AREA)
Abstract
A printer of the kind having a print hammer and movable typecarrying members, wherein, to avoid problems of interference, each type character is associated with an element of mass m and is actuated to effect printing by the print hammer through a ballistic interposer having substantially the same mass m, and wherein the ballistic interposer is projected against the element associated with each character to transfer thereto its entire dynamic energy and is thereby arrested.
Description
United States Patent [191 Cattaneo Apr. 23, 1974 BALLISTIC PRINT HAMMER AND [56] References Cited TYPE-BEARING ELEMENT COMBINATION UN STATES PATENTS FOR ON'THE'FLY PRINTER 2,236,663 4 1941 Adams 197/53 [75] Inventor, Sergio Camneo, voghera, Pavia, 3,289,805 12/1966 K1einschmidt.... 197/53 x Italy 2,787,210 4/1957 Shepard 101/93 C 3,542,182 11/1970 Langenburger... 197/18 [73] Assignee: Honeywell Information Systems 3,371,766 5/1968 Staller 1 197/53 ltalia formerly named General 3,575,107 4/1971 'McDowell 101/93 Electric Information Systems Italia, Caluso, Italy Primary Examiner-Robert E. Pulfrey Assistant ExaminerE. M. Coven [22] Flled 1972 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Fred Jacob [21] Appl. No.: 279,559
Related US. Application Data [57]. T T [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 50 659 June 29 1970 A punter of the kmd having a pnm hammer and movabandoned able typecarrying members, wherein, to avoid problems of interference, each type character is associated [30] Foreign Application Priority Data with an element of mass m and is actuated to effect J 28 1969 It 1 8918/69 printing by the print hammer through a ballistic interune a y poser having substantially the Same mass and wherein the ballistic interposer is projected against the 197/53 101/93 element associated with each character -to transfer [58] Fie'ld 137/53 thereto its entire dynamic energy and is thereby arrested.
6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAFRN 14 3; 805.941
PATENTEU APR 2 3 I87.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to high-speed impact, or onthe-fly, printers used in data processing systems and particularly to high-speed serial, parallel, or serialparallel impact printers.
One form of such impact printers are known as bed printers, which print by means of one or more print elements or hammers, and a support plane, platen, or fixed printing bed. A type-bearing element consisting, for example, of an assemblage of flexible character tongues supported by a belt is interposed between a hammer and the printing bed and is suitably moved so that all the characters of the type-bearing element are positioned, one after the other, at a predetermined print position.
As is known, one of the major problems in this form of printer arises from interference between the print hammer and the type-bearing element, with the consequent risk of jamming or breaking the parts. This risk has been reduced by suitably spacing the support tongues of the characters along their direction of motion, although, as is known, such spacing introduces a substantial reduction in the printing speed.
Therefore, it is the object of this invention to eliminate these disadvantages of such impact printers without reducing their performance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The above-described interference problem is eliminated in the printer of the instant invention, by suitably designing the masses of the characters and the print hammer, thereby obtaining the additional advantage that the support tongues of the characters can be made sufficiently close' together such as to provide even higher printing speeds.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art impact printer;
FIGS. 2a, 2b, and 2c are top views which show schematically the successive steps of a printing operation in the printer of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of a printer in accordance with the invention; and
FIG. 4 is a detailed perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the printer of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 shows a prior art serial platen printer. Each of the different type characters of the print assemblage is arranged on the outer end of a flexible support tongue 1 and disposed along a circumference of the assemblage.
The assemblage of tongues 1 forms a daisy, which is rotated at constant speed by means of a motor M.
Due to the rotation of the daisy the respective ends of the tongues are positioned one after the other in registration by an electromagnet 5.
Print hammer 3 is provided with suitable resilient return springs to urge the hammer toward a home position and with appropriate damping means to eliminate vibrations and rebounds. These construction details are not shown in the drawing since they are not necessary for an understanding of the invention.
The flexible support tongues l are of rectangular cross-section and have a very small moment of inertia in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the typebearing daisy. Thus, the energy of elastic deformation required to bring the end of the tongue into contact with the print-receiving member is very small. The printing is carried out by exciting electromagnet 5 at selected times, so that head 2 of hammer 3 urges the outer end of the selected tongue, which bears the character to be printed, against an inked ribbon 6, the printreceiving member 7 and a printing bed, or platen, 8 behind member 7. The printing mechanism, comprising hammer 3 and type-bearing daisy is arranged on a carriage 9, which slides along guides 10. This printing mechanism is moved either incrementally or continuously so as to enable the successive printing in the various printing positions along a print line.
FIGS. 2a, 2b, 2c, illustrate the printing operation in three successive steps, and emphasize the relative positions assumed by the type-bearing tongues l and head 2 of print hammer 3 to demonstrate the interference problem. The instant of the start of excitation of electromagnet 5 is shown in FIG. 2a. In the home position, the striking surface 11 of head 2 is at a sufficient distance from platen 8 that type-bearing tongues I can pass by freely without striking head 2. The direction of motion of tongues 1 is indicated by the arrow A. When a particular tongue 12, bearing the character selected to be printed, reaches a position suitably ahead of the printing position, electromagnet 5 is excited, forcing head 2 to begin to move toward platen 8. This is the situation illustrated in FIG. 2a.
During its movement toward platen 8 head 2 strikes against tongue 12, forcing tongue 12 against inked ribbon 6, print-receiving member 7 and platen 8, FIG. 2b. At this moment tongue 12 is in precise printing position and head 2 is close to platen 8, interposing itself between adjacent moving tongues 13 and 14.
If, due to some defect (a timing error, weakening of the return springs, friction, etc.) the retraction of head 2 is not carried out promptly, the next-following typebearing tongue 14 strikes against head 2, causing jamming of the type-bearing elements, as shown in FIG. 2c.
This danger is only partly reduced by chamfering either the edges of head 2 or of type-bearing tongues 1; therefore, this does not provide a satisfactory solution to the problem. However, in accordance with the instant invention the problem is solved by suitably designing the masses of the type-bearing elements and the print hammer.
From the fundamental laws of mechanics it is known that in a perfectly elastic and central impact the momentum of an isolated system is maintained. Moreover in such as elastic, central impact between two equal masses, one of which is stationary, the velocity of the first is entirely transferred to the second, while the first stops. The printer portion of FIG. 3 is an embodiment of such principle.
Each type character, FIG. 3, is disposed on a typebearing element 15, which has a suitable mass m,. Element is affixed by welding, brazing or other convenient method to the outer end of a flexible support tongue 1. The assemblage of flexible tongues 1, forming a type-bearing daisy, is rotated at constant angular velocity W. Print hammer 3 acts on element 15, preferably by means of an interposer, or ballistic, element 16, which has a suitable mass m and is guided appropriately. For example, as shown, ballistic element 16 is supported and guided by two flexible fingers 17 and 18, which are held by a suitable support 19 so that ballistic element 16 can move without friction. In addition, flexible fingers 17 and 18 exercise a slight elastic-return force when ballistic element 16 is displaced from its normal rest position.
The ballistic element 16 is projected against element 15, FIG. 3, by excitation of electromagnet 5, which actuates hammer 3. After hammer 3 strikes ballistic element 16 and imparts to it a predetermined velocity V toward type-bearing element 15, the stroke of hammer 3 is arrested, either by means of suitable stopping devices, not shown, or by closure of the air gap of the electromagnet 5.
The ballistic element 16 continues the stroke with a velocity V which can be considered constant, neglecting the slight reaction of fingers, l7 and 18 and strikes against type-bearing element 15. Although, element 15 has a considerable peripheral velocity V perpendicular to the path of motion of ballistic element 16, its velocity component V in the direction of motion of element 16 is zero before the impact.
The total momentum inherent in the system of the two masses in the direction of motion of ballistic element 16 is m V immediately before the impact and becomes m V' m V, immediately after the impact. Therefore, the following equation must be satisfied:
pact, the total kinetic energy of the system is constant. Before the impact this total kinetic energy is:
After the impact the total system kinetic energy is:
m1(V 3 V l' m2 VI22 Since the total system kinetic energy before and after impact is constant, the following equation must be satisfied:
If, now, the two masses m and m are equal, and designated by the symbol m, equations (1) and (2) can be simplified to:
m (V g VII) "1 V2 1/2m' (V V l/2m (V V V%) and as known, the equations are satisfied when either V, or V' is zero. Therefore, ballistic element 16 stops at the instant of impact without interposing itself into the path of the next-arriving tongue 1. Thus, the interference problem is completely eliminated.
The above-mentioned simplifying conditions of an isolated system and an elastic, central impact can be substantially attained in practice, using some construction techniques, which provide for the actual behavior of the printer not differing substantially from the theoretical.
It has been found by experiment that the energy required for printing a character with an inked ribbon commonly used in typewriters varies between 30,000 and 80,000 ergs., according to the surface of the type character (dimensioned approximatively like a typewriter character), the quality of the print-receiving member, and the number of copies to be printed. Moreover, the most suitable imprinting velocity must not be greater than 5 IOm/sec.
At lower velocities of 2-5m/sec a better printing quality is obtained by virtue of less embossing of the print-receiving member. However, because the printing is on-the-fly; i.e., with the type-bearing element rotating continuously relative to the print-receiving member, at these lower printing velocities the contact time between character and print-receiving member is increased, whereby the printing is characterized by a more accentuated shading and by a broadening of the printed image in the direction of rotation of the typebearing element.
From these premises it has been determined that the mass m, at the outer end of each type bearing tongue 1 can be established at 0.5 grams as a compromise solution.
The consequent projection velocity required is approximativelySm/sec. The mass of ballistic element 16 can then be 0.5 grams, or can be slightly less so as not only to avoid the danger of interference but to provide a small inherent component of return speed for ballistic element 16 after the impact.
To achieve impacts which are as central as possible, particularly in the presence of imprecise timing, the respective masses m, and m of the type-bearing tongues and the interposed ballistic element may be slightly displaced in the striking direction, and the striking surface of at least one of these two members, for example that of the ballistic element, may be somewhat convex.
The above-described considerations are applied to the exemplary printer of FIG. 4. 64 individual typebearing elements 20 are attached by brazing to the outer ends of a set of flexible tongues 21 to form a daisy mounted for rotation on a drive shaft 22. This daisy member is disposed adjacent a central stiffening plate 23.
Stiffening plate 23 extends radially close to the outer .end of tongues 21 and is provided with two annular grooves 24 and 25. In outer groove 25 is arranged a ring of suitable resilient material, which ring protrudes slightly out of groove 25 to form a support for typebearing tongues 21, thereby slightly preloading such tongues. This resilient ring is provided for damping the elastic vibrations of each tongue 21 about its home position when it returns to this home position after a printing operation. In addition such resilient ring establishes a well-defined, stable home position for tongues 21, which position is not influenced by small dynamic imbalances in the daisy, imbalances which otherwise would cause vibrations of .the tongues.
The daisy and stiffening plate 23 are driven in rotation on shaft 22 by a motor 26, supported on a carriage member 27. Carriage member 27 slides along guides 28 and 29 to occupy successively all printing positions provided along the print line. On carriage member 27 there is also arranged an actuating electromagnet 30, whose movable armature 31 acts to suitably project an interposer ballistic, element 32 against a type-bearing element 20.
mature 31 is urged against the stop device by a spring 35. A similar resilient stop device, adjustable by means of a screw 36, is provided for ballistic element 32 and acts, for example, on a flat spring 37. Spring 37, together with a spring 38, form a resilient support device for ballistic element 32.
The devices for timing and selecting the angular position of the type-bearing daisy are not illustrated here, their functions and structures being well known in the art. 1
Although the printer shown in FIG. 4 relates to a serial printer and, particularly, one employing a daisyshaped type-bearing element, it is evident that the same design principles can be applied to parallel and serialparallel printers, as well as to printers employing different type-bearing elements, such as print bars, belts, chains and the like, wherein the characters to be printed are supported by flexible tongues, without departing from the scope and the objects of the invention.
Moreover, it is to be understood that the characters of the printer of the invention, and the masses associated therewith, instead of being supported and guided by flexible tongues, can be disposed and guided within special sliding seats provided in a rigid element, each one of them being provided with elastic return devices.
I claim:
1. In a high speed on-the-fly printer mechanism wherein each of a plurality of different type-bearing elements is supported on a respective one of a plurality of elongated flexible tongues, and wherein one end of each of said tongues is affixed to a movable member adapted to be driven to move said type-bearing elements in a path in a first direction through a printing position opposite a platen member in which position the elements are struck while being so driven, an actuating apparatus comprising: hammer means selectively actuable for moving in a second direction transverse to said first direction, an interposer element disposed be tween said hammer means and said type-bearing elements in said printing position and having a portion thereof interposed to be struck by said hammer means when actuated and a portion aligned for striking onthe-fly one of said type-bearing elements being moved along said path through said printing position, and arresting means located to arrest said hammer means 6 to move substantially in said second direction upon said portion thereof being struck by said hammer means to strike said one of said type-bearing elements with said another portion, the mass of said interposer element being no greater than the mass of each of said typebearing elements, whereby said interposer element upon striking one of said type-bearing elements will transfer its momentum to said type-bearing element without moving into said path.
2. The printer of claim 1, wherein said interposer element is resiliently supported.
3. The printer of claim 1, wherein said movable member is circular in shape and said type-bearing elements are driven in a circular path through said printing position.
4. The printer of claim 3, further including a stiffening plate mounted on said movable member for providing partial support for said type-bearing elements.
5. A high-speed on-the-fly printer mechanism comprising:
a plurality of different type-bearing elements,
a plurality of elongated flexible tongues each supporting a respective one of said type-bearing elements,
a movable member, one end of each of said tongues being affixed to said movable member, whereby said type-bearing elements are driven successively in a path in a first direction through a printing position and are flexurally supported by said tongues for movement in a second direction transverse to said first direction,
an interposer element disposed opposite said printing position, and means for selectively actuating said interposer element for movement ballistically in said second direction transverse to said first direction to strike the one of said type-bearing elements being moved in said path through said printing position on-the-fly, the mass of said interposer element being no greater than the mass of each of said type-bearing elements, whereby said interposer element' upon striking said one of said type-bearing elementswill transfer its momentum to said one of said type-bearing elements without moving into said path. v
6. A high-speed on-the-fly printer comprising in combination:
a platen,
a movable member having a plurality of type-bearing elements mounted thereon, one adjacent the other, for successive movement in a path past a printing position on said platen, supporting means for flexurally mounting each of said typebearing elements on saidmovable member providing for relative movement with respect to said movable member of said type-bearing elements toward and away from said platen,
an interposer element disposed in spaced relation with said platen and on the opposite side of said type-bearing elements from said platen, said interposer element being resiliently supported for relative movement toward and away from a typebearing element disposed adjacent said platen printing position,
a hammer disposed adjacent said interposer member on the opposite side of said interposer member from said type-bearing elements, and
tween said hammer and said one of said typebearing elements, each of said type-bearing elements and said interposer element being so formed that the mass of said interposer element is no greater than the mass of each of said type-bearing elements, whereby said interposer element upon striking said one of said type-bearing elements will transfer its momentum to said one of said typebearing elements without moving into said path.
Claims (6)
1. In a high speed on-the-fly printer mechanism wherein each of a plurality of different type-bearing elements is supported on a respective one of a plurality of elongated flexible tongues, and wherein one end of each of said tongues is affixed to a movable member adapted to be driven to move said type-bearing elements in a path in a first direction through a printing position opposite a platen member in which position the elements are struck while being so driven, an actuating apparatus comprising: hammer means selectively actuable for moving in a second direction transverse to said first direction, an interposer element disposed between said hammer means and said type-bearing elements in said printing position and having a portion thereof interposed to be struck by said hammer means when actuated and a portion aligned for striking on-the-fly one of said type-bearing elements being moved along said path through said printing position, and arresting means located to arrest said hammer means after striking said interposer element and prior to said interposer element striking said type-bearing element so that said interposer element is projected ballistically to move substantially in said second direction upon said portion thereof being struck by said hammer means to strike said one of said type-bearing elements with said another portion, the mass of said interposer element being no greater than the mass of each of said type-bearing elements, whereby said interposer element upon striking one of said typebearing elements will transfer its momentum to said type-bearing element without moving into said path.
2. The printer of claim 1, wherein said interposer element is resiliently supported.
3. The printer of claim 1, wherein said movable member is circular in shape and said type-bearing elements are driven in a circular path through said printing position.
4. The printer of claim 3, further including a stiffening plate mounted on said movable member for providing partial support for said type-bearing elements.
5. A high-speed on-the-fly printer mechanism comprising: a plurality of different type-bearing elements, a plurality of elongated flexible tongues each supporting a respective one of said type-bearing elements, a movable member, one end of each of said tongues being affixed to said movable member, whereby said type-bearing elements are driven successively in a path in a first direction through a printing position and are flexurally supported by said tongues for movement in a second direction transverse to said first direction, an interposer element disposed opposite said printing position, and means for selectively actuating said interposer element for movement ballistically in said second direction transverse to said first direction to strike the one of said type-bearing elements being moved in said path through said printing position on-the-fly, the mass of said interposer element being no greater than the mass of each of said type-bearing elements, whereby said interposer element upon striking said one of said type-bearing elements will transfer its momentum to said one of said type-bearing elements without moving into said path.
6. A high-speed on-the-fly printer comprising in combination: a platen, a movable member having a plurality of type-bearing elements mounted thereon, one adjacent the other, for successive movement in a path past a printing position on said platen, supporting means for flexurally mounting each of said type-bearing elements on said movable member providing for relative movement with respect to said movable member of said type-bearing elements toward and away froM said platen, an interposer element disposed in spaced relation with said platen and on the opposite side of said type-bearing elements from said platen, said interposer element being resiliently supported for relative movement toward and away from a type-bearing element disposed adjacent said platen printing position, a hammer disposed adjacent said interposer member on the opposite side of said interposer member from said type-bearing elements, and actuating means for moving said hammer to strike said interposer member which in turn is so located as to strike one of said type-bearing elements on-the-fly as the type-bearing element is moved by said movable member past said printing position on said platen, the movement of said hammer being arrested after said hammer strikes said interposer member and prior to said interposer member striking said one of said type-bearing elements so that said interposer member moves ballistically between said hammer and said one of said type-bearing elements, each of said type-bearing elements and said interposer element being so formed that the mass of said interposer element is no greater than the mass of each of said type-bearing elements, whereby said interposer element upon striking said one of said type-bearing elements will transfer its momentum to said one of said type-bearing elements without moving into said path.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US00279559A US3805941A (en) | 1969-06-28 | 1972-08-10 | Ballistic print hammer and type-bearing element combination for on-the-fly printer |
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| IT1891869 | 1969-06-28 | ||
| US5065970A | 1970-06-29 | 1970-06-29 | |
| US00279559A US3805941A (en) | 1969-06-28 | 1972-08-10 | Ballistic print hammer and type-bearing element combination for on-the-fly printer |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| US3805941A true US3805941A (en) | 1974-04-23 |
Family
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Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| US00279559A Expired - Lifetime US3805941A (en) | 1969-06-28 | 1972-08-10 | Ballistic print hammer and type-bearing element combination for on-the-fly printer |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| US (1) | US3805941A (en) |
Cited By (12)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3859712A (en) * | 1973-11-08 | 1975-01-14 | Pitney Bowes Inc | Method of making printing disc |
| US3915279A (en) * | 1973-11-29 | 1975-10-28 | Ibm | Printer type element deflection limiter |
| US3921277A (en) * | 1973-11-08 | 1975-11-25 | Pitney Bowes Inc | Method of making printing disc |
| US3924725A (en) * | 1974-06-28 | 1975-12-09 | Ibm | Dual array disc printer |
| US3949853A (en) * | 1974-09-25 | 1976-04-13 | Xerox Corporation | Proportional-spaced character print wheel |
| US3961792A (en) * | 1975-03-27 | 1976-06-08 | Lawrence Peska Associates, Inc. | Apertured paddle and resilient projectile |
| US4018639A (en) * | 1975-10-15 | 1977-04-19 | Xerox Corporation | Method of assembling a composite print wheel |
| US4037706A (en) * | 1974-09-25 | 1977-07-26 | Xerox Corporation | Composite print wheel |
| DE2726785A1 (en) * | 1976-06-14 | 1977-12-15 | Ricoh Kk | FAST PRINTER |
| US4173183A (en) * | 1976-01-16 | 1979-11-06 | Kabushiki Kaisha Suwa Seikosha | Line printer character belt |
| US4525086A (en) * | 1983-09-14 | 1985-06-25 | International Business Machines Corporation | Solenoid actuated pivotal printer hammer mechanism |
| DE2639628C2 (en) * | 1976-09-02 | 1986-05-28 | Siemens AG, 1000 Berlin und 8000 München | Device for printing types on a recording medium in a teleprinter |
Citations (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US2236663A (en) * | 1936-02-18 | 1941-04-01 | Western Electric Co | Type wheel teletypewriter |
| US2787210A (en) * | 1953-01-22 | 1957-04-02 | Jr Francis H Shepard | Hammer impelling means in high speed printers |
| US3289805A (en) * | 1964-11-27 | 1966-12-06 | Scm Corp | Typewriter having typelevers mounted on a rotating member |
| US3371766A (en) * | 1966-07-18 | 1968-03-05 | Internat Telephone & Telegraph | Printing apparatus |
| US3542182A (en) * | 1967-06-01 | 1970-11-24 | Walther Bueromasch Gmbh | Rotary serial printer for data processing machines |
| US3575107A (en) * | 1969-06-02 | 1971-04-13 | Gen Electric | Underspeed and undervoltage protection for printer |
-
1972
- 1972-08-10 US US00279559A patent/US3805941A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Patent Citations (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US2236663A (en) * | 1936-02-18 | 1941-04-01 | Western Electric Co | Type wheel teletypewriter |
| US2787210A (en) * | 1953-01-22 | 1957-04-02 | Jr Francis H Shepard | Hammer impelling means in high speed printers |
| US3289805A (en) * | 1964-11-27 | 1966-12-06 | Scm Corp | Typewriter having typelevers mounted on a rotating member |
| US3371766A (en) * | 1966-07-18 | 1968-03-05 | Internat Telephone & Telegraph | Printing apparatus |
| US3542182A (en) * | 1967-06-01 | 1970-11-24 | Walther Bueromasch Gmbh | Rotary serial printer for data processing machines |
| US3575107A (en) * | 1969-06-02 | 1971-04-13 | Gen Electric | Underspeed and undervoltage protection for printer |
Cited By (12)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3859712A (en) * | 1973-11-08 | 1975-01-14 | Pitney Bowes Inc | Method of making printing disc |
| US3921277A (en) * | 1973-11-08 | 1975-11-25 | Pitney Bowes Inc | Method of making printing disc |
| US3915279A (en) * | 1973-11-29 | 1975-10-28 | Ibm | Printer type element deflection limiter |
| US3924725A (en) * | 1974-06-28 | 1975-12-09 | Ibm | Dual array disc printer |
| US3949853A (en) * | 1974-09-25 | 1976-04-13 | Xerox Corporation | Proportional-spaced character print wheel |
| US4037706A (en) * | 1974-09-25 | 1977-07-26 | Xerox Corporation | Composite print wheel |
| US3961792A (en) * | 1975-03-27 | 1976-06-08 | Lawrence Peska Associates, Inc. | Apertured paddle and resilient projectile |
| US4018639A (en) * | 1975-10-15 | 1977-04-19 | Xerox Corporation | Method of assembling a composite print wheel |
| US4173183A (en) * | 1976-01-16 | 1979-11-06 | Kabushiki Kaisha Suwa Seikosha | Line printer character belt |
| DE2726785A1 (en) * | 1976-06-14 | 1977-12-15 | Ricoh Kk | FAST PRINTER |
| DE2639628C2 (en) * | 1976-09-02 | 1986-05-28 | Siemens AG, 1000 Berlin und 8000 München | Device for printing types on a recording medium in a teleprinter |
| US4525086A (en) * | 1983-09-14 | 1985-06-25 | International Business Machines Corporation | Solenoid actuated pivotal printer hammer mechanism |
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