Ing C. Olivetti C., S.p.a.

Franco Valle

Pietro Musso

Sergio Sofi

A cartridge for a typing ribbon and spools for a correcting ribbon are mounted on a common frame which can tilt about a spindle. In a lowered position of the frame the typing line behind a daisy wheel is visible. The frame is raised by a first stroke to the position shown to dispose the typing ribbon over the typing point on the platen. A longer stroke raises the correcting ribbon to the typing point and this longer stroke also actuates an automatic ratchet wheel and pawl type of feed mechanism for the correcting ribbon. The two strokes of the frame are controlled by a disc comprising two cam tracks with a common part and separate parts having different degrees of eccentricity relative to the common part. The grooved cam tracks are so shaped that a follower pin on an arm depending from the frame enters the radially inner track when the disc is rotated clockwise by a reversible electric motor, thereby to raise the frame by the smaller amount, whereas it enters the radially outer track in the case of anticlockwise rotation. The disc also carries a frontal cam which operates a ribbon feed mechanism for the ribbon in a container of the cartridge.

Actuation device for two typewriter functions

A print head (15) on a carriage (16) slides on a carriage guide bar (17) in front of a platen bar (18). A receipt slip (25) is fed from a roll (26) over part of the width of the platen bar (18) to a knife (40) for cutting off individual receipts. A daybook slip (45) is fed from a roll (46) over the bar (18) to a take-up roll (50). Other documents may be fed in for printing either downwardly between upper guides (37 and 38) or upwardly between lower guides (35 and 55). In either event the inserted document is engaged by a drive roller (60) and pressure roller (70) to be positioned at a predetermined height, under control of photodetectors (80 and 81). The pressure roller (70) is mounted between levers and can move away from the drive roller (60) to accommodate the thickness of the inserted document. The levers also support the carriage guide (17), whereby the head (15) is positioned a constant distance from the surface on which printing is effected.

Point of sale printer

A line spacing device for printing machines comprises an electric motor arranged to rotate selectively in a clockwise direction and anticlockwise direction and a control disc carrying a pawl on an eccentric. The tooth of the pawl describes a closed trajectory engaging in the teeth of a wheel and of a sense the same as the rotation of the disc, whereby a paper support platen is rotated by one increment in the opposite sense. A central control unit controls the clockwise and anticlockwise rotations of the electric motor. A cam disengages a detent pin from the wheel so that the motor is only lightly loaded when actuating the platen.

Growing community of inventors

Ivrea, Italy

Franco Valle