Wang Laboratories, Inc.

Gerald J Crean

An Wang

Roger R Soulard

A paper feeder for use in dispensing paper into a printer with sensors for leading and trailing edges of paper and with a platen which rotates in a forward imprinting direction in response to a leading edge and in a backward, paper-ejecting direction in response to a trailing edge, the paper feeder comprising a paper holder, at least one rotatable drive roller to operably contact paper in the holder, and a drive train connecting the platen to the roller and controlled exclusively by such connection to cause no roller rotation in response to forward platen rotation, and to cause roller rotation in a paper-dispensing direction in response to backward platen rotation; the drive train is arranged so that the roller delivers paper to a paper-loading position on the printer not before the platen completes paper ejection; whereby backwards platen rotation provides simultaneous paper ejection and dispensing.

Sheet feeding apparatus

Printing apparatus in which the print head and ribbon cartridge assembly of the printing apparatus provides for tilting movement of the print head and ribbon cartridge into an inoperative position tilted away from the platen, with the ribbon cartridge in an extended tilted position for removal and replacement of the rotary disk print wheel, free from interference from either the platen or the ribbon cartridge without removing the ribbon cartridge.

Print wheel mounting arrangement for print head and ribbon cartridge

Printing apparatus, having a rotatable platen with a printing element in front of it and a reversible platen drive for rotating the platen counterclockwise or clockwise relative to the printing element, is operable to feed, from an upper hopper extending upwardly and rearwardly from the bottom of the platen, an unprinted sheet to the bottom of the platen and forwardly and upwardly to the front of the platen into printing position. A selector switch may be provided for selecting the direction of rotation of the platen after completion of printing so that its rotation counterclockwise moves the printed sheet upwardly and rearwardly toward the upper hopper and its rotation clockwise moves the printed sheet downwardly for sequential stacking in the lower hopper to collate successive printed sheets in their order of printing. A bail switch operable upon movement of the upper platen feed roll away from the platen may also be provided to cause the platen to rotate counterclockwise to move the leading edge of the unprinted sheet into printing position.

Growing community of inventors

Topsfield, MA, United States of America

Gerald J Crean