Brother Kogyo Kabushiki-kaisha

Brother Industires, Ltd.

Brother Kogyo Kaisha

Hiroshi Onoda

Susumu Kuzuya

Takayuki Iwase

Kenji Mizuno

Akira Asai

Hisao Kurachi

Toshio Nakai

Kazuo Nakamura

Tomoyoshi Watanabe

Takeo Ito

Takeo Itoh

Kenji Sakakibara

Michitoshi Akao

Masami Hanazono

Kiyomichi Okado

In a data processing device for processing a preset procedure with respect to one data item or two data items shown on a display means (e.g. liquid crystal display, cathode ray tube or printed paper), the designating operation of the one data item and that of the two data items are made common and simplified. When a pointer points one of the data elements of a data item, the data item is designated. When the pointer points between two data items, a combination of the two data items before and after the pointer is designated.

Data processing device for processing a combination of data items

An electronic typewriter having a single detector switch for detecting whether a lid over a printing mechanism is open or closed and whether a carriage is in the original position or not. The detector switch is stimulated by two stimulators; one being provided on the lid for stimulating the detector switch when the lid is closed, and the other being provided on the carriage for stimulating the detector switch when the carriage is at the original position.

Electronic typewriter with a detector switch

A recording device capable of writing a character on a sheet of paper with a writing ball-point pen according to a set of character pattern data which is stored in a pattern memory, and erasing a written character with an erasing ball-point pen with reliability, by means of (1) modifying the set of character pattern data into a corresponding set of erasing pattern data which permits each of the components of an erasing path of the erasing pen to be shifted from the written character in a selected one of a first and a second direction which are normal to a first and a second reference line intersecting with each other, the set of erasing pattern data causing the component of the erasing path to be shifted in the first direction if a segment of the written character corresponding to the component is positioned nearer to the first reference line than the second, or to be shifted in the second direction if the segment is positioned nearer to the second reference line, and (2) controlling movements of the erasing pen and the sheet of paper, according to the modified set of erasing pattern data, to trace the written character along the erasing path.

Pen-recording apparatus capable of erasing written characters

A writing-plotting apparatus comprising a keyboard including a mode selector for selecting a writing or plotting mode, a carriage carrying a pen movably toward and away from a sheet of paper, a first memory for storing character pattern data representative of characters, a second memory for storing graphic pattern data representative of patterns of graphs, and a control device which, in the writing mode, reads out from the first memory the character pattern data corresponding to the operated character keys, and in the plotting mode reads out from the second memory the graphic pattern data. The control device is responsive to the read-out character or graphic pattern data and controls the operations of drives for feeding the paper along one axis, reciprocating the carriage along another axis perpendicular to the one axis, and moving the pen for contact and release with respect to the paper. The apparatus may comprise a converter which receives drive signals corresponding to the read-out data and converts the signals based on a desired size of the characters or graphs selected by a size selector, so that the converted drive signals are applied to the paper, carriage and pen drives.

Writing plotting apparatus with keyboard

A recording apparatus for recording graphs or other graphical representations, with relative movements between a writing instrument on a carriage which is moved by a carriage drive unit, and a sheet of paper which is fed by a paper feed unit in opposite directions perpendicular to the line of movements of the carriage. The writing instrument is moved between a recording position, and a non-recording position in which the writing instrument is spaced away from the paper. The apparatus comprises a controller for activating the paper feed unit and carriage drive unit to effect relative non-recording movements of the writing instrument and the paper with the writing instrument held in the non-recording position. The paths of the non-recording movements are determined based on input recording data so as to indicate a recording area in which the graphical representation is drawn by the writing instrument, whereby the operator can check dimensions and location of the recording area before the graphical representation is actually drawn on the paper.

Recording pen apparatus

A pen-recording apparatus for writing on a sheet of recording medium on a rotatable platen, with plural pens movable with a carriage along the platen. The apparatus comprises a pen-holding head which is supported by the carriage rotatably about an axis perpendicular to a line of movement of the carriage, and which holds the plural pens such that axes of the pens are evenly spaced from each other circumferentially of the head, and such that the pens are axially movable toward and away from the platen. The carriage rotatably supports a pinion coupled to the pen-holding head to transmit a rotary motion to the pen-holding head. The apparatus further comprises a rack member including a rack which is disposed parallel to the platen and engageable with the pinion to rotate the pinion when the carriage is moved in one of opposite directions along the platen. There is provided a device for holding the pinion and the rack out of engagement with each other to prevent the pinion from being rotated by the rack when the carriage is moved in the other direction.

Pen-recording apparatus with multi-station pen-holding head

A pen-recording apparatus capable of recording not only regular letters, but also special letters each of which consists of the regular letters slightly shifted relative to each other. The apparatus comprises a platen supported rotatably to hold a sheet of paper, a pen movable along the platen, a platen drive to rotate the platen, and a pen drive to move the pen. The apparatus further comprises a primary control device for controlling the platen and pen drives to cause movements of the pen and the sheet of paper relative to each other for writing on the paper a first element which is the regular letter, and a secondary control device for controlling the drives, after completion of writing of the first element, to bring the pen to a starting position of a second element which is the same regular letter as the first element, the starting position of the second element being shifted by a predetermined distance from that of the first element in a selected direction.

Pen-recording apparatus

A recording apparatus comprising a paper feed device for feeding a recording paper in forward and reverse directions; a carriage for supporting a writing tool and being movable perpendicularly to the feed direction of the paper; a carriage drive device for driving the carriage; a writing tool drive device for driving the writing tool towards the recording paper; a character pattern generator for generating character patterns; a control device for reading out corresponding character pattern data on basis of record data and driving the carriage drive device and the writing tool drive device to control the paper feed device, in response to the character pattern data; change means for changing lateral and longitudinal directions of recording; and means for mutually changing drive signals to be supplied from the control device to the paper feed device and the carriage drive device, respectively, on the basis of the change means, whereby direction of recording can be simply and readily changed.

Recording apparatus

A typewriter driven by an electric motor and provided with a ribbon vibrator for moving an erase ribbon in place of an ordinary printing ribbon as an occasional substitution from original position to printing position according to operation of a printing device for common use to both to erase a mistyped character. The ribbon vibrator is normally retained in non-operative status by a retaining member, which is moved in response to depression of a correction key to a predetermined evacuation position to allow the ribbon vibrator to operate and locked there by a lock member. The lock member is associated with not only a release key but also a manual switch member for controlling power supply to the electric motor. The engagement between the lock member and the retaining member is released in response to a turning operation of the manual switch member to OFF position for automatically restoring the ribbon vibrator to the non-operative status.

Typewriter with an erasing apparatus

The typewriter has a powered motor, an electric power switch, a drive shaft driven by the motor, a driven mechanism including printing and carriage return mechanisms connected to the drive shaft by way of respective clutches, and locking device for locking the clutches in their disconnect state. The locking device consist essentially of a cam portion on a manually operable member designed for turning on and off the switch, and a locking element actuated by the cam portion. When the manually operable member is actuated for turning off the switch, the clutches are locked in their disconnect state by the cam portion through the locking member. During cessation of the motor operation, these clutches may not be connected by faulty manipulation of the key or keys associated with the driven mechanism for reliably preventing incidental printing or carriage return movements upon restarting of the motor from occuring.

Power-operated typewriter

The typewriter has a drive mechanism including a vibrating mechanism and a feeding mechanism for a correction ribbon. The vibrating mechanism has a pair of ribbon vibrators, a cam follower provided to one of the vibrators, an eccentric cam designed to make one complete revolution for each printing operation in response to depression of associated key, and a spring member for resiliently biasing the cam follower toward the peripheral surface of the eccentric cam. The feeding mechanism has a pair of spindles for carrying ribbon spools, a ratchet wheel mounted on one of the spindles and a feed lever connected to the other vibrator. Upon depression of a correction key for setting the ribbon vibrators to be actuatable, followed by depression of an alphanumeric key, the ribbon vibrators are actuated by rotion of the eccentric cam so that the correction ribbon is raised from its inoperative position to its operative position. When the correction ribbon is lowered from its operative position to its inoperative position, the feed lever is actuated in timing with the return stroke of the ribbon vibrators for feeding the correction ribbon a predetermined length.

Typewriter

A typewriter with a character erasing apparatus capable of consecutively erasing a series of characters as well as a single character once printed on a sheet of printing paper. The typewriter is provided with a retaining crank movable to first, second and third positions. In the first position the retaining crank retains a ribbon vibrator supporting an erase ribbon in non-operative status. In the second position the retaining crank permits the ribbon vibrator to operate while interrupting transmission of power for moving a platen. The retaining crank is automatically restored to the first position in response to return movement of the ribbon vibrator after the single character erasing. The retaining crank is moved to and held at the third position by a manual member for permitting the ribbon vibrator to operate consecutively. The retaining member does not interrupt the transmission of the power for moving the platen. Therefore, while the retaining crank is in the third position a series of characters are consecutively erased by usual typing.

A character selection mechanism for a typewriter having a single type head with characters arranged in rows and columns thereon, which mechanism comprises, for either row selection and column selection similarly, a series of cams, a series of cam followers, a series of transmitting members, and an output member, as one set. The cams are fixed on a cam shaft which is rotated once in response to depressing of any one key. Each of the cam followers is rotated by each corresponding cam and is shifted, against a biasing force, by each corresponding transmitting member from a first position to a second position in response to depressing of the corresponding key. The cam follower engages the output member at the second position for controlling its operation based on the rotation of the cam shaft. The output member is connected to the type head via a connecting mechanism.

Character selection mechanism for a typewriter

An electric typewriter having a prevention mechanism for preventing printing errors caused by a depression of a few keys in very rapid succession. The prevention mechanism includes a lock member for locking a clutch, which is interposed between a drive motor and a printing mechanism, in a disengaged condition. The lock member is normally held in a non-operational position for allowing the clutch to be engaged, and is moved in response to a special operation of a sensing member to an operational position for keeping the clutch in a disengaged condition. The sensing member is so disposed as to be moved in a distinct way different from the normal operation mode when a few keys have been depressed in very rapid succession.

A power operated typewriter having an end of line locking mechanism comprises a clutch interposed between a drive motor and a printing mechanism, a control lever for engaging the printing clutch to print a character by the printing mechanism when a key lever is depressed, and lock means for locking the control lever so as to hold the printing clutch in its disengaged condition, which can prevent any printing operation even if the key lever is depressed after the right-hand margin position has been reached and is operative.

Growing community of inventors

Nagoya, Japan

Hiroshi Onoda