Other

Victor Comptometer Corporation

James E Blomquist

Robert H Wilczewski

Ronald L Adams

An improved striking device is provided as including a main post having two main longitudinal slots. An insert post having an outside diameter that is less than the inside diameter of the main post is provided. A striking surface is provided that is attached to an arm which in turn is attached to an arm housing. The arm housing has a first housing end and a second housing end. The arm housing is placed around the main post and the second housing end rests upon a support axle passing through the insert post. The first housing end includes a cam surface having two peaks located on opposite sides thereof and two valleys located on opposite sides thereof with each of the two valleys disposed between each of the two peaks. A cam follower is included which is retained in contact against the cam surface by a pair of springs. During rotation of the arm housing the cam follower cooperates with the cam surface of the arm housing to provide a first striking position and a second striking position that are each located one hundred and eighty degrees of rotation apart with respect to each other. As the arm housing rotates the cam surface extends the cam follower which is turn extends the pair of springs in proportion to the contour of the cam surface. If sufficient force is imparted to the striking surface, the arm housing is urged away from the first striking position, and indexes into the second striking position.

Striking device

A modified wire guide and assembly method for facilitating the insertion of wires into a dot matrix print head. In the preferred embodiment, the wire guide has a planar surface with downwardly extending wire holes defined by first and second surfaces. The first surface has a truncated conical shape and the second surface has a cylindrical shape. Additionally, the wire guide has an upwardly extending, inclined cam surface that intersects the planar surface to form a closed path. The first surface defining each hole is positioned adjacent the cam surface and intersects the closed path so that a wire striking the cam surface will move down it toward and into one of the holes. The assembly method of the present invention involves inserting a wire through three wire guides using aids that apply a first force in a first direction to bow the wire and then apply a second force in an opposite direction to guide the wire through the print head.

Dot matrix print head

This invention involves methods and apparatus relating to the assembly and structure of a dot matrix print head. In the preferred embodiment, the tops of the bobbins, yoke members, and pole pieces are ground flush in a common plane. The common plane is then used as a reference to mount and assembly remaining elements of the print head including the clapper members and backstop for the clapper members. The clapper members are mounted for pivotal movement between first and second positions by a cover member and securing cap. For uniform operation, the pivotal axis are all in the common reference plane on respective bobbin members and the gaps of the clapper members are automatically set to the identical size by intermeshing fingers on the cover and cap members. Additionally, corresponding and abutting surfaces on the bobbins, cover member, and cap member act in concert by the operation of a single screw to properly align, assembly, and adjust the operating parts of the print head.

This invention involves methods and apparatus relating to the assembly and structure of a dot matrix print head. The invention includes a single unit, coil assembly of a bobbin, coil, and clapper which can be removeably placed as a unit among fixed pole pieces and yoke members in the print head. The print head also includes a supporting arrangement for the coil assemblies which automatically aligns the clapper of each coil assembly with the impact end of one of the print wires during the assembly of the print head. Other disclosed features of the invention are novel designs for the wire guide members, a heat sink member, and mounting structure by which the print head is attached to the main guide and rail guide bearings of the printing mechanism. The invention also includes novel assembly aids and procedures which simplify and hasten the assembly of the print head including the use of assembly aids for inserting the print wires into the wire guide members and a grinding technique whereby all of the print wires can be easily and quickly ground to the proper length. With the novel print head design of this invention, the mounting plate, heat sink member, and coil assemblies can all be slideably assembled together and retained in place by snap-in, mating recess-detent arrangements between each bobbin and pole piece. In this manner, the print head can be easily and quickly assembled for operation and easily and quickly disassembled for repairs.

A bearing for a rotating shaft including a main body with three sections. The first section has a square profile whose sides are dimensioned to be received in a corresponding square slot in a support structure and held against rotation. The second section has a profile with at least five sides with four sides thereof being coplanar with the four sides of the first section. The fifth side falls within the profile of the first section and preferably is substantially the same thickness as the support structure plus a retaining clip. The third section has a profile with a portion greater than any portion of the profiles of the first and second sections wherein the bearing can be inserted into the slot in the support structure and held in place with a retaining clip positioned substantially about the second section.

Bearing for a rotating shaft

A transport system for a dot matrix printing mechanism including an improved overall design for the transport system and improved designs for individual elements of the system and combinations of elements. The overall design of the present invention uses snap fits extensively throughout for ease of assembly and disassembly, integrates many previously separate parts into one-piece members, employs common part designs wherever possible, and uses single parts to perform multiple functions wherever possible. For example, the striker bar and ribbon frame of the system are combined into one piece and the ribbon cartridge is releasably mounted to the ribbon frame using one end of a latch member while the other end of the latch member is used to bias a pressure roller against the paper advancing roller. The overall design also includes a common drive train interconnected between the moving parts of the system whereby all of the moving parts can be powered by a single motor. Novel individual features are also disclosed including a new pawl arrangement for advancing the paper, cam-follower arrangement for the print head, and bearing design for rotatably supporting the shafts of the transport system. Novel combinations of features disclosed include a ribbon cartridge assembly which automatically positions the ribbon slightly spaced from the platen to receive the paper therebetween, structure in the ribbon cartridge assembly for holding the ribbon taut in front of the platen, and support structure for the ribbon cartridge assembly which holds the ribbon on a bias for longer life.

Transport system for a dot matrix printing mechanism

This invention involves methods and apparatus relating to the assembly and structure of a dot matrix print head. The invention includes a single unit, coil assembly of a bobbin, coil, and clapper which can be removeably placed as a unit among fixed pole pieces and yoke members in the print head. The print head also includes a supporting arragement for the coil assemblies which automatically aligns the clapper of each coil assembly with the impact end of one of the print wires during the assembly of the print head. Other disclosed features of the invention are novel designs for the wire guide members, a heat sink member, and mounting structure by which the print head is attached to the main guide and rail guide bearings of the printing mechanism. The invention also includes novel assembly aids and procedures which simplify and hasten the assembly of the print head including the use of assembly aids for inserting the print wires into the wire guide members and a grinding technique whereby all of the print wires can be easily and quickly ground to the proper length. With the novel print head design of this invention, the mounting plate, heat sink member, and coil assemblies can all be slideably assembled together and retained in place by snap-in, mating recess-detent arrangements between each bobbin and pole piece. In this manner, the print head can be easily and quickly assembled for operation and easily and quickly disassembled for repairs.

Apparatus for adjusting the distance between the print head and platen

A transport system for a dot matrix printing mechanism including an improved overall design for the transport system and improved designs for individual elements of the system and combinations of elements. The overall design of the present invention uses snap fits extensively throughout for ease of assembly and disassembly, integrates many previously separate parts into one-piece members, employs common part designs wherever possible, and uses single parts to perform multiple functions wherever possible. For examples, the strike bar and ribbon frame of the present invention are combined into one piece and the ribbon cartridge is releasably mounted to the ribbon frame using one end of a latch member while the other end of the latch member is used to bias a pressure roller against the paper advancing roller. The overall design also includes a common drive train interconnected between the moving parts of the transport system whereby all of the moving parts can be powered by a single motor. Novel individual features are also disclosed including a new pawl arrangement for advancing the paper, cam-follower arrangement for the print head, and bearing design for rotatably supporting the shafts of the transport system.

For use in a business machine having a printer and a platen for backing documents during printing, a document stop and position indicator mechanism comprising, in preferred form: movable document stop means for vertically supporting a document at a preselected printing position relative to the platen, a manually rotatable drive shaft mounting gearing engaging gear linkage connected to the document stop means for adjusting the document printing position by raising or lowering the document stop means, a flexible band having ends thereof secured to the document stop means, and band guide means, comprising pulleys, for training the band past a viewing point, the band being calibrated to identify thereat the document printing position established by knob rotation of the drive shaft.

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Riverton, WY, United States of America

James E Blomquist