International Business Machines Corporation

Robert L Bullock

Billy D Purcell

Edward E Toutant

William J Thornhill

A ribbon cartridge is provided to be used in a high speed impact printer having means for driving only one reel in the ribbon cartridge, the take-up reel. The ribbon cartridge comprises a cartridge housing having an open end, and supply and take-up reels rotatably mounted in said housing. The supply reel supports an inventory of unused ribbon web which runs from the supply reel to the take-up reel. The rib is mounted in the cartridge housing facing the open end in a position closer to the supply reel than to the take-up reel. The printer into which the ribbon cartridge is to be inserted contains driving means for driving only the take-up reel. The printer receiving means into which the cartridge is to be inserted includes a stop element disposed so as to block the rib to stop the engagement of the cartridge and the receiving means when the cartridge is being inserted in a direction towards the undesirable engagement of the drive means with the supply reel rather than with the take-up reel.

Growing community of inventors

Georgetown, TX, United States of America

Robert L Bullock