Datamax Corporation

Robert L Wohlers

G William Hartman

Thomas R Routhieaux

A multi-format document printer and processor has a plurality of data writing and reading means for data in different formats, disposed along a transport path. Forms are separated from a continuous perforated form supply and advanced along the transport path. Bidirectional drive rollers disposed along the path advance the documents and reverse them for reprocessing as necessary. At the end of the transport path, the documents are routed to an exit hopper or a reject hopper and a sensor at the exit detects already-issued forms manually loaded by an operator, which already-issued forms can be likewise bidirectionally processed for reading, verification, modification and the like. The processor is preferably embodied for transportation tickets and boarding passes, having: optical character recognition (OCR) write and read devices, magnetic strip write and read devices and a dot matrix printer having an array of print heads operable to print a document in one pass. Reversible feed and take-up spools for a wide ribbon movably disposed under the dot matrix array are provided with separate bidirectional two-speed drives. Movable tension arms along the ribbon path detect a near-empty condition of either of the spools by timing the rate at which the tension arms are deflected with the spools operating at different speeds.

Growing community of inventors

Leesburg, FL, United States of America

Robert L Wohlers