Data Products Corporation

Terry L Branson

Gregory Hirth

Arthur C Van Horne

A tractor is provided with an endless belt which travels in a triangular path and a drive shaft located well below the level of the paper path. The tractor body has both an inner and outer body portion, each of which contains a journal bearing for support on the support shaft. An adjustable torsion spring lock is provided on the outer body portion and surrounds the support shaft to allow for easy locking adjustment of the axial location of the tractor on the support shaft. A front and rear closeable panel are provided along the document feed path. Only the front panel need be opened during feeding while both front and rear panels may be opened to clear the feed path during advancement jam. Two mirror image features are provided at the entrance of the feed path on either body portion such as to cover document pins located on the belt path and thereby decrease likelihood of injury to an operator during feeding operations. A unique configuration of belt teeth pitch, pin pitch, and number of drive sprocket teeth is provided to allow for easy adjustment of belts in each tractor located at opposite sides of a document.

Semi-automatic loading paper feed tractor

An improved multicolor ribbon cassette system for use with a printing mechanism. A ribbon cassette is carried on a plate which is pivotally connected to a shuttle mechanism. The plate rotates about an axis which is perpendicular to a printing medium and the portion of the ribbon adjacent the printing mechanism. The pivot plate is tilted up or down to position a different part of the ribbon in alignment with a printing mechanism. The configuration of the device is such that the ribbon will remain parallel to the printing medium as it is tilted. The position of the pivot plate is controlled by means of a barrel cam driven by a stepper motor. The stepper motor is controlled by a logic circuit. An optical sensor is also connected to the logic circuit to determine whether a single color or multicolor cassette is in position.

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Plano, TX, United States of America

Terry L Branson