The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 04, 1981
Filed:
Jan. 14, 1980
Stephen R Phillips, Walnut Creek, CA (US);
Other;
Abstract
A type element interchange mechanism is incorporated into a high speed serial printer with rotary print wheel and linear carriage movement. A number of print wheels are selectively mountable onto a carriage, which carries a print wheel, print hammer, and print hammer solenoid, from one or more removable carousels, each carousel typically carrying several different type font print wheels. Print wheels are transferred directly between the carriage and a carousel, without the necessity of intermediate transfer mechanisms or steps, through the controlled linear translation of the carriage and the carousel. The print wheel-carrying carousel has a plurality of arms and is rotated to present the desired arm in position for transfer of a print wheel with the carriage. Microprocessor controls are provided so that print wheel changes are implemented automatically in response to input signals defining the desired font type. A computer controlled initialization program is provided which in addition to providing a startup and reset procedure also automatically identifies the print wheel identification numbers by reading coded slots located in the center hub of the print wheels.