Ink delivery system including reversible ribbon cartridge

Claim 1

In an ink delivery system (11) for use in a typing machine (10), including a reversible ribbon cartridge(18), means 14 attached to the typing machine (10) for holding a ribbon cartridge (18) in an operating position, and a ribbon drive (25), the ribbon cartridge (18) having an inked ribbon (22) running between two storage spools (34,54) and passing through a printing area (24) in position to deliver ink from one half (20) of the ribbon (22) when the cartridge (18) is installed in the typing machine (10) in a direct orientation wherein the first storage spool (34) of the spools (34,54) assumes a leading position and the ribbon (22) is moved from the second storage spool (54) to the first storage spool (34), and is positioned at the printing area (24) to deliver ink from the second half (26) of the ribbon (22) when the cartridge (18) is installed in an inverted orientation wherein the second storage spool (54) of the spools (34,54) assumes a leading position and the ribbon (22) is moved from the first storage spool (34) to the second storage spool (54), the cartridge including a first pair (50) of ribbon drive pinch rolls spanning the ribbon (22) between the printing area (24) and the first storage spool (34) and a second pair (52) of ribbon drive pinch rolls spanning the ribbon (22) between the printing area (24) and the second storage spool (54) characterized in that each of the pairs (50, 52) of ribbon drive pinch rolls includes a driver roll (56, 62), mounted for rotation on an axis fixed with respect to the cartridge (18), and an idler roll (58, 64), mounted for rotation on a movable axis and urged by a spring means (60, 66) towards the associated driver roll (56, 62), each idler roll (58, 64) having a disengaging surface (76, 78) for receiving a disengaging force for moving the idler roll (58, 64) against the urging of the spring means (60,66) away from the associated driver roll (56, 62), the ribbon drive (25) further includes: a take-up driver element (100) connected to the typing machine (10) for engaging with the one of the spools (34, 54) in a leading position and to deliver a torque thereto, a take-up coupling element (96) connected to the first storage spool (34) disposed to couple with and to receive a torque from the take-up driver element (100) when the cartridge (18) is installed in the typing machine (10) in the direct orientation, a take-up coupling element (98) connected to the second storage spool (54) disposed to couple with and to receive a torque from the take-up driver element (100) when the cartridge (18) is installed in the typing machine (10) in the inverted orientation, a driver roll driver element (86) connected to the typing machine (10) for engaging with the one of the driver rolls (56,62) in the leading position and to deliver a torque thereto, a driver roll coupling element (70) connected to the driver roll (56) of the first pair (50) of pinch rolls disposed to couple with and to receive a torque from the driver element(86)when the cartridge (18) is installed in the typing machine (10) in the direct orientation, a driver roll coupling element (72) connected to the driver roll (62) of the second pair (52) of pinch rolls disposed to couple with and to receive a torque from the driver roll driver element (86) when the cartridge (18) is installed in the typing machine (10) in the inverted orientation, and a displacing element (84) affixed to typing machine (10) positioned to couple with and displace the idler roll (64) of the second pair (52) of ribbon drive pinch rolls when the cartridge (18) is installed in the direct orientation and the idler roll (58) of the first pair (50) of ribbon drive pinch rolls when the cartridge (18) is installed in the inverted orientation.