Drum printer

Claim 1

A PAGE PRINTER, HAVING CODE SIGNAL RECEIVING AND PRINTER CONTROL AND OPERATING MEANS AND WHEREIN PRINTING MEANS INCLUDE A PRINT HAMMER CARRIAGE MEANS WHICH MOVES IN SPACING STEPS AND RETURN MOVEMENT ACROSS A PAGE, COMPRISING: (A) MEANS INCLUDING A POWER STORAGE SPRING MEANS FOR STEP SPACING SAID CARRIAGE MEANS FROM A START-OF-LINE POSITION TO AN END-OF-LINE POSITION, SAID SPRING MEANS SUPPLYING THE FORCE FOR CARRIAGE STEPPING MOVEMENT; (B) A POSITIVE DRIVE CARRIAGE RETURN MECHANISM INCLUDING: (1) AN ELECTRO-MAGNETIC CLUTCH MEANS, ENERGIZABLE FOR ACCOMPLISHING POSITIVE DRIVE ACTUATION; (2) CARRIAGE RETURN CONTROL MEANS OPERABLE IN RESPONSE TO A CARRIAGE RETURN SIGNAL TO AUTOMATICALLY ENERGIZE SAID MAGNETIC CLUTCH AND TO CONCURRENTLY SHIFT AND MAINTAIN THE MEANS FOR STEP SPACING SAID CARRIAGE MEANS IN AN INACTIVE POSITION DURING RETURN MOVEMENT OF SAID CARRIAGE MEANS TO A START-OF-LINE POSITION, SAID RETURN OPERATION STORING POWER IN SAID SPRING MEANS FOR SUBSEQUENT STEP SPACING ACTIONS; AND (3) ADDITIONAL CONTROL MEANS TO AUTOMATICALLY DEENERGIZE SAID CARRIAGE RETURN CLUTCH ELECTRO-MAGNET AND TO PERMIT ACTIVATION OF SAID MEANS FOR STEP SPACING SAID CARRIAGE MEANS WHEN SAID CARRIAGE MEANS REACHES ITS START-OF-LINE POSITION.