High-speed printer employing plural print heads and paper feed expedients

Claim 1

A high-speed printing mechanism comprising a plurality of type wheels spaced at regular intervals from each other along a print line and rotatable about a plurality of parallel spaced axes in the direction of the print line, means for rotating said type wheels at the same speed, each type wheel including a plurality of parallel superimposed bands of type arranged around the circumferential surface of each type wheel, a plurality of hammers each disposed opposite each of said plurality of type wheels, a recording medium located between said hammers and said type wheels, means for selectively moving each of said type wheels axially upwardly and downwardly so that each band may be selectively located opposite said hammer associated therewith while each type wheel is being rotated about its own axis, means for moving said recording medium laterally of said type wheels and hammers one space so that the type wheel is located opposite the adjacent space for printing the next desired character of the print line, means for selectively actuating each hammer to print a plurality of characters on said recording medium after each lateral spacing of said recording medium, the total number of the lateral spacings corresponding to the number of spaces for printed characters between adjacent type wheels to complete a print line and means for reversing the direction of the lateral spacings of said recording medium for recording a subsequent print line after completion of the preceding print line on said recording medium.