Electromechanical marking device

Claim 1

An electromechanical marking device comprising, in combination, a housing open at one end; a handle secured to the other end of said housing; battery means within said handle; guide means longitudinally disposed in said housing; carrier means longitudinally movable in said housing and guided by said guide means; a plurality of bands adjustably disposed on said carrier in side-by-side relationship, said bands carrying characters for printing, said carrier means being longitudinally movable between an operative printing position and an inoperative retracted position, said carrier means being in said operative printing position when in proximity of said open end of said housing; motor means within said housing and electrically connected to said battery means; ratchet means connecting said carrier means to the shaft of said motor means, said shaft executing rotational motion during operation of said motor means and driving said ratchet means; spring means connected to said ratchet means and tensioned by said ratchet means when said ratchet means is driven by said motor means to drive said carrier means from said operative printing position to said inoperative retracted position, said characters for printing projecting through said open end of said housing when in said operative printing position; first switch means at said open end of said housing connected between said motor means and said battery means, said first switch means closing the circuit from said battery means to said motor means upon actuation through contact with a surface to be marked with said marking device; second switch means connected in parallel with said first switch means, cam means linked to said ratchet means and actuating said second switch means when said carrier means is in said retracted inoperative position, said cam means being driven by said ratchet means, said ratchet means releasing said spring means for moving said carrier means form said retracted position to said operative printing position upon actuation of said first switch means, said carrier means remaining at said retracted position after return thereto upon actuation of said second switch means, said second switch means having two spring contacts mounted adjacent to each other and cooperating with said cam means, said second switch means being closed when said cam means is in contact with both said spring contacts simultaneously, and said second switch means being open when only one spring contact is in contact with said cam means.