Abstract A printer having a bank of electromagnetically operated print hammer mechanisms which are sequentially energized by only two driving circuits. Those hammer mechanisms which print in the even columns of the line being printed are energized by one of the driving circuits while those which print in the odd columns are energized by the other driving circuit. The two driving circuits are alternately energized so that characters are alternately printed in the odd and even columns. Each driving circuit is connected to the hammer mechanisms which it energizes via a network formed by two sets of leads arranged as a matrix. A first group of relays is provided to selectively connect the leads in one set with the driving circuit while another group of relays is provided to selectively connect the leads in the other set with a reference potential. Each hammer mechanism has its coil connected between a different pair of leads, each lead of the pair being in different sets. When one relay in each group is closed, a conductive path is provided from a driving circuit, to a hammer mechanism, to the reference potential. Decoding means are provided to simultaneously operate a pair of relays, one in each group, in response to outputs from a binary counter. Advancement of the counter sequentially operates the decoding means to close one pair of relays at a time and cause the hammer mechanisms to be sequentially electrically connected between the driving circuit and the reference potential. In this manner, one driving circuit sequentially energizes those hammer mechanisms which print in either the odd or even columns.
Inventors
👤 Thomas M Kearns
Bibliographic Details
Application Number—
JurisdictionUS
Data Sourcegoogle_patents
Last Synchronized2026-10-27 05:20
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K15/00; G06K15/02; G06K15/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim
150 words
A printer comprising: a. a plurality of printing mechanisms, each of which is adapted to be individually operated when electrically energized; b. a single driving circuit for energizing the printing mechanisms; c. means for energizing the driving circuit; d. a network having two sets of leads arranged to form a matrix, each printing mechanism being connected between a different pair of the leads, the leads of each pair being from different sets; e. a plurality of first switching devices, each of which is adapted to connect the driving circuit to a different lead in one set of leads; f. a plurality of second switching devices, each of which is adapted to connect a different lead in the other set of leads to a reference potential; and g. means for operating the first and second switching devices such that the printing mechanisms are individually and sequentially energized by the driving circuit.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
150 words
A printer comprising: a. a plurality of printing mechanisms, each of which is adapted to be individually operated when electrically energized; b. a single driving circuit for energizing the printing mechanisms; c. means for energizing the driving circuit; d. a network having two sets of leads arranged to form a matrix, each printing mechanism being connected between a different pair of the leads, the leads of each pair being from different sets; e. a plurality of first switching devices, each of which is adapted to connect the driving circuit to a different lead in one set of leads; f. a plurality of second switching devices, each of which is adapted to connect a different lead in the other set of leads to a reference potential; and g. means for operating the first and second switching devices such that the printing mechanisms are individually and sequentially energized by the driving circuit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
The printer as recited in claim 1 wherein the operating means sequentially operates selected pairs of the switching devices, each pair comprising a first and a second switching device, whereby conductive paths are sequentially provided from the driving circuit, through selected printing mechanisms to the reference potential.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
125 words
The printer as recited in claim 2 wherein the operating means comprises: a. a counter having a plurality of successive stages whose outputs represent successively high order quantities; b. means for advancing the counter through successive stages; c. first decoding means which is responsive to the outputs of a first group of the counter''s stages and adapted to sequentially generate a plurality of outputs, each Output operating a different one of the first switching devices; and d. second decoding means which is responsive to the outputs of a second group of the counter''s stages and adapted to sequentially generate a plurality of outputs, each output operating a different one of the second switching devices, whereby the print mechanisms are sequentially energized as the counter advances.