Optical bar code parallel printer

Claim 1

In an apparatus for recording data in the form of a plurality of predetermined positioned contiguous colored indicia on a record medium where each colored indicium is of a color different from the color of its adjacent colored indicia: a. means for moving a record medium in a feeding direction to a printing position; b. a multi-color section printing ribbon shiftably mounted adjacent said record medium, said ribbon adapted to be shifted between two positions in a direction transverse to the feeding direction of said record medium to position a single color portion of the ribbon adjacent said record medium; c. means for shifting said printing ribbon between said two positions; d. a slidably mounted support member positioned adjacent said printing ribbon; e. a print assembly rotatably mounted on said support member, said print assembly comprising a plurality of printing elements each representing a character of data and having opposed end printing surfaces, the opposed printing surfaces of each printing element having complementarily-positioned indicia type elements located thereon which coact together with a different color portion of said printing ribbon to print the character of data of the printing element in the form of a plurality of predetermined positioned contiguous colored indicia when the opposed printing surfaces, upon rotation of said print assembly, are brought into registration with the same record medium portion on successive printing operations with different color sections of said ribbon; f. actuation means engaging said support member for moving said support member to a position where said print assembly engages said printing ribbon and the record medium to print one set of indicia in a predetermined color; g. and means for operating said shifting means to position a different color section of said ribbon in printing position without feeding said ribbon, means to rotate said print assembly to align the opposed printing surfaces of the print elements with said ribbon, said actuating means subsequently moving said support member to engage said printing ribbon and the same portion of the record medium to print a second set of indicia on said record medium in a second predetermined color with portions of said second set of indicia being positioned between portions of said one set of indicia.