US3720954A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Recording device
Assignee: Mangood Corp
•
Filing: 1972-02-04
•
Granted: 1973-03-13
•
Expires: 1992-02-04
Abstract
Abstract A device for periodic recording of traffic flow on roads or of liquid level of a river by printing on paper tape the positions of a set of counter print wheels of a mechanical counter that is driven in response to vehicular traffic or to a change in liquid level. As a traffic counter the device provides automatic periodic resetting of the wheels to zero. A novel, disposable printing ribbon cartridge permits construction of the device with rigid support, by spaced vertical plates secured to each other and a base plate, of both ends of the counter as well as of an assembly of print rolls to improve printing while avoiding threading of the ink ribbon. A corelator-locking mechanism of the device fixes position of the wheels during printing. A one-piece counter wheel, with a pawl mounted in it for resetting to zero, provides more rigid faces for the decagonal periphery.
Inventors
- 👤 C Czyryk
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 11:39
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01D; G01D9/00; G01D9/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
513 words
A recording device, which comprises: a rigid support assembly including: a base plate; a rear vertical main plate fixedly mounted on the base plate; a front vertical auxiliary plate fixedly mounted on the base plate and parallel with but spaced from the main vertical plate; and means secured to said vertical plates to maintain them in fixed spaced relationship; a counter assembly including: a horizontal shaft rotatably mounted on and between said vertical plates at a printing zone; a set of counter print wheels rotatably mounted on said shaft; a pinion subassembly including pinions, each engageable with a pair of adjacent counter print wheels to step the count from one counter print wheel to the adjacent higher order counter print wheel; means to turn one counter wheel of the set of counter print wheels in response to a change in a condition; a printer assembly mounted on said rigid support assembly between said vertical plates, including: a printing component; and a support for said printing component mounted for movement from a normal position at which said printing component is spaced from said counter print wheels to a printing position for said printing component at the printing zone and for return to the normal position; power-driven means mounted on said rigid support assembly to provide at predetermined intervals said movement of said support for said printing component for a printing operation; power-driven means mounted on said support assembly to advance a printable tape periodically in a horizontal path of travel through the printing zone, parallel to said vertical plates and between said counter print wheels and said printer assembly after the printing operation; means mounted on said supPort assembly to support the tape at a horizontal plane before passage of the tape below said counter print wheels; means mounted on said support assembly to support the tape at a horizontal plane after passage of the tape below said counter print wheels; an ink ribbon cartridge mounted on said support assembly and containing: a casing having a bottom opening at one end portion of said casing and at the printing zone; an ink ribbon; a supply spool rotatably mounted on said casing spaced from said end portion and on which a part of said ribbon is wound; a takeup spool rotatably mounted on the casing spaced from said end portion and on which another part of said ribbon is wound; and guide means as an integral part of and adjacent said one end of said cartridge to direct an intermediate unwound part of said ribbon at said one end of said cartridge and extending between said spools, in a manner such that a printing surface of that part of said ribbon is at the printing zone below said counter print wheels and extends horizontally across said bottom opening and normal to but spaced from the path of travel of the printable tape; and power-driven means mounted on said rigid support assembly and operatively engageable with said takeup spool to advance said ribbon periodically in association with the printing operation and the advance of the tape.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
513 words
A recording device, which comprises: a rigid support assembly including: a base plate; a rear vertical main plate fixedly mounted on the base plate; a front vertical auxiliary plate fixedly mounted on the base plate and parallel with but spaced from the main vertical plate; and means secured to said vertical plates to maintain them in fixed spaced relationship; a counter assembly including: a horizontal shaft rotatably mounted on and between said vertical plates at a printing zone; a set of counter print wheels rotatably mounted on said shaft; a pinion subassembly including pinions, each engageable with a pair of adjacent counter print wheels to step the count from one counter print wheel to the adjacent higher order counter print wheel; means to turn one counter wheel of the set of counter print wheels in response to a change in a condition; a printer assembly mounted on said rigid support assembly between said vertical plates, including: a printing component; and a support for said printing component mounted for movement from a normal position at which said printing component is spaced from said counter print wheels to a printing position for said printing component at the printing zone and for return to the normal position; power-driven means mounted on said rigid support assembly to provide at predetermined intervals said movement of said support for said printing component for a printing operation; power-driven means mounted on said support assembly to advance a printable tape periodically in a horizontal path of travel through the printing zone, parallel to said vertical plates and between said counter print wheels and said printer assembly after the printing operation; means mounted on said supPort assembly to support the tape at a horizontal plane before passage of the tape below said counter print wheels; means mounted on said support assembly to support the tape at a horizontal plane after passage of the tape below said counter print wheels; an ink ribbon cartridge mounted on said support assembly and containing: a casing having a bottom opening at one end portion of said casing and at the printing zone; an ink ribbon; a supply spool rotatably mounted on said casing spaced from said end portion and on which a part of said ribbon is wound; a takeup spool rotatably mounted on the casing spaced from said end portion and on which another part of said ribbon is wound; and guide means as an integral part of and adjacent said one end of said cartridge to direct an intermediate unwound part of said ribbon at said one end of said cartridge and extending between said spools, in a manner such that a printing surface of that part of said ribbon is at the printing zone below said counter print wheels and extends horizontally across said bottom opening and normal to but spaced from the path of travel of the printable tape; and power-driven means mounted on said rigid support assembly and operatively engageable with said takeup spool to advance said ribbon periodically in association with the printing operation and the advance of the tape.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
513 words
A recording device, which comprises: a rigid support assembly including: a base plate; a rear vertical main plate fixedly mounted on the base plate; a front vertical auxiliary plate fixedly mounted on the base plate and parallel with but spaced from the main vertical plate; and means secured to said vertical plates to maintain them in fixed spaced relationship; a counter assembly including: a horizontal shaft rotatably mounted on and between said vertical plates at a printing zone; a set of counter print wheels rotatably mounted on said shaft; a pinion subassembly including pinions, each engageable with a pair of adjacent counter print wheels to step the count from one counter print wheel to the adjacent higher order counter print wheel; means to turn one counter wheel of the set of counter print wheels in response to a change in a condition; a printer assembly mounted on said rigid support assembly between said vertical plates, including: a printing component; and a support for said printing component mounted for movement from a normal position at which said printing component is spaced from said counter print wheels to a printing position for said printing component at the printing zone and for return to the normal position; power-driven means mounted on said rigid support assembly to provide at predetermined intervals said movement of said support for said printing component for a printing operation; power-driven means mounted on said support assembly to advance a printable tape periodically in a horizontal path of travel through the printing zone, parallel to said vertical plates and between said counter print wheels and said printer assembly after the printing operation; means mounted on said supPort assembly to support the tape at a horizontal plane before passage of the tape below said counter print wheels; means mounted on said support assembly to support the tape at a horizontal plane after passage of the tape below said counter print wheels; an ink ribbon cartridge mounted on said support assembly and containing: a casing having a bottom opening at one end portion of said casing and at the printing zone; an ink ribbon; a supply spool rotatably mounted on said casing spaced from said end portion and on which a part of said ribbon is wound; a takeup spool rotatably mounted on the casing spaced from said end portion and on which another part of said ribbon is wound; and guide means as an integral part of and adjacent said one end of said cartridge to direct an intermediate unwound part of said ribbon at said one end of said cartridge and extending between said spools, in a manner such that a printing surface of that part of said ribbon is at the printing zone below said counter print wheels and extends horizontally across said bottom opening and normal to but spaced from the path of travel of the printable tape; and power-driven means mounted on said rigid support assembly and operatively engageable with said takeup spool to advance said ribbon periodically in association with the printing operation and the advance of the tape.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
513 words
A recording device, which comprises: a rigid support assembly including: a base plate; a rear vertical main plate fixedly mounted on the base plate; a front vertical auxiliary plate fixedly mounted on the base plate and parallel with but spaced from the main vertical plate; and means secured to said vertical plates to maintain them in fixed spaced relationship; a counter assembly including: a horizontal shaft rotatably mounted on and between said vertical plates at a printing zone; a set of counter print wheels rotatably mounted on said shaft; a pinion subassembly including pinions, each engageable with a pair of adjacent counter print wheels to step the count from one counter print wheel to the adjacent higher order counter print wheel; means to turn one counter wheel of the set of counter print wheels in response to a change in a condition; a printer assembly mounted on said rigid support assembly between said vertical plates, including: a printing component; and a support for said printing component mounted for movement from a normal position at which said printing component is spaced from said counter print wheels to a printing position for said printing component at the printing zone and for return to the normal position; power-driven means mounted on said rigid support assembly to provide at predetermined intervals said movement of said support for said printing component for a printing operation; power-driven means mounted on said support assembly to advance a printable tape periodically in a horizontal path of travel through the printing zone, parallel to said vertical plates and between said counter print wheels and said printer assembly after the printing operation; means mounted on said supPort assembly to support the tape at a horizontal plane before passage of the tape below said counter print wheels; means mounted on said support assembly to support the tape at a horizontal plane after passage of the tape below said counter print wheels; an ink ribbon cartridge mounted on said support assembly and containing: a casing having a bottom opening at one end portion of said casing and at the printing zone; an ink ribbon; a supply spool rotatably mounted on said casing spaced from said end portion and on which a part of said ribbon is wound; a takeup spool rotatably mounted on the casing spaced from said end portion and on which another part of said ribbon is wound; and guide means as an integral part of and adjacent said one end of said cartridge to direct an intermediate unwound part of said ribbon at said one end of said cartridge and extending between said spools, in a manner such that a printing surface of that part of said ribbon is at the printing zone below said counter print wheels and extends horizontally across said bottom opening and normal to but spaced from the path of travel of the printable tape; and power-driven means mounted on said rigid support assembly and operatively engageable with said takeup spool to advance said ribbon periodically in association with the printing operation and the advance of the tape.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
62 words
The recording device of claim 1 wherein said ink ribbon cartridge further includes a pair of horizontal thin resilient shields mounted on said casing and extending over said bottom opening, said ink ribbon at the printing zone being between said shields, and said shields each having a set of openings in alignment with each other and in alignment with said counter wheels.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
215 words
The recording device of claim 2 wherein: said printing component comprises: a set of print rolls; a set of horizontal print roll shafts rotatably mounting said print rolls; and a set of print rolls brackets mounting said shafts for said print rolls; and said support for moveable mounting of said printing component comprises: a horizontal print assembly shaft mounted on said vertical plates; a support bracket fixedly mounted on said print assembly shaft between said vertical plates and having a number of extensions supporting said set of print roll shafts pivotally mounting said print roll brackets between said extensions; a set of springs mounted on said printing component bracket and engaging said set of print roll brackets to bias said set of print rolls away from the axis of said print assembly shaft; and means limiting said pivotal movement of said print rolls away from the axis of said print assembly shaft; and said power-driven means providing said movement of said support for said printing component being operatively associated with said print assembly shaft to rotate it one complete revolution for each printing operation whereby the set of print rolls in a cyclic path of movement are moved through an arc that raises said tape and overlying ribbon to said counter wheels for the printing.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
395 words
The recording device of claim 3 wherein: said casing and said guide means of said ink ribbon cartridge comprise: a one-piece component having: a horizontal bottom; an end wall at one end of the said bottom; front and rear walls extending from said end wall to beyond the other end of said bottom; a transverse wall extending between said front and rear walls but spaced a short distance from them at said other end of said bottom; an intermediate transverse wall on an intermediate part of said bottom and extending from said front wall to, but spaced from, said rear wall; a vertical spindle extending upwardly from said bottom between said transverse walls and rotatably mounting said supply spool; a vertical spindle extending upwardly from said bottom between said intermediate transverse wall and said end wall and rotatably mounting said tAkeup spool; a raised horizontal platform extending from said transverse wall at said other end of said bottom, with said platform having its longitudinal edges parallel to but spaced from said extensions of said front and rear walls except at the distal end of said platform, and said platform having said bottom opening; and a cover mounted on said one-piece component, said extension of said front and rear walls having opposed thinner portions to provide vertical recesses at their outer faces and having at said portions downwardly inclined top edges and rectangular notches at the bottom to provide said guide means, whereby said ink ribbon from said supply spool extends beyond said transverse wall between said platform and said front wall to said inclined top surface, over said surface to extend downwardly to said notch, over said notch, upwardly on the rear side of said front wall extension to the top of said platform, across said platform at said bottom opening, downwardly between said platform and said rear wall extension, around said rear wall extension at said notch, over said inclined top surface of said rear wall, over it, then horizontally to between said rear wall and said transverse walls to said takeup spool, said takeup spindle being offset toward said rear wall, and said rear wall having a gap and said bottom and cover having an arcuate notch to permit periphery of discs of said takeup spool to be frictionally engaged by said power-driven means to advance said ribbon by turning said takeup spool.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
218 words
The recording device of claim 4 wherein: counter print wheels of said counter assembly have a one-piece construction for each including: a median portion with a polygonal peripheral surface to provide print side portions, each having radial support across its entire width intermediate its length; one face having a gear meshing with one of said pinions; the other face being stepped and having: an outer star gear having the same number of teeth as said number of peripheral side portions with each tooth of said star gear at the radial line through the juncture between side portions: a two-tooth gear segment; and a locking ring having a diameter sufficiently larger than the diameter of said gear on said one face of said wheel to prevent free rotation of said pinion when it is jumped out of contact with said gear on said one face of the adjacent counter print wheel when that adjacent wheel is turned relative to said locking ring, but the diameter of said locking ring is sufficiently small to permit step-over turning of said adjacent wheel by said associated pinion; and said pinion subassembly being constructed to mount each of said pinions on a shaft mounted on a pinion bracket individually mounted for pivotal movement of each pinion during its said jumping out of contact.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
160 words
The recording device of claim 5 and further including a correlator-and-locking assembly for said counter print wheels, that includes: a correlator-and-locking shaft rotatably mounted on said vertical plates; a bracket fixedly mounted on said correlator-and-locking shaft and having fingers extending therefrom, each with a distal V-shaped bottom portion, in a number corresponding to the number of said counter print wheels and in alignment with said counter print wheels, with a normal position of that bracket being that at which said fingers are spaced from said counter wheels but moveable to a position at which said V-shaped portions of said fingers engage said star gears for correlating the position of said counter print wheels and then to a lower position in engagement with said star gears to lock said wheels against turning movement; power-driven means to turn said correlator-and-locking shaft to move said fingers downwardly to locking position; and means to reverse movement of said correlator-and-locking shaft to said normal position.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
398 words
The recording device of claim 6 wherein: said casing of said Ink ribbon cartridge has thickened corners at the juncture of said end wall and said front wall and at the juncture of said end wall and said rear wall, each of said corners having a vertical hole through it, and has aligned holes in said cover; said cartridge being mounted on said support assembly by: a bracket fixedly mounted on said rear vertical plate and having threaded holes on it; and screws passing through said holes in said cover and said holes at said thickened corners and secured to said bracket having said threaded holes to securely support said cartridge at one end; said means to support the tape at a horizontal plane before passage of the tape below said counter print wheels comprises: a U-shaped bracket having upstanding legs fixedly mounted at its legs on said front and rear vertical plates, said legs being thinner at their upper portion to provide outer horizontal ledge support surfaces; a shaft rotatably mounted on said legs with its axis normal to said vertical plates; and a tape supply sprocket fixedly mounted on said shaft mounted on said legs, said sprocket having a cylindrical configuration with sprocket teeth around it, at a vertical plane parallel to said vertical plates and passing between adjacent counter print wheels, to engage perforations longitudinally spaced in the tape; said raised platform of said cartridge having a slot parallel to said front and rear walls; said extensions of said front and rear walls supported on said horizontal ledge support surfaces of said legs of said U-shaped bracket to provide support of said cartridge at its other end with said platform being closely above said sprocket with said slot in said platform providing clearance for said sprocket teeth; said means to support the tape at a horizontal plane after passage of the tape below said counter print wheels includes a horizontal desk mounted on and between said vertical plates; said tape-advance power-driven means includes: a drive capstan sprocket having a cylindrical configuration with sprocket teeth around it; and a shaft rotatably mounted on and between said vertical plates and fixedly mounting said capstan sprocket with its teeth in alignment with those of said supply sprocket; a takeup spool on which the tape can be wound; and means to rotate said capstan sprocket and said takeup spool.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
91 words
The recording device of claim 7 wherein: said means to turn one of said counter print wheels in response to a change in condition comprises: a gear secured on a face of said one counter print wheel to turn that wheel when that gear is turned; a driving gear meshing with said gear secured on said one counter print wheel; another shaft rotatably mounted on said front vertical plate and on which said driving gear is fixedly mounted; and means to turn said another shaft in response to said condition change.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
318 words
The recording device of claim 7 wherein: said another shaft and said means to turn said another shaft in response to a change in condition comprise a stepping motor with said another shaft being its output shaft; said shaft rotatably mounting said counter print wheels having a longitudinal notch at the location of said set of wheels; each counter print wheel having, in addition to its central hole for rotation on said notched shaft, a noncentral stepped hole with its large diameter end portion at the side having said gear meshing with one of said pinions, said large diameter end portion being enlarged to one side to provide an adjacent deep recess and further enlarged as a shallow recess extending to the central hole; said counter assembly further including: a pin with a large head and adjacent enlarged shank securely mounted in each noncentral hole of said wheels; a helical spring mounted on the enlarged shank of each pin with the ends of said spring being bent and with one bent end engaging the wall of said deep recess; and a pawl mounted on each pin between said head and said spring and extending into said shallow recess with the other bent end of said spring biasing the distal end of said pawl into said central hole to be engaged in said notch of said shaft when the latter is rotated for resetting of said wheels; and said device further including: power-driven means operatively associated with said notched shaft to provide two revolutions of said notched shaft for resetting of each counter print wheel after a predetermined number of printing operations and constructed to provide the two revolutions after a printing during the completion of the single revolution of said horizontal print assembly shaft, said power-driven means for said notched shaft, when operating, being driven by said power-driven means for said one complete revolution of said printing component.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
224 words
The recording device of claim 9 wherein: said power-driven means to advance said ribbon includes: a roller frictionally engaging said discs of said takeup spool of said cartridge; a vertical shaft on which said roller is fixedly mounted; a gear fixedly mounted on said vertical shaft; a bracket mounted on said rear plate and rotatably mounting said vertical shaft; motor means having first and second output shafts and mounted on said support assembly; a gear fixedly mounted on one of said output shafts and meshing with said gear mounted with said roller on said vertical shaft; a cam fixedly mounted on said one output shaft; switch means mounted to be engaged by said cam means to stop said motor means; and gear means operatively associated with and between the other output shaft of said motor means and said horizontal print assembly shaft to constitute, upon operation of said motor means, said power-driven means to rotate that print assembly shaft a single revolution for a printing operation; and said recording device further includes: a switch mounted on the support assembly to initiate operation of said motor means; and clock-operated means mounted on the support assembly to operate said switch at said predetermined intervals to initiate operation of said motor means to advance said ribbon and to provide one revolution to said horizontal print assembly shaft.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
155 words
The recording device of claim 10 wherein: said tape-advance power-driven means includes: a support shaft; a follower arm pivotally mounted on that support shaft; a cam fixedly mounted on said horizontal print assembly shaft; a link connected at one end to said follower arm; and a ratchet assembly mounted on said shaft of said capstan sprocket and including: an arm having an intermediate opening by which that arm is rotatably mounted on said capstan sprocket shaft and having one end pivotally connected to the other end of said link; a ratchet wheel fixedly mounted on said capstan sprocket shaft; a pawl mounted on said arm on said capstan sprocket shaft and engaging said ratchet wheel to turn it upon movement of said link by said cam moving said follower arm; and a locking pawl pivotally mounted at a fixed axis on said support assembly and engaging said ratchet wheel to prevent reverse movement of it.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
52 words
The device of claim 11 wherein said takeup spool for the tape is driven with turning of said capstan sprocket by said ratchet assembly including: a pulley fixedly mounted on said takeup spool for the tape; a pulley fixedly mounted on said capstan sprocket shaft; and a belt trained about said pulleys.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
324 words
The device of claim 9 wherein said power-driven means operatively associated with said notched shaft of said counter assembly includes: a further shaft fixedly mounted on said rear vertical plate and parallel to and adjacent said notched shaft of said counter assembly and said horizontal print assembly shaft; a clutch rotatably mounted on said further shaft and having a spring-loaded clutch key and an integral gear; a clutch dog rotatably mounted on said further shaft and having an integral gear; a gear fixedly mounted on said horizontal print assembly shaft and meshing with said gear of said dog; a compound gear fixedly mounted on said horizontal print assembly shaft and including a gear driven for rotation of that shaft and an integral finger; a cam on said further shaft to be turned by said finger one position for each revolution of said compound gear, said cam having at least one integral lobe; a cam follower and clutch detent arm component rotatably mounted on said horizontal print assembly shaft and being spring-biased toward said further shaft, said clutch detent arm disengaging said clutch key until said cam follower of that component being moved by engagement by said lobe of said cam when being moved by said finger of said compound gear; and a gear fixedly mounted on said notched shaft of said counter assembly and meshing with said gear integral with said clutch, with these meshing gears of such relative size that there are two revolutions of said notched shaft to one revolution of said clutch; said gear integral with said clutch dog and said gear meshing with it being of such relative size that said clutch when engaged is rotated a complete revolution during only a part of a single revolution of said horizontal print assembly shaft, and said lobe being located on said cam to cause turning of said component for engagement of said clutch after said print rolls have caused a printing.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
227 words
The recording device of claim 13 and further including: a time wheel rotatably mounted on said notched shaft of said counter assembly, said time wheel having an integral gear on one face and a polygonal periphery with 24 print sides; a detent rotatably mounted intermediate its length on said correlator-and-locking shaft with the detent end downwardly against said integral gear of said time wheel to prevent its free turning; a detent lock bracket fixedly mounted intermediate its length on correlator-and-locking shaft with one arm above the detent end to be moved downwardly to lock said detent in position against said gear of said time wheel when said correlator-and-locking shaft is turned to locking position; a spring connected to the other end of said detent and the other end of said detent lock bracket to urge said detent in position to prevent time wheel free turning; a stub shaft rotatably mounted on said support assembly; an indexing cam rigidly mounted on said stub shaft to engage said integral gear of said time wheel so as to turn said time wheel one position for each predetermined number of printing operations; a time indexing wheel fixedly mounted on said stub shaft; and an integral gear and finger rotatably mounted on said notched shaft and being driven by said power-driven means for said horizontal print assembly by one revolution for each.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
119 words
The recording device of claim 9 wherein: said individual mounting of said pinions of said pinion subassembly comprises: a support bracket fixedly mounted at its ends on said vertical plates and having an intermediate lower recess; a shaft mounted in the lower portion of that support bracket and extending across that recess; pinion brackets pivotally mounted on that shaft and extending downwardly; a pinion shaft for each pinion bracket; said pinions being rotatably mounted on said pinion shafts; spring means for each pinion bracket to urge the pinion toward said pair of adjacent counter print wheels; and adjustable means for each pinion bracket to limit pivotal movement of the pinion away from said pair of adjacent counter print wheels.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
131 words
The recording device of claim 7 wherein: said means to turn one of said counter print wheels in response to a change in condition comprises: a gear secured on a face of said one counter print wheel to turn that wheel when that gear is turned; a driving gear meshing with said Gear secured on said one counter print wheel; another shaft rotatably mounted on said front vertical plate and on which said driving gear is fixedly mounted; a sprocket fixedly mounted on said another shaft; and counterweighted float means engaging said sprocket on said another shaft to turn that sprocket, that another shaft, and at least said one counter print wheel in one of its two directions in response to sufficient change in liquid elevation sensed by said float means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
58 words
The recording device of claim 4 wherein said vertical recesses with inclined top edges and bottom notches of said extensions of said front and rear walls are offset with respect to each other to provide an oblique passage of said ribbon between said two shields and with respect to the axis of rotation of said counter print wheels.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
165 words
An ink ribbon cartridge for a recording device which comprises: a casing having a bottom opening at one end portion of said casing and at the printing zone; an ink ribbon; a supply spool rotatably mounted on said casing spaced from said end portion and on which a part of said ribbon is wound; a takeup spool rotatably mounted on the casing spaced from said end portion and on which another part of said ribbon is wound; and guide means as an integral part of and adjacent said one end of said cartridge to direct an intermediate unwound part of said ribbon at said one end of said cartridge and extending between said spools, in a manner such that a printing surface of that part of said ribbon extends horizontally across said bottom opening; and a pair of horizontal thin resilient shields mounted on said casing and extending over said bottom openings, said shields each having a set of openings in alignment with each other.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
165 words
An ink ribbon cartridge for a recording device which comprises: a casing having a bottom opening at one end portion of said casing and at the printing zone; an ink ribbon; a supply spool rotatably mounted on said casing spaced from said end portion and on which a part of said ribbon is wound; a takeup spool rotatably mounted on the casing spaced from said end portion and on which another part of said ribbon is wound; and guide means as an integral part of and adjacent said one end of said cartridge to direct an intermediate unwound part of said ribbon at said one end of said cartridge and extending between said spools, in a manner such that a printing surface of that part of said ribbon extends horizontally across said bottom opening; and a pair of horizontal thin resilient shields mounted on said casing and extending over said bottom openings, said shields each having a set of openings in alignment with each other.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
386 words
The cartridge of claim 18 wherein said casing and said guide means comprise: a one-piece component having: a horizontal bottom; an end wall at one end of the said bottom; front and rear walls extending from said end wall to beyond the other end of said bottom; a transverse wall extending between said front and rear walls but spaced a short distance from them at said other end of said bottom; an intermediate transverse wall on an intermediate part of said bottom and extending from said front wall to, but spaced from, said rear wall; a vertical spindle extending upwardly from said bottom between said transverse walls and rotatably mounting said supply spool; a vertical spindle extending upwardly from said bottom between said intermediate transverse wall and said end wall and rotatably mounting said takeup spool; a raised horizontal platform extending from said transverse wall at said other end of said bottom, with said platform having its longitudinal edges parallel to but spaced from said extensions of said front and rear walls except at the distal end of said platform, and said platform having said bottom opening; and a cover mounted on said one-piece component, said extension of said front and rear walls having opposed thinner portions to provide vertical recesses at their outer faces and having at said portions downwardly inclined top edges and rectangular notches at the bottom to provide said guide means, whereby said ink ribbon from said supply spool extends beyond said transverse wall between said platform and said front wall to said inclined top surface, over said surface to extend downwardly to said notch, over said notch, upwardly on the rear side of said front wall extension to the top of said platform, across said platform at said bottom opening, downwardly between said platform and said rear wall extension, around said rear wall extension at said notch, over said inclined top surface of said rear wall, over it, then horizontally to between said rear wall and said transverse walls to said takeup spool, said takeup spindle being offset toward said rear wall, and said rear wall having a gap and said bottom and cover having an arcUate notch to permit periphery of discs of said takeup spool to be frictionally engaged for turning of said takeup spool to advance said ribbon.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-03-12 | 1976-09-11 | 1977-03-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-03-12 | 1980-09-11 | 1981-03-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-03-12 | 1984-09-11 | 1985-03-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |