Printing mechanism for printing on flat or contoured surfaces

Claim 1

A printing mechanism comprising an arm, arm pivot means swingably mounting said arm at one end thereof, a printing head carried by said arm spaced from said one arm end and facing generally tangentially of arm movement for swinging motion between a retracted nonprinting position and an extended printing position, the degree of precision of said printing head and said printing position being dependent upon the accuracy of said arm pivot means, drive means for effecting said swinging arm movement, a lever, lever pivot means swingably mounting said lever, an inking member carried by said lever for swinging movement therewith into and out of inking relatioN with said printing head when the latter is in said retracted position, and operating means interconnected between said arm and lever for swinging the latter simultaneously with said arm into and out of inking relation with said printing head when the latter moves into and out of said retracted position, said operating means comprising linkage means interconnecting said lever and arm, said lever including an extension extending from said lever pivot means in the direction away from said inking member, and said linkage comprising a link having its opposite ends pivotally connected to said extension and arm at the end of the latter opposite said one end.