Travelling cylinder printer with means for locking the platen and associated handle in retracted position

Claim 1

In a portable data recorder having a bed member and a head assembly, said bed member and said head assembly being interconnected for movement between a card receiving position and a recording position; latch means for releasably securing said bed member and said head assembly in said recording position, a platen mounted on said head assembly for movement from a retracted position to an extended position to create an impression on a form, and a handle assembly including a stem and bail operatively connected to said platen for the operation thereof, said handle being close to said bed member when the platen is retracted with said stem extending back into the space between the bed and head, and the stem withdraws from the recorder when the platen is extended, the improvement comprising; detent means including a groove formed on one of said assemblies and a cooperating projection formed on the other of said assemblies, said groove and said projection extending across the path of handle assembly movement and thereby being positioned to engage in locking relationship when the bed member and head assembly are in said recording position and the platen is in said retracted position; and biasing means normally biasing said assemblies in a direction to engage said groove and said projection said handle assembly being manually movable in a lateral direction against said biasing means to unlock the assemblies; whereby said handle assembly may be used to carry said data recorder with the handle retracted close to the recorder bed.