Rebound motion controlling apparatus

Claim 2

An arrangement for printing on a record medium comprising a first endless belt supporting a plurality of type bearing fingers spaced along its length, means for causing said belt and type fingers to traverse a line of movement across said record medium, said fingers being formed of material which renders the fingers resilient in a direction perpendicular to the record medium, hammer means positioned along said line of movement for driving selected moving type fingers to impact on said record medium in a direction transverse to said line of movement, means for controlling the rebound motion of said driven type fingers following such impact comprising a separate, second endless belt, detached from said fingers and located adjacent said fingers to intercept said fingers following rebound, and means for moving said first and said second belts to traverse a line of movement across said record medium substantially with the same velocity.

Claim 3

An arrangement according to claim 1 wherein each of said type bearing fingers bears its type near one end remote from said second belt, means for causing said hammers to impart a driving force near the vicinity of said type, and means for locating said second belt adjacent said type fingers near the vicinity of where said driving force is imparted to said type fingers.

Claim 4

An arrangement according to claim 2 wherein said belts are made of urethane, means for driving said belts by a common pulley arrangement, and means for preventing said second belt from interfering with the movement of said first belt, comprising means for dimensionally stabilizing said first belt along its longitudinal axis to be more stable than said second belt.

Claim 5

An arrangement according to claim 2 comprising means for biasing said type fingers toward said second belt to maintain said type fingers in substantial alignment said alignment being determined substantially by the alignment of said second belt.

Claim 6

An arrangement according to claim 4 wherein said biasing means comprises means for providing a magnetic force for biasing said type fingers toward said second belt.

Claim 7

An arrangement according to claim 2 comprising means for providing damping of finger rebound, said means comprising a nonresilient backstop bar fixedly mounted across said line of movement of said second belt and contacting said moving second belt in sliding engagement.

Claim 8

An arrangement according to claim 6 further comprising means for biasing said type fingers toward said second belt, said type fingers being made of magnetic spring steel, and means for providing a magnetic force for causing said type fingers to be biased toward said second belt.

Claim 9

An arrangement according to claim 7 wherein said backstop bar is made of magnetic material and said magnetic force is established between said type fingers and said backstop bar.

Claim 10

An arrangement according to claim 7 wherein said second belt comprises magnetic material and said magnetic force is established between said type fingers and said second belt.

Claim 11

An arrangement according to claim 8 wherein said backstop is magnetized.

Claim 12

An arrangement according to claim 8 wherein said type fingers are magnetized in the vicinity of where they pass by the second belt.

Claim 13

In combination, a belt carrying a plurality of elongated type bearing fingers mounted thereon, means for moving said belt relative to a record medium to cause said fingers to traverse a line of movement across said record medium, hammer means for causing selected ones of said type fingers during movement to ballistically impact against said record medium along said line of movement, said fingers being made of resilient material so as to rebound from said record medium upon impact, means to control the rebound motion of said fingers comprising a second belt separate from said first belt and fingers, means for locating said second belt parallel to said first belt and in a position adjacent said type fingers to intercept said type fingers and dampen finger oscillation upon rebound of said fingers from said record medium and before the rebounding fingers reach the vicinity of said hammer means, and means to minimize wear and noise due to contact between fingers and said second belt comprising means for moving said second belt at substantially the same linear speed as said first-mentioned belt.

Claim 14

In combination, a belt carrying a plurality of elongated type bearing fingers mounted thereon, means for moving said belt relative to a record medium to cause said fingers to traverse a line of movement across said record medium, hammer means for causing selected ones of said type fingers during movement to ballistically impact against said record medium along said line of movement, said fingers being made of resilient material so as to rebound from said record medium upon impact, means to control the rebound motion of said fingers comprising a second belt separate from said first belt and fingers, means for locating said second belt parallel to said first belt and in a position adjacent said type fingers to intercept said type fingers and dampen finger oscillation upon rebound of said fingers from said record medium and before the rebounding fingers reach the vicinity of said hammer means, and means to minimize wear and noise due to contact between fingers and said second belt comprising means for moving said second belt at substantially the same linear speed as said first-mentioned belt.

Claim 15

A type carrier for impact printing on a record medium, comprising an elastic belt, a plurality of flat type carrying fingers extending from said belt in the direction of its width, means for moving said belt to cause said fingers to traverse a line of movement across said record medium, said fingers being flexible and resilient in the direction of said record medium, a plurality of hammers located at respective print column positions associated with the record medium, means for causing selected ones of said hammers to strike desired ones of said type fingers while said belt and fingers are in motion to cause said type fingers to impact against said record medium, means to prevent said fingers from striking said hammers upon rebound from said record medium comprising a second belt, detached from said fingers and first-mentioned belt, of flexible, damping material, means for moving said second belt at substantially the speed and in substantially the same plane as said first-mentioned moving belt, means for locating said second belt adjacent said fingers to contact said type fingers near the vicinity of where said hammers impact against said type fingers in order to control the rebound motion of said fingers and dampen finger oscillation.

Claim 16

A type carrier for impact printing on a record medium, comprising an elastic belt, a plurality of flat type carrying fingers extending from said belt in the direction of its width, means for moving said belt to cause said fingers to traverse a line of movement across said record medium, said fingers being flexible and resilient in the direction of said record medium, a plurality of hammers located at respective print column positions associated with the record medium, means for causing selected ones of said hammers to strike desired ones of said type fingers while said belt and fingers are in motion to cause said type fingers to impact against said record medium, means to prevent said fingers from striking said hammers upon rebound from said record medium comprising a second belt, detached from said fingers and first-mentioned belt, of flexible, damping material, means for moving said second belt at substantially the speed and in substantially the same plane as said first-mentioned moving belt, means for locating said second belt adjacent said fingers to contact said type fingers near the vicinity of where said hammers impact against said type fingers in order to control the rebound motion of said fingers and dampen finger oscillation.

Claim 17

A type carrier for impact printing on a record medium, comprising a urethane belt, a plurality of flat type carrying fingers extending from said belt in the direction of its width, means for moving said belt to cause said fingers to traverse a line of movement across said record medium, said fingers being made of spring steel dimensioned to be flexible and resilient in the direction of said record medium, a plurality of hammers located at respective print column positions associated with the record medium, means for causing selected ones of said hammers to strike desired ones of said type fingers while said belt and fingers are in motion to cause said type fingers to impact against said record medium, means to control the rebound motion of said fingers and dampen finger oscillation comprising a second belt, detached from said fingers and first-mentioned belt, of urethane material, means for moving said second belt at substantially the speed and in substantially the same plane as said first-mentioned moving belt, means for locating said second belt in a position adjacent said type fingers to contact said type fingers near the vicinity of where said hammers impact against said type fingers, and a nonresilient backstop bar mounted across said line of movement of said second belt and contacting said moving second belt in sliding engagement.

Claim 18

A type carrier for impact printing on a record medium, comprising a urethane belt, a plurality of flat type carrying fingers extending from said belt in the direction of its width, means for moving said belt to cause said fingers to traverse a line of movement across said record medium, said fingers being made of spring steel dimensioned to be flexible and resilient in the direction of said record medium, a plurality of hammers located at respective print column positions associated with the record medium, means for causing selected ones of said hammers to strike desired ones of said type fingers while said belt and fingers are in motion to cause said type fingers to impact against said record medium, means to control the rebound motion of said fingers and dampen finger oscillation comprising a second belt, detached from said fingers and first-mentioned belt, of urethane material, means for moving said second belt at substantially the speed and in substantially the same plane as said first-mentioned moving belt, means for locating said second belt in a position adjacent said type fingers to contact said type fingers near the vicinity of where said hammers impact against said type fingers, and a nonresilient backstop bar mounted across said line of movement of said second belt and contacting said moving second belt in sliding engagement.

Claim 19

In combination, a belt carrying a plurality of fingers mounted thereon, each of said fingers carrying a respective type face at its end remote from the belt location, means for moving said belt relative to a record medium to cause said fingers to traverse a line of movement across said record medium, meanS for striking selected ones of said type fingers in the vicinity of said type location on said fingers during movment to cause the associated type to be driven toward and impact against said record medium, said fingers being made of resilient material so as to rebound from said record medium upon impact contacts, means to control the rebound motion of said fingers to prevent undesirable collision with subsequent hammers and to dampen finger oscillation comprising a second belt, detached from said fingers and said first-mentioned belt, means for moving said second belt at substantially the same velocity as said first-mentioned belt, and means for locating said second belt in a position adjacent said type fingers to contact said type fingers in the vicinity of said type location on said fingers along the rebound path from said record medium and before the rebounding fingers reach the vicinity of said means for striking.

Claim 20

In combination, a belt carrying a plurality of fingers mounted thereon, each of said fingers carrying a respective type face at its end remote from the belt location, means for moving said belt relative to a record medium to cause said fingers to traverse a line of movement across said record medium, meanS for striking selected ones of said type fingers in the vicinity of said type location on said fingers during movment to cause the associated type to be driven toward and impact against said record medium, said fingers being made of resilient material so as to rebound from said record medium upon impact contacts, means to control the rebound motion of said fingers to prevent undesirable collision with subsequent hammers and to dampen finger oscillation comprising a second belt, detached from said fingers and said first-mentioned belt, means for moving said second belt at substantially the same velocity as said first-mentioned belt, and means for locating said second belt in a position adjacent said type fingers to contact said type fingers in the vicinity of said type location on said fingers along the rebound path from said record medium and before the rebounding fingers reach the vicinity of said means for striking.

Claim 21

In combination, a type carrier for impact printing on a record medium comprising a first, endless, elastic belt, elongated type-carrying fingers supported by said first belt at precise predetermined locations and extending transversely of the longitudinal axis of said first belt, means for moving said first belt to cause said fingers to traverse a line of movement across a record medium, said fingers having their elongated portions extending substantially in a common plane along said line of movement and being flexible in a direction substantially orthogonal to said plane, means for striking desired ones of said fingers while said first belt and fingers are moving to cause said type fingers to be driven in one direction orthogonal to said plane for impact against said record medium, to effect printing on said medium, means for controlling the rebound motion of said fingers upon impact with said record medium comprising a second, endless belt detached from said first belt and said fingers and positioned adjacent to said type fingers, and means for moving said first and second belt at the same velocity.

Claim 22

In combination, a type carrier for impact printing on a record medium comprising a first, endless, elastic belt, elongated type-carrying fingers supported by said first belt at precise predetermined locations and extending transversely of the longitudinal axis of said first belt, means for moving said first belt to cause said fingers to traverse a line of movement across a record medium, said fingers having their elongated portions extending substantially in a common plane along said line of movement and being flexible in a direction substantially orthogonal to said plane, means for striking desired ones of said fingers while said first belt and fingers are moving to cause said type fingers to be driven in one direction orthogonal to said plane for impact against said record medium, to effect printing on said medium, means for controlling the rebound motion of said fingers upon impact with said record medium comprising a second, endless belt detached from said first belt and said fingers and positioned adjacent to said type fingers, and means for moving said first and second belt at the same velocity.

Claim 23

In combination, a type carrier for impact printing on a planar, record medium comprising a first, endless, elastic belt, elongated type-carrying fingers supported by said first belt at precise predetermined locations, means for moving said first belt to cause said fingers to traverse a line of movement across said medium, said fingers having their elongated portions extending substantially in a common plane along said line of movement and being flexible in a direction substantially orthogonal to said medium, means for driving desired fingers to impact said record medium to effect printing while said belt and fingers are moving, means for damping the oscillation of said fingers following such impact and rebound from said record medium comprising a second, endless belt detached from said fingers and first belt and positioned to intercept said fingers during their rebound motion, means for normally maintaining said fingers substantially in alignment while awaiting being driven comprising said second belt and means for biasing said fingers to substantially contact said belt, and means for minimizing wear and noise due to such contact comprising means for moving said second belt at substantially the same velocity as said first belt.

Claim 24

In combination, a type carrier for impact printing on a planar, record medium comprising a first, endless, elastic belt, elongated type-carrying fingers supported by said first belt at precise predetermined locations, means for moving said first belt to cause said fingers to traverse a line of movement across said medium, said fingers having their elongated portions extending substantially in a common plane along said line of movement and being flexible in a direction substantially orthogonal to said medium, means for driving desired fingers to impact said record medium to effect printing while said belt and fingers are moving, means for damping the oscillation of said fingers following such impact and rebound from said record medium comprising a second, endless belt detached from said fingers and first belt and positioned to intercept said fingers during their rebound motion, means for normally maintaining said fingers substantially in alignment while awaiting being driven comprising said second belt and means for biasing said fingers to substantially contact said belt, and means for minimizing wear and noise due to such contact comprising means for moving said second belt at substantially the same velocity as said first belt.

Claim 25

In combination, a type carrier for impact printing on a record medium comprising a first, endless, elastic belt, elongated type-carrying fingers supported by said first belt at precise predetermined locations, means for moving said first belt to cause said fingers to traverse a line of movement across said medium, said fingers having their elongated portions extending from said belt and being flexible in a direction to impact said medium upon being struck, means for striking desired type fingers to cause such fingers to impact said medium and rebound therefrom while said belt and fingers are moving, a second, endless belt detached from said fingers and positioned adjacent said fingers to intercept the rebounding fingers, and Means for moving said first and second belts at the same velocity.

Claim 26

In combination, a type carrier for impact printing on a record medium comprising a first, endless, elastic belt, elongated type-carrying fingers supported by said first belt at precise predetermined locations, means for moving said first belt to cause said fingers to traverse a line of movement across said medium, said fingers having their elongated portions extending from said belt and being flexible in a direction to impact said medium upon being struck, means for striking desired type fingers to cause such fingers to impact said medium and rebound therefrom while said belt and fingers are moving, a second, endless belt detached from said fingers and positioned adjacent said fingers to intercept the rebounding fingers, and Means for moving said first and second belts at the same velocity.