Abstract An improved document support system for use in a character by character printer of the type that employs a rear striking hammer to drive the document, at the printing position, into contact with a selected symbol on a rotating type font. Typically, the type font would be on the surface of a constantly rotating wheel. In application, a front paper guide is provided which limits and defines the normal spacing between the document and the type font in the area of the printing position; the said spacing normally being quite small. A rear paper guide is supported by the hammer structure and is spring biased towards the front paper guide. Both paper guides include cutouts or openings so that the printing hammer can drive the document towards the selected character of the font to effect a printing action. The paper guides cooperate to maintain the document in a fixed location, relative to the type font, and serve to compress the document pack which may comprise an original document, carbons, and multiple copies, so that there are no separations, or air pockets, therebetween at the printing position. The paper guides enable the production of a more uniform appearing print of improved quality. Supporting and holding the document in a known position allows a constant portion of the kinetic energy of the print hammer to be available for affecting a print action, thus increasing the quality of the print.
Inventors
👤 R Dobner
👤 D Hebert
Bibliographic Details
Application Number—
JurisdictionUS
Data Sourcegoogle_patents
Last Synchronized2026-10-24 19:48
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J11/00; B41J11/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 2
Claim 1
Independent Claim
247 words
In a character by character printing device, the combination comprising: a. a print wheel having disposed thereon alphanumeric characters and symbols which are sequentially presented at a print position once in each cycle; b. a front paper guide for maintaining at least a predetermined distance between said print wheel and a document at said print position, except during a print cycle, and having a planar surface in cooperative relationship with said document; c. a print hammer assembly including a print hammer disposed in cooperative relationship with said print wheel and said document for effecting a print impression on said document; d. a rear paper guide having a planar surface disposed in cooperative relationship with said document and substantially parallel to said planar surface of said front paper guide for retaining said document in a cooperative relationship with said front paper guide in the vicinity of said print position; e. means for movably mounting said rear paper guide on said print hammer assembly to enable the spacing between the planar surface of said rear paper guide and the planar surface of said front paper guide to be variable; and f. bias means coupled between said print hammer assembly and said rear paper guide for urging said rear paper guide toward said front paper guide; g. said front and said rear paper guide each having an opening therein whereby said print hammer can drive a portion of said document into contact with said print wheel at said print position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
247 words
In a character by character printing device, the combination comprising: a. a print wheel having disposed thereon alphanumeric characters and symbols which are sequentially presented at a print position once in each cycle; b. a front paper guide for maintaining at least a predetermined distance between said print wheel and a document at said print position, except during a print cycle, and having a planar surface in cooperative relationship with said document; c. a print hammer assembly including a print hammer disposed in cooperative relationship with said print wheel and said document for effecting a print impression on said document; d. a rear paper guide having a planar surface disposed in cooperative relationship with said document and substantially parallel to said planar surface of said front paper guide for retaining said document in a cooperative relationship with said front paper guide in the vicinity of said print position; e. means for movably mounting said rear paper guide on said print hammer assembly to enable the spacing between the planar surface of said rear paper guide and the planar surface of said front paper guide to be variable; and f. bias means coupled between said print hammer assembly and said rear paper guide for urging said rear paper guide toward said front paper guide; g. said front and said rear paper guide each having an opening therein whereby said print hammer can drive a portion of said document into contact with said print wheel at said print position.