Printing apparatus for multiple-point recorder with selectable number printing

Claim 2

A printing apparatus for recording a varying characteristic of a multiplicity of variables in a selective manner on a chart, comprising, a base member, means to constrain said base member for linear movement, a support member pivotally mounted on said base member for movement between two positions, a print wheel having printing markers angularly spaced about its periphery and rotatably mounted on said support member, said print wheel being in position for printing by one of said markers when said support member is in one only of said posItions, a rod, means to drive said rod in an orbiting path the locus of which is a cylinder, the axis of which cylinder extends in the direction of movement of said base member, a pair of runners carried by one end of said support member and positioned on opposite sides of said rod, said orbiting rod and said runners forming a driving connection whereby said support member is angularly rocked to and fro about said base member between said two positions as said rod is driven in its orbiting path, thereby to move a marker of said print wheel into and out of its printing position.

Claim 3

The printing mechanism defined in claim 1 wherein a driving connection is employed between said print wheel and said base member whereby said print wheel is rotated to sequentially advance an adjacent marker of said print wheel into printing position each time said print wheel is moved out of its printing position.

Claim 4

A printing apparatus for recording a varying characteristic of a multiplicity of variables in a selective manner on a chart, comprising a chassis, a print carriage having a part mounted on said chassis for back and forth non-rotatable movement in response to changes occurring in the magnitude of said varying characteristic as each one of the selected number of variables are recorded, a support member pivotally mounted on said carriage, a first print wheel having a number of identical spaced apart marks thereon and rotatably supported for rotation on said support member, a second separate print wheel having a number of different indicia thereon and mounted for pivotal movement on said support member, a driving means, a rod connected to the driving means for movement along an orbital path, said rod being operably connected to move the support means in an oscillating manner on the carriage, means to selectively move said second print wheel so that its axis is brought into and out of alignment with an axis about which said first print wheel is rotated and thereby effect movement of both of said wheels into printing engagement with said chart during said oscillation of said support member when said axis are aligned with one another and to effect movement of only the first mentioned print wheel into said printing engagement when said axis are out of alignment with one another.

Claim 5

A printing apparatus for recording a varying characteristic of a multiplicity of variables in a selective manner on a chart, comprising a chassis, a print carriage having a part mounted on said chassis for back and forth non-rotatable movement in response to changes occurring in the magnitude of said varying characteristic as each one of the selected number of variables are recorded, a support member pivotally mounted on said carriage, a first print wheel having a number of identical spaced apart marks thereon and rotatably supported for rotation on said support member, a second separate print wheel having a number of different indicia thereon and mounted for pivotal movement on said support member, a driving means, a rod connected to the driving means for movement along an orbital path, said rod being operably connected to move the support means in an oscillating manner on the carriage, means to selectively move said second print wheel so that its axis is brought into and out of alignment with an axis about which said first print wheel is rotated and thereby effect movement of both of said wheels into printing engagement with said chart during said oscillation of said support member when said axis are aligned with one another and to effect movement of only the first mentioned print wheel into said printing engagement when said axis are out of alignment with one another.

Claim 6

The printing apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said support member has a pair of spaced apart runner plates and wherein said rod is positioned to continuously ride along one runner plate in one direction and thereafter along the other runner plate in the opposite direction to apply said oscillating movement to said support member and said first and second print wheels mounted thereon.

Claim 7

The printing apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said support member has a pair of spaced apart runner plates and wherein said rod is positioned to continuously ride along one runner plate in one direction and thereafter along the other runner plate in the opposite direction to apply said oscillating movement to said support member and said first and second print wheels mounted thereon, and wherein one of said runner plates is fixedly connected for movement with said support member and another one of said runner plates has a spring biasing means connecting it to said support member for transmitting thereto the movement it receives from said rod as it travels through its orbit, said rotation of the orbiting rod being further operable to transmit an additional force through said spring biasing means to said support member and the print wheels to more forcefully impress said wheels into contact with said chart after said print wheels are brought into said first mentioned contact with the chart.

Claim 8

The printing apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein the first print wheel is mounted for rotation about a shaft that is in turn fixedly mounted on the support member for oscillatory movement therewith, the second print wheel has a hub portion extending therefrom and which is in spaced apart relationship about said shaft, a second shaft extending from said support member, said means to selectively move said second print wheel is comprised of a movable arm that is pivotally mounted at one end for rotation about said second shaft and which has a second end forming a sleeve bearing about the outer surface of said hub and wherein a wedge is formed in an outer portion of said arm, a rotatable cam retained in spring biased engagement with said arm by a spring which when rotated in one direction is employed to contact and move said wedge and hub portion connected therewith in one direction to effect movement of said second print wheel so that its axis is brought into alignment with an axis about which said first print wheel is rotated and when rotated in an opposite direction effects movement of the cam to a position that is out of contact with said wedge surface and in which said second print wheel is retained out of alignment with said axis of said first print wheel.

Claim 9

The printing apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein the first print wheel is mounted for rotation about a shaft that is in turn fixedly mounted on the support member for oscillatory movement therewith, the second print wheel has a hub portion extending therefrom and which is in spaced apart relationship about said shaft, a second shaft extending from said support member, said means to selectively move said second print wheel is comprised of a movable arm that is pivotally mounted at one end for rotation about said second shaft and which has a second end forming a sleeve bearing about the outer surface of said hub and an adjustable portion extending from an outer surface of said arm, a spring biased rotatable cam mounted for rotation on said support member which when moved in one direction is operable to be engaged with the end of said arm portion to jointly move said arm portion, hub and second print wheel so that the axis of the second print wheel will be brought into alignment with the axis of said first print wheel and when moved in an opposite direction will cause said cam to be disengaged from said arm portion and the axis of said second print wheel to be moved out of alignment with the axis of said first print wheel.

Claim 10

The printing apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein a shaft is fixedly connected to the said support member, the inner surface of a sleeve bearing is mounted for rotation about said shaft, the support member is fixed for said oscillatory movement to the outer surface of the sleeve bearing, a first gear is mounted for rotation on said sleeve, a first idler gear is in driven contact with said first gear, a second idler gear in contact with said first idler gear and with separate gears of the same diameter that are respectively connected to separately drive said first and second print wheels, a ratchet wheel mounted in fixed relation to one end of the first gear, a pawl driving mechanism in contact with said ratchet wheel and with said support member to rotate said ratchet wheel, the gears and print wheels driven thereby in a step-by-step manner as the support member is rotated in an oscillatory manner by the orbiting rod.

Claim 11

The printing apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein a shaft is fixedly connected to the said support member, the inner surface of a sleeve bearing is mounted for rotation about said shaft, the support member is fixed for said oscillatory movement to the outer surface of the sleeve bearing, a first gear is mounted for rotation on said sleeve, a first idler gear is in driven contact with said first gear, a second idler gear in contact with said first idler gear and with separate gears of the same diameter that are respectively connected to separately drive said first and second print wheels, a ratchet wheel mounted in fixed relation to one end of the first gear, a pawl driving mechanism in contact with said ratchet wheel and with said support member to rotate said ratchet wheel, the gears and print wheels driven thereby in a step by step manner as the support member is rotateD in an oscillatory manner by the orbiting rod, and wherein a cam lobe is connected to an protrudes away from an outer hub surface of said first idler gear, a means for rotatably supporting said second print wheel on the support member, a roller pivotally mounted for rotation on an outer surface of said second print wheel supporting means, and said lobe being operable in a step-by-step fashion over every 360* of its radial rotation to engage said roller and to move said second print wheel support member and the second print wheel from a non-printing position to a position in which its axis is aligned with the axis of the first print wheel.

Claim 12

The printing apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein the second print wheel is rotatably supported by an arm that is pivotally mounted on the support member, a roller is mounted on said arm, a hub is operably connected to the support member to move in a step-by-step rotary fashion therewith during each oscillation of the support member, the outer surface of said hub having at least one lobe protruding therefrom for moving said roller, the arm and the second print wheel to a position in which the central axis of said second wheel is in alignment with the central axis of said first wheel.

Claim 13

The printing apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein each of the marks on the first print wheel and each of the indicia are positioned for rotatable engagement with a different colored ink pad of a print wheel inking pad that is mounted for rotation on said carriage each time said support member is oscillated and ninety degrees prior to the time each one of said wheels are brought into printing engagement with the chart.

Claim 14

The printing apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein the first mentioned means that is operable to move said second print wheel supporting arm and the roller attached thereto into said position in which said axis of the second print wheel is aligned with the axis of said first print wheel is further operable by means of a cam that is pivotally mounted on said support member which is retained in spring biased engagement with said arm by means of a spring to simultaneously move the roller to a position away from and out of contact with said lobe that extends from said hub.

Claim 15

A printing apparatus for recording a varying characteristic of a multiplicity of variables in a selective manner on a chart, comprising, a base member, means to constrain said base member for linear movement, a support member pivotally mounted on said base member for movement between two positions, a first print wheel having printing markers angularly spaced about its periphery and rotatably mounted on said support member, said first print wheel being in position for printing by one of said markers when said support member is in one only of said positions, an orbiting rod, said support member having a slot formed therein, said orbiting rod being disposed within the slot of said support member whereby the latter is rocked to and fro about said base member between said two positions as said rod is moved through said orbiting path and to thereby move one of the markers of said first print wheel into and out of its printing position, a second print wheel having angularly displaced markers thereon, an arm pivotally connected at one end to said support member and supporting the said second print wheel on its other end, a spring biasing means connected at one end to said support member and to the said arm at its other end to hold the said second print wheel out of axial alignment with said first print wheel, a gear train mounted on the said support member to transmit step-by-step angular movement to said print wheels as said support member is rocked between its said two positions, a hub forming a rotatable portion of said gear train, a lobe on the periphery of said hub arranged for engagement with said arm to periodically move said arm in a direction against the bias of said spring means and thereby move said second print wheel into axial alignment with said first print wheel whereby a printing marker on said first print wheel and an associated identifying marker on said second print wheel will simultaneously be moved into and out of said printing position as the said support member is moved to and from about said base member between its said two positions.

Claim 16

A printing apparatus for recording a varying characteristic of a multiplicity of variables in a selective manner on a chart, comprising, a base member, means to constrain said base member for linear movement, a support member pivotally mounted on said base member for movement between two positions, a first print wheel having printing markers angularly spaced about its periphery and rotatably mounted on said support member, said first print wheel being in position for printing by one of said markers when said support member is in one only of said positions, an orbiting rod, said support member having a slot formed therein, said orbiting rod being disposed within the slot of said support member whereby the latter is rocked to and fro about said base member between said two positions as said rod is moved through said orbiting path and to thereby move one of the markers of said first print wheel into and out of its printing position, a second print wheel having angularly displaced markers thereon, an arm pivotally connected at one end to said support member and supporting the said second print wheel on its other end, a spring biasing means connected at one end to said support member and to the said arm at its other end to hold the said second print wheel out of axial alignment with said first print wheel, a gear train mounted on the said support member to transmit step-by-step angular movement to said print wheels as said support member is rocked between its said two positions, a hub forming a rotatable portion of said gear train, a lobe on the periphery of said hub arranged for engagement with said arm to periodically move said arm in a direction against the bias of said spring means and thereby move said second print wheel into axial alignment with said first print wheel whereby a printing marker on said first print wheel and an associated identifying marker on said second print wheel will simultaneously be moved into and out of said printing position as the said support member is moved to and from about said base member between its said two positions.

Claim 17

A printing mechanism defined in claim 13 wherein said slot formed in said support member is formed from a pair of spaced apart runner plates and the said orbiting rod is adapted to be connected in driving contact with said runner plates to effect the said rocking motion of said support member about the said base member between its said two positions.

Claim 18

A printing mechanism as defined in claim 13 wherein said slot formed in said support member is formed from a pair of spaced apart runner plates and wherein said orbiting rod is positioned to ride along one runner plate in one direction and thereafter along the other runner plate in an opposite direction to effect rocking of said support member between its said two positions.

Claim 19

A printing mechanism defined in claim 13 wherein the first print wheel is mounted for rotation about a shaft which is mounted on the support member, and wherein said shaft extends through an opening in said second print wheel, which opening in at least one dimension is larger than the diameter of said shaft to permit movement of said second print wheel into and out of axial alignment with said first print wheel.