US3865030A — Printing mechanism automatically positionable in …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 346 words

A printing mechanism comprising: a rotatable print drum containing around the periphery thereof n circumferentially spaced-apart rows of print type; drive means responsive to a succession of pulse signals for angularly driving said print drum in an intermittent manner through a succession of angular increments each effected by one pulse signal, said drive means comprising a ratchet wheel, means connecting said ratchet wheel to said print drum to effect intermittent angular movement of said print drum in response to intermittent stepwise rotation of said ratchet wheel, and means including an electromagnet responsive to pulse signals applied thereto to electromagnetically effect intermittent stepwise rotation of said rathcet; positioning means responsive to position control signals and coacting with said drive means to effect positioning of said print drum in the same predetermined angular start position in response to each position control signal thereby ensuring that said print drum commences each rotational cycle of operation from the same start position, said positioning means comprising means for permitting intermittent angular movement of said ratchet wheel until said ratchet wheel positions said print drum in said predetermined angular start position and thereafter preventing further angular movement of said ratchet wheel despite further application of pulse signals to said electromagnet until a predetermined number of pulse signals have been applied to said electromagnet; and a control circuit having means responsive to a first command signal for developing a succession of pulse signals and applying same to said electromagnet while simultaneously developing a position control signal and applying same to said positioning means to effect intermittent angular movement of said print drum until same is positioned in said predetermined angular start position, and having means operable after movement of said print drum to said start position and in response to second command signals for developing, for each second command signal, a succession of n pulse signals and applying same to said electromagnet to effect intermittent angular movement of said print drum from said start position tHrough n angular increments back to said start position thereby driving said print drum through one rotational cycle.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 346 words

A printing mechanism comprising: a rotatable print drum containing around the periphery thereof n circumferentially spaced-apart rows of print type; drive means responsive to a succession of pulse signals for angularly driving said print drum in an intermittent manner through a succession of angular increments each effected by one pulse signal, said drive means comprising a ratchet wheel, means connecting said ratchet wheel to said print drum to effect intermittent angular movement of said print drum in response to intermittent stepwise rotation of said ratchet wheel, and means including an electromagnet responsive to pulse signals applied thereto to electromagnetically effect intermittent stepwise rotation of said rathcet; positioning means responsive to position control signals and coacting with said drive means to effect positioning of said print drum in the same predetermined angular start position in response to each position control signal thereby ensuring that said print drum commences each rotational cycle of operation from the same start position, said positioning means comprising means for permitting intermittent angular movement of said ratchet wheel until said ratchet wheel positions said print drum in said predetermined angular start position and thereafter preventing further angular movement of said ratchet wheel despite further application of pulse signals to said electromagnet until a predetermined number of pulse signals have been applied to said electromagnet; and a control circuit having means responsive to a first command signal for developing a succession of pulse signals and applying same to said electromagnet while simultaneously developing a position control signal and applying same to said positioning means to effect intermittent angular movement of said print drum until same is positioned in said predetermined angular start position, and having means operable after movement of said print drum to said start position and in response to second command signals for developing, for each second command signal, a succession of n pulse signals and applying same to said electromagnet to effect intermittent angular movement of said print drum from said start position tHrough n angular increments back to said start position thereby driving said print drum through one rotational cycle.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 204 words

A printing mechanism according to claim 1; wherein said control circuit comprises counting means for counting the number of pulse signals applied to said drive means and developing an output signal after counting a prescribed number of pulse signals, gate means receptive of a continuous train of pulse signals and having a gating state wherein same gates the pulse signals to said drive means in response to a gate signal and a blocking state wherein same blocks the application of pulse signals to said drive means in the absence of a gate signal, a first flip-flop circuit operative in one stable state wherein same delivers an output signal applied simultaneously to said gate means as a gate signal and to said positioning means as a position control signal in response to said first command signal and another stable state wherein same delivers no output signal in response to said output signal from said counting means, and a second flip-flop circuit operative in one stable state wherein same delivers an output gate signal to said gate means in response to said second command signal and another stable state wherein same delivers no output gate signal in response to said output signal from said counting means.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 111 words

A printing mechanism according to claim 1; wherein said positioning means comprises a cam connected to rotate with said ratchet wheel and having thereon a locking surface, a pivotally mounted lock lever pivotal into and out of camming engagement with said cam and cooperative with said locking surface when in camming engagement therewith to releasably lock said cam and therefore said ratchet wheel in a position wherein said print drum is in said predetermined angular start position, biasing means for biasing said lock lever out of engagement with said cam, and an electromagnet responsive to said position control signal for electromagnetically pivoting said lock lever into camming engagement with said cam.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 28 words

A printing mechanism according to claim 2; wherein said plurality of sets of print type comprise n number of circumferentially spaced-apart and longitudinally extending rows of print type.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 207 words

A printing mechanism according to claim 1; wherein said control circuit comprises an AND gate receptive of a continuous train of pulse signals and operative to gate same to said drive means in response to and during the presence of a gate signal and operative to block the application of pulse signals during the absence of a gate signal, counting means for counting the number of pulse signals gated by said AND gate and developing a reset signal after counting a prescribed number of pulse signals, and wherein said means responsive to a first command signal includes means operative in one state in response to said first command signal for simultaneously developing a gate signal and applying same to said AND gate while developing said position control signal and applying same to said positioning means and operative in another state in response to said reset signal to simultaneously terminate said gate signal and position control signal, and wherein said means responsive to a second command signal includes means operative in one state in response to said second command signal for developing a gate signal and applying same to said AND gate and operative in another state in response to said reset signal to terminate said gate signal.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 54 words

A printing mechanism according to claim 5; wherein said positioning means includes means for permitting angular movement of said print drum by said drive means until said print drum reaches said predetermined angular start position and thereafter rendering said drive means ineffective to drive said print drum until termination of said position control signal.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 48 words

A printing mechanism according to claim 6; wherein said means for rendering said drive means ineffective to drive said print drum comprises means operative when said print drum has moved into said predetermined angular start position for releasably locking same therein until termination of said position control signal.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 207 words

A printing mechanism according to claim 1; wherein said control circuit comprises an AND gate receptive of a continuous train of pulse signals and operative to gate same to said drive means in response to and during the presence of a gate signal and operative to block the application of pulse signals during the absence of a gate signal, counting means for counting the number of pulse signals gated by said AND gate and developing a reset signal after counting a prescribed number of pulse signals, and wherein said means responsive to a first command signal includes means operative in one state in response to said first command signal for simultaneously developing a gate signal and applying same to said AND gate while developing said position control signal and applying same to said positioning means and operative in another state in response to said reset signal to simultaneously terminate said gate signal and position control signal, and wherein said means responsive to a second command signal includes means operative in one state in response to said second command signal for developing a gate signal and applying same to said AND gate and operative in another state in response to said reset signal to terminate said gate signal.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 207 words

A printing mechanism according to claim 3; wherein said control circuit comprises an AND gate receptive of a continuous train of pulse signals and operative to gate same to said drive means in response to and during the presence of a gate signal and operative to block the application of pulse signals during the absence of a gate signal, counting means for counting the number of pulse signals gated by said AND gate and developing a reset signal after counting a prescribed number of pulse signals, and wherein said means responsive to a first command signal includes means operative in one state in response to said first command signal for simultaneously developing a gate signal and applying same to said AND gate while developing said position control signal and applying same to said positioning means and operative in another state in response to said reset signal to simultaneously terminate said gate signal and position control signal, and wherein said means responsive to a second command signal includes means operative in one state in response to said second command signal for developing a gate signal and applying same to said AND gate and operative in another state in response to said reset signal to terminate said gate signal.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1978-02-10	1978-08-12	1979-02-11	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1982-02-10	1982-08-12	1983-02-11	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1986-02-10	1986-08-12	1987-02-11	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Printing mechanism automatically positionable in the same start position

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag