Ticket printer

Claim 1

A system for printing selected characters on a web having spaced indicia thereon, said system comprising: a. web feeding means for selectively advancing the web, said web feeding means including first and second means adapted for mutually exclusive engagement and disengagement with the web, the web being advanced when said first means is engaged and said second means is disengaged, the web being held stationary when said second means is engaged and said first means is disengaged; b. a print drum having at least two rows of raised characters disposed about its periphery in arcuate columns; c. ink impregnated means adapted for engagement and disengagement with said print drum for transferring ink thereto; d. at least two ballistic elements, a first ballistic element mounted in spaced registration with one row of characters and a second ballistic element mounted in spaced registration with the other row of characters, each said ballistic element having energized and deenergized states; e. third means including optical sensor means communicating with said first and second means; f. fourth means electrically communicating with said third means and ballistic elements for controlling the state of each said ballistic element, said fourth means including a plurality of data comparators and a plurality of ballistic element controls, one each of said plurality of data comparators and one each of said plurality of ballistic element controls being associated with one each of said rows; g. encoder means coupled to said print drum for generating selected signals representing the position of each said character, said encoder means electrically connected to said third means; h. rotary cutter means electrically communicating with said third means, said cutting means responsive to a first signal generated by said third means, said rotary cutter means operating to sever the web; i. said optical sensor means positioned between said print drum and said rotary cutter means, said optical sensor means detecting a selected one of the indicia disposed between said print drum and said rotary cutter means; j. said web feeding means advancing the web to a selected position between said print drum and said ballistic elements in response to position signals generated by said optical sensor means, said position signals generated by said optical sensor means when the selected one of the indicia is disposed between said print drum and said rotary cutter means; k. said fourth means receiving signals from said third means and, in response thereto, generating signals for energizing selected ones of said ballistic elements, said signals received from said third means being responsive to said selected signals generated by said encoder means; l. portions of the web in registration with an energized ballistic element being pressed against the character in spaced registration with said energized ballistic element, whereby the character is printed on the web; m. said web feeding means incrementally advancing the web between said print drum and said ballistic elements until all the selected characters are printed on the web; n. when all of the selected characters are printed on the web, said web feeding means advances the web until another selected one of the indicia is disposed between said print drum and said rotary cutter means and is detected by said optical sensor means; o. when the other one of the indicia is detected by said sensor means, a portion of the web is severed by said rotary cutter means and the unsevered portion of the web being in position for the printing of selected characters.

Claim 2

A system for printing selected characters on a web having spaced indicia thereon, said system comprising: a. web feeding means for selectively advancing the web, said web feeding means including first and second means adapted for mutually exclusive engagement and disengagement with the web, the web being advanced when said first means is engaged and said second means is disengaged, the web being held stationary when said second means is engaged and said first means is disengaged; b. a print drum having at least two rows of raised characters disposed about its periphery in arcuate columns; c. ink impregnated means adapted for engagement and disengagement with said print drum for transferring ink thereto; d. at least two ballistic elements, a first ballistic element mounted in spaced registration with one row of characters and a second ballistic element mounted in spaced registration with the other row of characters, each said ballistic element having energized and deenergized states; e. third means including optical sensor means communicating with said first and second means; f. fourth means electrically communicating with said third means and ballistic elements for controlling the state of each said ballistic element, said fourth means including a plurality of data comparators and a plurality of ballistic element controls, one each of said plurality of data comparators and one each of said plurality of ballistic element controls being associated with one each of said rows; g. encoder means coupled to said print drum for generating selected signals representing the position of each said character, said encoder means electrically connected to said third means; h. rotary cutter means electrically communicating with said third means, said cutting means responsive to a first signal generated by said third means, said rotary cutter means operating to sever the web; i. said optical sensor means positioned between said print drum and said rotary cutter means, said optical sensor means detecting a selected one of the indicia disposed between said print drum and said rotary cutter means; j. said web feeding means advancing the web to a selected position between said print drum and said ballistic elements in response to position signals generated by said optical sensor means, said position signals generated by said optical sensor means when the selected one of the indicia is disposed between said print drum and said rotary cutter means; k. said fourth means receiving signals from said third means and, in response thereto, generating signals for energizing selected ones of said ballistic elements, said signals received from said third means being responsive to said selected signals generated by said encoder means; l. portions of the web in registration with an energized ballistic element being pressed against the character in spaced registration with said energized ballistic element, whereby the character is printed on the web; m. said web feeding means incrementally advancing the web between said print drum and said ballistic elements until all the selected characters are printed on the web; n. when all of the selected characters are printed on the web, said web feeding means advances the web until another selected one of the indicia is disposed between said print drum and said rotary cutter means and is detected by said optical sensor means; o. when the other one of the indicia is detected by said sensor means, a portion of the web is severed by said rotary cutter means and the unsevered portion of the web being in position for the printing of selected characters.

Claim 9

A system for printing selected characters on a web having spaced indicia thereon, said system comprising: a. web feeding means for selectively advancing the web, said web feeding means including first and second means adapted for mutually exclusive engagement and disengagement with the web, the web being advanced when said first means is engaged and said second means is disengaged, the web being held stationary when said second means is engaged and said first means is disengaged; b. a print drum having at least two rows of raised characters disposed about its periphery in arcuate columns; c. ink impregnated means adapted for engagement and disengagement with said print drum for transferring ink thereto; d. at least two ballistic elements, a first ballistic element mounted in spaced registration with the other row of characters, a second ballistic element mounted in spaced registration with the other row of characters, each said ballistic element having energized and deenergized states; e. first control means including sensor means communicating with said web feeding means for controlling said first and second means; f. second control means electrically communicating with said first control means and ballistic elements for controlling the state of each said ballistic element; g. encoder means coupled to said print drum for generating selected signals representing the position of each said character, said encoder means electrically connected to said first control means; h. a plate interposed between said printing drum and web, said plate formed with at least two apertures, each said aperture having a substantially rectangular profile, one aperture in spaced registration with said one row and said first ballistic element, the other aperture in spaced registration with said other row and said second ballistic element; i. said second control means receiving signals from said first control means and, in response thereto, generating signals for energizing selected ones of said ballistic elements, said signals received from said first control means being responsive to said selected signals generated by said encoder means; j. portions of the web in registration with an energized ballistic element being pressed against the character in spaced registration with said energized ballistiC element, whereby the character is printed on the web; k. rotary cutter means electrically communicating with said first control means, said cutting means responsive to a first signal generated by said first control means, said rotary cutter means operating to sever the web; and l. eject means electrically communicating with said first control means, said eject means responsive to a second signal generated by said first control means, said eject means operating to engage the web, the web being in a stressed state when engaged by said eject means, said second signal applied to said eject means when said first signal is applied to said rotary cutter means, the web being propelled from the system by said eject means when severed by said rotary cutter means; m. said sensor means positioned between said print drum and said rotary cutter means, said sensor means detecting a selected one of the indicia disposed between said print drum and said rotary cutter means; n. said web feeding means advancing the web to a selected position between said print drum and said ballistic elements in response to position signals generated by said sensor means, said position signals generated by said sensor means when the selected one of the indicia is disposed between said print drum and said rotary cutter means in registration with said sensor means; o. said web feeding means incrementally advancing the web between said print drum and said ballistic elements until all the selected characters are printed on the web; p. when all of the selected characters are printed on the web, said web feeding means advances the web until another selected one of the indicia is disposed between said print drum and said rotary cutter means and is detected by said sensor means; q. when the other one of the indicia is detected by said sensor means, a portion of the web is severed by said rotary cutter means, the unsevered portion of the web being in position for the printing of selected characters.

Claim 10

A system for printing selected characters on a web having spaced indicia thereon, said system comprising: a. web feeding means for selectively advancing the web, said web feeding means including first and second means adapted for mutually exclusive engagement and disengagement with the web, the web being advanced when said first means is engaged and said second means is disengaged, the web being held stationary when said second means is engaged and said first means is disengaged; b. a print drum having at least two rows of raised characters disposed about its periphery in arcuate columns; c. ink impregnated means adapted for engagement and disengagement with said print drum for transferring ink thereto; d. at least two ballistic elements, a first ballistic element mounted in spaced registration with the other row of characters, a second ballistic element mounted in spaced registration with the other row of characters, each said ballistic element having energized and deenergized states; e. first control means including sensor means communicating with said web feeding means for controlling said first and second means; f. second control means electrically communicating with said first control means and ballistic elements for controlling the state of each said ballistic element; g. encoder means coupled to said print drum for generating selected signals representing the position of each said character, said encoder means electrically connected to said first control means; h. a plate interposed between said printing drum and web, said plate formed with at least two apertures, each said aperture having a substantially rectangular profile, one aperture in spaced registration with said one row and said first ballistic element, the other aperture in spaced registration with said other row and said second ballistic element; i. said second control means receiving signals from said first control means and, in response thereto, generating signals for energizing selected ones of said ballistic elements, said signals received from said first control means being responsive to said selected signals generated by said encoder means; j. portions of the web in registration with an energized ballistic element being pressed against the character in spaced registration with said energized ballistiC element, whereby the character is printed on the web; k. rotary cutter means electrically communicating with said first control means, said cutting means responsive to a first signal generated by said first control means, said rotary cutter means operating to sever the web; and l. eject means electrically communicating with said first control means, said eject means responsive to a second signal generated by said first control means, said eject means operating to engage the web, the web being in a stressed state when engaged by said eject means, said second signal applied to said eject means when said first signal is applied to said rotary cutter means, the web being propelled from the system by said eject means when severed by said rotary cutter means; m. said sensor means positioned between said print drum and said rotary cutter means, said sensor means detecting a selected one of the indicia disposed between said print drum and said rotary cutter means; n. said web feeding means advancing the web to a selected position between said print drum and said ballistic elements in response to position signals generated by said sensor means, said position signals generated by said sensor means when the selected one of the indicia is disposed between said print drum and said rotary cutter means in registration with said sensor means; o. said web feeding means incrementally advancing the web between said print drum and said ballistic elements until all the selected characters are printed on the web; p. when all of the selected characters are printed on the web, said web feeding means advances the web until another selected one of the indicia is disposed between said print drum and said rotary cutter means and is detected by said sensor means; q. when the other one of the indicia is detected by said sensor means, a portion of the web is severed by said rotary cutter means, the unsevered portion of the web being in position for the printing of selected characters.

Claim 16

A system for printing selected characters on a web having spaced indicia thereon, said system comprising: a. print drum means having at least two rows of raised characters disposed about its periphery in arcuate columns; b. web feeding means positioned at one side of said print drum means, said web feeding means selectively advancing the web towards said print drum means; c. at least two ballistic elements, a first ballistic element mounted in spaced registration with one row of characters and a second ballistic element mounted in spaced registration with the other row of characters, each said ballistic element having energized and deenergized states; d. first means electrically communicating with said web feeding means for control thereof, said first means including sensor means for detecting the indicia on the web, said sensor means disposed at a side of said print drum means opposite said side at which said web feeding means is positioned; e. second means electrically communicating with said ballistic elements for controlling the state of each said ballistic element; and f. third means coupled to said print drum means for generating selected signals representing the position of each said character, said third means operatively connected to said first and second means; g. cutter means adapted to engage and sever the web, said cutter means positioned at said side of said print drum means at which said sensor means is disposed, said sensor means disposed between said print drum means and said cutter means; h. said web feeding means advancing the web to a first position between said print drum means and ballistic elements in response to position signals generated by said sensor means, said position signals generated by said sensor means when a selected one of the indicia is disposed between said print drum means and said cutter means and is detected by said sensor means; i. said second means receiving signals from said first means and, in response thereto, generating signals for energizing selected ones of said ballistic elements, said signals received from said first means being responsive to said selected signals generated by said third means; j. portions of the web in registration with an energized ballistic element being pressed against the character in spaced registration with said energized ballistic element; k. said web feeding means incrementally advancing the web between said print drum and said ballistic elements until all the selected characters are printed on the web; l. when all of the selected characters are printed on the web, said web feeding means advances the web until another selected one of the indicia is disposed between said print drum and said cutter means and is detected by said sensor means; m. when the other one of the indicia is detected by said sensor means, the web is severed by said rotary cutter means.

Claim 17

A system for printing selected characters on a web having spaced indicia thereon, said system comprising: a. print drum means having at least two rows of raised characters disposed about its periphery in arcuate columns; b. web feeding means positioned at one side of said print drum means, said web feeding means selectively advancing the web towards said print drum means; c. at least two ballistic elements, a first ballistic element mounted in spaced registration with one row of characters and a second ballistic element mounted in spaced registration with the other row of characters, each said ballistic element having energized and deenergized states; d. first means electrically communicating with said web feeding means for control thereof, said first means including sensor means for detecting the indicia on the web, said sensor means disposed at a side of said print drum means opposite said side at which said web feeding means is positioned; e. second means electrically communicating with said ballistic elements for controlling the state of each said ballistic element; and f. third means coupled to said print drum means for generating selected signals representing the position of each said character, said third means operatively connected to said first and second means; g. cutter means adapted to engage and sever the web, said cutter means positioned at said side of said print drum means at which said sensor means is disposed, said sensor means disposed between said print drum means and said cutter means; h. said web feeding means advancing the web to a first position between said print drum means and ballistic elements in response to position signals generated by said sensor means, said position signals generated by said sensor means when a selected one of the indicia is disposed between said print drum means and said cutter means and is detected by said sensor means; i. said second means receiving signals from said first means and, in response thereto, generating signals for energizing selected ones of said ballistic elements, said signals received from said first means being responsive to said selected signals generated by said third means; j. portions of the web in registration with an energized ballistic element being pressed against the character in spaced registration with said energized ballistic element; k. said web feeding means incrementally advancing the web between said print drum and said ballistic elements until all the selected characters are printed on the web; l. when all of the selected characters are printed on the web, said web feeding means advances the web until another selected one of the indicia is disposed between said print drum and said cutter means and is detected by said sensor means; m. when the other one of the indicia is detected by said sensor means, the web is severed by said rotary cutter means.