Assembly for mounting a print head

Claim 2

In combination, an assembly comprising: a. a print head including an outer mounting member having at least two mounting studs and screw means connected thereto and extending outwardly therefrom; b. a carriage including openings formed therein for the passage therethrough of said mounting studs and said screw means; c. a mounting clamp including slots formed therein for the passage therethrough of said mounting studs and said screw means after passage through said carriage openings, with the slots through which said mounting studs pass including ramp means at one end thereof, ratchet means having a resilient free end portion and motion applying means for moving said mounting clamp between a release position and a lock position; and d. a lock element which engages said screw means and the resilient free end portion of said ratchet means, and prevents the movement of said mounting clamp from said lock position to said release position.

Claim 3

The assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said mounting clamp comprises a plate-like member having a generally planar surface with a central aperture surrounded by a rim portion, wherein the slots are formed in said rim portion with the slots through which the mounting studs pass being key-shaped and arcuate in their longitudinal extent having a circular receiving end and an elongated portion extending from the receiving end, and wherein said ramp means are formed by the parallel edges of said elongated portions with said edges having an inclination relative to the planar surface of said mounting clamp.

Claim 4

The assembly as defined in claim 2, wherein said mounting studs each include a screw member and an outer casing having an internally threaded bore, an annular groove and a head portion, and wherein the parallel edges of said ramp means associated with each of said mounting studs are received within said annular groove for engagement witH said head portion.

Claim 5

The assembly as defined in claim 2, wherein said motion applying means comprises a pair of tab members which extend axially outwardly from the planar surface of said mounting clamp and transversely across said rim portion.

Claim 6

The assembly as defined in claim 4, wherein said ratchet means is mounted to said mounting clamp such that its free end extends generally parallel to the planar surface of said mounting clamp, wherein said free end is provided with an arcuate shape having teeth formed on its convex surface, and wherein said lock element comprises a cylindrical member having a threaded internal bore and teeth formed on its outer surface, which engage the teeth formed on the convex surface of said free end to effect locking of the assembly.

Claim 7

The assembly as defined in claim 5, wherein said ratchet means is mounted to one of said tab members.

Claim 8

The assembly as defined in claim 5, wherein the teeth formed on the convex surface of said free end and the teeth formed on the outer surface of said cylindrical member are mutually shaped so that relative rotation of said lock element with respect to said free end when said teeth are engaged occurs in only one direction.

Claim 9

The assembly as defined in claim 7, wherein said free end comprises a resilient material such that rotation of said lock element relative to said free end when said teeth are engaged generates an audible indication of the rotation.

Claim 10

A mounting clamp for securing one member to a second member wherein said one member has a plurality of mounting studs connected thereto, comprising a plate-like member having a generally planar surface with a central aperture surrounded by a rim portion, said rim portion having a plurality of slots formed therein and finger engaging tab members extending axially outwardly therefrom, said slots being key-shaped and arcuate in their longitudinal extent and each having a circular end for receiving the mounting studs with said second member nested between said one member and said plate-like member, said slots having an elongated portion extending from the receiving end with the parallel edges of said elongated portion having an inclination relative to the planar surface, said inclined parallel edges engaging the mounting studs in a progressively tighter assembly during movement of the mounting clamp relative to the two members, ratchet means for locking the engagement of said inclined parallel edges with said mounting studs, and means for unlocking said last named engagement.

Claim 11

A mounting clamp for securing one member to a second member wherein said one member has a plurality of mounting studs connected thereto, comprising a plate-like member having a generally planar surface with a central aperture surrounded by a rim portion, said rim portion having a plurality of slots formed therein and finger engaging tab members extending axially outwardly therefrom, said slots being key-shaped and arcuate in their longitudinal extent and each having a circular end for receiving the mounting studs with said second member nested between said one member and said plate-like member, said slots having an elongated portion extending from the receiving end with the parallel edges of said elongated portion having an inclination relative to the planar surface, said inclined parallel edges engaging the mounting studs in a progressively tighter assembly during movement of the mounting clamp relative to the two members, ratchet means for locking the engagement of said inclined parallel edges with said mounting studs, and means for unlocking said last named engagement.

Claim 12

A mounting clamp and lock arrangement for securing one member to a second member wherein said one member has at least two mounting studs and screw means connected thereto, comprising: a. a mounting clamp in the form of a plate-like member having a generally planar surface with a central aperture surrounded by a rim portion, said rim portion having a slot formed therein for receiving each of the mounting studs and the screw means with said second member being nested between said one member and said plate-like member, finger engaging tab members extending axially outwardly therefrom for effecting movement of said mounting clamp and ratchet means having a resilient free end portion, said slots being arcuate in their longitudinal extent with the mounting stud receiving slots being key-shaped and each having a circular end and an elongated portion extending therefrom, and with the parallel edges of said elongated portion having an inclination relative to the planar surface, said inclined parallel edges engaging the mounting studs in a progressively tighter assembly during movement of the mounting clamp relative to the two members between a release position and a lock position; and b. a lock element which engages the screw means and the resilient free end portion of said ratchet means, and prevents the movement of said mounting clamp from said lock position to said release position.

Claim 13

A mounting clamp and lock arrangement for securing one member to a second member wherein said one member has at least two mounting studs and screw means connected thereto, comprising: a. a mounting clamp in the form of a plate-like member having a generally planar surface with a central aperture surrounded by a rim portion, said rim portion having a slot formed therein for receiving each of the mounting studs and the screw means with said second member being nested between said one member and said plate-like member, finger engaging tab members extending axially outwardly therefrom for effecting movement of said mounting clamp and ratchet means having a resilient free end portion, said slots being arcuate in their longitudinal extent with the mounting stud receiving slots being key-shaped and each having a circular end and an elongated portion extending therefrom, and with the parallel edges of said elongated portion having an inclination relative to the planar surface, said inclined parallel edges engaging the mounting studs in a progressively tighter assembly during movement of the mounting clamp relative to the two members between a release position and a lock position; and b. a lock element which engages the screw means and the resilient free end portion of said ratchet means, and prevents the movement of said mounting clamp from said lock position to said release position.

Claim 14

The arrangement as defined in claim 10, wherein said ratchet meAns is mounted to said mounting clamp such that its free end extends generally parallel to the planar surface of said mounting clamp, wherein said free end is provided with an arcuate shape having teeth formed on its convex surface, and wherein said lock element comprises a cylindrical member having a threaded internal bore and teeth formed on its outer surface, which engage the teeth formed on the convex surface of said free end to effect locking of the two members with the mounting clamp.

Claim 15

The arrangement as defined in claim 11, wherein said ratchet means is mounted to one of said tab members.

Claim 16

The arrangement as defined in claim 11, wherein the teeth formed on the convex surface of said free end and the teeth formed on the outer surface of said cylindrical member are mutually shaped so that relative rotation of said lock element with respect to said free end when said teeth are engaged occurs in only one direction.

Claim 17

The arrangement as defined in claim 13, wherein said free end comprises a resilient material such that rotation of said lock element relative to said free end when said teeth are engaged generates an audible indication of the rotation.

Claim 18

In combination, a print head having a planar surface, a carriage for moving said head and having a planar surface, said carriage having a plurality of holes passing through its planar surface, a mounting clamp for securing said print head and carriage together at their planar surfaces, said print head having a plurality of mounting studs extending from its planar surface for passing through corresponding ones of said holes in said second member, each of said studs having an undercut portion near its free end to define a head with a shoulder, said clamp comprising a plurality of elongated apertures, each of said apertures comprising an enlarged opening at one end to receive the head of a respective one of said studs after passage through a respective hole in said carriage, each of said elongated apertures having associated therewith a ramp section offset from the aperture in the direction of the stud passage through the aperture and oriented substantially in the direction of the aperture elongation such that upon turning of the clamp the shoulder of each stud is caused to ride up the ramp to force the print head and carriage together, said carriage comprising ratchet teeth, said clamp having a peripheral tab portion carrying ratchet teeth for meshing with corresponding ratchet teeth of said carriage, said teeth being dimensioned to permit meshing of ratchet teeth only in the direction of clamp turning which forces the print head and carriage together, said tab and said ratchet teeth portion of said carriage being resilient relative to one another to enable manual disengagement of ratchet teeth to permit loosening of the clamp.

Claim 19

In combination, a print head having a planar surface, a carriage for moving said head and having a planar surface, said carriage having a plurality of holes passing through its planar surface, a mounting clamp for securing said print head and carriage together at their planar surfaces, said print head having a plurality of mounting studs extending from its planar surface for passing through corresponding ones of said holes in said second member, each of said studs having an undercut portion near its free end to define a head with a shoulder, said clamp comprising a plurality of elongated apertures, each of said apertures comprising an enlarged opening at one end to receive the head of a respective one of said studs after passage through a respective hole in said carriage, each of said elongated apertures having associated therewith a ramp section offset from the aperture in the direction of the stud passage through the aperture and oriented substantially in the direction of the aperture elongation such that upon turning of the clamp the shoulder of each stud is caused to ride up the ramp to force the print head and carriage together, said carriage comprising ratchet teeth, said clamp having a peripheral tab portion carrying ratchet teeth for meshing with corresponding ratchet teeth of said carriage, said teeth being dimensioned to permit meshing of ratchet teeth only in the direction of clamp turning which forces the print head and carriage together, said tab and said ratchet teeth portion of said carriage being resilient relative to one another to enable manual disengagement of ratchet teeth to permit loosening of the clamp.

Claim 20

A mounting clamp for securing first and second members together at their planar surfaces wherein said second member comprises ratchet teeth and a plurality of holes passing through its planar surface and said first member has a plurality of mounting studs extending from its planar surface for passing through corresponding ones of said holes in said second member, and each of said studs has an undercut portion near its free end to define a head with a shoulder, said clamp comprising a plurality of elongated apertures, each of said apertures comprising an enlarged opening at one end to receive the head of a respective one of said studs after passage through a respective hole in said second member, each of said elongated apertures having associated therewith a ramp section offset from the aperture in the direction of the stud passage through the apertures and oriented substantially in the direction of the aperture elongation such that upon turning of the clamp the shoulder of each stud is caused to ride up the ramp to force the first and second member together, said clamp having a peripheral tab portion carrying ratchet teeth for meshing with corresponding ratchet teeth of said second Member, said teeth being dimensioned to permit meshing of ratchet teeth only in the direction of clamp turning which forces the print head and carriage together, said tab being resilient to enable manual disengagement of ratchet teeth to permit loosening of the clamp.

Claim 21

A mounting clamp for securing first and second members together at their planar surfaces wherein said second member comprises ratchet teeth and a plurality of holes passing through its planar surface and said first member has a plurality of mounting studs extending from its planar surface for passing through corresponding ones of said holes in said second member, and each of said studs has an undercut portion near its free end to define a head with a shoulder, said clamp comprising a plurality of elongated apertures, each of said apertures comprising an enlarged opening at one end to receive the head of a respective one of said studs after passage through a respective hole in said second member, each of said elongated apertures having associated therewith a ramp section offset from the aperture in the direction of the stud passage through the apertures and oriented substantially in the direction of the aperture elongation such that upon turning of the clamp the shoulder of each stud is caused to ride up the ramp to force the first and second member together, said clamp having a peripheral tab portion carrying ratchet teeth for meshing with corresponding ratchet teeth of said second Member, said teeth being dimensioned to permit meshing of ratchet teeth only in the direction of clamp turning which forces the print head and carriage together, said tab being resilient to enable manual disengagement of ratchet teeth to permit loosening of the clamp.