Multiple copy seven-segment impact printer

Claim 2

An impact printer comprising: a. a flat base plate having parallel major surfaces; b. a plurality of solenoids having parallel axes mounted in an array on one major surface of said base plate with their axes normal thereto; c. a plurality of generally U-shape stylus members each comprising a pair of parallel legs joined by a bight portion, one of said legs including a solenoid armature member and the other of said legs terminating at its free end in an impact printing surface; and d. a platen member having a flat surface mounted on one side of said array of solenoids with said flat surface thereof facing said base plate member and the plane thereof parallel to said major surfaces of said base plate member, said platen member being mounted for reciprocal movement in said plane of said flat surface thereof; e. said base plate member having a plurality of apertures therethrough spaced from each other about the center of said array of solenoids; f. said plurality of generally U-shape stylus members each having said one of said legs thereof in operative relation to a different one of said plurality of solenoids and said other of said legs thereof received through a different one of said apertures through said base plate member; whereby upon energization of one of said plurality of solenoids, the impact printing surface on said free end of said other one of said legs of the associated one of said plurality of U-shape stylus members will be accelerated toward said flat surface of said platen.

Claim 3

An impact printer as claimed in claim 1 wherein said one of said legs of each of said plurality of generally U-shape stylus members is shorter than said other of said legs thereof.

Claim 4

An impact printer as claimed in claim 1 wherein said impact printing surface at said free end of said other of said legs of each of said plurality of generally U-shape stylus members comprises a straight line segment.

Claim 5

An impact printer as claimed in claim 3 wherein said plurality of apertures through said base plate member are spaced from each other and said straight line segment impact printing surfaces at said free ends of said other legs of said plurality of generally U-shape stylus members are oriented with respect to each other to enable printing of numerical integers by selective energization of two or more of said plurality of solenoids.

Claim 6

An impact printer as claimed in claim 4 including seven solenoids, seven generally U-shape stylus members, and seven apertures through said base plate with each straight line impact surface at the free end of said other leg of a stylus member and each aperture oriented with respect to the others thereof to print a particular straight line segment of a seven-segment numerical integer upon energization of the solenoid associated therewith, said seven solenoids being arranged in circular array.

Claim 7

An impact printer as claimed in claim 5 including electronic means for converting a digital word to a plurality of electrical pulses and for applying each of said pulses to a different appropriate one of said solenoids to thereby energize selected ones of said solenoids to cause selected ones of said stylus members to print the numerical integer corresponding to said digital word.

Claim 8

An impact printer as claimed in claim 6 wherein said digital word is a binary coded decimal signal produced by an electronic measuring instrument.

Claim 9

An impact printer as claimed in claim 6 wherein motive means are provided continuously moving said platen in one direction for a given length from a given starting position and thereafter automatically returning said platen to said given starting position, said electronic means including means for timing said pulses with respect to movement of said platen.

Claim 10

An impact printer as claimed in claim 8 wherein means are provided moving an inked ribbon between said impact surfaces of said plurality of stylus members and said platen during application of said pulses to said solenoids.

Claim 11

An impact printer as claimed in claim 8 wherein said motive means includes means for adjusting said given starting position of movement of said platen in said one direction substantially independently of the said given length of movement of said platen.

Claim 12

An impact printer as claimed in claim 8 wherein said electronic means for converting a digital word to a plurality of electrical pulses comprise first and second integrated printed circuit boards of the plug-in type connected in parallel to said electronic means for applying said pulses to said solenoids comprising a third integrated printed circuit board; said means for continuously moving said platen in one direction for a given length from a given starting position and thereafter automatically returning said platen to said given starting position comprises fourth and fifth integrated printed circuit boards of the plug-in type electrically connected in series between the power input to said printer and an electric driving motor mechanically coupled to said platen; and said means for timing said pulses with respect to movement of said platen comprises a sixth integrated printed circuit board of the plug-in type electrically interposed between said fourth integrated printed circuit board and said first and second integrated circuit boards in parallel.

Claim 13

An impact printing device comprising: a. a frame; b. an impact printing head mounted on said frame; c. a platen member having a flat impact receiving surface mounted on said frame for movement along a given path with said flat surface thereof spaced a given distance from said impact printing head; d. motive means mounted on said frame and connected to said platen member for moving said platen member in either direction along said given path; and e. control means for positioning said platen member at a selected point along said given path, said control means including an electrode block mounted on said frame for adjustable movement along said path of movement of said platen and an electrical contact means mounted on said platen for movement therewith, said electrode block having a conductive surface and said electrical contact means including a plurality of contact fingers adapted to contact said conductive surface of said electrode block during a portion of said movement of said platen member along said path, said conductive surfaCe of said electrode block having a given shape and said contact finger being oriented with respect to each other and with respect to said conductive surface such that not more than two of said contact fingers will contact said conductive surface at any point in the relative travel of said electrode block and said electrical contact means with respect to each other along said path.

Claim 14

An impact printing device comprising: a. a frame; b. an impact printing head mounted on said frame; c. a platen member having a flat impact receiving surface mounted on said frame for movement along a given path with said flat surface thereof spaced a given distance from said impact printing head; d. motive means mounted on said frame and connected to said platen member for moving said platen member in either direction along said given path; and e. control means for positioning said platen member at a selected point along said given path, said control means including an electrode block mounted on said frame for adjustable movement along said path of movement of said platen and an electrical contact means mounted on said platen for movement therewith, said electrode block having a conductive surface and said electrical contact means including a plurality of contact fingers adapted to contact said conductive surface of said electrode block during a portion of said movement of said platen member along said path, said conductive surfaCe of said electrode block having a given shape and said contact finger being oriented with respect to each other and with respect to said conductive surface such that not more than two of said contact fingers will contact said conductive surface at any point in the relative travel of said electrode block and said electrical contact means with respect to each other along said path.

Claim 15

An impact printing device as claimed in claim 12 wherein said electrical contact means includes four contact fingers, a first one of said contact fingers being electrically connected to a given source of electrical potential, a second one of said contact fingers being electrically connected to cause said motive means to move said platen member in one direction along said path upon application of said given potential thereto, a third one of said contact fingers being electrically connected to cause said motive means to move said platen member in the other direction along said path upon application of said given electrical potential thereto and the fourth one of said contact fingers being electrically connected to deactivate said motive means upon application of said given electrical potential thereto; said contact fingers being oriented with respect to each other and with respect to said conductive surface such that said first one of said contact fingers is always one of said not more than two of said contact fingers in contact with said conductive surface and, when said fourth contact finger is in contact with said conductive surface, relative movement of said electrode block and electrical contact means with respect to each other in one direction along said path will simultaneously remove said fourth contact finger from said contact and bring said first contact finger into contact with said conductive surface whereas relative movement of said electrode block and electrical contact means with respect to each other in the other direction along said path will simultaneously remove said fourth contact finger from said contact and bring said third contact finger into contact with said conductive surface.

Claim 16

An impact printing device comprising: a. a frame; b. an impact printing head mounted on said frame; c. a platen member having a flat impact receiving surface mounted on said frame for movement along a given path with said first surface thereof spaced a given distance from said impact printing head; d. means for transporting an inked ribbon between said impact printing head and said impact receiving surface of said platen comprising a supply reel carried by a free turning spindle mounted on said impact printing head, a take-up reel carried by a free turning spindle mounted on said impact printing head, a driven spindle mounted on said impact printing head together with motive means for driving said driven spindle, a free turning slave spindle mounted on said impact head and associated with said driven spindle to enable said driven spindle to drive said inked ribbon when said inked ribbon is threaded between said driven spindle and said slave spindle, guide means mounted on said printing head for guiding said inked ribbon from said supply reel between said impact printing head and said impact receiving surface of said platen to said driven spindle and slave spindle for threading therebetween prior to being received on said take-up reel, and a friction drive belt mechanically coupling said driven spindle to said free turning spindle carrying said take-up reel, said mechanical coupling provided by said driving belt being of sufficiently low friction to enable said free turning spindle carrying said take-up reel to be driven by said driven spindle at lower rotational speeds than the rotational speed at which said driven spindle is driven.

Claim 17

An impact printing device comprising: a. a frame; b. an impact printing head mounted on said frame; c. a platen member having a flat impact receiving surface mounted on said frame for movement along a given path with said first surface thereof spaced a given distance from said impact printing head; d. means for transporting an inked ribbon between said impact printing head and said impact receiving surface of said platen comprising a supply reel carried by a free turning spindle mounted on said impact printing head, a take-up reel carried by a free turning spindle mounted on said impact printing head, a driven spindle mounted on said impact printing head together with motive means for driving said driven spindle, a free turning slave spindle mounted on said impact head and associated with said driven spindle to enable said driven spindle to drive said inked ribbon when said inked ribbon is threaded between said driven spindle and said slave spindle, guide means mounted on said printing head for guiding said inked ribbon from said supply reel between said impact printing head and said impact receiving surface of said platen to said driven spindle and slave spindle for threading therebetween prior to being received on said take-up reel, and a friction drive belt mechanically coupling said driven spindle to said free turning spindle carrying said take-up reel, said mechanical coupling provided by said driving belt being of sufficiently low friction to enable said free turning spindle carrying said take-up reel to be driven by said driven spindle at lower rotational speeds than the rotational speed at which said driven spindle is driven.