Single element flexible type drum

Claim 2

A type drum comprising: a cylindrical shell having a plurality of circumferential rows spaced apart axially, each of said rows having a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart type characters on the exterior surface thereof; a hub within said shell and spaced therefrom, said hub having first means for mounting said drum on a drum support; and second means connecting said shell to said hub, said second means being resilient and flexible in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of said shell enabling movement of the entire shell relative to said hub in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of said shell, and means for applying a force in the transverse direction causing said second means and said entire shell to move in the transverse direction.

Claim 3

A type drum as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said rows comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced base sections, each of said base sections having one of said type characters thereon, and relatively resilient first bridging connectors joining said base sections to form said rows.

Claim 4

A type drum as defined in claim 2 wherein adjacent rows are joined together by relatively resilient second bridging connectors.

Claim 5

A type drum as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said rows comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced base sections, each of said base sections having one of said type characters thereon and being joined to an adjacent base section in the same row by resilient first bridging connectors and being joined to an adjacent base section in an adjacent row by resilient second bridging connectors, said first bridging connectors of each row being spaced apart axially from said first bridging connectors of an adjacent row and having apertures therebetween and said second bridging connectors being spaced apart circumferentially from an adjacent second bridging connector and having apertures therebetween.

Claim 6

In combination, a type drum comprising a cylindrical shell formed of an open network formed by a plurality of axially spaced apart circumferential rows and a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart resilient longitudinal columns intersecting said rows, a type character being located on at least the majority of the intersections of said rows and said columns, and apertures through said shell between adjacent rows and columns for enabling a single type character to be deflected relative to adjacent type characters, a hub within said shell and spaced therefrom, said hub having means for mounting said drum on a drum support, and connecting means attaching said shell and said hub in order that the entire shell moves relative to said hub in a direction generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of said shell when said shell is subjected to a transverse force, and means for applying said transverse force to said shell causing a single type character to deflect relative to adjacent type characters and causing said shell to move relative to said hub in a direction generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of said shell.

Claim 7

In combination, a type drum comprising a cylindrical shell formed of an open network formed by a plurality of axially spaced apart circumferential rows and a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart resilient longitudinal columns intersecting said rows, a type character being located on at least the majority of the intersections of said rows and said columns, and apertures through said shell between adjacent rows and columns for enabling a single type character to be deflected relative to adjacent type characters, a hub within said shell and spaced therefrom, said hub having means for mounting said drum on a drum support, and connecting means attaching said shell and said hub in order that the entire shell moves relative to said hub in a direction generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of said shell when said shell is subjected to a transverse force, and means for applying said transverse force to said shell causing a single type character to deflect relative to adjacent type characters and causing said shell to move relative to said hub in a direction generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of said shell.

Claim 8

A type drum as defined in claim 5 including an annular flange extending inwardly from one end of said shell toward the axis of the shell.

Claim 9

A type drum as defined in claim 5 including an extension spaced from the mounting means projecting from said shell to serve as an indicator of position of the type drum in connection with the typewriter in which the drum is used, said indicator being visually observable to the operator of the typewriter when said drum is mounted on a typewriter.

Claim 10

A type drum as defined in claim 5 wherein said shell is an integral molded structure having the type characters molded thereon.

Claim 11

A type drum as defined in claim 5 wherein said connecting means is a plurality of circumferentially spaced struts attached at one end to said hub and at the other end to said shell.

Claim 12

A type drum as defined in claim 9 wherein said other end of the struts is attached to one end of the shell.

Claim 13

A type drum as defined in claim 10 wherein said struts extend outwardly from said hub and downwardly such that said other end of a plurality of said struts has a component parallel to the axis of said shell to provide axial rigidity to said drum by retarding axial movement of said shell relative to said hub.

Claim 14

A type drum as defined in claim 10 wherein the struts are tapered so that the said one end of said struts is wider than said other end of said struts.

Claim 15

A type drum as defined in claim 10 including a rim attached to said one end of the shell, said other end of the struts being attached to said rim.

Claim 16

A type drum as defined in claim 13 wherein said hub, struts and rim are formed as a single first integral member and wherein said shell is formed as a single second integral member.

Claim 17

A type drum as defined in claim 14 wherein said one end of said shell has a plurality of circumferentially spaced extensions and wherein said rim includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced apertures adapted to receive said extensions for attaching said rim to said shell.

Claim 18

A type drum as defined in claim 15 wherein said other end of said struts is located between and equidistant from adjacent apertures.

Claim 19

A type drum as defined in claim 5 wherein said connecting means substantially prevents axial movement of said shell relative to said hub and permits radial and pivotal movement of said shell relative to said hub.

Claim 20

A type drum as defined in claim 17 wherein said connecting means is a plurality of circumferentially spaced struts attached at one end to said hub and at the other end to said shell, said struts decreasing in cross-sectional area from said one end toward said other end.

Claim 21

A type drum as defined in claim 18, wherein said struts are attached to one end of said shell and including an annular flange extending inwardly toward the axis of the shell from the other end of the shell.

Claim 22

A type drum as defined in claim 17 including a projection extending inwardly toward the axis of said shell from each of said intersections having a type character, each projection having a tapered portion at its radially inwardmost end.

Claim 23

In combination, a type drum comprising a cylindrical shell having a plurality of circumferential rows spaced apart axially, each of said rows having a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart characters on the exterior surface thereof, a hub within said shell and spaced therefrom, means connecting said shell to said hub enabling movement of the entire shell relative to said hub in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of said shell, mounting means rotatably supported on said hub and having attachment means thereon, drum support means adapted to releaseably engage said attachment means to effect mounting of said drum on said support means enabling said drum to rotate relative to said support means and means for applying a force in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of said shell causing said entire shell to move in the transverse direction relative to said hub.

Claim 24

In combination, a type drum comprising a cylindrical shell having a plurality of circumferential rows spaced apart axially, each of said rows having a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart characters on the exterior surface thereof, a hub within said shell and spaced therefrom, means connecting said shell to said hub enabling movement of the entire shell relative to said hub in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of said shell, mounting means rotatably supported on said hub and having attachment means thereon, drum support means adapted to releaseably engage said attachment means to effect mounting of said drum on said support means enabling said drum to rotate relative to said support means and means for applying a force in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of said shell causing said entire shell to move in the transverse direction relative to said hub.

Claim 25

The combination of claim 21 wherein said mounting means is a sleeve, wherein said attachment means includes a projection extending outwardly from said sleeve and wherein said support means includes an arm having a slot therein to receive said projection.

Claim 26

The combination of claim 22 wherein said hub is hollow and is adapted to receive rotatable driving means and including means for preventing relative rotation between said hub and said driving means, said driving means effecting rotational movement of said drum about the longitudinal axis thereof and said arm effecting axial movement of said drum so that each of said characters may be selectively aligned with a predetermined fixed point.

Claim 27

The combination of claim 23 wherein said shell is an open network of a plurality of axially spaced apart circumferential rows and a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart axial columns intersecting said rows, a type character being located on substantially each intersection of said rows and said columns.

Claim 28

The combination of claim 24 wherein said means connecting said shell to said hub is a plurality of circumferentially spaced struts attached at one end to one end of said hub and at the other end to one end of said shell, said mounting means being supported on said hub adjacent to the other end of said hub.

Claim 29

The combination of claim 25 including means for equalizing the radial movement of said shell relative to said hub during movement of said type characters toward said fixed point.

Claim 30

The combination of claim 26 wherein the equalizing means includes an annular flange extending inwardly toward the axis of the shell from the other end of said shell.

Claim 31

The combination of claim 27 wherein the equalizing means further includes a rigid member between said hub and said flange, said rigid member being shaped so that as said drum is moved axially, the clearance between said annular flange and said rigid member varies.

Claim 32

The combination of claim 21 wherein said hub is hollow and is adapted to receive rotatable driving means and including means for preventing relative rotation between said hub and said driving means.

Claim 33

The combination of claim 29 wherein the relative rotation preventing means is a key on one of said hub and said driving means and a keyway on the other of said hub and said driving means and including means for enabling said drum to be placed on said driving means in only one alignment with respect to said driving means.

Claim 34

In combination, a type drum comprising a cylindrical shell formed of an open network formed by a plurality of axially spaced apart resilient circumferential rows and a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart resilient longitudinal columns intersecting said rows, a base section having a type character on the exterior surface thereof being located on at least the majority of the intersections of said rows and said columns, each of said base sections being joined to an adjacent base section in the same row by resilient first bridging connectors and being joined to an adjacent base section in an adjacent row by resilient second bridging connectors, said first bridging connectors of each row being spaced apart axially from said first bridging connectors of an adjacent row and having apertures therebetween and said second bridging connectors being spaced apart circumferentially from an adjacent second bridging connector and having apertures therebetween, a hub within said shell and spaced therefrom, said hub having means for mounting said drum on a drum support, connecting means attaching said shell and said hub in order that the entire shell moves relative to said hub and the drum mounting means in a direction generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of said shell when said shell is subjected to a transverse force, and means for applying said transverse force to a base section of said shell causing every bridging connector to move generally in the direction of said force effecting a single type character to deflect relative to adjacent type characters and causing the entire shell to move relative to said hub and the drum mounting means in a direction generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of said shell.

Claim 35

In combination, a type drum comprising a cylindrical shell formed of an open network formed by a plurality of axially spaced apart resilient circumferential rows and a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart resilient longitudinal columns intersecting said rows, a base section having a type character on the exterior surface thereof being located on at least the majority of the intersections of said rows and said columns, each of said base sections being joined to an adjacent base section in the same row by resilient first bridging connectors and being joined to an adjacent base section in an adjacent row by resilient second bridging connectors, said first bridging connectors of each row being spaced apart axially from said first bridging connectors of an adjacent row and having apertures therebetween and said second bridging connectors being spaced apart circumferentially from an adjacent second bridging connector and having apertures therebetween, a hub within said shell and spaced therefrom, said hub having means for mounting said drum on a drum support, connecting means attaching said shell and said hub in order that the entire shell moves relative to said hub and the drum mounting means in a direction generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of said shell when said shell is subjected to a transverse force, and means for applying said transverse force to a base section of said shell causing every bridging connector to move generally in the direction of said force effecting a single type character to deflect relative to adjacent type characters and causing the entire shell to move relative to said hub and the drum mounting means in a direction generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of said shell.

Claim 36

A type drum as defined in claim 31 including a tapered projection extending inwardly toward the axis of said shell from each of said intersections carrying a type character, said projection being adapted to mate with the transverse force applying means to accurately position said single type character through flexing of the bridging connectors connected to the base section of said single type characters.

Claim 37

In combination, a type drum comprising a cylindrical shell formed of an open network formed by a plurality of axially spaced apart resilient circumferential rows and a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart resilient longitudinal columns intersecting said rows, base sections having a type character on the exterior surface thereof being located on at least the majority of the intersections of said rows and said columns, each of said base sections being joined to an adjacent base section in the same row by resilient first bridging connectors and being joined to an adjacent base section in an adjacent row by resilient second bridging connectors, said first bridging connectors of each row being spaced apart axially from said first bridging connectors of an adjacent row and having apertures therebetween and said second bridging connectors being spaced apart circumferentially from an adjacent second bridging connector and having apertures therebetween, a hub within said shell and spaced therefrom, said hub having means for mounting said drum on a drum support, connecting means attaching said shell and said hub in order that the entire shell moves relative to said hub and the drum mounting means in a direction generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of said shell when said shell is subjected to a transverse force, print impression equalizing means adapted to forceably contact a portion of said shell when said shell is subject to said transverse force, and means for applying said transverse force to a selected base section of said shell causing every bridging connector to move generally in the direction of said force effecting a single type character to deflect to adjacent type characters and causing the entire shell to move relative to said hub and the drum mounting means in a direction generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of said shell in order to cause every selected type character to apply equal force on a record medium regardless of location on said shell.

Claim 38

In combination, a type drum comprising a cylindrical shell formed of an open network formed by a plurality of axially spaced apart resilient circumferential rows and a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart resilient longitudinal columns intersecting said rows, base sections having a type character on the exterior surface thereof being located on at least the majority of the intersections of said rows and said columns, each of said base sections being joined to an adjacent base section in the same row by resilient first bridging connectors and being joined to an adjacent base section in an adjacent row by resilient second bridging connectors, said first bridging connectors of each row being spaced apart axially from said first bridging connectors of an adjacent row and having apertures therebetween and said second bridging connectors being spaced apart circumferentially from an adjacent second bridging connector and having apertures therebetween, a hub within said shell and spaced therefrom, said hub having means for mounting said drum on a drum support, connecting means attaching said shell and said hub in order that the entire shell moves relative to said hub and the drum mounting means in a direction generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of said shell when said shell is subjected to a transverse force, print impression equalizing means adapted to forceably contact a portion of said shell when said shell is subject to said transverse force, and means for applying said transverse force to a selected base section of said shell causing every bridging connector to move generally in the direction of said force effecting a single type character to deflect to adjacent type characters and causing the entire shell to move relative to said hub and the drum mounting means in a direction generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of said shell in order to cause every selected type character to apply equal force on a record medium regardless of location on said shell.