Electrically heated stylus for transferring a printing medium

Claim 1

In a device for transferring a printing medium, forming a coating on one face of a sheet of material, and subject to release therefrom upon movement of a heated stylus along the opposite face of the sheet in a desired path, while the medium is in contact with an article to be printed, the improvements, in combination, comprising; a. a hollow handle adapted to be grasped in the hand of an operator for freehand movement in a path corresponding to the configuration of insignia to be printed, b. said handle having a stylus supporting member extending outwardly from an end thereof formed of electrically insulated material of relatively low heat conductivity, c. a metallic mandrel carried by said member and having a portion disposed within said member in spaced relation thereto, d. a layer of electrical insulation surrounding and electrically insulating the surface of said portion, e. a continuous insulated wire of relatively high electrical resistance wound around said layer in a plurality of abutting coils, said coils forming a heating element for supplying heat to the mandrel through said layer, f. a metallic stylus comprising the tip portion of a conventional ball point pen extending outwardly from the exposed end of the mandrel, said stylus comprising a metallic tube with a rotatable steel ball secured to the end thereof, said ball being adapted to roll along said opposite face, the exposed portion of said stylus having an uninsulated electrically conductive outer surface, the stylus being in electrically conductive engagement with said metallic mandrel, said stylus supporting member being hollow and surrounding the heating element in spaced relation thereto, said space being completely filled with a potting material comprising a liquid cement mixture subject to hardening after being delivered to said space, g. means extending through said handle and connected to the heating element for supplying power thereto, and h. the construction and arrangement being such that said layer provides back-up insulation between the electrically heated heating element and the mandrel and prevents the introduction of a shocking voltage to the stylus through the mandrel in event of breakdown of the insulation on the heating element.