Print wheel mounting assembly

Claim 1

In a daisy wheel print element having a plurality of spokes extending radially outward from a central section, character slugs having a print surface and an impact surface and coupled to the ends of the spokes, said central section having an opening centered therein for mounting the print element on a shaft of a print wheel motor; an improved print element mounting assembly comprising: a generally circular disc section having a central opening and being coupled to the central sectin and positioned coaxially with the opening in the central section, a generally cylindrical section having a central opening and being coupled at one end to the generally circular disc section and positioned coaxially with the opening in the central section, a coil spring having at least one turn positioned around the periphery of the generally cylindrical section, and coil spring having two end portions which extend radially from the generally cylindrical section and are spaced apart a predetermined distance, means for tightening the spring around the generally cylindrical section, said tightening means having an end cap section pivotally coupled to one edge portion of the end of the generally cylindrical section which is positioned furthest from the central section in an axial direction, said end cap section having a portion which extends in a radial direction beyond the outer periphery of the generally cylindrical section, said extended portion having a shaft extending at right angles therefrom back toward the central section of the print wheel, said shaft having a cylindrical section coupled to a tapered section increasing in peripheral distance which is coupled to a tapered section decreasing in peripheral distance, said end cap section being positioned such that the shaft is capable of being inserted between the two end portions of the coil spring to spread the end portions apart, whereby the print wheel is clamped to the shaft of the print wheel motor.