Wire matrix print head assembly

Claim 1

A wire matrix print head assembly having a plurality of elongated wire members, movable between a retracted nonprint position and an extended print position, and a plurality of armature members, operably associated with the wire members to cause movement thereof from the retracted nonprint position to the extended print position, and comprising: an armature housing means for receiving and supporting the armature members and for receiving and supporting drive end portions of the wire members in operative association with the armature members; an elongated wire housing means extending axially outwardly from the armature housing means and having a print end portion spaced forwardly of said armature housing means for receiving and slidably reciprocably supporting the wire members; and wire bearing and guide means mounted in said wire housing means for providing a substantially continuous elongated guide and bearing passage for each wire member extending between said armature housing means and the print end portion of said wire housing means for enabling assembly of the wire members by continuous uninterrupted forward movement therethrough and for providing a plurality of relatively short length axially spaced bearing means passage portions for slidably supporting each wire member at fixed axially spaced locations during operation by the armature members from the retracted non-print position to the extended print position; the wire bearing and guide means comprising: first guide means passage portions of each elongated guide and bearing passage means having wire inlet openings facing and located in juxtaposition to said armature housing means and being arranged in a generally circular pattern and being approximately equally circumferentially spaced relative to one another; second bearing means passage portions having circular cross-sectional configurations of a diameter slightly larger than the wire diameter and being arranged in a generally elliptical pattern; the wire inlet openings being of substantially greater cross-sectional area than the wire cross-sectional area; and the first guide means passage portions extending between said inlet openings and the second bearing means passage portion being gradually reduced in cross-sectional area to guide the wire member received therein into the second bearing means passage portion during assembly and mounting the first intermediate portion of the wire member therein after assembly in a bowed condition without restrictive circumferential engagement with the surface of the first guide means passage portion.