US4373440A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Hammer bank assembly
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1979-08-13
•
Granted: 1983-02-15
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Expires: 1999-08-13
Abstract
Abstract A hammer bank assembly for use in line printers. The assembly includes an extruded metal rear frame having a uniform thickness and a plurality of machined mounting surfaces which are machined in accurate relationship with respect to one another. A pair of extruded plastic shoes are mounted to the top and bottom of the frame and also include machined surfaces for accurately aligning them with respect to the frame. The shoes include a plurality of mounting slots which are cut by means of a gang cutter. The slots serve to accurately align a plurality of print hammers in the shoes. The hammers are insulated with respect to the frame and the shoes in order to prevent sliding motion and subsequent wearing of the print hammers. Also disclosed are several methods of simplifying the construction procedure of the hammer bank assembly.
Inventors
- 👤 Val K. Jezbera
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 21:44
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J9/00; B41J9/42; B41J9/02; B41J9/10; B41J9/127
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
228 words
A hammer bank mounting assembly for accurately mounting a plurality of print hammers of the type having an impact tip and a flat coil section supported by a pair of crossed spring wires which extend through a foot member, comprising: an elongated metal frame having a planar frontal region to which a plurality of spaced parallel magnets can be attached, a bottom planar edge which is accurately spaced and aligned with respect to said frontal region, and a rear mounting plane which is accurately spaced and aligned with respect to said frontal region; an elongated first shoe member having a generally L-shaped cross section including an upwardly extending arm attached to said frame, said arm including a mounting plane which is accurately spaced and aligned with respect to said rear mounting plane, and a generally horizontal section which projects forwardly from said frame below said bottom edge, said horizontal section having a channel extending along the length thereof; and a rigid elongated rod extending along the length of the channel, said rod being accurately spaced and aligned with respect to the mounting plane of the arm of said shoe member, the foot members of said print hammers being securable to said assembly parallel to one another and perpendicular to said rod and in contact with said rod and said bottom edge to achieve accurate alignment of said hammers.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
228 words
A hammer bank mounting assembly for accurately mounting a plurality of print hammers of the type having an impact tip and a flat coil section supported by a pair of crossed spring wires which extend through a foot member, comprising: an elongated metal frame having a planar frontal region to which a plurality of spaced parallel magnets can be attached, a bottom planar edge which is accurately spaced and aligned with respect to said frontal region, and a rear mounting plane which is accurately spaced and aligned with respect to said frontal region; an elongated first shoe member having a generally L-shaped cross section including an upwardly extending arm attached to said frame, said arm including a mounting plane which is accurately spaced and aligned with respect to said rear mounting plane, and a generally horizontal section which projects forwardly from said frame below said bottom edge, said horizontal section having a channel extending along the length thereof; and a rigid elongated rod extending along the length of the channel, said rod being accurately spaced and aligned with respect to the mounting plane of the arm of said shoe member, the foot members of said print hammers being securable to said assembly parallel to one another and perpendicular to said rod and in contact with said rod and said bottom edge to achieve accurate alignment of said hammers.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
50 words
A hammer bank mounting assembly according to claim 1 including a plurality of spaced parallel magnets secured to said planar frontal region and a plurality of print hammers whose foot members are secured to said assembly, wherein said flat coil sections of said print hammers are interleaved with said magnets.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
99 words
The hammer bank assembly of claim 1 wherein said frame includes an upper planar edge which is accurately spaced and aligned with respect to said frontal region and further including a second shoe member attached to said frame, said second shoe member having a horizontal section extending forward from said frame above said upper edge, wherein a plurality of print hammers are securable to said frame and second shoe member so that they are interleaved with hammers securable to the first shoe member, the impact tips of all of said hammers in said assembly having a common print line.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
69 words
The hammer bank assembly of claim 3 wherein said rear mounting plane comprises a plurality of first machined counterbores located near the top and bottom edges of said frame, said mounting plane of said shoes comprise a plurality of second machined counterbores, corresponding in location to said first machined couterbores, said assembly further including a plurality of uniform thickness spacers, one each located between corresponding first and second counterbores.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
71 words
The hammer bank assembly of claim 3 wherein said shoe members include a plurality of front parallel equally spaced slots and a plurality of rear parallel equally spaced slots, said front slots being offset from said rear slots, said foot members including front and rear tabs aligned with said wires, whereby said wires pass through the slots and the tabs fit into the slots to locate the hammers in the assembly.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The hammer bank assembly of claims 1 or 3 wherein said frame is extruded metal having a substantially uniform thickness.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
69 words
The hammer bank assembly of claim 6 wherein said frontal region is generally rectangular in shape and includes at least one elongated recessed portion which runs the length of and is substantially parallel to said frontal region wherein the portion of the frontal region other than the recessed portion is machined, said recessed portion reducing the amount of area which need be machined thereby minimizing warpage of said frame.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
The hammer bank assembly of claims 1 or 3 wherein said shoe member is made of a plastic material, said shoe member thereby absorbing energy from said foot members.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The hammer bank assembly of claims 1 or 3 further including a plurality of individually removable clips, one each securing a foot member to a shoe.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
49 words
The hammer bank assembly of claim 9 wherein said rod is located near the middle of said horizontal section and said clips are secured to the front of said horizontal section, whereby force provided by said clips is multiplied so as to secure the foot members against the rod.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
43 words
The hammer bank assembly of claim 9 wherein the front of said channel is defined by a flexible portion of said shoe, whereby said clips provide a force which serves to compress the channel so as to secure the rod within the channel.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
52 words
The hammer bank assembly of claims 1 or 3 further including elastic cushion means, located between said foot members and said rod and between the foot members and the planar edge of said frame, said cushion means absorbing energy from the foot members and accommodating sliding motion caused by foot member vibration.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
53 words
The hammer bank assembly of claim 12 wherein said rod is spaced from said planar edge by a distance substantially greater than the thickness of the cushions, whereby compression of said cushions will result in minimal rotational movement of said hammers, thereby maintaining accurate alignment of the hammer impact tips despite said compression.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
205 words
A hammer mounting assembly for mounting a plurality of print hammers of the type having a flat coil section supported by a pair of crossed spring wires extending through a generally rectangular foot member, said foot member including a curved indentation on its lower side, comprising: an elongated frame having a lower planar edge; a generally L-shaped elongated shoe member attached to the rear of said frame and having a vertical portion extending below said lower edge and a forwardly extending horizontal portion spaced below said lower edge, said horizontal portion including a channel extending along the length thereof; an elongated rod retained within said channel, the top of said rod extending above the top of said horizontal portion, wherein the indentation of each foot members rests upon said rod and the rear of said foot members fits into the space between said horizontal portion and said planar edge; and a plurality of individually removable clips which fit over the front of the foot members and the front of the horizontal portion, wherein the rod acts as a fulcrum and said clips lever the foot members so that their top rear portions are biased against said planar edge, thereby maintaining the hammers in accurate alignment.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
205 words
A hammer mounting assembly for mounting a plurality of print hammers of the type having a flat coil section supported by a pair of crossed spring wires extending through a generally rectangular foot member, said foot member including a curved indentation on its lower side, comprising: an elongated frame having a lower planar edge; a generally L-shaped elongated shoe member attached to the rear of said frame and having a vertical portion extending below said lower edge and a forwardly extending horizontal portion spaced below said lower edge, said horizontal portion including a channel extending along the length thereof; an elongated rod retained within said channel, the top of said rod extending above the top of said horizontal portion, wherein the indentation of each foot members rests upon said rod and the rear of said foot members fits into the space between said horizontal portion and said planar edge; and a plurality of individually removable clips which fit over the front of the foot members and the front of the horizontal portion, wherein the rod acts as a fulcrum and said clips lever the foot members so that their top rear portions are biased against said planar edge, thereby maintaining the hammers in accurate alignment.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
206 words
A hammer bank mounting assembly for accurately mounting a plurality of print hammers of the type having a flat coil section supported by a pair of laterally offset crossed spring wires which extend through a foot member, said foot member including front and rear parallel tabs which are laterally offset from one another a predetermined distance, wherein one tab is generally coplanar with one spring wire, the other tab is generally coplanar with the other spring wire and the tabs and spring wires lie in planes parallel to the plane of the coil section, said mounting assembly comprising: an elongated frame having a rear portion and a forwardly extending lower portion, said lower portion including a plurality of front equally spaced parallel slots and a plurality of corresponding rear equally spaced parallel slots, said slots extending in a direction from the front to the rear of the lower portion, each of said front slots being laterally offset from a corresponding rear slot by said predetermined distance, wherein said spring wires pass through said slots and said front and rear tabs fit into said front and rear slots respectively to locate the hammers within the assembly so that the flat coil section is parallel to the slots.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
206 words
A hammer bank mounting assembly for accurately mounting a plurality of print hammers of the type having a flat coil section supported by a pair of laterally offset crossed spring wires which extend through a foot member, said foot member including front and rear parallel tabs which are laterally offset from one another a predetermined distance, wherein one tab is generally coplanar with one spring wire, the other tab is generally coplanar with the other spring wire and the tabs and spring wires lie in planes parallel to the plane of the coil section, said mounting assembly comprising: an elongated frame having a rear portion and a forwardly extending lower portion, said lower portion including a plurality of front equally spaced parallel slots and a plurality of corresponding rear equally spaced parallel slots, said slots extending in a direction from the front to the rear of the lower portion, each of said front slots being laterally offset from a corresponding rear slot by said predetermined distance, wherein said spring wires pass through said slots and said front and rear tabs fit into said front and rear slots respectively to locate the hammers within the assembly so that the flat coil section is parallel to the slots.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
39 words
A hammer bank assembly according to claim 15 wherein the thickness of the tabs is slightly less than the width of the slots, whereby the tabs fit snugly into the slots and accurately align the hammers in the assembly.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
120 words
The hammer bank mounting assembly of claim 16 wherein the frame includes a forwardly extending upper portion identical to said lower portion, said upper portion having a plurality of front and rear slots which enable print hammers to be secured to the assembly in a fashion identical to that for hammers secured to said lower portion, wherein the front and rear slots of the upper portion are offset with respect to the front and rear slots of the lower portion, respectively, and wherein the distance between the upper and lower portions is such that hammers secured to the upper and lower portions will be partially interleaved whereby upper and lower groups of hammers are presented to a common impact line.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
33 words
The hammer bank assembly of claim 17 wherein said upper and lower portions comprise generally L-shaped shoe members having a vertical section secured to said rear portion and a forwardly extending horizontal section.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
38 words
The hammer bank assembly of claim 18 wherein the horizontal section includes an elongated channel running along its length and further including a rigid rod retained within said channel, wherein said foot members are supported on said rod.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
42 words
The hammer bank assembly of claims 1 or 15 further including at least one printed circuit board attached to the rear of the assembly, wherein said printed circuit board is connected to said spring wires by means of a plurality of connectors.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
28 words
The hammer bank assembly of claim 20 wherein said connectors are made of a flexible flat metal material and flex to absorb vibrational energy from said spring wires.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1986-02-14 | 1986-08-16 | 1987-02-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-02-14 | 1990-08-16 | 1991-02-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-02-14 | 1994-08-16 | 1995-02-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |