Color printing apparatus

Claim 1

Apparatus for color printing for installation in a printer having a platen, a carriage, printing means mounted on the carriage, means for moving the carriage along parallel to the platen and means for actuating the printing means so that the printing means can print on a printing medium engaged on the platen, said apparatus including A. means for supporting a cartridge containing an ink ribbon having at least four longitudinal bands of different colors disposed across the width of the ribbon between the printing means and the platen parallel to the platen so that, when actuated by the actuating means, the printing means prints indicia in a color corresponding to the one of the at least four ribbon segment color bands located opposite the printing means; B. means for hinging the support means to the carriage at a location thereon distal to the platen so as to permit the support means to pivot on an axis lying parallel to the platen; C. a rigid beam; D. means for pivotally connecting said beam to the support means, said pivotal connection being located between the hinging means and the platen and displaced along the beam from the beam vertical centerline; E. a first pivot connected adjacent to one end of the beam; F. a second pivot connected adjacent to the other end of the beam; G. means for maintaining the beam and support means in a reference position; H. first means responsive to digital logic for lifting the first pivot from a lower position to at least one elevated position so that the beam is swung up about the second pivot thereby raising the support means a first selected distance above said reference position; I. second means responsive to digital logic for lifting the second pivot from a lower position to at least one elevated position so that the beam is swung up about the first pivot thereby raising the support means a second distance above the reference position; J. said beam and support means being lifted to a third selected position above the reference position when both said pivots are lifted to their at least one said elevated positions by said first and second lifting means, whereby the working edge of a ribbon cartridge positioned on the support means is moved vertically relative to the printing means so as to select one of the at least four different ribbon color bands for printing; and K. stop means engaged by the lifting means for defining the elevated positions of said lifting means.