Multi-color pen recorder

Claim 2

A multi-color pen recorder comprising: (a) frame means for mounting the various portions of the recorder; (b) means mounted on the frame for moving a recording paper in one direction, during recording thereon, in accordance with printing instructions; (c) a carriage slidably mounted relative to the frame means; (d) a rotary drum rotatably mounted on the carriage means; (e) a plurality of pen means for placing visible marks on the recording paper and arranged in said rotary drum circularly about the axis thereof, said pen means being projectable relative to the drum in parallel with the axis of said rotary drum; (f) means for sliding said carriage transversely of the direction of said movement of said recording paper in accordance with printing instructions; (g) means for rotating said rotary drum to bring a selected one of said pen means to a marking position; and (h) pen projecting means adapted to press and project only said pen means positioned at the marking position.

Claim 3

A multi-color pen recorder according to claim 1 further comprising an elongated shaft physically extending over the entire traverse movement of said carriage and adapted to drive said pen projecting means; and means mounted on said frame for rotationally driving said shaft.

Claim 4

A multi-color pen recorder according to claim 2, wherein said carriage sliding movement means comprises a reversible pulse motor, and said paper moving means comprises another reversible pulse motor, and wherein said means for rotationally driving said shaft comprises a solenoid plunger.

Claim 5

A multi-color pen recorder according to any one of the claims 1-3, wherein each pen means has a conical portion, a tip of which is a printing portion capable of making a printing on said recording paper, and said carriage comprises a spring means having holes each engaging said conical portion of said pen means to bias said pen means away from said recording paper.

Claim 6

A multi-color pen recorder according to claim 4, wherein said spring means is fixed to said rotary drum at the center, and has the same number of arms each having one hole as that of said pen means, said arms being constituted by a plurality of leaf springs radially extending from the center of said spring means.

Claim 7

A multi-color pen recorder according to claim 5, wherein said carriage includes an indexing means which comprises a corrugated ring coaxial with said rotary drum and a spring means adapted to engage one of the valleys of said ring.

Claim 8

A multi-color pen recorder according to any one of the claims 1-3, wherein said carriage includes an indexing means which comprises a corrugated ring coaxial with said rotary drum and a spring means adapted to engage one of the valleys of said ring.

Claim 9

A multi-color pen recorder comprising, as portions mounted on a frame, (a) means for moving a recording paper, during recording, in the Y direction, in accordance with printing instructions; (b) a carriage slidably shiftable in the X direction across the paper; (c) a rotary drum rotatably mounted on the carriage; (d) a plurality of pen means arranged in the rotary drum circularly about the axis thereof, each of said pen means being projectable, one at a time, in parallel with the axis of said rotary drum; (e) means for shifting said carriage transversely of said recording paper; (f) means for rotating said rotary drum which comprises a toothed circular means coaxially fixed to the rotary drum; and a means fixed to said frame and which is engageable with said toothed circular means to rotate said rotary drum, and disengageable from said toothed circular means without rotating it, so that the reciprocating motion of said carriage in a pen selecting region of the stroke of said carriage in which said two engagable means engage can bring said rotary drum to a rotational position where said pen means of the desired color is in a marking position; and (g) pen projecting means to press and project only one of said pen means into a marking position on said paper.

Claim 10

A multi-color pen recorder comprising, as portions mounted on a frame, (a) means for moving a recording paper, during recording, in the Y direction, in accordance with printing instructions; (b) a carriage slidably shiftable in the X direction across the paper; (c) a rotary drum rotatably mounted on the carriage; (d) a plurality of pen means arranged in the rotary drum circularly about the axis thereof, each of said pen means being projectable, one at a time, in parallel with the axis of said rotary drum; (e) means for shifting said carriage transversely of said recording paper; (f) means for rotating said rotary drum which comprises a toothed circular means coaxially fixed to the rotary drum; and a means fixed to said frame and which is engageable with said toothed circular means to rotate said rotary drum, and disengageable from said toothed circular means without rotating it, so that the reciprocating motion of said carriage in a pen selecting region of the stroke of said carriage in which said two engagable means engage can bring said rotary drum to a rotational position where said pen means of the desired color is in a marking position; and (g) pen projecting means to press and project only one of said pen means into a marking position on said paper.

Claim 11

A multi-color pen recorder according to claim 8, wherein said pen selecting region is at one end portion of the movement stroke of said carriage.

Claim 12

A multi-color pen recorder according to claim 8 or 9, wherein said toothed circular means comprises a ratchet, and said means for engaging said toothed circular means comprises a projection fixed on a side frame.

Claim 13

A multi-color pen recorder according claim 8 or 9, wherein said pen projecting means is rotatably received in a vertical groove of a front plate means of said carriage, the pressing surface thereof being engageable with only one of said pen means facing said groove, said pen projecting means being splined to a shaft extending over the entire movement of said carriage slidably in the longitudinal direction of said shaft, and said shaft being actuated by a driving means so as to rotate said pen projecting means.

Claim 14

A multi-color pen recorder according to claim 10, wherein said pen projecting means is rotatably received in a vertical groove of a front plate means of said carriage, the pressing surface thereof being engageable with only one of said pen means facing said groove, said pen projecting means being splined to a shaft extending over the entire movement of said carriage slidably in the longitudinal direction of said shaft, and said shaft being actuated by a driving means so as to rotate said pen projecting means.

Claim 15

A multi-color pen recorder comprising, as portions mounted on a frame, (a) means for moving a recording paper, during recording, in the Y direction, in accordance with printing instructions; (b) a carriage slidably shiftable in the X direction across the paper; (c) a rotary drum rotatably mounted on the carriage; (d) a plurality of pen means arranged in the rotary drum, each of said pen means being usable for printing one at a time; (e) means for shifting said carriage transversely of said recording paper; (f) means for rotating said rotary drum which comprises a circular means coaxially fixed to the rotary drum; and a means fixed to said frame and which is engageable with said circular means to rotate said rotary drum, and disengageable from said circular means without rotating it, so that the reciprocating motion of said carriage in a pen selecting region of the stroke of said carriage in which said two means engage can bring said rotary drum to a rotational position where said pen means of the desired color is in a marking position; and (g) pen pressing means to press said pen means of the desired color into a marking position on said paper.

Claim 16

A multi-color pen recorder comprising, as portions mounted on a frame, (a) means for moving a recording paper, during recording, in the Y direction, in accordance with printing instructions; (b) a carriage slidably shiftable in the X direction across the paper; (c) a rotary drum rotatably mounted on the carriage; (d) a plurality of pen means arranged in the rotary drum, each of said pen means being usable for printing one at a time; (e) means for shifting said carriage transversely of said recording paper; (f) means for rotating said rotary drum which comprises a circular means coaxially fixed to the rotary drum; and a means fixed to said frame and which is engageable with said circular means to rotate said rotary drum, and disengageable from said circular means without rotating it, so that the reciprocating motion of said carriage in a pen selecting region of the stroke of said carriage in which said two means engage can bring said rotary drum to a rotational position where said pen means of the desired color is in a marking position; and (g) pen pressing means to press said pen means of the desired color into a marking position on said paper.

Claim 17

A multi-color pen recorder according to claim 13 further comprising an elongated driving means extending over the entire movement of said carriage and adapted to drive said pen pressing means; and means mounted on said frame for rotationally driving said elongated driving means.

Claim 18

A multi-color pen recorder according to claims 13 or 14, wherein said carriage movement means comprises a reversible pulse motor, and said paper moving means comprises another reversible pulse motor, and wherein said means for rotationally driving said elongated driving means comprises a solenoid plunger.

Claim 19

A multi-color pen recorder according to claim 15, wherein each pen means has a conical portion, a tip of which is a printing portion capable of making a printing on said recording paper, and said carriage comprises a spring means having holes each engaging said conical portion of said pen means to bias said pen means away from said recording paper.

Claim 20

A multi-color pen recorder according to claim 16, wherein said spring means is fixed to said rotary drum at the center and has the same number of arms each having one hole as that of said pen means, said arms being constituted by a plurality of leaf springs radially extending from the center of said spring means.

Claim 21

A multi-color pen recorder according to claim 16, wherein said carriage includes an indexing means which comprises a corrugated ring coaxial with said rotary drum and a spring means adapted to engage one of valleys of said ring.