Limiting device for roll printers

A limiting device to prevent unwanted removal of paper from a paper or ticket printing and dispensing apparatus for paper roll printers, wherein said apparatus includes:

• a paper roll for dispensing paper onto which printing is to take place, said apparatus including a ticket dispensing exit having an opening for dispensing a completely printed ticket and means for feeding paper from said paper roll to said ticket dispensing exit;
• a paper or ticket printing printer positioned between said paper roll and said ticket dispensing exit for printing a ticket or voucher;
• a paper or ticket cutting cutter or device positioned between said paper ticket printer and said ticket dispensing exit for cutting the paper onto which ticket information is printed into individual tickets;
• and,
• said limiting device includes:
• paper cutter actuating and paper moving or feeding means positioned between said ticket dispensing exit and said cutting cutter or cutting device for activation of thereof to cut said paper onto which printing has taken place, and for controlling feeding of the paper from said paper roll and said paper or ticket printing printer and for controlling operation of said printer, said activation of said cutting device to cut the paper being activated in response to either an incompletely printed ticket or in response to an action externally of said apparatus when there is either an occlusion or other interference at said dispensing exit for prevention of said paper exiting from said dispensing exit to prevent withdrawing the paper or pulling of a partially printed ticket prior to completion of any printing onto said ticket at the exit opening and in response to pre-setting of time for cutting a completely and correctly printed ticket or voucher;
• said actuating means including a movable member associated with said ticket cutter to cut a partially or incompletely printed ticket movable from a first or deactivation position at which said ticket cutter does not cut the paper ticket to a second or activation position to render said ticket cutter operable to cut the partially or incompletely printed paper ticket in response to said external interference with the paper at said exit opening;
• and
• said actuating means also being responsive to a completion of a completely and correctly printed ticket in accordance with the pre-set time for a complete ticket printing operation in response to completion of an intended printing onto the paper ticket for cutting the completely printed paper ticket having the completed intended printing thereon to cut or sever the printed ticket from the paper roll whereby to permit and provide withdrawal of the completely printed ticket, after the ticket is cut by said cutting device, from said exit opening.