Apparatus for imprinting selected characters on a movable record medium

In a printing apparatus for printing characters on a printing medium, including a plurality of rotatable type wheels (20) each having a plurality of characters on the periphery thereof, drive means normally rotating said wheels through operating angles causing all of the characters thereon to be successively arranged in printing positions relative to said printing medium, and keyboard means for interrupting the rotation of the type wheels to positions in which selected characters thereon are in printing positions, respectively, relative to said printing medium;

• the improvement wherein said drive means comprises
• a. common drive lever means including a plurality of pivotable drive levers (40) associated with said type wheels, respectively, and means (42) for simultaneously pivoting said drive levers between first and second positions, respectively;
• and
• b. means connecting each of said type wheels with its associated drive lever, respectively, comprising
• 1. a toothed set wheel (32) coupled with the associated type wheel;
• 2. a longitudinally slidable rack (34) having teeth that engage the teeth of said set wheel;
• 3. a setting lever (70) pivotable at one end about an axis parallel with the pivot axis of said drive lever;
• 4. connecting rod means (52) associated with said keyboard means for connecting the other end of said setting lever with said rack;
• and
• means (72, 80) resiliently connecting said setting lever with said drive lever, said connecting means being normally operable, upon pivotal movement of said drive lever from said first position to said second position, to rotate the associated type wheel through the aforementioned operating angle, whereby when all of the drive levers are pivoted from their first positions toward their second positions, displacement of said connecting rod means may be interrupted by said keyboard means at positions causing desired characters on said type wheels to be in printing positions, respectively, relative to said printing medium.