Single element flexible type drum

In combination, a type drum comprising a cylindrical shell formed of an open network formed by a plurality of axially spaced apart resilient circumferential rows and a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart resilient longitudinal columns intersecting said rows, a base section having a type character on the exterior surface thereof being located on at least the majority of the intersections of said rows and said columns, each of said base sections being joined to an adjacent base section in the same row by resilient first bridging connectors and being joined to an adjacent base section in an adjacent row by resilient second bridging connectors, said first bridging connectors of each row being spaced apart axially from said first bridging connectors of an adjacent row and having apertures therebetween and said second bridging connectors being spaced apart circumferentially from an adjacent second bridging connector and having apertures therebetween,

• a hub within said shell and spaced therefrom, said hub having means for mounting said drum on a drum support,
• connecting means attaching said shell and said hub in order that the entire shell moves relative to said hub and the drum mounting means in a direction generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of said shell when said shell is subjected to a transverse force, and
• means for applying said transverse force to a base section of said shell causing every bridging connector to move generally in the direction of said force effecting a single type character to deflect relative to adjacent type characters and causing the entire shell to move relative to said hub and the drum mounting means in a direction generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of said shell.

In combination, a type drum comprising a cylindrical shell formed of an open network formed by a plurality of axially spaced apart resilient circumferential rows and a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart resilient longitudinal columns intersecting said rows, base sections having a type character on the exterior surface thereof being located on at least the majority of the intersections of said rows and said columns, each of said base sections being joined to an adjacent base section in the same row by resilient first bridging connectors and being joined to an adjacent base section in an adjacent row by resilient second bridging connectors, said first bridging connectors of each row being spaced apart axially from said first bridging connectors of an adjacent row and having apertures therebetween and said second bridging connectors being spaced apart circumferentially from an adjacent second bridging connector and having apertures therebetween,

• a hub within said shell and spaced therefrom, said hub having means for mounting said drum on a drum support,
• connecting means attaching said shell and said hub in order that the entire shell moves relative to said hub and the drum mounting means in a direction generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of said shell when said shell is subjected to a transverse force,
• print impression equalizing means adapted to forceably contact a portion of said shell when said shell is subject to said transverse force, and
• means for applying said transverse force to a selected base section of said shell causing every bridging connector to move generally in the direction of said force effecting a single type character to deflect to adjacent type characters and causing the entire shell to move relative to said hub and the drum mounting means in a direction generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of said shell in order to cause every selected type character to apply equal force on a record medium regardless of location on said shell.