Label printing and applying apparatus

Printing apparatus, comprising:

• a series of type wheels, each type wheel having a hole, the holes being generally aligned to provide an opening, a shiftable and rotatable selector movable into the opening, means formed partly by the selector and partly by the wheels for selectively drivingly coupling the selector and a selected one of the wheels to effect rotative setting of the selected type wheel upon rotation of the selector, and means formed partly by the selector and partly by at least one wheel and disposed in the opening for releasably holding the selector in the selected shifted position irrespective of the position to which the selector is shifted.

Printing apparatus comprising:

• a print head having a generally arcuate concave mounting surface, a plurality of wheels cradled in and rotatably supported at their outer peripheries by the arcuate mounting surface, a printing band in driven contact with each respective wheel, a central hole in each wheel, the holes being generally aligned to provide an opening, a rotatable selector shiftable into the opening for selectively setting the selected printing band, and means formed partly by the selector and partly by at least one wheel and disposed in the opening for releasably holding the selector in the selected shifted position irrespective of the position to which the selector is shifted.

Printing apparatus, comprising:

• a print head including a body having a generally arcuate concave mounting surface, a post and a support, a plurality of wheels cradled in and rotatably supported at their outer peripheries on the generally arcuate mounting surface, a printing band in driven contact with each respective wheel and in supported contact with the support, a central hole in each wheel, the post being received in at least some of the holes, and a selector slidably mounted around the post and shiftable into the hole of any wheel for selectively setting the selected printing band.

Printing apparatus, comprising:

• a print head including a body, the body having a support, a generally arcuate concave mounting surface, and a post, a plurality of drive wheels cradled in and rotatable at their outer peripheries on the mounting surface, a plurality of printing bands received under tension about the support and the respective wheels, each printing band having a plurality of printing elements, each wheel having a central hole and at least one notch at the hole, a selector having a tubular portion and having a driving lug, the post being received in at least some of the holes, the selector being freely rotatably mounted on the post and movable axially so that the driving lug can be shifted into driving cooperation with any one of the wheels.

Printing apparatus, comprising:

• a print head having a generally arcuate concave mounting surface, a plurality of wheels cradled in and rotatably supported at their outer peripheral surfaces on the generally arcuate mounting surface, a printing band coupled to each wheel, a central hole in each wheel, the holes being aligned to provide an opening, a rotatable selector shiftable into the opening for selectively setting the selected printing band, and means formed partly by the selector and partly by at least one wheel and disposed in the opening for releasably holding the selector in the selected shifted position irrespective of the position to which the selector is shifted, wherein the holding means includes recesses formed by the wheels and a resilient member engageable in one recess at a time.

Printing apparatus comprising:

• a print head comprising a print head body having a support and a generally arcuate concave mounting surface, a plurality of drive wheels cradled in and rotatably supported at their outer peripheries by the generally arcuate mounting surface, a printing band received under tension about the support and each respective wheel, at least one first projection disposed at one end of the support, at least one stud secured to the body, a side plate disposed at one side of the support, the printing band and the wheels, the side plate having at least one second projection lockably engaging the first projection, the side plate and the stud having cooperable means for releasably locking the side plate to the print head body, the side plate having a hole, each drive wheel having a hole, and a selector extending through the hole in the side plate and being capable of extending into the holes in the drive wheels for selectively coupling with any selected drive wheel.

Printing apparatus, comprising:

• a one-piece molded plastics print head body having an integral transversely extending support, a generally arcuate concave mounting surface, and a first side plate integral with the support and the mounting surface, a plurality of drive wheels cradled in and rotatable at their outer peripheries on the mounting surface, each drive wheel having a central hole, a plurality of printing bands received under tension about the support and the respective wheels, a second side plate, the support, the printing bands, the drive wheels and the mounting surface being disposed between the first and second side plates, means for releasably locking the second side plate to the one-piece print head body, a hole in the second side plate generally aligned with the holes in the wheels, and a selector extending through the hole in the second side plate and adapted to extend into the holes in the drive wheels.