Character printing apparatus

In apparatus for printing characters on a printout surface, the improvement comprising in combination:

• a shaft having a longitudinal axis;
• a plurality of curved segments mounted side by side on said shaft for individual angular movement about said axis, each of said segments having a series of character types on an outer curved surface and a distinct first surface feature behind each of said character types in an inner curved surface;
• means connected to said shaft for mounting said shaft for movement together with said segments toward and away from said printout surface perpendicularly to said axis;
• means operatively associated with said segments for selectively positioning said character types adjacent said printout surface, said character type positioning means including means for individually moving said segments angularly relative to said axis and for selectively resetting said segments to a rest position;
• means operatively associated with said segments for selectively moving said shaft and segments toward and away from said printout surface, said segment moving means including a print hammer structure having a second surface feature constructed for simultaneously engaging said angularly moved segments at their first surface features behind the selectively positioned. character types, and means coupled to said hammer structure for actuating said print hammer structure toward said angularly moved segments and said printout surface for a printout of said characters on said selectively positioned character types, said first and second surface features being mutually complementary;
• and
• said resetting means including means for biasing said segments toward a rest position, releasable means for retaining said segments in angularly advanced positions against said bias, and means connected to said releasable retaining means and said means for selectively moving said segments toward and away from said printout surface for releasing said retaining means in response to movement of said segments relative to said printout surface for a release of said segments to said rest position.

In apparatus for printing characters on a printout surface, the improvement comprising in combination:

• a shaft having a longitudinal axis;
• a plurality of curved segments mounted side by side on said shaft for individual angular movement about said axis, each of said segments having a series of character types on an outer curved surface and a distinct first surface feature behind each of said character types in an inner curved surface;
• means connected to said shaft for mounting said shaft for movement together with said segments toward and away from said printout surface perpendicularly to said axis;
• means operatively associated with said segments for selectively positioning said character types adjacent said printout surface, said character type positioning means including means for individually moving said segments angularly relative to said axis and for selectively resetting said segments to a rest position;
• means operatively associated with said segments for selectively moving said shaft and segments toward and away from said printout surface, said segment moving means including a print hammer structure having a second surface feature constructed for simultaneoulsy engaging said angularly moved segments at their first surface features behind the selectively positioned character types, and means coupled to said hammer structure for actuating said print hammer structure toward said angularly moved segments and said printout surface for a printout of said characters on said selectively positioned character types, said first and second surface features being mutually complementary;
• and
• said resetting means including means for biasing said segments toward a rest position, releasable means for retaining said segments in angularly advanced positions against said bias, and selectively actuable electromechanical means for releasing said retaining means for a release of said segments to said rest position.

In apparatus for printing characters on a printout surface, the improvement comprising in combination:

• a shaft having a longitudinal axis;
• a plurality of curved segments mounted side by side on said shaft for individual angular movement about said axis, each of said segments having a series of character types on an outer curved surface and a distinct notch behind each of said character types in an inner curved surface;
• means connected to said shaft for mounting said shaft for movement together with said segments toward and away from said printout surface perpendicularly to said axis;
• means operatively associated with said segments for selectively positioning said character types adjacent said printout surface, said character type positioning means include means for individually moving said segments angularly relative to said axis and for selectively resetting said segments to a rest position;
• and
• means operatively associated with said segments for selectively moving said shaft and segments toward and away from said printout surface, said segment moving means including a print hammer structure constructed for simultaneous entry into the notches behind the selectively positioned character types of said angularly moved segments, and means coupled to said print hammer structure for actuating said print hammer structure toward said angularly moved segments and said printout surface for a printout of the characters on said selectively positioned charcter types;
• said means for individually moving said segments including for each segment an individual actuating rod having a longitudinal axis, means coupled to said actuating rod for selectively moving the actuating rod along said longitudinal axis, means coupled to the particular segment and operatively associated with said actuating rod for translating movement of said actuating rod along said longitudinal axis into angular movement of the particular segment relative to said axis, and means for mounting said actuating rod for angular movement during movement of said segments toward and away from said printout surface;
• and
• said translating means including a ratchet teeth structure for each of said segments, and said means for moving said actuating rod including means for moving said actuating rod into engagement with said ratchet teeth structure for angular movement of the particular segment.

In apparatus for printing characters on a printout surface, the improvement comprising in combination:

• a shaft having a longitudinal axis;
• a plurality of curved segments mounted side by side on said shaft for individual angular movement about said axis, each of said segments having a series of character types on an outer curved surface;
• means connected to said shaft for mounting said shaft for movement together with said segments toward and away from said printout surface perpendicularly to said axis;
• means connected to said segments for biasing said segments to rest position;
• means operatively associated with said segments for selectively positioning said character types adjacent said printout surface, said character type positioning means including means for individually moving said segments angularly against said bias and relative to said axis;
• first releasable means for retaining said segments in angularly advanced positions against said bias;
• second releasable means, distinct from said first releasable means, for retaining said segments in angularly advanced positions against said bias, said second releasable means including means for engaging said angularly moved segments and for moving said shaft and engaged segments toward said printout surface for a printout of said positioned character types;
• means operatively associated with said first releasable means for releasing said first releasable means after engagement of said segments by said engaging means;
• and
• means for releasing said second releasable means and for returning said segments in a direction away from said printout surface after movement of said segments toward said printout surface.