Tape advance mechanism
AssigneeKroy Industries Inc.
InventorMichael W. Paque
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mechanism for moving a tape through a printing apparatus in which said mechanism includes a back-space shuttle mounted to a frame for reciprocal movement and an advancing shuttle mounted to the back-space shuttle for reciprocal movement. Movement of the advancing shuttle in its operative direction by an advancing actuation arm of the printing apparatus causes the tape to be gripped by the advancing shuttle and advanced. The tape slips through the back-space shuttle during movement of the advancing shuttle in its operative direction. Movement of the back-space shuttle in its operative direction by a back space actuation slide of the printing apparatus causes the tape to be gripped by the back-space shuttle and back-spaced. The tape slips through the advancing shuttle during movement of the back-space shuttle in its operative direction.
Claims21
A mechanism for moving a tape to be printed through a printing apparatus, said mechanism comprising a frame for mounting said mechanism to the printing apparatus and a shuttle, wherein;
- said shuttle includes a slide mounted to said frame for reciprocal movement in an operative direction and a return direction and further includes a lever arm pivotally mounted to said slide for rotation relative thereto;
- said lever arm includes first force accepting means for accepting a force from the printing apparatus in the operative direction of said slide and first force exerting means for exerting a force against said first force accepting means, application of which force tends to rotate said lever arm in a first direction, and second force accepting means for accepting a force in the return direction of said slide and second force exerting means for exerting a force against said second force accepting means, application of which force tends to rotate said lever arm in a second direction and to urge said lever arm and said slide in the return direction of said slide;
- said first force accepting means is movable in the operative direction of said slide independently of said first force exerting means;
- said slide includes a backing means and said lever arm includes a nipper cooperating with said backing means to limit rotation of said lever arm in the first direction and to grip the tape therebetween;
- and
- said slide and said lever arm include stop means for limiting rotation of said lever arm in the second direction.
A mechanism for moving a tape to be printed through a printing apparatus, said mechanism comprising a frame for mounting said mechanism to the printing apparatus and a shuttle, wherein:
- said shuttle includes a slide mounted to said frame for recriprocal movement in an operative direction and a return direction and further includes a lever arm pivotally mounted to said slide for rotation relative thereto;
- said lever arm includes means for accepting a force from the printing apparatus in the operative direction of said slide, application of which force tends to rotate said lever arm in a first direction, and means for accepting a force in the return direction of said slide, application of which force tends to rotate said lever arm in a second direction;
- said slide includes a backing means and said lever arm includes a nipper cooperating with said backing means to limit rotation of said lever arm in the first direction and to grip the tape therebetween;
- said slide and said lever arm include stop means for limiting rotation of said lever arm in the second direction;
- said slide is U-shaped, having two legs and a bight portion connecting said legs wherein said legs extend on either side of the tape and said bight portion spans one surface thereof;
- said lever arm is pivotally mounted to said slide between said legs;
- said backing means comprises said bight portion of said slide;
- said bight includes a carbide disc;
- and
- said nipper has a point for gripping the tape between said point and said carbide disc.
A mechanism for moving a tape to be printed through a printing apparatus, said mechanism comprising a frame for mounting said mechanism to the printing apparatus, an advancing shuttle and a back-space shuttle;
- wherein:
- said back-space shuttle includes a back-space slide, mounted to said frame for reciprocal movement in an operative direction and a return direction, having means for limiting movement of said back-space slide in the return direction;
- said back-space shuttle further includes a back-space lever arm pivotally mounted to said back-space slide for rotation relative thereto in a first direction and a second direction;
- said back-space lever arm includes means for accepting a force from the printing apparatus in the operative direction of said back-space slide, application of which force tends to rotate said back-space lever arm in its first direction, and means for accepting a force in the return direction of said back-space slide, which force tends to rotate said back-space lever arm in its second direction;
- said back-space slide includes a back-space backing means and said back-space lever arm includes a back-space nipper cooperating with said back-space backing means to limit rotation of said back-space lever arm in its first direction and to grip the tape therebetween;
- said advancing shuttle includes an advancing slide, mounted to said back-space slide for reciprocal movement in an operative direction generally opposite to the operative direction of said back-space slide and in a return direction generally opposite to the return direction of said back-space slide, having means for limiting movement of said advancing slide in its return direction;
- said advancing shuttle further includes an advancing lever arm pivotally mounted to said advancing slide for rotation in a first direction opposite to the first direction of rotation of said back-space lever arm and in a second direction opposite to the second direction of rotation of said back-space lever arm;
- said advancing lever arm includes means for accepting a force from the printing apparatus in the operative direction of said advancing slide, application of which force tends to rotate said advancing lever arm in its first direction, and means for accepting a force in the return direction of said advancing slide, which force tends to rotate said advancing lever arm in its second direction;
- said advancing slide includes an advancing backing means and said advancing lever arm includes an advancing nipper cooperating with said advancing backing means to limit rotation of said advancing lever arm in its first direction and to grip the tape therebetween.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.