Precision hand label imprinter and dispenser

A hand-held precision label printer/dispenser comprising:

• a case mechanism having a handle extending therefrom and an applicator means mounted in said case remote from said handle;
• a lever means pivotally mounted adjacent to said handle for manually operating the printer;
• slide means mounted in said case having a carrier mounted thereon for reciprocal movement, said carrier having a platen surface associated therewith;
• planar print surface means mounted in said mechanism case adjacent to said carrier and engageable by said platen surface;
• control means associated with said carrier and said planar print surface operable to cause said platen surface to engage said planar print surface means and separate therefrom;
• linkage means interconnecting said lever means with said carrier and operable to move said carrier from its initial position in which said control means has positioned the platen surface for engagement with said planar print surface means to a second position wherein the control means will separate said platen surface from said planar print surface means whereby said planar surface will not engage said planar print surface means when it returns to its first position;
• printing medium feed means and label stock feed means oriented normal to another and operable to place said printing medium and label stock in contiguous relationship with said printing surface whereby said platen surface will imprint the data on said planar print surface means on said label when the carrier moves from said initial position to said second position and said label stock feed means and printing medium feed means can advance when said carrier returns from said second position to its initial position due to the separation between said platen surface and said planar print surface means;
• feed linkage means interconnecting said lever means with said printing medium feed means and said label stock feed means operable to advance said label stock feed means and said printing medium feed means as said carrier returns from such second position to its initial position;
• and
• said printing medium means having supply and takeup spools coaxially mounted with spindle units on a common spindle, said common spindle having a one-way clutch connected to said feed linkage means whereby a loop of ribbon between said spools mounted on said spindle units is advanced by said feed linkage means, with one of said spindle units being operatively retained by detent means whereby it can be removed to facilitate loading new spools and removing old spools containing said ribbon providing the printing medium.