Apparatus for printing upon moving sheets, paper or the like with automatic typesetting

An apparatus for printing upon articles comprising:

• a rotatable horizontal drum having a longitudinal opening in its peripheral surface;
• printing means including movable flexible endless belts aligned side by side longitudinally of the drum in at least one row and arranged within the drum, each of the endless belts being provided with a plurality of spaced printing type on its outer peripheral surface, the printing type being positionable outside the drum at the opening when most remote from the center of the drum, power transmitting means provided for the belts respectively and each including an electromagnetic clutch, first slip ring segments for feeding current to the electromagnetic clutches respectively, said first slip ring segments being mounted substantially on the drum and arranged on circular lines substantially concentric with the axis of the drum, means for detecting the displacement of each of the printing means as an electric pulse every time the printing means is displaced by an amount corresponding to one spacing between said type, second slip ring segments for feeding current to the detecting means respectively, said second slip ring segments being mounted substantially on the drum and arranged on circular lines substantially concentric with the axis of the drum, means for detecting a reference point on each of said belts, control means for selectively determining the duration of energization of said electromagnetic clutch based on inputs thereto from said displacement detecting and reference point detecting means, so as to cause said belt to bring a specified printing type thereon to the outside position at the drum opening.