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US 4,127,335 AGranted
Impact printer with cartridge print wheel
AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorsDavid L. Bogert, Jimmie D. New
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An impact printer is provided with an easy load print wheel mechanism. A print wheel cartridge containing a print wheel therein, is inserted into position without disturbing the position of a print wheel drive motor, a ribbon cartridge or hammer mechanism. The easy load mechanism automatically grabs the print wheel cartridge to swing the cartridge into a print wheel loaded position whereby the print wheel within the cartridge is automatically coupled to the print wheel drive motor shaft.
Claims16
In an impact printer:
- a movable carriage, a motor supported by said carriage, a rotatable shaft extending from said motor and having drive coupling means at one end thereof, a cartridge, a print wheel supported by said cartridge and rotatable about a given axis relative to said cartridge, said print wheel having cooperating means engageable with said coupling means in such a manner that said print wheel is driven by said shaft, said carriage having guide means supported thereon for slidably receiving said cartridge therein, said guide means being arranged for guiding said cartridge for movement in a direction generally transverse to the axis of rotation of said shaft to a position where said drive coupling means is generally adjacent to said cooperating means, said cartridge and said guide means being so constructed that said cartridge is pivotable on said guide means about an axis which is generally transverse to said shaft, means for engaging said cartridge and pivoting said cartridge about said pivot axis and thereby effect movement of said cooperating means in a direction to connect said coupling means with said cooperating means in a print wheel loaded position.
In an impact printer:
- a movable carriage, a motor supported by said carriage, a rotatable shaft extending from said motor and having drive coupling means at one end thereof, a cartridge, a print wheel supported by said cartridge and rotatable about a given axis relative to said cartridge, said print wheel having cooperating means engageable with said coupling means in such a manner that said print wheel is driven by said shaft, said carriage having guide means being arranged for guiding said cartridge for movement in a direction generally transverse to the axis of rotation of said shaft to a position where said drive coupling means is generally adjacent to said cooperating means, means for moving said cartridge and thereby effect movement of said cooperating means in a direction to connect said coupling means with said cooperating means in a print wheel loaded position, latching means operably engaging said drive coupling means for locking said shaft against rotation, said latching means being so located to be engageable by said cartridge to disengage said latching means from said drive coupling means to unlock said shaft during movement of said cartridge in a direction to connect said cooperating means with said coupling means.
In an impact printer for use with a print wheel cartridge:
- a movable carriage, a motor supported by said carriage, a rotatable shaft extending from said motor and having drive coupling means at one end thereof, said carriage having guide means for receiving the cartridge therein, said guide means comprising a pair of laterally spaced members, each having a guide slot therein for guiding the cartridge for movement in a direction generally transverse to the axis of said shaft, and means for moving the cartridge in a direction towards said drive coupling means into a print wheel loaded position comprising a pair of laterally spaced guide lever members, each guide lever member being rotatable between a cartridge actuating position and a print wheel loaded position;
- each guide lever member including a pair of spaced arms, one of said arms of each guide lever member, in said cartridge actuating position, being in the path defined by said slots;
- the other arm of each said guide lever member being rotatable past said path following said one arm during rotation of said guide lever members from said cartridge actuating position to said print wheel loaded position;
- and over-center spring means operatively connected to said guide lever members for urging the same in opposite rotational directions depending upon the location of the spring force relative to the axis of rotation of said guide lever members and for alternately holding the same in said cartridge actuating position and said print wheel loaded position.
1 more element
In an impact printer for use with a print wheel cartridge:
- a movable carriage, a motor supported by said carriage, a rotatable shaft extending from said motor and having drive coupling means at one end thereof, said carriage having guide means for receiving the cartridge therein, said guide means being arranged for guiding the cartridge for movement in a direction generally transverse to the axis of said shaft, means for moving the cartridge in a direction towards said drive coupling means into a print wheel loaded position, latching means operably engaging said drive coupling means for locking said shaft against rotation, said latching means being so located to be engageable by the cartridge to disengage said latching means from said drive coupling means to unlock said shaft during movement of the cartridge towards said drive coupling means.
In an impact printer for use with a print wheel cartridge:
- a moveable carriage, a motor supported by said carriage, a rotatable shaft extending from said motor and having drive coupling means at one end thereof, said carriage having guide means supported thereon for slidably receiving the cartridge therein, said guide means being arranged for guiding the cartridge for movement in a direction generally transverse to the axis of said shaft, said guide means having means for pivotably supporting the cartridge on an axis which is generally transverse to said shaft, and means carried by said carriage for engaging the cartridge and pivoting the cartridge about said pivot supporting means in a direction towards said drive coupling means into a print wheel loaded position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.