Print element and printing apparatus using same

A printing apparatus comprising:

• a print element having;
• a disc-shaped base at a base end of said print element, said base having an axis of rotation through the center thereof perpendicular to the base,
• a plurality of resilient spokes extending perpendicularly from said base, said spokes being arranged in a cylinder coaxial with said axis of rotation and each having a base end attached to said base and a free end on the other end from said base end, each of said plurality of resilient spokes having two type elements on the surface thereof near the free end thereof which faces outwardly of said axis of rotation, and
• a gear integral with said base and coaxial with said axis of rotation, the diameter of said gear being larger than the diameter of said cylinder;
• means for rotating said print element around said axis of rotation to printing positions among a plurality of circumferential printing positions, and having a motor and a motor gear driven by said motor and engaged with said gear of said print element for rotating said print element for bringing a desired one of said plurality of resilient spokes into a printing position, said motor and motor gear being beside said print element laterally of said print element and said gear being movable axially away from said motor gear;
• shift means connected to said print element for moving said print element along the rotational axis of said print element for bringing a desired one of the two type elements on a spoke into a printing position;
• hammer means for engaging the spoke at the printing position and forcing the type element thereon against a printing medium;
• and
• support means on which said shift means and said hammer means are supported, said support means being adjacent the end of the print element corresponding to the free ends of said spokes for supporting said shift means and said hammer means in the space within the cylinder from said end of said print element, whereby said print element can be detached from and attached to said shift means from the direction of the base end of the print element without displacing said rotating means, said shift means or said hammer means.