Marking apparatus with matrix defining locus of movement

Apparatus for marking solid material objects at a surface thereof in response to data inputs with a sequence of indentation defined characters, each within a pixel-defined matrix zone of given width, said matrix having predetermined pixel locations arranged within adjacent vertical columns, comprising:

• carriage means movable with respect to said surface between first and second terminal positions along a laterally directed locus of travel and between third and fourth vertical terminal positions substantially transversely with respect to said laterally directed locus of travel to effect an undulating locus of travel pattern within a serial succession of said matrix zones;
• first and second spaced marker pin assemblies mounted upon said carriage means, each having a respective first and second marker pin mounted for reciprocation within a chamber, each said first and second marker pin having a drive portion and a shaft portion depending therefrom and extensible through an opening in said chamber, said shaft portion having an impacting tip driveably movable into said surface within a said matrix zone said first and second marker pins being linearly aligned along said laterally directed locus of travel and being mutually spaced apart a distance representing a whole integer times said zone given width;
• drive means for reciprocally driving each said marker pin drive portion in response to control inputs;
• motor means for providing a drive output;
• actuator means responsive to said motor means drive output for effecting intermittent movement of said carriage means along said lateral locus of travel between said first and second terminal positions wherein said first and second spaced marker pin assemblies are horizontally shifted to sequential indexing positions corresponding with respectively spaced said matrix vertical columns, and for effecting movement of said carriage means between said vertical third and fourth positions when said first and second spaced marker pin assemblies are positioned at said indexing positions and effecting a stationary dwell of said carriage means at a said vertical terminal position during said horizontal shift movement;
• control means for deriving said drive means control inputs to effect simultaneous controlled character forming driving of said marker pin drive portions within spaced first and second ones of said zones corresponding with respective said first and second spaced marker pin assemblies, said control inputs effecting the sequential formation of more than one character by each said first and second marker pin assemblies.

Apparatus for marking solid material objects at a surface thereof in response to data inputs with a sequence of indentation defined characters, each within a pixel-defined matrix zone of given width, said matrix having predetermined pixel locations arranged within adjacent vertical columns, comprising:

• carriage means movable with respect to said surface between first and second terminal positions along a laterally directed locus of travel and between third and fourth vertical terminal positions substantially transversely with respect to said laterally directed locus of travel to effect an undulating locus of travel pattern within a serial succession of said matrix zones;
• first and second spaced marker pin assemblies mounted upon said carriage means, each having a respective first and second marker pin mounted for reciprocation within a chamber, each said first and second marker pin having a drive portion and a shaft portion depending therefrom and extensible through an opening in said chamber, said shaft portion having an impacting tip driveably movable into said surface within a said matrix zone, said first and second marker pins being linearly aligned along said laterally directed locus of travel and being mutually spaced apart a distance representing a whole integer times said zone given width;
• drive means for reciprocally driving each said marker pin drive portion in response to control inputs;
• motor means for providing a drive output;
• first actuator means for moving said carriage means between said first and second terminal positions, including intermittent drive means having a driver assembly coupled in driven relationship with said motor means output and output component means responsive to said driver assembly for providing an intermittent output of predetermined extent when said carriage means is at said third and fourth positions and translation mechanism means responsive to said intermittent output for effecting the movement of said carriage means along said laterally directed locus of travel a distance corresponding with the distance between adjacent said vertical columns of said matrix;
• second actuator means for moving said carriage means between said third and fourth terminal positions and including cam means coupled in driven relationship with said motor means drive output, and lever means having a follower component in driven contact with said cam means and coupled in pivotal drive relationship with said carriage means, said cam means being configured having first and second dwell regions for effecting corresponding stationary dwells of said carriage means at respective said third and fourth terminal positions for intervals selected in correspondence with said first actuator means incrementing output of predetermined extent;
• and
• control means for deriving said drive means control inputs to effect simultaneous controlled character forming driving of said marker pin drive portions within spaced first and second ones of said zones corresponding with respective said first and second spaced marker pin assemblies, said control inputs effecting the sequential formation of more than one character by each said first and second marker pin assemblies.