Document transport and printing apparatus

An apparatus comprising:

• a document track having first and second sides;
• a printing station located along said document track;
• feeding means for feeding documents in said document track in spaced relation along a feeding direction to said printing station;
• a rotatable member located on said first side and also having an axis of rotation which is parallel to said first side and adjacent thereto;
• said rotatable member having first, second and third cam sections thereon,
• rotating means for rotating said rotatable member on said axis of rotation when a document to be printed upon approaches said printing station;
• a pinch roller positioned on said second side to cooperate with said first cam section to move a said document through said printing station;
• said second cam section having a printing element thereon to print on said document while using said pinch roller as a platen;
• a printer;
• said third cam section being a combined inking roller and a platen for said printer;
• said printer being positioned on said second side to cooperate with said third cam section to print on a said document which is positioned between said rotatable member and said pinch roller while at said print station;
• means for inking said printing element and said third cam section;
• and
• moving means for moving said documents downstream along said feeding direction from said printing station;
• said rotating means comprising:
• an input shaft having an axis of rotation which is coincident with the axis of rotation of said rotatable member;
• mounting means for mounting said input shaft for rotation at a substantially constant velocity;
• said rotatable member being rotatably mounted on said input shaft for independent rotation thereon;
• coupling means moveable between active and inactive positions for operatively coupling said input shaft to said rotatable member when said coupling means is in said active position and to uncouple said input shaft from said rotatable member when said coupling means is in said inactive position;
• and
• actuating means for moving said coupling means between said active and inactive positions;
• said coupling means including a planetary unit which is coupled to said input shaft to produce circular movement which rotates said rotatable member when said input shaft is rotated and when said coupling means is moved to said active position, with said planetary unit being uncoupled from said input shaft when said coupling means is moved to said inactive position;
• said moving means including said input shaft.