Quiet impact printer mechanism

Abstract

An improved quiet impact printer mechanism for use with a typewriter or printer which includes a print hammer having a significant mass for impacting a character pad against an ink ribbon, paper and a platen. A first embodiment has a drive means providing insignificant inertia through the use of a cam driven by an inexpensive, low torque reversible motor which is coupled to the hammer through a cam follower. The cam arrangement may also propel the hammer toward the platen under a predetermined series of controlled velocities. A second embodiment of a printer mechanism, similar to that described above, includes a rotary member driven by a motor link, coupled to the print hammer for moving the hammer toward and away from the platen. The motor link includes an acoustic noise reducing means.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.