Serial printer

In a printer comprising a carrier means carrying a printing head, a printer casing means, a pair of parallel guide rods on said printer casing means for guiding said carrier means, mounting means on said printer casing means for mounting one of said guide rods for movement between an engaged position and a non-engaged position, said carrier means having engageable means slidably engaging said one guide rod when said one guide rod is in said engaged position, said engageable means being disengaged from said one guide rod when said one guide rod is in said non-engaged position, and support means supporting said other guide rod in a fixed position on said printer casing means, said printer further comprising a platen, said carrier means being pivotably mounted on said other guide rod between an operable position and a pivoted position, said carrier means being in said operable position when said one guide rod is in said engaged position, said carrier means being pivotal from said operable position to said pivoted position when said one guide rod is in said non-engaged position, the pivoting of said carrier means from said operable position to said pivoted position providing for varying the spacing between said carrier means and said platen, said printer casing means comprising a printer structure, said mounting means being movably mounted on said printer structure for movement between said engaged and said non-engaged positions, said other guide rod being mounted in a fixed position on said printer structure by said support means such that relative movement is effected between said two guide rods when said mounting means moves said one guide rod between said engaged and said non-engaged positions, said mounting means comprising a cover pivotably mounted on said casing.

In a printer comprising a printing head, a pair of parallel guide rods for guiding said printing head, mounting means mounting one of said guide rods for movement between an engaged position and a non-engaged position, said printing head having engageable means slidably engaging said one guide rod when said one guide rod is in said engaged position, said engageable means being disengaged from said one guide rod when said one guide rod is in said non-engaged position,

• a platen, said printing head being pivotably mounted on said other guide rod between an operable position and a pivoted position, said printing head being in said operable position when said guide rod is in said engaged position, said printing head being pivotal from said operable position to said pivoted position when said one guide rod is in said non-engaged position, the pivoting of said printing head from said operable position to said pivoted position providing for varying the spacing between said printing head and said platen;
• sheet feed roller means upstream of said platen and sheet discharge roller means downstream of said platen, said sheet feed roller means and said sheet discharge roller means feeding a sheet to be printed linearly past said platen;
• a sheet tray containing sheets to be printed, said sheet tray being disposed upstream of said sheet feed roller means, said printer further comprising a discharge outlet downstream of said sheet discharged roller means through which printed sheets are discharged from said printer, the sheets in said sheet tray passing generally linearly to said sheet feed roller means, said printed sheets passing generally linearly from said sheet discharge roller means to said discharge outlet;
• and
• a casing, said sheet tray being disposed in a bottom portion of said casing, said discharge outlet comprising a discharge opening in said casing, said casing having a downstream end defined by a pivotal cover, said pivotal cover defining said mounting means which mounts said one guide member.

A serial printer comprising a support structure, a platen on said support structure, a printing head means carried on said support structure and movable between a guide position and a displaced position, said printing head means being reciprocated on said support structure to effect printing when said printing head means is in said guide position, and a movable guide means movably mounted on said support structure between an operable position and a displaced position, said movable guide means reciprocably supporting and guiding said printing head means to effect printing when said movable guide means is in said operable position, said printing head means being movable to its displaced position when said movable guide means is in its displaced position, said movable guide means having first engageable means and said printing head means having second engageable means, said first engageable means engaging said second engageable means when said movable guide means is in its operable position, said first engageable means being disengaged from said second engageable means when said movable guide means is in its displaced position, said first engageable means comprising a pin and said second engageable means comprising a U-shaped groove in which said pin is disposed when said movable guide means is in its operable position, said pin being displaced from said U-shaped groove when said movable guide means is in its displaced position, said support structure having positioning means engageable by said first engageable means when said movable guide means is in its operable position, said first engageable means being disengaged from said positioning means when said movable guide means is in its displaced position, said positioning means comprising a U-shaped groove and said first engaging means comprising a guide member disposed in said U-shaped groove when said movable guide means is in its operable position, said guide member being displaced from said U-shaped groove when said movable guide means is in its displaced position.

A serial printer comprising a support structure, a platen on said support structure, a printing head means carried on said support structure and movable between a guide position and a displaced position, said printing head means being reciprocated on said support structure to effect printing when said printing head means is in said guide position, and a movable guide means movably mounted on said support structure between an operable position and a displaced position, said movable guide means reciprocably supporting and guiding said printing head means to effect printing when said movable guide means is in said operable position, said printing head means being movable to its displaced position when said movable guide means is in its displaced position, said support structure comprising an openable cover means movable between open and closed positions, said movable guide means comprising linkage means operably connected to said cover means such that movement of said cover means between its closed and open position effects movement of said movable guide means between its operable and displaced positions, said linkage means comprising at least one link arm pivotably connected to said cover means and another link arm carrying an engageable member engageable with said printing head means when said cover means is in its closed position and disengageable from said printing head means when said cover means is in its open position, said linkage means further comprising pivot means pivotably connecting said one and said other link arms.

A serial printer comprising a support structure, a platen on said support structure, a printing head means carried on said support structure and movable between a guide position and a displaced position, said printing head means being reciprocated on said support structure to effect printing when said printing head means is in said guide position, and a movable guide means movably mounted on said support structure between an operable position and a displaced position, said movable guide means reciprocably supporting and guiding said printing head means to effect printing when said movable guide means is in said operable position, said printing head means being movable to its displaced position when said movable guide means is in its displaced position, said movable guide means comprising an arm pivotably mounted on said support structure, said arm carrying an engageable means engageable with said printing head means when said movable guide means is in its operable position, said movable guide means further comprising biasing means biasing said arm in a direction in which said engageable means tends to disengage from said printing head means, said support structure comprising a movable cover means movable between open and closed position, said cover means retaining said arm in a position such that said engageable means engages said printing head means when said cover means is in its closed position, said biasing means biasingly moving said arm to disengage said engageable means from said printing head means when said cover means is moved from its closed to its open position.

A serial printer comprising:

• a printer casing;
• a pair of elongated guide members extending longitudinally in said printer casing;
• an elongated platen;
• a carrier carrying a printing head reciprocably mounted on said guide members;
• first engageable means on said carrier slidably engaging one of said guide members such that said carrier is reciprocably slidable on said one guide member during printing;
• second engageably means on said carrier engaging the other of said guide members such that said carrier is reciprocably slidable on said other guide member during printing, said second engageable means being operable to be disengaged from said other guide member;
• movable support means on said casing supporting said other guide member for movement between an operable position where said other guide member reciprocably supports said carrier during printing and a displaced position wherein said other guide member is disengaged and displaced from said second engageable means;
• said one guide member having a longitudinal axis, said first engageable means rotatably supporting said carrier to provide for rotation of said carrier about said longitudinal axis of said one guide member when said movable support means is moved to its displaced position;
• said printer casing comprising a printer frame formed with a U-shaped positioning groove for precisely positioning said other guide member with respect to said printer frame when said other guide member is received in said positioning groove.

A serial printer comprising:

• a printer casing;
• a pair of elongated guide members extending longitudinally in said printer casing;
• an elongated platen;
• a carrier carrying a printing head reciprocably mounted on said guide members;
• first engageable means on said carrier slidably engaging one of said guide members such that said carrier is reciprocably slidable on said one guide member during printing;
• second engageably means on said carrier engaging the other of said guide members such that said carrier is reciprocably slidable on said other guide member during printing, said second engageable means being operable to be disengaged from said other guide member;
• movable support means on said casing supporting said other guide member for movement between an operable position where said other guide member reciprocably supports said carrier during printing and a displaced position wherein said other guide member is disengaged and displaced from said second engageable means;
• said one guide member having a longitudinal axis, said first engageable means rotatably supporting said carrier to provide for rotation of said carrier about said longitudinal axis of said one guide member when said movable support means is moved to its displaced position;
• said printer casing including a printer cover, said movable support means being mounted on said printer cover.

A serial printer comprising:

• a printer casing;
• a pair of elongated guide members extending longitudinally in said printer casing;
• an elongated platen;
• a carrier carrying a printing head reciprocably mounted on said guide members;
• first engageable means on said carrier slidably engaging one of said guide members such that said carrier is reciprocably slidable on said one guide member during printing;
• second engageably means on said carrier engaging the other of said guide members such that said carrier is reciprocably slidable on said other guide member during printing, said second engageable means being operable to be disengaged from said other guide member;
• movable support means on said casing supporting said other guide member for movement between an operable position where said other guide member reciprocably supports said carrier during printing and a displaced position wherein said other guide member is disengaged and displaced from said second engageable means;
• said one guide member having a longitudinal axis, said first engageable means rotatably supporting said carrier to provide for rotation of said carrier about said longitudinal axis of said one guide member when said movable support means is moved to its displaced position;
• said printer casing comprising a printer frame, said movable support means being swingably supported on said printer frame, said printer frame having a positioning groove for coming into engagement with said other guide member when said other guide member is moved into said operable position, and out of engagement with said other guide member when said other guide member is moved to said displaced position.

A serial printer comprising:

• a printer casing;
• a pair of elongated guide members extending longitudinally in said printer casing;
• an elongated platen;
• a carrier carrying a printing head reciprocably mounted on said guide members;
• first engageable means on said carrier slidably engaging one of said guide members such that said carrier is reciprocably slidable on said one guide member during printing;
• second engageably means on said carrier engaging the other of said guide members such that said carrier is reciprocably slidable on said other guide member during printing, said second engageable means being operable to be disengaged from said other guide member;
• movable support means on said casing supporting said other guide member for movement between an operable position where said other guide member reciprocably supports said carrier during printing and a displaced position wherein said other guide member is disengaged and displaced from said second engageable means;
• said one guide member having a longitudinal axis, said first engageable means rotatably supporting said carrier to provide for rotation of said carrier about said longitudinal axis of said one guide member when said movable support means is moved to its displaced position;
• said movable support means comprising an openable cover attached to said printer casing and links interposed between said openable cover and said other guide member.

A serial printer comprising:

• a printer casing;
• a pair of elongated guide members extending longitudinally in said printer casing;
• an elongated platen;
• a carrier carrying a printing head reciprocably mounted on said guide members;
• first engageable means on said carrier slidably engaging one of said guide members such that said carrier is reciprocably slidable on said one guide member during printing;
• second engageably means on said carrier engaging the other of said guide members such that said carrier is reciprocably slidable on said other guide member during printing, said second engageable means being operable to be disengaged from said other guide member;
• movable support means on said casing supporting said other guide member for movement between an operable position where said other guide member reciprocably supports said carrier during printing and a displaced position wherein said other guide member is disengaged and displaced from said second engageable means;
• said one guide member having a longitudinal axis, said first engageable means rotatably supporting said carrier to provide for rotation of said carrier about said longitudinal axis of said one guide member when said movable support means is moved to its displaced position;
• said printer casing having a pivotal cover pivotal to an open position to provide access to the inside of said printer casing, said movable support means which supports said other guide member being disposed on said cover.

A serial printer comprising:

• a printer casing;
• a pair of elongated guide members extending longitudinally in said printer casing;
• an elongated platen;
• a carrier carrying a printing head reciprocably mounted on said guide members;
• first engageable means on said carrier slidably engaging one of said guide members such that said carrier is reciprocably slidable on said one guide member during printing;
• second engageably means on said carrier engaging the other of said guide members such that said carrier is reciprocably slidable on said other guide member during printing, said second engageable means being operable to be disengaged from said other guide member;
• movable support means on said casing supporting said other guide member for movement between an operable position where said other guide member reciprocably supports said carrier during printing and a displaced position wherein said other guide member is disengaged and displaced from said second engageable means;
• said one guide member having a longitudinal axis, said first engageable means rotatably supporting said carrier to provide for rotation of said carrier about said longitudinal axis of said one guide member when said movable support means is moved to its displaced position;
• said printer casing having a downstream end defined by a pivotal cover, said pivotal cover defining said movable support means which supports said other guide member.