Device for printing endorsements on documents

In a document processing system of the type which reads characters from and prints characters onto documents and which includes a document guide and means for driving documents through said document guide, an apparatus for printing endorsements on documents passing through said document guide comprising:

• a rotatable cylindrical body having a lower end with an exterior surface and an indentation on said exterior surface;
• print means attached to said rotatable cylindrical body;
• a circular ring gear attached to said lower end of said rotatable cylindrical body, said ring gear having teeth along a portion only of its circumference;
• a rotatable pinion for engaging the teeth along said portion only of said ring gear's circumference to rotate said rotatable cylindrical body, said rotatable pinion mounted on a shaft;
• means for lockedly engaging said indentation on said exterior surface of said rotatable cylindrical body, said means for lockedly engaging comprising a locking arm;
• and
• means for moving said locking arm into and out of locked engagement with said indentation on said exterior surface of said rotatable cylindrical body,
• whereby said locking arm may be moved out of said locked engagement when a document is passing through said document guide, thereby permitting said rotatable cylindrical body to rotate and print an endorsement on said document, and thereupon said locking arm may be moved back into locked engagement with said indentation on said exterior surface of said rotatable cylindrical body.