Integrally driven and balanced line printer

A line dot matrix printer for printing on a print media comprising:

• a hammerbank defining a longitudinal axis incorporating a plurality of print hammers;
• a counterbalance in adjacent relationship to said hammerbank defining a longitudinal axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said hammerbank;
• a first crank arm connected to said hammerbank;
• a second crank arm connected to said counterbalance;
• a portion of each of said crank arms having bearing surfaces;
• a shaft connected at 90.degree. to the longitudinal axis and substantially centrally between the ends of said counterbalance and hammerbank to each of said bearing surfaces for moving said crank arms at the bearing surfaces in opposing longitudinal relationship to each other;
• and,
• a motor having a rotor directly connected to said shaft for rotational movement thereof.

A line printer comprising:

• a hammerbank defining a longitudinal axis having a plurality of hammers supported for reciprocal movement;
• a counterbalance connected to said hammerbank defining a longitudinal axis having at least a portion thereof in parallel relationship to the longitudinal axis of said hammerbank;
• a drive motor for said hammerbank having a stator, and a rotor, said rotor connected to a flywheel;
• a single shaft connected to said drive motor extending and connected to said rotor and flywheel at 90.degree. to said hammerbank and counterbalance longitudinal axes and substantially centrally between the longitudinal ends thereof and having at least one eccentric formed thereon;
• and,
• means connected between said eccentric on said shaft to said hammerbank and said counterbalance for movement of said hammerbank and counterbalance.