Abstract:
The contact assemblies of a pile-up are separated each from an adjoining thereof by a thin spacer with an opening through which a flexible contact portion of one assembly is projectable into engagement with a like portion of an adjoining assembly. A key operated impactor is arranged adjacent one end of the pile-up in alignment with the flexible portions and becomes tensioned upon key operation. Tensioning force of the impactor is released during key operation through the agency of a cam which overcomes the impactor tensioning means for driving the impactor into impacting engagement with the flexible portion of the proximate contact assembly. In consequence of the impacting force, the contact portions of the assemblies successively are driven into engagement and develop a condition of simultaneous momentary engagement to close a circuit, the input to which is through the contact assembly on the end of the pile-up distal to the impactor.
Abstract:
A stream of ink drops is electrostatically moved in a printing course from each of a plurality of supply nozzles toward an ink receiving carrier which is moved vertically in a straight path transversely of said course. A sweep voltage associated with each nozzle is repeatedly generated across a first pair of parallel electrodes which are generally horizontally spaced laterally of said course, and has a magnitude adapted for deflecting the associated stream generally horizontally in repeated lines extending transversely of the path of carrier travel and the course between the nozzle and the carrier. The movement of the carrier is adapted to generate one dimension of a two dimensional character from each stream, the sweep of the trace made by the associated ''''horizontally'''' deflected ink stream generating the other dimension. A print or nonprint mode is produced by selected of a pair of voltages applied across a second pair of parallel electrodes which are disposed about the course of each stream and generally vertically spaced. In the print mode, each stream remains in its printing course by clearing the edge of a mask. In the nonprint mode, each stream is deflected generally vertically from its course onto the mask and prevents printing. Accordingly, character definition is obtained. The edge of the mask is a sawtooth configuration having sloping segments, each of which is associated with one stream. To produce characters which are ''''squared'''' to the carrier, the electrodes of each first pair are nonparallel to the direction of the path of carrier movement. Their angle of tilt from a parallel condition is a function of the speed of the carrier such that a line trace resulting from a single sweep of an associated stream of ink drops will mark the carrier normal to the path of carrier movement; and the edge of the mask is parallel to the line along which each ink stream is ''''horizontally'''' deflected when printing.
Abstract:
An impact mechanism prints directly on the outer coil of a web of paper using the web itself as a backing thereby obviating the use of a separate platen. In order to hold the outer coil in a printing plane, a pair of springs continuously urge the web against a pair of stops which are adjacent to the impact mechanism. The impact mechanism includes a plurality of tines which are positioned to strike character dies against the web upon being struck by pins. The pins are distributed in a single turn helix about a cylinder which is rotatably mounted on a pivoted bracket. The cylinder rotates to index the pins across the tines and reciprocates to strike the pins against the tines. In order to sever the web into sheets after information has been recorded thereon, a pair of rollers are positioned to grip the paper being advanced from the web so that the paper may be manually brought into contact with and severed by a fixed blade.