Printer
United States Patent 1 Kodaira et al.  
 [ Apr.l 1975 1 PRINTER [75] Inventors: K020 Kodaira; Kazuto Tamai, both of Matsumoto, Japan [73] Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Suwa Seikosha, Tokyo; Shinshu Seiki Kabushikik Kaisha, Nagoya, both of, Japan [22 Filed: Apr. 13, 1973 {211 Appl. No.: 351,048  
 [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Apr. 17, 1972 Japan 47-38526 [52] US. Cl. 101/9328, 197/49 {51] Int. Cl B4lj 7/06 [58] Field of Search 101/93 C, 100-102,  
 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 463.860 11/1891 Gardner 197/49 12/1968 Sievers 101/66 X 2/1973 Bukowski et a1 197/127 R Primary ExaminerRobert E. Pulfrey Assistant ExaminerEdward M. Coven Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Blum, Moscovitz, Friedman &amp; Kaplan [57] ABSTRACT An improved printer for selectively imprinting a clear pattern carried by a pattern carrier on an imprint receiver. The printer is provided with a pattern carrier, an imprint receiver for receiving the carried pattern, means for recording the pattern on the imprint receiver, at least one print hammer for striking the imprint on the imprint receiver and means for advancing the print hammer for striking the imprint on the imprint receiver.  
 2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEU APR 1 5 SHEET 1 BF 2 FIG,  
 PRINTER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an improved printer, and in particular to an improved flying printer provided with a continuously rotating pattern carrier for carrying a character, number, symbol or the like on the surface thereof.  
  In devices of the present type, printing is generally accomplished by striking an imprint receiver against the pattern carrier by means of a print hammer or the like. Prior flying printers employing a pattern carrier, imprint receiver, recording means, such as an ink ribbon and print hammer effect an unclear imprint when the imprint receiver utilized is a heavy bond paper. Lag in the redisposition of the imprint receiver for the next successive hammer strike is responsible for smudges, double printing and the like which effect the unclear imprint and diminish the quality of the product. Disposition of the printing elements in prior devices is, in part, responsible for the generally unsatisfactory quality of printing effected therewith. Also, in prior devices, the ink ribbon has not been effectively masked for providing only selective intimate contact between the print carrier, ink ribbon, and imprint receiver under the advancing strike of the print hammer.  
  Accordingly, the instant invention overcomes disadvantages of prior similar devices by repositioning the conventional elements thereof and by providing masking means surrounding the ink ribbon for selected, limited engagement of the ink ribbon with the pattern carrier and imprint receiver.  
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Generally speaking, in accordance with the invention, an improved printing device is provided for selectively printing a character, number, symbol or the like in clear fashion on a heavy-duty bond paper including a pattern carrier for carrying a character, number, symbol or the like on the surface thereof, first means for receiving the pattern carried by the pattern carrier, second means for recording the pattern carried by the pattern carrier on the first means, at least one print hammer for striking the first and second means against the pattern carrier for imprinting a preselected pattern carried by the print carrier on the first means, third means for advancing the pattern carrier, first and second means and print hammer for effecting imprinting of the preselected pattern on the first means, and fourth means for supporting the pattern carrier, first and second means and print hammer.  
  The first means is located within printing distance of the pattern carrier and is spaced therefrom for limited, selected contact with the pattern carrier under the action of the print hammer. The second means is inter posed between the pattern carrier and first means and is arranged in spaced relationship therefrom. The support means or fourth means supports the pattern carrier, first and second means and print hammer in aligned displaceably spaced relationship for effecting a clear, preselected imprint on the first means.  
  While the above-described arrangement of elements effects a clear imprint on the imprint receiver, the device is preferably provided with a first mask for permitting selective engagement of the pattern carrier and first and second means under the striking action of the print hammer. The first mask is provided with at least one slot of predetermined area for limiting the available contact area among the first and second means and pattern carrier. The elements are arranged with the print hammer aligned for striking the print carrier through the slot in the first mask. While normally sup ported in fixed position the first mask is elastically deformable and a portion thereof engages the print carrier under the striking action of print hammer. The first mask is preferably mounted between the print carrier and second means and is arranged in spaced relationship therefrom.  
  In a more preferred embodiment the printer is provided with a second mask with at least one arranged slot of predetermined area for limiting the available contact area among the first and second means and pattern carrier. The second mask is arranged between the first and second means and is spaced respectively therefrom. The print hammer is aligned for striking the first means through the arranged slot of the second mask for effecting an imprint of a selected pattern on the first means.  
  The device effects a clear imprint upon any conventional imprint receiver, for instance paper having a range of bond sizes. It is a particular advantage of the instant invention that clear, successive, selected imprints may be stricken on heavy-duty bond paper as well as upon papers of lesser bonds. It is a further advantage of the present invention, that the recording means or ink ribbon may be modified for effecting plural color imprints on the paper utilized for receiving the desired pattern.  
  Still other advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the specification and drawings.  
  The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the constructions hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.  
 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a fuller understanding of the invention, reference is had to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
  FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a prior art printer;  
  FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of onen embodiment of the printing device of the invention; and  
  FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the principal elements of the printing device of FIG. 2.  
 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to FIG. 1, a prior device is shown which includes a pattern carrier 1 carrying an array of characters, numbers, symbols or the like 1&#39; on the surface thereof. A hammer 5 mounted for displacement from a rest position is spaced from the surface of the pattern carrier for striking, for instance a character, carried on the surface of the pattern carrier and thereafter returning to a rest position. An imprint receiver 9, for instance a heavy bond paper is fed to a position intermediate hammer 5 and pattern carrier 1. Between print hammer 5 and imprint receiver 9 an ink ribbon 6 is located for inking an imprint of character 1&#39; on imprint receiver 9 as aligned print hammer 5 strikes ink ribbon 6 into imprint receiver 9 and against character 1&#39; carried by pattern carrier 1. Pattern carrier 1 is rotatably mounted on shaft 2 for selecting a desired character for imprint on imprint receiver 9.  
  This conventional arrangement does not provide a clear imprint on heavy bond paper since the ink ribbon 6 is located behind imprint receiver 9. When, however, ink ribbon 6 is located in front ofimprint receiver 9, i.e. between pattern carrier 1 and imprint receiver 9, the strike of the print hammer may cause an engaging lag of ink ribbon 6 on characters 1&#39; of pattern carrier 1 thereby interfering with continuous and successive printing and causing smudges on the surface of imprint receiver 9.  
  Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, the improved printer shown includes a cylindrical pattern carrier 1 carried on a shaft 2 which also carries a detecting device 3 for detecting the angular position of the pattern carrier, and therefore the particular number in registration with hammers 5. A pattern 1&#39; comprising a plurality of numbers is distributed along and carried on the surface of pattern carrier 1. Numbers 1&#39; are distributed so that numerals through 9 are circumferentially distributed about the axis of pattern carrier 1, the circumferential distribution of the numbers 1&#39; being repeated once for each digit of the printing device. Each circumferential array of numbers is aligned for aligning like numbers. For instance, all digit Os are longitudinally aligned along the surface of pattern carrier 1.  
  A plurality of hammers 5, one for each circumferential specific array of number sets is provided. Hammers 5 are each mounted for displacement from a rest position and are spaced from the surface of pattern carrier 1 for striking numerals 1&#39; carried on the surface of pattern carrier 1. After the strike, hammers 5 are returned to their rest position. An imprint receiver, for instance a heavy bond paper 9, is fed to an intermediate position between hammers 5 and pattern carrier 1 by feed rollers l0 and and paper 9 may be guided along a defined path by a guide 11. Arranged between paper 9 and pattern carrier 1 is a narrow ink ribbon 6 for imprinting a striken numeral on imprint receiver 9. Narrow ink ribbon 6 is supported by means not shown. Narrow ink ribbon 6 is aligned with the array of hammers 5 for effecting an imprint on imprint receiver 9 with the strike of each hammer 5 in the array against pattern carrier 1.  
  Vertically arranged slotted masks 7 and 8 substantially surround narrow ink ribbon 6 along the hammer strike area of ink ribbon 6 for permitting only selective engagement of pattern carrier 1 and imprint receiver 9 therewith under the striking action of print hammers 5. Masks 7 and 8 are provided with a plurality of vertical aligned slots and masks 7 and 8 are connected along a respective lateral edge thereof for providing a spring bias base for repositioning the body portion of mask 7 after it is striken against pattern carrier 1 by print hammers 5. The aligned slots in masks 7 and 8 are further aligned with print hammers 5 for defining a print striking path for hammers 5 against pattern carrier 1. Masks 7 and 8 are formed of elastically deformable material, for instance plastic, for low pressure printing. While print hammers 5 are in a normal or rest position, mask 7 provides a barrier between narrow ink ribbon 6 and pattern carrier 1 whereby numerals 1&#39; carried on pattern carrier 1 do not catch narrow ink ribbon 6 and interfere with the printing operation. At the same time mask 8 provides a barrier between narrow ink ribbon 6 and imprint receiver 9 whereby imprint receiver 9 does not become ink-stained between printing intervals. As seen in FIG. 3, during a printing intervalprint hammer 5 strikes imprint receiver 9 through aligned slots in masks 7 and 8 and against narrow ink ribbon 6 and some one of the array of numerals 1&#39; carried on the surface of print carrier 1. Under the striking action of print hammer 5, mask 7 is displaced to a position 7 shown in phantom line in FIG. 3 whereby only limited engagement occurs between narrow ink ribbon 6 and pattern carrier 1 thereby providing for a quick release between narrow ink ribbon 6 and pattern carrier 1 after the print strike. The spring bias base provided by the connection of masks 7 and 8 repositions mask 7 after the strike has occurred and narrow ink ribbon 6 cannot catch on pattern carrier 1 and interfere with successive printing operations. Since narrow ink ribbon 6 and imprint receiver 9 are separated by mask 8, each may be rapidly advanced thereby minimizing the time lag between printing intervals. Masks 7 and 8 may be readily assembled and connected one to the other in any conventional manner for improving the quality of printing performance.  
  It will thus be seen that the advantages set forth above, and those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above construction with out departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.  
  It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.  
 We claim:  
  1. A printer of the type having, in operable combination, a pattern-carrier for carrying a plurality of symbols on the surface thereof, at least one print hammer for printing at least one of said symbols according to a print command, an ink ribbon disposed between said at least one print hammer and said pattern-carrier, said ink ribbon being deformable in response to the strike of said at least one print hammer against it, and printer including a means for holding and protecting said ink ribbon comprising a first mask having an elastic body and a plurality of substantially axially aligned windows therein, said windows being alignable with a selected row of said plurality of symbols carried on the surface of said pattern-carrier, and a second mask having an elastic body and a plurality of substantially axially aligned windows therein, said windows provided in said second mask being also aligned with said windows provided in said first mask, each discrete window provided in said first mask being coaxial with a window respectively provided in said second mask, said first and second masks being disposed between said pattern-carrier and said at least one print hammer, said ink ribbon being movable between said first and second masks and the inking portion of said ink ribbon being aligned with said respective pluralities of windows provided in said first and second masks, said at least one print hammer having a strike path through a pair of coaxial windows provided respectively in said first and second masks.  
  2. The printer as recited in claim 1, wherein each of said first and second masks is a unitary plate and said first and second masks are engaged along respective