Ribbon mechanism for cartridge supported ribbons

Claim 2

A cartridge ribbon feed mechanism for a typewriter comprising: a frame; an incrementally operable driving means supported on the frame; a tiltable first drive member incrementally rotatable by the driving means; a tiltable second drive member coaxial with said first drive member incrementally rotatable by the driving means, means for supporting the tiltable first and second drive members coupled to the frame; a bracket mounted on the frame; a ribbon cartridge removably supported on the bracket; a ribbon; a supply spool supported in the cartridge having a supply of the ribbon, spirally wound thereon, engageable with the first drive member for feeding ribbon from the supply spool in response to incremental operations of the driving means when the cartridge is positioned on the bracket; and a takeup spool supported in the cartridge having means engageable with the second drive member for feeding ribbon on to the takeup spool in response to the incremental operations of the driving means to take up the ribbon fed from the spool.

Claim 3

A cartridge ribbon feed mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein the spirally wound ribbon on the supply spool is engageable with the first drive member.

Claim 4

A cartridge ribbon feed mechanism as defined in claim 2 wherein the supply spool is supported in the cartridge by a movably mounted arm for carrying the outer convolution of the spirally wound ribbon into engagement with the first drive member for feeding equal incremental lengths of ribbon regardless of the diameter of the ribbon outer convolution.

Claim 5

A cartridge ribbon feed mechanism as defined in claim 3 further comprising spring means for biasing the outer convolution of the spirally wound ribbon into engagement with the first drive member.

Claim 6

A cartridge ribbon feed mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein the supply spool is supported by an arm pivotally mounted in the cartridge, a post carried by the arm and spring means connected to the arm for biasing the outer convolutions of the spirally wound ribboN into engagement with the first drive member.

Claim 7

A cartridge ribbon feed mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein the driving means includes a power source; and, a friction clutch coupled to the power source and to the second drive member for taking up the amount of ribbon feed by the first drive member.

Claim 8

A cartridge ribbon feed mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein the driving means includes a power source; and, a friction clutch coupled to the power source and to the second drive member for incrementally rotating the second drive member relative to the first drive member for maintaining a predetermined amount of tension on the ribbon.

Claim 9

A cartridge ribbon feed mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein the driving means includes connecting means for incrementally rotating the second drive member in a direction opposite the first drive member.

Claim 10

A cartridge ribbon feed mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein the driving means includes positive drive means for incrementally rotating the first drive member and friction drive means for incrementally rotating the second drive member.

Claim 11

A cartridge ribbon feed mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein the driving means includes connecting means for incrementally rotating the second drive member simultaneously with the first drive member.

Claim 12

A cartridge ribbon feed mechanism for a typewriter comprising: a frame; a power source; an incremental driving means supported on the frame and operable by the power source; feed means incrementally operable by the driving means; means for supporting said feed means, coupled to the frame, wherein the feed means are tiltable from an effective position to an ineffective position; a lever operatively connected to the feed means and operable from a first position to a second position for displacing the feed means from the effective position to the ineffective position; a ribbon; a cartridge having a ribbon supply means supporting the ribbon therein; and abutment means carried by the cartridge for engaging and moving the lever from the first position to the second position to displace the feed means from the effective position to the ineffective position during installation of the cartridge into the typewriter; and, spring means for returning the lever to the first position and the feed means to the effective position for engagement with the ribbon supply means for feeding the ribbon therefrom.

Claim 13

A cartridge ribbon feed mechanism for a typewriter comprising: a frame; a power source; an incremental driving means supported on the frame and operable by the power source; feed means incrementally operable by the driving means; means for supporting said feed means, coupled to the frame, wherein the feed means are tiltable from an effective position to an ineffective position; a lever operatively connected to the feed means and operable from a first position to a second position for displacing the feed means from the effective position to the ineffective position; a ribbon; a cartridge having a ribbon supply means supporting the ribbon therein; and abutment means carried by the cartridge for engaging and moving the lever from the first position to the second position to displace the feed means from the effective position to the ineffective position during installation of the cartridge into the typewriter; and, spring means for returning the lever to the first position and the feed means to the effective position for engagement with the ribbon supply means for feeding the ribbon therefrom.

Claim 14

A cartridge ribbon feed mechanism as defined in claim 11 wherein the feed means includes a shaft coupled to the driving means.

Claim 15

A cartridge ribbon feed mechanism as defined in claim 12 wherein the means for supporting said feed means includes a first support rigidly mounted on the frame and a second support slideably mounted on the frame.

Claim 16

A cartridge ribbon feed mechanism as defined in claim 11 wherein the cartridge further includes a ribbon takeup means and wherein the feed means includes a first driven means for feeding the ribbon from the ribbon supply means and a second driven means for feeding the ribbon on to the ribbon takeup means.

Claim 17

A cartridge ribbon feed mechanism as defined in claim 14 wherein the driving means includes connecting means for incrementally rotating the second driven means in a direction opposite the first driven means.

Claim 18

A cartridge ribbon feed mechanism as defined in claim 14 wherein the first driven means and the second driven means have a common axis of rotation.

Claim 19

A cartridge ribbon feed mechanism as defined in claim 14 wherein the driving means includes a friction clutch for incrementally rotating one of the driven means for maintaining a predetermined amount of tension on the ribbon.

Claim 20

A cartridge ribbon feed mechanism as defined in claim 11 wherein the ribbon supply means includes a support member movably mounted in the cartridge for carrying the ribbon supply means into engagement with the feed means for feeding equal incremental lengths of ribbon in response to each increMental operation of the driving means.

Claim 21

A cartridge ribbon feed mechanism as defined in claim 18 further comprising spring means for biasing the ribbon supply means into engagement with the feed means.

Claim 22

A cartridge ribbon feed mechanism as defined in claim 11 wherein the ribbon supply means includes a spool rotatably supported in the cartridge having an endless ribbon mounted thereon, a first feed roller rotatably supported in the cartridge and incrementally rotatable by the feed means for drawing the ribbon from the inner convolutions of the endless ribbon, and a second feed roller rotatably supported in the cartridge and incrementally rotatable by the feed means for winding the ribbon on to the outer convolution of the endless ribbon.

Claim 23

A cartridge ribbon feed mechanism as defined in claim 11 wherein the lever and the cartridge abutment means form a rest position for retaining the cartridge in the installed position.

Claim 24

A typewriter ribbon cartridge comprising; a housing having upper and lower walls and a sidewall; an aperture in said sidewall; a support member, pivotally mounted in said housing about a first axis of rotation; a supply spool mounted on said support member and having a second axis of rotation, a ribbon supported on the supply spool; means for biasing the support member in a predetermined direction whereby the outer convolution of said ribbon on said supply spool is maintained in a position adjacent said aperture for cooperation with an external drive means for incrementally driving said ribbon past a print point in a typewriter.

Claim 25

A typewriter ribbon cartridge comprising; a housing having upper and lower walls and a sidewall; an aperture in said sidewall; a support member, pivotally mounted in said housing about a first axis of rotation; a supply spool mounted on said support member and having a second axis of rotation, a ribbon supported on the supply spool; means for biasing the support member in a predetermined direction whereby the outer convolution of said ribbon on said supply spool is maintained in a position adjacent said aperture for cooperation with an external drive means for incrementally driving said ribbon past a print point in a typewriter.

Claim 26

A ribbon cartridge as defined in claim 22 wherein the means for biasing include a coil spring coupled to the housing.

Claim 27

A ribbon cartridge comprising: a housing; a spool rotatably supported in the housing; an endless ribbon spirally wound on the spool having an inner and outer convolution; a first rotatable member supported in the housing and operable to pull the ribbon from the inner convolution for feeding ribbon therefrom and for rotating the spool; means for guiding the ribbon from the first rotatable member to the outside of the housing and return to the inside thereof; a second rotatable member supported in the housing coaxial with said first rotatable member and being rotatable independently thereof to pull the ribbon fed from the first rotatable member to maintain a predetermined ribbon tautness therebetween; and means supported in the housing for storing ribbon between the second rotatable member and the outer convolution of the ribbon, thereby enabling the spool rotation caused by the first rotatable member to take up the ribbon on the outer convolution of the ribbon.

Claim 28

A ribbon cartridge comprising: a housing; a spool rotatably supported in the housing; an endless ribbon spirally wound on the spool having an inner and outer convolution; a first rotatable member supported in the housing and operable to pull the ribbon from the inner convolution for feeding ribbon therefrom and for rotating the spool; means for guiding the ribbon from the first rotatable member to the outside of the housing and return to the inside thereof; a second rotatable member supported in the housing coaxial with said first rotatable member and being rotatable independently thereof to pull the ribbon fed from the first rotatable member to maintain a predetermined ribbon tautness therebetween; and means supported in the housing for storing ribbon between the second rotatable member and the outer convolution of the ribbon, thereby enabling the spool rotation caused by the first rotatable member to take up the ribbon on the outer convolution of the ribbon.