Print actuator arrangement and encoder

Claim 2

Apparatus for printing on a recording medium comprising, in combination: a rotatable member including, at a plurality of spaced points along the periphery thereof, symbol elements each movable into contact with said recording medium but normally biased away therefrom, each having a projecting portion opposite the symbol shape on said symbol element; drive means for rotating said rotatable member for moving said symbol elements seriatim past a print station; actuator means at said print station including a cam member movable between a first position interposed in the path occupied by said projecting portions as said symbol elements are rotated and a second normal position away from said path, said actuator being responsive to a momentary signal applied thereto for causing said cam member to be moved to said first position, the surface of said cam member when at said first position facing said projecting portions and forming an acute angle with the plane of the path taken by said symbol elements, said cam member when in said first position being arranged so that the projecting portion of the next symbol element of said plurality of symbol elements to come in contact therewith will thereby receive a force causing said element to be moved into contact with said recording medium, an oppositely directed force being thereby applied to said cam member; and means responsive to a desired one of said symbol elements being next to approach said print station for producing said momentary signal for moving said cam member to said first position, said momentary signal terminating before said desired symbol element is at said print station, said oppositely directed force causing said cam member to be moved to said second position concurrently with the movement of said next symbol element.

Claim 3

The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said rotatable member comprises a rotatable disc and a plurality of flexible elongated elements extending radially therefrom, the free end of each including a symbol element, arranged to be rotated proximate to but normally separated from said recording medium.

Claim 4

Apparatus for printing on a recording medium comprising, in combination: a moving element having a plurality of symbol elements coupled thereto for moving seriatim past a print station, each element being movable at said print station toward said recording medium; and actuator means including a cam member movable between a first position interposed in the path taken by said symbol elements as they are moved past said print station and a second position away from said path, responsive to a source of signals indicative of the approach of a desired one of said symbol elements to said print station for applying a force to said cam member to cause it to be moved to said first position, said force terminating before said desired symbol element is at said print station, the contact of said desired symbol element and cam surface creating opposing forces on the two elements for respectively causing said desired symbol element to be moved into contact with said recording medium and concurrently causing said cam member to be moved to said second position.

Claim 5

Apparatus for printing on a recording medium comprising, in combination: a moving element having a plurality of symbol elements coupled thereto for moving seriatim past a print station, each element being movable at said print station toward said recording medium; and actuator means including a cam member movable between a first position interposed in the path taken by said symbol elements as they are moved past said print station and a second position away from said path, responsive to a source of signals indicative of the approach of a desired one of said symbol elements to said print station for applying a force to said cam member to cause it to be moved to said first position, said force terminating before said desired symbol element is at said print station, the contact of said desired symbol element and cam surface creating opposing forces on the two elements for respectively causing said desired symbol element to be moved into contact with said recording medium and concurrently causing said cam member to be moved to said second position.

Claim 6

Apparatus for printing on a recording medium comprising, in combination: a plurality of symbol elements movable seriatim past a print station and normally biased away from said recording medium at least at said print station but movable into contact therewith: actuator means at said print station including a cam member movable between two positions the first with its cam surface positioned in the path taken by said symbol elements as they are moved past said print station and the second out of said path, but responsive to a momentary signal applied to said actuator, for causing said cam member to be moved to said first position and being arranged to contact the symbol element of said plurality of symbol elements which is next at said print station after said cam member is moved to said first position, said contact causing a force to be exerted on said next symbol element to move it into contact with said recording medium, said force from said contact concurrently causing said cam member to be moved to said second position; and means responsive to a desired one of said symbol elements being next to approach said print station for producing said signal for moving said cam member to said first position, said signal terminating before said desired symbol element is at said print station.

Claim 7

Apparatus for printing on a recording medium comprising, in combination: a plurality of symbol elements movable seriatim past a print station and normally biased away from said recording medium at least at said print station but movable into contact therewith: actuator means at said print station including a cam member movable between two positions the first with its cam surface positioned in the path taken by said symbol elements as they are moved past said print station and the second out of said path, but responsive to a momentary signal applied to said actuator, for causing said cam member to be moved to said first position and being arranged to contact the symbol element of said plurality of symbol elements which is next at said print station after said cam member is moved to said first position, said contact causing a force to be exerted on said next symbol element to move it into contact with said recording medium, said force from said contact concurrently causing said cam member to be moved to said second position; and means responsive to a desired one of said symbol elements being next to approach said print station for producing said signal for moving said cam member to said first position, said signal terminating before said desired symbol element is at said print station.

Claim 8

Apparatus for printing on a recording medium comprising, in combination: a rotatable member including a disc and a plurality of symbol elements extending through a plurality of openings in said disc near the periphery thereof and parallel to the axis of rotation thereof so that the symbol portion of each element is on one side of the disc arranged to pass serially through a print station and a projecting portion of each element is on the other side thereof, said symbol elements being biased away from but movable through said openings to said recording medium; drive means for rotating said rotatable member for moving said symbol elements seriatim past said print station, the axis of rotation being substantially normal to said recording medium at said print station; actuator means at said print station including a cam member movable, along a line generally parallel to said axis of rotation, between a first position interposed in the path occupied by said projecting portions as said symbol elements are rotated, and a second position away from said path, said actuator being responsive to a momentary signal applied thereto for causing said cam member to be moved to said first position, the surface of said cam member, when at said first position, facing said projecting portions and forming an acute angle with the plane of the path taken by said symbol elements, said cam member when in said first position being arranged so that the projecting portion of the next symbol element to come in contact therewith will thereby receive a force directed toward said recording medium to cause said next element to be moved into contact with said recording medium, an oppositely directed force being thereby applied to said cam member; and means responsive to a desired one of said symbol elements being next to approach said print station for producing said momentary signal for moving said cam member to said first position, said momentary signal terminating before said desired symbol element is at said print station, said oppositely directed force causing said cam member to be moved to said second posItion.

Claim 9

Apparatus for printing on a recording medium comprising, in combination: a rotatable member including a disc and a plurality of symbol elements extending through a plurality of openings in said disc near the periphery thereof and parallel to the axis of rotation thereof so that the symbol portion of each element is on one side of the disc arranged to pass serially through a print station and a projecting portion of each element is on the other side thereof, said symbol elements being biased away from but movable through said openings to said recording medium; drive means for rotating said rotatable member for moving said symbol elements seriatim past said print station, the axis of rotation being substantially normal to said recording medium at said print station; actuator means at said print station including a cam member movable, along a line generally parallel to said axis of rotation, between a first position interposed in the path occupied by said projecting portions as said symbol elements are rotated, and a second position away from said path, said actuator being responsive to a momentary signal applied thereto for causing said cam member to be moved to said first position, the surface of said cam member, when at said first position, facing said projecting portions and forming an acute angle with the plane of the path taken by said symbol elements, said cam member when in said first position being arranged so that the projecting portion of the next symbol element to come in contact therewith will thereby receive a force directed toward said recording medium to cause said next element to be moved into contact with said recording medium, an oppositely directed force being thereby applied to said cam member; and means responsive to a desired one of said symbol elements being next to approach said print station for producing said momentary signal for moving said cam member to said first position, said momentary signal terminating before said desired symbol element is at said print station, said oppositely directed force causing said cam member to be moved to said second posItion.

Claim 10

Apparatus for printing on a recording medium comprising, in combination: a rotatable member comprising a disc and a plurality of symbol elements each extending through a respective one of a plurality of spaced apart openings in said disc near the periphery thereof with each of said openings through said member being parallel to the axis of rotation of said member so that the symbol portion of each element is on one side of the disc, the symbols being arranged to pass serially through a print station, each symbol element having on the other side of said disc a projecting portion, said symbol elements being biased away from but movable to said recording medium at said print station; drive means for rotating said rotatable member for moving said symbol elements seriatim past said print station; actuator means at said print station including a cam member movable between a first position interposed in the path occupied by said projecting portions as said symbol elements are rotated and a second normal position away from said path, said actuator being responsive to a momentary signal applied thereto for causing said cam member to be moved to said first position the surface of said cam member when at said first position facing said projecting portions and forming an acute angle with the plane of the path taken by said symbol elements, said cam member when in said first position being arranged so that the projecting portion of the next symbol element of said plurality of symbol elements to come in contact therewith will thereby receive a force causing said element to be moved into contact with said recording medium, an oppositely directed force being thereby applied to said cam member; and means responsive to a desired one of said symbol elements being next to approach said print station for producing said momentary signal for moving said cam member to said first position, said momentary signal terminating before said desired symbol element is at said print station, said oppositely directed force causing said cam member to be moved to said second position.

Claim 11

Apparatus for printing on a recording medium comprising, in combination: a rotatable member comprising a disc and a plurality of symbol elements each extending through a respective one of a plurality of spaced apart openings in said disc near the periphery thereof with each of said openings through said member being parallel to the axis of rotation of said member so that the symbol portion of each element is on one side of the disc, the symbols being arranged to pass serially through a print station, each symbol element having on the other side of said disc a projecting portion, said symbol elements being biased away from but movable to said recording medium at said print station; drive means for rotating said rotatable member for moving said symbol elements seriatim past said print station; actuator means at said print station including a cam member movable between a first position interposed in the path occupied by said projecting portions as said symbol elements are rotated and a second normal position away from said path, said actuator being responsive to a momentary signal applied thereto for causing said cam member to be moved to said first position the surface of said cam member when at said first position facing said projecting portions and forming an acute angle with the plane of the path taken by said symbol elements, said cam member when in said first position being arranged so that the projecting portion of the next symbol element of said plurality of symbol elements to come in contact therewith will thereby receive a force causing said element to be moved into contact with said recording medium, an oppositely directed force being thereby applied to said cam member; and means responsive to a desired one of said symbol elements being next to approach said print station for producing said momentary signal for moving said cam member to said first position, said momentary signal terminating before said desired symbol element is at said print station, said oppositely directed force causing said cam member to be moved to said second position.