US3283876A

US3283876A - Endless ink ribbon arrangement for typewriters

Info

Publication number: US3283876A
Application number: US280503A
Authority: US
Inventors: Kern Hans
Original assignee: Siemens AG
Current assignee: Siemens and Halske AG; Siemens AG
Priority date: 1962-05-14
Filing date: 1963-05-13
Publication date: 1966-11-08
Anticipated expiration: 1983-11-08

Description

H. KERN 3,283,876 ENDLESS INK RIBBON ARRANGEMENT FOR TYPEWRITERS Nov. 8, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 13, 1963 Fig. 1

NOV. 8, 1966 KERN 3,283,876

ENDLESS INK RIBBON ARRANGEMENT FOR TYPEWRITERS Filed May 13, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,283,876 ENDLESS INK RIBBON ARRANGEMENT FOR TYPEWRITERS Hans Kern, Munich, Germany, assignor to Siemens 8:

Halske Aktiengesellschaft, Berlin and Munich, Germany, a corporation of Germany Filed May 13, 1963, Ser. No. 280,503 Claims priority, application Germany, May 14, 1962, S 79,431; May 18, 1962, S 79,494 3 Claims. (Cl. 197168) The invention disclosed herein is concerned with an arrangement of an endless ink ribbon in connection with typewriters having type carriers which are movable in the line-typing direction, the term type carrier referring to a carrier or carriage having means thereon cooperable with means associated with a staionary part of the typewriter for producing a typing imprint. In general, typewriters .of this type will normally involve one or the other of two constructions. In the first the carriage is provided with imprinting means such a printing element which is coopera-ble with a pla-tten to produce an imprint upon a receiving media such as a sheet of paper disposed therebetween. In the second construction the structure is reversed, with the imprinting elements being stationary in line typing direction with a cooperable hammer corresponding to the p-latten, being movable with the carriage from one printing position to the next. In this type of construction the imprinting elements usually are mounted on a rotatable member or members, the axis of rotation of which extends parallel to the typing direction and thus the direct-ion of movement of the carriage, with the actuation of the hammer on the latter being synchronized with the rotation of the type element whereby the hammer is actuated in selective timing with respect to the oooperable imprinting wheel or drum to effect an imprinting of a selected character. The invention will hereinafter be described in connection with such type of mechanism.

Endeavors are being made in connection with typewriters of this kind, to provide a light-weight and simple construction for the ink ribbon device or arrangement, since the ink ribbon moves along with the type carriage which should be loaded as lightly as possible.

According to the invention, the type carriage is complete-ly relieved of the load of the ink ribbon device by fixedly jo-urnalling on the housing the deflection rollers for guiding the ink ribbon as well as the drive roller which inks the ribbon.

According to another feature of the invention, the shaft of the drive roller for the ink ribbon is intermittently stopped, depending upon the transport of the type carriage, and is coupled with a roller which guides the cable for the type carriage, the stopping being preferably effected upon the advance transport of the type carriage and the coupling with the driven cable guide roller being carried out upon the return transport of the type carriage, whereby the ink ribbon and the type carriage are transported with the same speed, and within the region of the ink ribbon fork, disposed on the type carriage, in the same direction. Coiled springs are preferably used to serve as coupling elements.

In such arrangement, the type carriage moves upon advance thereof step-by-ste-p past the stationary ink ribbon; upon return transport of the type carriage, the ink ribbon is advanced with the same speed and in the same direction as the type carriage and is inked by the drive roller. A relative motion between the ink ribbon and the ink ribbon fork, disposed on the type carriage, is in this manner avoided incident to fast return transport of the type carriage. The ink ribbon is thereby protected against wear.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the ink ribbon is in the region of the typing operation guided over two deflection rollers and along two substantially parallel disposed resilient leaf springs extending perpendicularly to the typing plane. These leaf springs effect, incident to the typing operation, an equalization of the ink ribbon longitudinally thereof while avoiding the influence of the masses involved. The deformation of the ink ribbon, at the point of typing, which is with known ribbon forks caused by the necessary length equalization of the ribbon and constitutes another cause for the wear of the ribbon, is thereby avoided.

According to a further feature of the invention, the leaf springs and the two deflection rollers are disposed in common upon a bracket which is pivotally displaceable about a fixed axis, the pivotal axis being preferably arranged in the plane of motion of the ink ribbon. The ink ribbon is in this manner not deformed incident to its raising and lowering with respect to the point of typing, and its edges are protected against wear.

Further details of the invention will appear from the description of an embodiment which is rendered below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of .an ink ribbon guiding device constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention with a schematically indicated ink rib-bon fork; and

FIG. 2 illustrates another embodiment of an ink ribbon guidance device constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention and shown only within the area of typing.

Referring now to FIG. 1, numeral 1 indicates an endless ink ribbon which is guided over rollers 2, such rollers being journal-led at points fixed in the irame or 1 ousing and being driven and inked by a drive roller 3, the latter being held on a shaft 4. A roller 5 which guides the cable of the transport of the type carriage and which has the same diameter as the ribbon drive roller 3, is rotatably journalled on the shaft 4. The shaft 4 is coupled to the guide roller 5 by releasable means comprising a clutch spring 6 which embraces the shaft 4, one end of such spring being anchored in the cable guide roller 5. Further releasable means comprisingspring 7 which embraces the shaft 4 in the same direction of winding as the spring 6, is with one end thereof anchored in a housing part. The sense of rotation of the clutch springs 6, 7, which operate in known manner, is such that the spring 6 opens incident to counterclockwise rotation of the cable guide roller 5, that is, when the type carriage 8 with the ink ribbon fork 9 moves in advance direction, While the clutch spring 7 closes upon an attempt of the shaft 4 to rotate, thus arresting rotation of the shaft and therewith arresting rotation of the ribbon drive roller 3 and the motion of the ink ribbon 1. Upon rotation of the cable guide roller 5 in clockwise direct-ion, that is, incident to the carriage return transport by action of the cable 5, the clutch spring 6 will clutch the shaft, 4, the spring 7 will open and the roller 5 will effect rotation of the shaft 4 and therewith rotation of the ink ribbon drive roller 3, thus causing the ink ribbon .to move. The ink ribbon 1 and the ink ribbon fork 9, which is arranged on the type carriage 8, will move with the same speed and the same direction of motion owing to the same direction of rotation of the ribbon drive roller 3 and the cable guide roller 5, which have the identical diameter.

An ink ribbon arrangement in the region of printing will now be described with reference to FIG. 2 which illustrates a second embodiment of the present invention. The printing is effected by means of a hammer 11 cooperating with a type drum (not shown), which is arranged in back of the recording media such as the writing paper illustrated.

A bracket 12 is disposed on the carriage 18 for the printing hammer 11, for pivotal motion about the axis 16, such bracket being provided with resilient leaf springs 13 extending therefrom in parallel relationship perpendicularly to .the printing plane, and having secured thereto deflection rollers 14, for guiding the ink ribbon '1, the leaf springs exerting resilient pressure on the ink ribbon. The pivot axis 16 of the bracket 12 and therewith also the axis of the deflection rollers 14, extends in the plane of the ink ribbon moving into and from the device. The leaf springs 13 are at the free ends thereof which lie near the printing hammer 11, slight-1y arched so as to guide the ink ribbon properly. If desired, the leaf springs may be provided with ears 17, shown in connection with one of .the leaf springs, to guide the ribbon. The rib-bon guide comprising the members 12, 13, 14 is, during the typing or printing of a symbol, moved upwardly by the motion of the type hammer 11. Owing to the arrangement of the pivot 16 in the plane of the ink ribbon 1, there does not occur any deformation during the raising and lowering thereof, and no stress is accordingly placed on the edges of the ribbon.

As shown in FIG. 1, the endless ink ribbon 1 is preferably guided over the drive and inking roller 3 for motion in the direction indicated by arrows. If desired in a given case, the ribbon may be arranged for motion in a direction opposite to the indicated direction. The drive for the type carriage and for the inking roller 3 may be with the aid of simple means so modified that the peripheral speed of such roller and therewith the speed of the ink ribbon in the region of the ribbon fork, is equal to the speed of the type carriage and thus equal to the speed of the ribbon fork.

Minor changes may be made with respect to the journalling of the bracket 12 so as to adapt the ribbon guide, described in connection with FIG. 2, for use in known typewriters operating with -a type basket.

Changes may be made within the scope and spirit of the appended claims which define what is believed to be new and desired to have protected by letters Patent.

1 claim:

1. An ink ribbon mechanism for a typewriter having a frame, a carriage mounted on said firame and movable relative to said frame along a typing line in a line-typing direction and a return direction and means for supporting an ink-receiving medium, comprising an endless ink ribbon having a portion thereof disposed at a typing position;

ribbon inking and driving means including a drive rollor for said ribbon means mounted on said carriage for supporting said ribbon in the typing position;

means operatively connected with said drive roller for effecting rotation thereof and movement of said ribbon with movement of said ribbon supporting means with respect to said medium supporting means dur ing movement of said carriage in the return direction; and means operatively connected with said drive roller for preventing rotation thereof and preventing movement of said ribbon relative to said medium supporting means during movement of said carriage in the typing direction, whereby relative movement takes place between said ribbon and said ribbon supporting means only during movement of said carriage in the typing direction.

2. The ink ribbon mechanism as defined in claim 1 including a drive shaft journalled on said frame, said drive roller fixedly mounted on said shaft, said rotation elfecting means including a first clutch spring engaging said drive shaft and means for rotating said first clutch spring.

3. The ink ribbon mechanism as defined in claim 2 wherein said rotation preventing means includes a second clutch spring engaging said drive shaft and secured to said frame.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 860,296 7/1907 Hopkins 19752 1,083,580 1/1-914 Zenke l97-17 X 1,547,150 7/1925 Von Pein 197168 X 1,947,730 2/ 19 34 Mosfellt et al. 197-168 X 1,958,764 5/1934 Mosfelt et a1. 197168 2,214,414 9/1940 Myers 19715-3 2,214,415 9/1940 Kittel 197153 2,217,180 10/1940 Noonan 197153 2,246,195 6/1941 Sweeney 197-16'8 X 2,462,132 2/ 1 949 Sol-mon 19753 2,475,336 7/1949 Petz 197-468 2,747,718 5/1956 May 197170 X 2,803,331 8/1957 Berill 19715 3 2,831,424 4/1958 -Ma cD0na'ld 19749 X 2,864,482 1 2/1958 Augustin l9749 2,879,876 3/1959 Palmer et al 197-52 X 2,919,002 12/1959 Palmer l97-16 2,919,008 12/1959 Whippo 197157 3,042,174 7/ 1962 Howard 197--168 X 3,050,172 8/1962 Londeberg 197168 ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner.

P. WILLIAMS, E. S. BURR, Assistant Examiners.

Claims

1. AN INK RIBBON MECHANISM FOR A TYPEWRITER HAVING A FRAME, A CARRIAGE MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME AND MOVABLE RELATIVE TO SAID FRAME ALONG A TYPING LINE IN A LINE-TYPING DIRECTION AND A RETURN DIRECTION AND MEANS FOR SUPPORTING AN INK-RECEIVING MEDIUM, COMPRISINMG AN ENDLESS INK RIBBON HAVING A PORTION THEREOF DISPOSED AT A TYPING POSITION; RIBBON INKING AND DRIVING MEANS INCLUDING A DRIVE ROLLER FOR SAID RIBBON MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID CARRIAGE FOR SUPPORTING SAID RIBBON IN THE TYPING POSITION; MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH SAID DRIVE ROLLER FOR EFFECTING ROTATION THEREOF AND MOVEMENT OF SAID RIBBON WITH MOVEMENT OF SAID RIBBON SUPPORTING MEANS WITH RESPECT TO SAID MEDIUM SUPPORTING MEANS DURING MOVEMENT OF SAID CARRIAGE IN THE RETURN DIRECTION; AND MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH SAID DRIVE ROLLER FOR PREVENTING ROTATION THEREOF AND PREVENTING MOVEMENT OF SAID RIBBON RELATIVE TO SAID MEDIUM SUPPORTING MEANS DURING MOVEMENT OF SAID CARRIAGE IN THE TYPING DIRECTION, WHEREBY RELATIVE MOVEMENT TAKES PLACE BETWEEN SAID RIBBON AND SAID RIBBON SUPPORTING MEANS ONLY DURING MOVEMENT OF SAID CARRIAGE IN THE TYPING DIRECTION.