Patent GB-729064-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to a wire printer
IPC: B41J2/27
Filed: 1952-10-17
Abstract: 729,064. Selective printing machines. INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION. Oct. 17, 1952 [Nov. 8, 1951], No. 26080/52. Class 100 (4). A printing machine in which characters are formed by the selective grouping of wires of a cluster, comprises a setting device which is freed from the wires before printing so that they are longitudinally adjusted under the printing impact to result in an even impression. In the embodiment shown, sixty-three printing wires 10 are arranged in a cluster of nine rows of seven, and from this cluster the wires are fanned out in a series of guide channels in a guide assembly 13 to form a single column of wires at the control end 14. Each letter is formed from a group of wires and a number of groups may be arranged at letter-space intervals for the simultaneous printing of a line of type. The control end of each wire is coupled by a collar 66 to a second wire 64 which is frictionally engaged in a passage 62 of a bail 16 reciprocated to set the wires 10. The bail 16, moved each cycle of operation by eccentrics 18, 20 driven by gearing 130, 132, 144, 148, Fig. 8, from a motor 122, frictionally moves the wires into engagement with a code-bar 22 having a pattern of notches cut transversely across each of four sides. Thus by rotating the bar 22 four groups of notches are presented to the wires 10 and by longitudinally moving the bar 22 into twelve different positions a total of forty-eight different characters can be represented. As the bail moves all the wires 10 to the code bar those not in alignment with a notch are displaced to form the character at the printing position. The bail 16 then returns withdrawing all wires from the code-bar with the character-forming wires displaced relative to the others. Printing impression, by means of cam-operated leaf spring bail 54, now occurs and since the ends 14 are clear of the bar 22 an even impression is effected. In a modification, Fig. 36, the code-bars 22 are moved against the ends 14 of the wires 10 by shifting of their housing 68 coupled by plates 70 which are apertured for driving engagement with the eccentrics 18, 20. The bars 22 withdraw from contact with the wires just before printing to allow for the alignment of the printing ends of the wires during the impression stroke, which has to overcome the stabilizing effect of weights 78 attached to each wire. After impression the displaced wires are restored by a turned end 80 of a bail 74 coupled to the eccentrics 18, 20. Each code-bar has at its lower end a pinion 24 and is rotatively positioned by a pair of racks 26, 28 operatively connected to a bell-crank 30. This is linked to a differential adding linkage, which in response to the selective single or combined operation of electromagnets e and f from the sensing of a perforated code in a record 56, serves to position the code-bar 22 into one of its four rotary index positions. The operation of either or both electromagnets unlatches an interposer 34 positioning a depending arm 34a into the path of a bail 36 cyclically reciprocated by a cam plate 100, Fig..8. The plate 100 has cam followers 112, 114 coacting with cams 116 rotated by gearing 130, 136, 132 from the motor 122. In a similar manner the longitudinal positioning of the code-bar 22 is effected by the differential effect of linkages 42, 44, 46, 48, Fig. 1, resulting from the selective single or combined operation of electromagnets a, b, c, d. When a number of guide assemblies 13 are used in a line printer the various magnets a-f are arranged in groups of four around a central common pivot for the four armatures.