Patent GB-1425993-A (GB)
Title: Label writing apparatus
IPC: B41F17/10
Filed: 1973-03-22
Abstract: 1425993 Selectively printing codes RCA CORPORATION 22 March 1973 [27 March 1972] 13837/73 Heading B6F [Also in Division G4] A marking head for producing concentric circles on a label, representing an alphanumerie code comprises a plurality of marking devices arranged at different radii from a central axis 104 about which the head rotates. The marking devices may be selectively energised light or heat sources, but in the particular embodiment they comprise a plurality of retractable ball-point pens 40 with pressurised reservoirs enabling them to write with the ballpoints uppermost. Each ball-point pen is connected via a sheathed cable 142 to a respective solenoid 140. An electric motor 20 continuously rotates the head via a pulley belt 110, and, via a clutch and break mechanism (22, Fig. 1), intermittently drives a sprocket wheel (18) to advanec blank labels past the print head. During a printing cycle, firstly the solenoids 140 are selectively energised to retract certain pens against the bias of springs 136, and secondly a platen (32) is lowered. As an alternative, the marking head may be above the label blanks and have styli instead of pens. In which case, an ink ribbon 41 is provided above the platen 32 now below the labels. In all embodiments, the marking devices are arranged so that if two adjacent devices are energised or operated at the same time, their traces on the labels abut so providing a thicker code line (64, Fig. 1). Simultaneously with tracing the circles, thermal mosaic print head (72) is selectively energised to print human readable characters (74) equivalent to the code on the labels. The electric selecting signals are transmitted to the recording head by a plurality of stationary lightemitting diodes 176a-d, and received serially by a bank of energy sensing means 178, such as photo silicon controlled rectifiers (SCRs). Power for the solenoids 140 is supplied via leads 168, 170 and a slip ring 160. Electromagnets and reed relays (Fig. 5) are an alternative to the light sources 176 and the SCRs 178. The selective input is either from a manually settable source (46) (e.g. seven thumb wheel switches) or a computer source or the like (48). Switch (50) (Fig. 3) selects one or other of the input sources. Electric selective signalling (Fig. 3). The beginning of the cycle is initiated when a stud 152 is detected by a magnetic pick up 154. Thereafter a magnetic pick up 156 detects teeth of a wheel 150 attached to the casing of the rotating marking head, and supplies pulses to a counter (211). At counts of intervals of four from four to twenty eight, the seven switch positions of input (46) are serially put on line to selectively energise the energy transmitters 176a-d. The thermal matrix printer (72) is selectively energised later in the cycle at counts of intervals of ten from one hundred and ten to one hundred and seventy. At a count of two hundred and twenty, the platen is operated, and at two hundred and thirty, the clutch and brake mechanism is operated to advance the label blanks. Count two hundred and sixty resets the counter for the next cycle.