CA1089294A - Portable label printing device - Google Patents
Portable label printing deviceInfo
- Publication number
- CA1089294A CA1089294A CA256,865A CA256865A CA1089294A CA 1089294 A CA1089294 A CA 1089294A CA 256865 A CA256865 A CA 256865A CA 1089294 A CA1089294 A CA 1089294A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- wheel
- wheels
- type
- array
- indicating
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65C—LABELLING OR TAGGING MACHINES, APPARATUS, OR PROCESSES
- B65C11/00—Manually-controlled or manually-operable label dispensers, e.g. modified for the application of labels to articles
- B65C11/02—Manually-controlled or manually-operable label dispensers, e.g. modified for the application of labels to articles having printing equipment
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
- B41K—STAMPS; STAMPING OR NUMBERING APPARATUS OR DEVICES
- B41K5/00—Plier-like tools for stamping, or stamping and delivering, tickets or the like
- B41K5/02—Plier-like tools for stamping, or stamping and delivering, tickets or the like with means for varying the image stamped
- B41K5/026—Plier-like tools for stamping, or stamping and delivering, tickets or the like with means for varying the image stamped having adjustable type-carrying wheels
Landscapes
- Labeling Devices (AREA)
- Displays For Variable Information Using Movable Means (AREA)
- A Measuring Device Byusing Mechanical Method (AREA)
Abstract
PORTABLE LABEL PRINTING DEVICE
Abstract of the Disclosure A printing device for a portable label printing machine: The printing device is of the type in which the indicating wheels that both choose the types to be printed and that indicate the chosen types are arranged in a row on a common axis and the type wheels that carry the types to be printed and that are connected with the indicating wheels to be moved thereby are also arranged on another common axis and all of the wheels are located between side -frames of the printing device; an indexing shaft having a selector knob is slid along the axis of and through the indicating wheels;
the indexing shaft carries a pinion which engages the interior of the selected indicating wheel to rotate that wheel; the indicating wheels are supported around their peripheries in a blind hole formed in one of the side frames. In a modified embodiment, the axially slidable indexing shaft that rotates the indicating wheels and the selector knob for rotating the indexing shaft are automatically moved into the body of the printing device after type selection; the indexing shaft comprises a hollow tubular body, the hollow portion of which is provided with a spring mechanism so as to urge the indexing shaft into the indicating wheels.
Abstract of the Disclosure A printing device for a portable label printing machine: The printing device is of the type in which the indicating wheels that both choose the types to be printed and that indicate the chosen types are arranged in a row on a common axis and the type wheels that carry the types to be printed and that are connected with the indicating wheels to be moved thereby are also arranged on another common axis and all of the wheels are located between side -frames of the printing device; an indexing shaft having a selector knob is slid along the axis of and through the indicating wheels;
the indexing shaft carries a pinion which engages the interior of the selected indicating wheel to rotate that wheel; the indicating wheels are supported around their peripheries in a blind hole formed in one of the side frames. In a modified embodiment, the axially slidable indexing shaft that rotates the indicating wheels and the selector knob for rotating the indexing shaft are automatically moved into the body of the printing device after type selection; the indexing shaft comprises a hollow tubular body, the hollow portion of which is provided with a spring mechanism so as to urge the indexing shaft into the indicating wheels.
Description
1(~89Z94 PORTABLE LABEL PRINTING DEVICE
BacXground of the Invention and DescriPtion of the Prior Art This invention relates to a printing device which can be ~ounted on a portable label printing and applying machine, a price tag printing and attaching machine, or the like.
~189Z94 l~lore particularly, the invent;on relates to a print-ing device in which a plurality of type wheels arc arranged side-by-side on a common axis and a plurality of indicating wheels, each corresponding to, paire~ with and in engagement ~ith a respective type wheel, are arranged sicle-l-y-sidc on a second common axis. The arrays of type and indicating wheels are supported in the space bet~een a frame comprise~l of a pair of side frames. An indexing shaft, having a selector ~nbb pro-jecting from one of the side frames, extends along the direction of the aligned axes of the indicating wheels. The indexing shaft is slid along the axes of the in~licating wheels so as to select and engage a particular indicating ~heel. Upon rotation of the indexing shaft, the selected indicating wheel and the correspollclillg typo wllcel ~re rotatcd to a plrtic~tlar prillt pOSitiOII.
~lany dcvices oE thc descril)ed ty~e arc in ~Ise, See, for example, U.S. Patents 4,055,118, issued to the applicant hereo~ on ()ctober 25, 1977 and 4,018,157, issued to the applicant hereof on ~pril 19, 1977. One exampie of such a printing device from the prior art is deScribecl in the description belo~ of a preferred embo(liment.
In one prior arrangement, the indexing shaft passes throu~h a sllpporting sleeve. The shaEt has a pinion attached on it. The teeth of the pinion engage and rotate each selected indicatillg wheel. The supporting sleeve has axial grooves to permit the pinion teeth to project through and to engage the indicating wheels. Necessarily, the rotatioll of the in~lexing sl~aft corrcspondingly rotatcs the slcevc tllrollgh WhiC]I the pinion tcctll project.
Forming the sleeve to bc strong cnougll to support the shaft limits tl~c numl)er o~ axial groovcs tlle slecve m.ay ~ ~j z 108~99~
have. This, in turn, limits the number of tceth o~ the pinion. A smaller number of teeth are each under greater stress and are more likely to be damaged through use. Also~
axial shifting of the indexing shaft through ~he indicating wheels to bring the pinion to a particular indicating wheel is inhibited by -friction between the indexing shaft and the sleeve. Furthër, rotation of the indexing sha-ft to rotate the pinion together with the sleeve is inhibited because the sleeve rubs and is frictionally retarded by its contact with all of the indicating wheels not then being rotated by the pinion.
Once the indexing shaft has been rotated to rotate th~e pinion and khe corresponding indicating wheel, the shat and its opcrating knob are project:ing out oE the sidc ~rame.
~specially when the indicating ~heel that has been rotated is near to the side frame from which the indexing shaft projects, the shaft is projecting out quite far and is liable to be bent or damaged by or to cause damage by contact-ing other objects, by the labeler being dropped, etc. It is desirable to shift the shaft away rom such a vulnerable position.
Ill order to avoid the abovc mentioned problem, operators must always move the indexing sha~t and its knob fully into the printing device by axially pushing the selector knob into the printing device after completion of type selection. However, operators o~ten forget to push in the sel~ctor knob and thus the projecting indexing shaft is sometimes damaged.
lQ89~94 Brief Summary of the Invention The primary object o-f the present invention is to provide an improvecl printing device ~hich eases the selection of types to be printed.
It is another objec-t of the invention to ease the rotation of the lndicating wheels that both indicate the types to be printed and rotate the type wheels carrying the - types.
It is a -fur*her object of the invention to ease the axial shifting of the indexing shaEt o-f the indicating wheels. ~ -It is yet another object o-f the invention to simplify the structurc and manu~acture oE a print:lng device.
It :is st:ill another object o~ the pres~nt invention to provide a printing device in which thos~ e:Lemen~s that cause selection of the types to be printed, including the indexing shaft, the selector knob, and other elements asso-ciated with or connected to these, are protected against damaging contact with other objects.
It is another object o the invent:lon that the type moving elem~nts automatically slide into the body of printing dcvice a~t~r the selcction o~ type~.
'rhe printing devicc of the present in~ntion is o~
the kind described above. ~anipulation of a selec*or knob selectively rotates one of the indicating ~heels and its corresponding type wheel so as to move a selected type -formed on the selected type ~heel to a printing position, In the present invention~ one of tXe side -rames o-f the frame o the printing device has a blind hole ~ormed in it to receive the indicating wheels in a side-by-side array. A ~indow is ormed in the upper por-tion of that siae 9~94 frame. Indicia on the indica-ting wheel are visible through the wlndo-~. An opening is ormed on the lo~er side o~ that side frame for enabling engagement bet~lecn ~he indicating wheels and the types ~lhich ale supportecl on the type wheels.
The indicating wheels have ex~ernal gear teetll around their peripheries. The peripheries o-~ the indicating ~heels, and particularly the^~tooth crests o:E the external gear teeth~
are in contact ~ith and are supported for rotation by the inner wall o the blind hole. The teeth o~ each indicating wheel are also i~ engagement through the opening at the bottom side of the blind hole with corresponding teeth on the respective type ~heel.
Th~ index:ing shaft is supported by clnd proj~cts through one side frame oE the printing device. The shaEt has a pro-filed, toothed or involutely curved pinion at its free end. There are indexing grooves spaced axially along the middle portion of the indexing sha-ft. ~n indicating member to indicate ~hich indicating wheel the pinion is - engaging is connected to move with the indexing shaft.
selector knob is attached to the end portion of the indexing sh~ft that projects outside the one side frame.
Each indicating wheel has an opening through its center ~hich is defined by a pro~iled, toothed or involutedly curved side wall. The pinion on the ind~xing shaft is similarly shaped to but not quite as large in the cross section as the opening through the indicating wheel. This leaves a small space between the involute curves oE the internal gear teeth oE the indicating wheels and the^external teeth o~ the pinion. Thus~ the pinion can pass -fTeely through the opening through every indicating ~rheeL ~hen the pinion and the inclicating ~heel a~e in selected respective 10~9Z94 rotative positions such that their curved profiles are generally shaped. The pinion engages only the single indicating wheel that the pinion happens to be inside when the pinion is rotated.
Then the teeth of the pinion and the internal gear teeth of that indicating wheel engage through rotation of the selector knob.
The indexing shaft is slid by its selector knob along the common axis of the indicating wheels to move the pinion into engagement with the internal gear teeth of a selected indicating wheel. Then the type wheel which is in engagement with the selected indicating wheel is rotated, thereby moving a ~esired type on the type wheel to the printing position.
Thus the invention comprehends a printing device for a labeling machine. The printing device comprises a first array of wheels arranged side-by-side on a first common axis, a frame for supporting the first array oE wheels and wherein the wheels o~ the first array each have an en~ageable periphery. The printing device urther comprises a second array oE type wheels arranged side-by-side on a second common axis, and all the type wheels are supported on the frame. Each of the type wheels is provided with a respective set of imprintable types. Each type wheel has a periphery that is engageable with the periphery of a wheel of the first array such that rotation of the wheel of the first array rotates the respective type wheel. Each set of types is attached to a respective type whecl and can be moved to place a different type at a print position by means of rotation of the corresponding type wheel. A11 the wheels of the first array have a respective central opening therethrough. Each central opening has a respective first cross-section and is defined by a respective profiled surface having a respective first profile. The central openings are on the common axis.
The printing device also comprises an indexing shaft extending into the frame and adapted and shaped to pass through and be slidable through all the central openil-gs. A pinioll Ol~ the shâft has a second cross-section that is smaller than all the respective first cross-sections. The pinion has a second 10~9Z94 profile that is adapted to engage any of the respective first profiled surfaces at a first rota-tive orientation o~ the pinion and to be completely disengaged from that firs-t profiled surface at a different, second rotative orientation of the pinion. The second orientation of the plnion is such that there is a clearance space between the pinion and the first profiled surface of the wheel in which the pinion is then located. The frame comprises a side frame extending axially the width of the first array of wheels. The side frame has a blind hole therein defined by a side wall and extending axially of the wheels. 'l'he first array of wheels all sit in and are guided for rotation by the side wall of the blind hole. The blind hole side wall and the periphery of all the first array wheels are respectively profiled such that the first array wheels are supported by their peripheries in the blind hole for rotation around their axis.
~n opening in the blind hole side wall enables enyayement between each first array wheel and its respective type whee~.
Further in a modified embodiment of the invention, after the indexing shaft and the selector ~llob lla~e be~n mo~fed along the direction of the axis of the indicating wheels and the selected indicating wheel has been rotated, they are automatically drawn by appropriate biasing means toward the body of the printing device so as not to obstruc-t the opcration oE
label application, thereby preventing damage caused by the projecting indexing shaft.
In one version, a hollow tubular indexing sllaEt is used.- The hollow in the indexing shaft has a spring device in it which always urges the indexing shaft into the printing device and through all of the aligned internal gear teeth of the indicating wheels.
Brief Description of the Drawings In order that the invention may be more fully understood, preferred embodiments are now described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
-6a-C
~8gZ94 Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one preferred embodiment of printing device of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the first embodiment of the printing device taken along the line II-II in Fig. 3;
Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the first embodiment of the printing device taken along the line III-III
in Fig. 2;
Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing parts of the printing device, namely the side frame having a blind hole, an indicating wheel and an indexing shaft;
Fig. 5 is a side view partially in cross-section of parts of the printing device, namely an indicating wheel and an indexing shaEt taken along the line V-V in Fig. 27 Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the upper main part of Fig. 2;
Fig. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the upper main part of Fig. 3 in one operative condition;
Fig. 8 is an enlarc3ed cross-sectional view of the main part of Fig. 5;
Fig. 9 is also an enlarged cross-sectional view of a Eragment of Fig. 7 showing the elements in a different operative condition;
Fig. 10 is a central cross-sectional view of a printing device in the prior art, appearing with Fig. 6;
Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the prior art printing device taken along the line XI-XI in Fig. 10, with Fig. 6;
Fig. 12 is a schematic side elevation view of a label printing and applying machine which may be provided with any of the embodiments of the printing device of the present invention;
:~089Z94 .
Fig. 13 is a front elevation view of the label printing and applying machine o-f ~ig. 12;
Fig. 1~ is a perspective view oE a second preferred embodiment of the prin-ting device o-f the present invention;
Fig. 15 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the second embodiment of the printing device taken along the line XV-XV in Fig. 19;
- Fig. 16 is a vertical cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 15, but with the printlng device in a di-ferent operative condition;
Pig. 17 is an exploded perspective view of some oE
the elements of the second embodiment o~ the printing dev~ce~
namely, a side frame, an indicatin~ wheel, an indexing shaft and means Eor shi~ting the shaEt;
Fig. 18 is a vertical cross sectional view of part of a modified version oE the second embodiment of ~he printing device o-E the invention;
Pig. 19 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the second embodiment o the printing head taken along tlle line XIX-XIX in Fig. 15;
Pig. 20 is an enlarged cross-sectional vie~;of a ~ragment oE the printing dev:ice in one operati~e conclition;
Fig. 21 is an enlarged cross-sectional view oE the upper main part of Fig. 19; and Fig. 22 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a ~ragment of Fig. 20 showing the elements in a dif-Eerent operative condition.
; Detailed Description of an Embodiment oE the Prior Art Refer to-Figs. lO and 11. There is a pair of side frames lOl and 102. A tubular sleeve 104 e~tends across the space between and is attached to these frames. Sleeve 104 .. , . .. , . ~ . .... .
~089Z9~
has elongated longitudinally cxtending grooves 103 dcfincd in it. A plurality of indicating wheels 106 are arranged side-by-side and axially aligned between frames 101 and 102.
Each wheel 106 has internal gear teeth 105. Wheels 106 are -fitted over the outer surace o-f the sleeve 104. Approprlate detent means keep the internal gear teet]l o the wheels 106 axially ~ligned to permit axial shifting of below describea indexing sha-ft 108.
An elongated indexing sha~t 108 is insertcd through the inner bore of the sleeve 104. The indexing shat 108 has one or two radial projections 107 located at its tip end. The projections 107 have'an axial length no greater than tha~ oE an ind:icating wheel 106. Th~ projections pass th~ough grooves 103 oE sleev~ 10~. Ro~tion o~ sha~t 108 thus ro~ates sleeve 10~. The projections 107 are ~uided or axial motion by the elongated grooves 103. The projections 107 extend into engagement with the internal gear teeth 105 o~ the indicating wheel 106 in which the projections are then pos,itioned. The indexing shaft 108 has a selector knob 109 at its end. The shat 108 is slid axially through the array oE indicating ~heels 106 so as to position projections 107 :in ~ de5ired indicating ~heel 106. The s~leckor ~nob 109 is then rotated and this rotates the selected indicating wheel 106 by the engagement between the projections 107 and gear teeth 105.
A corresponding type wheel 110 is in engagement with,the selected rotated indicating wheel 106. Rotation of wheel 106 rotates the type wheel 110 and thereby selects a desired type 111.
In the above described prior art printing device, when the indexing shat lOS is slid through th~ -inner bore .. . . . .. ... .... . . ..
~089Z94 of the sleeve 104, there is friction bet~een the outer surface oE the inde~ing shaft 108 and the înner sur-face of the sleeve 104. ~s a result, it is difficult to mo~ the indexing sha-ft 108 axially. In addition, the raclially inwardly ~rojecting tooth crests of internal g~ar -~eeth 105 of the other indicating wheels lOG that are not in engagement with the projections 107 are in contact with the outer surface of the sleeve 104. The rotation of the selector knob 109 and shaft 108 to select a type is retarded because ' 10 there is resistance to rotation of the sleeve 104.
Furthe~more, the indexing sha-ft 108 has axially spaced apart, narro~ cross-section, annular indexing grooves 112 which are engaged by a det~nt means ll3. The spacing of grooves 11~ positions projections 107 only l~ho'lly within a wheel 106. The grooves 112 increase the resistance to the i sliding movement of the indexing shaft 108. The indexing shaft 108 is liable to be broken.
Still further, since the number of projections 107 is usually restricted to one or two7 the projections 107 are often damaged by wear or rough handling. In addition, to impart stre~gth to the sleeve 10~, it is made Erom stainless steel p-;pe, or the lik~, which is expensive and inexp'~dien~
Eor mass production.
Detailed Descr:iption of a First'Pre:Eerred Embodiment -Referring to Figs. 1-~ a first preferred embodiment '' o-f the printing device oE the present invention is described.
The printing device includes a pair of spaced apart side Erames 1 and 2. The side frame 1 integrally supports on one side a side Erame body ~ having a circular blind hole 3 formed in it (Fig. ~) that e~tends at least the axial length of the belo~ described array of indicating wheels 7. Hole 3 is def;ned by its inside Jall 39. There are recesses ~not shown) formed in the inside face of the other siae -frame 2 to receive the projections 5 and 6 ormed on the frame body 4 and to properly orient the side ~rames with respect to each other. The side frame 2 is secured to the frame body 4 by means of respective set sc-rews (not shown). At the upper end o-f the blin~^hole 3, there is an indicating windo~ 8, through which several rows of indicia 37 formed on the peripheral surfaces of indicating wheels 7 may be observed.
1~ At the lower end o-f the blind hole 3, there is a large opening 12, through which the external gear teekh g of the indicating wheels 7 communicate with the external gear teeth 11 o~ type wheels 10.
A plurality o~ same size indicating wheels 7, each carrying visible indicia 37 that correspond to respec-tive types on the corresponding type wheels, are arrayed side-by-side on a common axis in the blind hole 3. The indicating wheels 7 each have external, outwaTdly projecting gear teeth 9 with outer ends or crests 38. All the indicating wheels 7 are supported by the engagement between the tooth c-rests 3~
o~ ~he external gear teeth 9 of indicatlng wheels 7 and the inside ~all 39 of the blind hole 3. ThereEore, the indicating wheels 7 can be rotated easily with negligible Erictional resistance.
A central opening is ~ormed in each indicating wheel 7. The opening is surroullded by and de-fined by gear teeth 25, which are ln the iIlustrated form of involute curves. All central openings are o-f the same shape and size. By means described below, except when an indicating wheel 7 is being rotated, all of the gear teeth of all of wheels 7 are aligned axially.
1015~9Z99~
wider bearin~ hole 13 is bored in side -rame 1 and a narrower through hole 14 is bored in the other side frame 2. The holes 13 and 14 are concentric with the ~uch wider blind hole 3. Aligned holes 22 and 23 are formed in the lo~er parts of the -frames 1 and Z for receiving a support-ing shaft l9. Shaft 19 is secured at the holes 22 and 2~
with the respecfive screws 20 and 21. The sha-ft 19 passes-through and carries a large diameter supporing drum 18 for the type wheels 10.
10 . As shown at the left in Pigs. 2 and 4, an indexing shaft.24 passes through and is supported by the wall o* the side frame l surrounding bearing hole 13. The ind~xing shaEt 2~ is inserted through tlle central openings in the a~.igned ind:icating wheols 7. Th~ ind~xing sha.~t 2~ ~nd the central openings through wheels 7 are shaped and s.ized so as i . to leave a clearance space 42 ~Figs. 7 and 8) between the outer surace 43 of shaft 24 and the internal gear teeth 25 of indicating wheels 7.
Along the middle portion o~ the îndexing shat 24, a plurality.of axially spaced, annular indexin~ grooves 27 aro ~ormed. They ar~ spaced apart the same distance as the indicating wheels 7.
As sho~m in Figs. 2, 4 and 7, a toothed pinion 26 is formed a-t the free end of thc indexing shaft 2~. The involute curves 41 of the teeth of the pinion 26 are corres-pondingly shaped to and are positioned in t~e corresponding involute curves 40 of the internal gear teeth 25 o~ an indicating wheel 7. The shaping of pinion 26 and all gear teeth 25 is such as to leave the small spacc 42 (Pig. 7) between the gear teeth 25, 41 before the gear teeth 25, 41 are engaged together (engagement sho~n in Pig. 9).
. -l2-... , . ~ .. . . . . . . .
1089~:94 The side frame l.has a small blind hole 15 which is perpendicular to and extends away from the bearing hole 13. A steel ball 29 is held in the blind hole 15. Ball 29 is urged out of hole 15 by a helical spring 28 behind the ball. The sha:Et 24 is axially shi~table through -the indi-cating wheels 7. The steel ball 29 is brought into engagement with the indexin~ groove 27 on the indexing shat 24 that is then beneath hole 15. By appropriate placement of hole 15 with respect to grooves 27, axial positioning of the pinion .
I0 26 wholly inside only one indicating wheel at a time is .attained.
Square shaped apertures 17 are ~ormed in the side rames 1 and 2 or receiving an indicating member 16. The indicating member 16 is rotatably supported on and axially aixed on the end of the indexing shat 24 which projects from the side frame 1. Thus, the indicating member 16 shifts axially with the shaft 24, but the sha-ft is able to rotate while the member 16 does not rotate. The indicating member passes through and is thus restrained rom r~tation by the apertures 17 in the side rame 1.
At the outside of the indicatin~ member 16, the ind~xing shat 24 is provided with a selector knob 30. When the selector knob 30 is mo~ed in the axial direction of the indexing sha~t 24, the shat is moved together with the indicating member 16 so as to move the pinlon 26 into a selected indicating wheel 7. The sha~t 24 is then.rotated about its axis by the selector knob 30 until a selec~ed indicium on the wheel 7 appears at the window.~. ~
One side edge o~ the indicating member 16 is provided with an arrow 31 that is axially ali~ned with the pinion 26. Arrow 31 points to the indicating wheel 7 whose indicia are to be sclected and in which the pinion 26 is engageable with the internal gear teeth 25. The indicating member 16 is guided by the grooves 32 o~ the frame body 4 and thus it is slidable across the indicating windo~Y 8.
There is a set of types 33 connected to move with each indicating ~iheel and movable to shi~t a different type to a print posi~i~on as -the indicating wlleel rotates. Each set of types is associated with a type wheel 10, whîch is, in turn, associated with each indicating ~heel 7. Each type wheel is provided ~n its periphery ~ith a series of types 33 to be printed. Alternatively, a stamp belt carrying the series o types to be printed is wrapped about the type wheel and its corresponding indicating ~Yheel or about the type,wheel alone. Bach type ~heel has an enlarged diameter opening through its center~ which is defined by a toothed or plural recessed side wall having recesses 34 in it. The number of recesses 34 corresponds to the number o* imprinting types 33 on type wheel 10, and each recess 34 is so placed with respect to its corresponding type 33 as to assure each type w;ll only stop with precision'at its print position.
~s shown in Fig. 2, ad~acent to the series of types on each type wheel 10 al~e the exkernal peripheral gear teeth 11, which are shaped, spaced and positioned to be in continuous meshing engagement ~Yith the e~ternal gear teeth 9, 38 o-E the corresponding indicati,ng ~heel. The opening 12' at the bottom of the side frame 4 and side wall 39 provides access for this engagement. Rotation of an ind;cating l~heel 7 causes corresponding rotation of the respective type ~Yheel 10 .
There is a device for establishing the rotative ~os;tion o-~ each type ~heel to assure that it stops only at 10~9Z9~
a discrete position ~ith a type at a print position. This device comprises detent means ~or properly positioning each type wheel only at print position.s. O.n the periphery o-E
supporting drum I8 is defined a series of blind holes 56, each placed to be ~ithin a respective type wheel 10. In each blind hole 56 is a steel ball 35 ~hich is urged out of the hole by the"helical spring 36 and into engagement with' a recess 34. The rotational positioning of each type wheel 10 so that a type on or supported thereby is securely in a print position is accomplished by the engagement o~ one of the steel balls 3~ i~ith one o the recesses 34 oE the type wheel 10. It is apparent that the pos.i.tions o~ the r~cesses 3~ o a type wheel w:ith respect to its types 33 and with respect to its ball 35 are selected so that that ~heel is positioned wit~ a type in the print position. Concurrently ' with'this positioning o-f type wheel 10, the involute'curves 40 of the internal gear teeth 25 of the corresponding indi-cating wheel 7 are aligned in parallel to the axis of the indexing shaft 24 and are aligned with each other along the axis o shaft 24. Thus, the same shaped space 42 is formed between the involute curves 41 of the pin;on 26 and the interior o~ every -lheel 7, as sho~n in Fig. 7. The orienta-tions of all of the indicating ~heels are related such that the involute curves 40 o-f internal gear teeth 25 of all indicating wheels 7 are all al:igned, creating a common, aligned, axially elongated free space 42. Because of the existence of the aligned free spaces 42 in l~heels 7, the pinion 26 can be easily moved through the aligned spaces 42 ~long the axis of the indexing shaft 24 through axial shifting of that shat with'almost no ~rictional resistance. ~xial shifting of shaft 24 is deterred only by the resistance to ... .... . .. . .. .. .. . . . . . , .. , .. . .. , . . ., .. . ~ ., .. , .. ... . . . .. _ .. . .. .. . . . . . . . .
. _ = .__ .... . .. ..
1089Z~9L
.
its motion caused by the spring actuated ball 29 engaging an indexing groove 27 and the Eorce of spring 28 having to be overcome. The pinion 26 can be accurately axially shifted to be in mesh Wi~ll the internal gear teeth 25 of only one indicating wheel 7 because o-f the certain positiolling resulting -from the steel ball 29 being in a respective indexing groove 27.
To select a desired type on a particular -type wheel, knob 30 is axially shifted until the arrol~ 31 of the indicating member 16 points to that indicating wheel which is then in engagement. with the type wheel to be rotated.
The corresponding pinion 26 is thereby shiEted into the in~ernal gcar teeth 25 oE ~he ind:icating whee:L 7 to be rotated. The involute curves ~1 around the pinion 26 and the involute curves 40 of internal gear teeth 25 o~ *he indicating wheel 7 still have not contacted each o-ther, leaving the space 42 (Fig. 7).
Next, as shown in Fig. 9, the selector ~nob 30 is rotated. This causes the pinion to close the space 42 to engage the curves ~0 oE gear teeth 25 and to rotate the s~lccted indicaking wheel 7, which is in enga~ement witll the gear teeth of the pinion 26, until a desired indicium 37 appears at the indicaking ~indow 8. Because oE the connection between the selected indicating wheel 7 and its kype ~heel, the type 33 on the type wheel 10, ~hich corresponds to the viewable indicium at windo~ ~, is moved to the print pOSition.
In the foregoing type selection operation-, because the indicating wheels 7 are held within the blind hole 3 and wheels 7 are supported by the contact betl~een the tooth crests 38 o:E external ge~r teeth 9 of the ;ndicat;ng wheels 7 and the inside wall 39 oE the hole 3, as showll in Figs. 2 1089Z9~
and 7, the selected indicating ~rheel 7 can be rotated l~ithout difficulty~ ~ur~her, because tlle steel ball 35 is urged into all of the recesses 34 of the type ~Jheel 10, iIl turn, the types 33 on the type ~heel 10 can be stopped ~t their proper position. ~Yith this action, the indicating ~heel 7 is also stopped at its proper position.
The first embodiment, and any other embodiment also, of the printing device is mounted in a portable label prin~ing and applying machine ~l, for example, that shown in Figs. 12 and 13 and in U.S. Patent Re. 27,88g issued to the applicant hereof, jointly with others, on J~nuary 15, 1974. In this label printing machine, an a~hesive-coated label L is printed ~ith the printing device.
The printing is accomplishcd by S(l-le~Zing tllc gri~ G to~ard the h3nd levcr ll in tl~e clircction oE .~rrow S. ~t tl~ same tim~, the printing device is mov~ down in th~ directioll o~ arro~ T antl an adhesive coated labcl L is printed by ty~es 133. The printed label L' is then ~aid out and apl)lied in the a~plying section F.
The label L' is applied to the surface of an article by movin~
the label, ~rhich is still being held by the label printing ~0 machine, against the article by moving the label printing machine in a hammering motion. The printing device is not described in detail.
Detailed Description of a Second Preerred Embodiment In Figs. 2 and 6, which is the illustTated selecting operation, the innermost type ~heel 10 and indicating wheel 7, i.e. the one furthest from knob 30 arc moved llence, thc selector l~nob 30 and the indexing shaft 2~ arc positioned as far to the right, as possible in Fig. 2. When other type whcels and indicating ~heels are sclected or mo~-ement, however, the selector knob 30, indcxing shaft 2~ and other parts project to tlle lcEt of tllc ~od)r o~ the plintin~ de~ice B~
1089Zg4 of Fig. 2 and the label printing and applying machine, as indicated by the phantom lines in Fig. 13. Once type selec-tion has been completed, during the subsequent label printing and applying operation, the projecting portions are liable to be undesirably bumped against the articles receiving the labels, the edges o containers oE articles, display stands, - work tables, etc Accordingly, the indexlng shat 24, knob 30 or other parts may be damaged or the label applying operation may be interrupted. Further, when the la~el printing machine is dropped, such projecting portions are oten damaged.
ReEerring to ~igs. 1~-17 and 19-22, another pre-~erred embodiment o~ the present invent:lon is now described, Those elem~nts and structures which are the same as or correspond in place an~ unction to elements and structures of the first embodiment o Figs. 1-9 are correspondingly numbered with the same reerence numerals raisea by 300.
As shown in Figs. 14 to 17, the printing device includes a pair of spaced.apart side Erames 301 and 302.
The side frame 301 integrally supports on one side a rame body 304 having a circular blind hole 303 ormed in it (~ig. 17). ~lole 303 is de:E.ined by its inside wall 33~.
There are recesses (not shown) ormea in the i~slde ace of the other side rame 302 to receive the proiections 305 and 306 ormed on the Erame body 304 and to properly orient the side rames with respect to each other. The side rame 30z is secured to the rame body 304.by means o~ respective set screws ~not shown).
At the upper end o:E the blind hole 303, there is an indicating windo~ 308, throu~h which several rows o indicia 337 ormed on the peripheral surfaces o indicating ~ 0892~4 wheels 307 may be obser~ed. Further, the indicating window 308 is provided with a lens 355 so as to facilita~e the - reading of indicia 337.
At the lower end of ~he blind hole 303~ there is a large opening 312, through w}lich the external gear teeth 309 of the indicating wheels 307 communicate with the external gear teeth 311 of type wheels 310.
A plurality of same size ind;cating wheels 307, each carrying visible indicia 337 that correspond to respec-tive types on the corresponding type wheels, are arrayedside-by-side on a common axis in the blind hole 303. The indicating wheels 307 each have external, outwardly projecting gcar teeth 309 with outer ~nds or crests 338.~ ~11 the indicaking wh~els 307 are supported by the en~agement between the tooth crests 3~8 o-f the external gear teeth 309 of i indicating wheels 307 and the inside l~all 339 of the blind hole 303. Therefore, the indicating wheels 307 can be rotated easily with negligible frictional resistance.
A central opening is formed in each indicating wheel 307. The opening is surrounded by and de~ined by gear teeth 325, which are in the illustrated form oE involute curves. All central openings are of the same shape and size. By means described below~ except when an indica-ting wheel 307 is being rotated, all of the gear teeth of all of wheels 307 are aligned axially.
A wider bearing hole 313 is bored in side frame 301 and an indexing shaft supporting and screw receiving hole 314 is bored in the other side frame 302. The holes 313 and 314 are concentric with the much wider blind hole 303. Aligned holes 322 and 323 are Formed in the lower parts oF the frames 301 and 302 for receiving a supporting . _ .. .. . ...
108gZ94 sha-Et 319. Sha-ft 319 is secured at thc holes 322 and 323 ~ith the respective screws 320 and 321. The shat 319 passes through and carries a large diarneter supporing drum 318 for the type wheels 310.
As shown in Figs. 15 and 17, an indexing shaft 324 passes through and is supported by the wall of the side frame 1 surroun~ing bearing hole 313. The indexing shaft 324 is inserted through the central openings in the aligned inaicating wheels 307. The indexing sha-ft 324 and the central openings through wheels 307 are shaped and sized so as to leave a clearance space 342 (Figs. 20 and 21) between the outer sur~ace 3~3 of shaEt 32~ and the internal gear teeth 325 of indicating wheels 307.
Along the middle portion of th~ indexing sha:Et 324, a plurality of axially spaced annular indexing grooves 327 are formed. They are spaced apart the same distance as the indicating wheels 307.
As shown in Figs, 15, 16, 17, 20 and 22, a toothed pinion 326 is formed at the free end of the indexing shat 32~. The involute curves 341 of the teeth of the pinion 326 are correspondingly shaped to and are~ positioned in the corresponding involute curves 340 o the internal gear teeth 325 of an indicating wheel 307. The shaping oE pinion 326 and all gear teeth 325 is such as to leave the small space 342 ~Fig. 20) between the gear teeth 325, 341 before the gear teeth 325, 341 are engaaed together.
The side Erame 301 has a small blind hole 315 which is perpendicular to and extends al~ay from the bearing hole 313. A steel ball 329 is held in the blind hole 315.
Ball 329 is urged out o-f hole 315 by a helical spring 32S
behind the ball. The shaft 324 is axially shiEtable -tllrough ~089294 the indicating wheels 307. l'he~ steel ball 329 is brought into engagement with the indexing groove 327 on the inde~ing shaft 324 that is thcn beneath hole 315. By a~propriate placement o~ hole 315 wi.th respect to groo~cs 327, axial positioning of the pinion 326 ~holly inside only one indi-cating wheel at a time is attained. Square shaped apertures 317 are formed-in the side framès 301 and 302 for receiving an indicating member-316. The indicating member 316 is rotatably supported on and axially a-Efixed on the end o-E the indexing shaft 324 which projects from the side frame 301.
Thus, the indicating member 316 shi~ts axially with.the shaft 324, but the sha~t is able to rotate ~hile the member 316 does not rotate. The îndicating m~mber passes through and is thus restrained :Erom rotation by the ape.~Lures 317 in ~he side ~rame 301.
~t the outside o~ the indicating member 316~ the indexing shaft 32~ is provided with a selector Xnob 330.
When the selector knob 330 is moved in the axial direction of the indexing shaft 324, the shaft is moved together ~ith the indicating member 316 so as to move the pinion 336 into a selected indicating wheel 307. The shaE* 324 is then rotated about its axis by the selector lcnob 330 until a selected indicium on the wheel 307 appears at the window 308.
One side edge o-E the indicating member 316 is provided with an arrow 331 that is axially aligned ~ith the pinion 326. Arrow 331 points to the indicating wheel 307 whose indicia are to be selected and in which the pinion 326 is engageable with the internal gear tee-th 325. The indi-cating member 316 is guided by the grooves 332 o~ the frame body 304 and thus it is slidable across-the inclicating window 308.
~089294 There is a type wheel 310 associated with cach indicating wheel 307. Each type l~heel is providecl on its periphery l~ith a serics of types 333 to be printed. Alterna-tively, a stamp belt carrying the series of types ~o be printed is wrapped about the type wheel and its corresponding indicating wheel or about the type wheel alone. Each type wheel has an eniarged diameter opening through its center, which is defined by a toothed or plural recessed side wall having recesses 334 in it. The number o~ recesses 334 corresponds to the number of imprinting types 333 on type wheel 310, and each recess 334 is so placed with r~spect to its corresponding type 333 as to assure each type wlll only stop with precision at its p~int position.
As shoi~n in Fig. 15, adjacent to the series o~
types on each type wheel 310 are the external peripheral i gear teeth 311, which are shaped, spaced and posit;oned to be in continuous meshing engagement l~ith the external gear teeth 309, 338 o~ the corresponding indicating wheel. The opening 312 at the bottom of the side frame 304 and side wall 339 provides access for this engagement. Ro-tation o an indicating ~heel 307 causcs correspondillg rok~tion o~ the respective type wheel 310.
There is a detent means ~or properly posit;oning each type wheel only at print pos;tions. On the periphery o~ supporting drum 318 is deined a series o~ blind holes 356~ each placed to be within a respective type ~heel 310.
In each blincl hole 356 is a steel ball 335 ~hich is urged out of the hole by the helical spring 336 and into engagement l~ith a recess 33~. The rota-tional positioning o~ each type ~heel 310 so that a type on or supported thereby is sec~lrely in a print position is accomplished by the engagement of one ~089Z9~
of the steel balls 335 with one of the recesses~ 334 of the type wheel 310. It is apparent that the positions o-f the recesses 334 of a type wheel ~ith respect to its types 333 and with respect to its ball 335 are selected so that that ~heel is positioned with a type in the prin-t position.
ConcuTrently with this positioning of type wheel 310, the involute curves` 340 of the internal gear teeth 325 o-E the corresponding indicating wheel 307 are aligned in parallel to the axis of the indexing shaft 324 and are aligned ~ith each other along the axis of shaft 324. Thus, the same shaped space 342 is formed between.the involute curves 341 o~ the pinion 326 and the interior of every wheel 307, as shown in Pig. 20. The orien~ations o~ all o:E the i~dicating wheels are related such that the involute curv~s 340 o internal gear teeth 325 of all indicating wheels 307 are all aligned, creating a common, aligned, a~ially elongated free space 342. Because o-f the existence o~ the aligned free spaces 342 in wheels 307, the pinion 326 can be easily moved through the aligned spaces 342 along the axis of.the indexing sha~t 324 through axial shi~ting of that sha:Et with almost no ~rictioncll resistance. Ax~al shi:Eting o~ sha~t 324 is deterred only by the resistance to its motion caused by the spring ac-tuated ball 329 engaging an inde~ing groove 327 and the orce o-f spring 32~ having to be overcome. The pinion 326 can bc accurately axially shi-fted to be in mesh with the internal gear teeth 325 of only one indicating wheel 307 because of the certain positioning resulting from the steel ball 329 being in a respective indexing groove 327.
~s sho~n in ~igs. 15-17, indexillg shaft 324 is ~ hollow and tubular in form and it has an internal bore 344.
In the open end ~ortion or right hand end o~ the bore 3~4, screw threads 345 are ~ormed. A supporting member 347 having a through hole 346 is engaged with and screl~ed into the threads 345. A screw hole 314 i~ -formed in the side frame 302. ~ screw 34S having screw threads 357 formed on --its shank is fixed in the screw hole 314. There is a tubu~lar rod 350 fitted in the hollow internal bore 344 of the inde~ing shaft 324. Rod 350 has internal threads 358 at one end to matingly receive threads 357. Rod 350 has a flange 349 at - its other end. Rod 350 is inserted into the through hole : 10 346 o.the supporting member 347. There is a compression . spring 351 coiled around the rod 350 and extending between the flange 349 o the rod 350 and the supporting member 347.
Spring 351 normally biases shaEt 32~ into th~ printing do~ic~.
To select a desired type on a.particular type wheel, knob 330 is axially shifted until the arrow 331 of the indicating member 316 points to that indicatin~ wheel - which is then in engagement with the type wheel to be rotated.
The corresponding pinion 326 is thereby shifted into ~he internal gear teeth 325 o~ the indicating wheel 307 to be rotatcd. Such shiting will, o:E course, compress the spring 35:L. The involutc curves 341 around th~ pinion 326 and the involute curves 340 of internal gear teeth 325 of the indi-cating wheel 307 still have not contacted each other, leaving the space 342 (Flg. 20). -Next, as shown in Fig. 22, the selector ~nob 330 is rotated. This causes the pinion to close the space 342 to engage the curves 340 of gear teeth 325 and to rotate the selected indicating wheel 30?~ which is in engagement ~ith the gear teeth of the pinion 326, until a desired indicium 337 appears at the indicating window 30S. The indicia 337 are enlarged by the lens 355 so that they are easily read.
Because of the connection between the selected indicating wheel 307 and its type wheel 310, the type 333 on the type heel 310, which cor~esponds to the viewable indicium at window 30S, is moved to the print position.
In the -foregoing type selection operation, because the indicating wheels 307 are held within the blind hole 303 and wheels 307 are supported by the contact between the tooth crests 338 o external gear teeth 309 oE the indicating wheels 307 and the inside wall 339 of the hole 303, as shown i~ ~igs. 15, 19 a~d 20, the s~lected indicating wheel 307 can be rotat~d withou~ di~icult~ ~urt~er, bccaus~ ~he s*eel ball 335 is urged into all of the rec~sses 33~ of the type wheel 310, in turn, the typcs 333 on the type ~heel 310 can be stopped at their proper position. With this action, the indicating wheel 307 is also stopped at its proper position.
After the selection of types 333 has been completed, the spring 351 is generally compressed bet~een the supporting member 3~7 and the flange 349 o the Tod 350 and is energized.
This is shown in Fig. 16 where indexing sllaEt ~24 is moved to the left, rela*ive to the rod 350 ~hich is fixed to the side -frame 302. In the case when the pinion 326 is positioned in the innermost indicating l~heel 307 relative to the knob 330, as sho~n in Fig. 15, only then is spring 351 not com-pressed. With the spring 351 compressed, when an operator releases the selector knob 330, the supporting member 347 is pushed toward the side -frame 302 by the spring 351. - The indexing sha-t 324, together l~ith the selector knob 330 and the indicating member 316, are slid into the body o-f pTinting device in the direction oE the arrow in Fig. 16. ~llith this , .
BacXground of the Invention and DescriPtion of the Prior Art This invention relates to a printing device which can be ~ounted on a portable label printing and applying machine, a price tag printing and attaching machine, or the like.
~189Z94 l~lore particularly, the invent;on relates to a print-ing device in which a plurality of type wheels arc arranged side-by-side on a common axis and a plurality of indicating wheels, each corresponding to, paire~ with and in engagement ~ith a respective type wheel, are arranged sicle-l-y-sidc on a second common axis. The arrays of type and indicating wheels are supported in the space bet~een a frame comprise~l of a pair of side frames. An indexing shaft, having a selector ~nbb pro-jecting from one of the side frames, extends along the direction of the aligned axes of the indicating wheels. The indexing shaft is slid along the axes of the in~licating wheels so as to select and engage a particular indicating ~heel. Upon rotation of the indexing shaft, the selected indicating wheel and the correspollclillg typo wllcel ~re rotatcd to a plrtic~tlar prillt pOSitiOII.
~lany dcvices oE thc descril)ed ty~e arc in ~Ise, See, for example, U.S. Patents 4,055,118, issued to the applicant hereo~ on ()ctober 25, 1977 and 4,018,157, issued to the applicant hereof on ~pril 19, 1977. One exampie of such a printing device from the prior art is deScribecl in the description belo~ of a preferred embo(liment.
In one prior arrangement, the indexing shaft passes throu~h a sllpporting sleeve. The shaEt has a pinion attached on it. The teeth of the pinion engage and rotate each selected indicatillg wheel. The supporting sleeve has axial grooves to permit the pinion teeth to project through and to engage the indicating wheels. Necessarily, the rotatioll of the in~lexing sl~aft corrcspondingly rotatcs the slcevc tllrollgh WhiC]I the pinion tcctll project.
Forming the sleeve to bc strong cnougll to support the shaft limits tl~c numl)er o~ axial groovcs tlle slecve m.ay ~ ~j z 108~99~
have. This, in turn, limits the number of tceth o~ the pinion. A smaller number of teeth are each under greater stress and are more likely to be damaged through use. Also~
axial shifting of the indexing shaft through ~he indicating wheels to bring the pinion to a particular indicating wheel is inhibited by -friction between the indexing shaft and the sleeve. Furthër, rotation of the indexing sha-ft to rotate the pinion together with the sleeve is inhibited because the sleeve rubs and is frictionally retarded by its contact with all of the indicating wheels not then being rotated by the pinion.
Once the indexing shaft has been rotated to rotate th~e pinion and khe corresponding indicating wheel, the shat and its opcrating knob are project:ing out oE the sidc ~rame.
~specially when the indicating ~heel that has been rotated is near to the side frame from which the indexing shaft projects, the shaft is projecting out quite far and is liable to be bent or damaged by or to cause damage by contact-ing other objects, by the labeler being dropped, etc. It is desirable to shift the shaft away rom such a vulnerable position.
Ill order to avoid the abovc mentioned problem, operators must always move the indexing sha~t and its knob fully into the printing device by axially pushing the selector knob into the printing device after completion of type selection. However, operators o~ten forget to push in the sel~ctor knob and thus the projecting indexing shaft is sometimes damaged.
lQ89~94 Brief Summary of the Invention The primary object o-f the present invention is to provide an improvecl printing device ~hich eases the selection of types to be printed.
It is another objec-t of the invention to ease the rotation of the lndicating wheels that both indicate the types to be printed and rotate the type wheels carrying the - types.
It is a -fur*her object of the invention to ease the axial shifting of the indexing shaEt o-f the indicating wheels. ~ -It is yet another object o-f the invention to simplify the structurc and manu~acture oE a print:lng device.
It :is st:ill another object o~ the pres~nt invention to provide a printing device in which thos~ e:Lemen~s that cause selection of the types to be printed, including the indexing shaft, the selector knob, and other elements asso-ciated with or connected to these, are protected against damaging contact with other objects.
It is another object o the invent:lon that the type moving elem~nts automatically slide into the body of printing dcvice a~t~r the selcction o~ type~.
'rhe printing devicc of the present in~ntion is o~
the kind described above. ~anipulation of a selec*or knob selectively rotates one of the indicating ~heels and its corresponding type wheel so as to move a selected type -formed on the selected type ~heel to a printing position, In the present invention~ one of tXe side -rames o-f the frame o the printing device has a blind hole ~ormed in it to receive the indicating wheels in a side-by-side array. A ~indow is ormed in the upper por-tion of that siae 9~94 frame. Indicia on the indica-ting wheel are visible through the wlndo-~. An opening is ormed on the lo~er side o~ that side frame for enabling engagement bet~lecn ~he indicating wheels and the types ~lhich ale supportecl on the type wheels.
The indicating wheels have ex~ernal gear teetll around their peripheries. The peripheries o-~ the indicating ~heels, and particularly the^~tooth crests o:E the external gear teeth~
are in contact ~ith and are supported for rotation by the inner wall o the blind hole. The teeth o~ each indicating wheel are also i~ engagement through the opening at the bottom side of the blind hole with corresponding teeth on the respective type ~heel.
Th~ index:ing shaft is supported by clnd proj~cts through one side frame oE the printing device. The shaEt has a pro-filed, toothed or involutely curved pinion at its free end. There are indexing grooves spaced axially along the middle portion of the indexing sha-ft. ~n indicating member to indicate ~hich indicating wheel the pinion is - engaging is connected to move with the indexing shaft.
selector knob is attached to the end portion of the indexing sh~ft that projects outside the one side frame.
Each indicating wheel has an opening through its center ~hich is defined by a pro~iled, toothed or involutedly curved side wall. The pinion on the ind~xing shaft is similarly shaped to but not quite as large in the cross section as the opening through the indicating wheel. This leaves a small space between the involute curves oE the internal gear teeth oE the indicating wheels and the^external teeth o~ the pinion. Thus~ the pinion can pass -fTeely through the opening through every indicating ~rheeL ~hen the pinion and the inclicating ~heel a~e in selected respective 10~9Z94 rotative positions such that their curved profiles are generally shaped. The pinion engages only the single indicating wheel that the pinion happens to be inside when the pinion is rotated.
Then the teeth of the pinion and the internal gear teeth of that indicating wheel engage through rotation of the selector knob.
The indexing shaft is slid by its selector knob along the common axis of the indicating wheels to move the pinion into engagement with the internal gear teeth of a selected indicating wheel. Then the type wheel which is in engagement with the selected indicating wheel is rotated, thereby moving a ~esired type on the type wheel to the printing position.
Thus the invention comprehends a printing device for a labeling machine. The printing device comprises a first array of wheels arranged side-by-side on a first common axis, a frame for supporting the first array oE wheels and wherein the wheels o~ the first array each have an en~ageable periphery. The printing device urther comprises a second array oE type wheels arranged side-by-side on a second common axis, and all the type wheels are supported on the frame. Each of the type wheels is provided with a respective set of imprintable types. Each type wheel has a periphery that is engageable with the periphery of a wheel of the first array such that rotation of the wheel of the first array rotates the respective type wheel. Each set of types is attached to a respective type whecl and can be moved to place a different type at a print position by means of rotation of the corresponding type wheel. A11 the wheels of the first array have a respective central opening therethrough. Each central opening has a respective first cross-section and is defined by a respective profiled surface having a respective first profile. The central openings are on the common axis.
The printing device also comprises an indexing shaft extending into the frame and adapted and shaped to pass through and be slidable through all the central openil-gs. A pinioll Ol~ the shâft has a second cross-section that is smaller than all the respective first cross-sections. The pinion has a second 10~9Z94 profile that is adapted to engage any of the respective first profiled surfaces at a first rota-tive orientation o~ the pinion and to be completely disengaged from that firs-t profiled surface at a different, second rotative orientation of the pinion. The second orientation of the plnion is such that there is a clearance space between the pinion and the first profiled surface of the wheel in which the pinion is then located. The frame comprises a side frame extending axially the width of the first array of wheels. The side frame has a blind hole therein defined by a side wall and extending axially of the wheels. 'l'he first array of wheels all sit in and are guided for rotation by the side wall of the blind hole. The blind hole side wall and the periphery of all the first array wheels are respectively profiled such that the first array wheels are supported by their peripheries in the blind hole for rotation around their axis.
~n opening in the blind hole side wall enables enyayement between each first array wheel and its respective type whee~.
Further in a modified embodiment of the invention, after the indexing shaft and the selector ~llob lla~e be~n mo~fed along the direction of the axis of the indicating wheels and the selected indicating wheel has been rotated, they are automatically drawn by appropriate biasing means toward the body of the printing device so as not to obstruc-t the opcration oE
label application, thereby preventing damage caused by the projecting indexing shaft.
In one version, a hollow tubular indexing sllaEt is used.- The hollow in the indexing shaft has a spring device in it which always urges the indexing shaft into the printing device and through all of the aligned internal gear teeth of the indicating wheels.
Brief Description of the Drawings In order that the invention may be more fully understood, preferred embodiments are now described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
-6a-C
~8gZ94 Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one preferred embodiment of printing device of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the first embodiment of the printing device taken along the line II-II in Fig. 3;
Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the first embodiment of the printing device taken along the line III-III
in Fig. 2;
Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing parts of the printing device, namely the side frame having a blind hole, an indicating wheel and an indexing shaft;
Fig. 5 is a side view partially in cross-section of parts of the printing device, namely an indicating wheel and an indexing shaEt taken along the line V-V in Fig. 27 Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the upper main part of Fig. 2;
Fig. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the upper main part of Fig. 3 in one operative condition;
Fig. 8 is an enlarc3ed cross-sectional view of the main part of Fig. 5;
Fig. 9 is also an enlarged cross-sectional view of a Eragment of Fig. 7 showing the elements in a different operative condition;
Fig. 10 is a central cross-sectional view of a printing device in the prior art, appearing with Fig. 6;
Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the prior art printing device taken along the line XI-XI in Fig. 10, with Fig. 6;
Fig. 12 is a schematic side elevation view of a label printing and applying machine which may be provided with any of the embodiments of the printing device of the present invention;
:~089Z94 .
Fig. 13 is a front elevation view of the label printing and applying machine o-f ~ig. 12;
Fig. 1~ is a perspective view oE a second preferred embodiment of the prin-ting device o-f the present invention;
Fig. 15 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the second embodiment of the printing device taken along the line XV-XV in Fig. 19;
- Fig. 16 is a vertical cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 15, but with the printlng device in a di-ferent operative condition;
Pig. 17 is an exploded perspective view of some oE
the elements of the second embodiment o~ the printing dev~ce~
namely, a side frame, an indicatin~ wheel, an indexing shaft and means Eor shi~ting the shaEt;
Fig. 18 is a vertical cross sectional view of part of a modified version oE the second embodiment of ~he printing device o-E the invention;
Pig. 19 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the second embodiment o the printing head taken along tlle line XIX-XIX in Fig. 15;
Pig. 20 is an enlarged cross-sectional vie~;of a ~ragment oE the printing dev:ice in one operati~e conclition;
Fig. 21 is an enlarged cross-sectional view oE the upper main part of Fig. 19; and Fig. 22 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a ~ragment of Fig. 20 showing the elements in a dif-Eerent operative condition.
; Detailed Description of an Embodiment oE the Prior Art Refer to-Figs. lO and 11. There is a pair of side frames lOl and 102. A tubular sleeve 104 e~tends across the space between and is attached to these frames. Sleeve 104 .. , . .. , . ~ . .... .
~089Z9~
has elongated longitudinally cxtending grooves 103 dcfincd in it. A plurality of indicating wheels 106 are arranged side-by-side and axially aligned between frames 101 and 102.
Each wheel 106 has internal gear teeth 105. Wheels 106 are -fitted over the outer surace o-f the sleeve 104. Approprlate detent means keep the internal gear teet]l o the wheels 106 axially ~ligned to permit axial shifting of below describea indexing sha-ft 108.
An elongated indexing sha~t 108 is insertcd through the inner bore of the sleeve 104. The indexing shat 108 has one or two radial projections 107 located at its tip end. The projections 107 have'an axial length no greater than tha~ oE an ind:icating wheel 106. Th~ projections pass th~ough grooves 103 oE sleev~ 10~. Ro~tion o~ sha~t 108 thus ro~ates sleeve 10~. The projections 107 are ~uided or axial motion by the elongated grooves 103. The projections 107 extend into engagement with the internal gear teeth 105 o~ the indicating wheel 106 in which the projections are then pos,itioned. The indexing shaft 108 has a selector knob 109 at its end. The shat 108 is slid axially through the array oE indicating ~heels 106 so as to position projections 107 :in ~ de5ired indicating ~heel 106. The s~leckor ~nob 109 is then rotated and this rotates the selected indicating wheel 106 by the engagement between the projections 107 and gear teeth 105.
A corresponding type wheel 110 is in engagement with,the selected rotated indicating wheel 106. Rotation of wheel 106 rotates the type wheel 110 and thereby selects a desired type 111.
In the above described prior art printing device, when the indexing shat lOS is slid through th~ -inner bore .. . . . .. ... .... . . ..
~089Z94 of the sleeve 104, there is friction bet~een the outer surface oE the inde~ing shaft 108 and the înner sur-face of the sleeve 104. ~s a result, it is difficult to mo~ the indexing sha-ft 108 axially. In addition, the raclially inwardly ~rojecting tooth crests of internal g~ar -~eeth 105 of the other indicating wheels lOG that are not in engagement with the projections 107 are in contact with the outer surface of the sleeve 104. The rotation of the selector knob 109 and shaft 108 to select a type is retarded because ' 10 there is resistance to rotation of the sleeve 104.
Furthe~more, the indexing sha-ft 108 has axially spaced apart, narro~ cross-section, annular indexing grooves 112 which are engaged by a det~nt means ll3. The spacing of grooves 11~ positions projections 107 only l~ho'lly within a wheel 106. The grooves 112 increase the resistance to the i sliding movement of the indexing shaft 108. The indexing shaft 108 is liable to be broken.
Still further, since the number of projections 107 is usually restricted to one or two7 the projections 107 are often damaged by wear or rough handling. In addition, to impart stre~gth to the sleeve 10~, it is made Erom stainless steel p-;pe, or the lik~, which is expensive and inexp'~dien~
Eor mass production.
Detailed Descr:iption of a First'Pre:Eerred Embodiment -Referring to Figs. 1-~ a first preferred embodiment '' o-f the printing device oE the present invention is described.
The printing device includes a pair of spaced apart side Erames 1 and 2. The side frame 1 integrally supports on one side a side Erame body ~ having a circular blind hole 3 formed in it (Fig. ~) that e~tends at least the axial length of the belo~ described array of indicating wheels 7. Hole 3 is def;ned by its inside Jall 39. There are recesses ~not shown) formed in the inside face of the other siae -frame 2 to receive the projections 5 and 6 ormed on the frame body 4 and to properly orient the side ~rames with respect to each other. The side frame 2 is secured to the frame body 4 by means of respective set sc-rews (not shown). At the upper end o-f the blin~^hole 3, there is an indicating windo~ 8, through which several rows of indicia 37 formed on the peripheral surfaces of indicating wheels 7 may be observed.
1~ At the lower end o-f the blind hole 3, there is a large opening 12, through which the external gear teekh g of the indicating wheels 7 communicate with the external gear teeth 11 o~ type wheels 10.
A plurality o~ same size indicating wheels 7, each carrying visible indicia 37 that correspond to respec-tive types on the corresponding type wheels, are arrayed side-by-side on a common axis in the blind hole 3. The indicating wheels 7 each have external, outwaTdly projecting gear teeth 9 with outer ends or crests 38. All the indicating wheels 7 are supported by the engagement between the tooth c-rests 3~
o~ ~he external gear teeth 9 of indicatlng wheels 7 and the inside ~all 39 of the blind hole 3. ThereEore, the indicating wheels 7 can be rotated easily with negligible Erictional resistance.
A central opening is ~ormed in each indicating wheel 7. The opening is surroullded by and de-fined by gear teeth 25, which are ln the iIlustrated form of involute curves. All central openings are o-f the same shape and size. By means described below, except when an indicating wheel 7 is being rotated, all of the gear teeth of all of wheels 7 are aligned axially.
1015~9Z99~
wider bearin~ hole 13 is bored in side -rame 1 and a narrower through hole 14 is bored in the other side frame 2. The holes 13 and 14 are concentric with the ~uch wider blind hole 3. Aligned holes 22 and 23 are formed in the lo~er parts of the -frames 1 and Z for receiving a support-ing shaft l9. Shaft 19 is secured at the holes 22 and 2~
with the respecfive screws 20 and 21. The sha-ft 19 passes-through and carries a large diameter supporing drum 18 for the type wheels 10.
10 . As shown at the left in Pigs. 2 and 4, an indexing shaft.24 passes through and is supported by the wall o* the side frame l surrounding bearing hole 13. The ind~xing shaEt 2~ is inserted through tlle central openings in the a~.igned ind:icating wheols 7. Th~ ind~xing sha.~t 2~ ~nd the central openings through wheels 7 are shaped and s.ized so as i . to leave a clearance space 42 ~Figs. 7 and 8) between the outer surace 43 of shaft 24 and the internal gear teeth 25 of indicating wheels 7.
Along the middle portion o~ the îndexing shat 24, a plurality.of axially spaced, annular indexin~ grooves 27 aro ~ormed. They ar~ spaced apart the same distance as the indicating wheels 7.
As sho~m in Figs. 2, 4 and 7, a toothed pinion 26 is formed a-t the free end of thc indexing shaft 2~. The involute curves 41 of the teeth of the pinion 26 are corres-pondingly shaped to and are positioned in t~e corresponding involute curves 40 of the internal gear teeth 25 o~ an indicating wheel 7. The shaping of pinion 26 and all gear teeth 25 is such as to leave the small spacc 42 (Pig. 7) between the gear teeth 25, 41 before the gear teeth 25, 41 are engaged together (engagement sho~n in Pig. 9).
. -l2-... , . ~ .. . . . . . . .
1089~:94 The side frame l.has a small blind hole 15 which is perpendicular to and extends away from the bearing hole 13. A steel ball 29 is held in the blind hole 15. Ball 29 is urged out of hole 15 by a helical spring 28 behind the ball. The sha:Et 24 is axially shi~table through -the indi-cating wheels 7. The steel ball 29 is brought into engagement with the indexin~ groove 27 on the indexing shat 24 that is then beneath hole 15. By appropriate placement of hole 15 with respect to grooves 27, axial positioning of the pinion .
I0 26 wholly inside only one indicating wheel at a time is .attained.
Square shaped apertures 17 are ~ormed in the side rames 1 and 2 or receiving an indicating member 16. The indicating member 16 is rotatably supported on and axially aixed on the end of the indexing shat 24 which projects from the side frame 1. Thus, the indicating member 16 shifts axially with the shaft 24, but the sha-ft is able to rotate while the member 16 does not rotate. The indicating member passes through and is thus restrained rom r~tation by the apertures 17 in the side rame 1.
At the outside of the indicatin~ member 16, the ind~xing shat 24 is provided with a selector knob 30. When the selector knob 30 is mo~ed in the axial direction of the indexing sha~t 24, the shat is moved together with the indicating member 16 so as to move the pinlon 26 into a selected indicating wheel 7. The sha~t 24 is then.rotated about its axis by the selector knob 30 until a selec~ed indicium on the wheel 7 appears at the window.~. ~
One side edge o~ the indicating member 16 is provided with an arrow 31 that is axially ali~ned with the pinion 26. Arrow 31 points to the indicating wheel 7 whose indicia are to be sclected and in which the pinion 26 is engageable with the internal gear teeth 25. The indicating member 16 is guided by the grooves 32 o~ the frame body 4 and thus it is slidable across the indicating windo~Y 8.
There is a set of types 33 connected to move with each indicating ~iheel and movable to shi~t a different type to a print posi~i~on as -the indicating wlleel rotates. Each set of types is associated with a type wheel 10, whîch is, in turn, associated with each indicating ~heel 7. Each type wheel is provided ~n its periphery ~ith a series of types 33 to be printed. Alternatively, a stamp belt carrying the series o types to be printed is wrapped about the type wheel and its corresponding indicating ~Yheel or about the type,wheel alone. Bach type ~heel has an enlarged diameter opening through its center~ which is defined by a toothed or plural recessed side wall having recesses 34 in it. The number of recesses 34 corresponds to the number o* imprinting types 33 on type wheel 10, and each recess 34 is so placed with respect to its corresponding type 33 as to assure each type w;ll only stop with precision'at its print position.
~s shown in Fig. 2, ad~acent to the series of types on each type wheel 10 al~e the exkernal peripheral gear teeth 11, which are shaped, spaced and positioned to be in continuous meshing engagement ~Yith the e~ternal gear teeth 9, 38 o-E the corresponding indicati,ng ~heel. The opening 12' at the bottom of the side frame 4 and side wall 39 provides access for this engagement. Rotation of an ind;cating l~heel 7 causes corresponding rotation of the respective type ~Yheel 10 .
There is a device for establishing the rotative ~os;tion o-~ each type ~heel to assure that it stops only at 10~9Z9~
a discrete position ~ith a type at a print position. This device comprises detent means ~or properly positioning each type wheel only at print position.s. O.n the periphery o-E
supporting drum I8 is defined a series of blind holes 56, each placed to be ~ithin a respective type wheel 10. In each blind hole 56 is a steel ball 35 ~hich is urged out of the hole by the"helical spring 36 and into engagement with' a recess 34. The rotational positioning of each type wheel 10 so that a type on or supported thereby is securely in a print position is accomplished by the engagement o~ one of the steel balls 3~ i~ith one o the recesses 34 oE the type wheel 10. It is apparent that the pos.i.tions o~ the r~cesses 3~ o a type wheel w:ith respect to its types 33 and with respect to its ball 35 are selected so that that ~heel is positioned wit~ a type in the print position. Concurrently ' with'this positioning o-f type wheel 10, the involute'curves 40 of the internal gear teeth 25 of the corresponding indi-cating wheel 7 are aligned in parallel to the axis of the indexing shaft 24 and are aligned with each other along the axis o shaft 24. Thus, the same shaped space 42 is formed between the involute curves 41 of the pin;on 26 and the interior o~ every -lheel 7, as sho~n in Fig. 7. The orienta-tions of all of the indicating ~heels are related such that the involute curves 40 o-f internal gear teeth 25 of all indicating wheels 7 are all al:igned, creating a common, aligned, axially elongated free space 42. Because of the existence of the aligned free spaces 42 in l~heels 7, the pinion 26 can be easily moved through the aligned spaces 42 ~long the axis of the indexing shaft 24 through axial shifting of that shat with'almost no ~rictional resistance. ~xial shifting of shaft 24 is deterred only by the resistance to ... .... . .. . .. .. .. . . . . . , .. , .. . .. , . . ., .. . ~ ., .. , .. ... . . . .. _ .. . .. .. . . . . . . . .
. _ = .__ .... . .. ..
1089Z~9L
.
its motion caused by the spring actuated ball 29 engaging an indexing groove 27 and the Eorce of spring 28 having to be overcome. The pinion 26 can be accurately axially shifted to be in mesh Wi~ll the internal gear teeth 25 of only one indicating wheel 7 because o-f the certain positiolling resulting -from the steel ball 29 being in a respective indexing groove 27.
To select a desired type on a particular -type wheel, knob 30 is axially shifted until the arrol~ 31 of the indicating member 16 points to that indicating wheel which is then in engagement. with the type wheel to be rotated.
The corresponding pinion 26 is thereby shiEted into the in~ernal gcar teeth 25 oE ~he ind:icating whee:L 7 to be rotated. The involute curves ~1 around the pinion 26 and the involute curves 40 of internal gear teeth 25 o~ *he indicating wheel 7 still have not contacted each o-ther, leaving the space 42 (Fig. 7).
Next, as shown in Fig. 9, the selector ~nob 30 is rotated. This causes the pinion to close the space 42 to engage the curves ~0 oE gear teeth 25 and to rotate the s~lccted indicaking wheel 7, which is in enga~ement witll the gear teeth of the pinion 26, until a desired indicium 37 appears at the indicaking ~indow 8. Because oE the connection between the selected indicating wheel 7 and its kype ~heel, the type 33 on the type wheel 10, ~hich corresponds to the viewable indicium at windo~ ~, is moved to the print pOSition.
In the foregoing type selection operation-, because the indicating wheels 7 are held within the blind hole 3 and wheels 7 are supported by the contact betl~een the tooth crests 38 o:E external ge~r teeth 9 of the ;ndicat;ng wheels 7 and the inside wall 39 oE the hole 3, as showll in Figs. 2 1089Z9~
and 7, the selected indicating ~rheel 7 can be rotated l~ithout difficulty~ ~ur~her, because tlle steel ball 35 is urged into all of the recesses 34 of the type ~Jheel 10, iIl turn, the types 33 on the type ~heel 10 can be stopped ~t their proper position. ~Yith this action, the indicating ~heel 7 is also stopped at its proper position.
The first embodiment, and any other embodiment also, of the printing device is mounted in a portable label prin~ing and applying machine ~l, for example, that shown in Figs. 12 and 13 and in U.S. Patent Re. 27,88g issued to the applicant hereof, jointly with others, on J~nuary 15, 1974. In this label printing machine, an a~hesive-coated label L is printed ~ith the printing device.
The printing is accomplishcd by S(l-le~Zing tllc gri~ G to~ard the h3nd levcr ll in tl~e clircction oE .~rrow S. ~t tl~ same tim~, the printing device is mov~ down in th~ directioll o~ arro~ T antl an adhesive coated labcl L is printed by ty~es 133. The printed label L' is then ~aid out and apl)lied in the a~plying section F.
The label L' is applied to the surface of an article by movin~
the label, ~rhich is still being held by the label printing ~0 machine, against the article by moving the label printing machine in a hammering motion. The printing device is not described in detail.
Detailed Description of a Second Preerred Embodiment In Figs. 2 and 6, which is the illustTated selecting operation, the innermost type ~heel 10 and indicating wheel 7, i.e. the one furthest from knob 30 arc moved llence, thc selector l~nob 30 and the indexing shaft 2~ arc positioned as far to the right, as possible in Fig. 2. When other type whcels and indicating ~heels are sclected or mo~-ement, however, the selector knob 30, indcxing shaft 2~ and other parts project to tlle lcEt of tllc ~od)r o~ the plintin~ de~ice B~
1089Zg4 of Fig. 2 and the label printing and applying machine, as indicated by the phantom lines in Fig. 13. Once type selec-tion has been completed, during the subsequent label printing and applying operation, the projecting portions are liable to be undesirably bumped against the articles receiving the labels, the edges o containers oE articles, display stands, - work tables, etc Accordingly, the indexlng shat 24, knob 30 or other parts may be damaged or the label applying operation may be interrupted. Further, when the la~el printing machine is dropped, such projecting portions are oten damaged.
ReEerring to ~igs. 1~-17 and 19-22, another pre-~erred embodiment o~ the present invent:lon is now described, Those elem~nts and structures which are the same as or correspond in place an~ unction to elements and structures of the first embodiment o Figs. 1-9 are correspondingly numbered with the same reerence numerals raisea by 300.
As shown in Figs. 14 to 17, the printing device includes a pair of spaced.apart side Erames 301 and 302.
The side frame 301 integrally supports on one side a rame body 304 having a circular blind hole 303 ormed in it (~ig. 17). ~lole 303 is de:E.ined by its inside wall 33~.
There are recesses (not shown) ormea in the i~slde ace of the other side rame 302 to receive the proiections 305 and 306 ormed on the Erame body 304 and to properly orient the side rames with respect to each other. The side rame 30z is secured to the rame body 304.by means o~ respective set screws ~not shown).
At the upper end o:E the blind hole 303, there is an indicating windo~ 308, throu~h which several rows o indicia 337 ormed on the peripheral surfaces o indicating ~ 0892~4 wheels 307 may be obser~ed. Further, the indicating window 308 is provided with a lens 355 so as to facilita~e the - reading of indicia 337.
At the lower end of ~he blind hole 303~ there is a large opening 312, through w}lich the external gear teeth 309 of the indicating wheels 307 communicate with the external gear teeth 311 of type wheels 310.
A plurality of same size ind;cating wheels 307, each carrying visible indicia 337 that correspond to respec-tive types on the corresponding type wheels, are arrayedside-by-side on a common axis in the blind hole 303. The indicating wheels 307 each have external, outwardly projecting gcar teeth 309 with outer ~nds or crests 338.~ ~11 the indicaking wh~els 307 are supported by the en~agement between the tooth crests 3~8 o-f the external gear teeth 309 of i indicating wheels 307 and the inside l~all 339 of the blind hole 303. Therefore, the indicating wheels 307 can be rotated easily with negligible frictional resistance.
A central opening is formed in each indicating wheel 307. The opening is surrounded by and de~ined by gear teeth 325, which are in the illustrated form oE involute curves. All central openings are of the same shape and size. By means described below~ except when an indica-ting wheel 307 is being rotated, all of the gear teeth of all of wheels 307 are aligned axially.
A wider bearing hole 313 is bored in side frame 301 and an indexing shaft supporting and screw receiving hole 314 is bored in the other side frame 302. The holes 313 and 314 are concentric with the much wider blind hole 303. Aligned holes 322 and 323 are Formed in the lower parts oF the frames 301 and 302 for receiving a supporting . _ .. .. . ...
108gZ94 sha-Et 319. Sha-ft 319 is secured at thc holes 322 and 323 ~ith the respective screws 320 and 321. The shat 319 passes through and carries a large diarneter supporing drum 318 for the type wheels 310.
As shown in Figs. 15 and 17, an indexing shaft 324 passes through and is supported by the wall of the side frame 1 surroun~ing bearing hole 313. The indexing shaft 324 is inserted through the central openings in the aligned inaicating wheels 307. The indexing sha-ft 324 and the central openings through wheels 307 are shaped and sized so as to leave a clearance space 342 (Figs. 20 and 21) between the outer sur~ace 3~3 of shaEt 32~ and the internal gear teeth 325 of indicating wheels 307.
Along the middle portion of th~ indexing sha:Et 324, a plurality of axially spaced annular indexing grooves 327 are formed. They are spaced apart the same distance as the indicating wheels 307.
As shown in Figs, 15, 16, 17, 20 and 22, a toothed pinion 326 is formed at the free end of the indexing shat 32~. The involute curves 341 of the teeth of the pinion 326 are correspondingly shaped to and are~ positioned in the corresponding involute curves 340 o the internal gear teeth 325 of an indicating wheel 307. The shaping oE pinion 326 and all gear teeth 325 is such as to leave the small space 342 ~Fig. 20) between the gear teeth 325, 341 before the gear teeth 325, 341 are engaaed together.
The side Erame 301 has a small blind hole 315 which is perpendicular to and extends al~ay from the bearing hole 313. A steel ball 329 is held in the blind hole 315.
Ball 329 is urged out o-f hole 315 by a helical spring 32S
behind the ball. The shaft 324 is axially shiEtable -tllrough ~089294 the indicating wheels 307. l'he~ steel ball 329 is brought into engagement with the indexing groove 327 on the inde~ing shaft 324 that is thcn beneath hole 315. By a~propriate placement o~ hole 315 wi.th respect to groo~cs 327, axial positioning of the pinion 326 ~holly inside only one indi-cating wheel at a time is attained. Square shaped apertures 317 are formed-in the side framès 301 and 302 for receiving an indicating member-316. The indicating member 316 is rotatably supported on and axially a-Efixed on the end o-E the indexing shaft 324 which projects from the side frame 301.
Thus, the indicating member 316 shi~ts axially with.the shaft 324, but the sha~t is able to rotate ~hile the member 316 does not rotate. The îndicating m~mber passes through and is thus restrained :Erom rotation by the ape.~Lures 317 in ~he side ~rame 301.
~t the outside o~ the indicating member 316~ the indexing shaft 32~ is provided with a selector Xnob 330.
When the selector knob 330 is moved in the axial direction of the indexing shaft 324, the shaft is moved together ~ith the indicating member 316 so as to move the pinion 336 into a selected indicating wheel 307. The shaE* 324 is then rotated about its axis by the selector lcnob 330 until a selected indicium on the wheel 307 appears at the window 308.
One side edge o-E the indicating member 316 is provided with an arrow 331 that is axially aligned ~ith the pinion 326. Arrow 331 points to the indicating wheel 307 whose indicia are to be selected and in which the pinion 326 is engageable with the internal gear tee-th 325. The indi-cating member 316 is guided by the grooves 332 o~ the frame body 304 and thus it is slidable across-the inclicating window 308.
~089294 There is a type wheel 310 associated with cach indicating wheel 307. Each type l~heel is providecl on its periphery l~ith a serics of types 333 to be printed. Alterna-tively, a stamp belt carrying the series of types ~o be printed is wrapped about the type wheel and its corresponding indicating wheel or about the type wheel alone. Each type wheel has an eniarged diameter opening through its center, which is defined by a toothed or plural recessed side wall having recesses 334 in it. The number o~ recesses 334 corresponds to the number of imprinting types 333 on type wheel 310, and each recess 334 is so placed with r~spect to its corresponding type 333 as to assure each type wlll only stop with precision at its p~int position.
As shoi~n in Fig. 15, adjacent to the series o~
types on each type wheel 310 are the external peripheral i gear teeth 311, which are shaped, spaced and posit;oned to be in continuous meshing engagement l~ith the external gear teeth 309, 338 o~ the corresponding indicating wheel. The opening 312 at the bottom of the side frame 304 and side wall 339 provides access for this engagement. Ro-tation o an indicating ~heel 307 causcs correspondillg rok~tion o~ the respective type wheel 310.
There is a detent means ~or properly posit;oning each type wheel only at print pos;tions. On the periphery o~ supporting drum 318 is deined a series o~ blind holes 356~ each placed to be within a respective type ~heel 310.
In each blincl hole 356 is a steel ball 335 ~hich is urged out of the hole by the helical spring 336 and into engagement l~ith a recess 33~. The rota-tional positioning o~ each type ~heel 310 so that a type on or supported thereby is sec~lrely in a print position is accomplished by the engagement of one ~089Z9~
of the steel balls 335 with one of the recesses~ 334 of the type wheel 310. It is apparent that the positions o-f the recesses 334 of a type wheel ~ith respect to its types 333 and with respect to its ball 335 are selected so that that ~heel is positioned with a type in the prin-t position.
ConcuTrently with this positioning of type wheel 310, the involute curves` 340 of the internal gear teeth 325 o-E the corresponding indicating wheel 307 are aligned in parallel to the axis of the indexing shaft 324 and are aligned ~ith each other along the axis of shaft 324. Thus, the same shaped space 342 is formed between.the involute curves 341 o~ the pinion 326 and the interior of every wheel 307, as shown in Pig. 20. The orien~ations o~ all o:E the i~dicating wheels are related such that the involute curv~s 340 o internal gear teeth 325 of all indicating wheels 307 are all aligned, creating a common, aligned, a~ially elongated free space 342. Because o-f the existence o~ the aligned free spaces 342 in wheels 307, the pinion 326 can be easily moved through the aligned spaces 342 along the axis of.the indexing sha~t 324 through axial shi~ting of that sha:Et with almost no ~rictioncll resistance. Ax~al shi:Eting o~ sha~t 324 is deterred only by the resistance to its motion caused by the spring ac-tuated ball 329 engaging an inde~ing groove 327 and the orce o-f spring 32~ having to be overcome. The pinion 326 can bc accurately axially shi-fted to be in mesh with the internal gear teeth 325 of only one indicating wheel 307 because of the certain positioning resulting from the steel ball 329 being in a respective indexing groove 327.
~s sho~n in ~igs. 15-17, indexillg shaft 324 is ~ hollow and tubular in form and it has an internal bore 344.
In the open end ~ortion or right hand end o~ the bore 3~4, screw threads 345 are ~ormed. A supporting member 347 having a through hole 346 is engaged with and screl~ed into the threads 345. A screw hole 314 i~ -formed in the side frame 302. ~ screw 34S having screw threads 357 formed on --its shank is fixed in the screw hole 314. There is a tubu~lar rod 350 fitted in the hollow internal bore 344 of the inde~ing shaft 324. Rod 350 has internal threads 358 at one end to matingly receive threads 357. Rod 350 has a flange 349 at - its other end. Rod 350 is inserted into the through hole : 10 346 o.the supporting member 347. There is a compression . spring 351 coiled around the rod 350 and extending between the flange 349 o the rod 350 and the supporting member 347.
Spring 351 normally biases shaEt 32~ into th~ printing do~ic~.
To select a desired type on a.particular type wheel, knob 330 is axially shifted until the arrow 331 of the indicating member 316 points to that indicatin~ wheel - which is then in engagement with the type wheel to be rotated.
The corresponding pinion 326 is thereby shifted into ~he internal gear teeth 325 o~ the indicating wheel 307 to be rotatcd. Such shiting will, o:E course, compress the spring 35:L. The involutc curves 341 around th~ pinion 326 and the involute curves 340 of internal gear teeth 325 of the indi-cating wheel 307 still have not contacted each other, leaving the space 342 (Flg. 20). -Next, as shown in Fig. 22, the selector ~nob 330 is rotated. This causes the pinion to close the space 342 to engage the curves 340 of gear teeth 325 and to rotate the selected indicating wheel 30?~ which is in engagement ~ith the gear teeth of the pinion 326, until a desired indicium 337 appears at the indicating window 30S. The indicia 337 are enlarged by the lens 355 so that they are easily read.
Because of the connection between the selected indicating wheel 307 and its type wheel 310, the type 333 on the type heel 310, which cor~esponds to the viewable indicium at window 30S, is moved to the print position.
In the -foregoing type selection operation, because the indicating wheels 307 are held within the blind hole 303 and wheels 307 are supported by the contact between the tooth crests 338 o external gear teeth 309 oE the indicating wheels 307 and the inside wall 339 of the hole 303, as shown i~ ~igs. 15, 19 a~d 20, the s~lected indicating wheel 307 can be rotat~d withou~ di~icult~ ~urt~er, bccaus~ ~he s*eel ball 335 is urged into all of the rec~sses 33~ of the type wheel 310, in turn, the typcs 333 on the type ~heel 310 can be stopped at their proper position. With this action, the indicating wheel 307 is also stopped at its proper position.
After the selection of types 333 has been completed, the spring 351 is generally compressed bet~een the supporting member 3~7 and the flange 349 o the Tod 350 and is energized.
This is shown in Fig. 16 where indexing sllaEt ~24 is moved to the left, rela*ive to the rod 350 ~hich is fixed to the side -frame 302. In the case when the pinion 326 is positioned in the innermost indicating l~heel 307 relative to the knob 330, as sho~n in Fig. 15, only then is spring 351 not com-pressed. With the spring 351 compressed, when an operator releases the selector knob 330, the supporting member 347 is pushed toward the side -frame 302 by the spring 351. - The indexing sha-t 324, together l~ith the selector knob 330 and the indicating member 316, are slid into the body o-f pTinting device in the direction oE the arrow in Fig. 16. ~llith this , .
-2~-automatic action, the printing device resumes its Eormer compact sta-~e with the knob 330 and sha-ft 32~ out oE the path of undesired contact, as shown in Fig. 15.
The returning inward motion of the inclexing shaft 324 is exerted against the rcsistance o-f the stee~l ball 329 an~ the spring 328. Therefore, the force of the spring 351 that is exerted or the indexing shaft 324 must be larger than the resistance to motion caused by the spring 328.
Further, the spring mechanism of this invention is not restricted to the above-described embodiment. As shown in the modified version o-f the second embodiment of Fig~ 18, a spring support member 352 is attached to the scre~ 348~
and a tension spring 354 is str~tchecl between the support member 352 and a screw 353 that secures the selector Xnob 330 to the indexing shaft 32~. Through the tensioning oE
the spring 35~, the same object of the second embodiment of the invention can also be attained.
By the mechanisms disclosed just above, the selectoT
knob, indcxing shaft and other parts that project ~rom the side frame can be automatically returned into the body o~
the printing device ~hen the operator releases the selector knob after the completion of type sel~ction.
~urthermore, the prlnting device which can be provided ~ith the spring mechanism of the invention is not restricted to the above embodiment and it should be noted that various kinds o-f printing devices can be provided with the spring mechanism just described.
In accordance with the foregoing, the present invention has the -following benefits:
~a) The -frame body o-f the printing device has a blind holo that is ~ormed in one o-f the side frames of the ,, ,, . . ... ... . . . .. ..... ........ . ... . .... _ .. ....... . .. . . . . . . . . . ..
~0~9294 body. The indicating ~heels are supported in the blind hole, such that the -tooth crests of the indicating wheels are in point contact with the inside wall of the hole. The frictional resistance to rotation oE the indicating whee~s is lo~ and the type selector Xnob and the indexing shaft ir the indicating wheels can be rotated without difficulty, thereby facilitàting the selection of clesired types.
(b) Because the indicating wheels are supported by their external crests, the indexing shat passing through those wheels needs no additional support besides those wheels and bearings in the side Erames. No sleeve need be ~mployed for surrounding and supporting the indexing sha~t.
~ithouk the necessity Eor the additional thickness of a sleeve, the shaE~ can be made relatively thicX, ~hereby breaking of the indexing shaEt can be prevented.
(c) A clear space is leEt between the involute curves of the pinion and those o-f the internal gear teeth o~
indicating l~heels. Therefore, the indexing shaft carried by one of side frames can be axially slid with almost no resist-ance and the selection of indicating wheel can be carriedout easily.
~ d) ~n indexing shat surrounding sl~eve of the prior art needs grooves to permit pinion teeth to project through to the indicating ~heels to be rotated. But with no sleeve surrounding the shaft~ no elongated grooves and projections of a sleeve are nec~ssary. l'hereEore, the nwnber o-E teeth on the pilliOII ccLn be increased. ~lso, breaking o-f the mechanism can be prevented.
(e) The side -frame on one side o-f the printing device and the frame body can be formed together as one uni-t and an indexing shaE~ made of synthetic-plastics can be .. . ... .. , . :, 108~294 used. The parts ale easily made and assembled, which facili-tates mass production.
~ f) The indexing sha~t, selector knob and indicating member are not damaged and the label applying operation can be smoothly and ef:Eiciently perormed.
(g) The extra step of pushing the selector knob toward the body'of the printing device can be eliminated.' (h) The label applying operation can be performed even where only a narrow width working area or space for the ~' 10 labeling machine is available, since the selector knob and .. . .
indexing 'shaft are out o~ the way.
Althou~h the present invention has been described in connection with pr~fer~ed embodimen~s th'ereof, many variations and modi~icat:ions w:;ll no~ become apparent to those skilled in the art. It is preferred, therefore, that the present invention be limited not by the specific disclosure herein, but only by the appended claims.
.' I
,
The returning inward motion of the inclexing shaft 324 is exerted against the rcsistance o-f the stee~l ball 329 an~ the spring 328. Therefore, the force of the spring 351 that is exerted or the indexing shaft 324 must be larger than the resistance to motion caused by the spring 328.
Further, the spring mechanism of this invention is not restricted to the above-described embodiment. As shown in the modified version o-f the second embodiment of Fig~ 18, a spring support member 352 is attached to the scre~ 348~
and a tension spring 354 is str~tchecl between the support member 352 and a screw 353 that secures the selector Xnob 330 to the indexing shaft 32~. Through the tensioning oE
the spring 35~, the same object of the second embodiment of the invention can also be attained.
By the mechanisms disclosed just above, the selectoT
knob, indcxing shaft and other parts that project ~rom the side frame can be automatically returned into the body o~
the printing device ~hen the operator releases the selector knob after the completion of type sel~ction.
~urthermore, the prlnting device which can be provided ~ith the spring mechanism of the invention is not restricted to the above embodiment and it should be noted that various kinds o-f printing devices can be provided with the spring mechanism just described.
In accordance with the foregoing, the present invention has the -following benefits:
~a) The -frame body o-f the printing device has a blind holo that is ~ormed in one o-f the side frames of the ,, ,, . . ... ... . . . .. ..... ........ . ... . .... _ .. ....... . .. . . . . . . . . . ..
~0~9294 body. The indicating ~heels are supported in the blind hole, such that the -tooth crests of the indicating wheels are in point contact with the inside wall of the hole. The frictional resistance to rotation oE the indicating whee~s is lo~ and the type selector Xnob and the indexing shaft ir the indicating wheels can be rotated without difficulty, thereby facilitàting the selection of clesired types.
(b) Because the indicating wheels are supported by their external crests, the indexing shat passing through those wheels needs no additional support besides those wheels and bearings in the side Erames. No sleeve need be ~mployed for surrounding and supporting the indexing sha~t.
~ithouk the necessity Eor the additional thickness of a sleeve, the shaE~ can be made relatively thicX, ~hereby breaking of the indexing shaEt can be prevented.
(c) A clear space is leEt between the involute curves of the pinion and those o-f the internal gear teeth o~
indicating l~heels. Therefore, the indexing shaft carried by one of side frames can be axially slid with almost no resist-ance and the selection of indicating wheel can be carriedout easily.
~ d) ~n indexing shat surrounding sl~eve of the prior art needs grooves to permit pinion teeth to project through to the indicating ~heels to be rotated. But with no sleeve surrounding the shaft~ no elongated grooves and projections of a sleeve are nec~ssary. l'hereEore, the nwnber o-E teeth on the pilliOII ccLn be increased. ~lso, breaking o-f the mechanism can be prevented.
(e) The side -frame on one side o-f the printing device and the frame body can be formed together as one uni-t and an indexing shaE~ made of synthetic-plastics can be .. . ... .. , . :, 108~294 used. The parts ale easily made and assembled, which facili-tates mass production.
~ f) The indexing sha~t, selector knob and indicating member are not damaged and the label applying operation can be smoothly and ef:Eiciently perormed.
(g) The extra step of pushing the selector knob toward the body'of the printing device can be eliminated.' (h) The label applying operation can be performed even where only a narrow width working area or space for the ~' 10 labeling machine is available, since the selector knob and .. . .
indexing 'shaft are out o~ the way.
Althou~h the present invention has been described in connection with pr~fer~ed embodimen~s th'ereof, many variations and modi~icat:ions w:;ll no~ become apparent to those skilled in the art. It is preferred, therefore, that the present invention be limited not by the specific disclosure herein, but only by the appended claims.
.' I
,
Claims (5)
1. A printing device for a labeling machine, or the like, comprising:
a first array of wheels arranged side-by-side on a first common axis; a frame for supporting said first array of wheels; said wheels of said first array each having an engageable periphery;
a second array of type wheels arranged side by side on a second common axis, and all said type wheels also being supported on said frame; each said type wheel being provided with a respective set of imprintable types; each said type wheel having a periphery that is engageable with said peri-phery of a wheel of said first array such that rotation of a said wheel of said first array rotates the respective said type wheel; each said set of types being attached to a respective said type wheel to be moved to place a different said type at a print position by means of rotation of the corresponding said type wheel;
all said wheels of said first array having a respec-tive central opening therethrough, and each said central open-ing having a respective first cross-section and being defined by a respective profiled surface having a respective first profile; said central openings being on said common axis;
an indexing shaft extending into said frame and adapted and shaped to pass through and be slidable through.
all said central openings; a pinion on said shaft; said pinion having a second cross-section that is smaller than all said respective first cross-sections; said pinion having a second profile that is adapted to engage any of said respec-tive first profiled surfaces at a first rotative orientation of said pinion and to be completely disengaged from that said first profiled surface at a different, second rotative orien-tation of said pinion, and such that at said second orientation of said pinion, there is a clearance space between said pinion and said first profiled surface of a said wheel in which said pinion is then located;
said frame comprising a side frame extending axially the width of said first array of wheels, said side frame having a blind hole therein defined by a side wall and extending axially of said wheels; said first array of wheels all sitting in and being guided for rotation by said side wall of said blind hole; said blind hole side wall and said peri-phery of all said first array wheels being respectively pro-filed such that said first array wheels are supported by their said peripheries in said blind hole for rotation around their said axis;
an opening in said blind hole side wall for enabling engagement between each said first array wheel and its respec-tive said type wheel.
a first array of wheels arranged side-by-side on a first common axis; a frame for supporting said first array of wheels; said wheels of said first array each having an engageable periphery;
a second array of type wheels arranged side by side on a second common axis, and all said type wheels also being supported on said frame; each said type wheel being provided with a respective set of imprintable types; each said type wheel having a periphery that is engageable with said peri-phery of a wheel of said first array such that rotation of a said wheel of said first array rotates the respective said type wheel; each said set of types being attached to a respective said type wheel to be moved to place a different said type at a print position by means of rotation of the corresponding said type wheel;
all said wheels of said first array having a respec-tive central opening therethrough, and each said central open-ing having a respective first cross-section and being defined by a respective profiled surface having a respective first profile; said central openings being on said common axis;
an indexing shaft extending into said frame and adapted and shaped to pass through and be slidable through.
all said central openings; a pinion on said shaft; said pinion having a second cross-section that is smaller than all said respective first cross-sections; said pinion having a second profile that is adapted to engage any of said respec-tive first profiled surfaces at a first rotative orientation of said pinion and to be completely disengaged from that said first profiled surface at a different, second rotative orien-tation of said pinion, and such that at said second orientation of said pinion, there is a clearance space between said pinion and said first profiled surface of a said wheel in which said pinion is then located;
said frame comprising a side frame extending axially the width of said first array of wheels, said side frame having a blind hole therein defined by a side wall and extending axially of said wheels; said first array of wheels all sitting in and being guided for rotation by said side wall of said blind hole; said blind hole side wall and said peri-phery of all said first array wheels being respectively pro-filed such that said first array wheels are supported by their said peripheries in said blind hole for rotation around their said axis;
an opening in said blind hole side wall for enabling engagement between each said first array wheel and its respec-tive said type wheel.
2. The printing device of Claim 1, wherein all said first profiled surfaces are identically shaped and sized;
wheel rotative position establishing means for establishing discrete rotative positions for every said wheel such that at every established discrete position of every said wheel of said first array, all said profiled sur-faces are identically aligned, whereby said pinion at its said second orientation may freely pass through all said wheel central openings with clearance space.
wheel rotative position establishing means for establishing discrete rotative positions for every said wheel such that at every established discrete position of every said wheel of said first array, all said profiled sur-faces are identically aligned, whereby said pinion at its said second orientation may freely pass through all said wheel central openings with clearance space.
3. The printing device of Claim 1, further comprising said first array wheel exterior peripheries each being defined by first gear teeth; said first teeth engaging said blind hole side wall;
each said type wheel periphery having second gear teeth provided on and extending around the respective said type wheel; said second gear teeth of each said type wheel meshing with said first gear teeth of the respective said wheel of said first array.
each said type wheel periphery having second gear teeth provided on and extending around the respective said type wheel; said second gear teeth of each said type wheel meshing with said first gear teeth of the respective said wheel of said first array.
4. The printing device of Claim 1, wherein said first array wheel exterior peripheries are each defined by gear teeth, which said teeth engage said blind hole side wall;
each said type wheel periphery having second gear teeth provided on and extending around the respective said type wheel; said second gear teeth of each said type wheel meshing with the said first gear teeth of the respective said wheel of said first array.
each said type wheel periphery having second gear teeth provided on and extending around the respective said type wheel; said second gear teeth of each said type wheel meshing with the said first gear teeth of the respective said wheel of said first array.
5. The printing device of Claim 1, further comprising a second opening in said blind hole wall and being located away from the first said opening and the engagement between a said first array wheel and its respective said type wheel; each said first array wheel carrying indicia on its surface, with each said indicium corresponding to a said type on the respective said type wheel; each said type and its said first array wheel being so arranged and oriented with respect to each other that the said indicium of a said first array wheel that is viewable at said second opening corresponds to the said type on said type wheel that is then at a print position.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA347,552A CA1102176A (en) | 1975-07-15 | 1980-03-13 | Portable label printing device |
Applications Claiming Priority (4)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP50085869A JPS5212031A (en) | 1975-07-15 | 1975-07-15 | Printer |
| JP50-085869 | 1975-07-15 | ||
| JP9593175A JPS5221918A (en) | 1975-08-08 | 1975-08-08 | Printer |
| JP50-095931 | 1975-08-08 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1089294A true CA1089294A (en) | 1980-11-11 |
Family
ID=26426871
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA256,865A Expired CA1089294A (en) | 1975-07-15 | 1976-07-13 | Portable label printing device |
Country Status (4)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1089294A (en) |
| DE (1) | DE2631049C2 (en) |
| FR (1) | FR2318032A1 (en) |
| SE (1) | SE432237B (en) |
Families Citing this family (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPS56144658U (en) * | 1980-04-02 | 1981-10-31 | ||
| FR2504455B1 (en) * | 1981-04-22 | 1986-06-06 | Boyer Pierre | PUNCHING MARKING HEAD WITH CLEAR READING |
| DE3406810C2 (en) * | 1984-02-24 | 1986-02-20 | Esselte Pendaflex Corp., Garden City, N.Y. | Hand-held labeling machine |
| AT384997B (en) * | 1986-05-30 | 1988-02-10 | Skopek Karl | HAND STAMP WITH MULTIPLE OPTIONAL PRINT PLATES |
| DE4408461A1 (en) * | 1994-03-12 | 1995-09-14 | Esselte Meto Int Gmbh | Hand labeling or labeling device |
Family Cites Families (8)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3338160A (en) | 1967-08-29 | Removable self-sustained date frinter unit in a postage meter | ||
| US940186A (en) * | 1908-05-05 | 1909-11-16 | John C Otteson | Hand-stamp. |
| US3330207A (en) * | 1965-10-04 | 1967-07-11 | Dynamic Res Corp | Rolling contact label printer and applicator |
| DE1259909B (en) * | 1966-07-18 | 1968-02-01 | Maschb Wam M Osterhof | Numbers setter for printing machines, especially label printing machines |
| US3580779A (en) * | 1966-10-21 | 1971-05-25 | Fred G Schriever | Hand operated tool for marking wire |
| BE789776A (en) * | 1971-10-07 | 1973-04-06 | Norprint Ltd | ADJUSTABLE PRINT SELECTION MECHANISMS |
| US3889594A (en) * | 1972-07-11 | 1975-06-17 | Norprint Ltd | Hand-held self-adhesive-label applicators |
| US3817177A (en) * | 1973-05-07 | 1974-06-18 | Avery Products Corp | Hand labeler |
-
1976
- 1976-07-09 DE DE19762631049 patent/DE2631049C2/en not_active Expired
- 1976-07-13 CA CA256,865A patent/CA1089294A/en not_active Expired
- 1976-07-14 SE SE7608041A patent/SE432237B/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1976-07-15 FR FR7621603A patent/FR2318032A1/en active Granted
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| SE7608041L (en) | 1977-01-16 |
| FR2318032A1 (en) | 1977-02-11 |
| FR2318032B1 (en) | 1982-08-13 |
| SE432237B (en) | 1984-03-26 |
| DE2631049A1 (en) | 1977-01-27 |
| DE2631049C2 (en) | 1985-02-07 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKEX | Expiry |