U.S. patent number 3,596,593 [Application Number 04/734,809] was granted by the patent office on 1971-08-03 for electromagnetic setting means and hammer actuating means in print wheel arrangements.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Kokusai Denshin Denwa Kabrishiki Kaisha. Invention is credited to Tasaku Wada.
United States Patent |
3,596,593 |
Wada |
August 3, 1971 |
ELECTROMAGNETIC SETTING MEANS AND HAMMER ACTUATING MEANS IN PRINT
WHEEL ARRANGEMENTS
Abstract
A printer for selecting automatically types of numerals and/or
characters in response to input signals and for printing the
selected types of numerals and characters on a printing paper, in
which a plurality of type wheels are arranged rotatably on a shaft
at regular intervals. Each of the type wheels has an even number of
permanent magnets radially arranged from the center of the type
wheel at regular intervals in the alternating arrangement of
magnetic polarities of the permanent magnets. Type characters are
fixed along the periphery of each type wheel at respective
projections each arranged between adjacent two of the permanent
magnets. One of the types is selected by rotating each type wheel
in the clockwise or counterclockwise direction by driving
alternately a pair of electromagnets arranged oppositely to one of
the types and the pole of one of the permanent magnets respectively
until the selected type opposes a print hammer.
Inventors: |
Wada; Tasaku (Tokyo-to,
JA) |
Assignee: |
Kokusai Denshin Denwa Kabrishiki
Kaisha (Tokyo-to, JA)
|
Family
ID: |
12603547 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/734,809 |
Filed: |
June 5, 1968 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Jun 29, 1967 [JA] |
|
|
42/41263 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
101/93.33;
310/49.54; 310/156.01; 101/93.09; 101/93.28; 101/393 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B41J
9/12 (20130101); B41J 7/48 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B41J
7/48 (20060101); B41J 9/12 (20060101); B41J
7/00 (20060101); B41J 9/00 (20060101); B41j
001/28 (); B41j 009/38 (); H02k 037/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;101/93RC,110,96,95,99
;310/49,168,169,156 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Penn; William B.
Claims
I claim:
1. A printer comprising a shaft; a first plurality of type wheels
rotatably mounted on said shaft, each said type wheel having a
first plurality of permanent magnets mounted thereon and arranged
in a circle about the wheel axis, and a plurality of type
characters fixed along the periphery of the type wheel; a plurality
of electromagnets mounted on said printer and disposed adjacent
said type wheels, and driving circuit means connected to said
electromagnets for energizing said electromagnets; input means
electrically coupled to said driving circuit means for generating
pulses for energizing said electromagnets; selector means
electrically coupled to said input means to distribute successively
the pulses to the driving circuit means to create a magnetic force
between selected electromagnets and adjacent permanent magnets on
said type wheels to rotate said wheels on said shaft to present
selected type in a printing position; type hammer means mounted
adjacent said type wheels for radial movement with respect to said
type wheels; and means for selectively moving said type hammer
means toward said type wheels at said printing position for
operation to print a printing paper with said type characters,
wherein said type characters on said wheels are successively
selected by rotation of said wheels and opposed to said type hammer
means.
2. A printer according to claim 1, further comprising a second
plurality of permanent magnets including position determining
magnets mounted one each on each of said type wheels, a plurality
of detection coils fixedly mounted adjacent said type wheels, one
for each said position determining magnet, and sensing means
connected to said detection coils for detecting changes of magnetic
flux due to movement of said position determining magnets with said
type wheels, whereby the revolution direction of each type wheel,
and a starting position thereof, can be detected by said sensing
means.
3. A printer according to claim 2, in which the driving circuit
means include means for driving the respective type wheels to
restore said type wheels to their starting positions.
4. A printer according to claim 1, in which one of said wheels has
a blank printing character at a starting position of said one
wheel, and in which the printer is further provided with spacing
means comprising means connected to said driving circuits for
temporarily preventing operation of one of said driving circuits in
order to maintain said one wheel at its said starting position to
leave one spacing on the printing paper during said operation of
said means for moving said type hammer means.
5. The invention as set forth in claim 1, in which each said wheel
has radially extending spaced projections about its periphery, said
type characters being mounted on said projections, and in which
said permanent magnets on each wheel are disposed respectively
between said spaced projections with their poles arranged radially
of the wheel with alternating polarities, each said wheel has a
pair of said electromagnets mounted adjacent thereto, one
electromagnet of each said pair being disposed adjacent one of said
projections when the other electromagnet is disposed adjacent one
of said permanent magnets, and comprising means including said
driving circuits for alternately energizing first one of said
electromagnets in each of said pairs and then the other to drive
said type wheels.
6. A printer according to claim 5, in which said driving circuit
means comprise a plurality of bistable circuit means, one said
bistable circuit means for each said pair of electromagnets, for
being triggered to determine the order of alternate energizations
for each said pair of electromagnets in accordance with the state
of said bistable circuit means, whereby each of the type wheels can
be rotated in the clockwise and counterclockwise directions in
accordance with the state of the bistable circuit means.
Description
This invention relates to a printer for selecting automatically
types of numerals and/or characters in response to input signals
and for printing the selected numerals and characters on a printing
paper.
There have been heretofore proposed many kinds of printers of this
type, such as (i) a printer using typebars, (ii) a printer using a
typedrum driven axially and circumferentially for each input signal
or using a typepalette driven along X-Y directions for each input
signal, and (iii) a printer of the on-the-fly type using a
continuously revolving typedrum. In these cases, since the printing
operation of the printer (i) or (ii) is substantially carried out
in a mechanism, this printer (i) or (ii) has to have a great number
of mechanical parts, the complicated mechanical construction, and a
large size. The printer (ii) has also to have a functional
mechanism to drive the type drum or the type pallette in the above
mentioned manner. In the printer (iii), it is essential to exactly
drive a hammer to print a selected character on the printing paper
at the appropriate instant against the revolving drum. Accordingly,
the driving and control means of this printer (iii) will have a
large size and a high price. Moreover, since the driving motor must
be continuously driven for each of the above-mentioned printers,
the conventional printers have disadvantages, such as high
operation noise or wasteful consumption of the electric power.
An object of this invention is to provide a printer capable of
eliminating the above-mentioned disadvantages.
Another object of this invention is to provide a printer capable of
separately performing its type-selecting operation and the printing
operation for selected types of character.
The construction and operation of the printer of this invention
will be better understood from the following discussion in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which the same or
equivalent parts are designated by the same character, numeral or
symbol, and in which:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the constructive principle
of the printer of this invention;
FIG. 2A is a side view for illustrating an example of a type wheel
to be employed in the printer of this invention;
FIG. 2B is an elevation of the type wheel in FIG. 2A including a
section along rectangularly crossed planes II.sub.b ;
FIG. 3 is a connection diagram for illustrating an example of the
driving circuit employed for driving the type wheel;
FIG. 4 shows time charts explanatory of the operation of the
driving circuit shown in FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a rough side view for describing examples of the printing
means and the position detection means employed in the printer of
this invention;
FIG. 6 shows wave from diagrams for describing the operation of the
printer of this invention; and
FIG. 7 is a connection diagram illustrating an example of an actual
application of the printer of this invention.
The constructive principle of the printer of this invention will
first be described with reference to FIG. 1. A plurality of type
wheels 2 (W.sub.1, W.sub.2, W.sub.3, ..... W.sub.N) are rotatably
arranged on a shaft 1 at appropriate spacings by the use of
antifriction means, such as ball bearings, so that each type wheel
2 is separately rotatable on the shaft 1. Types of necessary
numerals and/or characters are arranged around the periphery of the
type wheel 2. The number of the type wheels 2 is determined so as
to meet with the number of characters for a printing line. A print
hammer 10 or a necessary number of print hammers 10 (H.sub.1,
H.sub.2, ..... H.sub.n) is/are arranged in face of an edge of the
type wheel 2 or edges of the type wheels 2. A printing paper 3 and
an ink ribbon 4 are inserted between edges of the type wheels 2 and
the hammers 10. Each of the type wheels 2 is driven by a
corresponding one of driving circuits 7 (DC.sub.1, DC.sub.2, .....
DC.sub.N) in a stepping manner to select a desired character and,
if necessary, to restore to the initial state. A signal converter 5
receives input signals applied from an input terminal 11 and
converts respectively them to digital signals to rotate the type
wheels 2 in the stepping manner in the clockwise or
counterclockwise direction in response to respective digital
signals. A wheel selector 6 distributes the converted digital
signals to the respective driving circuits 7 to select and drive
successively the type wheels 2. The signal converter 5 detects
further function signals. A control circuit 8 carries out all
necessary control operations. By way of example, the control
circuit 8 controls electromagnets 9 driving the hammers 10 in
response to the selection operation of the wheel selector 6.
The summarized operation of the printer shown in FIG. 1 is as
follows. A first input signal is applied, after signal conversion
performed in the signal converter 5, to the driving circuit
DC.sub.1 driving the type wheel W.sub.1 so as to select a type of
character or numeral corresponding to the first input signal. A
second input signal is applied, after signal conversion, to the
driving circuit DC.sub.2 driving the type wheel W.sub.2 so as to
select a type of character or numeral corresponding to the second
input signal. In a manner similar to these operations, input
signals are successively applied, after signal conversion in the
signal converter 5, to the respective driving circuits 7 through
the wheel selector 6. The control circuit 8 comprises, by way of
example, a counter counting the number of digital signals applied
to the driving circuits 7. If the counting state of the counter
reaches a predetermined number, the control circuit 8 drives the
electromagnets 9 driving the hammers 10 to print the selected types
of character and/or numeral on the printing paper 3. While any of
the type hammers 10 is driven, the type-selecting operations for
other type wheels 2 can be carried out. Accordingly, the
type-selecting operation and the printing operation for selected
types of character and/or numeral can be overlapped and performed
separately. When a line-feed signal is received in the signal
converter 5, the printing paper 3 is fed in a conventional manner
by an appropriate length by paper feed means not shown.
The type wheels 2, the selected type of which has been printed on
the printing paper 3, may be stopped at their selected positions or
restored to their initial positions. In the former case, digital
information indicative of the selected positions of the type wheels
2 is stored in the wheel selector 6 so that the type selecting
operations for the just succeeding printing line are performed in
consideration of the stored digital information corresponding to
the respective type wheels 2.
The type hammer 10 may be provided for each of the type wheels 2,
for each of groups of the type wheels 2, or for a printing line. If
the application of the input signals has a pause such as used in an
order telegraph system, the type hammer 10 may be driven at any
time during the pause to print the selected types even if the
number of selected types does not reach the predetermined
number.
An example of the type wheel 2 will be described with reference to
FIGS. 2A and 2B. In this example, a plurality of projections 20 are
provided along the periphery of the wheel at regular intervals, and
types 21, such as numerals "0" to "9," are fixed on the respective
projections 20. Moreover, the same number of permanent magnets 22
as the types 21 are arranged at respective spacings between
adjacent projections 20 so that magnetic poles of the adjacent
permanent magnets 22 are different from each other. In other words,
an even number of permanent magnets 22 are radially arranged at the
same intervals in the alternating arrangement of magnetic polarity,
and a necessary number of types 21 are fixed on the respective
projections 20 arranged between adjacent two permanent magnets 22.
A pair of electromagnets 23 (M.sub.x) and 24(M.sub.y) are arranged
near the periphery of the wheel 2 so that one opposes the pole of
one of the permanent magnets 22 and the other opposes one of the
projections 20. Moreover, poles of the electromagnets 23 and 24
oppose, at the side surface of the wheel 2, poles of all the
permanent magnets 22 in case of a case of revolution of the wheel
2. Accordingly, if the electromagnets 23 and 24 are alternately
magnetized, the wheel 2 can be rotated by torque which is caused by
the combination action of the attractive force and of the repulsive
force between the permanent magnets 22 and the electromagnets 23
and 24. Details of these operations are described below. The
numbers of the projections 20 and of the permanent magnets 22
increase in proportion to increase of the number of types 21 under
the above-mentioned principle. A plurality of pairs of
electromagnets may be provided to increase the torque for rotating
the wheel 2.
With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, an example of the driving circuit
7 will be described. This driving circuit 7 magnetizes alternately
the electromagnets 23 and 24 in response to pulses applied from a
terminal IT. Terminals CW and CCW are employed to apply
respectively a control pulse for rotating the wheel 2 in the
clockwise direction and a control pulse for rotating the wheel 2 in
the counterclockwise direction. These terminals IT, CW and CCW
composes a group of terminals 6-1 which connect between the wheel
selector 6 and a driving circuit DC.sub.1 as shown in FIG. 1. It is
now assumed that a bistable circuit F.sub.01, such as RS flip-flop
circuit, is set by the control pulse applied from the terminal CW
so that its outputs f.sub.1 and f.sub.2 become respectively states
"1" and "O." Moreover, if it is assumed the outputs f.sub.1 and
f.sub.2 of a bistable circuit F.sub.0 are respectively established
to states "1" and "O," since the output (iii) of a polarity
inverter I assumes the state "1" and only an AND gate a.sub.4 is
opened in a case of no pulse (i.e.; the state OFF of FIG. 4 (1))
from the terminal IT, a transistor TR.sub.4 flows a current i.sub.1
through the electromagnet 24. In this case, if the pulse from the
terminal IT assumes the state ON, this pulse is applied to an AND
gate a.sub.1 through a line (i) and opens this AND gate a.sub.1.
Accordingly, a transistor TR.sub.1 flows a current i.sub.2 through
the electromagnet 23. Next, if the pulse from the terminal IT
assumes the state OFF, the output (ii) of the polarity inverter I
is established to the state "1" which turns, through an AND gate
A.sub.3 and an OR gate O.sub.3, the state of the bistable circuit
F.sub.0 so as to have the state "0" of the output f.sub.1 and the
state "1" of the output f.sub.2. Accordingly, an AND gate a.sub.3
is opened and a transistor TR.sub.3 flows a current i.sub.3 through
the electromagnet 24. Moreover, if the pulse from the terminal IT
assumes the state ON, this pulse passes through the line (i) and
opens an AND gate a.sub.2. Accordingly, a transistor TR.sub.2 flows
a current i.sub.4 through the electromagnet 23. When the pulse from
the terminal IT assumes thereafter the state OFF, the state of
bistable circuit F.sub.0 is further reversed through an AND gate
A.sub.2 and the OR gate O.sub.3. Accordingly, the AND gate a.sub.4
is opened and the transistor TR.sub.4 flows a current i.sub.1
through the electromagnet 24. As mentioned in details above, the
electromagnets 23 and 24 are alternately magnetized by currents
i.sub.1, i.sub.2, i.sub.3 and i.sub.4 which have successively
opposite polarities as shown in time chart (5) and (6) of FIG. 4.
The wheel 2 is rotated in the clockwise direction in this
operation.
In a case of revolution of the wheel 2 in the counterclockwise
direction, a control pulse is applied to the terminal CCW to reset
the bistable circuit F.sub.01 in the state "0" of the output
f.sub.1 and the state "1" of the output f.sub.2. In response to
this reversal of the state of the bistable circuit F.sub.01,
flowing order of the currents i.sub.1, i.sub.2, i.sub.3 and i.sub.4
is reversed against the flowing order for the clockwise directional
revolution.
In a brief summary, the flowing order of the currents i.sub.1,
i.sub.2, i.sub.3 and i.sub.4 in the electromagnets 23 and 24 is as
follows: a. For the clockwise directional revolution of the wheel
2:
i.sub.1 -i.sub.2 -i.sub.3 -i.sub.4 -i.sub.1 -..............
b. For the counterclockwise directional revolution of the wheel
2:
i.sub.1 -i.sub.4 -i.sub.3 -i.sub.2 -i.sub.1 -..............
In these cases, the currents i.sub.1, i.sub.2, i.sub.3 and i.sub.4
are respectively the minus current for the electromagnet 24, the
plus current for the electromagnet 23, the plus current for the
electromagnet 24, and the minus current for the electromagnet 23 as
shown in FIG. 3 and time charts (5) and (6) of FIG. 4. Accordingly,
polarities of the electromagnets 23 and 24 are alternately reversed
so that the electromagnets 23 and 24 attract alternately the
nearest one of the permanent magnets 22 having a magnetic pole
different from the magnetic pole of the magnetized electromagnet 23
or 24. As the result of this control operation, the wheel 2 is
rotated in the clockwise direction or in the counterclockwise
direction. In this case, the number of shifts of the types arranged
on the projections 20 is equal to the number of pulses applied to
the terminal IT while each of the electromagnets 23 and 24 is
magnetized by the same number of pulses as shown in time charts (5)
and (6) of FIG. 4.
With reference to FIG. 5, the printing operation of the printer of
this invention will be described. In this FIG. 5, the permanent
magnets 22 and the electromagnets 23 and 24 are omitted for simple
illustration. When a type of desired characters or numerals has
been just selected, a driving pulse is applied to an electromagnet
29 so that a L-typed lever 28 is attracted to the magnetized
electromagnet 29 with respect to a fixed axis 28a. In response to
this attraction, the other end of the L-typed lever 28 pushes a
type hammer 26 (10), through the type ribbon 4 and the printing
paper 3, to the type 21. The type hammer 26 is supported by a pair
of supporters 30 and restored by the resilient force of a spring 27
after the above-mentioned printing.
With reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, the construction and operation of
an example of detecting means for detecting the revolution
direction of the wheel 2 and for detecting the restoration of the
wheel 2 to a predetermined state. The detection means comprises a
permanent magnet 21a fixed on one of the projections 20 and a
position detection coil PD detecting the change of magnetic flux
generated from the permanent magnet 21a. If the wheel 2 starts its
revolution from an initial state where the position detection coil
PD and the permanent magnet 21a are opposed to each other, pulses
CW.sub.1 and CCW.sub.1 are detected by the position detection coil
PD as shown in FIG. 6 in accordance with the clockwise or
counterclockwise revolution direction of the wheel 2 respectively.
Accordingly, the revolution direction of the wheel 2 can be
detected by detecting the polarity of the induced pulse CW.sub.1 or
CCW.sub.1. Moreover, a pulse CW.sub.2 or CCW.sub.2 is induced to
the position detection coil PD in accordance with the clockwise or
counterclockwise revolution direction of the wheel 2 at the state
where the position detection coil PD and the permanent magnet 21a
are opposed to each other. Accordingly, if the wheel 2 is stopped
in response to the induced pulse CW.sub.2 or CCW.sub.2, the wheel 2
can be restored to the predetermined state.
With reference to FIG. 7, an actual application of the printer of
this invention will be described in detail. This example is a
printing system for numerals of four figures. Input signals of this
application are generated from 10 keys generating pulses in
response to respective keying of keys, such as proposed in U.S.
Pat. No. 3,363,737 "Pulse Generating Key Board." Ten coils L.sub.1
to L.sub.0 and diodes connected to the respective coils correspond
to the 10 keys. Bistable circuits F.sub.11 to F.sub.15 are
controlled by pulses from the keys. A bistable circuit F.sub.01 is
employed to determine the revolution direction of each type wheel
W.sub.1, W.sub.2, W.sub.3 or W.sub.4 by its output state. The coils
L.sub.1 to L.sub.5 are connected, through respective diodes and a
terminal L.sub.10, to the bistable circuit F.sub.01. The coils
L.sub.6 to L.sub.0 are connected, through respective diodes and a
terminal L.sub.20 to the bistable circuit F.sub.01. The type wheels
W.sub.1, W.sub.2, W.sub.3 and W.sub.4 for four figures are
controlled by respective driving circuits DC.sub.10, DC.sub.20,
DC.sub.30 and DC.sub.40. In this case, the driving circuits
DC.sub.10 to DC.sub.40 are designed so as to rotate the respective
type wheel W.sub.1 to W.sub.4 in the clockwise or counterclockwise
direction in accordance with pulses passed through the terminal
L.sub.10 or L.sub.20 respectively. Position detection coils
PD.sub.1, PD.sub.2, PD.sub.3 and PD.sub.4 have the same function as
the position detection coil PD described with reference to FIG. 4
for the respective type wheels W.sub.1, W.sub.2, W.sub.3 and
W.sub.4. A pulse generator OSC generates driving pulses, the period
of which is proportional to the revolution speeds of the type
wheels W.sub.1 to W.sub.4. Bistable circuits F.sub.21, F.sub.22 and
F.sub.23 determine the number of the driving pulses applied to the
type wheel W.sub.1, W.sub.2, W.sub.3 or W.sub.4. If the number of
types on the wheel 2 increases, the number of these bistable
circuits F.sub.21, F.sub.22, ...... increases. Bistable circuits
F.sub.31, F.sub.32 and F.sub.33 form a shift register which selects
successively the type wheels W.sub.1, W.sub.2, W.sub.3 and W.sub.4.
The number of stages of the shift register increases in proportion
to the number of figures of the printed numerals. Bistable circuits
F.sub.41, F.sub.42, F.sub.43 and F.sub.44 are employed for
restoring the respective type wheels W.sub.1, W.sub.2, W.sub.3 and
W.sub.4 to their initial state. Pulse generating coils SP, LF and
HM are employed for spacing function, paper-feed function and
hammer-driving function respectively. A bistable circuit F.sub.02
is employed to detect the restored state of all the type wheels
W.sub.1, W.sub.2, W.sub.3 and W.sub.4 and to stop the restoring
operation of the driving circuits DC.sub.10, DC.sub.20, DC.sub.30
and DC.sub.40. Each of the bistable circuits F.sub.01, F.sub.02,
F.sub.11, F.sub.12, F.sub.13, F.sub.14, F.sub.15, F.sub.21,
F.sub.22, F.sub.23, F.sub.31, F.sub.32, F.sub.33, F.sub.41,
F.sub.42, F.sub.43 and F.sub.44 has one or two setting input or
inputs s, a resetting input r and two outputs f.sub.1 and f.sub.2
as shown. In the setting condition of each bistable circuit, the
outputs f.sub.1 and f.sub.2 assumes respectively the states "1" and
"O." On the contrary, the outputs f.sub.1 and f.sub.2 assumes
respectively the states "0" and "1" in the resetting state. Two
groups of diodes connected respectively to the bistable circuits
F.sub.21 to F.sub.23 and to the bistable circuits F.sub.31 to
F.sub.33 form respectively diode-AND circuits. When two setting
pulses are applied to any of the bistable circuits, its state is
restored to the initial reset state.
The operation of the circuitry shown in FIG. 7 is described in a
case of printing a numeral "3." When a key indicative of the
numeral "3" is selected from the 10 keys and pushed, the coil
L.sub.3 generates a pulse which is applied to the bistable circuit
F.sub.13 and the bistable circuit F.sub.01 to set them. The output
state of an AND gate A.sub.6 turns from the state "1" to the state
"0" which is changed to the state "1" by a polarity inverted
I.sub.1. Since an output f.sub.2 of the bistable circuit F.sub.02
assumes the state "1" at this time as mentioned below, the output
pulses of the pulse generator OSC pass through the AND circuit
A.sub.1. The bistable circuits F.sub.21 to F.sub.23 are
successively reversed by the pulses passed through the AND gate
A.sub.1. At the same time, the output pulses of the AND gate
A.sub.1 pass through an OR gate 0.sub.2 and AND gates A.sub.2 and
A.sub.21 since the output state f.sub.1 of the bistable circuit
F.sub.01 assumes the state "1" and the output state of the OR gate
O.sub.11 assumes the state "1" in response to the instant
combination of output states "100101" of the bistable circuits
F.sub.31, F.sub.32 and F.sub.33. An AND gate A.sub.22 is opened at
the output state "0" of the OR gate O.sub.2. The driving circuit
DC.sub.10 drives the wheel W.sub.1 by the use of outputs of an OR
gate O.sub.3 and the AND gates A.sub.21 and A.sub.22. In this case,
the output pulses of the AND gates A.sub.2 and A.sub.3 instruct the
driving circuit DC.sub.10 to rotate the wheel W.sub.1 in the
clockwise and counterclockwise direction respectively. When the
wheel W.sub.1 is rotated by three steps of type positions (20) by
three pulses from the pulse generator OSC, and AND gate A.sub.13 is
opened by the output of the bistable circuit F.sub.13 and the
output states "101001" of the bistable circuits F.sub.21, F.sub.22
and F.sub.23. The output pulse of the AND gate A.sub.13 passes
through an OR gate O.sub.4.sub.-1 and is applied, after polarity
inversion at a polarity inverter I.sub.3, to the bistable circuits
F.sub.21, F.sub.22 and F.sub.23 to reset them. The output pulse of
the inverter I.sub.3 is further applied, through an OR gate
O.sub.4.sub.-2 to the shift register consisting of three bistable
circuits F.sub.31, F.sub.32 and F.sub.34. Since the AND gate
A.sub.1 is closed in response to the reset of the bistable circuit
F.sub.13, the output pulses of the pulse generator OSC cannot reach
the driving circuit DC.sub.10. Accordingly, the type wheel W.sub.1
is stopped at a state where the number "3" can be printed. At the
same time, since an OR gate O.sub.12 is opened in accordance with
the output states "011001" of the shift register (F.sub.31,
F.sub.32 and F.sub.33), the driving circuit DC.sub.20 for driving
the type wheel W.sub.2 is just ready for control pulses from the OR
gate O.sub.2. In response to the next keying of a selected key, the
type wheel W.sub.2 is driven in accordance with numerical
information indicated by the selected key.
After all the type wheels W.sub.1, W.sub.2, W.sub.3 and W.sub.4
have been driven by four times of keying as mentioned above, a
pulse is generated from the pulse generating coil HM in response to
keying of a hammer key and drives the hammer magnet 29 so as to
print the selected numerals of four figures on a printing paper
(not shown) similarly as mentioned with reference to FIG. 1. The
output pulse of the pulse generating coil HM passes through a delay
circuit D having a delay time longer than the operating time of the
hammer magnet 29 and then sets the bistable circuit F.sub.02 and
the bistable circuits F.sub.41, F.sub.42, F.sub.43 and F.sub.44.
The output pulse of the delay circuit D resets, through an OR
circuit O.sub.5, the bistable circuits F.sub.31, F.sub.32 and
F.sub.33. In response to the set of the bistable circuit F.sub.02,
the pulses from the pulse generator OSC pass through an opened AND
gate A.sub.5 to drive all the driving circuits DC.sub.10,
DC.sub.20, DC.sub.30 and DC.sub.40. Since each of the type wheel
W.sub.1, W.sub.2, W.sub.3 and W.sub.4 has a permanent magnet 21a as
shown in FIG. 5, each of the detection coils PD.sub.1, PD.sub.2,
PD.sub.3 and PD.sub.4 generates a pulse when the type wheel is
restored to the initial state where the permanent magnet 21a
opposes to the corresponding detection coil PD.sub.1, PD.sub.2,
PD.sub.3 or PD.sub.4. Pulses generated from the respective
detection coils PD.sub.1, PD.sub.2, PD.sub.3 and PD.sub.4 reset
respectively the bistable circuits F.sub.41, F.sub.42, F.sub.43 and
F.sub.44 to close respective pairs of AND circuits (A.sub.21 and
A.sub.22), (A.sub.23 and A.sub.24), (A.sub.25 and A.sub.26 ) and
(A.sub.27 and A.sub.28), so that all the type wheels W.sub.1,
W.sub.2, W.sub.3 and W.sub.4 are stopped at their initial states
because of stopping of the pulse supply from the pulse generator
OSC to the driving circuits DC.sub.10, DC.sub.20, DC.sub.30 and
DC.sub.40. In response to the reset of all the bistable circuits
F.sub.41, F.sub.42, F.sub.43 and F.sub.44, a resetting signal is
applied through an AND gate A.sub.4 to the bistable circuit
F.sub.02. At the same time, this example of the printer is ready
for further selecting and printing of the next numerals.
If a space is to be left at the position of one of the type wheels
W.sub.1, W.sub.2, W.sub.3 and W.sub.4, in a printing line a pulse
is generated from the pulse generating coil SP for the spacing
function by keying a spacing key (not shown) so that the output
states of the bistable circuits F.sub.31, F.sub.32 and .sub.33 are
changed so as to select the next driving circuit.
If the printing paper 3 is to be fed after the printing operation,
a pulse is generated from the pulse generating coil LF for the
paper-feed function by keying a paper-feed key (not shown) so that
the paper 3 is fed by paper-feed means (not shown) and the bistable
circuits F.sub.31, F.sub.32, and F.sub.33 are reset.
As mentioned above, the circuitry of FIG. 7 is possible to print
numerals of four figures. This circuitry can be easily modified to
increase the number of types on a type wheel and/or to increase the
number of type wheels. Moreover, if input telegraph signals are
detected in a receiving detector including a numeral and/or
character detector, such as matrix, and if the detected signals are
applied to the output side of the pulse generating coils L.sub.1,
L.sub.2, L.sub.3, ....., this circuitry can be applied to print the
numerals and/or characters selected in response to the input
telegraph signals.
As understood from the above-mentioned details, the printer of this
invention has following merits: 1. Since the mechanism of the
printer is simple and each type wheel is separately driven by an
electric circuit, the printer of this invention can be formed into
a small size with a light weight and operated in a high-printing
speed without so large noise. 2. Since the number of mechanical
parts is small, the high reliability can be maintained without
complicated maintenance. 3. Since all the type wheels have the same
construction, they can be made in a low price by the use of molding
technique. 4. Since the respective type wheels can be driven at the
same time as the printing operation of the other type wheels, the
selection of types and the printing of the selected types can be
separately performed in a high speed. 5. Since the mechanism is
stopped in a case of no input signals or no keying of the keys, the
wasteful consumption of electric power and the wear and tear of
mechanical parts are low.
* * * * *