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(11) | EP 0 167 861 A3 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Sheet clamp and release mechanism |
| (57) A sheet clamp and release mechanism for use in a printer or the like for releasing
a sheet of print paper from a platen includes a clamp radially movably mounted on
a rotatable cylindrical platen for holding the sheet against an outer peripheral surface
of the platen when the clamp is moved radially inwardly toward the platen, a shifter
assembly operatively coupled to the platen for shifting the clamp radially outwardly
away from the platen when the sheet is to be released from the platen, and guide memebrs
disposed adjacent to the outer peripheral surface of the platen for releasing the
sheet end from the clamp and platen in response to rotation of the platen. The clamp
is composed of a plurality of radially movable displacing members spaced along the
platen and a plurality of pressers joined to the displacing members for pressing the
sheet down against the platen. The guide membes are disposed in circumferential registry
with respective slots defined in the displacing members for passing through the slots,
respectively, to engage the sheet end to remove the same from the clamp upon rotation
of the platen. |