Assembly of electromagnetic hammer actuators for impact printers.

摘要

The present invention relates to an assembly of electromagnetic actuators (A, B, C, D, E) for the hammers of an impact printer arranged side by side and extending along a line. Each actuator comprises a first stator part (41) formed with at least one pole piece, a second stator part (42) formed with at least one pole piece and positioned relative to the first stator part so that the pole pieces are spaced apart so as to form a gap therebetween. A single coil (43) is associated with one of the stator parts. Each actuator also includes an armature member (44) formed with a body of non-magnetisable material, at least one armature element of magnetisable material and a hammer head (67). The armature member is supported between the stator parts so that the armature element is located adjacent to the gap. Energisation of the coil causes the generation of a flux which passes across the gap and through the armature element tending to move the armature element into the gap and to cause the hammer head to move into a print position,

According to the invention the components of adjacent actuators are complementary in shape so that projecting components (43) of each actuator engage in recessed components (53) of the adjacent actuator whereby the overall length of the assembly along the line is less than the sum of the overall widths of the individual actuators.