Sheet clamp and release mechanism.

摘要

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 piaten 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.