Document imprinter

Claim 1

In an imprinter having printing means comprising a rotary printing unit, said rotary printing unit including at least two banks of printing members, said banks being each respectively disposed at different angular locations about the axis of rotation of said rotary printing unit, each printing member having a plurality of type faces any one of which is adapted to be selected for printing; means for selecting any one of said type faces of each printing member for printing; a cylindrical platen cooperable with said banks of printing members and defining therewith a printing nip; means for feeding to said printing nip a web of label material to be printed on by said type faces, said web of label material comprising labels carrying a coating of pressure sensitive adhesive, said web of label material further comprising a carrier strip to which said labels are releasably secured by said pressure sensitive adhesive; said cylindrical platen comprising: an exterior portion; an underlying portion of elastomeric material; said exterior portion being made of a synthetic resinous material, and being thinner and harder than said underlying elastomeric material portion, said synthetic resinous exterior portion presenting an outermost surface which is substantially smooth and glossy and substantially non-adherent to said pressure sensitive adhesive carried by said labels; whereby said synthetic resinous exterior portion minimizes and retards deposition of the pressure sensitive adhesive from the labels onto the platen.