Impact printer type character

Claim 1

A type surface useful in an impact printer which moves type characters, from the leading to the trailing edges thereof, past a plurality of aligned hammers, each hammer being individually actuatable to impact against a selected type character to print an image of the selected character on a paper passed therebetween, said type surface including at least one type character thereon for printing a single element of a matrix character comprised of a plurality of such elements, said one type character comprising: a plurality of land area portions each raised above said type surface; said plurality of land area portions being spaced from one another and distributed within an area on said type surface so as to define a substantially rectangular periphery; said plurality of land area portions being positioned within said periphery such that a line projected in the direction of type surface movement from the leading to the trailing edge of said one type character intersects multiple land area portions whereby a hammer impacting against said land area portions will print a solid block having a periphery substantially corresponding to said substantially rectangular periphery with the spaces between land area portions being filled in as a consequence of smear attributable to the relative movement between said type surface and hammer.