Ap863 Users’ Guide Page 10 of 18
5
PAPER
Pressing the paper feed button when the printer is idle advances paper at up to 50 mm per second,
depending on the battery voltage. However, the feed button has several additional functions:
A single press and release of the button:
Ÿ
in idle or spooling mode, advances paper (in steps of 1/16 mm);
Ÿ
in sleep mode, wakes up the printer into idle mode;
"Double-clicking*" the button:
Ÿ
in idle mode, prints a demo/test message including the firmware version, encoded
calibration data, and the full character set;
Ÿ
in spooling mode, or having been out of paper, prints any stored data and enters idle mode.
*
Double-clicking means pressing and releasing twice in quick succession. The double-click period is like that of a PC mouse
.
Some of the functions of the paper feed button can be invoked or disabled under control of the host.
5.1
LOADING PAPER
The paper roll is normally supplied separately to avoid unrolling or damage in transit.
Paper rolls must be 57.5 ± 0.5 mm wide, 60 mm maximum diameter and have the thermally sensitive
coating on the outside.
Suitable rolls are available as ASL Product Codes:
04-A05848TPR1 Thermal Paper Roll (48 mm dia, 25 m long approx)
04-A05860TPR1 Thermal Paper Roll (60 mm dia, 45 m long approx)
Discard a few turns in case they have been damaged or have glue on. Mount the roll between the
bosses in the paper holder area: the right-hand boss is on a sprung support. The paper must flow
from the bottom of the roll.
Auto-loading paper
In the Ap863, there should be no need to raise the
paper release lever when loading paper. Switch
on the printer by pressing the paper feed button
once. Prepare the end of the paper into a clean
edge at right-angles, and introduce it into the rear
of the mechanism, between the rubber roller and
the metal strip, and press gently so that the
mechanism grips the paper and feeds it through. There is an optical sensor which “sees” the paper
and will drive the motor for a predetermined time. If the paper fails to grip and advance the paper,
withdraw the paper and try again. When it reappears above the rubber, press the paper feed button,
and allow enough to feed through for good alignment, thread the paper through the exit slot and close
the lid.
Check that the paper still advances properly, and tear off any excess by pulling the paper sharply
towards you across the serrated edges. In the event of a jam or other paper loading problem, raise
the paper release lever (as shown in the diagram) and carefully withdraw the paper, checking that no
scraps have been left in the mechanism. Discard any damaged paper from the end of the roll, lower
the paper release lever, and try again.
If for some reason the auto-loading feature fails to operate, either press the paper feed button while
introducing the paper to the mechanism, or (for example, if the paper must be changed when the
battery is flat) raise the paper release lever, and feed the paper through the mechanism by hand.
5.2
PAPER OUT AND PAPER LOW SENSORS
A reflective optical paper sensor within the mechanism of the Ap863 printer detects the presence of
paper, and is used to enable auto-loading as above. It can also be used to identify an out-of-paper
(as opposed to paper low) condition, and/or to sense black marks to register with pre-printed forms.
Paper roll
Printer
mechanism
Metal
Grey plastic
Paper loading path
Paper release
lever (up)
strip
