GB2047170A - Printing device for tickets and the like - Google Patents

Abstract

A printing device comprises a cylinder (1) rotatable about its longitudinal axis the cylinder being adapted to support a ticket on its curved periphery. Relative movement is provided between the cylinder (1) and the printing head (2) in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cylinder. Thus the ticket is printed as the cylinder rotates and a line shift is obtained by the relative movement between the cylinder (1) and the printing head (2). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Printing device for tickets and the like The present invention relates to a printing device for use in producing tickets and the like.

In a constant endeavour to improve and speed up issuing transport tickets or slips which, as is known, with methods used at present, numerous disadvantages have to be overcome, such as excessive noise, the possibility of printing errors, considerable slowness and others of an economic nature, perhaps the most serious, the idea has been reached of the ticket orformat printer which we are going to comment on, focussing the subject towards the ideal solution for a ticket office (transport tickets).The solution is reached through the new approach of the design which enables the special characteristics of the ticket format to be taken maximum advantage of, thereby obtaining outstanding advantages over the most generalized solution of using the same principles adopted for usual typewriting with lines parallel to the axle of the support rollers, with the use in the present case of a simple device for positioning and holding the ticket or format in a position perpendiculay to the axle of the support cylinder, the perimeter of the cylinder being exactly the same or bigger than the ticket or format to be printed.

As has been mentioned on listing the disadvantages to be overcome, safety and economy, among others, are pursued as the primary aims, both through the reduced cost of production with a new simplified conception, and by the utilization and installation expense, furthermore offering a suitable size, complete reliability and easy maintenance, in addition to other undeniable important advantages such as silent working, small size, easily integrating it into any project or decoration, simple handling, automatic, reading through mechanical optical and/ or magnetic readers and the possibility of adapting it to the different configurations of mechanized sales systems.

According to the present invention there is provided a printing device for tickets and the like comprising a cylinder rotatable about its longitudinal axis, the cylinder being adapted to support a ticket on its curved periphery, and a printing head located tangentially to the curved periphery of the cylinder, the printing head and cylinder being relatively movable in a direction parallel to said cylinder axis.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a groove is provided which extends axially of the cylinder. The ticket or slip to be printed is inserted in the groove in an axial direction, the groove being provided with a gripping device. Once the left end of the ticket is gripped the cylinder starts to rotate thus locating the ticket on the cylinder surface. When this stage is completed, the printing head is arranged to write the required letters or figures in one line. Due to the circular movement of the ticket, when one turn is completed and assuming that the device consists of a single printing head, the printing head and cylinder are moved relative to such other parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cylinder, a distance which corresponds to a line jump, so that the first type of the following line can be produced.

Preferably the cylinder and the printing head are controlled by separate mechanisms so that it is possible to jump lines in both directions, and thus it is possible to use the same ticket turn to print on different lines.

The printing device can include more than one head to increse the printing capacity and reduce the printing time of the ticket or format and the shifting.

One head can be used per line, thereby eliminating the displacements of line changes, and the ticket or format con be completely printed in a single turn of the support cylinder.

A reading head is put in any suitable place, but is adjustable to allow the ticket to be read in any area and in any turn of the drum, it being possible to take several readings to ensure there are no mistakes.

Shifting, as the case may be, of the printing device, takes place in a very reduced area, and allows cooling by forced air, it being possible to use more powerful and quicker writing devices, to increase the printing quality and reliability.

The present invention takes maximum advantage of the characteristics of the ticket and enables problems to be eliminated which are most difficult to solve in a classical printer.

The transfer mechanism of the classical printing head, which calls for parallel guides with little friction and brusque changes in direction of movement and damper for the return cycle, has been replaced by the aforesaid rotating cylinder, where the return cycle is shown. Because the cylinder rotates in the direction of the writing on the lines, the start of the next line appears naturally in the circular movement of the ticket, through side displacements of the printing device or the removal of same when one head per line is used.

The movement of the paper to jump lines is replaced by the movement of the printing device.

The ticket remains fixed to a drum throughout printing, so the ticket is gripped much firmer, as it does not move at all with relation to its support and so the possibilities of damaging it are practically non-existant.

The reading head can perform its function several times to ensure, by comparing several readings, that there are no mistakes, a solution which would be impossible with another printing system, unless additional transport was available for the reading head.

The present invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a printing device of transport tickets and the like, with the printing head built in, constructed according to the present invention; Figure 2 shows a plan view of the system in Figure 1; Figure 3 illustrates a perspective view of the printing device of Figure 1, in which a reading device has been included; and Figure 4 is a plan view of the system shown in Figure 3.

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a ticket printing device according to the present invention, with the printing head 2 included. In this figure, there is a rotating cylinder 1 with the printing head 2 located to the side of and tangentially to the cured perphery of cylinder 1. An arrow A appears on this cylinder 1 indicating the direction of rotation. A ticketer or format gripping device 3 can also be seen on cylinder 1. The device 3 can adopt alternative configurations and can include a correct position detecting system to monitor whether a ticket is present and is in the correct position. The main axis 5 of the cylinder 1 is perpendicular to the writing direction (see lines 6), though the axis 5' can be vertical horizontal or inclined to the vertical.

The same feature referred to hereabove with reference to Figure 1, can be seen in Figure 2, in plan view.

In Figures 3 and 4, apart from the features mentioned in Figures 1 and 2, a reading device 5 for reading the printed type is provided.

As can easily be understood, the development of the cylinder 1 must be equal or bigger than the total length of the ticket 4, as otherwise, as this ticket 4 went round the rotating cylinder 1, its rear edge would overlap its front part, which would lead to erroneous printing and/or reading.

Once the ticket or slip 4 has been completely printed and the due readings taken through the reader 5 to ensure that no errors have been made, the ticket or slip is then removed, by means provided which rotate the cylinder 1 one complete turn in the opposite direction to that of printing. Alternatively any other extraction method may be used.

In the system disclosed, it will be possible to optionally use auxiliary means such as working meters, acceptance visualizers, automatic ticket acceptance and expulsion devices, data inserting keys, visualizerscreens, or any other means which assist in controlling and/or aiding printing.

Claims (15)

1. A printing device for tickets and the like comprising a cylinder rotatable about is longitudinal axis, the cylinder being adapted to support a ticket on its curved periphery, and a printing head located tangentially to the curved periphery of the cylinder, the printing head and cylinder being relatively movable in a direction parallel to said cylinder axis.

2. A printing device as claimed in claim 1, in which the printing head is movable.

3. A printing device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which a ticket or format gripping device 3 is provided which can adopt different configurations and includes a correct position detecting system, the longitudinal axis of the cylinder being perpendicular to the writing direction.

4. A printing device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the development of the rotatable cylinder is equal to or biggerthan the overall length of the ticket or slip to be printed.

5. A printing device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the format gripping device has suitable devices for checking the presence and correct position of the format, which authorize the printing device to start work.

6. A printing device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, in which a printing head or device is provided for each required line of type.

7. Printing device, according to claims 1 to 5, in which after the stage referred to in paragraph four has been correctly completed, the printing device, due to the circular movement, after the last type following a movement, if necessary, of the printing device which corresponds to jumping the line, remains in a position to print the types corresponding to a new line in the respective place, according to the circular movement of the cylinder.

8. Printing device, according to claims 1 to 6, in which it is feasible to jump lines in both directions of the foreseen displacement, in this way being able to use a same turn of the ticket to print different lines.

9. Printing device, according to claims 1 to 7, in which a optionally mechanical reading, optical andl or magnetic means can be included which are located in the most suitable place in each case throughout the axle the cylinder to enable reading in any part of the ticket and in any turn of the drum, it being possible to make several readings to ensure the absence of errors.

10. Printing device, according to claims 1 to 8, in which shifting, if necessary, of the printing device, takes place in a very limited area and enables forced air cooling to be used optionally, it also being possible to use more powerful and quicker writing means, to increase the quality and reliabilty of printing.

11. Printing device, according to claims 1 to 9, in which mechanical, optical and/or magnetic readings can be made several times, to ensure, by comparing them with several readings or preset codes, that no reading and/or code errors exist.

12. Printing device, according to claims 1 to 10, in which the ticket is inserted in such a way that it ensures the correct position on the support cylinder.

13. Printing device, according to claims 1 to 11, in which once the printing cycle has furnished, the ticket or format is automatically placed to be removed through a reverse turn of the cylinder or any other extraction method.

14. Printing device, according to claims 1 to 12, in which devices can optionally be included like working metres, acceptance visualizers, automatic ticket or format feed and expulsion devices, data inserting keys, visualizer screens, or any other means which assist in controlling or aiding printing.

15. A printing device for tickets and the like, constructed substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.