US1703148A - Mail-marking machine - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 26, 1929.

A. IELFIELD MAIL MARKING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 IINHIH Filed March 22, 1926 a f y Feb. 26, 1929.

-A. IELFIELD MAIL MARKING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Mgoh 22, 1926 Fbb.26,1929.

A. IELFIELD MAIL MARKING MACHINE Filed-March 22, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Feb. 26, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUST IELFIELD, OF SILVER CREEK, NEW YORK. ASSIGNOR TO THE IELFIELD POSTAL SUPPLY CO. INC., OF FORESTVILLE, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

MAIL-MARKING MACHINE.

Application filed March 22, 1926. Serial No. 96,425.

This invention relates to a machine for marking mail matter such as letters,postcards and the like which have to be taken care of in large quantities at times in thepostal service.

It is the object of this invention to provide I improved registering and stopping means for controlling the operation of the printing wheel so as to produce but one impression of the same at the proper place on each piece of mail matter; also to simplify and render more positive in action the rotation of the printing wheel when the same is released by the feeding of a piece of mail matter in position to receive an impression or postmark;

and also to provide improved means whereby the ink roller of the printing wheel may be easily and conveniently replenished with ink when required while the machine is running.

In the accompanying drawings: F igure 1 is a top plan View of a mail marking machine embodying my improvements.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the same. Figure 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the machine showing the inking mechanism with the cover of the ink fountain removed. Figure 4 is a vertical section taken on line il, 3.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on line 55, Fig. 3.

Figure 6 is a )erspective view of the shifting lei 'ervforming part of the inking mechamsm.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on line 7?, Fig. 9, and showing the position of the parts of the stop and registering mechanism when no letter or piece of mail matter has been fed into position to be marl-zed.

Figure 8 is a similar view showing the position of the parts of the stop and registering mechanism after a letter has been marked but has not yet cleared. the printing wheel.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal section taken on line 9 9, Fig. 8.

Figure 10 is a vertical section taken on line 1010, Fig. 7.

Figure 11 is a perspective view of the friction or gripping block forming part of the friction clutch mechanism for coupling the printing wheel with the driving mechanism. Figure 12 1s a cross sectlon taken on line 1212, Fig. 8.

Similar characters of reference indie-ate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings. 7

The numeral 20 represents the feed table having a supply portion 21 upon which the letters 23 or other mail matter to be marked or canceled are stackededgewisa and' a receiving portion 24 upon which the mail mat ter is stacked after receiving the post mark or canceling stamp.

Arranged lengthwise above the feed table is a guide wall having a rear section 25' against which the pile of uncanceled letters are pressed by a bar or follower 26, and a front section 27 from which the letters are successively pushed away by a stacking wheel 28. The follower 26 is constantly moved toward the rear guide wall section 25 by an upright rock shaft 29 journaled in a bearing in the table and connected at its upper end withthe presser bar or follower, a rock arm 30 secured to the lower end of the presserrook shaft, and a spring 31 connecting said rock arm with the adjacent part of the feed table. v

In front of the supply portion of the table is arranged a. transverse guide wall 32 which is separatedat its inner end from the longitudinal guide wall section 25 by a separating passage 33 through which the letters move from the supply stack to the mechanism which marks the letters and stacks the same.

The letters are fed away successively from the inner side of the supply stack by a feeding belt 34 which passes with its rear turn around a pulley 35 and its front turn around a pulley 36 these pulleys being mounted 011 upright shafts 37, 38 carried by the feed table so that the operative stretch of this belt projects beyond the face of the rear wall section 25 and engages the letters of the supply stack so as to move the same forwardly. Immediately in front of the passage 33 the letters are engaged on opposite sides by two separating wheels 39, 40 which continue the forward movement of the foremost letter but hold back the succeeding letters of the supply stack.

Arranged lengthwise of the faces of the longitudinal guide wall sect-ions and spanning the gap between the same is the operative stretch 41 of a carrying belt which passes with its rear turn around a pulley 42, its front turn around a pulley 43 and its return stretch passes around a driving wheel all. The latter is mounted on an upright shaft l5 journaled on the table and may be turned by a hand crank 46 or by power. The pulley 42 connects with the pulleys 36 and 4:0 and these pulleys turn in unison. The pulley 4:3 is preferably connected with the stacking wheel 28 and is mounted with the same on the feed table by a vertical pin r4".

In front of the separating wheels 39, iO the carrying belt is engaged on its opposite sides by a pair of rear guide rollers d8, 49 and in rear of the stack section of the table the carrying belt is engaged on opposite sides by a pair of front guide rollers 50, 51.

Between the front and rear pairs of guide rollers the letters or pieces of mail matter receive a postmark by the mechanism which contains my invention and which is constructed as follows:

The numeral 52 represents a printing wheel which is provided on its periphery with a die or type adapted to engage with.

. the letter and imoress a cancellin or )ostmark thereon while this letter is supported on its opposite side by the carrying belt which latter at this point is supported on its back by a supporting roller 54-. This printing wheeel is driven frictionally by motion derived' from the carrying belt and in this preferred organization is accomplished as follows:

The numeral 99 represents a driving wheel which engages its periphery with the lower part of the carrying belt it, as shown in Fig. 10, so as to be rotated thereby. This driving wheel is provided with an upwardly projecting cylindrical hub 55 and turns on an upright pin 56 mounted on the feed table. The printing wheel rests at its lower end on the driving wheel and is provided with'a central cylindrical bore 98 which receives the hub of the driving wheel and forms a pivotal connection between the same. Extending radially outwardly from the bore of the printing wheel is a longitudinal groove 22 in which arranged a friction block 57 which turns with the printing wheel. This friction block is pressed inwardly so that its inner side bears against the periphery of the hub of the driving wheel. in its preferred form such pressure is produced by bow leaf spring 100 bearing at its ends against shoulders 58 which are formed to face each other at opposite ends of arece s 59 on the outer side of the friction block and bearing with its outwardly bulging central part against the bottom of the groove 22 in the pr g wheel. 3/ hen the latter is free the frictiona grip of the block 57 against the hub of the driving wheel is sufiiciently strong to coinpel these members to turn together and produce an impression of the type. die or print ing surface of the printing wheel on the letter, card or other matter passing between the carrying belt 41 and the periphery of the printing wheel.

The means whereby the rotation of the printing wheel is controlled in response to a letter which has been properly fed to the same for causing the printing wheel to effect a rotation for producing an impression on the letter are constructed as follows:

On its upper end and on one side of its axis the printing wheel. is provided with an upwardly projecting pin forming a stop 60. Above the printing wheel is arranged a horizontal bracket or plate 61 which is supported on the feed table by posts 62 and provided adjacent to the face of the carrying belt with a guide bar 63 between which and this belt a guide-way formed wl'icreby the letters are directed from the supply stack to the printing mechanism. Pivoted by means of a bolt 64L or otherwise on the underside of the bracket 61 is a horizontal swinging stop lever of elbow or L-shape form and having a forwardly projecti 5 longitudinal arm 65 and a laterally projec ing arm 66. On its longitudinal arm the stop lever is provided with an anti-friction stop roller 67 which is adapted to move into and out of the path of the stop 60 on the printing wheel and thereby either arrest the rotation of the latter or permit rotation thereof with the driving wheel. The stop lever is yieldingly turned and held in a position in which its roller 67 stands in the path of the printing wheel stop by means of a spring 68 connecting this lever with the adjacent part of the bracket 61. and 9 the movement of this lever under the action of this spring is limited by a stop 69 arranged on this bracket in position to be engaged by this lever, as shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9. livotally mounted by a belt 101 on the outer e id of the transverse arm of the stop lever is a trip arm 70 which extends roarwardly from this pivot and isprovided at its rear end. with a hook shaped trip linger ?l which adapted to project laterally across the path ho of the letters approaching the printing wheel or to be retracted therefrom. Clhis linger is held in its operative or projected position so that it will cross the path of the letters by a spring 721 connecting the trip arm with the stop ever, and the movement of the trip arm under the action of this spring is limited by a stop face 72 on this lever engaging a stop f- :e 73 on the arm.

Preparatory to moving a printing naech .in the stop by its spring e that its stop roller the path of the 5 wheel and the lat and the trip arm t projects acr ss the let path, F"... l n [its a lett 3 is moved forwa 1 ly from he supply stack by the feeding mechanism the front edge of the letter by en i 1 the linger of the trip arm turns stop lever in the direction for moving its stop roller out of the path of the stop pin on the printing wheel. The instant this occurs the printingwheel released and permitted to turn forwardly by the fIiQJlOIl clutch which couples the same with the driving wheel. During such rot, ion an impression of thface of the prii 1;: wheel is produced on the letter which at this time inc-vet. forwardly by the printing wheel and carrying belt cn gaging with opposite sides of the letter. At the end of one rotation of the printing wheel the same is arrested by the stop lever which after being deflected by the front end of a letter again returns to its normal o iierative position in which. the stop roller obstructs the path of the printing wheel stop pin 60. If atthc end of one rotation of the printing wheel the. letter has not cleared the printing wheel then the trip arm and its linger upon engaging the side of the respective le ter will be turncdon the stop lever so as to remain on one side of the letter path as shown in Fig}. 8. The instanthowever that the rear end of the respective letter passes forwa 'dly beyond the trip finger the latter will. be projected across the letter path ready to intercept the next following letter which upon engaging its front end with the trip linger will cause the printing wheel to be unlocked and permitted to produce an impression on this letter in the manner previously described.

Means are provided for causing the/printing wheel to receive an imimtus and to start its rotation the instant the same is unlocked by the proper presentation of a letter to the same by the letter feeding mechanism lhese means.preferably comprise a registering stop consisting of an arm 74; projecting rearwurdly from a pin or screw 75 which pivots the same on the upper end of the printing wheel and pro idcd its rear end with a laterally projt ing registering linger 76 adapted to err f'v the letter path and to he ongaged by the front end of a letter, asp-ring '4'? connecting the registering arm with printing wheel and teud constantly to turn the same in the direction for moving registering linger across the letter path, and a stop 75% arranged on the printih wheel in position to be c 'ged by the i sie iu i l and to liiuit its i uiuc r of the sprin int that the printing; wheel u been unlocked by the forward iiiressure of the front edge of the letter against the trip linger of the trip lever then th letter engages its front edge with the finger of the registering stop and not only ass'sts in starting the printing wheel but also causes the printing wheel to start at the proper time to imprint the canceling mark on the desired place on the letter. As the printing wheel rotates the registering stop is carried away from the path of'the letter and at the end of the rotation of the printing wheel the finger of the registering stop is again carried across the letter path of the rear end of the letter has passed beyond. If however, the letter has not com Jletel 1 passed the printine posil L C) a.

ti on by the time the printing wheel has made one rotation then the registering stop upon engaging the side of the letter still present will be pushed backwardly over the printing wheel, as shown in 8, and held back until the letter has cleared the teriug stop linger and when this occurs the registering step will be again turned by its spring so as to project its linger across the letter path ready to intercept thenext following letter which is fed to the printing mechanism.

Although various means may be employed for inking the printing surface of the printing roll those shown in the drawings and embodying my invention are preferred and constructed as follows:

The numeral 7 9 represents an ink delivery roller which is pivotally mounted on the table or other availabl support and engages with the periphery of the printing wheel so that the same makes a legible impression on the letter to be marked. Adjacent to the outer side of this inking roller is arranged an ink fountain 80 which is arranged on a recess 81 in the table and provided with a lug 82 which is secured to the upper side of this table. The upperside of this fountain is closed by a cover 83 and: detaehably connected with the lug 82 by a screw 84- passing through a'lug 85 on the cover. On its inner side the cover 83 is provided with an opening 86 which receives the outer part of the inking roller as shown in Fig. 4. Arranged within the fountain and the cover is an ink feeding disk 87 which turns about a horizontal axis whereby its margin is caused to pick up ink con tained in the fountain or reservoir and deposit the same on said inking wheel. During this operation the lower peripheral part of the inking disk sweeps through the ink supply and the inner side of its upper part en gages with the inking roller and deposits the ink thereon. For the purpose of enabling the inking roller to be'thus supplied with ink at will when required means are provided 'for moving the inking disk axially into and out of engagement with the periphery of the inking roller. This is preferably accomplished by rotatahly mounting the inking disk on a shaft or arbor 88 which is supported on the upper part of the fountain so that the inking disk can slide lengthwise thereon, this sliding motion being preferably effected by a hub 89 arranged on the inking disk and provided with an annular groove90, and a shifting lever 91 provided with a fork 92 engaging with the groove of this hub. This lever has one end pivoted in recess 93 at one end of the fountain and its otherend passes through a horizontal slot 9 1 in the cover and provided externally thereof with a handle 95 for manipulating the same. l -fhen tree the inking disk is yieldingly held in engagement with the periphery of the inking roller by a spring 96 surrounding the shatt- 88 and interposed between the hub 89 and the adjacent wall of the fountain. as shown in 3 and l. When in this position the inking disk is turned by frictional contact with the inking roller so that ink constantly lifted from the fountain to the inking roller. llpon moving the inking disk away f om the inlring roller by means of the shifting roller the to tation of the inking disk and its feeding action ceai The in r 1g roller is held out of engagement "from the king disk by engaging the outer arm of ice shitting lever with a hold out shoulder 91 formed on the upper edge of the ink fountain which torn s the hire.- er side of the slot 9%.

This inking mechanism. permits ol'very conveniently and thoroughly supplying ink to the roller which inks this printing whe thereby enabling the postmaii-king to be eittected uniformly and econmnically.

I claim as my invention:

1. A mail marking machine comprising a printing wheel provided with a stop, a unitary stop member movably mounted on a stationary support and provided with a stop movable into and out oi the path of the stop on said wheel and a trip member movably mounted on said stop member and adapted to be engaged by the mail matter to be marked.

2. A mail marking machine comprising a printing w ieel provided with a stop, a unitary stop lever pivoted on a stationary support and provided with a stop movable into and out of the path of the stop on said wheel, and a trip arm pivoted on said stop lever and adapted to be engaged by the mail matter to be marked. I

3. A mail marking machine comprising a printing wheel provided with a stop pin, an L-shapcd stop lever pivoted on a stationary support and having a laterally projecting arm and a forwardly projecting arm providcd with a stop roller movable into and out or the path of said stop pin, and a trip arm pivoted on said laterally projecting arm and having a linger adapt d to be engaged by the mail matter to be ma ed. I

A mail marking machine comprising a printing wheel provided with a stop, a slop lever pivoted on a staiioiuiry support and provided with a stop movable into and. out of the path of the stop on slid wheel, a trip arm pivoted on said stop lever and adapted to be engaged by the mail matter to be marked, yielding means for turning the stop lever and holding its stop in the path of the printing wheel stop, and yielding means for turning said arm and holding the same in the path of the mail matter.

5. A mail marking machine comprising a printing Wheel providing with a stop pin, an L-shaped stop lever pivoted on a station ary support and having a laterally projecting arm and a forwardly projecting arm provided with a stop roller movable into and out of the path of said stop pin, a trip arm pivoted on said laterally projecting arm and liiaving a finger adapted to be engaged by the mail matter to be marked, a spring connecting said lever and support and turnthis lever in the direction for moving its stop roller into the path of said stop pin, means for limiting the movement of said lever under the action of said spring, a spring connecting said arm and lever and turning said arm in the direction for moving its finger into the path of the mail matter, and means for limiting the movement of the trip arm under the action of the spring connecting the same with the stop lever.

6. A mailniarking machine comprising a printing wheel provided with a stop, a uni tary stop member movably mounted on a stationary support and provided with a stop movable into and out of the path of tie stop on said wheel, a trip member movably mounted on said stop member and adapted to be engaged by the mail matter to be marked, and a registering stop movably mounted on said printing wheel and adapted to be engaged by the mail matter to be marked.

7. A mail marking machine comprising a printing wheel provided with a stop, a stop member movably mounted on a stationary support and provided with a stop movable into and out of the path of the stop on said wheel, atrip member movably mounted on said stop member and adapted to be engagedbythe mail matter to be marked, a longitudinally registering stop arm pivoted on the printing wheel and provided at its rear end with a finger adapted. to project laterally across the path oi" the mail matter, a spring connecting the registering stop arm with said wheel and tending constantly to hold said linger in the path of the mail matter, and means for limiting the movement of said finger on said stop arm under the action of the spring connecting the same.

8. A. mail marking machine comprising a printing wheel provided with an axial cylindrical bore and a longitudinal groove e2:- r einliug rai'lially outward trom said bore, a driving wheel having a cylindrical hub engaging with the cylindrical bore of said wheel. a iii-lotion. block arranged in said groove and bearing with its inner side agains he periphery oi said hub and provided on ts outer side with a recess forming two i AUGUST IELFIELD.

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