US2088468A - Addressing machine - Google Patents

Description

4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 11, 1935 4 Shets-Sheet 2 H. P. ELLIOTT ADDRESSING MACHINE Filed Feb. 11, 1955 Jul 27, 1937.

'IWUEI'LZO). Hm F" a m I July 27, 1937. H. P. ELLIOTT ADDRESSING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet Filed Feb; 1]., 1955 Jrzven 2'02.

July 27, 1937. H. P. ELLIOTT 2,088,468

ADDRESSING MACHINE Filed Feb. 11, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 F1 r"; J -1 1 l Patented July 27, 1937 UNITED STATES ADDRESSING MACHINE Harmon P. Elliott, Watertown, Mass. Application February 11,- 1935rseria1Nb. 5,944

38 Claims.

This invention relates to printing or addressing machines of the type wherein the printed data is carried by a series of data bearing devices, and

particularly by stencils.

5 This invention relates particularly to an addressing, machine adapted for printing tax lists for municipal and county purposes. For the printing of tax lists the name of the property owner and a description of the property owned by him is carried by the same stencil, the address being above the description of the property. In

transferring the data of the stencils to ledger sheets or the like, however, the address and the property description are required to be printed side by side in the same horizontal line. Hence an object'of the present invention is an improved machine for this'purpose.

The machine ofthe present invention is, particularly adapted for printing the addresses and the property description side by side on ledger sheets. For this purpose the machine is provided with two printing heads which are successively operable on the same stencil, one head beingarranged to print the address portion only at; and the other head being arranged to print the property description portion only of the stencil, the sheet being advanced between successive printing operations on the same stencil so as to position the address and the property description in the same horizontal line. In the printing of separate sheets as contrasted with printing the data on a sheet of indefinite length the printing operation has to be modified at the start of each sheet in order for the address and property description to be printed in proper order on the sheet. The same is true with respect to the printing of the last data on the sheet. Hence it is a further object of the invention to provide means for manually disabling the printing operations of either one, and both, of the two printing heads at will.

Also for'the same purpose it is desirable to interrupt or disable the sheet feeding mechanism and the provision of improved means for this purpose is another object of the invention.

A yet further object of the invention resides in the construction of the machine whereby it can also be adapted to the printing of duplicate tax bills from the same stencils used in printing the tax lists.

Tax lists have been printed heretofore by the use of two or more stencils for each owner of taxable property, one stencil bearing the address and the other, or others, the property descriptions. The property description stencil did not contain (01. 10148) the owners name and hence there was the liabilityofimproper listing if the "address and the corresponding property description stencils became separated in the stencil collection. Hence, for c the, present-invention, a stencil is employed hav- 5 ing a data bearing stencil sheet wide enough' to bear both theaddressand theproperty descrip* tion. V

With such a stencil it becomes necessary to print only-the address at one printing opera- 10 tion and only the property description at another printing operation. Such a stencil can not readily be usedwith, and such part printing j accomplished by; the cylindrical ink-bearing ime p'ressijon roll heretofore employedit not being practical to compress the roll sufficiently to cover the required width of'thedata-bearing portion ofthe stencil andto use a mask or the like to shield the unwanted part of the stencil from the roll, dueto' thepressure onythe mask, .and for other reasons. I

Hence for'the' present invention, and as an object thereof, the impression device is a flat some what resilient ink-bearingpad supported and arranged in' such a way as to function in an entirely satisfactory manner. A flat, pad has been'employed heretofore, but was so arranged that its fiatimpr'ession surface moved always parallel withthe face of the stencil. This arrangeirient'I have found not to be satisfactory foruniform printing as air bubbles areentrapped be,- tWeen-the contacting faces of'the pad and the stencil that prevent the, ink from covering the stencil uniformly. This action isparticularly troublesome with broad contacting faces.

In accordance with my invention the flat pad, instead of being mounted formovement in parallel lines toward'and' away from the stencil, is mounted to swing in an arc toward and away fromjthe'stencil and thus to engage the stencil 46 progressively from one end to the other, thereby to squeeze out any air bubble that may-tend to form and to drive the air out in advance of the I line of contact, the pad being made of sufiiciently yielding material to permit this action while exerting. a substantially uniform pressure on the .stencilthroughout the contacting area. i

A further object'is' to mount the impression pad so thatthe relation between its fiat-ink-bearing 50 surface and the stencil can be adjusted, or the pad levelled, to secure uniform printing of the data carried by that part of the stencil with which itisbrought into pressure contact.

A further obje'ct'is generally to improve the construction and operation of an addressing machine.

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a machine embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional detail taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail of the operating mechanism of Fig. 2 taken along line 22 of Fig. 1 but showing the operating mechanism in more complete form and also showing the selector mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail taken along line 44 of Fig. 2 and illustrating especially the manually operable clutch connections between the printing platens and the operating shaft.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a platen operating cam and its associated clutch mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a perspective detail of the sheet feed.

Fig. '7 is a plan detail of the pusher disabling mechanism.

Fig. 8 is a sectional detail of the printing head.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a printing head plate.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a stencil used in connection with the present invention.

Fig. .11 is a diagrammatic view of the relative positions of a tax list sheet and the printing heads and stencils.

Fig. 12 is a perspective detail, partly diagrammatic, ofthe printing heads and platens.

The machine embodying the present invention includes a horizontal table I6 having a pair of parallel rails I8 constituting a stencil track extended from one end to the other in spaced relation thereabove. Astencil holder 20 for a pile of superimposed stencils is disposed above the track at oneend of the table and a pusher 22 is arranged to move the successive lowermost stencils of the pile out of the holder and along the track into and out of a printing position and thence into a stencil receiver 24 that is located mainly below the track at the other end of the machine. 7

The machine is provided with two printing heads A and B, see especially Figs. 1, 2 and 12,

- which heads are located side by side above the stencil track and are adapted to act successively onthe same stencil in its successive positions in the track. Said heads are carried by forwardly extended arms 26 of a reciprocable loop frame 28 pivoted at 38 to a bracket 32 disposed mainly beneath and secured to the table Hi, the pivotal connection between the bracket and the loop frame being about at or somewhat above the top line of the stencil track so that firm and uniform I engagement. between the entire printing face of operating frame 28.

the-head and the stencil may be obtained. As the loop is under considerable strain when applying the printing pressure and thus is liable to bend at the ends, the bending is prevented by thrust, rollers 28a, supported by the frame of the machine and bearing on arcuate pads 28b of the loop at the ends thereof.

The heads are or can be identical in construction and but one will be described. Each printing head includes a pair of generally horizontal supporting arms 34, see especially Figs. 2 and 8, carried at their rear ends by a pair of superposed rigid parallel rods 38 and 38 that are extended between and are carried by the arms 26 of the The engagement of the supporting arms with both of said rods serves to hold the arms rigid with the arms 26 without relative pivotal movement therebetween. An impression plate holder is disposed close under the arms 34 and has upwardly extended bosses 4| through which the lowermost rod 36 passes. Said plate holder is secured to said arms by leveling screws 42 and 44. The screws 42 pass loosely through said arms 34 and are screw-threaded into the plate holder 48. The screws 44 are screw-threaded in said arms and bear against the top of the impression plate holder 40'. By the provision of the aforesaid screws 42 and 44 the impression plate holder can be, levelled as by slacking off on a screw 42 and screwing down a screw 44 so that the impression plate can make uniform contact over its entire extent with the stencil.

The impression plate holder is provided at its sides with a pair of cam plates 45 which are so arranged as to provide between them and under the lower face of the plate holder a dove-tailed slot 46 in which an impression plate 48 is retained removably. The impression plate, see Figs. 8 and 9, comprises a flat metal plate 50, having inclined end faces that fit removably within the dove-tailed groove 4'8 of the impression plate holder and engage the cam plates 45. The upper face of the plate 59 is provided with a recess 52 adapted removably to receive a locking pin 54 that is vertically movable in the impression plate holder 48 under urge of a plate spring 56. The impression plate is provided with a handle 58 which is adapted to be grasped in inserting and removing the impression plate into and out of its holder; and the spring 56 is disposed in such position that it can be readily engaged and raised by a finger to free the holding pin 54 so that it will be raised upon the withdrawing movement of the impression plate, thereby to permit the removal of said plate. The. impression plate is provided with a sufficiently resilient, as a rubber or equivalent, plate or pad 68 that has an inkbearing raised portion 62 having a fiat stencil engaging face that is as long as the data bearing portion of the stencil and as wide as a selected part of the data space of the stencil.

The stencil, see especially Fig. 10, consists of a frame 64 carrying a stencil sheet 66 which is provided with an address-bearing zone 68 and a zone 10 occupied by a description of the taxed property, the two zones 68 and ill being located one above the other. j

The fiat raised portion 62 of the impression plate of the printing head B is located near the forward edge of the plate and is arranged to print the tax description 10 only. Figs. 8 and 9 are illustrative of this impression plate. The printing head A has raised and depressed portions, corresponding to the raised and depressed portions 60 and 52, respectively, of Fig. 9, arranged in reverse order as is illustrated by the dotted lines in Fig. 11, so as to print the address data 68 only of the stencil. Thus as the stencils are moved in successive order along the stencil track the printing head B will print the tax descriptions 18 of the stencils and the printing head A will print the address data 5580f the stencils.

The impression faces of the impression plates are inked by a pair of rolls 12, one for each plate, journalled on a shaft 14, see especially Fig. 2. disposed below the printing heads and extended between and secured to arms 16 pivoted at 78 t0 downwardly extended swinging arms 88. Said arms 80 at their upper ends are pivoted on stud screws 82 secured to the forwardly extended ends of bracket arms 84 carried by and located above the table and head operating frame 28. A tensile spring 86 is connected with the arms 80 and biases them for movement in a clockwise direction to carry the inking rolls I2 forwardly across the printing faces. This movement, however, is under control of a pair of links 88; the lower ends of which are pivoted by screws 90 each to a separate printing head A, B. Said links extend upwardly in overlying relation with the arms Bil and are provided with elongated slots 92 therein in which are disposed slide blocks 9i pivoted on pins 96 fixed to said arms 80. Adjusting screws 98' are screw-threaded in said arms and are adapted at times to bear against the lower faces of said blocks 94. The vertical movements of the printing heads move the links 88 and the screws 98 downwardly and upwardly and thus control the swinging movements of the arms 80. As a matter of fact, however, the screws 98 are relied upon principally to determine the limits to the swinging movements of said arms 80 and thereby the stroke of the inking rolls I2. The main swinging movement of the arms 80 is obtainedby cam rollers I08 carried by said links 88', which rollers bear upon cam faces I02 on the lower or inner faces of the arms 88 and thereby effect the swinging movements of said arms.

Ink is supplied to the inking roll I2 by a cylindrical and rotatable ink reservoir I04 carried by pivoted arms lilii and bearing upon the periphery of an axially reciprocable continuously-rotated spreading roll I ll? which is in driving engagement with the surface of a cylindrical transfer drum I08, each printing headhaving a separate ink supply spreading roll and a transfer drum. Ink from the surface of each transfer drum is conveyed to the inking rolls i2 by a series of conveyor rolls H0, H2, H4, journalled on rods IIii extended between and carried by depending arms II8 pivoted to the bracket arms 84 by the aforesaid.

screws 82. Each transfer drum has associated With it a set of the aforesaid conveyor rolls. The supporting rods for the rolls III I I2, are loosely mounted in the arms IIB so that rolling contact between the conveyor rolls is assured. The uppermost set of conveyor rolls III engages the transfer drum in such a location that the series of conveyor rolls are maintained in a position illustrated in Fig. 2 in front of the printing heads. On each swinging movement of the inking roll I2 they are brought momentarily in rotating contact with the lowermost conveyor rolls I I4, which rolls supply ink to the inking rolls. The construction of the inking mechanism herein described is described in greater detail and is claimed in my copending application Serial No. 5,945 filed February 11, 1935. p

The arrangement of the printing head is so arranged that, as it swings downwardly above the pivot 3i] toward the stencil, the heel of the resilient impression pad or plate 60, or that part nearer the pivot 30, first makes engagement with the stencil and yields to permit the line of contact to advance in a progressive manner to the toe of the pad. This manner of contact sweeps out air that otherwise might be entrapped between the contacting surfaces and hence permits uniform printing to be obtained. The angle that the ink-bearing face of the pad makes with-the stencil at the initial contact with the stencil need be but slight, so that the pressure between the pad and the stencil, when in full contact, can be substantially uniform throughout. The proper setting of the pad is obtained by proper adjustment of the leveling screws 42, 44.

A printing head as thus described is-disclosed but-"not claimed in my copending application Serial No. 697,407, filed November 10, 1933;

- The operating mechanism for the printing elements includes an operating shaft I20, see especially Figs. 1', 2, 3, and 4, journalled in downwardly extended arms I22, see especially Figs. 2 and 4, of the aforesaid bracket 32 beneath the table. I6. Said shaft is reciprocated by means including a sector I24 which is fixed to said shaft and is pivotally connected to the upper end of a connecting rod I26, see Figs. 1 and 3, whichconnecting rod isreciprocated by a power plant I28 of common construction unnecessary to describe in greater detail here except to state that the reciprocation of the connecting rod is controlled by a foot pedal I30, the depression and immediate release of said pedal effecting acomplete outward and return stroke of said connecting rod. The sector I24 is connected through a latch I25 with an op erating arm I2'I that is fixed to the shaft I20 so that reciprocation of said sector when latched to said arm also effectsthe conjoint reciproca tion of said arm. The engagement of the latch is controlled by selector controlled mechanism illustrated in Fig. 3 of a well known construction not necessary to explain in detail. The arm I21 is connected through a toggle linkage I29 to;

the depending arm 28 of the printing head frame 28 and straightens to exert a strong printing pres-' sure on the engaged stencil and work sheet.

The printing mechanism includes a pair of platens I 32, each platen cooperating with a sepa-; rate head A and B, and having a flat upper face that is about coextensive with the area of the stencil sheet of the stencil. carried by the forward ends of arms I34 pivoted to the frame of themachine. The platens are reciprocable in a vertical direction through openings in the table It into a position to hold a work sheet close under the stencil sheet of a stencil, thereby to support it against the printing pressure of a printing head during the printing op eration.

' The reciprocatcry movements of the two heads are controlled by cams itt, i238, see especially Said platens are Fig. 4, dis-posed upon and reciprocated by-the shaft I20. Each cam is provided with a forwardly extended portion Mi? which is free to ride under a cam roller I42, see especially Fig. 3, of the platen without reciprocating the platen. The cam is also provided with operating portion I44 that serves to raise the platen into its elevated working position. The cam is further provided with an elevated dwell portion I46 that permits further movement of the cam member while maintaining the platen in elevated posi tion.

The cams I36 and it are loose upon the shaft I20 and are clutched thereto by manually operable clutch mechanism which is the same in construction for each cam member. With respect to the cam member I36 the clutch mechanism,see especially Figs. 4 and 5, includes a narrow plate I48 which is secured to the hub of the cam member and is extended parallel with the shaft I20 and has a forwardly extended handle I50 disposed in position conveniently to be grasped by an operative standingat the front of the machine. A latch member I52 is pivotally connected at I54 with the handle member and has the part I56 that is parallel with the plate 148 and carries a clutch pin I58; Said pin is extended loosely through a hole in the plate HlIl and is adapted to enter an axial slot Hillin a collar I62 fixed to the operating shaft IZOadjacent the cam member. Thus when the clutch pin I58 is located in the slot of the collar the cam member and the shaft are restrained for conjoint reciprocatory movement. When, however, the clutch pin is withdrawn from the notch of the collar the cam member is operatively disconnected from the operating shaft so that said shaft can oscillate with the corresponding movement of the cam member. The arrangement is such that when the cam member is to be disconnected from the operating shaft the clutch handle is grasped and the latch I52 depressed against the action of the spring I64 to pull the clutch pin out of the notch of the collar. The handle is then raised upwardly to swing the cam member I86 in a clockwise direction until the clutch pin engages a stop I66 of the collar or until the cam member has been moved into the dotted line position, as shown in Fig. 2. The tail I40 of the cam member is sufficiently long to permit this displaced position of the cam member without moving it out from under its cooperating platen. In this displaced position of the cam member the reciprocation of the operating shaft can take place without moving the cam in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Figs. 2 and 3, sufliciently far to effect the raising of the platen into printing position. Thus the printing head can descend upon a stencil without effecting the printing thereof. The cam I38 is similarly provided with a handle I68 and similar clutch mechanism for controlling the connection of the cam member with the operating shaft. The reasons for the clutch connection between the operating shaft and the cam members will be explained hereinafter.

The reciprocatory movement of the stencil pusher 22 is effected by the reciprocatory movement of the sector arm I24. A vertically pivoted hub I16, see Figs. 1 and '1, has a horizontally extended arm which is terminated in the cam slot I12 of the sector I24 and the arrangement is such that the reciprocatory movement of the sector causes a corresponding reciprocatory movement of said hub I16. Said hub is provided with a horizontal and forwardly extended arm I14 that is pivoted at its forward end of a link I16 that at its other end has a longitudinally disposed slot I18 therein, which slot at its extreme end is provided with a lateral extension I80. A pin I82 of said pusher is disposed in said slot I18 and in the normal operation of the machine is disposed in the lateral extension I8!) thereof so that the reciprocatory movements of the links I16 effect the corresponding movements of the pusher. The link and pin are normally held in such relation by a pivoted arm I84 carrying rolls I86 and I88. The roll I86 engages the slotted end of the link I16 and the other roll engages a multi-lobed cam I96. When the roller I88 is located in a depression between the lobes of said cam the link I16 is held in operative engagement with the pusher. When, however, said cam is rotated to move one of said lobes against said roll I88 such movement causes the slot I18 of the link I16 to be aligned with the pin I82 and thereby to effect the disengagement of said link and pusher. Thus a printing operation can be effected without a stencil advancing operation. The rotation of the lobed cam I96 is under control of a link I92 reciprocated by the arm I14. The mechanismis not necessary to describe except to state that it is used when the machine is arranged to print duplicate or triplicate tax bills in which event the cam I90 will be rotated by one-half the distance between two consecutive lobes for each two or three printing operations depending upon whether duplicate or triplicate bills are made.

In connection with the clutch mec m r controlling the printing operation of the two printing heads it is also desirable to control the stencil feeding operation and at times to prevent the feeding of a stencil. This control is man: ually effected by the operator of the machine. For this purpose the machine is provided with a foot pedal I94, see especially Fig. 1, pivoted to the frame of the machine intermediate its ends and connected at the other side of its pivotal support with an upwardly extended link I96, which link at its upper end is pivotally connected to a forwardly extended arm I98 of a shaft 280 journalled in a bracket 202, depending from the lower face of the table I2 in front of the operating link I16 for the pusher. Said shaft 260 has an upwardly extended arm 264 fixed thereto. Said arm at its upper end carries a roller 286 thatis disposed in front of and is adapted to cooperate with an extension 268 of the arm I84. The arrangement is such that when the pedal member I94 is depressed said roller 206 is moved into engagement with the extension 268 to cause said arm I84 to swing outwardly about its pivot and displace the pusher operating link I16 sufficiently to bring the slot I18 thereof into line with the pin I82 of the pusher, thereby to disconnect said link and pusher so that a printing operation can be effected without a corresponding stencil advancing operation. I

A work sheet M6 is adapted to be disposed upon the table I6, see especially Fig. 2, under the stencil track and above the platen and to be advanced toward the rear of the machine by a distance corresponding at least to the width of one of the data bearing portions of the stencil at each printing operation. The sheet advancing means comprises a shaft 2I2, see especially Figs. 1, 2 and 6, rotatably supported above the table in the rear of the stencil track. Said shaft has feed rolls 2I4 fixed thereto. Idler rolls 2I6 cooperate with said feed rolls in pressing the sheet against the feed rolls. Said idler rolls are disposed below the feed rolls and are journalled on said arms 2 I8 of a lever that is pivoted intermediate its ends on a shaft 220 carried by a bracket 222 fixed to the under side of the table. Said lever has a forwardly extended end 224 which is pressed downwardly by a helical spring 226 to hold the idler rolls 2 I 6 normally against the sheet in engagement with the feed rolls 2| 4. It is at times desirable to disable the sheet feed under control of the operative. To this end a foot pedal 228, see Fig. 1, is provided, the pedal being connected by a link 236 to an arm 232 fixed to a shaft 234 journalled in a bracket 286 secured to the under side of the table. The shaft 234 has an arm 238 fixed thereto that terminates in a roller 240 disposed under the forwardly extended end of the idler roll supporting lever 2I9. Thus when the pedal 228 is depressed the rod 236 is raised, causing the roll 240 to bear against the under side of the lever and rotate it in a clockwise direction, thereby moving the idler rolls away from cooperative relation with the feed rolls and stopping the advance of the sheet.

The feed rolls 2I4 are advanced in an intermittent or step by step manner by mechanism now old in the art. The feed roll shaft 2I2 is connected by gearing 242 to a shaft 244 having a one-way clutch or rotation mechanism 246 of ..2,0.8 =,68 which one element is secured, to the shaft 244 and the iother element is secured to the crank 248. The crankis pivotally connected to a link 250, having a pivotalconnection with an arm 2.52 .of. .the reciprocating operating frame 28 for .the

rrespondingmovement. of said ,rolls.

Fig. .11 illustrates. a tax list sheet adapted to be printed by the machine as above described. Said sheetv 2I0. is provided with two vertical columns 154 and 256, each column having aseries of vertically arranged print receiving sections 258 that are.arrangedinhorizontal line. The spacing of the columns. is such that they can be positioned beneath the two printing heads .A ,and B to receive the data of said heads. The left hand column 254 is adapted to receive the ,addresses from the address zone 68 of the stencil and the right hand column 256 is adapted tore- .ceive the propertyrdescription from the zone I6 .01" the stencil. The address of any one stencil is adaptedto beprinted in the left hand column and the property description of the same stencil in the right hand column, the address and the property description being disposed in the same horizontal line, although in the stencil .the address and the description are in vertical line. For this purpose the tax description is printed in the right hand column by the printing head B. The. stencil is then moved into position under the printing head A and the work sheet {this advanced. by the width of one column, thereby positioning the address data of the stencil under the stencil printing head over the left hand column to apply the address data in the samehorizontal line with the tax description.

The clutch mechanisms that control the effective operation of the printing platens I 32 are desirable atrthe beg nni g of printing a new sheet and at the end of the printing of a sheet when the last. line of a sheet is being printed. A stencil entering the first printing position under the printing head B has its tax description datarecorded ,in the right hand column. The stencil is then advanced to the printing head A and the sheet is advanced one line. At the next printing operation the address corresponding to the pre viouslygprinted tax description data is applied bythat stencil in the left hand column. The movement of the stencil from the head B to the head Ais, however, accomplished by moving another-stencil under the printing head Band if aprinting operation were effected upon this second-stenciL-the property description data of that stencil would-be printed on the sheet below the column or the sheet would be smudged. Hence the printing mechanism associated with-the head B is disabled at the time of printing the last line of the left hand column. This is effected by manipulating .the clutch handle I68 to disengagetheplaten operating cam I38 from the operating shaft I20, and raising the handle to rotate-the cam out of operative relation with the platen. Thus while both printing heads may descend during the printing operation printing willibeeifected only from the left hand stencil.

The position of. the stop pin I66 associatedwith the ,clutch handle I68 is such that the shaft I20 atthe end of its stroke positions the notch in theclutch ,collar. I62 in line with the clutch pin 1 58 so that the clutch after having been manually-disconnected is-automatically re-engaged, .At

the-sametime that the clutch mechanism-is disengaged the stencil advancing mechanism is also disabled, so, that the printing operation can be effectedwithout an associated stencil advancing mechanism, itbeing necessarywthat the second stencil be retained under the printinghead B 1. to printon the top lineof-the next sheet to be inserted. The disabling of theprinting mechanism is accomplished by depressing the lever I 94' in the manner hereinbefore described. Thus when the address in the last line of the left hand column ofthe sheet is to be-printed' theflplaten of the righthand printing head B isdisablediand the stencil advancing mechanism is-also disabled. When a new sheet is insertedinplaceof the filled sheet theright hand .clutch mechanism .is .restored to its normal driving engagement and the stencil advancing mechanism is also restoredtoits normal operative condition so that the second stencil: can print its tax data in the .top line-of the-right hand column of the new sheet. .If, hoWever,-a printing. voperationrwas'performed on both the 'fir'stand the second stencils, the first stencilhaving had its address applied to the bottom of the'previous sheet, this same :address would be-applied to the .new sheet above thef rst line andthus damagethesheet. Hence the left'hand clutch mechanism is operated to prevent the operation of the printing platen associated with the left hand printing head A. Thusfor beginning the printing of a new sheet the left hand clutch mechanism is thrown out for one printing operation and forterminating printingj the tax list sheets. -Tothisend= one of the printing heads, preferably thefprinting head B, has its impression ,platew48 replaced by one, not necessary to illustrate, that :bearsuponthe stencil .over itsfullactive face so that both the addressandthe property list are printedrat the same operation. The other printing head is permanently. disabled 1 by maintaining its clutch in disengaged position. The machine is. provided with :selectormechanism 260,.:see -Fig. 1, now more or less common in the art,- which, 3 under the control of the'stencils,-.controls=the"energization of an electromagnet -262 -thatactuates mechanism 264,-.see Fig. 3, that 'in-.turn con-" trols the I engagement and disengagement: of the latch- I25 which connects the operating sector I24.with the operating annIZ'I-for the shaftJI'ZUi Each stencil may have a selector perforation 266, see Fig. 10, and the selector mechanism may have one selector pin 268, whichregisters-.withrthe perforations so as toeifectja :printing operation when the pin canpass into'aperforation. By inverting the stencils of the collection as the tax .bills are paid," the machine .lwilboperate to print tagcwbills only for those addresses that have not been inverted. v r I I claim:

11., In-anaaddressing.machinei of the type op- I erable :upon a'succession; of printing devices and having-zmeans tozsuppcrt thesnceessive devices in; printinghposition, the combination-vtherewith of-a printing head comprising a swinging frame having an arm movable toward and away from said supporting means, an impression plate holder carried by said arm, and an impression plate carried removably by said holder, said impression plate holder and said impression plate having an interfitting tongue and groove connection, said holder having manually releasable means locking said plate removably to said holder, an ink roll adapted to travel forwardly and rearwardly over the face of said impression plate,

and inking means for said ink roll comprising a pivoted conveyor frame hanging in frontof said impression plate and havingink conveyor rolls the lowermost one of which is adapted to be engaged by said ink roll in the forward part of its movement, said frame being capable of swinging upwardly away from positlon in front of said impression plate to permit engagement and withdrawal thereof from said holder.,

of a printing head comprising a swinging frame having an arm movable toward and away from said supportingmeans, an impression plate holder carried by said arm, and an impression plate carried removably by saidholder, said impression plate having a handle which upstands in front of said plate holder and said plate holder having means operative to lock said plate releasably to said holder, manually operative means disposed adjacent said handle for releasing the lock on said plate, an ink roll adapted to travel forwardly and rearwardly over the face of said impression plate, and inking means for said ink roll comprising a pivoted conveyor frame hanging in front of said impression plate and having ink conveyor rolls the lowermost one of which is adapted to be engaged by said ink roll in the forward part of its movement, said frame being capable of swinging upwardly away from position in front of said impression plate to permit engagement and withdrawal thereof from said holder.

3. An addressing machine of the type operable upon acollection of printing devices and having means to support the successive devices in printing position; the combination therewith of a printing head comprising a swinging frame having a pair of forwardly extended arms movable toward and away from said supporting means, a pair of spaced rods extended between and carried by said arms, and impression plate supporting means carried by said rods.

4. An addressing machine of the type operable upon a collection of printing devices and having supporting means for the successive devices in printing position, the combination therewith of a swinging printing frame having a plurality of spaced forwardly extended arms movable toward and away from said supporting means, a pair of rods extended between and carried by all of said arms, and an impression plate supporting means carried by said rods between each pair of arms.

5. In a stencil printing machine, the combination of a resilient ink-bearing impression pad and a platen disposed on opposite sides of the stencil, an angularly swinging arm movable toward and away from the stencil and carrying said pad, the pad moving angularly of the stencil with said arm, said pad having a resilient flat ink-bearing and stencil-engaging face and being so mounted that it initially angularly engages the stencil and upon continued movement toward the stencil engages the stencil in a progressive pressure applying manner and yields in engagement therewith and finally engages the stencil over the full area of the pad with substantially uniform pressure throughout. a

6. In an addressing machine of the type operable on a stencil, the combination of a resilient impression pad having a fiat ink-bearing stencilengaging face, and an angularly swinging arm carrying said pad rigid therewith and operative to efiect the initial angular engagement between said pad and stencil at one edge of said flat face and thereupon to compress said pad and to progressively advance the area of engagementbetween said face and stencil until the pad engages throughout its effective area with the stencil and exerts pressure uniformly thereover,

7. An addressing machine of the type adapted to print addresses contained in a collection of stencils or similar printing devices on long sheets, including a printing frame in the form of a horizontal loop through which the sheet is adapted to pass, pivotal supporting means for the loop engaged with the middle portion of the bottom part thereof, printing means carried by the middle portion of the upper part of the loop, toggle means for reciprocating the loop, and means bearing against the ends of the loop in a direction to resist deflection thereof under the action of saidtoggle means. 1

8. A stencil addressing machine including a work supporting anvil on one side of the stencil normally movable into and out of work supporting position, a printing head on the other side of the stencil having a flat face movable into and out of engagement with the stencil, means for normally reciprocating said printing head and anvil, and means for disabling the operation of said anvil while permitting reciprocation of said printing head. I

9. An addressing machine as in claim 8, said anvil disabling means being controllable at the willof theoperative.

10. An addressing machine operative upo stencils comprising an anvildisposed on one side of the stencil normally reciprocable into and out of a work supporting position, a printing head on the other side of the stencil having a'flat face reciprocable into and out of engagement with the stencil, means normally operative to reciprocate said printing head and anvil conjointly, and means operative to arrest the reciprocatory movement of said anvil alone.

11. An addressing machine operative upon stencils comprising an anvil disposed on one side of the stencil normally reciprocable into and out of a Work supporting position, a printing head on the other side of the stencil having a fiat face reciprocable into and out of engagement with the stencil, means normally operative to reciprocate said printing head and anvil conjointly, and means operative to arrest the reciprocatory movement of said anvil alone with said anvil positioned away from its work supporting position.

12. An addressing machine operative upon stencils comprising a work supporting anvil disposed on one side of the stencil and reciprocable into and out of work supporting position, a printing head on the other side of the stencil having a fiat face reciprocable into and out of engagement with the stencil, mechanism for reciprocating said anvil and printing head normally conjointly, including means for reciprocating said anvil, andmeans for disabling said anvil reciprocating means whereby to hold said anvil alone out of its Work supporting position during the reciprocatory movement of said printing head. 13. An addressing machine operative upon stencils comprising an anvil disposed on one side of the stencil and reciprocable into and out of a work supporting position, a printing head on the other side of the stencil having a flat face'reciprocable into and out of engagement with the stencil, mechanism for reciprocating said head and anvil including an oscillating cam for reciprocating said anvil, and means for preventing the. reciprocation of said anvil including means for operatively disconnecting said cam from said reciprocating mechanism, said mechanism being operative to reciprocate said printing head when said cam is disconnected.

.14. An addressing machine operative upon stencils comprising an anvil disposed on one side of the stencil and reciprocable into and out of a work supporting position, a printing. head on the other side of the stencil having .a flat face reciprocable into and out of engagement with the stencil, mechanism for reciprocating said head and anvil normally conjointly, and means for preventing the reciprocation of said anvil independently of said printing head, including an oscillatory shaft, an oscillatory cam oscillated by said shaft, and means for disabling the operative connection between said cam and shaft.

15. An addressing machine comprising an anvil reciprocable into and out of work supporting position, a printing head reciprocable into and out of work engaging position, mechanism operative to reciprocate said platen and printing head normally conjointly including an-oscillating cam for reciprocating said printing head, an oscillating shaft for reciprocating said cam, and a disconnectible clutch connection between said cam and shaft. i

16. An addressing machine comprising an. anvil reciprocable into and out of Work supporting position, a printing head reciprocable into and out of work engaging position, mechanism operative to reciprocate said platen and printing head normally conjointly including an oscillating cam for reciprocating said printing head, an oscillating shaft for reciprocating said cam, and a disconnectible clutch connection between said cam and shaft, said clutch connection being normally set to effect a driving engagement between said cam and shaft, said mechanism h'av-. ling an operative connection with said printing head. to reciprocate it when said clutch connection is disconnected.

. 17. An addressing machine adapted for operation upon a collection of printing devices comprising a guideway along which a succession of printing devices are moved in endwise contact through printing positions, a holder for a stack ofprinting devices, means for delivering successive devices from said holder into said guideway andfor applying pressure endwise of the line of the printing devices successively from one to the other of said printing mechanisms, means for effecting the conjoint printing operation of both mechanisms upon successive printing devices,

and means for preventing the printing operation of one of said printing mechanisms while permitting'the printing operation of the otherprinting mechanism and the operation of said delivering and advancing means.

18. Anaddressing machine adapted for operation upon a collection of printing devices comprisinga guideway along which a succession of printing devices are moved in endwise contact through printing positions, a holder for a stack ofprinting devices, means'for deliveringsucc'es sive devices from said holder into said guideway and for applying pressure endwise of the line of devices in said guideway for advancing them therealong, two printing mechanisms operable on the successive printing devices, said delivering and advancing means being operable to advance the printing devices successively from one to the other of said printing mechanisms, means for effecting the conjoint printing operation of both means forpreventing the operation thereof, both operation preventing means being operable each independently of the other.

21. An addressing machine for printing in a horizontal line data contained in a vertical column on a printing devicecomprising means to advance such devices in successive order intermittently through a printing position, two printing mechanisms conjointly operable on successive printing devices, one printing" mechanism having means operative to print one portion only of the printing data on the printing device and the other printing mechanism having means operative to print another portion only of the printing data, means to advance a sheetthrough the printing position in a step by step manner so that the data printed by both mechanisms from the same printing device is in the same. horizontal line on-the-sheet, and means to prevent the printing operation of one of said mechanisms during the printing operation of the other mechanism.

22.'An addressing machine for'printing in a horizontal'line data contained in a vertical column on a printing device comprising means toadvance such devices in successive order intermittently through a" printing position,'two print ing mechanisms conjointly operable on successive printing devices, one printing mechanism having means operative to print one portion only of the printing data 'on the printing device and the other printing mechanism having means op-" erative to print another portion only of the printing data, means to advance a sheet through the printing position in a step by step manner so that the data printed by both mechanisms from the same printing device is in the same horizontal line on the. sheet, and means operative to prevent the printing operation of any one of said,

printing mechanisms while permitting the printing operation of said other printing means.

- 23. An addressing machine for printing ina horizontal line data contained in a vertical column on a printing device comprising meansto advance such devices in successive order inter mittently through a printing position, two printing mechanisms conjointly operable on successive printing devices, one printing mechanism having means operative to print one portion only of the printing data on the printing device and the other printing mechanism having means operative. to print another portion only of the printing data, means to advance a sheet through the printing position in a step by step manner so that the data printed by both mechanisms from the same printing device is in the same horizontal line on the sheet, and means operative to prevent the printing operation of any one of said printing mechanisms while permitting the printing operation of said other printing means, said last named means beingselectively operable at the will of an operative.

24. An addressing machine comprising a pair of printing mechanisms, means for advancing a succession of printing devices to said mechanisms and successively from the action of one to' the action of the other mechanism, means for nor mally operating said printing mechanisms con;- jointly upon successive printing devices, and means for disabling the operation of one printing mechanism while permitting the operation ofthe other printing mechanism.

25. An addressing machine comprising a pair of printing mechanisms, means for advancing a succession of printing devices to .said mechanisms and successively from the actionof one-to the other of the other 'mechanisms, means for nor-. mally operating said printing mechanismsuconjointly upon successive printing devices; and means for disabling the operation of one printing mechanism while permitting the operation'of the other printing mechanism and the operation of said advancing means.

26. An addressing machine combination of two printing mechanisms, means for advancing a succession of stencils through the action of both mechanisms and successively from one mechanism to the other mechanism, said mechanisms each comprising a work supporting anvil-reciprocable into and out of a 'work supporting position, a printing head reciprocable intoandout of work engaging. position, means for selectively disabling the reciprocatory movements of said anvils, and means for reciprocating said printing, heads when said anvils are dis-s abled.

27. An addressing machine comprising the combination of a pair of printing mechanisms,

means foradvancing printing devices in successive order through said mechanisms .and theprinting devices in succession from one to the other mechanisms, each mechanism comprisinga work supporting anvil reciprocableinto and out of work supporting position, a printing head reciprocable into and out of work;iengagi.ng position, means for reciprocating said anvils normally conjointly comprising a reciprocableshaft, cams on said shaft engageable with said platens, and a clutch mechanism releasably connecting a cam with said shaft, said clutch mechanisms becomprising the successively 7 through said mechanisms and in succession fromone to the other mechanism, means for operating said printing mechanisms normally con-- jointly, and means including a pair of -manually operable control members for effecting the selective disabling of said printing mechanisms.

29. An addressing machine comprising two printing mechanisms, means for advancing a succession of printing devices successively through saidmechanisms and in succession from one to thepther mechanism, means for operating said printing mechanisms normally conjointly, and means including a pair of manually operable control members for efiecting the selective disabling of said printing mechanisms independently of said device advancing means.

- 30. An addressing machine comprising the combination of a pair of printing mechanisms, meansfor advancing a succession of printing devices through said mechanisms and in succession from oneto" the other mechanism, means for advancing a sheet common to both mechanisms through said mechanisms, means for normally operating said printing mechanisms conjointly, and means including a control member for each printing. mechanism for selectively disabling said printing mechanism.

..-31. An addressing machine including two printing mechanisms, means to advance a succession of printing devices to the successive.op-' eration of said mechanisms, manually operative means to disable the operation of said printing mechanisms, selected at will, and other manually operated means separately operable to disable the operation of said advancing means.

32..:An addressing machine comprising the combination of a pair of printing mechanisms,

7 means :to operate said printing mechanisms normally conjointly, means to advance a succession of printing devices through said printing mechanisms and in succession from one to the other mechanism, manually controlled means to disable the operation of a selected one of both of said printing mechanisms while permitting the operation of the other mechanism, and other manually operable means separately operable to disable the operation of said device advancing means.

33. An addressing machine comprising the combination of two printing mechanisms, means for advancing successive printing devices through said-mechanisms and in succession from one to the other mechanism, each printing mechanism comprising an anvil reciprocable into and out of Work supporting position, a printing head recip-' rocable into'and'out of work engaging position, means for reciprocating both printing heads and anvils normally conjointly, manually operable means for disabling the operation of a selected one of both anvils while'permitting the operation of the other anvil and both printing heads, and manually operable means for disabling said advancing'means while permitting the operation of saidprinting mechanisms.

34. An addressing machine of the type operable upon a collection of printing devices and having means to support the successive devices in printing position, the combination therewith and carrier for securing said carrier in set position on said rod.

35. A printing machine comprising two sets of pressure applying printing devices disposed on opposite sides of the stencil and operative to pressthe stencil and Work into engagement, means for advancing a succession of printing devices to the successive actions of said sets, means normally operative to eifect conjoint operation of -both sets of devices, and means for preventing operation of one of said devices, whereby to prevent the printing operation of one of said sets of devices.

36. A printing machine comprising a pair of printing heads, a common supporting structure for both heads, means for operating said structure to efiect a printing operation of said heads, a pair of platens cooperating with said heads, meansfor normally operating said platens with said heads, and means for preventing normal operation of one of said platens.

37. An addressing machine operating upon a succession of address bearing devices, said machine including a work supporting anvil disposed on one side of an address bearing device and normally movable toward and away from cooperative printing relation therewith, a printing head on the other side of said address bearing device movable toward and away from cooperative printing relation with the .device, means for normally reciprocating said printing head and anvil conjointly, and means for preventing the aforesaid movement of said anvil'and for maintaining said anvil out of cooperative printing relation with a printing device while permitting the aforesaid movement of said printing head, whereby to prevent a printing operation on a selected printing device.

38. An addressing machine as in claim 37, the means for preventing the movement of said anvil being controllable at the will of the operative.

HARMON l P. ELLIOTT.

Images