US2255147A - Combined calculating, registering, and ticket printing machine - Google Patents

Description

9 V 0. ERGIDQ 2,255,147

ED CALCULATING, REGISTERING, AND TICKET PRINTING MACHINE I COMBIN Filed May 21, 1937' 12 Sheets-Sheet 1 F 012 M UL) 016 018 INVENTOR I DMMB o/dt? p 9, 1941- D. BROIDO 2,255,147

COMBINED CALCULATING, REGISTERING, AND TICKET PRINTING MACHINE Filed lay 21, 1937 12 Sheets-Sheet 2 49 I WW5? Sept. 9, 1941. nanomo 2,255,147'

. COMBINED CALCULATING, REGISTERING, AND TICKET PRINTING MACHINE Filed lay 21. ,1937 '12 Sheets-Sheet 4 Y INVENTORW" Janie/3mm!) p ,1941. D. BROIDO 2,255,147

cousmtnmmcumnm, REGISTERING, AND TICKET PRINTING MACHINE Filed May 21, 193? 12 Sheets-Sheet 5 D. BROIDO Sept. 9, 1941.

COMBINED CALCULATING, REGISTERING, AND TICKET PRINTING MACHINE 12 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed May 21, 1937 III Fig. 3B

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Sept. 9, 1941. I Romo 2,255,147

COMBINED CALCULATING, REGISTERINGQAND TICKET PRINTING MACHINE Filed May 21, 1937 12 Sheets-Sheet 7 IN VE IV rag s ept 9; 1941. ,2,255,147,

COMBINED CALCULATING, REGITERING, AND TICKET PRINTING MACHINE v D. aRolbo Filed lay 21, 1937 12 Sheets-Sheet 8 Sept. 9,1941. nj-an'oloo I 2,255,147

COMB IRED CALCULATING REGISTERTNG, AND TICKET PRINTING MACHINE Filed May 21, 1937 12 ShetS-Sheet 9 XXI EI T 4 Fi 20 55 p 9, 1941. D. BROIDO 2,255,147 comaman CALCULATING, RIGISTERING, mm 'rxcxn'r Pamrnie MACHINE I'ilod lay 21. 1937 12 Shoots-Shut 10 Sept. 9, 1941. D.BROID O 2,255,147

GALCULATING, REGISTERING, AND TICKET PRINTING MACHINE Filed May 21, 1937 4 l2 Sheets-Sheet ll INVEN 'OR ,Dam'eLBm/Ja P 1941- D. BROIDO 2,255,147

COMBINED CALCULATING, REGISTERING, AND TICKET PRINTING MACHINE Filed May 21, 1937 12 Sheets-Sheet 12 Fig. 253

IN YEN TOR Jan/ieL'Bro/flo may Patented Sept. 9, 1941 COMBINED CALCULATING, REGIsTEIuNGi AND TICKET PRINTING MACHINE Daniel Broido, Belsize Park, London, England Application May 21, 1937, Serial No. 144,022 In Great Britain May 28, 1936 4 Claims.

This invention relates to combined calculating, registering and ticket printing machines, and in particular to apparatus for registering information represented by similarly shaped, but differently positioned marks distinguishable solely by their respective positions on a carrier, the transparency of said marks being different to that of the carrier.

The object of the invention is to provide a simplified transmission and registering mechanism accurately controllable by a scanning mechanism provided for analysing or reading said marks.

A further object of the invention is to provide light-controlled scanning and transmission mechanisms operating more rapidly than such mechanisms hitherto proposed.

The invention will now be described with reference to a multiplying cash register having a predetermined range of prices and a predetermined range of weights. I

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate an embodiment of this invention:

Figures 1A and 1B illustrate partly in plan view and partly in section approximately on line I--I of Figure 7 the general arrangement of a machine;

Figures 2A and 2B are a side elevation of a complete arrangement;

Figures 3A and 3B are a side elevation of a screen for setting different weights andprices per unit;

Figure 4 illustrates in side elevation (section taken on line IV-IV of Figure 1) the key-board for setting the prices per unit;

Figure 5 illustrates a Portion of a slotted screen drawn to an enlarged scale;

'Figure 6 illustrates in plan details of the device for locking the keys for setting the prices per unit;

Figure 7 is a section on line VI[-VII of Figure 2 through the result mechanism;

Figure 8 illustrates in plan the position of the relay armature as shown in Figure '7;

Figures 9 and 10 illustrate in end elevation diii'erent positions of the cam and relay armature;

Figures 11 and 12 illustrate the position of said parts in plan;

Figure 13 is a vertical section (developed) on line Xm-JHII (drawn to an enlarged scale) of Figure 7 Figure 14 is a section on line XIV-XIV of Figure 13;

Figure 15 is a sectional plan on line XV-XV of Figure 7 of part of the printing device;

Figure 16 is an end view thereof;

Figure 17 is a sectional plan on line XVII-XVII of Figure 7 of the ticket delivery roller and the ink roller;

Figure 18 is a sectional plan partly on line XV and partly on line XVII of Figure 7 of the drive of the ticket-delivery roller;

Figure 19 is an end view thereof;

Figure 20 is a vertical section on line iQI-XX v of Figure 1 illustrating the main driving device;

vFigure 21 is a vertical section on line XXL-XXI of Figure 20;

Figure 22 is a plan of a detail part shown in Figure 20;

Figure 23 is a similar view showing the parts in a different position Figure 24 illustrates diagrammatically an arrlalsngement embodying the use of a flat scanning Figures 25A and 25B are views'similar to Fig ures 3A, 3B, illustrating a modified form of screen mechanism;

As shown in Figures 1A, 1B the machine is furnished with two independent key-boards, one for setting the prices per unit having a plurality of keys I and the other for setting the weights having a plurality of keys 2. Each of the keys I is mounted on a bar 3 in frames 4, 5, and is pivotally connected at its lower end byjmeans of a stud 6 to a bell crank-lever I (Figure 4) mounted on a bar 8, which lever 1 is connected toa wire 9 actuating a stop lever I0. On depressing a key I, the wire 9 is pulled around bar II angularly mounted in bracket I2 and causes a stop lever Ill to be brought against a stop bar I3 against the tension of a spring I l fixed to bar I5. In this position, lever I0 prevents all screens I6 actuated by the keys 2 slidably mounted on bars I! from moving higher up when being operated, as on depressing a key 2 it stretches a tension spring l8 which causes the screen I6 connected to it to swing around bar I9 until its lower end 20 comes to rest against one of the stop levers I0 being now in the working position (Figures 2A, 23). Stop levers G0 are rockably mounted on bar 2| and held in position by means 01 spacers 22. The stop levers III and keys I are maintained in position as shown in Figures 4 and 6 by a locking frame 23 arranged to slide in oblong holes 24 under influence of springs 25 fixed studs 26 in frame 23 and to studs 21 in the machine frames 4, 5. On depressing a key I, the

frame 23 is pulled in the space between projections 28 and 29 on this key and looks it in this position. When a second key is depressed, the projection 28 thereon pushes the locking frame 23 to the left so that the first key is released and retumedinto initial position by means of spring I4. 7

A similar locking frame 38 is provided for keyboard 2 (Figures 3A, 3B) which frame coacts with faces 3| on keys 2.

The arcuate portion of the result screens l6 (Figure 3) is provided with slots 32 representing the different items in a manner fully described in the specification to myBritish Patent No. 446,338. For instance, each screen may be divided into three longitudinal areas I (containing slots representing the weight), II (containing slots for different prices per unit) and III (for slots representing the results of multiplication). Area I is sub-divided into'two smaller areas a, b, containing slots for pounds and parts of a pound respectively; area II is sub-divided into three areas 0, d, e, for dollars, tens of cents and cents respectively, and area III is subdivided into areas I, g, h, in a similar manner. small areas a to h are again sub-divided into even narrower areas, as shown in Figure 5, according to the number of numerals in each digit. In the example shown in Figure 5 the slots represent:

2% lbs. $1.55=$4.26.

It is understood that actual slots 32 can be replaced by any,,mark or prints on screens l6 provided that their transparency differs from that of the screens themselves. For instance, the result screens I6 may consist 'of a. non-transparent or opaqu material, the different items being represented by transparent spots, or viceversa.

The result screens l6 (Figures 1A, 1B and 3A, 3B) are arranged to be brought in front of a transmission mechanism comprising, on one sid of the screens IS, a source of light energy such as an electric lamp 33 mounted within a suitabl housing denoted generally by 34 and on the other side of said screens I6, a light sensitive cell 35 rigidly supported by bracket 36 within the interior of a rotary cylinder 31 or behind a rotary disc (hereinafter referred to as the scanning screen) and a magnetic relay 38 (Figure 1) controlled by the light sensitive cell 35. The electric lamp 33 is adapted to produce a suitable beam of light, and its housing 34 may comprise reflectors or lenses adapted to make the beam substantially parallel. The housing 34 is provided on the side adjacent the screens l6 with an opening, the size of which is substantially equal to the area occupied by a radial line of slots 32 on any screen "5. In this manner, a narrow beam of substantially parallel light is projected on to the light sensitive cell 35 just over the tops of the screens I6 when in the lowermostor normal position. When a key is depressed, it operates its associated stop I0 as already described, which determines the amount of lift of any of the screens l6, one of which may now be raised by depressing one of the keys 2. Thus, the selected screen 16 is interposed in the path of light, so that only the selected row of slots 32 is exposed to the narrow beam of light. As the beam is substantially parallel and level, the same line of slots 32 (determined by the depressed key I) is illuminated, whether a screen Furthermore, the

$41, close to the lamp 33 (Figure l) or a screen '75 "5 further away from the lamp is brought into the working position.

The scanning screen 31 may consist of a nontransparent cylinder, disc or the like furnished with a plurality of slots or transparent spots 38 (Figures 2A, 2B) arranged along a helical line. The number of the slots 39 or the like in the scanning screen 31 is equal to the total number of numeral areas in a row of slots 32 on the result screens l5 and the pitch of the helix equals the horizontal length of a row of slots 32 on said result screens l6. Thus at a given instant only one scanning slot 39 is in front of the set row of result slots 32, and in one complete revolution of the scanning screen 31 the beam of light passing from the source 33 to the light sensitive cell 35 moves from one end of the set row of result slots 32 to the other.

The scanning screen 31 is rigidly mounted by means of pin 48 on to the end of a driven spindle 4| suitably supported in bearings 42,-43 in the main frame members 44, 45 of the machine. The spindle 4| on which the scanning screen 31 is mounted is provided with a pinion 46 arranged to mesh with a driving pinion 41 loosely mounted on the main actuating shaft 48 rotatably mounted in bearings 49, 50 in the main frame members 44, 5| of the machine (Figures 1A, 1B and 20) and driven by a hand actuated gear segment 52 meshing with a pinion 53 keyed on the main actuating shaft 48. e gear segment 52 is actuated by a handle 55 secured thereto by a nut 56; said gear segment 52 is pivoted on stud 51 fixed to the frame member 44 by nut 58. The pinion 53 is prevented from sliding axially on shaft 48 by a set screw 53. The driving pinion 41 is furnished on its back face with a clutch member provided with a projection 60 with which a clutch member 5| actuated by a spring 62 coacts, said clutch member being so mounted on the main actuating shaft 48 that it is free to slide axially thereon along key 83 under influence of the spring 62 but rotates with said shaft. The driving pinion 41 is further provided on its front face with a stop stud 64 arranged to coact with a trigger member 65 pivotally mounted on a pin 56 in a bracket 61 secured to the frame of the machine by screw 68, said trigger member 65 being controlled by a flat spring 69, the arrangement being such that on one complete revolution of the driving pinion 41 further rotation is stopped and the clutch member 6| is forced rearwardly by reason of the cam-shaped projection 68 on pinion 41, thereby causing a pin 10 secured therein to pass into a hole 1| provided in an intermediate gear wheel 12 meshing with a gear wheel 13 mounted on a spindle 14 on which the numeral wheels 15 are mounted. The position of the trigger 65 at the beginning of the forward stroke of handle 55 is shown in Figure 22, whereas its position at the beginning of return stroke is illustrated in Figure 23. As shown in Figure 21 the handle 55 slides in an'arcuate slot 16 in the frame member 44 and is returned intoinitial position by means of a spring 11 fixed to stud 18. A washer 19 is preferably placed between the inner end of the bearing 58 and -the boss on the gear wheel 12.

The driven spindle 4| (Figures 1A, 13) on which the scanning screen 31 is mounted is further provided with a plurality of gear segments secured by pins 8| and arranged to actuate a corresponding number of toothed sleeves 82 mounted on a spindle 83 arranged in bearing 84, 85 parallel with the, scanning spindle 4| (see also Figure 7). 86 and 81 are spacers. Rigidly mounted on each toothed sleeve 82 is a stop wheel 89 (Figure 13) with which a spring actuated pawl 99 mounted on spindle 9| is adapted to engage when the gear segment 89 is out of engagement with the wheel bush 82. Each of said sleeves 82 is furnished with a key 92 engaging a slot 93 provided in a clutch member 94 so that the latter is free to slide axially on said bush but is compelled to rotate therewith.

The clutch members 94 are moved axially on the sleeves 82 by means of spring controlled clutch forks 95, the opposite ends of which are caused to bear against levers 96 (hereafter referred to as relay armatures) rockably mounted on a shaft 91 slightly above their centre, the lower ends of said relay armatures 96 being drawn against a plurality of rotary cam wheels 98 by springs 99 (Figure '1). The clutch forks 95 are rockably mounted on pins I99 in asquare bar I9I, to, which the flat springs I92 are fixed by means of screws I93 (Figure 13). The cams 98 are secured by pins I94 to a shaft I95 furnished adjacent the front of the machine with a toothed wheel I96 (Figures 2A, 2B and 20) arranged to mesh with the driving pinion 41, said cams 98 being arranged to move the relay armatures 96 from the initial position shown in Figures 9 and 11, into the working position shown in Figures 10 and 12 within magnetic reach of the relay 38 adapted to be actuated by current controlled by the light sensitive cell 35. The said relay armatures 96 are moved into the aforesaid working position (as'shown in Figures 7 and 8) at the same moment as the corresponding gear segment 89 commences to turn the sleeve 92 belonging to the same unit and the corresponding slots 39 in the scanning screen 31 move in front of the set row of slots 32 in the result screen I6 then in set position.

Each of the aforesaid clutch members 94 is provided with a pin I91 adapted to engage a recess in a further stop wheel I'98 controlled by a pawl I99 and spring H9 and rigidly connected to a pinion III which is loosely mounted on the rshaft 83 and is arranged to mesh with a pinion II2 rigidly connected to a numeral wheel retatably mounted on a shaft 19.

1 Theshaft 14 of the numeral wheels 15 is furnished at each end with an eccentric sheave II3 (Figures 15 and 16) on key II4, each of which sheaves II3 supports an arm II5 between and to which is secured by screws H6, 1 a bracket II8 slidably mounted in the main frame plates 45, 5| in a slot H9 and supporting an india-rubber pad I29, the arrangement being such that as the shaft 14 rotates the pad I29 is reciprocated towards'and away from the numeral wheels 15, the numbers that have been transferred thereto being printed on a sheet of paper- I2I from a reel I22 disposed on shaft I23 adjacent the reciprocating arm, ink being supplied to said numeral wheels 15 by a suitably disposed inking roller I24 on shaft.l25 (Figures '1, 17), which is also provided with rubber rollers I26 for feeding the paper. With feed rollers I26 coact rollers I21 fixed on shaft I28 by pins I'29, said shaft I28 being driven by ratchet wheel I39 fixed to it by pin I3I and by a pawl I32 mounted on stud I33 in pinion I34, to which is also fixed a flat spring I35 on stud- I36 (Figures 18 and 19). Pinion I34 is loosely mounted on the hub of the ratchet wheel I39 and is driven by gear I31 fixed to shaft 14 of the numeral wheels 15 pin I38.

Broadly stated, the arrangement of the trans- 30 positions.

tered, the corresponding numeral wheel will turn mission mechanism is such that one transmission unit (comprising a group of nine slots 39 on the scanning screen 31, a toothed sleeve 92 driven by a gear segment 89, a numeral wheel 15 driven 5 by a clutch member 94 which is turned by the 10 screens I6 on to the numeral wheels 15. The

said denominational transmission units work consecutively. The numeral wheel 15 on a working transmission unit is stopped as soon as a slot 39 on the scanning screen 31 is in front of a slot. 15 32 on the result screen I6, whereby the position of the numeral wheel 15 (e. g. the numeral which it turns towards the printing device I29) corresponds to the position of the said scanning slot 39. The complete transmission of all digits is 0 effected during one single revolution of the scanning screen. The electric lamp 33, the light sensitive cell 35, and the magnetic relay 38 are common for all denominational transmission units.

It will be noted that no slots 32 are provided on screens I6 to represent zero values, and consequently no zero slots 39 are provided on the scanning screen 31, but the numeral wheels 15 are provided with zeros in the starting or zero In the event that zero is to be registhrough a complete revolution so that when the drive is discontinued, the numeral wheel in ques- -tion will again be in its starting position in which 5 zero is registered.

A complete transmission cycle will now be described. On setting a result screen 56 by means of keys I and 2 in accordance with price per unit and weight in question, handle 55 is pushed to 40 the right. Movement of the handle. 55 through turn pinion 53 which drives the shaft 48, and

through key 63, and clutch 6|, 69, the driving pinion 41. This causes pinions 46 and I96 to rotate. Pinion 46 turns shaft M, the gear segments 89 and the scanning screen 31. Gear seg- 50 ments 89 are off-set in such a manner that they turn consecutively the toothed sleeves 82, clutches 94, and the printing numeral wheels 15, the arrangement being such that each scanning slot becomes coincident with the beam of radiant energy simultaneously with the positioning in printing position of the numeral individual to the particular slot, a certain period being allowed for the necessary time lag. As soon as one scanning slot 39 on scanning screen 31 coincides with a result slot 32 on result screen I6, the

relay armature 96 ofthe particular transmission unit, which has been brought by its cam 98 into the working position, is attracted into position (Figures 7 and 8) by relay 38 which is actuated by the beam of light passing through slots 32 and 39 from the source,33 to the cell 35. Thus, the relay armature 96 causes its clutch fork 95 to swing around its pivot I99, thereby disengag ing clutch 94 from wheel 198 and thus from raw meral wheel 15, which is immediately stopped by pawl I99 coacting with stop wheel I99. It is understood that only one relay armature 96 at the time is in the working position, all other armatures beingin initial position (Figures 9 and 11). When the revolution of scanning screen 31 is completed, all numerals of the items represented by slots 32 on result screen I6 are transferred in this manner on to the numeral wheels 15. The clutch 6I, being fixed to the shaft 54 (driven by the pinion 53) by the key 63, also rotates for about one turn and a quarter. The clutch BI is, at the beginning of its forward turn, in the position shown in Figs. 20 and 22, its recess being engaged by the cam-shaped projection 60 on the gear 41, so that this gear 41 is also turned, but for one turn only, whereupon it is stopped by its pin 64 engaging the stop trigger 65, as shown in Fig."23. The clutch 6|, however, continues to be driven in the same direction for approximately a quarter-turn, whereby as viewed in Figures 22 and 20, it is'forced to the right, the side slope of its recess riding up the slope of the cam-shaped projection 60 on gear 41, against the pressure of the spring 62 until the face of the clutch 6I rides on the top of the projection 60. This axial movement of the clutch BI to the right causes its driving pin 10 to enter the hole H in the gear 12, which gear is now driven until the actuator handle 55 reaches the end of the slot 16 (Fig. 21), i. e. for approximately a quarter turn. As this gear 12 is in mesh with gear 13, fast on shaft 14, this shaft is also turned for approximately a quarter turn, i. e. an amount suflicient for the eccentrics '3 (Fig. 16) to cause the printing pad I20 to press the paper strip I2I on to the numeral wheels (which are now not in motion) to take an imprint (Fig. 7). The handle 55 being now released, it is returned by the spring 11, whereby the various parts move in the reverse direction, the shaft 14 and the gears 13, 12 being returned first, since the pin 10 of the clutch 60 is still in engagement with the hole H in the gear 12. Thus, the printing pad I moves away from the numeral wheels 15 and at the same time gear I31 on shaft 14 turns pinion I34 01: the delivery shaft I28, which causes the paper sheet I2I to move upwards through opening I59 in machine cover I45, whereupon it can be torn off on cutting blade I60. After the clutch GI (and gears 12, 13) have been moved back approximately a quarter turn, the recess in the clutch 6I again coincides with the cam-like projection 60, whereupon the spring 62 forces the clutch 6| to the left, i. e. into the position shown in Fig. 22, thereby withdrawing the pin 10 from the hole 1| in the gear 12, so that the latter, together with gear 13 and the shaft 14, stops in the initial position. The clutch 6|, now in engagement with the projection 60 of the gear 41, continues its return movement to the starting position, thereby restoring gears 46, I06, as well as gear segments 80 and cams 98 (Fig.7) driven thereby, until the pin 64 again reaches the stop trigger 65 (Fig. 22) and the handle 55 is stopped on reaching the lefthand end of the slot 16 (Fig. 21). As the driving pins I01 on clutches 94 coincide respectively during the return movement with the holes in the wheels I08 each clutch slips into engagement under influence of spring I02 and turns the particular numeral wheel 15 back into initial position. It is understood that the illumination of the result screen is switched off as soon as the forward stroke of the transmission mechanism is completed.

This may be accomplished by providing a switch of known construction and illustrated in Figures 22, 23. A plunger I90 of non-conducting material is slidably mounted in a side wall of the bracket 61 and is pressed by a contact spring I9I on to the tail of the trigger .65 above described. The contact spring I9I is secured to an insulator block I92 fixed to the side frame 44 of the machine structure, a contact blade I93 being also secured to the block I92. The spring I9I and the blade I93 are connected to conductors I94, I95 respectively, the other ends of which are connected to the main switch I63, Figure 2, and to the lamp 33, respectively. Thus, the circuit of the lamp 33 is closed by closing the spring I9I and the blade I93, and it is interrupted by withdrawing the spring I! from the blade'I93.

At the beginning of the forward stroke of the actuator 55 the trigger 65 is in the position of Figure 22; thereby it forces the plunger I to press the contact spring I9I on to the contact blade I93, thus closing the circuit of the lamp 33. The trigger 65 is kept in this position by its spring 69 until the gear 41 completes a full turn and the pin 64 swings the trigger 65 into the position shown in Figure 23, as previously described. Thereby the plunger 590 releases the contact spring I9I, which is now free to move away from the contact blade I93, as shown in Figure 23. The trigger 65 remains in this position until the end of the return stroke of the actuator 55, when the pin 64 restores it to the position of Figure 22. Thus, the conductors I94, I remain disconnected, and the lamp 33 is switched off during the resetting movement of the transmission mechanism.

The necessary electrical devices comprise an amplifier I6I of any known construction adapted to produce quick and sufficient amplification, a transformer I62 and switch I63 for the circuit of the light sensitive cell and lamp. A rectifier and resistances may be arranged in any one of the known ways. If desired, a supplementary relay may be operated by the light sensitive cell for the purpose of controlling a stronger circuit (I64, I65) for the relay 38 and the light sensitive cell 35 and lamp 33 may be replaced by any other suitable means of a like kind.

An embodiment in which a flat disc I66 is used i as a scanning body instead of a cylinder 31, is shown in Figure 24. The scanning slots I61 are arranged along a spiral line. a

In order to overcome any inaccuracy as to the respective positions of the slots in the screens I6 and I66, a series of narrow channels I68 may be arranged in front of the scanning screen 31 or I66 (as shown in Figure 24) in such a. manner as to absorb any sideways illumination of the scanning slots 39 or I61.

The size of the light sensitive cell may be considerably reduced by arranging a condenser lens or a condensing reflector between the scanning screen and the cell.

A modified form of screen mechanism is illustrated in Figures 25A, 253 according to which only one key-board and one weight screen I69 is required, whereas there is provided a price screen I10 for each price per unit. The screen I69 is furnished with weight slots only, whereas each screen I10 is furnished with an area for slots representing the price per unit individual to this 1 screen, and a second area for slots representing the multiplication results.- All the price screens I10 and the single weight screen I69 are pivotally mounted on a common shaft I1I.

The supporting arms I11 of the price screens I10 are each furnished near the shaft I1I with either a. projection I16 substantially at right angles to the arm I11, or with a projection III which is a direct continuation of the arm I 11 beyond the pivot point. The arrangement is such that the foremost (as shown in Fig. 25) screen I has a straight projection I8I, the second (immediately behind) has a bent projection I16, the third screen I10 has again a straight projection I8 I, the fourth screen has again a bent projection I16, and so on, in alternate order. Each of the bent projections I16 is connected by a link I to the upper end of a lever I13, the lower end of which is pivotally connected to one of the price keys I12 of the three upper rows. Similarly, each of the straight projections IRI is connected by a link I80 to a lever I18 pivotally connected to one of the price keys I12 of the three lower rows. The levers I13, I18 are pivotally mounted on bars I14, I19, respectively, which are secured inthe frame of the machine, and distancing bushes may be provided to keep the levers in proper axial distance from each other. The projections I16, I8I on the arms I11 are made alternately of difi'erent shape in order to facilitate a compact mounting of the screens I10 close to each other on the shaft I1I, whereby the arms I11 of the screens may be provided with bosses (as shown) of appropriate thickness. The keys I12 are each marked with respective price per unit weight. The price screens I10 are each provided with ratchet teeth I83 arranged to coact with a stop pawl I84 extending transversely of the screens pivotally mounted on bar I85 and pressed towards the edges of the screens I10 by one or more springs I86. The weight screen I69 is provided with an arcuate plate I81 bearing a scale of weight graduations, said scale operating in conjunction with an indicating finger or an aperture in the cover plate. Furthermore, the weight screen is provided adjacent its lower end with a bar I88 fixed at right angles to the screen, said bar being arranged. to coact with projections I89 on the price screens I10. On depressing one of the keys I12, the corresponding price screen I10 swings upwards and by reason of the projection J89 thereon engaging with the bar I 88, the weight Ecreen I69 is caused to move therewith, thereby causing the scale I81 on the plate to move relatively to the indicator finger or aperture until the desired weight comes into coincidence with the finger or appears through the opening in the cover plate; the finger pressure is then removed from the key I12 and the price screen I10 as well as the weight screen I69 are locked in this position by the stop pawl I 84. The upper part of the edge of each of the screens I10 is provided with a plain portion I90 which extends slightly beyond the outer edge of the teeth I83 so that when a second price screen I10 is raised by the operation of one of the keys I12, the part I90 thereon pushes the pawl I84 to the right out of engagement with the teeth I83 of the first screen I10, thereby releasing same and permitting it to return into the initial position under the influence of its'own weight. The advantage of this arrangement is that only one key-board is used and that the number of slots on screens I10 is considerably reduced.

When the invention is to be applied to, for example, a machine for printing railway tickets or the like and for registering and/or recording the fares in a total accumulator contrary to known machines for this purpose, only one printing device is used for printing tickets of every description whereby the fare is automatically group of scanning calculated and registered in accordance with distance and class or the like of travelling.

The machine employed for the purpose above referred to is substantially the same as that previously described, the main difference residing, as will be appreciated, in the form of the result screens I6; for example, the distanoesfrom one railway station to all other stations on the same route may be classified in a number of tariff zones, for instance, in 25 zones. There are also difierent kinds of tickets, say first, second and third class, week-end, return, child, excursion, etc., which may be classified in, for instance, 16- groups. According to this invention a screen I6 is provided for each of the 16 groups of tickets, each of said screens I6 containing the characteristics of all tickets belonging to a particular group. There is, for example, one screen I6 for third class week-end return tickets; this screen may be divided into as many horizontal rows as there are tariff-zones, say 25, each of said rows containing the symbols for (a) the tariff-zone, (b) for the group, which is, as will be understood, the same for all rows, and (c) for the fare to be paid.

The machine is, as before, provided with two key-board I and 2. The keys I of the one bank are connected to the stops I0 coacting with the screens I6, said keys I being marked with the numbers of the tariff-zones and, if desired, also in a suitably abbreviated form with the stations belonging to the particular tariiT-zone. However, in most cases, especially if there are too many stations in one tariiT-zone, a code-number is preferably used to indicate the stations for which the ticket is issued. The keys 2 of the other bank are connected to the screens I6 and are marked to indicate the kinds of ticket be longing to the screens IBconnected thereto.

Alternatively, an arrangement as shown in Figure 25 with only one key-board can be used, the stations being set by means of a scale I 81. On the other hand, an indicator can be used instead of scale I81, said indicator being arranged to move along a scale fixed to the cover of the machine with the names of stations marked on it in a suitable manner.

A datum stamp may, if desired, be placed adjacent the printing device so that the tickets may be dated when being printed, and a duplicate of the ticket being printed may be made on a continuous strip for recording purposes.

The numeral wheels 15 may be arranged to print the code-number of the ticket group and of the station of destination; if desired, suitable abbreviations can be used. The paper reel I22 may be prepared by printing on it the name of issuing station and other standard wordings in suitable positions.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for registering information represented by similarly shaped but differently positioned light transmitting areas on a carrier, the transparency-0f said light transmitting areas being different to that of the carrier, scanning means having a plurality of groups of scanning light transmitting areas, all groups and all light transmitting areas Within each group being adapted to pass successively through the scanning plane during one scanning operation, one light transmitting areas being provided for each denomination of the informaarea within each possible value of the associated denomination, a source of light, a light sensitive device adapted to receive light transmitted from the light source through the carrier and scanning means, an electro-magnet controlled by said light-sensitive device,a plurality of transmission units, one for each denomination of the information to be registered, a clutch included in each transmission unit, all said clutches being controlled by said electro-magnet, means driven in synchronism with the scanning means for rendering each clutch operable only when its associated group of scanning light transmitting areas is in the scanning plane, a plurality of registering elements each of which is adapted to be driven by one of said clutches; and means for driving said clutches in succession and in synchronism with said scanning means.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 comprising a plurality of armatures each of which is adapted to operate one of said clutches, all said armatures being operable by the said electro-magnet, and a plurality of cams constituting the said means driven in synchronism with the scanning means, said cams rendering said armatures successively operable by said electro-magnet.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 comprising a plurality of gear elements mounted in off-set relationship on a common shaft for driving said clutches in succession, each of said gear elements drivingone of said clutches.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the driving connection between each clutch and the registering element driven thereby, comprises a gear wheel adapted-to drive the registering element, a pin carried on each clutch adapted, when the clutch is moved, to be operatively engaged with, or disengaged from, the said gear wheel, and

spring means tending to press each clutch and pin into operative engagement with the associated gear wheel, whereby during the return or resetting movement of the mechanism the pins drive the respective gear wheels to return the registering elements to the starting position.

DANIEL nnomo.

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