US2600990A - Letter actuated tripping device in - Google Patents

Description

J n 1952 w. J. HANSON LETTER ACTUATED TRIPPING DEVICE IN POSTAGE PRINTING MACHINES 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed June 7, 1946 M// J%ELEZZ ATTORNEY June 17, 1952 w. J. HANSON LETTER ACTUATED TRIPPING DEVICE IN POSTAGE PRINTING MACHINES 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed June 7, 1946 INVE TOR f/y ATTORNEY I Patented June 17, 1952 LETTER ACTUATED TRIPPINGD-EVIGE IN POSTAGE PRINTING'MACHINES Walter J. Hanson, Port Chester, 1X, assignor to Pitney-Bowes, Inc., Stamford, Conn a cor- *poration of Delaware Applicationlune'l, 194.6,SerialNo. 675,110

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to a tripping mechanism for use in a postage printing device, wherein the printing unit of said device effects printing by reciprocating means, and more specifically relates to letter actuated release means which is associated with a normally locked drive mechanism, and which is adapted to free said drive only when the letter is in correct position for the printing of a postage impression thereon.

It is the principal object of the invention to provide means to arrest the normal operation of the drive mechanism and, through a trip member connected with the arresting means, provide an arrangement whereby the placing of a letter in correct position for printing, will effect engagement of the upper edge of the letter with the trip member, thereby moving the trip member and effecting the consequent release of the arresting means relative to the drive.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a postage printing device with part broken away and showing the parts which cooperate with the trip mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view looking in the direction of the arrow 2 of Fig. 1, with parts broken away and showing the trip and arresting mechanism in a drive arresting position, also showing a portion of the printing unit; and

Fig. 3 is a view somewhat similar to Fig. 1, with the trip and drive arresting mechanism in a tripped or released position.

Within a casing II! a printing mechanism is provided, which comprises a fixed impression member II and a movable platen I2, normally spaced apart as indicated in Fig. 2. Said platen member I2 is mounted at one end of a lever l3, pivoted at [4, and is adapted to be moved upward to a printing position with relation to the impression member II. The means for efiecting said upward movement comprises an actuator bar l5 having a cam portion l6, which bar is adapted to be moved to the right, as viewed from Fig. 2, by the action of a lever ll, when said lever is rocked in counter-clockwise direction. Rocking of said lever 11 is effected by means of a crank [8 which is joined with a shaft I9, said shaft also having the lever 11 secured thereto.

When the crank I8 is rocked, first in a counterclockwise direction, then returned, the cam portion [6 is drawn between a roller 2! on said lever l3, and another roller 22 on a spring tensioned lever 23. The effect of said action will cause the platen to rise and move a letter, indicated at L, against the impression member H to effect the printing of the postage impression.

.2 For :f-urt'her detail in connection with said printing "operation, reference can be made to "Patent No. 2,344,609. 1

It is desirable that the postage impressionbe 'located at a predetermined position with relation to the upper and right edges of the letter. To obtain such accurate positioning, the right side of letter must engage with a side stop 24 and the upper edge must engage a back stop 25. With regard to the side stop, the operator can see whether the letter is engaged therewith, but cannot see whether the upper edge of the letter engages the back stop. In view of the latter condition, trip mechanism is provided which will function only when the letter is in engagement with the back stop 25.

The trip mechanism comprises a lever 26, pivotally mounted on a pin 21, which pin is suitably supported within a wall 28. Said trip lever 26 has an upwardly extending arm 29, with a letter stop portion 3| thereof, normally extended a predetermined distance in front of the back stop 25. Associated with said trip lever 26 is another lever 32, carried by a pin 33, also supported by the wall 28. Said lever 32 has an elongated opening 34 therein, which opening is engaged by a sidewardly bent projection 35 of an arm 36, projecting from the trip lever 26. Projecting upwardly from the lever 32 is an arm 31, which is provided with a sidewardly disposed lip 38.

Forming a part of the actuator mechanism is an actuator gear segment 39 which is fixed to the shaft [9, and is adapted to be rocked in the direction of the arrow during a cycle of operation. Said actuator gear segment 39 has a portion thereof cut back to form a shoulder 4|, and is arranged so that the lip portion 38 of the lever 31 will be positioned directly in the path thereof to obstruct operation of the drive when the mechanism is in a normal home position, as shown in Fig. 2. By means of a light spring 42, coiled about the pin 33, and having its ends 43 and 44 under tension and in engagement with the projection 35 of a trip lever 26 and a lug 45 projecting from the base respectively, the letter engaging portion 3! and lip 38 are normally maintained in the paths of the letter and shoulder 4| respectively.

Upon inserting a letter to a printing position, the upper edge of the letter will engage with the letter stop portion 3| and cause said lever 26 to be moved about its pivot 21. Rocking of the lever 32 is thus efiected to withdraw the lip 38 from the path of the shoulder 4!, thereby permitting the rotation of the actuator gear segment 39 and the normal operation of the machine. After the printing cycle of operation has been completed, the actuator gear is returned to its normal position, as in Fig. 2, and the trip mechanism is returned to an actuator obstructing position under tension of the spring 42.

Having described the invention, what is claimed is:

In a postage printing device. a printing die member, a platen member, one of said members being reciprocable relative to the other, drive means including a drive shaft to eflect the operation of the reciprocable member, means to position a letter correctly relative to the printing die member including a back stop arranged for engagement by the upper edge of the letter and a side stop arranged for engagement by the right hand edge of the letter, a letter actuated trip lever having a letter engaging portion normally positioned ahead of the back stop member, an element fixed to the drive shaft and having a shoulder stop portion associated therewith, a drive arresting member connected with the trip lever and having a lip portion normally urged into a drive arresting position relative to the shoulder stop portion, said letter engaging portion being adapted to be engaged by the upper edge of the letter and be moved thereby until that portion which is engaged by the letter becomes aligned with the backstop, whereupon the lip of the drive arresting member will have been moved to a nonarresting position relative to the shoulder portion.

' WALTER. J. HANSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,596,967 Hansen Aug. 24, 1926 2,070,310 Ostler Feb. 9, 1937 2,084,098 Long June 15, 1937 2,087,315 Bugg July 20, 1937 2,104,668 Persson Jan. 4, 1938 2,120,247 Funk June 14, 1938 2,130,898 Ogden Sept. 20, 1938

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