US2673033A - Printing machine - Google Patents
Printing machine Download PDFInfo
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- US2673033A US2673033A US40185A US4018548A US2673033A US 2673033 A US2673033 A US 2673033A US 40185 A US40185 A US 40185A US 4018548 A US4018548 A US 4018548A US 2673033 A US2673033 A US 2673033A
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- accumulator
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- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06K—GRAPHICAL DATA READING; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
- G06K17/00—Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
Definitions
- the invention relates to improvements in printing machines and more particularly to mechanisms for use therein and therewith, such as machines for printing variable numerical data, machines for accumulating, totalizing and printing such data, and kindred mechanisms, and a primary object of this invention is to provide such mechanisms to expedite preparation of business instruments and the like.
- business instruments is used hereinafter in the generic sense with reference to a Wide variety of sheets 0f Which specic examples are insurance premium notices, checks drawn on banks, public utility bills, invoices, record sheets and the like.
- An exempliiication of printing machines of this kind to which the invention generally pertains is one wherein sheets of paper out from a web, or sheets removed from a stack of pre-cut sheets, are fed past a printing position at which position impressions are made thereon from variably settable printing mechanisms set up under control of printing and control devices such as control cards or the like.
- variable data such as numbers, amounts of money and the like as distinguished from changeable data, such as names and addresses or constantly reoccurring (unchanging) data.
- Variable data of the type referred to herein are usually numerical accounting data, such as the amounts of premiums due an insurance company, the amount of a check drawn on a bank, or the amount of money due and credited to various agencies or individuals from the earnings of an employee.
- the variable data is by the present machine printed .directly upon the. notices, checks, etc., either before or after changeable and constantly reoccurring data has been impressed thereon.
- Another object is to provide novel printing and control devices of the character that embody easily ascertainable identification tabs and replaceable means containing chanreable data as well as a relatively large arca suitable to be perforated to provide a multiplicity of rows of physical representations of digits 1 to y0 for cooperative enragement selectively by associated pins effective to determine the setting of variantly settable printing and accumulating mechanisms associated with such devices.
- Fig. 1 is a plan view of a typical sensing or control device employed in operation and control of the present machine.
- Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the control device, taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;
- Fig. 2A is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view, similar in part to Fig. 2, showing a modified form of control device;
- Fig. 3 is a gragmentary view of the control device showing index tabs attached thereto.
- Fig. 3A is a fragmentary view of another form of control device
- Fig. 4 is a chart of the code under which vperforations are made in the control device
- Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of a sensingr and control device showing coded perforations rectangular in shape
- Fig. 6 is a chart of the code under which the perforations shown in Fig. 5 are obtained;
- Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view of the variantly settable printing and accumulating mechanisms of the machine, and associated sensing and control mechanisms, the latter including a positioned sensing and control card such as is illustrated in Fig. 1;
- Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectional view of the mechanism taken on line 8 8 of Fig. 7, showing intermediate portions of frequently duplicated elements eliminated;
- Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view of the sensing and control mechanism, taken on line 9 9 of Fig. 7;
- Fig. 10 is a detail view of the sensing end of one of the sensing pins shown in Fig. 9, having markings associated therewith to illustrate potential positions assumed by the pin during use;
- Fig. 10A is a similar detail view of an alternative form of sensing pin
- Fig. 14 is an illustration of Ya business instrument containingr variable printing produced by the present machine
- Fig. 15 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to the disclosure of Fig. '7, of a modified form of r construction;
- Fig. 16 isa fragmentary plan view of a control .disc utilized in the mechanism shown in Fig. 15;
- Fig. 17 is a plan View of the mechanism shown in Fig. 15;
- Fig. 18 is a diagrammatic view showing a modification of the printing mechanism for printing two sheets or webs of paper simultaneously.
- variable printing and accumulating apparatus which embodies the fea- ⁇ tures ⁇ of' the present invention is adapted to ⁇ print or otherwise impress variable data upon business instruments Which may be in the form of sheets, or, either before or after printing, may
- control device C is best shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, and it may include a frame II having a metallic plate I2 removably retained thereon at one margin by fixed retaining devices I3, a bead I4 at the lower edge of the frame, and yieldable or depressible retaining tongues I5.
- the plate I2 maybe ,i slid endwise from the retaining devices I3 and the bead I4.
- Type characters T are, in this instance, embossed in the plate I2 so as to appear in relief on the exposed face thereof so that impressions may be made from the type characters when the printing and control device C is fed into printing relation with mechanisms within the machine and with which this invention is not concerned.
- a control card or plate I6 is retained on the remaining portion of the frame Il by retaining devices I1 and a bead I8.
- the plate or card I6 is preferably made of a. strong sheet material such as sheet steel which willv withstand repeated use without material deformation or enlargement of holes which are punched therein to represent data and to control operations in a manner to be described presently.
- the material may be a metal sheet other than steel of appropriate thickness and hardness, or it may be a plastic sheet, or a hard type of paper such as a plastic impregnated sheet.
- ordinary paper card stock may be satisfactory in special cases but generally a stronger material will be used. It will be understood that. the term card, as used hereinafter refers to a sheet or plate of durable material capable of withstanding repeated sensing operations without appreciable wear or deformation.
- the control card I6 and underlying portion of the frame II are adapted to have holes suchas dl, d2. d3 and so on formed therein preferably in accordance with a code shown in Fig. 4 and explained in detail hereinafter, so as to afford control means or representations of data, and such holes or control means are utilized in the production of the variable. data V on a business instrument such as is shown in Fig. 14, in a manner that will be described hereinafter.
- the holes in the control card I6 and the underlying portion of the frame II may be conveniently produced in a machine such as that disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 210,897, filed May 31, 1938.
- the holes may be round, of variable diameter, as shown in Figs.
- the frame I I of the control device C is perforated as at dl only in the same positions, and preferably in the same punching operation, as the card IB.
- the card IB may be changed from time to time, a new code being punched therein and the frame I I must be punched at least in all positions punched in the card, though it may have additional perforations covered by unperforated areas of the card.
- the frame I la may be pre punched with perforations PI as large as the largest in the code, Fig. 4, at all possible data representing positions.
- the card I6 may be perforated as at d5, d6, d1, d8, the strength of the card being sufficient to control sensing operations to be described presently, in-
- control cards I6 may be substituted at will without further operations on the frame or backing member.
- the cards in the control devices are perforated to represent the digits in accordance with the code shown in Fig. 4. There, a plurality of perforations are aligned with a row representative of the digits l to 9. The holes progressively increase in size and the absence of a perforation is indicative ofv the digit zero.
- Each card I is of such a size that perforations-may be provided therein to represent any digit or group of digits in any one or more of the potential positions indicated by the intersecting lines illustrated on the card shown in Fig. 1.
- the card I6 shown in Fig. 1 has had perforations performed in selected positions in accordance with the code so that printing performed in the present apparatus, when under control of this card, will represent the various digital values to be entered under the various headings of an insurance premium notice of the character hereinbefore referred to as exemplary of a business instrument printed in the machine.
- the business instrument shown in Fig. 14 has
- the number $1616.35, appearing in the Gross Premium column on the business instrument may be represented on the control card I6, shown in Fig. 1, by a series of perforations in the rst or left hand row and such perforations are sized in accord with the sizing of the digital perforations of the code of Fig. 4.
- the next or second row from the left in the control card shown in Fig. l may be performed with sized perforations representative of the digital printing to appear under the heading of Dividends on the business instrument.
- the said second row on the control card will have no perforations at its two uppermost potential perforation positions while its third and fourth potential perforation positions will be performed with' ⁇ sized perforations representative of the digits 2 and 3, respectively.
- the other rows of the potential perforation positions on the control card will be perforated to provide control means to effect the printing of the required digital data under the Net Dividend and Brokers Commission columns on the business instrument. If reference is made again to Fig.
- the control devices C preferably include easily detachable index tabs I6 arranged on one edge thereof, each of which is formed with a perforation sized according to the teachings of the codes in Figs. 4 and 6. and aid in selecting control devices C from a stack of similar devices and thus facilitate their being sorted and arranged in a desired alphabetical or numerical order in the file drawers or other containers in which they are kept.
- the tabs may be used also to control certain machine operations through sensing means as pointed out hereinafter.
- Fig. 3A shows an alternative form of control device CI, wherein the frame IIb is modied to carry a card Ib which extends beyond the edge, occupying approximately the total area covered by the card I6 and the tabs I5 in Fig. 3.
- the upper edge portion of the card contains data representing positions corresponding to those shown on tabs I6', Fig. 3, and two additional rows of positions corresponding to the tab fastening area tf, making possible the provision of twelve horizontal rows of sixteen positions or a total of 192 sensing positions.
- the sensing means described below may be "exe panded to sense 192 positions, as in Fig. 3A, rather' than 144 positions as in Fig. 1 or 160 positions (counting the 16 tabs as sensing positions)' as shown in Fig. 3.
- ply of printing and control devices C are sequentially introduced into the machine from a magazine (not shown) from which they are withdrawn one at a time and are carried along a track I9 through the machine until they come to rest against a stop 2! in the position to be sensed by a sensing device D such as is illustrated in Figs. '7 and 9.
- a sensing device D such as is illustrated in Figs. '7 and 9.
- the card It of the control device C is located in vertical'- alignment'ben'eath the sensing device which-in the present instance Aincludes spring pressedl
- These tabs serve to identify devance 7 heeded senslngpins 22 each arranged respectively in vertical alignment with a potential position of a digital perforation in the control device.
- the pins 22 may be in the form of rods tapered towards a point at their lower or control device engaging ends. as illustrated in Fig. 10, or they may be fashioned from flat strips having their edges converge towards an end as Aat 22m, shown in Figs. 11 and 12.
- the pins may converge in steps to provide successive reductions in width or cross section as shown in Fig. 10A, at 221i.
- the perforations in the control cards I6 will be round as shown in the code illustrated in Fig. 4 but when the fiat strips of Figs. 11 and l2 are employed, the perforations will be shaped substantially rectangular as illustrated in Fig. 6 which otherwise is like the code of Fig. 4 except that the controlling feature is the lengths of the perforations rather than their overall size. Irrespective of which form of sensing pins are used they are intended, during a sensing operation of the machine, to be moved downwardly in the manner to be described presently, during which movement those pins which are not in alignment with digital perforations in the control card I6 will abut said card and cease downward movement.
- a perforation in the control card is representative of the digit 5
- such perforation will be of suflicient size to admit the sensing pin to a distance indicated by representative line marking 5 on the pin illustrated in Fig.. or to the appropriate shoulder, Fig. 19A.
- the pin will pass through said perforation until stopped by the controlling size of the perforation at the representative line marking 3 in Fig. 10.
- each sensing pin entering a registering perforation will continue through such perforation until stopped by the limitation of the perforation size.
- control card I6 having sixteen vertical rows of nine digital positions each,v the group of nine, or any other reasonable number of digits to be represented could be arranged in a horizontal row, the sensing means to be described below being arranged correspondingly. In other words there may be vertical rows arranged side by side with digit representing perforations aligned horizontally, or horizontal rows with corresponding perforations aligned vertically. Furthermore, combinations of sensing means at two or more positions or groups of positions may be employed to control a greater number of variable operators or operations than the number of positions on the control device, which are sensed at a single sensing operation. y
- Those pins having registering alignment 7 and 9 and it includes a cradle fashioned from sheet material to provide an intermediate portion 23 and upwardly extending side walls 24.
- intermediate portion 23 is perforated to receive freely therethrough the sensing pins 22, the enlarged heads of which are held normally against the top face of said portion by light compression springs 25, ⁇ one surrounding each extension or guide stem 26 on each pin.
- the ⁇ cradle side walls 24 are pivotally suspended from corresponding ends of a pair of ⁇ arms 21 firmly fixed at their other ends lto a rock shaft 28 journaled at its ends in the machine walls 29.
- the shaft 28 also carries a xed lever 3
- the pins and the cradle are of course guided so as to insure true vertical movement of the sensing pins and to this end the assembly is contain-ed within and guided by a frame which may consist of top and bottom plates 35 and 36 respectively, and end walls 3l.
- the end walls ⁇ 3l may be secured to the machine walls 29 by screws 38 so as to thereby be held rigid, and theupper plate 35 is apertured to enable the guide stems 26 to extend upwardly therethrough.
- the top wall 3.5 of said frame also serves as a backing for the upper ends of the compressed springs 25 surrounding the pin stems 26.
- the tabs i6', Fig. 3 are sensed in a similar manner.
- the sensing mechanism also includes a plurality of movable control fingers 4I best illustrated in Fig. 7, which are pivotally mounted on fixed rodsl as 42 mounted at their ends in a bracket ⁇ 43 carried in the machine. There is one finger pro- ⁇ vided for each pin 22 and said fingers are operatively connected, one, to each pin, so that yeach finger is moved about its pivotal mounting a dis-- tance determined solely by the ⁇ distance to which its related pin penetrates a perforation in the.
- ends 45 thereof that Said ends are located Vso as tok provide abutments or stops to limit: movement- 9 of associated mechanism to be described in detail hereinafter.
- the sensing mechanism including the movable fingers 4
- the control card illustrated in Fig. 1 has nine potential perforation positions in each of its sixteen rows.
- the sensing pins 22 are likewise arranged in sixteen rows of nine each with one pin aligned with each potential perforation position. Consequently, the fingers 4
- the illustrated control card I6 of Fig. 1 has sixteen rows of potential perforation positions
- the pres-ent illustration discloses but a part of the complete printing mechanism and only such controlling fingers 4
- sensing pin as 22 is connected through its Bowden cable to a control finger as 4I and that a sensingpin as 22a is connected to a control finger as 4Ia, Likewise, the remaining sensing pins 22h, 22e, 22d, 22e, 221, 22g and 22h of a group of nine are connected respectively to the lingers Mb, flic, Md, Me, 4U, 41g and 4lh.
- control elements available in the present disclosure to set up variantly settable type printing elements for impressing the required data in, for example, the Gross Premiumy column of the business instrument shown in Fig. 14.
- each successive row of potential perforations in the control card I6 is intended to control actuation of a like ro-w of sensing pins 22 and its related group of control lingers 4
- variable data printing mechanism A preferred embodiment of the variable data printing mechanism is best shown in Figs. 7, 8 and i3.
- the mechanism includes a main idler shaft fixed at its ends in the side walls 29 of the machine, upon which are mounted for free rotation thereon a plurality of type wheels 52 each having a segment of type characters 53 on its periphery.
- Each segment Vof type characters includes digital type arrnged consecutively from the digit 0 to the digit 9 and the type wheels are in the present instance arranged in groups of nine each to correspond with the grouping of the sensing pins and control fingers hereinabove described and with which the wheels are operatively assoeiated in a manner to be described hereinafter.
- Fig. 7 A preferred embodiment of the variable data printing mechanism is best shown in Figs. 7, 8 and i3.
- each type wheel 52 is fashioned from sheet stock of suitable thickness and the type Wheels are spaced on the shaft 5l one from the other so as to afford working clearance between adjacent type wheels.
- Platens 5d, each aligned with one of the type segments are mounted for pivotal movement about a shaft 55 secured at its ends in brackets carried on the inside faces of each frame wall 29. During printing operations of the machine, these platens. are forcibly urged towards such type characters on the type segments a5 are disposed in printing position below an inl: ribbon IR.
- the means for actuating the platens does not constitute a part of the present invention itl is sufficient at this time to note only that the platens are selectively controlled and are actuated in timed relation to actuation of other mechanisms in the machine only at such times as it is desired to impress the variable data V set up by the type segments upon the sheets S being fed between the ribbon IR and the platens.
- the type wheels 52 are freely rotatable on their common shaft 5
- Such movement of the type wheels is eiected through individual lost motion mechanisms including a common driven shaft 51'eX- tending transversely between and journaled at its ends in the machine walls 29.
- a common driven shaft 51'eX- tending transversely between and journaled at its ends in the machine walls 29.
- the driven shaft 57 carries a fixed cam 58 which is engaged on its peripheral edge by a roller 59 mounted on the end of one arm 6l of a bell crank lever freely pivoted on a. common transverse bearing shaft 62 located closely adjacent to and extending parallel with the driven shaft 57.
- the other arm 53 of the bell crank has a lost motion connection at Sli with the longitudinally slotted lower end of a vertically disposed link 55, the .upper extremity of which is pivotally connected lat 63 with a type wheel 52. This link lies in the space between adjacent type wheels.
- a spring 6l Itends to retain the link 65 in its lowermost position as determined by the position of the arm 63 and normally would cause counterclockwise rotation of the connected type wheel 52 a distance responding to the total distance of descent of the arm 63 when the bell crank is rocked by the cam 58.4
- and to be more fully explained hereinafter is provided which positively limits such counterclockwise rotation whereupon the bell crank arm 63 continues its downward cycle without descent of the link 65, the spring 61 permitting arm 63 to move downwardly with respect to the link 65.
- a slidably mounted bar 68 lying in the space between adjacent type wheels 52 is pivotally attached by a rivet 69 to one face of each type Wheel 52.
- Each of the bars 68 extends substantially horizontally beyond the periphery of its associated type wheel to dispose its free forward end opposite the end of one of the control fingers 4
- having its ends secured tothe side walls of the machine extends through elongated slots in each of the sliding bars 68 to maintain the bars approximately in a horizontal plane yand to guide them for reciprocatory sliding movement to and fro.
- each bar 68 is provided with a series of stop shoulders or steps 13, each of which is adapted to coact with the end of the control finger associated with said bar, the particular stop shoulder in contact with the end of the finger depending upon the position of the finger.
- is lowered ⁇ to engagethe shoulder 13 on sliding bar 68 that is next to the top position, and the bar 68 is thus permitted to move to the ⁇ left far enough to move associated type wheel 52 to a position where the digit 1 is in printing position.
- the control finger is positioned to stop the sliding bar 68 in proper position to dispose the appropriate printing characters beneath the platen 54.
- the platen 54 is actuated by suitable means not shown, after the sliding bars 68 have moved as far to the left as permitted by fingers 4
- each type wheel 52 carries a segment 8
- the lock arm 84 is a part of a bell-crank freely rotatable on the transverse shaft 62.
- the other arm 85 of said bell-crank carries a roller 86 on its free end which rides upon the periphery of a cam 81 secured to the rotatable shaft 51.
- the roller rides olf a high part of the cam 81 and into the drop thereof thus rocking the lock arm counterclockwise and withdrawing the nose 83 from its engagement between the teeth to thereby free the type wheel for counterclockwise rotation by action of the bell-crank 6
- the lock arm 84 moves clockwise to'again engage its nose 83 in the gap between whatever teeth are in or approximately in registering alignment therewith.
- This action not only locks the type wheel against rotation during the printing operation but it effects alignment of the characters on adjacent Vtype wheels and thus insures printing of all the characters in a straight line.
- the roller 86 rides over the second high spot on the cam 81 and the lock arm again moves counterclockwise to disengage its nose so that the type wheel can rotate clockwise into .its starting position in response to ⁇ action of the bell-crank 6I-63.
- ⁇ A suitable spring 84 tends ⁇ to rotate the lever 84 to cause the roller 86 to follow the cam 81.
- h (whichis the one farthest removed from the front ofthe group of fingers as illustrated in Fig. 7) will align with the fifth shoulder 13, counting from the upper edge of its associated (the rst) sliding bar; and the second control finger, that is the finger identified as Alg, will be positioned with its end aligned with the third shoulder 13 on-.the associated or eighth sliding bar 68.
- each finger in the group is positioned to beven'gage'd by a shoulder on its associated bar in accordance ⁇ with the sizeof the representative perforation in the control card I6.
- the absence of a perforation, as in the last three orders in the first row of the card I6 is representative of zero character 53 in printing position beneath the platens 54.
- the type Wheel of the hundredths or first order will rotate until the fth shoulder on its bar Se abuts the endof its related control nger 4
- the third type Wheel is rotated to cause printing of the selected digital character 6 in printing position
- ⁇ and the fourth, fifth and sixth type wheels, representative of tens hundreds and thousands,A respectively, are likewise rotated to positionthe digital characters 1, 6 and 1, respelct'ively, ⁇ in printing position.
- the nine type wheels in the group are positioned to print the vdigital characters 536161000 when read from rearto front in Fig. 7, which characters would appear on the sheet S in the correct order reading as follows: 0001616.35.
- suitable zero suppression mechanism may be provided in the machine to prevent the printing of such zeros as are of higher'order thanithe highest order containing a significant digit on the sheet S.
- Mechanism to accomplish this purpose is shown .and described in United States Patent No. 2,296,277, to Gollwitzer, dated September 22, 1942, and as it forms no part of the present invention it is sufficient to note only that such means may be provided either to render the platens 54 inoperative in those orders not required in lan impression operation, or to further adjust the position of the type wheels independently of the sensing mechanism so as to move the zero character out of register with the platen.
- such zero suppressing mechanism is not required in the tenths or hundredths orders because these zeros are always printed in the orders pertaining to cents in sums of money'.
- each group of variantly settable type Wheels and its associated sensing mechanism includes accommodations to care for a nine order number it is, of course, very infrequent that such a number is to be printed in the first instance on the sheet S. More frequently the lnumber to be printed in the rst instancedoes not exceed the sixth order.
- the present grouping provides accommodations to care for exigencies that may arise in the operation of accumulators one of which is associated with each group of nine orders as will be described hereinafter.
- Such accumulators are for the purpose of accumulating totals of amounts printed under each heading on successive business instruments and for setting up the type wheels-52 for printing the accumulated totals at selected intervals upon the sheet S, or on a separate sheet if so desired.
- the variantly settable printing mechanism beet illustrated in Fig. 7 is provided with but seven accumulator mechanisms, generallylidentied as A, on the theory that but seven groups of nine type wheels each constitute the complete printing machine although the control card 16 has sixteen rows of potential perforation positions and hence is capable of controlling the setting of sixteen groups of variantly settable type wheels of nine wheels each. rihe manner by which accommodation may be provided for' sixteen accumulator mechanisms A will be better understood as the description proceeds.
- Each of the accumulators A is preferably of the type described in the aforesaid Gollwitzer Patent No'. f 2,296,277. i
- An accumulator mechanism A is provided for each of seven groups of nine variantly settable type wheels and each accumulator is intended to.
- carries a pair of accumulator side plates H33 which are freely chine side Walls 29.
- the accumulator mechanism A-l includesY nine accumulator wheels one arranged for cooperative association with each of the nine type wheels in its associated group.
- the accumulator mechanism A-2 has nine accumulator wheels
- the remaining accumulator mechanisms A4, -4, 5, -0, and -1 each have nine accumulator wheels one in cooperative association with each type wheel 52 of its respective group.
- the various accumulator mechanisms are spaced at intervals around the type wheels 52, each group of type wheels being provided with appropriate gear teeth to mesh with its associated accumulator at the proper time.
- one accumulator mechanism A is associated with and arranged to be operated by the variantly settable type wheels in a single group of such wheels, and, as a consequence, each accumulator mechanism when rendered operative, in a manner and by a structural organization to be described hereinafter, will operate to accumulate totals of printings effected by repeated printing operations of the type wheels 52 of its associated group and inasmuch as each accumulator mechanism is identical with the others the following further description of these mechanisms is, unless otherwise stated, concerned with the structure and functions of but one such accumulator mechanism and is applicable to any one of those illustrated in various degrees of completeness.
- 05 in the present instance are, as aforesaid, in the form of gears and are rotatably mounted on shouldered spacer collars each including a shoulder of sufficient thickness to accommodate an accumulator wheel.
- Thecollars are mounted on the shaft
- 03 are, as aforesaid, connected together by the shaft
- 09 outwardly of the side walls, is intended to have a drive connection (not shown) with any suitable source of power in the machine so that it may be rotated one complete revolution each time the machine is operated to sense and print digital characters.
- 09 is arranged to rotate synchronously with the driven shaft 5l.
- .discs Ill areflrmly mounted on the type wheel shaft 5
- One disc I I3 is arrangednear each side wallof the machine be- 16 yond thetype wheels 52 which are, as previously noted, also mounted on said shaft but for free rotation. These discsare larger in diameterthan the type wheels 52 in order that they may control the selection, engagement and disengagement of the various accumulators with their respective groups of type wheels.
- 3 is provided with one arcuate slot for each of the seven accumulatore shown. These slots extend generally concentrically with the shaft 5I" on which the type wheels 52 and the discs
- 3 are all of different contour as respects the position of the depressed 0r inset portion IIEa. Movement of the plates may be imparted manually by means of a lever
- the arcuate cam slots IIB are of such total length that they overlap, and therefore some ofthem are located farther radially from the vshaft 5
- Corresponding cam slots are, of course, identical on the two plates
- 3 are rotatably adjusted, through lever II5, to the selected position which will register the offset portion I
- the operating cams lihereinbefore referred to are carried on shafts
- these blocks are slidable in radial slots H8 in the machine Walls 29 and each is urged inwardly'radially by a spring HS which spring is of greater tension than springs I I I carried on and normally urging the accumulator frames outwardly radially about their pivots
- 00 is controlled lby the operation of plates H3 to select an accumulator as described above.
- Movement of the rotatably adjustable discs H3 which are formed with a series of peripheral recesses
- the discs H3 are of a size as to dispose their peripheral edge in abutment with the surfaces of the cam shafts
- 05 has twenty teeth thereon, and two teeth at diametric positions thereon, which is to say, each of the teeth pertaining to the digit 0, are thickened, as indicated by the numbers
- 01 rides off the rise on the cam
- 05 are demeshed from their cooperating type wheel teeth H2 and the accumulator mechanism is disposed in a position such as is illustrated of the accumulator mechanism A2 in Fig. 7.
- 22 are pivotally mounted on the tie rod
- the dogs have relatively en largedfv openings 12h-therein Anear the free ends thereof and a rod'
- 02 and lmounted at spaced in.n tervals therealong are'pawls 126,'there being a pawl126 in alignment with-each dog
- 21 are effective on the pawls
- 32 includes a medial armhaving a gear vsegment 133e at its free end.
- 33a are,respectively adapted tomesh with idler gears
- 32 also includes an .arm 13.4 which projects ⁇ outwardly asufiicient distance tobe'engaged at selected times by a pin
- 31 extends to the outside of one of the machine walls "29, and, as .best shown in Fig. 13, this extending portion of the shaft
- the periphery of this cam has a notch
- 48, Fig. 13, is fast on the shaft
- 52 is effective on the rocker
- 53 rides onto a drop on the cam
- 01 on the acoumulatormechanism rides off the rise on the cam
- 05 will be pivoted back into engagement with the toothed periphery of the type wheels 52 and then as the type wheel 52 rotates iclockwise to return from the position which it assumed while the digital character four was being printed to its neutral or Zero position, the gear wheel
- 26 may be assumed to be those that cooperated with the accumulator wheel
- 05 is only capable of representing the digits appearing in a single order so that when an. accumulator wheel advances from the 9 posi ⁇ tion thereof as illustrated in accumulator A-2 into the 3 position thereof as illustrated in the accumulator A-4, it was necessary tocarry the "1 in the tens order of 13 into the next higher or tens order.
- 05 may be standing in a position representative of the digit 9 prior to the time a carryover into such a wheel occurs. Upon entry of such carryover digit, the aforesaidv accumulator wheel will thereupon move into a position representative of zero, and a carry must then be effected into the accumulator wheel
- the just described restoring operation occurs intermediate of the time the accumulator gear wheels
- ⁇ the platens 54 are operated to perform ⁇ a printing operation just prior to the time the type wheels 52 start their return movement in ⁇ a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 7. It will also be recalled that, when a total is being ⁇ accumulated in the accumulator gear wheels
- 08 are formed to maintain the accumulator gear wheels
- order t provide means for rocking the accumu lator mechanism A at the start of a total taking operation so as to engage its accumulator gear wheels with the type wheels 52 and in order to prevent the cams
- 09 is mounted for axial movement in its radially slidable bearing blocks H0.
- 09 is normally positioned to dispose the cams
- 09 may best be accomplished by manually grasping a finger piece
- 56 selection of the cams
- 56 of course are like the cams
- an accumulator mechanism A carrying the gear wheels
- 05 of said mechanism are meshed with type wheels 52 associated therewith and are actuated upon counterclockwise rotation of the type wheels.
- the accumulator wheels control the distances to which said type wheels rotate counterclockwise so as to thereby set up the type segments 53 therein to print the totals accumulated in the accumulator mechanism A.
- the machine is now ready for operation to eiect a printing of the accumulated totals. This is effected by initiating rotation of the drive shaft 51 through one cycle of operation which rotation tends to impart counterclockwise rotation to the type wheels 52.
- 05 that are off zero position are likewise rotated through their meshing engagement with the type wheels.
- 05 has two zero positions and this is due to the fact that it is desirable to make the accumulator gear wheels of a size such that proper sizing of the various parts can be maintained and proper interrelation between the size of the various parts may be established.
- each accumulator gear wheel instead of being provided with only ten teeth to cause the digits to be accumulated thereon in each revolution thereof, is provided with twenty teeth so that the digits are accumulated thereon in each half revolution thereof, such size of the gear teeth neatly fitting into the various other dimensions selected in the machine, even to the spacing of the perforations in the respective rows thereof on the card I6, and it is because of this sizing of the wheels
- the type wheels 52 meshing therewith are likewise selectively stopped in All of the accumulator gear wheels their counterclockwise rotation and the proper type characters representative of the digits. of the. total accumulated on4 the gear wheels
- 3a is provided for each accumulator mechanism.
- These discs arefreely rotatable on the shaft 5
- 63 are located ini ⁇ a positioncorresponding. tothe location of the accumulator mechanism .to
- number of the accumulator mechanism may be rendered effective to. accumulate digital counts successively ⁇ set up bythe variantly settable type wheels 52 and also to eilect setting up of the total ⁇ accumulated ina total printing operation as related in the description of the previously describedimechanism.
- ⁇ and other necessary elementsl maybe provided if desiredfor throwing the variousY accumulators into ⁇ operation or out ofV operationk automatically.
- 6b, Fig.v 3A, may serve as control means.
- a totalizer lever is. mounted to pivot freely about shaft 5
- anyxof4 thefdiscs v may be rotatedicounter4 clockwise (Fig.v 15) manually or4 automatically.
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Description
Marel-1 23, 1954 J. H". GRUVER PRINTING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 22, 1948 INVENTOR,
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March 23, 1954 J, H GRUVER 2,673,033
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31777/32144* 0-0 CdL-m oliiopngs March 23, 1954 1. H. GRUVER PRINTING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 22, 1948 INVENTR JoHNH aRUvER BY Www uw CMM March 23, 1954 J, H, GRUVER 2,673,033
PRINTING MACHINE Filed July 22, 1948 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 JNVENToR. JUHN H. 6R U VER Patentecl Mar. 23, 1954 PRINTING MACHINE John H. Gruver, East Cleveland, N. J., assignor to Addressograph-Multigraph Corporation, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Application July 22, 1948, Serial No. 40,185
21 Claims. (Cl. 23S-61.9)
The invention relates to improvements in printing machines and more particularly to mechanisms for use therein and therewith, such as machines for printing variable numerical data, machines for accumulating, totalizing and printing such data, and kindred mechanisms, and a primary object of this invention is to provide such mechanisms to expedite preparation of business instruments and the like. In this connection it is understood that the term business instruments is used hereinafter in the generic sense with reference to a Wide variety of sheets 0f Which specic examples are insurance premium notices, checks drawn on banks, public utility bills, invoices, record sheets and the like.
An exempliiication of printing machines of this kind to which the invention generally pertains is one wherein sheets of paper out from a web, or sheets removed from a stack of pre-cut sheets, are fed past a printing position at which position impressions are made thereon from variably settable printing mechanisms set up under control of printing and control devices such as control cards or the like.
The machine of the present invention is primarily concerned with the printing of variable data, such as numbers, amounts of money and the like as distinguished from changeable data, such as names and addresses or constantly reoccurring (unchanging) data. Variable data of the type referred to herein are usually numerical accounting data, such as the amounts of premiums due an insurance company, the amount of a check drawn on a bank, or the amount of money due and credited to various agencies or individuals from the earnings of an employee. The variable data is by the present machine printed .directly upon the. notices, checks, etc., either before or after changeable and constantly reoccurring data has been impressed thereon.
The impressing of changeable or constantly reoccurring data upon such sheets is not involved in the present invention; hence, it is sufcient to note only that such data usually consists of an identication such as a name and address and the names or titles of the various columns of variable data appearing on or to appear on the sheet and may involve the use of mechanism of a kind disclosed, for example, in United States Letters Patent No. 2,296,277, to Gollwitzer, dated f September 22, 1942.
In instances Where a business instrument such as an insurance premium notice or the like is to be impressed in a machine of the general character of that referred to above with such variable 2 data as Gross Premium, Dividend Net Premium and like related data including perhaps, a Brokers Commission column, it usually is desirable and advantageous to accumulate and record a total, at selected intervals, of the numerical data impressed upon a selected number of notices. Since each notice includes a pluralitj,7 of variant columns of numerical data as above noted, a total may be desired for each column. In known prior mechanisms useful for impressing variable data upon sheets fed through the machine no means is provided to obtain these individual totals of Various groups or columns of data other than to complete a run of a selected number of impressions under a specic column heading and then totalizing and returning the data impression mechanism to neutral or zero position and then running the sheets a successive number of times through the machine to permit totalizing of each column as it is completed. Obviously, such practices involve much time and effort and as a consequence much of the advantage derived from the use of such a machine is lost. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a variantly settable printing mechanism with a plurality of manually or mechanically controlled and automatically actuated accumulator mechanisms each effective, when desired, to accumulate the variant digital data successively set up and printed upon the sheets under certain specified headings, so as to facilitate individual selective totalizing and subsequent printing of such totals on the sheet, or simultaneous totalizing of the data successively set up in all of the groups of a printing apparatus and subsequently printing all the accumulated totals upon the sheet simultaneously.
It is of course, a primary and salient object of the invention to provide a novel printing machine ofsimple and economical construction and eicient and positive operation and which will rapidly and accurately produce business instruments and the like. Hence other and further objects of the invention relate to the machine and to novel arrangements which may be incorporated therein to enable the aforesaid primary and salient objects to be realized.
Further objects related to the foregoing are to insure the production of neat impressions by aligning digital type characters entering into the printing operations in proper relation with each other; to enable totals of various groups of digital data printed or otherwise impressed on sheets passed through the machine to be accumulaled; to insure that the printing of accumu- 3 lated totals is accurately accomplished by utilizing the accumulator mechanisms to set up the digital type characters for printing or otherwise making impressions of the totals; to insure accurate and complete restoration of the variantly settable printing mechanisms embodied in the machine upon completion of the operating functions; and to provide a novel, efficient, positive. accurate and rapid mechanism of small and compact arrangement which is also simple and economical in construction and operation to accomplish the objects aforesaid.
Another object is to provide novel printing and control devices of the character that embody easily ascertainable identification tabs and replaceable means containing chanreable data as well as a relatively large arca suitable to be perforated to provide a multiplicity of rows of physical representations of digits 1 to y0 for cooperative enragement selectively by associated pins effective to determine the setting of variantly settable printing and accumulating mechanisms associated with such devices.
Other and further obiects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings which, bv way .of illustration, show preferred embodiments and the principle thereof and which I now consider to be the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principle may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.
In the drawings:
Fig. 1 is a plan view of a typical sensing or control device employed in operation and control of the present machine.
Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the control device, taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;
Fig. 2A is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view, similar in part to Fig. 2, showing a modified form of control device;
Fig. 3 is a gragmentary view of the control device showing index tabs attached thereto.
Fig. 3A is a fragmentary view of another form of control device;
Fig. 4 is a chart of the code under which vperforations are made in the control device;
Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of a sensingr and control device showing coded perforations rectangular in shape;
Fig. 6 is a chart of the code under which the perforations shown in Fig. 5 are obtained;
Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view of the variantly settable printing and accumulating mechanisms of the machine, and associated sensing and control mechanisms, the latter including a positioned sensing and control card such as is illustrated in Fig. 1;
Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectional view of the mechanism taken on line 8 8 of Fig. 7, showing intermediate portions of frequently duplicated elements eliminated;
Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view of the sensing and control mechanism, taken on line 9 9 of Fig. 7;
Fig. 10 is a detail view of the sensing end of one of the sensing pins shown in Fig. 9, having markings associated therewith to illustrate potential positions assumed by the pin during use;
Fig. 10A is a similar detail view of an alternative form of sensing pin;
cumulator mechanisms;
Fig. 14 is an illustration of Ya business instrument containingr variable printing produced by the present machine;
Fig. 15 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to the disclosure of Fig. '7, of a modified form of r construction;
Fig. 16 isa fragmentary plan view of a control .disc utilized in the mechanism shown in Fig. 15;
Fig. 17 is a plan View of the mechanism shown in Fig. 15; and
Fig. 18 :is a diagrammatic view showing a modification of the printing mechanism for printing two sheets or webs of paper simultaneously.
The illustrated novel variable printing and accumulating apparatus which embodies the fea-` tures `of' the present invention is adapted to `print or otherwise impress variable data upon business instruments Which may be in the form of sheets, or, either before or after printing, may
be severed from a web of paper drawn from a roll. Operation of the apparatus, so as to effect proper setting of the variantly settable printing mechanisms to cause sequential impressions of variable digital data upon the instruments, is primarily controlled through the correlated action of associated sensing mechanisms arranged to cooperate with control devices in the form oi' perforated cards which are sequentially fed to the machine. One such control device C is best shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, and it may include a frame II having a metallic plate I2 removably retained thereon at one margin by fixed retaining devices I3, a bead I4 at the lower edge of the frame, and yieldable or depressible retaining tongues I5. When one or the other of the tongues I5 is depressed the plate I2 maybe ,i slid endwise from the retaining devices I3 and the bead I4. Type characters T are, in this instance, embossed in the plate I2 so as to appear in relief on the exposed face thereof so that impressions may be made from the type characters when the printing and control device C is fed into printing relation with mechanisms within the machine and with which this invention is not concerned. A control card or plate I6 is retained on the remaining portion of the frame Il by retaining devices I1 and a bead I8.
The plate or card I6 is preferably made of a. strong sheet material such as sheet steel which willv withstand repeated use without material deformation or enlargement of holes which are punched therein to represent data and to control operations in a manner to be described presently. The material may be a metal sheet other than steel of appropriate thickness and hardness, or it may be a plastic sheet, or a hard type of paper such as a plastic impregnated sheet. For limited reuse ordinary paper card stock may be satisfactory in special cases but generally a stronger material will be used. It will be understood that. the term card, as used hereinafter refers to a sheet or plate of durable material capable of withstanding repeated sensing operations without appreciable wear or deformation.
The control card I6 and underlying portion of the frame II are adapted to have holes suchas dl, d2. d3 and so on formed therein preferably in accordance with a code shown in Fig. 4 and explained in detail hereinafter, so as to afford control means or representations of data, and such holes or control means are utilized in the production of the variable. data V on a business instrument such as is shown in Fig. 14, in a manner that will be described hereinafter. The holes in the control card I6 and the underlying portion of the frame II may be conveniently produced in a machine such as that disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 210,897, filed May 31, 1938. The holes may be round, of variable diameter, as shown in Figs. 1, 3A and 4, or rectangular, of variable length and uniform width, as shown at d5 in Fig. 5. Whendata represented by holes in the card I6 need to be changed the perforated card is removed and an unperforated card is substituted therefor, and this new unperforated card may then be perforated to afford holes representative of the data that are to be substituted for that which has been previously incorporated in the control device C. If this involves the making of perforations at positions not perforated on the former card, the frame I I will also be perforated. supplanted and unused perforations in the frame I I, in such instances, are covered and rendered ineiiective by unperforated portions of the new card I6.
In the form shown in Fig. 2 the frame I I of the control device C is perforated as at dl only in the same positions, and preferably in the same punching operation, as the card IB. As noted above, the card IB may be changed from time to time, a new code being punched therein and the frame I I must be punched at least in all positions punched in the card, though it may have additional perforations covered by unperforated areas of the card.
As shown in Fig. 2A, the frame I la may be pre punched with perforations PI as large as the largest in the code, Fig. 4, at all possible data representing positions. In such case, the card I6 may be perforated as at d5, d6, d1, d8, the strength of the card being sufficient to control sensing operations to be described presently, in-
dependently of the frame or backing member I I a. By the use of a frame such as Ila, with all data representing positions prepunched, control cards I6 may be substituted at will without further operations on the frame or backing member.
The cards in the control devices are perforated to represent the digits in accordance with the code shown in Fig. 4. There, a plurality of perforations are aligned with a row representative of the digits l to 9. The holes progressively increase in size and the absence of a perforation is indicative ofv the digit zero. Each card I is of such a size that perforations-may be provided therein to represent any digit or group of digits in any one or more of the potential positions indicated by the intersecting lines illustrated on the card shown in Fig. 1.
Thus, the card I6 shown in Fig. 1, has had perforations performed in selected positions in accordance with the code so that printing performed in the present apparatus, when under control of this card, will represent the various digital values to be entered under the various headings of an insurance premium notice of the character hereinbefore referred to as exemplary of a business instrument printed in the machine. The business instrument shown in Fig. 14, has
impressions of which are controlled by the perforations in the cards I6. Hence, the number $1616.35, appearing in the Gross Premium column on the business instrument may be represented on the control card I6, shown in Fig. 1, by a series of perforations in the rst or left hand row and such perforations are sized in accord with the sizing of the digital perforations of the code of Fig. 4. i
The next or second row from the left in the control card shown in Fig. l may be performed with sized perforations representative of the digital printing to appear under the heading of Dividends on the business instrument. As illustrated, if the dividend is $32.00, the said second row on the control card will have no perforations at its two uppermost potential perforation positions while its third and fourth potential perforation positions will be performed with'` sized perforations representative of the digits 2 and 3, respectively. Similarly, the other rows of the potential perforation positions on the control card will be perforated to provide control means to effect the printing of the required digital data under the Net Dividend and Brokers Commission columns on the business instrument. If reference is made again to Fig. 1 it will be seen that the representations of digits as they appear thereof when read from top to bottom (thus, 536161) are in an order inverse to the manner in which the number if printed on the business instrument, being in the same order as the type of the printing devices.
The control devices C preferably include easily detachable index tabs I6 arranged on one edge thereof, each of which is formed with a perforation sized according to the teachings of the codes in Figs. 4 and 6. and aid in selecting control devices C from a stack of similar devices and thus facilitate their being sorted and arranged in a desired alphabetical or numerical order in the file drawers or other containers in which they are kept. The tabs may be used also to control certain machine operations through sensing means as pointed out hereinafter.
Fig. 3A shows an alternative form of control device CI, wherein the frame IIb is modied to carry a card Ib which extends beyond the edge, occupying approximately the total area covered by the card I6 and the tabs I5 in Fig. 3. The upper edge portion of the card contains data representing positions corresponding to those shown on tabs I6', Fig. 3, and two additional rows of positions corresponding to the tab fastening area tf, making possible the provision of twelve horizontal rows of sixteen positions or a total of 192 sensing positions. It will be understood that the sensing means described below may be "exe panded to sense 192 positions, as in Fig. 3A, rather' than 144 positions as in Fig. 1 or 160 positions (counting the 16 tabs as sensing positions)' as shown in Fig. 3.
ply of printing and control devices C are sequentially introduced into the machine from a magazine (not shown) from which they are withdrawn one at a time and are carried along a track I9 through the machine until they come to rest against a stop 2! in the position to be sensed by a sensing device D such as is illustrated in Figs. '7 and 9. When in this position, the card It of the control device C is located in vertical'- alignment'ben'eath the sensing device which-in the present instance Aincludes spring pressedl These tabs serve to identify devance 7 heeded senslngpins 22 each arranged respectively in vertical alignment with a potential position of a digital perforation in the control device. The pins 22 may be in the form of rods tapered towards a point at their lower or control device engaging ends. as illustrated in Fig. 10, or they may be fashioned from flat strips having their edges converge towards an end as Aat 22m, shown in Figs. 11 and 12.
Instead of converging gradually, the pins, either flat or round, may converge in steps to provide successive reductions in width or cross section as shown in Fig. 10A, at 221i.
In the instance of use of sensing pins like the rods 22, the perforations in the control cards I6 will be round as shown in the code illustrated in Fig. 4 but when the fiat strips of Figs. 11 and l2 are employed, the perforations will be shaped substantially rectangular as illustrated in Fig. 6 which otherwise is like the code of Fig. 4 except that the controlling feature is the lengths of the perforations rather than their overall size. Irrespective of which form of sensing pins are used they are intended, during a sensing operation of the machine, to be moved downwardly in the manner to be described presently, during which movement those pins which are not in alignment with digital perforations in the control card I6 will abut said card and cease downward movement. with digital perforations in the control card will enter and pass through such perforations a distance determined solely by the size of the perforation. Thus, if, a perforation in the control card is representative of the digit 5, such perforation will be of suflicient size to admit the sensing pin to a distance indicated by representative line marking 5 on the pin illustrated in Fig.. or to the appropriate shoulder, Fig. 19A.
Where, for example, the perforation is repre- -i sentative of the digit 3 the pin will pass through said perforation until stopped by the controlling size of the perforation at the representative line marking 3 in Fig. 10. Similarly, each sensing pin entering a registering perforation will continue through such perforation until stopped by the limitation of the perforation size. Thus it will be. evident that any digital representation or combination of digital representations perforated in the sensing card is represented with extreme 1,.
accuracy in the ultimate positions of the registering sensing pins 22 when such pins have been thrust to their fullest extent through such perforations. The same operation applies to the modified sensing pins shown in Figs. 10A, 11 and 12.
Although I have described and illustrated the control card I6 as having sixteen vertical rows of nine digital positions each,v the group of nine, or any other reasonable number of digits to be represented could be arranged in a horizontal row, the sensing means to be described below being arranged correspondingly. In other words there may be vertical rows arranged side by side with digit representing perforations aligned horizontally, or horizontal rows with corresponding perforations aligned vertically. Furthermore, combinations of sensing means at two or more positions or groups of positions may be employed to control a greater number of variable operators or operations than the number of positions on the control device, which are sensed at a single sensing operation. y
The mechanism, provided in the machine for actuating the sensing pins is best shown in Figs.
Those pins having registering alignment 7 and 9 and it includes a cradle fashioned from sheet material to provide an intermediate portion 23 and upwardly extending side walls 24.'Ivhe intermediate portion 23 is perforated to receive freely therethrough the sensing pins 22, the enlarged heads of which are held normally against the top face of said portion by light compression springs 25,\one surrounding each extension or guide stem 26 on each pin.y The` cradle side walls 24 are pivotally suspended from corresponding ends of a pair of `arms 21 firmly fixed at their other ends lto a rock shaft 28 journaled at its ends in the machine walls 29. The shaft 28 also carries a xed lever 3| having a roller 32 `at its free end arranged to ride upon the cam surface of `an eccentric 33 secured to a driven rotatable shaft I4 in the machine. It should therefore be evident that upon rotation of the shaft 34, during operation of the machine and while a control card I6 is located beneath the sensing mechanism, the cradle is intermittently `raised and lowered and when lowered enables the springs to move the related pins downwardly towards the control card. Those pins that are registered with perforations in the control card enter the perforations distances depending upon the relative size of the perforations. Accordingly, the pins are positioned at variant elevations representative of the digital values of the perforations engaged. In order to minimize wear on the cards and to maintain the perforations accurate as to siae, the springs 25 are designed to exert only light pressure on pins 22, merely for accurate sensing.`
The pins and the cradle are of course guided so as to insure true vertical movement of the sensing pins and to this end the assembly is contain-ed within and guided by a frame which may consist of top and bottom plates 35 and 36 respectively, and end walls 3l. The end walls `3l may be secured to the machine walls 29 by screws 38 so as to thereby be held rigid, and theupper plate 35 is apertured to enable the guide stems 26 to extend upwardly therethrough. Hence the pins 22 are guided for vertical reciprocation in the frame and are thereby prevented from becoming misaligned or misplaced which must be avoided in order that accurate sensing of the control cards I6 may be accomplished. The top wall 3.5 of said frame also serves as a backing for the upper ends of the compressed springs 25 surrounding the pin stems 26. The tabs i6', Fig. 3, are sensed in a similar manner.
The sensing mechanism also includes a plurality of movable control fingers 4I best illustrated in Fig. 7, which are pivotally mounted on fixed rodsl as 42 mounted at their ends in a bracket` 43 carried in the machine. There is one finger pro-` vided for each pin 22 and said fingers are operatively connected, one, to each pin, so that yeach finger is moved about its pivotal mounting a dis-- tance determined solely by the `distance to which its related pin penetrates a perforation in the.
Movement of Selected fingers so positions the free.
ends 45 thereof that Said ends are located Vso as tok provide abutments or stops to limit: movement- 9 of associated mechanism to be described in detail hereinafter.
The sensing mechanism, including the movable fingers 4|, is associated with variantly settable type setting mechanisms effective during operation of the printing machine to successively set up variant digital data and impress such data upon the sheets fed through the machine in accordance with the data represented by the perforations in the control cards sequentially passed through and acted upon by the sensing mechamsm.
As has been pointed out hereinbefore, the control card illustrated in Fig. 1 has nine potential perforation positions in each of its sixteen rows. The sensing pins 22 are likewise arranged in sixteen rows of nine each with one pin aligned with each potential perforation position. Consequently, the fingers 4| preferably are also arranged in groups of nine each with one of each group connected to one of the sensing pins in each row. Further, it should be understood at this time that although the illustrated control card I6 of Fig. 1 has sixteen rows of potential perforation positions, the pres-ent illustration discloses but a part of the complete printing mechanism and only such controlling fingers 4| and related mechanisms as are required for the present description and understanding of the machine operation.
Now, if reference is made again to Fig. 7, it will be noted that a sensing pin as 22 is connected through its Bowden cable to a control finger as 4I and that a sensingpin as 22a is connected to a control finger as 4Ia, Likewise, the remaining sensing pins 22h, 22e, 22d, 22e, 221, 22g and 22h of a group of nine are connected respectively to the lingers Mb, flic, Md, Me, 4U, 41g and 4lh. The row of sensing pins `22 through 2271. and the lingers 4l through 4lh, thus constitute a single group of control elements available in the present disclosure to set up variantly settable type printing elements for impressing the required data in, for example, the Gross Premiumy column of the business instrument shown in Fig. 14. Similarly each successive row of potential perforations in the control card I6 is intended to control actuation of a like ro-w of sensing pins 22 and its related group of control lingers 4| for likewise setting variantly settable type elements associated therewith, ,'.Thus, it will be understood that although the complete machine will have sixteen groups of fingers of nine fingers each and related variantly settable type printing elements, Corresponding to the sixteen rows of potential perforation positions, in the illustrated control card i6, only three of the groups of said fingers and type printing elements are illustrated inasmuch as the operations and functions of each group are identical and a description of one group will `suffice as a description of all. For use with control elements having tabs as IG', Fig. 3, or having an extended control card |6b, Fig. 3A, additional sensing elements are provided, and additional operations may be controlled thereby.
It will be understood that although I have illustrated a complete unit to the right of thesensing pin assembly, Fig. 7, for setting up, printing and accumulating data obtained by the control and sensing means thus far described, the mechanism shown could be duplicated, for example, by arranging another complete unit such as is shown in Fig. 7 side by side with the unit shown. In this way the capacity of the machine could be (increased, or more accumulators could be pro- 10 vided to take care of all data which might be sensed in all sixteen positions on control card IS. It is obvious, furthermore, that other combinations could be provided to duplicate functions, to prin-t simultaneously at two or more places the same data, or different data from the same control device, or to sense separate data at other stations and set up type, print, and/or accumulate data in various ways.
Printing mechanism A preferred embodiment of the variable data printing mechanism is best shown in Figs. 7, 8 and i3. The mechanism includes a main idler shaft fixed at its ends in the side walls 29 of the machine, upon which are mounted for free rotation thereon a plurality of type wheels 52 each having a segment of type characters 53 on its periphery. Each segment Vof type characters includes digital type arrnged consecutively from the digit 0 to the digit 9 and the type wheels are in the present instance arranged in groups of nine each to correspond with the grouping of the sensing pins and control fingers hereinabove described and with which the wheels are operatively assoeiated in a manner to be described hereinafter. As best illustrated in Fig. 8, each type wheel 52 is fashioned from sheet stock of suitable thickness and the type Wheels are spaced on the shaft 5l one from the other so as to afford working clearance between adjacent type wheels. Platens 5d, each aligned with one of the type segments are mounted for pivotal movement about a shaft 55 secured at its ends in brackets carried on the inside faces of each frame wall 29. During printing operations of the machine, these platens. are forcibly urged towards such type characters on the type segments a5 are disposed in printing position below an inl: ribbon IR. Since the means for actuating the platens does not constitute a part of the present invention itl is sufficient at this time to note only that the platens are selectively controlled and are actuated in timed relation to actuation of other mechanisms in the machine only at such times as it is desired to impress the variable data V set up by the type segments upon the sheets S being fed between the ribbon IR and the platens.
As noted hereinbefore, the type wheels 52 are freely rotatable on their common shaft 5| so as to be thereby individually positioned to locate a desired digital type character 53 in register with the ribbon IR. Such movement of the type wheels is eiected through individual lost motion mechanisms including a common driven shaft 51'eX- tending transversely between and journaled at its ends in the machine walls 29. As each of these mechanisms is identical one with the other only one such mechanism is shown and will be de scribed in detail.
Thus, the driven shaft 57 carries a fixed cam 58 which is engaged on its peripheral edge by a roller 59 mounted on the end of one arm 6l of a bell crank lever freely pivoted on a. common transverse bearing shaft 62 located closely adjacent to and extending parallel with the driven shaft 57. The other arm 53 of the bell crank has a lost motion connection at Sli with the longitudinally slotted lower end of a vertically disposed link 55, the .upper extremity of which is pivotally connected lat 63 with a type wheel 52. This link lies in the space between adjacent type wheels. A spring 6l Itends to retain the link 65 in its lowermost position as determined by the position of the arm 63 and normally would cause counterclockwise rotation of the connected type wheel 52 a distance responding to the total distance of descent of the arm 63 when the bell crank is rocked by the cam 58.4 However, since it is not intended that the type wheel 52 be rotated to the full extent indicated each time the bell crank moves through a cycle during machine operation, means under control of one of the lingers 4| and to be more fully explained hereinafter is provided which positively limits such counterclockwise rotation whereupon the bell crank arm 63 continues its downward cycle without descent of the link 65, the spring 61 permitting arm 63 to move downwardly with respect to the link 65.
A slidably mounted bar 68 lying in the space between adjacent type wheels 52 is pivotally attached by a rivet 69 to one face of each type Wheel 52. Each of the bars 68 extends substantially horizontally beyond the periphery of its associated type wheel to dispose its free forward end opposite the end of one of the control fingers 4|. A 'transverse rod 1| having its ends secured tothe side walls of the machine extends through elongated slots in each of the sliding bars 68 to maintain the bars approximately in a horizontal plane yand to guide them for reciprocatory sliding movement to and fro. When a type wheel 52 is in the position illustrated in Fig. 7, with its type character aligned with the platen 54, `the free end of the bar 68 associated therewith is in a position substantially abutting the end of a control nger 4|. The free end of each bar 68 is provided with a series of stop shoulders or steps 13, each of which is adapted to coact with the end of the control finger associated with said bar, the particular stop shoulder in contact with the end of the finger depending upon the position of the finger.
When the machine is operated to rotate the cam shaft 51 through 'a cycle, a cycle being one complete revolution, bell crank 6|63 is moved to cause link 65 to move downwardly and sliding bar 68 'to move to the left as viewed in Fig. '1. Movement of the bar 68 and type wheel 52 stops, however, when a stop shoulder 13 on the left end of the bar contacts the end of a control finger 4|, 'further movement of the bell crank being permitted by the slot in link 65. If the sensing pin contacts an unperforated area on the control card, control finger 4I remains in its uppermost position and substantially no motion Iis imparted to the type wheel 52 or the sliding bar 68 associated therewith. If a small perforation representing the digit 1 is sensed, the finger 4| is lowered `to engagethe shoulder 13 on sliding bar 68 that is next to the top position, and the bar 68 is thus permitted to move to the `left far enough to move associated type wheel 52 to a position where the digit 1 is in printing position. Similarly, 4if other digits are sensed, the control finger is positioned to stop the sliding bar 68 in proper position to dispose the appropriate printing characters beneath the platen 54.
It will be noted that when a sliding bar 68 is stopped from further movement to the left, by the engagement of a shoulder 13 thereon with the end of a `control finger 4|, the bell crank 61-63 continues to move in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. '1, the left end thereof sliding downwardly in the slot in link `65.` The spring 61 tends to move the bar 68 to the left and the type wheel 52 countercloskwise as far as possible, thus holding the appropriate shoulder in contact with the 'end of control finger 41.
The platen 54 is actuated by suitable means not shown, after the sliding bars 68 have moved as far to the left as permitted by fingers 4| thus positioning all the type wheels in printing position. This occurs while the bell crank roller 58 is riding on the high dwell of the cam 58. By the time the roller 59 leaves the high dwell the printing impression of the platen 54 has been completed and as the roller 59 moves into the low dwell of the cam 58 the bell crank 6|-63 acts under the inuence of a strong spring 63a, which causes the bell crank to follow the cam, upon the link 65 by abutment with the upper `end of the slot therein to return link 65, type wheel 52 and sliding bar 68 to their initial or zero positions.
Since the printing mechanism includes accommodations to care for a nine order number in each group under the various columnar headings of the business instrument, it is necessary to provide means to align and retain the type characters making up such a nine order number so that a. neat impression can be obtained. To this end each type wheel 52 carries a segment 8| on one of its faces formed with eleven internal teeth 82 each fashioned with inclined side edges to snugly receive, in the space between adjacent teeth, the nose portion 83 of a lock arm 84. The lock arm 84 is a part of a bell-crank freely rotatable on the transverse shaft 62. The other arm 85 of said bell-crank carries a roller 86 on its free end which rides upon the periphery of a cam 81 secured to the rotatable shaft 51. Thus, when the rotatable `shaft 51 is in the rest position shown in Fig. '1, the bell-crank nose 83 is engaged between the first and second teeth 82 of the internally toothed segment 8| so as to thereby prevent inadvertent rotation of the type wheel. As soon `as rotation of the rotatable shaft 51 is initiated, the roller rides olf a high part of the cam 81 and into the drop thereof thus rocking the lock arm counterclockwise and withdrawing the nose 83 from its engagement between the teeth to thereby free the type wheel for counterclockwise rotation by action of the bell-crank 6|-68 as previously described. When the type wheel reaches its limit of rotation and while the roller 58 of the bell-crank 6I-63 is riding along the high spot on its cam 58, during which interval the platen 54 is actuated to impress the sensed type characters on the sheet S, the lock arm 84 moves clockwise to'again engage its nose 83 in the gap between whatever teeth are in or approximately in registering alignment therewith. This action not only locks the type wheel against rotation during the printing operation but it effects alignment of the characters on adjacent Vtype wheels and thus insures printing of all the characters in a straight line. About `the time that the printing operation is completed, the roller 86 rides over the second high spot on the cam 81 and the lock arm again moves counterclockwise to disengage its nose so that the type wheel can rotate clockwise into .its starting position in response to `action of the bell-crank 6I-63. `A suitable spring 84 tends `to rotate the lever 84 to cause the roller 86 to follow the cam 81.
Now, if a number l.such `as the number 1616.35 appearing in the Gross Premium column on the instrument shown in Fig. 14 is to be printed. the first lor lefthand row of potential perforation positions von the control card `I6 shown in Fig. l will be perlorated in accordance with thersized perforation of the code of Fig. 4 in such order that the perforations when read from top to bottom `on said card will be in the order of l536'161.
The remaining three potential perforanon positions in the first row will not be perforated. When the controly card is positioned in the machine beneath the sensing pins 22, as shown in Fig. 7, the lsensing pin 22h in the first order will register with the perforation representing the digital character 5, the pin in the second order position will register with the perforation representing the digital character 3, and so on. Thus, upon machine operation, the pins enter the registering perforations to theextent determined by the coded perforations thus moving their connected control fingers downwardly so as to thereby locate their 4ends in alignment with the proper shoulder` 13 on the end of the associated sensing bar 68. In the instant selection, the first finger 4|h (whichis the one farthest removed from the front ofthe group of fingers as illustrated in Fig. 7) will align with the fifth shoulder 13, counting from the upper edge of its associated (the rst) sliding bar; and the second control finger, that is the finger identified as Alg, will be positioned with its end aligned with the third shoulder 13 on-.the associated or eighth sliding bar 68. Similarly,l each finger in the group is positioned to beven'gage'd by a shoulder on its associated bar in accordance `with the sizeof the representative perforation in the control card I6. The absence of a perforation, as in the last three orders in the first row of the card I6 is representative of zero character 53 in printing position beneath the platens 54. The type Wheel of the hundredths or first order will rotate until the fth shoulder on its bar Se abuts the endof its related control nger 4|. This locates the type character 5 at printing position. Similarly, the tenths or second order type wheel will rotate to locate the type ycharacter 3 in printing position. To completethe description of the setting accomplished by the type wheels in this group,.the third type Wheel is rotated to cause printing of the selected digital character 6 in printing position, `and the fourth, fifth and sixth type wheels, representative of tens hundreds and thousands,A respectively, are likewise rotated to positionthe digital characters 1, 6 and 1, respelct'ively,` in printing position. Thus, the nine type wheels in the group are positioned to print the vdigital characters 536161000 when read from rearto front in Fig. 7, which characters would appear on the sheet S in the correct order reading as follows: 0001616.35.
,However, since the selected number 1616.35 is a. six order number there is no need for printing the zeros of the seventh, eighth, or ninth orders. Consequently, suitable zero suppression mechanism may be provided in the machine to prevent the printing of such zeros as are of higher'order thanithe highest order containing a significant digit on the sheet S. Mechanism to accomplish this purpose is shown .and described in United States Patent No. 2,296,277, to Gollwitzer, dated September 22, 1942, and as it forms no part of the present invention it is sufficient to note only that such means may be provided either to render the platens 54 inoperative in those orders not required in lan impression operation, or to further adjust the position of the type wheels independently of the sensing mechanism so as to move the zero character out of register with the platen. Of course, such zero suppressing mechanism is not required in the tenths or hundredths orders because these zeros are always printed in the orders pertaining to cents in sums of money'.
Accumulator mechanism Although each group of variantly settable type Wheels and its associated sensing mechanism includes accommodations to care for a nine order number it is, of course, very infrequent that such a number is to be printed in the first instance on the sheet S. More frequently the lnumber to be printed in the rst instancedoes not exceed the sixth order. However, the present grouping provides accommodations to care for exigencies that may arise in the operation of accumulators one of which is associated with each group of nine orders as will be described hereinafter. Such accumulators are for the purpose of accumulating totals of amounts printed under each heading on successive business instruments and for setting up the type wheels-52 for printing the accumulated totals at selected intervals upon the sheet S, or on a separate sheet if so desired.
For the purpose of simplifying vthe disclosure and description, the variantly settable printing mechanism beet illustrated in Fig. 7 is provided with but seven accumulator mechanisms, generallylidentied as A, on the theory that but seven groups of nine type wheels each constitute the complete printing machine although the control card 16 has sixteen rows of potential perforation positions and hence is capable of controlling the setting of sixteen groups of variantly settable type wheels of nine wheels each. rihe manner by which accommodation may be provided for' sixteen accumulator mechanisms A will be better understood as the description proceeds. Each of the accumulators A is preferably of the type described in the aforesaid Gollwitzer Patent No'. f 2,296,277. i
An accumulator mechanism A is provided for each of seven groups of nine variantly settable type wheels and each accumulator is intended to.
accumulate the amounts sequentially printed upon the sheet S by such type wheels duringcontinuous operation of the printing mechanism.y
shown) secured to the inside faces of the ma-l Each rod |0| carries a pair of accumulator side plates H33 which are freely chine side Walls 29.
pivoted thereon and are interconnected at an end by a shaft |04 so as to provide a rigid accumulator frame structure. carry nine accumulator Wheels |05, in the form of gears, one for each type wheel in each group.
Thus, the accumulator mechanism A-l includesY nine accumulator wheels one arranged for cooperative association with each of the nine type wheels in its associated group. Similarly, the accumulator mechanism A-2 has nine accumulator wheels |05, in the form of gears, one foreach .type Wheel in the group immediately to the' The shafts |04 eachv rear of the group associated with the accumulator mechanism A-I as viewed in Fig. '7. In a like manner, the remaining accumulator mechanisms A4, -4, 5, -0, and -1 each have nine accumulator wheels one in cooperative association with each type wheel 52 of its respective group. For convenience the various accumulator mechanisms are spaced at intervals around the type wheels 52, each group of type wheels being provided with appropriate gear teeth to mesh with its associated accumulator at the proper time.
Thus, it will be understood that one accumulator mechanism A is associated with and arranged to be operated by the variantly settable type wheels in a single group of such wheels, and, as a consequence, each accumulator mechanism when rendered operative, in a manner and by a structural organization to be described hereinafter, will operate to accumulate totals of printings effected by repeated printing operations of the type wheels 52 of its associated group and inasmuch as each accumulator mechanism is identical with the others the following further description of these mechanisms is, unless otherwise stated, concerned with the structure and functions of but one such accumulator mechanism and is applicable to any one of those illustrated in various degrees of completeness.
The accumulatory wheels |05 in the present instance are, as aforesaid, in the form of gears and are rotatably mounted on shouldered spacer collars each including a shoulder of sufficient thickness to accommodate an accumulator wheel. Thecollars are mounted on the shaft |04 about which therefore the accumulator wheels |05 are supported for rotation. The side plates |03 are, as aforesaid, connected together by the shaft |04 and also by a tie rod |06 to move as a unit and each side plate includes an ear |01` at its free end each of which may ride on the periphery of one of two cams |09 fast on a shaft |09 journaled in the slidable bearing blocks ||0, Figs. 8 and 13, carried in the machine side walls 29, a spring I I urging the ear |01 into engagement with the cam A..
|00. The cam shaft |09, outwardly of the side walls, is intended to have a drive connection (not shown) with any suitable source of power in the machine so that it may be rotated one complete revolution each time the machine is operated to sense and print digital characters. In other words, the shaft |09 is arranged to rotate synchronously with the driven shaft 5l.
These accumulator mechanisms normally are held in suchpositions that their gear Wheels |05 are out of mesh with teeth I|2 provided on the peripheries of the type wheels 52, such as is illustrated in the Adisclosures of the accumulator mechanisms A-2 to A-T, inclusive, Fig. '7. While inzthat position, they are ineffective. When any one of the accumulator mechanisms is to be made effective,` mechanism to be now described in detail is actuated to locate the selected accumulator in a position so that its gear wheels |05 may, at required intervals, mesh with the peripheral teeth on the type wheels 52 of its related group.
One embodiment of mechanism for moving the accumulators intoposition to be effective to accumulate the digital counts successively impressed upon sheets passed through the machine is best illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8. There, .discs Ill areflrmly mounted on the type wheel shaft 5| preferably `being secured by pins ||4,so as to` be rotatably movable in unison. One disc I I3 is arrangednear each side wallof the machine be- 16 yond thetype wheels 52 which are, as previously noted, also mounted on said shaft but for free rotation. These discsare larger in diameterthan the type wheels 52 in order that they may control the selection, engagement and disengagement of the various accumulators with their respective groups of type wheels. Each of the discs ||3 is provided with one arcuate slot for each of the seven accumulatore shown. These slots extend generally concentrically with the shaft 5I" on which the type wheels 52 and the discs ||3 are mounted, but each slot includes a depressed or inset portion ||6a which acts as a. cam to move the associated accumulator radially inward to mesh with teeth on the associated group of type wheels 52.
In order that the various accumulatore :may be selectively engaged, the arcuate cam slots`| I1 in the plates I|3 are all of different contour as respects the position of the depressed 0r inset portion IIEa. Movement of the plates may be imparted manually by means of a lever |I5 attached to one of them, or if desired, a lever as III may be provided on each of the plates. The arcuate cam slots IIB are of such total length that they overlap, and therefore some ofthem are located farther radially from the vshaft 5| than others. Corresponding cam slots are, of course, identical on the two plates |I3 Aand each` of the accumulatore includes means'to engagein a pair of lcompanion cam slots. As shown in Fig. 7, the shafts |04 which support the accumulator gear wheels in accumulators A-I, A-4` and A``| are extended beyond accumulator side plates |03` to engage at their ends in the respective cam slots I I6 with which they register. Since the cam slots for the other accumulator-s A-2, A-9, A and A-B are located outward of the cam slots just mentioned, the corresponding shafts |04 on these four accumulator units do not directly eri-- gage the cam slots. Instead, a lpin Figs. 'I and 8, is carried by each of the side platesV |03, extending outwardly therefrom to engage incam slots IIB` to control positioning of accumulatcrs A-2, A-3, A-5 and A-B. Hence all of the accumulator mechanisms are engaged with a pair of cam `slots on plates I9. e
The inwardly offset portions ineach' pair of cam' slots is so located that rotation `of plates H9, as by lever I5, `may selectively engage onearxd only one of the accumulators A with its associated group of type wheels 52. For example, as'shown in Fig, 7, the gear wheel shaft |04 of accumulator A-I is positioned in the offset portion I|0a of related slot I lf6. Consequently accumulatorA-l 4is' brought into mesh with typewheels 52` of its associated printing unit to accumulatetotals entered into said printing unit by the sensing and control means associated therewith. The gear wheels |05 of the accumulator A-Iare meshedv intermittently with gears on type wheels 52, such intermittent meshing being `underthe control of cam |08. as described above. Hence, 'as long fasi accumulator A-I is setA for operation, by appropriate positioning of plates ||3 under control of lever II5, it will continue to accumulate totals from its associated printing unit and all other accumulators will' remain in neutral position.
Should it be desired tofaccumulate totals entered into any of the other groups of type wheels, discs I|3 are rotatably adjusted, through lever II5, to the selected position which will register the offset portion I|6a of cam slots I I0 controlling the selected accumulator mechanism with shaft |04 or pin `I'Il thereof. sothattheselected accumulator mechanism is vcarried inwardly out of neutral position toward its related group of type Wheels. This same operation obviously renders accumulator A-I inoperative because its pair of cam slots moves sufficiently to bring shaft |04 out of the offset portion Ha, thus lifting the accumulator to its neutral position.
The manner in which a total, accumulated by any of the accumulator mechanisms in the manner just mentioned may be printed will be described later after the operation of the accumulator mechanisms is discussed.
Because of the selective adjustment of the accumulator mechanisms described above, the operating cams lihereinbefore referred to, are carried on shafts |09 mounted in the slidable bearing blocks H0. By referring to the disclosure in Fig. 13, vit will be seen that these blocks are slidable in radial slots H8 in the machine Walls 29 and each is urged inwardly'radially by a spring HS which spring is of greater tension than springs I I I carried on and normally urging the accumulator frames outwardly radially about their pivots |I. Radial movement of the cam shafts |00 is controlled lby the operation of plates H3 to select an accumulator as described above. Movement of the rotatably adjustable discs H3 which are formed with a series of peripheral recesses |2I, one relatedly positioned with respect to each offset I Ita in each slot I I6, selects an appropriate shaft |09 for inward movement. The discs H3 are of a size as to dispose their peripheral edge in abutment with the surfaces of the cam shafts |09 so as to thereby hold said shafts at their most outwardly'disposed position in the radial slots H8 against the tension of their springs H9. When the discs H3 are selectively rotated to locate a selected offset ||6a in register with the accumulator shaft |04 or pin Il, on an accumulator mechanism, a related peripheral recess |2| is likewise located in register with the related cam shaft |09 so as to let the spring I I0 carry said shaft inwardly radially and thereby maintain a working relationship between the cam |08 on said shaft, and the accumulator mechanism selected to be operated. Owing to the greater tension of the cam shaft spring H0, the cam is not urged intov its outward position by any action of the spring I|| on the accumulator.
mechanism, which latter spring serves only to maintain the ears |01 in riding contact with the cam faces.
Now, when an accumulator mechanism is in the position illustrated, as at A-I, Fig. '7, rotation of the related cam |08 with the cam shaft |09 carries a rise on this cam into engagement with the ear |01 so as tothereby rotate the accumulator frame in such a manner that the accumulator gear wheels are respectively engaged with peripheral teeth H2 on the type Wheels 52 of its related group. The gear wheels |05 are so engaged with the teethk H2 immediately after the type wheels 52 have reached the end of their counterclockwise motion, as viewed in Fig. 7, by which time all of the type wheels will have attained the positions in which they are stopped by reason of shoulders 'I3 on their respective sliding bars 68 having moved against the ends of the respective control fingers 4| or; in other words, the type wheels 52 will be positioned to represent selected digital characters to be printed by the time the gear wheels |05 mesh therewith. Moreover, as will be explained in de- 18 platens 54 will have been actuated and in impression operation from the type characters set up will have been made. l
The parts are so timed that immediately after the accumulator gear wheels are meshed with the teeth I2 on the type wheels, the type wheels 52 are unlocked through disengagement of the lock arm B4 and start to move clockwise as viewed in Fig. 7, to return to their initial or zero positions. Hence, since the type wheels 52 have been set up to representlselected type characters and as the accumulator gear wheels |05 are now meshed with said wheels, it follows that in the return of the type wheels to their zero positions rotation is imparted to the gear wheels |05 in an amount proportionate to the type characters to which the respective type wheels have been set to represent. Therefore, the digital amount represented by the type characters on the type wheels 52 and impressed on the sheet S will be set into the accumulator wheels |05. Means similar to those described fully in the aforesaid Gollwitzer Patent No. 2,296,27'7are provided for locking the accumulator wheels. |05 against accidental rotation at all times when they are out of mesh with the type wheels 52. Appropriate manual means may be provided also for returning the accumulators to Zero position at any time.
It will be manifest that as successive `digital values are entered into the accumulator gear wheels |05, more than ten digits will be entered onto a particular wheel and as the tenth digit is entered into a particular wheel it is necessary that a carryover be made into the order next higher to that to Which a particular wheel pertains, and hence an arrangement which has been shown and described in the aforesaid Gollwitzer Patent No. 2,296,277, and now to be described briey, is provided which will effect such carry-overs. For the purposesof disclosure and description only, the seven accumulator mechanisms illustrated herein have been shown with parts in various positions attained during operationv and although the description is concerned with the structure and operation of but one of the seven accumulator mechanisms disclosed, since each is like the other, repeated reference will be made to the illustrated positions of various parts of different accumulator mechanisms.
Now, each accumulator gear wheel |05 has twenty teeth thereon, and two teeth at diametric positions thereon, which is to say, each of the teeth pertaining to the digit 0, are thickened, as indicated by the numbers |05a and |05b. Immediately after the type wheels 52 attain their rearwardmost or zero positions, the ear |01 rides off the rise on the cam |08, which holds the gear wheels |05 in mesh with the teeth H2. and thereupon the accumulator frame |03 is pivoted outwardly under the inuence of the spring III. In this movement theaccumulator gear wheels |05 are demeshed from their cooperating type wheel teeth H2 and the accumulator mechanism is disposed in a position such as is illustrated of the accumulator mechanism A2 in Fig. 7.
Dogs |22 are pivotally mounted on the tie rod |06, there being a dog |22 at the side of each accumulator wheel |05 to lie in the line of movement of the thickened portions of the teeth |0511 and |0519. The dogs have relatively en largedfv openings 12h-therein Anear the free ends thereof anda rod' |24carried bythe ac'- cumulator side plates' |03 extends through all ofthe openings |23 to limit the pivotal movement ofthe dogs |22 aboutthe tie rod 106.
. Another shaft |25 exten-ds vbetween extensions Von the brackets |02 and lmounted at spaced in.n tervals therealong are'pawls 126,'there being a pawl126 in alignment with-each dog |22. Springs |21 are effective on the pawls |26 to engage an end 'of these pawls with thedogs |22 and to urge shoulders |28 on the otherends of the pawls into engagement with lugs |20 on arms |31 of carry segments '1.32 which are mounted on a shaft |33 that `extendsbetween the machine sidewalls 29; there, of course,` being a carry segment |32 for cooperation'witheach pawl |26. Each carryseg- Yment |32 includes a medial armhaving a gear vsegment 133e at its free end. "These gearseg- `ments |33a are,respectively adapted tomesh with idler gears |00mounted `by a pin 30 on the side platen |03 and intermeshed'with the corresponding accumulator gear wheels 05. Each carry segment |32 also includes an .arm 13.4 which projects `outwardly asufiicient distance tobe'engaged at selected times by a pin |35 carried'by an'arm |36 of a rocker mounted on a shaft |31 that .is rotatably carried by "the ,machine walls 29. .A
spring |38 is effective on` the arm |36 to urge it and therefore the vpin |35 outwardly away from Vthe accumulator mechanism .as the parts are viewed in Fig. '7.
The rocker shaft ,|31 extends to the outside of one of the machine walls "29, and, as .best shown in Fig. 13, this extending portion of the shaft |31 carries a cam follower |39 vwhichhas its free end riding on the periphery of a cam |41 fas-t on a drivenshaft |42. operation with the printing meansby drive means not shown. The periphery of this cam has a notch |42a therein, one end of lwhich notch is defined by a radial 4edge |43 at the end of a dwell on the periphery of this cam.
rA shaft |45 is journaled in the machine walls 29 and a comb spring |46Fig.7, vis fast thereon intermediate thesewalls. The freeends of the teeth of this comb spring are respectively engaged in bifurcations |41 provided at the free ends of the arms |31 of the carry segments I 32 so that each tooth of the spring |46 is effective on ay particular carry segment.` It is the spring |46 which supplies power to effect the entry of carries ina manner that will be described presently. In t the course of a restoring operation, which will also be described presently,fit would be necessary to overcome the effective force of this spring were it not for the fact that the following described arrangement is provided whereby the spring |46 `z Vis strongly tensioned only at the time it is to .be
effective to cause the entry of carries, and at all other times `this spring 'is only lightly tensioned.
An arm |48, Fig. 13, is fast on the shaft |45 and a link |49 is connected thereto, this link also being connected to one end of a rocker |50 which is pivotally mounted at 15| on the outer face of a machine wall 20. A strong spring |52 is effective on the rocker |50 and urges a roller |53 `thereon toward the `periphery o'fa .cam `"|54 lfast on the cam shaft |42. At the time a carry 'is to be entered, the roller |53 rides onto a drop on the cam |54 whereupon through the link |49 and arm |46 the shaft |45 tends to rotated clockwise as it is viewed in Fig. 7 and '13. In this carry operation vthe full effect `of `the strong spring |52 is impressed on the comb spring |46, it being understood thatywhen `the roller |53 rides on `thehigh point of `the cam |.541'the spring |52 isonly partly effective on the lspring 1| 46 which is "at Asuch times Shaft |42 isdriven in. timed ffii) 20 only lightly tensioned. The `increased "tension impressed 'bythe strong spring `|"52 on the 'comb spring |46 'is maintainedv until the accumulator gear wheels |05 are fmeshed with `the peripheral teeth on the type wheels 52, in the mannerabove described, but as 'soon as this is effected the dwell `two zero positions, either 'ofthe wide teeth |05a `or D is located `with `respect `to thedog |22 in the position in which `the tooth *|05a is shown in `the accumulator mechanism A-I 4in Fig."7, which is positioned immediately beyond that iin ywhich thetooth 05a would be effective, upon movement of the accumulator wheel |05 counterclockwise, as viewed in Fig. '7, to pivot the dog |22. Inthis Vposition the springs |21 act through the paw1s-|26 to move the `dog |22 against the rod `|24` which positionsthe dog |22 with their `nose in thepath of but behind the tooth |05a. Now, if it be assumed that a sensing pin 22 has passed through a perforation in the sensingcard 16 representative of the digit 9 `and that the corresponding accumulator gear `wheel |05 4has been meshed with the toothed periphery of its related type wheel v52 by reason of movement imparted to the accumulator mechanism through setting of the disc |13 and rotation of the cam |08 in the manner hereinabove described, theparts willv bepositioned 'to cause the gear wheel |05 to vrotate counterclockwise immediately when the type wheel'52 starts its clockwise movement towards itsneutral or "lator gear wheel 105, such positioning of the accumulator gear wheel |05 being equivalent to a representation of 9. The gearwheel shown in the accumulator vA--2, Fig. '7, has been illustrated as being 'in this position.
Immediately after the type wheel 52 has kreached its neutral or zero position, the ear '|01 on the acoumulatormechanism rides off the rise on the cam |08 and thereupon the accumulator |05 disengage the toothed type wheels '52 fand move outwardly away from said type Wheels into a position wherein the teeth of the idler gears |00 engage the teeth of the gear segments |33a, such engagement of these teeth being shown byway `rof illustration, in the accumulator A-3 of Fig.V 7, which shows 'the movably mounted parts in the positions attained when the wheel |05 `is disengaged `from the type wheel 52. When nocarry operation is to be effected, this engagement locks the accumulator wheels |05 against accidental movement.
If in the course of the sensing operations the -next effective'y operation v'of the sensing pin 22 is to 'have'caused the pinto pass through a per'- 'foration -in-'a sensing cardl representative of the digit 4, this card being one succeeding that previously penetrated, and the appropriate type wheel 52 has 'been rotated counterclockwise into a position to have caused printing of the digital character 4 upon the sheet S, the illustrated accumulator gear wheel |05, as well as all others in said accumulator, will be pivoted back into engagement with the toothed periphery of the type wheels 52 and then as the type wheel 52 rotates iclockwise to return from the position which it assumed while the digital character four was being printed to its neutral or Zero position, the gear wheel |05 will have advanced counterclock- Wise in an amount equivalent to the representation of four digits.
In the course of the advancing of the gear Wheel |05 from the position in which it is shown in the accumulator A-Z, where it is carrying a representation of the digit "9, into the position assumed after the added representation of four, as just described and illustrated in the gear wheel of accumulator A-4, Fig. 7, the wide tooth |0517 engaged the tapered nose on the free end of the illustrated dog 22 and pivoted this dog downwardly to the right as it is viewed in the accumulator A-4. Such pivotal movement of said dog |22 is eil'ective on the end of the illustrated pawl |26 to pivot the shoulder 28 thereon from engagement with the lug |29 on the arm |3| of the illustrated carry segment |32. the carry segment |32 of its latch connection with the pawl |26 for a very slight movement to the unlatched position thereof illustrated in the accumulator A-4, but this movement is so slight in practice that the teeth of thecarry segment |32 are maintained in substantially the same relation with the teeth of the idler gear |00 with which they cooperate as these teeth would have occupied had not the shoulder 28 been disengaged from the lug |29.
The dog |22 and cooperating pawl |26 may be assumed to be those that cooperated with the accumulator wheel |05 which pertains to the v units order. The Icarry segment |32, however,
while it is under control of the aforesaid dog s and pawl, is aligned with the next higher idler gear |00 and accumulator wheel |05 or, in this instance, the idler gear 00 and accumulator wheel |05 which pertains to the tens order.
When the accumulator wheel |05 with which y the dog |22 cooperates advanced from the position in which it is illustrated in the accumulator A-3 into the position in which it is shown in the accumulator A-4, four digits were added to the nine already standing therein so that when the accumulator attains the position in which it is illustrated in the accumulator A-4 it is prepresenting 13. However, an accumulator wheel |05 is only capable of representing the digits appearing in a single order so that when an. accumulator wheel advances from the 9 posi` tion thereof as illustrated in accumulator A-2 into the 3 position thereof as illustrated in the accumulator A-4, it was necessary tocarry the "1 in the tens order of 13 into the next higher or tens order. It was for this purpose that Ythe shoulder |28 was disengaged from the lug |29, and when this shoulder disengaged this lug the arm |34 of the carry segment |32 pertaining to the tens order moved from a position maintaining a gap or clearance between the arm |34 and the pin |35 on lever |36 intoi a position as illustrated in the accumulator A-4 to close said gap or clearance;` and itis the engagement of this arm |34 with the pin |35 that This frees 22 maintains the teeth of the gear segment |33a in proper relation with the teeth of the accumulator wheel |05 that pertains to the tens order or, in other words, insures that when the accumulator moves outwardly away from the type wheels 52, a particular tooth on the gear segment |3341. will engage this particular tooth notwithstanding the de-latching of the shoulder |28 from the lug |29. Prior to the time the parts attain the position in which the accumulator illustrated at -A-4 is positioned, the accumulator has pivoted outwardly in the manner above described and in the course of this pivotal movement the teeth on the idler gear |00 move into meshing relation with the teeth of the gear segment |33al aligned therewith. By the time this intermeshing is established the roller |53 (Fig. 13) has ridden off the rise on the cam |54 and the arm |50 has been freed to the action of the spring |52 which, as explained hereinabove, is effective through the link |49 and the arm Hi8 to impress strong tension on the spring |46. Subsequently to the time just described wherein intermeshing o-f the idler gear |00 pertaining to the tens order with the gear segment |33a aligned therewith has been established, the radial edge |43 of the cam 4| moves, `due to rotation of said cam, so that the cam follower |39 drops past said edge onto the inner dwell surface of the cam. Thus, the arm |36 is moved by its spring |38 from the position shown in the accumulator A-4 into engagement with the stop pin |36 associated therewith. In the course of such movement of the arm |36, which movement is counterclockwise, as viewed in Fig. 7, the pin 35 moves in a direction away from the arm |3- of the carry segment |32, and in the course of such movement the spring |45 is effective through the arm 3| of the carry segment |32 to rock the carry segment in a counterclockwise direction out of the position in which it is illustrated in the accumulator A-4, a distance equal to the spacing of its teeth, which rocking movement is eiTective to rotate the idler gear HBO sufliciently to advance the accumulator wheel |05 pertaining to the tens order in an amount equivalent to the representation of one digit thereon whereby the "1 of the above described entry 13 is entered in the tens order.
There may be instances in which long carries are to be eiiected. To illustrate, an accumulator wheel |05 may be standing in a position representative of the digit 9 prior to the time a carryover into such a wheel occurs. Upon entry of such carryover digit, the aforesaidv accumulator wheel will thereupon move into a position representative of zero, and a carry must then be effected into the accumulator wheel |05 in the next higher order. In this event, the carry segment |32, which was tripped when the lower order accumulator wheel H25 passed from a position representative of the digit 9 to a position representative of zero, will immediately be rocked by its spring |46 without having paused at the intermediate position illustrated by the position of the wheel in accumulator A-A. This is because the lever |36 carrying pin |35 will have already moved into position against its stop pin |35 prior to the time the carry segment |32 is released by disengagement of the shoulder |23 on the pawl |25 from the lug |29 on the segment |32, the pin |35 having been moved to initiate the carry-entering operation as explained hereinabove. Hence, when a'longfcarry is to be entered into a higher order accumulator wheel, such a 23. carry `will ftake place immediately upon passage of the lower order accumulator wheel from a position representative of the-digit 9 into a position representative of zero.
The above `described operation of entering carry 4into a next higherorder occurs after the accumulation of any digital values that are to be accumulated in the order into which the carry is made and it also occurs prior to the `end of a cycle of operation brought about by rotation of the driven shaft 51. Hence, `by the time the driven shaft 51` comes to rest at the end of a cycle ofv operation ofthe mechanism, the accumulator wheels of whichever accumulator mechanism'A that was rendered operative through the setting of the discs H3, stand in positions representative of whatever values were entered thereinto in the course of `such cycle of operation plus any values which were previously entered therein.
In the course of a cycle of operation succeedingthat in'which any carry or carries have been entered into the next higher `order in the manner above described (it being understood that a carry over arrangement similar to vthat hereinabove `described is associated with each lower order from which a carry may bev made and with each higher order into'which a carry may be entered) the `carry segments i152, which were rocked finto position to effect entry of such a carry, and the dog |22 which unlatehed the -pawl `to bring about `such a carry operation are restored to 1their initial `position as shown, for example, in the accumulators .fl-2 and .lk-3, this being brought about as follows:
`Shortly after the start of the cycle of operation succeeding that above described, and subsequently to the timein such succeeding cycle at Which the accumulator gear wheels |05`have been moved from the 'position where they are dis-- engaged from lthe 1toothed type wheels 52 into a position wherein they are engaged withi the toothed type wheels 52, as `illustrated of the accumulator A|, the rise on the cam |54 `(Fig. 13) engages the roller |53 and pivots the rocker |48 `upwardly whereby the tension of the comb spring |46 is lessened so that the strong tension applied thereon as above described need not be `overcome during the restoring operation.
The spring |46 however remains effective on the carry segments |32 until the accumulator wheels |05 are effectively meshed with the toothed type wheels 52 and in this way the accumulator wheels |05 are retained in whatever position into which they are advanced by reason of carry-over actions, it being apparent that such an arrangementinsures accuracy of operation which is, oi' course, essential.
Immediately after the accumulator wheels |05 have been engaged with their aligned 'toothed type wheels 5'2 and the comb spring It has been freed of the strong tension in the manner described, the restoring operation of the carry-segments and other parts that moved in the operation, is quickly effected and this is brought about by the engagement of a rise |55 on the cam Mi `(Fig. 13) with the cam follower |39 which rocks the arm |36 (Fig. 7) clockwise towards the accumulator mechanism to dispose the pin in a position slightly closer to `said mechanism than the position which this pin assumes while the cam follower is riding on the outer dwell of the" cam .III- Whenin this Hposition the pin `|35 l acts through Athe `arms i3d-'to so dispose the arms 13| .that the lugs |23 are below all of the shoulders |28. Therefore, the pawls |25 are all freed to the action of their spring |21 and this insures that the shoulders |28 will be disposed in latching position. above the lugs |28. It will be `noted that the rise |55 on the cam |4| extends slightly beyond the outer dwell of the cam |l| and that it is brief so that the cam follower |39 is quickly freed therefrom and when said follower moves into engagement with the high dwell of the cam |4 I, the pin |35 returns to what might be termed a normal position while the high dwell of cam |4| is engaged by the cam follower. This position of the pin |35 is such that if a shoulder |28 `is disengaged from a lug |29 the relationship between the teeth I33a of the freed carry segment |32 will be maintained with the idler gear |00 connected to the aligned accumulator gear wheel |05, as has been described hereinabove. The just described restoring operation occurs intermediate of the time the accumulator gear wheels |05 are engaged with their aligned toothed type wheels 52 and the time the type wheel actuating lever 6|-63 is effective to dispose the type wheels in positions representative of signicant digits.
In the course of operation of the machine various amounts printed `from the type wheels 52 are, as aforesaid, accumulated on the accumulator gear wheels |05 ofl any one or more of the accumulator mechanisms A, and usually at the end of `a predetermined set of operations, which is commonly referred to as the end of a run, it isdesired to print the total of the amount (of for example Gross Premiums) that has been accumulated on the wheels |05, and to this end manually operable means are provided for causing the accumulator gear wheels |05 to be engaged with the type wheels 52 in such a way that the setting of the gear wheels |05 can be utilized to set up the type wheels 52 'so that the total accumulated on the gear wheels |05 may be printed therefrom.
It will be remembered that `the platens 54 are operated to perform `a printing operation just prior to the time the type wheels 52 start their return movement in `a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 7. It will also be recalled that, when a total is being `accumulated in the accumulator gear wheels |05, these wheels are engaged with the teeth on the type wheels 52 to pick up the digital setting of said type wheels 52 in the course of movement of the type wheels in a clockwise v'direction to their initial or zero positions after the platens have been operated. Now, since ythe platens 54 are to be utilized in a total taking operation to effect a printing operation from the type wheels` 52, it follows that these type wheels must be set up prior to the time the platens are operated. Since no means is provided to Vary the timing of the operation of the platens 54, they are operated at the `same time in both a total taking operation :and in normal operation. rlhis therefore means that instead of the accumulator wheels |05 being engaged with the `type wheels 52 during the clockwise movement of said type wheels `such engagement must be effected earlier, namely, during counterclockwise movement of said type wheels 52.
It will also be recalled that the accumulator gear wheels |05 were meshed with the type wheels 52 by the action of an associated cam4 |08 which acted `to rock the .accumulator mechanism A in a .clockwise directionat that time during-.the course of a cycle of operation `when the type wheels'52 attained the end of their counterclcckwise movement, as viewed in Fig. 1. Now, in order that the accumulator mechanisms may be rocked to engage its accumulator gear wheels |05 with the type wheels 52 prior to any counterclockwise rotation of the type wheels in a total taking operation, it is essential that some means be provided for so rocking the accumulator mechanisms at such time. Furthermore, in the course of a total taking operation it is essential that the accumulator gear wheels |05 be disengaged from the type wheels 52 when said type wheels move in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. '7, for otherwise Whatever total was taken from the accumulator gear wheels would be re-entered therein as the type wheels return to their initial or zero positions, it being understood that the setting of the various accumulator wheels |05 is utilized to arrest clockwise rotation of the type wheels 52 in the course of a total taking operation to set up the type segments 53, this being explained presently.
Now, since the cams |08 are formed to maintain the accumulator gear wheels |05 meshed with the teeth on the type wheels 52 during clockwise movement of said type wheels, it is' necessary that the cams A|08 be rendered ineiective in a total taking operation. Therefore, in
order t provide means for rocking the accumu lator mechanism A at the start of a total taking operation so as to engage its accumulator gear wheels with the type wheels 52 and in order to prevent the cams |08 from improperly holding the accumulator gear wheels meshed with the type wheels 52 during clockwise movement of the type wheels 52 in the course of a total taking operation, another set of cams |56 (Fig. 8) are mounted on the cam shaft |09 one adjacent each cam |08. In order that the cams |08 may be rendered ineffective and the cams |56 rendered effective, the cam shaft |09 is mounted for axial movement in its radially slidable bearing blocks H0.
Thecam shaft |09 is normally positioned to dispose the cams |08 in position to cooperate with the fingers |01 on the side `plates |03 of the accumulator mechanism A. When, however, the cams |08 are to be moved from alignment with the said fingers |01, which is to be done in a total taking operation, movement of the cam shaft |09 may best be accomplished by manually grasping a finger piece |51, shown in Figs. 8 and 13,
carried on the end of a guide stem |58 slidably f guided in one of the machine walls 29, which stem carries a yoke |59 having its' forked end embracing a grooved collar |6| firm on the end of the shaft |09. Movement of the stem |58 and consequently sliding movement of the shaft |09 in an axial direction is limited by abutment of the mounted end of the yoke |59 when moved in one direction with the face of the machine wall 29 and against a guide bracket |62 when moved in the other direction. Thus, it is apparent that selection of the cams |08 or |56 to be effective for rocking the accumulator mechanisms may be easily andV effectively accomplished by shifting the shaft |09 longitudinally to thereby align the desired cam |08 or |59 with the nger |01 of the end plate |03. The rcams |56 of course are like the cams |08 .except that they are secured on the shaft |09 in what might be called a reverse position so that the low dwell on cams |08 is diametrically opposed to the low dwell on the cams |56. l
To initiate a total taking operation an accumulator mechanism A, carrying the gear wheels |05 on which the total is accumulated, is rendered operable throughl rotation of the cams |56 by shifting the cam shaft |09 longitudinally as described above. Under the control of cam |56 the accumulatorA gear wheels |05 of said mechanism are meshed with type wheels 52 associated therewith and are actuated upon counterclockwise rotation of the type wheels. Thus in a manner to be described presently, the accumulator wheels control the distances to which said type wheels rotate counterclockwise so as to thereby set up the type segments 53 therein to print the totals accumulated in the accumulator mechanism A. Since there is no control device C in sensing position during a total printing operation, downward movement of the sensing pins 22 is not limited, consequently said pins move into their lowermost possible position during machine operation so as to thereby swing the control fingers 4| controlled thereby downwardly to position their ends in alignment with and for abutment by the lowermost or ninth shoulder 13 of the related sensing bars 68. Hence, the sliding bars B8 may move as far as may be necessary in the direction of the control fingers during counterclockwise rotation of the type wheels while a totaling operation is being accomplished.
If it be assumed that the accumulator mechanism A-I, which is illustrated in a position with its gear wheels |05 in mesh with the type wheels 52, has accumulated a series of digital counts previously printed by the type characters carried in such type wheels and that the cam shaft |09 has been shifted to align the cams |56 with the accumulator side plate fingers |01, the machine is now ready for operation to eiect a printing of the accumulated totals. This is effected by initiating rotation of the drive shaft 51 through one cycle of operation which rotation tends to impart counterclockwise rotation to the type wheels 52. |05 that are off zero position are likewise rotated through their meshing engagement with the type wheels. Such rotation of the gear wheels |05, which is in a clockwise direction, continues until either of the wide teeth |05a or |051;` engage a stop edge on the nose of the cooperating dog |22, which stop edges on the various dogs that are disposed in such a position that when a wide tooth rides into engagement therewith the accumulator gear wheel will have attained zero y position.
It will be understood that each accumulator gear wheel |05 has two zero positions and this is due to the fact that it is desirable to make the accumulator gear wheels of a size such that proper sizing of the various parts can be maintained and proper interrelation between the size of the various parts may be established. Thus, each accumulator gear wheel instead of being provided with only ten teeth to cause the digits to be accumulated thereon in each revolution thereof, is provided with twenty teeth so that the digits are accumulated thereon in each half revolution thereof, such size of the gear teeth neatly fitting into the various other dimensions selected in the machine, even to the spacing of the perforations in the respective rows thereof on the card I6, and it is because of this sizing of the wheels |05 that two wide teeth |05a and |0513 are provided on each wheel.
When the gear wheels i 05 are individually stopped in zero position, the type wheels 52 meshing therewith are likewise selectively stopped in All of the accumulator gear wheels their counterclockwise rotation and the proper type characters representative of the digits. of the. total accumulated on4 the gear wheels |05 are disposed in printing. position beneath the platens 54, whichare actuated to effect the printing, operation prior to the time the drive shaft 51 has vcompleted its cycle of operation.
When the drive shaft 51 completes its operatinglcycle the accumulator gear wheels, which are. now vin their zero positionsLwill have been moved out of mesh with the type wheels due to action'` of the controlling cams |56 and the type Wheel'swill have returned to their initial positions of rest with all of their type characters in zero. alignment. It should be observed that duringA the total taking operation involving for example,.the accumulator mechanism A-I, other accumulator `mechanisms A-2, etc., were held out of" mesh with their related type wheels |05 by reason ofthe controlling slots 6 in the control discs IIT.` In the event any of these accumulator mechanisms have accumulated totals during machine. operation the totals repre- .sentedu thereby can be set up in their related type wheelsr and printed in the` same manner as described hereinabove, it being understood of course thatfthe control discs ||3 will have been shifted. so as to place the` accumulator wheels |06.` of'such selected accumulator in mesh with the selected group of type wheels.` Thus, all of the totals accumulated in any or all of the accumulators` Aduring printing of the business instrumentmay be successively set up and printed.
There mayV be instances when it is desirable to. render more than one` accumulator mechanism` effective for accumulating` and/or prin*- ing totals during simultaneous opertaion of more thanv one group of type wheels. In that eventa control mechanism such as is illustrated in Figs. 15, 16 and 17 may be utilized in lieu of. plates ||3 with their cams slots` H6. In this modiifica- Referring `now to` the' specific disclosure of Figs. 15, 16 and 17, it will be observed thatthe accumulator mechanisms AV-I, A,-2, etc., are individually controlled so as to be moved into or outof mesh with the teeth l2 of the type wheels 5ly of the group to which they pertain. To this end an independent control disc ||3a is provided for each accumulator mechanism. These discs arefreely rotatable on the shaft 5| and they are grouped together on one side of the machine, preferably inside the machine wall 29, and each is formed with an operating extension |5`a so thatthey may be selectively adjusted' aboutl the shaftv 5|"for the purpose of positioning an oper* atively associated accumulator mechanism in or` are, as shown, inA substantial;` registerl oneV with4 the other for convenience of access, .the extenf.. sions |63 are located ini` a positioncorresponding. tothe location of the accumulator mechanism .to
be controlled thereby.4 Thus. when the accumu. lator discs I |3`a are in theneutral position illustrated in` Fig. l5, allv of the accumulator mecha.` nisms are positioned'so that their gear` wheels |05 are out of` mesh with the type wheels 52. any one of these accumulator mechanismsmay be. permitted to be swung inwardly about its pivot |0| to meshits gear wheels |05 with itsrelated type wheels by shifting its control disc lliia counterclockwise so asto thereby cause` thev shaft |04 to be positioned in alignment with inwardly disposed portion of the offset. slot |64` withA which.
it is engaged, to thereby free the. selected accumulator mechanism for movement by the cam |'08` or |58 associated therewith. :Similarly all or any.
number of the accumulator mechanism may be rendered effective to. accumulate digital counts successively` set up bythe variantly settable type wheels 52 and also to eilect setting up of the total` accumulated ina total printing operation as related in the description of the previously describedimechanism.
For printing a totalfrom any accumulatonthe cam` shaft. |08. is shifted axially to bring cam |56 rather than cam. |08. into operation; as de'- scribed above` If several accumulators are functioning simultaneously, as` in the. modicationfjust described, the. shaft `|09 for each yis shifted.
Sensing and. control mechanism,` including pins 22,. levers 11|` and other necessary elementsl maybe provided if desiredfor throwing the variousY accumulators into` operation or out ofV operationk automatically. The tabs I6', Fig. 3, or one of. the extra rows of perforationsl in an` extended card |6b, Fig.v 3A, may serve as control means.
Since there arey sixteen tabs, Fig.` 3.or 48 extracontrol positions. on theA card` |61), Fig. 3A, numerous control functions obviously can be exercised. The various control plates ||3a, Figs. 16;l
and 17 may be moved to operative orinoperative positions by connecting links such as.|5actuatedI by the cam and lever mechanismslpreviously de'- scribed, operation: being controlled byl sensing pins, controlflngersand sliding barsasffully de The axially movable camshaft" scribed above.
|09, used for` rendering the accumulatorseffec-fY tiveto set upythe type wheels 52 also maybe automatically and; selectively. `controlled by the;
same mechanism; suitable camsbeing provided as onqplates l3a.
In manyinstances;` it` may benecessary or dei sirable` to havelall' seven` of the accumulato'rs For such` functioning underl manual. control., operationit is;desirableto have a single operat-Y ing means to set'all'` the control plates or discs:
||3a simultaneously in: operating. position. Ac-
cordingly, a totalizer lever is. mounted to pivot freely about shaft 5| which carries the.` As shown invFigs. 15` and 17, a pin'` |56; is xed in said lever to extend-from oneface type Wheels.
so that anyxof4 thefdiscs vmay be rotatedicounter4 clockwise (Fig.v 15) manually or4 automatically.
to bring: the` associatedyaccumulator mechanism` into operation without moving pin |66or lever.
. |65. However, if it isdesired to place all voi! the
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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US40185A US2673033A (en) | 1948-07-22 | 1948-07-22 | Printing machine |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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US40185A US2673033A (en) | 1948-07-22 | 1948-07-22 | Printing machine |
Publications (1)
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US2673033A true US2673033A (en) | 1954-03-23 |
Family
ID=21909594
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Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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US40185A Expired - Lifetime US2673033A (en) | 1948-07-22 | 1948-07-22 | Printing machine |
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US (1) | US2673033A (en) |
Cited By (8)
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US2970757A (en) * | 1954-03-24 | 1961-02-07 | Int Standard Electric Corp | Document carrier for mechanized processing |
US3037695A (en) * | 1954-04-16 | 1962-06-05 | Ibm | Record bearing instrumentalities |
US3145792A (en) * | 1961-03-21 | 1964-08-25 | Toledo Scale Corp | Computing weighing scale |
US3412237A (en) * | 1964-03-06 | 1968-11-19 | Sangamo Electric Co | Card reader means |
US3539779A (en) * | 1968-05-16 | 1970-11-10 | Clary Corp | Perforated card controlled registering machine |
US3560719A (en) * | 1968-02-05 | 1971-02-02 | Business Efficiency Aids Inc | Edge punchcard |
US3652829A (en) * | 1969-07-03 | 1972-03-28 | Tokico Ltd | Discrimination card for card reader |
US4213041A (en) * | 1977-04-20 | 1980-07-15 | Data Card (U.K.) Limited | Master cards for hectographic printing |
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