Patent GB-332931-A (GB)
Abstract: 332,931. Wheeler, W. H., and Ogden, J. W. March 8, 1929, [Convention date]. Divided on 332,918. Franking-machines; tripping-arrangements.- In a postage meter machine of the type in which stamps of different value may be printed and in which, if desired, the same stamp can be repeatedly printed on the same envelope as it passes through the machine and in which, also, a registering-mechanism shaft is rotated by selective gear segments containing different numbers of teeth, rotation of the shaft is positively stopped simultaneously with the disengagement of any segment. Improved mechanism is also described for adjusting the valve die and for screening the die-selecting means in adjusted position. As shown applied to the machine described in Specification 332,918, the franking-die thereof comprises a rotatable turret 17, Fig. 4, carrying a set of dies 17<b>. The turret 17 is adjusted by pushing in against the action of a spring 23
 an external knob 23<a> fixed to a shaft 23, Fig. 3, so that pins 23<c> on a disc 23b fixed to the knob engage holes 16<z> in a gear 16e engaging a gear 17<c> on the turret, and then rotating the knob to the required position. Spring-pressed pins 27 normally locking the gear 16<e> to the drum are simultaneously released by the pins 23<c>, and a castellated collar 24 on the end of shaft 23 is disengaged from a fixed castellated flange 4t, which normally locks the shaft against rotation, the arrangement being such that the pins 23<c> engage before the collar 24 is completely disengaged. To prevent engagement of the pins 23<c> with the gear 16e except when the printing-drum 16 is in the rest position, one of the pins 27 is longer than the others, and, when pushed inwardly, engages a notch 1<e> in a bearing 1<d>. Fraudulent use of the machine might also be made if all the pins were a close fit in the holes 16<z> by turning the turret 17 with the pins 23<c> in engagement with the gear 16e into a position where the pins 27 would not exactly align with the holes 16z, so that, when the pins 23<c> were withdrawn, the pins 27 could not enter the holes 16<z> and this would allow the turret 17 to be rotated to the next position. To avoid this, one of pins 27 has a tapered end, which cannot fail to engage a hole 16<z> and prevent rotation of the turret. The numeral wheels of a counter are rotated from a shaft 28, Fig. 5, carrying a gear 28b driven by one of a series of mutilated gears 32 fixed to a slidable member 32<a>, which is adjusted when the value die is changed so that the appropriate gear 32 drives the pinion 28b to advance the counter the correct amount. The member 32<a> is adjusted by a cam 26 keyed on the shaft 23 so as to rotate therewith and acting on a pivoted arm 33 engaging a groove 32<d> in the member 32<a>, the cam having a series of dwells corresponding to the various positions to which the carrier 32<a> is adjusted. A crown wheel 28<c> is fixed on the shaft 28, and an arm 31 secured to the printing-roller shaft engages between the teeth of the wheel immediately before the gear 32 ceases to operate and remains in that locking position while the machine is idle, thus preventing the shaft 28 from racing past the position to which the segments drive it and also giving the shaft a slight retrograde movement to provide more clearance between the entering tooth of the segment and the teeth of the pinion 28b. Part of the arm 31 is bevelled where it enters between the crown teeth to allow the wheel to complete its movement after the arm has entered. A spring-pressed plunger engaging the rim of the wheel 28<c> provides a braking effect to prevent movement of the wheel after the arm 31 leaves and before the gear segments engage. The latter are arranged to complete acting on the gear 28<c> at the end of their rotation so that there is no time interval during which the gears might race and actuate the counter before the locking-arm 31 comes into action. To prevent inward movement of a shaft 22<a>, Fig. 3, and therefore actuation of the driving-crank of the machine, while the die 17 is being adjusted, a lever 25 is provided, one end of which engages a groove in a collar 24a fixed to the shaft 23 whereby the lever 25 is rocked about its pivot 25<a> by the inward movement of the shaft 23 and the opposite end of the lever engages behind a collar 22b on the shaft 22<a> and prevents inward movement thereof. The registering-mechanism may be similar to that described in Specification 170,058.