Patent GB-395234-A (GB)
Abstract: 395,234. Postal franking-machines. HASLER AKT.-GES. VORM. TELEGRAPHEN WERKST€TTE VON G. HASLER, 50, Schwarztorstrasse, Berne, Switzerland. Nov. 24, 1932, No. 33245. Convention date, Nov. 26, 1931. [Class 100 (ii).] In a franking, stamping, or like machine of the kind in which several relatively-adjustable stamping-wheels are provided, the stamping- wheels are mounted on a spindle arranged transversely to the longitudinal axis of the cylinder, and are each attached to a gear-wheel meshing with one set of teeth on a corresponding rack movable parallel to the axis of the cylinder, another set of teeth on the racks meshing with one of a second set of gear wheels adapted to be actuated by value setting-devices. The machine is mounted in a housing comprising a lower and upper section 1, 2, Fig. 12, the driving-motor 3 being mounted in the part 1. The two parts are separated by a slot 7 in which the letters or the like to be franked are inserted. The letters &c. are supported on a table 5 provided with an adjustable stop ledge 6. The upper part of the slot is formed by a plate 8 on which the mechanism is supported. The printing-cylinder 11, Fig. 1, is mounted by means of a journal 14 in a wall 9 projecting from the plate 8, and a ring 15 secured to the cylinder and co-operating with a bearing-ring 16 secured to plate 8. The part of the cylinder 11 projecting beyond the ring 16 is of greater diameter and carries a printing-plate 82 and the stamping-wheels 48. Secured to the larger part of the cylinder 11 is a bearing-ring 42 which has a part formed with side walls 44, 45 projecting into the smaller diameter part. Recesses 49 in the walls 44, 45 support a bar 50 carrying a second bar 52, the bars forming bearings for spindles 53 which carry gearwheels 54 meshing with racks 55 slidable longitudinally in the cylinder 11. The spindles 53 are driven by bevel wheels 59, 60, the wheels 60 being rotatable on a spindle 61 carried by the bar 50, and being provided with spur teeth engaging internal teeth on rings 63, Figs. 1 and 7, rotatable on the cylinder 11. Each ring 63 is formed with a cam groove 67 which co-operates with pins 65 adjustable in radial slots in a corresponding ring 64 secured to the cylinder, the pins being adapted to be projected by rotation of the ring 63 relatively to the ring 64. The number of pins projected depends on the amount of rotation of the ring in accordance with the value of stamp to be set, and the projected pins co-operate with counting- mechanism. A ring 69 is secured to each ring 63, and a similar ring 69<1> is secured to a ring 71 rotatably mounted on the cylinder adjacent each ring 63 and adjustable by means of a handle 70, the rotation of the rings 69<1> being transmitted to the rings 69 by means of gearwheels 72 rotatably mounted in spaced relation on a shaft 73. The shaft 73 is reciprocable in the walls 44, 45 and is normally held by a spring 105 so that the wheels 72 mesh with both the sets of wheels 69, 69<1>. When the wheels have been set in correct position, the rings 71 and wheels 69<1> are retained by pawls 78, mounted on a common shaft 79. When the machine is started, a lever 38 is raised by a spring 39 and rocks a bell-crank lever 110 connected to a slide 101 having notches in which the pawls 78 normally lie. Movement of the slide bv the bell-crank lever 110 acts to lock the pawls and so prevents adjustment of the rings 71 during operation of the machine. A notch in the slide is engaged by an arm 103 on the shaft 73, so the shaft is thereby moved in opposition to the spring 105 to disconnect the wheels 72 from the wheels 69<1>, this movement resulting in the wheels 72 being locked by the teeth of a rack 75 carried by the walls 44, 45, and so maintaining the wheels 69 in adjusted position. The racks 55 are provided with a second set of teeth engaging gear-wheels 57 connected to the stamping-wheels 48 mounted on a transverse spindle 47 in the larger part of the cylinder 11. The stamping-wheels are each provided with stamps 81 which are set by the movement of the racks 55 into position opposite an aperture in the printing-plate 82. In order to position the stamps correctly, teeth 99 carried by an arm 97 pivoted at 95 are adapted to engage the teeth of the gear-wheels 57. The arm 97 carries a roller 98, Figs. 1 and 10, which engages in a cam groove 85 in the bearing-ring 16 so that the arm is rocked to lock the stamping-wheels when the cylinder commences to rotate. A roller 86 on a slide 87 also engages the groove 85, the slide being guided by a member 88 secured to the ring 42, and a spindle 89 engaged by the forked end. The spindle 89, which coincides with the axis of the cylinder is mounted in the walls 44, 45 and carries an arm 90 provided with a pin 91 engaged by a laterally-projecting forked part of the slide 87 so that movement of the slide causes the arm 90 to turn. The arm 90 is bent at its free end towards the wheels 48 and is provided with a bevelled portion 90<1> adapted to engage with recesses in the stamps 81 to push them into printing-position in the aperture in the plate 82. When the cylinder 11 is rotated from rest position, the roller 98 is first moved outwards to cause the teeth 99 to lock the stamping-wheels, and subsequently the roller 86 is moved inwardly to effect the projection of the selected stamps. The stamps are normally held in withdrawn position by a spring. Stopping, starting and like arrangements.- The machine may be driven from the electric motor 3 through bevel gearing 36, or by hand from either side of the machine by means of a crank handle. The gear 36, Figs. 1 and 5, is connected to a hub 30 rotatable on a sleeve 19 which is rotatable on the journal 14 of the cylinder 11, the hub 30 being provided with a recess in which is mounted a pawl 32 engaging ratchet teeth on the sleeve. The sleeve is secured to a coupling-wheel 27 having teeth adapted to be engaged by a projection 26 on a lever 22 pivoted on a disc 20 secured to the journal 14. The lever 22 is under the influence of an adjustable spring-pressed pin 23 and serves to couple the driving-sleeve 19 to the printing-cylinder. A projection 38a on the lever 38 is adapted to engage the end of the lever 22 in order to disconnect the wheel 27, and a projection on the disc 20 in order to arrest its rotation at the end of a single revolution. When an article to be franked is inserted in the slot 7, it raises fingers 120 carried by a spindle 115 to rock a lever 116 connected by a link 111 to a catch 40 engaging the lever 38. Rocking of the lever 116 therefore causes the release of the lever 38 which is raised by the spring 39 unless any of the rings 71 have not been properly set. In this case, the pawls 78 cannot enter the corresponding notches, and so prevent movement of the slide 101. Raising of the lever 38 releases the lever 22 and causes the cylinder 11 to be coupled to the driving- mechanism. The lever 22 is formed with a cam surface 22a which, near the end of the rotation of the cylinder, engages a projection 38c of the lever 38 and restores it to normal position where it is engaged by the catch 40 and acts to disconnect the cylinder and stop its rotation. The arm 103 on the shaft 73 carries a pin 104 which projects through an opening in the ring 15 into an aperture 106 in the ring 16. When the shaft 73 is moved, the pin 104 is withdrawn from the aperture 106 and runs on the surface of the ring 16 during the rotation of the cylinder until it again comes opposite the aperture 106 when, under the action of the spring 105, it snaps back into engagement therewith. To permit the lever 38 to be rocked back to locking-position before the pin 104 engages the aperture 106, the lever 110 and slide 101 are connected by a pin-and-slot connection 107, 108.