Patent GB-191109435-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to Machines for Impressing Postal or other Stamps, also applicable to other purposes.
Inventor: ELSON ROBERT
IPC: B41F33/04
Filed: 1911-04-18
Granted: 1912-04-18
Abstract: 9435. Elson, R. April 18. Postmarking-machines; hand-stamps; numbering-apparatus; stopping-arrangements. - A device for impressing postal or other stamps is so constructed that the reciprocating frame which carries the printing and numbering devices is released from the operating-handle and returned to normal position by the final pressure on the handle which causes the impression to take place. The frame is automatically locked, and the number wheels are held from rotation when a given number of impressions have been taken. As shown, the apparatus comprises a casing formed of a part 1 in one casting, and covers 48, 49 hinged over rods 50, 57, the cover 48 being secured by screws and the cover 49 held in place by a spring catch 44 controlled by an eccentric barrel 42 actuated by gearing 41, 39 from a spindle 40 and controlled by a barrel lock which may be closed by a lead sea] device. The numbering-device comprises a series of wheels with printing-parts 5 and ratchet-wheels 7 which are actuated by a pawl frame 11 of known construction, the wheels being mounted on a barrel 6 which is fitted internally with a pivoted bell-crank device 8, Fig. 6, normally maintained by the numbering- disks in such a position that the hooked end 8<Î> of the device 8 is free of a stop 10 on the casing. When, however, the numbering-disks reach a given position, the slots in them permit a spring 9 to move the device 8 to the position shown in Fig. 6, and the hook 8<Î> engages the stop 10 and prevents the frame 2 from being reciprocated and also the disks are locked from rotation by the device 8. To re-set the apparatus, the barrel 42 is rotated, and this causes a lever 43<a>, 43<b> to actuate a rod 45 which acts on a projection 8<a> of the locking-device 8 so as to release this device, and the lever 43<a> acts on the frame 11 and moves this from the ratchet 7. Pawls 14 which prevent backward movement of the wheels are simultaneously removed so as to permit the re-setting of the device. The frame 2 may be locked by means of a pin 33 which has a semi-cylindrical slotted portion which may be caused to allow the frame 2 to descend or to prevent it from descending. The numbering- device co-acts with a normally spring - raised printing-die 17 formed with an opening through which the numbering-parts 5 may pass, the die and numbering - device descending together to effect the printing with their printing-faces flush with one another. The inking-ribbon 20 is unwound from one spool and wound up on a spool 23 which is actuated by a pawl 27 and lever 28 on the upward movement of the frame 2. The pawl 27 acts on a ratchet-wheel 24 integral with, or spring-pressed towards the spool 23. The frame 2 is attached to a sleeve c which is depressed by a handle 3, from which it is automatically released after the printing has taken place. For this purpose, the sleeve c is depressed by the following means. The handle 3 is fitted with a sleeve h fitted with catches h<Î> which normally engages an annular lip g<2> on a sleeve g, and when the handle 3, sleeve h, and sleeve g are depressed, a spring e transmits the motion to the sleeve c, which is depressed against the action of a spring d bearing on the top of the casing 1. On further descent of the handle 3, the catches h<Î> engage fixed inclines i and the sleeve g is released, thereby allowing the spring d to return the sleeve c and frame 2 to their raised positions. When the handle 3 is released a spring b arranged inside a tube a fixed to the handle returns the handle 3 to normal position. Guiding and protecting tubes n, m are fitted to the frame 1 and handle 3 respectively.