Patent GB-190005731-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Time and Date Printing Stamps.
Inventor: STOVER JOSEPH WOODMAN
Filed: 1900-03-27
Granted: 1900-05-26
Abstract: 5731. Stover, J. W. March 27. Date and time printing stamps.-In a date and time printing stamp with automatically-changing mechanism, the date-printing wheels are all arranged so as to be automatically changed as well as the time-printing wheels. Fig. 1 shows a side elevation, and Fig. 2 a front elevation, of the stamp with parts of the framework removed, and Fig. 4 a sectional view of part of the changing- mechanism. The printing-platen f is reciprocated by means of a lever f<1>, pivoted at f and actuated by an electromagnet f<4>. An inking-strip f<5> of any suitable kind is arranged between the platen and printing-wheels a, b, c, d, which are secured to short sleeves mounted loosely upon an arbor g. The sleeves are provided with pinions a<2>, b<2>, c', d<2>, one for each sleeve, respectively engaging with toothed wheels h, i, j, k, of which the wheels h, k are loosely mounted upon a shaft l, and the wheels i, j upon sleeves o<1>, q<1> which are also loosely mounted upon the shaft l. Sun-wheels h<1>, i<1>, j<1>, k<1> are secured respectively to the toothed wheels h, i, j, k, and engage with corresponding planetwheels mounted within carriers o, q, secured to the sleeves o', q<1>. Sun-wheels o<3>, o<4> are secured upon the contiguous ends of the sleeves o<1>, q<1>, and engage with planet-wheels mounted within a carrier p, which is secured directly to the shaft e by means of a screw. The shaft l is rotated by means of a coiled spring m fitted within a barrel n, which can be rotated by gearing n<1>, n<2>, controlled by means of a pawl and ratchet-wheel n<4>. When the shaft l rotates, the carrierp rotates with it, and the sun- and-planet gearing is so arranged that the motion of the shaft l can he transmitted to either carrier o, q, as may be desired, by fixing the sun-wheel o<4> or o<3>. From the carrier o motion is transmitted to either of the toothed wheels h, i, or both, and from the carrier q motion is transmitted to either of the toothed wheels j, k, or both, according to which sun-wheels are held stationary or are released. The minute-printing wheel a is actuated by means of an electromagnet r, the armature s<4> of which is carried by a lever s<3>, secured to a rocking-shaft s<2>; upon this shaft is secured an arm s, having a shouldered end s', which engages with an arm a<8> carrying a pallet a<5>; the pallet controls the step-by-step movement of an escapement-wheel a<3> secured to the wheel a. The wheels b, c, d, for printing the hours, days, and months, respectively, are provided with escapement-wheels controlled by pallets b<5>, c<5>, d<5>, any one of which is released periodically by the action of a cam mounted upon the next preceding printing-wheel. The dayprinting wheel c carries thirty-one printing- characters, and is automatically actuated so as to make allowance for the variation in the lengths of the months. For this purpose, the pallet c<5> is formed with a slot in which works a leaf spring t' attached to the extension t<3> of a bell-crank lever t. The extension t<3> is moved into or out of engagement with one or more of three loosely-mounted bell-crank levers of different lengths. These bellcrank levers are actuated by means of the cam on the hour-printing wheel b, and they control the action of the extension t<3> in vibrating the pallet c<5> once, twice, or thrice, in quick succession, when the number to be printed is 30, 29, or 28, according to the number of days in the month. The year-printing wheel e is mounted loosely upon the sleeve of the wheel d, and is moved step-by-step by means of a cam on wheel d arranged to actuate a pallet e<5> which engages with a toothed wheel secured to the year-wheel. The month-wheel carries twenty-four printing-characters, and the year-wheel is, therefore, actuated when the monthwheel has completed a half-rotation. The yearwheel is mounted loosely upon the sleeve of the month-wheel d, and its movements are controlled by means of the pallet e<5>, which is actuated by a cam on the month-wheel. In order to make allowance for the recurrence of leap years, a cam u, carrying a pinion u<2>, is loosely mounted upon a stud, and is provided with divisions, one for every month, except February, and with a radiallymovable slide u<4> for the month of February ; this slide serves to control the movements of the year and month wheels by means of the bell-crank lever t. The pinion u<2> engages with a toothed wheel u<3> secured to the sleeve of the month-wheel.