Patent GB-949063-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to printing and punching machines
Inventor: CONDY JOHN HERBERT
IPC: G06K1/22
Filed: 1960-11-29
Abstract: 949,063. Selective printing. BELL PUNCH CO. Ltd. Feb. 27, 1962 [Nov. 29, 1960], No. 40986/60. Heading B6F. [Also in Division B4] Type wheel machines; printing and punching machines.-A printing and punching mechanism, Fig. 3, for use in conjunction with a record card 124, Fig. 5, in reading of a user's gas or electricity meters, comprises a combined printing and punching wheel 106, Fig. 8, adjustable to at least two settings, in a first of which printing of the record card is inhibited, but punching of a punched tape 56 is permitted and in a second of which both printing and punching of said card and tape, respectively, is effected upon operation of an actuating handle 126. Strip feeding arrangement; setting and actuating mechanism for the printing and punching wheels.-To record a reading the wheel is set manually so that a letter " T " is visible in a window 142 (Fig. 1, not shown), and then a token 119 articulated to the record card 124, having the user's reference represented upon it by elevent lines of punched holes 122 in coded form is inserted with teeth 121, corresponding in number to the lines of holes, into a slot 128 of the mechanism, Fig. 3, whereupon a pin 79 of a pin-wheel 78, drivingly connected to a ratchet wheel 39, will engage the innermost of the teeth. The handle 126 is now operated eleven times to record the user's  reference on the punched tape 56, advanced by the pin-wheel 78 and for each operation of the handle 126 a quadrant plate 14, Fig. 2, actuates a pawl 37 to displace clockwise the ratchet wheel 39 by a single tooth space and to pivot a lever 18 carrying a punch block 53, having six punches 54, which perforate the punched tape 56 passing through the block according to the coded disposition of the holes 122. On completion of the eleven operations, the user's reference has been transferred to the tape and this code data precedes the meter reading now to be recorded. The token is removed and the record card 124 is inserted into the slot 129, Fig. 3, aligned with respect to a " Position number "  and a line 143b, Fig. 5, and the card is then gripped between knurled or milled rollers 70, 71 separated for insertion of the card by a spring-urged, pivotal lever 87. The printing and punching wheel 106 is next set to the first and most significant digit, which is visible in the window 142, and the handle is operated again to print the first digit on the record card 124 and simultaneously to punch the first digit in a coded form represented by holes 110, Fig. 7, in the wheel, in the tape 56 by the punches 54. Subsequently the wheel is set to the second significant digit. Operation of the handle 126 in addition to actuation of the pawl 37 and lever 18 actuates also a pawl 36, which displaces a ratchet wheel 38 by one tooth space to thereby rotate the roller 70, which together with roller 71 moves the record card to the next printing position, while pawl 37 causes the punched tape 56 to be advanced to the next punching position. Hammer impression arrangements.-A lever 30, Fig. 2, pivotally mounted at 19, carries at one end a hammer 35 and at the other end a lug 31, connected to a spring 32 which urges the lever 30 into contact with a lug 20 on a lever 17, articulated to the angular plate 14. When the handle is operated the hammer 35 is cocked and then released to strike a positioned numeral 108, Fig. 8, to effect printing of the selected digit. When recording of the user's reference is made on the punched tape, the wheel 106 presents a recessed portion 109 at the printing station and, no impression takes place. Interlocking devices.-An interlock 141, Fig. 3, is provided to obstruct one or the other of the slots 128, 129 to prevent reversed order of recording sequence. Type dies and printing surfaces.-The printing and punching wheel 106, Figs. 7 and 8, is provided on its periphery with numerals 108, engraved in relief. Disposed between the numerals " 0 " and " 9 " there is a recessed portion 109 to prevent printing. On one of the outer annular surfaces the wheel is labelled with the appropriate numerals and the letter " T," the numerals and the letter being in radial alignment with the corresponding engraved numerals and portion 109, respectively. Disposed between the engraved numerals and the engraved numerals " 0 " and " 9 " and the portion 109 are a series of coded holes 110, to correspond in a five-unit code to the appropriate numeral in such a manner that the holes and numeral are aligned diametrically opposite each other. An intermediate space, Fig. 8, is left undrilled so that one of the punches 54 may punch a hole in the tape 56 for the line of feed of pin-wheel 78. Diametrically opposite the portion 109, there are five holes formed on the periphery of the wheel as with this portion in the printing position no punching by the wheel is desired. Ink-ribbon arrangements.-An ink ribbon 75, Fig. 3, drawn off a supply reel 74 is passed over the wheel 106 and wound up on a take-up reel 101, the ribbon being advanced by a ratchet wheel 104 co-operating with a ratchet pawl 103, whenever the lever 87 is pivoted about the pivot 88, a detent 105 being provided to ensure correct positioning of the ratchet wheel 104.