Patent GB-212984-A (GB)
Abstract: 212,984. Jenkins, E. A.., and Burghard, E. R. Dec. 19, 1922. No Patent granted (Sealing fee not paid). Postmarking and stamp-cancelling machines.-In postal franking- machines the stamps corresponding to various denominations are carried by a longitudinally movable rod 13, Fig. 1, having an extension 131 and hand knob 19 outside the casing. A shaft 1 is rotated by a handle 3 and moves a cam 7 to allow the support 5 to rise under spring action and bring the postal packet towards the hole 26 through which the cancelling stamp 20 operates and a corresponding hole through which the selected franking-die operates. The extension 131 has notches 16 to engage an arm 17 raised by a knob 18 to engage a notch in a disc 19 on the shaft 1 and prevent its rotation except when the selected die is correctly positioned. The cancelling-stamp 20 is contained in a separate compartment 22 through the door of which the date can be altered. The stamp 20 is carried by a stem 24 which is raised by a spring 27 and is depressed by a ;plunger 28 which is in the fcrm of a yoke simul- 291 taneously acting on the cancelling die and franking die. The plunger 28 is partly depressed for inking by a cam 33 fixed on the shaft 1 and is completely depressed by a cam 34 loose on the shaft 1 but connected to it by a spring 44. The franking stamp is inked by a pad operated from a rod 37 and cam 38 and the stamp 20 by a pad 39, lever 41 and cam 42. Between the cam 33 and the plunger 28 is interposed a plunger 29 and a pair of springs to prevent fraudulently holding the stamp'in operative position when the inking pads have been moved under the stamps. The cam 34 is integral with a detent wheel 43 attached to one end of the spring 44 secured at the other end to a collar 45 fast on the shaft 1. The cam 34 is held stationary during the rotation of the shaft by the crank handle 3 until a cam 46 has raised an arm fast on a shaft carrying the detent. Thereupon the released spring action causes the cam 43 to operate until again stopped by detent action, the stamps being momentarily depressed. An ejecting lever 53 is operated by cam 50 and pivoted lever 51 towards the end of the rotation of the shaft. The shaft is stopped after a complete rotation by a hand released detent. A series of pionions 58 having teeth to correspond with the various values of the stamps are moved longitudinally on the shaft 1 through the medium of a rod 62 connected to die-carrying rod 13. The pinion brought into operative position gears with a pinion on a shaft carrying a pinion 66 transmitting movement to a counting apparatus 68. The shaft carrying the pinion 66 also transmits motion to a sleeve travelling along a screw. The sleeve is provided with a finger which trips a bell crank at the end of its travel from engage ment with a spring-pressed rod which is moved by its spring to withdraw a key or a series of pins 81 from beneath corresponding pivoted levers 82. The levers are then free to turn and force pawls 84 into engagement with a ratchet wheel 85 to stop the shaft 1. A single lever 82 and pawl 84 may replace a series. A modification of the assemblage of pinions is described in which a drum and spring plungers are employed.