Patent GB-200609-A (GB)
Abstract: 200,609. Lamoureux, J. O. April 24, 1922. Stamp-cancelling niac7ii?tes.-lielates to stamp-collecting machines of the kind in which letters are fed by rotating feed-rollers past successively operating spring - pressed separating-fingers to a printing-disc, the timing of the letters to secure registration of the imprint with the stamp being effected by an automatically operated timing-stop which checks the feed of each letter and releases it in correct relationhsip to the printing-disc. A number of angularly spaced dies is provided on the printing-disc, the timing-mechanism being variable at will to cause either one or a number of letters to be fed to the disc during each revolution thereof. Improvements in the feeding, separating, and delivering mechanism and inking-apparatus adapted to ink one or more dies or the whole periphery of the disc are also described. Feeding, separating, and delivery apparatus. Letters from an inclined shoot fall against a vertical partition 5, Fig. 1, fixed to a platform 1. and are propelled forward by rollers 6, 7 and 17, projecting through apertures in the partition, to feed rollers 121, 122, then to a printing-disc 4, and thence to delivery rollers 171, 172, and are finally directed laterally into a receptacle by spring fingers 174, 175, 176, and a vertical plate 178 adjustably fixed to a partition 5a, a rotating arm 177 being adapted periodically to strike the finger 174 to assist in the lateral ejection. Two independent feeding and separating devices are provided the first consisting of a series of pivoted spring-pressed fingers 11, 12, 13 and an addi. tional spring finger 14 carried by a frame 10 bolted to the platform 1. The fingers 11, 12, 13, Figs. 11 and 12, are arranged to engage a letter in succession, the fingers 11 and 13 being respectively above the below the roller 7, and the finger 12 pressing against it, thus holding the letter firmly in contact with the roller. In its forward movement the letter first meets the finger 11, by which it is swung down into the correct position before advancing. The second feeding &c. device is mounted on a frame 22 similar to the frame 10 and comprises an upper shoe 23 pivotally carried by an angle plate 25 and spring-pressed against the roller 17, a similar shoe 24 engaging a coaxial lower roller 18, and a central U-shaped abutment arm 38 forming a time stop. The arm 38 is pivoted to a block 32 secured to the frame 22 and has a cam end 48, Fig. 14, engaging a stop 47 on a slide 40 which is spring-pressed inwardly and carries a pivoted finger 43 spring-pressed into a notch in the partition 5 and against a stop 43a. The arm 3S is provided with an extension 49 normally pressed inwardly by an oscillating arm 50 to check a letter and periodically released whereby, as a result of the inward movement of the slide 40, the arm 38 is forced outwardly. The finger 43 is simultaneously pushed forward to prevent the advance of the succeeding letter; in the case of a new batch of letters, this finger also prevents the first letter from slipping past the stop 38 and arriving at the cancelling-disc in the wrong time relation. Pivoted between the sides of the arm 38 is a shoe 33, Fig. 12, which is spring-pressed inwardly and se:rves to detach any letters tending to cling to the stop. The arm 50 is mounted on a pivot pin 51 provided with a lateral arm 52, Fig. 5, in the path of diametrically opposed pins on a disc coaxial with the roller 4. One pin is longer than the other and the pivot pin 51 is adapted to be held in either of two vertical positions whereby it may be oscillated either once or twice per revolution of the cancelling-disc to actuate the stop 38 correspondingly. Fig. 20 shows alternative timing-stop mechanism wherein the shoes 23, 24 are replaced by contact pieces 241 carried in spring-pressed holders 243 pivoted to plates 247 adjustably fixed by screws 255 to a supporting frame 240. The arm 50 is replaced by an arm 265 engaging a slot in a cam-block 263 pivoted at 264 and spring- pressed in a clockwise direction. The cam 263 normally presses a bar 261 on a spring arm 262 through an aperture in an integral arm 259 extending from the frame 240, the bar forming a stop for the advancing letters and being periodically released owing to the. oscillation of the arm 265 by the pin 51 as before. The counterclockwise swing of the cam 263 presses a spring 273 against pivotal arms 272 extending from the frame 240, rollers 270 carried by arms integral with the arms 272 being thereby pressed against the rollers 17, 18 to assist in feeding the letters. The rollers 17 and 18 are driven faster than the other feed-rollers and the disc 4 to avoid retardation in the feed of the letters, and, when the timing-stop is made inoperative, to provide for feeding letters in overlapping relationship to the disc, the whole periphery of which is then adapted for printing. The feed roller 121 is mounted on an arm 124, Fig. 5, pivoted at 126 and is pressed against the roller 122 by a spring-pressed crank lever extending at right-angles, the pressure being regulated by a stop 130. The roller 171 is similarly arranged. Scoring and abrading roller. The lower half of the feed-roller 122, Fig. 5, is replaced by a roller provided with cutting-discs or with a serrated or scalloped periphery and driven faster than the upper half whereby any film on the stamp is removed and ink is allowed to penetrate. Cancelling and impression rollers. The roller 4, Fig. 5, is provided with diametrically opposite dies for printing the time and date, a removable die such as D for " dropped " and removable plates for printing the usual lines and advertising matter. Coacting with the roller 4 is an impression roller 135 mounted in a slidable bearing 154 on the upper end of a shaft 150 which is pivoted on a horizontal pin carried by the upper end of a footstep bearing. A spring 157 presses the bearing 154 towards the roller 4, a screw 156 and nuts 158, 159 being provided for withdrawing the bearing. The roller 4 is connected to its driving-shaft by a toothed coupling and is redeasably held in position by a lever 186, the inner end of which engages in a groove in the shaft; it is also enclosed in a casing provided with slots through which the various operating-levers protrude. Inking-apparatus. The cancelling-dies are inked by apparatus enclosed in a casing 70, Fig. 5. An inking-roller 80 mounted on one end of a bell-crank 79 is normally pressed by a spring 81 into contact with both the cancelling-roller 4 and a distributing-roller 83. The roller 83 receives ink from a pad 106 on an arm 107 fixed to a slowly oscillating shaft 108 whereby the pad periodically dips into an ink supply in the lower part of the casing 70. The shaft 108 is turned in one direction by a vertically reciprocating rack and in the other by a spring 119. An arm 66 pivoted at 75 and encircling the pivot 76 of the lever 79 rests on an eccentric part of the shaft 108 so that the contacting portion of the roller 80 is constantly changed. A lever 85, one end of which engages the pivot of the roller 80, is mounted on a pivot 89 under the action of a spring 92 and carries a roller 90. The pin 89 is normally retained in a lower position by a spring 87 but is adapted to be raised by turning a pivoted lever 98 the inner bevelled end of which engages a corresponding bevel on the pin 89. In the lower position, cams 100, 101 both strike the roller 90 and allow the roller 80 to ink both cancelling-dies, and in the higher position, the cam 100 being twice as deep as the cam 101, the latter alone operates and one die only is inked. Further, by manipulating a cam lever 95, the roller 80 may ink the whole of the periphery of the disc 4. Driving-gear. The parts are driven by gearing enclosed between the platform 1, Fig. 1, and a lower platform 2.