Patent GB-667775-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to autographic registers
IPC: B41L5/14
Filed: 1949-03-07
Abstract: 667,775. Time and date printing apparatus. DEGEN, A. A. C. March 2, 1950 [March 7, 1949], No. 6132/49. Class 100 (ii). [Also in Groups XV and XIX] In an autographic register a printing member is automatically operated, by movement of the feed lever 17 to print the time, date, number &c. on the forms each time they are advanced is characterised by the printing member 24 being mounted and spring-biassed to move downwardly towards the paper webs to effect the printing, but being .normally held inoperative against the bias force by a mechanism which is released in consequence of a feed movement of the feed lever at a predetermined point in its travel. The paper webs are fed by the lever 17 being pulled from the position 17a to 17b. The spring 18 returns the lever to its normal position 17a after operation. The feed discs 10 are rotated by means of a toothed quadrant 19 and pinion 20. The cutaway portion 21 of the pinion 20 in which the arc of the quadrant fits serves to lock the feed discs together during the return stroke of the feed lever. A non-return pawl 22 prevents any reversal of the feeding lever 17 during the operating stroke. The printing member 24 is pivoted to a rod 25 carried by a stirrup 26 fixed to a shaft 27. Springs 29 tend to pull the stirrup 26 downwards to print, but this is normally prevented by link 30 engaging an arm 28 fixed to the shaft 27. When the feeding lever 17 has reached the position 17c, i.e. when the forms which have been written on have been fed under the top cover 14, the link 30 is caused to move downwardly to release the arm 28. This is effected by mechanism comprising a flanged disc 31 on the lever 17 carrying a pin 32 which engages in a slot 33 in a sliding member 34 supported on two locating collars 36 fixed to the casing of the machine. The link 30 abuts against the member 34 which has a step 35. As the lever 17 is operated the pin 32 draws the member 34 to the left until the link 30 drops over the step 35, thus releasing the printing member 24. A second sliding member 38 is connected to the member 34 by means of spring 40 but is held back by a catch 41 until this is released by a lever 43 when the link 30 drops over the step 35. The member 38 is drawn then to the left. A slanting cam edge 39 on the member 38 lifts the link 30 up to its original position thus returning the printing member 24 to its normal position. Thus, once the lever 17 has reached the position 17c the printing operation is entirely automatic. The flanged disc 31 has a radial edge 45 which abuts against a stop pawl 46 when the lever is moved into the position 17c. The pawl 46 by its attachment to arm 100 and pin 47 is forced downward and out of engagement with the edge 45 when the member 38 moves to the left at the same time tensioning the spring 102, and the completion of the stroke of the lever 17 can be effected. When the lever 17 is returned to its original position the pin 32 returns the member 34 and thereafter the arm 100 returns the member 38. The printing member may provide for the printing of the time and date. The minute type wheel is provided with a ratchet 51 operated through a pawl 53, link 52 and operating rod 54 by an electromagnetic solenoid connected in the circuit of a master clock and slave system of known type which gives an electric impulse to the solenoid once every minute. The minutes wheels and hour wheel are interconnected by stepped tooth transfer pinions 59. A further solenoid may similarly operate the date wheels. The printing is effected through a length of carbon impregnated ribbon 63 attached by its ends by means of clips or gumming to the frame 64 carried by a stirrup 65 pivoted on rod 25. To ensure that the printing impression takes place on a fresh portion of ribbon and interleaved carbon sheets at each stroke, the printing frame 24 is automatically moved step-by-step laterally to and fro along the rod 25, by means of a slide 70 engaging a member 72 on the frame 24, and moved by an eccentric pin on a ratchet wheel operated by a pawl mounted on the shaft 27 which is oscillated at each printing.