Patent GB-640231-A (GB)
Abstract: 640,231. Ticket-issuing machines. BELL PUNCH CO., Ltd. Aug. 27, 1946, No. 25578. Convention date, Dec. 13, 1945. [Class 106 (iii)] [Also in Group XVI] An improved ticket-issuing machine is described of the type comprising means for accommodating a continuous strip, means for feeding the strip through the machine, means for printing desired matters upon the leading end of the strip, and means for issuing the leading end from the machine and severing it from the remainder of the strip. The machine, which prints railway and like tickets, comprises a rotary drum 22, Fig. 6, carrying type elements 24 selectable to print tickets of (say) fifty different types. In addition, separate printing elements 298, Fig. 24, can be inserted for printing tickets not provided for on the drum 22. Normally, selection of the required type is made by rotating a handle 12 to bring a pointer 18 opposite the name of the destination station. Upon depression of the handle 12, a depending portion 14 enters between two teeth of a fixed member 13 to ensure correct positioning, and the end 32 lifts a rod 34, sliding in the hollow shaft 2 which carries the type drum 22, and, through a collar 36 and linkage 38, 42, rocks a lever 46, Fig. 8, clockwise. A pin 86 on the lever 46 , depresses a contact 88, Fig. 5, and closes the circuit of a driving motor 84 which, through a worm 80, drives a gear 78 and pinion 74 on a shaft 76. The clockwise movement of lever 46, Fig. 8, also moves an arm 56 clear of a lever 60, allowing counter-clockwise movement of the latter which removes a step 64 from support of a pin 66 on a gear segment 68 pivoted at 70 to a mutilated gear 72. Thus the segment drops into engagement with, and the gear 72, together with its shafts 55, is rotated by, the pinion 74. ' Printing. The shaft 55, Fig. 12, carries a cam 164 which actuates spring-pressed slides 170, 172 carrying platens 178, 180, thus pressing portions of the ticket strip and inked ribbon alternately against printing elements 190, 192, Fig. 9, and 24, 194, respectively. The type 190 consists of invariable matter and the type 192 comprises known numbering means. Dating type wheels 194 are settable from outside the machine through a nest of concentric hollow shafts 240 ... 246. Ticket strip. The tickets are stored zigzag fashion in a vertical channel 508, Fig. 4, and led upwards over a support 550, Fig. 9, and then pass round positive feeding means comprising a pin wheel 142, Fig. 12, normally clutched to a shaft 130 by a claw 136 engaging between teeth 134 on the shaft and prevented from disengagement by a pin 152 engaging an arm 146. The arm 154 carrying the pin 152 can be turned counter-clockwise through a shaft 132, thus releasing the clutching means to allow feeding forward of the ticket strip independently of the normal driving means. The shaft 130 is driven through Geneva mechanism 120, 122, 124, Fig. 9, and gears 126, 128, an amount equivalent to one ticket length at a time. At the end of each feeding movement a knife 284 is reciprocated by cam means on shaft 55 and severs the ticket. At the same time, a member 288 is also reciprocated and serves to push the severed ticket laterally through a gate 294 on to a platform 286 where several successively-printed tickets may be stacked before removal by hand. A warning device, operable when the supply of tickets is getting low, comprises a pivoted finger 510, Fig. 4, gently pressing against the stack of tickets. When the stack falls below this point, the finger swings clockwise and closes the circuit of a bell 526 which then rings as each subsequent ticket is issued. Separate printing elements. Supplementing the range of printing elements 24 on the drum 22, a supply of separate printing elements 298, Fig. 24, may be stored in racks to provide for printing of tickets to lesser-used stations. Before an element can be inserted, the drum 22, Fig. 21, must be rotated to a predetermined position whereupon a roller 372 on an arm 364 pivoted at 366 falls into a notch 30 in a member 28 fixed to the drum. The downward movement of the arm 364 uncovers a slot 308 for receiving the element 298 which, while remaining in the slot, prevents upward movement of the arm 364 and so locks the drum 22 in position. After insertion, the printing element 298 must be slid to one side (to the right in Fig. 24) for printing on the ticket. This can be done directly by hand or indirectly by depressing the normal handle 12 which rocks the lever 46 clockwise, as before, and through a linkage 326, 322, 318, Fig. 13, reverses a toggle 330, 312, so that a pin 310 on the upper end of lever 312 which is located in a notch 300 in the printing element, engages and moves the latter to its printing position. Record strip. Besides printing the necessary information on a ticket, the separate printing elements 298 carry additional type for printing a record on a paper strip, utilizing carbon paper for reproduction. The feeding of this strip operates only when separate printing elements are being employed, and is controlled by a bell-crank lever 384, Fig. 13, having a bent-over lug at its upper end located in the notch 300 of the printing element, so that movement of the element to the printing position rocks the bell-crank lever, and a pin 392 on its other arm lifts a bar 394, Fig. 25, together with a bar 398 whose upper, pointed end co-operates with a ratchet wheel 406 integral with the feeding roller for the record strip. To prevent operation when the record strip is exhausted, a pin 427 on a, lever 425 presses on the strip between two rollers 429 and, if the end of the strip runs through, the lever 425 falls to the left so that its hooked end 425 engages with a bar 396 and locks the mechanism. Ticket counters. Each type of ticket selectable by the pointer 18, Fig. 6, is allocated a separate counter 492. There is also one counter for all the tickets printed by the separate printing elements, and a " total " counter. The counters 492 are linked to a series of vertical slides 472 arranged in a semicircle in a fixed member 478 and are normally retained against vertical movement by the engagement of the edge of a disc 442 in a slot in each slide. The disc 442 is rotated at half the speed of the drum 22 through gears 436, 438 and rotating with it is a twospoked, vertically slidable member 448 whose two ends 486 fit in diametrically opposed notches in the disc 442 so that, when the pointer 18 is in register with a selected ticket indication, one of the ends 486 lies in the slot of the corresponding slide 472. When a ticket is issued, an eccentric 462, Fig. 5, rotating with the shaft 55, operates through a linkage 460, 458, Fig. 6, 456 to lift a sleeve 446 integral with the member 448, bringing with it the slide 472 with which the toe 486 is engaged. Thus, the corresponding counter 392 is stepped on by one unit. Another linkage connected with the sleeve 446 operates the " total " counter. When the pointer 18 is brought to the position for employing the separate printing elements, the toe 486 cooperates with a slide connected to the counter for all tickets printed in this way. Locking devices. The sloping front cover of the machine is hinged along the bottom edge and locked at the top by a latch which engages with a lug 555, Fig. 4, on the rear access door. This door is held shut by a linkage 556, 558 operated by a handle 560 and locked by a device 562. To prevent operation of the machine, a key operated cam 114, Fig. 5, is rotated counter-clockwise, rocking a lever 108 and bringing a step 106 into the path of pin 104 on lever 46 (see also Fig. 8), thus preventing closure of the motor circuit. Moreover, each machine operator is provided with a key which must be inserted in a slot 258, Fig. 5, before the machine can be operated. The slot may be covered by a slide which may be held closed by a padlock. The operator's key 256, Fig. 13, when inserted, rocks a lever 335 and removes its lower end 331. out of the path of a pin 333 on the linkage from the lever 46, thus releasing the latter for operation. Upon operation of the machine to print a ticket, the lever 46 is lowered and link 318 moves to the right together with a member 315 and pawl 319 which latter is cammed upwards by a slope 323 to engage in a slot 260 in the key 256. This ensures that the key is fully in with its tip 257, which bears type identifying the operator, in a position to print the operator's code on the ticket alongside the date. A lock which operates if the ticket strip runs out-similar to the record strip lock described above-comprises a lever 536, Fig. 8, having a pin 544 bearing on a portion of the ticket strips between rollers 547, 549. In the absence of the strip S, the lever swings counterclockwise and its opposite end 538 engages in a slot 540, Fig. 13, in the linkage 318 &c. connected to lever 46. A lock preventing the operation of the machine when it has been set for operation by an inserted printing element, but no element has been placed in position, is provided by a lever 340, Fig. 13, comprising a separate portion 352 spring-urged against a lug 360 on the lever 340 which, at the opposite end, carries a weight 386 and a pin 342 moving in a slot 346. A button 356 (Fig. 19, not shown), on the drum 22, depresses the portion 352 when the drum is brought to the position for using separate printing elements, and thus the opposite end of lever 340 is urged upwards but, where an element is in position, the lever is prevented from movement by engaging the bottom edge of the latter. If the printing element is absent, however, the pin 342 moves to the upper end of its slot and a step 383 in the lever 340 engages a pin 311, thus preventing movment of the toggle 312, 330, and the linkage 318, &c. To prevent withdrawal of a printing element during a machine operation, a member 374, pivoted at 376, is cammed by a pin 316 when the link 318 moves to the right, projecting