Patent GB-746719-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to endorsing apparatus or the like
IPC: B41K3/62
Filed: 1954-05-13
Abstract: 746,719. Printing; feeding sheets. BELL & HOWELL CO. May 13, 1954 [May 27, 1953], No. 14045/54. Classes 100 (1) and 100 (2). In apparatus for printing on sheets, an electro-magnetic control means is adapted to be operated by each sheet to cause the impression cylinder to be tripped on to the printing - cylinder for printing before a sheet passes between them, and also to cause ink to be supplied to an inking-roller and the latter to be tripped into contact with the printing cylinder prior to the tripping of the impression cylinder. As shown, the printing-apparatus is detachably arranged on an apparatus which photographs sheets or cheques on a microfilm, and the sheets are then printed or endorsed before they are delivered to a hopper 8. Feeding sheets.-Sheets are fed sequentially by a drum 1 and rollers 2, 3 to a pair of feed rollers 4, 5 which feed them through a photographic field 6 to a second pair of rollers 4, 5 which deposit them on endless conveyer belts 12 of a conveyer 7. The conveyer, feed rollers 4, and drum 1 are all geared together. Counting-apparatus.-Sheets fed about the drum 1 displace a finger 175, Fig. 1, to rock a shaft 174 which closes a double contact switch 182, one contact completing the circuit of a sheet-counter solenoid 193 (not shown) which controls an armature connected to a counter. The other contact is associated with means for controlling the tripping of the inking-roller and supplying ink thereto. Rotary machines.-A frame 18, in which all the printing-apparatus with the exception of an ink reservoir is mounted, is detachably secured by screws 19 and clamps 20 to the frame 17 of the microfilm recorder, and this apparatus is driven from the lower conveyer shaft 10 through a disengageable drive connection. Inking, printing, and impression rollers 24, 25 and 26, respectively, are arranged in a vertical plane, the bight between the printing and impression rollers being arranged adjacent the conveyer shaft 10 so that sheets 27, Fig. 5, are discharged thereto by the conveyer. The printing-roller 25 is readily removed since it is supported by two spaced coaxial shafts 31, 32 having slotted inner ends which engage studs 51, Fig. 4, within axial bores in the ends of the roller. The shaft 31 is supported in a bearing 28 and has a gear 157 thereon which meshes with a gear 156 on the shaft 10, and the shaft 32 is slidably mounted in a bearing 29 and urged inwardly thereof by a spring 36. The im. pression roller 26, which is also readily remov. able, is arranged in bearings so that it can be tripped, as described below, and is driven by gears 63, 64 from the shaft 31, a stub shaft 59, and a shaft 61 having universal joint drive connections with the shaft 59 and the roller 26. Tripping &c. arrangements.-The shaft 54 of  the impression roller 26 is mounted in detach. able bearings 55, Figs. 4 and 5, in a carrier 52 which is urged upwardly by springs 57 to pivot about a fixed axis 53 so that the roller 26 contacts the printing-roller 25. The impression roller 26 is tripped away from the roller 25 when an electromagnet 136 is excited, the armature 137 of which is connected to an arm 141 (not shown) secured to the carrier 52. A latch device, associated with a further electromagnet 144, nullifies the action of the electromagnet 136 and keeps the rollers 25, 26 separated when sheets are fed but the printing-apparatus is not being used. The electromagnet 136 is excited when a sheet 27 passes between a roller 42, secured on the shaft 32 of the printing-roller 25, and a roller 168, carried by a support 163 on which a double-throw microswitch 169 is secured. The sheet passes between the rollers 42, 168 a short distance in advance of the printing location between the printing and impression rollers, and displaces the roller 168 to reverse the switch 169 which returns to normal when the sheet leaves the rollers 42, 168. Inking-apparatus.-The inking-roller 24, Figs. 4, 5, and 9, comprises a non-rotatable shaft 71 on which are clamped, between end plates 75, a number of felt &c. discs 72, 73 adapted to rotate about the shaft by frictional contact with the printing-roller 25. The discs 73 are separated from the shaft by felt &c. tubular member 74, and ink is supplied to this member, through a radial slot 105 and a central bore 104 in the shaft 71, from a tube 116 connected to an ink reservoir through a valve 113 formed on an armature 112 of an electromagnet 106. This valve is lifted against gravity when the solenoid 111 of the electromagnet is energized to allow ink to flow to the roller 24. The solenoid is energized when a sheet 27 passing about the drum 1, Fig. 1, displaces the finger 175 to close the double contact switch 182, assuming that the main switch (201, Fig. 12, not shown) of the printing-apparatus is in the appropriate position for printing. The switch 182 also energizes a further solenoid 101, Fig. 4, which trips the inking- roller 24 into contact with the printing-roller 25 against the action of a spring 98. A nut 82 confines the inking-roller on the shaft 71 against a collar 77, and clamps one end of a U-shaped bearing bracket 79 on the shaft, the other end 89 of the bracket having a conical bore therein eccentric to the axis of the roller 24. At the other end of the shaft 71 a stud 84, secured in a bore of the shaft by a set-screw 86 and compressing a spring 88 within the bore, has an eccentric recess therein. The eccentric recesses are engaged by conical members on bearings 67 engaged in vertical slots 66, the bearings being adjustable therein by screws 94 and compression springs 97. An extension 103 of an armature 102 of the solenoid 101 bears against an arm 99 on the bracket 79, so that when the solenoid is energized, as described above, the shaft 71 is pivoted about its eccentric bearings to bring the inking-roller 24 into contact with the printing-roller 25. Printing-surfaces.-The printing-roller 25, Figs. 4 and 11, has type-high peripheral end flanges 117, and has a diametrical slot 118 extending almost the length of the roller to accommodate several belts 127 of rubber &c. having type characters 128 thereon which form changeable dating and numbering devices. The belts are each mounted on spaced rotatable shafts 125, 126 having teeth 131 engaging teeth 132 on the inner surfaces of the belts. Releasable spring detent devices 133 engage the teeth 131 to maintain the belts in selected positions. Two printing-plates 134 provided with identical type are secured on the roller.