Patent GB-1101060-A (GB)
Title: A printing mechanism for recording information on documents
IPC: G06K1/12
Filed: 1965-03-29
Abstract: 1,101,060. Selective printing; encoding machines. BURROUGHS CORPORATION. 29 March, 1965 [16 April, 1964], No. 13226/65. Heading B6F. Index setting arrangements; variable roller impression arrangements; power-assisted impression arrangements; electromagnetic printing in selected positions.-An index-setting machine for printing of encoded numerical and special characters by means of an electromagnetic ink-ribbon on a series of cheques and in selected positions comprises a plurality of setting levers 61, Fig. 2, attached to setting slides 65, which are guided in frame 87-91 between needle rollers 93, and which on displacement rotate by means of toothed racks 65 associated intermediate wheels 71 to set the corresponding type-wheels 75 at the printing position opposite a travelling impression roller 207, Fig. 7. When all the type wheels are set a motorized key 51, Fig. 5, is depressed, whereby its associated stem 141 and an integral tang 147 releases a pivotal catch 137 enabling a slide 101 to rock a bell-crank 105 through a link 103, which in turn rocks a bell-crank 111 to close a motor switch 113 to drive a main drive shaft 123 through a single revolution clutch comprising a drive plate 125 engaged by a pawl 129, which is released by a bell-crank 131 rocked by a stud 106 on the bell-crank 105. The pawl 129 is pivotally mounted on a cam-plate 127, which near the end of its rotation engages with its high portion a roller 135 to reset the slide 101 and restore the bell-crank 131 so as to place its lug 132 into the path of the pawl 129. Rotation of the drive shaft 123, Fig. 9, through a onerevolution cycle pivots a gear sector 227 through the crank 223 and lever 225, whereby the gear sector 227 drives a pinion 229, associated with a helical worm 215, Fig. 8, the rotation of which displaces the impression roller 207 along the line of characters into travelling contact therewith character-by-character. The impression roller is mounted on a vertical axle 209 supported in a block 213 guided in a channel 212. The block 213 is displaced towards the type-wheels 75 by means of a cam 221 fast with the drive shaft 123 and co-operating with a crank 231 integral with a yoke 211 carrying the block 213. The pressure which the platen exerts on the type-wheels 75 irrespective of the thickness of the cheques is controlled by adjustable studs 241 contacting the face of the cheques. The impression roller does not operate on its return stroke. Card holders; alignment for impression; front and side lays and gauges.-The cheque 165, Fig. 6, is inserted into a card holder 41, Fig. 1, having a window displaying the matter to be printed on the cheque and is provided with an adjustable side gauge 43, and a front gauge comprising a sensing plate 167, which is pivoted about shaft 77 when the cheque is properly inserted in the holder. The cheque is retained in the holder by ball-bearings 183, loosely mounted therein. The cheque-sensing plate 167 has a step 181, which prevents an aligning bail 171 from entering grooves between the type characters on the type-wheels 75. Proper insertion of the cheque pivots the sensing plate 167 about the shaft 77, whereupon a cam 185 on the clutch-driven shaft 123 and co-operating with a cam following lever 187 rocks a pivoted lever 173, resiliently associated with said lever 187, to engage the type character aligning bail 171 with the grooves between the characters. Key interlocks.-Pivoting of the sensing plate 167 also enables a pin 179 on a bail-sensing member 163 to follow a nose 177 of the pivoted lever 173, whereby the bail-sensing member, which is constrained to move in an upward direction by a slot 165 rocks a bell-crank 155 to free a stud 153 on the skin 141 of the motorized key 51 enabling the key to be depressed now that the cheque has been properly inserted in the card-holder 41. Prevention of power repeat action.-To prevent the machine from going through repeated cycles when the authorized key 51, Fig. 5, is held depressed a power repeat prevention latch is included, which comprises a detent plate 201, pivotally mounted on a stud 202, and biased into engagement with an abutment 204 on the motorized key 51 by a spring 203. On continued depression of the key, the slide 101 when restored by the cam-operated bellcrank plate 105 is arrested by an abutment 205 on the detent plate 201 entering a notch 207 in the slide 101. Index resetting mechanism.-Following impression, the type-wheels are reset to their original positions by a handle 39, Fig. 10, which on pivoted displacement actuates a sector plate 287 meshing with a pinion 291 which drives pinions 295 on a shaft 293 and cooperating with two racks 297 which are interconnected with a bar 297 said bar engaging in arcuate recesses in the ends of setting bars 63, Fig. 2, to restore the displaced setting bars and the type-wheels 75 through the intermediate gear-wheels 71. Simultaneously, a cam 285 actuates a camfollower lever 309 to lift the spring fingers 313 out of engagement with the teeth of gears 71. A bail 303 enters notches 301 in the racks 297 to prevent the restoring mechanism to actuate any displaced setting bars 63, which are set, in permanent positions past a blank position 297, to print special characters. Visual indication of characters selected.-The characters selected are visually indicated in windows 31, Fig. 3, by corresponding indicia marked on belts 33 attached to brackets supported on the setting-bar stems 61. Keyboards; keys.-The keyboard 23, Fig. 3, is provided with slots 27 for guidance of the setting-bar stems 61 and the slots are divided transversely by a transverse blank space line 29 separating the resettable numerical characters with permanently settable special characters 26. To prevent accidental displacement of the set keys 25, when set to the special characters, the guides 27 are provided with semicircular openings 28, which receive pins 30 passed through apertures 24 in the keys 25. Type-wheels construction.-The type-wheels 75, Fig. 2, are mounted freely rotatably on the shaft 77 and are spaced from one another by washers 81, co-operating with small ballbearings 85, seated in corresponding indents 85, disposed circumferentially on both axial faces. This arrangement reduces friction between the wheels. Ink-ribbon mechanism.-A magnetic inktransfer web 247, Fig. 7, extending along the whole length of the line is advanced from a supply spool 249 to a take-up spool 255, which is provided with teeth for co-operation with a pawl 257 pivotally mounted on a crank 263, whose cam-follower 261 is driven by the 264. Manual advance of the transfer web is effected on depression of an advance lever 53, which rocks a bell-crank 265, which in turn through a pitman 267, controlling a crank 271, rocks another pawl 273, pivotally mounted on the crank 271. The ink-ribbon mechanism is provided with a transfer web use indicator including a flag 272, which is displayed in the window 55 of the keyboard frame 23, when the supply is depleted. The flag 272 is pivotally mounted on a shaft 274, Fig. 10, and at its distal end is provided with a feeler 276 contacting the unwinding transfer web portion.