Patent GB-889669-A (GB)
Abstract: 889,669. Postal franking machines. SOC. POUR L'AFFRANCHISSEMENT ET LE TIMBRAGE AUTOMATIQUES. June 29, 1959 [Sept. 25 1958] No. 21965/59. Classes 100(2) and 100(4) A postal franking machine comprises a register unit and a rotary head having printing rollers and value-selecting devices accommodated therein, each printing roller being disposed on an axis parallel with the axis of the value-selecting devices and with the axis of the rotary head and being permanently connected with the corresponding value-selecting device by means of a train of pinions. General arrangement. The rotary head 5, Figs. 1 and 19, carrying adjustable type wheels 10 1 , 10 2  10 3 , a dating device 34 and an advertisement stamp 33, is mounted on a shaft 4<SP>1</SP> which is driven through gearing by a hand-crank 1. The value to be printed is first set by means of levers 38 1  projecting through slots in the machine casing. A document is then placed on a tray 40 beneath the head 5 and the handle 1 is rotated to effect an impression and to advance the wheels 14 1 , 14 2 , 14 3  of a register unit showing the total amount of the values printed. After the impression the document is automatically ejected from the tray 40. Selective printing. Three plates 12 1 , 12 2 , 12 3  are non-rotatably secured to the shaft 4 1 , one of such plates being indicated at 12 in Figs. 7, 8. Each plate has a series of radial grooves 12 5  in which teeth 41 having lateral projections 41 1  are slidable, and a radial bore 12 8  for a spring- pressed pin. Each plate also has an eccentric, longitudinal bore 12 4 . The levers 38 1  are integral with annuli 38 formed with cam slots 38 4 , Figs. 7, 10, and which are each rigidly secured to an internally and externally toothed annulus 7 1 , 7 2  or 7 3 , one of such annuli being indicated at 7 in Fig. 7. A washer 43 is interposed between the parts 38, 7. The cam slots 38 4  engage the projections 41 1  of the teeth 41 mounted in the plates 12j, 12 2 , 12 3  respectively and the spring-pressed pins in the radial bores 12 8  engage serrations 38 2  in the annuli 38. Concentric tubes 8 1 , 8 2 , 8 3  carrying pinions 8 1a , 8 2a , 8 3a  respectively at their right-hand ends, Figs. 1, 19, are engaged in the bores 12 4  of the plates 12 1 , 12 2 , 12 3 , the pinions engaging the inner teeth 7a of the annuli 7 1 , 7 2 , 7 3  respectively. At their other ends the tubes 8 1 , 8 2 , 8 3  carry pinions 8 1 b, 8 2 b, 8 3 b which mate with pinions 9 1a , 9 2a , 9 3 a carried by a further set of concentric tubes 9 1 , 9 2 , 9 3  arranged about the shaft 4 1 . Pinions 9 1 b, 9 2b , 9 3b  also carried by the further set of tubes engage pinions secured to the type wheels 10 1 , 10 2 , 10 3 . Movement of the levers 38, to positions on scales located near the slots in the machine casing causes a corresponding movement of the type wheels through the trains of pinions described above. A pivoted member 44, controlled by cam means (not shown), engages the teeth of the pinions 9 1b , 9 2b , 9 3b  when the head 5 is being rotated, so as to lock the type wheels in their selected positions. When the head is at rest the member 44 is disengaged from the pinions. The external teeth 7b of the annuli 7 1 , 7 2 , 7 3  drive the wheels 6 1 , 6 2 , 6 3  of a device which indicates to the operator the value set on the type wheels. Location of the levers 38 1  against values shown on the scales is assisted by the spring-pressed pins in the bores 12 8 . As the annuli 38 move in relation to the plates 12 1 , 12 2 , 12 3  a number of teeth 41 are either projected beyond or retracted within the circumference of the plates owing to the action of the cam slot 38 4 , the number of teeth remaining projected from any one plate being related to the value shown on the corresponding type wheel. When the head 5 is rotated to make an impression the teeth 41 drive pinions which advance the wheels 14 1 , 14 2 , 14 3  of the register unit. The slots in the casing are long enough to allow rotation of the levers 38 1  with the head 5. The printing rollers of the dating device 34 may be advanced by means of a stylet. The advertisement block 33 is carried by a bracket 46 radially slidably mounted on the end face of the printing head 5. The block 33 may be moved into a non-printing position by cam means (not shown) controlled by a member 39, Fig. 2. Driving arrangements. The hand crank 1 is mounted on a shaft 1 1 , Fig. 4, which also carries a cam 20 and a disc 32 having a cut away part forming a stop 32 1 . When there is no document on the tray 40 the crank is prevented from rotation beyond the angle a by the engagement of a latch 28 1  with the stop 32 1 . A lever 21 carries a follower which engages the cam 20 and is pivotally connected to a lever 22 which is pivoted at 27 and carries a feeler 23 1 . The lever 21 is also connected to the latch 28 1  by a link 29, the latch being pivoted at 36. The parts are biased towards the positions shown by springs 25, 30. When there is no document on the tray 40 rotation of the cam 20 causes the feeler 23 1  to enter a hole 40 1  in the tray, but when a document prevents such entry rotation of the cam causes pivoting of the latch 28 1  so that the crank 1 is freed for rotation. Registering, impression and ejection arrangements. A document is fed on to the tray 40 from the right, Figs. 2, 18, and its leading edge passes between the head 5 and a three-part impression roller 62, which is spaced from the head, until it abuts against a pivoted stop 57. The impression roller is carried by pivoted levers 55. The stop 57 and levers 55 are controlled by cams 61, 59 respectively on a camshaft 60 in such a way that when the type wheels on the head 5 approach printing position during the rotation of the head the stop 57 is depressed out of the path of the document and the roller 62 is moved upwards to press the document against the type, whereby the document is printed and fed up to an end stop (not shown). Thereafter a cam 54 mounted on the shaft 4 1  actuates an ejector 52 which pushes the document sideways off the tray 40.