Patent GB-567374-A (GB)
Abstract: 567,374. Ticket-issuing machines. BELL PUNCH CO., Ltd. March 30, 1943, No. 5089. Convention date, Nov. 14, 1942. [Class 106 (iii)] The machine comprises ticket strip guiding and feeding means, means for severing the strip including a spring to effect the severing operation, actuating means having a forward and reverse stroke during a cycle of operation, and connections between the several means such that during the operation of the actuating means in its forward stroke, the said spring is first stressed, the feeding means is then operative to feed the ticket strip and near the end of the forward movement the severing means operates to sever the ticket strip. Means are also provided to predetermine the number of tickets issued, and a locking means prevents movement of the feeding means during the severing operation. The machine is entirely hand-operated and may comprise a number of units side-byside, each unit being capable of issuing one to five tickets at each operation according to whether the actuating lever 64 is operated alone or in conjunction with one of four keys 4. Issue of a single ticket.-Lever 64 is depressed, the initial movement, through a roller 60 engaging in a slot 80, rocking a lever 76 clockwise to rock a lever 84 counter-clockwise, whereby a spring 90, connecting the lever 84 and a pin 94 detained by a hook 116, is compressed. Subsequent movement of the lever 64, through a second roller 60 engaging in a slot 58, rocks a lever 54 clockwise and through a link 52 drives a rack 42 rearwards. The rack is maintained in mesh with a pinion 110 by a lever 100 held in clockwise position by the pin 94. A gear 134 solid with the pinion 110 drives a ticket-feeding assembly 138 comprising a pin-wheel 146 which engages holes in the ticket-strip which is fed through a guide 159, under a lever 157 and past knives 126, 124. A fine adjustment of the pin-wheel relative to the gears is provided by cam and radial slot means at 147. The pin-wheel assembly also drives through gearing the shaft 160 of a counter 162. The ticket-feed ceases when a pawl 48 on the rack engages the first of five steps 38 on a lever 32, which, through a pivot pin 30, rocks a lever 31 to give a slight movement to a link 112 which rocks a lever 114 counter-clockwise. An ear 118 engages behind one of five ears 142 on the pin-wheel assembly and the hook 116 releases the pin 94 so that the spring 90 rocks a lever 120 sharply counterclockwise, first to move an end 132 behind another ear 142 to lock the pin-wheel, and then to snap the knife 124 forwards to sever the strip. The lever 64 then returns under spring action, the lever 54 first rocking counterclockwise to return the rack 42, which is cammed downwards by the teeth of the locked pinion 110 to depress the lever 100, now free of the pin 94. The rack returns levers 32, 31 and 114 to original positions. Lever 76 returns during the last part of the return movement of the lever 64, to return the lever 84. The pin 94 cams the lever 100 clockwise to reengage the rack 42 with the pinion 110 at the same time as lever 120 returns to free the ear 132 from the ear 142, and restore the knife 124. Issue of several tickets.-To issue more than one ticket, one of four keys 4 is depressed according to the number of tickets required. A pin 14 on the key stem co-operates with a key-locking slide 20 and rocks the lever 32 differentially, whereby the rack 42 in its subsequent movement at the actuation of the lever 64 is arrested by the second to fifth step 38 of the lever 32. The pin-wheel and counter are accordingly given two to five steps, after which the ticket is severed as before. In its first rocking movement, lever 31 pulls the slide 20 to release the depressed key. The machine may be locked by rocking a lever 166 counter-clockwise, when a cam surface 168 engage a pin 170 on the lever 31.