Patent GB-222966-A (GB)
Abstract: 222,966. Haddan, R., (Postage Meters & Machines Co.). July 12, 1923. Franking-machines.-In a machine for printing values to any amount on letters or the like, or on a strip of gummed tape, a value-setting lever 14, Figs. 1 and 3, is hand-positioned to engage holes 3<a> in a dial plate 3 corresponding to the values 14<e> shown through an aperture in the lever, and a second lever 13 is capable of being moved by hand from its rest position 3<c> to a position alongside the lever 14, but is prevented from returning until after the printing operation. The printing-wheels are shifted by the movement of the lever 13 through the medium of shaft 11, bevel gearing 12, 10, cam 8, and gear wheel 7. These wheels may consist, as shown in Fig. 16, of three wheels 109, 110, 111 having ten radially projecting type-arms on each and operated from corresponding gear wheels meshing with numeral wheels 103, 104, 105 respectively of the counter, these numeral wheels being operated from the gear wheel 7 substantially as described in Specification 222,929. The date-indicating wheels 118 - - 121 are set by means of knobs 118<a> - - 121<a>, the date appearing at a sight opening, corresponding date-printing wheels 114 - - 117 being brought to operative position. A shaft 23, Fig. 3, which operates the printing-stamp carries a cam 38 actuating with a link 37 attached to a sleeve surrounding the shaft 11. The sleeve is thereby moved upwardly to withdraw a spring- pressed catch from engagement with a stop 13<a> on the lever 13 allowing the lever to be returned to its zero position and with it the numeral-printing wheels. The bevel gear 10 and cam 8 are mounted on a shaft 6, the cam 8 being moved in one direction through the medium of the lever 13 and being automatically returned by the shaft 23, cam 22, segmental gear 20, Fig. 9, and a gear 9 on the shaft 6. The gear wheel 7 which sets the printing and counting wheels is locked, when the lever 13 is not at some significant figure on the dial, by means of a pin 212 operated by a depression in the face of the cam 8, which depression is engaged by a spring-pressed pivoted lever 40 carrying the pin. A lost-motion connection exists between the cam 8 and gear wiheel 7, the cam being provided with an arc-shaped slot and the gear wheel with a pin projecting into the slot, the gear wheel being spring-pressed in a direction to move the pin to the end of the slot. At the zero position of the lever 13 the engagement of the pin 212 in a hole in the transmission gear prevents movement of the gear wheel until the lever 13 is moved to operative position. For printing, a pivoted die plate is oscillated by a cam 28 fastened to the shaft 23, the die plate having a slot for registering with the type on the value-printing wheels and a second slot for registering with the type on the date-printing wheels. A platen 29<a> mounted on a lever 29 pivoted on the shaft 27 and preferably provided with a rubber face, is moved bv the shaft 23 through a cam 34 and linkage 32, 31, 30. The platen may be adjusted by worm gearing 46<a> and an eccentric mounting of the link 31. To the platen is attached a metal guide 406 for holding the gummed tape during printing, feeding, and cutting. Gummed tap is fed from a reei between rollers and is preferably guided by plates one of which is fastened to the shelf 407. The plates form part of a detecting and locking mechanism if the strip is broken or exhausted. The strip is fed forward by rolls operated by a rack bar 425 pressed against a cam on the shaft 23 by a spring 425
 of sufficient strength to operate the rolls and rapidly feed the strip. Upon turning the shaft 23 the platen 29<a> makes an imprint on the strip and is then moved downwards, whereupon the printed portion is moved out from its position beneath the die and after a short dwell period the tape is forced down over a cutter 408, the severed stamp then falling on an inclined shelf. The meter is detachable but is non- Interchangeable, a key-operated lock forming part of the machine. The meter is locked in place by a bolt 229 which when lowered to release the meter raises by rack 229<a> and sector 228 the locking-bar 225. The meter is driven bv the return movement of gear wheel 7 as the lever 13 is moved to zero on the dial, a braking-device being employed to prevent overrunning. A catch 214 pivoted at 215 is provided with a tooth 214<a> to engage one of the spaces between the teeth of a gear wheel which forms part of the gearing communicating motion from the wheel 7 to a shaft in the meter. A brake-shoe 217<a> engages a drum 203 forming part of ratchet-mechanism driving the meter shaft, and prevents shock. The brake-shoe is operated from the gear wheel 7 by means of a stud 220, lever 219, spring 217
 and lever 217. Specification 170,058 also is referred to. Inking-apparatus.-A fountain with a removable cover for filling supplies ink to a distributing-roller 300 by means of a wick, and a detachable inking-roller 301 in its retracted position contacts with the roller 300. The inking-roller is carried by pivoted arms 303 and is oscillated across the face of the die by means of a cam 306, roller 305<a>, and links 305, 304. The link 304 carries a U-shaped member for operating the arms 303 and also arms 302 which engage a roller on a gear sector 307. The sector operates a pinion on a shaft 310 carrying a ratchet wheel to intermittently drive the ink-distributing roller, a detent preventing rotation in the opposite direction. The arms 302 are capable of slight movement after the inking-roller 301 is moved against the roller 300 so that the sector 307 turns the roller 300 slightly to distribute its ink over the roller 301. Tripping-arrangements.-A trip finger normally rests on the strip but when the strip is exhausted it falls into holes in the guides and rocks a shaft 412 to operate an arm 413, Fig. 39, and lower a bar 225 which drops between the casing 4b and one of the collars 212<a> on the locking-pin 212. If the pin is in its out position the machine would lock at the end of the operation.