Patent GB-174313-A (GB)
Abstract: 174,313. Bowman, S., (Assignee of Helsel, R. H.). Jan. 21, 1921, [Convention date]. Tickets, issuing and cutting-off. - Relates to machines for issuing any selected number of tickets of any required denomination, having separate ticket feed drums for the different classes of tickets and a group of keys associated with each drum for determining the number of tickets to be issued. The invention comprises means common to all the feed drums for controlling the number of tickets issued according to the number of the key depressed irrespective of the group to which the key belongs, for which purpose the feed drums may be clutched separately to a common shaft, rotated from a driving-shaft to an extent corresponding with the number of the key depressed, each clutch being controlled from any key in its associated group. The machine described is provided with three groups of keys A, B, C, Fig. 5, and three feed drums E having radial pins e engaging holes in the ticket strips T, which may be continuous rolls or folded strips. Sliding clutch members 2 on the common shaft F of the drums are engaged by pivoted arms 3 adapted to bs moved to close the clutches by horizontal slides 8 connected to arms 9, Fig. 4, extending from pivoted plates 10, each plate 10 being depressible by any key of its group. The key stems carry plates 16 embracing arms 18 on rock shafts S<1> - - S<5>, these rock shafts being common to all the groups of keys. On each rock-shaft at one end is an arm 19, Fig. 1, connected to a rack 2@9 gearing with a sector 21, which, when a key is depressed, is moved to release a pivoted stop arm 24. A gear wheel 30 driven from an electric motor M is provided with a crank-pin 29 engaging a slotted connecting-rod 28 pivoted at its upper end to a sector 31 gearing through pinions 35, 36 with the drum shaft F. The connecting- rod is provided with a series of lugs 27' - - 27 adapted to engage in notches in the ends of the stop arms in the released position of the latter, whereby the stop arms serve as fulcra to produce a variable throw of the sector 31 and a corresponding variable movement of the drum shaft F. The tails 22 of all the sectors 21 engage a projection 46 on a spring-controlled lever 45, Fig. 3, whereby on the depression of any key a switch blade 41 is moved to close contacts 37, 38 and start the motor. A second switch blade 59 is moved to maintain the circuit closed until the tickets are issued, through the action of a cam 50 on the shaft F and links 53, 54. The link 53 is also connected to a lever 60 having at its end a spring dog 61, which, when the link 53 is raised by the cam 50, projects into the path of the crankpin 29. This lever 60 serves to actuate all the severing knives 74, Figs. 4 and 5, and to restore the key plates 10 and the keys to normal position. The knives are connected to a bar 73 reciprocated by a sector 70, Fig. 1<a>, engaging a rack on a link 68 connected through a lever 64 and link 61<1> with the lever 60. A projection 63 of the lever 60 engages a lever 80 to raise a link 84 and lift a bail member 12 to restore the plates 10 and the keys. The lever 60 is returned to its lowered position by the engagement of the crank-pin 29 with a tail part 64<a> of the lever 64, and the sector 31 is restored by the engagement of the lug 27<5> on the connecting-rod with a fixed stop 79 serving as a fulcrum. To ensure correct stopping of the feeding drum after the issue of the selected number of tickets, a stop-plate 86, Fig. 4, is provided. This plate is moved forward into the path of the pins e on the drum by the action of links 88, 89 connected with a lever 91 having a cam surface 94 shaped to be engaged at the proper time by a pin 95 on an extension 96 of the connecting-rod. A spring pawl 97 prevents reverse movement of the drum, and a latch 99 connected with the clutch lever locks the drum against forward movement when the clutch is open. The first switch blade 41 is opened when the keys are restored by the action of the lever 60, and the second is opened at the completion of the operation by the action of the cam 50, the motor then being cut out.