Patent GB-529959-A (GB)
Title: Machines for counting stamps
IPC: G06M7/06
Filed: 1939-06-13
Abstract: 529,959. Counting-apparatus. PULLIN & CO., Ltd., R. B., and SLINN, W. H. June 13, 1939, No. 17305. [Class 106 (i)] A machine for counting stamps or other pieces of paper in the form of perforated sheets each containing a fixed number of pieces comprises a series of electrical circuits, each including a relay equal in number to the maximum number of stamps in a row and a mechanism for feeding the stamps to a controlling means for operating the relays. The relays co-operate with ball releasing means which serves to operate a counter to register the result and to return the balls to a supply hopper. The machine described comprises stamp feeding mechanism, controlling and selector mechanism, relay driving mechanism, ball releasing means and ball-counting mechanism with motor drive and electrical circuit arrangements. The feeding means, Figs. 1, 20 and 21, is constituted by endless belts 6, 7 driven by a motor 108, the contiguous runs of the two belts being forced to move in a curved path over a guide plate 10, the engagement being ensured by spring controlled jockey pulleys 11, 12. The sheet of stamps 17 is fed between a roller 19 and a set of narrow rollers 21, Fig. 5, with teeth 28 to cancel or deface the stamps in passing. The number of rollers 21 corresponds to the maximum number of stamps in a row. Arranged adjacent each roller 21 is a pivoted selector finger 30 with a projection 32 to make contact with the roller 19. The finger forms one element of a multiplying lever system comprising a rod 33 and lever arm 34, which are adjustably mounted to vary the transmission ratio. Each arm 34 carries an adjustable abutment stud 36 to co-operate with pairs of contacts 38a, 39a the closure of which results in an electromagnet 59, Fig. 8, being energized. The electromagnet 59 forms part of a drive relay, Figs. 8, 9 and 10, comprising a hollow shaft 45 driven in synchronism with the feeding mechanism and carrying one element of a dog clutch 47 the other element of which is carried on a slidable shaft 48 controlled by a spring 54 within the shaft 45 and the arm 56 of the armature 57 of the electromagnet. When the electromagnet is energized the clutch is operative to drive the shaft 48 which carries a cam 49 to operate spring contacts 61. The shaft 48 makes one revolution in the time it takes a stamp to pass the projection of the selector finger 30. To limit the movement of the shaft 48 to one revolution a radial tongue 62 on a disc 63 co-operates with a slot 64 in the support 65, a definite zero position being ensured by the action of blade springs 64a, 64b on the tongue. Associated with the sets of contacts 38a, 39a and in circuit with the contacts 61 are a set of ball releasing devices, Fig. 11, each comprising an electromagnet 73 with an armature 72 and arm 70 embracing a ball 67. The balls are supported in a shoot supplied from a storage hopper 78, Figs. 13, 15, and each ball is conveyed by the arm 70 to a discharge opening through which it falls to a ball-counting device 92, Figs. 17, 18. The supply hopper comprises a box-like casing with five outlets 79 leading to corresponding ball shoots and a rotatable roller 80 with spring controlled arms or triggers 84 serving to agitate the balls. The balls released from the shoots collect in a hopper 90 and fall into a narrow channel 91 containing a toothed wheel 92 which receives the balls, jamming being prevented by an eccentrically operated plate 99 and by a continuously rotating roller 101 arranged at the entrance of the channel. The wheel 92 is driven through a friction clutch 93 from a continuously driven shaft 94 and the balls are carried past a spring plunger 104 which operates contacts 105 to close the circuit of an electromagnetic counter. The balls are forwarded to a vertical tube 106 which conveys them back to the supply hopper. The electrical circuit arrangement is shown in Fig. 22 ; the contact sets 38a ... 38e are connected in parallel in the circuit of a delay action relay 114 which controls contacts 115, 117 ; the contact sets 39a ... 39e are connected in series with the ball releasing relays R 1  ... R 5  which are connected in parallel to the contacts 61 controlled by the cam 49 of the drive relay 59. When the contact sets are closed by the passage of stamps the relay 114 is de-energized to close contacts 115, 117 to energize relay 59 while the resistance 116 in shunt with the contacts 117 reduces the holding current for the relay 114 to speed up the breaking of the circuit.