Patent GB-538772-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in printing device for coin operated postage machines
IPC: G07F17/26
Filed: 1940-02-29
Abstract: 538,772. Postage-stamping machines. PITNEY-BOWES POSTAGE METER CO. Feb. 29, 1940, No. 3779. Convention date, March 25, 1939. [Class 27] A coin-operated machine for printing postage upon letters &c. effects the marking by passing a roller platen across the back of the letter while the front face thereof is positioned against stationary dies 15, 16, 17. The centre of the indicia die 15 is occupied by one of a plurality of value dies on a rotary disc 17. Two coin slides 12, 13 are shown, and these actuate the disc 17 through a spring-retracted pivoted lever 35, a link 36, and a bell-crank 34 carrying a pawl 31 which engages a ratchet wheel 28 on a spindle 25 geared to the spindle 18 carrying the disc 17. The slides 12, 13 take coins of different values, and have slots, the ends of which move pins 41 on lower slides 39, the pins 41 coming against abutments 45 on the lever 35, and swinging it to a greater extent for the larger value coin in the slide 13. Repeated actuation of these slides may be necessary, but actuation of both simultaneously is prevented by a snap-lever pivoted at 46 and carrying a pin 48 lying in the path of cams 51, 52 on the slides 38, 37. A pin 40 on the other end of the lever is embraced by a projection 54 on the lever 35 to prevent the cam 51 being able to swing the pin 48 out of the way till lever 35, and slide 37, return. A detent 59 for locking the disc 17 against return during its advance engages a series of pins 61 on a disc 55 retracted anti-clockwise by a spring 56 and fixed to the spindle 25. A fixed pin 58 limits the retraction of this disc, which is permitted by the raising of the pawl 59 by a cam lever 66, 67, 68 swung by a link 71 actuated by pin-and-slot 74 from an arm 73 rocked by a pin 72 on the lever 35. A normally closed letter door 75 is permitted to open by a spring 93 when insertion of a coin and actuation of a slide moves the arm 73. A pin 78 on the outer end of this arm moves a slotted link 77 which pushes aside a pivoted lever 76 against the end of which a pin 94 on the door 75 abuts. The lever 76 is re-set at the end of the cycle of operation. The door swings open till the pin 94 strikes a stationary abutment 95 and reveals a compartment having three rigid walls 95, 96, 97 and a wall 98 which is closed, through cam and roller mechanism 102, 104, 105, when the door 75 opens, so as to leave a gap just wide enough to admit a letter of maximum allowable thickness. The letter is pushed in till it strikes an end wall 107 and lies against a supporting wall 106 through openings in which the dies 15, 16, 17 project. Printing is accomplished by two rollers .111 carried by a platen 112 linked at 113 to a bell-crank 115 having a spring retraction through a tie-rod 123. The platen is operated by a link 127 connecting it to a bell-crank 125 swung by curved pitman 133 coupled to a disc 134, fixed to a shaft 135 rotated through bevel gearing 139 by a shaft 141 and an external handle 144. Teeth 145 on the disc 134 co-act with a pawl 146 to ensure that the handle 144 makes its full stroke before it can be returned. The letter when inserted rests on a corrugated platform capable of dropping by a lateral swinging movement to permit the stamped letter to fall into another receptacle. The platform has lugs through which a twisted flat rod passes, and endwise movement is given to the rod to turn the platform into horizontal position by a rocking arm fixed on a shaft 99 turned by the cam 104 bearing on a lever 156 when the door 75 is opened. A spring tends to retract the rod, which, however, is held in place by a latch. In order to ensure that the letter is up against the wall 107, the platform is given a slight rearward motion by a bell-crank rocked by a cam on the shaft 141. The door 75 is closed by linkage &c. connection with the platenoperating link 127, a spring being interposed to prevent injury should the hand be caught by the closing door. The type wheels for the date and time are in the form of toothed wheels in which the teeth bear the insignia on their faces. The teeth of each wheel are engaged by a toothed sector having an index sector allied therewith, and a detent pawl engaging the type wheel teeth is depressed to free the wheels for adjustment by moving a finger slide. The inking may be by ribbon, and during printing the letter may be clamped in position by a foot 218 pressed by a spring 222. A locking device is provided which prevents operation of the handle 144 till the door 75 opens.