Patent GB-157584-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to listing machines
IPC: B41K3/08
Filed: 1919-11-03
Abstract: 157,584. Lang, G. H. Nov. 3, 1919. Index type-wheel machines.-Relates to listing- machines for printing upon a printed laundry or other list the number of articles of each description contained in a lot, and of the kind in which type-wheels are set by the repeated actuation of keys, and are simultaneously restored to the zero position when impression has been effected. (1) Type-wheels 4, mounted in a. stationary head 2, are each associated with a setting-key 20 which can be employed for stepping the type wheel either forwards or backwards. The keys are formed with slots 21, Fig 2, engaging rods 22 and co-operate with ratchet-wheels 19 on the typewheels. The keys are normally disengaged, springs 25 holding shoulders 26 on the keys in contact with the underlying rod. To provide room for the finger-pieces 23 of the keys, the keys may be arranged in banks, one rod 22 supporting each bank. The finger-pieces may be provided with labels, e.g. " towels," " shirts," &c., for indicating the articles appropriated to the different typewheels; or, to permit of readily adapting the machine to deal with different printed lists, the labels may consist of slips of paper placed in channel bars 85 which form part of a detachable frame. To step forwards a type-wheel, the finger-piece of the associated key is pressed downwards to cause the nose of key to engage the ratchet-wheel, the movement being limited by the engagement of a shoulder 27 with the overlying rod 22. To step backwards a type-wheel, the finger-piece is pulled outwards and pressed downwards to bring the nose of the key on to the back of the tooth that would normally be engaged; the finger-piece is then raised and pressed inwards. The backward stepping can be employed for correcting erroneous forward settings. The type-wheels are mounted independently on a shaft 3 and are spaced by the teeth 30 of a comb 29 which is secured in a groove in the shaft. (2) For restoring the type-wheels to the zero position, determined by the engagement of projections 33 thereon with a bar 34, the shaft 3 is rotated in the anti-clockwise direction as seen in Figs. 2 by means of a restoring-lever 36, the teeth 30 of the comb 29 being thereby caused to engage internal lugs 32 on the ratchet-wheels. The restoring-lever rocks on a pin 40 on the head 2 and has a pin-and-slot connection 38, Fig. 3, with a segment 39 mounted on the pin 40 and gearing with a pinion 41 on the shaft 3. When the typewheels have been restored, the restoring-lever is again rocked to return the shaft to the normal position. Aligning for impression.-The ratchet-wheels 19 engage spring-urged aligning-dogs 42, Fig. 2, and a rod 45, carried by spring-urged rock arms 46, is provided for holding down the dogs when impression is effected. The rod is, as shown in Fig. 2, normally held out of engagement with the dogs, by means of a stop 49 which engages a pin 50 on one of the, arms 46 and is formed on a sliding rod 51 which is lifted to release the pin when the platen 6 is raised for impression. When the restoring-lever 36 is operated, a nose 55, Fig. 3, thereon engages a pin 53 on one of the rock-arms and returns them and the rod 45 to the normal position. Alarms.-A signal is pivoted for indicating when a complete type-wheel restoring movement has been imparted to the restoring-lever 36. The signal may consist of a bell 67, Fig. 2, having a pivoted hammer 68 operated by a projection on a disc caused by the shaft 3. Platen-impression arrangements; paper-supports.-The platen 6 is secured to a rock-arm 7 and is provided with a member 18 for pressing the number column of the list into contact with the type-wheels. Sheet clamping and guiding arrangements.- The platen 6 is provided with a gauge 9 for engaging the edge of the list. The gauge may be adjustable laterally, securing-screws 11 passing through slots 12 being provided. The list is secured by a spring clamp 13 mounted on a support 14 which is adjustable longitudinally and is secured by screws 15 passing through slots. To permit of the list being set with the printed items in register with the appropriate type-wheels, the list is provided at the bottom edge with a mark which is set beneath the edge of the clamp. Ink-ribbon mechanism.-An ink-ribbon 56, led from a spool 57 to a spool 58 through slotted guides 60, is normally held out of the contact with the type-wheels by means of arms 61 which are pivoted on a rod 62 on the base 1 and are formed with stop-fingers 63 engaging the base. When the platen 6 is raised for impression, the ink-ribbon is moved into contact with the type wheels. A resilient dog 65 having an inclined edge 66 is secured to the segment 89 and co-operates with a ratchet-wheel 64 on the spool 58, the dog being operative during the restoring stroke of the lever 36.