Patent GB-608020-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in means for operating numbering heads associated with printing machines
IPC: B41F13/00
Filed: 1946-02-15
Abstract: 608,020. Number-printing apparatus. HALLEY & SONS, Ltd., J., and HALLEY, A. M. Feb. 15, 1946, No. 4757. [Class 100(ii)] Means for operating numbering heads associated with printing machines and for automatically disassociating the progression mechanism from the numbering heads in the event of misfeeding of a sheet comprises a series of pivotally mounted switch arms each embodying a cam track, the arms being mounted on spindles disposed equidistant from the axis of a carrier disc forming a mounting for the numbering heads, the setting of each arm being determined by an associated rotary member actuated by a lever mounted on the shaft of the carrier disc. Numbering heads a, Figs. 2 and 3, are mounted on a carrier disc b mounted on a shaft c, Figs. 1, 2 and 3, rotatable in bearings in the machine frame d. Each head a has a roller e<1> carried on an arm e whose oscillation causes the number to be advanced, and the oscillation is caused by the engagement of the roller e<1> with a cam track g' in a switch arm g on rotation of the disc b. During a revolution of the disc, more than one switch arm may be placed in the path of the roller if skip numbering is required. Each arm g is mounted on parallel rods h, h' journalled in the frame d, the holes therein through which the rod h<1> passes being large enough to allow slight lateral movement of the shaft h<1>, whereby the shaft h can be partially rotated to bring the track g' into or out of the path of the roller e<1>. At one end of each pair of rods h, h<1> is fixed a spring- loaded arm k having near its free end a spindle l<2> carrying at one end a star wheel l and at the other a cam block l<1> having two opposite flat faces, the block l<1> being urged by a spring n against one of the teeth m' of an annular disc m secured to the frame d. The arrangement is such that on successive rotations of the star wheel l through 90 degrees, the switch arm is moved into operative and inoperative position alternately. The star wheel is rotated when desired by a pin o carried on a crank p rotating with the shaft c, the pin o being normally in an inoperative position, Fig. 3. A lever q carrying a roller q' is moved to its uppermost position when a sheet is missing in the feed and returns to its lowermost position when the sheet is correctly fed. When the lever q moves up or down it acts on a lever r pivoted at r<2> and moves it into the position shown in interrupted lines, where it is retained by the toothed end of a trigger lever s, and in which position an inclined plane r<1> thereon acts on the rotation of the crank p to move the pin o into its operative position to engage the star wheel l, whereby the position of the switch arm g is changed. On further rotation of the crank p a pin t thereon engages a tongue s<1> on the lever s and rotates the lever s about the pivot s<2>, against the action of a spring v so as to release the lever r, which returns under the action of the spring r<3> to its inoperative position. When the toothed end of the lever s rests on the end of the lever r in its inoperative position, the tongue s' is inside the track of the pin t and does not engage it. On each revolution of the crank p the pin o is returned to its inoperative position by a fixed inclined plate u. The lever q, while moving the switch arms g to inoperative position, may part the impression printing contact between the numbering heads and the cylinder on which they print, or by a ratchet and cam mechanism may leave the impression contact operative.