Patent GB-190702762-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for Automatically Distributing Telegrams.
Inventor: LEMOINE ALPHONSE
Filed: 1907-03-04
Granted: 1908-06-04
Abstract: 2762. Lemoine, A. March 4. Folding paper; typewriters.-Relates to a machine for preparing telegrams for delivery by messengers, and includes means for stamping various data on the telegrams and their counterfoils and for folding the telegrams. The apparatus is applicable for dealing with documents relating to other statistical data, as, for example, concerning subscribers to the telephone or book-keeping operations. The sheets are introduced beneath a pressure plate 1, Fig. 5, and are supported by relatively-adjustable plates at the corners and by plates 2 hinged at 3. The pressure plate 1 is normally pressed down by a spring 9, and may be raised by a hand-operated sector 10, Fig. 7, on a shaft 4 provided with a retaining-pawl. A frame 266, Fig. 5, reciprocated vertically by crank-disks or fly-wheels 272 on the main driving-shaft 264 and a connecting-rod 265, carries a suction plate 11 which rises to seize the bottom sheet of the pile. and bring it down to the position shown in Fig. 5 to be stamped and have its counterfoil separated. The hinged plates 2 open as the plate 11 rises. The suction devices 12 in the plate 11 consist of india-rubber cones adapted to be closed at the apex by plugs carried by springs 16, the springs being operated upon by bars 14 which are horizontally reciprocated by wedges 21 and a spring 20. In a modification, the suction plate is reciprocated horizontally, the hinged plates 2 being dispensed with, and the suction holes being connected by pipes to an air-exhausting apparatus. Knives 28, Figs. 7 and 10, are carried by shafts 26, 27 ; fingers on the descending suction plate 11 strike tappets on the shafts 26, 27, thereby rocking these shafts and causing the knives to cut off the counterfoil. At this stage the counterfoil is restting on a continually rotating roller 214, Fig. 5, and a finger on the descending suction plate rocks a pressure roller 204 into contact with the counterfoil and roller 214, causing the counterfoil to be fed to rollers 205 and on to a plate 206 hinged at 207, Figs. 7 and 10. The plate 206 is normally held against the upward pressure of a spring, but the descending suction plate allows it to rock upwards and press the counterfoil against printing-wheels 95 &c. which print the time and the messenger's number, or other data, on the counterfoil. On the suction plate rising, the plate 206 rocks downwards and the counterfoil drops into a box. The shaft 27, Fig. 7, also carries a curved blade 49 which makes the first fold in the. sheet by engaging it at one third of its length from its end and pressing it into a box 50. A blade 55 rocking about a pivot 33 then doubles the once folded sheet by pressing it into a a box 37, and smoothing-rollers 39 then feed the sheet to plates 40 which turn about a vertical pivot and fold the sheet at right-angles to the previous folds. A thin plate 42 holds the centre line of the folded sheet stationary while the plates 40 close to bring the ends of the sheets together. The plates 40 are closed by a cam 46 on a shaft 47. A portion of the edge of the sheet is left exposed by the closed plates 40 as shown in Fig. 7 for an adhesive seal or address label to be applied thereto. When the folding-plates 40 again open, the folded sheet falls into a shoot 276, Fig. 5, for delivery to the messenger. The top portion 277 of the shoot is separate and hinged at 278 so that it can rock upwards as the carriage 266 rises. A receptacle 273, provided with compartments for the counterfoils of different categories of telegrams &c., slides upon rails and may be advanced automatically. A disk 126, Figs. 8 and 17, integral with a clutch disk 143, rotates step by step to turn a printing- wheel 127, Fig. 8, which stamps the number of the telegram on the counterfoil. Only the return movement of the clutch disk 143 is transmitted to the disk 145, projections on which reciprocate a pawl 141 to turn a ratchet 147 on the printing- wheel 127. Both the detent 149 and the pawl 141, Fig. 17, are normally out of gear with the ratchetwheel 147. When the clutch disk 143 is moved, its cam 153 releases the lever 159, thus allowing the spring 176 to raise the detent and pawl into gear through the medium of a wire 137 and a rocking piece 138. A spring returns the printing- wheel to zero when the detent 149 releases the ratchetwheel 147. A printing-wheel 95 turned by a handoperated indicating-wheel 96 serves to print the number of the messenger on the counterfoil.