Improvements in Checking or Registering and Indicating Workmen's Time or the like, and in Apparatus employed therein.
Year: 1891

page_text: Improvements in Checking or Registering and Indicating Workmen's
Time or the like, and in Apparatus employed therein.
I JOHN CORNELIUS WILSON of 51 State Street Boston in the State of
Massachusetts one of the United States of America, Manufacturer do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
One part of this invention consists in a novel registering apparatus by which to
imprint a card or ticket to be used as a time card or ticket between an employer
and employees, to indicate the time of the arrival of an employee at the apparatus
located at a particular spot.
Also in a novel method of keeping time as between employer and employee or of
keeping the time and recording the same at which a particular person arrived at or
left a particular spot to perform a duty, or leave record of the visit at the spot.
Also in a novel card delivery case to contain the numbers as marked, tickets or
cards to be taken by the employees and put into the registering apparatus.
It is customary in large factories and other places where a number of people are
employed, to employ a timekeeper whose duty it is to keep the time of arrival of
each operator or clerk.
°
By my invention, a timekeeper is unnecessary, as the employee, through the
machine or apparatus forming part of this invention makes his or her own record
of time.
My novel registering apparatus comprehends a case containing a time stamp, a
card or ticket support, a card or ticket receptacle, and means for actuating the
support to permit the discharge of an imprinted card or ticket into the said
receptacle.
The employee or other person whose time is to be kept will either be presented
with or will take a ticket or card from a card delivery box, the tickets being
numbered in succession, or dated in a manner to designate the time or order of its
reception by the employee, and then the employee will individualise the card or
ticket by putting his or her name or mark thereon, and these individualized cards
or tickets will then be dropped into the slot in the registering apparatus one at a
time, and the time stamp of the apparatus be actuated to imprint each individualized
card, it after having been imprinted dropping into the receptacle forming part of
the registering apparatus.
My invention consists in a time recording apparatus a shell having a chamber
for the reception of a card or ticket, and a throat for the introduction of the card
or ticket into the said chamber, a stamp, a platen, and a supporting plate or arrest-
ing device, situated between the said throat and the said chamber to support the
card or ticket while being imprinted, substantially as will be described.
Also, in a time stamp, guides to receive and direct a card or ticket, and a platen,
combined with a supporting plate or arresting device to support the card or ticket
to be imprinted, substantially as will be described.
Also, in a time stamp, a card supporting or arresting device pivoted with relation
thereto, and a platen, combined with devices intermediate the said platen and the
device carrying the said supporting plate or arrester, whereby the said supporting
plate or arrester is actuated to be withdrawn from the card or ticket, as the platen
is retracted, substantially as will be described.
Also, in the combination with a stamp, a rock-shaft having lugs, and an attached
supporting plate or arresting device, of guides to receive and guide a card or ticket

page_text: to be imprinted, and means to move the said rock-shaft, retract the arresting device,
and cause the said lugs to move to operate, substantially as will be described.
Also, in a time recording apparatus, a receptacle having a locked door, a slot, and
a ticket arresting device between the said slot and the lower part of said receptacle
combined with a platen and a time stamp adapted to both stamp the time on a card
or ticket, and indicate the time visually, substantially as will be described.
In a time indicating and time printing clock mechanism the combination with
each end of the minute shaft of two hour sleeves the said minute shaft and the said
hour sleeves co-operating with and controlling minute and hour printing dies at or
near one of its ends and minute and hour indicating hands at or near its outer end,
substantially as will be described,
Also, in a ticket holder consisting of a case slotted for the delivery of the ticket
singly, and a poster to contact with the end of the ticket to be delivered from the
case to the employee, substantially as will be described.
Also, a method of keeping the time of a person or persons at a certain definite
spot, consisting in taking a card or ticket marked or imprinted to designate the
time or order of its reception; individualizing the said card or ticket by the name
or mark of the recipient and finally imprinting the said individualized card or ticket
to show the time of its deposit or delivery at the definite spot, substantially as will
be described.
Fig. 1, of the drawing represents a registering apparatus embodying my invention,
part of the outer door being broken away.
Fig. 2, is a vertical section in the dotted line
Fig. 1.
Fig. 3, a view of part of the apparatus to the right of the dotted line a, Fig. 2,
chiefly to shew the imprinting face of the time stamp, the ink-ribbon holder carrying
the card-guides, being removed.
Fig. 4, is a detail shewing the ribbon holder and card guide removed.
Fig. 5, a section in the line a³, Fig. 4.
Fig. 6, a detail of the platen and its carrying frame detached.
Fig. 7, shews a ticket holder in vertical section.
Fig. 74, a front elevation thereof.
Fig. 8, shews a card or ticket taken from the holder.
Fig. 9, shews the card or ticket individualized.
Fig. 10, shews the card or ticket stamped with the time of its deposit in the
receptacle.
Fig. 11, a detail enlarged of the main part of the clockwork to the left of the
dotted line (Fig. 2).
Fig. 12, a view of the gears at the rear side of the rearmost pillar plate.
Fig. 12 shews the gear 12 on sleeve 13 separately.
Fig. 12 shews the inner end of the minute shaft and its ratchet finger and
pinion.
Fig. 13, a detail shewing gearing at the front side of the outer pillar plate.
I have omitted from Figs. 11, 12 and 13, the escapement wheels and devices
shewn in Fig. 2, to thus simplify the drawings, the parts omitted being however,
common to all clock movements and not therefore, needing specific description.
The framework constituting the case of the apparatus consists of a back plate A,
a shell A', hinged thereto at A*, and having a door A2 hinged to it at A³, the lower
part of the shell being shaped to constitute a card or ticket receptacle, A.
The shell A', has a mouth piece or throat A' at or near the top for the reception
of the card or ticket, and in the upper part of the shell, is secured an imprinting
mechanism of that form known as a time stamp.
The essential features of this genus of stamp being a dial plate a, see Fig. 3,
having figures corresponding with those of a clock face, a minute shaft a* having a
hand a, and a surrounding tubular hour shaft a having a hand or arrow-head,
a suitable clock motor train actuated by a spring, a, and an ink ribbon a³ carried
by a frame a'.

page_text: This invention is not limited to the exact form of imprinting mechanisin or time
stamp shewn, as instead I might employ any other well known form of imprinting
mechanism or stamp adapted to indicate on the cards or tickets the time of their
deposition in the receptacle.
The clock mechanism herein shown, is mounted in two like pillar plates 2,
separated by suitable pillar posts 3.
The driving spring a fastened at its outer end to one of the pillar posts has its
inner end fast upon the axle of the main gear 4.
The main gear engages a lantern pinion 5, fixed upon the minute shaft 6, to the
outer end of which is secured the minute hand 7 which travels over the exposed
dial D the inner end of the said minute shaft being squared or otherwise
shaped as shewn in Figs. 2 and 12 to enter a squared or correspondingly
shaped recess in the inner end of the minute shaft a of the time stamp train
thus rotating the two minute shafts in unison.
The minute shaft 6, at its inner end, outside the pillar plate 2, has fixed
upon it a pinion 8, which engages and rotates a gear 9, mounted on a stud,
carried by the pillar plate, the hub of the gear 9, having fast to it a pinion 10,
which in turn engages a toothed gear 12, fast on a sleeve 13, (see Fig. 124)
mounted loosely upon the minute shaft 6.
The said sleeve shewn best in Fig. 12 has notches to embrace projections at
the inner ends of the tubular hour shaft a' as represented in Fig. 2, thus
rotating the said hour shaft positively.
The minute shaft 6, near its outer end and just outside the pillar plate, has an
attached pinion 14, which engages a toothed gear 15, having a hubbed pinion 16,
(see Fig. 13) which engages a toothed gear 17, upon the hub of which is mounted
the hour hand 18, co-operating with a dial Dº.
It will be noticed that the hour and minute shafts of the stamp as well as of the
clock mechanism are so united and combined with gearing as to shew visually
as a clock through a glass face in the door A, the time which the time stamp
printing devices will imprint upon the card through the inking ribbon as will
be described.
The other parts of the clock gearing not specifically described are usual in other
clock mechanism.
The minute shaft. 6, has fastened to it next to the pinion a ratchet finger 20,
see Fig. 12, which engages once during each rotation a tooth of a ratchet 21,
mounted on a stud 22, carried by the pillar plate, the said ratchet having connected
to it one end of a barrel spring, the outer end of which spring is connected
to the inner side of a drum 23, the hub of which surrounds the said stud and is
notched at to engage the lugs of a shaft or post, having its opposite end
see Fig 3, engraved with the letters A. P. by which to designate in connection
with the characters M, see Fig. 3, morning or afternoon.
The drum at its periphery has a projection 25, adapted to be engaged by either
of two like spring controlled detent pawls 26, 27, pointing in opposite directions,
one or the other of which serves to stop the rotation of the drum when released, as
will be described, to thus stop the shaft with the proper letter indicating morning
or afternoon under the inking ribbon, so as to enable one only of the said letters to
be imprinted at the same time upon the card.
The rotation of the minute shaft 6, winds intermittingly the spring 1º, which
actuates the drumm, and whenever the drum is released, it will be rotated by the
spring for half a rotation thus bringing the proper letter into place.
The ratchet referred to has a releasing device 30, which once in twelve hours
acts upon one or the other of the oppositely arranged pawls 26 or 27 and causes it
to be moved away from the projection of the drum, releasing the same.
The side bars of the parallelogramic frame a having at their ends journals for
the rolls a, a, are snapped or fitted to the sides of the frame a containing the
clock movement referred to.

page_text: The frame a is shown detached in Figs. 4 and 5 and in place in Fig. 2.
The platen, shown as a metal plate b, faced with some elastic material to thus
constitute an impression pad is attached by suitable screws to a platen
carrier 3, shown detached in Fig. 6, it having a cross shaft or bar , herein shown
see Fig. 1 as mounted at its ends on point screws as centres.
This carrier has a pull or arm extended outwardly through a slot ' in the
door A, the shape and weight of the carrier and platen being such as to cause it
to stand normally as in Fig. 2.
I prefer to insert a piece of rubber or other packing 10 see Fig. 2 between the
carrier and platen, to enable the blow of the platen to be somewhat cushioned.
The rotation of the screws 63 extended loosely through holes in the carrier and
screwed into the platen, enable the latter to be adjusted sufficiently to place the
face of the platen in the proper plane to correctly co-operate with the imprinting
parts of the stamp and ensure distinct printing.
A stop pivoted at 13 on a cross bar at the face of the shell A serves to
control the extent of backward movement of the platen carrier and platen, but
when the shell is turned aside on its hinges, as it may be by turning the latch
about its pivot c', so as to disengage it from the stud e, and the stop turned
aside, the carrier may be further turned back about the point screws so as to afford
better access to the frame a and other parts.
The latch e cannot be disengaged as described until after the door A2 has been
opened on its hinges A³ to remove the latch locking device from under the outer
end of the latch, the said device being shown as a pin or stud.
The platen has arms 6* upon the upper ends of which are pivoted like latches d
which are so weighted that their front ends hang down, as shown in Fig. 2, the
front ends of the latches being beveled, so that when the platen is moved in the
direction of the arrow above it in Fig. 2, the latches will strike and ride over
upright lips d of a rock-shaft d², mounted in ears d³ forming part of the frame-
work of the time stamp, the said rock-shaft having lugs and a depending
loop d, to the lower end of which is attached the ticket support or arresting
device (6.
The rock-shaft, to which this ticket supporting or arresting device is attached, is
free to rock in the ears d³ referred to.
As the latches d ride forward over the lips a', the ticket support or arresting
device then normally standing in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is not
moved, as at that time it is supposed to support a ticket, but when the platen is
moved away from the time stamp or imprinting device, as it is after the card or
ticket, has been imprinted, then the hooks of the latches d, by engaging the lips
turn the support or arresting device to the right, viewing Fig. 2, thus removing it
from beneath the imprinted ticket or card, letting it drop into the receptacle or
chamber A
In order to properly position the ticket in front of the stamp and keep it in there
while the platen is moved forward, I employ a guide, herein shown as composed of
separate pieces e, e', e, each pivoted as at ein stands et attached to the side bars of
the ribbon carrying frame.
These guides consist essentially of recessed blocks e, the side walls of which are
inclined toward each other, while below the blocks are arms and weighted parts e²
Normally the weight of the guides is such that the lip like lower ends thereof
marked hang in contact with the shaft a of the lowermost roller containing the
printing ribbon.
When the ribbon carrying frame is in operative position as in Figs. 1 and 2, the
arms or their lip like lower ends stand across the lugs of the rock-shaft d, and
as the said rock-shaft is moved as described by the latches d to withdraw the
supporting plate from below the end of the imprinted card, the said cars by striking
the arms push them out about their pivots causing the lip like lower ends of
the arms to strike the rear side of the card or ticket, and aid in discharging it from

page_text: not only the supporting plate or arrester, but also to take it off from the ribbon in
case it should stick there.
The time stamping apparatus is shown, see Fig. 3, as provided with three
wheels,,, each capable of being moved by hand or otherwise about a proper
stud, one of the said stamp wheels having figures upon its periphery denoting
years, the other, as g, figures denoting the days of the month, while the central
wheel has letters to designate the month.
Referring now to Figs. 7 and 7A, H represents a backboard having a flange H¹
to thus leave a frame having a chamber or pocket H'.
The backboard will be attached in suitable manner as by screws or otherwise to
a wall or post.
M is a ticket case or holder composed preferably of metal and hinged or con-
nected to the frame above described at 60.
The case has a suitable door M' into which to place tickets O, any desired
number, the said tickets one of which is shown in Fig. 8, being each numbered or
marked to indicate their sequence or order, the ticket shown in Fig. 8 being
supposed to be No. 7 from the bottom of the pile of tickets in the case.
The lower end of the case is open at its front as at G1, and also at its rear, the
opening in the rear securing in it a pusher 62, normally held back as shown in
Fig. 7, by a suitable spring as 63.
The bottom plate M, at its inner end, has a lip 64 which normally stands against
the stop 65 shown as a screw.
A weight or follower 66 keeps the pile of tickets down in the case.
The employee on his arrival at the case M, pushes the lower end of the case
back, but the lowermost ticket, because its end resting against the poster cannot go
back and consequently said ticket is made to protrude through the horizontal
slot 61, at the bottom of the box, so that the employee may take hold of the outer
end of the ticket and pull it from the box, the slot 67 in the bottom M² of the
case enabling the finger of the employee to touch the bottom of the ticket if
desired.
The box will be kept locked and the key will be kept by the employer or his
agent, the lock shown being a padlock and marked L.
Instead however of the employee taking a ticket from the box, a ticket may be
handed to him by some proper person.
In operation, let it be supposed that an employee has received from some suitable
receptacle or person, a card as O, preferably imprinted to designate the time or
order of its delivery.
The employee receiving a card such as shown in Fig. 8, will individualise the
same by his or her name or mark as in Fig. 9, and with the parts of the register in
the position Figs. 1 and 2, will drop the card so individualised into the throat A³,
the said card entering the guides e, referred to, and descending until its lower end
rests upon the supporting plate or arrester in front of the usual printing ribbon
behind which is the time stamp.
In this condition, or as soon as the employee drops the card or ticket, he or she
seizes the pull and pulls it down, thus throwing the platen-carrier and platen over
to the right, causing the platen to pass in between the guides e referred to, strike
the back of the card or ticket and force the same with a quick blow against the
inking ribbon, which will result in imprinting as shown in Fig. 10 upon the
individualised card, the time at which the card was deposited and the platen
actuated, the time in said Fig. being 8 o'clock.
The employee having made the imprint, quickly removes the hand from the pull,
when the platen, as herein shown, falls back by gravity into the position shown in
Fig. 2, and in so going back, the hook engaging the lugs d', turns the rock-shaft d³,
withdrawing the supporting plate or arrester from below the imprinted card,
letting it drop, and at the same time the rock-shaft by its partial rotation causes
the lugs d to strike the guides as described, and cause their lower ends e¹ to be

page_text: thrown outwardly against the card or ticket to discharge it from the retreating
supporting plate or arresting device dª.
In this way, the card or ticket is imprinted at the completion of the forward
movement of the platen, and the platen as it goes back or retreats, is made to
positively effect the discharge or release of the imprinted card or ticket, so that it
is free to drop into the chamber A', from which chamber it may be removed by
unlocking the door A, it having in practice applied to it a suitable lock.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :
1. In a time recording apparatus, a shell having a chamber for the reception of a
card or ticket, and a throat for the introduction of the card or ticket into the said
chamber, a stamp, a platen, and a supporting plate or arresting device, situated
between the said throat and the said chamber to support the card or ticket while
being imprinted, substantially as described.
2. A time stamp, guides to receive and direct a card or ticket, and a platen,
combined with a supporting plate or arresting device to support the card or ticket
to be imprinted, substantially as described.
3. A time stamp, a card supporting or arresting device pivoted with relation
thereto, and a platen, combined with devices intermediate the said platen and the
device carrying the said supporting plate or arrester, whereby the said supporting
plate or arrester is actuated to be withdrawn from the card or ticket, as the platen
is retracted, substantially as described.
4. The combination with a stamp, the rock-shaft having the lugs and the
attached supporting plate or arresting device, of the guides to receive and guide
the card or ticket to be imprinted, and means to move the said rock-shaft, retract
the arresting device, and cause the said lugs to move the said guides, to operate,
substantially as described.
5. The back-plate A, the shell A' hinged thereto, and the hinged door A² having
a slot, combined with a time stamp, and with a platen carrier, and platen, to operate,
substantially as described.
6. In a time recording apparatus, a receptacle having a locked door, a slot A³,
and a ticket arresting device between the said slot and the lower part of the said
receptacle, combined with a platen and a time stamp adapted to both stamp the time
on a card or ticket, and indicate the time visually, substantially as described.
7. In a time indicating and time printing clock mechanism the combination with
each end of the minute shaft of two hour sleeves the said minute shaft and the said
hour sleeves co-operating with and controlling minute and hour printing dies, at or
near one of its ends and minute and hour indicating hands at or near its other end,
substantially as described.
8. The herein described ticket holder consisting of a case slotted for the delivery
of the tickets singly, and a pusher to contact with the end of the ticket to be
delivered from the case to the employee, substantially as described.
9. The herein described method of keeping the time of a person or persons at a
certain definite spot, consisting in taking a card or ticket marked or imprinted to
designate the time or order of its reception; individualising the said card or ticket
by the name or mark of the recipient and finally imprinting the said individualised
card or ticket to show the time of its deposit or delivery at the definite spot, sub-
stantially as described.
10. The combination with time printing and time indicating mechanism, including
a time train and hour and minute time indicators or hands situated on one side of
the said time train and moved and controlled thereby, of hour and minute time
printing dies situated on the other side of the said time train and moved and
controlled thereby in unison with the said hour and minute indicators or hands,
substantially as described.

page_text: 11. A registering apparatus to aid in keeping the time of an employee the same
consisting essentially of a time stamp, a pad or platen co-operating therewith and
a receptacle for a card or ticket after the same has been subjected to the action of
the time stamp, the said card or ticket being automatically discharged into said
receptacle substantially as described.
1001
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.