Improvements in Hand Numbering Machines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 28th July, 1891-Accepted, 29th Aug., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hand Numbering Machines.
I, BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS, of 23 Southampton Buildings, in
the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention, a communication to me from Edwin G. Bates, of the City, County, and
State of New York, in the United States of America, Manufacturer, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
The object of the present invention is a numbering machine which shall be
readily adjustable to print the same number an indefinite number of times, repeat
any given number twice and then automatically change to the next higher number,
or print numbers consecutively, all the changes of which machine shall be controlled
by a single adjustable lever, which may serve as a pointer, and to that end is
preferably arranged in front of a scale indicating the nature of the work required
from the machine; which machine shall have an ink pad capable of being brought
into position for a supply of ink without liability of soiling the fingers, the whole
machine occupying a comparatively small space and being economical of manu-
facture and efficient in the character of the work produced.
In carrying out the invention it is preferred to employ for the operation of the
required number of type wheels to effect printing consecutively, an arrangement of
oscillating pawls for rotating the type wheels located within an annular space in
the type wheels, said wheels being provided with the usual number of deep and
shallow notches, by which arrangement, economy of space, of cost of manufacture,
and efficiency of work, is attained. In addition to the printing type wheels, two
governing wheels are employed, one for governing the adjustments of the machine
in printing the same number twice, or duplicating, as it is termed, and the other for
governing the adjustment of the machine in printing the same number continuously,
or repeating, as it is termed. Both governing wheels are located in line with the
type wheels, the first one being provided with ten notches alternately deep and
shallow, so that it shall be moved but once for every two oscillations of its pawl,
and the other having no notches whatever, being simply an idler wheel. The pawls
which it is preferred to employ are carried on the main shaft, and may be formed as
teeth from the same piece. This pawl shaft is hung so as to be capable of being
shifted bodily, so that for the purpose of duplicating, the tooth for the wheel
governing the duplicating movement may be brought into operative position, and
so that it may also be brought into position with respect to the wheel governing
the repeating printing, in which position all the other teeth are held out of operative
position.
The pawl shaft is preferably supported by the stationary hub, which supports the
type wheels, and passes entirely through such hub, and being loose to allow it to be
shifted. This shifting movement is effected preferably by a changing indicator,
lever, or other device, operating in front of a suitably marked scale, the movable
frame being held in any of its determined positions by locking the changing lever
or indicator, means being provided positively operating to effect the locking at the
desired point.
Further, a lock is provided for the reciprocating type wheel case or frame,
whereby the same is held in a given position while ink is being applied to the ink
pad, the ink pad being also provided with a lock, which, when the type wheel case
is in the locked position, may be manipulated to turn the pad into position for
receiving a supply of ink without soiling the fingers.
Each of the numbering wheels, intermediate the unit wheel and the last wheel of
the series, is also provided with a novel form of drop cipher, which, when the

page_text: numbering machine is set to begin printing, is out of printing position, and which
will be brought into printing position automatically at the proper time. This
arrangement results in a reduction of the size of the type wheel, as where a blank
is used in addition to the cipher, the periphery of the wheel is thereby increased.
In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this Specification,
Figure 1 is a front elevation of the improved numbering machine.
Figure 2 is a rear elevation thereof.
Figure 3 is a side elevation taken, with one leg of the main frame removed, on
the line 3-3 of Figure 1, showing the parts in their raised position.
Figure 4 is an elevation of the opposite side to Figure 3, with the opposite leg
of the main frame removed, on the line 4-4 of Figure 2, showing the parts slightly
raised out of the printing position with the ink pad in position for inking.
Figure 5 is an enlarged central section, showing the arrangement of wheels and
pawls, the pawls, for clearness of illustration, being shown somewhat out 'of
position.
Figure 6 is a detached view of the oscillating pawls, showing the manner of
hanging the same to the main shaft, one end of the shaft only being shown.
Figure 7 is a detached view of the movable frame for changing the position of
the oscillating pawls.
Figure 8 is a vertical section taken on the plane of the line 8-8, Figure 7.
Figure 9 is a vertical section through the follower of the numbering wheel case,
and the collar through which it operates, showing the method of locking the same
when near its lowest position.
Figure 10 is a detached view of the ink pad, partly in section.
Figure 11 is an enlarged detail of one side of the locking device for the ink pad,
the other side being similar.
Figure 12 is a view of the wheel governing the operation of the machine for
repeating the same character or characters indefinitely.
Figure 13 is a view of the wheel for governing the operation of the machine in
duplicating the same character or characters, taken looking toward it from the right
of Figure 5.
Figure 14 is a view of the unit numbering wheel.
Figures 15 and 16 are views of the numbering wheels intermediate the unit
wheel and the last printing wheel of the series.
Figure 17 is a view of the thousandths wheel of the series.
Figures 18 and 18ª are enlarged detail views, showing the manner of locking the
cipher, and
Figure 19 is a detail showing a pawl tooth in a notch of a numbering wheel.
In the drawings, 1 is the standard or main frame of the machine. This frame,
as shown in the drawings, is of a U shape, the operating mechanism being located
between its legs; at its bottom it is provided with a plate 2, having an opening at
the edges of which the usual printing guides are cut. At its top this frame
terminates in a collar 3, through which reciprocates the follower 4 of the numbering
head. Within this follower is arranged a spiral spring 5, shown in Figure 9, the
tendency of which is to return the numbering head to its highest position. Below
this spiral spring, passing through the collar 3 and follower 4, is a pin 6, free to
move transversely but having no vertical movement. The follower 4 is slotted
at 7, 7, to permit of its movement past the pin 6. The slot at one side of the
follower is enlarged to about the size of the head of the pin 6, but this enlarged
portion is not cut all the way through the material of the follower as shown at 8,
Figures 1 and 9, so that when the enlargement 8, in the downward movement of
the follower, is in alignment with pin 6, the head of said pin may be pushed into
said enlargement, thereby locking the follower and the parts carried by it from
further movement.
The follower carries at its lower end a case 9, which sustains the operative parts
of the machine. Each side piece of this case is cut away as shown at 10,
Figures 3, 4 and 5, to receive the main shaft 11, upon which is hung the operating

page_text: pawls, which, when the machine is to be used for printing four figures, comprise
five teeth, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16, preferably formed from a single piece, as shown in
Figure 6. The teeth from 13 to 16 are designed to operate the numbering wheels,
they coming into operation successively, as is well understood, the largest tooth 13
of the four last mentioned first operating to move the unit wheel, the tooth 14 next,
to move the tens wheel, and so on throughout the series of wheels. 17 is the unit
wheel, 18 the tens wheel, 19 the hundreds wheel, and 20 the thousands wheel. 21 is
the wheel governing the duplicating printing movement of the machine, and 22 is
the wheel governing the repeating printing movement of the machine. The unit
wheel is provided with nine shallow notches 23 and one deep notch 24. The tens
wheel is likewise provided with nine shallow notches 25 and one deep notch 26 of
less depth than the deep notch 24 of the unit wheel. The hundreds wheel is also
provided with nine shallow notches 27 and one deep notch 28 of less depth than
the notch 26 of the tens wheel. The thousandths wheel is provided with ten
shallow notches 29.
The governing wheel 21 is provided with five shallow notches 30 and five deep
notches 31, alternately arranged, as shown in Figure 13; this wheel is recessed on
one face at 32, shown in Figure 5, so that the tooth 12 may rotate in the recess
without carrying the wheel with it, but when the tooth 12 is shifted into engage-
ment with the inner notched periphery of the wheel 21, then it will rotate said
wheel once for each oscillation of the pawl shaft 11, but will not permit the tooth 13,
or other teeth of said pawl shaft, to drop into the notches on the type wheels
opposite them, except when the tooth 12 is in the deep notch, which, as will be
plainly seen, is at each second oscillation of the pawl shaft. By this arrangement
the duplicating of characters is permitted.
When the tooth 12 of the pawl shaft is shifted into position within the wheel 22,
then the remaining teeth of the pawl shaft will be held out of engagement from
the notches opposite them in the type wheels, whereby the oscillations of the pawl
shaft are rendered ineffective to move any of the type wheels, and as a result the
printing of the same number continuously is effected.
Surrounding the pawl shaft 11 is a hub 33, recessed longitudinally, as shown in
the sections, Figure and 12 to 17 inclusive, and rigidly supported in the side
pieces of the frame 9 by the screws 34. The pawls are free to oscillate freely
within this recess, the hub itself serving to support the type and other operating
wheels, as well as the pawl shaft 11.
The manner of shifting the pawls so as to bring them into operative position,
either with relation to the numbering wheels so that they will print consecutively,
or with relation to the duplicating governing wheel so that the same number will
be duplicated twice, or with relation to the repeating governing wheel so that the
same number may be repeated an indefinite number of times, is as follows:-
Behind the front plate of the casing 9 extends the plate 35 of the movable
franie, the side plates of the casing being slotted to permit of the free movement
of said plate 35. This movable frame extends rearwardly at each side along the
side of the casing 9, as shown at 36 Figures 3 and 4, and terminates at each side in
depending piece 37, (see Figures 5 and 7) and bearing against the ends of the
pawl shaft 11. The plate 35 at its centre is cut out, as shown at Figure 7, in the
form of a portion of a circle, and within this cut out portion the eccentric 38 works.
This eccentric is rigidly secured to the change lever or indicator 39 located in front
of the casing 9. It will be seen that when this lever or indicator 39 is moved from
one side to the other, the eccentric 38 will operate to move the plate 35, and with
it the shaft 11 and operating pawls, by reason of the arms 37 bearing against each
end of the pawl shaft.
As there are three changes in the character of the work done by the machine,
it is desirable to provide means for locking the machine in each printing position.
This is done in the manner following The tail end of the lever 39 is slotted,
as shown in Figures 1, 7 and 8, and may be moved backward and forward on its

page_text: This
fulcrum 40, which is a screw passing into the eccentric 38, having a head on its
outer end to prevent the lever falling off. An arc of a circle 41 (Figures 1 and 8)
is cut in the front plate of the casing 9, with the pivot 40 as a centre.
arc 41 is provided with three notches at equal distances apart. A pin 42, which
may be an extension of the handle 43 employed to move the lever 39, extends into
this are 41 and is of such size that it will enter the notches cut on the lower side
of the said arc.
Now it will be seen that the lever 39, by reason of the slot in its
tail, may be moved upward from its fulcrum and out of any notch in the arc 41
and be swung around over to the next notch, into which it is caused to drop and
thereby be locked.
The movement of the lever 39 effects the changing of the work of the machine
in the following manner. Said lever 39 is, at its upper end, in the form of a
pointer, and works in front of a scale 44, which bears upon it the proper marking,
as shown in Figure 1. This scale is free to move upward, being pivotted at one
end at 45, the upward movement being given to it by the upward movement of
lever 39, a shoulder of which bears against its under surface, as shown in Figure 8.
A spring 45", Figure 8, passes through an opening 45 in the front plate of the
casing 9 and enters a depression 45° on the inner side of the scale 44, as indicated
in Figures 7 and 8, tending to return the scale to its lowest position. At its front
or free end this scale carries a hook 46 which engages with the curved end of the
pivotted lever 47, and acts, when raised, to throw the lower straight end of said
lever 47 into contact with the projecting end 47" of the pawl carrying piece, and
thus moves said pawl carrying piece so that all the pawls are disengaged from the
notches of their respective wheels.
It will be seen from the foregoing description that to change the machine it will
be necessary only to move the lever 39 upward until its pin 42 is free from a notch
in the arc 41 and to shift the lever over to the desired notch in the arc when the
pin of the lever will automatically drop therein by the downward movement of
the scale actuated by its spring and the machine will then be locked in the desired
operating position. The shifting of the lever, as before explained, through its
connection with the shifting frame, acts to bring the pawls into a different position
with relation to the notches of the various wheels. The pawls, as shown in
Figure 6, are provided with a spring 47" at each end of the shaft 11, which tends
to throw them outward.
The arrangement for inking the ink pad will now be described. 48 is the box in
which the ink pad 49 is contained. This box is pivotted at 50 in a swinging
frame 51. At its front end this box 48 is provided with a tube 52, which is slotted,
as shown in Figures 2 and 10, to permit of the movement of two thumb pieces 53,
between which is arranged in said tube a spiral spring 54, which tends to keep them
at the end of their respective slots. Each of these thumb pieces carries a pin 55,
which, when the thumb pieces are at the ends of their slots, project beyond the
side of the box 48, as shown in Figure 11, and which may be drawn wholly within
said box by the movement of the thumb pieces toward each other. The swinging
frame 51 is provided with a recess 56 to receive the pins 55, which when entered
therein lock the ink box and pad, but which may be withdrawn therefrom by simply
moving the thumb pieces 53 toward each other, so as to withdraw the pins 55
within the said frame of said inkbox, thereby permitting the ink-box to be turned
on its pivot 50 to the position shown in Figure 4 ready to receive the supply of ink.
The swinging frame 51 is provided with an incline 57 leading to this recess 56,
whereby the return of the ink-box and pad to the locked position is facilitated. By
locking the follower 4 in its lowermost position, the operation of inking the pad will
be greatly facilitated.
The oscillating movement is given to the pawl shaft as follows:-
Carried by the frame 9 at each side thereof, are pins 58, which are rigidly
attached to said frame and project into grooves 60 cut in the legs of the main
frame 1. This arrangement serves effectually to guide the working parts in their

page_text: reciprocating movement. Rigidly secured to the shaft 11 is a depending arm 61,
which is slotted as shown in Figures 3 and 4.
the main frame enters the groove in the depending
A pin 62, projecting from a leg of
arm 61, the relationship of said
grooved arm and said pin, when in the raised position, being shown in Figure 3,
and when in the depressed position, in Figure 4. By this arrangement the
reciprocating movement which the arm 61, and consequently the said shaft to which
it is rigidly attached, will have, is converted into a rocking movement.
The ink-pad is operated so as to bring it in contact with the type in the raised
position, to ink the same, and to swing it away from the type when they are
descending to print as follows:-
The swinging frame 51 is pivotted or hinged at each side in the projections 63 from
the legs of the main frame of the machine. Links 64 connect this swinging frame
with the casing 9 of the numbering wheels to effect the swinging thereof by the
reciprocating motion of said casing.
The drop cipher, as is usual, is used on the printing wheels intermediate the unit
wheel and the last wheel of the series. When the machine is first set to begin
printing consecutively the drop ciphers should be in the position shown in Figures 16
and 18, but as the wheels bearing the drop ciphers are brought into operation, the
drop cipher will be forced out and will be in the position shown in Figure 15, which
is the printing position. 65 is the drop cipher, which is L shaped in vertical cross
section as shown in Figure 18, its upper leg being provided with a type and its
lower leg having a recess 66, into which projects a pin 67ª, projecting from the
face of the numbering wheel. This arrangement permits the drop cipher to be
forced outward to the printing position, but prevents it from dropping altogether
out of the type wheel. Below the recess 66 is a slot 67, into which a hook shaped
piece 68 projecting from stationary hub 33 is adapted to engage. This hook acts
as a wiper, and when the rounded edge of the drop cipher meets the inclined edge
of said hook, the drop cipher is forced outward into the printing position. In
setting the machine, the type wheel is turned so that the drop cipher will be forced
into the printing position, then the type wheel is turned so as to carry the drop
cipher beyond its printing position and out of contact with the hook 68, when the
type wheel is turned backward and the hook 68 enters the recess 67, as shown in
Figure 18, and locks the drop cipher in that position.
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. The combination in a numbering machine, of a series of printing wheels, a
series of operating pawls, a governor, an indicator, and mechanism substantially as
described intermediate said indicator and operating pawls, whereby, by the
movement of the indicator, the pawls are brought into operative relationship with
the governor, substantially as set forth.
2. The combination in a numbering machine, of a series of printing wheels, a
series of operating pawls, a movable piece in which said pawls are hung, a governor,
an indicator, and mechanism substantially as described intermediate said indicator
and operating pawls, whereby, by the movement of the indicator, the pawls are
withdrawn from engagement with the printing wheels and are brought into operative
relationship with the governor, substantially as set forth.
3. In a numbering machine, the combination with the printing wheels and
operating pawls, of a pivotted scale, an indicator operative to move said scale on
its pivot, mechanism substantially as described connected with said scale operated
by its outward movement adapted to withdraw the pawls from the notches of the
printing wheels, and mechanism substantially as described connected witli, said
indicator operative to move said pawls into a. changed operating position, substantially
as set forth.
4. The combination in a numbering machine, of a series of printing whet

page_text: series of operative pawls, a pivotted lever, one end of which is adapted to move said
pawls, an indicator, mechanism substantially as described between said indicator
and said pivotted lever, whereby, by the movement of the indicator, the pivotted
lever is operated to disengage the pawls from the notches of the printing wheels,
substantially as set forth.
5. The combination in a numbering machine, of a series of printing wheels, a
series of pawls, an indicator, an eccentric operated by said indicator, and a
movable piece connected with the pawls, moved by said eccentric, substantially as
Bet forth.
6. In a numbering machine, the combination with the printing wheels and
operative pawls, of a pivotted scale, mechanism substantially as described between
said scale and said pawls, whereby, by the outward movement of said scale, the
said pawls are withdrawn from the notches of the printing wheels, substantially as
Bet forth.
7. In a numbering machine, the combination of a pivotted scale, an indicator
operative to move said scale on its pivot, a pin on said indicator, and a slot and
notches to receive said pin, substantially as set forth.
8. In a numbering machine, the combination with a series of annular printing
wheels notched on their inner peripheries, of a series of oscillating pawls within
said annular printing wheels, means substantially as described for shifting said pawls
longitudinally, and a non-printing governing wheel receiving one of said pawls
when in the shifted position, whereby the character of the printing is changed,
substantially as set forth.
9. In a numbering machine, the combination with a series of annular printing
wheels notched on their inner peripheries, of a series of oscillating pawls within
said annular printing wheels, a blank annular disc provided with alternate deep and
shallow notches, a pawl connected with the printing wheel pawls, adapted to engage
with the notches in said blank disc, and means substantially as described for shifting
both the printing wheel pawls and the pawl for the blank disc together, whereby
the latter may be brought into engagement with said blank disc, substantially as
set forth.
10. In a numbering machine, the combination with a series of annular numbering
wheels notched on their inner peripheries, of a series of oscillating pawls within said
annular numbering wheels, a blank annular disc having a recess 32, and alternate
deep and shallow notches cut on its inner periphery, a pawl, connected with the
printing wheel pawls, adapted to oscillate freely in said recess 32 and to be brought
into engagement with said deep and shallow notches, and means substantially as
described for shifting both the printing wheel pawls and the pawl for the blank
disc together, whereby the latter may be brought into engagement with the notches
on said blank wheel, substantially as set forth.
11. The combination in a numbering machine, of a series of annular numbering
wheels, a blank annular wheel having alternate deep and shallow notches, a blank
annular wheel without notches, a series of oscillating pawls within said annular
wheels operative to effect the consecutive numbering operation of the type wheels,
an additional pawl, connected with the printing wheel pawls, adapted to engage
with the notches in the blank toothed wheel and to oscillate freely in the annular
space of the blank unnotched wheel, and means substantially as described for
shifting both the printing wheel pawls and the pawl for the blank disc together,
-whereby the latter may be brought into position with reference to said blank wheels,
substantially as set forth.
12. The combination in a numbering machine, of a pivotted ink pad box and a
spring pressed pin for locking said box in the operative position, substantially as
set forth.
13. The combination in a numbering machine, of a frame, mechanism substan-
tially as described for moving said frame, and an ink-pad box pivotted within the
said frame, substantially as set forth.

page_text: 14. In a numbering machine, the combination with a stationary hub, of a wiper
mounted thereon, a type wheel provided with a loose section, adapted to he moved
outward by contact with said wiper, a recess in the bottom of said section adapted
to engage with a side flange 68 on said wiper, whereby the section is held in its
lowest position, and a pin and slot operative to prevent said section falling out,
substantially as set forth.
Ttool 1
CT
1001
wy
B. J. B. MILLS.
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.