IMPROVEMENTS IN STAMPS OR APPARATUS FOR DATING AND NUMBERING RAILWAY TICKETS AND OTHER LIKE PURPOSES."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Robert Robinson, of Newcastle upon Tyne,
Machinist, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STAMPS OR APPARATUS
FOR DATING AND NUMBERING RAILWAY TICKETS AND OTHER LIKE PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Robert Robinson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th February 1880.
JAMES ROBERT ROBINSON, of Newcastle upon Tyne, Machinist. 'IMPROVEMENTS
IN STAMPS OR APPARATUS FOR DATING AND NUMBERING RAILWAY TICKETS AND
OTHER LIKE PURPOSES."
My Invention has for its object facilitating the dating and numbering of railway
and other tickets, and obviating the necessity for removing, altering, and resetting
the type daily as is practised with the machines now in use, and it consists of
peculiar arrangements of apparatus whereby the occurrence of mistakes in the date
or number by inserting the wrong numbers or letters is prevented, and the time
occupied in altering the date or numbers is considerably reduced.
According to one mode of carrying out my Invention, the year figures are fixed
at one side of the dating wheel or disc, which figures remain fixed for one year.
On the other side of the day dating wheel or disc I fix the month type which
remain fixed for one month.
The day dating wheel or disc is notched on its outer edge so as to receive
ordinary moveable type with figures from 1 to, say, 31, with a full stop on
cach side of figure, or arranged in any other convenient manner. 'This wheel
revolves on a through spindle in a rocking frame, and is provided with, say, 31
holes in the side of the rim for the purpose of fixing the wheel or disc in its proper
position for stamping the number or current day of the month by means of a small
piston working in a cylinder by spring, or otherwise, fixed upon the rocking
frame.
According to another mode of carrying out my Invention, I employ two wheels
or discs notched on their outer edges so as to receive ordinary moveable type, one
wheel having, say, 31 divisions for dating through the month, the other wheel
having, say, 12 divisions; each division has suitable type for the usual initial
letters of the month from January to December.

page_text: By means of this Invention type for the current year is fixed into their proper
position in the rocking frame, as before described, and the only other alteration
during the whole year is to withdraw the small piston which keeps the disc in
position, and turn the disc one hole round each day and place the piston into the
corresponding hole in the disc.
The other wheel or month disc is moved and fixed in a similar manner to that
of the day disc, and beld in position by a similar piston.
I employ two ink and riband reservoirs or cylinders placed on each side of the
rocking frame with a spindle in each on which is rolled the riband by means of a
handle on each spindle. The riband passes over two rollers fixed on the rocking
frame and under the face of the type and letters and numbers of the dating wheels
or discs. Or instead of handles to move the inking riband over the type and
numbers, I may employ a self acting ratchet motion fixed on the spindle, which
gives a slight lateral motion to the riband each time the rocking frame falls
forward after stamping a ticket.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Robert Robinson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th
August 1880.
JAMES ROBERT ROBINSON, of Newcastle upon Tyne, Machinist.
"IMPROVEMENTS
IN STAMPS OR APPARATUS FOR DATING AND NUMBERING RAILWAY TICKETS AND
OTHER LIKE PURPOSES."
My said Invention has for its object facilitating the dating and numbering of
railway and other tickets, and obviating the necessity for removing and resetting
the type daily as is practised with the machines now in use, and it consists of
peculiar arrangements of apparatus, whereby the liability of mistakes occurring in
the date or number by inserting the wrong numbers or letters in the machine is
obviated, and the time occupied in altering the date or numbers is considerably
reduced.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to
the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing represents a side olevation of a machine
constructed according to my said Invention; Figure 2 is a front elevation, and
Figure 3 a sectional side elevation of the same, and Figuro 4 is a sectional plan of
the under side of the machine taken on the line 3, 4, Figure 2. The remaining
Figures are detail views of parts, and modifications of parts, hereinafter
referred to.
A is a casting forming the support for the stamping apparatus. To the top of
this support at a is jointed a rocking frame or block B, which carries a disc C
constituting the day dating stamp, the said disc having type c round its periphery
bearing numbers arranged in order from, say, 1 to 31, that is to say, the full number
of days in any month.
The disc C is mounted so as to be capable of turning upon a spindle c¹ carried
by the rocking frame B, and is supported between the arms b, b', of the frame B,
as shewn in Figure 2. In order to keep the disc in position after the daily
adjustment has been effected a pin D is provided which is carried by a bracket d
upon the arm b, the said pin engaging in holes or notches c³ arranged round the
side of the disc, one hole or notch being provided for each number, as shown in
Figure 3. The pin D may be maintained in engagement with the holes by means
of a spiral spring d, as shewn applied to a modification of my said Invention.
Figure 8, hereinafter referred to. The type for stamping the letter or letters
representing the month of the year upon the ticket is shewn at E. It is arranged
at one side of the disc C in a recess c formed in the lower part of the arm b of the
rocking frame B, the said type being held securely within its recess by the plate e¹
and thumb screw ; F is the type for stamping the numbers representing the year
upon the ticket; it is arranged at the other side of the disc in a similar manner to
the month dating type within a recess formed in the other arm b' of the frame B,
the said year dating type being held securely by a thumb screw f. The rocking
frame B thus carries the whole of the type for stamping the month, day, and year,
the type being arranged side by side in a line, as shown in Figure 2, and in the
sectional plan of the underside of the apparatus. in Figure 4.
Depending from the rocking frame B is a similar rocking piece or block G
hinged at g to the frame B, the extremity g¹ bearing against the stop a¹ formed at
the base of the casting A, as shewn in Figures 1 and 3.
An aperture or guide g³ is provided at the top of the block G for the reception of
the ticket or other card to be stamped; in Figure 3 a card marked X is represented
as inserted in the aperture in position to be stamped.

page_text: The apparatus for supplying ink to the type is arranged in the following
manner:- -Two receptacles H are fixed at each side of the frame B with spindles h
passing through them. Upon these spindles are mounted reels of tape h', Figure 4,
the tape being in one length, and so arranged as to be capable of being wound off
from one reel on to the other, whilst the strip * of tape for the time being situate
between the two reels passes over the rollers h³, and under the face of the type, as
shewn in Figures 2; 3, and 4.
The type is saturated with ink, the reels of tape thus constituting ink reservoirs,
whereby separate ink receptacles are dispensed with.
The spindles / carrying the reels of tape are provided with cranked handles 1, 1,
by which the tape is moved over the face of the type in order to supply a fresh
surface of ink, the tape being during the process of stamping interposed between
the type and the ticket to be stamped, as shown clearly in Figures 3 and 4, in which
latter Figure the tape is represented as broken away in order to render the type
visible.
Springs y may be provided, as shewn in Figure 4, the same bearing against the
sides of the reels, so that a certain amount of tension "may be applied to the tape as
.it passes over the type.
If desired the movement of the tape may be effected automatically by the
following arrangement:-On one of the spindles h is secured a rachet wheel º,
and mounted loose on the said spindle is a pawl holder *, carrying a pawl ³, which
engages with the teeth of the ratchet wheel h. By the movement of the rocking
frame B in the act of stamping, as hereinafter more fully described, the frame B
forces the pawl holder up an inclined plane a², Figures 1 and 2, fixed to the side
of the apparatus, whereby a feed is imparted to the pawl. Upon the return
movement of the rocking frame B after the operation of stamping the pawl is
caused by the action of a rod within a tube ³, Figures 1, 2, and 5, to impel the
ratchet wheel º, the said rod being forced out by a spring h, Figure 2, which has
been compressed during the forward movement of the rocking fraue B. A motion
of partial rotation is thus imparted to the reels of tape, whereby the strip of tape
between the two reels is caused to move over the face of the type so as to present a
fresh inked surface.
In lieu of the above arrangement for effecting the movement of the tape auto-
matically the pawl holder may be carried upon a rod or guide i, which is fixed
at an angle with the side of the apparatus, and passes through a slot I formed in
the said pawl holder, as shewn in the detailed views, Figures 6 and 7. Upon the
forward movement of the rocking frame B the pawl holder is caused to follow the
inclination of the rod or guide i, whereby a feed is given to the pawl, which, as in
the first arrangement, on the return movement of the rocking frame is caused to
impel the ratchet wheel and impart thereto a motion of partial rotation, whereby
movement is communicated to the tape, as herein before described.
The operation of stamping a ticket by the use of this machine is carried out in
the following manuer
The number upon the disc C corresponding to the proper day of the month is
brought round into position, that is to say, into line with the two sets of type E, F,
one at each side of the disc, the pin being inserted in the hole or notch corresponding
to the required number, whereby the disc is held securely in position. Assuming
the letters and figures of the two sets of type at the sides of the disc C to be set
up according to the proper month and year respectively the apparatus is ready to
stamp the ticket. The ticket is inserted in the aperture g², the two hinged blocks
or frames B, G, being at the same time urged forward by the fingers of the operator,
by which movement the jaws of the said hinged blocks or frames at g, Figure 3,
are brought together, the type upon the frame B thus being brought into contact
with the ticket resting upon the top of the block or frame G, whereby an impression
is stamped upon the ticket through the intervention of the ink supplying tape, as
herein before described, the blocks or frames being returned to their normal position
under the action of a spring 2. Thus according to this Invention in the operation

page_text: of the machine the disc carrying the day dating type is moved round into position
once daily, the month dating type is altered monthly, and the year dating type is
altered yearly, whereby great simplicity in the operation of the machine is attained,
and the liability of mistakes occuring in arranging and setting up the type is
reduced to a minimum.
According to a modification of my said Invention in lieu of arranging the month
dating type as herein before described I provide a second disc K, Figure 8, round
the periphery of which I arrange the necessary type, that is to say, a series of 12
letters or sets of letters representing the twelve months in the year. I mount the
said disc upon the spindle c' and at the side of the day dating disc C.
In altering the month as required the disc K is moved round until the required
month is in the necessary position, a pin being provided which engages in holes
arranged round the side of the disc to bold it in position, as described with reference
to the disc C.
By this arrangement the necessity for setting up the type every month is dispensed
with, the necessary alteration being effected as described by simply moving round
the disc.
The type upon the herein before described discs may be cast in one with the said
discs, as shewn in Figures 1 and 3, or the type may be formed of separate type
pieces, let into the periphery of the discs, as shewn in Figure 9.
The letters or figures upon the type may be cast in one with the body of the
type, or they may be formed of pins of steel or other wire which make a dotted
impression upon the ticket to be stamped, as shown in the detailed views,
Figure 10.
The arrangement of the parts of the apparatus admits of the spindle g being
continued through the blocks or frames B, G, in one piece instead of its being
divided, as is unavoidable according to the construction of the ordinary machines.
It is obvious that discs arranged in the manner herein before described may also
be used for numbering railway tickets.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original,
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
In stamps or apparatus for dating and numbering railway tickets, and for other
like purposes, the employment of a rotary disc or discs for effecting the required
periodical alterations of dates or numbers, or both in combination, with rocking
frames or blocks and inking apparatus, all arranged and combined so as to operate
substantially in the manner and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Robert Robinson, have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal, the Nineteenth day of August, One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
TAMES
AINCAT הDADA