IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBINED TIME, DATE AND ENDORSING STAMPS
Year: 1884

page_text: COMPLETE DIECIFICATION.
I JOHN MORGAN RICHARDS of 92 Great Russell Street Bloomsbury, in the
County of Middlesex, Export Druggist do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBINED TIME, DATE AND ENDORSING
STAMPS" and in what manner the same is to bo performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
This Invention relates to improvements in time, and date endorsing stamps
which are known as "straight line stamps" and print the year, month, day and
time in straight lines as distinguished from “dial time stamps,” which print the
same in curved lines.
$5
The Invention consists essentially (1) in a time stamp with independent motive
power controlled and released at intervals by a clock movement and moving timo
type wheels into proper position for receiving the pressure of the impression pad
and stamp, its motive power being distinct from that of the clock-movement, and
(2) In connection with such time stamping mechanism, and with a series of
date-wheels (so arranged that by changing the day-of-the-month wheel, the mouth
wheel will also be changed at the end of cach month) an indicator and preventor
released at midnight, whereby the stamping of any further documents until the
day-of-the-month wheel has been changed to the correct date is prevented.
The Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, in which:-
Figure 1 is a part sectional elevation, the section being taken between the
minute and hour type-wheels. Figure 2 is a sectional view taken between the
bour and year type-wheels. Figure 3 is a top view with the inking ribbon, the
permanent type-plate, and the movable endorsement wheel removed to show
the date and time type-wheels. Figure 4 shows an endorsement as printed, and
Figure 5 is a detail showing the type holding movable endorsement wheel.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views..
A is an ordinary eight-day clock movement, which it is not necessary to show or
describe, mounted in a suitable frame B together with the whole stamping
apparatus. The clock-movement is not the motor of the time type wheels but is
arranged to release the train movement which operates the minute and hour type
wheels, Nos. 1 and 2 at intervals, by means of an independent spring barrel S¹..
The series of time and date-wheels rotate on a fixed shaft D, and the former are
actuated by means of the spring barrel S₁, or other motor, which does not actuate
the clock. By this means I avoid all disturbance of the clock movement, arising
from the irregular action of stamping or otherwise, and permit it to keep time
accurately, the clock-movement having for its function merely a tripping action

page_text: and being regular, and systematic, entirely free from interference by the stamping
action, and therefore capable of fine adjustment and control.
The clock movement, strictly, is any ordinary movement of that character, to
which I add the tripping wheel W, located on the minute-hand arbor. As shown,
this wheel has thirty teeth to trip every two minutes. It may have sixty teeth 5
and trip the minute-wheel every minute, or twelve teeth and trip every five
minutes, or any other number of teeth which is a factor of sixty, the number of
minutes in an hour. Of course the minute-wheel 1 of the dater, must be divided
and marked to correspond to the number of teeth ou the wheel W. L is a
tripping-lever pivoted on shaft F whose tail end I is so placed as to be acted on by 1
the teeth of the trip-wheel W against which it is pressed by the spring S³.
The lever L has two arms I' and I' of which the former takes under and lifts a
lever L' whenever a tooth of the wheel W depresses the tail end I as shown in
Figure 1. The lever L' has two pins 1' and P. The first of these 1', engages the
pin or arm I, on the last arbor of the train which actuates the time type-wheel,
and while it does so the minute-wheel J, and its train, are held stationary. The
lifting of the lever L' as described, however, releases the pin I' and permits it to
describe one half of a revolution, whereupon it is arrested by coming in contact
with the other arm 15, of the trip-lever L, as shown in dotted lines Figure 1.
This half revolution permits a slight movement of the entire train of wheels,
thereby revolving a notched-wheel C with its arbor F, while the pin 13 is out of
its notch in said wheel C permitting said pin to rest on the periphery of wheel C,
thereby holding the pin 1' out of the path of pin I' until the pin I³ again falls into
a notch i.c. during one-third of a revolution of the notched-wheel C. When the
tail of lever L rides over the point of a tooth of wheel W and moves in, the
arms 11º drop, and the latter releases the pin or arm I thereby permitting
the last arbor of the train to make eight revolutions in all, during one third of a
revolution of the notched-wheel C and its arbor.
The lever L' drops (being pressed down by its spring S³) when the next notch
of the wheel C comes opposite the pin 13 bringing the pin I down into the path of
the pin I*, so as to hold the train movement and the type-wheel 1.
The tripping might be done by extending the lever L' to the wheel W, omitting
lever L-but in that case the notched-wheel C with its notches and the pin 1³
would become the stop for holding and detaining the train movement in check.
But I find that such an arrangement makes it impossible to release the train
movement by the minute-arbor of the clock; and if the notched-wheel C and
pin 13 are omitted, the regular movement of the train would be placed in charge of
the pins 12 and 1. And, since the force of the spring S¹ actuating the train, varies
as it runs down, it would be impossible to secure accuracy in that way, because
the number of revolutions made by the pin I would be liable to vary in any given
time, with the variations in the power of the spring. It is for these reasons that
the lever L with its arms l' and I are employed, thus providing against the wear
of the teeth of that wheel, which, if acted directly on the lever L would eventually
fuil to trip as desired. The pin I³ and notched-wheel C have no stop action on the
train but merely detain the pin l' out of contact with the pin I* during the proper
number of revolutions.
The minute type-wheel 1, and the notched-wheel C are so geared by the
wheels G G that a movement of the notched-wheel one-third of a revolution
permits the minute-wheel to be moved one thirtieth of a revolution.
The minute-wheel has a pin 1º Figures 1 and 3, which strikes one of the twenty
four teeth of the wheel W as the minute-wheel 1 revolves, once every sixty
minutes, and moves it one step. This action, which causes the hour-wheel 2 to
move one step, representing one hour at the end of each sixty minutes, is
transmitted through the gear-wheels G² and G' and presents the proper type-fuco
to print each hour, the A.M. and the P.M., as well as the minute in proper order,
and this automatically.
I am aware that heretofore the time-wheels of a time-stamp have been

page_text: automatically moved and changed by a power other than that which operated the
clock movement. But so far as I know this has only been done by the indirect
use of that power and not by means of an independent power. For, in the cases
to which I refer, the time-power in addition to imoving the clock mechanism was
caused to also wind up a spring to be released at the proper time for the purpose of
actuating the time type-wheels. This arrangement I have found objectionable,
and seek to avoid, since it brings an irregular stress upon the time-power, and
while the stamping is taking place may subject the clock to jars, to the directly
transmitted force of the stamping pressure, at times, and to other liabilities of
derangement. I avoid these difficulties and objections by providing an entirely
independent power for moving the time-type-wheels, which is brought into action
at the proper time by means of detents, or tripping mechanisms, which are only
called on to exercise the amount of force necessary to release this independent
power at regular intervals, by the use of a uniform force, and are actuated by the
clock-power for that purpose.
This enables me to secure the keeping of correct time by the clock movement,
and this in a superior manner, which is an extremely important point in a
time-stamp. The hour-wheel receives the action of the spring barrel S only once
every hour as described, and is meanwhile held in place by a spring pawl.I',
bearing upon the wheel W' or in any equivalent manner.
In this machine the three date-wheels are moved by hand, but two of them are
kept in proper relations to each other on substantially the same principle as that
employed in regulating the relations of the minute and hour-wheels 1, and 2.
The year wheel 31 may move by hand once each year, detaining it in place by
means of a pawl in any ordinary manner. The day and month wheels 4 and 5 are
arranged and operated as follows.
The day wheel 4 has a gear wheel G³ in gear with an equal wheel G' whose
hollow shaft D' has a milled head or handle and pointer D³ moving over a dial, to
guide the operator in moving the day type wheel. The gear-wheels G' and G³
have sixty-two teeth, and the day wheel having thirty one the movement of these
wheels, to the extent of two teeth suflices to change the date from day to day.
The month wheel 5, has attached to it the twelve toothed wheel W', while tho
shaft D' has the arm or pin 1' secured to it in such a position that at the end of
each month, coming in contact with one of the twelve teeth of the wheel W², the
month wheel 5, which is spaced accordingly, is moved for one month, and so as to
present the letters indicating that month in line for stamping.
The month-wheel is held in place during the month, or until the next movement
as described, by means of the spring S* which bears upon the long side of the teeth
of the wheel W*.
"
A ratchet-wheel may be placed on the shaft D' and a pawl applied to it for the
purpose of holding the day of the month wheel. D' is a handle fixed to a hollow
shaft which turns on the fixed shaft D, and extends through the month and day
wheels (which ride on the hollow shaft) for the purpose of adjusting the latter.
In addition to the means for printing the time, and date, as described, I provide
means for printing at the same time such words as Delivered," "Received,"
Cancelled" &. In different kinds of businesses different words are required to
be stamped, and it is usual to provide means for changing the type for this purpose.
Instead of the usual wheel provided with dovetail grooves and type to fit, I use
a plain straight groove as in Figure 5, into which I drop the type required to print
the word desired, made with parallel sides to fit the groove, but presenting a bevel
at each end to be engaged by the hollowed cap pieces P1, P³, one of which is fixed
to the shaft P3 and the other screws off far enough to admit the type, and being
screwed up again-fits to and holds the type in place firmly. This type wheel is
numbered 6 in Figure 1.
One of the pieces or caps P' or P* should be arranged to screw on and up to its
place so to hold the type in the groove. The other cap is secured in any usual
way and permanently. The grooved wheel or cylinder may be cut or grooved

page_text: entire and the two ends cut off so as to be shifted over and stand with the rib, or
projecting parts, at the ends of the grooves and thus hold the type or electrotypes
in place, they being provided with a bevelled surface at the side for that purposo.
It is found in practice that when the business of stamping begins in the morning,
(in stamps wherein the dates are changed by hand) the changing is occasionally
forgotten until a part of the stamping for the day has been done, and done
erroneously with the date of a previous day.
This I prevent in the manner which I will now describe:
Upon the twenty-four hour-wheel 2, (see Figure 2), at or opposite the
type "P, 11," I place a pin 1º, which at the change to "A, 12" (midnight), strikes
the trip-lever L, overcomes the balance-weight N, and releases the catch of the
fly K, which is thrown up on its hinge R by spring S and stands upright in
position to hinder the presentation of any document for stamping, and calls
attention to the necessity of making proper changes of date.
S is the stamp-arm, and P the stamp pad. The pad of course extends over the
six type wheels; and also over the type-plate P' which may contain the firm name,
or any desired endorsement, and when the pad is depressed the printing appeara
substantially as shown in Figure 4. R¹ is the ink ribbon which is operated in the
ordinary manner.
.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :
1ª In a time-stamp the following elements in combination (a) A clock-movement
and power; (b) An independent time-wheel-train and power and (c) An intervening
tripping device or devices, substantially as described, actuated by the clock-power
and movement for the purpose of releasing the independent time-wheel-train
and power.
2nd In a time-stamp in which the time-type-wheels are actuated by an
independent power the following devices in combination for operating and
controlling the hour-wheel. (a) The minute type-wheel 1 provided with a pin I*
arranged to engage and move a twenty-four toothed wheel W' once during each
revolution. (b) The two gear-wheels G³ and G³ and (c) The hour-wheel 2.
3rd In a time-stamp the following elements in combination. (a) The tripping
lever L, provided with the pins or arms I, I' and 1. (b) The detent lever L
provided with the pins 12 and 1. (c) The pin I' and the notched wheel C; (dl).
The minute type-wheel I connected to the other elements hereof by a train of
wheels and an independent power which actuates them and thereby causes the
minute type-wheel 1 to advance automatically step by step, substantially as shown
and described.
4thly In a time-stamp, the hour-wheel 2, provided with a pin 1º, in combination
with the tripping lever L' and the fly K provided with the spring S³, substantially
as described.