IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PRINTING, NUMBERING, AND DATING RAILWAY AND OTHER TICKETS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Beeby Edmondson, of the City of Manchester,
Railway Ticket Manufacturer, James Carson, of the same Place, Fore-
man, and John Blaylock, of the City of Carlisle, Machinist, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PRINTING, NUMBERING, AND
DATING RAILWAY AND OTHER TICKETS."
Sealed the 13th April 1863, and dated the 19th November 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Beeby Edmondson,
James Carson, and John Blaylock at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 19th November 1862.
We, JOHN BEEBY EDMONDSON, of the City of Manchester, Railway Ticket:
Manufacturer, JAMES CARSON, of the same Place, Foreman, and JOHN
BLAYLOCK, of the City of Carlisle, Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PRINTING, NUMBERING,
AND DATING RAILWAY AND OTHER TICKETS," to be as follows:-
The first part of our improvements relates to those machines for which
former Letters Patent were granted to Thomas Edmondson for printing and
numbering railway and other tickets on the Nineteenth March, One. thousand
eight hundred and fifty, No. 13,007. In these machines it has hitherto been
customary to work the type box and the numbering apparatus independently
of each other, thus entailing two distinct operations of printing when the

page_text: tickets had to be numbered at both ends; now by our improvements tickets
can be printed and numbered at both ends by one operation of printing, or
one end only can be numbered, or the numbers left out entirely, as may be
found requisite.
In performing our Invention we place the moveable frame containing the
type box in the centre of the machine, and to each end of the said frame we
attach bearings for holding the numbering, wheels, or both sets of numbering
wheels may be placed to one side of the type box. The frame with the type
box and the numbering wheels has an up-and-down motion communicated to
it by a spring and cam, or other equivalents; the four or other number of
numbering wheels are constructed in the usual manner; the ink (of the same
color or of different colors) is applied by suitable inking rollers to the type
and numbering wheels when the frame is raised; the first or unit wheel in
each set is actuated by a lever and catch, which, as the frame rises gives the
requisite partial rotation to the wheel; the wheels for the tens, hundreds, and
thousands, are actuated successively from the unit wheel in the usual manner.
In order to be able to throw any or all of the numbering wheels out of action
when required, the ratchet wheels by which the numbering wheels are moved
have each 20 teeth, or twice the number of projections on the numbering
wheels; and when a numbering wheel is to be thrown out of action the
retaining catch is placed in the intermediate tooth of the ratchet wheel. The
ordinary shifting apparatus which moves the ratchet wheels two teeth can be
set so as to move only one tooth of the ratchet wheel, by a sliding holder
which is liberated when the numbering wheel is moved. By means of the
improved machinery above described tickets are printed and numbered at both
ends with the printed surface upwards, and the attendant can always see the
work in progress.
The second part of our Invention relates to railway or other ticket dating
machine. In machines of this description it has been hitherto customary to
supply ink to the types by means of a tape saturated with printing. ink, such
saturated type passing between the face of the types and the tickets to be
dated; now by our improvements the tape is dispensed with and the inking of
the types is effected by means of an inking roller which is attached to an
elbow lever centered in a bearing on the frame bottom; the other end of this
lever is in contact with the swing frame of the machine, so that when the
swing frame is moved forward in dating a ticket, the inking roller is swivelled
from contact with the face of the types, and passes under, a blanket or other
material for holding ink, to be again ready for service when the swing frame
descends upon the withdrawal of the ticket.

page_text: The above method of inking types can also be: applied to the inking of
wheels or discs upon which the dates are either inserted or engraved.
The third part of our Invention consists in using discs in which slots' or
apertures are made for the purpose of inserting types, instead of using wheels
or dises on which the dates are engraved as at present in use:
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Beeby Edmondson, James' Carson, and John' Blaylock
in' the Great Seal Patent Office on the 14th May' 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN
BEEBY EDMONDSON, of the City of Manchester, Railway Ticket. Manufacturer,
JAMES CARSON, of the same Place, Foreman, and JOHN BLAYLOCK, of the City:
of Carlisle, Machinist, send greeting.
"
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her. Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth
year of Her reign, did, for. Herself,. Her heirs and, successors, give "and
grant unto us; the said John Beeby Edmondson, James Carson, and John
Blaylock, Her special license, that we, the said John Beeby Edmondson,
James Carson, and John Blaylock, our executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as we, the said John Beeby Edmondson, James Carson, and
John Blaylock, our executors;; administrators, and assigns; should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed,, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY FOR PRINTING;. NUMBERING, AND DATING RAILWAY AND OTHER
TICKETS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we; the said John Beeby
Edmondson, James Carson, and John Blaylock, our executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing, under our; or their, or one of our or. their
hands. and seals, should particularly, describe and ascertain the nature of
the said. Invention, and in what, manner the same was to be performed;
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately, after the date of the said, Letters
Patent..
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said John Beeby, Edmondson, James
Carson, and John Blaylock, do hereby declare the nature of our said Inven-

page_text: .
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement (that is to say):-
The first part of our Invention relates to those machines for which former
Letters Patent were granted to Thomas Edmondson for printing and numbering
railway and other tickets on the Nineteenth of March, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty, Number 13,007. In these machines it has hitherto been
customary to work the type box and the numbering apparatus independently
of each other, thus entailing two distinct operations of printing when the
tickets had to be numbered at both ends. Now by our improvements tickets
can be printed and numbered at both ends by one operation of printing, or one
end only can be numbered, or the numbers left out entirely, as may be found
requisite.
The second part of our Invention relates to railway or other ticket-dating
machines; in machines of this description it has been hitherto customary to
supply ink to the types by means of a tape saturated with printing ink, such
saturated tape passing between the face of the types and the tickets to be dated;
now by our improvements the tape is dispensed with, and the inking of the
types is effected by means of an inking roller.
The third part of our Invention consists in using discs in which slots or.
apertures are made for the purpose of inserting types, instead of using wheels
or discs on which the dates are engraved as at present in use.
And in order that our said Invention may be fully understood and readily
carried into operation, we will proceed to describe the three accompanying
Sheets of Drawings, reference being had to the figures and letters marked
thereon.
On Sheet 1, Figure 1 is a side elevation, and Figure 2 a front elevation of
our improved machinery for printing and numbering railway and other tickets,
this machine is particularly adapted for double or return tickets.
On Sheet 2, Figure 3 is a plan, and Figures 4 to 11 are detached views of
parts of the same machine. In Figures 1, 2, and 3, a is the feeding tube, into
which the blank tickets to be printed and numbered are put; b is the feeding
slide; and 6', the lever by which it is moved to and fro; this lever is worked
by the eccentric c¹ on the shaft c, each revolution of which brings forward the
lowest ticket in the tube a on to the table d, as described in the Specification
of Letters Patent granted to Thomas Edmondson on the Nineteenth of March,
One thousand eight hundred and fifty, Number 13,007. e is a box containing
the type for printing the tickets; this box is supported by the moveable
frame f, which is drawn down by the cam c, fixed on the shaft c, and raised
by a spring in the case fl; the frame f also supports the axles for the two sets

page_text: of numbering wheels g and h, placed in this instance one on each side of the
type box e, but which may be placed both on the same side thereof. The
tickets in passing over the table d receive first the number from the set of
wheels 9, then the requisite printing from the type in the box e, and then the
second number at the other end of the ticket from the set of wheels h, they
then drop as usual into the tube k, the block in which is gradually lowered by
the ratchet wheel k₁, lever k², catch ³, and link k', actuated by the lever 6¹, as
now customary.
The peculiar construction of the numbering wheels and the mode of working
them is shewn best in the detached views Figures 4 to 11. The first or unit
wheel, marked g in Figures 4 and 5, is actuated at every rise of the frame f
by the lever vibrating on the axle of the numbering wheels and jointed
to the links, the lower ends of which are jointed to the framing of the
machine; to the lever is jointed the catch 12, taking into the ratchet wheel g²,
which is fast to the unit wheel g', both the wheels g' and g² are loose on the
boss of the ten wheel g³, to which is fixed the ratchet wheel g', see Figures 6
and 7. When the unit wheel has moved once round the projection m² acts
upon the short end of the lever m, to which is jointed the catch m³, acting on
the ratchet wheel g', and moving it two teeth or one division of the ten
wheel 93. The wheels for the hundreds and thousands, marked g" and 9', are.
successively actuated in a similar manner. All the ratchet wheels for moving
the numbering wheels are provided with retaining catches in the usual
manner, and each ratchet wheel has twenty teeth or twice the number of pro-
jections on the numbering wheels, the object of which is to be able to throw
all or any of the numbering wheels out of action when required, by placing the
retaining catches in the intermediate teeth of the ratchet wheels. In Figure 10
the driving catch m' is in gear with the ratchet wheel g', and at the next
stroke of the lever m the ratchet wheel 9' is only moved one tooth, thereby
bringing the numbering wheel g³ into the, position shewn in Figure 11, the
range of the lever m in Figure 10 is limited by the sliding holder n, which
holder at the next move of the lever m drops into the position shewn in
Figure 11, after which the catch m¹ continues to move the ratchet wheel for
two teeth. The position of the sliding holder n is set by the attendant when
required.
"
Figures 12, 13, and 14 represent another improved mode of constructing
and actuating the numbering wheels; g¹ is the unit wheel fixed to the ratchet
wheel g², which is driven, as above described, by the catch 12, and held by the
retaining catch; when the unit wheel has performed one revolution the pro-
jection m², fixed to the ratchet wheel 9. acts upon the tail of the swivel

page_text: piece m³, thus pressing the catch m' into gear with the ratchet wheel g', which,
as before described, is fixed to the boss of the ten wheel g³; the upper end of
the swivel piece m³ acts upon a spring fixed to the back of the catch m¹ to
When the ten
allow the catch to ride over the teeth of the ratchet wheel.
wheel g³ has performed one revolution, the catch m² acts upon the incline at
the end of the spring m attached to the ratchet wheel g', and forces the
stud m³ at the end of the incline beyond the face or side of the ratchet
wheel g', this stud then acts upon the tail piece m', which being fixed to the
axle m' brings the catch m² (which has a back spring and lever m³, as described
in reference to the catch m¹) into gear with the ratchet wheel 9 fixed to the
boss of the hundred numbering wheel g³. When the numbering wheel 9* has
performed one revolution the incline at one end of the spring m³, fixed to the
ratchet wheel gº, comes in contact with an incline projecting from the inside of
the frame f, and forces a stud at the end of the side spring into a hole in the
ratchet wheel g fixed to the thousand numbering wheel g', thus uniting the
whole set of numbering wheels. The ratchet wheels 93, 9, 96, and 9³ are
furnished with retaining catches, under which are two eccentric shafts l',
placed in a line with each other for lifting them out of gear.
By means of these improvements in the construction of the numbering
wheels and ratchet wheels, by which they are actuated, greater strength and
durability are obtained. The ink (of the same or of different colors) is applied
to the type and numbering wheels, when the frame f is raised by the rollers o, o¹,
and o², supported in bearings fixed to the slide p, which is actuated by the
elbow lever p¹, to the horizontal arm of which is jointed the link c', actuated
The ink is contained in the three
by the eccentric c³, fixed to the shaft c.
troughs 2, in which are rollers q¹ fixed to an axle furnished with the ratchet
wheel 92, which is moved one tooth at every rise and fall of the swing frame f,
by a catch acted upon by the lever 6'; a traversing motion is also given to the
ink rollers q¹ by the grooved cam and fixed stud q*.
By means of the improved machinery above described tickets are printed
and numbered at both ends with the printed surface upwards, and the
attendant can always see the work in progress.
On Sheet 3, Figure 15 is a front view, Figure 16 a side view, and Figure 17
a plan, in section, of a dating press, to which our improvements are applied.
r is the stand fixed to the bench or table of the clerk who issues the tickets;
the type for marking the month and date or other details on the ticket is placed
ats, and is secured by, the bridle s¹ as usual; behind the type is a pad of
vulcanized india-rubber s², or other suitable elastic material, to allow the type
to yield when the striking plate is pushed forward with undue force, for giving

page_text: the impression to the ticket; this elastic pad brings the type back to its
vertical position when the ticket is withdrawn. The type is inked after every
operation by the roller t supported in the lever t, whose fulcrum is at t²; the
ink for the roller t is contained in the receptacle.u, which is made in the stand r;
the interior of the receptacle is screwed to receive the plug u¹; by turning
this plug partly round occasionally a portion of ink exudes through the slot u²;
and projects beyond the curved piece of flannel or other material u³, on which
it is spread by the inking roller t; the ticket to be dated is placed, as now
customary, on the striking plate v, which is jointed to the swing frame v¹; the
lower end of the striking plate v guided on the usual projection r¹, and to it
is fixed a stud v, taking into a fork of the lever t¹. When the swing frame is
pushed forward by the operator to compress the ticket between the striking
plate v and types, as shewn by the dotted lines in Figure 16, the stud v³
moves the levert into the position shewn by dotted lines, and the roller t then
rolls under the flannel or other material u³, which being saturated with ink, as
above described, imparts the ink to the roller t. On withdrawing the ticket
after it has been dated, the swing frame and striking plate drop by their own
gravity, and bring the roller t into its original position against the type, which
is thus supplied with fresh ink. By this mode of inking the type the saturated
tape hitherto employed is dispensed with.
Figures 18, 19, and 20 represent a dating press to which our improved
inking roller is applied, and in which a type roller is employed containing the
requisite letters and figures for indicating the month and the day. Most of
the parts in this dating press being similar to those above described are marked
with corresponding letters of reference. The type discs w are provided with
twelve slots or apertures, in which the type are inserted or fixed; these type
may be made of steel or other material, and they can easily be replaced when
worn, whereas, when the surfaces of the discs are engraved as heretofore, any
defect or injury in one letter or figure renders the whole disc imperfect.
Having thus stated the nature of our Invention, and described the manner
of performing the same, we declare that we claim,-
First, the arrangement and combination of machinery shewn and described
in reference to Figures 1, 2, and 3 on Sheets 1 and 2, or any modification
thereof, for printing and numbering railway and other tickets with the face or
printed side upwards.
Secondly, the improvements in the construction of and mode of working
numbering wheels, as shewn and described in reference to Figures 4 to 14 on
Sheet 2.
Thirdly, the application of a roller for inking the tyne. tyne dises or engraved

page_text: rollers of dating presses, as shewn and described in reference to the several
Figures of Sheet 3.
Fourthly, the application of a pad of vulcanized india-rubber or other elastic
material to the type of dating presses, as shewn at sa in Figure 16.
And, lastly, the application of type to rollers for dating presses, as shewn
and described in reference to Figures 18, 19, and 20.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Beeby Edmondson, have hereto
set my hand and seal, the Thirteenth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
JOHN B. EDMONDSON. (L.S.)