IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANISM OR APPARATUS FOR NUMBERING, PRINTING AND CUTTING. TICKETS, CHEQUES, AND OTHER SIMILAR AND LIKE ARTICLES PROGRESSIVELY, AND CONSECUTIVELY
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Melton Black at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th May 1883.
JOHN MELTON BLACK of Bell Yard City Road in the City of London
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANISM OR APPARATUS FOR NUMBERING, PRINTING
AND CUTTING. TICKETS, CHEQUES, AND OTHER SIMILAR AND LIKE ARTICLES
PROGRESSIVELY, AND CONSECUTIVELY
"
The object of this invention is to produce a machine for numbering and printing
tickets cheques labels and other similar and like articles progressively and
consecutively in a much more expeditious manner than has hitherto been adopted
and with advantages that no other machine of a like nature and object possesses.
The improvement consists in the adaptation of two or more Cylinders as may be
required for the purposes as hereinafter stated, each Cylinder containing a series of
numeral discs for each ticket, cheque, label or like article to be printed and which
Cylinders may contain two or more series of numeral discs provided with numbers
and letters if required around their periphery and which numerals and letters are
successively brought into action by suitable gearing in proper consecutive order
from the units to the tens, then to the hundreds, then to the thousands, and so on,
These Cylinders are supported in centres on a strong frame so that they can freely
revolve by suitable gearing and are provided with a series of numbering discs
actuated by suitable internal gearing, each series of discs representing the width of
the ticket, cheque label or other like article to be printed and which Cylinders may
contain two or more series of numeral discs according to the number of tickets
required to be printed at the one operation.-When the object is to print the
numerals and alphabetical series only I employ two Cylinders but if a duplicate
number is required to be impressed on the ticket, cheque, label or other like article then
I employ two or more Cylinders containing a similar series of discs to the first two
Cylinders and should a further addition be required so as to impress upon the face
of the ticket, cheque, label or like article a distinguishing number in consecutive
order on a series of devices, then I employ two more Cylinders provided as in the
other Cylinders with numeral discs or with devices and suitable gearing.-All
these Cylinders are geared together so as to give a uniform motion to the whole.

page_text: It will therefore be apparent that the machine can be constructed with two or
more Cylinders composed of discs provided with type numbers letters or devices as
may be required for the work to be performed.
The Cylinders printing the consecutive numbers upon the running strip of paper
passing between such Cylinders and their impression Cylinders are composed of a
series or number of discs placed transversely across the paper each series of discs are
independently arranged and driven so as to enable them to print in consecutive
order their several numbers on the running strip or ribbon of paper. Take for
example one of the series of the discs printing the numerals is provided with the
numeral type numbers from O'to 9, these numbers are so placed that the paper
travelling beneath them at the same surface speed receives such numbers with each
and every revolution of the said discs, with each revolution also a disc provided
with one tooth revolving with the numeral disc gears with and gives one tenth of
a revolution to a second disc provided with numerals printing the tens which in
like manner when its intermittent motion has completed one revolution will gear
with and give one tenth of a revolution to the third disc provided with numerals
printing the hundreds which said disc also being provided with similar gearing and
type numbers likewise transmits motion to a fourth disc printing the thousands,
such arrangement of gearing and discs may be extended so as to advance the
consecutive order of their number printing or may be otherwise provided with
letters or devices as hereinafter described. but in every case such discs forming one
series are repeated and arranged in a line across the paper each one of the series
representing one line of consecutively numbered tickets which are subsequently cut
up into strips as hereinafter described so as to form continuous lengths of rolled up
consecutively numbered tickets, each one of the cyphered type of the series of discs
commencing at the second disc printing the tens is provided with a groove fitting a
cam ring upon which the said cypher type when being carried round with the
numbering discs slides, this ring is so arranged and shaped that when the Cypher
has at the time required delivered its impression it will be placed out of position
and below the printing surface by the cam ring which at the proper instant of time
lowers the cypher type sliding thereon out of printing contact. The whole series of.
discs are secured in their places by means of a lock concentric ring or its
equivalent provided with handles which when turned into position fixes or places
the whole of the discs in gear and working order one with the other, but if at any
time it is required that the printing shall recommence from zero or from any
number back or forward from that last printed the said lock ring is forced back in
its slot the action of which throws the whole of the wheels actuating the
numbering discs out of gear and so allows any one or more of such discs to be
turned by hand into a position which will enable them to commence printing from
zero or from any number required."
When an alphabetical series of numbers say 10000, is required I employ one of
the discs in each of the series to the left of the discs printing the thousands or
highest number as an Alphabetical disc placing on that disc on the first Cylinder
the alternate letter of the Alphabet or other device commencing at A. and on the
other disc similarly situated on the second Cylinder the alternate letter of the
Alphabet or other device commencing at B by which means I am enabled to
print 26 or more series of ten thousands each before falling back to zero at A.
I further employ a series of revolving or other cutters so placed and so driven that
they will divide the strip of paper cardboard or other like material impressed with
the subject matter back and front and bearing on the face of same the consecutive
numbers in its length into strips the width of the ticket cheque label or other like
article as may be required which may be 2. 3. 4. 5, 6, 7. 8, 9. 10, or more tickets in
width as herein described which are then passed if required to be perforated or
nicked through two rollers conveniently placed for that purpose and then rolled
into rolls on spools as may be required or severed into single tickets by the action
of suitable transverse cutters actuated by eccentrics or their equivalent, each one
of the tickets as so severed from the separated strips are pushed by revolving

page_text: wings or flaps into a receptacle suitably placed to receive them in their proper
consecutive order.
The arrangement combination and action of the various parts composing the
improved numerical Printing Machine may be described as follows:-
A large roller or Cylinder upon which the roll of paper cardboard or other
material to be printed is placed, is mounted at one end of the machine on suitable
bearings The end of the roll which may vary in width according to the number
of tickets to be printed is passed between a first set of printing rollers upon the
upper surface of which it receives the impression of the subject matter on its full
width, passing on it next passes through the first of the two Cylinders with the
numeral discs herein described which impresses on the surface of the paper card-
board or other material in register with the subject matter the consecutive numbers
and the letter of the Alphabet to the left of the numeral thousands so as to indicate
the alphabetical series, say of ten thousand after which it passes through the second
set of Cylinders with the numeral and duplicate discs above described in register
with the subject matter on the face of the ticket when it receives if required the
duplicate impression of the numbers and alphabetical series impressed upon the
face of the paper cardboard or like material by the first two numeral Cylinders
after which it passes through the third set of numeral Cylinders in register with
the first two sets of Cylinders the distinguishing number or other device that may
be required to be impressed on the face of the paper after which it passes under a
large heated Cylinder placed slightly beneath the plane of the line previously
traversed which combined with a traversing sheet of paper or other suitable
material receives any "set off" from the face of the paper before passing through
the last printing rollers to receive the impression of the subject matter on the
back of the paper card board or other material and which impression is in register
with the impression on the front of the same.
The strip of paper is now passed through circular or other suitable cutters so
arranged as to divide the sheet of paper cardboard or other like material into
strips the width of the ticket, cheque, label or other like article as may be required
from thence these divided printed strips pass through rollers (if required) which
perforate or nick the paper cardboard or other material at the line where the ticket
is to be separated from the continuous strip, which strips are then received on
spools and wound up in rolls each roll being independent of the other.
Or if desired in lieu of rolling the continuous strips of printed tickets into rolls
I adapt to the delivery end of the Machine an arrangement of transverse cutters
which will separate or cut the continuous length of paper as delivered into
separate tickets and place them as severed in proper consecutive order into
receptacles placed to receive then and from which the tickets so placed can be
taken in bundles and secured in their consecutive order by pins string or the like.
As an alternative process I adopt the following construction of machine having
the same object in view and which enables me to print on Cardboard, pulpboard or
other like material impracticable to pass through a rotary Machine without liability
to crack or fracture.
For this purpose I construct a Machine having an oblong frame which receives
an intermittent rise and fall through suitable gearing and upon which frame is
constructed a series of numbered discs of small diameter placed transversely to the
oblong of the frame each series of discs which may be as many as may be required
representing the width of the ticket. cheque label or other like article to be printed.-
Upon the periphery of these discs is placed the numerals 0 to 9 the first of
each series to the right hand representing the units, the next the tens, the next
the hundreds, and so on, the outer disc to the left being used as an Alphabetical
disc if so required as more fully detailed in the Machine above described.
These numeral discs are placed across the oblong of the frame, the numbers as
they fall in their places being on the same plane as the type which is so placed in
juxte position to the discs as to be beneath the oblong frame which supports them.
The numerals and the type combined forming the length of the ticket cheque label

page_text: or other like article to be printed. These being repeated so as to fill up the entire
frame form as it were the block from which the impression is to be taken. The
action of the numeral disc is as follows:-being placed on a shaft upon which they
freely revolve with the exception of the unit disc of each series which revolves
with the motion of the shaft and which shaft is moved by the perpendicular and
intermittant action above referred to, thereby bringing the numerals on their
peripheries at fixed intervals in the plane with the type, at this time when the
type is raised an inking roller is passed underneath and rising at the end of the
frame remains until the intermittant and perpendicular action is repeated which
action carries the inking roller again underneath the frame and rising on the other
side remains until the same action is repeated.
The consecutive numbers as the discs of each series are actuated in this manner
the unit disc as it completes a full revolution moves the ten discs one tenth which
brings another figure on the second disc on to the plane of the type which being
inked by the inking roller in its motion to and fro gives its impression on the
ticket cheque or label as may be required. As the second disc makes a completo
revolution it moves the third disc one tenth thereby bringing another figure on
the plane of the type and which operation is repeated through the other discs and
hence the consecutive number is maintained in each and in all the series of
numeral discs constructed in the frame. When duplicate numbers are required
to be printed on each ticket cheque label or like article I employ another series of
numeral discs so placed as to occupy a portion of the space devoted to the subject
matter on the ticket which subject matter has therefore to be condensed or printed
in smaller type as for instance in a return ticket of a Railway Company. After
the operation of printing the tickets on one side has been completed the said sheet
of tickets is passed between type and impression rollers which impress upon its
reverse sides subject matter only after which the Sheet so printed upon is cut up
by circular or guillotine cutter into separate tickets.