Year: 1889

page_text: I, WARREN BUTLER MARTINDALE, of Kenosha, in the County of Kenosha, and
State of Wisconsin, United States of America, Lawyer, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to Chronometric Stamps having time and date wheels which
are actuated at regular intervals by means of an electro-magnet carried with the
stamp, in connection with a clock-movement detached from the stamp and an inter-
posed time-transmitter. It has for its object to provide a small, compact, efficient
hand-stamp of this description which will admit of being freely moved over the surface
of the papers or books to be stamped and will produce an imprint on any portion of
the upper surface thereof. It consists in the novel construction, combination, and
arrangement of the several devices and elements which are hereinafter fully described
and claimed.
In the accompanying drawings:-
Figure 1, is a side elevation of my improved chronometric hand-stamp or time-
printing machine.
Figure 2, a vertical section in line x-x of Figure 1.
Figure 3, a similar section in line y-y of Figure. 2 with the year-wheel
removed.
Figure 4, a vertical section in line z-z of Figure 2 with the electro-magnet in
elevation.
Figure 5, a bottom-view of the stamp illustrating more fully the order and
arrangement of the time and dating wheels and of their actuating pawls.
Figure 6, an enlarged elevation of the first and second minute-wheels, the first
wheel being partly broken away to show the ratchet of the second-wheel and illustrate
the difference in diameter of the first and second ratchet-wheels and the equal
intervals between their notches.
Figures 7, 8, and 9, illustrate respectively the different positions of the dog locking
one of the time-wheels and of the pawl governing the same.
Similar letters and numbers indicate like parts in all of the Figures.

page_text: In its general appearance the improved stamp resembles an ordinary dating hand-
stamp, being constructed of a series of dating and time registering printing-wheels,
mounted in a spring-actuated movable case, fitted to reciprocate in a supporting frame
of customary form which admits of being readily carried and placed with one hand,
upon the surface to be printed; an impression being produced therefrom by pressing
down the handle of the case.
In the drawings; A is the reciprocating wheel-case for the stamp having thereon
the tubular handle D within which is the coiled-spring E. The handle D passes, as
usual, through a cylindrical collar B¹ in a cross-bar connecting the upper ends of the
standards B, B, constituting the supporting-frame of the stamp. A pin a¹ passes
through said collar B¹ under said spring E. The standards B, B, are slotted and
pins b, b, passing therethrough into the wheel-case A, serve, together with the
handle D, to guide said case properly when moving up and down.
A continuous movement is imparted at determinate intervals to the train of time
and date printing-wheels by means of an electro-magnet, F, secured in the upper end
thereof, and which is connected by flexible wires in circuit with a battery and suitable
clock movement not shown in the drawings.
The magnet F may be made to actuate the time-train immediately, by the inter-
vention of a pivoted pawl-lever carrying at one end thereof the armature for the
magnet, as has heretofore been done in various forms of printing mechanism operated
by electro-magnets, but I prefer to interpose an independent motive power for driving
the time-wheels which shall be simply released at intervals by the action of the
magnet.
For this purpose a spring H, is coiled about a rotating shaft H', mounted trans-
versely in the case A, under the magnet F, and is secured at one end to said shaft and
at the other to the casing. A ratchet-wheel, I, is fixed upon the shaft and governed
by a pawl, I, to prevent a reverse movement of the shaft when the spring is wound
up, said pawl being pivoted to the lateral face of a toothed-wheel, J, turning loosely
upon the shaft, H¹, and geared to a pinion, J, upon a second shaft, H2, which carries
a cam-wheel, K, and an escape-wheel, L, fixed thereto, so that the stress of the spring
in unwinding shall operate to rotate said shaft.
Its rotation is controlled by means of a pivoted escapement-lever, M, bearing the
armature, M, of the electro-magnet, F, so as to be swung in one direction by the
action of the magnet as it is excited at intervals by the time-transmitter ; its move-
ment in the opposite direction being automatically produced by means of a
spring m.
The escapement-lever M carries a pallet c, pivoted thereto to engage the escape-
wheel L, whilst the second pallet c¹ in the escapement is formed by the bent end of
a short lever d, whose opposite end is pivoted to the pallet c and which vibrates upon
an intermediate stud-pin e, projecting from the case.
•
The printing-wheels are all mounted to revolve upon a common axial-shaft N in the
.lower part of the case A. The two outer wheels, and 2, turn independently upon
the shaft and are adjusted as required by hand, and are made to print respectively, the
one at the right, the names of the months and the one on the left, the year.
The minutes are designated and printed by means of two wheels, 3 and 4, revolving
freely side by side next to the year-wheel and on the same shaft N. The periphery of
the first or unit minute-wheel 3, is divided into ten spaces bearing respectively type
representing the digits and cipher. The second or tens minute-wheel, 4, is divided
into twelve spaces, bearing respectively type representing two series of numbers from 1
to 5 each, with a space left blank between each series.
Next to these minute-wheels is placed the hour-wheel 5, also divided peripherally
into twelve spaces bearing type representing the hours from 1 to 12.
These three wheels are all actuated by the oscillation of a single pawl-lever P,-see
Figure 3,—whose upper end is pivoted upon a transverse shaft P¹ which is mounted
parallel with the axial shaft N above the axis of the cam-wheel K. The periphery of
this wheel is formed with a succession of bevelled teeth rounded at their ends to serve
as cams, and a friction-wheel upon the end of a lugf projecting from the lever P, is

page_text: made to ride upon said cam-periphery, being held in contact therewith by means of a
spring, g, so that the lever will be oscillated by the cams as the friction-wheel rides
over each tooth.
To the lower end of this pawl-lever P is pivoted a transverse pawl-plate, Q,-see
Figure 5, carrying three pawls h, h¹, h², which project therefrom in a horizontal
plane, the first on the outer side of the first minute-wheel 3, and the other two between-
the second minute-wheel 4, and the hour-wheel 5, each to engage a ratchet-wheel
secured to one of said wheels so as to actuate it. The ratchet-wheel i for the first
minute-wheel 3, is formed with ten peripheral notches to be engaged by the pawl h.
One of said notches is made deeper than the rest, whereby the pawl h¹, otherwise held
out of engagement with the ratchet on the second minute-wheel, is allowed to drop
into engagement therewith to actuate it, whilst two of the notches in the ratchet-wheel
secured to the second minute-wheel and engaged by the pawl h¹, are in like manner
made deep enough to allow the third pawl h, otherwise held out of engagement with
the ratchet of the hour-wheel, to drop into engagement with said ratchet, whereby the
second minute-wheel will be moved one step at each complete revolution of the first
minute-wheel, and the hour-wheel will be moved two steps. at each revolution of the
second wheel, this movement being required because of the repetition of the figures
on said second wheel.
The step by step movement of the second minute-wheel and of the hour-wheel, each
of which have twelve divisions, is produced in unison with the first minute-wheel
having but ten divisions, at and by, one and the same stroke or movement of the
actuating pawl-lever, by making the ratchet-wheels for the second and hour-wheels of
larger diameter than that for the first wheel, as shown in Figure 6, whereby the same
intervals are maintained between the notches on the one wheel as between those on
the other.
The meridian and date-wheels are mounted on the axial shaft N to the right of
the hour-wheel, as shown in Figure 5. The meridian wheel, 6, is divided into
twelve peripheral spaces corresponding to the twelve spaces on the hour-wheel, and
the type in said spaces bear alternately the letters A.M. and P.M.
The periphery of the first date-wheel, 7, is divided into ten spaces bearing the
digits and cipher, and the second date-wheel, 8, is in like manner divided into
twelve spaces bearing the numbers one, two, three, repeated in three series with
a space between each of the series left blank.
The meridian and date-wheels 6, 7, and 8, are all actuated by the oscillation of
a single pawl-lever R carrying a pawl-plate Q from which pawls k, k¹, k², are
made to project horizontally into engagement with the ratchet-wheels secured
respectively to said meridian and date-wheels. The ratchet-wheels for the meridian
and the second date-wheel are each formed with twelve notches to correspond with
the twelve peripheral spaces on said wheels, and are made of larger diameter than the
ratchet for the first date wheel having ten notches, so that the intervals between
the notches on all of said ratchet-wheels are uniform to admit of their all being
moved by the same stroke of the one pawl-lever.
The pawl-lever R depends from a rock-shaft R¹, mounted parallel with the shaft P',
and immediately over it, and is actuated by means of a cam-lever S, likewise
depending from said rock-shaft so that its lower end shall contact with the periphery
of a cam-wheel S₁ interposed between the hour and meridian wheels to revolve upon
the shaft N in unison with the hour-wheel to which it is secured. The lower, bent
end of the lever S is automatically held against the periphery of the cam-wheel S¹,
by the stress of a spring g' actuating the pawl-lever R, said periphery being formed
with a single radial offset n, which allows the lever to spring inward once during
each revolution of the hour-wheel.
As the cam-wheel thus drops inward it operates to oscillate the rock-shaft R and
swing the pawl-lever inwards to cause it to move the wheels engaged by its several
bawls.
The meridian-wheel is moved one step at each movement of the pawl-lever R.
Every alternate notch in its ratchet is deepened to permit thereby the second pawl k¹

page_text: to engage and move the first day-wheel, simultaneously with the movement of the
A.M. type on the meridian-wheel, into line of print.
One only of the notches in the ratchet of the first day-wheel, is deepened to
allow the pawl k² to engage and move the second day-wheel one step at each
revolution of the first.
The pawls carried by the levers P and R are normally held upward in contact
with the ratchets, by means of springs p, p, engaging the pawl-plates Q and Q',-
see Figures 2, 4, and 5, said plates being hinged to the levers to permit them to
swing inwards towards the ratchets.
A cross-bar T is mounted upon each of the pawl-levers P and R, at a point
thereon about in a plane horizontal with the axial shaft N, and adjustable pins t, t,
are made to project from each of said bars far enough to contact with the periphery
of each ratchet-wheel and thereby operate, not only to arrest the inward movement
of the pawl, but likewise as a brake upon the wheel.
Each of the time and date-wheels is positively locked so soon as its movement
is completed and is so held, until the proper moment arrives for its next movement,
by means of a spring-actuated, pivoted dog W, which is automatically carried by its
spring into engagement with the periphery of the ratchet of the wheel in a direction
opposite to that of the pawl / by which it is actuated. The dog W, is formed with a
tooth W, adapted to enter the first notch in the ratchet-wheel beyond the notch
engaged by a pawl, and is preferably curved and provided also with a second tooth W2,
so that, it may engage the second notch and thereby lock the wheel when the first
notch happens to be a deep one. The dog is retracted and freed from the ratchet at
each forward movement of the pawl to turn the wheel, by means of an inclined or
bevelled lug u, formed laterally on the end of a finger V, projecting from the end of
the dog.
As the pawl h, after being retracted, is about to begin its forward movement, the
inclined face of its lug u, will engage the counterpart bevelled-pin v,-see Figure 5,-
on the end of the finger V, and, bearing against it, will lift the finger and dog out,
away from the ratchet, so as to withdraw it from engagement therewith before the end
of the pawl drops into engagement with the appropriate notch in the ratchet-wheel
and thereby leave the wheel free to turn.
The continued movement of the pawl h, will carry its inclined lug u, beyond
the end of the finger V, so that the latter will be allowed to drop back towards the
ratchet, leaving the dog W free to again engage and lock the same so soon as its
movement is completed. The hinged connection of the pawls with their actuating-
levers permits them to yield as the inclined lugs pass back over the pins on the
fingers.
The printing-wheels are inked for each impression by means of an inking-roller 9,-
see Figures 1 and 2,-pivoted parallel with the axial-shaft N between two lateral
arms 10, 10, hinged to the outer ends of levers 11, 11, pivoted to the two
standards B, B, each to intersect normally the corresponding lower corner of the
casing. The arms 10, 10, are of such length as that when the levers 11, 11, are in
their normal position as above, the arms shall extend therefrom horizontally, each
to the opposite corner, so that the intervening roller 9 will be supported under
the face of the casing and in front of the train of printing-wheels. The arms are
normally upheld by springs 12, 12, engaging the same at their hinged joint, as shown
in Figures 1 and 3.
The levers, 11, are extended upward beyond their pivoted point, 12, and are
slotted at their upper ends to engage pins, 14, projecting from the side of the
casing A, so that, as the casing is pressed downward to produce an imprint from
the printing-wheels, the levers 11, 11, are made to vibrate upon their pivots and their
outer ends are carried up, perpendicularly, against the rear face of the casing, as
illustrated in dotted lines Figure 1, thereby drawing the inking-roller 9 over the
type which have been brought to line of print.
A rotation of the time-wheels is prevented during the movement of the wheel-
case in stamping with the device, by means of a rock-shaft 15, mounted in the

page_text: case, A, parallel with the axial shaft N, and in front of the pawl-lever P,-see
Figure 3. This shaft 15, is provided with a toe 16, projecting radially from a
collar 17, fitted to turn loosely upon the shaft but made to partake of its movement
by means of an interposed spring 18. Said toe is brought into line with the pawl-
lever P and in position over a lug 19 projecting from said lever, so as to admit of
being brought, by an oscillation of the shaft 15, into contact with the end of said
lug when the pawl-lever is drawn back in readiness to actuate the time-wheels.
The toe is held normally in its elevated position, as shown in Figure 3, when
the casing A is elevated, and is swung over into a horizontal position to engage the
lag 19 whenever the casing A is pressed downward to produce an imprint, by means
of an arm 20, projecting from the rock-shaft 15, and which is engaged by a fixed
pin 21 projecting from the proximate standard B through a slot 22 in the side of
the casing.
If the casing be moved when the pawl-lever is in its normal position, at rest, as
shown in Figure 1, its spring-connection with the rock-shaft will allow it to turn
independently upon the shaft and thereby yield sufficiently to prevent any strain
upon the parts, but if the pawl-lever be retracted, the toe 16 will engage the lug 19
on the lever and prevent its inward movement to actuate the wheels until the wheels
are lifted by the return upward movement of the case clear of the printed surface.
In the construction of my improved stamp so that it may be moved and applied
unrestrictedly to the surface to be imprinted, rubber type are preferably employed on
the wheels thereby dispensing with the need of an elastically-yielding bed or platen
under the sheet to be printed.
Where, however, steel or hard metal type are used a suitable platen may be
fitted and secured to the lower ends of the standards B, B, as is usual.
It is evident that, as a modification in this time-printing machine, the wheel-
case A with the electro-magnet F carried therein to actuate the wheels, may be made
to swing upon the end of an arm or lever to and from the surface to be printed,
instead of being made to move vertically between the standards B, B, and that
various devices known to the art may be used for inking the type-wheels for each
impression, or an inking-ribbon be substituted in the customary manner.
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 chronometric hand-stamp of a series of dating and time-
registering printing-wheels mounted in a movable case or frame to admit of being
carried down thereby upon the surface to be imprinted, and an electro-magnetic
device actuated by an electric time-transmitter and mounted in the same frame to
move said wheels at determinate intervals in synchronism with a suitable clock-
movement, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.
2. The combination with a hand-stamp embodying a type-wheel case having a
suitable handle and moving in a supporting frame to be carried over the surface to be
printed, of a train of revolving type-wheels mounted in said stamp to print characters
denoting time, electro-mechanical devices actuating the type-wheels and carried
therewith in said band-stamp, and an independent time-piece and time-transmitter
connected therewith to operate the same, substantially in the manner and for the
purpose herein set forth.
3. The combination in a chronometric hand-stamp of a movable case or frame,
a train of dating and time-registering printing-wheels mounted in said frame to
be carried thereby into direct contact with the surface to be imprinted, a spring-
actuated motor actuating the time-wheel, an escapement controlling said motor,
an electro-magnet actuating said escapement to produce a release of the time-
train at regular intervals and a clock-movement and time-transmitter governing
the magnet to determine said intervals, substantially in the manner and for the
purpose herein set forth.

page_text: 4. The combination in a time-stamp, of two proximate type-wheels of equal diameter
revolving upon a common axis to designate and print the minutes, the first having
ten equal peripheral spaces bearing in order the digits and cipher, and the second
geared to be moved one step at each revolution of the first and having twelve
peripheral spaces bearing the numbers from one to five repeated in two series with
the spaces between the series left blank, substantially in the manner and for the
purpose herein set forth.
5. The combination in a time-stamp with two proximate minute-wheels equal in
diameter and revolving upon a common axis to print the minutes, the first bearing in
order upon its periphery nine digits and a cipher and the second, moved one step at
each revolution of the first and bearing upon its periphery the figures one to five
repeated in two series with intervening blanks, of a third, hour-wheel of the same
diameter and upon the same axis, bearing the numerals from one to twelve upon its
periphery and moved one step at each half revolution of the second minute-wheel,
substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.
6. The combination in a time-stamp with the printing wheels of equal diameter
divided severally into ten and twelve peripheral spaces, and with the pawls moving
with uniform length of stroke to actuate each and every wheel, of ratchet-wheels
engaged by said pawls, having peripheral notches corresponding on each with the
numbers of spaces
on the printing-wheel actuated thereby, the ratchet-wheels
having the smaller number of notches being of less diameter so that the interval
between their notches shall agree with the corresponding intervals between the notches
on the wheels of larger diameter, substantially in the manner and for the purpose
herein set forth.
7. The combination in a time-stamp, of two proximate type-wheels of equal diameter
mounted upon a common axis to designate and print the days of the month, the
first having ten equal peripheral divisions bearing in order the digits and cipher, and
the second moved one step at each revolution of the first and having twelve equal
peripheral divisions bearing the numbers one to three repeated in three. series
with intervening blanks, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set
forth.
8. The combination in a chronometric hand-stamp with the hour type-wheel and
the meridian-wheel revolving on the same axis and bearing the abreviations A.M.
and P.M. alternately upon its twelve peripheral spaces, of a cam-wheel attached to
the hour-wheel to partake of its movement and having a single offset, a rock-shaft
mounted parallel with its axis, an arm projecting from said shaft into contact with
the cam-wheel to be actuated thereby once during each revolution of the hour-
wheel, a pawl-arm and pawl carried by said rock-shaft to be oscillated thereby, and a
ratchet-wheel with twelve notches secured to the meridian-wheel and actuated by
said pawl, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.
9. The combination in a chronometric hand-stamp, of the printing-wheels revolving
loosely upon a common axial-shaft and consisting of two minute-wheels, the first
bearing the digits and cipher, and the second two series of numbers from 1 to 5 each
with a blank space between each series; an hour-wheel bearing the numbers from
1 to 12; a meridian-wheel having twelve peripheral divisions bearing alternately the
letters A.M. and P.M.; two date-wheels, the first bearing the digits and cipher and
the second divided into twelve peripheral spaces bearing the numbers, 1, 2, and 3,
repeated in three series with a space between each of the series left blank; a pawl-
lever actuating simultaneously by its movement the minute and hour-wheels and
itself actuated by a time-transmitting mechanism; a cam-wheel carried by the hour-
wheel; and a pawl-lever actuated mediately. by said cam once at each revolution
thereof and actuating simultaneously the meridian and day-wheels, substantially in
the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.
10. The combination with a ratchet-wheel and a reciprocating pawl actuating the
same, of a pivoted dog automatically engaging the notches of the ratchet in advance
of the pawl to lock the same; an inclined lug on the side of the pawl; and a

page_text: finger projecting from the dog into engagement with said lug, whereby, as the
pawl begins its forward movement to actuate the wheel, it will first move the dog to
release it from the wheel, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set
forth.
11. The combination with the time-printing wheels in a chronometric electro-
magnetic hand-stamp and the oscillating-pawl actuating said wheels and itself
actuated mediately by an electro-magnetic time-transmitting mechanism and with
the movable case supporting the wheels and pawl, of a yielding catch oscillating
into and out of engagement with the pawl-lever to arrest it, and a lever actuating
said catch and operated by the movement of the wheel-case, whereby the catch is
carried into engagement, with the pawl-lever when the wheels are depressed for
imprint, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.
12. The combination of two proximate type-wheels of equal diameter mounted
upon a common axis, the one bearing a greater number of type than the other ;
ratchet wheels of unequal diameter actuating said type-wheels each having teeth
or notches corresponding in number with the type on the wheel which it actuates,
the intervals between the teeth or notches being of uniform length on both ratchets;
and a pawl-lever and pawls engaging and moving said ratchets with a uniform length
of stroke, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.
Dated this 31st day of January 1889.
WARREN BUTLER MARTINDALE.