Improved Consecutive Numbering Head.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Dec., 1895-Accepted, 1st Feb., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Consecutive Numbering Head.
I, HEINRICH THIELE, of No. 86 Prinzenstrasse in the City of Berlin,
Kingdom of Prussia, and Empire of Germany, Manufacturer, 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:-
My invention relates to an improved consecutive uumbering head of that class,
in which the frame carrying the set of numbering wheels mounted on a common
axis, and the swinging frame to turn said wheels, is supported by springs in a case,
which springs have the tendency to normally lift the wheel-frame a short distance
beyond the upper edge of the case. The platen or cylinder of the printing press,
acting a pressure on the set of numbering wheels, forces the wheel-frame down to
the bottom of the case while receiving the print; when the said pressure is
released, the wheel frame is lifted by the said supporting springs and, in the lift,
the swinging frame is actuated to perform consecutive numbering by means of
pawls engaging ratchet wheels between the numbering wheels, as is well known in
the art.
In numbering heads of this kind hitherto employed, it has been necessary to
provide the numbering head with a yielding stop or bearing surface to prevent the
printing cylinder in the moment while sliding off the numbering wheels, from
coming into contact with the wheel or wheels which are turned in the same moment
to place the consecutive number into position for print. The said yielding stop or
bearing surface, however, could not be employed without receiving the print of its
inked surface upon the paper of the cylinder or platen. To avoid the said stop or
bearing surface causing a blot on the paper, it is usual to form the surface of said
stop with a type, such as a star or the like, and the said star or type is printed
behind each number.
The object of my invention is to provide a numbering-head for consecutive
numbering without a star or other type placed behind the number, as usual.
For this purpose I provide the numbering-head with a dropping or vertically
sliding stop or bearing surface, acting in the manner of the yielding stop or
bearing surface, but without printing its surface on the paper, the said dropping
surface being down at the time when the number is being printed, but automatically
raised at the proper time to prevent the platen or cylinder from coming into
contact with the turning wheel or wheels.
To make my invention better understood, I will describe the same with reference
to the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the spring seated wheel-frame embodying my
invention, the case being shown in section;
Figure 2 is a top-view of the numbering-head;
Figure 3 is a front-view of the wheel-frame, in its raised position, the case being
shown in section ;
Figure 4 is a similar view with the wheel-frame in its lowest position ;
Figure 5 is a similar view showing the wheel-frame in the moment where it is
being raised, with the sliding stop or bearing surface in its elevated position, while
the wheel or wheels are being turned, and
Figure 6 is a detail view of the swinging frame operating the pawls for
turning the wheels and also operating the lift of the sliding stop or bearing
surface.

page_text: A, is the frame carrying a set of numbering wheels as usual; B is the case in.
which the said frame is spring-seated, the springs F, entering into recesses of the
frame A. From the sides of the casing B, studs a, extend through slots b, of the
frame A, into the side plates of the swinging frame C, as clearly shown in Figure 6,
the said studs a being fixed and stationary within the sides of the case B. It will
be easily seen, then, that, as the frame A is forced down to the bottom of the
case B, as indicated by the arrow in Figure 4, the said swinging frame C will be
swung from its normal position, indicated by dotted lines in Figure 3, into the
raised position indicated in Figure 4, causing the pawl c, to slide freely over the
teeth of the ratchet wheel E, Figure 6. In the return movement of the said
swinging frame, from the right to the left, the pawls c, will engage the teeth
of the ratchet wheels E, and cause a partial turn of the wheel so engaged, as
usual.
As indicated by Figure 6, the said swinging frame C, has a slot d', engaged by
a pin or stud d, secured to a sliding block D, guided in a dovetail groove in the
front of frame A. It will be seen, then, that, as the said swinging frame C, is
moving to the right, as indicated by the arrow, Figure 6, the said sliding block D,
will be forced to follow in the same direction, but in a straight line. The purpose
of this sliding block D, is to lift, at the time, when the case A is being lifted by
the springs and the wheel or wheels are being turned, Figure 5, a dropping or
sliding stop or bearing surface G, the normal position of which is shown in
Figures 3 and 4, the top or hearing surface of which stop being normally below
the level of the numbering wheels.
As long as the swinging frame C, keeps its normal position, Figure 3, the sliding
block D is shifted to the left of its groove. When the said swinging frame C, is
thrown into the position of Figure 4, the said block D, will be shifted to the right of
its groove, passing freely behind the lower portion of the vertical plate G' of the
stop G, and of an elastic spring-blade, secured to the said plate G'. Accordingly,
in its way from the left to the right, i.e. from the position shown in Figure 3 to
that shown in Figure 4, the sliding block does not lift the block or stop G, but
leaves the same in its lowered position. In consequence, when the printing cylinder
or platen of the printing press acts its pressure on the wheels and receives the
number in print, the paper does not enter into contact with the said stop or bearing
surface G, which, moreover, has not been inked by the inking roller which passes
over the wheels before the print is performed. But as soon as the case A is rising
and the swinging frame C, is being turned to the left by the studs a, the sliding
block D is again shifted to the left of its guideway, and while travelling in that
direction, the bevelled front surface of said block D, acts against a corresponding
surface of the spring f, as clearly shown by Figure 4, and lifts the plate C¹, and
stop G, as shown in Figure 5, during the time where the numbering wheel or
wheels are turned and till the printing cylinder, in its course over the numbering-
head, has completely passed the numbering wheels. When the sliding block D,
has reached the end of its throw to the left and arrived in its normal position of
Figure 3, the atop G drops down partly by its own weight and partly by the aid of
a spring wire e, the free end of which engages with a recess or lug of the vertical
plate G. The plate G₁ of the stop or bearing surface G is, seated in a recess in
the front side of the frame A, and guided therein in vertical direction. In
Figure 1, the said stop G is shown in its raised position, though, in the normal
position of the frame A, the said stop G, is down.
In printing consecutive numbers by the numbering-head above described, the
sliding stop or bearing surface G, acts in the manner as the yielding stop of the
numbering beads hitherto employed, to allow the numbering wheel or wheels to be
turned during the lift of the frame A, the cylinder or platen of the printing press
being kept out of contact with the wheels by said stop; but as the said sliding
stop is not inked as the yielding stop, it leaves no print on the paper of the
cylinder or platen and the numbers printed by said head are clear of any star or
other type at the end.

page_text: 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 :-
First. In a consecutive numbering-head, the combination, with the spring-seated
wheel-frame and swinging frame actuating the pawl or pawls; of a sliding stop
or bearing surface lifted by the action of the swinging frame during the upward or
return motion of the spring seated wheel frame, substantially as and for the
purpose described.
2. In a consecutive numbering-head the combination with a spring seated wheel
frame and swinging frame actuating the pawl or pawls; of a horizontally guided
sliding block actuated by said swinging frame and a vertically guided stop or
bearing surface lifted by the said sliding block during the upward or return motion
of the wheel frame, substantially as and for the purpose described.
Dated this 16th day of December 1895.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant..
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant..