Improvements in Numbering Hand-stamps.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 28th July, 1891-Accepted, 29th Aug., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Numbering Hand-stamps.
I, HERBERT JOHN ALLISON, of 52 Chancery Lane, London, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (which
has been communicated to me from abroad by Joseph Wetter, of 330 Main Street,
in the City of Memphis, in the State of Tennessee, United States of America,
Machine Manufacturer), and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of this invention is to simplify and improve the devices for actuating
the pawl-carrier and for regulating its engagement with the numbering-wheels to
effect the desired movement thereof, and to improve the devices for actuating the
inking-pad.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a front elevation of the improved hand-stamp.
Figure 2 is a vertical section thereof in line x-x of Figure 1, with the upper
part of the handle broken away.
Figure 3 is a similar section showing the stamp with the numbering-wheels
forced down to produce an imprint.
Figure 4 is a detailed, sectional view showing the adjustment of the pawls for
printing consecutive numbers singly.
Figure 5 is a detailed sectional view showing the adjustment of one of the pawls
for producing the impression of each number twice before changing.
Figure 6 is a detailed view, partly in section, of the device for adjusting the
position of the pawl-plate.
A is the standard or supporting-frame of the machine; B, the number-wheel
frame, mounted in the customary manner to reciprocate vertically within the outer
supporting-frame A; C, a tubular handle projecting from the wheel-frame B
through a cylindrical collar a, on the cross-bar 6, of the supporting-frame A; D, a
spiral spring interposed within the handle C between its upper end and a pin c,
passing transversely through the collar a, and the slots in the handle C.
E, E, E, are the numbering-wheels, hung as usual upon a shaft F, fixed in the
frame B; each having the customary ratchet-wheel fixed thereto. G, G, are the
spring-actuated detent pawls fitted to the rear side of the wheel-frame to engage
the ratchets of the numbering-wheels and prevent a reverse movement thereof.
The construction of the machine in the foregoing particulars is not essentially
different from that of the approved forms of hand-stamps well known to the art.
The actuating-pawls for the numbering-wheels are carried in the usual manner
upon a plate I, which is pivoted to the front edge of the transverse bar of a
pawl-frame K consisting of side-plates connected by said bar and severally pivoted
to swing at each end of the series of numbering-wheels upon the shaft F upon
which they revolve.
The oscillation of this pawl-frame K required to bring its pawls into effective
action, is produced by the reciprocation of the wheel-frame B, through the inter-
vention of a link L, see Figures 2 and 3,-pivoted at d to the outer face of one
of the side-plates of the pawl-frame K at a point about on a level with the axis of
the latter and at e to the adjacent standard of the supporting-frame A at a point
below said axis. The pivot-pin at e is made to project from the inner side of the
standard through an enlarged opening or longitudinal slot in the link, as shown in
Figures 2 and 3 so as to permit of a slight lost motion in the link. By the use of
a short link to connect the pawl-frame with the standard in the machine as described
decided economy of construction and efficiency of result are obtained.
The link L, as it turns on its pivot-pins at d and e while the wheel-frame

page_text: When
descends, causes the front end of the pawl-frame K to be swung upward and back-
ward upon the shaft F as its axis, thereby carrying the pawls backward over the
ratchets into position to make a new engagement with the teeth thereof.
the wheel-frame Bimoves upward again, the return of the pawl-frame to its first
position will so actuate the ratchets engaged thereby as to turn the numbering-
wheels one step forward. The continued movement of the wheel-frame to com-
plete its stroke after the link has operated to swing back the pawl-frame, is
permitted by the slot in the link through which the pin at e projects.
A spring M,-
-see Figure 1,-bearing upon the pawl-plate I, operates to keep
the several pawls in automatic engagement with the ratchets.
An independent idle ratchet-wheel N, having a deep notch n cut therein in place
of every second peripheral notch, is hung upon the shaft F at one end of the series
of numbering-wheels E, E, in position to be engaged by a pawl P carried, like the
actuating pawls, upon the plate I. The pawl P is so proportioned in length,
relatively to the actuating pawls, as that when the plate is in normal position and
when the detent pawl Gacts upon the wheel N, as shown in Figure 5, the said
pawl P will operate to hold up the pawl-plate and prevent an engagement of the
actuating-pawls with their respective ratchet-wheels when it rests upon the
periphery of the wheel N and will permit such engagement when it drops into one
of the deep notches n. Consequently the numbering-wheels will be moved only at
every second stroke of the stamp and each successive number will be printed twice
before a change is made.
The wheel N is normally held from retrograde movement by the detent pawl G¹
and when so held it moves forward one step with each upward movement of the
wheel-frame producing the result above described. If the detent pawl be held out
of engagement with the wheel N as shown in Figure 4, the said wheel will be
moved backward by the contact of the rear side of pawl P with the rear wall of
deep notch n. Consequently pawl P will not rise out of the deep notch and the
actuating pawls will always be in position to engage with their respective ratchets.
The numbering-wheels will then be moved with each reciprocation of the wheel-
frame and consecutive numbers will be printed. The means employed for holding
the pawl Gout of engagement with wheel N consists of a cam R adapted to act
upon a shoulder of the pawl. Said cam is carried upon a rotable bolt held to
rotate and to slide in bearings in the wheel-frame. The bolt also carries, near its
extremity, a pin which serves to rotate the bolt and to hold it in one position or
the other by engaging shallow notches 2 and 3, the pin being pressed into said
notches by a spring which acts upon the end of the bolt.
It will be seen from the foregoing that when the pawl-plate is in normal position
and the pin and cam are in the position indicated in Figure 5 the stamp will
duplicate the successive numbers; and that when the pawl-plate is in normal
position and the pin and cam are in the position shown in Figure 4, whereby the
pawl G is disengaged from the wheel N, the stamp will print consecutive numbers
singly. The pawl-plate, however, is provided with a sliding-bolt which may be
moved by a knob to engage with a shoulder 2 formed on one of the side-plates of
the pawl-frame K and thereby hold said plate so that the pawls will not reach the
ratchets as shown in Figure 3. The reciprocation of the wheel-frame will not then
move said wheels and the number thereon which may be at the line of print will be
repeated at each stroke of the stamp. In this the position of the cam R and pawl G¹
is immaterial.
It will be observed that all of the devices above referred to are carried by the
wheel-frame, by which arrangement it has been possible to attain great simplicity
in construction and operation and to reduce materially the size and weight of the
stamp.
The inking-pad S is suspended upon the swinging arms S', S', pivoted to the
supporting-frame; in position to be swung up against the numbering-wheels when
they are in their elevated position. In place of the springs and other complicated
and cumbersome devices heretofore employed the arms S', S', are formed with

page_text: slots s,s, preferably open as shown, which are engaged by pins s', s¹, projecting:
from the sides of the wheel-frame, the slots being offset from the vertical plane
of the pivots of the arms S', S'
When the wheel-frame is in its lowest position the parts will assume the positions
shown in Figure 3. As the frame moves up and nears its highest position the
pins s', s, will engage at first the closed ends of the slots and then the upper walls
of said slots, bringing the parts into the position shown in Figure 2 with the pad
resting squarely against the face of the type. As the wheel-frame descends to
make an impression the pad is swung outward by the bearing of the pins against
the lower walls of the slots. When the parts are in the position shown in Figure 3
the pad may be swung upward until it is exposed in a position convenient for
cleaning, inking or replacing.
By these means the usual springs, rods and levers are dispensed with, the pad is
moved positively by a direct connection with the wheel-frame, and the necessity of
providing for lost motion in order to secure proper action of the pad without
interference with the movement of the wheel-frame is dispensed with.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this 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 hand-stamp, with its outer supporting-frame, its recipro
cating wheel-frame, numbering-wheels revolving on said shaft and provided with
ratchet-wheels, a pawl-frame swinging freely upon said shaft, a pawl-plate pivoted
to said frame, and pawls carried by said plate to engage the ratchet-wheels, of a
bolt carried by said plate and adapted to engage a shoulder on the pawl-frame
to hold the pawls out of engagement with the ratchets, substantially as shown and
described.
2. The combination in a hand-stamp, with its outer supporting-frame, its recipro-
cating wheel-frame, a shaft carried by said wheel-frame, numbering-wheels
revolving on said shaft and provided with ratchet-wheels, a pawl-frame swinging
freely upon said shaft, a pawl-plate pivoted to said frame, pawls carried by said
plate to engage the ratchet-wheels, a loose ratchet-wheel on said shaft having both
deep and peripheral notches, and a retaining-pawl for said wheel, of a cam to act
upon said pawl and hold it out of engagement with said wheel and an actuating
pawl on said plate and adapted to enter the deep notches or rest upon the peripheral
notches of said wheel and permit or prevent engagement of the other actuating pawls
with their ratchets, substantially as shown and described.
3. The combination in a hand-stamp, with its supporting-frame, its reciprocating
wheel-frame, a shaft carried by said wheel-frame and numbering-wheels revolving
on said shaft, of an inking-pad, swinging arms carrying said pad and pivoted to the
supporting-frame and having slots offset from the plane of the pivots, and pins
projecting from the sides of the wheel-frame and entering said slots, substantially
as shown and described.
4. The combination in a hand-stamp, with its supporting-frame, its reciprocating
wheel-frame, a shaft carried by said wheel-frame, numbering-wheels on said shaft
and provided with ratchet-wheels, a pawl-frame swinging on said shaft and pawls
carried by said shaft to engage the ratchet-wheels, and a link pivoted to the
supporting-frame and to the pawl-frame, of an inking-pad, swinging arms carrying
said pad and pivoted to the supporting-frame and having slots offset from the
plane of the pivots and open at the outer end, and pins projecting from the
sides of the wheel-frame and entering said slots, substantially as shown and
described.
5. The combination in a hand-stamp, with its outer supporting-frame, its recipro-
cating wheel-frame, the shaft carried by said wheel-frame, the numbering-wheels
revolving on said shaft and provided with ratchet-wheels, the pawl-frame swinging
freely upon said shaft, and the pawls carried by said frame to engage the ratchet-
wheels, of a link pivoted to the supporting-frame below the axis of the pawl-frame

page_text: when in its upper position and to the pawl-frame at the level of said axis and
which swings inward as the pawl-frame moves downward, substantially as shown
and described.
D11
32
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.