IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR NUMBERING, PRINTING, AND COTTAMEN ZAMA An ADHICLES
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Wilson, of Woodville Grove, Stoke
Newington, in the County of Middlesex, Printer, for the Invention
of IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR NUMBERING, PRINTING, AND
COTTAMEN ZAMA
An
ADHICLES "
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Wilson'at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th August 1875.
I, ROBERT WILSON, of Woodville Grove, Stoke Newington, in the
County of Middlesex, Printer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR NUMBERING, PRINTING, AND
COLLATING TICKETS, AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES," to be as follows:-
My Invention has reference to the production of tickets and other
like articles which have to be numbered in consecutive order, and
especially to the numbering of them in sheets of 100 (more or less),
which may be afterwards divided into separate tickets by any ordinary
apparatus.

page_text: My Invention is chiefly based on the employment of a number of
discs or wheels, each of which carries on its periphery type, representing
the numbers 0 and 1 to 9 placed at equal distances apart thereon.
These type carrying discs in sets of ten (with several others without
type for the purpose herein-after explained) are arranged in circles so as
together to constitute a sort of compound cylinder. Thus if there are
10 circles, each composed of 10 type discs, and each disc having 10
numbers on its periphery, there will be in all 1000 numbers, but only
one number on each of the 100 discs can actually form at the same
time part of the periphery of the compound cylinder of discs. If an
ordinary inking apparatus be arranged in connection with these discs so
as to supply ink thereto, and if an ordinary blanket cylinder provided
with the usual grippers be likewise arranged in connection with the disc
cylinder so as to bring the sheet of paper in contact with the disc
cylinder when revolving, it will be understood that in one revolution of
the cylinder one hundred numbers will be printed on the sheet as it
passes through the machine. If the discs be then all made by suitable
mechanism to move a portion of a revolution on their axes so to bring
another number on each disc to the periphery of the compound cylinder,
the next sheet passed through the machine will be printed with 100.
numbers differing from those on the first sheet; and similar changes
will be made until all the 10 faces of each disc have been brought into
use, and 10 sheets, forming in all 1,000 tickets, have been numbered. If
additional type discs be used or type wheels, each extending all round
the cylinder, such discs or wheels being numbered from 0 to 9, or
from 0 to 99, tickets can be printed up to 10,000 or 100,000 if necessary,
transposing the first printed sheet to suit each packet of tickets.
The sheets numbered as herein-before explained may be printed with
the ordinary subject matter before being fed to this machine, or they may
be fed to this machine in the "white" state, and be printed therein by any
ordinary printing mechanism forming part of the machine, by which the
three operations of numbering, printing, and collating are performed in
one, and either before or after the printing of the numbers, as thought
best. The numbered and printed sheets may be déposited by this machine
as numbered, and be afterwards conveyed to a cutting machine, or any
suitable cutting mechanism may be attached to the numbering machine,
so as to cut the sheets into separate tickets, and arrange such tickets in
consecutive order. And where required, the surfaces of the tickets may

page_text: be colored in stripes by combining with the machine a ruling machine,
such as is now ordinarily adopted for producing such stripes.
Such being the nature and object of my Invention, I will now proceed
to describe a machine constructed according thereto, so that the manner
of carrying it into effect may be understood.
At the front of the frame of the machine (which frame is of any
suitable construction) I mount a feed board provided with the usual
register points or pins. Contiguous to this feed board is a revolving.
blanket cylinder, the same as is used in what is known as a perfecting
printing machine; it carries grippers, which as they pass the feed board
take hold of the sheet thereon, carry it round with them until the
numbers have been printed thereon, and then by the action of a cam or
cams release the sheet and deliver it to a flyer, which deposits it upon a
delivery board. At the back of the frame is an ordinary arrangement
of inking apparatus, which is mounted so that it can be moved back on
a hinge or joint when required. Between the blanket cylinder and the
inking apparatus and in contact with each is the disc cylinder carrying
the type numbers, and the particular construction of which I now
proceed to explain, taking the case where it is capable of numbering
tickets from 1 up to 100,000. Upon a central shaft are fixed at equal
distances apart, 10 large wheels or discs carrying on their peripheries
type numbers, the first 0 to 9, the second 10 to 19, and so on, the last
bearing the numbers 90 to 99. Between these large type discs are
toothed wheels of smaller diameter, and around each toothed wheel and
gearing therewith is a set of small discs, being composed of ten type
discs and five other discs, 3 of which gear into the large wheels, the
other two being intermediate, to give the proper direction to the three,
the 15 discs forming as it were a circle around the toothed wheel. The
ten type discs are cach numbered 0 to 9, and constitute about 2/3rds of
the circle, the remainder of the circle being made up of the other 3
discs. Adjoining each set of 10 type discs are two other similar sets,
likewise numbered from 0 to 9, the 3 sets forming a series of 30. The
small type discs are all.flush at their outer edge with the 10 large type
discs. At each revolution of the disc cylinder the toothed wlicels arc by
means of a tappet, paul, or other suitable device caused to make a partial
revolution so as to move the type discs composing the first set of each
series of 30 partly round and bring the next number thereon to the
front; at every tenth revolution of the cylinder the ten type discs of

page_text: 4
each first set complete a revolution, and then act upon the ten discs of
each second set, moving them a tenth part of a revolution; and the discs
of the second sets on completing a revolution after every hundredth
revolution of the cylinder in like manner act on the discs of each
third set, which complete a revolution only after a thousand revolutions
of the cylinder. Thus at every revolution of the cylinder there is a
continuous or consecutive change in the numbers of the discs as brought
to the front of the cylinder.
The 5 discs which form a portion of each circle and do not carry type
are for the object of producing a stoppage of the printing at each
revolution, so as to allow of a suitable space or interval between the
successive sheets.
The first sheet printed will be numbered with all the thousands from
0 up to 99,000. The first 10 small discs of each set of three are then
moved round by the tappet, paul, or other device, so that they each
present the number 1 in place of 0, so that the next sheet will be
numbered 1, and all the thousands-and-one up to 99,001, and so on to
the tenth revolution, when the sheet will be numbered 9, and all the
thousands-and-nine up to 99,009. The second ten discs of each series,
which have all this time been at zero, are now moved to 1, so that the
next sheet will be numbered 10, and all the thousands-and-ten up to
99,010, and so on as before explained until the third ten discs of each
series are brought into use, and are in their turn moved round the
thousandth sheet, being numbered with all the nine hundred and ninety-
nines up to 99,999.
It will be readily understood that if slots be cut in the large type
discs, movable letters may be printed with the figures at the same
operation.
Any suitable arrangement may be adopted for throwing the machine.
out of gear when required, or for reversing the motion in case of need.
And by throwing the outside discs of cach set out of gear, tickets can be
printed up to 10,000 only.
The sheets numbered as before described and in the order explained,
and being deposited one above another as printed, are subsequently.
divided by any suitable cutting machine into separate tickets, and these a
tickets being arranged in piles or rows as cut will be in consecutive
order or properly collated, so that no subsequent collating is necessary.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Robert Wilson in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 7th February 1876..
. TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
WILSON, of Woodville Grove, Stoke Newington, in the County of
Middlesex, Printer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Robert Wilson, Her special
licence that I, the said Robert Wilson, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Robert Wilson, my 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 NUMBERING, PRINTING, AND COLLATING TICKETS, AND OTHER LIKE
ARTICLES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Robert
Wilson, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of 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 I, the said Robert Wilson, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings, that is to say:-
My Invention has reference to the production of tickets and other
like articles which have to be numbered in consecutive order, and
especially to the numbering of them in sheets of 100 (more or less),
which may be afterwards divided into separate tickets by any ordinary
apparatus..

page_text: as
My Invention is chiefly based on the employment of a number of
discs or wheels, each of which carries on its periphery type representing
the numbers 0 and 1 to 9 placed at equal distances apart thereon. These
type carrying discs in sets of ten (with several others without type for
the purpose herein-after explained) are arranged in circles, so
together to constitute a sort of compound cylinder. Thus, if there
are 10 circles, each composed of 10 type discs, and each disc having 10.
numbers on its periphery, there will be in all 1,000 numbers, but only
one number on each of the 100 discs can actually form at the same
time part of the periphery of the compound cylinder of discs. If an
ordinary inking apparatus be arranged in connection with these discs so
as to supply ink thereto, and if an ordinary blanket cylinder provided
with the usual grippers be likewise arranged in connection with the disc
cylinder so as to bring the sheet of paper in contact with the disc
cylinder when revolving, it will be understood that in one revolution of
the cylinder one hundred numbers will be printed on the sheet as it
passes through the machine. If the discs be then all made by suitable
mechanism to move a portion of a revolution on their axes so as to
bring another number on each disc to the periphery of the compound
cylinder, the next sheet passed through the machine will be printed with
100 numbers, differing from those on the first sheet, and similar changes
will be made until all the 10 faces of each disc have been brought into
use and 10 sheets, forming in all 1,000 tickets, have been numbered. If
additional type discs be used, or type wheels, each extending all round
the cylinder, such discs or wheels being numbered from 0 to 9 or from
0 to 99, tickets can be printed up to 10,000 or 100,000 if necessary,
transposing the first printed sheet to suit each packet of tickets.
The sheets numbered as herein-before explained may be printed with
the ordinary subject matter before being fed to this machine, or they
may be fed to this machine in the "white" state and be printed therein
by any ordinary printing mechanism forming part of the machine by
which the three operations of numbering, printing, and collating are
performed in one, and cither before or after the printing of the numbers
as thought best. The numbered and printed sheets may be deposited by
this machine as numbered and be afterwards conveyed to a cutting
machine, or any suitable cutting mechanism may be attached to the
numbering machine so as to cut the sheets into separate tickets and
arrange such tickets in consecutive order. And where required the

page_text: surfaces of the tickets may be colored in stripes by combining with the
machine a ruling machine, such as that herein-after described.
Such being the nature and object of my Invention, I will now proceed
to describe a machine constructed according thereto, so that the manner
of carrying it into effect may be understood.
At the front of the frame of the machine (which frame is of any
suitable construction) I mount a feed board provided with the usual
register points or pins. Contiguous to this feed board is a revolving
blanket cylinder, the same as is used in what is known as a perfecting
printing machine.
It carries grippers, which as they pass the feed
board take hold of the sheet thereon, carry it round with them until the
numbers have been printed thereon, and then by the action of a cam or
cams release the sheet and deliver it to a flyer, which deposits it upon a
delivery board. At the back of the frame is an ordinary arrangement of
inking apparatus, which is mounted so that it can be moved back on a
hinge or joint when required. Between the blanket cylinder and the
inking apparatus, and in contact with each, is the disc cylinder, carrying
the type numbers, and the particular construction of which I now
proceed to explain, taking the case where it is capable of numbering
tickets from 1 up to 100,000. 'Upon a central shaft are fixed, at equal
distances apart, 10 large wheels or discs, carrying on their peripheries
type numbers, the first 0 to 9, the second 10 to 19, and so on, the last
bearing the numbers 90 to 99. Between these large type discs are
toothed wheels of smaller diameter, and around each toothed wheel and
gearing therewith is a set of small discs, being composed of ten type
discs and five other discs, 3 of which gear into the large wheels, the
other two being intermediate to give the proper direction to the three,
the 15 discs forming as it were a circle around the toothed wheel. The
ten type discs are each numbered 0 to 9, and constitute about rds of
the circle, the remainder of the circle being made up of the other
3 discs. Adjoining each set of 10 type discs are two other similar sets,
likewise numbered from 0 to 9, the 3 sets forming a series of 30. The
small type discs are all flush at their outer edge with the 10 large type
discs. At each revolution of the disc cylinder the toothed wheels are
by means of a tappet, paul, or other suitable device caused to make a
partial revolution, so as to move the type discs composing the first set of
each series of 30 partly round, and bring the next number thereon to
the front. At every tenth revolution of the cylinder the ten type discs

page_text: of each first set complete a revolution, and then act upon the ten discs
of each second set, moving them a tenth part of a revolution; and the
discs of the second sets on completing a revolution after every hundredth
revolution of the cylinder in like manner act on the discs of each third
set, which complete a revolution only after a thousand revolutions of the
cylinder. Thus at every revolution of the cylinder there is a continuous
or consecutive change in the numbers of the discs as brought to the
front of the cylinder.
The 5 discs which form a portion of cach circle and do not carry type
are for the object of producing a stoppage of the printing at each revo-
lution, so as to allow of a suitable space or interval between the successive
sheets.
The first sheet printed will be numbered with all the thousands from
0 up to 99,000. The first 10 small discs of each set of three are then
moved round by the tappet, paul, or other device, so that they each
present the number 1 in place of 0, so that the next sheet will be num-
bered 1, and all the thousands-and-one up to 99,001, and so on to the
tenth revolution, when the sheet will be numbered 9, and all the
thousands-and-nine up to 99,009. The second ten discs of each series,
which have all this time been at zero, are now moved to 1, so that the
next sheet will be numbered 10, and all the thousands-and-ten up to
99,010, and so on, as before explained, until the third ten discs of each
series are brought into use, and are in their turn moved round, the
thousandth sheet being numbered with all the nine hundred and ninety-
nines up to 99,999.
It will be readily understood that if slots be cut in the large type
discs movable letters may be printed with the figures at the same
operation.
Any suitable arrangement may be adopted for throwing the machine
out of gear when required, or for reversing the motion in case of need;
and by throwing the outside discs of each set out of gear tickets can be
printed up to 10,000 only.
The sheets numbered as before described, and in the order explained,
and being deposited one above another as printed, are subsequently
divided by any suitable cutting machine into separate tickets, and these
tickets being arranged in piles or rows as cut will be in consecutive
order or properly collated, so that,no subsequent collating is necessary.

page_text: My Invention will be fully understood on reference to the accom-
panying Drawings, Figure 1 of which is a side elevation of part of the
compound numbering cylinder; and Figure 2, a transverse section of
the same, shewing the arrangements of gearing and movements of the
various parts; Figure 3 is a side elevation of a complete machine for
first printing the sheets on both sides with any required letter-press,
then numbering them, then ruling them or producing stripes thereon,
and finally laying them in regular and collated order upon a delivery
board, from which they may be removed to any suitable cutting
machine.
A, B, are the ordinary type cylinders, and C is the compound num-
bering cylinder; A', B¹, C', are 'the blanket cylinders; A², B², C², are
the inking apparatus, consisting of the usual ink fountains, vibrators,
distributing and inking rollers. These apparatus may be connected and
disconnected at pleasure by sliding the apparatus A² and B² to or from
their type cylinders on the slides A³, B³, and by turning the apparatus C²
on the hinge C³. Each of the blanket cylinders has an excentric
bush A, B, C', at each end, so that by depressing the lever D the
impressions are taken off in the case of the cylinders B₁, C¹, through the
intermediation of the connecting rods D', D'. D2 is a rod which has a gab
at one end to hook on to a pin D' fixed to the lower part of the bush C+.
The other end of this rod carries a stud D³ (Figures 1, 2, and 3), which
slides in a slot in the frame of the machine. This stud D³ is for the
purpose of catching the end of the lever D*, which when revolving
moves the pinion D and segment D, which gives motion to the ratchet
wheels, spindles, and numbering discs, as herein-after explained, when
the impressions are on; but when the impressions are off, as above
explained, the stud D³ is so far removed as not to catch the lever D',
and therefore none of the ratchet wheels, spindles, and numbering discs
are moved, and the same figures are presented continuously.
Should the machine be required to print one side or both without
numbering then the gab end of the rod D³ is unhooked from the pin D',
and hooked on to the pin Ds fixed to the frame of the machine. By
this means the sheets will pass to the sheet flyer D³, and be delivered
upon the board D1, in the same manner as they would be if numbered
by this machine, whether for tickets or for sheets of general printed
matter. The impression of each pair of cylinders is regulated by set
Screws A³, D³, C³. 0, 0, are tapes for the purpose of keeping the sheets

page_text: in proper position while passing through or between the printing, num-
bering, or ruling cylinders. u is the driving pulley mounted on the
shaft u, on which is keyed a pinion which drives the whole machine
through the intermediation of the toothed wheels u², ³, 21, u³, uº,
u³, u³, uº,; v, v¹, are toothed wheels to drive the ink distributors
of the inking apparatus C²; v³, ¹, wheels to drive the distributors of the
apparatus B; and v³, vº, wheels to drive the distributors of the apparatus A².
I may here remark that by omitting the portions of the machine used
for printing the ordinary letter-press, and making the front of the
machine as indicated by the dotted line w, the machine may be used
for numbering and ruling only, to being a gauge to lay the sheet to.
The levers, rollers, and cam x are then used as feed bars in the usual
way, the levers, rollers, and cam x¹ being for the same purpose in the
complete machine.
•
F3.
The movements of the ratchet wheels, spindles, and numbering discs
of the compound cylinder are produced as follows:-At each revolution
of the type cylinder C the lever D' strikes against the stud D³, and in
passing it is caused to make a partial revolution, thereby turning the
pinion D³, which is fixed on the same axle, and transmitting a similar
motion to the segment Dº. As soon as the lever D has passed the
stud D³ it is returned to its original position by the action of a spring E,
one end of which is fixed to the segment D, and the other to the
shaft C of the cylinder C. The segment De has three notches F, F, F,
in which work respectively the inner ends of three paul levers F¹, F2,
The outer ends of these levers oscillate on the pinion spindles G, G¹, G³,
and each carries a paul F4, F³, F, kept in proper contact with the
respective ratchet wheels G, G, G, by a suitable spring. At each
revolution of the type cylinder C the segment D° moves the three paul
levers F, F, F, and pauls F, F, F, and imparts to each a stroke
sufficient to turn the ratchet wheels G, G, G, the distance of one tooth,
and in ten revolutions of the cylinder C the wheel G³ will have made a
complete revolution: This wheel G being 'fixed on the end of the
spindle G which carries the first series of pinions h, which gear into the
corresponding series of loose wheels i, each movement of the wheel G³
gives motion to the series of pinions h, and at the same time moves the
series of wheels one tooth, and these wheels being geared into
the first series of numbering discs j, it follows that this first series of
numbering discs is also moved the distance of one figure or number.

page_text: The numbering discs j are even with the periphery of the large fixed
numbering discs k, which are ten in number for printing sheets of one.
hundred tickets. Each of the series of numbering discs j works freely
on the fixed spindles 7. The discs have each 10 notches m (Figure 1),
in which numbers are fixed. In the first fixed disc & the figures run from:
1 to 9, with a 0 or blank notch; in the second fixed disc from 10 to 19;
in the third from 20 to 29, and so on.
The ratchet wheel G³ has a toothed wheel n fixed thereto, which.
transmits motion to a disc p on the spindle G₁ through the intermediation
of a pinion p² on the fixed stud 23. This disc p has only one ratchet
tooth, which is of equal size to the teeth in the ratchet wheel G.
To the disc p is fixed a toothed wheel p, both this wheel and the disc
being free to revolve on the spindle G¹, and receiving their rotary motion
from the wheel n, as above explained. The disc p therefore performs
one revolution in the same time as the wheel G³, and having only onc
tooth and the paul F being as much wider than the ratchet wheel G* as
the thickness of the disc p, the paul F³ is consequently prevented from
actuating the ratchet wheel G except when the tooth in the disc p
arrives at a point where the paul is allowed to fall into it; the disc p
then takes the ratchet wheel G' one tooth forward, and turns all the
second series of numbering discs one figure, in the same manner as
the first scries of discs are turned, but it cannot take the next tooth
until the first ratchet wheel las completed another revolution.
The ratchet wheel G' has a toothed wheel s¹ fixed thereto, imparting
rotary motion through the intermediate wheel s² to the disc s, which
revolves freely on the spindle G, and has only one tooth, into which
the paul F falls at every revolution of the disc s, when the ratchet
wheel G³ is moved one tooth forward with its spindle, and all the third
series of numbering discs t one figure or number, in the same manner as
above described. When the third ratchet wheel G5 has made onc
complete revolution the second wheel G* will have made 10 revolutions,
and the first wheel G³ 100 revolutions, which are equal to 1,000 sheets
of 100 tickets each.
At that end of each of the spindles G, G', G³, which is not seen in
the Figures, there is a square on which a key can be placed, and each of
the series of numbering discs can thus be turned to whatever position or
figure is required, so that should one or more sheets become injured a
duplicate can be printed and numbered without difficulty.

page_text: The ruling of the tickets or sheets is effected by apparatus composed
of the spindle ² (Figure 3), which is driven from the wheel u³, and
carries a number of small discs corresponding in thickness to the thick-
ness of the lines or stripes required, and placed at the required distance
apart. They are supplied with ink of any. desired color by the ink
fountain a³.
The sheets as they are printed, numbered, and ruled are carried by
the flyer De to the delivery board D, upon which they become super-
posed in the order in which they have been numbered. Upon being
subsequently divided by a suitable cutting machine into separate tickets,
and the tickets being arranged in piles or rows as cut, the tickets will be
in consecutive order or properly collated, so that no subsequent collating
is necessary.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,-
First. Constructing machinery for numbering, printing, and collating
tickets or other like articles, substantially as herein-before described and
represented in the accompanying Drawings.
Second. The compound numbering cylinder, arranged and acting sub-
stantially in the manner and for the purpose herein-before described.
Third. The combination of unchanging numbering discs and of pro-
gressively changing or shifting numbering discs, substantially as and for
the purpose herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Wilson, have hereunto set
hand and seal, this Seventh day of February, One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-six.
my
DODT WIT CONT
L