Improvements in Automatic Ticket Printing Weighing Machines.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 12th July, 1888
Complete Specification Left. 10th Apr., 1889-Accepted, 29th June, 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Ticket Printing Weighing Machines.
I, ERNST GUSTAV HOFFMANN of 5 Clarendon Villas, Beaconsfield Road, New
Southgate in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows :-
:-
In the so called automatic coin freed weighing machines at present employed the
weight of the person or article is usually simply indicated upon a dial, or if it is
recorded or printed upon a ticket or slip in any way it is only by the action of pulling
out a slide or drawer which destroys at once its automatic character.
The object of my invention is to produce a machine of this class which will be
entirely automatic in its action, that is to say, the weight of the person or load upon
the platform of same, will, upon the insertion of a coin of predetermined value operate
the ticket or slip printing mechanism and deliver the printed record of weight from
some convenient point.
The following will indicate the nature of the construction of the machine :
The usual platform is provided to receive the person or weight, under levers from
which, are suitably connected to the movement. This consists briefly of a main axle
connected to springs or counterweights and carrying gear wheels, one of which
operates through suitable connections the type mechanism, while the other is geared
with a regulating device consisting of a spindle having movable wings or arms'
which expard and contract upon the principle of the usual steam governor fly
Mechanism connected with this regulating device is provided to operate the ticket*
printing and delivering mechanism and to transmit power to various parts of the
apparatus.
The tickets to be printed are stored beneath the type wheels or levers and are
continually pressed upward by a spring. An overlapping plate on the top of the
ticket case prevents the tickets touching the type wheels or levers while the machine*
is at rest.
The device which delivers or pushes forward the ticket is so constructed that as it
operates it is given by suitable means an up and down motion for the purpose of
bringing the type and the ticket into contact. It may also carry a roller for the
purpose of providing the type with ink, or other inking device if is desired to use
the same, but in some cases the simple impression of the type on the paper would
suffice.
The regulator before described is also so connected to the coin escapement that the
machine can only be operated after a coin has been inserted and allowed to act upon
one of the wings of same.. Another use of this regulating device is to retard and
govern the motion of the mechanism in the machine.
When a person or weight is upon the platform of the machine the main axle is
thereby rotated and operates upon the springs or counterweights and the regulating
device, until the balance is reached when the parts cease to move.
This stoppage
causes the wings of the regulator to fall or close upon their axle and through suitable
lever connections to release the card delivering device. The latter upon being
operated first of all locks the entire mechanism for the movement of printing so as
to secure the type for this operation, and its further movement causes the ticket to make
The weight
contact with the type and finally delivers it outside of the machine.
having been removed from the platform the entire mechanism will go backwards,
resetting the locking, printing and delivering mechanism.
It will be evident that a dating arrangement can be adapted to the ticket printing
nechanism if desired.
The machine may if desired he combined with automatic mechanism for the

page_text: delivery of articles or goods, such for instance as that patented by me under
No. 9:52 of 1886.
In place of tickets a paper band or strip might be employed, in which case
the portion pushed outside the machine would have to be torn off.
Dated this 11th day of July 1888.
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Applicant's Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Ticket Printing Weighing Machines.
I ERNST GUSTAV HOFFMANN of 5 Clarendon Villas, Beaconsfield Road, New Southgate
in the County of Middlesex Engineer 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 :-
In the so called automatic coin freed weighing machines at present employed the
weight of the person or article is usually simply indicated upon a dial, or if it is
recorded or printed upon a ticket or slip in any way it is only by the action of pulling
out a slide or drawer which destroys at once its automatic character.
The object of my invention is to produce a machine which will be entirely automatic
in its action, that is to say, the weight of the person or load upon the platform of
same, will, upon the insertion of a coin of predetermined value operate or release the
ticket or slip printing mechanism and deliver the printed record of weight from some
convenient point.
In order that my Invention may be clearly understood reference is made to the
accompanying drawings which form part of this Specification and in which
Figure 1 represents a side elevation partly in section of the weighing apparatus
in conjunction with an automatic delivery box.
Figure 2 represents a front view of same.
Figure represents a front view of the weighing and printing mechanism detached
from the case and on a larger scale.
Figure 4 is a rear view of same.
Figure 5 is a side elevation on the line a a Figure 3.
Figure 6 is a side elevation looking to the right of Figure 3 the ticket box being
also shown.
Figure 7 is a like view with the outer standard and governor removed.
Figure 8 is a plan view of Figure 6 the ticket box and rollers being omitted.
Figure 9 is a plan view on line b b of Figure 6.
Figure 10 is a side sectional elevation on a larger scale of the governor.
Figure 11 is an end elevation looking to the left the governor being shown in
full.
Figure 12 is a like view on the line c c looking to the right.
Figure 13 is a plan view of the shaft carrying the printing wheels which are shown
in section.
Figure 14 is an elevation on the line d d.
Figure 15 is a rear elevation of several of said wheels.
Figure 16 is a detached view of the ticket delivery apparatus the parts being in
the position in which the ticket is printed.
Figure 17 shows the position of the parts as the ticket is being delivered.
Figure 18 is a front view of Figure 17, and
Figure 19 a plan of Figure 16 the printing wheels being omitted.
The operation of weighing will be first described with the movement of the various
parts.
The rod 1. which is attached to the platform levers in the usual way passes through
suitable guides 2, its upward play being limited by adjustable stop 3. Rod 1 is
connected to the weighing springs 4 in any convenient manner but preferably by -an

page_text: adjustable connection 5 by means of which the desired tension can be placed upon
the springs and the platform and connected parts be balanced. Said rod also carries
a rack 6 gearing into pinion 7 mounted on shaft 8 which also carries gear wheel 9
gearing in turn into pinion 10 on governor shaft 11. Loosely mounted on shaft 11
is a finger 12 carrying a spring actuated pawl 13 which engages with pinion 10 so
as to prevent finger 12 from being turned up and back except shaft 11 be also
turned and conversely preventing pinion 10, gear wheel 9, shaft 8, pinion 7, rack 6
and rod 1 from being moved so as to effect a weighing operation so long as said
finger 12 rests on shaft 14 which is shown as being carried by the side brackets 15
(Figure 9) of the coin chute 16 said coin chute being carried by shafts 17 and 18.
Attached to and projecting from shaft 14 is a pin 19 which passes through a slot in
the coin chute 16 at such a distance from the sides thereof that when said pin 19 is
in its highest position a coin of the predetermined size and weight can not pass down
the chute without carrying said pin down with it to the position indicated by dotted
lines in Figures 5 and 7 at which point the chute opens out so that the coin can escape
therefrom. In order to keep pin 19 normally up and to regulate the amount of
weight which will be necessary to depress it a spring 20 is attached to a short lever 21
carried by the shaft 14 the other end of said spring being attached to a lever 22
through which passes an adjusting screw 23 the head of which finds a bearing in
the back plate of the coin chute. When pin 19 is depressed by the passing of the
coin, the finger 12 is free to revolve owing to the slotted portion of shaft 14 being
presented to the line of its travel as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 5 and at the
same time a second slotted portion of the shaft is brought opposite to finger 24 (as
indicated in dotted lines in Figure 7) when spring 25 attached thereto and to the
back of the coin chute draws said finger in, locking shaft 14 from further movement
and at the same time turning sleeve 26 so that hook 27 becomes detached from pin 28
carried by the curved arm 29 which being pivotted on shaft 30 and attached to
arm 31 is acted on by spring 32 (attached to arm 31 and shaft 33) which draws.it
backward until pivotted projection 34 comes in contact with pin 35 carried by rod 1
assuming that the coin has been placed in the machine without any weight being
placed on the scales or platform. If a weight be then placed on the platform or if
it be placed there first and the coin then inserted pin 35 will of course be carried
down with rod 1 but the rapid revolution of the shaft 11 and of the governor (the
construction of which is hereinafter described) brings pin 36 into the path of pin 37
carried by arm 29 which is held so long as said governor is revolving or in other
words until the downward travel of the rod 1 ceases owing to the weight on the
platform being balanced by the springs 4 at which point the parts come to rest the
governor balls close in and pin 36 releases arm 29 permitting arm 31 to fall which
it does at the same time forcing down the frame 39 carrying the printing rollers
which is pivotted on shaft 38 and which acts in a manner hereinafter set forth.
Attached to frame 39 is one end of spring 40 the other end being secured to
lever 41 pivoted on shaft 30 the tendency of said spring being to draw down lever 41
and keep projecting end 42 resting on frame 39. When the said frame is in its
raised position lever 41 is so raised that catch 43 carried thereby is out of contact
with gear 44 but when the frame is forced down by arm 31 catch 43 engages with
gear 44 and prevents it turning thereby holding gear 45 on the movable part of
shaft 46 on which the printing wheel 47 is mounted.
As will be seen on the drawings gear 9 drives gear 44 which in turn drives gear 45
which being secured to the movable part of shaft 46 causes it to revolve and with
it the wheel 47 which is keyed on said shaft and in the present case may be taken
as being the "pound" wheel, bearing on its face type indicating from 1 to 14 pounds
weight here intended to be twice repeated around the periphery. Said wheel carries
engaging arms 48 which as each 14 pounds is indicated engage with pinion 49 on
shaft 50 and turn it one step. Said pinion also engages with gear on the edge of
wheel 51 which is here represented as being the "stone" printing wheel and which
s loosely mounted on the fixed part of shaft 46 the arrangement being such that as
ach 14 pounds is passed one "stone" is indicated on wheel 51 and on the weight
'

page_text: '
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It will
being removed the turning of the gear causes both wheels to return to zero.
be evident that the gear may be equally well adapted for the decimal system where
The
the total weight is indicated solely in pounds, kilogrammes or the like.
wheels 52, 53 and 54 are loose upon the fixed part of shaft 46 and are intended to
indicate the day, the month and the year and these may be set daily and secured by!
set screws 55, 56 and 57 or driven by clockwork if so desired in a manner analogous
to that of a calendar clock. The spring 58 being attached to a pin on shaft 30 and a
hook 59 on frame 39 always tends to keep said frame in its raised position the upward
and downward play being limited by forked arm 6 which is part of frame 39 and
. embraces pin 61 projecting from the main frame.
Referring to Figures 10, 11 and 12 more particularly the governor shell 62 is
secured to the shaft 11. Pivotted in the said shell are the arms 63 the rear ends of
which rest in sleeve 64 loose upon shaft 11 but capable of longitudinal movement
thereon against the action of the spring carried in shell 62 the arrangement being
such that as the governor revolves and arms 63 are thrown out by centrifugal force
sleeve 64 is drawn in carrying in the forked arm 65 which embraces a second recess
in said sleeve and which is pivotted at 66. Arın 65 carries or forms a friction brake
by bringing points 67 into contact with the face of shell 62 and when the arms 63
are expanded also brings pin 36 mounted on said arm, into the path of pin 37 on
- arm 29 as previously described.
The resetting of the machine after a coin has passed through the chute will be best
understood by reference to Figure 7 in which the dotted lines indicate the position
of finger 19 and arms 29 and 31 prior to resetting and from this it will be evident
that if the outer end of arm 31 be raised arm 29 will travel in until pin 68 comes in
contact with arm 69 attached to sleeve 26 which is turned thereby withdrawing
finger 24 from shaft 14 and permitting spring 20 to turn said shaft and raise
finger 19 while hook 27 engages with pin 28 on arm 29 as shown in full lines in
Figure 7.
The lifting of the outer end of arm 31 is effected by the withdrawal from the
machine of the printed ticket in a manner now to be described reference being made
more particularly to Figures 16 to 19 although the general outlines of the ticket box
and delivery mechanism are indicated in Figures 6 and 7.
The tickets are carried on a pressure table 70 which keeps the ticket next in order
pressed against the top plate 71 which carries a spring catch 72 adapted to normally
hold the sliding plate 73 which when released from said catch is drawn forward by
springs 74 to which it is connected by side arms 76 carrying between them the
ticket pushing plate 75 which passes beneath a portion of the top plate 71 as most
clearly shown in Figure 17 where a ticket is shown ready for delivery.
An inking ribbon may be stretched across the inner end of top plate 71 and held
in position by springs 77 beneath which is the bed 78 upon which the ticket rests
while being printed. The cycle of operations is as follows starting with the parts in
the position indicated in Figure 16.
A coin passing down chute 16 releases finger 12 and hook 27, rod 1 descends until
the weight is counterbalanced when the parts come to rest governor arms 63 return to
their closed position and pin 36 which had been in the path of pin 37 is raised
releasing arms 29 and 31 the latter falling presses down frame 39 the gear 44 is
locked by pin 43 as the indicated weight on wheel 47, and 1 with the date on
wheels 52, 53, 54 is impressed on the card while the projection 79 on frame 39 strikes
catch 72 and releases plate 73 which is drawn forward carrying the printed ticket
into the position shown in Figure 17. At the same time the nose end 91 of the
delivery plate strikes frame 92 carrying forward shaft 81 which is supported by bel
crank lever 82, 85, pivotted at 83 until further forward movement is prevented by
arms 85 coming in contact with a stop on the casing or top plate. The wheels 80
which are loosely mounted on shaft 81 are carried forward therewith and owing t
the bell crank 82 are also caused to descend and grip the card firmly between sai
wheels 80 and rollers 84.
As the wheels are unable to go further forward the friction as the card is draw

page_text: out by the person who deposited the coin causes them to revolve in the direction
indicated by the arrow in Figure 17. This movement draws down crank arms 86
attached to said wheels and by lever 87 with shaft 88 which is caused to make a
partial revolution against the action of spring 89 attached to the shaft and to the
top plate. Secured to shaft 88 is a bell crank lever the forward end 90 of which
comes in contact with end 91 of the delivery plate 73 which as the ticket is drawn
out is forced back until it has passed over and been caught by catch 72 a small flat
spring attached to pushing plate 75 and provided with a catch 93 engaging with a
perforation 94 of the card or ticket next in order and drawing it back over the bed
plate 78 ready for being printed. At the same time the rear end 95 of the bell crank
has come in contact with and raised arm 31 and consequently arm 29 has reset the
coin and weighing mechanism while the ticket being entirely withdrawn there ceases
to be any friction on wheels 80) and consequently spring 89 resets the parts so that
they are in the position indicated in Figure 16.
The weighing machine constructed as before described may be used alone or in
conjunction with any of the ordinary delivery boxes all that is essential being that
the coin should travel from the coin chute of one machine to that of the other.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1st. In autamatic ticket printing weighing machines a governor operated by the
weighing rod and adapted to hold the device operating the printing mechanism until
the weight is fully balanced substantially as described.
2nd. In automatic ticket printing weighing machines the combination with the
governor of a catch or finger adapted to hold the mechanism until released by the
deposit in the machine of a coin of predetermined size and weight substantially as
set forth.
3rd. In automatic ticket printing weighing machines the combination with the
shaft actuated by the deposit of a coin of a catch adapted to hold the device operating
the printing mechanism until the coin is deposited, a governor adapted to hold said
device after being released by said catch until the weight is fully balanced and a
lever or arm on said shaft adapted to reset the parts when the device operating the
printing mechanism is returned to its normal position substantially as described.
4th. In automatic ticket printing weighing machines the combination with the
gear actuating the printing mechanism of a catch or locking device adapted to hold
the parts during the operation of printing substantially as described and as shown in
the drawings.
5th. In automatic ticket printing weighing machines the combination with the
ticket printing mechanism of a ticket delivery device operated thereby and adapted
to push forward and deliver the printed ticket substantially as described.
6th. In automatic ticket printing weighing machines the combination with the
device operating the printing mechanism of a ticket delivery device adapted as the
ticket is drawn out to reset the parts substantially as set forth.
Dated the 10th too of An: 1000
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Applicant's Agent.
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Applicant's Agent.