US3060849A - Printing machines - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 30, 1962 w. TQGOLLWITZER 3,060,849

PRINTING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Feb. 28, 1955 Int/en or Walter Z' Go/lwfer Zl/afa ad @AMW W. T. GOLLWITZER Oef. 30, 1962 PRINTING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IT m M ha Oct. 30, 1962 w. T. GoLLwlTzER 3,060,849

PRINTING MACHINES original Filed Feb. 28, -1955 s sheets-sheet s Y United States Patent 3,060,849 PRINTNG MACMES Walter T. Gollwitzer, Euclid, Ghio, assignor to Addressograph-Multigraph Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Original application Feb. 28, 1955, Ser. N 490,836, now Patent No. 2,868,115, dated Jan. 13, 1959. Divided and this application Sept. 29, 1958, Ser. No. 764,164

5 Claims. (Cl. 1411-235) This application is a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 490,836, filed February 28, 1955, now U.S. Patent No. 2,868,115. i This invention relates to printing machines for produc- 1ng business instruments and the like and more particularly to the control of the operation of a printing arrangement in such a machine and the orientation of the busineSsinstruments or the like to be printed relative to such a printlng arrangement.

ln `my application, Serial No. 201,102, led December 16, 1950, now Patent No. 2,710,406, patented lune 7, 1955, I have disclosed a printing machine for producing business instruments such as bills, checks, notices, and the like in the form of so-called tabulating cards. The production of such business instruments in the aforesaid machine, including the individual printing and punching thereof, is under control of individual printing and control devices that are advanced one by one from a supply magazine in the machine, into which such devices are introduced, first to -a sensing station and from thence to a printing station in the machine. Such devices each include a frame having a printing plate carried thereon, and these printing plates are each provided with embossed type characters which are utilized at a printing station in the machine for printing the business instruments with data including numerical amounts and particularly names and addresses as Well as other identifying data that may pertain to the respective persons or companies to which `such printing devices are individually allocated. These same printing and control devices also each include an area on the frame adjacent the printing plate whereat there is provided physically represented information in the form of openings or the like punched therein in accordance with a predetermined code. This coded information on each printing and ycontrol device is sensed at the sensing station and is then relayed to a translator at a punching station in the machine having control over a set of punches which are thereupon set up for punching corresponding information in the form of openings in the business instrument that is allocated to the printing and control device which underwent sensing.

The business instruments that are thus to be produced under the control of the printing and control devices are stacked in an uncompleted form at one or more supply magazines in the machine, and in the production of these instruments in the `aforesaid machine the rst operation entailed is that of feeding the tabulating cards to the aforementioned punching station where the cards are so positioned that certain areas thereof are provided with openings corresponding to the aforementioned physically represented information carried by the individual printing and control devices. After the punching of a tabulating card has been performed, the card is then passed to the printing station where a face thereof is printed by and from the type characters carried by the relative printing and control device, and with the completion of the printing and control device.

-As explained in the aforesaid application, of which this application is a division, after the business instruments have been punched and printed as aforesaid, in a machine such as that referred to hereinabove, such instruments pass into one or more collecting hoppers suitably disposed "ice and arranged to receive the same. Moreover, and prior to the passage of at least certain of the business instruments to a hopper adapted to receive the same, it is often necessary to perform a further printing operation thereon at a selected position thereon and `So to do is an object of the present invention.

Business instruments which are to have a further printing operation performed thereon may be negotiable instruments, such as checks drawn on a bank, and dividend checks issued by a corporation are a specific example of checks of this nature. In such circumstances the further printing operation referred to above may be the imprinting of a validating signature on the checks. Such an imprinting operation may be expeditiously effected by resort to a printing couple embodying a platen and a printing cylinder bearing a plate arranged to imprint the signature or the like. In such an arrangement it is particularly important to avoid offsetting an impression from the plate onto the platen and to enable this to be effected in an efiicient and positive manner is another object of this invention, and a related object is to insure proper orientation of the impression by the printing coupled oneach instrument to be imprinted thereby.

Further objects of this invention are to so arrange an apparatus to which business instruments in the form of individual cards or the like are advanced seriatim that functioning of the printing couple `or the like therein employed to make further impressions on business instruments or the like as aforesaid will be effected only when an instrument or the like is available to have an impression made thereon; to effect operation of a detector to determine such availability (or unavailability) of an instrument or the like to effect operation of an arrangement which will arrest an instrument or the like in predetermined relation to the printing couple or the like and thereby insure proper orientation of an impression effected by the printing couple or the like on the instrument or the like when such is released by the arrangement elfective to arrest the same; to effect a single operation of the printing couple or the like for each instrument to be imprinted thereby; and to insure accurate and positive feeding of the business instruments or the like to and from the printing couple or the like.

It has been observed that the foregoing and kindred objects of this invention may best be realized by operating all, or at least some, of the aforesaid detecting, arresting, printing and feeding arrangements from a common source of power and so to do is an important object of this invention, and a related object of this invention is to effect a single cycle of operation of the arrangements operated from a common source as aforesaid for each business instrument or the like to be imprinted by the printing arrangement.

`Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings which, by Way of illustration, show a preferred embodiment of the present invention and the principles thereof and what I now `consider to be the best mode in which I have contemplated applying these principles. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equiv- -alent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a selected embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a drive arrangement employed in the illustrated embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a somewhat schematic perspecitve view of the printing arrangement of this invention and elements related thereto;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the printing arrangement and related elements;

FIG. 5 is a vertical elevational View taken substantially on lthe line 5 5 on FIG. 4; and Y FIG. 6 is a'fragmentary side elevational view. Y

The form of my invention `asillustrated in the accompartying drawings is arranged to receive business instruments or the like that have been prepared, asrby being punched and imprinted, in a machine such as disclosed in my aforesaid application Serial No. 201,102. In such circumstances the instruments are carried on feed belts from printing station in the machine and are discharged therefrom into the form of my invention illustrated in the `accompanying drawings which constitutes an instrument or card receiving station generally indicated by 170A -in the drawings. It is Ito he understood, however, that the present invention may be used with any machine or arrangement that is of such nature as to be effective to feed business instruments or the like in the form of cards, sheets or the like to the receiving station 170A. i

Business instruments or the like as aforesaid advanced to the receiving station 170A are iirst passed to in-feeding rollers including a pair of upper rollers as 30011 arranged in spaced apart relation onV a shaft SMU and which respectively cooperate with lower feed rollers disposed therebelow and which are mounted on a shaft 301L. In the present instance, a gear 305 Yis fast on the Y Yshaft 301L and is adapted to be driven by a gear (not shown) rneshed therewith and which may be a part of a gear-train that is driven by the machine or arrangement with which the receiving station 170A is associated. In any event, suitable means are afforded to be effective to constantly rotate the shaft 301L with which the functioning parts of the station 170A are to be operative.

Extending forwardly from the feed rollers 300U is a glide plate 306 supported on spaced apart cross bars 307 between the side panels 191A and 192A, and at the end yof this guide plate 306 opposite the feed rollers 300U are a pair rof 'feed rollers 309U carried on -a shaft 310U. Arranged below' the feed rollers 30911 on a shaft 310L, FIG. 2, are a corresponding pair of feed-rollers 309L which normally engage the feed rollers 309U. The Yfeed rollers thus described which are at either end of the guide plate 306 have the respective bites thereof aligned with the plane of the guide plate 306, and the shafts 3011] and 310U are preferably spaced so that the leading end of a business instrument such as a card is passed by the irl-'feeding rollers to the rollers 30911 Vand 309L justas the trailing end of such a eardor the like passes beyond the in-feeding rollers.

The shafts 301U and 31`0U are each supported for vertical play so that the upper rollers carried thereby may be relieved of the lower feed rollers paired therewith when a card is passed to the bite thereof. In this instance, such play is afforded byrotatably supporting one end of these two shafts in arms as 315 pivoted at one end on pins as 316 extended inwardly of the side panel 191A of Ithe receiving station 170A. YTensioned on the shanks of the pins 316 are torsion springs as 3165 having the free ends disposed onthe corresponding ends of the shafts 1U Y Vadapted to receive the cards or the like whichV are not to pass along the guide plate 306 to thereafter be imprinted.

K 1 Devilector lingers 321 are associated with the Vin-feeding Y rollers, and Ithese deilectors 'are fastened inV spaced rela- Ytion on a rock shaft 322 which extends transversely between the side panels 191A and 192A below the end portion of the guide plate 306 that is adjacent the in-feeding rollers. As will be seen VAin FIG. 1, these deilector fingers are normally in -a released position with the narrow top edges thereof aligned with .the plane of the guide plate 306 inwardly of the irl-feeding rollers so as to normally direct a card that is in the bite of these rollers forwardly along the guide plate 306. Y

An upstanding pin 323 is fixed to the yrock shaft 322 adjacent one end thereof, and the upper end of this pin is Yengaged by one end of a control link-325 disposed at right angles to the axis of the rock` shaft 322. The control link 32S when pulled to the left as viewed in FIG. 1 elevates'the deflector nngers 321 out of normal position so as to block olf the guide plate 306. rlhis action is attained by connecting the control link at the end opposite .the pin 323 to the armature 328A of arsolenoid 32S which is adapted to be energized to elevate the deilector ngers 321 just prior to a card not to be imprinted being passed to the in-feeding rollers from the machine with which the reeciver 170A is associated. It`will be appreciated that the de'lector fingers 321 in elevated position direct the cards not to be imprinted to the card stacker 320. In the present instance it is contemplated that only alternate of the cards or the like are to be imprinted. To this end, suitable timing means, such as a cam-operated switch (not shown) may be provided to be effective to closerthe circuit to the solenoid 328as alternate cards are advanced to the receiver 170A and resultantly only alternate cards are adavnced -to be imprinted in the Vprinting arrangement that is described hereinafter. Moreover, it is to be understood that several card stackers may be provided to receive selected or predetermined cards passed to a card receiver as 170A, arrangements of this kind being shown and describedV in my co-pending application of which this application is adivision. ,y Y Further in this regard, however, forwardly of the feed rollers 309, is-a stationRS, FIG. l, where there may be llocated a second guide plate like the guide plate 306 having a card stacker therebelow lfor thereceipt of a card which would be a duplicate of -a card like that passed to the stacker 320, this particular arrangement being described in my aforesaid co-pending application. VIn this instance, vinasmuch -as only thereceiving station 170A is disclosed the station RS is by-passed, but if, for example, three .cards, rather than alternate cards, are to Vbe handled by the receiving station 170A then there will be deflector fingers associated with the bites between the feed rollers 309U and 309L, and these deector fingers will be controlled in the same way as that described in my aforesaid co-pending application where multiple card receiver are afforded in a card receiving station.

A lock or latch 329 is afforded to hold the deectors 321 in elevated position andtherefore, Vthe details of this lock need not be described, but the trigger of this latch, FIG. 1, includes a toe 329T which engages the end of the arm 315 opposite the pivot therefor so as to be triggered to release the latch when a card as C is passed by the elevatedrdeflectors and the in-feeding rollers as'300U on to the stacker 320.

Mention wasmade above of the fact that the station RS is by-passed in the receiving stationY 170A. Thus, a relatively narrow guide plate 330' is extended forwardly from the feed rollers 309U, Vand this guide plate has a Yflat upper face for supporting a card passed off the guide plate 306 by the feed means including the rollers 300U and 309U. The guide bar 330 is but loosely supported in position, and Vthus is adapted to be removedV from the station RS in order that the receiving station 170A may handle three cards, as was mentioned above or, as described ingmy aforesaid co-pending application, to'enable a card turn-over or reversing means to be positioned at the station RS.

Forwardly of the guideV barrsso is `a guide plate 221C and the guide bar 330, when in place, spans the station vRS-between the Vadjacent ends of the` guide .plates 306 and 221C. At the end ofthe guide plate 221C which faces in the direction of the guide plate 306 are spaced apart pairs of upper and lower feed rollers 333U and 333L, FIGS. l and 3, which normally are engaged one with the other so as to receive the leading end of a card fed along the guide bar 330 prior to the trailing end of this card passing beyond the feeding rollers 309U and 3091,. The rollers 333U and 333L are carried on respective shafts 334U and 334L, FIG. 3, which are in parallel vertical alignment 'I'he upper of these shafts, 334U, is arranged for vertical play as will be described, and the lower shaft is journalled for rotation in bearing members mounted inboard on the side panels 191A and 192A. On the upper shaft 334U is a gear 335 driven by a gear 336 carried on the lower shaft 334L, and the lower shaft in addition carries a sprocket 337 by which the shaft 334L and the gear 336 are driven as will be described.

Preferably, there is afforded a relatively long leaf spring 340 attached at one end to the shaft 301U as shown in FIG. l, this spring extending the length of and resting on the guide way afforded by the guide plate 306 and the guide bar 330 so as to hold the cards advancing forwardly through the receiving station 170A down on the guide plate 306 and the guide bar 330. In addition, a pair of leaf springs 341 and 342 are arranged at either side of the leaf spring 340 on the guide plate 306, and these two springs are attached at one end in spaced relation on a shaft 345 extended between the side panels at the input end of the receiving station 170A, spacer collars as 346 on the shaft 345 serving to maintain springs 341 and 342 in the desired spaced relation to assure that an address card on the guide plate 306 is accurately positioned for infeeding to the rollers 309U and 309L.

As will be described, a business instrument which is to be iniprinted is fed along the guide plate 221C, FIG. l, first to a positioning means that temporarily halts this card in its forward travel along the guide plate 221C to accurately position this card for the printing operation, and after an imprint has been performed this card is then fed to a final receiving hopper such as designated as the mailing hopper in my aforesaid co-pending application.

VThus, at the end of the guide plate 221C opposite the feed rollers 333U and 333L are a set of upper feed rollers 350U, FIG. l, carried in spaced relation on a shaft 351U, and mated with these rollers are a corresponding set of lower feed rollers 350L, FIG. 4, that are carried on a shaft 351L to normally engage the rollers 350U. The feed rollers 350L at the end of the guide plate 221C opposite the feed rollers 333U and 333L are adapted to advance the leading end of each business instrument or card or the like on the guide plate 221C against a deector and into a nal hopper, as aforesaid, this occurring, of course, just as the trailing end of the card on the guide plate 221C passes beyond the bites between the feed rollers 333U and 333L.

The shaft 351U, FIG. l, carrying the out-feeding rollers 350U is supported between the side panels 191A and 192A for vertical play in the same way that was described in connection with the shafts 301U and 310U, and hence the details of this arrangement will not be repeated. The shaft 351L carries a sprocket 353, FIG. 4, which is driven in a Way to be described.

Intermediate the ends of the guide plate 221C is an opening as 221A, FIG. 4, that is afforded to enable the downwardly disposed face of each business instrument or card or the like passed onto the guide plate 221C to be imprinted. The printing means in this instance includes a mutilated printing cylinder 360, FIGS. 3 and 4, adapted to carry on the periphery thereof either a narrow arcuate printing plate bearing a signature or a like printing plate bearing a date or other desired data, such plates being interchangeable on the printing cylinder 360 and adapted to be carried thereon in a conventional Way.

The printing cylinder 360 is carried on a shaft 361 having at one end a male dog 364 adapted to drivingly engage a female dog 365 carried on a drive shaft 366 which represents the driven element of a one revolution clutch 370 as will be described.

The shaft 366 which carries the female dog 365 is supported for rotation in a bearing mounted in the side panel 191A and is positioned thereby to receive the dog 364 carried by the printing cylinder shaft. At one end of the printing cylinder shaft 361 there is a handle 375 having a boss 375B which carries a bearing 376 in which the end of the printing cylinder shaft opposite the dog 364 may be supported for rotation. Thus, the dog 364, the printing cylinder, the printing cylinder shaft and the handle elements represent a unitary structure that may be removably set and locked in the mounting plate 295, FIG. 1, that depends from the outer face of the side panel 192A. The mounting panel 295 and the side panel 192A include registered openings as 295A in which the boss 375B carried by the handle 375 is adapted to seat with the dogs 364 and 365 in driving engagement as shown in FIG. 4.

The printing cylinder 360, when in the operative position shown in FIG. 4, and in broken lines in FIG. 3, engages a rubber ink roller 378, FIG. 3, supported for rotation therebelow. Supported for rotation below the rubber ink roller and engaged therewith is a brass distributing roller 379, and supported below the brass roller and in engagement therewith is a felt distributing roller 380. Below the felt cylinder 380 is an ink pad 383, is journalled in openings provided in the lower ends of a pair of arms 386, and these arms at the upper ends are fast on a rock shaft 388. The arms 386 which carry the ductor roller are spring urged to normally hold the ductor 385 against the felt roller 330. At one end of the rock shaft 388 is an upstanding arm 390 which carries at the upper end thereof a follower 391 adapted to be engaged by a keystone cam 395 mounted on the driven shaft 366 of the one revolution clutch 370, so that for each cycle of engagement of this clutch the rise 395K on the cam 395 is effective on the follower 391 to oscillate the ductor 385 from the felt roller 380 to the supply of ink in the pan 383, the ink-laden ductor returning to spring-biased normal position engaged with the felt roller when the dwell 395D of the cam is presented to the follower 391. In the manner, the ductor is operative each time the clutch 370 engages to relay a quantity of ink from the ink pan to the felt roller included in the ink train.

Supported over the opening 221A in the guide plate 221C where the printing cylinder 360 is positioned is a platen roller 398. The platen roller is carried by a shaft 399, and the opposite ends of the shaft 399 are supported for rotation in the side panels 191A and 192A as shown in FIG. 1.

The ink train including the three rollers 378, 379 and 380 is driven by the brass roller 379. Thus, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the brass roller 379 is carried on a shaft 400 supported for rotation in bearings as 401 mounted in the side panels 191A and 192A. One end of the shaft 400 is disposed outwardly of the side panel 191A, and mounted on this end of the shaft 400 is a sprocked 403, FIG. 5, adapted to be driven by a constantly running chain 405. The drive chain 40S is played around a sprocket 406 that is carried on the end of the shaft 334L extended outwardly of the side panel 191A, as shown in FIG. 4. The shaft 3'34L is adapted to be driven by a sprocket 337, in a way to be described, and hence the sprockets 337 and 406 derive constant motion from a common means.

Spaced forwardly of the sprocket 406 is a sprocket 409 about which the chain 405 is also passed, and this sprocket is carried on a sleeve 410, FIG. 4, mounted concentrically on the driven shaft 366 of the clutch 370. However, the sleeve 410 is rotatably supported independently of the driven shaft 366 so as to be free running with respect thereto, and moreover represents the driving element of the clutch 370. The chain 405 is tensioned by an idler sprocket 412 carried Yon a stub shaft 413 positioned for rotation between the sprockets 406 and 469.

It is desirable that the feed rollers as 300U and 309U being driven in a one-to-one Yratio at a' relatively high speed and that the card to be imprinted be advanced through the printing station at a reduced speed, preferably at about one-third speed. Such is attained by reducing gears to be described. Thus, as is apparent in FIGS. 1 and 2, one Vend of the shaft SML which carries the driven gear 305 extends outboard of the side panel 191A, and on this end of the shaft 391L that is disposed outwardly of the side panel 191A is a main drive sprocket 425. Porwardly of the sprocket 425 is a sprocket 426 which is also outboard of the side panel` 191A, and played about the sprockets 425 and426 is a chainr427, these drive means being shrouded by a cover plate 430, FIG. 1. The sprocket 426 is carried at one end of the shaft 310L, FIGS. 2 and 6, and itis the shaft 3in1, which ,carries a setV of feed rollers SML. VThe feed rollers 309L rotate counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 6, and drivingly engageY the upper feed rollers 309U, so that the .feed rollers which are at either end of the guide plate 366 are driven in a one-to-one ratio at a relatively high speed.

Inboard of the side panel 191A, the shaft 313L carries a Y small pinion gar 435 `which rotates therewith, and Ythe Vgear 435 is meshed with a large spur gear 436 carried on a stub shaftV 437 supported at the lower end of a gear cluster arm 440. The arm 440 at the upper end is mounted on a pin extending inwardly of the side panel 191A as shown in FIG. 1. t n Y vKeyed to the spur gear 436 is a small pinion gear 442,

Y and this gear is meshed with a large spur'gear 443 carried on a sleeve 443A mounted concentric tothe shaft V316L inwardly of the gear 435. At theV end of the sleeve 443A opposite the gear 443 isa sprocket 445 and the arrangement is such that the sprocket 445 is driven at Ie- Aduced speed as aforesaid so as to slow down the speed of a card to be printed.'

The sprocket 4457is in alignment with the sprocket 337 described Vabove as carried on the shaft 334L. A chain 446 is played about the sprocket 445 at one end at the other end is played about the sprocket 353, FIG. 4, which is carried on the shaft 351L, the two passes of the chain 446V engaging the sprocket 337 on shaft 334L intermediate the sprockets 445 and 353. As was described above, there is a sprocket 406'on the shaft 334L outjwardly of the side panel 191A, this sprocket driving the chain 405 which in Vturn rotates constantly the sprocket 409 representing in part the driving element of the clutch 370. v

The one-revolution clutch 370 is of a known kind, being described in previous of my patents particularly United States Patent No. 2,296,277, patented Septem- V Y' ber 22, 1942, and hence the operating details of the clutch 370 need not be set forth herein. It may be pointed out,

Y however, that normally the driving element of the clutch 370 including the sprocket 409 is disengaged from the driven element of the clutch which includes the shaft 366. This disengaged relation is maintained by an in-y Yported at one end in the side panel 191A and at the oppositek `end in a vertically disposed mounting plate 456 supported outboard of the siderpanel 191A as shown in FIG. 4.

The arm 450 holding the'clutch 370`disengaged is controlled by an armature 460A of a solenoid 460 which is mounted between the panels 191A and the mounting plate 456. As shown in FIG. 5, the -control'arm 450 is inclined substantially in a plane, and the solenoid 460 is positioned so that the armature 460A is at right angles to the control arm 450. The lower edge of the armature 460A is provided with a notch 460N in which the upper end of the control arm 453 is seated. A spring 460s is attached at one Vend to a pin 462 mounted in and extending outwardly of the side panel 191A. The opposite end of the spring 460s is anchored to Va pin 465 carried by the armature 469A, and this pin projects downwardly through the armature 460A into an elongated opening 467 afforded in a platef468'that is rigid with the Vsolenoid housing, this opening 467 serving to define the extent of downward movement of the armature 460A when the solenoid is energized. Y Y Y When the solenoid `460 is energized, the armature 460A is pulled downwardly as viewed in FIG. 5 and is effective to pivot the control arm 450 clockwise to lift the cam edge 450C olf the pin 45M whereupon the driven element of the clutch 370 including the shaft 366 isV coupled to the constantly rotating driving element of the clutch 370 including the sprocket 409. As a consequence, shaft 366 is driven in a` counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 3. 'l

The solenoid 460 is energized in a way to be described for one cycle of clutch revolution then is deenergized in the same cycle toirelease the control arm 450 so that the control arm 450 which includes the cam edget45C is released to again rest on the rotating sleeve 450S, and at the end of the single 360rotation of the shaft 366 the pinV 379? re-engages the cam edge `456C to uncouple the clutch 370. Hence, for each Vengagement of the clutch 371i, the keystone cam 395, VFIG. 3 is turned through 360 together with the printing cylinder 360 on the shaft 366, and as will be recognized from the description to follow theprinting cylinder in the upper pass thereof is parallel with the forward advancing movement of the card at printing position that is -to be printed with a signature or the like thereby, the card thus printed being squeezed between the printing cylinder 360 and the free'running platen 398.

The solenoid 460 is energiJedY through a normally open switch SW, FIGS. land 3, which is positioned above the guide plate 221C forwardly of the platen roller 39S,

Y the Vswitch SW being carried by a mounting plate 470,

FIG. 1, attachediat one end to the side panel 192A. The passage of the card to be printed on to the guide plate 221C is sensed prior to this card arriving at printing posi- -tion beneath the platen 398, and this sensing operation is effective to close the switch SW and energize the solenoid 460. Thus, normally reposed in the opening 221B in the guide plate 221C is aY sensing finger'Y 472, FIGS. Vl and 3, which is adapted in the present instance to be lifted or actuated by the leading edge of the card that is to -be printed passingalong the guide plate 221C beyond the feed rollers as 333U. The sensing finger 472 is carried at one end of an arm 473 whichat the opposite end is fast 'on a collar 473C which in turn is loosely mounted for pivotal movement on a'switchV control 'rock shaft 474 adapted to control opening andclo'sing of the switch SW. The control shaft 474 for the switch SW is arranged at right angles'to the arm 473 carrying the sensing finger V472 andrin this instmce is supported at either end in bearing lugs as 475 supported in spaced relation on the YinnerY Wall of the side panel 192A.

Spaced from the collar 473C7is'another collar 486 on the shaft 474, and this collar is fixed to the shaft 474 as Yby a set screw 4865. The collars 473C and 486 are flexibly coupled as by a torsion spring 145558 concentric on the'shaft 474 between the two collars, so that when the sensing finger 472 is lifted and the collar 473C is turned,

the spring 4858 turns also and s effective on the collar 486 to turn the switch control shaft 474 clockwise as viewed in FIG. 3.

Fast to the end of the control shaft 47'4 adjacent the switch SW as by a set screw 4595 is a collar 489, and this collar `481) carries a control nger 481 positioned below and normally disengaged from a switch arm 432 which when lifted by the finger 483i closes the switch SW. Thus, when the control shaft 474 is rotated clockwise by a card as C passing the sensing finger 472, the control finger 481 is eective on the switch arm 432 to close the switch SW which thereupon energizes the solenoid `469 to engage the clutch 374).

The collar 473C carrying the sensing linger includes a dog 473D mated in an enlarged notch 477N provided in a collar 477 that is fast on the shaft 474 as by a set screw 477S. This affords lost motion for the collar 473C manifest in the dog 473D turning within the notch 477N, and enables the arm 473 to be lifted in the event a card were to be jammed under the sensing nger 472.

When the card that tripped the sensing finger 472 passes beyond the opening 221B in a way to be described the sensing finger is released to normal position, switch SW is opened to de-energize the solenoid 460 and the control arm 45% for the clutch 370 engages the clutch stop pin 3701 to disable the clutch at the end of the same cycle wherein the clutch was engaged.

As was mentioned above, the card on the guide plate 221C that is to be imprinted is to be momentarily halted in its forward advancing movement, this occurring just after the leading end of the card trips the sensing nger 472 and just prior to the arrival of this card at the printing station afforded by the printing cylinder 360 and its cooperating platen 398. This is attained by positioning a stop finger 499 in the portion of the guide way afforded by the guide plate 221C between the sensing finger 472 and the platen roller 398. The stop finger 490 includes a blade 490B normally elevated sufficiently above the guide plate 221C to enable a card to be fed along the guide plate 221C therebelow. At one end, the stop finger 499 is formed with a depending lug 492, FIG. 3, having a sleeve 493 thereon fixed to a rock shaft `495 which extends longitudinally of the side panel 191A, this rock shaft being supported in bearing lugs as 495A extending inwardly from the side panel 191A similar to the way in which the bearing lugs as 475 support the shaft 474. Held to the rock shaft 495 as by a set screw `497s is a block 497. A tension spring 496 is anchored at one end to a pin on the side panel 191A and at the other end this spring is attached to the end of the block 497 adjacent the side panel 191A as shown in FIG. 3 so as to normally position the rock shaft 495 with the stop nger 490 elevated above the guide plate 221C.

At the end of the rock shaft 495 away from the arm 497 is a depending arm 505 formed with a collar 568 that is fastened to the rock shaft 495. At its lower end, the arm 505 carries a cam follower in the form of a roller 510 which is positioned by the spring 496 to be within the path of the rise 395K on the cam 395. The leading end of the rise 395K on the cam 395 is normally removed but a slight distance from the follower 510 as can be seen in FIG. 3 which is the condition where the stop finger 490 is biased in elevated position. The left end of shaft 334U, FIG. l, is carried by a lever 500 pivoted on a pin 501 mounted in the side plate 191A. The lever 590 has a toe 503 engaged with the underside of the block 497 whereby the block 497 and its spring 496 are effective normally to apply downward tension to the shaft 334U.

When the -sensing finger 472 is elevated by the leading end of a card passing over the opening 221B in the guide plate 221C, the one revolution clutch 370 engages, and practically simultaneously with this, the rise 395K on the cam 395 wipes the cam follower 510. Such engage- A l0 ment of the cam with its follower 510 pivots the arm 505 slightly in the direction of the side plate 191A, and the rock shaft 495 as viewed in FIG. 3 is turned in a clockwise direction against the return action of the spring 496. The stop finger 490 accordingly is lowered in to engagement with the guide plate 221C behind the printing station to engage and halt the leading end of the card that is to be printed with a signature or the like so that forward movement thereof momentarily ceases until after the trailing end of the rise 395K on the cam 395 passes off the cam follower 510, whereupon the stop finger 490 is once again elevated by the spring 496. It will be appreciated that the alternate lowering and then raising of the stop finger 490 under control of the cam 395 is a relatively rapid action, and during the time that the stop linger 490 is down, tension on the shaft 334U is relieved so that in effect the positive or forced feed action on the card is disrupted and the rollers 333U skid on the card engaged by the stop finger 490 to bring this card into accurate alignment therewith.

'Once the stop finger 499 has been elevated, the spring 496 is again effective on the shaft 334U, and the card that underwent alignment continues to be in-fed in a positive manner by the feed rollers 333U and 333L in the direction of the printing station afforded by the printing cylinder 360, bearing in mind that when the clutch 370 was engaged for one cycle to depress and then raise the stop finger 490 the driven shaft 366 of the clutch continued to rotate for a full 360 cycle. Accordingly, after the card to be printed is released by the stop finger 496 the printing cylinder 361i is effective on the downwardly disposed face of the card when passing over the opening 221A to print a signature or the like in proper position on the card, for example adjacent to the name and address threon which may be the name and address of a payee when the imprinted card is a check drawn on a bank. After the card as C has thus been printed with a signature or the like, the feed rollers 333U and 333L are effective on the trailing end thereof to feed this card bearing an imprint on to the feed rollers as 350U which then pass the card into the aforesaid final hopper. After the trailing end of the card passes beyond the sensing finger 472 the latter is released to normal position within the opening 221B and the switch SW is thereupon opened.

To enable the leading end of the card as momentarily halted by the depressed stop finger 490 to be quickly released when the stop finger is elevated, a stripper 599, FIG. l, is afforded over the guide plate 221C in advance of the stop linger 490. The stripper 509 is in the form of a block of substantial width and length, and may be conveniently anchored to the side edge of the guide plate 221C which is adjacent the rock shaft 495. There is clearance between the lower face of the stripper 590 and the guide plate 221C enabling a card to pass therebeneath, and when the stop finger 490 is depressed the stripper 509 also prevents the card undergoing alignment from buckling between the leading end thereof halted by the depressed stop finger 490 and the portion adjacent the trailing end engaged by the feed rollers 334U and 334L.

It will be manifest from the foregoing description that I have afforded an arrangement which will enable the above set forth and kindred objects of this invention to be realized and while I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that this is capable of variation and modification, and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following clairns.

I claim:

l. In a machine of the kind described adapted to handle business instruments or the like, a guideway along which the instruments are to be passed lone by one, a normally inoperative printing means disposed in the guideway to print each such instrument with data on one face thereof,

positive acting opposed feed rollers in the guideway to deliver said instruments to the printing means, a onerevolution clutch operative when actuated to enable the printing means to drive, a solenoid effective when energized to actuate said clutch, a control switch effective when actuated to energize thesolenoid, a sensing element in said guideway to ysense the passage of such an instrument in the direction of the printing means and to thereupon actuate said switch enabling the printing means to'drive, an elongated stop element between the sensing element and the printing means operative when actuated to momentarily halt and eiect alignment of the instrument that was sensed prior to such sensed instrument attaining printing position, and means controlled by said clutch when operative to actuate the Istop element and momentarily to disrupt the positive action of the `feed rollers so that the'sen'sed instrument may undergo alignment prior to attaining printing position.

2. in an apparatus of the kind described to which business instruments in the form of individual cards or the like are advanced in seriatim, a guideway along which such instruments may be advanced, printing means associated with said guideway for making impressions on instrumentsV advanced thereto,.positive acting feed means for advancing an instrument along said guideway to the `printing means, means elective to arrest the advance of an instrument to said printing means and to thereafter release the instrument for such advancement to the printing means, common driving means for effecting operation of said arresting and printing means, and means responsive to the advancement of an instmment to said arresting means for effecting a single cycle of operation of said driving means and for interrupting the positive action of v advancing instrumentsalong said guideway, printing means associated with said guideway for making impressions on instruments advanced thereto, means elective to arrest the advance of an instrument to said printing means and to thereafterrelease such instrument Vfor advancement to the printing means, driving means Yactuated from said vfeeding means for. effecting operation of said arresting and printing means, and means responsive to the advancement of an instrument to said arresting means for effecting a single cycle of operation of said driving means and for releasing the'tension on the idler rollers.

4. In an apparatus of' thekind described to which business instruments in the form of individual cards or the like are advanced in seriatim, a guideway along which such instruments mayj be advanced, constantly operative feeding meansrincluding positively driven feed rollers, idler rollers tensioned against the first-named rollers for advancing instruments along saidV guideway, printing 12 means associated with said guideway for making impressions on instruments advanced thereto, means including an elongated blade etective to arrest the advance of an instrument to said printing means and to align and therefatter release such ,instrument `for advancement to the printing means, driving means for effecting operation of said arresting and printing means and including a one revolution clutch having a driving element actuated `from said feeding means, instrument detecting means actuated by the advancement of an instrument to said arresting means for effecting engagement of said clutch only upon actuation of the detecting means, and means for releasing Vthe tension on said idlers upon actuation of said detecting means and while the instrument is undergoing alignment.

5. in an apparatus of the kind described to which business instruments in the form of individual cards or the like are advanced in seria-tim, a guideway along which such instruments may be advanced, constantly operative feeding means including positively driven Yfeed rollers, idler rollers tensioned against the iirst-named rollers for advancing instruments along said guideway,A printing means associated with said guideway for making impressions on instruments advanced thereto, means effective to arrest the advance of an instrument to saidV printing means and to align .and thereafter release such instrument for advancement to the printing means, means for effecting Voperation of said arresting and printing means and including Van electrically controlled one revolution clutch having a driving element actuated from said feedingV means, cam operated means for effecting operation of said arresting means'and simultaneously releasing the tension on the idler rollers, a detecting element engage- References Cited in theV file of this Vpatent UNITED STATES PATENTS 632,527 Hey Y Sept. 5, 1899 1,243,802 Boswell' u Oct. 13, 1917 1,596,967 Hansen Aug. 274, 1926 2,360,174 Thatcher Oct. 10, 1944 2,389,891 Buddn v Nov. 27, 1945 2,539,382 Davidson Jan. 30, 1951 2,547,470 Janke Api. 3,' 1951 2,651,990 Iohnson j Sept. 15, 1953 2,693,357 Davidson 'Nov. 2, 1954 2,710,406 Gollwitzer June 7, 1955 2,756,673 George July 31, 1956 2,757,928 'Thomas Aug. 7, 1956 2,917,999 Muller etal. Dec. 22, 1959 Y FOREIGN PATENTS 562,555 Germany Oct. 27, 1932

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