US3415182A - Ticket printing and feeding machine - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 10, 1968 K. J. WHITE 3,415,182

TICKET PRINTING AND FEEDING MACHINE Filed Nov. 9, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet l w Il A; M j; J l

' TICKET PRINTING AND FEEDING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV.

Dec. 1o, 196s K. J. WHITE 3,415,182

TICKET PRINTING AND FEEDING MACHINE Filed Nov. 9, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Dec. 10, 1968 K. J. WHITE TICKET PRINTING AND FEEDING MACHINE l--ngm 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 SINGLE 7704/57' 19H zf EE] @24 PAP/NT A 6 JBL r/m M5255 mill-l ABCD j, Uff [m] Ap; r/zxfrrsnv/ffffp 1I l will,

2? 23 TRAVEFSE j? STIV/P fEfD J0 wr T United States Patent O FPice 3 415,182 TICKET PRINTING ND FEEDING MACHINE Kenneth J. White, Framingham, Mass., assignor to Dennison Manufacturing Company, Framingham, Mass., a corporation of Nevada Filed Nov. 9, 1966, Ser. No. 593,111 3 Claims. (Cl. 101-68) ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to apparatus for printing price tickets or other stock, particularly apparatus using strip stock from which tickets are cut. The apparatus may also attach the ltickets -to articles, as for example by pinning the on fabrics as disclosed in the patent to Flood 2,023,045. The apparatus is especially useful in so-called dial-set machines of the typxe where the printing characters are carried by belts trained over rollers side by side so that various combinations of printing characters may be brought into printing position by turning dials or knobs, thereby enabling rapid changes of printing characters.

In printing price tickets it is often desirable to print lines of indicia in addition to the prices, and it is desirable to minimize the size of the tickets or maximize the size of the indicia. Consequently it is desirable to print the lines in close juxtaposition. While this is easy to do with printing chases, it is has not been possible to print the lines very close together with the `dial-set machines because the thickness of the belts and the impossibility of bending them over a small radius prevents rows of characters from being closely spaced.

Objects of the present invention are to provide apparatus in which the rows of indicia may be printed in close juxtaposition with any type of printing apparatus, including the aforesaid dial-set type, which is simple and economical to produce, which can ink simultaneously with printing, and which is durable and reliable in use.

According to this invention the apparatus comprises a plurality of sets of type carriers of the kind having a column of printing characters thereon, the type carriers on each set being adjustable to present a row of selected characters to `a printing position, there being at least three such rows of characters, and means for printing in close association lines of indicia corresponding to the rows of characters, said means including means for successively perfoming at least two impressions within the area to carry the indicia, one of the impressions imprinting with rows for non-adjacent lines of indicia, and another of the impressions imprinting with a row for an intervening line of indicia, whereby the lines are condensed from the spacing of the rows.

In a more specific aspect, the apparatus comprises a printing head carrying the rows of printing characters, and means for relatively shifting the printing head and the ticket stock between successive impressions imprinting adjacent lines of indicia.

In a still more specific aspect, the apparatus `comprises means for feeding ticket stock, and the rows of printing characters extend transversely to the direction of feed, rows for printing successive lines of indicia being offset transversely of the direction of feed.

In a different aspect, the apparatus comprises means for 4feeding stock along a predetermined linear path, and means along said path for successively performing at least two impressions on the stock, one of the impressions printing at least one line of indicia on the stock, and one other of the impressions printing at least one other line of indicia ontjthe stock in close parallel juxtaposition to said one line.

3,415,182 Patented Dec. 10, 1968 For the purpose of illustration a typical embodiment of the invention is shown in the laccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. l is a plan view of a single ticket produced by the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a double ticket produced by the invention;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic plan view illustrating one printing impressions;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic plan view illustrating a second printing impression;

FIG. 5 is a plan View;

FIG. 6 is a section on line 6 6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a section on line 7-7 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a section on line 8-8 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a side elevation from the left of FIG. 5;

FIG. 10 shows the relative timing of the movements of the various parts;

FIGS. 11 to 21 are diagrammatic side views showing successive steps in printing `double tickets; and

FIGS. 22 to 30 are diagrammatic side views showing successive steps in printing single tickets.

The particular embodiment of the invention chosen for the purpose of illustration is adapted to print either single tickets 1 (FIG. l) or double tickets 2 (FIG. 2) which may be one and two inches long respectively. Single tickets 1 have a feed opening or depression 3 and a text of four transverse lines A, B, C, D of indicia printed thereon. Double tickets 2 have a similar feed opening or depression 3', a transverse line of perforations 4 dividing the ticket into a separable upper half 5 and lower half 6, and the text of four lines A, B, C, D printed on each half. In the case of .price tickets the two halves are torn apart at the time of sale, one part remaining on the article sold and the other part being retained by the vendor. The text printed on the tickets usually involves information in addition to prices, as for example style, size, etc.

Tickets 1 and 2 may be cut by the apparatus from strips or ribbons of paper 7 or 7, the strips being identical except that feed openings 3 are spaced an inch apart in single ticket strip 7, while double ticket strip 7' has feed openings 3 spaced two inches apart and has lines of perforations 4 therein.

The illustrated apparatus comprises a frame 8, a magazine 9 on the frame for holding a supply of ticket stock in the form of strip 7 or 7, and strip guides 10 and 11 through which the st-rip is fed on a linear path. Feed means including a strip feed finger 12 adapted to engage feed openings 3 or 3'; a shield 13 over the strip which is locked in an advanced position (FIGS. 22 to 30) by the screw 14 to prevent finger 12 from advancing a long length of stock when single tickets are printed; and a ticket pusher 15 adapted to push against a cut end of a ticket; operate in timed relationship to advance ticket stock past a knife 1'6 which outs strip 7 or 7' into tickets 1 or 2, and past a printing head 17 which imprints the ticket s-tock with lines A, B, C, D of indicia. Cut and .printed tickets may be ejected or attached to fabric by a pinning mechanism, including anvil 18, as disclosed in Patent No. 2,023,045 to Flood.

Printing head 17 carries staggered rows of printing characters 19A, 19B, 19C and 19D (shown diagrammatically in FIGS. 3 and 4) which correspond to lines of indicia A, B, C, D. Relative to one another, the rows are positioned so that rows which are spaced lengthwise to print successive lines of indicia are offset transversely of the direction of ticket stock feed, while rows which print alternate lines of indicia are in alignment and adjacent one another. The printing head is moved in a direction transverse to the direction of ticket stock feed to bring successive rows to printing position, and is moved up and down to print the rows on the ticket stock. To print the lines of indicia, the printing head successively performs at least two impressions on the stock. One of the impressions, such as is shown in FIG. 3, imprints with two adjacent rows 19A and 19C of printing characters to provide two nonadjacent lines A and C of indicia. Another of the impressions, such as is shown in FIG. 4, imprints with adjacent rows 19B and 19D to provide non-adjacent lines B and D. Line B intervenes between lines A and C, and line D is closely juxtaposed to line C, thus providing the ticket stock with consecutive closely spaced lines of indicia. Because adjacent rows of printing characters are spaced apart to print non-adjacent lines of indicia, printing head 17 may be of the dial-set kind, comprising7 four sets 20A, 20B, 20C and 20D of belts or carriers 21 having a column of printing characters thereon in usual fashion, and trained over upper and lower pulleys in usual fashion, the upper pulleys being rotatable by dials or knobs 22 to select desired characters for the rows 19A, 19B, 19C, 19D to be imprinted. Ink pads 23 and 24 are mounted on frame 11 and are disposed beneath the printing head 17 (FIGS. 3, 4 and 6) on opposite sides of the ticket stock. As the printing head makes an impression with two rows of characters, the other two rows are simultaneously inked for their next impression. Because pads 23 and 24 are separate, it is a simple matter to provide them with different colors of ink so that adjacent lines of indicia will be in different colors.

Printing double tickets-FIGS. 1] lo 21 For use in printing double tickets 2 having feed openings 3 spaced two inches apart, the shield 13 is locked in the retracted position shown in FIGS. 11 to 21 so as to be inoperative and, by means hereinafter described, the mechanism for actuating the printing head is set to cause the head to print four times during each cycle. Strip feed finger 12 advances in two steps during the cycle, and ticket pusher advances in two steps during the cycle. At the beginning of the cycle (FIG. 11) strip feed finger 12 is in a fully retracted position, either in a feed opening 3 or just behind the opening as shown in FIG. ll so as to drop into the opening during the rst advance; ticket pusher 15 is in a fully retracted position behind knife 16; printing head 17 has rows 19A and 19C in position to print; a ticket 2 has been cut by knife 16; and the lower half of the ticket has already received lines A, B, C, D of indicia. During each cycle he sequence of operations is: advance the ticket the first step with pusher 15 until the upper half is beneath the printing head (FIG. l2); print the upper half with lines A and C (FIG. 13); traverse the printing head to bring rows 19B and 19D into printing position (FIG. 14); print the upper half with lines B and D (FIG. 15); eject the ticket with pusher 15 and simultaneously advance the strip the first step with finger 12 until the lower half of a new ticket portion is beneath the printing head (FIG. 16); retract the pusher 15; print the lower half with lines B and D (FIG. 17); traverse the printing head to bring rows 19A and 19C into printing position (FIG. 18); print the lower half with lines A and C (FIG. 19); advance the strip the second step with finger 12 until the strip is correctly positioned for cutting (FIG. 20); retract the finger 12; cut the strip with knife 16 (FIG. 21); and return the parts to the positions occupied at the beginning of the cycle (FIG. 11).

Printing single tickets-FI GS. 22 to 30 For use in printing single ticket 1 having feed openings 3 spaced one inch apart, the shield 13 is locked in the advanced position shown in FIGS. 22 to 30 to prevent the finger 12 from advancing more than a one-inch section of ticket stock during its first step, and the mechanism for actuating the printing head is set to cause the head to print twice during each cycle. At the beginning of the cycle, a single ticket 1 has already been severed and the parts are positioned as they were at the beginning of the Cil double ticket cycle. During each cycle the sequence of operations is: advance the ticket the first step with pusher 15 until it is beneath the printing head (FIG. 23); print lines A and C (FIG. 24); traverse the printing head to bring rows 19B and 19D into printing position (FIG. 25); print lines B and D (FIG. 26); eject the ticket with pusher 15 and simultaneously advance the strip the first step with finger 12 (FIG. 27); retract the ticket pusher 15; traverse the printing head to bring rows 19A and 19C into printing position (FIG. 28); advance the strip the second step with finger 12 until the strip is correctly positioned for cutting (FIG. 29); retract the finger 12; cut the strip with knife 16 (FIG. 30); and return the parts to the positions occupied at the beginning of the cycle (FIG. 22).

The aforesaid parts are actuated in the timed relationship shown in FIG. 10, wherein rises indicate advances, by cams mounted on a cam shaft 30 rotated by a motor through a one-revolution clutch. Strip feed finger 12 is actuated by a cam 31, contoured to advance the finger in the manner indicated in FIG. 10, through follower 32, bell crank 33, and spring 34, the finger being pivotally secured to the bell crank 33 and held against a stirp of ticket stock by spring 35. The finger is advanced by spring 34 and retracted by cam 31. Bell crank 33 oscillates back and forth on an eccentrically mounted pin 36 (FIG. 9) with which the length of the first step of the finger may be adjusted accurately. By means of an adjustable stop 37 the length of the second step of the finger may be adjusted accurately.

Ticket pusher 15 is actuated by cam 41, contoured to advance the pusher in the manner indicated in FIG. 10, through follower 42, bell crank 43, and spring 44, the pusher being pivotally secured to the bell crank 43 and held in engagement with a strip of ticket stock by spring 45. The pusher is advanced by spring 44 and retracted by cam 41. By means of screws 46 securing portions of the pusher together (FIG. 5), the length of the first step of the pusher may be accurately adjusted, and by means of an adjustable stop 47, the length of the second step of the pusher may be accurately adjusted. The printing head is actuated for up and down or printing motion by cams 51 and 52, contoured to move the printing head as indicated in FIG. 10, through follower 53, crank 54 pivotally supported on a shaft 55, and rods 56, 57 securedv to the crank and slidably engaging the printing head in a direction perpendicular to the printing motion. The follower 53 has a stub shaft 58 slidably mounted in a journal 59 and adjustable axially by a lever 60 pivoted at 61, the lower end of the lever being forked and straddling a pin 62 projecting from the stub shaft through a slot in the journal 59. With the lever in the clockwise position indicated in FIG. 8 the follower engages both cams 51 and 52 to make four printings per cycle as above described, and with the lever in its counterclockwise position the follower engages only cam 51 to make two printin gs per cycle.

The printing head is actuated for side to side or traversing motion on rods 56, 57 by a carn 71, contoured to traverse the head as indicated in FIG. 10, through follower 72, bell crank 73 pivoted at 74, spring 75 holding the follower in engagement with the cam, sleeve 76 pivotally supported by the bell crank on a member 77, and a push rod 78 slidably mounted in the sleeve and pivotally secured to a stub 79 attached to the printing head. The printing head traverses on rods 56, 57 between flange stops 80, 81 provided at the ends of the rods and bumper stop 82 provided on crank 54, which stops define the traversed positions of the printing head, shown as solid and dashed lines in FIG. 6. Motion of the push rod 78 toward flange stops 80, 81 is imparted by bell crank 73 through a spring 83 mounted on the rod between sleeve 76 and a stop 84 on the rod. Cam 71 is preferably contoured so that when the printing head is against flange stops 80, 81, the spring 83 is slightly compressed (FIGS. 5 and 6), thereby holding the printing head in proper position during printing and eliminating effects caused by looseness or play in the mechanism. Motion of the push rod 78 in the other direction (to the right in FIG. 6) is imparted by bell crank 73 acting against locknut 85 on the rod. Spring 75 pulls the bell crank in this direction, and preferably holds the printing head against bumper stop 82 during printing, the cam 71 being contoured to separate slightly from the follower 72 in this situation.

The knife 16 is actuated by cam 91, contoured to advance the knife as indicated in FIG. 10, through follower 92, bell crank 93 pivotally Supported on shaft 55, and spring 94 holding the follower in engagement with the cam, the knife being secured to the bell crank (FIG. 7).

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that this invention includes all modifications and equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for printing ticket stock comprising a plurality of sets of type carriers of the kind having thereon a column of printing characters, the type carriers in each set being adjustable to present a row of selected characters to a printing position, there being at least three such rows of printing characters, and means for printing in close association lines of indicia corresponding to the rows of characters, said means including means for suc-y cessively performing at least two impressions with the area to carry the indicia, one of the impressions imprinting with rows for non-adjacent lines of indicia, and another of the impressions imprinting with a row for an intervening line of indicia, whereby the lines are condensed from the spacing of the rows, means for feeding ticket stock, the rows of printing characters extending transversely of the direction of feed, rows for printing successive lines of indicia being offset transversely of the direction of feed, the apparatus including means for causing a relative shift, transversely of the direction of feed, between the ticket stock and the rows of printing characters, said last means being intermittently operable between successive impressions and between successive advances of the ticket stock feeding means.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the means for causing the relative shift shifts the rows of printing characters, leaving the ticket stock stationary.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, including inking means located on both sides of the path of feed, each inking means being adapted to ink a row of printing characters laterally displaced from the impression receiving area while another row of printing characters is making an impression on said area.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,028,294 1/1936 Ryan lOl-288 2,050,022 8/ 1936 Shipley lOl-96 2,080,649 5/1937 Breitling 101--96 2,238,517 4/1941 Colley et al, 101-66 2,305,000 12/1942 Goodbar 197-127 2,438,118 3/1948 Flood et al lOl-288 2,444,564 7/ 1948 Goodbar et al 101-68 3,331,315 7/1967 Henry 101--68 WILLIAM B. PENN, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R.

lOl-90, 288; 197-127

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