US2503906A - Printing machine - Google Patents

Description

MQ-, QS lv@ R Nm QS E 6 l O l 5 LJ. R.Z n 0 @L QQ mW E 9 )n .mil we Mmm g #E N W N 3 w MS .WL R O S @www Nx QQ\ N I .w O 5 l l l l i l l r s I O T 7 DE G u T 2 e ,EN T. A e .n S Rm R ww E* 6 QN U a QNN AWM W www R E E N z m Gm W H W m L M QW, f Uh Nu :m1, mm Rm G n m T R P W /l/ YNNN April 11, 195o Flled June 19, 1946 April 1K1, 1950 w. T. GoLLwlTzER 2,503,906

PRINTNG MACHINE Filed June 19, 1946 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 WALTER T. GOLLWITZER /aw, M1. MMM

ATTORNEYS April 11 1950 w. T. GOLLWITZER 2,503,906

PRINTING MACHINE Filed June 19, 1946 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIGB - INVENTOR. WALTER T. GoLLw |T2ER Bywvmwmww ATTORNEYS April 11, 1950 w. T. GoLLwnK-ZER 2,503,906

PRINTING MACHINE Filed June 19. 1946 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 4

INVENTOR. WALTER T. GOLLWITZER ATTORNEYS April 1l, 1950 w. T. GoLLwlTzER PRINTING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 19, 1946 ATTORNEYS April 11, 1950 w. T. GOLLWITZER 29503905 PRINTING MACHINE Filed June 19, 1946 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 IL lll IS WI H R Patented Apr. 11, 1950 PRINTING MACHINE Walter T. Gollwitzer, Euclid, Ohio, assgnor to Addressograph-Multigraph Corporation, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Application June 19, 1946, Serial No. 677,798

1 2 Claims.

This invention `pertains to av printing machine and particularly to the type of printing machine adapted for use in the preparation of` business instruments, Where computing operations and the like are involved. Morey particularly, the present invention pertains to a read-out mechanism in a printing machine, that is mechanism for reading out data from computing mechanism and the like and for transferring such data to movable members for setting up variable printing. elements and/or accumulating devices and the like.

A machine of the general character referred to above is disclosed in detail in my co'pending application Serial No. 416,745, iiled October 27, 1941, now Patent No. 2,427,049.v The present invention relates only to certain aspects of such machine and will be described in part by reference to the disclosure of said copending application. The present invention involves means for reading out data at certain points-in the apparatus of said copending application and transferring it to other points in said apparatus.. It replaces and is an improvement upon certain transfer mechanism disclosed in said copending application.

Printing apparatus of the. character to which the present invention pertains is particularly suited for use with selective printing and control devices of a type well known inthe art. Such devices commonly comprise a light framework carrying a printing element, such as an. embossed printing plate or equivalent which changes with each device, and a control element` or area which also varies fromy one device to another and which servesv to perform certain control functions in the printing machine. Datav carried by the printing element may be a name and` address, and other identifying data if desired, a printing. and. control device usually being provided for each customer, subscriber, stockholder or the like. The control element or area mentioned` above may comprise indicia such asY periorations or protuberances in` or on a sheet, plate or the-like which may be sensed by appropriate means to control operations which lead to the setting up of variable printing wheels, accumulator wheels and the like.

As described in the aforesaid copending application a particular application oi the apparatus described therein, and the apparatus to which the present invention relates, has todo with the preparation of business instruments such as dividend checks which are issued. periodically to stockholders ofcorporations. in corporations having. large numbers of stockholders. a large 23a-sosa) amount of work is involved in computing dividends for the various stockholders, preparing checks in payment of such dividends and maintaining proper records of payments made.` The present invention will be described inconnection with such an application although it will be understood that suchA invention is not limited thereto.

In the machine to which the present invention relates a series of printing and control devices of the character mentioned above are passed sequentially through the machine in timed relation with sheets such as blank checks to be printed by and under the control of such printing and control devices. In this case the printing and control device comprises a printing member carrying a name and address and a control element comprising a group oi perforations arranged according to a predetermined code to represent the number of shares held by the stockholder. As such printing and control devices are passed through the machineimpressions are taken from the printing members embodied therein directly onto sheets such as blank checksl and the control elements of such devices are sensed to initiate the setting up of variable printing elements toprint numerical data on the check blanks. As described in the aforesaid copending application, the variatble data printed may include both the number of shares and the amount of the check computed by multiplying theA number of shares by a factor which is the dividend rate.

In order to accomplish the foregoing, the control element of a printing and control device is sensed to read out therefrom the number of shares represented by the coded indicia. If this number of shares is to be printed', suitable connecting means are provided between the primary sensing means which sense the data on the controlelement and suitable printing elements. For computing the amount of the check the same data are read into computing mechanism, as described in the aforesaid copending application, and the results of a computingy operation which takes place in such mechanism are read out and transferred to movable members which are eiiective to set up appropriate printing elements such as variable printing Wheels.

In order to transfer data, such as the number of shares, from a primary sensing means, and ln order to transfer a numericalr quantity, such as an amount oi money, from a computing mechanism it is necessary that reliable and positively acting, elements be employed. Since the parts which are used in such apparatus are necessarily numerous and since available space is relatively small, it is not practicable to use rigid or heavy linkage. However, the magnitude of movements involved in representing numerical data is of a low order, generally, due to the fact that a large number of positions must be assumed by each movable member to represent a range of values, hence there is little operating tolerance for the parts which communicate data from such mechanism to printing, accumulating, and recording elements. It is therefore essential that the operating parts of a read-out mechanism, of the character to which the present invention pertains, be both light and small in size and at the same time be highly accurate and positive in operation.

Accordingly it is an object of my invention to read-out data from one point in the machine and transfer it to another point to initiate the setting up of data representing members by the use of light and positively operating elements.

A further object is to take direct readings of 4movable members which represent numerical 'quantities by their selective positions and to vtransfer such direct readings through simple and direct means to other movable elements for controlling the setting up of printing members and/or other recording devices.

Another object of my invention is to accomplish the foregoing by using a simple organization and a minimum quantity of mechanical parts.

A still further object Aof my invention is to read out data from a computing mechanism and to move variable printing elements selectively under the control of such data by means which operate `under control of a single cam shaft.

Still another object of my invention is to take a direct reading from movable bars, which repre- '.sent the result of a computation by their position, and to transfer such reading directly to stop members which are correspondingly positioned to limit the movement of control devices for printing members and accumulator elements.

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 and the principle thereof and what I now consider to be the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent -principle may be used and structural changes 'may be made as desired by those skilled in the Vvart without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims. In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the read- 'out mechanism which comprises the present invention, certain parts being broken away and other parts being shown in section, this View being taken substantially along the line of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional View of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1, taken substantially along the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, certain parts being omitted or broken away for clarity of disclosure;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 4 is an elevational view taken looking from fthe right in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view showing certain koperating elements of the read-out mechanism; .and

v Fig. 6 is a timing diagram showing the order in which the various operations occur.

The mechanism shown in Fig. 1 includes certain elements of the machine described in the aforesaid copending application Serial No. 416,745. Thus at the left in Fig. 1, there are shown certain frame elements which house a multiplying or computing mechanism not shown herein b-ut described in detail in said copending application. The frame members are also utilized in the present machine to support certain operating elements as will be more fully described hereinafter.

To the right of the frame members II, as seen in Fig. 1, there are provided another pair of frame members I2 to which the frame members il are secured in an appropriate manner. The frame members l2 are provided with spacing pins or rods I3 and I4 which are adapted to be received in slots I5 and I6 respectively of the frame members I I. As will be seen by referring to Fig. 2, the frame members I I are not as widely separated as are the frame members l2 and the pins or rods I3 and I4 support the frame members Il at intermediate points.

A cam shaft 2| is supported in suitable bearings in the frame members I2 and it extends a substantial distance both to the front and to the rear of such frame members as best shown in Fig. 3. That part of the shaft 2| which extends forwardly carries certain cam members which will be referred to in further detail hereinafter, and the forward end of the shaft is supported in an outboard frame member 22 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Bolts or rods 22A secure member 22 to front frame member I2. The rear end of the shaft 2| carries certain commutator elements 23 which form no part of the present invention, similar parts being described in the aforesaid copending application.

The cam shaft 2| bears a number of cams which operate various levers at predetermined times to control the mechanism which reads out numerical data from apparatus at the left, as seen in Fig. 1, and transfers such data to a group of rack bar stop members 3| and 3| A shown in the right-hand portion of Fig. 1. These will be described in detail hereinbelow.

In the particular machine to which this present invention pertains it is desirable to print and accumulate numerical data relating to two different subjects, for example, the number of shares held by each stockholder and the amount of dividends paid to each stockholder. These separate sets of data are read out and transferred by separate mechanisms both of which are embraced in the present invention. As best shown in Fig. 5,

a group of five Bowden cables, which may be referred to collectively hereinafter as shares cables 4I, extend from the left, Where they are `attached to elements of a primary sensing mechanism, to the right where they control the movement of a group of rack bar stops 3| mentioned above. The ve members 3| are shown at the right in Fig. 4. These may be referred to as the share stop members or the stop members for the share rack slide bars.

Another group of seven Bowden cables, indicated generally at 5l Fig. 5, leads from a group vof seven sensing or read-out slides 52 shown at the left in Figs. 1 and 5 to the group of seven rack bar stops 3|A. These seven rack bar stops 3m are shown at the left in Fig. 4 and since they control the setting up of printing elements for printing the amount of money due or paid to each stockholder they may be referred to here- 75 after as money stop bars. Likewise the cables .close spacing of the rack bars 9 I.

5|' which lead to them are referred to as money cables and similar terms are applied to various operating elements connected therewith.

The general operation of the apparatus will nrst be described by reference to Fig. 5 and thereafter a detailed description will be given.

The shares cables 4| are Bowden cables which have their armored sheaths anchored in a block and which have their left ends, Fig. 5, abutting against sliding elements 6|, 62 and 63. Two other sliding elements, not shown, are provided for the tWo cables at the extreme left in Fig. 5, their construction being identical with the slide bars 6| to 63 just mentioned. By means not necessary to describe herein but shown in the aforesaid copending application, the bars 6|, 62 and G3 are moved longitudinally in response to the numerical data sensed on each printing and control device as it passes through the machine.

Hence these slides represent the number of shares held by each stockholder as indicated on the printing and control device bearing that stockholders name and address. Through the Bowden cables 4| the number of shares held by each stockholder is thus transferred to mechanism at the right, as seen in Fig. 5, to movable members comprising the slidable share bar stops 3|, and these stops move to a position to control horizontal sliding movement of a group of rack slide bars 9|.

The stops 3| each comprise a vertically slidable bar 8|v to which is attached as by rivets 82, or the like, a stop` plate 83v having a series of rectan guiar shoulders 8.4 on the lower right edge thereof.

A series of rack bar slides SI and SIA are mounted for horizontal sliding movement on a pair of rollers 92' and 93 supported on shafts 94 and 95 respectively. The shafts 94 and 95 are suitably mounted in the frame members I2 and there are as many rack bars 9| and BIA, respectively, as there are stops 3| and 3|A. Bars 9| relate to shares and bars 9 IA relate to "money.

Each. of the rack slide bars 9| or 9IA carries a dependingv lug 96 to which is attached a coil spring 91. The opposite end of each coil spring 91 is attached. to one or the other of two transverse rods 98 extending between the side frame members I2, the springs 31 being staggered or alternated, as shown in l, so as to permit Thus for read ing, out the number of shares held by a customer, the Bowden cables 4|, actuated by the slide bars EI, `62, and 63, etc., move the sliding stops 3| comprising shouldered members 33 into the path of other shouldered elements IUI carried by each of the rack slide bars SI. Likewise stops 3 IA are positioned to locate the money rack slide bars SIA. Vertical shoulders |02, arranged in stairstep relation, determine the extent to which the rack slide bars 9| or 9|`A may move to the left, as seen in Figs. 1 and 5 under influence of springs 91.

A bail member III', connected by a pair of arms II 2 keyed to a shaft I3 extending between the frames I2, moves the rack bars to the right, as seen in Fig. 5, against the force of springs 91 at certain intervals and at other intervals is withdrawn to the left to permit the springs 91 to draw the rack bars 9|, SIA toward the left until the stop members ISI Contact the opposing stop members 83 carried by the sliding stops 3| or 3|LA. An operating arm H4 is pivoted on shaft H3 and has its upper end adj-ustably connected to one of the arms I2, as indicated at |I4A. The lower end of arm ||4 is actuated by a cam IA on shaft 2| as described hereinafter. A. cam follower I|4 B is carried on the lower end of arm |`|4. By these mean,q the rack slide bars 9| and SIA are selectively positioned to represent numerical quantities corresponding to those represented by the positions of the slides 5|, 62, etc., and those represented by other read-out elements to be described hereinbelow.

Each rack bar BI or SIA has a rack portion ||5 formed on its upper edge, near the left end thereof as seen in Figsl and 5. A series of variable :printing sectors II5 are carried by a shaft Hi mounted in the side frame members I2. An arcuate rack member I it is assembled with each of the printing sectors lit in a manner described in the aforesaid copending application, tension springs ||9 serving normally to cause these two members to be rotated together. The rack member H8 meshes with the rack I|5 on each rack bar 9| or 9IA so that each rack bar is effective to position one of the printing members H6 as it is moved to position abutting the stop member 3|. The particular construction and operation of the printing mechanism forms no part of the present invention.

At their outer ends, to the right as seen in Figs. 1 and 5, the rack bars 9| and 9 IA each carry an upwardly extending ear or lug I2 I. Each ear |2| is provided with a headed stud or rivet |22. The left end of a connecting link |23 is provided with a notch $24 in its lower edge which sets over the shank oi the rivet |22, thus being de tachably connected for sliding movement with the rack bar 9|. A tension spring |25 extends between the link |23 and an ear |26 on the lower edge portion of the right end of each bar. This spring is readily detachable from the ear |26 and tends to keep the link 23 engaged with the stud |22. The link |23 extends to the right as seen in Figs. l and 5 to connect with accumulator operating slides, not shown herein, in a manner described in detail .in my aforesaid copending application. By disconnecting the link |23 from the stud |22, the accumulator operating mechanisrn may be separated from the rack bars 9| and SIA, as also described in my aforesaid application.

Each of the vertical bar portions 3| of the stop members 3l or 3IA is provided on its outer or right edge as seen in Figs. 1 and 5 with a series of teeth |3I. A U-shaped bar or bail member |32 is pivotally supported in frame members I2 on a pin extending between such members as indicated at |33, a tension spring |34 being secured to the left end of this member as seen in Figs. 1 and 5 to rock it clockwise. The member |32 incorporates an upturned flange element |35 to which is secured a comb spring |36. A series of pawls |31 are assembled on the pin |33 which serves as a pivotal support for the member |32. One pawl |31 is positioned opposite each bar 8| and is urged toward it by a iinger of comb spring |36. A rod |38 extends transversely between the two arms |39 and |40 of member |32, these arms constituting the sides of said member |32, and rod |38 serves as a bail to lift the pawls away from the teeth |3| when the member |32 is rocked clockwise about pivot pin |33.

A link |4I, provided with a longitudinal adjustment |42, extends from the leit end of the member |32 downwardly to connect to a lever |43 pivoted on a shaft |44 mounted in the frame members I2.. The lever |43 carries a. cam follower |45 at its opposite end which is adapted to cooperate with a cam |45 carried by the cam shaft 2|. Hence at appropriate intervals the bail member |32 is rocked clockwise to release the sliding stop members 3| and 3|A comprising vertically slidable bars 8| and at other times it is rocked counterclockwise so that the pawls |31 will hold the sliding bars 8| and associated stops in the position at which they have been set by readingout mechanism. This position depends upon the movement imparted to such bars through their respective Bowden cables 4| and 5 l Through the mechanism just described, the slides or rack bars 9| and 9|A are selectively positioned as indicated above, the group of ive shares bars being eiec'- tive to set up printing members and accumulating elements representing the number of shares corresponding to each printing and control device passed through the machine. The seven money bars set up printing members and accumulating elements to print and accumulate sums of money representing dividends.

The manner in which elements operated by the money cables 5| are effective to set up printing elements and accumulator elements to represent the output of the computing mechanism will next be described.

The computing mechanism per se isnot shown herein but its output is represented by movement longitudinally of a series of seven slides or summation bars |5| shown at the left in Figs. l and 5. These slides are moved downwardly various distances, depending upon the digit to be represented. Subsequently they are returned, by means not shown herein, to their zero positions.

The operation of the computing mechanism may involve, for each order of the nal product, a number larger than nine, that is a units representation and a tens representation, and therefore each of the slides |5| must be capable of moving through a distance representative of more than ten digits. The mechanism to which this invention relates, as more particularly described in the aforesaid copending application, and as described in still further detail in my Patent No. 2,296,277, patented September 22, 1942, is adapted to record up to a nve digit number of shares and to multiply such a number by a five digit number to produce a result having as many as ten digits of which not more than seven digits are to be printed. In other words, each oi the factors to be multiplied may have as many as five digits, that is, the number of shares which can be recorded may be as great as 99,999. Since the multiplication of a ve order number by another ve order number involves the addition of ve partial products, plus a carry over, there may be as many as 49 numbers in addition to zero for each digit of the final product, as more fully explained in the aforesaid patent and copending application. Hence the movement to be imparted to any of the slides |5| may involve movement to as many as fifty diierent stop positions.

Accordingly, each of the slides i5i is provided with a plate 52 mounted on the side thereof near its upper end and secured as by spot welding, riveting or the like. 'The plate |52 has ve shoulders or teeth |53 thereon, the spacing between adjacent teeth being representative of ten increments corresponding to ten different digits. In other words movement of the slide from one o the teeth |53 to the next one represents a change of ten consecutive numbers in the amount represented thereby, and the ve teeth |53, with the spaces therebetween, represent a total of fty positions.

For each of the slide members |5| there is provided a sensing or read-out slide 52, mentioned above, which comprises a long bar having a wide top portion |51 mounted for limited vertical sliding movement on a roller |52, each roller being carried by a pin |53 mountedin a manner to be described presently. A slot 2H in each element |6| receives the roller |62. The right edge of each of the slides 52, as seen in Figs. 1 and 5, is guided in a slot provided in a block member |54 near its upper end, a similar guide member |35 being provided near its lower end. At its lower end each of the slides 52 has a foot portion E55 kto which is attached a clevis |51 having secured thereto the end of a Bowden cable 5|, mentioned above, connection being to the inner or movable cable part of each of the group of money cables 5|. Hence vertical movement of the slide 52 iseffective to move the Bowden cables 5| and through these cables to move the stop members 3 IA. The group of seven stop members 3| A are connected at their lower ends to clevises |I| securedto the Bowden cables 5| in the same manner that the clevises |57 are secured to bars 52.

The sensing or read-out slides 52 are capable of movement only through a sufficient vdistance to represent the digits from zero to nine. Hence, they are effective only to measure the displacement of one of the teeth |53 from a given xed point, without distinguishing one tooth from another. Means described more fully in my aforesaid copending application and in Patent No. 2,296,277, aforesaid, are provided for carryingvthe tens digits of numbers greater than nine` on any slide I5! into the slide |5| of the next higher order, a carry operation taking place when each or any of the teeth |52 passes a given point in the positioning of the slide |5|. For example,mo've ment of a slide 15| to a distance such that the read-out slide is opposite the point between the second and the third tooth |53 might represent a number such as 27. Movement of aslide |5| to carry two teeth past the referencepoint is effective to transfer the 2 to the slide |5| representing the next higher order in the final product, through the carry mechanism just mentioned. Hence the sensing or read-out slide senses only the digit 7. This carry mechanism is shown generally at |15, Fig. 1, but since it constitutes no part of the present invention, it is not described in detail herein. There are ten summation bars |5| but only the seven of highest order are opposed by sensing bars 52. The reason for this is that dividend rates are sometimes four or vev place decimal fractions and the lowest three orders would represent small decimal fractions of a cent which need not be recorded.

The exact extent to which the read out slide ,52 is moved'before contacting a tooth |53 on bar |5| determines the digit which will be represented ultimately on the printing elements |16, because movement of bar 52 controls the positioning of the stop element 31A which indirectly determines the position of printing members. Inzorder to retain the parts in position while printing is being accomplished, meanwhile permitting the bars |5| to be restored to zero Apositions for another com puting operation, the slides 52 are each provided on their right lower edge portions, as seen in Fig. 5, with a series of teeth |8|. A series of locking pawls E92 are carried by a bail member |83 pivoted on a transverse rod |84 mounted in the side frames |35 of an adjustable auxiliary frame assembly, one pawl |82v being opposite each slide 52. y rIhis assembly, as shown in theI lowerv left hand'part of Fig. 1, comprises the two plates |85,

adjustably secured by screws |86 to a rigid frame element |81. A transverse pin or shaft |88 eX- tends between the frame members or plates |85 and a U-shaped bracket |89 is pivotally mounted on such pin. A pin |9| extends between the side arms of bracket |89, this pin being enlarged and substantially square in cross section and being drilled and tapped to receive the upper end of an adjusting screw |92. The head of this adjusting screw abuts against the lower surface of a square pin |93 through which the screw |92 passes. The left ends of the arms of bracket |89 carry a pin |94 which engages a pair of notches |95 in the fixed frame element |81. A spring |96 tends to raise the sub-frame assembly |85 with respect to the xed frame member |81. By adjustment of the screw |92 the bracket |89 may be rocked to raise or lower the sub-frame assembly and thereby to raise or lower the locking members |82. This provides for accurate positioning of the locking members with respect to the teeth |8| on the slides 52 so that they will correctly represent the numbers indicated by the summation slide bars of the computing mechanism.

rllhe locking members |82 are rocked to operative and inoperative positions, respectively, by movement of a link `20| pivotally secured, as indicated at 202, to an extension 203 of the bail member |83. The link 20| is adjustable in length, as indicated at 20|A, and is moved upwardly or downwardly at intervals by a bell crank 204 pivotally secured to one of the frame members I2 at 205. Another link 206, secured to the upstanding arm of the bell crank 284, is adapted to be operated by the vertical arm of a two armed lever 201 to which its opposite end is attached. The lever 201 is pivoted on shaft |44, its other arm 208 being notched at 208A to t over a stud 209 carried by the lever |43. Hence lever |43 operates lever 201 at certain times.

The operation of the mechanism just described is as follows. After each of the slides |5| has assumed a position determined by the computing mechanism, its position is sensed by sliding movement of the opposing read-lout slide 52 to contact one of the teeth |53 on silde |5|. Movement of the slide 52 imparts corresponding movement to the corresponding rack bar stop 3IA through the Bowden cable |68 and associated parts. After this movement has been completed the lock pawls |82 are moved to cooperate with the teeth |8I on each of the read-out slides 52 which are thereby retained against further movement.

In order to permit the slides |5| to return to their zero positions while the read-out slides 52 are still locked by the means just described, means are provided for disengaging the upper ends of the slides 52 from the teeth |53. As best shown in Fig. 5, each of the slides 52 has a tooth portion 2|I which, in the position shown in this figure, opposes a tooth |53 on slide |5|. Contact between a tooth 2II and a tooth |53 determines the read-out position of each slide 52. Above each of the slides 52 a transverse pin or shaft 2|2 is secured between the side plates I I. On this shaft there are pivoted seven levers 2 I3, one being opposite each of the slides 52. Each of the levers 2 I 3' has a coil spring 2 I4 secured to the upper end thereof, the opposite ends of such springs being anchored to suitable rods 2I5. The springs are staggered to provide adequate space for them to move freely.

The lower end of each of the levers 2|3 carries the pin |63 and roller |62, previously mentioned. The roller |62 rides in the slot 2 I1 in each of the 10 slides 52. Hence the sliding bars 52 may move vertically without interference, their lateral position being controlled by the levers 2 I 3.

A U-shaped bar 2 I6 is pivotally mounted on the same shaftI 2li that carries the levers SH3. This bar constitutes a bail member as it has a projecting plate portion which is bent toward the levers near their upper ends to contact al1 of them at certain times, this part being shown at 2id. The bar 2i8 also has a depending arm 22| on one side thereof, the lower end of which is att-ached to an adjustable link 222. Near its right end, as seen in Figs. l and 5, the link 222 is secured to the upper end of a lever 223 the lower end of which is pivoted on a pin 224 suitably mounted in the side frame members I2. At an intermediate point, the lever 223 carries a cam roller 2f|A which is adapted to follow a cam mounted on cam shaft 2|. An adjustable connection 226 is provided in link 222 to provide for the proper relationship between the tooth 2 II on each of the slides 52 and the teeth |53 on slides I5i. A spring 222A attached to the end of link 222 keeps cam follower 224A in engagement with cam 225.

The operation of the parts just described is as follows. Rotation of the cam 225 moves the lever at appropriate intervals to rock the arm 22| about the shaft 2I2, thus causing the upper end plate 2|@ of the U-shaped bar or bail member I 8 to contact the seven levers 2|3 and rock them counterclockwise, as seen in Fig. 5. When this occurs the rollers 2|6 on the lower ends of the levers 2|3, which are positioned in the slots 2I1 of the slides, cause the slides to be withdrawn to the right as seen in Fig. 5, thus releasing teeth 22i from teeth |53 and freeing the slides |5| which are then restored to their upper zero positions. The restoring means are not shown herein but may be operated by a suitable cam 230 on shaft 2|, as described in the aforesaid prior patent and eopending application.

After printing and other operations have been accomplished the slides 52 must also be released and restored to their normal or zero positions.

t this time the lever 201 releases the lock member |32 through the linkage previously described and a bail member 23| is operated to raise the slides 52 to their initial positions.

The multiplying or computing mechanism which sets up the summation slides or bars |5| requires a major part of a machine cycle to complete its operations. For this reason it is desirable to have the teeth 2 I on sensing slides 52 engaged with the teeth |53 on the summation mem bers just long enough to accomplish the necessary setting up functions. Hence, as soon as the slides 52 come to rest in a sensing movement, they are locked by the lock pawls |82 and :immediately thereafter the lever 229 is operated, as described above, to disengage the teeth 2|I from teeth |53 and permit the summation bars |5| to be restored to zero position for a new computing operation.

Meanwhile the stop members 3|A have been positioned and are locked in their positions by the pawls |91 and lever II2 has been withdrawn counter-clockwise or to the left, Figs. l and 5, to permit the rack bars 9 |A to move under inuence of springs 91 to the left as seen in said figures, and these rack bars thus set up the printing members HIE. Simultaneously, 'through links I 23, accumulator mechanism, not shown herein, is set up as described in my aforesaid cepending application.

The high part of cam 225 extends around almost three-quarters of its periphery. Hence the summation'slides or racks |51 are free more than half the time to be positioned by the computing or multiplying mechanism. However, when the low dwell 225A of cam 225 acts on roller 224A, permitting the teeth 2| to move to the left, Fig. 5, in position to engage teeth |53, the lever 281 is held momentarily by means next to be described in a manner to keep lock pawls |32 disengaged from slides 52.

The link 222 extends to the right or beyond lever 223, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, yand at its end bears an angle member 221 in which an adjustable screw 228 is threaded in a position to abut against the right vertical edge of lever 201. Hence when lever 223 swings to the left, as seen in Figs. 1 and 5, the screw 228 moves lever 201 in a counter-clockwise direction by lifting its notched portion 208A oi the stud 209 carried by lever |43. Lever |43, at this time is still in its lowered position. Most of the time levers |43 and 201 are operated together, but by adjusting screw 228 the precise time for moving the pawls |82 may be varied somewhat. Normally, however, it is desired to allow pawls |82 to engage teeth |8| at the same time that pawls |31 are permitted to engage stops 3| and 3|A. The teeth on bars 8| are so shaped that the bars and associated stop elements may continue to move upwardly after pawls |31 are engaged.

The mechanism for operating the bail 23| comprises a cam 232, Figs. 2, 3 and 4, and a cam follower 233 carried by a lever 234 pivotally mounted on a shaft 235. The lever 234 extends to the left, as seen in Figs. 1 and 5, and at its left end carries an angle member 233, the upper end of which is bent to overlie an arm 231 which is xed to the shaft 235 as by a pin 231A, Fig. 2. An adjusting screw 238 is threaded into the angle member 236 and its lower end contacts the upper edge of the arm 231 to provide an adjustment between the lever 234 and said arm. A lock nut 239 is provided to retain the parts in adjusted position. A plate 240 secured to arm 234, overlaps the end of arm 231 to keep arm 234 in proper alignment with the cam 232.

At its rear end, as shown in Fig. 2, the shaft 235 carries a short arm 24| which is fastened to said arm as by a pin 242. Another arm 243 is pivotally mounted on the shaft 235 adjacent the short arm 24| and an eccentric pin or the like 244 provides an adjustment between the arm 24| and arm 243. By this means arm 243 may be ac curately adiusted to a position parallel with that of the arm 231.

The bail member 23| is carried by arms 231 and 243 and a spring 246 attached to a pin 241 mounted in a projection 248 below arm 231 tends constantly to rotate arm 231, shaft 235 and arm 243 clockwise as seen in Figs. 1 and 5. By this means the bail member 23| raises the slides 52 and restores them to their zero positions whenever permitted to do so by the cam 232, assuming that lock pawls |82 have been released.

'I'he Bowden cables 4| are restored to their zero positions, thereby restoring the stops 3| to zero positions, by an anchor block 25| pivotally mounted between a pair of parallel arms 252 of a U-shaped member pivoted on the shaft |44. One of the arms 252 is secured to a curved arm 253 mounted pivotally on the shaft |44 and the left end of such arm, as seen in Figs. l and 5, carries a cam follower 254 which is operated by a cam 255 on the shaft 2l. By the means just described the rack bar stops 3| for representing the number of shares are zeroized. A coil spring 253 attached to one of the arms 252 causes the cam follower 254 to remain in contact with its cam and restores the cables 4| when permitted to do so by said cam. A spacer block 251 is secured between arms 252 by screws 258, and leaf springs 25| latch the pivot pins 268 of block 25| in slots 232 in the ends of arms 252.

The block 25| which restores the Bowden cables 4| has the cables anchored thereto in a suitable manner and the spring element 25| is of a shape best shown in Figs. 1 and 5, serving to hold the studs or pins 233 projecting from the block 25| in the slots 232 so that block 25| may be easily removed from the levers 252 when desired. At an intermediate point, the springs 26| are held under tension by the screws 253 which hold the spacer block 251 between the two arms 252.

The sheaths of the money cables 5| are secured at their right ends, as seen in Figs. 1 and 5, to a block member 21|. This member is fastened to a supporting block 212 at the right end of the machine which in turn is secured to the frames l2. A thumb screw 213 having a knurled head is used for this purpose, to permit the cables to be readily detached when desired. The clevises |51 and |1| have pins which rest in sloping notches in slides 52 and 3|A, respectively, so that these parts can be quickly disconnected when desired.

The shares cables 4| are guided by a block member 215 which is detachably secured to the block 212 by appropriate means such as a stud 216 having a knurled head so that it can be inserted or removed manually. The cables 4| are passed under a roller 211 carried by this block.

In addition to the parts described, certain cam operated levers are provided for other parts of the apparatus which, per se, are not part of the present invention. Thus an arm or lever 28D isv integral with another arm 28|, pivoted on shaft |44 and provided with a cam follower 282A which is operated by cam 282 on cam shaft 2|. A link 283 is attached to the arm 280 and leads to certain safety mechanism by means of which slides not shown herein, but connected to the rack bars 9| and 3 |A, described above, may be disconnected;

This construction is more fully described in my aforesaid copending application.

Another cam 29| on shaft 2| operates an arm 292 which is provided with a cam follower 233.'r

Arm 292 is integral with another arm 292 pivoted on shaft |44 which operates a link 295 which eX- tends generaly in a vertical direction to connect to certain latching mechanism associated with the printing mechanism. This mechanism also is not shown herein, forming no part of the present invention, but it is described in detail in the aforesaid copending application.

'I'he bars 8|, which comprise the sliding vern tical elements of the stops 3| and 3| A, are guided for vertical movement between two pairs of guide rollers 32| and 3D2, best shown in Fig. 5. A slotted plate 303, provided with downturned flanges 334 and 335, rests on each pair of rollers to keep the slide bars 8| properly spaced. The rollers are mounted in end plates 333 suitably secured to the side frame members l2 by screws- 301. Slots 308 in the plates 353 permit adjust-v ment to the right or left, as seen in Fig. 5, to adjust the bars 8| in proper relationship with the lock pawls |31.

Eyelets 30S are secured in the rear or left edge of each of the bars 8| for attachment to the 13 springs 32. Throughsprings 32 each of the bars is urged upwardly and these springs pull the Bowden cables and hence cause attached members such as slides 52 to move downwardly whenever released.

The Bowden cables 4| for representing the shares are not attached to clevises but are secured, at their right ends, Figs. 1 and 5, to pins 3| i which are guided for vertical movement in a pair of spaced brackets 312 and 3|3 suitably mounted on the frame members |2.

The cam shaft 2| may be driven from a suitable source of power'through a gear 32| secured thereto and it may be provided with additional cams 322 `and 323 for other functions Awhich are not pertinent to the present invention. Another cam 32:1 operates on a follower 325 carried by a lever 326 pivoted to the front frame member |2 at 321, Fig. l. This lever operates certain carry mechanism restoring elements 328 of the computing mechanism and is not part of the present invention.

While it is believed that the operation of the machine will be obvious from the above description, a brief rsum of such operation is as follows. Referring to Fig. 5, the shares cables 4| are operated by slides 6|, 62, etc. which are controlled by perforations in a printing and control device passing through the machine bearing data representing the number of shares held by each stockholder. The cables 4| move the slides 3| to position stops which will limit movement to the left as seen in Fig. of the five rack bars 9|' which pertain to the number of shares. When these stops are so positioned, rack bars 9| move under the influence of springs 91 until they are stopped at various selected positions determined by the stop members, the bail I being completely withdrawn to the left. At this point the stops 3| are locked by the pawls |31 so that printing and other operations may take place. After such has been accomplished, the lever |43 rocks the bracket |32 clockwise and pin |38 withdraws the pawls |31 from the notches |3| in the stop slides 3|, thus releasing them to be restored to their zero positions by the operation of block 25| in levers 252.

The money cables are controlled by the readout slides 52 which, after descent of the bail member 23|, are lowered until the tooth 2|I on D each slide contacts a tooth |53 on the slide |5I. This operation moves the stop members 3|A to a position representative of the digit corresponding to that indicated by the slide |5|. Springs 32, attached to each of the slides SEA, cause them to rise whenever permitted to do so by their Bowden cable connections. As in the case of the shares rack bars 9|, upon movement to the left of the bail Figs. 1 and 5, the money rack bars 9 lA are positioned according to the position of the stop members 3|A and the amount represented by the computing mechanism is thereafter printed and accumulated in the manner described in the aforesaid copending application.

It will be understood that the slides 52 do not f,

take any reading to distinguish the particular tooth |53 by which they are stopped. This is taken care of by the transfer mechanism shown in Fig. l and described in detail in the aforesaid application and as briefly described hereinabove.

The order in which various operations occur, generally under control of cams on shaft 2|, can be seen by reference to Fig. 6. Assuming that a printing and control device has been moved to sensing position, sensing elements not shown herein but described in my aforesaid prior patent and copending application are effective to :read or sense from such device the number of shares indicated thereon. The data thus read or sensed is communicated both to the computing mechanism and to the shares cables 4|.

The shares cables 4| are moved andthe stops 3i connected thereto are raised selectively to permit movement of rack bars 9| under the influence of spring d1 to set up printing elements :and accumulating elements. These movements are indicated on the two lower lines `of Fig. 6.

Meanwhile the computing mechanism, which also received a reading rof the number of shares and set it up as one factor, has multiplied the number of shares by the dividend rate and the summation members 5| have moved, as indicated in the top line, Fig. 6, to indicate the product.

The read-out slides 52 are rocked toward the summation members |5| by the read-out levers 213, as indicated in the chart, Fig. 6, third line from the top. Thereupon the slides 52 are permitted to descend, as indicated in the line next to the top, Fig. 6.

During this time pawls |82 and |31 are ineffective, but as soon as sensing of teeth |53 by teeth 2li has been completed, pawls |31 are swung to their latch posiitons by movement of lever |43. However, pawls i 82 are not locked until the levers 2|3 begin to draw teeth 2| away from teeth |53. Pawls |82 are held disengaged from the teeth on slides 52 by the Contact of the screw 228 carried by link 222 against lever 201. Pawls |82, which are disengaged at the same time as pawls |31, also reengage at the same time, but adjustable screw 23 permits a slight variation on the time for reengaging pawls |82. The bars 8| which comprise the sliding elements of stops 3|A can continue to rise past the pawls |31, even after these are permitted to engage.

Although I have described my invention as being particularly adapted for use in a printing machine employed for printing dividend checks,

it will be understood that its use is not by any means limited thereto. The mechanism obviously may be employed in connection with various recording, printing and computing equipment.

Thus, 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 f 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 claims.

Iclaim:

1. The combination which comprises a group of elements, each capable of being moved to various positions representative of data, stop members carried by each of said elements, sensing means adapted to sense the positions of said stop means, means for moving said sensing means into and out of position for sensing said data, means for locking said sensing means in a position representative of data sensed, means for withdrawing said sensing means from association with said stop members after said sensing means have thus been locked, and means for restoring said elements to initial positions while said sensing means remain locked.

2. A reading-out mechanism for data indicated by the longitudinal position of a computer ele- 1S ment, comprising a group of transversely and longitudinally movable sensing elements, lock pawls for each of said elements, flexible cable means connected to each of said elements, a movable stop member controlled by each of said cable means and having stepped stop elements adapted to be variously positioned in accordance with data sensed, lock paWls for each of said stop members, means for operating all said lock pawls simultaneously, means for moving said sensing elements transversely, means for moving said sensing elements longitudinally, and control means for recording mechanism, said control means .being controlled by said stop members.

WALTER T. GOLLWITZER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patenti UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,176,959 Greenup Mar. 28, 1916 1,817,451 Gubelmann Aug. 4, 1931 1,998,281 Kuhlman et al Apr. 16, 1935, 2,296,278 Gollwitzer Sept. 22, 1942 2,397,970 Malcher Apr. 9, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 9,563 Great Britain June 19, 1912

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