GB2142179A - Time clock apparatus for recording attendance data on clocking cards - Google Patents

Abstract

A time clock apparatus comprises an elongate hollow casing 2 securable to a wall and a support 3 removably housed within the casing. The support carries all of the constituent time clock elements which include a printer 9, an inker-tape cartridge 10, a printer- actuating mechanism, a programming keyboard 11 and at least one electrical panel. The support, slidable along/in appropriate guides, can be withdrawn from the casing to at least two different extents for the purpose of data re-programming, tape changing and maintenance of all kinds. The support can be locked in the casing. The lock is released by a key 18 and thereupon a handle 23 is presented to facilitate withdrawal of the support. Said withdrawal breaks the electricity supply to the apparatus. <IMAGE>

Description

1 GB 2 142 179 A 1

SPECIFICATION

Time clock apparatus for recording attendance data on clocking cards.

This invention relates to a time clock apparatus for recording attendance data on clocking cards.

Such a time clock apparatus comprises a printer with its relative stamping-head, a cartridge with an inker-tape, an actuating mechanism for the printer, one or more electrical panels relating to the electrical circuits of the various systems of operating/recording and relating to the circuits forming the memory of the clock containing the programmed data for the desired functioning of the clock.

Into the memory of the clock, there are generally inserted also other data, when this is expressly desired by the user; for this purpose, the clock comprises a keyboard which is especially provided for storing the data selected by the user in the appropriate circuits, for example, for programming the sounding of a siren for the time when the workers may leave the factory.

Unfortunately, under certain circumstances (caused by an interruption in the electricity supply to the clock) the memory of the clock could remain partially damaged or defective, particularly with respect to the data that is inserted by means of the keyboard. For avoiding such a drawback, it is necessary to allow for the re-programming of the cancelled data by offering the possibility even for non-specialized members of the factory staff (for example, the janitor) to have access to the interior of the apparatus for turning it on, under absolutely safe conditions, namely, without running the risk of damaging any other parts of said apparatus or of touching elements which usually form part of or are connected to the electrical network.

However, in many known time clocks, there still exists a possibility of encountering a certain amount of difficulty in carrying outthe operations described above owing to the factthatthe various parts are placed too close to one another. What must also be considered as necessary when undertaking the operation of re-programming is the ability or the facility for the device to be turned on from its interior under conditions of safety for any kind of operator whatsoever. As a matter of fact, in said known time clocks, it is necessary to effect operations either because of unexpected breakdowns, orforthe maintenance operations, such as, for example, for removing the cartridge tape, and for inserting a fresh cartridge with an inker-tape, so as to guarantee, during the functioning of the clock, a correct and clear printing. In other circumstances, it is necessary 120 to operate upon the keyboard, for proceeding to modify the data inserted into the memory, should the user require to do so.

Hence, the matter concerns rendering the interior of the time clock apparatus as accessible as possible, 125 without however allowing the interference of any unauthorized persons and, still more important, making it so that anytampering is prevented.

The broad aim of the present invention is to provide a time clock apparatus for recording attend- 130 ance data on clocking cards which does not manifest any of the drawbacks mentioned previously, that is, the apparatus is to be at the same time completely inspectable, simply constructed, low in cost, and devoid of any risks of electric shocks being given.

Accordingly, the present invention consists in a time clock apparatus for stamping attendance cards, comprising a printer, a cartridge with an inker-tape, at least one electric panel, and a programming keyboard, the said time clock being characterized by the fact of comprising said printer, said cartridge, said panels and said keyboard, associated to a support slidably mounted on the inside of a casing fixed to a wall, with means being provided for unclamping the said support, and means for removing the support, together with means for detaching the electrical input from the panels.

The invention as presently described comprises a casing, for example, a tube, with a circular or square section, having its borders rounded, inside which are disposed all the parts necessary for its functioning, with having the fundamental characteristic in that these parts are stably associated to a slidable support - hence, partially or even totally extractable from the tube-casing.

Therefore, according to the cited solution, there exists the possibility of turning-on the components of the device, which are clearly visible from any angle of observation whatsoever because no portion of the casing exists all round the edge.

The invention foresees means for'unclasping the support of the casing'. What we intend by this term is to indicate an apt system for predisposing the device so as to be able to remove the support relative to the casing through unfastening the bond existing between one and the other.

Said means for unblocking the support from the casing comprises (as will be explained in more detail further on in this text) an element, indispensable for the manoeuvre, which is handed into the custody of one of the responsible members of the staff, for so preventing any sort of tampering with the device by any unauthorized persons.

Moreover, the invention also comprises means for removing the support, with having the characteristic of determining - through said removing-manoeuvre, the actioning of the means for detaching the electrical network voltage from the panel or panels, in such a manner that, in any position whatsoever of removing the support from the casing, it is possible to operate upon the device parts, under absolutely safe conditions.

For preference, the time-clock is characterized by the fact that said means for unblocking said support from said casing, comprises a key, a lock, a plate associated to the lock-body, a clamping element inside said casing, a slit in said support being directed according to a plane perpendicular to the axis of the casing and with being apt for receiving at least one portion of said plate through the rotation of the key in one sense of rotation.

In one form of realization, the clock is characterized by the fact that said means for extracting the support, comprise a handle associated to a sledge slidably mounted inside a grooving of said support, 2 GB 2 142 179 A 2 elastic thrusting-means on the sledge, with the means for stopping said sledge contrasting the elastic means.

One embodiment of a time clock apparatus according to the present invention will now be 70 described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a time clock for stamping attendance data upon clocking cards; Figure 2 shows a perspective view (similar to that in Figure 1) of the time clock casing devoid of the inner parts; Figure 3 shows a transverse section of the casing of Figure 2; Figures 4 and 5 show perspective views of two successive positions which can be assumed by the support of the clock as it is withdrawn from the casing; Figure 6shows (but from the side opposite to that of Figure 5), a perspective view of the support in the position of maximum withdrawal and supported for inspection, etc; Figure 7 shows a perspective view of the printer of the time clock of Figure 1; Figures 8 and 9 show a cross-section of the means for locking the support which is shown in Figures 4 to 6 in its withdrawn conditions; Figure 10 shows, in a longitudinal section, the means operable to permit the support to be with drawn from the casing; and Figure 11 shows electricity disconnection means.

In Figure 1, there is represented a time clock 1 for stamping attendance times and other data onto clocking-cards, said clock comprising (in one embo diment) a casing 2 having a tubular shape, a support 3 terminating or equipped, at or in the vicinity of the upper extremity of the casing, with a front part which has a means 4 of square or rectangular shape in plan configuration for indicating the exact hour and minute, and an open slit 5 into which the clocking card is inserted. The casing 2 may be made of aluminium or of plastics material and is of a slender form that is best seen in Figures 2 and 3 of which Figure 3 clearly shows a part 6 by means of which said casing can be anchored to a wall by means of screws 7 or other suitable fixing elements. The casing 2 has four longitudinal guides or ribs 8 which are provided for a purpose which will become evident. The support 3 is so mounted as to be slidably movable relatively to the casing as can be clearly seen in Figures 4 to 6.

On the support 3, there are mounted all the mechanical and electrical parts necessary for the functioning of the time clock, namely, a printer 9, an inker-tape cartridge 10, a programming keyboard 11, 120 and an electrical panel 12 inside which there are disposed the various circuits of the calculator memory which contains the programmed data for being stamped. Some of the mechanical parts of the device are more clearly shown in Figure 7 where, in addition to what has already been described, there is also visible a motor means 13 apt for shifting (through a cord 14 extending around two pulleys 15 and 16 and engaged by a clamp 17) the printer 9 from point A to point B, and vice versa, during the stamping of a clocking card C.

In accordance with this invention, means are provided for unlocking the support 3 with respect to the casing 2, means for withdrawing the support from the casing to the positions shown in Figures 4 to 6, in combination with other means for disconnecting the electric voltage supply from the panel 12; some preferred forms of the above-cited means will now be described. The means for unlocking the support comprise (Figures 8 and 9) a key 18, a lock 19, and a plate or cam 20 associated with the lower part of the lock body 19 which is made solid or fast with the frontal or top part of the support 3 (Figure 1). The cam 20 is insertable into a slit 21 which forms part of one side 22 of the support 3 and which is oriented on a plane which is perpendicular to the axis of the casing, so as to either receive the cam 20, or not, depending upon the sense of rotation of the key 18 in said lock. The casing 2, in its turn, comprises a fork-shaped stopping element 22'which is adapted to receive the cam 20 between its wings or fork parts.

The means for extracting the casing comprise (see Figures 9 and 10) a handle 23, a sledge 24 with which the handle is associated, a re-entrant guide 25 made in the front or top portion of the support for guiding the sledge 24, elastic means 26 acting at all times to push the handle out, detent means for stopping the sledge from being moved upwardly (as seen in Figure 10) by the elastic means 26, and an end-ofstroke limit 25'. In particular and preferably, the elastic means 26 is a tension spring having its first extremity 27 connected to the support in the front or top part of the support and having its second extremity 28 connected to the sledge at a level below that of the first extremity. The detent means comprises a lever 29 which is pivotally connected at point 30 to the support. The lever 29 is bifurcated and a limb 31 thereof is subjected to the action of the cam 20 operated by the key 18. Substantially speaking, in the general form of realization of the invention, the above-described lever system acts to lock the handle until the key is operated to move the cam about its axis of rotation, as a result of which said cam 20 causes the lever 29 to rotate or move angularly in the anti- clockwise direction about the axis 30; this releases the sledge 24 and allows the spring 26 to push outthe handle 23 up to the end-stroke limit 25'. In the preferred form, the lever 29 comprises a further limb or arm 34 of which the free end is in contact with a support surface 35, which forms the surface for the clocking-card that is introduced into the slit 5 (see Figure 1); the arm 34 is made of a plastics material, but owing to its slender form and to its inclination (included angle) of less than 900 with respect to the first limb 31, it has the capacity of bending elastically in order firstly to permit the anti-clockwise rotation of the lever 29, and in order subsequently to act as a spring for returning said lever to its original position.

The means for disconnecting the voltage supply comprise a connector 36 (see Figure 11) fixed to the lower end 37 of the inner surface of the casing 2 and a terminal 38 in the lower portion of the support 3.

The terminal is connected electrically to the electric 3 GB 2 142 179 A 3 panel 12 which becomes connected to said supply when the connector 36/terminal 38 are properly connected to one another.

Inside the support 3 (see Figure 4) there are parts which are such as to facilitate the inspection of the whole device in all its detailed parts. These parts are the means 4 with its relative digital clock, the key 18 with its relative lock 19, and the programming keyboard 11. The means 4 is mounted on the support 3 by means of a hinge 39 in such a way as to be able to be swung through 180', when the support has been withdrawn from the casing; this is shown in Figure 4 by the upper curved chain line and arrowhead. The programming keyboard 11 can be rotated (just as in the example shown in the drawings and in the direction indicated by the lower curved chain line and arrowhead in Figure 4), after being withdrawn from the casing, laterally with respect to the main body of the support by means of arms 40 hinged at 41 on the support. As can be seen in the same Figure 4, the programming keyboard 11 constitutes the blocking element of the support 3 relative to the casing 2, in the position of extraction, partially shown.

The blocking system of the support, in the position of complete withdrawal of the support itself, is determined by the presence of special stirrups 41' (see Figure 6) connected to the casing in any way whatsoever, for example, through connecting and coupling with the ribs 8, or through some other similar systems. The stirrups 41' have the function of bearing or guiding the support 3 by engaging along lateral sliding surfaces 41 which are shown best in Figure 5.

There will now be described the wayforturning- on the interior of the device for re-programming certain data on the keyboard, as desired by the user.

The primary operation is effected by inserting the key 18 into the lock 19 and then turning the key in order to disconnect the cam 20 from the slit 21 of the 105 support and from the fork-shaped element 22' of the casing (see Figure 8). In said condition, the support 3 is unlocked from the casing 2. As already described, rotation of the key 18 causes the cam 20 to exert a torque on the lever 29 which rotates in the anti clockwise sense; during this rotation, the lever stores elastic energy because the limb 34 bends elastically as the limb 31 is moved closer to said limb 34. The angular shifting of the lever 29 about its axis 30 releases the sledge 24 and permits the spring 26 to move the handle 23 into the broken-line position thereof shown in Figure 10 and as defined by the stroke limit. Immediately afterwards, the lever 29 uses up the accumulated elastical energy by return ing to its initial (starting) position, thus preventing any accidental return of the sledge downwardly.

Hence, the rotation of the key unlocks the support from the casing, and once again pre-disposes the necessary means for the relative sliding between said parts.

The successive operations necessary to alter the device from the condition of Figure 1 to that of Figure 4, are as follows.

(1) the support 3 is raised by means of the handle 23, sliding it relatively to the casing 2 along the ribs 130 8, during this movement (Figure 11), the terminal 38 which is electrically connected to the panel 12 becomes detached from the connector 36, thus cutting-off the electrical network feed to all the parts borne by the support; (2) when the support has reached a level slightly above the position shown in Figure 4, it becomes extracted, or else, the container of the programming keyboard is manually rotated in the direction lateral to the casing 2; the operation can be effected by means of an automatic mechanism which could be, for example, a system of springs acting between the support and the keyboard; (3) finally, the programming operations are carried out, by putting in (through the keyboard pushbutton) the data desired by the user; amongst these data exist the pre-disposition of the red-inked tape and the introduction of a siren at a determined time in the working- day. The impulses, in the form of electrical-signals for the reprogrammed data, are emitted through the aid of a battery 12' associated with the panel 12 (Figure 5).

Still in the same position illustrated in Figure 4, there can be carried out other fundamental opera- tions in order to ensure a correct functioning of the device. Amongst these operations, there is the changing of the cartridge with the tape, this being carried out by pulling upon the key 18 which has been inserted into the lock 19 in such a way as to cause the means 4 to rotate around the hinges 39 into the Figure 4 position. Successively, after having freed those parts having access to the relative part of the stamping mechanism, the clamping points 43 of the cartridge on the support are detached and subsequently substituted (replaced).

Should an inspection be required of the electrical parts of the panel 12, then a further procedure takes place for the translation of the support 3 along the ribs 8, namely, by pulling upwardly on the handle 23. The support is locked in the position thereof shown in Figure 5, in one of many possible ways; for example, by inserting special pegs 45 into corresponding holes provided both in the stirrups 41' and in the lateral sliding surfaces 42 of the support 3. The said stirrups 41' can be accessories which are quite separate from the device, and therefore, they can be mounted at the opportune time.

Quite advantageously, the utilization of the stirrups 41' allows for the complete withdrawal of the support 3 from the casing 2, thus permitting rotation of the support through 180' about its longitudinal axis and the re-introduction of the support into the stirrups 4V; this re-introduction is facilitated by the stirrups being removed from the guides 8 (see

Figures 3 and 5) and being inserted into the guides 8' (see Figures 3 and 6) for the purpose of facilitating, even further, the inspection of those support parts that are normally disposed nearer to the wall to which the casing is fixed.

A time clock according to the present invention offers the advantage of containing, in a support normally having a form extended in one direction, all the necessary parts (mechanical as well as electrical) without this involving any particular problems resulting from the weight of said parts. This character- 4 GB 2 142 179 A 4 istic is evident, when said time clock according to the present invention is compared with many other time clocks in which the disposition of the necessary parts is on plates or doors in the mounting-panels, hinged onto the walls of a determined container, resulting in overloading of the plates or doors disposed in cantilever fashion, during the phases of maintenance andlor inspection. Obviously, besides the cited solution or advantage, there is also the advan- tage of keeping the support 3 absolutely fixed, during the phase of inspecting the various apparatuses; this is in marked contrast with the previously mentioned known solutions in which the mobility of a cantilevered doors proves to be an undesired characteristic as far as any operator or maintenance engineer is concerned.

A further advantage obtained from use of a time clock according to the present invention is that the entire group consisting of the support and the relative parts associated with it can be replaced by a similar element which also acts as a reserve group.

The casing, owing to its tubularform, can constitute a single unit which can be associated with the other similar units disposed on the same axis or, as an alternative, it can result as being connectable, parallel to the other casings, with each casing containing its own support, eventually provided with optional accessory parts.

In particular, even the disposition of the mechanic- al parts of the printer and its operation (seen in Figure 7), allow for containing the maximum overall dimensions in the transversal sense, within the modest values compatible with the tubelike casing. Practically speaking, the time clock according to the present invention allows the maximum transverse dimensions of the casing to be kept within a range of values equal to about twice the width of the clocking card itself; this is to be compared with corresponding values of thrice and four-times greater in the case of the other known time clocks. Consequently, the time clock according to the present invention solves the problem of guaranteeing an immediate inspection of all of the vital parts, and it also lends itself to being installed in virtually any place what- soever, even should the space be limited.

Claims (13)

1. A time clock apparatus for stamping attend- ance data onto clocking cards, comprising a printer, a cartridge with an inker-tape, an electrical panel, and a programming keyboard; all of said printer, cartridge, panel and keyboard being carried by a support which is slidably mounted inside a casing which is fixed to a wall; means being provided for unlocking said support from said casing and for withdrawing the support from said casing, together with means for cutting-off the electricity supply to the panel.

2. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said means for unlocking said support from said casing comprise a key, a key-operated lock, a plate associated with the lock-body, a stopping-element inside said casing, with a slit in said support being directed according to a plane perpendicular to the axis of the casing and being apt for receiving at least a portion of said plate through the rotation of the key in one sense of rotation.

3. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said means for withdrawing the support comprise a handle associated with a sledge which is slidably mounted inside a guide which forms part of said support; elastic means tending at all times to move the sledge and the handle upwardly; detent means for releasably preventing the sledge and the handle from being moved by said elastic means; and an end-stop for limiting the extent of said upwards movement of the handle.

4. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 3, wherein said elastic means comprises a tension spring having its first extremity connected to the support and its second extremity connected to the sledge, the point of connection of the second extremity being in a position which is lower than that of the point of connection of said first extremity.

5. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 3, wherein said detent means comprise a lever pivotally mounted on the support, a first limb of the lever being disposed in the path of movement of a portion of said sledge, a second limb of said lever being so positioned as to be capable of being subjected to the thrust of a plate associated with a lock-body in the support and said thrust moving said lever angularly about its pivot axis in such a manner as to move said first limb of the lever out of the path of movement of the spring-biased sledge.

6. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 5, wherein said lever comprises a further arm-shaped element which is in contact with a portion of the support for the purpose of tending to maintain said first limb of the lever on said path of movement.

7. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 6, wherein said further element of the lever forms. with said first limb of the lever, an included angle that is substan- tially less than 90', said further element being made out of an elastically deformable material.

8. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said means for cutting-off the electricity supply to the panel comprise a connector fixed to an inner surface of said casing, and a terminal for the input feed to the panel, said terminal being associated with the support and being electrically connected to the panel, and said terminal being insertable into or removable from said connector through a spring inside said connectorfor introducing or for removing, respectively, the said support with respectto the casing.

9. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said support is shiftable into two successive posi- tions inside said casing, said support being unlocked relatively to said casing through a cam which forms part of a lock operated by a key, said lock being disposed on the outermost plane of the support in correspondence of the upper base (top) of the casing, said lock being mounted in a member which is hingedly mounted on the support in such a manner as to be capable of being moved angularly aboutthe hinge axis through 180'when said support has been moved to the first of said two positions.

10. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 9. wherein GB 2 142 179 A 5 said support in said second position thereof is inserted along special extending stirrups, disposed at the upper extremity of the casing.

11. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 9, which includes a programming keyboard which is mounted on said support in a slidable or rotatable manner with respect to the support itself.

12. A time clock apparatus for stamping attendance data onto clocking cards, constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying diagrammatic drawings.

13. Any features of novelty, taken singly or in combination, of the embodiment(s) of the invention herein before described with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings.

Printed in the UK for HMSO, D8818935,11184,7102. Published by The Patent Office, 25 Southampton Buildings, London, WC2A lAY, from which copies may be obtained.