US3861303A

US3861303A - Ticket issuing machine

Info

Publication number: US3861303A
Application number: US310767A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jr Frank E Dorn
Original assignee: AMERICAN TOTALISATOR Co I
Current assignee: AMERICAN TOTALISATOR Co I; AMERICAN TOTALISATOR COMPANY Inc
Priority date: 1972-11-30
Filing date: 1972-11-30
Publication date: 1975-01-21
Anticipated expiration: 1992-01-21

Abstract

A ticket issuing machine automatically issues a button-selected number of tickets by advancing a cam through an angle which depends on the selected number and stepping the cam back toward its original position as each ticket is issued. The cam suspends the cutting and stopping operations of the machine until the selected number of tickets is issued. To prevent tampering by inserting foreign objects into the ticket issuing slot, the cutter is held in a closed condition when the machine is at rest. Tickets are printed on continuous stock in the machine, and the ticket is fed by movement of the type on the print drum so that the length of the issued ticket is dependent on the lengthwise dimension of the printed matter on the ticket. Margins which would normally appear because of the necessary distance between the printing wheel and cutter are reduced by a mechanism for retracting the ticket stock past the print drum and away from the cutter prior to printing and advancing the ticket stock through the same distance subsequent to printing. The ticket stock is fed from a supply roll, and an unloading mechanism is provided so that the print drum and the advancing and retracting mechanism do not have to overcome the inertia of the supply roll.

Description

I United States Patent 1191 1111 3,861,303 Dorn, Jr. Jan. 21, 1975 TICKET ISSUING MACHINE Primary ExaminerRobert E. Bagwill [75] Inventor: Frank E. Dorn, Jr., Baldwin, Md. Assis'am P' Attorney, Agent, or FirmSm|th, Harding, Earley & [73] Assignee: American Totalisator Company, F ll lnc., Towson, Md.

[22] Filed: Nov. 30, 1972 [57] ABSTRACT [2]] Appl' 3l0767 A ticket issuing machine automatically issues a but ton-selected number of tickets by advancing a cam [52] US. Cl 101/227, 101/66, 226/44, through an angle which depends on the selected num- 226/50 ber and stepping the cam back toward its original po- [51] Int. Cl. B4lf 13/60 sition as each ticket is issued. The cam suspends the [58] Field of Search 101/66, 226-228; cutting and stopping operations of the machine until 226/44, 50 the selected number of tickets is issued. To prevent tampering by inserting foreign objects into the ticket [561 References Cited issuing slot, the cutter is held in a closed condition U l D T S PATENTS when the machine is at rest. Tickets are printed on 1,630,8l4 5/1927 Von Pein l0l/66 X Continuous Stock in the machine and the ticket is fed 1,671,780 5/1928 Perkins 101 /66 by movement tYPe the Prim drum 2.084906 6/1937 Black et ah" 01/227 length of the issued ticket is dependent on the length- 2,103,720 12/1937 Helsel lOl/66 x i dimension of the primed matter on the ticket- 2,115,760 5/l938 Black l0l/66 X Margins which would normally appear because of the 3 /1 Freedman l /6 X necessary distance between the printing wheel and 21380133 7/1945 y el al 8 IO1/66 cutter are reduced by a mechanism for retracting the 21598-114 5/1952 Dilworth 101/6 ticket stock past the print drum and away from the 3,1953 et [OI/227 cutter prior to printing and advancing the ticket stock 2,755,084 7/1956 Dodegge lOl/66 X h h h t t. h 3,225,989 12/l965 Stine 1 226/44 mug t 6 .Same heque" 0 6 3,316,836 5/1967 Epstein 101/114 ticket stock s fed from a supply roll, and an unloading 3,415,182 12/1968 White 101/68 mechamsm 1S provlded 80 that the P drum and the 3,556,001 1/197] Kinney et al 101 227 advancing and retracting mechanism do not have to overcome the inertia of the supply roll.

8 Claims, 15 Drawing Figures PArsmmm-zlm 3.861.303

' SHEET 20F, 7

FIG. 2.

PATENTED JAN?! 1975 SHEET 3 OF 7 PATENTEB 2 I975 SHEET 5 OF 7 TICKET ISSUING MACHINE BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to ticket issuing machines, and particularly to a ticket issuing machine adapted for use in issuing motion picture theatre tickets and the like.

Ticket issuing machines capable of issuing a buttonselected number of tickets automatically have been known for some time. In such machines, a complex geneva machanism was generally considered necessary, and the ticket stock in most commercial machines was pre-printed and provided with pre-punched holes for engagement of the ticket stock with an advancing sprocket. Prior machines were therefore mechanically complex, and problems were caused by the need for printing ticket stock in advance with various information pertaining to the performance for which the tickets were to be sold.

The dishonest ticket seller can cause a great deal of economic loss to the theatre operator by finding ways to sell tickets which are not recorded in the ticket issuing machine. Some ticket sellers go so far as to attempt to jam foreign material into the ticket issuing slots of their machines in order to prevent the machines from operating, thereby producing an excuse for selling tickets by hand.

In ticket issuing machines of the type which automatically print information on tickets, a great deal of ticket stock is wasted by reason of the necessity for large margins in the lengthwise direction of the ticket stock. These margins result from the fact that the ticket cutting mechanism is necessarily located beyond the ticket printing mechanism in the direction of ticket stock movement. The result is the need for more frequent replacement of the ticket stock than is desirable. Further waste of ticket stock results from the fact that tickets of the same size are issued regardless of the amount of printed matter appearing thereon.

By ticket issuing operation is meant an operation of a ticket issuing machine which takes place in response to a single actuation of a button while this machine is at rest and which continues automatically until the machine again comes to its rest condition. A ticket issuing operation may consist of one or more cycles" in each of which a complete ticket is printed and fed toward the location at which it is issued to the operator or to the customer.

One object of this invention is to provide a mechanically simple machine which automatically issues a selected number of tickets in through strip in a ticket issuing operation. This object, as will appear in greater detail, is achieved by the use of a mechanical register or accumulator which is set in accordance with a manual selection and which overrides the cutting and turnoff operations of the ticket issuing machine until the selected number of tickets is issued.

Another object of the invention is the prevention of deliberate tampering by the operator. This is achieved by the use of a ticket cutter, the movable knife of which closes off the ticket issuing slot when the machine is at rest, thus preventing the operator from inserting foreign material into the slot.

Another object of the invention is the prevention of waste of ticket stock by reducing lengthwise margins of the tickets. This object is achieved by a mechanism which advances and retracts the ticket stock so that printing takes place through substantially the full length of the ticket. In furtherance of this object, the ticket stock is fed through the ticket issuing machine by the printing mechanism itself so that the length of the ticket depends on the amount of printed matter. While ticket stock in fanfold form would prevent the ticket stock from mechanically loading the printing mechanism in the ticket feeding operation, the folds in the ticket stock would not necessarily coincide with the cuts made by the cutting mechanism. Instead, the ticket issuing stock supply in the form ofa roll in conjunction with a novel unloading mechanism which prevents the inertia of the supply roll from loading the printing mechanism during the feeding of ticket stock.

Other objects will be apparent from the following description when read in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevation of the selection mechanism for determining the number of tickets to be issued in a ticket issuing operation;

FIG. 2 is an elevation, as viewed from the operators position, of the push-button selection mechanism;

FIG. 3 is an elevation showing the main trip lever of the machine and its reset mechanism, and also showing elements involved in reducing the contents of the register of the ticket selection mechanism;

FIG. 4 is an elevation illustrating the cutter operating mechanism, the mechanism for maintaining delivery of electric power to the motor in a ticket issuing operation, and the mechanism for operating the main starting and stopping clutch in the machines power train;

FIG. 5 is an elevation showing the power train;

FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 are respectively a side elevation, an end elevation and the opposite side elevation of the main drive gear and clutch assembly;

FIGS. 9, l0 and 11 are respectively a side elevation, an end view and the opposite side elevation of a control cam assembly;

FIG. 12 is an elevation illustrating the clutch mechanism for interrupting the rotation of the control cam assembly in multiple ticket operation and also showing the advancing and retracting mechanism;

FIG. 13 is a top plan view of a ticket stock retarding assembly;

FIG. 14 is a front elevation of the ticket stock unloading mechanism; and

FIG. 15 is a side elevation of the ticket stock unloading mechanism.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The mechanism for selecting the number of tickets to be issued in one operation is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

A set of five manually operable pushbuttons is indicated at 2, and each pushbutton controls its own rackdeflecting cam for determining the extent of rotation of an accumulator as will appear. The cams are identical so that only the rack-deflecting cam associated with button 4 will be described. Shank 6 of button 4 has a rectangular opening 8 through which extends a projection 10 of cam 12 (FIG. 2). Cam 12 is pivoted on shaft 14 and urged in the counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 2 by a spring (not shown). The remaining rack-deflecting cams are likewise mounted on shaft 14 behind cam 12 as viewed in FIG. 2.

By downward movement of button 4, operative portion 16 of cam 12 is moved into space 18 between frame 20 and slotted guide 22 for interaction with the end of rack element 24.

Operation of any one of keys 2 closes an electrical circuit as will appear below for operation of a motor which drives cam 26 through drive shaft 28.

Cam 26 effects reciprocation of yoke 30 about its pivot 32. Pin 34 at the upper end of yoke 30 is connected through link 36 to pin 38 on the rack element for reciprocation of the rack element. Pin 38 rides in slot 40 of frame 20.

Upwardly extending element 42 of link 36 is connected to pin 44 of rack element 24 by tension spring 46 whereby the rack element is urged in a counterclockwise direction with respect to pin 38. The rack element is normally held against further counterclockwise rotation by roller 48. Teeth 50 of the rack element are arranged to mesh. when the rack element is rotated clockwise about pin 38, with the teeth of pinion 52. Pinion 52 is positively positioned by means of roller 54 on spring-loaded arm 56 which is pivoted at 57 and acts against the teeth of pinion 52.

End 58 of rack element 24, which is engageable with the operative portion of a button-selected cam, is so contoured that the operative portion of the selected cam causes the rack element to pivot clockwise about pin 38 during the forward (toward the left of FIG. 1) movement of the rack element. When clockwise pivoting occurs, rack teeth 50 engage the teeth of pinion 52 and cause pinion 52 and the elements associated with it on shaft 60 to rotate counterclockwise. The extent of counterclockwise rotation of pinion 52 in a particular operation is dependent upon the cam which is selected, as the selection determines the point in the forward movement of the rack element at which the rack teeth engage the teeth of pinion 52. As will appear, the rack is automatically moved counterclockwise about pin 38 before it begins its return movement.

Pinion 52, cam 62 and ratchet 64 rotate together on shaft 60. The cam moves a spring-loaded follower 65 which is pivoted at 66 and fixed to arm 68. The function of cam 62 is to position arm 68 so that, in an operation involving the issuance of multiple tickets, arm 68 effects disengagement of a clutch. to suspend cutting, stopping and various other operations of the machine. Cam 62 is so contoured that rotation of pinion 52 one step, corresponding to a selection of one ticket, does not cause movement of arm 68 to its clutchdisengaging position. Ratchet 64 returns cam 62 to its initial position, moving one step for each ticket which is issued.

The ticket issuing operation is initiated, when any one of buttons 2 is depressed, by several simultaneous operations as follows.

The shanks of the keys are arranged to push down on plate 67 (FIGS. 1 and 2) which is pivoted at 69 by tabs which extend through openings in support 70. Plate 67, in turn, pushes down on arm 72 (FIGS. 3 and 4) of a four-arm trip lever 74 which is pivoted at 76. Arm 72 is engaged with a link 78 (FIG. 4) by means ofa pin on link 78 which slides in slot 80 of arm 72. Projection 82 of link 78 depresses a pivoted plate 84 to effect closure of electrical switch contacts 86 (FIG. 5). Current is delivered through the switch contacts to motor 88 (FIG. 5) which drives worm 90 through a coupling 92. Worm 90 meshes with wheel 93 which rotates pinion 94 through a common shaft. Pinion 94 is the main drive pinion of the ticket issuing machine, and it is engageable with the drive train of the machine through a clutch comprising a main drive gear 96 having a pivoted segment 98 which is moveable out of engagement with pinion 94. The purpose of link 78 is to render the machine inoperative, the inoperative condition being illustrated in FIG. 5 wherein it will be observed that projection 82 is incapable of actuating the switch plate 84.

The details of the clutch and main drive gear appear in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8. Segment 98 is pivoted at 100 and urged in the outward or engageing direction by spring 102. Pin 104 is fastened to the segment for engagement with a stop to effect inward and disengageing move ment of segment 98 if the stop is interposed in the path of movement of pin 104. As seen from FIGS. 5 and 7, a sprocket 106 fixed to gear 96 drives the unloader 107 through chain 108, and gear 110 meshes with idler 112 in the drive train of the ticket issuing mechanism.

Returning to FIGS. 3 and 4, it will be seen that the counterclockwise movement of trip lever 74 causes its arm 114 to slide out of engagement with bell crank 116. Bell crank 116 is urged by a spring (not shown) in the counterclockwise direction, and, as shown in FIG. 4, is linked to an arm 118. Arm 118 has a surface 120 constituting a stop which is engageable with pin 104 (FIGS. 7 and 8) of segment 98.

When trip lever 74 moves counterclockwise by reason of the depression of a key, surface 120, which holds gear segment 98 out of engagement with main drive pinion 94 when the machine is at rest, allows gear segment 98 to snap into engagement with pinion 94. Thus, as electric power is applied to the motor by the depression of one of the keys, the main drive clutch is engaged.

The third arm 122 of lever 74 (FIG. 3) is actuated by cam 124, during the ticket issuing operation, to effect resetting of the depressed key of keys 2 by the action of arm 72 on plate 67. Cam 124 is one of an assembly of cams which are clutch-connected to the shaft on which gear 96 is located.

The fourth arm 126 (FIGS. 3 and 4) cooperates with a pivoted feeler 128 to prevent depression of any key when there is no ticket stock in the guide 130. Stop 132 is moved into the path of arm 126 by the action of gravity on feeler 128.

An assembly of cams 134, including cam 124, is shown in FIGS. 9, 10 and 11. The assembly includes a pivoted clutch element 131 which is spring-loaded so that its projection 133 (FIG. 11) is urged inwardly (downwardly). Projection 133 is engageable with slot 135 in cylinder 136 which is fixed to gear 96 (FIG. 6). The engagement of projection 133 and slot 135 is shown in FIG. 12. An outwardly extending projection 138 of clutch element 131 is engageable with the end of arm 68 (see also FIG. 1) if arm 68 is positioned in its path of rotation. When such engagement takes place, cam assembly 134 is stopped immediately. Projection 133 disengages from slot 135, however, and the gear assembly of FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 continues to rotate. As will be apparent, the stopping of the cam assembly temporarily suspends operation of the ticket cutter, and prevents the machine from stopping until the action of cam 62 causes the clutch consisting of

elements

131 and 136 to become engaged for further movement of the cam assembly to the rest position. The machine is thus able to issue multiple tickets with a single button operation.

The various cams in FIGS. 9, and 11 are: cam 26 for effecting reciprocation of yoke 30 (FIG. 1); cam 140 for continuing operation of the power switch after the buttons are reset; cam 124 which resets the buttons; cam 142 for resetting the segment gear release mechanism; cam 144 for operating the cutter and cam 146 for effecting advance and retraction of the ticket stock.

Cam 140 operates a lever 148 (FIG. 4) which in turn operates plate 84 to maintain electric power to the motor through switch 86 during the latter part of the ticket issuing operation after the depressed key has been reset.

Cam 142 cooperates with pivoted lever 150 to reset bell crank 116 back to the position shown in FIG. 3 after cam 124 resets lever 72. Arm 114 of trip lever 74 is hinged at 152 and urged clockwise by coil spring 154. Therefore, as the set of cams rotates, trip lever 74 is first reset by cam 124 and edge 155 of arm 114 rests remporarily against the end 156 of bell crank 116. Afterwards, cam 142 causes the bell crank to rotate clockwise and arm 114 falls into place under the urging of spring 154.

Cam 144, as seen in FIG. 4, operates a follower 158 which is pivoted at 160 and which has a sliding surface 162 and a roller 164 which contact cam 144 on opposite sides for a positive action. Follower 158 operates cutter knife 166 through link 168 and operator 170, the latter being pivoted at 172. With the machine at rest, the cutter is held in the closed position as shown in FIG. 4.

Cam 146, as shown in FIG. 12, operates roller 174 on arm 176 of a crank pivoted at 66. The other arm 180 is connected through link 182 and segment gear 184 to stock advancing and retracting member 186, which is pivoted on stud 187. Member 186 has a generally circular cylindrical knurled surface 188 which fits between the guide members in the path of the ticket stock toward printing drum 190. Member 192, (see also FIGS. 4, 5 and 13) having spring strip 194 exerts an amount of friction on the ticket stock sufficient to prevent it from being carried by its own inertia. Printing drum 190 rotates on shaft 189 and carries a removable type plate 191 which effects printing by cooperation with compression roller 196. As the assembly of control cams 134 rotates, the ticket stock is first retracted by the action of member 186. This brings the edge of the ticket stock, which was initially near the cutter,

back to the vicinity of the roller 196. Printing takes.

place, and the ticket stock is fed by the printing type on the print drum. After printing takes place and before cutting, element 186 moves in the opposite direction, advancing the ticket stock so that the printed portion is beyond the cutter. The machine thus minimizes lengthwise margins at the ends of a ticket or strip of tickets being issued.

In multiple ticket operation, margins between the printed portions on the same ticket strip are minimized as a result of the fact that the ticket stock is fed by the printing type itself.

Large lengthwise margins on the ticket stock are thus eliminated in two ways with the result that ticket stock is used with optimum efficiency.

The operations of the elements described thus far will be best understood from a separate consideration of the single and multiple ticket issuing operations.

When button 4 is depressed in order to issue a single ticket, rack element 24 moves forward and engages pinion 52 (FIG. 1) only when it is rotated about pin 38 by cam 12 (FIG. 2). The pinion is moved only one step counterclockwise and follower 65 does not fall off cam 62 and does not produce disengagement of control cam assembly 134 from main drive gear 96. The machine therefore retracts the ticket stock, prints, advances the ticket stock, and cuts a single ticket which is delivered at the top of the machine.

If any of the four remaining buttons is depressed to issue a strip consisting of more than one ticket, cam 62 is rotated counterclockwise by the rack to an extent such that follower 65 falls off cam 62, causing arm 68 to be positioned in the path of projection 138 of clutch element 131 (FIG. 12). The control cam assembly is stopped at a point part way through the first rotation of main drive gear 96. Rack element 24 has moved forward, and has caused pinion 52 to rotate to a position depending upon which of the buttons was selected. The rack element remains in the forward position, but it is brought out of engagement with pinion 52 by the button reset mechanism which includes cam 124 and lever 74. The button reset operation takes place before the cam assembly comes to a stop and causes the buttonoperated cam to move away from underneath rack element 24 so that the rack element can rotate counterclockwise about pin 38.

With the control cam assembly in the stopped position, the gear 96 continues to rotate since switch paddle 84 (FIG. 4) is held by cam 140, and arm 118 is maintained out of the path of pin 104 (FIG. 7). As shown in FIG. 5, gear drives gear 198 through idler 112. Gear 198, in turn drives cam 202 (FIG. 3) through hollow shaft 203. Cam 202, in turn operates pawl 204 through cam follower 206 once for each rotation of gear 96. Pawl 204 moves ratchet 64 clockwise one step for each revolution of gear 96. During the time the cam assembly is stopped, the machine issues a continuous strip of tickets as the cutter is held open. When cam 62 again engages follower 65, projection 133 is permitted to fall into slot 135 when they register with each other, the machine issues one more ticket as in the single ticket operation and automatically stops by the engagement of surface (FIG. 4) with pin 104 (FIG. 7) to release the engagement of segment 98 with pinion 94.

The ticket stock unloading mechanism 107 is located at the bottom of the machine as shown in FIG. 5. It is shown in greater detail in FIGS. 14 and 15.

The ticket stock 208 is stored in a roll on a spindle (not shown) in the bottom of the machine housing and is fed over a roller 210, through a guide 121 (FIGS. 14 and 15). It passes underneath a second roller 214 and is fed from roller 214 to the guide in the upper part of the machine.

Chain 108 drives sprocket 216 counterclockwise as viewed in FIGS. 5 and 15. The sprocket is fixed on a shaft 218 which extends axially through a coil spring 220. End 222 of the spring is held in a slot in ring 224, the latter being rotatably mounted on shaft 218. Ring 224 has a projection 226 which is adapted to engage stop 228 on arm 230 which is pivoted at 232 and which supports roller 214.

The other end 234 of spring 220 is held in a slot in ring 236 which is also rotatable about shaft 218. Ring 236 is fixed to the toothed element 238 of a ratchet 240, the pawl-carrying element 242 of which is fixed to gear 244. Gear 244, in turn, drives gears 246 and 248 which are arranged to drive ticket

stock drive rollers

250 and 252. The ratchet permits operation of the ticket stock drive rollers by thumbwheel 254.

As shown in FIG. 15, a printing mechanism is disposed in the path of the ticket stock as it passes through the unloading mechanism. The printing mechanism consists of a removable print drum 256, a compression roller 258 and a removable inking roller 260. The printing mechanism may be used to print price information on the back of the ticket stock. Information regarding the performance for which the ticket is issued is printed on the front of the ticket in the upper part of the machine.

The unloading mechanism operates as follows. As ticket stock is pulled into the upper part of the machine by the main print drum 190, roller 214 is pulled upwardly by the loop of ticket stock between the unloader and the guide in the upper part of the machine, whereupon stop 228 (FIG. 14) releases projection 226 allowing ring 224 to rotate under the influence of spring 220. The spring tightens around shaft 218, and shaft 218 drives ring 236 through spring 220, operating

feed rollers

250 and 252 through the gear train. As ticket stock is fed, the loop becomes larger allowing roller 214 to move downwardly to place stop 228 in the path of projection 226. When the projection contacts the stop, further rotation of shaft 218 causes spring 220 to loosen its grip on shaft 218, thus disengaging shaft 218 from the ticket feed roller drive mechanism. The unloading mechanism pulls ticket stock from the supply roll whenever it is required by the printing and feeding mechanism in the upper part of the machine. Roller 210, at the end of pivoted arm 262 is loaded by spring 264 and takes up the shock on the ticket stock as the unloader feed rollers start to operate.

The printing and feeding mechanism is loaded only by the weight of the ticket stock loop between itself and guide 212 (FIG. 15) and the weight of roller 214 and its support.

I claim:

1. A ticket issuing machine comprising manually operable means for introducing a selection of a number of tickets from a group of possible choices to be issued in a single ticket issuing operation in response to a single selection,

driving means,

a type-carrying printing drum, connected to and rotatable by said driving means, for printing continuous ticket stock and for feeding said ticket stock by virtue of the contact between the printing type and the ticket stock whereby one complete ticket is printed and fed with each rotation of said drum in a ticket issuing operation,

means for registering the numerical selection introduced by said manually operable means,

means for reducing the contents of said registering means by one as each rotation of the drum takes place,

a clutch,

cam means connected through said clutch to said drum so as to be rotatably driven through a complete cycle with each rotation of the printing drum if the clutch remains engaged,

means operable by said cam means at the end of its complete cycle for stopping the operation of the ticket issuing machine,

means responsive to the contents of said registering means for disengaging said clutch during the first rotation of the drum in a ticket issuing operation in which the number of tickets selected is greater than one and for reengaging said clutch during the last rotation of the drum so that said cam means does not reach the end of its complete cycle until the selected number of tickets is issued.

2. A ticket issuing machine according to claim I including an additional cam means connected to the printing drum through said clutch so as to be rotated through a complete cycle in a rotation of the printing drum if the clutch remains engaged, and cutting means located in the path of the ticket stock, said cutting means comprising a knife movable between an open position wherein ticket stock may be fed as a continuous strip past the knife to a ticket issuing position and a closed position wherein the knife closes off the path of the ticket stock and also prevents access from the ticket issuing position to the feeding means, said additional cam means being so arranged as to close the knife at the end of its complete cycle and maintain the knife in its open position throughout a ticket issuing operation.

3. A ticket issuing machine comprising manually operable means for introducing a selection of a number of tickets from a group of possible choices to be issued in a single ticket issuing operation in response to a single selection,

cyclically operable means for feeding and printing continuous ticket stock whereby one complete ticket is printed and fed for each cycle in a ticket issuing operation,

means for registering the selection introduced by said manually operable means,

means for reducing the contents of said registering means by one cycle as each cycle takes place,

a printing drum carrying type, and compression means cooperating therewith whereby the contact of ticket stock with the type and the compression means effects feeding of ticket stock as it is printed.

cutting means located in the path of the ticket stock and beyond the printing drum in the direction in which ticket stock is fed as it is printed,

means for retracting ticket stock, at the beginning of a ticket issuing operation in the direction opposite to the direction in which it is fed and for advancing ticket stock in the direction in which it is fed at the end of a ticket issuing operation, whereby an end of the ticket stock near the location of the cutting means is moved back to the location at which printing takes place prior to printing to eliminate the leading margin, and whereby the printed portion of the ticket stock is advanced beyond the cutting means following the completion of printing and prior to cutting, and

means responsive to the contents of said registering means for preventing the operation of said cutting means and of said retracting and advancing means except at the beginning and end of the ticket issuing operation,

said responsive means comprising a clutch, cam

means connected through said clutch to the printing drum, said cam means being operable through a cycle to effect operation of the cutting means and of the retracting and advancing means, and means for disengaging said clutch during the first rotation of the drum in a ticket issuing operation in which the number of tickets selected is greater than one and for reengaging said clutch during the last rotation of said drum, whereby the advancing operation of the retracting and advancing means and the cutting operation of the cutting means are suspended until the said last rotation of said drum.

4. A ticket issuing machine according to claim 3 including unloading means for receiving continuous ticket stock from a supply roll and for delivering said stock in a loop to the location of the retracting and advancing means without imposing a severe load on the ticket stock, the printing drum or the retracting and advancing means, the unloading means comprising means for feeding said ticket stock, means for sensing a demand for ticket stock as a result of operation of the printing drum or of an advancing operation of the retracting and advancing means, and means responsive to the sensing means for effecting operation of said feeding means to supply the demand for ticket stock, the means for sensing a demand for ticket stock comprising feeling means for contacting a loop of ticket stock located between the feeding means and the printing drum.

5. A ticket issuing machine according to claim 4 in which said feeding means comprises roller means for driving ticket stock and means actuable by said sensing means for delivering motive power to the roller means.

6. A ticket issuing machine according to claim 4 in which said feeding means comprises roller means for driving ticket stock and a clutch, actuable by said sensing means for delivering motive power to the roller means.

7. A ticket issuing machine according to claim 4 wherein the means responsive to the sensing means comprises a rotatable shaft, means for rotating said shaft, a first rotatable means connected to said feeding means and coaxial with said shaft, a coil spring connected at one end to said rotatable means and surrounding said shaft, second rotatable means coaxial with the shaft and connected to the other end of the coil spring, and stop means, operable by the feeling means and normally preventing rotation of the second rotatable means but permitting rotation of the second rotatable means when the loop of ticket stock becomes smaller than a predetermined size, thereby allowing the coil spring to tighten around the shaft and drive the first rotatable means with the shaft.

8. A ticket issuing machine comprising a printing drum carrying type, and compression means cooperating therewith whereby the contact of ticket stock with the type of the compression means effecting feeding of the ticket stock as it is printed, and unloading means for receiving continuous ticket stock from a supply roll and for delivering said stock in a loop to the location of the printing drum without imposing a severe load on the printing drum or on the ticket stock, said unloading means comprising means for feeding said ticket stock, means for sensing a demand for ticket stock as a result of operation of the printing drum, and means responsive to the sensing means for effecting oper ation of said feeding means to supply the demand for ticket stock, the means for sensing a demand for ticket stock comprising feeling means for contacting a loop of ticket stock located between the feeding means and the printing drum, the means responsive to the sensing means comprising a rotatable shaft, means for rotating said shaft, a first rotatable means connected to said feeding means and coaxial with said shaft, a coil spring connected at one end to said rotatable means and sur rounding said shaft, second rotatable means coaxial with the shaft and connected to the other end of the coil spring, and stop means, operable by the feeling means and normally preventing rotation of the second rotatable means but permitting rotation of the second rotatable means when the loop of ticket stock becomes smaller than a predetermined size, thereby allowing the coil spring to tighten around the shaft and drive the first rotatable means with the shaft.

Claims

1. A ticket issuing machine comprising manually operable means for introducing a selection of a number of tickets from a group of possible choices to be issued in a single ticket issuing operation in response to a single selection, driving means, a type-carrying printing drum, connected to and rotatable by said driving means, for printing continuous ticket stock and for feeding said ticket stock by virtue of the contact between the printing type and the ticket stock whereby one complete ticket is printed and fed with each rotation of said drum in a ticket issuing operation, means for registering the numerical selection introduced by said manually operable means, means for reducing the contents of said registering means by one as each rotation of the drum takes place, a clutch, cam means connected through said clutch to said drum so as to be rotatably driven through a complete cycle with each rotation of the printing drum if the clutch remains engaged, means operable by said cam means at the end of its complete cycle for stopping the operation of the ticket issuing machine, means responsive to the contents of said registering means for disengaging said clutch during the first rotation of the drum in a ticket issuing operation in which the number of tickets selected is greater than one and for reengaging said clutch during the last rotation of the drum so that said cam means does not reach the end of its complete cycle until the selected number of tickets is issued.

2. A ticket issuing machine according to claim 1 including an additional cam means connected to the printing drum through said clutch so as to be rotated through a complete cycle in a rotation of the printing drum if the clutch remains engaged, and cutting means located in the path of the ticket stock, said cutting means comprising a knife movable between an open position wherein ticket stock may be fed as a continuous strip past the knife to a ticket issuing position and a closed position wherein the knife closes off the path of the ticket stock and also prevents access from the ticket issuing position to the feeding means, said additional cam means being so arranged as to close the knife at the end of its complete cycle and maintain the knife in its open position throughout a ticket issuing operation.

3. A ticket issuing machine comprising manually operable means for introducing a selection of a number of tickets from a group of possible choices to be issued in a single ticket issuing operation in response to a single selection, cyclically operable means for feeding and printing continuous ticket stock whereby one complete ticket is printed and fed for each cycle in a ticket issuing operation, means for registering the selection introduced by said manually operable means, means for reducing the contents of said registering means by one cycle as each cycle takes place, a printing drum carrying type, and compression means cooperating therewith whereby the contact of ticket stock with the type and the compression means effects feeding of ticket stock as it is printed, cutting means located in the path of the ticket stock and beyond the printing drum in the direction in which ticket stock is fed as it is printed, means for retracting ticket stock, at the beginning of a ticket issuing operation in the direction opposite to the direction in which it is Fed and for advancing ticket stock in the direction in which it is fed at the end of a ticket issuing operation, whereby an end of the ticket stock near the location of the cutting means is moved back to the location at which printing takes place prior to printing to eliminate the leading margin, and whereby the printed portion of the ticket stock is advanced beyond the cutting means following the completion of printing and prior to cutting, and means responsive to the contents of said registering means for preventing the operation of said cutting means and of said retracting and advancing means except at the beginning and end of the ticket issuing operation, said responsive means comprising a clutch, cam means connected through said clutch to the printing drum, said cam means being operable through a cycle to effect operation of the cutting means and of the retracting and advancing means, and means for disengaging said clutch during the first rotation of the drum in a ticket issuing operation in which the number of tickets selected is greater than one and for reengaging said clutch during the last rotation of said drum, whereby the advancing operation of the retracting and advancing means and the cutting operation of the cutting means are suspended until the said last rotation of said drum.

8. A ticket issuing machine comprising a printing drum carrying type, and compression means cooperating therewith whereby the contact of ticket stock with the type of the compression means effecting feeding of the ticket stock as it is printed, and unloading means for receiving continuous ticket stock from a supply roll and for delivering said stock in a loop to the location of the printing drum without imposing a severe load on the printing drum or on the ticket stock, said unloading means comprising means for feeding said ticket stock, means for sensing a demand for ticket stock as a result of operation of the printing drum, and meAns responsive to the sensing means for effecting operation of said feeding means to supply the demand for ticket stock, the means for sensing a demand for ticket stock comprising feeling means for contacting a loop of ticket stock located between the feeding means and the printing drum, the means responsive to the sensing means comprising a rotatable shaft, means for rotating said shaft, a first rotatable means connected to said feeding means and coaxial with said shaft, a coil spring connected at one end to said rotatable means and surrounding said shaft, second rotatable means coaxial with the shaft and connected to the other end of the coil spring, and stop means, operable by the feeling means and normally preventing rotation of the second rotatable means but permitting rotation of the second rotatable means when the loop of ticket stock becomes smaller than a predetermined size, thereby allowing the coil spring to tighten around the shaft and drive the first rotatable means with the shaft.