GB1600828A

GB1600828A - Apparatus for the printing of forms more particularly tickets

Info

Publication number: GB1600828A
Application number: GB1315878A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Mannesmann AG
Current assignee: Vodafone GmbH
Priority date: 1977-04-04
Filing date: 1978-04-04
Publication date: 1981-10-21
Also published as: CH626832A5; DE2715428C2; JPS53131103A; DE2715428A1; FR2386466A1

Abstract

The forms are to be printed over the entire surface, specifically both when the forms are supplied from an endless web (34) from the one side (endless ticket) and when individual forms are inserted by hand into the printer (1) from the opposite side (38) (insertion operation), and this is to take place without converting the device, solely by positioning a switch. The individual ticket can be printed from below or above (back or front) and the endless ticket is printed beginning from above (front). There are three conveying members (8, 9, 7) for the ticket, two of which (8, 9) are arranged on the two sides of the printer (1) and the blade (5). The third conveying member (7) is used only for the endless web. The switch (11) is located between a first ticket guide path (33, 34) (for supplying the endless web) and a second ticket guide path (36) (so that the inserted individual ticket can avoid the endless web). <IMAGE>

Description

(54) APPARATUS FOR THE PRINTING OF FORMS, MORE PARTICULARLY TICKETS (71) We, MANNESMANN AKTIENGES ELLSCHAFT, a joint stock company, organised under the laws of Germany, of Mannesmannufer 2, 4 Dusseldorf 1, Germany, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- The invention relates to an apparatus for printing forms or tickets, comprising a printing head and a printing support, with a throughgoing paper transport path in which there is arranged at least one paper feed device and which leads to a dispensing tray, a cutting device for cutting connected forms, and a control arrangement for the movement processes of the paper feed device, the printing head and the cutting device.Pulse emitters are connected to the control arrangement to detect the position of a form.

In known apparatus of this type, an endless web on which the tickets are preprinted as form sections is taken stepwise through the printer, printed section by section with the information which is to be added, and finally a fully printed ticket is discharged after having been cut by a built-in cutting device. There are also ticket printers which operate by the "same-side" method, an empty ticket being inserted in each case into the machine on the operator's side, printed in the machine and then returned in a printed state.

We have sought to provide an apparatus for the printing of forms, particularly tickets, which can operate both by a throughflow method and also by a "same-side" method; in other words, it is capable of printing tickets which are introduced manually and also printing and cutting tickets which come from a marginally perforated endless strip or web. Both kinds of operation may be used selectively, and alteration of the printing mechanism when changing from one method of operation to the other is avoided. The ticket for use in such an apparatus must also be capable of being printed over its full area so that zones which cannot be printed because of ticket advancing arrangements, such as happen in some known constructions, are not formed.

Accordingly the present invention provides an apparatus for printing forms or tickets, comprising a printing head and a printing support, a throughgoing paper transport path in which there is arranged at least one paper feed device and which leads at the output side of the apparatus into a dispensing tray, a cutting device for cutting joined-together forms, a control arrangement for controlling the movement sequences of the paper feed device, the printing head and the cutting device, and pulse emitters which detect the position of a form are connected to the control arrangement, wherein the paper feed device comprises three feed units, namely a first set of driving rollers arranged at the output side of the apparatus in front of the printing support, a second set of driving rollers arranged behind the printing support, and a tractor belt unit as a feeding-in device for an endless strip arranged behind the second set of driving rollers, the drives of the first and second driving roller sets and the tractor belt unit being adapted to be switched from synchronised running in the same direction as regards their peripheral driving speed to individual drive, reversible as regards direction of rotation and in that case the drive of each feed unit is independent of the other feed units, a diverter is arranged between the second set of driving rollers and the tractor belt, which diverter is operated by the control arrangement whereby a secondary path can be connected to the section of the transport path containing the driving roller sets cutting out the section containing the tractor belt unit.

The apparatus of the present invention can be operated selectively for throughflow operation and for "same-side" operation without any adaptation.

The invention is further illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 shows those parts of a ticket printer which are important to the operation of the machine, without housing parts, Fig. 2 shows a modification of the printer according to Fig. 1, Fig. 3 shows a detail from Fig. 2, Fig. 4 to Fig. 6 shows the sequence of operation with the "same-side" method, Figs. 7 to 9 show the sequence of operation for the throughflow method, Fig. 10 shows the control diagram.

The construction of the printer will be described first of all with reference to Fig. 2.

The ticket printer comprises a printing head 1 which is secured on a carriage 2. The carriage 2 is mounted so that it is transversely mobile with regard to the strip of paper; it is moved by a drive system not shown here.

The printer is a so-called matrix printer. A pressure application roller 4 and cutting roller of cutting device 5 are movably mounted on the carriage 2. Printing is carried out against a printing support 6 one side of which is provided with a cutting edge.

The paper transport mechanism comprises a throughgoing paper transport path 3 and a paper feed device. The throughgoing paper transport path 3 starts at the rear side at a guide plate 34, extends between a flap 33 and a tractor belt unit 7 to a second driving roller set 9 between the printing head 1 and the printing support 6 through to a first driving roller set 8 into a dispensing tray 36. The obstructions in this continuous transport path 3 shown in Fig. 2 caused by diverters 11 and 10, can be eliminated by changing over these diverters 11, 10.

The paper feed device comprises three feed units, namely the first set of driving rollers 8 arranged at the output side in front of the printing support 6, the second driving roller set 9 arranged after the printing support 6 and the tractor belt unit 7 arranged as a feeding-in device for an endless strip.

The drives of the driving roller sets 8, 9 and of the tractor belt unit 7 can be switched by a control arrangement (not shown here) from synchronised running in the same direction as regards their driving peripheral speed to reversible-direction each feed unit driving independently of the other feed units. Between the second driving roller set 9 and the tractor belt unit 7 is the diverter 11 whereby a secondary path 36 extending in the same direction can be connected to the path section containing the driver roller sets 8, 9, cutting out the section of the transport path 3 which contains the tractor belt unit 7. The front diverter 10, which is moved by a magnet (not shown here) selectively connects a "same-side" insertion funnel 38 with the transport path 3, as shown in Fig. 2.The diverter 11 is operated by a spring-loaded lever 12 whose roller 37 bears on a double disc 21 which in one position acts as a cam disc. A further diverter 13 is provided which is also moved by a magnet (not shown here) and in the position shown in Fig. 3 makes it possible, for example, for an incorrectly printed or damaged ticket 46 to be thrown out.

The apparatus includes, as pulse emitters for the control arrangement, photo-electric barriers which comprise a first photo-electric barrier 14 in front of the first driving roller set 8, a second photo-electric barrier 15 behind the first driving roller set 8, and a third photo-electric barrier 16 in the secondary path 36. The driving roller sets 8 and 9 and the tractor belt unit 7 are driven in such a manner that the peripheral speed may be identical, but each system may also be driven whilst the other systems are halted or are in a non-driven state. In one construction, a reversible direct current motor drives the entire paper transport system, and by suitable choice of the reduction ratio the same peripheral speed is obtained by all three systems.By means of a total of three electromagnetic coupling-brake systems either the driving roller set 8 or 9 or the tractor belt unit 7 can be driven individually or in any desired combination. It is also possible by discontinuing the supply of electrical current to both the coupling and the brakes to deprive one of these systems of drive.

Thus, it is possible to operate the apparatus with a single driving motor together with the assistance of further machine parts.

Furthermore, each roller of the driving roller sets 8 and 9 are driven in opposite directions, the upper rollers being resiliently pressed against the lower rollers. This double drive is necessary in order to make it possible to transport, in a satisfactory manner, multilayer bands of paper such as are used for airline tickets.

Secured in frictionally locking manner on the lower shaft of the driving roller set 9 is a timing wheel 17 which comprises for each line switch a slot which is sensed by a sensor 18. A pawl 19 which is integral with the frame and which engages in a corresponding ratchet wheel of the timing wheel 17 can hold the timing wheel 17 in one position when rotating in a clockwise direction, whilst on rotation in an anti-clockwise direction the timing wheel follows the movement of the shaft.

Connected integrally with driving shaft 20 of the tractor belt unit 7 are three systems namely double wheel 21 and further timing wheels 23 and 25. On rotation of the tractor belt unit 7 in a clockwise direction, the double wheel 21, by way of the lever 12 and the corresponding lever connection 39, operates the diverter 11. The two adjacent wheels of the double wheel 21 are adapted to rotate relatively to one another and are brought by a pawl 22 into a position in which semicircular recesses 44, 45 (see Fig. 8) coincide and the lever 12 can fall into engagement. The timing wheel 23 comprises for each line switch a slot and the slots are sensed by a sensor 24. The further timing wheel 25 comprises only one slot, which is sensed by a sensor 26.In the illustrated construction it must be assumed that rotation of the driven tractor belt wheel of the belt unit 7 corresponds to transport of the strip by one form length. If this is not the case, the double wheel 21 and the timing wheels 23 and 25 must be arranged on a shaft of their own which is driven by the shaft 20 with a suitable reduction.

Several guide arrangements are also included in the construction of the paper transport system. Parts 27 and 28 form the same-side operation funnel 38 which is open towards the person operation the machine.

This is followed, directly behind the first set of driving rollers 8, by a spring-mounted pressure application plate 29 whose righthand edge is pressed by the pressure application roller 4 during printing against the surface of the material being printed. An upper cover 30 of the central portion of the transport path 3 and the secondary path 36 comprises at the printing head side an inlet funnel. The lower cover 31 of the transport path 3 and the secondary path 36 are obstructed by the diverter 11. The tractor belt unit 7 is covered by a flap 33 pivotable about a pin 32, the flap 33 pressing the paper from above against the projections on the tractor belt unit 7.

A resilient rocker element 35 forms a transition to the printing support 6 and can yield when the cutting device 5 comes down (see Fig. 9). The completed tickets are presented to the person operating the machine in the dispensing tray 36.

In the construction shown in Fig. 1, the tractor belt unit 7 is arranged horizontally.

An electromagnet 37 is provided to operate the diverter 11, which electromagnet is operated by a further timing wheel 46 and a sensor 47. Spring 40 holds the pawl 19. A paper strip 41 is inserted. Figs. 4, 5 and 6 show the sequence when producing a pre-cut ticket: Fig. 4 shows the start of insertion. The operator presses a ticket 42 against the stationary set of driving rollers 8. When this happens, the first photo-electric barrier 14 is obscured. After a short adjustable period of time has elapsed, mechanical entry starts by rotation of the driving roller sets 8 and 9. The ticket 42 is drawn towards the right into the machine until the third photo-electric barrier 16 is obscured (Fig. 5). Then the entry movement is stopped.The third photoelectric barrier 16 is so arranged that the position of the ticket 42 is such that the lowest line of the ticket 42 canPbe processed The diverter 10 is then changed-over, the driving motor has its polarity reversed, and the printing of the ticket 42 is interrupted by line switching (Fig. 6), this being carried out by the driving roller sets 8 and 9, and the now co-rotating timing wheel 17 takes over control. When printing is completed, the ticket 42 is thrown into the dispensing tray 36 by further operation of the driving roller set 8. It is important that during operation of the machine by this same-side method the caterpillar belt unit 7 remains in the position in which the diverter 11 is in its lower situation.

For the processing of the endless strip 41 shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, all the feed units are operated, and as a result the endless strip is pushed into the gap between printing head 1 and printing support 6. The double wheel 21, by means of lever 12, presses the diverter 11 into an upper position.

The endless strip 41 is fed forwards until the left-hand end has passed the driving roller set 8. In a practical embodiment this is achieved by ensuring that the paper strip 41 runs until a complete form length is at the left of the cutting edge, i.e. to the left of the right-hand edge of support 6. The motor is then reversed and a sufficient number of line switches are carried out until the uppermost line of the form is in the printing position. It has been found that it is practical not to drive the driving roller set 8 since this tightens the paper in the printing zone. Printing and line feed then alternate until the ticket has been produced (Fig. 8). The timing wheel 23 determines the line switches. When printing is completed the form is moved so that the cutting edge and the end of the form coincide, indicated by a signal of the timing wheel 25.The cutting operation is then carried out (Fig. 9). The ticket 43 is then thrown out by means of the roller set 8.

In the sequence which has just been described, the individual ticket is printed starting from below, but the endless ticket is printed starting from above. The reasons for this are twofold; with a single ticket a preprinted code at the lower edge of the ticket has to be read. The reader is fixed on the carriage 2 also, but is not shown here. Since this reading is the first operation and has to be concluded- before the printing can be started, printing starting from below is found to be the quickest way for a single ticket. (A comparison of the information read is carried out to ascertain whether the correct ticket has been put in). With an endless ticket, when dealing with multi-layer sets, frequently an undesirable bulging-out of the left-hand end occurs when the ticket has only been pushed when line switches are carried out.Therefore the method of operation is such that the free end of the ticket is pushed only at the first advance and when feeding for cutting, whereas for printing it is pulled.

Naturally, by suitably changing over the control arrangement it is also possible to print a single ticket downwardly from above.

Fig. 10 shows in a diagrammatic manner the control sequence for the movements shown in Figs. 4 to 9.

The designations have the following meaning: L 1 corresponds to 14,L2to 15,L3to 16, K 1 and B 1 are the coupling and the brake for roller set 8 K 2 and B 2 are the coupling and the brake for roller set 9 K 3 and B 3 are the coupling and the brake for the tractor belt unit 7 T 2 is the timing signal of parts 17 and 18 T 3 is the timing signal of parts 23 and 24 TOP is the timing signal of parts 25 and 26 VT is a check-back signal not shown which indicates the changing over of the diverter 11.

DR stands for the printing of a line.

SM stands for cutting.

W 1 energises the control magent of the diverter 10.

MO energises the motor.

O in the case of L1, L2, L3, T2, T3, and TOP corresponds to an obscured sensor. For K 1/2/3 and B1/2/3 and W 1, O is the nonenergised state. The direction of motor running "forwards" means transporting from right to left. The indication t stands for a short waiting time. In the "control orders" line the symbol d stands for a complete printing operation. The first sequence includes drawing in, printing and ejecting an individual ticket. The second sequence comprises a complete sequence for a ticket from the endless strip, the withdrawal position (VT) being taken as the starting point. If a plurality of endless tickets are printed in succession, the operation starts with the second FF1. The third sequence is drawing back the endless strip to the VT position, this corresponds to changing the machine over to same-side operation.

The fourth sequence is the drawing-in operation using the photo-electric barrier 15 (L2) in accordance with Fig. 8.

In Fig. 10, those revertable signals which are not important for the sequence of operation are shown in broken lines.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. An apparatus for printing forms or tickets, comprising a printing head and a printing support, a throughgoing paper transport path in which there is arranged at least one paper feed device and which leads at the output side of the apparatus into a dispensing tray, a cutting device for cutting joined-together forms, a control arrangement for controlling the movement sequences of the paper feed device, the printing head and the cutting device, and pulse emitters which detect the position of a form are connected to the control arrangement, wherein the paper feed device comprises three feed units, namely a first set of driving rollers arranged at the output side of the apparatus in front of the printing support, a second set of driving rollers arranged behind the printing support, and a tractor belt unit as a feeding-in device for an endless strip arranged behind the second set of driving rollers, the drives of the first and second driving roller sets and the tractor belt unit being adapted to be switched from synchronised running in the same direction as regards their peripheral driving speed to individual drive, reversible as regards direction of rotation and in that case the drive of each feed unit is independent of the other feed units, a diverter is arranged between the second set of driving rollers and the tractor belt, which diverter is operated by the control arrangement whereby a secondary path can be connected to the section of the transport path containing the driving roller sets cutting out the section containing the tractor belt unit.

2. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the cutting device is arranged between the printing head and the second driving roller set and the rear edge of the printing support is a cutting edge, and a guide plate adjacent the cutting edge is constructed as a rocker element which can pivot downwards against the action of a spring.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein a first photo-electric barrier is arranged directly before the first driving roller set and.a second photo-electric barrier is arranged directly behind the first one as pulse emitters.

4. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a third photoelectric barrier is arranged as pulse emitter in the secondary path.

5. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a further diverter in the transport path is arranged before the first set of driving rollers at the output side, by means of which diverter a same-side funnel can be connected to the path section containing the driving roller sets cutting out the dispensing tray.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein an ejecting diverter for incorrectly printed forms or tickets is provided before the first driving roller set at the operator's side.

7. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a first timing wheel which is adapted to the form or ticket to be printed is arranged on the shaft of one

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. the method of operation is such that the free end of the ticket is pushed only at the first advance and when feeding for cutting, whereas for printing it is pulled. Naturally, by suitably changing over the control arrangement it is also possible to print a single ticket downwardly from above. Fig. 10 shows in a diagrammatic manner the control sequence for the movements shown in Figs. 4 to 9. The designations have the following meaning: L 1 corresponds to 14,L2to 15,L3to 16, K 1 and B 1 are the coupling and the brake for roller set 8 K 2 and B 2 are the coupling and the brake for roller set 9 K 3 and B 3 are the coupling and the brake for the tractor belt unit 7 T 2 is the timing signal of parts 17 and 18 T 3 is the timing signal of parts 23 and 24 TOP is the timing signal of parts 25 and 26 VT is a check-back signal not shown which indicates the changing over of the diverter 11. DR stands for the printing of a line. SM stands for cutting. W 1 energises the control magent of the diverter 10. MO energises the motor. O in the case of L1, L2, L3, T2, T3, and TOP corresponds to an obscured sensor. For K 1/2/3 and B1/2/3 and W 1, O is the nonenergised state. The direction of motor running "forwards" means transporting from right to left. The indication t stands for a short waiting time. In the "control orders" line the symbol d stands for a complete printing operation. The first sequence includes drawing in, printing and ejecting an individual ticket. The second sequence comprises a complete sequence for a ticket from the endless strip, the withdrawal position (VT) being taken as the starting point. If a plurality of endless tickets are printed in succession, the operation starts with the second FF1. The third sequence is drawing back the endless strip to the VT position, this corresponds to changing the machine over to same-side operation. The fourth sequence is the drawing-in operation using the photo-electric barrier 15 (L2) in accordance with Fig. 8. In Fig. 10, those revertable signals which are not important for the sequence of operation are shown in broken lines. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. An apparatus for printing forms or tickets, comprising a printing head and a printing support, a throughgoing paper transport path in which there is arranged at least one paper feed device and which leads at the output side of the apparatus into a dispensing tray, a cutting device for cutting joined-together forms, a control arrangement for controlling the movement sequences of the paper feed device, the printing head and the cutting device, and pulse emitters which detect the position of a form are connected to the control arrangement, wherein the paper feed device comprises three feed units, namely a first set of driving rollers arranged at the output side of the apparatus in front of the printing support, a second set of driving rollers arranged behind the printing support, and a tractor belt unit as a feeding-in device for an endless strip arranged behind the second set of driving rollers, the drives of the first and second driving roller sets and the tractor belt unit being adapted to be switched from synchronised running in the same direction as regards their peripheral driving speed to individual drive, reversible as regards direction of rotation and in that case the drive of each feed unit is independent of the other feed units, a diverter is arranged between the second set of driving rollers and the tractor belt, which diverter is operated by the control arrangement whereby a secondary path can be connected to the section of the transport path containing the driving roller sets cutting out the section containing the tractor belt unit.

of the driven rollers of the second driving roller set and is connected by way of a slip coupling with this shaft and is also rigidly coupled with a ratchet wheel, whereby it and therefore the first timing wheel are held fast by means of a spring-loaded pawl in the case of a direction of transport directed from the first set of driving rollers towards the second set of driving rollers.

8. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a second timing wheel and a third timing wheel are arranged on a driving shaft of the tractor belt unit.

9. An apparatus substantially as herein described and with reference to the accompanying Drawings.