577,917. Ticket-issuing machines. BROCKLEHURST, L. N. March 13, 1944, Nos. 4625 and 6472. [Class 106 (iii)] In a ticket-issuing machine provided with two or more columns of key-selected punches or printing dies and wherein the value of a universal ticket is pre-selected by operating the keys and a subsequent operation is necessary to effect the punching or printing, means are provided to ensure that a ticket can only be printed and issued after a key in each and all of said columns hasbeen actuated. The tickets, which may be fed singly or from a roll, may be blank or preprinted as in Fig. 7, and the cumulative total valve of the fares paid may be automatically registered onan adding machine. The machine comprises two rows of keys 21, 22 corresponding to the values indicated in columns 11, 12 on the ticket so that by punching two or more of said indications any fare between ¢d. and the maximum can be shown, the zero indication of the shillings column 11 being invariably punched for pence fares to ensure a minimum of two punchings per ticket. Depression of the keys causes ratchet teeth 32 on the dies 25 to separate laterally movable bars 28 carried by plates 29, 29a and to latch under these bars so as to prevent upward movement of the dies unless the bars 28 are moved away from the central bar 27. Rigidly connected to each plate 29, 29a is a vertically movable rack 33 normally prevented from descending by two claw levers 37 engaging a cross-head 38. To release these levers 37, both of two pivoted bars 39 must be depressed, necessitating the depression of at least one key in each row. When this release has been effected, the turning of handle 47 lowers the rack 33 and the bars 28 to effect the marking of the ticket by the dies 25, teeth 66 on the plate 29 perforating the ticket at the same time. Immediately the ticket has been marked, the bars 28 are forced apart by wedges 55 and springs 26 withdraw the dies. If an incorrect combination of keys has been selected, release wedges 58 may be operated by a lever 56 to return the dies to normal position. When there is no ticket in the machine, a trip lever 71 falls into a recess in the table 64 and prevents rotation of the feed roller 63. An adding machine 72 is operated by racks on the key plungers 24, engagement of the racks only taking place when the handle 47 is rotated. For successive issue of a number of tickets of the same value, the keys may be restrained from returning past their pre-selected position by providing them with ribs 83, which by a slight turn of the key engage under the casing wall. The tickets may be blank, the machine doing the necessary printing. A combined recording-web 67 of carbon ribbon and copy paper may be provided.