US1242162A - Check-protector. - Google Patents

Description

I. ENGSTROM.

CHECK PROTECTOR. APPLICATION FILED JULY 21.1913.

Patented Oct. 9, 1917.

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I. ENGSTROM.

CHECK PROTECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED IuLY 2I. I9I3.

1,242,162. l l I Patented Oct. 9,1917.

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l. E NGSTROM. CHECK PROTECTOR. A APPLICATION msu :uw 21. 1913.

1,242,162. Patented oet. 9,1917. '4 SHEETS-SHEET a.

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CHECK PROTECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED IuLY 2I. 1913.

1,242,162. Patented oI. 9,1917.

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IVAN ENGSTBOM, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0 CARL M. HEDMAN AND HERBERT R. HEDMAN, BOTH 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CHECK-PROTECTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented oet. 9, 1917.

Application tiled July 21, 1913. Serial No. 780,121.

To aZZ .whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IVAN ENGsTnoM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, `in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Check-Protectors, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a partof this specification. p

My invention relates to an improved check protector by which the exact amount of the check is printed or embossed in the check, and in combination with the devices for accomplishing this result I provi ie registering mechanism for adding or summating the amounts of the checks protected or written-by themachine, so that the reading of the registering mechanism at any time indicates -the total amount ofthe checks protected. Suitable devices are also provided for resetting the 'registering mechanism to zero when desired.

In carrying out my invention I employ a plurality of printing devices, one for each order of units, each of 'which may be set to a print up'onor' emboss inthe check any desired digit of the corresponding order of units, and thus when'these various devices are set to'indicate the amount of the check, the exactA amount in dollars and cents is set up ready to be printed upon or embossed in the check by the operating handle provided for moving the printing or embossing digits against the check. The mechanism for each order of units is connected with a registerwheel constituting a part of the registering mechanism in such a manner that theseg-` ting of the protecting mechanism moves the register-wheel a corresponding amount,

without, however, leaving a permanent addition to the previous indication of thenumerel-wheel until the protecting mechanism is moved against the check in the protecting operation, as a result of which any amount of motion in either direction may be given to the protecting members without this motion of itself adding a permanent amount to theyindication of the registering mechanism, and thus in case of an error occurring in setting the protecting mechanism to a desired value, it may be corrected and at the same time effect the same correction in the indication of the registering mechanism.

These and other objects of my invention will appear more fully from the drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View taken transversely through the shaft supporting the protecting mechanisms, this view being taken along the line 1, 1 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken through the machine at right angles to the plane of the section of Fig. 1, this view being taken along the line 2, 2 in Fig. 1;

-Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the mechanism employed for Operating the registerlng mechanism from the protecting device, this view being taken along the line 3, 3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view showing 4in rear elevation the mechanism employed to carry over from one order of the registering mechanism to another when a mechanism of lower order completes a cycle of its operation;

F ig. 5 is a top view of a portion of the casing of the machine showing the indications of the registering mechanism and the protecting devices;

Figs. 6 and 7 are detail views of printing blocks used upon either end of the line of protecting digits to prevent changing the amount printed upon or embossed in the check by these devices;

Fig. 8 is a detail view of one of the indicating strips connected with a protecting mechanism to indicate the amount to which it is set; and

Fig. 9 shows an amount as printed upon or embossed in a check by the machine.

' Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

As seen in Figs. 1 and 2, the protecting mechanism of the machine consists of a plurality of disks 1, to each of which is secured a sector' 2, carrying type representing digits from 0 to 9, inclusive. From the upper portion of each disk 1 an arm 3 eX- tends through a slot L formed therefor in ion the casing 5 of the machine and terminates 1n a flat finger-piece 6. The arm 3 has secured to it an indicating strip 7 for showing through a sight opening 8 1n the casmg' the particular one of the digits carried-by the sector 2 which is in the printing or e'mbossing position. vided with a plurality of notches Q'tobe engaged by a detent spring 10 rigidly secured to the brackets 11 and 12 extending rear- The disk 1 is lso pm n 16 extending transversely of the machinethrough its casing and through bosses formed upon the upper ends of these plates. In this manner the plates 13 and 14 and the parts carried thereby are prevented from movin angularly around the shaft.

Eac of the arms 3 has secured to it a .rack 17 engaging a gear 18 loosely mounted upon a transverse shaft 19. The gear 18, as clearly indicated in Fig. 1, has pivoted to it a pawl 19 held in position by a suitable spring against the inner surface of an internal ratchet 2O carried by a disk 21 also loosely mounted upon the shaft 19. The disk 21 has formed thereon a hub to which one end of a spring 22 is secured, the other end of such spring being secured to the inner surface of a counter bore formed in the register-wheel 23 for receiving such spring. When either' the disk 21 or the register-wheel 23 is free to rotate, the spring 22 rotates this free member until a pin 24, carried by the disk 21, is brought into engagement with a pin 25 carried by the register-wheel 23. The register-wheel 23 is provided with an external ratchet 26 engaged by a holding pawl 27 and a carry-over pawl 28, as more clearly indicated in Figs. 3 and 4. The brackets 11 and 12 support at their rear ends, one above the other, two transverse rods 29 and 30, and upon these rods is mounted a sliding plate 31 for each one of the register-wheels except the registerwheel of highest order. Suitable slots are provided in these plates 31 so that they may move vertically relatively to the rods 29 and 30 for the purpose of actuating a registerwheel of higher order when the registerwheel of next lower order completes a cycle of its operation in a manner to be described. Each of the plates 31 is normally held in its uppermost position by a latch 32 pivoted upon a rod 33 extending transversely of the machine between the brackets 34 supported `from the base 35 of the machine.

The casing 5 of the machine and the parts carried thereby are pivotally mounted upon a transverse rod 36, as a result of which when the various type sectors 2 are set to the proper position the printing handle 37 may be depressed, and as this handle is pivoted at 38 to a member 39 extending upwardly from the brackets 34 secured to the base of the machine and is connected by a link 40 with the casing 5, the downward A Vmotion of the handle moves the casing downward, and thus brings the type which are in printing position forcibly against the platen 41, printing or embossing u on the paper or check that ma be above t e plate the desired amount. he platen 41 may have any desired construction to effect the printin or embossin operation, as for exam le, 1t may be ma e of resilient material suc as rubber of proper consistency so as to (yield under the type pressed a ainst it an thus force the paper against t e type, or the platen may have corrugations or ridges cut upon it meshing with corresponding corrugations or ridges upon the type to cut or tear the paper and thus make an impression in the paper or check which cannot be erased. An lnk pad 42 is provided below the type and this ink pad is supported by i arms 43 held upwardly by suita e springs against the cam surfaces 44 when the printing handle 37 is in its uppermost position. The arms 43 are pivoted at 45 to the crank arms 46 mounted-upon the shaft 15, which crank arms are provided with short rearwardly extending arms having sliding engagement by a pln-and-slot connection with the forwardly extending brackets 47 secured to the base 35 of the machine. a result of the construction just described, when the printing arm 37 is moved downward the crank arm 46 is moved to the left, and the rollers upon the ends of the arms 43 lby following the cam surfaces 44, which are rigidly secured to the base 35, lirst bring the ink pad 42 into engagement with the type which are in position to print and then move the ink pad away from said type and swing it sufficiently tothe rear of the type to permit them to move downward into engagement with the check to be protected without interference from the ink pad. The parts are so proportioned, as indicated, that a sto shoulder 48 on the lower end of each cranl; arm 46 prevents the corresponding arm 43 from moving upward too far to engage the cam 44 when the printing lever 37 1s again moved to its upper position.

The base 35 of the machine has mounted therein a supply roll 49 of paper, and from this supply roll the paper extends around and between the feeding rolls 50 and 51, which, as well as the supply roll 49, are mounted upon shafts extending transversely 'of the machine. The feeding roll 51 is provided u on one end with a ratchet wheel 52 engage by a awl 53 carried by a crank arm 54, which artlculates at its lower end with a link 55. The other end of the link 55 is pivotally secured to a bell crank device 56 pivotally mounted upon the base at 57 and which is also pivotally connected with the lower end of a link 58, the upper end of which is pivoted to the casing 5. As a result of the construction described for each downward motion of the casing 5 resulting from the operation of the printing lever 37, the pawl 53 is moved varound to the right atl -26 formed on the register-wheels.

and engages the next tooth on the ratchet wheel 52, and therefore when the casing 5 is raised again by the returning spring 59, when the printing handle or lever 37 1s released, the feeding rolls 50 'and 51 are rotated and the record strip 60 is moved alon one step. This record strip, therefore, a fords a means for making a permanent record of the amounts printed or embossed by the machine upon the checks.

From the above description it will be observed that for each downward motion of the casing 5 the rods 29 and 30 move downwardwith the brackets 11 and 12, since the latter are supported directly from the casing v5. The bracket 34, however, remains stationary, since it isl supported from the base of the machine. The pivot 61 ofthe holding pawl 27 is supported by an upward extenslon from the plate 31. Each holding awl is extended below the pivot 61 in the orm of a hook, as indicated Vat 62, so that when the rod 29 is moved downwardly it engages these hooks and moves the holding pawls 27 from engagement with the ratchets Assuming, therefore, that the type sectors 2 are moved to the desired positions by means of the finger-pieces 6 so as to print the desired amount, it will be understood that the gears 18 are moved a corresponding amount. At this time, however, the corresponding register-wheels are held against rotation by the holding pawls 27 and the springs 22 are placed under tension, the pins 24 and 25 for each register-wheel being separated from each other by an amount corresponding to the setting of the corresponding type sector 2. When the casing 5 is moved downward l in the printin operation, the rod 29 engages all of the hol ing pawls 27 and moves them from engagement with the ratchets 26.V

Springs 63 are provided to engage the ratchets 26 to hold them in any position to which theyl may be moved by the springs 22 when lthe holdingv pawls 27 are moved to a releasing position. These springs 63 are weaker than the springs 69 and therefore allow the ratchets 26 to be advanced when the pins 24 and 25 are separate. When the type sectors are returned to their normal positions the ratchets 26 and thus the register wheels are held by the spring 63 against rotation. Since the gears 18 are held against rotation while the holding pawls 27 are in released position by means of the detent springs 10, it will be seen that the register-wheels are moved by the springs 22 to add to their previous indications each an amount corresponding to the setting of the corresponding type sector 2.

When any one of the register-wheels except the one of highest order completes a cycle of its operation, that is for the construction shown in the drawings a complete rotation, the register-Wheel of next higher order is advanced one step or unit by means of the following mechanism: Each sliding plate 31 is normall held in upper position y the latch 32, w ich is provided with a hook-32 engaging a shoulder 31n for this purpose. The upper end of the latch 32 is extended and normally rests upon the periphery of the corres ondingregister-Wheel 23, the up er end o said latch being continued to orm a cam surface to be engaged by the pin 6.3 when the register-wheel 23 A is rotated a sufficient amount to bring said pin under the upper end of said latch. The engagement of the pin and the upper end of the latch 32 causes an amount of motion of the latch sufficient to release the plate 31, at which time the plate ldrops 'slightly so that a shoulder 64 formed near its lower end engages the lug 65 carried by the latch 66 mounted upon the rod 67, extending transversely of the machine between the brackets 34. The plateor plates 31 released in the manner just described remain in the position referred to upon the lug or'lugs 65 until the rod 30 engages the upper end of the latch 66, which is so conformed that byengagement with lthe rod 30 it-'is moved to the right todisengage the'lu 65 fronrthe corresponding plate 31, for which condition the plate 31 moves downward underits own weight and the action of the spring 68, carrying with it the carry-over pawl 28, which is in engagement with the'ratchet 26 of the register-wheel of next higher order than that corresponding to the plate. 31, which is moved downward. In this manner the said register-wheel of next higher order is advanced one step. The return of the casing 5 to its upper position moves the various parts to their initial position, thus causing the rengagement of the lates 31 by their latches 32, and the holdmg pawls 27 are again moved into engagement with their ratchets: 26.

ing of the registering mechanism and the registering mechanism thus constitutes a totalizer for showing the total value of the checks protected or Written by the machine during any desired interval. The shaft 19 has formed longitudinally in it a ratchetshaped slot 19a for engagement with a spring pawl 69 carried by each register-wheel, and when desired, by rotating lthe shaft 19 by this manner the totalizing-reg1ster ma carries a block 71 carryingfuitable type,

as for example, the word ollars, as 1ndicated in Fig. 7 To fill up the printing line in front of the highest order of each amount printed or embossed upon the check the lower end of the plate 13 has slidably mounted upon it a block 72, carrying any suitable type, as for example,` the words Not over, as indicated in Fig. 6. This sliding block is supported upon the lower edge of the plate 113 by means of a T-shaped ton ue-and-groove construction, as indicated in ig. 1, and the block has formed in its side a vertical groove 73 engaged by the lower end of a spring bell crank lever 74 pivotally supported. upon the plate 13 at 75. The upper arm of the bell crank 74 is engaged by the upper end of a lever 76 pivotally supported at .77 from the bracket 11, the lower end of `such lever being in sliding engagement at 78 with the bracket 47, as a result of which when .the casing 5 is moved downwardly the sprmg bell crank lever is placed under tension and moves the sliding block 72 to the left, as

seen in Fig. 2, as far as it will go-that is,

against the side of the t pe sector o f the highest order employed or the particular amount for which the machine is set. v When the casing 5 is moved upward the bell crank lever 74 again moves the lsliding block 72 to the right, for the arrangement of parts shown in Fig. 2, out of the way of all of the type sectors. It will be understood that any desired designation may be placed upon' the blocks 71 and .'72, as for example, the

word Dollars may be placed upon the block 72, and any desired conventional sign may be placed upon the block 71, as zigzag lines, or any other characters desired.

Fig. 8 shows in detail view one of the indicator strips 7 connected to the arm 3, by which the setting of the arm is indicated through the sight opening 8. Fig. 9 shows anindication of the result of printin or embossing a check or paper by means o the machine.

I do not claim in the present invention broadly the construction of check protector* per se shown and described herein, as this 0 in its broadest conce tion forms the subject matter of a co-pen ing application Serial No. 726,674, filed October 19, 1912. The present application is limited to certain features of 2,improvement upon the co-pending application referred to, and relates broadly to the combination with a check protector or check writer of an adding machine for indicating the total amount or value of the checks written or protected during any desired intervals. It will be understood that as the machine prints or embosses the exact amount upon the aper or check, it may be used if desired or writing the check, and that it therefore constitutes a check writer and protector. Furthermore, since the ink employed is indelible and by the embossing or tearing operation referred to the ink is carried into the fiber' of the paper, the protection afforded is reliable, since it is cX- tremely difficult, if not impossible, to remove the ink from the fiber of the paper after it has been carried into the same in the manner referred to.

While I have shown my invention in the particular embodiment herein shown and described, it will be understood that I do not limit myself to these constructions, as I may employ other equivalent constructions without departing from the spirit of my invention, as for example, other forms of registering mechanism may be employed, the only essential being that they be driven from the protecting members so as to add the successive indications printed upon or embossed by means of the machine.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, ordered setting devices, a permanent register having a numeral wheel for each of theHsetting devices, a gear variably operated by each setting device, a spring connection between each gear and a corresponding permanent register numeral wheel, means for preventing the rotation of the numeral wheels during the setting operation of the setting devices, and mechanism for releasing the numeral wheels to permit the springs to advance them amounts corresponding to the actuations of the setting devices.

2. A device of the class described comprising a base, a casing carried by the base, a set of pivotally'mounted key levers supported by the casing, each of said key levers having a segmental die and a segmental driving rack on opposite sides of its pivotal point, said dies arranged when operated to make a noneradicable impression on a check, a totalizer, mechanism for receiving energy from said driving racks and subsequently imparting it to the totalizer, and a lever for moving the casing with respect to the base to effect the operation of the printing dies and control the actuation of said mechanism to advance the totalizer an amount corresponding to the positions of the several key levers.

3. A combined adding machine and check protector comprising a plurality of key levers, each of said key levers having fixed thereto a printing die and a segmental driving rack, a plurality of numeral wheels, ac-

tuating mechanism for said numeral wheels in driven relation to said racks, said actuating mechanism arranged to recelve energy driven relation to said racks, said actuating mechanism arranged to receive energy from said racks and subsequently impart it to said totalizer, and mechanism for simultaneously operating the printing dies and controlling the actuating mechanism to advance the t0- talizer an amount corresponding to the positions of the several printing dies.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 12th day of July, A. D. v1913.

IVAN ENGSTROM. Witnesses ALBERT C. BELL, AUGUST H. L. ARNDT.

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