US146535A - Improvement in ticket printing and registering apparatus - Google Patents

Description

3 Sheets--Sheet n. n. lnaehnsuu. A Ticket-'Printing and Registering Apparatus. N0. \46,535. Patentedlan.20,874.

' WITNESSg r INVENTQR- A JIT@ /ff/WM 4n.11. INGERSOLL. Ticket-Printing and Registering Ap ratus.` |`19.115,553-)- Patent n.20\,1l874".`

` WITNES'ISEL mvmmm` UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

- ROBERT D. INGERSOLL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

`IMPROVEMENT IN TICKET PRINTING AND REGISTERING APPARATUS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 146,535, dated January 20, 1874 application filed March 31, 1873.

Toalla/hom it may concerny Be it known that I, ROBERT D. INGERsoLL, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usesame" Fifr. 3 a to or lan view- Fioxi. a 7 b 9 7 b l plan view of the mechanism arranged below the table; Fig. 5, an end view, certain parts being shown in section; and Fig. 6, a side elevation of the feeding mechanism of the register-blank enlarged.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts.

Railway companies, for many reasons, have y sought suitable means to enable them toprint, under their exclusive supervision, their faretickets from time to time, when they are issued and sold 5' and as it is necessary to keep a systematicrecord of the tickets issued and sold, various methods have been devised for the purpose of rendering this system both simple and capable of preventing a fraudulent issue and sale.

Various objections exist relating to the means r `heretofore employed for the purposes above set forth, and to removethese objections and provide means which may be used with greater advantage is the purpose of my invention,

which consists in certain novel features relating to the means employed for that purpose,

j and hereinafter particularly set forth.

In the drawing, A represents a table or frame, suitable for the purpose of supporting the mechanism hereinafter described. A is a frame,fattached to the table, and also capable of supporting certain parts of the mechanism. B is a cylindrical bed-plate or die-holder on the "shaft C, which `has suitable bearings in the `frame A. This die-holder is keyed to its shaft so as to be capable of a laterally-sliding movement thereon. Dovetail grooves are sunken acrosslthe peripheryf the `die-holder to receive the dies, and D D are removable dies arranged in the said grooves. Instead, however, of employing removable dies, the dies may be cut or cast in the periphery of the part B, which, instead of being arranged to be rotated in a vertical plane, may be rotated in a horizontal plane, and in either case' the dies may be arranged either in the periphery or in the face of the part B 5 but I deem it preferable to make the dies removable,`and to arrange them and the die-holder in the manner shown. I also deem it preferable, for the purpose of economizing space, to make the periphery of the die-holder sufficiently wide to receive two or more dies in the same groove. By this means a great number of dies may be i arranged in a die-holder having a `comparatively small diameter, and the width of the periphery will only be increased by the length, or by the sum of the lengths, of'- the die` or dies thus arranged; but two or more die-holders arranged on the `same shaft will accomplish this result.` It is fdr the purpose of arranging all the dies below the press, when more than one row is employed, that I have made .ihedieholder capable of a lateral adjustment, the dieholder being more readily adjusted thanthe press and its attachments but when the dies are arranged in only one row, no adjustment will be required for the purpose referred to. E is a lever, the 'rear endof which is pivoted tothe table A. F is a pin, rigidly attached to the lever E, and extending through a longitudinal slot in the table. G is a sliding bar or rod,

rigidly attached to the pin F and suitably supported. H is an arm, rigidly attached to the rod or bar G, and engaging a groove intlie hub of the die-holder. By moving the free end of the lever E, the die-holder will be moved laterally on its shaft, and the extent of its movement may be determined by arranginglthe lever in the slotted plate I, which is notched or, otherwise graduated, so that the lateral movement of the die-holder may be measured; or a graduated table may be arranged on the table A for that purpose. J is a beveled gear-wheel, rigidly attached to the shaft C. K is a shaft having suitable bearings, and `L is a beveled gear-wheel rigidly attached thereto, and e gaging the wheel J. M is a crank on the sh K, and by turning thecrank M the die-ho is rotated in either direction. N" is a r disk, the periphery of which `is notched. O `is a small lever or catch, pivoted at one end to the crank M,"and extending across the'edge of thev disk N so as to engage the notches therein. P is a handle on the horizontal arm of the crank M, and capable of being turned thereon. a, Fig. 5, is a notch in the handle P, in which notch one end of the lever O rests. Q, Fig. 5, is a spring, exerting a force on the handle P, and Ymoving it in such a direction that the lever O will be pressed into the notches oi' the disk N when the crank M is operated, unless a contrary force is exerted on the handle bythe operator. When the lever 0 rests in any of the notches of the disk N, the die-holder will be thereby locked in a corresponding` position, but may be readily unlocked by turning the handle P in the proper direction. The notches of the disk N may be marked. to designate a corresponding die, so that any die may be thus moved with certainty to a given position; but when a large number of dies are employed, and especially when they are ar ranged in more than one row, I deem it preferable to employ other means for this purpose, and to use the disk'N and the catch or lever O simply as a means of locking the die-rotating mechanism during the operation ot' the press. It is a graduated disk, which is rigidly attached to the shaft T, having suitable bearings, and provided with the gear-wheel U, engaging the wheel J, the wheels J and U being of the same diameter, so that the disk R will make a revolution'with each revolution of the die-holder. W is an index-hand or pointer. The graduated face of the disk R is marked in such a manner that the index W will indicate when any die is arranged in a proper position with relation to the press. For example, supposing the ticket-agent desires to print a ticket for a passenger goingto Utica, the word Utica is arranged on the disk R in such a position that it will be either below or opposite the index W when the proper die for printing that ticket is in a proper position with regard to the press. The agent, therefore, moves the crank M until the index W designates the word Utica, and the lever or catch O will then engage one of the notches of the disk N, and retain the die in that position while the press is operated. When two or more rows of dies are employed, the disk R may be graduated accordingly, and the index WV may be rendered adjustable by being connected with the means employed for the purpose of moving the die-holder laterally on its shaft. Supposing, for example, that the proper die for printing a ticket to New York is arranged in a different row from that in which the proper die for printing a ticket to Utica is arranged, the disk It is provided with a graduated circle corresponding to the row in' 'which' the die corresponding to New York is arranged, and the index W is made long enough to reach .this circle when the proper adjustment is made, which is accomplished as follows: The index W is attached to the slide B', which is heldy to Athe table A by means of suitable lugs. C' is a lever, pivoted at one end to the table A, and passing freely through a .slot in theslide B'. D' is a pin attached vto the rod or bar Gr, and passing through aslot in the table A into the lever C'. By. this means, the same operation which adjusts the row in which the die corresponding to New York is arranged will carry.. the index W to a graduated circle corresponding to that row, and that row may be ascertained by examining the disk R, and kthe proper adjustment made, it' necessary. E' is the press, arranged over the die B. F' is a cross bar of the frame A'. G' is a head-block on the stati' H' of the press, and this head-block is supported on the springs b b, which have sufficient force to keep the press and its attachments above the dies, and to move the mechanism operating in connection with the press, and hereinafter described. lThe staff l' passes freely through the bar F', and is attached to the press-frame I'. J' is a lever or handle, by means of which the press is moved downward against the dies. I make no claim tothe means employed to render the press operative; but I have here briefly described its construction and operation in order that the operation of certain other parts operating in connection with it, and hereinafter described, maybe more readily understood. The press E is rigidly attached to its frame I', and is slotted or cut out to receive a consecutivenumbering device, K', the disks of which are loosely supported on a rod,'L', rigidly attached to the frame I'. The dies of the consecutive-numbering device are arranged to extend a little way below the lower face of the press E'. M' is a frame loosely mounted on the rod L', and N' is a pawl pivoted to one end of the frame M', and engaging a ratchet on the units-disk of the consecutive-numbering device, and each disk has a corresponding pawl. O' is an arm pivoted to the bar F', and to the frame M' at a point to the rear of the rod L'. As the press moves down the forward end of the frame M' is tilted downward, and the pawls N' ride over their ratchets; but as soon as the press is released the proper pawl engages its ratchet, and the consecutive-numbering device is set to stamp a number consecutive to that which was stamped when the press was moved down. Any consecutivenumbering device which is capable of being operated in connection with the press, in the manner described, may be employed for the purpose set forth. P' is a ticket-holder arranged to the rear of the press, and p p are tickets arranged therein. The postsof the `ticket-holder are rabbeted to receive the tickets and the presser-block Q', and to prevent them from being moved, except vertically.A The forward posts are, however, cut away to release the bottom ticket when it is pushed forward. R' is a horizontal tray, from which the posts of the ticket-holder project. S' is a slide retained on the tray R' lby means of suitable lugs, and made of such a thickness as to push forward the tickets one by one. 'I' is a feedway, by means of which the tickets are con- "latter is pivoted to the ticket holder.

ductedto the press and to the dies, and U is an apron which receives the tickets afterr they have been operated upon. The feedway is open below the press, so that the tickets may be printed or stamped, but the ends of the tickets move in grooved ways during their passage from the ticket-holder to the apron U'. V' isan arm pivoted to the rear end of the frame M', and to the bell-crank W', which A" is an arm pivoted to the rear end of the bellcrank W' and to the lever B", the latter of which is pivoted to a suitable support. C" is an arm pivoted to the lever B" and to the lever D", the latter being pivoted to the table A. The lever D" is pivoted to the slide S',

' and is slotted, as shown, so that the slide may move in a straight line during the operation of the lever.` E" is a spring drawing the outer end of the lever B" forward. i

i It will be observed that the parts above described are arranged together in such a manfner that the slide S' will be drawn rearward and from beneath the tickets when the press moves downward.l rEhe presser Q' then presses the tickets down, and the slide S will press forwardthe bottom ticket, when the press is released, owing to the action of the springs b b and of the spring E". In this way the tickets are fed to the dies, one after the other,

`printed or stamped, and delivered upon the apron U', it being understood that the moyement of the slide S is suiiicient to accomplish this result, and that its movement is limited at the proper time. c is a pin to limit the forward movement of the slide S. The dies are i i made, preferably, to print or stamp upon the tickets all the matter that may be required thereon; and it will be perceived that the lower face of the tickets receives the impression from the dies, Aand that their upper face receives the impression from the consecutivenumbering device, it being understood that the latter is arranged over the ticket-dies.

In order that the use of ink, which is objectionable on some accounts, may be avoided,

I make the body of the tickets of any suitable color, and provide either 011e or both faces of the tickets with a thin enamel or veneer of v t paper, or other suitable material, of a different color; and, when the mere pressure of the dies is depended upon for the purpose of `marking the tickets, l make the dies sharp enough to cut or break this enamel, and the characters stampedV upon the tickets will then Nbe made plain by reason of the color exhiby ited by the exposure of the body of the tickets about the edges of the characters stamped thereon;` but, for some purposes, the simple operation of stamping the tickets, without the employment either of ink or of tickets prepared in the manner described, will besuffi` cient.

When the employment of ink is desirable, I

`provide the machine with removable and adjustable hiking-rollers, constructed and arranged as follows: F" I?" are inking-rollers arranged over the dies, and a short way behind the press. These rollers have bearings in arms rigidly attached to the rod G", which has a bearing at one end in the support H, and at the other in the spring I", which is capable of being carried Afromthe rod G" by a lateral movement. J" is an arm or lever, rigidly attached to the rod G", and resting on a spring exerting a force which holds the rollers above the dies, which` force is overcome by the contact ofthe rear end of the lever J against the table A. By pressing the forward end of the lever J downward, the rollers are thrown against the dies; and, in order to determine when the proper die is beneath the rollers, the crank M is turned until the lever O sinks into a notch one or more spaces `from the notch which locks the same die beneath the press,`

according to the distance of the rollers from the press. The crank- M is then turned back and forth a short wa f until the die is sufficiently inked, a-nd the die is thenarranged under` the press in the manner described.

The rod G" and its attachments may be removed by pressing the spring I" away from the rod; and the latter may be replaced by moving the spring in the same manner, arranging the rod in a proper position, and then releasing the spring. y

In order to register the `tickets stamped or pressed, I arrange a reel, K", on aframe attached to the frame I', and extending forward of the press. L" is-a register-blank wound on the reel K", and passing below the press and between the rollers M" N", which are supported on a frame attached to the frame I', and eX- tending to the rear of the latter. In orderto rotate the rollers M" N" so that the registerblank will be properly fed to the press, I pivot a rack or notched pawl, O, to the frame M', and arrange a pinion, P", on the shaft of the roller M", so that the pinionwill be engaged by the rack.

ward movement of the press by means of the spring s. Q" is a stop, which rides `over the teeth of the pinion P" during the` upward movement of the press, and prevents the movement of the pinion when the press` moves y, downward, Vat which time `the rack rides over the pinion. In this manner the register-blank is fed to the press so as `to receive al new impression each time the press descends. Inscrder. to mark the register-blank, I extendthe ticket-die longitudinally, so thaticharacters may be cut on the extended partand impressed y upon the register-blank; and,fas the registerblank is much thinner than the ticket-blanks, the register-die should be higher than the upper face of the ticket-die.

In order to consecutiv ly number both register-blank and the ticketsby the same `-operation, I extend the ticket-blank beyondgone end oi' the ticket-die, and leave `a corresponding space on the die-block lbetweenthe regis-` ter-die and the ticket-dic. I the-narran ge the '.lhe teeth of the rack O" are ini clined, as shown, and they are held to their engagement with the pinion during the upi register-blank over that part of the ticket-blank which lies above the blank space on the dieblock. By this means, the ticket-blanks and the register-blank are impressed and consecutively numbered at the same time, the impression of the consecutive-numbering device being made upon the ticket through the registerblank. That part of the die-block which serves as a ticket-die may have any suitable words or characters cut thereonfor example, Chicago to Utica.77 That part of the die-block which serves as a register-die may have any suitable words or characters made thereon, which will indicate Vupon the register-blank the fact that a ticket l blank has received an impression from the ticket die on the same block, and any other information relating to that ticket which may be desirable-for example, Utica, 3.40, indicating that a ticket has been issued for Utica, and that the fare paid was three dollars and forty cents; and, when the register-blank is also consecutively numbered, it will also indicate the number of tickets sold. In this manner the register-blank becomes a record, by means of which the issue of each ticket may be reported, together with other items which may be included with advantage in a report.

By arranging the reel and the feeding-rollers on a frame attached to the press, no strain is made upon the register-blank, either by reason of the movement of the press or by the rotation of the dies. The tension of the registerblank is rendered uniform by means of a friction-sprin g, d.

Instead of making the register-die and the ticket-die in one'block, as described, they may' be made in separate blocks, and instead of lapping the register-blank over the ticket-blank it may be arranged at one end of the latter, and a separate consecutive-numhering device employed to number it, the chief object being to stamp the register-blank and the ticketblank simultaneously, and to number each ticket at the same time the same ticket is printed.

The die-holder. of the machine at each station is furnished with dies-suitable for that Y cleaned, and they are adjustable, so that the dlies may be inked either separately or not at a l.

It will be perceived, from the foregoing description that the tickets may be either stamped or printed, and that in stamping them either ordinary ticket-blanks or prepared cards may be employed. It will also be perceived that no printing-ribbons are employed, and that 'is pushed forward upon the apron U.

a consecutive-11umbering device may be either employed or not. It will also be obvious that only a part of the matter required upon the tickets need be printed or stamped at the time of their sale, the remaining part of the matter being printed in the usual manner, if that method is deemed most desirable.

rlhe ticket-agent at each station, if provided with one of my improved machines, will be .able to furnish the tickets as they are needed, and to send his report to the general agent as soon as the sales for each day are completed, or as soon as each term expires in Which he is required to make his report, the report consisting of th at part of the register-blank which has been operated upon. rlhe company is thus saved the eXpense heretofore required in order to furnish printed tickets in suitable quantities, and the labor of each agent is greatly diminished. Frauds upon the road are also checked, whether attempted by agents or by others.

It will also be obvious, from the foregoing description, that the machine may be employed with advantage in preparing tickets to be used for various purposes. Several of the part-s shown above the table maybe conveniently arranged below it.

When the various parts of the machine are constructed and arranged together in the manner described, they co-operate in the following manner: A considerable number of ticketblanks are iirst arranged in the ticket-holder P', and the press-lever J is then operated until the ticket-feeding` mechanism, which is thus actuated, pushes the blanks, one by one, along the way 'll' tothe press. If a passenger now calls for a ticket, the agent inspects the disk It, and, if the index WV indicates a station corresponding to the ticket called for, the press is again operated, and the'blank below it receives an impression, and is converted into a ticket ready for delivery to the passenger, and as soon as the press-lever is released this ticket The same stroke of the press which stamped the ticket also stampedl the register blank, and brought the consecutive-numbei-ing device into contact with each blank, and the release of the press-lever and the consequent upward moveyment of the press carried the register-blank forward one step, and set the consecutive-numbering device to print a consecutive number. If duplicates of the ticket thus prepared are required at the same time, the operation above described is repeated as often as may be-necessary, and the tickets thus furnished will be duplicates of each other in all respects, excepting that they will be consecutively numbered. Each one will also beregistered.

If ink is employed for the purposes set forth, the crank M is released and turned until the die below the press is brought below the inking-rollers, and the position of this die with respect to these rollers may be ascertained by turning the crank until the catch or lever O sinks into a notch in the disk N one or morel `to impress the blanks.

spaces removed from the notch in which it `first rested, according to the iixed and known distance of the inking-rollers from the press. The lever J" is then pushed downward until the inking-rollers are brought into contact with the said die, and the crank M is then moved back and forth until the die is sufficiently inked. The lever J is then released, the die is returned to its original position, and the press is operated in the manner already described.

When a ticket for a different station is called for, the crank M is released and turned until the corresponding characters on the disk R are indicated by the index W. The handle of the crank M is then let go of, and the catch or lever O falls into a notch in the disk N, and the diemoving mechanism is thus locked. The press may then be operated in the manner described, and with the same result. When two or more rows of dies are arranged in the die-holder, the position of the die required with relation to the press may also be ascertained by means of the index W and the disk R. If the die required is not in a row beneath the press, then the characters representing this -die and on the disk R will not be in the graduated circle covered by the index W as the said disk is rotated. When this occurs, the die-holder must be moved laterally until the proper row of dies is arranged beneath the press, and this operation is performed by moving the lever E for that purpose in the manner already described. The same operation which moves the die-holder laterally also moves the index `W' laterally, for the reason that these parts are connected in the manner described, and when the said index is over a graduated circle corresponding to the row in which the required die is arranged, then this row is beneath the press, and the die may then be arranged, in the manner described, in a position lt is not essential, however, that the indexW should be laterally adjustable for this purpose, for the space-lines on the disk R may be continued radially from the index to or across all the graduated circles on the said disk, as shown, and they will then perform, in connection with a fixed index or pointer, all the functions performed by a laterally-adjustable index, it being understood that the eye of the operator will be thus guided from the index to any character, either adjacent thereto or lying in the same radial line therewith. l i

It will now be clearly perceived that ticketblanks may be either stamped or printed and registered, and consecutively numbered, for the purposes set forth, either in duplicate or promiscuously, from time to time, as they may be ycalled for, and by means of the same tmachine, without other manipulation than may be required for the purpose of setting the various parts of the machine in motion after they have been constructed and arranged together in the manner described. The machine is compact, is simple in its operation, and, so long as it is supplied with a requisite number of blanks, it is always in readiness for the purposes for which it is intended. When thc dies are once arranged in the die-holder, they need not be either reconstructed or removed until either a change in the names ot' the stations or in the rules and regulations of the road relating to the tickets may require such reconstruction or removal. l

Having thus described my invention, what I claim2as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A machine for printing or stamping tickets with various inscriptions, having a rotary die holder, in combination withaplaten, and with ticket-feedin g mechanism actuated by the press, substantially as set forth.

2. A machine for printing or stamping tickets with various inscriptions, and havingv a rotary die-holder, in combination with the disk N, and with mechanism for setting the" die-holder, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3. The combination of the fixed and notched disk N, the loose crank-handle P, spring Q, and crank M, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

4. A machine for printing or stamping tickets with various inscriptions, and having a rotary die-holder, in combination with a graduated disk and an index-hand or pointer, substantially as and for the purposes speciiied.` 5. A machine for printing or stamping tickets with various inscriptions, and having a rotary die-holder, in combination with the inking-rollers F F, arranged substantiallyas4 described, and having bearings in a removable and adjustable frame restingon a spring, which supports the said rollers above the dies'and admits of their contact therewith, substan tially as and for the purposes specied.

6. A machine for printing or stamping tickets with various inscriptions, and provided with a laterallyadjustable rotary die-holder,

substantially as and for the purposes .speen ned.

7. A machine for printing or stamping tickets with various inscriptions, and for registerin g the same, and provided with the tiltingframe M', having the yielding rack O, operat-w ing in connection with the pinion P, and with the stop or pawl Q, substantially as described,V

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