US1503924A - Numbering head - Google Patents

Description

A. H. SMITH NUMBERING HEAD n Filed oct. y,28 1922 l es A f' I M N V EN TOR A TTOR NE Patented ug. 5, 19249 PKC@ AIVIOS H. SMITH, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN BANK NOTE Gor/LPANY, ornnw Yoan, N; Y.,

A CORPORATION OIF NEW YORK,

Y NL'UIVEBERNG HEAD'. i f

Application filed October 28, 1922. Serial No. 597,442.

To @ZZ whom t may cocinera:

Be it known that I, Anios H.. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at the borough of Brooklyn, in the city oft' New York, county ot Kings5'and` State 'oi New York, have invented. certain new and useful Improvements in Numbering Heads, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawings,` which form a part thereof.

My invention relates to numbering heads, andemore particularly-toA numbering heads of the type in which the digit wheels are pawl. Y

Heretotore in this type oit' numbering head, it has been the common practice to actuate the swing frame carrying the comb pawl by means4 of a depressible plunger adapted to engage the blanket of the impression c-ylinder and be depressed against the tension of springs acting onv said plunger as aV result of this engagement. The downward movement of said' plunger sets the pawl, so that immediately upon leaving the impression cylinder the springs operative upon the plunger will restore it toits normal position, and, in so doing-will actuate the swing trame and the comb pawl carried thereby in a manner to.turn. the digit wheel or digit wheels which with any particular set of the machine are required to be turned with that actuationv thereof.

The old and` well known construction above referred to has'the disadvantages that t-he actuation ot the digit wheels is solely under spring power, the sp 'ings themselves beingA subjected toV frequent and rapid compressions so that they Awere often broken and defective work produced causing a waste of material and labor; that the inking rollers had tol be cut awa-y so as to prevent the actuation of the numberingl head as a re1- sult of the engagement of the plunger therewith; that wear upon the impression cylinder blanket was excessive at. ther point of engagement between same'vand the plungers andV the various numbering heads; and that the numbering heads could not be so set as to prevent the' progressive actuation ot rooressivel actuated b1 means of a comb P e Y 3 the digit wheels in case it were desired to repeat any number or group of numbers'.

In a machine embodying my invention the swing frame is actuated by a member which is at all times positioned below the printing piane of the characters upon the digit wheels, and is adapted to be actuated by a striker operative thereon between the point of engagement of the digit wheels with the impression cylinder and the inking mechanism, engagement of said striker with said, actuating member resulting in a positive turning movement of one or` more digit wheels according to the set oi the head.l By thus utilizing a positive movement in actuating the digit wheels, the return movement oi' said actuating member may be under the control of a springof fairly light tension, since no work beyondy the resetting of the swing trame and its comb pawl is required upon the return movement of. the' actuating member.

The actuating member is so constructed as to minimize the speed at which the digit wheel or wheels are turned, although the movement under all circumstances is rapid, a condition present in alle progressively actuated numbering heads. y

I also provide the numbering head enibodying my invention with means operative upon. the actuating` member whereby said member may be moved and maintained out of the operative relation to the striker, thus permitting a continued actuation. of the numbering machine using the head, without progressive actuation. of the digit wheel.

if desired. a locking pawl may be used upon each wheel of a denomination higher thanrthe units wheel, so as to prevent the turning ot' any digit wheel except when the digit wheel of next lower denomination has the digit 9 in the printing position.

The invention consists primarily in a numbering head embodying therein a main frame, a fixed` shaft therein, a sequence of independently rotatable digit wheels mounted upon said shaft, a ratchet wheel carried by each of said digi-t wheels, they ratchet wheels ot the digit wheels of lower denomination having a recess therein, a swing frame mounted in said main frame, a comb pawl carried by said swing frame, the teeth of which are of graduated decreasing heights from the units digit wheel toward the wheels cf successively higher denomination, actuating means operative upon said swing frame including therein an oscillatory member positioned in-its entirety belowV the printing plane of the characters upon said digit wheels, operative connections between same and said swing frame, and a spring acting thereon, the teeth upon said ratchet wheel co--operating with a pawl being so set as to cause movement of the wheel co-operating therewith with move'- ment of said member against the tension of said lspring and to cause the upon said teeth with the "actuation of said member by said spring; and in such other novel features of construction and combination of parts as are hereinafter set forth andV described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. l is a plan-view of a'numbering head embodying my invention; 4

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof from 'the right of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3--3 of F l; Y

Fig. 4; is a section on the Fig. 1; Y

Fig. 5 is an end view showing the setting` means for the digit wheel actuating mechanism; and

Fig. 6 is a detail view of one of the digit wheels illustrating the locking mechanism therefor.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings, the main frame of the inachinc a is provided with rside plates a and a2 extending between which is a shaft b having idly mounted thereon a plurality of digit wheels c, c', c2, 03, c4 and c5 rotatable independently one of the other. It is a common practice in numbering heads of this line lf-l of character to also provide character wheels which are not actuated by the mechanisms actuating some of the digit wheels, but are nevertheless rotatable in order to permit the use o f the different characters thereon, or differentV groupings of such characters iii the event that a plurality of such wheels are used. The character wheels are indicated at d-Z respectively.

Each of the wheels c to c5 and cZ-al is provided upon one side thereof with a ratcliet wheel permanently secured thereto in any desiredV manner so as to be rotatable therewith, the ratchet wheels upon the respective digit land character wheels being indicated at c, c', c2, c3, et, c5, e6 and e7. These ratchet wheels are adapted to'be engaged by pawls pawl to ride such movement, and inthe Vevent ofa slight excess or insuificient movement thereof, to impart slight movement thereto Vin whichever direction mayv abe necessary to ensure proper aliiienient of the' various digits or characters. This general arrangementV and combination of parts is old and well known in this art, but is referred to merely as being to which my invention relates.

Idly mounted upon the shaft al is a swing frame g, the opposite arms ofwhich are positioned between the end plates c45-a2 respectively and the units* digit wheel 0 and the character lwheel d. VPivoted in this characteristic of the type of numbering head swing frame and s rinoressed towards the CD D variousratchet wheels, is a comb pawl g of the usual construction, which includes ak sequence of teeth, the first of which is adapted to engagerthe ratchetrwheel connected with the units digit wheel, and the rest of which are of graduated, decreasing heights so as to be inoperative with relation to the ratchet teeth upon the succeeding digit` wheels except when a transfer voperation is required with regardto the particular wheel with which each tooth adapted to co-oper- Y ate. f Y

Each ratchet wheel has a recess as e8 adjacent one of the teeth, which is adapted to be engaged by the co-operatiiig tooth of the comb pawl, when they digit 9 is in the printing position so as to permit the pawl to move towards the shaft and bring other teeth thereof into engagement with the ratchet wheel of the adjacent Vdigit wheel or wheels. f

One hub of the swing frameY g has formed thereon a segmental gear t in constant mesh with a segmental gear z' carried by a shaft y' pivoted in the side frame a. This shaft j has keyed or otherwise secured thereto a crank arm /hhaving an impact member 7c', preferably an antifriction roller, adapted to engage a. striker member forming a part ofV the numbering machine upon which the numberiiig head is adapted to be mounted. This crank arm is acted upon by a spring m of light tension which normally thrusts it towards the top'of theV end plate a until the operative relation of the gears h and z' will have the effect of limiting the movement of the crank and its shaft under the control of said spring in a position where the crank .lo and the impact member la carthe impression cylinder, and the inking roll ers, of the numbering machine.

The teeth of the various ratchet wheels are so setthatwhen the swing frame g is in the position shown in the several views of the drawings with thecrank r in the uppermost position, the comb pawl will engage a tooth of at least one of the ratchet wheels so -that upon the next actuation of the crank 7c, the digit wheel carrying the 'ratchet thus engaged will receive a onetenth revolution while power isV being ap`` plied directly to said crank arm by the striker member, and while said Spring is restoring said crank lc to its normal position to impart a return oscillatory movement to the swing frame g, said pawl will ride idly over the succeeding tooth of said ratchet wheel and come into a position engaging same preparatory to the next feeding movement. In this manner a positive actuation of the various digit wheels is assured and the sole function of the spring fm is a restoring action, t-hus permitting uniformity in the action ofV said spring irrespective of the number of digit wheels which are to be turned with the actuation of the swing frame. As a result, a spring mof light tension may be used.

' Under some conditions it is desirable to use numbering heads without progressively said mechanisms. This means in the form.

of the invention shown, consists of a lever fn, pivotally mounted at one end of the side plate d having thereon a bolt o adapted to enter a socket p formed in the perimeter of the segmental gear i.

In numbering heads of the type in which the digit wheels are actuated by a comb pawl, there is always a ytendency of adjacent digit wheels to adhere together as a result of accumulation and drying of ink between same, to correct which condition I have heretofore produced heads of this type in which each digit wheel is positively locked against rotation until the wheel of next lower de nomination has thedigit 9 in the printing position.

In a numbering head embodying my present invention, I combine with the other characteristics of the mechanism, such a locking Y means, although per se this locking means is old in this art. It may, however, be advantageous to comb-ine it with the other characteristics 'of the numbering head, and when it is so combined it imparts desirable characteristics to the head, particularly as with a slow actuating movement ofthe comb pawl under positive power, the likelihood of the accidental turning of digit wheels is greater than with the quick snap action of springs, which latter would have Va greater tendency to break an ink bond than would the slower movement resulting from the actuating mechanism employed in my present construction of numbering head.

The locking mechanism shown in the acconipanying drawings consists of a sequence of sockets g formed in the perimeter of all digit wheels above the units digit wheel and between the characters thereon, and a cooperating lever g associated with each digit wheel and having an angular head adapted to enter such sockets respectively. These levers are pivoted on a fixed shaft r adjacent the bottom of the head and each lever is acted upon by a spring, indicated at g2, and has a short arm or heel g3 operatively engaging a cam shaft s.' An actuating handle s is secured to the shaft s for imparting a turning movement thereto so that all of the locking levers may if desired, be simultaneously disengaged from the digit wheels with which they respectively cooperate, to permit the hand setting of the various digit wheels.

Each of the digit wheels, excepting the last of the sequence, and including the units wheel, has on one face thereof, opposite to that to which the ratchet wheel is secured, a cam groove indicated at t in F ig. 6, which groove is positioned outside the ratchet wheel of the adjacent wheel, and has a single rise and fall t so located that it will be in its operative position when the digit 9 of the wheel having the cam groove therein is in the printing posi-tion.

Each locking lever Q is provided with a thin bracket u entering the space between ICO the peripheries of adjacent digit wheels and i carrying asmall stud u entering the cani groove t of the wheel of next lower denomination.

The` operation of the herein described numbering head is substantially as follows Ordinarily a plurality of groups of numbering heads, 4as herein described, are mounted upon the numbering head cylinder of a numbering machine, such machines being so constructed as to permit adjustment of such heads circumferentially as well as longitudinally of said cylinder. It is because of this frequent adjustment of heads that the location of the crank 7c and its impact member la below the printing plane of the characters upon the various digit wheels and in a position where they cannot engage the impression cylinder and the inking rollers, is ot' primary importance. When the above conditions exist, adjustment of the numbering heads will lnot re quire new inking rollers, and all portions of the blanket of the impression cylinder will be in :i condition to permit the desired printing pressure at any point of the impression cylinder due to the fact that some portions ot the blanket are not subjected ythe dii'iierent lgroups of heads also being different according to tho number of iin-` pressions to be made oneach sheet and the contemplated length of a run.

Y During the operation oi" the machine, the functioning of each numbering head will be identical with that of every other, so that the detailed operation of but one head will be described. The printing characters upon each digit wheel are first inked and then brought into print-ing relation to thev impression cylinder. After an impression has been made, the continued rotation of the cylinder carrying the head brings the im` pact member 7; into engagement with a striker member on the machine so as to however, that the impact member 7c moves out of engagen'ient with said striker member, the spring m will impart a return movement to the crank 7c and, through the gears .it and 'fl and the shaft j, to the swing frame Q, the comb pawl g during such return oscillation ol' the swing frame as aV result ot the action of said spring, riding idly over the next tooth of the ratchet wheel e, but having no operative eifect upon the digit wheel c. Y

Upon the completion of this return n1ovement of the swing frame g and its pawl g',

Vprinting position, .the highest tooth of the comb pawl g will drop into the recess-cas of the units digit wheel ratchet wheel, thus permitting the next higher tooth to engage theratchet e of the tens wheel. During the next revolution of the numbering head, since one tooth of the comb pawl enga-ges one of'the teeth of the ratchet wheel e,

and another toothengages one ot vthe teeth` or'` the ratchet wheel e, the. movement ot the swing' frame as a result ofthe d'epresu sion of the crank 7c will turn both wheels simultaneously one-tenth of a-revolution in the manner above described. When both the units and tens wheels have the digit 9 in the printing positiointlie adjacent tooth will be brought into engagement with the .ratchet wheel c2, this relation being extend'- ed progressively to all wheels'oif higher denomination which are adapted to be actuatedby the comb pawl. All wheels not directly engaged by a tooth of thecoinb pawl remain idle. l

Owing to the fact that the number of sheets printed during a run of the numbering head during a day is never great, it is the common practice to provide for the automatic actuation ofbut four or five of the digit wheels, it being feasible to setthe hundred thousandth wheel, and sometimes the ten thousandth wheel, by hand.

lVhenever the digit 9 comes to theprint ing position, the rise t of the cam t formed in said wheel will, through the stud a and bracket il., disengage the locking lever Q from the wheel of next higher denomination, thus permitting the free rotation or' this wheel upon the next actuation of the numbering head, said locking lever or pawl immediatelyreengaging theV socket y of its wheel upon the comple-V the lockingv mechanism operative upon aV digit wheel, between the digit wheel thus released, and the units digit wheel, is set. The arrangement of the gears h and will ico liti

cause them to lock in a manner to check return reciprocatory movement of the crank cunder the control ofthe spring m in a manner to limit the upward movement of said crank and keep it below the printing plane of the digit wheels.

Since the various detent pawls f to f7 will have the usual function in securing alinement of the digit wheels of the numbering head, a detailed description thereof is therefore unnecessary.

If it be desired to prevent the automatic actuation of any of theV digit wheels, it is merely necessary to depress the crank 7c and engage the bolt 0 with the socket p in the gear c', thus holding the impact member 7c out of the operative relation to the striker member of the numbering machine, and preventing` a return movement of the crank 7c under the control of the springm, and a resultantY return movement of the swing frame. It is apparent that novexactitude is required'in the relation of the bolt o and the socket p, since if'theseparts prevent a full return movement of the crank ZJ, slight oscillatory movement may be` imparted thereto rby the striker without having any oper ative effect upon the digit wheels.

Vhile the wheels cZ-CZ are not subject to change during the operation of the head, I preferably extend the locking mechanism to these disks as well as the detent pawl mechanism, since the accidental operation of these disks is to be avoided and structural uniformity throughout Vthe head `is desirable.

Since the crank 7e acts at long leverage upon the shaft j, it is apparent that the movement of the-swingframe g `willbe very much slower than though strong. springs were used, and thatthe slowing down of the movement of the digit wheels will have a very strong tendency to minimize likelihood of overrunning of the wheels. Furthermore, by this positive operation of the swing frame and the actuating mechanism there# for, likelihood of a failure of the actuating mechanism to function isV practically eliminated, and thus inconveniences resulting from the accidental breakage of springs in heads as heretofore used, is obviated.

Since the spring m always has the same load, irrespective `of the number of digit wheels whichare to be turned, this spring may be made Vof fairly light tension, particularly as it has little work to do. All digit wheels will be actuated under exactly the samepconditions irrespective of the num# ber of wheels to be turned, since the power for' turning these wheels is derived from the main source of power ofthe numbering machine andl not from the energy of a spring or springs carried by the numbering head itself;v

, It is not my intention to limit the in-' ventionf-to` the pre'cisedet'ails of construc` tion shown in the accompanying drawings, it being apparent that such may bc varied without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to have protected by Letters Patent, is

l. A numbering head embodying therein a main frame, a xed shaft therein, a sequence of independently rotatable digit wheels mounted upon said shaft, a ratchet wheel carried by each of said digit wheels the ratchet wheels of the digit wheels of lower denomination having a recess therein, aswing frame mounted in said main frame, a comb pawl carried by said swing frame, the teeth of which are of graduated decreasing heights from the units digit wheel toward the wheels of successively higher denomination, actuating means operative upon said swing frame including therein an oscillatory member positioned in its entirety be-v low the printingplane of the characters upon said digit wheels, operative connections between same and said swing frame, and a spring acting thereon, the teeth upon said ratchet wheel co-operating` with a pawl being so set as to cause' movement ofV the wheel co`operating therewith with movement of sai'd member against the tension of said spring and to cause the pawl to ride upon said teeth with the actuation of said member by said spring.

2. A. numbering head embodying therein a main fra-me, a fixed shaft therein, a sequence of independently rotatable digit wheels mounted upon said shaft, a ratchet wheel carried by each of said digit wheels, the ratchet wheels of thedigit wheels of lower denomination having a recessA therein, a swing frame mounted in said main frame, a comb pawl carried by said swing frame, the teeth of which are of graduated decreasing heights from the units digit wheel toward the wheels of successively higher denomination, actuating means operative upon said swing frame including therein `an oscillatory member -positioned in its entirety below the printing` plane ofthe characters upon said digit wheels, a shaft carrying said oscillatory member, intermesh'ing segmental gears carried by said shaft and said swing frame respectively, and a spring acting upon said oscillatory member, the teeth upon said ratchet wheel cio-operating with a pawl being so set as to cause movement of the wheel co-operating therewith with movement of said member aga-inst lhe tension of said spring and to cause the pawl to ride upon said teeth with the actuation of said member by said spring. y

3. A numbering head embodying therein a main frame, a fixed shaft therein, a sequence of independently rotatable4 digit Awheels mounted upon said shaft, a ratchet wheel carried by each of said digit wheels, the

ratchet wheels of the digit wheels of lower denomination having a recess therein, a swing frame mounted in said main frame, a comb pawl carried by said swing frame, the teeth of which are of graduated decreasing heights from the units digit wheel toward the wheels of successively higher denomina-- tion, actuating means operative upon said swing frame including therein an oscillatory member positioned in its entirety below the printing plane of the characters upon said digit wheels, operative connections between same and said swing frame, a springV acting thereon, the teeth upon said ratchet wheel co-operating with a pawl being so set as to cause movement ofthe wheel co-operating therewith with movement of said member against the tension of said spring and to cause the pawl to ride upon said teeth with the actuation of said member by said spring, and means whereby said oscillatory member VIrfay be held against movement under the control of said spring.

4. A numbering head embodying therein a main frame, a fixed shaft therein, a sequence of independently rotatable digit wheels mountedupon said shaft, a ratchet wheel carried by each of said digit wheels, the ratchet wheels of the digit wheels of Vlower denomination having a` recess therein, a swing frame mounted in said main frame, a comb pawl carried by said swing frame, the'teeth of which are of graduated decreasing heights from the units digit wheel toward the wheels of successively higher denomination, actuating means operative upon said swing vframe including therein an oscillatory member positioned inits entirety below the printing plane of the characters upon said digit wheels, a shaft carrying said oscillatory member, intermeshing segmental gears carried by said shaft and said swing frame respectively, a spring acting upon said oscillatory member, the teeth upon said ratchet wheel co-operating with a pawl being so setas to cause movementV of the wheel co-operating therewith with move- Y ment of said member against the tension of Y said spring and to cause the pawl to ride upon said teeth with the actuation Aof said member by said spring, and means whereby said oscillatory member may be held against movement under the control of said spring.

5. A numbering head'embodying therein a main frame, a Yfixed shaft therein, a seque'ncek of independently rotatable digit wheels mounted upon said shaft, a ratchet wheel carried by each of said digit wheels, the ratchet wheels of the digit wheels of lower denomination having a recess therein, a swing frame mounted in said main frame, a comb pawl carried by said swing frame, the teeth of which are of graduated decreasing heights from the units Ydigit wheel toward thev wheels of successively higher denomination, actuating means operative upon said swing frame including therein an oscillatory member positioned in its entirety below the printing plane of the characters upon said digit wheels, a shaft carrying said oscillatory member, intermeshing segmental gears carried by said shaftand said swing frame respectively, a spring acting upon' said oscillatory member, the teeth upon said ratchet wheel co-operating with a pawl being so set as to cause movement of the wheel co-operating therewith with movement of said member against the tension of said spring and to cause the pawl to ride upon said teeth with the actuation of said member by said spring, the segmental gear carried' by the shaft to which said oscillatory member is attached having a socket therein, and a lever pivotally connected with the frame of the machine and having a bolt adapted to enter said socket when said member is depressed, whereby a return movement of said member under the control of said spring is prevented. Y

6. A numbering head embodying therein a main frame, a fixed shaft therein, a sequence of independentlyv rotatable digit wheels mounted upon said shaft, a locking member operative upon each wheel'of a den nomination higher than the units wheel, cooperating members carried by each of said locking members and the :wheel of next lower denomination than that upon which it is operative, whereby when the digit 9'of said wheel of lower denomination is inthe printing position, said locking member will be disengaged from its digit wheel, a ratchet wheel carried by each of said digit wheels, the ratchet wheels of the digit wheels of lower' denomination having a recess therein, a swing frame mounted in said main frame, a comb pawl carried bysaid swing frame, the teeth of which are of graduated decreasing heights from the units digit wheel toward the wheels of successively higher denomination, actuating means operative upon said swing frame including therein an oscillatory member positioned in its entirety below the printing plane ofthe characters upon said digit wheels, operative connections between same and'saidrswiug frame,

and a'spring acting thereon, the teeth upon said ratchet wheel co-operating with a pawl being so set as to cause movement ofthe wheel co-operating ytherewith withA movement-of said memberv against the tension of said spring and to cause the pawl to ride upon said teeth Vwith the `actuation of said member by said spring.

7.A numbering head embodying therein a main frame, a tiXed shaft therein,a-se quence of independently rotatable digit wheels mounted upon said shaft,a locking member operative upon each wheel of a de-` nomination higher than the units wheel, cooperating members carried by each of said locking members and the wheel of next low er denomination than that uipon which it is operative, whereby when the digit 9 of said wheel of loweiiI denomination is in the printing position, said locking member will be disengaged from its digit wheel, manually operative means whereby all of said locking members may be simultaneouslymade inoperative with relation to their respect-ive digit wheels to permit hand setting of said wheels, a ratchet wheel carried by each of said digit wheels, the ratchet wheels of the digit wheels of lower denomination having a recess therein, a swing frame mounted in said main frame, a comb pawl carried by said swing` frame, the teeth of which are of graduated decreasing heights from the units digit wheel toward the wheels of successively higher denomination, actuating means operative upon said swing frame including therein an oscillatory member positioned in its entirety below the printing planev of the characters upon said digit wheels, operative connections between same and said swing frame, and a spring acting thereon, the teeth upon said ratchet wheel cooperat ing with a pawl being so set as to cause movement of the wheel co-operating therewith with movement of said member against the tension of said spring and to cause the pawl to ride upon said teeth with the actuation of said member by said spring.

S. A numbering head embodying therein a main frame, a fixed shaftl therein, a sequence of independently rotatable digit wheels mounted upon said shaft, a locking member operative upon each wheel of a denomination higher than the units wheel, cooperating members ca-rried by each of said locking members and the wheel of next lower demnomination than that upon which it is operative, whereby when the digit 9 of said wheel of lower denomination is in the printing position, said locking member will be disengaged from its digit wheel, manually operative means whereby all of said locking members may be simultaneously made inoperative with relation to their respective digit wheels to permit hand setting of said wheels, a ratchet wheel carried by each of said digit wheels, the ratchet wheels ofthe digit wheels of lower denomination having a recess therein, a swing frame mounted in said main frame, a comb pawl carried by said swing frame, the teeth of which are of graduated decreasing heights from the units digit wheel toward the wheels of successively higher denomination, actuating means operative upon said swing frame including therein an oscillatory member positioned in its entirety below the printing plane of the characters `upon said digit wheels, operative connections between same and said swing frame, a spring acting` theretrol of said spring.

9. A numbering head embodying therein a main frame, a fixed shaft therein, a sequence of independently rotatable digit wheels mounted upon said shaft, a ratchet wheel carried by each of said digit wheels1 the ratchet wheels of the digit wheels of lower denomination having a recess therein, detent pawls operative upon said ratchet wheels respectively, a swing frame mounted in said main frame, a comb pawl carried by said swing frame, the teeth of which are of graduated decreasing heights from the units digit wheel toward the wheels of successively higher denomination, actuating means operative upon said swing frame including therein an oscillatory member positioned in its entirety below the printing )lan-e of the characters upon said digit wheels, operative connections between same and said swing frame, and a spring acting thereon, the teeth upon said ratchet wheel (3o-operating with a pawl being so set as to cause movement of the wheel co-operating therewith with movement of said member against the tension of said spring and to cause the pawl to ride upon said teeth with the actuation of said member by said spring.

10. A numbering head embodying therein a main frame, a fixed shaft therein, a sequence of independently rotatable digit wheels mounted upon said shaft, a locking member operative upon each wheel of a denomination higher than the units wheel, cooperating members carried by each of said locking members and the wheel of next lower denomination than that upon which it is operative, whereby when the digit 9 of said wheel of lower denomination is in the printing position, said locking member will be disengaged from its digit wheel, manually operative means whereby all of said locking members may be simultaneously made inoperative with relation to their respective digit wheels to permit hand setting of said wheels.I a ratchet wheel carried by each of said digit wheels, the ratchet wheels of the digit wheels of lower denomination having a re cess therein, detent pawls operative upon said ratchet wheels respectively, a swing frame mounted in said main frame, a comb pawl carried by said swing frame, the teeth of which are of graduated decreasing` heights from the units digit wheel toward the wheels of successively higher denomination, actuating means operative upon said` swing frame including therein an oscillatory member positioned in its entirety below the printing` plane of the characters upon said digit wheels, operative connections between same and said swing frame, a spring acting thereon, the teeth upon said ratchet wheel co-operating with a pawl being so set as to cause movement of the vwheel cooperating therewith with movement of said member against the tension of said spring and to cause the pawl to ride upon said teeth with the actuation of said member by said spring, and means whereby said oscillatory member` may be held against movement under the 15 control of said spring.

In witness whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature, in the presence of two sub scribing Witnesses, this 9th day of October.

AMOS H. SMITH.

Witnesses: Y

F. T. W'ENTwoRTH, FRIEDA Kommun.

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