US1756647A - Stamp canceling machine - Google Patents

Description

April 29, 1930. o. F. LEFEBVRE V1,756,647

v STAMP CANCELING MACHINE A Filed June 22, 1928 3 sheets-sheet ll Milli' JW' 'Il H" l' i |"lll" `n.

7 I '55% in April 29, 1930. o.-f=. LEFEBVRE 1,756,647

STAMP CANCELING MACHINE Filed June 22, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 l v J. y" lh' /nVen/"or l' 'lr 57 A ClfLe/Pebvr'e 73 l1* 1| Y By El "0* M Patented pr. 29, 1930 UNITED s'rAiEsl OMER FnANoIs LEFEBVRE, oF MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA STAMP CANCELING MACHINE Application filed June 22, 1928. Serial No. 287,514.

The present invention relates to improvements in stamp canceling machines for the purpose of vsimultaneously canceling the stamps upon mail matter and indicating thereon the name of post-office, the date year and other desired information.

The main object of the invention is to provide a simple and effective machine of the character described to uniformly, effectively and quickly cancel the stamps on mail matter. Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of this character, that will indiiierently cancel the stamps on mail matter of different size and thickness.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a machine in which the canceling operation begins intermediate of' the length of the postal matter and extends towards the edge thereof, thus providing for uniformity of printing.

The invention is hereinafter fully described and Claimed and is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a stamp canceling machine embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a side eleva-tion View of the same.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan View of the machine in its non-printing position.

Figure 4 is a similar view to Figure 3, showing the machine in the position when it begins printing. L

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary underside plan view of the means for controlling or timing the printing operation.

Figure 6 is an enlarged top plan view of the printing roller stamp.

Figure 7 isa longitudinal section on line 7-7 of Figure 5.

Figure 8 is a top view of the roller stamp, the cover orlid having been removed to disclose the inner mechanism when the stamp units are in their locked position.

Figure` 9 is a similar view to Figure 8, illustrating the stamp units in their unlocked position so that they may be removed.

Figure l0 is a side elevation view of Figure 6.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in each figure. i Y

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a base plate to support the mail matter and mounted on the brackets 2 on the casing 3, in which is located the gear train, said casing being supported upon the base 4 in which may be located vthe electric mot0r'5. vUponfsaid base plate l is provided a vertical wall 6 lo-` cated adjacent one end and the vertical walls 7 located adjacent the oppositeend of said base. Adjacent the wall 6 is provided the space 8 upon which the mail matter is placed, for feeding into the machine saidspace being closed on one side by the aforesaidwalls 6 and on the other side by the diagonal wall 9 and 10 are a plurality of parallel and diagonal sharp ribs upon which the said mail matteriengages, to insure for an even and regular feeding to the machinev and preventing the mail matter from backing the wall 9. Projecting through the suitable openings in the wall 6 are provided the feeding rollers 11 and l2, said feeding roller 12 being preferably covered with rubber, and is mounted opposite the feeding ,flexible fingers 13 which are resiliently mounted upon the crank leversY 14 fulcrumed at 15 andV held in operative position by means kof the adjustable springs 16.

The mail matter is preferably placed parallel to the wall 6,'the piece adjacent the wall being first engaged by the roller 11 and carried in between the feeder fingers 13 and roller 12 which feeds the piece to the-' driving rollers 18, 19, 2O and 21 which have for purpose the driving of the mail piece to the stamp roller 22 for the cancelingV operation.

The stamp roller 22 which will be hereinafter fully described is provided with a diagonal cut-out portion 23 and 24 is a companion movable pressure roller also provided with a diagonal cut-out portion 25, whereby, when said stamp and pressure rollers are revolved, as disclosed in Figure 3 of the drawings, a gap or space 26 is provided, in order that the mail piece 17 may freely passtherethrough to approximatively mid-way of its length when pressed forward by thedriving rollers, before being engaged by said stamp vided a` roller pin 49 VVwhich, upon rotation and pressure rollers 22 and 24 and the stamping and cancellation begins. 1

Adjacent said stamp and pressure rollers 22 and 24 are provided the guiding rollers 27. and 28 whose object is to carry the mail piece 17 after being canceled ont-oy the stacker 29. Suitableguideways 30 and 31 are alsopro vided between the rollers to eliminate `the crumpling of the mail pieces. The roller 28 tis" preferablyhniounted on' the flexible sup.-A

port 32.

The stamp roller which is mounted upon Y the stamp shaft 33`is controlled by the'timing finger 34 which is locatedbetween the rollers 18 and 19, and is pressed outwardly Y by the mail piece as it is .pressed forward and remains in this position until the piece has fully passed. Immediately after the said piece leaves the rollers 18 and 19, it disen- 1 gages the linger 34 which dropsinto its pri mary position, which simultaneously actuatesthe Vshaft 35 upon which it is mounted and moves the fulcrumed Vlever 36 spring held at 37. The said lever 36 presses downwardly thepawl-lever38 which passes through the spring held' vguiding bracket 39 and is pivotally connected at 40 to one end of the lever 41 which in turn is pivoted at 42.

The end of the lever 41 is bent Vat 43 to actuate the clutch member 44 mounted upon the stamp shaft 33..V The lever 41 is thus actuated by means of the dent-or pawl 45 which, when the lever 38 is pressed downward by the lever 36, engages the ratchet wheel 46 mounted upon the shaft 47. lThe movement imparted'to the lever 41 releases same from Contact with the clutch, which causes the drum48 to come into contact withV saidclutch to actuate the stamp shaft 33 and 40' stamp roller y22. As itwill be'readily under-V stood thestamp is operated only after the endof the postal piece 17 has left vcontact with the timing finger34, thus insuring a uniform and even stampingv and cancellationof the post-al matter. On the clutch 44 is proof said clutch, engages the,V cam member 50 thereby returning the lever 41 in its primary; position and also carrying bent end 43 in 5'0i yably connected to the motorv 5. The rollers 19 and 21 are mounted upon thecfleXible spring held supporting bracket 55. VThe stamp roller 22 isprovided with the side walls 56 and top and bottom plates 57. @ne side of said roller is flat and open at 58, and 59 is one or more suitable openings in which are located the removable stampunits 60 and 61. The saidV stamp roller is vprovided with a stub-shaft 62 upon which is mounted the stamp unit support -63and on one side .thereof isprovided a plate 64 hav- .ing a hook portion 65 adapted to engage a recess 66 in one of the stamp units 60.

The open portion 58 of the Ystamp roller ispreferably closed by the plate 67 which is hinged at 68"and spring held at 69, so as to l normally close said door or plate 67. said plate 67 is closed, a lug 70 thereonis made to `engage a corresponding. recess 71 Vinl .the side of the stamping unit.; AIt wlllithereforef readily be understoodV that v'when theplate 67 is closed, the stamp units'60- are lockedz in their respective position, and when said door or plate 67 is opened, the locking. lug 70 is disengaged from the recess and thereby-uit` n locks the said stamp unit for the purpose of Aremoving them to change the hour, dateand month whenever necessary. f The, stampunit 61 is preferably fixed by `means of .they screw 72. As thestamp bears the year, ityissupe posed to be changed only from yearitolyear,

and therefore does not require a fastening means that is quickly unlocked.r y The stamp roller is provided witha projecting tubular portion 73 .which` engages upon the end of the shaft 33-and issuitably locked thereon by'meansaof` the :pin 74, saidl shaft 33 imparting a suitable. rotationto the stamp roller. f

In the operation of employed in canceling postal-mattenjOne well known method consists in providing a stop7 which controls or'holds' the postalmatter at its kend until such time as the postalmatter already in the machine, has'been duly canceled. This methodis most irregularbe' .p cause of the dilculty in adjusting said stop,

which can hardly be depended upon. In the present invention it is fthe Apostal-matterv which controls the timing linger, said tim# ing nger being released to operate the stamp roller', only whenthe postal matter is in` its the presentinventionv it is desired to point out that anew methodis.

proper position for cancellation. It also places all the postal matter which may be of any thickness or size in identically` the same.

positiom so that cancellation will be theV same Y on all, thus providinguniformityY as well as precision.

The aforesaid described machine is onlya i preferred form of my inventiombut it must be understood that I reserve the rightto make any modification thereto, providing these modifications fall within the scope of the following claims of novelty. l' f What I claim as .my invention' is: I Y

1. A stamp-canceling mach-ineconsisting of a stamp roller and a pressure rolleran'd means to automatically stop said rollers until the rear end of postal matter fed thereto passes a predetermined point.

2. A stamp canceling machine consisting of a stamp roller and a pressure roller, means to automatically stop said rollers While feeding postal matter of varying length thereto and means controlled by said postal matter to actuate said rollers, so as to print on said postal matter from an intermediate portion to one end thereof, substantially as described.

3. A stamp canceling machine consisting of a stamp roller and pressure roller each having a cut-out portion in its periphery, means to automatically stop said rollers whereby a space is provided therebetween, means to feed postal matter between said rollers, and means to actuate said rollers to cancel said postal matter, said means being controlled by said postal matter and held in inoperativeposition during such time as said postal matter contacts therewith, substantially as described.

4. In a stamp canceling machine, a printing roller, means for feeding matter of varying lengths to said roller, and means whereby said roller begins to print intermediate the length of said matter and continues t0 one end thereof.

5. In a stamp canceling machine, a printing roller, an impression roller, and means controlled by the rear end of matter passing through said rollers to control said rollers to cancel postal matter passing therethrough.

6. In a stamp canceling machine, a printing roller, means for feeding matter to said roller, and means whereby said roller prints from a point intermediate the length of said matter towards' one end thereof, said means being controlled by the rear end of matter being fed to said rollers.

7. In a stamp canceling machine, means for printing on matter of varying lengths passing through said machine, and means whereby said machine begins to print intermediate the length of said matter and continues to the rear end thereof.

8. In a stamp canceling machine, a printing roller, an impression roller, a member adapted to be depressed by matter passing through the machine to prevent the turning of said rollers, said member being adapted upon the passage thereby of the end of said matter to permit theV rotation of said rollers.

9. In a stamp canceling machine, a printing roller, an impression roller, means for feeding matter to said rollers, a member in the path of said matter adapted to be defor printingv on matter ofy varying lengths passing through said machine, and means for beginning the printing operation a constant distance from the rear end of the matter and continuing toward one vend thereof.

11. In a stamp canceling machine, a printing roller, an impression roller, means adapted to stop said rollers, means contacting with said postal matter, said means causing said rollers to be released and revolved upon leaving contact with the postalmatter. v i

Signed at Montreal, Quebec, Canada,this 19th day of June, 1929.

OMER FRANQOIS LEFEBVRE.

flected thereby, said member being normally resiliently urged into the path of said matter, and means whereby the deflection of said member prevents operation of said rollers, while the return of said member to normal position permits the operation of said rollers.

10. In a stamp kcanceling machine, means

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