US1763392A - Check protector - Google Patents

Description

C.H.EPPLE CHECK PROTECTOR Filed Dec. 20, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet l 2,5 i j 12!. 2 35 I a 1 v a! INVENTOR. E1 CARL HEPPLE- 0 FIG. 10 o ATTORNEYS.

June 10, 1930. c. H, EPPLE 1,753,392

CHECK PROTECTOR Filed Dec. 20, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTORNEYS.

June 10, 1930. c. H. EPPLE 1,763,392

CHECK PROTECTOR Filed Dec. 20, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 9 INVENTOR. CARL HEPP E.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented June 10, 1930 1 1,763,392

dUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CARL H. EPPLE, F OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA CHECK PROTECTOR Application Med December 20, 1924. Serial No. 757,272.

My invention is a check protector of the view from the front with the front plate retype in which the numerals are printed on a moved. check on both sides anda visible register is Figure 4 is a partial transverse section of kept of the total of the checks so printed. Figures 1 and 2 on the line 44 in the direc- 5 An object of my invention is to encase all tion of the arrows and viewed from the rear,

the printing and a registering mechanism in illustrating the endless upper inking ribbon a housing in which it cannot be tampered with and the singlelower ribbon.

by an unauthorized person. Figure 5 is a plan view of Figure 4.

The printing is done by placing the check Figure 6 is a partial section of Figure 1 on ,1 p11 ferably face down on a platen and strikthe line 6-6 looking in the direction of the ing with the proper type from underne th, arrows, showing the operation of the escape- An inked ribbon or the like is provided to merit f r moving the check carriage.

cause an inking of the numerals or other des- Figure 7 is a section of Figure 6 on the ignation on the back of the check. In the line 77.

1 printing operation a register is automatical- Figure Sis a section of Figure 9 on the line g 40 Figure 1 is a plan view of my check proly operated by a system in which the keys 88 showing a cross section of the registerrepresenting the higher numerals have a ing discs.

longer stroke than the keys of the lower nu- Figure 9 is a vertical section of Figure 8 on menus-that is the numeral 9 has a stroke the line 9-9 showing a partial longitudinal nine times as much as the numeral 1, and in ction of the registering discs, and 3 such movement operates a rotating register Figure 10 is a fragmentary detail of the nine times the distance of the numeral 1. ype lever actuating mechanism.

In the specific embodiment of my invention The general assembly is as follows: the 2f the dollar, zero and numerals give a spacing front, back, left and right sides of the casing by moving the carriage holding the check or housing are indicated by the numerals 1,

through an escapement mechanism, and back 2, 3 and 4 respectively based on the base 5, spacers are provided giving either a one or the key board 6 and the printing platen 7 two back space. The numeral keys 9, period key 8, zero key 16 Another feature of my invention is the and dollar key 17 are conveniently situated at 30 provision of an endless inking ribbon supt front of the ey board and operate & P 9

ported to impress the printing on the back of 111g mechanism 10 striking through the inkthe cheek, ing device 11 against the check held in the This application is a continuation in part of f g Oh the platen A p g mechmy application, Serial Number 622,831, filed anism 13 is operated by the numerals and the M M h 5 1923 f a h k t t dollar and zero keys. The back spacer 14 is f" My invention will be more clearly undercontrolled y two y 9 106 glvlhg elthel' stood from the accompanying drawings, and a Single a double h P T humerspecification, in which: al keys operate a reglstering devlce 15 showing visible numerals. The rinting mechanism, with s ecial ref- .tectqr the top plates Shown erence to the type action, will fi st be dem lilgme 2 .omltte scribed as follows; attention being partic- B figure 2 1S a longitudmal vertufal siectlon ularly directed to Figures 1, 2 and 3 The zero of B lgure 1 the hue lookmg m the and dollar keys 16 and 17 have stems 18 each direction of the arrows, which is substantialbeing pivotallv Secured to one end f one f y a Side View with the right hand side Plate the long key levels 19. The other ends of said Omittedlevers are pivotally mounted on the back plate Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section of 2, and are normally elevated by tension 5 Figure 1 on the line 3-3 looking in the disprings 19 one end of said springs being serection of the arrows and is substantially a cured to the plate 2; levers 19 are connected by links 20 to short type levers 21, which are pivoted in a curved frame 22 secured to the key board 6. These type levers are connected to the type links 23, which through the usual type of pivotal mounting operate the type bars 25 by the usual bell crank construction 24, clearly shown in Figure 10. The period, zero and dollar type operating levers and links are shown in Figure 1, with the dol la P type bar shown dottedin striking position. This group is shown at the right slightly separate from the numeral group of type bars.

The numeral type bars are operated in a somewhat different manner. keys 9, as will be seen from Figure 3, are of different heights and have stems 26 of vary ing length passing through a stepped block 27, and contacting with a. spacing bar 28 which will be hereafter described. Each stem 26 is frictionally retained in its upper position by friction springs 26 secured to the key board 6, and has rigidly secured thereto a collar 29 which contacts with the steps of block 27 and in its downward movement engages printing stems 30, one of which extends upwardly through each step of the block 27. Said printing stem 30 is disposed to one side of the stem 26 and below the collar 29to be pressed downwardly thereby, as shown in Figure 2. These printing stems 80 are connected to the long key levers 19 and operate type bars 25 in a manner similar to that above described for the dollar, zero and period group. It will be noted that the short type levers 21 are of varying lengths. Both ends of the short type levers 21 form an are as shown in Figure 1.

The inking mechanism operated by the striking type bars is as follows, having reference particularly to Figures 1, 2, 4 and 5 the lower ribbon 31 is wound on the driven friction spool and on a finger operated spool 33, the periphery of which projects through an aperture 34 in the printing platen 7. The friction spool is driven by a worm wheel 35 which is intermittently operated by the worm 36 on the worm shaft 37, as hereafter described. There is sufiicient friction by any suitable means between the spool 32 and the worm wheel to give a forward drive and yet to allow the ribbon to be re-wound on the spool 33 by the linger. The ribbon 31 is held in a recess 38 in the printing platen 7 by means of lingers 39 suitably secured to the un der part of the platen, as shown in Figures 4 and 5.

The upper endless ribbon 40 is supported by a bracket 41 carrying the rigid frame 42, spaced above the top of the platen 7. A worm wheel 43 is mounted in the frame to engage the worm and by a suitable spool 44 drives the ribbon 40 over the idler spool 45 at the opposite end of the frame 42. An inking pad 46 is held in the frame in any suitable manner to contact either with the ribbon or the loose The numeral spool or with both. A suitable striking platen 47 for the type bars is formed of vulcanized rubber or the like suitably held in the frame 42.

The carriage for holding and moving the check to be printed is constructed as follows, referring particularly to Figures 3, 4 and 5: the platen 7 has two parallel longitudinal grooves 48 extending on both sides of the inking device 11 at the right hand end, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, and longitudinal slots 49, forming a slide for the carriage 50, which has short studs 52 extending through the slots and. connecting, to a lower transverse bar 51 to which is secured an operating elbow 53 whose connection with the carriage moving device is hereafter described; Arms 54 connected to the carriage slide in the grooves 48, and are provided with spring clips 55 to engage the check being printed, as shown in Figure 5. The carriage is moved from right to left so that the denominations printed will come in the proper position, but as Figures 4 and 5are views from the rear end, the carriage is shown moving from'left to right.

The main spacing mechanism connected to the carriage is as follows, havingrreference-to Figures 1, 2 and 3: a spacingshaft 56 has a journal 57 at the back 2and a bearing bracket 58 connected to the key board 6. A tension drum 59 is keyed, to the spacing shaft and carries a cable 60 attached to-a tension spring 61 secured to the side 3. Said: drum tends toturn thespacingshaft in a clockwise-direction, looking at it inthe direction of the arrows 3 in Figure 1, and it is given a step by step movement in the clockwise direction by an escapement mechanism hereafter described. A gear 62 keyed on the shaft 56 is meshed with a rack 63 sliding in a suitable bracket 64 and has a guide 56611165 sliding through a support 66 at theinner end of the bracket. The rack supports an adjust able arm-67 which has a yoke 68 at its upper end to engage the operating elbow 53 of. the carriage 50. In this construction the carriage is moved to.- wards the side 3 in accordance with the clock wise turning of the shaft 56 andtowards the side 4' on the back spacing anti-clockwise turning of the saidshaft.

The forward spacing as operated by the numeral keys is as follows: the main spacing levers 69 are pivoted atTO on the sides 3 and 4 and carry a front cross frame 71 supporting the spacing bar 28. As above described the numeral key stems 26'contact with-the spacing bar at their lower ends, preferably by buttons 72, and depress the spacing bar and spacing lever 69 different distances for each key. This movement, however, only causes a single spacing for each numeral through the special escapement mechanism hereinafter described. Each spacing lever 69 isurged upwardly by a spring 73 tensioned between the spacing lever and a pin 7 4 on the sides 3 and 4. A vertical link having a slot 76 engaging a pin 77 is connected at its upper end to an escapement lever 78 by a in 79. A downward motion of the numeral eys therefore oscillates the escapement lever 78 downwardly, as shown in F i ure 2.

The escapement mechanism is as follows, having particular reference to Figures 6 and 7 the escapementlever 78 is normally drawn upwardly by a spring 80 tensioned between the lever and a pin 80' on the side 4 and engages in its upper position a stop block 81 in the side 4. 'It oscillates an escapement pawl 82 adjustably secured on a rock shaft 83 suitably mounted on a transverse bracket 84 on the side 4. The spacing shaft 56 carries an are shaped escapement rack 85 having two sets of teeth 86 and 87 slightly staggered in relation to each other. When the pawl 82 is swung to the right, as shown in Figure 7, it releases the tooth 86 and engages the tooth 87 on the down stroke of the key. When the key is released the pawl 82 disengages the teeth 87 and engages the teeth 86, the rack 85 being given a slight rotary movement due to the tension of the spring 61 connecting through the tension drum 59.

It will thus be seen that it requires a down and an up stroke of the spacing mechanism to space from one tooth to the other of the teeth 86. Although the spacing bar 28 is depressed different distances according to the numeral, the pawl 82 can never become disengaged from the teeth 87 at extreme position for the greatest downward movement caused by the numeral 9 is not sufficient to cause the pawl to disengage both sets of teeth. During the back spacing the pawl swivels downwardly on its pin 88 swinging in a slot 89 and being returned to the position shown in Figure 6 by a spring 90, mounted in the pawl carrier 91.

The spacing actuated by thedollar and zero keys is as follows: a transverse spacing lever 92 (Fig. 3) is pivotally mounted on a bracket 93 secured to the side 4 and is connected to the long key lever 19 of the dollar and zero keys by link 94 and to a second escapement lever 95 by a link 96 having a slot 97 engaging a pin 98 on the lever 92. The downward press ing of the dollar and zero keys moves the long key lever 19 as heretofore described. Said lever 19 moves the link 94 and the spacing lever 92. The pin 98 on said spacing lever engages the lower end of the slot 97 and pulls the link 96 downwardly which, in turn, actuates the escapeme'nt lever 95 and the rockshaft 83; The pawl 82 is oscillated by said rockshaft 83 as heretofore described. The slot 76 in the link 75 and the slot-97 in the link 96 are to allow one of these links free downward movement when the other is engaged by the corresponding levers 69 or 92 that is when the main spacing bar 28 is depressed it will not depress the dollar and zero keys and vice versa.

The ribbon feed is operated by the main spacing bar 28 as follows, reference being had particularly to Figures 1, 2 and 4: a pinion 99 keyed on worm shaft 37 is rotated intermittently through the medium of the gear 100 rotatin on a stud 101 secured to the side A rib on actuating lever 102 is pivoted to the stud 101 and carries a spring pressed pawl 103 into engagement with the teeth of the gear 100. A link 104 connects the left hand main spacing lever 69 and the ribbon actuating lever 102, and thus when the spacing bar 28 is depressed by any of the numeral keys it partially rotates the gear 100 and the pinion 99, thereby driving the worm shaft 37, worm 36, worm wheels 35 and 43, and thereby actuating the band ribbon 31 and the endless ribbon 40. The ribbon will be moved variable distances depending on which numeral key is depressed, but this is immaterial so far as the operation is concerned.

The back spacing mechanism is as follows: Spacing keys 105 and 106 are disposed above the keyboard 6, and are secured to the ends of stems 107. The stem of the key 105 is twice as long as the stem of the key 106. Back spacing levers 108 are pivoted on the shaft 56. Spacing ratchets 109 and 110 are keyed to the shaft 56, each being adjacent to one of the levers 108. A pawl 112 is pivotally mounted on each spacing lever as at 113, so as to engage the ratchets 109 and 110. An arm 111 extends from each pawl 112 above the pivot point 113 thereof and the end thereof is held in contact with the bottom of the respective stems 107, by means of a spring 114, one end of which is secured to the keyboard 6. A pin 115 protrudes from the side of the lever 108, opposite said pawl and is engaged thereby when the pawl is withdrawn from the ratchet by the action of the tension spring 114, thereby turning said lever 108 upwardly. Said latter turning movement of the lever and the pawl. moves the stem 107, which movement is limited by a collar 116 secured to said stem and abutting against said keyboard 6.

The back spacer operates as follows: WVhen the key 106 is depressed the stem 107 moves the arm 111, thereby moves the pawl 112 into engagement with the ratchet 110. Further downward movement of the stem 107 turns the lever 108 downwardly, thereby rotates the ratchet 110 and the shaft 56 against the turning action of the tension drum 59. The turning of the shaft 56, and the gear 62 causes the rack 63 and the carriage 50 to move towards the wall 4. As the key 105 has twice the movement of the key 106, it rotates the spacing shaft 56 twice the amount.

The back spacing mechanisms operated by each of keys 105 and 106 are substantially similar, key 105 being provided for the purpose of enabling a double spacing of the I carriage to" be efiected by a single manual operation. 2

The operation of the printing mechanism as a whole may be briefly described follows: presuming that the carriage is stationary in its extreme left position as shown in Figure 1. or the right as shown in Figures & and 5 it is in position to receive a check for printing. Presuming this to be for $1.79 the double spacing key would be pressed twice thereby moving the carriage four spaces to the right. the dollar sign would be printed which requires a space, the numeral one would then be printed, which requires a spac the period would then be printed, which does not give a space, the seven would be printed actuating a space and the nine printed, completing the number. The machine as illustrated can be designed to print any desired amount merely depending upon the length of the carriage slide and the rack governing this slide.

In the printingoperation the type carried by the type bars strike upwardly against the lower ribbon 31 and print directly on the face of the check which is faced down on the platen 7 and an inked printing is formed on the back, due to the inked ribbon &0 between the back of the check and the striking platen 4:7.

The registering mechanism to indicate the total amount of the checks printed is as follows, having reference particularly to Fig ures 1, 2, 3. 8 and 9; this mechanism is substantially the same as shown in my co-pend ing application above mentioned, the registering discs being of similar construction. registering gear 117 is slidably mounted on a square shaft 118 having fixed journals in the side 3 and the frame 119 secured to the key board 6. The shaft 118 carries a fixed gear 120 adjacent the side 3 which meshes with a large adding gear 121 suitably journaled to the side 3 on the stud 122; a spring pressed pawl 123 is carried by a pawl lever 12& swivelled on the stud 122. which lever is actuated by a link 125 connected to the left hand spacing lever 69.

The registering gear 117 has a collar 126 in which is engaged a vertical yoke 127 carried by a sleeve-128 sliding on a rod 129 mounted in the frame 119. A bar 130 extends from the yoke 127 to a rack 131 which is supported by a bracket 132 on the side & in mesh with a denomination gear 133 keyed on spacing shaft 56. By this construction when the spacing shaft is operated moving the carriage from the right to the left, as shown in Figure 1, the recording gear 117 is also moved from right to left. It is likewise moved in the back spacing through the medium of the keys 105 and 106 simultaneously with the carriage The registering discs and their immediate actuating mechanism are substantially the same as shown in my co-pending application above mentioned. and are constructed as follows, having reference particularly to Figures 2, 8 and 9. A fixed shaft 13& is mounted in a. register carrying frame 135 supported by the frame 119 and carries a plurality of sleeves 136 one over the other, with gears 137 on each sleeve at their right hand end, as shown. In Figures 1, 3 and 9 the sleeves carry registering discs 138 each bearing numerals 0 to 9. The discs 138 are spaced by stationary plates 139 supported by the register carrying frame 135. Ten holes 1&0 are formed in one side of each of the discs 138, a hole below each number on each disc. A juxtaposed face of the adjacent disc to the right has a pin 1&1 carried by a cam 1&1 in a set let 3 and is pressed against the face of the stationary plate 139 by means of a spring 1&1 in said socket during the rotation of the disc until the depressed cam surface 1&2 in the plate is reached. The cam surface 1&2 is so formed that while the cam 1&1 rides the full length thereof, the pin 1&1 carried by said cam riees in the slot 1&3 and in engagement with one of the holes 1&0 in the adjoining disc 138, and rotates said disc one-tenth of a turn. The cam surface is so curved adjacent to the end of the slot 1&3, that it elevates the cam 1&1 sufiiciently high to withdraw the pin 1&1 from the slot 1&3, whereupon the pin 1&1 will ride upon the curved cam surface and will press the cam into said socket 1&5. compressing the spring 1&&. The pin will then ride a full revolution with the first disc and on the face of the stationary plate 139 before it engages the succeeding hole of said adjoin ing disc. Thus a disc of a lower denomination in one complete revolution rotates the adjacent disc of the next higher denomination one-tenth of a turnthat is one numeral. The discs are frictionally retained from ro tat-ion unless positively driven by the gear 117 meshing with any one of the sleeve gears 137 by a detent arrangement (see Figure 2). The register frame 135 carries a series of levers 1&6 having det-ents 1&7 pressed against the teeth of the gears 137 by the compression springs 1&8.

The operation of the registering mechanism above described is as follows, presuming the check is being printed as above mentioned for $1.79. The spacing shaft 56 through the medium of the denomination gear 133 and rack 131 positions the recording gear 117 in mesh with the fourth sleeve gear 137 from the left. as shown in Figure 1. The marking of the dollar, zero or period sign does not operate the register as this is only actuated through movement of the spacing bar 28. The depressing of the numeral 1 will depress the spacing bar what may be designated as a unitary distance until the collar 29 on the stem 26 contacts with the upper step. This rotates the gear 121 through the meoium numeral key 1 spaces the carnage as described of the pawl 123 what may be designated a unitary distance rotating the gear 120 and shaft 118 a unitary distance, thus the dollar register disc 138 is rotated one-tenth of a turn-that is one digit. The depression of above. The 7 numeral key depresses the spacing bar seven times as much as the one key-that is until its collar 29 contacts with the seventh step and the gear 117 meshing with the tens sleeve gear 137 rotates the tens disc 138 seven-tenths of a turn-that is through the space of seven digits.

The printing of this numeral shifts the carriage and gear 117 into mesh with the units disc gear 137; depressing the numeral 9 acts in the same manner turning the units register nine digits. It will be noted that each numeral key rotates the gear 121 and 120 various multiples of the 1 key. As the lower denomination disc automatically carries the high denomination one digit for each complete turn, the machine automatically registers the total of the checks printed and registered.

No mechanism has been shown for back spacing the register, and it is not intended to do so, but to shown a cumulative re 'ster, the total of the checks printed each ay being determined b subtracting the former from a later recor The machine as shown can register up to $999.99, when it will repeat.

The platen 7 is preferably hinged to the key board 6 as at 155, shown in Figure 2 and may be elevated to supply a new ribbon 31 and to clean the keys, etc. This platen would preferably be locked to the back 2. It will thus be seen that all the operating mechanism is encased and locked.

While I have shown but one form of my check protector, it is capable of considerable modification within the scope of the invention as evidenced by the appended claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A check protector and register comprising in combination a printing mechanism having type bars, a stepped guide block, type operating stems slidable therein, an operative connection from the stems to the type bars, a plurality of numeral keys having stems extending through the stepped block, collars on said numeral stems to engage the type operating stems, said type operating stems having a fixed travel for all the stems, and the numeral stems having a variable travel in accordance with the indication of the numeral, and means actuated by the numeral stems to operate the register.

2. A check protector and register comprising numeral keys arranged in stepped relation and having a variable travel proportional to the value of the numeral, vertical stems on said keys, collars on said stems arranged in horizontal relation, stepped stems adapted to be moved by said collars through a constant vertical distance to actuate a printing mechanism, and register mechanism including a lever adapted to be moved through different angles proportional to the travel of said numeral keys.

3. A device of the class described, comprising a set of numeral keys, slidable stems on said keys, a stepped block to limit the movement of said keys according to the respective values thereof, a bar adapted to be moved by said stems through varying distances, a plurality of registering discs, nested sleeves for actuating said discs, and a gear fixed to each of said sleeves and adapted to be actuated by the movement of said bar.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CARL H. EPPLE.

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