US1865610A - Art and apparatus for indelible marking - Google Patents

Description

July 5, 1932. R. s. BLAIR ART AND APPARATUS FOR I NDELIBLE MARKING Filed Dec. 13, 1925 4 R O T N E v N T WER FIVE Patented July 5, 1932 PATENT OFFICE ROBERT S. BLAIR, OF STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT ART AND APPARATUS FOR INDELIBLE MARKING Application filed December 13, 1928. Serial No. 680,355.

This invention relatesto the art of, and apparatus for indelible marking and with regard to its more specific features to indelible Writing, printin or the like.

One of the objects b the invention is to provide a practical and effective art whereby ma-rks incapable of removal or alteration may be applied to an object. Another object is to provide a practical art whereby in paper instruments, such as bank drafts, or

the like, may be dependably markedand protected a ainst alteration of the markin Another ob]ect is to provide apparatus efl1- cient in action for carrying on the above. art

in a convenient and practical manner. Other objects will be in part obvious or in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations .of

several steps and relation and order of each of the same to one or more of the others all as will be illustratively described herein,

and the scope of-the application of which will be indicated in the followifig claims.

In the accompanying drawing in whichare shown one-or more various possible embodiments of the several mechanical featermittent current is induced by the primary tures of this invention;

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representa-' detail certain parts detached from Figure 3, I Figure 5 is adia'grammatic representation of an electric circuit employed'in the apparatus of Figures 2, 3 and 4; and,

Figure 6 showsa fragment of material:

marked. with the above apparatus and parts of the apparatus. I i 46 Similar reference characters refer to simelements, arrangements of parts and in the ilar parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, in Figure 1 there is shown a base member 10 adapted to support a sheet of paper or similar material adapted to be written upon or marked in an manner. This base member 10 is prefera 1y grounded as at 10a and is formed of some suitable metal of suitable electrical conducting properties. Above the v base member 10 is shown a writing implement comprising an insulating shank or handle 11 and a point 12. The,point 12 may be an ordinary steel pen-point secured to the handle 11in any desired manner. Connectm ed with the point 12 and extending 'up through the handle 11 is a conductor 13. A

coil'14 is connected through lead wires 15 and 16 with the conductor 13 and the base member 10 respectively. Across the terminals of a battery 17 are connected a coil 18 and a buzzer by means of the two conductors 19 and 20. The buzzer comprising a core 21 anda spring retracted arm 22 serves to make and break the battery 70 circuit, thereby causing an intermittent current to flow therethrough. The coils 14 and 18 are. in inductive relation and thus an in'- a orv battery circuit in the secondary circuit -7 comprising the coil 14, the voltage being stepped up to the desired degree determined by the relative number of turns in the two coils. It may here be noted that the term intermittent is somewhat broadly used to 0 include any current of intermittently effec-' tive value as, for example, an alternating current of sufficiently low frequency. The

secondary circuit, it will be seen, is through the coil 14,.lead wire 15, conductor 13, point,

'12 to the base member 10 and thence back through the lead wire 16. r

The material to be marked such as a sheet of paper is placed upon the base member 10,

the primary circuitis closed by means of the 99 switch 23 and the pen-point 12 is moved across the surface of the paper as ordinarily in writing. The voltage intermittentl induced in the coil 14 causes electric spar s to intermittently pass between the point 12 and the base member 10 and through the paper interposed therebetween. The paper is therefore marked with the characters or figures drawn by the pen, the characters being burned thereinto by the intermittent sparks passing therethrough. The effect is a multitude of spaced irregular perforations or burns in the paper tracing the characters which are written with the pen. The irregularity of the resulting perforations where the sparks pass through the paper is of such nature that they cannot be covered up or erased. If desired, ink may be employed on the pen-point in the usual manner in conjunction with the sparking. I

Referring now to Figures 2 and 3, there is shown an apparatus adapted particularly for marking paper instruments such as, for example, bank drafts. There is provided a base member 24 having a rear upwardly extending part 25 terminating in a pair of laterally extending supporting members 26. The members 26 form bearings for the trunnions 27 of a rotatable cylindrical member 28 mounted therebetweeni The surface of the member 28 is provided with a plurality of longitudinal projecting surfaces 29. Upon these surfaces 29 are raisedin relief the characters which are to be reproduced upon the paper; For example, upon one of the surfaces 29, as shown in Figure 2, there may be raised the words Not over five dollars and the other surfaces 29 may be similarly marked for other words. A knurled handle 30 may be provided upon one of the trunnions 27 for turning the member 28 to bring the desired surface 29 to its lowermost position for marking with that surface. The entire apparatus thus far described is of metal and is grounded as shown in Figure 5 by means of a conductor 31.

Projecting upwardly from the base portion 24 are a pair of gui es 32 upon which slides a supporting member 33. To the sup port 33 is pivotally connected, as at 34, one

end of a curved plate 35. This plate 35 is adapted to form a support for the sheet of paper to be marked and is normally held in the position shown in Figure 2 by means of a spring 36, its arched upper surface being beneath the lowermost marking surface 29 of the member 28. A handle member 37 extending downwardly through the part 25 of the frame is connected at 38 to a lever 39 which is in'turn pivoted to the base 24 as at plate 35 moves upwardly its left-hand end, as viewed in Figure 2, engages the lowermost surface of the part 28 first, whereupon the plate 35 rocking about its pivot 34 the surface thereof in contact with the marking surface 29 is progressively moved to the right. In this manner the surface of the plate 35 is in contact with the part 29 substantially along only a single transverse line at one time.

Referring now to Figure 4, there is shown in enlarged detail a portion of the member 28, a raised part 29 thereon, and the letters or characters 29a formed in relief upon the surface of the part 29. Inserted between the raised letters 29a of the member 29 and the supporting plate 3'5 is shown a sheet of paper 42. As shown in this figure the plate 35 is formed of insulating material and inserted in its surface are a plurality of parallel spaced longitudinal strips 43 of conducting material, the strips being here shown as five in number. These strips 43 are insulated from each other by the material of the member 35, extend from one end thereof to the other end, as shown, and are positioned directly beneath the raised letters 29a when the latter are in posit-ion for marking. The surfaces of these strips 43 are preferably substantially on a level with the surface of the insulating support. As is diagrammatically shown in Figure 5, each of the conducting strips 43 is connected through a lead 44 with ,an individual coil 45 and then ground as at 46. Each of these coils 45 is in inductive relation with a coil 47 connected, for exanr ple, acrossthe terminals of an alternating current generator 48. A voltage is therefore induced in each of the coils 45 which tends to cause an alternating current to flow through each coil 45, the conductor 44 and strip 43 connected thereto, the raised letters 29a, the member 28, the conductor 31 and ground. Thus there is an individual alternating current impressed between each strip 43 and the surface of the part 29 opposite thereto when the strips 43 are brought near enough to the surface 29a to permit the current to pass therebetween. The coils 45 are each so proportioned to the coil 47 that the voltage in the secondary circuits is stepped up to the required degree from that in the primary circuit. The-circuit from the generator 48 through the primary coil 47 is controlled as diagrammatically indicated in Figure 5 by a switch 49. This switch 49 is preferably associated with the mechanism so that when the lever 37 is depressed to raise the supporting plate 35 the switch 49 automatically closes. For example, the contacts 49a and 49b of the switch 49 connected respectively with the conductors 50 and 51 on either side of the switch may be positioned as indicated in Figure 3. As shown in this figure the contact 49a is mounted upon the part Ill and insulated therefrom as by insulation 52. The contact 49b is mounted upon a spring arm secured to the lever 39 above its pivot and insulated therefrom as by insulation 53. Thus when the lever 37 is depressed, the contact 495 swinging about the pivot 40 engages the contact 49a and the circuit, through the primary coil 47, is closed. The parts are preferably so proportioned that this closing of the circuit occurs just before the supporting plate 35 comes into marking position against the raised letters 29a.

The sheet of paper 42 to be marked having been placed upon the su porting plate 35, in this instance, in inverted position, with the portion thereof to be marked correctly positioned over the strips 43, and the cylinthe surface 29 the current will jump therethrough between the adjacent portions of the surface 29 and the strips 43. As the plate 35 is further raised by the handle 37 it rocks upon the marking surface 29, the line ofcontact therebetween moving progressively to the right. As this action takes place electric current in the form of sparks passes between each of the respective strips 43 and the raised portion of the surface 29 which is closest thereto at any instant. There being. as shown in Figure 4, five strips 43, it is possible for sparks to pass through the paper at five spaced points at any one position of the plate 35. It will be seen, however, that this will occur only when there is a raised portion 29a of the surface 29 opposite the nearest part of the plate 35 which extends substantiall transversely 'of the st ips 43.

T e action of the appara us may be better understood by reference to Figure 6 wherein there is shown a portion of the surface 29 having the raised letters thereon, a portion of the supporting plate 35 with the metal strips 43 and a portion of the paper sheet 42 which has been marked. When the line of contact between the surface of the plate 35 and the member 29 is along the bar marked a of the letter N, for example, sparks pass through the paper between each of the strips 43 and this bar, resulting in a marking or perforation by burning the paper at the five points as indicated at a. As the supporting plate 35 now rocks, the line 'of contact moves to the right and thus successive portions of the raised bar marked 6 are brought in sparking relation with the separate strips 43 resulting in a row of spaced burns or perforations b on the aper. In this manner the paper is perftrated or burned by the sparks (passing therethrough at a plurality of space points which points trace the outline of the raised letters or other characters upon the marking surface 29. It is to be understood of course that a greater or lesser number of the strips 43, with their individual coils, might be employed, but it is found that the number shown in the drawing produces satisfactory results.

.The alternating current causes the sparking through the paper at the spaced points to be intermittent, but if desired, direct current with a buzzer in the circuit may be employed as described with regard to the apparatus of Figure 1. It may be noted that the various parts of the apparatus are grounded so that there is no danger of the operator 'receivini a shock. The perforations in the paper marking the passage of the sparks therethrough are irregular. in size and contour thus rendering erasure thereof in any manner impracticable. 'If desired, ink may also be employed as in printing in conjunction with the sparks.

From the above, it will be seen that there are herein provided an art and apparatus for carrying on the art which attain the objects of the invention and are well adapted to meet the requirements of practical use.

- As many possible embodiments may be made of the mechanical features of the above invention and as the art herein *described might be varied in various parts all without departing from the scope of the invention, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim as my invention:

1. The herein described art which consists in formin legible characters upon a medium adapted to receive them by mounting said medium in operative relation to a conducting member and rocking over the opposite surface of said medium a conducting member of predetermined form and of a substantial potential difference with'respect to said first conducting member.

2. The herein described art which consists in forming legible characters 11 on amedium adapted to receive them by rocking over one surface of said medium a plurality of members of predetermined form and impressing upon said members independent potentials such as to adapt each of them to spark through said medium at a plurality of relatively spaced points.

3. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a device adaptedto support a sheet of paper and means associated with said device adapted to discharge electric sparks simultaneously at spaced points through said paper to mark the same, said means comprising independent sources of current whereby the discharge through certain of said points is not shunted by the dischar e through others.

%11 apparatus of the class described, in combination, a pair of spaced conducting members adapted to receive a sheet of paper therebetween, one of said members being curved and elongated in the direction of its curvature, means for passing an electric current between said two conductors and of avoltage sufficient to pass through said paper therebetween to mark said paper, and means adapted simultaneously to roll said members relative to each other whereby the point of discharge through said paper is progressively changed along a predetermined line.

5. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a device having a marking surface formed of conducting material, a plurality of conducting members opposite thereto, means for supporting a sheet of paper between said marking surface and said conducting members, and means for passing electric sparks between each of said conductors and said marking surface and through said paper therebetween.

6. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a device having a marking surface formed of conducting material of such predetermined conformation as to form an intelligible character, a conductor positioned opposite said surface, means for supporting a a sheet of paper between said surface and said conductor, and means for passing electric sparks from spac'ed points on said marking surface to said conductor and through said paper therebetween.

7. In apparatus of the class described. in combination, a device formed of conducting material and having characters raised in relief thereon, means for supporting a sheet of paper in operative relation thereto, means for passing an electric current throu h said paper at spaced points correspon ing to spaced points on said characters to mark said paper and trace said characters thereon, and means adapted to prevent the current passing fromcertain points to shunt current away from others.

8. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a marking surface formed of conductingmaterial, a. conducting member positioned opposite thereto, means for supporting a sheet of paper between said-surface and said member, means for passing electric sparks between said surface and said member and through said paper, and means for bringing different points of said surface successively into sparking relation with different points of said member.

9. In apparatus of the class described,

combination, a marking surface formed of conducting material, a plurality of strips of conducting material positioned 0p osite said surface and extending substantial y parallel thereto, means for supporting a sheet of paper between said surface and said strips,

means for passing electric sparks between opposite points on said surface and said strips and through said paper, and means for bringing different points of said surface successively into sparking relation with said strips.

10. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a pair of spaced conducting members adapted to receive a sheet of paper therebetween, one of said members being inked, and having its surface in the form of an intelligible symbol, means for bringing said sheet of paper between said two members into marking relation with said inked member, and means for passing on electric current between said two members and through said paper therebetween.

11. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a marking surface of a shape to form an intelligible character, means adapted to support a sheet of paper, means adapted to bring said marking surface and said sheet of paper into rolling contact, and means for passing an electric current between said marking surface and said support through said paper during said rolling contact.

12. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a conducting member, a plurality of conducting members opposite thereto, means for supporting a sheet of paper between said first conducting member and said second conducting members, a separate source of electric current connected between said first conducting member'and each of said second conducting members and means for moving saidfirst conducting member into sparking relation with said second conduct in g members.

13. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a primary circuit having a switch therein, a secondary circuit having a pair of spaced terminals, means adapted to support a sheet of paper between said terminals, means adapted to move said terminals toward each other with said paper therebe tween, and means actuated by said last means adapted to control said switch one of said terminals having a vplurality of relatively spaced portions through which current is simultaneously passed. 7

14. The herein described art which consists in leading an electric potential to two terminals one of which is curved, interposi'ng a medium to be marked between said terminals, and relatively rolling said terminals whereby the point at which the current passes through and marks said medium is progressively changed thereon.

15. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a contact member, a second contact member of predetermined form, said v member comprising a plurality of relatively insulated contact portions, means adapted to bring said members substantially into en- I gagement with a piece of paper therebetween,

and means adapted to pass electric current through said relatively insulated parts to said first contact member, said current being of such voltage as to simultaneously spark from each of said parts through said paper.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 12th day of December, 1923.

' ROBERT S. BLAIR.

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