US1943473A - Cash franking machine - Google Patents

Description

Jan 16, 1934. w. FRIEDRICHS- 71,943,473-

' CASH FRANKING ucanm Original Filed'Aug. s. 1922 7 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 16, 1934 w. FRIEDRICHS 1,943,473

' CASH FRANKING ucums Original Filed Aug. 8.1922 '1 sheets sheei 2 Jan. 16, 1934. w. FRIEDRiCHS CASH FRANKING ucanw .Originaljiled Aug. 8; 1922 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Inventor:

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7 Sheets-Sheet. 5

Jan. 16, 1934.

w. FRIEDRICHs CASH FRANKING min:

Original Filed Aug. 8. 1922 r Shoots-Sheet s w. FRIEDRIGHS CASH FRANKING lucaruz on mal Filed Aug. 8; .1922

Jan. 16, 1934 7 Sheets -Sheet Patented Jan. 16, 1934 7 1,943,473 CASH FBANKING MACHHVE Wilhelm Friedrichs, Berlin, Germany Original application August 8, 1922, Serial No. 580,450, and in Germany August 10, 1921. Divided and this application December 20, 1928. Serial No. 327,396

12 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements, in franking machines of the kind which. prints franks of various values, and has for its principal object to provide such a machine having locking mechanism which unlocks the machine ready for use for instance when a token is inserted therein according tothe invention. The locking device is under the control of a totalizing device which adds the values of the franks imlfl pressed, and, when their sum reaches a predetermined amount, operates the locking device to prevent further operation of the rrachine until the old token is replaced by a new one.

The present application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 580,450, filed August 8th, 1922, now Pat. No. 1,741,927, granted Dec. 31, 1929, and covers the arrangement of the totalizer, its operating mechanism and the locking mechanism for the machine controlled thereby.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred form of the invention Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the machine with portions of the casing removed,

Figs. 2 and 2a are together a longitudinal section through the machine which has been divided to enlarge the scale,

Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line III-III of Fig. 2a,

Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line IV-IV of Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 is a cross section on the line V-V of Fig. 2a,

Fig. 6 is a cross section on the line VI-VI of Fig. 2a,

Fig. 'I is a section on the line VII-VII of Fig. 2,

Fig. 8 shows in side elevation the locking mechanism in looking position,

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 showing the locking mechanism in position to be released by moving the control member,

Fig. 10 shows in side elevation the motor cou pling in coupling position,

Fig. 11 is a similar view showing the coupling in uncoupled position, and

Fig. 12 is a front elevation showing the coupling in the position of Fig. 10. Y

The .machine will first be briefly described with reference principally to Fig. 1 so that the general operation will be understood.

In the casing of the machine there is rotatably mounted a horizontal shaft 17 which projects through the casing and has fixed to its end a hand wheel 19 whereby it can be turned.

Within the casing there is flxed on the shaft 17 a drum consisting of two disks 1 and 2 and a series of stamp rollers 3 rotatably mounted at equal intervals around the periphery of the drum on shafts 3a. extending across between disks 1 and 2. The stamping rollers represent different values as indicated and the stamp of proper value for each letter is brought'into operative position below counter-pressure rollers 39 by means of hand wheel 19.

The letter to be stamped is now introduced between the printing roller 3 and the counterpressure rollers 39. It is at first engaged only by the counter-pressure rollers 39 and the advancing rollers 38. By the engagement of the forward edge of the letter with a key 40 (Fig. 2a), the printing roller 3 is coupled to the driving mechanism for a single revolution, so that it prints the stamp on the letter, and the value'is added in the totalizer 10. As soon as the totalizer exceeds a certain value it operates a locking device which prevents further operation of the machine.

Simultaneously with the locking of the printing mechanism a drawer 67, which has been held in by a stop until this time, is released so that it can be pulled out. In this drawer there is a card which, upon the locking of the machine, has been stamped with the total value shown in the totalizer 10 and with a consecutive number. This card is now exchanged for a new one and the drawer 67 again shoved in. By the shoving in of the drawer the machine is released for further operation and the drawer is again locked For the attainment of the above described results"the machine is constructed in the following manner:

In the form of construction shown in Figs. 1 to 7 single printing devices 3 are mounted on shafts 3a arranged in a circle between disks 1 and 2, only one of these printing devices 3 being shown in Fig. 2a. The arrangement of the shafts 3a of these printing devices is shown in Fig. 3.

The individual printing devices are freely revoluble upon their shafts and are rigidly connected with driving wheels 4 which are driven by transmission gears 5 and 6. Each gear wheel 6 is keyed upon a shaft 7 which carries wheels 8 adapted to actuate a totalizer 10 through the 7 intermediary of toothed wheels 9a (Figs. 4 and 7) in mesh with toothed number wheels 9 of the totalizing mechanism. The number of wheels 8 on the shafts 7 varies from one to three depending upon whether the value of the printing device connected to that particular shaft has one, two, or three digits. The first wheel 8 on the right (Fig. 2) cooperates with the units wheels of the totalizer 10, the second with the tens wheel, and the third with the hundreds wheel. Each wheel 8 has a number of teeth proportional to the value which it represents, the proportion depending upon the ratio of transmission between the wheels 8 and the number wheels 9.

In the embodiment shownin the drawings it requires a movement of the wheels 8 for a distance of two teeth to cause the number wheels. with which they cooperate to advance to the next higher figure. The shaft 7 which operates with the printing device 3 having a value of 10 has a number wheel 8 for actuating the tens wheel of the totalizer, but none for actuating the units wheel, because the number 10 has one ten and no units. This wheel 8 has two teeth which engage the toothed wheel 9a of the tens number wheel when the shaft 7 is rotatedduring the printing of the stamp, and thereby. advance the tens number wheel to the next higher figure. It will be seen that the shaft 7 cooperating with the printing device having a value of 15 has a units wheel 8 with ten teeth and a tens wheel with two teeth, while the-shaft 7 cooperating with the printing device having a value of has only a tens wheel 8 with four teeth, etc.

The last disk of this totalizing mechanism has ten pins 11 which after the completion of each tenth revolution of this last disk act upon a locking device for the drive which will be hereinafter described. In the form of construction shown by way of example the totalizing mechanism comprises six places so that the, locking is effected each time franks to the value of 1000 dollars have been applied. I

Upon each shaft 7 is mounted a printing block 12, above which is a counter-pressure roller 13, which, after the completion of each revolution of the individual printing device, is pressed against a paper strip conducted between the printing block 12 and the counter roller 13.

Upon the printing block 12 the franking value of the individual printing device is indicated so that this value is printed upon the strip.

Upon the end of each shaft 7 a bevel gear is keyed, which meshes with a second bevel gear and operates thus a counting mechanism 15 which indicates the total value of the frankings which have been printed by the corresponding individual printing device. The ends of shafts 7 are mounted in a circular plate 16. The plates .1, 2 and 16 are arranged upon a shaft 17 which is revolubly mounted in the frame 18 of the machine. This shaft 17 has uponits outer end a hand wheel 19 designed to revolve shaft 17 and consequently the disks 1; 2 and 16 so that any Y 7 a clutch member 22 (Figs. 2a and 3) is keyed the inner surface of which is in contact with the circumference of a disk 23 rigidly fixed upon the frame 18. The contact surface of each clutch member 22 is arcuate in accordance with the circumference of disk 23 so that it is held against rotation by disk 23. At the point at which the clutch member 22 of the individual printing device 3 which is actually in the operative position is situated, the disk 23 is cut away as indicated at 23a in Fig. 3, so that at'this point the clutch member 22 can freely revolve in the cut away part. The shafts 7 are thus locked in all positions except in their operative positions.

Opposite to this operative position of the shafts 7 a disk 24 is revolubly mounted upon shaft 25.

This disk '24 has an arcuate projection 26, the center of its are being at the shaft 17. Projection 26 engageswith a correspondingly shaped longitudinal slot 27 of the clutch member 22 which is in the operative position so that shaft 7 and disk 24 are coupled together.

Disk 24 isprovided with an eccentrically located hole in which is revolubly mounted a stub shaft 28b. On one end of stub shaft 28b is rigidly fastened a clutch member 28 having a projection 29. On the other end thereof is rigidly fastened an arm 280, to the free end of which is attached a spring 63. The other end of spring 63 is attached to the disk 24.

Projection 29 is bounded upon its side away from the centre of disk 24 by a cylindrical surface which is concentric to the centre of disk 24 when the cylinder 28 stands in one of its extreme positions.

Upon shaft a second disk 30 is revolubly mounted one face of which is rigidly connected with a toothed wheel 31. A boss 32 projects from its other face. This boss is so arranged that, as long as projection 29 of clutch member 28 is in the-position shown in Fig. 3, it can freely pass along the projection 29. Projection 29 is held in this positionby pawl 33. Spring 63 tends to turn it to its other extreme position.

The toothed wheel 31 is driven from toothed wheel 34 with the aid of one or several intermediary wheels. Toothed wheel 34 is keyed upon the crank shaft 35. Crank shaft 35 may be driven by crank 6,1 or by power'means which will be described .later.

Upon the hub of toothed wheel 34 an annular projection 36 'is arranged which has a pin 36a designed to act-upon a crank 37 on the shaft 3a which is in operative position. Circular disks 38 are keyed upon shafts 3a and serve as feeding rollers for the mail to be franked.

Upon this shaft 3a the individual printing device 3 is revolubly mounted which is rigidly connected with the toothed wheel 4 as has already been mentioned above. .Above the feeding rollers 38 and the individual printing device 3 the counter pressing rollers 39 are arranged which serve to maintain the letter or mail in contact with the printing device.

It will be seen from the structure so far described that any one of the individual printingdevices desired may be brought to operative. position by rotating the hand wheel 19, and locked in position by the pawl 21. The drive shaft 7 of the printing device which has been moved into operative position will have become coupled to the drive shaft 25 by the clutch members 22 and 26, so that when shaft 35 is turned, and projection 29 of cylinder 28 has been turned into the path of boss 32, in a manner to be presently described, power will be transmitted from shaft 35 and gear 34 through intermediary gears to gear 31, thence through disk 30, boss 32, projection 29, clutch member 28, disk 24, projection 26, clutch member 22, shaft 7, and gears 6, 5, and 4 to printing device 3. At the same time power will be transmitted from shaft 35 through profeed rollers 38. Postal matter inserted between feed rollers 38 and pressing rollers 39 will be fed through these rollers and at the same time printing device 3 will be rotated and print the desired frank upon the postal matter.

The mechanism whereby member 28 isturned at the proper time to bring projection 29 into the path of lug 32 to couple the stamp for a rotation is described in detail in my aforesaid copending application. It will suffice here to say that feeler (Figs. 2a. and 3) is arranged at rollers 38 and 39 so as to be engaged by a letter as it starts through the machine, and that this feeler is connected by a system of levers with pawl 33, which it draws out of engagement with the notch of member 28, permitting spring 63 to turn projection 29 into the path of lug 32. Two oppositely directed pawls 54 and 60 engage notches in the disk 24 to hold the same in position of rest, the pawl 54, which opposes forward rotation of the disk, being permitted to move out of the way when the pawl 33 has been drawn out of operative position by the insertion of a letter.

Before disk24 has made a complete revolution, the feeler 40 has been. released from the front edge of the letter and pawls 33 and 54 are.

released to the action of springs which hold them in readiness to drop into their notches as disk 24 completes its revolution. Pawl 33 comes into action a little ahead of pawl 54 and uncouples projection 29 from lug 32.

The individual printing devices are inked in the well known manner by an inking roller and inking ribbon or the like. Each individual printing device carries a die with the value, the designation of the country and other inscriptions. The inking device has not been shown on the drawings in order to-avoid unnecessary complication. In the frame of the machine a drawer 6'7 is arranged in guides 68 (Figs. 1, 2c, 5 and 6). This drawer has a lid 69 adapted to be lifted and serves for the reception of a ticket 67a designed to control the operation of the machine, said ticket filling the free inner space of the drawer completely. After the insertion of the ticket the lid is closed and the drawer is pushed in. At the extreme inner position of the drawer a pawl '70 comes in engagement with a notch 87 in the lower surface of the drawer so that the drawer is locked and cannot be pulled out again until pawl '70 has' been moved out of notch 87 upon locking ofthe machine by the totalizer.

Upon the drawer a device is arranged which prevents the insertion of the drawer as long as the same has not taken up the ticket" of the prescribed conformation. This device consists essentially of a feeler'7l whose nose 71a can pass through openings in the lid and in the bottom of the drawer. The feeler '71 is pivoted at '72 upon the drawer; it has an arm '73 with stud '74 which engages with a slot '75 of the link '76. This link '76 is pivoted at '77 to a lever '78 rigidly connected with the lid 69 of the drawer. A spring '79 attached at one end to the link '76 and at its other end to the arm '73 of the feeler'71 tends to oscillate arm '73 in anticlockwise direction so that its stud '74 is always in contact with the left hand end of slot '75.

If lid 69 is in the open position the link '76 pushes the stud 74 towards the right so that the feeler is brought into the position indicated in dash and dot lines and held in this position, in which the nose 71a of the feeler '71 stands over the openings of the drawer and does not engage with the same. If the lid is closed without a ticket having been previously inserted into the drawer the link '76 and the spring '79 attached to the same draw along arm '73 of the feeler so that this feeler is oscillated in anticlockwise direction so that its nose 71a engages with the openings of the drawer. The nose projects frornthe lower surface of the drawer and strikes against an abutment if an attempt is made to push the empty drawer into the machine.

- If,- before the lid 69 is closed, a ticket 67a has been placed in the drawer the feeler comes in contact with the upper surface of this ticket when the lid is being closed. The lid can nevertheless be completely closed as slot 75 and spring '79 permit the link '76 to move further to the left without the feeler '71 being drawn along. The drawer can now be pushed into the machine without any impediment.

As stated above the pawl '70 engages with an indentation in the bottom of the drawer 6'7 when this drawer is at the inner extreme position; This pawl '70 is fulcrumed at- 81 to the frame of the device and its other end is articulated at 82 to a rod 83. As long as the drawer has not reached its inner extreme position pawl '70 will be pushed back by the bottom of the drawer so that rod 83 is in the raised position. In this position of rod 83 the nose of an angle lever 85 pivotally connected with rod 83 and fulcrumed at 84 is in engagement with one of a number of pins 86 of a ratchet 86a coupled with :the driving mechanism. As soon as pawl '70 engages with the catch 87 of the bottom of the drawer, rod 83 is lowered and the nose of the anglelever 85 releases the ratchet so that the driving mechanism which has been locked can now freely operate. Rod 83 is further exposed to the action of adevice which is controlled from the totalizer and which has the purpose to lock the drive as soon as the franking prints have reached a determined total value. This mechanism will now be described.

As mentioned above, the last disk 10a of the totalizer has a series of ten pins 11 arranged on its outer face at equal intervals along its circumference. A disk 89 having an abutment 88 is revolubly mounted on the frame of the machine in such a position that the abutment 88 engages the pins 11 consecutively as the ,disk 10a rotates. Consequently each time disk 10a makes a tenth revolution one of the pins 11 will strike the abutment 88 and oscillate disk 89.

This part rotation of the disk 89 is sufficient to move an indentation 90 of the same in front of nose 91 of an angle lever 91a, pivoted at 91b to the frame of the machine, so that this nose engages with the indentation under the action of a spring not shown on the drawings. The angle lever swings in anti-clockwise direction and moves the rod 92 which is hingedly connected with the same upwardly. This rod 92 is pivoted at its lower end to arm 94a rigidly mounted on shaft 93. On the other end of shaft 93 a second arm 94 is rigidly mounted, the

free end of which is pivoted to the lower end By the oscillation of the shaft 93 of the drawer by the rod 83 being raised so that 1' the drawer can be pulled out and a fresh ticket inserted.

Upon a shaft 98b pivotally mounted in the frame of the machine are mounted arms 98 and 98a. In the upper ends of these arms a shaft 98d is journalled upon which type wheels 95 and 95b, and ratchet 95a are fixed. The upper ends of arms 98 and 98a are connected to the drawer so that as the drawer is pulled out the arms are rocked forward on their pivot 98b. This brings the ratchet 9511 into engagement with a pawl 950 which rotates the ratchet, and consequently the type wheels one tenth of a revolution. Pawl 95d has advanced a tooth during this partial rotation and prevents retrograde movement of the ratchet and type wheels upon the return or closing movement of the drawer.

During the outward movement of the drawer pawl 950 is moved outwardly until it is "stopped by outer stop 95f. When the drawer is pushed in the inclined surface 980 of arm 98c acts ,on pin 95c to move pawl 950 back against inner stop 959.

The type wheel 95 carries ten types each denotingthe number of the machine, while the wheel 95b carries ten consecutive numbers. As the drawer containing a fresh ticket is pushed in the type wheels are pressed against the ticket as the arms 98 and 98a rock about their pivot, andprint the number of the machine and one of the consecutive numbers on the card. When the drawer is moved out the type wheels are r0- tated a tenth of a revolution so that the next consecutive number is brought into position to stamp the card next inserted in the drawer. The cards will thus be stamped with the number of the machine and a series of consecutive numbers so that when they are returned to the post ofiice it can be determined whether they have all been returned or not.

A corresponding control impression upon the newly issued tickets comprises also aconsecutive figure so that the comparison of the figures stamped by the .machine and those previously printed on the tickets permits at once the discovery of any fraudulently inserted tickets. The pulling out of the drawer can be facilitated by a crank or lever transmission.

Instead of the stamping device described any other stamping device could be used of course, for instance a stamping cylinder'with mechanically advanced consecutive numbers and with a stationary machine number.

, According to the invention a determined series of tickets must be held in store for each machine, said tickets being consecutively numbered. Instead of the tickets previously printed, paper strips could be used from which the tickets are separated according to requirement, or unprinted paper strips. In the latter case the paper strip -would have to be printed before the ticket is cut off. In accordance with the consecutive number these tickets are issued against payment of, for instance $1000.00, for each ticket. The

With the aid of signs, for instance control lines extending obliquely over the edges of the tickets tickets and wound up ina roll could be inserted in the apparatus and the tickets could be successively cut off this paper strip forv insertion into the locking device. The payment would in this case have to take place in exchange for the roll of tickets.

If the machine is driven by a motor the automatic coupling and uncoupling device shown in Figs. 8 to 12 will be preferably used.

The extreme disk 131 of the totalizing mechanism corresponding to disk 10a of Fig. 2 has pins 132 corresponding to pins 11 designed to act upon the nose 133 of a disk 134. This disk 134 is normally held by the action of a spring 135 in v the position shown in Fig. 9; said position being limited by an abutment 136 with which a surface 137 of disk 134 comes in contact. If the extreme disk 131 of the counter mechanism is revolved for part or its revolution in clockwise direction by the transfer of tens, one of the pins 132 will act upon nose 133 so that disk 134 is revolved against the action of spring 135 in anticlockwise direction. Owing to this rotation the indentation 138 of disk 134 is brought before the nose 139 of locking lever 140. The locking lever which is controlled by spring 141 engages by its nose 139 with the indentation 138.

This movement of lever 140 is transmitted by rod 142 and the transmission lever 143 to a locking member designed to lock the driving mechanism for the machine. U

In the mechanism shown on the drawings the connecting rod 142 transmits its movement to the lever 143 which is pivotally mounted at 144 upon the machine frame. This movement is further transmitted by the pin 1'47 guidedin a slot 145 of rod 146 to this rod the upper end of which is hingedly connected with an angle lever 148 the nose of which is thus brought into the path of pins 149 of'the control disk 1 50 for the motor coupling and locks this control disk. Means are provided, which will now be described with reference to Figs. 10 to 12, forimmediately uncoupling the motor from the driving shaft of the machine upon the locking oi the control disk 150.

The control disk 150 is revolubly mounted upon the driving shaft 151 of the machine which corresponds to shaft 35 of Fig. 2a. At the side of disk 150 a second disk 152 is arranged which is rigidlyconnected with shaft 151. Upon this shaft a bush 153 is loosely mounted. Bush 153 .is held against axial displacement by a disk 154,

which is loosely mounted on the bush and is rigidly connected with disk 152.

Upon a stud 155 of disk 152 pawl 156 is loosely mounted. This pawl 156 has a pin 157 which extends through a slot 157a in disk 152 and reaches to the proximity of the face of disk 150. Pin 157 is controlled by a cam' 158 of disk 150 so that, if disk 150 revolves relative to disk 152, cam 153 acts upon said pin 157.

Bush 153 is rigidly connected with the motor shaft so that it participates continuously in the rotation of this shaft.

Disk 150 is connected with disk 152 by a spiral spring 159 one end of which is attached to stud 160 of disk 150, its other end being attached to pin 161 of a disk 152. The bush 153 carries a spiral-shaped projection terminating .in a tooth 162 which is situated in the same plane as the pawl 156 of disk 152.

Upon locking pawl 148 a second pawl 1631s hingedly mounted which is acted upon by a spring 164.

If the locking pawl engages with the pins 149.

of the control disk 150 the free end of pawl 163 comes in contact with the rim of disk 152, and engages finally with one of the indentations 165 of this disk.

The operation is as follows:

In the coupled position (Figs. 10 and 12) pawl 156 grips behind the tooth 162 of bush 153. The bush 153 driven directly from the motor and rotating in clockwise direction drives by means of tooth 162, the pawl 156 of disk 152 and consequently the driving shaft 151 upon which disk 152 is keyed. As disk 152 is connected with the control disk 150 by the spring 159 this disk 150 participates also in this movement. If now pawl 148 is brought into the path of the pins 149 of the control disk it stops the control disk as shown in Fig. 11. The disk 152 with pawl 156 continues at first its movement in opposition to the action of spring 159.

Pin.157 of pawl 156 slides upon the cam 158 of disk 150 and this cam lifts a pawl 156 so that it comes out of engagement with projection 162 of buSh'153. engagement with cam 158. The coupling between disk 152 and bush 153 is thus uncoupled and consequently also the coupling between the motor shaft and the drive shaft 151.

This uncoupling takes place when the disk 152 has rotated 90 degrees after lever 148 has engaged one of the pins 149. At this instant.

pawl 163 engages in one of the notches 165 of disk 152, whereby disks 150 and 152 are held in their relative positions so that pawl 156 is held out of engagement with cam 162. When lever 148 is withdrawn from contact with pin 149 spring 159 returns disks 150 and 152 to their normal relative positions with pin 157 at the low end of cam 15B. Pawl 156 then engages projection 162 and couples the motor to th driving shaft 151 again.

The uncoupling of the motor is effected, as mentioned above, simultaneously with the looking of the totalizing mechanism. The coupling of the motor is however effected preferably only after all the adjusting and controlling measures which are necessary for the re-starting of the machine have been terminated and only at the last moment, possibly only after the unlocking of the totalizing mechanism. With this object in view the coupling is efiected with the aid of an accumulated power; that is to say, the power for moving the parts to couple the drive shaft is accumulated in springs 156a and 159, to be released at the proper instant.

The link 146 for the locking pawl 148 has a slot 145 (Fig. 8) in which the pin 147 of lever 143 engages. The displacement of link 146 in an upward direction, that is in the locking direction, is effected positively by the action of pin 147 upon the end of slot 145.

In order to prevent unlocking of the disk 150 by the locking pawl too soon with consequent premature coupling of the motor, link 146 is locked by means of an operating element 166, which operates the adjusting and controlling members of the machine, as this operating member or an extension of the same grips under an abutment 167 of link 146.

Spring 156a holds pin 157 in,

In the machine described a drawer has to be pulled out in which the control ticket is enclosed and this drawer must be pushed in completely after a fresh ticket has been inserted before the machine can be used again. The drawer forms theoperating member 166. At its front end it has an inclinedface 168 which, if drawer 166 is pulled to the left, acts upon an inclined abutment 169 of rod 142. Upon movement of the drawer 166 to the left this abutment 169 and rod 142 are forced downward so that the locking lever 139 is pulled out of the indentation 138 of the locking disk 134 of the totalizing mechanism which locking disk can now return to its unlocking position under the action of spring 135.

By the movement of the connecting rod 142 lever 143 has descended against the action of spring 141. Link 146 has not participated in this movement as its abutment 167 is still in contact with the upper surface 170 of the operating member 166 and consequently pin 147 has descended in slot 145 of link 146, spring 171 being thus put under tension. This spring 171 is fixed at one end to the lever 143 and at the other end to link 146. The locking pawl 148 is therefore still in engagement with the pins 149 of disk 150. If,'after the controlling'and adjusting measures have been completed, in the present case after a new control ticket has been placed in the drawer 166, this drawer has been pushed back to its inner extreme position, surface 170, the length of which is selected correspondingly, releases the abutment 167 and link 146 is now lowered by the action of spring 171 so that pawl 110 148 comes out of engagement with the pin 149 of disk 150.

Disk 150 moves now in the above described manner to its coupling position, whereby the throwing in gear of the motor is effected.

Having described my invention,

1 claim:

1. In a franking machine comprising means for applying franks of various values to postal matter, a totalizer, means for differentially 120 actuating said totalizer in accordance with the values of franks applied, means controlled by said totalizer for locking the machine against further use when said totalizer has reached a predetermined total value, means for unlocking 25 the machine adapted to be rendered operative by insertion of a separable device therein from outside of the casing of the machine, and means for altering said separable device while it is in the machine to show its use.

2. In a franking machine comprising means for applying franks of various values to postal matter, a totalizer, means for differentially actuating said totalizer in accordance with the values of franks applied, and means actuated by said 135 totalizer upon reaching any one of a series of predetermined sub-totals for locking the machine against further use.

3. A machine according to claim 2 in which the means for locking the machine comprises 146 a series of teeth on the counting wheel of a higher order of said totalizer spaced in accordance with said sub-totals, and a member having a cam nose adapted to cooperate with said teeth. 145

4. In a machine of the class described comprising means for applying stamps to postal matter, a totalizer actuated in accordance with stamps applied, a plurality of teeth on the counting wheel of a higher order of said totalizer,

means for locking the machine against further use, and a member controlling said locking means and having a cam nose projecting into the path of said teeth, the arrangement being such that the machine is locked as said cam nose is moved by any one of said teeth.

5. In a franking machine, means for applying franks of various values to postal matter, means for totalizing the value of the franks so applied, means actuated by said totalizing means for locking the machine against further use when any one of a series of predetermined subtotals has been reached, means operable upon insertion therein of a token for unlocking the machine, and means for marking the token while in the machine in accordance with the pretermined sub-total at which the machine is locked,

6. In a franking machine comprising means for applying franks of various values to postal matter, a totalizer, means for differentially said totalizer for locking the machine against further use when said totalizer reaches any one of a series of predetermined subtotals, and means for unlocking the machine adapted to be rendered operative by insertion of a separable device therein from outside of the casing of the machine.

for applying franks of various values to postal matter; a totalizer comprising a plurality of independently movable members, one for each order; means for diflerentially actuating said CERTIFICATE Patent No. l, 943, 473.

totalizer in accordance with the values of franks applied; means including a control device upon one of the members of said totalizer for locking the machine against further 'use when said totalizer has reached a predetermined value; means for unlocking the machine adapted to be rendered operative by insertion of a separable device therein from outside of the casing of the machine, and means for altering said separable device while it is in the machine to show its use.

9. In a franking machine comprising means for applying franks of various values to postal matter, a totalizer, means for diiferentially actuating said totalizer in accordance with the values of franks applied, means actuated by said totalizer upon reaching any one of a series of predetermined sub-totals for locking the machine against further use, means for the insertion of a token into the casing of the machine to release said locking means, and means for printing the amount, contained in said totalizer on said token before it can be removed from the machine.

10. A machine as specified in claim 9 having means preventing the withdrawal of said token until said locking means has been operated to lock the machine.

11. In a franking machine comprising means for applying franks of various values to postal matter, a totalizer,, means for differentially actuating said totalizer in accordance with the values of franks applied, means controlled by said totalizer for locking the machine against further use when said totalizer has reached a predetermined total value, means for unlocking the machine adaptedto be rendered operative by insertion of a separable device therein from outside of the casing of the machine, and means for applying to said separable device a distinguishing mark indicating the condition of said totalizer. 8. In a franking machine comprising means 12. The combination in a machine as specified in. claim 7 of means for marking said separable device while it is in the machine to show its use.

W'ILHELM FRIEDRICHS.

or CORRECTION.

January 16, 1934,

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction'as follows: Page 6, line 31, claim 7, strike out the word "of";

and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the samemay conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 27th day of February, A. D. 1934.

(Seal) F. M. Hopkins Acting Commissioner of Patents.

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