US2023045A

US2023045A - Ticket feeding and printing

Info

Publication number: US2023045A
Application number: US650285A
Authority: US
Inventors: Carl A Flood
Original assignee: Dennison Manufacturing Co
Current assignee: Dennison Manufacturing Co
Priority date: 1933-01-05
Filing date: 1933-01-05
Publication date: 1935-12-03
Anticipated expiration: 1952-12-03

Description

Dec. 3, 1935.

C. A. FLOOD TICKET FEEDING AND PRINTING Filed Jan. 5, 1933 10 Sheets-Sheet l AWAF 3,1935. c. A. FLOOD TICKET FEEDING- AND PRINTING- Filed Jan 5, 193a 10 Sheets-Sheet 2 .[llfli C. A. FLOOD TICKET FEEDING AND RRINTING Dec. 3, 1935.

10 Sheets-Sheet s Filed Jan. 5, 1953 Dec. 3, 1935. c. A. FLOOD TICKET FEEDING AND PRINTING 10 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 5, 1933 Dec. 3, 1935.

c. A. FLOO D TICKET FEEDING AND PRINTING Filed Jan. 5, 1955 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 10 Sheets-Sheet 6 Dec. 3, 1935.

. 3, 1935. c. A. FLOOD TICKET FEEDING AND PRINTING Fil ed Jan. 5, 1933 10 Sheets-Sheet 7 El n l l 2 1| Dec; 3, 1935.

C. A. FLOOD TICKET FEEDING AND PRINTING Filed Jan. 5, 1953 10 Sheets-Sheet 8 I ('krZ 14.1 0;,

Dec. 3, 1935. c. A. FLOOD TICKET FEEDING AND PRINTING 10 Sheets Sheet 9 Filed Jan. 5, 1933 r, s L g 9 m m E 1% RM Z G W E U E i i E a Eh QM EN Q J RN www Sm \Q E %\m. mxmf fi m WWW \\m y QM \ww EN N E E Dec. 3, 193 5. c. A. FLOOD I 2,023,045

TICKET FEEDING AND PRINT ING Filed Jan. 5, 1933 l0 SheetS-Sheet 10' Patented Dec. 3, 1935 v UNITED STATES TICKET resume AND ram-nun ,Carl A. Flood, Framingham, Mesa, asslgnor to Dennison Manufacturing Company, Framingham, Masa, a corporation of Massachusetts Application January 5, 1933, Serial No. 650,285

28 Claims. (01. 27188) This invention relates to-the art of printing tickets and the like, and particularly to machines for both printing and attaching price tickets to articles such as garments and other articles of merchandise. In many commercial establishments, such as department stores, it is customary to mark certain classes of merchandise with tickets having a single set of indicia printed thereon and to mark other classes of merchandise with-tickets having the indicia printed in duplicate in two locations on the same ticket, the tickets printed in duplicate usually being larger than those printed in a ,single location. To print and attach these different kinds of tickets, different machines have been employed heretofore, thus requiring duplication of equivalent and in many cases disproportionate expense.

One object of the present invention is to provide a machine which prints tickets with the same indicia in two locations and which is also adapted, by quick and easy adjustment, to be converted into a single-printing machine, that is, a machine for printing each ticket in only one location. For this purpose the machine is preferably provided with selectively operable means controlled by a handle havingtwo operating posi-' tions in one of which each ticket is printed in one location, and in the other of which each ticket is printed in duplicate in two,locations, together with conjointly operating means adapted to feed the tickets along the aforesaid track by steps corresponding'to the length of the tickets being printed. After the tickets are printed they are r advanced along the track to a delivery station which, as hereinafter set forth, also may con- ,stitute an attaching station.

A further object is to provide a machine which is adapted not only to print long or short tickets selectively as aforesaid, but also to attach tickets of either kind to fabric or the like, preferably with the pin, staple or other attaching device-inserted in the same relation to one edge of the ticket. I The preferred means for accomplishing this involves feeding devices which engage the strip and severed ticket respectively, to move the strip into position for severing the foremost ticket from the strip and to move the severed ticket to the attaching station, the printings effected adjacent the cutter in advance of the attaching station, at least one printing being effected while the strip is in position to sever the foremost ticket, and the travel of each ticket from severing position to the attaching station tions of the ticket attaching mechanism;

whether singly or in duplicate preferably being being the same whether the ticket be long or short.

Other objects of the invention will be evident from the following description of the typical embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, 5 in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation;

Fig. 2 is a plan view;

Fig. 3 is a sideelevation with part of the housing removed;

lFig i is a rear view with parts broken away and omitted to show the operating mechanism in elevation;

Figs. 5 and 6 are top plan views of the ticket feeding and guiding mechanism, showing the parts in different short-ticket feeding positions;

Fig. 7 is a central longitudinal section through the ticket strip guiding means with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 5;

Figs. 8 and 9 are views like Figs. 5 and 6, showing the parts in difierent long-ticket feeding positions;

' Fig. 10 is an enlarged view in front elevation, showing the pin strip guiding means and por- Fig. 11 is a top plan of the parts shown in Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a'section on line l2-i2 of Fig. 10;

Figs.- 13, 14 and 15 are front, side and plan views of another embodiment, the front cover plate being removed in'Fig. l3; and

Fig. 16 is a section on line ill-l6 of Fig. 15.

In theapparatus selected for illustration in Figs. 1 to 12 the operating parts are mounted within and upon a frame or housing comprising a base in which is provided with a depression l2 (Fig. 3) in which the driving motor i3 is mounted. Front and rear walls M are mounted on the base and support a top or table H. The

of the machine and is provided with a removable section or plate l8 which closes an opening'lQ through which access may be had to the interior parts from this side of the machine. A cam shaft 26 is rotatably mounted-in bearings 21 and 28 carried by the front and rear walls. Power is transmitted from the driving motor to the cam shaft through reduction gearing, comprisinga I worm 29 and a worm wheel 30, and a one-revolution clutch 3! (Fig. 3). The cam shaft has affixed thereon peripheral cams 32, 33, 34 and 38 and a double face cam 3'l' having grooves 38 (Fig. l) and 39v (Fig. 4) in the opposite faces thereof.

Mechanism for feeding and for operating upon tickets is mounted upon the top or table portion 4| and 4| and aligned

marginal strips

42, 42" and 43, 43', the latter serving to confine and guidethe tickets along the base strip toward the front of the machine. At one side of this guideway a slot 44 is formed in the top of the housing to receive the upwardly extending arms of bell cranks 46 and 41. At its upper end each arm carries a stub shaft 48 and '49 respectively. The stub shaft 49 carriesa .pivotally mounted feed pawl or finger 5| which normally is 'urged downwardly toward the guideway by the action of a coil spring 52. The stub shaft 48 carries a relatively long finger or pusher 53 which is likewise urged downwardly toward the guideway by the action of a coil spring 54. 'The bell crank 46 is mounted to pivot on a stub shaft 56 (Fig. 3) and carries on its lower arm a roller or follower 51 which is held in engagement with the peripheral cam 32 by the action of a retracting spring 58. In a similar manner the bell crank 41 is mounted to pivot on a stub shaft 59 carried by the frame, and the lower arm of this bell crank is fitted with a roller or follower 6| which is held against the cam 33 by a retracting spring 62.

At a suitable point along the ticket guideway a cutter or knife 63. is mounted to extend across the guideway from side to side and to cooperate with hardened insert strips 64 and 66 for severing the ticket from the strip. Preferably the adjacent upper edges of both of the'inse'rt strips 64 and 66 are cutting edges which cooperate. with similar cutting edges of the cutter 63 so that the material between adjacent tickets will be died out as the cutter descends. Preferably the material so removed is discharged to one side of the machine through a chute (not shown)" 4 gageable with cam 36 and which normally is urged toward the cam by a retracting spring 89, but this movement is limited as the cam recedes by a stop or abutment 1| (Fig. 4) which engages the end of a slot in the table through which the bellcrank operates andthus limits upward movement of the cutting blade.

The horizontal shaft 68 on which the cutter mechanism is mounted for relative rotary movement is also rotatably supported in bearings 12 and 13 carried by the table portion II. This shaft 68 functions as a pivot pin for a bell crank comprising aprinting arm 14 extending upwardly above the machine and a depending arm 16 having at its lower end a boss 11 which slidably receives a pin 18 carrying a follower roller 19'(Fig'. 4). The depending arm 16 also I has pivotally mounted thereon a lever 8| extendas viewed in Fig. 2, the follower is spaced to engage the cam 84" and also the cam 36, but when the upper end of the lever 8| is thrown to the left, the lower end, through its connection with the follower, causes the latter to be displaced to the right so that the follower roller ll of the housing and comprises an open guide-- way (Figs. 5 to 9 formed by aligned base strips is in position to be engaged only by cam 34. It will be apparent that by shifting the lever 8| the printing arm 14 may be made responsive to the action of one or both of the came 34 and 36, the follower in each instance being held against one of the cams at all times by the action of a retracting spring 84 (Fig. 4) connected to the lower arm of the bell crank. Thus this mech- .anism constitutes selectively operable means for v rocated through a sufiicient stroke longitudinally of the guideway to be capable of feeding relatively long tickets (Figs. 8 and 9), but when shorter tickets are used the latter are advanced by the pawl 5| during a part of the full stroke thereof. The tickets are restrained from moving too freely along the guideway by a flat strip 1 86, which extends longitudinally above the guideway and bears downwardly upon the ticket strip disposed therein. This flat strip is also adjustable longitudinally of the guideway to cooperate with the pawl 5| when feeding short tickets. Thus when feeding the shorter tickets 85 (Figs. 5 to '7), the plate 86 is arranged to extend forwardly beneaththe pusher pawl 53 to engage and lift the feed pawl 5| as the latter moves rearwardly, and to permit this .feed pawl to descend again into engagement with the ticket strip at. the proper point to engage a ticket, preferably to engage an aperture ornotch between adjacent tickets of the size being-used. This strip 86 carries at its rear end an upwardly extended threaded pin 81 which is received in a longitudinal slot 88 formed in a rearwardly extending guide strip 89 carried-by a bridge piece 90 attached to guide

strips

42 and 43. The rear end ofthis guide strip curves upwardly and then forwardly for guiding a strip of tickets into the channel formed by the guide strips 42 and 43. A

nut 8| threaded upon the pin 81 is provided for holding the strip 86 in the desired position of adjustment longitudinally of the guideway, these parts comprising selectively operable means for .feeding short-ticket strips and long-ticket strips by steps proportional to the lengths of the tickets respectively. The pawl 5| is adapted to move forwardly preferably substantially to the cutter blade 68 so as to advanceeach ticket as it is engaged by the pawl to a proper position beneath the cutter for severing from the strip. The pusher 53 is adapted to advance each ticket from substantially the positionshown in Figs. 5 and 7 to the position shown in Fig. 6 at which the forward end of the pusher is disposed substantially at the front side of the machine adjacent the ticket attaching apparatus. In advancing from the position shown in Fig. 7 to that shown in Fig. 6, the pusher is caused by its actuating cam 32 to dwell as the detached ticket arrives beneath the printing head 92 inc. proper position for printing (indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 5) and then after the printing operation, to continue the advance to deliver the printed ticket from the guideway 4| to the ticket attaching station.

Thus it will be seen-that each ticket is advanced in a progressive stroke from a position in the ticket strip where it is first engaged by the feed. pawl II and brought beyond the cutter t a position for severing, at which time both th feed pawl and the pusher are disengaged from the ticket (Fig. 5) and the latter is held yieldably against the base of the guideway by longitudinally extending spring fingers 93 and 94. The parts are so timed that as a'ticket is engaged by. the retaining or holding fingers 93 and 94, both the pusher 53 and feed pawl 5| are retracted so as to approach the positions shown in Fig. 5 and the cutter is actuated by cam 36 to sever the ticket. I

When only one printing is to be made upon such a ticket, the shifter arm 8| should-be thrown to the left or to the opposite position from that shown in Fig. 2, so that the follower 19 will engage only the cam 32. This cam and the cam which actuates the pusher are so correlated and designed that the pusher is caused to advance the ticket and to cause the latter to dwell beneath the printing head 92 while the cam 34 causes the head to descend and make a printing impression upon the ticket during the dwell thereof, after which the ticket is advanced by the pusher to the ticket 1 attaching mechanism. This cycle of operation is a printing impression on the leading or lower end" of a long ticket, due to the action of cam 36 while the ticket is in the position shown in Fig. 8, and just before the cutter is actuated by the cam 30. Immediately after this first printing impression is made the cutter descends, severs the ticket,

and the pusher advances the ticket as before, causing the latter to dwell beneath the printing head (Fig. 9) as the second impression is made and then delivering the ticket to the attaching mechanism.

The conditions necessary for best-efiiciency in the operation of this apparatus are that the cutter be spaced from the printing head on one side or the other, although preferably on the side shown, at .a distance to sever a long ticket when the end portion or leading end of the latter extends beneath the printing head in position for printing. It is also advantageous to sever the ticket from the strip and print the first impression thereon during the same interruption or dwell at the forward or progressive stroke of the ticket.

This arrangement together with the cooperating cams 3d and 30 makes it possible always to print a single impression on long or short tickets and yet, when desired, to print in duplicate on long tickets.

Means are provided for inking type carried by the printing head 02 before each printing impression, irrespective of whether one'or more impressions are made upon each ticket. This mechanism comprises an inking pad 98 (Fig. 4) carried by the lower end of an arm 08 mounted upon a fixed shaft or pivot 09. The printing head is pivotally connected to the inking pad arm by a link IOI of suchproportions as to force the inking pad against the type at the upper limit of the stroke of the printing arm. Preferably the parts a are so arranged that the cams 34 and 36. by which the printing head is actuatdrecede far enough as the printing head approaches the upper limit "of its stroke to leave this head under the influence of the retracting spring 84. Thus this spring is eflective for bringing the inking pad yieldably against the type.

As a severed and printed ticket is moved forwardly out of the guideway 4| bythe action of the pusher 53 as the latter moves to the position shown in Fig. 6, the ticket is received beneath a downwardly extending cusp I02 (Fig. 1') and above the point of an upwardly directed cusp I03,

The material forming the cusp I02 recedes from the point thereof upwardly above the ticket along a concave curve providing a rigid abutment I08 against which the ticket may be forced for crimp ing during attachment. Directly below the abutment I08 and the cusp I02 an anvil III (Figs. 1 and 5) is mounted for vertical reciprocatory movement in a boss II2 carried by the front wall a of the housing. The upper end I00 of this anvil is rounded ofi somewhat spherically so as to be complementary to the downwardly curved lower edge of the abutment I08. The upper end of the anvil is alsoprovided with a groove II9 which may be inclined slightly upwardly for directing a pin as the ticket is being attached to the mate-- rial. These parts preferably are so proportioned and arranged that the groove I I0 aligns with an undercut groove I2I formed in the cusp I02 (Fig. 10).

The anvil-is moved upwardly to hold material against a ticket as the latter arrives at the attaching station shown in Fig. 6, to crimp the ticket substantially as shown in Fig. 10, and is then withdrawn in properly timed relation by a system of levers actuated from the groove 38 of cam 31. From Fig. 1 it will be seen that a follower I 22 rides in the groove 38 and actuates a bell crank I23 rotatably mounted on a pivot pin I24. Another bell crank I26 is mounted to pivot on the longer arm on' bell crank I23, the shorter arms of these two bell cranks being yieldably connected by a relatively strong retracting spring I21. The longer arm of the bell crank I28 is slotted to receive a pin I20 carried by the lower end of the anvil III. The longer arm of the bell crank I23 is provided with a lateraly extending lug I3I in which an adjusting screw I32 is mounted to engage the bell crank I26.

During normal operation the adjusting screw is held firmly against the bell crank I26 by the action of the retracting spring I21, and as the levers are actuated by the cam the anvil will be moved upwardly to.a position, as shown in Fig. i

10, for guiding a pin during attachment, but due to the yieldable connection of the parts, the anvil is permit'ed to yield against the action of the spring IIB, thereby to accommodate difierences in' the combined thickness of'ticket and material to which the ticket is'to be attached. It will be evident that while this anvil is illustrated in connection with appara us for pinning a ticket to material, it also may be used advantageously with other forms of attaching devices as, for example, with means for stapling a ticket to material.

The pins for attaching the tickets are carried by a strip I35 .which is conducted downwardly into a guiding means indicated generally at I36. Thisguide may be formedconveniently from a back plate I31 (Fig. 12) having spaced pin strip" edges of the strip together. on the strip may cause rupturing thereof, espeedges undercut to diverge from the front or outer sides thereof to meet the back plate I31 posed substantially perpendicular to the back plate.

The ma erial forming one side of this slot is rounded smoothly, as indicated at I42, and then extends horizontally to provide a guiding surface against which'the pin strip may be" held after the pins have been removed therefrom. The pins are retained in the strip in aligned and spaced relation by a guide channel formed by vertically disposed pin guide strips I43 and I44 which are attached to the inner strips I38 and I39 and overlie the outer ends of the pins as the strip I35 moves downwardly. The pin guide strips I43 and I44 as well as the inner strips I38 and I33 may be rigidly mounted to remain in a fixed spaced relation, if desired, as

very satisfactory results are, obtained by this construction.

The pins carried by the strip due to their frictional contact at the pin-receiving apertures tend to oppose folding of the strip and require that the latter be placed under considerable tension in constructions such as that just described where the fold is formed solely by the action of the convergent passage in bringing the Excessive tension cially about the lowermost pin, which may tear partially away so as to permit the strip to be pulled or advanced far enough to'cause relative upward movement in the strip of the lowermost pin as this pin comes into the grooves I53 and I54, thereby bringing the next pin so close to the path of the pin driver. as to interfere with proper operation. In order to avoid'occurrences of this kind it is desirable to provide for pressing the marginal edges of the pin strip toward each other just before each step advance of this strip.

This may be accomplished conveniently by arranging the inner lateral edges of the strip I 44 to follow the contour of the pin strip and .to cooperate with the edge of the strip I33 for guiding the adjacent marginal portion of the pin strip. The strip I44 is also supported for relative movement, preferably by being mounted to pivot or oscillate on a pivot screw I45. In order that movement of the strip I44 may be effected automatically in properly timed relation, an

abutment I44 .carried by the movable strip I44 is arranged to extend into the path of the pin driving mechanism to be engaged by the latter as a pin istransferred to a ticket. The movablestrip I44 has a vertical groove I50 which receives and guides the headed ends of the pins while the fixed strip I43 has an offset portion which cooperates with the plate I38 to form' a similar groove I50 for receiving the pointed ends'of the pins.

at I55 to provide clearance for the lower portion of the pin'strip as well as a larger opening for observing the position of the pins.

' While in general the pin strip I35 may be of The lower end of the strip I44 is notched" or cut away on front and back sides, as indicated 4 usual construction, preferably it is formed with a weakened portion extending longitudinally between the rows of apertures in which the pins are disposed. Thus the strip may have been perforated along a longitudinal line I46 (Fig. 10) 5 or it may have been previously folded or creased or otherwise weakened along this line so as to facilitate folding. It will be apparent that whatever means be adopted for weakening this strip, theline I46 representing the locationof 10 this weakened portion should extend midway. between the longitudinal rows of pin receiving apertures so that as the strip is folded longitudinally upon itself, the two apertures in which each pin is disposed will'be brought into regl5 i'ster. A strip of this type is disclosed 'and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 501,053, filed December 9, 1930.

The strip is inserted into the guide by folding the leading end thereof and inserting this folded 20 portion between the strip guiding members I38 and I39-and pulling it downwardly and through the slot HI and around the curved shoulder I42 to a pair of feeding rollers I 41 and I 48 (Fig. 10).

These feeding rollers are preferably located to one side of the machine so as to carry portions of the strip from which the pins have been removed away 'from .the point of attachment of the tickets and out of the way of a person operating the machine. It will also be evident that as the strip is first led to the machine, the pins must either be removed from a suflicient portion of the leading and of the strip to permit the latter to extend between the feedingrollers I41 and I48 or the strip should be provided with a blank por- .tion at its leading end of similar dimensions. It

will be seen that as this weakened pin strip is moved downwardly through the converging passage formed by the strip guiding members I38 and I33, the longitudinal edges of the strip will be brought together, thus'folding the strip longitudinally upon itself along the weakened portion I46-and bringing the apertures in which each pin is disposed substantially into alignment. Each 'of the strip guides I38 and I39 has formed on the lower end thereof an outwardly disposed ledge or shoulder I5I, I52 which extends across the path of pins carried by the strip for intercepting such pins as the strip descends or advances through the guide. Preferably aligned grooves I 53 and I54 are formed in the upper sides of these shoulders at the proper elevation to receive an advancing pin and to support and guide the latter while it is being in- 65 I serted into a ticket. Thus thegroove I 53 is aligned with the groove I2I formed in the under side of beak 2M.

' As each. pin is delivered into the grooves I53 and I54 it may be removed from the folded Strip by being forced therethrough in a direction normal to the plane, of the folded portions of the strip. When removal is effected in this manner, theonly resistance offered by the strip is that which opposes movement of the head of the pin. Thisis reduced to a minimumwhen the strip is supported or backed up around the shank of the pin so as to prevent the head from tearing large holes in the strip. However, if the backing or support for the strip provides too small a i clearance for the head of the 'pin, the head will shear or punch out and carry with it an annular ring of paper as it passes through the pin strip. To avoid this undesirable result the groove I53 may be enlarged, as by being counterbored for a y This latter slot, which may be arcuate or straight,

short distance from the slot Ill. This construction avoids excessive rupture of the strip and the disadvantages resulting therefrom and yet provides practically all the desirable features of a direct shearing action. While in some cases it may be preferred to back up the strip entirely around the shank of the pin, this is not necessary, for good results are obtained when the groove I53 is open along the upper side, as shown in the drawings.

The mechanism for transferring a pin from the pin strip into a ticket for attaching the latter to material, is mounted in a frame,indicated generally at its (Figs. 4, 10 and 11) and supported on a portion of the top or table I1 of the housing which extends forwardly beyond the front wall of .the housing. The strip guiding means I36 is carried by this frame the back plate I31 being extended to form the back vertical wall of 'the frame and serves for supporting and guiding a moving parts. A pin driver rod iI-ii is fixedly secured in the desired position of longitudinal adjustment in a. bore in the driver head I62 by means of a set screw N53. The pin driver rod is supported and guided in a pin driver hole in the guide ltd for movement through the grooves i553 and" Edit. The driver head I62 is mounted to slide along a passage provided by a slot in an elongate guide block 'itii which is attached to the adjacent portion of plate l31 (Fig. 11), the latter being providedwith a flange ltd. extending along the rear side thereof by which it is attached to the table ii. The rear vertical wall of the back plate I31 provides a continuous guiding surface for a bar ill (Figs. 4 and 11). While this bar has a combined sliding and rocking motion it is hereinafter referred to as a slide bar orrnerely a bar. An upstanding bracket 112 (Fig. 11) is arranged in opposed relation to the aforementioned vertical surface and cooperates therewith for'guiding the slide bar. This slide bar normallyis urged toward the ticket attaching mechanism by a retracting spring I135. The slide bar also normally extends beyond the guide R66 and carries a pivotally mounted spring pressed feed pawl 51d (Figs. 4 and 10) which cooperates with the strip feeding mechanism. The back plate I31 has an arcuate longitudinal slot I15 (Fig. 10), through which a driving connection or pin I11 may operate freely for imparting 'the desired stroke or reciprocatory motion to the driver head IE2. This driving pin fits snugly in a recess or notch I18 formed in the driver head and also extends through a slot I19 (Fig. 4) in the slide bar.

as shown, is shorter in length than the normal full stroke of the driving connection or pin I11 so that during each such stroke the slide bar is moved as the driving connection engages the ends of the slot we.

The pinstrip is fed through the guiding means I36 and held continually under tension therein by the upper and lower feed rollers I41 and I48 which are rotatably mounted in and between front and rear depending arms of an auxiliary frame IBI (Figs. 1 and 3) mounted upon the guide I66 and back plate I81. The upper'roller is provided with journals I41 and I41" (Figs. 1 and 3) which are mounted for vertical movementtoward and from the lower roller in vertical slots I82 formed in the arms of this frame while thelower roller is mounted for rotation about a fixed axis. A U-shaped brace member A. or yoke I83 embraces the upper portion of the 4 frame and has the lower ends of its depending 045 5 arms slotted to receive and bear against the jourlnals of the upper roller.

A compression spring I 84 is mounted .upon a rod I86 amxed to the top portion of the frame I8I and extends freely through an aperture in the -top portion of member I83 (Fig. 4) A flat strip or .thumb piece I81 is interposed between the top cross-piece of member I83 and the. top portion of the frame I8! and has an aperture through which the rod I86 loosely extends. The spring I84 seats on the yoke I83 and is held under the desired compression by a thumb nut I88 threaded on the upper end of rod I86. It will be seen that the spring I84 acts through the yoke member yieldably to urge the journals of the upper roller downwardly and thus to produce a yieldable tension on the portion of the pin strip extending between these rollersymovement for this purpose being provided by-the slots Hi2 and N2 which receive the journals of the upper roller. This tension may be relieved temporarily by raising the thumb piece act so as to raise the yoke against the action of the spring. The lower roller is provided with a central bushing We which extends beyond the side of the roller to carry a ratchet wheel 89L Preferably the surface of at least one of the feedrollers, as that of the lower roller, is formed with transverse ridges or corrugations or isotherwise roughened to assure good adhesion and definite feeding of the pin strip as well as for holding the latter under some tension while at rest. The ratchet mechanism for the roller feed is preferably adjusted so that each step advance of the rollers tends to feed the strip slightly more than the distance between pins to insure that the foremost pin is seated against the ledges I5! and I52 (Figs. 13 and 14) the rollers then slipping slightly on the strip, I

The beak 2H for opening or spreading plies of the ticket to receive the point of the pin as the 40 latter is inserted may be supported by the back plate I31 which may be extended for this purpose to the left of the strip guiding means, as viewed in Fig. 10, preferably substantially to the side of the machine. On the forward side of this back plate the beak MI is pivotally mounted and has its lower end turned downwardly in the form of a relatively sharp, fiat and spear-like hook. This beak is widened at its upper portion and carries a driving connection or pin 283 which extends rearwardly through an arcuate slot 205 in the back plate I31. This driving connection or pin may be fixedly attached to the adjacent end of the slide bar HI, and the slot 204 may be so positioned and proportioned as to permit the beak 2M to move downwardly each time the slide bar moves to the left to the extreme end of its stroke, as viewed in Fig. 10, and then as the slide bar returns to the right to the extreme end of its stroke in'this direction, the beak 20I will be moved upwardly so as to withdraw the pointed lower end thereof above the lower edge of plate I31. Preferably this beak operates in a slot formed in a cover plate 206 which is attached to the plate I31. It will also befevident that if desired the strip I43 of the guiding means may be formed integral with this cover plate and that the tension member I86 may operate in a similar slot in the inner side of the cover plate, which also provides the recess for the spring I01 engaging the tension member I 08.

The mechanism for operating the pin driver rod I8I and for operating the beak 2M to spread the piles of a ticket to receive and to enclose the point of a pin as well as for operating the upper 7 and lower feeding rollers I41 and I43 is all actuated in properly timed relation with a one-lever motion. This motion is produced by the groove 39 in the cam 31 which actuates a follower caran eye or swing bolt 2I2 mounted to pivoton a pin 2I3 carried by the lever 201. This bolt extends through a boss or lug 2 on lever 2H and carries a compression spring 2I6 which seats against the boss and is held under the desired tension by lock nuts 2| 1. The bolt also carries lock nuts 2I8 which constitute a fixed abutment for engaging the boss 2I4 to move the pin driver to the left, as viewed in Fig. 4, or to'withdraw the pin driver rod. The spring 2I6 is held under sufficient tension so that during normal operation the levers 201 and 2I I operate as a bell crank and the swing bolt 2 I2 constitutes merely a substantially rigid connection between the levers. However, in the event that the apparatus should not function properly or a pin should become jammed, or for some other reason it might be undesirable to force the pin driver or other portions of the mechanism throughthe normal cycle of operation, the spring 2|6 is adapted to yield so that although the lever 201 may continue to operate through its normal cycle, as produced by the cam' 31, yet only a part of this motion need be transmitted to the lever 2| I.

The driving motor is controlled by a switch 22I (Fig. 2) which may be mounted upon the table portion I1 or at any other convenient location. While the motor is in operation the worm wheel 30 rotates freely about the shaft 26 (Fig. 3) except at such times as the clutch 3I operates to engage this worm wheel with the shaft. The clutch is arranged to be operated from the front side of the machine by a spring-pressed rod 222 extending beneath the table portion I'l through the front wall and carrying a thumb or finger piece or plate 223. This rod preferablyis arranged to pass through the front wall of the housing at a point relatively close to the ticket attaching mechanism so that the thumb piece 223 may be engaged by an operator with a straight-in motion which may be the same movement required to insert material to be ticketed above the anvil of the ticket attaching mechanism. When the thumb piece is pressed inwardly the clutch is engaged during one revolution of the cam shaft, thereby to complete one cycle of operations, after which the clutch automatically snaps out in well-known manner.

The tickets to be operated upon and attached to the material are preferably in a continuous strip which convenientlymay be supplied in a groll from which the tickets are fed through the machineas previously set forth'herein. The pin strip I35 may also advantageously be provided in roll-form. These two rolls may be carried by a magazine (Figs. 1 and 3) comprising a cylindrical wall 2 having 'a central vertical partition' or web extending diametrically therein to separate the magazine intoseparate compartments for the different rolls. This partition carries a centrally disposed axially extending pin 243which extends into each of the compartments and is adapted to support apertured blocks -on which the rolls are mounted.

Removable side plates

246 and 241 are provided for closing the *respective compartments and may conveniently be releasably attached to the end portions of the pin. 2.43inany approved manner.

Thecyiindrical wall 24I is formed with or mounted upon a pedestal 248 which is secured to the top of table portion I1 of the housing (Fig. 3). At the forwardside of the magazine opposite the compartment'ior the pin strip the cylindrical wall 2 is provided with an out wardly and downwardly curved guideway 249 which is arranged to register with the strip guiding means I36 (Fig. 1) and preferably to bear against the top edge of the back plate I31 of this strip guiding means. Theforward side of the magazine is also provided with a bracket arm 25I to which the fixed pivot or stub shaft 69 (Figs. 3 and 4) of the inking arm may be attached. On the rear side of the housing opposite the compartment for the strip of tickets the cylindrical wall 24I is provided with a slot 25 tickets and the rolled pin strip are mounted in 30 the magazine. The end of the strip of tickets is then passed through the opening in the magazine downwardly around and beneath the curved rear portion of the guide strip 89 and into the ticket feeding and guiding means. the leading end of this ticket strip is advanced substantially to a position to register with the cutter slot in the guideway, although this is not necessary, for so long as the ticket strip extends in the guideway for a suflicient distance to be engaged bythe feed pawl 5| (Figs. 5 and 6) the strip will be adjusted automatically to the proper position in this guideway after one cycle of operation. The pin strip is passed through the guide 248 and the forward end of the strip is 4 folded along the weakened portion I46 with the fold edge extending outwardly. This folded por-. tion is then inserted in the vertical slot I4I (Fig. '10) and carried around the shoulder I42 to the feeding rollers I41 and I46. By raising the thumb piece I81 (Fig. 4) the feeding rollers may be easily separated to receive the pin strip which is pulled through these rollers far enough to bring a pin into the guiding grooves I53 and I54 of the guiding means I36 (Fig. 10). The 5 pin strip having been pulled taut in this position, the thumb piece I81 is released and, assuming the spring I64 to be under the proper tension, the device is ready for operation.

The material to which a ticket is to be attached may be grasped on either side of the point to which the ticket is to be secured and inserted above the anvil. The same motion may be effective for depressing the thumb piece or plate 223 and tripping the one-revolution clutch. The various parts of the apparatus operate in properly timed relation, as previously set forth, to advance, sever and print a ticket, and finally. to bring the latter to the position shown at the right-hand end of Fig. 9. On arriving at this position the beak 2M swings downwardly causing the spear-like point to enter between and separate the piles of the ticket while the latter is substantially fiat, andthus this point forms 1 Preferably 85 the anvil, in the manner illustrated in Fig. 10.

- ing.

from single printing on short tickets to double Asthe point of the pin is advanced to pierce the ticket the second time, the lower grooved edge of the beak guides the point of the pin into the opening formed by the beak. While the point of the pin is being inserted in this way the ticket is supported on its lower side by the cusp I103. The beak 20! 'is then moved upwardly by the slide bar so that the point is withdrawn from the ticket which is removed from the machine as the next ticket is advanced to the position shown in Fig. 10.

As the pin driver mechanism advances to the position shown in Fig. 10, the block it?! engages the abutment Mid and rocks the strip M3 in a clockwise direction about its pivot. This moves the pin strip away from the guiding edge of the inner strip 539 and also forces the marginal edge of the pin strip longitudinally along the pins carried thereby. This forms a more distinct fold in the pin strip and has the effect of drawing the lateral edges thereof toward each other and away from the guiding edges of the inner guide strips E38 and i391, and in this way prepares the pin strip for the next step advancemovement.

It will be evident that the action of the movable strip Mil maybe made sufiicient to compress or preform the lateral edges of the pin strip to the form required for these edges to fit within the. converging slot formed by the inner strips i153 and are after the next step advance of the pin strip. While this is a very simple operation it provides a clearance for the lateral edges of the pin strip during at least a portion of the step advance movement thereof and thereby reduces or eliminates the resistance which otherwise would oppose this, step advance movement due to the necessity of relying 'upon the converging edges of the strips i353 and H33 for moving the lateral edges of the pin strip toward each other and longitudinally of the pins. As the pin driver is withdrawn the movable strip M3 swings back to the positionshown in Fig. 11. Preferably the lower edge of the movable strip use is curved convexly to engage the pin driver rod with a light frictional contact. This relatively light engagement between these parts is sufiicient to return the movable strip'i id as the pin driver rod is withdrawn.

From the foregoing it will be evident that one of the duplicate printings on long tickets (the one on the foremost end of the ticket in the illustration) is effected while the ticket is at the severing station, and before it is further advanced toward the attaching station, the ticket being severed just before or just after or concomitantly with this printing but preferably after the print- It will also be understood that to shift printing on long tickets it is merely necessary .conjointly to shift the handle 8| and the strip as. f

of dry goods. As shown in Fig. 14 the ticket strip 30I is fed from a reel 302 to a guideway having overhanging shoulders 303 at each side, the guideway extending from the rear to the 7 front of the machine. The strip is fed along this guideway step by step by a feed pawl 304 having a tooth 305 at each side of the guideway for engagement in the marginal notches 306 in the strip, the teeth being carried by plate 301 which is adjustably mounted on the pawl at 308. The pawl is reciprocated back and forth along the guideway by means of a cam-actuated arm 309. A U-shaped band' 3l0 of sheet metal, having its upper shorter leg 3 adjustably mounted I 3 on the bracket 3 by means of a longitudinal slot in the leg and a nut 3H3 and its lower longer leg 3M extending under the feed pawl 304, lifts the pawl from the ticket strip on' the return stroke, the rear faces of the teeth 305 being beveled as shown in Fig. 16 to ride over the notches 303 and the front end Bio-of leg 3H1. By'adjusting the leg 3H1 lengthwise of the guideway the pawl may be caused to feed either a short-ticket or a long-ticket strip the length of 1) a single ticket at each cycle of operations, it being understood that the stroke of the feed pawl is at least equal to the length of the longest ticket to be used in the machine.

In this embodiment the foremost ticket is fed y to attaching position before it is severed from the strip, the ticket M6 being shown in this position in Figs. 15 and 16.v When in this position the foremost ticket is severed by a cutter 3H mounted on the lower end of a vertically, recip- 3) rocatlng head 3H8 which slides in a guideway 1H9 mounted on a bracket 320 of the frame 32L the beveled cutter itli'cooperating with a stationary cutting edge 322 which constitutes theend of the bed of the guideway for the ticket strip. The

head 368 is moved up and down by an arm 323 fast on a shaft 32% which isosclllated by a cam inside the frame 32!. As the ticket is severed it is gripped between the lower end of the head 388 and a spring finger 325, the rear end of which l) is'mounted on the frame as shown at 326 in Fig. 14 and the forward end of which swings downwardly with the head'while yieldingly holding the severed ticket against the fiat lower end of the headat the rear end of the ticket.

With the severed ticket thus clamped'bet'ween the head 3% and the spring finger 325 the ticket is carried downwardly until it is impaled upon the two points 32?. Just before the ticket reaches the points 323 it engages the spring pressed plunger 320 which is pressed downwardly against the action of spring 329, whereby the ticket is yieldingly held against the lower face of the head on both sides of the points while being impaled.

After the ticket isthus impaled upon the points 32 1 a staple is forced upwardly along grooves in the opposed sides of the points, the points of the staple being bent toward each other, by the lower granted April 19, 1932 for Stapling machine and it will thereforebe sufficient for the purpose of C5 the present disclosure merely to point out that the stapling wire 33f is fed from a reel 332, by feed'rolls 333 and 334 actuated by a pawl and ratchet, the pawl of which is shown at 335,

through a guide 333- to the staple-forming and 73 driving mechanism which is fully disclosed in my prior patent.

Before the foremost ticket is severed .it is printed by a printing head 331 mounted'on an oscillating arm 333. During each cycle of opera- 75 tions the printing head moves downwardly to print the ticket twice and, while the feed pawl 304 is in foremost position it makes athird partial descent to press the printing type against the ink pad 339 mounted in the upper face of the forward end of the feed pawl. During each cycle of operations the feed pawl moves forward in two steps, namely, from the rearmost position shown in Fig. 16 approximately half way to the cutter 3" in the first step and the rest of this distance in the second step; and the printing head 331 moves downwardly to make an imprint on the ticket before each step. Thus when using long tickets as illustrated in Figs. 15 and 16 thefirst imprint is made on the forward end of the ticket either at the end 'of the cycle for attaching the preceding ticket or at the beginning of a new cycle before the ticket is advanced the first step by the feed pawl. After the first step and before the second step the printing nead descends a second time to make an imprint onthe rearward end of the ticket. Theticket is then advanced to the position occupied by ticket 3I6 in Fig. 16 whereupon it is severed and attached as aforenotches 306 at the extreme end of the return stroke. Consequently the first forward step of the feed pawl is ineffective to advance the ticket strip and the printing head therefore makes two impressions on the short ticket in the same location. Otherwise the mode of operation when using short tickets is the same as when using long tickets.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 13 and 16 each cycle of operations is initiated by depressing the lever, thus actuating a clutch as above described in connection with the preceding embodiment of the invention. The mechanism is preferably operated by a motor inside the casing 321 in a manner sim'lar to that above described in connection with Figs. 1 to 12, but a handwheel'35l is' provided to turn the mechanism by hand in adjusting the parts, threading in a new ed upon, printing meansalong said track for printing each ticket, a rotary shaft, means operable by said shaft during one revolution thereof for actuating said printing means to print each short ticket in one location and each long ticket in two locations, means for producing relative movement lengthwise of the ticket between each long ticket and said printing means between successive printings, and means for adjusting the ticket feed to either long or short tickets.

2. A machine for feeding, cutting, and printing either short or long tickets and the like, comprising a track for guiding a strip of tickets to a delivery station, a cutter for severing the foremost ticket from the strip,. printing means adjacent said cutter in advance of said station for printing each ticket, a rotary shaft, means operable by said shaft during one revolution thereof for actuating said printing means to print each short ticket in one location and each long ticket in two locations, means for producing relative movement edgewise of the ticket between each long ticket and said printing means between successive printings, and means for adjusting the ticket feed to either long or short tickets.

3. A machine for feeding, cutting, and printing either short or long tickets and the like, comprising a track for guiding a strip of tickets to a de- 20 livery station, a cutter for severing the foremost ticket from the strip, printing means adjacent said cutter in advance of said station for printing each ticket, a rotary shaft, meansoperable by said shaft during one revolution thereof for actuating said printing means to print each shortticket in one location and each long ticket in two locations, one printing being effected while the strip is in position to sever said foremost ticket, means for .producing relative movement edgewise of the ticket between each long ticket and said printing means between successive printings, and .means for adjusting the ticket feed to either long or short tickets.

4. A machine of the type referred to for operating upon either short or long tickets, comprising a track for guiding a strip of tickets to an attaching station, printing means along said track for printing each ticket, a rotary shaft, means operable by said shaft duringone revolution thereof for actuating said printing means to print each short ticket in one location and each long ticket in two locations, means for producing relative movement longitudinally of said trackbetween each long ticket and said printing means between successive printings, means for adjusting the ticket feed to either long or short tickets, and a cutter-for severing the foremost ticket from the strip while one of the tickets is in printing position.

5. A machine of the type referred to for operating upon either short or long tickets, comprising a track for guiding a strip of tickets to an attaching station, means along said track for printing each short ticket in one location and each long ticket in two locations, means for pro 1 ducing relative movement longitudinally of said track between each long ticket and said printing means between successive printings, means for adjusting the ticket feed to either long or short so tickets, and a cutter for severing the foremost ticket from the strip after the first printing thereon and before the ticket is further advanced along the track toward said station.

6. A machine of the type referred to for operating upon either short or long tickets, comprising a track for guiding a strip of tickets to an attaching station, a cutter for severing the foremost ticket from the strip at a severing position in advance of said station, selectively operable 7 means between said cutterand said station for printing each short ticket in one location'and each long ticket in two'locations, one printing on each long ticket being eflected while the ticket is in severing position, means for producing rela- 7 tive movement between each long ticket and the printing means between successive printings, and s'electively operable means for feeding long-ticket strips and short-ticket strips by steps proportional to the lengths of the tickets respectively.

7. A machine of the type referred to for operating-upon either short or long tickets, comprising a track for guiding a strip of tickets to an attaching station, a cutter for severing the foremost ticket from the strip at a severing position in advance of said station, selectively operable means for printing each short ticket in one location and each long ticket in two locations between said cutter and said station, at least one printing being effected while the ticket is in severing position, means for producing relative movement between each long ticket and said printing means between successive printings, and selectively operable means for feeding long-ticket strips and short-ticket strips by steps proportional to the lengths of the tickets respectively.

8. A machine of the type referred to for operating upon either short or long tickets, comprising a track for guiding a strip of tickets to an attaching station, a cutter for severing the foremost ticket from the strip, a printing head along the track for printing each ticket, a rotary shaft, means operable by said shaft during one revolution thereof for twice impressing said head upon each ticket, and means for producing relative movement longitudinally of said track between the ticket and printing head between successive printings on long tickets only, whereby short tickets are printed in one location and long tickets are printed in two locations.

9. Means for advancing tickets to an attaching station and to facilitate printing one or more times on each ticket duringthe advance thereof comprising successively operable feeding members engageable with the tickets for advancing the latter through successive predetermined strokes, means for causing one of said feeding members to dwell during its stroke to provide for printing, said feeding members being timed to cause a ticket to dwell during the progressive advance thereof and between successive strokes of said members to provide for printing at this point.

10. Means for advancing tickets to an attaching station and to facilitate printing one or more times on each ticket during the advance thereof comprising successively operable feeding members engageable with the tickets for advancing the latter through successive predetermined strokes, means for causing one of said feeding members to dwell during its stroke to provide for printing, said feeding members being timed to cause a ,ticket to dwell during the progressive advance thereof and between successive strokes of said members to provide for printing at this point, and printing means disposed for printing on the forward portion of a ticket during the first dwell thereof and on the succeeding portion of the ticket during the next dwell.

11. Means for advancing tickets to an attaching station and to facilitate printing one or more times on each ticket during the advance thereof comprising successively operable feeding members engageable with the tickets for advancing the latter through successive predetermined strokes, means for causing one of said feeding members to dwell during its stroke to provide for printing, said feeding members being timed to cause a ticket to dwell during the progressive advance thereof and between successive strokes of said members to provide-for printing at this point, printing means disposed for. printing on one portion of a ticket during the first dwell thereof and on the succeeding portion of the ticket during the next dwell, and selective means for causing the printing means to operate during only one of said dwells and during both of said dwells.

12. Means for advancing tickets of a strip to an attaching station and for severing'tickets and printing one or more times on each ticket during the advance thereof, comprising successively 0perable feeding members engageable with the tickets for advancing the latter through successive predetermined strokes, means for causing one of said feeding members to dwell during its stroke to provide for printing, said feeding members being timed to cause a ticket to dwell during the progressive advance thereof and between successive strokes of said members to provide for printing at this point, and means for severing a ticket from the strip during the latter dwell.

13. Means for advancing tickets of a strip to an attaching station and for severing tickets and printing one or more times on each ticket during the advance thereof, comprising successively operable feeding members engageable with the tickets for advancing the latter through successive predetermined strokes, means for causing one of said feeding members to dwell during its stroke to provide for printing, said feeding members being timed to cause a ticket to dwell during the progressive advance thereof and between successive strokes of said members to provide for printing at this point, and means for severing ,a ticket from the strip during one of said dwells.

14. Means for advancing long'or short tickets of a strip to an attaching station'and to facilitate printing one or more times on each long ticket and once on each short ticket during the advance thereof, comprising successively operable feeding members engageable with the tickets for advancing the latter through successive predetermined strokes, selective means for rendering that feeding member, which operates through the first of said strokes, effective during substantially its full .stroke for feeding long tickets and effective during only a portion of its stroke for feeding shorter tickets, means for causing the other of said feeding members to dwell during its stroke to provide for printing, said feeding members being timed to cause a ticket to dwell during the progressive advance thereof and between successive strokes of said members to provide for printing at this point.

15. Means for advancing long or short tickets of a strip to an'attaching station and to facilitate ing members to dwell during. its stroke to provide for printing, said feeding members being timed to cause a ticket to dwell during the progressive advance thereof and between successive strokes of said members to provide for printing at this point,-and means for severing a ticket from the strip during the latter dwell.

16. In an apparatus of the character described, 7

the combination of a printing member, means for advancing tickets to the printing member, a plurality of cam surfaces, and means for rendering the printing member responsive to only one or to more than one of the cam surfaces, whereby data may be printed only once or a plurality of times on each ticket.

17. The combination of a printer operable in a substantially fixed position, means for advancing successive tickets each in a progressive stroke to and beyond the printer, a cutter spaced from the printer for severing a long ticket when one end portion thereof extends substantially across the printing position of the printer, and means for causing each ticket to dwell in the latter position relative to the'printer and also when in another position for another printing, whereby the printer may be operated during each of said dwells for printing duplicate data on long tickets or the printer may be operated during only one of said dwells for printing once on long or short tickets.

18. The combination of a printer operable in a substantially fixed position, means for advancing successive tickets each in a progressive stroke to and beyond the printer, a cutter spaced from the printer for severing a long ticket when one end portion thereof extends substantially across the printing position of theprinter, means for causing each ticket to dwell when in the latter position relative to the printer and alsowhen in another position for another printing, and means for operating the cutter during one of said dwells, whereby the printer may be operated during each of said dwells for printing duplicate data on long tickets or the printer may be operated during only one of said dwells for printing once on long or short tickets.

19. Apparatus of the class described compris ing means for severing tickets from a strip, a movable member having a full stroke for feeding large tickets to the severing means, means for causing said member to be effective only during a part of its stroke for feedingsmaller tickets, printing means spaced from the severing means to print on a ticket extending substantially a full stroke beyond the severing means, means for advancing a ticket from the severing means in part stroke lengths whereby the printing means may print duplicate data' on large tickets..

'20. Apparatus of the class described comprising means for severing tickets from a strip, a movable member having a full stroke for feeding large tickets to the severing means, means for causing said member to be effective only during a part of its stroke. for feeding smaller tickets,

printing means spacedfrom the severing means to print on the forward end portion of a large ticket which has been advanced a full stroke through the severing means,--means for advancing tickets from the severing means to the print-' ing means in part stroke lengths corresponding approximately to the part stroke advance of the -anism to bring the ticket to a second printing 5 position, and selectively operable means for actuating the printing means while the ticket is in both of said printing positions or only while the 1 ticket is in one of said printing positions, whereby data may be printed only once or in duplicate on each ticket.

22. Apparatus for severing and printing tickets of different sizes comprising severing mechanism, printing means disposed within the length of the larger size ticket from the severing mechanism, a movable member having a full stroke for advancing a ticket strip through the severing mechanism to bring the larger size ticket in position for severing and partly beneath the printing means in a first printing position, means for 20 causing the movable member to be effective only during a part of its stroke for advancing smaller tickets through the severing mechanism to. position for severing, means for advancing severed tickets beneath the printing means in part strokes, the latter means being effective for bringing the larger tickets to a second printing position and for bringing the smaller tickets beneath the printing means.

23. Apparatus for severing and printing tickets of different sizes comprising severing mechanism, printing means disposed within the length of the larger size ticket from the severing mechanism, a movable member having a full stroke for advancing a ticket strip through the severing mechanism to bring the .larger size ticket in position for severing partly beneath the printing means in a first printing position, means for causing the movable member to be 'efiective only during a part of its stroke for advancing smaller 40 tickets through the severing mechanism to posi-- tion for severing, means for advancing severed tickets beneath the printing means in part strokes, the latter means being effective for bringing the larger tickets to a second printing 46 position and for bringing the smaller tickets beneath the printing means, and selectively operable means for actuating the printing means only while each ticket is in said second printing position for printing data once on all tickets, this 50 means also being operable for actuating the printing means while a ticket is in each of said printing positions for printing data in duplicate on the larger tickets.

24. A machine for operating on either shortticket strips or'long-ticket strips as the tickets are fed to an attaching station, means for severing the tickets from the strip in advance of said station, means for attaching the severed tickets to merchandise at said station, means for printing the tickets, mechanism for actuating said means in cycles each comprising the severing of a single ticket and the attachment of a single ticket'by a single fastening, and selectively operable means for adjusting the ticket feed 55 to either short or long tickets and causing said printing means to print each short ticket in one location and each long ticket in two locations during each cycle.

25. A machine operating on either short-ticket strips or long-ticket strips as the tickets are fed to an attaching station, means for severing the tickets from the strip inadvance of said station, means for attaching the severed tickets to merchandise at said station, means for printing the