US2047939A - Check writing machine - Google Patents

Description

' July 21, 1936. P. cATuccl 2,047,939

CHECK WRITING MACHINE Filed Oct. 19, 1932 9 Sheets-Sheet l A'ITORNEY July 21, 1936.. R ATUC. 2,047,939

CHECK WRITING MACHINE Filed Oct. 19, 1932 1 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY July 21 1936.

P. CATUCCI CHE-CK WRITING MACHINE Filed Oct. 19, 1932 9 SheetsSheet 3 INVENTOR BY i L /M/.

ATTORNEY July 21, 193

P. ATuccl CHECK WRITING MACHINE Filed Oct. 19, 1932 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEY y 1936. P. cATuccl I CHECK WRITING MACHINE 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 19, 1932 N INVENTOR ,"f BYfi /%a/d@ ATTORNEY July 21, 1936. P. cATuccl CHECK WRITING MACHINE 9 Sheets-Sheet; 6

Filed Oct. 19, 1952 INVE TOR BY. v C;

,ATI'ORNEY July 21, 1936. P. CATUCCI CHECK WRITING MACHINE Filed Oct. 19, 1952 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENT'OR ATTORNEY July 21, 1936. P, CATUCC] 2,047,939

CHECK WRITING MACHINE Filed Oct. 19, 1952 9 Shets-Sheet a July 21, 1936. P. CAT-UCCI CHECK WRITING MACHINE Filed Oct. 19, 1932 a 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 Patented July 21, 1936 QFFIE 15 Claims.

Check writing machines are generally of two classes, one of which uses an independently rotatable type wheel which is manipulated'to form a printing line representing the amount to be written on a check or the like. The other class employs a plurality of type bearing bars mounted for longitudinal shifting movement, which movement is normal to the line of printing, the bars being moved into selective registration to form a printing'line representing the amount to be written on the check. The latter class of check Writing machine is generally preferred and has been found to be more efficient than the machine employing the rotatable type wheel.

It is an object of my invention to overcome objections to the inefficiency of the inking mechanism generally used with machines of the class employing straight type bearing bars, by providing an inking mechanism having an absolutely uniform and unfailing action, which enables the production of clear and perfectly inked numerals on checks or commercial paper and which mechanism enables the writing of a very large number of checks before re-inking is necessary. My inking mechanism includes an inking element controlled by a predetermined resilient pressure, which insures the spreading of the proper amount of ink over the type at each print without unnecessary waste of ink.

A further object is the provision of a check writing machine having a simple and novel mechanism by which is effectively controlled the successive movements necessary for inking the characters on a printing line, scarifying the name of the payee, and pressing the printed character into the body of the paper. The three steps, inking, scarifying, and printing, are each independently controlled and follow one another in point of time, thus distributing the working strain throughout the entire cycle and enabling the machine to be operated smoothly by exerting a light force upon an operating handle. A further object is the provision of novel means of obtaining perfect horizontal alinement of the type bearing bars by placing the resting point which receives the printing pressure, closely adjacent the face of the type. This'feature prevents the tilting of the type bar and consequent poor alinement and printing. My expedient insures the faces of the types being exactly on a common plane, which is essential for the uniform printing of the entire face of each character.

Another object is to provide a simple pawl and ratchet mechanism which insures the smooth operation and proper registering of the typebearing bars, regardless of the direction in which the bars may be moved. This feature obviates the necessity of error keys, and enables rapid operation of the machine.

upward by a spring with a thrust sufiicient to balance the weight of the type bar, which in turn is free to move in either direction and is always ready to snap into place to register on the line of printing. This construction prevents the type bearing bars, when carelessly manipulated, from being out of alinement by stopping midway between characters. Another object is the provision of a serrated printing platen mounted to freely rock to allow the serrations thereon to seat themselves in mesh with the serrations on the type characters on the line of printing. This enables every point of the respective serrated surfaces to be in proper pressing contact so that the ink in the serrations is spread evenly over every point of the printed figures.

A further object, is the provision of a simple gauge for accurately alining a check, the gauge being readily adjustable and preventing the check from being displaced out of line when printing takes place, the printing being at all times parallel with the lines on the check.

A further object is the provision of means for readily indicating the position of the line of printing on a check, this means comprising a pointer which bears lightly on the check and oifers no resistance to the upward movement of the check to cause creasing or marring.

Another object of the invention is to provide simple and novel means for firmly clamping certain parts of the machine in a manner to enable the exerting of a powerful clamping action evenly distributed cross-wise of the machine, which in turn offers an even resistance to pressure on the entire printing line.

A further object is the provision of a scarifying device comprising an upper female matrix having a plurality of parallel grooves and a lower male matrix having a plurality of spaced parallel rows of sharp pyramids registering with the grooves in the female matrix to enable the latter to be adjusted longitudinally relative to the machine without interfering with proper scarifying action.

These and other advantageous objects, which will later appear, are accomplished by the simple and practical construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and exhibited in the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of my check writing ma chine Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the machine,

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the machine with the cover removed,

Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the upper part of the machine showing the arrangement of the type bars thereon, r

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of spacing bars employed to space and. support the type bar,

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing a detail of a pawl and ratchet device used with the type bars,

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a scarifying device, showing the method of adjustably mounting the same, f

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the machine at rest, that is, before manipulating the handle tooperate the same,

Fig. 9 is a sectional view showing the'position of the inking device and matrices at the beginning of the cycle of operations for printing characters on a check, 5

V Fig. 10 is a sectional'view showing the next step in the printing operation, the inking rollers being moved out of the way and the matrices being forced upwardly to perforate and print characters on'a check,

Fig. 11 is a sectional view showing details of the mechanism when the machine is at rest,

Figs. 12, 13, '14 and 15, show positions assumed -by a lost motion device used in the mechanism for controlling the position of the rollers during a cycle of operation,

Figs. 16, 1'7, and 18, are plan views of the machine showing the positions assumed -by a second lost motion device usedin the-control of the inking mechanism, during a one-half cycle of -shown to include a lower casing l, to which are pivotally connected links 2, the latter being :at-

tached to an upper casing "-3. The lower casing l is supported by four feet 4, preferably made of rubber or a similar material, and extending through the side walls of the casing is a shaft 5, havingdetachab-ly connected thereto an operating crank 6. Before operating the machine, the casings are clamped to each other by press ing down on a handle I, which controls a latching device hereinafter described.

Mounted on the upper side edge of the casing t, is a metal guide strip 8 which supports a pair of spaced check guides 9 and 1-0, which are transverseto strip 8 and slidable thereon.

Attached to the side .of easing 3. is a small plate H having a pair of spaced ears i2 which serve as stops for an .arm l3 projecting upwardly from a downwardly directed arm l4 pivoted at P5 to the plate H. The lower end of arm M is positioned so that it will' be slightly above a check between the guides '9 and iiLand the arm l4 hasits lower extremity bent to provide a lip I 6 transverse to the guide strip 8 and to indicate the line of printing of the machine, thus enabling ready adjusting of a check in the guides 9 and I0 so that the printing may be .on any desired line on the check.

The upper plate. 1.1 .of easing 3 has a plurality of V check, andkmovi'ng in a slot 21' is a knob 22 connected to a device, hereinafter described, for

The arms {9 are resettingthe type bars to their initial position to enable the setting of the machine to write a different amount.

Referring to Fig.4 there is shown the underside of casing 3 having mounted thereon a plurality of metal spacing strips 23, (see Fig. 5) each of which has attached thereto a transverse vflange 24, fitting in grooves in the lower portion" of type bars 25, which have type 26 attached to 'the understide thereof, (see Fig. 6). The flanges 24 provideguiding and supporting means for the type bars at a point as near the typeas practicable, and thus prevent tilting of the typebars and uneven printing of the type.

As'is shownin Fig. 4, the plurality of type bars '25 are spaced from each other and guided'by the strips 23; and each type bar has a longitudinal groove in'which moves a pawl 2'! engaging ratchet teeth 28 formed onuthe type bar. The pawl 21' .is in the form of a small roller mounted on the end of an'arm 29, of a rocker which is pivotally mounted on a shaft 30 supported by the side Walls of easing 3. The rocker has a short depending ::arm 3! which abuts one end of a small compression spring 32, the other endof the spring :abuttinga bracket 33. It will be seen that the thrust of spring 32 maintains the pawl'in en- .gag'ement with the ratchet 28'and prevents accidental slipping of the type bar regardless of its :position. The spring exerts a thrustsubstantiall y equal to the weightof the type bar.

The-spacing strips 23 are 'maintained in rela- 35 attached thereto.

The symbols, T36, 31, DOLS and GT5 are permanently mounted, and a'detachable plate 38 "bearing the name of the proprietor, organization tive positions by transverse spacing, plates 34', a

or thelike is held inpcsitionby a detent 39 restingin a .notchin the plate 38, the detent as being attached to a lever 4 normally urged by a'coiled spring to :hold the detent in the notch.

Referring to Fig. 16, there isshown a' plan view of the lower casing 'l, with the upper casing 3 removed. Mounted o'hthe inner side walls of casing :I are apair of channel guides 4 i, in which moverol'lers iz rotatably mounted on a plate 43,

the latter having also attached thereto a pair -of leaf spring fingers 4 3,- and upturned lugs 44',

which frictional'ly engage the sides and upper 'Zfion the ty-pegbars, while the rollers 4-7 and 48 serve as reservoirs to maintain roller 48 properly Attached to plate zit is a metal plate 49 having an angle [shaped cam slot 5% in which moves a roller 5! mounted on an arm'52 fixed to the upper end of a vertical shaft fifi, the lower end of the shafthaving fixed thereto an arm 54 pivoted, 7 to a 'transversearm 55 integral with a bar 56,.

which'has-a; forked extremity 57 andtfi embrace in-g the shaft '5, (see Fig. 11),]

The fork 51 has a' block e9 attached to the end thereof, and a second block 68 is fixed to the "-ba1fl56 and" slightly spaced from block 59, while orr fork 5 B is a stop pin'ffii. Fixed to shaft 5 (see Figs. 12 1 3; 14, and' '15) is an arm 62 having a pinits projecting therefrom. As the arm 52 is rotated clockwise the pin engages the surface 64 of block to move the bar rearwardly to rotate "shaft 53 to cause roller 5| to move in the cam all 2,047,939 slot 50 to draw the plate 43 back towards the shaft 53. Movement of the plate 43 continues until the peak I30 of the angle cam slot 50 has been passed. Thereafter, further movement of arm roller I in the same direction in the slot 50 has no effect upon the plate 43, and movement of the latter ceases.

When shaft 5 and arm 62 are rotated counterclockwise, (Fig. 15) the pin 63 does not engage block 60 and has no effect on the bar 56 until it engages block 59, when it will move the bar 50 to the left (see Figs. 11, 12, 13, Hand 15) to move the roller 5| in the opposite direction in the cam slot 50 to return the plate 43 to its original position. The structure above described enables the proper timing of the inking mechanism movements so that it will not interfere with the printing operations, at the same time enabling the machine to be operated by a simple forward and back movement of the crank 6. It will be seen that the considerable lost motion inherent in the forked bar 55 and the cam slot 53, prevents'returnof the inking mechanism to inking position before the printing parts are out of the way.

Supported by the side walls of the casing I is a pin 65 which pivotally supports one end of a U-shaped frame 05;, the legs 61 'of which carry, at their extremities, the rollers 68 engaging the cams 6 0 fixed to the shaft 5, (see Fig. 3) Supported by the legs 67 is a pin I0 having rotatably mounted thereon the arms II of a bracket I2, which has a vertical plate I3 arranged to engage the underside of the: ink trough 45. A cross-bar 14 (see Fig. is fixed to the legs 61 and supports a compression spring of predetermined strength, the spring bearing against the bracket l2, so that when the vertical plate "I3 bears against the trough 45, the latter will move upward to cause the roll 46 to apply ink to the type 25 with a pressure which cannot exceed thestrength of the spring. In this manner,

uniform inking is assured, and there is no wasting of ink because of varying pressures.

Fixed to the shaft 5 are a pair of arms I6 pivotally connected to links Tl, which are rotatable on ashaft I8, thelatter being supported by a pair of arms 19 rotatably mounted on a shaft 80 having its lower portion bent to provide a shoul-,

der 85 engaging a set screw 81 threadedly mounted'in the plateBI. The bottom of the casing has an aperture 88 to enable access to the set screw for the purpose of adjusting the plate 85. The upper edge of plate 85 supports a platen bar 89 having its upper surface provided with a' plurality of parallelrows af spaced pointed small pyramids. The underside of the scarifying. bar 89 has a groove slightly wider than the plate 85 sothat the bar 89 can have a slight rocking movement thereon, similar tothe mounting of the platen bar I00, which has a groove I03 wider than the plate 95, (see Fig. '7). Bar I00 has a bayonet slot IOI which cooperates with a pin I02 on the plate 0|, (see Fig. 7) and the bar 89 has a similar mounting and connection on the plate 85.

An upstanding plate 90 has adjustably connected thereto the plate 9|, having its lower end bent to provide a shoulder 92 engaging an adjusting screw 53 which can be manipulated through the aperture 88. The plate 90 is connected to the side arms 94 pivotally mounted on a pin 95 supported by the walls of the casing. 5 The pin 05 passes through elongated slots 96 in the arms 94 to enable the latter to be adjusted by means of an adjusting screw 99 engaging a cross bar 91 connected with the side arms 94, said screw 99 being supported by a bracket 98 pivotally mounted on the pin 95. As above described, the platen bar I00 is rockably mounted on the plate 9|, said bar having its upper surface serrated as shown at I08.

The arms 94 are pivotally secured to a pair 15 of links I04 which are pivotally mounted on the shaft '18.

The scarifying bar 89 is arranged to cooperate with an upper matrix plate I05 having a plurality of grooves I06 registering with the spaced rows of small pyramids I 01 on the bar 89, the plate I05 contacting the edges of spacers 23 and being spaced from the type 26, the latter having a serrated surface. The plate I05 is supported by a bar I09 which is slidably mounted on a frame 25 III) to which is attached a spring III, also connected to the sliding bar I09 to normally urge the plate I05 to a predetermined position. A screw I I2 enables, adjustment of the normal position of plate I05, and a screw II3 limits movement of the bar in one direction. The sliding bar I09 has an arm I I4 connected thereto and carrying a roller I I5 which engages an upstanding arm I I6 attached to the plate 43. When the plate 43 moves to the left (see Fig. 11; the arm II 6 engages the roller I I5 to move the matrix plate I05 back out of the way of the inking roller.

For proper operation of my machine it is essential that the upper casing 3 be tightly clamped to the lower casing I. For this purpose, I provide a novel latching device (see Figs. 19 and 20) which comprises a ledge Ill mounted on the lower casing, and a hasp II 9 having a central opening in which is positioned a circular disc I20 eccentrically mounted on a squared shaft I2I. 45 On each side of the hasp and disc are plates I22 through which the shaft passes also. The plates I22 carry a pin I23 which, in one direction of movement, engages the hasp H9 to limit rotation'of the disc I20 and plates. In operation, when the handle I is forced downward, the eccentric disc I20 and the hasp move together until the hasp engages the ledge I II, at which time the disc continues to rotate, but, rotary motion of the hasp being arrested, the eccentric action of the disc causes an upward movement, of the hasp against the under side of the ledge, and thus provides a very tight latching of the two casings. Rotary movement of the disc I20 is limited by engagement of the pin I23 with the hasp in one direction; or'by engagement with a projection I24 on the hasp in the opposite direction.

In operation, the upper casing 3 is tightly clamped to the lower casing I. The type is then set to the desired amount by manipulating the type bars 25 by means of the knobs 20.

A check is then inserted between the guides 9,

I0, which are adjusted until the indicator I6 is directly over the line upon the check where it is desired to print the set amount. The parts are now in the positions shown in Fig. 8, with the inking roller directly beneath the type. The crank 6 is then rotated towards the latch handle I, to rotate the shaft 5. At the beginning of the movement, the cam 69 engages the roller 68 to 7 Atis'stationary, and the upstanding plate H5 maintains the matrix plate I95 out of the way. Furthermovement of shaft 5, causes the plate 43 to move to the right, (Fig. 9) drawing the roller 36 over the type to insure complete and uniform inking. As the plate 43 moves to the 'right, carrying with it the inking trough and rollers'spring iI'I urges the matrix plate I95 in the same direction until it reaches the position shown in Fig. 10.

I Inthe meantime, rotation of shaft 5 is causing the bars 89 and ltd to move upward. The bar 99 rises first, as shown in Fig. 9, and then bar I99 reaches its upward position: to pressthe' check tightly against the type 29. 'The type 26 is serrated and cooperates with the serrations I93 on "the bar I99 to provide a proper impression, the

bar lIJ-ii'having a slight rocking and longitudinal movement to assure registration of the serrations on the typeand the bar. The bar 99 is being pressed upward to perforate thepaper over the name of the payee. Near the completion of the up movement of part9, it is given a final upward thrust' by the lowered portion IIS of the plate 8i passing over the shaft I3. The small sharp pyramids Mil on the upper surface of bar 89 register with the grooves in the plate i955 to pierce the paper. The grooves I99 are of considerable length to enable proper registration to accommodate various adjustments of the plate.

to the bar I25 is a transverse cross-bar I 2? car- Tyin a roller I28 which rides on one of the spacing strips 22%. In clearing the machine, the crossbar Iii-E is moved to engage the ends I29 (see Fig. 9) of the type bars to force them to their initial positions. I I I ,I From the above description it will be seen that I have provided an effective check writi ng machine in which complete and uniform inking of the type is insured, the type making an even and uniform impression, and proper operation of the perforator or scarifier and other parts of the machine is certain at all times. My mechanism enables extended use of the machine without reinkI- ing of the rollers, and the pressure on the type is through the paper, producing a positive scarifyingaction. a

I It will be noted that in the inking of theprinting characters immediately preceding the printing of the characters on a check, the inktrough' sides, and are guided by the channel guides ii, I0,

which extend across the machine and are adjustably mounted on the guide strip 8, which extends ment, which equally distributes the forces trans noted in the appended'claims. j I 3 the .length of .the' machine. The guides 9, 'Illare provided. with leaf springs I4I whichfrictionally grip the strip 8 to hold 'theIguides in adjusted positions; I (See Fig. 3.) I It'is obvious that my ar- I rangement'enables the printing of amounts on '5 checks'of allsizes, and on various'sizes of commercial papers, which heretofore could not be fitted to a check writing machine. The guides 9,

II] can be adjusted for handling paper the length of the'machine, and when it is desired to print on a larger sheetof paper, the upper c asing 3 can be raisedto insertthe paper. The upward movement of guide 9 and the downward movement of guide IIlare limited by a pinl42 projecting from I the side of the guide strip 8. 15 In my latching device, (see Figs. 19, in order to prevent the haspfrom swinging too 'far to the right when the upper casing 3 is' raised, I provide a stop M3, which engages the hasp and maintains the hasp in proper position .to engage the ledge 20 I I when the upper casing'is lowered. I

The upper casingii of the machine is inclined, and after the knob '22 has been moved upwardly in its slot 2! to clear the machine, it falls back by gravity to its normal out-of-the-way position. My clearing device is very simple in'structure and positive and rapid in operation. It should, also, be noted that should one typebar be erroneously set, it is not necessary to clear the entire machine to correct the error as is the case with other check writing machines. Sincethe type bars can be moved freely up or down, it is only necessary to manipulate the particular type bar which may be in error. I I V I The latch shownin Figs. 19, 20, is mounted in 3 the center ofone .end of casings I and 3. This mounting of the latch, together with. the two links 2, which hingedly connect the casings together; provide a three-point'clamping arrange- 40 versely over the casings. I

In order to'accommodate various spacings between lines on a check, that is the spacing between the line bearing the name of a payee, and

the line bearing the amount of the check, I have 7 provided means for adjusting the distance between the scarifying bar 89 and the platen bar I00.

The platenbarlfii) may be adjusted as has already been explained. I 1 a I As shown in Figs 10 and- 22, the ends of the arms 82 of the frame, which supports the-scarifying'bar89, are pivotally mounted on the shaft 83 and supported by the arms I99 of the adjustable frame 'IGI, which is pivotallyfmounted upon the shaft 95. The arms I59 of the adjustable frame IBI, are connected by a cross bar I45, the center portion of which is apertured to receive a threaded nut and threaded bolt, I96, the thread- .ed nut being surrounded'by' a coiled spring I41 1 which abuts against the cross bar I45 and a plate I48 fixed to the rear of the lower casing. I The bolt I45 has a rounded head I49 movable in and slightly larger than an elongated slot in I I I V the plate I48. By adjusting the bolt I46, the arms 82 maybe brought forward or backward, and thereby regulate the distance between the bar 89 descriptive and illustrative'only, and not as. re-

'strictiveor limitative of the inventiongof which obviously an embodiment may be constructed includingv many modificationsvwithout departing from the general scope herein indicated and de' Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a check writer, a type bar having printing characters on one side thereof, a platen bar, means to cause said bar to press a check into printing engagement with one of the printing characters, an inking roller to ink the printing character immediately preceding each printing operation and means acting through a check to press the inking roller into engagement with the printing character with a predetermined force.

2. In a check writer, a type bar having printing characters on one side thereof, a platen bar adapted to press a check into printing contact with one of the characters, an inking roller, and means acting through the check to move the inking roller upwardly and laterally into contact with the printing character immediately preceding each printing action of the platen.

3. In a check writer, a type bar having printing characters on one side thereof, a platen bar adapted to press a check into printing contact with one of the characters, an inking device to ink the printing character immediately preceding each printing action of the bar, a bar having a plurality of parallel rows of sharp points on its upper surface, a matrix plate having a plurality of grooves registering with said rows of sharp points, means to move said sharp pointed bar upward to force a check against said matrix plate to perforate the check, and means to move the matrix plate out of the way of the inking device during the inking operation.

4. In a check writer, a type bar having printing characters on one side thereof, an inking device comprising an ink trough rotatably supporting three contacting rollers, and means to move one of the rollers into inking engagement with one of the printing characters with a predetermined resilient force.

5. In a check writer, a plurality of slidable type bars having printing characters on one side thereof, said bars having longitudinal grooves in their sides adjacent the printing characters, metal spacing plates separating the type bars, and flanges on said plates positioned in said grooves to support and guide the type bars.

6. In a check writer, a slidable type bar having printing characters on one side thereof and a longitudinal groove with ratchet teeth formed therein, a roller adapted to engage the ratchet teeth, an arm upon which the roller is mounted, and resilient means to exert an upward pressure on the arm and roller substantially equal to the weight of the type bar to prevent the accidental stopping of the type bar between printing characters.

'7. In a check writer, a type bar having printing characters on one side thereof, a platen bar adapted to press a check into printing engagement with one of the characters, said bar having a longitudinal groove in its bottom, a vertical plate having its upper edge resting in the groove and supporting the bar, said groove being slightly wider than the thickness of the plate to enable the platen bar to rock during a printing action.

8. In a check writer, a slidable type bar having printing characters on one side thereof, a platen bar adapted to press a check into printing engagement with one of the printing characters, a scarifying bar having a plurality of parallel rows of sharp points thereon, a matrix plate having a plurality of grooves registering with said rows of sharp points, screw means to adjust the scarifying bar relative to the platen bar, resilient means normally maintaining said matrix plate in a predetermined normal position, and screw means to 5 vary the normal position of the matrix plate.

9. In a check writing machine, a lower casing, an upper casing, a pair of links hingedly connecting said casings at one end, said links being spaced from the adjacent end of the lower casing and having a projection pivotally connected to the lower part of the lower casing, and a latching device at the other end of the casing, said latching device being in the center of the ends of the casings and clamping said casings together to provide with the hinge connections a threepoint even distribution of forces across said casings.

10. In a check writing machine, a plurality of slidable type bars having printing characters on one side thereof, an inking device comprising a trough having inking rollers rotatably mounted therein, means for supporting and guiding a check beneath said type bars, and means beneath and acting against said check to raise the trough to bring one of the inking rollers into contact with the printing characters on the type bars.

ll. In a check writing machine, an inclined casing having a plurality of type bars slidably mounted thereon, pawl and ratchet means to hold said bars in various positions of adjustment, a cross bar slidably mounted transversely of the casing, and means to enable the cross bar to be moved longitudinally of the casing to reset the type bars to a predetermined initial position, said cross bar returning by gravity to a position out of the Way of the type bars.

12. In a check writing machine, a slidable matrix plate having a plurality of parallel grooves, a scari'fying bar having a plurality of parallel rows of sharp points registering with said grooves, means to move the scarifying bar upward against a check to cooperate with the matrix plate to perforate the check, and resilient means to normally maintain the matrix plate in a predetermined position.

13. In a check writing machine, a type bar having printing characters on one side thereof, a platen bar adapted to press a check into printing engagement with one of the characters, said bar having a groove in the bottom thereof, a support for the platen bar, said support being loosely positioned in the groove of the platen bar to enable the platen bar to rock upon the support during a printing action.

14. In a check writer, a type bar having printing characters on one side thereof, a platen bar adapted to press a check upwardly into printing engagement with one of the characters, a support for the platen bar, and means for loosely 60 mounting'the platen bar on the support to enable the platen bar to rock transversely of its length during a printing action.

15. In a check writer, a slidable type bar having printing characters on one side thereof, a 65 platen bar adapted to press a check upwardly into printing engagement with one of the printing characters, a scarifying bar adapted to move upwardly to scarify a check, and independent means to adjust the relative positions of the 7 scarifying bar and the platen bar.

PLINY CATUCCI.

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