US2094010A - Printing machine - Google Patents

Description

E.`c. HARTLEY 2,094,010 PRINTING MACHINE Filed Aug. l2, 1935 14 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 28, 193 7.

0 Sept. 28, 1937,

E. C. vHARTLEY PRINTING MACHINE Filed Aug. l2, 1935 14 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

BY Maf CWM@ 79M?, 5L/m #C3/YW ATTORNEY@ Sept, 28, 1937. E. c. HARTLEY PRINTING MACHINE Filed Aug. l2, 19.3 5 14 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. @f5 CM@ ,6G/m4 Wem/ ATTORNEYS1 Sept. 28, 1937.

E. C. HARTLEY PRINTING MACHINE 1935 14 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. l2

` INVENTOR. ait C ff/M fm/ ATTORNEYS Sept 28, 1937 E. c. HARTLEY 2,094,010

PRINTING MACHINE Filed Aug. l2, 1935 14 Sheets-Sheet 5 la, H l A A 227 ZZ 7n.

INVENT OR.

ATTORNEYS,

Sept. 28, 1937. E. c. HARTLEY PRINTING MACHINE Filed Aug. l2, 1935 14 SheebS-Sheeb 6 H @5 k a( OEoQmo.. Hz, mv ww m. za.: wh.. zr. rn. ocmw ATTORNEYS f Sept# 28, 1937. E. ci. HARTLEY 2,094,010

PRINTING MACHINE 14 Sheets-Sheet '7 Filed Aug. l2, 1935 Sept. 28, -1937. E. c. HAR-(LEY PRINTING MACHINE 14 Sheets-Sheet 9 Filed Aug. l2, 1955 movl L11/40! l qos INVENT OR fqzm/ ATTORNEY Sept. 28, 1937. E. c. HARTLEY PRINTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 12, 1935 14 Sheets-Sheet l1 ATTORNEYS sept. 28, 1937.

E. C. HARTLEY PRINTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 12, 1935 14 SheetsLSheet l2 ya INVENTOR. @www @mw/f ATTCORNEY` Sept 28 1937- E. c. HARTLEY r 2,094,010

PRINTING MACHINE 99 #IZ K INVENT OR.

E@ 28 @wif c. M@

y MA? 19M@ JM/ ATTORNEY,

Sept. 28, 1937. E. c. HARTLEY PRINTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 12, 1935 14 Sheets-Sheet 14 INVENTOR. di C. W, MM5/ FW ATTORNEYs` Patented Septr 28, 1937 Emmett C. Hartley, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor, vby

mesne assignments, to Addressograph-Multigraph Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation oi Delaware` i Application August 12, 1935 Serial No. 35,707 42 claires. (01101-58) This invention relates primarily to the provision of a method and apparatusfor determining operative identity of related elements, such as sets of ycontrol members and corresponding printing devices, separately arranged in a predetermined order and 'fed yin `step with each other, say in separate mechanisms, or in the same mechanism, for effecting a signal or like operation,v as, for illustration, stopping of the feeding means for such members and/or devices, if for any reason one of the members or devices is, for example,

out of position in or missing from its respective set.

The general object of the invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus to identify individual elements of one set of devices with individual elements of another set, supposed .or intended to correspond therewith, and particularly to effect such identification-during a useful operation onor in connection with the elements of one set by-appropriate mechanism.

More specifically, the invention contemplates the provision of an identification system and apparatus between individual printing devices (such as address printing devices) which are supposedly arranged or stacked in a predetermined order and fed one by one to a printing position, and, corresponding index or control members (such as perforated tabulating machine control cards) which are also supposedly arranged or stacked in the same predetermined order as the printing devices. Generally, the control members individually relate to the same or correlated subject matter' as the corresponding printing devices, and

' operate in connection with such printing devices r list of a commercial organization to control a tabulating machine. These are kept in a certain order in groups. Address printing devices with index tabs thereon are made up to represent the same list and similarly ordered and grouped.

The cards are generally utilized to control a` tabulating machinehand cause it to print, on invoices, the number of units and' the money value thereof chargeable to the consumer or customer represented by the individual card. Each card is ylating machine.

provided with suitable indicia to cause such operations to take `place automatically consequent upon the feeding of the card through the tabusumer. Generally this latter represents or comprises the account number.

the printing of the amounts by the tabulating machine'. In many instances, however, it is highlyadvantageous to utilize for this purpose a printing machine of the type generally known The card is likewise providedwith indicia to represent the customer or conas'an addressing machine. `Such machines usui sequent upon the passing of such device through of the customer or consumer represented by that printing device,wlll be impressed on the work.

Since the amountsy are printed by one mechaeach printing device are so arranged that, con- 'the addressing machine, the name and address nis'm and one set of control members, and the i names and'addresses are printed byadierent mechanism and a diierent set of control members (i. e. address printing members) it is,y possible, without the use of the present invention, that,

dueto a probable loss of one memberin either group or a disarrangementl of one. member in a group, an 'entire group of invoices may be erroneously printed. For instance, if the firstl address plate iii a group is missing and the invoices fed to'theaddressing machine in the same order as they were discharged from `the tabulating machine, each invoice will bear the name and address of the customer .or consumer whos'ename and vaddress should be on the succeeding invoice.

`I-loweverhwhen the printing devices of each group are fed step by step to a printing mechanism,isuch as an. addressing machine, and the control cards of the corresponding group, which are supposed to be arranged in the same order las the address printing plates, are fed step by step in another mechanism,l it is possible,' utilizlng the present invention, to prevent errors due to the disarrangement of either a control card or printing device.

The illustrated embodiment of the present in,-

vention detects, in connection with the feeding of each printing device or card, Whether or not -Ithe device or'card is in' proper order, that is.

whether or not the device being fed corresponds to the card being fed. If the card and device do not correspond, that is detected, and a signal or a stopping of the operation of both the printing device and card feeding mechanisms is effected, so that appropriate investigation or correction may be made. When this comparing operation is effected, immediately after or before the operation on the invoices by the tabulating y machine, there is for all practical purposes, no opportunity for the displacementpr disarrangement of the cards, invoices or address plates during the transfer from one mechanism to another. Such disarrangements, displacements or losses may, however, frequently occur in the interim between invoice or tabulating periods.

In many `commercial organizations, the control cards for the tabulating machine or tabulating mechanism may comprise a series of cards for each customer or consumer, including a master or control card and one or more other cards. It is obvious that there need be but one address printing member for each customer. It is therefore an object of the present invention to so provvide a method and apparatus, whereby the cards may be fed step by step and only one address printing member advanced or fed for each 4series of cards, regardless of the number of cards in the series, and without interruption of the card feed.

When a series of cards are used, they often represent diiferent classes of service, such as electric power, water, gas, steam, etc. These cards may be called service cards, and there is usually one service card for each class of service. The service cards are always associated with a control or master card when stacked. It is an object of the present invention to. provide a method of checking the service cards, as well as the control or master cards. This is accomplished by providing the service cards with indicia to represent the account number, asis .done with the control cardsfand checking or comparing the service cards with the address printing device while restraining the feeding of the device until all of the cards of the series have been fed and checked.

Now it sometimes happens that a customer will have service throughout the year except during a certain billing period, during which period the customer will have no service whatsoever, and hence will require no bill. In such instances the service and control cards will lack indicia to cause the printing of amounts on the invoice by the tabulating machine, and hence no bill will be fed to the address printing machine for that account. The present invention contemplates the provision of amethod and apparatus which will detect the corresponding printing device, compare it with the service and control cards corresponding to that account and pass the address printing device through the addressing machine without making an impression therefrom, or without feeding an invoice through the addressing mechanism. This, therefore, is another object of the present invention.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a method and apparatus utilizing a set of cards wherein each card in the set will be identified or in effect compared with the other cards of the series. 'I'his is accomplished by comparing each card of the set with the same printing mernber.

Another object is to provide an identification by means of which a set of devices, each pair of which are cross-indexed and numerically identied by the use of a lesser number of index positions than are actually represented in the numerical system used.

Other objects of the invention relate to the selecting of which of the printing devices are to be printed or are to be skipped, as the case may be, and provides for printing in duplicate without disturbing the order of either the printing device or the cards.

The invention is also concerned with the provision of an efficient electrical arrangement for carrying out the above and related purposes.

Other objects of the invention will become more apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which apreferred form of mechanism is illustrated for carrying out my improved method.l The essential novel features of the invention will be more fully set forth or summarized in the claims.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a plan View illustrat-1` ing an addressing mechanism, together with certain mechanism which cooperates with the address printing devices to effect their identification or comparisonwith control members or cards; Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section through the addressing mechanism and certain paper feeding mechanism therefor, the plane of the section being indicated by the line 2 2 on Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a centrally located longitudinal vertical section through the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1, as indicated by the lines 3 3 on Fig. 1; Figs. 4, 5, and-..6 are sectional details, as indicated by the correspondingly lnumbered lines on Fig. 1; Fig. 7 is a sectional detail on a scale vsomewhatlarger than that shown on Fig. 1, the plane of the section being indicated by the line 1-1 in Fig. 1; Fig.- 8 is a transverse vertical section, on the same scale as Fig. 7, the plane of theA section being indicated by the correspondingly numbered lines on Fig..1; Fig. 9 is a transverse vertical section, on a scale somewhat larger than that shown on Figs. '7 and 8, the plane of the section being indicated by the lines 9-9 on Fig. 1; Fig. 10 is a sectional detail, as indicated by the correspondingly numbered lines on Fig. 9; Fig. 11 is a plan View of a card-feeding mechanism, certain of the parts being broken away to more clearly illustrate the internal construction of the mechanism; Fig'. 12 is a vertical section, as indicated by the line I2--I2 on Fig. 11; Fig. 13 is a plan view of one form of address printing device, for which the printing mechanism illustrated is especially adapted; Figs. 14 and 15 are perspective views of different index tabs adapted for use with the printing device for identic'ztion purposes; Fig. 16 is an electrical diagram of electrical circuits utilized in eiecting the various operations of the mechanism; Fig. 17 is a detailed diagram of certain of the electrical circuits; Figs. 18 to 28 are fragmentary electrical diagrams illustrating various proving or comparing circuits set up by different combinations of index tabs and perfora- `tions of the address printing devices and cards,

and illustrates under which conditions the circuits will be operated to cause the machine to proceed in the usual manner, and which circuits are operated to stop the mechanism so that the operator may readjust or restore the cards or devices to their proper corresponding positions; Fig. 29 is a diagram illustrating the different settings of the index tabs to represent the numerals zero to 9; Fig. 30 is a diagram illustrating the timing of the various mechanisms utilized in the apparatus illustrated in the drawings.

The invention has been illustrated with two separate mechanisms which are in some respects only partially shown. These two mechanisms, however, are interconnected by suitable electrical mechanisms or conduits and comprise a complete machine, allof the cooperating parts of which are illustrated. As shown in the drawings, such mechanisms are generally indicated and represented as A and B, A representing the address printing mechanism, including the feeding mechanism for the address printing devices, while B generally indicates the control card feed mechanism. If desired, the mechanism B may be considered part of a tabulating machine unit, wherein the control cards C (Figs. 11 and 12) are provided with perforationsin certain definite locations thereon, to control the functions of suitable tabulating mechanism, or other devices not shown but by means of which various vdata are arranged on printed mail matter, as, for instance, on bills or invoices, to consumers of power companies or commercial organizations. However, such mechanism may be, as shown, simply a card-feeding mechanism, incorporated as a part of theI addressing machine, or as shown, as a separate unit therefrom.

The mechanism A represents-an address printing machine, whereinl the address printing devices D are stacked or arranged in a supposedly predetermined order in a suitable magazine; withdrawn from such magazine and fed one by one to various positions, including an identifying position, a selection position, and a printing position; printed from; and finally reassembled in the same order in another magazine.

The two mechanisms are correlated by the present illustrated embodiment of the invention; so that each control card corresponding to a given printing device is first identified with the specific printing device, at respective stations FI and Fy in the units in which they are fed. While the units are in such identifying position, should they fail to identify or correspond, that is, represent the same account, the whole machine vwill be stopped automatically and will remain stopped until appropriate correction is made, otherwise the mechanism continues to function in repeating cycles. y r y After identification, boththe card and printing device are fed to a second position GI and G in their respective feeding mechanisms, in which positions the arrangement of the indicia on the V card will determine Whether or not an imprint CFI is to bemade from the corresponding printing device.

1 In the second position GI and G, just mentioned, the printing device alone may operate to set the addressing machine for a printing orv non-printing operation, as desired. At the position H of the printing device, printing is effected or skipped according to a prearranged setting, as will be later described. While I have shown a second position E of the address printing plate, this position is only incidental to the specific .construction of the address printing mechanism illustrated.

The control card C, as shown in Figs. 11 and 12, is of the type commonly known as a Powers double position card. This card has on one face a plurality of similarly spaced-vertical columns of numerals or symbols, 0, 1/2, 3/11, etc. in tabulated form. Only portions of the entire area and indicia thereon are used for the present purpose, the remaining portions of the card ordinarily contain symbols or indicia such as perforations f of the pair is the controlling symbol.

chine or other similar mechanism.

Assuming the upper left-hand portion of the card, namely, the portion K, is known to be used for identification, this, it is noted, is provided with vertical columns of numerical symbols com prising odd numbers running from one to nine, and closely adjacent thereto and diagonally therebelow, a column of even numbers, 2 to 8, followed by the conventional symbol of addition thus forming pairs of numerals or symbols, 1/2, 3A, etc.,to 9/+. This vertical row of pairs of symbols willhereinafter be considered and referred to as asingle column. Each pair of symbols represents a possible punch or perforation location.

The perforations made by the punch are indicative'of one or the other of the numerals or symbols of the pair punched out in a given column. Perforations in the first column from the left to right represent thousands, the next column hundreds, the next column tens, and the next column larger numerals, to identify. The last three digits of the larger numerals being suiiicient for practical purposes, no higher number than one is contemplated to be usedin the thousands column, although obviously higher numbers could be readily used.

Sincethe perforation is always made in the same position with respect toa pair of symbols, such perforation l,cannot of itself definitely represent either symbol punched. Wherefore, an additional perforation is made on the card to indicate which of the symbols punched controls. For instance, Where a pair of symbols, say V8 is punched, and there is an additional punch in thel 9/+ position, the even number of the punched pair is the controlling symbol. Whereas, when only the position "/8 is punched, the odd number To represent the number 9, the 9 position only is punched, the same as for any other odd number. Zero is indicated for each column above the l/2 position and a perforation in this position alone represents lfor controlling the operation of a tabulating ma- "units, these being sufficient, even in the case of zero. The above described specic arrangement of symbols is arbitrary and may be greatly'modified. The invention will, however, be explained in connection with this arrangement.

'I'he perforation location shown at M, as well as the two double columns of symbols at J, are locations for special perforations (printing identication perforations to be later described) and it Will be well to remember that the perforations tion locations sets up a different electrical circuit,

which is, in a' measure, independent of the bcircuit made by other combinations, y as will be later shown in connection with the electrical diagrams of Figs.`18 to 28. p

Each address printing device D comprises, as shown in F'ig.I 13, a metallic holder d arranged to removably support a printing member, such as the address' printing plate dl. 'I'he holder alsolcarries, as -shown at d2, an identification slip` yon which data may be carried for visible identification. The printing devices are individually characterized in accordance with identifying punchings of the corresponding card C. This characterization may be by a similar system, that is, by use of perforations. However, as shown, I prefer to utilize tabsl T which may beremovably inserted in suitable tab-retaining pockets of the printing device. Two of such tabs are illustrated in perspective in Figs. 14 and` 15 respectively.

As shown, in Fig. 14, the tab comprises a tongue tl arranged to coact with the retaining pocket of the printing device holder, and extend outwardly, the portion t arranged to project beyond the margin of the printing device so as to coact with suitable selector members, such as electrical switch members, hereinafter to be more fully described. As shown, the tab of Fig. 14, which will be referred to as a split printing tab, has a selector area t2. It will be noted that such area is substantially half of that of a whole tab, indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 14. By reversing this split tab when placing it on the printing device two effective tab positions are obtained for each tab-retaining pocket of the printing device. Fig. 15 illustrates a different type of tab. As shown, this tab is provided with an embossed area t3 which is raised above the normal plane of the tab and serves a purpose hereinafter to be described. v

In the embodiment illustrated, three tab retaining pockets are assigned to each of the units, tens, and hundreds group or column, and one pocket to the thousands column. By so assigning three pockets to each columniexcept thousands) six effective tab positions are provided for each group of three, and these, as shown in Fig. 29, represent 0, 1, 3, 5, '7, and 9, respectively. To represent 2, 4, 6, and 8 the printing device is tabbed as for 1, 3, 5, and 7, and an additional tab is provided, namely, the embossed tab of Fig. 15, in the 9 position tab pocket. In the case of representing the numeral 8a special full tab is used, the right hand portion of which is embossed (example shown in Fig. 23). zero and one are required in the thousands column, only one tab pocket is required for such column.

A card perforated to indicate`the number 0594" is shown at the right in Fig'. l1. In viewing the card, this sheet of drawings may now be turned vertically.l The leftC hand column is the thousands column and is perforated in the zero position. The next column or hundreds column has a perforation in the 5/6 position. This, as heretofore explained, designates a 5. The next or tens column has a perforation in the 9/|- position which .designates a 9; and the units column has a perforation in both the 3A and the 9/-{ positions, both of which are required to represent a 4.

An address printing device tabbed to represent the same number, namely 0594 is shown in Fig. 13.V The tab pocket in the thousands column is occupied by a left-hand split tab, the middle pocket of the hundreds group or column is occupied by a right-hand split tab, theright-hand pocket of the tens group is occupied by a righthand split tab, and the middle and right-hand pockets of the units group are occupied by a leftl hand split taband aA plain embossed tab respec- Since only -such as above described, with a card, such as above described. K

Before describing the various electrical circuits which are energized to control the card and printing device feeding mechanisms, the addressing machine or printing mechanisms will be described. l

The mechanism A or the address printing mechanism will now be described. This mechansm is best illustrated in Figs. 1 to 10, inclusive, and comprises a driving mechanism, a printing device feed mechanism, a printing mechanism, an electric selector mechanism, a mechanical selector mechanism, an identification mechanism, a sheet feed mechanism, and a web feed mechanism, the latter two mechanisms being used lselectively depending on the type of material (sheets or webs) being printed upon.

Driving mechanism The various mechanisms are all operated under the control of electric circuits hereinafter to be described and from a common source of power such as an electric motor (not shown) which is drivingly connected to a pulley l2|), rotatably mounted on a shaft 2| which is journalled in suitable bearings in the machine frame 30. The pulley is drivingly connectible withI the shaft 2l by a suitable clutch. Such clutch is shown in Figs. land 4, and as there shown the clutch comprises a latch 22 pivoted to the pulley 20 and no'rmally drawn into engagement with a shaft member by a spring 23. This clutch may be manually operated by a shipper lever 24, which rocks a slotted cam 25 (Fig. 4) having a pin and slot connection with a clutch release arm 26. The rocking of the lever causes the cam to bring the release member into or out of position to engage the latch 22. The arrangement is such that the shaft will always .complete its revolution before becoming disengaged from its driving pulley.

Theclutch is also arranged to be disengaged by a solenoid 21, Fig. 3, hereinafter called the automatic stop solenoid. The core of this solenoid is connected, by a link 29, with manually operable lever 24, so that the operation or energization of the solenoid will cause the release arm to be positioned to engage the latch 22 and disengage the shaft from the pulley. 'I'he shaft 2| is drivingly connected by suitable bevel gearing 3| with a longitudinally extending power shaft 32, and is also connected, through suitable change speed gearing 33 with aA shaft 34. The shaft 34 is connected by bevel gearing 35 with a second longitudinal shaft 36. The various gears are so arranged that the shaft 36 is driven at one-half the speed as the power. The purpose of this will be hereinafter set out.

Address printing device feed mechanism from a stack in a magazine 40, carried by the frame 30, and progress the device forwardly in four steps to the printing position along a guideway 4I. As shown in Figs. 7 and 9, sprockets 42 and 43 are journalled on suitable shafts at the front and rear respectively of the guideway and suitable sprocket chains 44 are carried by the sprockets and are equipped with lugs 44a adapted to engage the rearedges of the printing device and progress them forwardly from the magazine along the guideway 4|. As the printing devices are moved from the printing position, they pass downwardly from the forward sprockets 43 into a storage` magazine L (Fig. 3) mounted in` the usual manner below the machine frame 30. The usual packer mechanism (not shown) maybe vprovided to pack the devices in such magazine.

The sprocket chains 44 are intermittently driven. A forward' sprocket- 43 is provided with a series of outwardly extending pins 45 arranged to be successively engaged bya pawl 46 carried von the forward end of a bell crank 41 which is secured to a shaft 48 journalled in the machine frame 30. The other arm 49, of ,the bell crank is connected by a link 50 with an arm 5| pivotally mounted as at 52 to an upstanding frame bracket 53. 'I'he arm 5| is provided with a pair of rollers 54 and. 55 arranged to engage respective cams 56 and 58 drivingly connected to the power shaft 32. Thse cams cause the oscillation of the bell crank 41 and the intermittent progressing of the chains 44.

The printing device feed is controlled by a solenoid 51, hereinafter called the printing device solenoid. 'I'he core of this solenoid is connected by a link 60 with a lever 6| which is provided with a member 62 arranged as shown in Fig. '1, to engage the pawl 46 and prevent it vfrom picking up ak pin 45 so that the sprocket chain `44 will not be advanced unless the solenoid 51 is active to with-` draw the member 62. A manually operable member such as a lever 63 is connected by a link 64 with an arm 65 of the lever 6| so that the stop 62 may be locked in an linactive position and the plate feeding mechanism set to function as long as the power shaft 32 is in opration, regardless of the Yenergization of the solenoid 51.

Printing mechanism Vdescribed in detail.

The platen P' is' mounted on one end of a stamper arm 10, which is pivoted as at `1| to the machine frame, and is provided with a pair of rollers 12 and 13 arranged to engage thev respective cams 14 and 15 rigidly secured to a sleeve 16 rotatably mounted on the power shaft 32 and selectively driven thereby to cause the platen to be raised and lowered into and out of contactv with work.

Electric selecto/r The platen is selectively controlled by a solenoid 11 (Fig. 9). The core of this solenoid is connected by a link 18 with an arm 19 pivotally mounted on a suitabler frame bracket and the outer end of which engages a collar on a link 6| consequent upon the encrgization of the solenoid drawing the linkdownwardly. The upper end of the link is pivotally connected to a latch 82 which acts to restrain the movement of a spring pressed cam arm 84, which carries a roller 85 arranged to normally maintain the upper end 86 of a. pivoted arm 81 cammed into position to engage a latch 88 pivotally supported as at 89 on a driving disc 90, which is secured to the power shaft 32. The arm 06 acts to cam the latch 88 out of engagement with a lug 9| of the cam sleeve 16, heretofore described.

When the energization of the solenoid 11 swings the latch 82 clockwise out of contact with the one complete revolution, causing the platen to 5 /make an impression from the printing device which is in printing position.-

M echancal selector A mechanicalselector is provided to enable the 10 printing from selected printing devices dependent upon the presence or absence of index tabs in the two left-hand tab positions of the print'- ing device, indicated at d4 in Fig. 13. I'his selector generally is not used in conjunction with the 15 identication mechanism, but enables the addressing machine to be utilized as astandard selective addresser. The mechanical selector includes a detector which acts upon the printing device in the G positionlof the device on the 20 guideway 4|, this position being one step in advance of the printing position H. As shown in Fig. 9, th detector comprises a series of changeable pin members which are carried in a bracket( 96 pivotally mounted in a second-` bracket 25 91, which in turn is pivoted as at 98 to the frame 30. A suitable tension spring 99 is interposed between the two brackets to normally maintain the bracket 96 in contact with a pin |00 carried by the bracket 91 and causes the two brackets to 30 swing asa unit about the pivot 98. After a printing device has come to rest in the G position and the platen mechanism has started to act on the printing device in tlfe H .position the bracket 91 is swung'to cause the pin 96 to engage a tab (if 35 there is a tab present), onthe printing device in the G position. Asshown in Fig. '1, a lever |0| is secured to the shaft 48 which is oscillated by the bell crank 41 asheretofore described. Piv= oted to the upper end of the 'lever |0I is a link 40 |02 carrying a roller |03 arranged to engage on its forward movement an `arm |04 secured to the bracket 91 to swing the bracket in a clockwise direction against the action of a suitable spring.

When a tab is present in the path of a pin 95 the 45 swinging of the bracket 96 will be interrupted and due to the resilient connection with the bracket 91 the latter may continue in its movement swinging the pivotal connection |05 between the two brackets downwardly thereby causing the bracket- 96 to swing in a counter-clockwise direction. 'I'his swingingof the bracket 96 causes a downward movement to be imparted to the link 8| which,l

y as shown in Fig. 9, is pivotally connected as at 55 |06 tothe bracket'96, whereupon the latch mechanism 82, 84, 85, 86, is actuated as heretofore described to permit the latch 88 to cause the platen to be actuated. If, however, no tab is present below a pin 95 of the bracket 96 the two brackets 60 move as a unit, the bracket 96 moving therefore in a clockwise direction, whichsimply causes the link 8| to move upwardly a slight Aamount and hasno effect on the latch mechanisms or platen;

hence, when the mechanical selector is used, 5

without theelectric selector, hereinater'to be described, printing is accomplished only when predetermined tabs are present.

When the. identification system is used, the

arrangement is such that the mechanical selector may be thrown out of operation by merely swinging the link |02 (Fig. 17) counter-clockwise about its kpivotal connection with the lever |0|. This prevents the roller |03 from ever contacting with the bracket 91, in which case the printing opera- 75 tion is dependent on or is rendered active only when the solenoid 11 isenergized.

Whenever the latch mechanism 82, 84, and 85 has been rendered active to permit the latch 88 to actuate the platen operating mechanism, it is automatically reset before the platen completes its cycle of operation and before the solenoid 11 of the detector unit again functions. As shown in Fig. 9, the driving disc 90 is provided with a cam or lug |I0 which, once in each cycle of operation, when the latch member 84 is released, contacts with an arm thereof, positively swinging the arm in a clockwise direction about its pivot' against the action of a spring H2, whereupon the weight of the bracketI mechanism 96 and 91 through the medium of the link 8| positions the latch 82 to engage the latch 84 consequent upon the release of the member by the cam I|0, due to the rotation of the disc 90, thus restoring the latch mechanism. The platen therefore remains active to make one limpression for eachI time the latch mechanism is actuated either by the solenoid 11 or the mechanical-selective bracket members 96 and 91.

Identification or comparison mechanism thepresent time sulce it to say that aseries of switches |20 are carried by a block or member |2| pivotally mounted as at |22 to the frame 30. Certain of these switches are normally open and certain of them are normally closed, as will hereinafter become apparent from the description of the circuits with reference to the electrical diagrams. its normal position by an individual plunger |23 which is, s'lid'ably mounted in the block |2| and is arranged to be actuated byv respective levers |24 pivotally mounted as at |25 to the block |2| and normally held out of contact with their respective pins or plungers by springs |26. 'I'he block 2I is rocked about its pivot to bring the levers |24 into contact with tabs T (if s uch tabs are present), on the printing device in the position F. Consequent upon the rocking of the block, the movements of those levers |24, which engage tabs, are arrested causing the continued movement of the block to bring he plungers |23 into contact with such levers and moving the corresponding switches out of their normal positions. The remaining levers, however, swing as a unit with the block and enter slots or recesses |28 in the frame 30 and do not affect their cor-l responding switches.

The block I 2| carrying the identification switches is rocked by the arm |0| heretofore depivot |22 causing the levers |24 thereof to engage i such tabs as are present on the printing device in the table |41 of the addressing machine.

Each switch is adapted to be moved from the F position. As hereinafter described, unless these ltabs correspond with the perforations in the card which is at this time in the identifying position FI, in the card feeding mechanism, the automatic stop solenoid 21 is energized, causing the disengagement of the main clutch from the driving pulley 20, thereby stopping the entire mechanism ofl the addressing machine.

Sheet feed mechanism The sheet feed mechanism is arranged to feed a sheet, for instance an invoice having the amounts previously printed thereon by a billing machine-from a stack, progress it across the table of the addressing machine, bring it to a Vstop in printing position and, after receiving the impression, progressthe sheet from the addressing machine to a suitable conveyor or stacking mechanism. Generally, a sheet comprises both an invoice and a stub. The sheet feed is operated at half the speed of the printing mechanism to enable an impression to be made on both the invoice and the stub.

As shown in Fig. 3, the sheets are carried in a suitable stack S at the right-hand end of the machine,l a suction arm |40 is intermittently swung into contact with the innermost sheet in the stack by suitable linkage I4 I, which is operated by a cam |42 carried by the shaft 34. A partial vacuum or suction is applied to the arm |40 in the usual manner causing it to grip the lowermost sheet in the stack and draw it into bite of a pair of feed rolls |43 and |44, which grip the g sheet and feed it onto moving belts |45, the sheets being held in contact with the belts by guiderails |46. These belts act to progress the sheets across The belts |45 areflooped around suitable pulleys |48 and |49 located tangentially relative to the table and at opposite ends thereof. Suitable idler rolls |50 carried by arms |5| pivotally connected as limpressions are made on each sheet.

While the paper feed belts |45 tend to continuously move the sheets R., the latter are nevertheless stopped in printing position, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, and for this purpose I provide a series of stop arms |60 pivoted to a shaft |6| journalled in suitable frame brackets. These stop arms carry on their outer ends stop fingers |62, which consequent upon the rocking of the l levers are projected into the path of the moving sheets and restrain the latter against movement until the fingers are raised. The stop arms |60 are raised and lowered by a series of cams |63 rigidly secured to the shaft 36, heretofore described, and which cooperate with suitable rollers |64 carried by the arms |60, suitable springs |65 serving to maintain the rollers in contact with their respective cams. Certain of the stop arms follow the action of other stop arms, so that a sheet is stopped rst in one position and then in another position relative to the platen to enable two impressions to be made on each sheet.

The sheet feed mechanism is controlled for voperative actuation by the selector mechanism

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