US2133136A - Printing machine - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 11, 193.8. w. T. GoLLwlTzER PRINTING MACHINE Original Filed Feb. 24, 1 956 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 052m@ E. 22.6 .255 man mv A TTORNEYS.

9 Sheets-Sheet 2 NVENTOR.

BY x4/Al Wat/64141.,

ATTORNEYS.

W. T. GOLLWITZER PRINTING MACHINE Oct. 1l, 1938.

original Filed Feb. 24, 195e alla. n;

Il L Oct. 11, 1938. w. T. GoLLwlTzER 2,133,136

PRINTING' MACHINE Original Filed Feb. 24, 1936 9 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR.

@y MA/a/ /baaa ATTURNEYS.

Oct. l1, 1938. w, T. GoLLwl-rzER PRINTING MACHINE Original Filed Feb. 24, 1936 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEYS.

Oct. 1l, 1938. w. T. GoLLwlTzER PRINTING MACHINE Original Filed Feb. 24, 1956 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 www..

INVENmR.

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Det. l1, 1938- w. T. GoLLwiTzER PRINTING MACHINE 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 Original Filed Feb. 24, 1956 MNM. msm. bh.

ATTORNEYS.

Oct. l1, 1938. w. T. caoLLwlTzER PRINTING MACHINE Original Filed Feb. 24. 1936 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 A TTORNEYS.

Oct. l1, 1938. w. T, GoLLwn'zl-:R 2,133,136

PRINTING MACHINE Original Filed Feb. 24, 1936 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 INVENTOR.

BY M4 /LLQQ/ ATTORNEYS.

Oct. 11, 1938. w T, GOLLWVTZER 2,133,136

PRINTING MACHINE Original Filed Feb. 24, 1956 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 INVENTOR.

A TTORNEYS.

PatentedA Oct. 11, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PRINTING MACHINE Walter T. Gollwitzer, Euclid, Ohio, assigner to Addressograph-Multigraph Corporation, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware 26 Claims.

This invention relates to printing machinesof the kind in which impressions are nade from printing and control devices sequentially fed through the machine and wherein impressions are made directly from the devices and also wherein other impressions are made under control of the devices, andthis invention more particularly pertains to making impressions under control of the devices.

This application is a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 65,376, filed February 24, 1936.

Heretofore printing devices sequentially fed through printing machines have been equipped to print names and addresses or other identiflcation of the shareholders of a corporation, the policyholders of an insurance company, the customers of a public utility or of other groups of persons and impressions have been made directly from the printing devices, for example, on dividend checks for the shareholders, premium notices to the policyholders, bills of the public utilities or on other similar business instruments to be distributed among groups of persons. It is de# sirable, however, not only to print names and addresses or other identification but also to print other information such as numerical accounting data and if such data are printed it may be advantageous to accumulate the total of amounts printed or to perform other mathematical operations. It is therefore another object of the invention to provide devices from which impressions may be made directly and also under control of which the printing of other information and the perfomance of mathematical operations may be effected. y

It has been proposed to print identifications such as names and addresses from printing de vices or the like and to print other information such as numerical accounting data under control of records perforated or otherwise arranged cn cards or the like independent of the printing devices. This required sequencing the printing devices and record cards and comparison or other checking thereof to insure that the impression from the printing device for one person was not made on the business instrument on which an im pression was made under control of the recom` card for another person. Where the printing devices and cards were fed through the same machine the comparision or checking has usually been so eifected that the machine was stopped when selected of the independently but sequentially fed printing devices and cards did not correspond, a not altogether satisfactory arrange- (Cl. lill-93) ment. Such sequencing and comparing of independent printing devices and cards may be avoided by including printing characters for printing a name and address or the like and control means for eil'ecting the printing of numerical 5 accounting data or the like on a single device whereby the entire record to be printed is accommodated on a single device. This, however, still entails assuring that impressions made from the printing characters and under control of the 10 control means on a particular device be impressed on the same instrument, and hence still another object oi' my invention is to make impressions directly from a printing and control device and under control of a control means on the device 5 on the same instrument so that the name or other identiiication of a particular person will be printed on the same instrument as that on which numerical accounting data or the like for that person are printed. 20

The numerical accounting data or the like printed on different business instruments may vary widely and therefore a further object of my .invention is to employ a novel variable printer settable to afford a. wide variety of combinations of type characters from which impressions may be made to print varying numerical accounting data or the like on business instruments, and an-y other object is to set up such a variable printer under control of printing and control devices sequentially fed through a printing machine in which impressions may be made directly from the devices on the business instruments which are printed in the variable printer.

It is often desirable to totalize the numerical accounting data or the like printed on business instruments or to eil'ect other mathematical operations based on such data and it is often desirable to prepare a record of such data. Hence other objects of my invention are to employ a calculating machine wherein numerical accounting data printed on business instruments may be totalized or other mathematical operations based on such data may be performed; to prepare a record of data entered in such a calculating machine; to operate such a calculating machine under control of printing and control devices sequentially fed through a printing machine to have impressions made directly therefrom; to associate a calculating machine With the variable printer of this invention and to totalize the numerical accounting data or the like printed by the variable printer or to perform other mathematical operations and, if desired, to prepare a record of data entered in the calculating machine; and to enable conjoint operation of a calculating machine and variable printer by utilizing for this purpose the same control means on printing and control devices sequentially fed through a machine whereby corresponding operation of the calculating machine and variable printer will be assured.

The control of a variable printer and, if desired, a calculating machine under records on printing and control devices fed through a machine may be eiected by aiording in a field on each device locations in which there may be positioned individual indications for each digit that can be printed by the variable printer or entered in the calculating machine but so to do requires relatively large fields on the devices. However, such large fields can only be accommodated on printing and control devices of relatively large size and it is advantageous to restrict the size of such devices. Moreover, such an arrangement of indications requires as many operating parts in the operating means for the variable printer, and for the calculating machine when one is used, as there are possible locations in the fields for individual digit indications and this makes it dii'- ficult to compactly arrange the variable printer, and when used, the calculating machine, and particularly operating means therefor. Hence, still further objects of my invention are to arrange at least part of the record on a printing and control device in accordance with a novel system that will enable a large number of digit indications to be accommodated in relatively small elds on printing and control devices of restricted size; to classify the digits, and therefore the indications ihereof under the system; to provide novel parts in the. operating means capable of effecting printing or entry of digits in different classes; and to selectively position such parts, prior to operation thereof, to eiect printing or entry of the digit of a selected class.

Printing and control devices are fed through a printing or other machine and are collected and stored in a predetermined sequence as, for example, alphabetically. But it is not always desired to make an impression from the printing characters nor to effect a printing or other operation under control of the control means on every printing and control device in a sequence of devices fed through the machine. ,Hence, a still further object of my invention is to selectively make impressions i'rom printing characters and efl'ect printing or other operations under control of control means on printingl and control devices automatically under control of the devices themselves.

Other objects `are to selectively position in a novel manner more characters in an operative position in a variable printer than there are characters represented by control means on the control devices under control of which the characters are set up; to selectively position a. blanking character or one of the characters from to 9 in an operative position in a variable printer where only the characters from 1 to 9 are represented b y control means on the control devices under control of which the characters are set up; to selectively positions blanking character or one of the characters from 0 to 9 in an operative position in a variable printer where only the characters from 1 to 9 are represented by control means on the control devices under control of which the characters are set up and where an absence of control means represents either a blanklng character or the 0 character. and the blanking character is normally positioned in operative position; to position a blanking character normally in an operative position in a. variable printer where one ofthe characters from 0 to 9 is capable of being selectively positioned in the operative position and only the characters from l to 9 are represented by control means on the control devices under control of which the characters are set up; to position blanking characters normally in an operative position in a variable printer capable of having digital characters positioned to represent a number having a plurality of digits whereby all the digital spaces to the leit of the ilrst signicant digit will be occupied by blanking characters; and to normally position blanklng characters in the digital locations of an operative position in a variable printer and to selectively position significant digits in certain of said locations and to insure the positioning of the 0 character in any location to the right of any significant digit and in which location a significant digit is not positioned.

Other and further objects will appear in the following description wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the entire machine;

Fig. 2 is a View of a typical business instrument printed in the machine;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of a typical printing device used in the machine;

Fig. 4 is a chart illustrating the system or code under which a record is provided on the printing device;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken longitudinally through the printing device guideway;

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the variable printer and calculating machine employed in this invention;

Fig. is a side view of the variable printer and calculating machine;

Fig. 8 is a front elevation of the variable printer;

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 9 9 on Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a perspective detail view of one type segment of the variable printer and operating means therefor;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged detail view of a stop device employed in the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 12;

Fig. 12 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line I2--I2 on Fig. l1;

Fig. 13. is another side view of the calculating machine and showing the total taking devices;

Figs. 414 and 15 are 'views showing alternative positions of certain of the parts shown in Fig. 13;

Fig. 16 is a fragmentary plan detail view of a portion of the printing device guideway;

Fis. 17 is a vertical sectional view taken substantiallyon the line II-ll on Fig. 16;

Fig. 18 is a vertical sectional view of the detector switch mechanism taken substantially on the line Iii-I8 on Fig. 16 but showing the parts in closed position;

Fig. 19 is a fragmentary plan view showing selected of the parts illustrated in Fig. 16 in another position;

Flg. 20 is a sectional detail view taken substantially on the line 2li-49 on Fig. 16; and

Fig. 2l is a wiring diagram.

The selected embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings is adapted for the preparation of checks and more particularly dividend payment checks of ya corporation, but it 15 t0 be understood that this is merely an illustrative use ofthe invention for many other kinds of business instruments for many other purposes may be 'prepared as will be apparent from the following description.

The number of shareholders in a corporation is often very large and their holdings vary from a few to quite a large number of shares. The distribution of a dividend declared by a corporation among its shareholders is usually done by checks and because of. a largenumber of shareholders and the variety of their holdings the preparation of the dividend checks has been an arduous and time-consuming task.

One manner in which the preparation of dividend checks has been simplified and speeded up has been by providing the names or other identification of the shareholders of ,a corporation on printing devices which have been passed through a printing machine to addressor otherwise identify the checks. One form of printing devic'e suitable for this purpose is shown in my Patent 1,979,261, patented November 6, 1934, and while printing of dividend checks by the use of such printing devices facilitated the preparation and distribution thereof it was still necessary to perform other operations on the checks as, for example, entering 'of the amounts thereon. Moreover, the name of the issuing company, the bank upon which the checks were drawn and similar matter re-occurring on all of the checks was usually printed thereon prior to passage thereof through a printing machine for addressing or other identification and the printing of this reoccurring matter on the checks has been relatively expensive. Moreover, it is necessary to date, number and sign the checks and it is preferable that such matter be printed on the checks in a way that it will contrast with other matter appearing on the checks, and this is also true of the amounts printed on the checks. It will thus be seen that it was necessary to perform a number of separate operations in order to prepare the dividend checks and that while printing addresses or other identification on the checks by the use of printing devices facilitated preparation thereof it did not solve all of the problems entailed in economically preparing the checks.

However, I propose to facilitate the preparation of dividend checks by not only providing devices for printing the name and address or other identification of a shareholder but which will also carry control means so that the entire record may be printed by the devices. The record, by way of example, may be the identification of a shareholder and the amount which the shareholder is to receive by reason of the declaration of a dividend. This amount represents the number of shares owned by the shareholder multiplied by the rate of the dividend. Such a record may be provided on the printing devices in a variety of ways of which the manner shown in the accompanying drawings and described hereinafter is but illustrative.

Thus I have shown a printing device D including a frame l on which a fiat metal plate 4| is removably retained preferably adjacent the lower part thereof. 'I'his plate is adapted to be embossed or otherwise provided with printing characters from which the name and address or other identification of the shareholder of a corporation may be printed. In addition to this the printing device is also provided with an index card 42 bearing an impression from the printing characters on the plate Il and this facilitates filing and other handling of the printing device.

The index card is preferably located in one upper corner of the frame lll.

I provide a plurality of openings 43 in the other -upper corner of the frame. In the present instance I provide nine rows of openings with ve openings in each row and preferably these openings are positioned in transverse and longitudinal alignment with each other. Each of the nine rows of openings may be used to indicate the digit of a number or other numerical accounting data or the like and I may therefore arrange the indications of a nine place number on the printing device illustrated, and when the number is expressed in terms of dollars and cents I may indicate any amount up to 9,999,999 dollars and 99 cents.

I could, if desired, provide nine or ten openings in each of the nine rows and then use a particular opening in each row as an indication of a particular digit in each row but so to do would entail the use of a field of relatively large size to accommodate openings so arranged and. as will be apparent from an inspection of Fig. 3,- this would entail increasing the size of the printing device D. I therefore provide but iive openings in each row which number may be accommodated without increasing the size of the printing device, and I utilize these openings in accordance with a system or code, to be explained, whereby I am enabled to provide an indication for any digit in every row.

I have explained that nin-e rows of openings with five openings in each row are provided in the frame 40 and in order to render operative only selected of the openings so as to thereby indicate particular digits I employ a control card M which is mounted over the openings 43. The control card M as well as the plate 4l and index card I2 are removably secured on the frame by suitable retaining devices such as, for example, those shown and described in my above referred to Patent 1,979,261.

When it is desired to indicate a particular digit in any one of the nine rows, one or more perforations are provided in the control card 44 in alignment with one or more of the openings I3. The manner in which such perforations in the card are located to indicate particular `digits is illustrated in Fig. 4 wherein it will be noted that in order to indicate the digit "1 in any one of the nine rows perforations are made in the control card M in alignment with 'the uppermost and lowermost periorations 43 in that particular row while in order to indicate the digit "2" a perforation is made in alignment with only the lowermost opening in the particular row. The manner in which perforatlons are located for the other digits can be readily ascertained by reference to Fig. 4.

As shown in Fig. 4 the odd digits 1, 3, 5 and 7 in a particular row are all indicated by two perforations in the control card, one of which is always located in alignment with the uppermost perforation in the particular row. It will r1fsf be noted that when only one perforation s made in the control card in alignment with the uppermost opening in a particular row it is indicative of the digit 9. Furthermore. the even digits 2, 4, 6 and 8 are each indicated by a single perforation in the control card, the opening being respectively located in alignment with openings other than the opening uppermost in a particular row. It may therefore be said that under the system or code disclosed in Fig. 4 thc digts and indications therefor are classified, the odd digits 1, 3, 5 and '7 being in one class, the even digits 2, 4, 6 and 8 being in another class, and the odd digit 9 being still in another class. The utility of such classification of the digits is more fully explained hereinafter.

I have referred to the devices on which the record to be printed on a business instrument is provided as printing devices and will so refer to such devices hereinafter from time to time since such is the utility of the devices. It will be noted, however, that these devices are printing and control devices and therefore it is to be understood that reference to printing devices hereinafter is in the generic sense of printing and control devices.

In F'ig. 2 I have shown a check C as an illustration of a business instrument which may be prepared by this invention and by referring thereto it will be seen that this check includes a form F' such as the name of the issuing company, the bank on which it is drawn, the formal words of a negotiation and the like;` a date B: a number N; an amount E; an address A and a signature X. It is to be understood that more o1 less matter might be printed if so desired.

While this invention is primarily directed to making impressions directly from and under control of the printing devices I have shown a machine which will completely print the check C and to this end I have provided a printing couple wherein the date B, the number N and signature X may be conveniently printed, a variable printer under control of the printing device for printing the amount E, printing means for making an impression directly from the printing device to print the address A and another printing couple wherein the form F may be conveniently printed.

Furthermore, in preparing dividend checks and many other business instruments it is often desirable to accumulate a total of the various amounts printed on the instruments or to perform other mathematical operations, and it is likewise advantageous to prepare a record, such as a detail strip, of the amounts printed and I have therefore shown a calculating machine, and more particularly an adding machine, wherein a total of the amounts E printed on the various checks may be accumulated and wherein a record of the amounts so printed may be prepared.

I have also shown withdrawing a web from a roll of blank paper and severing the business instrument blanks from this web, but it is to be understood that this is merely illustrative and that the primary feature of the invention, that is, printing directly from and under control of printing devices, can be used in other ways for which it is or may be adapted and that it is not limited to use in the preparation of business instruments severed from a web.

A roll R of blank paper is mounted in a suitable supporting stand 56 as, for example, like that shown in my co-pending application Serial No. 78,681, filed May 8, 1936. A web W is withdrawn from the roll and, if desired, suitable unwlnding means such as that disclosed in my just referred to co-pending application may be associated with the roll so that tension on the web will be kept uniform.

The web W is passed between the cylinders Il and 52 of a printing couple, which cylinders are respectively mounted on shafts as 53 that are suitably journaled in a frame 55 mounted at the right hand end of the printing machine, as more particularly described in my co-pending application Serial No. 65,376.

Power is supplied to the shafts as il from a motor 56 through an endless belt Sl which is passed about the pulley 59 fast on the shaft il that is journaled in the frame. A pinion 8l fast on the shaft 66 meshes with a gear 62 rotatably mountedon the shaft 63 rotatably ,iournaled in the frame 55. The shafts as 53 are intermittently rotated and controlled by a clutch which is under the control of an electromagnet 1l, Fig. 21. A bevel gear 'i9 fast on the shaft 63 meshes with a bevel gear III fast on the shaft 53 whereby the shaft 53 is rotated with shaft 6I when said shaft 63 is rotated. Equally sized intermeshing gears as BI are respectively fast on the shaft as 5l whereby these two shafts rotate in synchronism.

In the present instance when checks are being printed the printing cylinder i! is equipped with devices for printing the signature X, the number N and the date B on the check C.

A signature printing form, a date printing form and an accumulating numbering device may be provided on the printing cylinder 52 but it is to Ibe understood that these might be replaced with other suitable devices, the nature of which will be dictated by the characteristics of the business instrumentsr being printed, the specifically mentioned devices being pertinent to printing checks. A pair of brackets and 9| support the devices which supply ink to the printing forms on the printing cylinder 52 and are more particularly described in my co-pendlng application Serial No. 65,376.`

In the form of the invention illustrated I employ a web of a width equal to the desired length of the checks for checks are usually of greater length than width and by severing the checks from the web in this manner I am enabled to sever a great many more checks from a web of a given length than I would be able to do if the web were the same width as that desired of the checks and the web was severed transversely of the checks rather than longitudinally thereof. However, it is important that the checks be of a uniform width and I therefore feed the leading edge of the web past a severing device in an equal amount in each operation of the feeding means and by so doing I insure that the checks will be of uniform width.

Inthe accompanying drawings I have shown a web feeding means somewhat like that shown and described in the patent to Hartley, No. 1,955,806, patented April 24, 1934, but it is to be understood that any other suitable intermittently operable web feeding means may be employed without departing from the purview of my invention.

The web feeding means includes a pair of shafts as |25 rotatably mounted in the frame 55. Suitable resilient clamping rollers as i!! or the like are provided on the shafts as |25 and the web is clamped in the bite between these rollers.

Inasmuch as there may be conditions causing variations in the width of the checks, I provide an adjustable crank arrangement in the means which imparts rotative movement to the shafts as |25 and to the feed rollersi as I 2`I carried thereby. Such an adjustable crank includes the arm III faston the shaft 53 and has a bifurcated guideway Il! therein. One end of a link |83 is adjustably secured in the guideway |32. 'I'he arm III rotates with the shaft 53 and the adjustable mounting of one end of the link in this arm enables variation of the throw imparted to said link.

A rock arm |34 is pivotaily mounted in the frame 55-and the free end oi' the link |33 is pivotally connected thereto. A gear segment |35 on the rock arm |34 meshes with a pinion |36. An overrunning clutch |31 and a brake |30 of a design similar to the overrunning clutch |31 are interposed in the drive for this mechanism. The web feeding and severing means is described in greater and fuller detail in my co-pending application Serial No. 65,376.

The checks or sheets S severed from the web are deposited on a pan above the sheet guideway G and are fed from the pan and through the guideway to receive impressions under control of the printing and control devices and directly from the devices and then into a printing couple wherein the form F is printed on the checks. In the present machine impressions are made on the sheets under control of the printing and control devices to the right, as viewed in Fig. 1, of the position whereat these sheets are severed from the. web, and impressions are made on the sheets directly from the printing devices and the form is printed on the sheets to the left of such position. It is to be understood however that the sheets could be severed from the web to the left or to the right of all devices for making impressions thereon or individual sheets could be deposited inthe guideway in any desired way for passage through the various printing mechanisms.

In the present machine where sheets are severed 'from the web I first make an impression thereon under control oi the printing and control devices and to this end the sheets are first fed into a variable printer, operable under control of the control means on the printing and control devices. The variable printer is located to the right, as viewed in Fig. l, of the position where the sheets are severed from the web, and suitable means are provided for feeding the sheets into this variable printer. Thus a housing ls mounted on the frame of the machine adjacent the position in which the severed sheets S are initially placed upon being severed from the web. Within and extending from the housing is suitable mechanism, including a roller |60, designed to effect feeding of the sheets from their initial position through the guideway G which is provided with two strips 203 and 204 undercut on their adjacent sides, .and the sheets S pass through these undercut portions.

In order to move the sheet rapidly toward the left a motor 205, Fig. 8, is mounted below the guideway G and includes a roller 200 that projects up through an opening in the lower wall on the sheet guideway. A clamping roller 201 is mounted above the guideway and after an impression has been ade on a sheet by the variable printer this ro er 201 lowers and clamps the sheet in engagement with the roller 206 whereupon the sheet is rapidly fed toward the left as viewed in'Fig. 1. The sheet is further carried through the guideway by the clamping rollers 22| and 222 which feed the sheet into the addressing machine.

The sheet feed mechanism is more particularly described in my co-pendlng application Serial No. 65,376. It will be seen from the foregoing description, however, that after a sheet is severed from the web it is first fed to the right into the variable printer, then printed, and then fed to the lett into the printing machine and that in a part of its movement to the left the sheet moves below a part of its line of travel to the right.

The timing of the sheet movement in conjunction with the operation of the variable printer and the timing of operation of the variable printer relative to the web feeding and severing means are explained in connection with the description of the variable printer, but this timing is such that the sheets are fed one at a time into and from the variable printer.

In the present instance upon moving from the variable printerthe sheets are fed into an addressing machine wherein the name and address A on the check C or other identification is printed on the sheets.

The addressing machine includes a frame 225, Fig. 5, in which a main drive shaft 226 is journaled. Power is supplied to this main drive shaft through a suitable means more particularly described in my co-pending application Serial No. 65,376. A cam shaft 221 is also journaled in the frame 225, and through a suitable gear train interconnects the main drive shaft 226 and the cam shaft 221 for operation in a one-to-one ratio. A rod 226 is mounted in the frame 225 adjacent the camshaft 221 and carries means which control the movement of sheets through the sheet guideway G and which are operated by cams carried by the cam shaft 221. Stop fingers are provided in the present instance which are movable to and from engagement with the leading edge of sheets moving through the guideway, these fingers being moved into stopping position and holding the sheets against further movement until a predetermined time in the operation when they are retracted from engagement with the sheets to permit the sheets to move to the left through the guideway.

A stop finger of the kind just referred to is indicated by 236, Fig. l. Another stop iinger 240 is provided which, after the stop finger 236 has been elevated, is moved into lowered position to engage the leading edge of the sheet S and position it relative to the platen P so that an impression can be made at the proper place thereon, this impression in the present instance being the name A and the like on the check C. A motor in the housing 24| operates the roller 242 that engages the sheet S prior to and during the time it'is engaged by the stop ngerc240 so that as soon as the platen P has made an impression on the sheet S and the stop finger 240 is raised the sheet will be fed through the sheet guideway to the form printing couple.

The platen P makes impressions on the sheets S from printing devices D in the present instance through an ink ribbon 1R, although it is to be understood that impressions could be made from printing devices in any desired way depending, of course, upon the nature of the printing devices, an ink ribbon IR being a convenient way to make impressions when the printing characters are embossed on the plate such as 4| in the present instance.

Printing devices are initially introduced into the machine by stacking them in a magazine M at the rear end of the printing device guideway 243. Chains, such as 244, are mounted at each side of the printing device guideway and are directed about sprockets 245 and 246 respectively mounted on shafts 241 and 248 mounted in the frame 225 beyond the front and rear ends of the printing device guldeway 243. Pawls, such as 240, are provided at spaced intervals on the chains 244 and these pawls successively move into in the magazine M and then as a step by step movement is imparted to the chains the printing devices are successively moved through stations until they reach printing position below the platen P after which they are discharged past the guide 255 to be collected in the usual manner.

A step by step movement is imparted to the chains 2 from a rocker 25| carrying a pawl 252 successively engageable with spaced pins 253 mounted in the sprocket 245. The rocker 25| is mounted on a shaft 255 `iournaled in the frame 225. An arm 255 is fast on the shaft 25| and as the shaft 225 rotates the arm 255 and rocker 25| are rocked to successively disengage the pawl 252 from one of the pins 253 and engage it with the succeeding pin and to then impart an advancing movement to the chains 2 as the newly engaged pin 253 is driven forwardly.

The platen P is carried by a platen arm 25| pivotally mounted as at 252 on the frame 225. The platen arm carries a pair of rollers 253 and another pair of rollers 254 which respectively engage pairs of conjugated cams 255 and 255 that are releasably connectedto the shaft 225 and which when connected cooperate with the rollers 253 and 25| on the platen arm 25| to move the platen on said arm downwardly to make an impression from a printing device during an at-rest interval in the step by step movement thereof through the guideway and to elevate the platen out oi. engagement therewith at a time when a feeding movement is imparted to the printing devices. It is, of course, to be understood that if desired lie feedof the printing devices can be so controlled that more than one impression can be made therefrom prior to their discharge from printing position, arrangements for this purpose being well understood in the art.

In a manner which is more fully explained in my co-pending application Serial No. 65,376 an impression operation of the platen P may be arrested in event no sheet is fed into engagement with the stop finger 235, and therefore operation of the platen P is under control of the sheets fed through the machine.

After an impression has been made on a sheet S by the platen P the stop inger 245 is raised from engagement with the sheet whereupon the roller 242 feeds the sheet to the left toward the form printing couple wherein the form F is printed on the check C. It more than one impression is to be made from each printing device, one or more stop fingers would be provided to the left of the stop finger 255 and such fingers would be located so as to stop the sheet in position below the platen P to receive impressions in proper relation to other impressions thereon.

The form printing couple illustrated in the accompanying drawings is of the kind shown in the application of Horace P. Brownsey, Serial No. 74,044, filed April 13, 1935, and includes a printing cylinder and a platen cylinder 21| arranged thereover and which are operable in synchronism through gears as 215.

An endless belt 255 is passed about the pulley 233 and a pulley 255 fast on the shaft of the motor 255 mounted on the frame 225 of the printing machine to enable the motor to drive a gear 255 and the shaft on which it is fast. A bevel gear 252 on the shaft 23| .meshes with a bevel gear 233 fast on the shaft 25|. So long as the motor 255 is kept in operation the printing cylinder and platen cylinder 21| are rotated as are the shafts 25| and 23|. l

For a purpose to be explained more fully hereinafter, the armature of an electromagnet 3|5.

Fig. 21, carries a pin 3|3 engageable with a contact 3H to force this contact into engagement with the contact 3|5 when the electromagnet is energized.

'I'he method and means of printing the form F on the check C are more clearly and particularly described in my co-pending application Serial No. 65,376, and after leaving the printing couple afforded by the printing cylinder and platen cylinder 21| the sheets pass to a suitable collecting tray H.

It will be apparent that in the machine as thus far described a web may be withdrawn from a roll and impressions may be made at spaced intervals on the web and thereafter the web may be divided into sheets intermediate the spaced impressions made thereon. Then the sheets may be passed to a variable printer wherein impressions may be made thereon under control of the printing devices and thereafter the sheets may be passed to an arrangement such as an addressing machine to have impressions made thereon directly from printing devices and then the sheets are passed to a printing couple wherein a form is printed on the sheets. It is believed that it will be apparent from this that business instruments, such as checks, notices, bills and the like. may be printed in this machine and that impressions may be made thereon directly from and also under control of printing devices sequentially fed through the machine so that an identification such as a name and numerical accounting data such as a sum of money may be printed thereon and also so that a form and other pertinent data may be printed thereon. The'numerical accounting data to which reference has just been made is in the present instance representative of the sum of money to be paid by the check and is printed in the variable printer of this invention.

'I'he variable printer of this invention is preferably associated with a calculating machine, which in the present instance is an adding machine, so that the amounts printed on the checks may be totalized to facilitate verification and preferably the amounts printed on the business instruments by the variable printer are also printed on a detail strip in the calculating machine to afford a record useful for checking purposes and the like.

The printing members of the variable printer oi' this invention may be set up in a number of different ways. I have in the present instance shown these printing members as being positioned by the slide bars that are under control of the keys of the adding machine, but it is to be understood that other means, independent of the adding machine, may be employed for this purpose.

The variable printer illustrated in Figs. 6 to 15, inclusive, includes a frame 355, Figs. 7 and 8, in which a drive shaft 35| is journaled. Power is imparted to this drive shaft 35| from a motor 352 mounted on the frame 355 and having a pinion 353 on theshaft thereof. 'I'he pinion 353 meshes with a gear 355 mounted on s. stud shaft carried by the frame 355 and the gear 354 in turn meshes with a gear 355 fast on a stud shaft 355. A pinion 351 also fast on the stud shaft 355 meshes with a gear 355 rotatably mounted on the drive shaft 35|.

'Ihe .gear 355 includes a hub 355 (Fig. 8) having clutch teeth 355 thereon engageable with the clutch teeth 35| on a collar 352 slidably but nonrotatably mounted on the drive shaft 35|. A stud arsaisa 7 363 (Fig. 7) on the collar 362 is engageable with a cam surface 364 (Fig. 3) on a plate 366 pivotally mounted on the frame 363 at 363. A shoulder 361 is provided on van arm 333 carried by the armature 339 of the electromagnet 313 that is slidable vertically on4 the guides 31|. When the electromagnet 313 is energized, the armature 363 is movedupwardly correspondingly moving the arm 363 whereupon the shoulder 361 engages the free edge of the plate 366 and pivots this plate upwardly to disengage the cam surface 364 from the stud 363, whereupon the springs 312 force the collar 362 toward the hub 369 to thereby engage the clutch teeth 36| with the clutch teeth 363 whereupon the shaft 36| is connected to the gear 363 to rotate therewith, and so long as the electromagnet 313 is energized the shaft 36| will continue to rotate. When, however, the electromagnet 313 is deenergized the armature 363 thereof resumes the position shown ln Fig. 3,

and the shoulder 361 disengages the free edge of the plate 366 which thereupon pivots back into the position shown in Fig. 7, and at a predetermined time in the rotation of the collar 362 with the shaft 36| the stud 363 engages the cam surface 364 and moves over this cam surface to disengage the teeth 36| from the teeth 363, thus interrupting operation of the shaft 36|. able printer and the calculating machine are op erated from the shaft 36|. A reciprocatory movement is imparted to a link 313 from a crank fast on the shaft 36| in each rotation of the shaft 36|. The link 313 is pivotally connected to a crank member 314 fast on the main operating shaft 316 of the calculating machine. The variable printer is operated directly from the shaft 36|.

It has been explained heretofore that nine rows of openings are provided in the frame'43 of the printing device D and that these nine rows of i openings aord the indication for the digits of a nine place number. In the present instance, however, I have equipped the variable printer to print a seven place number and as a result the two left hand rows of openings, as the printing device is viewed in Fig. 3, are not employed in the machine as illustrated. Furthermore, since the present machine is adapted for preparation of checks and more particularly dividend checks, I have arranged the variable printer so that it will print dollars and cents. By reference to Fig. 2 it will be noted that the cents digits are spaced considerably from the dollar digits on the check C, in the present instance the words Dollars and appearing between the last digit of. the

dollars and the rst digit of the cents amount. Thus in the machine Vas illustrated I provide a pair ofltype segments 316 and 311 for printing the cents amounts on the checks. The type segment 311 is spaced from a type segment 313, the type segment 311 being adapted to print the iirst digit of the cents and the type segment 313 being adapted to printthe last digit of the dollars in the amount E on the icheck C. `Other type segments 319, 333, 33| and 332 are provided Vin side by side relation with the type segment 313 for printing the other digits ofthe dollars of the amount E. The type segments are bifurcated at their lower ends and a shaft 333 ls embraced in these bifurcations whereby the type segments are supported for rockable movement on the shaft 333, spacing collars 334 being mounted on the shaft 333 between the respective type sesments and the adjacent parts of the frame 363.

Each of the type segments includes a type car- The varilment and operation type segment with which it cooperates but it is rying head 336. Eleven key slots 336 are formed in the upper surface of the type heads 336 and type members 331 are adapted to be removably mounted in these key slots. All of the key .slots are utilized in the dollar printing type segments, type members for printing ilgures to 9 being provided as well as a type member for printing a star As best shown in Fig. "10, the type member for printing the numeral 3 is arranged in the outermost position on the type heads 336 and the type members for printing the other figures and the star are arrangedY in declining order inwardly from the type member for printing the numeral 9, the star being last. As best shown in Fig. 9, the type heads 336 of the cents printing type segments do not carry a type member for printing a star.

A rocker 333 is rockably mounted on the shaft 333 and carries a pair of rollers 333 and 333 which respectively engage conjugated cams 33| and 332 on the shaft 36|. 'A stop bar 333 is connectedto the rocker 333 and has arms 334 at opposite ends that are pivotally mounted on the shaft 333. Each of the type segments is acted on by a spring 336 and these springs urge the type segments into engagement with the stop bar 333. When the machine is at rest the rocker 363 and stop bar 333 are positioned as shown in Fig. 9, and the type segments which are engaged therewith are so positioned that the innermost of the slots 336 is positioned just forwardly of the opening 336 in the bottom of the sheet guldeway G through which opening impressions are made from the type members 331 in a manner to be described presently At a predetermined time in the rotation of the shaft 36|, as will be explained more fully hereinafter, the cams 39| and 392 cause the rocker 333 to be moved clockwise in Fig. 9. This retracts the stop bar 333 from engagement with the type segments and the type segments may then be set up to have an impression made therefrom. Buch set-up of the type segments is effected by the devices now to be described.

The type segments for printing dollar gures of the amount E on-the checks are equipped, as stated, with stars and these stars are printed on the checks to the left, as the check is viewed in Fig. 2, of the` first dollar digit. Thetype members which print such stars and the type members, on all type segments, which 'print the zeros are set up in a manner explained hereinafter. The type members on all type segments which print the digits 1 to 9 may be positioned in printing position in a variety of ways. However, in t-he illustrated' embodiment I dshow these members as being positioned under control of `devices in the adding machine. but it is to be understood that such devices or similar devices could be employed without being incorporated in'an adding orother calculating machine.

The illustrated `devices which position such digitprinting type members include a slide bar, such as 433, which in the present instance is the usual slide bar provided in the adding machine. 10 I have illustrated but one of these slide bars and I will now describe the arrangeoi this slide bar and the to be understoodthat the other slide bars and type segments are arranged and operated in a similar manner.

A comb 432, Fig. 9, is supported on the frame 363 below the plane of the slide bar 433 and another comb 433 is carried by the frame 36| well above. the slide bar. An upright slide 404 is mounted in aligned teeth in the combs 402 and 403 and, as indicated at 403, is suitably connected to the slide bar 400. A stop arrangement under control of the vertical slide 404 positions the iype segment which is under control of the slide bar un. es is explained in detail hereinafter.

A row of nine keys 405 representative ot the digits l to 9 is arranged above the slide bar 400 andwhen a digit fronrl to 9 is to be printed the key 433 corresponding to the selected digit is depressed. and in the present machine this is effected automatically, as will be explained hereinafter. Each of the keys 433 is urged upwardly by a spring 4I3 against -a positioning stop 420.

Nine stops 401 are provided on the slide bar 43|. These stops are alternately positioned on opposite sides of the slide bar and starting from the right hand end. as viewed in Fig. 10, each of the stops 401 is vely spaced further from thestoptotherightthereofthanthepreceding stop is positioned from the stop to its right. Each of the stops is adapted to cooperate with one of the keys and the rst key and stop from the right are adapted to cooperate to position the type member on the type segment that will print the digit l in printing position below the opening 395. whileV the last of the keys and stops are adapted to cooperate to so position the type member which prints the digit 9 and the intervening keys and stops cooperate to position the type members corresponding to their numerical positions intermediate the first and last stops.

It has been explained that the stops 401 are unequally spaced one from the other and that a particular key is adapted to cooperate with each of the stops. Thus when the spring 40| acting on the slide bar 400 is permitted to move this slide to the right it does so until one of the stops 401 encounters the depressed key, and since the stops areunequallyspaoedapartthere willbeadifferent movement of the slide bar 400 for each diierent stop engagement with its particular key. The least movement will be imparted to the slide bar 40| when the first stop engages Cthe first key and the greatest movement is imparted, that is to say, the movement for positioning the type member for the digit 3. when the last stop is to engage the last key.

When one of the keys 405 is depressed. it is locked in its depressed position until after a printing operation has been performed from the resultingly positioned type member whereupon the key is released. To this end a notch 403 is provided in the side of cach key. A member 4|II basa plurality of lingers 400 thereon and each of these lingers cooperates with a notch 400 and this depressed key.

Abo lil is provided on -each of the keys 405 audanopfanng4i2isprovidedineachofthese ww A, gigi bar 4|3 includes a pluralityof 4|4 are adapted to selectively move the 4|2, a linger 4|4 moving into the depressed key. The slide the right. as viewed in alzarse released'from the nger 4|4 engaged in the opening 4| 2 therein.

It has been explained that it is desirable to prepare a detail strip by making impressions thereon corresponding to the impressions made on the checks C and to also accumulate a total of the amounts printed on the checks. While the total may be accumulated in any desirable way, one means suitable for this purpose is described hereinafter. In order to prepare a detail strip, type segments are provided which in the present instance make impressions on the detail strip 443 withdrawn from the roll 444 mounted in the bin i 454l the detail strip passing from the roll 444 through an opening 455 in the cover plate 456 and about the platen roller 442 and thence back out through the opening 435 and through the bin 454 to coil up exteriorly of the cover plate 456, `as illustrated in Fig. 7. In the manner well understood ln the art the platen roller 442 is advanced step by step intermediate impression-operations on the detail strip 443.

'Ibe type segment of the kind which make impressions on the detail strip 443 is indicated by 440 and includes type members 44| which are selectively forced against the detail strip 443 on the 'platen roller 442 in the manner common in adding machines as, for example, by the hammer 440' released by devices in the adding machine at a predetermined time. The type segment 440 is carried by the arm 430 of a bell crank 435 fast on the shaft 430. 'I'he bell crank 435 also includes an arm 431 which is pivotally connected to the vertical slide 404 and the slide bar 400 at 405. Thus. each time the slide bar 400 moves to the right the bell crank 435 is correspondingly moved and since the type members 44| are positioned relative to the type memberssl a type member corresponding to one oi the type members 331 will be positioned relative to the platen roller 442 to make an impression on the detail strip 443.

The type segment 440 is held in normal position illustrated in Fig. 'l by a stop bar 445 carried by an arm 434 pivotally mounted on the shaft 430. Yil pin 433 on the arm 434 is urged into engagement with the cam surface 432 on the crank arm 43| by a spring 445. 'Ihe crank arm 43| is part of a crank structure 422 that is fast on a shaft 42|. The arm 424 of the crank structure 422 is pivotally connected to a link 423 that is in turn pivotally connected to the crank member 314. Each time the crank member 314 is reciprocated by the link 313 movement is imparted to the crank structure 422 and the arm 43| is raised and the pin 433 rides over the cam surface 432. under the action of the spring 445 to thereby Vfree the arm 431 and therefore the slide bar 400 and vertical slide 404 from the stop bar 445 which, as it is carried by the arm 434,is retracted away from the arms 431 when the pin 433 rides over the cam surface 432.

A pin 423 on the arm 430 of the crank structure 422 rides over a cam surface on'the arm 423 of the bell crank 425 each timeA the crank member 314 is reciprocated. e bell crank 425 is pivotally mounted on a shaft. 421 and includes arms 423 of the bail 4|1. Thus each time the pin 423'moves clockwise along the cam surface on the arm 420 the spring 4| 5 may retract the slide bar 4I3 rearwardly to engage a finger 4|4 in the opening 4|2 of a depressed key, but when the pin 423 moves along said cam surface counterclockwise the slide bar 4|! is moved against the action of the spring 4|5 and the engaged ngcr 4|4 is retracted from the opening 4|2 permitting the spring 4|6 acting on the depressed key to raise it up against the stop 426.

After one of the lingers 4|4 has engaged in an opening 4|2, the member 4||| is rocked to disengage the ngers 466 from the keys 466. To this i end an arm 4|9 is provided on the member 4|6 and this arm is connected to a slide bar 441 including an angle portion 446 against which the foot 446 of the rocker 456 bears. A spring 45| acts on the slide bar 441 to urge the angle por tion 446 against the foot 449, and this spring also has the effect of holding the cam follower 452 on the rocker 456 in engagement with the cam 453 (Fig. 7) which is provided on a part of the crank structure 424, and these parts so operate that after the finger 4|4 has been disengaged in the manner above described and the depressed key 466 has reengaged the stop 426 the follower 452 attains a position on the cam 453 which enables the spring 45| to so actua'e the slide 441 that the member 4||| repositions the fingers 466 for engagement with the keys 466.

A shaft 466 is provided in the variable printer and a plurality of stop plates, such as 46|, are rotatably mounted thereon adjacent each of the type segments 316 to 362, inclusive. In Fig. 1|), the stop plate 46| and associated parts for a dollar printing type segment are shown while in Fig. 9 the stop plate is shown in the arrangement in which it cooperaes with a cents printing type segment. noted that a gear segment 462 is provided on the stop plate 46| and that a rack 463 on a bar 464 meshes with this gear segment. The bar 464 is conneced to the vertical slide 464 to move therewith.

The stop plates 46| normally rest against a stop rod 465 and when engaged with this stop rod the stop plates position all type segments to print zeros when the type segments engage therewith. This positioning of the type segments is effected by the engagement of a block 466 on the type segment with a stop 461 on the stop plate 46| when a zero is to be printed or with a stop 466, Fig. 11,'on the stop plate 46| when 9 is to be printed, and when digits l to 8 are to be printed the block 466 engages stops on the stop plate 46| successively positioned intermediate the stops 461 and 466. In order to print O or any digit from l to 9, one of the stops on the stop plate 46| is disposed in position to be engaged by the block 466 and the manner in which the stops on the stop plate are positioned to eiiect this will be explained presently.

However, the dollar printing type segments are equipped to print a star and on these type segments the star is positioned to the right of the zero, as viewed in Fig. 10. Thus a stop arm 469 is provided which is mounted on a shaft 416 and this stop arm is adapted To position the dollar printing type segments so that a star may be printed therefrom, and to this end it should be noted that the stop 41| on the stop arm 466 is positioned forwardly of the zero printing stop 461 on the stop plate 46|.

A stop plate 46| is associated with each of the type segments 316 to 362, inclusive, but a stop arm 466 is associated only with the stop plates 46| that control the dollar printing type segments 316 to 362, inclusive. Furthermore, it has been explained that it is desirable to print stars to the left, as viewed in Fig. 2, oi. the first digit in the amount E and it is for this reason that the stop 41| is positioned forwardly of the stop 461 for if the stop 41| is not moved out of the path Referring rst to Fig. it will be of the block 466 the block 466 will engage therewith and position a star below the opening 366 to have an impression made therefrom. However, after a digit has been printed it is desirable to print zeros where necessary in the dollars poriion of the amount E, and in order that this may be accomplished it is necessary to move the stop 41| out of the path of the block 466 so that the block 466 may engage the stop 461 and to this end the following arrangement is provided.

In Fig. l2 I have illusrated the stop arms 4690. to 466e that are adapted to be respectively associated with the type segments 316 to 362, inclusive. A pin 412 is mounted in the stop arm 466e and projects toward the stop arm 46911, as indicated at 413. The upper half of the part 413 of the pin 412, however, is cut away. A pin 414 is mounted in the stop arm 4661i and includes a part 416 which projects toward the stop arm 469e but the lower half of this part 415 is cut away so that the part 415 may rest on the part 413. The pin 414 includes a part 416 similar to the part 413, and a pin 411 in the stop arm 469e includes a part 416 which rests on the part 416 of the pin 415. Likewise a pin 419 in the stop arm 46911 includes a part 466 which rests on the part 46| of the pin 411 and a part 462 of the pin 463 in the stop arm 466a rests on the part 464 of the pin 46|. A pin 466, Fig. l0, is fast in each of the stop plates 46| associated with the dollars printing segments and these pins are respectively disposed below the stop arms 469s to 469e, inclusive.

When the type segment 362 is positioned to print a digit from 1 to 9, the stop plate 46| is rotated to bring one of the stops behind the stop 461 thereon into the path of the block 466. This mpvement of the stop plate is transmitted through the pin 465 to raise the stop arm 469e associated with this stop plate 46|. It will be noted that the part 413 of the pin 412 in the stop arm 469 is below the part 416 of the pin 414 in the stop arm 469d and that progressively to the left, as

\viewed in Fig. l2, each of the pins in one of the stop arms 466a to 46M is below a part of the pin fast in the stop arm to the left of its position. Hence, when the stop plate 46| associated with 'the type segment 362 is raised all of the stop arms 466a to 466e are raised. However, if no digit from 1 to 9 is to be printed by the type members carried by the type segment 362 but a digit is to be printed from the type member carried by the type segment 36| then a stop on the stop plate 46| associated with the type segment 36| and behind the stop arm 466e is positioned to engage the block 466. This will cause the pin 486 in the stop plate 46| associated with the type segment 36| to raise the stop arm 466d in the manner previously described. This will cause all of the stop arms to the left of the stop arm 466 to be raised but the part 415 on the pin 414 in the stop arm 4691i will move away from the part 413 of the pin 413 in the stop arm 466e with the result that the stop arm 469e will remain in the position illustrated in Fig. 1|), and therefore when the block 466 on the type segment 362 engages with the stop 41| on this stop arm the type segment 362 will be so positioned that a star will be printed therefrom but all of the type segments to the left of the segment 362, as viewed in Fig. 8, will either print digits from 1 to 9 or a zero depending upon the position of the stop plate 46| associated therewith.

Normally the zero stops 461 on the plates 46| are in position to be engaged by the stop blocks 466, provided of course on the dollars printing type segments the stop arms 469 are moved as above described. No stop arms are associated with the cents `printing type segments since these will either print digits from 1 to 9 or zeros and normally in connection with the cents printing type segments the stops 461 are in position to be engaged thereby. However. when a digit from 1 to 9 is to be printed it is necessary to move one of the other stops on the stop plates into position to be engaged by the stop block 466 and this is effected from the slide bars 400. When the slide bars 400 move to engage depressed keys in the manner previously described, the vertical slides 404 are moved through the teeth in the combs 402 and 403 in an amount corresponding to the amount of movement of the slide bars with which they are connected. This movement of the vertical slides 404 is transmitted through the arms 464, racks 463. gear segments 462 to the stop plates 46| and this movement so rotates the stop plates 46| that a stop corresponding to the digit represented by the depressed key is in position to be engagedv by the stop block whereupon the type member 961 for this digit is positioned below the opening 396 to have an impression made therefrom by the platen P'.

The platen P is carried by a plate 490 which is bent downwardly at its rear end to provide a knife edge 492 (Fig. 9) rested in a groove in the table top 202 of the variable printer. An opening 499 is provided in the plate 490 and a post 494 passes through this opening to retain the plate 490 in position. A spring 465 carried by the post 494 and its support acts on the plate 490 to urge it downwardly. An arm 496 (Fig. '1) depends from the rear end of the plate 490 and carries a pin 491 that is engaged by one end of a rocker 496 pivotally mounted on the frame 350 and carrying a block 499 engageable with a cam 499' fast on the shaft 35|. The block 499 follows the cam 499' and at a predetermined time in the rotation 1 of the shaft 35| the block 499 is forced into a relieved part on the cam 499', and this permits the platen P' to quickly move toward the type segments which will be positioned therebelow at this time and an impression is made from the type segments through an ink ribbon IR by the platen P' on a sheet S positioned in the variable printer.

It has been explained in my co-pending application Serial No. 65,376 that the shutter 200 is moved from and into engagement with the pan |96 to insure passage of a sheet S from the pan down into the sheet guideway G and to then insure that the sheet will move below the pan and also that the roller 201 is moved into cooperating relation with the roller 206 when the sheet S is to be fed from the variable printer. This is effected under control of a peripheral cam 500 on the shaft A roller 50| on an arm 502 follows the cam 500. The arm 502 is connected to a shaft 503 by a link 504 connected to the shaft and after an impression has been made by the platen P' the roller 50| moves from a dwell on the cam 500 into a relief on the cam and rotates the shaft 503 to lower the arm 504' on which the roller 201 is mounted and thereupon the roller 201 cooperates with the roller 206 and feeds the sheet S out of the variable printer. A pin 506 on the shaft 503 is positioned below the rod 606 carrying the shutter 200, said rod 506, as best illustrated in Fig. 8, being bent so as to clear the arm 504'. The rod 506 is pivotally mounted in a bracket 50B mounted on the table top 202 of the variable printer. The rod 506 is urged by gravity into engagement with the pin 505 and follows the movement of this pin with the shaft 566 as the roller 50| follows the cam 500. It will thus be seen that when the roller 201 is retracted from clamping cooperation with the roller 206 the pin 505 elevates the rod 506 and therefore the shutter 200 so that a sheet passing from the pan |96 moves below the shutter down into the guideway G to be forced into printing position below the platen P' by the roller |91, and that after an impression has been made by the platen P' the roller 201 is moved into clamping cooperation with the roller 209 to feed the sheet out of printing position below the platen P and at this time the shutter 200 is engaged with the pan |96 to insure movement of the sheet therebelow.

'I'he roller |91 forces the sheet into printing position below the platen P quite rapidly and the sheet moves into engagement with a stop 509 carried by a rod 5|0 adjustabiy mounted in a block 501 mounted on the rod 506. may be shifted through the block 501 to enable proper orientation of the sheet S below the platen P. To prevent rebounding of the sheet S when it engages the stop 509, a Whisker 5|| is provided adjacent the stop 509 and this whisker engages the sheet about the same time .as the sheet engages said stop. The Whisker 5H at the free end of a rod 5|2 is carried by a block 5|3 pivotaliy mounted on the rod 506 and it will thus be seen that the Whisker 5|| is urged by gravity into engagement with the sheets.

It has been explained that the type segments 440 make impressions on the detail strip 443 that correspond to the impressions made on the checks by the variable printer. After a series of checks have been printed it may be desirable to obtain a total of the amounts printed thereon which are likewise printed on the detail strip 443. Hence accumulators 440m, Fig. 13, are provided such as are common in adding machines. Each of these accumulators is equipped with a pinion 44|a adapted to mesh with a rack 400G on each slide bar 400. Each accumulator includes a lug 442a adapted to engage a stop 443:1 when the accumulator is in zero position.

Subsequent to the time a slide bar has been arrested in its rearward movement to set up its type segment in the variable printer and a type segment 440. the cam 444a on the shaft 42| moves into such a position that the follower 44511 on the bell crank 446a moves into a relief portion thereon under the action of the.spring 441a whereupon the bell crank 446a moves from the position shown in Fig; 13 into the position shown in Fig. l14, and the trip latch 449a thereon engages the end of a slide bar 449a and immediately prior to the time the slide bar 400 is returned to its normal position against the action of the spring 40| the toggle 450er. is straightened, due to the return of 4cam 444a to the position shown in Fig. 13, and through the link 45|a pivots the arms 452a carrying the accumulator so that the pinion 44|a meshes with the rack 400G and the accumulator is operated when the slide bar 460 is returned to normal position against the action of the spring 40| so that the digit printed by a type member 44| and a type member 981 is entered in this accumulator. While the cam 444a is being restored to the position shown in Fig. 13, and at a predetermined point in the rearward movement of the slide bar 44911, the trip latch 446a engages the stop 456e to be disengaged from the end of the slide bar 449a, thereby permitting the spring 40|a to restore the slide bar 449a to its initial position. This operation is repeated each time a slide bar 46D is operated so that the digits printed on the checks and detail strip are entered in the accumulator, suitable carry-over devices being associated with the accumulators for the Well understood purpose.

When it is desired to take a total the button 454a which extends through the casing 456 is depressed to force the bar 455e downwardly and a latch 456e locks the bar in its downward position. The bar 455a carries pins 4510 between whlchthe slide bar 4490. is passed and when the slide bar is forced downwardly in this manner the shoulder 458e thereon moves into the path of the rocker 4590.. A follower 460e on this rocker is urged into engagement with the cam 444a by a spring 46Ia, the shaft 42| carrying the cam 444e being set in operation in a total taking operation, that is, when the button 454e is depressed in a manner described more fully hereinafter. Normally the shoulder 458a is out of the path of reciprocation of the rocker 453e but when it is moved into alignment with this rocker and the rocker is moved by the cam 444a, the toggle is straightened at the beginning of an operation and the pinion 44|a is meshed with the rack 40Go at the start of such movement. 'I'hen when the slide bar 403 is released in the manner previously described at the beginnnig of a movement and moves rearwardly under the influence of the spring 40|, the lugs 442a engage the stops 443 and arrest rearward movement of the slide bar but in this movement of 'the slide bar the type segments 440 are set up and when the hammer 446 is released lt strikes the type member 44| aligned therewith and makes an impression on the detailed strip 443, which impression is a digit of the total that has been entered in the accumulator 44|la.

An arm 462e on the shaft 42| engages the latch 4560. at the time the total impression is made whereupon the spring 463e restores the bar 455e and button 454a to upper position, which disengages the shoulder 4530. from the rocker 453a and the toggle 450e is broken. Then the slide bar 40|) is restored to its initial position but at this time the pinion 44|a. is disengaged from the rack 466e and therefore the accumulators remain in zero position.

When the slide bar 44i|a is forced downwardly by the bar 4550l iti engages the pin 464a on the latch 455a which releases the retaining dogl 463i! that then moves into engagement with a pin 4B1a pn the bell crank 6a and prevents movement of this bell crank by the spring 441e. A pin 463e on the cam 444e. restores the dog 45641 into engagement with the latch 4|i5a at the end of a total taking operation.

It will be understood that an accumulator is associated with each slide bar and that the above description specifically applied to one slide bar is applicable to each slide bar, and while I have shown one form of total taking arrangement it is to be understood that others could be employed Without departing from the purview of my invention.

The set-up of the variable printer is under control of the printing devices moving through the printing device guideway 243 and a detector 525 (Figs. 5, 16 and l'l) is associated with the printing device guideway in a position to cooperate with the printing device in a station two removed from printing position below the platen P, the reason for such positioning of the detector being explained more fully hereinafter. It has been explained that, and as shown in Fig. 3, the

openings 43 and the control card 44 are located in one upper corner of a printing device D and the detector 525 is positioned to cooperate with such part of the printing devices as they move through the printing device guideway. The detector 525 is carried by a bracket 526 pivotally mounted in the frame of the printing machine, as indicated at 521. A lug 523 is provided on the upper side of the detector 525 and the lower end of a link 529 is pivotally connected thereto. A rocker 53|! (Fig. 5) is pivotally mounted on a rod 53| mounted in the frame of the printing machine and the rocker 530 includes an arm 532 to which the upper end of the link 529 is connected. An arm 533 is also provided on the rocker 530 and carries a roller 534 that follows the cam 535 fast on the shaft 226. The cam 535 imparts a rocking movement to the rocker 530 to thereby lower and raise the link 529 to correspondingly raise and lower the detector 525 and inasmuch as such movement is effected from the shaft 226 it occurs in timed relation with the operation of the platen P and the movement of the printing devices D through the printing device guideway 243, and the detector 525 is moved into cooperating relation with the printing device D therebelow during an at-rest interval in the step by step movement of the printing devices through the printing device guideway.

A plurality of detector pins 536 are mounted in the housing 531 of the detector 525. The housing 531 is preferably made of insulating material and the detector pins 535 are reciprocally mounted in pockets 538 formed in this housing. The pins are urged `downwardly by springs 533. Nine rows o1' detector pins are provided transversely across the detector 525 and five pins are provided in each of these rows, and it will thus be seen that there is a detector pin 535 for each opening 43 in the frame 4|| of the printing device D. A metallic plate 54D is mounted in the housing 531 and an electrical conductor 54| is connected thereto. Openings 542 are provided in the plate 540 in alignment lwith the rst four pins 536 in each of the nine rows of openings and plungers 543 provided on these pins 536 slide in the openings 542. A metallic bar 544 is mounted in the housing 531 and is insulated from the plate 540 by an insulating strip 545 and has an electrical conductor 546 connected thereto. Openings 541 are provided in the bar 544 in alignment with the last pin in each of the nine rows of openings and plungers 548 on these pins slide in these openings. It will thus be seen that the first four pins in each of the nine rows of openings may be connected in an electrical circuit of which the conductor 54| is a part, while the last pin in each of the nine rows of openings may be connected in another electrical circuit of which the conductor 54B is a part.

In the printing device guideway below the detector 525 at what is referred to hereinafter as detecting position, a block 549 of insulating material is provided. A pluarlity of contacts 556 are mounted in this block 549 in alignment with the detector pins 536 which is to say in alignment with the openings 43 in the printing device D in detector position, and if no printing device were interposed between the detector pins 536 and the contacts 556 and the detector 525 was moved toward the printing device guideway each pin 535 would engage a contact 556.

It has been explained heretofore that the control cards on each of the printing devices D have perforations therein in alignment with selected Eil

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