US2335964A

US2335964A - Time recorder

Info

Publication number: US2335964A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1943-12-07
Anticipated expiration: 1960-12-07

Description

F. Q. RAST TIME RECORDER Dec. 7, 1943.

Original Filed July '7, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.1.

F. Q. RAST TIME RECORDER Dec. 7, 1943.

Original Filed July '7, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 F|G.Z.

/ INVENTOR BY ATTORNEY F. Q. RAST TIME RECORDER Dec. 7, 1943.

FIG.4.

A TTORNE Y F. Q. RAST TIME RECORDER Dec. 7, 1943.

Original Filed July 7, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEY Dec. 7, 1943. F. Q. RAST 2,335,964

TIME RECORDER Original Filed July 7, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEY Patented Dec. .7, 1943 TIME REooRnER Frederick Qulntus Rast, Blngliamton, N. 2., assignor to International Business Machines Corporation, New York, N. Y.-, a corporation oi New York Original application July 7, 1938, 'Serial No. 217,955. Divided and this application January 26, 1940, Serial No. 315,732

(Cum-297) 4 Claims:

This invention relates to time recorders and, more particularly, to recorders of the type in which a card is inserted to receive an automatic time registration thereon. The instant case is a. division of my application, Serial No. 217,955, filed July 7, 1938, now Patent No. 2,281,998, and is primarily concerned with the automatic printing features of the time recorder shown and described in that application.

It is the principal object, therefore, to provide such a time recorder as will eliminate the necessity of all the customary manual operations except the operation of inserting the card to receive the time printings.

More specifically, it is the object of the present invention to provide an improved automatic time printing mechanism which operates rapidly and positively upon insertion of a time card into printing position, said printing mechanism including a normally cocked hammer which is triggered oil upon insertion of the card and motor-operated restoring mechanism which is immediately called into operation to recock the hammer. It is important that the printing operation occur rapidly so as to permit a long line of employees to advance past the recorder with only the minimum of delay as each makes hi recording. Rapid printing also insures that the recording will occur before the employee can remove his card and, furthermore, that such recording will occur in the proper portion of the card.

According to the invention, an automatic registration on a time card is effected by inserting the card a proper distance in the card receiver and exerting a slight downward pressure on the card. The inserted card operates a train of mechanism which close a contact switch so as to energize a solenoid. Energization of the solenoid causes tripping of the hammer which is then propelled swiftly toward the type elements by a powerful spring toeiiect printing. The combined action of the armature of the energized solenoid and the forward movement of the hammer brings about the closure of another contact switch and the simultaneous tripping of a clutch to call in a normally idle motor for operation to drive the hammer back to its normally cocked position. The clutch is of the one revolution type and arrangement is made for deenergizing the motor automatically'just before the end of one clutch revolution, at which time the hammer has been restored.

Other objects of the invention will be pointed out in the following description and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose, by way of example, the principle of the invention and the best mode, which has been contemplated, of applying that principle.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through the machine taken just in front of the card holder.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 22'of Fi 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of a portion of the machine showing part of the driving mechanism. F Figs. 4 is a vertical section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken transversely to the card holder so as to show the printing mechanism. in side elevation.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a horizontal section on the line 1-1 of Fig. 5.

F Fig]. 8 is a vertical section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 9 is a vertical section on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a simplified wiring diagram.

The time card is inserted downwardly into a card holder I15 having channeled

lateral guides

231, 238. to guide the card between a type wheel 8| and the platen 2290, of an impression hammer 229. A ribbon I is supported between the type wheel BI and the card, at the point where the platen strikes. The bottom edge of the card operates against one arm of a small bell crank I (Fig. 5), the other arm of which rocks a vertical bail I96 (see also Fig. 6)

- which is pivotally mounted on a supporting member I91. The purpose of the bail I96 is to Permit the operation of the print contacts 200 regardless of the position of an abutment 3I4 which limits the depth to which the card descends into the card holder. The abutment is positioned by a. slide I65 guided upon the bar I91 and raised and lowered by an arm I62, in a manner fully described in my Patent No. 2,281,998. The slide I65 is connected to the abutment bar 3 I4 by lugs I65b engaging in slots 3I4a of the abutment bar. The .bell crank I95 is pivotally mounted on the carriage I65. At the lower end of the bail I96 is connected an arm I98 which is moved to the rear upon operation of the bail I96. The arm I98 is provided with a notch point I98a which engages on the upper edge of a slot I99a (Fig. 9) in a lever I99 and carries this lever to the rear also. Lever I99, in its movement to the rear, closes a pair of contacts 209 which com- A latch point 2| Ia on the end of arm 2I I is moved down clear of the bottom edge of the hammer operating lever 2I2. This arm I90 is fixed to the shaft 2I0 whereas lever 2|] is free on this shaft and therefore a spring I 90a is provided to keep these members in close relation and to bias the lever 2 toward its latching position. When lever 2I2 is released as described above, a strong spring 2I3 operates on a bracket 202 connected with this lever to pull the lower portion of the lever to the rear and cause the upper part to move rapidly to the front, lever 2I2 being pivotally mounted on a shaft 2I5. Loosely mounted on shaft 2 I5 is the hammer 220 itself and is normally positioned against an ear 2I2a on the upper end of lever 2I2 by a spring 2| 8. The brisk, forward movement of lever 2I2 is imparted through the ear 2I2a to the hammer 220. The operation is such that whereas the upper part of lever 2I2 moves only a certain distance ahead, as determined by the lower end of this lever striking against a buffer stop 2I9, the hammer itself springs ahead under momentum and strikes the card which is positioned between the hammer and the type wheels, thereby effecting a registration of the time on the card as manifested by the type wheels. A U-shaped lever 203 (Fig. 6) has one end in the path of the hammer lever 2 I 2 so as to be operated on each tripping of lever 2I2. The other end of the U-shaped lever 203,

' moves against a bell 204 to give a ringing sound to each recording. This is generally desired by employers so as to indicate that a registering operation of the recorder is taking place. The tripping of the hammer 220 occurs almost instantaneously and is therefore fast enough to prevent any possibility of error in position of registration by the operator removing the card very rapidly. Upon completing the registration, the hammer i moved back a slight distance by the spring 2I8 and then the operating lever 2I2 and the hammer 220 are restored by the drive motor 60 (Fig. 10) in a manner which will now be described.

At the right extremity of shaft 2I0 is a latch member 223 (Fig. 4) which is fixed to shaft 2I0 so as to be moved with the shaft as the latter is rocked by the action of the solenoid 205. This movement of arm 223 releases a pawl 224 and permits it to engage the ratchet 53. The upper end of latch member 223 operates the motor contacts 56 to start the motor. The motor drives a worm 64 (Fig. 3) meshing with a worm wheel 62 secured to a shaft 63. The ratchet 53 is tightly screwed on to a threaded portion 6| of the v shaft 63. A large cam 225 rotatably mounted on shaft 63, carries the pawl 223 and rotates with the ratchet when the pawl is engaged. A cam follower 226 cooperates with the cam 225, and the upper part of this cam follower 226 operates against the motor contacts 56 to maintain them closed during one revolution of the cam 225. This is necessary becauselatch member 223 is moved back to normal along with shaft 2 l0 upon the deenergization of solenoid 205, which occurs almost immediately, and the motor contacts tend to open. During the course of the revolution of cam 225, the hammer 220 is restored to normal by the action of a crank arm 230 formed with a ring at the lower end soas to enclose the periphery of an eccentric cam 23I which is attached to the face of a cam 225. this movement is to rock the hammer shaft 2I5 counterclockwise as viewed in Fig. 4 so as to move an arm 20I (Fig. 5) against the shoulder 202 of lever 2I2 and force the lower part of this lever past the latch point 2I Ia of the U-shaped arm 2 which has moved up into a latching position under the urging of spring Ia.

In order to prevent the hammer from tripping more than once for one depression of the card a knock-off member 235 (Fig. 8) is provided to force the arm I98 down immediately after the print contacts 200 have been closed so that the latch point I99a of this arm is lowered to clear the engaging edge of the slot in the contact operating arm I99. The knock-oi! member 235 is fixed to the shaft 2I0 and is connected to lever I99 by a spring 232. This member is also connected with the arm I 98 by a spring 233. The bias of these

springs

232 and 233 keeps the upper end I99b of lever I99 normally against a portion of the frame 3I9 of the machine as a stop.

When atime card has been inserted properly for a printing operation to occur contacts 200 are closed completing a circuit (see Fig. 10) from the line through the print control solenoid 205 as follows: terminal 280, conductor 288, contacts 236, solenoid 205, contacts 200 now closed, to terminal 28L Then, soon after solenoid 205 is energized it becomes deenergized by the opening of contacts 236. Contacts 56 now become closed to complete the motor circuit to operate the motor 60 and restore the print mechanism which was released by the solenoid 205. Throughout one revolution of the motor driven shaft 63, the cam 225 holds the contacts 236 open and disables the print magnet 205. The circuit of the print magnet is not restored to ready condition until after the hammer has been latched in cocked position,

While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a single modification it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention,-therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the-scope of the following claims. I

What is claimed is:

1. In a time recorder, a printing mechanism including a type carrier having a series of type thereon and a platen carrying member for striking said type to effect printing on a sheet inserted between the type and the platen, a spring normally biasing the platen member toward said type, a latch for maintaining said member normally in a cooked position against the biasing force of the spring, an electromagnet for operating said latch, a sheet-controlled switch for energizing the electromagnet upon insertion of the sheet to cause release of the platen member from the latch for printing movement under the impetus of the biasing spring, electromagnetic restoring means for restoring the platen member to its cocked position, means controlled by said member during its printing movement for causing operation of the electromagnetic restoring means for a period sufficient to restore the said member, and means also controlled by the platen member for rendering the magnet non-respon- The result of sive to the sheet-controlled switch upon repeated insertions of the sheet during the period of operation of the electromagnetic restoring means.

2. In a time recorder, a printing mechanism including time type wheels and a, printing hammer for striking said type wheels to effect printing on a sheet inserted between the type wheels and the hammer, a. spring normally biasing the hammer toward the said type wheels, a latch for maintaining the hammer normally in a cocked position against the biasing force of the spring, electromagnetic means for operating said latch, heet-controlled means for energizing the electromagnetic means upon insertion of the sheet to cause release or the hammer from the latch for printing movement under the impetus oi the biasing spring, means controlled by said electromagnetic means upon energization for immediately deenergizing the said electromagnetic means, a second electromagnetic means ior restoring the hammer to its cocked position, means controlled by the hammer duringv its printing movement for causing operation of the second electromagnetic means for a period suflicient to restore the hammer, and means also controlled by said hammer for maintaining the first mentioned electromagnetic means deenergized regardless of the operation of the sheet controlled means upon repeated insertions of the sheet during the period of operation of said second electromagnetic means.

3. In a time recorder, a printing mechanism including time type wheels and a printing hammer coacting therewith to effect printing on a record card inserted between the type wheels and the hammer, a spring normally biasing the hammer toward said type wheels, a latch for maintaining the hammer normally-"in a cooked position against the biasing force of the spring, an electromagnet for operating the latch, circuit connections for said magnet including card-controlled contacts for energizing the said magnet upon insertion of the card to cause release or the hammer from the latch for printing movement under the impetus of the biasing spring and a normally closed switch, a contact operating lever controlled by the magnet upon energization for immediately breaking the card-controlled contacts to deenergize said magnet, an electric motor for restoring the hammer to its cocked position, a normally open switch closed by the hammer as an incident to its printing movement for initiating operation of said motor, said hammer simultaneously causing the opening of the normally closed switch, holding means operated by the motor for maintaining the normally open switch closed for a period of time sufllcient to restore the hammer and for concurrently maintaining the normally closed switch open to insure the continued deenergization of the magnet during the hammer restoring period regardless of repeated operations of the card controlled contacts during said period.

4. In a time recorder, a printing mechanism including a type carrier having type thereon and a printing hammer to make an impression from the type on a sheet inserted between the type and the printing hammer, a spring normally biasing the printing hammer toward said type, a latch biased toward operative position for maintaining said hammer normally in a cocked position against the biasing force of said spring, electromagnetically operated means for retracting said latch to release said hammer, trip operated means for energizing said latch retracting means, means set in operation upon each release of said hammer for restoring said hammer to cocked positionafter completion of its printing stroke, said restoring means returning to inoperative position after cooking said hammer to clear the FREDERICK QUINTUS RAST.