US2550644A - Endorsing machine - Google Patents

Description

pri 24, 1951 G. L. MCCARTHYv ENDORSING MACHINE Filed Jan. 25, 1945 TTORNEYJ.'

`or endorsed several times.

Patented` Apr. 24, 1951 ENDORSING MACHINE George L. McCarthy,v New York, N. Y., assignor to Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey 4Application January 25, 1945, Serial No. 574,556

1 claim. (ol. 1v1-316) The present invention relates to an endorsing machine and more particularly to an endorsing machine for checks or the like.

Known endorsing machines provide the marking or endorsement in substantially the same .position on each document `or check or on the same document or check which may be marked Frequently, a negotiable instrument is endorsed several times and when such endorsements are effectedin the same or similar machines the several endorsements are made one over the other so that it becomes eX- `tremely difficult, if not impossible, to read any or all of the endorsements.

The4 primary object` of the present invention is the provision of an endorsing machine in which the relative position of the marking or endorsement is varied so that it is unlikely that successive endorsements of a document or check will interfere with or obliterate each other.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a marking assembly to which documents are introduced from a guideway, and a means or arrangement for relative movement between the assembly and guideway. y

A further object of the invention is the provision of an endorsing machine including a marking assembly, a stationary guideway and translating means for relatively moving the marking as sembly with respect to said guideway.

Still another object of the invention is the provision in an endorsing machine of amarking assembly, stationary guideway and translating means for transverse relative movement of the marking assembly with respect to the direction of ydocument movement from the guideway into and through the marking assembly. I

A still further object of the invention is the provision-in an endorsing machine of'transverse supports for the marking assembly and for transversely moving the same with respect to a stationary guideway and/o-r for operating a docu- Vment advancing means of the marking assembly.

4Other and further objects of the invention will be suggested to those skilled in the art by the disclosure `which follows:

The above and'other objects of the invention are embodied in an endorsing machine comprising a marking assembly having a `document path and for marking upon a document in said path, a guideway for directing the document into the document path of said assembly. and an operatfing means relatively moving said guideway and assembly with respect to each other. Preferably,

the guideway is stationary and the marking assembly. is moved with respect thereto. In general, the relative movement of the marking assembly and guideway is transversely of the direction of document movement from the guideway into and through the marking assembly. While the illustrated embodiment shows a stationary guideway and transverse movement of the marking assembly with respect thereto, it shall be defi- Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section on the line 3'1--3V of Fig. 1. Y

As shown, the endorsing machinecomprises a frame, a guideway mounted thereon, a marking assembly movable with respect to said guideway, and means for moving said assembly with respect to said guideway and for operating document advancing means on or associated with said l assembly.

The aforementioned frame comprises a base plate I0,'a side plate I I, a side frame I2 and a side plate I3 in spaced relation to said side frame I2. The side frame I2 has lateral flanges I4 and a spacer I 5 to which the side plate I3 is attached. Theguideway I6. preferably is trough-shaped and has a bottom Il` and side flanges I8 and` I9. Said guideway I6, when made stationary, is mounted upon the frame member by means of a sleeve 20 and bolt .2l between side plate' II vof the frame memberand side flange I8 of the guideway and by means of a sleeve 22 and bolt 23 between rside plate I3 and side flange I9. The marking assembly may be provided :in two halves for ease of assembly ofthe machine and to facilitate cleaning orV servicing thereof. The lower half of the marking assembly comprises a frame member 2t, a platen 25, an velectromagnet 25 and a control therefor, Document advancing rollers are mounted upon both halves of the marking assembly in a manner to be described. Y e The frame member has side walls 2l' [and sidewalls 28, an end Wall 29 carrying ' projections 33 and 3! and has an end wall'3'2 including a U- shaped support 33.

The document advancing means preferably comprises rollers 34, 35, 36 and 3l which are respectively rotatably mounted in bushings 36, 39, 40 and 4| between pairs of side walls of the frame member 24. The roller 34 has a sleeve d2 provided with a keyway, for a purpose to be later described, and rotates in a bearing sleeve 43 in' bushing 33, a collar d4 being attached to sleeve 42 by a ssetscrew A5. The mounting for the roller 36 is similar to that for roller 3d and need not be described in more detail. Roller 35 has a sleeve 46 rotatable in a bearing sleeve 4'1 in bushing 39 and carries a collar le fastened thereto by a pin 49. Roller 3l is similarly mounted and a shaft extends throughrellers 35 and 31 which are attached for rotation therewith by the pins 9. Each of the rollers 34| to 37, inclusive, may be covered with .a .friction .material for better engagement with the .document or checks. A sprocket 5| is anixed to roller and a sprocket 52 is affixed to roller 35 and a chain 53 -enc-ircles said sprockets Yi and 52 so that rollers 35 and e?? rotate simultaneously with roller ed.

A transverse `'shaft 54 has a :longitudinal key 55 complementary to -the fkeyway in the sleeves 42 for rollers 2d and 355 and 'is rotatably mounted Iat lone end -in a ball bear-ing e in side `-frame.

'|12 and at the other end lin #side pil-ate H. -A pulley A.51 is 'mounted upon said fshait '5d and is `encircled by -a belt 5B which also encireles -a pulley 59 on the shaft F69 of ya motor el attached to side plate I3. "Upon operation of motor 16| the shaft '54 is rotated through the 'pulley and belt connection us't described, rollers v3. and 36 are rotated by the key 355 and rollers -35 -a-nd 'sl are `rotated through rthe connecting chai-n 53. As a result, rollers 34, -3'6 and f3? lare rotated ysimul-taneoirsly -even though the frame member l2'11is`movedalong shafted.

-A channel-shaped bar 62 has its opposite ends mounted `respectively on sidepla-te i and on side frame I2. Guide rollers S3, rotatablymounted in opposite `legs 'of Ueshaped support 3S, `engage opposite :sides of said bar |52 -to support one fend of the lframe jmember' 24 but permitting movement thereof;

The transl-ating -means for the marking kassembly -compr'ises threaded bushings l{il} 'and '65 mounted respectively in the side walls 2 and Z3 `of the 'frame :member 124. A threaded rod ,Se `is rotatably mounted "in side frame .I2 b y a ball bearing assembly .61 `and `may 'be similarly 11otatably ymounted at the other 'end in side plate Said threaded rod 56 'engages the Vthreaded bushings Wi and `65 -on frame member 21| so that r upon rotation `thereof the frame 'member is `moved Yalong -shaft '54 and channel-shaped 'bar i152. The :drive of said translating Ymeans comprises almotor 68 driving a'gear te on the .shaft thereof. Any suitable reduction gearing maybe interposed between the driving motor 53 V and threaded rod 6B. For example, the gear 69 meshes with the gear 'Hl integral with a .gear 'i in mesh with a gear '|2 which carries a gear T3 meshing with a gear "le mounted upon an extension 66" 'of threaded Arod 55. The gear pairs lll-"H and 'I2-13 are rotatably mounted in a known 'manner `upon vside plate |13.. 'When the driving motor 68 is operated the gear train just described drives the threaded rod 65 for rotation thereof and transverse movement of the frame member 24. For reasons to be mentioned .the driving motor 68 ,should be reversible.

:The-upper half of the marking assembly .0.0mprises a frame member I5 which "have :the

' 'essary Lto describe Vthe same in detail.

same general form as frame member 24 and which comprises side walls 'J6 including threaded bushings TI and having a U-shaped support 'I8 at the other end thereof. A channel-shaped bar le, like bar E2, is supported between side plate Il and side frame I2 and rollers 8|) in the U-shaped support 'i3 engage opposite sides of the bar :1-.9 for support of the marking assembly permitting movement thereof. A second threaded rod 8| is rotatably mounted between vside plate il and side frame l2 in the same 'manner as threaded rod et is mounted and carries a vgear 32 meshing with the gear 'lll of the drive 'for Lthreaded 'rod i. Said rod 8| is in 'threaded engagement with the bushings T1 so thatrupon operation of motor 58, rod 3| is rotated-.and bushings H are moved therealong.

Said frame member le also carries a pair of rollers 83 and a pair of rollers 84 which are opposite to and in peripheral engagement with said 4rollers 3d to Si, inclusive. 'The rollers 83 and '84 are freely 'rotatable and serve as reaction rollers to rollers 3d to 3l, inclusive. A reaction plate 8.5 is mounted upon a central support '86 of the frame member d5. rThe frame V-rrlenfiber 'F5 also carries a guide apron dil at one lend anda guide pla-te 8S at 'the other end thereof and forming with reaction plate 85 one side 4of a document g-uideway V'or v4path through lthe marking assembly. A 'lower guide plate 1&9 Iis lmountedon the lower frame `mem-ber 24| and has a curved end '89. A second 'guide plate 9!) is mounted on ythe lower frame Ainem-ber 2d lopposite the guide plate 88 on'fthe upper Aframe mem-- ber-515. T-he guide plates 39 and 90 `form the other side of the document guideway or path. A-n opening @i lis provided between guide plates 89 and Sii and an vopening 'x92 is provided between reaction -plate l85 -and gu-ide plate 38 for 4a purpose later 'to be described.

The platen 25 is mounted upon a post 93 which lis Lslidable iin-and supportedby a sleeve -94 within electro-magnet 126. Said electro-magnet -has -a cylindrical `'casing 95, a `coil e6 therein and an end plate 91 attached .to casing 95 by 'screws I|18. A coil spring 99 lis placed Vbetween post '93 -and said Lend plate $1 -w-ithin the sleeve 9d and lnormallyfpresses platen 25 against the reaction plate '85.

The marking assembly also includes type or other means for impressing `or marking upon a `'document between platen 25 and reaction plate 85. 'It may also be that 'a strip of carbon ribbon Wi-ll -be placed 'between the document andthe Fwell known type yor impression member. Inasmuch as lthe marking means such as vstamps Aor -impression members Aare -Well known, it 'is not nec- However, `it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the type of vmarking ,means and contemplates theuse lof embossing, -printing or other means of marking upon a document.

L"Ihepontrol for the platen member of 'the marking assembly comprises appa'ir of 'normally open contact arms `||3||1and |10| mounted 'by .a braeket |02 .upon the Yframe member A 24| suchas the wall "21 thereof. .Said AContact arms 101) and [0| are connected iin ,aknownmanner Lin series with 'the coil 96 across any suitable `,source .of electricity. A control .lever ,H16 is rotatably mounted'by a pivot 1.0.3 to .said frame .member 2t pr the side -,wall 2] thereof and has .an .arm 'IM .extending along-.guide plate 8.9 and havnea curved end 110,5 extending through .opening 9| and 'into opening .9.2 .between 'the .guide v.plates forming the `document path. 4Control lever |06 .fliaslannzarm |01 carrying a rod |08 pivotally mounted thereto and urged in a clockwise. direction by a wire spring |09unti1 a pin ||0 on rod |08 engages the edge of arm |01.

in contactarm andinas a lshoulderadapted to Lengage the face of contactarm 00. `The other `end of rod |08 is inthe pathjof a postglllron the "rear of .platen 25. A leaf spring II2`on thel top of solenoid casing 95 may also engage said other end of rod |08 to return it to its normal position.

When a document is moved through the docu-A ment path or between reaction plate 85 and guide plate 89 as by said rollers 34 to 31, 83 and 84, the curved end of control lever I 06 is moved in a counter clockwise direction as seen in Fig. 1, or downwardly so that arm |01 and rod |08 are moved toward contact arm |00 to close the contacts on arms |00 and |0I, to complete an energizing circuit through coi'l 96 and to retract the post 93 and platen member 25 against the action of coil spring 99. After predetermined retraction of platen the post |I| strikes one end of rod |08 to turn it in a counter clockwise direction and to disengage its shoulder from the face of contact arm |00 which thereupon normally opens. This interruption of the solenoid energizing circuit permits the spring 99 to act and move the platen 25 against the document and the reaction plate 85 rapidly to create animpression, imprint or other marking upon the document. The advantage of electro-magnet Y retraction of the coil spring 99 which actuates the platen member 25 is that more uniform impression or imprinting is obtained in spite of any variations in line voltage in the source of supply.

Inasmuch as the endorsing machine is usually operated continuously, there should be some ar rangement for reversing the relative movementf between the marking assembly and guideway. To this end a switch I|3 having an arm ||4 is mounted by a bracket |I5 on the insideof a semi-circular guard ||6 mounted between side 'of switch arm ||4 and in another direction in the other position of switch arm I I4. Assume that the marking assembly or frame member 24 is moved toward the right in Fig. 2, .when projection strikes switch arm II4, the operating l Y Y A.Hreducedv end |08' of rod |08 extends through an opening movement of'it'h'emafkmgassembiy ai the 'exl' tremesA of -its-ftravelmay be used without departmovement v`of -the VmarkingA assembly without` the cording to the invention will now 'be described. In stand-bycondition the motors 6| and 68 are operating lsoV that threaded rods 66 andV 8|"are circuit to motor 68 will be changed for reversal of said motor 68 whereupon the threaded rods 66 and 8|;are rotate-d in the opposite direction and the marking assembly including frame memv bers 24 and 15 is moved in the opposite'direction or toward the left as viewed in Fig. 2. When the marking assembly has moved to its extreme lefthand position, the projection 3| will abut the switch arm I4 and move it to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 2 for another reversal of,

rotating and rollers 34to 31; v 83 and 84 are turning. TheV document is then advanced along "a guideway I6., being guided by side flanges |8 and I9- and its leading edgeis introduced into the bights between the document advancing rollers by guide apron 81 and guide plate 89. Inasmuch as the marking assembly is being moved transversely the distance between the stationary guideway I6 and theibights `of the document advancing rollers is preferably only slightly greater than the usual dimension of the document in the direction of document movement. The rollers 34, 36 and 83 advance the document past reaction plate 85 and into engagement `,with the 'curved end |05 of the control lever |06 and into' the bights between rollers 35, 31 and 84. By movement of control lever |06, the document arm |01 and rod |08 are moved so that the shoulder of arm |01 presses the contact arm |00 against the contact arm |0|. With contact arms |00 and |0| so made the coil 96Y is energized and platen 25 is retracted. The coil energizing circuit is interrupted by the post I on platen 25 in a manner already described and the platen 25 is spring pressed toward the document and reaction plate 85. Such action of the platen 25 to create an impression or imprint is so rapid that movement of the document by said rollers 34 to 31, 83 and 84 is not affected. The document is finally discharged between guide plates 88 and 90 by the rollers 35, 31 and 84 to drop into a hopper or otherl receiver which may be placed upon the base plate I0.

In view of the relative movement between the marking assembly and guideway, successive documents will have the impression made at different positions thereon. For instance, checks being fed sideways through the guideway I6 and through the marking assembly will have the endorsements at progressively increasing distances from the ends. Thus, when a second endorsement is to be made upon a check and is fed into an endorsing machine with relative movement between the guideway and marking assembly it is quite unlikely that the second endorsement will be in the same position as any other previous endorsements on the check. Consequently, a check or other document may receive several impressions or endorsements with only small likelihood that any of theseveral endorsements will be undistinguishable.

Many modifications of the endorsing machine disclosed herein are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. The present disclosure is merely illustrative and the scope ofthe invention is defined by the claim which follows.

Havingy now particularly described my invention what I desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States and what I claim is:

In an endorsing machine, the combination comprising a stationary guideway for successively directing discrete .documents into a document path, a plurality of 'supports in spaced relation a7 path, a frame :member ,supported .and movable .upon `fsaiisi fuppnrs j-transyerfsely of said Eguide- Waynd said :document pbh, a .-dooumeiitmovng pletely mounted upon sai-icl Yframe ;member and ,for printing on cifioument being moved by Said document moving means, land sa Iframe fr ecipro- Vica;tingfmeamvs inricontinuously moyirigsaidiirame member-12o andpfro transverseiyuf saidguideway Vsaidfrr11e-imaminer.

GEQRGE L. AMcCARJII3-Y.

8 REFERENCES CITED YThe followingrefenences `are of record Yin :the le .of ths :patent:

Images