US2559455A

US2559455A - Coding device

Info

Publication number: US2559455A
Application number: US734399A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert N Meyer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1947-03-13
Filing date: 1947-03-13
Publication date: 1951-07-03
Anticipated expiration: 1968-07-03

Description

July 3, 1951 R. N. MEYER 2,559,455

CODING DEVICE .L m9722274/ 505er i Ufff-yer R. N. MEYER CODING DEVICE July 3, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 15, 1947 fru/enlof" oerf Mffyez Patented July 3, T951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CODING DEVICE Robert N. Meyer, Chicago, Ill.

Application March 13, 1947, Serial No. 734,399

9 Claims.

This invention relates to coding device for automatically marking a series of articles.

In the Thompson Patent No. 1,977,460 a coding device for a similar purpose is described and claimed, in the construction there shown the yprinting element being at all times in the path of the article so that the act of printing is accomplished by a somewhat wiping action. One purpose of the present invention is to provide a device of this class in which the act of printing is performed by impact of relatively short duration whereby to permit the use of code letters, numbers, or other symbols without dragging the type over the surface of the article to be coded, thus avoiding blurring or smearing, while at the same time still permitting the actuation of the device merely by the weight of the article passing slidingly thereover, and permitting the articles to move either by a continuous or intermittent motion.

An important aspect of the invention is the provision of a relatively simple and enicient device of this class which will withstand long and repeated usage with a minimum of attention for maintenance or repair.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, taken together with the accompanying drawings, of an illustrative embodiment of the invention, and in which drawings'- Figure 1 is a longitudinal, vertical sectional view of a device constructed in accordance with the present invention. and being a section taken on the line I-I of Figure 2;

Figure 2 is a vertical cross-section of the structure shown in Figure 1 and taken on the line 2--2 thereof;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side view or section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a somewhat enlarged detailed sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Figure 2.

Referring in detail to the illustrative embodiment shown in the drawings, the housing I I may be of somewhat rectangular sheet metal formation and adapted to be suspended from a delivery table I2 for, say, wrapped loaves of bread, one of which is indicated by the numeral I3, the table having an opening I4 therein through which the housing II projects flush with the table top, a top wall or cover plate I5 for the housing thus constituting a continuation of the table top and providing a surface over which the articles I3 slidingly pass, for example, urged by the pressure of one against the other, in the direction of the arrow IS. The housing II may be held in the opening I4 as by angle brackets I2a suitably secured to the under face of the table and bolted as at |212` to the housing. The cover plate I5 has a slot I'I therein elongated in this instance in a direction transverse to the movement of the articles I3 and for the passage of printing type or type slug, as later described, into printing contact with a bottom face of the article I3. The cover plate I5 also has another opening I8 therein for a switch contact arm such as the leaf spring switch member I9 of an operating switch mechanism 20, the switch member I9 in this instance carrying a contact roller 2l. The switch member I9 is normally biased by its own inherent spring action upwardly through the opening I8 so that the roller 2l is in the path of the articles I3 moving thereover.

In accordance with the present invention, when an article I3 contacts the roller 2| as shown in Figure l, the switch member I9l is depressed against its own resilience to engage a contact 22 to close an electric circuit including the wires 23 of the switch mechanism 29 and also the wires 24 of the coil winding 25a of a solenoid device indicated generally by the numeral 25. This solenoid device 25 is shown mounted in a solenoid frame upstanding as by stay and spacer bolts 21 from the bottom wall 28 of the housing II substantially centrally thereof. This frame has an upper part 26 and lower part 26a, the latter being secured to the housing lower wall 28. The solenoid device 25 includes the usual plunger or armature 29, which in this instance is thus vertically movable, in an upward direction under the iniluence of a current passing through the coil windings of the solenoid and in the opposite or downward direction when the current is discontinued and under the inlluence of gravity. The solenoid frame part 26a and the housing wall 28 are apertured as at 28a to pass the armature 29 freely therethrough so that the armature lower end 30 which is semi-cylindrical, hangs below the housing.

In order to cause the moving of the switch member I9 by the article I3 to effect a printing action on the article, the armature 29 at its lower end 30 which projects below the housing wall 28 has depending therefrom a clevis 3| which loosely carries a cross-rod 32. The clevis 3| may be articulated as at 33 with the armature end 30 and the cross-rod 32 has a so-called lost motion connection with the clevis as by the vertical play afforded for the cross-rod between the arms of the clevis at 34.

Connected with the cross-rod 32 at each end as at 35 for vertical movement therewith are a pair of plunger rods 36 which move through openings 31 in the housing bottom wall 28. The plunger rods 36 pass slidingly upwardly through guide and sealing tubes 38 which are shown mounted by bushings 39, respectively, carried by a wall 46 disposed intermedially of the height of the housing. The guide tubes 38 are desirably closed at each end by a bearing member 4| interiorly of each of which may be a felt washer 42, and a coil spring 43 between the washers presses the latter against the bearing mein` .bers 4|. An oil passage 4|a permits oiling of the felt washers r wicks 42, to provide suitable lubricating means for the rods 36 in their bearings 4l.

Ihe cross-rod 32 and two plunger rods 36 thus provide a yoke for moving the printing head 44, the latter being suitably rigidly secured to a counter-shaft or cam shaft 45 which passes rotatably through the upper ends of the plunger rods 36 as at 46. The printing head 44 carries along its upper edge a type frame 41 in which may be removably inserted a slug or line of type 48, the clips 49 secured by screws 50 serving to clamp type frame 41 to the printing head 44.

The operation of the device when the switch 20 is open and upon the downward or non-printing stroke of the armature 29 will first be described. Under the influence of gravity, the cam shaft 45 moves downwardly from the position shown in Figures 1 and 2, to the position shown in Figure 3. At this time, the clevis 3| and with it the cross-rod 32 drops to the position shown in dotted lines at 32a (Figure 2). Upon such movement the cam shaft 45 and with it the printing head 44 is not only reciprocated downwardly but the cam shaft is rotated on its own axis and the printing head is rotated with the cam shaft for the purpose of inking the type 48 (Fig. 3).

To accomplish this composite reciprocal and rotary movement, the cam shaft 45 at one end has clamped thereto, as by a screw bolt a clip 52 (Fig. 2) having a pair of spring legs 53 and 54 in which the cani shaft is `clamped by the bolt 5I, the clip being split as at 55 (Fig. 3) for clamping purposes. The longer clip leg 53 carries a cam roller 56 which extends beyond the end of the cam shaft 45 and moves in a cam slot 51 of a cam plate 58 secured as by screws 59 to the inner vertical face of the side wall of the housing `Il adjacent this end of the cam shaft 45. Adjacent the cam slot 51, the housing wall is desirably cut away circularly as at 60 to avoid interference of this housing wall with the play of the cam roller 56 in the cam slot 51. This cam slot 51 is of somewhat J-shape, having a longer vertical branch 6| and an angular somewhat shorter arcuate branch 62.

In order to keep this end of the cam shaft 45 away from the cam plate 58 while permitting the cam roller 56 to play in the lcam slot 51, the `opposite end of the cam shaft may have a pin 63 thereon on one side of the plunger rod 36 and a pin 64 thereon on the opposite side, and a com'- pression coil spring 65 between the pin 64 'and the adjacent plunger rod 36 urges the cam shaft 45 in a direction away from the cam plate 58. The coil spring 65 desirably abuts the pin 64 at one end and the plunger -rod 36 at its other end through the intermediation of a pair vof collars 4 limiting the extent to which the cam shaft 45 may be urged in this direction by the spring 65. As the cam shaft 45 moves downwardly from the position shown in Figures l and 2, the cam shaft itself moves in a straight vertical plane. At the same time the cam roller 56 at the beginning of the downward movement also moves in this same vertical plane as determined by the longer vertical branch 6| of the J-slot 51. However, as downward movement is continued, and with the cam shaft 45 still continuing to move Y downwardly in the same vertical plane, the cam 66, respectively, and the collar 61 is interposed between the pin 63 and the plunger rod 36, thus 'roller 56 is diverted by the shorter arcuate shaft and printing head are rotated on this pivotto a position shown in Figure 3 in which the typeA 48 carried by the printing head makes a brushing contact with the periphery of an inking roller 69 which may be covered with an ink absorbent 1 material such as felt 68. The type remains in this position until the closing of the switch 2!) by;

an article to be marked.

The inking roller 69 is mounted as presently described ina reservoir containing a supply of fluid or liquid ink or other printing material which in this instance is desirably a suitabley This reserv mixture of printing ink and wax. voir is constituted in part by the intermediate horizontal wall `4|] of the housing already re ferred to and the sides and one end wall of the housing. The tubes 33 seal the lower wall of the4 reservoir against passage of ink around the plunger rods. Conveniently the reservoir is of less length than the housing and is delimitedv therein by the intermediate vertical wall 10, this.

wall being adjacent the operating switch mechanism 20 and having a vertically elongated aperture 1| therein for passage of the switch contact member i9. The wall 16 may also mount within the casing a thermostatic switch mechanism 12 having a heat-responsive element 13 projected within the reservoir. Reservoir 13a so pro-A vided may be filled Say to level 13b, but desirably not above it for reasons later pointed out. Just below the oor l4|) `of the reservoir may be located a heating element 14 which is in circuit with the thermostatic switch 12 as by wires 15 connected with the switch and 16 connected with the heating element 14. The temperature of 'the wax in a liquid state mixed with the ink in the reservoir may thus be selectively controlled to maintain a substantially uniform predetermined temperature which will cause the wax and printing ink or other vcoloring material to be well mixed and a coating of which may be picked up yby the felt covering 68 of the inking roller 69, then transferred to the type 48, and then from the type to the article 13 to be marked.

For the purpose of mounting the inking roller 69 and its associated parts in the liquid reservoir, a roller mounting frame is provided therein contipri'sing' a pair of side plates 11 suitably secured tothe reservoir end walls as by lugs 18 and 18a and screws 19 and resting upon the reservoir bottorn wall 40. The two side plates 11 are spaced apart a distance suitable to lcar-ry the axle 86 of the inking roller which is received in a vertical slot 8| in each side plate. At their lower ends the slots 8| are branched horizontally forwardly as at 82 and rearwardly as at 83. After being slid down the slots 8 I, the roller axle 88 is then moved rearwardly into the slot branches 83, but before reaching the end of the slot branch 83 the roller axle abuts at each end an adjustable stop member 84. The triangular stop members 84 are pivoted respectively as at 85, each on one of the side plates 11 between the side plates. On the upper edge of each of the side plates is secured, as by spot weldings 85, a bracket 81 which has an overhang 88 above the stop 84. In this overhang is an adjustment screw 89 the vertical position of which may be adjusted by a nut 98 so that the screw presses on one leg 9| of the stop member 84. The stop members 84 are advantageously angular having a horizontal leg 9| just referred to and also a depending vertical leg 92 extending right angularly from adjacent the pivot point 85 of the stop member. The vertical legs 92 are thus in abutment with the axle 88 of the inking roller and by adjustment of the adjusting screw 89 the extent to which the inking roller will move rearwardly in the slot branch 83 may be predetermined.

The inking roller axle is maintained in abutment with the stop legs 92 by a wiping roller 93 which makes peripheral contact with the felt covering 88 of the inking roller arid serves also to limit the amount of printing material, e. g., wax and ink which the inking roller will retain on its surface. Maintaining a level of printing uid no` higher than say 13b assures that the type receives no more ink than is controlled by the action of the roller 93 on the inking roller. Mounting expedients for the wiping roller 93 are similar to those for the inking roller and include the vertical slots 8| in the side plates which receive the axle 94 of the wiping roller so that this axle may be moved downwardly and then forwardly in the slot branch 82 before the inking roller is placed in its mounting in the rearwardly extending slot branch 83. Adjustable stops are also provided for the wiping roller including a pair of triangular members 95 pivoted at 98 on the side plates 11 respectively between the side plates and having each an upwardly extending vertical leg 91 which abuts the wiping roller axle 94 and a horizontal leg 98 which rest upon a lifter rod 99 movable vertically in a slot |88 in the lower edges of the side plates 11. The lifter rod 99 passes through the eye IDI of a lifter link |82 which is adjustably carried by a cross-bar |83 secured across the top edges of the side plates 11. The lifter link passes loosely through an aperture in the cross-bar |83 and thereabove carries a coil spring |04 and a pair of threaded adjusting nuts |85. By manipulation of the adjusting nuts |85, the vertical position of the lifter rod 99 may be determined to iix the position of the axle of the wiping roller 94 in the slot branch 82 and thus the pressure of the wiping roller on the inking roller. At the same time, by reason of the spring |84, the abutment provided for the wiping roller axle on the legs 91 of the triangular stops 95 is a resilient one so as to allow for slight irregularities in the felt surface 88 of the inking roller while at the same time pressing the wiping roller thereagainst.

In order to successively present a new inking surface on the inking roller to the type, means are provided to effect partial rotation of the inking roller with each cycle of operation of the printing head. For this purpose, the cam shaft 45 has loosely depending therefrom a link |86 which at its lower end is articulated as at |81 with a pair of arms |88 loosely carried as at |89 on the axle extension I I8 of the inking roller axle 88. Between the arms |88, the roller axle extension I I8 carries keyed thereto a ratchet'wheel II I having ratchet teeth I I2 which are engaged by a pawl II3 pivoted as at II4 between the arms |88. Thus, as the cam shaft 45 moves downwardly from the position shown in Figures 1 and 2 to the position shown in Figure 3, the pawl |I3 rides over the ratchet teeth I|2 without causing rotation of the printing roller but on the return or upward movement of the cam shaft 45 from the position shown in Figure 3 to the position shown in Figures 1 and 2, the pawl II3 will cause rotation in the direction of the arrow II5 of the printing roller and thus presenting a new surface for wiping contact of the type 49 on the inking roller upon the next downward movement of the printing head.

In order to prolong the life of the solenoid armature 29 and prevent mushrooming of its upper end by impact with a fixed stop, a resilient cushion therefor is provided as shown in Figure 4. As there seen, the solenoid upper frame partl 26 carries a dome plate II6 which provides an air chamber I1 above the solenoid armature 29. The dome plate IIG is centrally perforated as at I|8a to receive and mount an open-sided spider support |I8 for a relatively light coil spring I I8a which carries at its upper end a check valve disc II9. Over the opening ||6a and forming a partial closure therefore is secured a ported annulus ||8b having a restricted opening ||6d aligned with the opening I|8a and which opening Id is almost completely closed by the check valve disc II9 when the latter is in uppermost position, there being however an air bleed passage I |9a in this check valve disc I I9 centrally thereof.

Thus, as the armature rises (by reason of closing of switch 28 and energization of the solenoid coil winding 25a) the upper end of the armature when it reaches the position shown at |28 (Figure 4) strikes the lower end of the stud I 25. Instead of bringing the armature to a stop at this point, the armature is permitted to continue to move upwardly until its upper end reaches the position shown at |29 or at which it reaches its normal seat, but during this last extent of movement the momentum of the armature is partially absorbed by the resilient abutment provided, since the stud |25 may move upwardly to the position shown at |38 but against the yielding resistance of the spring |21 and the air entrapped within the chamber ||1. During this upward movement, compression of the air in the chamber ||1 cooperates with the spring ||8a to maintain the check valve disc |I9 in uppermost position, but at this time air is permitted to bleed out from the chamber |I1 through the air bleed passage IISa when the diaphragm |28 is flexed upwardly by the upward movement of the stud |25 under 7,. theiniiuence of upward movement of the armature. Thus, the armature is rapidly decelerated and comes to a stop with its' upper end in the position shown at |29 or at which it reaches its normal seat. When now the armature is permitted to drop upon deenergization ofthe solenoid winding 25a, the spring |21 will expand and move the diaphragm |23 downwardly. At the same time atmospheric pressure on the upper face of the check valve disc ||9 will depress this disc from its uppermostJ position, against the pressure of the light coil spring IISa, so as to further open the port 'I I Sd and permit air to quickly flow back into the chamber II'I so that the stud |25 will be immediately returned to lowermost position to permit the cycles of operation to be repeated in rapid succession.

It will now be understood that when the armature is at its uppermost position, the printing parts are in the position shown in full lines in Figures 1 and 2 with at this time the cross-rod 32 at the bottom of the slot 34 provided by the arms of the clip 3| loosely connecting the crossrod 32 to the armature end 3|). At this time the type slug i8 would not perform any printing action since it is below the printing slot I1 and below the surface I5 and out of contact with the article I3. This is desired for two reasons, rst to minimize any brushing contact of the type with the article I3 which might cause smearing or blurring, and second, to cause the printing act when it is done to be eiected by a quick, single impact upon each article. This impact is provided by the momentum or inertia of the printing parts imparted to them by the initial movement of the solenoid which carry them upwardly still further beyond the point where the armature has reached the limit of its upward movement. This further upward movement of the printing parts, to carry the type upwardly through the type slot il and into contact with the article I3, is permitted by reason of the lost motion connection between the cross-rod 32 and the clevis 3| by which the armature carries the cross-rod. In other words, even though the armature and clevis 3| have stopped moving upwardly or have been slowed up the cross-rod 32 may still move upwardly by momentum in the space 31| of the clevis 3| to the position shown at i3! in dotted lines (Figure l) and at such time the type 38 will also be raised to the position shown in dotted lines at |32 where the type passes through the type slot I? to engage the article I3 and imprint the lower face of the article. Immediately the momentum of the printing parts is dissipated by impact of the type with the article I3, the printing parts will fall back to the position shown in full lines in Figures l and 2 Thus even though the electrical means is still energized., desirably only one printing act occurs for each article.

To repeat the cycle upon another article I3, in this instance where the articles I3 may be wrapped loaves of bread of somewhat rounded contour, even though one loaf is pushing the other along over the cover plate Ila, there will be a space such as |33 between abutting faces of the loaves at their lower corners. These reoccurring spaces will permit the switch contact roller 2| to rise intermittently under the resilience of the switch contact arm to the position shown in dotted lines at |33a, whereupon the switch will open, thereby deenergizing the coil winding a of the solenoid and allowing the armature 29 to drop under the influence of 8i gravity aswell as the weight of the printing mechanism to a position so that the cam shaft 45 is at its lowermost point as indicated in Figure 3 (and the cross-rod 32 returns to the position indicated in dotted lines at 32a Figure 2) whereupon a re-inking of the type 48 occurs for the next printing operation upon a succeeding article I3 when the weight of the latter on the switch contact roller 2| again closes the switchfZ.

Manifestly, the invention is not intended to be limited to details of construction or sequence of operation or articles printed upon above described, it being intended to be understood that it is not essential that all features of the invention be used conjointly, since various combinations or sub-combinations thereof may at times be advantageously employed, and furthermore that such changes may be made without departing from the invention, as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

The invention having been described, what is here claimed is:

1. In a coding device, the combination of a housing having an upper wall for moving an article thereover, a reservoir for a flowable printing material in the upper part of said housing, a solenoid in the lower part ofsaid housing,y

said solenoid having a vertically movable armature, a cross-bar loosely connected with the lower end of said armature, a pair of plunger rods carried by said cross-bar on opposite sides of the solenoid, a rotatable shaft carried by the plunger rods in the upper vpart of said housing` a printing head carried on and rotatable with said shaft, a printing slot in said upper wall,

printing type on the head projectible by saidcross-bar through said slot upon upward movement of the armature, cam means for rotating the shaft and printing head in conjunction with vertical movement thereof responsive to movements of said armature, an inking roller in the reservoir arranged adjacent to said printing head for contact thereof during downward and rotary movement of the printing head, means responsive to movement of the said shaft for partially rotating the inking roller td present a new surface of contact, and a switch actuated by movement of the articles to energize the solenoid when an article is over said slot.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein the housing has a cover adapted to have an article to be coded pass slidingly thereover and has a slot therein wherein the printing head carries type movable through said slot to strike the article upon upward movement of said armature, and wherein the connection between the armature and said cross-rod includes provision for lost moi tion whereby the plunger rods and printing head may move upwardly through said slot momentarily after said armature has been retarded and may then drop back through the slot without downward movement of the armature.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein the housing has a cover adapted to pass an article to be coded slidingly thereover and said cover has a slot therein for a switch member depressible by the article to actuate the solenoid to cause upward movement of the armature and wherein the cover also has a slot therein for the passage housing having an upper Wall for moving objects l thereon, a reservoir for a owable printing material in the upper part of said housing, a solenoid in the lower part of said housing, said solenoid having a vertically movable armature, a cross-bar. loosely connected withfthe lower end of said-armature, a pair ofplungerrods carried by a shaft carried by the plunger rods in the upper part of said housing, a printing head carried on said shaft, a printing slot in said upper wall, printing type on the head projectible through said slot upon upward movement of the armature, and a switch actuated by movement of the articles to energize the solenoid when an object is over said slot.

5. In a coding device, the combination of a housing having an upper wall for moving articles thereon, a reservoir for a flowable printing material in the upper part of said housing, a solenoid in the lower part of said housing, said solenoid having a vertically movable armature, a crossbar loosely connected with the lower end of said armature, a pair of plunger rods carried by said cross-bar on opposite sides of the solenoid, a rotatable shaft carried by the plunger rods in the upper part of said housing, a printing head carried on and rotatable with said shaft, a printing slot in said upper wall, printing type on the head projectible through said slot upon upward movement of the armature, cam means for rotating the shaft and printing head in conjunction with vertical movement thereof responsive to movements of said armature, an inking roller in the reservoir arranged adjacent to said printing head for contact thereof during downward and rotary movement of the printing head, means responsive to movement of` the said shaft for partially rotating the inking roller to present a new surface of contact, and a switch actuated by movement of the articles to energize the solenoid when an article is over said slot.

6. In a coding device, the combination of a housing having an upper wall for moving articles thereon, a reservoir for a Ilowable printing material in the upper part of said housing, a solenoid in the lower part of said housing, said solenoid having a vertically movable armature, a cross-bar loosely connected with the lower end of said armature, a pair of plunger rods carried by said cross-bar on opposite sides of the solenoid, a rotatable shaft carried by the plunger rods in the upper part of said housing, a printing head carried on and rotatable with said shaft, a printing slot in said upper wall, printing type on the head projectible through said slot upon upward movement of the armature, cam means for rotating the shaft and printing head in conjunction with vertical movement thereof responsive to movements of said armature, an inking roller in the reservoir arranged adjacent to said printing head for contact thereof during downward and rotary movement of the printing head, a switch actuated by movement of the articles to energize the solenoid when an article is over said slot, and cushioning means for the armature at the upper end of its stroke.

7. In a coding device, the combination of a housing having a wall, a reservoir for a flowable printing material in the upper part of said housing, a solenoid in the lower part of said housing, said solenoid having a vertically movable armature, a cross-bar loosely connected with the lower v said cross-bar on opposite sides of the solenoid,

Vend of said armature, a pair of plunger rods carried by said cross-bar on opposite sides of the solenoid, the plunger rods passing through guide tubes containing spaced apart bearings and having coiled springs therein encircling the plunger rods respectively between said bearings,

a rotatable shaft carried by the lplunger rods in the upper part of said housing, a printing head carried on and rotatable with said shaft, a printing slot in said wall, printing type on the head projectible through said slot upon upward movement of the armature, cam means for rotating the shaft and printing head in conjunction with vertical movement thereof responsive to movements of said armature, an inking roller in the reservoir arranged adjacent to said printing head for contact thereof during downward and rotary movement of the printing head, and means responsive to movement of the said shaft for partially rotating the inking roller to present a new surface of contact.

8. In a coding device, the combination of a housing having a wall for moving an article thereover, a reservoir for a flowable printing material in the upper part of said housing, a solenoid in the lower part of said housing, said solenoid having a vertically movable armature, a cross-bar loosely connected with the lower end of said armature, a pair of plunger rods carried by said cross-bar on opposite sides of the solenoid, a rotatable shaft carried by the plunger rods in the upper part of said housing, a printing head carried on and rotatable with said shaft, a printing slot in said wall, printing type on the head` projectible through said slot upon upward movement of the armature, cam means for rotating the shaft and printing head in conjunction with vertical movement thereof responsive to movements of said armature, the cam means including a clamp rigid with the shaft, said clamp carrying a cam roller and the cam roller playing in a J-slot to effect rotation of the shaft and printing head thereon, an inking roller in the reservoir arranged adjacent to said printing head for contact thereof during downward and rotary movement of the printing head, and means responsive to movement of the said shaft for partially rotating the inking roller to present a new surface of contact.

9. In a coding device, the combination of a housing having a wall, a reservoir for a flowable printing material in the upper part of said housing, a solenoid in the lower part of said housing, said solenoid having a vertically movable armature, a cross-bar loosely connected with the lower end of said armature, a pair of plunger rods carried by said cross-bar on opposite sides of the solenoid, a rotatable shaft carried by the plunger rods in the upper part of said housing, a printing head carried on and rotatable with said shaft, a printing slot in said wall, printing type on the head projectible through said slot upon upward movement of the armature, cam means for rotating the shaft and printing head in conjunction with vertical movement thereof responsive to movements of said armature, an inking roller in the reservoir arranged adjacent to said printing head for contact thereof during downward and rotary movement of the printing head, and means responsive to movement of the said shaft for partially rotating the inking roller to present a new surface of contact, the means for rotating the printing roller including a pawl and ratchet, the pawl being pivoted on an arm loosely pivcted on the Y Number latedwvth a link to said shaft.V

A ROBERT N. MEYER.

, REFERENCES CITED The following references. are of record in the len of this partent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Namer Y Date 422,276 Wrschng Feb. 25, 1890 Silkman Sept. 9, 1890 Number Name l, Dte'- Thompson Ejeb'..5, Y1895 Newenschwander July 4, 1922 Frank et a1 July sr, 1923 Neff et a1. Dec, v26,1933 Sevenson Apr; 20, 1937 Weymouth Apr. 12', l1938 Ferguson Sept. 5, 1939 Cooper -Ju-ly,9, 19'40 Ruttiman A'p'r. 15, 1941 Cooper Dec. 5, 1944