US2625103A - Ticket printing mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 13, 1953 B. K. SLONNEGER 2,625,103

TICKET PRINTING MECHANISM Filed April 4, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET l FIG.4

MWASHINGTON To NEW YARK Train Space Date Date Code or Endorsameni NOV-7 2.4 IOBZ'Z I203 l STA. ANY P LLRMXN O. 6|5 Issued by h! 00 .R.Co. 1.5!.

Washm ion J. Doc P T.M Chicago, Ill.

NOV-7 2.4 0.32 \203 l INVENTOR Date Space 4 BRUCE K. SLONNEGER ANY PULLMAN co. uimqm Check- M M To Identify Accomoduflons BY Good Only On Duh Shown Property Token lnio Car At Own." Risk M HIS ATTORNEYS Jan. 13, 1953 B. K. SLONNEGER TICKET PRINTING MECHANISM 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Filed April 4, 1950 I .6 F G 2l 25 W: IO -|NVENTOR l8 k k BRUCE K.SLONNEGER is n2 HIS ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 13, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TICKET PRINTING MECHANISM Bruce K. Sloiineger, Dayton, Ohio, assignor .to The National Cash Register Company, Dayton, Ohio, a' corporation of Maryland Application April 4, 1950, Serial No. 153,853

4 Claims. (01. 101-297) This invention relates to improvements in ticket-printing mechanisms.

The invention embodies a ticket-printing i'mechanism for printing supplementaldata on a preprinted ticket by means of a porous printing element mounted on a stationary support, and includes a movable platen on which the ticket is supported during theprinting operation. The invention includes a means for holding theticket stationary during the printing operation and a means for controlling the pressure which can be applied tothe porous printing element to thereby prevent smudging during the printing operation. The object of the invention is to provide a simple printing mechanism for printing supplemental data. on tickets issued by a conventional accountingmachine.

A specific object of the invention is to provide a printing mechanism for printing the destination point on a railroad ticket. Another specific object Of the invention is to provide a printing element comprising a porous type means which is saturated with ink, and which requires no inking ribbon, or other inking medium.

,Withthese and incidental objects in view, the invention includes certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, a preferred formor embodiment of which is hereinafter .described with reference to the-drawingswhich accompany. and form a part of, this'specification.

Of the drawings: Fig. 111s a. detail cross-sectional view taken through two units. ofthe printing mechanism and shows one, unit in operated position. Fig. 2.is a detailed perspective view of some of the parts shown in Fig. l and illustrates the method of assembling the printing units. Fig. 3 is. a top plan view of a part of the ticketprinting mechanism. Y

Fig. 4 is a' facsimile of a ticket on which the suplemental data is printed.

Fig.5. is a side elevational view of the printing unit shown mounted beside a conventional accounting'machine.

' Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken'on lines 1 6-6 of Fig. 5.

7 General description The invention is shown herein as being adapted and arranged for use in connection with a. machine such as that disclosed in United States Patent No. 1,795,509, issued to William H. Robertsonon March 10,1931. Said machine is modified ,to provideaticket issuing and printing means to print the data shown in Fig. 4 herein, with, the exception of the name of the city of destination, which name .is illustrated herein as New York, thus converting the machine for use as .-a railroad ticket issuing machine. The name of the city of destination is entered on the ticket by means of the novel printing means illustrated herein.

means consists of a frame, the size and shape whereof may besuch as to conform with the machine which issues the ticket, so that, when placed beside the ticket-issuing machine, aneat and compact arrangement is provided. It is not intended that the novel destination-printing mechanism be located beside the ticket issuing machine in all cases, since it may be more convenient in some instances to locate the destination-printing mechanismin a location other than beside the ticket-issuing machine. In such cases, the framework can assume any size or shape, depending on the space available therefor. ,For example, in some railroad stations, it may be more convenient tohave the ticket-issuing machine located atthe window, wherethecustomer makes his purchase, and the destination-printing [means located adjacent therear Wall of: the ticket booth. Such an arrangement would be use d in railroad stations handling ticket sales to a very large number of destinations, in which case the number. of tiers. of printing media. would be so great that the space'at the .windo'wwould not be suflicient. In the present application, only one tier of printing means is illustrated for-the purpose of disclosing the invention. The number of tiers used at a given station is governed by'the number of destination cities to .be served by the railroad.

As illustrated herein (Fig. 4), the ticket issued by the ticket-issuing machine is shown for reservjing Pullman spaces and, when so issued, does not have the city of destination printed thereon. The ticket is taken from the machine and inserted into the proper position in the means constitut- ,ingthe presentinventiomwhere the destination and the first movement thereof brings the ticket into contact with 'a. holding meansgconsistingof a ;;resilient gripping device toiprevent shiftingof the ticket while the printing operation takes place. Upon further movement of the table, the ticket is brought into printing contact with a printing element to effect the printing operation, whereupon the table is released and the printed ticket is removed and delivered to the customer.

In the present disclosure, the printing element consist of micro-porous rubber constructed by a process like that disclosed in United States Patent No. 2,353,877, issued to Robert G. Chollar on July 18, 1944. Printing members made by the process have their pores filled with printing ink, which ink is constantly transmitted to the printing surface in the proper volume for making clear impression by capillary action. By the use of this form of printing means, no ribbon or other inking means are required, thus simplifying the construction and operation of the printing means.

Printing members constructed by the above process are soft and spongy, and therefore the pressure exerted thereon during the printing operation must be controlled to obtain clear impressions, since too great a gressure tends to bring too much ink to the printing surface. The contact pressure of the ticket against the printing element is controlled by a novel means mounted adjacent the printing element, which limits the extent of movement of the table supporting the ticket being printed upon.

The printing means are so assembled on the framework as to provide a simple assembly operation and also to provide for simple rearrangement thereof. Each station-printing element constitutes a separately constructed unit which can be slid into position on the frame without being permanently secured to the frame. This is accomplished by providing a channel on the frame for slidably receiving extensions of the printing unit. By simply inserting these extensions into the channel on the frame, the printing units can be slid into position, one at a, time, until a tier has been completed. A clamp is then inserted at the top of the tier to prevent accidental shifting of the printing units on the frame.

The frame itself is constructed to provide a simple, economical manufacturing procedure. The construction consists of so forming the various parts thereof with friction connecting means that the parts can be assembled without the necessity of any fastening means.

Detailed description The framework of the printin means includes two side frames l8 and II, having their lower ends turned inwardly to form flanges l2 and I3, respectively (Figs. 5 and 6). Two channel-shaped members l4, one located at the front and the other located at the rear of the base of the side frames, are provided with flanges l5 and I6 biased toward each other, and they are forced over the flanges l2 and 13, where they are held frictionally. The channels l4 extend between the two inner walls of the side frames in and I l, as shown in Fig. (9.

The side frames in and II are formed in the shape of triangles to provide an inclined face for receiving the printing units, and the inclined edges of the side frames have flanges l7 and 18, respectively, formed thereon, which flanges extend toward each other when the side frames are assembled in the framework of the printing means. The flanges fl and 18 support a plate I9 (Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6) extending from the outer wall of the side frame Ill to the outer wall of the side frame H, and being of a length extending the full length of the inclined faces of the side frames l0 and II. Two channel-shaped members 20, one located at the lower end of the inclined face, and the other located at the upper end of the inclined face, of the side frames l0 and H, are each provided with flanges 2| and 22, biassed toward each other, which flanges are forced under the flanges H and I8 and over the plate I9 to frictionally hold the plate I 9 on the flanges I1 and IS.

The above constructtion provides a structure which is easily assembled into a rigid support for the printing units presently described and requires no permanent securing means, the entire assembly being held together by the channels I4 and 20.

The side edges of the plate I9 are turned inwardly to form flanges 25, which are spaced from the surface of the plate [9 a distance sufficient to provide a sliding fit for the flanges 2| of the channels 20, and for supports 26 of a plurality of printing units. Each support 26 has secured thereto a first hinge strap 21, which may be secured as by spot welding. The hinge strap 27 is bent forwardly to form a shelf 28, on which the printing element 29 is mounted. The printing element 29 is secured to an angle plate 30, to the latter of which is secured a bar 3| having a flange 32 bent rearwardly thereon to form a recess 33, by means of which the bar 3| and the printing element 29 are mounted on the shelf 28. The flange 32 is biased downwardly to provide a friction connection between the shelf 28 and the bar 31 so that the latter can be assembled to the shelf 28 by simply forcing it thereon.

The bar 3| is provided with a downwardlyextending arm 34 for receiving and supporting a ticket-holding device 35, which has its rear end formed downwardly and upwardly, as at 36, to form a groove to receive the arm 34. The formation 36 is biased to form a friction connection with the arm 34.

When assembled on the arm 34, the lower edge of the formation 36 is located on a line slightly above the printing surface 31 of the printing element 29 to control the printing pressure on the latter, in the manner later described.

The holding device 35 is rearwardly and downwardly bent at an angle to form a resilient holding plate 38, to hold the ticket against shifting during a printing operation in the manner later described.

The first hinge strap 21 has a knuckle 40 formed therein, which is notched in the usual manner to receive the knuckle of a second hinge strap 4|, and a hinge pin 42 i provided, on which the second knuckle turns, the first strap 21 being stationary on the support 26.

Secured to the second hinge strap M is a ticketreceiving table 62, having an upturned side flange 43 formed on each side thereof to guide the insertion of a ticket thereon. To aid in the selection of the proper printing element 29, each table 62 has frictionally held thereon a label holder 44 formed in the shape of a long narrow channel which is positioned at the free end of each table. A label bearing a name corresponding to the name on the associated printing element is positioned beneath a sight opening 45 in each label holder 44.

The plurality of units, each consisting of a support 26, a hinge assembly 21-41, a printing element 29, and a table 62, are positioned on the plate 19 of the framework by sliding each support 26 into the space formed by the flange 25. To

properly spacethe lowermost unit from the bottom of. the framework and to support the lower.- most table 62, a spacer 46 (Fig. 5), similar'in width and thickness to a support 26, is slid into the said space on the support 26 far enough to contact the upper end of the flange 21 of the channel 20... The spacer 46 is bent forwardly to provide aledge' l'l, on'vvhich the lower table 62 normally rests. As each succeeding printing uni-t is slid into position on the plate IS, the lower end of its support 25 is arrested by the upper end of the next support 25. In this way, the framework can be completely filled, or any number of units up to the capacity of the framework can be inserted. After the last unit is in position on the plate IS, a finish, or filler, member 48 is inserted on the plate l9, which member is bent forwardly to provide a top 49. The entire assembly is then locked in position by the upper channel member 20.

In the normal or unoperated positions of the printing tables 82, the lower face of each rests on the upper face of the next lower ticket holding device, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

The conventional ticket-printing machine 50 (Fig. 5) issues a ticket 5| (Fig. 4) containing all the data illustrated, with the exception of the legend 52,representing the city of destination. The station issuing the ticket is represented by the legend 53, and the machine 50 is provided with a suitable printing electro to print the desired legend. After the ticket has been issued by the machine 50, the operator positions the ticket on the table having the desired label thereon, and the ticket is positioned face up. The flanges 43 on the table 52 properly aline the ticket sidewise, and the hinge knuckle 40 limits the extent to which the ticket can be inserted into the table, which properly alines the ticket in respect to the printing element 29. After the ticket has been positioned on the table 62, the table is raised to rock it upwardly, as indicated by the arrow 54 (Fig. 5). The initial movement of the table 62 brings the ticket 5! into contact with the resilient holding plate 38, which, as illustrated by the upper unit in Fig. 1, takes place immediately the table is moved. Further movement of the table 62 tensions the resilient holding plate 38 until the ticket is engaged with the formation 36, at which time the plate 38 is tensioned sufficiently to hold the ticket against shifting on the table, and at the same time the face of the ticket is moved into printing contact with the printing member 29 to effect the printing of the legend thereon, as illustrated by the lower unit in Fig. 1.

The printing member 29 is constructed of a microporous material which is saturated with ink, and its face is continually being supplied with ink by capillary action. In this type of printing element, too great a pressure during the printing operation causes smudging and therefore an indistinct impression. The pressure which can be exerted on the printing member is controlled by locating the printing face 31 of the printing element 29 the proper distance in alinement with the formation 36, the latter limiting the extent of movement of the table 62, as before mentioned, to obtain a clear printed impression.

The invention is illustrated herein for use with a machine shown in the aforementioned patent, and it is also illustrated herein with only one tier of printing units. The size, shape, and number of tiers used will depend on the size, shape, and number of destination points to be served.

If desired, the printing units can be arranged in a'location other than beside the ticket-issuing machine, such as, for example, on any wall of the ticket-issuing oifice.

The construction shown and described is intended for easy assembly and rearrangement. If desired, the framework can be made ridged, as by welding or riveting the framework together.

While the form of the invention shown and described herein is admirably 'a'daptedto fulfill the objects primarily stated, it is to be understood that it is not intended to confine the invention to the form of embodiment disclosed herein, for it is susceptible of embodiment in various other forms.

What is claimed is:

1. In a printing mechanism for printing supplemental data on a preprinted ticket, the combination of a plurality of tables, a frame on which the tables are supported, one adjacent the other, a hinge for each table, one strap of each hinge being secured to the support, said straps being located adjacent each other, a printing element mounted on each one of said straps, and a stop connected to each one of said straps to normally support an adjacent table, said tables adapted to selectively receive a ticket and thereafter movable on the hinges to bring the ticket thereon into printing contact with the printing element.

2. In a printing mechanism for printing supplemental data on a preprinted ticket, the combination of a plurality of tables, a frame on which the tables are supported, one adjacent the other, a hinge for each table, one strap of each hinge being secured to the support, said straps being located adjacent each other, a printing element mounted on each one of said straps, a stop connected to each one of said straps to normally support an adjacent table, said tables adapted to selectively receive a ticket and thereafter movable on the hinges to bring the ticket thereon into printing contact with the printing element, and a resilient holding means to hold the ticket in fixed position when the ticket comes into printing contact with the printing element.

3. In a printing mechanism for printing supplemental data on a preprinted ticket, the combination of a plurality of tables, a plurality of printing elements, a hinge to connect each table to a printing element, each printing element lying in the path of movement of an associated table, a frame having a flange formed on each of two sides thereof formed to provide grooves, and projections on each side of one strap of each hinge positionable in said grooves whereby each hinge is removably mounted on the frame, said grooves being arranged to receive the said hinge straps adjacent each other.

4. In a printing mechanism for printing supplemental data on a preprinted ticket, the combination of a plurality of tables, a plurality of printing elements, a hinge to connect each table to a printing element, each printing element lying in the path of movement of an associated table, a frame having a flange formed on each of two sides thereof formed to provide grooves, projections on each side of one strap of each hinge positionable in said grooves whereby each hinge is removably mounted on the frame, said grooves being arranged to receive the said hinge straps adjacent each other, a means supported on each of said one hinge straps projecting into the path of an adjacent table to support the said adjacent table in unoperated position, and a resilient holding means formed on each of said means to hold the ticket on a table next adjacent to the table 7 held in unopemted position, whereby the ticket is heldagainst shifting during a printing operafile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS tion thereon Number Name Date 10,670 Hawkes Mar. 21, 1854 BRUCE SLONNEGER' 155,927 Clark Oct. 13,1874 1,347,152 Folger July 20, 1920 REFERENCES CITED 7 1,391,856 Schmidt Sept. 27, 1921 The following references are of record 1n the 2 3, 44 Boisselier 0 1- 15, 1940

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