US3117807A - Contract issuing machine - Google Patents

Contract issuing machine Download PDF

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US3117807A
US3117807A US128123A US12812361A US3117807A US 3117807 A US3117807 A US 3117807A US 128123 A US128123 A US 128123A US 12812361 A US12812361 A US 12812361A US 3117807 A US3117807 A US 3117807A
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machine
tender
paper
sheet
area
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US128123A
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Richard I N Weingart
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    • GPHYSICS
    • G07CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07FCOIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F17/00Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
    • G07F17/40Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services for devices for accepting orders, advertisements, or the like

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  • This invention relates to contract issuing machines, the word contract being used in the broad sense of a document giving rights to a user of the machine in consideration for the introduction of a paper tender in the form of currency, a bank check, a credit slip, or the like, representing a present or future payment of consideration.
  • Coin operated machines are currently in Widespread use for dispensing insurance policies as for airline trips.
  • a write-in space of a policy form is uncovered upon the deposit of one or more coins, and the purchaser fills in appropriate information in such space.
  • a record form which carries a carbon copy of the purchasers handwriting is retained in the machine and the original policy is issued to the purchaser, the time, date and amount paid for the policy bein stamped by the machine on both forms.
  • a machine which will not only handle currency but other permissible tenders and which may do so on the basis that the user of the machine is completely identified with whatever is inserted. Provisions against fraud will be described in detail hereafter.
  • the machine itself is of simple construction requiring no elaborate means for determining, at the time of use, whether the tender is proper. Issued from it are contracts of the type involving future obligat us on the part of the macmne owner. In the case of insurance, for example, this is to pay a claim. In another use, elaborated hereafter, if the machine is used for the off-track vending of race bets, the obligation is to pay a winner after a race.
  • the machine may also be used to issue transportation tickets to be used only beginning at some future time.
  • commutation ticket which may become usable a day or so following issuance.
  • the machine may also be used for making automatically bank deposits of currency or checks where the banks obligation is to pay the money to or for the depositor but only when good currency has been inserted or checks collected.
  • FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a cover plate assembly of the machine
  • FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the major operating mechanisms, the view being taken with the cover plate assembly removed together with various parts carried thereby;
  • FIGURE 3 is a vertical section taken on the broken surface indicated at 33 in FIGURES 1 and 2;
  • FIGURE 4 is a similar section taken on the 44 of FIGURES l and 2;
  • FEGURE 5 is another similar section taken surface indicated at 5-5 in FIGURES 1 and 2;
  • FIGURE 6 is a vertical section taken on the plane 6-6 of FIGURE 3 and showing particularly details of a switch latching means
  • FlGURE 7 is a vertical section taken on the broken surface indicated at '77 in FIGURE 3 and showing particularly the printing devices involved in the machine;
  • FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary vertical section showing a feeler mechanism for detecting the presence of currency or the like
  • FIGURE 9 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of the machine as presented to a user.
  • FIGURE 10 is a perspective diagram showing the relative paths of paper strips used in the machine.
  • FIGURE 11 is an electrical diagram showing the interconnections of the electrical devices which are involved.
  • the machine comprises a housing 2 within the upper portion of which there is located the frame 4 which mounts the operating parts. To the frame there is secured to close the top of the housing a top plate assembly generally indicated at 6, the significant parts of which will be hereafter described.
  • a motor 8 cont ining internal gearing to provide a suitably low speed of its output shaft, drives through a chain it? a sprocket 12 secured to a main shaft 14 with which are associated one revolution clutches l6, l3 and 2%. So far as their driving and control parts are concerned, the three clutches are identical (with the exception that the clutch 2% is the mirror image of the other two) and the construction and operation will be particularly clear from considering FIGURE 3.
  • a toothed wheel 22 is secured to the shaft 14, while mounted on a disc 23, freel rotatable on the shaft, at 24, is a pawl 26 having a tooth 2d and urged by a spring 32, connected to a pin 34 carried by the disc, in a direction to effect engagement with the toothed wheel 22.
  • Each pawl is provided with a lug or ear 3 3 arranged to be arrested by a detent 38 pivoted to the frame at 40 (FEGURE 3).
  • a pin 42 extending laterally from each detent is embraced by a bracket 4-4- secured to the plunger 46 of a corresponding actuating solenoid, the three solenoids being respectively designated 4%, 4d and 52.
  • a latching detent lever 54 In each case mounted on the same pivot 59 is a latching detent lever 54 provided with an upper turned end 56 which, in the rest condition of each clutch traps between it and the detent 38 the ear 3% of the pawl 26. Additionally trapped at the same time, and in the same fashion, is a lug as extending from the disc 23.
  • a spring 58 secured to the frame has a pair of tangs 6t ⁇ individually acting on the lower portions of the detents 38 and 54, respectively, to urge them individually clockwise as viewed in FIGURE 3.
  • the shaft 14 is continuously rotating, in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIGURE 3, throughout a complete cycle of operation.
  • its plunger Upon energ zation of each of the solenoids, its plunger will rock, against the action of a spring tang as, the detent 38 to release the ear 3% and lug 36 and produce engagement of the pawl 49 with the corresponding toothed wheel 22.
  • Each of the solenoids is only momentarily operated, and upon deenergization will fall against the ear 3% which will have dropped below its upper end. Thereafter, as rotation proceeds, each detent 38 will move to its original position under spring action.
  • Rotation of the corresponding disc 23 then takes place for a single revolution.
  • the ear 3% and lug 36 will engage the portion 56 of the latching detent 54, camming it forwardly. Then, when the ear 3% and lug 36 engage the detent 33 it will snap back above them preventing rebound action. En agement of ear 3%) with the detent 33 withdraws the nose 2% of pawl 26 from the toothed wheel 22 terminating the single revolution.
  • the latching detent 54 associated with the clutch assembly 26 is conveniently used to provide a further operation. It carries a pin 62 which engages the arm (:3 of a microswitch 65 for momentary circuit closure thereby, the switch being closed during the cam action referred to above, and opening when the clutch assembly 20 reaches its rest position.
  • the devices driven by the discs of the several clutches are as follows:
  • the disc 23 of the clutch assembly 18 has secured to it a gear 64 driving a gear 66 at a 1:1 ratio.
  • the disc 23 of the clutch assembly 16 has secured to it a pinion 6% driving a gear 70 at a 1:2 ratio.
  • the disc 23 of the clutch assembly 28 has secured to it a sprocket 72 to drive a chain 7 4.
  • this is provided with a crank pin which drives through a link 76 an arm 78 which is secured to a rock shaft 80. Adjacent to each end of the rock shaft there are secured thereto arms 84 which at their upper ends are connected to the rear ends of links 86 which are connected at their forward ends to ears 88 secured to a shutter 90 which is guided for forward and rearward movement in the top plate assembly. As will appear, this shutter is arranged to expose or conceal a write-in area.
  • Its forward lower edge is desirably made sharp so that, by movement closely adjacent to an edge 91 formed on a plate over which it moves when o ening to expose the write-in area, it will act as a shear to sever any tab or thread or the like which someone may attempt to use to remove a tender during the initial period of operation.
  • the rock shaft 86 also carries an arm 92 provided at its outer end with a pin 95 which, during operation, is arranged to engage the arm of a multi-pole switch 9'7 to effect operation thereof, this operation occurring when the shaft 80 is in its extreme counterclockwise position as viewed in FIGURE 4.
  • the rock shaft 80 also carries an arm 92 (FIGURE 3) which is provided with a pair of spaced ears 94 and 96 arranged to engage, with lost motion, a roller 93 carried by the lower end of a cam member ltltl pivoted to a bracket of the frame at M2.
  • the cam member ltiil is provided with a high portion 1&4 and a low portion 1% arranged to engage a pin 1% extending laterally from a frame 111? which carries a type printing assembly illustrated particularly in FIGURE 7.
  • the frame 119 is pivoted to a bracket of the top plate assembly at 112.
  • the printing assembly carri d by the plate includes a conventional printing counter 1T3 having number-carrying Wheels 114 which are advanced one unit of count upon each cycle of operation of the machine. This advance is accomplished through the agency of a lever 116 which rocks the advancing pawl by connection through a link 118 pivoted to it and to the top plate assembly. Whenever the pin lilfi drops from the hi h cam portion 1% to the low cam portion 1% the arm 116 is rocked counterclockwise and is rocked in the reverse direction as the reverse action occurs. Thus the unit counts are imparted to the printing head 113.
  • the printing counter type may be provided as indicated at 120, also carried by the rocking support 11%, whichtype may be suitably chosen for the particular situation desired.
  • dating wheels which may be manually set as well as fixed slugs which may carry code identifications of the particular machine.
  • cloclovork-driven time recording and stamping mechanism may be included. As will be evident this is subject to the individual choice of a user.
  • a platen roller 122 of suitable yielding composition is pivoted at 12 to a portion 123 of the shutter 99, a guideway 125 in the top plate assembly providing reaction by which the roller 122 presses tightly against the upwardly exposed type the sheets hereafter described. It may be here stated that printing is effected as the shutter moves forwardly to expose a writing space, at which time the type assembly is in its raised position by reason of engagement of pin 19% with the high cam portion 194.
  • Paper feed is effected through the agency of the chain 74 which is trained over sprocket 126 secured to shaft 128. Also secured to shaft 128 is the feed roller 13% provided with feed pins 132 arranged to engage perforations in the edges of a sheet of paper from which insurance policies are to be issued. Through bevel gearing 134, 136 the shaft 128 drives another shaft 133 to which is secured the feed drum 1% for the record sheet, this drum being provided with feed 'ng pins 1 2 engageable in openings in the record sheet. procket and gear ratios are chosen to secure the desired advances of the sheets during a cycle of operation.
  • the sheet fed by the roller or drum 139 is guided therefrom through a guideway 133 vertically downwardly at the front of the machine.
  • An idler drum 14 i serves also to guide the paper in its feed by the drum 139. This sheet passes over the backing plate 152 for the Write-in area, and rollers $.31 serve to keep the sheet in engagement with the drum 1343.
  • an idler drum 353 serves to guide the record sheet in its eed by the drum T40, and rollers 141 maintain this latter sheet contact with the drum 14a. As will hereafter more fully appear, the record sheet also passes over the plate 152 but above the policy-issuing sheet.
  • a guideway indicated at 146 serves to guide the passage of the policy-issuing sheet.
  • the record sheet is folded lengthwise to provide two portions of unequal width, the wider portion being lowermost.
  • the free edge of the upper portion is guided in a slot 148 formed in a plate of the top plate assembly, while the edge of the lower portion is guided in the slot 15%.
  • the arrangement provides an opening 151 for the insertion of currency between the folds of the record sheet as will hereafter appear.
  • a knife 154 which is pivoted to the frame at 153.
  • Conventional tensioning means are provided to cause proper cutting action against a fixed knife blade 166.
  • Operating movements are imparted to the blade 154- through a link 169 connected to a slide assembly 153 which includes a bracket portion 162 connected by a link 164 to a crank pin 16:5 carried by the gear 66, previously mentioned.
  • a solenoid 173 has its plunger 172 connected to a cam element 174 which is guided in a bracket 176.
  • a cam 173 on the upper portion of the member 174 is arranged, when the solenoid is energized, to raise the downturned end 18%) of a lever 132 which is mounted for both roe-l:- ing movement about a transverse axis and also rotary movement about a vertical axis on the headed screw 184.
  • a spring 186 reacts between a fixed pin 1% and a pin 1% carried by the lever 1.82.
  • the line of action is across the vertical axis of the screw 184, so that the spring exerts no force tending to rotate the lever 182 about a vertical axis but tends to hold it in engagement with cam 178, by urging it clockwise, as viewed in FIGURE 6, about a horizontal axis.
  • a slot 192 provides clearance for movement of lever 132 about a vertical axis, and the lever is urged clockwise as viewed from above by a spring.
  • a short upturned end 194 is thus, in the initial condition of the mechanism, urged into engagement with the edge 1% of the bracket portion v162 of the slide assembly which actuates the knife 154.
  • a downwardly extending pin H8 is arranged to engage the arm of a microswitch 202 when the upturned end 194 of lever .122 is disengaged from the bracket edge 1%.
  • the assembly just described may have its operation outlined as follows:
  • Switches Eli) and 212 are provided, respectively adapted to be operated by pushbuttons 21 and 21-6 projecting upwardly through the top plate assembly. Desirably, to prevent attempts to push both buttons simultaneously, these are interlocked, so that only one may be pushed downwardly at a single time, by the provision of a lever 21% extending transversely of the machine and pivoted centrally at 229, the ends of which cooperate with the annular grooves 222 and 22d of the pushbuttons so that when one is depressed the end of the lever is pressed into the groove of the other, and vice versa, clearances being such that they cannot both be pushed down simultaneously.
  • a feeler device for detecting whether or not currency (or a piece of paper) is in the position which should be occupied by currency for proper operation.
  • a lever 215 pivoted to the plate l52 at 217 has one end located beneath the pushbutton 214 so as to be depressable thereby, and carries at its other end a microswitch 22% which has its operating arm 222 extended to terminate in a feeler portion 22 which is aligned with openings 226 and 227 in the plates 152 and 153 and with a clearance groove 228 provided in the shutter 9%.
  • the feeler 224 is located in a position such that the edge portion of a properly inserted piece of currency will overlie it just outside the boundary of the write-in space defined by the opening in the plate 153.
  • the paper strips fed through the machine when in their rest positions have holes aligned with the feeler 224, so that if pushbutton 214 is depressed, without currency present, the teeler will pass freely upwardly through the aligned openings into the clearance space 228 and consequently the switch 224 will not be closed. However, if this movement is impeded, by the presence of a piece of currency or otherwise, the free movement of the feeler 224 will be arrested and the continuing movement of the switch 2-29 will close the switch.
  • 'FlGURE 11 is a wiring diagram of the electrical elements of the ma chine. Operation would be ordinarily by alternating current, but for simplicity a supply terminal has been arbitrarily indicated as positive, current being supplied be tween such terminal and ground. All of'the positive terminals indicated are of course, the same terminal. While it will be evident that with different types of switches the wiring is subject to quite arbitrary changes, one system is illustrated in FIGURE 11. Various of the elements have already been described, including the solenoids 48, 5t 52 and 17:2 and the switches 210, 226, $7 and 65, as well as the pushbutton switches 210 and 212 which are manually operated by the respective pushbuttons Zld and 256.
  • the switch 21% is of double pole type provided with the normally open contacts 23% and 232.
  • Switch 229 is likewise of double pole type having the normally open contacts 234 and 236.
  • Switches 238 and 24% are provided with feelers engaging the paper supply strips A and E, and serve (quite conventionally) for signalling the exhaustion of either or both of these strips. They serve in the present instance to provide a disabling function, as will appear, and they may additionally involve other contacts to provide a signalling, as by illumination of a warning sign, that the machine is not in condition for operation. In fact, they may provide, by actuating a plunger, prevention of entrance of currency by closingthe entrance slot 151. As will be noted from the diagram, the contact 236? of switch 216 ⁇ , the contact 234 of switch 22 9, andboth switches 23% and 24-3 must be closed, being in series, to effect energization of the motor-starting solenoid li'll.
  • the switch 27 which operated at the end of the forward swing of rock shaft 81) is shown as of triple pole type, and includes the normally opened contact 242, the normally closed contact and the normally open contact referring to the positions of these contacts at the time of initiation of operation.
  • the switch 212 operated'by depression of pushbutton 216 is of double pole type provided with the normally open contacts and 25%.
  • contacts 236 and 244 are in series with the contact 232 of switch 210, so that the solenoid will no be energized unless both contacts 236 and 244 are closed.
  • the solenoid 5% may be energized by depression of pushbutton 216 to close the contact 248 of switch 212.
  • the contacts 246 and 25% are in series with the solenoid 52.
  • the normally open switch is in series with solenoid 48.
  • the machine utilizes two paper supply strips A and E, the former being the strip from which polices are issued, and the latter the strip which is retained in the machine to provide a record and also hold the currency which is'inserted.
  • the strip A is provided with holes'B along its edges engageable by the feeding pins 132 of drum 130. It is supplied from a fan-folded stack'C,-the-folds being delineated by transverse fold lines which delimit the policy areas. In the rest condition of the machine the forward end of the strip terminates at the level D at which previous 7 severing was efiected by the knife 154.
  • the lower portion of each policy area may contain the suitable printed matter setting forth the terms of the policy, while in the area which corresponds to the write-in region there may be preprinting of notations and lines for receiving written impressions indicative of the party insured, the beneficiary, the amount of insurance desired, etc.
  • the strip is also sufliciently wide to receive imprinting from the printing assembly of FIGURE 7. Openings are provided in each policy area at A to provide the clearance for the passage of the feeler 226.
  • the record strip E passes transversely across the strip A and is supplied as indicated at F in a fan-folded arrangement.
  • Transverse creased fold lines are provided at G.
  • This strip E is in the form of a paper strip folded longitudinally upon itself to provide the upper fold H and the lower fold I.
  • the upper fold H extends forwardly to a less extent than the lower fold J and the free edges of these folds are guided respectively through the slots 148 and 150 (FIG- URE 3) whereby, in the vicinity of the write-in area the two folds are slightly spaced for the reception of currency N insereted through the slot 151.
  • the transverse folds G are desirably spaced only slightly more than the length of the currency to be inserted.
  • Feed openings M are provided along the longitudinal edges, the rearmost feed openings passing through both folds while the foremost feed openings pass only through the lower fold I, being located in front of the free edge of the upper fold H. These feed openings are engageable by the feeding pins 142 of the drum 146*.
  • This feed drum delivers the strip, with inserted currency, to the fan-folded stack P within the machine so that the record and currency are retained therein against removal by unauthorized persons.
  • Aligned holes Q are located, when the strip E is in the position corresponding to rest of the machine, in line with the feeler 226.
  • the feed drums 130 and 149 are fed at a proper ratio such that during each feeding cycle of the machine the strips are advanced respective distances corresponding to the spacings of their fold lines.
  • the feed ratios may be changed to suit the particular uses of the machine.
  • the printed insurance policy area may be of different lengths, and in the case of machines designed for use in foreign countries the lengths of currency may be different so that the feed of the record strip may also be chosen to suit.
  • the holes A and Q are aligned with the holes in the plates 152 and 153 and with the path of movement of the feeler 226, while the folds in the record strip E are located to flank the area into which the currency is to be inserted.
  • the strip A passes below the strip E for the purpose of preventing fraud as will hereafter be more fully brought out.
  • the underside of the fold I is provided with a carbon coating of conventional type at least over those areas which correspond to the impressions to be made by a patron in the write-in area and in the region where imprinting is to occur through the use of the arrangement shown in FIGURE 7.
  • the record strip B may or may not be imprinted by the printing assembly. If imprinting is desired, the strip may carry on the upper face of fold H, over the appropriate area, a conventional coating of pressure sensitive type which, normally appearing white, will show darkened areas wherever pressure is applied by the type; or, and even more simply, the carbon-coated areas on the lower side of fold I which are to effect printing on the sheet A may have the coating so sparingly applied that the amount transferred to sheet A will leave the corresponding parts of the original coating so thin that the printed markings will be easily visible (in reverse); or the pressure may be sufliciently great that the printed matter appears only as an embossing. But with a little additional complexity an inked ribbon or carbon strip may be provided across the fold H beneath the path of the roller, being automatically fed a small step during each cycle of operation.
  • An important aspect of the invention has to do with marking on the currency or any sheets which may be inserted in its place.
  • a coating may be provided on the lower surface of the fold H only. If such developable coatings are provided both on the lower surface of the fold H and the upper surface of the fold J, they' are desirably of different types developable in different colors when exposed to ultra-violet light or chemical action. The reason for this will be made clearer hereafter in discussion of the aspects of preventing fraud.
  • developable material there is meant a material which, originally substantially invisible or unnoticeable when transferred will become so when exposed to ultraviolet light by reason of fluorescence, or when chemically acted upon by a vapor or a spray of liquid, or if of a tacky nature, by brushing with a powder (in fingerprint-developing fashion).
  • the use of fluorescent material is preferred since development to a condition of visibility is achieved merely by exposure to ultraviolet light.
  • the fluorescent coating which may be used for providing the duplicating marking in accordance with the invention may have the same composition as ordinary carbon paper coating with the exception that the black or other colored pigment may be replaced by a fluorescent material capable of glowing under ultraviolet light.
  • Suitable fluorescent materials are zinc sulfide, magnesium hydroxy quinolate, fluorescein, ground minerals such as fluorspar or willemite, quinine sulphate or the like and may comprise either pigments or dyes. Desirably these are white or invisible in ordinary light, though a resulting very slight discoloration may be acceptable. Many such fluorescent substances are well-known which fluoresce in various easily distinguishable colors.
  • the vehicle, as in ordinary carbon paper may be a wax-oil composition, the constitution being of no substantial significance. It may be remarked that visible fluorescence requires very little fluorescent material so that such a pigment as Zinc sulfide, though opaque, may be so sparingly applied as to be unnoticeable even where it covers the printed matter on a bill.
  • innumerable substances such as metallic salts developable in different colors by spraying with such reagents as solutions of ferrocyanides, sulphides or the like, or conventional indicator dyes (e.g. the various phthaleins), developable by sprays of alkalis or acids or by exposure to vapors of ammonia or hydrochloric acid or the like.
  • reagents such as solutions of ferrocyanides, sulphides or the like, or conventional indicator dyes (e.g. the various phthaleins), developable by sprays of alkalis or acids or by exposure to vapors of ammonia or hydrochloric acid or the like.
  • FIGURE 9 illustrates the external appearance of the machine.
  • the external housing is generally designated 2 and may be of any suitable shape and dimensions depending upon the desired circumstances of use.
  • the upper portion is closed by the top plate assembly which is more fully illustrated in FTGURE 1.
  • Suitable locked doors are provided to prevent unauthorized access to the interior of the housing, one such door provided with a lock being shown at 252.
  • a slot is provided at 254 below the level of the knife 154- through which policy areas are delivered after severance by the knife.
  • a receptacle 256 is provided to prevent the severed policies from falling on the floor, the patron being directed to take from this receptacle his copy of the policy.
  • Contact 232 of switch 216 is in series with the closed contact 244 of switch 97 and with the now open contact 236 of feeler switch 220.
  • Knife 154 is in open position.
  • Cam 13-4 is in engagement with pin 198 so that the type assembly is in raised position in readiness for printin
  • the customer inserts a bill through slot 151 which guides it between the upper and lower folds of the record strip E.
  • the right and left hand edge portions of the bill overlie, respectively, the feeler 224 and the type assembly.
  • the central portion of the bill underlies the write-in area which is initially covered by the shutter 9%.
  • Depression of button 214 also closes contact 232 and, through the feeler, closes contact 236.
  • Contact of switch 97 being now closed, solenoid it ⁇ is energized.
  • This efiects release of the pawl as of clutch i6, producing clutch engagement and initiation of rotation of the gears 63 and '79 to efiect a forward stroke of the link 75 and the rock shaft 83.
  • the ratio of gears 63 to 79 is 1:2, so that a complete rotation of shaft 14 will effect a stroke of link 1% from its rearward dead center position.
  • switch 97 is actuated to effect closure of contacts 242 and 245 and opening of contact 244 thereof. Also,
  • Solenoid St Solenoid St
  • Solenoid St is necessarily deenergized, even though through maloperation the customer continues to press button 214 since contact 244 of switch 7 has now been opened, breaking the energizing connection to this solenoid.
  • the detent 38 of clutch 16 is accordingly released and positioned by spring 69 to be engaged by the ear 39 of pawl 26 to effect disengagement of the nose 2% from the toothed member 22.
  • the detent 56 moves over the ear 3% and lug 36 to prevent any rebound and chattering action.
  • the write-in area is now exposed, and the customer may fill in the exposed areas of the top fold of sheet E withthe desired data such as the name and address of the insured, the name and address of the beneficiary, the amount of desired insurance represented by the inerted bill, the trip information, and such other matter as may be required. This is reproduced on the bill and sheet A as more fully discussed hereafter.
  • T rough the drive from clutch 2d the paper strips A and E are fed, the ratios being chosen so that new portions of these strips replace the ones which have been filled out.
  • the bill in its insertion was passed between the folds of strip E toward the point where these folds are connected together, and a pinching ction thus exists so that the bill is reliably carried along with the strip B, being located between the fold lines G of that strip. Tighter pinching of the bill takes place as the strip leaves the position at which its forward edges are separated between guides 148 and 156. It is thus reliably held in association with the strip E in its proper position, to be held fully securely as the refolding occurs at P.
  • bracket Th2 engages the in or ear 19- 3 on lever 182 restoring this to initial position and releasing the arm 2% of switch 292.
  • the motor circuit is thus opened and the overrun of the motor as it comes to rest completes the cycle of the clutch 18 effecting disengagement to leave the clutch in its initial position. All of the parts are thus restored to their initial positions and the machine is ready for its next operation.
  • the machine is obviously capable of receiving an 1 paper tenders such as currency, checks, credit slips, or the like.
  • an 1 paper tenders such as currency, checks, credit slips, or the like.
  • In return for any such tenders it provides for the issuance of contracts for future performance as involved in matters of insurance, betting, bank deposits, or the like.
  • both parties are protected, there being produced in operation evidence that a proper premium had been paid and at the same time, if the insurance company wanted to claim that there was fraud, it would have evidence to support the contention and rebut suggestions that it was guilty of irregularity.
  • the presentation of the policy issued from the machine would be necessary for a claim against the insurance company. If the insurance company denied the claim, the claimant could call upon the company to produce for examination the record strip and its content pertaining to the transac- 12 tion (if the contention was that other than a good tender was made). The total evidence thus available could be presented for expert evaluation and consideration by a court or jury.
  • the record strip E is arranged to receive a marking by the printing elements (of a serial number, machine identification, date and, possibly, time), the marking being effected by use of a pressure-sensitive coating on the strip, by an inked ribbon or strip of carbon paper, by embossing, or by removal of carbon coating on its underside where it transfers an impression to strip A;
  • the underside of the top fold in the area where printing and write-in occurs contains fluorescent or other developable transfer coating having a fluorescence of one color or developable to one color, or includes besides a fluorescent material a metallic salt or the like developable by a gas, vapor or otherwise to give a particular color;
  • the upperside of the lower fold in the printing and write-in areas contains similar materials but fiuorescing in a different color or developable to produce a different color
  • the underside of the lower fold of the sheet E contains an ordinary carbon coating in the printing and write-in areas (sparingly applied if partial removal is to form a visible record of printing on the underside of this sheet E).
  • Attention may be particularly directed, further, to the fact that the record retained in the machine is that of the original of the written-in matter.
  • the policy delivered to the customer contains the original writing (in pencil or by a ball-point pen) and the carbon copy is retained in the machine.
  • This situation may Well lead to the possibility that by placing a sheet of paper over the policy to be delivered (forming the upper sheet) a carbon record copy may be made to contain one set of information while the policy as issued would then be in blank and could be filled in later with other information leading to a confusing dispute as to which properly represented the contract.
  • the machine as disclosed is particularly for the issuance of insurance policies.
  • no signature would ordinarily be required.
  • An entry may be marked by checking numbered boxes for the race and the entry or by writing the name of the entry.
  • For Daily Double or other combination betting suitable entries may be marked. In such case it is desirable that the time should be stamped to show that the betting occurred before betting was closed for the race involved.
  • the bettor is insured against a charge by the machine owner or operator that a proper tender was not made since the owner or operator may be called upon to show evidence that that was the case.
  • the coin inserted would be considered as part of the value of the total tender.
  • a machine for issuing a document as consideration for a paper tender means deliminating a write-in area, means for guiding into alignment with said area and in superposed relationship thereat a sheet to form a record, a sheet to form said document, and an individually manually inserted paper tender, with said paper tender located beneath at least one of said sheets, means for reproducing on one of said sheets matter written on the other within said area, means for moving both said record forming sheet and said paper tender from said write-in area to positions within the machine closed against unauthorized access, and means presenting the sheet forming the document for removal by a machine user.
  • a machine for issuing a document as consideration for a paper tender means delirninating a write-in area, means for guiding into alignment with said area and in superposed relationship thereat a sheet to form a record, a sheet to form said document, and said paper tender, with said paper tender located beneath said sheet to form a record and above the sheet to form said document, means for reproducing on one of said sheets matter written on the other within said area, means for moving both said record forming sheet and said paper tender from said write-in area to positions within the machine closed against unauthorized access, and means presenting the sheet forming the document for removal by a machine user.
  • a machine for issuing a document as consideration for a paper tender means deliminating a Write-in rea, means for guiding into alignment with said area and in superposed relationship thereat a sheet to form a record, a sheet to form said document, and an individually manually inserted paper tender, with said paper tender located beneath at least one of said sheets, means for reproducing on one of said sheets and on said paper tender matter written on the other within said area, means for moving both said record forming sheet and said paper tender from said write-in area to positions within the chine closed against unauthorized access, and means presenting the sheet forming the document for removal by a machine user.
  • a machine for issuing a document as consideration for a paper tender means deliminating a write-in area, means for guiding into alignment with said area and in superposed relationship thereat a sheet to form a record, a sheet to form said document, and said paper tender, with said paper tender located beneath said sheet to form a record and above the sheet to form said document, means for reproducing on one of said sheets and on said paper tender matter written on the other within said area, means for moving both said record forming sheet and said paper tender from said write-in area to positions within the machine closed against unauthorized access, and means presenting the sheet forming the document for removal by a machine user.
  • a machine for issuing a document as consideration for a paper tender means deliminating a write-in area, means for guidin into alignment with said area and in superposed relationship thereat a sheet to form a record, a sheet to form said document, and an individually manually inserted paper tender, with said paper tender located beneath at least one of said sheets, means for reproducing on one of said sheets and on said paper tender matter written on the other within said area, the matter so reproduced on said paper tender being substantially invisible but developable to VlSlOllliY, means for moving both said record for g sheet and said paper tender from said Write-in area to positions Within the machine closed against unauthorized access, and means presenting the sheet forming the document for removal by a machine use 8.
  • the combination according to claim 7 in which the matter eproduced on said paper tender is developed to visibility by fluorescence under ultraviolet light.
  • a machine for issuing a document as consideration for a paper tender means deliminating a Write-in area, means for guiding into alignment with said area and in superposed relationship thereat 1' 1 sheet to form a record, a sheet to form said document, and said paper tender, with said paper tender located beneath said sheet to form a record and above the sheet to form said document, means for reproducing on one of said sheets and on said paper tender matter written on the other within said area, the matter so reproduced on said paper tender being substantially invisible but developable to visibility, means for moving both said record forming sheet and said paper tender from said write-in area to positions Within the machine closed against unauthorized access, and means resenting the sheet forming the document for removal by a machine user.
  • a machine for issuing a document as consideration for a paper tender means deliminating a Write-in area, means for guiding into alignment with said area and in superposed relationship thereat a sheet to form a record, a sheet to form said document, and said paper tender, with said paper tender located beneath said sheet to form a record and above the sheet to form said document, means for reproducing on one of said sheets matter Written on the other wi. said area, means for effecting imprinting of duplicate matter on (at least one of said sheets and on said paper tender, means for moving both said record forming sheet and said paper tender from said write-in area to positions within the machine closed against unauthorized access, and means presenting the sheet forming the document for removal by a machine user.
  • a machine for issuing a document as consideration for a paper tender means delimiting a write-in area, a shutter normally closing said area, means for guiding and feeding a first strip across said area to present successively in alignment with said area record portions of said strip, means for guiding and feeding a second strip across said area, and in a direction transverse to the direction of feed of the first strip, and below the same, to present successively in alignment with said area document portions of said second strip, means for guiding said paper tender into alignment with said area above said second strip and below at least a top ply of said first strip, means for reproducing on at least the document portion of said second strip aligned with said area and on a paper tender aligned with said area matter written on the record area of the first strip simultaneously aligned With said area, means for opening and closing said shutter respectively to expose and close said write-in area, and means for effecting in sequence first, opening of said shuter to expose said Write-in area but only in the presence of a paper tender in write-in area, and second
  • a machine according to claim 12 in which said first strip is longitudinally folded into upper and lower folds, and in which said means for guiding the paper tender guides it between said upper and lower folds so that it is enclosed in and advanced with said first strip.
  • a machine according to claim 12 including means by which duplication on said paper tender of matter Written on said first strip is in the form of substantially invisible markings developable to visibility.
  • a shutter normally closing said area, means for guiding and feeding a first strip across said area to present successively in alignment with said area record portions of said strip, means for guiding and feeding a second strip across said area, and in a direction transverse to the direction of feed of the first strip, and below the same, to present successively in alignment with said area document portions of said second strip, means for guiding said paper tender into alignment with said area above said second strip and below at least a top ply of said first strip, means for reproducing on at least the document portion of said second strip aligned With said area and on a paper tender aligned with said area matter written on the record area of the first strip simultaneously aligned with said area, means for effecting imprinting of duplicate matter on at least said second sheet and on said tender, means for opening and closing said shutter respectively to expose and close said Write-in area, and means for effecting in sequence first, opening of said shutter to expose said
  • a machine in which said first strip is lon itudinally folded into upper and lower folds, and in which said means for guiding the paper tender guides it between said upper and lower folds so that it is enclosed in and advanced with said first strip.
  • a machine according to claim 15 including means by which duplication on said paper tender of matter Written on said first strip and imprinted by said imprinting means is in the form of substantially invisible markings developable to visibility.

Description

Jan. 14, 1964 R. 1. N. WEINGART 3,117,307
CONTRACT ISSUING MACHINE Filed July 31. 1961 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. RICHARD I. N. WEINGART ATTORNEYS FIG.2.
Jan. 14, 1964 Filed July 31, 1961 R. 1. N. WEINGART 3,117,807
CONTRACT ISSUING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. RICHARD I. N. WEINGART ATTORNEYS Jan. 14, 1964 R. 1. N. WEINGART 3,117,807
CONTRACT ISSUING MACHINE Filed July 51, 1961 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 I06 FlG.7.
FIG. 9.
INVENTOR. RICHART 1. N.WEINGART ATTORNE4S 1964 R l. N. WEINGART 3,
CONTRACT ISSUING MACHINE Filed July 31, 1961 7 Sheets-Sheet '7 am a [A 22 A .'T 24o L ;Tse Liam-"230 236 232 E II 2.16 am 97 f 202 1' & 203 8 FT F248 65 FIG.II.
INVENTOR.
RICHART I. N. WEINGART mil Qz,
ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,117,867 CDNTRACT lSSUlNG MAEZHELJE Richard 1. N. Weiugart, E. Bay St, Rt). Box 1526, Nassau, Bahamas Filed July 31, 196i, Ser. No. 128,123 17 Claims. (Cl. 282-7) This invention relates to contract issuing machines, the word contract being used in the broad sense of a document giving rights to a user of the machine in consideration for the introduction of a paper tender in the form of currency, a bank check, a credit slip, or the like, representing a present or future payment of consideration. Since a major use of the invention is in issuance of insurance policies, the following description will relate primarily to such use, with briefer references hereafter to other uses involving, primarily, merely changes in the documents and records handled, with, possibly, suitable or dimensional detailed changes of the machine.
This application is in part a continuation of my applications Serial Nos. 856,461 and 114,896, filed respectively December 1, 1959 and June 5, 1961.
Coin operated machines are currently in Widespread use for dispensing insurance policies as for airline trips. In these machines a write-in space of a policy form is uncovered upon the deposit of one or more coins, and the purchaser fills in appropriate information in such space. A record form which carries a carbon copy of the purchasers handwriting is retained in the machine and the original policy is issued to the purchaser, the time, date and amount paid for the policy bein stamped by the machine on both forms.
Since such machines are limited to the use of coins, it is not practical to have them issue policies for premiums which, in the case of insurance frequently desired, will run into one or more dollars. While coin detectors may, in such machines, generally prevent the use of slugs or counterfeit coins there is no identification with the issued policy of what ay have been entered in lieu of good coins in the machine.
The principal drawback of the coin-operated machines, however, is the inconvenience of inserting reasonably large sums. While devices are known and in use for reading paper currenc they are complex and have particularly the drawback of being so critical as to reject good currency but which has been soiled, crumpled, or the like. There is thus a reaction of the public against such currency reading or detecting devices because of the implied charge of fraud if a good piece of currency is inserted and rejected.
in accordance with the present invention a machine is provided which will not only handle currency but other permissible tenders and which may do so on the basis that the user of the machine is completely identified with whatever is inserted. Provisions against fraud will be described in detail hereafter. The machine itself is of simple construction requiring no elaborate means for determining, at the time of use, whether the tender is proper. Issued from it are contracts of the type involving future obligat us on the part of the macmne owner. In the case of insurance, for example, this is to pay a claim. In another use, elaborated hereafter, if the machine is used for the off-track vending of race bets, the obligation is to pay a winner after a race. The machine may also be used to issue transportation tickets to be used only beginning at some future time. For example, commutation ticket which may become usable a day or so following issuance. The machine may also be used for making automatically bank deposits of currency or checks where the banks obligation is to pay the money to or for the depositor but only when good currency has been inserted or checks collected.
The general objects of the invention are concerned with the achievement of the results generally indicated above. These and other objects, particularly relating to details of construction and to features of operation will become apparent from the following description, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a cover plate assembly of the machine;
FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the major operating mechanisms, the view being taken with the cover plate assembly removed together with various parts carried thereby;
FIGURE 3 is a vertical section taken on the broken surface indicated at 33 in FIGURES 1 and 2;
FIGURE 4 is a similar section taken on the 44 of FIGURES l and 2;
FEGURE 5 is another similar section taken surface indicated at 5-5 in FIGURES 1 and 2;
FIGURE 6 is a vertical section taken on the plane 6-6 of FIGURE 3 and showing particularly details of a switch latching means;
FlGURE 7 is a vertical section taken on the broken surface indicated at '77 in FIGURE 3 and showing particularly the printing devices involved in the machine;
FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary vertical section showing a feeler mechanism for detecting the presence of currency or the like;
FIGURE 9 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of the machine as presented to a user;
FIGURE 10 is a perspective diagram showing the relative paths of paper strips used in the machine; and
FIGURE 11 is an electrical diagram showing the interconnections of the electrical devices which are involved.
The machine comprises a housing 2 within the upper portion of which there is located the frame 4 which mounts the operating parts. To the frame there is secured to close the top of the housing a top plate assembly generally indicated at 6, the significant parts of which will be hereafter described.
The operating mechanism may be now described with particular reference to'FlGURE 2 and the sections constituting FIGURES 3, 4 and 5. A motor 8, cont ining internal gearing to provide a suitably low speed of its output shaft, drives through a chain it? a sprocket 12 secured to a main shaft 14 with which are associated one revolution clutches l6, l3 and 2%. So far as their driving and control parts are concerned, the three clutches are identical (with the exception that the clutch 2% is the mirror image of the other two) and the construction and operation will be particularly clear from considering FIGURE 3. In each case a toothed wheel 22 is secured to the shaft 14, while mounted on a disc 23, freel rotatable on the shaft, at 24, is a pawl 26 having a tooth 2d and urged by a spring 32, connected to a pin 34 carried by the disc, in a direction to effect engagement with the toothed wheel 22. Each pawl is provided with a lug or ear 3 3 arranged to be arrested by a detent 38 pivoted to the frame at 40 (FEGURE 3). A pin 42 extending laterally from each detent is embraced by a bracket 4-4- secured to the plunger 46 of a corresponding actuating solenoid, the three solenoids being respectively designated 4%, 4d and 52. In each case mounted on the same pivot 59 is a latching detent lever 54 provided with an upper turned end 56 which, in the rest condition of each clutch traps between it and the detent 38 the ear 3% of the pawl 26. Additionally trapped at the same time, and in the same fashion, is a lug as extending from the disc 23. A spring 58 secured to the frame has a pair of tangs 6t} individually acting on the lower portions of the detents 38 and 54, respectively, to urge them individually clockwise as viewed in FIGURE 3.
The operation of the clutches may be conveniently here surface on the described. As will appear, the shaft 14 is continuously rotating, in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIGURE 3, throughout a complete cycle of operation. Upon energ zation of each of the solenoids, its plunger will rock, against the action of a spring tang as, the detent 38 to release the ear 3% and lug 36 and produce engagement of the pawl 49 with the corresponding toothed wheel 22. Each of the solenoids is only momentarily operated, and upon deenergization will fall against the ear 3% which will have dropped below its upper end. Thereafter, as rotation proceeds, each detent 38 will move to its original position under spring action. Rotation of the corresponding disc 23 then takes place for a single revolution. As a single revolution is completed, the ear 3% and lug 36 will engage the portion 56 of the latching detent 54, camming it forwardly. Then, when the ear 3% and lug 36 engage the detent 33 it will snap back above them preventing rebound action. En agement of ear 3%) with the detent 33 withdraws the nose 2% of pawl 26 from the toothed wheel 22 terminating the single revolution.
The latching detent 54 associated with the clutch assembly 26 is conveniently used to provide a further operation. It carries a pin 62 which engages the arm (:3 of a microswitch 65 for momentary circuit closure thereby, the switch being closed during the cam action referred to above, and opening when the clutch assembly 20 reaches its rest position.
The devices driven by the discs of the several clutches are as follows:
The disc 23 of the clutch assembly 18 has secured to it a gear 64 driving a gear 66 at a 1:1 ratio.
The disc 23 of the clutch assembly 16 has secured to it a pinion 6% driving a gear 70 at a 1:2 ratio.
The disc 23 of the clutch assembly 28 has secured to it a sprocket 72 to drive a chain 7 4.
Returning to gear '70, this is provided with a crank pin which drives through a link 76 an arm 78 which is secured to a rock shaft 80. Adjacent to each end of the rock shaft there are secured thereto arms 84 which at their upper ends are connected to the rear ends of links 86 which are connected at their forward ends to ears 88 secured to a shutter 90 which is guided for forward and rearward movement in the top plate assembly. As will appear, this shutter is arranged to expose or conceal a write-in area. Its forward lower edge is desirably made sharp so that, by movement closely adjacent to an edge 91 formed on a plate over which it moves when o ening to expose the write-in area, it will act as a shear to sever any tab or thread or the like which someone may attempt to use to remove a tender during the initial period of operation.
The rock shaft 86 also carries an arm 92 provided at its outer end with a pin 95 which, during operation, is arranged to engage the arm of a multi-pole switch 9'7 to effect operation thereof, this operation occurring when the shaft 80 is in its extreme counterclockwise position as viewed in FIGURE 4.
The rock shaft 80 also carries an arm 92 (FIGURE 3) which is provided with a pair of spaced ears 94 and 96 arranged to engage, with lost motion, a roller 93 carried by the lower end of a cam member ltltl pivoted to a bracket of the frame at M2. The cam member ltiil is provided with a high portion 1&4 and a low portion 1% arranged to engage a pin 1% extending laterally from a frame 111? which carries a type printing assembly illustrated particularly in FIGURE 7. The frame 119 is pivoted to a bracket of the top plate assembly at 112. The printing assembly carri d by the plate includes a conventional printing counter 1T3 having number-carrying Wheels 114 which are advanced one unit of count upon each cycle of operation of the machine. This advance is accomplished through the agency of a lever 116 which rocks the advancing pawl by connection through a link 118 pivoted to it and to the top plate assembly. Whenever the pin lilfi drops from the hi h cam portion 1% to the low cam portion 1% the arm 116 is rocked counterclockwise and is rocked in the reverse direction as the reverse action occurs. Thus the unit counts are imparted to the printing head 113. Besides the printing counter type may be provided as indicated at 120, also carried by the rocking support 11%, whichtype may be suitably chosen for the particular situation desired. It may include, for example, dating wheels which may be manually set as well as fixed slugs which may carry code identifications of the particular machine. Even more elaborately, in obvious fashion, there may be included cloclovork-driven time recording and stamping mechanism. As will be evident this is subject to the individual choice of a user.
To effect printing as will more fully appear hereafter, a platen roller 122 of suitable yielding composition is pivoted at 12 to a portion 123 of the shutter 99, a guideway 125 in the top plate assembly providing reaction by which the roller 122 presses tightly against the upwardly exposed type the sheets hereafter described. It may be here stated that printing is effected as the shutter moves forwardly to expose a writing space, at which time the type assembly is in its raised position by reason of engagement of pin 19% with the high cam portion 194.
Paper feed is effected through the agency of the chain 74 which is trained over sprocket 126 secured to shaft 128. Also secured to shaft 128 is the feed roller 13% provided with feed pins 132 arranged to engage perforations in the edges of a sheet of paper from which insurance policies are to be issued. Through bevel gearing 134, 136 the shaft 128 drives another shaft 133 to which is secured the feed drum 1% for the record sheet, this drum being provided with feed 'ng pins 1 2 engageable in openings in the record sheet. procket and gear ratios are chosen to secure the desired advances of the sheets during a cycle of operation. The sheet fed by the roller or drum 139 is guided therefrom through a guideway 133 vertically downwardly at the front of the machine. An idler drum 14 i serves also to guide the paper in its feed by the drum 139. This sheet passes over the backing plate 152 for the Write-in area, and rollers $.31 serve to keep the sheet in engagement with the drum 1343. In similar fashion an idler drum 353 serves to guide the record sheet in its eed by the drum T40, and rollers 141 maintain this latter sheet contact with the drum 14a. As will hereafter more fully appear, the record sheet also passes over the plate 152 but above the policy-issuing sheet.
A guideway indicated at 146 serves to guide the passage of the policy-issuing sheet. As will appear the record sheet is folded lengthwise to provide two portions of unequal width, the wider portion being lowermost. The free edge of the upper portion is guided in a slot 148 formed in a plate of the top plate assembly, while the edge of the lower portion is guided in the slot 15%. It will be noted that the arrangement provides an opening 151 for the insertion of currency between the folds of the record sheet as will hereafter appear.
For the purpose of cutting off the individual issued pol icies there is provided a knife 154 which is pivoted to the frame at 153. Conventional tensioning means are provided to cause proper cutting action against a fixed knife blade 166. Operating movements are imparted to the blade 154- through a link 169 connected to a slide assembly 153 which includes a bracket portion 162 connected by a link 164 to a crank pin 16:5 carried by the gear 66, previously mentioned.
A solenoid 173 has its plunger 172 connected to a cam element 174 which is guided in a bracket 176. A cam 173 on the upper portion of the member 174 is arranged, when the solenoid is energized, to raise the downturned end 18%) of a lever 132 which is mounted for both roe-l:- ing movement about a transverse axis and also rotary movement about a vertical axis on the headed screw 184. A spring 186 reacts between a fixed pin 1% and a pin 1% carried by the lever 1.82. The line of action is across the vertical axis of the screw 184, so that the spring exerts no force tending to rotate the lever 182 about a vertical axis but tends to hold it in engagement with cam 178, by urging it clockwise, as viewed in FIGURE 6, about a horizontal axis. A slot 192 provides clearance for movement of lever 132 about a vertical axis, and the lever is urged clockwise as viewed from above by a spring. A short upturned end 194 is thus, in the initial condition of the mechanism, urged into engagement with the edge 1% of the bracket portion v162 of the slide assembly which actuates the knife 154. A downwardly extending pin H8 is arranged to engage the arm of a microswitch 202 when the upturned end 194 of lever .122 is disengaged from the bracket edge 1%.
The assembly just described may have its operation outlined as follows:
ts purpose is to effect energization of the motor 3 throughout a complete cycle of operation, and, will more fully appear hereafter in the general description of o eration, for this purpose the solenoid 179 is energized. As the plunger 172 moves to the right as viewed in FIGURE 6, the right-hand end of lever E2 is cammed upwardly and the end 194 moves downwardly to clear the lower edge of the bracket 162 which, the knife blade 15-: being in open position, was previously holding it. As this rocking occurs the spring 193 is free to rotate the lever 132 clockwise so that the upturned end 194 passes beneath the bracket 162, pin 198 concurrently pushing inwardly the switch arm 290 to close the switch 2&2. This condition is maintained even after the solenoid 175i is deener ized and its plunger pushed toward the left by the action of an internal spring (not shown). in effect, therefore, the arrangement provides a latching of the switch 292 in circuit-closing condition. Ultimately the slide which actuates the knife 154 moves rearwardly so that the bracket 162 clears the upturned end 1% of lever 182. The spring 18-6 then rocks the lever 182 as described (the plunger 172 being now released) and the upturned end 194 is again brought into the path of the edge 1% of bracket 162 to be engaged and rocked thereby when the knife is fully opened, the pin 19% then releasing the arm 2th) to open the switch 202. As will appear, the full opening or" the knife blade terminates a cycle of operation.
Switches Eli) and 212 are provided, respectively adapted to be operated by pushbuttons 21 and 21-6 projecting upwardly through the top plate assembly. Desirably, to prevent attempts to push both buttons simultaneously, these are interlocked, so that only one may be pushed downwardly at a single time, by the provision of a lever 21% extending transversely of the machine and pivoted centrally at 229, the ends of which cooperate with the annular grooves 222 and 22d of the pushbuttons so that when one is depressed the end of the lever is pressed into the groove of the other, and vice versa, clearances being such that they cannot both be pushed down simultaneously.
As particularly shown in FIGURES 1 and 8, there is associated with a pushbutton 214 a feeler device for detecting whether or not currency (or a piece of paper) is in the position which should be occupied by currency for proper operation. A lever 215 pivoted to the plate l52 at 217 has one end located beneath the pushbutton 214 so as to be depressable thereby, and carries at its other end a microswitch 22% which has its operating arm 222 extended to terminate in a feeler portion 22 which is aligned with openings 226 and 227 in the plates 152 and 153 and with a clearance groove 228 provided in the shutter 9%. The feeler 224 is located in a position such that the edge portion of a properly inserted piece of currency will overlie it just outside the boundary of the write-in space defined by the opening in the plate 153. As will appear, the paper strips fed through the machine when in their rest positions have holes aligned with the feeler 224, so that if pushbutton 214 is depressed, without currency present, the teeler will pass freely upwardly through the aligned openings into the clearance space 228 and consequently the switch 224 will not be closed. However, if this movement is impeded, by the presence of a piece of currency or otherwise, the free movement of the feeler 224 will be arrested and the continuing movement of the switch 2-29 will close the switch.
Reference may now be made to'FlGURE 11 which is a wiring diagram of the electrical elements of the ma chine. Operation would be ordinarily by alternating current, but for simplicity a supply terminal has been arbitrarily indicated as positive, current being supplied be tween such terminal and ground. All of'the positive terminals indicated are of course, the same terminal. While it will be evident that with different types of switches the wiring is subject to quite arbitrary changes, one system is illustrated in FIGURE 11. Various of the elements have already been described, including the solenoids 48, 5t 52 and 17:2 and the switches 210, 226, $7 and 65, as well as the pushbutton switches 210 and 212 which are manually operated by the respective pushbuttons Zld and 256.
Considering further details, the switch 21% is of double pole type provided with the normally open contacts 23% and 232.
Switch 229 is likewise of double pole type having the normally open contacts 234 and 236.
Switches 238 and 24% are provided with feelers engaging the paper supply strips A and E, and serve (quite conventionally) for signalling the exhaustion of either or both of these strips. They serve in the present instance to provide a disabling function, as will appear, and they may additionally involve other contacts to provide a signalling, as by illumination of a warning sign, that the machine is not in condition for operation. In fact, they may provide, by actuating a plunger, prevention of entrance of currency by closingthe entrance slot 151. As will be noted from the diagram, the contact 236? of switch 216}, the contact 234 of switch 22 9, andboth switches 23% and 24-3 must be closed, being in series, to effect energization of the motor-starting solenoid li'll.
The switch 27 which operated at the end of the forward swing of rock shaft 81) is shown as of triple pole type, and includes the normally opened contact 242, the normally closed contact and the normally open contact referring to the positions of these contacts at the time of initiation of operation.
The switch 212 operated'by depression of pushbutton 216 is of double pole type provided with the normally open contacts and 25%.
It will be noted that the contacts 236 and 244 are in series with the contact 232 of switch 210, so that the solenoid will no be energized unless both contacts 236 and 244 are closed. When contact 242 is closed,'the solenoid 5% may be energized by depression of pushbutton 216 to close the contact 248 of switch 212.
The contacts 246 and 25% are in series with the solenoid 52.
The normally open switch is in series with solenoid 48.
There is indicated diagrammatically at 20-3 the latching means for the switch 2%2 which has been previously described in detail with particularly reference to FIGURES 2 and 6.
Referring next to FIGURE 10, the machine utilizes two paper supply strips A and E, the former being the strip from which polices are issued, and the latter the strip which is retained in the machine to provide a record and also hold the currency which is'inserted.
The strip A is provided with holes'B along its edges engageable by the feeding pins 132 of drum 130. It is supplied from a fan-folded stack'C,-the-folds being delineated by transverse fold lines which delimit the policy areas. In the rest condition of the machine the forward end of the strip terminates at the level D at which previous 7 severing was efiected by the knife 154. The lower portion of each policy area may contain the suitable printed matter setting forth the terms of the policy, while in the area which corresponds to the write-in region there may be preprinting of notations and lines for receiving written impressions indicative of the party insured, the beneficiary, the amount of insurance desired, etc. The strip is also sufliciently wide to receive imprinting from the printing assembly of FIGURE 7. Openings are provided in each policy area at A to provide the clearance for the passage of the feeler 226.
The record strip E passes transversely across the strip A and is supplied as indicated at F in a fan-folded arrangement. Transverse creased fold lines are provided at G. This strip E is in the form of a paper strip folded longitudinally upon itself to provide the upper fold H and the lower fold I. As will be evident from the figure, the upper fold H extends forwardly to a less extent than the lower fold J and the free edges of these folds are guided respectively through the slots 148 and 150 (FIG- URE 3) whereby, in the vicinity of the write-in area the two folds are slightly spaced for the reception of currency N insereted through the slot 151. The transverse folds G are desirably spaced only slightly more than the length of the currency to be inserted. Feed openings M are provided along the longitudinal edges, the rearmost feed openings passing through both folds while the foremost feed openings pass only through the lower fold I, being located in front of the free edge of the upper fold H. These feed openings are engageable by the feeding pins 142 of the drum 146*. This feed drum delivers the strip, with inserted currency, to the fan-folded stack P within the machine so that the record and currency are retained therein against removal by unauthorized persons. Aligned holes Q are located, when the strip E is in the position corresponding to rest of the machine, in line with the feeler 226.
As previously mentioned, the feed drums 130 and 149 are fed at a proper ratio such that during each feeding cycle of the machine the strips are advanced respective distances corresponding to the spacings of their fold lines. The feed ratios may be changed to suit the particular uses of the machine. In some cases, for example, the printed insurance policy area may be of different lengths, and in the case of machines designed for use in foreign countries the lengths of currency may be different so that the feed of the record strip may also be chosen to suit. In all events, when the machine is in its rest position the holes A and Q are aligned with the holes in the plates 152 and 153 and with the path of movement of the feeler 226, while the folds in the record strip E are located to flank the area into which the currency is to be inserted.
The strip A passes below the strip E for the purpose of preventing fraud as will hereafter be more fully brought out. In order that writing and impressed printing will be transferred to the strip A the underside of the fold I is provided with a carbon coating of conventional type at least over those areas which correspond to the impressions to be made by a patron in the write-in area and in the region where imprinting is to occur through the use of the arrangement shown in FIGURE 7.
The record strip B may or may not be imprinted by the printing assembly. If imprinting is desired, the strip may carry on the upper face of fold H, over the appropriate area, a conventional coating of pressure sensitive type which, normally appearing white, will show darkened areas wherever pressure is applied by the type; or, and even more simply, the carbon-coated areas on the lower side of fold I which are to effect printing on the sheet A may have the coating so sparingly applied that the amount transferred to sheet A will leave the corresponding parts of the original coating so thin that the printed markings will be easily visible (in reverse); or the pressure may be sufliciently great that the printed matter appears only as an embossing. But with a little additional complexity an inked ribbon or carbon strip may be provided across the fold H beneath the path of the roller, being automatically fed a small step during each cycle of operation.
An important aspect of the invention has to do with marking on the currency or any sheets which may be inserted in its place. For this purpose, it is desirable to provide on the underside of the fold H and on the upper side of the fold J at least in the areas where writing is to occur and Where printed impressions are to be made by the machine coatings of developable material transferrab le under pressure to provide invisible or at least unnoticeable markings on the currency or other sheet which may he inserted. In some cases such a coating may be provided on the lower surface of the fold H only. If such developable coatings are provided both on the lower surface of the fold H and the upper surface of the fold J, they' are desirably of different types developable in different colors when exposed to ultra-violet light or chemical action. The reason for this will be made clearer hereafter in discussion of the aspects of preventing fraud.
By developable material there is meant a material which, originally substantially invisible or unnoticeable when transferred will become so when exposed to ultraviolet light by reason of fluorescence, or when chemically acted upon by a vapor or a spray of liquid, or if of a tacky nature, by brushing with a powder (in fingerprint-developing fashion). The use of fluorescent material is preferred since development to a condition of visibility is achieved merely by exposure to ultraviolet light.
The fluorescent coating which may be used for providing the duplicating marking in accordance with the invention may have the same composition as ordinary carbon paper coating with the exception that the black or other colored pigment may be replaced by a fluorescent material capable of glowing under ultraviolet light. Suitable fluorescent materials are zinc sulfide, magnesium hydroxy quinolate, fluorescein, ground minerals such as fluorspar or willemite, quinine sulphate or the like and may comprise either pigments or dyes. Desirably these are white or invisible in ordinary light, though a resulting very slight discoloration may be acceptable. Many such fluorescent substances are well-known which fluoresce in various easily distinguishable colors. The vehicle, as in ordinary carbon paper may be a wax-oil composition, the constitution being of no substantial significance. It may be remarked that visible fluorescence requires very little fluorescent material so that such a pigment as Zinc sulfide, though opaque, may be so sparingly applied as to be unnoticeable even where it covers the printed matter on a bill.
For chemical development innumerable substances may be used such as metallic salts developable in different colors by spraying with such reagents as solutions of ferrocyanides, sulphides or the like, or conventional indicator dyes (e.g. the various phthaleins), developable by sprays of alkalis or acids or by exposure to vapors of ammonia or hydrochloric acid or the like.
FIGURE 9 illustrates the external appearance of the machine. The external housing is generally designated 2 and may be of any suitable shape and dimensions depending upon the desired circumstances of use. The upper portion is closed by the top plate assembly which is more fully illustrated in FTGURE 1. Suitable locked doors are provided to prevent unauthorized access to the interior of the housing, one such door provided with a lock being shown at 252. A slot is provided at 254 below the level of the knife 154- through which policy areas are delivered after severance by the knife. A receptacle 256 is provided to prevent the severed policies from falling on the floor, the patron being directed to take from this receptacle his copy of the policy.
The mechanical operation of the machine under normal operating circumstances will now be described.
The various figures of the drawings all show the parts as they are located when the machine is at rest and ready for operation.
Referring to FIGURE 11, it will be noted that the motor 3 is deenergized since the switch contact 2&2 is open, and pushbutton 216 is inoperative since contact 242 of switch 97 is open in series with contact 248, and contact 2.44- is also open in series with contact 25% Switch 65 is also open. Considering pushbutton 214-, its contact 223i is in series with the open feeler switch 220 and with the closed switches 23S and 249, these being closed by reason of the presence of the paper strips A and E. If either of these switches were opened, the machine would be inoperative.
Contact 232 of switch 216 is in series with the closed contact 244 of switch 97 and with the now open contact 236 of feeler switch 220.
As to the mechanical parts, the three clutches 15, 18 and 2% are disengaged. Knife 154 is in open position. Cam 13-4 is in engagement with pin 198 so that the type assembly is in raised position in readiness for printin To operate the machine, the customer inserts a bill through slot 151 which guides it between the upper and lower folds of the record strip E. The right and left hand edge portions of the bill overlie, respectively, the feeler 224 and the type assembly. The central portion of the bill underlies the write-in area which is initially covered by the shutter 9%.
Operation is then initiated by depression of the righthand pushbutton 234.
As this pushbutton is depressed contact 239 is closed, and the pushbutton mechanically rocks the lever 216 to raise the switch 22%. If the bill has been properly placed a corner thereof will underlie the feeler 2.24 to restrain upward movement of the switch operating lever 22-2 to effect closure of both contacts of this switch.
he closure of the upper contacts of switches 21% and 221"), as seen in FIGURE 11, energize the solenoid 17%, which, as seen in FIGURE 6, produces movement of plunger 17?. to the right, camming upwardly the righthand follower portion 13:, of lever 1S2 and lowering elow the level of bracket 196 the lever end 194. Spring 193 rocks this lever end beneath the bracket 162 and, through pin 193, efiects closure of switch 2 52. The effect of this is a latching action, since even though solenoid 17% will ordinarily be promptly deenergized by release of pushbutton 214, the lever end 194 is now below the bracket 162 and remains there. It is restrained by the bracket from clockwise movement (FIGURE 6) against the action of spring 186. Switch 292 then remains closed throughout the cycle of operation, and motor 8 is energized to rotate shaft :4.
Depression of button 214 also closes contact 232 and, through the feeler, closes contact 236. Contact of switch 97 being now closed, solenoid it} is energized. This efiects release of the pawl as of clutch i6, producing clutch engagement and initiation of rotation of the gears 63 and '79 to efiect a forward stroke of the link 75 and the rock shaft 83. As previously noted, the ratio of gears 63 to 79 is 1:2, so that a complete rotation of shaft 14 will effect a stroke of link 1% from its rearward dead center position.
Through the arms 8-; and links the shutter it is now moved forwardly to uncover the write-in space therebelow.
As the shutter opens the roller N2 carried thereby moves across the upper surface of the top fold of the strip E to effect imprinting on the bill and on the strips A and E of the data which is represented by the type exposed to the roller action. A serial number, at least, is thus impressed, and additionally there may be printed such other matter as may be desired, such as the date, the time, the identification of the machine, or the like. The aspect of the printing will be referred to in greater lb detail hereafter, sinde various alternatives are possible depending upon the disposition of the transfer ink on the sheet B.
At the extreme end of the forward stroke of the rock sha t 8% switch 97 is actuated to effect closure of contacts 242 and 245 and opening of contact 244 thereof. Also,
at the extreme end of this forward stroke the arm 92 is rocked to cause engagement of ear 96 with roller 98 and rocking of the cam lever 1% to move cam surface 194 from beneath the pin 19%, permitting this pin to drop on surface 1% thus lowering the type assembly. As this lowering operation takes place the link 11 8 restrains the right-hand end of leverllti causing its left-hand end, as viewed in FTGURE 7, to rock in its idle stroke the counter-operating lever.
The mechanism now comes to rest except for the continued energization of motor ti. Solenoid St) is necessarily deenergized, even though through maloperation the customer continues to press button 214 since contact 244 of switch 7 has now been opened, breaking the energizing connection to this solenoid. The detent 38 of clutch 16 is accordingly released and positioned by spring 69 to be engaged by the ear 39 of pawl 26 to effect disengagement of the nose 2% from the toothed member 22. As the rest position of the clutch is reached, the detent 56 moves over the ear 3% and lug 36 to prevent any rebound and chattering action.
The write-in area is now exposed, and the customer may fill in the exposed areas of the top fold of sheet E withthe desired data such as the name and address of the insured, the name and address of the beneficiary, the amount of desired insurance represented by the inerted bill, the trip information, and such other matter as may be required. This is reproduced on the bill and sheet A as more fully discussed hereafter.
The completion of the transaction is now eifected by the depression or the left-hand button 216. The depression of this button closes contact 243, and by reason of the closed contact 242 of switch 97 the solenoid St} is again energizeo to produce engagement of clutch 16 which now begins the reward rocking of roclr shaft 80. Simultaneously contact 25 6* is closed and, by reason of the now closed condition of contact 246 the solenoid 52 is energized to pull outwardly the retaining detent 3% of clutch 2%) to produce engagement of this clutch and initiate operation of the chain 74-.
The rocking of shaft so now produces closing of the shutter 91). The printing roller 122 moves back therewith, but this movement is an idle one since the type assembly has been lowered. The switch 97 is now released, effecting reopening of contacts 2 .2 and 245 and closure of contact The closure of the latter does notperrnit any maloperation by depression of button 21 5 since such depression would merely reenergize solenoid 5t which can now have no effect, the clutch 16 being already engaged. The opening of contacts 24-2 and 2% disables any further operation of button 2%.
T rough the drive from clutch 2d the paper strips A and E are fed, the ratios being chosen so that new portions of these strips replace the ones which have been filled out. It will be noted that the bill in its insertion was passed between the folds of strip E toward the point where these folds are connected together, and a pinching ction thus exists so that the bill is reliably carried along with the strip B, being located between the fold lines G of that strip. Tighter pinching of the bill takes place as the strip leaves the position at which its forward edges are separated between guides 148 and 156. It is thus reliably held in association with the strip E in its proper position, to be held fully securely as the refolding occurs at P.
As the return stroke of rock shaft 8%) approaches its end, ear 94 of lever 92 engages roller to rock lever 109 back to its initial position and cause cam 1634 to raise pin H323 to locate the printing assembly again in printing position. However, this occurs after roller 122 has passed rearwardly beyond the type assembly so that no printing action takes place. Furthermore, this operation provides free clearance for movement of the paper strips. The rear dead center of link 176 is achieved at the end of this cycle and both clutches 16 and 2% are disengaged and latched by the actions of the detents 38 and 54.
However, as the log 36 of clutch 2% approaches its final rest position it engages the rearwardly facing portion 55 of detent 54 camming the same forwardly to produce a momentary closure of switch 65. This energizes solenoid 48 to effect engagement of clutch 18 in the fashion described prevously for clutch 16. This starts the knife operat ng cycle, the knife being closed to effect cutting and then being opened through the drive from gear 65 through link 1'54- and the slide connected to the knife through link 169. The severed policy then falls into the receptacle 256 for removal by the customer.
As the knife is brought to its fully opened position the surface 1% of bracket Th2 engages the in or ear 19- 3 on lever 182 restoring this to initial position and releasing the arm 2% of switch 292. The motor circuit is thus opened and the overrun of the motor as it comes to rest completes the cycle of the clutch 18 effecting disengagement to leave the clutch in its initial position. All of the parts are thus restored to their initial positions and the machine is ready for its next operation.
The machine is obviously capable of receiving an 1 paper tenders such as currency, checks, credit slips, or the like. In return for any such tenders it provides for the issuance of contracts for future performance as involved in matters of insurance, betting, bank deposits, or the like.
Advantages accrue from the use of the machine to both the company issuing the contract and a claimant under the contract, who may be the person operating the machine, his beneficiary, or some representative or assignee.
The advantages to the party owning or installing the machine are generally those of direct payment under conditions minimizing the possibility of fraud. These advan tages will become more appment in the following discussions of various situations which might arise. But there is also a great advantage to the customer or beneficiary in his ability to prove the proper consummation of the contract. In some cases, insurance policies are issued, as at airline terminals, merely through the provision of available envelopes, or sheets from which envelopes may be formed which, briefly, involve the entry of the required information, the taking of a receipt by the customer, and the enclosure of currency in the envelope which is then to be dropped into a box or mailed to the company. What is termed a receipt is here, obviously, by no means such from a legal standpoint: in case of a loss the company could deny having received the premium, and it is quite possible that the money and envelope were never deposited or mailed, or that a dishon est employee of the company might have purloined the envelope and its contents. Particularly in airline travel it is quite customary for travelers to purchase insurance immediately before a flight, and if a claim promptly accrued, it will be evident that there could be suspicion of some irregularity on the part of the insurance company if the company refused to pay a claim on the basis of not having received the premium. In the case of the use of the present machine, both parties are protected, there being produced in operation evidence that a proper premium had been paid and at the same time, if the insurance company wanted to claim that there was fraud, it would have evidence to support the contention and rebut suggestions that it was guilty of irregularity. The presentation of the policy issued from the machine would be necessary for a claim against the insurance company. If the insurance company denied the claim, the claimant could call upon the company to produce for examination the record strip and its content pertaining to the transac- 12 tion (if the contention was that other than a good tender was made). The total evidence thus available could be presented for expert evaluation and consideration by a court or jury.
Similar considerations apply in matters of contracts, as indicated above, other than those involving insurance.
To make clear these matters of evidence, and at the same time review the operation of the machine as it particularly concerns the machine owner or operator and a customer, consideration may now be particularly given to the relatively elaborate situation presented if:
(a) The record strip E is arranged to receive a marking by the printing elements (of a serial number, machine identification, date and, possibly, time), the marking being effected by use of a pressure-sensitive coating on the strip, by an inked ribbon or strip of carbon paper, by embossing, or by removal of carbon coating on its underside where it transfers an impression to strip A;
(b) The underside of the top fold in the area where printing and write-in occurs contains fluorescent or other developable transfer coating having a fluorescence of one color or developable to one color, or includes besides a fluorescent material a metallic salt or the like developable by a gas, vapor or otherwise to give a particular color;
(0) The upperside of the lower fold in the printing and write-in areas contains similar materials but fiuorescing in a different color or developable to produce a different color; and
(d) The underside of the lower fold of the sheet E contains an ordinary carbon coating in the printing and write-in areas (sparingly applied if partial removal is to form a visible record of printing on the underside of this sheet E).
Under these conditions, if a tender is inserted consisting of a single piece of currency or a single sheet of paper and operation of the machine is effected in proper fashion, the result would be:
(a) Written data on the top of the upper fold of record sheet E;
(b) Marking by the printer on sheet E in one of the fashions described;
(0) Developable records of both the printing and Written matter on both faces of the inserted sheet whatever it might be;
(d) No transfer of developable markings from the underside of the top fold to the upperside of the bottom fold, or vice versa;
(2) Reproduction of the printed and written matter on the issued portion of sheet A; and
(f) Carrying of the tender within the folds of sheet E to a position in the machine from which it cannot be remo gl without authorization.
ThFforegoing outlines proper operation. If counterfeit currency, a blank sheet or a bad check or other improper tender was inserted, this may be kept by the company as evidence. Good currency or other good tenders may be immediately removed and deposited or put into circulation without further processing. The markings on the tender are invisible or unnoticeable and hence no evident tie-up to the transaction will be apparent in future handling.
But the customer is also protected. If the company averred that some sheet was inserted to be en aged by the feeler to start the machine operation but, as the shutter opened, was withdrawn, as by pulling on a tab or cord attached to the sheet, it could only sustain such a contention by showing that transfer between the developable coatings had occurred at both printing and write-in areas. In other words, the inner sides of the folds of the sheet B would show that at the time of printing and/or write-in there was actually nothing between the two folds. It might be possible that a highly skilled dishonest employee of the company by very careful tracing over the writing, after removal of currency, could falsify the transfer of the developable coatings in the write-in area; but
i3 it would be almost completely impossible to falsify in this fashion a transfer of the type characters so as to be undetectable by experts. Severing by the shutter of any thing projecting beyond it during its closing action minimizes this possibility of removal of a tender.
Attention may be particularly directed, further, to the fact that the record retained in the machine is that of the original of the written-in matter. In the conventional policy-issuing machine the policy delivered to the customer contains the original writing (in pencil or by a ball-point pen) and the carbon copy is retained in the machine. This situation may Well lead to the possibility that by placing a sheet of paper over the policy to be delivered (forming the upper sheet) a carbon record copy may be made to contain one set of information while the policy as issued would then be in blank and could be filled in later with other information leading to a confusing dispute as to which properly represented the contract. In the present machine, whatever appears on the original establishes the contract and must appear on the carbon copy A unless the writing was done very lightly or a heavy card or the like was successfully inserted and removed only after the shutter fully opened, a matter obviously impossible to achieve without leaving some evidence in the form of a torn paper, jamming of the machine or the like.
There is also an advantage in providing the developable transfer areas on both the upper and lower folds as described because this makes possible the acceptance of two superimposed pieces of currency, extending the values of tender which may be made. In such case, the developable material is transferred to the top piece of currency from the lowerside of the upper 'fold and to the lower piece of currency from the upperside of the lower fold, as a mirror image. Both pieces of tender are thus identifiable with the transaction for the protection of the company. The claimant is also protected. .1 the company insisted that only a single piece of currency was inserted when the written matter averred that two pieces were inserted, it should be able to produce a single piece of currency with identical markings on both faces.
As already pointed out, the machine as disclosed is particularly for the issuance of insurance policies. In application to off-track betting, no signature would ordinarily be required. An entry may be marked by checking numbered boxes for the race and the entry or by writing the name of the entry. For Daily Double or other combination betting suitable entries may be marked. In such case it is desirable that the time should be stamped to show that the betting occurred before betting was closed for the race involved. Here again, the bettor is insured against a charge by the machine owner or operator that a proper tender was not made since the owner or operator may be called upon to show evidence that that was the case.
In summary, protection is afforded by the machine in all instances to both the owner or operator and the claimant. If the transaction was valid both parties control the showing or obtaining of consistent evidence. A false contention of either party would be fully evidenced in the form of what is producible as proof.
In many cases it may suffice to omit the fluorescent or other developable markings on one or the other of the folds of the strip E, as where the machine is not intended to accept more than one sheet of tender. The absence of tender at the time of operation will then be evidenced by the transfer of the fluorescent or other developable material from the inner face of one fold of sheet E to the other fold.
While the machine as disclosed could be subject to operation by mischievous persons, the only result would be wastage of the paper strips. But this may obviously be avoided by associating with the mechanism another switch in series with the switch contact 23% closable only upon the insertion of a coin of spechied value in a conventional coin receiving and testing device. In such case, of
idcourse, the coin inserted would be considered as part of the value of the total tender.
It will be evident that various chan es in details of construction and operation may be made without departing from the invention as defined in the following claims.
What is claimed is:
1. In a machine for issuing a document as consideration for a paper tender, means deliminating a write-in area, means for guiding into alignment with said area and in superposed relationship thereat a sheet to form a record, a sheet to form said document, and an individually manually inserted paper tender, with said paper tender located beneath at least one of said sheets, means for reproducing on one of said sheets matter written on the other within said area, means for moving both said record forming sheet and said paper tender from said write-in area to positions within the machine closed against unauthorized access, and means presenting the sheet forming the document for removal by a machine user.
2. The combination according to claim 1 including a shutter normally closing said write-in area, and means responsive to the presence of said paper tender for opening said shutter to expose said write-in area only when a paper tender is located at said write-in area.
3. The combination according to claim 1 including means for effecting imprinting of duplicate matter on said sheets.
4. In a machine for issuing a document as consideration for a paper tender, means delirninating a write-in area, means for guiding into alignment with said area and in superposed relationship thereat a sheet to form a record, a sheet to form said document, and said paper tender, with said paper tender located beneath said sheet to form a record and above the sheet to form said document, means for reproducing on one of said sheets matter written on the other within said area, means for moving both said record forming sheet and said paper tender from said write-in area to positions within the machine closed against unauthorized access, and means presenting the sheet forming the document for removal by a machine user.
5. In a machine for issuing a document as consideration for a paper tender, means deliminating a Write-in rea, means for guiding into alignment with said area and in superposed relationship thereat a sheet to form a record, a sheet to form said document, and an individually manually inserted paper tender, with said paper tender located beneath at least one of said sheets, means for reproducing on one of said sheets and on said paper tender matter written on the other within said area, means for moving both said record forming sheet and said paper tender from said write-in area to positions within the chine closed against unauthorized access, and means presenting the sheet forming the document for removal by a machine user.
6. In a machine for issuing a document as consideration for a paper tender, means deliminating a write-in area, means for guiding into alignment with said area and in superposed relationship thereat a sheet to form a record, a sheet to form said document, and said paper tender, with said paper tender located beneath said sheet to form a record and above the sheet to form said document, means for reproducing on one of said sheets and on said paper tender matter written on the other within said area, means for moving both said record forming sheet and said paper tender from said write-in area to positions within the machine closed against unauthorized access, and means presenting the sheet forming the document for removal by a machine user.
'7. In a machine for issuing a document as consideration for a paper tender, means deliminating a write-in area, means for guidin into alignment with said area and in superposed relationship thereat a sheet to form a record, a sheet to form said document, and an individually manually inserted paper tender, with said paper tender located beneath at least one of said sheets, means for reproducing on one of said sheets and on said paper tender matter written on the other within said area, the matter so reproduced on said paper tender being substantially invisible but developable to VlSlOllliY, means for moving both said record for g sheet and said paper tender from said Write-in area to positions Within the machine closed against unauthorized access, and means presenting the sheet forming the document for removal by a machine use 8. The combination according to claim 7 in which the matter eproduced on said paper tender is developed to visibility by fluorescence under ultraviolet light.
9. In a machine for issuing a document as consideration for a paper tender, means deliminating a Write-in area, means for guiding into alignment with said area and in superposed relationship thereat 1' 1 sheet to form a record, a sheet to form said document, and said paper tender, with said paper tender located beneath said sheet to form a record and above the sheet to form said document, means for reproducing on one of said sheets and on said paper tender matter written on the other within said area, the matter so reproduced on said paper tender being substantially invisible but developable to visibility, means for moving both said record forming sheet and said paper tender from said write-in area to positions Within the machine closed against unauthorized access, and means resenting the sheet forming the document for removal by a machine user.
10. in a machine for issuing a document as consideration for a pmer tender, means del'uninating a Write-in area, means for guiding into alignment with said area and in superposed relationship thereat a sheet to form a record, a sheet to form said document, and said paper tender, with said paner tender located beneath said sheet to form a record and above the sheet to form said document, means for reproducing on one of said sheets and on said paper tender matter written on the other within said area, the matter so reproduced on said paper tender being substantialy invisible but developable to visibility by fluorescence under ultraviolet light, means for moving both said record forming sheet and said paper tender from said write-in area to positions within the machine closed against unauthorized access, and means presenting the sheet forming the document for removal by a machine user.
11. In a machine for issuing a document as consideration for a paper tender, means deliminating a Write-in area, means for guiding into alignment with said area and in superposed relationship thereat a sheet to form a record, a sheet to form said document, and said paper tender, with said paper tender located beneath said sheet to form a record and above the sheet to form said document, means for reproducing on one of said sheets matter Written on the other wi. said area, means for effecting imprinting of duplicate matter on (at least one of said sheets and on said paper tender, means for moving both said record forming sheet and said paper tender from said write-in area to positions within the machine closed against unauthorized access, and means presenting the sheet forming the document for removal by a machine user.
12. In a machine for issuing a document as consideration for a paper tender, means delimiting a write-in area, a shutter normally closing said area, means for guiding and feeding a first strip across said area to present successively in alignment with said area record portions of said strip, means for guiding and feeding a second strip across said area, and in a direction transverse to the direction of feed of the first strip, and below the same, to present successively in alignment with said area document portions of said second strip, means for guiding said paper tender into alignment with said area above said second strip and below at least a top ply of said first strip, means for reproducing on at least the document portion of said second strip aligned with said area and on a paper tender aligned with said area matter written on the record area of the first strip simultaneously aligned With said area, means for opening and closing said shutter respectively to expose and close said write-in area, and means for effecting in sequence first, opening of said shuter to expose said Write-in area but only in the presence of a paper tender in write-in area, and second, in response to manual actuation, closure of said shutter and operation of said machine, including said feeding means, to advance said first strip to bring the previously exposed record portion thereof and said paper tender to positions in the machine closed against unauthorized access, and to advance the second strip to present the Written-on document portion thereof to a machine user.
13. A machine according to claim 12 in which said first strip is longitudinally folded into upper and lower folds, and in which said means for guiding the paper tender guides it between said upper and lower folds so that it is enclosed in and advanced with said first strip.
14. A machine according to claim 12 including means by which duplication on said paper tender of matter Written on said first strip is in the form of substantially invisible markings developable to visibility.
15. In a machine for issuing a document as consideration for a paper tender, means delimiting a Write-in are-a, a shutter normally closing said area, means for guiding and feeding a first strip across said area to present successively in alignment with said area record portions of said strip, means for guiding and feeding a second strip across said area, and in a direction transverse to the direction of feed of the first strip, and below the same, to present successively in alignment with said area document portions of said second strip, means for guiding said paper tender into alignment with said area above said second strip and below at least a top ply of said first strip, means for reproducing on at least the document portion of said second strip aligned With said area and on a paper tender aligned with said area matter written on the record area of the first strip simultaneously aligned with said area, means for effecting imprinting of duplicate matter on at least said second sheet and on said tender, means for opening and closing said shutter respectively to expose and close said Write-in area, and means for effecting in sequence first, opening of said shutter to expose said Write-in area but only in the presence of a paper tender in said write-in area, and said imprinting, and second, in response to manual actuation, closure of said shutter and operation of said machine, including said feeding means, to advance said first strip to bring the previously exposed record portion thereof and said paper tender to positions in the machine closed against unauthorized access, and to advance the second strip to present the writtenon document portion thereof to a machine user.
16. A machine according to claim 15 in which said first strip is lon itudinally folded into upper and lower folds, and in which said means for guiding the paper tender guides it between said upper and lower folds so that it is enclosed in and advanced with said first strip.
17. A machine according to claim 15 including means by which duplication on said paper tender of matter Written on said first strip and imprinted by said imprinting means is in the form of substantially invisible markings developable to visibility.
References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,248,543 Powers Dec. 4, 1917 2,271,073 Harris Jan. 27, 1942 2,306,518 Bernart Dec. 29, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS 19,320 Great Britain Dec. 2, 1890

Claims (1)

1. IN A MACHINE FOR ISSUING A DOCUMENT AS CONSIDERATION FOR A PAPER TENDER, MEANS DELIMINATING A WRITE-IN AREA MEANS FOR GUIDING INTO ALIGNMENT WITH SAID AREA AND IN SUPERPOSED RELATIONSHIP THEREAT A SHEET TO FORM A RECORD A SHEET TO FORM SAID DOCUMENT, AND AN INDIVIDUALLY MANUALLY INSERTED PAPER TENDER, WITH SAID PAPER TENDER LOCATED BENEATH AT LEAST ONE OF SAID SHEETS, MEANS FOR REPRODUCING ON ONE OF SAID SHEETS MATTER WRITTEN ON THE OTHER WITHIN SAID AREA, MEANS FOR MOVING BOTH SAID RECORD FORMING SHEET AND SAID PAPER TENDER FROM SAID WRITE-IN AREA TO POSITIONS WITHIN THE MACHINE CLOSED AGAINST UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS, AND MEANS PRESENTING THE SHEET FORMING THE DOCUMENT FOR REMOVAL BY A MACHINE USER.
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US3273914A (en) * 1964-10-15 1966-09-20 Universal Controls Inc Machine for producing and issuing business forms
JPS511031U (en) * 1974-06-15 1976-01-07

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US2271073A (en) * 1938-03-02 1942-01-27 A E Dixon Insurance vendor
US2306518A (en) * 1940-02-01 1942-12-29 Pitney Bowes Postage Meter Co Means for identifying depositors of spurious coins

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1248543A (en) * 1915-12-30 1917-12-04 Powers Accounting Machine Company Combination sales-slip and statistical-card-record recorder.
US2271073A (en) * 1938-03-02 1942-01-27 A E Dixon Insurance vendor
US2306518A (en) * 1940-02-01 1942-12-29 Pitney Bowes Postage Meter Co Means for identifying depositors of spurious coins

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3273914A (en) * 1964-10-15 1966-09-20 Universal Controls Inc Machine for producing and issuing business forms
JPS511031U (en) * 1974-06-15 1976-01-07
JPS5421057Y2 (en) * 1974-06-15 1979-07-27

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