US3603251A

US3603251A - Apparatus for use in sequentially numbering documents

Info

Publication number: US3603251A
Application number: US752877A
Authority: US
Inventors: John F Elsworth; Barry Atkins; Bernard P Sever
Original assignee: Kenrick and Jefferson Ltd
Current assignee: Kenrick and Jefferson Ltd
Priority date: 1967-08-16
Filing date: 1968-08-15
Publication date: 1971-09-07
Anticipated expiration: 1988-09-07
Also published as: DE1786096B2; NL6811636A; FR1581223A; BE719625A; CH480183A; DK123283B; DE1786096A1; SE331842B

Abstract

Apparatus for sequentially numbering documents with check digits or in high prime skip modes in which one of the numbering wheels of a numbering box has to be indexed irregularly while another is indexed regularly in which a carrier cyclically movable relative to a support carries the numbering box indexing means for indexing the regularly indexed numbering wheel. A series of independently advanceable cam elements coact with a reciprocable indexing element associated with the irregularly indexed numbering wheel and a control device driven in synchronism with the carrier for determining the combination of cams to be advanced after each numbering operation.

Description

United States Patent APPARATUS FOR USE IN SEQUENTIALLY NUMBERING DOCUMENTS 7 Claims, 14 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 101/76 Int. Cl 4. 841] 7/36 Field 0| Search l0l/75, 76,

Primary Examiner-William B. Penn Anorney -Holman & Stern ABSTRACT: Apparatus for sequentially numbering documents with check digits or in high prime skip modes in which one of the numbering wheels ofa numbering box has to be indexed irregularly while another is indexed regularly in which a carrier cyclically movable relative to a support carries the numbering box indexing means for indexing the regularly indexed numbering wheel. A series of independently advanceable cam elements coact with a reciprocable indexing element associated with the irregularly indexed numbering wheel and a control device driven in synchronism with the carrier for determining the combination of cams to be advanced after each numbering operation.

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ATTORNEYS APPARATUS FOR USE IN SEQUENTIALLY NUMBERING DOCUMENTS This invention relates to apparatus for use in sequentially numbering documents. t

One particular application of the invention is the provision of sequentially numbered documents in which the number printed on each document includes a check digit, i.e., digit which can be calculated by performing predetermined operation or sequence of operations on the number which the check digit accompanies. As a simple example, a check digit can be obtained by dividing the number in question by an integer, for example II or l3 and utilizing the remainder as the check digit.

A more sophisticated check digit system is the so-called weighted modulus n system. In a weighted modulus 13 system for example the check digit C is C=13R W,A,+W A,+... W nt where W,... W are integers A,...A,, are the individual digits of the number in question and the operator R, is the remainder after division by 13. Alternatively, the check digit may be remainder R itself. Computer checking of numerals with check digits on this system reveals a very high proportion of errors in setting up of the numerals and this system is therefore highly desirable.

It is found, however, that sequential printing of numerals with check digits in accordance with this system is complicated. The check digits follow a basic sequence determined by the weighing of the units digit and the modulus of the system in use. When there is a change in the tens digit of the numeral, however, the check digit advances two or more steps through the sequence and when there is a change in the hundreds digit there is an advance ofa different number of steps.

Another application of the invention is in skip numbering where the skip mode is a prime number in excess of IO. In skip l3 numbering, for example, it is required to print out a sequence of numbers consisting of 13,26, 39, 52. 65, 78, It will be appreciated that whenever the units digit changes from 9 to 2, or from 8 to l. or from 7 to (l the tens digit increases by 2 instead of I. This has. in the past, prevented skip 13 numbering from being carried out with conventional numbering arrangements.

It is an object of the invention to provide a numbering apparatus for use in either of the above-mentioned applications.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Generally. the present apparatus for sequentially numbering documents comprises a support. a carrier, means cyclically moving the carrier relative to the support, a numbering box on the carrier including a plurality of movable numbering elements and indexing means operable for advancing the numbering elements during the cyclic movement of the carrier, the indexing means including a reciprocable indexing element for indexing one of the numbering elements through at least one single step at each actuation thereof, a plurality of cam elements arranged along the path followed by the indexing element during the cyclic movement of the carrier. and means selectively advancing the elements to operative positions for actuating the indexing element, a control device, and means for driving the control device in synchronism with the carrier for effecting advanced movement of the cam elements in predetermined combinations when desired to index one numbering element through a number of steps in excess of one step.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent to persons skilled in the art from the following detailed description and annexed drawings and in which drawings:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a section showing a part of one example of apparatus in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged section on line 2--2 in FIG. I;

FIG. 3 is a section through a control device associated with the apparatus shown in FIG. I;

FIG. 4 is a section on line 4-4 in FIG. 3;

FIG. Sis a view on line 5-5 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 isa pneumatic circuit of the control arrangement of the apparatus shown in FIGS. I to 5;

FIG. 7 is the pneumatic circuit of another example of apparatus in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 8 is a view like FIG. 4 but showing yet another example of the invention;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary section on line 9-9 in FIG. 8;

FIG. I0 is a pneumatic circuit of control arrangement of the example shown in FIGS. 8 and 9;

FIG. 11 is a section like FIG. 2 but showing a further example of the invention;

FIG. 12 is a view in perspective of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. I3 is a view illustrating a typical printout of the FIG. I embodiment; and

FIG. I4 is a view illustrating a typical printout of the FIG. 7 embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring firstly to the example shown in FIGS. I to 3 and 12, there is illustrated a rotatable carrier 10 which carries a platform It. On the platform II is mounted a numbering box 12 of substantially conventional construction. The numbering box 12 includes a plurality of decade wheels 13 which are indexable by a swingable frame I4 having a pivoted pawl comb I5 thereon to coact with ratchet/cam devices 16 on the wheels in a known manner to print decimal numbers sequentially by means of a conventional crescent cam I7, which operates a conventional numbering box actuating roller 18. The crescent cam 17 is mounted on two bars 19 and 20 (FIG. I).

Known arrangements 2] for inking the numbering elements ofthe numbering box are not shown in detail and paper feed arrangements 22 are shown only schematically since the invention is primarily related to the actual actuation of the numhcring box.

The numbering box 12 also includes an additional numbering element 23 which prints out a check digit corresponding to the number printed by the associated numbering box. The ad' ditional numbering element therefore carries a number sequence around its periphery in accordance with the chosen weighting system employed for calculating the check digits.

For indexing the check digits numbering wheel of the box 12, there is provided a separate indexing system. This wheel is provided with ratchet teeth 24 and a spring loaded pawl 25 is carried on an arm 26 swingable about the axis of rotation of the numbering wheel. The arm 26 is swingable by means of a fork 27 on a spindle 28 extending through the platform I], which also acts as bearings for the spindle. On one end of the spindle 28 is a cam follower 29 (FIG. I). In the example shown, movement of the cam follower 29 and the fork 27 is limited to ensure that the arm 26 of the numbering box can be turned through an angle which is just sufficient to index the associated check digit numbering wheel 23 through one step of its sequence.

For actuating the cam follower 29. there are a plurality of separate cam elements 30. 3|. 32. 33 and 34 on a bracket 35 provided on the bars I9, 20. The cam element 34, which is a single step cam is fixed in relation to the path followed by the cam follower 29. The remaining cam elements 30 to 33 are double step cams and are carried on the piston rods of a plu rality of pneumatic piston and cylinder units 36. 37, 38 and 39 respectively. The piston and cylinder units 36 to 39 are, however, selectively operable to withdraw the cam elements 30 to 33 respectively out of the path of the cam follower 29.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, the control device includes a frame 40 on which a spindle 41 is mounted and the spindle 4| carries three or more independently

rotatable discs

42, 43, and 44. Each disc has associated therewith a ratchet wheel 45,

46 and 47 respectively. The ratchet wheel 45 for the disc 42 has a total of 20 ratchet teeth. These teeth coact with a retaining pawl 48 (FIG. 4) which prevents the disc 42 from turning backwards. At two diametrically opposite positions on the ratchet wheel 45. slots 49 between the teeth are deepened, with two such deepened slots being formed at each of the positions. The disc 42 has a pair of diametrically opposite lobes 50 arranged to actuate a valve 51 mounted on the frame 40.

The ratchet wheels 46 and 47 associated respectively with the

discs

43 and 44 similarly to the ratchet wheel 45 have 20 teeth. There are. however, only two of the deep slots 49 between adjacent teeth of the ratchet wheels 46 and 47. The

discs

43 and 44 have a single lobe 50 for operating corresponding valves 52 and 53 (see FIG. 6).

To coact with the three

ratchet wheels

45, 46 and 47 there is a pawl carrier 54 which is mounted on the spindle 41 for swinging movement. The pawl carrier 54 carries a block of three pawls 55 which move as a unit and which coact respectively with the ratchet wheels 45. 46 and 47. The profiles of the three pawls are shown in FIG. 4. the longest of the three pawls being the pawl which coacts with the ratchet wheei 4S and the shortest the pawl which coacts with the ratchet wheel 47. A cam 56 rotatably mounted on the frame 40 is driven. via a dog member 57 and a chain drive 58 (FIGS. 3 and 12'). in synchronism with the carrier 10 and makes one rotation for each rotation thereof. The cam 56 operates a mechanism 59 which reciprocates the pawl carrier. The mechanism 59 consists of a lever 60 on spindle 41 and is provided with a pair of rollers 61 to follow the cam 56. A peg 62 extends through a slot 63 in the front end of the frame 40 and is fixed to the pawl carrier 54.

It will be appreciated that. except when the longest pawl of the pawl block 55 is able to enter one of the deep slots 49 only the disc 42 will be indexed. When the disc 42 is positioned to allov. the longest of the pawls to drop into a slot 49. the second of the pawls can engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel 46. When this second pawl can drop into a slot 49 in the ratchet wheel 46, the ratchet wheel 47 will also be driven. Thus, the disc 42 is driven at half the speed of the units wheels of the numbering box 12. When the number to be printed by the units wheel changes from 9 to 0. one of the lobes 50 of the wheel 45 actuates the valve 51. At the same time the disc 43 is indexed through a single step. As the indication of the units wheel of the numbering box changes from to l. the disc 43 will be indexed through a second step so that five complete rotations of the disc 42 are required to bring about a single rotation of the disc 43.

It will be appreciated that the valve 51 will only be actuated while the 0 is displayed on the units wheel of the numbering box. Similarly, the valve 52 will only be actuated while there are 0's displayed both on the units wheel and the tens wheel and the valve 53 will only be actuated while there are 0s displayed on the units. tens and hundreds wheels ofthe numbering box. All three valves are deactuated as soon as the disc 42 is indexed during the change of the units wheel.

Referring now to FIG. 6. it will be seen that the piston and cylinder unit 39 is controlled by an air operated valve 64. in turn controlled by the valve 53. Whenever valve 53 is actuated. pressure is supplied to the operating device of valve 64 to supply air to the unit 39 to cause the cam element 33 to be moved into the path of the cam follower 29. When the valve 53 is not so actuated, the pressure connections made by the valve 64 hold the cam element 33 out of such path.

The valve 52 controls an air operated relay valve 65 which is connected in series with the valve 51. Except when valve 52 is actuated. air is supplied via the valve 65 to the valve 51. On actuation of the valve 51 therefore, a valve 66. similar to the valve 64, acts to supply air to the units 36. 37 and 38 for moving all of the cam elements 30. 3l and 32 into the path of the cam follower 29. When valve 51 is not actuated, the elements 30. 31 and 32 are held withdrawn. On actuation of valve 52 the supply of air to the valve 51 is cut off by valve 65 so that actuation of valve has no efiect on valve 66. and the cam elements 30. 3! and 32 are held withdrawn.

The arrangement described is such that the fixed cam element 34 normally actuates the cam follower 29 to index the check digit numbering wheel through one step. On every 10th actuation, the valve tl is actuated so that four cam elements are placed in the path of the cam follower 29 which is therefore actuated seven times to index the check digit numbering wheel through seven steps. On every hundredth operation, the effect of the valve 51 is negated by actuation of valve 52 so that a one step indexing movement is made. On every thousandth operation, actuation of valve 52 causes the cam element 35 to be placed in the path of the cam follower 29 so that this is actuated three times to produce three indexing steps. After l0.000 operations, the check digit numbering wheel will require manual resetting.

It is possible to have a control device with four or live or more rotatable discs. valves etc.. then the check digit wheels will not require manual setting until 10.000.100.000. or more.

ln this particular instance, the weightings used in the modulus 13 check digit system are:

W,=4. W ==l2, W =5. W =2. W =3. W =6 and W --l. The printout sequence is as follows:

Number. Check Digit. Remarks. 0000000 0 0000001 4 0000002 8 0000003 12 0000004 3 0000005 7 0000006 1 l 0000)? 2 0000008 6 0000009 l0 l2 7 steps-automatic. 00000l l 3 00000l2 7 0000013 1 1 0000014 2 0000015 6 0000016 l0 0000017 l 0000018 5 0000019 9 0000020 1 l 7 steps-automatic. 000002l 3 0000099 l 0000100 5 l step-automatic. 0000101 9 0000999 3 0001000 2 3 steps-automatic. 000 l00l 6 0009999 8 0010000 3 2 steps-manual.

0099999 4 0100000 6 7 steps-manual.

1000000 1 2 steps-manual.

H0. 13 is a typical print of the embodiment of FIGS. 1-6.

Turning now to H0. 7, it will be seen that fluidic control components are employed. The control device used is generally similar to that shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 with the exception that each of the discs 42. 43 and 44 is of considerably thinner form and has one or two apertures formed therein at a position or positions spaced from its periphery. lnterruptable jet devices 67. 68 and 69 coact respectively with these discs such that pressure is passed by these devices whenever a hole in the associated disc is presented thereto. The circuit shown also includes turbulence amplifiers which are known devices in which airflow from one or more control nozzles deflects another air jet to interrupt the supply of pressure to the output connections of the device. The

interruptable jets

67, 68 and 69 control seven double-acting pneumatic piston and

cylinder units

70, 71, 72, 73, 74. 75 and 76. The piston rods of these devices carry cam elements similar to those shown in FIG. 1. In the case of cam element 77 on the piston rod of the unit 70, engagement of the cam follower with this cam element will cause actuation of the indexing device for the check digit numbering wheel to index the latter though a single step. Each of the other cam elements 78 is arranged to produce a sufficient swinging movement of the cam follower 29 to index the check digit numbering wheel through two or more steps, with the motion limiting means utilized in the case of the indexing arrangement for the check digit numbering wheel being omitted.

The circuit also makes use of a pneumatic plug board ar rangement 79. This arrangement consists of two rows of sockets such that any socket in one row A can be connected to any socket in the other row B by means of pieces of flexible fine bore tubing. The row A consists of four sockets connected via a turbulence amplifier 80 to the output connection of jet 67, five sockets connected via a turbulence amplifier 81 to the output connection ofjet 68 and six sockets connected directly to the output terminal ofjet 69. One of the sockets associated with jet 68 and one of the sockets associated with jet 69 are connected to the control jets of the turbulence amplifier 80 and a further one of the sockets connected to jet 69 is connected to a control jet of turbulence amplifier 8].

The sockets in row B are arranged in four banks of four. There are four two-stage turbulence amplifiers associated respectively with the four banks of sockets. One of these con trols the unit 70. As shown, this two-stage amplifier includes a first stage 820 with its four control jets connected respectively to the four sockets and with its output connection connected to a control jet of the second stage 83a. The output connection of turbulence amplifier stage 830 is connected to a step up relay 840 which controls the supply of compressed air at higher pressure to a pneumatically operated valve 85a for controlling the flow of air to the cylinder unit 70 for driving the cam element 77 between its two positions. Similar arrangements are made in respect of the other two-stage turbulence amplifiers, the second of these, 82b, 83b controlling the unit 7], the third 82c. 83c controlling the

units

72 and 73 and the fourth 82d, 83d controlling the

units

74, 75 and 76.

It will be appreciated that whenever amplifier stage 820 receives an input, the check digit numbering wheel will be indexed through one step. Whenever amplifier stage 82b receives an input, the numbering will move the index through two steps. When amplifier 82c receives an input, the numbering wheel will be indexed through four steps and when amplifier stage 82d receives an input the numbering wheel will be indexed through six steps. Thus, any combination of steps from 0 to 13 can be obtained by appropriately connecting the rows of sockets A and B. The amplifier 80 serves to prevent signals from jet 67 reaching the plug board 79 when there are outputs from

jets

68 or 69. Similarly. amplifier 8] prevents the output of jet 68 reaching the plug board while there is an output from jet 69.

The dotted lines shown in the plug board indicate a possible interconnection arrangement. Two of the sockets of row A associated with jet 67 are connected respectively to a socket of the first bank and a socket of the second bank in row B. Two of the sockets associated with jet 68 are connected to a socket of the first bank and a socket of the fourth bank respectively and one of the sockets associated with jet 69 is connected with one of the sockets of the third hank. Thus, after each 10 operations, the check digit numbering wheel will be indexed through three steps, after each hundred operations the check digit numbering wheel will be indexed through seven steps and after each thousand operations the check digit numbering wheels will be indexed through four steps.

In this case the weightings are:

W,=4, IV -=9, W =2 and W,=8. The higher weightings do not matter. The print out sequence is:

FIG. 14 illustrates a print from the FIG. 7 embodiment.

FIGS. 8 to 10 illustrate in more detail a system utilizing fiuidic control components and a plug board whereby the desired program can be established.

The control device of H6. 8 differs mainly from that in FIG. 4 in the form o1- the discs 42', 43' and 44' (of which only 43 appears). Each disc has indentations 86 in its periphery instead of lobes 50. The discs are contacted by roller 87 on three

arms

88, 89 and 90 pivoted to a bracket 91. These arms are cngageable respectively with three

slide plates

92, 93 and 94 so that each plate is depressed when the roller on the associated arm drops into the depression in the associated disc.

The

plates

92, 93, 94 are arranged in an overlapping relation and each has a pair of holes spaced both in the direction of sliding of the plates and in a transverse direction. The hole 95 in plate 92 controls a unit interruptable jet 96. The hole 97 in plate 92 and hole 98 in plate 93 jointly control a tens interruptable jet 99. A hole 100 in plate 93 and a hole 10] in plate 94 (shown aligned in FIG. 9) jointly control a hundreds interruptable jet 102 and a hole 103 in plate 94 controls at thousands interruptable jet 104. The arrangement shown is such that when none of the plates is depressed only jet 97 is uninterrupted. When plate 92 alone is depressed (i.e., every 10 operations) jet 96 is interrupted and jet 99 is uninterrupted. When

plates

92 and 93 are both depressed (Le. every 100 operations) only jet 102 is uninterrupted. When all three plates are depressed (i.e., every 1,000 operations) onlyjet 104 is interrupted.

Thus, the need for the

turbulence amplifiers

80 and 81 of FIG. 7 is eliminated. In addition. the plugboard can be em ployed to set up any weighting system without changing the check digit numbering wheel ofthe numbering box. Hence the normal indexing step of the cheek digit numbering wheel can be varied by connecting the bank of the plugboard associated with jet 96 to the output banks as required for the particular units weighting employed. The pneumatic circuit is substantially identical, otherwise, to the circuit of FIG. 7. although the amplification of the output signals from the plugboard is accomplished in one stage instead of two.

FIG. 1] shows a modification of what is disclosed in FIGS. 1 to 5 and FIG. 7 for use in high prime mode skip numbering.

The numbering box is carried on the carrier and, incorporates six numbering elements in the form of discs provided on their peripheries with raised numerals. A discs are rotatable on a common axis. The units disc 186 of the numbering box has a conventional indexing arrangement constituted by a pawl 187 which is rocked by an indexing element 188 in the form of a cam follower which follows a conventional crescent cam 189. The indexing arrangement of the units wheel is such that it is indexed through one step for each rotation of the carrier, ie for each printing operation of the numbering box. The remaining numbering elements are indexable by a separate indexing mechanism incorporating spindle 128 on which an arm l90 is mounted. The arm 190 applies rocking motion to a member 191 which actuates a pawl comb 192 coacting in known manner with ratchet wheels associated with the respective numbering elements (I93 to 197 for printing tens. hun dreds, etc.). The spindle 128 carries an indexing element 129 in the form of a cam follower which coacts with a plurality of separate cam elements as shown in FIG. 1, in the same manner as the cam follower of the apparatus above described. Thus, there may be a single fixed cam element and a single movable cam element arranged at spaced positions along the path followed by the cam follower 129. The movable cam element can be moved to an operative position in which it is struck by the follower 129 or to an inoperative position in which it has no effect on the follower 129.

The control device associated with the numbering arrangement now described is substantially identical to that described above. This control device is driven in synchronism with the carrier for the numbering box and is associated with suitable valve gear for displacing the movable cam element to its operative position whenever FIG. 9 has just been printed by the units disc 186.

The arrangement described thus prints out numerals sequentially in a skip l l sequence. For a skip 13 sequence, it would be required to advance the movable cam element to its operative position whenever the units disc has printed a 9, an 8 or a 7, with the control device being suitably designed for this purpose. Similarly for skip l7 numbering, 11 double ad vance of the tens disc is required after the units disc has printed 3, 4, 5, 6. 7. S, or 9, with a single advance being required after a 0, l, or 2 has been printed.

Having thus described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for sequentially numbering documents cornprising a support, a carrier, means cyclically moving said carrier relative to the support, a numbering box on said carrier including a plurality of movable numbering elements and index ing means operable for advancing said numbering elements during the cyclic movement of said carrier, said indexing means including a reciprocable indexing element for indexing one of the numbering elements through at least a single step at each actuation thereof, said indexing element being displaced along a predetermined path during the cyclic movement of the carrier, a plurality of cam elements arranged along the path and adapted to be advanced into and retracted out of cooperative relationship with said indexing element and means selectively advancing said cam elements to operative positions for actuating said indexing element, a control device and means for driving the control device in synchronism with said carrier for effecting advanced movement of the cam elements in predetermined combinations when desired to index one numbering element through a number of steps in excess of one step.

2. Apparatus for sequentially numbering documents with check digit numerals comprising a support, a carrier, means cyclically movable relative to the support, a numbering box on said carrier including a plurality of movable numbering elements and indexing means operable for advancing said numbering elements during the cyclic movement of said carrier so that said numbering elements in said numbering box are adapted to print sequential numbers on the documents, an additional indexable numbering element on said carrier for printing check digits on the documents, a reciprocable indexing element for indexing said additional numbering element through at least a single step through the check digit sequence at each actuation thereof, a plurality of cam elements arranged along the path and adapted to be advanced into and retracted out of cooperative relationship with said indexing element, and means selectively advancing said elements to operative positions for actuation of said indexing element, a control device and means for driving the control device in synchronism with said carrier for affecting advanced movement of the cam elements in predetermined combinations when desired to index the additional numbering element through a number of steps in excess of one step.

3. Apparatus for the skip numbering of documents in a skip mode of an order of a prime number in excess of IO comprising a support, a carrier, means cyclically moving said carrier relative to the support, a numbering box on said carrier including a plurality of movable numbering elements for printing the units, tens, hundreds. thousands, digits and indexing means movable for advancing the unit numbering element during the cyclic movement of said carrier so that said units numbering element is capable of printing a repeated sequence of numbers on the documents, additional indexing means operably associated with the tens numbering element comprising a reciprocable indexing element for indexing said tens numbering element through at least a single step at each aetuation thereof, a plurality of cam elements arranged along the path followed by said indexing element during the cyclic movement of the carrier, and means selectively advancing said elements to operative positions for actuating said indexing element, a control device, and means for driving the control device in synchronism with said carrier for effecting advanced movement of the cam elements in predetermined combina tions when desired to index the tens numbering element through a number of steps in excess of one step.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the control device comprises a plurality of independently rotatable discs. a pawl and ratchet mechanism driven in synchronism with the carrier for indexing the discs to provide a decimal count of the number of rotations of the carrier, the discs representing units, tens, hundreds, thousands, and means sensitive to the posi tions ofsaid discs for effecting advance of said cam elements.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4 in which the pawl and ratchet mechanism advances the units disc through two steps for each rotation of the carrier, with a total of 20 steps being required to index the units disc through a complete revolution.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5 including piston and cylinder units for moving the cam elements, valves controlling the supply of pressurized fluid to said piston and cylinder units; and lobes on said discs for actuating said valves.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 including a fluidic logic network whereby actuations of the valves by the discs singly and in various combinations causes the cam elements to be advanced in said predetermined combinations.

Claims

1. Apparatus for sequentially numbering documents comprising a support, a carrier, means cyclically moving said carrier relative to the support, a numbering box on said carrier including a plurality of movable numbering elements and indexing means operable for advancing said numbering elements during the cyclic movement of said carrier, said indexing means including a reciprocable indexing element for indexing onE of the numbering elements through at least a single step at each actuation thereof, said indexing element being displaced along a predetermined path during the cyclic movement of the carrier, a plurality of cam elements arranged along the path and adapted to be advanced into and retracted out of cooperative relationship with said indexing element and means selectively advancing said cam elements to operative positions for actuating said indexing element, a control device and means for driving the control device in synchronism with said carrier for effecting advanced movement of the cam elements in predetermined combinations when desired to index one numbering element through a number of steps in excess of one step.

3. Apparatus for the skip numbering of documents in a skip mode of an order of a prime number in excess of 10 comprising a support, a carrier, means cyclically moving said carrier relative to the support, a numbering box on said carrier including a plurality of movable numbering elements for printing the units, tens, hundreds, thousands, digits and indexing means movable for advancing the unit numbering element during the cyclic movement of said carrier so that said units numbering element is capable of printing a repeated sequence of numbers on the documents, additional indexing means operably associated with the tens numbering element comprising a reciprocable indexing element for indexing said tens numbering element through at least a single step at each actuation thereof, a plurality of cam elements arranged along the path followed by said indexing element during the cyclic movement of the carrier, and means selectively advancing said elements to operative positions for actuating said indexing element, a control device, and means for driving the control device in synchronism with said carrier for effecting advanced movement of the cam elements in predetermined combinations when desired to index the tens numbering element through a number of steps in excess of one step.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the control device comprises a plurality of independently rotatable discs, a pawl and ratchet mechanism driven in synchronism with the carrier for indexing the discs to provide a decimal count of the number of rotations of the carrier, the discs representing units, tens, hundreds, thousands, and means sensitive to the positions of said discs for effecting advance of said cam elements.