US3797386A

US3797386A - Marking system with rotary print drums

Info

Publication number: US3797386A
Application number: US00238131A
Authority: US
Inventors: H Dean; V Penna
Original assignee: Dennison Manufacturing Co
Current assignee: Dennison Manufacturing Co
Priority date: 1972-03-27
Filing date: 1972-03-27
Publication date: 1974-03-19
Anticipated expiration: 1991-03-19

Abstract

A printing mechanism for applying a mark such as a character, geometric figure, etc., to an object such as a cardboard material ticket capable of receiving the mark, the printing mechanism including support means for supporting a plurality of rotatable means, each rotatable means comprising a plurality of marking means supported thereby, indexing means for positioning a selected one of the rotatable means in position to apply a mark to an object to be brought into proximity with said marking means, and control means for relatively moving said marking means and a plurality of objects into proximity to apply a mark thereto, the control means also rotating said rotatable member to periodically position another of the marking means into position to apply a mark to the object.

Description

United States Patent 1191 Dean et a1. Mar. 19, 1974 [54] MARKING SYSTEM WITH ROTARY PRINT 3,205,305 9/19 5 Clark et a1. 101/110 x DRUMS 3,237,556 3/1966 Huffman... 101/92 x 3,363.550 H1968 Kruger 101/92 [75] Inventors: Harold L; Dean, Wellesley; Vincent 337L 02 3 19 3 c i 1, 10 93 C Della Penna, Jr., Lexington, both of 3,626,462 12/1971 Stucchi 101/210 Mass. V

[73] Assignee: Dennison Manufacturing Company, prlrfmry m Framingham, Mass. Assistant ExammerEugene H. E'lCkhOit Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Donald Brown; Dike, [22] Filed: 1972 Bronstein, Roberts & Cushman [21] Appl. No.: 238,131

r 1 [57 ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl. 101/69, 101/93 C, 101/99, A printing mechanism for applying a mark such as a /103 character, geometric figure, etc., to an object such as [51] Int. Cl B411 45/00 a cardboard material ticket capable of receiving the Field Of Search Q, Q, mark, the printing mechanism including support 10 9, 1 10 031 02, 3 means for supporting a pluralityvof rotatable means,

329,338, 349, 353, 3 C, 05 each rotatable means comprising .a plurality of marking means supported thereby, indexing means for posi- [56] References Cited tioning a selected one of the rotatable means in posi- UNITED STATES PATENTS tion to apply a mark to an object to be brought into 3.141.403 7/1964 Brown et a1. 101/106 x Proximity with Said marking means and F meal 3.504.622 4/1970 Morrison 101/95 x for relatively moving Said marking means and a P 74s.421 12/1903 Robertson... 197/654 y O objects into Proximity to pp a a therem 1.] 15.646 1 H1914 Wronker 101/92 thecontrol means also rotating said rotatable member 1.208.642 1 12/1916 Pitney 101/91 to periodically position another of the marking means i X into position to a mark to the object 2.343.721 3/1944 Van Tuyl 101/101 1 2.825.279 3/1958 1 Gottscho 101/110 X 6 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENIED Hi? 1 9 I974 SHEEI 1 BF 5 PAIENIEDHARIB m4 3797386 SHEET '& BF 5 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention is directed to the printing art and in particular is directed to a new and improved mecha nism for printinga mark such as characters (numbers, letters) symbols, geometric figures and other types of indicia on a material such as a paper or cardboard adapted to receive the marks.

The present invention finds particular utility in a system for marking tickets with price and other information pertinent to merchandising vending. A system of this type is disclosed in US. Pat. Nos. 3,517,612 and 3,626,462, and both are assigned to the assignee of this application.

In these patents there is disclosed a ticket of the type (see FIGS. 1A and 1B) which is suitable for use in the internal control of merchandise in retail vending establishments.

As disclosed in the aforementioned patents, the marking system includes a machine bed for supporting a ticket, the ticket being initially separated from a roll of tickets and then moved along the machine bed so that various operations can be carried out at different stations of the machine. At one of the stations, printing takes place using a plurality of print wheels and at another of the stations the ticket carrying a magnetizable coating is coded using a magnetic recording device.

This patent also discloses a color mark unit (see FIGS. 4 and 11) which includes a plurality of containers for applying an identifying mark to the ticket. The identifying color mark may be used to indicate store department, size (e.g., in men's clothes, shorts, longs and regulars) and othertypes of coded information relating to the flow of merchandise through a store or other establishment.

As shown in the aforementioned patent, as the machine bed moves upwardly, ink is dispensed from a contain'er as the ticket depresses a valve of the container. In this manner a color mark is applied to a ticket carried on the machine bed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 1 of said rotatable devices inposition to apply a mark to a document or the like such as a ticket-In addition there is provided means for rotating the selected one of rotatable devices to apply a mark applying material e.g., a fluid such as ink or the like to the marking means and also position each of the marking means to apply a mark to a document as the document is brought into contact therewith.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG.'1 is a front and partial sectional view of the marking system according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a view showing the pawl for rotating the rotatable means carrying the marking means according to the invention taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a view showing the locking detent for bolding the rotatable means in position after it is rotated by the pawl of FIG. and taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 illustrates in a bottom view of one of the mark ing means according to the invention;

FIG: 7 illustrates in a top view the mechanism for operating the indexable means according to the invention;

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a control for indexing the indexable means shown in FIGS. 1-6; and

FIG. 9 is a view of a ticket having a mark applied thereto.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Reference should now be had to FIGS. 1-8 for a description of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

At 20 there is shown a machine bed which is reciprocated (up and down) by a shaft 21, coupledto a cam follower'(not shown) which in turn is driven by a cam (not shown) mounted on'a shaft 22 to drive

toggles

23 and 24 about an aligning pin 25 (only one of which is shown). The drive for the machine bed 20 is conventional and is more particularly described in .U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,036,520, 2 ,890,650, 3,095,807 and 2,968,236 all of which are incorporated herein by reference hereto as well as the aforementioned US. Pat. Nos. 3,626,462 and 3,517,612.

Positioned upon the top of the bed 20 and shown dotted is a document such as a ticket 28 to which a mark is to be applied. The ticket is fed in a conventional manner using feed pawls (not shown) as disclosed in the above mentioned patents.

The marking system of this invention is generally disclosed at 30 and is supported by the, main machine frame. The marking system comprises a rotatable support means on indexable member 31 which is mounted on a shaft 32 and is rotated by a motor 33 through gears 34and 35. .f i g The shaft 32 is suitably supported by bearings as shown. The rotatable support 31 in the preferred embodiment supports a plurality of rotatable devices or support means'37 about the periphery thereof, ten of which are shown in the preferred embodiment (see FIG. 1 v I Each of the rotatable devices includes a plurality of marking means 38 about the periphery thereof for applying or printing a mark such as a character, geometric figure in any one of aplurality of colors to the ticket 28 (see FIG. 9).

Each of the rotatable devices 37 as shown more fully in FIGS. 2 and 6 is supportedon a shaft 39 for rotation therewith. Each of the plurality of mark applying or marking means 38 comprises e.g., a pad 38a coupled to a pad support member 38b which is itself coupled to the rotatable devices 37 .by a bolt as shown in FIG. 2.

The pad may be constructed-of natural rubber, plasfigure or even include raised characters or geometric figures or the like.

The pad may be glued to the member 38b or be coupled in a conventional manner thereto. Positioned adjacent to each of the marking means 38 and the rotatable devices 37 to which they are attached are marking material applying means 40.

The marking material applying means 40 are each fixedly supported on shafts 41 and rotated by a gear 42 coupled to a gear 43 mounted on shaft 39. Thus the marking material applying means 40 and the rotational device 37 rotate in unison.

The marking material applying means may be constructed of a Porelon Ink Roll such as sold by Johnson Porelon Products which supplies ink at the surface thereof as the roll is squeezed. The Porelon Ink Roll carries its own ink supply and is replaced when it is no longer capable of transferring ink to the pads.

In addition, other types of mark material applying means i.e., absorbent pads may be used such as require adjustable length linkage 55fwhich is itself pivotly coupled to amember 56. The member 56 is in turn coupled to a shaft 57 for rotation therewith with the shaft being supported in a bearing 58 supported by a frame member.

The shaft is in turn coupled to a member 59 in a manner to rotate it. The member 59 at 59a pivotly supports a pawl 60 which is rotated downwardly by a spring 61 against a ratchet 62 fixedly coupled to the shaft 39 to rotate it (counter-clockwise) as the pawl 60 rocks back and forth to engage the next succeeding tooth of the ratchet (see FIG. 4 The spring 61 engages a pin 59b fixedly coupled to the member 59 and also wraps about a pin 60a fixedly coupled to the pawl.

Thus as the shaft 39 is rotated, the rotatable device 37 carrying the marking means 38 will be rotated as will the mark material applying means as a result of the rotation of

gears

42 and 43. In this manner the pads 38aare inked as they rotate against the roll 40 and are also positioned in place over the bed so that the bed 20 may be raised to" relatively move an inked pad 38a and ticket 28 together'to print a mark thereon.

To retain the pad 38a in place between pawl movements, there is provided a gear 70 fixedly coupled to the shaft 39 which has a plurality of detent receiving means 71. I

At 72 there is shown a locking detent 72 which is urged against the gear 70 by a spring 73. The detent 72 is adapted to ride into and out of the detent receiving means 71 as the pawl rotates the ratchet 62, but will hold the ratchet in place as the pawl moves to the right of FIG. 4 to engage the next tooth of the ratchet so as to rotate it (counter-clockwise as shown).

Thus as the rocker arm rocks back and forth as shown by the arrow in FIG. 3, the shaft 39 will be rotated to sequentially ink the pad and place a pad into position to apply a mark to the ticket as the ticket is raised in a timed relationship with the movement of the bed through its cam also driven by the machines main shaft 22 (which also drives cam 53).

Reference should now be had to FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4 which illustrate the means for controlling the indexable member 31 to position one of rotatable devices 37 in position to apply a mark to being fed over the bed 20 to successive tickets.

The indexable member is used so that a different selected shaped mark or character may be applied to the ticket by positioning a different rotatable device 37 in position over the bed 20. Ordinarily the pads 38a supported on each device 37 produce the same shaped mark on the ticket although this need not be the case and ordinarily the marks applied by the pads 38a supported in the same device37 will be made in the same color. The indexing of the rotatable member 31 in the embodiment takes place by rotation thereof in a clockwise direction. I

A motor shown at 33 is provided as previously described for rotating gears as previously described. As the member 31 is rotated clockwise one by one the ratchets 62 coupled to drive each of the plurality of rotatable members 37 moves past the pawl 37 and passes thereunder while momentarily engaging the same and lifting it up to permit it to pass thereover.

When the motor is stopped the rotatable member 37 selected is then positioned as shown in FIg. 4 so that the rotatable member 37 may now be rotated as the cam 53 rotates to rock the arm 50 back and forth. The member 31 after being positioned by the motor 33 is locked and centered in place by the provision of a latching relay pivoting a rocker arm 81 into position to enter cutouts 83 in a locking member disc 84. The disc 84 is fixedly coupled'to the member 31 and rotates therewith. t

The shaft 32 also supports a timing or indexing disc which rotates therewith and is, fixedly secured thereto (see FIGS. 2, 3, and 8).

The indexing disc 90 includes a plurality of slots 90a and one smaller width slot 90b. The slots 90a are related to the position of the rotatable devices 37 and provide signals to permit the positioning of a selected one of such devices 37 over the machine bed 20.

As shown there are ten slots (90a and 90b) one for each of the rotatable devices 37. At 93 in FIGS. 2 and 8 there is shown a light source and an associated light sensor 94 i.e., a photo cell and amplifier (both mounted in an enclosure with the disc 90) to detect signals generated as the disc cuts across the light beam emitted by the light source. In this manner signals are developed which are related to shaft position as well as device 37 position. I

In order to briefly describe the operation of the indexing control means, reference should now be had to FIG. 8 which shows in block form logic for accomplishing the above.

The indexing and positioning of a selected one of the plurality of rotatable devices or means 37 in a position to apply a mark to the ticket is accomplished using a binary coded decimal input switch 95 for providing an output'signal in a binary coded decimal format representing a selection of a device 37. A particular device 37 may be selected depending upon the color code which may be -required as a marking on a ticket.

A suitable switch for this application may be purchased from Digitran Inc. of Pasadena, Calif. as Series 300 Type 378. After the coded information is available at the output of switch 95, the on-off switch or control 96 may be closed to set a Flip-flop 97 to provide a signal to a conventional motor drive and control block 98 to cause the latching relay 80 to withdraw the arm member 81 (by rotating it clockwise as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8) out of one of the slots in the member 84 so that the indexable member 31 carrying the devices 37 can rotate after motor 33 is turned on.

The setting of Flip-H00 97 also turns the motor 33 on thus rotating

gears

34, 35 and shaft 32 carrying

membars

31 and 83. The closing of switch 96 also resets a Flip-flop 99 forming a part of a zero detector 100. The

zero detector Flip flop 99 provides signals to reset a pulse counter coupled to the sensor 94 as well as a signal from the Flip-flop 99 to a three input NAND gate 101.

The zero detector 100 comprises a monostable Flipflop 102 responsive to negative going signals from the sensor 94. The sensor 94 providing a negative going output waveform when a slot passes between it and the light source 94. As used herein the term high represents a high potential (logical 1) and the term low represents a lowpotential or zero volts (logical 0). g

The negative going waveform from sensor94 triggers a monostable amplifier providing a high signaltfor a predet'erminedperiod of time when it returns to its original low state) to one of the inputs ofa NAND circuit 103. The other input of the NAND circuit 103 is coupled directly to the sensor 94. Thus, whenever the narrow width slot 90b passes by sensor 94 it is detected and a low output signal is provided at the output of NAND circuit 103. Detection of slot90b occurs be cause' the output from sensor 94 goes high '(narrow pulse width representing passage of the slot past the sensor 94 as the disc continues to rotate past the sensor while and before the monostable Flip-flop 102 is still providing a high signal (long pulse width signal since it has not yet timed out). The detection of slot 90b indicates a zero point of the beginning of the count.

After the monostable Flip-flop 102 has timed out, it provides a low input to NAND circuit 103 and therefore the NAND output remains low. When the larger slots 90a move past the sensor the monostable F lip-flop is triggered as before except that the larger width slot causes the sensor 94 to provide a lowsignal (large pulse width) even after the Flip-flop output 102 goes low. Thus the NAND gate 103 only changes its state when both inputs are high and will only provide alow signal when slot 90b is detected bythe sensor 94.

The detection of the zero point or slot causes a pulse counter 104 to be reset, the counter being positioned to count pulses from the sensor 94.

At this time, comparison is going on in a conventional comparator 105 between the BCD input signal provided by switch 95 and the pulse count from counter 104. When coincidence is made indicating that the selected rotatable device 37 is in position to be stopped over the bed 20,the comparator providesa high signal to the NAND gate 101 which already has a high signal applied thereto from the Flip-flop 99 after it has been set by the detection of slot 90b.

The third input to NAND circuit 101 is derived from the sensor 94 which provides a low signal when a slot is passing in front of the sensor 94 and a high signal when light is blocked from the sensor. The next time the sensor 94 signal goes high while the comparator 105 and Flip-flop 99 are'providing high signals the 6 NAND gate 101 output goes low to reset F lip-flop 97.

The change in output from Flip-flop then causes the motor 33 to stop to position the member 31. This I change in signal also causes the member 81 to swing ond rotatable means supporting a plurality of mark applying means, means supported by said frame for indexing the first support means to position a selected one of said second support means at a point at which a mark is to be applied to the object to be marked, means supported by said first rotatable support means for applying marking material to one of said mark applying means at a time, and means supported by the frame for automatically rotating one of said second rotatable support means to cause one of said markapplying means supported thereby to be positioned for applying a mark to the object, and at the same time also cause a different one of said mark applying means supported by said same second rotatable support means to engage the i means for applying marking material in order to permit marking material to be applied thereto, in which the object is supported on a machine bed supported by said frame and in which there is provided actuating means supported by said frame for relatively moving the machine bed and said mark applying means while the ob; ject is supported on the machine bed under the mark applying means to cause a mark to be applied to the object, in which said actuating means includes first couplingmeans for rotating said selected one of said plurality'of second rotatable support means, in which said first coupling'means also rotates said marking material applying means adjacent said selected second support means to cause it to apply marking material to said selected second rotatable support meanssup'ported mark applying means, and in which said marking material applying means comprises a roll carrying said mark applying materials which is rotated with the rotation of said scond rotatable meansto dispense mark applying material to said mark applying means; 1

2. A marking system according to claim 1 in which said first coupling means comprises gear means coupled to said by markapplying means and said marking material applying means. i

3. A marking system for applying a mark to an object, said system comprising frame means, a first rotatable support meanssupported by said frame means for rotation,.a plurality of second rotatable support meanssupported about the periphery of said. first rotatable support means for rotation, each of said second rotatable support means supporting a plurality of mark applying means about the periphery thereof, a plurality of rotatable marking material supply means carrying marking material and supported by said first rotatable support means for rotation, one of each of said marking mate-' rial supply means positioned adjacent a different one of said second rotatable means to make one at a time contact with each of the plurality of mark applying means supported by each of said second rotatable means, means supported by said frame means for supporting the object to which a mark is to be applied, means supported by said frame means for rotating the first rotatable support means to position a selected one of said second support means at a print point at which a mark is to be applied to an object by said mark applying means carried by each of said second support means, first drive means supported by said frame means for relatively moving said object support means and said first rotatable support means to produce a mark on an object supported by said object support means, and second drive means coupled to intermittently rotate the second rotatable support means which is positioned at the print point in order to position one of said mark applying means supported thereby in position to apply a mark to the object and also cause mark' applying material to be transferred from said marking material supply means to another of said mark applying means supported by the same second rotatable support means.

4. A marking system according to claim 3 in which first coupling means is provided which is coupled to said second drive means and is also coupled to the marking material supply means positioned adjacent the second rotatable support means which is positioned at the print point to simultaneously rotate said marking material supply means and said second rotatable support means located at the print point.

5. A marking system according to claim 4 in which said first coupling means comprises first gear means supported by said second rotatable support means and second gear means supported by said marking material supply means.

6. A marking system according to claim 3 each of said second rotatable support means is supported about said first rotatable support means so that in rotation of said first rotatable support means the second support means are coupled and uncoupled to said second drive means.

Claims

1. A marking system for applying a mark to an object or the like, said system comprising a frame, first rotatable support means supported by said frame, a plurality of second rotatable support means, said first rotatable support means supporting about its periphery each of said second rotatable support means each of said second rotatable means supporting a plurality of mark applying means, means supported by said frame for indexing the first support means to position a selected one of said second support means at a point at which a mark is to be applied to the object to be marked, means supported by said first rotatable support means for applying marking material to one of said mark applying means at a time, and means supported by the frame for automatically rotating one of said second rotatable support means to cause one of said mark applying means supported thereby to be positioned for applying a mark to the object, and at the same time also cause a different one of said mark applying means supported by said same second rotatable support means to engage the means for applying marking material in order to permit marking material to be applied thereto, in which the object is supported on a machine bed supported by said frame and in which there is provided actuating means supported by said frame for relatively moving the machine bed and said mark applying means while the object is supported on the machine bed under the mark applying means to cause a mark to be applied to the object, in which said actuating means includes first coupling means for rotating said selected one of said plurality of second rotatable support means, in which said first coupling means also rotates said marking material applying means adjacent said selected second support means to cause it to apply marking material to said selected second rotatable support means supported mark applying means, and in which said marking material applying means comprises a roll carrying said mark applying materials which is rotated with the rotation of said scond rotatable means to dispense mark applying material to said mark applying means.

2. A marking system according to claim 1 in which said first coupling means comprises gear means coupled to said by mark applying means and said marking material applying means.

3. A marking system for applying a mark to an object, said system comprising frame means, a first rotatable support means supported by said frame means for rotation, a plurality of second rotatable support means supported about the periphery of said first rotatable support means for rotation, each of said second rotatable support means supporting a plurality of mark applying means about the periphery thereof, a plurality of rotatable marking material supply means carrying marking material and supported by said first rotatable support means for rotation, one of each of said marking material supply means positioned adjacent a different one of said second rotatable means to make one at a time contact with each of the plurality of mark applying means supported by each of said second rotatable means, means supported by said frame means for supporting the object to which a mark is to be applied, means supported by said frame means for rotating the first rotatable support means to position a selected one of said second support means at a print point at which a mark is to be applied to an object by said mark applying means carried by each of said second support means, first drive means supported by said frame means for relatively moving said object support means and said first rotatable support means to produce a mark on an object supported by said object support means, and second drive means coupled to intermittently rotate the second rotatable support means which is positioned at the print point in order to position one of said mark applying means supported thereby in position to apply a mark to the object and also cause mark applying material to be transferred from said marking material supply means to another of said mark applying means supported by the same second rotatable support means.