US472951A - Postal date and time stamping machine - Google Patents

Description

( o odel) O I E. LUNDSTEDT. .6 Sheets Sheet 1 Y lPOSTAL DATE AND TIME STAMPING MACHINE.

Patented Apr. 12,1892.

Invenor:

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O. BLUNDSTEDT. POSTAL DATE AND TIME STAMPING MACHINE.

110,472,951. y Patented Apr. 12, 1892.

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Patented Apr. 12,1892.

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0. E. LUNDSTEDT.

POSTAL DATE AND TIME STAMPING MAUHINE.

No. 472,951.. Patented Apr. 12', 1892 Imn/Zar.'

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0. E.`LUNDSTBDT. POSTAL DATE AND TIME STAMPING MACHINE.

No. 472,951i Patented Apr. 12, 1892.

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TosTAL DATE AND TIME STAMTTNG MACHINE.

No. 472,951. PatentsedApr. 12, 1892.l

Inman/Z0?" UNirn* Tatras l PATENT artica.

OLOF LUNDSTEDT, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO JOHN M. GLOVER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

POSTAL DATE AND TllVlfE STAMP-ING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 472,951, dated April 12,1892.

Application filed March 27. 1891 Serial No. 386,640. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, OLoF E. LUNDSTEDT, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented .a new and useful Postal Date and Time Stamping Machine; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters and figures of reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification. n

My invention relates to an improvement in dating and canceling stamps for letters, and has for its object to provide a machine -for use in post-offices which shall automatically print with accuracy and great dispatch upon a number of letters in succession the time and date of imprint, and, if required, simul way,`are thence carried forward automatically and fed one at a time in proper form and order into position to receive the impress of the printing and canceling devices and thereafterdelivered in proper order from the machine.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of the. dating and canceling machine, its motor being omitted from the View. Fig. 2 is a vertical section in line ot' Fig. l, affording a rear elevation of the principal portion of the machine, some of the parts being broken away to better illustrate underlying details; Fig. 3, a detailed section inline a dof Fig. l, illustrating the construc-x tion of the upper guideway, from which the letters are fed to the machine; Fig. 4., a section through the frame-work on line y y of Fig'. 1, aording a plan view of the end of the machine containing the printing and canceling devices; Fig. 5, a horizontal longitudinal section in line ,e z of Fig. 2; Fig. 6, an end o View of the head containing the electro-magnets; Fig. 7, a cross-section of said head in 'line t t, and Fig. 8 a similar section in line u and electrical connections by means of which the machine is operated. Fig. 12 is a section on the line l2 l2 of Fig. 2,looking toward the right.

Similar letters and numerals indicate like parts in all of the figures.

A represents the inclined guideway, upon lwhich the letters, previouslyassorted so as to bring the superscription and the postagestamps upon all of them inthe same relative position, are placed on edge with their faces to the front. This guideway A is composed of a series ot' narrow plates a a, set on edge, .with narrow open longitudinal .intervals between them, forming a grating, Which is supported upon transverse rods b b, passing through apertures in the plates, the width of the'intervals being determined by means of collars c c of vuniform length` -titted upon the rods between the plates, vas shown in the detail, Fig. 3. The upper vend of theinclined grating or open guideway A may be extended by means of a solid wooden or metallic plate A of the same width, and its sides are guarded by suitable side plates A2A2. The lower end of the inclined guideway A is brought into close proximity to a vertical wall B in the form of an open grating corresponding with l mounted between the plates a d ot the in-V IOO clined Way, and which are supported to have free longitudinal play in boxes e e, secured between the plates, the same being preferably lined with felt or other soft material to prevent the brush-bars from rattling therein.

An adjusting-disk D of large diameter is mounted centrally in front of thevertical Wall `B upon the end of a shaft D', mounted to rowith a suitable driving-pulley D3.

tate in suitable journal-boxes D3 D3 immediately above the top of the Wall at arightangle with its face, and whose outer end is provided The shaft D' is left free to have longitudinal play in its bearings, and is Aautomatically carried forward endwise by means of a light encircling spiral spring g, its movement being arrested by the collar or hub of the pulley D3. The lower half of the disk D is thus made to overlap the Wall B, so t-hat'the upper .ends of the letters carried down upon the guideway t0- ward said WallWill rest against the Wheel.

A carriage A3 is mounted to run freely down the inclined guideway A, said carriage being weighted, so as to cause it to carry down before 4it. with an even pressurethe letters which are to be stamped and which have been severally placed on edge in front. thereof upon the guide- Way. The carriage thus acts automatically by its gravity to retain the letters in proper place and order and to move them forward against the Wall B and the revolving disk D.

The date and `time printingwvheels E E', Figs. 4, 9, and l0, for the apparatus are mounted within acylindrical head or casing E upon an axis 22 therein, independent of that of the head. The head is secured to the end of a tubular shaft F, which extends par-` allel with the Wall B below and at the 'rear thereof. The head is thus made to revolve with the shaft, and at each revolution thereof the peripheries of the printing-Wheels containedtherein are brought into line of print in the vert-ical plane of the front face-of the Wall B and beneath its lower end. (See Figfl.)

A suitable impression-roller G, properly faced to serve as a platen for the type on the printing-Wheel and Whoseradius corresponds with the distance `of the face of the type on the printing-wheels from the axis of the head in which they are mounted, is mounted immediately opposite the printing-head E, so that a letter-envelope passing between the two shall be thereby carried into contact with the printing-wheels in manner to receive an.

impression therefrom, Figs. l and 4. The bearings for the journal-shaft for the'impression-roller G are formed inv the ends of parallel arms G G', projecting from a rock-shaft G3, ymounted immediately belowv the roller in suitable bearings in the frame-Work of the machine, and this rock-shaft is oscillated to carrythe arms G and impressionroller G 5 fragst H', fixed upon one end of the impression-roller,

and with a pinion H3, Which gears in turn With 7 5 a toothed Wheel H3 on the shaft F, which carries the printing-head E. The pinion H is `fixed upon the inner end of a driving-shaft L,

iivhose outer end is journaled in a'bearing in the outer epd of the frame-Work by which the 8o machine is supported, as shown in Fig. 2, said :driving-shaft being fitted With a driving-pulley or band-Wheel L', by means of Which the 3 machine may be geared to its motor. 1

The contact of the printing-Wheels E E with the impression-roller G is guarded and rendered uniform by ymeans of a circular disk or Wheel E3, Xed upon the vouter end of the printing-head E concentric With its axis,

and of a corresponding disk or wheel E3, (see 9o Figs. 2 and 4,) connected and attached to the first at a suitable distance therefrom by a connecting rod or spindle E4, whose axis coincides with that of the printing-head, the

radius of said disks E3 and E3 being made 95 equal to the extreme distance of the face of the type onthe printing-Wheels in the head E from the axis of said head. j The inner one of these steadying-disks is made to bear against the periphery of the impression-roller 1oo G, which is extended longitudinally to admit thereof, and the outer Idisk E3 is made to bear against a corresponding disk G3, mounted upon an extension of the'axial shaft, upon which the roller G is m.ounted,`as shown in 105.

Fig. 4, the diameters of said disks and of the rollerV G being all equal, as above set forth.

In addition to the adjustable date and time printing-Wheels E', carried by the head E,

the head is also provided With a device for 11o canceling the postage-stain ps upon the letters. This canceling device consists of a plate 50, adapted tomake when inked a suitable impression` uponthe letter, said plate being attached to the headE so as to project slightly from its peripheryin a line with and on the saine plane as the face of the time-printing wheels, Figs. 2,4, and 9. The attachment is effected by means of a ring or collar 5l, to

Which the plate is secured and which is made 12o to iit upon a projection or hub 52 at the end of the head in an annular seat or rabbet formed to receive it, as shown in Fig. 9. When placed in its seat and properly-ad j usted,

the ring and canceling-plate are confined by 1'25 a spring-catch 5,3,v secured to the hub gage the outer face of the ring.

. A shaft I is mounted above and parallel With the shaft F, which carries the printingto enhead and in thesame vertical plane, and is 13o geared to rotate in unison with the shaft F -by means of a toothed Wheel I', fixed upon the shaft I to mesh With a pinion I3, which gears with the'toothed Wheel H3 on the shaft- F, Figs'l and 2. rlhis feed-shaftl carries a series of disks J J J, fixed thereon at `intervals corresponding with the openings between the bars a a of the wall or grating B, and which are severally formed each with a segmental peripheral projection J2 thereon, whose radius corresponds with the distance between the face of the type on vthe printing-wheels and the axis of the printing-head in which they are mounted, and which at each revolution of the disk will pass between the proximate bars ot a of the grating B, so as to project slightly beyond the face thereof into contact with the face of the letter-en velope borne against it by the action of the weighted feed-carriage A2.

-The feed-shaft I and the shaft F, carrying the printing-head E, are so geared as that the disks J shall move at the same speed and in l unison with the printing-head, and their segmental feed projections J2 J2 shall pass betweenthe bars a slightly in advance of the contact of the printing-wheels E E with the impression-roller G. The periphery of each of the feed projections J2 is faced with rubber or felt or its equivalent, so as to produce a frictional contact with the letters carried against it. Y

The feed-shaftI and the pinion I2, by which it is geared with the shaft F, are both journaled in a swinging frame K, which is pivoted loosely upon the shaft F beyond or outside of the guideway A for the letters and above the driving-shaft L, as shown in Fig. 2.

-An arm or lever K extends from the frame away from the grating, so as to become in operative. A toe M, (see dotted lines, Fig. 1,)

projecting from the lever-frame K, is also made to contact with a pin M', (see, also, Figs. 2 and 4,) projecting from a bracket on one of the arms G, which carry the impression-roller G in such manner as that when the levers K are elevated to throw the feed-segments back -the frame-work of the machine at a little distance below the impression-roller, and a chute consisting of a grated rear wall P, side plates P', and a grated front wall P2 is interposed between the lower end of the delivery-way and `the under side of the printing -head E and impression-roller G, the top of the rear wall P being placed under the printing-head E a little to the rear of the plane of its con-v tact with the impression-roller G. This rear wall P is in the form of a grating, similar to the wall B in the upper part of` the machine.

A rotating shaft Q is mounted immediately, above the foot of the delivery-way N and at j the rear of the lower end of the grated rear wall P of thel delivery-chute, and'is geared by av pulley Q and belt Q2 to a pulley L2 on the driving-shaft L, so as to be made to ,rotate in unison with the upper feed-segments J J and the printing-head E. Upon this lower shaft Q is fitted a series of circular disks Q2 Q2 at intervals apartcorresponding with the openings between the bars of the rear wall P of the chute. l

The delivery-chute P P P2 is pivoted lnear its upper end upon a transverse rod or rockshaft P2,so that itslower end may rest against the inner side of a transverse ledge or strip N2 at the foot of the delivery-way N a'nd4 swing forward therefrom, so as to clear the .chute from the feed-disks Q2 Q2, and at the same time push forward the letters resting on the way. The oscillation of the deliverychute, whenever the feed of the letters through the machine is arrested, is produced automatically by means of a lever O, (see Fig. 4 and dotted lines, Fig. 1,) projecting from the rock-shaft P2, uponwhich the chute is pivoted, and which is so bent as to carryits forward end alongside the lever K', in position to rest upon a lateral pin O- upon said lever, so that when the lever K is lifted to throw the feed mechanism out of gear it will also operate to oscillate the delivery-'chute in manner as described. This lever O is secured tothe rock-shaft P2 by means of a set-screw 7l,` which permits of its adjustment on the shaft. The periphery of each feed-disk Q2 Q2 is faced with rubber, felt, or other soft adhesive fabric, and the shaft Q is so placed in relation to the chute that when the latter is allowed to swing back to its normal position', with its lower end resting against the footledge N2 of the delivery-way` the peripheries of the disks shall project slightly beyond the face of the rear wall P, and thereby contact with the letter-s passing down the `chute to feed them onward. When the chute is swung forward, it is carried clear of the disks, so that they will no longer operate to move the letters. The shaft Q is fitted with a 'pulley R, Fig. 2, carrying -a cord R', (see Fig. 1,) by which it is geared to the driving-pulley D2 of the upper adjusting-disk D in the machine to impart motion thereto. It is also geared by 'means of a second pulley R2 and cord R2 to the inking-rollers for Athe printing-head. These inking-rollers S S are journaled in the frame-work ofy the machine, one above the other, in such position that the lower distributing-roller S shall contact with the type carried by the printing-head E at each revo- ITO - its journals being to this end tted in the customary manner in slotted bearing-boxes S2.

The time and date wheels carried with the printing-head E areactuated by means of a spindle T, extending longitudinally through the tubular shaft F, upon which the printinghead is secured and by means whereof it is revolved. This central spindle T admits of rotation within the shaft F independently, thereof and projects into a cylindrical head or casingW, secured upon the outer end of the shaft F to revolve with it.

A sleeve .10 (see Fig. 5) is fitted loosely upon the'end of the spindle T within the head W, and from this sleeve four arms 11 1.1 11 11 (see Fig. 8) are made to radiate at right angles with each other and serving to support the ends of a soft-iron plate 12, titted andv secured upon the arms to extend parallel with the/sleeve. Electro-magnets 13 13 are secured within the casing oppositey each of the four sott-iron plates 12, each platebeing thus made to serve as an armature for the magnet, its movement to and from-the magnet being Ain the arc ot a circle, having the spindle T as its center and operating to producel an oscillating rotatory movement of the sleeve 10 uponthe spindle. This oscillating movement of the sleeve 10 about the spindle T as itsl axis is communicated, greatly enlarged, to the spindle itself by means of a train of gearing consisting of a large toothed Wheel14, (see Fig. 7,) fixed upon one end of the sleeve, or ot the frame carried by the sleeve, to `gear with a small pinion 15 upon an arbor 16, revolving in xed bearings provided for it within the head W, and which carries, also, a large toothedwheelo1segment18,which meshes with a small pinion 19 onv the end of the spindle T. Thus a slight oscillation of the arms 11 11, carrying the armatures 12 12, is mad-e by means of said gearing to produce a rocking movement ofthe spindle T of sufficient amplitude to impart to an oscillating pawl-frame 20, (see Figs. 5, 9, and 10,) secured to the opposite end of said spindle within the printinghead E, the extent of movement required for actuating the time andA date wheels. The armatures 12 12 are automatically retract-ed from the magnets by means of a spring 21., which maybe attached, as shown in Fig. 7, rto the periphery lof the toothed wheel or segment 18 in the above-describedgearing.

The date and time printing wheels E E revolve' upon a shaft 22, which is fitted Within the head E, parallel with but at one side of the shaft F, upon which the -head revolves. They are operatedv in thecustomary manner by means of pawls 23, carried by the oscillating frame 20, (see Fig. 10,) which is actuated, as described, by the oscillation of the'central spindle T under the action of the magnets 13 13, the spindle T being connected with the frame 2O b v a radial arm T', which engages loosely at its outer end the outer end ot`- the frame. A reverse movement of the printingwheels is prevented, as usual, by a springactuated pivoted dog 24.

The magnets 13 13 are excited and broughtI into action at regular intervals by the movement of a suitable timepiece,which operates to make and break in the customary manner an electric' circuit in which the magnets are included. The connection of this circuit with the magnet is obtained by means of a circu-` lar end plate or disk of insulating material 25, (see Figs. 5 and 6,) covering the outer end of the headW and fixed thereto to revolve with it and in whose outer face are inlaid or inserted two metallic rings 26 27, each of which is placed, in electrical connection by means of transverse pins 28 and 29, passing through the insulating-disk 25, with metallic conducting tongue or strip 34, attached to the insulatingblock 32.

A cross-bar 35 is secured to the frame-work of the lmachine to extend diametrically across y the outer face of the insulating end plate 25 at a short distance therefrom, and three insulated binding- screws 36, 37, and 38 are titted infsaid cross-bar to connect severally with elastic tongues 36*, 37*, and 38* of thin metal,

IOO

and the conducting- strips 30, 31, and 34 remains constant during the revolution of the head and its magnets.l

The conducting-strips 31 and l34 (see Figs. 6 and 7) are connected by suitable wires with the coils of the magnets-13 13, and these are all included in one circuit. The third conducting-strip 30 is connected with a wire extending in a loop to the conducting-strip 31 to form a circuit, which is controlled by a spring-plate 40, included therein, and whose elasticityoperates normally to form a contact with an opposite plate 40* to close the circuit. This circuit-closer is fixed Within the head W to revolve with it, and itsr spring-plate is so disposed with reference to the radial arms 11, supporting the armatures 12, that an insulated pin 41, (see Figs. 5 and 7,) projecting.

lfrom the toothed Wheel 14, shall extend into such close proximity and relation to the spring that when the arm is oscillated by IIO the date and time wheels E E', it follows that the circuit is opened during the movements of said wheel and again closed when th movement is completed.

The collars of insulating material 45 45 are titted side by side in contact at any suitable point upon-the shaft F, and are secured thereto by set-screws to revolve with it. Each carries upon its peripherya transverse metalro lic strip or plate 46 46* in such manner that the inner ends of the plates on the two collars lmay be brought into close electrical contact.

other and to a liueparallel with the axis of the shaft may be obtained, so that the edge of one of the plates may be placed more or less in advance of the corresponding edge ot' the other plate without breaking the contact zo of their ends.

Electrical conducting springs or tongues 47 47* are secured to an arm 4S, extending for support from the frame-work ot the machine parallel With the shaft F, in position to per- Vmit the outer ends of the tongues to rest severally, each upon one of the transverse plates on the collars, whereby an electrical circuit may, for a purpose to be hereinafter described, be closed from the one tongue 47 through the 3o two contacting plates 46 46* to the other tongue 47* at each revolution of the shaft, the

"relative duration of contact being determined by the relative adj ustmentof the plates. The insulating-collars are so adjusted upon the shaft F that the tongues rest npon'the conducting-plates, so that a circuit maybe closed through them at the moment when the printing-wheels areA at line of print and an impres` sion is being taken therefrom.v By the -time 4o this has been accomplished the continued revolution of the shaft will carry the plates tromunder the tongues, allowing t-he latter to restupon the insulating-collars,andtherehy breaking the circuit through them. The duration of the time during which the circuit will remain closed through the plates and tongues is readily adjusted by turning one of the collars independently of the other until the front edge of its plate isinore or less in advance of 5o that of the plate upon the other collar.

The machine is driven by an electrical m0- tor of any approved description, (see the diagram Fig. 11,) to be operated bya current from a dynamo or from a central electrical station,'the connections or bin ding-posts for which are represented by 61 61* in said diagram. The motor 60. is geared by a belt to the driving-pulley L of the machine.

The date and time wheels E are adjusted 6o automatically once every minute or at other measured intervals of time by means of a clock 62 of any approved description, which is fitted in the customary manner with a device for opening an electric circuit in a shunt from the main dynamo-circuit by the wires 63 64. This circuit extends from the one binding-post 61 by means of the wire 63 to the makeandtherein. 'opened by the movement of the clock at each By turning either collar` au adjust` ment of the two plates 46 46* relatively to each f minute or other predetermined interval the current is allowed to followa shunt-circuitl through awire 66, connected near vthe clock to the Wire'63, and which extends thence to the bindingscrew 37 of the head W, and through the conducting- strips 33 and 34 to the coils of the several electro-magnets, which are thereby all connected in circuit, and thence to the conducting-strip 31, through which and its connections with the return-wire 64 the circuit willbe completed back tothe bindingpost 61*. The shunt-circuit is of greater resistance than the first circuit and normally little current flows over it; but when at each break of the tirst circuit by the clock the entire current is compelled t0 4tiow over the shuntcircuit the electro-magnets 13 13 are thereby brought into action to move the armatures 12 12 and thereby retract, in manner as hereinbefore described, the pawls, by whose return movement under the stress of the spring governing them the minute-Wheel of the time indicating and printing mechanism is actuated. As the armatures are attracted by the magnets their movement willoperate, by means of the insulated pin 41, to open and hold open the switch 40 until they are released by the close of the main clock-circuit, which, however, will now be held open atl the switch after it has been closed at the clock until, vas will be presently explained, it is automatically closed by the closing of a shunt-circuit formed by the contact of the tongues 47 47* with the plates 46 46* onA the insulating-disks 4545',

fitted upon the shaft F, carrying the print-l ing-wheels, said plates being so adjusted on the shaft as to close said shunt-circuit so soon as the` printing-wheels have made their impression and are free to be' moved. This shunt-circuit is formed by means of a Wire 67, connecting the Wire 63 of the clock-circuit With the tongue 47, and a second Wire 68, connecting the tongue 47* with the wire 64 of the clock-circuit. It is thus made impossible for the date and time wheels to be moved so long as they are in position to make an impression; but it' the action of the clock ,by which their movement is mediately effected occurs at the time when an impression is being made the action of the pawls by which they are actuated is suspended until the wheels have moved out ot'l line of print.

.To guard against an intermission in the ducting-plates `4to 463011 said disks, a third,

shunt-circuit is provided in connection with the switch, by means of which the electric motor by which the machine is driven-is thrown inand out of circuit, so that the action of the switch in cutting out the motor and stopping the machine will close said anxiliary shunt. This third auxiliary shunt is obtained by connecting the wire 63 in theV main clock-circuit and the wire 64 by means of wires 69 69 with the switch 70, in manner substantially as shown in Fig. ll, whereby if a stoppage of `the motor occurs when the shunt through the wires G7 and 68 is open the shunt through the wires 69 will be closed as a substitute therefor, so as to permit the release of the lnagnets to operate the date andtime wheels at the proper moment in manner as described.

To facilitate the proper movement of `the time-wheels bythe action of the clock and of the magnetsbrought into circuit thereby during the movement of the machine 4atits high-- est rate of'speed, a resistance-box 7l is placed in the circuit between the dynamo or source of electrical supply at 61 6l* and the motor 60, and a short circuit 72 is provided for the current around this l resistance-box, to be closed by the contact of a spring carrying thearinature 73 of a relay-magnet 74, whose coil is included in the second shunt-circuit between the clock and the ,head W, formed by the wire 66,so that when the time-controlling circuit is broken bythe movement of the clock to cause a movement ofl the timewheels the magnet 7 4 of the relay will be excited, and the consequent movement of its armature will operate to break the short circuit 72, and, by throwing the resistance-box 7l into the motor-circuit, cause the motor to slow up until the clock-circuitis closed again.

In the operation of the machinethelettersto be stamped or impressed are placed on edge on theguideway A, all facing toward the wall B, with the postage-stamps thereon in the upper corner,next to the disk D,so as to be forced and fed toward the wall and disk witha constant gentle pressure bythe weight of the carriage A3, bearing against them. The foremost letter will be moved laterally by its contact vwith the disk D, so as to be carried evenly against the side wall of the guideway, by which movement all the letters are brought into the same relative position with regard to the printing-wheels beneath. At each revolution of the disks J the feed-segments J2 come into play to bear against the face of said foremost letter, and by frictional contact therewith force it down past the brushes C',

. which ofterbut slight resistance thereto, and

into position to be caught between the printing-head E and impression-roller G, 4which in their revolution will draw the letter down betxveenA them and deliver it into the chute P beneath them. In passing between the printing-head and impression-roller the letter will receive an imprint from the time-wheels of the exact date and time of the impression,

and its postage-stamp will be at the same time cancelled. Reaching the lower end of the delivery-chute, the letter will be forced in behind that which preceded it by the action of the revolving rubber-faced disks Q3 Q3 bearing upon it, and as each successive letter is thus inserted at the foot of the deliveryw'ay N those in front will be forced in regular order up said delivery-way, being kept in due form by means of a light carriage N3, placed upon the way'. l/Vhile the letters are thus passing through the machine the timewheels E in the printing-head E, by which each letter is imprinted with the date and hour of impression,are automatically moved, to indicate accurately the time, by the intermittent action of the pawls in the head E, occasioned by the intermittent vitalization of the magnets 13 13 in the head W, caused by the make and break at regular intervals through the action of a clock 62, and in manner as hereinbefore described of an electric circuit including saidmagnets. It is obvious that in the normal operation of the machine the printing-head 'E rotates -much morerapidly than the time-wheels are .changed and that man)T letters are stamped in one minute, .if that be the unit of time adopted in which said wheels are to be actuated.

,I claim as my invention- IOC time stamp, of an inclined way, a slotted wall extending across the lower end thereof, leaving an intervening opening, a follower moving automatically down the Way, devices for propelling in a direction parallel with the face of the wall the letter-envelopes pressed against it, so as to produce their delivery at its lower end, and a disk revolving in a plane parallelwith the face of the wall and overlapping a portion of its upper end, substantially in the manner and for the herein set forth.

2. The combination, ina postal date and time stamp, of an inclined way, a transverse wall at the foot thereof,- devices for propelling in a direction parallel with the face of the wall the letter-envelopes pressed against it to produce their delivery at its lower end, and spring-actuated bars movable at right angles to the face of the wall and terminating purpose IIO ITS l in elastically-yielding tips to contact lightly against the lower end of the wall under the` ted or gratfed chute interposed between the n lower end of the inclined Wayland the printing-head, and revolving disks mounted at the rear of the slotted chute to project severally through the slots therein, whereby the envelopes passing down the chu-te are fed forward by contact with the peripheries of said disks, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

4. The combination, in a postal date and time stamp, with its revolving printingfhead and its opposite impression roller, of a pivoted -slotted or grated delivery-chute whose upper 5. The combination, in a postal date andiime stamp, with an inclined way and a transverse slotted wall at the foot thereof, leaving a narrow open interval between the two, of a rotating shaft mounted in a pivoted frame at the rear of the wall to oscillate to and from it, disks mounted on said shaft having peripheral projections adapted to pass through the slots in the wal-l when the frame is swung toward it and t'obe clear thereof when the frame is swung back, an arm extending from the swinging frame to operate it, and a catch to confine said arm, substantially in the manner and forthe purpose herein set forth.

o'. The combination, `in a postal date and time sta-mp, with an inclined receiving-way, of a grated wall at the lower end thereof, leaving a narrow open interval between the two, an oscillating frame at the rear of said wall, a shaft revolving in said frame, carrying feedsegments to revolve between the bars of the grated wall, an arm or lever operating the s-winging frame, whereby it is caused to swing to and from the wall, a revolving printinghead, an opposed impression-roller, a swinging frame in which said impression-roller is mounted, a spring carrying said roller against the printinghead,and a finger extending from the swinging frame, carrying the impressionroller into position to be engaged by the lever actuating the swinging frame which carries the revolving feed-segments, whereby when said segments are swungback from their operative position the impression-roller will be swung clear of the printing-head, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth. y

7. The combination, in a postal date and time stamp, with an inclined receiving-way, of a grated wall at the lower end thereof, leaving a narrow open interval between the two, an oscillating frame -at the rear of said wall, a shaft revolving in said frame, carrying segments to revolve between the bars of the grated wall, an arm or lever operating the swinging frame, whereby it is caused to swing to and from the wall, a revolving printing-head and its opposite impression-roller mounted below the end of the receiving-way, p

an oscillating chute mounted below said head and roller, feed-disks mounted upon a shaft at the rear of the chute to project through the slots in the chute when the latter is in its normal position,and an arm projecting from said chute into engagement with a pin upon the larm or lever governing the swinging frame carrying said feed-disks, whereby when the segments are swung away from the slotted wall of the upperinclined way the delivering-chute will be swung away from its. feeddisks, substantially in the manner 'and for vthe purpose herein set forth.

8. The combination, in a postal date and time stamp, with its revolving printing-head, of theY detachable collar'pencircling one end thereof',vthe spring confining said collar, and the canceling plate or stamp carried by said collar, substantially in the mannerandfor the purpose herein set forth. l

9. The combination, in a date and time stamp, with the printing-head tubular rotating shaft, of an ar or mounted 90, ounted on a within the head parallel with the shaft and at one side thereof, a printing-wheel mounted to revolve upon said arbor, a ratchet-wheel'- actuating the printing-wheel, a rock-shaft exv tending into the head through its tubular shaft, an arm projecting. radially within the head from the rock-shaft, and an. oscillating pawl actuated by the movement of said arm to engage the ratchet-wheel, substantially in IOO themanner and for the purpose-herein Aset forth.

10. The combination, in a date and time stamp, of a tubular shaft, 'a central rock-shaft inclosed within the tubular shaft to revolve with it and oscillating independently thereof, a head attached to and revolving with the tubular shaft, indicating mechanism revolving independently upon a lateral shaft fixed in said head to move withfit, and an oscillat- 'ing frame mounted within the head to actuate the indicating mechanism and itself actuated by the independent movement of the rock-shaft, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

11. The combination, in a time-stamp, of a revolving head and time-indicating wheels mounted within the head to revolve independently thereof, substantially in the man- IIO".

head, revolving time-printing in the head, andan opposite impression-roller serving as a platen for the printing-wheels at each revolution of the head, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

13.. The combination, in a time-stamp, of a revolving head, an opposite revolving impression-roller contacting with the head, timeprinting wheels revolving independently in the head upon an independent axis and brought to line of print against the impression-roller by the revolution of the head, and devices for feeding letter-envelopes in between the head and impressionLroller to be carried forward by their revolution, substantially inv the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

14. The combination of a tubular'shaft, the head or casing attached to the end of the shaft to revolve with it, a shaft rocking independently within the'tubular vshaft and projecting into the head, a wheel and intermediate devices whereby the type-wheel is ro-l tated by the rocking of the shaft, a loose sleeve upon the end of the rock-shaft, a pinion tiXed to said sleeve and geared mediately to the rock-shaft, an arm projecting radially from said sleeve Within the head, an armature attached to said arm, an electro-magnet fixedA to the head in position to attract said armature, and a spring to retractit, whereby the rock-shaft is oscillated by the action of the magnet While revolving in unison therewith about a common axis, an electric circuit connected with the magnet, and a make-andbreak mechanism included in said circuit, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth. A

y l5. The combination, in a 'time-stamp, of a revolving head, time-wheels revolving Within ,said head upon an independent axis, a rockhereinset forth.

16. The combination, in an electro-magnetic time-stamp, of a revolving head, time-wheels revolving independently- Within said head,

.a rock-shaft projecting into the head coincidently with its axis,intermediate mechanism for actuating the time-wheels from said shaft, an electro-magnet and intermediate mechanism for actuating the rock-shaft, saidm'a'gnet revolving in unison With the head, means for lmoving the rock-shaft in opposition to the magnet, a clockmovement included in an electric circuit and operating to make and break the circuit at regular intervals, an automatically-,closed switch in said circuit, a device operated by the armature of the magnet to open the switch, 'and a shunt-circuit from the clock-controlled circuit of greater resistancethan said clock-circuit and in which the magnet is included and through which the current will. be diverted AWhen the clockcircuit is opened, a normally-open shunt of low resistance about said magnet, and mea-ns to close said shunt, substantially in the manner-and for the purpose herein set forth.

17. The combination, in an electro-magnetic time-stamp, of a revolving printing-head, time-printingwheels revolving independent/ly Wi-thin said head, a rock-shaft projecting into the head c'oincidently with its axis, intermediate mechanism for actuating the printing- Wheels from said shaft, an electro-magnet and intermediate mechanism for actuating the rock-shaft, said magnet revolving in unison With the l1ead,a clock-movement included in an electric circuit and operating to make and break the circuit'at regularintervals, au automatically-closed switch in said circuit, a device operated by the movement'of the armature of the magnet to open the switch ,.a shuntcircuit from the clock-controlled circuit of greater resistance than said clock-circuit'and in which the magnet is included and through which the current will be diverted when the clock-circuit is open, conducting-wires forming a short circuit from the clock-circuit, and a circuit-closing device included in said short circuit and mounted to revolve in unison with rthe printing-head, whereby the short circuit will be closed when the printing-Wheels are at line of print, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two 'subscribing witnesses. l

, OLOF E. LUNDSTEDT.

Witnesses:

A. N. J'EsBERA, A. WIDDER.

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