US730968A - Portable hand-stamp. - Google Patents

Description

No. 730,968. PATENTED JUNE 16, 1903.

H. E. & H. S. REYNOLDS.

PORTABLE HAND STAMP.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 27, 1902.

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WITNESSES [NVENTORS No. 730,968. PATENTED JUNE 16,1903. H. E. & H. s. REYNOLDS. PORTABLE HAND STAMP.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 27, .1902.-

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WITNESSES Allarney No. '730,968.. PATENTBD JUNE 16, 1903.- H. E; & H. S. REYNOLDS.

PORTABLE HAND STAMP.-

APPLICATION FILED we. 27, 1902.

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INVENTOR5- a 7 Allorn ey m: uomus vnzns co. moYou'rua. WASNINETON u c UNITED STATES Patented June 16, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY E. REYNOLDS, OF BRAINTREE, MASSACHUSETTS, AND HOWARD S. REYNOLDS, OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA.

PORTABLE HAN D-STAM P.

SPECIFICATION-forming part of Letters Patent No. 730,968, dated June 16 1903.

Application filed August 27, 1902. Serial No. 121,254. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, HENRY E. REYNOLDS, of Braintree, county of Norfolk, and State of Massachusetts, and HOWARD S. REYNOLDS,

5 of Columbus, county of Muscogee, and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Hand- Stamps; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to 2o marking passenger-transfers or other tickets either when they are to be issued or after they have been taken up. The stamp will by one motion print or stamp on such ticket the routenumber,conductors number, the year, day, hour, and minute either of its issue or of its taking up, also such other items as it may be found convenient to record. We are aware that punching such tickets either when issued or when taken up, or both, is a common practice; but we regard this as very objectionable, both because of the mutilation of the ticket thereby and on account of loss of time and possibility of error in punching, also forslipped into our machine on top of the stack of blanks and stam ped there, after which said ticket can be withdrawn for delivery to the auditor or other proper officer of the railroad.

lVith these objects in View the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of 'inafter given.

parts, as will be more fully hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front view illustrating our improvements.

frame, is a stack 0 of ticket-blanks ready to i be stamped, each of them in its turn, having received the desired marks, being intended then to be taken out one by one by the conductor either for issue to a passenger or for delivery to the auditor or other proper officer of the railroad.

A horizontal shaft D passes through the center of a number of type-wheels turning freely around it, all of them having the same diameter and central circular holes of the same size closely yet loosely fitting the shaft, which is fiat on a part of its surface and round on the rest, being, in elfect, that part of a cylinder remaining after the rest has been split off by a plane parallel to its axis. Said shaft moves up and down as desired, being always parallel to the plane of thecase bottom plate and being of some light material, preferably wood, supported by and on a smaller concentric shaft R, whose ends travel vertically in guides or channels F F in the case side plates. Between each pair of typewheels a washer E closely embraces the shaft or cylinder and is stationary thereon, having a central hole partly circular and partly fiat in shape. The shaft or cylinder is by means of pins or other suitable means held stationary in a movable case G, to be hereinafter described, and this arrangement of type, wheels, washers, shaft, and case G is intended to enable any type-wheel to turn around the shaft D independently of and without causing to turn any other, for reasons to be here- Projecting radially outward from the circumference of each type-wheel X are arranged various characters or marks intended, like type, to be stamped or printed upon paper or other material held below on the case-bottom by the set-screw B, as stated. It may at once be seen that by bringing down the shaft D all of the wheels X will be caused to stamp or print simultaneously on said paper. The aforesaid case G, also preferably made of sheet metal and partly cylindrical in shape, contains and fits closely over the wheels, so that they turn easily within it. The ends of the concentric shaft R pass throughand are contained in the centers of the end faces of this case G. A cylindricallycurved apron-plate I, having at its bottom rim an upturned flange J, is by'means of end lugs K, pivoted on pins H, fastened in the end faces of case G, so that said plate I can through a short distance rotate easily around said pins H, the object of this arrangement being, as described, to bring the flange J into or out of notches cut around the circumference of the wheels, so as to hold said wheels in position with their desired characters or marks in correct alinement for simultaneous printing. In Fig. 2 this apron-plate is shown in position with its flange J in wheel-notches, thus holding a row of characters on wheels X correctly in line ready to print simultaneously when pressed down on the top surface of the paper blanks 0, held below on the case-bottom, and a spring L is so connected both with said apron-plate and with the case G as to crowd against the apron-plate, and thus cause it to keep its tlangeJ constantly in the wheelnotches.

Upon the upper surface of a platform M is to be fastened a sheet of some soft material saturated with ink and adapted to receive at the proper time the pressure of the typewheels. This platform is fastened to and supported by side strips N, through-whose upper ends a pin 0 passes, which pin also passes through and is supported by the side plates of the machine. Two lower pins P, secured in lugs fastened to and beneath the platform, turn freely in links Q, whose upper ends contain loosely the pins W, secured to the upper surface of case G. Thus the case G, the links Q, and the platform M, with its side strips N, when assembled as shown make up a flexible frame combination whose parts move freelywhileconnectedwitheachother. These frame part-s are also intended to be so proportioned and assembled together that each pin W and a shaft end B shall normally be and travel in the same vertical channel F, W being normally vertically over R. Also when the case G is at its highest position, as is shown in Fig. 1, the ink-sheet is pressed against the faces of the row of characters or marks held ready to print. Furthermore, when the case G is pressed downward the platform M and ink-sheet shall be forced to swing forward out of the way, so that the wheel characters now supplied with ink can descend unobstructed, so as to press down upon the paper, and when said characters ascend to their normal position the ink-sheet is to return to its place against the characters. One'or more mainspringsvY are to be so fastened and adjusted in this machine as to keep the case G normally at its highest position, as shown, and are to return said case to said position after it has been by hand-pressure or otherwise forced down, so as to stamp the type-wheels on the paper. These mainsprings maybe of any approved design. One We prefer is a wire helix coiled around half one way and half the other and fastened at its center to the pin 0, with its ends fastened into the ink-sheet-platform side strips N, while another design that may be used is a wire helix secured in each channel F below the pin B, so as to be compressed when case G is forced downward.

A horizontal channel Z,connecting with and having the same cross-section as the channel.

F, is formed in each side plate of the main frame. The object of this is to enable the operator to crowd forward the pins W into these channels Z to cant the case G containing the type-wheels into a convenient position forturning said wheels inorder to alter the marks or characters to be stamped, this alteration being, as stated, possible after backing the flange J out of the wheel-notches. Each wheel can then be altered in position independently of each and every other.

The operation of this form of our improvements is as follows: Having properly alined the desired marks or characters for simultaneous printing and having entered the flange J into the wheel-notches, so as to hold said characters thus alined by mainspring-pressure, the case G is raised to its normal and highest position and is then pressed downward to bring the type-wheels hard upon the paper below them. Next this pressure is relaxed, and the mainspring will force back case G to its normal position. Also when the wheel characters are to be changed after having turned case G so that pins W will have reached the ends of the channels Z upon pushing the apron-plate I upon the spring L to back flange J out from the wheel-notches the wheels are released and may be turned so as to bring any desired characters into position for printing. Each ticket after it has been stamped can be detached from the stack of blanks and delivered to the passenger', and when any such ticket is taken up by a conductor or other employee it may be slipped into his machine and held on top of his stack of blanks, then stamped there, and thereafter taken out to be delivered to the auditor or other proper officer of the road.

Instead of constructing our improvements as above described wemight make the same as shown in Figs. 8, 9, 10, and 11, which is below described in detail.

A main frame 1, preferably made of thin material, has a flat bottom plate on which IlO . vertical the aforesaid slide-frame.

are to be held down, by means of a set-screw 2, turning in said frame, a stack of blank tickets 3 to be stamped or printed. The upper part of the frame is formed into a handle 4, pivoted by pins 5 in the upper ends of the side plates of the main frame, lugs 6, through which said pins pass, being the lower extremities of the handle. These lugs bear against the upper ends of springs 7, secured to the frame side plates, normally said spring and handle being kept in upright position; but when necessary the handle can be turned backward. In each side plate is a vertical channel 8, extending from the lower ends of the handle 4 to the bottom plate. Said channels are closed at their upper ends when the handle'is in its normal position and are open when the handle is turned back. A slideframe travels vertically in these channels, being normally kept as high up in them as is possible next to the handle ends. This slideframe consists of an upper plate 9, a lower plate 10 parallel thereto, and two side plates 11, all fastened together, so as to make up one rigid and unbending combination. The extremities of the upper plate are shaped into pins 12, adapted to slide in the channels 8 of the main side plates. A series of horizontal cylindrical drums 13, turning freely around an axis-pin 14, passing through their centers and located near the upper ends of the slideframe side plates, are embraced by a number of type bands or belts 15, which also embrace the slide-frame lower plate 10. Arranged on and projecting outward from the outer surface of these type-bands are various charactors or marks intended to be printed or stamped like type on the paper or other material held beneath them on the main-frame bottom plate. The type-ban ds may at pleasure be shifted around the drums and lower plate 10, which they embrace, so as to change as may be necessary the characters or marks to be printed. A horizontal pin 16 passes through the center lines of the slide-frame side plates and is placed between the drums and the lower plate of the slide-frame. The outer ends of this pin slide in the channels 8, and thus they, with the aid of the slide-frame upper plate-pin ends, also sliding freely in said channels, will constantly keep normally The outer ends of the pins also pass loosely through the upper ends of two exactly similar links 17, and through the lower ends of said links passes another horizontal pin 18, attached to and supporting a curved apron-plate 19, upon whose upper surface and at its lower edge is secured asheet of some soft material 20, filled with ink. Two lugs 21 are attached to the upper edge of this apron-plate, and through both these lugs and the main-frame side plates extends a pin 22, thus supporting the upper end of the apron-plate. It is easily seen that the slide-frame, the links, the apron-plate, and the main frame are coupledtogether into one flexible combination, whose parts move freely together. The ink-sheet is normally kept underneath and pressed against the row of type-band characters that may be beneath the lower frame-plate 10; but when by handpressure or otherwise the slide-frame is caused to move down in the channels the apronplate and its ink-sheet will swing out from under the type-bands, leaving the way clear for them, now supplied with ink, to descend and stamp or print upon the stack of blanks, as before stated. When the typebands go back to their original position, the ink-sheet will return to its place against them. One or more springs 23 are arranged in the main frame, so as by their pressure to keep the slide-frame in its highest position, and any convenient design and arrangementof springs may be used for this purpose. When the arrangement of characters to be printed is to be changed, the handle is turned back to open the channels beneathit and the slide-- frame upper plate is moved upward and its pin ends are slipped out from the channels. The slide-frame is then canted forward, so as to bring the characters then under the bottom back again into its original vertical position,

its upper pin ends are returned into their channels, and the handle is turned forward to its place, thus again closing said channels. Pressing the slide-frame downward causes the characters in position therefor under the slide frame lower plate to print simultaneously, and releasing this pressure allows the slide-frame to rise back to its normal place. The sizes of the different parts are so proportioned that the slide-frame descending, guided by its channels, will print or stamp the ticket-blanks one at a time from the topmost to the lowest, each one'being of course removed after having been printed, thus exposing the next one beneath it. Each ticket after it has been stamped is to be detached from the stack of tickets and delivered to the passenger, and each such ticket after it has been given up by a passenger can be slipped into a machine on top of the stack of tickets, can there be stamped, and thereafter can be taken out and delivered to the auditor or other proper officer of the railroad.

A great many other changes and alterations might be made in the general form and arrangement of parts without departing from our invention, and hence we do not wish to be limited to the precise constructions set forth, but consider ourselves at liberty to make such slight changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of our invention.

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

1. In a hand-stamp, the combination with a frame constructed and adapted to be held in the hand of the user, of means carried by said frame for clamping a sheet or sheets therein, and means also carried by said frame for printing upon said sheet or sheets.

2. In a hand-stamp, the combination with a frame constructed and adapted to be held in the hand of the user, of means for clamping a sheet or sheets in said frame, a series of adjustable type-faces, means carried by said frame for inking said type to print upon the sheet or sheets in said frame.

3. In a hand-stamp, the combination with a frame, of a shaft movable in guides in the frame, a cylinder on said shaft having a flat side, type rings or wheels movable on said cylinder, washers on the shaft between the type rings or wheels, each Washer having a flat portion to engage the flat side of the shaft and a flanged spring-plate to engagesaid typerings and hold them in any position.

4. In a hand-stamp, the combination with a frame, of a shaft mounted to move in guides in the frame, a cylinder on said shaft flattened on one side, a series of type rings or wheels on said cylinder, a series of washers interposed between the type rings or wheels and having straight inner faces to engage the flat face of the cylinder, a hinged plate, a flange at one edge of the plate and a spring to hold said flange in alined notches in the type-wheels.

5. In a hand-stamp, the combination with a main frame provided in its lower portion with a support for paper and having vertical guides and lateral guides communicating with each other near the top of the frame, of a printing-frame movable in said guides and inking mechanism connected with and operated by the printing-frame.

6. In a hand-stamp, the combination with a frame having vertical guides in its upright ends and lateral guides communicating wit-h the vertical guides, of a shaft movable in said vertical guides and carrying printing mechanism, a frame partially iuclosiug said printing mechanism and pins on the upper portion of said last-mentioned frame adapted to be moved into the lateral guides to tilt or cant the printing mechanism.

7. As a new article of manufacture, a transfer-stamp, comprising a frame constructed and adapted to be held in the hand of the operator, a hand-operated printing mechanism mounted in said frame and means for holding a pack of transfers or other sheets in position to be stamped.

In testimony whereof we have signed this specification in the presence of the subscribing witnesses.

HENRY E. REYNoL'Ds. HOWARD s. REYNOLDS.

Witnesses as to H. E. R.:

CLARENCE BURGIN, I-IATTIE L. BURRELL.

WVitnesses as to H. S. R.:

JNO. F. FLOURNOY, FRANK U. GARRARD.

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