US1792270A - bethell - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 10, 1931. BETHELL 1,792,270

TICKET ISSUING MACHINE Filed July 30, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet l 1931- a M. BETHELL TICKET ISSUING MACHINE Filed July 30, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 122002602, .%1 flM G. M. BETHELL TICKET ISSUING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Feb. 10, 1931.

Filed July 30, 1928 Feb. 10, 1931. a BETHELL 1,792,270

TICKET ISSUING MACHINE Filed July 30, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 1; 5 KKK vi 3 1 15.51 f "I 235 1 1 l Z I m W I I 1-1-1- :Iflr, u 1 W" 7125 p Q f' 140 l 0 HI 4 $230217? H FU J/AL/ZM If 10 2' E. {QM

Feb. 10, 1931. G. M. BETHELL 1,792,270

TICKET ISSUING MACHINE Filed July 30. 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 2 {I i A 2 E rm ass) 159 p 1 was 16 w 1.90 Z1 :0 k 5% 1% w 5% M rp 1 54 144 18a L z 60 Patented Feb. 10, 1931 UNITED STATES GEORGE MOORE BETHELL, OF MELBOURNE, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA TICKET-ISSUING MACHINE 7 Application filed July 30, 1928, Serial No. 296,225, and in Great Britain August 9, 1927.

This invention is for improvements in or relating to ticket-issuing machines such as are used for issuing tickets on passenger vehicles or for places of amusement or for racecourse totalizators or similar purposes. The invention has for one of its objects to provide an improved construction of machine offering advantages both in the direc tion of giving additional information regarding the number or character of the tickets issued and also in the direction of simplifying the construction and securing greater efficiency.

In such machines, it is sometimes desirable that there should be provided simple and reliable means whereby the separate totals for each particular class of ticket issued can be ascertained. One feature of the present invention provides means of achieving this object, and this feature of the invention con sists in a ticket-issuing machine comprising the combination of a movable selecting element which is set in various positions to control the nature of the ticket to be issued, a follower member which changes its setting correspondingly to the movements of the said selecting element, aplurality of counters in operative relation with one or other of which the follower member is set in foliowing the movements of the said selecting element, and means, operated when a ticket is issued, to cause the follower member to advance the said counter.

Conveniently the said counters are arranged in a circular series concentrically about a shaft which carries the follower member and is itself coupled to the selecting element.

According to another feature of the invention, the aforesaid follower member and the operating handle of the machine are controlled by locking gear which precludes the issue of aticket unless the follower member is set in correct operative relation with one or other of the counters.

The foregoing features of the invention are applicable, it will be appreciated, to machines in which no printing is effected as v well. as to machines which both print and issue tickets. Other features of the pres cut invention are, however, only applicable to issuing machines which include printing mechanism. p The machines described in my S. patent applications Serial Nos. 64,951 and 122,135 .fall .Within a type having means whereby tickets are printed, at the time that they are required for issue, with an indication of the value of the ticket, and with index numbers or other information for checking the tickets, or advertisements or such other matter as may be desired according to circumstances, said means comprising a bank of printing Wheels which are 'rotatably arranged at separated positions along a common axis for simultaneous printing, and are each directly connected to one of a nest of concentric sleeves lying along the said axis and provided with appropriate P hand-operated setting knobs also rotatable about the said axis and situated at separated positions therealon One feature of the present invention also relates to this type of machine and consists I" in the addltion to said bank, of interconnected numeraLprinting wheels rotatablyarranged about said axis for consecutively numbering the tickets simultaneously with the other printing which is effected by said banlgand means for automatically advano ing the setting of the said numeral-printing wheels whenever a ticket is issued. Thus, it will be seen that these numeral-printing wheels are not set by hand from the outside of the machine. Three of these wheels will usually be suflicient as thiswill enable tickets to be numbered from 0 up to 999 and any suitable interconnection between the units, tens and hundreds wheels may be employed.

Another feature of the invention is also concerned with machines of the type specified above, and this feature of the invention consists in the addition to said bank, of one or more printing wheels which are rotatably a ranged about said axis for printing simultaneously with the other printing which is effected by said bank but which are set through gearing by a shaft which reaches to the exterior of the machine and the axis of which is different from the axis of the bank Crv of printing wheels. ,This additional-wheel or the additional wheels may be employed, say, to print uponvthe tickets such indications as Childrens, Mid-day, /Vorkmens, or Return, the desired selection being made by the operator.

Subsidiary features of the invention are also concerned with the ribbon-feed mechanism, the paper-feeding rollers, andthe control of the operating handle of the machine, and these features will be discussed hereinafter.

Fora more complete understanding'of the invention there will now be described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, one constructional form of ticket-printing and -issuing machine embodying the'invention. It is to be understood,-however, that the invention is not restricted to the precise constructional details set forth.

I In these drawings-. Q c

Figure 1 is an elevation of the machine withone of the cover-plates removed;

Figure 2 is a sectionon the line 22 of Figure 1; N

;Figure 3' is a section onthe line 3-3 of Figure l and shows thecounter-mechanism, this figure being on ascale larger than that of Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4--4 of Figure 3; V

v Figure 5 is adetail section on the linev 5+5 of Figure 1,'but onascale larger than that of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a sectional plan view on the line 66 of Figure 1; c

Figure 7 is a section on the, line 77 of Figure 6, parts being broken away;

.7 Figure 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a detail sectional view on the line 9-9 of Figure 7. This figure, as well as all thepreceding figures, shows the machine with its parts'in the position after the machine has printed and issued a ticket and has returnedto condition for printing and issuinganother ticket, and the serial number printing wheels are in, the position to print l the number 900;

' Figure 10 is'a view correspondingto Figure 9, but showing the parts in the position in which the units serial number printing wheel is being-fed, while the feeding pawl for the tens printing wheel is held inoperative;

Figure 11 is another view corresponding to Figure 9, but showing the parts in the position in which the tens serial :number printing-wheelie being fed, while the feeding-pawl for the hundreds printing wheel is held inoperative;

.Figure 12 is an edge View of the three serial number printing wheels, showing them carried by the partition 12.

The machineiillustrate'd comprises an outer casing 10 of, say, aluminium, which may, if desired have stra as or loo as or the like attached toit-to permit ofit being carried on the person of the operator. Towards one end .of the casing, there 15 mounted a shaft 11 which takes a bearing atone end in an endwall ofthe casing, and at the other end, an

internal partition 12. Gut-side the casing the shaft 11 has ri 'idb .mounted u on it an operating-handle 13, and inside the casing it has also rigidly mounted on it an arm 18. Coiled around the shaft 11, between the arm 18 and the end-wall of the casing, is a spring 19, whereof one end is anchored to the casing and the other presses against the arm 18 in the direction to move the handle 13 in the counter-clockwise direction, as seen when looking in the direction in which Figure 2 is taken. The arm 18 has pivoted on it a detent 20 controlled by a spring 21 which urges the detent in the clockwise direction, as seen in Figure 2. Loosely mounted upon the shaft 11 is a main gear-wheel 22 havingon one of its side facesa boss 23 with two diametrically-opposite teeth (see Figure 2) upon it.- The detent 2O rides on the surface of the boss 23, and at each operation of the handle 13, will rotate the wheel 22 half a turn by abutting-against one of the teeth 24. When the handle is released, the spring 19 will return the handle to its original position,

during which movement the detent 20 will ride over the surface of the boss 23-and ultimately engage behind the other tooth 24L ready. to co-operate with the latter in rotating the wheel 22 at the next manipulation of the handle 13.

Arranged parallel to the shaft 11 is a rainshaft 25, which, at one end is guided in a bearing carried by he end wall of the casing, and at the other end is guided in a bearing is not intended to rotate, but is intended to slide longitudinally of its axis, and it fixedly carries a surface-cam 28 between which and the end-wall of the casing, a coiled-spring 29 is placed which tends to move the rain-shaft towards the left-, as seen in Figure 1. The face of the surface-cam 28 remote from the spring 29 is shaped like one turn of square screw-thread. At its end which lies towards the middle of the casing,the ram-shaft carries a platen 30 having an operating face 31 0f rubber or other convenient material. Between the partition 12 and the cam 28 there is looselymounted upon the shaft25 mastermember in theforni of athree-part element,

This shaft 25 whereof the parts are either formed integral with each other, or are rigidly attached together. This three-part element can rotate about the shaft 25, while permitting the latter to move endwise through it and the t part element is held against endwise movement itself, because it abuts at one end against washers bearing against thepartition 12, and at the other end against the cam 28. The three parts of this said element are a surfacecam 32, a gear-wheel and an arm 34. The cam 32 has its operating-face shaped like the operating-face of the cam 28, and it will be seen from Figure 1 that the helical parts of the operating faces of these two cams are each terminated by flat surfaces 35 and 36, which lie 1n planes contaming the axis of the shaft 25. The gear-wheel 33 engages the main gear-wheel 22, and causes rotation of the three-part element whenever the latter is rotated. Due to the rotation of the thrcepart element, the cam 32 will be rotated over the surface of the cam 28 pressing the latter in the shaft towards the right, as seen in Figure 1, and compressing the spring 29. \Vhen the highest points of the two cams pass each other, i. e. when the two surfaces 35 and 36 are brought into alignment, there will be an abrupt movement of the shaft 25 and the platen towards the left, as seen in Figure 1. The raised position of the parts is shown in Figure 1, and 1t Wlll be seen that the surfaces and 36 have been brought almost into alignment, and that very little rotation of the cam 32 is necessary before the abrupt longitudinal movement of the ramshaft takes place.

On the outside of the top of the casing are four co-axial rotary members comprising three knobs 37, 38 and 39 with knurled edges to oll'er a linger-grip, and a ring 40 with recesses41 intended to be engaged by a key.

' for the purpose of rotating the ring. These knobs and the ring stand one above the other, and are so positioned as to be readily acces siblc. The uppermost knob, i. e. 37, is the one of the four members which will be adj usted most frequently. The ring 40 is only in tended to be adjusted by a supervisor. On the outside ofthe casing, concentric with the axis of the members 37, 38, 39 and 40, is a dial 43 having index markings which are intended to be read in conjunction with all four members. v

For this purpose, the knobs 37, 38 and 39 are provided with downwardly-extending pointers 44, 45 and 46, respectively, andthe ring 40 is provided with a suitable index marking such as a line or a dot. Coaxial with the knobs 37, 38 and 39 and the ring 40,

to follow them, and inside the casing, are four printing- wheels 48, 49, and 51, re-

spectively, all of approximately the same diameter. They lie one above the other with :1. a portion of their curved peripheries facing the platen 30, and'parallel to the operative surface 31 of the latter. The wheel 48 is fixedly mounted on a vertical shaft 52, which is supported at its lower end by a partition 54 inside the casing, and this shaft 52 carries the knob 37. The Wheel 49 iscarried upon a sleeve which surrounds the shaft 52 and carries the knob 38. The wheel 50 is carried upon a sleeve 56 which surrounds the sleeve 55 and carries the knob 39, and the wheel 51 is carried upon a sleeve 57 which surrounds the sleeve 56 and carries the ring 40. Thus, the sleeves 55, 56 and 57 are nested around the shaft 52, which provides the support at the lower end of the partition 54, while the support at the upper end is provided by a member, hereinafter described, whichencircles the sleeve 57. The periphery of the wheel 48 bears numerals corresponding tothe value of the tickets to be printed, and the other printing wheels may bear other characters, such as, say, ticket code numbers and letters, indications of the stages of a journey, or other matter, and obviously the number and size of the printing wheels may be varied as appears desirable according to circumstances.

It will be appreciated that the printing wheels are individually adjustable, and that they should assume definite angular positions for printing. If they happen to be out of these positions when printing takes place, the record will be inaccurate, and in order to prevent this occurring, positioning means are provided. Each wheel 48, 49, 50 and'51 has on its under face a projecting ring 63, whereof the periphery has a number of semi-circular recesses 64 intended to be engaged, one at a time, by a detent 65 (see particularly Figures 7 and 8), of which there is one appropriatec to each of the wheels 48, 49, 50 and 51. The detents 65 are each carried at one end on a standard 66 which extends between the upper wall of the casing and the inner partition 54, and intermediate of their ends the dctents are each provided with a projection 650 (Figure 8) while their free ends are controlled by springs 651, the latter being anchored to a standard 652.

Mounted between the upper wall of the casing and the partition 54 are two reels or spools 72 and 73 for an inkingribbon '74, driven from a spindle 111 in a manner to be hereinafter described. Located below the partition 54 is a'pairof paper feed-rolls 101 and 102 mounted upon spindles carried by partitions, 103 and 104, and the roll 102 is controlled by springs 105 which press this roll against the co-operating roll 101. hese paper feed-rolls 101 and 162'are themselves driven by the spindle 111 in a manner to be hereinafter described. The spindle 111 supported by the partition 12 and by another partition 62, and beyond the former it carries a spur-wheell12 which meshes with a abutments 114 upon it (see Figures 1 and 2) j The wheel 113 is loosely mounted on the main wheel shaft 11, and is'rotated by the arm 34.01 the three-part element aforesaid. This arm carries a roller 115 which engages the abutments 114 to rotate the wheel 113 one quarter oia revolution for each complete revolution of the threepart element. Ihis movem'e tor the wheel 113, and consequently of the inkingribbon and of the paper feed-rolls, is timed, by reason of the angular setting of the arm- 34, to occur during the latter part of the rotation of the three-part elemont,-so that" it occurs at a time when the platen 30 has been withdrawn from its printing position.

The wheel 113 carries on its face remote from the abutments 114, four stop-pins 118 which are located opposite to the abutments 114. These stop-pins 118 co-operate with a locking-bar 119 which is pivoted to the par: tition 12, and is controlled by a spring 120 which draws the bar-towards the axis of the The free end of the bar 119 is formed with a recess 121 which is adapted to engage the pins 118 and prevent rotation of the wheel 118. Tie bar 119 lies adjacent to the three-part element, anda cam 123 onthe latter rides against the bar 119 once in every revolution of the three-part element. 1V hen this occurs, the bar 119 is roclied' about its pivot, against the tension of the spring 120, and its recess 121 is moved clear of the 1 pins 118;

Consequently, when this occurs, one rotation of the wheel 1131s permissible, and is subsequently eli ected by the arm 34. The wheel 1 3, and the inking-ribbon and paper teed rolls driven thereby are,therefore, "t rotation except when the platen has been withdrawn from its operative printing position, I V

For the purpose of feeding the inkingribbon, the spindle 111 carries, beyond the partition 62, a gear-wheel 160 gearing,

through an idler (see Figure 5) with another wheel 161 upon a shaft 162 running parallel tothe axis of the spindle 111. lhe shaft 162 has a reduced portion 163 upon which there I is slidably'mouuted a worm 181-having an as seenin Fl 7 operator 1 ing-riblwh 2 extension 185 which is of the same diameter as the larger part of the shatt 162, and is locatedv directly against the latter. These two abutting parts c i stitute a clutch, one of them having cross-pins 168 consti ting rounded teeth, and the other having'corrosm w ponding roundedrecesses 111 3 worm 164 W 1 1 "v1 18! towards tne 1 ment described will orovide a'slippin'g drive to the worm from the spindle 111,. The drive to the ribbon comes from t e worm 184, consequently, the slipping-drive wil prevent injury to the ribbon occurring, should th o reverse the drive of the inkthe proper time, the means for reach tiis mark,

switch over the drive, whereupon the two s that the arrangemea re efl'ecting the reversal being described below.

Meshing with the worm 164 is a worm wheel 168, which is mounted on a pivot 169 located inthe'partition 54. Above the partition 54 the pivot 169 carries a gear-wheel 170 which, through an idler 171, drives'another gear-wheel 172. The wheels 171 and 172 are carried upon an arm 173 which swings about the pivot 189 sons to bring the wheel 172 into mesh with either one or the other of wheels 174 and175 on the'rilobon-spools 72 and 7 3. A spring 17 6 tends to retain the arm 173 in whichever setting it is placed,

and it will be seen from Figures 7'and 8,

terior of the upper wall of the machine is a shaft 17 8 which carries on the outside of the machine, a handle 179 and a pointer180 intended to'co-operate with two indicating marks 181 and 182 (see particularly Figure 6). The lower end of the shaft 178 carries an arm 183 having a fork 184 at its end, which engages a pin 185 depending from the arm 17o. Thus, by operating the handle he driving train 170, 171 and 172 canbe I tched over from one to the other of the wheels 17 4 and 17 5. Surrounding the upper portion of the shaft 178 is a sleeve 186, whereof the upper end carries, outside the lined to it an 188 having 'a roller 189 which is pressed by a spring 190 against the outside of the ribbon on the spool 73. Consequently, as the amount of ribbon upon this spool increases and decreases, so the. pointer 187 will move between the indicating marks 181 and 182. In the position of the parts shown in the drawings the ribbon is being fed from the spool 73 on to the spool 72, and the spool 73 is nearly exhausted. Consequently, the pointer'187 has nearly reached the indicating mark 181. When it does the operatoris supposed to pointers 180'and 187 will be in coincidence, but as the feeding proceeds, the pointer 187 will move across to the indicating mark 182.

I Mounted below the lower wall of the casing 10 is a carrier 93 for a roll 94 of paper. The carrier 93 is hinged to the main casing about a pin 191 which passes through-lugs on the carrier 93 and through a bracket 193 depending from the casing 10. The pin 191 may be secured in position in anycone ven ent way, and in the construction illustrated, it is provided with a chain 194 which leads down to another pin 195 to prevent the latter from being lost. 'This pin 195 is 6mployed to hold the paper-roll 94 in place, and it is detachable in order to enable a fresh roll to be supplied. The pin 195 has a spring 196 which tends to resist its Withdrawal from operative position.

bracket 198 carried by the/casing 10, and which has a spring-pressed button 199 to clip over an extension 200 on the carrier 93.

The paper strip 95 passes from the roll 94 are secured to the lowerwall of the casing 10, while the upper ends of the channel overlap and are secured to the partitions 103 and 104 aforesaid. The spindles of the rolls 101 and 102 carry gear- wheels 106 and 202, respectively, which mesh with each other, and the wheel 106 meshes with another gearwheel 107 on a spindle 108 lying parallel to the feed-rolls. This spindle 108 is carried in the partitions 103 and 104, and reaches outside the former where it carries a bevelwheel 109 meshing withanother bevel-wheel 110 on the aforesaid spindle. From the feed-rolls 101 and 102, the paper-strip 95 passes between the platen 30 and the printing-Wheels and finally emerges as a printed ticket 116, through an aperture 117 in the upper wall of the casing 10. Moving with the platen 30 is a guillotine blade 124 which co-operates with a stationary blade 125, to cut the tickets from the strip. The blade 124 may be formed with a re-entering angle, and the length of movement of the blade be such as not to sever the strip 95 completely, but to leave a portion intact'to-wards the middle of the width of the strip. This will facilitate the feed of the printed tickets through the aperture 117, since the unsevered portion of the strip will serve to transmit the feeding pressure from the rolls 101 and 102, and also to prevent the printed ticket from being displaced. Reverting to the rolls 101 and 102, the latter is reduced in diameter midway of its length, and the reduced portion is embraced by a fork 203 on a lever 204 which is pivoted in lugs 205 extending from the chan nel 99. The lower end of the lever 204 reaches below the bottom wall of the casing 10, and has pivoted to it a smaller lever whereof one arm 206 is for finger-operation, and the other arm 207 constitutes av cam which co-operatcs with an abutment 208 depending upon the casing 10. Located between the channel 99 and the lower end of the lever 204 is a spring 209 which, tends to move the lever 204 in the direction to bring the roll 102 towards the roll 101. If, however, the lever arm 206 is rocked in the counter-clockwise direction, as seen in Figure 1, the 207 co-operating with the abut- The carrier 93 is held in, place by a swinging lever 197 which is pivoted in a ment 208 will compress the spring 209 and cause the roll 102 tobe moved away, from the roll 101. This will enable the ticket-strip 95 to be easily fed through initially into its proper position. The arrangement of the parts is such as to allow the cam 207 to be rotated into a setting past a dead-centre position, and thus to co-operate with the spring pressure in maintaining the lever 204 in retracted position;

To register automatically the actual number of tickets issued, a counter 128 is provided. This has an operating rocking arm 148 one end of which is pivoted to one end of a rod 149, whereof-the other end is eccentrically mounted on a shaft 146. This shaft 146 is supported in the end wall of the easing and the partitions 12 and 62, and has on it a gear-wheel 147 which meshes with the main driving wheel 22 aforesaid. The gearing is such that each operation of the handle 13 causes the wheel 22 to rotate the shaft 146 through one complete rotation, thereby giving one complete revolution to the eccen tric on the rod 149, and adding 1 to the counter 128 every time a ticket is issued.

The machine also embodies means whereby the separate totals for'each particular class of ticket issued can be ascertained. For this purpose, the shaft 52 carrying the settingknob 37 and the printing-wheel 48 which bears numerals corresponding to the value of the tickets to be printed, is prolonged below the partition 54, and provided with a bevel-wheel 60. This wheel 60 meshes with a bevel-wheel 129 on the end of a shaft 130, which is supported in an end wall of the casing and the partition 62. This shaft 130 is prolonged through the end wall of the main easing into the interior of a cylindrical cap 210, and fixedly receives, near its extremity, a head 211, whereof a portion is slotted to form cheeks 212 and 213, between which a lever 214 is pivoted. This lever 214 is the follower member referred to near the commencement of this specification. Concentrically arranged around the end portion of the shaft 130 are counters 215 which correspond in number to the different values of tickets issued, i. e. to the differentvalues appearing upon the periphery of the wheel 48, and each counter has a crank arm 216' and an operating link 217, which latter reaches radially towards the shaft 130. As the knob 37 is turned to bring its pointer 44 opposite to a chosen fare on the indicating dial 43,-the shaft 130 is also turned, and will bring the slotted end of the follower-memher 211 opposite to one or other of the said radial links 217. These links are guided in slots 218 in extensions from the end wall of the cap 210, and the cap has apertures 219 through which the figures on the counters 215 are exhibited. The lever 214 is rocked about its fulcrum by reason of the fact that of the counters 215.

' ever 1 a ticket is issued.

stationary guide 225. The sleeve 222 also has another arm 226'up0nit, whereby it is slid, this arm 226' engaging in a cam-groove227 .on a shaft 228 geared, by wheels 144 ano 145,

tothe aforesaid shaft 146, whichis turned by theoperating-handle 13. Thus, the knob 37 will set the lever 214 opposite to the appropriate one of the counters 215, and'the operating handle 13 willcause the sleeve 222 to slide and advai ce that particular counter;

The machine is locked against the handle 13 being operated unl'ess thelever -214isset in correct operative relation with one or other- For this purpose, a toothedlocating-wheel 229is mounted upon the shaft 130 (see particularly Figure 5), and a pawl 230is provided to co-operate with this wheel.

The teeth of the wheel 229 are arranged in spaced relation corresponding to-the relation of the counters 215 in/he circular series, and the pawl 230 is pivoted between the checks of a stationary bracket 231 carried by the partition 54; The pawl has a tooth 232 and it is controlledby a spring 233 which urges it "towards thewhcel 229. The free end of the'pawl 230 is bent to direct its extrelnity 234 more or less radially towardsthe axis of the shaft 146, and the latter is provided with a locking-wheel 235 having a single recess 236 into WlllCil the exremity 234 of the pawl 230 can pass, and when the said teeth, and is displaced thereby, the pawl shall engage, and hold against rotation, the locking-wheel 235. Consequently, if, when the parts are inthe rest position, the operator so sets the knob 37 that the shaft 130 is turned into a position inwhich the lever 214 is not properly located relatively to one of the counters 215, the locating-wheel 229 will force the pawl into engagement with the locking-wheel 235 and thus preclude the operator from issuing a-ticket, since rotation of the operating-handle 13 will not be possible.

Located between the printing-wheels 50 and 51 abovedescrihed are three numeralprinting wheels for consecutively numbering the tickets simultaneously with the other printing which is effected by the printingwheels, the setting of the numeral printing wheels'being automatically advanced when- The construction and arrangement of the numeral-printing wheels is illustrated in F igures 7 to 11. The wheel 237 located immediately above the wheel 50'is the units printing wheel. Next comes the-tens wheel 238, and then the hundreds wheel 239, the latter being immediately below the wheel 51. On its lower face, the wheel 23'? carries a ten-tooth driving-wheel 240, and on its upper face a disc 241 having a single recess 242 on its periphery. This c isc 241- lies immediately against a ten-tooth wheel 243011 the tens printing wheel 238, and on its upper face the wheel 238 carries a disc 244 having a single recess 245 similar 7 to the recess'242 just mentioned. The hun dreds printing wheel 239 has a ten-tooth driving-wheel 246 on its lower face. Pivotally mounted. on a standard 24? which extends between the partition 54- and the upper wall of the casing 10, is abail: 248 having'three arms 249,250 and'251 '(seeF'igure 7). The portion of the c-standard 247' which. receives the bail'248 is reduced in'diameter, so that when the bail is in position, a substantially continuous surface is directed towards the outside of the'machine, this serving to guide the inking-ribbon74. The arm 249 lies at the top of the bank ofprintingwheels, and itis connected by a link 252 to the platen 30. Thus, for every reciprocation of the platen, the bail 248 will be oscillated once. The arms 250 and251 of the bail carry two crosspins 253 and 254. The pin 253 serves as a pivot for three pawls 255, 256 and 257 which are allocated, respectively, for feeding the numeral-printing wheels 237, 238 and 239. The cross-pin 254 serve's as an anchorage for three'springs 258, one for each the pawls 255, 256 and 257, said springs serving to keep the operative ends of the pawls pressed towards the toothed-wheels to which they are allocated. The pawl 255 is located below the printing wheel 23'? so as to engage and feed the wheel 240 at each oscillation of the bail 247 Q The pawl 256 is located between the printing-wheels237 and 238, and

is adapted to engage both the disc 241 and the toothed-wheel 243, but only when the recess 242 is opposite to the tooth of the pawl will it be possible for the lat er to engage and feed the wheel 243; Hence, only once in every revolution of the units wheel 23? will a feedin operation be imparted to the tens wheel 238. Similarly, the pawl 25'? lies between the numeral printing- wheels 238 and 239, and is so controlled by the disc 240 as only to be able to engage and feed'the wheel 246' when the recess 24a is opposite to the point of the pawl.

However, a further provision is necessary here since the recess 245 will be in this posieration during the other nine printin operations, the tails of the pawls 256 and are interconnected to the extent that a pin on the pawl reaches into a slot 260 in the pawl 256. Since the pawl 256 rests upon the disc 241 on the units printing wheel, it will by engagement with the pin 259, retain the pawl 257 raised until the units printing wheel is fed from 9 to 0. Assuming that the three numeral-printing wheels and the counter 128 are set at zero at the commencement, they will read similarly, as to the last three figures of the counter 128, throughout the normal operation of the machine.

In order to print upon the tickets such indications as Childrens, Mid-day, VVorln mens or Return, an additional printing wheel 261 is included in the bank of printingwheels, it being located immediately above the wheel 51. It carries a toot ed sector 262 which meshes with another sector Q63, whereof the spindle 264 reaches through the upper wall of the casing 10 to receive a handle 265 with a pointer 266 indicating upon a scale 5 267. Thus, the printing wheel 261 can be set by the operator with any desired portion of its periphery in printing position.

As an instance of a ticket which could be printed by the machine according to the pres- 38- ent invention, the following maybe given Child or other class of ticket. B -or other code letter. 0 c 0 or other ticket number.

9 2"-.. .or other trip number. 6 or other stage number. 2d -or other fare.

The foregoing indicates a suitable arrangepawl 268 has a shoulder 272 which can enpage with a radial part 273 of the cam to prevent rotation in the operative direction of the shaft 146, and, consequently, of the handle 13 which is geared to the shaft 146. The eX- tremity of the pawl 268 lies in the path of the end of the 18 on the shaft 11, and the parts are so arranged that when the move mentof the handle 13 is nearly complete, the arm 18 forces the pawl 268 into eng ient with the radial face 273 of. the cam, a U prevents further movement of the opcrati ,1; handle in the operative direction. In chain lines there is indicated in Figure 2 the position of the parts when the pawl and cam are operative.

V necessary, the handle 265.

circular so The operation of the machine may be described as follows The ring 40 would be by a supervisor according to any suitable code, and would remain unaltered during any particular day or any particular journey of the vehicle. When the operator wishes to issue a tie :et, he will suitably set the knobs 37, 38 and 39, and if 1 Having done this, he will turn the handle 13 in the clockwise direction, as seen in Figure 2, as far as it-will go. Immediately after the commencement of the movement ofthe handle, the cam 32 will pass the highest point of the cam 28, and the platen 30 will be abruptly brought into printing position. During the remainder of the movement of the handle 13, he platen will be reset, the printed ticket cut by the guillotine 124, and fed to the outside of the 1 -ichine, and the automatic counters operated. At the end of a io rney, or at the end of a day, the cash paid in by the operator can be checked against the counters very quickly, and the counters contained. inside the cap 210 will enable the takings to be dissected with ease.

It is to be understood that the invention is not restricted to the precise constructional details set forth. I

I claim:

1. A ticket-issuing machine comprising in combination a movable selecting element which is set in various positions to control the natureof the ticket to be issued, a shaft so coupled to the selecting member as to be turned in correspondence with the movements thereof, plurality of counters arranged in a cire .ilar series about the shaft, plurality of guides extending radially towards said shaft, plurality of operating plungers arranged one in each guide and coupled each to a counter. a lever mounted on ful crum carried by said shaft to lie at the inner ends of the plun er and to turn with the shaft to be set in I on onnosite to the appropriate operating pl 7 cordance with the setting he element. and means, operated. when is issued, for rocking the lever aoou't a crum to cause said operating plunger to feed its slotted counter.

'2. A. ticket-issuing machine comprising in comhina In a moi able' selecting element which is set in various positions to control the nature of the ticket to be issued, a shaft so coupled to the selecti n member as to be turned in correspondence with the movements thereof, a plurality of counters arranged in a es about said shaft, a plurality of guides e radi lly towards said shaft, a plurality of ting plungers an ranged one in each e and coupled each to a counter, a lever whic fulcrum carried by said shaft as to lie at the inner endsof the plungers and to turn with the shaft to beset in position opposite to n is so mounted on it the appropriate operating plunger in accordance with the setting of theselectingelement, the axis of pivoting of which lever lies transversely of the longitudinal axis of said shaft,

sleeve slidab-le along saidshaft and so on ringed in a circular series concentrically about said shaft, in operative relation with one or other of which counters the follower member is set bythe translatory movement about the axis of its shaft to bring it opposite to the appropriate counter in following the movements of the said selecting element, ticket-feed mechanism comprising aspindle, an operating handle for rotating said spindle to issue a ticket, and a cam on said spindle arranged to slide said sleeve along said shaft, when a ticket is issued, and thereby actuate a counter.

l. A ticket-issuing machine comprising in combination a movable selecting element which is set in various positions to control the nature ofthe ticket to be issued,a shaft so coupled to the selecting member as to be turned in correspondence with the movements thereof, a plurality of counters arranged in a circular series concentrically about said shaft, a plurality of guides extending radially towards said shaft, a plurality of operating plungers arranged one in each guide and coupled each to a counter, a lever which is so mounted on a fulcrum carried by said shaft as to lie at the inner ends of the plungers and to turn with the shaft to be set in position op- 7 posite to'the appropriate operating plunger in accordance with the setting of the selecting element, the axis of pivoting of which lever lies transversely of the longitudinal axis ofsaid shaft, a sleeve slidable along said shaft and engaging said lever that the latter is rocked by the sliding movement of thesleeve,

a spindle of ticket-feed mechanism, a handle i for rotating said spindle, and a cam that is mounted on said spindle and is arranged positively to reciprocate sa1d sleeve in both directions on said shaft and thereby rock said lever and actuate a counter.

5. A ticket-printing and issuing machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein a bank of printing wheels comprises a nest of concentric sleeves lying along the same axis, a plurality of hand-operated setting knobs mount I a tter ed one on each sleeve and spaced apart along said axis anda oluralit of ,rintin wheels i la a the nature of the ticket to be issued, a

knob associated with the latter printing wheel constitutes the selecting element aforesaid, means operatively connecting the sha aforesaid of said lever and the sleeve t c printing wheel whereby the latter rinting wheel and said lever are simultaneously adjusted to corresponding settings as the result of the ad ustment of the setting element.

6. A ticket-printingand issuing machine, comprising in combination a nest'of concen tric sleeves lying along, the same axis, a,

plurality of hand-operated setting knobs mounted one on each sleeve and spaced apart long said axis, a plurality of printing wheels, one on each sleeve, one of wiich printing wheels is arranged to print an indication of the nature of the ticket to be issued, the knob associated with the latter printing wheel constitutes a selecting element which is to be set in various positions to control the nature of the ticket to'be issued, a shaft so so mounted on a fulcrum carried by said;

shaft as to lie at the inner ends of the plungers and to turn the shaft to be setin'positionopposite to the appropriate operating link in accordance with the setting'of the selecting element, means operatively connecting said shaft and the, sleeve of the latter printing Wheel, whereby the latter printing wheel and said lever are simultaneously adjusted to corresponding settings as the result of the adjustment of the setting element, at least one additional printing wheel which is rotatably arranged about said axis for printing simultaneously with the other printing wheels and means forsetting said additional wheel or wheels, which latter means comprise a manually operable shaft geared to the additional wheel or wheels, the longitudinal axis of which latter shaft is different from the said axis of said sleeves. r

r. A ticket-issuing machine, comprising the combination of a movable selecting element which 18 set in various positions to control the nature of the ticket to be issued,

' a shaft coupled to the selecting element, a

follower lever which is carried by said shaft and changes its setting correspondingly to the movements of the said selecting element, which lever has its axis of rotation lying transversely of the longitudinal axisof said shaft, a sleeve that is slidable along said shaft and engages said lever, a plurality of counters arranged in a circular series, concentrically about the said shaft, in operative relation with one or other of which counters, the follower lever is set by the translatory movement about the axis of its shaft to bring it opposite to the appropriate counter in following the movements of the said selecting element, and means arranged to slide said sleeve along the shaft and thereby rock the follower lever about its own fulcrum to feed a said counter when a ticket is issued.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature. GEORGE MOORE BETHELL.

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