High speed printing apparatus

Printing apparatus for printing signatures and dates on items effective to commercially validate such items comprising:

• a printing station including demountable members capable upon introduction of an item in juxtaposition thereto of producing an impression of a signature and a date thereon,
• input feed means for feeding items such as checks to said printing station,
• output collecting means for collecting items after printing,
• an item feed pathway including continuously movable means for moving items from said input feed means to said printing station and thence to said output collecting means,
• means in said printing station for causing an impression to be produced on said items from said signature and date impression producing members,
• inking means for inking said printing members including means for incrementally presenting a fresh inked area of said inking means to said signature and date impression producing members,
• said inking means includes a ribbon supply and a photo sensing element with an indicating light actuatable in response to the depletion of the inking means for visually alerting the operator to the amount of ribbon remaining available,
• clutch means for advancing the item moving means to present one of said items to said printing station,
• photo optical sensing means producing an electrical signal for controlling the actuation of said clutch means,
• item stop means in said item feed pathway for stopping the item adjacent to said printing members, and
• photo optical sensing means removably mounted on said item stop means for initiating the feeding and printing of each of said items.

Printing apparatus for printing signatures and dates on items effective to commercially validate such items comprising:

• a printing station including demountable members capable upon introduction of an item in juxtaposition thereto of producing an impression of a signature and a date on said items and adjustable lateral guide means for straight line guiding each item into and through said printing station,
• input feed means for advancing items such as checks to said printing station,
• output collecting means for retrieving said item from said printing station for further handling,
• continuously movable means for moving items along an item feed pathway from said input feed means to said printing station and thence to said collecting means,
• means in said printing station for causing said signature and date members to print said validating signature and date on each item,
• inking means for inking said printing members including means for incrementally presenting a fresh inked area of said inking means to said printing means,
• adjustable one way incrementally rotatable clutch means for advancing the item moving means for each cycle of operation of said apparatus,
• photo optical sensing means including a rotatable cam and disk controlling said clutch means,
• item stop means movable into and out of the item feed pathway for stopping the item adjacent to said printing means, and
• photo reflective photo optical sensing means removably mounted on said item stop means for initiating the feeding and printing of said signature and said date on said items.