US 4,178,847 A · Item endorsing apparatus

Abstract

High speed printing endorsing apparatus of modular construction capable of automatically printing both fixed and variable information simultaneously upon items fed to said apparatus in a continuous uninterrupted stream of items. Differential gearing and a wrap spring clutch in combination with a cam and follower concentric with the main drive shaft of the apparatus provide means for automatic item batch consecutive number advance by means of relative motion between the cam the printing apparatus. The item batch printing device is demountably removable permitting alteration of the fixed information while the vertical position of the batch printing relative to the item information field format is alterable at will. Automatic means is provided for loading and unloading the print head inking assembly against the print head so as to avoid any bleeding of the inking mechanism when not in use. Automatic means is provided for exposing the print head in the "ready for print" position and for retracting the print head to a "store" position. Simultaneously a shield is automatically placed across the opening in the document track when the print head is retracted to said "store" position. The shield is automatically removed from the opening in the document track to be occupied by the print head in the "ready for print" position.

Claims10

Dependent claims

High speed item printing/endorsing apparatus of modular construction usable for example with item sorting apparatus for endorsing or printing on checks and the like and being demountably removable and replaceable at will comprising:

an input shaft driven at a single speed,
an output shaft,
drive means for rotating said input shaft and said output shaft,
differential gear train shaft speed determining means interconnecting said input shaft with said output shaft settable into one of two states to set a desired one of two speeds of the output shaft to select the printing speed,
means coupled to said shaft speed determining means effective when energized to change the output speed of the output shaft to the selected state, print means coupled to said output shaft, cam means driven by said output shaft operably associated with said print means for moving said print means so as to print consecutive data, means responsive to the movement of said cam means to consecutively advance the print means,
item moving means coupled to said print means for passing an item to be printed before said print means to produce printed indicia upon said item as the item is moved therepast, and
means for energizing said drive means effective to bring said printing means into printing engagement with an item as the item is passed before said print means.

4 more elements

A high speed item printing/endorsing apparatus usable, for example, with item sorting apparatus for endorsing or printing on checks and the like, comprising:

an input shaft driven at a single speed,
an output shaft,
drive means for rotating said input shaft and said output shaft,
differential gear train shaft speed determining means interconnecting said input shaft with said output shaft settable into one of two states to set a desired one of two speeds of the output shaft to select the printing speed,
means coupled to said speed determining means for changing the state of said speed determining means effective when energized to change the output speed of the output shaft to the set speed,
demountable print means including both fixed and variable data coupled to said output shaft,
cam means driven by said output shaft,
said print means capable of printing consecutive data including means responsive to the movement of said cam means effective when said cam is moved to advance said print means to print consecutive data,
rotatable backup anvil means adjacent to said print means including means for sychronizing the rotative movement of said anvil means with said print means effective to produce printed indicia upon said item at high speed without blurring as said item is moved therepast, and
additional drive means effective to move said printing means into printing engagement with an item as the item is passed before said print means.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Item endorsing apparatus

Life of this patent

Item endorsing apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims10