Counting or printing mechanism for consecutive counting numbering

In a printing device comprising a frame, plural individually rotatable printing wheels, and holding means for holding each wheel individually in a particular rotated position, each of said printing wheels mounted by an axial bore along the longitudinal axis of a common rotatable shaft, at least two of said wheels being counting wheels having numerical characters spaced about and on an outer periphery thereof such that each counting wheel provides a different place of a plural place number, mechanical advancing means for consecutive, stepwise rotary indexing of said counting wheels to consecutive counting positions, said advancing elements coupleable together in a predetermined counting rhythm such that two adjacent counting wheels are rotatable together by one of said advancing elements according to said rhythm, the improvement comprising:

• each of said counting wheels comprising a driving side surface and a driven side surface such that the driven side surface of each counting wheel abuts and slidably engages the driving side surface of a higher place wheel, each driving side and driven side being recessed, respectively, to provide a driving side recess and a driven side recess within which said position holding means and said advancing means are concealed from said outer periphery and actuatable during said indexing such that closer spacing of each place of said plural place number is provided.