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EP 0 023 567 B1 |
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EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION |
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Mention of the grant of the patent: |
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25.05.1983 Bulletin 1983/21 |
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Date of filing: 24.06.1980 |
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International Patent Classification (IPC)3: B41K 3/12 |
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Endorsement apparatus
Vorrichtung zum Endossieren
Appareil d'endossement
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Designated Contracting States: |
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DE FR GB |
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Priority: |
03.08.1979 SE 7906583
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Date of publication of application: |
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11.02.1981 Bulletin 1981/06 |
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Applicant: International Business Machines
Corporation |
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Armonk, N.Y. 10504 (US) |
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Inventors: |
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- Jansson, Rune
S-171 57 Solna (SE)
- Järnskoog, Bert
S-162 41 Vällingby (SE)
- Grebner, Kurt
S-181 75 Stocksund (SE)
- Wängberg, Hans
S-141 43 Huddinge (SE)
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(74) |
Representative: Ahlman, Bertel |
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IBM Svenska AB
Intellectual Property Department 163 92 Stockholm 163 92 Stockholm (SE) |
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Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European
patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to
the European patent
granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall
not be deemed to
have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent
Convention).
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[0001] The present invention relates to a document endorsing apparatus and more particularly
to an apparatus as described in the first part of the attached independent claim.
[0002] Automatic endorsement devices presently known normally require in addition to a type
wheel or roll, a separate inking ribbon or roll, or solvents, etc. in order to produce
an endorsement on a document.
[0003] An example of such a device is given in SE-B-376870 disclosing an endorsement apparatus
including a rotating endorsement wheel and an inking ribbon for printing characters
on documents moving in a document transport mechanism.
[0004] One problem with this known device is that it is mechanically complex and the endorsing
wheel is awkward to mount and demount by non-technical personnel.
[0005] DE-A-2018421 discloses an endorsement wheel to be manually mounted and demounted
on an axle in an endorsement apparatus.
[0006] US-A-3812782 discloses the use of a self-inking endorsing material in an inking roller.
[0007] Another problem with known apparatus, when used in an automatic document feeding
system, such as an input-output terminal unit, is the risk of document smearing due
to speed variations between documents and endorsement means.
[0008] The invention as claimed is intended to remove these drawbacks.
[0009] The advantages offered by the invention is mainly that a mechanically non-complex
apparatus is provided.
[0010] Another advantage offered by the present invention is that the endorsement apparatus
is self-inking and that it can easily and removably be attached to an existing document
transport system in a terminal device for automatically endorsing a transported document
without smearing the endorsement.
[0011] Still another advantage offered by the present invention is to provide for terminal
device with a document feeder, an automatic endorsement apparatus that is self-inking,
compact and that when endorsing does not impact upon other concurrent operations on
the document in the device.
[0012] Yet another advantage offered by the present invention is to provide an endorsement
means that, in addition to being self-inking and easily mountable/demountable in a
document transport mechanism, provides for variable endorsements by containing easily
rotated, re-settable typewheels that are also self-inking.
[0013] The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the following drawings,
in which:
Fig. 1 shows the endorsement apparatus of the present invention mounted opposite a
drum and on a belt wheel in the document feed mechanism of an OCR (Optical Character
Reader) device.
Fig. 2 shows an endorsement apparatus with fixed text, in accordance with this invention.
Fig. 3 shows an embodiment of the endorsement apparatus according to the present invention
having rotatable self-inking type wheels facilitating easily settable variable endorsements.
[0014] With reference to Fig. 1, a document transport drum (1) rotates on axle (12) and
is driven by transport actuating means (15), e.g. a motor or belt, etc. and belt wheel
(3) rotates on axle (8) driven by a belt (shown as actuator (15)) from the drum such
that its peripheral velocity is equal to the peripheral velocity of the drum. The
device cover or a document support member (2) is positioned a distance from the drum
such that a gap (17) exists. The protruding text (5) of the endorsement apparatus
is positioned over this gap so that the printing ink does not come into contact with
the device itself, when no document is present.
[0015] When a document (16), e.g. a bank cheque, is present, i.e. transported by the drum
(1), the portion of the document extending over gap 17 is endorsed by the endorsement
wheel (11). The endorsement is repeated for each revolution of the endorsement wheel.
[0016] The endorsing ring (4) with protruding text (5) in the preferred embodiment is made
from self-inking porous material such as neoprene. That is to say, the endorsement
"ink" is in the ring itself and prints for a long duration without requiring a re-inking
mechanism such as an ink ribbon or cushion.
[0017] The neoprene ring (4) is mounted into an endorsement wheel (11) which in turn slides
on a bearing wheel (14).
[0018] Bearing wheel 14 is constructed such that it functions not only as a bearing for
the endorsement wheel (11) but also accommodates means for reversibly locking the
endorsement apparatus onto the belt wheel (3).
[0019] The endorsement apparatus of Fig. 2 or Fig. 3 can be for example removably mounted
onto belt wheel (3) by means of a screw (6) and a rubber ring, commonly referred to
as an 0-ring. The friction of the latter holds the apparatus in position on the belt
wheel. The former locks the bearing wheel axially and is used as a handle when mounting
and demounting the apparatus. Thus, to mount the endorsement apparatus the user simply
pushes it lightly onto the belt wheel, using the screw as a handle, and the friction
of the rubber 0-ring holds it in position. To remove the apparatus, the user simply
grips the screw handle and pulls it off. In the preferred embodiment of the present
invention, the bearing wheel 14 contains a groove at one end into which an 0-ring
(10) is mounted and a slot at the other, into which a screw (6) is mounted. Locking
the endorsement apparatus onto the belt wheel can also be accomplished using other
methods, e.g. magnetically.
[0020] The endorsement apparatus functions such that when the document transport mechanism
starts, the beltwheel starts its rotation and the endorsement apparatus starts its
rotation due to the friction in the bearing (14). When a document is fed in, the document
itself imparts the correct peripheral velocity on the endorsement wheel (11) due to
the wheel being mounted on the bearing. This is necessary in order to prevent blurring
the endorsement at the beginning at the same time as providing a correct endorsement
and not jeopardizing other concurrent operations on the same document, such as reading
code markings, etc.
[0021] The outer diameter (5) of the endorsing ring is adapted to provide sufficient pressure
on the document to obtain good readability.
[0022] The embodiment in Fig. 3 differs from the embodiment in Fig. 2 in that the endorsement
wheel (11) is constructed such that it can itself contain a plurality of self-inking
(e.g. neoprene) endorsement wheel assemblies. Also, the endorsements can be of two
types, if so desired: fixed text or variable text. A fixed text (Fig. 2) endorsing
ring (4) is mounted directly in a groove in the endorsement wheel (11) and has an
outer diameter that is equal to that of the endorsement wheel, with only the text
(5) itself protruding beyond that point.
[0023] The variable text endorsement apparatus is well suited for applications utilizing
date or work station stamping or endorsement.
[0024] With reference to Fig. 3, variable text endorsing rings 104 with protruding characters
105 are each mounted on a respective small wheel 111. This combined assembler will
hereafter be referred to as a "small endorsement wheel" 111. A given set of such wheels
has a common axle 120 or 120' about which each wheel can be rotated, e.g. manually,
to define the desired endorsement. The diameter of the smaller endorsement wheels
111 is less than half of the outer diameter of the larger endorsement wheel 11. The
common axles 120 and 120' for the smaller wheels (111 and 111') are secured in the
body of the larger wheel (11) and are positioned such that one character 105 on each
small wheel protrudes beyond the outer diameter of the larger endorsement wheel 11,
just as in the case with fixed text. Each of the characters on a given smaller wheel
can be easily set or reset by manually stepping the small endorsement wheel to a distinct
position using for example a pencil or pen, etc.
[0025] Also with reference to Fig. 3, the endorsement wheel 11 can, in addition to the aforementioned
"smaller wheel" 111, have a second type of endorsement wheel 211. Endorsement wheel
211 is mounted in an axle 220 attached to endorsement wheel 11. Endorsement wheel
211 also has a self-inking endorsement ring 204, with protruding character representations
205, inserted in it. It has an outer diameter that is slightly less than the outer
diameter of wheel 11, and is eccentrically placed such that it is tangent to the outer
diameter of wheel 11 just as for example the small wheels 111'. Endorsement wheel
211 is the wheel positioned farthest out along the axis of wheel 11 and is supplied
with a wing grip, 212 that facilitates easily rotating the protruding character representation
on the endorsing ring 204, to the endorsing position manually.
[0026] When date stamping is employed, the smaller wheels 111' might well have the numbers
0-9 for indicating the year and month and larger variable-texted wheel 211, the numbers
1-31 for indicating the day of the month, for example.
[0027] Excluding the 0-ring and the neoprene parts of the endorsement apparatus, the other
parts can be molded or worked in plastic or aluminium, for example.
1. Endorsement apparatus for printing characters on documents (16) moving in a document
transport mechanism (1, 3) including at least one endorsement wheel (11, 14) mounted
on an axle (8) to be driven by the transport mechanism, characterized in that said
endorsement wheel comprises a bearing wheel (14) and at least one endorsing ring (11)
slidably fastened to the bearing wheel (14) by a locking member (6), said endorsing
ring (11) comprising endorsing means (4, 5) of self-inking, porous material and said
bearing wheel comprising fastening means (10) for fastening the endorsement wheel
on said axle when the endorsement wheel is manually pushed onto the axle.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transport mechanism comprises a transport
drum (1), a support member (2) and a transport wheel (3) for feeding a document (16)
between the transport wheel and the transport drum such that the endorsing ring (11)
is sliding on the bearing wheel (14) and is rotating with the same peripheral velocity
as that of the document being endorsed, whereas the endorsing ring will rotate with
the same speed as the bearing wheel (14) without sliding when no documents are passing
under the endorsement wheel (11, 14).
3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of subendorsement wheels (104,
105, 111, 204, 205, 211) are attached to the basic endorsement wheel (11, 14).
4. Apparatus according to claims 1 and 3, wherein the subendorsement wheels (104,
105, 111) are attached to the endorsing ring (11) of the basic endorsement wheel with
at least one subaxle (120, 220).
5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the subendorsement wheels are manually
rotatable on the subaxle in order to perform variable text endorsement on documents.
1. Endossiervorrichtung zum Bedrucken von mittels einer Vorschubeinrichtung (1, 3)
transportierten Aufzeichnungsträgern (16), mit mindestens einem Endossierrad (11,
14), das auf einer von der Vorschubeinrichtung angetriebenen Welle (8) gelagert ist,
dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß das Endossierrad ein Trägerrad (14) und mindestens einen
Endossierring (11) aufweist, der auf das Trägerrad (14) aufschiebbar und mittels eines
Sicherungselements (6) befestigt ist, wobei der Endossierring (11) Endossierelemente
(4, 5) aus selbstfärbendem porösem Werkstoff und das Trägerrad Befestigungsmittel
(10) aufweist, zum Befestigen des Endossierrades auf der Welle, wenn das Endossierrad
manuell auf die Welle aufgeschoben ist.
2. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Vorschubeinrichtung
eine Transporttrommel (1), ein Führungselement (2) und ein Transportrad (3) zum Vorschub
des Aufzeichnungsträgers (16) zwischen dem Transportrad und der Transporttrommel aufweist,
derart, daß der Endossierring (11) auf dem Trägerrad (14) verschiebbar ist und mit
der gleichen Umfangsgeschwindigkeit wie der zu endossierende Aufzeichnungsträger umläuft,
wobei der Endossierring mit der gleichen Geschwindigkeit wie das Trägerrad (14) rutschfrei
umläuft, wenn keine Aufzeichnungsträger unter dem Endossierrad (11, 14) vorübergeführt
werden.
3. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß ein Vielzahl von Zusatzendossierrädern
(104, 105, 111, 204, 205, 211) am Hauptendossierrad (11, 14) befestigt ist.
4. Vorrichtung nach den Ansprüchen 1 und 3, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Zusatzendossierräder
(104, 105, 111) am Endossierring (11) des Hauptendossierrades mit mindestens einer
Nebenachse (120, 220) befestigt sind.
5. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 4, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Zusatzendossierräder
auf der Nebenachse manuell verdrehbar angeordnet sind, um variable Textendossierungen
auf einem Aufzeichnungsträger auszuführen.
1. Appareil d'endossement pour imprimer des caractères sur des documents (16) se déplaçant
dans un mécanisme de transport de documents (1, 3), comprenant au moins une roue d'endossement
(11, 14) montée sur un axe (8) pour être entraînée par le mécanisme de transport,
caractérisé en ce que ladite roue d'endossement comprend une roue de support (14),
et au moins une couronne d'endossement (11) glissant sur la roue de support (14) et
fixée à cette dernière par un élément de verrouillage (6), ladite couronne d'endossement
(11) comprenant des moyens d'endossement (4, 5) en matériau poreux et auto-encreur,
et ladite roue de support comprenant un moyen de blocage (10) pour bloquer la roue
d'endossement sur ledit axe lorsque la roue d'endossement est poussée manuellement
sur l'axe.
2. Appareil selon la revendication 1 dans lequel le mécanisme de transport comprend
un tambour de transport (1), un élément de support (2) et une roue de transport (3)
pour alimenter un document (16) entre la roue de transport et le tambour de transport
de façon que la couronne d'endossement (11) glisse sur la roue de support (14) et
soit entraînée en rotation à une vitesse périphérique égale à celle du document en
cours d'endossement, tandis que la couronne d'endossement tournera à la même vitesse
que la roue de support (14) dans glissement lorsqu'aucun document ne passera sous
la couronne d'endossement (11, 14).
3. Appareil selon la revendication 1 dans lequel plusieurs roues de sous-endossement
(104, 105, 111,204, 205, 211 ) sont fixées à la couronne d'endossement de base (11,
14).
4. Appareil selon les revendications 1 et 3 dans lequel les roues de sous-endossement
(104, 105, 11) sont fixées à la couronne d'endossement (11) de l'ensemble d'endossement
de base par l'intermédiaire d'au moins un axe secondaire (120, 220).
5. Appareil selon la revendication 4 dans lequel les roues de sous-endossement peuvent-
être tournées manuellement sur l'axe secondaire pour exécuter des endossements à texte
variable sur des documents.