US3628452A — Invoice and tape printing machine

Claim 1

Independent Claim 361 words

A vendor''s device for printing an individual customer invoice for each of a succession of multiple item transactions while simultaneously recording each of the transactions on a machinereadable tape, said device comprising: a housing having end and sidewalls and a substantially planar upper surface; a plurality of elongated printing strips each having visually and machine-readable item-identifying indicia thereon; first positioning means carried by said housing for selectively positioning at least one of said plurality of printing strips on said surface in one of a plurality of predetermined positions with the longitudinal axis of the positioned strips extending generally transversely across said surface from sIde to side; selectively adjustable quantity-indicating means for indicating in visually and machine-readable indicia, in transverse alignment with each of said plurality of printing strips positioned on said surface, the quantity of the item identified by each of the positioned ones of said plurality of printing strips; a record member having both visually and machine-readable customer-identifying indicia thereon; second positioning means carried by said housing for positioning said record member on said surface in a predetermined position thereon; a tape feed reel and a takeup reel carried by said housing adjacent opposite ends thereof; a tape carried by said feed reel and said takeup reel; means for advancing said tape from said feed reel to said takeup reel over said surface in printing relation to the machinereadable indicia of said quantity-printing means and said record member; third positioning means carried by said housing for positioning an invoice in printing relation to the visually readable indicia of said record member, the plurality of said printing strips positioned on said surface, and said quantity printing means; and, printing means for causing the visually readable indicia of said record member, of said printing strips, and of said quantityindicating means to be printed on said invoice and causing the machine-readable indicia of said record member, of said printing strips, and of said quantity-indicating means to be printed on said tape to thereby provide both a visually readable invoice of each multiple item transaction for each individual customer as well as a continuous machine-readable record of the multiple item transaction on said tape.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 361 words

A vendor''s device for printing an individual customer invoice for each of a succession of multiple item transactions while simultaneously recording each of the transactions on a machinereadable tape, said device comprising: a housing having end and sidewalls and a substantially planar upper surface; a plurality of elongated printing strips each having visually and machine-readable item-identifying indicia thereon; first positioning means carried by said housing for selectively positioning at least one of said plurality of printing strips on said surface in one of a plurality of predetermined positions with the longitudinal axis of the positioned strips extending generally transversely across said surface from sIde to side; selectively adjustable quantity-indicating means for indicating in visually and machine-readable indicia, in transverse alignment with each of said plurality of printing strips positioned on said surface, the quantity of the item identified by each of the positioned ones of said plurality of printing strips; a record member having both visually and machine-readable customer-identifying indicia thereon; second positioning means carried by said housing for positioning said record member on said surface in a predetermined position thereon; a tape feed reel and a takeup reel carried by said housing adjacent opposite ends thereof; a tape carried by said feed reel and said takeup reel; means for advancing said tape from said feed reel to said takeup reel over said surface in printing relation to the machinereadable indicia of said quantity-printing means and said record member; third positioning means carried by said housing for positioning an invoice in printing relation to the visually readable indicia of said record member, the plurality of said printing strips positioned on said surface, and said quantity printing means; and, printing means for causing the visually readable indicia of said record member, of said printing strips, and of said quantityindicating means to be printed on said invoice and causing the machine-readable indicia of said record member, of said printing strips, and of said quantity-indicating means to be printed on said tape to thereby provide both a visually readable invoice of each multiple item transaction for each individual customer as well as a continuous machine-readable record of the multiple item transaction on said tape.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 68 words

The device of claim 1 wherein said upper surface includes a plurality of spaced grooves; wherein said plurality of printing strips are adapted to be inserted in one of said grooves; and, wherein said quantity-indicating means includes a plurality of selectively adjustable print wheel sets, one of said print wheel sets being carried by said housing in substantial alignment with the longitudinal axis of each of said grooves.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 56 words

The device of claim 2 including a further print wheel set relating to the total of the invoice, said print wheel set having machine-readable printing means aligned with said first mentioned print wheel sets, and, wherein the indicia of said printing strips is embossed thereon and includes a machine-readable product-identifying code adjacent said print wheel sets.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 38 words

The device of claim 2 wherein the machine-readable indicia of said strips and said record member is embossed thereon, and wherein said quantity-indicating means include regular 12-sided polygons having embossed indicia located on only 11 of said sides.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 22 words

The device of claim 2 wherein the indicia of said quantity-indicating means is embossed thereon in type both visually and machine readable.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 65 words

The device of claim 2 wherein said quantity-indicating means adjustment means includes a plurality of concentric shafts, each connected to one of said quantity-indicating means; and, wherein track printing means comprises a roller, track means for positioning said roller into and out of printing relation with said embossed indicia, said tape and said invoice, and handle means for moving said roller along said track means.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 22 words

The device of claim 3 wherein the indicia of said quantity-indicating means is embossed thereon in type both visually and machine readable.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 56 words

The device of claim 6, including a further print wheel set relating to the total of the invoice, said print wheel set having machine-readable printing means aligned with said first mentioned print wheel sets; and, wherein the indicia of said printing strips is embossed thereon and includes a machine-readable product-identifying code adjacent said print wheel sets.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 52 words

The device of claim 8 wherein the machine-readable indicia of said record member is embossed thereon; wherein said quantity-indicating means include regular 12-sided polygons having embossed indicia located on only 11 of said sides; and, wherein the indicia of said quantity-indicating means is embossed thereon in type both visually and machine readable.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 44 words

The device of claim 1 wherein said quantity-indicating means includes a print wheel set having a plurality of individually adjustable print wheels, said print wheel set being selectively positionable in transverse alignment with each of said plurality of printing strips positioned on said surface.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 46 words

The device of claim 10 wherein said first and second positioning means includes a plurality of studs extending upwardly from said surface; and, wherein each of said plurality of printing strips and said record member is apertured to mate with at least two of said studs.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 53 words

The device of claim 10 including tape guide means extending generally end to end across said surface and means for biasing said guide means toward said surface, said guide means being separable from said surface sufficiently to permit the positioning of said plurality of printing strips between said guide means and said surface.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 75 words

The device of claim 10 including a cover pivotably secured to said housing at one end thereof and means for limiting the pivotable freedom of said cover, said cover having and and sidewalls corresponding to the end and sidewalls of said housing to protect said surface with said cover in a cloud position relative to said housing; and, wherein said housing includes handle means secured to one of the sidewalls thereof for carrying said device.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 21 words

The device of claim 13 wherein said cover includes means for storing said plurality of printing strips and said record member.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 44 words

The device of claim 10 wherein said printing means includes means for causing the quantity of each item identified by the positioned ones of said printing strips to be simultaneously printed on said invoice and said tape on an item by item selective basis.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 72 words

The device of claim 10 wherein said printing means includes roller means for printing the visually readable customer-identifying indicia of said record member and the visually readable item-identifying indicia of the positioned ones of said plurality of printing strips on said invoice, while simultaneously printing the machine-readable customer-identifying indicia of said record member and the machine-readable item identifying indicia of the positioned ones of said plurality of printing strips on said tape.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 44 words

The device of claim 16 wherein said printing means further includes means causing the quantity of each item identified by the positioned ones of said printing strips to be simultaneously printed on said invoice and said tape on an item by item selective basis.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 31 words

The device of claim 17 wherein said quantity printing means and said identifying printing means are mechanically interlocked to move as a single unit over said surface from end to end.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 29 words

The device of claim 18 including means for selectively removing said roller means from a printing relation to said invoice during movement of said single unit over said surface.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 204 words

A vendor''s device for printing an individual customer invoice for each of a succession of multiple item transactions while simultaneously recording each of the transactions on a machine-readable tape, said device comprising: a housing having a substantially planar surface; a plurality of customer-identifying means; means for selectively positioning any one of said plurality of customer-identifying means in a predetermined position on said surface; a plurality of individual item-identifying means; means for selective positioning at least two of said plurality of items identifying in predetermined positions on said surface; print wheel set means including a plurality of individually adjustable print wheels for selectively indicating the quantity of each item identified by a positioned One of said plurality of item-identifying means; means carried by said housing for selectively advancing a tape to a printing relationship with said plurality of print wheels and a portion of said customer and item-identifying means; an invoice overlying said tape in printing relationship to said customer-identifying means, said item-identifying means, and said plurality of print wheels; and, printing means for causing the identify of the customer, the item and the quantity of the item to be printed on said invoice in visually readable indicia and on said tape in machine-readable indicia.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 204 words

A vendor''s device for printing an individual customer invoice for each of a succession of multiple item transactions while simultaneously recording each of the transactions on a machine-readable tape, said device comprising: a housing having a substantially planar surface; a plurality of customer-identifying means; means for selectively positioning any one of said plurality of customer-identifying means in a predetermined position on said surface; a plurality of individual item-identifying means; means for selective positioning at least two of said plurality of items identifying in predetermined positions on said surface; print wheel set means including a plurality of individually adjustable print wheels for selectively indicating the quantity of each item identified by a positioned One of said plurality of item-identifying means; means carried by said housing for selectively advancing a tape to a printing relationship with said plurality of print wheels and a portion of said customer and item-identifying means; an invoice overlying said tape in printing relationship to said customer-identifying means, said item-identifying means, and said plurality of print wheels; and, printing means for causing the identify of the customer, the item and the quantity of the item to be printed on said invoice in visually readable indicia and on said tape in machine-readable indicia.

Claim 23

Independent Claim 201 words

A method of printing an individual customer invoice for each of a succession of multiple item transactions while simultaneously recording each of the transactions on a machine-readable tape comprising the steps of: a. providing a housing having a supporting surface and a plurality of adjustable registers; b. supporting a portion of a tape in a predetermined location on the surface overlying the adjustable registers; c. supporting a selected one of a plurality of record members having visually and machine readable customer-identifying indicia thereon in a predetermined position on the surface with a portion of the supported record member underlying the tape; d. supporting a selected plurality of a greater plurality of elongated strips having item-identifying visually and machine-readable indicia thereon in predetermined positions on the surface with a portion of each of the supported strips underlying the tape; e. selectively positioning the individual print wheels of the adjustable register aligned with each of the supported strips to identify in a visually and machine-readable font the quantity of the item identified by the aligned strip; f. supporting an invoice in an overlying relationship to the tape and the printing strips; and, g. causing the simultaneous printing of the invoice and the tape.

Claim 24

Independent Claim 201 words

A method of printing an individual customer invoice for each of a succession of multiple item transactions while simultaneously recording each of the transactions on a machine-readable tape comprising the steps of: a. providing a housing having a supporting surface and a plurality of adjustable registers; b. supporting a portion of a tape in a predetermined location on the surface overlying the adjustable registers; c. supporting a selected one of a plurality of record members having visually and machine readable customer-identifying indicia thereon in a predetermined position on the surface with a portion of the supported record member underlying the tape; d. supporting a selected plurality of a greater plurality of elongated strips having item-identifying visually and machine-readable indicia thereon in predetermined positions on the surface with a portion of each of the supported strips underlying the tape; e. selectively positioning the individual print wheels of the adjustable register aligned with each of the supported strips to identify in a visually and machine-readable font the quantity of the item identified by the aligned strip; f. supporting an invoice in an overlying relationship to the tape and the printing strips; and, g. causing the simultaneous printing of the invoice and the tape.

Claim 25

Independent Claim 284 words

A method of printing an individual customer invoice for each of succession of multiple item transactions while simultaneously recording each of the transaction on a machine-readable tape comprising the steps of: a. providing a housing having a supporting surface and an adjustable register selectively positionable thereover; b. supporting a portion of a tape in a predetermined location on the surface overlying the adjustable registers; c. supporting a selected one of a plurality of record members having visually and machine-readable customer-identifying indicia thereon in a predetermined position on the surface with a portion of the supported record member underlying the tape; d. supporting a selected plurality of a greater plurality of elongated strips having item-identifying visually and machine-readable indicia thereon in predetermined positions on the surface with a portion of each of the supported strips underlying the tape; e. supporting an invoice in an overlying relationship to the tape and the printing strips; f. selectively positioning the adjustable register in alignment with one of the supported strips; g. selectively positioning the individual print wheels of the adjustable register to place in a printing position the indicia related to the quantity of the item identified; h. causing the quantity indicia to be simultaneously printed on the invoice and the tape; i. selectively positioning the adjustable register in alignment with a different one of the supported strips; j. selectively positioning the individual print wheels of the adjustable register to place in a printing position the indicia related to the quantity of the item identified; k. causing the quantity indicia to be simultaneously printed on the invoice and the tape; and, l. causing the simultaneous printing of the invoice and the tape with the customer-identifying and item-identifying indicia.

Claim 26

Independent Claim 284 words

A method of printing an individual customer invoice for each of succession of multiple item transactions while simultaneously recording each of the transaction on a machine-readable tape comprising the steps of: a. providing a housing having a supporting surface and an adjustable register selectively positionable thereover; b. supporting a portion of a tape in a predetermined location on the surface overlying the adjustable registers; c. supporting a selected one of a plurality of record members having visually and machine-readable customer-identifying indicia thereon in a predetermined position on the surface with a portion of the supported record member underlying the tape; d. supporting a selected plurality of a greater plurality of elongated strips having item-identifying visually and machine-readable indicia thereon in predetermined positions on the surface with a portion of each of the supported strips underlying the tape; e. supporting an invoice in an overlying relationship to the tape and the printing strips; f. selectively positioning the adjustable register in alignment with one of the supported strips; g. selectively positioning the individual print wheels of the adjustable register to place in a printing position the indicia related to the quantity of the item identified; h. causing the quantity indicia to be simultaneously printed on the invoice and the tape; i. selectively positioning the adjustable register in alignment with a different one of the supported strips; j. selectively positioning the individual print wheels of the adjustable register to place in a printing position the indicia related to the quantity of the item identified; k. causing the quantity indicia to be simultaneously printed on the invoice and the tape; and, l. causing the simultaneous printing of the invoice and the tape with the customer-identifying and item-identifying indicia.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1974-12-20	1975-06-21	1975-12-21	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1978-12-20	1979-06-21	1979-12-21	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1982-12-20	1983-06-21	1983-12-21	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Invoice and tape printing machine

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