← Back to Patent Explorer
US3838640A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Credit card imprinter drive mechanism

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1973-02-28
•
Granted: 1974-10-01
•
Expires: 1993-02-28
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A credit sales voucher imprinter drive mechanism which is operable either manually or mechanically, includes an imprinter roller carriage disposed between frame guide members to reciprocally traverse a voucher imprinting area upon being driven by spaced parallel belts attached to the carriage. The belts are disposed on pulleys driven by a third belt having a dog secured thereto. A running nut is disposed on a threaded shaft, reversably driven by an electric motor, and has a latch mechanism attached thereto for engaging the dog. The belts also drive a spring return mechanism which is operable to return the imprinter roller carriage to its initial position upon disengagement of the dog by the latch mechanism on the running nut. The imprinter carriage is supported on the imprinter rollers and has idler wheels mounted thereon which engage lips on the upper edges of the frame guide members and vertically restrain the carriage. The imprinter rollers are mounted on a shaft having its ends disposed in arcuate slots provided in the carriage. Means are provided to cock the imprinter carriage as it moves in a first direction to force the imprinting rollers against a voucher for imprinting thereof, and to cock the carriage in an opposite direction as it moves back to its original position whereby the imprinter rollers will be allowed to float over the voucher on the return stroke of the carriage. A hinged handle is provided to manually engage the drive belt dog for manual driving of the carriage. A voucher detector is also provided to prevent operation of the imprinter unless a sales voucher is properly oriented within the imprinter.

Inventors

  • 👤 M Rudin
  • 👤 Q Correll
  • 👤 L Chamness

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-27 10:17
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41L; B41L19/00

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim 192 words
A credit card sales voucher imprinter and drive mechanism therefor comprising, a frame, an imprinting station mounted on the frame and adapted to receive a sales voucher for imprinting thereof, an imprinter roller carriage disposed for reciprocal movement over the imprinting station, rotatable shafts disposed at each end of the imprinting station transversely thereto, spaced parallel endless belts disposed between the shafts on each side of the imprinting station, pulleys mounted on the shafts in driving relationship to the belts, means connecting the imprinter roller carriage to each of said endless belts, a third belt disposed between said shafts and in driving engagement therewith, a dog secured to the third belt, a rotatable threaded shaft extending parallel to the third belt, a running nut disposed on the threaded shaft, latch means mounted on the running nut and adapted to engage the dog, and motor means driving the threaded shaft, whereby upon driving of the threaded shaft the latch means on the nut will engage the dog on the third belt to drive the shafts and belts along with driving of the nut to move the imprinter roller carriage over the imprinting station.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 192 words
A credit card sales voucher imprinter and drive mechanism therefor comprising, a frame, an imprinting station mounted on the frame and adapted to receive a sales voucher for imprinting thereof, an imprinter roller carriage disposed for reciprocal movement over the imprinting station, rotatable shafts disposed at each end of the imprinting station transversely thereto, spaced parallel endless belts disposed between the shafts on each side of the imprinting station, pulleys mounted on the shafts in driving relationship to the belts, means connecting the imprinter roller carriage to each of said endless belts, a third belt disposed between said shafts and in driving engagement therewith, a dog secured to the third belt, a rotatable threaded shaft extending parallel to the third belt, a running nut disposed on the threaded shaft, latch means mounted on the running nut and adapted to engage the dog, and motor means driving the threaded shaft, whereby upon driving of the threaded shaft the latch means on the nut will engage the dog on the third belt to drive the shafts and belts along with driving of the nut to move the imprinter roller carriage over the imprinting station.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 93 words
The combination of claim 1 further comprising an imprinter roller carriage guide frame having parallel upstanding side members disposed on each side of the imprinting station and the imprinter roller carriage outward thereof, inwardly extending elongated lip members provided on the top edge of the side members, and idler wheels attached to the sides of the imprinter roller carriage and engaging the lower surface of the lip members whereby the imprinting roller carriage will be forced down against the imprinting station by the lip members as the carriage rolls over the imprinting station.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 177 words
The combination defined in claim 2 wherein the imprinter roller carriage includes imprinter rollers mounted on a shaft disposed in arcuate slots provided in each side of the carriage, and a torsion bar depending from a side of the carriage, and wherein the carriage guide frame includes pins disposed at each end of the imprinting station and arranged to engage the torsion bar on the imprinter roller carriage when the carriage is at each end of the imprinting station whereby the carriage will be cocked in a first direction when the carriage moves in a first direction over the imprinting station, and cocked in a second direction when the carriage moves in a second direction over the imprinting station, whereby when the carriage moves in said first direction over the imprinting station the imprinter rollers will be forced against the imprinting station, and when the carriage moves in a second direction over the imprinting station, the imprinter rollers will be allowed to float over the imprinting station by upward movement of the shaft in the arcuate slots.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 95 words
The combination of claim 1 wherein the latch means comprises a latch member having a first end pivotally mounted on the running nut and a second end which terminates in an upstanding portion adapted to engage the dog on the third endless belt upon pivoting of the link member, a pin member projecting from the link member, and ramp members adapted to engage the pin member and rotate the latch member into engagement with the dog and out of engagement with the dog respectively as the running nut is reciprocally driven by the threaded shaft.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 103 words
The combination of claim 1 further comprising a manual drive mechanism including a trolley assembly mounted for reciprocal movement parallel to the third endless belt, a claw member pivotally mounted on the trolley assembly and adapted to engage the dog on the third belt upon rotation of the claw, spring means biasing the claw away from the third belt, a handle pivotally mounted on the trolley assembly, and claw engaging means connected to the handle for rotating the claw into engagement with the dog upon rotation of the handle, whereby the imprinter roller carriage may be driven by manual driving of the handle.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 40 words
The combination of claim 1 further comprising spring means attached to at least one of the belts for returning the belts and the imprinter roller carriage to a preselected initial position upon release of the dog by the latch means.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3233542A Cited
US3134324A Cited
US3232230A Cited
US3269307A Cited
US3260199A Cited
US3447459A Cited
US3608485A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1977-09-30 1978-04-01 1978-10-01 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1981-09-30 1982-04-01 1982-10-01 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1985-09-30 1986-04-01 1986-10-01 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag