U.S. patent number 3,818,828 [Application Number 05/212,905] was granted by the patent office on 1974-06-25 for credit card printing machine.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Janome Sewing Machine Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Fumiyuki Mishima, Tetsuo Nakada, Yoshiaki Ozaki.
United States Patent |
3,818,828 |
Nakada , et al. |
June 25, 1974 |
CREDIT CARD PRINTING MACHINE
Abstract
A credit card printing machine has a carriage with a platen
movable over a printing bed on which a credit card and a copy sheet
or pad of copy sheets, are placed. A printing plate associated with
the credit organization which issued the respective credit card, is
detachably attached to a seat plate, and can be exchanged so that
the used printing plate and credit card are always associated with
the same credit organization. The printing plate prints information
regarding the name and code number of the store or dealer making
the credit sale in the respective credit organization. This
information, together with customer information from the credit
card, are both imprinted on the used copy sheet. The attachment of
the printing plate is effected by pins and a clamping spring so
that no tool is required for exchanging printing plates to conform
to the credit organization of a respective used credit card. Other
printing plates, associated with other credit organizations, are
stored in a compartment of the housing of the printing machine.
Inventors: |
Nakada; Tetsuo (Sagamihara,
JA), Ozaki; Yoshiaki (Tokyo, JA), Mishima;
Fumiyuki (Tokyo, JA) |
Assignee: |
Janome Sewing Machine Co., Ltd.
(Tokyo, JA)
|
Family
ID: |
26346620 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/212,905 |
Filed: |
December 28, 1971 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Dec 29, 1970 [JA] |
|
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45-133084 |
Feb 24, 1971 [JA] |
|
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46-11211 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
101/269; 101/45;
101/382.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B41L
19/00 (20130101); B41L 45/02 (20130101); B41L
47/04 (20130101); B41L 47/16 (20130101); B41L
47/14 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B41L
47/14 (20060101); B41L 47/16 (20060101); B41L
45/02 (20060101); B41L 19/00 (20060101); B41L
47/04 (20060101); B41L 47/00 (20060101); B41L
45/00 (20060101); B41f 003/18 () |
Field of
Search: |
;101/45,269,274,382,383,384,378,369,370 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Pulfrey; Robert E.
Assistant Examiner: Pieprz; William
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Striker; Michael S.
Claims
We claim:
1. Clamping arrangement for a printing plate, comprising a
supporting plate having two threaded bores and a first opening; a
seat plate fixedly secured to said supporting plate and having two
holes registering with said threaded bores, and a second opening
registering with said first opening; a printing plate having two
guide holes and a third opening; a clamping spring secured to the
underside of said supporting plate and passing through said first,
second and third openings, said clamping spring having an
untensioned position in which said two guide holes in said printing
plate are staggered to said two holes in said seating plate when
said printing plate engages said clamping spring; and two guide
pins threaded into said threaded bores and having pin heads engaged
by said guide holes in a tensioned position of said clamping spring
in which said printing plate is clamped by said spring to said seat
plate.
2. Clamping arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said clamping
spring has a slanted end portion engaging in said tensioned
position one edge of said printing plate bounding said third
opening and projecting over a portion of said printing plate.
3. Credit card printing machine comprising, in combination,
supporting means including a printing bed, said printing bed
including a top plate, and a seat plate secured to said top plate,
and having an opening and a plurality of holes; a carriage movable
on said supporting means; a platen mounted on said carriage for
movement with the same along a path on said printing bed;
positioning means for locating in said path on said printing
machine at least one copy sheet, and a customer's credit card
issued by a predetermined credit organization and having first
printable symbols thereon representing information regarding the
customer; a creditor identifying printing plate associated with
said credit organization, and having second printable symbols
thereon identifying a creditor with said credit organization, said
printing plate being located on said seat plate and having guide
holes; and manually operable attaching means secured to said
printing bed for detachably attaching to said printing bed the
printing plate associated with said credit organization in a
position located in said path so that said first and second symbols
are printed on said copy sheet when said platen moves along said
path, said attaching means including pins secured to said printing
bed and projecting through said holes in said seat plate into said
guide holes of said printing plate, and a clamping spring secured
to said printing bed and pressing said printing plate onto said
pins, said printing plate having another opening; said clamping
spring passing through said openings and having a bent end portion
resiliently abutting said printing plate for the clamping the same
to said seat plate in a position in which said openings are
aligned.
4. Printing machine as claimed in claim 3 wherein said bent end
portion of said clamping spring has a clamping portion slanted to
said one printing plate and resiliently abutting one edge of said
other opening.
5. Printing machine as claimed in claim 4 wherein said clamping
spring has an end portion bent away from said slanted clamping
portion.
6. Printing machine as claimed in claim 4 wherein said clamping
spring has a U-shaped main portion, one leg of which passes through
said registering openings, and through a corresponding opening
formed in said printing bed, and the other leg of which is bent and
secured to the underside of said printing bed.
7. Printing machine as claimed in claim 6 wherein said guide pins
have pin heads located in said guide holes of said one printing
plate, threaded portions threaded into said printing bed, threaded
portions threaded into said printing bed, and head portions
clamping said bent other leg to said printing bed.
8. Printing machine as claimed in claim 7 wherein said bent other
leg has fastening holes through which said threaded portions of
said pins pass into said printing bed.
9. A printing machine arrangement as claimed in claim 3 wherein
said supporting means include a housing forming a storing
compartment open on top, and a plurality of parallel holding means
for storing at least some of the other printing plates in said
compartment.
10. A printing machine as claimed in claim 9 wherein each holding
means has upright wall portions and a bottom wall portion forming a
groove for receiving the lower end portion of one of said other
printing plates.
11. A printing machine as claimed in claim 10 wherein said
plurality of holding means has a common wall upward inclined to a
horizontal plane and including said wall portions and grooves at
different levels so that the upper ends of said printing plates are
located at a high level in the rear, and at a low level in front of
said compartment.
12. A printing machine arrangement as claimed in claim 3 comprising
at least one set of printing wheels rotatably mounted on said
supporting means and having printing portions located in said path;
setting means for said printing wheels; a cover for at least partly
covering said setting means; and storage compartment means open on
top and secured to the rear portion of said cover for storing at
least some of the other printing plates.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to credit card printing machines of
the type in which a platen roller is moved with a carriage across a
printing bed for printing information embossed on a credit card on
a copy sheet, or pad of copy sheets so that a record is made of a
credit scale made by a creditor, such as a department store, to a
customer holding a credit card of a specific credit organization.
There exists a great number of credit organizations issuing
individual credit cards, and since the department store or other
firm which extends credit to a customer must be identified by a
different code number when different credit cards are used, the
crediting firm must have a printing machine for each credit
organization. The respective credit card is then inserted into the
associated printing machine, and imprinted with information
concerning the customer, the sale, and also the name and identity
of the crediting firm. Each printing machine has a permanently
attached printing plate with printable types representing the name
of the crediting firm and the code number in the respective credit
organization.
It is a disadvantage of the prior art that a crediting firm, which
accepts credit cards issued by different credit organizations, must
have a printing machine for each credit organization issuing a
credit card, so that the imprinted copy sheet received by the
credit organization includes imprints identifying the crediting
firm.
The buying and storing of a number of printing machines associated
with different credit organizations, increases the operating cost
of the crediting firms, and takes up valuable space. It also
consumes time of the sales clerk, to find the right printing
machine everytime a different credit card is presented.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is one object of the invention to overcome the disadvantages of
the credit card printing machines according to the prior art, and
to provide a credit card printing machine which can be used with
credit cards issued by different credit organizations.
Another object of the invention is to provide one credit card
printing machine with exchangeable and detachable printing plates
which are respectively associated with different credit
organizations.
Another object of the invention is to attach the printing plates to
the credit card printing machines by attaching means which can be
quickly and easily operated by an unskilled person exchanging the
printing plate.
Another object of the invention is to provide a credit card
printing machine with printing plate attaching means which require
no tool for removing one printing plate, and attaching another
printing plate.
Another object of the invention is to provide manually operable
attaching means which hold a printing plate so firmly that it
cannot be displaced when a printing platen passes over the printing
plate.
With these objects in view, the invention is applied to a credit
card printing machine which comprises supporting means including a
printing bed, a carriage mounted for movement on the supporting
means, and a platen mounted on the carriage for movement with the
same along a path on the printing bed.
Positioning means are provided for locating in the path at least
one copy sheet, and a customer's credit card issued by a
predetermined credit organization and having first printable
symbols thereon representing information regarding the customer. A
plurality of creditor identifying printing plates associated with
different organizations is provided. Each printing plate has
printable symbols thereon identifying the same creditor, such as a
department store making a sale, with different credit
organizations.
Manually operable attaching means are secured to the printing bed
for detachably attaching to the printing bed one printing plate
associated with the credit organization issuing the respective
credit card.
The two informations represented by the credit card and by the
respective printing plate are both printed on the copy sheet by
operation of the carriage with the platen. However, when a credit
card of an other credit organization is used, the printing plate is
replaced in the printing machine by another printing plate
associated with the respective other credit organization.
In the preferred embodiment, the attaching means include resilient
clamping means for clamping the printing plate to the printing bed,
or to a seat plate.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the printing plate
has two guide holes and an opening, and stationary pins project
into the guide holes, while a clamping spring passes through the
opening and presses with a slanted portion against the printing
plate so that the guide holes and pins cannot separate.
The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the
invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The
invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its
method of operation, together with additional objects and
advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following
description of specific embodiments when read in connection with
the accompanying drawing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a credit card printing
machine embodying the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an exchangeable printing
plate having embossed types representing the name and code number
of the crediting firm in a particular credit organization;
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating a seat plate
and attaching means for a printing plate;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line IV--IV in FIG. 3, and
illustrating a printing plate while being attached to the seat
plate;
FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on line V--V in FIG. 3 and
illustrating the printing position of the printing plate;
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating a clamping
spring according to the invention;
FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating a compartment
provided in the housing of the credit card printing machine for
holding several printing plates associated with the different
credit organizations; and
FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating an other
embodiment of a storing compartment for printing plates.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring first to FIG. 1, a printing bed 2 is formed by a
horizontal top plate of a housing 1. A set of printing wheels 13 is
rotatably mounted on the supporting housing parts of the machine,
is are provided with peripheral types representing numbers so that
the portions of the number wheels 13 projecting through a cutout 21
in the machine bed 2 can be used for printing the amount of
credited money. A set of date wheels 22 also partly projects from
the surface of the machine bed 2.
The type wheels 13 each have a gear, not shown, fixedly attached
thereto, which mesh with rack bars 16 manually operated by knobs or
buttons 14 which project out of the machine housing 1 through slots
15 provided in a cover 11 on the top face of the housing.
Positioning means 24 are provided for engaging the edges and
corners of a copy sheet, and positioning portions 24a are provided
for positioning a credit card on a seat plate 24b secured to the
machine bed 2.
Another seat plate 23 is secured to the machine bed plate 2, and
serves or supporting a printing plate 3, as will be explained
hereinafter. The two seat plates 23 and 24b are located in the same
horizontal plane, and are covered during a printing operation by a
copy sheet, not shown, or a pad of copy sheets.
A carriage 7 supports a platen roller 8 for rotation, and is
mounted on the printing bed 2 for movement between two end
positions so that the platen 8 moves along a path over seat plates
23, 24b, and also over number wheels 22 and 13. If a printing plate
3 is placed on seat plate 23, and a credit card is placed on seat
plate 24b, and then a copy sheet is placed on top of the printing
plate and credit card, the information of the printing plate,
credit card, date wheels 22, and number wheels 13 will be printed
on the copy sheet whose position is determined by the positioning
means 24.
FIG. 2 shows a printing plate 3 having a code number 31, and a name
of the firm 32 embossed thereon. The code number 31 identifies the
respective firm for a particular credit organization which has
issued the credit card used together with the printing plate 3. The
embossed digits and characters are located in the upper part of the
printing plate 3, while the lower part has two guide holes 33, and
an elongated opening 34 bounded on one side by an edge 34a.
Referring now to FIG. 3, the seat plate 23 is fixedly secured by
two screws 25 to the printing bed 2, which is formed by the top
face of housing 1. Seat plate 23 has a smooth planar top surface,
and is provided with two holes 28, and an elongated opening 27
which are arranged in the same pattern as guide holes 33 and
opening 34 in the printing plate 3. In the operative position of
printing plate 3 shown in FIG. 5, holes 28, and opening 27 register
with guide holes 33 and opening 34.
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, pins 43 are threaded into threaded bores
2a in bed plate 2, and have smooth portions located in guide holes
28. Small end portions 26 project beyond the printing plate 3 in
the printing position shown in FIG. 5. A U-shaped clamping spring 4
has a bent leg forming an attaching portion 42 with two fastening
holes 44 through which pins 43 pass. A counter nut 43a with a
washer secures the bent leg 42 to the underside of the printing bed
2.
The other leg 41 of the U-shaped spring 4 projects through the
aligned openings 2b in bed plate 2; opening 27 in seat plate 23;
and 34 opening in printing plate 3, and tends to assume the
untensioned position shown in dash and dot lines in FIG. 5,
abutting the edge 23a of opening 27 in seat plate 23. The slanted
portion 40a of spring 4 is located above the top surface of seat
plate 23.
In order to attach a printing plate 3 to the seat plate 23, the
printing plate 3 is placed in a position in which the clamping
portion 40a, 40 passes through opening 34, while the clamping
portion 40a, 40 is in the position shown in chain lines in FIG. 5.
In this position, not shown, of the printing plate 3, the guide
holes 33 in the printing plate 3 are staggered to the ends of the
pins 43, 26. Thereupon, printing plate 3 is pushed to the right as
viewed in FIG. 4 to resiliently displace leg 41 of spring 4 until
the guide holes 33 are aligned with the end portions 26 of the pins
43. The printing plate 3 can now be pushed down from the position
of FIG. 4 to the printing position of FIG. 5 in which the slanted
portion 40a engages the edge 34a of opening 34 and presses printing
plate 3 down onto the top surface of the seat plate 23 so that the
end portions 26 of the pins 43 are reliably engaged by the guide
holes 33 in the printing plate 3.
A number of printing plates 3 is provided, each printing plate 3
being associated with a different credit organization, and carrying
information identifying the user of the printing plate to the
respective credit organization. When a credit card associated with
a different credit organization is presented by the customer and
placed on the seat plate 24b shown in FIG. 1, the previously used
printing plate 3 is removed from the seat plate 23 by first lifting
the left end of the printing plate 3, and then retracting the
printing plate, where upon an other printing plate 3, associated
with the credit organization to which the newly presented credit
card belongs, is placed on the seating plate 23, and attached by
clamping spring 4 while being non-slidably held on the seat plate
23 by the pins 43, 26 projecting into guide holes 33.
Since only one printing plate can be used at a time in the credit
card printing machine, a compartment 17, open on top, is provided
in the housing 1 of the machine rearwardly of the printing bed 2
and on one side of the cover 11 which closes an opening in the
housing 1 under which the setting rack bars 16 are located, as
shown in FIG. 8.
Compartment 17 is provided with a wall 17a having pairs of upright
wall portions 19, 19a, 19b which are respectively connected by
bottom portions 18, 18a, 18b, so that grooves are formed for
supporting the lower parts of several printing plates 3 in spaced
positions, and at different levels, the upper portions of the
rearwardly located printing plates 3 being higher than the upper
portions of the printing plates 3 stored in the front of the
compartment, so that the required printing plate 3 can be easily
selected.
In the modification of FIG. 8, the wall portion 19c is secured to
the rear wall of the cover 11 and forms a groove into which
printing cards 3 can be inserted.
Since only the lower portions of stored printing plates 3 are
covered, the operator can observe the upper portions of the
printing plates 3 where legible information identifying the credit
organization may be provided.
Referring again to FIG. 5, in the printing position of printing
plate 3, the edge 43a of opening 43 of printing plate 3 holds the
spring 4, 40a, 40 in a tensioned position shown in solid lines,
displaced a distance a from the normal untensioned psoition of
spring 4 shown in chain lines. The distance of the guide holes 33
from the end of printing plate 3 is selected so that one marginal
edge portion at the end of printing plate 3 projects from the seat
plate 23, as shown at the right side of FIG. 5. By pushing down the
projecting end portion of printing plate 3 in the direction of the
arrow, the guide holes 33 are lifted above the pin end portions 26,
while the clamping portion 40a, 40 of spring 4 is displaced. Spring
4 then shifts printing plate 3 to the left until assuming the
untensioned position shown in chain lines, so that the left end of
printing plate 3 is located above the seat plate 23, and can be
easily manually grasped and lifted off the clamping portion 40a, 40
of spring 4.
From the aforegoing description it will become apparent that the
printing plates 3 can be easily attached to, and removed from the
printing bed 2 of the credit card printing machine, as required for
credit cards associated with different credit organizations and
presented by the customers. Instead of storing credit card printing
machines, only printing plates 3 associated with different credit
organizations need be stored, for which purpose the compartment 17
of the single credit card printing machine may be used.
The specific construction of the attaching means including pins 43,
26 and a clamping spring 4, reliably holds the printing plate 3 in
the printing position without being displaced by the force exerted
thereon by the platen 8 of the manually operated carriage 7.
It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or
two or more together, may also find a useful application in other
types of printing machines, differing from the types described
above.
While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied
in a credit card printing machine with exchangeable printing plates
secured by attaching means which require no tool, it is not
intended to be limited to the details shown, since various
modifications and structural changes may be made without departing
in any way from the spirit of the present invention.
Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the
gist of the present invention that others can by applying current
knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without
omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly
constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific
aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should
and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of
equivalence of the following claims.
What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters
Patent is set forth in the appended claims.
* * * * *