Numbering Unit with Universal Lower Part for Vertical and Horizontal Numbering Units

Abstract

A numbering unit (1, 101, 102), comprising an upper part (2, 211, 212) and a lower part (3), comprises a universal lower part (3) which is configured to receive both an upper part (212) of a vertical numbering unit (102) and an upper part (211) of a horizontal numbering unit (101). Further objects of the invention are a universal lower part (3) for a numbering unit (1, 101, 102), an upper part (212) for a vertical numbering unit (102), an upper part (211) for a horizontal numbering unit (101), a set comprising a universal lower part (3), at least one vertical upper part (212), and at least one horizontal upper part (211), and a numbering machine comprising a numbering unit (1, 101, 102) according to the invention, or comprising a set according to the invention.

Claims

1. Numbering unit (1, 101, 102) comprising an upper part (2, 211, 212) and a lower part (3), characterized by a universal lower part (3) which is configured to receive both an upper part (212) of a vertical numbering unit (102) and an upper part (211) of a horizontal numbering unit (101).

2. Numbering unit (1, 101, 102) according to claim 1, characterized in that the lower part (3) is configured to be fixed firmly, but detachably, to a mounting ring (4) of a numbering machine.

3. Numbering unit (1, 101, 102) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the lower part (3) is configured to be clamped to a mounting ring (4) of a numbering machine.

4. Numbering unit (1, 101, 102) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the lower part (3) is configured to remain on the mounting ring (4) of a numbering machine if the upper part (2, 211, 212) is replaced.

5. Numbering unit (1, 101, 102) according to claim 4, characterized in that the lower part (3) is configured to remain on the mounting ring (4) in the event of a change in the type of numbering unit (1, 101, 102), namely between a vertical numbering unit (102) and a horizontal numbering unit (101).

6. Numbering unit (1, 101, 102) according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the numbering unit (1) is a vertical numbering unit (102), and comprises an upper part (212) which applies to a document to be printed a character string which extends in the circumferential direction of the mounting ring (4).

7. Numbering unit (1, 101, 102) according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the numbering unit (1) is a horizontal numbering unit (101), and comprises an upper part (211) which applies to a document to be printed a character string which extends perpendicularly to the circumferential direction of the mounting ring (4).

8. Numbering unit (1, 101, 102) according to claim 6 or according to claim 7, characterized in that the respective upper part (211, 212) is designed in its connection portion to the lower part (3) such that it fits on the lower part (3) and may be reversibly arranged and/or fixed there.

9. Numbering unit (1, 101, 102) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the universal lower part (3) is designed in its connecting portion to the upper part (2, 211, 212) in such a way that it can receive both the upper part (212) of a vertical numbering unit (102) and the upper part (211) of a horizontal numbering unit (101).

10. Numbering unit (1, 101, 102) according to claim 9, characterized in that the lower part (3) is configured to be fixed in a single intended orientation on the mounting ring (4) of a numbering machine, and in this orientation receive both the upper part (212) of a vertical numbering unit (102) and the upper part (211) of a horizontal numbering unit (101), in order to provide a vertical numbering unit (102) and a horizontal numbering unit (101), respectively.

11. Numbering unit (1, 101, 102) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the upper part (2, 211, 212) comprises a numbering mechanism (21).

12. Numbering unit (1, 101, 102) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the upper part (2, 211, 212) comprises type wheels (22).

13. Numbering unit (1, 102) according to claim 12, characterized in that the type wheels (22) are arranged side by side as seen in the circumferential direction of the mounting ring (4) of a numbering machine.

14. Numbering unit (1, 101) according to claim 12, characterized in that the type wheels (22) are arranged side by side as seen perpendicularly to the circumferential direction of the mounting ring (4) of a numbering machine.

15. Numbering unit (1, 101, 102) according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the upper part (2, 211, 212) is configured to be fixed to the lower part (3), in particular to the lower part (3) being arranged on a mounting ring (4) of a numbering machine, by establishing a clamping connection, and is configured to be removed from the lower part (3) by releasing the clamping connection.

16. Numbering unit (1, 101, 102) according to claim 15, characterized in that the upper part (2, 211, 212) comprises at least one, preferably two, more preferably two opposing, tensioning levers (7).

17. Numbering unit (1, 101, 102) according to claim 16, characterized in that the tensioning levers (7) each extend from the upper part (2, 211, 212) into a recess (302), an undercut, a groove, or the like, in the lower part (3), and can thus secure, fix, or clamp the upper part (2, 211, 212) on the lower part (3).

18. Numbering unit (1, 101, 102) according to any one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that the underside (201) of the upper part (2, 211, 212) engages with a lug (202) in a central groove (301) of the lower part (3).

19. Universal lower part (3) for a numbering unit (1, 101, 102) according to any one of claims 1 to 18.

20. Upper part (212) for a vertical numbering unit (102) according to claim 6, which is configured to apply to a document to be printed a character string which extends in the circumferential direction of the mounting ring (4) of a numbering machine.

21. Upper part (211) for a horizontal numbering unit (101) according to claim 7, which is configured to apply to a document to be printed a character string which extends perpendicularly to the circumferential direction of the mounting ring (4) of a numbering machine.

22. Set comprising a universal lower part (3) according to claim 19, at least one upper part (212) according to claim 20, and at least one upper part (211) according to claim 21.

23. Numbering machine, characterized by a numbering unit (1, 101, 102) according to any one of claims 1 to 18, or by a set according to claim 22.

Description

DRAWINGS

[0067] Supplementary or in addition to the advantageous embodiments and further developments of the teaching already discussed, further embodiments of the invention shown in the drawings to the extent of FIGS. 1A, 1B, 2A and 2B are explained in more detail below. However, the examples discussed with reference to the drawings do not limit the invention to the examples shown. In discussing the embodiments with reference to the drawings, generally preferred embodiments and further developments of the teaching are also shown.

[0068] Further developments of the advantageous embodiments described above with features of the embodiments described below, just like further developments of the embodiments described below with features of the embodiments described above, expressly form further advantageous embodiments of the invention, and thus form part of the present disclosure.

[0069] With regard to the following explanation of the figures, it should generally be pointed out that reference signs already shown in previous figures and already explained further above in this respect have in part not been reapplied in subsequent figures for reasons of clarity, and/or are in part not explained again with relation to these subsequent figures. For the explanation of such reference signs and the associated technical features, reference is made in full to the respective description of the corresponding preceding figures, in order to avoid repetition.

[0070] It is shown in:

[0071] FIG. 1A a preferred embodiment of the numbering unit according to the invention, this is a horizontal numbering unit and comprises an upper part and a universal lower part according to the invention,

[0072] FIG. 1B an exploded view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1A, with the upper part and lower part of the numbering unit shown at a distance from each other,

[0073] FIG. 2 a further preferred embodiment of the numbering unit according to the invention, whereby a vertical numbering unit is provided here, and

[0074] FIG. 2B the embodiment of FIG. 2A in an exploded view, with the upper part and lower part of the numbering unit shown at a distance from each other.

[0075] FIG. 1A shows a preferred embodiment of a numbering unit 1 according to the invention, comprising an upper part 2 and a lower part 3. The numbering unit 1 here is a horizontal numbering unit 101 and thus comprises a horizontal upper part 211 and a universal lower part 3 according to the invention.

[0076] The universal lower part 3 here is, as an example, reversibly fixed to the mounting ring 4 of a numbering machine (not shown). For this purpose, screws 5 extend through the clamping hook 6A on the front side. The clamping hook 6A and the clamping lever 6B are clamped against each other by the opposite clamping lever 6B, whereby the universal lower part 3 is fixed to the mounting ring 4.

[0077] In the upper part 2, 211, two tiltable tensioning levers 7 are arranged diagonally opposite each other. The tensioning levers 7 extend essentially vertically and comprise an actuation section 701 at the top for the user and a hook section 702 at the bottom (see FIG. 1B) for engagement in the lower part 3.

[0078] At least one spring 8 acts between the upper part 2, 211 and the tensioning levers 7, which pretensions a tensioning lever 7 in a suitable manner.

[0079] In a similar way, the clamping lever 6B of the lower part 3, which acts on the mounting ring 4, is pretensioned by its own springs. In this respect, a reversible fixation of the lower part 3 on the mounting ring 4 is also provided here.

[0080] The upper part 2, 211 comprises the numbering mechanism 21 with the type wheels 22.

[0081] By actuating the tensioning lever 7 against the force of the spring 8, the user can pivot the tensioning lever 7 away from the lower part 3 and thus remove the upper part 2, 211 from the lower part 3 very quickly. Conversely, the upper part 2, 211 can in this way be moved towards the lower part 3 and be arranged or engaged on the latter. By withdrawing the actuating force on the tensioning levers 7, these then pivot into the lower part 3, and thus the upper part 2, 211 is fixed and/or clamped to the lower part 3. This connection between the upper part 2, 211 and the lower part 3 can also be established in just a few seconds.

[0082] The type wheels 22 of the upper part 2 are here arranged in such a way that they print on the document to be printed (not shown) a character string which extends perpendicularly to the circumferential direction of the mounting ring 4. Therefore, this is a horizontal numbering unit 101 with a horizontal upper part 211.

[0083] FIG. 1B shows the embodiment of FIG. 1A in an exploded view, wherein the upper part 2, 211 and lower part 3 of the numbering unit 1, 101 are shown at a distance from one another.

[0084] It can be clearly seen here that the underside 201 of the upper part 2, 211 engages with a lug 202 in a central groove 301 of the lower part 3. The tensioning levers 7, whose lower hook section 702 is clearly visible here, also engage in further suitable lateral recesses 302 or grooves in the lower part 3.

[0085] The universal lower part 3 comprises on its upper side a total of four suitably shaped projections, pins or hooks. This forms a total of three grooves 301 or recesses 302 extending in the longitudinal direction, and one in the transverse direction of the lower part 3, in which the upper part 2, 211 or the tensioning levers 7, respectively, can engage in a suitable manner.

[0086] Specifically, both the lug 202 and the central groove 301 comprise a corresponding cross shape, i.e. the lug 202 and the central groove 301 each comprise portions oriented perpendicularly to one other. This inevitably leads to an exact positioning of the upper part 2, 211 relative to the lower part 3 when the upper part 2, 211 is advanced to the lower part 3, as there no longer exist any degrees of freedom in the positioning of the upper part 2, 211 perpendicularly to the underside 201 of the upper part 2, 211.

[0087] FIG. 2A shows a further preferred embodiment of the numbering unit 1 according to the invention. In contrast to FIGS. 1A and 1B, however, the type wheels 22 of the upper part 2 are here arranged in such a way that they print on the document to be printed (not shown) a character string which extends in the circumferential direction of the mounting ring 4. Therefore, this is a vertical numbering unit 102 with a vertical upper part 212 on a universal lower part 3 according to the invention.

[0088] The numbering unit 1, 102 thus comprises an upper part 212 which differs from the upper part 211 of FIGS. 1A and 1B. However, the upper part 212 is arranged and fixed on the same universal lower part 3 as the upper part 211 of the horizontal numbering unit 101 of FIGS. 1A and 1B.

[0089] Thus, the size and shape of the underside 201 of the upper part 212 of FIG. 2A corresponds exactly to the size and shape of the underside 201 of the upper part 211 of FIGS. 1A and 1B. As a result, either the upper part 211 of the horizontal numbering unit 101 or the upper part 212 of the vertical numbering unit 102 can be arranged on the same universal lower part 3, and be fixed or clamped there.

[0090] FIG. 2B shows the embodiment of FIG. 2A in an exploded view, wherein the upper part 2, 212 and the lower part 3 of the numbering unit 1, 102 are shown at a distance from each other. It becomes particularly clear here that the correlation or fit between the upper part 212 and the universal lower part 3 of the vertical numbering unit 102 corresponds exactly to the correlation or fit between the upper part 211 and the universal lower part 3 of the horizontal numbering unit 101 of FIGS. 1A and 1B.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0091] 1 numbering unit [0092] 101 horizontal numbering unit [0093] 102 vertical numbering unit [0094] 2 upper part (numbering unit) [0095] 211 horizontal upper part [0096] 212 vertical upper part [0097] 21 numbering mechanism (upper part) [0098] 22 type wheel (upper part) [0099] 201 underside (upper part) [0100] 202 lug (upper part) [0101] 3 lower part, universal lower part (numbering unit) [0102] 301 central groove (lower part) [0103] 302 lateral recess (lower part) [0104] 4 mounting ring (numbering machine) [0105] 5 screw (lower part) [0106] 6A clamping hook (lower part) [0107] 6B clamping lever (lower part) [0108] 7 tensioning lever [0109] 701 actuation section (tensioning lever) [0110] 702 hook section (tensioning lever) [0111] 8 spring (tensioning lever)