CUTTING AND CLOSURE MECHANISM FOR TICKET OR VOUCHER DISPENSER AND METHOD

Abstract

A cutting and closure mechanism for a ticket or voucher dispenser and a method for dispensing a ticket or voucher from a free standing roller printer provided with a shutter to prevent unwanted access to the ticket exit opening to prevent jamming or a backing-up of the printed tickets and comprises a connection to check and on/off card and provided with a shaft 2 connected to an eccentric cam 3 having a pin 4 associated with a combined shutter 6 and a movable blade 7. Counterposed to movable blade 7 is an immovable blade 8 on parallel or staggered or juxtaposed planes, with blades 7, 8 positioned near an exit slot 9 for exiting of the printed ticket and to cut the ticket. The roller printer body 10 then determines an anti-breaking and containment structure for the shutter 6 maintained by a spring 11 juxtaposed to blade 8 so that the blades are maintained adjacent to each other so that the blades can cut the tickets and the shutter closes the exit opening.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This Application claims priority from European Patent Application Serial No. 08425211.3 filed 31 Mar. 2008, and the subject matter thereof is incorporated herein by reference as if written herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention is concerned with a roller printer and a cutting and closure mechanism for cutting tickets or vouchers after printing of the ticket or voucher by the roller printer and to prevent any entry to the exit portion of the ticket or voucher from the roller printer for the printed ticket or voucher and produced by the roller printer and dispensed from the roller printer.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

In the field of roller printers for use in the printing of vouchers and tickets, it is known that opening or exit shutters are placed onto slots, openings or exits from the roller printer exits from which the printed ticket or voucher exits and can be obtained by a purchaser or user.

The known opening shutters are conventionally driven by means of an electromechanical device so that when it is necessary to provide for the discharge of a ticket or voucher, the printer shutter or more specifically the shutter at the exit or discharge orifice opens to provide an exit from which the printed voucher or the printed ticket exits to be removed by a recipient. These shutters have the aim or purpose to avoid any unwanted acts, such as acts by vandals, including for example, the introduction of different materials or objects into the printer exit slot from which the tickets or vouchers or equivalent items are to be removed and exit, and the shutters are intended to provide for the discharge of the vouchers or tickets in sequence and also to prevent undesired access to the roller printer, and to assure the proper operation of the printer which can be damaged because the tickets or vouchers back-up when the exit slot is jammed or otherwise obstructed.

In the known prior art, the devices to print vouchers by means of roller printers, the roller printers generally consist of a cutting device placed downstream from the printing head. When such a roller printer is to be placed in a public place for dispensing of printed tickets or vouchers such roller printers are designed and intended to operate automatically once an individual accesses the dispensing machine or dispensing device with a coin or other indicia. With a roller printer located in a publicly accessible area, the public user or intended recipient of the intended printed ticket or voucher can directly remove or take the voucher or ticket from the roller printer, and such printers are usually or conventionally equipped with two specific and different devices.

One of the aforesaid heretofore known specific devices is a device for the cutting of the voucher or ticket from the conventional internal paper roll after the printed voucher or ticket is completely printed, and a second independent known device is a shutter device which is provided such that when the conventional independent shutter opens the printed ticket or voucher exit to permit the removal of the printed ticket or voucher the shutter is normally rendered operative to prevent introduction of any foreign matter inside of the enclosure or body enclosing the roller printer.

This prior art independent shutter device only opens to permit the removal of the voucher or the ticket, and the shutter is substantially immediately closed by means of automatic controls. An electric motor is conventionally provided which normally drives or controls the working phase or operation of the independent shutter also provides for or permits the opening and closing of the shutter for scheduled periods or times during the working period.

It is obvious that in order to have or provide for a cutting device and a predetermined time period for the opening and closing of the shutter device, this operation which depends on the coordination of time periods for the opening and closing of the shutter together with the cutting operation results in high manufacturing industrial costs such that the total costs ultimately determine the total costs to the working management of the two devices used in the prior art roller printers. Moreover, it is known that it is also possible for individuals to block or interfere with the dispensing of the printed tickets or vouchers into the exit slot because of an external blockage of the exit slot which results in an accumulation of printed tickets or vouchers waiting to enter the exit slot or opening to dispense the printed tickets or vouchers, and the accumulation of undispensed printed tickets or vouchers along the exit and shutter way can take place because of the lack of ability of the printed tickets or vouchers to be dispensed. This causes the roller printer to be rendered inoperable or delayed or damaged with a resultant increase in the maintenance costs to reset or reprogram the roller printer dispensing mechanism. Besides the complexity of the heretofore known roller printers with the two different devices, this complexity provides for a higher possibility of breakdowns or jamming of one of the two devices, as well as the blockage of the exit opening, as well as damage to the independent shutter with a consequent impossibility for the continuous operation of the automatic device for printed tickets and vouchers.

LIST OF ALBERTO CAMPANINI INVENTIONS

• • U.S. Pat. No. 6,798,436, issued Sep. 28, 2004 based on U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/147,174, filed: May 8, 2002, entitled: THERMAL PRINTER CLOSING APPARATUS
  • U.S. Pat. No. 7,175,356, issued: Feb. 13, 2007 based on U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/147,174 filed: May 8, 2002, entitled: HEAD SUPPORT BASE FOR THERMAL PRINTER
  • U.S. Pat. No. 7,322,760, issued: Jan. 29, 2008 based on U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/193,214 Filed: Jul. 29, 2005, entitled: ANTIJAMMING DEVICE FOR PRINTERS PUT IN PUBLIC PLACES
  • U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/272,277 Publication No.: US 2006/0152574 Filed: Nov. 10, 2005 Title: LASER WRITING HEAD FOR PRINTER
  • U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/581,770 Publication No.: US 2007/0166093 Filed: Oct. 16, 2006 Title: AUTOMATIC OPENING DEVICE FOR A PRINTER GATE
  • U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/960,956 Publication No.: US 2008/0229892 Filed: Dec. 20, 2007 Title: LIMITING DEVICE FOR ROLL PRINTER
  • U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/057,430 Publication No.: US 2008/0247799 Filed: Mar. 28, 2008 Title: THERMAL PRINTER HEAD WITH PRINT CONTROL DEVICE
  • U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/321,216 Filed: Jan. 20, 2009 Title: PRINTING ROLL RELEASE OF THE HEAD IN THE THERMAL PRINTER
  • U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/403,419 Filed: Mar. 13, 2009 Title: PRINT CONTROL DEVICE FOR A THERMAL PRINTER

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

• 1. electric motor
• 2. shaft
• 3. eccentric cam
• 4. pin
• 5. hole
• 6. shutter
• 7. movable blade
• 8. immovable blade or counter blade
• 9. slot or exit for ticket or voucher
• 10. rolling printer body or enclosure or frame
• 11. spring
• 12. passage
• 13. paper roll
• 14. printing head

There are various conventional elements and structures which have not been assigned reference numerals because they are considered to be conventional and well-known.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to overcome the aforesaid problems of the prior art and to increase the operability of stand alone roller printers for dispensing printed tickets or vouchers.

Another object of the invention is to reduce the cost of repair of the roller printer and to provide a combined shutter and ticket or voucher cutter for roller printers in which the shutters for automatic roller printers cooperate with the cutting operation and cutting device and which combined shutter and cutting device is driven by an electric motor and the exit portion for the tickets or vouchers is opened by the shutter solely for permitting the ticket or voucher to be moved out of the roller printer through the exit and to provide a cutting blade integrated with the shutter for the combined and cooperating dispensing and cutting operation. In this way, following the printing of the ticket or voucher and removal of the ticket or voucher from the automatic roller printer, the shutter automatically closes the ticket or voucher exit opening after cutting or severing of the ticket or voucher portion from the conventional paper supply roll, and the cutting blade is capable of automatically cutting a final part of the paper containing the last printed ticket from the paper supply roll onto which the tickets are printed.

A further object of the invention is to provide for a scissors-type cut, in addition to the combined shutter with cutting blade combination that is present, provision is also made for one blade to be a counter-blade or immovable fixed blade which is mounted onto the frame or body of the roller printer in such a manner that a printed ticket when passing the counter blade towards the exit opening, the ticket or voucher passes over the movable blade, and the combined movable blade and shutter move away from the exit slot to permit the ticket or voucher to pass between the movable and immovable blades and with a reverse movement of the combined shutter and movable blade, the ticket or voucher is cut by the cooperative action of the two blades, and after cutting of the ticket or voucher the shutter closes the exit opening.

Yet another object of the invention is to integrate the cutting mechanism formed by the aforesaid immovable blade and movable blade to provide a cutting apparatus integrated with the shutter, such that the manufacturing cost provided is reduced and a minor complexity of the automatic roller printer is determined by integrating in a sole or single device the cutting and the opening and the closing steps of the shutter together with the ticket cutting operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide for an energetic saving in the working of the same printer.

To these ends, the present invention consists in the provision of a cutting and closure mechanism for a ticket or voucher dispenser for cutting tickets or vouchers after printing of the tickets or vouchers and for preventing any entry into the exit portion for the printed tickets or vouchers for a roller printer for printing of the tickets or vouchers and for dispensing of the tickets or vouchers through the exit opening, comprising a roller printer body 10 containing a paper roll 13 capable of having tickets or vouchers printed thereon, the roller printer body 10 including a ticket or voucher exit opening 9 downstream from said paper roll 13, and cutting and exit-entry control means 6, 7 and 8 for cutting the printed ticket or voucher and for preventing any unwanted entry into said exit opening 9 including a shutter 6 for opening and closing the exit opening 9 when the printed ticket or voucher is to be dispensed through the exit opening 9 and for preventing access to the exit opening externally of the roller printer body 10 when the roller printer body 10 is not to dispense a printed ticket or voucher, and the cutting and exit-entry control means includes a movable blade 7 coupled with the shutter 6 and movable together with the shutter 6 relative to a stationary blade 8 to permit said printed ticket or voucher to move between the blades through the exit opening 9 when the movable blade 7 and shutter 6 are moved from a closed position closing the exit opening 9 to an open position for the exit opening 9 with the movable blade 7 cooperating with the stationery blade 8 to cut the printed ticket or voucher and the shutter 6 are moved to the closing position for closing the exit opening 9 upon completion of cutting of the ticket or voucher.

The invention also includes an eccentric cam 3 coupled with a motor 1, and a pin 4 coupled with the eccentric cam for imparting vertical motion to the movable blade 7 from rotary motion imparted to the eccentric cam 3 by the motor 1. The output shaft 2 of the motor 1 is connected with the eccentric cam 3 by means of the pin 4, and pin 4 is displaced from and parallel with the output shaft 2, the output shaft 2 being coupled with a substantially central portion of the cam 3.

A further feature of the mechanism is the provision of an output shaft 2 coupling the motor 1 to the eccentric cam 3 for imparting rotary motion to the eccentric cam 3.

Another object of the invention is to provide the stationary blade with a pair of oppositely disposed parallel faces, at least one of which is longer than the other with a first stationary face extending from the cutting tip of the stationary blade 8 and extending from the second stationary face of the immovable blade is a slanting portion forming an acute angle with the cutting tip, and the movable blade also has a first movable blade face extending from its cutting tip and forming with the shutter 6 a combined unit, said first stationary face and said first movable face being integral with and forming part of the shutter and being juxtaposed to each other in their non-cutting condition with the shutter 6 portion of the movable face closing said exit opening 9 and parallel to each other in their cutting condition to permit the printed ticket or voucher to provide for the cutting tips to cut the printed tickets or vouchers, and spring biasing means having one end abutting to a second face of the movable blade and its other end coupled to the body 10 for maintaining the blades juxtaposed to each other in their non-cutting condition so that the blades 7, 8 in their non-cutting condition permit the shutter 6 portion connected with the movable blade 7 to perform the function of a closure for the exit opening 9 to prevent any extraneous entry into the exit opening 9. The tip points of the blades 7, 8 are oppositely disposed. Both blades have one substantially straight side and one substantially slanting side extending from the cutting tip forming an acute angle therebetween, and the slanting sides are substantially parallel to each other and the straight sides are juxtaposed to each other and substantially parallel with each other and the straight side of the movable blade forms the shutter for closing the exit opening.

It should also be noted that the first stationary face extends from the cutting tip of the stationary blade 8, and the movable blade has a first movable blade face extending from the cutting tip of the movable blade 7 and forming with the shutter 6 a coordinated unit movable together with the movable blade, the first stationary face and the first movable face being juxtaposed to each other in their non-cutting condition with the shutter 6 closing the exit opening 9 and substantially parallel to and facing each other to establish a cutting area between the blades in their cutting condition while opening the exit portion and forming a scissor cutting condition to permit the printed ticket or voucher to provide an area for the cutting tips of the blades to cut the printed tickets or vouchers. A spring is provided with one end abutting the second face of the movable blade forming the shutter portion thereof and the other end is coupled to the roller printer body 10 for maintaining the blades juxtaposed to each other in their non-cutting condition while closing the exit opening so that blades 7, 8 in their non-cutting condition permit the shutter 6 connected with said movable blade 7 to perform the function of a closure for the exit opening 9 to prevent any extraneous entry into said exit opening 9.

To align the printed ticket with the exit opening a paper passage 12 between the paper roll 13 and the exit opening 9 is provided fixed to the body 10 for aligning the printed ticket or voucher with the exit opening 9 and the blades 7, 8 to permit the printed ticket or voucher to pass between said blades 7, 8 for severing the printed ticket or voucher from the paper supplied by the paper roll 13. Also provided is a printing head 4 positioned between the passage 12 and the paper roll 13.

It should be noted that an important feature of the invention is the provision of a cutting and entry-exit control means for defining a single combined movable blade and shutter mechanism for closing and shutting the exit opening 9 after the printed ticket or voucher is cut.

The cutting and exit-entry control means 6, 7 and 8 in addition to defining a single combined blade and shutter mechanism for closing and shutting the exit opening 9 subsequent to cutting the printed ticket or voucher also closes the exit opening and define a combined scissor cutter formed by the movable and the stationary blade.

A feature of the invention is that the motor 1 driving the shutter 6 with the movable blade 7 forms an anti-breaking support structure while the shutter 6 and the movable blade 7 are maintained inside a sliding seat by means of a spring 11 placed between an inside part of the shutter 6 and a part of the printer frame or body 10. An output shaft 2 is coupled with the motor 1 and connected with eccentric cam 3 by the pin 4, the pin 4 being displaced from and parallel with the output shaft 2, the output from the output shaft 2 being coupled with a substantially central portion of the cam 3.

Another feature of the invention is that the shutter 6 is fixed onto the frame or body 10 of the roller printer such that the blades 7, 8 have counterposed cutting edges positioned on staggered planes and positioned proximate to the slot or exit opening 9 for removal of the printed ticket or voucher. The tip points of the blades 7, 8 are oppositely disposed.

It should be noted that both of the blades have one substantially straight side and one substantially slanting side forming an acute angle therebetween, and the slanting sides being substantially parallel to each other and co-act with each other to form a scissor cutting operation and the straight sides being juxtaposed to each other and substantially parallel with each other.

An important feature of the invention is that the shutter 6 is fixed onto the frame or body 10 of the roller printer such that the blades 7, 8 have their counterposed cutting edges positioned on staggered planes and positioned proximate to the slot or exit opening 9 for removal of the printed ticket or voucher.

The shutter 6 is provided with a hole or opening 5 for receiving pin 4, and is provided at a remote portion thereof with the movable blade 7 having its upper portion provided with a cutting edge along a direction away from the movement of the shutter, the shutter 6 and the movable blade 7 together forming a unitary member, with the immovable blade 8 being in a counterposed position to the movable blade 7 and the shutter.

Another feature of the invention is that the invention can be considered to be a fastener provided with a cutting blade for a roller printer, including an electric motor 1 provided with a connection to a check and an on/off card, the shutter 6 is provided with a hole 5 for receiving the pin, the shutter 6 being provided with the movable blade 7 having its upper portion provided with a cutting edge along a direction away from movement of the shutter, and the immovable blade 8 is in a counterposed position to the movable blade 7, the shutter 6 being fixed onto the frame 10 of the roller printer such that the blades 7, 8 have counterposed cutting edges positioned on staggered planes and are positioned proximate to the slot or exit opening 9 for removal of the printed ticket or voucher, and the motor 1 drives the shutter 6 with the movable blade 7 forming an anti-breaking support structure while the shutter 6 and the movable blade 7 are maintained inside a sliding seat by means of the spring 11 placed between an inside part of the shutter 6 and a part of the printer frame or body 10.

The invention is also concerned with a method for preventing unwanted access to a printed ticket or voucher dispensing apparatus which is provided with a cutting and closure mechanism for cutting tickets or vouchers after printing of the tickets or vouchers which prevent any entry to the exit portion for the tickets or vouchers for a roller printer for printing of the tickets or vouchers and for dispensing the tickets or vouchers through the exit opening and includes steps of providing a body 10 containing a paper roll 13 for printing of the tickets or vouchers thereon, the body 10 including an exit opening 9 downstream from the paper roll 13 to be closed to prevent entry thereinto when a ticket or voucher is not being dispensed, and controlling the cutting and exit entry portion for cutting the printed ticket or voucher and for preventing any unwanted entry into the exit opening 9 by coupling a movable blade to a shutter movable relative to a stationary blade 8 with the movable blade 7 and cooperating with the stationery blade 8 to cut the ticket or voucher and with the shutter 6 and movable blade 7 combination having the shutter portion of the movable blade closing the exit opening after cutting of the ticket or voucher.

In the method, the eccentric cam 3 is coupled with the motor 1 and having its output shaft coupled with the eccentric can, by means of the pin 4 which is coupled with the eccentric cam and displaced from the output shaft for imparting vertical motion to the combined shutter 6 and movable blade 7 impart rotary motion from the motor to the eccentric cam 3 for imparting linear motion to the combined shutter and movable blade.

The spring is provided for biasing the shutter for maintaining the blades juxtaposed to each other both in the cutting operative condition and non-cutting and non-operative condition for the shutter to close the exit opening to prevent any extraneous entry into the exit for the tickets or vouchers.

Other aims and advantages of the invention are better pointed out in the subsequent detailed description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

Other advantages and features will be further understood from the following figures which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a transverse sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the invention of a roller printer provided with a stationary blade and combined movable blade and shutter exit opening and closing mechanism.

FIG. 2 is a partial front view of the movable blade and shutter of the combined movable blade and shutter closing and opening mechanism provided with an upper portion forming a movable blade with the lower portion of the movable blade performing the function of the shutter or exit opening and closing mechanism.

FIG. 3 is a front view partially in perspective of a ticket or voucher dispensing terminal or kiosk provided with an automatic roller printer for printing tickets or vouchers located in an unattended public area.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference is made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a presently preferred mode for carrying out the invention, and the combined movable blade and shutter closing mechanism and a stationary blade which together form a cutting mechanism and an exit opening closing device for a roller printer according to the invention and includes a conventional electric motor 1 provided with a connection to an on/off card for control (not shown) and fixed to a fixed body member 10 forming a part of the kiosk or free standing terminal containing the roller printing mechanism and its associated parts. Electric motor 1 is provided with a conventional output shaft 2 having one end connected to motor 1 and the other end of output end connected to an eccentric cam 3. The eccentric cam 3 is provided with a pin 4 displaced radially from a central axis of output shaft 2 to impart vertical motion to a movable cutting blade 7.

Cutting blade 7 has a lower portion 6 which acts as or performs the function of a shutter to close-off exit opening or slot 9 when a ticket or voucher is not to be dispensed from exit opening or slot 9. The shutter portion 6 of movable blade 7 is provided with an opening or hole 5 (see FIG. 2) which is displaced from shaft 2. Pin 4 and shaft 2 while displaced from each other are parallel to each other.

Pin 4 is inserted into a hole or opening 5 provided in shutter 6. Shutter 6 at an opposite end of opening 6 is provided with the cutting portion of movable blade 7 and has a slanted cutting surface and makes an acute angle with its outermost tip. The upper portion of blade 7 has its cutting edge along the movable direction of the shutter 6. In a counterposed position to blade 7, and fixed onto the frame or body 10 of the roller printer, is a fixed or immovable blade 8. Immovable blade 8 is provided with a cutting edge placed on a vertical plane not coinciding with the plane of the blade 7. Blades 7 and 8 with their countetposed cutting edges are positioned on staggered planes and are positioned near the slot or exit 9 for exiting of the printed ticket or voucher, the size of slot or exit 9 being sufficient to permit the exiting of the printed ticket or voucher but not provided with space sufficient to permit someone to introduce or insert the fingers of a human inside of the opening 9 to gain entry to the mechanism or to block the slot or exit 9. Blades 7 and 8 cooperate together and when movable relative to each other effectively form a scissor for cutting purposes.

The tip points of blades 7 and 8 are oppositely disposed, and blade 8 also has an inclined surface forming an acute angle with one side of the blade. Both blades 7 and 8 have one substantially straight side and one substantially slanting side. The straight sides of both blades are substantially parallel to each other, and the slanting sides of both blades are substantially parallel to each other.

Blade 8 is stationary and fixed to body 10, and blade 7 moves in a substantially vertical direction relative to blade 8 as shown in the drawings and when used in its kiosk environment, while at all times maintaining the straight sides of blades 7 and 8 parallel with each other. For this purpose, a spring 11 is provided fixed to body 10 and as shown in FIG. 1 fixed to passage 12 for printed tickets or vouchers to pass or move from paper roll 13 to exit opening or slot 9. Cutting takes place as blade 7 moves vertically in response to movement imparted thereto by motor 1 to sever a ticket or voucher as it passes between blades 7 and 8 while blade 8 remains stationary and fixed to body 10 in response to the vertical motion imparted to shutter 6 by movement of eccentric cam 3 as motor 1 rotates.

Shaft 2 has its output end connected to eccentric cam 3 and rotation of shaft 2 imparts vertical motion to shutter 6 as a result of shutter 6 having an opening to receive a pin 4 for connection by means of pin 4 to eccentric cam 3.

Near the immovable or stationary blade 8 along the inside wall of body 10 shutter 6 together with the blade 7 are housed in a sliding seat proximate to and abutting blade 8 when exit or slot 9 is closed and juxtaposed to each other when blades 7 and 8 are separated to provide a clear passageway from the interior of the roller printer to the outside of the roller printer. Motor 1 drives shutter 6 which is formed unitarily with the movable blade 7, and motor 1 also forms an anti-breaking support structure when the shutter 6 with the blade 7 is maintained inside the sliding seat by means of spring 11, placed or positioned between the inside part of shutter 6 and part of the printer frame or body and connected with passage 12.

Spring 11 has one end fixed to body 10, and the other or free end of spring 11 exerts pressure onto the combined shutter 6 and movable blade 7 to maintain blade 7 in contact with immovable blade 8 to close exit opening or slot 9. Spring 11 has its free end abutting the side of blade 7 with the slanting side.

Passage 12 for transport of printed tickets or vouchers is positioned between paper supply roll 13 and blades or knives 7 and 8 and is provided for aligning the printed vouchers or tickets supplied from paper roll 13. The paper roll is pulled by means of a conventional paper drawing roll (unnumbered) and printing takes place onto the paper roll by means of a conventional printing head 14 positioned between movable blade 7 and the supply portion of paper roll 13 and arrives at the opening/closing portion area of shutter 6 of the combined shutter 6 and blade 7. In the working step of the printer normal advancing of the paper from the paper roll 13 by means of the conventional paper drawing roll with printing on the paper from the paper roll by the printing head 14 is actuated when a ticket or voucher is to be printed. The printing operation onto the paper from the paper roll is conventional.

The printed paper then passes inside the suitable ticket or voucher passage 12. At the exit portion of passage 12, the printed paper which now forms a completed printed ticket or voucher exits from passage 12 and conventional control and start devices (not shown) commence the operation of electric motor 1 to drive and rotate shaft 2 to rotate eccentric cam 3 to open the exit opening 9 as shutter 6 is lowered to provide access to the exit opening 9.

Rotation of shaft 2 by electric motor 1 which is connected with eccentric cam 3 by means of pin 4 transmits vertical motion to shutter 6. Shutter is in its closed position or non-operating condition effectively forming a non-use step, i.e. in an upper position inside body 10. Shutter 6 is lowered to provide for an exit for the printed ticket or voucher following the rotation of electric motor 1 and with the necessary time periods provided by the conventional control device (not shown). The control device effectively also controls the speed of electric motor 1 to provide for the necessary time duration for cutting and closing of the exit so that tickets of various different sizes can be made and appropriately cut.

Following to the rotation of shaft 2 eccentric cam 3 reaches the position in which when pin 4 is in its lower most point or position permitting the paper ticket or voucher to exit from passage 12 and move to exit opening 9 and be dispensed through slot or exit 9. After the printed ticket exits in the times and ways provided by the conventional control and starting devices (not shown) coupled with electric motor 1, rotation of shaft 2 is completed and shutter 6 is again moved into its upper position as shown in FIG. 1. During the ascent step, movable blade 7 cooperates with immovable blade 8 and together cut the paper ticket or voucher with the required printing thereon.

After the paper or ticket voucher is cut, shutter 6 together with blade 7 is moved into its upper position and closes slot 9 from which the printed ticket was or is removed by the user.

The closing arrangement of the shutter 6 with blade 7 according to the invention actuates the cutting of the printed paper ticket or voucher coming from paper roll 13, and therefore dust, dirt or other undesirable elements are prevented from entering into the inside part of the roller printer and thereby damaging the head, the paper or other parts inside the roller printer.

While there has been shown and described what is considered to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A cutting and closure mechanism for a ticket or voucher dispenser for cutting tickets or vouchers after printing of the tickets or vouchers and for preventing any entry into the exit portion for the printed tickets or vouchers for a roller printer for printing of the tickets or vouchers and for dispensing of the tickets or vouchers through the exit opening, comprising:

a roller printer body (10) containing a paper roll (13) capable of having tickets or vouchers printed thereon, said roller printer body (10) including a ticket or voucher exit opening (9) downstream from said paper roll (13); and

cutting and exit-entry control means (6, 7 and 8) for cutting the printed ticket or voucher and for preventing any unwanted entry into said exit opening (9) including a shutter (6) for opening and closing said exit opening (9) when the printed ticket or voucher is to be dispensed through said exit opening (9) and for preventing access to said exit opening externally of said roller printer body (10) when said roller printer body (10) is not to dispense a printed ticket or voucher, and

said cutting and exit-entry control means including a movable blade (7) coupled with said shutter (6) and movable together with said shutter (6) relative to a stationary blade (8) to permit said printed ticket or voucher to move between said blades through said exit opening (9) when said movable blade (7) and shutter (6) are moved from a closed position closing said exit opening (9) to an open position for said exit opening (9) with said movable blade (7) cooperating with said stationery blade (8) to cut said printed ticket or voucher and said shutter (6) are moved to said closing position for closing said exit opening (9) upon completion of cutting of said ticket or voucher.

2. The mechanism according to claim 1, including an eccentric cam (3) coupled with a motor (1), and a pin (4) coupled with said eccentric cam for imparting vertical motion to said movable blade (7) from rotary motion imparted to said eccentric cam (3) by said motor (1).

3. The mechanism according to claim 2, including a shaft (2) coupling said motor (1) to said eccentric cam (3) for imparting rotary motion to said eccentric cam (3).

4. The mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said stationary blade has a first stationary face extending from the cutting tip of said stationary blade (8), and said movable blade has a first movable blade face extending from the cutting tip of said movable blade (7) and forming with said shutter (6) a combined unit movable together with said movable blade, said first stationary face and said first movable face being juxtaposed to each other in their non-cutting condition with said shutter (6) closing said exit opening (9) and parallel to and facing each other to establish a cutting area between said blades in their cutting condition forming a scissor cutting condition to permit the printed ticket or voucher to provide an area for said cutting tips of said blades to cut the printed tickets or vouchers, and spring biasing means having one end abutting to a second face of said movable blade and its other end being coupled to said roller printer body (10) for maintaining said blades juxtaposed or parallel or staggered to each other in their non-cutting condition so that said blades (7, 8) in their non-cutting condition permit the shutter (6) connected with said movable blade (7) to perform the function of a closure for said exit opening (9) to prevent any extraneous entry into said exit opening (9).

5. The mechanism according to claim 4, including a paper passage (12) between said paper roll (13) and said exit opening (9) fixed to said body (10) for aligning the printed ticket or voucher with said exit opening (9) and said blades (7, 8) to permit the printed ticket or voucher to pass between said blades (7, 8) for severing said printed ticket or voucher from the paper supplied by said paper roll (13) as said movable blade (7) moves against said stationary blade (8) to sever said ticket or voucher from said paper roll (13).

6. The mechanism according to claim 4, including a printing head (4) positioned between said passage (12) and said paper roll (13).

7. The mechanism according to claim 6, wherein said cutting and entry control means (6, 7 and 8) define a single combined blade and shutter mechanism for closing and shutting said exit opening (9) subsequent to cutting the printed ticket or voucher and closing the exit opening and a combined scissor cutter formed by said movable and said stationary blade.

8. The mechanism according to claim 2, including an output shaft (2) coupled with said motor (1) and connected with said eccentric cam (3) by said pin (4), said pin (4) being displaced from and parallel with said output shaft (2), said output from said output shaft (2) being coupled with a substantially central portion of said cam (3).

9. The mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the tip points of the blades (7, 8) are oppositely disposed.

10. The mechanism according to claim 1, wherein both said blades have one substantially straight side and one substantially slanting side forming an acute angle therebetween, and said slanting sides being substantially parallel to each other and co-act with each other to form a scissor cutting operation and said straight sides being juxtaposed to each other and substantially parallel with each other.

11. The mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the motor (1) driving the shutter (6) with said movable blade (7) forms an anti-breaking support structure while said shutter (6) and said movable blade (7) are maintained inside a sliding seat by means of a spring (11) placed between an inside part of said shutter (6) and a part of the printer frame or body (10).

12. The mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the shutter (6) is fixed to the frame or body (10) of the roller printer such that said blades (7, 8) have counterposed cutting edges positioned on staggered planes and positioned proximate to said slot or exit opening (9) for removal of the printed ticket or voucher.

13. The mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the shutter (6) is provided with a hole (5) for receiving a pin (4), said shutter (6) being provided at a remote portion thereof with said movable blade (7) having its upper portion provided with a cutting edge along a direction away from the movement of the shutter, said shutter (6) and said movable blade (7) together forming a unitary member, and said immovable blade (8) being in a counterposed position relative to said movable blade (7) and said shutter (6).

14. A fastener provided with a cutting blade for a roller printer, comprising:

an electric motor (1) provided with a connection to a check and an on/off card;

a shaft (2) connected to an eccentric cam (3) provided with a pin (4);

a shutter (6) provided with a hole (5) for receiving said pin, said shutter (6) being provided with a movable blade (7) having an upper portion provided with a cutting edge along a direction way from the direction movement of the shutter movement, and an immovable blade (8) in a counterposed position relative to said movable blade (7);

said shutter (6) being fixed onto the frame (10) of the roller printer such that said blades (7, 8) have counterposed cutting edges positioned on staggered planes and are positioned proximate to a slot or exit opening (9) for removal of a printed ticket or voucher; and

said motor (1) driving the shutter (6) with said movable blade (7) forming an anti-breaking support structure while said shutter (6) and said movable blade (7) are maintained inside a sliding seat by means of a spring (11) placed between an inside part of said shutter (6) and a part of said printer frame or body (10).

15. The mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said stationery blade (8) is fixed to said roller printer body (10).

16. A method for preventing unwanted access to a printed ticket or voucher dispensing apparatus which is provided with a cutting and closure mechanism for cutting tickets or vouchers after printing of the tickets or vouchers which prevent any entry to the exit portion for the tickets or vouchers for a roller printer for printing of the tickets or vouchers and for dispensing the tickets or vouchers through the exit opening, comprising the steps of:

providing a body (10) containing a paper roll (13) for printing of the tickets or vouchers thereon, said body (10) including an exit opening (9) downstream from said paper roll (13) and closing the exit opening (9) to prevent entry thereinto when a ticket or voucher is not being dispensed and a ticket or voucher is not being cut;

controlling the cutting and exit entry portion for cutting the printed ticket or voucher and for opening the exit opening for dispensing of the printed ticket or voucher for preventing any unwanted entry into the exit opening (9) when a ticket or voucher is not to be dispensed by coupling a movable blade to a shutter (6) which form a combined unit and are movable relative to a stationary blade (8) with the movable blade (7) and the stationery blade (8) cooperating with each other to cut the ticket or voucher and with the shutter (6) of the combined shutter (6) and movable blade (7) closing the exit opening after cutting of the ticket or voucher.

17. The method according to claim 16, providing an eccentric cam (3) coupled with a motor (1) having an output shaft coupled with the eccentric can, and providing a pin (4) coupled with said eccentric cam and displaced from the output shaft for imparting vertical motion to the combined shutter (6) and movable blade (7) to impart rotary motion from said motor to the eccentric cam (3) for imparting linear motion to the combined shutter and movable blade.

18. The method according to claim 17, including a spring biasing the shutter for maintaining the blades juxtaposed to each other both in the cutting operative condition and shutter closing non-operative condition for the shutter to close the exit opening to prevent any extraneous entry into said exit provided solely for the exiting tickets or vouchers.

19. The method according to claim 18, including maintaining the blades in a parallel relationship after completion of a cutting operation and maintaining the blades in a spaced relationship to each other prior to a cutting operation to permit a printed ticket or voucher to pass therebetween prior to commencement of the cutting operation.