IMPRINTER WITH CYCLE-MODIFYING ASSEMBLY

Abstract: An imprinting roller having an imprint-applying element and which is designed to be incorporated in a line of business form stock processing equipment so as to rollingly apply an imprint to the stock while the stock is advancing along the line in web form, is equipped to apply the imprint at a succession of corresponding sites which are separated from one another longitudinally of the web, by a distance which is greater than the circumferential dimension of the imprinting roll. In the preferred practice, the distance between the sites if twice the circumferential distance and the imprinting roll is mounted and powered by elements which pivotally cam the imprinting roll away from rolling contact with the web precisely at alternate times when its imprint applying element is about to begin to contact the web. Also in the preferred practice, the imprinter is operated in conjunction with, i.e. is mounted to and receives rotational power via, an otherwise conventional detacher.

Description: Background of the Invention As business form stock is being processed in web form to provide the increments which will become individual forms, often custom information is printed on the increments, e.g. using a computer-controlled printer. At the end of the process, the leading increments are successively severed from the web, e.g. by a detacher such as is shown in the U.S. patent of Bayne et al, 3,856,196, issued December 24, 1974. In some cases the detached forms are ready for use as is upon detachment. In other instances, certain portions may require removal, other elements may be added, folding, sealing, enveloping or other steps may be performed. In some cases, there is a need to apply to each increment which will become an individual form, an imprint. A typical illustration is where the web is payroll check stock to which, in connection with computerized printing of payee name, amount, date, and stub infomation, e.g. as to withholding, accumulated or used leave time and the like, an authorized signature must be applied, so that the person to whom the check is issued will be able to negotiate it, deposit it or cash it. A conventional way of applying an authorized signature at the correct location on each of a series of checks which remain connected in web form, is by means of a rotary imprinting cylinder bearing in reverse a reproduction in printing plate form of the authorized signature of the maker's treasurer or the like. One conventional way of mounting and powering an imprinter involves mounting it to a detacher and supplying it with rotary power therefrom. In a ideal world where all checks were the same size, all check stubs were the same size and the length of cycle to repeat was one fixed dimension, or in an ideal world where investments in business form stock processing machines could be freely made without attention to competing demands for finite resources, there would be no need for the present invention. However, neither form of ideal world exists, and so the present invention was devised to fill an actual need: namely, how to use an imprinting roller to apply an imprint at a succession of corresponding sites on a web of business form stock, when the distance between each two successive sites is at least sometimes greater than the circumferential dimension of the imprinting roll. Also United States Patent Specification No 3070009 describes a burster imprinter including infeed rollers and outfeed rollers with the outfeed rollers driven at a faster rate than the infeed roller so that continuous form stationery fed between the rollers is burst at cross perforations on the continuous form. The mechanism also includes imprinter mechanisms for applying an imprint to the stationery before bursting which mechanism includes an imprinting roller with means for replacing the roll with a different size of imprinting roll and utilizing a different size of gear and means to ensure that the driving gears are brought into mesh. German Patent Specification No 606446 describes a machine for printing on a fabric web with contact with a freely rotatable drum. The pressure roller is mounted on a pivoted control rod and operation under the control of a crank fin so that the pressure roller may be moved into and out of contact with the fabric web. German Specification No 1241843 describes a printing machine including a printing cylinder controlled by a mechanism including a pair of levers which supports a bearing at, one end thereof and at the other end has feed rollers operated by eccentrics. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention provides a rotary imprinter as defined in the claims appended hereto. An imprinter roller having an imprint-applying element and which is designed to be incorporated in a line of business form stock processing equipment so as to rollingly apply an imprint to the stock while the stock is advancing along the line in web form is equipped to apply the imprint at a succession of corresponding sites which are separated from one another longitudinally of the web, by a distance which is greater than the circumferential dimension of the imprinting roll. In the preferred practice, the distance between the sites is twice the circumferential distance and the imprinting roll is mounted and powered by elements which pivotally cam one end of the imprinting roll away from rolling contact with the web precisely at alternate times when its imprint applying element is about to begin to contact the web. Also in the preferred practice, the imprinter is operated in conjunction with, ie is mounted to and receives rotational power via, on otherwise conventional detacher. The principles of the invention will be further discussed with reference to the drawings wherein a preferred embodiment is shown. The specifics illustrated in the drawings are intended to exemplify, rather than limit, aspects of the invention as defined in the claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In The Drawings Figure 1 is an operator's side elevational views of an existing table-top model detacher for successively detaching leading increments from a web of processed business forms; Figure 2 is a similar view of the same detacher, as modified to include a cycle-modifying assembly for the imprinter; Figure 3 is a enlarged fragmentary side elevational view showing a portion of the apparatus depicted in Figure 2; and Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view showing a retaining device for the imprinting cylinder. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Figure 1 depicts at 10 an existing imprinter detacher, eg a Moore 3410 Imprinter Detacher having a 5-1/2 inch (13.97 cms) print cylinder assembly 12 including an imprinting roll having a radially outer peripheral surface provided with an imprint applying element which extends thereon throughout substantially less than the full circumferential extent of said surface which, in use, imprints an imprint every 5-1/2 inches (13.97 cms) at a corresponding site on a web of processed business form stock being fed to the apparatus 10 in a business form stock processing line, then separates the web into increments, along transverse lines of weakness, so that each web constitutes a processed business form bearing an imprint and with means journalling said imprinting roll for rotation about its own longitudinal axis. Means are also provided for mounting said journalling means in juxtaposed relation to a processing line for a longitudinally advanced web of flexible- material such as paper so as to permit said imprinting rolls to rotate in working position with said imprint applying element of said peripheral surface in tangential rolling engagement with a face of said web. In relation to the apparatus of Figure 1, the purpose of the invention is to provide a modification which disturbs, the existing device 10 as minimally as possible but makes it easy for an operator to readily reconfigure the device 10' (Figure 2) as modified, so as to print an imprint either every 5-1/2 inches (13.97 cms) or every 11 inches (27.94 cms), without otherwise significantly detracting from any capabilities of the device 10. In particular the invention is concerned with being able to apply successive imprints to the web at respective sites located at distances spaced from one another longitudinally of the web by a uniform amount which is greater than the circumference of the imprinting roll thereof. This is achieved by a rotary imprinter according to claim 1. For convenience in illustration and description, the invention will be described in detail herein in terms of how to modify the device 10 into the device 10', it being understood that the principles of the invention could be put to use on other models of device 10, and, indeed, could be provided on a new device 10' as such a device 10' is being manufactured. Likewise, a device 10' can be turned back into a device 10 by reversing the modification procedure which is described herein. It is the inventors' belief that a person of ordinary skill in the art will be able to sufficiently understand the existing device 10 without showing all of its parts, and accordingly, some of those parts will be referred to herein without their being illustrated in the drawings. Before getting into further particulars, a set of steps for modifying the device 10 to become the 10' will be described in general terms: An extension 12' is added to a conventional 5-1/2 inch (13.97 cms) imprint cylinder assembly, 1/4 inch (0.63 cms) is cut from the lower slitter shaft and collar retainer of the device 10, a 35-tooth gear 14 is clustered with the existing 35-tooth impression cylinder gear on the device 10, for powering a 70-tooth, 20 pitch 20° P.A. idler gear 16 with a flat formed on its hub. A bearing pivot arm 18 is provided to raise the 5-1/2 inch (13.97 cms) print cylinder and printing plate, allowing the 5-1/2 inch (13.97 cms) print cylinder to rotate two revolutions for each impression imprinted thereby. No holes need to be drilled in the device 10 for modifying it into a device 10'. For imprinting 5-1/2 inch-depth (13.97 cms) forms, instead of imprinting 11 inch-depth (27.94 cms) forms, a minor change is made to the bearing and collars on the modified 5-1/2 inch (13.97 cms) imprint cylinder extension. This allows the 5-1/2 inch (13.97 cms) imprint cylinder to be disengaged from the lift pivot arm. At the same time, the lift pivot arm is disengaged from the hub of the 70-tooth gear, by using an expansion spring 20 to lift the pivot arm off the hub. The main parts of a kit for modifying the device 10 to become the device 10′ include: one modified 5-1/2 inch (13.97 cms) imprint cylinder assembly, two 35-tooth, 20 pitch 20° P.H. gears, two 1/4 inch (0.63 cms) collars, two bearings, a lift pivot arm, a 1/4 inch (0.63 cms) I.D. x 3/8 inch (0.95 cms) O.D. bushing, a 70-tooth 20 pitch 20° P.A. gear, a 70-tooth gear idler mount bracket assembly, an idler pulley bracket assembly, a pulley, a spring, a 5/8 inch (1.59 cms) collar, a spacer idler bracket, a modified lower slitter shaft and a 3/8 inch (0.95 cms) x 1/4 inch (0.63 cms) collar, together with several miscellaneous retainers, washers, screws and nuts. Now, description will be made in more detail: first, of steps for modifying the device 10 into the device 10′; second, of steps for converting the device 10′ from imprinting at 11 inch (27.94 cms) intervals to imprinting at 5-1/2 inch (13.97 cms) intervals; and, third, of steps for converting the device 10′ from imprinting at 5-1/2 inch (13.97 cms) intervals, to imprinting at 11 inch (27.94 cms) intervals. Steps for Installing a Cycle-Modifying Assembly On An Existing Imprinter Detacher (Although certain parts which are different in the device 10′ compared with the device 10 could be field-modified to transform them, in the following explanation it is assumed that little field-modification of parts is feasible, and therefore that returning replaced parts to a parts department, and obtaining modified parts from the parts department is the normal practice.) STEP 1. Disconnect the unit 10 from the power source. STEP 2. Remove the near and far side main guards. STEP 3. Referring to Figure 1: Remove the following parts from the NEAR SIDE drive train: a. Belt Idler Assembly 6 b. Timing Belt 1 c. Belt Pulley 5 d. Belt Pulley 7 e. Spacer behind pulley on tractor shaft. (Of these parts, those removed at a. and e. will be replaced with modified parts.) STEP 4. Loosen the tachometer bracket on the far side frame to allow the tractor drive shaft to be pulled toward the far side. Install the special handwheel on the shaft. Reinstall the shaft and retain on the near side with a 5/8 inch (1.59 cms) collar. Tighten the new handwheel to the shaft just inside the near sideframe. Reinstall the tachometer bracket and realign the tachometer drive gears. STEP 5. Remove the lower slitter shaft. Install the new shorter lower slitter shaft having a gear mounted on it. Install the far side bearing from the removed shaft on the installed shaft. Retain the installed shaft using a 1/4 inch (0.63 cms) wide collar. (The removed lower slitter shaft is, in effect, replaced by the installed one.) STEP 6. Carefully install a 35-tooth gear over the hub of the existing impression cylinder gear. The gear teeth should be facing "out" and the gear is retained on the existing hub using two 1/4-20 (that is 1/4 inch (0.63 cms) diameter with 20 threads per inch (7.8 threads per cms)) x 3/16 inch (0.48 cms) setscrews. STEP 7. Install a long, heavy mounting bracket having a stud for the 70-tooth cam gear using the screws and holes which formerly held the drive belt idler in place. The lower screw hole is elongated for adjustment purposes. Tighten the screws just securely enough that you will be able to move the bracket for adjustment. At this time look on the opposite side of the side frame to be sure that three or four threads of the mounting screws extend beyond the frame. These threads will be used to mount a print cylinder retaining device. If the threads do not extend through the frame, the screws need to be replaced with longer screws. STEP 8. Temporarily install a 70-tooth cam gear on the mounting bracket stud with the cam facing out. Pivot the mounting bracket until the proper gear mesh in achieved with the impression cylinder gear. Remove the 70-tooth gear and secure the mounting screws. Replace the gear, washer, and retainer and recheck the gear mesh adjustment. STEP 9. Now remove the 1/4-20 allen cap screw which retains the slow roll spring cap toward the stacker end of the unit. Replace it with a headless 1/4-20 stud. Use a 1/4-20 nut and lockwasher and screw the stud into the frame so there is a 2-inch (5.08 cms) projection from the frame. Lock the stud in place with the nut. STEP 10. Next install a 1/4 inch (0.63) shaft collar on the stud followed by the cylinder lift pivot arm assembly. The lower end of the cylinder lift pivot arm assembly should now be resting on the cam surface of the 70-tooth gear. Adjust the arm so that it is approximately 1-1/4 inches (3.17 cms) from the frame and tighten the 1/4 inch (0.63 cms) retaining collar on the stud to retain the arm at this clearance. The cylinder lift pivot arm should just clear the side of the 70-tooth gear assembly. Install the second 1/4 inch (0.63 cms) shaft collar on the stud and tighten in place to retain the arm assembly on the stud. STEP 11. Now remove the upper 8-32 inch (20.32 -81.28 cms) allen cap screw which retains the breaker blade assembly in the unit. Replace it with a longer cap screw and lock nut. Adjust the new screw to project 1-1/8 inches (2.86 cms) from the frame and lock it in place with a lock nut. STEP 12. Install a spring from the new 8-32 cap screw to the screw head installed in the upper end of the cylinder lift pivot arm assembly. This spring will pull the cylinder lift pivot arm away from the 70-tooth cam gear when the imprint cylinder is not installed in the unit. STEP 13. Reinstall the two belt pulleys, being careful to install the hubs facing INWARD and approximately 1-3/8 inches (3.49 cms) from the frame to the edge of the pulleys. STEP 14. Reinstall the drive belt. STEP 15. Install a new belt tension idler with a shim behind it on the 70-tooth gear mounting bracket with 1/4-20 allen screws and carefully adjust the belt tension. STEP 16. Referring to Figure 4, to install the print cylinder retaining device 26, locate the ends of the two 10-32 inch (25.4-81.28 cms) screws which protrude into the inside of the near side frame. These are the ends of the same two screws which hold the large bracket for the cam gear 16 on the outside of the frame. If the screws do not extend through the frame, replace them with ones which do. STEP 17. Screw two hex-adapters securely to the protruding screws. Fasten the mounting plate to the hex-adapters using screws and washers. Fasten the retaining device to the bracket with a screw, wave washer, and washer. You should now be able to lift the print cylinder slightly, pull back on the handle 28 of the retaining device and retain the cylinder up, away from the lifting action of the pivot arm. This lock will eliminate the unnecessary lifting action of the cylinder when no forms are being imprinted. Pushing forward on the handle 28 of the retaining device will allow the print cylinder 12 to drop down and contact the lift arm. Using this device will not change the timing of the imprinting operation. (When you are finished with your installation, you will have created a multi-layered "sandwich" of parts which are moving in very close proximity to each other. Therefore, you must follow the spacing instructions of the various parts as closely as possible. Then you must look at the separation of parts when you are finished to be sure running clearances have been established.) STEP 18. Plug the unit into the power source and carefully run the machine at a slow speed paying special attention that all parts have moving clearance and that proper gear mesh is being maintained. STEP 19. Carefully install the 5-1/2 inch (13.97 cms) print cylinder in the unit. STEP 20. When the cylinder lift pivot arm adjustment shoe is properly adjusted, carefully jog the print cylinder until the cylinder lift pivot arm lower bearing is positioned in the center of the HIGH portion of the cam of the 70-tooth cam gear. Using a scratch awl or indelible marker, place a mark on the INSIDE of the near sideframe even with the top of the print cylinder bearing block where it will be easily visible to the machine operator. The operator must refer to this mark during imprinting setup. STEP 21. Use a cam gear timing procedure to time the print cylinder with the cam gear. STEP 22. When locating the pin collar on the imprint cylinder initially, make all the proper timing adjustments for the proper form direction (i.e. foot pull or head pull), have the pin collar slightly tensioned on the imprint cylinder, put the form or a facsimile on the tractors at the proper initial position, jog the form to the position to be imprinted and locate the pin collar at this point. This procedure will keep the imprint in the printing "window" which is approximately 120 degrees of print cylinder rotation. The imprint should be made when the lower bearing of the cylinder lift pivot arm is in the center of the LOW portion of the 70-tooth cam gear. If this procedure is not followed on the initial installation, part of the imprint may be lost during actual operation if the imprint position is too close to the edge of the imprinting "window". Although a high lift cam is used to prevent shadowing during the non-imprint portion of the operating cycle, a pair of Mylar® guides which clip onto the upper slitter support shaft and lay on top of the paper web as it goes under the print cylinder may be installed to handle tented forms, etc. You may not need the guides for a normal installation. When the unit 10′ is run with a new ink roll the unit might leave a "shadow" print in the area which should not be contacting the plate during the non-print revolution. Because the imprint plate is making two revolutions past the ink roll but is only printing once, the plate is being inked heavily and this heavy coat of ink is being transferred to the form and will not be dry when it passes through the slow rolls. It is possible that some ink may offset to the upper slow roll and then be deposited onto the form. If this "shadowing" occurs look closely at the imprint and if it is comprised of small dots, the imprint is transferring from the upper slow roll. Rolling off the excess ink from the ink roll onto a pad of paper should elminate this condition. It will be necessary to adjust the print cylinder bearing block clearances for proper imprinting as well as the inking device clearance adjustments. When performing these adjustments and during testing of the unit, be sure the near side bearing blocks on both the above parts are mounted far enough away from the sideframe to allow the raising and lowering of the blocks without binding in the frame opening. Steps For Converting From Long-Cycle Imprinting To Short-Cycle Imprinting It is an easy process to convert the device 10′ from 11 inch (27.94 cms) to 5-1/2 inch (13.97 cms) imprinting: STEP 1. Remove the ink source support bar from the machine. STEP 2. Remove the print shaft by carefully angling the shaft higher on the gear end while lifting it from the unit. As the gear clears the machine frame, slide the shaft to the left to bring the long extension out of the right hand sideframe. STEP 3. You will see two collars and a bearing on the far right hand end of the print shaft. Loosen the allen screws in the collars and move the collars and the bearing toward the large part of the print shaft. Tighten the collars in place. STEP 4. The print shaft can now be reinstalled in the reverse order as in Step 2. STEP 5. Install the ink source support bar and you are ready to imprint forms. Steps For Converting From Short-Cycle Imprinting to Long-Cycle Imprinting In order to covert back from 5-1/2 inch (13.97 cms) imprinting to 11 inch (27.94 cms) imprinting: STEP 1. Remove the ink source support bar from the machine. STEP 2. Remove the print shaft by carefully angling the shaft higher on the gear end while lifting it from the unit. As the gear clears the machine frame, slide the shaft to the left to bring the long extension out of the right hand sideframe. STEP 3. Loosen both collar set screws and slide the first collar to the outside end of the print shaft, flush with the shaft end and tighten the collar in place. STEP 4. Slide the bearing and inner collar to the outside as far as they will move and tighten the second collar in place. STEP 5. Reinstall the print shaft in the machine, reversing Step 2, and reinstall ink source support bar. STEP 6. Using the machine's JOG FWD control, rotate the print shaft and watch the support block on the right hand end of the print shaft. When the block has been raised to the line scribed on the machine frame, align the left hand support block pointer with the print shaft gear indicator by lifting the left hand end of the print shaft up and rotating it until proper alignment occurs. The side cover should be removed to properly align the bearing on the pivot arm to the center of the HIGH portion of the cam-gear before aligning the print shaft pointer and indicator. STEP 7. You are now ready to imprint forms with an 11 inch (27.94 cms) imprinting cycle. Operation In use, the 70-tooth cam gear 16 is driven by the cluster gear 14. The 70-tooth gear has a cam surface 22 on which rides the end 24 of the cylinder lift pivot arm 18. The cylinder lift pivot arm has a fulcrum at one point in the upper right hand portion. The follower spring 20 is attached above the fulcrum point so that an upward pressure is exerted on the cylinder lift pivot arm. The 5-1/2 inch (13.97 cms) print cylinder 12 shaft extension 12′ passes through a bearing block which slides up and down in a channel on the side frame of the detacher. The shaft extension is only on one end of the print cylinder and rides on the cylinder lift pivot arm. The cluster gear 14 is belt driven from the motor drive for the detacher 10′. As the 70-tooth cam gear 16 turns, the end of the cylinder lift pivot arm rides on the cam surface, pivoting about the fulcrum point. As the cylinder lift pivot arm travels up over the high point of the cam surface, one end of the 5-1/2 inch (13.97 cms) print cylinder is raised from the surface of the web of form stock passing through the detacher. The 5-1/2 inch (13.97 cms) print cylinder makes approximately one revolution in the raised position, and as the pivot arm continues to travel on the cam surface, it reaches the low point of the cam 24, causing the arm to drop, which causes the print cylinder to drop to the surface of the paper for the next revolution and imprint. As the 70-tooth cam gear continues to rotate, the cylinder lift pivot arm is once again raised which in turn raises the print cylinder from the surface of the paper. It should now be apparent that the imprinter with cycle-modifying assembly as described hereinabove, possesses each of the attributes set forth in the specification under the heading "Summary of the Invention" hereinbefore. Because it can be modified to some extent without departing from the principles thereof as they have been outlined and explained in this specification, the present invention should be understood as encompassing all such modifications as are within the scope of the following claims.

Claims: A rotary imprinter (10, 10') adapted to apply successive imprints to a web at respective sites comprising: an imprinting roll (12) having a radially outer peripheral surface provided with an imprint-applying element which extends thereon throughout substantially less than the full circumferential extent of said surfaces; means journalling said imprinting roll for rotation about its own longitudinal axis; means for mounting said journalling means in juxtaposed relation to a processing line for a longitudinally advanced web of flexible material so as to permit said imprinting roll to rotate in working position with said imprint-applying element of said outer peripheral surface in tangential rolling engagement with a face of said web; characterised in that there is provided means timed in relation to rotation of said imprinting roll and disposed between said journalling means and said mounting means for automatically periodically temporarily moving one end of said imprinting roll (12) away from said working position as said imprint-applying element is about to come into tangential rolling engagement with a face of said web, and then back to said working position after said imprinting element has rotated sufficiently that said imprint-applying element has been rotated past where it would have come into tangential rolling engagement with said face of said web, so that said imprinting roll can be caused to rotate through more than one revolution per application of an imprint by said imprint-applying element to said surface of said web; wherein said means timed in relation to rotation of said imprinting roll comprises; means for camming one end of said journalling means away from said mounting means once for each two revolutions of said printing roll; the said camming means comprising a cylinder lifting pivot arm (18), one end (24) of which acts as a cam follower; a gear train (14,16) one gear (16) of which is provided with a cam surface, (22) on which rides the cam follower (24); an extension (12') on said imprinting roll, which extension rides on said cylinder lifting pivot arm (18); and spring means (20) for pulling the cylinder lifting pivot arm (18) away from the cam surface (22) when the imprinting roll (12) is absent from said rotary imprinter; the arrangement being such that as the gear (16) rotates, the cam follower end (24) travels up over a high point on the cam surface (22) thereby to cause the pivot arm (18) to pivot and lift the extension (12') and hence one end of the imprinting roll (12) from the said face of said web. The rotary imprinter as claimed in claim 1 wherein; said means for mounting said journalling means in juxtaposed relation to a processing line mounts said journalling means on a detacher adapted for detaching successive leading increments from said web of flexible material after each increment has received an imprint applied thereon by said imprint-applying element; and there is provided means transmitting rotational power from said detacher to said imprinting roll for rotating said imprinting roll with said outer peripheral surface constantly having a speed which is substantially equal to that of said web of flexible material into said detacher. The rotary imprinter as claimed in any one of claim 1 or 2 further including; means selectively operable for disabling said means timed in relation to rotation of said imprinting roll, so as to leave said imprinting roll in said working position so that said imprinting roll rotates through only one revolution per application of an imprint by said imprint-applying element to said surface of said web.

Inventors: DOLTER, RONALD G., HUTCHINSON, WILBUR P., KUBICKI, RAYMOND S.
Applicants: MOORE BUSINESS FORMS, INC.
Application year: 1988
Main classification: B41F13
IPC codes: B41F13, B41L45