Patent GB-241036-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to embossing machines
IPC: B41J3/38
Filed: 1924-11-14
Abstract: 241,036. Wade, H., (American Multigraph Co.). Nov. 14, 1924. Type-case machines for embossing metal; driving-mechanism; hammer-impression arrangements.-An embossing-machine, particularly for making printing-plates, comprises mating embossing-dies mounted in a stationary case, and a key-controlled plate-carriage which is moved by power-actuated devices, preferably solenoids, to position the plate with respect to the selected pairs of dies; the plate is secured to a support which is mounted on the carriage and receives letter-spacing and line-spacing feeds relatively thereto, and the die-case may carry upper and lower-case dies and be associated with shift-mechanism. The die-case 160, Figs. 1 and 3 carries four sets 150 - - 153 of sliding dies. the sets 150, 152, and 151, 153 being provided with lower and uppercase characters respectively. A pair of flat dies for obliterating errors is included in the die-case. The dies are normally held in contact with bars 169 by spring-combs 165. The plate-carriage comprises a support, described below, for the plate A, and a block 50 which can slide on a rod 53, and has rollers 54 running in a grooved bar 64,. the rod being provided with opposed springs 55. for returning the block to the central position. The block is moved to the right or left by means .of solenoids 80 having a core 82 connected to a lever 84 which is pivoted on a standard 86 and is forked to engage a member 88 pivoted on the block. The circuits of the right and left hand solenoids are closed by the keys in the right and left hand halves of the keyboard, the rear ends of the key-levers 21 being arranged in two groups engaging bails 90 adapted to close contacts 93 in circuit with the associated solenoids. The movement of the block to the right or left is limited by engagement of the operative key-lever with one of a pair of stops 100 mounted in the block. Preferably, the stops are secured to sliding rods 101 provided with cushioning-springs 103, and each stop is associated with a plunger or latch 60 which is lifted by sliding over the key-lever, and then drops, the stop and plunger then cooperating with the key-lever to lock the block in the set position. At each operation of the keys, a shaft 72 is coupled for a half-revolution to a loose driving-pulley 71 by means of a clutch comprising a fast disc having peripheral notches containing rollers which are spring-urged towards a ring 76 on the pulley but are normally restrained by pins on a ring 111. A universal bail 61 in the path of the plungers 60 is connected to a lever 67 having a pin 68 engaging one of a pair of diametrically opposite ears 112 on the ring 111. At each operation, the pin 68 releases one of the ears and the pulley is coupled to the shaft for a half-revolution, the pin then engaging the other ear to arrest the movement. The shaft 72 is geared to a shaft 121 provided with a cam 120 engaging rollers 134 on levers 132, 133 provided with adjustable bars 135 engaging distance-pieces 140, 141 carried by springs 142, 145 on the block 50. The effect of depressing any key is to shift the block to the right or left and bring the distancepieces into engagement with the selected pair of dies, whereupon the levers 132, 133 are operated to cause the dies to emboss the plate. The operaiive key-lever is locked and released by mechanism described below, and on release of the keylever, the block is returned to the central position by one of the springs 55 and is cushioned and arrested by means of a stop-device co-operating with spring-pressed catches 210 on the block. The stop-device consists of a bracket 200 supporting sliding rods 204, Fig. 6, attached to the heads 205 of bars 206, and provided with cushioning- springs 208. When the block returns to the central position, the catches 210 drop into the space between the heads 205, and the block is cushioned and arrested. For releasing the catches when a key-lever is against operated, the bracket 200 is provided with a slide 215, Fig. 3, having an incline for raising the catches and operated by a universal bar 223 which is rocked by the key-levers. The key-levers have lugs 221 engaging a flange on the universal bar 223, and on depressing any key-lever, the slide 215 is moved rearwards to raise the catches. The universal bar is then moved forwards by a spring, and the flange engages under the lug 221 and locks the key-lever. After operation of the impressionlevers 132, 133, the universal bar 223 is retracted to release the key-lever by means of a dog 231, Fig. 15, which is mounted on an arm 230 on the impression-lever 133 and is arranged to engage an arm 234 on the universal bar. An abutment 236 releases the dog from the arm. The slide 215, when moved forwards by the universal bar, is detained temporarily by lugs on the catches 210. Case-shift mechanism. - The sets 150, 152, Figs. 1 and 3, of dies are normally at the impression line, but the die-case 160 can be shifted forwards to bring the sets 151, 153 'to the impression line by means of shift-keys 170 connected by linkage 174, 175, 176 to the die-case. Matrix-carriages; matrix-clamping arrangements; letter-spacing mechanism; line-spacing mechanism; space-key actions.- The plate A is clamped by a spring-urged pivoted jaw 32, Figs. 1 and 3, to a jaw 31 mounted by means of pins 38 on a sliding support 33 on the block 50. For line-spacing, the jaws are moved by means of a knob 43, Fig. 6, mounted on the slide 33 and having a pinion 41 engaging a rack 40 on the jaw 32. The pinion engages a spring-ball detent 44. For letter-spacing, the slide 33 is provided with a rack 193 gearing with a pinion mounted on the block 50 and having a ratchet-wheel 181 co-opera.ting with a pawl 184 on a slide 182 which is drawn downward by a spring 187. When the block 50 returns to the central position, the slide is raised by means of a cam 190, and the pawl turns the ratchet-wheel and effects letter-spacing. The cam consists of curved lugs formed on the heads 205 of the bars 206, the arrangement preventing the slide from dropping when the block momentarily moves past the central position before being arrested by the heads. A space-bar 250, Figs. 1 and 3. is secured to levers 251, 252, the lever 252 having an extension formed with a lug engaging the universal bar 223, the top of the extension being cut away to prevent contact with the stops 100 and plungers 60 when the space-bar is depressed. On depressing the spacebar, one of the solenoids 80 is energized, the catches 210 are released, and the block 50 is moved in the above-described manner. On releasing the space-bar, the block returns to the central position and letter-spacing is effected. Carriage-releasing arrangements. - To permit manual movement of the slide 33, the pawl 184, Fig. 6, is released by means of a finger-piece 241 thereon.