Patent GB-354870-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to printing machines
IPC: B41L47/46
Filed: 1930-05-22
Abstract: 354,870. Printing-machines. ADDRESSOGRAPH CO., 901, West Van Buren Street, Chicago, U.S.A. May 22, 1930, No. 15808. Convention date, March 10. [Classes 100 (ii) and 100 (iv).] Addressing-machines cylinder machines tripping-arrangements ; gripper mechanism.-A printing- machine which is especially applicable for printing factory production forms, value tables, or insurance policies, &c., in which variable matter is printed on forms printed with standard matter, is constructed so that the machine is automatically rendered inoperative when the bed 41 on which the variable matter is mounted is withdrawn from printing position. In co-operation with the bed 41 is a travelling impression roller 161, which is raised during its return stroke, and is controlled so as to make a uniform impression and so that its effective stroke may be varied. The sheet to be printed is clamped in position during the printing operation, and is released by the movement of the impression roller. The printing operations are controlled by oscillating arms 36 freely mounted on a shaft 6 which is oscillated by a crank arm 29 on a shaft 11 which is operated by a one-revolution clutch consisting of a spring-controlled pawl 16 mounted on an arm fixed to the shaft 11, which is brought into engagement with a notch 15 in a collar 14 on a gear 12 free on the shaft 11 and geared to a motor 2. The pawl 16 is controlled by a spring-controlled lever 22 which normally keeps the projection 19 out of engagement with the notch 15. On operating a pedal 27 the pawl is released and engages the notch, and printing continues as long as the pedal is depressed, The pedal can not be depressed unless the bed 41 is in printing position. The bed 41 is carried by a table 38 on a support 37 and is moved into and out of printing position by means of a stud 46 which is engaged by a hooked end 45 of a handle 44. The handle 44 is integral with a rod 43 which is supported by a sleeve 42 carried by the table 38. When the bed is moved into printing position by means of the handle 44, which is turned to engage the stud 46, a keyway 47 can move past a screw 48, and the handle can then be turned to release the bed 41 only when a groove 49 registers with the screw 48. In this position the slotted end 54 of rod 43 engages a projection 53 on a stud shaft 50 which is thus rotated in the act of releasing the bed 41 after it has reached its printing position. By means of a pin 56, link 57, a plate 60 formed with a key-hole slot 61 is operated to permit the release of a projection 58 on a link 59 connected to the pedal-operated lever 22, and the pedal can thus be operated when the bed 41 is in printing position and not otherwise. The printing-plate 71 is held at one edge by a projection on a plate 70, and the side edges of the plate are held by plates 65, 69 which are held in position by plates 66, 67 secured by screws 66, 68. The bed is located correctly in position by a bar 76<1>, Fig. 4, extending through ribs 751, 76. An ink-ribbon is arranged over the plate 71, and a shield 80 with openings which register with the printing characters is arranged in a plate 78 mounted on a pivoted frame 73. This frame is controlled by a cam on the stud shaft 50 and is raised as shown in Fig. 3 when the bed 41 is out of printing position, but moves to the position shown in Fig. 4 when the bed is in printing position. The sheets are positioned against vertical parts 85 of resilient fingers 83 secured to the frame 73 and passing through openings in the shield. The fingers are raised by the round portion of a bar 87, Fig. 3, when the impression roller 161 is in its bar position, by the action of the roller 161 on an arm 89 on the bar 82. As the roller 161 moves to printing position a spring 21 rotates the bar 87, and the fingers 83 are depressed and their bent parts 86 grip the sheet and hold it in printing position. The impression roller 161 is mounted in bearings 156, 157, Fig. 5, carried by a reciprocating frame 127, Figs. 3 and 4, formed of side members connected by cross bars 128, 129. The frame is guided by rollers 130 moving in fixed guides 133 carried by fixed arms 97, 98 which support cam members 125, 126 for controlling the pressure of the roller 161 on the bed. The cams are supported by an impression-controlling member 104 formed of two similar arms 105, 106 each mounted on a pivot 101. The inclination of the arms 105, 106 is controlled by toggles 112, 108 ; 113, 109 respectively, connected by a rod 107 which causes them to move in unison. Normally the toggles maintain the arms 106 inclined as in Fig. 3, but, as the levers 36 move forwards, a lever 164 is operated to act on an arm 168 on the lever 113 and thus straighten the toggles and lower the cams 126. The frame 127 is thus lowered against the action of a spring 152 which acts on an arm 150 carried by a lever 146 pivoted to the frame 127. The lever 146 is carried by rollers 149 resting on a bar 144 secured to the arm 106. The toggles are maintained in position by a stop lever 182 provided w i t h a recess 181 for receiving a rod 110. The lever 164 is operated from the arms 36 by means of a rod 176 which engages the notched end 175 of a spring-controlled dog 173 on the lever. The dog is disengaged on the return motion of the arms 36 after the toggles have been broken by the action of a screw 180 carried by the frame :.27 on the rod 110, and the consequent return of the lever 164 to the position shown in Fig. 3. The upward movement of the toggle arms 112, 113 is limited by stops. To adjust the inclination of the arms 105, 106, and in consequence thereof the pressure of the roller 161 on the bed, the pivots 117, 118 of the upper toggle arms are mounted in eccentric bearings, and the pivots 101, 102 of the arms 105, 106 are also mounted in eccentric bearings. These eccentric bearings are mounted in the arms 97, 98, and each set of bearings can be adjusted simultaneously or independently by means of worms 230, 231, Fig. 1, operated by an inclined shaft formed of two parts connected by a spring clutch 219 which permits the two worms to be operated simultaneously, or by opening the clutch either worm may be operated independently. In order to control the time at which the roller 161 comes into action so as to enable the machine to print from printing-surfaces of different sizes, frames 127 of different length may be used, and cams with effective portions 154 of different lengths may be used. The effective length of the crank pin 32 can be varied by adjusting the arm 29 angularly on the shaft 11. The bearing bracket 8 can also be adjusted by means of a pivoted bolt 244, nuts 251, 252, and hemispherical washers 249, 250 engaging sockets 246, 247 in the bracket 8. The gear ratio of the gears which operate the shafts 6, 11 may be varied. Ink-ribbon mechanism.-The ink-ribbon is passed between spools 199, 200 on shafts 194, 196 mounted in bearing brackets 193, 195, and is led over guides 190, 191 over the printing-surface 71 and below the shield 80. The web is fed and reversed by mechanism as described in Specification 354,871 operated from a rocking sleeve 209, Fig. 3, which is operated from the rocking levers 36 by means of an arm 203 fitted with a roller 204 which acts on a member 210 attached to the sleeve 209. When the roller 204 acts on a curved part 211 of the member 210, the feed is effected, but while it moves over a straight part 212 no feed occurs.