Patent GB-827879-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in printing machines
Inventor: FANNING RONALD GRAHAM
IPC: B41L19/00
Filed: 1956-12-12
Abstract: 827,879. Printing-machines. ADREMA Ltd. March 12, 1958 [Dec. 12, 1956], No. 37944/56. Classes 100(2) and 100(4) Cylinder machines. A hand-operated printing machine comprises a roller platen mounted for rotation about its axis and supported for bodily movement perpendicular to that axis, guide means on the stationary frame of the machine defining a closed path of movement for the platen, the path including two portions extending across the width of the printing area and lying to the same side of it. but spaced at different distances from it so that while the platen is moving along one position it is held pressed against the printing surface, while when moved along the other portions it is held spaced from that surface, and hand operating means adapted at each operation to cause the platen to make one complete circuit of said closed path. The roller platen 6, Figs. 3 and 4, is mounted on a shaft carried on arms of a member 4 to which are pivoted links 3 connected to a stirrup member 18 fast on the shaft 2 of a handle 16. Also pivoted to the member 4 are arms of a member 5 rotatably supported on the shaft 2. The platen shaft causes rollers 20 which co-operate with guides 12, 13 and with a pivoted gate member 14 biased by gravity to the position shown in Fig. 3. Springs 7, 8 urge the platen to the right. On moving the handle clockwise, the gate 14 engages one of the rollers 20 to direct the platen below the guides 13 so that it rolls across the printing surface supported on a block 9. When the platen reaches the end of the guides 13, the spring 8 raises it so that on the return stroke of the handle the platen passes between the guides 12, 13, and one of the rollers 20 raises the gate 14, which falls back behind it. A pair of leaf springs engage the brakes 3 to cushion their downward movement. Printing surfaces. An embossed sheet metal printing plate is attached to one corner of a record card, which is inserted below a sheet-supporting tray and on to a card tray, so as to be supported on a block 9, the sheet-supporting tray having a printing aperture. The block 9 is supported on a bed 22 by a central ball 25, and four adjusting screws 26 accessible from above through opening in the members 4 and 5. An adjustable stop 46 holds block against rotation in a horizontal plane. The bed 9 is vertically adjustable by a ring nut 23, which threadedly engages the bed and is serrated to engage a ball detent on a leaf spring 24. Ink-ribbon mechanism. A carbon paper ribbon passes from a spool between the sheet-supporting plate and the card tray, over the block 9, and over a feed roller 34 to a rewind spool 35. A nip roller 36 is carried by a frame 37 pivoted to a hinged cover plate 38 and urged downwards by a spring 39 so that when the cover is open the roller 36 is spaced from the roller 34 and when the cover is closed the roller 36, although shown raised in Fig. 4 for clarity, presses the ribbon against the roller 34. The shaft of the roller 34 causes a toothed wheel engaged by a pawl 42 connected by a strap 41 to a crank arm 40 on the shaft 2 so that the ribbon is fed a step on each movement of the platen. The spool 35 is driven by a friction belt coupling 43 from the feed roller 34, with excess drive movement available, so that the ribbon is kept taut.