Patent GB-791273-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to printing machines
Inventor: SANDERSON THOMAS EDWARDS FRANC
IPC: B41L19/04
Filed: 1953-08-20
Abstract: 791,273. Printing-machines. ADREMA, Ltd. Aug. 20, 1954 [Aug. 20, 1953], No. 22979/53. Classes 100(2) and 100(4) Platen machines; number-printing apparatus. A machine for printing on tickets or the like comprises a principal printing surface above which are a plurality of platens for printing one impression each of a plurality of different items, and means for thereafter feeding the ticket or the like stepwise between a subsidiary printing surface and a subsidiary platen, whereby there is printed on the ticket or the like a subsidiary impression in a position adjacent to each of said items. A ticket to be printed is fed into position above the ink-ribbon 72 Fig. 15, over the principal printing- surface 18 located on the bed 17, Fig. 9, and is assisted by a gate at the rear end of the bed. Pressure of the ticket on the gate energizes a solenoid to engage a onerevolution clutch and start a shaft 57 being rotated by an electric motor. A notched disc 58 thereupon displaces a rack 61 to partly rotate rollers 19. The bed 17, which has been resting on flats 20, is transferred to tongues 21 and thereby raised into printing position. The shaft 57 drives a cam shaft 38 carrying a plurality of angularly displaced cams 39 so as to operate successively selected platens 41, one of which is located above each printing plate 1, Fig. 1. The bed is then lowered and electrical contacts on a shaft 56 are actuated to cause a solenoid to open the gate, the clutch then disengaging itself. The ticket is then fed until it is supported at its leading end on a hollow head 129. Fig. 16, of a carriage 14, being arrested by a stop member 125. Engagement of the ticket with the stop operates contacts 127 of a solenoid which moves a master valve into a position where suction is applied to the head 129 to retain the ticket, to a cylinder 149, which thereupon moves a rack 144 into a horizontal position, to a cylinder 93, Fig. 15, to operate the ink-ribbon, to a cylinder 137, which causes the carriage 14 to be moved rearwardly by agate 134, and to a cylinder 139, which lifts the stop 125 to allow passage of the ticket. During its rearward travel, the carriage 14 opens a pair of contacts to close the gate to arrest the next ticket. The carriage moves rearwardly intermittently and at each step a cam 155 on a continuously rotating shaft 145 causes a platen 117. Fig. 19A, to press the ticket down on an ink-ribbon 165, Fig. 20, above a number box 13 which prints a serial number, date, &c., adjacent each printed item on the ticket in turn. At the rear end of its travel, the carriage closes a contact 162a energizing a solenoid to reverse the master valve, whereupon the carriage is moved forwardly by a cable 130 and a further pneumatic cylinder, the rack 91 is swung upwardly to inoperate position, the stop 125 is dropped to arrest the next ticket, and the suction applied to the ticket on the head 129 is relieved so that the ticket can be removed. Arrival of the carriage at its forward end closes a contact which in series with the contact closed by pressure of a ticket on the gate, actuates the one-revolution clutch, and the cycle is completed. Sheet-feeding arrangements. Tickets are fed into printing position on the bed 17 by means of tapes 25, Figs. 12 and 15, driven by a motor 26. The tapes cooperate with a mangle roller 33 which is linked to the bed 17 by mechanism 37, 35, 34 so that when the bed is lowered, the roller 33 is pressed against the tapes to feed a ticket introduced by any means to the bight. The ticket comes to rest against a gate, which is opened electrically when the bed is lowered. The ticket is then moved against a stop member 125, Fig. 16, with its leading edge on a suction head 129 of a carriage 14. The carriage is moved rearwardly intermittently by means of an escapement mechanism comprising a leading tooth 140 and a slidable follower tooth 141, mounted on a support pivoted on a pin and rocked by a continuously driven eccentric shaft 145 so as to cause the tooth to move into and out of engagement with the rack 144. Impression mechanism. A plurality of platens 41, Fig. 9, are carried each on a rocking arm 40, the arms 40 being mounted alternately on shafts 42, 43. Each arm carries a slide 44 having a wedge-member 45, which is actuated by one of the cams 39 to operate the platen. Levers 48 are provided by which the wedge members can be withdrawn clear of the .cams, "so that-only selected platens are operated. At each halt in the rearward movement of the carriage 14, Fig. 16, a platen 117, Fig. 19a, either does or does not move. downwards to press the ticket against an ink ribbon and the number box 13, under the action of an edge cam 155 on the shaft 145, according as an interposer 157 is or is not in position between the cam 155 and a tappet 156. The interposer is normally moved out of and into position under the action of a face cam 159 and a spring 158, and is held out of position when printing is not to take place by a latch which is released by a solenoid 161. The solenoid is energized when the carriage is on its rearward travel, but is momentarily stationary for printing, and a three-position coritrol switch is set so that printing will (a) not take place, (b) take place at every pause of the carriage, (c) take place only if the corresponding platen 4 was operative to cause printing on the adjacent part of the ticket. Impression adjustments. 'The height of the bed 17, Fig. 9, when in raised position is controlled by a screw 24, Fig. 10. in each roller 19, which adjusts the height of the longues 21. Printing pressure can also be varied in the case of each platen 41 by a screw 46 which adjusts the longitudinal position of the wedge member 45. Printing-surfaces. The principal printing surface consists of a composite plate 18, Figs. 1 and 14, comprising a series of embossed printing plates 1 removably held in a common base plate 2, Figs. 1 and 2, by means of retaining strips 5, each plate 1 having depending flanges 3. In order to slide a composite plate 18 on to the bed 17, it is placed on a platform 65 and pushed on to the bed by means of a shuttle 66 carrying a handle and a reversing pawl 68 which engages a rack 67 shorter than the length of travel of the shuttle. The shuttle cannot be withdrawn until it has been moved completely home, springs causing reversal of the pawl at the end of the travel of the shuttle. Tripping-mechanism. Inward movement of the shuttle 66, Fig: 14, causes contact between a ramp on the shuttle and an arm 71 to be broken, thus breaking an electric circuit and preventing the engaging of the one-revolution clutch to operate the machine until the shuttle has been completely withdrawn. Ink-ribbon mechanism. The ribbon 72, Fig. 15, for the principal .printing surface is wound between spools 75, 76, and is driven by the motor 26 through a' friction clutch 89, a gear 85 carried on a sleeve 84, and one of two gears. 81, 82 connected to the respective spools. The clutch 89 is closed to feed the ribbon a short distance by the cylinder 93 under the control of the. smaller valve. When either spool is empty, the increased tension in the ribbon causes a roller 95 to be raised and through an arm 99 to move an actuating lever 103 forward so that a roller 104 thereon engages a reversing cam 105 and reverses its position with reference to a roller 111 and the nose 110 of the cam, the cam acting through a bell crank 113 to move the sleeve 84 axially and 'reverse the direction of feed. The ribbon 165, Fig. 20, for the number box, is wound on spools 166, 167 rotating in opposite directions and carrying ratchet wheels 174, 175. Two operating pawls 170, .171 engaging the ratchets are pivoted at 172 to an actuating lever 169 rocked by a pull rod 168a connected to the platen 117, Fig. 19A. A pair of locking pawls 170a, 171a are pivoted at 172a and the appropriate locking pawl is raised clear of the ratchet while the latter is moved by its operating pawl, and then dropped on to the ratchet to lock it. A centrally pivoted rocker bar 176 carries a pair of stops 177 to hold one pair of the four pawls clear of its ratchet. The direetion of feed is thus controlled by the rocker bar, which carries two pins 179, one of which is held down against a spring 181 by a latch 178. The diameter of the spool controls a follower arm- 183a, and the arrangement is such that when one spool is empty, the latch 178 at the opposite end is released and the bar 176 rocks to its alternative position.  According to the Provisional Specification, the cable 130 is connected to a weight.