Patent GB-930568-A (GB)
Title: Printing apparatus
IPC: B41L45/00
Filed: 1961-10-04
Abstract: 930,568. Addressing-machines. DOW JONES & CO. Inc. Oct. 4, 1961 [Oct. 18, 1960], No. 35742/61. Classes 100 (1), 100 (2), and 100 (4). Apparatus for printing from a series of printing devices on to a continuous web comprises means for intermittently feeding the web, means for advancing the printing devices, the paths of the web and the printing devices crossing at a printing location, impression means adjacent the printing location, drive means for operating the web feeding means, the printing device advancing means and the impression means, and means associated with said feeding and advancing means for disabling the drive means in response to a change in the timed relationship between the feeding and advancing means. Printing devices 21, Figs. 1 and 2, are advanced from the bottom of a pile in a magazine 31 along a guideway by means of a 32 shuttle 108, Fig. 13, reciprocated under the control of an eccentric pin 101 on a bevel gear 100 rotated by a bevel gear 65 on a main drive shaft 58. After passing the printing location 27, each plate drops through an opening 36 in the printing table 26 into a shoot between plates 110, 111, Figs. 9 and 11, which align it vertically, and into an outfeed tray 38. The shaft 58 rotates in the opposite direction through gears 70, 71, Fig. 7, a second drive-shaft 72, which carries a cam 112 to reciprocate a pusher member 39 to move the column of printing devices stacked on edge in the tray 38 towards the right in Fig. 9. Stopping &c.-A plate 75 is mounted on eccentrics 78, 73, Figs. 5 and 6, on the shafts 58, 72, the eccentrics being arranged so that as the shafts rotate at the same speed in opposite directions, the plate 75 pivots about a central point. The shaft 72 controls the feed of the web. If the printing device advancing means and the web feeding means become unsynchronized, for example, when one of said means encounters an abnormal existence, the relative angular position of the shafts 58, 72 is altered, the wheel 65, which carries the gear 70, slipping on the shaft 58 by virtue of a spring-urged frictional coupling. The resulting movement of the plate 75 causes a pin 83, Fig. 6, which normally rests in a V-section slot 84 in the plate, to be moved to the right, thereby opening the contacts of a switch 82 to stop the machine. Before re-starting, the coupling is re-set by means of a hand-wheel 59 on the shaft 58. Platen machines.-The impression hammer 30 is carried on an arm 89 fixed to a rock-shaft 86 which is oscillated by an arm 91 actuated by a cam 93 on the shaft 58, Fig. 7, the hammer being moved downwards during the part of each cycle when the printing devices and web are stationary. The downward movement is under the control of a spring. The impression head 90 includes an inverted cup-shaped member 210, Fig. 13, having a stud 211 pivotally supporting an impression yoke 212 including a shank portion 213 and two end portions 215 connected by a shaft 216 positioned in a bore 217 in an impression pad 218, having four lugs 221, 222 having set-screws 225 engaging the yoke. Set-screws 226, 227 in the member 210 engage the shank portion 213. By loosening the various set-screws the pad is adjustable in any direction. Counting-apparatus.-A counter 117, Fig. 7, for counting the number of impressions is controlled by the mechanism shown in that Figure. Feeding webs.-The web 20 is fed by rollers 24, 25 from a spool 23, Figs. 1, 8 and 9, supported on a member 135. The spool shaft 157 also supports a rod 160 urged downwardly by a spring 158 so as to rest on a loop of the web (see Fig. 1). The web is fed intermittently from the shaft 72 by mechanism including a Geneva star-wheel 128, Fig. 9, and which rotates the roller 25. The web is taken up on a spool 28, Fig. 2, supported in a sleeve 166 and driven by a chain 170 from a sprocket which is loose on the shaft 58 but spring-urged into frictional engagement with the side of the cam 93, the spool 28 being thus rotated when the web is fed by the roller 25, but not when the roller is stationary. Ink-ribbon mechanism.-The ribbon 33, Figs. 9 and 11, is fed stepwise between spools 34, 35 by a drive comprising a flexible shaft 204 coupled to the shaft 129 carrying the star-wheel 128, the shaft 204 rotating a pinion 203 carried on a plate 190 pivoted by a pin 191. The pinion engages spool gears 178 or 180 according to the position of the plate 190, which is retained in either of its two positions by a spring-loaded detent 194 engaging notches 192 or 193 in the plate. A flat spring element 200 is attached at its centre by the pin 191 to the plate 190, and at each end has a channel 201, 202 to receive the ribbon. The ribbon has secured to it near each end a wire or clip 185, and when such clip engages the sides of the channel 201 or 202, it swings the element 200 and the plate 190 to reverse the ribbon feed.