Patent GB-648975-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to a printing machine
IPC: B41L47/18
Filed: 1947-10-27
Abstract: 648,975. Printing machines. ADDRESSOGRAPH - MULTIGRAPH CORPORATION. Oct. 27, 1947, No. 28660. Convention date, Nov. 8, 1946. [Class 100 (ii)] ' Printing-machines of the kind set out in Specifications 555,033, 558,793, 560,570 and 563,081 are constructed so as to be applicable for printing assessment rolls on a sheet S, Fig. 3, comprising one list A of owners, a list B of property location and description, and another list of item numbers 155 which are printed only in line with the name of an owner, are constructed with means for feeding through the machine from a magazine M, Fig. 1, printing-plates D which may be individual plates as D1, Fig. 3, fitted with a name plate N and a property plate W1 removably secured in a frame 150 fitted with an index card 153. If more than one property plate is required for one owner the printing is effected from one plate called a " lead plate " as 2D1, 3D1, 4D1 which are similar to the individual plates D1, but are followed by one or more plates 2D2, 3D2, 3D3, &c. termed " follower plates " which are provided with printing-plates at the bottom position only. The control of the plate-feeding mechanism, the impression roller, and the feed of the sheet S is effected by means of tabs T1, T2, T3, T4 arranged in different positions on the " individual " and " lead " plates. Sensing devices of different lengths mounted on a sensing head H, Fig. 20, cooperate with the tabs to control electric circuits indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 30. The machine is constructed with means to enable the number of " follower " printing- plates in each group to be compared with the number of lines remaining on the sheet S, and to stop the machine automatically if the number of lines is insufficient, and to indicate the same by a light signal 710, Fig. 30. The sheet S is held in a holder 412, Fig. 2, which is slidable in a guide channel 415 carried by the lower face of the lister carriage 408. The carriage 408 is movable on rails 409 for column spacing by means of an oscillating lever 427 actuated by a cam 425 which is driven by a one-revolution clutch geared to the cam by gearing having a ratio of 2 to 1 so that the cam is rotated one half revolution for each revolution of the clutch and brings column A or column B in register with the printing-plate in printing position. The one-revolution clutch which drives the lister control cam 425 can be held from operation by link mechanism which holds the clutch from operation under control of an electromagnet 445, Fig. 30. A skip control magnet 473 is in series with magnet 445 so that the tripping of the platen mechanism and the lister feed can be effected simultaneously. To cause the impression from plate W1, Fig. 3, to be in line with that from plate N the sheet S is given a back-spacing movement upon movement of the carriage 408 by means of a cam 420 which acts upon a roller 422 carried by a slide 416, Fig. 30, to which the list is attached. A similar cam 421 returns the slide when the carriage 408 is returned to its original position. Spacing of the list to bring the list into correct position to print from a new plate is effected by a reciprocating pawl carrier which engages a rack connected to the list slide. The pawl carrier is reciprocated by a cam 424, Fig. 5 (not shown), indicated on Fig. 30, which also indicates the single revolution motor 423 which drives the cam 424. This mechanism is similar to that described in Specification 563,081. The machine is fitted with control pedals 120, 121, 122, which are operated selectively. The pedal 120 acts as a " skip pedal " and when operated permits of advance of the printing- plates without operation of the platen P. The pedal 121 is a " repeat pedal " which permits operation of the platen without advancement of the printing-plates, and the pedal 122 initiates normal operation when the driving- motor is started by a control plunger 110, and a plunger 112 is operated to throw in the electric control system shown in Fig. 30. This circuit is however thrown out when a stop solenoid 113 is energized. The platen mechanism P comprises a reciprocating carriage C, Fig. 6, fitted with a platen roller PR having two platen surfaces PF1, PF2, and the roller is angularly adjustable so as to bring the required platen surface into correct position for printing from a name printing-surface, or a property printing- surface. A control plunger 495, Fig. 1, can be moved by hand to control clutch mechanism which can cause the printing-plates to remain in printing position to yield two impressions from each follower printing-plate. This mechanism can however be controlled by an electromagnet 510, Fig. 30, which is energized when switch 603 is closed to cause the follower printing-plate to remain in printing position for one operation only. The platen carriage is operated by an eccentric and lever mechanism from a one revolution clutch driven by a shaft 450, Fig. 6, and motion is transmitted from this mechanism to oscillate an arm 542, which actuates means for changing the numeral of a numbering device 515, each time printing is effected from a " lead " or individual plate, and the number is printed in a separate column C, Fig. 3, opposite to the impressions made by " individual " or " lead " plates. To prevent the actuation of the numbering device when " follower " plates are being printed, a camshaft 524 is rotated by energization of an electromagnet 535 to cause the frame of the numbering-device to move clockwise about a pivot 522, so as to move its operating plunger 541 out of the path of the arm 542. The platen PR is normally. adjusted by a pinion engaged by a reciprocating rack oscillated by ratchet mechanism so as to bring the surfaces PF1 and PF2 alternately into operative position, but when printing from " follower " plates the action of the ratchet mechanism is masked by the action of an electromagnet 560 also controlled by the switch 603, so as to cause the same platen to remain in active position. The printing-plates are moved in stages through the machine and when at stage 11 the sensing head H, Fig. 20, is permitted to fall under spring action to an extent which is determined by the engagement of sensing pins (575, Fig. 19, not shown) with tabs set to the positions PS, T1, T2, T3, T4, Fig. 3, and the position at which the head H stops determines the extent to which a storage plunger 580 is projected from a drum 581. The plunger is projected by an oscillating arm 590 which is moved to engage the plunger which is in position II on the drum. This drum is given intermittent indexing motions by ratchet mechanism, and the setting of the plungers determine the actuation of switches arranged around the drum, and indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 30. A plunger 580 set by the skip tab PS actuates a switch 601 for controlling the print-skip operation, and switch 602 controls the lateral shifting movements of the lister 400 and switch 603 controls the platen adjustment and the means for enabling duplicate impressions to be made. The switches are of micro-switch type and are supported on a plate 584 by brackets about the left-hand side of the drum 581 which is rotated intermittently in clockwise direction. The switch 601 is closed by a lever 601L and is held by a latch until opened by a restoring plunger 601P. The means for actuating the switches 601, 602, 603 comprise three sets of levers 640, 645, 648 mounted respectively on studs 636, 637, 638. The levers 640 are five in number, viz. 640-1, 640-2, 640-3, 640-4, and 640S (Fig. 29A, not shown), of which 640-2, 640-3, 640-4, are adapted to close contacts 660-2, 660-3, 660-4, Fig. 30, connected by wires 705, 706, 708 to a switch 675 on a lever 629 controlled by cam surfaces 485-1, 485-2, 485-3 on the list strip 416 which causes the machine to be stopped and a signal lamp 710 operated if there are not enough spaces on the list sheet to permit of printing all the follower plates in a series. The lever 640S (not shown), closes the skip switch. A wide lever 645 is mounted on stud 637 and is formed with a cam surface 645A which, when the lever 645 is rocked counterclockwise against spring action, opens the switch 602 to allow lateral shift of the lister carriage 408. On stud 638 are mounted three cam plates 648-2, 648-3, 648-4 (Figs. 27-29, not shown), urged clockwise by springs 648R as permitted by a pin 649 and slots 650. On actuation of either cam plate by a plunger 580 at position V of the drum 581 a cam 648A operates a lever 603L to close control switch 603. The cam plate 648-2 returns to normal position to open the switch when the operating plunger 580 on the drum 581 moves to position VI. The cam plates 648-3, 648-4 however maintain the switch 603 closed until the drum reaches positions VII and VIII respectively, so as to enable further impressions to be produced by additional " follower " printing-plates. The printing is preferably effected through an inkribbon, and duplicate lists may be prepared by use of additional ribbons. Specifications 447,041 and 447,089 also are referred to.