Patent GB-576280-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in strip-feeding devices for printing machines
IPC: B41L47/24
Filed: 1944-02-04
Abstract: 576,280. Strip-feeds for addressing &c. machines. WILLIAMS, W. P. (Standard Register Co.). Feb. 4, 1944, No. 2121. [Classes 100 (ii) and 100 (iv)] A printing-apparatus which is adapted to print successive impressions at spaced intervals upon continuous series connected stationary, and also to print a heading from an address plate upon each sheet which takes up a larger space than that between the impressions is constructed with a strip feeding mechanism adapted to advance the sheets with a series of equal steps followed by a longer step. As applied to a machine such as the addressing-machine shown in Fig. 1, which is of known type, the feed A is of the pin-wheel type, and comprises a pair of pin wheels 45 adjustably secured to a shaft 44 mounted between a bracket 41 and a casing 40 for the driving- mechanism of the shaft 44, in such manner that the feed can be attached to existing machines. The impression mechanism for the printing devices and the means for advancing the printing plates are operated by eccentrics on a driven shaft 11, Fig. 2 not shown, which is coupled by a flexible coupling to a shaft 69, Figs. 4 and 10, from which the pin-wheel shaft 44 is driven. The shaft 69 drives a shaft 73 by means of a Geneva gear comprising a gear sector which engages gear teeth 72 on the shaft 73, and a plain locking part which engages a concave 72a, Fig. 13 not shown, on the shaft 73. The shaft 73 at each rotation gives a partial rotation to a gear wheel 75 by a mechanism similar to a Geneva gear comprising a sector.gear 85 having also a plain portion. The gear 85 engages in turn four teeth on a wheel 88, and then the wheel 88 is locked so that it receives an intermittent motion corresponding to a line spacing feed by the pin-wheels. The wheel 88 is integral with the wheel 75 which is geared to the pin-wheel shaft via gears 76, 46. The gear 46 drives the shaft 44 via an adjustable friction coupling which can be made to slip when it is desired to. adjust the position of the spaced lines at the commencement of a feed. To ensure accuracy of the line spacing a cam-actuated pawl 93 Fig. 4 is made to engage a notch 92 in a disc integral with the wheel 88. After the printing and spacing of a given number of lines a larger feed is given to the pinwheels, so as to form a larger space to receive a heading from the address-plate, by means of a gear 86, on the same shaft as gear 85, which engages a toothed sector 97 attached to the wheel 88 and causes the desired motion of the record strip. This motion is also controlled exactly by a cam-actuated pawl 94 engaging a notch 98 in a registering disc. The transmission gears 75, 76 are mounted in a pivoted arm, 77 and gears of different ratio may be used. Also as shown in Fig. 14, two or more pin-wheels may be driven by different sets of transmission gears 75, 76, 46, and 100, 101, 102, 461 so as to permit the feeding of two or more record sheets at different rates. The record supply pack holder 103 is set far enough forward of the machine to enable the strip to follow an easy path over a curved guide bridge 104. The strip then passes an overhanging arm 2 and is held down by guide strips 105 and a tensioning drag 106. Pivoted guides and cutting-devices are also associated with the pin-wheels, so that the pin holes, may be removed from the strips after the feed operation.