Patent GB-342029-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to printing machines
IPC: B41L47/58
Filed: 1929-11-15
Abstract: 342,029. Printing. HUBBARD, H. E., 901, West Van Buren Street, Chicago, and McCAIN, C. C., 734, Grand Avenue, Glen Ellyn, Illinois, both in U.S.A. Nov. 15,1929, No. 34971. [Classes 100 (i) and 100 (ii).] Addressing and like machines ; delivery apparatus. -In an addressing or like printing machine in which printing devices are run successively through the machine so as to print cards or slips and in which mechanism is provided for grouping the printed cards &c. in accordance with a classification of the printing devices, one or more printing stations are provided, and the cards printed at each station are fed to a corresponding receiver in the form of a rocking packer box adapted to receive and retain the individual cards in different relative positions. The grouping may be effected by providing the last plate of a series with a notch which co-operates with a detector mechanism adapted to tilt the receiver so as to offset the corresponding cards &c. relatively to those previously delivered into the receiver and thereby to indicate the end of the group ; alternatively, a number of notched plates may follow in succession and cause the corresponding cards &c. themselves to form a group. The packer box may have at least one side formed of two sections constituted by intersecting planes, the other side preferably being plane and parallel to one of the sections. As shown, printing-plates 20, Fig. 1, stored in a magazine 21 are fed intermittently through the machine with stops at each of four printing stations, and are discharged into a receiver 22; each station is provided with its own webfeeding mechanism, printing platen, cutting devices, and delivery mechanism. Each web may be cut into cards bearing one impression or into slips bearing as many impressions as there are stations. The plates 20 are fed by means of pawls pivoted to a reciprocating carrier actuated by an arm 15 connected to a rod 13 pivoted on a pin 14 carried by an arm 12, which is adapted to oscillate about a shaft 11, and is coupled to an arm 10 rocking about the same axis. The arm 10 is actuated by a rotary crank 7, and the coupling is effected by means of a latch 23 pivoted at 231 to the arm 10 and urged by a spring 24 into engagement with the pin 14. When repeat printing is required, the plate feed is interrupted by turning an eccentric 29 connected by a rod 28 to an arm 26 carrying a finger 27 adapted to disengage the latch 23. An extension of the arm 13 is connected by a spring 25 to the arm 12 so that if the feeding device is obstructed the arm may continue its oscillation without causing damage. At each printing station there is a platen 38, Fig. 6, carried by an arm 39 pivoted at 39<11>, the arms being depressed against the action of springs 42 by cams 41 fixed on a rotary cam shaft 35. Each arm 39 carries spaced rollers, and each cam 41 engages a roller of each of an adjacent pair of arms, so that printing is effected simultaneously from all the platens and uniform printing pressure is provided. Each arm 39 is in the form of a yoke between the sides of which a paper web 43 unwinding from a roll passes to printing position. At each station there is a box 44, Figs. 6, 19, and 20, into which the printed cards or slips are delivered. One half 45 of the bottom surface of the box is horizontal and is in the same plane as an opposite ledge 451, and the remaining part 46 slopes downwardly and is in the same plane as a ledge 461. Also, one side 47 is vertical and shorter than the other side, which comprises a lower part 48 perpendicular to the surface 46 and an upper part 48<1> parallel to the side 47. Each box is supported by a holder 49, which is pivotally mounted on a fixed pin 50, and has arms 51 engaging under flanges 52 on the sides of the box and lugs 53 on the arms engaging under the ledges 45<1>, 46<1>; also, springs 54 fixed to the bottom of the box engage the lugs 53 to hold the box in position in the holder. Normally cards &c. 100 are supported on the surfaces 45, 451, but, when the receiver is tilted, the cards are supported on the surfaces 46, 461 and by the side 48. In a modification, the side 47 comprises two inclined parts like the parts 48, 48<1>. Each packer box is adapted to be rocked about the pin 50 by a rod 85<1>, Fig. 24, connected at 49<1>, Fig. 19, to the holder 49, and each rod 851 is connected to a bar 85, the four bars being longitudinally slidable in slots in a stationary sleeve 84, Fig. 10. Four levers 87 are carried by a gear 83 rotated once in every four printing cycles, each lever 87 being pivoted at 871 to the gear and carrying at its end a roller 88<1> and a cam face 88. Normally the rollers 881 ride on the outside of a stationary sleeve 861, which has a gap at the bottom normally closed by a switch lever 90<11> adapted to be rocked about a pivot 90<1> so as to direct the rollers 88<1> to the inside of the sleeve 86<1> where the cam 88 engages a roller 85<11> on each bar 85 in turn and causes the packer boxes 44 to be successively tilted. The switch 9011 is controlled by a feeler device comprising a finger 97, Fig. 24, carried by a shaft 92 periodically rocked to raise the finger by means of a cam 95<11> on a cam shaft 35. Normally the finger 97 is held up by a pin 99 on a feeler 98 pivoted at 981 under the influence of a spring so that its end is pressed to wards the printing-plates 20 as they pass to printing position. When a plate provided with a notch 201 arrives in the control position, the feeler 98 swings round and removes the pin 99 from the path of the finger 97, and the shaft 92 is rocked and moves the switch 90<11> into the operative position. A finger 97 may be mounted in either of two holders 96, 961, arranged respectively at the first and last printing stations, according to whether cards or slips are to be printed. The side edges of each web 43 are guided in slots in side guides 70, Fig. 6, and between each pair of guides a delivery device 71 reciprocates so as to remove the edges from the slots and deliver the cut-off card or slip into the box 44 where it is retained by a spring at the end of the box assisted by the guides 70. Each member 71 is supported by an arm 72 suspended from a pivot 721 and is actuated by a cam 74 on the shaft 35, this cam engaging a roller on an arm 73, which is pivoted at 73<1> and is connected to the device 71, the latter thus being reciprocated with a straight line movement. The cam shaft 35, packer boxes 44, and associated parts are carried by a member 30, Fig. 6, which extends transversely of the machine and is pivoted about the shaft 92 whereby the member 30 may be swung up out of the operative position to provide access to the printing-plate carrier and to allow the ink-ribbon to be changed The ink-ribbon mechanism may be that described in Specification 343,155. Feeding webs.-The webs 43 are intermittently advanced by feed rollers 57, Fig. 6, fixed on a shaft 571 and rotated intermittently in one direction by means of a pawl and ratchet, the pawl being carried on an arm fixed to a pinion loosely mounted on the shaft 57<1> and rotated by a gear segment, which is oscillated by a pin mounted on a block fixed in a radial slot in a rotary disc, the position of the block in the slot being adjusted to vary the amount of feed of the web according as cards or slips are being printed. Co-operating with each feed roller 57 is a pressure roller 66 mounted on a carrier 68 slidably guided on a bracket 58 extending from the member 30 and pressed against the roller 57 by a spring 69 which allows the rollers to be separated to insert the end of the web in the edge guides 70. Cutting-apparatus.-Each web is cut into strips by a reciprocating blade 75, Fig. 21, coacting with a fixed blade 78. The blade 75 is carried by a block 80 to which is fixed a spindle 80<1> on which a pair of blocks 76 is loosely mounted. Springs 77 fixed to the ends of the spindle 80<1> press the blocks 76 against the sheet-delivery device 71 so that the blade 75 follows behind this device in the forward movement of the latter and severs the web, the forward movement of the blade, however, being limited by the guides 70. The blocks 76 are provided with bevelled surfaces 76<1> engaging bevelled surfaces 71<11> on the lower end of the device 71 so as to press the blade down into correct shearing position, and the springs 77 extend at an angle to the line of movement of the blade to pull the blocks forwardly and downwardly into engagement with the surfaces 71<11>.