Patent GB-190620731-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for the Manufacture of Curved Stereotype Plates.
Inventor: ANNAND ROBERT CUMMING
Filed: 1906-09-18
Granted: 1907-05-30
Abstract: 20,731. Annand, R. C. Sept. 18. Stereotype. - Relates to machines for casting and trimming curved d stereotype plates in which a collapsible mould core, as described in Specification No. 20,213, A.D. 1906, is employed to strip the cast plate from the matrix. without disturbing the latter. The machine comprises casting and boring beds, reciprocating together beneath the collapsible core, which, after the matrix has been clamped in the casting-bed, expands and descends into the latter; the metal pump is then operated automatically to cast a plate. The core is collapsed, bending the plate away from the matrix, and is lifted to raise the cast plate out of the casting-bed and deposit it in the boring-bed which moves into position beneath. The get is broken off, and the plate trimmed along its straight and curved edges and concave face and delivered to a table. The waterjacketed casting and boring beds 6, 7, adjustably connected together, are reciprocated along guides 5 by a spirally-grooved drum 33, capable of being rotated in either direction by bevel-wheels 30 and a clutch 26, which is slidden alternately into gear with these wheels by a cam on the shaft 29. The shaft 29 is driven by worm gearing 28 from a shaft 22, Which is rotated by gearing 20, 21 from the main shaft 13 driven by a belt 10 from a motor 9. The matrix is preferably held in the casting-bed by side gauges 53, which overlap the edges of the matrix and are secured in position by ribs 53a, and the top and bottom matrix clamps 54. The clamps are operated by hand-levers 56, adjustably secured to the spindles 55 by slot-and-bolt connexions 59, 60, and are locked in the clamping position by spring pins 57. The side gauges are prevented from springing forward by slightly undercutting the lower ends 62 of the grooves formed in the bed 6 to receive the ribs 53<a>. The collapsible core 39 consists of two segments 39, 39<a> hinged on pins 69 which are mounted in rocking-levers 72, oscillated to raise and lower the core out of and into the casting-bed by cams 74 on the shaft 29. The two segments of the core are connected by links 77 to a lever 76 on a shaft 75, which is oscillated to collapse and expand the core by a link 79, bellcrank 80, and cam 82. The grooves on the core are slightly undercut, so that as the core is collapsed the plate adheres sufficiently to be bent away from the matrix. The bottom of the mould is closed by a bar 84, dovetailed in the core, and a coacting bar 85, carried by pivoted levers 86. The bar 85 is projected forward to close the mould, or to strip the plate from the core and deposit it in the boring-bed which has moved to a position beneath, by a forked lever 87 operated by cams 90 on the shaft 29. The pouring mouthpiece of the mould comprises end pieces 91, secured to the core, and an intermediate sliding wedge-piece 92, the motion of which is limited by pins 97 projecting from the core. The piece 92 is projected forward to break off the get over the edge 95 of the boring- bed by a link 104, lever 99 mounted on the pivot 73, and a cam 98 on the shaft 29. After the plate has been deposited in the boring-bed and the get broken off, the beds return to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 1<a>, the straight edges of the plate being trimmed during this motion. The plate is finished by a boring-cylinder 19, driven by worm gearing from the shaft 13, which is formed with ribs 109 and carries a knife 107 for trimming the internal ribs and an ejector-bar 108, the plate being retained in the bed during the boring operation by a bar 128 carried by a shaft 129 and operated by a cam 133. The driving-bar 108 is formed with inclined slots which slide on pins on the cylinder 19 and is connected by a link 113 to a collar 115 feathered on the cylinder, which, as the knife completes the boring of the plate, is moved axially by a cam 124 and rock shaft 125 to project the bar 108, which ejects the plate from the bed and delivers it past spring-controlled wooden rollers 136 on to the table 8 ; during this motion the curved edges are trimmed. The machine is stopped automatically at the end of a cycle, i.e. with one trimmed plate ready for delivery and a second one cast in the mould, by a spring latch 145 on a plate 146, Fig. 15, adjustably secured to the worm-wheel 28. The latch is held up by a projection 151 on the frame, and is brought by the motion of the wheel 28 against a trigger 150 on the shaft 139, which by means of a quadrant 141 operates the belt-shifting mechanism 143. The machine is restarted, as soon as the newly-cast plate is sufficiently cool, by a hand-lever 140. The metal-pump cylinder 153 is suspended by studs 153" within the metal pot 4, and the piston 164 is operated by a crank 161<a> on a shaft 153<c> which is actuated to deliver a charge of metal through the nozzle 38 by a weight suspended on an arm 161 as shown. The weight and piston 164 are raised by a cam 159 on the shaft 29. The stroke of the weight may be regulated by a hand-wheel 166. When the required number of plates has been cast, the charge of metal delivered during the trimming of the last plate is diverted into the metal pot by opening a valve. In a modified construction, instead of the spirallygrooved drum 33, a bed reciprocated by rack-andpinion gearing is employed to actuate the casting and boring beds. The reciprocating bed is provided at each end with a pawl adapted to engage the beds 6, 7 and move them from one position to the other, when not prevented from doing so by slides actuated by a suitably-timed cam on the shaft 29. In a further modification, the plate is bored by a stationary knife as the bed travels to the delivery end of the machine, and in this case the cylinder 19 is provided only with an ejecting-device. The machine may be operated partly or entirely by hand.