Patent GB-622460-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to apparatus for preparing printing devices and the like
IPC: B41J3/38
Filed: 1945-12-20
Abstract: 622,460. Typewriters &c. for embossing printing-plates. JENNINGS, H. W. K. (Addressograph-Multigraph Corporation). Dec. 20, 1945, No. 34618. [Class 100 (iv)] The work is positioned relatively to the dies by means of a carriage movable step-by-step along the machine for character spacing and by a cross-slide movable across the carriage for line spacing by rack-and-pinion mechanism actuated by ratchet-and-pawl mechanism. Embossing-dies. Complementary dies are carried by rotatable die heads 65, 66, Fig. 4, carried by a vertical shaft 76, the two dies in operative position being actuated to emboss a blank inserted between them, by pressure members 78, 85, rocked about pivots 79, 85<SP>1</SP> respectively by toggles 80 and a crank 87 and rod 86, all operated from a shaft 88, die shuttles 91a and 92a being moved into the paths of the members 78, 85 only when embossing is required, as described in U.S.A. Specification 1,518,904. The shaft 76 is stopped in selected position by a stop operated from a keyboard. Blank-holder. The edge of a blank 42, Fig. 7a, is gripped between clamping-plates 991, 99<SP>11</SP> mounted on a block 100 and loosely connected by pins 104 through which wires 105 are passed, clamping being effected by turning a flat-sided shaft 102 engaging the outer ends of the plates. The blank is positioned by a shoulder 107 on the plate 99<SP>1</SP>. To facilitate inserting a blank, the clamping-unit is turned up so as to rest against a stop 110, Fig. 7, by turning the shaft 102 which carries a notched disc 108 engaging a pin 109 on the jaw 991. Line-spacing. The block 100 is secured to a cross-slide 98, Fig. 7, on a carriage 75 by a screw permitting slight horizontal movement of the block. Pins 114, 114<SP>1</SP>, Fig. 12, on the block engage slots 113, 113<SP>1</SP> in the carriage, the pin 1141 being eccentrically mounted and rotatable to adjust the block into parallelism with the carriage path. A screw, the head of which engages a slot 98<SP>1</SP>, is turned to adjust the block 100 longitudinally of the carriage. Line-spacing is effected by moving the crossslide 98 relatively to the carriage by turning a lever 136<SP>1</SP> adapted to rock a bell-crank 135 actuating a pawl 130, Fig. 13, engaging a ratchet on a shaft 120 carrying pinions 121 engaging racks on the slide. A pawl 131 preventing reversal of the ratchet may be released by a handle 144 to allow free movement of the cross-slide, an extension of the pawl 131 engaging the pawl 130 so as to release it also. Character-spacing. This is effected by an escapement device comprising pawls 162, 163, Fig. 9, releasing a ratchet 160 fixed to a shaft 155 carrying a pinion 155<SP>1</SP> engaging a rack 157 latched to the carriage, a spring-drum TD, Fig. 4, connected by a cable 150 to the carriage constantly tending to advance the latter. The pawl 162, which normally engages the ratchet, is tripped, and the pawl 163 is moved into engagement with the next tooth by turning a rod 170 having two angularly-spaced flats. Further rotation of the rod 170 raises both pawls 162, 163 out of action and lowers a tabulating pawl 164 into the path of a pin 165 placed in one of a number of slots in a disc fixed to the shaft 155. The rod 170 is actuated for character spacing by depressing a bar acting through levers and links to lower a rod 200 having a shoulder 199 engaging a bell-crank 196 fixed to the rod 170. After spacing has been completed, a shoulder 199<SP>1</SP> engages fingers 210 on a rocker 211, a lug on which disengages the shoulder 199 from the bell-crank to allow a quick return of the rod 170. The carriage may be moved in the reverse direction for character spacing by means of a solenoid 620, Fig. 7, the core of which is linked to the rod 200 disconnecting the shoulder 199 from the bellcrank 196. On each downward movement of the rod 200, a lug 617, Fig. 9, thereon closes a switch 615 to energize a solenoid 610, Fig. 7, to rock an arm 613 connected to the backspacing mechanism. Back-spacing. This is effected by a pawl 180, Fig. 9, which on upward movement is pressed by a spring 184 into engagement with the ratchet 160; on downward movement, the pawl is retracted by a stop-pin 185. A rod 181 carrying the pawl is actuated by a keylever 191, Fig. 7. Tabulating. A tabulating key 218, Fig. 7, is connected by a link 217 to a rod 216 having at its upper end a pin which rocks an arm 195 fixed to the rod 170. Carriage release. The carriage may be released from the escapement by depressing a lever on the carriage so as to raise a bar 230, Fig. 4, suspended by parallel links 233, whereby the pawl 262 is disengaged from the ratchet 160. Smoothing the embossed characters. The carriage may be moved beyond the range of movement of the rack 157 to effect smoothing of the embossed characters by a plate-roller attachment (not described), the movement releasing the latch normally connecting the carriage to the rack.