Patent GB-191118867-A (GB)
Title: Automatic Photographic Printing Machine.
Inventor: IMRAY OLIVER
IPC: G03B27/06
Filed: 1911-08-22
Granted: 1912-03-14
Abstract: 18,867. Imray, O., [G. M. Dye Printing Machine. Co.]. Aug. 22. Printing-apparatus, rapid bromide and like.- In a printing-machine, the sheets are fed into position by a movable holder and the motor 40, Fig. 3, for actuating the holder and the pressure pads in predetermined timed relation are connected to the same source of energy 82, as the printing lamp 81, with a view to insuring uniform exposure of the prints irrespective of current, speed, and light variations. The reciprocating holder and the pressure pads are operated from a shaft which is periodically coupled and uncoupled with a continuouslyrunning shaft, and the period during which the shaft is uncoupled corresponds to the printing period, which is adjustable. The pressure pad used. is in two parts which are independently moved into active position, and one of the parts controls the switch of the printing- light. The box 2 containing the printing-light 81 and holding the negative 6 is pivoted to the frame 1 of the apparatus. In the working position, the negative 6, Fig. 6, is held in a vertical position on a glass supporting-plate 5 by a holder comprising two notched angle bars 9, a sliding strip 8, and a hinged spring clamping- plate 10 which clamps the other edge of the negative. To change the negative, the box 2 is swung into an horizontal position and is supported by legs 11. A work-table 12 is raised and lowered in moving the box 2, and in its lowered position locks the box 2 in its inoperative position. The shaft 25 from which the print-feeder and presser pads are actuated is intermittently coupled with the wheel 46, Fig. 9, driven from the motor 40. The operation of the machine during one complete revolution of the shaft 25 is as follows, starting immediately after an exposure. A projection 49 on the wheel 46 engages a spring arm 48 which is pivoted to the arm 47, the latter arm being rigidly connected to the shaft 25. The arm 48 rides on the surface of a plate 26, which has a notch into which the arm subsequently falls. As the rotation of the shaft commences, a camdisk 65, Figs. 8 and 9, on the shaft disengages two pawls 58, 62 from the ratchet-wheel 55. This ratchet-wheel is freely mounted on the shaft 25, and, by means of a coiled spring which is also connected to the plate 26, the wheel 55 is moved backwards until the arm 56 is stopped by a stop 54 on an adjustable wheel 53. Simultaneously with the release of the wheel 55, a pin 79, Figs. 3 and 12, of a crank-head 78 on the shaft 25 acts on a cam-surface 76 which is attached to a bifurcated plate at the end of a rod 23, Fig. 2. The rod 23 and a similar rod 24 operate toggle levers 20, 21 which move the two parts 15, 16 of the presser pad. The latter are mounted on flexible rods 17, 18 which turn on a lever shaft 19. The bifurcated end of the rods embrace the shaft 25 and the cam end 76 of the rod 23 carries a projection 77 which overlaps a similar projection 75 on the end of the rod 24. The rod 23, being raised by the pin 79, in turn raises the rod 24, and the toggles 20, 21 retract the presser pad from the negative and print, which thereupon falls into the receptacle 14. To assist the release of the print from the negative, a weak leaf spring 10<a> which is situated between the negative and print at the upper edge. The retraction of the part 16 of the pad also releases the button 85 of the light switch 83, 84, which it closes when pressed against the negative. During the previous interval of printing, a fresh piece of paper y will have been inserted in the holder 28, between a roller 37 and the plate 29. The paper y rests on and glides over a smooth surface 39. The holder 28 is moved while the pads are retracted to feed a sheet of paper into position on the negative. This is effected by a crank-pin 36 on the shaft 25 which operates the slotted link 34 and the links 33, 32, 31. Immediately the sheet is in place, the pin 79 on the crank 78 lowers the rod 23, which moves the lower pad 15 against the negative. The holder 28 is then immediately retracted. A second pin 80 in the other side of the crank 78, and spaced at an angle of 90 degrees from the pin 79, then lowers the projection 75 and the rod 24, thus moving the upper pad 16 against the negative. This pad also closes the lamp switch 85 and printing commences. Immediately before this, the pin 48, Figs. 8 and 9, on the arm 47 slips in to the notch 50 in the plate 26 and disengages the shaft 25 from the driving- wheel 46. Also the cut-away part 65<a> of the cam-wheel 65 releases the pawls 58, 62, which re-engage the wheel 55. The wheel 55 is now driven from the wheel 46 through a crank-arm 63 connected to a rock-shaft 59. The pawl 62 merely prevents the wheel 55 from being retracted by the coiled spring fastened between the wheel 55 and the plate 26. The rotation of the wheel continues until the arm 56, which starts from its position against the stop 54 on the wheel 53, engages and lifts a pivoted catch 52, which releases the arm 48 from the plate 26. The pawl 49 then commences to rotate the shaft 25 through another revolution, which effects the operations above described. The time of exposure thus depends upon the starting-point of the arm 56. This is varied by varying the position of the stop 54 on the wheel 53 against which the arm 54 rests when it starts. The position of the stop 54 is adjusted from a graduated wheel 69 which is geared to the wheel 53. The graduation on the wheel 69 corresponds to the number of teeth on the wheel 55 and the actual time of exposure depends upon the speed of the wheel 46 which moves the wheel 55 one tooth per revolution of the wheel 46. The wheel 69 is locked in position by a lock-dog 71 on the frame 1.