Patent GB-971860-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to printing apparatus
IPC: B41L19/00
Filed: 1963-07-01
Abstract: 971,860. Printing apparatus. J. A. PIDGEON. July 1, 1963 [July 6, 1962], No. 25956/63. Headings B6C and B6H. Printing-apparatus comprises a cylinder 10, Fig. 1, eccentrically mounted on a rotating shaft 23, and endless belt or chain means 11 passing around the cylinder and carrying spaced printing plates such as 12 ... 15 with different matter thereon, the ratio between the length of the chains 11, the cylinder diameter and the plate spacing being such that each plate in turn is positioned at a printing station 26 on the cylinder, i.e. adjacent to the line 27 of maximum eccentricity, so that the plate first contacts an inking roller 16 and then cooperates with an impression cylinder 17 to print an article 31, e.g. an envelope, fed by devices 18, 19. As shown, four printing plates 12 ... 15 are mounted on the chains 11, and the circumference of the cylinder 10 is equal to three times the plate spacing on the chains, so that a set of four envelopes is printed by the plates 12 ... 15 in that order. Other arrangements are described wherein more than four plates are employed, and the ratio mentioned above is such that the plates print consecutively during a cycle, as described above for four plates, or in some other order, one set of printed envelopes being produced for each complete cycle. Printing-surfaces.-The " cylinder " 10 comprises two sprocket members 43, Fig. 10, axially-spaced on and eccentrically fixed to the rotating shaft 23, and over which the chains 47 corresponding to chains 11, Fig. 1, pass. Each plate 12 ... 15 is carried by a shoe 50 having at its ends segments 49 which, at the printing station 26, are supported by inwardly directed rims 74 on the sprockets 43. The segments 49 are carried by pins 51 secured at each end to joining points on the chain links and passing through openings 52, 54, Fig. 5 (not shown), in the segments. The openings 52 are elongated to allow the chains to engage the sprocket surfaces and an idler roller 28 properly. The curvature of the outer surface 66 of each plate may be such that the surface is concentric with the shaft centre 25, Fig. 1, at the printing station, or, if the surface is relatively short circumferentially of the cylinder, it may be concentric with the cylinder. Also the inner surface of the plate may be concentric either with the cylinder or with the shaft 23 at the printing station. In the latter case, the cylinder surface may be corresponding shaped at the printing station. Delivery apparatus.-Each envelope as it is delivered is received in aligned slots 36 in a pair of rotating discs 35. After half a revolution of the discs, during which the envelope is turned so that its printed face is uppermost, the leading edge of the envelope engages fixed stops 39 which push the envelope out of the slots 36 so that the leading edge rests on a constantly-moving conveyer band 41 and its trailing edge rests on a ledge 61 of a pivoted member 40. After a set of envelopes has been so deposited, the member 40 is moved anticlockwise by cam means so that the set drops on to the conveyer 41 and is carried away.