Patent GB-379720-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to block printing machines for printing surface coverings and the like
IPC: B41F1/10
Filed: 1931-05-04
Abstract: 379,720. Printing-machines. WHITE, A. E., 5, Quality Court, Chancery Lane, London.-(Armstrong Cork Co. ; Lancaster, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.) May 4, 1931, No. 13084. [Class 100 (ii).] Platen machines ; tripping- arrangements.- In block machines for printing designs on floor coverings of the kind in which solid blocks for printing the borders of rugs &c. co-operate with sectional blocks which are operated by selectively-controlled mechanism to print variable body portions of the rugs, as described in Specification 317,472, [Class 100 (ii), Printing processes &c.], a control section or tripper is provided which permits a plurality of pattern controls to be set up, and has means, under the control of the operator, for determining which of the set-up pattern controls the machine will be responsive to, through the action of contact members or spools moving synchronously with the material being printed ; the set-up pattern controls are selected by depressing corresponding keys establishing electric circuits. In the diagrammatic view shown in Fig. 5, the solid printing heads 20 and sectional heads 23 are controlled by means of electromagnets 25, 22 respectively in such a way that the energization of the magnet of a particular head causes printing to be effected thereby. The energization of the magnets 25 for the solid heads is controlled by means of panels 30, Figs. 5 and 16, fitted with electrical contacts arranged in vertical and horizontal rows so arranged that the number of sections printed from can be varied, and the energization of the magnets 22 for the sectional heads is controlled by shorter panels 30 arranged between the longer panels 30. The selection of the particular vertical row of contacts of the panels 30 is controlled by means of a variation in the horizontal position of a series of spools 40 carried by intermittently operated chains 33 passing over fixed sprockets 36, 37 and cradled sprockets 39 engaging loops in the chains. Each spool 40 is moved to the desired horizontal position so as to cause it to enter a particular horizontal alley, defined by means of insulated horizontal members 123, Fig. 22, by means of a scissors mechanism comprising pivoted members 47 operated by a wedge 50 reciprocated through connections 151, 152 from a cam on the driving- shaft of the printing-machine. The scissors mechanism moves the spool 40 to a position which is controlled by the selected one of a series of stops 57, the stop being moved into the path of the spool by means of a lever 58 which is latched to a reciprocating member 62 when a corresponding electromagnet 65 is energized. The energization of the electromagnets 65 is controlled by circuits arranged in conjunction with panels 68, 69, Fig. 37, fitted with rows of electric contacts which are bridged as desired by means of a brush 70, which is connected to a slide 211 and is advanced intermittently in steps corresponding to the distance between the rows of contacts on the panels 68, 69. The slide 211 is advanced by ratchet mechanism, and is adapted to be released automatically for return to its original position under the control of keys 74, 75 ; the first key 74 causes no printing when raised, or repeated printing of the cross border when depressed, and the other keys 75 determine different lengths of printing. The spools 40 are adapted to be accurately registered by means of a comb-like member 142, Fig. 16, carried by a lever 143 which is operated to open a switch 147 and stop the main motor 148 if a spool is not set correctly. A rotary switch on the main driving- shaft 138 permits of operation of the tripping means for the printing blocks only for a portion of each complete revolution of the shaft 138. The electrical circuits to the magnets 25, 22 are shown in Fig. 16 ; the panel 30 is connected to a number of contacts 42 which are connected to the armatures of the electromagnets 25 ; a spool 40 is shown as having raised a bar 105 to close a circuit from a line wire 128 through a spool 40 to the contacts 42 and thus to cause printing from the desired blocks of the heads 23. The walking-beam 152, Fig. 22, operates the wedge 50 of the scissors mechanism through a flexible connection which yields if a jam occurs, and the beam 152 also operates by lever-and-link mechanism the lever which is latched to a stop 57, and a vertical shaft 202 which operates the reciprocating ratchet for advancing the slide 211 of the contact brush 70. The slide 211 is moved against the action of a counterweight which, tends to return it to normal position, and its return is controlled by a dashpot. The brush 70, Fig. 37, is rotatably mounted, and on the return motion of the slide 211 it rotates so as to break contact with the panels 68, 69. A catch 254 is arranged to hold the keys in the depressed position, and projections 231, 266 on the keys act to release the slide 211 from the action of its pawl and cause it to return to the non-printing position. The key 74 is formed with a square upper portion and round lower portion, and springs 252, 252a are provided which are compressed respectively when the key is lowered and when it is raised, and in each case the spring assists to return the key 74 to its neutral position.