IMPROVEMENTS IN RULING MACHINES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Herbert John Haddan, of the Firm of Herbert and
Company, Patent Agents, of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN RULING MACHINES."
A communication from abroad by William Orville Hickok, of Harrisburg, State
of Pennsylvania, United States of America.
Sealed the 24th April 1877, and dated the 13th March 1877.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Herbert John Haddan at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th March 1877.
HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of the Firm of Herbert and Company, Patent Agents,
of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
RULING MACHINES." A communication from abroad by William Orville Hickok, of
Harrisburg, State of Pennsylvania, United States of America.
The nature of my Invention consists in the construction and arrangement of a
paper ruling machine, as will be herein-after more fully set forth.
In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my Invention appertains to
make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe its construction and
operation, referring to the annexed Drawings, which form a part of this Specification,
and in which,
Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved paper ruling machine.
Figures 2 and
of the machine.
are enlarged perspective views from opposite sides of the front end
Figures 4 to 10 are detailed views of parts of the machine.
Figure 11 is a perspective view of a double ruling machine.
A represents the framework of my ruling machine, which framework is con-
structed in any suitable manner to receive the various working parts of the machine.
At the front end of the frame A is the feed table B over which the paper is fed to
the machine, the paper passing at once in between two rollers C and D. These
rollers are on one side of the machine geared together by means of suitable gear
wheels E, E, and at the other side the top roller C is provided with a crank G for
running the machine by hand.
When the machine is to be run by steam or other power the upper gear wheel E
meshes with a pinion a mounted on a short shaft, and connected by a clutch b with
I Pasion Q71

page_text: a band pulley H. The clutch b is thrown in and out of gear by means of a lever I
and connecting rod d, as shown in Figure 4. The upper roller C is provided with
a series of circunferential grooves in which lic a series of endless cords e, e, as
shown in Figure 1. These cords pass over an elevated roller f near the front end of
the machine, and around an adjustable roller h located across the top of the frame A
near the centre and then forward to the roller C again. Around the roller D is
passed an endless apron J, the upper part of which passes over the top of the pen
cylinder to and around a roller K at the rear end of the machine, and back under
the pen cylinder to the roller D. Between the roller K and the pen cylinder are
suitable guides for holding up the under part of the endless apron J. Just forward
of the two rollers C and D are journalled two small adjustable rollers i, i, to bind
the apron J right. It is very important to have the cloth or apron held up against
the cords e, so as to hold the paper just tight enough when it is stopped by the gate
that it shall neither crush the paper or carry it to the right or left, or get it any-
where out of position; this is accomplished by means of the two adjustable
rollers i, i.
L represents the pen bar journalled in castings M, M, on the sides of the frame.
Each of these castings is made in two parts, one part being permanently attached to
the frame, and the other part adjustable on the stationary part longitudinally with
the machine. The journals of the pin bars pass through loose blocks placed in
boxes k, l, which are adjustable up and down in the castings M, M, by means of
suitable adjusting screws m, m. On the ends of the pen bar journals are adjusting
nuts n, n, for adjusting the pen bar laterally in the frame. It will thus be seen
that the pen bar is connected to its bearings by universal joints, and is capable of
adjustment in every direction, and hence can be adapted to any position desired.
To one end of the pen bar L is pivoted the pen rest N, the forward end of which
is crooked or bent, as shown in Figure 3. The pen rest is pivoted under the end of
the beam, and the amount of oscillation of the beam is regulated by means of set
screws P, P, passing through the beam. Through the pen rest is also passed a
regulating screw ?.
In the beam of a ruling machine for ordinary ruling or on striking parts as
heretofore constructed, most all the weight is above the pivot they swing on, and it
has been found that in the striking operation that position gave a jarring motion.
By having the pen rest crooked so as to bring the weight so much below the pivots
the jar or sudden motion to the pens is prevented. A weight is commonly
employed on the opposite end of the beam for the purpose of holding down the
pens, and by having the pen rest below the pivot on the opposite end of the beam
it has the effect to balance the weight and cause the pens to strike properly.
The top of the pen beam is constructed in suitable manner to receive sliding
chairs 0, 0, and on the front side of the beam at the top is a groove formed by
attaching a metal plate or rails to the beam. The groove thus formed is for the
purpose of inserting the flannel strip used on the pen beain in ruling machines;
this flannel has heretofore generally been held by driving nails into the beam,
which injures the same. I hold this flannel by simply inserting a wooden strip or
wedge under the projecting edge of the rail s, the flannel being first laid on the beam
under said edge. The flannel may however be held by means of projecting fingers
fastened in the chairs.
The chairs O are preferably constructed, as shown in Figure 7, of one or more
metal pieces with a set screw t through the centre of the top part thereof. Within
each chair is a wooden block v with a metal plate w attached to its upper side, said
plate being provided with cars projecting into vertical slots in the sides of the chair
for guiding the block and plate. Between the block and plate is inserted a spring a,
the ends of which also project into the slots in the side pieces of the chair. The
front edge of the block is rounded on its under side, so that the penholder or
extension pen can be easily inserted between it and the pen beam, and by
tightening the screw t the pen or penholder and chair are firmly held to the pen
beam. On one side of the frame is secured a casting or plate P formed with a

page_text: dovetailed longitudinal groove, in which slides an L shaped standard R fastened at
any point desired by means of a-set screw y. On the front of the standard R is a
vertically adjustable plate S held by means of a screw z passing through a slot in the
plate. At the lower end of the plate S is formed a hub a¹ through which is
5 passed a horizontal rod b', and on the inner end of said rod is secured a suitablo
arm or casting & to which a flat spring T is attached. The rod b¹ can be adjusted
longitudinally in the hub a¹, and also turned on its axis so as to place the spring T
at any angle desired, and the rod then fastened in the hub by a set screw e¹. Then
by the adjustment of the plate S and standard R the spring T can be properly
0 adjusted to receive the blow of an arm V attached to the pen bar, whereby the jar
of the fall of the pen bar is entirely obviated.
J
Under the pen beam is pivoted a gate or stop constructed in the following
manner-It consists of a rod W working in bearings at its ends, the bearings being
set in the sides of the frame, so that the rod W crosses the endless belt or apron
at the proper distance from the pens. At equal distances apart are set into the
rod W a number of pins o, o, which hang downward and rest upon or nearly touch
the surface of the belt or apron J when they are not lifted by the devices herein-
after described. The gate thus constructed is held down by means of a spring f
and it is raised by means of a can attached to the end of the pen cylinder Y and
operating on an arm Z projecting from the gate. This arm Z is constructed of the
peculiar form shown, its inner end from to k¹ being straight; at k¹ is an abrupt
curvo, and from this curve the arm is nearly straight to near the outer end m³,
which end is still further curved upwards.
The arms heretofore used on the gates of ruling machines have been of such form
that almost invariably the pen beam has had to be more or less cut out to give
room for the working of said arm, but by my peculiar construction of said arm this
is entirely obviated, and the arm can be adjusted in the gate in its proper position
for operation without the necessity of making any change in the pen beam.
Through one of the standards M is passed a pin or bolt n which is movable out
and in through the same. When drawn out this pin or bolt is entirely free from
the gate W and allows the gate to operate freely. When it is desired to have the
gate not operating it is raised and the pin or bolt n' pushed inward so as to come
under a pin o¹ projecting from the gate, and thus hold the same in an elevated
position to prevent the cam h¹ from coming in contact with the arm Z during the
revolution of the druin or cylinder Y. The pen cylinder Y is at one end provided
with cams p, p, adjustable thereon for operating the pen bar by means of the
striker or pen rest N, as above described.
During the operation of the machine a single sheet is carried at a time under the
rulers and is marked, the cams p² on the cylinder lifting the pens as may be desired
according to the manner in which the cams are set, and in a like manner the cains
on the other end operating the arm Z causing the gate or stop W to drop and rise,
as may be desired. In this manner I obtain a simple and effective automatic
movement for the purposes required, and one that can be arranged in an endless
variety of ways to suit the different styles of ruling and various sizes of sheets, and
by placing the cams directly upon the drum obtain a compactness which is very
desirable. The pen drum or pen cylinder Y is provided with journals 8¹ which rest
in open bearings or half boxes A¹ formed with and projecting from plates B¹ having
beveled edges, which plates are placed in castings C₁ attached to the frame A, and
having vertical dovetailed grooves for the reception of said plates, and the plates
rest upon suitable stationary stops that the lower ends of said grooves. In ruling
machines a number of these drums or cylinders of different diameters are inter-
changable one for another, but whatever size cylinder is used it should always have
its top or upper surface in the same horizontal plane, and to this end various devices
have been employed. I provide each druin or cylinder with its appropriate
plates B' from which the bearings or half boxes A¹ project at varying distances from
the lower end. By this means the operator has no adjustment to attend to, simply
remove one cylinder with the boxes and insert another cylinder with the boxes

page_text: belonging thereto. The paper after being ruled is carried along by the apron J to
the rear end of the machine where it is caught by the endless cords v, vl, and
returned to the front end, and here deposited on an endless apron D¹ by which it is
carried to and deposited in the receiving box E¹. The endless cords and endless
apron D¹ pass around suitable rollers, as shown, and while the paper is carried by 5
them back and forth as described, the ink thereon is rapidly dried. The paper
receiving box E is supported in the usual inclined position with its lower end
resting upon the floor, and its upper end resting upon a cam shaft w¹, and suitable
hooks and pins preventing it from sliding off or becoming detached from said bar.
There are two cams a², a, fixed in the shaft w¹ so as to operate against the under 1
side of the box E, and the shaft w¹ is operated for the purpose of raising and
lowering the upper end of said box by means of a handle 6 on a ratchet sector d
which is fixed on the end of the shaft w. A pawl e² traverses the teeth of the ratchet
sector and supports the shaft w', while its cams a, a,bear upward against the
box E, and thus the top surface of the growing pile of paper in the box can be
readily kept at a proper height to receive upon it the successive sheets delivered by
the moving apron D¹. In the delivery box E¹ is a movable partition G' held at any
point desired in the box according to the size of the paper by means of ribs and
pins, as shown. Over the delivery end of the apron D¹ is a stationary angular
bar H¹ which carries an adjustable arm I', and in this arm is mounted a wheel or
roller J¹ that bears upon the paper at the point where it passes off the apron to
prevent the same from folding. K¹ is a light flat bar placed in the receiving box E'
to hold the paper down; this bar is adjusted up and down and laterally in a
slotted and perforated bar L¹, which is hung loosely in bearings attached to the
frame A.
In Figure 11 I have shown a machine arranged for ruling both sides of the paper
by going once through the machine. The paper after being ruled on one side is
carried to a second set of pens and pen cylinder and there ruled on the other side,
after which it is carried to the receiving box.
Having thus fully described my Invention, what I claim as new and desire to
secure by Letters Patent is,-
1st. The combination in a paper ruling machine of a revolving drum or cylinder,
one or more sets of adjustable cains revolving with the same, a hinged or pivoted
pen bar, and a lever or pawl connected to said pen bar adjacent to said can
or cams to cause the rise and fall of the pen bar for the purposes described.
2nd. The combination in a paper ruling machine of a revolving drum, one or
more cams or projections revolving with said druin, and a hinged or pivoted gate
which holds the paper, for the purposes set forth.
3rd. The combination in a paper ruling machine of a revolving drum, one or
more sets of cains revolving with said drum, a pivoted or hinged pen bar having a
lever or pawl connected therewith for controlling the length of line to be ruled, and
one or more cams or projections revolving with the drum, and a gate which holds
and releases the paper automatically, all as set forth.
4th. The combination with the beam L of the curved pen rest N pivoted to one
end of the beam below the journal thereof and adjusted by the set screws P, P,
substantially as set forth.
5th. In combination with the pen beam L the movable chairs O having blocks v,
plates w, and set screws t for holding and adjusting the pens, substantially as herein
set forth.
6th. In combination with the beain L, the metal strip or rail s arranged to form
a groove for wedging the flannel on the beam, as set forth.
7th. The combination in a paper ruling machine of the pivoted gate W having a
projected pin o¹ and the sliding pin or bolt n', substantially as and for the purposes
herein set forth.
8th. The arm Z constructed as described with the straight end i¹, abrupt curve k¹
then nearly straight to the outer curved end m³, substantially as and for the purposes
herein set forth,

page_text: 9th. The combination of the adjustable standard R, adjustable plate S with
hub a', the adjustable rod 6 with casting d', spring T, and the arm V on the pen
beam L, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
10th. In a paper ruling machine the pen drums or pen cylinders L provided with
plates B' having bearings or half boxes A¹ at varying height in combination with
the grooved castings Chaving bottom stops t¹, substantially as and for the purposes
herein set forth.
11th. In combination with the paper receiving box of a paper ruling machine,
the cam shaft w¹, ratchet sector &, and pawl e, arranged to operate together, sub-
stantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
12th. The combination of the flat bar K¹ and the slotted and perforated bar L'
hung loosely in suitable bearings, substantially as and for the purposes herein
set forth.
13th. One or more rollers i arranged within the frame for holding the cloth or
apron up against the cords, and cause the paper to pass properly through the ruling
mechanism, as set forth.
14th. One or more paper guiding rollers J' in combination with tho apron and
receiving box of a paper ruling machine.
15th. A pen beam of a paper ruling machine connected to castings on the main
frame by universal joints to allow the bean to adapt itself to any required
position.
16th. The combination of the two rollers C, D, connected by gears, and a
mechanism for throwing them in and out of gear.
17th. A paper ruling machine combining two sets of ruling pens, two sets of gates,
strikers, and cam cylinders, and two sets of mechanisms for carrying and drying
the paper, whereby the paper may be ruled on both sides before it is passed to the
receiving box.
In witness whereof, I, the said Herbert John Haddan, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of March, in the year of our Lord Oue
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
H. J. HADDAN. (L.S.)