Improvements in Grippers for Printing Presses.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Jan., 1896-Accepted, 8th Feb., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Grippers for Printing Presses.
I, JOSEPH WATSON, of 754 Summer Avenue, Newark, in the State of New
Jersey, one of the United States of America, Gentleman, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The object of iny invention is to provide means by which the gripper-arms can.
be moved laterally along the gripper-plate with great accuracy, and kept firmly in
any desired place, without the aid of a wrench or other tool, with arrangement also.
allows the gripper-armis to be inoved and set in place, while bed and platen of press
are in close proximity, and my invention consists of a novel combination of parts.
hereinafter described and illustrated in the annexed drawings of which :
Fig. 1, is a perspective view of the gripper:
Fig. 2, is a front elevation of the gripper-plate,
Fig. 3, represents an elevation of one of the two screw shafts employed to set
the gripper-arms :
Fig. 4, is a perspective view of a gripper-arm:
Fig. 5, is a transverse section through the gripper-plate.
A gripper-plate A is formed of two plates a a', joined preferably at right angles.
to cach other and connected by a series of lugs a², carrying bearings for the screw
shafts S hereinafter described. Equidistant from the centre of one of these
plates a' are provided two slots a³ of sufficient width to receive and guide the tail
ends of the gripper-arms B.
Each gripper-arm B, is provided near one end with a hub & projecting above,.
through which a cavity c passes at right angles to the length direction of the
gripper-arm and parallel to its lower face.
This cavity c is provided with screw-thread made to engage with that cut upon
a portion of a screw-shaft S.
A screw-shaft S, two of which are provided, one for each arm, is mounted at
each end of the gripper-plate, and is formed of five distinct parts; a hand-wheel h
at the outer end is adjoining a cylindrical portion m the greater part of which
projects from an end of a gripper-plate, when mounted in place; then follows a
groove or annular recess n which is covered by a lug a² of the gripper-plate A,.
when in position, and which engages with a preferably rounded point of a set
screw F mounted in a lug a² and permits of the shaft S being turned when desired,.
and secures it in a fixed position to the gripper-plate laterally.
Then follows the screw-threaded portion o of the shaft, and finally a trunion P.
The operation in joining the disconnected parts of a gripper is then as follows:
A screw-har S is guided through a bearing in one of the end blocks a' of the
gripper-plate.
A gripper-arm B is so adjusted on the gripper-plate that its end 6 projects
through a slot a³ until the opening e arrives opposite the end of the screw-bar S
when the trunion P is passed through it and the screw-threaded portion o of the
shaft is screwed into the lug or hub to any desired depth and the motion of
entering the screw shaft is then continued until the trunion P is resting in its
socket provided in a lug a' of the gripper-plate A.
A set screw F is now screwed into lug a' covering a groove n in the shaft
until its point enters the groove n and thus locks all the parts in their relative.
positions.

page_text: This operation having been completed at both ends of the gripper-plate, and one
gripper-arm and screw-shaft having been secured to each end, the grip oer is ready
for use.
The turning of a hand-wheel h will move a gripper-arm either from or toward
the centre of the gripper-plate.
The projecting ends m m of the shafts S can now be used as trunions for securing
the gripper to the platten, or the frame of the press, the set screws F being drawn
tight to prevent the involuntary turning of the shafts S, when the gripper is
operated in the customary manner by means of springs a cam and an arin secured
upon the gripper-plate A not especially shown in the drawing.
All the parts being placed in position, the operation of setting and adjusting a
gripper-arm is very much simplified by using this gripper.
All to be done in adjusting a gripper-arm is to loosen the respective set screw F,
turn the hand-wheel n until the change of position is effected, and tighten again
the set screw F and the press is ready for use.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
In a gripper for printing presses the combination of gripper-arms B having
hubs with an angular gripper plate A having lugs a' and slots a³, with screw
shafts S having hand-wheels h, and with set screws F, as aud for the purposes
herein shown and described.
Dated this 6th day of January 1896
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70 Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.