Improvements in Printing Plates.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Oct., 1899-Accepted, 2nd Dec., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Printing Plates.
I, JOSEPH SMITH DUNCAN, of 173 South Canal Street, Chicago, Illinois, United
States of America, Manufacturer, 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:-
-
My invention relates to printing plates having characters impressed or other-
wise applied thereto and adapted to be joined together to form a chain or band
of plates which can be used with an addressing machine for transferring an im-
pression from the plate to an envelope, or other article.
The particular object of the invention is to construct these plates so that they
can be readily and quickly articulated, and when thus articulated will maintain
their connection with each other under all ordinary conditions of use, and, while
readily separable by particular manipulation, will not become accidentally
separated.
In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows three plates constructed accord.
ing to my invention and articulated together.
Figure 2 is an edge view thereof; Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3
of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a back view of two articulated plates; Figure 5 is a
front view of a plate provided with guideways; Figure 6 is an end view of said
plate; Figure 7 is a sectional view on the line 7-7 of Figure 5; and Figure 8
is a central sectional view showing two plates in position to permit their articu-
lation or disengagement.
In carrying out my invention I employ a plurality of sheet metal plates 10
which are preferably made of a material capable of being flexed or bent and also
resilient or elastic to an extent sufficient to resume its normal shape when released
Each plate is provided on one edge with two tongues 11, each having a narrow
neck 12 immediately adjacent to the plate. and laterally projecting lugs 13 at
its outer end. The tongues are located near the ends of one of the long edges of
the plate and are deflected downward (Figs. 2 and 3). Upon this same edge of the
plate is a downwardly deflected central locking tongue 14, shown in Figure 1..
The opposite edge of the plate is turned over to form a flange 15 which lies on.
the same side of the plate as the tongues 11 and 14 and inclined approximately
in the same direction. This edge is also provided with notches 16 at points
opposite to the tongues 11, said notches being of a width equal to that of the
neck portion 12 of the tongues, and each notch being provided at its center with
a lug 17 extending rearward at about a right angle to the body of the plate.
Upon the edge of the plate which has the notches 16 the flange 15 is provided
with an extension 18 projecting beyond the body of the flange in the same direc-
tion, this extension or stop projection being shown in Figure 4 at the right hand
of the notches. A notch 19 is located centrally of the notches 16 of a width
corresponding with that of the locking tongue 14, and on each side of said
notch 19 is a stop projection 20 preferably formed by an extension of the flange 15
on each side of the notch.
In articulating the plates the tongued edge of one plate is placed adjacent to
the notched edge of the other plate, the two plates being placed at such an angle
to each other that the edge of the flange 15 will lie in a plane outward beyond
the side edges of the neck portions 12 of the tongues 11. Figure 8 shows such a

page_text: position although the extreme acute angle there illustrated is not necessary. The
plates are then approached to each other in a laterally offset position, the locking
tongue 14 resting upon one of the stop projections 20. By slightly bending one
or both of the plates the tongues 11 may be pushed under the Hange 15 and
moved laterally until the projections 13 at one side of the tongues pass under-
neath the stop projections 18. The plates may then be moved laterally into align-
ment, when the locking tongue 14 will spring into the notch 19, seating itself
between the stop projections 20, and at the same time the necks will engage the
stop projections 18 and further movement in that direction prevented, while the
engagement of the tongue 19 between the stop projections 20 prevents lateral
movement of the plates. The plates may then be swung up into the same plane
(Fig. 1) the tongues 11 riding in the space formed between the flange 15 and
lugs 17 and practically hinging the plates together.
.
The plates can only be disengaged by moving them laterally or endwise rela-
tively to each other and throughout their ordinary reach of movement. and spring-
ing them apart, (as shown in dotted lines in Figure 8) to disengage the locking
tongue 14 from the stop projections 20, whereupon the plates may be moved later-
ally sufficient to carry the tongues 11 away from the stop projections 18.
soon as the lugs 13 pass clear of flange 15 the plates will be disengaged. It will
thus be seen that the plates are locked together until brought to a comparatively
sharp angular relation and sprung in the manner described.
As
In Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 8 I have shown a plate in which the printing charac-
ters are struck up from the body of the plate so as to appear in relief thereon,
but the printing characters may be otherwise applied to the plate without depart-
ing from any invention. In Figures 5 6 and 7 I have shown a plate provided
with a plurality of guideways formed by lugs 21 struck up from the plate and
inclined outwardly towards each other, being arranged in parallel rows. These
guideways receive strips 22 having beveled edges by which the strips are held
between the lugs 21, being slid into position endwise and removed in the same
manner. These strips are provided with suitable printed characters and can be
removed and replaced as desired.
The details of construction herein before described may be modified without
departing from the principle of the invention and I therefore do not limit myself
to the specific details shown.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
--
1. The herein described printing band or chain comprising a plurality of elas-
tic plates having on their meeting edges interlocking notches and projections
adapted to be engaged by a lateral movement of the plates relatively to each
other, the notches having stop projections located at one side thereof, one edge
of said plates being provided with a locking tongue and the other edge with a
locking notch provided with stop projections on each side thereof, said locking
tongue and notch being adapted to be engaged and disengaged by slightly spring-
ing the plates and serving, when in engagement, to prevent lateral movement of
the plates.
2. A printing plate provided with a plurality of guideways formed by inclined
Jugs struck up from the plate and arranged in parallel rows and adapted to
receive the type strips 22.
Dated this 17th day of October 1900
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
Agents to Applicant,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C.