CH276164A - Printing machine. - Google Patents

Description

Printing machine. The subject of the present invention is a printing machine comprising a sheet separating mechanism, a sheet advancing mechanism and a printing mechanism, said machine being characterized in that each of these mechanisms is supported so as to independent and mobile with respect to the other two, the separating mechanism comprising means for removing the sheets one by one and for supplying them to the advancing mechanism, which comprises means for receiving the sheets coming from the mechanism separator and advance them to the printing position, the advancer mechanism being separable as a whole, both from the printer mechanism and from the separator mechanism, which is pivotally assembled with the printer mechanism. to be able to be brought, by a pivoting movement, to a working position with respect to the latter and to be able to be moved away from a clear position, a control mechanism serving to actuate the separating mechanism to from the printing mechanism, when the two mechanisms are in their working positions, and a close connection being provided between the separating and advancing mechanisms.

0n will deerire now, ä. By way of example, a form of execution of the machine forming the subject of the invention, facing the appended drawing, in which: FIG. 1 is a front view of this embodiment which is equipped to effect automatic feeding of sheets and the like to be printed.

fig. 2 is a plan view.

fig. 3 is a larger plan view of a sheet separator and certain portions of the sheet feed, printing and coupling mechanisms, the covers being assumed to be broken to show the construction. interior.

fig. 4 is a plan view similar to FIG. 3, but represents the sheet separator in another position.

fig. 5 is a front view at Brande eclielle of the mechanism of FIG. 3, with front cover removed to show details of construction.

The. fig. 6 is a rear view of the mechanism of FIG. 3, approximately the same as 1a. fig. 5, the rear cover being removed to show certain internal mechanisms. <BR>

fig. 7 is a longitudinal vertical section of the mechanism shown in FIG. 3, 1a. section being taken by the line 7-7 of figs. 2 and 3.

fig. 8 is a group ä. Brande erhelle representing a pneumatic type sheet separator, the cutting being taken by line 8-8 of fig. 3.

fig. 9 is a detail view of a pneumatic control mechanism intended for the mechanism of FIG. 8, the location of this detail being approximately indicated by lines 9-9 of fig. 3.

fig. 10 is a sectional detail on line 10-10 of fig. 9.

fig. 11 is a vertical section taken approximately on the same plane as fig. 7, but on a much lighter scale, this figure representing the mechanisms used to detect the presence of superimposed leaves and to detect a failure of the mechanism in the supply of a fire at the desired time interval.

The. fig. 12 is a detail view looking from the Bauche of the detector mechanism of FIG. 11.

fig. 13 is a detail view looking from 1a. right of fig. 11 and shows a portion of the mechanism to detect a failure in the sheet feed.

The fi-. 14 is a detail view in section of a portion of a mechanism used to actuate the supplier and. the sheet separator, this section showing in part a speed change gear used to determine the number of impressions to be made on each sheet.

fig. 15 is a detail of a mechanism ä. eanies serving ä. to govern the operation of the pneumatic separator and to govern in time the operation of the mechanism used to detect the non-supply of a fuel by the supplier.

The. fig. 16 is a larger scale detail of a portion of a mechanism serving to hold at a substantially constant level the top of the stack from which the sheets are removed one by one.

fig. 17 pst a horizontal section of parts of the feeder and printing mechanism and shows a positive drive force transmission serving to. control and ä. aetion the supplier in synch with the printing mechanism, the cutting plane being indicated by lines 17-17 in figs. 5, 7 and 18.

fig. 18 is a fragmentary vertical cross-section showing certain connections provided between the supplier and printer mechanisms, the section plane being indicated by 1a. line 18-18 of fig. 17.

fig. 19 is a fragmentary vertical section through line 19-19 of fig. 18. Fig. 20 is a fragmentary section through line 20-20 of fig. 21.

fig. 21 is a fragmentary section through line 21-g1 of 1a. fig. 17.

fig. 22 is a sectional detail of a pivoting assembly provided between the supplier and mecanisms. printer, the 1st cutting plane et.a.nt indicated by line 22-22 of 1a. fig. 18.

fig. 23 is an RTI ID="0002.0274" WI="9" HE="4" LX="1502" LY="831"> cross section of the supplier's guide frame and related mechanism and represents some leaf stop mechanisms, the sectional plane being indicated by the line <B>23-23</B> of fig. 2.

fig. 2-1 is a Mechanical Assembly Diagram representing the relationships between various control elements that comprise the machine, and FIG. 25 is a section through the line <B>25-25</B> of fig. 23.

The machine represented comprises a printing mechanism 10 (FIG. 2) and a sheet feeding mechanism 11 (FIG. 1), the latter comprising a sheet separator 12 and. a sheet feed and control mechanism 11, all these mechanisms being constructed and arranged with respect to each other, such that the sheet supplier can easily be placed in a position in which he cooperates with the printing mechanism to facilitate high speed production, or that it can quickly and easily be moved to the start of such a cooperative position to allow the printing mechanism to be manipulated. hand for special relatively slow prints. In addition, the sheet separator can quickly be moved away from the position where it cooperates with the sheet advancing mechanism, also referred to as advancing for brevity, and this can easily be moved away from the position where it cooperates with the printing mechanism, one and the other of the advancer and separating mechanisms can easily and quickly be brought back to their working positions with a view to precise cooperation with the printing mechanism.

The separation and advance mechanisms of sheets 12 and 14 are arranged so as to. to permit the feeding of sheets of various shapes and sizes, as well as to permit printing to be carried out in various positions on the sheets. To this end, these meeanismes are provided with various adjustment devices. Also, various adjustable coupling devices are provided to ensure the smooth operation of the separator mechanism 12, the advancing mechanism 14 and the printing mechanism 10, some of the devices being placed between the printing mechanism and the printing mechanism. Aparator 12 from supplier 11..

In the present machine, the sheet separator can be rotated away from the position where it cooperates with the printing mechanism and. with the sheet feeder without disengaging the control and command mechanism which interconnects the printing mechanism and the strip separator. Similarly, after the sheet separator has been pivoted away from the printer mechanism, the sheet feeder can also be moved away from the position in which it cooperates with both the printer mechanism and the printer mechanism. with the sheet separator, and all the mechanisms can be brought back to the Operating Position without it being necessary to make new adjustments to the assembly or new adjustments over time to the various mechanisms.

Imprinator Wcanisine.

The printer mechanism 10 is of the type in which a series of individual printing members, hereinafter referred to as eliches, carrying one of the printing devices, are driven one by one from a magazine 15 to a station. which is located below a pressure roller device 16. The magazine 15 is supported by a frame 17 which has the form of a desk having a table top 18 capable of constituting a work surface on which - the, formulas and similar articles can be Supported with a view to the dez#ire printing operations.

The particular shape and construction of the printing mechanism 10 is immaterial. In the machine shown, the printing mechanism is of the type described in Swiss Patent No. 271139, in which the plates are fed one by one from the base of magazine 15 below : of the table top 18, so that each of them stops next to an opening which is provided in the table top 18 below the roller 16, so as to cooperate with the pressure roller device to determine the printing position of the printing mechanism. After each of the prints has been immobilized at the printing position, it is driven away from this position, then rejected and reclassified in a collecting device constituted by a drawer 19.

The plates used in the printing mechanism may be of many different types, but the mechanism shown is particularly suited to the use of plates formed by a sheet of metal bearing embossed printing characters or comprising a frame which surrounds a rinse sheet of stencil paper or similar.

Dann 1a. As illustrated, the pressure roller device 16 intended to cooperate with metal plates bearing raised characters is supported in working position above the table top by a printing frame 20. the print 20 projects upwardly above the table top. a point situated a considerable distance to the rear and to the right of the Printing Position, and it extends forward and towards the Printing Position at an angle of approximately 45 from to Front edge 21 of table top 18.

Magazine 15 is located just to the right of Vertical Portion of Print Bed 20, and plates advance along a relatively complex path below Table Top 18 to the Print Position. The advancement movement of the Gliche takes place step by step and so each of them stops at a series of different positions along the guide path of the cliches. The Prime Post is a sensing or probing post 22, where appropriate identifying features, such as indicia tabs carried by the Gliche, can be probed. The presence or absence, at the probing station 22, of selected identification elements which the plate presents, can cause the pressure roller mechanism <B>16</B> to be activated when the the point from which the probed identification is derived reaches the printing position, the means pre-#uis the present printing mechanism to achieve this result may consist of any means of selection. Such a selection means is described in detail in Swiss patent No. 271139.

In its lines, the presser roller device 16 comprises a trolley 22 supported to perform a reciprocating movement in the front-rear direction on rails or guide paths provided below a head 24 carried by the front end of the print frame 20, and a pressure roller 25 supported by the carriage 23.

Press roller 25 is placed in a horizontal position at right angles to the reciprocating movement of carriage 23. It is supported. with the aid of knee joints, thanks to which said roller can be moved from a normal raised position, or rest, to a lowered position, or work. In its Raised, or Working Position, this roller may act to push a sheet or similar article to bring 3. a Print Position relative to a Slide occupying the Print Position.

The presser roller device 16, in the form in which it is shown, is arranged so that its roller 25 is in its raised, or rest position, when the roller 23 is in its rest, or rear, position shown. in fig. 2. When a draw is to take place, the cart 23 is started in a stock market forward, or running forward, by a control mechanism generally indicated at 26. At the front, or at the front, of the trolley 23, the knee joints which support the Pressure roller 25 are actuated to bring this roller to its broken, or working position, which it reaches approximately when the trolley is lifted. 23 ends its race vor 1'avant. The pressed roller 25 is locked in its raised or working position, so that during the return of the carriage to the rear, it may receive a rolling motion across the sheet. to perform the desired printing operation. Towards the end of the. Stock exchange of the trolley 23 towards the rear, the presser roller 25 is released. Home position, so that the sheet on which printing was done can be removed from the tray. Print position and, replaced by another.

In the printer mechanism represented at 10, the various working cycles of the devices are, for 13, mostly triggered by selective manipulation of operating members such as a series of pedals 28, 29 And. 30 which are placed near the planeher and below the frame 17. These pedals have. in order to trigger seleet.ively different types of simple evelic operations of the control mechanism provided in the printing mechanism. Such a control mechanism is described in detail in Swiss patent No. 271139. In the present description, it will suffice to specify that the printer mechanism 10 includes an electric motor 31 (FIG. 24) which is executed by 1 The intermediary of a switch 32 operated by a push-button 33 is arranged in a front panel 34 (FIG. 1) of the mechanism frame. By means of a speed reducer comprising two belts 35 (Figs. 17 and 21), the motor entra.ine constantly. a pulley 36 mounted on a shaft 37 which is supported by brackets 3h inside the frame 17. The brackets 38 supporting the motor shaft 37 are carried by a Support Bar 39 which forms part of the frame 17 and which is located below the table top 18, near the rear edge of this top, as shown in FIGS. 17 and 21. Shaft 37 is placed in a horizontal position just forward of and slightly below Support Bar 39.

As mentioned above, the pulley 36 is constantly driven during the operation of the printing mechanism and the idler sttr the shaft 37. The motor connections provided between this shaft and the various devices of the mechanism are intended to selectively couple said shaft with the driving pulley 36 at the moment when the various devices have to operate and, for this purpose, a series of clutches have been added to this shaft. 0n represented only one Beul de Ges clutches, ä. namely the main clutch -10, which serves to couple the constantly driven pulley 36 with the shaft 37 to rotate the latter, when necessary, to actuate one or more of the devices of the printing mechanism.

The clutch 40 is of the type described in the above-mentioned Swiss patent, that is to say of the single turn type, comprising a take-up member -11 which is fixed to. the shaft 37 and which carries a clutch pawl 4'', biased by a spring (not shown) to enter into engagement with a motor member which is the hub of the pulley 36. When the first pawl 42 is in engagement, the receiving member 41 is rotated in the first direction of the arrow in FIG. 21. At this rotation ends a stop lever 43, which is biased by a spring -11 to a working position in which it is subjected to. the action of the protruding end of the clutch pawl 42 towards the end of the desired single turn ey. This key is triggered by the momentary withdrawal of the stop lever -13, this withdrawal having the effect of releasing the pawl 42 to allow it to be biased by its spring towards and up to the position of work where it is engaged with the first driving hub of pulley 36. On the driving shaft 37 are mounted two additional clutches of the same general type. One of them acts, when engaged, in such a way as to cause the movement of the thread feeder of the printing mechanism RTI ID="0005.0278" WI="12" HE="4" LX= "1167" LY="414"> following a driving cycle. Pressure roller. The control means for these two clutches are arranged so that whenever either of the clutches of the plate feeder and the presser roller device are in engagement, the main clutch 40 is itself engaged to impart the desired rotary motion to the drive shaft <B>37.</B>

Pedal 28 (fig. 1) is only intended for ä. trigger the operation of the positive device for supplying eliehds. In such a mechanism, this Pedal is sometimes called the Jump Pedal, because it causes the passage of a dun. Gliche by the Print Position without any print being drawn from this Gliche. To this end, the Pedal 28 is set so as to cause the closing of the main clutch 40 and the closing of the clutch of the die feeder.

Pedal 29 is only intended, when momentarily depressed, to initiate operation of the pressure roller device. This Pedal is often called a Repeat Pedal, because its purpose is to cause a repetition of the operation of the Pressure Roller device with the same key remaining at the Position (Vimpression). is arranged in such a way that its momentary lowering causes the closing of the main clutch 10 and Gelle of the presser roller clutch, so as to cause the running of the printing cycle by this clutch.

Pedal 30, when momentarily depressed, causes the simultaneous and time-regulated operation of plate feeder and pressure roller 16. results in the printing of a Beule Printing of the Gliche, this Pedal is often called peda, the consecutive printing of the printing mechanism. The term meaning applied to the Pedal 30 is, however, used only for the purpose of convenience, since the printing mechanism 10 includes means by which the sliver feeder can be automatically disabled in certain realized eyes in a predetermined order, so that a series of impressions can be drawn from each Gliche. Such an automatic control mechanism can be said to be multiple printing and. this mechanism is activated or deactivated under the control of an actuator 45 mounted in the recess of the front panel 34 of the printer mechanism housing. This folly of meeanism ä. Multiple printing of the printing mechanism which results from an appropriate operation of the control push-button 45 thus modifies the operation of the responsive pull pedal 30.

There is also provided a device which automatically stops the operation of the printing machine when certain undesired conditions are detected. Such a device, which will be referred to as the automatic printing machine disengagement, is described in detail in the aforementioned Swiss patent. It suffices therefore to indicate that, in the machine represented, it is placed under the control of a pusher 46 halfway through a recess in the front panel 34 of the printing mechanism. When the automatic release plunger 46 is pulled out, a device operates to actuate the mechanism associated with the consecutive pull pedal 30, so as to produce the same result as that which permanent lowering would cause. of the pedal 30. It follows that, in the absence of a predominant action of the selector mechanism controlled by the probing device 22, the presser roller device and the feed mechanism

tation in clicks will function without Interruption as long as the automatic debi@avage button has retained in its Retracted Position.

A device is provided to return the plunger 46 to its internal position, so as to end the continuous operation of the printing mechanism. As shown in fig. '34, the device comprises a solenoid 47 which, when energized, causes the pusher 46 to move inwards. This solerloid is intended for ä. be executed whenever an undesirable operating condition is detected by any one of a series of selector devices. Thus, wires 48 and 49 and an intermediate conditioning switch 50 are provided for connecting the terminals of the solenoid 47 to one of the terminals of a circuit provided between the electric motor 31 and the control switch 3'?. The other borrie of ee eireuit is. Connected by a wire 51 with one of the terminals of a control switch 5'3, the other terminal of which is connected with the second terminal of the solenoid 47 by a wire 53.

Properly confirmed, the switch 52 could be controlled by any desired sensor device, but, in the machine shown, it is controlled by a sensor finger 5-1 which is intended to cooperate with the magazine 15 to detect the exit of the last hook out of of the shop. Consequently, when the first eli ehe sogt of the magazine 15, the movement of the finger .detecteur 54 towards the left is prolonged so that it comes into contact with the wie laure of the normally open switch 52 and thus closes this switch.

The normally open operating switch 50 is intended to be controlled by the automatic clutch plunger 46, so as to close when the printing mechanism operates without interruption under the control of the automatic clutch. Consequently, when the switch 5? closes under the motion of the sensor finger 54, the first solenoid 47 is exeite and the automatic release button is, thereby, brought to. his position

inside the unit, so as to provide continuous operation of the printer mechanism.

As mentioned above, the continuous operation of the printing mechanism under the control of the automatic release may be modified, in certain cases, by the predominant action of the selector. Cellii it works under the first eonti@öle of the sounding device 22. 11 is. put on or off .d'action by a pusher 55 arranged in the first recessed front panel 31-. The switch action can be varied, in certain respects, by suitably changing the position of a control push-button 56 mounted in the front panel 34. This switch control action is such that, when the presence or absence of a particular click, of the seleetioilne identification element indicates that this line must be skipped, the selector enipelie the closure of the clutch of the pi#esseni- Clans Je cvele Jans which this line must be brought to the position of 111 pission. This predominant control action of the selector also modifies the action of the printing mechanism when it is controlled annually with the aid of the Repeating Print Pedal 30.

<I>Automatic sheet supplier.</I>

The automatic sheet feeder 11 comprises a sheet separator 7.2 and a sheet advancement and control ineeanisnie 14, bi@ievement called ei-after sheet advancer. The sheet separator 12 is constructed as a complete soff assembly and is intended to pivot out of the way. Position in which it cooperates with the impregnator mechanism and the sheet advancer 14, without this modifying the settings or mounting arrangements 4-likely to have been established, is subject to the sheet advancer, is subject to the first separator , without the control or adjustment links over time which may exist between the sheet separator and the printing mechanism 10 being eliminated and without disturbing the relationship or the suspected association.

ille to exist between the sheet feeder and the iedit niecaili: sme printer.

After the sheet separator 12 has been pivoted to an idle position in which it has tried to be combined with the printer mechanism 10, the sheet feeder 1-1 can be moved away from said mechanism. of which 1st Tabletop <B>18</B> Tested free from manual operations.

Additionally, if desired, the separator 12 and the advancer 14 can be moved away from the printing mechanism as a whole without disturbing any of the important sheet feeder settings.

To .eet effect, the automatic 1'avaneetir 1-1 eomprend a bä.ti On leqtiel rare mounted almost all the working organs forming part key devices ad nance and positioning of the sheets. This bit is intended <B>#</B> to be moved as a whole, so as to be brought to a Position where it cooperates with the printing mechanism or . be away from this Position. In the machine represented, the frame comprises two structures with spaced legs <B>57,</B> 58, between which is supported a structure in the form of a hair 59. The latter and the structures with feet <B>57, </B> 58 are constructed and arranged relative to each other such that the bridge 59 can extend across and across the Table Top 18, with the leg structures 57, 58 descending to the floor from points on either side of table top 18. printer 10 (Figs. 1 and 2), the various working bodies mounted on I frame 1'avaneeur sheets 14 ocettpent -positions fone tionning predetermined relative to said lnecanisme, ain.si that relative to each other. However, when the sheet advancer 11 has been moved away from Bette Position where it cooperates with the first printer mechanism 10, the elements of this advancer remain unchanged in the relative positions of the sirees for the first operation. , and said forward. eur is Supported, by foot structures 57, 58, substantially at the same level as where these elements were placed when said sheet feeder 14 was cooperating with the printing mechanism. This facilitates the removal of this feeder from the Position where it cooperates with the printing mechanism and its return to the said Position; the leg structures are provided with casters 60 for this purpose, by means of which the forerunner can be rolled over the plank for its desired movement.

In general, the automatic sheet feeder 14 includes means to receive separate sheets and to feed them, guiding them, from the Bauche side of the machine, along the bridge 59 and across from the table top 18 to the printing position, where the forward movement of the sheet is momentarily interrupted in order to effect the printing operation thereon. The advancing device advances the feudle 1e Ion.-. from the guide path to the right end of the advancer to deposit it in a suitable collector.

The sheet advancer 14 includes a sheet stopper for interrupting the movement of the sheet at the printing position. This stop device is actuated in synchronism with the control of the printing mechanism and, for this purpose, it is suitable, received from a portion of this mechanism. The devices which have hitherto been generally described as part of the present sheet advancer may take many different shapes and be disposed relative to one another. Others in many different ways It is obvious that the person skilled in the art could make many modifications to such devices as well as to their mutual relationship.

The automatic sheet separator 12 includes means for removing sheets one at a time from the top of a sheet island 61 and feeding them to the sheet feeder 14, which feeds them across the table 18 of the printing mechanism, as previously mentioned.

The sheet separator is. mounted on a frame 62 7) supported by feet 63 which are fitted with rollers 64 serving to facilitate the nrouv einent of the separator 12 on the first planeher. The frame 62 of this separator is pivotally connected to the printer mechanism 10 by means of a pivoting joint or hinge joint 65 (FIG. 114).

The swivel joint 65 is set up so as to allow the separator 1? to be moved by pivoting, from a working position where it cooperates with the printing mechanism 10 and with the sheet feeder 14 (figs. 1, 2 and 3), to an inactive position where it is separated from the leaves (fig. 4) and therefore no longer cooperates with it. The construction of the separator 12 is such that when it has been pivoted away from the position where it cooperates with the sheet feeder 14, its various elements and those of the feeder 14 intended to receive the leaves are easily accessible. This accessibility facilitates the removal of sheets which may have become loose from the channels or obstruct them in some other way, for example as a result of the aforementioned entrainment of overlapping sheets.

The sheet separator 12 is also arranged so as to be able to be disjointed from its pivoting assembly 65 with the printing mechanism and moved in block with the sheet advancer 14 in a direction away from said mechanism.

<I>Sepa-i-atei!.i- de feidlIes.</I>

The sheet separator 12 is clearly visible in FIGS. 1 to 16 included. The above frame 62 of said separater is enclosed in a box 66 inside which can be accessed through doors 67. 5 included), by a table 68 intended to support a sheet of sheets 61 and enabling them to be transferred one at a time to the printing mechanism. The table 68, supporting a stack of sheet 61 to be transferred to said mechanism, is clearly shown in FIGS. 3 and 7, where we see that the stack rests on the table 68 with its front corners engaged in vertical guides 70 which are adjustable transversely on members 71 of which the frame 62 of the separator is composed. The table 68 is mounted to slide vertically in the frame 62, its arrangement being such that it can periodically receive a proper lifting movement to maintain the highest sheet of the stack substantially at a predetermined level, where it can be conveniently gripped by a nozzle 72 of the sheet separator, as will be described in greater detail hereinafter.

As stated at. there. fig. 7, the. table 68 is provided with two side cheeks 73 each carrying a pair of rollers 74. These rollers protrude outwardly from the sides of the table 68 and roll on the wings of two vertical bars<B>'15,</B> of section [J, carried by the frame 62, which guides the table clans its vertical movement.

Table 68 is supported by two chains, one of which is visible at 76 a. fig. 7. These chains are. subject to the respective cheeks of the table 68, as indicated at 77, and. extend upward from these attachment points to pass around respective chain sprockets 78 and back down. Counterweights are. attached to the free hanging ends of the chains. The sprockets at. chain 78 are fixed to a transverse shaft 79 which pivots in the side plates 80 sup carried by the frame 62. This tree passes through the said plates (fi-. 6), one of the ends of the shaft 79 bearing, at . the exterior of the. plate 80, a toothed wheel 81 which meshes with a worm 82 rotating in bearings supported by said plate 80. The worm gear 81-82 thus behaves like a brake which offers resistance to the movement of the table and maintains it in the adjusted position.

The table 68 is brought to the desired position so that it receives a stack of sheets or to place the top of the stack at the desired initial level, by the operation of a crank 83. This crank turns freely on the outer end of shaft 79 which, as shown in fig. 3, is extended outside the casing 66. The crank 83 runs smooth on the shaft 79 so that it can be brought into engagement with a toothed wheel 84 which rotates on the shaft 79 and which meshes with a wheel gear 85 mounted on a shaft end supported by frame plate 80. Attached to gear wheel 85 is an angle pinion 86 which meshes with a similar angle pinion 87 attached to worm 82, the while constituting a device that allows. to manually operate the worm gear to raise or lower the. board 68.

The table at. paper 68 periodically receives an elevation movement from a mechanism. motor control including. operation is governed by the height of the stack. As can be seen in particular in FIG. 6 and 7, tin yoke 88 is pivotally mounted on the side plates 80 and extends between these plates in the. desired position to act on the highest sheet of the. pile. To allow removal. of the. the highest sheet of the. stack, stirrup 88 is. periodically brought away from the sheets by a linkage which is actuated by the printing mechanism and which will be described in greater detail hereinafter. It will suffice for the moment to say that it is. provided at 89 a pivoting lever at 90 on one of the side plates 80. A bar 91 is. connected to this lever by a stud and slot assembly 92 and is provided with a retaining spring 93. normally ''left end of the slit (fig. 6) in con tact with. the cooperating stud. At its right end, the bar 91 carries a pin 94 which passes through an opening 95 of the side plate 80 and which is connected to an arm 96 rotating around the pivot 97 of the stirrup.

An electrical connection 98 (fig. 7) is provided between the arm 96 and the stirrup 88. The latter consists of a bar which extends transversely to the stack of sheets and which is provided with split arms 99 fixed adjustable with two angled levers 100 pivoting on the side plates 80, in<B>97.</B>

Each time the top of the. stack drops below a predetermined level, the stirrup moves down to. that a pin 101, carried by the bar 91, engages the upper end of a latch 10? pivoting at 103 on one of the side plates 80. If the height of the stack is insufficient, the pin 101 enters into engagement with the latch which it pivots clockwise (fig. 6) in overcome both the action of a spring 101, ee which pulls the lower end of the latch and disengages it from a stop 107 (fig. 16) making. part of a ratchet holder 106 pivoting on a shaft 107 on which a wheel. ratchet 108 turns crazy. The disengagement of the latch 102 allows a spring to cause the tie-holder to oscillate around the shaft 107 in a clockwise direction to bring it into contact with an abutment 109, after which the parts occupy a position in which a pawl 110, pivoting at 111 on the tie-holder, is engaged in the. toothing of the ratchet wheel 108 and in the. desired position to communicate to this wheel a driving movement called the result of a movement of the pawl holder in the opposite direction to that of the needles of a watch.

The ratchet wheel is thus driven by the aforementioned lever 89. As shown in fi-. 6 and 16, a bar 112 is pivotally attached between the lower end of the lever (S9 and a pivoting support arm 113. The pivotal connection between the arm 113 and the bar 112 comprises a pin 111 which, when the bar moves to the right, acts on a moth 115 of the pawl carrier 1_06 and causes this stop to pivot in the desired direction to advance the ratchet wheel by the space of one tooth. The movement of the ratchet 108 is complete. provided with the worm screw 81 by a toothed wheel<B>116</B> which is coupled to said ratchet and which constantly engages with the aforementioned toothed wheel 81, which has the effect of actuating the mechanism As long as the top of the stack of sheets 61 remains below the desired level, the latch 10'? its operating keys When the battery reaches the desired level, the spring 101 pulls the latch and brings it to a locked position, whereupon this latch. again engages the stopper 105 and stops the pawl carrier 106 in the position indicated by dotted lines in FIG. 16. When the top of the pile has fallen by a predetermined amount, the latch 102 is again actuated by the yoke 88, and the pile receives a new movement of elevation. It follows that the top sheet of the stack is practically. hand held at a constant level.

For Clég@a,-er the ratchet wheel 108 of the mechanism. motor drive when the my level 83 must. be maneuvered to effect the positioning of the table 68, there is provided a lever 117 which pivots on the frame plate 80 (fi-.. 6) and which is turned by hand in the direction of the have illes of a watch, so that its end 118 acts on a pin 119 of the pawl 110 and releases this pawl from the ratchet wheel 10q. The spring, not shown, normally maintains the lever 117 in the inactive position.

The sheet feeder is set up to allow the feeding of sheets of various sizes. The layout is such that sheets whose width does not exceed the supplier's maximum reception capacity can be placed on the table supporting the stack and adjusted in position transversely. the table to allow the desired area of the sheet to be brought into alignment with the plate occupying the printing position. The position of the print across the sheet can thus be adjusted in advance. To this end, to the adjustable guides 70 are added side giiicles 120 serving to retain the stack in a suitable position transversely. These 1?0 guides are clearly visible on the shots. `? and 3 and include faith-nie plate elements which extend downwards from a transverse support bar 721 on which they are adjustable transversely to the table supporting the stack. The bar 121 is mounted with adjustable faeoil to move in the lon;itudiiïale direction of the four-ili.# ', set on a pair of bars 122 which are fixed mix respective frame plates 80 said frame 6'21 ctu separator.

The mechanism which separates and removes the top sheet from the stack 61 comprises a nozzle which is lowered to the top sheet, the sueeion exerted having. to effei to bring this sheet into contact. from the lower extremity of said squeegee, after which the latter again makes a lifting movement in the course of which it moves slightly backwards, then a forward movement to introduce the said sheet between two cooperating enti-ztinenicnt rollers. As the sheet moves away from these rollers, the vacuum is removed and the rollers complete the dragging of the sheet away from the roller. pile. When the rollers have finished this entrainment, the squeegee descends again towards and until the next sheet (the pile and the cycle of work described is reproduced.

In the machine represented, the squeegee 7 2 (wire-. 3 to 8) is connected by a flexible tube <B>123</B> to a tap or lair shutter (the coniniande 121, itself connected by a pipe 125 to a vacuum pump 126. This pump is mounted in the 6'' frame and is controlled by means of a belt transmission 127 (see also figure 1t, of a mechanical motor 128 , also mounted in frame 62.

The nozzle 72 is adjustable in position transversely to the separator 12, so as to allow the precise feeding of the sheets from the various transverse positions without modifying the position of the separator relative to the printing mechanism. single squeegee 72, but it is envisaged the application of two or more than two squeegees (this type, depending on the type of work that the machine is called upon to perform. As shown in FIGS. 3 to 8 inclusive, the squeegee 72 slides on a shaft 129, and a blocafe screw 130 makes it possible to fix it in the desired transverse position with respect to the feeding and printing mechanisms.

The nozzle 72 is actuated by the lever 89, which operates in synchronism with the printing mechanism, as will be described in more detail below. As appears from the fi;-. ?, 3, 7 and 8, the shaft 129 bearing the nozzle 7? journalled, at its ends, in two arms 131 which are fixed to a transverse shaft 13`.3 rotating freely in the side plates 80. At one of the outer ends of the shaft 132 is fixed a lever 133 carrying a roller 135 which cooperates with -a cam 13-1 pivoting, at 136, on one of the frame plates 80 and which is connected by a trin gle<B>137</B> to the upper end of the lever 89 .

As a result, the oscillation of the lever 89 causes the oscillation of the shaft 132 and that of the squeegee shaft 129. The squeegee first performs a lifting movement, during which it lies. slightly backwards, then a forward movement to bring the sheet to the entrance of the drag rollers. 138 and 139. This mode of action and this movement emerge clearly from, fig. 8, where we see that an arm 110 is. fixed at. the nozzle holder shaft 129 and carries, at its lower extremity, a roller 111 which is biased by a spring 1-12, `so as to be kept in contact with a guide plate 1-k3 fixed to one of the side plates 80. The plate 113 (fig. 8) tilts upwards and backwards, so that when the shaft 13,`3 and the arms 131 pivot clockwise d one shows, the lower end (the sucker lies upwards and backwards, as indicated by the progressive series of dotted lines 111. By the time the sucker 72 reaches the position indicated by the furthest above these lines, a second roller 115 carried by the arm 140 meets a fixed stop 116. By continuing to pivot around the shaft 132, the parts then cause the squeegee to move clockwise around of the movable axis of the shaft 129, and the movement of the squeegee towards the inlet of the drive rollers, .like the unworthy, series of dotted lines 147. It is noted that this movement of the squeegee ensures very effective separation of the upper sheet from the stack and the driving at relatively high speeds of sheets of various thicknesses.

At the front of the stack of sheets 61 is a transverse frame bar 148 on which is or are mounted one or more flat spring fingers 149 which extend over the front edge of the stack. pile and which are fixed in an adjustable manner to the bar 1.48 by an adjustment screw 150 (FIG. 7), which makes it possible to adapt their position to sheets of various types. Each of the fingers 149 is normally spaced a predetermined distance above the uppermost sheet 61 of the sheet. pile and above the lowest position of the surface of the nozzle 72 which comes into contact with the sheet. We see at the. fig. 7 that these spring fingers only protrude inwardly above the stack over a relatively small distance, so that when the nozzle removes a sheet 61 from the stack, that of the ends of this leaf that is. most to. the interior is drawn facing and in contact with the end of the finger. In the event that several sheets tend to be removed by the nozzle instead of one, the resulting friction would generally cause all of these sheets to return to the pile except for the. high pleats.

It regulates the application of a vacuum clans the nozzle 72 by communicating the valve 1 `? 4 with the outside air. This valve is. clearly visible in Figs. 9 and 10, where the eye sees that it comprises a box pierced on either side of a conduit 151, the opposite ends of which communicate respectively with the pipes 123 and 125. This box has, at an intermediate point of his. length, a lumen 152 which, when closed, directly communicates the suction of the. pump with the nozzle 72. However, when this light is. open, the vacuum in the squeegee is removed by the entry of air from outside in this slot. Light 152 opens and. closes in synchronism with the operation of the nozzle 72. On the frame of the valve pivots a lever 153 which carries a shutter element 154 for. cover the lumen 152 and constituting the. valve itself. A spring 155 normally maintains this element applied against the light. At the end-. 9, the parts are shown in the positions they occupy immediately after the opening of the valve has been closed to create a vacuum in the squeegee<B>722.</B> We have seen that the latter receives a movement of elevation and forward pivoting movement as a result of rotation of shaft 132 clockwise in FIG. 8. Attached to this shaft is a lever 156 (fi-.<B>5</B> and <B>9)</B> which is provided with an extension 157 extending inward and carrying an adjustable screw 158 and a contact. 159. As shaft 132 swings to drive a sheet, lever 156 swings to the upper end of valve lever 153 and, as drive rollers <B>138</B > and. 139 grab it. sheet, screw 158 abuts against lever <B>1.53</B> and opens slot 152, causing the squeegee to drop the sheet.

*When the closing lever 153 moves to open the valve port, a pin 160 carried by this lever comes into contact. with one of the arms of a bell crank 161 and raises the arm by having it on it like a cam. The spring 162, inserted between the bell crank and one of the frame plates 80, causes alois the attachment of a portion forming a latch, 16: i, of the bell crank, on the pin 160 and the maintenance of the obtu 154 in an open position. On the return of the nozzle 72, the pivoting of the shaft 132, in the opposite direction to that of the needles of a watch in fi; -. 8, then causes the meeting of the contact. 159 of the lever 156 with an adjustable screw 164 carried by the upper arm of the bell-crank lever 161, which has the effect of disengaging the latch of this lever from the closing lever 153, the latter then closing the light and bringing the pieces at the position of fig. 9.

The discharge side of the pump 126 communicates via two pipes 160' with respective nozzles 161 placed on either side of the stack of sheets. As seen in fig. 7, these nozzles direct pressurized air bristles to the sides of the tallest sheets in the stack. They are adjustable mounted, allowing them to be placed close to the leading edges of the stack, regardless of the size of the sheet, and direction. drafts below the front portion of each hanging leaf. that it receives a lifting movement from the nozzle.

The rollers 138 and 139 complete the removal of a sheet 61 from the stack and the. advance through a plate 162 up to. cooperating rollers 163 and 164, which in turn advance the sheets across a platen 165 to a third set of cooperating rollers<B>166</B> and 167 which themselves advance the sheet across a plate 168 to feeder 14. Rollers 138, 16:3 and 166 all journal in frame plates 80 and each has a shaft portion 169 which extends outwardly. beyond one of the plates (the frame 80 (fig. 5). Each of the shaft portions 169 carries a pulley 170, and the various pulleys 170 are interconnected by a transmission belt 171, so that the driving force applied to roller 166, as will be explained in more detail hereinafter, causes all three rollers to be driven.

As seen in Figures 3 and 7, the lower drive roller 138 extends substantially the full length of the sheet separator 12, while the upper roller is of a series of sections 139 which are adjustable to accommodate sheets of different thicknesses. The rollers 139 turn crazy on a shaft 172 (FIG. 8) mounted between two arms 173, themselves mounted to pivot on a transverse büti shaft 17-1. To each of the arms<B>173</B> is fixed, at 17a, a threaded stud 176 which extends upwards and which freely passes through a block 177 carried by the adjacent side plate 80, which stud cooperates, at its upper end, with a knurled nut <B>178,</B> A compression spring <B>179,</B> interposed between a stop 180 carried by the pin and the underside of the block 177, maintains. Elastically the arm in her. lowest position and prevents the risk of damage to the parts.

The rollers 139 are adjustable transversally to the sheet separator, which allows them. to be placed in the most advantageous positions for their adaptation to type and format. sheets with which the supplier is used. As seen in fi-. 3 and 7, these rollers slide. on the support shaft 172 and. are held in position on said shaft in an adjustable manner by yokes 181 which are mounted on the shaft 174 and embrace the respective roller sections 139.

The upper rollers 167 are. also composed of a series of individual sections which are adjustable transversely of the separator, each of them swiveling in one of the ends of a yoke 18'_'. The yokes 182 pivot for axial movement on a bar 183 which is mounted in the frame plates 80 and extends transverse to the sheet separator. Rollers 164 are. also composed of individual sections mounted on pins 181 (fig. 7 and 11) carried by arms 18: i qai also pivot on bar 183 for their axial movement. Springs 186, interposed between the yokes 182 and the arms 185, act so as to retain the rollers 167 and 164 in contact with the corresponding rollers 166 and 163. The yokes 181 and 183 are arranged overlapping with respect to the arms 185 and limit movement. sheet up. during. the passage of this sheet through the separator.

The nozzle 72 and its valve are actuated from the drive shaft 37 of the printing mechanism. This shaft 37 (figs.?0 and 1) is. provided with a single-turn clutch, the receiving element of which is attached to a cogwheel 188 running idle on the shaft<B>37.</B> The receiving element of this clutch 187 comprises a pawl 189 which is biased by a spring, so that when released, it engages the hub of the pulley 36, so as to receive rotation therefrom. 'A stop lever 190, pivoting at 191, is urged towards the flange of the receiving element of the clutch and towards the pawl 189 by a spring 192. In this position, the lever 190 prevents the rotation of the receiving organ both in one direction and in the other.

The stop lever 190 is disengaged from the receiving member and from the pawl 189 of the clutch at the start of each working cycle of the printing mechanism 10. For this purpose, a connecting rod 193 is connected to an arm 194 carried by an oscillating shaft 195 forming part of the presser roller control device 16. This arm oscillates in the opposite direction to that of the needles of a clock (fi-. 20) during the first half of the working cycle of this device. The other end of the link <B>19î.)</B> is guided by an elongated slot 196 which is formed in this link and in which the pivot 191 is engaged. When the arm 19-1 pivots in the opposite direction from that of the hands of a watch, a cam surface 197 carried by the connecting rod 193 comes into contact with a roller 198 carried by the stop arm. 190 and moves the latter so as to release the pawl 189. The adjustment in .time is provided so that the connecting rod 1.93 is reduced to the. position of fig. 20 before the clutch 187 has completed a work cycle. Therefore, the stop lever 190 disengages the clutch after a work cycle a. been finished.

Pinion 188 drives a shaft 199 mounted outside the machine frame. This sprocket meshes with a 200 sprocket attached to. a shaft 201 journalled in bearings 202 carried by the above-mentioned frame member 39. The shaft 201 protrudes through the opening of the casing of the printer mechanism and is connected by a coupling member 203 to the shaft 199. This is journalled in a bearing '04 (fig. 17) which is fixed to the printing mechanism by suitable bolts 205 passing through reinforcement and framework parts 206 of the frame of the printing mechanism 10.

The sheet separator 12 is. subject to the printing mechanism 10, so that it can be rotated to bring it into position. where he. cooperates with the printing mechanism, or move it away from this position in order to then bring it back, by pivoting, to its working position, without it being necessary to modify any of the settings of the said separator, and in such a way that the relation of time which exists between said separator and the printing mechanism remains unchanged after the separator has been returned to its working position, exactly as if it had never been moved. This is. particularly advantageous because the rapid removal of the sheet separator, of which. the drive has been faulty, finds ease.

Separator 12 is pivoted by a pivoting assembly provided between the separator and the printing mechanism 10. This assembly is indicated at 65 in FIGS. 2, 3, 4, 17, 18, 21 and 22 and is set up so that the separator can be rolled on the floor of the support of the machine to make it pivot, around a vertical axis adjacent to the back of the printing mechanism, from the position marked in solid lines in FIG. 2 at the position marked in dotted line on this same figure or, like that. is shown more clearly, from the position shown in the. fig. 3 to that shown at fi-. 4.

The swivel assembly 65 includes the support bracket. 204 previously described, fixed to the printing mechanism by bolts 205. As can be seen in FIGS. 17, 18, 21 and 22, this bracket extends outward from the left end plate 207 of the printer mechanism frame 17, near its rear edge, and is provided with two lugs vertically. 208 which extend outwardly and in which is journalled a shaft 209 about the axis of which pivots the sheet separator. Attached to shaft 209 at points between lugs 208 are two further mutually spaced lugs 210 which form part of a second bracket 211 to which the sheet separator is attached. Brackets 204 and 211 thus constitute a hinge joint allowing the sheet separator to pivot around a vertical axis.

The connection provided between the console 211_ and the separator 12 is clearly shown in FIGS. 18 and 22, where we see that a bar 212 is fixed in a hollow of the console 211 by a locking screw 213. When the separator 12 occupies its normal position, or work, with respect to the printing mechanism 10 and at the sheet feeder 14, the bar 212 extends forward from the bracket 211 of the swivel joint 655, its axis being substantially perpendicular to the direction in which the sheets progress through the mechanisms.

Bar 212 extends forward and through a long bearing 214 which is attached to frame 62 (the separator some distance below the horizontal plane of the drag rollers<B>138,</B> 163 and 166 previously described. It follows that the sheet separator 12 is supported to pivot about the axis of the shaft 209 of the pivot assembly 65.

The support shaft 212 is of such length that it makes it possible to modify the position of the separator 12 from the front to the rear of the printing mechanism and thus to help to effect the positioning of the printing. on a sheet allowing the full width of the separator to be used to the maximum extent. As seen in fig. 18, the shaft 212 is provided with a flat 215 which extends axially and on which can be supported a locking screw 216, mounted in the neck sinet 214, in order to fix the separator in a position set next. shaft axis 212.

The drive and timing key link provided between the printer mechanism and the sheet separator comprises shaft 199 which, as previously mentioned, is journalled in bracket 204. Shaft 199 is fixed, inside the pivoting assembly 65, an angle pinion 217 which meshes with an angle wheel 218 loosely mounted on the pivot shaft 209 of said assembly. The wheel 218 also cooperates with a second conical wheel 219, placed inside said assembly and fixed to one of the ends of a shaft 220 which pivots in the bracket 211 of the assembly. This shaft 220 is. placed above key shaft 212 to which it is parallel.

The toothed wheels 217, 218 and 21.9 are protected by a cover plate 2:21 fixed to the console 211 and by a cover 222 mounted to pivot on a bar 223 carried by the console 204, this cover being biased towards a closed position by a spring 224 (fig. 3 and 4).

Shaft 220 drives the time control mechanism of the sheet separator and is intended to actuate nozzle 72 in synchronism with the operation of printing mechanism 10. This shaft 220 (fi-. 17) passes through hub 225 d a toothed wheel 226 and is. assembled therewith by a sliding key assembly 227. The hub of this wheel rotates in a cushion 228 carried by one of the frame plates 80 of the separator 12. The latter can thus be adjusted parallel to the axes of the shafts 212 and 220 without disturbing the position of the wheel 226 relative to the other separator gears.

The wheel 226 meshes with a wheel 229 (FIGS. 7 and 14) which is fixed in an adjustable manner, by means of a locking screw 232, on a shaft 230 journalled in bearings 231 supported by the plates 80 of the attached to the separator 62. The shaft 230 is coupled with a shaft 233 by a speed change gear 23-1 which will be described later in more detail. At one end of the shaft 233 is fixed, on the outside of one of the frame plates 80, with the aid of a locking screw 235, a toothed wheel 236 meshing with a toothed wheel 237 (FIGS. 6 and 14) which is mounted on a bushing <B>2</B> 38, itself loosely mounted on one of the ends of the shaft 230 projecting outwards beyond said plate 80. A disc 239, fixed on the outer face of the wheel 237 by bolts 210, carries a crank pin 211 located eccentrically with respect to the axis of rotation of the disc 239. The arrangement is such that when the gear change L'34 occupies the position shown in the fi;. 11, disc 239 completes one revolution for each revolution of shaft 230, and shaft 230 completes one revolution for each complete revolution of the single-turn clutch<B>187</B> of the printing mechanism. It follows. that the disc 239 completes one revolution for each work cycle of the printing mechanism 10.

The squeegee 72 performs a complete work cycle for each complete revolution of the disc 239, so due when the gear change occupies the position shown in the. fig. 11, this nozzle performs a complete work cycle for each work cycle of the pressure roller 16 of the printing mechanism. For this purpose, a bar 21`3 (fi-. 6) connects the mane ton 211 of the disc `? 39 to the upper end of the control lever 89 which, as has already been described, governs the operation ment of the nozzle 72 and the stack mechanism.

Despite the precautions taken and. From the high efficiency of the sheet separator, it is found that climatic conditions and other factors, in particular irregularities, imperfections or the semi-porous state of the sheets of paper themselves, sometimes cause entrainment. more than one sheet at a time instead of one. This has many disadvantages too well known to those skilled in the art to be. need to list them. To prevent the transfer of several superimposed sheets to the printer mechanism, it is. provided a detector 2-13 (Fig. 7 and 11) which, when several superimposed sheets pass between theroulatLx 138 and 139, actuates a device, which has. called automatic disengagement, which causes the printing mechanism to stop at the end of the work cycle which was then in progress. The '?43 detector is of construction such that when several overlapping sheets are. brought by the squeegee 7 2 to the entrance of the rollers <B>138</B> and 139, the operation of the printing mechanism and that of the squeegee 7 2 stop.

Detector 213 is clearly shown in Figs. 7, 11 and 12, where it is seen that it comprises a hooked plate hanging between two of the sections of the upper drive roller 139. This plate is intended to be adjusted in position, due to its lower edge either. placed above the roller 138 to. a distance just sufficient for the thickness of a single sheet passing between the rollers 138 and 139, but such that the plate is subjected to the action of the highest sheet when a series of superimposed sheets passes between said rollers.

The detector 213 pivots at 211 on one of the arms of an elbow lever 215, which itself pivots at 216 on a frame 217 serving to support the detector and its associated mechanism. Support 217 is adjustable in position transverse to separator 12 and can be adjusted relative to drive rollers 139 to accommodate sheets of different thicknesses. As one can see. to fi---. 3 and. 11, the support 17 runs smoothly over a crossbar 18 which is attached to the plates 80 of the separator frame. The rotation of this support 217 is. prevented by a guide bar 219 which is placed below and at a distance from the bar 218 and carried by the plates 80. An adjusting bolt 250, carried by the support 217, engages the bar 18 to secure the entire bracket<B>217</B> and. of the associated detector mechanism in a position suitably adjusted transversely.

When a group of superimposed sheets is driven between the rollers 138, 139, the highest of these sheets comes into contact with the. surface of the plate <B>(the</B> detection ?13 and causes this plate to oscillate slightly in an anti-clockwise direction around its pivot `_'11. This movement of the detector is used to actuate an electrical switch 251 carried by the support 3-17 As seen in Fig. 11 the detector 213 is connected by a link 252 to an arm the support 217. This arm is provided with a lug 255 in which is mounted an adjustment screw 256, the arrangement being such that when the detector 243 moves in the opposite direction to that of the hands of a clock (fi- 11), it causes the arm 53 (le) to pivot so that the head 2:57 of the screw 251i acts on a plunger 258 of the switch 251 and causes the closing of an electrical contact.

Switch 251 is of the normally open type and whose opening and closing movements are of very low amplitude. It is intended to operate in the same way as switch 52 (fi-. 24) which, as has been described, closes when the detector finger 54 detects the exit of the last negative from the store. 15 of the printer mechanism 10.

An electrical connection is provided between the switch 251 and the automatic disengagement of the printing mechanism. This connection comprises two conductive son 259 and 260 which are connected between the respective terminals of the switch 251 and. a connecting plug 261 cooperating. with a connection key socket 262 mounted on the frame plate 207 of the printer mechanism 10. 251. and :5'_' are mounted in parallel. It follows that each time a group of superimposed sheets passes between the rollers 138 and 139, the printing mechanism stops as soon as it has completed the work cycle which was in progress when the switch mechanism operates. The adjustment over time of the various mechanisms is such that the stopping of the printing mechanism by the automatic disengagement prevents the subsequent operation of the nozzle 72 of the separator. In order to be able to put the printing mechanism or the separator back into operation, the operator will be obliged to return the automatic disengagement pusher 46 to its normal position, as previously described.

The sheet sensor 213 is intended to be adjusted vertically for adaptation to. sheets of various thicknesses. As shown, the upper arm 265 of bell crank 2-15 is. connected by a stud and slot assembly 266 to a horizontal pusher 267. This pusher slides in the support 247 and is. normally biased towards its left position by a coil spring 268. An adjustment screw 269 passes through the support 247 and is screwed into the pusher 267 to limit the movement of said pusher outwards. The head of the screw 269 is splined to receive a spring 270 which is attached to the bracket and serves to hold the screw in position. La. provision of the detector 243 is preferably such that it comes into contact with the. upper sheet of a group of sheets before the group has crossed a plane containing the axes of rollers 138 and 139.

A second detector is provided to stop the printing mechanism 10 and the separator 12 if the sheet advancer 14 has not re-read any sheets from the separator. This detector mechanism is clearly visible in Figs. 7, 11 and 13, where it is seen that the lower drive roller 166 of the sheet separator has an annular groove 271 which is covered by the sheets as they pass between the rollers 166 and <B>167 .</B> If there is no sheet covering like a bridge. groove 271, a roller 272, loosely mounted on a pivoting lever 2273, will fall into the groove and cause the lever to pivot about its pivot 274. This motion is. used to actuate the switch 251 which, as explained above, actuates the automatic disengagement and stops the operation of the squeegee and that. of the printing mechanism.

The lever 273 is locked in an adjustable manner on its axis 271 by a clamping bolt 275. The axis 274 is fixed to an arm 276 pivoting as much. on the support 247 previously described. The arm<B>276</B>, the lever 273 and the detector roller<B>272</B> thus oscillate en bloc in the direction of clockwise, around the connecting pivot axis. the arm to the support ''47, each time, due to the fact that the groove 271 is not covered by a sheet, said roller falls into this groove. This pivoting movement of the arm 276 has the effect that a projection 277 of this arm acts on a pin 278 of the lever 253 and. causes the control of the switch 251 by this lever and, consequently, the stopping of the printing mechanism and of the sheet separator, as previously described.

The detector 243 can remain in the active position at all times, but the detector roller 272 must normally. be kept away from its position of activity, or survey, and must not be able to perform gon sounding operation at a time of the work cycle of the separator where a sheet of truth. normally cover the groove 271. of the roller 166. To ensure this adjustment over time of the operations of probing the roller 272, there is provided (Fig. 6, 1.1 and 15) a cam 279 fixed to. the toothed wheel 237 by the same bolts 240 which serve to hold the disc 239 in place on this wheel. The cam <B>'279</B> cooperates with a roller 280 carried by a lever 281. (fig. 7) which pivots through an intermediate point of its length on one of the frame plates 80 of the separator. A link 283 interconnects the arm 281 and an arm 284 which is fixed to an oscillating shaft 285 journalled in the frame plates 80.

Movement of cam roller 280 is transmitted to sensor roller 272 by arm 286 adjustably locked to oscillating shaft 285 by bolt 287 (Fig. 11). The arm 286 acts on the. pin 274 carried by the aforementioned arm 276. The lever 281 can be biased by a suitable spring (not shown), so that it maintains the roller. 280 in contact with the. cam 279. Consequently, the detector roller is only able to perform its probing operation when the cam roller 280 falls into a peripheral notch or recess 288 of the cam 279.

As mentioned previously, when shift gear 234 is in the position shown in FIG. 14, the. toothed wheel 237 performs a complete revolution for each working cycle of the printing mechanism, and the nozzle 72 is controlled by the rotation of this wheel. It follows that the probing which must be carried out by the roller 272 can take place in synchronism with the operation of the nozzle 72 and only when a sheet should. be clamped between rollers 166 and<B>167.</B>

As he has. explained previously, the drive roller 166 is coupled by a transmission belt 171 (FIG. 5) for the purpose of driving the rollers 138 and <B>163.</B> The roller 166 receives its. motor control 128 of the sheet separator 12. The motor 128 operates the. vacuum pump 126 whose shaft 289 carries a pulley 290 which is coupled by a belt 291 with a driving pulley 292 fixed to a shaft 293 suitably journalled in the frame 62 of the separator (fig. <B>7). /B> To the shaft 293 is fixed (fig. 5) a toothed wheel 294 which meshes with a toothed wheel 295 carried by the shaft 230 which, as previously described, is journalled in the frame plates 80 of the separator 12.

As shown in fig. 14, gear 295 is loosely mounted on shaft 230 so that its rotation is independent of that of the shaft. Mounted on the shaft 233 is likewise a pinion 296 which constantly meshes with the toothed wheel 295, as well as with a toothed wheel 297 carried by a shaft end 298 fixed by a nut 299 to the frame 80. The wheel 297 meshes constantly with a pinion 300 carried by the shaft of the lower drive roller 166. Consequently, the various drive rollers are constantly receiving. their control of the electric motor 128. The arrangement of this control is such that as soon as a sheet has been brought to the rollers 138 and 139 by the nozzle 72, this sheet is quickly transferred to. the sheet feeder 14 by the pairs of constantly rotating rollers 138, 139; 163, 164 and 166, 167.

The electric motor receives its energy from a network whose power lines 301 and 302 (fi-. 21) connect the switch 32 of the printing mechanism 10 to its motor 31. These lines are connected by wire keys 303, 30-1 to a connection socket 305 carried by the frame member 207 of the printing mechanism and cooperating with a detachable connection plug 306. This is connected by a wire 307 to the motor 128 and, by a wire 308, to the 'one of the terminals of a switch 309. This. switch is mounted on the trunk containing. the sheet separator (fi-. 1) and its other terminal is connected by a wire 310 to the motor 128.

After the stop. of the printing mechanism which results from the detection of several superimposed sheets, the sheet separator can be moved by pivoting to its working position in FIG. 3 in its inactive position of FIG. 4, in order to facilitate access to the mechanism and to allow the removal of the superimposed sheets. It is obvious that this provision provides a considerable saving of time, since the separator can be reduced to. its working position, after which said separator operates as if it had. not been disturbed, besides that this return of the separator to its working position can be carried out by inexperienced workers as easily as by specialists.

I1 is sometimes advantageous to make certain adjustments, such as that of the nozzle 72, while the supplier occupies a position away from his working position. Also, it is sometimes desirable to pass the sheets through the printing mechanism without making any printing on them. In this. effect, a switch 311 (fi-. 1) is suitably placed on the envelope of the separator 12.

We have seen that the operation of the automatic disengagement does not influence that of the motor 31 of the printing mechanism and that, due to the. provision of this disengagement and clutches. a single turn, the printing mechanism and the nozzle 72 of the separator 1`_' always complete a work cycle before stopping. It follows that if the stop lever 190 </B> (FIG. 20) is disengaged independently of the operation of the pressure roller device 16, the sheet separator 12 can be actuated. In the machine represented, this result is obtained using switch 311.

The switch 311 (fig. 1 and 21) is mounted on the trunk containing the separator, and one. of its terminals is connected by a wire 312 to the wire; 308 which is connected to power line 302. The other key terminal switch 311 is. re linked by a wire 313 to a detachable connection cap 311 which cooperates with a connection socket 315 carried by the frame member 207 of the printer mechanism. The socket 315 is connected by a wire 316 to the iuie of the terminals of a solenoid 317 of which. the other terminal is re linked by wires 318 and 304 to the second power line<B>301.</B> It follows that the operation of the switch 311 causes the excitation of the solenoid 317. This excitation of the solenoid 317 has the effect of disengaging the stop lever. 190 which was in engagement with the clutch pawl<B>189</B> and cause the clutch to close to actuate the squeegee 72 and associated separator mechanism 12. Solenoid 317 is attached, as shown at fig. 20, at. the frame member 39 of the printer mechanism. When this solenoid is energized, its core 319, which is connected by a link 320 to a lever 321 pivoting around axis 191, does. pivot this lever in the opposite direction to that of the needles of a watch, so that a pin 32 '? carried by this lever engages the stop lever 190 and brings it to a clutch release position, the sheet separator thus being brought into action.

If the switch 311 is monientanéirient operated and then released, the separator mechanism performs only one complete work cycle. On the contrary, if this switch is kept closed, the separator will carry out several work cycles without interruption. Due to the presence of the single-turn clutch 187, the separator will always stop at the end of a complete work cycle and, therefore, maintain its temporal relationship with the printing mechanism 10. The operator may wish to stop the printing mechanism while he is working on the sheet separator and, for this purpose, the latter is provided with a third switch 323 which is connected in series with the switch. 251 of the detector mechanisms, using wires 324 and 325. Switch 323 is. normally open, so its. closure will have. the same effect as that of the switch 251 which, as we have seen, actuates the automatic clutch to stop the printing mechanism and cause the cessation of the supply of sheets by the separator 12 to the sheet feeder. sheets 14.

<I>sheet feeder.</I>

The sheet separator <B>12</B> feeds the sheets to the sheet feeder 14 above the plane of the bridge 59 and a little to the left of the left leg frame 57. the separated sheets to the right and feeds them into an adjustable sheet guide 326 (Fig. 7) extending entirely across the deck, from left to right. A guide 326 is associated with a feed device comprising one or more endless belts<B>327</B> and a support device 328 holding each sheet in contact. friction with at least one of said bands. It follows that when a sheet has been introduced into the sheet guide between the holding device 328 and -one or more of the strips 327, this sheet is driven to the right across the table top at a speed which depends on the drive speed of the endless bands 327.

A device is provided to interrupt this movement of the sheet when it reaches. there. print location. As shown in the accompanying drawing, this device comprises a stop mechanism 328 which receives a lowering movement to come to a working position on the path of the advancing sheet at a suitable time, said machine cycle. After the printing operation has been performed, the stopper 328 is returned or raised, so that the sheet is again pulled to the right by the endless belt(s) 327. When the sheet is reached the end chi upper strand of said strips, it is deposited in a receiving hopper 329 (Fig. 1) mounted on the frame of the sheet feeder, just to the right of the. right leg structure 58.

During the drive of a pro sheet from the separator 7.2 along the sheet guide 326 up. the printing position, the printing face of this sheet is turned down and its normal upper edge is arranged along the rear edge of the sheet guide 326, the edge (it is normally the left edge of the sheet being then the leading edge of that sheet, it follows that the location of the print across the sheet is determined by the position of the stop member 328 along the sheet guide. 326 and that said transverse location can be changed by varying the position of stop member 328 along sheet guide 326.

The location of the print in the vertical direction of the sheet is. determined by the position of the guide 326 relative to the leading edge of the printing mechanism. As a result, placing the sheet feeder 14 in the position shown in fie. 2 and adjusting the. position of the sheet guide on the frame of the sheet feeder, as represented in this figure, a particular location of the print will be obtained in the vertical direction of the sheet and, in the case where the operator would like to modify this location, he would obtain. this result. by slightly shifting the frame of the sheet feeder forward in relation to the frame of the printing mechanism. The same result could of course be obtained by a different assembly called sheet guide 326 and related mechanisms. and by a similar modification of the position of the sheet separator on the support bar 212.

As the sheets to be furnished may vary considerably in shape and size, the bridge 59 has been so arranged that it is open or perforated over nearly its entire surface, which permits a portion for thus (read any of the underside of a sheet to be pressed down to the position of cooperation with the plate located at the printing position in the printing mechanism.

1.e bridge 59 is, composed of two bars, one forward. 330, the other rear 33l, (lai suzit spaced the itiie of the other of inani #re to be placed along the bridge and to constitti.er lcs front and rear edges of said bridge. Coiriiae represented in figs. 7_ to 7 and 23, the front 30 and rear 331 bars are extended above and beyond the left 57 and right 58 leg structures to facilitate mounting of other components forming part of I</B> the automatic sheet feeder.

The 57 foot structure is. composed of two spaced legs 57 interconnected, near their lower ends, by a suitable Lra- verse. The upper ends of these feet are arranged between the flanges 332 and 333 of a sheet metal bar 334 having. t#n section the shape of an inverted U and are !-'ulonnes to said wings. Bars 330 and 331 extend. across the closed top end or base of the <B>U</B> bar 334 and are welded or otherwise attached thereto.

Leg structure 58 is similarly composed of a pair of spaced apart legs 5S which are interconnected near their ends. lower mites by a crosspiece not shown. At their upper ends, the two legs are fixed to the wings, directed downwards, of a piece of sheet metal 335 having in section the shape of an inverted<B>U</B>, similar to that (the U-shaped piece 334, said legs being disposed between said flanges The bars 330 and 331 extend across and beyond the upper closed end or base of the U-shaped bar <B>331</B> B>U</B> 335 and are welded or otherwise attached to said bar.

ha foot structure 58 is braced relative to the bridge 59 by bracing and mounting plates 336. One of these plates 336 abuts against the front edge of the projecting end of the. front bar<B>330</B> just to the right of the leg frame 58 and is attached to this deck by screws 337. The other plate 336 is similarly connected to the back bar 331. The left edge of each (The plates 336 is fixed on the right face (In adjacent foot. 58.

The two plates 336 are connected together by a series of mounting rods which are used to support some of the supplier's elements (the sheets, for example the sheet receiving hopper 3Z9.

The hopper 329 can assume any desired shape. It will suffice to read that said hopper 329 is intended to receive the sheets as they are discharged from the printing mechanism by the key advancer 1- .1.

The two plates 336 constitute a positive assembly device intended for the tensioning and guiding means of the endless bands at their right-hand end. r1 this. Indeed, a tension roller 338 and a guide roller 339 are arranged between these two plates 336, the tops of the two rollers being located a short distance above the upper surface of the. upturned <B>U</B> piece 335. The arrangement is such that the lower side of each of the strips <B>327</B> extends to the right above the top of the guide roller 339 and then curves downward forming a loop around the tension roller 338, so that the upper strand of the strip returns to the left above that of the portions of the lower strand which pass over the guide roller 339 This rotates in the plates 336, so as to rotate around a fixed axis. The tension roller 338 is journalled in bearings 340 which slide in horizontal slots made in the respective mounting plates 336. >32-d.</B>

their other end. or left end, the endless bands 327 are arranged similarly. Two rollers 342 and 343 are mounted in a pair of spaced plates 344 which interconnect bridge bars 3:30 and 331 together with adjacent legs 57. Thus, as shown in FIG. 5, each plate 344 is applied against the outer side surface of that of the bars of the bridge. 5 9 which is adjacent to it and extends a suitable distance above and below said bars. The downwardly extending portion is located to the left of the adjacent leg structure 57 and the right edge of each of the plates has an interior bend 345 (Fig. 5) which is attached to the face of the leg. adjacent 57.

As shown in fig. q, the right roller 343 constitutes a guide roller over which pass both the upper side and the lower side of each strip, and the left end of each strip embraces the left side roller 312. The central shafts of the two rollers 342 and 313 suitably pivot in fixed bearings 316 carried by the downwardly extending portions of the plates 3-14-. As seen in Figs. 2, 3, q and 7, the right end of the shaft 3q7 of the roller 342 carries a drive pinion 3-18 fixed to said shaft. The @ roller 342 thus constitutes the drive roller of the endless belt system<B>327.</B>

The roller 312 and the strips 327 are dragged continuously during the periods of use of the automatic sheet feeder 11. For this purpose, the pinion 348 occupies a position such that when the separator 12 occupies its working position (fig. 3 ), said pinion meshes with the previously described toothed wheel 297 carried by the. frame plate 80 of the sheet separator. The construction is such that the <B>297</B> wheel can easily engage the 34-8 pinion once the sheet separator is rotated about its hinge joint 65 until the position where. it cooperates with the sheet feeder 14 or, on the contrary, disengages from said pinion each time said separator is pivoted away from the sheet feeder. Thus, whenever the separator is. in the working position and the motor 128 of the sheet feeder is energized, this motor communicates to the drive roller 3q2 a continuous rotation in its direction such that the upper side of each -the bands 327 moves continuously left to right along the bridge. 59 of the sheet feeder 1-1, so that a control device or continuous drive is obtained which exerts a friction action on the underside of a sheet 61 to move it to the right along sheet guide 326.

As previously stated, the sheet feeder 14 intended to be ranidemeiit and easily either. brought to her. working position relative to the printing mechanism. is moved away from this position, and cooperating devices are provided on the advancer 14 and on the printing mechanism 10, to maintain the advancer in any de- position. sired with respect to the mechanism. These means are such that the advancer can be quickly and easily either released in order to be removed from its working position with respect to the printing mechanism, or brought back to a previously established relative position.

As shown in Figs. 1, 18s and 19, the printer mechanism 10 comprises two guide and support rails or paths 349 which are fixed to. its opposite end panels. To allow adjustment of the position of the rails 319 with respect to the table top 18, each of these rails is supported by two eccentrics 350 (fig. 18), which are spaced from each other in the longitudinal direction and which cross openings made in said rail and in the adjacent end panel of the printer mechanism and are locked in the adjusted position by nuts (not shown) screwed onto their inner ends. The openings in the rail in which the eccentrics 350 are arranged have the form of slots 351, in order to allow the eccentrics to be adjusted in position independently, in order to ensure the leveling of the flange of the rail 319 By suitable adjustment of the eccentrics, the rails 3-19 can be arranged parallel to the table top 18 and at a predetermined distance below said top. The foot structures of the feeder frame are provided with members intended to cooperate with the rails 349 to allow the sheet feeder to be placed in a relative working position. to the printing mechanism. Thus, a horizontal mounting bar 352 is attached to the flange 332 of the leg structure 57. Near its opposite ends, the bar 352 is provided with rollers 353 which are spaced one (the the other a considerable distance from the front to the rear of the supplier's frame A similar mounting bar and similar rollers 353 are provided on the other leg structure 58 to cooperate with the rail 3- 19 provided at the right end of the printing mechanism.

When it comes to bringing the sheet feeder 11 to the working position relative to the printing mechanism, the sheet feeder is rolled on the floor using its wheels 60 up to a position located just in front of the mechanism. The sheet feeder is then rolled to the next rear. a path parallel to the rails 3-19 until the rear track roller at each end of the advancer engages the front end of the adjacent rails 319. The aforementioned vertical adjustment of the rails 319 and the position given to the rollers 353 in a vertical direction are such that it is then necessary to raise the frame of the advancer slightly above its normal position in order to place the rollers on the rails. this elevation can be very low, since its role is only to relieve the feet 57 and 58 of their load and to ensure a precise mutual connection between the sheet advancer 11 and the first initiator mechanism 10 in a vertical direction The rearward movement of the advancer 14 is continued until the front rollers 373 have been placed on the rails 349, the sheet feeder then being able to be moved along the rails until that the desired relationship between the sheet guide 326 and the print position has. been established. The relationship between the sheet guide 326 and the printing mechanism is maintained by a locking device constructed to allow easy connection between the feeder and the printing mechanism. This device comprises (fig. 1.8 and <B>19)</B> a pair of blocks 354 reguably attached to the respective rails 319 by means of a locking screw 355. Each mounting block carries a latch 356 which pivots on it at 357 and which has a notch 358 intended, during the downward movement of the latch, to embrace (or hook onto) the adja cent roller 353. This hooking relationship can be maintained by a locking screw 359 which can be screwed through latch 356 until its tapered end 360 enters a locking opening in block 351.

When the desired relationship has been established between the supplier and the printing mechanism, the mounting blocks 351 are fixed on the rails 319 in positions such that they can engage, in the manner described above, with the adjacent rollers 353, and when the sheet feeder receives uni. movement which moves it away from its working position, these blocks remain in the adjusted position. The operator can therefore quickly and easily return the sheet feeder to the working position thus established.

The sheet separator is secured in its set position in the cross-machine direction by its previously described support bar 212, which connects the side of the separator to the swivel joint 65 provided between it and the printing mechanism and by a latch 361 which locks the front of the separator to the sheet feeder.

The latch 361 can have various shapes, one of which is shown in FIGS. 3 and 5. As shown in these figures, this latch comprises a cotter pin 362 which is fixed to the front frame plate 80 of the separator 12 and which extends outwardly from this plate, said pin ce- operating with a guide plate 363 and with a latch 367 carried by the front frame member 311 of the sheet advancer 11. The guide plate 363 is fixed to the frame member 311 by rivets 365 and has a slot 366 which, when the splitter pi votes towards and up to its working position, engages the pin 362, which effects the positioning of the two mechanisms in relation to one another. to the other.

Latch 367 is hinged to plate 363 at<B>368</B> and its crooked end 369 (Fig. 5) engages the groove of pin 362 and secures the parts together. This locking mechanism is accessible to the operator after the latter has opened one of the doors 67 of the safe 66 containing the separator.

4lécanisnte <I>to.</I> multiple draw.

The machine mechanisms shown have been drawn up with a view to various kinds of printing work to. multiple draw. Thus, this machine can be used to establish on a sheet a series of impressions taken from each plate. For this kind of work, use is usually made of a relatively long sheet. It goes without saying that, during the printing of the various impressions on each sheet, the plate relating to this sheet is kept stationary at the printing position. This action can be carried out, in the printing mechanism shown 10, by adjusting and positioning the multiple draw mechanism which is controlled by the operating button 45.

For adjusting the sheet separator for multiple printing, as previously described, the main elements are unchanged. Apart from the usual settings used to compensate for format differences. and thickness of sheet and those provided to adjust the position of the mechanisms so as to determine the location of the impressions on the sheet, the only modification necessary consists in adjusting the speed change gear 231.

To make this adjustment of the speed change mechanism 231, the operator, having released the latch 361 provided between the separator 12 and the advancer 11, pivots the separator around the 6:5 swivel joint which connects it to the printing mechanism. - 10, thus exposing the key gear chan-enuent speed 231 as shown in fi@g. -1. This gear (fi@@. 4- and 11) comprises four toothed wheels 371,<B>3721, 373</B> and. 3-14 who are. fixed, in pairs, to the shaft 233 of the separator by pins 375. These toothed wheels cooperate selectively. with respective toothed wheels 376, 377, 378 and 379 keyed en bloc on the shaft 230 which, as we have seen, performs a complete revolution for each printing cycle of the printing mechanism and in a determined key time ratio with said mechanism.

The normal position of mechanism 23-I is shown at. fig. 11, where we see that the wheel 371 meshes with the corresponding wheel 376. In this position, the disc 239 (fig. 3, 6 and 11) which, as previously explained, re-it the operation of the nozzle 72, performs one revolution for each revolution of the single-turn clutch 187 of the printing mechanism 10. It follows that a sheet is separated from the stack 61 and brought to the printing position for each working eyele of the device to. pressure roller.

When it is desired to make two impressions on each sheet, the multiple-toothed member 380 which carries the toothed wheels <B>316,</B> 377, <B>378</B> and 379 is moved according to the shaft axis `?30 up. what the <B>377</B> gear meshes with the 372 gear. The relationship between these gears is. such that these cause the disc 239 to rotate half a turn for each complete turn of the shaft 230 and of the clutch <B>187.</B> It follows (read the separator of sheets is actuated each time the pressure roller has made two impressions. disk 239 performs Lin revolution for three revolutions of the shaft 230 and, consequently, a sheet separates (the pile every three working cycles of the printing mechanism. When the toothed wheels 37-I and<B>379</ B> are mutually urged, a sheet separates from the stack 61 and is brought to the printing position every four working cycles of the printing mechanism. to use the machine to make one, two, three or four impressions on each sheet as desired.

When the multi-toothed member has been brought to the desired position, it can be locked in this position by means of an adjusting bolt 381 and the sheet separator can then be pivoted around its joint. pivot 65 as far as its feeding or working position (FIG. 3), the latch 361 then being able to be put back in place to fix said separator in this working position.

The cam 279 which governs the operation of the detector mechanism rotates together with the disc 23S). During quadruple print runs, this cam 279 rotates at a speed which is one quarter of that at which it rotates when single prints are made. Therefore, the nozzle 72 is seen to move more slowly during multiple draws than during single draw draws. This has the effect. to bring a sheet to the entrance of rollers 138 and 139 at a time. of the work cycle which, when multiple prints are to be made, takes place later than in the case of single prints. The sheet feeder all operate at the same speed, regardless of the number of impressions to be made, since they are actuated by the independent motor 128, as previously explained. endlessly at a speed sufficient to ensure that the sheet arrives at the printing position before the pressure roller begins to make its first impression on said sheet, whether or not a slight delay has been caused by a slows down sucker 72 in the manner previously explained.

An adjustment is provided so that the detector roller 272 which detects the presence or absence of a sheet can be lowered at the desired moment to compensate for the variations which occur in the speed of movement of the squeegee 72. For this purpose , the cam follower 280 is carried by an arm 382 which has a slot 383 through which pass freely two screws 384 screwing into suitable tapped holes of the lever 281. The effective length of the lever can. thus be settled. When the lever is shortened, the hollow 288 of the cam 279 cooperates with the roller 280 at a delayed instant of the cycle (the work of the mechanism, which compensates for the slowing down of the squeegee when it comes to making multiple draws For convenience, arm 382 is provided with a mark or reference 385 which cooperates with any of a series of similar marks provided on lever 281 and provided with designations indicating the corresponding setting. number of desired impressions.

During multiple prints, the end position of the sheet is determined by a control device which is a multiple stop mechanism controlled by the separator 12.

The multiple stop mechanism shown includes a series of stop fingers. 328 which protrude rearwardly above the sheet guide 326. These fingers, shown clearly in fi-. 2 and 23, are mounted on a support shaft 386 which is. parallel to the front bar 330 of the sheet feeder 12 and. which is located above this bar. This bar is journalled in spaced apart and upwardly extending support brackets 387. the rod 388 of its support frame 389 by loosening a locking screw 390. At its other end, each of the support frames 389 is forked, so as to constitute two spaced arms 391 and 392 which are pierced with aligned holes capable of forming net cushions intended to support the assembly shaft <B>o86.</B> Between the two arms 391 and 392 is a collar 393 which surrounds the shaft 386 and which can. be fixed in any desired position of the shaft by a locking screw 394, in order to facilitate adjustment of the position of the stop pin in the longitudinal direction of the separator.

At their outer or rear ends, the rods 388 are provided with pendant stop plates 395, fixed to said rods (see also fi-. 25). When the rear end of the. rod 388 is enabled to move downward, its stop plate 395 comes into the way. said leading edge of a sheet advancing along chi sheet guide 326. After a sheet a. been stopped by a stop plate 395 and the desired impression has. been performed on this sheet, the stopper finger receives a pivoting movement of the shaft 386, so as to lift the stop plate and allow a new forward movement of the. sheet. When the sheets fed through the machine are relatively thin so that they tend to stick to the stopper plate. 395 at the moment. where this plate rises, a retaining plate 396 can be placed just to the left of the stop fingers 328. As seen in FIG. 25, each of the retainer plates 396 curves upward. at its left edge, as indicated at 397. It is supported by a mounting block 398 intended to be secured by a set screw 399 to the upwardly extending flange of the sheet guide angle 326. In the present example, the first of the stop fingers 328 (the one on the left) is not provided with a retaining plate 396 because the sheet portion immediately adjacent (to the left) of this finger is protected against appreciable lifting movements by the pressure roller.

The various stop fingers 328 are actuated in a suitable time ratio by a cam mechanism which is actuated by the sheet separator and which acts to lower and then raise the various fingers in succession from left to the right, so as to stop the sheet successively. at a series of different positions where iDi- pressures can be made upon said sheet each time it is stopped. This control of the various stop fingers is obtained by a set of cams which is mounted in the support brackets 387, in such a way that said set can easily be removed and replaced when the machine has to be adapted quickly (form it a different number of prints on each sheet The assembly shown is intended for use when four successive prints are to be made on each sheet and includes a -100 camshaft, which is parallel to the key shaft assembly 386 and which is positioned in front thereof above the forwardly extending arms 391 of the various stop fingers 328.

The camshaft 100 is provided with a series of cams 101, one cam for each of the stop fingers which must be brought into action, and these cams can be identical and are. placed in fixed positions, but angularly offset on the camshaft, thanks to. a locking screw 402, so as to ensure the control (the stop fingers in the desired order.

Each of the arms 391 carries a pin 403 which projects laterally from it, so that it is placed below the perimeter of the. adjacent cam -101 and that it comes into contact, under the <I>Cie</I> action of gravity, with this cam. The arrangement is such that when one of the cam pins -103 engages in a cam recess q0-1, the corresponding stop pin. falls to its lower, or working, position. When the impression is completed, the rotational movement of the. cam causes the raising of the corresponding stop finger 328, and allows the sheet, which has been stopped by this finger, to continue its advancement movement beyond said finger.

The arrangement is such that when the first stop finger (left finger) rises to release a sheet after the first print has. been performed on it, the second finger 328 occupies its working position, so that the sheet advances, up to the top where its leading edge strikes the second must stop. This sequence of actions continues until the last stop finger (right finger) has been raised to release the sheet for its discharge movement, the first stop finger 328 (left finger) lowering at the same time, to ensure proper positioning of the next sheet introduced into the sheet guide.

The .100 camshaft is actuated by the leaf splitter. As seen in Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 1-1, that of the ends of the shaft Z33 of the sheet separator which is forward projects outwardly from the frame plate 80 and carries an angle wheel - 105 (or helical gear) and knob 406. Angle wheel 405 meshes with another angle wheel 407 (or helical gear) attached to a vertical shaft -108 which is journalled in bearings carried by the side plate 344 of the sheet feeder 14. The arrangement of these toothed wheels is such that the wheel 105, carried by the separator 12, is, during the pivoting of the said separator, being brought into engagement with the wheel 407, carried by the advancer 1-E, is disengaged from the latter each time the separator 12 performs around its pivot 65 a movement which brings it to the position of cooperation with the key advancer sheets 1-1 or who takes him away from it. Button 406 is used to manually energize the gear to facilitate re-engagement of the two wheels in the event that the small degree of play existing in the various gears of either mechanism tends to make re-engagement difficult.

Attached to the upper end of shaft 108 is an angle wheel 410 meshing with an angle wheel 411 attached thereto. a hori zontal shaft 412 and passing through an opening 413 of the frame plate 311 of the sheet feeder. The shaft 412 is mounted, at one of its ends, in a bearing 414 fixed to the plate 34-1, and said shaft is also supported by other bearings 415 fixed to. the front bar 330 of the sheet feeder 1-1. This shaft 412 is arranged along the same axis as the camshaft -100 to which it is coupled by a detachable coupling 416.

The construction of the angle or helical gears 105, 107, 410 and -111 is such that when the change mechanism. speed 231 occupies the position shown in. fio. 1-1, the camshaft 400 completes one revolution for each revolution of the control clutch 187.

However, when mechanism<B>23-1.</B> has been set for quadruple pulls (wheel 374, then meshing with wheel 379), the shaft at. cams makes one revolution every four working cycles of the clutch 187. It follows that this shaft always makes a complete revolution for each of the sheets which has been separated by the sheet separator 12 and brought to the position printing by the advance-firing of sheets 14.

It emerges from the preceding description that the machine represented comprises an automatic sheet feed mechanism which comprises a sheet separator and a sheet feeder intended for automatic operations, that it allows the interruption of such automatic operation for short-term manual key operations and that it allows automatic feeding operation to be reestablished without the need to change the setting of the various adjustable elements of the mechanisms feed. The machine shown includes a drive, mechanical and timing link between the sheet separator and the printing mechanism. This connection is established in such a way that the sheet separator can be pivoted from the position where it cooperates with the sheet feeder and brought back to its starting position. without destroying said control and adjustment link over time. This pivoting movement makes the sheet separator easy to return. accessible for the rapid removal of unwanted or jammed sheets, besides allowing the sheet feeder to be removed without disturbing the time-related adjustments of the other mechanisms. This is an important feature, because it is sometimes necessary to remove certain portions of the table top from the printing mechanism, such as that below the pressure roller device. In the machine shown, the table top of the printing mechanism is accessible without it being necessary to remove the control and time adjustment links which exist between the sheet separator and the printing mechanism. This machine also lends itself to performing multiple pulls at relatively high speeds. high.

Claims (1)

CLAIM: Printing machine of the kind comprising a sheet separator mechanism, a sheet advancer mechanism and a printing mechanism, characterized in that each of these mechanisms is supported independently and movable relative to the other two, the separator mechanism comprising means for removing the sheets one by one from a stack and for supplying them to the advancing mechanism, which comprises means for receiving the sheets from the separator mechanism and advancing them towards the printing position , the advancing mechanism being able to be separated as a whole, both from the printing mechanism and from the separating mechanism, which is pivotally assembled with the printing mechanism so as to be able to be brought, by a pivoting movement, to a position of working relative to the latter and to be able to be moved away from this position, a control mechanism serving to actuate the separator mechanism from the printing mechanism when the two mechanisms are in their working positions, and -a drive connection being provided between the separator and advancer mechanisms. SOL S-CLAIM S 1. Machine according to claim, charac terized in that the printer mechanism occupies a determined horizontal position of im pressure and comprises. motor-operated means for effecting printing on sheets placed in this position, the motor connection provided between the separator and printer mechanisms coupling the motor-operated means for actuating the separator mechanism in synchronism with the printer mechanism and to maintain the driving connection, whatever the position of the separator around its pivot, so that the separator mechanism can be actuated both in its working position and in its inactive position with respect to the printer mechanism . 2. Machine according to sub-claim 1, characterized by the fact that the separating mechanism comprises a motor serving to actuate a feeder which feeds the separated sheets, one at a time, at a high speed, an advancer, and by the fact that a separable drive connection is provided between the advancer mechanism and this motor. 3. Machine according to soris-revendieation 1, characterized by the fact. that the sheet advance mechanism is set in an adjustable position relative. to the printing mechanism, so as to determine the position of the sheets in a certain direction with respect to the printing position, and by the fact that the sheet separator is adjustably connected to its pivoting assembly. in view of evening alignment. with the sheet feeder. 4. Machine according to sub-revencjication 3, characterized in that the sheet feeder mechanism is provided with a stop for. determining the position of the sheets in a second relative direction. to the printing mechanism. 5. Machine according to sub-claim 1, characterized in that the printing mechanism comprises a table top having a printing position to which a series of plates are brought one at a time and a printing means serving to effecting on a sheet a print taken from said block at the moment when the sheet and the block occupy the printing position, and by the fact that a motor-driven mechanism is provided for actuating the printing mechanism, as well as a motor link between the motor-operated mechanism and the sheet separator to actuate the latter in synchronism with the printing mechanism, a mechanical link being provided to allow the separator mechanism to be actuated, whatever the po position it occupies with respect to its pivot. 6. Machine according to sub-claim 1, characterized in that the printing mechanism is provided with a frame rising from a floor and comprising a table top having a printing position Ît which a series of negatives are fed one by one, a printing means being mounted on the said frame to effect on a sheet an impression taken from a negative when the sheet and the negative are at the said printing position, due to the advancer of sheets comprises a frame provided with feet (the support at its opposite ends and a structure in faith-nie bridge. intended to extend across the table top, the feet of said advancer descending opposite and at the 7. Machine according to sub-claim 6, characterized by the fact that adjustable means carried by the separator serve to separate sheets from a stack of sheets and to. present them one by one to the sheet advance mechanism, the latter comprising. an adjustable mechanism for feeding the sheets thus presented. 8. -Machine according to claim, charac terized in that the advancer mechanism comprises a frame open at its upper part, the separator mechanism being mounted on a supported frame, the frame of the advancer being. provided with adjustable means for guiding the sheets and with adjustable means for stopping the sheets, separable coupling devices carried by said frames allowing. to fix in position the frame of the avan.eeur and the adjustable means that it carries, and to release them, so as to allow them to deviate from a predetermined relative position with respect to the frames of the printer and separator mechanisms, independently of the relative adjustment position of said adjustment means and without modifying said position. 9. -Machine according to claim, charac terized in that the printing mechanism has a pressure roller intended to perform printing in a determined printing position from a printing device, said mechanism carrying a command by motor serving to actuate said roller, the pivoting connection provided between the printing mechanism and the separator comprising a vertical pivot shaft around the axis of which a bevel pinion can rotate, a second bevel control pinion carried by the printing mechanism and capable of driving the first pinion, means controlled by the operation of the roller and driven by the motor drive, so as to drive the second pinion, a third bevel pinion carried by the separator and cooperating with the pre first bevel pinion mounted on the pivot shaft, a shaft journaling in the separating mechanism, so as to be able to slide axially with respect to it and on which is: fixed said third bevel pinion, and means actuated by the gear consisting of these sprockets to cause the separator to separate sheets from a stack. 10. Machine according to sub-claim 9, characterized in that said means actuated by the control gear in order to actuate the separator comprise a series of pinions carried by said separator and constituting Lin gear change of speed, support. disposed between the pivoting connection and the separator and connected to slide, with the latter, and a means for fixing said. separator in its adjustment position on said. support. 11. Machine according to sub-claim 10, characterized in that the gear. change of speed is arranged to be brought at will either into a position for which it causes the operation of the separator in order to bring a sheet to the advancing device for each actuation of the said roller, or to bring a sheet to the advancer device after a predetermined number of actuations of the roller. 1`3. Machine according to claim, characterized in that the printer mechanism comprises means for printing a sheet in the printing position for each operating cycle of the printer, and that the advancing mechanism can be adjusted either to bring a sheet in the printing position during each cycle, or to bring a portion of the sheet into the printing position during each of these cycles, then to continue to advance it during the following cycle to bring another portion of the said sheet in the printing position, the control link between the separator and printer mechanisms comprising an adjustable speed change mechanism for either actuating the separator to present a sheet to the advancing device once per cycle, or to operate the separator at reduced speed to present a sheet after several cycles of operation of the printer. 13. Machine according to claim, charac terized in that the printer mechanism comprises a motor control intended to print a sheet in the unpressurized position for each operating cycle of the printer and that the feeder mechanism advance a sheet into the printing position during each of these cycles, then continue to advance it during a predetermined number of successive cycles to bring successive portions of said sheet into the printing position during these successive cycles, the control link between the printer and separator mechanisms comprising an adjustable speed change mechanism in order to actuate the separator mechanism either at a given speed to advance a sheet at each cycle, or at a slower speed to feed a sheet once for a predetermined number of printing mechanism cycles. 14. Machine according to sub-revendieation 13, characterized in that the adjustable speed change mechanism comprises means for actuating the separating mechanism. a given speed including the ratio to the operating speed. of the mechanic,,;#ue printer is. in inverse proportion to that of the predetermined number of cycles to a single cycle. 15. Machine according to claim, charac terized in that the separating mechanism comprises a nozzle which can approach and move away from the top of the stack of sheets, so as to present to the advancing mechanism the sheet located above da pile, means applying intermittently a suction to said nozzle, the control link between the mechanisms iiiiprimeur and separator conipren uut a transmission of power at variable speed and adjustable and being. connected so as to either actuate said nozzle and. bringing it closer to and moving it away from the stack at a predetermined speed once per operating cycle of the printing mechanism, ie after 1111 a pre-determined number of these cycles and at a speed less than said predetermined speed. 16. Machine according to penny claim 15, characterized in that. that the advancer mechanism comprises an independent motor-operated means for. receive the sheet from the separator mechanism and to. advance it to the printing mechanism at high speed. 17. Machine according to claim, characterized in that the control link between the printer and separator mechanisms comprises a variable speed power transmission which can be adjusted by hand.