GB2120979A - Apparatus for printing variable indicia - Google Patents

Abstract

Apparatus for printing variable indicia upon a continuous paper web 26 comprises a sprocket drive 30 to advance the web intermittently through a printing station, including a numbering machine 66. An ink ribbon 27 is constrained to follow a path extending through the printing station, and an endless belt 76 carries a plurality of pressure carriages 67 through the printing station, transverse to the paper web path. Each carriage has a pressure ring adapted to bear on the characters of the numbering machine, through the paper web and ink ribbon, so as to print the characters on the web. A single motor is provided to drive the belt 76 continuously, and intermittently to drive the paper web with a draw-dwell motion, each carriage motion being timed so as to traverse the paper during paper dwell periods. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus for printing variable indicia The present invention relates to printer apparatus, suitable for the printing of sequentially indexed indicia on a paper web comprising for instance pre-printed documents.

In the printing of sequentially numbered or otherwise spcifically identified and arranged documents such as commercial cheques forms, money orders and the like, the individual documents are frequently pre-printed with the non-variable information and indicia arranged thereon, ready for the subsequent printing of the sequential numerical or alphanumerical indicia. Such printed documents are available commercially in web form, having marginal sprocket holes to facilitate the handling of the web.

The variable data is printed using a so-called numbering machine having a plurality of individual wheels which may selectively be advanced each wheel having characters (which may be a sequence of alpha-characters, numeric characters or other characters) formed therearound.

A known printer apparatus for the numbering of pre-printed documents in web form and using a numbering machine has the numbering machine mounted on a press platen which is reciprocated on to another platen over which the paper web extends, each time printing is to be effected. Such an apparatus is relatively slow and noisy in operation, prone to wear leading to inaccurate printing, and difficult to adjust for different document sizes, types of print and so on. It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved printer apparatus for the numbering orthe like of documents in web form, which at ieast reduces some of the justmentioned disadvantages of the known apparatus.

According to this invention, there is provided apparatus for printing indicia upon a continuous paper web and comprising frame means defining a web path for the paper web which path extends through a printing station, a numbering machine located at the printing station and arranged to present characters formed on numbering wheels which may selectively be indexed, a carriage having a rotatable pressure wheel mounted to traverse the printing station with the pressure wheel bearing on the presented characters of the numbering wheels of the numbering machine, endless belt means being arranged to effect the traversing motion of the carriage, and power drive means arranged to effect intermittent movement of a paper web along the web path and to drive the endless belt means to cause the carriage to traverse the printing station when the web is stationary.

It will be appreciated that the term "numbering machine" is used herein to refer to a machine adapted to permit the printing of variable data of any kind on a document, such as data comprising alpha-characters or other indicia as well as strict numeric characters.

Most preferably, the endless belt means is driven continuously in one direction, and the movement of the paper web is timed to the movement of the carriage so that the paper web is advanced during such intervals as the carriage is clear of the presented characters. Thus, the carriage should traverse the printing station during a 'dwell' portion of the paper web movement. A plurality of similar carriages may removably be mounted in spaced apart dispositions on the endless belt, to permit an increase in the printing speed.

An ink impregnated transfer ribbon may be used to imprint the numbering machine characters on to the paper, in which case means defining a ribbon path for the ribbon should be provided, which path extends through the printing section to lie between the presented characters of the numbering machine and the paper web path, means being provided to effect intermittent advancement of an inked ribbon along the ribbon path.

It is most advantageous for there to be a drive arrangement for the pressure wheel of the carriage such that the pressure wheel rotates with a peripheral speed equal to the linear speed of the carriage as the carriage traverses the printing station. This greatly assists in reducing blurring or smudging of the printed characters on the paper web, whilst still allowing the advantages obtained by having a serial line contact advancing across the numbering machine characters. A suitable design for such a carriage is described and claimed in my co-pending Application No. 83/4072 (Serial No. ) and entitled "MECHANICAL PRINTER APPARATUS".

The apparatus should have suitable means for retaining a supply of the paper web which normally will be in a fan-fold configuration, along with means for receiving the completed web. Similarly, the arraratus may include supply and take-up reels for an inked ribbon, appropriately driven.

Several printing stations may be disposed along the web path, each of which will include a numbering machine with an array of numbering wheels, as well as an endless belt and carriage assembly, with typically up to four carriages mounted on each belt.

A single electric motor with a continuous output may drive the apparatus to enhance the simplicity thereof. A first drive train from the motor may provide the intermittent motion, in the form of draw-and-dwell cycles, for the paper web, a second drive train providing the continuous motion to the or each belt carrying one or more pressure carriages.

By way of example only, on specific embodiment of this invention will now be described in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front-elevational view, partially cut away, iliustrating the embodiment of printing apparatus of the present invention; Figure 2 is a top plan view of the printing apparatus of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a partial left side view of the printing apparatus, taken along the line and in the direction ofthe arrows 3-3 marked on Figure 1; Figure 4 is a right side view of the apparatus and also showing the control panel portion thereof, taken along the line and in the direction of the arrows 4-4 marked on Figure 1; Figure 5 is a detail top plan view, on an enlarged scale, of the skate assembly or pressure carriage, taken along the line and in the direction of the arrows 5-5 marked on Figure 4;; Figure 6 is an elevational view of the carriage; Figure 7 is an end elevational view of the carriage, taken along the line and in the direction of the arrows 7-7 marked on Figure 6; and Figure 8 is a sectional view of the carriage taken along the line and in the direction of the arrows 8-8 marked on Figure 7.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the printing apparatus generally designated 10 includes a frame having columns 11 and 12, and an upper cross member 13. The frame further includes mounting brackets 15 and 16 for supporting a motor 17 and an angle gear box 18 respectively, Also mounted on the frame is intermittent drive unit 20, as illustrated in Figure 3. The frame further includes support arms 21 and 22 (Figure 2), which are adapted to support and retain an ink ribbon supply reel and ink ribbon take-up reel.

In Figure 3, the ink ribbon web path is illustrated in detail but is shown generally at 27, and part of the web path for a continuous paper web is illustrated generally at 26. The ink ribbon may be in the form of a carbon transfer ribbon, ink impregnated ribbon or magnetic ink transfer ribbon, all of which are, of course, commercially available.

The paper drive portion of the apparatus is shown generally at 30, and includes the intermittent drive unit 20 (for instance in the form of a cam box having an input pulley 31 driven from the motor 17, the drive unit 20 having an output pulley 32 which drives pulley 37 through belt 35 for advancing a "tractor" paper drive. This tractor paper drive includes a pair of endless belts 38, each of which carries projecting pins or teeth 39 adapted to engage pre-punched holes in the continuous paper web, such as an accordian-folded or fan-folded document web travelling along the web path 26.

The ink ribbon system shown generally at 40 (Figure 3) includes a ribbon supply reel 41 and a ribbon take-up wheel 42. A ribbon drag arm 43 in the form of a weighted paddle is employed to avoid free-wheeling or overruning of the supply roll 41, the drag arm 43 being pivotally secured to a shaft 44, which also supports the take-up roll 42. Supply roll 41 is supported on a shaft 45, which for ease of reloading is held within a pair of spaced-apart yokes 46. The ribbon path is controlled by the disposition of a number of guide elements including idler roller 48, guide rod 49, idler roller 50, guide member 51 and ultimately idler roller 52.In operation, the ribbon follows the illustrated path with the ribbon take-up reel being driven intermittently through a Torrington type clutch by arm 53 which is oscillated by a camming motion imparted by a belt assembly, not shown.

Previously-printed paper to be treated by the apparatus is supplied either from a roll or a fanfolded stack, as shown schematically at 60. Also, to provide a collection point for the finished work, a take-up roll, or a receiving pad or box, may be conveniently provided toward or along the back side of the frame, as at 62. It will be appreciated, of course, that the terms "supply" and "take-up" for the pre-printed and finished work are used in a generic sense with either rolls or horizontal tables or platens or a floor surface being provided to retain the supply portion and the finished portion of the paper web.

The motor 17 also drives angle gearbox 18 through belt 70 and pulley 71, the output shaft 73 of the gearbox 18 carrying a pulley 72 driving a pulley 75 through belt 74. A pressure carriage endless belt 76 passes around a pair of pulleys disposed one on each side of the frame, the belt 76 having a plurality of pressure carriages 67 attached thereto, and one of the pulleys for belt 76 being driven by pulley 75.

In the apparatus, the pre-printed paper web travels along the path generally designated 26, passing adjacent a spring-biased guide arm 65, to the printing point disposed intermediate a numbering machine 66 and the path followed by the pressure rollers of the carriages 67. The frame further includes a magnetic steel cross member 68 which cooperates with a permanent magnet element 69 secured to each carriage 67, to be more fully described hereinafter.

In operation the tractor paper drive operates intermittently with draw and dwell periods thereby providing intermittent motion to the paper web to be printed, through the interengaged drive pins 39 and the sprocket holes on the paper web. As a result, therefore, the continuous paper forms will be taken from the supply station 60 and moved upwards through the printing station where the paper becomes imprinted, and thereafter delivered to the take-up or delivery station 62.

The carriage 67 will now be described. Mounted on the carriage is a pressure ring 100 made of a relatively hard grade of polyurethane, with the inner periphery held in contact with an idler 101 which is rotatablyjournalled on a pin 102 projecting from a bell crank 103. The bell crank 103 is pivoted about a pin 104 extending between spaced-apart plates 105 and 106. One end of a spring 108 is anchored on plate 105, and the other end thereof applies a constant bias on one end of a lever 108A pivoted about shaft 111, the opposed end of the lever bearing against the free end of bell crank 103. The pressure ring 100 is thus spring-biased to engage bearings 109 and 110 journalled for rotation about shafts 111 and 112 respectively. The carriage 67 is pulled towards the steel backing plate 68 by the magnet 69 so that the bearings 109 and 110 rotate as the carriage transverses the plate 68. As a result, the pressure ring 100 is driven to rotate with a peripheral speed equal to the linear speed of the carriage as the ring 100 approaches the numbering machine in the printing zone. This rotation of the ring assists the reduction of smudging of the work during the initial approach and contact of the pressure ring with the numbering machine.

Numbering machines adapted to allow the printing of sequential numbers on forms are known and commercially available. Such machines present numerical and/or alpha-numerical indicia which are advanced or indexed in a suitable manner - for instance by a contact element on the printing belt assembly contacting a cam in the printing machine.

some of the numbering wheels may be advanced by the motion of the appratus, while certain numbering wheels may be manually pre-set prior to operation of the machine of the invention. The individual operation being conducted will, of course, determine the number of printing passes between each number advancing operation, it being noted that pressure carriages 67 may be readily added, removed or repositioned for proper programming of the system.

In order to align the path of travel of each pressure carriage as it moves past the numbering machine head, a pair of fixed guide rails 120 and 121 are engaged by bearings 122, 123 and 124 on each carriage (Figure 7). Thus, as the carriages are pulled over the presented characters 115 of the numbering machine by the belt 76, the carriages will move in a straight line. Also, it will be appreciated that the printing is effected by the pressure ring 100 on a line-contact and serially advancing basis. Thus, continuous and uniform pressure contact between the surface of pressure ring 100 and that of characters 115 of numbering machine 66 is obtained.

As is illustrated in Figure 7, the ink ribbon path 27 extends immediately next to the characters 115 of the numbering machine 66, and the paper web path 26 extends next to the ribbon web path, the pressure ring running over the surface of the paper to be printed, whereby ink is transferred from the ribbon to the paper thereby to imprint the characters on the paper.

For normal operation of the apparatus a control panel is provided as shown generally at 130. This may include a mechanical counter 131, a speed control dial 132, and other controls or numerical counters or the like as are desired and/or required.

The utilisation of such controls may permit the device to be operated by ordinary semi-skilled workers. A power socket 140 and fuses 141 are also shown, as well as a ru n/jog switch 142, a stop button 143 and an on-off power switch 144.

In operation of the described apparatus, continuous pre-punched forms to be printed are loaded and threaded into the paper tractors. The ink ribbon will be threaded as required and the apparatus started. The pre-printed paper forms are moved upwardly along the paper web path intermittently through a distance suitable for the particular printing operation being undertaken. Thus, during each complete machine cycle, the paper drive assembly will be actuated to include a draw portion and a dwell portion, a pressure carriage being moved to transverse the numbering machine to print a stationary form during a dwell portion. While the paper is stationary, the pressure ring of a carriage moves into a line-contact with the paper and serially advances over the characters so as to print the indicia on the form. The machine, once set up, may be permitted to operate substantially continuously.

Claims (9)

1. Apparatus for printing indicia upon a continuous paper web and comprising frame means defining a web path for the paper web which path extends through a printing station, a numbering machine located at the printing station and arranged to present characters formed on numbering wheels which may selectively be indexed, a carriage having a rotatable pressure wheel mounted to traverse the printing station with the pressure wheel bearing on the presented characters of the numbering wheels of the numbering machine, endless belt means being arranged to effect the traversing motion of the carriage, and power drive means arranged to effect intermittent movement of a paper web along the web path and to drive the endless belt means to cause the carriage to transverse the printing station when the web is stationary.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the endless belt means is driven continously in one direction and the movement of the paper web is timed to the movement of the carriage so that the paper web is advanced during such intervals as the carriage is clear of the presented characters.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein means defining a ribbon path for an inked ribbon are provided, which path extends through the printing station to lie between the presented characters of the numbering machine and the paper web path, means being provided to effect intermittent advancment of an inked ribbon along the ribbon path.

4. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein magnetic force means are provided to constrain the carriage to run along a guide means therefor as the carriage traverses the printing station.

5. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein a drive arrangement is provided for the pressure wheel of the carriage such that the pressure wheel rotates with a peripheral speed equal to the linear speed of the carriage as the carriage traverses the printing station.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the drive arrangement includes at least one roller mounted on the carriage and urged into engagement with a stationary guide for the carriage so as to rotate on traversing movement of the carriage, the periphery of the pressure wheel being urged into engagement with the roller so as to be rotated thereby.

7. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein a plurality of similar carriages are removable mounted in spaced apart dispositions on the endless belt means.

8. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the paper web path passes sequentially through a plurality of similar printing stations.

9. Apparatus for printing variable indicia upon a continuous web substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.