US1149767A - Assembler for line-composing machines. - Google Patents

Description

T. S. HOMANS.

ASSEMBLER FOR LINE COM-POSING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 16, 1913.

1,149,767, Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS S. HOMANS, OF HEMPSTEAD, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO INTERNATIONAL TYPESETTING MAQHINE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

Application filed June 16, 1913. Serial No.. 774,035.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS S. HOMANS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hempstead, in the county of Nassau and a rotary star wheel which cooperates with the assembling matrices and serves to push them in '.a direction downwardly and forwardly to stack them in a line in the assembling channel. Frequently, however, it happens that when the matrices fall too closely together or in using-very thick matrices, there is insuflicient space between the points of the star wheel to allow the matrices to reach the bottom of the assembling channel before they are pushed forward by the following point of the star wheel, thereby causing jamming which interrupts the operation of the machine.

The primary object'of the present invention is to provide a star wheel or equivalent assembling stacking device which is not only rotatable but which also has a reciprocatory or shifting axis whereby greater clearance is provided for the falling matrices and heavier or thicker matrices can be used.

. To this end, the invention consists in cer- I tain improvements, and combinations and arrangements of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out particularly in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the accompanying drawing :-Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion-of the matrix assembling mechanism of machines of thls class and embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 1s a front elevation, partly in section, of a portion ofthe ,assembler including the star wheel, and showing the elements in a different position as compared with Fig. 2.

Similar parts are designated by the same reference characters in the several views.

In the accompanying drawing, the invention is shown in connection with the matrix I assembling mechanism as commonly used on line composing machines of the linotype class. It will be understood, however, that Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

' the invention is not restricted necessarily to cast. A shaft 3 is mounted in the assembler plate 1, this shaft having a belt pulley 4 fixed to its forward end and tight and loose pulleys 5 fixed to its rear end. Rotary motion is imparted to the shaft 3, and consequently the pulley 4 in the direction indicated by the arrow, by a belt or equivalent means cooperative with one of the pulleys 5. A matrix delivery belt 6 passes over the pulley 4c, the upper stretch of this belt moving in a downwardly inclined direction beneath the delivery end of the magazine and serves to convey the matrices delivered from the magazine to the assembler. Accordin to the present invention, the star wheel or equivalent device for assembling and stacking. the matrices in the line is reciprocatory or shiftable in a direction longitudinally of the matrix assembling channel. This star wheel in the construction shown is fixed to turn with its driving shaft 8, this driving shaft being journaled in a sleeve or bearing 9, and this sleeve or bearing, together with the shaft 8, is shiftable in a direction toward and from the assembling line of matrices. in the assembling channel. In the present instance. the assembler plate 1 is formed with a notch 10 which provides a horizontal guide for the sleeve or bearing '9, the latter being flattened or otherwise shaped to fit in the notch and cooperate with the upper and lower walls thereof. According to the present invention, this star wheel is shifted t0-- ward and from the assembling line of matrices while revolving. Different means may be provided for reciprocating and revolving which is fitted to rotate on a hub 14 which surrounds the bearing for the shaft 3, and the opposite end of the link 12 is formed with a bearing 15 which is rotatably mounted on the sleeve 9 which latter surrounds the shaft 8 of the star wheel. A driving gear 16 is fixed on the shaft 3, another driving gear 17 is mounted on the shaft 8 and is connected thereto by the friction spring 18, and an idler gear 19 meshes with the gears 16 and 17 and is mounted on the same axis which connects the adjacent ends of the links 11 and 12. A crank pin 20 is fixed to the'gear 19 at a point which is eccentric to the axis of rotation of this gear, and a link 21 has one end attached to this crank pin, the opposite end of said link 21 being connected to a stationary pivot 22.

Rotary motion applied to the shaft 3 through one of the driving pulleys 5 causes the pulley 4 which drives the matrix delivery belt 6 to move in the direction indicated by the arrow. This motion of the shaft 3 will be transmitted through the idler gear 19 to the gear 17, the latter causing the star wheel 7 to revolve in the direction of the arrow,

in Fig. 2. As the gear '19 revolves, the link 21 will hold the crank pin 20 thereon at a constant distance fromthe stationary pivot 22, and consequently the' links 11 and 12 will be shifted toward and from alinement, as will appear from Figs. 2 and 3, thereby causing the star wheel to reciprocate or shift in a direction longitudinally of the matrix assembling channel. Continuity in the driving of the rotary star wheel is obtained as i the idler gear 19 shifts with the links 11 and 12, and its axis is thereby maintained at a constant distance from the axes of the gears 16 and 17. Each complete revolution of the idler gear reciprocates the star wheel toward and from the assembling line of matrices.

As the star wheel recedes from the assembling point, it provides more space in which the matrices-may drop to the bottom of the channel in the elevator, thereby insuring correct assembling of the matrices whether they drop closely together or whether very thick or heavy matrices are used, this additional space for the accommodation of the dropping matrices being ob-' tained without increasing the size of the star wheel.

I claim as my invention 1. In a line composing machine, a matrix assembling channel, a rotary star wheel for assembling matrices into line in said channel, and means for positively. reciprocating of said channel and transverse to the axis of rotation of the assembler.

4. In a machine of the linotype class, matrix assembler mechanism embodying a horizontal assembling channel, a star wheel revoluble on a horizontal axis arranged transversely of said channel, and means for 1 positively reciprocating the star wheel in a direction transverse to its axis.

5. In a line composing machlne, the combination with a matrix assembling channel,

an assembler located at the entrance to said channel and reciprocable in a rectilinear direction toward and from the same and in parallelism therewith, and means for simultaneously and positively revolving and reciprocating the assembler.

6. In a machine of the linotype class, the combination with a matrix assembling channel, of a star wheel revolubly mounted. at the entrance end thereof and having means for guiding it to move toward and from the channel in a direction parallel with the length thereof, a driving shaft having a driving gear thereon, a driving gear operatively connected tothe star wheel, a air of links pivotally connected at their a jacent ends and also pivotally connected at their remote ends to said driving shaft and star wheel, an idler gear mounted concentrically with the pivot connecting the adjacent ends of said links and cooperative with the gears on the driving shaft and star wheel, and a link eccentrically connected to the idler gear for flexing said links during the operation of the star wheel. g

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS S. HUMANS;

' Witnesses:

CON. A. KRIEG, WM. WEMSSEN.

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