US1243273A - Machine for making printing-plates. - Google Patents

Description

J. S. DUNCAN. MACHINE FOR MAKING PRINTING PLATES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 27. 1914.

Patented. Oct. 16,1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

J. S. DUNCAN. MACHINE FOR MAKING PRINTING PLATES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 27, 1914.

Patented Oct. 16, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

Lie 65626,

J. S. DUNCAN.

MACHINE FOR MAKING PRINTING PLATES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 27, I914.

LQQSfiYSI Patented Oct. 16, 12m.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

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JOSEPH S. DUNCAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ADDRESSOG-RAPH COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

MACHINE FOR MAKING PRINTING-PLATES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 16, 191?.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH S. DUNCAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Making Printing-Plates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for making printing plates by stamping up printing characters directly from the metal of the plate, these plates being adapted for use in an addressograph machine or the like, for printing letters, addresses and other matter.

In my earlier U. S. Patent, No. 921,600, I disclosed a hand machine particularly adapted for office use for making printing plates, and my present invention comprises certain improvements on the general type of machine disclosed in said prior patent, and more particularly improvements in the mechanism for operating the punches and dies and registering the punch and die head.

One of the primary objects of this invention is the provision of mechanism which will be capable'of multiplying the power exerted upon the operating handle or'lever and transmitting the same to the punches and dies so that the required pressure of the punches anddies will be secured with the exertion of but little efi'ort by the operative.

Another object is the provision of means for reducing to a minimum the friction between the moving parts of the operating mechanism and to so construct the punch and die operating mechanism that the die will be moved to and held in operative position and the punch will be subsequently forced into cooperative relation with the die to produce the required impression.

A further object is to provide improved means for registering and locking the punch and die carrying head before the punch and die operating mechanism is brought into Engagement with the respective punches and Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of the invention will be readily understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings:

Referring to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a machine embodying my invention;

, Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the machine, certain working parts being shown in elevation and other parts not comprehended by my present invention being shown by dotted lines;

Fig.3 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the punches and dies in operatlve position;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view through the punch operating toggle mechanism, and

Fig. 5 is a detail end view of the lower toggle link.

Referring to the drawings, reference character 5 indicates the base of the machine, from which the arch or standard 6 rises to form the mainframe of the machine. A main shaft 7 is mounted centrally of the arch with its lower end supported in suitable bearings on the base 5 and its upper end disposed in a suitable bearing in the crown of the arch. A head comprising a die carrying portion 9 and a punch carrying portion 11 is fixedly mounted on said shaft to rotate therewith. The details of construction of this head may be of any approved form, such, for instance, as that disclosed in my prior patent, previously mentioned, and therefore this head is shown in the present instance diagrammatically only. It will sufiice for an understanding of my present invention to state that a series of dies 12 is mounted peripherally on the portion 9 and a corresponding series of punches 13 is mounted on the portion 11, the punches and dies being arranged in pairs and the companion punch and die of each pair being adapted to move toward and from each other on the head. The punches and dies are both normally held in the retracted or inoperative position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 by suitable spring mechanism (not shown). A work table or support 14 extends across the front of the machine and is provided with a notch or aperture 15 through which the punches may be projected into engagement with the work which is held and carried by a carrier (not shown) of any preferred construction. The desired pair of punches and dies is brought into alinement with the aperture 15 by rotating the shaft 7 through a controlling shaft 16 equipped on its outer end with a knob or handle (not shown) disposed in convenient position to be engaged by the left hand of the operator, and

1 the inner end of shaft 16 is connected to shaft 7 by beveled gears so that the shaft and head carried thereby will be rotated from the shaft 16. The upper end of shaft 7 is connected with an indicator 17 which is provided on its face with characters corresponding to the characters carried by the punches and dies, so that by observing the indicator the operator can turn the head to bring the required character into operative position. The mechanism thus far described may be of the usual or any preferred construction and a detailed description thereof will not be necessary for an understanding of this invention.

A presser lever 18 is pivotally mounted at its rear end by means of a pin 19 to the upper end of a standard 21 carried by the base 5. This lever is shaped to accommodate the shaft 7 and extends forwardly above the head. At its forward end this lever is provided with a presser member 22 adjustable therein and adapted to be retained in adjusted position by a lock nut 23. The presser member is disposed in alinement with and is positioned above the die which has been brought to position above the aperture 15 in the work support and upon downward movement of the lever this member engages with the upper end of the die and forces the same downwardly into operative position, as shown in Fig. 3. This die operating lever is operated by toggle mechanism disposed above and adjacent to its forward end. The toggle mechanism comprises the shaft 24 mounted in suitable bearings on the arch 6, as shown in Fig. 1, and havin fixedly secured thereon a link 25, prefera ly bifurcated as shown in Fig. 1. A second link 26 is connected with the link 25 by means of a pin 27 and the lower end of link 26 is connected to lever 18 by a pin 28. It will thus be obvious that atoggle connection is provided between the lever 18 and the shaft 24. A lever 29 is also fixed on shaft 24 and, to lend strength to the construction, is preferably cast integral with the link 25.

The die lever operating toggle is operated to move the die to operatlve position by means of connections between the manually controlled lever 31 and the lever 29. The manually operated lever 31 is mounted to oscillate on a shaft 32 carried in suitable bearings on the base 5 of the machine. the lever being equipped at its free end with a handle 33. As shown in Fig. 1 the lever 31 has an elongated sleeve 34 rigidly attached thereto and preferably cast integral therewith, this sleeve being also mounted on the shaft 32. An arm 35 (Fig. 2) extends rearwardly from the sleeve 34 and the free end of this arm is connected with arm 29 by a link 36. It will thus be obvious that when the lever 31 is swung forwardly on its pivot the arm 35 will be moved from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 3 to rock the shaft 24 and straighten out the toggle connection between this shaft and the lever 18 so that the lever is depressed to move the die 12 into the operative position shown in Fig. 3.

The punches 13 are moved into cotiperative relation with their companion dies by means of a punch lever 37 pivoted upon a pin 38 to the standard 21 and extending forwardly beneath the head, this lever being likewise shaped to accommodate the shaft 7. At the forward end of the lever a presser member 39 is mounted, this member being similar to the presser member 22 and adjustably mounted in the lever and locked in adj usted position by a lock nut 41. The presser lever 37 is also operated by toggle mechanism which will now be described. The forward end of lever 37 is bifurcated as shown in Fig. 1 to receive the upper end of a link 42, which is secured to the lever by a pin 43. The lower end of link 42 is connected with the upper end of a link 44 by means of a pin 45, the lower end of link 44 being pivotally mounted on the shaft 32. In order to lengthen the bearing surfaces and transmit the pressure with minimum friction..when the toggle is straightened out I haye mounted an anti-friction roller 46 in the link 42 between the pins 43 and 45 and also a similar anti-friction roller 47 in the link 44 between the pin 45 and shaft 32. These rollers are rotatably carried upon pins 48 and 49 respectively and when the toggle is moved from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 3 the thrust is transmitted through the rollers so that a roller bearing is provided which reduces the friction and relieves the links of the direct strain.

In the operation of the device it is desirable that the die be positioned first and that the punch be subsequently forced into cooperative relation therewith. I have therefore provided a lost motion connection between the operating lever 31 and the punch operating toggle which causes the die toggle to be straightened out into the position shown in Fig. 3 before the punch toggle is operated. The end .of the link 44 adjacent the sleeve 34 is therefore provided with two shoulders, 51 and 52 respectively, spaced apart as shown in Fig. 5 and adapted to be engaged by a lug 53 projecting upwardly from the sleeve 34 between the shoulders 51 and 52. When the operating lever 31 is in inoperative position the lug 53 will engage with the shoulder 52 and hold the parts in the inoperative position shown in Fig. 2. When, however, the operating lever 31 is limits the movement of the toggle.

swung to the left, viewing Fig. 2, the lug 53 will be brought into engagement With the shoulder 51 at or about the time that the die toggle has been straightened out into the position shown .in Fig. 3. Further movement of the lever will swing the toggle link 44 in a counter-clockwise direction into the position shown in Fig. 3 to force the punch upwardly into cooperative relation with the die which is held in lowered position by its toggle. It will be obvious therefore, that the initial operative movement of the lever 31 positions the die and that subsequent movement of the lever operates the punch. The die toggle and the connection between the arm 35 and arm 29 will be brought practically to a dead center before the lug 53 is engaged with shoulder 51. so that during the operative movement of the punch the die will be held practically stationary in operative position. The link 44 is provided on its lower and forward -end with a stop 54 equipped with a resilient buffer 55 which engages the frame 5 as shown in Fig. 3 and the operating handle has been moved to the extreme of its operative movement thepunch toggle will have slightly passed dead center, consequently, it will remain in this position until upon return movement of the lever 31 the lug 53 engages with the shoulder 52. which will return the toggle to the inoperative position shown in Fig. 2.

In order to prevent injury to the punches and dies in the event that a very hard or unusually thick piece of material were inserted between a companion punch and die I have provided means which will permit the punch operating lever 37 to yield so that no injury to the machine would result. As shown in Fig. 2 the rear end of lever 37 is shaped to fit over a block 56. pivoted on the pin 38. and the lever is normally held with respect to the block in the position shown in Fig. 2 by an expansion spring 57 surrounding a bolt 58 extending upwardly from the block 56 through the lever, the tension of said spring being regulated by a nut 59 on the bolt. It will be manifest that if upward movement of the punch should be prevented by a piece of thick or very hard material continued operative movement of the lever 31 would cause the rear end of lever 37 to raise a ainst the force of s rin 57 so that When with a finger 65 adapted to engage in the notches of the wheel 61 to lock the same against movement. It will be understood that the notches on the register wheel correspond in number and position to the punches and dies on the head and when the wheel is locked one pair of punches and dies will be disposed in alinement with the opening 15 of the work plate. The finger 65 is preferably adjustable by means of a screw 66 so that it will enter the full depth of the notches in the register Wheel. A contraction spring 67 attached at one end to an arm 68 secured on the bell crank lever 63 and attached at its other end to a hook 69 on the sleeve 34 normally urges the finger 65 'into engagement with the register wheel. The forwardly projecting arm 71 of the bell crank lever is shaped at its forward end to provide a lip 72 adapted to be engaged by a finger 73 carried by the sleeve 34 so that when the handle is in rearward position, as shown in Fig. 2, this finger engages the lip and rocks the bell crank lever to release the finger 65 from the register wheel and hold it in inoperative position so long as the handle remains in inoperativeposition. The initial forward movement of the handle, however, releases the finger 73 from the lip 72 so that the spring 67 will immediately swing the bell crank lever to engage the finger 65 with the register wheel to register and lock the head.

It will be manifest from the foregoing that so long as the operating lever 31 is in its rearward position the head may be rotated freely to bring the proper punches and dies into working position. A slight movement of the arm 31 will release the bell crank lever so that the register wheel will be immediately engaged by the finger 65 to lock the head against rotation. Further movement of the lever will depress the die into operative position-and finally, after the lug 53 has been brought into engagement with the shoulder 51, the punch lever 37 will be operated through the instrumentality of the lower toggle to force the punch into cooperative relation with the die thereby producing the desired impression upon the stock.

It is believed that my invention and its mode of operation will be readily understood from the foregoing Without further description and while I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention it should be understood that various modifications in the structural details disclosed may be resorted to within the scope of the following claims:

I claim:

1. In a machine for making printing plates, the combination of a head, a plurality of pairs of punches and dies mounted thereon, mechanism including a pair of toggles for operating companion punches and dies, and means including a single lever and connections between said lever and toggles for actuating said mechanism to operate the toggles in predetermined sequence, one of said connections permitting lost motion whereby a die is brought into operative position and rests substantially stationary during the movement of the cooperating punch.

2. In a machine for making printing plates, the combination of a rotatable head, a plurality of pairs of punches and dies mounted thereon, toggle mechanism for operating the punches, toggle mechanism for operating the dies, and means including a single lever and connections between said lever and toggles for operating said toggle mechanisms in predetermined sequence, one of said connections permitting lost motion whereby a die is brought to operative position and rests substantially stationary during the movement of the cooperating punch.

3. In a machine for making printing plates, the combination of a head, punches and dies carried thereby in opposed relation, a toggle mechanism for operating the dies, a toggle mechanism for operating the punches, a hand operated lever, a link connecting said lever and die operating toggle mechanism, and a lost motion connection between said lever and said punch operating toggle mechanism.

4. In a machine for making printing plates, the combination of opposed punches and dies, toggles for forcing a punch and a die into cooperative relation, and means including a single lever and direct and lost motion connections between said lever and the respective toggles for operating said toggles in succession to first place the die in operative position and subsequently move a punch into cooperative relation therewith whereby said die remains substantially stationary during the movement of the cooperating punch.

5. In a machine for making printing plates, the combination of a head, punches and dies carried thereby in opposed relation, toggle mechanisms positioned above and beneath the dies and punches respectively, an operating lever, a link connecting said lever with the die operating toggle mechanism to operate said toggle upon initial movement of said lever, a lug connected with said lever, and a boss carried by said punch operating toggle in the path of said lug whereby said punch operating toggle is operated after said lever has traveled a predetermined distance.

6. In a machine for making printing plates,.the combination of a rotatable head, a series of opposed punches and dies carried by said head, toggle means disposed on opposite sides of said head for forcing com panion punches and dies into cooperative relation, a single operating lever,'and connections between said lever and said means, one of said connections permitting lost motion whereby a die is first moved into operative position and subsequently a punch is moved into cooperative relation therewith, said die remaining substantially stationary during the movement of the cooperating punch.

7. In a machine for making printing plates, the combination of a head, an impression device carried thereby, a presser lover, a pivoted support for one end thereof, a presser member carried by said lever in position to operate said impression device, a toggle connected to said lever between the pivoted support and the presser member, means for actuating said toggle to operate said lever whereby said impression device is moved to operative position, and means for resiliently maintaining one end of said lever in engagement with its pivoted support whereby the exertion of excessive pressure upon said impression device is prevented.

8. In a machine for making printing plates, the combination of a head, a plurality of pairs of impression devices carried thereby, a pair of presser levers, presser members mounted on said levers in position to operate a pair of said impression devices, a toggle connected with each of said levers, an oscillatory operating handle, connections including a bell crank lever and a link between one of said toggles and said operating handle whereby said toggle is operated upon initial movement of the handle, and a lost motion connection between said handle and the other toggle whereby said other toggle is operated subsequently to the operation of said first toggle.

9. In a machine for making printing plates, the combination of a head, impression devices mounted thereon, a pair of presser levers, presser members carried by said levers in position to operate said impression devices, and means for operating said levers to force said impression devices into cooperative relation, a pivoted block, means at the end of one of said levers to embrace said block, and a spring biasing the end of said lever toward said block whereby said lever is yieldingly mounted to prevent the exertion of excessive pressure upon the impression devices.

10. In a machine for making printing plates, the combination of a punch, a presser lever for operating the same, a pivot pin for said lever, a block carried by said pin, said lever having a sliding connection with said block, and a spring normally holding said lever in engagement with said block, said spring being adapted to permit movement of the lever with respect to said block whereby excessive pressure on the punch is precluded.

11. In a machine for making printing plates, the combination of a head, a punch mounted thereon, a pivotally mounted presser lever, a presser member carried by said lever in position to actuate said punch, a toggle connected with said lever, a pivotally mounted operating lever, a lug connected with said operating lever, and a shoulder carried by said toggle in the path of movement of said lug whereby said toggle is operated to actuate the punch after a predetermined movement of the operating lever has taken place.

12. In a machine for making printing plates, the combination of a punch, a presser lever for actuating said punch, a toggle connected with said lever, a pivotally mounted operating lever, a lug rigidly connected with said operating lever, and a pair of shoulders on said toggle disposed in the path of movement of said lug whereby a lost motion connection is established between said operating lever and said toggle.

13. In a machine for making printing plates, the combination of a head, punches and dies carried thereby, pivotally mounted presser levers, presser members mounted on said levers in position to engage companion punches and dies, a toggle connected with said die lever, a second toggle connected with said punch lever, a pivotally mounted operating lever, a positive connection be tween said operating lever and said die toggle, and a lost motion connection between said operating lever and said punch toggle whereby said punch lever is actuated from the operatin lever subsequently to the actuation of the die lever.

JOSEPH S. DUNCAN.

Witnesses:

FRANKLIN M. l/VARDEN, J. C. CARPENTER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of JEatenta, Washington, D. 0.

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