US1262885A - Wrapping-paper printing and serving apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

R. L. WELCH. PAPER PRINTING AND SERVING APPARATUS;

WRAPPlNGr APPLICATION FILED JULY 16. 1917- Patented Apr.16',1918.

ROBERT L. WELCI-I, OF MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA.

WRAPPING-PAPER PRINTING AND SERVING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 16, 1918.

Application filed July 16, 1917. Serial No. 180,875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT L. WELCH, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and resident of the city of Montreal, in the Province of Quebec and Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lVrapping-Paper Printing and Serving Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in paper printing and serving apparatus, and embodies an improvement of the apparatus disclosed in my former Patent No. 1,131,757, and application, Serial No. 17 6,855, filed June 25, 1917.

The apparatus constructed according to the patent is designed to have the tearing off line of the paper located at a point on the roll, but when the tearing off line is removed to a point remote from the roll, as disclosed in the application, it is found that the extra movement required to bring the paper to the advanced tearing off point causes a partial operation of the printing device. If the mechanism is now shifted to remove paper from another roll, the printing apparatus is not in proper position to print a complete advertisement. It is therefore found neces sary to impart a partial revolution to the printing mechanism in order to make it im pose a proper and complete impression on the paper, when shifted to print one roll or the other. When the printing mechanism is again shifted, it is necessary to rotate the roll exactly to its original position in order to give a perfect impression.

The subject matter of this application therefore relates particularly to means for adjusting the printing mechanism as above outlined.

The device consists briefly of a pair of segment gears connected to the shifting means of the printing device and arranged to impart partial revolution to the printing roll, one segment in one direction and the other segment in the reverse direction. A certain slip is provided in the mounting of the segments in order that the printing mechanism will be shifted clear of the paper before rotation commences.

In the drawings which illustrate the invention:-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the paper printing and serving machine showing the features of this invention in place thereon.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the print roll rotating means on the inner side.

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the print roll rotating means on the far side.

Fig. 4 is a plan View of both rotating mechanisms.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged elevation of one of the ratchet gears.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 11 designates a framework supporting paper rolls 12 and having mounted therein for bodily movement a printing roll 13. Upper and lower platen rolls 11 and 15 are also provided, the upper one being mounted for bodily movement and the lower merely for rotary movement. Suitable mechanism, designated 16 and including an operating handle 17 and main shaft 18, is provided for moving the printing roll 13 into or out of engagement with either of the platen rolls, the upper platen roll being simultaneously movable to assist in clearing the paper passing thereover from the printing roll. This mechanism will be found more fully described in my prior Patent No. 1,131,757. According to the invention disclosed in the patent referred to, the apparatus is arranged to produce one impression on each average length of paper torn off, but when the tearing-off line is shifted from the roll by placing the tearing-off knives 19 on the front 20 of the apparatus, the length of paper between the tearing-off line and the printing line is changed, so that the printing takes the form of a complete impression and part of a second impression. If this occurs for instance on the upper platen, and it is now desired to shift the printing to the paper on the lower platen, the result will be either an incomplete impression or an imperfectly placed impression on the sheet running over the lower platen.

In order to overcome this, means is provided according to the present invention to give a partial rotation to the printing roll when it shifts from the upper to the lower platen. In order that it will make a complete and properly placed impression on the paper, when it is desired to return the printing roll into contact with the paper on the upper platen, the roll is rotated to return it to its original position. The rotation in each case is effected by segment gears driven from the shaft 18, there being a slip connection between the gears and shaft to insure the printing roll being moved out of contact with the paper before it commences to rotate, so that blurring or smudging of the paper will be avoided. The segment gear 21 which operates to shift the printing roll when moving from the lower to the upper platen is mounted by means of a pin 22, about which it rotates. A crank 23 is fixed to the shaft 18 and is connected by a link 24 with the gear. The teeth of the gear segment 21 mesh with a pinion 25 having ratchet mounting on the printing roll, so as to rotate the roll only during upward movement of the segment 21. 'lhe upper end of the link 24 is provided with a. slot 26, in which the pin 27 connecting the link and crank 23 will slide on the initial movement of the crank. At the opposite end of the printing roll, a segment gear 28 is revolubly mounted on the shaft 18, and adjacent to it a crank 29 rigidly mounted on the shaft, the crank having two spaced driving pins 30 which loosely embrace between them the segn'ient 28. The embrace of these pins is so loose that the crank 29 will have predetermined movement bet'ore one pin or the other engages the segment and imparts movement thereto. The segment meshes with a ratchet mounted gear 31 on the printing roll, the mounting being such that the pinion 31 will have driving connection with the printing roll only during upwar movement of the segment 28. Steps 32 are provided to limit the downward movements of both the segments 21 and 28. The mounting of the pinions 25 and 31 consists for each pinion of a casing fixed to the pinion and revolubly mounted on the spindle 3-1, on which the printing roll 13 is irrevolubly mounted. A

ratchetwheel 35 is irrevolubly mounted on the spindle within each casing 33, and is connected to the casing for revolution in one direction by spring pressed pawls 36 carried by the casing. The arrangement of the ratchets and pawls is such that one operates to rotate the printing roll in a positive direction, while the second slips under its pawls, and conversely the second "atchet will rotate the printing roll in a reverse direction while the first ratchet slips under its pawls. From the foregoing, it will be seen that in order to have the desired effect, the pinions must be rotated in. opposite directions. Since both gear segments driving the pinions are controlled from single shaft, the opposite movement of the segments required to produce the opposite movement of the opinions is obtained by driving one segment from one side of the shaft axis and the other segment from the opposite side. This necessity accounts for the use of the crank 23 to drive the segment 21, which it will be readily noted in Fig. 1 projects from'the shaft in a direction diametrically opposite to the segment 28.

The operation of the device is as follows :Assuming the printing roll to be in its elevated position working against the upper platen 1 1, as shown, when a length of paper is pulled out from the upper strip, the frictional engagement of the printing roll with the paper causes the printing roll to rotate and deliver an impression to the paper. Unless the paper is torn off quite short, the printing roll is rotated so far that if lowered, an incomplete impression will be formed on the paper passing over the lower platen. This is automatically overcome by the mechanism previously described. lVhen the lever 17 is pulled down to shift the printing roll to the lower platen, it slightly lowers the printing roll and raises the upper platen le',as described in my pre vious patent. lVhile this partial movement of the printing roll and platen is occurring, the shaft 18 to which the lever 17 is connected shifts the crank 29 until the lower driving pin 30 thereof engages the gear segment 28. W hen the printing roll is clear of both platens, the driving pin engages the gear segment and raises the same, so that it r0- tates the pinion 31 and thereby rotates the printing roll the desired amount. As previously stated, the pinion 25 at the opposite end of the printing roll remains stationary by reason of its ratchet connection with the printing roll. This rotation of the print ing roll sets the roll ahead sufliciently to insure a complete impression on the paper passing over the lower platen, and in addition, an impression which will be properly centered in the strip of paper to be withdrawn. T he printing roll is of course being lowered simultaneously with its rotation, so that when it comes to rest, the rotation is complete and is arrested bystoppage of the movement of the lever 17. It is of course immaterial that the rotation be stopped at the time the lowering of the printing roll is stopped, for the reason that the type portion of the roll is out of contact with the paper and smudging cannot occur. After a length of iaper has been withdrawn from the lower roll, it it is desired to return the printing roll to engagement with the paper on the upper platen, the lever 17 is raised, and by means of the mechanism described in my former patent, raises the printing roll and simultaneously lowers the upper platen 14:. On the downward movement of the lever 17, the pin 27 of the crank 23 is moved downwardly to the bottom of the slot 26 in the link 24:. There-tore, during the first part of the upward movement of the lever, the pin returns to its original position in the upper end of the slot '26, so that the segment gear 21 is not shifted until the printing roll is clear of the paper on the lower platen. As the movement of the lever continues, the pin strikes the upper end of the slot and raises the gear segment 21, so that the pinion 25 is rotated, and rotates the printing roll a sufficient distance ahead to form with the previous automatic rotation one complete revolution, For example, in the mechanism as at present designed, the segment 28 rotates the printing roll through 201 and the segment 21 rotates it through 159, the two together giving 360 of rotation or one complete revolution, so that when the printing roll is returned to the upper platen, it will come to rest with the tight portion in the exactposition with relation to the paper that it occupied before the roll was lowered. In this way, if a partial impression was formed on the paper passing over the upper platen, the printing roll can be brought back into contact with the paper, so as to complete the impression wh n the paper is withdrawn. It will be obvious that the the gear segments are both driven from the same shaft 18, they will both operate at each shift of the lever 17, but owing to the right and left hand ratchet connection with the printing roll, only one of the segments will impart revolution to the printing roll.

It will be understood that while only one specific form of mechanism has been dis closed for producing the desired result, ther are many modifications thereof possible, and it is equally obvious that if Change is made in other portions of the mechanism, a corresponding change may be necessitated in the printing roll rotating means. Therefore the invention must not be. considered as limited to the particular construction disclosed, but must be considered as embodying any mechanism which produces the same result.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a wrapping paper printing machine having a printing device operable against either of two platens, a shifting means therefor, means for automatically rotating the printing roll during its shift from one platen to the other, and means for automatically rotating the printing roll during a return movement to bring it into its former relation with the first platen.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a pair of platens, a printing roll movable into engagement with either platen, and means for shiftin the printing roll, of means for automatically rotating the printing roll during its shift from one platen to the other, and means for automatically continuing such rotation during the return movement of the printing roll to the first platen.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a pair of platens, a printing roll movable into engagement with either platen, and means for moving the printing roll, of means for automatically rotating the printing roll during lts movement from one platen. to the other whereby the printing roll is set in such relation to the second platen as to deliver a complete impression, and means for rotating the printing roll during return movement whereby it is set to deliver a complete .impression on the first platen or to complete an incomplete impression on the first platen.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination with a pair of platens, a printing roll movable into engagement with either platen, and means for moving the printing roll, of means for rotating the printing roll during its shift from one platen to the other, said roll rotating means being operative only when the printing roll has been moved out of engagementwith a platen.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination with a pair of platens, a printing roll movable into engagement with either platen, and means for moving the printing roll, of means for rotating the printing roll during its shift from one platen to the other, and a driving connection between said roll rotating means and roll shifting means inoperative during the first part of the roll shifting,

6. In a device of the class described, the combination with a pair of platens, a printing roll movable into engagement with either platen, a printing roll shifting means including a shaft, of a pinion at each end of the printing roll having ratchet connection with the roll for movement in one direction, gear segments arranged to operate said pinions alternately in opposite directions, and a slip driving connection between each gear segment and the roll shifting means whereby rotation of the roll commences subsequently to the commencement of its shift.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination with a pair of platens, a printing roll movable into engagement with either platen, a roll shifting means including a shaft, of a pinion ratchet connected to one end of the roll to rotate the roll in one direction, a gear segment revolubly mounted on said shaft meshing with the pinion, a crank rigidly mounted on the shaft adjacent the segment, driving pins on said crank arranged to engage the segment and spaced to permit limited movement of the segment independently of the crank whereby the gear segment will remain stationary until the shaft has rotated through part of a revolution.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination with a pair of platens, a printing roll movable into engagement with either platen, shifting means for moving the printing roll into engagement with either of the platens including a shaft, and a frame supporting the whole, of a pinion ratchet connected to one end of the roll to rotate the same in one direction, a gear segment pivotally mounted on the frame, a slotted link pivotally connected to' said gear segment, and a crank rigidly mounted on the shaft engaging in the slot of said link whereby the segment will have limited movement independently of the crank and the shaft will rotate through part of a revolution before rotating the segment.

neaees 9 A device comprising in coinhination'the 10 mechanism set forth in claims 71 and 8 characterized by the projection of the cranksin diametrically opposite directions, :Whereby on rotation of the shaft the segments ivill be rotated in opposite directions. g e

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set y handc.

ROBERT L. 'WELCH.

Games at thi: patent ma be obtained for fiveicents each. by addres'ing thfe Commissioner of latentii.

Washington, Da 0.

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