US1416759A - Music-roll-printing machine - Google Patents

Description

-T. H. SPENCE AND '1. A. TURNELLQ m us| c ROLL Pmmms MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 8- 192.9.

Patented May 23; 1922.

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MUSIC ROLL PRINTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DIIC. 8. I920. 1,416,759.

tantra it W hall 0 TOM: H. SPENCE AND JULIUS A. TURNELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIG-NOR-S TO Q. B. S. IVIUSIC COIVIPAITI, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A COREGRATION OF ILLINOIS.

MUSIC-ROLL-PRINTING MACHINE.

Application filed December 8, 1920.

T0 aZZ wile-n2 it may, concern:

Be it known that we, Torr H. Srnnon and JUL Us A. TURNELL, citizens of the United States, and having residence at Chicago, in the county of Cook and the State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Music-Roll-Printing Mae chines, of which the following is a specifica tion, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a practicable machine for printing on the perforated note sheets, commonly called music rolls, which are employed for controlling automatic playing mechanisms, the words of the song which may be sung to the music played by the note sheets, and for other mechanically similar purposes,that is, for applying any desired marking at intervals on considerably extended strips. It consists in the elements and features of construction shown and described, as indicated in the claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of a machine embodying the invention in one form.

Figure 2 is a vertical section at the line, 2--2, on Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail view of a part of the structure shown in Figure 2, presenting a modification of certain details.

Figure l is a detail section at the line, et l, on Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a detail inverted plan view of one section and parts of adjacent sections of the stamp holder with stamps therein.

Figure 6 is a plan view of a portion of a music roll printed by the stamps shown in Figure 4L.

In the structure shown in the drawings, 1 is a table on which the strips to be printed are extended. It may be understood that this table is from twenty to fifty feet in length, according to the maximum length of the note sheets which are to be printed upon it. it being important for the purposes of the invention that the table should accommodate the entire length of the strips to be thus printed. 2 is a rock shaft which extends along the length of the table above the same nearer to one side or the other, being journaled in bearing brackets. 3, located at convenient intervals along the length of the table, to avoid undue springing of the shaft. At a there is shown a pile of Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 429,138.

strips (music rolls) to be printed, positioned on the table suitably for that purpose. At a there is shown a second pile of strips which may be understood to be the strips which have been printed and have been transferred one by one from the pile at 4 to the pile at at. On the rock shaft, 2, at intervals judged to be convenient, say from 3 feet to feet,-and preferably adjacent to the bearing brackets, 23, in the form shown in Figure 2 are a plurality of lever arms, 5, all extending from the shaft inthe same ra dial plane adapted at their ends to carry the several sections, 6, of the printing blockholder element, each section being hereinafter called a holder. Each of these printing block holder sections is preferably a regular polygonal prism and the several sections are axially aligned and connected together by means of a pintle, 10, at one end of each sect-ion engaging a socket, 11, in the adjacent end of the next section, said pintles serving as the means of mounting the holders or holder sections each upon two consecutive lever arms, 5, of the rock shaft, for carrying said printing block holders,and the printing blocks, 12, therein as hereinafter described,-from inking position to printing position by the rocking of the shaft through 1.80 degrees, carrying the lever arms up over the shaft, said printing block holder section passing between the arms which carry them in their movement above the shaft from one position to the other. The printing blocks 12, are mounted on the faces of the polygonal prisms by means of dove-tail grooves 6 extending longitudinally in said faces, and dove-tail ribs 12, formed on the back of the printing blocks which are preferably of rub er and dimensioned so to engage in said dove-tail grooves tightly enough to insure the several blocks retaining the positions to which they are adjusted for printing their lines at the desired points in the length of the note-sheet strip. Extending along the table at the opposite side of the vertical plane of the rock shaft from that at which the strips, "l, are lodged for printing. there is provided an inking platen, 16, on which ink is spread by means hereinafter described, for inking printing faces of the printing block when they are swung over from the pile of strips, 4:, to said platen. For controlling the position of the printing block holders so that the printing faces will be applied directly and without sliding on the inking platen, and also directly without sliding upon the strips to be printed, there are provided controlling arms, 15, as many as desired, and preferably one for each of the lever arms, 5, for engagement at each junction of consecutive holders, 6, and in any event, not less than one for each alternate, junction. These controller arms are engaged at one end with the holders, 6, by insertion between the proximate ends of said holders, and thereby in the vertical plane of the lever arms respectively; their engagement being with both holders abutting at such junction, said engagement being made by spring lugs, 15*, struck from the arms, 15, engaging in recesses, 6", in the adjacent ends of the holders, 6, the slope of the fingers adapting them to yield to permit the holders to be turned on their axis so as to present different faces, carrying different printing blocks, toward the ink platen for inking, and toward the strips, 4, for printing thereon. The opposite ends of the controlling arms are connected with the upper or free end of rock arms which have their lower ends pivoted on the table support at 19.

For spreading ink upon the ink platen, 16, spreaders 0r wipers, 20, are provided, preferably or conveniently, one for each holder section, 6, and all connected for operation by links, 22, with the rocker arms, 18, respectively.

For rocking the shaft, any convenient means may be provided; and it may be rocked by hand by a crank handle, 25. But preferably a motor mechanism isprovided for that purpose consisting of an electric motor, 26, a gear train comprising a pinion, 27, on the motor shaft, and a final gear, 28, and intermediate gears as may be found desirable for reducing the speed, one intermediate gear for that purpose being shown. The final gear, 28, of this train is loose on its shaft, 31, and is arranged to be clutched thereto by a tripped clutch device of construction which is familiar in die presses and the like, adapted when tripped to give the shaft, 31, one complete revolution and trip out of engagement always at the same point; and said shaft, 31, has a crank arm, 32, from which a link, 33, extends to a lever arm, 34:, which is longer than the crank arm, 32, and preferably enough longer, so that each half revolution of the shaft, 31, rocks the lever arm back and forth through 90 degrees. .Said lever arm, 34, extends from a rock shaft, 35, which carries a segment gear, 36, meshed with a segment gear, 37, whose radius compares to the radius of the first mentioned segment gear, as the length of the crank arm, 32, to the length of the lever arm, 34:.

The result. of these proportions it will be seen, is that each half revolution of the shaft, 31, rocks the shaft, 35, through 180 degrees, while the next half revolution of said shaft, 31, rocks the shaft, 35, through the same 180 degrees, causing it to carry the printing blocks back and forth between inkreceiving position on the platen and printing position on the pile of strips to be printed at l, and at the same time by the same movement, the ink Spreaders, 20, are reciprocated back and forth over the inking platen distributing fresh ink at each movement to the surface of the platen upon which the printing blocks are to lodge in their return movement.

In Figure 3 there is shown a modification of the mechanical means by which the rock shaft swings the printing blocks from inking to printing position and back. In this modification the lever arms of the rock shaft, des' ignated 5, in the construction shown in Figure 2 take the form of eccentrics, 40, fast on the shaft and still operating substantially as lever arms, each having an eccentric strap or link, 41, extending down from the eccentric and engaging the central pintles of the printing block holders, and intermediately attached rigidly tothe end of the controlling arm, 42, corresponding in function to the controlling arms, 15, of the other construction, and have their other ends connected to the upper end of the rocker arms, 18, which are identical with similarly designated arms of the first described construction. For holding the printing block holders rigid with the eccentric straps or link members, 41, and with the controlling arms, 42, respectively, there is provided upon the end of each of the controlling arms a latch, 43, adapted to be thrust into engagement with a notch 6 with which the holder, 6, is provided, at the angle between the faces on which the printing blocks are mounted.

In both the forms shown, the hexagonal 110 prism printing block holders are designed to have mounted upon their several faces the customary printing blocks for as many different music rolls as there are faces, six in the construction shown,on face No. 115 1 of all the holders, 6, in succession, from one end of the table, there will be mounted printing blocks in their proper order for printing rolls of one title or song; on face No. 2 of all the holders, there is mounted in 120 succession in proper order the printing blocks for title No. 2, and so on up to face No. 6. It will be understood that the several holders are mounted with their faces of the same number aligned,that is, with 125 the printing blocks for the same music roll arranged in succession in the same plane for printing. i

Preferably in either of the forms shown the weight of the holders and the lever arms 130 which carry them, and the controlling arms, should be counter-poised to present a ham- Iner stroke of the printing block on the plate and also upon the strips printed. Such counter-poise can be applied to the rock shaft, 2, as shown in Figure 1, by means of an arm, 50, attached at one end of the shaft, preferably the opposite end from that at which the driving connections are applied, said arms carrying a weight, 51, adjustable on the arm, and provided with a set screw for securing it at the proper position, ascertained by trial, for balancing the weight of the parts mentioned.

I The operation of this machine is as follows:

Two operators are employed, one at each end of the table for handling the strip extended thereon. First, the pile is placed in position as shown at 4:. The motor being in operation but the rock shaft at rest with the printing blocks resting on the inking platen, the operator at the end at which the motor is situated depressing the pedal, 60, trips the rock-shaft-operating connections into engagement, and the entire assemblage of printing block carriers being swung over from the inking plate onto the pile of strips and thence back again onto the inking platen, while the operators lift the top sheet which has been printed off from the pile, 4L, and place it in the position of 4*. If the mechanism is rotated not more rapidly than one swing of the holders in each direction per second, the operators can usually keep up with it, lifting the top sheet which has been printed off from one pile and placing it on the other during the swinging of the printing block holders away from the pile to the inking platen, and thus a complete strip will be printed at each complete revolution of the shaft, 31. If the operators cannot keep up with the speed, or if any interruption or delay occurs in any instance, the operator at the driving end releasing the pedal 50, will interrupt the operation of the machine; and a strip may be printed for each alternate revolution of said shaft.

We claim 1. In a machine for the purpose indicated, in combination with a table on which the strips to be printed may be extended, a rock shaft extending along the length of the table: a multiplicity of printing-blockholders and printing blocks carried thereby; means operatively connected to the rock shaft for giving the holders movement in planes transverse to the shaft and both parallel to and transverse to the planes of the printing faces of the blocks; said means being with respect to each holder, a lever member on the rock shaft which extends therefrom for swinging through an arc above the shaft extending both sides of the vertical plane of the latter, whereby its outer end moves downward at both limits of the swing, and a controlling arm connected at one end with the lever member and means for guiding the other end in a path approximately parallel to the strip-supporting surface of the table.

In the construction defined in claim 1, foregoing, th means for guiding said other end of the controlling arm being a rocker arm mounted upon a fixed pivot and having its free end connected to the controlling arm.

3. In the construction defined in claim 1, foregoing, a rocker arm mounted upon a fixed pivot, having its free end connected to the controlling arm; an ink platen parallcl with the sheet-supporting surface of the table; an ink spreader on said platen, and a link connected with the spreader to the rocker arm.

-l. In a machine for the purpose indicated, in combination with a table on which the strips to be printed may be extended; a rock shaft extending along the length of the table; a multiplicity of printing block holders and printing block carried thereby; means con necting the printing block holders with the rock shaft comprising with respect to each holder, a lever member on the rock shaft which swings above the shaft, in the rocking movement of the latter through an arc ex tending both sides of the vertical plane of said shaft; an arm engaged at one end by said lever member, the holder being carried at said end of said arm; a member connected with the opposite end of said arm mounted for having at the point of said connection a movement which is approximately parallel with th strip-supporting surface of the table, an ink platen parallel with said surface, and an ink-spreader connected with said elements for movement thereby over the ink platen.

5. In the construction defined in claim I, foregoing, the lever members on the rock shaft being each an eccentric; a co-operating eccentric strap connected with the holder, the controller arm being rigid with the strap and the holder.

6. In the construction defined in claim 1, foregoing, the lever members on the rock shaft being each an eccentric, a co-operating eccentric strap connected with the holder, the controller arm being rigid with the strap and the holder. and a rocker arm connected at one end to the controller arm and at the other end to a fixed pivot.

'7. In combination with construction defined in claim 1. foregoing, means for rocking the shaft, consisting of a rotating crank, lever arm longer than the crank, a link connecting the crank and the lever arm for rocking the latter, whereby each half revolution of the crank rocks the lever through less than 180 degrees, a rotation-communicating part rigid with the lever for being rocked therewith, and a lesser rotatioirreceiving member on the rock shaft operatively connected with the rotation-communicating member; whereby the rock shaft is rocked through a greater angle than the lever arm.

8. In combination with the construction defined in claim 1, foregoing, means for rocking the rock shaft, consisting of a rotating crank, a lever arm longer than the crank, a link connecting the crank and the lever arm for rocking the latter, whereby each half revolution of the crank rocks the lever arm to less than 180 degrees, a rotation-communieating part rigid with the lever for being rocked therewith, a lesser rotation-receiving member on the rock shaft, operatively connected with the rotationcommunicating member, the ratio of the receiving to the communicating member being substantially the same as the ratio of the crank link length to the lever length; whereby the rock shaft is rocked through substantially 180 degrees.

9. In the construction defined in claim 1, foregoing, the printing block holders being each an equilateral polygonal prism having its faces adapted for holding the printing block and mounted for rotation about its axis, and means for looking it against such rotation with a selected face parallel to the strip-supporting surface of the table.

10. In the construction defined in claim 1, foregoing, the printing block holders being equilateral polygonal prisms mounted for rotation about their common axis, and means for locking them against such rotation with any selected face parallel to the strip-supporting surface of the table, each of said prisms having at one end an axial pmtle and at the other end an axial socket to receive a corresponding pintle of the next holder, said pintle constituting the means for mounting the prisms for rotation about their axis.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto set our hand at Chicago, this 3rd day of December, 1920.

TOM H. SPENCE. JULIUS A. TURNELL.

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