US1438282A - Printing press - Google Patents

Description

.G. H. WILLIAMS;

PRINTING PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED 001. 1.1. 1917.

Patented Dec. 12, 1922.

w, I ligeg G. R. WILLIAMS.

PRINTING PRESS.

APFLICATION FILED OCT. 11. 19w.

Patented Dec. 12, 1922.

11 SHEETS-SHEET 2| Inventor:

fieowgefiimaiajfif, yl $01 K Gffi WILLIAM PRINTING PRESS.

I APFHCA TIDN FILED OCT- 1917- l,4:38,282. Patented Dec. 12., 1922.v

H SHEETSSHEET 3- G. R. WILLIAMS.

PRINTING PRESS. APPLICATION FILED OCT. n. 1912.

Patented Dec. 12, 1922.

11 SHEETS-SHEET 4.;

Inventor (Zeovge B. mm

G. R. WILLIAMS.

PRINTING PRESS.

-' APPLICATION FILED OCT. 11. 191?.

Patented Dec.12,1922.

,1 I SHEETS-SHEET 5.

Inventor S G. R. W-ILLIAMS.

PRINTING PRESS; APPLICATION FILED OCT. 11, 1917.

1,438,232, Y Patented Dec 12,1922.

ll SHEETSSHEET 6- Fig. 7.

3 Invemaam Ge avgefiwiim,

G. R. WILLIAMS.

PRINTING PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED 0cT.1I. 1912.

Patented Dec.12,1922

n SHEETSSHEET 7.

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G. H. WILLIAMS,

PRINTI NG PRESS. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 11, 1917- Patented Dec. 12, 1922.

11 SHEETSSHEET 8.

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Q WN mwm . WILLEAMS.

PRINTING PRESS- APPLICATION FILED OCT. 11, IQII.

Patented Dec. 12, 1922 11 SHEETSSHEET 9.

N\ Q N JRUM G. R. WILLIAMS.

' PRINTING PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 11, I917.

Patented Dec. 12,1922.

.1-1' SHEETS-SHEET 10;

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tr rr GEORGE, n. WILLIAMS, or novnn, new HAMPSHIRE.

PRINTING rnEss."

Application filed October 11, 1917. Serial No. 195,917.

T o all'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE R. WILLIAMs, a citizen of. the United States, and a resident of Dover, in the county of Strafford and State of New Ham shire, have invented an Improvement in rinting. Presses, of which the following is a specificatiorn This invention relates to printing presses, and with regard to certain more specific features, to a method and apparatus for printing a variety of sizes of forms and feeding from a continuous web of paper, cloth or like material. a

One of the objects of the present invention is to utilize the advantages of light weight and economy of a rotary press for certain operations, together with the advantages of a flat-bed type of unit for other.

operations.

Another object is to provide a method and apparatus in which the wear and tear on the machine, and the timerequired for'the nonprinting portions of the cycle of operations,

are reduced to a minimum.

Another object is to provide a simple and durable press operating at high speed, with N a maximum flexibility or availability for wide variations in the size of the work and in the number of operations involved.

Another object is to provide an 1nexpensive and reliable method and apparatus wherein the several steps and operations are so co-ordinated as to minimize the amount of waste material as well as the loss of time and material due to imperfect registration of the severaloperations on the printed form.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter. 1

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction and operation, combinations of elements, arrangements of parts, steps and sequence of steps which are exemplified in the structure hereinafter described and the scope of the application of which will be indlcated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which are shown two of various possible embodiments of this invention and a combination thereof,

line 15-15 of Figure 14, illustrating operating handle and tripplng mechanism Figure 1 is a longitudinal elevation illustrating the left side of a rotary printing unit used in conjunction with tWo units of the flat-bed type.

Figure 2 is a similar View of the leftside of a rotary printing unit associated with a rotary type of press.

F1gure 3 is'an enlarged left side elevatlon of the rotary printing unit illustrated in Figure 1. v

Figure 4 is a transverse section on the line 44 of Figure 3, showinga front ele- Y vation of the rotary printing unit illustrated in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a right side elevation of'said rotary printing unit, viewed from the'right of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional elevatlon on the line 6-6 of Figure 3. V

Figure 7 is a section on the line 77 of Figure 6,showing a face view of the pawl driving mechanism.

Figure 8' isa section on the line 8-8 of Figure 6, illustrating the frictional brake.

F i ure 9 is anenlarged side elevationiof certain details of the operating crank shown in Figure 5.

Figure 10 isa vertical section on the line 10-10 of'Figure 9. 1

Figure 11 is an enlarged left side elevation ofla portion of Figure 2, illustrating particularly the mechanism for tripping-or separating the elements of the printing couple duringthe non-printing events of the cycle of operation. v a

Figure 12 is a transverse sectional elevation on the line 12-42 of Figure 11.

Figure '13 is a vation on the line 13'13 of Figure 11, illus' trating one of the rotary printing couples. Figure 14'is a horizontal section on the line 1414 of Figure 1"1,flshowing in plan the mechanism for discontinuing the tripping device.

Figure-15 is a sectional elevation on tge t e associated therewith.

Figure 16 is an enlarged left side elevation of the rotary cutting attachment illustrated in Figure 2.

transverse sectional eletion showing diagrammatically only the relative positions of the forwarding crank,

forwarding rack, and associated parts at 10 the beginning of the first or forwarding event. a y I Figure is a similar right side elevation of the return crank, return rack, and asso-' ciated parts at the beginning of said forwarding event; I f Figure 21 is a left side elevation of the forwarding pawl-and ratchet device shown I in F igure, 17, illustrating the positions of the several parts at the beginning of the first or forwarding event; and in dotted lines the position of the pawl at the end of this event.

Figure 22 is a right side elevation. (looking through the machine) of, the return pawl and-ratchet device showing the several parts in their relative positions at the beginning of the first or forwarding event; and in dotted lines the position of the pawl at the end of this-event.

Figure 23 is a diagrammatic left side elevation of the cutting device of Figures 2 i and 16, showing the, parts at the beginning of the first or forwarding event.

Figure 24 is a similar view of the same parts at the end of the first third of this event, showing one section of paper out from the web. I

Figure 25 is a similar-viewof' the parts in the position they occupy at the end of the forwarding event, showing three sections cut from the web. Figure 26 is "a similar view of. at the end of the return event.

Figure 27 is a view showing in-a'general way a press embodying features of both of the above modifications. In considering this invention in its relathe parts tion to the 'prior art, it may be noted that for many years attempts have been made to provide roll-feed rotary or cylinder printing presses ,available for adjustment toa variety of lengths and widths of forms, as

vwell as for a varying number of operations upon each form, without prohibitive weight or initial cost. For some of the printing operations, a flat-bed type of press has been found best suited; for others, a rotary press; and 'it often happens that the operations to be performed upon a single form can be most expeditiously effected by the use of a press embodying both flat-bed and rotary units.

. Furthermore, some operations auxiliary to rinting, such as scoring or creasing, punchmg and cutting, can be best performed by the use of reciprocating units, while for neeeaea eration, and lack of accurate registration of the several operations upon the. web. Furthermore, in prior apparatusand methods the rotary printing units have not been adaptable to widely varying sizes of work without tedious and expensive adjustments and replacement of parts, or undue waste of material during printing. .As the description progresses, it will be seen that in the present invention, the above defects and limitations'of prior apparatus and methods are eliminated, and that the present-day requirements for flexibility, high speed, and economy, are adequately met.

' Referring now to the accompanying drawings, and more particularly to Figure 1 thereof, there is illustrated a longitudinal elevation ofthe left side of a printing press whose" component parts or units may be designated generally as a mounting 1 for the roll '2 of paper; a feed device3 through which the web is fed to the first flat-bed printing unit 5; a second flat-bed printing unit 6; afrotary printing unit 8'; the punching or cutting and creasing unit '9; and cut- 100 ting unit 10; the units 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10 be ing mounted upon aimain frame 11. The several printing units may operate on the same portions of the web, or on different portions. I

- Power for operating the press is-derived from a source (not shown) through a pulby and associated gearing to'the shaft 12 carrying, fly wheel 13. This mechanism between the source of power and the fly-wheel shaft is omitted in order to simplify thedrawings, since said mechanism per se forms no feature of the present invention. a

From the fiy-wheel shaft 12 power is transmitted through the gearing 14,15 and 16 to :thegear 17, on which there is adjustably mounted a crank 19, which, for reasons hereinafter set forth, will be referred to as the forwarding crank. This crank in turn servesto oscillate the forwarding connect- 12o ing rod 20, to communicate an oscillating motion to the forwarding segmental gear 21 meshing with a horizontal forwardingrack 23, supported upon brackets 24 carried upona main frame 11 of the machineConvtinuous rotation of the forwarding gear 17 thus serves to impart to the forwarding rack 23 a reciprocation longitudinally of the apparatus, through a 'distance'determined by the adjusting mechanism indicated at 26, 13a

ess,

and illustrated more in detail in Figures 9 and 10, hereinafter described.

From the forwarding rack 23, motion is communicated to the printing couple 36, 37 of the rotary printing unit 8. A pinion 61 (Figures 4 and .6) driven by the forwarding rack, is keyed to the disc 62 upon which the disc 63 is secured by means of the bolts 64 fitting in segmental slots 65, Figure 7, to provide for a limited relative angular adjustment of the discs 62 and 63. The latter disc carries oppositely disposed pawls 67, which, when driven in a clockwise direction in Figure 1 and a counter-clockwise direction in Figure 7, serv'e'to drive through teeth 68 of a disc 70 keyed to the shaft 71 upon which is mounted the plate cylinder 3.6. The shaft 71 is carried by bearings 72 in the brackets 25 of the side frames of the machine, and is manually adjustable by the hand-wheel 81. The shaft imparts rotation to the impression cylinder 37 through the gear 74 keyed to the shaft 71, meshing with a gear 75 keyed to the shaft 77 upon which the impression cylinder 37 is mounted, 4

The shaft 77 is mounted in eccentric bushings 78 carried in theside frames of the machine, and by means of the screws 80 passing through segmental slots (not shown) in the bushings and secured in the'side frames of the machine, a limited angular adjustment of the bushings is provided in order to obtain an accurate adjustment of the vertical distance between the impression cylinder 37 and the plate 38' carried on the plate cylinder 36.

A band brake 82, shown in Figure 6 and in detail in Figure 8, serves to prevent overthrow'of the printing couple 36, 37, by exerting a pressure upon the hub of the gear 74, above mentioned. The tension of the brake hand against the gear 74, and hence the power exerted by the brake upon the shaft 71, may be varied by the adjusting means indicated at 84.

The mechanism comprising the forwarding crank 19 and forwarding rack 23 issubstantially duplicated on the right side of the machine, where parts associated with the return event of the cycle of operations are provided, comprising the return crank 44 and return rack 47, illustrated in Figures 4 and 5. v

A set of ratchets and pawls associated with the return rack 47 serves to connect the rack with the printing couple 36, 37, during the return event ofthe cycle of operations, that is, while the forwarding rack 23 is moving toward the right in Figure 1 out of driving engagement with the cylinders 36, 37. The rotation imparted to the cylinder 36 is in the same direction as in the forwarding event (counter-clockwise in Figure 5, clockwisein Figure 1), and the ad justment of the stroke or throw of the reeee turn rack 47 is such that the rack imparts to the cylinders 36, 37, an angular displacement equal to the difi'erence between 360 and the displacement of these cylinders during the forwarding event. That is, if the cylinders travel 60 during the forwarding or paper-feeding event, due to the adjustinto forwarding and return rotations of any suitable ratio.

The driving connection between the return rack 47 and the printing couple 36, 37 comprises. a pinion 86 meshing with the return rack 47 and keyed upon a disc 87 carrying a second disk 89 angularly adjustable with respect to the disc 87 by means of segmental slots and bolts 90 passing therethrough and into the disc 87, to lock the discs 87, 89 together in the desired adjustment. Upon the second disc 89 are pawls 91 which engage and rotate during the return stroke a ,disc 92 similar to the disc 70 (Figure 7) and provided with teeth or notches (not shown) similar to the teeth as at 93 to the shaft 71 carr ing the plate cylinder 36, as above describe It will thus be seen that during the return-event, when the return rack 47 is travelin upwardly, the counter-clockwise rotation (Figure 5) of the pinion 86. meshing with this rack 47 causes a counter-clockwise rotation of the discs 87 and 89, thence through the .pawl and ratchet mechanism, a counter-clockwise rotation (Figure 5) of the plate cylinder 36, to efiect the desired extent of rotation of the latter. This counter-clockwise rotation of the cylinder 36 causes a clockwise rotation (Figure 5) of the impression cylinder 37 through the gearing 74, 75, and associated parts described above in connection with the forwarding event.

For convenience in considering-the structural features of thisembodiment of the invention and the relation of the several parts of the apparatus, the cycle of operations may be divided into two events: a first or forwarding event, during which the paper is fed toward the right in Figure 1 and some of the printing and auxiliary operations are 68. This toothed'disc 92 is pinned or keyed p efi'ected; and a second or return event, during which the remaining operationstake place. d

The first or forwarding event is utilized feeding device 3, printing units 5, 6, and 8,

- and punching or cutting and creasing unit freely through this unit. -At the rotary printing unit 8, however, the plate cylinder 36 and impression cylinder 37 are in operative contact, so that during this event the paper asses through in a direction toward the rig t, and the printing to be performed in this unit 8 is'efifected.

As the several units 5, 6, and 8 are shown in Figure 1, the fiat-bed units 5 and. 6 are adapted to print on the top of the web, while the rotary unit 8prints on the under side of the web. The relative arrangement of the several units, however, is of course optional and depends upon the character of the work to be performed;

The printing units 5 and 6 are relatively adjustable longitudinally of the web by being mounted on the guides 39; suitableqneans (not shown) being provided to lock the units securely in their adjusted positions. Likewise the units 3, 9 and 10 are adjustable longitudinally of the web by being mounted upon tracks 40, with appropriate looking devices 1-1.

From the above it will be seen that durin the forwarding event the paper passes idly through the'tlat-bed printing units 5 and 6,-andis printed upon during its-passage through the rctary unit 8.

At the end of this first or forwarding event the paper is brought to rest by the stopping or the feed rolls i2 mounted in the cutting unit 10 and driven from'the 1torwarding rack 23 through suitable gearing pawl. and ratchet mechanism, which is omitted in order to simplify the drawings. The forwarding rack 23 stops its forwarding or leftward motion at this time, because the forwarding crank 19 from which this rack is driven has reached the leftward end of itstravel (Figures 1 and 3). Owing to the pawl and ratchet drive of the feed rolls they do not become again op erative to advance the paper rightward, until the next leftward movement of the i orwarding crank 23, which occurs during the next forwarding event.

Simultaneously with the stopping of the feed rolls t2 and forwarding rack 23, the plate 36 and impression cylinder 37 stop rotating. @uring the second or return event, the forwarding rack 23 is moving toward masses printing operation, which occurs during the,

next forwarding event. That is, if 60 of the 360 of theplate 36 carry type or other matter to be printed, then a 60-degree rotation is imparted to the printing couple 36.

37 by the leftward movement of the forward v ing rack 23 through its pawl and ratchet mechanism during the forwarding stroke; and theremaining 300 of the 360 degrees of rotation is imparted to the printing coupic 36, 37 by the return rack 47 through its pawl and ratchet mechanism upon its rightward movement during the return event.

The device above indicated for adjusting the stroke of the crank 19 is indicated generally by the reference character 26 in Figure 1. This is a counterpart of the mechanism 48 as shown in Figures 4, 5, 9, and 10 for adjusting the stroke of the return rack 47, The device 48 comprises a guide 49 for a sliding block 50 provided with an aperture to receive a bolt 51, which is mounted in a head piece or bracket 52 for rotationtherein without reciprocation. The rotation of the bolt 51 thus serves to adjust the eccentricity of the crank at. Tn order to lock the crank 14 in its adjusted position, the nut 53' is tightened to draw the sliding block 50 outwardly (toward the right in Figure 10) wedging it against the guide 49. The

55 from the outer face 56 of the block 50, thus providing between the washer 55 and the shoulder 58 of the thimble, a afree bearing in which the return rack 47 is mounted. The guide 49 is bolted to the disc 59, which in turn is keyed to the shaft 60 carrying the gear 17. This return rack 4-7 is driven from'a return gear 57 similar to the forwarding gear 17 and driven from the dy thimble 54 spaces the nut 53 and the washer wheel shaft 12 through a pinion similar to the, pinion 1d meshing with the gear 57. The pinions 17 and 57., are mounted upon the same shaft 60.

The inkling of the plate 38 on the cylinder 36 is efilected by means of the inking rollers 95 (F igure 5), each contacting with the plate 33 during the non-printing portion of its rotation, and each contacting likewise with the larger inking roller 96, which in turn receives its ink from a fountain (not shown) through suitable means such as a series of rollers, of which three are indicated diagrammatically at 98.,

v messes;

(Jo-operating with the impression cylinder 37 are a series of rolls 100 indicated diagrammatically in Figure 5. 'As these,

are the type of rolls ordinarily employed in the art, they are not illustrated or described in detail.

Referrin now to the modification illustrated in Figures 2 and 11 to 26 of the drawings, there is shown an apparatus utilizing a series of units all of the rotary type. In Figure 2 is a longitudinal elevation of the left side of the press, whose component parts or units may be designated generally as a. supply unit, printing units, and auxiliary units,'including a cutting device. The web is delivered from a mounting 201 for the roll 202 of paper, to a-feed device 203 through which the web is fedto the rotary printing unit 205, which may be referred to as a face printing unit because it is arranged to print on the top or face ofvthe web. The web is passed from this first unit 205 to the second rotary face printing unit 206', and thereafter through the under-side rotary printing unit 208. arranged to print on the bottom or under-side of the'web. From this unit 208 the web is passed in succession through the .rotary' punching unit 209, scoring or creasing unit 207, feeding unit 204, and cutting unit 210, all of the rotary type and all mounted upon a main frame 211. Power for operating the press is derived from a source, not shown, through a pulley and associated gearing, to the shaft 212 carrying fly-wheel 213. This mechanism between the source of power and the fiy-wheel shaft is omitted, in order to simplify the drawings, since said mechanism per se forms no feature of the present invention.

From the fiy-wheel shaft 212 .power is transmitted through the gear 214 to the gear 217, on which there is adjustably mounted a forwarding crank 219. This crank in turn serves to oscillate the forwarding connecting rod 220 through which an oscillating motion is communicated to the link 221 carrying the sliding box 222 which in turn reciprocates the horizontal forwarding track 223, supported upon brackets 224 carried upon the main frame 211 of the machine. Continuous rotation of the forwarding gear 217 thus serves to impart to the forwarding rack 223 a reciprocation longitudinally of the apparatus, through a distance determined by the adjusting mechanism indicated at 226. This adjusting mechanism is illustrated more in detail in Figures 19 and 20, and is similar to the adjusting mechanism shown in Figures 9 and 10 above described. Briefly, this adjusting mechanism comprises a guide 249 for a sliding block 250 provided with an aperture to receive a bolt 251 which is mounted in a head-piece or bracket 252 for rotation therein without reciprocation. The rotation of the bolt 251 thus serves to adjust the eccenmounted.

through the Taking the first of tricity of the crank 244. In order to lock the crank 244 in its adjusted'position, the nut 253 is tightened to draw the sliding block 250 outwardly, wed ging it against the guide 249.

A thimble similar to the thimble 54 of Figure 10 spaces the nut 253 and the washer 255 from the outer face of the block 250, thus providing between the washer 255 and the shoulder .of the timble, a free bearing in which the forwarding connecting rod 233 is;

mounted. The guide 249 is bolted to the disc 259, which in turn is keyed to the shaft260 carr ing-the gear 217.

otion is transmitted from the forwarding connecting rod 220 to the link 221, which is provided with longitudinal or radial tongues 302 forming guides for the-slotted block 222, in which a stud 303 is journaled so that angular movement of the link 221, caused by movement of the connecting rod 220, compels the sliding block 222 and stud 303 to partake of the same extentof angular movement about the pivot 304 of the link 221, but permits an up-and-down sliding movement of the block 222 and stud 303 radially ment of the stud 303 with respect to the link 221 is determined by the travel permitted to of the link 221. This radial movethe'block 306 upon which the stud 303 is 1 This latter block is slidably mounted in the yoke or'bracke't 307 bolted to the bracket 224 above described. A face plate 309, screwed to the yoke 30?, retains the horizontal block 306 in position within the yoke- The block 306 may be meohanicall considered as a part of the forwarding rack 223, since as indicated in Figure 11, this rack 223 is constructed in sections extending in either direction from the horizontally sliding block 306, to which the sections are secured by suitable means such as the screws 311. With this construction, the rotation of the forwarding crank 219 oscillates the link 221 connecting rod 220, causing the horizontal reciprocation of the block 306' and forwarding rack 223, the power being transmechanical strength as compared with the segmental gear 21 of Figure 1.

From the forwarding rack 223 motion is communicated to the printing couples of the several printing units .205, 206 and 208.

these units 205 for example, there is provided a pinion, 261 (Figure 13) driven by the forwarding rack 223 and keyed to the disc 262 upon which the disc 263 is secured by means of the bolt 264 fitting in segmental slots similar to the slots 65 of Figure 7, to provide for a limited relative angular adjustment of the'discs262 and 263. The latter disc carries oppositely disposed pawls 267 which when driven in a counter-clockwise direction (Figures 2 and 11) serve to dri e through teeth similar to the teeth 68 of Figure 7, a disc- 270; keyed to the shaft 271 upon which is mounted the plate cylinder 236. Two teeth are preferred instead of a larger number, in order to mininoise or prevent any danger of overthrow of the printing couple. A single tooth would serve for certain purposes, but would give bushings 27 8 carried in the sliding bones 301 of the tripping mechanism hereinafter ,described. By means ct screws similar to the screws 80 of Figureti, passing through segmental slots in the bushings 278 andsecured in the sliding bones 301, a limited an ular adustment oil bushin s is tovided in order to obtain accurate adjus ment of the vertical. distance between the impression cylinder237 and the plate 238 carried on the plate cylinder 236.

In order to prevent overthrow oi the printing couple 236, 237, a pair of studs 227 slidably mounted in the ratchet-carrying disc270, may be pushed toward the left in F igure 18, into holes 228 in the pawl-carry- 7 ing disc 263 during thelorwarding event of the cycle of operations, But since the power for operating this overthrow-preventing mechanism is derived from a longitudinal bar 327' not yet described, the details of this device will be referred to hereinafter.

Aband brake 282, shown in Figure 13,

'' similar to the brake illustrated in detail in Figure 8, serves to prevent overthrow of the printing couple 236, 237, by exertingapressure upon the disc 273 keyed to the shaft 271. The tension of the brake hand against the 'disc 273, and hence the'power exerted by the brake upon thedshatt 271,.rnay be varied by adjusting means similar to themeans indicated at 84: in Figure 8.

In order to maintain the forwarding rack 223 in its proper relation to thegear 261 o meshing therewith, a shoe 297 (Figure 13) is provided as a track or guide for the under side of the rack 223, and this shoe is adjustby means such as the set screws 299.

ably secured-in the desired vertical position The mechanism comprising the forwarding crank 219, connecting rod 220, link 221, sliding box 222 and torwardingrack 223 is duplicated on the right side of the machine, where parts associated with the return event of the cycle of operations'are provided, comprising the return crank 2%, return con- 'necting rod2et3, return link (not shown), return sliding box ,(not shown) and return rack 247, illustrated in Figures 13 and 18. The return, rack2t7 is driven from a return gear 257 similar to the forwarding gear 217 and driven from the fly-wheel shaft 212 through a pinion similar to the pinion 214 meshing with the gear 257. The pinions 217 and 257 are mounted upon the'same shaft 260. a i

A set of ratchets and pawls, associated with the return rack 2 17 serves to connect rack with the printing couple 236,237 during the return event oil the ,cycle of op- 'i eeding even, due to the adjustment of the stroke of the forwarding rack 223, then the return rack 247 is set to give this printing couple a rotation of 60 during the return event, thereby leaving the printing couple in position for the beginning ot the next forwarding event. Ur the rotation of the printing couple may be 180 or some other angle during each cycle of operations; and

this angle may be divided into any suitable ratio of forwarding and return movement. A shoe 312, similar to the shoe 297, above described, preserves a proper meshing relation between the return rack 2&7 and the gear-286, by serving as a track or guide for the under side of the rack, as indicated in Figure 13. By means-ct set-screws 313, this shoe is maintained at the desired height. The driving connection between the return rack 247 and the printing couple 236, 237, comprises a pinion 286 meshihg with the return rack 247 and keyed 287 carrying a second disc 289 angularly adjustable with respect to the disc 287 by means rot segmental'slotsand bolts 290 passing therethrough and into the disc 287, to lock the discs 287, 280 together in the desired adjustment. Upon the second disc 289 are pawls 291 which. engage and rotate during the return stroke,'a disc 292 (Figure 22) similar to the disc in Figure 7, and provided with teeth or notches (not shown) similar to the teeth 68. This toothed disc 292 is pinned or keyed as at 293' to the shaft 271 carrying the cylinder 236, as above described. llt will thus be seen that during the return event, when the return rack 247 is traveling toward the left in Figures 2 and 19 (toward the right in Figupon a disc ing with this rack 247 causes a rotation of the discs'287 and, 289, thence through the pawl and ratchet mechanism, a rotation of the plate cylinder 236, to effect the desired extent of rotation of the latter. This rotation of the plate cylinder 236 causes rotation of the impression cylinder 237 through the gearing 274, 275 and associated parts described above in connection with the invention and the relation of the severalparts of the apparatus, the cycle of operations may be divided into four events; a first or forwarding event, dur'in which the paper is fed toward the right m Figure 2 I and the various printing and auxiliary operations are effected; a second or tripping event, during which the printing couples are separated by the tripping mechanism hereinafter described; a third or return event, during which the, idle movement of the printing-couples takes place, the webremaining stationary; and a fourth" or reengaging event, during which the printing couples are again brought into operative contact for the succeeding, cycle of operations.

During the first or forwarding event the fed toward the right in Figure 2, that is, toward the front of .the machine, from the supply roll 202 through the feeding device 203, printing units 205, 206 and 208, punchin unit 209, creasing or scoring unit 207, an feeding unit 204:, to the cutpaper is ting unit 210 where the web is cut into suit-- able lengths. During this forwarding event the printing couples of the severalprintmg units 205, 206, 208 are in operative contact, so that during this event the printing is a the shaft 260, which, asabove-described, 1S

efiected. I As the several units 205, 206, 208 are illustrated in Figure 2, the first two are adapted to print on the face or top of theweb, While the third unit, 208, prints on the under side of the web. The relative arrangement of the several units, however, is of course optional and depends upon the character of work to be performed.

The several units 205, 206. 208, 209, and the apparatus or unit comprising the auxiliary devices 207, 204 and 210, are relatively adjustable longitudinally of the web by being mounted on tracks 2.40 with appropriate lockingdevices 241. For convenience i in adjusting these units a crank 315 is mounted at the forward end of the'machine,

as indicated in'Figu're 2, and is connected to a threaded rod 316 running lengthwise of the apparatus to a bearing 318- at the, rear. By closing clutches (not shown) associated with the several units, the rotation of the crank 315 and rod 316 serves to ad Just "oneorfrnore of the units along the tracks 240 to vary the distance between the units and thus effect the desiredregistration of the several operations upon the web. ,The operations performed v upon the web at the auxiliary units 209, 207 and 210 dur-- ing this'first or forwarding event will be described hereinafter. v

' At the end of this first" or forwarding event the paper, is brought to rest by the stopping of the feed rolls 204'mounted in the cutting unit 210 and driven from the forwarding rack 223 through suitable gearing and pawl and ratchet mechanism, which is omitted in order to simplify the drawings.

.The forwarding rack 223 stops its forwarding or rightward motion at this time, be-

cause the forwarding crank, 219' from which this rack is driven has reached the leftward end of its travel. (Figure 2). .Owing to the pawl and ratchet drive associated with the feed rolls, they do not become again 0 7 erative to advance the paper rightwar d,

.until the next rightward movement of the forwarding crank 223, which'occurs during the next forwarding event.

Upon the completion of the forwarding eventthe tripping mechanism is brought into play and serves to separate or disengage the printing couples such as the cylinders 236, 237 of the printing unit 205, to permit the rotatio'nof theprinting couples through third or return event. This tripping mechanism is part of the apparatus shown in Figure 2, but is omitted from Figure 2 in rotated continuously from the fly-wheel the idle part of their movement during the shaft 212 and carries the forwarding gear 217 and return gear-257 for drivin the forwarding-and return racks 223, 24 respectively. Upon this shaft 260 is keyed a cam 320 whose rotation in a. counter-clockwise direction (FigureQll) reciprocates the rollers 321 carried upon a cam connection 3231 which in turn is slidably mounted upon the block 324 journaled upon the shaft 260. The cam 320 is so proportioned that its rotation imparts to the cam connection 323 .first a qulck rightward movement, and then after i be disregarded, since it issonly the vertical a period of rest, a quick leftward movement, followed by another period of rest. "The cam positively drives the cam connection in both directions, to insure accuracy and proper timing of the operations'resulting from or effected by this movement; I,

The reciprocation ofthe cam connection 323 oscillates the bell-crank 326,- which in turn efiects 'a reciprocation of'the operating bar 327 running lengthwise of the press and connected to perform simultaneously the tripping operations in the'printing units 205, 206 and 208 upon the completion of the first or forwarding event. The horizontal component of the motion of this rod 327 may component that is utilized. Furthermore,

this rod has no connection with the auxiliaryunits 209,207, 204 or 210, which are driven only from the forwarding crank 223, and

are operated during the forwarding event The vertical reciprocation of the operatingbar 327 efiects at each of the printing units 205, 206 and 208 the vertical'reciprocation'of a yoke 329 (Figures 13, 14 and 15),

which causes the rocking member 330 to oscillate. I lit will thus be seen that-throughout the operation of the apparatus th1s rocking member 330 is given a quick rotation of slight angular extent in one direction, and then after a period of rest, a similar quick rotation in the opposite direction, followed by a second period of rest; and this c cle occurs once during each cycle of operations of'the apparatus. The cam 320 is so timed that the rocking member 330 is at rest dur ing the first or forwarding event, rotates,

clockwise (Figures 11 and15) during the tripping event, is again at rest during the return event, and rotates I counter-clockwise during the fourth or re-engaging event.

The quick rotation of the rocking-member 330 clockwise during the tripping event is communicated to the impression cylinder 237 pivotally mounted upon the fork 336 by. means of the stud 339., and is operatively.

connected as at 341 to the sliding bolt 334, a spring-pressed plun or or detent 342 thereon cooperating with the notches 343 in the fork 336 to lock the handle in any one of its three operative positions. With Leashes the handle toward the right, that is, at the upper limit of its travel as illustrated in Figure 14, the sliding bolt 334 shifted thereby connects the rocking member 330 to the fork 336, so that the periodic oscillations of the rocking member are communicated to the fork .and thence to the rock shaft 332.

Mounted upon either end of this rock shaft 332 is a crank 345 connected by links 346 to the sliding boxes 30L above mentioned in connection with the eccentric bushings-27 8. The crank 345 and links 346 approach a Straight-line position as the cranks move counter-clockwise in Figures 11 and 15,

forming a toggle which insures both strength and'accuracy in raising the sliding boxes 301 to their uppermost position, correspond. in to the printing position of cylinders 236,

23 of the printing couple. Tt'will thus be s'eenthat with the handle 338 in this rightward position, that is, upward in Figurel4,

the sliding bolt 334 connects the rocking member 330 to the fork 336 and through the toggle mechanism 345, 346 imparts to the slidlng boxes and impression cylinder 237 a quick downward movement during the tripping event to separate this cylinder from the. plate cylinder 236 andthereby permit the rotation of the two cylinders 236, 237

of the printing couple during the third or return event, while the paper is held stationary, without danger of contact between either cylinder and the paper. During the. fourth or re-engaging event the rocking member 330 is given a quickjoscillation counter-clockwise in Figures 11 and 15, thereby raising the sliding boxes 301 and impression cylinder 237 to restore the printing couple 236, 237 to operative or printing position, ready for the printing during the first or forwarding event of the next cycle of operations. The teeth of gears 274, 275' are long enough to remain in mesh when the cylinder 237 is lowered. I v

The above sequence of operations occurs automatically whenever the handle is in its rightward position illustrated in Figure 14,

and this position of the handle may therefore be referred to for convenience as the normal or operating or automatic position. If the handle be shifted to the middle or neutral of its three positions, the slidin bolt 334 will be moved out of the aperture in the extension 333 of the rocking member 330 so that the rocking of the latter will impart no movement to the fork 336, sliding boxes 301 or impression cylinder 237' The weight of the boxes 301 and impression cylinder 237 to-theinoperative or non-printing position that they occupy during the third or return event. his facilitates the various adjust ments that may be needed prior to the 'operation of the apparatus, suchv as; changing of the plates, and the threading of the web.

ordinarily causes them at this time to drop masses With the handle in this middle or neutral position, the impression cylinder may be raised and lowered manually. v i The handle 338 in its third or leftward position, that is, downward in Figure 14, locks the sliding boxes 301 and impression cylinder 237 in their'uppermost or printingposition, because at this time the sliding bolt 334 is in an aperture 348 in the frame of the apparatus, this. aperture being so positioned that the bolt 334 is in register therewith when the sliding boxes 301 are at the upper limit of their travel, corresponding. to the position they occupy during the first or forwarding event of the cycle. i

The mechanism previously mentioned for preventing overthrow of the printing couple 236, 237, during the forwarding stroke of the cycle of operations, is illustrated in the upper right-hand portion of Figure 13, and

in detail in Figures 17 and 18. The power for operating this mechanism is derived from the central horizontal longitudinal bar 327, associated with the tripping mechanism, and which as above described is automatically raised at the beginning of'the forwarding stroke and automatically loweredat the end of said stroke. Mounted upon the yoke 329 driven from this bar 327 is a'di'nk 372 pivoted'to a bracket 373 secured to the rock P stroke, but 111 order to slmpllfy the drawshaft 374 carrying adjacent its outer end a second bracket 375 to which is pivotally connected the universal joint 376 whlch serves to transmit motion from the bracket 375 to the bracket 377 pinned to the upper rock shaft 378. It will thus be seen that the upward movement of the bar 327 at the beginning of the forwarding event effects a counter-clockwise rotation of the upper rock shaft 378, and that the downward movement of the bar 327 at the end of the forwarding stroke causes a clockwise motion of P this upper rock shaft 37 8. A rock arm 37 9 pinned to this upper rock shaft transmits motion to the yoke 380 through a stiff sprlng 381, seated in the rock arm 379 and in a cross piece 382 of the yoke. The yoke is journalled at its lower end upon the upper rock shaft 378 and at its upper end is pivotally secured at 383 to the sliding ring or sleeve 384 in which are mounted the studs 227, which as previously described pass through the ratchet-carrying disk 270 and are adapted to enter apertures (Figure 18) 228 in the pawlcarrying disc 263 during the forwarding event, to lock the disc 270, 263 positively to getherand thus prevent any overthrow. that might otherwise occur if'the only connection between these discs were the pawl-and ratchet drive 267, 268.

it will be seen that the upward movement of the central longitudinal bar 327 atthe beginning of the forwarding event causes the link 372 to move upwardly; this in turn rotates the lower rock shaft 374 and bracket 375 clockwise; (Figure 17), moving the universal joint 376 upward, and rotating in a counterclockwise direction (Fi re 18) the bracket 37 7 upper' rock shaft 3 8, rock arm 37 9 and yoke 380, causing the sliding rin 384 and pins 227 to be shifted toward the le t in Figure 18, to cause the latter to enter the apertures 228 in the pawl disc 263, as indicated in Figure 18. That is, of course, on the assumption-that at this time the holes 228 are in registration with the pins 227, and this will ordinarily be the case, because the holes ares'o located as to be in registration with the pins'whenever the pawls 267 are in proper engagement with the ratchet 268. If, however,- the holes 228 are not in position to receive the pins 227, no harm will be done, because the safety spring 381 between the rock arm 37 9 and the yoke 380, will simply be compressed. At theend of the forward-- ing stroke, the bar 327 is automatically lowered, as previously described, and this causes the pins 227 to be moved toward the right in Figure-18, and thus automatically withdrawn from the" pawl disc 263. It is thus impossible for the momentum ofthe printing couple to carry the ratchetahead of the pawl.

Mechanism s milarto the above may be rovided in connectlon with the return passes through a punching unit 209 comprising primarily the punch and die cylinders 350, 351, connected together bya suitable gearing (not shown) and driven through 'a awl and ratchet mechanism (not shown) from the forwarding rack 223 during the rightward movement of the latter. The rotation of the punching members thus occurs only during the paper-feeding movement, and the extent of rotation of these members depends upon .thestroke of the forwarding rack 223, which in turn is governed by the setting of the forwarding crank 21%). The punches and dies of, the punch members 350, 351, respectiveiy, may

be made adjustable,jif desired, to provide flexibility in their location angularly about the periphery of the punching cylinders and likewise laterally across the path of travel of the web.

From ,the punching unit 209 the web passes to the-scoring or creasing or slitting devices 207, and thence to the feed rollers 204. The scoring devices may or may not be positively driven g if driven, they are preferably connected to the rack 223 through pawl and ratchet mechanism (not shown) so that they receive during the forwarding

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