US1559136A - Alignment bar and type protector for use in embossing machines - Google Patents

Description

Oct- 27,192s. 1,559,130

G. s. WALPOLE ALIGNMENT BAR AND TYPE PROTECTOR FOR USE IN EMBOSSING MACHINES Filed Jan. 31; 19 24 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVE 70 Oct. 27, 1925. 1,559,136

G. S. WALPOLE ALIGNMENT BAR AND TYPE PROTECTOR FOR USE IN EMBOSSING MACHINES- Filed Jan. 31, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 27, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE STANLEY WALPOLE, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

ALIGNMENT BAR AND TYPE rnomizc'roit r03 USE. in EMBOSSING MACHINES.

Application filed January 31, 1924.. Serial No. 689,773.

7 To all whom it may concern the King of Great Britain, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating to Alignment Bars and Type Protectors for Use in Embossing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to alignment bars and type protectors, and it relates particularly to such devices for use in embossing machines of the type known as cutter-crush machines, intended to produce embossed words, letters, numerals, designs, or the like, on cardboard or like material, the embossed portions being further generally covered with coloured paper or the like, which is cut out and pressed into recesses formed by the type, by means of cuttingedges provided thereon; I

The object of the invention is to provide a simple alignment bar, which will serve as an easy and simple means for correctly positioning the cards to be embossed, whilst italso serves forv the correct alignment and the protection of the type or embossing dies. Other advantages of the invention will appear from the following description. -.According to the invention, I provide a positive stop between the card and the pressure member of an embossing machine of the kind described, the dimensions of this stop being such that it takes the pressure when the type has been impressed into the card or the like, to the required extent, and thus prevents the type being damaged. The inventionv further comprises an improved alignment bar, forfacilitating the; correct alignment and positioning of the'card and e V type'in the machine, and the alignment bar may at the same time with advantage, serve as the stop or type protector referred to. The alignment. bar is adapted'normally' to rest on the press platen, and to be remov ably secured thereto, in the correct position, by means of lateral members, which when a card is inserted between theplaten and the bar, serve as abutments against which the card can be easily and quickly positioned.

These lateral members may take the form. of downwardly depending bars or the like,

one of which is, rectangularly secured at eachend ofthe bar, and which are adapted to ,fit into recesses, or between pins, or be otherwise conveniently secured to the platen.

Otherfeatures of the invention Will, be described hereinafter, and a preferred method of carrying it out, is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which :Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an alignment bar and type protector according to theinvention, and

Fig. 2 is a section on the line A-A of l, the bar being in this case shown in its operative position with a card. I Figure 3 isfa perspective view of one form of an embossing machine, showingthe application of the present invention, and

'Figure 4 is a sectional elevation of the machine shown in Fig. 3, with a card in- Referring to the drawings, I have illus trated in Figs. 3 and 4, oneform of an embossing or cutter crush machine, to which the present invention is applicable, although the invention is not limited to use with this particular form of cutter crush machine, which per se forms no part of the present invention. I

The machine comprisesa base plate 6, a

table 7, pivoted at 8 to the base 6 and lower platen 2, slidably disposed on the table 7. An upper platen 10 is disposed in fixed but adjustable relationship to the frame, and a cam shaft 11, which may be rotated by means of a hand lever 12 is provided for lifting the table, so that the work may be pressed between the two platens, the cams on the shaft 11 being so adjusted that at their maximum lift, the lower platen 2 is parallel with the upper platen 10. A wedge member 13 is provided in a suitable bridge piece and preferably supported by four c'olumnsld for adjusting the position of the to the base. I I

In operation a card or the like is arranged on -the lower platen 2, and one or more piecesof embossing type 16, having cutting edges thereon are arranged on the card,

with paper of any desired color between the pressure'is applied bymeansof the hand' lever 12, and when the letters, numerals, or designs of the type used will be embossed on the card and produced thereon with an adhesive covering of the colored paper being employed, the v paper preferably provided with an adhesive backing of any suitable kind.

For the purposes hereinafter described,-

I provide a positive stop between the pressure member, i. e. in the present case the platen 10', and the card 3, and this positive step may take the form of an alignment bar, although it may alsobe provided in other forms. I have found that if this positive stop is constructed of sufiiciently great strength, for example, of a metal bar having a flat underside, it acts as a protector for the type in a manner hereinafter described, and that the impression made by the stop on the card is so small as to be practically imperceptible to the naked eye.

In the drawings 1 have illustrated such a positive stop in the form of an alignment bar. This bar consists of a straight edged bar 1, preferably made of iron, steel, or the like, and adapted normally to rest flat on the platen or table 2, on which the card 3 to be embossed is disposed. Secured at either extremity, and to the under-side of the bar 1, are two transverse downwardly depending side members a, which are adapted 'tolit into recesses 5 shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, cut in the sides of the table or pia ten, the length of the bar 1, and the arrangement of the said side members l and recesses 5 being such that the bar is normally held rigidly at right angles to the edges of the table or platen 2, and rests on the upper surface of the said table, with the upper edges of the side members flush with the edges of the table. If desired, the recesses referred to as being disposed in the sides of the table, may be replaced by suitably spaced pins 17, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, or other like means, adapted to engage and to hold the said side members. The-card to be embossed, is inserted between the platen or table 2, and the alignment bar 1, as illustrated in Fig. 2, whereby the said bar, with its side members 4, is raised by the thickness of the card 3, the side members thus projecting'above the ed go of the table by the thickness of the card, and thus forming abutments against which the card can easily and rapidl be placed in correct alignment on the tab e. This arrangement prevents the card from slipping, or from being incorrectly adjusted, the'bar being of suflicient weight to hold the card in position. i

If desired, the upper face of the alignment-bar may be graduated in any convenient manner, to assist in the, correct spacing of I the type. i

I have found that if the type is pressed or punched too far into the card, not only istheimpression obtained an imperfect one,

but the cutting edges of the type itself are liable to be ruined. I therefore construct my alignment bar of a thickness less than the height of the type, the difference being the preferred or permissible depth of impression for the type.- It follows that when the type has been impressed or punched into the card until its upper surface is flush with the alignment bar, any further pressure put on by the operator will be taken by the rigid alignment bar, and the type thus protected.

If it should be found advisable to use various different sizes or shapes of type or dies in a machine, and that these different sizes or shapes of dies should be preferably impressed into the cards to different thicknesses and depths respectively, then the thickness of the alignment bar is such as to be less than the height of the type by the mean value of the preferred or permissible depths of impression for the different types. instead of arranging the thickness of the alignment bar to be of the mean value stated, separate alignment bars for various kinds of type could of course be used.

It should be noted that the protection of type forms a material part of my invention, as l have found that other known methods for preventing excess of pressure being put on the type, such as for example, the provision of an adjustable" stop, to prevent the pressure handle being moved too far, have proved unsatisfactory. Accordingiy I have found that the type is more efficiently protected by inserting a positive stop, in the form of a steel, iron or like bar or member, between the card and the pressure member, this stop. being of course arranged with the requisite thickness above referred to. For convenience and simplicity of operation, I use my improved alignment bar to serve at the same time as a type protector, but it should be understood that the insertion between the card and the pressure member of a positive stop for the purpose of protecting the type, does not fall outside the scope of the present invention, even though that stop be not used as an alignment bar.

In addition to providing a rapid means for the correct positioning of the card, the alignmentbar also serves to assist in the correct positioning of the type or die, which can either be placed loosely against the bar, or else can be assembled in various units in a suitable type holding device, which latter device when placed against the bar, will antomatically be disposed at right angles to the edges of the table, and hence also of the card.

The use of the improved alignment bar has many advantages over I other devices which have hitherto been used in connection with embossing machines of the type described. In most of these machines it has been the practice to provide the table with a plurality of suitablyspaced lines, with reference to which both the card, and in some cases also the type, were adjusted.

This operation requires to be done by eye, and. it is obvious that the present device, which provides a positive means of adjusting the card by touch, is both more easy and more rapid than that depending on adjustment by eye.

Furthermore, where it is desired to emboss a plurality of figures, letters or the like, in column, the positive adjustment provided ensures the several impressions being correctly aligned one beneath the other.

It will be seen that the improved alignment bar herein described, provides a simple, efficient, rapid and accurate means for holding the card to be embossed, in the correct position with reference to the table, and for continuing to hold it in the same position, through a series of embossing operations, whilst it further provides a means for assisting in the correct alignment not only of the card, but also ofthe type or dies, a further important feature being that it also serves to protect the type from clamage.

Whilst I do not desire the invention to be limited in this respect, I may say that I prefer to use the improved alignment bar in conjunction with a type holding bar of the kind described in my co-pending specifications Nos. 2909/23 and 5202/23, although it is to be understood that the type or dies may, if desired, be arranged in any other convenient manner.

I claim:

1. An alignment bar for use on embossing machines of the kind described, comprising a metal bar, adapted normally to rest on the platen, and to be removably secured in the correct position thereon by means of lateral members, which serve as abutments for positioning the card when the latter is inserted between the platen and the bar.

2. An alignment bar for use on embossing machines, comprising a bar adapted to rest on the platen, means for removably securing said bar in card alignment on said platen, said means serving to position the card or the like when the latter is inserted between the platen and the bar.

3. An alignment bar for use on embossing machines, comprising a bar adapted to rest wardly depending rectangularly disposed" member adapted to extend over the side of the platen.

5. In combination with an embossing machine having a platen adapted to receive a card and type for embossing on said card, means for exerting pressure on said type, and means for protecting said type comprising a member constituting a positive stop between said card and pressure exerting means. I g

6. In combination with an embossing machine having a platen adapted to receive a card and type for embossing on said card, means for exerting pressure on said type, and means serving both as an alignment bar for facilitating the correct positioning of the card and type and for protecting said type from undue pressure from said pressure exerting means.

7 In combination with an embossing machine having a platen adapted to receive a card and type for embossing on said card, means for exerting pressure on said type, and a member positioned between and forming a positive stop between the card and pressure exerting means, said member also serving as an alignment bar for facilitating the correct positioning of the card and type.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

GEORGE STANLEY WALPOLE.

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