US1579181A - Method of and apparatus for lithographing - Google Patents

Description

March 30 1926.

L. THAYER METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR LITHOGRAPHING Original Filed July 18 Patented Mar. 30, 19260 UNITED STATES PATENT orrics.

LESTER THAYER, 0F WINTHROP, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIG'NOR TO FORBES LITHO- GRAPH MANUFACTURING COMPANY, 01? BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORA- TION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

. METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR LITHOGBAPHIN'G.

Application filed July 18, 1923, Serial No. 652,335. Renewed January 16, 1926.

To all hom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Lusrnn THAYER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Winthrop, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in a Method of andApparatus for Lithographing, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings'representing like parts. This application is a continuationin part of my prior application Serial No. 565,215, filed June 1, 1922.

My'invention relatesto a method of and apparatus for lithographing and particular ly but not exclusively to a method of and apparatus for making lithographed cartons. According. to prior methods of making cartons the .carton blanks are lithographed or otherwise printed in multiple on sheets of relatively large size, and after removal from the press are divided into smaller sheets and subsequently removed to a cutting and scoring machine for finishing the blanks preparatory to fabrication of the completed cartons.

In. the cutting and scoring machine the edgesof the blanks are used as gage lines properly to position the blanks with relation tothe cutting and scoring rules, and I have found that owing to the unavoidable expansion and contraction of the sheets it is impossible by prior methods econom cally .to handle a large number of sheets and obtain a product in which the blanks are uniformly cut and scored in proper relation to the lithographed or printed. matter thereon. The sheets, it will be understood, absorb moisture from the atmosphere. If the sheets, for example, are stacked upon discharge from the lithographing press awaiting removal to the machine for dividing them into smaller sheets, evaporation and absorption of moisture will be different for difierent sheets, causing the sheets to be of slightly different size, with the result that the edges of the sheets after division will not be uniformly and properly spaced relative to the lithographed matter, this causing improper scoring and cutting of the blanks in the cutting and scoring machine, with the result that a considerable number of blanks, will be spoiled.

According to my improved process I split the sheets simultaneously. with the lithographing and use the split edges of the smaller sheets as gage lines in the cutting and scoring machine, and am thereby enabled to avoid the effects due to expansion and contraction of the sheets, as pointed out above.

My invention will be best understood from the following description showing by way of example one manner of carrying out my method and describing one example of a press for splitting the sheets simultaneously with the lithographing.

In the drawings Fig. 1 shows more or less diagrammatically my-invention applied to a flat bed press; Fig. 2 shows a press constructed accordmg to. Fig. 1 looking from the left with the bed in section;

Fig. 3 shows a detail of the impression cylinder for the machine constructed according to Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of afragment of the knife. I g,

Referring to the drawings which illustrate the preferred form of my invention when applied to ,a flatbed press I have indicated a bed 1 which is mounted for reciprocation on the track 3, while above the bed I have shown the impression cylinder 5, which as will be understood by those skilled in the art is caused to rotate when the bedreciprocates. I-have indicated the feeding mechanism for the sheets diagrammatically at 7 and the delivery mechanism for the sheets diagrammatically at 9, the sheets as is common in this type of machine being fed by the impression cylinder in the direction of the arrow 11 whence they pass be tween the impression cylinder and bed and are finally delivered in-the direction of the arrow 13 to the delivery mechanism 9. As will be understood when the sheet passes between the bed and the impression cylinder the sheet is lithographed.

Referring to Fig. 2 I have indicated at 15 the plates which supply the color to the sheet, said plates being supported on the usual blocks 17. On the bed I further mount a knife 19 (or if desired several knives arranged parallel. to each other) supported between the blocks 17,. which knife (or ing provided with the nut knives) as illustrated in Fig. t is in the form of a bar or narrow strip of metal having the splitting edge 21..

Cooperating with the kni to and serving as a platen therefor is the hand 23 preferably constructed of a flexible strip o l' steel which encircles the impression cylinder. About that portion of the impression cylinder which faces the plates during the printing operation I provide the packing 25, the band in the manner hereinafter explained being caused to have its outer surface substantially flush with the outer surface of the packing.

As shown the impression cylinder is provided with the longitudinally extending rcccsses 27, and for holding the band 23 in position the ends thereof are bent over and if necessary secured to blocks 29 located at one of these recesses, the band and the blocks being perforated to receive the oppositely screw threaded ends of the turnbuckle Bl. the perforations 33 of the blocks being screw threaded to receive the turninickle, and the turnbuckle intermediate its ends be- 35 whereby the turnbuckle may be operated.

For adjusting the band 2 1 radially of the impression cylinder to bring the outer surface of the band in proper relation with the knife to compensate for the wear on the cutting edge of the knife and to bring'the outer surface of the band substantially flush with the outer surface of the packing I insert shims 37 between the impression cylinder and the band. the turnbuckle permitting the band to be loosened and adjusted for this purpose. The shims may be of any suitable material andL preferably material which will more or less yieldingly support the band, and for this purpose I have found shims made of several layers of paper satisfactory.

In using the press construction as described the sheets preferably are fed to the impression cylinder in such manner that the knife splits the sheets into narrower sheets on a line transversely to the grain of the sheets. As the sheets are split simultaneously with the lithographing the lithographs are always in the same relation to the edge along which the split takes place. As the maximum eX- pansion or contraction of the sheets is along the grain splitting the sheets transversely of the grain minimizes or insures against any noticeable effects due to subsequent expansion or contraction. The sheets are now removed to the cutting and scoring machine, the splitedges of the sheets being placed against the front guides of the feeding mechanism of the cutting and scoring machine and the unsplit edges against the side guides thereof which because the lithogra hed portions of the sheets are in exact re ation to the split edges permits the sheets to be cut and scored accurately with relation to the lithographs. As will be on derstood by those skilled in the art the scoring rules in the cutting and scoring machine for the most part and especially thc longest rules will be arranged parailcl to the front guides of the cutting and 'or ing machine and in this manner the scoring will be accurately placed relatively to the split edge of the sheet and will cause the sheets to be scored across the grain which permits the sheets to be folded without buckling at the edges of the cartons.

The presses in whica cartons are printed are commonly called lithographlng pres and the cartons said to be lithographed" whether the cartons are printed in colors or not or whether they bear both type mat ter, and pictorial matter or either of thesialone. Accordingly it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the particular kind of printing done by the press.

Although I have described one form of press for simultaneously lithographing and splitting the sheets it will be understood that other forms may be (ll'l]7l() \0(l. as for (x-- ample those disclosed in my pending appli cations Serial No. 565.215. filed June 1. 192; and Serial No, (352 3 36. filed July 19. i92

iilthough I have described for purposes of illustration one embodiment of my apparatus and method it is to be understood that I am not limited thereby, but that within the scope of my invention wide deviations may be made therefrom without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Claims:

1. The method of makinglitho -raphed cartons or the like which comprises printing said cartons in multiple on sheets of relatively large size. simultaneously splitting said sheets into sheets of smaller size. and subsequently using the split edges of the smaller sheets as a gauge in a cutting and scoring machine for the cartons.

2. The method of making lithographcd cartons or the like which comprises printing and said cartons in multiple on sheets of relatively large size. simultaneously splitting said sheets transvcrsely to the grain into sheets of smaller size, and subsequently using the split edges of the smaller sheets as a gauge in a cutting and scoring machine for the cartons.

3. That method of making lithographed cartons in which a lithographing press and a cutting and scoring machine are used. the latter having front and side guides. which comprises printing in said iithographing press said cartons in multiple on sheets of relatively large size. simultaneously splitting said sheets transversely to the grain into sheets of smaller size to prepare them for said cutting and scoring machinmand using said split edges as a gauge engaging the front feed guides of said splitting and scorng machine.

4- A fiat bed carton lithographing press having a rotary impression member and a bed. carrying plates for printing said cartons in multiple, a knife arranged lengthwise of said bed, and set up among said plates whereby said knife will split the sheet into smaller sheets each having a plurality of duplicate lithographs for said oartons, a band encircling said impression member, tension means for said band, shims for adjusting said band radially of said impression member, packing for said impression member, and the outer face of said band being substantially flush with the outer face of said packing and serving as a platen for said knife.

5. In a fiat bed press, a rotary impression cylinder, a straight knife arranged lengthwise of said bed and set up among the plates on said bed, and a radially adjustable band encircling said impression cylinder intermediate its length and serving as a platen for said knife.

6. In a flat bed press, a rotary impression cylinder, a. straight knife arranged lengthwise of said bed and set up among the plates on said bed, a radially adjustable platen for said knife carried by said impression cylinder, and packing carried by said impression cylinder at each side of said platen.

7 In a flat bed press, a rotary impression cylinder, a knife set up lengthwise of said bed and among the plates on said bed, a platen for said knife carried by said impression cylinder, and packing carried by said impression cylinder at each side of said platen.

8. In a flat bed press, a rotary impression cylinder, a knife set up lengthwise of said bed and among the plates on said bed, a flexible band serving as a platen for said knife bent about said impression cylinder intermediate its length, and means for securing the end portions of said band to said cylinder.

9. In a press, an impression cylinder, a band encircling said cylinder, a tension device for said band mounted in a recess on said cylinder, and a reciprocatory plate carrying bed cooperating with said impression cylinder, a knife carried by said bed transversely to the axis of said impression cylinder, and a plurality of plates set up on said bed on each side of said knife.

10. In a flat bed press, a reciprocatory plate carrying member, an impression memher, a knife set up among the plates on said plate carrying member transversely to said impression member, a narrow band serving as a platen for said knife carried by said impression member intermediate its length, and shims for adjusting said band radially of said impression member.

11.-In a flat bed press, a reciprocatory plate carrying member, an impression member, a knife set up among the plates on said plate carrying member transversely to said impression member, a narrow band serving as a platen for said knife carried by said impression member intermediate its length, and shims of yielding material for adjusting said band radially of said impression member.

12. In a flat bed press, a reciprocatory plate carrying member, an impression member, a knife set up among the plates on said plate carrying member transversely to said impression member, a narrow band serving as a platen for said knife carried by said impression member intermediate its length, and a yielding backing for said band.

13. In a flat bed press, a reciprocatory plate carrying member, an impression member, av knife set up among the plates on said plate carrying member transversely to said impression member, a narrow band serving as a platen for said knife carried by said impression member intermediate its length, means for tensioning said band, and means for adjusting said band radially ofsaid impression member.

In testimony whereof, I have slgned my name to this speclficatlon.

LESTER THAYER.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,579,181, granted March 30, L926, upon the application of Lester Thayer, of \Vinthrop, Massachusetts, for an improvement in Methods of and Apparatus for Lithograp-hing, an error appears in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 2, line 111, claim 2, strike out the Word and and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oflice.

Signed and sealed this 11th day of May, A. D. 1926.

[SEAL-1 M. J. MOORE,

Acting Commissioner of Patents.

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