US1620042A - Process for heating and bending metallic printing plates, such as stereotype and electrotype plates - Google Patents

Description

March 8 1927. 1,620,042

c. N. SMITH PROCESS FOR HEATING AND BENDING METALLIC PRINTING PLATES, SUCH AS STEREOTYPE AND ELECTROTYPE PLATES Original Filed April 24. 1922 Uhil'lE,

sT-Arss 11,62,042 PATENT vorricizz.

CHRISTIAN N. SMITH, OF ELGIN, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO XVILLIAM' I. TOPPING, 0F ELGIN', ILLINGIS; ALICE MINNIE SMITH AND LILY IRENE SMITH EXECUTRICESxGF; SAID CHRISTIAN" N. SMETH, DECEASED.

EROCESS FGR HEATING BENDING METALLXC PRINTING ?LATES, SUCH AS STEREO'EYPE'AND ELECTROTYPE PLATES.

Original application filed April 24, 1922, Serial No. 558,310. Divided and, this application filed r 17, 1925. Serial no, 63,114. v

This invention relates to that class of processes for heating and bending metallic printing plates, whereby printing plates, such as electrotype and stereotypeplates may be bent or heated andbent'into suitably curved form for use in printing.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a simple, economical and efficient process for heating and bending metallic printing plates, such as electrotype or stereotype plates.

'Qther and further objects of the invention will appear from the following description and claims, and from an inspection of the accompanying drawings, which are made a part of this specification.

The invention consists in the improved method or process of bending or moistening, heating and bending metallic printing plates, such as electrotype and stereotype plates, whereby such printing plates may be bent into suitably curved form for use in printing.

This application 13 a division of a pendapplication Serial No. 556,310-, filed in the United States Patent ()fiice by me and in my name on April 24-, 1922, for improvements in machines and processes for bendingmetallic printing plates, such as stereotype and electrotype plates, and a continuing up lication in part of said application and of a pending application Serial No. H1397, filed in the United States Patent Office by me and in my name on May 5, 1925, for inn'irovements in machines and processes for heating and bending metallic printing plates, such as electrotype and stereotype plates.

in the accompanying drawings- Figure l is a view in front elevation of a machine adapted to be used in the process or method of heating, moistening and bending metallic printing plates in accordance with nay-improved process and invention, the hollow heating and bending roll being shown in vertical section, and the metallic printing plate and metallic backing sheets October verse section as they would appear while passing between the rolls in the process of being-heated and bent;

Fig; 2 a, View in side elevation of the" machine shown in Fig. 1, with parts broken away, and with the driving and heating mechanism for heating and driving the heating and bending roll omitted;

Fig 3 is a detail view in perspective of a hollow heating and bending roll, with a metallic printing plate, a sheet of moisture containing compressible material, such as moist paper pulp in contact with the printing side of the printing plate, flexible outer and intermediate metallic backing sheets, and intermediate sheets of compressible ma,- terial between the metallic backing sheets, and between the inner metallic backing sheet and the moisture-containing sheet, all shown in position as they would appear when pass ing between the hollow heating and bending roll and an opposed forming roll in the operation otbeing heated and bent; and

Fig. l shows a metallic printing plate, with a moisture-containing compressible sheet in contact with its printing side, two metallic backing sheets in contact with each other, and intermediate sheet material between the inner metallic backing sheet and the moist sheet.

In bending, or heating, inoisteningand bending metallic printing plates, such as electrotype and stereotype plates, by and in accordance with my improved method or process, I employ a suitable machine or heating and bending apparatus'which may be in the form of the'machine shown and described in either of. the above mentioned pending applications, or of other suitable form.

' I provide,ftor example, a bending, or h .at-

ing, moistening and bending machine which,

in theiorm shown in the accompanying drawings, comprises a main frame 1, which maybe of any desired ordinary andwell known or suitable form adapted to support the working-parts of the machine. The

frame shown in the drawings is provided Bemovably mounted and journaled in suitable bearings in the standards or upright frame members 2 is a hollow heating and bending roll 4 having a curved or cylindrical outer peripheral wall 5, end walls 6, hollow endwise projecting hubs or journals 7 at each end of said roll respectively and rotatively mounted or journaled in suitgble bearings in said upright frame memers. V

The upright frame members or standards 1 2- are each provided with a recess or slot axle or trunnions 13 at t adjusting the roll.

8 having marginal top and bottom walls or margins 9 and 10, adapted to admit the axles or hubs 7. Bearing blocks or journals bearings 11 secured to the standards 2 are adapted to removably support the rotative heating and bending roll 4 in position in the frame.

Mounted adjacent to and with its cylindrical periphery in parallel relation to the peripheral surface of the heating and bending roll 4, is a supplementary or auxiliary bending roll 12, of which there may be one or more. The axes of the rolls i and 12 are parallel, and the roll 12 is provided with an he opposite ends of the roll, said axle or trunnions being rotatively mounted in sliding bearing blocks li which are slidably mounted between parallel ways or guides 15', 15, formed by the upright standards 2 adjacent to the opposite ends of the rolls.

Suitable means for adjusting the sliding blocks 14 and thereby the roll or rolls 12 is provided which may be of any desired ordinary and well known or suitable form.

For example, each sliding block 1% is pro-- vided with an adjusting screw 16 non-rotatively mounted in or fixed to and movable upward and downward with such sliding block, the upper ends of said screws being screw-threaded A toothed bevel gear 17 is mounted in screw-threaded engagement with each adjusting screw 16 and rotatively supported in a suitable bearing 18 in the corresponding side frame member or standard 2. Each of the bevel gears 17 has a collar of flanged hub portion 19 adapted to abut against the under side of the bearing 18, so as to permit the rotation of the gear but prevent the movement of the same longitudinally of its axis. A shaft 20 1S rotatively mounted and provided with bevel gear wheels 21 fixed to its opposite ends, each in toothed engagement with an adjacent bevel gear wheel 17. find a hand wheel 22 fixed to the shaft 20 serves as a convenient means for rotating said shaft in the operation of Heating and bending rolls of varying or unequal diameters may be used successively or interchangeably.

Means is provided for heating the hollow heating and bending roll l, which heating means may be of any desired ordinary and well known or suitable form, such, for eX- ample, as a steam pipe or gas pipe leading into the interior of the roll through the hollow axle and adapted to communicate with.

a suitable source of steam or gas supply, as the case may be, said roll having suitable discharge openings for permitting the escape of exhausted steam or products of combustion. Iprefer, however,-to employ gasburning heating means, in order to obtain the required or desired high temperature which is best suited for the purpose.

Each heating and bending roll 4 forms an inner heating or combustion chamber 23 into which leads an axial end opening 24, which may be in one of the hollow hubs or journals 7.

A supply pipe 25 is provided which extends into the inner heating or combustion chamber and communicates with a source of steam or supply. In the form of device shown in the drawings the supply pipe 25 is adapted to communicate with a gas supply or fuel supply and is adapted to discharge gas or hydrocarbon fuel into the adjacent spaced-apart end of a conduit or burner tube member 26 which has a cup 27 on its outer end and adapted to surround the adjacent discharge end of the pipe 25.

In the form of the device shown in the drawings a plurality of perforated branch pipe or burner members 28 are provided which are inside of the heating or combustion chamber of the roll a and connected with the tube 26. A gas burner is thus formed which is adapted to operate like a Bunsen burner on the inside of the heating chamber of the hollow heating and bending roll, which is by preference, provided with an inner hollow drum 29 which is concentric with the roll a and forms a cylindrical or annular wall inside of said roll. The drum 29 thus forms the inner wall of the annular heating or combustion chamber 23 in which the gas burner is located. And the combustion chamber is, of course, provided with suitable discharge openings, for permitting the escape of products of combustion, and with suitable air-inlet openings 30 for the admission of air to the combustion chamber.

Suit-able driving means is provided, for driving the hollow heating and bending roll 4, which may be of any desired ordinary and well known or suitable form.

For example, a driving shaft 31 is journaled in suitable bearings 32, and provided with clutch mechanism 33 including a clutchoperating lever 34 and a movable clutch member 35 on said driving shaft and movable into and out of clutching engagement with a clutch member 36 on the end of the roll 1, all adapted to detachably connect the driving shaft 31 with said roll.

A worm wheel 37 is fixed to the driving lGU shaft 31 andta. main .drivingor .worm shaft 38 is mounted in. suitable bearings and provided with a worm 39 fixed to said shaft 38 and adapted to engage the worm wheel 37 on said driving; shaft 31.

The rolls 4 and 12 may be either so mounted that their axes arevertical as shown in application 556,310 above referred to, or so mounted that theirzaxesaare horizontal, as shown in application No. 711,297. And they may be heated by either steam or by means of a gas burner, though I prefer the latter as already stated.

The hollow heating and bending roll 4 is provided with peripheral. printing-plateengaging bar 44 which extends longitudinally of the roll and, by preference, from endto end thereof and in parallel relation tothe axis of the roll.

The plate-holding strip or bar 44 is provided with a side flange 45 which projects over a corresponding inner longitudinal marginal notch or recess 46. which is adapted to receive and removably hold in position the corresponding adjacent marginal portion or edge of a metallic printing plate, such as an electrotype or stereotype plate 47 to be bent or heated, moistened and bent. The marginal-fiange-45 projects over the adjacent marginal portion of the metallic printing plate and acts to removably but firmly hold said margin between the flange and the adjacent peripheral surface of the roll 4 during the operation of heating and bending the plate. An outer-flexible sheet or backing plate 48, which is by preference, made of flexible sheet metal, extends over the, outside of the plate-holding bar 44 and from end to endv of said bar, and has its forward edge secured to the peripheral surface of the heating and bending roll 4, in engagement with the bar 44 and roll, in advance of the said bar, by suitable securing means, such, for example, as a securing strip 44 riveted in place or otherwise secured to the backing plate 48 and its support.

The flexible outer metallic backing plate or sheet 48 is of sufiicient length to completely or approximately encircle the heating and, bending roll on which it is mounted. A similar inner flexible metallic backing sheet 49 is mounted intermediate the outer flexible backing sheet 48 and the metallic printing plate to be bent, or between the outer backing sheet 48 and the periphery of the heating and bending roll in position to extend outside of the metallic printing plate during the operation of heatingand bending the same. An intern'iediate-sheet of relatively thick compressible elastic or rubbery material 50, such, for example as a sheet or sheets of Part. rubber, composition containing rubber, or similar compressible material, is.

mounted between'the metallic backing" sheets 48 and 49, and is adapted to yieldingly resist pressure applied to the outer side of the outer metallic backing sheet 48, and to permit the metallic sheets 48 and 49 to be pressed inward toward the metallic printing plate during the operation of heating and bending the same; but said elastic sheet 50 acts to hold said metallic plates 48, 49in yielding relation to each other and spaced apart from each other. And the said metallic plates 48, 49 act to prevent the rubbery compressible or elastic cushioning sheet 50 from crawling and from spreading in direct contact with the sheet or compressible material which is to be interposed between the outer backing sheet- s 48,49, 50, and the metallic printing plate. The sheets 48, 49, 50 may be said to form an armored backing or laminated plate or set of backing sheets which have the quality of being compressible without causing or permitting either of the outer layers thereof to spread or crawl in the operation of heating and bending and moistening a metallic printing plate. The cushioning sheet 50 may be approximately half an inch in thickness, more or less, and is adapted to be compressed between the metallic sheets 48, 49, and thereby made much thinner than when in normal condition, without injury to the compressible sheet. A sheet or sheets of compressible material should be placed between the printing surface of the printing plate and the metallic sheet material or armored compressible and elastic backing material or sheets above described. j V

In practicing my improved process of bending or heating. moistening and bending metallic printing plates, such as electrotype or stereotype plates, copper printing plates, zinc, or aluminum plates, or printing plates of an desired material, ll provide a metallic printing plate 47, which maybe an electrotype or a stereotype plate. The printing plate is provided on its printing side with a; covering or layer, sheet or sheets 51 of compressible material, such, for example, as a sheet of paper pulpor similar compressible material in a moist or plastic condition. This moishire-containing sheet is laid upon and in-contact with the printing side of the metallic printing plate and is adapted to be tightly COIUPI'GSSQd against said. printing side or face of said printing plate, and, by preference, heated and dried or partially dried, so as to fill all of the recesses, inter stices and depressions in the printing. surface or side of the printing pfate and moisten the same, and form what may be tern' ed a temporary matrix which is made, com pressed While in a moist or plastic condition, progressively bent and dried or partially dried and bent with the printing plate during the operation of heat-ing, moistening and bending said print-in plate.

The heating, moisteningand bending of the metallic printing plate and the heating and bending of the sheet 51 of compressible material in a moist or plastic condition is accomplished while the compressible material or sheet 51 is in contact with the printing side of the printing plate. lhe sheet 51 of compressible matrix-forming material thus laid on the printing side of the printing plate in a moist or plastic condition, is covered with a sheet of suitable compressible material 52, such as wool felt or similar fibrous compressible material, which may be in dry condition, and is adapted to absorb moisture from the matrix-forming or moisture-containing sheet with which said sheet 52 is in contact. Or the sheet 52 may be of blotting paper or similar absorbent material.

A. flexible sheet of suitable material which is, by preference, somewhat harder than the sheet 52, and which may be in the form of a sheet 53 of flexible hard rubber, rubber composition, or similar flexible material, which may be water-proof. laid on the sheet 52 and between said sheet 52 and the inner metallic sheet d9 above described, said metallic sheet 49 bcing laid on the sheet 53, and said cushioning sheet 50, hard rubher or similar compressible material being laid on the metalli sheet 49 and between said metallic sheet and the outer backii'ig sheet 48 which is, by preference, permanently secured to the periphery of the heating and bending roll 4 as already described. The whole of said elements or sheets, and the metallic printing plate to be heated, moistened and bent. are thus placed together and in position to pass between the rolls 4 and 12, with the edge of the metallic printing plate 47 in the slot or notch l6 and between the flange on the plate-holding bar id and the periphery of the heating roll. All of said elements are thus placed between the hollow heating and bending roll a and the outer metallic backing sheet 48 fixed to said 7 roll 4. The metallic printing plate is then heated .to the desired temperature, which may be accomplishedby heating the roll 4 with which the inner face ot the printing plate is in contact. to the desired temperature to enable the metallic printing plate to be moistened and bent while heated, to the desired curvature.

The rolls are then rotated slowly, so as to cause the metallic printing plate, the outer temporary-matriX-forming element is thus heated and compressed and bent while in a moist or plastic condition and in contact with the printing face of the metallic printing plate, so as to fill all of the interstices and depressions in the printing side or face of said printing plate; and said lIlOlSlJlltC-Umltaining sheet and metallic printing plate are heated and bent together or simultaneously and progressively while in a heated condition and while the sheet 51 is in a moist or plastic condition and in position to act to moisten the printing side or face of the metallic printing plate during the operation of heating and bending the same progressively.

The metallic printing plate and the moisture-containing sheet in contact therewith are then allowed to cool, and the moisturecontaining sleet is allowed to dry or to become partially dry while in contact with the printing side of the printing plate which is also, by preference, allowed to cool progressively so as to become set in its properly curved condition. The curved metallic printing plate is then removed from the h eating and bending roll and the temporary-inatrix-iiorming sheet or moisture-conraining sheet 51 removed from the bent or curved printing surface of the metallic printing plate thus heated, moistened, dried or partially dried and bent. And the operation is repeated in the bending, or heating moistening and bending of other or similar metallic printing plates, as desired. The same hollow hcating'and bending roll may be used repeatedly; or hollow heating and bending rolls of difi'erent diameters or sizes may be used successively or interchangeably,

,or as desired.

I have found in practice that, in order to obtain the best results, the heating roll and printing plate should be heated to a very high temperature such as is not readily obtainable by other means than by a burner, such as a gas burner adapted to heat the heating chamber formed inside of the roll. The moisture-containing material should be heated and compressed against the metallic printing plate while the compressible material is in a moist or plastic condition, and simultaneously with the heating and bending of the metallic printing plate, and dried or partially dried progressively and during the operation of heating and bending the print ing plate, which is, by preference allowed to cool and set while held firmly in place upon the heating and bending roll and. while in contact with the sheet oi compressible moi:- ture-containing or temporary-matriX-forming material. V r

In Fig. 4 is shown a metallic printing plate 47 on and in contact with the printing side of which is laid a sheet of moisturecontaining compressible material 51 of paper pulp orsimilar material in a moistor plastic condition. And a sheet 53 of hard rubber or similar flexible materialis laid directly uponand in contact with the lllOlStllI'G-COih taining sheet 5l and between said sheet 51 and a metallic backing sheet 49 which is mounted in engagement with the inner face of an outer metallic backing sheet or plate as and is adapted to be held bythe latter inengagemcnt with said adjacent intermediate strip or sheet 53 of rubber or similar material softer than metal and flexible. The outer flexible backing sheetor plate 428, of flexible sheet metal shown in. Fig. 4:, is adapted to extend over the outside of the printing-plate holding-bar l i and from end to end of said bar, and has its 'lorward edge secured to the peripheral surface of the leatir j and bending roll at as already described, or to such heatingand bending roll, whether steam-heated or gas-h eated, as may be employed in the practice of? the process in accordance with my invention. The sheet Slot moisture-containing compressible mate 'ial thus forms a filler which fills the inter stuns and depressions in the printing side of the printing plate, and serves to moisten the printing plate and prevent it from becoming over-heated.

A coating of whiting or similar finely divided material in a moist or plastic condi tion may be interposed between the moisture-containing sheet 51 and the printing side of the printing plate, if desired; or strips or" moist paper pulp or similar material may be laidin contact with the printing side of the printing plate to fill some of the depressions or interstices in the plate, such strips being covered by the sheet 51, but I have found in practice that very satisfactory results can be accomplished without such strips or finely divided material.

Some printing platesfor example, electrotype platescan be bent while cold, or without being artificially heated to a high temperature, by placing in contact with the printing side of such printing plate a sheet of moisture-containing material, such as sheet 51, adapted to moisten the plate and fill the interstices and depressions in the printing side thereof, and simultaneously and progressively compressing and bending the 1noisture-containing sheet and printing plate together between a forming roll. and one or more metallic backing sheets, by preference, with intermediate absorbent sheet material and rubber sheet-s between the metallic backing sheet and the printing plate. This may be accomplished by passing the printing plate and moisture-containing sheet, and metallic backing plates and intermediate sheets between forming rolls, or between a forming or bending roll and a bed or equivalent means for compressing and bending the printing plate and moisture-containing sheet together while the metallic backingsheet or sheets are stretched or held at a tensionin position to enable the required pressure or compression to be obtained progressively as required.

I claim:

1. A process of bending metallic printing plates, which comprises placing in contact with the printing side of a printingplate a layer or sheet of moisture-containing compressible material adapted to be compressed into engagement with the interstices and depressions in and to moisten the printing side of such plate, and then compressing the moisture-containing material into said depressions, thereby filling the de JL'GSSlOIlS in and moistening the printing side of the printing plate, and simultaneously bending the engaged moistare-containing compressible material and moistened metallic printing plate together.

2. A process of bending metallic printing plates, which comprises placing in contact with the printing side of a printing plate a sheet of moisture-centsining flexible n1aterial adapted to be compressed into engagement 'ith the interstices and depressions in and to. moisten the printing side of such printing plate, and then compressing the moisture-containing material' into said depressions, thereby filling the depressions in and moistening the printing side of the printing plate, and simultaneously and progressively bending the' engaged moisturecontaining material" and moistened metallic printing plate together, and then removing the said sheet of flexible material from the printing side of the printing plate.

3. A process of bending metallic printing plates, which comprises placing in contact with the printing side of a printing plate a sheet or layer of moisture-containing flexible material adapted to be compressed into engagement with the interstices and depressions in and to moisten the printing side of such printing plate, then filling the interstices and depressions in and moistening the printing side of the printing plate by progressively compressing and bending the engaged moisture-containing material metallic printing plate together, and heating the printing plate, and. then removing the sheet of flexible material from the printing side of the printing plate.

4. A process of bending metallic printing plates, which comprises placing in contact with the printing side of a printing plate a sheet of flexible compressible material in a moist or plastic condition adapted to engage and fill the interstices and depressions in the printing side of such printing plate, and simultaneously and progressively heating, compressing and bending said sheet and metallic printing plate together.

5. A process of heating and bending. metallic printing plates, which comprises placand ing in contact with the printing side of a printing plate a sheet of flexible compressible fibrous material in a moist or plastic condition adapted to engage and fill the interstices and depressions in the printing side of such printing plate, and then simultaneously and progressively heating, compressing and bending said sheet of fibrous material and metallic printing plate together.

6. A process of heating and bending metallie printing plates, which comprises placing in contact with the printing side of a printing plate a moisture-containing sheet of Here ible compressible material adapted to engage and fill the interstices and depressions in the printing side of such printing plate, then heating and progressively compressing and bending said moisture-containing material and metallic printing plate together, and then removing the sheet of flexible compressible material from the curved metallic printing ilate.

7. A process of heating and bending metallic printing plates, which comprises placing in contact with the printing side of a printing plate a sheet of moisture-containing flexible material adapted to engage and fill the interstices and. depressions in the printing side of such printing plate, laying a relatively dry sheet of absorbent material in contact with said moisture-containing material, and heating and progressively compressing and bending the absorbent material, moisture-containing material and metallic printing plate together.

8. A process of heating and bending metallic printing plates, which comprises placing in contact with the printing side of a printing plate a sheet of moisture-containing temporary-matrix forming pulp-like material adapted to engage and fill the interstices and depressions in the printing side of such printing plate, laying a sheet or pad of absorbent material in contact with said moisture-containing material, then heating and progressively compressing and bending the absorbent material, moisture-containing material and moistened metallic printing plate together, and then removing the absorbent material and plate-engaging sheet of pulplike material from the curved metallic printing plate.

9. A process of heating and bending metallic printing plates, which comprises placing in contact with the printing side of a printing plate a sheet of moisture-containing fibrous material adapted to engage and fill the interstices and depressions in the printing side of such printing plate, laying a sheet of absorbent fibrous material in contact with said m0isture-containing material, then heating and simultaneously and progressively compressing and bending the absorbent material, moisture-containing fibrous material,

and moistened metallic. printing plate together, thereby partially drying the moisture-containing plate-engaging material, and then removing the absorbent material and plate-engaging sheet of fibrous material from the curved metallic printing plate.

Signed at Elgin, in the county of Kane and State of Illinois, this 15th day of October,

CHRISTIAN N. SMITH.

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