US1628384A - And one-third to charles g - Google Patents

Description

' 1,628,384 May 10 1927' s. w. MARVIN CLAMPING DEVICE FOR PRINTING PLATES meta Dec. 9'. 1926 Fcgj.

Patented May 10, 1927.

`UNITED STATES Pa'rifnvr OFFICE.

SAMUEL W. MARVIN, 0F CAMBRIDGE, MASSA l-USETTS, ASSGNOR OF ONE-THRD TO `WILLIAM J'. MARSH, OF STOW, MASSACHUSETTS AND ONE-THIRDv T0 CHARLES G.

WELLS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

` CLAMPING DEVICE FOR PRINTINGPLATES.

Application filed December .9, 1926. Serial No. 153,559.

`This invention relates to a clamp or gripping device for lise with the bed blocks of printing presses and is :in improvenn-:nt np- Aon the clamp or gripping device shown and .and locked by means of atool, and is of such construction as Will be described as to enable adjacent printing plates to be set closertogether for obtaining a narrow margin on the printed sheet Without interfering with theoperation of the clamping deviceby the tool. y l

. A further objectY lof the invention is to prevent backing olf of the catch from the plate when the `tool is turned to lock the clampA to the block. Y

These and `other features-of the invention Awill be pointed out in the claims at the end yof this specification.

Fig. 1 is a plan of a bed block of a printing` press with two printing plates secured thereto by clamping` devices embodying' this -invention, one of said devices being shown in its unlocked.` position;

Fig. 2, a plan on a larger scale of a portion of the bed block and one of the clamping;r devices; j

Fig'. 3, a side elevation of the clamping' device shown in Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrow thereon;

Fig'. 511. a cross section on the line fflv Fig. '3, and

Figs. 5 and 6, details on an enlarged scale to show the relation of the slots `in the meinbers of the clamping device in the unlocked and locked positions of the latter.

Referring` to the drawing, 10 represents the bed block of a printing,` press, and 12, 13 printing plates secured thereon bycla-mping devices embodyingthe present invention.

The clamping devicesare provided with 'operating tool, such as a screwdriver,

catches or members 14: adapted to engage the marginal portions of the printing platesfin manner now comn'ionly practiced.A `rThe clamping devices con'ipijise members l5, 16 having, their adjacent surfaces inclined, which operateas cam surfaces to cause the members to be moved laterally with relation to `each other and into frictional engagement with the opposed Walls 15%, 19 ofthe usual slots 2O in the bed block 10. i 7

. rihe catch @plate-engaging member 111 is lpivotally` secured to the member'157 and provisionis made for permittingthe member 1G to be made of minimum length and have a maximum length-,of travel with relation to the member 15. I

, To this end, the member 15 is provided at its opposite ends with bores or sockets' 28, 24. into which are extended stationary pins 25, 26 secured to arms27, 28 on the meinber '16 at the opposite ends thereof and projecting inwardly therefrom (see Fig. 2);

The pins 25, 26 are secured to the arms 27, 2S with their outeren'dsiiush or substantially flush with the outer surfaces of the arms, so that tWoor more of the clamping' devices may be placed inthe slots 20 with their adjacent arms abutting, and thereby enable adjacent printing plates to be secured on the bed. block and relatively Widely separated to obtain a relatively Wide margin on the printed sheet under some conditions of use.

The clamping members 15, 16 are provided ivitli transverse slots 30, 81, which enable the clamping deviceto be moved in the slots 20 of the block 10 toward and from a printing` plate thereon by ascreW-driver or like tool in the `hands of the operator. The slots 30, 3l' are designed to receive au and by moving the tool bodily toward the printing plate, the clamping device is moved as a unit so'as to engage the catchA lei with the printing plate. 'Y f lVhen thus positioned, the tool is pressed doivn on the bottom Wall 32 of the slot 30 in the catch-carrying member 15 and is turned so Vasl to move tlie other member 16 toward the'printing'plate and therebycause it to move the member laterally and wedge it between the member 16 and a side wall ot the slot 20 in the bed block 10, thus securing the clamping plate to the bed block.

After one printing plate has been clamped to the block, an adjacent printing plate as 13 is positioned by hand with relation to the clamped plate 12, and in practical operation 'frequent tine adjustments of the plates are necessary beforer they are. properly positioned on the block.

These adjustments require the locking and unlocking of the clamping devices which cooperate with the plate being adjusted.

To enable the clamping devices to be unlocked by a tool after the plates 'have been locked with their adj acent marginal edges in close proximity to each other and overlapping the opposite ends of the clamping device, the slot in the member 15 provided at its end adjacent the member 16, with an enlarged portion having beveled side walls 40, 41 which extend from approximatelyvv the center ot the slot 30 to the inclined side thereof, which construction and arrangement provides a. space between one ot the side walls ot the slot 31 in the member 16, and one ot the beveled sidewalls ot the slot 30 inthe member 15, for the entrance ot the screw-driver or other tool.

This is illustrated by the topmost clamping device located between the plates 12, 13, and in Fig. 5.

In Fig. 1, three clamping devices are represented asvco-operating with the edge ot the plate 12 adjacent to the plate'13,vand are marked c, (l, and 6.

Another clamping device, marked f, is located between the devices c, (Z, and its catch engages the plate 13.

Gt' these clamping devices, c, (l and f are located between the plates 12, 13, and their ends are overlapped by said plates. The clamping devices (Z, are represented in their locked position while the device c 'is represented as unlocked but with its catch 14 engaged with the plate 12. j

It will be observed that the straight portion 43 of the rear wall ot the slot 30 is in the same plane as the 'front wall 44 of the slot 31 in the member 16, so that it. said straight wall 43 were continuedv tor the width et the member 15, it would cut ott the slot 30 from the slot 31, and thereb)T prevent the blade ot the screw-'driver being` entered into both slots.

By providing` the ba'eled side wall 40, a space is lett between it and the` trent wall 44 ot the slot 31, (see Fig. 5), which is sufiiciently wide for the passage of the blade of the screw-driver into the slots 80, 31, which enables the operator to turn the screw-driver or tool, so as to move the: member 16 lengthwise and into wedging position to' lock the clamping device to the bed block, in which position, the arm 27 is removed from the member 15 as represented in the case ot the clamping devices e and f.

The beveled wall functions also to permit the wedging member 16 to be moved in the opposite direction by the operating` tool inserted into the slots 30, 31 in the locked position ofthe clamping device, as shown in Fig. 6.

The plates 12, 16 in some cases require tine adjustments, which require unlocking ot the clamping devices which co-operate with the plate being adjusted and which are located between the plates.

For instance, assume that it is desired to unlock the clamp In this case, the operator inserts the tool into the slots 80, 31 and engages the straight portion 46 of the slot 30 with one end ot the blade and the wall ot the slet 81 with the other end o't'the blade and then turns the tool so as to move the member 16 rearwardly. (See Fig. 61') lt will be observed that the beveled wall 40 in th is case permits the member 16 to. be moved until the blade of the tool engages the beveled wall 40, at which time the clamping device is unlocked from the block and tree to be moved in the slot 20su1iiciently to release the catch of the clamping device f' and permit the plate 13 toy bev adjusted.

The sockets 23, 24 in the wedge 'member l5 are ot larger diameter than the stationary pins 25, 26 to provide for lateral movement ot the Amember 15 when the co-operating` member 16 is moved into wedging position.

lit will be observed that the mounting of the member 15 on the stationary pins 25, 26 secured to the arms 2T, 28 ot the wedging member 16 co-operates with the .enlarged end ot the slot 30 in the member 15, to enable the printing plates to be set in close proximity to each other tor narrow marginal purpeses and be locked and unlocked by means ot a tool in the hands o1 the opera tor.

In practice, the operator inserts the clamping device in the slot in the bed block with the clamping device in condition to be freely moved lengthwise. in said slot, and he then places the screw-driver in the yslots and moves the clan'iping device as a unit toward the ing firmly held against the printing plate 1and of notlbeing disengaged or backed off member 16 is made'deeperthan the slot 230'.

tool to engage the catch with the plate, the

tool engages only the bottom Wall of the slot 30. y

When the catch is engaged with the plate it will be held in firm engagement therewith by the operator pressing the catch member firmly against the bottom of the slot 20 in the bed block.

While the catch member is thus held imthereon Without effecting movement of said vcatch member, and at the same time, effecting movement of theV Wedge member into wedging or locking position.

This construction enables the operator to engage the catch with the plate and lock it in this position quickly and with one effort.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is herein shown, but it is not desired to limit the invention to the particular construction shown.

Claims.

1. A clamping device of the character described, comprising a member having an inclined inner surface and provided at its opposite ends with arms extended substantially at right angles from said inclined surface and having a transverse slot in its upper surface, stationary pins attached to said arms with their outer ends substantially flush with the outer surfaces of said arms. a shorter co-operatiug member interposed between said arms and provided at its ends with sockets of larger diameter than said pins and into which the latter are extended and having in its upper surface a transverse slot provided with a Wall having a straight portion and a beveled portion forming an enlargement of said slot at its end adjacent t-he inclined surface of said shorter member to leave a space for the entrance of an operating tool in the locked position of said members, and a plate-engaging member carried by said shorter member.

2. A clamping device of the character described, Icomprising 'eo-operating Wedgeshaped' members, oneofl which is longer than thev otherv and provided at its ends With arms entende-d substantially at right angles thereto and carrying stationary pins extended toward each other, and the shorter member having end sockets of larger diameter than said pins yand into' which the latter are extended to support said shorter member and permit movement of one member with relation to the other, said Wedge members having in their upper surfaces transverse cooperating slots for the reception of an operating tool, the slot in the shorter member being of greater Width at its inner end than the slot in the longer member and being of less depth than the slot inthe longer member. vil. A clampingr device ofthe character described, comprising co-operating Wedgechlped members, one of which is longer than the other and provided at its ends with arms cart-ended substantially at right angles thereto and carrying stationaryV pins extended toward each other, and the shorter member having end sockets 0f larger' diameter than said pins and into which the latter are extended to support said shorter member' and permit movement of one member with relation to the other, said wedge members having; in their upper surfaces transverse c0- operating slots for the reception of an operating tool, the slot in the shorter member having` one Wall thereof providedy With a straight portion and Witha beveled portion extended away from the inner end of said straight portion to enlarge the end of the slot adjacent the longer member and provide a space for the insertion of the .operating tool into both slots with the straight portion of the slot in the shorter memberl substantially in the plane of a Wall of the slot in the longer member when the said Wedge members are in their locked position.

4. A clamping device of the character described, comprising Wedge-shaped members of unequal length and connected together' to be moved as a unit and to be moved individually with relation to each other, said Wedge members having in their upper surfaces transverse cri-operating slots for the reception of an operating tool. the slot in the shorter member being of greater Width at its end adjacent the slot in the longer member to provide a space for the insertion of an operating tool into both slots when said members are in their locked position.

5. A clamping device of the character described, comprising Wedge-shaped members of unequal length and connected together to be moved as a unit and to be moved individually with relation to each other, said Wedge members having in their upper surfaces transverse co-operating slots for the reception of an operating tool, the slot in the 1 shorter member being of greater Width at its end adjacent the slot in the longer member to provide a space for the insertion of an operating tool intoV both slots When the Wedge members are in their looked position, and the slot in the longer-member being of greater depth than the slot in the shorter member to enable the operating tool to engage the bottom, Wall of the slot in the shorter member and be turned thereon to move the longer member in one direction Without moving the shorter member in the opposite direction. V

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

SAMUEL 7. MARVIN.

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