US1674184A - Method of and means for reclaiming printed tapes, etc - Google Patents

Description

J. A. SPENCER METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR RECLAIMING PRINTED TAPES, ETC

Filed April 15, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR .[dmzs/i S m' ATTORNEY June 19, 1928.

J. A. SPENCER METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR RECLAIMING PRINTED TA PES, ETC

Filed April 15, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 .lNVENTOR James I. .iq c' ATTORNEY June 19, 1928. 1,674,184

J. A. SPENCER HOD OF AND MEANS FOR RECLAIMING PRINTED TAPES, ETC

4 Sheets-Sheet 3 .1 iii Hi Filed April 15, 1926 INVENTOR James 17. Spencer (sou/MA ATTORNEY June 19, 1928. 7 1,674,184

J. A. SPENCER v AND MEANS FOR RECLAIMING PRINTED TAPES, ETC

Filed April 15, 1926 METHOD OF INVENTOR I James 6'. Spa/100" ATTORNEY Patented June 19, 1928. I

UNITED STATES JAMES A. SIPENCEB, 01 NEW YORK, N. Y.

METHOD OF AND MEAN S FOB RECLAIHINGPBINTED TAPES, ETC

Application filed April 15; 1928. Serial No. 102,284.

The object of my invention is to clean or wash the ink from printed tapes or strips to permit the re-use thereof. My invention is particularly applicable to cleaning printed characters, ink etc. from tape or strips of suitable material commonly used in connection with stock, bond and news tickers. My invention i'sespecially adapted to remove the printed ink characters, etc., from translucid strips or tapes upon which stock, bond and news items are printed and thereafter projected on a screen for observation of the printed matter on an enlarged scale, such as is used in the New York Stock Exchange. brokers ofiices and in analogous relations, whereby stock and bond quotations and news may be observed from a distance by a number of people simultaneously.

My invention may be used for cleaning or washing the printed characters, ink, etc. from tapes or strips after the same have passed from the stock ticker and through a projecting machine in such a way that the a tape or strip will be reclaimed, cleaned and rolled up ready for re-use as rapidly as it is released from the ticker, or my improvement may be used for cleaning the tape or strip at any time after the same has been printe in the ticker without passing directly therefrom to my improved tape cleaning devices.

In the particularembodiment of my invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the tape after it is printed and passes from a stock or news ticker, travels through a projection machine. or apparatus from which the printed matter is projected or reflected on a screen, and the ta e-passes thence through a bath of a non-in ammable cleaning solution for dissolving the ink, -whence the washed tape or strip passes through devices to remove therefrom any residue cleaning solution that may adhere to the tape, the cleaned tape preferably passing to a take-up spool upon which the washed or reclaimed tape is wound for further use. My invention comprises means for passing the printed tape or strip through the cleaning solution and winding it upon a take-up spool substantially in accordance with the feeding of the tape from the ticker, the operation of the take-up spool being controlled by the feeding of the tape in such a way that when the ticker stops feeding the tape the take-up spool will automatically stop operation at a proper time and, in case the take-up spool should tend to wind up the tape faster than it is fed from the solution, the spool will be caused to stop operation at an appropriate time so as not to pull the tape unduly with respect to its feeding means.

' My invention also comprises novel details of improvement that willbe more fully hereinafter set forth and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein Fig. 1 is a side elevation illustrating my invention as applied in connection with a stock or news ticker;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side view, partly broken, of parts shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an edge view, partly in section, looking from the left hand side of Fig. 2

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail of the take-up spool;, v

Fig. 4 is a detail view looking from the left hand side of Fig. 3, illustrating parts detached;

Fig. 5' is a vertical section through Fig. 3;

Figs. 6 and 7 are enlarged detail views illustrating controllin devices for the reclaimingmeans in di erent positions of operation; and

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic illustration of the tape cleaning devices.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

t 1 is indicated a stock or news ticker .of any suitable or well known construction of the variety provided with a printing wheel 2 for printing'stock quotations, news mattenetc. upon a tape or strip A. The tape A may be supplied to the ticker from a reel A in any usual way. At 3 is indicated, in a generally diagrammatic manner, a socalled projecting apparatus through which the printed tape from the ticker passes, and which is adapted to project the printed matter from the tape upon a screen or other objectB for observation of the printing as on an enlarged scale. a For such purpose the tape A. may be translucid'. A stock quotation projection machine suitable for the purpose is set forth in Letters Patent to Ashbel Green, No. 1,523,7 67 granted J anuary 20, 1925. At 4 is indicated, generally my improved apparatus for reclaiming the tape or strip A as by washing the printed matter from the same during its travel. At 5 is a tank, shown open on the top, adapted to contain a suitable cleaning solution or fluid for tlie\printing ink on the tape, preferably a non-inflammable solution which will not injure the tape but will dissolve or loosen the ink thereon. The tape A is fed through the solution in the tank and is shown passing over an upper edge of the tank and between a pair of pads or rubbers 6, 7 maintained in the tank below the level of the solution, (Figs. 3 and 5). The pads or rubbers may be of felt and are adapted to rub or brush the dissolved or loosened ink from the surface of the tape. The lower pad 6 is stationary and the upper rubber or pad 7 is movable toward and from the lower rubber or pad to admit the tape therebetween, and is shown resiliently pressed toward rubber or pad 6 to correspondingly bear upon the printed side of the tape passing between the rubbers or pads. The frame of the apparatus is preferably made in two sections Band 9 detachably connected together for convenience in threading the tape between the rubbers or pads and various buflers or rollers to be described. While the lower pad 6 may be supported in any suitable way I have shown the same sup: ported upon the removable section 9 of the main frame, which section is shown provided with a cross bar 10 upon which the pad 6 is secured. The rubber or pad. 7 1s secured to a block 11 to which a rod 12 is attached, which rod is slidably guided in a bore in a cross bar 13 secured between the side plates of the frame section 9. Said rod carries a stop or collar 14 against which a coil spring15 on the rod bears, said spring also bearing against the cross bar 13, (Fig.

5), whereby the rubber or pad 7 isresiliently vpressed toward pad 6. The lower end of the section 9 with the rubbers or pads 6, 7 is located within the bath of solution or fluid in tank 5, whereby when the tape is pulled through the bath in contact with the rubbers or pads the type on the tape, which has been dissolved or loosened by the soluti0n,'will be more or less removed from the tape. The section 9 may be detachably con- 'nected with section 8 of the main frame by'me ans of hooks 16 on section 9 adapted to engage'notches or the like 17 in the adjacent vertical edges of the frame section 8, (Figs. 2and 4) whereby the section 9 is hungffrom the section8 with the edges of the sections abutting and the sect-ion 9 is shown provided with pivotally supported 1 pass between them, which rubbers or buffers are more or'less within the tank 5 ;-and aresubject to the solution therein, so

as to rotate against the tape with a rubbing or wiping action while it=is wet from the solution. V The rubbers or buffers 21 ma comprise felt or other suitable relativel soft-material to act in the nature of brushes.

25 and 26 receive the tape between them and areloca'ted above the bath soas to serve for drying the tape by rubbing or brushing against the same. .The shaft 27 of rubber or buffer 25 is journaled upon frame section 9, and the shaft 28 of rubber or buffer 26 is journaled upon frame section 8. Above the rubbers or buffers 25 and26 are feed rollers 29 and 30 for the tape. The shaft 31 of roller 29 is journaled upon the frame section 8 and the shaft or spindle 32 of roller 30 is carried by the forked portion 33 of an arm 33 that is pivoted upon a pin ,or shaft 34 carried by an extension 8 of frame section 8, (Flgs. 1 and 4). The outer or free end of arm 33 is connected with a spring 35 attached to an adjusting screw 36 that is slidable in a bore in a bar 37 secured to the extension 8, a nut 38 on the screw operating against the bar 37 serving to adjust the screwlengthwise and retain it in set position for varying the tension of spring 35 with respect The periphery 'of roller 29 is preferand rollers. I have illustrated a worm wheel 39 that is secured on shaft 31 of roll 29 and in mesh with a driving'worm 40 upon a shaft 41 journaled in bearings upon frame section 8, which shaft is driven by a suit-- able electric motor 42, whereby the feed roll 29 will rot-ate in the direction of the arrow (1!.

in Fig. 5 forf eeding'thecleaned tapefrom the tank, (Fig. 5). The shaft 313s pro vided with a gear 43, (shown on the sidaof frame section'8 opposite worm wheel 39), which gear is in mesh with a pinion or gear .44 secured upon the upper end .of a vertically disposed shaft/45 journaled in bearings 46 on-the adjacent side of frame section 8, (Figs. 3 and 4). The shaft 45 is provided witha bevel gear 47 in mesh with a corresponding gear 48 on shaft 28, and shaft 45 is provided with another gear 49 in mesh with a bevel gear 50 on shaft 24. The shaft 28 is provided with a gear 51 adapted to mesh with a, gear 52 secured on shaft 27 whereby the buffers 25 and 26 will 130 berota ted in opposite directions against the and ,36.

01:,Pllll6d through the solution after being released from the ticker at a speed approximating the speed at which the tape is delivered from the ticker. During such feed of the tape by the rollers 29 and 30 the rotation of the buffers or rollers 21, 22 and 25,

'26 in engagement with the tape will serve to clear all dissolved ink from the tape and deliver the tape from the apparatus in a substantially dry condition. The pairs of buffers 21, 22 and 25, 26 are shown staggered, respectively, in such a manner as to force the tape against them with the surface of the tape uponwhich the printing was produced against the surface of the buffers 21 and 25. Since the gears 52 and 54 are on the shafts 27 and 23 that are carried by the frame section 8 said gears will be unmeshed from the corresponding gears 51 and 53 when said section is removed from section 8 and will be correspondingly intermeshed when section 9 is replaced against section 8. The removability of section 9 from. sect-ion 8 of the main frame permits ready location of the tape between the brushing or bufiing rollers when a tape is to be cleaned from printing, and the rocking of arm 33 permits the tape to be inserted between the rolls 29 and 30 when a new tape is applied in a machine.

At 55 is a take-up spool for the cleaned tape, the shaft 56 of which spool is journaled upon an arm 8 of frame section 8, (Fig. 1). The spool may be detachably connected with shaft 56 in any well knownand such spool is of the grooved variety. I have shown shaft 56 provided with pin 57 adapted to receive a notch 58 in the hub of spool 55 to rotate it, and a nut 59 on the end of the shaft is adapted to bear against the outer side of the spool to detachably retain the spool on the shaft, (Fig. 3). The shaft 56 is shown provided with a pulley 60 receiving a belt 61 from a pulley 62 secured on shaft 31, whereby when said shaft is rotated the spool will be correspondingly rotated to wind up the cleaned tape. The belt may be so adjusted as to slip as required. when the tape is being wound up to" allow for increasing diameter of the rewound tape, and not to pull the tape too fast respecting its feed from the rollers 29 Since the winding or take-up of the cleaned tape upon spool 55 will not be in the tape will gradually become shallow or reduced in extent and the proexact accord with the feeding of the tape by the ticker, the latter being fed more or less intermittently as the printing occurs, with stoppage as customary in tickers, I provide means to automatically control the operation of motor 42, hence the operation of the feed rolls, the buffers and the take upspool 55. I utilize slack in the tape between the ticker and the bath for controlling the operation of motor 42. In the circuit of the motor I provide spring contacts 63 and 64 shown respectively connected to the conductors. 65 and 66 of the motor circuit, which spring contacts are carried by suitable insulation at 67 arranged to make and break the circuit of the motor according to the amount of slack in-tape A, preferably adjacent to the tank 5. The contact spring 64 is adapted to be controlled by a rotative member 68, which is' preferably of insulation and secured upon a shaft 69 that is journaled in a bracket 70 secured upon the insulation 67. The member 68 is shown in the form of a .disk provided with a notch 68 having an edge portion 68 adapted to engage the adjacent curved edge 64 of contact spring 64, (Figs. 6 and 7). The member 68 is shown clamped between disks 71 secured upon shaft 69, (Fig. 3). Said shaft is shown provided with an outwardly projetting arm 69 normally drawn down by a spring 72 shown connectedwith said shaft and with the base 73, tending to so rotate the member 68 as tomove its edge 68 upwardly to permit closing of the circuit at 106 sufficient speed to permit IlC member 68 as will-properly move edge 68 and permit spring contact 64 to rise and close the motorcircuit at contact 63, whereupon the motor will start rotating and will cause operation of the feed rolls 29 and 30 to pull the tape through the solution in the bath, and at the same time will cause operation of the bufiing or brushing rolls 21, 22 and 25, 26 for cleaning the tape, simultaneously causing operation of the take-up spool 55 for winding up the tape fed by the rolls 29 and 30. If the feeding of the tape through the solution is faster than the feed ing of the tape by the ticker the bight A in relatively jeetion 69 will be correspondingly raised to advance the edge 68 of member 68 to enthat the ticker may print and feed the tape as may be required in the ticker service. The tape will pass through the projector for projecting the printed matter upon the screen, and the type printed upon the ticker information upon tape and feed the tape -Will be cleaned therefrom and the tape wound on the spool for re-use, all in a consecutive manner. .Great saving may be effected by means'ofmy invention in that the re-use of'the translucid or analogous tape from which'the printed characters have been removed overcomes the nece sity heretofore experiemed of using a new tape in a ticker each time the printing of a tape is required.

While I have referred'to printing information upon tape or strips, as in a stock and news ticker, and cleaning the ink therefrom during progress of the tape through a cleaning solution or compound, it will be understood that my invention, in its broad aspects, is adapted to clean other material from the surfaces of tapes or strips by means of a suitable solution or the like that will dis- 5 solve such material during the passage of the tape for reclaiming the tapes or the like for re-use. Furthermore, my invention is not limited to the details of construction and arrangement of' parts set forth, since the same may be varied, within the scope'of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

By the term solution I mean any suitable substance which will serve to disbe applied, as in the nature of ticker tape,

translucid tape or strips, such as Trans Lux Celophane, and the like. 7

Having now described my invention what I I claim is:

1'. Mechanism of the class described comprising means to apply material to the surface of tape and feed the tape therefrom, a cleaning solution, and devices to guide and feed the tape through the solution as fed from the first named means after said material has been applied on the tape.

- 2. Mechanism as set forth in claim 1, in-

" eluding means controlled by the progress of the tape for feeding the tape through the solution in substantial accord with the feeding of the tape from the first named means.

' face of 3. Mechanism of the class described comprisincr means to apply material to the surtape and feed the tape therefrom, a cleaning solution, means to guide the tape to the solution as fed from the first named means, devices within the solution to engage the tape and remove dissolved material there-- from, and means to feed the reclaimed tape from the solution.

4. Mechanism as set forth in claim 3, including means controlled by the progress of the tape for feeding the tape through the solution in substantial accord with the feeding of the tape from the first named means.

5. The icombination of means to apply therefrom, means to maintain asolution for dissolving the printed matter from the tape, means to guide the tapeto the solution as fed from the said means, devices to remove the dissolved material from the tape, and means to feed the tape from the solutionl 6. The combination of means to apply information upon tape as set forth in clai 1 5, in which the devices for removing thp printed matter from the tape include arub ber within the solution to engage the printed surface of the tape, means resiliently pressing the rubber against the tape, and means to feed the tape through the solution.

7. The combination of means to apply.

information upon tape as set forth in claim 5, in which the devices for removing the printed matter from the tape include a rubber within the solution to engage the printed surface of the tape, a rod connected to said rubber, guiding means for the rod, a spring cooperating with the rod to force the rubber resiliently against the printed surface of the tape, and means to feed the reclaimed tape from the solution.

- 8-. The combination of means' to apply information upon tape and feed the printed tape, means to maintain a solution for dissolvingthe printed matter from the tape, devices to remove the dissolved material from the tape, means to feed the tape from the solution, rubbing means within the solution to remove dissolved printed matter means and the solution to control said last named feeding and rubbing means.

9. The. combination of means to apply information upon tape asset forth in claim 8, comprising a take-up spool for the tape, and means to rotate said spool in substantial accord with the feeding of the tape from the applying means.

10. Mechanism for reclaiming printed tape comprising means to apply information upon the tape and feedthetape therefrom,

115 from the tape, rotary rubbing means to enmeans to guide the tape through a cleaning solution, a take up spool for the reclaimed tape, a motor and devices operative thereby to rotate the spool, a circuit for the motor, including make and break contacts, and means to actuate one of the contacts, said means being cooperative with the tape to make and break the motor circuit in accordance with the progress of the tape as fed from the applying means.

11. Mechanism for reclaiming printed tape as set forth in claim 10, in which the means to control the contacts includes a projection in engagementwith the tape for opening and closing the motor circuit in accordance with'the feed of the tape from the applying means.

12. Mechanism for reclaiming printed tape as set forth in claim 10, in whiclrthe means to control the contacts include a projection in engagement with a bight in the tape between the applying means and the cleaning solution for closing the motor circult to cause operation of the take-up spool when the bight of the tape is relatively deep as fed from the applying means and for breaking the motor circuit when the bight in the tape is relatively shallow.

'13. Mechanism for reclaiming printed tape comprising means to apply information upon the tape and feed the tape therefrom, means to guide the tape through a cleaning solution, a take-up spool for the reclaimed tape, a motor and devices operative thereby to rotate the spool, a circuit for the motor including make and break contacts, means to actuate one of the contacts to make and break the motor circuit, said means including an insulating member provided with a projecting portion to engage said contact, and a shaft rotatively supporting said member, said shaft being provided with an arm having a projection to engage a bight in the tape for causing closing of the circuit of said contacts when the bight is relatively deep as fed from the applying means and for actuating the said contact to break the motor circuit when the bight is relatively shallow to stop rotation of the spool and check Winding up of the reclaimed tape.

14. Mechanism for reclaiming tape having dissolvable material on its surface comprising a tank for a dissolving solution, rubbing devices for the dissolved material on the tape, means to feed the tape through the solution, driving devices for the feeding means, and means cooperative with the tape to control the operation of the driving devices in correspondence with the feeding of the tape.

15. Mechanism for reclaiming tape as set forth in claim 14, including a tape'up spool for the tape, and means actuated by the driving devices for operating the spool to wind up the tape as fed by the tape feeding means.

1(3. Mechanism for reclaiming tape as set forth in claim 1 1, including a take-up spool for the tape having a pulley, a pulley operative by the driving devices, and a belt upon said pulleys adapted to slip when the spool tends to wind tape faster than it is fed by the tape feeding means.

17. Mechanism for reclaiming tape having dissolvable material on its surface comprising a tank for a dissolving soluti n, rubbing devices for the dissolved material on the tape, rollers to feed the tape, a motor, means operative by the motor to actuate the tape feeding rollers, a circuit for the motor having make and break contacts, and means to actuate the contacts including an arm having means cooperative with the tape to cause the contacts to close or open the motor circuit according to the extentof feed of the tape.

18. Mechanism for rcclaimingtape as set forth in claim 17, including a take-u spool for the tape, and means operative )y the motor to actuate the spool.

19. Mechanism for reclaiming tape com prising a frame having a plurality of detachable sections, means to detachably retain the sections, a tank fora solution, said frame sections being respectively provided with rollers opposing one another to receive the tape the'rebetwecn after entering the solution, gears connected with said rollers to drive one by another, said sections being separable to admit the tape between the rollers, means upon the frame to rotate said rollers against the tape, and a motor to drive said means.

20. Mechanism for reclaiming tape as set forth in claim 19, associated with means to feed the tape to the solution, circuit controlling means for the motor, and means to operate the circuit controlling means ,cooperative with the tape to control the motor in accordance with the feeding of the tape.

JAMES A. SPENCER.

Images