US1822339A - Ribbon actuating device for laundry tag marking machines - Google Patents

Description

Sept 8, 1931- c. E. coNsTABLE 1,822,339

RIBBON ACTUATING DEVICE FOR LAUNDRY TAG MARKING MACHINES Filed May 2e, 1930 2 sheets-sheet 1 sept- 8, 1931- c. E. coNsTABLl-z l 1,822,339

RIBBON ACTUATING DEVICE FOR LAUNDRY TAG MARKING MACHINES Filed May 26, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 8, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES E. CONSTABLE, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONAL MARKING MACHINE COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO RIBBON .ACTUATING DEVICE FOR LAUNIJRY TAG MARKING MACHINES Application led May 26, 1930. Serial No. 455,657.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, durable and inexpensive ribbon supporting and actuating device to be used in connection with that type of laundry tag marking machines in which is employed a tag supporting base and a pivoted type carrying head movably mounted towa rd and from the base to accomplish the marking operation, in such manner that the ribbon will be sup- 1o ported normally midway between the type and its coacting platen to permit free movement of the tags as they are placed in position, and also to permit free movement of the type as they are adjusted to position Without engaging said ribbon.

More specifically it is the object of my invention to provide in a marking machine of the type above described improved ribbon supporting mechanism of simple construction, and adapted to be automatically operated by the movement of the typesupporting head, and to provide in connection therewith simple and eflicient means for advancing the ribbon.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,

in which:

Figure 1 is an end elevation of a marking machine showing the manner in which my improved ribbon operating device is applied thereto. a. portion of one end of the base being broken away.

Figure 2 is a detail sectional View taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 1. y

Figure 3 is a detail sectional View taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 2.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, I have used the reference numeral 10 to indicate the base which has a top member 11, side members 12 and end members 13. The rear :5 end of the top 11 is provided with a pair of upwardly projecting lugs 14 designed to support a shaft 15 to which a type head 16 is mounted. The shaft 15 provides means for pivotally connecting said head with the base.

i0 Springs 17 are wound on the shaft 15 for normally retaining the forward end of the head 16 in an elevated position, as shown in Figure 1.

A second shaft 18 is carried by the head 16 on which is mounted the type wheels 19, said wheels being capable of being rotated to bring the desired type into printing position.

Supported transversely between the side members 12 is a partition plate 2O for supporting my improved ribbon supporting and operating mechanism. The top 11 is provided with openings 21 immediately below the shaft 1S. The platen 22 is supported transversely in the member l1 between the openings 21 and parallel with the shaft 18. The platen has its upper edge supported a slight distance above the top member 11. Fixed in the plate 20 is a pair of pintles 23 designed to carry ribbon supporting spools 21- and 25.

Slidably mounted on the forward face of the partition 20 and adjacent to the spool 24 I have provided a guide plate 26 having av vert-ical slot 27 to receive screws 28. Said screws 28 are mounted in the plate 2() and provide means for guiding the plate 26, whereby vertial movement will be permite` ted. A spring 29 has one end connected to the plate 26 and the other end to the plate 20, which provides means for normally retaining the guide 26 at its upper limit of movement. Said guide 26 operates in one of the openings 21. A similar guide plate 30 is provided adjacent to the spool 25, said guide being mounted on screws 31.

The upper ends of each of the guides 26 and 30 have laterally projecting ribbon guide pins The lower ends of the guides are also provided with ribbon guide pins 33. Said pins are designed to normally support a ribbon '34 substantially midway between the type 19 and the platen 22. One end of the ribbon 2l is connected to the spool 25 and the opposite end to the spool 24, in the manner illustrated in Figure 2.

The plate 30 has a spring 35 for yieldably and normally retaining said plate at its upper limit of movement.

Pivotally mounted on the pintle 23 and adjacent to the back side of the spool 25 is a ratchet wheel 36 designed to impart movement to said spool 25. A spring actuated pawl 37 is provided to prevent backward rotation of the ratchet wheel.

Pivotally mount-ed on the said pintle 23 and adjacent to the back side of the ratchet 36 1s a plate 38 having at one end a member 39 provided with slots 40 designed to recelve the screws 31 in such manner that a limlted p1votal movement of the plate 38 will be permitted. Said plate 38 is slidably supported in front of the plate 30, and has its lower end provided with a laterally projecting lug 41 designed to be engaged by a forwardly projecting pin 42 from the plate 30, as the said plate is moved downwardly. Said plate 30 is also provided with a forwardly extending pin 43 designed to engage the lower edge of the plate 38, and to move it upwardly as the said plate 30 is moved upwardly.

A considerable space is provided between the pin 42 and the lug 41 when the plate 30 is at its upper limit of movement.

-The plate 39 is provided with a spring actuated pawl 44 designed to engage the ratchet 36, whereby downward movement of the plate 39 will cause the said ratchet to be rotated.

The operation of my device is as follows:

Assuming that the head 16 is supported in its elevated position, as illustrated in Figure 1, and that the type wheels 19 have been set so that the type representing the desired character to be printed will be supported immediately above the ribbon 34, and that the said head 16 is operated to swing the type 19 downwardly, then it will be seen that the lower edges of the side members of the frame 16 will engage the upper ends of the guide plates 26 and 30, and that the said guide plates will be moved downwardly, causing the horizontal portion of the ribbon 34 to be lowered onto the tag 45, which has been previously placed in position between said ribbon and the platen 22 on the top member 11. Further movement of the head 16 will cause the printing of the tag 45.

As the plate 3() is moved downwardly, the pin 42 will be brought into engagement with the upper edge of the lug 41, causing the plate 38 to be swung downwardly and with it the ratchet 44, which in turn will cause the spool 25 to be rotated in an anti-clockwise direction, as illustrated in Figure 2. and the ribbon 34 to be advanced a slight distance. The pin 42 engages the lug 41 just before the end of the downward stroke of the plate 30.

As the head 16 is moved upwardly, the plates 26 and 30 will be moved upwardly through the action of the springs 29 and 35. The pin 43 will engage the lower edge of the plate 38 and cause it to be elevated.

By this arrangement it will be seen that I have provided a simple ribbon operating mechanism for tag marking machines, and so arranged that a ribbon will be supported intermediate the platen and the type, so that cal'ds or tags may be inserted between the ribbon and the platen without engaging the ribbon and causing the same to be smeared with ink therefrom, and at the same time permit free movement of the rotatively mounted type supporting disk without engaging said ribbon, and in connection therewith simple means for advancing the ribbon through the machine.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the class described, a base having a platen, a type head pivoted to move toward and from said platen, type carried by said head, means for supporting an inked ribbon normally in an intermediate position between said type and said platen, and means actuated by the movementI of said type head for actuating said type supporting means to move said ribbon toward and from said platen.

2. In a device of the class described, a base l having a platen, a type head pivoted to move toward and from said platen, type carried by said head, means for supporting an inked ribbon normally in an intermediate position between said type and said platen, and means actuated by the movement of said type head for actuating said type supporting means to move said ribbon toward and from said platen and for advancing the ribbon.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a base having a platen, a type head pivoted to said base to move toward and from said platen, type carried by the free end of said head, means for supporting an inked ribbon normally in an intermediate position between said type and said platen, said means comprising a pair of slidably mounted guide plates having ribbon guide pins, spool supporting pintles, a ribbon spool for each pintle, means carried by said head for engaging the upper ends of said guide plates as the head is moved to printing position for carrying said ribbon toward said platen, and yieldable means for returning said guide plates to their normal position of movement.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a base having a platen, a type head pivoted to said base to move toward and from said platen, type carried by the free end of said head, means for supporting an inked ribbon normally in an intermediate position between said type and said platen, said means comprising a pair of slidably mounted guide plates having ribbon guide pins, spool supporting pintles, a ribbon spool for each pintle, means carried by said head for engaging the upper ends of said guide plates as the head is moved to printing position for carrying said ribbon toward said platen, yieldable means for returning said guide plates to their normal position of movement, and ratchet mechanism actuated by a predetermined movement of one of said guide plates for rotating one of said ribbon supporting spools.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a base having a tag supportingfr plate, said plate being provided with a longitudinal opening, a platen mounted longitudinally in said opening, a type head, type for said head, means for movably mounting said head whereby the type Will be moved toward and from said platen, guide plates slidably mounted in said base, ribbon support-ing pins carried by said guide plates, a ribbon on said pins supported normally between the type and said platen, means actuated by the movement of said type head to- Ward said platen for engaging said slidably mounted guide plates and moving said ribbon into engagement with said platen, yieldable means for returning said guide plates to their normal position of movement, and means actuated by one of said guide plates for advancing said ribbon.

6. In a device of the class described, a ribbon operating mechanism comprising a support, a pair of spool supporting pintles on said support, a spool for each of said pintles, a ratchet Wheel for one of said spools, a pair of slidably mounted guide plates adjacent to said spools, guide pins for each of said plates, a ribbon carried by said pins, one end of the ribbon being supported on one of said spools and the opposite end on the other one of said spools, yieldable means for retaining said guide plates in their normal position of movement, a pawl supporting plate pivotally mounted on one of said pintles and adjacent to said ratchet, a paWl carried by the last said plate for engaging said ratchet, means carried by the last said slidable plate for actuating said pivoted plate when said slidable plate has reached a predetermined position of its movement for imparting rotation to the adjacent spool, and means for simultaneously operating said slidable lates to move the active portion of said ri bon into and out of operative relation with a printing platen.

` Des Moines, Iowa, May 6, 1930.

CHARLES E. CONSTABLE.

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