US1960776A - Inking and branding device - Google Patents

Description

y 1934- A. c. FLOTHOW 1,960,776

INKING AND BRANDING DEVICE Filed Feb. 1, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l 7106712 07 wlgzfij 37 37 $667. C F20%0w May 29, 1934. A, Q FLQTHQW 1,960,776

INKING AND BRANDING DEVICE Filed Feb. 1, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 [M91125 af'jreci' CFZaf/zow Patented May 29, 1934 v I l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

1,960,776 INKING AND BRANDING DEVICE Alfred C. Flot'how, Maywood, Ill., assignor to Everhot Manufacturing Company, Maywood, 1th, a corporation of Illinois Application February 1', 1932, Serial No. 590,126 4 Claims. (Cl. 219-) The invention relales to branding devices and construction, arrangement and combination of more particularly it relates to devices providing parts herein shown and described, and more parraised characters or type adapted to be heated ticularly pointed out in the claims. by resistance coils to a temperature suitable for In the drawings wherein like reference char- 5 branding surfaces either with or without the use acters indicate like or corresponding parts,

of ink. Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the device;

An object of the invention is the provision of Fig. 2 is a view along the line 2-2 of Fig. 3; an improved branding device including means Fig. 3 is a view along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; adapted t maintain the ype h ra t s at Fig. 4 is a sectional view through a portion of 10 temperatures variable between predetermined the device drawn to a larger scale; and

upper and lower limits. Fig. 5' is a view along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

The device is suitable for branding a variety Referring now more particularly to the drawof materials either with or without the use of ink ings, the numerals 1O, 11 and 12 respectively and is especially adapted for forming inked ch'ardesignate a heating element, a handle and a 15 acters on cold meat. The attempt to mark cold tubular stem connected with the heating element meat with unheated ink results in the ink not extending through the handle 11. penetrating the meat and tending to flow over The heating element 10 includes a housing the surface to form fuzzy blurred characters. member 17 having a base plate 14 and inter- The'satisfactory use of ink in marking or brandmediate plates 15 and 16 fastened together and 20 ing cold meat requires a temperature sufficiently to the housing member 17 by a plurality of screws high that the ink will quickly impregnate the sur- 18.

face and be substantially dried during its appli- A substantially square recess 19, formed on the cation without melting the fat contents of the inner portion of the base plate 14, contains a meat. heating unit consisting of a'flat spiral spring 23 Another object of the invention is the proproviding a resistance coil and an upper and a 3 vision of an improved branding device in comlower insulating plate 21 between which the bination with a thermostatic control member spring is positioned. The plates 21' each comadapted to maintain the operative surfaces of prise a plurality of mica plates fastened together the device within a predetermined narrow range by suitable adhesive materiall The plate 15 is 30 of temperature. of any suitable insulating material and the plate Still another object of the invention is the pro- 16 is formed from metal, both plates providing vision of an improved branding device of the kind a square recess 24 in their center portion of subdescribed adapted for applying ink to branding stantially smaller dimensions than the recess 19 surfaces and heating such surfaces sufiiciently in the plate 14. Theplates 15 and 16 extend over to dry the ink while being applied to the branded the plates 21 to provide a cover for the resistance surfaces. coil 23 and the plates 21. The space within the A further object of the invention is the procoil 23 contains a plurality of plates 20 of mica vision of an improved device adapted for brandor similar material. ing meats by the application of heated inked A cord 13, comprising a pair of conductors 40 40 characters, such characters being maintained and 42 and suitable insulation connects the dewithin a narrow range of temperature sufficiently vice with any convenient source of electrical enhigh'to rapidly dry the ink as it is applied to the ergy (not shown). The tubular stem 12 extends meat and at sufficiently low temperatures that the the full length and projects through the handle fat in the meat will not be melted. 11 and has a nipple 29 threaded on'its projecting A still further object of the invention is the portion. The inner end of the handle 11 comprovision of a thermostatic control in combinaprises a circular extension covered by a band 27.

tion with a novel branding device heated by elec- A screw 28 fastens the handle 11 against movetrical energy, which is simple, compact, durable, ment relative to the stem 12. A spiral spring 30 reliable, efficient and satisfactory for its intended of the usual construction is fastened to the cord 50 purpose. 13 to minimize the strain at the junction of the Many other objects and advantages of the concord with the handle and to prevent longitudinal struction herein shown and described will be movement of the cord in the handle. obvious to those skilled in the art from the dis- The plate 14 has a plurality of raised characclosure herein given. ters 37 on its exposed face which are heated when 55 To this end my invention consists in the novel the resistance coil 23 is energized by its connection with the source of electrical energy through the conductors 40 and 42. The coil 23 has one end terminating in a loop extending upwardly and is operatively connected with the end of the conductor 40. The other end of the coil 23 terminates in a loop forming a conductor 41 i'as tened to a binding post 44.. The loop extensions of the coils 23 are each covered with a plurality of porcelain insulators as and the conductor 40 is also encased with insulation 49. such as asbestos or the like at its junction with the loop extension of coil 23 to prevent possible contact of the conductors or loop extensions with the housing 17.

The conductors 41 and 42 are operatively connected and disconnected by a thermostat control device suitably mounted in a cup shaped member 50. The member 50 is detachably mounted on the plate 14 by a threaded pin 51. The thermostat control device is adjusted to disconnect the conductors 41 and 42 at a predetermined temperature and to again connect the conductors when the temperature has dropped a few degrees by reason of the circuit being broken. conductors 41 and 42 are respectively connected. with the thermostat by binding posts 46 and 47.

The thermostat consists of an upper bar 53 underneath which is positioned a disc shaped mica plate 34 overlying an annular metal disc 55. A mica disc or plate 56 underlies the annular disc and the various discs and plates comprising the thermostat are clamped together by the binding posts 46 and 47 and by a binding post 5s. The binding posts 47 and 59 are each separated 1 from the bar 53 by mica washers 52 and have contact members 57 and 58 respectively, mounted on their lower ends. The binding posts 47 and 49 are surrounded by insulating material as shown and are connected with a resistance coil 1 39 through the medium of the binding post 46 and a plate 60. A bolt 61 projects through the center of the various plates and discs forming the thermostatic device and has the plate 60 mounted on its lower end. The plate 60 is clamped between the head of the bolt and a washer 62. The upper end of the bolt 61 has a nut 64 separated from the bar 53 by a washer 63 and the position of the plate 60 relative to the contact members 57 and 58 is easily adjusted by means of the nut. The plate 60 is concave upwardly taking the general form of a segment of a sphere with its outer edge portions normally in contact with the members 57 and 58. The resistance coil 39 connects the binding posts 46 and 59 and thereby completes the circuit between the conductors 41 and 42 when the plate 60 is in contact with the members 57 and 58. The plate 60 is so constructed that it remains in contact with the members 57 and 58 until the thermostat reaches a predetermined maximum temperature which so distorts the plate as to bend it to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 4 and thereby breaks the connections between the members 57 and 58. The temperature at which the plate 60 is so distorted as to break the circuit depends upon its size and thickness and also its curvature. Further detailed description of the thermostat is omitted since the specific thermostat shown is not considered as part of the invention.

In using the device for branding meat the characters 37 are applied to a pad and thereby coated with ink, following which the device is quickly raised to a temperature suihcient to dry the ink as the characters are pressed against the surface to be marked. It is found in practice that temperatures ranging between three hundred forty and three hundred seventy degrees Fahrenheit are sufficiently high to dry the ink as it is being pressed into the surface oi the and suificiently low to avoid the melting of the fats. If the characters are heated to temperatures above three hundred seventy degrees the fat is melted and the ink and oil run together providing letters having a smeared and blurred boundary and presenting a generally unattractive appearance.

The thermostat shown and described preicrably breaks the circuit at substantially three hundred seventy degr es Fahrenheit and again opens the circuit when the temperatures drop to approximately three hundred forty degrees. No claim is made to the specific thermostat construction shown and described as such construction is well known in the art and any thermostat operable at the temp *ratures named can be used. The invention consists in the provision of means adapted to heat the type and the ink to temperatures above that named and in combination with a thermostat control means adjustable for maintaining the temperatures within a predetermined narrow range.

Thus it will be seen that the device provides a novel combination of type and thermostatic controlled means for heating the type within a range of temperature adapting the device for marking cold meat whereby the ink is dried as it is applied and caused to penetrate the meat without melting the fat contents of the meat.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvi ous that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention; hence I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form,

construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described or uses mentioned.

What I claim as new and desire to cover Letters Patent is:

1. In a branding device, a housing, a die plate closing the lower end of said housing, a fiat resistor coil extending around and covering a substantial portion of the inner face of said plate, a thin layer of insulating material forming a covering for said coil, means holding the coil with its covering in close contact with said die plate, a pair of conductors providing a circuit through coil, and a thermostat plate in closely spaced relation to and substantially covering the middle portion of the die plate not covered by said coil, said thermostat plate normally closing said circuit and operable to break the circuit when said die plate reaches a predetermined maximum temperature resulting from the resistance of said coil.

2. In a branding device, a housing, a die plate closing the lower end of said housing, a flat resistor coil extending around and covering a substantial portion of the inner face of said plate, a thin layer of insulating material forming a covering for said coil, means holding the coil with its covering in close contact with said die plate, a pair of conductors providing a circuit through said coil, and a thermostat plate in closely spaced relation to and substantially covering the central portion of the die plate not covered by said coil, an insulated member providing a fixed support for the central portion of said thermostat plate, terminal members normally operatively connecting portions of said thermostat plate remote from said support with the circuit, said plate adapted to move to break the circuit upon said die plate reaching a maximum temperature resulting from the resistance of said coil.

3. In a branding device, a housing, a die plate closing the lower end of said housing, a flat resistor coil extending around and covering a substantial portion of the inner face of said plate, a thin layer of insulating material forming a covering for said coil, means holding the coil with its covering in close contact with said die plate, a pair of conductors providing a circuit through said coil, and a circular thermostat plate in closely spaced relation to and substantially covering the central portionof the die plate not covered by said coil, an insulated supporting member fixedly fastened to the center of said thermostat plate, the cross section of said plate along diametrical lines being identically curved and providing arcs of a circle, and a pair of terminal members normally operatively connecting the convex side of the thermostat plate with said circuit for all temperatures less than a predetermined maximum, the expansion of said thermostat plate at and above said temperature resulting in the separation of said plate from said terminals.

4. In a branding device, a housing, a die plate forming a closure for the lower end of the housing, the upper face of said plate providing a shallow depression surrounded by a continuous band integral with the plate, a filler plate of insulating material positioned between the die plate and body of the housing and providing a central aperture, a fiat resistor coil positioned in and extending around said depression between said plates, a thin layer of insulating material separating the coil from the die plate, a pair of conductors providing a circuit through said coil, a thermostat plate positioned in closely spaced relation to the die plate, a pair of terminal members normally operatively connecting the thermostat plate with said circuit and operable to break the circuit upon the die plate being heated to a predetermined temperature by the resistance of said coil, and a hollow member carried by said die plate substantially filling said aperture, said member providing a support for the thermostat plate and terminals and substantially closing said aperture.

ALFRED C. FLOTHOW.

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