US2022681A - Printing plate clamping mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 3, 1 935. F. e. LOUGEE ET'AL 2,022,681

PRINTING PLATE CLAMPING MECHANISM I Filed March 17, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 lawfatwv 1935- F. ca. LOUGEE- ET AL PRINTING PLATE CLAMPING MECHANISM Filed March 17, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 4Sheets-Sheet 3 F. G. LOUGEE ET AL Filed March 17, 1933 E 3 w Y w W\ PRINTING PLATE CLAMPING MECHANISM L A n E E G U 0 L G F PRINTING PLATE CLAMPING MECHANISM 4 Sheets- Sheet 4 Filed March 17, 1933 INYENTOR$ wa Patented Dec. 3, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PRINTING PLATE CLAMPING MECHANISM Frederick Grafton Lougee, New Malden, and Thomas Edward Pattinson, Finchley, London, England, assignors to Irving Trust Company, permanent trustee for R. Hoe & 00., Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March 17, 1933, Serial No. 661,318 In Great Britain May 24, 1932 24 Claims. (01. 101-378) This invention relates to improvements in means for clamping printing plates, fudge boxes and the like, and is an improvement over the mechanism shown in our application Serial No. 622,446 filed July 1a, 1932 for Improvements in printing plate clamping mechanism.

One object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement which will enable a considerable economy to be effected in the time required for clamping and unclamping printing plates, fudge boxes and the like.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement which will insure that the plates will always be tightly clamped despite wear which may take place during a run of the printing machine.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a plate clamping mechanism of generally improved construction, whereby the device will be simple, durable and inexpensive in construction, as well as convenient, practical, serviceable and efficient in its use.

With the foregoing and other objectsin view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts, and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

, According to the present invention a clamping member for a printing plate, fudge box or the like is adapted to be actuated by power under manual control, the power medium preferably being a fluid, conveniently air, under pressure.

Means are provided for automatically retaining or looking the clamping member in clamping position in the event of failure of the fluid pressure.

The invention will be best understood by referring to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of a printing cylinder showing one of the valve means, certain of the fluid-conducting passages and one of the pistons employed for lockingly securing a printing plate tothe cylinder, other means being disclosed which may optionally be employed in order to accommodate the printing plate clamping members to operatively engage plates of various sizes; the view beingtaken on the line l--l of Figure 2 and in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 2 is an end elevational view, with certain parts removed for the purpose of clearer illustration, of the arrangement shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view of a pawl and ratchet arrangem nt; for

taining one of the end clamp locking segments in desired position;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary transverse sectional View showing the disposition of the piston receiving chambers, plate-clamp locking members, 5 and certain other coasting details of construction;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of a modified form of means for adjusting the plate clamps to engage printing plates of various sizes;

Figure 6 is an end elevational view of a printing cylinder with certain parts removed for clearer illustration wherein a modified form of plate clamping means is employed;

Figure '7 is a fragmentary plan elevational view partly in section of details shown in Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary elevational view showing certain other details of the modified construction shown in Figure 6;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary sectional detail view showing the arrangement of passages in the plug cock or valve and the ducts and passages in the cylinder coacting therewith, the valve being in position to admit air to the right hand end of the piston chamber and to exhaust air from the left hand end; and

Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 9 showing the valve in position to reverse the functions mentioned as to Figure 9.

A preferred form of the invention is illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive and 9 and 10 of the accompanying drawings, and modified forms of construction are illustrated in Figures 5 to 8.

. Referring firstly to Figures 1 to 4 and 9 and 10, these figures illustrate an arrangement for use with a printing cylinder l of a newspaper press which carries two plates around and four plates along the cylinder and is provided with the usual fixed central abutment, intermediate floating dogs or clips and end clamps 2. The cylinder is provided at each end with four borings 3 which forms cylinders for pistons 4, the outermost ends of the bearings being sealed by cover plates 5 secured to the printing cylinder.

The printing cylinder is slotted to enable the end clamp blocks 2' which slide on guides 6 secured to the cylinder, to be connected each to one of a pair of the pistons which are grouped in two pairs of two. The opposite ends of the cylinders are open to passages I, 8, the passages 1 of each pair of cylinders branching from a common chamber 9,'and the passages 8 branching from a common chamber 10. The chambers 9 and It! can be placed in communication alternately with a common pressure air supply passage H and with i exhaust passages l2, provided in the cylinder 5 by cocks I3.

As illustrated in Figure 1, it is to be understood that the cock l3, the fluid-conducting passages and other coacting details are operatively associated with the pair of piston-receiving chambers 3 shown at the lower portion of the cylinder l in Figure2; and that the upper pair of these piston-receiving chambers 3, one of which is shown in the upper portion of Figure l is connected to the supply of fluid pressure by similar details not shown in Figure 1.

Each cock l3 has atransverse passageway [3 which, by turning of the cook 53, to the position shown in Figures 1 and 9, may be aligned with a pair of radially extending ducts l formed the cylinder 1 and arranged perpendicularly to the fluid supply passage 6 i with which they communicate. Each of the plug cocks l3, as best shown in Figures 9 and 10, is formed with two peripheral, longitudinally-extending grooves, and a central bore 16 which communicates with two ports I1, 11', formed in the cock, the port I! being adapted to put the bore l6 into communication with one of the exhaust passages l2 when the cook 53 is turned to the position shown in'Figure 9 in order to exhaust the left hand end of the chambers 3 while fluid under pressure is entering into the right hand end via supply passage l l, duct M, transverse passageway l3, chamber 9 and passages l. The

. port ll opens into the groove is and serves when the cock I3 is turned to the position shown in Figure 10 to put the bore it into communication with the groove i 5 and hence with duct M, there- 'by admitting air or other fluid under pressure to the left hand end of the chamber 3 while the right hand end is being exhausted via the chamber 9, the lower portion of duct i i, groove l5 and the L-shaped exhaust passageway l2.

Thus, the cock when placing the chamber 9 communicating by the passage '1 with the end of the grouped cylinders, into communication with the pressure air supply passage II via the bore 14, places the chamber l0 communicating by passage 8 with the other ends, into com.- munication with the exhaust passage l2 and vice versa, when the cock i3 is turned to apply fiuid pressure to the rear of the cylinders 3.

Thus, when it is desired to move one or other of the end clamps 2 into or out of clamping position, the correspondingvcock is turned, whereby that side of the grouped pistons which was subjected to the pressure of the air is opened to exhaust and the other side becomes subjected to the pressure of the air, thereby compelling the pistons 4 to move, and thus to move the clamp. It will be apparent that this operation can be effected easily and quickly, thereby efiecting a considerable saving in the time required for changing plates.

It will also be apparent that as the pistons are constantly subjected to air pressure, the clamps are constantly urged into engagement with the plates (indicated at it) on the printing cylinder, and would follow-up any wear or flow of the metal of which the plates are formed which might occur, and thus there would be no danger that the plates would become loose.

In order to insure that the end clamps shall be maintained in clamping position should a breakdown in the air supply occur, means are provided for positively locking the clamps. In the arrangement shown in Figures 1 to 4, 9 and 10, this is effected by providing end extensions or projecting bars is for each of the clamp blocks 2' and a locking segment 20, one for each of the extensions on each block 2, the segments 20 forming abutments for the corresponding extensions l9 when the clamp connected thereto is in clamping position. The segments 20 are formed with apertures 2| which can be moved, by rocking the segments into line with the extensions I9 to permit these latter and hence the corresponding clamps to move out of clamping position. Inasmuch as there may occur slight variations in the length'of a printing plate, the abutting or looking portion of the segments 26 is formed with a tapering surface so that the segment can be rocked until the corresponding extensions l9 are engaged by one part or the other of the tapered surface. The segments are each normally prevented from reversing to move out of locking positions by pawls 22 pivotally mounted at 23 on the cylinder and the teeth of which are arranged to engage teeth 24 formed on the inner periphery of the segments, the pawls being urged into retaining position by sprng loaded plungers 25. Three pawls are provided for each segment, the teeth on the pawls being staggered so as to provide a small movement of the segment from one looking position to the next. Thus, as the segments are moved into retaining position, the teeth on the segments click past those on the pawlswhich however, prevent the unintentional reverse movement of the segments. To eifect reverse movement of the segments, there are provided in the segments, apertures 26 for the reception of tools arranged to depress the pawls.

In the arrangement illustrated, the movement of the segments into and out of retaining position is arranged to effect simultaneous movement of the corresponding cocks. This is effected by pro viding the segments with pins 21 arranged to engage the limbs of forked arms 28 secured to the cocks, one limb of each forked arm being longer than the other. The initial movement of the segments towards retaining position is employed solely to actuate the corresponding cock to allow air to be admitted to the right hand ends of the corresponding grouped pair of pistons, the apertures 2| in the segments being lengthened to permit the clearing of the corresponding extensions l9 durin this initial movement. The movement of the segment is con inued until the tapered surface abuts against the corresponding projections, the cocks being prevented from reversing by engagement between the pins 21 and the short limbs of the arms 28'. During the reverse movement of the segments, the tapered surfaces thereon are caused to move clear of the' corresponding extensions !9 and the pins 2! move against the long limbs of the arms 23 so that the corresponding cock is reversed to admit air to the left hand ends of the corresponding grouped cylinders, the apertures 2| moving into line with the extensions I9 to allow movement thereof. It will be seen that the pawls 22 not only serve to retain the segments in locking position but also act to prevent movement of the corresponding cock.

While the arrangement employing the tapered surfaces is preferred, the modification illustrated in Figure 5 may be employed. In this arrangement, the extensions are threaded adjustable studs 29 arranged to abut against plane surfaces formed on segments 33 and contained in planes atright angles to the axis of the cylinder, the studs being adjusted, when the clamps have been moved to clamping formed by screw position until they abut against the said plane surfaces.

The segments 20 or 30 may as shown in Figures 6 to 8 be replaced by rings 3 I, 32 one for each end clamp, which figures also illustrate an arrangement in which adjustment to accommodate plates of slightly different size is dispensed with, although this feature of adustment is preferred and may take the form shown in Figures 1 to 4, 9 and 10 or Figure 5. In the instant arrangement, the inner ring 32 is provided with two sets 33, 34 of apertures, those of one set 34 being those which can be moved by movement of the ring 32 into and out of line with the extensions IS on the one end clamp and those of the other set being merely clearance apertures to enable the extensions IS on the other clamp to extend through and into cooperation with its own retaining ring 3|, which latter is provided with only one set of apertures 35 for cooperation with its extensions. In this modification also, a slightly modified form of locking arrangement for the rings and interconnection of the rings with the corresponding cock is provided. The rings 3|, 32 are provided with recesses 36 to receive an operating tool and are counter-bored to receive either of a pair of spring loaded locking pins 31, 38 in positions corresponding to the locked and unlocked positions of the rings. In order to prevent withdrawal or insertion of the operating tool at any position except the fully locked and unlocked position there are provided fixed plates 39 which are shaped at their ends to form a continuation of the recesses 36 and between their ends are shaped to cooperate with the tool to prevent withdrawal thereof. The rings are cut away as indicated at 40 to receive rollers 4! formed on arms 52 secured to the respective cocks so that as the rings are moved, the corresponding cocks are simultaneously moved.

Referring again to Figures 1 to 4, 9 and 10, these figures also illustrate an arrangement by means of which the end clamps can be adjusted to clamp plates which differ widely in width, e. g., a seven and an eight column plate. In the arrangement shown, the blocks 2 are formed with internal mutilated shoulders 50 which are normally connected to the corresponding pistons through mutilated shoulders formed on the extensions is, which latter are rotatable but not movable axially in brackets 52 secured to the pistons 4, the extensions I9 being formed with a head 53 arranged to receive a tommy pin. By partially rotating the extensions I9, the gaps formed by the mutilation of the shoulders 5| thereon can be moved into line with the multilated shoulders on the end clamp which can then be moved freely in an axial direction to the desired position whereafter connection is re-established between the extensions I9 and the clamps 2 by rotating the extensions to their original posi-- tion. A set screw 54 or other locking device is provided to lock the extensions in the position in which they connect the end clamps to the corresponding pistons.

In order to allow the pistons to move in the clamping or both the clamping and unclamping direction without being subjected to a damping effect due to the exhaust of air, any convenient device may be provided for allowing air to be exhausted, from one side of the pistons when pressure is applied to the other side, at a rate greater than that at which pressure is supplied to that side. This may be conveniently eifected by providing an additional exhausting passage or passages which can be opened by a valve or valves when the pistons are supplied with air under pressure at the opposite side, the valve or valves conveniently being actuated by the initial movement of the pistons.

In order to allow the cylinder to be plated-up with the central plates only, each piston may be provided with a rod which engages an abutment on the floating dog to move this latter directly into clamping position (i. e., without the intervention of the other plates along the cylinder) the length of the rod and the location of the abutment being such that the rod does not move into contact with the abutment within the range of movement of the pistons when all the plates along the cylinder are employed.

The supply of air under pressure to the passages in the shaft is effected through any convenient form of rotary coupling such as that indicated at 66 in Figure 1.

In order to conserve the air acting on the pistons should a breakdown occur in the pressure air supply, there is provided a valve 61 which automatically closes when the pressure on the supply side drops, and thereby prevents the return to the supply of the ,air acting on the pistons. Also an automatic cut-out can be conveniently attached to shut down the motors and stop the press, if there is any failure of air pressure. This cut-out can be so arranged as to act at any desired safety margin of pressure. The common supply passage may also be provided with a cock which can be opened when it is desired to move the clamps to allow the escape of the air retained by the automatic valve.

If desired, manual clamp operating means may additionally be provided for use in the event of a prolonged breakdown in the pressure air supply.

The invention may obviously be applied to any arrangement of printing plates and any number thereof on a printing cylinder. and is obviously applicable to the actuation of the clamps for clamping fudgeboxes in position.

It will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes) thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

What we claim is:

1. In a device of the character described, the

combination of a printing cylinder, a plurality of chambers formed in said cylinder, said chambers having pistons attached to printing plate clamping means, fluid conducting means communicating With the chambers for admitting and exhausting fluid to actuate said pistons and consequently said plate clamping means, valve means for opening and closing said fluid conducting means, and manually operable means for actuating said valve means and preventing the accidental disengagement of said plate clamping means from a plate secured on said cylinder thereby.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a printing cylinder, a plurality of chambers formed in said cylinder, said chambers having pistons attached to printing plate clamping means, fluid conducting means for admitting and exhausting fluid to actuate said pistons and consequently said plate clamping means, valve means for opening and closing said fluid conducting means, and means slidably mounted on said and exhausting fluid to actuate said pistons and consequently said plate clamping means, valve means for opening and closing said fluid conducting means, and manually operable means adiustably and slidably mounted on said cylinder for turning said valve means and for simultaneously interposing mechanical means preventing accidental operation of the first mentioned means and detachment of a printing plate secured to the cylinder by same.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of a printing cylinder formed with fluid conducting means communicating with chambers arranged in said cylinder, said chambers accommodating pistons slidably mounted therein, said pistons having plate clamping means fastened thereto, valve means for opening andclosing said fluid. conducting means, and manually operable means mounted on the periphery of said cylinder for operating said valve means and Wedgingly maintaining said plate clamping means in position to confine a printing plate on the periphery of the cylinder in case of failure of fluid pressure.

5. In a device of the character described, a cylinder having a chamber, fluid inlet and exhaust passages arranged in said cylinder and communicating with said chamber, a piston reciprocatingly mounted in said chamber, .a plate engaging clamp fastened to said piston, and annular means mounted on the periphery of the cylinder for actuating valve means adapted to open and close said inlet and exhaust passages, said annular means also serving to prevent said clamp from being disengaged with a printing plate arranged on the cylinder in case of accidental failure of fluid pressure.

6. In a device of the character described, .a printing cylinder, a chamber secured in said cylinder, a piston reciprocatingly mounted in said cylinder, a valve secured in said cylinder and adapted to open and close fluid conducting passageways arranged in the cylinder, said passageways communicating with a source of fluid pressure and said chamber, a plate clamping element secured to the piston, and a manually operable member arranged on the cylinder for actuating the valve; said manually operable member being adjustably held in any selected position by a pawl secured to the cylinder.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination of a substantially solid metal cylinder provided with fluid conducting passageways and recessed to provide chambers having pistons therein, said pistons being secured to plate engaging clamps, valves operably arranged in the said cylinder for opening and closing said passageways to admit fluid into the chambers and exhausting said fluid therefrom, and manually operable means for actuating said valves and for preventing the disengagement of said clamps with printing plates securable on the-cylinder, said means consisting of a plate arranged on said cylinder and lockable by stops also arranged on the cylinder.

8. In a device of the character described, the

combination of a piston reciprocatingly mounted in a cylinder, manually operable means for s controlling a supply of fluid under pressure to the said piston whereby the latter can be caused to move backward and forward, a printing plate clamping member connected to said piston and movable thereby into and out of clamping position, and other means movable into and out of the path of the clamping member for retaining the latter in a selected position and optionally freeing same from restraint, said last mentioned means being adapted to move with the manually operable means.

9. An arrangement as set forth in claim 8 in which the plate clamping member includes an element, said element having apertures, whereby when the element is moved the apertures can be moved into and out of line with the clamping members.

10. The arrangement set forth in claim 5 in which the annular means has an inclined retaining surface.

' 11. An arrangement as set forth. in claim 8 wherein an adjustable member is interposed between the clamping member and the last mentioned means.

12. An arrangement as set forth'in claim 8 wherein the clamping member is disconnectible from the piston inorder to adjust the said clamping member.

13. An arrangement as set forth in claim 8 wherein a connector is interposed between the clamping member and the piston, said connector having mutilated shoulders engageable with teeth formed on the clamping member, the connector being rotatable to move the mutilations into and out of line with the teeth.

14. An arrangement as set forth in claim 8 wherein the plate clamping member comprises an element apertured to receive a tommy pin for adjusting the said clamping member to engage printing plates of various sizes and retain same operatively on the said cylinder.

15. In a device of the character described, the combination of a printing cylinder having chambers, pistons slidably mounted in said chambers, plate clamping members fastened to said pistons, and means including tool-operated members for securing said clamping members in desired positions for retaining and releasing printing plates on said cylinder; said means including a pawl secured to the cylinder and coactable with an element wedgingly engageable with the plate clamping members.

16. In a device of the character described, a substantially solid cylinder recessed to provide chambers and fluid conducting passages communicating therewith, pistons arranged in said chambers, plate clamping means secured to said pistons, members movably mounted on the periphery of said cylinder and shiftable into locking engagement with the clamping means to retain same in position to confine printing plates operatively on the cylinder and to permit the detachment of the said printing plates from the cylinder when desired; said members being apertured to receive an operating instrumentality and formed with a ratchet coactable with a pawl secured to the cylinder.

17. In a device of the character described, the combination of a cylinder. having a chamber receiving a piston, said piston having a plate engaging clamp secured th reto, valve means in said cylinder for admitting fluid pressure into said chamber and exhausting same therefrom.

and manually operable means connected to said valve means'for actuating same, said manually operable means being provided with a ratchet engaged by a pawl secured to the cylinder, whereby said clamp may lockingly engage printing plates of various sizes on said cylinder and confine same operatively thereon until release is required.

18. In a device of the character described, the combination of a piston, manually operable means for so controlling a supply of fluid under pressure to the piston that the piston can be caused to move forward and backward, a printing plate clamping member operatively connected to the piston and movable thereby, and means including a segment wedgingly engaged with said plate clamping member for maintaining the latter in operative engagement with a plate on said cylinder independently of fluid pressure means, said segment being simultaneously operated with the said manually operable means.

19. In a device of the character described, the combination of a cylinder having a chamber receiving a piston, said piston having a plate engaging clamp secured thereto, valve means in said cylinder for admitting fluid pressure into said chamber and exhausting same therefrom, and manually operable means connected to said valve means for actuating same, said manually operable means being rendered operative by applying a tool thereto for manipulating the valve means, and rendered inoperative to actuate the valve means but automatically effective to lock same in open and closed. positions when said tool is withdrawn from engagement with the manually operable means.

20. In a device of the character described, the combination of a piston, valve means for so controlling a supply of fluid under pressure to the piston that the piston can be caused to move forward and backward, a printing plate clamping member operatively connected to the piston and movable thereby, and selflocking means wedgingly engageable with said plate clamping member and mechanically connected to the valve means, whereby the said valve means may be actuated and the plate clamping member secured against accidental release, said self -locking means being released for actuation upon the application of a tool but automatically becoming self-locking upon the withdrawal of said tool.

21. In a device of the character described, the combination of a cylinder, a piston reciprocatingly mounted in said cylinder, a plate engaging clamp secured to said piston, valve means for controlling a supply of fluid under pressure to the piston for moving same backwards and forwards, manually operable means movably mounted on said cylinder and mechanically connected to said valve means for actuating same to control the supply of fluid pressure to the piston, said manually operable means being self-locking to secure the plate clamp against accidental operation, but released for manipulation when engaged by a tool adapted to fit into said manually operable means.

22. An arrangement as specified in claim 8, and means for arranging the plate clamping member to accommodate slight variations in plate widths.

23. An arrangement as specified in claim 8, and means for adjusting the clamping member relatively to the piston.

24. In a form cylinder for a printing machine adapted to receive printing plates thereon, a clamp movable to engage a plate, a piston movable within the cylinder and connected to the clamp, a locking device movable to secure the clamp in locked position, and valve mechanism to control the flow of fluid to the piston for operating the clamp; said locking device being movable with the valve mechanism.

FREDERICK GRAFTON LOUGEE. THOMAS EDWARD PATTINSON.

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