US2094212A

US2094212A - Slug casting machine

Info

Publication number: US2094212A
Application number: US686356A
Authority: US
Inventors: Alfred W F Guest
Original assignee: Mergenthaler Linotype GmbH
Current assignee: Mergenthaler Linotype GmbH; Mergenthaler Linotype Co
Priority date: 1933-08-23
Filing date: 1933-08-23
Publication date: 1937-09-28
Anticipated expiration: 1954-09-28

Description

Sept. 28, 1937. A. w. F. GUEST 2,094,212

SLUG CASTING MACHINE f Filed Aug. 2s, 1935 i s sheets-sheet -1 NVENTOR A TTORNE y Sept. 28, 1937. A. w. F. GUEST SLUG CASTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 23, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 /N VENTOR .-1 TTORNE V sept. 2s, 1937. A. w. F. GUEST- 2,094,212

SLUG CASTING MACHINE l'iled Au-g. 23, 1933 3 Shee'tS-S'neel'I 5 INVENTOR 4MM www A TTORNEY Patented Sept. 28, 1937 UNITED STATES SLUG CASTING MACHINE- Alfred W. F. Guest, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Mergenthaler Linotype Company, a corporation of New York Application August 23', 1933, Serial No. 686,356

9 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in typographical or slug casting machines wherein molten metal is forced by a pump fromV a metal pot into a mold and against a composed line of matrices to form a type bar or slug.

In such machines the composed line of matrices is presented momentarilyagainst one face of the mold; and the mouthpiece of the metal potis presented against the other face of the mold after which molten metal is injected by the action of the pump from the metal pot, through the mouthpiece, into the mold, and against the line of matrices to form the type bar or slug. The composedr line, when thus presented against/the face V of the mold, is confined endwise between a pair of vise jaws, and prior to the operation: of the pump it is justified or expanded to a desired length during which operation the right hand vise jaw is moved outwardly to a predetermined position against a stop andthe line is rendered fluid tight to prevent the escape of molten metal therethrough during'the casting operation, and to insure that molten'metal does not escape through the line during the casting operation it is customary to provide the pump ofsuch machines with a locking mechanism'which is automatically released to permit the operation of the pump when the right hand vise jaw is moved outwardly to its predetermined position against the stop and the line is rendered fluid tight. While this arrangement is satisfactory to prevent the-escape of molten metal through the line, it frequently happens that the face of the mold.- is Ynot tight against the line during the casting operation and asa result molten metal escapes therebetween.

. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is: to provide means to prevent the escape of molten metal between the face of the mold and the line, as well as to prevent the escapev of molten metal through the line during the slug casting operation, and to this end the machine is provided with a locking mechanism which prevents the operation of the pump and which is automatically released only when the line between vthe confining vise jaws is 'tight and the face ofthe mold is tight against the line. 'I'he locking mechanism desirably employed, in the present embodiment of.y the invention, is the same asis commonly'used-in machines of this sort and comprises a fore-and-aft main leverfwhich is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on the'main frame of the machine. The movement of the lever to free the pump, however, instead of beingdepend.- ent lsolely upon the movement of the right-hand vise jaw outwardly against its fixed stop isalso dependent upon the forward movement of the moldV into'engagement with the composed line. For a clearer understanding of this invention reference may be had tothe accompanying drawin gsginf which,l the invention is shown as'vapplied toa typographical machine of the sort generally shown and-described in U. S. Letters Patent No. 436,532, grantedtovO. Mergenthaler on September- 16 1890but it is to be understood that the invention is equally applicable to other typesof line casting machines. In the drawings theinvention is shownmerely in preferred form and by way of example but obviously many changes and variations may be made therein and in its mode ofapplication which will be still comprised withinj its spirit. It should, therefore, be understood that -the invention is not4 limited to any specific form or embodiment except in so far as such lim.- itations are specified in the claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view with portions broken away of a typographical machine embodying the principlesl of the present` invention.

Figure 2'is a-top plan view.

Figure 3 is an enlarged top plan View showing the lever mechanism prior to the line justication operation.

Figure 4- isv an enlarged front elevational view of the lever releasing mechanism prior to the line justification operation.

Figure 5 is-a top view, in section, showing the mold brought forward into engagement with the line.

lig.` 6 isy anl enlarged .front elevational View, partially in section, of the lever releasing mechanism after the line has been justified and the mold brought forward into engagement with theline.

As shown, the composed line comprises a plurality of character bearing matrices I0 and interposedspacebands II confined endwise in front of a mold I2 between a left-hand vise jaw I3 and angoppostely disposed, right-hand vise jaw I4. Asis usual in machines of this type the vise jaws I3 and I4,are slidably mounted in a vise frame I5. Prior to the line casting operation the line thus confined between the vise jaws I3 and I4 is justified or elongatedvto av predetermined length by elevating the line justification bar I6 against the lower ends of the spacebands yI I, thereby expanding the spacebands II` whichrserve to.force the vise jaws outwardly to predetermined positions, the left-hand vise jaw I3 being forced against an adjustablel stop i3d carried by the vise frame I5 and`r the right-hand vise jaw I4 being forced against a fixed stop Illa. which is also carried by the vise frame I5. Asthe spacebands are eX`- panded and the Yvise jaws move outwardly against the stops the matrices and spacebands are forced tightly and firmly against one another and theend matrices are forced tightlyy and rmly against the innerV faces ofthe vise Vjaws thus providing fluid tight joints therebetween.

The mold I2- employed in machines of this class .has aslot or cavity I1. therein for the casting of ling rodi.

the type line or slug and it is mounted on a mold wheel i3 which carries it forwardly against the rear face of the line prior to the line casting operation and away from the rear face of the line after the type line or slug has been cast.

The casting meclianism employed in machines of this class comprises the usual metal pot I3 wherein molten type metal is stored and in the lower end of which a well (not shown) is positioned. A plunger is positioned in the well and'it is adapted to be reciprocated therein during the casting operation by means of a plunger rod 20 which is connected at its upper end to an actuat- As usual the metal pot is mounted to rock or tilt forwardly into casting position against the rear face of the mold I2 prior to the line casting operation and rearwardly away from the mold after the casting operation has been completed, and while the metal pot is so positioned against the rear face of 'the mold the plunger operates to force molten metal into the mold and against the line of matrices to form a type line or slug. Such movement of the mold and the metal pot to and from casting position and the manner of injecting the molten type metal from the metal pot into the meld and against the line to produce a type line or slug is the same as commonly take place in typographical machines of the class referred to and further explanation thereof is deemed unnecessary except to state that it is customary to provide such machines with a locking mechanism which prevents the reciprocation of the plunger until the line between the vise jaws is fluid tight.

The locking device, as usual, comprises a main lever 23 pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on a pivot pin 2d which extends upwardly from the main frame of the machine. The rear end of the main lever terminates in a yoke 25 which engages the forward end 26 of a secondary lever 21. The secondary lever 2l is likewise pivotally mounted intermediate its end on a pivot pin 28 which also extends upwardly from the main frame of the machine. The rear end of the secondary lever is maintained, by means of a spring 3i, beneath a stop shoulder 3i) which is carried by the actuating rod 2i. The front end of the main lever 23 extends forwardly beyond the front of the vise jaw i4 and that portion of the lever adjacent the end of the vise jaw is provided with an adjustable screw 32. An outward movement of the forward end of the main lever produces an inward movement of the rear end of the yoke 25 and an inward movement of the yoke causes an inward movement of the front end and an outward movement of the rear end of the secondary lever 2l'. Consequently, when the front end of the main lever 23 is moved outwardly a suiiicient distance the rear end of the secondary lever 2l is forced outwardly, against the action of the spring 3 I, from beneath the stop shoulder 3i), thus permitting the reciprocation of the plunger. It will be observed that the fo-rward ends of the levers are short as compared with the rear ends, the result being that a comparatively short movement of the outer end of the main lever 23 is suincient to release t e plunger.

In accordance with the present invention the release of the locking mechanism is effected only when the line between the vise jaws i3 and I4 is iiuid tight and the face of the mold I2 is pressed tightly against the line of matrices, and to this end the right-hand vise jaw I4 is provided with movable

co-acting plunger rods

33 and 34. The plunger rod 33 is slidably mounted in an opening which extends through the jaw I4 in front of the mold I2 and in the direction of travel of the mold as the mold is moved forward into casting position. The plunger rod 34 is slidably mounted in a cavity which extends upwardly and outwardly through the central portion of the jaw from the opening in which the plunger rod 33 is positioned and which opens from the right end face of the jaw opposite the head of the adjusting screw 32. It is thus seen that the plunger rod 34 is'disposed in the jaw i4 in a plane at right angles to the rod 33,. The upper end of the plunger rod 34 is beveled so as to conform with the end face of the vise jaw and it is normally maintained flush therewith by a leaf spring 35. The lower end of the plunger rod 311i is also beveled and engages a beveled face at the outer end of the plunger rod 33. The inner end of the plunger rod 33 extends a slight distance beyond the inner face of the jaw I4 and it is engaged by the mold i2 as the mold moves forward into casting position. To reduce the friction between the beveled faces of the cof-acting plunger rods, a groove 33 is cut in the plunger rod 33 at the outer end of the tapered face thereon, and to prevent displacement of the engaging beveled faces the groove is cut a slight distance back of the outer end so as to provide a retaining wall 3l. As the mold I2 moves forward into casting position against the rear face of the line it engages the inner end of the plunger rod 33 and thus forces the rod outwardly in the direction of travel of the mold. As the plunger rod 33 is thus forced outwardly, the co-acting plunger rod 34, due to the sliding contact between the beveled faces, is forced upwardly and outwardly in a plane at right angles thereto against the action of the spring 35 towards the head of the screw 32. Under such conditions, it is seen that the plunger rod 34 is carried to the right by two separate movements prior to the normal line casting operation, one movement being produced as the jaw I4, in which the co-acting plunger rods are positioned, is forced to the right to a predetermined position against the fixed stop I4a during line justification and the other movement being produced as the mold I2 is moved forward into line casting position. The position of the screw 32 is adjusted in the outer end of the main lever 23 so that it is moved to the right suiiicient to release the plunger only when the plunger rod 34 has been moved to the right to its extreme position by both movements. Consequently, when the jaw I4 is in its predetermined position against the fixed stop I 4a and the front face of the mold is advanced tight against the rear face of the line the plunger rod 34 is forced outwardly, thereby forcing the spring 35 against the head of the screw 32 and thus forcing the end of the main lever 23 outwardly sufiicient to release the locking mechanism and permit the reciprocation of the plunger. In the event, however, that the spacebands do not act properly or that there are an insufficient number of matrices and spacebands between the confining jaws so that the elements which make up the line are not forced tight against one another and the jaw i4 is not moved to its predetermined position during line justincation, or in the event that the outer face of the mold I2 is not moved tight against the rear face of the line so as to force the plunger rod 34 outwardly to its extreme position, the end of the screw 32 is either not engaged at all or else it is not moved outwardly sufficient to disengage the inner end of the secondary-lever 21 from beneath the shoulder 30 and as a result the plunger remains locked and reciprocation thereof is prevented.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a slug casting machine having a pair of vise jaws Afor holding a composed line of matrioes, a mold, means for advancing said mold into engagement with said line, a metal pot containing molten type metal, a reciprocable plunger positioned in said pot and adapted to force molten metal therefrom into said mold and against said line to form a slug, means for preventing the reciprocation of said plunger, and means carried by one of said jaws and operated by said mold as it advances into engagement with said line to render said plunger reciprocating preventing means inoperative when said jaw is in a predetermined position.

2. In a slug casting machine having a pair o-f vise jaws for holding a composed line of matrices, a mold, means for advancing said mold into engagement with said line,'a metal pot containing molten type metal, a reciprocable plunger positioned in said pot and adapted to force molten metal therefrom into said mold and against said line to form a slug, means operative to prevent the reciprocation of said plunger, and coacting plunger rods carried by one of said jaws and operated by said mold as it advances into engagement with said line to render said plunger reciprocation preventing means inoperative when said jaw is in a predetermined position.

3. In a slug casting machine having a pair of vise jaws for holding a composed line of matrices, a mold, means for advancing said mold into engagement with said line, a metal pot containing molten type metal, a reciprocable plunger positioned in said pot and adapted to force molten metal therefrom into said mold and against said line to form a slug, a locking device operative to prevent the reciprocation of said plunger, and means carried by one of said jaws and responsive to the advancement of said mold into engagement with said line to release said locking device when said jaw is in a predetermined position. Y

4. In a slug casting machine having a pair of vise jaws for holding a composed line of matrices, a mold, means for advancing said mold into engagement with said line, a metal pot containing molten type metal, a reciprocable plunger positioned in said pot, and adapted to force molten metal therefrom into said mold and against said line to form a slug, a locking device operative to prevent the reciprocation of said plunger, and co-acting plunger rods carried by one of said jaws and operated by said mold as it advances into engagement with said line to release said locking device when said jaw is in a predetermined position.

5. In a slug casting machine havinga pair of.

vise jawsfor holding a composed line of matrices, means for rendering said line tight during which one of said jaws is moved to a predetermined position, a mold, means for advancing said mold into engagement with said line, a metal pot containing molten type metal, a reciprocable plunger positioned in said pot and adapted to force molten metal therefrom into said mold and against said line to form a slug, a locking device operative to prevent the reciprocation of said plunger, and means carried by said displaced jaw andactuated by the advancement of said mold to release said locking device to permit the reciprocation of said plunger when said displaced jaw is in said predetermined position.

6. In a slug casting machine having a pair of vise jaws for holding a composed line of matrices, means for rendering said line tight during which one of said jaws is moved to a predetermined position, a mold, means for advancing said mold into engagement with said line, a metal pot containing molten type metal, a reciprocable plunger positioned in said pot and adapted to force molten metal therefrom into said mold and against said line to form a slug, a locking device operative to prevent the reciprocation of said plunger, and co-acting means carried by said displaced jaw and actuated by the advancement of said mold to release said locking device when said displaced jaw is in said predetermined position.

7. In a slug casting machine having a pair of vise jaws for holding a composed line of matrices, means for rendering said line tight during which one of said jaws is moved to a predetermined position, a mold, means for advancing said mold into engagement with said line, a metal pot containing molten type metal, a reciprocable plunger positioned in said pot and adapted to force molten metal therefrom into said mold and against said line to form a slug, a locking device operative to prevent the reciprocation of said plunger, and co-acting plunger rods carried by said displaced jaw and actuated by the advancement of said mold to release said locking mechanism when said displaced jaw is in said predetermined position.

8. In a slug casting machine having a pair of vise jaws for holding a composed line of matrices, means for justifying said line during which one of said jaws Vis moved to a predetermined position, a mold, means for advancing said mold into engagement with said line, a metal pot containing molten type metal, a reciprocable plunger positioned in said pot and adapted to force molten metal therefrom into said mold and against said line to form a slug, a locking mechanism operative to prevent the reciprocation of said plunger, movable members carried by said displaced jaw and actuated by said mold as said mold is moved into engagement with said line, and means responsive to the actuation of said members and the movement of said jaw during line justification to release said locking mechanism to permit the reciprocation of said plunger.

9. In a slug casting machine having a pair of vise jaws for holding a composed line of matrices, means for justifyingsaid line during which one of said jaws is moved to a predetermined position, a mold, means for advancing said mold into engagement with said line, co-acting plunger rods carried by said displaced jaw and yactuated by the advancement of said mold, a metal pot containing molten metal, a reciprocable plunger positioned in said pot and adapted to force molten metal therefrom into said mold and against said line to form a slug, a locking device operative to prevent the reciprocation of said plunger, and means responsive to the movement of said jaw during line justification and the actuation of said co-acting plunger rods for releasing said locking device to permit the reciprocation of said plunger.

ALFRED W. F. GUEST.