US2142009A - Embossing machine - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 27, 1938. w. R. SIEBERT EMBOSSING MACHINE Filed Jan. 14, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 William 7?. Siehert.

ATTORNEYS Dec. 27, 1938. w. R. SIEBERT EMBOSSING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 14, 1957 65m QN m Q Q wizzm 'izszeberz BY vmyzmil d.

ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 27, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EMBOSSING MAcnmE Application January 14, 1937', Serial No. 120,581

4 Claims. (01. 19'l6.2)

The present invention relates to embossing or printing machines adapted for manual operation to emboss a series of characters or other indicia on a strip of material constituting a name plate or the like.

The invention has for its general object the provision of a single and rugged machine capable of impressing a series of letters, numerals or other characters on a name plate or similar sign in a neat and orderly manner, the machine being so arranged as to afford convenient variation of the characters in a required series at the will of the operator.

. A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character indicated including a carriage for the retention of the strip of material to be impressed and automatic feeder means associated with the carriage to advance the work simultaneously with the actuation of one of the impressing dies, the work being moved a. distance corresponding to the spacing required for the particular character being impressed The invention will be fully and comprehensively understood from a. consideration of the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings which form part of the application.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the entire machine illustrating same in use during the process of embossing a series of characters on a name plate.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the machine partly broken away in section to illustrate the supporting means for a series of character forming dies and the feeder mechanism for advancing the work; and

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View taken 0 the staggered line 33 of Fig. 2.

Briefly stated the invention resides in providing an embossing machine comprising a base and frame, a die holder having slidably mounted therein a series of character forming dies, the die holder being endwise slidable so as to facilitate the placement of one of the dies in operating position below a plunger for actuating the die, the machine also including a carriage for retention of the work and means for advancing the carriage simultaneously'with the actuation of the character forming-die so as to space the characters on the work consistent with the width of the character.

Reference is now had to the accompanying drawings for a more detailed description thereof in which the numeral 4 indicates a, suitable base having superimposed thereon a frame 5. Onto the frame 5 is slidably mounted for endwise movement a die holder 6 disposed in a groove 1 formed in the frame 5 and retained therein by slide plates 8 engaging opposed shoulders on the die holder 6. The frame 5 also provides a mounting for a. slidable plunger 9 held in normally raised position by a suitable spring Ill. The plunger 9 is mounted for vertical movement relative to the die holder 6 and is actuated by a lever ll pivoted on the frame 5 at I! and presenting adjacent the pivotal end a suitable cam l3.

As will be seen by reference to Fig. 2 the die holder 6 retains a series of character forming dies [4, each of which is urged to elevated position by a suitable spring l5. Each of the dies II has formed at its lower end character forming ar impressing surfaces. From the foregoing it will be noted that by swinging the lever ll downwardly that the plunger 9 is forced against the pressure of the spring l0 so that its lower end engages with one of the dies l4 thereby urging the mentioned die against the work.

It will also be noted that the manner of mounting the die holder 6 in the frame 5 permits of positioning any one of the dies l4 below the actuating plunger 9 by merely sliding the die holder to the desired position, the same being readily determined by use of the indicator 35, shown in Fig. l. The accurate alignment of each of the dies H with the plunger 9 is readily effected by the operation of a ball catch l6 backed by a spring I! to urge the ball catch into one of a. series of recesses in the die holder 6, the recesses being spaced a distance corresponding to the spacing of the various dies l4. Preferably the ball catch I6 is disposed to engage one of the slideways in which the dies M are retained.

The machine is particularly adapted for embossing or impressing a Y series of letters or numerals on a suitable strip of material l8 embodying, for example, a name plate. During the process of embossing the desired characters on the strip l8, same is suitably retained on a carriage l9 as by being disposed in a groove 20 formed therein. The carriage I9 is endwise slidable, being mounted in a suitable slideway 2| formed in the base 4 so that the strip l8 may be progressively advanced relative to the die [4 to be lowered. The carriage I9 is automatically advanced during the lowering of one of the dies ll by the actuation of a feeder mechanism 22. The carriage l9, being elongate, has formed thereon a gear rack 23 in mesh with a gear 24 forming part of the feeder mechanism 22. A spring backed feeder rod 25 has its upper end disposed for engagement by one of a series of pins 26 projecting from each of the dies l4. Alink 21 is flexibly connected to the feeder rod at one end and has its opposite end engaged with a ratchet lever 28 swingably mounted on a shaft 29. The ratchet lever 28 carries a spring backed pawl adapted to engage the teeth of a ratchet wheel II. The ratchet wheel 3i and the gear 24 are secured together and are preferably carried on the shaft 29. p

The feeder mechanism 22 functions to convey the. carriage IS a predetermined distance equivalent to the spacing of a character and is actuated coactively with the depressing of one of the dies ll. As a die II is lowered by operation of the lever, the pin 26 thereon, engaging the rod 25, compresses the spring surrounding the feeder rod 25 and sets the feed mechanism for operation under the influence of said spring whereby, as the die returns upwardly to its idle position after effecting the impression upon the work piece, the spring causes the lever 26 to turn, thereby moving the ratchet wheel 3| and advancing the plate I! through engagement of the gear 24 with the toothed rack 23. It will be observed that the spacing for the various characters differs and that therefore the advancement of the worksupporting carriage I9 is to be varied correspondingly. This is accomplished by positioning the pins 26 at the proper elevation on the respective dies ll so that the feeder rod 25 is depressed such a distance as will be necessary to advance the carriage IS the desired amount. In this connection it will be noted that the pitch of the teeth comprising the ratchet wheel 3| represents certain increments of the maximum character spacing. For example, the character w requires the maximum spacing and therefore the pin 26 of the w die is positioned low enough thereon so that upon engagement with the feeder rod 25 the ratchet wheel 3| is rotated the maximum number of teeth, four for example. Similarly the character i, requiring the minimum space has its pin 26 elevated on the die H so that the feeder rod 26 is depressed to turn the ratchet wheel 3| a distance corresponding to two teeth thereon. correspondingly the gear 24, in each case, is rotated a'corresponding angular distance and the carriage I9 is thus advanced a spacing consistent with the particular character to be impressed.

During the process of embossing a series of letters, numerals or other characters on the strip of material l6, the carriage l9 progresses intermittently from right to left position. At the completion of the work the carriage i9 assumes a position substantially to the left of the machine. It will, therefore, be noted that to emboss a second strip l8 the carriage 19 has to be reset to the right-hand position which is accomplished by a release rod 32 journalled in the frame I and having its end flexibly connected to the pawl 30. Thus, by tensioning the rod 32, the pawl 30 will be raised free of the ratchet wheel 3| and the carriage l9 may be pushed to the extreme right, after which the rod 32 is released and the machine is ready for embossing a new strip.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the embossing machine embodying the invention affords convenient and efficient means for impressing a series of characters on a strip of material l8. In that the various character forming dies II are carried in a common die holder 6, each die may be readily positioned in alignment with the actuating plunger 9 by merely sliding the die fined to the exact showing of the drawings nor to the precise construction described and, therefore, such changes and modifications may be made therein as do not affect the spirit of the invention nor exceed the scope thereof as expressed in the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A machine of the character described comprising in combination, a supporting frame, a die holder movably mounted in said frame and having a series of bores therein, a plurality of character forming dies slidably carried in said bores, a friction catch on said frame yieldably engaging one of said bores to position said die holder, a plunger slidable in said frame and adapted to engage one of said dies to actuate the same, a work supporting carriage movably retained on said frame, and feeder means actuated by movement of one of said dies to intermittently advance said carriage.

2. A machine of the character described comprising in combination, a supporting frame, a die holder slidably retained for endwise movement in said frame, a series of character forming dies slidably retained in openings in said die holder, a spring pressed friction catch mounted in said supporting frame engageable with the openings in said die holder wherein the dies are positioned, a plunger slidable in said frame and adapted to engage one of said series of dies to actuate the same, a cam lever pivoted on said frame for operating said plunger, a work supporting carriage slidably retained for longitudinal movement on said frame, and feeder means actuated by movement of one of said dies to intermittently advance said carriage.

3. A machine of the character described comprising in combination, a supporting frame, a die holder movably mounted in said frame, a series of character forming dies slidably retained in openings in said die holder, a plunger slidable in said frame and adapted to engage one of said series of dies to actuate same, a friction catch mounted in said frame engageable with the openings wherein the dies are retained whereby alignment of plunger and die is at least largely facilitated, said catch comprising a spring pressed substantially spherical member alignable with said openings, a work supporting carriage movably retained on said frame, and feeder means actuated by movement of one of said dies to intermittently advance said carriage, said feeder means comprising a rack on said carriage, a rotatable gear in mesh with said rack and means actuated by one of said dies for intermittently rotating said gear.

4. A machine of the character described comprising in combination, a supporting frame, a die holder movably mounted in said frame, a series of character forming dies slidably retained in openings in said die holder, a plunger slidable in said frame and adapted to engage one of said series of dies to actuate the same, a friction catchmounted in said frame engageable with the openings whereby the dies are retained whereby alignment of plunger and dies is at least largely facilitated, said catch comprising a spring pressed substantially spherical member alignable with said openings, a work supporting carriage movably retained on said frame, and feeder means intermittently actuated by one of said dies to advance said carriage, said feeder means comprising a rack on said carriage, a gear mounted in said frame in mesh with said rack, a pawl and ratchet wheel mechanism associated with said WILLIAM R. SIEBERT.

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