US2229226A

US2229226A - Combination surface and intaglio printing machine

Info

Publication number: US2229226A
Application number: US171016A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harry A Scott; Lynn B Case
Original assignee: JOHN WALDRON CORP
Current assignee: JOHN WALDRON Corp
Priority date: 1936-06-09
Filing date: 1937-10-26
Publication date: 1941-01-21
Anticipated expiration: 1958-01-21

Description

Jan. 21, 1941. H. A. sco'r-r ET AL COMBINATION SURFACE AND INTAGLIO ra m-me MACHINE Original Filed June 9, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTORS. 62. M

abdjmm v I ATTORNEYS.

Jan. 21, 1941. 'H; A. sco'rT ET-AL 2,229,226

COMBINATION SURFACE AND INTAGLIO PRINTING MACHINE Original Filed June 9, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I ENTORS.

Q. Zia BY Ki M ATTORNEY6 Jan. 21, 1941. 2,229,226

cousrn'rrou sunmcz AND INTAGLIO PRINTING cum? H. A. SCOTT ETAL Original Filed June 9, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 n-21.1941 H. A. SCOTT Em. 2229.226

COMBINATION SURFACE AND INTAG LIO PRINTING MACHINE Original Filed June 9, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INV 0R5.

BY I 3 Patented Jan. 21, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINATION SURFACE AND INTAGLIO PRINTING MACHINE Original application June 9, 1936, Serial No. 84,278. Divided and this application October 26, 1937, Serial No. 171,016

8 Claims.

This invention relates to a surface and intaglio printing machine with individual impression cylinders. This application is a division of our copending application, Ser. No. 84,278, how Patent No. 2,102,386, dated December 14, 1937.

There have been certain complications and difficulties inherent in surface and intaglio printing machines. As the number of colors desired to be printed are increased, the difliculties of maintaining registration or of securing registration when fitting the pattern are increased in that in general each printing head requires several adjustments resulting in numerous stops with consequent wastage. In making the adjustments, due to the number of variables, they must be made several times to ultimately get exact registration. The adjustment mechanisms are generally complicated and the printing heads and brackets are of such size as to require for a number of colors a comparatively large machine, also the various heads, although similar, cannot be made entirely interchangeable where the drive is from a central main gear.

With our invention, the construction of a surface and intaglio printing machine has been simplified and made more compact with all printing heads interchangeable and operating in the horizontal plane. The design of the heads is such that the vertical distance between the heads is reduced to a minimum thereby permitting more printing heads for a given size machine. The print cylinders are easily removed enabling quick renewal or substitution of print cylinders. r The excessive wastage of the web of material at the commencement of operations is materially reduced in our invention by reducing the number of variables to be adjusted to one for each head and in positioning the controls in such a manner that the operator can make the necessary adjustments for the heads on one side of the machine without materially changing his position. The printing cylinders are maintained against the impression cylinders by spring pressure, thereby en-' a-bling any paster or foreign matter adhering to the Web to pass between the printing and impression cylinders without damaging the web or affecting the printing adjacent to the foreign matter or harming the cylinders or machinery in any 50 particular. With our invention, all heads may be released simultaneously by manually throwing a quick throwout lever. One of the important elements of our invention is the simplification of the driving means and the utilization of the driv- 5 ing means as a co-operating means to secure reg- The printing heads 2 extend horizontally from frame I.

istration. By such use many small gears are eliminated and the machine is capable of considerable reduction in size, with various other ensuing benefits. The construction of the machine permits its use both for surface printing as well as-intaglio printing.

One of the objects of our invention is to provide a surface printer that can be utilized for intaglio printing.

A further object of our invention is to provide a surface printer of simplified and compact construction.

A still further object of our invention is to provide a surface and intaglio printer that will permit the maximum number of printing heads for any given sizemachine.

Still another object of our invention is to provide a surface printer that will permit easy and quick registration to be obtained with the minimum wastage of web material.

A still further object of our invention is the elimination of ripples or creases forming in the paper during printing.

Still another object of the invention is the elimination of damage to the web or rolls by foreign matter or pasters adhering to the web.

A still further object of our invention is to permit the correct registering of a multi-color pa;t tern when the pattern is not cut to a true center 30 line of block or plate cylinder.

A further object of our invention is to provide a machine for surface and intaglio printing that can be a self-contained unit machine with unroll, printing, slitting, trimming and rewinding. 35

Further objects will appear more fully hereinafter.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a device embodying the principles of my invention;

Figure 2 is a view along the

line

2, 2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a detailed elevation view of a printing head partly shown in section.

Figure 4 is a detailed sectional view of Figure 3 along the line 4, 4;

Figure 5 is a detailed view along the line 5, 5 of Figure 3 looking in the direction of the arrows, and

Figure 6 is a sectional view of Figure 5 along 50 the

line

6, 6 looking in the direction of, the arrows.

In carrying out our invention, we provide a Unlike the .usual frames for surface printers, it is not the hexagon or octagon shape.

the sides of the machine in vertical alinement. In Figure 1, only three printing heads are shown on one side but the frame is adaptable for vertical enlargement to place up to four or more 5 heads on each side of the machine, making a total of eight or more colors that can be printed depending upon the height of the heads.

The heads are of special construction. The number of heads that can beafllxed to each side 10 of the machine is considerably increased in proportion to the main frame height in our invention by the utilization of tubular support 3 doing away i with the usual cast iron brackets. Tubular support 3 has a foot 4 welded thereto which is bolted 15 by bolts 5 to frame I. Carriage 5 encloses and is slidably mounted on tubular support 3. Secured to carriage 8 is a threaded nut I meshing with threaded portion 8 of shaft 3 passing through tubular support 3, foot 4 and a portion of frame l.

20 Shaft 9 has adjustment handwheel III at one end and the other end of shaft 3 bears against a throwout cam ll' carried by hand lever Hand lever H is the quick release that operates all the heads through links l2. A spring l3 in tubular support 3 has a dual function, it maintains shaft 9 against cam ll of the quick release through compression pressure, at the same time.

In the case of foreign matter on the web, it permits it to pass between the print roll l4 and the functions. Not only does it cause movement of carriage 8 when handwheel I8 is rotated due to the threaded portion 8 of shaft 9, but also nut 35 maintains the head in vertical position due to its engagement in slot l5. (See Figures 3, 4 and 5.) Of course, the primary function of-nut is to operate as a key in slot l6, whereby carriage 6 will slide on support 3.

Secured to carriage 5 is casting supporting the bearings for the fountain roll l8 and the inking roll l9. Manual adjustment of fountain roll I8 is accomplished through handwheel 20 which raises or lowers the slide bearings contained in casting IT. This gives control with respect to the distance between the fountain roll l8 and the inking roll I 3, thereby permitting control of the amount of ink supplied to roll IS. The bearings for rolls I8 and I9 are of the self-alining ball-bearing type. Supported on carriage 6 5 and adapted to slide on a dovetail 22 on the top thereof, is support 2|. print roll H in latch bearing 23. Latch bearing 23 is supported on swivel plate 24, which in turn is fastened to threaded stud 25, the latter being mounted in support 2|. By turning stud 25 by means of a pin inserted in holes 26, stud 25 can be. raised or lowered, which in turn raises r lowers latch bearing 23. free to swivel on swivel plate 24.

.The elimination of ripples or creases which form in the paper during the printing is accom,- plished by varying the horizontal distance from the vertical center line of the machine to the center line of the impression cylinders.

85 Referring to Figure 1, it will be noted, the first impression cylinder is located closer to the vertical center line than the second impression cylinder and the fourth impression cylinder, if added, would have a center line the same as the 70 first impression cylinder.- FER other words, the paper is led around a theoretical radius. When a pattern is transferred from a transfer paper to a printing roller and an all over design is cut, sometimes the putter on who cuts the pattern,

75 fails to lay the pattern in position with respect impression roll l5. Nut 1 also has a plurality of Support 2| carries- Latch bearing 23 is to a true center line with the shaft and when this error occurs, it is necessary to have a vertical adjustment for the print roll or plate cylinder bearings in order to correct for this human error when registering a multi-colored pattern from side to side of the web. Stud 25 furnishes such adjustment means.

It should be noted that every adjusting screw throughout the machine has a locking arrangement and that no wrenches are required to make adjustments during the operation of the machine.

Roll I4 is adjustable with respect to transfer roll IS. The manual adjustment is made as follows: Shaft 21 carries handwheel 28 at one end and is threaded at 29 adjacent'to the other end. Secured to the end of shaft 21 are collars 30 and 3| .on each side of lug 32, which latter in turn is integral with support 2|. A nut 33 is fastened to dovetail 22, which in turn is secured to carriage 8. The manual operation of handwheel 28, therefore, moves support 2| in dovetail 22, bringing roll |4 towards roll l9, or away therefrom, depending upon the direction of rotation. This adjustment is primarily required to accommodate varying diameters of print roll M which may range from about three inches to eight inches in diameter, or larger, depending upon the length of the tubular supports and their centers.

Referring to Figures 2 and 3, the design of the latch bearing 23 is of importance since it is desirable that roll H be adjustable in a crosswise position with respect to the impression roller or with respect to the web. The construction of the mechanism is as follows: Latch bearing 23 carries latch 34 which overhangs bearings 23 and rides between two

collars

35 and 35 on shaft 31 of print roll l4. Latch 34 is adjusted crosswise by means of threaded screw 38, thereby moving shaft 31 of roll M as required. Roll I4 is removed by releasing wing nut 39 and lifting latch 34. As all the heads are standardized, the description with respect to one will'cover them all.

It should be noted that the pans for the fountain rolls are also of special construction. Refern'ng to Figure 4, pan 40, is of sheet metal welded construction surrounding fountain or furnishing roll l8 to about mid-diameter and has supports 4| at each end. We provide for quick and easy removal of pan 48 asfollows: Connected to casting I1 is a shelf 42 having a hinged portion 43 with a pivotal connection 44. Hinged portion 43 has a slot to receive support 4| therein. A latch 45 secures

portions

42 and 43 in the horizontal plane when in position, The withdrawal of latch 45 drops the hinged portion 43, thereby releasing the support 4|, enabling withdrawal of pan 40. Reversing the procedure enables the re-securing of pan 40 in position.

We preferably utilize a ball spring device in connection with latch 45 to prevent accidental displacement. This being a well-known mechanism, it requires no illustration. We provide a cover 46 partially enclosing the inking roll I9 5 and the fountain or furnishing roll l8. Cover 46 rests on shaft 41 on a bronze bearing 48. Bearing 48 is a semicircumferential hearing. The sides of cover 46 extend within the ends of pan 4!! thereby acting as splash guards. Cover 46 is 7 removable by grasping handles 49- and lifting same from the rolls. Cover 45 not only tends to prevent the drying and evaporation of the quick drying inks but also prevents dust and foreign matters from getting into the pan 48, which would affect the proper printing and injure the rubber covering of the rolls.

With our invention, we propose to drive the various rolls by means of a chain 50. A multiple width chain is preferably utilized. The speed of the chain is preferably run at a lineal speed in excess of the lineal speed of the web. The chain must be maintained taut in order to maintain proper registration and its utilization for correcting out of registry printing. Manual takeup 5| is used for maintaining the chain taut. Any well known form of takeup may be used. The drive is as follows:

Drive shaft 52 actuates chain 50 which passes around idler sprockets 53, thence around sprockets 54 on studs 55 which latter carry gears 56, which mesh with gears 51 on shafts 58 on impression roll 15. Gears 5'! in turn drive the gears connected to rolls I 4, I9 and I8. The chain drive enables the utilization of standard interchangeable gears, greater compactness in the design of the machine and elimination of mechanical registering mechanisms for the heads. This latter is accomplished in a novel 'manner as follows:

Sprocket 54 and gear 56 are carried by the.

same stud 55 secured to bell crank lever 60. Lever 60 can be motivated through handwheel 6| whereby sprocket 54 can be swung either upwardly or downwardlyaround the center of shaft 58. The chain drive must be designed and assembled in such a way that there is no material change in the length of the chain 50 when the adjustment of bell crank lever 60 is made. In the movement of lever 60, chain 50 acts as a rack causing sprocket 54 either to rotate faster or slower than chain 5|], thereby moving the print roll on one side with respect to the web and with respect to the other printing heads so that registration may be obtained. -With our invention, the actuation of handwheel 6| on each printing head permits the securing of registration lengthwise of the web.

It will thus be seen that we have provided a surface printer that is of simplified and compact structure, that is quickly adjusted for operation, that has interchangeable heads wherein the printing, transfer and furnishing rolls are readily adjustable with respect to the impression roll, and the printing cylinder is positively held with a positive spring pressure against the impression cylinder, but enabling any foreign matter carried by the web to pass through without injury to the mechanism or web. And wherein the drive mechanism is positive, at the same time flexible, and functions as a co-operating means for adjustment for registration of the printing cylinder with respect to the web, or other printing cylinders, and wherein a greater number of colors may be printed on the same sized machine than has generally been possible heretofore. I

We claim:'

1. In a printing machine, a frame, a plurality of printing heads, tubular supports secured to said frame for said heads, said heads having carriages slidably mounted on said tubular support, a shaft passing through said tubular support and 5 having a threaded portion, a nut for said threaded portion operating in a slot in said carriage for motivating said carriage when said shaft is rotated.

2. In a printing machine, a frame, a plurality of printing heads, tubular supports secured to said frame for said heads, said heads having carriages slidably mounted on said tubular supports, a shaft passing through said tubular support and having a threaded portion, a nut for said 15 threaded portion operating in a slot in said carriage for motivating said carriage when said shaft is rotated, said nut secured also to said head to maintain same in vertical position.

3. In a printing machine, a frame, a plurality of printing heads, tubular supports secured to said frame for said heads, said heads having carriages slidably mounted on said tubular supports, means for adjusting said carriages on said supports, and means for yieldingly maintaining said heads in adjusted printing position to permit any foreign matter on the web to pass through.

4. In a printing machine, a frame, an impression cylinder iournalled in said frame, a printing cylinder co-operating therewith, a pair of supports carried by said frame, a carriage for said printing cylinder slidabie on said supports, a shaft mounted in each support for rotary and reciprocatory movement and having threaded connections with said carriage, resilient means urging said shaftstoward said frame and positive means for moving said shafts away from said frame.

5. In a printing machine according to claim 1, cam means for moving said shafts away from said frame, and resilient means opposing such movement.

6. In a printing machine according to claim 2, cam means for moving said shafts away from said frame, and resilient means opposing such movement.

'7. In a printing machine according to claim 3, positive means for effecting movement of said carriages and said adjusting means away from said frame.

8. In a printing machine, a frame, an impression roller supported thereby, a support attached to said frame, a carriage slidable on said support toward and away from said frame, a slide mounted on said carriage, a printing rollersupported by said slide, an inking roller carried by said carriage independent of said slide, and screw means for moving said slide on said carriage to adjust said printing roller relative to said inking roller.

HARRY A. SCO'IT. LYNN B. CASE.