US2364504A - Stapling mechanism for rotary printing machines - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 5, 1944. A. M. ZUCKERMAN STAPLING MECHANISM FOR ROTARY PRINTING MACHINES Filed June 24, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Adolph Mluarerman ATTORNEY 1944- A. M. ZUCKERMAN 2,354,504

STAPLING MECHANISM FOR ROTARY PRINTING MACHINES Filed June 24,1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 67 45 42 r 5/ 5g 55 A 50 2a 3 l 3 W3 I 5/ 50 27 %A 40 25 I 30 38 I v 26 :1 28 33 i J, 1, I r 30 5 35 x INVENTOR Adolph M Zuqrerman BY ATTORNEY 1944- r A. M. ZUCKERMAN 2,354,504

STAPLING' MECHANISM FOR ROTARY PRINTING MACHINES Filed June 24, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 2/ I I INIIENTOR Adolph MZuarerma n ATTORNEY Dec. 5, 1944. A. M. ZUCKERMAN 2,364,504

STAPLING MECHANISM FOR ROTARY PRINTING MACHINES Alla/pl: MZuckerm BY ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 5, 1944 STAPLING MECHANISM FOR norAaY PRINTING MACHINES Adolph M. Zuckerman, New York, N. Y., assignor to It. Hoe & 00., Inc., New York,

poration of New York 7 Application June 24, 1942, Serial No. 448,282

9 Claims.

This invention relates to stapling mechanism for rotary printing machines, and more particularly to improvements to the class of stapling mechanism in which the staple inserting means travels in the direction of travel of the material to be stapled, and moves to the staple inserting point in the operation of carrying the staple into predetermined position relativeto the material for its insertion therein, the staple carrying means coacting with a clinching device on a cooperating cylinder in setting the staples in associated sheets of the material, to thus producea bound book-like product without interrupting the speed of travel of the material from which the product is formed.

In stapling mechanism of this type heretofore employed, a plurality of wire feeders or feeding heads are arranged in alignment longitudinally or axially of the stapling cylinder. A predetermined length of wire is fed to the staple forming means from each feeding head, and the staple is then formed and conveyed circumferentially of the stapling cylinder along an arcuate staple guide or horn to the staple setting point. This necessitates the staples being placed a distance apart longitudinally of the stapling cylinder, that is frequently in excess of the distance permitted by space available when stapling small products.

An object of this invention is to provide in a wire stapling mechanism for rotary printing machines an improved construction and arrangement which will permit the insertion of staples in traveling products relatively close together longitudinally of the stapling cylinder, so that a plurality of staples may be placed in a relaprovide improved stapling mechanism for rotary printing machines in which the staples are fixed in associated products between a pair of cooperating cylinders, one of the cylinders and its operable components being arranged to receive staple forming wire from a plurality of wire feeding heads positioned in cooperable relation with the cylinder and its staple forming components; the wire feeding heads and their driving mechanism being arranged for such disposition with relation to the cylinder as to permit staples to be inserted into the materials of the products at relatively short distances apart axially or longitudinally of the cooperating cylinders.

A further object of this invention is to provide for use in rotary printing machines an improved wire stapling mechanism having cocp- N. Y., a coreratlng stapling cylinders and other parts which incorporate improved wire feeding drive instru- .mentalities which are constructed and arranged to so cooperate with the wire feeding mechanism of the wire feeding heads as to permit the wire feeding heads to be located relatively short dis tances apart longitudinally or axially of the staproportionand minor details of construction may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any advantages of the invention. For a complete disclosure of the invention, a detailed description thereof willnow be given in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification, wherein:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic elevation of a magazine press folder, showing the improved stapling mechanism applied thereto, the supporting frame of the folder being omitted;

Figure 2 is a fragmental elevation depicting the cooperable stapling and clinching or die cylinders, the wire feeding mechanism and drive H therefor;

Figure 3 is a developed or schematic view taken partly around the stapling cylinder, seen in the direction indicated by the arrow 3, in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmental elevation of the stapling cylinder and cooperating staple forming components;

Figure 5 is an enlarged view of a portion of Figure 2 showing the staple forming mechanism as seen on the line 5--5 of Figure 6;

Figure 6 is an enlarged view of a wire feeding head as seen' in the direction of arrow 6 on Figure 5; and

Figure 7 is a fragmantary sectional view, as seen on the line ll of Figure 5.

Referring to the drawings, in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts, thereis depicted a magazine press folder (Figure 1) which includes a cutting cylinder II that supports a plurality of conventional cutting knives II which project radially from its peripheral portion. These knives cooperate with conventional cutting abutments or blocks I2 carried around the periphery of a cooperating cutting and transfer cylinder I3 to cut the web or webs into sheets of the required length. In the arrangement depicted, three cutting positions are arranged around the cooperating cutting cylinders, so that durlngeach revolution of 'these cylinders three cut-offs are produced, although it is understood that any other required number of cut-ofl's may be provided for.

The cutting and transfer cylinder I3 is provided with conventional rockable impaling pins I5 which convey the cut sheets around the cutting and transfer cylinder to a collecting, folding and staple clinching cylinder IS. The collecting cylinder I6 is provided with three sets of conventional rockable lmpaling pins I1, which receive the sheets from the pins I5 and convey them around the cylinder I6 and deliver them to a jaw cylinder I8. In the preferred operation of the machine, the collecting cylinder I6 collects four cut-offs before delivering the sheets to the jaw cylinder I 8.

A stapling cylinder I9 is operably supported bya rotatable shaft 20, and this cylinder is positioned for cooperable engagement with the collecting cylinder I 3 at a point operably prior to the engagement of the collecting cylinder I6 with the jaw cylinder I 3, in order to staple the associated sheets before they reach the jaw cylinder. The stapling cylinder I9 and its cooperating staple forming and setting components are of the type disclosed in the United States Patent Number 2,026,135, granted December 31, 1935, on application of Joseph E. Meyer, but the stapling arrangement herein disclosed, incorporates improved construction and arrangement over that shown in the Meyer patent, and provides means for placing staples relatively close together in a product, as will be more fully explained hereinafter.

As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, wire feeding heads 2I and 2I' are arranged in circumferentially spaced relation around the stapling cylinder I8 and in spaced relation longitudinally of the cylinder. As herein shown in Figure 3, the wire feeding heads are arranged in three rows. Those in the lowermost row, are located nearest to the longitudinal center of the stapling cylinder, the wire feeding heads in the intermediate row are located longitudinally outside of the lowermost heads, and the wir feeding heads in the upper row are located longitudinally outside of the intermediate wire feeding heads. By this arrangement the wire feeding heads and components of their drives are ofiset, and a wire feeding head in one circumferential row overlaps longitudinally of the cylinder, the adjacent circumferentially spaced wire feeding head.

The wire feeding heads that have driving sprockets 30 on the right hand side of their worm gears 21 are right hand feeding heads and are indicated by numeral 2I, while the wire feeding heads that have driving sprockets at the left hand side of their worm gears 21 are left hand wire feeding heads and are indicated by numeral 2 I In the preferred arrangement shown no wire feeding head is adjacent and in longitudinal alignment with another head of the same hand, and staples may simultaneously be placed much closer together in a row longitudinally of the cylinder, thanwhenlikewirefeedingheadsare in longitudinal alignment. Although the arrangement as herein shown provides for three rows each having two wire feeding heads, it will be understood that a different number of rows of wire feeding heads may be disposed circumfer feed device having a feed shaft 25 provided with a worm wheel 23 which meshes with a worm 21 rotatably supported on a shaft or stud 23, and each worm 21 has a sprocket 33 which rotates therewith. Each sprocket 33 of the lowermost row of wire feeding heads, as viewed in Figures 1 and 2, is driven preferably by a chain 3|, from a sprocket 32 carried by a common drive shaft 33 (Figures 2 and 3), which is rotatable in bearings 35 formed in or supported by the brackets 22. The sprockets 30 of the intermediate row of wire feeding heads 2| are driven by chains 36 from drive sprockets 31 carried by the drive shaft 33, and the sprockets 30 of the uppermost row of wire feeding heads 2| are driven through chains 38, which are trained around drive sprockets 33 carried by the drive shaft 33.

The drive shaft 33 has a gear 40 secured thereto adjacent one terminal, which gear meshes with an idler gear lI (Figure 2) that is driven by a gear 42 carried by the stapling cylinder shaft 20, so that the shaft 33 is continuously driven in timed relation to the operation of the stapling cylinder I9, and will feed the correct length of wire required for a staple, during the length of time between successive stapling operations.

Wires W are fed to the lowermost row of wire feeding heads 2I2I' (Figure 2) from wire spools 45 and around pulleys or guide wheels 6. Wires W are fed to theintermediate row of wire feeding heads 2I-2I from wire spools l1, and

. wires-W are fed to the uppermost row of wire feeding heads 2I-2I' from wire spools 48'.

Each wire spool is rotatably supported on pins or studs 50 carried at the outer terminals of side members 5|, forming a part of a spool holder. Each spool holder is provided with a split hub 52 that is clamped to a shaft or rod 53 which is supported by suitable members (not shown) that extend from the brace 23. Each split hub is clamped to the rod or shaft 53 by a clamp screw 55, so that each spool holder may be located in any desired longitudinal position along the shaft 53 for alignment with a wire feeding head.

As shown in Figure 6 each wire feeding head 2I-2I is provided with a block I25 having a wire feed groove I26 and a pair of feed rollers, the first of which is shown and indicated by numeral I23, these rollers being positioned in alignment with the feed groove I28 to receive a wire W between them. The roller I29 is secured to'a gear I3I and is rotatably supported on a stud I30. A gear I 3I meshes with a similar gear (not shown) that is secured to the shaft 25, which is behind the stud I30 as seen in Figure 6. The second feeding roller is secured to the shaft 25, and thus when the worm wheel 23 is driven, the wire feed rollers are rotated to feed the wire to and through a groove or notch I11 in the wire guide finger 56, as shown in Figure 5. The finger 56 is pivoted on a pin I19 secured to a bracket I8I supported from the frame, and is biased by a spring I18. The finger 56 is adjustablebymeans of ascrew I62, which may be looked after adjustment by a nut I63.

The stapling cylinder I9. as shown in Figures 1 and 4 supports a rock shaft 51 having crank arms or levers 58 extending radially therefrom, and a cam roller 60 is rotatably'supported at the outer terminal of the crank arm and is operably received in a cam groove 6| formed in a stationary tions I58 and I58 in order that any stapling plunger may be used with either a right hand or a left hand wire feeding head.

The arm I50 is biased into engagement with an adjusting bolt I52 by means of a spring pressed pin I53. Whenacam engaging surface I54 on the arm I50 is engaged by a shoulder I59, the arm I50 which terminates in a shear blade I55, is moved and cuts off a piece of wire, preparatory to forming a staple thereof as hereinafter described.

A grooved wire rest I60 (best shown in Figures and 7), is provided for the purpose of supporting the severed staple wire and is arranged in the cylinder I9 between the opposed facing projections I58 and I59 on the plunger 65,'which projections are formed with shoulders I6I to engage a length of wire preparatory to forming it into a staple. A hardened liner or horn guide I62 of a horn 66, is accommodated between the facing projections I58 and I58, the said liner having grooves on both sides as at I64 and I65. The horn 66, which is secured by screws I66 to any suitable portion of the brace 23 of the stapling machine has plates I61 and I68 fastened to the sides thereof, to which tip forming members or fingers I69, I1I are secured by bolts and nuts I12 and I13 respectively and act to slightly bend the ends of a formed staple inwardly, to facilitate clinching. Each of the tip forming members I69 and HI has an inturned flange or cam surface I14 which is received in one of the adjacent grooves I64 arid I65, mentioned above, wherein the opposite ends I15 and I16 of a length of wire, are thrust, and are bent inwardly by the said flanges I14, as the stapling cylinder I9 carrying the plunger 65 rotates in the direction indicated in Figure 5. a

The stapling cylinder I9 coacts with the adjacent collecting and clinching cylinder I6 for the purpose of clinching the staples inserted in the sheets or products. The operation of cutting, forming and setting the staples may ,be summarized as follows:

When the stapling cylinder I9 and thecollecting and clinching cylinder I6 are rotated in the direction indicated by the arrows. each plunger 65 moves outward and its cam surfaces I59 engage a cam engaging surface I54 and a knife arm I is moved to cause the shear blade I55 to cut off a length of wire that has previously been fed from a wire feeding head 2I-2I'. As the facing projections I58-I58' of the adjacent plunger sweep past the pivoted finger 56, the shoulders I6I pick up the piece of wire that has just been cut andis lying in the groove I11 of the finger 56.

Further movement of the cylinder I9 will cause an inclined face I84 of the horn guide I62, to press the center portion of the staple wire inward between the facing projections I56 and I58, thus forming the staple, and still-further movement of the cylinder will bring the formed staple into engagement with the cam surfaces I14 of the tip forming fingers I69 and HI. As a plunger 65 passes the fingers I69 and IN, the cam 6I actin III on the roller 60, causes the plunger to recede slightly so'the ends of thestaple project beyond the plunger and engage the cam surface I14, bending the tips of the staple as hereinbefore described.

After the plunger 65 has passed beyond the tip forming fingers I69 and "I, it is again projected and guides the wire as it engages the sheets on the clinching cylinder I6. After the staple meets the sheets, the plunger is gradually withdrawn and the staple is pushed through them by the grooved wire rest I60. The ends of the staple, being thus forced against the clinching cylinder, are bent over aand clinched as they pass the bite of the cylinders I6 and I9. 1

After the clinching is effected, further rotation of the cylinder I9 again projects the plunger 65 in preparation for another cycle of operation.

After the staples have been set in the associated sheets, these sheets are carried further around the folding cylinder I6, and then the intermediate portions of the associated sheets are tucked between conventional fixed and rockable jaws 10 and 1| carried on the jaw cylinder I8 by conventional radially-movable tucking blades 12 carried by the collecting cylinder I6. The sta'pled and folded sheets after being gripped in the jaws 10 and H of the jaw cylinder I8 are then carried therearound and taken by grippers 16 on a delivery cylinder 11 which carries the products past spaced slitters 13 and 15 (Figure l) which preferably slit the sheets into three products (Figure 3), and the products are then carried by the delivery cylinder until they are stripped from it by conventional stripper fingers 18 and deposited on a conveyer belt which conveys the folded and stapled products or books to their destination. Although the provision of two slitters is the preferred arrangement, it is understood that a greater number of slitters may be employed if it is required by the nature of the product. If a greater number of slitters are provided to cut a greater number of products from each web or set of webs, then the disposition of the wire feeding heads and cooperating components lengthwise of the cooperating cylinders will accordingly be made.

The sprockets 32, 31 and 39 are each provided with a clutch jaw (Figure 3) which is arranged to be engaged by a clutch member 86, mounted on the shaft 33, and each clutch member 86 may be locked into or from engagement with a clutch jaw 85 by a set screw 81 or other suitable securing device.

When it is desired to render one or more of the 5 wire feeding heads inoperative this is readily done feeding heads may be employed to meet the requirements of the product to be produced.

By offsetting the wire feeding heads in their positional relation around the stapling cylinder, they and their drive and feed components may be located so that a relatively great number of staples may be inserted in relatively small products without using a plurality of stapling cylinders.

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.

Having thus described my invention, what I new claim as new and useful is:

1. Awire stapling mechanism including, a rotatable stapling cylinder, a cooperating clinching cylinder around which associated sheets of material are 'run and between the cooperating cylinders at their bite, a plurality of staple wire feeders positioned immediately adjacent the periphery of the stapling cylinder and in separate circumferential locations around the stapling cylinder with a wire feeder in one circumferential location overlapping longitudinally of the cylinder the adjacent circumferentially spaced wire feeder, means for severing pieces from the wire of each wire feeder, forming the severed pieces of wire into staples and conveying the staples circumferentially around the stapling cylinder to the bite line between the cooperating cylinders and there simultaneously setting the staples in alignment into the material.

2. A wire stapling mechanism including, a rotatable stapling cylinder, acooperating clinching cylinder around which associated sheets of material are run and between the cooperating cylinders at their bite, a plurality of wire feeders positioned in axially aligned rows immediately adjacent the periphery of the stapling cylinder and each row being positioned in a separate circumferential location around the stapling cylinder with a wire feeder in one circumferential location overlapping longitudinally of the cylinder the adjacent circumferentially spaced wire feeder, means for severing pieces from the wire of each wire feeder, forming the severed pieces of wire into staples and conveying the staples circumferentially around the stapling cylinder to the bite line between the cooperating cylinders and there simultaneously setting the staples in alignment into the material.

3. A wire stapling mechanism'including, a rotatable stapling cylinder, a cooperating clinching cylinder around which associated sheets of material are run and between the cooperating cylinders at their bite, a plurality of staple wire feeders positioned immediately adjacent the periphery of the stapling cylinder and in separate circumferential locations around the stapling cylinder with a wire feeder in one circumferential location overlapping longitudinally of the cylinder the adjacent circumferentially spaced wire feeder, a driven shaft, means operably connecting the driven shaft with each wire feeder whereby the feeders are driven from the common driven shaft, means for severing pieces from the wire of each wire feeder,'forming the severed pieces of wire into staples and conveying the staples circumferentially around the stapling cylinder to the bite line between the cooperating cylinders and there simultaneously setting the staples in alignment into the material.

4. A wire stapling mechanism including, a rotatable stapling cylinder, 2, cooperating clinching cylinder around which associated sheets of material are run and between the cooperating cylinders at their bite, a. plurality of staple wire feeders positioned immediately adjacent the peass-1,504

I ,l i l riphery of the stapling cylinderand in separate circumferential locations around the stapling cylinder with a wire feeder in one circumferential location overlapping longitudinally of the cylinder the adjacent circumferentiallyspaced wire feeder, a driven shaft, means operably connecting the common driven shaft with each wire feeder whereby the feeders are driven, means for,

selectively disconnecting the connecting means between the shaft and each wire feeder so that any selected number of feeders may be driven,

from the shaft, and means for severing pieces from the wire of each wire feeder, forming the severed pieces of wire into staples and conveying the staples circumferentially around the stapling cylinder to the bite line between the cooperating cylinders and there simultaneously setting the staples in alignment into the material.

5. A wire stapling mechanism including, a rotatable stapling cylindena cooperating clinching cylinder around which associated sheets of material are run and between the cooperating cylinders at their bite, a plurality of staple wire feeders positioned in axially aligned rows immediately adjacent the periphery of the stapling cylinder and each row being positioned in a separate circumferential location around the stapling cylinder with a wire feeder in one circumferential location overlapping longitudinally of the cylinder the adjacent circumferentially spaced wire feeder, a driven shaft, means operably connecting the driven shaft with each wire feeder whereby the feeders are driven from the shaft, means for selectively disconnecting the connecting means between the shaft and each wire feeder so that any selected number of feeders may be operably driven from the shaft, and means for severing pieces from the wire of each wire feeder, forming the severed pieces into staples and conveying the staples circumferentially around the stapling cylinder to the bite line between the cooperating cylinders and there simultaneously setting the staples in alignment into the material.

6. In a rotary stapling mechanism, a stapling cylinder having a plurality of staple forming and driving members arranged to simultaneously drive a plurality of staples into a product in alignment longitudinally of the cylinder, wire supply mechanisms for each of said members spaced circumferentially about the cylinder with a wiresupply mechanism in one circumferential location overlapping longitudinally of the cylinder the adjacent circumferentially spaced wire supply mech-- anism so that they are positioned to supply staple wire to the said members successively.

7. In a rotary stapling mechanism, a clinching cylinder having a plurality of staple clinching members in alignment longitudinally of the cylinder along its periphery, a stapling cylinder having a plurality of staple forming and driving members similarly aligned to coact with the clinching members for simultaneously clinching staples driven into a product, a pluralityof fixed wire supply mechanisms spaced circumferentially about the stapling cylinder with a wire supply mechanism in one circumferential location overlapping longitudinally of the cylinder the adjacent circumferentially spaced wire supply mechanism and each in position to supply wire to one of the said members.

8. In a rotary stapling mechanism, a stapling cylinder having a pair of staple forming and driving members arranged to simultaneously drive a pair of sta ples into a product, a wire supply mechanism to supply staple wire to each of the drive staples aligned in each passing product 15 transversely to the direction of its passing motion, of a staple wire supply mechanism for each of the said staple forming members and spaced circumferentially about the stapling cylinder with a wire supply mechanism in one circumferential location overlapping longitudinally of the cylinder the adjacent circumferentially-spaced wire supply mechanism, the circumferential location about the stapling cylinder of the wire supply mechanisms causing the wire to be supplied to the said staple forming members at diiierent circumferential locations so that the staples are formed in sequence.

ADOLPH'M. ZUCKERMAN.

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