US2444505A

US2444505A - Contact printing frame for automatic printing machines

Info

Publication number: US2444505A
Application number: US615005A
Authority: US
Inventors: Elmer H Grogan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1945-02-26
Filing date: 1945-09-07
Publication date: 1948-07-06
Anticipated expiration: 1965-07-06

Description

E. H. GROGAN 2,444,505 CONTACT PRINTING FRAME FOR AUTOMATIC PRINTING MACHINES Original Filed Feb. 16, 1945 July 6, 1948.

1 N VEN TOR. [1 r4578" 1/ 41:0 am

Patented July 6, 1948 2,444,505 CONTACT PRINTING FRAME FOR AUTO- MATIC PRIN TIN G- MACHINES Elmer H. Grogan, Danville, Ill.

Original application February 1.6, 1945', Serial No.

579,719. Divided-and this application September 7, 194-5, Serial 4 Claims. 1

This invention is a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 579,719 filed February 26, 1945, now Patent 2,426,092, August 19, 1947.

More particularly it relates to a novel form of negative holder for use in ers such as is disclosed in the above application.

The invention is illustrated and may b understood by referring to the accompanying drawings. Fig; l is a view of the inside of the open holder. the side. Fig. 3 is an en-dzview of the closed holder. Fig. 4 is an end view of a modified hinge and Fig. 5 is a side view of the hinge parts.

This plate holder is designed to slide into a machine, such asis illustrated in the parent application, on an appropriate track in the casting forming-the frame. It ismoved into position in front of anopening through which light passes to efiect exposure of a sensitized card, which brings the opening in the back of posite a, platen which is. thrust into the opening at appropriate intervals to hold a sensitized card firmly in printing position until the exposure is made and then moves out of the opening to permit the exposed card to be released and an unexposed card tobe introduced. The plate holder is closed as in Fig. 3-when in th printing machine.

The plate holder consists of a frame l0 having an opening ll therein picture tobe printed.- laid over this Opening.

At each end of frame I0 is a recess l2. In the recess is placed a pin l3, which passes through a plate I 4; covering the recess with the inner surfaceof frame l0. Plate l4 may be held in place, for example, by screws l5. There is an opening H5 in plate l4 through which pin l3 passes. This opening is largerin diameter than pin I3. In the recess, andforming part of pin I3; is ahead I1, which may be flat and of slightly smaller diameter than, recess l2. The diameter of head I7 is at least as much smaller than, recess l2 as the difference in diameter of pin I3 and opening it. This permits the pin to be shifted slightly in position. The head I1, is ofv suificient thickness that it may be held firmly in place when plate I4 is fastened in position.

Hinged to frame- In by hinges l8 are bars l9. These comprise two bars ofmetal or wood or otherappropriate material, which are spaced apart a distance sufficient to permit the free passage of a falling card between them. They are tapered near thehinge in order to guide a card The plate or negative is into; the proper position as it falls through theautomatic photo print-.

Fig; 2 is a view of the open holder from.

the holder opiii slightly larger than the a and fitting flush ner than members transparent opening in the top of the assembled plate holder. Back plate 20 has an opening 2|, the dimensions of which correspond to the platen of the printing machine, except for the semicircular opening provided for purposes of adjusting the plate or film. Attached to each of the bars l9 are springs 22; which may be used to hold the plate holder firmly inthe machine. After the plate holder is in position it is held by set screws.

Opening H in frame l0 may be overlaid with a mask, which provides a margin of proper shape and size on the printed card. The mask, not shown, fits over pins I 3, the positions of which are adjusted until the mask is accurately placed.

A transparent plate 25 is placed over the mask and the negative is placed on the plate. The plate holder is then closed and the members l9 rest uponthe edges of the film and the glass plate holding, them firmly in place. The position of the negative. can be adjusted by holding the two halves of the plate holder slightly apart and moving the film as desired by reaching through the semicircular-aperture in back plate 20. When the film is in proper position, the halves of the holder are clampedtightly together and will then hold the negative immovably in its proper position.

Bars 24 correspond with the notch or recess 23 and preferably exert a slight spring pressure so that the two halves of the plate holder are held firmly together and in their proper relationship to eachother. This avoids the necessity of special clamps.

It willbe noted that frame I0 is slightly thinl9 and is so hinged as to permit; anevenpressure on the glass plate and film whenthe two halves are closed.

A. modification of this permitting the useol' glass of varying thickness is shown in Figs. 4 and:5. A hinge member 26 is held firmly in position in a notch in member l0 by means of screws 21. The part of the hinge to be associated with member l9 contains an elongated hole 28. This member fits into a notch in the end of member l9, which has a hole 29 extending through it and threaded on its inside portion to receive a machine screw 39-. The machine screw serves as a bearing or pivot for member 26 so that, member l9 may be pivoted. When the plate 25 is placed between members l0 and I 9 and the halves closed, the inside surface of member I9 rests upon the surface of plate lls pressing evenly over its length regardless of the thickness, since pivot pin 3!) can slide back and forth for a small distance in hole 28. This 3 prevents breakage of the plates due to minor variations in thickness.

Members l9 have a plate attached to the back of each so that it forms a frame, The plate contains an aperture having a semicircular recess at one end, the main opening being to permit entrance of the platen and the recess being for the purpose of film adjustment above described. The two bars are of sufficient thickness to form a passageway for the cards falling down the chute of the printer. They should be of sufficient thickness that the card will not be impeded by any part of the plate holder. In the modification shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the hinged member is flush with the sides and ends so as to avoid any possible obstruction to the falling cards.

The upper end of members l9, that is the top end, is curved slightly so as to guide the falling card into the passageway between the film and the plate 20. The opening in 20 is slightly smaller than the card so that it cannot fall out or stick and is sufficiently large to accommodate the en trance of the platen. A spring 22 is attached longitudinally to each of these bars and is bent as illustrated in Fig, 2. Set screws thrust against the bowed part of these springs when the plate holder is placed in position in the machine.

An important feature of the plate holder is the device for holding the mask in position. This consists of a pin [3 attached to a head l1, the member bein of a rivet-like shape. The head fits into a recess l2 in plate [0. The diameter of the recess is larger than head l1. A plate I4 fits over and closes the recess, being flush with the inside of member Ill. It contains an open ing substantially larger than the pin l3 so as to permit the pin being moved slightly, thus changing the position of the mask which is fitted on it and is held by a hole of a size corresponding to that of pin l3. The plate I4 is held in place by screws i5 and presses firmly against member I! to prevent its moving, after the screws have been tightened.

Although I have described preferred embodiments of the invention, I do not intend to be limited to the exact structures illustrated.

I claim as my invention:

1. A contact printing frame for photographic negatives for printing cards in an automatic photo-printing machine having a printing platen which automatically thrusts a sensitive card to be printed into contact with a negative and holds it there during exposure, said frame comprising a first hinged section and a second hinged section, the first hinged section having an aperture for positioning a negative, a transparent plate covering the aperture, the second hinged section formed in the shape of a channel, said channel forming with said first hinged section a slotted opening extending through said printing frame when said sections are closed, said slotted opening providing a passageway through which sensitized cards can freely pass, the sides of said channel further disposed to form guiding means for guiding said sensitized cards through said slotted opening, said channel shaped section forming the back of the frame and having an aperture therein corresponding to the aperture for the negative, and means holding said hinged sections firmly together when the frame is closed.

2. In a contact printing frame for an automatic photo-printing machine for printing cards from photographic negatives, said machine having a printing platen which automatically thrusts a sensitive card to be printed into contact with a negative and holds it there during exposure, the improvement comprising a contact printing frame having a first hinged section and a second hinged section, the first hinged section having an aperture for positioning a negative, the second hinged section comprising a pair of substantially parallel bars one bar along each edge thereof, forming a slotted opening extending through said printing frame when said sections are closed, said slotted opening providing a passageway through which sensitized cards can freely pass, said pair of bars further disposed to form guiding means for guiding said sensitized cards through said slotted opening, a plate attached to said bars forming a back, said plate having an aperture of the size and shape corresponding to the size of a card to be printed, and means holding said hinged sections firmly together when the frame is closed.

3. A contact printing frame for photographic negatives for printing cards in an automatic photo-printing machine having a printing platen which automatically thrusts a sensitive card to be printed into contact with a negative and holds it there during exposure, said frame comprising two hinged sections, the first of said hinged sections having an aperture for positioning a negative, a recess positioned outside of said aperture, adjustable means for holding a mask in predetermined relationship to said negative and said ap erture, said mask holding means comprising a pin having a base, said base positioned in said recess, said base smaller than said recess thereby permitting limited movement of said base in said recess, a cover for said recess having an opening larger than said pin through which said pin extends whereby limited movement of the pin is obtained, means for attaching said cover over said recess such that said base is firmly held in a predetermined positiOn in said recess, the second of said hinged section comprising a pair of side members and a back defining a slotted passageway through said frame when the hinged sections are closed, said back having an aperture of the size and shape corresponding approximately to a sensitized card to be printed, and means holding said hinged sections firmly together when the frame is closed.

4. In a contact printing frame for an automatic photo-printing machine for printing cards from photographic negatives, said machine having a printing platen which automatically thrusts a sensitive card to be printed into contact with a negative and holds it there during exposure, the improvement comprising a contact printing frame having a first hinged section and a second hinged section, the first hinged section having a transparent section for positioning a negative, a recess positioned outside of said section, adjustable means for holding a mask in predetermined relationship with said negative in said section, said mask holding means comprising a pin having a base, said base positioned in said recess, said base being smaller than said recess thereby permitting limited movement of said base in said recess, a cover for said recess having an opening larger than said pin through which said pin extends whereby limited movement of the pin is obtained, said cover being flush with the inner surface of said first hinged section, means for attaching said cover of said recess such that said base is firmly held in a predetermined position in said recess, the second hinged section comprising a pair of substantially parallel bars one bar along each edge thereof, said bars forming a slotted opening extending through said printing frames when said sections are closed, said slotted opening providing a passageway through which sensitized cards can freely pass, said pair of bars further disposed to form guiding means for guiding said sensitized cards through slotted opening, a plate attached to said bars forming a back, said plate having an aperture of the size and shape corresponding approximately to a sensitized card to be printed, and friction means associated with one of the hinged sections and engageable with the other hinged section to hold the sections firmly together when the holder is closed, said members being flush With the sides of said plate holder.

ELME'R H. GROGAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: