US2473070A - Line printer device for duplicating machines - Google Patents

Description

June 14, 1949. v w PETERSON I I 2,473,070

LINE PRINTER DEVICE FOR DUPLI CATING MACHINES I Filed Jan. 2, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet l fizz/enforfr'l c M Fairer-1507:

June 14, 1949; w P ER ON 2,473,070

LINE PRINTER DEVICE FOR DUPLICATING MACHINES Fiied Jan. 2, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I IQ N I] I [mm 1 V x l E \1 I 1 A Yul: I y I 1 z Q fig I I "\l 1 1 1 y i I I l I l i g I 1 ll Q i I I 1 I 1 [111w I T L w \1 l ,1 I I l X 1 '7 l i 1 Y Z}? d erz for: Q1 I Eric Mj eafizrson- W @"Mmzz/ LINE PRINTER DEVICE FOR DUPLICATING MACHINES Filed Jan. 2, 1947 E. W. PETERSON June 14, 1949.

4 Sheets-Sheet 5 June 14, l 949.- w, TE 2,473,070

LINE PRINTER DEVICE FOR DUPLICATING MACHINES Filed Jan. 2. 1947 Y 4 Sheets-Sheet4 Patented June 14, 1949 LINE PRINTER DEVICE FOR DUPLICATING MACHINES Eric W. Petcrsonpspring Lake, Mich.

Application January 2, 1947, Serial No. 719,653 (01. 101-132) Claims.

The present invention relates to duplicating machines, and is particularly directed to a novel device whereby so-called line printing may be accomplished in a simple and effective manner.

Duplicating machines of the Hectograph and Multigraph type, usually employing a drum and platen or pressure element for pressing copy sheets against a master copy, are utilized to a great extent in making out the necessary partial and complete copies of orders for construction in manufacturing plants, assembly plants, and the like. For example, if we assume that a certain item is to be manufactured, it is customary'to write up a production order on a master copy on which the heading will give an order number, part number and name, and a great deal of other information that is pertinent to that particular order. In the body of the order the various operations required to make up the item are set out on individual lines. In filling such orders it is customary to make copies with the same heading information, but containing only the description of that operation (set out on a particular line of the master copy) that goes to a particular department of the plant which is equippedto perform that particular operation. It is a great saving and convenience to utilize the basic or original order master at subsequent periods when one or more of the parts are reordered, or when all of them are reordered to fill a new production order. In such cases, however, the heading part of the original master is no longer appropriate, because the order number and other information is changed, therefore it is necessary to use what is termed a secondary master or heading master sheet in combination with the body of the original order, thus insuring correctness insofar as producing that order is concerned. With the substituted heading master, the individual order copies for the several operations are made.v My invention, although not limited thereto, is particularly advantageous in the making of copies using the new heading, or secondary master in combination with each individual line of the original order master.

It is a purpose of my invention to provide a novel means for attaching and supporting a heading master in superimposed position withrespect to the original master on the drum together with means for'causing step by step shifting of the heading master with respect to the original master copy.

on the drum so that copy sheets may be impressed With the information on the heading master and one or more lines of information from the body of the original master, This according to my invention is accomplished entirely automatically by merely operating the duplicating machine in the usual way after the heading master is applied. The device does not interfere in the slightest with the use of the machine for making copies from masters in the ordinary fashion.

It is a further purpose of my invention to provide in a machine of the character described, a novel mechanism whereby step by step shifting of the heading master support and the original master support circumferentially of the drum with respect to each other is accomplished.

It is also a purpose of my invention to provide, in a machine of the character described, novel mounting means whereby heading masters may be quickly mounted in position to overlie an original master sheet on the drum, and may be removed from the drum without in any way disturbing the mounting of the original master.

The nature and advantages of my invention will appear more fully from the following description and accompanying drawings wherein a preferred form of the invention is shown. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and description are illustrative only, and shouldnot be taken as limiting the invention except insofar as it is limited by the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a portion of a duplicating machine to which my invention is applied;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on the line 22 of Figure 1, but showing the parts in changed position;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, but with certain parts in changed position;

' Figure 4 is a sectional view taken .on the line l4 of Figure 2, and showing the parts in changed position;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the duplicating drum and heading master mounting means showing a master sheet mounted on the drum and a heading master sheet mounted in position;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 66 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a modified heading master mounting;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective View of afurther modification of heading master mounting.

wherein master copies are formed in reverse upon a sheet with Hectograph ink, and the copies are made from this master by moistening the copy sheet and impressing it upon the master copy on the drum. The so-called wet process Hectograph duplicating machines are well known. and since my invention does not concern itself with the details of the machine or of the moistening mechanism, only those parts of the machine directly concerned with my invention are illustrated in the drawings.

The machine has two side frames l and H between which the drum I2 is mounted for rotation. A platen roller I3 is arranged to cooperate with the drum in pressing copy sheets against a master sheet 8 and a heading master 9 on the drum. A shaft l4 rotatably mounts the drum. This shaft has a collar 15 fixed thereon at each end of the drum upon which heading master supporting plates l6 and i! are secured to rotate withthe shaft. The shaft is journalled in the side frames l0 and H. One end of the shaft extends through side frame IO and has a crank arm l8 fixed thereon for rotating it. Any suitable means, such as the common detent mechanism l9 (Figure 1) used for this purpose, may be provided for causing the shaft to stop each revolution at a definite position which is normally termed at home position for the duplicating drum. This means the duplicating drum stops at the proper position to feed a copy sheet to the drumso that it will engage the master sheet with the proper amount of margin at the head of the copy sheet. According to my invention the detent mechanism I9 cooperates with the shaft i4 and arm 18 rather than withthe drum, because it is the stop position of the shaft that is important, and the drum itself is moved step by step with respect to the shaft carrying out the line printing.

The mechanism by which the step by step movement of the drum is accomplished comprises a ratchet wheel '20 which is fixed on the drum end and a pawl 2| which is fixed on the heading master supporting plate 16. The pawl is spring pressed toward engagement with the ratchet wheel by a spring 22. The pawl extends rearwardly from its pivot 23 on the plate It to form a stop pawl as well as a driving pawl. The stop pawl portion is indicated at 24. In the normal operation of the machine to make copies from a master sheet gripped by the gripping member 25 of the drum (Figure the pawl engages the ratchet wheel so that the drum [2 rotates continuously in unison with the plate I6. A spring 26 is wound about the hub portion l5 that mounts the'plate I6, and has one end hooked over the plate 16 at 21, the other end 28 being connected to the ratchet wheel so that the spring tends to turn the drum with respect to the plate l8 in the same direction as that in which it is driven.

In order to release the pawl 2 i from the ratchet wheel, I provide a pin 29 on the pawl to engage a cam 30 which is provided on the side frame H] in position'to engage the pin 29 once for each rotation of the shaft 14. When the pawl is lifted from driving position on the drum, the spring 26 will cause the drum to turn until the stop pawl 24 engages one of the ratchet teeth, then when the pawl 2| is again permitted to move into engagement with the ratchet wheel, the stop pawl is lifted and the pawl 2| holds the drum. Thus in 'efiect the pawl 2| and the stop pawl 23 in combination with the cam 30 form an escapement mechanism whereby the drum can be advanced step by step with respect to the plate l6 as the shaft i4 is turned. The cam 30 can of course be readily adjusted to move it out of engagement position with the pin 29 so thatstepping operation does not take place. This adjustment is accomplished by means of a circular slot Ilia in the side frame it and a manually releasable screw pin 3! that is threaded into the pawl 30. By lifting the pin 31 the cam 39 can be turned on its pivot pin 32 to move the cam face out of the way of the pin 29.

The normal spacing employed in typewriting production orders is three lines to the inch, and the steps of movement of the drum afforded by the pawl and ratchet mechanism just described is such as to move the drum one-third of an inch for each step. The line spacing is of course the double spacing usually employed on typewriters which is the common practice in filling out parts descriptions on order copies hereinbefore described. The cam 30 can be changed to make step by step movement as required, as for example inch, inch, or inch spacings.

The two plates l6 and H are adapted to have the heading master 9 secured thereon. One form of securing the heading master consists in providing springs 3d and 35 on the plates 15 and I1 respectively, the plates being grooved beneath the springs as indicated at 36 (Figure 6), and the heading master 33 being long enough so that its ends can be placed beneath the springs and secured in the grooves. The springs are welded or otherwise secured at 3'! to the plates. I find that the common master sheet paper used in duplicating by the so-called wet process using Hectograph ink operates quite well when used in this fashion. However, other means of securing'the heading master to the plates i5 and H mayalso be employed.

In Figure 8 a modified form of the device for securing the heading master is shown. In this modified form a very thin plastic or metal sheet 38 extends between the plates 16 and H, and is removably secured thereto by headed members 39 on the plates and bayonet slots 4c in the sheet 38 so that it can be snapped on and off easily. Then a securing strip ll offset at 42 so that its inner edge'is spaced from the sheet 38 is secured on the sheet 38 to form an attaching device by whichthe heading master 9a can be secured.

Another form of mounting for the heading masters is shown in Figure '7. In this form the sheet 38 of thin plastic or metal connects the two plates l6 and I! and is mounted like it is in Figure 8. The heading masters 9b used in this case have a permanently tacky cement on the back thereof normally covered by a removable thin sheet. When the heading master is to be attached to the sheet 38, the protecting sheet is removed and the heading master is merely secured to the sheet 33 by the cement. When the use of the heading master is finished it can be removed by stripping it ofi the sheet 38. A suitable adhesive-backed sheet for this purpose is the product sold under the trade name Kum Kleen."

In order that the nature of my invention may be fully understood, the operation in line by line printing will now be described in detail. In this type of line printing, a separate heading master is always required. This shows the current order number, date issued, date required, etc. The only reason for any heading information on the permanent master is for filing purposes. Since the heading and permanent masters must have relative movement, and contain information which combines to make a complete copy, it is just as well to mount both masters in the machine, disable the line printing unit, run the required full size copies using both heading and permanent master, and then bring the line printing mechanism into operation to pick up the individual copies.

The shield, in the case of Figures 7 and 8, and the arms or plates I6 and IT, in the case of Figure 6, can have lines or other markings for locating the heading master in proper relationship to the permanent master. These positions would remain constant as long as the forms were not changed. Assuming that a master sheet 8 has been secured to the drum I2, the requisite copies have been run from this original master sheet with a heading master 9 attached. The operator will first aline the advancing edge of the plates I6 and II with the a var icing edge of the master sheet already on the drum by manually adjusting the respective positions of the ratchet wheel and pawl. The manual adjustment is accomplished by providing a stop pin 43 on the drum I2 and a restoring member M on the frame I0.

The restoring member 44 is pivoted on the frame I 0 and is manipulated by a handle 46. When the drum is to'be restored the member 44 is thrown over to bring the offset portion 41 thereof into the path of the pin 43. This holds the drum in home position. The pawl 2| slides over the sloping teeth of the ratchet wheel 20 until the heading master supports are again in the position shown in Figure 1. The member 44 is then returned to rest position at the back of the machine. Alternatively any other suitable means may be used to hold the drum stationary while the shaft is rotated to bring the plates I6 and I! up to original starting relation to the drum.

A heading master sheet having the new data is secured on the plates I 6 and I1, and a copy sheet just long enough to cover the heading master and the first exposed line on the original master is fed to the machine and pressed by the platen roller into engagement with the heading master and the top line on the original master so as to form a copy having the new heading information thereon, and having one line describing a part which is to be utilized to fill the order indicated by the heading master. As the drum is rotated to make this copy the cam 30 trips the pawl 2| after the copy sheet has passed beneath the platen roller, and the spring 26 causes the drum to rotate one step forward. Then the drum and the plates I6 and II when they stop in home position will be positioned so that the front edge of the plates I6 and I! are at the proper place for feeding a new copy sheet, but the drum containing the original master is one line farther advanced. The heading master therefore will cover the top line in the body of the original master, and when a copy sheet of the same length as before has been fed to the machine and the duplicating cycle is repeated, the new copy sheet will contain the heading information from the heading master and the sec- 0nd line of information from the original master. The operation is continued in this fashion until the copy sheet is made for each part listed on the originalmaster. The parts are then restored'to' the starting position and additional copies are run if desired, in the same fashion. When the desired number of copies have been made, the original master sheet can be preserved as an original record. Whenever another order is received for the same parts listed on the original master sheet, it is merely necessary to type a new heading master and utilize the original master again to make the parts order copies.

From the foregoing description it is believed that the nature and advantages of my invention will be clear to those skilled in this art.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a duplicating machine a master drum having means to mount a master copy on its surface, heading master supports at opposite ends of the drum, means mounting the supports and drum for relative circumferential movement about the axis of the drum, said supports having means thereon to mount a heading master sheet over a portion of the drum in overlying position with respect to a portion of the master copy receiving surface of the drum, drive means to rotate the supports and the drum including a releasable drive connection between the drum and said supports, and means operable upon each rotation of the supports to release said drive connection temporarily, and power means, acting while the drive connection is released, to advance the'drum a short distance in the direction of rotation with respect to said heading master mounting means.

2. In a duplicating machine a master drum having means to mount a master copy on its surface, heading master supports at opposite ends of the drum, means mounting the supports and drum for relative circumferential movement about the axis of the drum, said supports having means thereon to mount a heading master sheet over a portion of the drum in overlying position with respect to a portion of the master copy receiving surface of the drum, drive means to rotate thesupports and the drum, spring means connecting the drum and mounting means under tension tending to advance the drum with respect to the mounting means in the direction in which they are rotated, an escapement mechanism controlling the advance of the drum, and means to actuate the escapement mechanism each rotation of the mounting means to release the drum for an advance step.

3. In. a duplicating machine a master drum having means to mount a master copy on its surface, heading master supports at opposite ends of the drum, means mounting the supports and drum for relative circumferential movement about the axis of the drum, said supports having means thereon to mount a heading master sheet over a portion of the drum in overlying position with respect to a portion of the master copy receiving surface of the drum, drive means to rotate the supports and the drum, spring means connecting the drum and mounting means and under tension tending to advance the drum with respect to the mounting means in the direction in which they are rotated, an escapement mechanism controlling the advance of the drum, and means to actuate the escapement mechanism upon each rotation of the mounting means to drum for relative circumferential movement about the axis of the drum, said supports having means thereon to mount a heading master sheet over a portion of the drum in overlying position with respect to a portion of the master copy receiving surface of the drum, drive means to rotate the supports and the drum, spring means connecting the drum and mounting means and under tension tending to advance the drum with respect to the mounting means in the direction in which they are rotated, an escapement mechanism controlling the advance of the drum, means to actuate the escapement mechanism once each rotation of the mounting means to release the drum for one advance step, and manually operable means to return the drum and said mounting means to the original position.

5. In a duplicating machine a master drum having means to mount a master copy on its surface, heading master supports at opposite ends of the drum, means mounting the supports and drum for relative circumferential movement about the axis of the drum, said supports having means thereon to mount a heading master sheet over a portion of the drum in overlying position with respect to a portion of the master copy receiving surface of the drum, drive means to rotate the supports and the drum including a releasable drive connection between the drum and said supports, means operable upon each rotation of the supports to release said drive connection temporarily, and power means, acting while the drive connection is released, to advance the drum a short distance in the direction of rotation with respect to said heading master mounting means, and manually operable means to return the drum and said mounting means to the original position.

6. In a duplicating machine a master drum having means to mount a master copy on its surface, heading master supports at opposite ends of the drum, means mounting the supports and drum for relative circumferential movement about the axis of the drum, said supports having means thereon to mount a heading master sheet over a portion of the drum in overlying position with respect to a portion of the master copy re ceiving surface of the drum, drive means to rotate the supports and the drum including a releasable drive connection between the drum and said supports, and means operable upon each rotation of the supports to release said drive connection temporarily, and power means, acting while the drive connection is released, to advance the drum 2, short distance in the direction of rotation with respect to said heading master mounting means, said mounting means comprising a shaft rotatably supporting the drum, plates fixed on the shaft at the ends of the drum and having their outer edges provided with means to support a sheet havin heading master data thereon in position to extend lengthwise of the drum in proximity to the drum surface.

7. In a duplicating machine a master drum having means to mount a master copy on its surface, heading master supports at opposite ends of the drum, means mounting the supports and drum for relative circumferential movement about the aixs of the drum, said supports having means thereon to mount a heading master sheet over a portion of the drum in overlying position with respect to a portion of the master copy receiving surface of the drum, drive means to rotate the supports and the drum including a releasable drive connection between the drum and said supports, and means operable upon each rotation of the supports to release said drive connection temporarily, and power means, acting while the drive connection is released, to advance the drum a short distance in the direction of rotation with respect to said heading master mounting means, said mounting means comprising a shaft rotatably supporting the drum, plates fixed on the shaft at the ends of the drum, and having outer curved mounting portions positioned adjacent the ends of the drum surface, and a thin heading master support connecting said portions.

.8. In a duplicating machine a master drum having means to mount a master copy on its surface, heading master supports at opposite ends of the drum, means mounting the supports and drum for relative circumferential movement about the axis of the drum, said supports having means thereon to mount a heading master sheet over a portion of the drum in overlying position with respect to a portion of the master copy receiving surface of the drum, drive means to rotate the supports and the drum including a releasable drive connection between the drum and said supports, and means operable upon each rotation of the supports to release said drive connection temporarily, and power means, acting While the drive connection is'released, to advance the drum a short distance in the direction of rotation with Iespectto said heading master mounting means, said-mounting means comprising a shaft rotatably supporting the drum, plates fixed on the shaft at the ends of the drum, and having outer curved mounting portions positioned adjacent the ends of the drum surface, a thin mounting sheet connecting said portions and having a mounting strip thereon for securing a heading master.

9. In a duplicating machine a master drum having means to mount a master copy on its surface, heading master supports at opposite ends of the drum, means mounting the supports and drum for relative circumferential movement about the axis of the drum, said supports having means thereon to mount a heading master sheet over a portion of the drum in overlying position with respect to a portion of the master copy receiving surface of the drum, drive means to rotate the'supports and the drum, spring means connecting the drum and mounting means and under tension tending to advance the drum with respect to the mounting means in the direction in which they are rotated, means cooperating with the spring means to advance the drum one step of predetermined distance for each rotation of the mounting means, and manually operable means for making said means inoperative whereby to cause the drum to rotate in unison with the mounting means.

10. In a duplicating machine a master drum having means to mount a master copy on its surface, heading master supports at opposite ends of the drum, means mounting the supports and drum for relative circumferential movement about the axis of the drum, said supports having means thereon to mount a heading master sheet over a portion of the drum in overlying position with respect to a portion of the master copy receiving surface of the drum, drive means to rotate the supports and the drum including a releasable drive connection between the drum and said supports, and means operable upon each rotation of the supports to release said drive connection temporarily, and power means, acting while the drive connection is released, to advance ERIC W. PETERSON.

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

5 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,216,591 Hudson Oct. 1, 1940 2.387.740 Bradt Oct. 30, 1945

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