US2551601A - Duplicating roll film cleaning device - Google Patents

Description

y 1951 c. w. HUGHSON 2,551,601

DUPLICATING ROLL FILM CLEANING DEVICE I Filed Sept. 7, 1945 24 D II 195 a? ATTORNEY Patented May 8, 1951 DUPLICATING ROLL FILM CLEANIN DEVICE Caleb W. Hughson, Milton, Mass, assignor to Ditto, Incorporated, Chicago, 111., a corporation of West Virginia Application September 7, 1945, Serial No. 615,064

1 Claim. (01. 10l'425) (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as

amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757) My invention relates to a duplicating roll film cleaning device. It has to do, more particularly, with a cleaning device for cleaning and candltioning the gelatin film which is provided on the copying roll of a duplicating machine of a wellknown type, although it is not limited thereto.

In a popular type of duplicating machine, a copying roll is provided which carries a gelatin film known as the copying film. This film is carried mainly by feed and rewind rolls disposed within the hollow copying roll and which are so arranged that the film feeds from the feed roll,

out through a segmental cutaway space in the periphery of the roll, around the segmental printing surface of the copying roll, and then back through the segmental space where it winds on therewind roll. From time to time, it is necessary to clean the exposed surface of the copying film. This has been accomplished by hand with a sponge soaked with water. However, since the copying roll i a broken or cutaway roll, this operation is extremely dangerous because it is very easy for the operator to get his hands caught between the edge of the segmental space of the roll and a paper-supporting shelf which i disposed closely adjacent thereto. Time and time again the hands of the operators have been injured in this manner. Furthermore, cleaning the film with a sponge held in the hand is not effective and thorough, especially since the operator is usually worrying about injury resulting to his hands.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a duplicating film cleaning device which is very effective and will clean the film thoroughly and which is of such a nature that it can be used without any danger of injury to the operator.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device of the type indicated which is extremely simple and can be manufactured and installed on a duplicating machine at a low cost.

The preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a duplicating machine with my film cleaning device installed thereon.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational View, partly broken trated a duplicating machine of a common type to which my device is applicable. However, my

device is not limited to this particular type of,

duplicating machine.

The duplicating machine, shown comprises a main frame I which carries a rotatable duplicating or copying roll 2. Supported closely adjacent to the roll 2 is a stationary member in the form of a, paper-supporting shelf 3 which has hinged to its inner edge a paper feeding and guiding plate i. Behind the roll 2 is a tray 5 which receives the paper sheets after being printed by the roll 2. Supported on the rear part of the machine above the tray 5 by standards 6 is a horizontal forwardly projecting tray 1 which is normally used for supporting packages of paper.

It will be noted from Fig. 4 that the roll 2 is a broken roll having the segmental cutaway por" tion or space 3. The roll 2 ha supported within its interior a feed roll l0 and a rewind roll ll'for' the copying film 8. The film passes from roll i9, outwardly around the printing segment of the roll as shown, and then inwardly around the rewind roll II. It is often desirable to clean and recondition the exposed surface of the film. :Dur-

ing the cleaning operation the plate 4 is swung forwardly, as shown in Fig. 4. Since the roll 2 rotates in a counterclockwise direction, towards the rear edge of shelf 3, there is danger of the fingers of the operator being caught in the segmental portion 9 of the roll 2 and wedged against the rear edge of shelf 3, if it is attempted to wipe the film clean with a sponge by hand. To overcome this difiiculty and to clean the film more thoroughly, I provide my cleaning device.

My cleaning device comprises a long sponge l2 of rubber, or other suitable material, which is preferably of rectangular cross-section, as shown in Fig. 5, more or less in the form of a squeegee. This sponge is carried in a metal holder l3 of inverted U cross-section which has its ends closed. When the sponge is inserted in this holder l3, it is retained therein by means of bolts M which pass through longitudinally spaced vertical slots Ma in the sponge and aligning opening in the side walls of the holder l3. Wing nut [5 are threaded on the ends of bolts l4 and, when tightened, cause the holder l3 to tightly clamp the sponge therein. It will be noted that the sponge projects a considerable distance below the lower edges of the holder l3 and i vertically adjustable therein.

Within the holder [3 at the top thereof above the sponge and extending for the entire length thereof is a perforated tube Hi, This tube is adapted to supply liquid to the sponge. The space lfia within the holder above the sponge will serve as a liquid reservoir. Liquid contained in the reservoir enters the sponge portion contained within the holder and saturates that portion of the sponge, as well as the sponge portion outside the holder through the agency of characteristic sponge action.

For supporting the holder I3, I provide a pi-v oted arm ll in the form of liquid conducting tube. The lower end of this tube 1! passes through a boss Ha on the holder l3 and is connected to :the perforated tube It in a manner whereby liquid from tube I! passes into tube !6. Tube I! is provided with a manually operated control valve I8. The upper end of the tube I7 is pivoted by means of an elbow member 19 which is rotatably connected at i9a to a stationary pipe section 20 for swinging movement in a vertical plane. The pipe section 20 is secured by brackets 2| to the bottom surface of the shelf 1. The shelf 1 is inclined rear-wardly slightly. The tube section 20 extends laterally and is connected to a tube 22 which extends rearwardly and laterally to a point adjacent to the rear edge of shelf 7. At thispoint tube 22 communicates with the interior rear end of a liquid reservoir 23 which is also inclined rearwardly. A removable cap 24 is provided on the irrlet of reservoir 23 at the forward or higher end thereof. A depending spring clip 25 is provided on the lower surface of shelf 7 laterally of tube 22 in such a position that when the arm I! is swung. upwardly it will be grasped by the clip so that the sponge holder [3, with its associated parts, will be retained in a horizontal position closely beneath the shelf 1.

It will be apparent that the arm I! is of such length that when the sponge I2 is swung downtoitslowermost position, as shown in Fig. 4, the sponge will contact with a film 8 on the surface of the roll 2. The amount of liquid fed to the sponge will be controlled by the valve 18. The arm 1''! may be grasped by the hand and be pulled forwardly so that the sponge will contact firmly with the film and will wipe it clean. There will be no danger of injury to the hands. When the film has been properly cleaned, the arm I! may be swung upwardly out of position.

It will be apparent from the above description that I have provided a device which will effectively clean the film of a copying roll of a duplicating machine without any danger of the hands of the operator being injured.

As used herein, the term clean refers to the removal of foreign matter, and it also contemplates the operation of moistening the film, a necessary step in the successful operation of this type of duplicating device.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of iii) the United States of America for government purposes without the payment of any royalty thereon or therefor.

What I claim is:

Apparatus for cleaning film carried on the rotating copying roll of a duplicating machine, said apparatus including an elongated spongelike cleaning member coextensive with the width of said film, an elongated U-shaped holder enclosing a portion of said cleaning member and containing an interior space unoccupied by said portion, the remaining portion of said cleanin member protruding from the open side of said holder, a perforated tube mounted within said holder in the space unoccupied by said cleaning member, a liquid reservoir mounted on said machine above said roll, a liquid conducting pipe comprising a first section communicating at one end with said reservoir and oriented parallel to the axis of said roll, and a second section pivotally joined at one end to the other end of said first section for movement in a vertical plane normal to the axis of said roll, means joinin the other end of said second section to said perforated tube equidistant the ends thereof for supporting said holder in a position parallel to the axis of said roll whereby said spongeiike member is arranged to swing in an arcuate path, the length of said second section of pipe being sufficient to permit the protruding portion of said spongelike member to contact said film when moved to an extremity of its arcuate path, means for controlling liquid flow from said reservoir into said holder and spongelilze member, and means for supporting said sec ond section of pipe, said holder, and said cleaning member clear of said film at the opposite extremity of said path.

CALEB W. HUGHSON.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 889,507 Chambers June 2, 1908 1,086,544 Matson Feb. 10, 1914 1,331,984 Fiorentirn' Feb. 24, 1920 1,639,778 Docke Aug. 23, 1927 1,857,419 Williams May 10, 1932 1,868,783 Williams July 26, 1932 1,874,758 Ketchledge et a1. Aug. 30, 1932 1,964,933 Storck July 3, 1934 2,058,507 Rogers Oct. 27, 1936 2,067,289 Ritzerfeld Jan. 12, 1937 2,183,033 Segrin Dec. 12, 1939 2,215,495 Barman Sept. 24, 1940 2,229,583 Morris Jan. 21, 1941 2,234,973 Marchev Mar. 8, 1941

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