US2552869A - Streamline feeding means in printing machines - Google Patents

Description

y 1951 E. c. SAUERMAN 2,552,869

STREAMLINE FEEDING MEANS IN PRINTING MACHINES Filed March 10, 1945 6 Sheets-Sheet 1.

May 15, 1951 E. c. SAUERMAN 2,552,869

STREAMLINE FEEDING MEANS IN PRINTING MACHINES Filed March 10, 1945 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 15, 1951 E. c. SAUERMAN STREAMLINE FEEDING MEANS IN PRINTING MACHINES 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 10, 1945 y 1951 E. c. SAUERMAN 2,552,869

STREAMLINE FEEDING MEANS IN PRINTING MACHINES Filed March 10, 1945 s Sheets-Sheet 4 57915; C Saae'rzzzaze y 1951 E. c. SAUERMAN 2,552,869

STREAMLINE FEEDING MEANS IN PRINTING MACHINES Filed March 10, 1945 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented May 15, 1951 STREAMLINE FEEDING MEANS 1N PRINTING MACHINES Ernst C. Sauerman, Chicago, Ill.

Application March 10,1945, Serial No. 581,975

This invention relates to printing apparatus, and is more particularly concerned with the provision of an apparatus of this type in which a' plurality of flexible, fibrous cards serve as printing plates and are fed through the apparatus for printing information, such as names and addresses'onto material to be printed.

Briefly, this invention contemplates the provi sion of a plurality of printing cards which are preferably formed of relatively lightweight, f1- brous sheet material such as paper stock having the rear face thereof formed with a dull, glazed finish suitable to receive pigment coated printing characters which are transferable to the surface of other material, such as paper, by the use of a suitable solvent. The apparatus hereinafter described is particularly adapted for use in printin means and addresses, or other information, provided on each of the several printing cards onto a relatively long strip of paper which may thereafter be cut transversely intermediate each set of names and addresses to provide individual slips suitable for attachment to articles to be mailed or for insertion in window-type envelopes.

This invention further contemplates the provision of a printing apparatus of this type embodying means for arranging a plurality of printing cards in a row and in predetermined overlapping relation for movement into printing engagement with a strip of paper. By arranging the cards in overlapping relation, the spacing between the sets of printed matter on the strip material may readily be varied to suit theoperator by merely adjusting the overlapping relation of the cards.

This invention further contemplates the provision of improved means for withdrawing printing cards, one at a time, from the bottom of a hopper provided to receive the cards in superimposed, stacked relation, together with improved means for positioning the withdrawn printed card in proper alignment for delivery between suitable feed rolls.

This invention further contemplates the provision of a plurality of printing card bearing individual names and addresses, or other printed matter, and wherein said cards are adapted to serve the dual function of separate printing plates and also as a part of a record card system.

This invention further contemplates the provision of an apparatus of this type which is relatively inexpensive in construction, simple in operation and which will not readily get out of order.

5 Claims. (Cl. 271-32) This invention embodies other novel features, details of construction and arrangement of parts which are hereinafter set forth in the specification and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view showing an apparatus embodying features of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, showing a printing card pusher mechanism in its forward position for delivering a printing card between a pair of feed rollers.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing the opposite side of the machine from that shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view corresponding to Fig. 3, showing printing card pusher mechanism in its rearward position.

sponding to Figs. 7 and 8, showing the relative position of parts and the means employed for moving the back edge of a printing card into aligning engagement with a pusher mechanism.

Fig. 10 is a plan view showing the rear side of a plurality of printing cards arranged in over lapping relation as viewed along the line Ill-l0 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 11 is a side elevational view of same.

Fig. 12 is a plan view showing a portion of a strip of paper after same has been printed.

Fig. 13 is a perspective View showing the front side of a printin card.

Fig. 14 is a schematic sectional view showing a modified form of apparatus for feeding envelopes into printing position with the printing cards.

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary sectional view of the card carrier illustrating particularly the cardengaging converging recess.

Fig. 16 is a fragmentary detailed perspective viewof the card carrier as shown in Fig. 15.

Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of this invention, the machine illustrated therein is adapted to employ a plurality of cards 6 for transferring information "by means of a cennecting link 29.

a hectograph ribbon or the like between the card and the platen of the typewriter. D'uri ng l'the printing operation, the surface of the strip to be printed is coated with a suitable pigment solvent which acts to transfer a portion of the pigment from the pigment "coated'characte rs 9 onto the strip material I. As this method of printing is well known to those skilled in this art, it is believed unnecessary to describe further "the kind of paper of which cards 6 may be formedgor a particular type of pigment or pigment solvent which may be employed to accomplish the transfer of printed information from thecards onto the strip.

The printing machine comprises a hopper H adapted to receive a plurality of printing cards 6 in superimposed stacked relation. The hopper is open at the bottom and provided with a ledge l2 and a pair of fingers it for engagement with the front and back edges, respectively, of the bottom printing card within the hopper. The

' fingers 13 are mounted for longitudinal adjustment in recesses formed in the lower end of brackets 14 secured to the back side of the hopper.

7 Pneumatic means are employed for engagement with the -'print ing cards 5 for withdrawing same, one at'a time, from the bottom of the hop- 'per I l, and com-prises a suction nozzle I6 formed of rubber or other suitable resilient material and connected at the outer end of an air conduit 11. The air conduit =11 is carried at the forward end of a pivot block l8 provided with a suitable air passage therethrough (not shown) leading to a fiexible 'a ir conduit 19. The block 18 is pivotally supported at the lower end of a lever 2| which is'se'cured intermediate its ends on a shaft as for movin the pivot block it and the nozzle I i 5 longitudinally'of the machine.

The pivot block i8 is formed with a re'arwardly disposed arm 21 which is pivotally connected to "an actuating arm 28 journaled on the shaft 22 A suitable roller 31 is journaled at the connection between the actuating arm 28 and the connecting link 29 for engagement with the operating surface with acam member 32. The roller 3| is maintained in engagement with the cam 32 by means of a spring 33 having its one end connected to a connecting link 29 and its upper end connected to a bracket 34. The cams 26 and 32 are secured to a cam shaft 36 which is journaled in bearing brackets 23.

A card carrier 38 is mounted upon suitable guide members 39 for reciprocable movement longitudinally of the machine. Guide members 39 are supported between side frame members 4 l. The forward end of the card carrier 38 is provided with a converging recess 42 adapted to receive the back edge of a printing card 6. An actuating lever 43 is journaled intermediate its ends on a shaft 44 and has its lower end bifurcated at 45 for engagement with a transverse bar 46 provided on the card carrier 38. A roller 41 is journaled on the upper end of the lever 43 for engagement with the surface of a cam 48 and is maintained in engagement therewith by means of a tension spring 49 having its one end connected to the lever 43 and its other end connected to a Iever'EEl which is secured to the shaft 22. It will thus be seen that thespring 39 serves to hold the rollers 23 and 4! in operative engagement with their respective cams 26 and 48.

An alignment roll 5! is journaled for counterclockwise rotational movement on the frame 4|, and a pair of card alignment fingers 52 are disposed adjacent opposite ends of the roll 5! for clockwise rotational movement. Fingers 52 are carriedupon collars 5 l which are mounted upon the inner ends of shafts 53 which are journaled on the frame 5! above the roll 5 I. A pair of drivirig gears 54 are secured on the ends of the roll on a pair of upright members 72.

frame H to receive and engage the sides of printing cards delivered thereto by the reciprocable card carrier 38. The lower feed rolls 5'! and 58 are provided with gears 59 and so, respectively, and driven in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 5, by means hereinafter described. Two pairs of idler rolls 8i and '52 are journaled on stud shafts provided on brackets $3 and 54, respectively, which in 'turn'are journaled on the sides "of the frame 41 to move their respective idler rolls 6| and 62 along an arcuate path. The idler rolls 6! "and '82 are urged into operative engagement with their respective feed rolls to engage printing cards adjacent their side edges only by means of a'comp'ression spring 65 interposed between the brackets 63 and 64.

A pair of printing rolls 6% and ti are journaled, one above the other, to receive printing "cards 6 and the strip 1 therebetween. The upper roll 56 is journaledon the frame 4i and the lower rolls? is journaled in a pair of floating bearings '68 which are arranged for vertical movement on the frame 41. The floating bearings 68 are normally urged upwardly by means of suitable compression springs (not shown) to maintain the lower roll '61 in tight operative 'engagement with the upper roll 55. The printing rolls are driven in timed relation by means of interme'shing gears '69 and is mounted 'on the ends of the rolls '66 and er, respectively.

The strip 7 to be printed is preferably mounted in rolled form on a suitable reel H journaled After the strip passes through printing rolls 5%) and "6'5 it is wound upon a reel 73 jourr'i'aled on a standard 74. A driving pulley I5 is secured to the reel H and acts through a suitable belt 16 to drive a pulley l7 secured to the reel 13. The

belt l6 and pulley W are constructed to permit slippage due to the constantly changing diam- 66 and 6'! and comprises a driving roll 18, a *driven roll 19 enda belt 8i.

The belt 8i slopes downwardly towards a card stacking plate 82 which is arranged to receive and stack cards harried by the belt 8|. As the printing cards are disposed in overlapping relation as they pass through the printing rolls, it will be seen that the belt 8! and plate 82 causes the cards to become stacked in an inclined plane against the plate 82. i

A wiping strip 83 formed of absorbent mate rial is disposed for engagement with the printing surface of the strip 1 prior to its passage between the printing rolls, and a suitable pigment solvent liquid is supplied thereto through a conduit 84 from a supply reservoir 86.

The several parts of the apparatus adapted to be actuated for withdrawing the printing cards 6 from the hopper, for aligning the cards, for feeding the cards and for transferring printed information from the cards onto the strip 1 are driven in timed relation by means of an electric motor 8?. The motor Bl acts through a. sprocket 8%, drive chain 89, a gear box 93 and driven sprocket Hi to drive a sprocket 92 which, in turn, acts through a chain 94 to drive a sprocket 95 secured to the upper feed roll 56. A sprocket es is also secured to the upper printing roll 66 to drive the cam shaft 36 through a chain 91 and a sprocket 98. Another sprocket 99 is secured on the opposite end of the cam shaft 35 and acts through a chain lfll to drive a sprocket H32 secured to the alignment roll 5|. One of the gears 54 acts through three idler gears H14, H35 and 185 to drive the gear 59 secured to the feed roll 51. The gear 59, in turn, acts through an idler gear [01 to drive the gear 69 provided on the feed roll 58. The card stacking belt 8| is driven from the gear 59 secured to the upper printing roll 55 through an idler gear I08 which meshes with a driven gear I 09 secured to the roll 18.

A rotary type air valve, generally indicated at H l, is connected to the air conduit l9 and to a vacuum pump (not shown) and is mounted on the frame 23 below one end of the cam shaft 36 for operative engagement by a cam H2, the cam H2 acting to rotate the valve in one direction and a tension spring H3 being employed to return the valve to its normal position.

In the operation of the machine thus described, printing cards 6 are withdrawn from the bottom of the hopper I I one at a time by the engagement of the suction nozzle IS with the bottom card, as illustrated in Fig. 7. When the suction nozzle I5 is thus engaged the cam H2 acts to open the rotary valve III to exhaust air from the conduits l1 and I9 and the pivot block IB. When the lower card is thus engaged to the suction nozzle IS, the earns 26 and 32 act through their respective levers 2| and 28 to move the suction head I B downardly and rearwardly to the position shown in Fig. 8. Due to the inherent flexibility of the printing cards, they may readily be bent to permit the movement of the rearward edges thereof past the stop fingers l3.

After the rear edge of the printing card has been lowered to the position shown in Fig. 8, the alignment fingers 52 rotate into engagement with the upper surface of the disengaged card to move same into engagement with the alignment roll 5!, as illustrated in Fig. 9. The fingers 52 then coact with the roll 5| to move the printing card rearwardly into the converging recess 42 formed on the forward end of the reciprocable card carrier 38.

The card carrier 38 is then moved from" its rearward position indicated in Fig. 9 to its forward position as shown in Fig. 3, by means of the cam spect to the driven sprocket wheel 98. a

48 which acts through the lever 43 and crossbar 46. As illustrated in Figs. 3, 10 and 11, the card carrier operates to move each printing card 6 into superimposed overlapping relation with the preceding cards. This overlapping relation of cards permits variable spacing between the pigment coated characters 9 on one card with respect to the printing characters provided on the adjacent card. The spacing between the printing characters on the adjacent cards may be varied by merely adjusting the verticalposition of the roller 41 on the lever 43 in order to either increase or decrease the stroke of the card carrier 38. I

The card carrier 38 is adapted to move eac printing card forwardly for engagement between the coacting feed rolls 5'! and BI which, in turn, deliver the cards in overlapping relation to the second set of feed rolls 58 and 62. The printing cards move from the feed rolls 58 and 62 between the printing rolls 56 and 61 for transverse line printing engagement with the surface of the strip 1. A suitable pigment solvent is applied to the surface of the strip 1, by means of the brush 83, immediately prior to printing engagement with the printing cards in order that a portion of the pigment provided on the pigment coated printing characters 9 may be transferred onto the strip 1 to provide names and addresses, generally indicated at 5, arranged at predetermined spaced intervals, as illustrated in Fig. 12. If desired, a suitable pigment mark of the type shown at 4 in Fig. 12 may be printed in alignment with the printed matter 5 provided on the strip 1. The marks 4 are adapted for registry with an electric eye employed in a machine devised to cut the strip 1 transversely between each set of addresses.

After the printing cards leave the printing rolls 65 and El they are carried in overlapping relation down the belt 8i and thence upwardly into stacked relation against the stacking plate 82 for removal from the machine.

Fig. 14 illustrates a modified form of this invention comprising a hopper H6 adapted to receive a plurality of envelopes H1 in stacked relation for delivery one at a time into printing engagement with the printing cards 6. In the form of envelope feeding apparatus shown, the envelopes are arranged in the hopper with their flap portions H8 disposed downwardly and rearwardly for engagement by a reciprocable feed arm H9. The feed arm H9 is reciprocated by means of an actuating arm |2i secured to a rocker shaft I22 which is adapted to be driven in timed relation with the card feeding apparatus by any suitable means (not shown).

In operation, the forward end of the feed arm engages under the flap I [8 of the bottom envelope in the hopper to move the envelope forward and between the upper printing roll 66 and an idler roll I23, afterwhich the envelope is delivered between the rolls B6 and 61 for printing engagement with a card 5 by the idler rolls I24. The surface of the envelope to be printed is coated with a suitable liquid pigment solvent by means of the wiper 83.

In the printing of envelopes, it will be noted that the printing cards will be arranged in spaced apart relation rather than in overlapping relation. The amount of spacing between the printing card may readily be varied by merely changing the ratio of the sprocket wheel 96 with rea sess-e mg-saperitweuid 6f course be necessarytoar- 4 ang'e the pi inti ng cards fi at suitablyzspaced inteivals to corresporid with the length of the wrapper to be cut from the strip of wrappingpaper.

1"-be noted' that the .pigment coated racters pr'ovided on thecardrfiare b at a 'ytime broiightdnto wiping contact with t of the apparatus. This 'feature of the ikie'd nve'nt p1 merit coated printing characters acts to 1 mear'sameand to therebyiproduce unsatisfactory 'r'iti-ng impressions upon the strip or other 'main tirig cards adj'acenttheir side edges'by :mea-ns e 'fiiigers 52 and idler rolls't l and 92. While-this inventionhas been shown' in but two msfit is 'obvious to tho'se skilled inthe art that t is ndt so li'i'n-it'ed but is susceptioleof various anges and mo'difie'ations -Wi-thl1t departing 'm the 'spi'fi-t and soope 'of the claimed inven- T reisimas'm invention:

*1 'In a printingapparatus for transferring inform lism 1mm printing' cards on' to sheet mat'erial, comprising aho'pper "for holding 5 a stack of said printing cards, suction me'ansior remov- "ing the lowermost card "fromsaid stack oneat a time;meansformoving'saidsu'ction-means downwardl-y from"said"sta'ck and means-for moving said suction means "laterally from said "stack 'to effect substantial "hormarmovem'ent of said' low- "er'nios'tpard"withrespect to "the "oard 'n'ext above "id-stack;a pair ofcoacting pressure rollsyrecoating means for "delivering cards removed fi o'in"said"stack 'ina row'aiid in" overlapping rela- 'tionbetween saidipressu'remolls, means for feed "ing sheet" "material "bet'vi eeirsaid preZsrire rolls fo'r printing-"engagement with said printing cards. In'a printingapparatus'fdrtransferringinformation frofnprinting cards onto shee't'materialf'cdmprising a" hopper for holding a stack of emanating "cards, suction meansforre'movin th'e'ldwerm'ost card from saidsta'c'k'one at a time, card delivery means, rotary means for carrying said card from said suctionmeans to said "de- "livery'means, said delivery means comprising'a "reciprocating pusher member for pushing said cards forwardly in a row and in overlapping relationship, a pair of coacting'pressure rolls'between which said cards are carried by said piisher -'me"mber, means for feeding sheet material between-said pressurerolls for printing engagementwith said printing cards.

3. In a printing apparatus" for transferring information fromprinting cards on to sheet material, comprising ahopper for holding a stack of sai'dprinting cards, suction means for removing thelowrmost card from said stackone-at a time, card deliverymeans,--rotary-means for carrying-said eard from-said suction means tosaid delivery meanspsaid'deliverymeans comprising a the 'printin'g'of I-iames-and addresses on wrap- I the per ationof the apparatus :thus defonds-essential as I a wipin-g'contact against :wreciprocating pusher member eards forwardly in a rrow and in overlapping i relationship, a 1 pair of coacting pressure rolls be tween'whichsaid cards are-carried bysaidpusher member, means for feeding lsheet material be- :for pushing said tween said pressure rolls for printing engagement with said printingwcards, and'means for changing -the stroke-of said reciprocating pusher member to change the degree of overlap of said cards.

-4.: :In a, printingapparatus for transferring in- 'formation-from printing cards on to sheet material, comprising-a hopper for holding astack of "saidviprinting'oards; suction means for removing the-lowermost card from said stack one at atime, oam means for moving said suction means downwardly-from said-stack and cam means for mov- ,.-'ing said suction means laterally from said stack a to effect-, substantiall-y, normal movement of said lowermost card with respect to the card next 'aabove in said stack, a pair of coac'ting pressure rolls reciprocating'ineans for delivering cards re- -moved from said stack in a row and in overlap- .aping relation between said pressure rolls, means ria-l being printed. This ieatureof the inven- I tion- -is-accomplishe'd by always engaging the .for feeding sheet :material between said pressureurolls for printing engagement with said .Lprinting cards.

:5. In a printing apparatus for transferring invformation from;printing cards-on to sheet materiaL'cQmpriSing a'hopper-forjiholding a stack of said :iprinting cards, suction :means for removing the lowermostcardfromsaid'stack one at;a time,

icarddelivery means, rotary means for carrying saideardfrom said suction means to saiddelivery means, :said delivery means comprising a :recipro- 'icatingipusher "member for-pushingisaidl cards: forwardly in airow and in overlapping relationship, a pairioficoacting pressure rolls between which said cards are carried by said pusher member,

c'hang'e the degree -'of overlap of said Jo'ards, said {last mentioned meanscomprisinga lever, a cam e *for operatingsaid lever,- and me'an's' for changing the effective length of'said lever.

- ERNST C; SAUERMAN.

R-EFERENCES. 5 CITED The following references "arejof record in the vi'fileof this patent:

-,UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name :Date

1,6175755 Rogers i -"-Nov.--"4, 19 13 1,196,815 Slauson i 'Sept.'-'5, -1916 1 ,325,576 Pierson s s; Dec. $23; 1'919 1-,"3'4E9,80'7 Debrayer Aug. 17, 1920 "1 ,44'8 3-14 Pedriok I\IaI. I3, 1923 Ii-B36i405 "Brandt July '19, 1927 23545344 Storck Sept515, 1936 2,184,362 S'auerman Dec. 26,1939 21 :,0I4= 'Elliott Dec.' 26,1939 23220300 Tathwell Nov. 5, 1940 22-28109 Gates -Jan. 7,1941 2 237 :363 "Ritzerfeld Apr; 8,1941 T 2 2551108 1 fPflanze. Sept.'9,1941 -2,274,590 Cook a Feb. 24, 1942 2,283, 1 .19 Williams June 30,1944: 2,419,345 Elliott Apr522, 1947 FOREIGN'PATENTS Number I Country Date 492,755 iGreat-Britain i Sept. 27,1938

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