US2586776A - Matrix stick positioning means - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 26, 1952 w. M. BERRICK MATRIX STICK POSITIONING MEANS Filed May 24, 1948 I INVENTOR. W/LL/AM M BEER/CK 6 47/ 1 mull.

Patented Feb. 26, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) 3 Claims.

The invention described herein maybe manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States for governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalty thereon in accordance with the provisions of the Act of April 30, 1928 (Ch. 460, 45 Stat. L. 467).

This invention relates to the printing art but more particularly to a construction for securing matrix holders, commonly called sticks in the art, such as are conventionally employed in the casting of type slugs on Ludlow type casting machines. These matrix sticks are used for the purpose of positioning the matrices in relation to the mold in such manner that when the molten metal is forced into the mold, the desired line of printing characters is formed on the slug.

The object of this invention is to insure the proper relation of the stick and the mold when slugs are cast. In the casting of slugs in the conventional 'Way, the vibration of the machine causes the stick to move out of alignment with the mold, so that as succeeding Slugs are cast, the relative position of the stick and the mold is changed which causes the characters on the slug to be incorrectly positioned thereon.

Slugs are usually cast at the rate of approximately five per minute and with the present setup the printing characters on the slugs become increasingly displaced so that approximately the printing characters on every seventh slug becomes suiiiciently displaced from its correct position so as to render it useless.

By the use of this invention the matrix stick is automatically returned to its correct position against the displacing effect of vibration after each cast is made, so that the printing characters on the slugs are not displaced but are always correctly and uniformly positioned thereon to the end that a considerable saving of material is effected.

Referring to the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a part of the top of a Ludlow machine showing the new stick lock in operative locking position.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the matrix stick and the new stick lock in operative locking position in full lines and in unlocked position in dotted lines.

Fig. 3 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of the new stick lock assembly taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of the stick lock assembly taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 5 is a view partly in plan and partly in 2 horizontal section of a part of the stick lock taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Like numerals of references indicate the sam parts throughout the several figures.

In mentioning the Ludlow type casting machines, such machines as are disclosed in the Ludlow Patents Nos. 856,539 and 1,124,293 are referred to.

Referring to the drawing by reference numerals,

l indicates the equalizer bar and 2 the matrix stick of a casting machine, the elements of which form no part of this invention.

3 indicates the matrix stick lock, to which this invention is confined, and by means of which the matrix stick 2 is automatically returned to its correct position after each cast is made. This saves a considerable amount of material as well as the time required to make the necessary adjustments when casual shifting of the matrix stick has occurred due to the vibration of the machine necessarily incidental to its operation.

The matrix stick 2 is held in proper vertical position by the eoual zing bar I and the purpose of the matrix stick lock 3 is to hold the matrix stick 2 in proper horizontal position. In present machines, this horizontal positioning of the matrix stick 2 is attempted purely by friction, which method is unsatisfactory and inefficient.

The matrix stick lock 3 includes in its assembly a plunger housing 4 and a flat horizontal plate 5 w ich extends from the housing 4 as best shown in Figs. 1 and 5. Within this housing 4 is formed a chamber 6 (Fig. 5) which is threaded at 1 at its outer end and reduced in diameter at 8 at its inner end to form a shoulder 9.

Within this chamber 6 is housed a plunger l0 having formed thereon a collar l I which abuts against the said shoulder 9 and also forms a stop for a coil spring I2 which surrounds the plunger l0 within the chamber 6. A threaded cap l3 for adjusting the tension of the spring I2 acting upon the plunger ll] is threaded into the chamber 6 and bears against the outer end of the spring l2. A screw driver slot M (Fig. 1) formed in the face of the cap- I3 permits rotation of the cap so as to increase or diminish the spring tension on the plunger it], as will be clearly apparent from an inspection of the accompanying drawing,

For mounting the matrix stick lock 3 in proper position with relation to the matrix stick 2 an extension I5 is formed on the machine which extension is threaded at It (Fig. 3) and provided with a small groove or slot I1 (Fig. 1) extending radially from the threaded bore I6.

The flat plate portion 5 of the matrix stick lock 3 is provided with a hole I8 (Fig. 5) which registers with the threaded bore 5 in the extension l5, and is also provided with a small rib 19 extending radially from the hole l8, which rib l9 registers with the groove or keyway slot I! in the extension l5 so as to enter the same when the matrix stick lock 3 has been moved into operative position as shown in Fig. 1.

A screw clamp 20 having a threaded portion 2| passes through the opening l8 in the plate portion 5 of the matrix stick lock 3 and threads into the threaded bore 16 of the extension 15, a washer 22 being interposed between the clamp body 20 and the plate portion 5 of the matrix stick lock 3 as best shown in Fig. l. A handle 23 is provided on the clamp body to tighten and loosen the matrix stick lock 3 in and out of its operative position as shown in Fig. 1.

In operation, when the matrix stick lock 3 has been swung intoits operative position .so that the rib 1,9 enters the groove or slot I! and the clamp ZUhas'been tightened to hold the stick lock 3 rigidly in position, the inner end 24 of'the plunger is brought into close contact with the matrix stickIZ as shown inFigs. 1 and 2, so that in the successive casting operation, the vibrations which normally displace the matrix stick 2 horizontally are neutralized and the matrix stick 2 returned to and maintained in its proper horizontal position.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. A matrix stick lock for type casting machines which includes a pivoted plate member having formed thereon a plunger housing, a resiliently mounted plunger within the plunger housing, a rib on the underface of the pivoted platemember, a supporting element for the plate member provided with a .slot adapted to receive the said rib to hold the plate (member against movement, and means for clamping the plate member and its supporting element together, the matrix stick lock being positioned adjacent the matrix stick of a type casting machine whereby the said plunger of the matrix stick lock will engage the matrix stick and resiliently hold the same against casual horizontal movement during the normal casting operations of a type casting machine.

2. A matrix stick lock for type casting machines, which includes a plate member having formed thereon a plunger housing, a resiliently mounted plunger within the plunger housing, a

supporting element for the plate member, means for effecting an interlocking engagement between the plate member and its supporting element and means for clamping the plate member and its supporting element together, the matrix stick lock being "positioned adjacent the matrix stick of a type casting machine whereby the said plunger of the matrix stick lock will engage the matrix stick and resiliently hold the same against casual horizontal movement during the normal casting operations of a type casting machine.

3. A matrix stick lock for type casting machines, which includes a plunger housing, a resiliently mounted plunger within the plunger housing, a supporting element for the stick lock, means for effecting an interlocking engagement between the stick look and its supporting element and means for clamping the stick lock andits supporting element together, the stick lock being positioned adjacent the matrix stick of a type casting machine whereby the said plunger of the stick lock will resiliently engage the matrix stick and hold the same against casual horizontal movement during the normal casting operations of a type casting machine.

WILLIAM M. BERRICK.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,414,707 Pottle May 2, 1902 1,910,566 Rogers May 23, 1933 2,074,511 Kingsbury Mar. 23, 1937 2,082,531 Albrecht June 1, 1937 2,505,065 Rank Apr. 25, 1950

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