US2593148A

US2593148A - Sheet registering mechanism for printing

Info

Publication number: US2593148A
Application number: US699937A
Authority: US
Inventors: William F Huck
Original assignee: R Hoe and Co Inc
Current assignee: R Hoe and Co Inc
Priority date: 1946-09-27
Filing date: 1946-09-27
Publication date: 1952-04-15
Anticipated expiration: 1969-04-15

Description

April 15, 1952 w. F. HUCK SHEET REGISTERING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING Filed Sept. 27, 1946 2 SHEETS-SHEET l k D u F m .hmm m w INVENTOR ATTOR EY5 Patented Apr. 15, 1952 SHEET REGISTERING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING William F. Huck, Forest Hills, N. Y., assignor to R. Hoe & 00., Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 27, 1946, Serial No. 699,937

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in sheet registering mechanisms for printing machines.

The general object of the invention is to provide improved means for laterally registering the sheet, as it is fed to the printing machine.

'In my previous Patent No. 2,231,914, I disclose a registering cylinder provided with lateral registering devices in the form of suction plates together'with means for moving these plates laterally at predetermined points in the rotation cycleof the registering mechanism, for the purpose of providing lateral registry. I have discovered that the suction devices can be eliminated, producing, a considerable simplification in the construction.

With the foregoing general object and still other objects which will appear in the following full description in mind, the invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts and details of construction which will now first be fully described in'connection with the accompanying drawing and then be more particularl pointed out in the appended claims. I

In the drawing;

'figure 1 is a schematic end elevation ofa registering cylinder embodying the invention in a preferred form; t

Figure 2 is a plan View thereof;

Figure 3 is an enlarged section taken on the line 3 30f Figure 2, and showing details of the mechanism of the present invention; I

Figure 4 is a section taken on the line 44 of Figure 3; and

I Figure 5 is a detail view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4. a

Complete details of the registering cylinder and associated mechanism are shown in my above mentioned patent, and are not reproduced herein, the drawing of the present application showing only such parts and mechanism as are I along the surface of, the'registering cylinder 5.

The registering cylinder 5 will be driven in timed relation to and at the same rate of speed as the printing cylinders. The belts l and the tapes 4 will run somewhat faster, so that ,a sheet of paper is presented to and slid along the registering cylinder to obtain front registry by abutting carry it along to the press. The way in which the sheet is presented to the printing units is determined by its position at the time when it is taken by the gripper bar 9, and, accordingly, its registration should be complete and accurate at this time.

For registering the sheet laterally, I provide a moveable surface element or elements for the cylinder together with means for displacing such element or elements axially of the cylinder at predetermined points in the rotation cycle. As shown in the drawing, a displaceable element, in the form of a thin sheet metal plate or shell l0, may be provided, this element being held upon the cylinder body II, as by means of projecting keys l2,-attachedto the shell ID, as by screws 13, and entering into slots [4 in the cylinder body, The shell ID is further attached to one or more bars l5 slidably mounted within grooves i6 formed in ablock l'l fixed in the surface of the registering cylinder and running lengthwise thereof. The bars 15 are formed in two sections, 20 and 2|, held together by screws 22. The lower section 2| carries flanges 23 cooperating with slots 24 formed in the sides of the groove l6. Bearing balls 25 are located in the slots 24 on either side of the flanges 23, providing a longitudinal bearing therefor, and allowing the member l5 free movement longitudinally of the registering cylinder.

The shell l0 may have rectangular cutouts 3%] formed in its surface, cooperating with similarly shaped fastening plates 3|. The plates 3| fit into depressions 32 in the outer surface of the sections 20 of the members I5, being heldin place by screws 33. The edges of the cutout portions of the shell ill are turned downand under the plates 3|, being clamped between these plates and the sections 20. I

T-shaped bars are fitted into T-shaped grooves 41 formed in the .block IT on either side of the central groove [6. The shell H] is attached to these bars 40 by screws 42, the bars 40 being adapted for longitudinal movement within the grooves 4!, when the shell ID is moved.

Figure 4' illustrates the mechanism provided for moving the shell 10 to control register of the paper being fed to the printing couple with which the registering cylinder is associated. A block isbolted to the lower surface of the member I5 and carries a roller 5! for engagement by a cam member 52. A spring 53 engages the side of the block 50 opposite the roller 5| and at its other end engages one of the ribs 55 of the cylinder structure, urging the block 58 and the member 5 to which it is attached to the right (see Figure 4) The cam member 52 is mounted upon an arm attached to a rod 55. for rotation therewith. The rod 55 extends through the various rib members 55 of the cylinder and through the end of the cylinder, carrying an arm 51 upon which a cam roller 58 is mounted. The roller 58 engages a fixed cam surface 59 so that the rod 56 is rocked in a predetermined way upon each rotation of the cylinder, consequently moving the cam member 52 back and forth within predetermined limits. Each movement of the cam 52 against the roller 5| causes a longitudinal movement of the member I5 and consequent shifting of the position of the plate Ill attached thereto, the spring 53 opposing the action of the cam 52. In the embodiment shown, both of the members I5 are attached to a single shell l and move in the same direction. Accordingly, only a single means for moving the shell ill need be provided and the cam and bearing mechanism shown in Figure 4 will be provided for only one of the members [5.

In the embodiment illustrated, I have shown the stop, against which the sheet is registered laterally, as carried by the shell 10. This stop takes the form of an arcuate shoulder 65 formed on the surface of the shell [0 at its end, and

against which the sheet being handled may abut.

When the sheet is first received by the cylinder, the shell [0 is held in the extreme left position, through pressure of the cam 52 against the roller 5|v in opposition to the spring 53, roller 58 being onthe low dwell of cam 59. As the cylinder rotates the cam 52 is moved, allowing the spring 53 to urge the plate It) to the right, whereupon the edge of the paper is engaged by the shoulder 60. This action occurs as roller 58 passes along a rise of the cam 59. Engagement of the shoulder 60 with the edge of the paper, and the fric" tional traction of the paper on the surface of the plate I0, determined by the pressure of the belts 4 thereagainst, will shift the paper to the right to a predetermined position to provide proper registry thereof. This position is reached when the roller 58 reaches the high dwell of cam 59.

The propelling force of the tapes t, being proportional to the tape tension, angle of wrap, coeflicient of friction and number of tapes, will be selected as heretofore so as to propel the paper along the cylinder surface, until the front stops 6 are reached by the leading edge of the sheet, the belts thereafter slipping on the paper. By selecting the factors before mentioned, I have been enabled to provide a front and lateral registration of the paper without use of air suction or other relatively complicated devices.

The fixed cam surface 59 is so plotted as to provide for the return of the plate ill to its extreme left position after the sheet has been taken by the grippers and before the leading edge of the plate l0 reaches the point where a new sheet is supplied by the belts I. The tapes 4, having been shifted somewhat to the right during the registering movement of the plate It, at their point of contact with the cylinder, will relocate themselves during the remainder of the rotation of the cylinder, while in contact with the surface of the cylinder not covered by the plate l0.

The tapes 4 are positioned longitudinally of the cylinder by a plurality of flanged sheaves 55 carried on a shaft 66 by

cylinders

67 and 69 carried on the shafm S8 and 10. The tapes may be propelled by any suitable mechanism, such as the gearing shown in my patent above referred to. The grip of the plate it upon the sheet is proportional to the coefiicient of friction of the materials involved, to the tension of the tapes 4, to the angle of wrap of the tapes 4 above the plate 10, and to the number of tapes provided. By controlling these various factors. the action of the plate It! may be accurately determined with the conditions of operation involved. In the embodiment shown, where the stop is carried by the plate l0 itself, these factors will be adjusted so that the plate In will be moved under the sheet until the stop engages its edge and thereafter the pressure of the stop 60 and the friction of the plate l0 against the paper will move the sheet into laterally registered position. Buckling of the paper is avoided by the slight amount of pressure which need be exerted by the stop 60 against the edge of the sheet and by the tapes 4 holding the sheet flat against the cylinder. In cases where it is preferred to move the sheet against a stationary stop, the factors referred to above will be adjusted so as to provide sufficient friction between the paper and the movable plate as to enable the plate to move the sheet against the stop. The coefficient of friction between the tapes 4 and the paper being ordinarily higher than the coefficient of friction between the paper and the plate H3, movement of the paper relative to the tapes in the axial direction will not occur. However, as pointed out above, the tapes shift slightly, sidewise, and in so shifting, the reaction involved is very small. In view of the higher coefficient of friction between the belts and the paper, as compared to the coefficient of friction between the plate In and the paper, the forward movement of the paper circumferentially of the cylinder, which is caused by the tapes 4 traveling at a slightly higher linear speed for providing front registry, will not be interfered with.

In the embodiment shown, a single movable surface element is provided and takes the form of a shell wrapped around the cylinder. Such shell will be of a relatively thin metal so as not to interfere appreciably with the concentricity of the cylinder or affect the speed or movement of the paper unduly. Where desired, a plurality of movable surface element may be utilized, controlling the paper motion, as, for example, in my patent above mentioned, and such surface elements may be formed upon relatively thick members, the cylinder being recessed as required to provide concentricity.

The registration of the sheet upon the cylinder requires the exertion of a registering traction thereon, and positioning the sheet in a predetermined location upon the cylinder, as determined by the stop. In the embodiment shown, the sheet has little or no lateral component of motion when fed to the registering cylinder. Before the time when the sheet is accelerated to a speed of movement axially of the cylinder that is equal to that of the plate and moves therewith, the stop '66 will engage the edge of the sheet, imparting an additional axial force thereto, and thereafter the sheet will move with the plate I 0 and its axial movement will be stopped when the plate reaches its extreme limit as determined by the

cam mechanisms

58, 59 and 5|, 52. The extent of movement of the sheet prior to engagement thereof by the stop 60 maybe very small or may be considerable, so that the pressures involved are not critical. In cases Where it is preferred to register the sheet against a stationary stop, as in my patent above mentioned, the registering traction exerted thereon maybe slightly different,

but again may vary within side limits as determined by the time allowed and tendency of the paper to buckle when brought against a stop at too high speed. By selecting the factors of number, tension and wrap of the belts which press the sheet against the moving surface segment, and the arc of the segment, a proper registering traction may be provided for any desired condition of operations. It may be noted that an automatic compensation is involved, which makes the speed of movement of, the plate It), in the embodiment illustrated, not critical. If the speed of movement of the plate 10 is increased, the stop 60 will engage the sheet more quickly. However, the registering traction imparted to the sheet prior to this time, being a function of the slip velocity between the surfaces involved, as well as the other factors mentioned, will likewise be increased so that the sheet will be accelerated more rapidly prior to the time when the stop ensimilar to that shown in Figure 4, but operating in a reverse direction to provide for registry along such opposite edge.

What is claimed is:

1. In a sheet registering mechanism, and in combination, a registering cylinder having an axially extending groove in its surface and an axially reciprocable bar, slidably mounted therein, an arcuate shell attached to said bar for reciprocation therewith and extending around the cylinder through a multiple of the arc subtended by the groove, tapes for pressing a sheet against the cylinder, means for positioning and tensioning the tapes, the said tapes being so tensioned and positioned and the arc of the said shell being such as to exert a lateral registering traction upon the sheet upon movement of said shell, and the tape positioning means being constructed to provide for slight lateral shifting of the tapes by the sheet'as the sheet moves laterally in response to said lateral registering traction, and means for moving said bar so as to move the shell and register the sheet laterally.

2. In a sheet registering mechanism, and in combination, a registering cylinder having an axially extending groove in its surface and an axially reciprocable bar slidably mounted therein, an arcuate shell attached to said bar for reciprocation therewith and extending around the cylinder through a multiple of the arc subtended by the groove, driven tapes for pressing a sheet against the cylinder, means for positioning and tensioning the tapes, the said tapes being so tensioned and positioned and the arc of the said shell being such as to exert a lateral registering traction upon the sheet upon movement of said shell, and the tape positioning means being constructed to provide for slight lateral shifting of the tapes by the sheet as the sheet moves laterally in response to said lateral registering traction, a stop for engaging a lateral edge of the being such as to provide circumferential registering traction between the tapes and the sheet for urging the sheet against the said stops, the said tapes also being so tensioned and positioned and the arc of the said surface segment being such as to exert a lateral registering traction upon the sheet upon axial movement of said segment, and the tape positioning means being constructed to provide for slight lateral shifting of the tapes by the sheet as the sheet moves laterally in response to said lateralregisteringtraction, and means for moving said segment to register the sheet laterally.

4. In a sheet registering mechanism, and in combination, a registering cylinder,having an axially movable surface segment, front stops on the said cylinder for engagement with the leading edge of a sheet, tapes for pressing a sheet against the cylinder and driven at a speed slightly faster than the cylinder, means for positioning and tensioning the tapes, the pressure of the said tapes being such as to provide circumferential registering traction between the tapes and the sheet for urging the sheet against the said front stops, the said tapes also being so tensioned and'positioned and the arc of the said surface segment being such as to exert a lateral registering traction upon the sheet'upon axial movement of the said surface segment, and the tape positioning means being constructed to provide for slight lateral shifting of the tapes by the sheet as the sheet moves laterally in response to said lateral registering traction, a stop for engaging a lateral edge of the sheet, and means for moving the said surface segment to register the sheet laterally against the said stop.

5. In a sheet registering mechanism, and in combination, a registering cylinder having an axially movable surface segment, front stops on the said cylinder for engagement with the leading edge of a sheet, tapes for pressing a sheet against the cylinder and driven at a speed slightly faster than the cylinder, means for positioning and tensioning the tapes, the pressure of the said tapes being such as to provide circumferential registering traction between the tapes and the sheet for urging the sheet against the said front stops, the said tapes also being so tensioned and positioned and the arc of the said surface segment being such as to exert a lateral registering traction upon the sheet upon axial movement of the said surface segment, a stop at one end of the cylinder and movable with the surface segment for engaging a lateral edge of the sheet, and means for moving the last said stop and the surface segment to register the, sheet laterally against the said stop.

' WILLIAM F. HUCK.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,780,348 Eckhard Nov. 4, 1930 1,927,585 Fischer et a1. Sept. 19, 1933 2,033,849 Mudd Mar. 10, 1936 2,231,914 Huck Feb. 18, 1941 2,282,585 Hoppe May 12, 1942