US2643605A - Printing equipment for guiding printing plates - Google Patents

Description

June 30, 1953 w. 1'. GOLLWITZER 3,6

PRINTING EQUIPMENT FOR GUIDING PRINTING PLATES Original Filed Aug. 1, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet l June 30, 1953 w. 1'. GOLLWITZER 2,643,605 I PRINTING EQUIPMENT FOR GUIDING PRINTING PLATES Original Filed Aug. 1, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 P 870 850 [a I ass 950 1 851 9/ ass A TTORNE Y8 June 30, 1953 w. -r. GOLLWITZER 2,643,605

PRINTI NG EQUIPMENT FOR GUIDING PRINTING PLATES Original Filed Aug. 1, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR Walter 7.' Cioflaw'zf zr A TTORNE Y5 June 30, 1953 w. 'r. GOLLWlTZER PRINTING EQUIPMENT FOR GUIDING PRINTING PLATES Original Filed Aug. 1, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 r 5% m my fi uwm: 1mm M mum FA \Nmm. w m m We M o a nun G 5w 8 m8 7. M lllll r v e r. I W5 5 WM R kw mmm Q UN w ig Z 4 TTORNE YS wmm wmm. 1 I km 9M l who m t Y MN rm MB 39 3 $3$$$$ $SS H U I r M W man Q5980 Q W 8:: com .20 y V J I |u "ki i I l 1 1 hhhhhhuhh w mm 0 o o A Patented June 30, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PRINTING EQUIPMENT FOR GUIDING PRINTING PLATES Walter T. Gollwitzer, Euclid, Ohio, assignor to Addressograph-Multigraph Corporation, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Original application August 1,-1946, Serial No. 687,724. Divided and this application June 11, 1948, Serial No. 32,413

{Claims (Cl. 10157) This application is a division ofmy copending application, Serial No. 687,724, filed August 1, 1946, now Patent Number 2,576,596, patented November 27, 1951.

The present invention relates to printing equipment and more particularly to printing machines which are especially well adapted to utilize printing devices of the type disclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 32,412, filed June 11, 1948, which is also a division of my aforesaid copending application, Serial No. 687,724.

It has been customary in the past to pass printing devices through embossing mechanism to provide printing characters thereon, and then to utilize such devices in printing machines through which the devices are passed sequentially for printing such data as names and addresses of a list of customers, subscribers, and the like. A printing device, which may be simply a printing plate or a more complex unit involving other elements in addition to the plate, is usually provided for each customer, subscriber, etc. ,A supply of such devices is normally prepared and retained for periodical reuse. Although such printing devices and the mechanisms with which they are employed have gone into wide use and have been successful in accomplishing great savings in time and economies invarious types of operations, they have nevertheless required a great deal of manual handling. Thus, in the past, it has been necessary to take each printing plate and insert it manually into a holding device for passing it through an embossing machine or the like, to form printing characters thereon. After the printing characters have been formed, it has been customary to apply the plate manually to a supporting frame which may bear an identification card, control tabs, and other material. The complete printing device, usually comprising a framev and plate assembly, is then passed through printing mechanism, particular feeding devices being required for handling such printing devices.

An object of my invention is to afford printing equipment which is adapted to utilize embossed printing plates without necessitating the use of frames, the printing equipment being constituted and arranged to hold unmounted plates positively and accurately, and to feed them into operating position in a reliable an exact manner.

An ancillary object is to enable plates of the character disclosed, in my aforesaid copending application, Serial No; 32,412 to be fed directly through printing machines without assembling them with frames or carriers.

Yet another object of my invention is to so correlate printing equipment with the improved printing plate disclosed in my aforesaid copending application, Serial No. 32,412, that the advantages flowing from the improvement in the plate itself may be fully realized in the operation of the printing equipment.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following de-.

scription and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings which, by way of illustration, show preferred embodiments of the present invention and the principles thereof and what I now consider to be the best mode in which I have contemplated applying these principles. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principles maybe used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without de v in Fig. 1, drawn to an enlarged scale, and taken substantially along the line 33 on Fig. 1;

Figs. 4 and 5 are frag-mental rear face views similar to Fig. 2 and showing modified forms ofa printingplate adapted to be used in machines embodying the present invention;

Fig. 6 is a front view, similar to Fig. 1, of another form of plate adapted to chines of the present invention;

Fig. 7 is a front 'elevational view of a printing machine embodying the principles of my invention;

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional View taken through the printing plate guideway of the printing machine shown in Fig. 7;

' Figs. 9 and 10, respectively, are detail views taken substantially on the lines 9-9 and iii-l6 of Fig. 8, the scale of Fig. 10 being enlarged;

Fig. 11 is a perspective detail view of the printing plate guideway and the anvil upon which the be used in maprinting plates come to rest when an impression is to be made therefrom in the printing machine shown in Fig. 7;

Fig.12 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line l2|2 in Fig. 7;

Fig. 13 is a sectional view taken substantially on the. line |3-I3 on Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is, a sectional view taken substantially on the line 14-44 on Fig. 13; and

Figs. 15 and 1.6 are fragmentary sectional Views similar to Fig. 13but showing certain of the parts in operative positions different from those in which the parts are illustrated in Fig. 13.

The printing machine shown in Figs. 7 .to .16, inclusive, is particularly suited for the use of unmounted printing plates of the character shown in Figs. 1 to 6, inc1usive,-o'f the-drawings, these plates being described in-greater detail in my aforesaid copending application, Serial No. 32,412. Plates mounted on framesas shown, for example the Figs. 4, 6 and -the afresaid'copending application, may of course be used in various machines of the character, and in the manner, well known in the prior art.

However, in some cases, it is highly advantageous to be able to useunmounted plates-such as those shown in Fig. 1 'h'ereo'f,by feeding them to and through printing position in a printing machine without mounting them "on frames or other backing members. 'For "certain types of work the unmounted plates are adequate without control tabs, cards, and other associated "elements. When this is the case the advantages of the use of unmounted plates are obvious. They include elimination o'fthe assembly of plates-with frames, very material savings in storage space, ease of handling, and important economies to users when the purchase of frames is not necessary,

Accordingly, the machine shown in'the drawings while basically similar to machines described in my prior patents, No. 1,975,318,'issued October 2 1934, and No. 1,992,661, issued February 26, 1935, is constructed and arranged to utilize plates which are unmounted and which are provided withno special guiding or'holding means other than a groove G embodied inthe plates,Figs."lto 6, inclusive.

The printing machine comprises afla'tsubstantially rectangular table top "850 supported on four legs or posts .851 suitably connected and braced by horizontal frame members 852. The table :top 858 supports, on its lower surface, a casting or bracket 853 which depends therefrom 'to mount a number of operating elements including a main driveshaft 854 and a short jack shaft 855. The jack'shaft 855 is driven by an electric motor 856 suitably supported on .frame members 852. A V- belt or the like, 851, connects .a pulley .858 .on motor 858 with another pulley .859 on the jackshaift 855. The shaft 855 carries aspur gear 881 which drives a spur gear 862 on the main drive shaft 854.

The mainshaftBSA has secured thereto a'bevel gear 883 which drives another bevelgear 864secured to a short horizontal shaft 885 which operates a plate feeding mechanism to be described hereinafter. The shaft 854 also bearsaneccentrio 866, Fig. 9, which operates platen mechanism substantially identical with that described in my aforesaid prior Patent No. 1,975,318.

Near the right end of the table 850 a magazine 818 is provided for printing plates P which .are to be fed through the machine .to a position beneath a platen mechanism 811. .The construction so far described is substantially identical with that described in my prior Patent .No. 1,992,661 mentioned above, but the feederiis particularly designed and adapted for use with plates such as those shown in Figs. l'to 6, inclusive,'havcalcorner posts of which the front pair, not shown in but indicated in Fig. 7 may be adjust- :ably :mou'nte'd, together with front wall 813, Fig. 12. Thus the magazine may be adjusted in width to-accommodate plates? of various widths. The

rear side *Wallis fixed in accurate alignment with plate guiding and holding elements to be describedrhereinafter.

.Asibestshowhinffiigs. 8, 13 and 15, the magazine bottom consists of :a fixed plate 881 secured to the table 858 in any suitable manner. At its right end, as seen in Fig. 8, the top surface of plate 88l is cut away to provide a plurality, for example three spaced grooves 882. Grooves 882 receive a similar number of tongue elements-llll'vof aslidable feedp1ate88-3 provided with depending ears 884 and mounted between a pair-of guide elements 885 for rectilinear reciprocation.

The depending ears'8 84-are pivotally connected to ablock 8'8li-adjustably'mounted on 'one-end of a link 886. The-other'end-oflink 88'fi is-connected as by a screw or bolt 88'! to the upper end of an oscillating arm 8-88 pivotally supported at its lower end on a'stud 889 whichprojects from'a 'depending lug 891 of the casting or bracket 853.

A crank arm B92 is secured to the front end -'of the shaft 865 and carries a-roller 8 93 adapte'd' to be received in a longitudinal-slot 8940f another oscillating arm "895. Thearm "895 is also -mounte'don the studBBQ-directlybhind the arm 88-8and normally the two "are latched together by a latch lever 896 mountedon-a pivot 891 'on thearm' 888 which engages a latch element 898'onarm895. A spring899 'tends'to hold lever 89"6 inengagement withthe cooperating element 898.

"Means are provided for unlatc'hing the lever 896 from'element 89'8. 'Thesemeans'areidentical' with those 'describedin my aforesaid Patent No. 1,992,661 and comprise briefly an upstanding arm 91H carried "bylever 8916, a roller 9'02 carried by thefree end of a'l'ever'983 pivoted on a stud-9M, a vertically movable 'rod ZEUS having a spring 986 surrounding its -upper end and "bearing 'on lever 983, .and an arm not shown carried by a rock shaft 908 having another arm 989 'connectedby a link "91! to a .pedal lever 9'i2. Depression of pedal .912 is 'eifective unlatch lever 898 from latch element '898 as 'described'more 'fully in said Patent No. "1,992,661. Normally, however, the parts are -latched together and each rotation of shaft 885.causes a reciprocation of feed .plate883 and feeds a plate out of the magazine.

'Referring'to Figs. 1'2 to I6,it will be no'tedthat the rear side wall 81*! of the'ma'gazine 810 is cut away to form an openingil'f'fi to accommodate a portion of a post orstudfil 6 secured as bya screw 91'! .to thetable top. The top part of the post is tapered to provide a conical element 918 so that plates placed in the magazine will have a notch or 'a recess element engaged with the post, "to maintain 'them'in proper alignment. A notch or groove"?! 1 Sat thebottom ofpost 918 permits'feeding out the lowermost plate'only. As mentioned above, plates maybe -o'f'the serpentine edge type, shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or theymay be any of the types shown in Figs. 4, 5 or ".6. In any case, a notch or .recess in one Ilongitudina1 edge of the plate cooperates withpo's't 916 to re'tainthe plates inaccurately aligned relation 319, the bottom plate only being free to be fed out of the magazine when feed plate 883 is advanced. The post 915 may be a roller, in which case the notch 919 becomes a circumferential rabbet at the lower corner of such roller.

As shown in Figs. 12, 13, and 16, and as previously mentioned, the left or advance end of the feed plate 883 has the tongues 883' which ride in the notches or grooves 882 in the fixed plate 88!. With the feed plate in the position shown in Figs. 12 and 13, a projecting lip element 92] on the upper part of each of the tongues 883 engages the trailing end of the bottom plate in moving to the position of Fig. 15. The feed plate 883 thus passes under the next to bottom plate P as shown in Fig. 15. However, as movement continues to the position shown in Fig. 16, the

tongues 883 ride up the cam shaped left ends 882 of grooves 882 and the lip portions 92! rise above the bottom plate. Feeding movement is continued, however, by a shoulder element 922' on each tongue 883' below the lip 92!, andthe lip 92! thereafter rides between the bottom plate and the next higher plate, flexing the latter somewhat and serving to break up any adhesion between such next plate and plates aboveit. Then after the feeding plate 883 completes its feeding stroke and is later withdrawn to the right, the next plate drops into feeding position, clearing the post 9E6 at notch 919 and subsequently the cycle is repeated.

As plates P are fed out of the magazine, they enter between guiding and holding means which retain control over them during their movement into and out of printing position. Referring to Fig. 10, a grooved or channeled member 93!, which may be integral with or separate from the table 859 but has its upper surface substantially flush therewith, is shaped to receive a guide rail 932. The rail 932 comprises a rectangular bar the lower part of which fits firmly in a groove 933 in the channel member 93!. The upper front edge of the rail 932 is rabbetted as shown at 939 and a thin plate or strip 935, preferably of a resilient metal such as spring steel is fastened to the rail 932 so as to project over the rabbetted portion 934.

To the front vertical face of the rail 932 there is adjustably secured another strip 936 preferably of resilient metal, for example spring steel. The upper edge is preferably of a complementary shape to engage in a groove G provided in the lower face of each of the plates P near the rear edge thereof, Fig. 12. The strip 939 is notched at a plurality of points, as indicated at 931, and screws 538 are passed through these notches into the rail 932. The strip 936 may thus be adjusted vertically so as to properly engage and hold plates P, in cooperation with the overlying plate or strip 935. The frictional grip on the plate should be sufficient to hold it securely and maintain it approximately in a horizontal plane.

At its right end, as seen in Figs. '8, 12 and 13, the horizontal holding strip 935 is curved upwardly as at939 to provide a guide throat for reception of plates P from the feed magazine. Plates P may thus freely enter between the hori zontal plate 935 and the V-edged vertical'plate 935, but as they progress toward the left, the plate 935 forces them down so that the groove G in each plate frictionally engages the sharp 'upper edge of vertical plate 935. As the plates P are fed one after another, each succeeding plate advances those ahead by an amount equal to the in the magazine length of one plate. As shown in Fig. 8, there may be, for example, four plates P between the magazine 810 and the printing position under the platen 87L Each of these plates is quite firmly held and accurately aligned by the holding elements 935 and 936, no other holding device being must be provided since the plate gripping elements 935 and 936 are obviously inadequate for holding the plate for a printing impression. Hence an anvil block 949 is provided in the channel member 93!, directly below the platen mechanism. Since the free longitudinal edges of plates held by the gripping elements 935 and 936 may be disposed slightly below the table level the anvil member 949 is beveled as at a l! at its right end Figs. 8 and 11, to guide the plates P onto its supporting surface.

When a plate P has reached printing position, where it is supported under the platen mechanism 8' by anvil block 949, a sheet or strip of paper and an inking ribbon, not shown, are disposed above the plate. As the platen descends the printing characters on the upper face of the plate P produce an impression on the lower surface of the sheet of paper or the like in a manner well known in the art.

The platen mechanism 81! eccentric866 on shaft 954 is operated by the in precisely the same manner as described in my aforesaid Patent No.

1,975,318. The operating structure comprises eccentric strap 95 I, Fig. 9, connected through link 952 to depending arm 953 of platen lever 959 pivotally mounted at 955. A spring 956 tends tohold the platen in raised position. Safety mechanism, indicated generally at 960, is provided and is identical with that described in said Patent No. 1,975,318.

A pedal lever 91! is pivoted on a transverse frame member as 852 and connected by a link 912 to a bail member 973 which controls a clutch mechanism 914 through a rod 915, Figs. 7 and 8. The construction and operation of such control mechanism forms no part of my present invention, being described in detail in my a oresaid Patent No. 1,992,661 I I From the above description it is believed that the construction and operationv of the printing mechanism will be clear. Groved plates are fed one by one from the magazine 87!} into the frictional guiding structure 934, 935, 936, each plate advancing those in front of it, to dispose such plates sequentially in printing position over the anvil block 949 and beneath the platen 81!. After printing is effected, the plates are pushed on to the left to a suitable receiving compartment 980, Fig, 7, where they are preferably stacked for reuse in the same order in which they are sequentially passed through the machine.

The advantages flowing from the plate construction illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6 and described in detail in my aforesaid copending application, are thus utilized in the printing mechanism. Grooved plates may be fed and positively controlled by simple efi'ective guiding, control and holding elements at every stage of the various operations through which such plates must be passed. The feeding mechanisms in the printing machinery take advantage of its groovedstructure to maintain accurate alignment and register during movement to working position with a positive and effective holding by extremely simple mechanism during various required mechanical operations. The means whereby a plate may be securely held and controlled by engagement with a narrow longitudinal marginal portion, leaving the major part of the plate free for printing and like operations, thus constitute an important feature of my invention.

Hence, while I have illustrated and described the preferred embbdiment of my invention, it is to be understood that this is capable of variation and modification and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview ofthe following claims.

I claim:

1. In a printing machine through which a succession of printing plates, each having a longitudinally extending groove formed in one face thereof along a line parallel'to and removed from one edge portion thereof, are adapted to be fed, said machine comprising in combination, a magazine for receiving a supply of said plates, printing means to which said plates are to be advanced one by one, guide and holding means defining a path of movement for said plates from the magazine to the printing means, said guide and holding means comprising a horizontally extending channel means in which the said one edge portion of each of said plates is adapted to ride while the plate is being advanced from the magazine to the printing means and also comprising a member presenting a vertical edge for engaging the groove in each of said plates, and feed means for advancing the lowermost one of said plates from the bottom of said magazine accurately on to said guide and holding means.

2. In a printing machine through which a succession of printing plates, each having a longitudinally extending groove formed in one face thereof along a line parallel to and removed-from one edge portion thereof, are adapted to be fed, said machine comprising in combination, a magazine for receiving a supply of said plates, printing means to which said plates are to be advanced one by one, guide and holding means defining a path of movement for said plates from the magazine to the printing means, said guide and hold ing means comprising flange means beneath which one edge portion of each of said printing plates may be positioned in facing relationship during advancement thereof from the magazine to the printing means and also comprising a member presenting a vertical edge for engaging the groove in each of said plates, said member being disposed beneath said flange means and spaced apart therefrom a distance slightly greater than the thicknesses of said plates whereby the said one edge portion of each of said plates may be retained against and positioned relative to said flange means while the plate is being advanced from the magazine to the printing means, and feed means for advancing the lowermost one of said plates from the bottom of said magazine accurately on to said guide and holding means.

3. In a printing machine through which a succession of printing plates, each having a longitudinally extending groove formed in one face thereof along a line parallel to and removed from one edge portion thereof, are adapted to be fed, said "machine comprising in combination, a magazine' for receiving a supply of said plates, printv ing means to which said plates are to be advanced one by one, guide and holding means defining a path of movement for said plates from the magazine to the printing means, said guide and holding meansvcomprising a flange adapted to overlie a portion of the face of each of said plates opposite to the face thereof in which said groove is disposed and also comprising means for engaging the groove in each of said plates, said last-named means being disposed beneath said flange in parallel longitudinal alignment therewith andbeing spaced from said flange a distance affording a passageway in which the said one edge portion of each of said printing plates may ride and be retained while'the plate is being advanced from the magazine to the printing means, an anvil block having a beveled face for engaging the leading edge of each of said printing plates to properly position thesame relative to the printing means, said beveled face being positioned within said path at a point in advance of the printing means, and feed means for advancing the lowermost one of said plates from the bottom of said magazine accurately on to said guide and holding means.

l. In a printing machine through which a succession of printing plates, each having a longitudinally extending groove formed in one face thereof along a line parallel to and spaced from one edge portion thereof, are adapted to be fed, said machine comprising in combination, a magazine adapted to receive a supply .of said plates, printing means to which said plates are to be advanced one by'o'ne, guide and holding means defining a path of movement for said plates from the magazine to the printing means, said guide and holding means being in the form of a pair of elements in parallel longitudinal alignment one with respect to the other, one of said elements being of a configuration to engage the groove in each of said plates and the other of said elements being of a configuration to overlie a portion of the face of each of said plates opposite to the face thereof in which the said groove is disposed, said elements being spaced apart from each other a distance slightly greater than the thicknesses of said plates to thereby define a longitudinal passageway in which the said one edge of each of said plates may be held against displacement while the plate is being advanced from the magazine to the printing means, and feed -means for feeding the lowermost one of said plates from the bottom of the magazine accurately on to the guide and holding means.

5. In a printing machine through which a succession of printing plates each having a notched edge adjacent the trailing edge are to be accurately aligned relative to a guide and holding means defining a path along which said plates may be advanced through the machine, which means include spaced apart channel-defining elements in parallel longitudinal alignment, one of which elements is of a configuration to engage a side portion on one face of each of said plates-and the other of which elements is of a configuration to engage a groove formed in the opposite side portion on the other face whereby said :platesare retained in position between said elements, a printing plate supply magazine at one end of said path, printing means to which said plates are to be advanced one by one while retained in said guide and holding means, and means for feeding the lowermost one of said printing plates from the bottom of the magazine atone end thereof in accurate position on to said guide and holding means, said last-named means comprising a member having a portion configured complementary to the said notch in each of said printing plates and being vertically disposed within said magazine at a location corresponding to the notch in each of the plates, said portion of said member terminating short of the bottomlof said magazine a distance slightly thickness of one of said plates whereby the said lowermost one of the plates alone is positionable at the bottom of said magazine free of engagement with the said configured portion, and a plate reciprocable at the other end of said magazine, said reciprocable plate being slidable along the bottom of said magazine in a direction to abut against the trailing edge of the said lowermost printing plate positionable therein free of said configured portion to feed the same on to the guide and holding means.

6. In a printing machine comprising a magazine for holding a supply of plate-like articles each having a notch formed in one longitudinal edge adjacent the trailing edge thereof, a receiving station to which said articles are to be advanced one by one, and a guideway along which said articles are to be fed one from one end of the magazine to the receiving station, feed means for advancing the lowermost one of said articles positionable at the bottom of the magazine from the said one end thereof accurately in. position on to said guideway, said means comprising a member having a portion configured complementary to the notch in each of the articles and being vertically disposed within said magazine at a location corresponding to the notch in each of the articles whereby said articles may be positioned in said magazine with the notches thereof engaged by the said complementary configured portion, said complementary configured portion terminating short of the bottom of the magazine a distance slightly greater than the thickness of one of said articles but less than the combined thickness of two of said articles whereby the said lowermost one of the articles alone is positionable at the bottom of said'magazine free of engagement with the said configured portion, and a plate member reciprocable at the other end of said magazine adapted to slide along the bottom of the magazine in the direction of the trailing edge of the lowermost article positionable therein to feed said lowermost article on to the guideway.

7. In a printing machine comprising a magazine for holding a supply of plate-like articles each having a notch reater than the in one end adjacent the trailing edge thereof, a receiving station to which said articles are to be advanced one by one, and a guideway along which said articles are to be fed one by one from one end of the magazine to the receiving station, feed means for advancing the lowermost one of said articles positionable at the bottom of themagazine from the said one end thereof accurately in position on to said guideway, said means comprising a member having a portion configured complementary the notch in each of said articles and being vertically disposed within the magazine at a location corresponding to the notch in each of the articles whereby said articles may be positioned in the magazine with the notches thereof engaged by the said complementary configured portion, said portion terminating short of the bottom of the magazine a distance slightly greater than the thickness of one of said articles but less than the combined thickness of two of said articles whereby the notch in the said lowermost one of the articles alone is not engageable with the said configured portion, a slot provided in one portion of the bottom of the magazine, said slot having a camrned end within said magazine and opening at the other end of said magazine, a plate reciprocable at the said other end of the magazine and having a leading end portion adapted to abut against that trailing edge of the said lowermost one of the articles to feed said article from beneath the said configured portion on to the guideway, said reciprocable plate being slidable along a portion of the length of the bottom of the magazine and beneath the said configured portion in the direction of the trailing edge of the said lowermost one of the articles to abut against the said trailing edge and advance said lowermost article on to the guideway.

WALTER T. GOLLWITZER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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