US2643608A - Printing plate securing means - Google Patents

Description

June 30, 1953 w. T. GoLLwlfrzl-:R

PRINTING PLATE sEcURING MEANS.

original Filed Aug. '1, 194s ,|I l"l omo onAJavaJQ l le ol HS 2..... wma M Junm. .m on s ...u L lao n P N.

, /NVENTOR @Va/ter 7. Go//w/zgr Arroz/VE Y6 APatented `lune 30, 1953 TENT OFFICE :2,643,608 PRINTING PLATE sEoURING MEANS` Walter T. Gollwitzer,

Addressograph-Muiti mington,

Original application August 687,724. Divided and th 194:8-, Serial No. 32,412

Euclid, Ohio, assigner to graph Corporation, Wil- Del., a corporation of Delaware 1', 1946, Serial No.

is application June 11,

6 Claims. (C1, 10i-369) This application is a division o fmy copending application, Serial No. 687,724, filed August 1, i945, novv U. S. Patent No. 2,576,596.

rEhe present invention relates to printing quipment and more particularly to printing plates having novel characteristics and advantages by which the printing plates are rendered especially Well adapted for embossing in an embossing machine such as that disclosed in my aforesaid copending application, Serial No. 687,724, now U. S. Patent No. 2,576,596, and for use as the printing device used in printing machines of the type disclosed in my copending i application, Serial No. 32,413, led June l1, 1948,

which is also c, division oi my aforesaid copending application, Serial No. 687,724, now U. S. Patent No. 2,576,596. y

It has been customary in the past to employ printing devices of the general Vcharacter to which one aspect of my present invention relates, to pass such devices through an embossing mechanism to provide Iprinting characters thereo-n, and finally 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 prepared and retained for periodical reuse. Although such printing devices and the mechanisms with which they are employed have gone into Wide use Vand have been successful in accomplishing great savings in time and economies in various type of operations, they have nevertheless required a great deal of manual handling. Thus, in the past, it has been v 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 manu- A ally to a supporting frame Which may bear an identification card, control tabs, and other material. The complete printing device, usually comprising a frame and plate assembly, is then passed through printing mechanism, particular feeding devices being required for handling such printing devices.

It is an object of my present invention to eliminate a large part oi the manual handling formerly required in the use of printing devices 2 of the aforesaid character by so modifying the ,printing plate' that certain manual operations may be eliminatedv and other operations expedited.

, A further object of my invention is to so form the printing plate blank itself that it is particularly Well adapted for automatic processing through embossing machines and for auto-matic handling in printing machines.

Another object is to so modify the printing plate per se that it may be utilized in mechanismfor embossing, printing, e-tc., asmentioned above, but is also" still suitable'for use in existing types of equipment in themanner which has been customary in the past. y

A further object is to form a groove along an 'edge cfa printing plate which will facilitate utiligation of said plate in embossing, printing and like machines.

'Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings which, by Way ofV illustration, vshovv preferred embodiments of the present invention and the pinciples thereof and what I now consider to be the best mode in which I have -contemplatedapplying these principles. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the .same or equivalent principles may be used and structural kchanges', may be made as desired by those skilled in the art Without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In vthe drawings:

Fig. l is a plan or face view of the preferred orm of the novel printing Plate of this invenion;

Fig. 2 isV a view of the rear face of the plate yshown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the plate shown in Fig. 1 drawn to an enlarged scale and taken substantially on' the line V3---3 on Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of a printing device of the characterin .which the novel printngdplate of the present invention may be utiize v y Fig. 5 is a sectional detail View drawn to yan enlarged scale and taken substantially on the line 5-5 on Fig. 4;

Fig. 5A is similar to Fig. 5, showing amodication; l Y

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary elevational view similar to Fig. 4 and showing Va modified form oi. a

printing devi-ce in which the novel printing plate 0i this invention may be utilized;

A automatically withdrawn from fed into a jaw adapted to receive and retain the plate during the after the novel plate may be rolled to atten the Fig. 7 is a sectional detail view taken substantially on the line 1--7 on Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is another fragmentary elevational View of yet another modified form of printing device in which the novel printing plate of this invention may be utilized;

Fig. 9 is a sectional detail View taken substantially on the line 9-9 on Fig. 8;

Figs. l and l1 are fragmental rear face views similar to Fig. 2 and showing modified forms of the novel printing plate of this invention; and

Fig. 12 is a face view. similar to Fig. l, of another form of plate made according to my invention.

The novel printing plate of the present invention is so constituted and arranged that plates of this nature may be stacked in the magazine of an embossing apparatus of the type disclosed in my aforesaid application, Serial No. 687,724, now U. S. Patent No.

the magazine and same while type characters are embossed on the embossing operation and theresame and insure that the type characters embossed thereon are of uniform height. Likewise after type characters have been embossed on the novel printing plates of the present invention these may be introduced into the magazine of a printing machine that is constituted and arranged to have my novel printing plates fed therethrough such as, for example, the machine disclosed in my aforesaid copending application, Serial No. 32,413, In orderthat Ythe novel printing plates of the present invention may be thus automatically advanced through embossing, printing and like machines I provide a groove in desirably rectangular printing plates P of this invention adjacent one of the longer edges of the plate.

Thus as illustrated in Fig. l a printing plate of the character disclosed in my Patent No. 1,955,803, patended April 24, 1934, is provided in the present invention with a discontinuous groove G formed in one face thereof to .pass across the base of the serpentineprojections E alongone of the longer edges of this plate.V It is advantageous to afford a groove as G in a plate as P because so to do enables sucha plate to be used in accordance with the present invention and yet enables the plate to be used in the same manner as that in which a plate such as. that disclosed in my aforesaid Patent No. 1,955,803 may be utilized.

.Using a plate of the type shown in Fig. 10, a

groove as Gi may be formed to intersect the bases of the projections El along the edge of a printing plate as Pl, this particular plate being of the general character disclosed, for example, in Duncan Patent No. 808,909, patented January 2, 1906. As a further modification, a similar groove as G2 may be formed to intersect substantially rectangular projections E2 provided along the edge of a plate as P2, as disclosed in Fig. 1l. A

groove of the same character, yas shown at G3, may be provided adjacent one of the longer edges of a substantially rectangular plate as P3, Fig. 12, Which is not provided with serpentine or serrated projections along the longer edges thereof. With all these various kinds of plates, however,

' a groove as G, Gl, G2 or G3 will be formed in one face of the plate, and preferably the lower or intaglio face, adjacent to and generally parallel with one of the longer edges thereof, since so to do enables such plates to be fed through embossing, printing or like machines Without 2,576,596, to be thereafter mounting such plates in the frame or carrier customarily provided for printing plates as these have been used heretofore.

In the plate P3, Fig. 12, there is preferably provided a notch which may be arcuate in form and of a width and depthgenerally corresponding to the width and depth of one of the concave elements between projecting parts E of the serpentine edged plate of Figs. 1 and 2. The purpose of this notch is to cooperate with certain feeding mechanism, as will be explained hereinafter. As the plates of Figs. 1, 10, and 11 all have notch elements, provision of a special notch therein is unnecessary.

While in the illustrated forms of my invention I have shown the groove as G formed adjacent to one of the longer edges vof a substantially rectangular printing plate as P, it will be understood that such a groove might, if desired, be formed along one of the shorter edges of a substantially rectangular printing plate without departing from the purview of my invention, for so to do will enable a printing plate to be fed through embossing, printing and like machines in the same manner, generally speaking, as that in which a plate having a groove as G formed therein adjacent one of the longer edges thereof may be fed through such machines. Also, while the groove is preferably in the lower or intaglio face, it may be formed in the upper or printing face of the plate.

A groove as G may be formed in a printing plate as P by resort t0 a die equipped with a cutting blade that will be effective to form the groove as G in the course of operation of the die. Grooving of the plate may thus be accomplished simultaneously with the operation of cutting the plate out of sheet stock, if desired. However, in some instances it may be advantageous to feed pre cut printing plates, or strips from which such plates are to be cut, which are to be equipped with the grooves G past a suitable rotating cutting tool. To do so is within the purview of my invention although preferably the groove as G will be formed by providing a die with a cutting blade as above described.

The novel printing plate of the present invention is suitable vfor use as formed and need not be mounted in a frame or carrier Fin the manner in which similar printing plates have heretofore been mounted. However, the novel printing plate of the presentinvention may advantageously be utilized in a frame or carrier. Thus where it is advantageous to have 'an index card associated with the printing plate so as to facilitate filing and other handling of the printing plate, such a plate may be mounted advantageously in a frame or carrier F.` Any of the illustrated plates as P, Pl, P2 or P3 may be mounted in a frame or carrier in place, for example, of a plate of the character shown in my aforesaid Patent No. 1,955,803. Thus the plate P,`Fig. l, of the present invention is Vcapable of being mounted directly in the frame or carrier shown in that patent in the same manner as that in which the serpentine or wavy edged plate shown in that patent may be mounted in such'fra'me. likewise, the plates Pl, P2 or P3 may be used in frames or carriers of the character widely used in the prior art, for example, in the carrier disclosed in the aforesaid Duncan Patent No. 808,909.

However, where a printing plate as P is equipped according to my present invention, with a groove such as G, Figs. 1 and 2, resort may be had advantageously to a lframe or carrier particularly constituted and arranged Ato ycooperate with such a plate. 'One of the marked `advantages of the present invention is 4thatsuch Ia plate may be electively retained on such 'a carrier vby merely engaging one marginal vportion of 'the plate adjacent the groove formed therein with a suitable retaining means aorded -on Vthe frame or carrier. `In such an instance plate retaining means need not be provided on the carrier for the opposite edge of the plate.

Thus, for example, inthe frame or carrier F' shown in Fig. 4, which is generally -of the character vdisclosed in rny "Patent No. Re. 22,249, patented Januar-y l2, 1943, a card lC is retained on the face of the frame F by 'means RC in the customary manner. It will 'be noted, however, that the rranie F' does not include -retaining devices arranged 'for cooperation with the edge vol the plate P, `mounted Veon the frame F, that lies adjacent to the 'index 'card C. As Vis customary, the frame F is provided with "a lower bead 'LB which extends along the lower edge thereof. However, beneath the plate and opposite the upturned edge of the lower "bead L'B, -an element of the :frame is formed to project 'into the groove and provide a retainingr lip RL. See Fig. f5. The free edge of Athe retaining lip RL is ldesirably formed to be complementary-to the lcrosssection coniiguration of lthe `groove as G and wherein the present instance the 'groove -as G iis .substantially V-shaped in cross section, the free edge of the retaining 'lip RL `is 'likewise of V-s'haped cross section. The vfree -edge of the retaining lip RL is accurately spaced from the adjacent face of the lower 'bead LB, such Vspacing 'being accurately related vto the rthickness vof the plate between-the inner edge of fthe :groove as Gand the face of the plate opposite that in which Vthe groove G is formed. Therefore, `vvlierl a .plate as P is slid 'into a retaining bead asLB, the-retaining lip as RLmay-pass into 'the A.groove .as G,

'a retain-ing lip as RL passing into a .groove es G. Where resort `is had -to afretaining lip ,as RL adapted for cooperation with La groove -as 5G, it is not necessary that the spacing of the free .edge of the 'reta-ininglip as '-RL from the inner face of the Nlower bea-.d as 'LB be maintained .with .e-X- treme accuracy, reasonable accuracy :being sufli- 'cient since the-usual manufacturing tolerances, or even more, are Ipermissible in .such spacing.

In Fig. -5A the plate 'P 'has a groove ;G .on the printing face instead .of @the rea-r face .and the upturned edge of the lower bead 'LB is formed to =provide a retaining flip rRLfl, .having the ,same function as ythe element RL of Fig. .5.. By this means, v.the plate may be retained :solely bythe lower edge thereof.

The retention of .a :plate as P :on a frame as F 'by merely .engaging .one Ledge lthereof .in rthe Emanner shown, for example in Fig. 4, is ad-vall- Vtageous for this .eliminates the necessity ofspacing .retaining devices .for .opposite edges of a .printing plate from .each other in such a Way as to care for printing :plates of Vvarying @Widths rlhus while .fall printing .plates may the made of uniform -vvidth Vwithin customary :manufacturing tolerances, .after embossing they vari7 Somewhat- `Such variations are due to differences in :the lengths .of different names and `addresees or .other .matter 'to vbe printed from Y.type characters T `embossed on plates as:P. v'Printing plate'sexpand in .width Yto vvarious :degrees when `they are Smbcssed, depending :upon the :number of rows of .characters embossed. HeIetDfOre the Spacing between retaining Adevices for opposite :edges of a printing ,plate on ,a trame has been balanced. Vso that those printing :plates 01.1 which but e small number of type :characters Ewere embossed Y would loe properly retained against transverse and in vievvof the interrelationshipbetween the aforesaid thickness of the plate and the 4spacing of the free edge of 'the'reta'ining lip .RL from the 'bead LB, the plate as P nis heldin 'position` between the bead LB and the lip TRL. The "f1tting of the retaining lip as RL into :the groove as G is of course efiectivefto 'prevent'transverse movement vof the plate as P pnthe frame as'F.

'in order to prevent longitudinal movement .of

the plate on the frame, :resort fmaybe had to yielding tongues .such fas are ycustomarily provided fer 'this'purposegthe 'tongues v1T shown in Fig. e desirably being of l the'character'disclosed in my aforesaid 'Patent No. fRe. 22,249. in order that the plate as `P maycooperat-c withtongues as T notches :as N are :formed in 'the shorter edges of the plate .in vthe vmanner :and for the purpose disclosed in my aforesaid Reissue Patent No. 22,249. t 'will be understood however-'that resort might Well be had to other :arrangements for retaining a plate las P vagainst vlongitudinal movement on a frame as F, asxfor example, .by

resorting to spring' tongues fsuch fas fare disclosed in the patent toMohler 1,'812;294 ,gpatented July 7,1931.

`While it is desirable thatthe meedere of'the 'retaining lipRL neatly :lit into agroovefas in a rprinting plate as P, 'the Yusual manufacturing tolerances'are permissible, for `itris desirable 'that the free Vedge of 'the retaining lip as'RL noti-it into the groove as G and force zthe .-platefas P so tightly against rvthe adjacent 'facecf the `frame as F-as to impair free Vslidingfrnovementfof'the plateas P lontothe faceo'f the Tfra-me `as fFwith movement on the Y.face nf the frame endet `the same time those printing-fplates on Which-a large number of type ollaracters T ,had Vto be embossed would not bind on such retaining devices.

However, while .tliefnovel printing plate -of this .invention may be retained on .a frame as F by merely engaging fone of the longer edges `thereof with .a retaining means therefor, as the retaining lip RL or'RLI, a frame ,or carrier adapted to receive the novel printing plate of the present invention may be equipped lwith retaining .devices .adapt-ted fQr cooperation .with lopposite ofthe longeredges of aprintingplate asf?, Thus the .framexFZ shown iin 6 A,is Aarranged to retain an index card :as l.C2 .on .one face thereof and plate ',vretainingrdevces asRDare provided at spaced intervals Vonthe face .of the rframe adjacent v to the yri-:taining .devices RC adapted to retain the lower edge of anindex cardafs C2 mounted on the ,face of the `fratrie as,F2,. As -best `shovvn in Eig. ,'l .the .iframe E12 lis ,provided Vwith .a lower bead LB? that is arranged "in the .ma-nner conventionalin theart, which `is to Say. this bead visnot.eininteri with ,a retaining 'lisp as RL. However, .in this instance the retaining -de- .vices RD kare equipped lvvith retaining 'lips RLZ `that `are arranged similarly 'to the ,retaining vlips RL! Iand ,these retaining vlips R'L lare adapted to cooperate-:With the ,groove as-G-"in-a plateas P disposed on the face oft-he frame-F2. v'Infthis case the groove G is formed "in the Yrelief .or Yprinting face ofthe plate'P. As explained-,hereinabove it is 'not .-necessary'that the vretaining devices RD and `the retaining lips :BL2- thereon -be accurately spaced-fromitheilower bead-as LB land advantageously :the spacing between rsuch retaining devices .and:bea1:mayijbefllehSie .t0

` on the frame or carrier.

amply accommodate the maximum of expansion of a plate as might be effected by vembossing type characters over substantially the entire surface of a printing plate as P.

When retaining devices as RD are afforded in conjunction with retaining lips as RL or RL2 a plate as P may be effectively retained on the face of the frame as F without resorting to a lower bead as LBZ and a frame F3 equipped in this manner is illustrated in Fig. 8. Thus it will be seen that the novel printing plate of the present invention may be effectively retained on a frame or carrier therefor by providing retaining devices that are adapted to cooperate with a groove `as G formed in the plate. Such retaining devices may be arranged to cooperate with either the lower or the upper edge of a plate as P mounted thereon, as shown in Figs. 4 .and 8 respectively, and With either the relief or intaglio face, as shown in desired, retaining means may be provided for cooperation with the edge of the plate opposite the grooved edge. An arrangement of this character is shown in Fig. 6 and could be combined with the retaining means RLS, Fig. 8. In this respect it will be understood that where a fra-me as F is equipped with a bead as LB and a retaining lip as RL, Figs. 4, 5, 5A, conventional retaining devices may be provided on the face of the frame for cooperation with the upper edge Y of the plate and such retaining devices may be arranged in the manner conventional in the art.

When the groove as G is formed in the plate as P on the face of the plate on which the type characters Gl appear in intaglio, the groove en. gaging means are formed in the body of the carrier or frame F, as in Figs. 5 and 9. Where the groove is in the relief side of the plate, the groove engaging elements RLI, RLZ, Figs. 5A and 7, are preferably formed as part of overhang bead or other plate retaining elements.

Thus where a novel printing plate of the present invention is to be mounted on a frame or carrier therefor, such frame or carrier will be equipped with retaining means that are adapted to cooperate with a groove as G formed adjacent to one marginal edge of the plate to be mounted Such retaining means will be arranged in the manner described hereinabove with particular reference to the groove engaging element RL, RL-i, etc., and in such an instance a plate as P will be effectively retained on the frame or carrier therefor whether or not such frame or carrier is equipped with retaining means adapted for cooperation with the edge ci the plate as P opposite the edge along which the groove as G is formed.

While the novel printing plate of the present invention may be mounted on a frame or carrier, as in those instances where it is necessary or advantageous that an index card be associated with the plate, one of the marked advantages of the printing plate of the present invention is that such a iiat plate may be automatically ied through embossing, printing and like machines without being mounted on a frame or carrier therefor, something which has not been heretofore possible in fiat printing plates that were not equipped with spacing ilanges or other reenforcing means. The primary reason that this is possible with the hat plate of the present invention is the provision of the groove as G adjacent to one of the edges of the plate. Such a groove enables the plate to be effectively grasped Figs. 5, 5A, 7 and 9. If ,Y

.- and held by ymechanism by which it may be fed through embossing, printing and like machines.

Where the novel printing plates of the present invention are to be automatically ed through an embossing machine to have type characters T embossed therein, such embossing machine or apparatus is lequipped withl means particularly adapted forcooperation `with plates including a groove as G. An embossing machine so equipped is illustrated and described in my aforesaid copending application Serial No. 687,724, now U. S. Patent No. 2,576,596.

The various forms of printing plates described hereinabove may, of course, be embossed in any embossing machine of the character that has heretofore been employed in the embossing of similar printingV plates. However, the various forms of the printing plate of this invention are particularly adapted Vfor embossing in an embossing machine of the kind disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 687,724, now U. S. Patent No. 2,576,596, of which this application is a division, inasmuch as the above described structural characteristics of the printing plate of the present invention render the plate particularly suitable for use in such an embossing machine.

Moreover, while as described hereinabove the novel* printing plate of this invention may be mounted on a carrier and thereafter be used in a manner well understood in the art, the novel printing plate of this invention, in each of the various forms described hereinabove is particularly suitable for use in a printing machine of the kind disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 32,4313, iiled June 1l, 1948, which is also a division of my aforesaid application, Serial No. 687,724, now U. S. Patent No. 2,576,596 without being mounted on such a carrier.

Thus, while I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that these are 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 of the following claims.

l claim:

l. In combination a printing plate having a marginal plate retaining groove formed in one face thereof and a plate holding frame consisting of a baclring element against which said plate may be retained, an overlying element on said frame for retaining said plate in contact with said iirst named element, groove engaging means projecting from one of said elements into the groove in said plate to prevent lateral displacement or said plate, .and means for preventing longitudinal displacement of said plate with respect to said frame;

2. In combination, a printing plate having a marginal plate retaining groove formed in one face thereof, a plate holding frame consisting of a backing element against which said plate may be retained, an overlying element integral with said backing element for holding said plate in face to face contact with said backing element, means in the form of a lip projecting into the groove in said plate from one of said elements to prevent lateral displacement of said plate relative to said frame and yieldable means borne by said frame for preventing longitudinal displacement of said plate.

3. A substantially rectangular flat printing I plate blank adapted to be held for free longitudinal movement while restrained from lateral and angular displacement by groove engaging means, said blank having a groove of substantial depth relative to the thickness of said blank extended thereinto from one face of said blank, said groove being formed in and parallel with a series of intermittent projections extending from a longitudinal edge of said blank.

4. A substantially rectangular at printing plate blank adapted to be held for free longitudinal movement While being restrained from lateral and angular displacement by groove eng-aging means, said blank having undulating edge portions and a groove of substantial depth relative to the thickness of said blank extended thereinto from one face thereof and across protruding elements of one of said edge portions in one face of said blank and adjacent to and parallel With a longitudinal edge element of said blank.

5. A substantially rectangular flat printing plate blank having notched longitudinally edge elements aiording projecting edge portions and a groove for holding said plate against transverse and lateral movement while permitting longitudinal movement relative to a holding means, said n groove being extended into the blank from one face thereof and along a marginal portion thereoi so as to have discontinuous elements across said projecting edge portions along and substantially parallel with one longitudinal edge of said blank, said groove being of substantial depth rel- 10 ative to the thickness of said blank to afford a positive control element for holding and guiding said plate.

6. A substantially at and rectangular printing plate blank adapted to be held for vfree longitudinal movement While being restrained from lateral and angular displacement by engaging means, said blank having a groove of substantial depth relative to the thickness of said blank extended thereinto from one face of said blank adjacent to and generally parallel with a longitudinal edge element of said blank, and a notch in said longitudinal edge of said blank disposed to interrupt said groove and adapted to cooperate with means for controlling longitudinal displacement of said blank.

WALTER T. GOLLWITZER.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number' Name Date 478,750 Horgan July 12, 1892 955,802 Howard Apr. 19, 1910 1,116,032 De Minico Nov. 3, 1914 1,955,803 Gollwitzer Apr. 24, 1934 2,248,726 Stoll 1 July 8, 1941 2,402,706 Sprigg June 25, 1946 `2,425,325 Hueber Aug. 12, 1947 2,425,350 Schultz 1 Aug. 12, 1947

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