US2683525A

US2683525A - Typographical casting machine

Info

Publication number: US2683525A
Application number: US293575A
Authority: US
Inventors: Victor M Corrado
Original assignee: Mergenthaler Linotype GmbH
Current assignee: Mergenthaler Linotype GmbH; Mergenthaler Linotype Co
Priority date: 1952-06-14
Filing date: 1952-06-14
Publication date: 1954-07-13
Anticipated expiration: 1971-07-13
Also published as: CH309205A; NL178739B; NL88860C; GB728484A; DE948249C; DE1730649U; FR1080857A

Description

y 13, 1954 v. M. CORRADO 2,683,525

TYPOGRAPHICAL CASTING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 14, 1952 M W7 INVENTOR 2: BY 2 ATTORNEYS July 13, 1954 V. M. CORRADO TYPOGRAPHICAL CASTING MACHINE Filed June 14, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 13, 1954 TYPOGRAPHICAL CASTING MACHINE Victor M. Corrado, Williston Park, N. Y., assignor to Mergenthaler Linotype Company, a corporation of New York Application June 14, 1952, Serial No. 293,575

11 Claims.

This invention relates to typographical casting machines and, more particularly, to Linotype" machines of the general organization represented in U. S. Letters Patent to O. Mergenthaler, No. 436,532, wherein circulating matrices and spacebands are composed in line and then delivered to a vertically movable transporter or first elevator, the elevator lowered to bring the line to casting position between a pair of vise jaws and in front of a mold, whereupon molten metal is forced into the mold against the faces of the matrices to form a type bar or slug, and finally the elevator raised to lift the line to transfer position preparatory to distribution of the matrices and spacebands.

The vise or line clamping jaws are mounted for horizontal movement toward and from each other in the cap portion of a vise frame and are operable separately or conjointly by a vertically movable rod which may be connected through the medium of cell crank levers to either the left or right jaw in quadding or to both jaws in centering. The various operating parts of the quadding and centering mechanism are built into a housing detachably attached to the left-hand side of the vise frame and are described in detail in a pending application of L. Rossetto, Serial No. 183,033, filed September 2, 1950. The vertical movements of the operating rod for the bell crank levers are controlled by a spring-operated cam-controlled member of the justification mechanism which completes two upward and downward operations during each machine cycle. The first upward stroke of this justification member is utilized to permit the vertical rod to be raised by a comparatively light spring so as to move either or both vise jaws inwardly against a composed line positioned in the casting position, and the second upward stroke of said member is utilized to impart an additional line squeeze pressure to the jaws prior to the casting operation. Thereafter, and as the endwise pressure on the line is released, the line is lifted by the elevator from between the jaws and the jaws then restored to normal spread-apart position.

When the justification member begins to descend after the first upward stroke thereof, the spring pressure which served to close the jaws against the ends of the line is removed, thereby permitting a certain degree of natural expansion of the line and, in addition, permitting the jaws to back away slightly from the composed line. This spongy condition of the line and the receding movement of the jaws is most undesirable because, during the second or extra pressure apply.

ing stroke of the justification member, it is only possible to impart a very limited movement to the jaws, and to the extent that this limited movement has to be used up to regainlost motion, the extra pressure is reduced. One disadvantage of this loss of pressure could be the failure of the casting mechanism to function due to a standard safety device which comes into action whenever the pressure is insufiicient to create an adequate casting seal. However, the loss of pressure more commonly results in the production of imperfect type bars, due principally to the formation of fins or burrs thereon.

As one feature of the present invention, the above difiiculty is overcome by the provision of means for preventing the jaws from appreciably receding after the first operation of the justification member.

As mentioned above, the justification lever opcrates a second time just prior to the casting peration. In casting, the molten metal is forced into the mold and against the faces of the composed matrices as well as against the back surfaces of the vise jaws adjacent the ends of the composed line, the pressure exerted between the matrices and the vise jaws creating a seal to prevent the escape of molten metal. The molten metal has a tendency to adhere to and build up on the clamping faces of the jaws, gradually forming small hard protuberances which, unless removed, will cause the production of imperfect type bars, damage the side walls of the matrices and give rise to other objectionable conditions. In regular machine operation (as distinguished from qaudding and centering) the composed line is fully justified between the preadjusted and relatively stationary vise jaws by the expanding pressure of the spacebands, and this pressure is maintained to some degree after the casting operation and while the composed line is being lifted from between the jaws; consequently the jaws are consistently subjected to a wiping action by the two end matrices in the line, preventing the build-up of metal thereon. On the other hand, in quadding and centering operations, the pressure during casting is exerted on the line through the jaw operating rod by the second upward stroke of the justification membar. This pressure has to be substantially reduced to allow the line to be removed from between the jaws, and the timing is such that the justification member begins its final downward travel in the machine cycle before the line is lifted from between the jaws. Hence, when the justification member descends, the pressure applied to the jaws through the control rod is removed and the jaws are free to yield, with the result that the desired wiping action is not achieved in quadding and centering operations.

Accordingly, as another feature of the present invention, supplementary means are provided to hold the jaws in contact with the line after casting until the line has been sufliciently lifted to achieve a wiping action. Various devices have been heretofore proposed to achieve this wiping action in connection with quadding and centering attachments; see for example the clamping device described in the pending application of R. H. Turner, Serial No. 229,594, filed June 2, 1951. However, the present invention provides a greatly simplified device and one which is rendered both operative and inoperative from the main cam shaft of the machine. Moveover, the present device is employed to overcome both of the above diificulties and thus performs a dual function.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing front and rear portions of a Linotype machine equipped with a quadding and centering attachment embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a circuit diagram of the control means for the instant clamping device;

Fig. 3 is a top plan cross-sectional view of the control rod and the instant clamping device;

Fig. 4 is a rear perspective view of the control switch and the actuating cam for the improved device.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the quadding and centering mechanism, showing in particular the manner in which the control rod is operated from the justification lever; and

Fig. 6 is an isometric view of the pawls employed in producing the line squeeze on the jaws.

After a line of matrices and spacebands has been composed, it is delivered to a vertically movable transporter or first elevator I, the operation of which is controlled in the usual way by a cam I a on the main cam shaft A through lever connections I and I. Upon receiving the line, the elevator descends to position it between a lefthand jaw 2 and a right-hand jaw 3 in alignment with a slotted mold (not shown) preparatory to the slug casting operation. Thereafter, the first elevator is raised to the upper transfer level and the composed line is shifted therefrom for distribution.

The two line clamping jaws 2 and 3 are movable toward and from each other and are operable by a vertically movable control rod 4 which is slidably mounted at its upper end in a bearing of a casting 5 within a housing 6. The housing 6 is attached to the left side of the vise frame 7. The control rod 4 is provided at its extreme upper end with an annular grooved collar 3 by means of which it can be selectively connected to either of two oppositely disposed bell crank levers 9 and it for quadding or to both for centering. The bell crank lever 9 is connected to the left-hand jaw 2 by a horizontal link Ii, and the bell crank lever H3 is connected to the right-hand jaw 3 by a similar link I2. Both bell crank levers are pivotally mounted on the casting 5. The inward or closing movement of the jaws during a quadding and centering operation is effected by the upward movement of the control rod 4, whereas the outward or return movement of the jaws is effected by the downward movement of the rod.

The upward jaw closing movement of the control rod is effected by means of a long fore-andaft lever I3 forming part of the well known justification mechanism. The lever I3 is pivoted at its extreme rear end and is actuated in an upward direction by a powerful spring (not shown) under control of a cam I4 located on the main cam shaft A. The downward movement of the lever I3 is likewise effected by the control cam I4. During each machine cycle,'the lever I3 is swung upwardly and downwardly twice in performing its regular justification function. As always, the justfication lever I3 has a forked or bifurcated front end portion presenting two arms, one arm serving to operate the justification bar, and the other arm I3 serving to control a spring-actuated rod (not shown) which operates, in a well known manner, a wedge-shaped clamping member for the left-hand jaw. The arm I3 also has connected to it an extension casting 25 presenting a lower cam surface 25 and a top cam surface 25 (Fig. 5). The cam surface 25 is adapted to engage an antifriction roller carried by a lever 26 pivotally mounted at 26 in the housing 6 and to thereby control its operation; while the cam surface 25 is adapted to engage another antifriction roller carried by a U-shaped lever 27, likewise pivotally mounted in the housing 6 at 21*. The lever 26 is always urged upwardly by a long but not too powerful tension spring 28, but when the justification lever I3 is held in its normal or downward position of rest by the cam I4, the cam surface 25 maintains the lever 26 in a downward or inoperative position against the tension of the spring.

The levers 26 and 21 control the upward jaw closing and pressure applying movements of the vertical rod 4, and they do so through the medi um of a series of pawls 29, 30, 3| cooperating with teeth 4* of a rack 4 carried by the rod 4. The operation of the pawl 29 is controlled from the lever 26 through motion multiplying links 29 and 29 the former link being pivotally connected at one end to the lower end of the pawl 29 and pivotally mounted at the other end in the housing 6, and the latter link being pivotally connected to the lever 25 and the link 29 near their pivots. A spring 29, connecting the pawl 29 and its link 29*, normally serves to urge the pawl into engagement with the rack 4 but, in its normal position of rest, the pawl is held out of engagement therewith by a lip 32 protruding from a U-shaped member 32 and arranged to contact a raised portion 29 on the pawl. The U-shaped member straddles the rod 4 and is mounted on the housing 6.

As best shown in Fig. 6, the pawl Si is set into a hollowed out portion of the pawl 38, and both are pivotally connected to the U-shaped lever 27 adjacent its pivot 2'! so as to be moved bodily upward by the rise of the lever 21. More specifically, the pawl 3| is fast to a short shaft 33 journaled in the arms of the lever 21, and the pawl an is pivotally mounted on this same shaft. A spur 34 on the shaft 33, actuated by a spring 34 serves to rock the pawl 3| into engagement with the rack 4 but the spur is provided with a set screw 34 which, in the normal position of rest of the parts, is adapted to seat on a ledge 5 of the housing 6 and prevent such engagement. Similarly, a spur 35 protruding from the pawl 30. and actuated by a spring 35*, serves to rock the pawl 30 into engagement with the rack 4 but this second spur is also provided with a set screw 35 which, in the normal position of rest of the parts, seats upon another ledge 6 of the housing 6 and prevents su h engagement.

The operation of the jaw closing rod 4 will now be clear: With a line of matrices in position for a quadding or centering operation, the cam-controlled spring-actuated lever I3 is permitted to rise, said rise corresponding to the upward movement for first justification in regular machine operation. As the lever l3 begins to ascend, the lever 26, under the tension of the spring 23, also caused to rise, lifting the pawl 29. As soon as the raised portion 29 passes above the protruding lip 32, the pawl 29 comes into engagement with the rack 4 and serves to effect closing of the jaw or jaws against the composed line. It is evident that the maximum pressure that can be exerted on the line by the action of the pawl 29 at this time is determined by the residual tension of the spring 28 after it has completed the jaw closing action. The further up ward movement of the lever l3 brings the upper surface 25 into contact with the lever 2'5, and as the lever 2'! moves about its pivot, it imparts a limited upward movement to the pawls 3e and 3! mounted thereon. These pawls come into engagement with the rack i the instant the respective spurs 35 and 3% unseat from the ledges 6 and 5 The full pressure of the justification spring is thereupon brought into action against the composed line to supplement the pressure of the spring 28.

After the above described operation, the long fore-and-aft justification lever i3 is forced downwardly by the control cam is preparatory to the second justification. The jaw closing rod 4, however, and of course the rack 4 although relieving the force initially exerted on the composed line, remain in their upward or operated position due to the balance of the systm of levers and the weight of the jaws. .Now, once again the lever i3 is permitted to rise, this second rise correspondin to the second and final justifieation in regular machine operation, and the pawls 29, 36 and 3! are operated in the same manner above described. At the beginning of this second operation, however, the vertical rod t and the rack are already in raised position, as just explained, so that the full pressure of the fully tensioned spring 28 as well as the full pressure of the justification spring are brought into play against the composed line before casting. After casting, the rod 3 is returned to its normal downi ward position by the upward movement of the elevator i, and the jaws are thereby restored to their usual fully separated positions.

As thus far described, the parts and their manner of operation are standard and are fully described in the pending application of L. Rossetto, Serial No. 183,033, hereinbefore referred to, and in themselves constitute no part of the present invention, which latter is directed to improved means for clamping the control rod i at certain predetermined times to acomplish the useful results before noted.

As shown in Fig. 3, the improved clamping device consists of a brass friction stud l5, loosely set into a boring of the casting 5 and radially disposed in relation to the axis of the control rod a steel collar ll seated directly behind the stud, and a lever l8 pivotally mounted in the casting 5 and having a head portion 48 in operative engagement with. the collar ii. The stud i6 is intended to frictionally engage the control rod when pressure is applied thereto by means of the pivotal movement of the lever 58, and the advance end of the stud is shaped to conform with the cylindrical contour of the control rod. The

other end of the lever 18 is provided with an adjustable set screw l9 which banks against the end of the armature 20 of a solenoid 20. The solenoid 20 is attached to the casting 5 by means of an overhanging supporting bracket 5*. When the solenoid is energized, the axial thrust of its armature pivots the lever IS in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3 to apply pressure on the control rod, and when the solenoid is deenergize the pressure is relaxed.

The timed operation of the solenoid 2c is controlled by a switch 2| and a cam wheel 22 on the main cam shaft A. Th switch 2! depicted is of the normally open leaf-type switch and has a roller Zi attached to but insulated from one of the contacts. The switch is adapted to be closed at the desired times by two

cam segments

23 and 23 properly located on the cam wheel 22.

Referring to the circuit diagram in Fig. 2, the usual 110 A. C. voltage supply is first stepped down to 24- volts by a transformer T and then converted to 18 volts D. C. by a selenium rectifier R. To prevent sparking at the switch 2! when it is opened and closed, an arc suppressor 24 (e. g., a selenium rectifier) is arranged in a parallel circuit with the solenoid 2B.

The mode of operation is as follows: The first upward stroke of the justification lever l8 permits the light spring to raise the control rod 3 to close the operative jaw or jaws against the line. The timing is such that while the spring pressure is thus exerted by the jaws on the line, the cam segment 23 closes the switch 2| and energizes the solenoid 2!! which pivots the lever IS and. forces the brass stud l B into frictional engagement with the control rod. With the clamping pressure thus applied to the control rod, the jaws are maintained against the ends of the line and are prevented from backing away, even after the justification lever descends and the upward spring pressure on the control rod is removed. The earn segment 23 is long enough to keep the switch 2! closed until the justification lever begins its second upward stroke, at which time the segment runs out of contact with the switch roller 2 l and allows the switch to open, whereby the solenoid is deenergized and the clamping pressure exerted against the control rod relaxed to permit the upward extra squeeze drive of the control rod. However, before the justification lever begins its secand and final descent in the machine cycle, the second segment 23 comes into play to render the clamping device again operative, and the length of this se ment is such that the line lock-up maintained until the elevator I, in transporting the line to transfer position, has risen about one inch. Thus, although the upward pressure on the control rod is removed when the justifica-tion lever makes its final descent, the continued energization of the solenoid 2i maintains the stud [6 in frictional engagement with the control rod, holding the vise jaws against the line under surficient pressure to permit the two end matrices in line to wipe or clear away any deposit of type metal that might adhere to the clamping faces of the vise jaws. Thereafter, the switch 21 is opened, removing the clamping pressure of the stud E6 to permit the return of the control rod to normal position by the first elevator.

The invention has been shown in preferred form but obviously many variations and modifications may be made therein without departing from its spirit. It is to be understood, therefore, that the invention is not limited to any specific form or embodiment except insofar as such limitations are specified in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a typographical casting machine, the combination of a pair of line clamping jaws movable one toward the other in quadding, a vertically movable rod connectable to a jaw for eifecting its quadding movement, a member operable twice during each cycle of the machine, means controlled by said member in its first operation to effect the jaw closing movement of the rod and then release it and in its second operation to apply a line squeeze pressure to the rod in the quadding position of the jaw and then release the rod, and automatic supplementary means operable during each operation of said member to apply a temporary clamping pressure to the rod before each release thereof by the jaw closing and pressure applying means.

2. A combination according to claim 1, including timing means for the automatic supplementary means to maintain said clamping pressure on the rod until after the completion of each operation of the said member.

3. vIn a typographical casting machine, the combination of a pair of line clamping jaws movable one toward the other in quadding, a vertically movable rod connectable to a jaw for effecting its quadding movement, automatic means operable first to effect the jaw closing movement of the rod and then release it and operable next to apply a line squeeze pressure to the rod and then release it, and automatic supplementary means rendered operative to apply a clamping pressure on said rod after the jaw closing movement thereof and before its first release, rendered inoperative during the application of the line squeeze pressure to the rod, and again rendered operative after the line squeeze pressure has been applied and before the rod is next released, maintaining such pressure on the rod momentarily after the line squeeze pressure has been released.

4. A combination according to claim 3, wherein the said supplementary means is controlled by a cam on the main cam shaft of the machine.

5. In a typographical casting machine, the combination of a pair of line clamping jaws movable one toward the other in quadding, a vertic'ally movable rod connectable to a jaw for effecting its quadding movement, automatic means operable first to effect the jaw closing movement of the rod and then release it and operable next to apply a line squeeze pressure to the rod in the quadding position of the jaw and then release the rod, a clamping member for the rod, and automatic electrical means controlling the operation of said clamping member, said electrical means being timed to apply a temporary clamping pressure to the rod before each release thereof by the jaw closing and pressure applying means.

6. A combination according to claim 5, wherein said electrical means is timed to operate the clamping member twice during each machine cycle, once after the jaw closing movement of the rod and before its first release, and again after the application of the line squeeze pressure to the rod and before its second release.

7. A combination according to claim 5, wherein the electrical means include a solenoid controlled by a cam on the main cam shaft of the machine.

8. A combination according to claim 7, including means actuated by the axial thrust of the solenoid armature to effect the pressure of the clamping member.

9. In a typographical casting machine, the combination of a pair of line clamping jaws, a movable rod connectable to one of said jaws for quadding, a member operable twice during each machine cycle, means controlled by said member in its first operation to effect the jaw closing movement of the rod and then release it and in its second operation to apply additional pressure to the rod and then release it, and automatic rod clamping means operable during the first operation of the said member before the first release of the rod and until the beginning of the second operation of the said member, and operable again during the second operation of the said member before the second release of the rod and until the composed line has been lifted partly from between the clamping jaws.

10. In a typographical casting machine, the combination of a pair of line clamping jaws, a movable rod connectable to one of said jaws for quadding, a member operable twice during each machine cycle, means controlled by said member in its first operation to effect the jaw closing movement of the rod and then release it and in its second operation to apply additional pressure to the rod and then release it, and automatic rod clamping means operable to prevent receding movement of the rod after its release in the first operation of the said member.

11. A combination as set forth in claim 10 including timing means for causing the automatic rod clamping means to operate again to prevent receding movement of the rod after its release in the second operation of said member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,949,302 Frolander Feb. 27, 193".- 2,051,804 Albrecht Aug. 25, 1936 2,255,254 Hilpman Sept. 9, 1941