US2708507A - Magazine raising and lowering mechanism for typographical machines - Google Patents

Description

. May 17, 1955 J..H. HILPMAN MAGAZINE RAISI NG AND LOWERING MECHANISM v FOR TYPOGRAPHICAL MACHINES Filed July 1, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 W INVENTOR By 9 A May 17, 1955 J. H. HILPMAN MAGAZINE RAISING AND LOWERING MECHANISM FOR TYPOGRAPHICAL MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 1, 1950 1NVENTOR BY I 4% 4 A ORNEYS' ay 7, 1955 J. H. HILPMAN 2,7 8,

MAGAZINE RAISING AND LOWERING MECHANISM FOR TYPOGRAPHICAL MACHINES 7 Filed July 1, 1950 s Sheets-Sheet 3 WRNEYS May 17, 1955 J. H. HILPMAN 2,708,507

, MAGAZINE RAISING AND LOWERING MECHANISM FOR TYPOGRAPHICAL MACHINES Filed July 1, 1950 5 Shets-Sheet 4 9 z INVENTOR May 17, 1955 J. H. HILPMAN MAGAZINE RAISING AND LOWERING MECHANISM FOR TYPOGRAPHICAL MACHINES Filed an 1, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 w s s n e 9 e m n e w e r e w m@ a a 0e lNl ENTOR Z4! 1 av V M A7. ORNEVS MAGAZINE RAISING AV!) LOWERING MECH- ANISM FOR TYPOGRAPHICAL MACHINES John H. Hilpman, Springfield Gardens, N. Y., assignor to Mergenthaler Linotype Company, a corporation of New York Application July 1, 1950, Serial No. 171,584 2 Claims. (Cl. 199-45) This invention relates to typographical composing machines, such as Linotype machines of the general organization represented in Letters Patent of the United States, No. 436,532 to O. Mergenthaler, wherein circulating matrices are released from a magazine in the order in which their characters are to appear in print and assembled in line, the composed line transferred to the face of a mold, the mold filled with molten metal to form a slug or type bar against the matrices, and the matrices thereafter returned through a distributing mechanism to the magazine from which they started.

More particularly, it relates to machines of the multiple magazine variety and wherein the individual magazines are mounted in a shift frame which is adapted to be raised or lowered by an elevating rack or slide under the control of a crank handle to bring different selected magazines into operative relationship with the assembling and distributing devices (see the Mead Patent No. 2,125,681). The magazine elevating rack is supported in an inclined position by rollers and, consequently, in the process of changing magazines, the shift frame travels in an inclined path with respect to the assembling and distributing devices. Heretofore, the elevating rack has been located centrally with respect to the magazine shift frame and, because of the weight distribution, has been subject to a bending movement which tends to cause misalignment between the magazines and the assembling and distributing devices. Frequently, after being set up, a particular machine would be thrown out of adjustment to the point where it was inoperable by simply changing the weight of the magazines or by moving the machine across the floor. Moreover, as a result of the rough treatment received in shipment, the consequent misalignment in the machine would often necessitate the making of adjustments in the field, with considerable loss of time and inconvenience.

In accordance with the present invention, directed principally toward the elimination of the aforementioned defects, the magazine elevating rack has been relocated with respect to the magazine shift frame so that the weight of the whole magazine structure is about equally distributed or balanced about the rack. In other words, instead of being located centrally with respect to the magazine shift frame, the rack is located both forward and to the left of the center of the shift frame in order to bring its upper end, which is attached to the shift frame, in vertical line with the center of gravity of the mass comprising the magazines (with their contained matrices) and the magazine shift frame. The greater stability thus afforded, in addition to remedying the aforementioned defects, has greatly eased the manual effort required to raise and lower the magazines and has also made possible the other improvements hereinafter described.

One of such other improvements is a simplified combination locking and locating device for the magazines. Heretofore, precision in locking and locating a selected magazine, or a selected pair of magazines, in operative position required the use of four notched gauge or lock- 2,708,507 Patented May 17, 1955 ing bars slidably mounted in the machine and arranged in pairs at opposite sides of the shaft frame so as to en gage corresponding aligning lugs projecting laterally therefrom. The elimination of these notched gauge bars, as well as their supporting members, has been made possible by the present invention and, in lieu thereof, a single point locking and locating device cooperating directly with the elevating rack has been substituted.

Another improvement, made possible by the relocation of the magazine elevating rack with respect to the shift frame, consists in mounting the rack housing on the main base frame of the machine instead of, as heretofore, on the U-shaped distributor bracket, thereby reducing misalignment between the distributing devices and the magazines which arises from deflection of the distributor bracket.

Other resulting improvements will be described in the detailed description following.

The accompanying drawings show the invention in preferred form and as applicable to a mixer model machine, but it is applicable as well to other models and types. Obviously many variations and modifications may be made within its spirit. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to any particular form or embodiment except insofar as such limitations are specified in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the assembling and distributing portions of a Linotype machine embodying the present improvements;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1, location of certain of the parts;

Fig. 3 is a similar enlarged view showing certain of the parts in operative and inoperative positions;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged rear perspective view showing the magazine locking and locating mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 and illustrating the safety features applicable to mixer model machines; and

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the magazines looking in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 2 illustrating the forward and leftward displacement of the magazine elevating rack with respect to the magazine shift frame.

The machine herein illustrated is of the Model 35 class, being equipped with four wide inclined magazines A A A and A removably mounted on separate base frames A conjointly constituting a shift frame, denoted generally by the reference letter A, which is arranged to be moved upwardly and downwardly by operation of a crank handle A to bring either the upper pair of magazines, A and A or the lower pair A and A into operative position. The second and fourth magazines, A and A are of regular or standard form and provided with ninety matrix channels spaced apart in the usual way to accommodate the ordinary ninety character fonts; whereas the first and third magazines, A and A are provided with seventytwo matrix channels spaced apart in different manner to accommodate the seventy-two character fonts. Both operative magazines are served by a common assembling mechanism, denoted generally by the reference letter C, and by a common distributing mechanism, denoted generally by the reference letter D.

The actual mechanism for raising and lowering the magazines forms no part of present improvements and is adequately shown and described in Mead Patent No. 2,125,681 above referred to. For present purposes, it suffices to say that the operation of a crank handle A located at the front of the machine, effects the upward and downward movement of an inclined magazine elevating slide or rack F through counterbalanced gear mechanism, denoted generally by the reference letter G, lo cated at the rear of the machine.

The magazine shift frame A is adapted to be raised andlowered by the elevating rack F which is provided illustrating the reat its upper end with a flanged head portion F bolted to the bottom base frame A. As well understood, the matrices after they are released from the distributor barD} or D pass through the magazine entrance D or ,D and thence into the corresponding operative magazine (A or A in the case of Fig. 2) where they are stored until selectively released by the operation of the keyboard E into the appropriate assembler throat C or C It is obvious that proper alignment must be maintained at all times between the upper ends of the operative magazines and the lower ends of the entrances D and D on the one hand, and between the lower ends of the operative magazines and the upper ends of the assembler throats C and C on the other hand.

The magazine elevating rack F is mounted to slide in the housing F being supported and guided by four front and back rollers F and four side rollers F The housing F is accurately positioned on the bracket M of the main base frame M of the machine (rather than on the distributor bracket, as before), being secured thereto at its upper end by means of the bolt M and at its lower end by an adiustable prop or turn-buckle M Due to the great mass of the whole shiftable magazine structure (including the magazines, the contained matrices and the magazine shift frame) and the fact that the support therefor is the inclined elevating rack F, a bending moment of considerable magnitude is set up about the guide rollers F particularly when the shift frame A is in its uppermost position, which would ordinarily cause considerable deflection of the elevating rack P and consequently cause misalignment of the magazines with respect to the distributing and assembling mechanisms. For this reason, supporting guide plates A are usually fixed to opposite sides or". the shift frame A and are arranged to ride on rollers l) mounted on the inside of the upstanding arms D of the well-known U-shaped distributor bracket. The rollers D therefore, serve to take up most of the deflection that would ordinarily occur in the elevating rack F, but the resulting stress placed on the distributor bracket is too great to maintain the proper alignment of the parts. l-leretofore, much of this stress has been relieved by the notched gauge bars above discussed and shown and described in the Mead patent.

in accordance with the present invention. relieving the aforementioned stress on the distributor bracket by the notched gauge bars or additional supporting means, the stress itself has been greatly reduced by reducing the bending moment that produced it. To

this end, the shiftable magazine structure has been properly balanced about the upper end of the magazine elevating rack F or, in other words, about its flanged head portion P. This has been accomplished by relocating the head portion F from approximately a central or symmetrical position with respect to the bottom base frame A of the magazine shift frame, as illustrated by the dotted lines in Fig. 6, to a new non-central or asymmetrical position with respect to said bottom base frame, as illustrated by the full lines in Fig. 6. As will be noted, the longitudinal axis of the rack F has been shifted approximately 6 inches forward and approximately /2 inch leftward from its former location, the purpose and cfiect being to position the elevating rack at its point of attachment to the shift frame substantially in vertical line with the center of gravity of the whole shiftable magazine structure. The greatly improved balance effected by such relocation of the magazine elevating rack has so'greatly reduced the bending moments, even in the uppermost or raised position of the rack, that the rollers D on the distributor bracket are adequately capable of overcoming any tendency toward deflection of the rack without producing any deflection of the distributor bracket itself. It will be understood, of course, that the true center of gravity may change somewhat as between different magazine structures, due to the size or instead of i kind of magazine or to the matrix loading, but it has been found that the new location of the elevating rack, as herein shown and described, will accomplish. the desired result in all cases.

Also in accordance with the present invention, and due particularly to the greatly increased stability of the machine, a single point locking and locating mechanism, operable under the control of the hand lever I, has been substituted for the four point locating gauge bars heretofore required for the proper registration of the magazines. The hand lever J, pivotally mounted on the right hand side bracket 0 of the machine, controls the various preparatory and safety functions that must be performed prior to shifting magazines. Thus, for example, to avoid the dangers arising from a matrix lodged across the line of communication between a magazine entrance and a magazine at the time the magazine shift frame A is to be raised or lowered, both the magazine entrances D and D are adapted to swing backwardly out of their operative positions in response to the operation of the hand lever 3. Moreover, the movement required for the release of the locking mechanism, to be hereinafter described, cannot take place while the matrices are in the course of distribution or when a matrix protrudes from the lower end of the magazines in use. Such control is exercised by the matrix feelers R and R in the distributor D and by the matrix guards S at the discharge ends of the two operative magazines, which feelers are adapted to move across the paths of the mat rices in response to the actuation of the hand lever 1. if they encounter any interference from the matrices, the hand lever I fails to release the aforesaid locking mechanism, thereby preventing the shifting of the magazines.

The foregoing safety functions performed preparatory to shifting magazines under the control of the hand lever I are shown and more fully described in U. S. patent to Mead No. 2,368,860, to which reference may be made if desired.

Returning now to the description of the improved single point locking and locating mechanism (see Fig. 4), a notched bar or plate P is fixed to the rear side of the magazine elevating rack F at the top, each notch P corresponding to the proper location for a particular pair of magazines. A locking and locating pawl L slidably disposed in a guideway F on the housing F is adapted to selectively engage the notches P under the control of a short arm L extending from a rotatable shaft L journalled in the housing F the pawl L being provided with a horizontal groove into which the rounded end of the short arm L is adapted to fit. The rotatable shaft L is provided at one end with :1 depending arm L connected by a link L to an arm L the lower end of the link L and the middle portion of the arm L being provided with elongated slots to accommodate a connecting pin L One end of the arm L is made fast to the shaft L which is rotatably mounted in the side brackets 0, while the other end thereof is connected to a tension spring L for the purpose of normally keeping the pawl L in locked position. A crooked arm L is also made fast to the shaft L and connected by a link L to the hand lever I.

Preparatory to shifting magazines, the hand lever J is depressed, thereby swinging the channel entrances D and D back out of operative position. if the matrix feelers R and R or the matrix guards S encounter no matrices either in the course of distribution or protruding from the discharge ends of the magazines, the hand lever I, through the connections just described, will effect the withdrawal of the pawl L from one of the notches P permitting the operator to raise or lower the magazine elevating rack F, and hence the shift frame A, to a new operative position. Counterbalancing springs acting on the elevating rack F (part of the mechanism G described in the aforementioned Mead Patent No. 2,125,681) overcome the weight of the magazine load and prevent any sudden descent of the shift frame A when the magazine elevating rack is unlocked. The magazines may then be elevated or lowered to a new operative position by the crank handle A the spring L serving to snap the pawl L into the appropriate notch P as soon as pressure is released from the hand lever J. The active notch P properly locates the selected pair of magazines to afford perfect alignment between them and their magazine entrances as well as between them and their assembler throats.

One further feature requires explanation. As heretofore stated, the machine herein illustrated is of the Model 35 class, a mixer model, wherein matrices can be withdrawn from either of two operative magazines without the necessity of raising or lowering the shift frame A. As shown in Fig. 2, the magazines A and A are in operative position and the magazine entrance D is in position to conduct matrices into the magazine A while the magazine entrance D is in position to conduct matrices into the magazine A And as also heretofore stated, the magazine A is provided with only seventy-two channels while the magazine A is provided with ninety channels, the matrices of each being of different font size and not interchangeable. It is obvious, therefore, that if the shift frame A were raised to bring the magazine A into operative position with the magazine entrance D and the magazine A into operative position with the magazine entrance D it would result in a ninety channel magazine being associated with the seventy-two character distributor bar D and a seventy-two channel magazine being associated with the ninety character distributor bar D To safeguard against any such possibility, a filler block P is inserted in the middle notch P which would so locate the magazines (see Fig. 5). Hence, the locking pawl L is unable to fully seat in said notch and will prevent the full return of the hand lever J to normal position. As a result, the matrix guards S, being under the control of the hand lever I through the link S will block the discharge ends of the two magazines and prevent the release of matrices therefrom. It will be understood that when the machine is equipped with magazines of the same kind (four ninety-channeled magazines or four seventytwo channeled magazines) the tiller block will be omitted, allowing the shift frame to occupy any one of three positions, there being three notches P one for each such position.

What is claimed is:

1. In a typographical machine, the combination of a series of inclined superposed matrix storage magazines shiftable upwardly and downwardly to bring different selected magazines into operative position, mechanism for effecting such shifting of the magazines including a single inclined elevating slide on which the magazines are supported in operative position and by which they are shifted and guided to said position, said elevating slide being located at right angles to the magazines and with its point of support for the magazines substantially in vertical line with the center of gravity of the magazines, a single pawl to engage in one or another of a plurality of notches formed in the magazine elevating slide to locate and lock the magazines in their different shifted positions, means for manually disengaging the pawl from the elevating slide preparatory to a magazine shift, and a spring for automatically reengaging the pawl with the slide after a magazine shift.

2. In a typographical machine having a main base frame and a U-shaped distributor bracket mounted thereon, the combination of a series of inclined superposed matrix storage magazines shiftable upwardly and down wardly to bring different selected magazines into operative position, mechanism for effecting such shifting of the magazines, said mechanism including a single inclined elevating slide on which the magazines are supported in operative position and by which they are shifted and guided to said position, as well as a relatively fixed housing in which the slide is mounted, the longitudinal axis of said slide and its housing being located forward of the transverse center line of the bottom magazine and also to the left of the fore-and-aft center line of said magazine to locate the elevating slide with its point of support for the magazines substantially in vertical line with the center of graviy of the magazines, means for mounting said housing directly in the main base frame and independently of the U-shaped distributor bracket, a single pawl to engage in one or another of a plurality of notches formed in the magazine elevating slide to locate and lock the magazines in their different shifted positions, means for manually disengaging the pawl from the elevating slide preparatory to a magazine shift, and a spring for automatically reengaging the pawl with the slide after a magazine shift.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 22,443 Plastaras Feb. 22, 1944 1,525,509 Muehleisen Feb. 10, 1925 2,125,681 Mead Aug. 2, 1938 2,368,860 Mead Feb. 6, 1945 2,374,806 Cicchetti et al. May 1, 1945

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