US2758538A

US2758538A - Selective plates contnrol in address printing machines

Info

Publication number: US2758538A
Application number: US342896A
Authority: US
Inventors: Wilbur E Crink; Edwin C Colyer
Original assignee: Multigraphics Inc
Current assignee: AB Dick Co
Priority date: 1953-03-17
Filing date: 1953-03-17
Publication date: 1956-08-14
Anticipated expiration: 1973-08-14

Description

I Aug. 14, 1956 w. E. CRINK ETAL SELECTIVE PLATES CONTROL IN ADDRESS PRINTING MACHINES Filed March 17; 1953 10 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 14, 1956 w E. CRINK ET AL SELECTIVE PLATES CONTROL IN ADDRESS PRINTING MACHINES Filed March 17, 195':

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Aug. 14, 1956 w. E. CRINK ETAL SELECTIVE PLATES CONTROL IN ADDRESS PRINTING MACHI Filed March 17, 1953 10 Sheets-Sheet 3 m I I". m Nm 6 m8 3 w v 4 Wf/burff (r/bk z dwln C". Co/ er JIZ/MM am flttorrzeys 10 Sheets-Sheet 4 llllllll "lllllllill fazu 4, 1956 w. E. CRINK ETAL SELECTIVE PLATES CONTROL IN ADDRESS PRINTING MACHINES Filed March 17, 1953 Aug. 14, 1956 w. E. CRINK ETA!- SELECTIVE PLg'rEs CONTROL INIYADDRESS PRINTING MACHINES 1O Sheets- Sheet 5 Filed March l7,' 1953 v flitornegJ 1956 w. E. CRINK ETAL SELECTIVE PLATES CONTROL IN ADDRESS PRINTING MACHINES Filed March 17, 1955 10 Sheets-Sheet 6 In ventons all/62:1- f. Cr/n/c Edwin C. (Jo/ yer J -li'orne'ys Aug. 14, 1956 w. E. CRlNK ETAL 2,7

SELECTIVE PLATES CONTROL. IN ADDRESS PRINTING MACHINES Filed March 17, 1955 10 Sheets-Sheet 8 f-ttornegd 2,758,538 SELECTIVE PLATES CONTROL. IN ADDRESS PRINTING MACHINES Filed March 17; 1953 Aug. 14,1956 w. E. CRINK ETAL 1o Sheets-Sheet 9 10 Sheets-Sheet 10 w. E. CRINK E AL SELECTIVE PLATES CONTROL IN ADDRESS PRINTING MACHINES E! 43 0 n. r

Aug. 14, 1956 Filed March 17, 1953 United States Patent SELECTIVE PLATES CONTROL IN ADDRESS PRINTING MACHINES Wilbur E. Crink, Cleveland Heights, and Edwin C. Colyer, Willoughby, Ohio, assignors to Addressograph- Multigraph Corporation, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Application March 17, 1953, Serial No. 342,896 15 Claims. (Cl. 101-57,)

This invention relates to printing machines of the kind through which printing devices are sequentially passed to have impressions made therefrom and more specifically has to do with the production of impressionsfrom such printing devices in the course of passage thereof through the machine.

The printing devices that are passed through printing machines of the kind to which this invention relates customarily embody a frame or carrier on which one or more fiat metallic plates having type characters embossed thereon are releasably secured and each such device also usually includes an index card on which an impression is made from at least selected of the type characters on one or more of the printing plates on the device to thereby facilitate determining what maybe printing from the type characters and thus expedite manual handling of the printing devices.

customarily the type characters which are embossed on printing plates for use on printing devices of the aforesaid kind are conventional, which is to say, these type characters are arranged in reverse order so that when ink is applied thereto, as by having an inked ribbon overlie the faces of the type characters, and when a sheet is then pressed toward the type characters, a'direct reading impression will be produced on the sheet and such a printing plate is employed in the printing devices that are passed through the machine in the present invention. Additionally, however, at least selected of the printing plates mounted on the printing devices passed through the machine in this invention have type characters embossed thereon in such a wayas :to be direct reading and in order to make an impression from these type characters that it will be direct reading, the sheet to receive the impression is pressed toward the type characters 'with an inked ribbon or the like overlying the sheet to be *printed between the pressure producing means and the "sheet rather thanbetween the sheet and'the type characters. In this way an impression is made on'the face of the sheet opposite that on which an impression :is madeifmmconventional type characters in the customary manner. In view of the resort to printing devices, each hearing a printing plate embodying reverse type characters and also a printing plate embodyingdirect type characters, it is among the objects of the :presentfinvention to .so arrange the printing machine through which :suchaprinting devices are passed that the novel impression imeans included therein will produce impressions from xthe' typ'e characters on the printing plates on opposite :faces of the sheets or the like passed into printing position in the machine to bein association with the printing'tdevice and the impression producing'means.

Heretofore resort has been had to animpression producing means in the form of a roller ,platen -and usually such a platen is passed across the printing-plates on :the printing devices in a direction normal to the extentwof the lines of type characters embossed on the .printing plates. In the useof such platens =itihas be'en'observed that it is disadvantageous to. pass the platen=overthe type ice characters more than once for each impression to be made at the particular position on the sheet or the like primarily because there will usually be some relative movement between the printing device or the sheet and this will result in the production of a somewhat smudged or otherwise objectionable impression. Heretofore in order to avoid repassing a .roller platen over the printing device once an impression had been made from the type characters thereon at a particular position on the sheet it has been customary to so arrange the roller platen that the same was capable of vertical movement toward and away from printing cooperation with an underlining printing device, the platen having been in a lowered position during movement of the platen over the device in one direction to produce an impression and having been in an upward position out of cooperation with the printing device in the course of movement in the opposite direction. This has necessitated resort to a platen elevating and lowering arrangement which needed to be of relatively rigid construction because relatively high pressures are required to be exerted by the platen in the course of an impression producing operation thereof. Therefore, in view of these and other considerations it is another object of this invention to so arrange a roller platen that the same may be moved from one position to another to pass into and from cooperation with the type characters on a printing device in the course of making .an impression from such type characters at a particular position on a sheet and then to move the platen in a reverse direction into and out of cooperation with the type characters on the underlining printing device when an impression is "to be made at a diiferent position on the sheet or the like 'or onto another sheet; and objects ancillary to the foregoing are to cause the roller platen 'to move across the type characters on a printing device with which it is to cooperate in 'a'directi'onparallel to the extent of the lines of type characters on the printing device; to so relate the advance 'of the sheet and the operation of the platen that impressions will be made at spaced intervals on the sheet in the course of successive printing operations of the platen; :and to so control the operation of the platen that impressions maybe made selectively from type characters on printing devices associated with the platen at printing position in the machine.

A furtherobject of this invention is to resort to an inked roller -or the like that maybe disposed between a roller platen of the aforesaid character and the adjacent "face of a sheet 'so'that, in those instances where direct reading type characters are provided on the printing device underlying the sheet in alignment with the platen, impressions may-be made on the upwardly disposed face of the sheet.

It .is customary to provide a plurality of lines of type characters on the printing plates of the printing devices passed through printing machines of the character to which this invention pertains, such lines of type characters extending longitudinal along the printing devices in transversely spaced relation and ofttimes. it is desirable to make an impression from only selected of such lines of type characters and a yet further object of this invention is 'toenable this ''to be effective in a novel and efiicient manner and objects ancillary to this are'to resort to a platen embodying .a-fiatiprinting surface which may be reciprocated into and from printing cooperation with type characters'on the'printing device disposed at printingposition in association with such a platen; to so arrange such a hat face on azplaten'of this character that at least a portion thereof may be receded from operative position so that but a portion thereof, or the entire platen, will not be effective to produce an impression from typed characters-ona printing device in printing'position; to enable such receding of the printing face of a platen'to be effected in timed relation with the passage of the sheets or the like to receive impressions through the machine; and to enable such a fiat printing face to be selectively rendered efiective or ineffective under predetermined conditions.

Other and more specific objects of the invention are to provide a frame along which a carriage may be reciprocated and to so support a roller platen of the aforesaid character from such a carriage as to enable the operative functions thereof to be effective in the manner described hereinabove; to impart reciprocatory movement to the carriage from a rotary mechanism that is so arranged that it may be rendered effective at appropriate times in the course of operation of the machine; and to utilize a clutch arrangement to effect operation of the rotary means under control of a timing arrangement embodied in the machine.

Still further and more specific objects of this invention are to provide a platen arrangement embodying a flat printing face of the aforesaid character and to so arrange the same that the flat printing face may be so adjusted as to assure the production of uniform impressions from type characters in association with such a platen; to resort to rotatable means to enable a portion of the flat printing face to be receded from or moved into effective position; and to provide means operable in timed relation with the operation of the printing machine to control the operation of such rotatable means.

A yet further object of this invention is to so relate a platen including a fiat printing face and a rotary platen one with the other and with printing plates on a printing device disposed on printing position that impressions may be made from predetermined printing plates on the printing device by the receptive platens.

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 of illustration, shows a preferred embodiment of the present invention and the principle thereof and what we now consider to be the best mode in which we have contemplated applying that principle. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principle may be used and structural changes 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 the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary top tain portions are broken away, our invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary certain parts are broken away, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a roller platen printing arrangement provided in the machine;

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of the platen arrangement shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional detail view taken substantially along the line 55 on Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the platen arrangement shown in Fig. 3 and also showing the reciprocating platen employed in the machine;

Fig. 7 is a detail view taken substantially on the line 7--7 on Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 8-8 on Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional detail view taken on the line 9-9 on Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a view, partly in section, right hand side of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a sectional detail view taken substantially on the line 11--11 on Fig. 8;

Fig. 12 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line 12-12 on Fig. 10;

plan view, in which cerof a machine embodying front elevaional view, in which of the machine shown in looking in at the Fig. 13 is a vertical sectional detail view taken substantially on the line 1313 on Fig. 6;

Fig. 14 is an elevationalview looking in at the right hand end of Fig. 6;

Fig. 14A is a detail view taken substantially on the line 14A-14A on Fig. 14;

Fig. is a detail view taken substantially on the line 1413-1413 on Fig. 13;

Fig. 15 is a detail view of the platen mechanism taken substantially on the line 15-15 on Fig. 6;

Fig. 16 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the operative movements of the segmental roller platen shown in Fig. 9;

Fig. 17 is a plan view of a printing device of the character passed through out novel machine;

Fig. 18 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 18-18 on Fig. 15;

Fig. 19 is a vertical view, partly in elevation and partly in section, taken substantially on the line 19--19 on Fig. 6;

Fig. 20 on Fig. 1;

Fig. 21 is a horizontal detail view taken substantially on the line 21--21 on Fig. 20; and

Figs. 22 and 23 are elevational views respectively of the rear and front faces of sheets of the character adapted to be printed in the herein illustrated and described machine.

In the accompanying drawings, we have shown our invention embodied in a machine of the kind disclosed in the patent to Hartley No. 2,041,183, patented May 19, 1936. Thus, the machine includes a main frame F having a table TP thereon above which a magazine M projects. Printing devices as D, Fig. 17, are stacked in the magazine so that the lowermost of these devices may be withdrawn from the stack to be advanced along a guideway for the devices to printing position in the machine above the anvil A, Figs. 8 and 15, that is carried by the frame F. One printing device is fed to printing position for each sheet S, Figs. 22 and 23, fed through the machine and the device is passed from printing position to a collector C disposed beneath the table T P and from which the printing devices may be removed to be restored to the drawer or the like from which they are removed when introduced into the magazine M and in which drawer or the like devices are stored when not in use.

The sheets may be pre-cut to size and stored in a suit able rack at one end of the machine and from which such sheets may be withdrawn to be passed through the machine, but we prefer to sever the sheets from a web of suitable material, such as paper or cardboard, that is directed to the machine. As in the machine of the aforesaid patent, the web may be passed through a printing couple effective to make impressions, on correspond ing. faces of the sheets into which the web is to be divided, prior to the severance of such sheets from the web, such an impression having been made on the rear face of the sheet S as shown in Fig. 23. From the printing couple the web passes to a scoring means and thence to an intermittently operated feeding means and then to a severing means which is effective to divide the web into separate sheets, the length of such sheets corresponding to the width of the web and the width of such sheets being determined by feeding the web in a step by step manner through the severing means a distance corresponding to the desired width of the sheets, the severing means separating the sheets from the web during at-rest intervals in the step by step movement of the web. The severed sheets S are disposed on feed tapes T which carry the same from the severing means to printing posi tion in the machine whereat an opening R, Fig. 8, is afforded in the table TP in alignment with the anvil A and through which opening the printing device at printing position is disclosed to have impressions made therefrom. The feed tapes carry the sheets from printing position is a view taken substatnially on the line 2020 to a printing couple in the housing H at the. left-hand end of the machine as viewed in Fig. 1, such printing couple being of the kind disclosed in the patent to Kranz, No. 1,955,814, patented April 24, 1934 and being effec-v tive to made impressions on the other or front faces of the sheets, such an impression having been made on the front face of the sheet S as shown in Fig. 22.

As in the machine of aforesaid Patent No. 2,041,183, impressions are made in the machine onto the lower faces of the sheets S. from the printing devices D when the sheets are disposed at printing position, such impressions being made by a platen P onto the sheets through an inked ribbon IR disposed between the sheet at printing position and type characters as TC on the printing device as D at printing position. As will be explained hereinafter, the platen P is of the receding type and is effective to make impressions in the aforesaid manner only when in the unreceded position thereof shown in Fig. 8. In a manner explained hereinafter the platen P is mounted on the platen arm 25, Fig. 8, which includes depending members as 26 that are pivotally mounted on a shaft 27 supported in suitable bearings (not shown) on the

frame F. Rollers

28 and 29 respectively ride on conjugated cams as 30 and 31 mounted on the platen operating shaft 32 that is journaled in hearings in the frame F and when the shaft 32 is in operation this arrangement imparts rocking movement to the platen arm 25 and moves the platen P toward and from the impression making position thereof.

The platen operating shaft 32 and other operative mechanisms in the machine are driven from the main shaft 33 journaled in suitable bearings in the frame F. A fly-wheel pulley 34, Fig. 1, is rotatably mounted on the shaft 33 and is adapted to be connected thereto through a manually operable clutch 35. A belt 36 is passed about the fly-wheel pulley 34 and receives power from a pulley fast on the shaft of an electric motor (not shown) mounted at a suitable position on the frame F. A gear train 37 transmits power from the shaft 33 to a shaft 38 journaled in the frame F and carrying a bevel gear 39 which, in turn, meshes with a bevel gear 40 mounted on. the shaft 41. This shaft 41 drives the printing couple eifective to make impressions on the rear faces of the sheets prior to severance thereof from the web and also the scoring means, the intermittently operated feeding means and the severing means referred to hereinabove. Another gear train 42 transmits power from the shaft 33 to a shaft 43 journaled in the frame F and having a bevel gear 44 mounted thereon which meshes with a bevel gear 45 mounted on the cam or timing shaft 46 journaled in suitable hearings in the frame F and disposed in parallel relation with the platen operating shaft 32 but below and slightly forward thereof, as shown in Figs. 8 and 20. A bevel gear 47 is mounted on the main drive shaft 33 and meshes with a bevel gear 48 on the platen operating shaft 32 and rotary movement is imparted to shaft 32 from shaft 33 through these gears.

When the clutch 35 is engaged and rotary movement is imparted to the main drive shaft 33, such movement is transmitted through the bevel gear 47 to the bevel gear 48 whereby the platen operating shaft 32 is set in operation. At this time movement is transmitted through the gear train 37, shaft 38, bevel gear 39 to bevel gear 40 to thereby set the shaft 41 in operation whereby the aforesaid printing couple, scoring means, intermittently operable feeding means, and severing means are set in operation. Simultaneously movement is transmitted through the gear train 42 to the shaft 43 and bevel gear 44 which imparts movement to the bevel gear 45 and consequently to the shaft 46. Thus, all the various operative mechanisms in the machine are set in motion concurrently and these mechanisms are driven in timed relation one with the other from the main drive shaft 33.

The aforesaid scoring means produce the score lines.

49, 50, and. 5,1' in. each sheet as, S whereby the sheet is divided: into sections. S -.1, S 2, S-3 and S.4 and, an impression is made on one of such sections of the sheet in. each rotation of the platen operating shaft 32. Since all of the impressions made by the platen mechanisms. on a particular sheet 8 are to be produced from a particular printing device D, the present machine is so arranged that the mechanisms driven by the shaft 41 function to de-v posit a sheet 8 on the tapes T only during every fourth rotation of the platen operating shaft 32 Moreover, as will be explained presently, the cam or timing shaft controls thepositioning ofthe sheet S in printing position in the machine and in orderto insure that this timing shaft will stop each sheet; S in four diiferent positions, the timing or cam shaft 46 makes but one revolution to each four revolutions of the platen operating shaft 32.

The printing couple in the housing H is also driven from the platen operating shaft but this printing couple includes sheet detecting means which render this printing couple effective to make an impression only when a sheet isfed thereto so that, in effect, this printing couple operates in timed relation with other mechanisms in the machine.

The printing devices are withdrawn from the magazine M- and. advanced toprinting position in the machine by means operated from the platen shaft 32 and these means are effective to; feed a printing device only during every fourth revolution of the platen operating shaft, 32. The means for so operating printing device feeding means may be in the nature, ofthat shown in the patent to Gollwitzer, No. 2,002,771, patented May 28, 1935.

The feed tapes T are endless and are directed about pulleys respectively mounted at opposite ends of the guideway G along which the sheets are fed from the aforesaid severing means through printing position and to the printing couplein. the housing H as explained in aforesaid Patent No. 2,041,183. Movement is imparted to thefeedtapes T from a shaft 52 that is driven from the main drive shaft 33. and which has pulleys as 53 thereon aboutwhich, endless belts as 54 are passed, such belts also being passed about pulleys on the shaft 52. The, arrangement is, preferably such that the shaft 52, and therefore the feed tapes T, are maintained in operation so long as the drive shaft 33 is rotating.

The novel machine of this invention not only, includes a reciprocating platen as P for making impressions from selected type characters TC on a printing device disposed at printing position in the machine but also includes a segmental rotary platen RP which is effective to make impressions from other type characters TC on printing devices-D at printing position. Thus, by referring to Fig.

17 it will be seen that the printing device D is of the nature of that disclosed in Gollwitzer Patent No. Re. 22,249, patented January 12, 1943, and includes a frame 54 having a bead LB at the lower end thereof which, in

' cooperation with. retaining clips as 55 struck up from retain a printing plate 57 in the frame 54. and a depressible tongue 56, is effective to position along the lower edge of the frame 54. The type characters TC provided on the plate 57 are preferably direct reading in contra,- distinction to the usual reversal of type characters provided on a printing plate, the conventional reverse arrangemen of type characters being afforded on the printing plate 58. The printing plate 58 is retained on the frame 54 by clips 59 struck up from the frame and a depressible tongue 60. Clips as 61 and a bead UB along the upper edge of the frame 54 retain an index card 10 on the face of the frame 54 adjacent the upper edge thereof, Conventionally impressions are made from type characters as TC on a plate as 58 onto the card IC to facilitate reading of the data that may be printed from such a printing. plate to thereby expedite handling of the; printing device when it is removed from, or to be placed in, the drawer in which it is stored when not. in

In the present instance, when a printing device D is properly oriented in printing position in the machine, the platen P is effective to make impressions on the lower face of the sheet S as it passes through the machine from type characters TC on a printing plate 58. The segmental roller platen RP, now to be described, is effective to make impressions on the upper face of the sheet S as it passes through the machine from the type characters TC on the plate 57 on the printing device D at printing position.

The segmental roller platen RP and the operating means therefor are mounted between

side plates

62 and 63 passed through suitable openings in the table TP forwardly of the guideway G. The

side plates

62 and 63 are secured to the frame F and, as best shown in Figs. 3 and 14, these plates are preferably L-shaped so as to respectively embody

upstanding portions

64 and 65 and also horizontally disposed portions 66 and 67 and these project inwardly of the machine over the guideway G.

Parallel rails

68 and 69 extend between, and at their ends are secured to, the sections 66 and 67 of the

side plates

62 and 63, spacers as 70 being effective to maintain the rails in predetermined spaced apart relation. A slot 71 is formed in the rail 63 in alignment with printing position in the machine, and a similar slot 72, Fig. 10, is formed in the rail 69. Acarriage, generally indicated by 73, includes side plates 74 and 75 which are disposed to engage, respectively, the inner faces of the

rails

68 and 69 to be slidable therealong.

End plates

76 and 77, Fig. 9, are disposed between and are connected to the side plates 74 and 75 and serve to maintain the plates 74 and 75 in predetermined spaced apart relation.

Shafts

78 and 79 are supported by the side plates 74 and 75 and rollers 80 and 81 are respectively and rotatably mounted on the

shafts

78 and 79 in position to travel in the slot 71. Similar rollers as 82 are mounted on the

shafts

78 and 79 in position to travel in the slot 72 and thus the carriage 73 is supported for reciprocatory movement along the

rails

68 and 69.

A block 83, Figs. 8 and 9, is mounted between the

plates

76 and 77 near the lower ends thereof for vertical movement. A wall 84 is fast to the

plates

76 and 77 and is disposed thercbetween above the block 83. The lower end of a bolt 85 is threaded into an opening in the upper part of the block 83 and has the head thereof disposed in an opening 86 provided in the wall 87 which is secured to and extends between the

plates

77 and 78 at the upper ends thereof. The bolt 85 is freely passed through an opening 88 in the wall 84 and a coil spring 89 is disposed thereabout to extend between the upper surface of the wall 84 and a washer 90 disposed beneath the head of the bolt 85 and thus the spring 89 is effective to urge the block 83 upwardly.

Upward movement of the block 83 is limited by pins 91 and 92, Fig. 8, which are respectively passed through tapped openings 93 and 94 provided in the wall 87 on opposite sides of the opening 86, the pins 91 and 92 having threaded engagement in these tapped openings. Lock nuts 95 and 96 are mounted on the pins 91 and 92 above the wall 87. The pins 91 and 92 extend through openings 91 and 92 in the wall 84 and have studs 99 and 100 at the lower ends thereof. Openings 97 and 98 are provided in the block 83 and the studs 99 and 100 respectively extend into these openings whereby

shoulders

101 and 102 respectively provided on the pins 91 and 92 engage the upper face of the block 83 and limit upward movement thereof, which is to say, the uppermost position of the block 83 is determined by the positioning of the pins 91 and 92 relative to the wall 87 which can be adjusted by manipulating the pins in the tapped openings 93 and 84 and thereafter seating the nuts 95 and 96 to retain the pins in the adjusted positions thereof. This arrangement is utilized to effect adjustment of the roller platen RP to insure that the '8 impression surface will flatly cooperate with type char acters on a printing plate at printing position.

An opening 103, Fig. 8, extends through the block 83 and has

bushings

104 and 105 provided at opposite ends thereof in which a shaft 106 is journaled. A gear 107 is fast to an outwardly extended end of the shaft 106 and is retained thereon by a pinned collar 108 mounted on the shaft outwardly of the gear. This gear 107 meshes with a rack 109 provided on the lower edge of a bar 110 which is disposed in juxtaposition to the rail 68 inwardly thereof, Figs. 3, 4, and 6. One end of the bar 110 is pivotally connected, as indicated at 111, to a plate 112 secured to the inner face of the rail 68. A plate 113, Figs. 8 and 10, is disposed between the gear 107 and the adjacent face of the block 83 and the shaft 106 extends therethrough near the lower end thereof. The upper end of the plate 113 includes a downwardly opening substantially U-shaped portion 114 which embraces the bar 110, as best shown in Figs. 8 and 10, and is effective to insure that the gear 107 remains in engagement with the rack 109.

The end of the shaft 106 opposite that on which the gear 107 is mounted extends outwardly of the bushing 105 in the block 103 and has a gear 115 fast to this extension thereof. This gear 115 meshes with a gear 116 formed integral with a shaft 1.17, Fig. 12, that is journaled in bearings 118 and 119 respectively provided in openings formed in

ears

120 and 121 that depend from the lower end of the block 83 at opposite sides thereof, as shown in Figs. 8 and 10. A collar 122, Figs. 8 and 12, is pinned or otherwise secured to the shaft 117 between the

ears

120 and 121 and retains the shaft 117 against axial movement in the bearings 118 and 119.

The roller platen RP is carried by a portion of the shaft 117 that extends outwardly of the gear 116, and this platen is removably mounted on this portion of the shaft. To this end the platen includes a segmental body 123, Fig. 11, that has an opening 124 therein through which the shaft 117 is extended. In order to prevent relative movement between the body 123 and the shaft 117,

openings

125 and 126 are provided in the body 123 on opposite sides of the opening 124, as shown in Fig. 11, and pins 127 and 128, Fig. 12, extended outwardly from the body of the gear 116 on the shaft 117 are respectively directed into the

openings

125 and 126. A set screw 128 prevents axial displacement of the body 123 from the shaft 119. In order to reduce the mass of the body 123, it is preferably cored as indicated at 129, Fig. 11. A rubber or other resilient segmental face or covering 130 is provided on the segmental face of the body 123 and is effective to make impressions from the type char acters TC on the plate 57, Fig. 17, in a manner that will be explained presently.

When the carriage 73 moves from the at rest position thereof, shown in Fig. 3, toward the left, as viewed in Fig. 3, the gear 107, in mesh with the rack 109, has rorating movement imparted thereto, and this movement is transmitted through the shaft 106 to the gear 115 and thence to the gear 116 and shaft 117 and therefore to the body 123 of the roller platen RP. The platen RP is thereupon moved from the at rest position shown in Fig. 3 toward the other at rest position thereof shown in Fig. 9. By the time the carriage 73 has moved from the at rest position thereof shown in Fig. 3 into the other at rest position thereof, wherein the roller 80 engages the left hand end of the slot 71, as viewed in Fig. 3, the platen will move from the at rest position diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 16 and indicated by W successively through the operating positions X and Y to come to at rest in position Z when the carriage 73 completes its travel to the left, as viewed in Fig. 3. As the segmental face 130 on the platen moves from the operative position X to the operative position Y, Fig. 16, an impression is made from the type characters TC on the plate 57, Fig. 17, onto the upper face of a sheet S disposed at printingposition through the intermediaryof an inked ribbon 1R2 disposed between the face- 130 and theupper face of the sheet S. In this operation, the direct reading type characters'TC on the plate 53 engage the lower face of the sheet Sand, in effect, elevate only those portions of thesheet aligned with the type characters so that only these portions cooperate with the inked ribbon IR2' to produce an impression on the upper face of the sheet S.

In order to move the carriage 73 from the at rest position. thereof shown in Fig. 3 into the other aforesaid at restposition thereof and to then subsequently return the. carriage to the at rest position thereof shown in Fig. 3, we provide a drive mechanism which is carried by the

rails

68 and 69 near the right hand end thereof asv This driving mechanism is disposed viewed in Fig. 3. within a housing generally indicated by 131 which includes depending

portions

132 and 133, Fig. 13, that are respectively secured to the

rails

68 and 69. Movement is imparted to the carriage 73 from a gear 134 through a, link 135 pivotally connected to the gear as indicated at-136,.thc other end of this link being pivotally mounted on the shaft 79 disposed between the arms 137 and 137' that project from the side plate 77 as shown in Fig. 6.

As best shown in Fig. 13, the gear 134 meshes with a. gear 138 fast to the collar 139 that is rotatably mounted on a; shaft 140. This shaft is journaled in bearing sleeves 141 and 142 that are respectively mounted in bushings 143. and 144 that are respectively secured in openings in the

side walls

132 and 133 of the housing 131. A pulley 145. is pinned or otherwise suitably secured to the shaft 140 outwardly of the bearing sleeve 142. An endless belt 147, Figs. 1 and 4, is passed about the pulley 145 and about a pulley 148, Fig. 1, fast on the main drive shaft 33 forwardly of the front bearing therefor afforded in the frame F. Therefore, so long asv rotative movement is imparted to the shaft 33, the shaft 140 is rotated. In. order that the belt 147 will be maintained under tension, a pulley 147', Fig. 4, is mounted at the free end of an arm. 146 and rides on the upper pass of the belt 147 between the

pulleys

145 and 148. The arm 146 is pivotally mounted on the shaft 140 between adjacent. faces of the side wall 132 and the pulley 145.

The relative sizes of the

pulleys

145 and 148 and the ratio between the

gears

138 and 134 are such that rotative movement is so imparted that gear 134 operates at a speed materially higher than that of other operating parts of the machine. Therefore, since the roller platen RP is operated from the gear 134 through the link 135, this platen will perform its function in but a fraction of a cycle of operation of the machine. Rotation of the

gears

136 and 134 is controlled by a clutch 148. Each time the clutch 148 is engaged, the gear 134 rotates 180 and the pivotal connection between this gear and the. link 135 comes to rest in the horizontal center-plane of the shaft. 140 either to the left or the right of the shaft 140 as viewed in Fig. 4. When the carriage 73 is to be moved from the at-rest position thereof shown in Fig. 3, the pivotal connection between the gear 134 and the link 135 will be disposed to the right of the shaft 141) as viewed in Fig. 4 and at the end of this particular movement of the gear 134, the pivotal connection 136 comes to rest in the horizontal center-plane of the shaft 140 and in spaced relation with the shaft 141) to the left thereof as viewed in Fig. 4. When the pivotal connection 136 and link 135 attains this position, the carriage 73 will be in the at-rest position thereof at the opposite end of the slot 71 from that shown in Fig. 3. In the succeeding engagement of the clutch 148, the pivotal connection 136 will move from its position to the left of the shaft 140, as viewed in Fig. 4, into its position in the horizontal center-plane of the shaft 140 at the right side of said shaft as. viewed in Fig. 4, and in the course of this rotation of the gear 134, the carriage 73 will be moved back to the at-rest position thereof shown in Fig. 3. Engagement. of the clutch 148 is controlled by a timing means I6 associated with: the cam shaft 46 in a manner to be explained? hereinafter.

The'c1utch148 is mountedon the shaft in operative association with the collar 139. Thus, a spacer 149 is rotatably mounted on: the shaft 140 at the inner end of the collar 139. A disc 150 is secured on the periphery ofthis spacer and lies adjacent to a plate 151 fast on the periphery of the collar 139. Rivets as 152 interconnect the

plates

150 and 151 whereby the spacer 149 is connected to the collar 139'for rotation therewith. Diametrically related ears 153' project from the inner end of the spacer 149 and respectively seat in recesses 1'54v in theadjacent end. of a collar 155' that is rotatably mounted on the shaft 140. inwardly of the spacer 149. The collar 155' is part of the clutch 1 4 8 which is the nature of that disclosed in a patent to Gollwitzer, Patent No. 2,265,134, patentedDecemberQ, 1941. Another part of the clutch 148 is in the form of a collar 156 pinned or otherwise suitably. secured to the shaft 140 adjacent to the bearing sleeve-141. This collar includes a peripheral flange 157: that lies adjacent to. a peripheral flange 158 on the clutch element 159 that is mounted on the inner reduced end of the collar 15 6, rivets 159 interconnecting the

flanges

157 and 158 so that the clutch element 159 is connected to the collar 156 to rotate with the shaft 140 when this shaft is in operation. A sleeve 158' is disposed about. the peripheries of the clutch elements. 155 and 159 and has cam slots as 157, Figs. 6 and 14, formed therein. Pins I56 mounted in the clutch element 155 are movable through the cam slots 157.

The clutch 148 is maintained disengaged with the elements 155 and159'thereof'separated, as shown in Fig. 13, under the influence of springs 155A which are respectively extended between the spring anchors-as 1558, Fig. 14, on asleeve 158? and spring anchors as 155C onthe disc 1 50,. When the clutch is disengaged, the disc 150 is held. against retrograde movement by the engagement of a pawl 150A, Figs. 6 and 14A, in the notch 15013 afforded in the periphery of the disc 150. The pawl 150A. is: pivotallysupported: from the housing 131 as indicated at 150C, and a spring 150D biases. the pawl toward. the. periphery of the disc. Also When the clutch is disengaged a pinv 151A fast in the sleeve 158 engages one end of a-v slot 158B, as shown in Fig. 1413, this slot being afforded. in a plate 158C, Figs. 6, 13, i4 and 14B. As best shown in Fig. 4, the plate 158C is pivotally supported in. the housing 131, and a spring 1581) is effective on this plate to urge the same toward the periphery of the sleeve 158..

Engagementofthe elutch148 is effected upon energization of a solenoid 160A under control of a switching arrangement explained. hereinafter. The plunger 1698 of the solenoid 160A has a plate 160C pivotally connected thereto. A spring 160D extends between the upper end of the plate'160C and the, top of the housing 131 to normally urge this plate upwardly. As best shown in Fig. 4, a; notch 160E is formed in the plate 160C and the free end. of the plate 158C is disposed in this notch. Consequently, when the solenoid 160A is energized and the plunger 160B. and the plate 160Care moved downwardly, the upper edge of the notch. 160E engages the plate 158C and pivots this plate downwardly to withdraw the notch 158B from association with the pin 158A. This frees the sleeve 158' to the influence of the springs 155A and thereupon the sleeve 158" so rotates that the slots as 157 move from the position. thereof shown in Fig. 14 to dispose the pins as 156 in the other ends of these slots. Inthe course of the movement of the pins 156 through the slots 157, the clutch element 155 moves towardthe right, as viewed in Fig. 13 and causes the teeth 156A at the inner end thereof to engage the teeth 156B formed in the adjacent end of the clutch element 159 and the interengagement ofthese teeth connects the .clutch element 155, sleeve-158', spacer 149, collar 139- 11 and gear 138 with the shaft 140, and thereupon the gear 138 is set in rotation. so rotates that the notch 150B is withdrawn from association with the pawl 150A, said pawl riding on the periphery of the disc 150 during rotative movement thereof.

The solenoid 160A is energized only briefly so that very shortly after the gear 138 is set in rotation, the spring 160D is effective to move the plate 160C upwardly, and thereupon the spring 158D brings the plate 158C into engagement with the periphery of the sleeve 158. Near the end of a complete rotation of the sleeve 158' with the shaft 140 when the gear 138 is set in motion, the pin 158A enters the slot 158B and when the pin engages one end of this slot, the sleeve 158' is held against further rotation. Thereupon the pins 156 move through the slots 157 in such a way that the clutch element 155 is withdrawn from engagement with the clutch element 159, and thereupon rotation of the gear 138 is interrupted. When the clutch elements are disengaged, as aforesaid, the pawl 150A reenters the notch 1508 in the disc 150 to hold the disc 150 against retrograde movement, and in the course of the movement of the pins 158A through the slots 158B the springs 155A are tensioned so that there is a biasing effect on the sleeve 158A that is resisted by the engagement of the pin 158A with an end of the slot 158B. Consequently, when the slot 15813 is withdrawn from association with the pin 158A, the sleeve 158' is freed to the influence of the springs 155A to thereupon effect reengagement of the clutch 148 in the manner described hereinabove.

As has been explained hereinabove, when the gear 138 is set in rotation the gear 134 is also caused to rotate, and as explained above, through the link 135, this is effective to bring about operation of the platen RP.

It has been explained hereinabove that the platen P is of receding type and this platen is shown in the unreceded position thereof in Fig. 8. This platen consists of an upper section 160 and a lower section 161, this latter section having a rubber facing 162 thereon that affords an impression surface. The

platen sections

160 and 161 are normally spaced one from the other in the manner shown in Fig. 8 by reason of the respective engagement of

ribs

163 and 164, on the upper face of the lower section 161, with the peripheries of

shafts

165 and 166 rotatably mounted in the upper platen section 160. The lower platen section 161 and the

ribs

163 and 164 thereon are normally urged upwardly under the influence of springs as 167, Figs. 8 and 18, disposed in recesses as 168 that open through the upper face of the platen section 160. Each spring as 167 is disposed about a bolt as 170, threaded into a tapped opening in the lower platen section 161 and is arranged in a recess as 168 to extend between the bottom of such recess and the head 169 on the adjacent bolt, the action of the springs on these heads urging the

ribs

163 and 164 respectively toward the

shafts

165 and 166.

Side plates

162A and 161A extend along opposite edges of the

platen sections

160 and 161 and are secured to platen section 160 by bolts as 1623 and 161B. The aforesaid opposite edges of the platen section 161 are undercut to afford

shoulders

162C and 161C that are respectively disposed above flanges 162D and 161D respectively provided along the lower edges of the

side plates

162A and 161A.

The platen section 161 is maintained in the unreceded position thereof so long as the

ribs

163 and 164 thereon respectively engage the peripheries of the

shafts

165 and 166. When, however, the

shafts

165 and 166 are rotated, in a manner to be explained presently, so as to bring the axially extended grooves 172 and 173 therein respectively into association with the

ribs

163 and 164, then, under the influence of the springs as 167, the ribs respectively enter the grooves and this elevates or recedes the platen section 161 whereby the facing 162 is so retracted that it will not be effective to make impressions from type char- When this occurs the disc 150A.

12 acters TC on the printing device D when the platen arm 25 rocks counterclockwise as viewed in Fig. 8 in the manner explained hereinabove.

A head 180 at the forward free end of the platen arm 25 has a bolt 181 freely passed through a medially located opening therein, the lower end of this bolt being threaded into a medially located tapped opening 182 provided in the upper platen section 160. A spring 183 is disposed about the bolt 181 to extend between the upper face of the head 180 and the washer 184 disposed beneath the head 185 on bolt 181 and thereby the platen sections and 161 are normally urged upwardly toward the head 180. This upward movement is limited by the engagement of the lower end of the screws as 186 and 187 respectively with the upper faces of

bosses

188 and 189 provided on the upper side of the platen section 160 on opposite sides of the medially located boss 190 through which the tapped opening 182 extends. The

screws

186 and 187 are mounted in tapped openings in the head 180 and by adjusting the position of these screws in this head it is possible to level the

platen sections

160 and 161 so as to insure that the facing 162 will flatly engage type characters TC on a printing device D at printing position when this facing is moved into printing association with such type characters. Lock nuts as 188 and 189 are respectively associated with the

screws

186 and 187 to maintain the same in the positions into which they are adjusted.

The shafts and 166 are rotated from the position thereof shown in Fig. 8 into and from the positions whereat the grooves 172 and 173 are respectively aligned with the ribs 163 and 1.64 by gears 174 and respectively fast to these shafts outwardly of the side plate 161A. These gears are meshed with a gear 176 rotatably mounted on the stud 177 carried by the side plate 161A. As best shown in Figs. 19 and 20, an arm is fast to the gear 176 and a stud 191 is provided near the free end of the arm 190. Normally the arm 190 is disposed in the full line position thereof illustrated in Fig. 20 and at such time the

shafts

165 and 166 are disposed in the position shown in Fig. 8. When, however, the grooves 172 and 173 are to be aligned with the

ribs

163 and 164 to effect receding of the platen section 161, the arm 190 is moved from a full line position thereof into the broken line position thereof, shown in Fig. 20. This is effected by caus ing the pin 191 to be engaged in the notch 192 provided in the arm 193, such arm 193 being pivotally mounted as at 194 on a bracket 195 carried by the frame F. A spring 196 extends between a spring anchor 197 on the arm 193 and a spring anchor 198 on the bracket 195 and is effective to urge the arm 193 toward the right as viewed in Fig. 20 so that the notch 192 is held in a retracted position wherein it does not cooperate with the pin 191 in the arm 190.

Movement of the arm 193 to locate the same to dispose the notch 192 in position to cooperate with the pin 191 is effective from the cam shaft 46. Thus, a link 199 is provided which has a slot 200 formed in one end thereof through which the cam shaft 46 is passed and the other end of this link is pivotally connected to the lower end of the arm 193 as indicated at 201. A roller 202 is rotatably mounted on the arm 191 in position to engage the periphery of a cam 203 fast on the cam shaft 46 adjacent of the arm 199. In order to maintain the arm 199 and cam 203 in fact to face contact collar 204 is fast on the cam shaft 46 in position to engage an adjacent face of the arm 199 and another collar 205 is fast to the cam shaft 46 in position to engage the cam 203 when the same is in face to face contact with the arm 199. The spring 196 is effective to maintain the roller 202 in engagement with the periphery of the cam 203.

The machine as illustrated in the accompanying drawings is so arranged that the platen arm 25 is rocked toward each printing device D four times in the course of a single rotation of the cam shaft 46 and the arrangeat printing position ment is such that the platen section 161 is moved into a receded position during the course of one such rocking movement of the platen arm 125. To this end a lobe 206 is formed on the cam 203 and, at a proper time in the course of rotation of the cam shaft 46, the lobe 203 moves into engagement with the roller 202 and thereupon the arm 193 is moved toward the left as viewed in Fig. 20, and at this time the pin 191 will be in the broken line position thereof shown in Fig. so that the notch 192 may move into position to embrace the pin 191. The lobe 296 is effective to maintain the arm 193 in this position during the succeeding downward movement of the platen arm and since the pin 191 will be embraced in the notch 192 it will be held against lowering movement during the descent of the platen arm 25. The effect of this to rotate the gear 176 and consequently gears 174 and 175 and such rotation of the gears is effective to rotate the

shaft

165 and 166 to dispose the grooves 172 and 173 in alignment with the

ribs

163 and 164 whereupon the platen section 161 is receded in the manner explained hereinabove. The lobe 206 is elfective to. maintain the notch 192 in engagement with the pin 191 during the succeeding upward movement of the platen arm 25 and in the course of such upward movement the

gears

176 and 174 and 175 are rotated to dispose the

shafts

165 and 166 in the position shown in Fig. 8, so

that the platen section 161 is restored to the unreceded Thereafter the roller 202 passes from,

position thereof.

association with the lobe 206 and, under the influence of the spring 196, the arm 193 is restored to the retracted position shown in Fig. 20 in which position itwill not effect rotation of the hereinabove.

It will be understood thatif the lower platen section 161 is to be receded more than once in. the course of a single revolution of the cam shaft 46, then additional lobes like the lobe 206 will be provided at appropriate positions on the cam 203.

A sheet severed from the web and deposited on the feed tapes is carried thereby toward printing position until the leading edge thereof engages a gatein the form of a stop finger 210. This stop finger 210 is pivotally mounted on a shaft 211 that is adjacent to the cam shaft 46. Stop finger; 210- also includes an arm 212 that carries a roller 213 that cooperates with a cam 214 on the cam shaft 46. When impressions are to be made on a sheet from a printing device atprinting position by the platens P and RP, the cam; 214. acts on the arm 210 so as to raise the sheet again moves with the tapes T until it engages the stop finger 215.

The stop finger is mounted on the shaft 211 and includes an arm 216 carrying a roller 217 that rides on a cam 218 on the cam shaft 46. The stop finger 215 will be in lowered position to engage the leading edgeof a sheet when the same is freed from engagement with the stop finger 210. When the leading edge of the sheet is engaged with the stop finger 215 a printing device as D, Fig. 17, will be disposed in printing position with the type characters TC on the printing plate 58 thereon aligned with the impression face 162 on the platen P and the type characters TC on the plate 57 will at this time be aligned with the platen RP. Immediately following engagement with the leading edge of a sheet with the stop finger 215, the platen P operates to make the impression 219 through the inked ribbon IR on the lower face of the sheet S and at the same time the platen RP makes the impression 220 on the upper face of the sheet.

The platen RP is set in operation by engagement of the clutch 148 in a manner described hereinabove, and engagement of this clutch is controlled by a normally open switch 221, Figs. 1 and 7. The switch 221 includes an arm 222 that carries a, roller 223 that cooperates with a cam 224 fast on the cam shaft 46. Immediately after gear 176. in the manner explained.

mounted in the frame F the same and thereupon the leading edge of a sheet engages the stop finger- 215 the roller 223 enters a notch in the periphery of a cam- 224 and this effects closure of the switch 221 and this in turn energizes the solenoid 166A to thereby effect engagement of the clutch 148. The switch 221 is supported in association with the cam 224 by being mounted on abracket 225 that is fast on to the table top TP as shown in Fig. 7. If the carriage 73 is in the position thereof shown in Fig. 3 then, upon engagement of the clutch 148, as aforesaid, in the ensuing operation of the platen RP- the carriage '73 moves so as to be disposed at the left; hand ends of the

slots

71 and 72 as viewed in, Fig. 3.

As soon as impressions 219 and 220 have been made on the section S1 of the sheet S of the cam 218 causes the top finger 215 to be raised and thereupon the leading edge of the sheet moves with the tapes T to engage. the stop finger 226 which at this time will be in sheet engaging position. The stop finger 226 is mounted on the shaft 211 and includes an arm 227 carrying a roller 228 that rides on a earn 229 fast on the cam shaft 46. After the leading edge of the sheet S is engaged with the stop finger 226 the succeeding notch on the cam 224 will move into association with the roller 223, whereupon the switch 221 is closed to bring about energization of the clutch 148 and thereupon the roller platen RP functions to produce the impression 230 on section S2 of the sheet S.

At this same time the lobe 206, Fig. 20, on the cam 203 moves into engagement with the roller 202 and thereupon the arm 193 is moved into the broken line position thereof shown in Fig. 15 and the pin 191 enters the notch 192 so that the arm 190 is moved from the full line to the broken line position thereof shown in Fig. 20 and this brings about receding of the platen P so that even though the platen arm 25 moves this platen toward the printing 58. The impression, face 162 will be in an elevated or receded position and will not, in such circumstances, produce an impression upon the under face of the impression S2 of the sheet S.

After the impression 230 on the section S2 of the sheet S has been made, the cam 229 causes the stop finger 226 to be raised and thereupon the leading edge of the sheet movesv into engagement with the stop finger 231 which at this time will be in lowered position to cooperate with the: sheet. Immediately after the engagement with the immediately leading edge of the sheet with this, stop finger, the platen P will be moved toward the printingdevice at printing position and at this time the arm 193 will be in the retracted position shown in Fig. 20 so that 1 the platen P will not be receded and thereupon the impression 232 is produced on the under side of the sheet S in the section S3 thereof. When the leading edge of the sheet is engaged with the stop finger 231, the roller 223 rides on the periphery of the cam 224, there being no notch provided in the portion of the cam that is at this time cooperating with the roller 223. Consequently the switch 221 is not closed and resultantly the roller platen RP is not operated and no impression is made on the upper face of the section S3 of the sheet S.

The stop finger 231 is mounted on the shaft 211 and includes an arm 233 that carries a roller 234 that rides on cam 235 fast on the cam shaft 46. Hence, after the impression 232 has been produced on the sheet S, the cam 235 causes the stop finger 231 to be raised and thereupon the sheet moves with the tapes T until the leading edge thereof engages the stop finger 236 which at this time will be in its lowered sheet cooperating position.

Immediately after the leading edge of the sheet engages ,the stop finger 236 the platen P functions to produce the impression 237 on the lower face, of the sheet S1 in the section S4 thereof and concurrently the roller 223 enters a notch in the cam 224 enclosing the switch 221 to thereby bring about operation of the platen RP and this produces the impression 238 on the upper face of the section S4 of the sheet S.

The stop finger 236 is mounted on the shaft 211 and includes an arm 239 carrying a roller 240 that rides on a cam 241 on the cam shaft 46 and as soon as the

impressions

237 and 238 have been produced on the sheet S, the cam 241 causes the stop finger 236 to be raised and thereupon the sheet moves toward the printing couple in the housing H.

As soon as the

impressions

237 and 238 have been produced on the section S4 of the sheet S, the means which feed the printing devices to printing position operate to feed another printing device into printing position and immediately thereafter the stop finger or gate 210 is raised to permit the leading edge of the preceding sheet to engage the stop finger 215 and thereupon the hereinabove described operations are repeated on a succeeding sheet.

In each instance where an impression is not to be made on the lower face of a sheet as S, as in the instance of the section S2 of the illustrated sheet, a lobe on the earn 203 moves the arm 193 in position to engage the pin 191 and thereupon the platen P is receded as explained hereinabove. It will be understood that lobes 206 could be provided to bring about such receding of the platen P during the time the sheet is stopped to have impressions made on any one of the sections thereof, the omission of an impression on the lower face of the section S2 being an example of this.

Likewise, it will be understood that when an impression is not to be made on the upper face of the sheet S in some particular section thereof, as in the instance of the section S3 of the sheet S, then closure of the switch 221 will not be brought about and resultantly there will not be an operation of the roller platen RP.

As has been explained, an inked ribbon IR is interposed between the lower face of the sheet S and the type characters on the printing plate 58 on the printing device D at printing position. Furthermore an inked ribbon 1R2 is interposed between the roller platen RP and the upper face of the sheet S to be effective to produce the impressions as 220, 230 and 238 on the upper face of the sheet. The inked ribbons are wound upon and unwound from spools as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and suitable reversing mechanisms are associated with these spools so that when the ribbon has been unwound from one spool on to the other, thereupon the direction of travel can be reversed to cause the ribbon to be rewound on the spool from which it has been unwound. Any appropriate ribbon reversing mechanism may be employed for this purpose.

It will be manifest from the foregoing description that we have provided an apparatus which may be used to enable the hereinabove set forth and kindred objects of this invention to be realized, and while we have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of our invention, it is to be understood that these are capable of variation and modification, and we therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to avail ourselves of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.

We claim:

1. In a printing machine of the kind through which printing devices are sequentially fed to a printing position whereat impressions are made from the devices on sheets fed to the printing position, means for arresting successive sections of each sheet in printing position, a reciprocating platen for making an impression on a section of a sheet disposed at printing position from the printing device disposed at printing position and including a body having an impression surface thereon, a support for said body, means urging said body toward said support, operative means for maintaining said body and said support in predetermined spaced relation to thereby maintain the impression surface in impression making position, said operative means and said body including portions adapted for cooperation one with the other to permit said body to move toward said support and thereby dispose the impression surface in a receding position wherein it is ineffective to make an impression from the printing devices at printing position, means controlling operation of said operative means and effective to cause said impression surface to be disposed in receded position when a selected section of a sheet is disposed in printing position whereupon an impression is not made upon such section, and timing means controlling the operation of the sheet arresting means and the means controlling operation of the operative means.

2. In a printing machine of the kind through which printing devices are sequentially fed to a printing position whereat impressions are made from the devices on sheets fed to the printing position, means for arresting successive sections of each sheet in printing position, a reciprocating platen for making an impression on a section of a sheet disposed at printing position from the printing device disposed at printing position and including a body having an impression surface thereon, a support for said body, means urging said body toward said support, rotatable means for maintaining said body and said support in predetermined spaced relation to thereby maintain the impression surface in impression making position, said rotatable means having recesses therein, means on said body adapted to enter said recesses upon rotation of the rotatable means to permit said body to move toward said support and thereby dispose the impression surface in a receding position wherein it is ineffective to make an impression from the printing devices at printing position, and means for effecting rotation of said rotatable means and effective to cause said impression surface to be disposed in receded position when a selected section of a sheet is disposed in printing position whereupon an impression is not made upon such section.

3. In a printing machine of the kind through which printing devices are sequentially fed to a printing position whereat impressions are made from the devices on sheets fed to the printing position, means for arresting successive sections of each sheet in printing position, a reciprocating platen, means for reciprocating said platen to cause the same to move through an impression producing operation whereby an impression may be made on a section of a sheet disposed at printing position, said platen including a body having an impression surface thereon, a support for said body, means urging said body toward said support, rotatable means for maintaining said body and said support in predetermined spaced relation to thereby maintain the impression surface in impression making position, said rotatable means having recesses therein, means on said body adapted to enter said recesses upon rotation of the rotatable means to permit said body to move toward said support and thereby dispose the impression surface in a receding position wherein it is ineffective to make an impression from the printing devices at printing position, means on said body for rotating said rotatable means, and means engageable with said last named means during a reciprocation of said platen and effective to cause said impression surface to be disposed in receded position when a selected section of a sheet is disposed in printing position whereupon an impression is not made upon such section.

4. In a printing machine of the kind through which printing devices are sequentially fed to a printing position whereat impressions are made from the devices on sheets fed to the printing position, means for arresting successive sections of each sheet in printing position, a reciprocating platen, means for reciprocating said platen to cause the same to move through an impression producing operation whereby an impression may be made on a section of a sheet disposed at printing position, said platen including a body having an impression surface thereon, a support for said body, means urging said body toward said support, rotatable means for maintaining said body and said support in predetermined spaced relation to thereby maintain the impression surface in impression making position, said rotatable means having recesses therein, means on said body adapted to enter said recesses upon rotation of the rotatable means to permit said body to move toward said support and thereby dispose the impression surface in a receding position wherein it is ineffective to make an impression from the printing devices at printing position, means on said body for rotating said rotatable means, means engageable with the means for rotating said rotatable means during a reciprocation of said platen and effective to cause said impression surface to be disposed in receded position when a selected section of a sheet is disposed in printing position whereupon an impression is not made upon such section, and timing means cont-rolling operation of said sheet arresting means and the means engageable with means for rotating said rotatable means.

5. In a printing machine of the kind through which printing devices are sequentially fed to a printing position whereat impressions are made from the devices on sheets fed to the printing position, means for arresting successive sections of each sheet in printing position, a reciprocating platen, means for reciprocating said platen to cause the same to move through an impression producing operation whereby an impression may be made on a section of a sheet disposed at printing position, said platen including a body having an impression surface thereon, a support for said body, means urging said body toward said support, first operative means for'maintaining said body and said support in predetermined spaced relation to thereby maintain the impression surface in impression making position, said operative means and said body including portions adapted for cooperation one with the other to permit said body to move toward said support and thereby dispose the impression surface in a receded position wherein it is ineffective to make an impression from the printing device at printing position, means engageable with said first operative means during a reciprocation of said platen and effective to cause said impression surface to be disposed in receded position when a selected section of a sheet is disposed in printing position whereupon an impression is not made upon such section, a carriage mounted for movement across printing position, a roller platen on said carriage and operable to make an impression from a printing device at printing position onto a section of a sheet disposed at printing position, means controllingmovement of said carriage and operation of said roller platen and operable to prevent operation of said roller platen whereby an impression will not be made thereby onto a section of a sheet disposed at printing position, and timing means controlling operation of the sheet arresting means, the means controlling operation of said first operative means, and the means controlling operation of said carriage and roller platen.

6. In a printing machine of the kind through which printing devices having direct and reverse reading imprinting means thereon are sequentially fed to a printing position whereat impressions are made from the devices on" sheets fed to printing position, a pair of spaced apart platens at printing position for making, respectively, at l east one impression onone face of a sheet disposed at printing position from the direct reading imprinting means of a particular printing device in printing position and at least one impression on the opposite face of the same sheet from the reverse reading imprinting means of the same printing device in printing position, and means for alternating the impression producing operations of said platens so that while one of the platens is producing its impression the other platen is inoperative to produce its impression.

7. In a printing machine of the kind through which printing devices are sequentially fed to a printing position whereat impressions are made from reverse and direct reading imprinting means on each such device onto a related sheet fed to printing position, a pair of spaced apart platens at printing position for making, respectively, at least one impression on one face of a sheet disposed at printing position from the reverse reading imprinting means on a particular printing device in printing position and at least one impression on the other face of the same sheet from the direct reading imprinting means on the same printing device, means to halt the sheet at one station in printing position to receive only the impression on the one face thereof and then to feed the sheet forwardly and halt the sheet at a second station in printing position to receive only the impression on the other face thereof, and means for alternating the impression producing operations of said platens between such successive halts of the sheet as aforesaid.

8. In a printing machine of the kind through which printing devices are sequentially fed to a printing position whereat impressions are made from reverse and direct reading imprinting means on each such device onto' a related sheet fed to printing position, a pair of spaced apart platens at printing position for making, respectively, at least one impression on one face of a sheet disposed at printing position from the reverse reading imprinting means on a particular printing device in printing position and at least one impression on the opposite face of the same sheet from the direct reading imprinting means on the same printing device, means for stepping the sheet past the platens in successive steps so that different 'arees thereof are exposed to the platens at different times, and means for effecting substantially concurrent impression producing operations of said platens at certain times to produce twoimpressions and for alternating the impression producing operations of said platens at other times to produce but one impression. I

9. In a printing machine of the kind through which printing devices having direct and reverse reading imprinting means thereon are sequentially fed to a printing position whereat impressions are made from the devices onto sheets fed to printing position, a pair of spaced apart platens at printing position for making, respectively, at least one impression on one face of a sheet disposed at printing position from the direct reading'imprinting'means of a particular'printing device in printing position and at least one impression on the other face of the same sheet from the reverse reading imprinting means of the same printing device, means for stepping the sheet through printing position so that different areas thereof are eiposed to the platens at different times, and means controlling the impression producing operations of said platens whereby each is ineffective at a different time" to produce its impression on a corresponding face of a sheet disposed at printing position. v

10. In a printing machine of the kind through whih printing devices having direct and reverse reading imprinting means are sequentially fed to a printing position whereat impressions are made from the devices onto sheets fed to printing position, a platen at printing position for making at least one impression on one face of a sheet disposed at printing position from the direct reading imprinting means of a particular printing device in printing position, means for rendering inoperative said platento so produce an impression from the printing device at printing position, a second platen for making at least one impression on the othersideof the same sheet at printing position from the reverse reading imprinting means of the same printing device at such position, means for rendering inoperative said second platen to so produce an impression, means to step each sheet through printing position so that different areas thereof are exposed at different times to the platens, and means controlling the sequence of operation of the means for rendering inoperative the platens whereby each of said platens may be selectively and individually rendered ineffective at a certain time to produce its impression on a sheet disposed at printing position while the other of said platens is operative to produce its impression,

11. In a printing machine of the kind through which printing devices having direct and reverse reading imprinting means thereon are sequentially fed to a printing position whereat impressions are made from the respective imprinting means on the devices onto opposite faces of sheets fed to printing position, a pair of spaced apart platens at printing position, means for stepping the sheets through printing position and for halting the sheets at different stations therein so that different areas of the sheets are exposed to said platens at different times, means for operating and controlling said platens whereby a plurality of impressions may be made thereby on different areas of a sheet disposed successively at different stations at printing position from the related imprinting means of a particular printing device in printing position, and means operating in timed relation to the feeding of a sheet to the different stations for controlling the operation of the platen operating and controlling means whereby each of said platens may be selectively and individually rendered effective to produce its impression on an area of a sheet disposed at a printing position station while the other of said platens is ineffective to produce its impression.

12. In a printing machine of the kind through which printing devices having direct and reverse imprinting means thereon are sequentially fed to a printing position whereat impressions are made from the respective imprinting means on the devices onto opposite faces of sheets fed to printing position, a platen at printing position, means for operating said platen whereby a plurality of impressions may be made thereby at different areas on one face of a sheet disposed at printing position from the direct reading imprinting means of a particular printing device in printing position, a second platen, means for operating said second platen whereby a plurality of impressions may be made thereby at different areas on the other face of a sheet disposed at printing position from the reverse reading imprinting means of the same printing device in such position, means for feeding the sheet in steps through printing position to expose different areas thereof to said platens at different times, and means for effecting substantially concurrent operation of said platens at one time whereby impressions may be produced by said platens substantially concurrently on areas of the opposite faces of a sheet disposed in printing position and at other times for rendering ineffective one such platen to so concurrently produce with the other platen an impression on another area of a sheet disposed at printing position.

13. In a printing machine of the kind through which printing devices having direct and reverse reading imprinting means thereon are sequentially fed to a printing position whereat impressions are made from the devices on sheets fed to printing position, a pair of spaced apart platens at printing position for making, respectively, at least one impression on one face of a sheet disposed at printing position from the direct reading imprinting means of a particular printing device in printing position and at least one impression on the opposite face of the same sheet from the reverse reading imprinting means of the same printing device in printing position, means to step the sheets through printing position on that different areas thereon are exposed to the platens at different times, and means for alternating the impression producing operations of said platens in timed relation to the stepping of each sheet through printing position.

14. In a printing machine of the kind through which printing devices are sequentially fed to a printing position whereat impressions are made from reverse and direct reading imprinting means on the devices onto the sheets fed to the printing position, a pair of spaced apart platens at printing position for making at least one impression on one face of a sheet disposed at printing posi tion from the reverse reading imprinting means on a particular printing device in printing position and at least one impression on the other face of the same sheet from the direct reading imprinting means on the same printing device at printing position, and means for effecting substantially concurrent impression producing operations of said platens at certain times and for effecting alternate suppression of but one of said platens at other times.

15. In a printing machine of the kind throughwhich printing devices having direct and reverse reading imprinting means are sequentially fed to a printing position whereat impressions are made from the devices onto sheets fed to the printing position, a platen at printing position for making at least one impression on one face of a sheet disposed at printing position from the direct reading imprinting means of a particular printing device in printing position, means for rendering inoperative said platen to so produce an impression from the printing device at printing position, a second platen for making at least one impression on the other face of the same sheet at printing position from the reverse reading imprinting means of the same printing device at such position, means for rendering inoperative the impression producing operations of said second platen, and means controlling the sequence of operation of the means for rendering inoperative the platens whereby each of said platens may be selectively and individually rendered ineffective at a certain time to produce its impression on a sheet disposed at printing position while the other of said platens is operative to produce its impression.

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