US2886163A

US2886163A - Tabulators for machines for making printing plates

Info

Publication number: US2886163A
Application number: US602607A
Authority: US
Inventors: Wells Ward
Original assignee: WARD M WELLS
Current assignee: WARD M WELLS
Priority date: 1956-08-07
Filing date: 1956-08-07
Publication date: 1959-05-12
Anticipated expiration: 1976-05-12

Description

y 12, 1959 w. WELLS TABULATORS FOR MACHINES F OR MAKING PRINTING PLATES Filed Aug. 7, 195a 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

W M BY 2 Ma 12, 1959 w. WELLS 2,886,163

' TABULATORS FOR MACHINES FOR MAKING v PRINTING PLATES Filed Aug. 7, 1956 v sshe ts-sneev May 12, 1959 w. WELLS 2,886,163

- TABULATORS FOR MACHINES FOR MAKING iRIN'IING PLATES Filed Aug. 7, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet a JOHN 005 7-17-55 7-5-42 I6 FIRST/W IOU-00 24 40 MAIN CITY 30 DA.

n I I! INVENTOR. Wm M United States Patent TABULATORS FOR MACHINES FOR MAKING PRINTING PLATES Ward Wells, Oakland, Calif., assignor to Ward M. Wells, Oakland, Calif.

Application August 7, 1956, Serial No. 602,607

6 Claims. (Cl. 197-176) This invention relates to improvements in type embossing machines which emboss printing characters in relatively thin sheet metal, such as the machine disclosed in Patent No. 1,518,904, issued December 9, 1924, and Patent No. 1,831,103, issued November 10, 1931, to I. S. Duncan, and provides tabulating means which can be incorporated in the machine or supplied as an attachment, and which, with slight modifications can be adapted to other machines of a similar nature, making it unnecessary to space for a different setting in view of the tabulator stops which can be adjusted to any desired positions and requiring the mere touch of the tabulator key for setting the carriage at the desired position, thus increasing output and avoiding misaligned type.

The conventional machines to which this invention applies are provided with punches and dies which form the letters in the metal plate, with the die head being controlled by a keyboard similar to that of a typewriter, yet, so far as known, none have a tabulator or tabulator key, the positioning of the carriage being controlled entirely by the keyboard and spacer bar.

In most cases there are at least two columns or alignments on the printing plate, including possibly the name and address, with a second alignment including possibly an account number or identification, and to move the carriage and plate from one point to another it is necessary to operate the spacer bar and watch the carriage for the desired setting, while with my improvement, such operation is unnecessary as the tabulator will release, then stop the carriage at the desired position.

The objects and advantages of the invention are as follows:

First, to provide tabulating means for a keyboard type printing plate making machine.

Second, to provide means as outlined in the form of an attachment for application to existing keyboard type printing plate making machines.

Third, to provide tabulating means as outlined with a plurality of adjustable tabulator stops.

Fourth, to provide tabulating means as outlined with a tabulator key incorporated in the keyboard or adjacent thereto for direct accessibility.

Fifth, to provide tabulating means as outlined which is electro-mechanically operated for instant response to a touch of the tabulator key.

Sixth, to provide tabulating means as outlined which is of the simplest possible construction, easily installed, and economical to manufacture.

In describing the invention reference will be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

i Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the carriage rail and carriage of a printing plate making machine, with portions of the invention incorporated therein.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the electro-magnetic operating means for the tabulator.

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of Fig. 3.

spring 41.

2,886,163 Patented Mary 12, 1959 Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the tabulator button an switch.

Fig. 6 is a rear elevation of the tabulator. I

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary plan view of the keyboard shown in dotted lines with the tabulator key shown in solid lines.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view of the rear of the printing plate making machine with the tabulator attachment mounted thereon.

Fig. 9 illustrates a modification of the invention illustrating a mechanical arrangement for operation.

Fig. 10 illustrates the purpose of the tabulator as applied to a printing plate.

Fig. 11 is a transverse section through the stop.

The printing plate making machine includes a housing 11 the rear of which is shown in Fig. 8, and the front of which includes a keyboard 12 and a space bar 13 similar to that of a conventional typewriter, and a carriage rail 14 which is also mounted on the front in a position above the keyboard.

A carriage 15 is mounted on this rail and travels and is guided by the

rollers

16, 17, 18 and 19, and is provided with a pointer 20 which travels with the carriage to indicate the position on the plate where the next impression will be formed in the plate, this being the member now used for tabulating, the carriage being spaced by the spacer bar until the pointer 20 registers with the desired point on the scale 21.

The carriage includes an escapement pawl 22 which is operated by the space shaft 23 through depression of the space bar as also by depression of any of the keys 12, the carriage moving to the right one space each time a key or the space bar is depressed, the carriage being urged by the tape 24 which is drawn into the spring drum 25. The carriage also has the finger grip release 26 through the medium of which the carriage can be manually shifted to any desired position.

The machine also includes the dies and

punches

27 and 28 which form the characters in the plates, and, there is ample clearance between the dies and punches and the frame of the housing for passage of the operating shaft 29 and its sleeve bearing 30 through to the front of the machine and which terminate in proximity to the carriage rail as indicated at 31 in Fig. 2.

In the preferred form, the invention consists of a bracket 32 the upper end of which is fixed to a boss 33 which is an integral part of the housing, as by screws 34, providing a rigid mounting for the bracket. Fixed to this bracket as indicated at 35 is the bearing sleeve 30 and which extends substantially through to the front of the machine so as to require no bearing to be mounted at the front of the machine for support as the bearing sleeve has ample rigidity, the operating shaft extending through this bearing sleeve and having a crank 36 fixed to the front end for control of the carriage escapement and operation of the tabulator mechanism. A crank is fixed on the rear end of this shaft and is illustrated as consisting of a disc 37 which is fixed on the end of the shaft with the crank arm fixed to the disc as indicated at 39. A stop is fixed in the bracket as indicated at 40 to limit upward travel of the crank arm, and a spring 41 urges the crank arm against this stop.

The solenoid 42 is mounted on the lower end of the bracket 32 with its core 43 connected to the crank arm 38 through the link 44 as indicated at 45 and 46. The solenoid is connected in the electrical circuit of the machine by the

leads

47 and 48 with intervening switch and thence lead 50 through depression of the tabulator key 51, energization of the solenoid causing the core to retract the crank arm 38 against the urgence of the The crank 36 on the front end of the shaft 29 is provided with a crossbar forming opposed levers 52 and 53. A lever arm 54 is fixed on the space shaft 23 as indicated at 55 and cooperates with the lever 52.

A bearing 56 is mounted on the underside of the carriage rail, and a tabulator shaft 57 is rotatable therein and projects therefrom in a direction toward the space shaft, and this extension is provided with a plurality of tabulator stops 58, 59, for adjustment axially throughout the length of the space rack 60 whereby the tabulator stops can be set to any desired positions for cooperation with the tabulator engaging member 61 which is mounted on the underside of the carriage as indicated at 62.

7 A crank arm 63 is fixed on the end of the tabulator shaft opposite that of the extension 64 and projects rearwardly and has an operative connection 65 with the lever 53, and a spring 66 urges the shaft to retain the tabulator stops in engaging relation to the stop engaging member 61.

A cross-sectional view through one of the tabulator stops is illustrated on an enlarged scale in Fig. 11, the shaft extension 64 having teeth 67 formed chordially in the periphery on one side and throughout a length corresponding to that of the rack 60, and the shaft is also provided with graduations 68 for convenience in setting the stops, and which graduations correspond with the graduations 21.

The shaft bore 69 is elongated to substantially oval shape, and a pressure block 70 fits diametrically in this bore and cooperates with the periphery of the shaft. This pressure block is provided with a stem 71 which fitg slid ably in a bore 72 and is backed by a compression spring 73 which in turn is backed by a plug 74, and a key 75 is fixed in the rearward end of the stop to function as a tooth to engage in the teeth 67 formed in the periphery of the shaft.

Thus, to set the tabulator stops in any desired position on the extension it is merely necessary to press the stop rearwardly to disengage the tooth 75 from the teeth 67, slide the stop to the desired position and release. The spring will cause engagement of the tooth of the stop between the teeth on the shaft, locking the stop in position and preventing rotation on the shaft.

The operation of the invention can be carried out by other means, such as the mechanical type shown in Fig. 9, in which the tabulator key 51 has connection 76 with a bellcrank lever 77 and which maintains the key in an upwardly projected position through the medium of the spring 78, this bellcrank lever being connected to a lever 79 through the connection 80, the lever 79 being fixed on a shaft 81 on which is fixed another lever 82 which has connection 83 with a lever 84 on the tabulator actuating shaft 29.

Operation of the tabulator is as follows: The tabulator stops are first set to the desired positions, for example, as illustrated in Fig. 10, two tabulator stops would be used, so that one may be set for the eleventh space indicated at 11, and the other at the 19th space indicated at "19 to form the three columns illustrated. This operation is carried out on the front of the machine, directly accessible from the keyboard.

After the first line of the first column has been completed, the tabulator key 51 is depressed, closing the circuit to the solenoid which becomes energized, drawing the core down and turning the shaft 29 with the arm 53 swinging downward and through the connection 65 releasing the tabulator shaft 57 for rotation in a direction as urged by the spring 66 for moving the stops '8 and 59 to engaging position for cooperation with the engaging element 61, lever 52 simultaneously raising lever 54 for disengaging the escapement 22 from the space rack 60, freeing the carriage which through the urgence of the spring drum 25 and tape connection 24 is drawn to the right until the engaging element 61 engages the first stop 58.

Upon release of the tabulator key 51, the switch 85 breaks the circuit to the solenoid, the escapement re- ,4 engages the rack, and the tabulator stops are drawn out of engaging relation to the engaging element 61 through the connection 65.

After the first line in the second column is completed, the tabulator key is again depressed, causing the carriage to be again freed to engage the tabulator stop 59, and after releasing the tabulator key, the first line of the third column can be completed in the conventional manner.

It will be understood that this invention can be applied as an attachment to existing machines, or built in as an integral part of new machines, and can readily be operated by means other than a solenoid.

I claim:

1. In a printing plate making machine having a carriage rail, a carriage mounted for travel along said carriage rail, means urging retraction of said carriage, a space rack on said carriage, and an escapement engageble with said space rack and mounted on said rail, tabulating means comprising, a bracket, a shaft rotatably mounted on said bracket and having a plurality of tabulator stops adjustable thereon relative to the length of said space rack, a tabulator key, engaging means on said carriage cooperative with said stops, and electro-magnetic means and a circuit therefor controlled by said tabulator key for rotatably operating said shaft for arcuately moving said stops in engaging relation to said engaging means and releasing said escapement for movement of said carriage to one of said stops, with release of the tabulator key creating engagement of said escapement with said rack and arcuately retracting said stops for conventional operation of the machine.

2. In a printing plate making machine having a carriage rail, a carriage mounted for travel along said carriage rail, means urging retraction of said carriage, a space rack on said carriage, and an escapement engageable with said space rack and mounted on said rail, tabulating means comprising, a bracket, a shaft rotatably mounted on said bracket and having a plurality of tabulator stops adjustable thereon relative to the length of said space rack, a tabulator key, engaging means on said carriage cooperative with said stops, and means actuated by said tabulator key for rotatably operating said shaft for arcuately moving said stops in engaging relation to said engaging means and releasing said escapement for movement of said carriage to one of said stops, with release of the tabulator key creating engagement of said escapement with said rack and arcuately retracting said stops forconventional operation of the machine, said shaft being rotatably mounted in a plane below said carriage and including resilient means for rotating said shaft for advancing said stops to engaging position, said means actuated by said tabulator key including a lever having a flexible connection to said shaft for retracting said shaft rotatably against the urgence of said resilient means for retracting said stops from engaging position.

3. In a printing plate making machine having a carriage rail, a carriage mounted for travel along said carriage rail, means urging retraction of said carriage, a space rack on said carriage, and an escapement engageable with said space rack and mounted on said rail, tabulating means comprising, a bracket, a shaft rotatably mounted on said bracket and having a plurality of tabulator stops adjustable thereon relative to the length of said. space rack, a tabulator key, engaging means on said carriage cooperative with said stops, and means actuated by said tabulator key for rotatably operating said shaft for arcuately moving said stops in engaging relation to said engaging means and releasing said escapement for movement of said carriage to one of said stops, with release of the tabulator key creating engagement of said escapement with said rack and arcuately retracting said stops for conventional operation of the machine, said means actuated by said tabulator key comprising an electromagnet controlled by said tabulator key and having an operative connection with said shaft for movement to engaging position for said engaging means and for disengaging said escapement, with said escapement and stops being released upon release of said key for return respectively to engagement with said rack and retraction from said engaging means for normal operation of said machine.

4. In a printing plate making machine having a carriage rail, a carriage mounted for travel along said carriage rail, means urging retraction of said carriage, a space rack on said carriage, and an escapement engageable with said space rack and mounted on said rail, tabulating means comprising, a bracket, a shaft rotatably mounted on said bracket and having a plurality of tabulator stops adjustable thereon relative to the length of said space rack, a tabulator key, engaging means on said carriage cooperative with said stops, and means actuated by said tabulator key for rotatably operating said shaft for arcuately moving said stops in engaging relation to said engaging means and releasing said escapement for movement of said carriage to one of said stops, with release of the tabulator key creating engagement of said escapement with said rack and arcuately retracting said stops for conventional operation of the machine, said shaft being rotatably mounted on said rail in a plane below said carriage, a spring urging rotation of said shaft in one direction to retract said stops, a solenoid and a circuit therefor and including a switch controlled by said tabu lator key, a shaft actuated by said solenoid and including a two-armed lever with one arm having a flexible connection with said shaft for release for control by said spring for moving said stops into engaging relation, and for retraction against the urgence of said spring for retracting said stops from engaging relation with said engaging means, with the other arm of said two-armed lever releasing said escapement from said rack and having operative engagement with said escapement, release of said tabulator key releasing said escapement for engagement with said rack and retraction of said shaft for retraction of said stops from engaging relation with said engaging means.

5. In a printing plate making machine having a keyboard, a carriage, a carriage rail with said carriage mounted thereon for travel therealong and including a spring drum having connection with said carriage for retraction, a space rack on said carriage, an escapement on said rail and cooperative with said rack, and a space shaft having operative connection with said escapement for spacing the carriage through operation of the keys of the keyboard, tabulating means comprising, a tabulator key for said keyboard, a bracket, a shaft rotatably mounted on said bracket in a plane below the underside of said carriage and having a plurality of tabulator stops mounted for adjustment therealong and including means securing said stops in adjusted positions, and means controlled by said tabulator key and having operative connections with said shaft and with said space shaft for moving said stops to engaging position with said carriage, and releasing said escapement from said rack for free travel of the carriage to engagement with one of said stops, release of the tabulator key actuating said operative connections for reengagement of said escapement and retraction of said stops for normal operation of said machine, said means controlled by said tabulator key comprising a solenoid and a circuit therefor and a switch controlled by said tabulator key, said shaft being spring urged for the engaging position of said stops with said operative connections having a flexible connection with said shaft and a connection with said escapement.

6. In a printing plate making machine having a keyboard including a space bar, a carriage rail, a carriage movable along said rail and supported thereby and including means for retracting said carriage along said rail, a space rack on said carriage, an escapement carried by said rail and cooperative with said space rack and controlled by said space bar and by the keys of said keyboard, tabulating means comprising, a bracket and means for attaching said bracket to said machine, a shaft rotatably mounted on said bracket, a plurality of tabulator stops mounted on said shaft for adjustment in parallel relation to said rail, engaging means on said carriage for cooperation with said stops, a tabulator key mounted in directly accessible relation to said keyboard, and operative connections from said tabulator key to said shaft and including a solenoid and control means therefor controlled by said tabulator key for arcuately moving said tabulator stops into engaging position for said engaging means and releasing said escapement from said rack When said tabulator key is depressed, and for re-engaging said escapement with said space rack, and retracting said stops from engagement with said engaging means for normal operation of said machine.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 543,111 Sipro July 23, 1895