US2929144A

US2929144A - Engraver switch

Info

Publication number: US2929144A
Application number: US483566A
Authority: US
Inventors: Raymond L Mellema
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1955-01-24
Filing date: 1955-01-24
Publication date: 1960-03-22
Anticipated expiration: 1977-03-22

Description

March-22, 1960 MELLEMA 2,929,144

ENGRAVER SWITCH Filed Jan. 24. 1955 7 IN V EN TOR. RAYMuNn LMELLEMA 94- AT T DEWEY States Patent ENGRAVER swrrcn Raymond L. Mellema, Syracuse, NY. Application January 24, 1955, Serial No. 483,566

1 Claim. 01. 33-23 This invention relates to engraving apparatus and more particularly to a stylus rest and automatic control for such apparatus.

In engraving apparatus, there is provided a pantograph or parallelogram linkage, one corner of which is pivotally mounted, and the opposite corner of which is provided with a stylus for following the master copy templates. The pantograph carries a power-driven cutting tool, which is adapted to engage the work piece to be engraved. In such apparatus, the power-driven cutting tool is generally allowed to operate continuously, and if the work is to be interrupted, no provision is made for conveniently assuring that the power operation of the cutting tool will be discontinued. During interruptions on any particular piece of engraving, there is always danger of spoiling the work through accidental contact of the cutting tool with the work, or the cutting edge of the cutting tool may be damaged by accidental contact with clamps and other parts, while under rotation.

The present invention is directed to a rest support for the stylus of such apparatus, the rest support having automatic provision for tie-energizing the power-driven cutting tool, so that when use of the apparatus is temporarily discontinued, the cutting tool is inactive and the danger of injuring the work or the tool is minimized. The invention further has to do with a convenient accessory adapted to be mounted laterally upon the base of an engraver, which accessory is provided with an elastic circuit breaker for controlling the power to the cutting tool, the circuit breaker being automatically actuated when the stylus is placed upon a rest, forming a part of the accessory.

The above and other novel features of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter from the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is expressly understood that the drawings are employed for purposes of illustration only and are not designed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claim.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like parts:

Figure l is a top plan view of an engraver to which the accessory has been applied;

Figure 2 is a sectional view through the rest and switch mechanism;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken line 3-3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a wiring diagram.

In the drawings there is shown an engraver comprising a base 10, having a rear extension 12 upon which the pantograph support 13 and pantograph 14 is pivotally mounted, and a forward raised template supporting deck 16. The pantograph comprises parallel links 18 and 20 pivotally connected to links 22 and 24. The pivotal connection between the links 18 and 24 are mounted upon a pivot post 26 carried on a bridge 28, having spaced parallel bars 27 which are slidably mounted within an substantially on the adjustable support sleeve 30. Such sleeve is vertically adjustable upon a post 32 extending upwardly from the extension 12. The links 18, 20 and 22 are provided with spaced perforations to permit variation in the dimensions of the parallelogram formed by the links.

The link 22 has a rearward extension 34 upon which is mounted a motor 36, which motor drives the cutting tool shaft 38 by a belt drive 40. The link 20 is extended forwardly as at 42 and is provided with a stylus 44, the lower end of which is adapted to ride in the grooves 46 of the template 48 mounted on the deck 16. The work piece 50 being engraved is mounted upon the base 10 by clamps 52. Such clamps are adapted to be mounted in any of the threaded apertures 54 so that any form of work piece can be accommodated, and positioned as desired.

Secured against the side of the raised deck portion 16 is an arm 56 the upper end of which is stepped, and upon which is mounted a switch housing 58 and a protector cup 60. The switch housing is composed of a pair of

side plates

62 and 64 flanged along their top and bottom edges, the side plates being mounted upon a base plate 66, the forward end of which is upwardly turned as at 68 to form a partial end closure, and extend to the bottom wall 70 of the cup 60. The housing is closed by a cover and end plate 72, which is secured to the

upper flanges

74 and 76 or" the

side plates

62 and 64.

The cup 60 is cut away as at 78 on the side facing the housing 58. Within the housing there is provided a strap arm 80 pivotally mounted on a pin 82, the latter extending between the

side plates

62 and 64. The strap 80 extends into the cup 60 and has mounted on the upper side thereof a plastic receptor or cup 84, which acts as a rest for the stylus 44.

Within the housing is a micro switch 86, the actuating member 88 of which engages the underside of the strap arm 80, so that when the weight of the stylus 44 rests within the cup 84, the switch will be actuated to the oif position. The switch is mounted upon the side plate 64 of the housing 58. The housing is also provided with a manual switch 90 in the side plate 62 and a plug receptacle 92 in the side plate 64. A conductor having a male plug 94 leads into the housing 58. The receptacle 92 is adapted to receive the plug 96, leading to the motor 36, and as shown in Figure 4, an electrical circuit is provided whereby the switch 86 and the switch 90 are in series with one lead 98 from the plug 94, there being provided another lead 100 leading from the other terminal of the plug 94 to the other terminal of the receptacle 92.

It will thus be seen that a convenient accessory is provided for an engraver in which at any time it is desired to temporarily discontinue operation of the apparatus, the stylus may be allowed to rest in the cup 84, whereupon immediately the switch 86 is actuated to open the circuit to the cutting tool driving motor 36. If it be desired to open the circuit so as to discontinue the operation of the driving motor altogether, without having the stylus at rest in the cup 84, the switch 90 may be manually actuated to break the circuit. It will be appreciated that the danger of damage to work in process or the tool will be minimized by such apparatus, in that whenever it is desired to temporarily discontinue operation, there is a convenient rest to receive the stylus and the power to the motor is automatically interrupted when the stylus is placed at rest in the cup 84 forming such rest.

Although a single embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. As various changes in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, reference will be had to the appended claim for a definition of the limits of the invention.

- What is claimed is:

In combination with an engraving machine having a stylus and a motor driven cutter, a stylus operated control switch for the motor comprising an upwardly curved support arm having means at its lower end for aflixation to the engraving machine, and a switch housing at the upper end, a lever extending laterally from Within said housing, a stylus rest comprising a shallow flat bottom plastic cup mounted on the exposed end of said lever, a switch mounted within said housing and having an upwardly extending operating pin, said lever being pivoted on said housing and extending over and contacting said operating pin for'actuating said switch to open circuit in response to the weight of the engraver stylus on said rest, a fixed cup mounted upon the upper end of said arm adjacent said housing, and immediately beneath said rest cup, said fixed cup spacedly embracing said rest cup to protect the same and having an opening in one side through which said lever extends, and circuit means in- Cluding said switch adapted to be GOnnected with the engraver motor, whereby power to said motor is interrupted when the engraver stylus engages said plastic cup.

erenees Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,217,036 McManus Feb. 20, 1917 1,912,748 Wilson June 6, 1933 2,146,710 Bloomfield Feb. 14, 1939 2,196,720 Beard et a1. Apr. 9, 1940 2,481,658 Gruettner Sept. 13, 1949 2,549,929 Rehfeldt Apr. 24, 1951 2,561,663 Keckley July 24, 1951 2,699,606 Breau Jan. 18, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 197,659 Switzerland Aug. 1-, 1938,