US3102470A - Duplicating machine with automatic controls - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 3, 1963 R. E. CRAGG ETAL DUPLICATING MACHINE WITH AUTOMATIC CONTROLS 13 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 8', 1961 xom JOwTrZOU OP INVENTOR. R/chard E. Cragg Walter A. Raczynski aver/15% Sept. 3, 1963 R. E. CRAGG ETAL DUPLICATING MACHINE WITH AUTOMATIC CONTROLS 1s Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 8, 1961 INVENTOR. Richard E Cragg By Walter A. Raczynsk/ /37\W/J u w M Sept. 3, 1963 R. E. CRAGG ETAL DUPLICATING MACHINE WITH AUTOMATIC CONTROLS Filed Sept. 8, 1961 13 Sheets-Sheet 5 fTCf-f SWITCH PROGRAM 1 Ham: 0 41a PCS/7' 528 450 v v XXIII INVENTOR. Richard E. Cragg BY Walter A. Raczynski Sept. 3, 1963 R. E. CRAGG ETAL 3,102,470

DUPLICATING MACHINE WITH AUTOMATIC CONTROLS Filed Sept. 8, 1961 13 Sheets-Sheet 9 INVENTOR. Richard E. Cragg y Walter A. Raczynsk/ 01, M h,

Sept. 3, 1963 R. E. CRAGG ETAL 3,102,470

DUPLICATING MACHINE WITH AUTOMATIC CONTROLS Filed Sept. 8, 1961 15 Sheets-Sheet l0 INVENTOR. Richard E. Cragg BY Walter A. Raczynski Sept. 3, 1963 R. E. CRAGG ETAL 0 DUPLICATING MACHINE WITH AUTOMATIC CONTROLS Filed Sept. 8, 1961 1s Sheets-Sheet 11 "INVENTOR. I Richard E. Cragg Walter A Raczynskj Sept. 3, 1963 R. E. CRAGG ETAL DUPLICATING MACHINE WITH AUTOMATIC CONTROLS 15 Sheets-Sheet 12 Filed Sept. 8, 1961 Mm g Tr 6 NC E .C M VEU md W w Rm Sept. 3, 1963 R. E. CRAGG ETAL 3,102,470

DUPLICATING MACHINE WITH AUTOMATIC CONTROLS Filed Sept. 8, 1961 1a Sheets-Sheet 1a PAPER EIJECTION 52o MOISTURE I FORM ROL PAPER E'JECTION 52 PATH INVENTOR. Richard E. Cragg Walter A. Raczynski Q fmmega United States Patent 3,102,470 DUPLICATING MACHINE WITH AUTOMATIC CONTROLS Richard E. Cragg, Wilmette, and Walter A. Raczynski, Park Ridge, 111., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Ditto, Incorporated, Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 8, 1961, Ser. No. 136,767 12 Claims. (Cl. 101-144) This invention relates in general to lithographic duplicating machines and, more particularly, to a system for automatically controlling the operation of ofiset lithographic duplicating machines. An oifset lithographic machine of the kind considered herein is disclosed in the United States Patent No. 2,753,795, issued to H. F. Bruns on July 10, 1956.

An ofiset duplicating machine is a complicated mechanical structure, and successful and efiicient operation of the machine correspondingly complicated and demanding. By way of explanation, each time that the offset machine is used for purposes of producing a plurality of copies from a master sheet it is necessary to perform three distinct operational steps. These three major operational steps may be identified as the pro-printing operation, the printing operation and the post-printing operation.

In the pre-printing operation the imaged lithographic master is clamped into position on the duplicating machine and the master is moistened in preparation for the printing operation. In the printing operation ink and moisture are applied to the master and paper is fed to the machine in cycles to reproduce copy. In the post-printing operation the duplicator is cleaned and dried and restored to its initial condition in readiness for the next duplicating run.

For effective and eflicient use of the offset duplicator it is necessary that these three major operational steps be carried out with [care and attention. However, this care and attention is not always available in the oflice environment because of the inavailability of skilled operator personnel. Where the requisite skill is lacking the copy quality level is diminished, and the cost per sheet of produced copy is high because of spoilage and inefiicient use of the machine. Ineificient use of the machine is perhaps enhanced by the fact that many operations thereon are manually performed requiring stopping of the machine and placing increased reliance upon the manipulative skills of the operator.

The present invention has been directed to an improved programming unit for ofiset duplicator machines so as to prevent mistakes and errors in the use of the machine by minimizing the factor of operator skills whereby the use of the olfset duplicator machine is rendered more effective and etlicient.

This invention lends itself to being incorporated as an integral portion of a duplicating machine, or it may be adapted as an attachment to a duplicating machine of a character disclosed in United States Patent No. 2,753,795, issued to H. F. Bruns on July 10, 1956.

Offset duplicators of the prior art such as the type disclosed in United States Patent No. 2,916,988, issued to R. E. Cragg on December 15, 1959, automatically control the moisture system, the ink system, and the blanket roll and paper feed mechanisms, so that they become operative at preselected times, the time sequence being dependent on the number of revolutions of the main cylinder. Such a system is semiautomatic in that it carries out essentially only the printing operation and is shut off after a preselected number of copies have been made. The operators of such offset duplicators are, however, required to carry out a great number of manual operations While running the machine.

Oifset duplicators of the prior art including the duplicators mentioned above have several disadvantages. As an instance, during the printing operation there may be a demand for overfeeding additional sheets, which sheets are not to be included in the preselected copy count of the machine but are to he considered as an overrun. In duplicator machines of the prior art there is no facility for overrun because the machine counts each copy and turns off after the preselected copy count is reached. A further disadvantage is that in a printing run there may be a requirement for overfeeding narrow stock, such as punched cards for data processing. In such a situation machines of the prior art must be turned of]? and the feed system manually adjusted to handle the narrow stock and upon completion of the overfeeding a second adjustment will have to be made in order to adapt the machine to resume feeding the regular sized stock.

Another example of a disadvantage in machines of the prior art is that the excess ink on the surface of the litho graphic master is removed after the printing cycle has been completed by feeding extra sheets of paper to the duplicator without feeding ink to the lithographic master thereby depleting the image on the master. This is a waste of paper and an unnecessary expense particularly on short runs.

A further example of a disadvantage of machines of the prior art, is that at the end of the duplicating cycle the ink image on the blanket roll is manually removed in preparation for processing of the next lithographic master by washing the blanket roll with l8, suitable solvent. The applied solvent requires some time to evaporate from the blanket roll surface and consequently there is an extended delay prior to the running of the next duplicating operation.

With these few examples in mind it is apparent that there exists considerable number of obstacles preventing efiicient use of presently available ofiset duplicating machines and it is the general object of the present invention to overcome these obstacles.-

The principal object of this invention is to provide a new and improved programming system for a lithographic duplicating machine so that skilled duplicating machine technicians are not required for the operation thereof and high quality printing can be turned out rapidly and economically.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a new and improved programming system for an olTset duplicating machine that will, upon initiation, automatically and consecutively operate the machine through its pre-printing operational step, through its printing operational step and finally through its post-printing operational step.

One of the features of this invention is the provision of a mechanism which is adapted automatically to operate and to release the clamping arrangement by means of which the primary master and any overlay master that may be carried thereon are, respectively, retained to the machines as soon as the duplicating cycle is initiated and released from the machine as soon as the duplicating cycle is completed.

Another feature of this invention is the provision of a mechanism that is automatically controlled after the lithographic master has been clamped on the main cylinder for pre-moistening the master sheet.

Another feature of this invention is the provision of a selectively controlled mechanism which upon operation renders the copy count device of the programming system inoperative thereby permitting an overrun of additional copies without disturbing the basic programming of the duplicating machine.

Another feature of this invention is the provision of a supplemental feed tray mechanism which when introduced into the machine interrupts the normal feed and the pro-set cycle programmer to print the additional number of copies furnished by the supplemental feed mechanism and which when the last sheet in the tray deeds, normal feeding is restored and the programmer reverts to complete the preset cycle.

Another feature of this invention is the provision of a control which automatically adjusts the feeding mechanism when narrow stock is introduced by means of an overfeed tray.

Another feature of this invention is the provision of a clean-up attachment operative at the end of each printing operational step for cleaning the residual ink from the blanket roll.

Another feature of this invention is the provision of a drive mechanism that maintains the blanket roll in contact with the lithographic master at the end of the printing operational step so that the lithographic master may also be cleaned of its inked image from the clean-up attachment. Thus, at the conclusion of the printing operation, the lithographic master, as well as the blanket roll, is cleaned of excess ink thereby permitting early storage and filing of the lithographic master.

Another feature of this invention is the provision of an attachment for removing residual solvent from the blanket roll during the heretofore described cleaning operation, so that the blanket roll is quickly readied to accept a new image for the subsequent duplicating cycle.

Another feature of this invention is the provision of an automatic ejection mechanism for ejecting the lithographic master into a copy receiving tray, after the completion of the cleaning operation.

Another feature of this invention is the provision of a control operated upon ejection of the master into the receiving tray for feeding a blank sheet of protective paper from the paper feed tray through the duplicating machine and into the receiving tray on top of the ejected lithographic master to eliminate ink staining and aid in drying the lithographic master.

Further objects and features of the invention pertain to the particular structures and arrangements whereby the outlined objects are achieved and the listed features are rendered efiective.

The invention, both a to its structure and method of operation will be understood from the following description and from an examination of the accompanying drawings which illustrate an embodiment of the invention and in which similar numeral-s refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elev'ational view of a duplicating machine which does not comprise the present invention but illustrates a machine of a kind adapted to be operated by the arrangement of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a view in elevation of the opposite side of the machine shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a front view in elevation of a control panel of the programming arrangement of the present invention showing selector switches effective for carrying out control functions on an offset duplicating machine;

FIGURE 4 is a diagrammatic view of one form of the 4 connection to leads from other circuit diagrams being shown by corresponding Roman numerals;

FIGURE 7 is a circuit diagram of a portion of the electrical control system of a duplicating machine embodying the features of the invention which operates the automatic blanket clean up unit with the appropriate connection to leads from other circuit diagrams being shown by corresponding Roman numerals;

FIGURE 8 is a circuit diagram of the electrical control system for automated paper feed system in a duplicating machine embodying the features of the invention with the appropriate lead connections from other circuit diagrams being shown by corresponding Roman numerals;

, FIGURE 9 is a circuit diagram of the electrical control system which automatically activates the clamp opening system and ejects the lithographic master for a duplicating machine embodying the features of the invention with the appropriate lead connections from other circuit diagrams being shown by corresponding Roman numerals;

FIGURE 10 is a perspective view of a portion of a duplicating machine embodying the invention and illustrates the blanket roll air dry attachment;

FIGURE 11 is a side elevation of a portion of :a machine embodying the invention and illustrates the overfeed tray, the vacuum cut-out sensing foot and the count cut-out sensing device;

FIGURE 12 is a perspective view of a portion of a machine embodying the invention and illustrates the com ponents of the pre-moistening attachment;

FIGURE 13 is a perspective view of a portion of-a machine embodying the invention and illustrates the automatic blanket roll wash attachment;

FIGURE 14 is a side'elevation of a portion of a machine embodying the invention and further illustrates the automatic blanket roll wash attachment;

FIGURES 15 is a side elevation of a portion of a machine embodying the lithographic master ejection system and automatic clamp opening system;

FIGURE 16 is a rear elevation of a portion of a machine embodying the invention and further illustrates the lithographic master ejection system and the clamp opening system; r

FIGURE 17a is a side elevation of a portion of a machine embodying the invention and illustrates the paper ejector rake interlock mechanism;

FIGURE 17b is a side elevation of a portion of a machine embodying the invention and further illustrates the paper ejector rake interlock mechanism.

GENERAL ORGANIZATION operated by the arrangement of the present invention is stepping switches which may be utilized as components of the control box shown in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a circuit diagram of the pre-pr-inting portion of the programming control circuit of a duplicating machine embodying the features of the invention;

FIGURE 6a is another circuit diagram of a portion of the electrical control system of a duplicating machine embodying the features of the invention with the appropriate connection to leads from other circuit diagrams being shown by corresponding Roman numerals;

FIGURE 6b is. a circuit diagram of a portion of the electrical control system of a duplicating machine embodying the features of the invention with the appropriate illustrated in FIGURES .1 and 2 and is comprised of a pair of. side plates 10 and 12, which are secured in spaced relation by a plurality of tie rods (not shown) which support various sets of instrumentalities. FIGURE 1 of the drawings illustrates the main cylinder 14 of the duplicating machine in dotted lines mounted for rotation between the side plates 1i) and 12. The main cylinder 14 comprises a plate segment and an impression segment. The plate segment is adapted to hold lithographic master plates in a manner generally described and shown in the above mentioned United States Patent No. 2,753,795. The impression segment is adapted to have the sheets of blank paper successively fed through the duplicator, clamped thereon, and rotated therewith, so as to have the desired printed image offset thereon from a rubber blanket roll during the operation of the machine.

The blanket roll which has a rubber surface is journaled between side plates 10 and 12 and is adapted to make rolling contact first with the moistened and inked lithographic master for the transfer of an inked image to the blanket roll and then with the paper on the impression segment of the main cylinder 14 to transfer the image to the copy paper. The blanket roll and the main cylinder '14 are inter-connected for rotation in a desired time relation by suitable gearing.

The machine is also provided with the conventional stack supporting feed tables, a feed separator and a sheet feeder together with a sheet feed roll assembly, the details of which are not shown here. A valve 39 is shown in FIGURE .1 which controls the operation of the sheet feeder, as will be more specifically described later. An ink applying assembly is also provided, the shaft 29 of the ink feed roll being shown in FIGURE 1 along with the shaft 22 of the ink form roll. Both of these rolls are capable of movement into and out of operative position as will be later described. A moisture supply means and a plate moistener assembly are also provided, the moistener feed roll shaft 24 being shown in FIGURE 1 along with the moisture form roll shaft 26.

This duplicating machine shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 has an electric motor serving as the prime mover which drives the various components :of the machine and, in addition, operates a combined compressor-vacuum pump of conventional design which is incorporated into a pneumatic system which serves to operate certain components in the machine.

The machine also incorporates an automatic throw-out mechanism operating in proper time and sequence in conjunction with the sheet handling mechanism. Such a mechanism is adapted to be actuated by the interruption of the feeding of sheets in the machine and thereupon renders several sets of mechanisms in the machine inoperative, thereby preventing excessive buildup of ink and moisture on the lithographic master and blanket roll. This throwout mechanism is described in detail in United States Patent No. 2,727,461, issued on December 20, 1955 to Herbert F. Bruns.

Incorporated in the throw-out mechanism is a means for independently regulating the pressure between the blanket roll and the plate segment of the main cylinder 14 and the blanket roll and the impression segment of the main cylinder 14. This permits the machine to automatically handle lithographic masters of various thicknesses, and likewise, is self-adjusting to handle copy paper sheets of various thicknesses. A lithographic duplicating machine of the character described herein may have a control panel at the front thereof in accordance with previously identified Patent No. 2,753,795 disposed between the lower ends of the side plates, upon which may be mounted all of the control switches for the various mechanisms in the machine.

FIGURE 3 of the drawings illustrates the control panel utilized in this embodiment of the invention with essentially all the requisite switches and dials required for setting up a program for automatically duplicating copies by an offset lithographic duplicator in accordance with the invention. Other portions of the duplicating machine will be described by referring to their functions.

Initially a lithographic master is prepared for the duplicator by typing, writing, drawing or by 'any other known process and the operator mounts the master on the main cylinder 14 of the duplicator machine.

AUTOMATIC CONTROL OF THE PRE-PRINTING OPERATION ACCORDING TO THIS INVENTION Lithographic Master Jaw Clamps Referring to FIGURES l5 and 16 there is illustrated the automatic lithographic master jaw clamp opening system and the lithographic master ejection system. D11- plicator jaw clamps 52d and 521 are shown positioned 6 on the main cylinder 14 and in the open position. As will be seen, jaw clamps 520 and 521 are automatically opened at the conclusion of each duplicating cycle. I aw clamps 52d and 521 are utilized to position both a primary lithographic master and a secondary lithographic master. The secondary lithographic master is optional and is provided in order that variable information may be added to or deleted from the primary lithographic master. Thus provision is made to overlay the primary lithographic master with a secondary lithographic master which contains variable information, so that in combination, they will duplicate the desired constant data and the variable data onto provided copy sheets.

Clamp relay 4%, illustrated in FIGURE 9, when energized energizes clamp electro- magnets 527 and 528 shown in FIGURE 15 permitting the proper sequential ejection of the primary and secondary lithographic masters at the conclusion of the duplicating cycle. Clamp electro- magnets 527 and 528 and their associated mechanisms are secured to the side plate of the duplicating machine in any convenient manner. The secondary or upper master is ejected by lifting action of cam 524 to open the variable jaw 518 of jaw clamp 521. Thereafter the primary lithographic master is ejected by the opening of jaw 517 of jaw clamp 520' due to the lifting action of cam 523. The operation of the clamps 520 and 521 may be controlled so as to be individually opened or may open simultaneously.

:Thus, as the operator starts a duplicating cycle the jaws of jaw clamps 529 and 521 are in an open position as will be more fully explained later. The initial manual operation of opening the jaws of the jaw clamps 520 and 521 has been eliminated.

The duplicator is readied for activation by closing power switch illustrated in FIGURE 6a. The closing of switch 125' energizes rectifier 127 thereby providing direct current to the various relays, and magnets of the duplicator.

The. operator inserts, for example, both the primary and secondary lithographic masters into the jaws 517 and 518 of the opened jaw clamps 520 and 521, respectively, and activates push button switch 401 conveniently positioned on the machine. Push button switch 401 is diagrammatically illustrated in FIGURE 9 but is not otherwise illustrated in the drawings and can, for example, be mounted on the control panel illustrated in FIGURE 3. As will be seen later, if relay 400 is energized at this time the opening of switch 401 de-energizes relay 400 thereby tie-energizing electro- magnets 528 and 527 as can be seen in FIGURE 9. Referring to FIGURES l5 and 16 it can be seen that the dc-energizing of electromagnets 527 and 528 enables the right angle arms 531 and 532 of the lifting cams 523 and 524 to be pulled downwardly by the biasing springs 5 30 and 529, respectively. Movement of the lifting cams 524 and 523 enables the biasing springs 526 and 525 of the connecting arms 534 and 533, respectively, to rotate the clamp jaws 517 and 518 into their closed clamping position. Therefore at this time the primary lithographic master and the secondary lithographic master are firmly held in position on the main cylinder 14.

PRE-MOISTENING OF THE LITHOGRAPHIC MASTER The pre-moistening mechanism 40-2 is illustrated in FIGURE 12 and comprises an operating handle 403 v positioned adjacent the main cylinder 14 and is biased in a near vertical position in which position the premoisture mechanism M2 is inoperative. Immediately after the primary lithographic master and the secondary lithographic master are clamped in position on the main cylinder 14 the pre-moistening mechanism handle 4&3 is moved by the operator in a clockwise direction as seen in FIGURE 12. The applicator 4% which is made of a sponge material has been in contact with a fountain or moisture reservoir (not shown). As the handle W3 approaches a near horizontal position, as seen in FIG- URE 12, latch 43 6 engages pawl 467 and latch 4% rotates partially around pawl 497 in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 12 to hold the pre-moistening mechanism 422 in the operative position in contact with the exposed lithographic masters. Push button start switch 128, shown mounted in the handle 4%, is manually activated at the conclusion of the manual movement of the pre-moistening mechanism 422 thereby energizing stepping switch IV coil 1% from ground through push button 128, closed contacts 535, and the coil W ll to minus 90 volts as seen in FIGURE 5. In the initial or home position of stepping switch IV contacts 535 and contact I14 of stepping switch IV are closed and open, respectively. In any other position of stepping switch IV contact 535 and contact 414 are open and closed, respectively. Alternately, push button start switch 128 may be mounted in the main control panel as illustrated in FIGURE 3. Activation of push button start switch 128 and consequently stepping switch coil Itlt) causes wipers 4429, l-Itl, 411, 412 and 501 of stepping switch IV to advance one step, thereby energizing the duplicator. The movement of wiper 409 energizes motor relay I20 from ground, through wiper 409 of stepping switch IV, the plurality of connected contacts of stepping switch V associated with wiper 409 through the coil of relay 1% to minus 90 volts, thereby closing contact I21 of relay 129 to complete a circuit path to motor 129 whereby motor 129 is energized.

With the motor 129 operating, the main cylinder 14 now rotates, thereby causing the lithographic masters to contact the moisture applicator 4%. The moisture applicator 498 will continue to contact the surface of the lithographic master with each revolution of the main cylinder 14 of the duplicator thereby pre-moistening the lithographic masters. Stepping switch IV and consequentlywipers 409, 410, 4,11, 412 and 501 will be advanced one step responsive to each revolution of the main cylinder by pulses which are delivered to coil 1% of stepping switch IV from ground, through wiper 409 and its associated contacts of stepping switch IV, contact 41.3

of relay 220 illustrated in FIGURE 6b, contact lit? illus-' trated in FIGURE 7 which closes and opens with each revolution of the main cylinder 14 by the action of cam 111 attached to the main cylinder 14, through contacts 415 of stepping switch V operated by cam 477 attached to stepping switch V, contact 416 of relay 1% illustrated in FIGURE 6b, through coil 1% to minus 90 volts. Stepping switch IV will advance until wiper 469 reaches the position 430 of the stepping switch IV as will be seen. Contact 415 of stepping switch V will be closed only in the home position of stepping switch V. Otherwise contact 478 of stepping switch V will be closed. When wiper 412 has been advanced along with wipers 409, 410, 411 and 501 of stepping switch IV to the point at which the pre-moistening switch or etch switch control'417 illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 5, has been set, the wipers will home to position 41% by current coming from ground through wiper 412, switch 417, interrupter contact 107 and coil 100 of stepping switch IV to ground. The pre-moistening device or etching device 4% is then rendered inoperative, as will be explained hereinafter.

Referring to FIGURES 5, 6a, 6b and 12 it can be seen that etching relay 4 12 is energized from ground, through wiper 412 and contact 418 of stepping switch IV through the coil of relay 419 to minus volts. In response to the energization of relay 419 etching electro-magnet 420 is energized from ground through contact 421 of relay 41.9. The energization of etching electro-magnet 426 pulls interponent 422 against its biasing spring 423 thereby laterally moving interponent 422 to the right as seen in FIGURE 12 into the path of the vertical movement of cam follower arm 4-24. The cam follower arm 424- may be attached to the duplicator for pivotable movementas desired and convenient. Thereafter cam follower 424 acting through interponent 422 lifts latch 4%, rotating latch 4th; in :a counter-clockwise direction as seen in FIGURE 12. As can be seen in FIGURE 12, the cam follower arm 424 is attached to roller 424 A which normally rides I011 the cam surface 413A and when riding on camsurface 413A, the cam follower arm 424 will not engage interponent 422. When roller 424A rides on surface 43 1B, however, cam follower arm 424 pivots in a vertical direction engaging interponent 422, thereby causing the notation and consequent disengagement of latch 4% from pawl W7. The biasing spring 4% thereafter urges mechanism 492 into its inoperative position wherein applicator 408 is in contact with a reservoir (not shown).

In order to provide a means for adjusting the pressure that the applicator 4% will apply to the surface of the lithographic masters, arm 5-4 6, spring 54-7 and the adjusting screw dllfiare arranged as shown in FIGURE 12. The screw 6% is adjustably aflixed to the arm 546 by means of internal threads (not shown) provided in the arm 546. The screw 6638 is adjusted such that the cam follower arm 43 4; will engage the screw 6% whenever the cam roller 424A is riding on surface 413B thus pushing the entire assembly including the applicator 4&8 away from the surface of the lithographic master. The spring 547 serves to return the entire assembly to its normal position. Therefore it can be seen that the applicator will somewhat oscillate over the surface of the lithographic masters so as to more adequately wet the surface of the lithographic masters.

Thus, inthe foregoing description, the operation of pre-moistening the surface of the lithographic master is automatically performed so that the lithographic surface is now ready to be exposed to the ink form roller so that the grease receptive image will be inked for printing and the non-image area will remain hydrophylic and continue to receive moisture. However, moisture will now be supplied from the moisture form roller of the moistening system.

If the pre-moistening application is to be omitted or is not necessary, the pre-moistening mechanism 402 may remain in its inoperative position. The pre-moistening or'etch switch 417 may be set to '0 causing the wipers of stepping switch IV to proceed directly to contact 413 of stepping switch IV upon the operator pushing the start button 128.

AUTOMATIC CONTROL OF THE PRINTING OP- ERATION ACCORDING TO THIS INVENTION The printing phase of the duplicating cycle may be defined for the purpose of this invention, as including that portion of the cycle which commences with the application of moisture by the moisture form roll (not shown) to the lithographic master surface and concludes when the moisture system ceases to act upon the lithographic master thereby including the paper feed step and the like.

The control of that portion Of the printing operation dealing with the moisture system and the ink system, which are brought into operating sequence and are automatically programmed is disclosed in previously identified United States Patent No. 2,916,988 and is incorporated herein by reference. Accordingly, the improvements of this invention which deal with the printing phase of the duplicating cycle will now be described over and beyond the automated control of the moisture system and the ink system of the above identified invention. For the purposes of continuity certain aspects of the portion of the printing operation which deal with the control of the moisture system and the ink system will be discussed.

Accordingly, and referring to FIGURE 1, the moisture feed roll latch 30 is controlled by the eleotro-magnet 31. When the electro-magnet 3 1 is energized, arm 33 is free to pivot about stub 34, and when the electro-magnet 31 is deenergized arm 33 is inhibited from movement. The moisture feed roll shaft 24 is moved in and out of association with the moisture fountain in response to the energization of electro-magnet 31. The moisture form roll latch 35 is controlled by the energization of electromagnet 32 and controls the movement of the moisture form roll shaft 26. The ink feed roll latch 36 controls the movement of the ink feed roll shaft 26 and is, in turn, controlled by the energization of electro-magnet 51. The position of the ink form roll shaft 22 is controlled by the ink form roll latch 37 and is, in turn, controlled by the energization of electr c-magnet 52.

Similarly, the position of the valve arm 38 of the pneumatic paper feed control valve 39 is controlled by the latch 4%, controlled in turn by the electro-magnet 91. The cam 41 normally moves the valve arm 33' to the open position during one revolution thereof and if the electromagnet 91 is de-energized, the latch 44} is moved into a position such that it will block the return of the valve arm 38 to the closed position. On the other hand, when the electro-magnet 91 is energized the arm 38 will be free to close.

Refer now to the electrical circuit diagrams. The duplicating cycle as previously'described has automatically progressed through the prcprinting cycle and the premoistening mechanism 462 is in its inoperative position. Water relay 139 has been energized inasmuch as wipers 410 of stepping switch IV have contacted contacts 418 of stepping switch IV as seen in FIGURE and relay 130 is energized from ground, through wiper till and contacts 418 of stepping switch IV, through the coil of relay 130, to minus 90 volts. Water electr c-magnet 31 is thereby energized from ground through contact 192 of relay 190, contact 131 of water relay 1 30, contact 4-25 of relay 486 and the coil of electro-magnet 31 to minus 90 volts. The eleotro-magnet 32 is also energized from ground through contact 132 of water relay 130 and the coil of electromagnet 32 to minus 90 volts. Moisture will then be applied to the surface of the lithographic masters. As wipers 469, 410, 4'11, 412 and 502 of stepping switch IV continue to step over the previously described energizing path as a result of the rotation of the main cylinder 14, water relay 130 will remain energized through the aforesaid path through wiper 410 of stepping switch IV inasmuch as the remainder of the sequential switch contacts of stepping switch IV traversed by wiper 410 of stepping switch IV with the exception of home position 493 are bussed together.

Ink relay 15%) becomes energized as soon as wiper 41 1 of stepping switch IV engages the switch contact con nected to ink switch 117. Relay 15%) is energized from ground through wiper 411, the preselected contact on switch 117, contact 42? of relay 494-, and the coil of relay 159 to minus 90 volts. The operator presets ink switch 117 at the outset of the duplicating cycle as will be seen hereinafter and thereby determines the number of revolutions of the main cylinder 14 which contact the moisture form roller (not shown) before ink is fed to the cylinder 14. Ink relay 155i} is hel energized from ground, through contact 222 of relay 2%, contact 153 of relay 154i and contact 429 of relay 4% and through the coil of relay 156 to minus 90 volts. Ink feed electro-magnet 51 thereafter becomes energized from ground, through contact 192 of relay 1%, contacts 151 of relay 150, and the coil of the ink feed electro-magnet 51 to minus 90 volts. Ink form roll electromagnet 52 also becomes energized from ground, through contact 192 of relay 191i,

contact 152 of relay 156, the coil of the ink form roll electromagnet 52 to minus volts. Ink is thereafter applied to the lithographic master.

To initially get a strong ink image on the lithographic master, the blanket roll is prevented from making contact with the lithographic master for several revolutions of the main cylinder 14 whereby the ink image builds up on the lithographic masters for several revolutions on the main cylinder 14. The blanket roll 13 is controlled through relay 17th Initially at the outset of the duplicating cycle the operator presets the blanket roll switch 118 thereby determining the number of revolutions that the lithographic masters receive ink before the ink image is transferred from the lithographic masters to blanket roll 13. Relay 17% is initially energized from ground, wiper 411 of stepping switch IV, through the preselected contact of stepping switch IV, the blanket roll switch 118, the coil of relay 17% to minus 90 volts. Relay 17% is thereafter energized from ground, through contacts 222 of relay 2%, contacts 172 of relay 170 and the coil of relay 170 to minus 90 volts. Blanket roll electro-magnet 71 is energized when the relay 176 is energized, from ground, through contact 171 of relay 170,

the coil of the blanket roll electr c-magnet 71 to minus 9t) volts.

The operator may wish to have the blanket roll 13 contact the lithographic master simultaneously with the first revolution of the main cylinder 14. This is advantageous when using lithographic masters which are clamped to the plate segment of the main cylinder 14 at one edge only. The blanket roll 13 will smooth out the lithographic master and cause the lithographic master to conform to the plate segment of the main cylinder 14. This is desirable because otherwise the unclamped edge might pick up ink from tie rods and ink rolls if it is flapping as it rotates rather than being secure to the plate segment surface.

Referring to FIGURE 5 and FIGURE 6b, the operator can first preset switch 118 to its first position such that position 413 of stepping switch IV is connected to the blanket roll switch 118. Next the operator can preset switch 417 to 0 causing wiper 411 of stepping switch IV to home rapidly to contact 418 of stepping switch IV thereby causing the blanket roll 13 to contact the lithographic rnaster on the first revolution of the main cylinder 14. Contacts 418 and 515 are connected in parallel so that if the operator does not set the switch 417 to O, the wiper 411 will not pass position 515 thereby giving relay 17d sufiicient time to energize. This is of course optional. The stepping switch IV is rapidly horned to position 418 from position 515' from ground, the positions on stepping switch IV intermediate and including position 515 to, but excluding, position 418, the etch switch 417, the interrupter contact 107 and through the stepping :coil to minus 90 volts.

The paper feed system provided in this invention is capable of handling different size stock, as well as interrupting the count when over feeding extra sheets as will be seen hereinafter. At this time reference is made to the paper feed switch 119 which is preset by the operator and which is illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 5. Wipers 412, 409, 410 and 411 and Sill of stepping switch IV will be advanced with each rotation of the main cylinder 14 as previously described and upon reaching the preselected position on switch 119 all these wipers home to position 430 through a circuit from ground, through wiper 412 of stepping switch IV, the contacts of stepping switch IV connected to switch 119, switch 119, the interrupter contact 107 of the stepping switch IV, and through stepping coil 16h to minus 90 volts.

At position 430, the paper feed relay 190 is energized from ground, through wiper 412 and contact 430 of stepping switch IV, contact 431 of relay 17th the coil of relay 19f) to minus 90 volts. It should be noted that contact 431 is closed at the time when the blanket roll relay duplicator main cylinder 14 over the previously described path.

PREVENHON OF IAMMIIJG OF COPIES LEAVING TrlE DUPLICATOR Referring to FIGURES 17a and 17b, rake 519 guides the ejection of copy paper into the receiving tray (not shown). If rake 519 is improperly positioned for any reason, a jam-up of copies leaving the duplicator usually occurs. To prevent this a normally closed micro-switch 4-32. and rake position cam ,34 are added. Copy paper opening the normally closed switch 432. Switch 432, is

directly connected in the energizing path of the paper feed electromagnet 91 as can be seen in FIGURE 6b. Therefore switch 432 must be in a closed condition or electro-magnet 91 will not be energized and paper will not be fed to the duplicator.

COPY COUNT REGISTER The recording of the exact count of the nunrber of copies duplicated is accomplished in this invention during the printing operation by the unique use of stepping switches with the appropriate electrical circuitry shown in FIGURE 8. Prior art devices for recording the exact copy count in ofiice type duplicators have been found unreliable due to wear of components and the complexity of design. The recording count device herein described goes well beyond the practical limitations required for office duplicating and in principle has no upper count limitation.

Referring to FlGURE 3, the operator selects the number of copies to be duplicated in any one duplicating, cycle by setting the count switches at the appropriate position, such as units with dial switch 495, tens with dial switch 496 and hundreds with dial switch 497.

Referring to FIGURE 8, dial switches 495, 496 and 497, respectively, control stepping switches LII and III, which in this example have the capability of counting 999 copies. By the use of suitable additional switches, it is possible to extend this count capacity to infinity. Each time the main cylinder 14 rotates while the paper feed relay 1% is energized, a copy sheet is fed into the lower feed rolls (not shown) of the duplicator. Referring to FIGURES 6a, 6b, 7 and 8, the sheet detector contact Zlll alternately closes and opens in response to the feeding of copy paper thereby sending a pulse from ground, through contact Zlll, contact 4d of relay 5%, switch 435, contacts 433 of relay 136 to the units switch stepping coil 436 to minus 90 volts. Hence, wipers 437, 438, 439 and 44-0 of stepping switch I are advanced one step and are subsequently advanced one step for each rotation of the main cylinder 14- when copy paper is being fed to the duplicator.

When the wipers 437, 438, 4-39 and 44-h of stepping switch I reach contacts 44-2 of stepping switch I a current path is provided from ground, through wiper 4&9 of stepping switch IV at position 43%, contacts 413 of relay 220, wiper 439 of stepping switch 1, position nine of stepping switch I which is contact 44-2 of stepping switch I and the coil 443 of stepping switch H to minus 90 volts.

During the next revolution of the duplicator, which coincides with the tenth street of paper fed through the duplicator wiper 439 is stepped to the next contact position thereby de cnergizing stepping coil 443 thereby advancing wipers id l, 4. 45, 44-6 and 447 of stepping switch II one step. It is contemplated that stepping switches'containing more than ten contact positions per cycle may be employed, in which case, the unused contacts must be bridged in order to establish a precise count in terms of units, tens and hundreds.

Thus far in the description of this improved count recording device, a total of ten sheets of paper have been fed and recorded with the wipers of stepping switch I having advanced to position With the wipers at position .448, current will now flow from ground through wiper 4&9 and contact 430 of stepping switch IV, contact 413 of relay 2%, wiper 43? and contact 448 of stepping switch I, interrupter contact of stepping switch I to stepping coil and minus volts, thus homing. the wipers 437, 436, 435 and 44b of stepping switch I beyond contact to -home position 45 3. It can now be seen that the tens stepping switch ll steps one count when the units stepping switch I steps ten counts.

When wipers M4, M5, 4% and 44-7 of stepping switch ll reach the ninth position or contact 451, which means that 99 sheets of paper have been fed through the duplicator, the hundreds stepping switch coil i521 becomes energized through wiper 446 in a manner similar to the foregoing description of the energization of coil 4 23 of stepping switch II from the units switch. Coil 452 of stepping switch ill is energized from ground through wiper hi9 and contact 436 of stepping switch IV, contacts 413 of relay 22d, wiper 4-46 and contact 451 of stepping switch II and coil 452 of stepping switch HI to minus 90 volts. At the 100th count, the wipers of stepping switch ll are horned to their start position 456 by the action of the interrupter contact 453 of. stepping switch ii. Current flows from ground through wiper sea and contact 431; of stepping switch IV, contact 413 of relay 22b, wiper 446 of stepping switch II, the tenth contact of stepping switch Ii, interrupter contact 453 and coil 452. to minus 90 volts. Stepping coil 452 is deenergized when wiper 446 of stepping switch H is stepped to its tenth position indicating that one hundred counts have been received by the copy count register thereby advancing the wipers 454-, 455, 256 and 457 of stepping switch Ill one step. Thus, in a similar manner. it is contemplated that a thousands stepping switch or any number of like stepping switches could be added to extend the count to 9,999 or beyond.

As the paper feed continues, the count device responds in accordance with the preselected dial settings, which are made by the operator in programming the duplicating cycle. Therefore, wiper 454 of stepping switch Ill will advance to connect with hundreds switch 597; wiper 444 of stepping switch II will make contact with tens switch are; and wiper 4 37 of stepping switch I will make contact with units switch 495.

7 After the count recording device carries out its assigned function as will be described, it is returned to the 0 position so that the succeeding portion of the duplicating cycle may, in turn, be automatically performed. At the instant the respective wipers of the count recording device stepping switches I, II and III reach their preset positions, relay 22% is energized in a manner to be discussed hereinafter. The energization of homing relay 22%) occurs simultaneously with the energization of stepping coil 472 of stepping switch V shown in FIGURE 7, as will be explained and the printing instrumentalities which are no longer required are rendered inoperative.

When relay 22% is energized contact 222 of relay 22*!) opens, thereby de-energizing the ink relay I55) and the blanket roll relay 179 as can be readily seen in the drawings. The de-energization of the blanket roll relay 170, in turn,'opens blanket relay contact 431, which in turn de-energizes the paper feed relay 1%. Thus, in timed relation to the attainment of the preset count, the instrumentalities which are responsible for the actual printing 13 of copy are rendered inoperative and the paper feed functions are stopped.

It will be observed that each of the count recording switches which are stepping switches I, II and III will not attain their preset positions simultaneously, that is,

the positions determined by the presetting of switches.

495, 496 and 497. The hundreds switch, stepping switch III, will be the first in time to attain its final preset position with the tens stepping switch II, next and then the units stepping switch I in that order of time. After the stepping switches I, II and III have reached their preset positions, relay 220 is held in. a condition of energization until each stepping switch of the copy count register attains its home position as will be more [fully explained later. Relay 220 is held energized from ground, through the three parallel contacts 461, 462, 463 of stepping switches I, II and III, respectively, which are open only when the stepping switches I, II and III are in their home position, through contact 221 of relay 220, through the coil of relay 220 to minus 90 volts. t

Assume that 377 copies are desired to be made and dial switches 497, $96 and 495 are set to 3, 7 and 7, respectively. When the sheet of paper corresponding to the preselected copy count 377 registered on switches 495, 496 and 497 is fed into the duplicator, the sheet detector contact 201 relays this signal .to stepping coil 436 of stepping switch I from ground, contacts 2111, contact 441 of relay 500, closed switch 435, contacts 4-3 3 of relay 130, the stepping coil 436 of stepping switch I to minus 90 volts thus energizing stepping coil 436 causing stepping switch wiper 437 to advance to position 7. Wiper 437 of stepping switch I contacts position 7 on switch 495 thereby completing a path from ground to wiper 444- of stepping switch II as readily seen in FIG- URE 8.

Wiper 44-4 of stepping switch II has previously been stepped to its position 7 on switch 496 and wiper 454- of stepping switch III has previously been stepped to its position 3 on switch 497 as can be readily understood. Therefore, a path from ground to relay 22d exists from ground, through wiper 437 of stepping switch I, position 7 of switch 495, from switch 495 to wiper 444 of stepping switch II, through position 7 of switch 496, from switch 496 to wiper 454 of stepping switch III, through position 3 of switch 497, and from switch 497 to the coil of relay 220 to minus 90 volts. .Relay 220 is thereby energized.

As previously stated when the homing relay 220 is energized, contact 222 of relay 22.0 opens de-energizing the ink relay 150 land the blanket roll relay 170. The deenergization of the blanket roll relay 170 opens contact 431 of blanket roll relay 170 thereby dc-energizing the paper feed relay 19% Accordingly, the printing instrumentalities including the paper feed mechanism, the inking mechanism and the blanket roll are rendered inoperative.

Also when the homing relay 220 is energized contacts 468 of relay 220 are closed thereby causing the homing of stepping coil 452 of stepping switch III. The homing path occurs from ground, contacts 468 of relay 226, wiper 457 of stepping switch III, the plurality of bussed contacts of stepping switch III, the interrupter contact 469 of stepping switch III, and coil 452 of stepping switch III to minus 90 volts. Therefore, stepping switch III will open and close its own energizing path through interrupter contact 469 until wiper 457 resides on the home position or position 450 where the circuit path to ground is not present.

In like manner a homing circuit path to ground is provided for stepping coil 443 of stepping switch II from ground throughcontacts 223 of homing relay 220, through wiper 447 and the bussed contacts of stepping switch II, through interrupter contacts 453 and through coil 443 of stepping switch II to minus 90 volts. A homing circuit path to ground is provided for stepping coil 436 of step- V I4 ping switch I from ground, wipers 409 of stepping switch I, contact 467 of relay 22d, wiper 440 and the bussed contacts of stepping switch I, interrupter contact 449 and through coil 435 of stepping switch I to minus volts. The homing of the stepping switches I, II and III returns the count recording device to the 0 position.

As previously stated, the foregoing steps occur only while the homing relay 220 is energized. The homing relay 224} is held energized as long as any of the contacts 461, 462 and 463 are closed, thereby keeping the homing relay energized from ground, through any of the contacts 461, 462 and 463, contacts 221 of relay 22b, and through the coil of relay 226 to minus 90 volts. The stepping switch contacts 461, 462 and 463 of stepping switches I, II and III are closed in every position but the home position of their respective stepping switches. In the home position these contacts are open and the holding circuits to homing relay 2'20, previously described, are

broken. Relay 22%) therefore becomes de-energized when stepping switches I, II and III have been stepped to their home position.

USE OF OVERFEED TRAY During the course of the printing operation feeding of additional sheets for the duplication of data from the lithographic master without disturbing or aiIecting the printing program and the original count setting may be required. Specifically, the operator may desire to overfeed :a preselected additional number of sheets at any point of the duplication cycle which will not permanently affect the printing program in any manner.

To automatically provide for this contingency, a sensing device 508, shown in FIGURE 11, is positioned over the feed tray 522 of the dulplicator. An overfeed tnay 566 is inserted in the feed tray 522 and is positioned on the top surface of the blank sheets which are normally fed to the duplicator. The overfeed tray 5% raises the level of the extra sheets 507 to be overfed so that the extra sheets 507 are in surface contact with an overfeed sensing element $69. The sensing element 509 contacts the paper in the overfeed tray and is moved upwardly as seen in FIGURE 11 in solid lines thereby closing contact 499. Relay 590 is thereby energized from ground through contact 499. The energization of relay 500* opens contact 44d of relay 5% as. shown in FIGURES 11 and 6a, suspending the copy count until all the blank sheets in the overfeed tray 506 have been fed into the duplicator. When the overfeed tray 506 has become depleted of sheets 507 to be :overfed, the sensing element 509 is cleared as can be seen in dotted lines in FIGURE 11 and with the overfeed tray 506 still in position, regular stock is fed from the feed tray 522 permitting the interrupted program to continue.

As previously stated, when the sensing element 509' is in contact with the overfeed paper 507 in. the overfeed tray 5%, relay 500 is energized thereby opening contact 441 of relay 550. When contact 441 is open the circuit between the sheet detector switch 201 and stepping coil 4 36 of the units stepping switch I is opened. The opening ofthis circuit prevents the energization and de-energization of the stepping coil 436 of stepping switch I as the sheets are fed into the machine from the overfeed tray. Consequently, the units stepping switch is not advanced, and the feeding of paper from the overfeed tnay rmay continue until the sensing element 599 is no longer in contact with the surface of vany sheets 507 being overfed. Thus, when the overfeed tray 5% has been exhausted of the sheets to be overfed, the switch 499 opens de-energizing rel-ay 500 so that contact 441 of relay 500 now closes thereby closing a circuit path between the sheet detector contact 201 land the stepping coil 436 of the units stepping switch I. Therefore, as soon as the feeding of paper from feed tray 522 begins coil 436 of stepping switch I is energized and de-energized as the sheets are fed into the duplicating machine thereby advancing the wipers of the

Claims (1)

1. IN AN OFFSET DUPLICATING MACHINE INCLUDING A MAIN CYLINDER AND A BLANKET ROLL OPERATIVE IN A THROW-IN POSITION ENGAGING SAID MAIN CYLINDER AND A PAPER FEED MECHANISM OPERATIVE BETWEEN A NORMAL CONDITION AND AN OPERATIVE CONDITION, A COUNT MEANS FUNCTIONING IN TIMED RELATION TO THE MAIN CYLINDER, FIRST SWITCH MEANS FOR RECORDING THE COUNT FROM SAID COUNT MEANS, PAPER FEED CONTROL MEANS RESPONSIVE TO A PRESELECTED COUNT RECORDED IN SAID FIRST SWITCH MEANS FOR OPERATING SAID PAPER FEED MECHANISM INTO SAID OPERATIVE CONDITION, A FIRST RESTORING MEANS RESPONSIVE TO A PRESELECTED COUNT RECORDED IN SAID FIRST SWITCH MEANS GREATER THAN SAID PAPER FEED PRESELECTED COUNT FOR OPERATING SAID PAPER FEED MECHANISM TO SAID NORMAL CONDITION, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING: A SECOND SWITCH MEANS FOR RECORDING THE COUNT FROM SAID COUNT MEANS, SWITCH CONTROL MEANS RESPONSIVE TO A PRESELECTED COUNT RECORDED IN SAID FIRST SWITCH MEANS GREATER THAN SAID FIRST RESTORING MEANS PRESELECTED COUNT FOR TRANSFERRING THE RECORDING OF THE COUNT FROM SAID FIRST SWITCH MEANS TO SAID SECOND SWITCH MEANS, A BLANKET ROLL CLEANUP MECHANISM OPERATIVE BETWEEN A NORMAL POSITION AND

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