US3107595A

US3107595A - Screen printing device

Info

Publication number: US3107595A
Application number: US59683A
Authority: US
Inventors: Pike Milton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1960-09-30
Filing date: 1960-09-30
Publication date: 1963-10-22
Anticipated expiration: 1980-10-22

Description

Oct. 22, 1963 M. PIKE scREEN PRINTING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 50. 1960 Trae/way S N. w. Y N N a@ J Qu v n, wv s 1 M e l m Q m uw. N N Sm. n.1 ww. f 4 l IVN. I l l l Oct. 22, 1963 M. PIKE SCREEN PRINTING DEVICE Filed Sept. 30. 1960 NGE,

` Oct. 22, 1963 M, PlKE SCREEN PRINTING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 30, 1960 INVEN TOR. M74 70A/ /Q/,ea BY/f/ Oct. 22, 1963 M. PIKE SCREEN PRINTING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 50. 1960 FIG? United States Patent This invention relates to a device for the manufacture of screens such as are employed in the graphic arts for the production of screen tints and tones.

Such screens are frequently utilized by mounting them Von flats during the process of photographing a picture intended for ultimate reproduction in the form of printed matter whose gray or colored areas are broken up into a finely divided minutely dotted pattern, the conformation of the dots being dependent upon the type of screen used and the density of the dots determining the shade of gray or color appearing to the eye of the observer. It has also been suggested that instead of mounting the screen upon Hats as aforesaid, the film employed be preexposed to the screen before taking the desired photograph, thereby producing a similarly patterned resulting picture.

However, with either of these approaches, the screens employed are expensive and, in many instances, it has been found dinicult to produce screens of large size and uniform pattern.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device for the economical production of such screens or films.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for'the production of such screens of large size and uniform patterns.

Another `object of the invention is to provide a device of the character indicated wherein the screens may be produced in continuous lengths.

`Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character indicated wherein improved means are employed for Vthe production of uniform patterns of such i screens and whereby the risk of distortion of such patterns is minimized.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character indicated which may be employed for the production of positive or negative imprintations of any desired screen pattern and duplications thereof.

.A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character indicated which is adjustable to produce or utilize screens of different thicknesses.

A yet further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character indicated which is simple in design and easy to operate.

Other and further objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description as read in connectionwith the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

` FIGURE l is a front elevational view of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a right end view of a portion of the form of the invention illustrated in FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a left end view of the form of the invention depicted in FIGURE l; A

FIGURE 4 is a view taken about the line 4 4 of FIGURE l and looking in the direction of the arrows in the vicinity of the ends of said line 4 4;

FIGURE 5 is a view taken about the line 5 5 of FIG- URE 1 and looking in thedirection of the arrows in the vicinity of the ends of said line 5 5;

FIGURE 6 is a view taken about the line 6 6 of FIG- URE 5 and looking in the direction of the arrows in the vicinity of the ends of said line 6 6; and

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary view of the lamp and lamp housing employed in the said form of the invention.`

3,107,595d Patented oct. 22, 1963 ice As shown" in the drawings, one embodiment of the rollingelements. A sheet of material such as photographic lrn or paper is receivable between the rolling elements so as to acquire a screened pattern in the manner hereinafter set forth in detail.

In the form of the invention herein illustrated, suitable driving means such as electric motor 9 may be operatively connected by a shaft 9a to a gear reducing unit generally designated by the numeral 1t), said motor being mounted upon a horizontal member 9b rigidly secured to a base plate 39 by a pair of vertical members 9c. The gear reducing unit is coupled by conventional coupling means 11 to a vertcial shaft 12 provided with a pair of gears 13, 14. Each of these gears is retained within a slot defined by a horizontally projecting pair of arms 15, 16. The upper of said pair of arms 15, is formed integrally with a slotted collar 17 which is secured, as by mounting screws 18 to an end frame 19 disposed in the vicinity of the right side of the form of the invention depicted in FIGURE 1. A gear 20 mating with one of the aforesaid gears 14 is secured, as by a key 21 to a shaft 22 received within said slotted collar 17, said gear being retained within the collar 17, which, in turn, is secured upon said shaft 22 by a suitable fastening element such as a hollow cylindrical member 23 retained in tight frictional engagement with the shaft 22, said cylindrical member 23 being retained in abutment with the collar 17.

The lower of said pair of arms 16 is similarly formed integrally with a slotted collar 24 which retains a gear 25 secured -upon a shaft 26, as by a key 27, said collar also being secured upon said shaft 26 by a hollow cylindrical member 28 retained in tight frictional engagement with the shaft 26. i

The gear 20 is rotatable to turn the shaft 22 and a hollow cylinder 29 composed of a transparent material, such as glass or a plastic', the shaft 22 being provided with a circular plate 22a secured by a plurality of screws 22o to a circular cap 31 which functions as a closure of one end of the hollow cylinder 29, said cap being secured upon the hollow cylinder by la set screw 32 abuttable against said hollowcylinder and disposed radially in an annular flange 33 provided upon said cap 31.

The gear 25 is rotatable to turn the shaft 26 and the roller 30, which is mounted thereon. Said roller may advantageously be composed of a yielda-ble material such as rubber.`

The vertical position of the roller 30 and of the gear 13 upon the splined shaft 12'is adjustable upon rotation shaft 36 in position. 'The verticalshaft 36, nut 34 and annularly expanded portion 38 of the collar 24 are received Within a vertical, elongated slot 40 provided in the end frame 19. The vertical shaft 36 is also provided with a square nut 41 received within said elongated slot 40. This squane mit 41 is provided with a horizontal pointer 42, which is disposed in the vicinity of a linearly graduated vertical scale, generally designated by the numeral 43, and marked upon the external periphery of the end frame 19, this` disposition of the pointer being maintained by slidable contact between the square nut 41 and at least one side of the elongated slot 40. i

The scale 43 may be graduated to indicate the vertical position off the roller `30, thereby affording the user of 3. the invention an opportunity for vadvantageous Vdetermi nation of such position Yduring rotational adjustment of the nuts 34, 35.

At the left side portion of the form of the invention illustrated in FIGURE l, thebase plate 39 also supports an end frame 44 havin-g a conformation generally similar to that of end fra-me 1,9 and provided with a similar elongated slot 45 in which are received a vertical shaft46 provided with a square nut 47 and pointer 48 formed and disposed in a manner similar to that of the corresponding members received in the elongated slot 4i) of the end frame 19. Said vertical shaft 46 is also provided with a pair of knurled nuts 49, S similarly disposed and adjustable in the manner of the nuts 34, 35 upon the vertical shaft 36; and the external periphery of the end frame 44 is provided with a linearly graduatedv vertical scale, generally designated by the numeral 51, and similar to the scale 43, said scales and pointers being vertically aligned to indicate the same elevation upon Veach of said scales when the roller 30 and shaft 26 are ydisposed in horizontal positions.

The base plate 39 is supported by a plurality of vertical legs 39a whereby the entire device herein described may be conveniently mounted upon a suitable surface,

The inner `face of the end'frame 44 is provided with a pair of adjustable members generally Idesignated by the numeral 52. Each of said adjustable members is provided with a roller 53 rotatable upon a shaft 54r provided upon a vertical plate '5. Said plate 55 is provided with a horizontal adjusting slot 5,6 which Vreceives a screw and washer assembly 57. These screw and washer assemblies 57 are mounted upon a slide bar 58 received 'within a f* horizontalgroove 59,. said slide bar 58 also being provided with a pair of screw and washer assemblies v60 receivableV within aligned horizontal slots 61 formed in the end frame 44. The slide bar 58 and screwA andwasher assemblies 57, 60 permit the rollers 53 to be disposed in rollable contact with the hollow cylinder 29 and spaced equidistantly rfrom the vertical axis of said cylinder so as to support said cylinder inta horizontal position.

The hollow cylinder 29 is also abuttable against a roller 62 supported by an arm 63, secured by a screw and washer assembly 64 mounted upon the end `frame 44. Y

The shaft 26 of thejroller 30 is also supported in a collar r65 Ysecured tothe vertical shaft 46, which -is disposable toa horizontal position upon rotational adjustment of the

nuts

49, ,50, lin cooperationl with a similarr adjustment of the nuts 34, 35, said roller 30 also being uniformly urgeable against the hollow cylinder 29 upon said adjustment of the

nuts

34, 35, 49, 50.

The end frames 19-, 44 are also secured in spaced relation whereby they are substantially parallel to each other by means Vof a pair o`f tubes 66, the ends of each of said tubes 66 being threadedly engaged with hexagonal nuts 67 secured in said

end frames

19, 44. Each of the tubes 66 receives a removable rod 68 which is aixed, as by welding 69, to an upright sleeve 70. These sleeves received a yoke provided with Ya pair of threaded legs 71 and a Icrossabar 72 engaged with the upper extremities of said legs 71. A pair of adjustable nuts 73 isthreadedly engaged with each of the legs 71 -so as to raise or lower the cross-bar 72 as desired, the nuts 73 being lockable in abutment against the upper and lower ends of each of the sleeves 70.

A horizontal, elongated slot 74 is formed in the crossbar 72 and an anchoring stud 75 projects vertically from an adjustable tube 76, the said adjustable tube clamp being `secujrable with respect to said yoke upon tightening of a nut 77 so as tourge a washer 78 into abutment with the lower yface of thecross-*bai 72.

The above-described yoke and split ring function as an accurately adjustable ysujgiport for a lamp housing,- gem erally designated by the numeral 79, which receives a t lamp 80, preferably of the-fluorescent type.H The lamp,

V83, 34 is provided with a j. of light emitted through housing comprises a tube 81 provided with a thin slot 82 and a pair of

end caps

83, 84. Each of these end caps pair of terminals 85 which receive the electrical plugs 86 provided at the end of the lamp, said terminals alsoV being provided with suitable leads S7 connectable to an electric circuit whereby the lamp may be actuated.

The tube V31 may be received within the adjustable tube clamp and secured therein upon tightening of the screw S8 in the upper portion of the adju-stable clamp, thereby permitting the housing 79 and the lamp contained therein to extend through a circular aperture 44a in the end frame 44- and to be aligned in a horizontal position within the cylinder 29.

In this position, the slot 82 will permit a thin beam of light to be emitted therethrough from the lamp titl, said beam beingfdirected downwardly towards the line of contact between the hollow cylinder 29 and any thin sheetlike member which is yieldably conformable with the topmost surface of the roller Sil. Such a sheet-like member'is preferably in the form of a light sensitive photographic nlm or paper, the various portions of said iilm or paper being successively and continuously exposable to any portion'of the beam of light permitted to escape through the 30 are rotatably driven by the gears 13, V14 and motor 9 and the said film Ior paper is fed between said cylinder and roller.

To produce a member, ,the invention is employed in `various ways. Thus, the hollow cylinder 29 may have a screen pattern imprinted upon its periphery, so that when a photographic lilnr or paper is passed between said cylinder 29 and the roller 3i), said iilm or paper will be exposed to the beam j the thin slot S2 and the screen pattern'on the cylinder. It will be noted that by accomplishing such exposure through the slot 82, distortion of said screen pattern, which might otherwise occur if such slot were notY present, is eliminated. Thus, the slot tends to minimize the diffusion of light arising from scattered rellections within the lamp housing 79 and the iirm grip exerted Vupon the lilm or paperV by the cylinder 29 and roller 30 in the vicinity of the slot aligns said lilm or paper at right angles to the light emitted through the slot, thereby eliminating any undesirable distortion of the screen pattern. f y

Instead of imprinting the screen pattern upon the hollow cylinder 29, it may be enclosed by a photographic Y film bearing such pattern, or by other pattern material such as a metallic grid, said film being replaceable by other'films bearing other screen patterns, as desired. When so arranged, the. light sensitive iilm or paper is exposed to the screen pattern by passing between the roller 3l and theV nlm-enclosed hollow cylinder'29, the light beam being emitted through said slot 82 and filmenclosedrcylinder.

With either of these arrangements, it will be noted that the photographic film or paper may be exposed to a continuous,lundistorted screen pattern for the entire length of said photographic lilm or paper.

A similar result is also obtainable if a negativelilm bearing a desired screen pattern or image is simultaneously rolled with a photographic paper or tlm between the cylinder 29 and roller 30, so as to impose a positive photographic impression of said screen pattern upon the last-mentioned photographic paper or ttilm. Here again, the screen pattern is co-extensive with the negative film and the screen pattern produced is continuous and undistorted.

The distance between the cylinder 29 and roller 30 is also adjustable to accommodate lm screens yof various thicknesses.V Such Yadjustment is easily accomplished by varying the position of the

rollers

53 and 62 to raise or lowerthe cylinder 29. v

thin slot 82'Iwhile the cylinder 29 and roller 'screen pattern upon such a sheet-likeV aromas It will also be seen that the vertical position of the lamp housing 79 is adjustable by means of adjustment of the position of the yoke, thereby varying the intensity of the light emitted through the slot. Moreover, the lamp housing 79 and the lamp 80 contained therein, as well as the yoke, may be removed from the cylinder 29 by withdrawing the removable rods 68 from the tubes 66, thereby permitting the lamp 30 to be replaced, as desired.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated and described hereinabove has been selected for the purpose of clearly setting forth the principles involved. It will be apparent, however, that the present invention is susceptible to being modified in respect to details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts which may be resorted to without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. An improved screen printing device comprising in combination, a horizontal base plate supported by a plurality of vertical legs, a pair of upright end frames mounted at opposite sides of said base plate, a horizontal rubber roller and hollow glass cylinder rotatably mounted between said end frames, the said rubber roller being provided with a shaft received within a pair of collars housed in a vertical elongated slot within each of the end frames, each of said collars being supported by a vertical member engaged with a pair of adjustable nuts'lockable against said base plate to fix the elevation of said roller, the said hollow glass cylinder being supported by a shaft housed within one of said end frames and a plurality of adjustable rollers secured upon the other of said end frames, the said hollow glass cylinder and rubber roller being rotatable by a pair of gears secured to an upright splined shaft and engaged with gear means mounted upon the shafts of said hollow glass cylinder and rubber roller, the gear engaged with the gear means mounted on the shaft of the rubber roller being vertically displaceable upon said upright splined shaft to a position corresponding with the elevation of said rubber roller, the said upright shaft being coupled to a gear reducing unit driven by a motor, the said motor being supported by a horizontal member secured to said base plate, the said hollow glass cylinder receiving a tubular member housing an elongated lluorescent lamp, the said tubular member being rigidly secured in horizontal position by a tube clamp and extending through a circular aperture in one of said end. frames, the said tube clamp being adjustably supported by a yoke provided with a horizontal crossbar and a pair of vertical legs, each of said vertical legs being threadedly engaged with a pair of adjusting nuts abuttable against the upper and lower ends of an upright sleeve affixed to a horizontal rod, said horizontal rod being removably received in a tubular member alxed to said end frames, the said tube clamp being provided with a threaded stud received in a slot of said cross-bar and provided with fastening means abuttable against said cross-bar to 'fix the transverse position of said clamp, the said tubular member housing of said fluorescent lamp being provided with a downwardly disposed vertical slot adjacent to the lower periphery of the hollow glass cylinder whereby a vertical beam of light emanating from said lluorescent lamp is directed toward the upper portion of the rubber roller, the periphery of said hollow glass cylinder being ass'ociable i with a screen pattern whereby a light sensitive member received between said hollow glass cylinder and rubber roller will be exposed to the said screen pattern, the said beam of light passing through the said screen pattern.

2. An improved photographic screen printing device comprising in combination, a base plate, a pair of upright end frames mounted upon said base plate, a horizontal roller and a hollow translucent cylinderrotatably mounted between said end frames, means for driving said roller and cylinder, and a source of light disposed within said cylinder, said source of light being surrounded by a housing provi-ded with la slot for receiving a beam of light emanating from said source of light, screen means associated with the wall of said hollow cylinder, said ibeam of light being transmissible through said screen means, whereby a light sensitive medium interposed between said cylinder land roller will be exposed to the pattern of said screen means, said screen means comprising a lilrn negative bearing -a screen pattern, said -ilm negative being rollable between said hollow cylinder and said roller to expose to said screen pattern a photographic medium associated with said film negative, said housing being vertically movable within said hollow cylinder yand rigidly secured to vertically adjustable means disposed exteriorly of said hollow cylinder, said vertically adjustable means comprising a yoke provided with a pair of vertical legs and a cross-bar supporting an 'adjustable clamp, said housing being engaged with said adjustable clamp, each of said vertical legs Ibeing threadedly engaged with a pair of nuts abuttable against the ends of an upright sleeve to lock said legs in fixed position, each of the 'upright sleeves being provided with la horizontal rod slida'bly received within a tubular member housed in each of said end frames.

3. An improved photographic screen printing device comprising in combination, a base plate, a pair of upright end frames mounted upon :said base plate, a horizontal roller and a hollow trans-lucent cylinder rotatably mounted between said end frames, means for driving said roller and cylinder, and a source of light disposed within said cylinder, said source or" light being surrounded by a housing provided with a slot for receiving a beam of light emanating from said source of light, screen means associated with the wall of said hollow cylinder, said beam of light being transmissible through said screen rneans, whereby la light sensitive medium interposed between said cylinder and roller will be exposed to the pattern of said screen means, said means for driving said roller and cylinder comprising a motor, Ia gear reducing unit driven by said motor `and coupled with an upright shaft, said upright shaft ybeing provided with a pair of ygears in mesh with a pair of gears secured upon two horizontal shafts, one of said shafts supporting one end of said hollow cylinder and the other of said shafts supporting said roller and being journalled within a pair of collars vertically movable within elongated slots provided in sai-d end frames, each of said collars being supported by a vertical member threadedly engaged with locking ymeans abuttable against said base plate to tix the elevation of said roller, said vertical member being provided 'with indicator means associated with a scale provided upon the 'external periphery of each of said end frames, whereby the elevation of said roller is indicated. f

4. A photographic .screen printing device yaccording to claim 2, one of said end frames also bein-g provided with la pair of rollers secured upon adjustable plates mounted upon a horizontal slide bar, said slide bar being adjustably received with-in a horizontal groove formed in one of said end frames, the position of said adjustable plates being variable to bnng said rollers into supporting contact with said hollow cylinder, said last-mentioned end frame also being provided with -a pivotably mounted arm supporting a third roller contactable with the upper external periphery of said hollow cylinder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,744,323 Mayer Jan. 2l, 1930 1,919,482 Rowell July 25, 1933 2,220,526 Kluitmann Nov. 5, 1940 2,282,337 Mies May 12, 1942 2,427,443 Cochran Sept. 16, 1947 2,783,697 AEisner Mar. 5, 1957 2,991,705 Bryan July 11,1961

Claims

2. AN IMPROVE PHOTOGRAPHIC SCREEN PRINTING DEVICE COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, A BASE PLATE, A PAIR OF UPRIGHT END FRAMES MOUNTED UPON SAID BASE PLATE, A HORIZONTAL ROLLER AND A HOLLOW TRANSLUCENT CYLINDER ROTATABLY MOUNTED BETWEEN SAID END FRAMES, MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID ROLLER AND CYLINDER, AND A SOURCE OF LIGHT DISPOSED WITHIN SAID CYLINDER, SAID SOURCE OF LIGHT BEING SURROUNDED BY A HOUSING PROVIDED WITH A SLOT FOR RECEIVING A BEAM OF LIGHT EMANATING FROM SAID SOURCE OF LIGHT, SCREEN MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH THE WALL OF SAID HOLLOW CYLINDER, SAID BEAM OF LIGHT BEING TRANSMISSIBLE THROUGH SAID SCREEN MEANS, WHEREBY A LIGHT SENSITIVE MEDIUM INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID CYLINDER AND ROLLER WILL BE EXPOSED TO THE PATTERN OF SAID SCREEN MEANS, SAID SCREN MEANS COMPRISING A FILM NEGATIVE BEARING A SCREEN PATTERN, SAID FILM NEGATIVE BEING ROLLABLE BE-