US3307479A - Imprinting device movable between inking and printing positions - Google Patents

Description

E. E. MESSMER IMPRINTING DEVICE MOVABLE BETWEEN INKING AND PRINTING POSITIONS March 7, 1967 -Sheet 1 Filed May 15, 1964 I 2 Sheets INVENTOR:

March 7, 1967 E. E. MESSMER 3,307,479

IMPRINTING DEVICE MOVABLE BETWEEN INKING AND PRINTING POSITIONS Filed May 13, 1964 FIGJ I I l W pg INVENTOR: Ea WIN 5 Mass/WEI? 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 j not.

United States Patent Ofilice 3 ,367,475; Patented Mar. 7, 1967 3,307,479 IMPRINTING DEVICE MOVABLE BETWEEN INKING AND PRINTING POSITIONS Edwin E. Messmer, Roslyn Heights, N.Y., assignor to Roto American Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed May 13, 1%4, Ser. No. 367,127 3 Claims. ((1101-3341) This invention relates generally to printing apparatus and has particular reference to a printing device for applying a readily variable predetermined imprint to a succession of labels or the like.

The invention is primarily intended for use with installations in which merchandise packages are advanced successively to and past a labeling station at which a succession of labels is made available in conjunction with means for applying the labels to the packages as they pass. It is an object of the invention to provide a printing instrument specially adapted to apply a selected imprint, e.g., a trademark or a price or style designation, to each of the labels, preferably just prior to its aflixation to a package.

However, the imprinter of this invention is useful also with any apparatus for successively presenting a series of articles to a printing station, whether they be labels or The term label, as used herein and in the appended claims, is therefore intended to include within its scope any sheet, area, or article that can be advanced to a printing station to receive an imprint. It is a more particular object of the invention to provide a printing apparatus which is relatively simple in structure and mode of operation, and inexpensive to manufacture.

Another object is to provide a device which is easy to install and to adapt to label-advancing and label-applying devices of various kinds, and which is well able to perform reliably for long periods with a minimum of attention and at low cost.

Another object is to provide an imprinter which is readily adjustable to vary the imprint, and which may be easily and quickly serviced to effect desired changes and to maintain the device in properloperating condition.

The improved apparatus is characterized by the employment of a printing head mounted for bodily movement in a special simplified manner between an inking position and a printing position, the printing head functioning very much like a coventional rubber stamp in that it becomes inked by momentary application to a conventional ink pad.

A particular feature of the invention resides in the provision of compact means for supporting the ink pad in a plane substantially transverse to the plane along which the imprint is made, and for moving the printing head in such a way that while it moves along one path during the inking period, i.e., toward and away from the ink pad, it reciprocates along a different path and lies accurately perpendicular to the printing plane, during the printing period.

The movements of the printing head are controlled by mechanism operating. in timed relation to the advancement of successive labels to the printing position. Another feature of the invention relates to the manner in which this timed operation is controlled. The mechanism is driven by an electric motor through a clutch whose activation is automatically switched on in a predetermined timed sequence responsive to label advancement.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of means for preventing the shock of the printing impact from being transmitted back to the driving motor. As a result, a motor of minimal power and of relatively low cost may be employed.

Other features of the invention relate to the structural arrangement and mounting of the several parts of the apparatus whereby a thoroughly practical instrumentality is provided whose manufacture, installation, and servicing are all achievable with great facility and on a commercially feasible basis.

One way of attaining these objects and advantages, and such other benefiits as may hereinafter be pointed out, is illustrated in the accompanying drawings depicting a preferred embodiment of the invention in an imprinting device of the character described. In the drawings FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the imprinter;

FIG, 2 is a cross-sectional view, on a larger scale, along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a wiring diagram.

The imprinter chosen for illustration has its elements compactly arranged in association with a substantially rectangular housing having a bottom wall 10, upright walls 11, 12, 13 and 14, and a top wall 15. The opposite walls 11 and 12 are provided with openings 16 at their lower ends, and wall 12 is preferably secured in pivotal fashion to permit access to the interior of the housing. For this purpose upright members 6 are fastened to the Wall 12 by any suitable means, and these members 6 are rotatably supported at their lower ends on a rod 8 fixed at its ends in the walls 13 and 14. The dot-dash lines, and the arrow 9 in FIG. 2, indicate how it may be swung outward for this purpose. A flange 17 at the top of wall 12 is provided with an upstanding pin 18 releasably engageable by a hook 19 pivoted to the top wall 15 at 20.

Mounted on the bottom wall 10 is a platen 21 preferably composed of yieldable material. The openings 16 afford a means whereby the labels or other items to be imprinted may be advanced through the imprinter. By way of example a continuous ribbon or strip 22 has been illustrated. This strip may be a continuous uninterrupted band, or it may be provided with perforations or other lines of weakness (not shown) to facilitate subsequent severance into separate areas. Each area or label to be printed is momentarily brought to rest on the platen 21.

The means for appropriate intermittent advance of the strip 22 has not been illustrated, since such label feeding devices are well known. Nor has it been deemed necessary, so far as this invention is concerned, to show the means that may be employed for subsequently separating individual printed labels and applying them to packages.

Mounted on the interior surface of one of the upright walls (and in the illustrated device, it is the wall 12) is a box-like structure 23 within which an ink pad 24 is removably accommodated. The pad has a metallic shell 25 and it may be held in snug disposition within the structure 23 by means of a pair of magnets 26 on the interior of the structure 23. The inked surface faces toward the interior of the main housing, and lies in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the platen 21.

The printing head comprises a holder 27, preferably of magnetized material, within which a printing element may be held in readily removable manner. This element has a metallic backing 28 that clings to the holder 27, and a configured rubbery part 29 bearing the indicia to be imprinted upon the successive label areas. Secured to the rear face of the holder 27 is a block 30 having a cylindrical bore. It accommodates a pivot rod 31 secured at its opposite ends to the free ends of a pair of actuating arms 32. These arms are preferably located closely adjacent to theopposite walls 13, 14 of the housing. They are secured at their lower ends to a rockable drive shaft 33 journaled in and extending through the opposite walls 13, 14 of the housing.

Secured to one projecting end of the shaft 33 (the lower end as viewed in FIG. 3) is a radial arm 34 to which one end of a tension spring 35 is secured, as at 36. The other end of this spring is anchored at 37 to a projecting part 38 and of the fixed framework of the housing. The spring 35 constantly exerts a pulling force upon the arm 34 to urge it into the position shown in FIG. 1, and in this position the drive shaft 33 is in the relationship shown in FIG. 2, with the arms 32 extending upwardly from it. The printing head is thus urged into a position adjacent to the ink pad 24.

At the opposite projecting end of the drive shaft 33, a transmission leads to a driving motor 39 (see FIG. 1) mounted on the top wall 15. Through appropriate gearing this motor drives a sprocket 40 connected by a driving chain 41 to a sprocket 42 axially aligned with the drive shaft 33. Between the sprocket 42 and the shaft 33 a clutch 43 is arranged, one part connected to and rotating with the sprocket 42, the other part connected to and rotating with the shaft 33. The clutch is preferably a magnetic clutch, activatable and deactivatable by establishing and breaking an electric circuit presently to be described.

The transmission is so arranged that when the clutch 43 is activated, i.e., when the driving force of the motor 39 is applied to the shaft 33, the shaft is rocked against the urgence of the spring 35 to the position shown in dot-dash lines in FIG. 2. In this disposition, the printing head is adjacent to the platen 21.

A special means is provided for rotating the printing head on its pivot axis (31) during the swinging movements of the printing head from the inking position shown in full lines in FIG. 2 to the printing position shown in dot-dash lines, and back again. The pivoting movements are such that the printing head encounters both the ink pad and the platen in face-on relation. For the accomplishment of this result, the printing head is provided with a stem 44 extending perpendicularly rearward. The rear end of this stem is slidably accommodated within a guiding sleeve 45 mounted for free rotative movements on a fixed axis parallel to the shaft 33. For this purpose, the guide sleeve 4-5 is arranged within a block 46 rotatably journaled at its ends on aligned pivot pins 47.

It will be noted that the drive shaft 33 is located adjacent to and parallel to the line of intersection between the planes within which the ink pad and the platen lie. In the illustrated device, these planes are at right angles to each other. This is not absolutely essential, although the operation is most efficient when the plane of the ink pad is arranged in a generally transverse relationship to the plane of the platen. It will also be noted that the fixed pivot axis of the guide is equidistant from the planes referred to. As a result of this arrangement, the printing head pivot 31 swings through the are 48 during the rocking movements of the shaft 33. At the same time, due to the confinement of the rear end of the stem 44, the printing head pivots so that it encounters the inking pad 24 face-on, thus becoming properly inked at each encounter, and also engages the platen (i.e., the label area resting on the platen) in a similar face-on relationship at the time of printing.

For the purpose of replenishing the ink pad 24, or replacing the printing element 28, 29 with a different printing element, it is a relatively simple matter to open the wall 12 of the housing and thus gain ready access, for removal and replacement purposes, to the ink pad 24 and the printing element.

A special feature of the invention resides in the arrangement for electrically controlling the operation of the printer. Mounted on the exterior of the wall 14 is an illustrative electric switch 49 of the type in which an actuating button extends outwardly through opposite sides.

Mounted on one of these sides (the uppermost side as seen in FIG. 1) is a springy finger 50. Secured to the drive shaft 33, along with the arm 34 previously referred to, is an arm 51 carrying a switch-actuating element This element may be a simple screw-threaded pin. It is so located on the arm 51 that when the shaft 33 moves through a predetermined arc the pin 52 encounters the element 50 and presses the latter down to actuate the switch 49. The element 52 may obviously be positionally adjusted so that its encounter with the element 50 can be carefully regulated.-

Adjacent to the opposite face of the switch 49 is an actuating arm 53 pivoted to the housing at 54 and articulated at its opposite end to the armature of a solenoid 55.

The parts are so arranged that when the solenoid 55 is actuated the arm 53 will be drawn upwardly and actuate the switch 49.

As seen from the wiring diagram (FIG. 4), any suitable source of electric current may be resorted to,- as indicated by the power lines 56.- The motor 39 is in a circuit containing a main switch 57. Whenever the im'= printer is in operation, the switch 57 is closed, and the motor 3% is allowed to rotate continuously. The clutch 43 is in an electric circuit 58 containing the switch 4&- The solenoid 55 is in a circuit 59 containing a switch 60. The dotted lines shown in FIG. 4 in connectionwith the switch 49 are intended to indicate that the opening an closing of this switch is controlled, in part, by the sole noid 55, and in part by the element 52 on the arrii 5'1,

The switch 69 is controlled by the label advancing mechanism. This control may be of any desired char= acter. It is probable that in a labeling installation the switch at will be at a remote point, and for this reason it has not been shown in the present drawings except in the wiring diagram. It is actuated at an appropriate time, relative to the label advancement, so that the activation of the solenoid 55 will close the switch 49, and activate the clutch 43 to move the printing head from the inking position to the printing position. In this interval of time the label to be imprinted will have been advanced to the printing station and will lie in a receptive manner beneath the printing head when it descends. However, just prior to the completion of the swinging movement of thepr'inh ing head, the switch 49 will have been actuated by the element 52 to break the circuit. This will allow the printing head to complete its movement in the printing; direction by inertia, and will thereupon allow the spring 35 to function to restore the printing head to the inking position. Since the breaking of the circuit 58 deactivates the clutch 43, the stress produced by the printing impact is not transmitted back to the motor. As a result, a rno= tor of minimum power and size may be employed.-

Obviously, the time duration between the breaking of the circuit 58 and the completion of the printing; operation can be regulated by adjustments of the pin 52.

It will thus be seen that the actuation of the imprinter is such that the printing head will operate in the printing; direction only when the label advancing mechanism initi-' ates such operation.

Obviously circuit-controlling means other than the solenoid and switch shown may be employed.

It will be understood that many of the structural expedients described and illustrated may be modified without necessarily departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an imprinter, a platen, an ink pad alongside the, platen in a plane substantially transverse to that of the platen, a drive shaft parallel to and adjacent to the line of intersection between said planes, an actuating arm se cured to and extending radially from said shaft, a printing head pivoted to the end of said arm on an axis parallel to said shaft, means for rocking said shaft to swing the printing head between a printing position and an inking position, and means for rotating the printing head on its pivot as-it swings so that it encounters both the platen and the pad in face-on relationship, said last-named means comprising a stem carried by and extending perpendicularly rearward from said printing head, and a guide slidably engaging the rear region of said stem, said guide being mounted for rotative movement on a fixed axis parallel to said drive shaft and equidistant from said platen and pad.

2. In an imprinter, a platen, an ink pad alongside the platen in a plane substantially transverse to that of the platen, a drive shaft parallel to and adjacent to the line of intersection between said planes, an actuating arm secured to and extending radially from said shaft, a printing head pivoted to the end of said arm on an axis parallel to said shaft, a moto-r, a transmission including a clutch between said motor and shaft for rocking the shaft in the direction which swings said printing head toward said platen whenever said clutch is activated, and a spring for urging said shaft in the direction which swings said printing head toward said ink pad, a stem carried by and extending perpendicularly rearward from said printing head, a guide slidably engaging the rear region of said stern, said guide being mounted for rotative movement on a fixed axis parallel to said drive shaft and equidistant from said platen and pad, a clutch-activating electric circuit, a switch in said circuit for completing said circuit and activating said clutch, an element secured to said drive shaft in a position to encounter and open said switch to deactivate said clutch during the rocking movement of said shaft in the direction which swings said printing head toward said platen, and means for adjusting the setting of said element so that it encounters said switch and deactivates said clutch during the movement of said printing head toward said platen but before said printing head strikes said platen.

3. An imprinter as defined in claim 2, in which said parts are disposed within a substantially rectangular housing, said platen being on the floor of said housing, opposite upright walls being provided with openings through which items to be imprinted are applied to and withdrawn from said platen, said ink pad being mounted on one of said upright walls, and said wall being secured to the housing in readily removable fashion to permit access to the ink pad and printing head.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,221,815 4/1917 Adams 101-382 1,489,057 4/1924 Bornstein 101-382 2,070,310 2/1937 Ostler.

2,113,867 4/1938 Weyrnouth 101-35 2,172,318 9/1939 Ferguson 101-35 2,185,797 1/1940 Muller.

2,559,455 7/1951 Meyer 101-44 2,598,991 6/1952 Gollwitzer 101-334 2,689,525 9/1954 Anker 101-334 X WILLIAM B. PENN, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. IN AN IMPRINTER, A PLATEN, AN INK PAD ALONGSIDE THE PLATEN IN A PLANE SUBSTANTIALLY TRANSVERSE TO THAT OF THE PLATEN, A DRIVE SHAFT PARALLEL TO AND ADJACENT TO THE LINE OF INTERSECTION BETWEEN SAID PLANES, AN ACTUATING ARM SECURED TO AND EXTENDING RADIALLY FROM SAID SHAFT, A PRINTING HEAD PIVOTED TO THE END OF SAID ARM ON AN AXIS PARALLEL TO SAID SHAFT, MEANS FOR ROCKING SAID SHAFT TO SWING THE PRINTING HEAD BETWEEN A PRINTING POSITION AND AN INKING POSITION, AND MEANS FOR ROTATING THE PRINTING HEAD ON ITS PIVOT AS IT SWINGS SO THAT IT ENCOUNTERS BOTH THE PLATEN AND THE PAD IN FACE-ON RELATIONSHIP, SAID LAST-NAMED MEANS COMPRISING A STEM CARRIED BY AND EXTENDING PERPENDICULARLY REARWARD FROM SAID PRINTING HEAD, AND A GUIDE SLIDABLY ENGAGING THE REAR REGION OF SAID STEM, SAID GUIDE BEING MOUNTED FOR ROTATIVE MOVEMENT ON A FIXED AXIS PARALLEL TO SAID DRIVE SHAFT AND EQUIDISTANT FROM SAID PLATEN AND PAD.

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