US3410209A

US3410209A - Adjustable type construction

Info

Publication number: US3410209A
Application number: US544569A
Authority: US
Inventors: Bernard G Bostrom
Original assignee: REYNOLDS PRINTASIGN Co
Current assignee: REYNOLDS PRINTASIGN Co
Priority date: 1966-04-22
Filing date: 1966-04-22
Publication date: 1968-11-12
Anticipated expiration: 1985-11-12
Also published as: NL130629C; DE1536395A1; FR1498665A; GB1151122A; DE1536395C3; NL6702354A; DE1536395B2

Description

Nov. 12, 1968 B. s. BOSTROM ADJUSTABLE TYPE CONSTRUCTION Filed April 22, 1966 INVENTOR- BERNARD G. BOSTROM BY Zgy, M4 szaw ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,410,209 ADJUSTABLE TYPE CONSTRUCTION Bernard G. Bostrom, Woodland Hills, Calif., assignor to Reynolds Printasign Co., a corporation of Nevada Filed Apr. 22, 1966, Ser. No. 544,569 1 Claim. (Cl. 101368) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention is a type holding clip, bracket or device. The bracket or holder is one adapted for use with a type mounting stem having a flat end plate or head of larger area than the stem so that its edges overhang the sides of the stem. The holder or clip provides a flat surface to which the type is secured by suitable means, the clip or holder having depending parts which are spaced from the edges of the plate or head on the stem and which then have inwardly turned parts which engage the underneath surface of the overhanging edges of the plate or base. Preferably the depending parts are on opposite sides of the clip. This construction makes it possible to move the clip universally, that is in any direction including angularly to adjust the position of the type, and the clip is removable by sliding .it endwise relative to the plate or head.

The present invention relates to an assembly for mounting type on a support member and, more particularly, to such an assembly wherein the type is substantially universally adjustable on the support member and easily removable therefrom.

In the various types of imprinting or typewriting machines heretofore used, the type has normally been fixedly mounted in a permanent manner on a support member which has been removably mountable in a fixed position on the machine. In such a construction, if the type were not properly oriented on the support member, or if the support member were not properly constructed for a proper fit on the machine, the type would -be disposed in an improper position relative to the other type on the machine, thereby resulting in an improper orientation of the impression created by the type on the article to be imprinted. Further, if the type in such a construction were damaged, both it and the support member to which it was fixedly attached would have to be replaced, even though there was no damage to the support member, thus involving an additional unnecessary expense.

In some forms of previously and presently used imprinting or typewriting machines, the type has been removably mounted on its support member so that in the event of damage, only the type would have to be replaced. In such machines, however, the type has not been adjustable relative to its support member, and the latter has not been adjustable relative to the machine on which it was mounted, thereby requiring that the type and the support member be precisely formed and assembled on the machine to insure the proper orientation of the indicia represented by the type on an article to be imprinted by the machine.

While some forms of past and presently used imprinting or typewriting machines have utilized a type mount ing assembly wherein the type is removably mounted on a support member and adjustable relative thereto, these machines have not proven entirely satisfactory for the reason that the type is adjustable only to a limited extent relative to the support member, i.e., the type is adjustable only in one or two directions, or is not adjustable to a sufiicient extent to compensate for an improper construction or mounting of a support member on the machine. In still other machines where the type has been adjustable relative to the support member, the means utilized for 3,410,209 Patented Nov. 12, 1968 holding the type in an adjusted position has not been adequate to maintain the type in this position after the machine has been used for a considerable period of time, with the result that the type has shifted on the support member to an improperly aligned position.

The adjustable type construction of the present invention possesses none of the aforementioned disadvantages, and yet embraces substantially all the advantages of similarly employed type-mounting constructions.

It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a new and improved construction for removably and adjustably mounting type on a support member of an imprinting or typewriting machine.

Another object is the provision of a new and improved construction for removably and adjustably mounting type on a support member of an imprinting machine, in a manner wherein the type will be maintained in its adjusted position on the support member even when the machine is continuously used for substantial periods of time.

A further object is to provide a new and improved construction for mounting type on a support member of an imprinting machine wherein the type is substantially universally adjustable relative to the support member.

An additional object is the provision of a new and improved construction for removably and adjustably mounting type on a support member of an imprinting mechanism wherein the type is easily removable from the support member for replacement in the event of damage, wear, or the like.

Still another object is to provide a new and improved construction for removably and adjustably mounting type on a support member of an imprinting machine, which construction is simple, economical to manufacture, and comprises a minimum of parts which may be readily assembled and disassembled.

According to the present invention, the support member is in the form of a stern that is removably mountable on an imprinting machine in any suitable manner. Secured to one end of the stem is a base member which preferably is of a square or rectangular shape and has a fiat upper face. An open-ended clip is mounted on the base member and comprises a flat upper portion in slidable engagement with the upper base member face, a pair of depending side arms which enclose and are spaced from opposite sides of the base member, and hooked portions at the lower ends of the arms which frictionally engage the lower face of the base member to normally retain the clip in a desired, adjusted position on the base member. The type is secured to the upper portion of the clip in any suitable manner, such as by soldering, and thus is adjustable relative to the stem by adjusting the position of the clip relative to the base member.

The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to like elements in the several views.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a type mounting assembly constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an exploded perspective view similar to FIGURE 1, showing the parts in aligned, but in separated relation; and

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged end elevational view as seen from the left of FIGURE 1.

As a preferred or exemplary embodiment of the present invention, FIGURE 1 illustrates a type mounting assembly 10 comprising a stem member 12 having an enlarged base or end portion 14 integrally formed on one end thereof or rigidly secured thereto. The stem 12 is of any suitable cross-sectional shape and the other end thereof (not shown) is constructed and mountable in any suitable manner on any suitable type of imprinting or typewriting machine (not shown), such as that disclosed in the United States Patent No. 3,215,245, issued Nov. 2, 1965.

The base portion 14 may be of any suitable crosssectional shape and preferably is square or rectangular in configuration, and has a fiat upper face 16 which is disposed in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the stem 12. The base portion 14 further comprises depending, parallel end faces 18, depending and parallel side faces 20, and a lower face 22 which is substantially flat and parallel to the upper face 16 (see FIGURES 2 and 3). Both the base portion 14 and the stem 12 preferably are formed of a suitable metal, such as aluminum, copper, iron or steel, although they could be formed of any other suitable material.

A type block or head 24 having type 26 formed thereon 'in any suitable or conventional manner, is secured to the fiat upper face 28 of a resilient clip 30 in any suitable manner, such as by soldering. The type block 24 and type 26 may be formed of any suitable materials. For example, the block 24 may be formed of aluminum or steel, and the type 26 may be formed in an upper copper layer (not shown) on the type block. In addition, the type block 24 may be oriented relative to the clip 30 in any desired manner, depending on its predetermined relation to the stem 12 and base member 14.

The clip 30 preferably is formed of a flexible and resilient material, such as spring steel, or any other suitable material, and comprises a pair of depending arms 32 on opposite sides thereof which extend downwardly beyond the lower face 22 of the base portion 14 and terminate in upwardly extending hooked ends 34 that are adapted to frictionally and resiliently engage the lower base portion face 22. As shown in FIGURE 3, the arms 32 of the clip 30 are laterally spaced a predetermined distance from the sides of the base portion 14, for a purpose to be more fully described hereinafter.

From the foregoing description, it will be understood that the clip 30 serves to mount the type block 24 and type 26 on the base poition 14 of the stem 12, and to retain them in a predetermined position relative to the stern, owing to the frictional engagement of the resilient hooked ends 34 of the clip 30 with the lower face 22 of the base portion 14. Owing to the open ends of the clip 30, it can be shifted longitudinally on the base portion 15, against the frictional resistance between the hooked ends 34 and the base portion lower face 22, to adjust the type 26 relative to the stem 12 in a longitudinal direction. Further, by moving the clip 30 longitudinally a sufficient distance in either direction, it may be removed from the base portion 14 of the stem 12 to enable new or other type to be mounted on the base portion in a similar manner, when the original type is worn or damaged or when it is desired to change it.

Because of the lateral spacing between the clip arms 32 and the adjacent sides 20 of the base portion 14, the clip 30 may also be shifted laterally on the base portion, for the purpose of shifting the type 26 thereon laterally relative to the stem 12. Moreover, owing to the clearance 4 between the clip 30 and both the ends 18 and sides 20 of the base portion 14, the clip may also be rotated or moved obliquely relative to the base portion 14, substantially in the plane of its upper face 16, to thus rotate or shift the type 26 thereon relative to the stem 12.

It will thus be readily appreciated that the resilient clip 30 and the type 26 mounted thereon are substantially universally adjustable relative to the stem 12, substantially in the plane defined by the flat upper face 16 of the base portion 14. As described above, the clip 30 is longitudinally, laterally, obliquely and rotatably slidable on the upper face 16 of the base portion 14.

It is preferable that the frictional engagement of the hooked ends 34 of the clip 30 with the lower face 22 of the base portion 14 be of sufiicient force to require the use of a simple tool (not shown), such as a plier-type tool, for moving the clip 30 on the base portion 14 of the stem 12. In this manner, the clip 30 will normally be securely retained in an adjusted position on the base portion 14 by the tight engagement of the hooked ends 34 with the lower base portion face 22, thereby preventing inadvertent shifting of the clip 30 and the type 26 thereon relative to the stem 12, when the imprinting machine (not shown), on which the stem 12 is mounted, is continuously used for substantial periods of time. When it is desired to adjust the type 26 relative to the stem 12, therefore, all that is required is to shift the clip 30 in a desired manner on the base portion 14, through the use of a suitable, simple tool.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. In a type mounting assembly, the combination of: a supporting stem having a head at one end thereof provided with a flat top surface, said head extending laterally of said stem and defining downwardly facing fiat shoulders laterally of said stern; a type holding clip having a flat portion bearing on said top surface and downwardly extending portions spaced outwardly from opposite sides of said head; holding means at the lower ends of said downwardly extending portions, said holding means extending inwardly and frictionally engaging said flat shoulders; and a type block secured to said clip whereby said clip and type block are universally adjustable on said top surface.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,189,522 7/1916 Anderson l97-36 1,343,073 6/ 1920 Anderson vet al. 101268 2,467,604 4/1949 Tinnerman et al. 287189.35 2,899,895 8/1959 Tannery 10l405 X ROBERT E. P-ULFREY, Primary Examiner.

F. A. WINA-NS, Assistant Examiner.