US3611926A

US3611926A - Rotary press with interruptable and removable print roll

Info

Publication number: US3611926A
Application number: US829056A
Authority: US
Inventors: James Reid Johnson
Original assignee: Johnson Fast Print Machine Corp
Current assignee: Johnson Fast Print Machine Corp
Priority date: 1969-05-29
Filing date: 1969-05-29
Publication date: 1971-10-12
Anticipated expiration: 1988-10-12

Abstract

In a machine for printing a length of fabric between a backing cylinder and one or more print rolls disposed around the backing cylinder means are provided for connecting a print roll to rotary drive means after the print roll has been placed in the machine and for disconnecting it without removing it from the machine. This is accomplished by providing support means movable toward and away from the backing cylinder and defining sleeves, through one of which extends a reciprocal driven shaft which is adapted to engage an end of the print roll mandrel or journal, and through the other of which extends an axially reciprocal shaft by which the print roll assembly and driven shaft may be adjusted in position axially.

Description

United States Patent l0l/248X 101/248 101/178 James Reid Johnson 2,893,310 7/1959 Johnson Stonington, Conn. 3,182,590 5/1965 Johnson 829,056 3,227,078 1/1966 Johnson Primary Examiner-.1. Reed Fisher Attorney-John W. Hoag Inventor AppLNo. [22] Filed May29,l969 I45] Patented Oct. 12, 1971 {73] Assignee The Johnson Fast Print Machine Corporation Brooklandville, Md.

I54] ROTARY PRESS WITH INTERRUPTABLE AND REMOVABLE PRINT ROLL 9 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

ABSTRACT: In a machine for printing a length of fabric between a backin di sposed around the backing cyli connecting a print roll to rota as been placed in the in without removing it from the machine. This the backing cylinder and definin r0 u m oi Cnu m ys 1 m mc dx.w m n n ma m w wl u tu .m m r h 1 f 0 m dhm t 6 0 h nm 3 hC e .l w h a w M y eumb S T N W A P S SE e T A e rT m a m T l N U M 5 2.821,)13 2/1958 Johnson 101/178 justcd in position axially.

. PATENTEUiDCT 1 21971 sum 2 or 3 INVENTOR. James flea] .lalms'on PATEN'TEU um I 2 l9?! sum 3 or 3 illl ROTARY PRESS WITH INTERRUP'IABLE AND REMOVABLE PRINT ROLL This invention relates to a machine for printing a length of fabric passed between a backing cylinder and one or more, usually several print rolls spaced apart around the periphery of the backing cylinder. In such machines, colors used for printing are transferred to the print rolls from color trays, usually referred to as color boxes, by rotatable transfer means usually in the form of cylindrical brushes or cloth-wrapped rollers.

Formerly the print rolls were individually movable a short distance toward and away from the backing cylinder, as for example to introduce a length of fabric between the print rolls and the backing cylinder, by manually operated mechanical means. ln my US. Pat Nos. 2,821,913, issued Feb. 4, [958, and 2,892,310, issued July 7, 1959, the use of nonmanual power means was introduced by which the print roll assemblies, comprising a print roll and supporting mandrel or journals and associated color box and transfer member, could be moved toward and away from the backing cylinder individually or together, or one assembly could be held out of printing position although remaining in fit while other assemblies were in printing position to provide for the printing of valences, for example, by what is referred to as jump printmg.

The patents referred to above also taught the conversion of a color box from its operative position to a cleaning position, independently of the print roll, and introduced means for moving the color box relative to its print roll and rotatably upsetting it to accomplish this teaching.

In the device of these patents each print roll was rotated by a driven shaft which was not axially movable and axial adjustment of a print roll and its assembly was accomplished by providing the driven shaft and the print roll mandrel with intermeshing gears of sufficient width to permit the gear on the mandrel to be moved axially relative to the gear on the driven shaft without disengaging the gears altogether, although obviously such movement changed the length of the portion of the teeth of said gears which were in contact and transmitting the driving force. With this arrangement it was not possible to disconnect a print roll and its mandrel from the rotary driving force except by lifting the print roll and mandrel out of the machine and thereby moving the gear on the mandrel out of contact with the gear on the driven shaft.

By this invention means are provided including support means for each print roll assembly by which a print roll journal or mandrel may be quickly disconnected from its rotary driving force without removing the print roll and its journal or mandrel from the machine, and while in the machine may be operatively connected to a rotary driving shaft which is itself movable axially with a print roll assembly to effect lateral movement of a print roll assembly, as for aligning it with other print roll assemblies.

The invention will be best understood by reading the following description in connection with the drawings in which,

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a machine embodying the invention,

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the structure shown in FIG. 1,

FIGS. 3a and 3b show in front elevation, partly in cross section, and enlarged, a portion of the structure shown in FIG. 2 including the print roll and mandrel and their support, drive and axial adjustment means, and

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of one of the bearing housings which receive the bearings carried adjacent the ends of each print roll mandrel.

In the embodiment of the invention described herein a backing cylinder is mounted for rotation between support members 12a and 12b which are spaced from the ends of the backing cylinder. A pair of support arms indicated generally as 14a and 14b are supported at one end by the members 12a and 12b respectively, and project outwardly, radially, or substantially radially, with respect to the backing cylinder. The

support arms

14a and 14b are disposed in parallel, in the same plane, and it will be understood that in machines of the kind described for printing lengths of fabric there will ordinarily be a number of pairs of anns projecting from the members 12a and 12b respectively, the number of pairs of arms corresponding to the number of print rolls employed.

Each of the

support arms

14a and 14b comprises an intermediate portion 16, defining a longitudinally extending slot S and inwardly angled portions l8 and 20, the

portions

18 and 20 being parallel and serving to support between them a bar 22. There is thus a support bar 22 extending in parallel relation to each of the

support arms

14a and 14b and as shown the support bars 22 are spaced inwardly from the

support arms

14a and 14b.

Bars 22 provide means on which members 230 and 23b carrying an entire print roll assembly, are mounted for reciprocal movement toward and away from the backing cylinder. The members 23a and 23b comprise the sleeve portions 24a and 24b, which extend through the slots 16 in the

support arms

14a and 14b, and the depending

portions

26a and 26b which are apertured to receive and slide on bars 22 respectively. The members 23a and 23b are guided and given lateral support by the angle members g-l and g-2 projecting from the

support arms

14a and 14b respectively. Spaced inwardly from the sleeve portions 24a and 24b are the support plates 27a and 27b and fixed to the inner faces of members 27a and 27b as by screws s are the

lower halves

28a and 28b of the housings which receive the

bearings

26a and 26b. The

upper halves

29a and 29b of the bearing housings are hinged to the lower halves as by pivots p and may be easily swung up to open position to permit the

bearings

26a and 26b to be placed in the cupshaped lower halves or lifted from them. Cooperative interengaging means are provided for interlocking the halves. A pin m is shown on the lower halves engageable respectively by a pivoted hook n on the upper halves.

Print roll 30 is shown mounted on a mandrel 32 on the ends of which are the

bearings

26a and 26b. The print roll could of course be provided with journals extending outwardly from its ends but use of a mandrel is preferred since hollow center print rolls of different diameters may be successively mounted on a keyed mandrel. Support plates 27a and 27b extend outwardly away from the backing cylinder and are inclined downwardly with respect to the

support arms

14a and 14b and the bars 22. A washer-receptacle 38, disposed between plates 27a and 27b, is supported from the support plate 27b, and by the piston rods 61a and 61b of the power cylinders 60a and 60b.

The members 23a and 23b support, and carry with them during movements toward and away from the backing cylinder on bars 22, an assembly comprising a print roll 30 and the mandrel 32 on which it is mounted, a color box 34, and a color transfer medium shown herein as a brush 36 mounted for rotation on journals which extend through the ends of the color box, a washer-receptacle 38, and the support plates 27a and 27b.

On the outer face of support plate 27a one-half 42 of a Gilman slide is supported. The other half 40 of the Gilman slide is bolted to the inner end of the sleeve portion of slide 23a. The two halves of the Gilman slide are interconnected by the dovetail M. A power cylinder 44 is attached to the outer end of the sleeve portion 24a of member 23a and a piston rod 46 from power cylinder 44 is screwed into the end of a shaft 48 which extends through the sleeve portion 24a of member 23a and into Gilman slide half 40. Shaft 48 is keyed to said sleeve portion 24a for axial movement within said sleeve portion. When the piston rod 46 is actuated by power cylinder 44 the Gilman slide, the support plate 27a, the

bearing housings 28a

29a and 28b, 2% the bearings b, the mandrel 32 and print roll 30 supported between them, the support plate 27b, the driven shaft 54 and its retracting power means 58, can all be adjusted in position axially of the print roll.

The driven shaft 54 is urged into engagement with the opposed end of mandrel 32 as by spring 56 and may be quickly disengaged by actuation of fluid cylinder58 the piston 60 of which is coupled to the driven shaft 54as for example as shown at 62. Attached to the outer end of the sleeve-defining portion 24b of member 23b is a worm gear housing 63 and disposed within the housing is worm wheel 64 which may be driven from any suitable power source through a worm w on a splined shaft 65. Shaft 54 and the piston rod 60 and coupling 62 extend through the hub of worm gear 64 and are movable axially therein, shaft 54 being keyed within the hub so that it is rotatable with said worm wheel and also movable axially relative to said wheel. Within the sleeve portion 24b of member 23b and keyed to it for relative axial movement is a sleeve 66 which at its inner end has the bearing 68. The reduced inner end of shaft 54 extends through bearing 68 and at its inner extremity has the head 70 carrying teeth which engage teeth within a cup 72 disposed within the opposed end of mandrel 32. Spring 56 is retained between an internal shoulder of sleeve 66 and a cup-shaped member 74 disposed between shaft 54 and the sleeve 66 adjacent bearings 68.

Movements of the print roll and its assembly toward and away from backing cylinder are provided and controlled respectively by fluid cylinders 78a and 78b which extend through and are supported by the portions 18 of

arms

14a and 14b. The said cylinders are connected to the bearing

housings

28a and 28b respectively by the piston rods 80a and 8012. It will be understood that when the said power cylinders are actuated the whole print roll assembly and its support means, and the subassembly including color box brush and washerreceptacle and their support means, will be moved together along the support bars 22.

The color box and brush are not only movable with the print roll, toward and away from the backing cylinder, but are also movable a short distance toward and away from the print roll. Each color box and brush combination is suspended between

power cylinders

84a and 84b which in turn are supported on the plates 27a and

27b. Power cylinders

84a and 84b are connected to the color box subassembly by straps 86a and 86b pivotally connected to brackets 87a and 87b. Strap 86a is connected to a bracket 87a at one end of the color box, and strap 86b is connected to a bracket 87b at the outer end of the clutch 88 by which drive means and the color transfer brush 36 may be connected and disconnected.

The

cylinders

84a and 84b have the piston rods 85a and 8512 the outer ends of which are fixed to brackets f projecting laterally from each of the support plates 27a and 27b so that it is the

cylinders

84a and 84b which move while their piston rods 85a and 85b remain stationary.

The washer-receptacle 32 is movable up and down from an initial position spaced below the color box 34 and disposed to receive and drain liquid spilled from the color box during a first step of washing elements of the machine to a position in which it cooperates with the fully overturned washer-receptacle to provide a closure in which a second step of washing the color box and brush is performed, as is fully described in copending application Ser. No. 829,055 filed May 29, 1969.

The washer-receptacle may be of the general kind shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,227,078, Jan. 4, 1966 and preferably of the kind shown in said copending application, having within it (not shown herein) a spray header, a connection for receiving cleaning fluid under high pressure, and an outlet to a drain.

The washer-receptacle is raised and lowered on guide rod 94 by

power cylinders

90a and 90b. The right-hand end of the washer-receptacle as viewed by the reader is supported by hinge means 92a, 92b, which allows it to be swung outwardly at a right angle to its operative position as is more fully described in copending application Ser. No. 829,049 filed May 29, 1969. The left-hand end of the washer-receptacle is unsupported except by the power cylinder 90a and its piston rod 91a but a rest 96 is provided on which the left end of the washer-receptacle sits when in operative position. The rest 96 is shown extending from a bracket 98 depending from support plate 270.

Previously a print roll and its mandrel were separated from a rotary driving means by separating a driven gear on the mandrel from a driving gear, and this was accomplished by lifting or moving the mandrel away from the driving gear. Being able to retract the driving means away from the driven mandrel without displacing the mandrel and the print roll thereon has very important advantages. For example it greatly facilitates setting a set of print rolls or pattern" in rotary fit by the method and means disclosed in my copending US. Pat. application for Improvements ln Templet For Use In Placing A Set of Print Rolls in Fit, Ser. No. 795,94l,filed Feb. 3, 1969. With the rotary drive means retracted a print roll is free to rotate as soon as it is set into the machine and it can be quickly turned by hand to bring the pitch mark on the roll into alignment with the pointer on the templet. When the pitch mark and the templet pointer are aligned the drive can be connected to the mandrel in a fraction ofa second. When it is desired to remove a print roll and its mandrel from the machine the drive can be disconnected in a fraction of a second whereas previously the fitting and driven gear had to be removed from the mandrel shaft by hand and stored for future use.

If it is desired to omit one of the print rolls in a set, as for example a roll used to produce a blotch background effect, this can be accomplished simply by backing off the blotch roll and retracting the shaft 54 by which that roll is driven, The other rolls in the pattern may continue printing while theblotch roll stays in the machine, backed off and not turning or printing.

What I claim is:

1. In a cloth-printing machine comprising, a backing cylinder, a pair of spaced-parallel support arms extending radially with respect to the backing cylinder, each having a longitudinal slot and each comprising a support bar parallel to the slot and spaced laterally from the slot, a pair of support and slide members each comprising a sleeve and a portion disposed at a different level and apertured in a direction at right angles to the sleeve to receive and slide on the said bars respectively, said sleeves extending parallel to the backing cylinder in axial alignment and being adapted to extend through the slots in the support arms, means supported by said slide and support members on which the print roll mandrel may be placed and from which it may be lifted and removed from the machine, an axially movable drive shaft extending through one of the sleeves in axial alignment with one end of the mandrel, means for rotating the drive shaft, and means for moving the drive shaft into engagement with the mandrel and for moving the drive shaft out of engagement with the mandrel.

2. The structure claimed in claim 1 in which each of the support arms comprises an elongated intermediate portion, defining the longitudinal slot through which the sleeve of the support and slide members extend, and end flanges extending substantially normal to the intermediate portion, the bars being supported between the flanges of said members respectively in spaced-parallel relation to the said intermediate portions of the arms, and below the slots defined by said intermediate portions respectively.

3. The structure claimed in claim 1 in which the intermediate portion of the support arm has an angle member with a flange thereof extending downwardly adjacent the slot in the support arm, providing a stop and guideway within which is received a projection extending up from the periphery of the sleeve portion of the support and slide member which extends through said slot.

4. The structure claimed in claim 1 in which the means for axially moving the drive shaft out of engagement with the mandrel is a power cylinder and piston, the piston having at its forward end means for engaging the opposed end of the drive shaft, and in which the forward end of the drive shaft extends through an inner sleeve which extends partly into and is supported by one of the sleeves defined by said support and slide members and its other end extends into and is supported by a support plate which is connected to and supported by said inner sleeve and is also connected to and supports a bearing housing adapted to receive a bearing carried on one of the mandrel ends, the inner end of said inner sleeve having therein a hearing through which the drive shaft extends, a worm gear housing supported at the outer end of the support and slide member, and an annular worm gear disposed within the housing and comprising a hub defining an axial passage aligned with the sleeve of the support and slide member and with the inner sleeve, the outer end of said drive shaft being disposed within the hub of the worm gear and keyed to it by axially extending key means, and means projecting from the outer end of the drive shaft for engagement with means carried at the forward end of the power cylinder piston rod.

5. The structure claimed in claim I in which the end of the mandrel which is remote from the drive shaft is received in a bearing supported by a second support plate which is connected to one of two dovetailed members which are interengaged for rotary movement but slidable one with respect to the other to provide adjustment of the mandrel in a plane normal to the plane of the mandrel, the other of said dovetailed members being connected to the other of said support and slide members, a shaft extending through the sleeve of the other of said support and slide members with its inner end extending into the other of said dovetailed members, the outer end of said shaft being connected to the piston rod of power cylinder means by which the mandrel and a print roll thereon may be adjusted in position axially.

6. The structure claimed in claim 1 in which the pair of support and slide members support and carry with them during their movements on said bars toward and away from the backing cylinder, an assembly comprising, a pair of support plates spaced apart and each carrying a bearing housing to receive bearings carried at the ends of a mandrel respectively, a print roll and the mandrel by which it is mounted between said bearings, a color box and color transfer means suspended between the support plates, a washer-receptacle supported between the support plates and below the color box, the drive shaft, a worm gear housing connected to one of the support and slide members through which the shaft extends, and the power cylinder and piston which is attached to one end of the drive shaft, an inner sleeve the outer end of which is slidingly disposed within said one of the support and slide member, one of the support plates being carried at the inner end of said inner sleeve and the other of said support plates being connected to one member of a two-part dovetail member the parts of which are movable together for rotation and are relatively moveable for adjustment of the height of a mandrel end, the other member of said two-part member being connected to the other of said support and slide members, a shaft which extends through the sleeve of said other support and slide member into engagement with the outer of said relatively slidable members, and a second power cylinder and piston which is engaged to said shaft and by which the whole assembly supported by said sleeves of the support and slide members may be moved axially for axial adjustment of the position of the print roll.

7. The structure claimed in claim 1 in which said support plates extend downwardly at an angle relative to the support arms, a washer receptacle, and means carried by the support arms for mounting the washer receptacle disposed below the color.

8. The structure claimed in claim 1 including means for moving a color box and brush subassembly relative to its print roll comprising ends of of power cylinders carried by said support plates respectively, the forward ends of the power cylinder piston rods being fixed to means projecting from the plates respectively, whereby the piston rods are stationary and the cylinders are moveable, and link means connecting the ends of the color box to said cylinders respectively.

9. The structure claimed in claim 1 in which the color transfer means comprises a brush the axles of which extend through opposite ends of the color box, and clutch means interposed between one end of the brush axle and one of said link means, the other link means being connected directly to an end of the color box.

Claims

5. The structure claimed in claim 1 in which the end of the mandrel which is remote from the drive shaft is received in a bearing supported by a second support plate which is connected to one of two dovetailed members which are interengaged for rotary movement but slidable one with respect to the other to provide adjustment of the mandrel in a plane normal to the plane of the mandrel, the other of said dovetailed members being connected to the other of said Support and slide members, a shaft extending through the sleeve of the other of said support and slide members with its inner end extending into the other of said dovetailed members, the outer end of said shaft being connected to the piston rod of power cylinder means by which the mandrel and a print roll thereon may be adjusted in position axially.