US3756151A - Compensating platen for printing machines - Google Patents

Compensating platen for printing machines Download PDF

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Publication number
US3756151A
US3756151A US00123511A US3756151DA US3756151A US 3756151 A US3756151 A US 3756151A US 00123511 A US00123511 A US 00123511A US 3756151D A US3756151D A US 3756151DA US 3756151 A US3756151 A US 3756151A
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United States
Prior art keywords
printing
platen
carriage
bed
movement
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US00123511A
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English (en)
Inventor
J Zofchak
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
DBS Inc
Original Assignee
Multigraphics Inc
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Publication date
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Publication of US3756151A publication Critical patent/US3756151A/en
Assigned to DBS, INC., A MA CORP. reassignment DBS, INC., A MA CORP. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. Assignors: AM INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41L—APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR MANIFOLDING, DUPLICATING OR PRINTING FOR OFFICE OR OTHER COMMERCIAL PURPOSES; ADDRESSING MACHINES OR LIKE SERIES-PRINTING MACHINES
    • B41L45/00—Kinds or types of addressing machines or of like series-printing machines
    • B41L45/12—Kinds or types of addressing machines or of like series-printing machines with separate devices for printing additional texts or images, e.g. for printing receipts on blank sheets or webs
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41L—APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR MANIFOLDING, DUPLICATING OR PRINTING FOR OFFICE OR OTHER COMMERCIAL PURPOSES; ADDRESSING MACHINES OR LIKE SERIES-PRINTING MACHINES
    • B41L47/00—Details of addressographs or like series-printing machines
    • B41L47/42—Printing mechanisms
    • B41L47/46—Printing mechanisms using line-contact members, e.g. rollers, cylinders

Definitions

  • ABSTRACT A printing machine which has a bed for supporting printing devices and a form to be imprinted, includes a carriage supporting a platen for movement between a raised position spaced from the form, and a lowered position in printing engagement with the form.
  • the carriage is adapted to be moved from a home position across the bed to an actuated position to perform a printing stroke, and back to the home position in readiness for a subsequent printing operation.
  • Means for sensing the thickness of the form to be imprinted, and compensating means is provided for placing the platen at a printing position selected from a plurality of possible positions spaced from the bed as determined by the sensed thickness of the form.
  • the platen is held at the selected printing position during a printing stroke and is restored to its raised position prior to return of the carriage to the home position.
  • embossed metal plates for department store charge purposes eventually led to the more complete embossed plastic cards so widely known and used currently.
  • Such cards are known generically as printing devices, and contain various information in addition to the customers name. They are employed as source data in a data recorder which causes a roller platen to press an interleaved carbon form set against the embossed surface of the card. Other information is handwritten on the form before the transaction is completed.
  • Machines have been developed wherein a series of print wheels having a plurality of faces, each face carrying different indicia, are held in a group and aligned with the position in which the credit card is placed for printing.
  • variable data such as the money amount of the transaction
  • the use of a variable printing unit along with fixed printing devices enables the printing of this necessarily exact information, in order to avoid errors due to illegible handwriting.
  • the present invention provides a data recorder having a compensating means associated with the platen for placing the platen at a selected printing position spaced from the bed, as determined by the thickness of the form to be imprinted, and means for maintaining the platen at the selected position during a printing stroke.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide catch means for locking the platen at the selected printing position during a printing stroke, and for unlocking the platen for movement to a raised position spaced above the bed a greater distance than the selected position for return movement of the carriage to the home position.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide compensating means for regulating the spacing of the platen in relation to the bed for various thicknesses of forms, which may be incorporated in various types of printing machines and data recorders.
  • a feature of the invention is to provide a printing machine capable of printing clear and uniform impressions on a wide variety of business forms having substantial variations in the thicknesses of the form sets.
  • FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a printing machine with a compensating platen constructed in accordance with the present invention, showing the printing head in an open position;
  • FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the platen compensating means and the carriage as viewed on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1, but drawn to a larger scale;
  • FIG. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2, with the printing head in a closed position, showing the compensating means and the relationship of the platen and the carriage mechanism to the bed of the machine;
  • FIG. 4 is a fragmentary front elevation showing the position of the compensating means as the carriage is moved away from the home position
  • FIG. 5 is similar to FIG. 4 but shows the position of the compensating means during a printing stroke
  • FIG. 6 is similar to FIG. 4 but shows the position of te compensating means when the carriage reaches the actuated position
  • FIG. 7 is similar to FIG. 4 but shows the position of 'the compensating means just prior to return of the carriage to the home position.
  • the data recorder comprises a base and a printing head indicated generally by the reference numeral 12.
  • the printing head is pivotally mounted at 14 on the base 10 for movement between an open position spaced from the base and a closed printing position against the base.
  • the data recorder also includes a bed 16 provided with suitable guides such as 18 and 20 for holding an embossed card 22 containing data to be printed.
  • variable data printing unit comprising a series of coded print wheels 24 mounted on the bed, which wheels are selectively settable under control of keyset levers 26.
  • wheel are not essential to this invention, and are old and well-known, they need not be further detailed herein.
  • the printing head 12 includes a pair of side plates 28 and 30 held relationship in spaced apart reltionship by a U-shaped channel member 32.
  • a carriage indicated generally by the reference numeral 34 is supported on the channel 32 for movement along the greater portion of the length of the channel.
  • the carriage supports a roller platen 36 for movement transversely across the bed 16 from a home position shown in FIG. 3, to an actuated position shown in FIG. 6 to perform a printing stroke when the printing head 12 is in a closed position.
  • This motion of the platen across the bed is effective to imprint the data onto a form F overlying the printing elements on the bed.
  • the printing head On completion of a printing stroke, the printing head is caused to move to its open position and the carriage is returned to the home position.
  • the carriage 34 comprises a U- shaped member providing a pair of depending side walls 40 and 42.
  • a rod 44 is supported in the side walls and extends outwardly beyond the side walls.
  • a pair of rollers 46 and 48 are mounted on the rod, one at each end, and are adapted to ride on the lower edges of flanges 50 and 52 respectively, of the channel member 32.
  • the roller arrangement controls and guides the movement of the carriage and is fully disclosed in the above U.S. Pat. No. 3,138,091.
  • the roller platen 36 is mounted on a shaft 54 rotatably supported in a bearing block 56 at one end and in a bearing block 58 at the other end.
  • the side wall 40 is provided with an opening 60 for slidably receiving the bearing block 56
  • the side wall 42 is provided with a similar opening 62 for slidably receiving the other bearing block 58.
  • the roller plate 36 is adapted for movement between a raised position as shown in FIG. 3, and a lowered printing position selected from a plurality of possible positions spaced from the bed a distance less than the raised position, as shown in FIG. 4.
  • the platen 36 is normally biased to the raised position by a pair of springs 64 and 66 connected to the ends of the rod 44 and the shaft 54.
  • a compensating mechanism comprising an actuating means including a pair of cam members 68 and 70 each secured to opposite ends of a sleeve 72 to provide an integral cam assembly.
  • the cam assembly is positioned between the side walls 40 and 42, and the sleeve 72 is rotatably supported on the rod 44.
  • the cam members 68 and are each provided with a cam edge 74 adapted to act against the bearing blocks 56 and 58.
  • Each cam member has a plurality of ratchet teeth 76 and an extension arm 78.
  • the cam member 68 is provided with a roller 80 supported on the arm 78.
  • the cam edges 74 are eccentric with respect to their pivotal centers about the rod 44, with one area the least distance from the center of rod 44 designated a dwell portion, such that when the cams are in the position shown in FIG. 3 the dwell portion of each of the cam edges is in contact with the bearing blocks 56 and 58 and the platen 36 is held in the raised position by the springs 64 and 66.
  • the cams are rotated to the position shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the lobe of each of the cam edges is in contact with the bearing blocks and the platen is in the lowered position.
  • FIG. 4 and 5 the cam edges 74 are eccentric with respect to their pivotal centers about the rod 44, with one area the least distance from the center of rod 44 designated a dwell portion, such that when the cams are in the position shown in FIG. 3 the dwell portion of each of the cam edges is in contact with the bearing blocks 56 and 58 and the platen 36 is held in the raised position by the springs 64 and 66.
  • the cams 68 and 70 are normally urged in a counterclockwise direction under the biasing action of a spring 82 to thereby cause the lobe of each of the cam edges acting against the bearing blocks to drive the platen downwardly to the selected printing position.
  • the use of two cams each acting against a separate bearing block provided at each end of the platen shaft 54 affords uniform raising and lowering motion of the platen without causing tilting of the platen or binding of the bearing blocks in their vertical sliding movement within the openings 60 and 62 in the side walls 40 and 42.
  • a catch member 84 is pivotally mounted on the side wall 42 of the carriage 34.
  • the catch member includes a pawl 86 positioned to coact with the ratchet teeth 76 on the cam member 70.
  • An ear 88 projects upwardly towards a trip member 90.
  • the catch member 84 is normally urged in a clockwise direction by a spring 92 to maintain the pawl 86 in engagement with the ratchet teeth 76.
  • the trip member is pivotally mounted on the inside face of the flange 52 of the channel 32, and is normally urged in a clockwise direction by a torsion spring 94.
  • the trip member is provided with a nose portion 96, an edge 98 created by a recess 100 and a stop surface 102 which abuts the side plate 28 and prevents further clockwise pivotal movement of the trip member beyond the position shown in FIG. 3.
  • the machine is also provided with an adjustable sensing pad 23 rigidly mounted in the bed 16.
  • a form to be imprinted is placed on the bed in overlying relation with the printing devices and the sensing pad as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.
  • the sensing pad is rigid, the downward motion of the platen, under urging of the spring 82, is arrested with the form squee7e: between the platen and the sensing pad.
  • the platen will be spaced a greater or lesser distance from the bed. However, in each case the platen will be at a proper printing position selected from a plurality of possible positions as established by the thickness of the sensed form.
  • the sensing pad is adjustable so that it may be positioned at a-proper level with respect to the printing devices on the bed to provide an optimum condition for the platen sensing the form against the sensing pad to obtain dense, high quality impressions on the form. Once the sensing pad is properly positioned, it is locked in place and no further adjustment is required during machine operation.
  • the trip member 90 is a means for moving the catch 84 from the locked to the unlocked position shown in FIG. 4.
  • the preferred embodiment employs a physical lateral movement relationship to cause the catch to clear the trip member and return to the locked position shown in FIG. 5.
  • this may be defined as means for moving the catch from the locked to the unlocked position upon movement of the platen to the selected printing position, nevertheless electrical or other mechanical means may be employed to lock the actuating means and the platen prior to any actual further movement and, therefore, such device would also be considered a means for moving the catch means from unlocked to locked position upon movement of the platen to the selected printing position.
  • the printing stroke is completed and the platen 36 is held in its raised position above the form for return movement of the carriage to the home position.
  • the data recorder is of the kind disclosed in the aforementioned US. Pat. No. 3,138,091
  • the printing head 12 is first moved to the open position on completion of the printing stroke and then the carriage is restored to its home position.
  • the carriage is returned to the home position with the platen in raised position to prevent double imaging or smudging of the form. In either case, the platen is restored to its raised position in response to completion of a printing stroke.
  • the ear 88 of the catch member 84 abuts the nose portion 96 of the trip member and pivots the trip member in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 7.
  • the pawl 86 continues to be held in engagement with the ratchet teeth 76 under the influence of the spring 92, and further movement of the carriage to the home position moves the car 88 into the recess 100, and the spring 94 pivots the trip member in the opposite direction to the position shown in FIG. 3. In this position, the parts are in a neutral or start position in readiness for a subsequent printing operation.
  • the present invention provides a novel platen compensating arrangement for imprinting high quality impressions on forms of various thicknesses.
  • the compensating means positions the platen at the selected printing position in response to sensing the thickness of the form to be imprinted, and does not require independent operator ad justment of the platen printing position from one form to another form of different thickness.
  • it also offers the advantage of being readily incorporated in various types of existing printing machines.
  • a printing machine for printing a formby means of printing devices, in which forms of various thicknesses may be accepted, comprising:
  • said platen being movable from the nonprinting position to any one of a plurality of printing positions in which said platen is spaced from said pad means by a distance which is less than said first distance and which is determined by the thickness of the form disposed on said pad means;
  • catch means on the carriage movable between a first position retaining said platen against movement between the nonprinting and printing positions and a second position in which said catch means is ineffective to retain said platen against movement;
  • trip means operatively associated with said catch means for moving the catch means from its first position to its second position during initial movement of the carriage from the first position to thereby release said platen for movement from said nonprinting position to any one of said plurality of printing positions;
  • baising means on the carriage for normally urging the platen to the nonprinting position
  • said actuating means comprising means for acting in opposition to the biasing means and for moving the bearing means toward said pad means when said catch means is in its second position to effect movement of said platen from the nonprinting position to any one of said plurality of printing position.
  • a printing machine for printing a form by means of printing devices, in which forms of various thicknesses may be accepted, comprising:
  • a bed means operatively associated with said bed for establishing printing characters projecting from the bed;
  • a pad means in the bed for underlying a form in printing position said pad means having a reference surface related to the bed and the height of the printing characters projecting therefrom;
  • said platen being movable from the nonprinting position to any one of a plurality of printing positions in which said platen is spaced from said pad means by a distance which is less than said first distance and which is determined by the thickness of the form disposed on said pad means; actuating means on the carriage for moving the platen towards the pad means to one of the plurality of printing positions, said platen in said one of said plurality of printing positions being disposed in engagement with a form disposed on said pad means; catch means on the carriage movable between a first position retaining said platen against movement between the nonprinting and printing positions and a second position in which said catch means is ineffective to retain said platen against movement;
  • trip means operatively associated with said catch means for moving the catch means from its first position to its second position during initial movement of the carriage from the first position to thereby release said platen for movement from said nonprinting position to any one of said plurality of printing positions;
  • said actuating means including a plurality of ratchet teeth, said catch means comprising a pawl;
  • a printing machine as set forth in claim 1 including means adjacent the end of the bed for moving the platen from said printing positions to said nonprinting position in response to movement of said carriage to its second position.
  • a printing machine as set forth in claim 2 further including means adjacent the end of the bed for moving the platen from said printing positions to said nonprinting position in response to movement of said carriage to its second position.

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US00123511A 1971-03-12 1971-03-12 Compensating platen for printing machines Expired - Lifetime US3756151A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US12351171A 1971-03-12 1971-03-12

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US3756151A true US3756151A (en) 1973-09-04

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US00123511A Expired - Lifetime US3756151A (en) 1971-03-12 1971-03-12 Compensating platen for printing machines

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US (1) US3756151A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
JP (1) JPS5115780B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
BE (1) BE777839A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
CA (1) CA954746A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE2161219A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
FR (1) FR2129368A5 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1388482A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
NL (1) NL7202405A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
SE (1) SE384171B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3893393A (en) * 1974-03-01 1975-07-08 Addressograph Multigraph Platen alignment control
US3983803A (en) * 1973-09-27 1976-10-05 Sperry Rand Corporation Automatic print gap adjustment arrangement
US4369704A (en) * 1979-12-13 1983-01-25 Kienzle Apparate Gmbh Printing device for distance counter mechanism
US5918990A (en) * 1997-01-31 1999-07-06 Neopost Limited Thermal transfer printing apparatus

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2843750C2 (de) 1978-10-06 1985-03-21 Pitney Bowes Deutschland Gmbh, 6148 Heppenheim Adressendruckmaschine
JPS5480328U (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) * 1977-11-14 1979-06-07
US4704962A (en) * 1985-10-15 1987-11-10 Robert Healey Printing machine

Citations (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2068707A (en) * 1937-01-26 Printing press
US3018725A (en) * 1960-02-10 1962-01-30 Addressograph Multigraph Printing machines
US3116687A (en) * 1962-01-24 1964-01-07 Harding Leonard Printing presses
US3138091A (en) * 1964-06-23 Printing machines
US3152543A (en) * 1962-05-07 1964-10-13 Pitney Bowes Inc Pivotal carriage for traveling roller platens
US3277822A (en) * 1964-07-01 1966-10-11 Addressograph Multigraph Printing machines
US3481269A (en) * 1967-09-15 1969-12-02 Addressograph Multigraph Printing pressure control spacer means for data encoders
US3486446A (en) * 1967-04-28 1969-12-30 Addressograph Multigraph Printing machine stroke control
US3538848A (en) * 1969-04-22 1970-11-10 Control Data Corp Latch means for a traveling roller platen on a swingable carriage

Patent Citations (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2068707A (en) * 1937-01-26 Printing press
US3138091A (en) * 1964-06-23 Printing machines
US3018725A (en) * 1960-02-10 1962-01-30 Addressograph Multigraph Printing machines
US3116687A (en) * 1962-01-24 1964-01-07 Harding Leonard Printing presses
US3152543A (en) * 1962-05-07 1964-10-13 Pitney Bowes Inc Pivotal carriage for traveling roller platens
US3277822A (en) * 1964-07-01 1966-10-11 Addressograph Multigraph Printing machines
US3486446A (en) * 1967-04-28 1969-12-30 Addressograph Multigraph Printing machine stroke control
US3481269A (en) * 1967-09-15 1969-12-02 Addressograph Multigraph Printing pressure control spacer means for data encoders
US3538848A (en) * 1969-04-22 1970-11-10 Control Data Corp Latch means for a traveling roller platen on a swingable carriage

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3983803A (en) * 1973-09-27 1976-10-05 Sperry Rand Corporation Automatic print gap adjustment arrangement
US3893393A (en) * 1974-03-01 1975-07-08 Addressograph Multigraph Platen alignment control
US4369704A (en) * 1979-12-13 1983-01-25 Kienzle Apparate Gmbh Printing device for distance counter mechanism
US5918990A (en) * 1997-01-31 1999-07-06 Neopost Limited Thermal transfer printing apparatus

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CA954746A (en) 1974-09-17
JPS5115780B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1976-05-19
BE777839A (fr) 1972-05-02
SE384171B (sv) 1976-04-26
DE2161219A1 (de) 1972-09-28
FR2129368A5 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1972-10-27
GB1388482A (en) 1975-03-26
NL7202405A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1972-09-14

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AS Assignment

Owner name: DBS, INC., A MA CORP.

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:AM INTERNATIONAL, INC.;REEL/FRAME:003979/0673

Effective date: 19820325