US503833A - Machine for printing cards - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 2, J. BpDENNIS. MACHINE FOR PRINTING GARDS.

Patented Aug. 22, 1893.

m n I M I hrzomvap (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet a.

'J. B. DENNIS. MACHINE FOR PRINTING. CARDS.

No. -503,833.- Patented Aug. 22,1893.

4 Sheets-$11661; 4. J. B.-DENNI S.

(No Model.)

MACHINE P03 PRINTING cums. l "Patented Aug. 22,1893.

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NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE...

JOHN B.DENNIS, OF OTTUMVVA, IOlVA.

MACHINE FOR PRINTING CARDS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 503,833, dated August 22, 1893.

Application filed Septemberd, 1892. Serial No. 444,782. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN B. DENNIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ottumwa, in the county of WVapello and State of Iowa, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Printing Cards, &c.; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description'of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in machines for print ing cards and labels; and it consists substantially in such features of arrangement, construction, and combination of parts as will hereinafter be more particularly described and claimed.

The invention has for its object to provide a machine from which postal cards, invoices, tags, &c., can be readily struck off or printed, as required, and thus save much time heretofore incident to such operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide an automatic feeder for the cards or tags to be printed; as well as also to provide an ejector for casting or delivering the printed card or tag from the machine as soon as the type impression has been made thereon.

A final object of the invention is to provide a machine forthe purpose named which shall automatically feed the card or tag into position, print the same, and finally eject or throw such printed card or tag from the machine all at one operation substantially as will hereinafter more fully appear when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a longitudinal side elevation of a machine embodying my improvements; and

Fig. 2 is a top or plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line co m of Fig. 2, and showing the front side of the card or tag-holder broken away so as to reveal the arrangement of the cards or tags therein. Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view of that part of the sliding frame or carriage which operates the tag or card ejector, substantially as will more fully hereinafter appear. Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section through the machine. r

In carrying my invention into effectl provide a suitable longitudinal platform or base which may or may not be provided with supporting legs; and within or upon such platform or base a longitudinally movable carriage or frame works which operatesthe'print ing devices as well as controlling the action of the automatic ejector which discharges or ejects the card or tag from the machine immediately after an impression has been made thereon. WVorking in connection with the longitudinally movable frameis a pivoted or vibrating spring-controlled platen which holds the type from which the impressions are obtained; and also formed with and working in connection with such carriage is an automatic spring controlled card feeder which is so arranged and constructed as to feed a single card or tag into position to receive a type impression each time the movable carriage is drawn backward into position to be given another movement forward. Immediately after the impression is made the ejector is set into action and a card or tag is let oft, and the machine is thus in readiness to print a new card or tag and so on.

The card holder is provided with means by which cards or tags of varying sizes can be used or accommodated and in providing the machine a pack of the cards is placed in and a single card only fed out each time.

Reference being had to the drawings by the letters marked thereon A represents the base of the machine which, as shown, is provided with suitable supporting legs a,the said base being formed or provided with side grooves or channels in which the flanges c, c, of the movable frame or carriage B are received, forming guide-ways in which the carriage travels backward and forward. The carriage B is, by preference, a rectangular structure provided at one end with a-handle b by which it is manipulated, and it carries or is provided with a receptacle or holder B in which is placed a pack of cards or tags to be printed, and a support or chase C for the form or die from which the cards receive the impressions.

At the forward end of the frame or base A there is a set of ink rollers d, (1, over and in contact with which passes a cleaning and distributing plate a secured to the forward end of the movable carriage B. The plate 6 serves not only to turn the rollers so they present freshly inked surfaces to the die or form, but also serves to spread the ink evenly uponthem.

nearing the limit of its backward movement these arms engage with the studs or posts a rising from the frame A. of the arms Z with the posts a arrests the backward movement of the chase Cand causes it to swing downward, toward the bed a, the links I, Z insuring that this latter movement shall be in a plane parallel with the bed a,u pon which the card'to be printed rests. The arms Z are by preference provided with anti friction rollers whichengage with the posts a.

Z", Z, represent arms projecting laterally from the carriage B and arranged to'engage with the studs or posts 0', c so as to limit the groove in the carriage thespring mis moved, ,That portion of the bed a of the frame A forward movement of the carriage.

upon which the card or tag restsduring the printing operation is slightly depressed. The

bed a' is preferably formed as indicated in the drawings, that is to say, it isprovided withia series of longitudinal slightly raised; portions f, f, Which are cutaway at the place where the cards are to rest while receiving the. impressions from the die or form-thus height of the thickness of an ordinary card, and, beingcut away as described, whenever the carriage in its forward movement brings the open ended card holder B" overthis part of the bed a one of the cards drops into the depression therein, Where it is held by theends, of the raised portions f, being thus withdrawn from the pack, which moves on with the carriage, and held in position tobe'printe-d.

The automatic ejector which operates to,

throw the card out of the machine through the opening Z, Fig. 1, after it has been printed, consists of a spring actuated bolt. g arranged:

under the bed a and mounted in suitable bearingsj. The bolt g is acted upon by the spring h and is provided with a fingervlwhich extends up through the bed a, as indicated in Figs. 2, 4 and 5, and is adapted to move across the face of the base or bed so as to act upon the card to eject it at the proper time. The finger t' of the ejector is engaged by an arm 70, which is formed with or secured to the carriage B, as the carriage is being moved forward, and by said arm is forced outwardthrough a channel Z-into the groovenin one of the side pieces of the carriage. The opening between the channel Z and the groove n is normally closed by a fiat spring m which This engagement,

yields to permit the finger itopass into the groove during the forward movement of the carriage, but closes as soon as the finger enters the groove, so that,.on the return movement of the carriage, it prevents the finger from again passing into the channel I, but causes it to continue in'the groove 71.. The groove in the carriage in which the ejector ,fi'nger travels is broken at 0 and continues beyond this part, as a groove 19, in a plane parallel with but inside of the part n of the groove-see Fig. 4. The groove or channel opens, at 0, at the side of the offset or broken part 0 thereof, and opposite the end of the part 19.

The operation of the parts just described is as follows: As the carriage B is moved forward the arm it engages the'finger 2' of the ejector and directs it into the inclined channel-way Z, whereby it is withdrawn from over the bed ct, this movementputtingthe spring .h under atension, which tends to 'IDOVG the Eejector over or across the bed a to the extent permitted by the slot in the bed through-which ;the fingert' extends. In passing-out of the tchannel-way Z and into the portion n of the ibut immediately closes'behindthe ejector, so :that on the return or backward'movementof the carriage the ejector finger follows the igroove, n, 0 and 19. At'the'close of the backw ward movement of the carriage, which leaves a card, printed, on the bed a, the finger a is in the portion 1) of the .groove. As the carjriage is moved from this position *forwardthe ;opening 0' is brought opposite the finger 41' whichunder the influence'of thespring -h ias soon as it escapes from the groove, ejects lthe card, immediatelyafter which thearmk engages the finger and the sequence'of move- {me-nt-s just described is again repeated. I he cards which are placed in the holder B'may the fed down either bygrav'ity, or by a spring tactuated follower or plunger, as shownin the idrawings. The card holderB is formed by ithe side frame pieces of the carriage, the stattionary cross-piece s, the adjustable cross :piece 5', and an adjustable end piece w. The plate or cross piece 8 is provided w'ith screw Ethreaded studswhich extend'throu-gh slots'in :the side pieces of the carriage, and upon whichare'mounted the set screwsw. This construction permits the plates to be ad- .justed toward or from the stationary cross pieces, so as to makethewidth of the holder B to fit the particular-width of the cards to be printed, and after such adjustment'to be held in a fixed position. The adjustable-end piece to ofthe card'receiver isjprov'ided with ribs which fit into grooves on the inside face of the plate, as illustrated in Fig. 5, whereby it is held in proper vertical position parallel with the opposite side piece of the carriage frame. A screw'o' passes through a slot in the cross pieces 8, and enters a screw-threaded socketintheadjustable end-piecewwithwhich it moves. A locking lever y is mounted upon IIO the screw 1;, which is forced into locking or clamping engagement with the cross piece 8 by a cam lever 11, as illustrated in Fig. 5.

When the handle end of this lever '12 is thrown up the locking lever y is freed from its engagement with the cross piece 5 and the endpiece to is left to be adjusted toward or from the side frame of the carriage and brought to bear against the ends of the cards. If the end piece should not be required it can be removed from the apparatus after first taking out the screw '0.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a card and tag printing machine, the

combination of a suitable base or frame, a

movable carriage mounted thereon, a card receptacle carried by the carriage and having its-lower end open, through which the cards fall one by one upon the base, means for transferring the card from the receptacle to the base and a die for printing the card while it rests upon the base, substantially as de scribed.

2. In a card or tag printing machine, the combination of a suitable base or frame having its upper surface provided with a depressed portion, a carriage movable over said base, a card receptacle carried by the carriage and having its lower end open and arranged to move over the depressed portions of the base, whereby the cards are fed thereto, one by one, and a die for printing the card while it lies in such depressed portion of the base, substantially as described.

3. In a card and tag printing machine, the combination of a suit-able base or frame, a reciprocatory carriage movable thereon carrying a card receptacle, a printing die mounted on and carried by the carriage, means for transferring the card from the receptacle to the base and means for moving the die toward and from the base as the carriage isreciprocated, substantially as described.

4. In a card and tag printing machine, the combination of a suitable base or frame, a reciprocatory carriage mounted thereon, a printing die, the linksl',l,, connecting the die with the carriage, a spring for holding the die out of printing position, and the stops which arrest the movement of the die with the carriage, and cause it to move against the force of the said spring, substantially as described.

5. In a card and tag printing machine, the combination of the base or frame upon which the card or tag rests while receiving the impression, a reciprocatory printing die, and a spring actuated card ejector which moves transversely across the face of the base and forces the card from the base or frame after the impression has been made, substantially as described.

6. In a card and tag printing machine, the combination of the base or frame, a reciprocatory carriage, a printing die, aspring actuated card ejector, and a projecting arm carried by the carriage, and adapted to engage with the said ejector and move it out of the way of the card, substantially as described.

7. In a card and tag printing machine, the combination of the base or frame, the reciprocatory carriage, a die for printing the card while it rests upon the base, a card ejector having a finger adapted to engage with the card, and an arm carried by the carriage,

and adapted to engage with the said finger I of the ejector, and to guide it into a groove in the carriage wherein it is held while the card is being printed, substantially as described.

8. In a card and tag printing machine, the combination of the frame or base, a reciprocatory carriage having in one of its side pieces the grooves n, o, 19, into which is the break or opening 0', a die adapted to print the card While resting upon the base, a spring actuated ejector having a finger t projecting through the base, the arm it carried by the carriage and adapted to engage with the said finger and to guide it into the said groove in the side piece of the frame, and the spring m, which closes the opening through which the finger c' enters the groove, substantially as described.

9. In a card and tag printing machine, the combination of the base or frame, the reciprocatory carriage, the card receptacle earned by the carriage from which the cards are delivered, one by one, upon the base, the die for printing the cards as they lie upon the base, also carried by the carriage, and the spring actuated card ejector controlled by the movements of the carriage, substantially as described.

10. In a card and tag printing machine the herein described receptacle B in which the blank cardsare held, provided with the slotted side piece 8, and the adjustable end piece w, in combination with the screw '1) which passes through the slot in the piece 8 and into the end piece 10, the locking levery mounted on the said screw, and the cam lever 12, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof Iaifix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

JNO. B. DENNIS.

Witnesses:

E. E. MCELROY, M. A. ROBERTS.

ICC

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