US617042A - Copying-press - Google Patents

Description

No. 6|7,042. Patented lan. 3, |899.

C. S. PHELPS.

COPYING PRESS.

(Application led Sept. I3, 1897.)

(N o M u d e l lUNiTEn STATES PATENT OEETCE.

CHARLES SPENCER PHELPS, OF CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA.

COPYING-PRESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 617,042, dated January 3, 1899. Application filed September 13, 1897. Serial N0 6511453- (NO 111061610 To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, CHARLES SPENCER PHELPS, a citizen of the Unit-ed States, residing at Charleston, in the county of Charleston and State of South Carolina, have invented a new and useful Letter-Press, of which the following is a clear and full description.

My invention relates to letter-presses, and provides means whereby more eective work can be done and much space saved in an office.

With these and other objects in View, which will be explained at a later point, I have in the following specification so fully, clearly, and yet concisely described my invention that any one familiar with the art can readily un derstand, construct, and use the device.

Reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters refer throughout to similar parts, Figure 1 shows a front view of my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof, while Fig. 3 is an end View of the same.

My press comprises a lower or base plate A, which may be of any desired form or shape, but which is preferably made rectangular, 'as is shown in the accompanying drawings. Secured to the rear of this plate and on both sides of the transverse center thereof are standards B, having their upper ends forked, as may be clearly seen from Fig. 2. These standards may be of any desired height or size, the height in particular being decided by the general size of books to be employed in connection with the press. Formed in the forks of these standards and eXtendin g transversely thereof are registering circular openings, in which are mounted pins C.

D is the platen of the press, which may have ribs d integrally formed on the upper side thereof, strengthening the same, while secured to the central portion and also on both sides of the transverse center of the said platen are ears E, having also formed therein registering openings, which, however, are of a generally elliptical form, having their longer axis approximately vertical. Working in these openings is a short shaft G. Pivotally mounted upon the pins C are forwardly-projecting bars or arms H, which, while extend ing forwardly from the standards B, approach one another and pass within the ears aforesaid, while they have mounted therein the shaft G, as described. It will be thus seen that the platen D is swung upon the arms or bars H, and as the latter are drawn upwardly the platen is carried with them. The forward ends of these bars H are also provided with registering openings having a shaft J firmly mounted therein, on which is pivotally mounted a notched or toothed bar or rod K, which, when the said bars are lowered, enters, as is clearly shown in Fig. 2, a slotted projection L on the forward end of the said lower or base plate. This slotted projection may be also notched on its inner surface, thus permitting the bar K to easily engage therewith. Mounted on the said shaft G and snugly ittin g between the arms H is a cam or eccentric M, having a handle N in connection therewith and extending backwardly therefrom to the rear of the said press at apredetermined distance. This handle is adapted, as will be most clearly seen from Fig. 3, when raised approaching a vertical position, to bring the cam into action, and thus firmly press the platen down upon the book, thereby insuring a firm and steady pressure without the exertion of energy or strength required in the ordinary press of the day. Secured to this baseplate yand within the standards thereof are springs O, engaging lugs P, firmly secured on the inner sides of the arms H aforesaid. and adapted to act with an upward tendency upon the latter. Itis to be clearly understood, however, that these springs are not intended to be of such a strength as to raise the platen automatically, but to be of such a strength as to aid materially in raising the latter, and when the latter is in the vertical position (shown in Fig. 3 in dotted lines) to retain it in such position. In order to further aid the raising or throwing out of gear of this platen,

I employ a counterbalance R, mounted on each of the said arms H and extending backwardly therefrom a required or predetermined distance.

The operation of my invention, it is now thought, will be clearly understood from the foregoing description and accompanying drawings when taken in connection with the following statement: The bars H are swung downwardly, carrying thereby the platen D, which engages the upper side of the copyingbook, while at the same time the notched or IOO toothed rod K enters the slotted projection L and serves to steady the upper platen. The lever or handle then is raised, throwing the cam into action and forcing down with great power the upper platen, thereby insuring the perfect results with a greatly-reduced eX- penditure of energy in the action.

In addition, when the press is not in operation or use the platen can be raised and the lower platen used for a writing table, desk, or stand, upon which the copying-book can be placed and the several matters to be copied arranged between its leaves without the use of a second table. In addition to this the construction is simple and the cost inexpensive, While the several parts acting so simple one with respect to the other there is little or no likelihood whatsoever of their getting out of place or the machine becoming unfit for service.

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

l. Aletter-presshavingabase-plate, standards thereon, bars pivoted on said standards and having at their front ends a pivoted rackbar and adapted to engage the wall of a project-ion on said base-plate, a platen pivotally connected with said bars, a cam mounted on the pivotal connection of said platen, and springs substantially as described, bearing upwardly against said bars, in combination as aforesaid.

2. In a letter-press, the combination of a base-plate, standards secured thereto, bars pivotally mounted thereon, and counterbalanced at their rear ends, springs between said standards and engagingsaid bars, a platen pivotally mounted in connection with said bars, a notched rod pivotally secured to the outer ends of said bars and entering a slotted notched projection on the forward end of said base-plate, and a cam mounted between said bars and adapted to force the said platen downwardly, substantially as described.

'3. In a letter-press, the combination of a base-plate having standards secured to the rear ends thereof, counterbalanced bars pivotally mounted therein adapted to be raised until they approach an approximately vertical position, a toothed rod in connection with the forward end of said bars adapted to enter a slotted toothed projection on the forward side of said base-plate, springs secured between said standards and in connection with said bars, a platen pivoted from said bars and a cam mounted between said bars and adapted to force the said platen downwardly, substantially as described.

' In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 10th day of August, 1897.

CHARLES SPENCER PI'IELPS.

Vitnesses:

CARL A. NoLrE, W. T. HAM.

Images