US700271A - Ruling-machine. - Google Patents

Description

Patented may 2o, |9o2.'

A. MQ wHlTTEN.

BULING MACHINE.

A(Appliwtion mea Aug. s1. 1901.)

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no. 7on,27|. Patented may 2o, |902.

A. M. wHlT-TEN. Y

RULING MACHINE.

(Application led Aug. 31.\ 1901.)

(no Model.)

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UNITED STATES ARTHUR M. WRITTEN, oF wEST MEDFoRD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSTGNOR TO LIBRARY BUREAU, OF BOSTO oE MASSACHUSETTS. f

N, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No; 700,271, dated May 20, 190.2. Appncaion Hed August s1. 1901. sesamo. 73,997. dro model.)

chines, of which the following is a specifica-1V My invention relates to automatic rulingmachines; and it consists.inimprovements whereby paper sheets or cards can be more zftccurately and uniformly ruled than heretoore. 1

Theutility of-iny invention lies especiallyv in mechanical combinations by which a rullng-machine is enabled to rule lines which do not extend from edgetoedgeof-the blank, l

butwhich begin at a point or on a line inside the 3edge and extend therefrom to the farther edge ofthe blank, like the vertical'lines on bill-heads, pages forfbooks of account, and the like.

In the drawings hereto annexed I show an embodiment ofmy improvements as appliedI to the wellknown Hickox ruling'- machine, which. employs a cloth-belt conveyer for the paper blanks, in connection with tapes which travel-in contactwith th'e belt, and stationary ruli`ng-pens secured tova'pen-beam or equivalent'support.

Inthe drawings, Figure l is a vertical lon` gitudinal elevation, and Fig. 2 a plan view, of such a inachinewith my improvements applied thereto.y I

For convenience Lin 'readingthe -drawings the following system of lettering is used:

A designatesgenerally the frame ofthe ma-` chine, andV the Stationary parts which compose the frame are indicated by c c ct2,'.&c.

B and b h, &:c., designate thel blank-supply table and th'e blanks in various posi-tions.

O designates'generally the blank-conveyer, the specific parts of which are indicated by c o',-&c.` f s' D designatesgenerally the driving mechan-r ism, oflwliich the several parts are indicated by d d, &c.

E designates generally the edge-gage devices, whose subordinate parts are indicated by e e', dac.

and-thereby drives the main gear d5. gear d5 meshes directly with gears d6 and 17 and through an idler d8 and gear d? drives the gear dg.

F designates generally the front gate, whose component and connected partsare indicated byffzce. i l Y G designates generally the Stop-gate, whose component and connected parts are indicated I designates generally the inkingdevices, whose component and connected parts are indicated by i t', dac; f

P designates generally the pen mechanism, whose component and connected parts are inf dicated by pp', dac.,

T designates generally the moving tapes, .which coperate with the blank-conveyer C,

land t zf, 85e., indicate the several parts of the tape mechanism.

The driving mechanism -D derives its power from a inain belt d and belt-pulleyd. A

udouble belt-pulley cl2 carries the crossed belt d3 and open belt d4,-which drive the'blankconveyer and tape mechanism, respectively, by means of pulleys @zand t4, Fig. 2. pulley d is keyed to the shaft d10, which is hung on the lower side of the frame-platesl, T e

The gears dG,-CZ7, and dg are secured and impart motion to the cam-frames G', P, and F', respectively. These camframes, with the cams securedy thereto, constitute the operating mechanism for the stopgate parts G, the pen parts P, and front-gate parts F, as presently to be described. The

gears dd, and di are pitched and sized so as to rotate the cam-framesiG' F F.' all at the same speed. The arrows on the several belts, pulleys, and gea-rs indi-cate the vdirection of their motion when-the machine is running.

' The blank-conveyer consists of a cloth belt C and tapes T. `The belt O passes over the driving-roll c, which is on the same shaft with the pulley c2, Fig. 2, passe's"the;1ce`'infan inclined direction to the cross-bar a?, thence :horizontallyftothe back` roll 'c",` ahdthence to the driving-roll c.- ThetapesT. pass around lthe tape-'driving roll t, Fig. l, which is driven by the pulley t4, Fig. 2, and thence pass in contact with the belt O to the lower back roll t3, Fig. 1, thence to the upper back roll t2,

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j) at thence to the upper front roll t', and thence to the driving-roll t. The tapes Tand belt C move with equal speed, the tapes serving to hold the blanks to be ruled upon the belt C with gentle pressure.

The several mechanisms which compose the machine are mountedon the frame A, which consists of side plates or beams a., legs a', front and back standards a2 d, tape roll brackets a3, ink-beam a5, Fig. 2, and crossbar ai. These paris are braced together in the ordinary manner.

Papel' or card blanks are introduced into the machine at the table B, where an attendant may sit and feed the blanks one by one into the clutch of the belt C and tapes T, where they pass over and under the drivingrolls c and t.Y The blanks are carried by the conveyer iirst to the pointb, Where the front gate F may act upon them, thence to the point b, where the stop-gate G and ruling devices P come into action, and thence to the point b2, where they may be delivered into a basket or other suitable receptacle.

lVithout regard to their correlation and timing the movements of the several parts ot' the blank alining, regulating, and ruling mechanisms are as follows:

Proceeding with the blank-conveying belt C, we come first to what I designate as the front-gaie mechanism F. This consists of the gatef, mounted on the rock-shaftf, to which is secured the rocker-arm f2, which carries at its outer end the camirollfs. The rock-shaft f is journaled in bearings as on the side frames a. By means of screw-bolts f4 the cam fx is secured tothe cam-frame F, which consists of a disk integral with or rigidly fastened to ,the gear d". The cam fx intermittently acts on the cam-rollf3,a11d thereby lifts and lets fall the gatef. .Vhen the cam-rollf3 is riding on the high dwell of the cam fx, the points f5 of the gatef touch the belt C at points between the tapes T.

Vc come next to the ruling mechanism P. This consists et' ruling-pens p, which in the machine here shown are metallic channeled quills secured by clamping to the oscillating penholder, which is a beam 1J', fast on a rockshaft p2, which is journaled in the brackets a on the side frames a. A rocker-arm p9 is secured to one end of the rock-shaft p2 and carries at its outer end the cam-roll p4. This cam-roll p is actuated by the cam px, which is secured to the cam-frameP' by screw-bolts p5. The cam px as it passes under the cam p4 lifts the pens p from the belt C. lVhen the cam-roll pl falls from the high dwell et thecam px, the pens move down into ruling position by gravity. The pensp are supplied with ink either from flannel or felt pads or from an ink-trough, suchas that shown at t'.

The inking devices I consist of the trough t" and Wicks ft2, which are secured to the pens The trough 2'/ rests upon a cross-bar a5, extending across the machine between the brackets a, Fig. 2.

Next in order is the stop-gate mechanism G. The stop-gate ,f/ is secured to short rockshafts g by arms g2. One of these arms g2 at the side of the machine shown in the upper part of Fig. 2 is extended upward and has jointed to it the link g3. The link g3 is adjustably secured to the rocker-arm g5 by a clamp gl. The rocker-arm g5 is secured to a :rock-shaft g, Fig. 2, mounted on the standards g21 and extending across the machine and carrying upon its opposite end the rockerarm (/T. The arm gi carries the cam-roll g8. A cam gx, secured to the cam-frame G by screws g2, causes the cam-roll g3 to rise and fall as the cam-frame G', which is rigidly secured to the gear-Wheel d, rotates. An arm Q15, secured to the rockshaft near the arm g5, has att-ached to it a retracting-spring g,

which is secured to the stud gw on the machine-frame.

The parts ot the mechanism G so fardescribed control the rise and fall of the stopgate g. When the cam gx lifts the cam-roll qs, it moves the gate down to the belt Cby means ofthe train of parts described-to Wit, rocker-arm gi, rock-shaft g, rocker-arm g5, link g3, arm g2, and shaft g-and when the cam gx passes from under the roll gs the rctracting-spring gl1 lifts the gate g.

The gate g is made adjustable with reference to the pens p in the followingmanncr (best observed in Fig. 2:) The short shafts g are mounted in bearing-blocks g, which are pivotally secured to the bars g1". These bars gw are adjustably mounted in clamps g, secured to standards gm by nuts 012. Screws g2 control the pressure of the clamps g on Vthe bars gl. Vhen it is desired toadjust the position of the gate g with reference to the pens p, the screws g2 are slackened and the bars gw, carrying the gate g, are moved to the point desired, the clamp g4, which holds` the link g3, being eased oil to permitthenecessarymovementof thelink. Then when the gate has been properly placed the clamps g4 and gu are again settight. At such times it may be desirable also to hold the gate g out of contact with the belt C. For this purpose I provide the catch Q17, Fig. l, pivoted on the block g. While the machine is in operation the catch g17 is thrown back to its fullline position, Fig. l; but when the gate g is to be held fixed, as during adjustments7 the gate f/ is turned by hand, the catch g placed in the dotted-line position in engagement with the notch gis. The gate y is provided with contact-teeth g1, Fig. 2, which when the gate is down rest on lthe belt C between the-tapes T.

By the mechanisms above described, which are actuated in common by the main shaft d1" and which control, respectively, the move ments of the front gate j", pens p, and stopgate g, these three principal tools of the ma-A chine are moved toward and from the belt C, coming in contact therewith or With blanks resting upon it at predetermined regular intervals. The manner and the means by which IOO IIO

these-intervals are regulated `and determined will now be described. The camsfx,px, and gx are adjustable circumferentially upon the frames F', Pl, and G, so that theirtimes of [operation on the cam-rolls 3, 34, and (s may clamping-screws f, p5, and g2, which pass through the frames F', P', and G' and gearwheels d, 17, and el, respectively, are then turned in and bind the camsfxpx gxin their desired positions. Apropernumberofchangecams are provided for each cam-frame, so that adjustments beyond the range of a single cam may be secured. Thus the relative times when-in the operation of the machine the front gate f, pensp, and stop-gate g move toward and touch the belt C orblanks placed thereon can be changed at will.

With respect to blanks which are fed into the machine at B the functions of the principal tools-the front gate f, pensp, and stopgate g-are as follows: Blanks are fed into the machine at B by the attendant incharge or by automatic blank-feeding mechanism, if such is provided, with as much regularity as possible, the attendant timing his movements so that each blank will strike the teeth f5V of the front gate f while the latter is in its lower position. The front gate f rests on the belt C during the greater part of therotation of the cam-frame F', so that there is little chance of a blank escaping the operation of the gate. This front gatef stops each blank as itis carried forward by thebelt C and tapes T, which slip easily on the surfaces of the blank while the latter is held in-arrest by the gate. Thus the front gate regulates the spacing of the blanks upon the belt with greater accuracy than the attendant can be expected to attain and insures their delivery to the more actively operative tools-the stop-gate g and pens p.

If an automatic blank-introducing mechanism is provided which insures regular feed.

blanks only partially, beginning at a point within the edges of "the blank., Heretofore on ruling-machines of the belt-conveyer class ruling of this kind has been done by timing the descent and ascent of a gate placed like the front gate'f with the descent and ascent l By thisop'-y of pens placed likethe pens p. eration the blank was carried without interruption under the pens, which.' caught the surface of the blank on the fly.7 As might have been expected, the Aruling donein this way has never been perfect, the pens usually catching the surface of the Vblank kabove or below the line where they were intended to begin ruling. With my improvements the front gate fdoes not have to be timedwith special reference to the moment when the pens pdescendto the vbelt C, but with reference to the moment of descent of the stopf gate g. Even this timing of the front'gate f l.

is not necessarily exact. It may vary slightly withoutl doing any harm.

The timing of the descents of the pens'pf and stop-gate g depends upon the character of the work to be done-in other words, upon the width of the space between the frontyor upper edge of the blank'and thepoint where the ruling is to begin. This space is measured n-the blank and is, say, the distance between the top line already ruled across the blank and the upper edge of the blank.A The stop-gate carriage, which consists ofthe b'ars glo and their eonnectionswith the rock-shaft g', .is then moved until the points g19 of the gate g when touching the belt C are .'ata'` distance from the pens, measured along the belt, equal to the unruled space to be left at the top of the blank. Then the cams px an'd'gx are set so that the gate g will descend to the IOO belt C before the pens p and will rise from the belt after the pens p have descended and while'they are in contact with the blank. Then the'cam fx is set so that the gate-points f5 rise from the belt before the vgate g descends to the belt by an interval about equal to the time it takes for a point on the belt to travel from the gate-points f5 to the gatepoints Q19. This timing is with reference to the travel of a single blank. The'blanks may be fed fast enough to cause more than one blank to lieon the conveyer between the gate fand the gate g.

The pen-cam 19x is preferably tobe select; ed of a length which-corresponds to the size IIO of the blanks or the length of the linesv to be vide a side gage at E, which'lies close to the surface of the belt C in front of the stop-gateg and is iixed adjustably to the frame aby brackets e2. The endE of the side gage is inclined to the direction of 'movement of blank, while the latter part e is `parallel therewith. The attendant feeds the blanks in on the extreme edge of the belt C, so that they are sure to strike the lslightly-inclined surface e and be moved in to be straightened by the straight-edge e before striking the stop-gate g.

The progress of a blank through the machine is 'as follows: After being inserted between the belt roll c and tape-roll t the blank is carried to the front gate f, which momentarily checks its progress. Then the front gate f lets it go to the side gage E, which places it in the proper position laterally. Then itstrikes the stop-gateg, and while it is held still by the stop-gate g the pens p descend exactly upon the line where ruling is to begin, the stop-gate grises, the blank is drawn forward under and in contact with the pens, is ruled thereby, and passes to the delivery end of the machine. The pens 19 rise before the next blank comes along, the intervals between blanks having been regulated by the front gate f.

Blanks which have been ruled by the aid of my improvements show none of those faults and irregularities which mar work done as heretofore. The blank is always stationary when the pens move down upon it. If the preliminary adjustment of the stop-gate and the timing-cams has been properly made, the work will be perfectly done.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a ruling-machine, the combination of a blank-conveyer, a penholder and a stopgate relatively adjustable one to the other and each movable to and from the conveyer, the stop-gate behind the penholder, pens carried by the penholder, means for intermittently moving the penholder and the stopgate to and from the conveyer, and mechanical connections whereby the movements of the stop-gate to and from the conveyer are made to precede the movements of the penholder to and from the conveyer, respectively.

2. In a ruling-machine, the combination of a blank-conveyer, a penholder and a stopgate relatively adjustable one to the other and each movable toward and from the conveyer, the stopgate behind the penholder, pens carried by the penholder, adjustable cams for intermittently moving the penholder and the stop-gate to and from the conveyer, whereby the movements of the stop-gate to and from the conveyer are made to precede the movements of the penholder to and from the conveyer, respectively.

3. In a ruling-machine, the combination of a blank-conveyer, a penholder and a stopgate, each movable to and from the conveyer, the stop-gate behind the penholder, pens carried by the penholder, means for intermittently moving the penholder and the stopgate to and from the conveyer, a front gate, situated in front of thepenholder, means for moving the front gate to and from the conveyer, and mechanical connections whereby the movements of the stop-gate to and from the conveyer are made to precede the movements of the penholder to and from the conveyer,respectively,the front gate being timed to move from the conveyer before the stopgate descends thereto, by an interval not greater than the time occupied by a point on the conveyer in passing from the front gate to the stop-gate.

4. In a ruling-machine, the combination of blank-conveyer, a penholder and a stop-gate, each movable to and from the conveyer, the stop-gate behind the penholder, pens carried by the penholder, means for intermittently moving the penholder and the stop-gate to and from the conveyer, a front gate, situated in front of the penholder, adjustable cams for intermittently moving the penholder, stop-gate, and front gate to and from the conveyer, whereby the movements of the stopgate to and from the conveyer are made to precede the movements of the penholder to and from the conveyer, respectively, the front gate being timed to move from the conveyer before the stop-gate descends thereto, by an interval not greater than the time occupied by a point on the conveyer in passing from the front gate to the stop-gate.

5. In a ruling-machine, the combination of a b1ank-conveyer, a penholder, a stop-gate, a carriage therefor movably and adjustably mounted on the machine-frame, the stop-gate behind the penholder, pens carried by the penholder, means for intermittently moving the penholder and the stop-gate to and from the conveyer, and mechanism whereby the movements of the stop-gate to and from the conveyerare made to precede the movements of the penholder to and from the conveyer, respectively.

6. In a ruling-machine, the combination of the blank conveyer, penholder and pens, stop-gate, adjustable supporting-bars therefor, brackets for said bars, adjustable actuating-link for the stop-gate, pen-cam and stop-gate cam, and connections therefrom to the penholder and stop-gate, respectively, whereby the movements of the stop-gate and penholder are made to alternate, substan tially as described.

7. In a ruling-machine, the combination of 115 a blank-conveyer, a penholder and a stopgate, each movable to and from the conveyer, the stop -gate behind the penholder, pens carried by the penholder, and a side gage provided with a leading-in guide and a straightening edge, located over the conveyer close to the same end in front of the stopgate.

Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts, this 29th day of August, 1901.

ARTHUR M. WI'II'ITEN.

Vitnewsses:

ROBERT CUSHMAN, FRANK S. IIARTNETT.

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