US721119A - Stereotype-printing-plate-casting apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

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'PATENTED FEB. 17, 1903.1,

7 H. A. W. WOOD. STEREOTYPE PRINTING PLATE CASTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 4, 1898.

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No. 721,119. PATENTED PEB.1'7,1903. H. A. w. WOOD.

STEREO'I'YPE PRINTING PLATE CASTING APPARATUS.

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STEREOTYPE PRINTING PLATE CASTING APPARATUS.

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' '4 r A ttorneysg UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

HENRY A. WISE WOOD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE CAMPBELL PRINTING PRESS & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,

A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK;

STEREOTYPE-PRINTlNG-PLATE-CASTING APPARATUS.

srncrrron'rron formingpart of Letters Patent No. 721,119, dated February 17, 1903.

Application filed March 4, 1898.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY A.W1s W001), a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State 5 of New York, have invented a new and use'-- ful Stereotype-Primting-Plate-Casting Apparatus,of which the following is a specification.

The aim of this invention is to produce an apparatus which will rapidly cast and deliver curved stereotype printing-plates, and is an improvement on the plate-casting mechanism shown, described, and claimed in my application for patent filed March 4, 1898,.Serial No. 672,549, patented of even date herewith.

r The object of this present invention is to improve and simplify the parts which cooperate to form the casting-chamber and to provide an independent mechanism for automatically stripping the flexible matrix from the surface of the cast plate.

To these ends my invention consists of the parts and combination of parts, as hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the claimsat the end of this specifica- 2 5 tion.

In the accompanying three sheets of drawings,Figure l is an end view of an automatic plate-casting mechanism constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a central sec- 0 tional elevation of the same. Figs. 3 to 5, in-

' elusive, are transverse sectional elevations,

on an enlarged scale, illustrating the operation of my device; and Fig. 6 is an enlarged elevation from the end opposite to that shown in Fig. l.

The machinev which is illustrated in the drawings, which show one embodiment of my present invention, comprises a curved casting-chamber formed by the annular space between a rigid core on cylinder and a movable back piece or segment. A flexible matrix is mounted in suitable arms or frames, so as to lie against the back when the chamber is closed. When the casting operation is com- 4 5 pleted, the casting chamber is opened, so that the back'is separated from the matrix in any suitable manner, as by lowering the back, and a {stripper is passed between the surface of the matrix and the cast plate to remove the matrixfrom the cast plate, and

the edges of the core to close the ends of the Serial No. 6' 72,551- No model.)

this stripper is also utilized to turn the cast plate around the surface of the core, so that the plate may be delivered from the castingchamber before the parts resume their originalposition in which the plate is cast. Referring to the drawings and in detail, A represents a suitable framing.

B represents the back; 0, the rigid core or cylinder, and S the stripper and remover; M, the flexible matrix, and P a cast plate.

The back B comprises a cylindrical body, which, with the core, will provide the annular space forming the casting-chamber. The back B has projecting flanges b, which fit on 5 casting-chamber. The back B is preferably chambered out, as at b, to provide a chamber through which water may be circulated by any suitable means during the casting operation to keep the parts cool. On the framing suitable ways 12 are provided, into which guides 11 on the back fit, and these parts are so arranged that the back may be moved toward the center of the core.

10 represents a driven shaft, on which are mounted cams 1313, which bear on' rollers 14 14, mounted on the shaft 15,.secured in the back, as shown. By this means the back will be raised and lowered. Also mounted on the shaft 10 is a bevel-gear ]6,which meshes with a bevel-gear 17 ,mounted on the shaft 18,which shaft 18, by means of bevel-gears 19 and 20, drives cam 21. This cam 21 connects by a suitable connection having a spring, as 22, to a lever 23, mounted on a shaft 24. Mounted on this shaft 24 are suitable arms 25, which connect, by links 26, to piston-rods 27 of the pumping mechanism, substantially as shown and described in my application for patent referred to. The pumpsare mounted .in a suitable tank or melting-pot 28, Whl(3l1 has a heater 29, and the pumps connect by spout 30 to the castingchamber. A clutch 300 is mounted on the end of the shaft 10, and by this means it will be seen that the casting and pumping mechanism is controlled through this clutch. A suitable driving mechanism, as tight and loose pulleys and suitable gearing, is arranged in the machine to impart power to the clutch 300, and thus to the shaft 10, substantially as described in the said application for patent referred to. A worm 31 is also mounted on said shaft 10, and the same meshes with aworm-wheel 32,which may connect to a suitable stopping mechanism,which may be arranged to stop the casting and pumping mechanism after any desired number of plates have been cast, as shown and described in my said other application for patent.

The stationary core or cylinder 0 has projecting arms orjournals 33,which fitinto holes in the framing A and which are secured rigidly in place by means of bolts 34. By this means the core is held stationary. A shaft 35 is journaled in these extending arms 33. Journaled on the extending arms 33 are hubs 36, which carry arms 360, which support the stripper S. This stripper is made of a thin semicylindrical piece of metal and forms a hood, which extends over the core when the parts are in a normal position, as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings. A cam 37 is mounted near the end of the shaft 10, and the same will act to vibrate the pivoted segment 38 by means of roller 39, which fits into a slot cut in said cam. A pinion 40 is loosely mounted on the end of the shaft 35 and is held in place thereon by collar 41. The pivoted segment 38 inesheswith this pinion. The pinion 40 has an extending arm 42, which carries a springpressed pawl 43, which pawl is arranged to act on a tooth mounted on a disk 44, formed on gear 45, which gear 45 is keyed to the shaft 35,andby this meanstheshaft35 willbe turned at the proper time. The gear 45 meshes with a pinion 46, mounted on shaft 47, and on the other end of this shaft is mounted a pinion 48, which engages a gear 49, keyed to the lefthand hub 33. Mounted on the other end of the shaft 35isagear 50,which meshes Withapinion 52, mounted on the shaft 53, which also carries a pinion 54, which pinion engages a gear 55, mounted on the other hub 36. By this means it will be seen that as the shaft 35 is turned the stripper S will also be turned in unison. Mounted on the shaft 35, inside of the core, are suitable cams 56, which bear against rollers 57, mounted on shafts 58, which project through the core, as shown. These shafts 58 are mounted in suitable pockets 59, in which are arranged springs 60, which bear on shoulders 61 on said shafts and the bottoms of the pockets. This mechanism will act to start the plate from the core at the proper time. A catch or pawl 62 may be used to keep the stripper S in its normal position. The gearing before described will turn the shaft 35 and the stripper in unison and will then hold them stationary during the casting operation.

The matrix M is mounted in two suitable brackets or frames 64 and 640, as shown, the brackets 64 having a tapered ear 65, so that the stripper can easily enter between the same and the surface of the cast plate. The frames that carry the matrix are supported by suitable shafts 66, which are arranged in pockets 63, and springs are used to keep the matrix-carrying arms or frames normally against the surface of the core, these springs being arranged to bear on shoulders 67 of the shafts 66 and against the bottoms of the pockets 63. The forward or entering end of the stripper is pointed somewhat, as shown at 69, so that the same will easily enter between the matrix and the plate, and the other end of the stripper is formed with a false spout 70,-which when the stripper is in normal position will form a continuation of the spout 30, so that the metal willbe directed into the casting-chamber. The core is slotted near the top, as at 71, so that a suitable conveyer 72 may fit in under the plate and draw the plate from olf the surface of the core. This conveyer 72 has a suitable pawl 74 for this purpose, this pawl being arranged so that the same will be normally kept up by gravity. The conveyor also has a rack 73 on the under side, by which the same may be operated by any suitable gearing, as shown in my other application referred to. Suitable skids or ways 75 are arranged in line with the core, so that the conveyer may slide the plate laterally away from the casting mechanism onto the skids, so that the plate may be delivered to a suitable finishing mechanism or to any other desired device or simply delivered. The bottom of the core is made somewhat larger than the top of the core, as shown, so that the plate can have the ordinary grooves cast therein and so that the plate when relieved can easily turn around the surface of the core.

The operation of my device is as follows: The parts are shown in normal position in Fig. 3 and with a plate as just east. After the plate has solidified suificiently the back B will drop and the stripper S will start in operation. The point of the stripper will force the frame 64 away from the core. This will carry the matrix away from the edge of the plate, so that the point of the strippercan enter between the matrix and the surface of the cast plate. As the stripper continues its revolution it will nicely peel or strip the matrix from the surface of the cast plate. When the end of the stripper contacts with the edge of the plate, the pins or shafts 58 in the interior of the core will start the plate from olf the surface of the core, and the continued revolution of the stripper will turn the plate bodily around the surface of the core, the false spout of the stripper forming a protection which will push the plate around this way. It will be seen that the plate will be constrained to move in this pathway, as the stripper will envelop the same and will protect the matrix from being hit by the moving plate. It will be seen that the action of the stripper is substantially like a-knife passing between the matrix and the surface of the cast plate, and other devices and parts may be used to work in this way to accomplish this result without departing from the scope of my invention as expressed in the claims. By this mechanism I thus can Very rapidly automatically cast and deliver curved stereotype printing-plates.

It will be seen that the gearing on the left of Fig. 2 for driving the stripper is arranged below the center of the shaft 35, so that the plate can pass laterally out over the same. It will also be seen that the gearing on the right is arranged above the center, so that the ma trix can be placed in the machine below the same.

My device is advantageous in use, because it has the advantages of a stationary core, which does not have to be turned or moved, and in that it is a device which will forcibly and easily strip the matrix from the surface of the cast plate without any end strain or torsion being upon the matrix.

\Vhile the apparatus herein shown is an organized machine operated by power, it is obvious that my improvements can be employed in an apparatus or mechanism which is not driven by power without departing from my claims.

The details and arrangements herein shown and described may be greatly varied by a skilled mechanic without departing from the scope of my invention as expressed in the claims.

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

1. The combination in a curved-stereotypeplate-casting apparatus of a casting-chamber formed by a core and a segmental back, with means for sliding or turning the cast plate around the core to remove the same from the casting-chamber.

2. The combination in acurved-stereotypeplate-casting apparatus of a core, and a segmental back, the annular space between the two forming acurved casting-chamber, means for moving the back relatively to the core, and means for turning the cast plate around the surface of the core, to remove the plate from the casting-chamber.

3. The combination in a stereotype-printing-plate-casting apparatus for casting printing-plates from a flexible matrix, of the parts forming a casting-chamber, a stripper, and means for operating the parts, so that the stripper may pass in between the surface of the matrix and the cast plate to strip the matrix from the cast plate.

4. The combination in a curved-stereotypeplate-ca'stingapparatus, of a core and a back, the annular space between the same forming a curved casting-chamber, means for supporting a flexible matrix in this casting-chamber, a stripper, and means for passing the stripper between the matrix and the cast plate to remove the matrix from the cast plate. a. 7

5. The combination in a curvedsstereotypeplate-casting apparatus, of a cylindrical core,

a segmental back piece, the annular space between the two forming a curved castingchamber, means for supporting a flexible matrix in said chamber, a stripper mounted concentrically with the core, and means for turning the stripper around this center to remove the matrix from the surface of the cast plate.

6. The combination in a stereotype-platecasting apparatus for casting printing-plates from a flexible matrix, of parts cooperating to form a casting-chamber, a stripper having a projection to engage the end of the cast plate, and means for passing the stripper between the matrix and the cast plate to remove the matrix from the cast plate, and to deliver the cast plate from the casting-chamber. r

7. The combination in a curved-stereotypeplate-casting apparatus, of a cylindrical core, a segmental back, the annular space between the parts forming a casting-chamber, a stripper mounted concentrically with the core and having a projection, and means for passing the stripper between the matrix and the cast plate to remove the matrix from the cast plate, and to turn to deliver the same her.

8. The combination in a curved-stereotypeplate-casting apparatus,of a core, a segmental back piece, theannular space between these parts forming a castingchamber, means for supporting a flexible matrix in the castingchamber, a stripper mounted concentrically with the core and having a projection, means for passing the stripper between the matrix and the cast plate to remove the matrix from the cast plate, and to turn the plate around the core to deliver the plate from the castingfrom the casting-chamthe plate around the core w chamber, and means for slidingthe plate ing a casting-chamber, means contained within the core for starting the cast plate from the surface of the core, and means for delivering the cast plate from the casting-chamber.

10. The combination in a stereotype-platecasting apparatus, of a stationary core, a movable back cooperating therewith, the annular space between these parts forming a curved casting-chamber, the part of the core outside of the chamber being undercut, means for supporting a flexible matrix in the castingchamber, a stripper having means for engaging the end of the plate, and means for passing the stripper between the matrix and the cast plate to removethe matrix from the cast plate, and to turn the plate on to the undercut portion of the core to deliver the same from the casting-chamber.

11. The combination in a curved-stereotypeplate-casting apparatus,of a core, a segmental back piece having flanges adapted to engage the ends of the core, the annular space between these parts forming a casting-chamber, means for supporting a flexible matrix in the casting-chamber, means for moving the segmental back to open and close the castingchamber, and means for stripping the matrix from the surface of the cast plate.

12. The combination in an automatic stereotype-plate-casting apparatus, of a stationary cylindrical core, a segmental back, the annular space between these parts forming a casting-chamber, means for supporting a flexible matrix within the casting-chamber, means for moving the segmental back relatively to the core to open and close the casting-chamber, a stripper, means for passing the stripper between the cast plate and the matrix when the casting-chamber is open, and means for my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

H. A. WISE WOOD. Witnesses:

HENRY W. COZZENS, J r., LOUIS W. SOUTHGATE.

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