US915088A - Plate-clamp. - Google Patents

Description

A. J. FORD.

PLATE GLAMP.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23, 190B.

Patented Mar. 16, 1909.

Ii lllll fli orncy 1ns "611ml Pars: 9a, WASHINGTON, u. c.

i i is il COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

PLATE-CLAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 16, 1909.

Application filed March 23, 1908. Serial No. 422,818.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT J. Form, a citizen of the United States, residing at the borough of lllanhattan, city of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvement in Plate Clamps, of which the following is a specification, reier ence being had therein to the accompanying drawings, forming part thereof.

My invention relates to means for clamping and adjusting a stereotype plate or other sheet material upon the cylinder or platen of a printing press, and the object of the in vention is to produce a device of this character which is simple and convenient in construction and operation and which mu 0 erate without injury to the plate secured t ereby.

The invention consists in the improved late clamps hereinafter described, as delined in the succeeding claims.

I will now describe the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and will thereafter point out my invention in claims.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a-portion of a form cylinder provided ndth a plate clamp constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse section 01" the cylinder and clamp. Fig. 3 is a plan view, aartly in section, of the entire cylinder and clamp.

In the illustrated embodiment of the in vention a plate 1 of thin sheet material is bent around and secured upon a form cylinder 2 of a rotary printing press. One edge oi the plate is secured by a fixed clamp located in a longitudinal recess 3 in the cylinder. This clamp comprises bars l and 5 secured together by screws 6 and gripping the plate between them. The other edge of the plate is secured by an adjustable clamp "forming particulany the subject-matter oi the invention. This clamp comprises plategripping means consisting oi bars 7 and 8 secured together by screws 9 and gripping the plate between them. These bars are mounted on lugs 10, and the lugs are mounted on pivots 11 in the -iorlied arms of bel cranli levers 12. The levers are loosely journaled on a shaft 13 located in a longitudinal recess 16 in the cylinder and mounted in brackets 14 therein. Collars 20 on the shaft restrain the lugs against longitudinal movement on the shaft.

To adjust and tighten the plate, means are provided for locking the bell-crank levers on the shaft 13. Each lev 1' has an arm 17 engaged by an adjusting screw 18, and these screws thrust the arms in the direction to tighten the plate. To move the bell-crank levers in the opposite direction when the screws are loosened, a spring 19 is fixed to each arm 17 and to the cylinder. The screws 18 are provided with collars adapted to en bushings 21, to prevent the screws from being accidentally unscrewed far enough to project from the surface of the cylinder.

By means of the conjoint action of the screws and the springs the bell-crank levers may be moved in either direction to adjust and tighten or loosen the plate, and since the hell-crank levers are independently con trolled they may be operated to tighten the plate with perfect uniformity across its width, the elasticity of the bars '7 and 8 being sur'hcient to permit a slight differential ac tion of the bell-crank lovers.

The pivotal arrangement of the lugs 10 on the bell-crank levers permits the gripping plates 7 and S to swing the levers are rocked, so that the plate 1 is not bent at its pbint of attachment as it would. be without this arrangement, and injury to the plate is avoided.

It is obvious that various modifications may be made in the details of construction and operation of the illustrated embodiment of the invention within the nature and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim 1. A plate clamp for printing presses comprising plate-gripping means consisting of two continuous bars substantially coextensive with the width of the plate and means for securing the bars together with the edge of the plate between them, a plurality of independently movable and adjustable levers upon which the plate gripping bars are mounted, and pivotal connections between the bars and the levers.

2. A plate clamp for printing presses comprising plate gripping means continuously coextensive with the width oi the plate, a plurality of bell-crank levers on which said means are pivotally mounted, and means for moving the levers independently in both di- 1 lever, and means limiting the movement of rections. the adjusting screw to prevent its projection 3. "A plate clamp for printing presses combeyond the surface of the printing element.

prising, in combination with a printing ele- In testimony whereof I afiix my signature 5 menf, 1plate-gripping means, a pivo11:e d1be1l1l in presence of two witnesses.

cranr ever avlng an arm upon W 1101 t e 7 plate-gripping means are mounted and a ALBERT FORD rearwardly-extending arm, an outwardly- Witnesses:

projecting adjusting screw engaging the HENRY H. DAVIS,

10 rearwardly-extending arm of the bell-crank JOSEPH KAUFMANN.

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