US934911A

US934911A - Multicolor-printing press.

Info

Publication number: US934911A
Application number: US47791509A
Authority: US
Inventors: Allen P Harland
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1909-02-15
Filing date: 1909-02-15
Publication date: 1909-09-21
Anticipated expiration: 1926-09-21

Description

A. P. HARLAND.

Patented Sept. 21, 1909. a SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A. P. ERLNB,

MLTIGOLOR PRINTING- PRESS.

APPLIGAHOH FILED 2513.15, 1909.

IQQ.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patemfed. Sept. 21,

A.`P.HARLAND.

MULTIGOLOR PRINTING PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.15, 1909.

www@ m Lm Pw M UNTED STATES PATENT ALLEN P. HARLAND, OF TUFELO, MISSSSPPI.

IVIULTCOLGR-PRINTING PRESS.

To all 11j/tom may concern.'

Be it known that l', ALLEN l?. -Linnlmn,

siulticolor-Printing lress, et Which the tollminig is :i soecificntion.

rEllis invention has reference to iniproveinents in multi-color printing presses und incre particularly to an attachment tor printing presses whereby en ordinary printing press iney be coniferted into n niulticolei.' printing press et srnall cost.

l hure already devised s niulti-color atteclnnent tor ordinari7 printing presses wherein provision is inade `t'or u. nuinber ot druins or rollers capable ot receiving suitable printing surfaces such as stereotype plates und which muy be brought into register with any portion ot' u sheet being printed by un ordinary printing press to lill in in colored inn'iressions portions et the sheet being printed *which portions are lett blank in the impression nitide by the ordinary `printing press.

For the purposes of the aforesaid invention removable and interchangeable inliing units are provided, one tor each printing drinn or combination orn printing druins so that with u rnininiuin znnount ot trouble und G niej? be used at will and in different positions desired and changes in the color or" the imprint or the locution ot the iinprint with or Without changes ot color nitty be runde with great facility.

lfliile the tornier structure Which have devised answered the purpose admirably l here touinl that the toriner structure nitty be udi'entegeously changed in sonie particulars -\.'\ith added facility in bundling.

he present intention relates to these de- 'onstruction wherebyv the toriner hns been improved by rendering inter-change ot the inlting units niore easily pertorned und by a simplification oi,x the structure in sonie directions While in other directions the structure is aniplilied und in \"sed advantages thereby obtained. The neutron will be best. understood troni o. consideration ot the following detail description tollen in connection with the accompanying drawings torniing s part ot the speriiicutioiu in which drawings,

Figure l is side elevation ot un improved inling unit upplied to one ot the adjustable itizen ot the United States, residing at upelo. in the county ot Lee und Stute ot `ilississippi, here invented e. new und usetul i -ienditure ot time differently colored inks ders Q are designed to be adire-:ted longitu- Speecetion of Letters Patent. lrtiitggl @epln 2li.,

.Application February 15, 1939.

Serial No. 477,915.

printing ruins or cylinders, with parts snou'n in section. Fig. 2 is u central section printing press but viewed et right angles to the showing ot Fig. B. F ig. 5 is un end elerution with purts brolten may et the slifitt und geurs tnereon tor carrying the adjustuble printing drunis or cylinders. Fig. (i is si central cross section through the structure 'i' 5 Fig. 7 is u section through the g ineens tor the composition rollers inl'ing units. Fig. S is u detail seetion showing the shutt und journal supporting arins ot' the inlt transfer roller ot the inliing unit and also showing other parts, S ik e, detail section oit the ineens ior adjusting the throw ot the structure shown in Fig. l is o detail perspectiie showing latch inechunisin employed in connection with the inking units.

Referring to the drou'ings there is shown in Figs. l and 2 und also in 3 und l. u shaft l extending across the pi, ting pref-fs and driven in inunner o be prei-ientljT described. dounted on this sli-ott` ure e nuniber ot drums or cylinders 2 designed to receii'e on the periphery7 stereotype plates 3 or other suitable printing surfaces. The cylindinelly ot the shaft l und secured in the edjusted positions as tney be desired. For this purpose the hub of euch cjflinder 2 is split as indicated und the sections niej; be druun together by bolts 5 or otherwise to clunip the cylinders Q on the shatt l when the adjustinent his been accomplished.

rltssuining that the inuin iniliirinting surteees ot the press are designed to print with bluclt inl; upon the paper und that it is desirable to produce insert in colored inl( in spaces lett tor the purpose in the inein iniprint, then the cylinders 2 ure properly edjusted so that their printing surtuces I2 Will register with the blonlt spaces or the inuin iniprint and bjr properly inling these printing surfaces 3 with 'the desired colored inlthe inserts ure imprinted in the blfinl; spaces in colors instead of black. The .tact that the invention is designed inore perticulurlqv 'tor the use ot colored inks does not preclude the use ot block ink tor the imprinting s rtuces 3 it occasion should arise tor such use.

The cylinders Q ure provided `With reinofable and interchangeable inking units which may be of a width sufficient to supply one cylinder 2 or supply two or more such cylinders when brought into end engagement. Each inking unit is provided with a frame composed of two spaced side members 6' arranged at one point to embrace the shaft 1 on each side of a cylinder 2 or group of cylinders 2. lVhere the side members 6 of the inking unit frame embrace the shaft 1 there is provided a latch member 7 co-acting with the corresponding side member 6 to complete the embracing of the shaft 1. At one side of the shaft 1 the member 7 is hinged to the corresponding member 6 by a hinge link 8. Extending across the machine parallel with the shaft 1 is a bar 9 and this bar is embraced by a corresponding portion of each side member 6 and latch member 7, the said members being suitably notched or recessed for this purpose. r

The side members 6 of each printing unit are connected together by bolts or rods 10 some or all of which may be provided with spacing sleeves 11. One of the rods 10 extends between the two end members 6 of the printing frame unit adjacent to the rod 9 and similarly located with reference to the rod 9 is another' rod 12 extending between the ends of the latch members 7 adjacent to the rod 9. The rods 10 are secured to the side members 6 by nuts or otherwise so that they may be considered for all practical purposes as permanent connections. The rod 12 is however simply passed through suitable perforations in the latch member 7 and is only temporarily connected thereto. This rod carries an elongated hook member 13 bent on itself at one end to encircle the rod 12 and at the other end formed into a hook extension 14 adapted to engage over the adjacent rod 10 so that when so engaged the latch members 7 are made fast at the corresponding end of the side members 6, but the elasticity of the hook member or lip 14 will permit the disengagement of the hook 13 from the corresponding rod 10 at will. rlhe rod 12 near each end is provided with a notch 15 of such width as to readily but snugly receive the corresponding portion of the latch members 7. When the hooked end 14 is engaged over the corresponding rod 10 then the rod 12 is moved at right angles to its longitudinal axis to a suflicient extent. to cause the latch members 7 to enter the recesses 15 and in this position the latch members 74 are brought into snug engagement with the corresponding portions of the side members 6.

In the structure which I previously devised and which is in many respects similar to the inking unit shown in the present drawings, the rod 12 was in fixed relation to the latch members 7 and hence the inking unit could only be removed from the shaft 1.

and corresponding cylinder 2 by moving the latter well out of engagement with the surface on which the imprints were to be made. Vith the structure just described with relation to the present invention the hook 13 may be disengaged from the rod 10 and then by disengaging the rod 12 from the members 7 by the complete removal of said rod from said member 7 together with the hook 13 it will be seen that the inking unit may be readily removed from both the cylinder 2 and shaft 1 without disturbing either of them, the latch members 7 being carried along the sides ofthe cylinder 2 without interference from the rod 12 which has already been removed.

Extending across the frame of the printing press parallel with the shaft 1 and out of engagement with but in operative relation to the cylinders 2 is a vibrating roller 16 designed to apply ink to composition rollers 17 carried by the inking units and t0 which rollers reference will presently be made. The roller 16 is common to all the individual inking units and is mounted in suitable journal bearings in a frame independent of the main frame 17 of the printing press, and is capable of a limited movement in the direction of its longitudinal axis. To provide this movement one end of the roller 16 has a continuation 18 carrying a grooved wheel 19 which engages one end of a lever 20 the other end of which latter engages in a cam groove 21 in a cam wheel 22 fast on the shaft 1. The lever 20 is mounted in a bracket 23 secured to an appropriate portion of the frame 17 and this bracket is provided with two ears 24 between which the lever 2O is pivotally supported by means of a suitable pivot pin 25. Each ear 24 is provided with a series of perforations 26 for the reception of the pivot pin 24 and the lever 2O is provided with like perforations so that by introducing the pivot pin 24 in any one of the sets of perforations the relative movement of the two ends of the lever 2O may be adjusted at will and consequently the cam groove 21 acting on the lever 2O may be made to cause a large or small longitudinal movement of the roller 16. Each inking unit carries a suitable ink fountain 27 in which dips a roller 28 while the amount of the ink carried by the roller 28 is determined by an adjustable lip 29 under the control of a screw 30.

Ink is transferred from the roller 28 to the roller 16 by a transfer roller 31 having its journal 32 extending` through slots 38 in the end plates 6 of the inking unit and there carried by arms 34 exterior to the end plates 6 but in close relation thereto. These-arms 34 are made fast to an arbor 35 extending through the inking unit from one end plate 6 to the other and journaled in said end plates and extend beyond the same. One of "the roller 2S.

the arms Si is extended beyond the arbor 35 in the torni of an angle arm 3G and carrying at the tree end roller 37 arranged to engage the periphery ot' a cam collar 3S made fast to the shaft 1 close to the corresponding side member G or' the inlring unit. The collar is provided with a cam projection 39 adapted to engage With the roller 237 and so move the arm 3G that it Will rock the arbor 35 suiiiciently to carry the roller 31 from contact With the roller 16 into contact With Then the roller 37 is free from engagement With the cam projection 39 the parts Will immediately gravitate to their normal positions which is ivith the roller 31 in engagement With the roller 16. Since it is sometimes advisable to adjust the throvv ot the roller 31 this is accomplished by mounting` the roller 37 on an eccentric stud Lt() carried by the arm 3G. By this means the relation of the roller 87 'to the arm 3G may be established at the will of the operator.

At one end the arbor extends beyond the corresponding arm 3-1 and there carries an angle lever a1 one arm ot which is long enough to normally rest on or in close relation to the shaft 1, its movement in this direction being limited by a pin 43 projecting from the corresponding end plate 6 or the inlring unit. This arm 1Q is normally under the action of a spring 4e tending to maintain it in contact With the pin The cam projection 39 carries a pin 45 in the path of which the end of the arm 42 is located so that While the arm 3G is still under the action of the cam 39 the pin #l5 will engage the arm 112 and move it a corresponding distance. The lever a1 has at the end remote '.t'rom the arm 42 another arm et@ carrying at its free end al paivl L17 in operative relation to a ratchet Wheel 4S on the arbor of the roller which at this point projects beyond the corresponding end plate 5. The paivl l17 is shoivn as of the gravity type but it ivill be understood that it may be spring constrained instead of gravity constrained. "When the pin engages the arm and moves it against the action of the spring fiel then the arm 46 is moved in a direction which causes the pavvl y117 to engage the ratchet Wheel 11S and rotate the roller 27 a commensurate distance. This action occurs While the roller 31 is in contact With the roller 2S because or' the action of the cam 39 on the roller 37 carried by the corresponding end of the lever 86. 1t therefore transpires that the inl: roller 2S causes a rotative movement of the roller 31 and consequently the inl; is transferred to a considerable surface of said roller 31 instead of depositing a narrow band of ink thereon. l,"Vhen the cam 89 has moved out of engagement With the roller 37 and the pin 45 is out or" engagement vvith the arm then the roller 31 returns into engagement' with the roller 1G and the spring il returns the lever 1-1 inactively about the ratchet Wheel a8 to its normal position.

The composition rollers 17 are supported on each side of the roller 16 when the inking unit is in place so as to be in engagement ivith the roller 16 and also With the printing surface 1oeing carried by the drum But since each inlring roller is designed to be readily removable from operative relation to any particular drum Q, and since the roller 16 is continuons across the machine provision is made for the ready removal or' this portion ot the inling unit from engagement With the roller 1G. For this purpose the side members G of each unit are cut aivay or recessed as shovvn at ii9 so as to receive the roller 1G between the composition rollers 17 and when an inliing unit is in proper position ivith relation to a drum 2 then these portions or' the side members 6 of an inlring unit overhang and straddle the roller 1G.

In the device Which l previously devised. the composition rollers 17 carried on their arbors end disks rolling on the periphery ot the drum 2 and so imparting motion to these rollers. Because oit the Wear of the composition rollers the latter will become reduced in diameter to an extent to carry them out of contact with the roller 1G or its equiv- 95 aient, the said roller 16 being replaced by a. similar roller individual to each inliing unit in the aforesaid structure .vhich 1 have devised, vvhile the end disks or the rollers 17 Would have practically no Wear at all.

in the present structure there is shrinkage ot the rollers 17, but provision is made for compensating for this shrinkage so that the roller 17 may always be maintained in proper contact With 'the roller 16 and with the surfaces to be inked. For this purpose the journal or sha'tt 50 of each roller 17 is mounted in a journal bearing 51 in the torni ot a projecting sleeve trom a plate 5") The sleeve 51 extends through a passage in the corresponding side member G oit' the inhing unit, which passage is or such size as to permit considerable movement` oit' the sleeve Within said passage in a direction lateral to the length or the passage. "he plate is secured to the corresponding end member t3 of the inliing unit by screws Twor other such means passing through enlarg d holes 55 in the plate 52 while the heads or the screws or other such devices 5t engage vashers 56 or' sufficient size to always cover the hole or pei'iii'ation .E5 in the plate 52. By this means a universal adjustment or the rollers 17 with relation to the roller 1o and the printing surfaces on a drum 2 is provided. 125

1t is at limes necessary to move rthe drums 2 aivay from the surface to he printed or to move them into operative relation thereto.

For this purpose the shaft 1 is mounted near each end in a trame 57 interior to the main 130 frame 17 of the machine and this frame also carries the rod 9 and the roller 16. r1`he frame 57 is mounted to slide upon a base or supporting frame 5S secured to the main frame or the bed of the main frame and a clamp member 59 is employed to lock the frame 57 to the frame 58 in any desired position of adjustment, the latter being accomplished by means of set screws 60 acting on opposite sides of ends of the frame 57. By loosening the clamp members 59 and suitably manipulating the screws 60, the frame 57 may be moved in a direction to carry the drums 2 away from the surface to be imprinted or to carry it into operative relation thereto as may be desired. A small portion of the cylinder designed to carry the surface to be imprinted is indicated in Fig. 3 at 61.

Power is applied to the shaft 1 by means of a gear wheel 62 mounted on said shaft at one end thereof and coupled thereto in a manner to be described, and this gear wheel is in mesh with an idler pinionl 63 mounted in journal bearings on the frame 57. The idler 63 is in mesh with a gear wheel 64: mounted on a shaft 65 which may be a shaft forming part of an ordinary printing press such, for instance, as a part of the paper delivering mechanism of the press, and this shaft receives power from the prime mover of the press in any suitable manner. Of course where the shaft 65 is not present in the machine other driving means may be provided for the shaft 1. TWhere the gear wheel 6% and idler 63 is employed to drive the gear wheel 62, the normal position of the axis of the idler 63 is directly beneath the axis of the shaft 65 so that under power conditions the pinion 63 and gear wheel 64; should be in mesh in the best relation of the teeth. wWhen the shaft 1 is moved away from the surface to be imprinted, that is away from the cylinder 61 then the teeth of the pinion 63 are no longer in the best relation with the teeth of the gear wheel 64 but the movement of the frame 57 with the shaft 61 is so limited that the pinion 53 is still in mesh with the gear wheel 64 and therefore the adjustments of the parts ismaintained even though the imprinting from the surfaces 8 is not proceeding'. Under these last conditions however, the load on the pinion 63 is very light and the slight imperfection of mesh between the pinion 63 and gear wheel 64C is of no moment.

1t is often desirable to rotate the shaft 1 with the drums 2 thereon about its longitudinal aXis without preventing the ready restablislnnent of the proper relation of the parts which might occur if the gear wheel 62 was moved to a position out of mesh with the driving element. For this purpose the gear wheel 62 is mounted loosely on the shaft 1 and provision is made for coupling the gear wheel to the shaft or un- -any other purpose.

coupling it at will while provision is also made that when the shaft is recoupled to the gear wheel the original relations shall be established. Keyed upon the shaft 1 is a disk 66 inset into the gear wheel 62, the web 67 of which latter is displaced to one side of the median line of the periphery of the wheel so as to form a recess or chamber in which the disk 66 may be housed. The inner face of the toothed periphery of the gear wheel at points diametrically opposite is formed with spaced ears 68 designed to receive a tongue 69 on one end of a block 70 adapted to slide between guiding ribs 71 on the inner face of the disk 66. Between the guiding ribs 71 on each side of the center the disk 66 is formed with a radial slot 72. Through each slot there projects a pin 73 threaded at one end to enter a corresponding threaded passage in the block 70, and at the other end exterior to the disk 66 the pin is formed with a winged head 74, the rod 73 and head 74 constituting a thumb screw of ordinary construction.

`When the blocks are projected radially outward the tongues 69 engage between the ears 68 and the gear wheel 62 is thereby locked to the disk 66 and through it to the shaft 1 so that on rotating the gear wheel 62 the shaft 1 will participate in such movement. When the thumb nuts 64 are loosened then the blocks 70 may be retracted toward the axis of the shaft 1 until the tongues 69 are free from engagement with the ears 68 and then the shaft 1 may be rotated independent of the gear wheel 62. Under such circumstances the drums 2 may be rotated to any position desired for the cleaning or inspection or inter-change of the printing surfaces 3. By providing suitable indicating marks 7 5 upon the disk 66 and an adjacent part of the gear wheel 62 the proper relation of the shaft and members carried thereby to the gear wheel 62 may be always restablished after this relation has been disturbed for the purposes mentioned or for Then the blocks 70 have been again moved radially outward and the'tongues 69 are brought into position between the ears 68 then the thumb nuts 73, 711 may be tightened and the machine is ready for operation.

It will be observed that the shortest distance between the adjacent peripheries of the rollers 17 is less than the diameter of the roller 16, but this will not interfere with either the placing of the inking unit or the removal thereof since the rollers 17 being of composition are more or less elastic, and will readily permit the passage of the roller 16 between them.

Movement of the inking unit in the direction of the length of the shaft 1 is prevented by the comparatively close fit of the side members 6 to the sides of the drums 2, so a ing distributing roller common to all of said units.

in an attachment for printing presses having a plurality of printing drums adjustable inthe direction of their axes of rotation, a plurality of inlring units each composed of an inl; reservoir, inl-:ing rollers, and an oscillatory il: transfer roller, and an ink distributing roller common to all the inlring units.

:in attachment for printing presses having a plurality of printing drums adjustable in the direction of their axes of rotation, a plurality of inlring units each composed of an inl; reservoir, inlring rollers, and an oscillatory inl; transfer roller, and a vibratory inl; distributing roller common to all the inlring units.

4L. ln a printing press, an ink reservoir, a roller for delivering inl; therefrom, an ink transfer roller, an arbor provided with arms carrying the inlr transfer roller, another arm fast on the arbor, a pawl and ratchet mechanism for the inl; delivering roller, a lever mounted on the arbor and carrying the pawl, and a cam member having means for simultaneously engaging the last named arm on the arbor and the pawl carrying lever.

lu an attachment for printing presi s, a. plurality of type or printing drums, a shaft carrying the same and along` which they are adjustable, a plurality of n'iovable and interchangeable inlring units each comprising an inl: reservoir, a roller for delivering inl: therefrom, an inl; transfer roller, an arbor provided with arms carrying' the inl; transfer roller, another arm fast on the arbor, a pawl and ratchet mechanism for the ink delivering roller, and a lever carrying the pawl, and a cam member on the shaft adj acent to each typo or printing drum and having means for simultaneously engaging the second named arm on the arbor and pawl carrying lever of an inking unit.

G. ln a printing press, a removable and interchangeable inlring unit comprising an inl; reservoir, inl; delivering and transfer rollers, and inliing rollers, and an inl; spreading roller to which the inliing unit may be applied at different points and adapted to be interposed between the transfer and the inking rollers of the said inling unit.

T. ln a printing press, a plurality of type or printing cylinders or drums, removable and interchangeable inlring units each comprising an inl; reservoir, inlr rollers and an ink transfer roller, and an ink distributing roller common to all the iulring units and i adapted to be interposed between the inlring rollers and the transfer' roller. y

ln a printing press, a plurality of type or printing cylinders or drums, removable and interchangeable inlring units each comprising an inlr reservoir, inlring rollers, and an ink transfer roller, and an ink distributing roller common to all the inlting units and adapted to be interposed between the inliing rollers and the inl; transfer roller, said inliing unit having the inl: rollers spaced apart and adapted to engage the distributing roller on the opposite sides of its longitudinal axis.

9. In a printing press, a plurality of type or printing drums or cylinders, removable and interchangeable inlting units each comprising an ink reservoir, inl; rollers, and an inl; transfer roller, and a vibratory ink distributing roller common to all the inling units and adapted to be interposed between the inlring rollers and the ink transfer roller, said inlring unit having' the inlting rollers spaced apart and adapted to engage the distributing roller on opposite sides of its longitudinal axis.

l0. In a printing press, a shaft, type or printing drums or cylinders thereon, a roller parallel with the shaft, and removable and interchangeable inlring units each provided with spaced side plates engaging the shaft and rod parallel therewith, latch members pivoted at one end to the side plates and adapted to coact with the side plates to lock the lat-ter to the shaft and rod, and means for securing the latch member to the main portion of the inlring units at the ends remote from the pivoted ends comprising a removable rod engaging the latch members at the ends and the hook member carried by the rod and adapted to engage the main portion of the inking unit.

ll. In a printing press, a shaft, type or printing drums or cylinders thereon, a rod parallel with the shaft, and removable and interchangeable inlring units each provided with spaced side plates engaging both the shaft and rod parallel therewith, latch members pivoted at one end to the side plates and adapted to coa et with the side plates to lock the latter to the shaft and rod, and means for securing the latch members to the main portion of the inlring unit at the end remote from the pivoted ends comprising a removable notched rod engaging the latch member at the notches, and a hook member carried by the rod and adapted to engage the main portion of the inling unit.

12. An attachment for printing presses comprising type or printing drums, a shaft carrying the same, a frame in which thie shaft is ournaled, said frame being adjustable in a direction atright angles to the length of the shaft, a gear `wheel mounted on the shaft, an idler gear mounted on the frame and in mes-h with the gear on the shaft, and a drive gear having its aXis fixed With relation to the aXis of the idler, the plane of the axes of the drive gear and idler being perpendicular to the plane of move-v inent of said frame when the type or printing drums are in active position.

13. An inking unit for printing presses having spaced side plates, composition ink rollers, and journal bearings for the inl;- ing rollers each comprising a pla-te with an extended bearing for the journal of the ink roller and fastening means for the plates engaging the side plates of the inking unit, said side plates having enlarged openings for the reception of the journal bearings on the rst named plates and the latter having enlarged openings for the passage of the fastening devices.

In testimony that I Claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aiiiXed my signa# ture in the presence of two Witnesses.

ALLEN P. HARLAND.

litnesses E. HUME TALBERT, E. DANIELS.