GB2344074A - Security foil press with height adjustment and foil cassette - Google Patents

Abstract

The press 10 (Fig 1) includes a base 12 for receiving substrate 72, a platen 18 which is mounted (eg on guides 14) for reciprocating movement towards and away from the base, support plate 26 which is movable to a restricted extent relatively to the platen, motorised actuator 46 which is mounted to the support and which is connected to the platen for imparting reciprocating movement to the platen, and threaded adjustment rod 30 for adjusting the position of the support plate relatively to the platen. A cassette 90 (Fig 3) comprises an enclosure 94 for the press 92. The cassette includes feed and take-up rolls 100-106 for feeding foil strip through the press and around the outside of the enclosure.

Description

SECURITY PRESS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a press which is used to enhance security on any legal tender such as bank notes, cheques, postal orders, share certificates, drivers' licences etc.

Documents of the aforementioned kind may be protected by security foils which bear a hologram or a unigram applied during or after a conventional ink printing process.

Security foils are, in themselves, cost effective. However the application thereof does add additional charges in the form of capital outlay and consumables, These costs, together with increased labour costs, must be weighed against the cost of any potential loss through counterfeit or fraud which may take place.

Another factor is that the accounting of the security foils must be considered a necessity in formulating a cost effective anti-fraud strategy.

In practically all instances the unauthorised manipulation of documents can be overcome with the application of two and three tier clear holographic foils. These foils, when correctty applied over an area which is to be protected, for example an area which bears the name of a payee, an amount or signature, on a cheque, substantially reduce the likelihood of tampering.

Dry print foils such as holographic foils generally include a carrier which may comprise a 10 to 20 micron polyester film, a metallic or pigment layer and a bonding agent. The metallic layer is released from the carrier by applying heat and pressure thereto for a suitable pressing or dwell time. Under the correct conditions the metallic layer is released from the polyester carrier and is fixed to the substrate, e. g. a paper cheque or other document, by means of the bonding agent. A heated die which is used to apply pressure and temperature, in this bonding process, also forms an image.

The invention is concerned with a security press which enables the aforementioned process to be carried out in a relatively inexpensive manner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention provides a security press which includes a base, a platen which is mounted for reciprocating movement towards and away from the base, support means which is movable to a restricted extent relatively to the platen, actuator means which is mounted to the support means and which is connected to the platen for imparting reciprocating movement to the platen, and adjustment means for adjusting the position of the support means relatively to the platen.

The support means may be mounted for pivotal movement, at least to a restricted extent, relàtively to the platen.

The actuator means may be of any appropriate type. The actuator means may for example include a crank or eccentric mechanism which imparts reciprocating movement to the platen.

The actuator means may be driven by means of any suitable device. For example use may be made of an electric motor, and a drive mechanism which transfers movement from the motor to the crank. In this regard use may be made of a gearbox or a chain drive or any other appropriate system.

The platen may be positioned above the base. The platen may be guided for linear reciprocating movement relatively to the base. To this end the security press may include guide means which extends in a desired direction relatively to the base and to which the platen is mounted.

In one example of the invention the guide means is attached to the base. In an altemative form of the invention the press includes a reaction member which is fixed to the base and the guide means extends from the reaction member.

The adjustment means may adjust the position of the support means relatively to the reaction member.

The press may include restraining means which restrains the movement of the support means, away from the base, during operation of the actuator means.

This enables the degree of force which is exerted by the plate, during operation of the press, to be adjusted. The restraining means may take on any suitable form and may for example include a biasing arrangement which is set to a predetermined value and arranged in such a way that the biasing means permits movement of the support means only when a reaction force which is exerted on the biasing means exceeds the said predetermined value.

The biasing means may take on any suitable form and may for example include a spring, a hydraulic mechanism or the like.

In a preferred form of the invention the security press includes a base, guide means which extends at right angles relatively to a surface of the base, a platen which is mounted to the guide means for reciprocating movement relatively to the base, a reaction member which is fixed to and which opposes the base, the platen being positioned between the base and the reaction member, support means which is mounted directly or indirectly to the reaction member and which is capable of limited movement relatively to the reaction member, actuator means which is mounted to the support means, and which, in use, imparts the said reciprocating relative movement to the platen, and means for adjusting the position of the support means relatively to the platen thereby to adjust the position of the platen relatively to the base.

The security press may include biasing means which acts on the support means and which is set to a predetermined biasing force. Movement of the support means retatively to the reaction means only takes place when a reaction force is generated, during use of the press, which acts on the support means and which is in excess of the said predetermined biasing force.

BR) EF DESCRfPTtON OF THE DRAWtNGS The invention is further described by way of examples with reference to the accompanying drawings in which : Figures 1 and 2 respective illustrate from the side and somewhat schematically security presses according to two forms of the invention.

Figure 3 is a side view of a press, according to a third form of the invention, with which a foil cassette is engaged, and Figure 4 is a perspective view of the cassette of Figure 3.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings illustrates a security press 10 according to a first form of the invention.

The press inclues a base 12 and four guides 14 which extend upwardly from the base, at right angles to an upper surface 16 of the base. The guides 14 are, in this example, positioned at respective corners of the base.

A platen 18 is mounted to linear bushes 20 which are engaged with the guides for sliding reciprocating movement relatively to the base.

A reaction member 22 is fixed to upper ends of the guides 14. A pedestal 24 is fixed to one side of the reaction member 22 and a support plate 26, which is positioned above the reaction member, is connected to the pedestal by means of a pivot joint 28.

A threaded adjustment rod 30 passes through, and is threadedly engaged with, a threaded hole 32 in the support plate. The rod extends downwardly and a lower end 34 thereof, which is arcuate, bears against an upper surface of the reaction member. An upper end of the rod 30 has a head or a nut 36 or any other device fixed to it by means of which the rod may be rotated within the hole 32.

A bar 38 has a lower end fixed to the reaction member 22 and extends upwardly, passing through a hole 40 in the support plate. An upper end of the bar is threaded and a nut 42 is attached to the threaded end. Cup springs 44, located on the bar, are positioned between the nut and an opposing surface of the support plate.

An actuator 46 is mounted to the support plate. The actuator includes an eiectric motor 48 which drives a gearbox 50. The gearbox has an output drive cog 52 and a chain 54 is engaged with the cog. The chain passes around a drive cog, not shown, of a crank assembly 56 which is also fixed to an upper surface of the support plate.

The crank assembly has its big end uppermost and a downwardly depending connecting rod 58 passes through apertures 60 and 62 in the support plate and reaction member respectively. A lower end of the connecting rod is connected by means of a yoke and pin 64, in a manner which is known in the art, to an attachment plate 66 which, in turn, is fixed to an upper surface of the platen 18.

A die 68 is fixed, in a known manner, to a downwardly facing surface 70 of the platen. The die 68 is a foiling or printing die of a kind used for security printing.

The base 12 has facility for receiving a substrate 72 e. g. a document which is one of a plurality of similar documents, connected in continuous form to one another. The substrate or document is moved over the platen in stepwise fashion using techniques which are known in the art and which, for this reason, are not further described herein. In similar manner a foil 74 of the kind described hereinbefore and, again, of a kind known in the art, is advanced in step fashion, according to requirement, over the platen and the underlying respective substrate. Again it is pointed out that the movement of the substrate and the foil is achieved using known techniques and no novelty is claimed in this regard.

The electric motor 48, when energised, drives the gearbox 50 which imparts reciprocating movement to the connecting rod 58. The platen 18 is thus reciprocated and is guided for vertical relative movement towards and away from the base 12 by the guides 14. The die 68 is thus repeatedly advanced towards the foil and substrate and then moved away therefrom.

At its lowest point of travel the die must make pressure contact with the foil and substrate in order for the print process to occur. To ensure that the die is lowered precisely to the required extent the adjustment rod 30 is used. The rod may be turned by manipulating the head 36 thereof. As pointed out the lower end 34 of the rod bears on the reaction member and it is possible therefore to raise or lower the support plate 26, at least to a limited extent, relatively to the reaction member. The connecting rod 58 is therefore also raised or lowered by a corresponding amount and the platen and hence the die are similarly adjusted.

A height adjustment of approximately 6mm may be achieved but any height can be provided for within the recognised norms for printing dies. Typically required adjustments range from 1,6mm to 6,3mm. The facility possessed by the security press of the invention which enables the die to be adjusted relatively to the base is significant for it eliminates the need for packing of the die or of the bed or base 12 to compensate for changes in die thickness.

The support plate 26 may be raised or lowered, in the manner described, even when the press is in operation.

Once the required print height has been established the pressure which is exerted between the die and the print area can be adjusted by means of the bar 38 which acts as a biased restraining means. The nut 42 at the upper end of the bar can be tumed aiong the bar in order to set the biasing force which is exerted by the nut on the cup springs 44 to a desired value. During an impression stroke of the die a reaction force is exerted via the connecting rod 58 and the crank assembly on the support plate 26. No movement of the support plate 26 about the pivot joint 28 takes place until the reaction force exceeds the biasing force which is exerted by the springs on the support plate. When this occurs the reaction force, acting on the support plate 26, causes the springs 44 to be further compressed and the support plate 26 pivots upwardly about the pivot joint 28. The force which is exerted by the die on the print area is however then maintained at a constant value and is limite. It is therefore possible to vary the pressure which is exerted by the die on the print area by tightening or losening the nut 42 to vary a biasing force which is exerted on the springs 44.

The springs 44 act as a restraining device which permits movement of the support plate on when the biasing force is exceeded. The springs can be replaced by any equivalent mechanism e. g. springs of a different nature, a torsion member, a hydraulic mechanism or the like. It is preferred to make use of cup springs to adjust the impression force for the cup springs are compact and enable significant forces to be achieved. This however is merely for the sake of convenience and, as noted, is non-limiting.

Heating of the foil 74 may be achieved in any appropriate way e. g. by heating the die or by using any other technique which is known in the art.

Figure 2 illustrates a security press 80 which is similar in many respects to the press shown in Figure 1 and, where applicable, like reference numerals have been used to designate like components. The operation of the press of Figure 2 is similar to the press shown in Figure 1 but the construction shown in Figure 2 is generally more applicable to smaller presses.

The vertical guides 14 shown in Figure 1 are dispensed with and, instead, the reaction member 22 is directly fixed to the base 12 using appropriate supports 82. Linear bushes 84 are fixed to the reaction member and vertical guides 86 which are fixed to the platen 18 are mounted for reciprocating movement inside the linear bushes. The support plate 26 is, as before, attached by means of a pivot joint 28 directly to one of the supports 82 and the pedestal 24 is done away with.

Although the construction of the press shown in Figure 2 is somewhat simplified compared to the construction of the press shown In Figure 1 its principe of operation is the same.

The foil 74 may be fed in any appropriate way through the press. Figures 3 and 4 illustrate the use of a foil cassette 90, for feeding foil to a press 92.

The press 92 is similar in essential respects to the press 80 of Figure 2, and components thereof which are similar to components in the press 80 thus bear like reference numerals. The motor 46 and the crank 58 are however displaced by 90 relatively to the view thereof shown in Figure 1.

The cassette 90 has a frame in the form of a sheet metal enclosure 94, with rounded corners 96, over which a foil strip 98 passes. The strip is dispensed from a roll 100, extends in the illustrated way over the enclosure which acts as a guide, passes between two nip rolls 102 and 104 respectively, and is indicated on a final roll 106. The rolls 102 and 104 which frictionally grip the foil strip between them, are counter-rotated by a belt drive 108, which is powered by a motor 110, to cause the strip to advance over the enclosure. The final roll is also rotated by the drive 108, in order to take up the foil.

Sensors, not shown, of a known type, are used to detect an end portion of the foil, and to provide an indication of the quantity of foil still on the roll 100.

The cassette is engageable with a sliding fit, on guides, not shown, so that it extends over the press 92, as shown in Figure 1.

Material or documents which are to be embossed are positioned in a known manner in a gap 112 below the foil, above the upper surface of the base 12.

With each actuation of the press the motor 110 is controlled to advance the foil 98 by a predetermined amount so that fresh foi ! is presented for each pressing operation whilst minimising foi consumption. With each pressing operation the foil is also heated, in a known way, to provide a firm attachment of the foil to the underlying document or substrate. The remainder of the used foil is taken up on the final roll 106. When the supply of fresh foil is exhausted, this is detected and indicated by one of the sensors, and the motor 110 is stopped. The cassette 90 can then be withdrawn from the press and replaced by a new cassette, or the depleted foil roll 100 can be replaced by a full foil roll, so that the foiling procedure can be continued.

The use of the cassette substantially simplifies the practical operation of the press.

Claims (20)

1. A security press which includes a base, a platen which is mounted for reciprocating movement towards and away from the base, support means which is movable to a restricted extent relatively to the platen, actuator means which is mounted to the support means and which is connected to the platen for imparting reciprocating movement to the platen, and adjustment means for adjusting the position of the support means relatively to the platen.

2. A press according to claim 1 wherein the support means is mounted for pivotal movement, at least to a restricted extent, relatively to the platen.

3. A press according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the actuator means includes a crank which imparts reciprocating movement to the platen.

4. A press according to any one of daims 1 to 3 wherein the actuator means includes a motor, and a drive mechanism which transfers movement from the motor to the crank.

5. A press according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the platen is guided for linear reciprocating movement relatively to the base.

6. A press according to any one of claims 1 to 5 which inclues guide means which extends in a desired direction relatively to the base and to which the platen is mounted.

7. A press according to claim 6 wherein the guide means is attached to the base.

8. A press according to claim 6 which inclues a reaction member which is fixed to the base and the guide means extends from the reaction member.

9. A press according to daim 8 wherein the adjustment means adjusts the position of the support means relatively to the reaction member.

10. A press according to any one of claims 1 to 9 which includes restraining means which restrains the movement of the support means, away from the base, during operation of the actuator means.

11. A press according to claim 10 wherein the restraining means enables the degree of force which is exerted by the platen, during operation of the press, to be adjusted.

12. A press according to claim 10 or 11 wherein the restraining means inclues a biasing arrangement which is set to a predetermined value and arranged in such a way that the biasing means permits movement of the support means only when a reaction force which is exerted on the biasing means exceeds the said predetermined value.

13. A press according to claim 12 wherein the biasing means inclues spring means.

14. A security press which includes a base, guide means which extends at right angles relatively to a surface of the base, a plafen which is mounted to the guide means for reciprocating movement relatively to the base, a reaction member which is fixed to and which opposes the base, the platen being positioned between the base and the reaction member, support means which is mounted directly or indirectly to the reaction member and which is capable of limited movement relatively to the reaction member, actuator means which is mounted to the support means and which, in use, imparts the said reciprocating relative movement to the platen, and means for adjusting the position of the support means relatively to the platen thereby to adjust the position of the platen relatively to the base.

15. A press according to claim 14 which includes biasing means which acts on the support means and which is set to a predetermined biasing force.

16. A press according to claim 15 wherein the biasing means is arranged so that movement of the support means relatively to the reaction means onfy takes place when a reaction force is generated, during use of the press, which acts on the support means and which is in excess of the said predetermined biasing force.

17. A cassette for use with a press according to any one of claims 1 to 16 which includes a dispensing foil roll, a frame which acts as a foil guide, a final roll which takes up used foil, and drive means for advancing the foil from the dispensing foil roll to the final roll.

18. A cassette according to claim 17 which is engageable with a press according to any one of claims 1 to 16, with the foil from the dispensing foi roll passing over the base.

19. A security press substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of Figures 1,2 and 3.

20. A cassette for a press substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 3 and 4.