US1472466A - Mechanism for feeding tags, cards, etc. - Google Patents

Description

Oct. '30 1923. 4

v H. C. GAMMETER MECHANISM FOR FEEDING mes, CARDS, ETC

4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 6, 1920 Q a b 33 1 a JH/ z'z zaz" jtfarneya Oct. 30, 1923. 1,472,466

H. c. GAMMETER q MECHANISM FOR FEEDING TAGS, CARDS, ETC

Filed Oct. 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 30 1923.

. 1,412,466 I H. C. GAMMETER MECHANISM FOR FEEDING TAGS, CARDS ETC 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed 00 6. 1920 JET/En for HARRY C. GAMMETER, OF CLEVELAND HEIGHTS,

OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN MULTIGRAPH COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

MECHANISM FOR FEEDING TAGS, CARDS, ETC.

Application filed October 6, 1920. Serial No. 415,153.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY C. GAMMETER, residing at Cleveland Heights in the county of Cuyahoga and State of (lhio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Mechanism for Feeding Tags, Cards, Etc., of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to mechanism for feeding a continuous strip of paper to a rotary grinting machine, the object being to provi e accuracy in the presentation of certain regions of the strip to the impressing device on the printing machine. In printing tags for instance, it is desirable in the interest of economy to print them as a connected strip, the tags being separated after printing. In such work, however, it is very important that the different regions be successively re-registered with the printing mechanism, because with an ordinary feeding mechanism errors in registration accumulate with successive impressions, and thus even a slight lack of registration becomes so great in a number of impressions as to render the product useless, for instance, where a single imprint comes on two tags.

It is a specific object of this invention to provide means whereby a continuous paper strip is fed to a rotary printing machine, and is registered therewith for each impression, thus preventing accumulation of the sli ht errors in presentation.

li/Iy invention is well adapted for printing such price-ta as are attached to garments, the blank fir these tags consisting of a continuous strip notched at the edges to identify the four corners of the tag. Mymechanism uses these notches as a factor in registering each tag with the printing form. The tag strip isfed forward for each im ression a distance slightly greater than the height of one tag, and then is drawn back until the positionlng mechanism engages the corner notches, and thus holds the strip with the tag accurately presented.

A further feature of my invention is an arrangement of retracting rollers and posi tioning fingers in such form that they may be conveniently employed in conjunction with a multigraph, which has rollers for advancing the paper to the impression line.-

A further feature of my invention is an arrangement of all of the aforesaid mechanism in such a manner that it may be adjusted laterally and longitudinally to feed 231d register various widths and lengths of The above and other features of the in vention are hereinafter more fully explained,

and the essential characteristics are set out in the claims.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is an end view Fig. 4' showing the levers which engage the material; Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view of the base plate showing the levers and guide means; Fig. 8 is an end view of the ali ing roller showing the pawl and ratchet amI Fig. 9 shows a strip of material adapted to be used with my invention.

Referring to'the drawings by reference characters 5 represents a base member and 6 a, portion of the supporting frame. The rotary printing drum 7 is journaled on an axle 8 in the frame and may be provided with a. handle by means ofwhich 1t can be rotated. The printing drum may have rails (a few of which are shown at 10 in Fig. 1)

for carrying type, or other printing surface may be employed and carried in any manner desired. This is all well known and, therefore, is'not shown in detail. Apair of spools shown at 12 carry the impression ribbon from which the printing is done. The impression member shownat 14 1s journaled on the shaft '15, suitable gearing being pro--.

vided whereby the drum and impression member may rotate in unison and paper fed to the co-operating surfaces of the drum an impression member will be drawn in between them and printed. To provide a proper feed for the material being-printed the following mechanism may be used.

- A roller 18 is continually driven thru the platen gear or other means (not shown). Above this roller is a second roller 19 which ma be shiftably carried by the arm 20 of a bel crank lever 21. This bell crank lever .21 may be pivoted at 22 to a suitable ortion of the frame. The other arm24 of t e bell crank may be provided with a roller adapted to ride over a rib 26 shown as located on the periphery of the drum. The bell crank lever arm 24 may be urged upward into engagement with the drum by means of a spring (not shown) carried on the pivoted member. This causes the roller 25 to normally be in engagement with the periphery of the drum and thereby normally maintains the roller 19 free of engage ment with the roller 18. g

During an interval in each revolution of the drum the rib 26 depresses the bell crank as shown in Fig. 2 and during this interval causes the rollers 19 and 20 to grip the paper or other material between them and thereby advance the paper an amount'de- "pendent on the length of the rib 26. In orcured by thumb screws 43 to the member 32 and on this plate the aligning mechanism may be supported. A freely rotatable roller shown at 30 may be journaled in the block 31 which is indicated as attached to the tasuit ble member 32. as journaled at 351 in a bearing block 36, which is indicated as removably secured by screws 37 to a leaf spring 38. The leaf spring may in turn be removably secured by the fastening'40 to a block 41. V

The block 41 is shown as removably secured to a plate 42 by a screw 45 and a bolt 46 secured by'a nut 47. The spring 38 is shown as extending parallel to the plate 42. In order that the tension of this spring may be adjusted and thereby the pressure which the roll 35 exerts on the roll 30 may be regulated I may provide means shown here as com rising a thumb screw 43 threaded on- ,to t e upper partof the bolt 46. By tuming the thumb screw the tension of the spr n can be very accurately adjusted to iflerent conditions. The rolls 30 and 35 may be made of rubber and are shown as being secured to sleeves 51 and 50.

The sleeves may in turn be mounted on hubs 52 shown as carried by the shaft 351. The various members may be secured together in any desired manner.

The. roller 35 is shown as carrying a plate 53 having thereon a spring press pawl member 450 which may engage a ratchet 44 shown as carried on the shaft 351. The coil spring 54 is indicated as carried on said shaft and may be secured at one end to the A second roller 35 is shown ratchet 44 and. at the other end to the bearing block 36.

f a strip of paper he led between the two rolls the latter will be rotated thereby winding u the spring 54. After a time the frictiona resistance between the paper and the upper roll will be insufficient to overcome the turning tendency produced by the spring which has been wound up and when this occurs the roll will cease to rotate and will merely be held in stationary osition even if the paper continues to be pul ed out.

The amount of turning tendency or the torque exerted by the spring 54 before the paper slips thru the rolls without turning them depends on the pressure of the upper rolls upon the paper and this pressure may be governed and adjusted as stated by means of the thumb screw 43.

In the printing of tags, and particularly price tagssuch as shown at 80 Fig. 9 which are provided with'blank spaces to be filled in, it is desirable that the proper portion of the tag be presented to the type or printing surface these tags usually are in strip form having edges of the strip intermediate, each separate tag notched as at 81 to provide a V-shaped out which facilitates the separation of the tags from one another. The part of the ,inventlon to be now described is particularly adapted for use in connection with the notched tags just described. Plates are shown as adjustably secured to the base 42 and may be providedfwith upturned portions 61" which act as guides for the strip of paper or tags after they pass between the rollers 30 and 35.' Notches 62 are indicated as provided in the plates60 and in. their upturned portions 61. The levers 65 are shown as bent at the end 63 and they may be pivoted at 66 to a bracket member 67 shown as secured to the plate 42.

To adapt the mechanism to control tickets of various widths, I have provided elongated openings 672 in the base of thebearing block 67, thus permitti lateral adjustment of the levers 65. The gulde plates 60 likewise have similar openings 602 which permit them to be adjusted, laterally with relation to the levers 65.

Suitable springs 68 may be provided to urge the levers to the position shown in Fig. 1.. In the assembled machine the notched .portion of the plate 60 may be adjustably arranged at a pre-determined distance from the type when the latter are in printing position tothereby align the positionof the impression on the tag with the proper blank spaces. To attain this adjustment I have provided elongated openings 422 in the plate 42 and clamp screws 421 which are adapted to adjustably secure the mechanism at any distance from the multigraph. within the limits of the slot 422, whereb the mechanlsm may not only be adjuste for accurate alignment of the tag but may also be used to adjust the mechanism to control any reasonable length. of card. The plate 42 may- 'is evident that for handling various lengths of tickets ribs of different length will be required.

As soon as the rib 26 ceases to engage the roller 25 a spring (not shown) moves the bell crank lever upward from the positionshown in Fig. 2 until the roller 25 engages the periphery of the drum. In this posi tionthe roller 19 is free of contact with the roller 18 and there is now no force tending to advance the strip of paper forward.

In advancing the stri however, the spring 54 has been put under tension and is now free to act, rotating the roll 35 and-tending to pull the strip of tickets in a direction reverse to that efl'ected by the rolls 30 and 35. This movement will be limited, however, by the lever as movement ofthe tickets brings the notches 81 opposite the bent All movement of the strip is now stopped and since the notches are accurately centered with regard to the printing surfaces a ticket is in position to be printed.

In th lution of the drum causes the rib 26 to de press the roller 19, presing the paper or ticket onto the roller 18 whereby the paper or ticket is advanced. Assuming that before starting the machine the notches 81 in a ticket engage the bent portions 63 of the lever 65, then the rib 26 is proportioned to cause the paper to move forward a distance somewhat greater than the distance between notches. As soon as the roller 19 moves away from the paper forward movement of the latter ceases and at once the spring 54, which has been placed under greater tension by the paper passing between the rollers 30 and 35 and rotating them, causes the paper to be moved backward until the bent portions 63 of the lever 65 spring into engagement with the notches 81 in the paper to thereby arrest movement of the latter. The drum continues to rotate during this positioning movement and when the proper alignment is effected, the printing is done and the operation completed.

It will be noted that uniformity of feed for the strips is secured and also that any irregularity in the distance between notches soon as the retrograde portion 63 of said lever. 5

e operation of the device each revo-.

will in no manner affect themachine, the

combined forward and backward movement eliminating all trouble. The spring 54 may, be initially put under tension by manually turning the roller 35 the desired amount. 1

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim: t l

1. The combination with a printing machine of a means cooperating with said guide member and adapted to engagethe edge of the paper to align certain portions of the paper with a printing surface.

2. The combination, with an impression member and a cooperating platen, of a feedpaper feed device, a. paper retractmg mechanism, a guide member, and

ing and aligning device for paper, includmg two pairs of cooperating positioning rolls, means to render each pair of rolls operative alternately to move the paper in different directions, and a stop adapted to limit the movement in one direction without limiting it in the other direction.

3. The combination with a printing machine, of means to move a strip of paper to printing position, said means comprising a plate member, a roller rotatably carried by said plate member a second freely rotatable rolle-r carried by said plate in contact with said first mentioned roller, means tending to rotate one of the rolls to withdraw the paper to printing position and means for imiting the withdrawing movement.

4. In a printing machine means for aligning notched paper to a printing sursecond roller, freely rotatable, carried by said plate in contact with said first mentioned rollers, means to regulate the pressure of one roller upon another, means normally tending to rotate one of the rolls to withdraw the paper to printing position and means to limit the withdrawing movement.

5. In a. strip feeding device two cooperating sets of mechanisms, one set acting to advance the strip and the other set acting to withdraw it to printing position, said second mechanism comprising a'plate member,, -a roller rotatably supported on said plate, a second roller rotatably mounted adjacent said first mentioned roller, means urging said rollers together, means to rotate one of said rollers, said means tending in operation to withdraw the paper to printing position, and means to limit the withdrawing movement.

' 6. The combination with a printing machine, means toadvance the paper beyond printing position, and means to withdraw the paper to printing position, said second face, said means comprising a plate member, a roller rotatably carried by said plate, a

means comprising a plate member, a roller 7 &

mentioned roller, means urging said rollers together, and means tending to rotate one of said rollers and serving in operation to withdraw the paper to printing position, and means to limit the withdrawing movement.

7. In a printing machine, means for aligning notched paper with a printing surface, said means comprising a guide member having a notch therein, a lever c0- operating wit said notch in said. guide member whereby said lever may align the notched portion of said strip with said:

tioned roller, said spring tending in operative position to withdraw the paper to printing position, a pair of levers carried by said plate, a notched guide member carried by said plate, and means for urging said levers into said notches.

9. The combination of a printing drum, an impression-platen, a pair of rollers for advancing the paper, arms for holding one of said rollers out of contact with the other, a roller carried by one of said arms, a member carried by said drum and adapted to engage said last mentioned roller to govern engagement of the feed rollers,

means for'driving one of the feed rollers,

and means for withdrawing the paper to printing position.

10. In a strip feeding device,-two cooperating sets of mechanisms, one set acting to advance the strip and the other set actin to withdraw it to printing position, said second mechanism comprising a plate member, a pair of spring members carried by said plate, a roller rotatably carried by said. springs, a second freely rotatable roller carried by said plate in contact with said first mentioned roller, means tending to rotate one of the rolls to withdraw the paper to printing position, a pair of pivo levers carried by said plate, a bent portion near the end of said levers, a notched guide member carried by said plate and springs for urging said bent portions of the levei s into said notches.

11. In a strip feeding device two cooperating sets of mechanisms, one set acting to advance the strip and the other set acting to withdraw it to printing position, said sazond mechanism comprising a plate member, a pair of bearing members carried by said plate, a roller rotatably carried by said pan of members, a second roller rotatably carried by said plate in contact with said first mentioned rollers, means to regulate the pressure of one roller upon another, means normally tending to rotate one of the rolls to withdraw the paper to printing osition and means to limit the withdrawing movement.

12. In a strip feeding device two cooperating sets of mechanisms, one set acting to advance the strip and the other set actin to withdraw it to printing position, said second mechanism comprising a plate member, a pair of blocks removably' secured to said plate member, a spring member carried by each of said blocks, a bearing block on each spring, an axle journaled in said bearing block and a roller rotatably carried by said axle, a third pair of blocks carried by the plate, a freely rotatable roller carried by said third block in contact with said first mentioned roller, said springs urging said rollers together, means to adjust the tension of each of said springs comprising a. thumb screw, a ratchet secured to said upper roller, a pawl therefor, a coil spring on said axle, one end of said spring being secured to said pawl and the other to said second mentioned blocks, said spring tending in operative position to withdraw the paper to printing position, and means to limit the withdrawing movement.

,13.-'In a strip feeding device two 00- operating sets of mechanisms, one set acting to advance the strip and the other set acting to withdraw it to printing position, sai second mechanism comprisin a plate member, a pair of blocks remova ly secured to said plate member, a spring member carried by each of said blocks, a bearing block on each spring, an axle journaled. in said bearingblock and a roller rotatably carried by said axle, a third pair of blocks carried by the plate, a freely second rotatable roller carried by said third block in contact with said first mentioned roller, said springs urging said rollers together, means to adjust the tension of each of said springs comprising a thumb screw, a ratchet secured to said upper roller, spring on said axle, one end of said spring being secured to said aw l and the other to second mentioned l'oeks, said spring tending in operative .position to withdraw the paper to printing position, a pair of pivoted levers carriedby said plate, a bent portion near the end of said levers, a notched guide member carried by said plate and springs for urging said bent portion of the levers into said notches.

14. In a printing machine means for aligning paper with a printing surface, said means comprising a plate member, a

a pawl therefor, a coil ratchet secured to said upper pair of blocks secured to said plate memher, a spring member carried by each of said blocks, a bearing block on each spring, an axle journaled in said bearin block and a roller rotatably carried by saic? axle, a freely rotatable roller carried by said plate in contact with said first mentioned roller, said springs urging said rollers together, a roller, a pawl therefor, a spring on said axle, one end of said spring being secured to said pawl and the.0ther to one of said second mentioned blocks, said last mentioned spring tending to withdraw the paper to printing position, and means .to limit the withdrawing movement.

15. Ina printing machine, means for registering paper. with -a printing surface, sai means comprising a plate member, a roller rotatably supported on said plate member, a second roller mounted adjacent said'first mentioned roller, means urging said rollers together, means tending to rotate said rollers in the direction to withdraw the paper to rinting position, and means to limit the withdrawing movement.

16. In a printing machine, the combination with paper feeding mechanism, of a roller rotatably supported, a second roller adjacent said first mentioned roller, means tending to rotate said rollers in a direction to cause them to withdraw the paper to printing position, and means to limit the withdrawing movement.

17 The combination with a rota printing machine, of means for over feedin the paper, means for retracting the fe paper to printing position, and means'for stopping the retracted paper in printing position.

18. In a machine for feeding a notched strip, the combination of means to advance the strip, a. spring barrel bearing on the strip and tending to partially return it, and a finger to en e one of the notches in the strip and limit t e return.

19. In a mechanism for feedin a notched strip, the combination with mec anism for feeding the strip forwardly, of a pair of retractmg rollers, means for rotating said rollers to cause them to move the pa r in a rearward direction, and a pair of ngers adapted to engage notches in the strip during such rearward movement.

20. A combination with a prin roll and aplaten adapted to print on a strap, of

a pair of feedingrollels adapted to draw a strip. forward, a second pair of rollers sprin actuated and adapted to draw the strip ackward, and apair of spring fingers adapted to engage the opposite edges'of the strip.

21. The combination with a rotary printing machine, of means to feed paper forward to the machine,

a spring operated device for drawing the paper back a portion of the distance for limiting the backward movement.

22. In a strip feeding mechanism, the combination of means for advancing the strip, means for returning the strip a less distance than the advance, and means adjustable for different widths of strip adapted to engage the strip edge to positively limit the return movement.

23. In a strip feeding mechanism, the combination of means for advancing the strip, a spring device adapted to partially return the strip, and an adjustable stopping device for limiting the return movement adapted to'engage the edges of the strip.

24. In a mechanism for feeding a notched strip, the combination of means to advance the strip, a device to partially return the strip, a laterall adjustable guide for the strip, and a l ater'ally adjustable finger adapted to enter one of the notches to limit the return.

25. In a machine for feeding a notched strip, the combination of means to advance the strip, a spring device tending to partially fed, and a stopping finger return the strip, laterally adjustable edge y pair of spring pressed fingers bearin against the edges of the strip and adapts to enter the notches to definitely position the strip, and an adjustably mounted frame adapted to vary the position of all of the mec anism mentioned with reference to a printing machine.

27 In a mechanism for feedin a notched strip, the combination with mec anism for feeding the strip forwardly, of a pair of retractmg rollers, spring means for rotating them in a rearward direction, a pair of fingers adapted to engage notches in the strip on such rearward movement, and a longitudinally slotted plate. carrying the retractin rollers, their spring means and the retar 'ng fingers.

28. The combination with a printing machine, of a plate member mounted thereon, a roller rotatably supported on said plate member, a second roller mounted adjacent said first mentioned roller, means urging said rollers together, means tendin to rotate said rollers in the direction to wit draw the paper to' printing position, "and means to limit the withdrawing movement.

29. The combination with a printing machine, of a plate member adustably mounted thereon, a roller rotatab g silllpported on said plate meinber, a secon ro er mounted adjacent said first mentioned roller, means urging said rollers together, means tending -to rotate said rollers in the direction to the e ges of the paper adjacent tothe edge guides.

3Q. The combination with a pair of feed rollers adapted to draw a strip of paper forw'ardly, of a second pair of rollers, spring actuated, adapted'to draw the strip rearwardly, edge guides for the strip, and a pair of spring fingers adapted to engage the o posite edges of the strip adjacent to the ge gli ifides I v 31. e combination with a rotary printing machine, having a paper feed device,of a spring device for drawing back the material fed, an edge guide for such material and a stopping finger for engaging the strip adjacent the guide to limit the retraction.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto al'fix my signature.

HARRY 0. GAMMETER.

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