US1817103A - Automatic feeding device - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 4, 1931.

L. J. SAUER AUTOMATIC FEEDING DEVICE Filed March 1, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet l Zwemon Law's J Sauezj 32 XM W Wflorngya,

Aug. 4, 1931. Y L. J. SAUER AUTOMATIC FEEDING DEVICE Filed March 1, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 $721627 for.- Lmzzls cf 15 67116}? Aug. 4, 193.1. .1. SAUER AUTOMATIC FEEDING DEVICE Filed March 1, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 1 W, M qqflw Wiforn eys.

Aug. 4, 1931. L. J. SA'UER AUTOMATIC FEEDING DEVICE Filed March 1, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ,fiwenfa Law's cfiaaan Zz W Ma 'flfl'orne a,

Patented Aug. 4, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOUIS J. SAUER, F OAK PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES H. JOY, SK, OF

CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS AUTOMATIC FEEDING DEVICE Application filed March 1, 1930. Serial No. 432,442.

My invention relates to automatic feeding devices for duplicating machines with especial reference to that class of machines provided with a fiat gelatinized printing surface over which a carriage having a suitable platen roller is arranged to travel.

My invention is particularly adapted for use in connection with machines similar to that shown and described in my co-pending application, Serial No. 349,87 6, in which the paper or suitable cards are inserted in the carriage and the platen roller impresses the original or the copy sheet on the gelatinized printing surface which receives the impression from the original sheet and transfers it to the copy sheet.

In positioning the original or copy sheets on the gelatinized surface, it is necessary that the paper be accurately aligned with relation 1 to the platen roller and the printing surface,

and that the sheets be fed to the surface and under the platen roller in such a manner that a suitable margin will result. It is also desirable that suitable adjustable means be provided to vary the width of the margin within reasonable limits.

In my invention I have provided a convenient means for accomplishing the desired re sults and it has for one of its objects the provision of an automatically controlled paper stop bar and paper feeding device, the operation of which is automatically controlled relative to the directional movement of the carriage and carriage handle.

Another object is the provision of an automatic paper feeding device controlled by the operator through the normal lost motion movement of the carriage handle.

A further object is the provisionof means automatically controlling a suitable paper guideto guide the paper into printing position on the printing bed during the printing movement of the carriage, and to automatically guide the paper from the printing bed during the reverse movement.

Another object is to provide a completely automatic margin controlling paper feed, and a suitable paper stop and paper guide coopera-ting therewith, all incorporated in the carriage of a duplicating machine and auto matically operable by the single means operating the carriage.

A further object is to provide an adjustable means for varying the width of the margin.

Another object is the provision of suitable means for releasing the feeding means upon movement of the carriage.

It is also an object to provide means whereby the paper feed mechanism is operated be fore the movement of the carriage.

A further object is the provision of means operable with the carriage for moistening the gelatinized surface of the printing bed.

Another object is the provision of an automatic feeding device controlled by the same directional movement of the handle controlling the carriage.

Further objects will appear from the detailed description to follow and from the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation of the carriage and cooperating parts of a duplicating machine embodying my invention, portions being broken away to better illustrate the construction Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the carriage supporting bar and one of the carriage stops;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the carriage,

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view, taken on a line corresponding substantially to the line 4l4 of Fig. 3 and illustrating the platen supporting latch, and platen raising means;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view through the carriage and taken on a line substantially corresponding to line 5-5 of Fig. 3, the platen roller being removed;

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional View of the platen bearing, taken on line 66 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view, taken on a line correspondng to line 7--7 of Fig. 1 and illustrates the driving means and the bearing for the paper feed roller;

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view through the moistening device and taken on a line corresponding to line 88 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 9 is a detail elevation of the operating mechanism for the feed. l'Oller and paper stop;

Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 1010 of Fig. 1 and illustrates the construction of the carriage supporting rollers;

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic sectional view through the platenand feedrollers and illustrates the method of feeding the paper under the platen roller to obtain a desired margin;

Fig. 12 illustrates a modified form of the paper feeding-device.-

Referring now to the drawings iii-detail, the embodiment shown comprises side frame members 1, on which is support'eda printing bed 2, having a gelatinized. printing surface 3 (Fig. 5). The gelatinized surface usually comprises-a band or ribbon which is- Wound on spools mounted at each end of the machine. The-spools are not shown as they formno part of the present invention. The band is stretched over; theprinting i bed and may be wound from one spool to the other to provide a new and unused printing surface. 7

A carriage supporting bracket 5 is mounti ed for longitudinal movement on a guide bar 6, by means of grooved rollers 7 and 8, the rollers 7. resting on the topof the bar 6 and the roller 8 being belowthe bar. The bar 6v issecured to the side frame 1 in longitudiae nal relation to the printing bed, and is a close working fit. in the roller grooves 9. (Fig 10). This arrangement prevents lateral movement of the bracket and allows free longitudinalmovement. The carriage, in the aa present device is hinged on the bracketj5 and comprises 'a rectangular frame including sheet metal side bars 10:and,11, which are secured together by a frontjendplate 12 and a rear end plate 13. The carriage is hinged Mr-to the bracket 5 by means of'outwardly extending lugs 14 and 15 which are in alignmentwith similar inturned lugs 16 and-17, respectively, on the .bracket,.and are hinged thereto by means of the hollow bushings 18 secured by the nuts 19. Aremovable platen roller .20 is longitudinally mounted in the carriage and adjacent the printing surface. One endof. theplaten roller shaft 21 is rotatably mounted. in aball bearing. 22, the 50- latter beingsupportedlina movable plate 23 whichis pivoted. at 2:4 to thecar-riage endplate 12... 1 i i The movable plate 23. arm 25. normally. resting on" the rotatable shaft 26;, which shaft is longitudinally mounted for oscillation in the carriage cnd'plates and which is providedwitl a pin 27 engaging the pin 28 on the; movable plate. 23. The

plate 23' is normally held in,thepositimrv shown inEig ti by a spring 29L It;.will-be ear, lQl r. the drawings, that, if. the; shaft- 26is rotated in a clockwise direction the hearing, will be; raised to .raeiSetheplaten roller from theprinting surface is provided with an.

The opposite end of the platen roller is sup;

ported in a slot 30 in a movable bearing plate 31, pivoted at 32 on the carriage end plate 13. The latch 33 is pivoted on the plate at 34 and arranged to engage the roller shaft 21 and support it in the bearing slot 30. The bearing plate 31 is similar to the opposite bearing plate 23 and isalso provided with an arm 35 resting on the shaft26 and nor mally held in that position by a spring 36. A pin 37 on the shaft- 26, engagesa pin 33 on-the' plate 31, the latter being raised when the shaft- 26 is rotated. By this arrangement of bearing plates and operating mechanism bothrof the bearings are raised simultaneously when the shaft 26 is rotated. The shaft may berotated to raise the platen roller at any time, by means ofa finger lever 39 pivoted at 40 on thecarriage handle lever 41 on which latter is mounted a suitable handle 42. The handle lever is pivoted on a rod 43, which also acts as a guide for a slotted link 44 connected to the linger lever 39. A pin 45 on the link engages a pin 46 on the shaft 26. Thehandle lever is pivoted for lost motion relative to the carriage, for reasons to be later described, and it is obvious that the finger-lever 39 and cooperating platen raising mechanisinmay be efiectively operated,

withthe handle in any lost motion position. It. will also be clear that with the construc tion just described the platen roller is free to adjust itself to any inequalities in the printing surface. s V

The ball bearing 22 comprises a stub shaft 47 mounted in bushings 48 and 49 which are in turn secured to the movable plate 23. The slot 50 in the end plate 12 allows free movementof the bearing. A drive pulley 51 is.

secured. to the stubrshaft by a screw 52. A tongue portion 53, onthe platen roller shaft is removably engaged in a slot-'54 in the. stub shaft.

A roller 55 on the carriage end plate 13 engages the side'frame 1 and supports the.

carriage thereon, and when the carriage is raised the platen roller may-be easilyre noved by releasing the latch 33 from engagement with the shaft 21. The latch is normally held in engagedposition by aspring 56.

The driving spool or pulley 51 is rotated in the usual manner by means of a single turn of a. cable 53, the cable being secured to the side frames 1 (Fig. 1). The lower edge of the platen. driving roller 51 is always in alignment with the axial line ofthe hinges and the cable 53 extends throughthe hollow bushings 18. By this constructionthe cable is always in alignment with the bushings, even when the carriage is raised. A- paper table 56 is mounted on thecarriage side bar 11 at asuitable angle andarrangedto guide the paper under the platen roller, where it will be pressed against the gelatinized sur-' face of the printingbed and receive-the impression. As previously mentioned, the carriage handle is pivoted for a lost motion movement, so that when the carriage is moved toward the left, as viewed in Fig. 1, the handle takes the position shown in full lines,

and when it is moved to the right, takes a under the platen roller from the paper table in such a manner that a suitable margin wil be obtained, 1 provide a suitable paper stop and paper feeding device which comprises a feed roller 57 mounted in suitable bearings in the carriage end plates and extending adjacent to and in alignment with the lower edge of the paper table 56. The feed roller is preferably rubber covered. A shaft 58 is oscillatably mounted above the paper table and in suitable bearings in the end plates and provided with arms 59 rigidly secured thereto and supporting a rotatably mounted pr sure roller 60 in longitudinal relation to the feed roller.

A spring 6060 tends to normally press the roller 60 against the feed roller 57, and it will be noted that by oscillating the shaft 58 the pressure roller 60 will be pressed against or raised away from the feed roller 57. A paper stop bar 61, preferably of sheet metal, is loosely mounted on the shaft 58 and provided'with a depending portion 62 for engaging and retaining the paper on the paper table when the feed and pressure rollers are '1 separated. When the carriage handle 4-2 is in the full line position shown in Figs. 1 and 5, the feed and pressure rollers will be separated, as shown, to allow the paper to be in sorted and rest against the depending portion of the paper stop. The pressure roller is raised and held in the raised position by a pin 63 on the shaft, which is engaged by a lug 64 on a slidable plate 65, the plate 65 being guided and supported on the end plate I 12 by means of a pin 67 in a slot 68, the lower part of the plate resting on an inwardly extending guide portion 69 of the end plate. The slidable plate 65 is held in the position indicated in Figs. 1 and 5 by means of a pawl I link 70, which is pivoted at 71, on the handle tions of the parts as shown in Figs. 1 and 9 that when the handle is pushes forward the plate 65 will also be moved and the lug 6% will release the pin 63 on the shaft 58, allow ing the spring 600 (Fig. l) to rotate the shaft and engage the paper between the pressure and feed rollers. At the same time, the cam surface on the plate 65, which surface is engaged by the outwardly extending lug 7 6 on the paper stop bar 61, will cause the stop bar to be raised to the position shown in Fig.

9 to allow the feed roller to feed the paper beneath the platen roller.

During the lost motion movement of the handle the feed roller is operated by means of rack 78 which is guided in the angularly disposed slot in the end plate 12. T he rack is arranged to engage a pinion 79 on the gear 80, which is mounted on the end plate 12 and which in turn engages the pinion shaft 81 of the feed roller and which is mounted in the bearing 82 (Fig. 7), the bearing being cut away at 88 to provide suitable clearance for the gear. The rack is provided with a pin engaging in a slot 85 in the pawl link 70, thus providing a lost motion between the pawl link and the rack. \Vhen the handle is moved forward. the plate 65 will only be moved a distance suflicient to release the pressure roller and raise the paper stop bar as previously described. The upwardly eX tending latch portion 72 of the pawl link will simultaneously be released from the notch 73, the release being accomplished by the downward angular movement of the pawl link, caused by the lost motion of the rack pin 8-l in the angular slot 85. The plate will then remain stationary while the handle is moved forward until a pin 86, which is secured to the handle lever and extends through the slot 87 in the end plate, engages an adjustable stop member 88 having steps 88a. During this continued movement the feed rollers will be operated to feed the paper to the platen roller.

The stop member 88 is made adjustable by means of a screw 89 in slot 90, and is for the purpose of limiting the lost motion movement of the handle, and thereby limiting the distance that the paper will be fed toward the platen roller. When the adjustable stop is in its lowermost position the steps 91 will not be engaged by the pin 86 and the complete movement of the handle will be utilized to feed the paper to provide the widest obtainable margin. As the adjustable stop is raised the various steps will be engaged by the pin 86 and the paper will be fed a distance corresponding to the step engaged.

Fig. 11 illustrates the position of the platen roller, relative to the front edge of the print ing surface, when the feed roller is operated. hen the carriage is at the extreme end of the forward movement, the platen roller will be slightly beyond the front edge of they printing surface leaving an opening through which the paper will feed to provide the desired margin corresponding to the lost mo tion of the handle. The paper will be engaged immediately upon the forward movement of the carriage.

The feed roller is of such diameter that the adjustment of the stop to provide the shortest lost motion of the handle will allow the feed roller to revolve sufficiently to provide the least margin and further adjustment of the stop will allow the paper to be fed a greater distance to provide a greater margin. In order to release the paper from the feed rollerso that it may be engaged by the platen *;roller when the carriage starts its forward movement, I provide an arm 92 secured to a rod 93, which latter is pivotally mounted in the carriage end plates. A roller 94 on the lever rests on the side frame 1, the front porition of which is cut away at 95. As soon as the handle has reached the forward position to move the carriage, the roller 94: will be raised by the shoulder 96 on the side frame and the upwardly extending arm 97 of the lever will engage the pressure roller supporting arm 59, and the pressure roller will be raised and the paper released.

As previously described, the platen roller may be raised with the carriage at any position over the printing surface by this means, and by operating the handle through its lostmotion, paper may be fed under the platen roller to any desired position on the printing surface.

In order to guide the paper under the platen roller a curved paper guide 98 is pivoted on the frame end plates at 99 and extends parallel with the roller. This paper guide is connected to the movable plate 65 by a link l00so that when the device is in the paper feeding position, the guide will be lowered to the dotted line position, shown in Fig. 9,

to guide the paper under the platen roller, A and when the handle is in the position shown in Fig. 5 and the feed rollers are separated,

during the return movement of the carriage, the paper guide will be raised to the position shown in Fig. 5 and the paper will be removed from the printing bed and guided to 495 an easily accessible position between the margin bar and the platen roller where it may be removed from the machine.

Carriage stops 101 are adjustably mounted on the carriage guide bar (land are secured in adjusted position by the thumbscrews 102.

These stops cooperate with rubber bumpers 103 secured to the bracket 5, and limit the movement of the carriage to correspond to the length of the paper used.

It is desirable, at times, to moisten the printing surface with each movement of the carriage. For this purpose I provide a tank 104 (Fig. 8) for containing water or other suitable fluid, a wick 105 extends through the wall of the tank and contacts with a felt covered roller 106 which is pivoted to suitable arms 107, the latter being secured to the shaft 108 mounted in suitable bearings on the carriage. By this means moisture may be supplied to the surface as desired. vVhen moisture is not needed the roller may be left in the raised position shown by dotted lines. In the modified form shown in Fig. 12' the handle lever 11 is pivoted at 109, and the feed ing is accomplished by the downwardly exmally held in feeding positionby the spring 114 and is raised at each end of the lost motion movement of the handle by the cams 115 and 116 engaging the pin 117. The feeding member 110 is preferably rubber covered as shown to provide a better gripping surface.

In operation, with the carriage in its extreme forward position, paper may be inserted to rest against the paper stop and the handle will be moved to push the carriage rearwardly. During the lost motion of the handle and before the carriage starts, the pressure roller will be lowered to grip the paper between the rollers, the paper step will be raised, the paper guide will be lowered, and the paper will be fed under the platen roller. The carriage will then start its forward movement and the pressure roller will simultaneously be raised to releasethe paper and allow it to be pressured against the printing surface by the platen roller.

Upon the return movement of the handle the lug 72 on the pawl link 7 0 will again en gage in the slot 7 3 to return the plate to its original position, and the paper guide will raise to remove the paper, the paper stop will simultaneously be lowered, and the carriage moved to the original forward position, from which the operations maybe repeated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1s:

1. A duplicator comprising a bed having a printing surface, a carriage bracket arranged for longitudinal movement relative to said bed, a carriagehingedto said bracket for movement therewith and for pivotal movement relative thereto, a platen roller on said carriage, and a driving means for said roller extending thru and substantially on the axial line of said hinge.

2. In a duplicating machine, acarriage mounted to travel over a printing bed and having a platen roller cooperative with said bed, a handle for operatingthe carriage and having a lost motion relative thereto, a margin cont-rolling paper-feeding means, and an adjustable means for limiting the lost motion to vary the margin.

3. In a duplicating machine, a carriage mounted to travel over a printing bed and supporting a platen roller cooperative with said bed, a handle for operating said carriage and having a lost motion relative thereto, a margin controlling paper-feeding means, and an adjustable means for limiting said lost motion to control the paper-feeding means.

4. In a duplicating machine, a carriage mounted to travel over a printing bed and having a platen roller cooperative with said handle.

5. In a duplicating machine, a carriage mounted to travel over a printing bed and having a platen roller cooperative therewith, a handle for operating said carriage and hav ing a lost motion relative thereto in the direction of carriage travel, and a margin controlling paper-feeding means completely operable by the lost motion movement of said handle, and means for limiting the lost motion to vary the margin. 7 6. In a duplicating machine, a carriage mounted to travel over a printing bed and having a platen roller cooperative therewith, means for operating said carriage, means for feeding paper under said platen roller, and transmission means between said carriage operating means and said feeding means for operating said feeding means independent of said carriage.

7. In a duplicating machine, a carriage mounted to travel over a printing bed and having a platen roller cooperative therewith, means for operating said carriage, means for feeding paper under said platen roller, transmission means between said carriage operating means and said feeding means for operating said feeding means independent of said carriage travel, and means for raising said platen roller to allow the paper to be fed thereunder.

8. In a duplicating machine, a carriage mounted to travel over a printing bed and having a platen roller cooperative therewith, a paper table, a movable paper stopmeans, a paper feeding means, a movable paper guide means for guiding the paper to and from said platen roller, and a single carriage operating handle for operating all of said means previous to the operation of the carriage.

9. In a duplicating machine, a carriage mounted to travel over a printing bed and having a platen roller cooperative therewith, a paper table, a movable paper stop, a paper feeding means, a single means for operating said paper stop and said paper feeding means, and means for limiting the paper feeding operation independent of the paper stop.

10. In a duplicating machine, a carriage mounted to travel over a printing bed and having a platen roller cooperative therewith, a paper table, a movable paper stop, a paper feeding means comprising a feed roller and a pressure roller, said paper stop and said pressure roller being simultaneously operable to alternately engage the paper, a carriage op-v erating means and means cooperating with said carriage operating means to operate all of said paper controlling means.

11. In a duplicating machine, a carriage mounted to travel over a printing bed, a paper table on said carriage, a paper feeding means comprising a movable paper stop and a pressure roller, a carriage operating means, means cooperating with said carriage operating means for simultaneously operating said paper stop and said pressure roller to alternately engage the paper, and means independent of said last named operating means for releasing said pressure roller upon movement of said carriage.

12. In a duplicating machine, a carriage mounted to travel over a printing bed, a paper table on said carriage, a paper feeding means comprising a movable paper stop and a pressure roller, a carriage operating handle having a lost motion in the direction of the carriage movement, means cooperating with said handle for operating the feeding means during the lost motion movement of said handle, and means for freeing the paper from the feeding means during the movement of the carriage.

13. In a duplicatin machine, a printing bed having a gelatinized surface, a carriage mounted to travel over said surface, means on said carriage for moistening said surface comprising a container for fluid, a fluid-di.s tributing roller engaging said surface, a wick for delivering fluid from said container to said roller, and means for removing said roller from engagement with said surface.

14. A duplicating machine comprising a printing surface, a guide extending along the side of said printing surface, a bracket mounted for longitudinal movement on said guide and non-rotatable with respect thereto, a carriage pivotally mounted on said bracket to swing toward and from the printing surface about an axis substantially parallel to said guide. a platen roller mounted on said carriage IOI' applying paper to the printing surface, a drum for driving said platen roller, and a flexible member passing around said drum for driving it, the axis about which the carriage swings being substantially tangential to the periphery of the drum.

15. A duplicating machine comprising a printing surface, a guide extending along the side of said printing surface, a bracket mounted for longitudinal movement on said guide and non-rotatable with respect thereto, a carriage pivotally mounted on said bracket to swing toward and from the printing surface about an axis substantially parallel to said guide, a platen roller mounted on said carriage for applying paper to the printing surface, a drum for driving said platen roller, and a flexible member passing around said drum for driving it, the ends of said flexible member being secured at points lying substantially in the axis about which the carriage swings.

16. A duplicating machine comprising a printing surface, a guide extending along the 4 :side of; said printing surface,-.a bracket mountredforlongitudinal movement-0n said guide and nonrrotatablewith respect thereto, a car- 7 'ri-age pivot-ally -mounted on said bracket to 1 sWii toward and froni the rintin surf-ace about an axis substantially parallel t0 said .guide, a platen roller'mountjed on said carriagefor-applyingpaperato the printing sur- 'face a drum for driving saidplaten roller,

1 0 and a flexible -member passing aro undysaid drum for driving it, the axis about which the ,carriage swingsleeing substantially tangential to the periphery of the drum, and the ;.end s-.0f.said flexible memberbeing secured at 1 .peints lying substantiallyin said axis.

In witness whereof, I'have hereunto subscribed my name.

LOUIS J. SAUER.

CERTIFICATE ()F GORREGTiON.

Patent No. 1,817,103. Granted August 4., 1931, to

LOUIS J. SAUER.

it is hereby certiiied that ermr agspears in the printed specification of the abnve numbered patent requiring cetreeti-on as teilews: Page 5, line 24, claim 6, after "carriage" and before the netted insert the ward trav-ei; and that the said Letters Patent sheuid be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 22nd day of September, A. D. 1931.

v M. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

Images