US2350585A - Plate cylinder clamping means for cylinder printing presses - Google Patents

Description

PLATE CYLINDER CLAMPING MEANS FOR CYLINDER PRINTING PRESSES.

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 20, 1942 June 1944- A, J. CAIIRPENTER, JR 3 5 PLATE CYLINDER CLAMPING MEANS FOR CYLINbER PRINTING PRESSES Filed Aug. 20, 1 942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 6, A J CARPENTER JR PLATE CYLINDER CLAMPING MEANS FOR CYLINDER PRINTING PRESSES Filed Aug. 20. 1942 s Sheets- She et s 7 v7 /1//////// 1 V W Patented June 6, 1944 PLATE CYLINDER OLAIWPING IVIEAN S FOR CYLINDER PRINTING PRESSES .Albert James Carpenter, 31a, Battle Creek, Mich.,

assignor to The Duplex. Printing Press Company, Battle Creek, Mich, a. corporation of Michigan Application August 20, 1942, Serial No. 455,493

' 17 Claims. "('01. 101-378) This invention is a novel stereotype plate clamping means for the plate cylinders of cylinder printing presses adapted to hold thereon in a positive manner printingplates of ,arcuate length sufficient to extend more than half way around the plate cylinder. Such stereotype plates must be entered on and removed from the plate cylinders by slipping same over an end thereof, and thereiore necessarily require the use of clamps which 9 from plate engaging position into retracted posi- 1 tion within the slots of the cylinder, and vice versa, said single means comprising a jack screw mounted in the reduced journal of the plate cylinder and projecting beyond the end thereof, the jack screw being held against axial movement in said journal and operating a ring slidably mounted on the reduced end of the plate cylinder, whereby when a wrench is applied to the jack screw, the jack screw will be rotated and ring simultaneously actuating all of theclip actuators of the plate clips, which latter clamp'the stereotype plate to the plate cylinder at the reduced end thereof. My invention thus provides a single wrench lock-up having a range of motion and sturdiness of parts not found in other lock-up mechanisms; and also provides a single point lock-up positioned at the end of the plate cylinder journal, the actuating jack screw being the ring will'be moved axially of the cylinder, the

housed within the plate cylinder journal and =2 moving the entire clip assembly, giving a range of motion thereto limited only by the length of the jack screw.

Another object of the invention is to provide a series of plate clip assemblies operable by a single movable ring in such manner as to permit clamping any length of stereotype plate on the cylinder within the range of ring motion, means being provided whereby the first movement of the clips when the ring is moved toward the plate will be upwardly out of the slots and subsequent movement in said direction will move the clips inwardly into clamping position; also when the ring is moved away from the plate the initial H movement of the clips will be downwardly into the slots below the plate supporting surface of the cylinder and subsequent movement in said direction will move the clips away from the plate,

thus rendering it unnecessary to operate the clip assemblies over the full range of motion permitted by the jack screw during either the lock ing or unlocking operations.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel movable filler blocks for use in the slots in the plate cylinder, whereby the cylinder may be made to receive a multiplicity of plate lengths. When clamping relatively long plates on the cylinder there would be unused portions of the slots in the plate cylinder below the stereotype plate which slots normally house the plate clips. My filler blocks however may be fitted into the slots, said, blocks being shaped exteriorly to match the cylinder body, and being provided with means for holding the blocks in the slots so that the outer surfaces of the blocks will be flush with the cylinder body to prevent bending or warping of the overlying stereotype plate during printing operations.

I will explain the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one practical embodiment thereof, to enable others familiar with the art to adopt and use the same; and will summarize in the claims the novel features of construction, and novel combinations of parts, for which protection is desired.

In said drawings Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section partly in elevation, showing my novel plate clamping means applied to the reduced end and journal of the plate cylinder of a printing press, and showing the plate clips in clamping position with respect to the stereotype plate, but omitting for the sake of clarity the clip actuators.

. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the parts showni Fig.

g Fig. 3 is alongitudinal section on the line 3-3,

Fig. 2, showing the plate clips in clamping position, also showing the clip actuators.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line 4-4,

vFig. 3.

Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is a transverse section on the line 8-8, Fig- 3.

plate cylinder journal.

Fig. 9. is a transverse section on the line 9-9, Fig. 3.

Fig. is a plan view showing one of the filler blocks positioned within a T-slot of the plate cylinder, the overlying portion of the stereotype plate being omitted.

The plate cylinder A is adapted to slidably' support arcuate stereotype printing plates B of usual substantially tubular form extending more than half way around the circumference of cylinder A so that same must necessarily be slipped over the end of cylinder A when inserting the plate thereon or removing the plate therefrom.

-One end of plate cylinder is provided with the usual fixed plate engaging device (not shown), the opposite end of cylinder Aishown in Figs. 1 and 3) being provided with a series of spaced plate clamping clips designed to engage the adjacent beveled edge B of stereotype plate B in a by slipping over the endof saidcylinder.

As shown, plate Cylinder A forms a plate supporting surface in direct contact with the tubular stereotype plat B, andone end of cylinder A is reduced in diameter as at A topermit' installationeof, my plate clamping mechanism, thereby prOVidilflg a squared shoulder A2 between the portion A and the main body of the cylinder.

Beyond the-reduced portion A is a further reduced journalportion A3 of the plate cylinder A carrying antifrict-ion bearing Cdisposed between the portion A3 'and the walls of an opening D in the press frame E, the outer race C of said bearing bein .held against axial movement by rings F and .Gsecu re'dby bolts H to the frame E as shown, whilethe-inner race C2 of bearing C is held against axial movement by the shoulder A4 formed between the reduced portions A and A3 and, a ring J secured by screws K or the like passing therethrough and into the end A3 of the The. reduced portions A and A3 of the plate cylinder journals are provided with an axial bore 2c in which a cross rod 3 extends, said cross-rod passing through diametrically opposed slots A6 in the red uced portion A of the plate cylinder and having its-ends entering opposed bores 4a in a ring 4, which ring is slidably mounted upon the reduced portion A between frame E and the shouIderA'Z of plate cylinder 2, a pin 5'transfixing one end of cross-rod 3 and passing through theringj and carrying a cotter pin a: or the like as shown inFigs. land 4.

Actuating "member I is rotatably mounted within bore A5 but is prevented from axial movement therein, said member having a reduced portion lb passing through an axial bore J in the ring J and having a further reduced portion Ic beyond .the por't ion lb upon which is mounted an antifriction bearing 6, the inner race cc of which is confined between the shoulder formed between the reduced portions Ib--Ic and the hub Id of a guard I which'encl'oses the outer non-circular wrench engaging end Id of actuating member I, the inner periphery of guard I being of sufficiently large diameter to permit a socket wrench or the like to enter the guard and to engage the non-circular end Id. The inner end of hub Ia of the guard bears against the adjacent end of the inner race 6a of antifriction bearing 6, said hub being fixed in position by a pin 8 or the like transfixing the hub and further reduced portion Ie of the member A upon which the hub is mounted. The outer race 6b of antifriction bearing C seats at one end against the ring J while its other end is engaged by a ring 9 secured by screws ID or the like passing through ring 9 and into the ring J as shown in Fig. 1.

By the above construction, actuating member I is rotatably mounted within the bore A5 of the plate cylinder journal but is prevented from axial movement thereof. When a socket wrench is applied to the end Id of the actuating member the latter may be rotated, thereby shifting the jack screw 2 and thereby moving the ring 4, to which ring each of the plate clip actuators is attachedas hereinafter described, the ring 4 being moved along the reduced portion A of the cylinder according to the direction of rotation of the actuating member I. Thus the above mechanism provides a single wrench lock-up, the same having a relatively long range of motion, and having exceptional sturdiness of parts in the lock-up mechanism.

The plate supporting surface of cylinder A adjacent shoulder A2 is provided :with a plurality of spaced T-slots A'I parallel with the axis of the plate cylinder A, said slots being shown more particularly in Figs- 6 and '7, said slots openin through the shoulder A2. Four such T-slots are shown in Fig. 4; however, a greateror less number of slots may be used. Ordinarily however four such slots would be sufficient. In each slot A! is a clip actuator of such thickness at its sides that same will make a sliding fit within the lower wider'portion of the slot AI, as shown in Fig. 7, said actuator II however being of somewhat narrower width than the lower wider portion of the'slot' A'I. Each actuator II has an outer narrower central portion I Ia slidably engaging the outer narrower portion of the slot AT, whereby the actuator is slidably mounted in the slot but is prevented from lateral movement therein.

The inner end Nb of each actuator II is inclined inwardly away from the ring 4 and towards the axis of plate cylinder A as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, and in the inclined face thereof is a T-slot I Ic (Fig; 7) having its wider portion innermost, said T-slot Ilc extending from the lower to the upper edge of the actuator II and being disposed axially thereof.

Each actuator is provided with a tapped bore lid in its outer end receiving the threaded end of a bolt I2 passing through a bore M; (Fig. 3) in'ring 4. said bolt having a head I2a. on its outer end. A washer I3 around the bolt I2 engages the inner face of ring 4, and a spacing sleeve I4 is'provided upon bolt I2 between the actuator II and the washer I3. On bolt I2 between the washer !3 and the sleeve I4 is a coiled compression spring I5 normally urging the actuator II inwardly of the slot AI so that the bolt head I2a will contact the outer face of ring 4. Thelength' of the sleeve I4 controls the compressive strength of spring I5. Each of the slots A'I contains a similar actuator II similarly mounted therein so that thesingl'e unslidable ring 4 will simultaneously control each of the clip actuators I I.

of the jack screw 2, all of the bolts l2 andclip' Mounted in t e T-slots Ilc of each actuator II is a clip I6 (Figs. 3 and 7) having a T-projection l6a sl-idably engaging the T-slot I I0, whereby the clip I6 will be moved upwardly or downwardly in the slot A1 with respect to the actuator II as the latter is moved axially of the slot Al due to the a'ngularity of the inclined face Nb of the actuator, the upper portion of each clip I6 being of widthslightly less than the upper or smaller portion of the T-slot A'I as clearly shown in Fig, 7, while the lowerportion of each clip is of greater width andmovable within the lower wider portion of T-slot A! as shown in Fig. 6. The upper inner corner of each clip A1 is cut out as at I6b a depth somewhat less than the thickness of stereotype plate B, and the inner end I6 c of the cut out I6b is beveled to cor-- respond with the bevel B at the end of stereotype plate'B, whereby when the clips are in the position shown in Fig. 3 the edge I 60 will overlap the beveled edge B of stereotype plate B, while the bottom of the cut out I6b will overlie and support the adjacent portion of the said plate B as clearly indicated in Fig. '3. The depth of each clip I6 is such that when the bottom of the clip contacts the bottom of slot A! as shown in Fig. 5, the upper edge of the clip will lie entirely below the surface of the plate cylinder A, the clip being thus housed completely within the slot A1.

In order to effect the desired movement of the clips I6 when the actuators II are shifted, I provide means for producing a drag against movement of the clips I6, the same consisting of friction plugs I6d (Fig. 6) projecting from I the ends of a transverse bore I6e in the lower wider portion of each clip I6 which is confined within the lower wider portion of the slots A! by the'shoulders Ifiw, said plugs I6ct being urged into frictional contact with the sides of the slots A! by a spring I6 interposed between the plugs in the bores ISe, as clearly indicated in Figs. 6 and S,said plugs l6d thereby setting up a frictional drag against the side walls of the slots Al, said opposing axial movement of the clips I6 in said slots A'I. Since each clip I6 is fitted to the T-slo't llc of the clip actuating member II', which T-slot He is disposed at an angle to the line of movement of the actuator, the drag set up by the friction plugs I6d will cause the clip I6 to move initially upwardly within the T-slot A'I until the shoulders I69: contact the top of the lower wider portion of the T-slot Al, and then to move inwardly with the actuator II when the actuator I I is moved inwardly towards the stereotype plate B, and to move initially downwardly of the slot Al until the bottom of the clip I6 engages the bottom of the slot Al and then to move outwardly with the actuator II when the actuator is retracted outwardly away from the stereotyp'efplate B.

Since all of the actuators II are operated simultaneously by the single ring 4, when said ring is moved inwardly towards the stereotype plate B by the jack screw 2, each spring I5, washer I3, sleeve I4 and clip actuator II will be correspondingly moved towards the plate, and due to the drag of the plugs l6d each clip I6 is initially moved upwardly out of the clot A1 and subsequently moved inwardly into clamping position with respect to stereotype plate B as shown in Fig. 3, the springs !5 allowing all the clips !6 to apply approximately equal pressures on the stereotype plate. When the ring 4 however is moved away from the plate B by movement actuators II will be moved therewith, but the drag set up by the pins I6d of the clips will cause each clip I6 to initially move downwardly into the slot A'I below the plate cylinder body A as shown in Fig. 5 so that the stereotype plate B can be removed from the plate cylinder over the tops of the clips I6 which are at that time housed within the slots AI below the surface of the cylinder A.

My mechanism allows clamping any length of plate B on the cylinder within the range of Imotion of the clip actuators'l I since the first movement of the clip I6 when the ring 4 is moved towards the plate is to shift same upwardly into clamping position and then the clip I6 moves toward the plate into clamping position shown in Fig. 3. When the ring 4 is moved in the opposite direction the first movement of the clip I6 is downwardly within the slots A'I below the considerable distance from the shoulder A2 of the plate cylindenso that the plate cylinder can be utilized for multiplicityof plate lengths,and therefore when relatively long stereotype plates B are mounted on the cylinder considerable lengths of unused portions of the T-slot A! are covered thereby. To support the plate B over said unused portions of slots A1 filler blocks 20, Figs. 3, 9 and 10 are used, said blocks 29 being substantially T-shaped having upper portions when in position adapted to fit Within the narrower upper portions of the slots A! as shown in Figs. 9 and 10, said blocks 20 being of less width than the narrower upper portions of the slots and having lugs 26:10 at their ends adapted to enter the lower or wider portions of the slots A1, as shown, said blocks carrying screws 2| fitted in tapped bores 20a at thecenters of the blocks, said screws having non-circular too-l engaging sockets in their upper ends whereby a tool can be inserted into the upper ends of the screws 2| in order to screw same downwardly to engage the bottom of'the T-slots Al, thereby raising the projecting end portions 26:1: of the blocks 20 until they engage the tops of the wider lower portions of the slots A'I, as clearly shown in Fig. 9, in which position the upper end of the filler blocks will conform with the curvature of the plate engaging portion of the cylinder A to form bridges over the slots A1. Thus the filler blocks 26 are made to fit the T- slots A1 and are also shaped to match the curvature of the cylinder A. The filler blocks 26 can be removed from or replaced in the slots A! by merely loosening. the set screws 2| and turning the blocks through an arc of One or more such filler blocks 20 may'be'used in such T-slot, as desired, between the inner ends of the slots Al and the clips It, to provide a continuous surface with the plate cylinder body over the slots AI, thus forming a support for the overlying stereotype plate B and preventing distortion or sinking-in of its printing surface under pressure of printing. Prior fillers for this purpose were removable only at special cut-outs in the plate cylinder body or through the clip slot after disassembly of other parts to provide a clear passage. My filler block has projections 28:]: to fit under the undercut part or the T-slots A3 and is provided with one (or more) screws 2| which bear on the bottom of the T-slot and force the filler blo'ck' upwardly into positive contactwith' under-v cut portions of the slots;- and the blocks cantbe removed easily by loosening screws 2! and then turningthe filler blocks'one-quarter turn, since the blocks are-made narrower than the 'openpart' of the T-slot; and radial: clearance .is provided on the ends of the; projections 20:0 on the blocks; Thus myfiller blocks 20ca'n then be lifted straight out of the slots in the plate cylinder: withoutne- 51 no not limit my invention to the exact form shown in the drawings, for: obviously changes may be made thereinwithin the scope of the claims.

I claim: l l

1. 'In' combination, a plate cylinder having'a cylindrical plate supporting surface and having an axially disposed reduced portion at one end formingacylinder journal provided with an axial bore; said reduced portion having a slot communicating WiththE inner end of said bore; an actuating member rotatablymcunted in said bore and having a tool-engaging end projecting beyond the end of said journal; means'for preventing axial movement of the memberwithin the bore; an axially movable member in the inner end of said bore actuated by the actuating member and having cross-rod slidable in said slot a ring slidably mounted on the reduced portion and engaged by the cross-rod; and axially movable plate clips carriedb the cylinderand actuated by the ring.

-2. In a combination as set forth in claim 1, said actuating-member having areduced end; and said means for preventing axia1 movement comprising an antifrictionbearing on said reduced end; a collar having an internal annular flange receiving the reduced end; means for securing the collar to the outer endof the journal; the annular flange maintaining the outer race of the bearing against the end of the journal; one side of the inner race engaging the shoulder formed by the reduced end of the actuating memher; and a second collar mounted on the reduced end of the member engaging the opposite side of the inner race of the bearing.

3. Ina combination as set forth in claim 1 said actuating member having a reduced end; and said means for preventing axial movement comprising an antifriction bearing on said reduced end; a collar having-an internal annular flange receiving the reduced end; means for securing the collar to the outer end of the journal; the annular flange maintaining the outer race of the bearing against the end of the journal; one'side of the inner race engaging the shoulder formed by' the reduced end of the actuating member; and a cylindrical guard around the tool-engaging end of the actuatingmember having a hub fixed on the reduced end. of the member and engaging the other side of the inner race of the bearing.

4. In a plate cylinder, or the like having guide slots with parallel side walls opening into the surface of the cylinder; an axially movable actuator housed within each slot having a downwardly inclined inner end; means for moving each actuator; a plate clip in each guide slot of less depth than the slot and having a correspondingly inclined outer end slidably' mounted on "fromits actuator; means on each clip for exerting frictional drag on the sidewallsof the guide slot, whereby the-initial movement of each clip as its actuatoris moved in one: direction will be outwardly-of the slot to expose its plate engaging portion, andwhereby the initial movement of eachclipjwhen its actuator is moved in the op posite direction will be inwardly of the slot to house the plate engaging portion thereof within the slot; and means for limiting the initial out- 1 ard andinward movements of the clips.

5. In a plate; cylinder as set forth inclaim 4, saidislotsvbeing undercut, and said means for limiting, the outward and inward movements of the clips comprising lateral projections on the clips within the undercut portions of the slots, said projections :being of less depth than the undercutlportions.

i 6. In a plate cylinder as set forth in claim 4, said frictional drag means comprising plugs slidably mounted in transverse bores in the clips engaging the sides of the slots, and springs in the bores engaging the plugs.

'7; In a plate cylinder as set forth in claim 4, said slots being undercut, and said means for limiting the outward and inward movements of the clips comprising lateral projections on the clips within the undercut portions of the slots, said projections being of less depth than the undercut portions; and said frictional drag means comprising plugs slidably mounted in transverse bores in the lateral projections of the clips engaging the sides of the undercut portions of the slots; and springs in the bores engaging the plugs.

8 In combination with a plate cylinder as set forth in claim 4, said guide slots being undercut and filler blocks of less width than the slots arranged transversely of the slots between the clips and the inner ends of the slots, each block having projecting end portions entering the undercut portions of the slots of less depththan the said undercut portions, theouter faces of the blocks when positioned in the slots forming continuations of the surface of the cylinder; and setscrews mounted in tapped bores in said blocks and adapted to engage the bottoms of the slots to maintain the projecting end portions of the blocks in contact, with the upper walls of the undercut portions.

9. In combination, a plate cylinder having a cylindrical plate supporting surface and having an axially disposed reduced portion at one end; a ring of smaller external diameter than the plate supporting surface of the cylinder 'slidably mounted on the reduced portion; means for moving the said ring; a series of guide slots having parallel side walls opening into the plate supporting surface of the cylinder; an axially movable actuator in each said slot having a downwardly and inwardly inclinedinncr end; a bolt on each actuator passing through the ring and having a head engaging the outer face of said ring; lyieldable means interposed between the ring and actuators; a clip in each guide slot of less depth than the slot and slidably mounted 'on each actuator and having a plate engaging porwithin the slot; and means for limiting the initial outward and inward movements of the clips.

10. In a combination as set forth in claim 9, said slots being undercut, and said means for limiting the outward and inward movements of the clips comprising lateral projections on the clips within the undercut portions of the slots, said projections being of less depth than the undercut portions.

11. In a combination as set forth in claim 9, said frictional drag means comprising plugs slidably mounted in transverse bores in the clips engaging the sides of the slots, and springs in the bores engaging the plugs.

12. In a combination as set forth in claim 9, said slots being undercut, and said means for limiting the outward and'inward movements of the clips comprising lateral projections on the clips within the undercut portions of the slots, said projections being of less depth than the undercut portions; and said frictional drag means comprising plugs slidably mounted in transverse bores in the lateral projections of the clips engaging the sides of the undercut portions of the slots, and springs in the bores engaging the plugs.

13. In a combination as set forth in claim 9, said guide slots being undercut, and filler blocks of less width than the slots arranged transversely of the slots between the clips and the inner ends of the slots, each block having projecting end portions entering the undercut portions of the slots of less depth than the said undercut portions, the outer faces of the blocks when positioned in the slots forming continuations of the plate supporting surface of the cylinder; and set screws mounted in tapped bores in said blocks and adapted to engage the bottoms of the slots to maintain the projecting end portions of the blocks in contact with th upper walls of the undercut portions.

14. In a combination as set forth in claim 9, said means for moving the ring comprising an actuating member journaled in the reduced portion and extending beyond the outer end thereof; and means operated by the actuating member for shifting the ring.

l5, In a plate cylinder or the like having T! slots opening into its surface; a correspondingly shaped axially movable actuator within each said slot having a downwardly inclined inner end provided with an undercut slot; means for moving each actuator; a clip in each T-slot of less depth than the slot and having a correspondingly inclined outer end provided with a correspondingly shaped rib slidably engaging the undercut slot in each actuator and having a plate engaging portion; means on each clip for exerting frictional drag on the side walls of the wider portion of each T-slot whereby the initial movement of the clip as its actuator is moved toward the plate on the cylinder will be outwardly of the T-slot to expose its plate engaging portion and further movement in said direction will bring the clip into plate clamping position, and whereby the initial movement of each clip when its actuator is moved in the opposite direction will be inwardly of the slot to house the plate engaging portion thereof within the slot; each clip having lateral projections adjacent its lower end engaging the wider portions of the T-slots to limit the inward and outward movements of the clips, said projections being of less depth than the said wider portions.

16. In a plate cylinder as set forth in claim 15, said frictional drag means comprising plugs slidably mounted in transverse bores in the clips engaging the sides of the wider portions of the T- slots, and springs in the bores engaging the plugs.

17. In combination with a plate cylinder as set forth in claim 15, filler blocks of less width than the T-slots arranged transversely of the slots between the clips and the inner ends of the T- slots, each block having projecting end portions entering the wider portions of the slots of less depth than the said wider portions, the outer faces of the blocks when positioned in the slots forming continuations of the surface of the cylinder; and set screws mounted in tapped bores in said blocks and adapted to engage the bottoms of the T-slots to maintain the projecting end portions of the blocks in contact with the upper walls of the wider portions of the T-slots.

ALBERT J. CARPEN'IER, J n.

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