USRE18151E - Stencil machine and stencil thebepob - Google Patents

Description

I Aug. 18, 193 H. P. ELLIOTT Re. 18,151

STENCIL MACHINE AND STENCIL THEREFOR Original Filed Jan. 15. 1927 B 6 Q ATTORNEY Reiuucd Aug.-18, 1931 V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EABION P. ELLIOTT, O! WLTEBTOWN, IASSAGHUSETTS, QSSIGNOR T ELLIOTT ADDRESSING MACHINE GO IPANY, CORPORATION OF KAQfiAC'HUSETTB STENCIL MACHINE AND STENCIL T HEBEFOR Original Io. 1,687,448, dated August 2, 1927, Serial Ho. 180,871,11ed January 18, 1827. Application (or reissue fled 111117, 1981. Serial No. 549,801. 1

This invention relates to stencil printing machines and to stencils therefor.

A common type of stencil adapted for use in a stencil printing machlne comprisesa cardboard frame having a window therein which is occupied by a thin sheet of ste nc1l aper that bears an address or other 1nd1c 1a. 3 common type of stencil prmtmg machine adapted to operate upon such stencils comprises a stencil track and a pair of superposed rollers or sectors which engage the stencil and move it along the track into and out of printing position and simultaneously print therefrom. The superimposed sectors are adapted to bear against the thin stencil sheet and press the stencil into intimate contact with the envelo or other article to be rinted and also to rive the stencil forwar ly to eflect the printing operation. Such'a typ:e of 80 stencil printing mac inc and stencil have en used for a number of years and have proven very successful and form a simple. ap aratus for rapidly printing addresses and t e like. It sometimes happens however, that the free 15 movement of the stencil under the action of the driving rolls or sectors is impeded either because of undue friction in the track due to roughness of the stencils or from other reasons. Under such conditions an unusual and 80 great driving force is applied to the thin stencil paper by the sectors in engagement therewith and as a consequence the stencil sheet is ruptured or is torn away from its frame so that the stencil is damaged and must be discarded.

It is an object of this invention to prevent the tearing of the stencil by roviding driving rolls or sectors of such 0 aracter, and a stencil to cooperate with said rolls of such character, that while the rolls or sectors-serve to press the thin stencil sheet into intimate contact with the envelope as has heretofore been the case, the stencil sheet is relieved of any material driving stress and the drive is borne practically entirely by the stencil frame.

' Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a stencil showing the superimposed rinting sectors in holder 12 disposed at one end of the track.

printing machine constructed in accordance with the invention, parts of the machine unnecessar for the understanding of the invention eing omitted.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a stencil constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken through the stencil, guides therefor and paper on which the name and address are being printed,

positions assumed just be ore the instant of then engagement with the stencil and with the paper, and "before the stencil and aper have been flexed into contact one wit the other.

Fi 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showmg t e manner in which the stencil sheet is pressed against the envelope while the driv- 1n force is exerted upon the stencil frame.- he stencil printing machine constructed in accordance with this invention includes a stencil track 10 alon which the stencils are adapted to be moved in successive order from a SUPBI'IIIIPOSQd' pile contained in a stencil A reciprocatory stencil pusher 14 is arranged to move the lowermost stencils in successive order from the stencil holder in the track 10. A stencil receiver 16 is disposed at the other end of the track and is adapted to catch the stencils as they pass from the track. A pair of superposed rotatable printing sectors 18 and 20 are disposed on opposite sides of and intermediate said track and are adapted to engage the forward end of a stencil after it has been delivered into the track from the stencil holder, and "also to engage an interposed envelope or other article to be printed, and move both conjointly to effect the printing 0 eration. The printed envelopes pass from tween the sectors and fall free there from while the stencils pass along the track 'into the holder. The lower printing sector 20 has an inflexible face and is rotatably supported in a spring-pressed'yielding frame 22 which permits the sector to be displaced in a vertical direction to accommodate envelopes of various thicknesses. The upper or printing sector 18 is provided with a yielding or rubber face 24 which is adapted to be con- 100 stantly inked; and the two segments are adapted to be simultaneously rotated by suitable means not necessarily escribed.

The stencil constructed in accordance with 5 this invention for use in the aforesaid machine is shown in rspective in Fig.2 and incrosssectionin .3and4. Thestencil comprises a relative y thick and inflexible rectangular frame 26 com of cardboard, which frame is provi ed with an elonglated opening or window 28 therein. The ame is also provided with a stron and relatively thin sheet 30 of paper stoc which is disposed midway between the opposite flat faces of the frame and extends into the window '28 thereof on all sides for a substantial distance, thereby to provide a strong yet flexible margin for said window. Said margin is ar opening 32 and a formed with a rectan sheet of thin and flexible stencil paper 34 is cemented to said sheet 30 to cover the opening 32. The stencil sheet is adapted to hear anaddress or other indicia and 18 adapted to be pressed onto the envelo ure, ereby to permit ink from the inked surface of the up r roll to pass through the indicia and be eposited upon the surface of the envelope.

Also in accordance with this invention both sectors-18 and are adapted to exert a driying force on the frame 26 of the stencil to exclude the thin stencil sheet from the drive. To this end the lower sector 20 has a width aterthan the width of the window 28 in t e stencil so that the sector overlies the window on both sides thereof and thus is caused to exert its driving force upon the strong margin of the stencil rather than 4. upon the thin stencil sheet. Theupper sector 18 has a width greater than the opening 32 in the margin sheet and is adapted to overlie the openin on both sides and to hear u the margin eet and. to impress-its driving force thereon thereby to preserve. the thin stencil sheet free from driving stresses.- 1 The sides of the sector 18 are adapted to be inset from the sides of the window 28. in the stencil frame so that there, is a substan- W tial extent of the marginal sheet 30 free from contact with the sector that can flex or be moved downwardly to permit the stencil sheet to be pressed into intimate contact with the envelope a as illustrated in Figii The side or driving edges of t e yielding face 24 of the upper sector. are adapted .to be compressed more than the intermediate portion of the face, which is in direct contact with the stencil sheet, thus causing the side to bear the strongest and thus exert the mam driving force u n the marginal sheet 30 rather than upon t e thin stencil sheet.

The stencil track 10 is adapted to hold the stencils in'the aforesaid relation so that the 05 sectors are caused to exert their driving force .as the envelope at of Fi 4 in thev manner mdicated in this figat all times on the stencil frame rather than upon the thin stencil sheet. This mangement, while simple, prevents the rupture of the thin stencil sheet that frequently occurs with, the usual driving sectors which were so arranged that they engaged the .thin stencil sheet only, in spite of careful operation and adjustment of the stencil printing machine.

aim:

Y 1. The' combination of a stencil having a strong frame provided with a window therein and a sheet of thin stencil paper attached to the frame over the window, a air of su rposed sectors ada ted to drive e stenc' besectors characterized h each having a width greater than the wid of the window in the stencil frame, and means for guiding the stencil in its movement between the sectors in such a manner that the sectors exert a driving pressure upon the strong frame of the stencil and maintain the tfzhin stencil paper free from the driving orce.

- 2. The combination of a stencil having a strong frame provided with a window therein, a strong and thin flexible sheet connected with the frame and extended into the window midway between the opposite faces of the frame and providin a continuous flexible margin for the win ow, a sheet of stencilpaper attached to said flexible margin, and a pair of superposeddriving sectors adapted to drive the stencils between them, one of said sectors characterized by having a width greater than the width of said window and adapted to overlap the window on opposite sides thereof and underlie the opposite sides of the frame, and said upper sector characterized by having a width sufiiciently at to overlie and bear upon the opposite si es of the flexible ma 'n of said window whereby to exert its driving force upon said flexible margin and the width being less than the width of the .window whereby to rovide an unengaged' wortion of the margin that is adapted to ex downwardly. l

3. The combination of a stencil having a stiff frame provided with a window therein a thin sheet of stencil paper attached to sai frame'and disposed within the window aproximately midway between the OXPOSltQ aces of said frame, and supe riving sectors adapted to en age and rive the stencil between them eac characterized by havin a width adapting them to overlie said window and exert a driving force on the stencil frame on opposite sides of said window and to be free from substantial driving engagement withsaid stencil sheet.

4. The combination of a stencil having a strong inflexible frame provided with a window therein, a thin flexible stencil. sheet attached to said frame over the window, and superposed driving sectors for said stencils and adapted to engage and drive the stencil tween them, sai

45 upon toflex said stencil sheet and flexible between them and characterized b each haying a width greater than the wi th of sad window and overl ing and exerting a driving force on the rame only of said stencil 5 and preserving said thin stencil sheet free a from any substantial driving force.

5. The combination of a stencil having a strong inflexible frame provided with a wmdow therein, a thin flexible stencil sheet attached to said frame over the window, and superposed drivin and printing sectors for said stencils and a apted to engage and drive the stencil between them, said sectors characterized by each having a width greater than the width of said window and overlying and exerting a drivin force on the frame only of said stencil an preserving said thin stencil sheet free from any substantial driving force', one of said sectors further characterized by having a yielding face adapted to flex said flexible stencil sheet into said window while maintaining driving engagement with the stencil frame.

6. The combination of a stencil having a strong inflexible rectangular frame provided with a window therein, a relativel thin strong and flexible sheet connected wit the frame and extended into the window midway between the opposite faces of the frame, said sheet having an opening therein and providin a continuous flexible margin for the opening, a thin sheet of stencil paper secured to said margin over the opening and a pair of superposed driving sectors ada ted to engage and drive the stencil between t em, said lower sector characterized by having an unyielding face which overlaps the stencil window on both sides thereof and said upper sector characterized by having a yielding face which overlaps the aforesaid openin and has a width less than the width of said window and is adapted to bear upon said margin sheet on opposite sides of said opening and exert a driving force mainly theremargin downwardly toward said lower sector while preserving said stencil sheet free from any substantial driving force.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

HARMON P. ELLIOTT.

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