US1736402A - Cloth wiper for power-plate printing - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 19, 1929; c. HAWKINS CLOTH WIPER FOR POWER PLATE PRINTING Filed Jan. "I. 1925 s Sheets- Sheet 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 .177 85 mfiw Nov. 19, 1929. c. HAWKINS CLOTH WIPER FOR POWER PLATE PRINTING Filed Jan. 7, 1925 a r a m Noy.l9, 1929. c. HAWKINS 1,735,402

CLOTH WIPER FOR POWER PLATE PRINTING Filed Jan. 7, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 i atented Nov. 19, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CYRUS HAWKINS, OF CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO HIRES, CASTNER & HAR- BIS, INC., OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE CLOTH WIPER FOR POWER-PLATE PRINTING Application filed January 7, 1925. Serial No. 973.

My invention relates to wipers for plates used with printing and embossing presses and is particularly applicable to plates carried by an endless chain.

A purpose of my invention in its complete embodiment is to wipe, clean and polish a plate by passing it successively across a number of rolls, each roll presenting fabric or similar material against the surface of the plate.

A further purpose is to present an arcuate wiping surface to a moving plate.

A further purpose is to use a continuing length of the same material, preferably cloth, successively first as a wiper, then as a cleaner and then as a polisher.

A further purpose is to longitudinally jig a roll presenting cloth or like material against a plate, to make its polishing, cleaning and/ or o wiping action more effective.

A further purpose is to gear together and to positively and adjustably drive rolls adapted.

successively to present cloth against a moving plate, in order to maintain a uniform but adjustable feed of cloth between the rolls.

ishing, cleaning and Wiping rolls respective-' A further purpose is to provide a roll wiper interchangeable with existing pad wipers.

Further purposes will appear in the specification and in the claims.

I have preferred to illustrate my invention by one only of the many forms in which it may be used, selecting a form however which is convenient and efficient in operation and which illustrates particularly well the principles involved.

Figure 1 isa broken elevation and illustrates my invention somewhat diagrammatically in position of use, wiping a plate.

Figure 1 is a portion of Figure 1 to enlarged scale.

Figure 2 isa top plan view of the structure shown'in Figure 1 but omitting the plate.

Figure 2 is a portion of Figure 2 to enlar ed scale.

figure 3 is a section of Figure 2, taken upon the line 33 and to enlarged scale.

Figure 4. is an enlarged fragment from Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 5+5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a broken rear elevation of detail parts seen in rear section elevation in Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a left end elevation of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is aright end elevation of a portion of the structure seen in Figure 6.

Figure 9 is a side elevation of a detail sleeve seen also in Figures 6 and 7.

Figure 10 is a diagrammatic view on reduced scale showing the path of the wiping material.

Like numerals refer to like parts in all fig ures.

Describing in illustration and not in limitation and referring to the figures In the illustration a usual form of wiper support is shown mounted beneath a platecarrier 15. It comprises vertical slotted guide and support members 16 and 17 on opposite sides of the carrier and arms 18 and 19 keyed to the rocker shaft 20. These arms in turn adjustably support the members 16 and 17.

The rocker shaft pivots in fixed bearings 21 and 22 in opposite stationary portions 23 and 2 1 of the frame of the press. It is operated to vertically position the slotted members 18, 19 by means of hand wheel 25. This wheel has a hub 26, internally threaded to receive the threaded upper end of rod 27 and externally threaded to receive a nut 28 beneath the fixed hub bearing 29. This swivels the hub.

' The rod 27 carries pin 30 at its lower end which pin pivots in a fork 31 of the outerend of an arm 32 keyed to the rocker shaft.

7 The vertical slots 33 in the members 16,17 cooperate with fixed transverse rods 34 and 35to form a vertical guide for the support.

Threaded holes 36, 37, 38 and 39 near the ends 5.; springs, with outer. ends supportedagainst.

of the members 16, 17 provide convenient means interchangeably for connection to a usual pad wiper or for connection to the mechanism of my invention.

In that usual wipers are well known and do not in themselves form part of my invention, I have not shown them in the drawings.

The mechanism of the invention is carried upon transverserails and 41 which are secured by screws 42, 43, 44 and 45 entering holes 36'39. End members 4 6"and 47fas tened to and along the rails 40 and41 carry the side members 48 and 49. The side members at their ends are fastened to the end;

members by screws 50, 51 52 and 53.

The side members 48 and 49, are bored at 54 and 55, 56 and 57 and 58 and 59 to form op: posite bearings forthe shafts60, 6;1'; a-nd 62.0f the'rolls63, 64 and;65. The side membersv a are bored also at 66 and67, 68 and69 and 70 and 71 to form bearings for the idler shaft-s 72,73; ands74.

The rolls 63,. 64 2111Cl165u2l1'fi preferably, covered,circumferentially. with rubber or other O; resilient material and are placed substantial ly tangential with the pathof the bottom surface of the plate 75 carried by the carrier. 15. Vertical adjustment. at the. wheel 25 permits bringing these rolls to exactly the proper a height irrespective of differences in the thicknesses of'platesused.

The roll shafts are rearwardly extended beyond the side member 49, spur gears 76, 77 and 78 being keyed to the extended portions 7 and the extreme ends beingrounded, at 79,

to provide substantially axial: engagement with-jiggers 80 whichare intended to push the roll shafts in an endwise direction.

The forwardiends 81 of theroll shaftsare bored and counterbored at 82 and 83 to receivethie inner. endsofipi-ns 84 and. surrounding springs 85'.v Atfwasher. 86.is.locate.d prefersably in each .counterbore to receive the-end of the spring. The springs-85 are compression a stationary strip 87which is mounted fronr the side member 48 upon .posts88. The outerendsof the pins 84 are fastened against axial movement in the strip. 875 as, shown at 89.: 1 The arrangement is such that: the springs press the rolls axiallysinward so as to main-. tain the rounded inner ends of the roll shaftscontinually pressing against the jiggers 80.

Posts 90 and 91' mountedrespectively on.

1 the rails 40 and :41'near their inner ends .pro-

vide bearingsupport for the camshaft 92 and for a shaft 93-upon which the jiggers80' loosely pivot.- j

The cam shaft is provided with a gear 94 to which it is keyed. The gear is driven in any convenientmanner, not shown.

The jigging operation'is effected by the cooperative actionof' the cams 94: rigidly fas ten'ed to the cam shaft; the jiggers 80 loosely; pivoted on the shaft 93 and the springs 85.

The sectional shape of the cams is generally oblong with rounded ends. These ends successfully engage the toes 95 of the jiggers and as the jigger members turn to permit the cams to pass the toes the heels 96 engage the roundcleaning roll 64, under the idler 72, over the wiping-roll63, to windiup on the receiving spool 99., The rolls73'cand 72 are so called becausethey have been" given another function than mere giving. tension and direction to the material and; if not; given the added l functions, could be shafts or bars.

Fork hearings 100 and 101 for the delivery spool are carried. by brackets 102 and 103 which are respectively fastened to the end 47 by screws 104 and 105. fastened by screws 107 to the cross piece 47 passes over the delivery spool. A suitable weight. 108 is fastenedto its lower end, providing proper friction resistance to unwindingof the delivery. spool. Any desired resistance is obtained by varying the weight 108.

The receiving.- spool- 99 is supported upon brackets 109. and 110 fastened to the end 46 by screws 111and 112-.

' One end113of the shaft of the receiving spool rests in a fork bearing 114 of the bracket 1 10. The other: end 115 of the shaft of the receiving spool fits into a slotted sleeve 116 which isrigidly screwed tothe inner end-of a headed shaft-117. A projecting pin 118 through the shaft 115 fits the slot 119 of the sleeve 116 so that the receiving spool and shaft 115 turn together. The shaft 117 turns in the closed bearing 120 in the end of bracket 109.

The ratchet feed for an adjustable but uniform feed of thematerial 97 successively over the different. rolls from the delivery spool to the receivingspool is best seen in Figures 4 and 5.

The shaft 117 is extended in front of its bearing 120 to provide pivotsupport for the feed arm 121. ratchet cover 122 and ratchet wheel 123. The Wheel has a hub 124 which is frictionally pressed against the inner shoulder 125 of a head 126 at the outer end of the shaft.

The hub 124 of the ratchet wheel carries A strap 106 rigidly fastened to it a sprocket wheel 127 vide an adjustable friotionvengagement between the shaftandthe ratchet member.

The feed arm carries a pawl 130 which engages teeth 131 of the ratchet. I It is moved up and down in any suitable way by the operation of the press. As shown the end 132 of the main driving shaft of the press is provided with an eccentric pin 133 and a link 134between this pin and the outer end of the feed arm operates the feed arm.

It'is desirable to make the feed adjustable which may be done in any convenient way. In the illustration the adjustment is-by means of the ratchet cover 122 which is set by a D screw 135 carried by an arm 136 of the cover. It engages the hub of the bearing 120. As

the feed arm moves down the pawl first engages and then rides over the cover at 137 and the efiective length of each stroke is thus determined by the position of the cover.

The spur gears 138, 139 and 140 are mounted upon the rearwardly extended ends of the idler shafts 72, 73 and 74 which, meshing with the roll gears 76, 77 and 78, constitute with the latter gears a train whereby the rolls are geared together and must move in unison.

If desired the gear 140 may be dispensed with, and the gears 138 and 139 may be loose with respect to their shafts allowing slippage. However, I have thus far preferred to have the idler shafts driven by their respective gears.

The rolls 63, 64 and being of the same diameter and carrying the same size gears,

76, 77 and 78 respectively, have the same circumferential rate of feed, and if desired the idler rolls 72, 73 and 74 may also be given the same circumferential speed by providing proper relation between their diameters and the size of the gears 138, 139 and 140. Usually however, I deem is preferable not to do this because of the greater cost of driving the shafts and because of the greater compactness to be secured. I therefore permit slippage of the material 97 at the idler rolls, as in the arrangement illustrated.

The train of rolls is positively driven from the ratchet wheel 123 carrying sprocket wheel 127, a sprocket wheel 141 being provided on the extended end of the shaft 72, and driven by a sprocket chain 142 from the wheel 127.

It is desirable to be able to moisten the material 97 before any one or each of the rolls 65, 64 and 63 respectively, and to an adjustable extent.

This may be done in any convenient manner. In the illustration means is provided for adjustably applying moistening at each of the idler rolls. The mechanism shown is the same at each of the idler rolls. The moistening unit shown comprises a water reservoir 143 in which are provided a lower (water) feed roll 144 supported in fixed bearings 145 and 146 and an upper (water-applying) roll 147 adj ustably supported in housing bearings 148. The ends of the shaft of the applying roll 147 extend out somewhat from the bearings 148 and when in place are supported upon inclined bearings 149 which are adjustably slope-d so as to bring the applying roll in contact with the material 97 where it lies against the idler roll. 7

The sloping bearings 149 for the ends of the shaft of the moisture applying roll are mounted upon a frame structure 150 provided at opposite ends with hook members 151 and 152 hooking over the idler shaft. The idler shaft is shown of reduced size at the ends. A short loose round sleeve 153 is shown under the hook 152. The hook 151 fits about a noncircular portion 154 of a sleeve 155. sleeve surrounding the reduced end of the idler shaft is provided with a round portion which passes through the side member 48. A crank arm 156 is fastened to it outside of its bearing in the member 48 and the crank is angularly set to give any desired slope to the inclined bearings 149 by means of a screw 157 engaging any one of a series of holes 158 arranged in an arc, about the idler shaft.

Adjustment of the degree of moistening at any one of the idler shafts is made by changing the slope of the inclined bearings 149 by means of the crank 156 and itsscrew 157, which changes the pressure of the applying roll against the material 97 against the idler shaft.

In operation the feed is adjustable but at any adjustment is uniform and proportionate to the speed of the press. The feed arm 121 positively drives the different rolls This.

through link 134 andeccentric pin 133 on thr driving shaft 132., At the same time it frictionally winds up the receiving spool causing uniform feed, from the delivery spool to. the receiving spool. Continuous jigging of the rolls 65, 64 and 63 makes the respective polishing, cleaning and wiping operations more effective, the material being used first as a polisher at the roll 65, then as a cleaner at the M1164 and finally as a wiper at the roll 63, the material becoming increasingly dirty as it passes the successive rolls so that by the time it reaches the receiving spool it is ready for replacement or cleaning.

1 For certain types of plates the old type of wipers are desirable and for this reason my structure is made interchangeable with old I claim all such in so far as they fall within the reasonable spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is t 1. In a plate printing press, a movable plate: repeatedly inked and at the place of inking movable in one direction only, a delivery spool, a receiving spool spaced therefronna strip of wiping material unwinding from the delvery spool and winding on the receiving spool, a plurality of rolls over which the strip is led between the spoolsand by which it is presented as a plurality of wiping surfaces inthe path of the. inked surface, and a common feed. for the rolls and receiving spool, frictionally winding theispool and positively feeding the rolls.

2.. In a plate printing press, a movable plate repeatedly inked and at the place of inking movable in one. direction only, a delivery spool, a receiving spoolspaced therefrom, a strip of wiping material unwinding from the delivery spool andwinding on the receiving spool, a plurality of rolls over which the strip is led between the spools and by which it is presented as a plurality of wiping surfaces in the path of'the inkedsurface, means for longitudinally jigging the rolls out of step with each other and other'means for feedingthe strip.

3. In a plate printing press, a movable plate repeatedly inked and at the point of inking movable in one direction only, a strip of wiping material, a plurality of rolls carrying the strip and presenting it as a plurality of; wiping surfaces in the path of the inked sur-f face, and means before different rolls for moistening the strip to different extents for different rolls.

4. In a plate printingpross, a movableplate fiepeatedly inked and at the point of inking ovable' in one direction only, a strip of wiping material, a'plurality of rolls carrying the strip and presenting it as a plurality of wiping surfaces in the path of the inked surface, an intergearing between the rolls adapted to drive them in the same direction-at the same speed; and a forward feed for the intergearing.

5. In a plate printing press, a movable plate repeatedly'inked and at the point of ink ing movable in one direction only, a delivery spool, a: receiving spool spaced therefrom, a strip of wiping material unwindingfrom the delivery spool and winding on the receiving spool, a plurality of wiper rolls to which the path ofthe plate is substantially tangential and prcsenting'the strip as a succession of wiping surfaces, intermediate guides supporting the'strip in tortuous path between the wiper rolls, intergearing between the wiper rolls'adap'ted to feed the rolls in the same direction at the same speed, and a common feed for the intergearing and the receiving spool,

frictionally windingithe spool andpositively' feeding the gearing.

(i-L In a plate printing press, amovable plate-repeatedly inked and moving. in the same path, a delivery spool, a IECBlVlIIg-SPOOl spaced therefrom, astri iunwindiirgzfrom -the deliveryspool: and win ing on the receiving spool; means. intermediate the spools for presenting the: strip at spaced intervals into the path successively as a wiper", arcleaner and a polislierg and means for forwardly feeding the strip between each twoiintervals.

7'. In a plate prlntingi press, movable plate repeatedly inkedxand at the point 'ofink ing movable in one direction only, a delivery spool, .a' receiving spool spaced therefrom, a strip unwinding from the delivery spool and winding on thereceivingispool, means inter mediate the spools for presenting the strip at spaced intervals: into the path successively as a wiper, a cleanerand a polisher, and other meansfor: moistening: the strip for wiping, cleaning on polishing.

8; Ina-wiper, the-combination offa-plurality of parallel rolls, shafts therefor', a" strip passing successively over the rolls-to present different contacts for a" plate, and positive means-engagingthe shafts to. jig the rolls-out of step with I each other.

9. Ina wiper having spacedrollsfor pre= sentinga strip of wipermaterial successively at spaced intervalsiagainst a=moving plate, meansfor longitudinally jigging. the: rolls comprising shafts respectively mountingthe rolls, a rocker arm at one end ofieach shaft limiting;- itsposition in i one: axial.- direction, a cam shaft, cams thereon operating the respective rocker arms and resilient-means at the other: end of; each shaft pressing it against its rocker arm.

CYRUS HAWKINS.

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