US1910986A - Showcard printing machine - Google Patents

Description

May 23, 1933. F. J. COOK SHOWCARD PRINTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 13, 1930 mai n b %N% m, mg Z Patented May 23, 1933 DY T TES QP'ATENT OFFKIE .r'nnmr-Jxcooxflor cI-IIcAeo, ILLINOIS, nssien'or. T sHowcAn-n MACHINE 00., or

crIIoAeo, ILLINOIS, A. CORPORATION or ILLINOIS S HOW'OARD PRINTING MACHINE Application filed February 13, 1930. .SeriaI No. 428,035.

1 This invention relates tdiiriprovements in a printing device of a typeparticularly adaptable for printing show cards, advertising. cards, menus, price cards and the like.

i Oneof the important objects of my. invention comprises the provision of means for readily and uniformly spacing the lines of type upon the bed of the device, said means being adaptable, to the longitudinal or I transverse positioning of the lines of type, permitting substantially rectangular cards to beprinted either lengthwise or crosswise.

Another important featureof the inven tion resides in themeans for mounting individual blocks of-type in groups to form words, and means for retaining said groups in locked position with respect to the bars upon which the type is mounted.

A, further important object of my invention is to provide means for preventing lateral motion of thecard or sheet which is beingprinted with respect to the face of the type, thus preventing blurring of the printed matter on the cardg Myinvention briefly described comprises a bed plate of rectangular shape bounded on each side by a rack. A plurality of type bars are adapted tobensedin connection with the plate and racks, the number of bars used being dependent upon the number of lines of printing to be done on the sheet. The ends of the bars may be removably disposed in the indentations of oppositely positioned racks. The type used with the device may comprise substantially cubical bodies provided atthe top With the configuration of a letterof the alphabet. The bottom ofthe body may be slotted, thereby forming legs which may loosely straddle the said type bars when the typeare in operative position,

A series of said type bodies maybe grouped together to form' a word, said group being clamped on the type bars by clamps adapted-to be positioned at each end of each group oftype. The clampsmay encircle the type bars andare provided with laterally projecting springs which when p0- sitioned adjacent the ends ofeach group of Q type contact the two outer bodies of the group, firmly pressing the greup of bodies together.

tations may beprovided in the upper faces of thetype bars. The card or sheet tobe printed may be disposed over the typeand may be firmly pressed against the same by means of a roller which passeslongitudinally over the bed plate.

Gther and further important objects of the invention will be apparent fromthe accompanying drawing and following detail description. In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view, illustrating particularly the spacing racks. h .Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line22 of Fig. 1.

' Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. {L is a fragmentary plan view of a the line portion of the device.

11 Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of one of the clamps. h

Beferringmore in detail to the drawing, 1 indicates a'frame or support surmounted upon which is a bed plate 2. The plate 2 may; be of any desirable shape such as square or rectangular. The upper surface ofthe plate may be divided into unitsof desirable dimensions by dividing lines 3, by which means/the placement of the lines of type may accurately be determined. A rack imayborder each longitudinal side of the plate 2, whereas a rack 5 may bound each transverse edge of the said plate. The endsof a type supporting bar 6 are adapted to be loosely positioned in the indentations 7 of oppositely disposed racks. It can readily be seen that the typebars may be disposed either transversely from side rack to side rack or longitudinally from end rack to end rack, and that the various bars may be positioned any predetermined distance from each other.

Thetype adapted to be used in connection withthe present device may comprise a substantially cubical body8 provided at its ings of the individual type members forming V the completed design. The bottom portion of the bodies 8 may be provided with slots 10 dividing the lower portion of the bodies into two legs 11. The bodies 8 may be positioned loosely upon the bars 6, the legs 11 straddling the same.

To form words or to complete designs, as the case may be, type bodies having appropriately configured faces 9 may be grouped together, as shown at 12 in Fig. 2. In order to maintain the groups 12 as a rigid unit, a pair of clamps 13 may be provided at each end of the group. The clamp 13, as shown best in Fig. 5, may comprise a strip 14, appropriately bent to substantially encircle, at its lower end, the type bar 6. .The upper portion of the clamp 13 may be suitably formed to provide a housing 15 for a laterally extending coil spring 16.

To clamp the various groups of type bodies 8, a clamp 13 may be disposed at each end of each group, the springs 16 being adapted to contact the end bodies of the group. In doing so, the clamps 13 are canted away from the end bodies, thus wedging the central portion 17 upon the upper surface of the type bar 6. To assist this wedging action the upper face of the type bar 6 may be provided with notches 18. By the provision of the said notches, the edge 17, when the clamp 13 is canted, engage in the notches and are retained therein by the compression action of the spring 16. In this manner the groups of type 12 are positively locked upon a desired portion of the bar 6.

At one end of the plate 2 adjacent an end rack 5 is a supporting block 19 retained in position upon the frame 1 by means of pins or the like 20. The opposite end of the plate 2 may be provided with a supporting member 21 positioned adjacent an end rack 5, the same being bent at its ends, as shown at 22 in Fig. 4, the bent ends being fastened, in any suitable manner, to an upstanding end stop 23. Disposed immediately behind the member 21 is a parallel bar 24 of greater height than the member 21. Thus, the upper edge of the member 21 forms a shoulder 25.

A rod 26 may be pivotally mounted at its ends to the bent ends of the member 21, the said rod extending transversely across the frame 1. A torsion spring 27 may be operatively mounted upon the rod 26 and member 21, the arrangement being such that when the rod 26 is rocked by means of a handle 28, the rod 26 will return to normal position due to the impelling force of the spring 27. A series of leaf or blade springs 29 may be mounted at predetermined intervals along the length of the rod 26, the free ends of the same being adapted to nor mally contact the shoulder 25.

One end of a card or sheet 30 may be clamped upon the shoulder 25 by the leaf springs 29, the face of the shoulder being disposed at such an angle to the horizontal that the sheet proper is held over the plate 2 and type faces 9 at an'angle, as shown at 31 in Fig. 1.

A roller 32 may be rotatably mounted between two standards 33 and may comprise a core 34 of a rigid substance such as metal, wood or the like having a surface layer of resilient material 35 such as rubber, felt or such similar substance. The lower portion of each of the standards 33 may have rotatably mounted thereon a pair of flanged wheels 36 which may be adapted to be guided by a track 37 comprising a portion of the frame 1. The upper portions of the standards 33 support therebetween a handle 38 by which the standards, guide wheels and roller 32 may be moved longitudinally across the plate 2 and type 8. The lowermost portion of the roller 32 may be disposed in the same horizontal plane as the plane of the type faces 9 and hence when the roller passes over the faces 9 with the card or sheet 30 interposed therebetween, the lower surface of the sheet will be pressed in contact with the faces of the type. The thickness of the card interposed between the faces 9 and roller 32 will be taken up by the resilient layer 35 of said roller.

In printing sheets or cards of exceptional length or of diminished thickness, it can be readily seen that the unsupported end of the card 31 may droop and contact the last row of type and upon passing the roller 32 thereover the sheet will slide over the faces of the said last row of type, thus blurring the last line of printed matter. To eliminate'this difliculty, I provide a block 39, similar in construction to the type bodies 8. The upper portion of the block 39 may be apertured to receive a small coil spring 40. A plurality of said blocks may be mounted uponthe last type bar and support the end of sheet 30 above the last row of type. Hence, lateralv motion of the sheet 30 with respect to the type faces 9 will be effectively prevented.

In operation, a plurality of groups of type 12 may be mounted upon a plurality of type bars 6 each group being locked thereon by means of the clamps 13. It is to be understood, of course, that more than one word or one sequence of design may be locked between two clamps 13, merely by using spacing blocks (not shown) which may take the form of the type bodies 8 without the faces 9. The type faces 9 may then be inked in any suitable manner, for instance, by passing a hand inking roller (not shown) over the said faces. A sheet or card 30 may be mounted upon the shoulder 25 and the roller 32 pulled across the type by means of the handle 38. The card may then be removed and a fresh card inserted.

It is apparent that herein is provided a device upon which show cards, advertising cards and the like may be printed. The machine is characterized by the speed at which cards of the above described character may be printed and also the ease with which the type maybe set up and locked. The machine is simple in construction and contains no moving parts but the roller unit, which may be of extremely rugged construction. A device of this character may be manufactured economically and will instantly find a ready market.

I am aware that many modifications of my device may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, for instance, the coil springs 16 may be supplanted by leaf springs; the coil springs lO may also be supplanted by leaf springs, hence I do not wish to be limited except as necessitated by the prior art.

I claim is. my invention:

1. In combination, a frame, a plate mounted on said frame, racks disposed along opposite edges of the plate, means for supporting the rear faces of a line of type upon said plate, said means comprising a type bar supported by said oppositely disposed racks, and means for mounting type upon said type bar, said means including type bodies having slots provided at their rear faces, the type bars being adapted to engage in said slots and support said type. i p

2. In combination, a frame, a plate mounted on said frame, racks disposed along opposite edges of the plate, means for supporting a line of type upon said plate, said .means comprising a type bar supported by said oppositely disposed racks, means for mounting type upon said type bar, said means including type bodies having slots provided at their lower portions, the type bars being adapted to engage in said slots and support said type, and resilient means for looking a group of said type upon the bar as a unit. 3. In combination, a frame, a plate mounted on said frame, racks disposed along opposite edges of the plate, means for supporting a line of type upon said plate, said means comprising a type bar supported by said oppositely disposed racks, means for mounting type upon said type bar, said means including type bodies having slots provided at their lower portions, the type bars being adapted to engage in said slots and support said type, and slidable means for looking a group of said type upon the bar as a unit, said means comprising a clamp mounted upon the bar and operatively positioned at cach'end of each group, said clamps being adapted to maintain the type bodies comprising the group in contact with each other under pressure and simultaneously lock the group as a unit upon the type 'bar.

4. In combination, a frame, a plate mounted on said frame, racks disposed along opoperatively positioned at each end of each group, said clamps being adapted to maintain the type bodies comprising the group in contact with each other under pressure and simultaneously lock the group as a unit upon the type bar, means for supporting a sheet over the face of the type, and means for pressing the sheet in contact with said type faces and printing the configuration of the type upon the sheet.

5. In combination, means for supporting a line of type comprising oppositely disposed spaced parallel racks, a type bar supported by said racks, the said type bar being provided with a plurality of identations, a plurality of type bodies mounted upon said type bar and means for locking said type upon said bar, said locking means when in locking position engaging in said indentations.

6. In combination, means for supporting a line of type comprising oppositely disposed spaced parallel racks, a type bar supported by said racks, the said type bar being provided with a plurality of indentations, a plurality of type bodies mounted upon said type bar and means for locking said type upon said bar, said means including a clamp loosely mounted upon said bar, a spring positioned upon said clamp for applying pressure to the side of the type body, the reaction of said pressure being adapted to cant the clamp and engage the same in an indentation in the bar.

7 A show card printing machine, including in combination, a frame, a plate mounted on said frame, racks disposed along opposite edges of the plate, a type bar supported by said oppositely disposed racks, means for mounting type upon said type bar, and means for normally supporting a card above and spaced from said type faces, comprising an angularly disposed shoulder upon which an end of the card is clamped and a resilient support for said card mounted on a type bar remote from said curd supporting shoulder.

8. In combination, a plate, guides disposed along opposite edges of the plate, means for 5 supporting a plurality of lines of upwardly facing printing type upon said plate, and means associated With the guides for automatically spacing the lines of type a predetermined distance from each other. In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

FRANK J. COOK.

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