Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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13ACKGROUND OF T~IE INVENTION
In applications involving presses, duplicators,
folders, conveyors and other types of equipment having a
stack sheet infeed assembly thereon, it is desirable to
utilize therewith, an electro-mechanical marking devicè in
eonjunction with the stack sheet feed assembly to provide
a desired marking on each of the sheets prior to the
subsequent operation being performed thereon. No other marking
devices have been employed to be utilizecl on the s-tack feed
infeed assembly of any existing type of equipment whieh performs
some;subsequent operation, such as printing, collating and folding.
Moreover, prior art devices are useful only in
perEorminc~ a single functiol- or operation, Eor exarnple, some
devices may code, some may date and some may imprint but
not in conjunetion with an infeed mechanism of existincJ
equipment whieh performs other or subsequent operations such
as printing, collating and folding. Also, because each of
these prior art devices, whieh provide one function or operation
only, are costly and expensive to manufacture, such costs have
prevented their widespread application and use.
Furthermore, the prior art devices are unabLe to self-
adjust to s~acked sheet assemblies that are cons~an~ly chang.inc
in height or to stacked sheets that become curled, unlevel or
uneven. Thus, to overcome sueh diffieulties, such devices
must be shut down and manually adjusted to accommodate such
eonditions. Also, under sueh conditions the marking quality
of sueh prior art deviees have been less than desirable.
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Additionally, the amount of time and labor spent
by the user of such ~paratus as a separate operation, for
example, printing, folding and/or collating has severely
restricted the acquiring of such apparatus. Lastly, such
separately functioning devices require ancl utilize considerable
space and are complicated in structure and expensive to .
manufacture.
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SUi~lARY OF THE INVENTION :
One object of the present invention is to provide
an.electro-mechanical marking device which is adapted to " ' .
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receive and opera~e a plurality of interchangeable marking 1~ . .
heads.
It i8 a further object o~ tlle preserlt invention '
to provi~e an elec~ro-mechanical mark.ing device which mcly
be rapidly secured to an apparatus having a stack sheet ~
infeed system. ' ~'
. It. is still another object of the present inve~tion ¦
to provide an electro-mechanical marking device utilizing '~` i .
. relatively few parts, which is of simple construction and ' `'
reliable in operation.
I~ is s~ill a furt}ler object of the present invention
.
to provide a control system for synchroni~ing the operation of !
a plurality of electro-mechanical marking devices.
It is another object o the present invention to .
provide an electro-mechanical marking device capable of ' '
-performing one or more operations while the machine to which'
it is attached is performing its original function.
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It is yet another object of the present invention to
provide an electro-mechanical marking device having a resiliently
mounted foot device to provide self-leveling of the marking
device during the outward actua-tion position.
The electro-mechanical marking device of the present
invention includes a solenoid mounted in the housing which
energizes an armature element to move the same from an at res-t
position to an extended actuated position. The housing includes
- two slide guides mounted to the open end of the housing and
adapted to receive the U-shaped frame of the interchangeab1e
marki;ng heads, as will hereinaEter be described. The U-shaped
frame of each interchangeable head is loosely and floatingl~
attached to the open end oE thc housin(J adjacent the slide
guicle by EastenincJ means.
Each of the interchangeable marking heads include
a U-shaped frame member, a tubular sleeve through which an
elonyated post member extends upwardly therefrom, the end of which
includes a striking plate which contac-ts the armature element.
The elongated post member is held in the at rest position by A
helical compressed spring positioned between the end of the
tubular sleeve and the stri~ing plate against the armature
element. The oLher end oE th~ elongatecl post member is attached ~;
to the working mechanism of each o the interchangeable marking
heads, for examplej a band dater and coder, a bar-coder and
imprinter, a marginal word imprinter, a hot foi1 stamper and a
numberer.
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The interchangeable marking heads each include a
main shaft portion extending outwardly therefrom and having
openings therein which are adapted to receive and resiliently
mount a marking device foot element. The foot elementl i5
comprised of a U-shaped base plate having parallel foot shafts
extending upwardly therefrom. Each of the shafts include `
compression springs therearound, with the shaf-t ends being
engageable with a snap ring to resiliently mount the foot element
to the interchangeable marking head.
' ' The interchangeable band dating and coding head '
ihcludes a common band dater or coder having extensions thereof
which include projections thereon. 5'he interchangeable band
dater and coder is mounted to the e:lec~ro-mechanical marking' '
devlce by slid:in~J the U-~haped Erame into the slide ~uides o~
the open end housiny and securing the set screw. This positions
the striking plate against the armature element in the at rest -
position. ' '~
To operate the electro~mechanical device, fastening
means is provided to attach the device housin~ -to the particular
apparatus to permit the electro-mechanical marking device to
per~orm the part.icular unc~ion on the sheets o~ material which
are remoYed sequentially from a stack sheet ineed assembly.
Upon eneryization of the solenoid,-the drive element
is driven and moved from its at rest position downwardly to itsi'
extended actuated position. Simultaneously with the movement
, of the drive element, the interchangeable dater and coder head~ i~ ,
is moved from its at rest position to an extended iactuated position
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493
thereby causiny the marking device foot element to engage the
sheet stack to secure the stacked sheets and level an~ curls
or wrinkles in the paper. Then, the individual marking head
engages the surface of the stack of sheets to effect a pressure
contact between the interchangeable marking head and the top
sheet of the stacked sheets to mark the same with the particular
indicia on the interchangeable marking head. The solenoid is
connected to an electric circuit having a manual operated switch
therewith which interrupts the reyular operating cycle of the
solenoid in order to resynchronize the machine with the sequence
of the precollated papers in the event the sequence is broken.
The electrical impulse that energiæes the ~olenoid is directed
to the machine ~hroucJh a june~ion box. Th~ junction box circuit
inelude.s an incoming elec~rical iMpulse interrupt~d by a norm~lly
open switch which i8 activated by a moving cam on the machine to
which it is attached. The junction box 'contains also`a manually
operated switch which is utili~ed -to synchronize all of the
impulses leaving the junction box through its plurality o~
outletsl if it is desired that more than one marking head j
be utilized on the same machine. In normal operation, the two
manually operated swithces, one on the machine and one on the
junction box are in a closed position, and a noramlly open
switch controls the electrical impulse to the solenoid in time with
the rotating cam on the machine. When the cam of the machine to
which it is attached, closes the normally open switch, the -
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solenoid is energized to drive the armature ayainst the striking
plate thereby depressing the helical spring and driving the '
elongated shaft downwards causing the interchange~ble marking head
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to imprint the indicia thereon on the top sheet of the infeed
stack. When the rotating cam releases the normally open
switch, the electro~mechanical marking device returns to an
at rest position and the machine removes the topmost imprint-
ed sheet to per~orm its originally intended operation and
exposes the next sheet for the next cycle of operatlon.
In a further embodiment of the present invention,
che interchangeable marking head provides bar-coding and ~
imprinting. The interchangeable bar-coder and imprinter head
includes a platen having projections extending outwardly from
the ends thereof. The face of the platen accepts a double
sided tape towhich a rubber or metal enc~raved prin-ting or
codincJ plat~ is ~ttach~d. The clo~gated pO5 t memb~3x is
attA~hable to the platen wlth ~he~ opposite end thereoE b~ing
~irmly secured by ~pring pressure against the end of the
armature element, as previously described. The projections
extending outwardly from the platen are positioned within the
grooves within the inside surface of the depending leg members
of the U-shaped frame.
In still a further embodiment of the present
invention, the interchangeable marking head is a marginal
w~rd imprinter. The interchancJ~able marginal worcl imprinter
head includes a U-shaped frame having a rotatable marginal
word imprinter head mounted within a U-shaped bracket. The
imprin-ter head may have six~ eight and ten sides theron,
with one end having a ratchet gear mounted theron which
is selectively engaged by a spring mounted pawl. The pawl
and ratchet mechanism act as an indexing mechanism for the
marginal word imprinter head. One end of the elon~ated post
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member is attachable to the U-shaped bracket, with the other end
being inserted through the tubular sleeve and secured by spring
pressure against the end of the armature. With each downward
stroke of the markiny device, the pawl engages the ratchet gear
to rotate the marginal word imprinter head in the U-shaped bracket
to index the same. j
A further embodiment of the electro-mechanical marking
device includes an interchangeable marking head which provides
hot foil stamping. In this embodiment, the U-shaped frame is
similar to that set forth above except the tubular sleeve on
the connecting web is somewhat larger to accommodate an elongated
soldering heating elcment which acts as the eloncJated post member.
The end oE the armature engayes a striking pla~e attac}led to a
receptacle into which is secured a rc~laceable electrical soldering
iron element to push the same downwardly to the actuated position.
The soldering iron element end, opposite the attachment to the
electrical recepkacle, is attached to a platen having side
panels mounted thereon which are adapted to be received by the
grooves in the inward surface of the U-shaped frame. To the
platen, an engravincJ plate is secured with high temperature
double sided tape. When the solenoid is energized the armature
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drives downwards on the strikiny plate causing the previou~ly
heated platen, on which is mounted an engraved plate, to strike
the top sheet of the pile through the foil thereby leaving a foil
replica of the engraved plate on the paper. On the return stroke ~
the foil material is advanced for the next engagement. -
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A further embodiment of the electro-mechanical
marking device includes an interchangeable marking head which -
provides for the affixing of pressure sensitive pre-printed ¦
- labels. This head is identicai to the bar-coding and
A .
imprinting head except that attached thereto is a label feed
and take up mechanism which is actuated by the downstroke of
the platen. The label is projected from :its carrier substrate ' ~
by bending the web sharply over a bar member. The projected I
label is pressed down and affixed to -the top sheet o the pile
by the imprinting platen. Further action is identical to that
o~ the imprinting head, as set forth above.
A further embodiment of the electro-mechanical ;
marking device includes an interchancJeable marking head which
provides ~or consecutive, duplicate, ~riplicate, quadruplicake,
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five, six, ~welve or repeat numbering. ~lowever, it is within
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the scope of the present inven-tion to include skip numbering. ~-
This conventional numbering head consists of a five, sixj
seven or eight wheel numbering head within the U-shaped '
bracket at the end of the elonga-ted post, enclosed within the
U-shaped frame, which is cam actuated when the armature
depresses on the striking pla~e ~o move khe head into an '
actuated position. '
The resiliently mounted marking device ~oot element
attached to the interchangeable marking heads improves the ~ -
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quality of the printed image automatically on level or unlevel -
stacked sheets and provides uniform quality imprinting or marking
on wrinkled or curled stacked sheet assemblies gf constantly
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changing height without manual adjustment. The print quality is
superior to that possible in previous prior art devices
because the prior art devices require manual~acljustment to the
changing stack height and generally rely on hand pressure
driven devlces. Moreover, such previous devices do not allow
for unlevel or uneven material except by overdriving the marking
-device and thus producing uneven and inferior quality images.
When the solenoid of the present interchangeable marking head is
actuated, the compression springs force the base plate oE the
foot element downwardly against the paper stack thereby
securing the paper in a fixed position and leveling any curls
or wrinkles in the paper. The mark:incf devicc further continues
its downward ~hrust until it prints its image on the paper
wl~hin the openillg in ~he U-sh~ped base p:Late. When the h~lical
compressionsprings of the marking devices return the device to
its at rest position, the compression springs maintain the base
plate of the foot against the paper stack until the marking device
raises sufficiently for the main shaft to lift the foot element
back against the base of the U-shaped frame assembly.
The numbering head includes a bar member which is
moun~ed to both the U-shaped bracket and to ~he U-shaped member
which positions a Eelt inking device in contact w:Lth the numbering
head when the numbering head is in the at rest position. When the
numbering head is actuated and is moved to its extended position the
bar member and the mounted inking device thereon is pivoted out
of the way of the downward stroke of the numbering head.
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In the following interchangeable heads,,namely the
bar-coder and imprinter, the dater and coder, the marginal ~'
word imprinter and the numberer, each of these interchangeable
marking heads include a bar member for holding an inking
device adjacent the insignia mounted onto the marking head.
A novel ink applying cartridge adapted for use to the above
types of interchangeable heads is set forth and claimed in
copending application entitled INK SUPPLY CARTRIDGE filed
by the present Applicant and assigned to the same Assignee
10' as'the present invention.
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BRIE:F DE:SCRIPTION OF TIIE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a partial perspectlve view of a pxinting
apparatus havincJ a stack shect Eeed assembl~ incorpora~ing
~he electro-mechanLcal marking device in accordallce with the
present invention;
Fig. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of
the electro-mechanical marking device in accordance with
the present invention incorporating an interchangeable
dating and coding head in accordance with the present
,invention;
Fig. 3 is a side eleva~ional view of an interchangeable
datincJ and coding head which is adapted to be attached to the
electro-mechanical marking device in accordance with the present
invention;
Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of an inter-
changeable bar-coder and imprinter head which is adapted to be
attached to the electro-mechanical marking device in accordance
with the present invention;
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Fig. 5 is an exploded persp~ctive view of an inter-
changeable marginal word imprinter head and foot assembly which is . .
adapted to be attached to the electro-mechanical marking device
in accordance with the present invention;
Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the inter-
! changeable marginal word imprinter head and fc)ot assembly in the
electro-mechanical marking device showing the oepration thereof
between an at rest position and an extended actuated position;
Fig. 7 is a perspective view of an interchangeable
heat stamping head which may be attached to the electro-
mechanical marking device in accordance with the present invention;
Fig. 8 is a perspective view of.the electro-
mechanical marking device having an interchangeable heat
s~amping head in the actua~d position;
E';iy. 9 is a cross-seational view show.ing th~ ,
attachment o~ an interchangeable label afixincJ head to the
electro-mechanical marking device in accordance with the present
invention; ,,
Fig. 10 is a perspective view o~ an interchangeable
numbering head and Eoot assembly which is adapted to be attached
to the electro-mechanical marking device in accordance with the
pre~ent invention; .I,
Fig. 11 is a partial view of the ~aSten.illCJ ,,
elements used in mounting the electro-mechanical marking
device to the frame of a printing apparatus;
Fig. 12 is an electrical d.iagram illustrating the.
electric circuit used with the electro-mechanical marking device
in accordance with the present invention; . , "
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Fig. 13 is a top plan view of the junction box
used with the electro-mechanical marking device in accordance
with the present invention;
Fig. 14 is an electrical diagram illustrating the
electrical circuit used with the junction box in accordance
with the present invention;
Fig. 15 is an exploded perspective view showing the
mounting of the foot assembly to an interchangea~le marginal
word imprinted head in accordance with the presen-t invention;
Fig. 16 is a side elevational view of an interchangeable
dating.and coding head and foot assembly which is adapted to be
attached to the electro-mechanical markinc3 device in accorclance
with the present invention;
~ ig~ 17 is a sidc elevatiollal view oE an in~erch~rlcJ~able
dating and codiny head and ~oot assembly in accoxdance with
the present invention showing the engagement of the marking
device with a preferred level of stacked sheets;
Fig. 18 is a side elevational view of the marking
device of Fig. 17 showing the engagement oE the marking device
to a lower level of stacked sheets7
Fig. 19 is a side elevational view oE the markincJ
device oE Fiy. 17 showing the engacJement o~ the mar]cincJ device to
a higher level of stacked sheets; and
Figs. 20 and 21 are side elevational views of the
marking device of Fig. 17 showing the engagement and alignm~nt
o the marking device with unleveled stacked sheets.
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DETl~ILED DE5CRIPTION
Referring now to the drawings in grea~er detail,
wherein like numbers have been used throughout the various
views to designate similar parts, there is illustrated in
Figs. 1 and 2, an electro-mechanical device 10 in which the
interchangeable markin~ heads according to the present ~nvention
are employed. The electro-mechanical marking device 10 is
mounted on an apparatus or machine 11 having stack sheet infeed
apparatus 12, with the individual sheets 14 of material being fed
from;the stack sheet feed apparatus 12 into the machine 11 to
have the specific opera-tion performed thereon, such as pxinting,
duplicating, foldillc3, conveyincJ and the like. The electro--
mech~nical marking devi.ce 10 includes a ver~ically di.sposed
housing lG that is mounted on the machine 11, as will hereinater
be described.
An electrically operated solenoid 22 is positioned
within the housin.g 16, which when enery.ized, imparts a downward
movement to a vertically disposed armature or drive element 24.
The housing 16 includes a closed end 21 having a central opening
23 therein which is adapted to receive and permit the upper portionr
attached by a ~as~ening n~eans 2~ to tl1e drive eLement 24, to
extend above the housing 16. Pre~erably, a nylon re-tainer means
25A is provided between drive element 24 and closed end 21 to .
hold a constant down pressure on drive element 24. The armature
or drive element 24 extends through the solenoid 22 and includes a
iower portion 26 which is adapted to engage the striking pla-ke
end 31 of the extension post 30 the interchangeable markiny heads,
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as will hereinafter be described. The armature 24 includes a
a frame 27 which is removably secured to,the housing 16 by a
number of fastening means 28. If desired, the fastening means
., may be composed of an electrically insulative material to
insulate the electrical components of the device 10 from the
housing 16, The slide guides member 32 are a pair of dependiny
legs which extend downwardly below the housing 16 to a
position ~ust aboue the uppermost sheet in the stack sheet feed
apparatus 12.
' The slide guides 32 are grooved to accept the U-shaped
frame 18 of the interchangeable marking heads. ~ set or locking
screw 19 is adapted to be received ~y a countcrborc in slide
gu1des 3~ adaptad to projec~ .in~o rcces~ed Area 19~ in the
U-shaped ~rame 1~ t:hereby removably and floatingly securin~ the
-interchangeable head ko the electro-mechanical markin~ device.
The set or locking screw 19 locks into the counterbore 20 oE'the
housing slide ~uides and; is ~of suc,h a length that the end the,r,eof
project into the recessed area 19~ in the U-shaped frame 18 as
shown in Figs. 2 and 16-20. Importantly, the screws 19 do not
20 secure the U-shaped rame by pressure o threads, but rather, the
dis~ance between the slide guides 32 and the U-shaped ~rame is
about 0.020 inch to permit the U-shaped ~rame and head device
to loosely float within the slide guides 32, as will hereinafter
be described.
' Prior to the electro-mechanical marking device 10
being placed in operation, the device may be attached by fastening
means 44 (Fig. 11) to the ~achine 11., An L-shaped bracket 45
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includes a lower extenslon 46 substa~tially horizontally
therefrom.. A U-shaped attachment bracket 48 extends downwardly
over a portion of the apparatus or machine 11 with the bracket
having horizontally aligned bores therein through which the
second leg extension 46 of the L-shaped bracket may be axtended.
The U-shaped bracket member 48 has a tapped bore 49 formed in
the web portion thereof which threaded bore is engaged by a
screw 50. By loosening or tigh-ten ng the screw 50, the lower
extension 46 is disposed in the openings 52 of the U-shaped bracket
member ~8;and may be released or locked relative to the machine 11
to dispose the housing 16 at a desired lateral position relative
to the stacked sheet feed apparatus 12 (not shown). The housing 16
may be vertlcally adjusted relative ~o ~h~ stack 1~ by looscning
or ~igh~enin~ o~ the screw ~asteninc3 means ~2 extending tllrou~h
elonyated slo~ ~not shown) in the L-~haped bracket ~5. Thus,
;the electro-mechanical marking device 10 may be mounted to the
machine 11 in operative relationship with the stack of sheets to be ~.
fed into machine 11 by mere].y loosening the fastening means
42 to raise or lower the housing 16, as desired.
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In Figs. 3 and 16-20 the interchangeable mar~ing head 55,
which.is particularly adaptable. or use in tlle electro- '
mechanical marking device lO, includes an interchangeable dating
and coding.head 56 having a U-shaped bracket S8 containing a
common band dater 59, having a main shaft or projections 62 ~.
.thereon, which are adapted to be received by the grooves 17 .:.
. located on the inside of U-shaped frame member 18.
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The interchangeable marking heads each includes the
mainshaft 62 portion extending outwardly therefrom and openings
62A (not shown) therein which areadapted to receive and resiliently
mount a marking device foot element 110. The foot element 110
is comprised of a U-shaped base plate 112 having parallel foot
shafts 114 extending upwardly therefrom. Each of the shafts
114 include compression springs 116 therearound, with the shaft
ends 117 being engageable with s snap ring 118 to resiliently
mount the foot element 110 to the mainshaft 62 portion of the
10 marking head 55. The elongated post member 30 is attached to
the U-shaped bracket 58 and passes through the U shaped frame 18
and tubular sleeve 3S extending up and includin~ a striking
plake 31 on the end thereo~. Between striking plate 31 and tubular
81QV~ 35 there is a hel~ical compressed spring ~0 which holds
~head 55 in an at rest position against lower portion 26
of armature 24 when the same is inserted into electro-mechanical
marking device 10. Thus, the interchangeable band dater and
coder head 56 is mounted to the electro-mechanical marking device 10
by sliding the U-shaped frame 18 into the slide guides 32 of
the open end housing and securing the set screws 19 into a
counterbore 20 in the housing slide guides 32. This positions
~he striking plate 31 a~ainst tlle armaturc elemerlt in the at
rest position. The band dater 59 on the dater and coder head 56
is of the nature of a common band dater which may be manually
-indexed and includes a bar member 60 for holding an inking pad
adjacent the band dater 59, as is well known in the art.
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Upon the energization,of the solenoid 22, the
drive element 24 is driven and moved from its at rest position
downwardly to its extended actuated position. Simultaneously, , ;
with the movement of the -drive element 24, the attached inter- n
changeable dater and coder head 56 is moved from its at rest
position to an extended actuated position whereby the foot element
110 engages the sheets 14 to secure the sheets and level any
curl or wrinkles in the sheets. Then the band dater or coder
59 engages or imprints the insignia or mark on the uppermost one
10 ~ the sheets in the stack of paper in the infeed stack 12. ;' "
, ' ' Thus, simultaneously with the movement oE the
drive elements 24 and lower uortion 26, the interchancJeable I
dater and coder head 56,' via strikincJ head 31, is moved ~rom ¦
~it~ at rest position to an extended ~tuated position whexeby
the foot e'lement 110 and then the individual marking head '
,engages the surface of the stack of sheets to effect a pressure
contact between the interchangeable marking head and the top
,sheet 14 of the stacked sheets to mark the same with the part1cular
indicia on the interchangeable marking head. The solenoid 22
20 i~ connected to an electric circuit (Fig. 12) having a manual
opcrated switch 162 therewith, which interrupts the regular
operating cycle oE the solenoid inorder to resynchronize the
machine 11 with the sequence,of precollated papers in th,e event
the sequence is broken. The electrical impulse that energizes '
the solenoid 22 is directed to the machine through a junction box
, ~100 (, Fig. 13). The junction box circuit (Fig. 14) includes an
incoming electrical impulse interrupted by a noramlly open switch 66
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which is activated by A moving cam 67 on the machine 11 to which
it is attached. The junction box 100 contains also a manually
operated switch 102 which is utilized to snychronize all of
the impulses heaving the junction box through its plurality of
outlets 103, if it is desired that more than one inter- -
changeable marking head is to be utilized on the same machine.
In normal operation, the two manually operated switches 62 and
102, one in the device 10 and one on the junction box 100 are
in a closed position, and a normally open switch 66 controls
the electrical impulse to the solenoid 22 in time with the
rotating c;am 67 on the machine 11. When the cam 67 of the machine
11 to which it is attached, closes the normally open switch 66,
the solenoid 22 is energized -to drive the armature 26 against
the striking plate 31 thereby depressing the helical spring ~0 and
drlving the elongated shaft 30 downwards causing the interchangeclble
marking head 55 to imprint the indicia thereon on the top sheet 14
of the infeed stack apparatus 12. When the rotating cam 67 ,
releases the normally open switch 66, the electro-mechancial
marking device 10 returns to an at rest position and the machine
removes the topmost imprinted sheet to perform its originally
intended operation and exposes the next sheet fQr the next cycle of
operation. If desired, junction box 100 may contain a circuit
breaker (not shown), as ~ saEety precaution. .
The resilientl~y mounted marking device foo~ element 11;0
attached to the marking head 55 automatically improves the
quality of the printed image on level IFig. 16) or unlevel
(Figs. l9 and 20) stacked sheets 14 by first engaging the stacked
sheets 14 to hold the sheets in a wrinkle free and uncurled
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condition. Additionally, by utilizing compression springs 116
i about each of the shafts 114 and the locking sc:rew 19 i~ . ¦
counterbore 20, the foot element 114 and marking head!55 a~e
resilient and loosely mounted to permit uniform quality
printing on constantly changing heights of stac:ked sheets 14
(as shown in Figs. 17 and 18) as well as on un].evel stacked. .
. sheets 14 (as shown in Figs. 19 and 20). This result occurs `
because the marking he~d 55 is loosely and floatingly mounted to
the slide guides 32 to permit the marking head to seek its OWJl
10 levei and heights with respect to the unlevel stacked sheets 14 .
to thereby automatically permit the heacl 55 to mark staclced sheets
that are also varying in heigllt. .
~n operation, the markincJ hciad 55 is ac~uated d~wnwardly
~thereb,y compressing the comp.r~s ion sprincJs 116 to thereby ., . .
move the U-shaped base plate 112 downwardly and away from the.
base of the U-shaped frame 18 to engage the stacked sheets,14.
The marking head continues downwardly until the marking.device :
55,"or more specifically the band dater 59, engages and prints".
an image. or mark on the stacked sheet 14. When the comrpession .
20 spring 40 partially returns the device SS to,its inward at rest :
position, the compression sprincJs 116 maintain the base plaite 112
of the foot element 110 in engagement with the stacked sheets 14
until the device 55 raises sufficiently for the main shaft,l.62.
via snap ring 118 and fobt shats 114 to return the foot
element against the base of the U-shaped frame 18 or to its at
rest po5ition. ~ ! ~ .,
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In a furthcr em~odiment of thc present inven~ion,
the interchangeable marking head 55 includes a bar-coding and
imprinting head 73. The interchangeable bar-coder and
imprinting head 73 (Fig. 4) includes a platen 74 having
proiections 75 mounted thereon and extending outwardly from
the ends 76 thereof. However, it is within the scope of
this invention to machine the projections 75 integral to the
ends of the platen. To the face of the platen 74 is attached a
double sided tape 77 to which a rubber or metal engraved printing
or coding plate 78 may be attached. The elongated post
membçr 30 ;is attachable to the platen 74 with the opposite~
end having the striking plate 31 thereon, and being ~'
engageable wi~h the U-shaped rame 18 throucJh ~he use o~
the tubul~r sleeve 35. ~lellcal sprincJ 40 enyacJes the s~riking
~plate 31, as described previously with respect to FicJ. 3~ to
hold the had against the armature 26. The projections 75
extending outwardly from the platen 74 are positioned within
the grooves 17 wikhin the inside surface of the depending ~ ;~
leg members of U-shaped frame 18. ;''
In still a ~urther embodiment of the present ~ !`
linvention, the inter~bangeable markiny head 55 is a maryinal
word imprinter ha~d 78. The interchanyeable marcJinal word
imprinter head 78 (Figs. 5-16 and 15-16) includes a U-shaped bracket 79
having openings 81 in the sides 80 whichare adapted to
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receive and to hold a rotatable marginal word imprintex
wheel 82. The imprinter wheel 82 may have six~ eight and ten
siges thereof, as desired, with one end thereof having a ratchet
gear 83 mounted thereon which is selectively engaged by a
spring mounted pawl assembly 84, which provides an automatic
indexing mechanism for the marginal word imprinter head 78.
The elongated post member 30 is attached to the U-shaped bracket
79 and then inserted through the tubular sleeve 35 of the U~shaped
frame member 18. After the pos-t member 30 is inserted through
the tubular sleeve 35, the helical spring 40 is inserted thereon
and the st;riking plate 31 is attached to the end of the post member 30.
The interchangeable marginal word imprinker head 78
each includes a mainsha~ 62 portion extending outwardly therefrom
and openings 62A ~FicJ. 15) the~rein whicll are adApted to receive
~and resiliently mount a markincJ device ~oot element :L10. As set
forth previously, the foot element 110 is comprised of a U-shaped
base plate 112 having parallel foot shafts 114 extending upwardly
therefrom. Each of the shafts 114 include compress.ion springs 116
therearound, with the shaft ends 117 being engageable with a
snap ring 118 to resiliently mount the foot element 110 to the
mainsha~t 62 portion oE the head 78. As set forth above, the
interchancJeable marg;inal word imprinter head 78 :is then mounted to
slide yuides 32 of the housing 16 to complete the assembly oE
the electro-mechanical marker device 10, with each downward stroke
o~ the armature marking device 78, the pawl 84 engages the
ratchet gear 83 to rotate the marginal word imprinter head and
index the same for the next imprinting operation~ Thus, with the
marginal word imprinter 78 it is possible to print on precollated
paper and imprint marginal words at the same time by affixing
appropriate rubber printing plate with double sided tape.
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493
The resiliently rnounted marking device foot element 110
attached to the imprinter head 78 automatically improves the
quality of the printed image on level tFig. 16) or unlevel
(for example Figs. 19 and 20) stacked sheets 14 by first engaging
the stacked sheets 14 to hold the shee-ts in a wrinkle free and
u~curled condition. Additionally, by utilizing compression springs
- 116 about each of the shafts 114 and the lock:ing screw 19 in
counterbore 20, the foot elements 114 and imprinter head 78 are-
resilient and loosely mounted to permit uniform quality printin~ on
cons antly changing heights of stacked sheets 19 as well as on
unlevel stacked sheets 14. This result occurs because the
imprinter head 78 is loosely and ~loat;ingly mounted to the slide
guides 32 to permit the imprinter head to seek its own level
and heights with respect to the unlcvel stacked sheets 14 tv
thereby automatically permit -the head 78 to mark stacked sheets
that are also varying in height.
In operation, the imprinter head 78 is actuated downwardly
thereby compressing the compression springs 116 to thereby
move the U-shaped base plate 112 downwardly and away from the
base of the U-shaped frame 18 to engage the stacked sheets 14.
The imprinter head continues downwardly until ~he head engages
and prints an image or mark on the stacked sheet 14. When the
compression spring 40 (Fig. 6) partially returns the head 78 to its
inward at rest position, the compression springs 116 maintain the
base plate 112 of the foot element 110 in engagement with the ~ -~
stacked sheets 14 until the head 78 raises sufficiently for the main
shaft 62 via snap ring 11~ and foot shafts 114 to return t:he foot
element against the base of the V-shaped frame 18 or to its at
rest position.
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A further embodiment of the electro-mechanical
marking device is shown in Figs. 7 and 8 and includes an
interchangeable marking head 55 which provides a hot foil
stamping head 86. In this embodimen-t, the U-shaped frame ,
18 is similar to that set forth above except the tubular
sleeve 35 on the connecting web 34 is somewhat larger to acco~nodate
an elongated soldering heating element 87 which acts as the
elongated post member 30. The end of -the armature 26 (not shown)
engages a striking plate 31 a-ttached to an electrical receptacle
88 into which is secured a replaceable elec~rical soldering iron
elemerit 87 to push the same downwardly to the actuated position.
The soldering iron element 87 inclucles an end portion, opposite -the
attachment to the electrical receptacle, wh:icll is attache~ to
a platen 92 having sicle panels 93 mounted thereon, preferab,ly
composed oE Transite, a trademark owned.by Johns Manville Corp.
for.asbestos board, which are adapted to be received by the
grooves 17 (not shown) in the inward surface of the U-shaped
frame 18. An engraving plate (not shown) is secured with.high
temperature double sided tape to the platen 92. The electrical
receptacle 88 includes electrical contacts 89 which are in
.0 sliding contact with an electrical connection 90 to provide a
continuou9 circuit duriny the movement oE the heating element 87
oE the hot foil stamping head 86 from its at rest position,.as .
shown in Fig. 7 to its extended actuated position, as shown in Fig. 8,
to thereby engage a foil 91 mounted by take-up rolls 94 onto the ~¦
end of the depending legs of V-shaped frame member.18 to heat ~tamp
the eOil upon a substrate material. ~ ,
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When the solenoid 22 is energized the armature 26 is
moved from its at rest position to its extended actuatecl position
and thereby moves striking plate 31 and attached elongated soldering
element 87 and ~he heating platen 92 to strike the top sheet of the
substrate material through the foil 31 thereby leaving a foil
replica of the engraved plate on the substrate. A helical compressed
spring 40 returns the hot foil stamping head 86 to its inward
at rest posit1on and foil 91 is advanced for the next hot foil
stamping operation.
The electro-mechanical marking device 10 may also
include an interchangeable marking head 55 which provides for
the affixing of pressure sensitive pre~-printed labels. 'rh:is label
aE~lxincJ head is identical to the bar~codincJ an~ imprintinc3 hQad 73
as ~hown in Fiy. ~, excopt that attactled thereto is a label feed
and take up mechanism 95 actuated by the downstroke of the platen.
The label feeding mechanism 95 (Fig. 9) includes a frame member 96
having a eed roll 97 and a take up roll 98 moun-ted thereon. The
label 99 is projected from its carrier substrate by bending the web
sharply over a bar member 110. The projected label is pressed
down and aEfixed to the top sheet of the pile by the imprinting
plat~n 7~ Further action is i~entical to that o~ tlle
imprinting head, as set forth above.
A further embodimen-t of the electro-mechanical marking
device includes an interchangeable marking head 78 which provides
for consecutive, duplicate, triplicate, quadruplicate, five,
six, twelve, repeat numberiny, or skip numbering. This
conventional numbering head 78 (Fig. 10) consisting of a five, six,
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twelve, repeat numbering, or skip numbering. This conventional
numbering head 78 ~Fig. 10) consisting of a five, six, seven
or eight wheel numbering head 82A (only partially shown) within
: the U-shaped bracket 79 at the end of the elongated post 30 and
enclosed within the U-shaped frame, with a plurality of wheels
being selectively engaged with spring mounted pawl mechanism 84
which provides an indexing mechanism for the numbering head 78,
in the same manner as the interchangeable marginal word imprinter as
set forth previously with respect to Figs. 5 and 6.
The numbering head 78 includes both the foot element
110 and a bar member 60 which is mounted to both the U--shaped
bracket 79 and to ~he U-shaped member J~ wll.ich posi~ions a felt
inkincJ d~vicc ~not shown) in contact with ~he numberincJ heclcl when
the numbering head 7U :is in the at rest position~ When the
numbering head is actuated and is moved to its extended position,
the bar member 60 and the mounted inking device thereon is pivoted
out of the way of.the downward stroke of the numbering head,
as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 10.
In the following interchangeable heads, namely the
bar-coder and imprinter, the dater and coder, the marginal
word lmprinter and the numberer, each of these interchangeable
marking heads include a bar member 60 for holding an inking device
adjacent the insignia mounted onto the marking head. A novel
ink applying cartridge adapted for use to the above types of
interchanyeable heads .is described and claimed in copending
application entitled INK SUPPLY CARTRIDGE, filed by the present
Applicant, and assigned to the same Assignee as the present
invention.
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493
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What has been described hereinabove, is a unique
electro-mechanical marking device unit which is adapted to
receive a plurality of interchangeable marking heads to perform a
plurality of functions as desired. Unexpectedly, it is possible,
by the above described apparatus, to mount the device either on
the infeed side of a printing machine, as well as mounting the
same to the outlet feed side of a printing machine. Additionally,
it is possible with the present invention to mount more than one
of the electro-mechanical marking devices in series to perform a
plurality of functions at the same time upon a stacked sheet
feed assembly, a result which has heretofore been unknown in the
art.
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