US1925586A - Sales book printing machine - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 5, 1933. G. FULK 1,925,586

SALES BOOK PRINTING MACHINE Filed Aug. '7, 1951 '12 Sheets-Sheet 1 J INVENTOR N3 George L. Fwlk ATTORNEY Sept. 5, 1933. s. L. FULK SALES BOOK PRINTING MACHINE Filed Aug. '7, 1931 12 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY INVENTOR George L.Fulk 'BY 7M s. M

Sept. 5, 1933. G. FULK 1,925,586

SALES BOOK PRINTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 7, 1931 12 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fiy. 7.1

|NVENTOR acorye L Fulk BY ATTORNEY 12 Sheets-Sheet 5 G. L. FULK Filed Aug. '7, 1931 SALES BOOK PRINTING MACHINE BBQURUEUE Sept. 5, 1933;

. INVENTOR George L.Fulk

ATTORNEY p 5, 1933- G. L. FULK SALES BOOK PRINTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 7, 1951 12 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR 34 BY George L.Fulk

ATTORNEY Sept. 5, 1933.

G. L. FULK SALES BOOK PRINTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 7, 1931 12 Shets-Sheet 7 W BY 7% S. M

ATTORNEY p 1933- G. L. FULK SALES BOOK PRINTING MACHINE Filed Aug. '7', 1931 12 Sheets-Sheet 8 lNV ENTOR George L. F'ulk 7M 5. 4am

ATTORNEY Se t. 5, 1933. G. L. FULK SALES BOOK PRINTING MACH NE Filed Aug. 7, 1931 '12 Sheets-Sheet 9 INVENTOR George L.Fwlk

ATTORNEY Sept. 5, 1933. G. L. FULK SALES 1500K PRINTING mourns Filed Aug. '7, 1931 12 Sheets-Sheet 10 u a a 1 9 6 a W 9 1 1 9 w 1 W 1 mud 11 a 1 0 Y 4 w E z 1 0 0 z & 99 1 1 1 0 I F s z 7 0 m 24 w 7 8 1 5 m m H INVENTOR George L Fhlk ATTORNEY Patented Sept 5, 1933 SALES BOOK PRINTING MACHINE George L. Fulk, Mentor, Ohio, assignor to The Overfold Company, Chardon, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application August 7, 1951. Serial No. 555,754

28 Claims.

The present invention relates to printing and assembling machines, and more particularly to a machine for printing and assembling duplicate forms for manifolding in which a number of '6 duplicate forms for manifolding are simultaneously printed and are delivered in sets with the duplicatessuperposed and ready for use.

The present invention has for one of its main objects to provide a machine capable of printing simultaneously upon a plurality of separate strips of paper and delivering the strips in superposed relation with the printed matter on the superposed strips in registry.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine in which forms for manifolding are printed, assembled and delivered from the machine in a pack'with the duplicate record sheets of each m anifolding set assembled, and with the sets in the pack consecutively numbered ready to be bound into a book.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine capable of printing, assembling and delivering manifo'lding forms connected together in a continuous web composed of superposed strips of paper with the forms separated by lines of perforations extending transversely of the web.

A further object is to provide a machine capable of simultaneously printing and assembling separate strips of duplicate printed forms with the printed matter of the forms in registry, perforating the strips transversely between successive printed forms and binding the duplicate forms of each set together along one edge.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine capable of simultaneously printing a plurality of record paper strips and delivering the strips in superposed relation with the printed matter on superposed strips in proper registry for manifolding and with carbon paper interposed between the superposed record sheets.

A further object is to provide a machine capable of assembling, printing and delivering forms consisting of superposed record sheets which are bound together along one edge and which are provided with a detachable stub portion at one edge to facilitate detachment of the record sheets.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine capable of printing and assembling forms for manifolding in which a different record'paper stock may be employed for each of the record sheets. so that different qualities of paper or papers of different colors may be employed for the superposed printed sheets, independent printing means being provided, so that there may be variations in the printed matter on the superposed sheets and inks of different colors may be used in printing the record sheets.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine having a multiple platen printing press, a reciprocating feeder in advance of the press for drawing a plurality of strips of paper simultaneously through the press, the stroke of the feeder being timed with respect to the stroke of the press so that successive forms are printed on the strips during intervals between the forward movements of the feeder, the feeder being so disposed with respect to the printing press that the strips are delivered by the feeder with the printed matter thereon in registry.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for supporting and rotating rolls of paper stock in such manner that the paper is festooned between the roll and printing press, so that the paper strips delivered from the roll may be fed intermittently through a printing press without danger of tearing the paper.

A further object is to provide a feeding mechanism for the paper strips by which the strips may be intermittently advanced without slippage through the press, and by which the individual strips are maintained under tension at all times, so that they are held fiat against the platens of the press and flat against each other on the delivery table, with the printed portions of superposed strips in registry so that the strips may be stitched and perforated orsevered at accurately predetermined points along the length thereof. 90

A further object of the invention is to provide a printing press having means for simultaneously printing upon a series of superposed strips and for successively numbering and printing forms on each of the superposed strips.

A further object is to provide a machine having a stock supporting frame provided with means for delivering strips of record paper and strips of carbon paper in superposed relation to a printing press having superposed printing means for receiving the record strips and having guides for conducting the carbon paper through the press beneath the record strips and beneath the platens of the press.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention may be said to comprise a machine as illustrated in the accompanying drawings hereinafter described and particularly set forth in the appended claims together with such variations and modifications thereof as will be apparent to one skilled in theart to which the invention appertains.

Reference should be had to accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line indicated at 3-3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line indicated at 4-4 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, vertical section through'the rear portion of the printing press showing the means for guiding the individual paper strips into the press and the numbering heads carried by the vertically reciprocating frame of the press;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view taken as indicated by the lines 6-6 in Fig. 5, showing the mounting of the guide rollers which guide the strips into the press;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section through one of the press platens and the stationary bed to which it is attached taken on the line indicated at 7-7 in Fig. 5;

"Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view showing one of the numbering heads in printing position;

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the printing press;

Fig. 10 is a front elevation of the printing press showing the actuating mechanism for the vertically reciprocating frame of the press and the inking mechanism associated with the individual press head;

Fig. 11 is a section taken on the line 1l-11 of Fig. 9 looking downwardly;

Fig. 12 is a section taken on the same line as Fig. 11 looking upwardly;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary section taken on the line indicated at 13-13 in Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a side elevation of the uppermost movable cross head of ,the press showing the inking roller passing over the top of the head;

Fig. 15 is a section taken on the line indicated at 1515 in Fig. 9 looking upwardly at the actuating mechanism for the ink spreading disc mounted in the top of one of the vertically reciprocating cross heads;

Fig. 16 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical section showing the rear portion of one of the press platens taken on the line indicated at 16-16 in Fig. 11;

Fig. 17 is a fragmentary top plan view of one of the numbering heads viewed as indicated by line 17--1'7 in Fig. 5;

Fig. 18 is a view showing one of the numbering heads on an enlarged scale, the upper portion of the head being shown in section as indicated by the line 18--18 in Fig. 1'7;

Fig. 19 is a front elevation of a numbering head;

Fig. 20 is a side elevation of the delivery table;

Fig. 21 is a fragmentary top plan view of the forward end of the delivery table;

Fig. 22. is a vertical section taken on the line indicated at 22-'22 in Fig. 21;

Fig. 23 is a front elevation of the delivery table some of the parts being broken away and shown in section;

Fig. 24 is a fragmentary section through the cutter head and receiving tray at the delivery end of the machine;

Fig. 25 is a fragmentary section through the cutter head showing the same equipped with punches for forming transverse rows of perforations in a manifolding strip as it is being delivered from the machine;

Fig. 26 is a fragmentary front elevation of the cutter head with punches thereon;

Fig. 27 is a plan view of a manifold form which may be produced by the machine of the present invention;

Fig. 28 is a plan view of a slightly modified manifold form adapted to be received in a. loose leaf binder;

Fig. 29 is a plan view of a manifolding strip which may be produced by the machine of the present invention.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the machine of the present invention consists of a paper stock supporting; and feeding mechanism A, a multiple platen printing press B and a delivery table C. Strips of paper stock comprising strips of record paper D and strips of carbon paper E when desired may be led from the supporting and feeding mechanism A through the printing press 13 and pass over the delivery table C in superposed relation, and with the printed matter on superimposed record paper strips in registry. The paper strips are simultaneously pulled a predetermined distance through the printing press during each interval between printing operations by suitable means such as a reciprocating puller mounted on the delivery table C. A continuous series of sets of superimposed duplicate printed forms may thus be discharged from the delivery table which may be provided with means for severing the strips between successive printed forms or\for forming transverse lines of perforations so that individual sets of duplicate printed forms may be torn from the form strip delivered from the machine. The delivery table may also be provided with means for binding the edges of superimposed strips together so that the sets of manifolding forms are each composed of leaves bound together along one edge. The printing press may be provided with means for numbering the forms consecutively in such manner that the forms may be delivered from the machine one on top of another with the forms consecutively numbered from the top to the bottom of the stack ready to be bound into books.

Paper stock supporting and feeding mechanism The paper stock supporting and feeding mechanism has a frame 1- provided with side bars 2 upon which are supported transverse spindles 3 which provide rotatable supports for rolls 4 of the record paper to be printed upon, and at the top of the frame 1 there are guide bars 5 on which are supported transverse spindles 6 which provide rotatable supports for rolls 7 of carbon paper. The roll supporting spindles 3 and 6 are preferably power driven in such manner as to maintain the paper strips E and D in festoons between the rolls and the printing press. The

spindles 3 and 6 have gears 8 fixed thereto belt 16 running over two pairs of conical rollers 17 and 18, the rollers 1'7 being splined on the shaft 14 and the rollers 18 being splined on a driven shaft 19. Conical rollers 17 and 18'are slidable on the shafts l4 and 19 and the rollers of each pair are adjustable toward and away from each other to vary the diameter of the portionsthereof engaged by the belt 16. The

- tated in one direction thereto which is driven rollers 1'7 and 18 are adapted to be simultaneously actuated bymeans of levers 20 extending longitudinally of the belt on opposite sides thereof and pivoted intermediate the ends of the belts between the rollers 17 and 18. Levers 20 are connected to the rollers 17 and 18 and are simultaneously actuated in opposite directions by means of an actuating screw 21 positioned beyond one end of the belt parallel with the shafts -14 and 19 which are provided with threads of opposite hand nuts carried by the levers. Since the levers 20 are pivoted intermediate the rollers 17 and 18, the rollers 1'! will be moved inwardly and the rollers 18 outwardly, when the screw 21 is rothe rollers 18 will be moved inwardly toward each other and the rollers 1'? will be movedoutwardly away from each other when the screw is rotated in the opposite direction, so that the speed ratio between the shafts 19 and 14 is gradually changed as the rollers are adjusted by the screw and may be varied in small increments over a relatively wide range of speeds. The screw 21 of each change speed mechanism has a sprocket 22 fixed by a chain 23 extending over a sprocket 24 adjacent the spindle which is driven by the change speed mechanism controlled by the screw, and each sprocket 2 4 is provided with a hand crank 25 so that the screw 21 of each'change speed mechanism may be actuated manually to increase or decrease the speed of rotation of any given spindle as may be desirable to compensate for the decrease in the diameter of the roll of paper on a spindle as the paper winds ofi and to maintain the desired amount of slack on the festoon of paper between the roll and the printing press. The operator, by watching the festoons or paper, can readily see when it is'desirable to increase or decrease the speed of rotation of the individual rolls of paper, and the necessary change in the speed of rotation of any spindle can be quickly and easily effected by turning the hand crank 25 adjacent the spindle.

The shafts 19 of the change speed mechanisms driving the record paper spindles 3 are provided with bevel gears 26 which mesh with bevel gears 27 on the longitudinal drive shaft 28. As shown herein, the variable speed mechanisms for the carbon paper rolls are shown mounted above the drives for the record paper rolls, and the shafts 19 thereof are connected to the shafts 19 of the lower variable speed mechanisms by sprocket chains 29.

In the machine of the present invention, the

record paper strips D pass over separate platens of the reciprocating printing press B which may print simultaneously upon all of the record sheets during their passage through the press. This press is mounted upon a base 30 which carries vertical corner posts 31 to which may be attached any desired number of horizontal decks 32 which are uniformly spaced vertically of the frame. Above each of the decks 32 there is mounted a cross head 33 which is mounted to slide vertically on the corner posts 31. The verengaging suitable tical spacing of the cross heads 33 is the same as that of the horizontal decks 32 and the cross heads are supported one upon another by means .of spacing links 34 which are connected at their upper and lower ends to projecting pins 35 at the corners of the cross heads. Vertical reciprocating motion is imparted to the connected cross heads by means of four identical eccentrics 36 mounted on parallel shafts 37 on the base 30, the eccentrics 36 being connected to the lowermost cross head by means of connecting rods 38 extending from the eccentrics to the projecting pins 35 of the lowermost cross head.

Each of the decks 32' supports a main platen 39 which provides a backing for the paper strip during the printing operation and each of these platens is channeled on the under side to provide an aperture 40 through which one of the carbon paper strips E maypass, permitting a strip E'of carbon paper to pass through the press directly beneath a strip D of record paper without being acted upon by the printing devices.

As shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, each of the decks 32 has a portion 32a extending rearwardly beyond the cross heads 33 and to the rear sides of the cross heads 33 there is attached a frame 33a. Small platens 41 similar to the main platens 39 may be mounted on the extension 32a and numbering heads 42 may be mounted on the frame 33a over the platen. During each reciprocating stroke of the press the numbering wheel of each head 42 is brought into printing engagement with the portion of record paper strip on the platen 41 beneath the head so that successive forms are serially numbered prior to the printing of the forms on the main platens 39.

Since the paper strips are advanced through the press by an intermittent pull exerted on the strips, it is necessary to so guide the strips through the press that the forward movement of the strips is frictionally retarded to a sufficient extent to prevent any portions of any of the strips from being carried ahead by the momentum of feed rollers engaging therewith, or by the momentum of the strips themselves.

7 As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the press frame has a series of roller supporting frames 43 attached to the rear end thereof, one at the level of each of the decks 32. Each of the frames 43 is attached to the press frame a short distance above one of the decks 32 and extends downwardly and rearwardly therefrom. A cross rod 44 is carried by the frame 43 at its rear end and at the underside thereof. Adjacent the top of the frame 43 and near its rear end there is mounted a guide roller 45. The record paper strip D passes beneath the guide rods 44 and upwardly over the guide roller 45, and in order to properly po; sition the strip the guide rod 44 may be provided with spaced adjustable guide collars 44a which may be adjusted to provide a space between them corresponding to the width of the paper strip so as to position the strip properly with respect to the guide rollers. The paper strip D passes over the guide roller 45 and forwardly beneath a guide rod 47 extending across the top of the frame 43, and then over a forward guide roller 46 and under a third guide roller 48 which is positioned immediately adjacent and slightly above the rear end of the deck extension 32a. The rod 4'? is so positioned as to how the strip of paper inwardly to a slight extent between the rollers 45 and 46. The nonrotating guide rods 44 and 47 impose a frictional drag on the paper strips, but in order to make the puller, additional means is provided for imposing a frictional drag on the paper strip. At

' the outer end of the frame 43 there is mounted a brush49, the bristles of which bear against the outer surface of the paper strip as it passes over the guide roller 45. The brush 49 is mounted on a pivot shaft 50 parallel with the axis of the roller and is yieldingly pressed toward the roller by means of a spring arm 51 attached to the shaft 50 and extending forwardly over the top of the frame 43 where it is engaged by an adjusting screw 52 threaded into the frame. By screwing the screw 52 downwardly the pressure of the brush 49 against the roller 45 may be increased and reverse rotation of the screw lessens the pressure on the arm 51 and decreases the pressure against the roller. At the inner end of the frame 43 there is mounted a second brush 53 similar to the brush 49 which bears against the top surface of the paper strip Q forwardly of the guide roller 48. The brush 53 is mounted on a rock shaft 54 which has an arm 55 attached thereto which may be adjusted by means of a screw 56 to vary the pressure of the brush on the paper.

The carbon paper strips E are guided into the press immediately beneath the record paper strips D, each passing under and rearwardly over a guide rod 57 attached to the frame 33a below a deck extension 32a and under and forwardly over a guide roller 58 carried by the frame 43, passing from the roller 58 onto the deck extension 32a immediately beneath the record paper strip D which passes over the same deck.

It is generally desirable that the record paper strips have a tear line or line of partial severance adjacent one side edge so that the record leaves of the manifolding forms or sales book will have a detachable stub along one edge from which the printed portion of the leaf can be readily detached. This tear line or line of partial severance can be conveniently formed on the record strips by means of slitting discs, each coacting with one of the guide rollers on the frame 43. As herein shown, a slitting disc 59 is mounted to engage the paper as it passes over the guide roller 46, disc 59 being carried by an arm 60 attached to a rock shaft 61 which rock shaft has attached thereto an arm 62 which is engaged by an adjusting screw 63 threaded in the frame 43. By adjusting the screw 63 the pressure of the disc 59 on the paper may be varied to increase or decrease the depth of cut. In order to enable the action of the slitting disc to be accurately regulated to cut to the desired depth in the paper the roller 46 is preferably a hardened steel cylinder which is accurately centered and mounted for free rotation on ball bearings 48a.

As best shown in Figs. 9 and 11, the record paper strip D on each deck of the press is held flat upon the main platen 39 thereof by means of rollers 64 and 65 which extend transversely across the strip and hold the carbon paper and record paper strips against the surface of the deck immediately to the rear and to the front of the platen 39. The strips are also engaged by a third roller 66 in advance of the roller 65. Since all three of the rollers 64, 65, and 66 on each deck 32 press the record paper strip against the strip of carbon paper beneath it and the rollers 65 and 66 engage the printed portions of the strip befBre the ink is dry, it is necessary that these rollers be so formed that they will not slip on the paper and it is also preferable that they be so formed that they engage the paper only I at spaced points. The three rollers are of iden-.

tical construction and, as shown in Fig. 16, may

, be provided, each with a sheet metal covering 6'7 from the paper so that the ink is not smearedj They also serve to prevent the rollers from slipping on the paper due to their momentum which might smear the ink or cause the under side of the record paper to be soiled by the carbon paper. Forwardly and rearwardly of the main platen 39 on each deck 32 the paper strips pass beneath guard plates 32b which shield the paper from oil dripping from moving parts of the mechanism.

At the front thereof, the press frame is provided adjacent each of the decks 32 with an adjustable guide roller 69 carried by arms 70 pivoted to brackets 71 attached to the frame of the press. Each pair of arms 70 may be swung vertically to adjust the height of the roller 69 carried thereby by; means of an adjusting screw 72 pivoted to the arm and extending upwardly through the horizontal flange of an angle bracket 73 attached to the frame above the bracket 71 to which one of the arms is pivoted. The upper end of each screw 72 has a wing nut 74 thereon which engages the top of the angle bracket 73 so that by turning the nut 74 the arm 70 may be swung upwardly or downwardly.

The record paper strips and carbon paper strips pass from the printing press to the delivery table in superposed relation and, for

guiding the carbon paper, there is a guide frame 75 attached to the press frame below each pair of arms 70 which is provided with a guide rod 76, a guide roller 77 and a guide rod 78. The carbon paper passes under the rods 76 and 78 and over the rollers 77. It is sometimes desirable to provide tear lines in the carbon paper corresponding to the tear lines in the record paper, which tear lines may be formed by a slitting disc 79 engaging with the carbon paper as it passes over the guide roller 77. The disc 79 is carried by an arm 80 which may be adjusted to vary the pressure of the disc against the roller 77 by means of an adjusting screw 81.

As shown in Figs. 12 and 13 of the drawings, each of the cross heads 33 is a rectangular casting formed for slidable engagement with the corner posts 31 of the press frame. Along opposite sides thereof the head 33 has retaining bars 83 attached to the bottom thereof and these bars have undercut inner edges which overhang the edges of a form 84 in which the type 85 for printing on the record paper strips is mounted. The form 84 is held in place between the retain.- ing strips 83 by means of fixed clips 86 engaging one end of the form and an adjustable clip 87 engaging the opposite end of the form, the clip 87 being provided with a slot 88 extending at right angles to the edge of the form and with a bolt 89 by means of which a clip may be secured in adjusted position.

The reciprocating stroke of the press is such that the bed of type held in each of the forms 84 is pressed upon the paper on the platens 39 at the downward limit of movement of the cross head and means is provided for automatically applying the ink to the type during the intervals between successive printing operations, and this inking mechanism will now be described.

As best shown in Figs. 10 and 14, each of the cross heads 33 has an endless carrier comprising a pair of sprocket chains adjacent the front and rear sides thereof which pass over sprockets 91 which are fixed to a shaft 92 and alinedsprockets 93 fixed to a shaft 94. The shaft 92 is mounted in fixed bearings and the shaft 94 is journaled in slidable bearing blocks 95, which are pressed outwardlyby springs 96 to maintain a tension on the sprocket chain. The pair of sprocket chains on each cross head carries an inking roller 97 which is rotatably mountedand extends transversely between the two chains. The rollers 97 'are mounted on cross shafts 97a which project beyond the side chains 90 and carry rollers 97b which travel on track bars 970 attached to the top and bottom of the cross heads 33.

During operation of the press the sprocket chains are driven at a rate of speed such that the inking rollers 97 pass across the under side of the cross heads and roll over the beds of type thereon during the intervals between engagement of the type with the paper on the platens, and with the movement thereof so timed that the rollers are traveling over the top of the crosshead during engagement of the type with the paper on the platens.

During operation of the press, the sprocket chains 90 of all the crossheads are simultaneously driven at equal speeds, each of the shafts 92 having a driving sprocket 98 fixed thereto and the driving sprockets 98 of superposed crossheads being connected by sprocketchains 99. The sprocket chains 99 are kept taut by means of adjustable idlers 100 carried by shafts 101 mounted in slots 102 in arms 103 fixed to and extending inwardly from the'spacing links 34 connecting the crossheads.

The endless inking roller carrier of the lowermost crosshead is driven from one of the eccentric shafts 37 through a sprocket chain 104 which extends over a sprocket 105 onthe shaft 37 and a sprocket 106 on a shaft 107 which is journaled in the outer end of a link 108, which is pivoted to swing about the axis of the shaft 37. The shaft 107 provides a pivot between the link 108 and a link 109 which is pivoted at its upper end to the shaft 92 of the lowermost crosshead. The shaft 107 has a second sprocket 110 fixed thereto which drives a sprocket chain 111 extending over a drive sprocket 98 on the shaft 92 of the lowermost crosshead. The sprocket chains 104 and 111 mounted on the pivotally connected links 108 and 109 serve to continuously drive the inking roller carriers of the superposed crossheads during the vertical reciprocations thereof.

During the passage of the inking rollers 97 around the sprockets 91 the rollers 97 engage with ink applying rollers 112 which are mounted in ink receptacles 113 supported on arms 114 which are pivoted to swing vertically on brackets 115 attached to a fixed standard 116. The

ink receptacles 113 are adjustably supported in approximately horizontal position by means of supporting and adjusting screws 117 on the upper end of which the ink receptacles rest when in operative position. The screws 117 are mounted in angle brackets 119 attached tothe stand-.

ard 116 below the brackets 115. By adjusting the screws 117 the proper engagement betweenthe roller 97 and the rollers 112. can be obtained. Upon each engagement of a roller 97 with an inking roll 112, a small amount of ink is transferred from the roller 112 to the roller l 97, and in order to transfer a uniform amount ofink to the roller 97 upon each engagement thereof with the roller 112, means is provided for turning the rollers 112 to provide an ink coated surface at all times on the portion thereof presented to the roller 97. The rollers 112 are turned intermittently by, means of ratchets 119' attached to the rollers which are engaged by pawls 120 carried by actuating arms 121 which are pivoted to swing about the axis of the rollers. The arms 121 are simultaneously actuated by a jointed connecting rod 122 which extends vertically alongside the standard 116 and which is pivotally connected to the outer ends of the arms 121, the rod 122 being con- 7 nected at its lower end to an eccentric 123 which is continuously rotated at a predetermined speed that will impartthe desired rate of turning movement to the rollers 112. The rollers 112 are short rollers which apply a spot of ink to the rollers 97 and each crosshead is provided with means for uniformly distributing this ink throughout the portion of the periphery of 105 the inking roller 97 carried-thereby which is brought into engagement with the type.

As shown in Figs. 9, 10 and 15, each of the crossheads 33 is provided with an ink spreading disc 124 which is mounted on the upper side of the head which is recessed to receive the supports for the disc. Each disc 124 is carried by a vertical shaft 125 journaled in a suitable boss in the recessed portion of the head and beneath the disc this shaft has attached thereto a ratchet 126 through which an intermittent turning movement is imparted to the disc. The ratchet 126 is engaged by a holding pawl 127 carried by an arm 1 28 fixed to the crosshead and extending inwardly beneath the disc 124 and by an actuating pawl 129 carried by an arm 130 pivoted to swing about the axis of the shaft 125. The arm 130 is connected at its outer end to a link 131 which is pivoted to a longitudinally slidable rod 132 mounted in guides 133 attached to the crosshead. The rod 132 is actuated in one direction by means of a spring 134 which is interposed between one of the guides 133 and a collar 135 attached to the rod, and in the opposite direction by a chain 136which is attached to the rod and extends over a 'sprocket 137 journaled in the crosshead and which is anchored at its opposite end by a bolt 138 to one of the fixed decks 32 of the press. During movements of the crossheads in one direction the rods 132 are pulled outwardly compressing the springs'134 andduringmovements of the crossheads in the opposite direction the tension on the chains 136 is released and the rods are moved inwardly by the springs 134, thereby oscillating the arms 130 and imparting a predetermined turning movement to each of the ink spreading. discs. Each time as inking roller 97 passes over the top of a crosshead it rolls across the ink spreading disc 124 thereon which spreads part of the ink applied thereto by the roller 112 across the face of the disc. Repeated passage of the rollers 97 over the discs 124 spreads the ink evenly over the surface of 6 memes the ways by means of bolts 140 and blocks 141 slidable in the rabbets of the bars 139. The supporting bars 139 are adjustable forwardly and rearwardly in the frame 33a. and the numbering heads are provided with extra pairs 01- bolt holes 14011 to receive the bolts 140 so that they may be adjusted to print crosswise or lengthwise of the paper strip. Each numbering head may thus be adjusted to print upon any desired portions of the paper strip passing beneath it. Each of the numbering'heads carries a set of numbering wheels of a conventional type which have peripheral printing portions for impressing the numbers on the paper. Means is provided for indexing the numbering wheels upon each stroke of the press so as to number the forms serially, and means is also provided for applying ink to the peripheral printing portions of the numbering wheels.

As shown in Fig. 18, each numbering head carries a pinion 142 which is engaged by a vertically movable rack 143 which is guided for vertical movement in the head in upperand lower guides 144 and 145. The rack 143 is normally held in its uppermost position by a coil spring 146 within the head and interposed between the lower guide 145 and a collar 147 on the rack. An arm 149 is mounted on the head to turn with the pinion 142 and carries an inking roller 148 at its outer end. The rack 143 is normally held by the spring 146 in a position in which its upper end projects above the cross bars 139 and upon the up stroke of the press the upper end of the rack bar engages the under side of the deck extension 3211. forcing the rack bar downwardly and imparting a turning movement to the pinion 142 in a direction to swin the roller 148 downwardly across the periphery of the numbering wheels. movement the roller 148 rolls over an arcuate ink spreading plate 150 formed integrally with the lower end of the head 42 which serves to evenly spread the ink over the roller prior to its engagement with the numbering wheels. The rack bar 143, on each stroke thereof, also actuates an indexing arm 1 51 which is connected to the rack by a link 152 so that it is oscillated to advance the unit wheel of the numbering set one step upon each reciprocation of the press. Ink may be applied to the roller 148 by hand occasionally and the rolling of the roller 148 over the arcuate surface 150 will spread this ink over said surface and over the surface of the roller so that the roller will be effective to ink the numbering wheels for a considerable time after the ink has been applied. It is, however, preferable to provide a small ink container on the head which has an ink applying roller 153 which engages with" the roller 148 at its upper limit of movement, so that the supply of ink on the roller 148 and plate 150 is automatically maintained. It will be apparent that upon each stroke of the press each of the superposed record strips will simultaneously receive the impress of the bed of type and of the numbering wheel carried by a crosshead.

The paper strips are simultaneously advanced during each interval between printing operations During its downward a distance exactly corresponding to the'length of the form being printed, so that in each printing operation successive forms are printed on the strip andthese forms are serially numbered with the numbers in exactly the same position on each of the forms.

As shown from Figs.-1, 9 and 15 of the drawings, the entire machine may be driven from a single electric motor 154 mounted on the base 30 of the printing press and having a shaft 155 extending into a reduction gear housing 156 containing suitable speed reducing gears which drive a shaft 157 which has a gear 158 meshing with one of two identical gears 159 on the shafts .37. The gears 159 are of equal size and mesh with each other, so that the shafts 37 are continuously driven at equal speeds.- One of the shafts 37 has a sprocket 160 at the rear end thereof which is alined with a sprocket 161 on Delivery table The superposed strips D and E of record paper and carbon paper are delivered from the printing press to the delivery table C and pass over the delivery table in superposed relation. The delivery table has a longitudinal bed 166 and upon the rear end of this bed there is mounted a stand of guide rollers 167 which receive the superposed strips of paper from the printing press and bring them together at the rear end of the bed 166. The delivery table supports a reciprocating puller which imparts intermittent movement simultaneously to the paper strips to feed them through the printing press, the puller being operated in the intervals between printing operations to advance the strips the length of one form and position them to receive successive impressions in the printing press.

As best shown in Fig. 20, the paper puller or feed device is in the from of a gripper head 168 which is mounted to slide longitudinally of the bed 166 and which is reciprocated onthe bed by an actuating lever 169 which is attached at its lower end to a transverse rock shaft 170 and which is connected at its upper end to the sliding gripper head 168 by means of a link 171. The lever 169 is actuated in one direction by a cam 172 carried by transverse shaft 1'73 and engaging a roller 174 mounted on the lever 169. The lever 169 is held against the cam 172 and is moved in the direction opposite that in which it is moved by the cam by means of a coil spring 175 attached to one end to the lever and at the other to the frame of the delivery table C.

As best shown in Fig. 22, the gripper head 168 has paper clamping means including a lower cross bar 176 which travels beneath the paper strips and a movable gripper bar 177 above the strips which is mounted for vertical movement in guide standards 178 on the slide 168 and which ismoved downwardly in a direction to grip the paper strips against the cross bar 176 by means of springs 179 interposed between the opposite ends of the bar 176 and a plate 180 attached to the top of the guide standard 178. The movable gripper bar is held in gripping engagement with the paper during the forward t oke of the head 168 by the pressure of the each trip memberis high at one end and low at the other so that when the trip members are at one limit of movement the gripper crosshead is held in an elevated position clear of the paper strip and in the other position thereof the rollers 184 are over the low portions of the cam and the gripper crossheads are held in engagement with the paper strips by the springs .179. The cam portion 183 of each of the two trip members 181 lies between outwardly projecting front and rear stop fingers 185 and 186 carried by the trip member 181 which engage with the rollers 184 to limit the forward and rearward movements of the trip member. Rearwardly of their pivots 182, the trip members 181 carry rollers 187 which engage with fixed cams 188 attached to the bed 166 on opposite sides thereof in position to engage the rollers 187 and move the same downwardly as the slide 168 approaches the rear end of its stroke, thereby rocking the trip member rearwardly and moving the low portion of the cam 183 beneath the rollers 184 to permit the springs 179 to move the gripper bar 177 into engagement with the paper strip and clamp the same against the cross bar 176. The trip members 181 are also provided with forwardly extending arms 189 which are actuated by trip fingers 190 when the gripper head 168 is at the forward end of its stroke to rock the trip member forwardly to lift the movable gripper out of engagement with the paper strip. The trip fingers 190 are carried by vertically movable rods 191 mounted for vertical movement in guides 191a at opposite sides thereof and pivotally connected at their lower end to actuate levers 192 which are operated by cams 193 on across shaft 194. The cams 193 are operated at a speed such that they move the trip fingers 190 downwardly into engagementwith the arms 189 when the gripper head 168 is at the forward end of the stroke. The movable gripper bar 177 thus is brought into gripping engagement with the superposed paper strips at the rear end of the stroke of the slide 168 and is automatically released from the paper strip upon completion of the forward stroke so that the slide 168 is free to move rearwardly with the gripper released from the paper strips.

The portions-of the paper strips D and E in the printing press and on the delivery table are held taut during their feed movements due to the frictional retarding devices in connection with the paper guides on the printing press, and in order to prevent any slackening of the strips during the interval in which they are released by the reciprocating puller, a stationary gripper is provided on the delivery table for gripping,

the sheets during the rearward movement of the puller slide 168. The stationery gripper comprises a pair of pivoted arms 195 attached to a rock shaft 196 and connected at their rear ends by a strip engaging cross bar 197 which is adapted to clamp the superposed paper strips against a fixed cross bar 198 on the bed 166. The pivoted arms 195 are actuated by vertical rods 199 having reduced upper ends 200 extending through apertures in lugs 201 formed integrally with the arms 195. Yielding connections are provided between the arms 195 and the rods 199 by means of coil springs 202 which are interposed between the lugs 201 and nuts 203 at the upper ends of the rods. The lower ends of the rods 199 are pivoted to levers 204 to which are connected a rock shaft 205 at their forward ends and have rollers 206 at their rear ends which engage with cams 207 on the cross shaft 194.

Y The cams 207 are so formedand the shaft 194 is so timed with respect to the reciprocation of the puller slide 168 that the cross bar 197 is maintained in gripping engagementwith the paper strips during the interval that-the gripper bar177 of the slide 168 is held in nonengaging position.

At the forward end of the bed 166 there is mounted a vertical movable cutter head 208 which is mounted to slide in vertical guide standards 209 and which may carry a knife for severing superimposed strips between successive printed forms, or may have perforating devices attached thereto for forming lines of partial severance transversely across the strip between the forms. The cutter head, 208 is reciprocated in timed relation to the reciprocation of the puller slide 168, so as to engage the paper strips during the interval in which they are held stationery by gripper bar 197, by connecting rods 210 which are operated by eccentrics 211 on a cross shaft 212 at the forward end of the frame. The rotation of the cross shaft 212 is so timed with respect to the reciprocation of the slide 168 that the down stroke of the head is during the rearward movement of the slide.

In order to maintain the registry of the superimposed printed strips and to prevent the formation of any slack forwardly of the grippers, the superposed paper strips are engaged by driven feed rollers 213 and 214 positioned between the gripper 197 and the reciprocating head 208. The upper of the feed rollers 213 is yieldably mounted having its shaft seated in vertical slots formed in the standards 209 and the two rollers are driven at equal peripheral speeds by means of gears 216, 217 attached to the rollers 213 and 214 and in mesh with each other, the lower roller being driven through a pulley 218 thereon and a belt 219 which extends over a pulley 220 on the transverse shaft 212.

The mechanism of the feed table is driven from one of the shafts 37 which has a gear 223 fixed thereto which meshes with a gear 224 on a countershaft 225 which in turn meshes with a gear 226 fixed to the rear end of a longitudinal shaft 227 extending from the rear to the front of the delivery table. At its forward end the shaft 227 has a bevel gear 228 which meshes with a bevel gear 229 on a transverse shaft 230 which is positioned directly beneath the eccentric carrying shaft 212. The shaft 230 has a gear 231 which meshes with a gear 232 fixed to the shaft 212. The shaft 227 has a bevel gear 233 intermediate its ends which meshes with a bevel gear 234 on the camshaft 173 and the shaft 173 drives the camshaft 194 through a sprocket chain 235 which extends over sprocket 236, 237 on the shafts 133 and 194.

It is highly desirable that the duplicating forms of a manifolding set be attached together along one edge so that duplicate forms are maintained in registry, and where intermediate leaves of carbon paper are placed between the record leaves it is desirable that the carbon leaves be bound to the record leaves so that they will not be misplaced. To accomplish this result means is provided for attaching the superposed strips together during their passage over the delivery table in such manner as to provide attachment for each manifolding set of duplicate printed forms along one edge thereof.

As shown in Fig. 20 the attaching means is in the form of a stapling mechanism carried by a frame 238 attached to the delivery table and having vertically movable stapling heads 239 which are simultaneously reciprocated into and out of engagement with portions of the superposed paper strips which pass over pads 240 on the bed 166 located directly beneath the stapling head. Each of the stapling heads is in itself an old and well known mechanism receiving a wire 241 from a suitable reel or other support and having means for forming a staple by severing a portion of the wire bending the same into U-shape and driving the staple into the material to 'be stapled, when the head is brought down into engagement therewith. As herein illustrated the stapling heads 239 are carried by a cross head 242 which is supported by parallel links 243 which are attached eccentrically at their upper ends to sprockets 244 on transverse shafts 245 adjacent the top of the stapling frame.

The sprockets 244 are constrained to simultaneous rotation at equal speeds by means of a sprocket chain 246 extending over the sprockets 244, and this sprocket chain is kept taut by means of a suitable idler 247. The stapling heads are reciprocated vertically in timed relation to the movements of the puller slide 168 to apply the staple .to the strips during the interval in which the slide 168 is moving rearwardly and in which the paper-strips are stationary on the bed by means of a sprocket chain 248 driving one of the shafts 245 from the cam shaft 173. The stapling frame 238 may be mounted along an edge of the bed 166 of the delivery table to staple the strips along a longitudinal edge thereof or may extend across the bed to staple the strips along transverse lines adjacent the lines upon which the strips are severed or partially severed at the delivery end of the table.

As shown in Fig. 24 of the drawings the cutter head 208 may be provided with a shear blade 250 which passes across the forward edge of a bed plate 251 to completely out or sever a manifold form from the strip upon each down stroke of the head, the severed forms dropping into a suitable tray 252' attached to the forward end of the delivery table.

When it is desired to produce a manifolding strip adapted to be fed through a typewriting machine, autographic register or the like the shear blade 250 may be replaced by a row of punches 253 which are suitably attached to the head 208 and which slide in spaced apertures 254 in a guide bar 255 secured to the standards 209. On the down stroke of the head 208 the punches pass through the superposed strips of paper into apertures 256 in a bed plate 257 which replaces the bed plate 251 and form a transverse row of perforations across the strip partially cutting or severing the strips along transverse lines between successive printed forms.

As shown in Figs. 27 and 28 the individual manifold forms consists of superposed printed record sheets which are pieces out from the record paper strips D and intermediate transfer sheets which are pieces cut from the carbon paper strips E. The'transfer paper sheets may folded in a zig zag manner into a pack as it be provided with tear lines 258 adjacent one edge" formed by the slitting discs 59 which provide detachable stubs 259 which may be bound together and to the intermediate carbon sheets by means of staples 260 applied by the stapling mechanism above described. The carbon strips may benarrower than the record paper strips so as to permit the record sheets to be gripped independently of the transfer sheets thereby enabling the transfer sheets to be withdrawn with the detachable stubs. Since the machine is adapted to simultaneously handle strips (if various widths, one of the record strips may be somewhat wider than the others to provide a projecting edge 261 which may be provided with spaced holes 262 to receive the retaining members of a loose leaf binder.

When the perforating punches shown in Figs. 25 and 26 are substituted for the shear blade, the stockis delivered from the machine in a continuous strip such as shown in Fig. 29 which has transverse rows of perforations 263 between successive forms. This strip of forms may be' is delivered from the machine and is adapted for use in billing machines, typewriters or autographic registers.

Operation In the operation of the machine, as many rolls 4 of record paper are placed upon the spindles 3 of the paper supporting and feeding mechanism as are required for the particular manifolding sets or sales books to be produced, and if the manifolding sets or sales books are to have leaves of carbon interposed between the duplicate forms thereof the required number of rolls of carbon paper will be placed upon the spindles 6. The paper strips are then threaded through the guide rollers on the frames 43 and over the decks of the printing press with the record paper passing over the tops of the platens 39 and 41 and the carbon paper through the openings beneath the platens, if carbon paper is used, both the carbon and record paper strips passing beneath the rollers 64, 65 and 66 and over the adjustable guide rollers at the forward end of the printing frame. After the strips have been passed through the printing press they are pulled forward through the stand of guide rollers 167 and over the bed 166, over the gripper bar 176 of the puller slide and the stationery gripper bar 198 and between the feed rollers 214 and 215. The machine may then be started into operation, whereupon any adjustments necessary to obtain proper alinement of the strips and registry of the printed forms on the superposed strips may be made and the speed of rotation of the rolls 4 and 7 may be regulated to maintain the desired amount of slack between the rolls and printing press. After the proper adjustments have been made the machine may operate continuously delivering a product in the form of a continuous manifolding strip with transverse lines of perforation between successive manifolding sets, or the strip may be severed between successive sets of forms to deliver the sets of forms in a stack ready to be bound into a book. Tear lines may be formed adjacent a side edge of the strips and the stub portions may be secured together by the stapling mechanism. The numbering heads may be set to number the printed forms of each manifolding set identi-

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