US3694570A

US3694570A - Automatic engraving machine

Info

Publication number: US3694570A
Application number: US57166A
Authority: US
Inventors: Evgeny Pavlovich Kotov; Viktor Vladimirovich Legostov; Evgeny Alexeevich Stepanov; Alexandr Mikhailovic Chuchalov; Nikolai Kuzmich Maiorov; Gennady Pavlovich Merezhko; Anatoly Semenovich Komarov; Nikolai Georgievich Sosnitsky
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1970-07-22
Filing date: 1970-07-22
Publication date: 1972-09-26
Anticipated expiration: 1989-09-26

Abstract

An automatic engraving machine, in which the device, converting the photoelectric current fed from a photo-unit moved along a rotary shaft with an original into electric signals applied to the drive of a tool engraving the rotating printing shaft while moving therealong comprises two channels. The first channel includes a modulator fed with the photoelectric current corresponding to the original and an electronic switch converting the signals fed from the modulator and acting on the drive of the tool. The second channel includes an electronic relay adjusted for a predetermined level of the photoelectric current fed from the photo-unit and electrically connected to the electronic switch of the first channel and through a driven multivibrator with the drive of the tool so that it operates during each intersection of the original boundary by the photo-unit, switching off the first channel and simultaneously triggering the driven multivibrator generating the electric signals corresponding to the boundary of the original.

Description

United States Patent Kotov et al.

[54] AUTOMATIC ENGRAVING MACHINE [72] Inventors: Evgeny Pavlovich Kotov, ulitsa Nedelina, 34, korpus 3, kv. 7; Viktor Vladimirovich Legostov, ulitsa Nedelina, 28, kv. lll; Evgeny Alexeevich Stepanov, ulitsa Nedelina, 34, korpus l, kv. lll; Alexandr Mikhailovich Chuchalov, Mozhaiskor shosse, 63, kv. 7; Nikolai Kuzmich Maiorov, ulitsa lnitsiativnaya, 3, korpus l, kv. 2; Gennady Pavlovich Merezhko, ulitsa Kubinka, l6, korpus 2, kv. 4; Anatoly Semenovich Komarov, ulitsa Veresaeva, l5; Nikolai Georgievich Sosnitsky, ulitsa Grishina, 6, kv. 4, all of Moscow, U.S.S.R.

22 Filed: July 22, 1970 21 Appl. No.: 57,166

52 us. 01. ..l78/6.6 B 51 Int. Cl. .0010 15/02, 1104 1 l/06, 110411 1/24 [58] Field of Search ..33/23, 21, 2; 178/66 B [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,962,548 11/1960 Taudt ..l78/ 6.6 B 2,892,887 6/1959 Hell... ..l78/6.6 B

[ 51, Sept. 26, 1972 3,004,100 10/1961 Taudt l 78/6.6 B 3,128,337 4/1964 Levine ..l78/6.6 B 3,482,039 12/ I969 Valentin l 78/6.6 B

Primary Examiner-Howard W. Britton Attorney-Waters, Roditi, Schwartz & Nissen [5 7] ABSTRACT An automatic engraving machine, in which the device,

converting the photoelectric current fed from a photounit moved along a rotary shaft with an original into electric signals applied to the drive of a tool engraving the rotating printing shaft while moving therealong comprises two channels. The first channel includes a modulator fed with the photoelectric current corresponding to the original and an electronic switch converting the signals fed from the modulator and acting on the drive of the tool. The second channel includes an electronic relay adjusted for a predetermined level of the photoelectric current fed from the photo-unit and electrically connected to the electronic switch of the first channel and through a driven multivibrator with the drive of the tool so that it operates v during each intersection of the original boundary by the photo-unit, switching off the first channel and simultaneously triggering the driven multivibrator generating the electric signals corresponding to the boundary of the original.

, 3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures p/wm an:

PATENTEDSEPZB me 3.694.570

sum 1 or 2 l AUTOMATIC ENGRAVING MACHINE The present invention relates to apparatus for making printing plates in textile, polygraphic and other industries and, more particularly, the invention relates to automatic engraving machines.

Known in the art are automatic engraving machines comprising a photo-unit with a diaphragm moving along a rotating shaft with an original and sensing through this diaphragm the luminous flux reflected from the original and carrying an information about the original. The photo-unit converts the luminous flux into a photoelectric current fed to a device converting the photoelectric current into electric signals fed to the drive of a tool engraving a revolving printing shaft, while moving along this shaft.

' In the known automatic engraving machines the device converting a photoelectric current into electric signals comprises an amplitude and width-pulse modulators and this does not allow one to obtain on the engraving being made a contour line corresponding to the boundary of the original and having a depth differing from that of the engraving.

The main object of the present invention is to provide an automatic engraving machine, which makes it possible to produce on the engraving to be made a contour line corresponding tothe boundary of the original and being different from the engraving by depth.

This object is accomplished by providing an automatic engraving machine comprisinga photo-unit with a diaphragm moving along a rotating shaft with an original and through the above-said diaphragm sensing the light flux reflected from the original and carrying the information about theoriginal, in which case the photo-unit converts the light flux into a photoelectric current and transfers the latter to a device transforming the photoelectric current into electric signals fed to the drive of the tool engraving a revolving printing shaft during the movement along this shaft; according to the invention, the device transforming the photoelectric current into electric signals comprises two channels, the first channel includes a modulator fed with photoelectric current from the photo-unit corresponding to the original and an electronic switch converting the signals fed from the modulator and acting upon the tool drive, while the second channel includes an electronic relay adjusted for a prescribed level of the photoelectric current fed from the photo-unit and electrically connected with the electronic switch of the first channel and through a driven multivibrator with the tool drive so that it operates at each intersection of the boundary of the original by the photo-unit, thus switching off the first channel and simultaneously triggering the driven multivibrator generating electric signals corresponding to the boundary of the original.

It is expedient that the diaphragm of the photo-unit has at least two apertures approximately of the same area disposed along the rotating shaft with the original so that during the intersection of the original boundary by the photo-unit, the diaphragm apertures are successively overlapped by the original, the electronic relay being adjusted to the photoelectric current level corresponding to the light flux fed through one aperture of mine the boundary of the original and to apply it onto the engraving in the form of points or lines of a predetermined depth.

The present invention may best be understood by reference to the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a general view, partly in section, of the proposed automatic engraving machine;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the device for converting a photoelectric current into electric signals in the automatic engraving machine according to the invention;

H6. 3 is a general view, partly in section, of the tool of the automatic engraving machine according to the invention.

The proposed automatic engraving machine has a frame 1 (FIG. 1) on which there is mounted a gearbox 2 used forrotating shaft 3 with a negative original and a printing shaft 4, on which there is applied a point or dash engraving. v

The frame 1 is provided with guides 5, on which move supports 6 carrying a photo-unit 7 and a tool 8 with a drive 9 engraving the printing shaft 4, said photo-unit and tool being capable of moving along the shaft 3 and the printing shaft 4.

The photo-unit comprises an optic system 10, a diaphragm 11 and a photomultiplier l2 converting the luminous flux reflected from the original and fed through the optic system 10 and the diaphragm 11 into a photoelectric current.

The photo-unit (FIG. 1) is electrically connected with a device 13 transforming the photoelectric current into electric signals. This device 13 comprises two channels. t

The first channel includes a modulator l4 fed with the photoelectric current from the photo-unit 7 corresponding to the original and an electronic switch 15 controlled by a transmitter 16 and transforming the signals fed from the modulator l4 and acting upon the drive 9 of the tool 8 through a mixer 17.

The second channel includes an electronic relay 18 adjusted for a prescribed level of the photoelectric current fed from the photo-unit 7 and electrically connected to the electronic switch 15 through a driven multivibrator l9 and the mixer 17 to the drive 9 of the tool 8 so that it operates during each intersection of the original boundary by the photo-unit 7, thus switching off the first channel and simultaneously triggering the driven multivibrator l9 generating electric signals corresponding to the boundary of the original.

The modulator 14 consists of a triode 20 whose cathode is connected to a carrier frequency transformer 21 while the anode is connected to a resistor 22 and a capacitor 23.

The electronic switch 15 consists of

triodes

24 and 25 connected in series. The operating conditions of the triode 24 is set by a divider 26. The mixer 17 is connected to the cathode of the triode 24 through a capacitor 27 The grid of the triode 25 is electrically associated with the transmitter 16.

The modulator 14 may consist of a balanced modulator allowing the engraving to be made both from a negative and positive original.

The electronic relay 18 comprises a hexagrid 28 whose anode is connected with a resistor 29 and a Zener diode 30 connected to the grid of the triode 25. The control grid of the hexagrid 28 is connected to the movable contact of a resistor 31 connected to the output of the photo-unit 7. Connected to the output grid of the hexagrid 28 is a resistor 32 and a capacitor 33, to which is connected the driven multivibrator l9 electrically associated with the grid of the triode 25 and with the mixer 17. Connected to the grid of the triode 25 is a resistor 34.

In the described version of the automatic engraving machine the diaphragm 11 (FIG. 1) l) of the photo- I unit 7 has two apertures 35 and 36 having an equal area and arranged along the shaft 3with the original so that during the intersection of the original boundary by the photo-unit 7, the apertures 35 and 36 of the diaphragm 11 are successively overlapped by the original In this case the electronic relay 18 (FIG. 2) is adjusted for the level of the photoelectric current corresponding to the luminous flux fed through one aperture 35 or 36 or the diaphragm 11. I

The drive!) (FIG. 3) of the tool 8 comprises an electric magnet 37, interconnected coils 38 mounted with the possibility of axial displacement and secured on the diaphragms 39 and a holder 40 of the tool 8 mounted through springs 41.

The proposed automatic engraving machine operates a follows.

The photo-unit 7 (FIG. 1) while moving along the rotating shaft 3 with the original, through the apertures 35 and 36 of the diaphragm successively senses the luminous flux reflected from the original and carrying an information about this original, converts the luminous flux into a photoelectric current and transfers the latter to the device 13 transforming the photoelectric current into electric signals.

The photoelectric current is fed to the grid of the triode 20 (FIG. 2) of the modulator 14 and to the resistor 31 of the electronic relay 18. After passing the modulator 14, the electric signalv corresponding to the photoelectric current is impressed on the grid of the triode 24 of the electronic switch 15. From the output of the electronic switch 13 the electric signal corresponding to the original through the capacitor 27 is fed in the form of pulses to the mixer 17 and therefrom is fed to the drive 9 of the tool 8. The duration and frequency of the pulses are set by means of the transmitter 16 which periodically renders the triode 25 of the electronic switch conductive and non-conductive. Under the action of these pulses the tool 8 impresses an engraving on the printing shaft 4.

When a boundary line of the original is intersected, the photo-current fed to the input of the electronic relay 18 is reduced to a value predetermined by resistor 31, and a sudden change of the anode current is observed in the hexagrid 28. In this case the driven multivibrator 19 is triggered, which cuts off the triode 25 of the electronic switch 15, and through the mixer 17 applies a pulse of prescribed magnitude and duration to the drive 9. The tool 8 then engraves an element of a contour line on the printing shaft (roll) 4, the direction of the line being close to that of the generatrix of the shaft 4. When the photo-unit 7 (FIG. 1) intersects the boundary of the original, the apertures 35 and 36 of the diaphragm 11 are successively closed by the original and this changes the photoelectric current through the photomultiplier 12 from the prescribed value to a half and then to zero (or vice versa depending on the direction of movement of the photo-unit 7).

The electronic relay 18 (FIG. 2) through the use of the resistor 31 is adjusted for a half value of the photoelectric current which corresponds to the luminous flux fed to the photomultiplier 12 from the original through one aperture 35 or 36 of the diaphragm 11. At all changes of the photoelectric current from the prescribed value to a half, the electronic switch 15 is controlled by transmitter 16 while at the moment of operation of the electronic relay 18 the electronic switch 15 is controlled by the multivibrator 19. At any change in the photoelectric current from zero to a half of the prescribed value, the anode current in the hexagrid 28 is very low, while the anode voltage exceeds the breakdown voltage of the Zener diode 30. In this case the Zener diode 30 conducts the current and opens the triode 25 of the electronic switch 15 (in this case the transmitter 16 does not affect the operation of the electronic switch 15). Under these operating conditions the signal fed from the modulator 14 is applied to the mixer 17. Under the action of this signal the tool 8 makes a contour line of the engraving in a direction perpendicular to the generatrix of the shaft 4.

The electric signals fed from the mixer 17 to the drive 9 of the tool 8 pass through the coils 38 (FIG. 3) and interact with the field of the electric magnet 37. Due to this interaction the coils 38 move in the direction to the printing shaft 4 andpush the holder 40 to the tool 8 with a force proportional to the value of the signal fed to the coils 38. The holder 40 is returned to the initial position by the springs 41. As a result, an element of the original image is-engraved on the printing shaft 4. g

The proposed automatic engraving machine makes it possible to produce point and dash engravings with clearcut contour lines of a predetermined depth throughout the whole perimeter of the engraving on materials having Brinell hardness up to 130 kglmm This machine can be used for makingengraving with a depth of up to 0.3 mm with a resolution of 12 to lines per centimeter.

The printing shafts engraved by means of the proposed automatic engraving machine can be used for printing in textile and polygraphic industry as well as for stamping and coloring a metal foil, synthetic films, wall paper and artificial leathers.

We claim:

1. An automatic engraving machine comprising, in combination; a frame; a printing shaft rotatably mounted on said frame; a tool mounted on said frame for reciprocal motion along said printing shaft; a drive means for said tool; a shaft supporting an original rotatably mounted on said frame; a photo-unit mounted on said frame and adapted to move along said original-supporting shaft; an optical system for said photo-unit for passing luminous flux reflected from said original upon movement of said photo-unit along said original-supporting shaft; a diaphragm for said photounit positioned behind said optical system in the light path of the luminous flux reflected from said original; a photo-multiplier for said photo-unit positioned behind said diaphragm in the light path of said luminous flux for sensing said luminous flux and converting the latter into photo-electric current; means mounted on said frame and being electrically connected with said photounit for converting the photo-electric current emitting from said photo-multiplier into electric signals, said means comprising two channels; a first of said channels including a modulator connected to said photo-multiplier and receiving the photo-electric current from said photo-multiplier corresponding to said original; an electronic switch for said first channel being connected to said modulator and to said drive means for said tool for converting the signals emanating from said modulator into signals actuating said drive means the second of said channels including an electronic relay connected to said photo-multiplier and being adjusted for a preset level of the photo-electric current emitted from said photo-multiplier, said electronic relay being electrically connected with said electronic switch and being operative at every change of the photo-electric current corresponding to an intersection by said photo-multiplier of a boundary line on the original, and so as to act upon said electronic switch for preparing the latter to the transformation of signals fed from said modulator; the second of said channels including a driven multivibrator connected to said electronic relay, to said switch, and to said driving means for the tool, and being operative at each switch-over of said electronic relay so as to act upon said electronic switch by interruption of the signals fed from said electronic switch to said driving means, and simultaneously being adapted to act upon said driving means for the tool whereby said tool engraves an element of a contour line on said printing shaft during rotation of said last-mentioned shaft.

2. An automatic engraving machine according to claim 1, wherein said photo-unit diaphragm includes at least two apertures of approximately equal cross-section located along the axis of said original-supporting shaft, said aperture, during the intersection of a boundary of said original by said photo-unit upon movement along said original shaft, being successively overlapped by said original, said electronic relay being adjusted for a level of said photo-electric current corresponding to the luminous flux passing through one of said diaphragm apertures, so as to ensure formation of a contour line in a direction extending perpendicular to the generatrix of said printing shaft.

3. An automatic engraving machine according to claim 1, wherein the first of said channels is provided with a sensor, said sensor being electrically connected with said electronic switch and being adapted to act upon the latter by closing and opening said switch at a preset frequency after operation of said electronic relay.

Claims

1. An automatic engraving machine comprising, in combination; a frame; a printing shaft rotatably mounted on said frame; a tool mounted on said frame for reciprocal motion along said printing shaft; a drive means for said tool; a shaft supporting an original rotatably mounted on said frame; a photo-unit mounted on said frame and adapted to move along said original-supporting shaft; an optical system for said photo-unit for passing luminous flux reflected from said original upon movement of said photounit along said original-supporting shaft; a diaphragm for said photo-unit positioned behind said optical system in the light path of the luminous flux reflected from said original; a photomultiplier for said photo-unit positioned behind said diaphragm in the light path of said luminous flux for sensing said luminous flux and converting the latter into photo-electric current; means mounted on said frame and being electrically connected with said photo-unit for converting the photo-electric current emitting from said photo-multiplier into electric signals, said means comprising two channels; a first of said channels including a modulator connected to said photo-multiplier and receiving the photo-electric current from said photo-multiplier corresponding to said original; an electronic switch for said first channel being connected to said modulator and to said drive means for said tool for converting the signals emanating from said modulator into signals aCtuating said drive means the second of said channels including an electronic relay connected to said photo-multiplier and being adjusted for a preset level of the photo-electric current emitted from said photo-multiplier, said electronic relay being electrically connected with said electronic switch and being operative at every change of the photo-electric current corresponding to an intersection by said photo-multiplier of a boundary line on the original, and so as to act upon said electronic switch for preparing the latter to the transformation of signals fed from said modulator; the second of said channels including a driven multivibrator connected to said electronic relay, to said switch, and to said driving means for the tool, and being operative at each switch-over of said electronic relay so as to act upon said electronic switch by interruption of the signals fed from said electronic switch to said driving means, and simultaneously being adapted to act upon said driving means for the tool whereby said tool engraves an element of a contour line on said printing shaft during rotation of said last-mentioned shaft.