Gripper bar mount for platen press

Claim 2

In a press wherein sheets are carried to a working station by a conveyor driven gripper bar the improvement which comprises: a carrier fixedly coupled to the conveyor, a gripper bar, coupling means connecting said gripper bar to said carrier, said coupling means allowing free motion between said gripper bar and said carrier so that said gripper bar is never independent of the chain and stops when the chain stops, centering means registering said gripper bar within said carrier when said gripper bar is released from said carrier.

Claim 3

In a press including intermittently moving chains and a gripper bar for carrying stock to a working station within said press, the improvement comprising: a carrier assembly integrally connected into a portion of said chain, a gripper bar movably mounted on said carrier assembly, centering means urging said gripper bar to a predetermined centered position within said press in one position of said chain, and means fixedly mounting said gripper bar within said carrier assembly in another position of said chain.

Claim 4

In a press including intermittently moving chains and a gripper bar for carrying stock to a working station within said press, the improvement comprising: a carrier assembly integrally connected into a portion of said chain, a gripper bar movably mounted on said carrier assembly, centering means urging said gripper bar to a predetermined centered position within said press in one position of said chain, and means fixedly mounting said gripper bar within said carrier assembly in another position of said chain.

Claim 5

The device recited in claim 2 wherein said gripper bar is permitted freedom of movement with respect to said carrier assembly only in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of said gripper bar.

Claim 6

The device recited in claim 2 wherein said centering means urges said gripper bar to a predetermined centered position within said press when said chains have stopped and wherein means fixedly mount said gripper bar in said carrier when said chains are moving and release said gripper bar for limited freedom of movement in said carrier assembly when said chains are stopped.

Claim 7

The device recited in claim 2 wherein said centering means urges said gripper bar to a predetermined centered position within said press when said chains have stopped and wherein means fixedly mount said gripper bar in said carrier when said chains are moving and release said gripper bar for limited freedom of movement in said carrier assembly when said chains are stopped and wherein said gripper bar is permitted freedom of movement with respect to said carrier assembly only in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of said gripper bar.

Claim 8

In a platen press including a pair of mating platens, a pair of endless intermittently moving chains on opposite sides of the press and at least one gripper bar connected at its ends to said chains for carrying stock to a working station within the press, and wherein the chains are brought to rest each time a gripper bar advances to a working station, the improvement which comprises: a carrier assembly fixedly connected to each said chain, and receiving an end of said gripper bar, interengagement means on the ends of each said gripper bar and said carrier assembly cooperating to prevent movement of said gripper bar along its axis relative to said carrier assemblies, said gripper bar having limited freedom of lateral movement within said carrier assemblies, a vertically movable at least partially conically configurated piston mounted on said carrier and extending through an opening in said gripper bar, whereby movement of said piston in one direction will engage the conical portion of said piston with the portion of said gripper bar defining said opening, to lock said gripper bar and said carrier assembly together and whereby movement of said piston in an opposite direction will disengage said piston and gripper bar to free said bar, a centering fitting extending outwardly from said gripper bar, means raising and lowering said gripper bar simultaneously with closing and opening movement respectively of said platens, abutment means disposed in the path of said piston during closing movement of said platens to engage and move said piston to free said gripper bar for limited freedom of movement within said carrier assembly, and a centering abutment having an inverted tapered surface engageable with said centering fitting during closing movement of said platens as said gripper bar is freed for limited movement from said carrier assembly.

Claim 9

In a platen press including a pair of mating platens, a pair of endless intermittently moving chains on opposite sides of the press and at least one gripper bar connected at its ends to said chains for carrying stock to a working station within the press, and wherein the chains are brought to rest each time a gripper bar advances to a working station, the improvement which comprises: a carrier assembly fixedly connected to each said chain, and receiving an end of said gripper bar, interengagement means on the ends of each said gripper bar and said carrier assembly cooperating to prevent movement of said gripper bar along its axis relative to said carrier assemblies, said gripper bar having limited freedom of lateral movement within said carrier assemblies, a vertically movable at least partially conically configurated piston mounted on said carrier and extending through an opening in said gripper bar, whereby movement of said piston in one direction will engage the conical portion of said piston with the portion of said gripper bar defining said opening, to lock said gripper bar and said carrier assembly together and whereby movement of said piston in an opposite direction will disengage said piston and gripper bar to free said bar, a centering fitting extending outwardly from said gripper bar, means raising and lowering said gripper bar simultaneously with closing and opening movement respectively of said platens, abutment means disposed in the path of said piston during closing movement of said platens to engage and move said piston to free said gripper bar for limited freedom of movement within said carrier assembly, and a centering abutment having an inverted tapered surface engageable with said centering fitting during closing movement of said platens as said gripper bar is freed for limited movement from said carrier assembly.

Claim 10

The structure of claim 6 wherein said centering fitting has a roof-shaped profile with the roof ridge parallel to the axis of said gripper bar and said centering abutment has an inverted roof-shaped profile likewise oriented.

Claim 11

The structure of claim 6 wherein spring means bias said piston in one direction and wherein piston engagement with said abutment means moves the pIston in an opposite direction and wherein said abutment means and said centering abutment are resiliently supported on said press.

Claim 12

In a platen press including sets of gripper bars for conveying sheets to a working station wherein the bars are connected at their ends to a pair of intermittently movable chains, the improvement which comprises: carrier means connecting the bar ends to the chain and providing play in the conveying direction, means interconnecting the carrier means and the bar rigidly during chain conveyance, means releasing said bar from said carrier means to accommodate said play when said chains have stopped, and means including a cooperating centering element on the frame of said press and on said gripper bar for centering said gripper bar when said bar release takes place.

Claim 13

In a platen press including sets of gripper bars for conveying sheets to a working station wherein the bars are connected at their ends to a pair of intermittently movable chains, the improvement which comprises: carrier means connecting the bar ends to the chain and providing play in the conveying direction, means interconnecting the carrier means and the bar rigidly during chain conveyance, means releasing said bar from said carrier means to accommodate said play when said chains have stopped, and means including a cooperating centering element on the frame of said press and on said gripper bar for centering said gripper bar when said bar release takes place.

Claim 14

A press according to claim 9, in which each bar end is engaged with lateral play but without axial play into a carrier assembly box integral with the corresponding chain.

Claim 15

A press according to claim 10, in which a member extends through the bar and at least a wall of the box perpendicularly to the working plan, which member protrudes from the box under the action of springs and locks the bar in fixed position through the cooperation of a frustum on the member and a cooperating seat of same profile on the bar, whereby pushing back the said member against the opposing action of the springs will restore the free play of the bar.

Claim 16

A platen press according to claim 6 wherein the means raising and lowering said gripper bar comprise a block engageable with said carrier assembly and rollers mounted with said block on a moving platen, which said rollers are engageable with the said gripper bar in the freed position of said bar so as to facilitate displacement of the bar in the sense of its lateral play.

Claim 17

A platen press according to claim 9 wherein the means raising and lowering said gripper bar comprise a block engageable with said carrier assembly and rollers mounted with said block on a moving platen, which said rollers are engageable with the said gripper bar in the freed position of said bar so as to facilitate displacement of the bar in the sense of its lateral play.

Claim 18

The platen press of claim 6 wherein said interengagement means comprise tenons extending horizontally outwardly from a perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said gripper bar and vertically enlarged slots formed in said carrier assembly and snugly receiving the tenons along the side edges of the slots.