Apparatus for contact printing

Claim 2

In combination: a driven first roller; an arm rotatable about said first roller, for movement about the axis of rotation of said first roller in a plane perpendicular to said axis; an idler second roller rotatably mounted on said arm with its axis of rotation lying in a plane which passes through the axis of rotation of said first roller; means coupled to said first roller for oscillating said arm through an angle whose origin is said axis of rotation of said first roller at a velocity such that the surface velocity of the portion of the surface of said second roller nearest said first roller equals the surface velocity of said first roller at least once each cycle of the arm; and means for urging said second roller into contact with said first roller when the surface velocities of the two rollers are equal.

Claim 3

The combination as claimed in claim 1, further including means for separating said second roller from said first roller when the angular velocities of the first roller and arm are equal.

Claim 4

The combination as claimed in claim 2, wherein said means for oscillaTing said arm comprises means for oscillating said arm at an angular velocity relative to time which is sinusoidally shaped.

Claim 5

The combination as claimed in claim 3, wherein the means for oscillating said arm comprises further means for causing the maximum velocity of said arm to equal that of said first roller.

Claim 6

In combination: a driven first roller; an arm rotatable about said first roller, for movement about the axis of rotation of said first roller in a plane perpendicular to said axis; a second roller rotatably mounted on said arm with its axis of rotation lying in a plane which passes through the axis of rotation of said first roller; means coupled to said first roller for oscillating said arm through an angle whose origin is said axis of rotation of said first roller at a velocity having a maximum value equal to the angular velocity of said first roller comprising an eccentric first cam coupled to said first roller and rotating in synchronism with said roller and further comprises a first cam follower constrained to move in only a single axis, said axis being perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said cam coupled to said arm and cooperating with said eccentric cam for oscillating the arm about its point of origin; and means for urging said second roller into contact with said first roller when the angular velocities of the first roller and arm are equal.

Claim 7

In combination: a driven first roller; an arm rotatable about said first roller, for movement about the axis of rotation of said first roller in a plane perpendicular to said axis; a second roller rotatably mounted on said arm with its axis of rotation lying in a plane which passes through the axis of rotation of said first roller; means coupled to said first roller for oscillating said arm through an angle whose origin is said axis of rotation of said first roller at a velocity having a maximum value equal to the angular velocity of said first roller comprising an eccentric first cam coupled to said first roller and rotating in synchronism with said roller and further comprises a first cam follower constrained to move in only a single axis, said axis being perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said cam coupled to said arm and cooperating with said eccentric cam for oscillating the arm about its point of origin; and means for urging said second roller into contact with said first roller when the angular velocities of the first roller and arm are equal.

Claim 8

In combination: a driven first roller; an arm rotatable about said first roller, for movement about the axis of rotation of said first roller in a plane perpendicular to said axis; a second roller rotatably mounted on said arm with its axis of rotation lying in a plane which passes through the axis of rotation of said first roller; means coupled to said first roller for oscillating said arm through an angle whose origin is said axis of rotation of said first roller at a velocity equal, during at least one point on its travel, to the angular velocity of said first roller; means for urging said second roller into contact with said first roller when the angular velocities of the first roller and arm are equal; and means for separating said second roller from said first roller when the angular velocities of the first roller and arm are equal, comprising a cam driven in synchronism with said first roller, said cam having a raised portion thereon, and a cam follower rotatably mounted on said second roller, said raised portion cooperating with said cam follower for maintaining the second roller separated from said first roller.

Claim 9

In combination: a driven first roller; an arm rotatable about said first roller, for movement about the axis of rotation of said first roller in a plane perpendicular to said axis; a second roller rotatably mounted on said arm with its axis of rotation lying in a plane which passes through the axis of rotation of said first roller; means coupled to said first roller for oscillating said arm through an angle whose origin is said axis of rotation of said first roller at a velocity equal, during at least one point on its travel, to the angular velocity of said first roller; means for urging said second roller into contact with said first roller when the angular velocities of the first roller and arm are equal; and means for separating said second roller from said first roller when the angular velocities of the first roller and arm are equal, comprising a cam driven in synchronism with said first roller, said cam having a raised portion thereon, and a cam follower rotatably mounted on said second roller, said raised portion cooperating with said cam follower for maintaining the second roller separated from said first roller.

Claim 10

The combination as claimed in claim 6, wherein said means for oscillating said arm comprises an additional cam driven in synchronism with said first roller and further including energy transfer means to rotate said cam at an angular velocity one-half that of said additional cam.

Claim 11

The combination as claimed in claim 7, further including a clutch means coupling said driven first roller to said cam and said additional cam for disengaging said cams from said first roller when the angular velocity of said arm is zero.

Claim 12

In combination: a continuously driven first roller; an idler second roller; a recording medium passing over and in contact with said second roller and driven in the direction of the length of the recording medium, whereby the idler second roller is driven by said recording medium; means for oscillating said second roller about the axis of said first roller at a speed such that the surface speed of said second roller on the portion of the surface nearest said first roller equals that of said first roller at least once each cycle of back and forth movement of said second roller; and means for moving one of said rollers toward the other for causing engagement of said recording medium between said rollers at the time the surface speeds of the two rollers are equal.

Claim 13

In combination: a continuously driven first roller; an idler second roller; a recording medium passing over and in contact with said second roller and driven in the direction of the length of the recording medium, whereby the idler second roller is driven by said recording medium; means for oscillating said second roller about the axis of said first roller at a speed such that the surface speed of said second roller on the portion of the surface nearest said first roller equals that of said first roller at least once each cycle of back and forth movement of said second roller; and means for moving one of said rollers toward the other for causing engagement of said recording medium between said rollers at the time the surface speeds of the two rollers are equal.

Claim 14

In combination: a driven first roller; a second roller having an axis which lies in a plane passIng through the axis of said first roller; a recording medium passing between said first and second rollers and transported by said second roller; means coupled between said rollers for oscillating one about the other at a velocity such that the surface velocities of the first roller and recording medium are equal during at least one point in the relative motion of the two rollers; and means for moving the two rollers together when the speed of the recording medium and that of the first roller are equal.

Claim 15

In combination: a driven first roller; a second roller having an axis which lies in a plane passIng through the axis of said first roller; a recording medium passing between said first and second rollers and transported by said second roller; means coupled between said rollers for oscillating one about the other at a velocity such that the surface velocities of the first roller and recording medium are equal during at least one point in the relative motion of the two rollers; and means for moving the two rollers together when the speed of the recording medium and that of the first roller are equal.

Claim 16

In combination: a continuously driven first roller; a printing master, at least a portion of which is in engagement with said first roller and driven by said first roller; an idler second roller; a recording medium, passing between said second roller and said printing master, guided by said second roller; means coupled between the rollers for oscillating one about the other and concurrently oscillating the portion of the recording medium in the vicinity of said second roller relative to the printing master while the two are separated at a rate such that the velocities of the recording medium and printing master are equal during at least one point during the oscillation of the rollers; and means for engaging the printing master and recording medium when their velocities are equal to permit information transfer from the former to the latter.

Claim 17

In combination: a continuously driven first roller; a printing master, at least a portion of which is in engagement with said first roller and driven by said first roller; an idler second roller; a recording medium, passing between said second roller and said printing master, guided by said second roller; means coupled between the rollers for oscillating one about the other and concurrently oscillating the portion of the recording medium in the vicinity of said second roller relative to the printing master while the two are separated at a rate such that the velocities of the recording medium and printing master are equal during at least one point during the oscillation of the rollers; and means for engaging the printing master and recording medium when their velocities are equal to permit information transfer from the former to the latter.

Claim 18

The combination as claimed in claim 11, wherein the means for oscillating the recording medium relative to the printing master comprises an arm coupled between the rollers for oscillating the second roller relative to the first roller while maintaining their axes of rotation equidistant.

Claim 19

The combination as claimed in claim 12, further including clutch means coupled between said first roller and said arm for disengaging said arm from said roller when said recording medium is traveling with zero velocity.