US3703950A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for making embossing plates for the blind
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1970-12-14
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Granted: 1972-11-28
•
Expires: 1990-12-14
Abstract
Abstract A press for forming braille-like line patterns of raised projections in embossing plates, for use in embossing sheets of paper in a printing press in making coloring books or the like for the blind. The press includes a rotary turn-table upon which the printing plates are supported while being embossed. A pair of forming dies engage the plates on the central axis of the table and form a raised dimple in the plates. The dies are mounted for movement in translation and are controlled in a cycle of operation to advance the plates through a small predetermined increment and then release and re-engage the plates at a new position for the purpose of forming a line of uniformly spaced dimples. The operator may rotate the plate on the platform to create curves and images, and to follow contours, to achieve a desired pattern of lines on the plate. The dies are supported on upper and lower control arms which are mounted for both horizontal and vertical movement, and are controlled by cams to effect the forming and advancing cycle. The cams are driven through a slip-belt type of clutch controlled to a foot pedal. The foot pedal also operates a stop which assures that the dies always come to rest in the open position.
Inventors
- 👤 George W Armstrong
- 👤 Conrad E Siegfried
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 12:28
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J3/00; B41J3/38; B41J3/32
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
163 words
A press for making plates having braille-like projections formed on the surface thereof useful in making braille picture and text books, coloring books, line drawings, maps and the like, comprising a pair of opposed dies each having cooperating working portions which when moved together form discrete braille-like raised portions on a printing plate, die operating means for opening and closing said dies and for effecting translational movement of said dies while said dies are closed and for opening said dies and returning the same to their original position in a cycle of operation so that the degree of translational movement defines the space between adjacent raised portions on such plate, and a turntable for supporting such plate on a plane which passes between said dies in the open position thereof and having an axis of rotation which is generally coincident with the centerline of said dies to permit an operator to turn such plate at will to form desired patterns or images thereon.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
163 words
A press for making plates having braille-like projections formed on the surface thereof useful in making braille picture and text books, coloring books, line drawings, maps and the like, comprising a pair of opposed dies each having cooperating working portions which when moved together form discrete braille-like raised portions on a printing plate, die operating means for opening and closing said dies and for effecting translational movement of said dies while said dies are closed and for opening said dies and returning the same to their original position in a cycle of operation so that the degree of translational movement defines the space between adjacent raised portions on such plate, and a turntable for supporting such plate on a plane which passes between said dies in the open position thereof and having an axis of rotation which is generally coincident with the centerline of said dies to permit an operator to turn such plate at will to form desired patterns or images thereon.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
67 words
The press of claim 1 in which said operating means for said dies include an upper control arm supporting one of said dies, a lower control arm supporting the other of said dies, means mounting said arms for vertical and horizontal movement with respect to said plane, and cam means connected to operate said arms to effect said closing, translational, opening and return movement of said dies.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
The press of claim 1 further comprising drive control means for selectively causing said dies operating means either to cycle continuously or to stop said dies in the open position.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
229 words
A press for forming plates for making braille-like pictures, coloring books, maps, textbook drawings and the like comprising a stand, a work-supporting platform rotatably mounted on said stand, a pair of braille-projection forming dies including an upper die and a cooperating lower die positioned at oppOsite sides of said platform and generally on the rotational axis of said platform, means in said platform defining an aperture through which said lower die can move into engagement with printing plate supported on said platform, upper and lower support arms operatively associated respectively with said upper and lower dies, support means mounting said arms respectively for vertical opening and closing movement and for horizontal translational movement, a cross shaft, first cam means on said shaft engageable with said arms for moving said arms for effecting said opening and closing movement thereof, second cam means engageable with said arms for effecting said horizontal movement thereof, said cams being arranged in timed relation to effect closing movement of said dies followed by horizontal movement thereof to cause feeding of a printing plate followed by opening movement and by horizontal return movement of said dies to an original position in a cycle of operation, a drive motor, controllable clutch means connecting said drive motor to said cross shaft, and controllable stop means for stopping said cross shaft when said dies are in said open position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
229 words
A press for forming plates for making braille-like pictures, coloring books, maps, textbook drawings and the like comprising a stand, a work-supporting platform rotatably mounted on said stand, a pair of braille-projection forming dies including an upper die and a cooperating lower die positioned at oppOsite sides of said platform and generally on the rotational axis of said platform, means in said platform defining an aperture through which said lower die can move into engagement with printing plate supported on said platform, upper and lower support arms operatively associated respectively with said upper and lower dies, support means mounting said arms respectively for vertical opening and closing movement and for horizontal translational movement, a cross shaft, first cam means on said shaft engageable with said arms for moving said arms for effecting said opening and closing movement thereof, second cam means engageable with said arms for effecting said horizontal movement thereof, said cams being arranged in timed relation to effect closing movement of said dies followed by horizontal movement thereof to cause feeding of a printing plate followed by opening movement and by horizontal return movement of said dies to an original position in a cycle of operation, a drive motor, controllable clutch means connecting said drive motor to said cross shaft, and controllable stop means for stopping said cross shaft when said dies are in said open position.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
The press of claim 4 further comprising a common manual operator which is movable in one direction to engage said clutch means and which is movable in another direction to engage said stop means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
The press of claim 5 in which said common operator includes a foot pedal which is depressed to engage said clutch means and is released to engage said stop means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
98 words
In a press for making printing plates with line-patterns of braille-like raised portions, the improvement comprising a turntable for supporting printing plates for manual rotation about an axis, means in said turntable defining a central opening, upper and lower dies at said opening for engaging and embossing a said raised portion on printing plates received on said turntable, and means supporting said dies for axial closing and forming movement and a transverse feeding movement within said opening and with respect to said turntable for serially advancing said plate through small increments to form such line-pattern of raised portions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
98 words
In a press for making printing plates with line-patterns of braille-like raised portions, the improvement comprising a turntable for supporting printing plates for manual rotation about an axis, means in said turntable defining a central opening, upper and lower dies at said opening for engaging and embossing a said raised portion on printing plates received on said turntable, and means supporting said dies for axial closing and forming movement and a transverse feeding movement within said opening and with respect to said turntable for serially advancing said plate through small increments to form such line-pattern of raised portions.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
166 words
Apparatus for forming a series of spaced projections within a sheet of deformable material to produce a predetermined pattern which may be sensed by the fingers, said apparatus comprising spaced punch and die means, means supporting said punch and die means for relative movement between an open position for receiving the sheet and a closed position for deforming the sheet and forming an integral projection in the sheet, said supporting means further supporting said punch and die means for lateral movement as a unit between first and second positions with said punch and die means substantially in said closed position to cause shifting of the sheet laterally by a predetermined distance, and drive means for moving said supporting means to effect coordinated movement of said punch and die means between said open and closed positions and between said first and second positions according to a predetermined cycle for causing step-by-step advancement of a sheet and for successively forming a series of the projections within the sheet.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
166 words
Apparatus for forming a series of spaced projections within a sheet of deformable material to produce a predetermined pattern which may be sensed by the fingers, said apparatus comprising spaced punch and die means, means supporting said punch and die means for relative movement between an open position for receiving the sheet and a closed position for deforming the sheet and forming an integral projection in the sheet, said supporting means further supporting said punch and die means for lateral movement as a unit between first and second positions with said punch and die means substantially in said closed position to cause shifting of the sheet laterally by a predetermined distance, and drive means for moving said supporting means to effect coordinated movement of said punch and die means between said open and closed positions and between said first and second positions according to a predetermined cycle for causing step-by-step advancement of a sheet and for successively forming a series of the projections within the sheet.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-11-28 | 1976-05-29 | 1976-11-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-11-28 | 1980-05-29 | 1980-11-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-11-28 | 1984-05-29 | 1984-11-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |