Patent US3784739A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3784739A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Apparatus for engraving a cylinder with repeated overlapping patterns
Assignee: Werkspoor Amsterdam NV
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Filing: 1971-10-04
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Granted: 1974-01-08
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Expires: 1991-10-04
Abstract
Abstract Method and apparatus for controlling the scanning and engraving heads associated respectively with a rotating cylinder having a master pattern thereon and a rotating cylinder on which a halftone screen printing form pattern of the master is to be produced. The control is such that the heads are intermittently stepped so that the scanning and engraving paths each are in the form of a series of axially spaced incomplete circumferential lines with the end of each such line being joined to the beginning of the next line by a short helical line. Preparation for the subsequent generation of a control signal to stop engraving is effected in response to stepping movement of the heads and the actual stop signal is generated after the stepping movement so that engraving will always actually stop at some point along the next circumferential line while neither head is moving. Thereafter, further stepping of the engraving head is suspended until the engraving is to be restarted so that the engraving head ''''idles'''' along the path on which engraving ceased. The signal to restart engraving is timed to occur immediately prior to the point at which the stop engraving signal occurred so that there is always the slight overlap between stop and restart, and no non-engraved gaps occur between stop and restart.
Inventors
- 👤 Vos F De
- 👤 Steege J Ter
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 16:20
CPC Classifications
B; B23; B23Q; B23Q35/00; B23Q35/04; B23Q35/08; B23Q35/12; B23Q35/127; B23Q35/128; B41; B41C; B41C1/00; B41C1/02; B41C1/04; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T409/00; Y10T409/30; Y10T409/30084; Y10T409/301176; Y10T409/301624; Y10T409/30168; Y10T409/30224; Y10T409/303416; Y10T409/303472; Y10T409/303528; Y10T409/306664; Y10T409/307224; Y10T409/30784
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
338 words
In a machine for electromechanically producing gravure forms which are repetitive reproductions of a single master, a first cylinder having said single master thereon, a second cylinder upon which said repetitive reproductions are to be formed, scanning means associated with said first cylinder for producing outputs indicative of the instantaneous local intensity of the master as the first cylinder revolves with respect to the scanning means, engraving means associated with said second cylinder for effecting periodic penetrations of the surface of said second cylinder in which the depth of each penetration is in accord with the instantaneous output of said scanning means, first feed means for translating said scanning means axially with respect to said first cylinder, second feed means for translating said engraving means axially with respect to said second cylinder, and means for continuously rotating said first and said second cylinders at a selected speed ratio, the improvement comprising: control means for actuating said first and said second feed means during a minor portion only of each revolution of said scanning means whereby consecutive scanning and engraving line paths swept past the scanning means and the engraving means respectively each are in the form of a circumferentially extending major portion disposed in a plane normal to the rotation axis of the associated cylinder and a helically extending minor portion connecting the end of each major portion with the beginning of the next consecutive major portion; return means responsive to a terminal movement of said scanning means effected by said control means for returning said scanning means to the first scan line of the master and for disabling said control means during such return whereby said engraving head remains in axially fixed relation to said second cylinder; and repeat means responsive to return of said scanning head to said first scan line for initiating a subsequent scan-engrave cycle in advance of the point on which engraving ceased and while said engraving means is in said axially fixed relation to cause partial overlap of engraving between successive patterns.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
338 words
In a machine for electromechanically producing gravure forms which are repetitive reproductions of a single master, a first cylinder having said single master thereon, a second cylinder upon which said repetitive reproductions are to be formed, scanning means associated with said first cylinder for producing outputs indicative of the instantaneous local intensity of the master as the first cylinder revolves with respect to the scanning means, engraving means associated with said second cylinder for effecting periodic penetrations of the surface of said second cylinder in which the depth of each penetration is in accord with the instantaneous output of said scanning means, first feed means for translating said scanning means axially with respect to said first cylinder, second feed means for translating said engraving means axially with respect to said second cylinder, and means for continuously rotating said first and said second cylinders at a selected speed ratio, the improvement comprising: control means for actuating said first and said second feed means during a minor portion only of each revolution of said scanning means whereby consecutive scanning and engraving line paths swept past the scanning means and the engraving means respectively each are in the form of a circumferentially extending major portion disposed in a plane normal to the rotation axis of the associated cylinder and a helically extending minor portion connecting the end of each major portion with the beginning of the next consecutive major portion; return means responsive to a terminal movement of said scanning means effected by said control means for returning said scanning means to the first scan line of the master and for disabling said control means during such return whereby said engraving head remains in axially fixed relation to said second cylinder; and repeat means responsive to return of said scanning head to said first scan line for initiating a subsequent scan-engrave cycle in advance of the point on which engraving ceased and while said engraving means is in said axially fixed relation to cause partial overlap of engraving between successive patterns.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
In a machine as defined in claim 1 wherein said control means includes reciprocating-to-rotary motion means for periodically actuating said first and second feed means correspondingly to step said scanning means and said engraving means axially of their cylinders.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
67 words
In a machine as defined in claim 1 wherein said return means and said repeat means include a common element generating sequential signals during successive revolutions of said second cylinder, the second of which successive signals causes cessation of engraving and the first of which causes engraving to restart whereby restarting of engraving during one revolution of the second cylinder overlaps engraving produced during a prior revolution.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
In a machine as defined in claim 3 wherein said common element is a disc rotating in unison with said second cylinder and having circumferentially spaced signal producing means thereon.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
In a machine as defined in claim 3 wherein said control means includes reciprocating-to-rotary motion means for periodically actuating said first and second feed means correspondingly to step said scanning means and said engraving means axially of their cylinders.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
In a machine as defined in claim 5 wherein said common element is a disc rotating in unison with said second cylinder and Having circumferentially spaced signal producing means thereon.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
231 words
In a machine for electromechanically producing gravure forms, in combination: cylinder means upon which engraving of consecutive patterns is to be performed; engraving means for engraving upon said cylinder means; means for rotating said cylinder means continuously during the engraving sequence; means for stepping said engraving means axially along said cylinder means only once during each of a successive number of revolutions of said cylinder means to describe consecutive paths of said engraving means relative to said cylinder in which each path is in the form of a circumferentially extending major portion disposed in a plane normal to the rotation axis of said cylinder and a helically extending minor portion connecting the end of each major portion with the beginning of the next consecutive major portion; means for actuating said engraving means during said successive revolutions to engrave at least two consecutive patterns on said cylinder means; means for disabling said means for stepping and said means for actuating at the end of the first pattern whereby engraving stops while the engraving means is located at a selected position axially along said cylinder means; and means for enabling said means for stepping and said means for actuating so as to start a second pattern overlapping the first pattern while said engraving means is at said selected position and in advance of the point at which engraving ceased on the first pattern.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
231 words
In a machine for electromechanically producing gravure forms, in combination: cylinder means upon which engraving of consecutive patterns is to be performed; engraving means for engraving upon said cylinder means; means for rotating said cylinder means continuously during the engraving sequence; means for stepping said engraving means axially along said cylinder means only once during each of a successive number of revolutions of said cylinder means to describe consecutive paths of said engraving means relative to said cylinder in which each path is in the form of a circumferentially extending major portion disposed in a plane normal to the rotation axis of said cylinder and a helically extending minor portion connecting the end of each major portion with the beginning of the next consecutive major portion; means for actuating said engraving means during said successive revolutions to engrave at least two consecutive patterns on said cylinder means; means for disabling said means for stepping and said means for actuating at the end of the first pattern whereby engraving stops while the engraving means is located at a selected position axially along said cylinder means; and means for enabling said means for stepping and said means for actuating so as to start a second pattern overlapping the first pattern while said engraving means is at said selected position and in advance of the point at which engraving ceased on the first pattern.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
In a machine as defined in claim 7 wherein said means for actuating causes said engraving means to produce contiguous, repetitive patterns along said cylinder means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
In a machine as defined in claim 8 including a master pattern controlling said means for actuating.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
In a machine as defined in claim 9 wherein the first and last lines of said master pattern are identical.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
In a machine as defined in claim 9 wherein said master pattern is engraved in mirror image fashion on said cylinder means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
In a machine as defined in claim 11 wherein the first and last lines of said master pattern are identical.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
231 words
A machine for producing gravure forms comprising, in combination: pattern cylinder means and gravure cylinder means coupled for common rotation at a selected speed ratio; means for imparting incremental motions of said scanning means and said engraving means axially along their respective cylinder means only once during each revolution of such cylinder means whereby scanning and engraving paths are described each in the form of a circumferentially extending major portion disposed in a plane normal to the rotation axis of the respective cylinder means and a helically extending minor portion connecting the end of each major portion with the beginning of the next consecutive major portion; means for continuously rotating said pattern cylinder means and said gravure cylinder means during an engraving sequence; scanning means and engraving means associated respectively with said pattern cylinder means and said gravure cylinder means for respectively scanning said pattern cylinder means and for engraving said gravure cylinder means; means for periodically uncoupling said scanning means and said engraving means and repetitively returning said scanning means to an initial position whereby said scanning means repetitively traverses a selected length of said pattern cylinder means while said engraving means traverses contiguous successive lengths of said gravure cylinder means; and means for causing partial overlap of engraving at the contiguities of said successive lengths whereby the engraving on said gravure cylinder means is uninterrupted between such successive lengths.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
231 words
A machine for producing gravure forms comprising, in combination: pattern cylinder means and gravure cylinder means coupled for common rotation at a selected speed ratio; means for imparting incremental motions of said scanning means and said engraving means axially along their respective cylinder means only once during each revolution of such cylinder means whereby scanning and engraving paths are described each in the form of a circumferentially extending major portion disposed in a plane normal to the rotation axis of the respective cylinder means and a helically extending minor portion connecting the end of each major portion with the beginning of the next consecutive major portion; means for continuously rotating said pattern cylinder means and said gravure cylinder means during an engraving sequence; scanning means and engraving means associated respectively with said pattern cylinder means and said gravure cylinder means for respectively scanning said pattern cylinder means and for engraving said gravure cylinder means; means for periodically uncoupling said scanning means and said engraving means and repetitively returning said scanning means to an initial position whereby said scanning means repetitively traverses a selected length of said pattern cylinder means while said engraving means traverses contiguous successive lengths of said gravure cylinder means; and means for causing partial overlap of engraving at the contiguities of said successive lengths whereby the engraving on said gravure cylinder means is uninterrupted between such successive lengths.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
A machine according to claim 13 wherein said pattern cylinder means is provided with a selected pattern and said engraving means produces repetitive gravure images thereof.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
18 words
A machine according to claim 14 wheRein the first and last lines of said selected pattern are identical.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
18 words
A machine as defined in claim 14 wherein said gravure images are mirror images of said selected pattern.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
18 words
A machine according to claim 16 wherein the first and last lines of said selected pattern are identical.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US23914A
Cited
US2881246A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-01-07 | 1977-07-09 | 1978-01-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-01-07 | 1981-07-09 | 1982-01-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-01-07 | 1985-07-09 | 1986-01-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |