US1823110A - Embossing machine - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 15, 1931. M A. G. LUx-:DTKE ET AL 1,823,110

EMBOSS ING MACHINE Filed April ll, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheer, l

Sept. 15, 1931. M. A, G. LUEDTKE ET Al. 1,823,110

EMBOSSING MACHINE Filed April 11, 192s' 3 Sheets-Sheen 2 Sept. 15, 1931. M. A. G. L UEDTKE ET AL 1,823,110'

EMBOSS ING MACHINE Filed April 11, 1928 s sheets-snep; s

zum j 76 Patented Sept. 15, 1931 entre r'rES ENT MAX A. e. LUEDTKE, or Weerter/viren, New JERSEY', AND :einen HOFFMAN-N, or New Yoan, n. Y.

EMBGSSING MACHINE Application nled April 11,

This invention relates to embossing machines.

Among other things, it is an object of this invention to provide a machineot the character described in the form of a simple, compact unit, easily manufactured, capable of operation by unskilled persons, and practical and eiiicient to a high degree.

A further object of the invention is to provide anl embossing machine ot the type described, in which it is possible to arrange many combinations of characters from parts assembled with the machine, and wherein said characters are heated for the embossing f; operation, the metal content of the machine being reduced to produce a distinct economy in the duration of, and in the amountof energy required for the heating operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel type of heater for an embossing machine of the type described, assembled for automatically co-operating with the printing elements of said machine.

A further object of the invention is to provide an embossing machine utilizing` a strip of imprint medium for which a novel feeding means is provided, together with novel means Jfor protecting said strip rom'damage when the machine is in use.

A still further object ot the invention is to provide an embossing machine in which type wheels are utilized and in which novel adjusting means are provided for said wheels.

1t is a Jfurther object of the invention to provide an v embossing machine in which the pressure necessary to be applied by the printing wheels to the part to be embossed for enicient operation' ot the machine is indicated visibly and effectively to the operator.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

f 208,389, filed December 12th, 1925, February 1928. serialv No. '269,139.-

5th, 1926, June 15th, 1926, and July 25th, 1927, respectively, and are therefore' not vclaimed herein.

Vith the above exception, the' invention ac-V cordingly consists in the features of eon- 5 struction, combinations ofelements, andarrangement of parts which will be eXempliiied in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of application willl'be indicated in the following claims. ce

ln the accompanying drawings, in which is shown one of the various possible ,illustrative embodiments of this invention,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational vievv of ari elnbossing machine embodying the invention shown in normal non-imprinting' position;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view' of the machine shown in Fig. 1`;

Fig. 3 is a plan View of said machine;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional View on line4-4o't` Fig.1; Y ,A

Fig. 5 is a partial verticalsectionalvi'ew on line 5 5 of Fig. 4, the head being shown; in'- depressed and printing position; y

Fig. 6l is a vertical sectional View Online 6 6 of Fig. 4, illustrating1 the assembled'relation or' the heat elements and the type" wheels, and showing the devicepartly moved to printing position withA the borderl type in Contact, but before the adjustable typesha'v'e been sufliciently depressed; Fig. 7 is a sectional View on line 7*-7 of Fig. 4, illustrating the relation of the border type and the type wheels in the printing po-l sition; v

Fig. 8 is a view showing the`V separate elements making up the heater disassembled;

Fig. 9 is a detailed sectional View shovvi-iig the connection of the conductory wires toE the heater; andk n i Fig. 10 isl a plany View lookingupwardly at the border type and its related' part/s', ass'een in the embossing position.

On the drawings is shown a preferred ein bodiment of the invention as incorporated into an embossing machine M.- Briefly de'- scribed, the latter comprises'v a base B adaptv ed for mounting upon any suitable support S in a manner hereinafter described, and a printing. head H, niovably associated with ""5" said base, as will hereinafter appear. rllhe base B has provided thereon a platen for receiving a piece of leather L, or other materia-l to be embossed, while the head H carries a plurality of printing wheels W, which may be adjusted by selective control means of a type disclosed below to produce any desired monogram combination. Said wheels W are brought to an embossing temperature by means of the electric heaters E which are associated with said wheels in the manner hereinafter pointed out. Said wheels, after being heated and adjusted to the desired combination, may be depressed, together withV head H, by means of the control lever C, to the embossing position, when the border type T will come into cooperation with the wheels W to produce an ornamental monogram upon the material L.

Where it is desired to imprint a monogram in gold or any other color, a strip feeding device F may be associated with the machine M for passing a strip of paper or other retaining medium R, coated with gold leaf, or the like, under the border type T and the wheels WV. The heated type will remove the leaf from said strip R and cause it to adhere within the characters embossed in the leather L, as described in the aforementioned co-pending applications. c

More specifically described, the base B may be made up as a casting 10 having a perforation 12 therethrough for the reception of a bolt or other fastening means 14, to secure machine M firmly upon support S. Extending forwardly and projecting upwardly from said casting is the portion 16 whereof the top surface 18 is planed olf or otherwise formed as a table or platen upon which the material L may be deposited for the printing operation. Clips 20 may be secured to an anchor portion 22 formed on the top surface of said base, and may be bent to present the spring nibs 24 in proximity to the surface of platen P for retaining leather L in position thereon.

Upstanding from casting 10 at each side thereof are the lugs 26 having the aligned bearing openings 28 formed horizontally therethrough. Received through said openings is the bearing pin 30 upon which head H is pivotally mounted as appears hereinafter.

Head H comprises a casting 32 having the appearance of a trough turned on end, one end `34 thereof 'being formed with the ears 36 through which are drilled the holes 38 for the reception of pin 30. Said ears are further each provided with the forwardly and rearwardly extending enlargements 40 and 42 the edges of which provide stop surfaces for co-acting with the adjustable stop pieces 44 and 46 threadedly received inthe bosses 48 andV 50 formed preferably integra with base B. Front stops 44 may be adjusted so that over-travel of head H in moving toward the embossing position is prevented, while stops 48 prevent excess movement in the reverse direction.

Casting 32 is further formed with the bosses 48a extending forwardly from the middle portion of the cup sides, the cup being substantially rectangular in vertical cross-section. The bearing openings 52 are provided in said bosses and have fitted there- 'in the bushings 54. Said bushings may be of bakeiite, or any other hard bearing surface material of low heat conductivity, for a purpose hereinafter set forth.

Additional bushings 58 of any suitable material, such as bearing metal, brass, or the like. are positioned within bushings 54 and provide wear pieces between the tubes 58 and bushings 54. rlhe rod 60 is housed within tube 58, and has adjacent each end thereof the recesses G2. Said recesses are positioned for the reception thereinto of the reduced end G4 of the set screw 66, the latter being adjusted through the aligned opening 72 in the tube 58 and through the threaded opening G8, provided in the knob 70, and communicating with the cylindrical recess 71, within which the ends of tube 58 and rod 60 are received. This arrangementof openings 68 and 72, and of recesses G2 fixes the position of knobs 70, tubes 58, and rod (30 so that said knob is held firmly in Contact with the bosses 48a, and with bushings 54 and 56, while tubes 58, which together are substantially shorter than rod 60, have their inner ends spaced sufficiently apart to receive therebetween the center nmember 7 4 of the printing wheels W.

Bushings 54 are formed with an annulus 73 and a collar 75, the annulus being received within the openings 52, while the collar 75 abuts the bosses 48a and maintains the end members and 82 spaced from the body of casting 32. By this arrangement of bushings 54 the wheels W are heat-insulated from casting 32, transmission of heat by direct contact or by conduction through tube 58 and rod 60 being cut off. The knobs 70 are also preferably made of material similar to bushings 54 to present a compartively cool surface to the hand of the operator of the machine.

Members 74, 80, and 82 may be made up as cast wheels, the type elements 7 6 being provided on their outer peripheries. Through the center of member 7 4 is provid-ed the bearing opening 78, within which the rod 6() is received in such manner that relative rotational movement of said rod and wheel is permitted. while transverse movement is prevented.

lhe center portions of end members 80 and 82 are formed as hubs 84, received on tubes 58 and retained in abutment with the hub portion 84 0f center member 74 at one end, and the bushings 56 at their other ends.

At the latter ends, the hubs 94 are provided with the cross-notches 87 into which are interlocked the pins 88, secured in the respective tubes 58. This arrangement affords a positive drive Jfor members 80 and 82 from knobs 70, while permitting the free relative rotation of center member 74. It will also be noted that after set-screws 66 are applied, the end members 80 and 82 and their associated knobs 70 are retained firmly in head H, yet relatively revolubly on rod 60.

The selective control for setting members 80 and 82 is embodied in the knobs 70, while for center member 74, a distinctly dierent and independently operative device is provided. At the upper end of the troughshaped casting 32 are cast, or otherwise made a substantially integral part thereof, the bearing pieces 90. Mounted rotatably on a pin 92 retained between said pieces 90 is a gear 94, made of bakelite, or other non-heat l conducting material, for purposes similar to those set forth for knobs 70. Said gear is formed so that it will, at all times, positively engage the' type elements 76 provided on the center member 74. Said type elements 76 are integrally formed on raised portions extending around the periphery of said center member, or may comprise raised inserted type elements of the character described in the above-mentioned co-pending applications. A construction of the character of a gear wheel is thus provided. The teeth of gear 94 being in driving engagement with said raised portions, the center member may be set so that any particular type element 76 may be positioned into the desired combination for the printing operation.

Pivotally mounted on a pin 96 extending between the parallel sides of the troughshaped casting 32, and in proximity to the gear 94, are the links 98 forming an arm, at the extreme ends of which is carried the bearing pin 102 on which is rotatably mounted the roller 100. Spring 104, securely anchored on said pin 102, and on the pin 92, maintains roller in active engagement with said gear, tending to become seated between any two adjacent teeth 106 to retain in and return said gea-r and center member 7 4 to a predetermined position where one of the type elements 7 6 will be in printing position.

Each of the end members 80 and 82 is cast or otherwise provided with the extension faces 108 and the peripheries of each portion have the teeth 110 cut therein. Pivotally mounted on bearing pin 30 are the arms 112, each of which has an extending ear 114 upon which is anchored one end of a spring 116, the latter being secured at their other ends to the casting 32 at points 118. These arms are therefore forced in an outward direction so that the rollers carried on suitable bearing pins at the xtreme ends of said arms, will be retained in engagement with the teeth 110 on extending face 108. These rollers 120 will thus act in the same manner as roller 100 to retain members 80 and 82 in a set position, and also, when said members are moved slightly away from any set position, to tend to return said members to said position.

Additional members carried on bearing pin 30 provide a heating medium for wheels W. These constitute heaters E comprising portions 130, within which the elements of the heater construction are housed. At the center of plates 124 are cut out, or otherwise formed, the elongated slots 132 positionedto encompass the hubs 84 of the end members 80 and 82, yet being of such shape that said plates will be permitted movement relatively and eccentrically of said members. It will be noted that for such movement the hubs 84 are capable of sliding movement within said slot, aswell as being free for the rotational selecting movement. The mounting of plates 124 on pin 30 is without frictional or spring reaction, the. entire heater unit tending to maintain the-position shown in Fig. 6 merely by gravity.

Housed within each depressed portion are the elements of an electric heater which are seen to comprise first a mica disc 136 in direct contact with the plate 124, then another disc 138, preferably of mica, or of some other non-conducting material, upon which disc is wound a heating coil 140, then an additional mica disc 142, then an asbestos disc 144, and finally a metal plate 146. The mica discs protect said coil against a possible short circuit; the asbestos disc 144 reduces radi-ation or conduction losses through the body of .the machine to a minimum, while the metal plate 146 protects the other substantially frangib'le elements against breakage. The coil is wound on disc 138, as shown in Fig. 8, and the terminals thereof are secured 'ree by the clamp, screws 148 which pass therethrough and also through openings in the mica and asbestos discs 142 and 144, and y;

through plate 146, to be secured in any suitable manner, as by a clamp nut 150 bearing against the asbestos disc 144, to theV conductor wire 154, as shown. Said terminal connection may be protected against accidental short circuit through plate 146, by means of an insulating guard secured in the opening through plate 146.

lVhere it is desired to connect two heating coils 140 in series, an arrangement such as shown in F ig. 6 may be used wherein the series connecting wire 156 passes through suitable perforations 158 formed through the end of arms 112 adjacent thepin 30. The terminal conductor wires 154 may be connected into any external circuit 160 by means of a plug and socket connection 162, here shown as housed and protected by the armored guard 163 secured to casting 32 around the passage 165, -through which wires 154 pass for connection with coils 140.

It will be seen from the drawings that the heater plate 124 is mounted in frictional contact with the end members and 82, so that heat may be easily transmitted to these parts and also to center member 74 by conduction as well as by radiation, while being insulated from casting 32 by the bushings 54.

lVhere it is desired to produce an ornamental effect for monogram embossing, the border type T may be connected to the device so that proper co-operation between the elements 76 and said type will be had. Said type T is incorporated in a cast piece 167, secured between the lower ends of the heater plates 124 by the screws 164, or any other suitable fastening means, said piece serving to retain the heater plates 124 inV properly spaced relation. Said piece 167 is formed with the fianges 166 of the exact width to be received within the depressions 168 formed between the raised portions 94 on the mem bers 74, 80, and 82, the opening 170 provided in said piece fitting over the raised portions 94 exactly. A. type formation 171 is cut or otherwise made substantially integral with said piece. The extent of travel permitted by slot 132 is such that when the head is in raised position, said border type will be entirely separated from the types 76; while when the head H is depressed to bring said type elements into contact with leather L positioned on platen P, raised portions 94 will enter the opening 170. If suflicient pressure is applied to head H, the indented surfaces of the depressions 168 will act upon the flanges 166 so that a joint imprint of type formation 171 and elements 76 will be produced.

Control lever C used for controlling the position of head H, is not lixedly attached to the casting 32, but is associated therewith in such manner that it operates as a control to indicate when the proper pressure for securing the imprint of a monogram has been applied. This control isaccomplished by the (2o-action of a pair of slots 172 and 173 in the body 174 of lever C with a pair of pins 176 fixed in the body of and extending across the trough of casting 32, each pin 176 passing through a slot 172. A spring 17 8 is secured to the extending portion 180 of body 174 and is anchored on the pin 96. As can readily be seen, when lever C is grasped and head H moved to embossing position, spring 178 may be of sufficient resistance to prevent any movement of handle C relative to head H. However, when sufficient pressure is applied, governed by the resistance of spring 178, the handle C will move downwardly relative to head H, its directionof movement being limited to the path defined by pins 176 and slots 172.

Slots 172, as seeen from Figs. 6 and 7, have vertical segments 179 and 181, and angular segments 183 and 185, the vertical segments being substantially parallel while the angular segments are disposed injdownwardly diverging relation. In normal position, spring 178 will maintain one pin 176 within segment 183 and the other pin in segment 181. As the limit of resistance from spring 178 is approached, there will be no gradual distension of said spring, the pins being frictionally locked by the shaping of the slots 172. However, when the proper pressure has been obtained, lever C will suddenly rock around pins 176, indicating to the operator that the embossing operation has been completed. Thereupon he may release the lever C; spring 17 8 will then operate to return handle C to its normal inactive position; the head H will move upwardly under the impetus imparted to it by the spring 182 coiled around bearing pin 30, pressing against the body o-f casting 32 and against the adjusting screw 184, carried in the boss 186 on base B.

Where it is desired to secure an embossing imprint in a colored print, as gold characters, or the like, the feeding device F is incorporated and includes the cup 188, secured to the side of one plate 124, and into which may be inserted a spool 190 of strip paper, upon which a printing medium is coated. The cover plate 192 may be positioned on said cup and have pivotal connection therewith so that access to the interior of said cup is easily had. The strip from spool 190 is fed under the roller 194, passed through the guard 196, under the exit roller 198, and finally over the corrugated feed roll 200 to be received between said feed roll and the pressure roll 202. The feed roll 200 is secured on lthe end of the shaft 206, mounted in the extending lugs of a suitable bracket 204 secured to the plate 124. Said shaft is driven by the ratchet cam A208 secured adjacent the end of said shaft. Said cam is formed with the teeth 212 engaged by the spring pin 214 on the camming member 216, the latter being loosely retained on the end of shaft 206. Said camming member has secured thereon an eccentric pin 218; and arm 220, by means of the elongated slot 224, is connected to said pin and to a fixed point on base B so as to permit sufficient play between the respective parts as head H moves toward and away from base. B. Said movement of head H imparts an oscillating movement to camming member 216 which bymeans of teeth 212 and pin 214, imparts a rotational movement toshaft 206 in one direction only.

The pressure roll 202, which is carried upon the arm 226, pivoted in bracket 204, is retained by t-he spring 228 in pressure contact with the feed roll 200. Since both teed roll 200 and pressure roll 202 are corrugated, rotation oi' roll 200 will result in the forward Jreed of the strip from spool 190 when gripped between said rolls.

The rollers 194 and 198 are carried on arms 205 and 207 pivotally mounted on the respective brackets 187 and 204, and provided with suitable springs to retain them in depressed position, shat't k206 and pin 209 acting as stops to limit movement downwardly. These rollers also provide the bearings for the guard 196 which is formed ot sheet metal and has the turned up portions 280 at each end, which are received upon the extending` ends of the pins upon which rollers 194 and 198 are mounted. 1t will be noted Jfrom the drawing that the portion 280 associated with roll 194 provided merely with a peroration 282 suicient to permit pivotal movement ot guard 196 without any longitudinal movement, while the portion 280 mounted with roller 192 has the slots 284 so positioned and of such extent that longitudinal movement of said guard in the direction of the feed of the ribbon strip is permitted as the arms 205 and 207 move forwardly and downwardly when head H is depressed, thus preventing crinkling ci the paper strip in this operation. The arrangement o1: teeth 212 and pin 2-14 is such that the strip is moved by feed roll 200 only on upward movement ot head H.

Guard 196 is provided with the opening 288 through which the type may be effective to print, the metal Vbounding said opening serving as a guard to prevent inadvertent insertion of a hat band into direct side contact with said strip, thus preventing tearing thereof.

The operation of arms 226 is such that the' strip 190 is normally maintained in spaced relation to the type elements 76 and the border type T, while permitting movement oi' said elements and of the said type into active engagement with said strip to remove the medium coated on said strip, when the latter is brought into contact with leather L.

The heater plates 124 are formed on their outer peripheries with the spaced lugs 286, some ot which are threaded for the reception of screw retaining means 288. The

. guard piece 240, which may be made of reinforced balrelite, or any suitable flexible nonconducting material, which may be bent from the sheet material into t-he sh ape shown on the drawings, is positioned over said lugs and is retained by means 288, providing suitable protection against possible burns due to inadvertent contact with heaters E or wheels W. A slot 241 is suitably provided so that gear 94 may properly co-act with member 74. An opening 242 is positioned and cut through said guard piece on the up-V per end thereof so that when the type elements 7 6 are associated in the desired monogram combination, index characters A248 marked in the depressions 168, will appear at said opening to indicate the combination secured at the printing posit-ion. Additional guard plates 244 of similar material may be secured in spaced relation to the heater plates 124 at the sides thereof to prevent unguarded contact with said plates; in such case, insulating washers 246 are positioned between brackets 187 and 284 and plates 124.

Y1n operation, the heaters E are connected into circuit by plugging in the external circuit 160 through the plug and socket connector 162. fitter the apparatus has reached the proper temperature, kand with the lever C in the raised position to which the spring 182 will return head H, heaters E and the associated border type T will be in the position shown in Fig. 6 with relation to the wheels lV, so that the knobs may be manipulated to position the members 8O and 82 for securing the proper end characters ot the desired monogram combination. Then, by linger contact, the gear 92 may be rotated for positioning the center member 74 for finishing the combination. rlhe portion of leather L or other suitable material to be embossed is now clamped on the platen l? by means of the clips 16, after which lever C is grasped and head H moved downwardly to the embossing position.

As the guard 196 will rst come into contact with'leather L, upward movement of the arms 226 will take place until the border type Tcontacts leather L. Continued downward movement of head H will now cause the eccentric movement ot the hubs 84 within the elongated slot 182 until the type elements 76 come into contact with leather L. lncrease et pressure upon lever C is now applied, whereupon the flanges 166 will be engaged by the depressions 168 to force the type Tv into embossing engagement with leather L; while at the same time, type elements 76 are being imbedded in said leather and will continue to be so until release of spring 178 occurs, whereupon the operator will release handle C and allow the latter and head H to return to normal position. As the said head movesl upwardly, guard 196, type T, and the elements 76 will separate under the action ot springs 228 and of gravity, so that members 74, 80, and 82 may be reset to another printing combination.

1t will be noted that members 74, 80, and 82 ,are formed with arecess 248 for the purpose ot reducing the amount of metal utilized and thereby reducing the amount of heat necessary to raise the temperature or" the machine to the desired degree. Also, head H is formed in the trough-shaped casting previously escribed, thus eliminating considerable metal trom the construction for heatsaving purposes, and for simplicity of mounting and housing the wheels W and the associated mechanism.

It will be noted also that in the non-printing positoin, the head H is positioned so that the center of gravity is lightly forward of a line drawn perpendicularly through the center of bearing pin 80. This compensates for the slight spring pressure arising from spring 182, thus permitting very easy manipulation of the device to embossing position.

It will be noted, further that the opening 242 being in the guard piece 240, which is mounted together with the type T on heater plates 124, it must be positioned properly over index characters 243, that is, the heater E must be in the lowered position of Fig. 6, before the wheels may be adjusted to any desired position. Any movement of this opening away from the above-described position will result in the interlocking of anges 166 with the raised portions 94 on the wheels W.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth 0r shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent zl. An embossing machine comprising `a base, a printing device movably supported on said base, heating means for said device pivotally mounted on and movable relative to said base, and to said device, and a border type associated with said said heating means.

2. An embossing machine comprising a base, a printing device movably supported on said base, heating means for said device pivotally mounted on and movable relative to said base, and to said device, and a border type movable with said heating means.

3. An embossing machine comprising a base, a printing device movably supported on said base, an electric heating means for said device pivotally mounted on said base on an axis perpendicular to the plane of movement of said device, and movable relative to said base, and to said device.

4. In an embossing machine, a plurality of type wheels adjustable relative to each other, heat members for heating said wheels, and means for mounting said members for movement with and relative to said wheels.

5. In an embossing machine, an adjustably mounted type wheel, a heater member contacting said wheel, and means for mounting said member for movement with and relative to said wheel.

6. In an embossing machine, a base, a

printing head movable relative to and normally spaced therefrom, said printing head carrying a plurality of relatively adjustable type wheels, a border type retained by and movable relative to said head, said type being normally spaced from said wheels and interlocking' with said wheels when said head is moved toward said base, and a ribbon guide supported by said type and movable therewit 7. An embossing machine comprising a plurality of printing elements arranged for selective set-up, heating means for said elements movable relative thereto, and av border type for imprint association with said elements carried by said heating means.

8. An` embossing machine comprising a plurality 0f printing elements arranged for selective set-up, heating means for said elements, and a border type for imprint association with said elements carried by said heater means, said type being normally separated from said elements.

9. An embossing machine comprising a plurality of printing elements arranged for selective set-up, heating means for said elements, a border type for imprint association with said elements carried by said heater means, and a ribbon feed supported on said heating means for feeding a strip past said elements and said type.

l0. An embossing machine comprising a base, a head mounted on said base, a plurality of type wheels supported in said head, said wheels having a plurality of type Velements thereon, index characters interspersed between said type elements, and individual means for actuating each of said type wheels to obtain a predetermined combination of index characters, said type elements providing gear teeth on said wheels, said individual means directly engaging said teeth.

ll. An embossing machine comprising a base, a printing head pivotally supported on said base, a heater for said head pivotally supported on said base and capable of limited movement with and relative to said head, and means for normally retaining said head away from said base.

l2. An embossing machine comprising a base, a printing head pivotally supported on said base, a heater for said head pivotally supported on said base and capable of limited movement with and relative to said head, means for normally retaining said head away from said base, and a plurality of type members carried on said head, said heater being at all times in heat-transferring relation to said members.

13. An embossing machine comprising aA platen, tube members movable toward and away from said platen, means for feeding a ribbon past said members, and a guard for said ribbon, said guard being normally maintained in spaced relation to said members and being capable of limited movement in the direction of the ribbon movement only, when the members are moved toward the platen.

1d. An embossing machine comprising a base, a plurality of type elements mounted thereon, heating means for said elements movably mounted on said base, and guards for said machine mounted on said heating means.

15. An embossing machine comprising base, a plurality of type elements pivoted to said base, heating means for said elements pivot-ed to said base and movable relative to said elements, and guards for said machine mounted on said heating means.

16. An embossing machine comprising a plurality of type elements, heating means for said elements, and guards for said machine mounted on said heating means, said gua-rds being heat non-conductors, and means for mounting said heaters movably relative to and being in contact with said type elements.

17. In combination, a base having a platen thereon, a head pivotally mounted on said base, a plurality of type wheels rotatably mounted within said head, aheater for said wheels pivotally supported with saidhead but movable eccentrically thereof, a border member on said heater for interlocking engagement with said wheels when said heater is at one limit of its eccentric movement, and for total separation from said wheels at the other limit of its movement.

18. In combination, a base having a platen thereon, a. head pivota-lly mounted on said base, a plurality of type wheels rotatably mounted within said head, a heater for said wheels pivotally supported with said head but movable eccentrically thereof, a border member on said heater for interlocking engagement with said wheels when said heater is at one limit of its eccentric movement, and for total separation from said wheels at the other limit of its movement, and means for moving said heater automatically into position as said head moves toward and away from said base.

19. In combination, a base having a platen thereon, a head pivotally mounted on said base, a plurality of type wheels rotatably mounted within said head, a heater for said wheels pivotally supported with said head but movable eccentrically thereof, a border member on said heater for interlocking engagement with said wheels when said heater is at one limit of its eccentric movement, and for total separation from said wheels at the other limit of its movement, and means for feeding a ribbon between said border and said platen.

20. In an embossing machine, a platen and a printing head movable relative to and into Contact with each other, means for actuating said head, comprising a handle for moving said head and means associated with said handle for indicating the pressure of Contact between said head and said platen.

21. In an embossing machine, a platen and printing head movable relative to and into Contact with each other and means for indicating the pressure of contact between said head and said platen, said means comprising a handle movably mounted on said head and a spring cooperating with said handle and head for normally retaining said handle against movement.

In testimony whereof we affix our signa.- tures.

MAX A. G. LUEDTKE. HUGO HOFFMANN.

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