US3632280A

US3632280A - Device for holding a stamper on the die of a record press

Info

Publication number: US3632280A
Application number: US858426A
Authority: US
Inventors: Leonard Palmer; Joseph Flusfeder
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1969-09-16
Filing date: 1969-09-16
Publication date: 1972-01-04
Anticipated expiration: 1989-01-04

Abstract

A record press having structure for releasably holding a stamper on a die of the press. This structure includes a circular clamping ring for clamping the periphery of the stamper to the die. A plurality of spring units coact with the ring to urge it to its clamping position. The ring can be displaced with respect to the spring units to a released position where the ring is free to move to and from the periphery of the stamper. The center of the stamper is locked to the die prior to clamping of the periphery of the stamper to the die, and this locking is brought about by way of a central locking member which is held releasably in a locking position by a radially movable locking wedge.

Description

United States Patent I l 13,632,280

[72] Invento s Leonard i 1,916,996 7/1933 Somner l8/5.3 F 22 Lakevlew Ave., Elizabeth, NJ. 07932; 2,092,880 9/1937 Hunter et al l8/5.3 F fizigg fi ggifi gh gb ill-08d Primary Examiner-H. A. Kilby, Jr.

[21] p No. 858,426 Attorney-Blum, Moscovitz, Friedman & Kaplan [22] Filed Sept. 16, 1969 [45] Patented 1972 ABSTRACT: A record press having structure for releasably holding a stamper on a die of the press. This structure includes 541 DEVICE FOR HOLDING A STAMPER ON THE on; a circular clamping ring clampifg P OF A RECORD PRESS stamper to the die. A plurallty of spring units coact with the ring to urge it to its clamping position. The ring can be dis- 5 Claims, 9 Drawing Figs.

placed with respect to the spring units to a released position U-S. where the ring is free to move to and from the periphery of [he [5 l 1 Cl B299 17/ 00 stamper. The center of the stamper is locked to the die prior to [50] Field Of Search 18/53 R, damping of the periphery of the tamper [o the die and [his 5.3 P, locking is brought about by way of a central locking member which is held releasably in a locking position by a radially [5 6] References cued movable locking wedge.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,576,642 3/1926 Bishop 18/53 F w 5i (5 55 52 Ti 64 56 50 g DEVICE FOR HOLDING A STAMPER ON THE DIE OF A RECORD PRESS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the manufacture of disc records.

In particular, the present invention relates to a record press, and specifically to the structure for mounting a stamper on the die of such a record press.

As is well-known a stamper is a thin metal disc which impresses one side of a phonograph record in the record press. This stamper is held against the die of the press, being secured to this due both at the center and at the periphery of the stamper.

At the present time the conventional structure used for holding the stamper on the die is composed of rigid mounting elements. Thus, a rigid clamping ring clamps the periphery of the stamper to the die. Because of this rigid-mounting arrangement, there is a progressive metal fatigue and a relatively short life for the structure. Thus, after only a few thousand cycles failure takes place, resulting in the necessity of changing the stamper in order to continue the operations. The conventional devices require a considerable time for changing a stamper, so that the idle time of the press during which no output can be derived therefrom is undesirably long. Thus, the unavoidable high costs are encountered not only by the requirement of replacing one stamper with another, but also by the idle time and additional labor costs which are unavoidable.

With the conventional arrangements it is necessary to use removable wrenches for clamping and unclamping the stamper. Because such wrenches can easily be dropped onto the face of the stamper, there is a very great risk of ruining a stamper because of these conditions.

Furthermore, with the presently known constructions, considerable difficulty is encountered in locking and unlocking the center of the stamper to the die. A central locking member is used for this purpose, and because of the relative inaccessibility of the arrangement this locking member is difficult to remove and to place in its locking position. Thus, the operations and structure conventionally used for locking the central region of the stamper prior to locking of the periphery thereof gives rise to further inconveniences and high costs involved with the known arrangements.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is accordingly a primary object of the present invention to provide a device which will avoid the above drawbacks.

In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device capable of clamping the periphery of the stamper in the die automatically with a unifonn clamping force and without the rigidity inherent in the known devices, so that progressive metal fatigue is minimized and the operative life of the components is very greatly increased.

Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to provide an arrangement where it is unnecessary to make use of removable wrenches which can be easily be dropped on the face of the stamper.

Also, it is an object of the invention to clamp the periphery of the stamper to the die with a spring arrangement which will achieve a degree of floating which eliminates the rigidity of the known arrangements and all of the disadvantages inherent therein.

Also, it is an object of the invention to provide a simple construction of this type which will enable the clamping force to be adjusted and which at the same time provides a rapid connect and disconnect of the stamper by way of simple manipulation of a handle, for example.

Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to provide for the central region of the stamper a locking and unlocking device which can be very easily and conveniently manipulated for locking the center of the stamper to the die prior to locking of the periphery of the stamper to the die.

Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to provide a device which can easily regulate the force with which the center of the stamper is locked to the die and which at the same time can be operated to readily displace the locking structure to a position where it can be conveniently and quickly manipulated for releasing the stamper.

According to the invention a clamping ring means and a spring means form a pair of means which have with respect to each other a clamping position where the ring means clamps the periphery of a stamper to a die and a nonclamping position where the ring means is free to be moved to and from the periphery of the stamper. A moving means coacts with one of the pair of means for displacing it with respect to the other to provide the clamping and nonclamping positions. In order to releasably lock the central region of the stamper to the die prior to the clamping of the periphery thereof to the die, a central locking member has an inclined surface capable of being engaged by a wedge surface of a radially movable locking wedge which when shifted in one direction wedges the central locking member in its locked position and when moved in an opposite, unlocking direction displaces the central locking member to a position which facilitates the removal thereof so as to release the stamper for ready removal from the die.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings which form part of this application and in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the lower die of a record press which is provided with the structure of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional elevation taken along line 2-2 of FIG. I in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 shows the central region of the structure of FIG. 2 in an unlocked position;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary transverse-sectional elevation taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2 in the direction of the arrows and showing the central locking structure at a scale which is enlarged as compared to FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary transverse section taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrows and showing at an enlarged scale as compared to FIG. 1 part of the structure for clamping the periphery of the stamper to the die, FIG. 5 also showing in phantom lines the upper die assembly which coacts with the lower die;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional elevation taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 5 in the direction of the arrows to show further details of the peripheral clamping structure;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary plan view showing the position which the parts take when they are in a nonclamping position;

FIG. 8 is a transverse section elevation taken along line 8 8 of FIG. 7 in the direction of the arrows and showing at an enlarged scale as compared to FIG. 7 the position which the parts take when in their nonclamping relationship; and

FIG. 9 is a section elevation taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 8 in the direction of the arrows and showing further details of the structure.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings there is shown in FIG. 1 the lower die of a record press as the die appears when looking down onto the top thereof. This die 10 of the record press is provided at its corners with posts 12 which serve to horizontally guide the upper die I4 shown in phantom lines in FIG. 5. FIG. I also shows counterbores l6 situated at the corners to receive screws which fix the die 10 to the supporting structure of the press.

As is well-known the upper and lower dies will carry stampers in the form of thin metal discs which will respectively impress the opposite sides of a phonograph record in the record press when the upper and lower dies have with respect to each other the position indicated in FIG. 5.

As may be seen from FIG. 2, the stamper 18 is releasably locked at its central portion to the die 10 by a releasable lock means which includes a central member 20 having a vertically extending shank 22 which extends through a central vertical bore of the die 10. This shank 22 is fixed at its top end to a circular disc 24 of the central member 20, and this disc 24 is received in a recess of the die 10 into which the central portion of the stamper 18 extends in the manner shown in FIG. 2.

The shank 22 is formed adjacent its lower end with a pair of opposed transversely extending notches 25 which have upwardly directed inclined end surfaces 26 adapted to coact with the wedge surfaces of a radially movable locking wedge 28 of the releasable lock means. This locking wedge 28 is guided in a suitable radial slot 30 of the structure 33 which supports the die 10 and to which the die I is fixed, Thus, the locking wedge 28 has a horizontal leg situated in the guide 30 and terminates at its outer end in a vertical leg 32 shown at the right of FIG. 2. At the region ofits left end, as viewed in FIG. 2, the locking wedge 28 is formed with an elongated opening into which the pair of opposed locking wedge portions 34 respectively extend with these portions having downwardly directed inclined surfaces to coact with the inclined surfaces 26 in the manner shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. Thus, when the locking wedge 28 is displaced to the left in the direction of the arrow 36 of FIG. 2, the wedge portions 34 will press against the sur faces 26 in order to lock the member 20 in its lower locking position locking the central portion of the stamper 18 to the die 10.

In order to unlock the member 20 the locking wedge 28 is displaced to the right in the direction opposite to that shown by the arrow 36, the locking wedge 28 at this time being disposed in the direction of the arrow 38 of FIG. 3. At its inner end the locking wedge is provided with an upwardly directed inclined surface 40 which of the same inclination as the bottom end surface 42 of the shank 22. Thus, when the locking wedge 28 is displaced in the direction of the arrow 38 to the unlocking position shown in FIG. 3, the member 20 is raised to the elevation shown in FIG. 3 where it is completely unlocked so that the operator can easily grasp the disc 24 and remove the member 20 from the die so that one stamper 18 may be replaced by another when it is desired to change from the manufacturing of one phonograph record to the manufacturing of another phonograph record. When a new stamper is situated on the die 10 it is a simple matter to introduce the shank 22 downwardly through the central opening of the stamper to the position shown in FIG. 3, and then the locking wedge 28 need only be moved in the direction of the arrow 36 of the FIG. 2 in order to cause the wedge portions 34 to coact with the surfaces 26 in order to again return the central member to its locking position.

As is apparent from FIG. 2, the supporting structure 33 of the press fixedly carries a radially extending screw 44 on which a nut 46 is threaded. The nut 46 extends with a fairly close fit through an opening in the leg 32 of the locking wedge 28, and at its left end, as viewed in FIG. 2, the nut 46 fixedly carries a collar 48 so that while the nut can turn with respect to the leg 32 it cannot move axially with respect thereto. Thus by turning the nut 46 on the threaded stud 44 it is possible to displace the locking wedge 28 either in the direction of the arrow 36 or in the direction of the arrow 38.

It is therefore apparent that with this releasable lock means of the invention it is a simple matter to place the member 20 in a position where it can be conveniently removed and replaced while at the same time it can be very conveniently locked in the position shown in FIG. 2 in order to initially lock the central portion of the stamper 18 due to the die 10. Naturally similar operations can be performed with a similar structure associate with the upper die 14 shown in phantom lines in FIG. 5.

Once the central portion of the stamper I8 is releasably fixed in this way, the peripheral portion thereof is releasably fixed to the die 10. For this purpose, the structure of the invention includes a one-piece circular clamping ring means 50 placed around and next to the periphery of the stamper 18 in the manner most clearly illustrated in FIG. 1 and 2. This clamping ring means 50 is formed at its outer peripheral edge region with a plurality of uniformly distributed notches 52. In the example illustrated in FIG. I there are four such notches 52 displaced by with respect to each other about the axis of the clamping ring 50. This axis of course coincides with the axis of the shank 22 of the locking member 20. The clamping ring 50 is turned in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. I, to its clamping position. When considered in this clamping direction, indicated by the arrow 54 in FIG. 6, each notch 52 has a rear trailing end 56 of tapered wedge-shaped configuration most clearly shown in FIGS. 6 and 9.

Initially when the clamping ring 50 is placed on the outer peripheral edge of the stamper 18, the notches 52 are respec tively aligned with a plurality of spring means 58, so that each notch 52 and spring means 58 will initially have with respect to each other the position indicated in FIG. 9. This open position of the ring means 50 and spring means 58 with respect to each other is also illustrated in FIG. 8. The parts also shown in this position in FIG. 7. As may be seen from FIGS. 5 and 7 each spring means 58 is in the form of a unit which includes a bolt 60 threaded into a suitable threaded bore of the die 10 and extending through a washer 62 which partly extends into a recess 64 of the die 10. This washer 62 extends into the notch 52 when the parts have the position shown in FIGS. 7-9. Each spring means 58 further includes a circular cup spring 66 formed with an opening through which the shank of the screw 60 extends with each cup spring 66 situated between the washer 62 and the head of the bolt 60. This structure for releasably clamping the stamper at its periphery is completed by a moving means which in the illustrated example takes the form of a handle 70 fixed to and extending radially from the ring 50in the manner shown most clearly in FIG. 1. The die I0 is formed with a notch 72 through which the handle 70 extends so that the end faces 74 and 76 of the notch 72 respectively form a limit means limiting the extent of turning of the ring means 50. Thus, the handle 70 can be turned between the solid and dot-dash line positions indicated in FIG. I. In the solid line position of handle 70 the clamping ring means 50 is in its clamping position while in the dot-dash line position and the clamping ring means is in its nonclamping position and can be raised away from the stamper 18 so that the latter can be removed and replaced.

As is apparent from a comparison of FIGS. 6 and 9, when the clamping ring means 50 is turned in the direction of the arrow 54 from its nonclamping position shown in FIG. 9 toward its clamping position shown in FIG. 6, the several tapered, wedge portions 56 at the trailing ends of the notches 52 will respectively slide beneath the several washers 62 of the several spring means 58 so as to urge these washers upwardly to the positions shown in FIG. 5 in opposition to the force of the cup springs 66. The bolts 60 can be turned so as to adjust the force of the spring means 58. Thus, the threaded connection of the bolts 60 in the threaded bores of the die 10 forms an adjusting means for adjusting the force of the spring means 58. Because of this spring means a floating, nonrigid type of clamping action is achieved which greatly increases the life of the structure by preventing the metal fatigue which is encountered with conventional structures used for similar purposed.

When it is desired to release the periphery of the stamper I8 the handle 70 need only be turned into engagement with the surface 76 of the die 10, and the parts will again be placed in the position shown in FIGS. 7-9 where the several spring means 58 are respectively aligned with the notches 52 releasing the ring 50 for removal from the peripheral region of the stamper.

It is therefore apparent that with this exceedingly simple structure it is possible to releasably clamp the periphery of the stamper to the die in the manner described above and shown in the drawings.

Thus, with the structure of the invention the stamper will first be clamped at its central region to the die and will be clamped at its peripheral region to the die. Although the structure is described above in connection with the lower die 10, this structure can of course be duplicated with the upper die 14. Also, although only one handle 70 is illustrated, a plurality of such handles may be used, if desired, these handles then being distributed about the clamping ring.

As may be seen particularly from FIG. 5, a certain amount of the record material will tend to flow out from the stamper, and the peripheral mounting arrangement of the invention will provide a degreeof accommodation for such excess material. Not only does the nonrigid springy pressure avoid metal fatigue because of the avoidance of rigidity, with the structure of the invention, but in addition the use of a handle 70 eliminates the need of wrenches or the like which greatly increase the possibility of damaging the stamper for the reasons pointed out above.

Furthermore substantially less time is required for stamper change to thereby substantially reduce down or idle time of the apparatus.

What is claimed is:

1. In a record press, clamping ring means for clamping the periphery of a stamper to a die of the record press, spring means coacting with said clamping ring means for pressing the latter against the periphery of a stamper to clamp the latter on the die of the record press, said clamping ring means and spring means forming a pair of means which have with respect to each other a clamping position where said spring means presses the clamping ring means against the periphery of a stamper and a nonclamping position where said spring means does not act on said clamping ring means and the latter is free for movement to and from the periphery of a stamper, moving means operatively connected with at least one of said pair of means for moving said one of said pair of means with respect to the other of said pair of means to place the pair of means selectively in said clamping or nonclamping positions with respect to each other, and releasable locking means coacting with the central region of the stamper for releasably locking the latter at its central region to the die prior to clamping of the periphery of the stamper to the die.

2. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said releasable locking means includes an elongated shank whose axis coincides with the central axis of said clamping ring means, a plate fixed to the top end of said shank to be pressed into a central recess of the stamper when the shank is in a locked position, said shank having between its ends an inclined wedge surface, and a locking wedge movable perpendicularly with respect to the shank axis and engaging the inclined wedge surface thereof for placing the shank and the plate connected thereto in said locked position in response to movement of the locking wedge in one direction while unlocking the shank and plate fixed thereto upon movement of the locking wedge in an opposition direction.

3. The combination of claim 2 and wherein said locking wedge is in the form of an elongated member having beyond said die a lateral extension formed with an opening, a nut received in the latter opening, and a stationary screw on which said nut is turnable for moving said locking wedge in said directions.

4. The combination of claim 3 and wherein said shank has distant from said plate an inclined end face while said locking wedge has distant from its wedge portion which engages the wedge surface of said shank an inclined surface engaging the inclined end face of said shank to axially displace the latter to an unlocked position upon movement of the locking wedge in the unlocking direction.

5. In a record press, clamping ring means for clamping the periphery of a stamper to a die of the record press, spring means coacting with said clamping ring means for pressing the latter against the periphery of a stamper to clamp the latter on the die of the record press, said clamping ring means and spring means forming a pair of means which have with respect to each other a clamping position where said spring means presses the clampin ring means against the geriphery of a stamper and a nonc ampmg position where sat spring means does not act on said clamping ring means and the latter is free for movement to and from the periphery of a stamper, moving means operatively connected with at least one of said pair of means for moving said one of said pair of means with respect to the other of said pair of means to place the pair of means selectively in said clamping or nonclamping positions with respect to each other, and adjusting means coacting with said spring means for adjusting the force thereof, wherein said spring means is carried by and remains stationary with respect to the die of the record press while said moving means is connected with said clamping ring means for displacing the latter with respect to said spring means, wherein said moving means is in the form of a handle fixed to and projecting from said clamping ring means to be engaged by the operator for turning said ring means with respect to said spring means between said clamping and nonclamping positions, wherein said clamping ring means is in the form of a one-piece circular ring having an outre peripheral region formed with notches equidistantly spaced from each other angularly about the axis of said ring, said spring means including a plurality of units respectively situated at said notches so as to have no influence on said ring means when the latter is in its nonclamping position with respect to said spring means, while said notches are situated beyond said units of said spring means with the latter engaging said ring means when said ring means is in its clamping position with respect to the units of said spring means, wherein each of said units of said spring means includes a bolt having a head and carried by the die in a threaded bore thereof, a washer situated beneath the head of the bolt, and a circular spring situated between the head of the bolt and the washer to urge the latter away from the bolthead, said ring having at one end of each of the notches thereof a tapered, wedge-shaped portion extending circumferentially of said ring to move beneath the washer of each unit to compress the spring between each washer and bolthead to achieve the clamping relationship between the ring means and spring means, said adjusting means being formed by the threaded connection of said bolts with said die.

Claims

5. In a record press, clamping ring means for clamping the periphery of a stamper to a die of the record press, spring means coacting with said clamping ring means for pressing the latter against the periphery of a stamper to clamp the latter on the die of the record press, said clamping ring means and spring means forming a pair of means which have with respect to each other a clamping position where said spring means presses the clamping ring means against the periphery of a stamper and a nonclamping position where said spring means does not act on said clamping ring means and the latter is free for movement to and from the periphery of a stamper, moving means operatively connected with at least one of said pair of means for moving said one of said pair of means with respect to the other of said pair of means to place the pair of means selectively in said clamping or nonclamping positions with respect to each other, and adjusting means coacting with said spring means for adjusting the force thereof, wherein said spring means is carried by and remains stationary with respect to the die of the record press while said moving means is connected with said clamping ring means for displacing the latter with respect to said spring means, wherein said moving means is in the form of a handle fixed to and projecting from said clamping ring means to be engaged by the operator for turning said ring means with respect to said spring means between said clamping and nonclamping positions, wherein said clamping ring means is in the form of a one-piece circular ring having an outer peripheral region formed with notches equidistantly spaced from each other angularly about the axis of said ring, said spring means including a plurality of units respectively situated at said notches so as to have no influence on said ring means when the latter is in its nonclamping position with respect to said spring means, while said notches are situated beyond said units of said spring means with the latter engaging said ring means when said ring means is in its clamping position with respect to the units of said spring means, wherein each of said units of said spring means includes a bolt having a head and carried by the die in a threaded bore thereof, a washer situated beneath the head of the bolt, and a circular spring situated between the head of the bolt and the washer to urge the latter away from the bolthead, said ring having at one end of each of the notches thereof a tapered, wedge-shaped portion extending circumferentially of said ring to move beneath the washer of each unit to compress the spring between each washer and bolthead to achieve the clamping relationship between the ring means and spring means, said adjusting means being foRmed by the threaded connection of said bolts with said die.