Hand-operated embossing machine

Claim 2

A machine for embossing materials with characters selected from a prescribed set of characters, comprising a housing; an insertable guide assembly, for said housing and inserted therein, for the material to be embossed, said guide assembly including a detent spring and material aDvancing means; an embossing wheel assembly rotationally mounted upon said housing for retaining said guide assembly in position and in engagement with the detent spring thereof for selecting a particular character to be embossed, said detent spring fixing the rotational position of said embossing wheel assembly with respect to said housing; actuating means for embossing the selected character upon said material; means for biasing said actuating means toward an equilibrium position; and means for operating said advancing means.

Claim 3

An embossing machine as defined in claim 1 wherein said advancing means includes a ratchet wheel and the biasing and operating means comprise a spring, having a first portion engaging said actuating means and a second portion engaging said ratchet wheel.

Claim 4

An embossing machine as defined in claim 2 wherein said second portion of said spring extends from said actuating means to said ratchet wheel and is substantially perpendicular to the plane of rotation of said ratchet wheel.

Claim 5

An embossing machine as defined in claim 2 wherein said biasing and operating means comprise means having a first portion for biasing the actuating means, formed by that part of a spring which is disposed with one end in said housing and has an intermediate section engaging said actuating means, and a second portion for simultaneously operating the advancing means, formed by the remainder of said spring which extends from said intermediate section into contact with said ratchet wheel.

Claim 6

A machine as defined in claim 1 for embossing a strip of material wherein said housing has a major axis and a transversely disposed minor axis, said major axis being longer than said minor axis; and said guide assembly is positioned in said housing for transversely guiding said strip of material with respect to said major axis.

Claim 7

A machine as defined in claim 1 for embossing materials wherein said guide assembly includes a channel having at least one opening therein at one side thereof and said advancing means includes a ratchet assembly mounted on a spindle below the channel of said guide assembly, with one end of said ratchet assembly extending through said opening into said channel for engaging said material and the other end of said ratchet assembly is operated by the means for operating said advancing means.

Claim 8

An embossing machine as defined in claim 6 wherein said one end of said ratchet assembly carries a drive wheel which extends through said opening in said guide assembly into said channel for engaging said strip of material.

Claim 9

An embossing machine as defined in claim 7 wherein said drive wheel is secured to said ratchet assembly by a plurality of regularly spaced serrated indentations on mating surfaces thereof, thereby to enhance the firmness with which said wheel is held by ratchet assembly and prevent slippage thereof.

Claim 10

An embossing machine as defined in claim 7 wherein said guide assembly includes a feed wheel rotationally positioned thereon above said channel in contact with said drive wheel.

Claim 11

An embossing machine as defined in claim 7 further including means fixedly attached to said guide assembly for regulating the operation of said advancing means comprising a cantilever member having a portion thereof in contact with said ratchet assembly; thereby to serve as a detent and regulate the movement of said ratchet assembly.

Claim 12

An embossing machine as defined in claim 10 wherein said cantilever member includes a shoulder for guarding against undesired movement of said ratchet assembly.

Claim 13

An embossing machine as defined in claim 10 wherein said ratchet assembly includes a multitoothed ratchet wheel and said cantilever member, when in its equilibrium position, rests against two teeth of said ratchet assembly.

Claim 14

An embossing machine as defined in claim 12 wherein said cantilever member includes a squared shoulder for engaging one of said teeth for guarding against undesired movement of said ratchet assembly.

Claim 15

An embossing machine as defined in claim 10 wherein said cantilever member of said guide assembly is molded using an acetal resin thereby to provide a detent cantilever with a grain orientation that permits repeated flexing without breakage.

Claim 16

An embossing machine as defined in claim 6 wherein said ratchet assembly includes a multitoothed ratchet wheel in contact with the operating means, each tooth having a root angle of substantially 90* and an apex angle of substantially 45*.

Claim 17

An embossing machine as defined in claim 1 wherein said embossing wheel assembly includes a first wheel partly underlying said guide assembly and having tines that individually bear the selectable characters and a second wheel, mated with the first, partly overlying said guide assembly and having individual die counterparts for the characters of said tines and said housing includes a member extending outwardly therefrom and overlying the selection position of the characters for limiting the die and tine movement during embossment of said material with the selected character.

Claim 18

An embossing machine as defined in claim 16 wherein said embossing wheel assembly is rotationally mounted upon said housing by a pin which is press-fit thereinto.

Claim 19

An embossing machine as defined in claim 1 which is readily assembled and disassembled wherein said housing constitutes a first unit of said machine and has a plurality of apertures therein; said actuating means constitutes a second unit of said machine and is pivotally attached to said housing to occupy one of said apertures; said guide assembly constitutes a third unit of said machine and is inserted into another aperture of said housing; said embossing wheel assembly constitutes a fourth unit of said machine and is rotationally mounted upon said housing; the biasing means constitutes a first flexible member extending from within said housing into contact with said actuating means and the operating means constitutes a second flexible member extending within said housing from said actuating means into direct contact with said advancing means.

Claim 20

A machine as defined in claim 18 for embossing a strip of material wherein said guide assembly includes a channel, with an opening in the base thereof, for guiding said strip of material, a ratchet mechanism positioned on a spindle below said channel, mounting a drive wheel at one end, extending into said channel, and having a ratchet at the other end operable by said operating means, said drive wheel being secured to said ratchet assembly by a plurality of serrations on mating surfaces thereof, a feed wheel rotationally positioned on said guide assembly above said channel in contact with said drive wheel, and a finger projecting outwardly from said guide assembly into contact with said ratchet for regulating the movement thereof; said embossing wheel assembly is positioned on said housing by a pin which is press-fit thereinto and comprises a first wheel partly underlying said guide assembly beneath the opening in the base thereof and having tines that individually bear the selectable characters, and a second wheel, mated with the first, partly overlying said guide assembly above said opening and having individual die counterparts for the characters of said tines; said actuating means includes a hammer for pressing the tine of said embossing wheel assembly, in embossing position, through the opening in said guide assembly and into its die counterpart, and a support for said biasing means and said operating means; and said biasing and operating means comprise a spring with a first section extending from said housing to a bend, a second section extending from said bend, in the opposite direction, to the support in said actuating means, and a third section extending from said second section into the root of a tooth of said ratchet; whereby the pivotal movement of said actuating means into said housing causes (1) said strip of material to be embossed by the action of the hammer of said actuating means against said selecting means, and (2) said spring to be moved to the root position of an adjoining tooth of said ratchet and the release of said actuating means causes said ratchet, and thereby said drive wheel, to rotate to advance said strip to the next embossable position thereof.

Claim 21

A machine as defined in claim 5 for embossing a strip of material wherein the means for operating said advancing means is a flexible cantilever member extending within said housing from said actuating means into direct contact with said advancing means.

Claim 22

A machine as defined in claim 20 for embossing a strip of material wherein said guide assembly includes a channel for said strip of material; and said advancing means includes a ratchet assembly, mounted on an axle below the channel of said guide assembly, with one end extending into said channel for engaging said strip of material and the other end being operable by the operating means for said advancing means.

Claim 23

An embossing machine as defined in claim 21 wherein said one end of said ratchet assembly carries a drive wheel extending into said channel for providing flexible engagement with said strip of material.

Claim 24

An embossing machine as defined in claim 22 wherein said guide assembly includes means positioned thereon above said channel in contact with said drive wheel.

Claim 25

An embossing machine as defined in claim 21 further including means fixedly attached to said guide assembly for regulating the operation of said advancing means, comprising a cantilever member in contact with said ratchet assembly; thereby to serve as a detent and regulate the movement of said ratchet assembly.

Claim 26

An embossing machine as defined in claim 24 wherein said cantilever member of said guide assembly is molded using an acetal resin, thereby to provide a detent cantilever with a grain orientation that permits repeated flexing without breakage because of repeated operation.

Claim 27

An embossing machine as defined in claim 20 wherein said embossing wheel assembly includes a first wheel partly underlying said guide assembly and having tines that individually bear the selectable characters and a second wheel, mated with the first, partly overlying said guide assembly and having individual die counterparts for the characters of said tines and said housing includes a member extending outwardly therefrom and overlying the selection position of the characters for limiting the die and tine movement during the embossment of said material.

Claim 28

An embossing machine as defined in claim 20 which can be readily assembled and disassembled wherein said housing constitutes a first unit of said machine and has a plurality of apertures therein; said actuating means constitutes a second unit of said machine, is spring-loaded by the biasing means and is pivotally attached to said housing to occupy one of said apertures in abutting relationship to an edge thereof; said guide assembly constitutes a third unit of said machine and is inserted into another aperture of said housing; and said embossing wheel assembly constitutes a fourth unit of said machine.

Claim 29

A machine as defined in claim 27 for embossing a strip of material wherein said guide assembly includes a channel, with an opening in the base thereof, for guiding said strip of material, a ratchet mechanism positioned on a spindle below said channel, mounting a drive wheel at one end, extending into said channel, and having a rachet at the other end operable by the operating means, a member positioned on said guide above said channel in contact with said drive wheel, and a finger projecting from said guide assembly into contact with said ratchet for regulating the movement thereof; said embossing wheel assembly comprises a first wheel partly underlying said guide assembly beneath the opening in the base thereof and having tines that individually bear the selectable characters, and a second wheel, mated with the first, partly overlying said guide assembly above the opening in thE base thereof and having individual die counterparts for the characters of said tines; and said actuating means has a hammer for pressing the tine of said selecting means, in embossing position, through the opening in said guide assembly and into its die counterpart, and said operating means extends from said actuating means to said ratchet; whereby the pivotal movement of said actuating means into said housing causes said strip of material to be embossed by the action of the hammer of said actuating means against said embossing wheel assembly and the release of said actuating means causes said ratchet, and thereby said drive wheel, to rotate to advance said strip to the next embossable position thereof.