US 7,628,053 B2 · Graphic arts die plate hold-down device

Abstract

A hold-down device is provided for securing graphic arts die plates or die to flat bed or rotary chases having a series of generally cylindrical, hold-down device-receiving cavities. The chase cavities have an innermost portion of greater diameter than the outermost portion of the cavity, presenting a downwardly-facing shoulder therebetween. The device, which is adapted to be inserted in one of the cavities, has a pair of opposed, generally semi-circular anchor members. A fulcrum component positioned between the anchor members has a generally circular fulcrum section received in respective, opposed internal grooves in the anchor members. A lock ring that interconnects the ends of the members remote from the fulcrum section, biases those ends toward one another. When the device is installed in a cavity, the ends of the anchor members are forced toward one another to an extent that the device will fit within the outermost portion of the cavity. Insertion of the device into the cavity is continued until the ends of the anchor members remote from the lock ring are able to move outward relatively into underlying relationship with the shoulder of the cavity. The lock ring serves to maintain the uppermost ends of the anchor members in engagement with the shoulder of the cavity. The device can be removed from the cavity at any time by use of a tool that moves the upper ends of the anchor members toward one another to an extent clearing the cavity shoulder so that the device can then be pulled out of the cavity.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A hold-down device for securing a graphic arts die or die support plate to a chase having an outer surface and provided with a series of cavities that are generally round in cross-section and each having a shoulder facing away from the outer surface of the chase, said device comprising:

a main body unit having a pair of opposed anchor members having generally semi-circular outer faces being configured to be received in a respective cavity, with one set of ends of the members in closer relationship to said outer surface of the chase than the other set of ends of the members,
a fulcrum component between the anchor members of the main body unit and having a fulcrum section engaging opposed inner surfaces of the anchor members intermediate opposed ends of the members, said members being pivotal about the fulcrum section with the opposite ends of the members being movable toward and away from one another,
a resilient element interconnecting the members and positioned in closer relationship to said other set of ends of the members than said one set of ends of the members, said element being operable to bias said other set of ends toward one another and said one set of ends of the members away from one another,
said one set of ends of the members being engageable with the shoulder to prevent withdrawal of the device from a respective cavity until said one set of ends of the members are moved out of engagement with said shoulder,
said fulcrum component having a central threaded passage communicating with the outer surface of the chase;
and
a fastener removably threaded into the passage of the component, said fastener having an enlarged section outboard of the outer surface of the chase that is adapted to engage and assist in holding a graphic arts die or die support plate on the chase.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Graphic arts die plate hold-down device

Life of this patent

Graphic arts die plate hold-down device

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims13