Patent GB-189923182-A (GB)
Title: Improved Method and Means for Preparing, Developing, and Preserving Printing Surfaces, particularly Registering Series of Printing Surfaces for Multicolor Printing.
Inventor: HADDAN HERBERT JOHN
Filed: 1899-11-21
Granted: 1900-01-20
Abstract: 23,182. Haddan, H. J., [American Lithographic Co.]. Nov. 21. Lithographic and like printing.-Relates to methods and apparatus for transferring a series of registering designs to a series of surfaces, as in. lithography, then developing these surfaces into printing-surfaces, and finally printing from the series. of surfaces in approximately instantaneous succession in multicolour printing. For the transferring, a setting-up plate or transfer base carrying the design is brought into contact with the prepared surface. The printing-surface is then developed by known processes. If a planographic surface is prepared, damping as well as inking mechanism is required in the subsequent printing. In preparing the designs, as many different colours as there are distinct colours in the picture to be produced are used, overlaying the colours as little as possible, and each colour is separately printed. In rolling-up the printing-surface after development, to preserve the surface from deterioration while awaiting use, a white or otherwise lightcolonred ink or body is used. This should be such as not to detract from the tone of the printing-ink subsequently used. Either the printing or transfer surfaces may be curved, or less advantageously, both may be flat. Several forms of transfer presses are illustrated, one of which is shown in longitudinal section in Fig. 3. It consists of a reciprocating bed 1, having a rack 10 along one edge. On this bed the transfer base or setting-up plate carrying the design is accurately placed, the position being defined by means of a squared corner on the bed into which a squared corner on the plate accurately fits, and into which it is forced by screws. Any number of plates may thus be accurately placed on the same bed in succession. The principal shaft 3 drives the bed by a longitudinal screw, so as to carry the plate beneath the tubular surface 5 which is to receive the design. The pipe 5 is removable and replaceable on its support, and the support is removable from its shaft and replaceable in exactly the same position. The shaft is carried by sliding boxes which can be raised by a lever and locked in the raised position by an eccentric. On the end of the shaft are teeth gearing with the rack 10 when in position, a marked tooth always entering a marked recess in the rack. The friction between the setting up plate and tube is afterwards sufficient without the use of gear. The bed may be reciprocated several times with slightly increasing pressure. The printing-tube is then raised to an adjustable stop and the transfer paper soaked off, a drip pan being placed beneath. The tube is then developed to form a printing-surface by means of inking-mechanism 11 and a suitable damping mechanism. The inking-mechanism consists of an ink fountain, a series of intermediate ink-distributing rollers, and a series of formeinking rollers adapted to make contact with the printing-surfaces, these distributing and inking rollers being mounted on swinging frames. The damping- rollers are mounted in sliding boxes carried by swinging frames. The damping and inking rollers are driven from the shaft 22. A hoisting-arrangement may be used to lift up the tubes to be developed to printing-surfaces, so as to align with arms projecting from the revoluble head of a standard forming a tube-handling device for transferring the tubes to separate developing-machines. Or the device may be used subsequently for transferring the tubes to a printing-press. Fig. 25 shows a multicolour lithographic printing-press adapted to complete the process, in which a central impression drum 36 has a suitable surface driven by any means and driving a series of continuous cylindrical printing-surfaces 37, ten being shown, each printing a different colour. The apparatus prints on the web continuously, printing the ten separate colours in approximately instantaneous succession. Each printing-surface 37 has its inking- mechanism 38 and damping-mechanism 39 driven from the central drum.