Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-11-06
LATE IMPROVEMENT IN THE PRINTING PRESS
PROM THE PHILADELPHIA LEDGER.

houced TO readers having been manufactured or e
Ledger by the Messrs r. Hoe Co.. paentee and printing
press manufacturers of New York. We doubt not that sub
scrbe the paper will be interested with brief description
OF the machine and of its invention particularly the pncl
pie its operation entirely different from that Of any print
ing before put into successful in this country
the world, that it has been with printers disputed point, not
only whether any machine could be invented by the ng
NOUS mechanic capable Of applying this principle printing
but if there could be, whether the principle itself could
be adapted TO etterpress printing We think this last gene.
raj invention of which the first and only machine illustrating
1t yet manufactured is that upon which the Ledger is
printed, proves the truth of the hypothesis that the principle
Is susceptible Of being applied, and with
The one we have has been in OF construction for US
months past and is the first and only yet built
ed ordered, except by ourselves The manufacturers al
ready have order for second one Of the same kind
The essential principle Of difference between this last in
venion and all other kinds Of presses machines hitherto
used consists in the fact that while upon those the types
locked up with 'tquoins and smalet and shooting stick,
in chase, and laid upon bed of iron, the surface Of
which is fiat with this the types screwed up with
wrench in what compostors pleased to denomnae
turtle, constituting both bed and chase and placed upon
large cylinder four and half feet in diameter less,
which revoves upon its axle within four other small cy
nders oneouh part the Of the larger these reyov
ing also upon their axes in opposite direction
Each Of these smaller cylinders receives from It's sup
plying attendant the sheet of paper with which, at every fourth
revolution, it meets the form tue OF type as II comes
around, and passing, gives the IMPRESSION and instantly
throws it into the receivers hands, above or below
cording to the relative position of the cylinder.
type attached and between those giving the mpreon
placed the linking rollers which spread the ink upon the face
Of the types II revoves under them There are two oil
these each cylinder The linking fountain is placed entire
y underneath the machine from which the ink Is constantly
drawn by of continually revolving small IRON cylln
der forming itself part of the fountain. From this the ink
is taken up by of small rollers with small vibrating
distributor working in with then and is conveyed
the surface of the large cylinder the entire circumference
of which, except that section of occupied by the form of
type performs in its revolution the Office Of both distributor
and feeder the eight linking rollers from which latter the
type receive their supply direct.
With Of the cylinders the white paper fed above,
and the printed sheets thrown out below and with the
other fed in below and thrown above The
taken up by the machine, paper-boads and all included
LENGTH and nine feet high, by about five
feet in breadth The type used upon the ordinary type
hitherto used the Ledger which made 10 assume
circular form in the make up by the use OF beveed col
umn rules.
For the attendance Of this press ten persons required
superintendent and assistant and four to feed sheets
in and four TO receive them they come out This is the
number only that have been required attend the two
presses heretofore used in printing the Ledger.
We have given, brief description OF this most I'M
pottant invention by which doubt tina, printers at least
mechanics generally derive correct idea Of its plan,
without the aid Of diagram.
All mechanics know that strictly rotary motion is the
ton capable Of the highest of speed in machinery Hoes
last as, press constructed throughout entirely upon the ro-
ary principle of notion So still indeed does the machine
that it hardly be heard in adjoining room
One of the greatest beauties well advantages in the
estimation of all true mechanics Is its great simPcty be-
less complicated than previously used machine press
The extensive manufacturing house OF the Messrs Hoe TO
the printers of the United States indebted for most
The printing presses and machinery IN this country
and particularly for the rapid machine was commenced
by Robert Hoe in 1908, who died in 1892 and left his
and Mathew Smith, who had been bred practically TO the bus
ness his Messrs r. Hoe & Co. have now IN
New York very extensive establishments in Gold
street, and the other in Broome street. the upper part OF
the city, taking the whole block bounded by Sheriff. Broome,
Columbia They have attached to their works an
iron and brass foundry, forge shop, and trip hammers The
whole machinery, foundry, &C. driven By single steam
engine of capacity to extend its power and work the entire
length of the block in which employed between two and
three hundred hands,
FROM THE NEW ORLEANS PIcAYUSE.
We have recently had the opportunity Of personally inspect
ing of Hoes last invented printing machines, now en-
poyed by the Philadelphia Ledger Descriptions of the ma.
chine have already appeared in these columns but they ne
cessay give but inadequate idea of the structure the re-
suits, however, simple and sufficiently astounding From
twelve thousand copies of newspaper can DE printed
upon in hour, and the principle capable Of indefinite
extension, by the multiplication of the number o. distributing
cylinders The Ledgers machine for example Is oult WIN
four Of these small cylinders which are brought IN contact
with the main cylinder, upon which the form placed Each
these small cylinders throws off nearly three thousand I'M
pressons per hour and, by increasing their NUMBER hree
thousand impressions secured for every aodonal
cylinder
The credit of this great invention due Richard Hoe
Of the house of Hoe 81 Co. Like other valuable I'M
provemens in the arts has been the fruit q long ana oa
is not probably exaggeraton to say that Mr. Hoe mas
expended fifty thousand dollars in his experiments and IN per-
ctng his machines. He has richly earned the fortune which
he is at last beginning TO reap from his labls pc nen-
is Of such character that must be adopted by he press
rapidly the manufacturers supply the demand nor
is at all improbable that it will be modified and perfected
be employed upon other descriptions OF printing than
newspapers, for which, however expressly designed
The of the machines agten thousand dollars each
but il twice what is papers with large daily ccua-
tons wonld find their in employing the new nven-
ton. We understood from X. Hoe 81 CO., while in the
North that they had already received orders sufficient keep
them long while engaged.
minor invention attached TO the press IS also due to
Mr.. Hoe is registering clock, which not only marks the
time like ordinary clock but acts as register OF the ope-
atons Of the press It tells you at any moment the rate Of
which the press then work. how many copies per minute
il is throwing off, and registers the amount Of work done
The clock may be placed in distinct from the press.
roomthe business office, for example. We need not en-
large upon the convenience Of such apparatus about
printing establishment
We might dean the reader with remarks upon the advan
ages of the principal invention but they sufficiently Oh
vious The public have direct interest in every facility
issues with rapdy Whatever may give permanent
solid value TO newspapers and make them good
for men of prudence will in the end rebound the advance
ment of their character.
We hope to the day when the press shall be regarded
an avenue distinction eligible the learned profess
son affords opportunity which other professions do
for the exercise Of tho highest talent and largest aanmen's
in direction sway the minds Of the people, to cnghcn