The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-06-11
The FIRST HIGH SPEED PRINTING PRESS
Hoe
der PessesHOw the
Possibilities.

off of the first side of the sheet
printed This was avoided by the CO.
operation of the ink-makers, who We're
induced to devise special, rapid-drying
inks
Another drawback was in obtaining
paper in the roll of uniform perfection
and strength The paper-makers were
led to make a study of producing large
rolls OF paper meeting these require
ments. They solved the problem of
f1nding strong and cheap paper such
as could be afforded by the daily press.
Wnlle these improvements were be-
ing wrought out, the press manufac-
turers were working on the problem of
rapid severance of the sheets after
printing and the reliable and accurate
delivery of the printed papers.
The most important device relating
TO this matter was the patent of
stephen D. Tucker, a member of the
Ilrm OF r. Hoe & Co. 1t was called Il
gathering and delivering cylinder"
and was able to handle the papers as
IaSt as they We're printed. 1T is the
mechanism on which the great speed
of the modern press depends. Without
II one OF the great machines would
block press room with papers before
IL had been in operation fifteen min
utes.
Thus it Will be seen, the rapid work
ing web press is a composite for which
no one man deserves the entire credit
II is one of the most notable examples
of really wonderful mechanism con-
structed in response to a specific de-
mand. The expert mechanicians en-
gagged in the manufacture of presses
knew what was wanted. They sat
down and figured to these results lust
as experts in other fields might solve
problems in mathematics or military
tactics. 1t is a concrete illustration of
the saying that no matter what the de
mand is. if 1t is strong enough it will
be satisfied.
The press which was constructed in
1871, as d result of these Investigations
was fed from a roll or web of paper
over cylinders carrying stereotypad
plates, which printed it on both sides.
The sheets We're not entirely severed
by the cutters, but were simply per-
forated after the printing. They were
drawn by accelerating tapes, which
completely separated them, into
gathering cylinder. so constructed that
six, or any desired number. of perfect
papers could be gathered one over the
other. These, by means of a switch,
were, at the proper moment. turned eff
onto sheet flyers, which deposited Shem
on the receiving board.
This press for the first time did away
completely with hand labor in the
process of printing. 1t was, therefore,
the beginning of rapid printing as that
term is understood today. The only
duties men were required to perform
in connection with it were the starting
of the press, watching to see that its
work was performed properly. and
taking away the papers after they were
piled fiat on the receiving board.
First Great Power Press.
up in the office of the New York Trib-
une in 1871. OF course it had been
thoroughly tested beforehand, and lis
makers were confident that il would
do all that they claimed for it. Never
theless, considerable excitement at
tended its first practical operation.
When the lever was thrown back and
the cylinders began to revolve, the pa
per reeled off the web in perfect form
without interruption and delay while, |
at the other end of the press, the "a /
pers were laid out in a perfectly even |
pile. ready to be folded for delivery.
The new press delighted all who saw |
its operation, and earned the encomium |
of "a mechanism of almost human in |
telligence and more than human accI- |
racy."
When the first of these web perfect |
ing presses was put into successful OPP |
Grafton, it was claimed that there was |
no limit to its speed, except the ability |
Of the paper to stand the strain of |
passing through the press. This claim |
seemed to be justified by the fact that |
Is. 900 ali hour were printed from a
single feed-board. This was, however,
the maximum speed obtained by this
press. In most offices 1900 per hour
was the actual running speed.
One feature in the later improvement |
Of the web press illustrates the way in
which demand has acted to stimulate
invention in this field The first press
lid not fold the papers, but delivered
them fiat. They were given to the
carriers in rolls, and it was left to those
Who sold them to fold them.
Here was a chance and demand for
a time-saving mechanical device The
newsmen wanted the folding done in
the offices. At length a folder was de-
vised and put in operation. 1t was
found Immediately that men hurrying
to their offices or trains would purchase
the folded papers in preference to the
others. OF course such an advantage
Of competition could not be allowed TO
remain in the hands of a single pub
Usher. All the offices had TO put in
folders. The advantage of combining
This operation with the others per-
formed by the press was clearly APP
parent. And so one more function was
added to the already complex duties of