IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING TEXTILE AND SIMILAR FABRICS, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOв
Year: 1874

page_text: Filed 1st May 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
IRELAND, of Buckhaven, in the County of Fife, North Britain, Manu-
facturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria by Her Royal
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of August, One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-four, No. 2757, did, for Herself, Her heirs,
and successors, give and grant unto me, the said William Ireland, Her
special license, that I, the said William Ireland, my executors, ad-
ministrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Ireland,
my executors, administrators, or assigns, should agree with and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PRINTING TEXTILE AND SIMILAR FABRICS, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
EMPLOYED THEREFOв," upon the condition, (amongst others,) that I, the said
William Ireland, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,

page_text: should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said In-
vention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
same to be duly filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent:
And whereas I, the said William Ireland, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and scal, did declare the nature of my said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and caused the same
to be filed in the Great-Seal Patent Office on the Tenth day of January,
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five:
And whereas, at the time of the application for the said Letters
Patent, it was my belief that the Invention as set forth in my said
Complete Specification was in all respects novel, original:
and
And whereas, since filing the aforesaid Complete Specification, I have
discovered that certain parts of the mechanism and mode of operation 1
therein set forth, was known before the date of my said Letters
Patent:
And whereas I have discovered that the second claim may be
construed to claim generally the mechanism whereby the printing
cylinders or rollers are at times clevated, and would be too wide :
2
And whereas I desire to make no claim for that mechanism except as
operated automatically in the manner set forth in my said said Specifi-
cation, regard being had to the words of Disclaimer which I propose to
insert in the sentence immediately preceding the claiming clauses,
and to strike out the whole of that part of my said Specification, a
beginning at and including the whole of the last line of page five of the
printed copy of my said Specification, as printed by the Queen's
Printers and published at the Great Seal Patent Office, down to and
including the word "fabric," constituting the fifth line on pago six of
the said printed copy of the said Specification:
And whereas I desire to correct a clerical error which occurs in my
said Specification, and to alter my said Specification in manner herein-
after set forth.
8
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Ireland, by and with the
leave of Her Majesty's Attorney-General, and for the reasons aforesaid, do 3
strike out of the said Specification as printed by the Queen's Printers,

page_text: The frame and roller or rollers are caused to move over the fabric,
which is thereby coloured with one colour or receives the impressions of
the patterns cut upon the roller or rollers in more than one colour. An
apparatus is also provided to clevate the frame and roller or rollers from
the fabric so as to keep the roller or rollers out of contact therewith 5
when it is desired to traverse the machine back to its starting point.
This apparatus is however necessary only when printing in ono
direction.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood,
I now proceed more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or 1
manner in or under which the same is or may be used or particularly
carried into effect, reference being had to the annexed Sheets of
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say :-
Figure 1, Sheet 1, of the annexed Drawings is a side elevation, 1
Figure 2 a plan, and Figure 3 an elevation at the driving end of one
arrangement of the apparatus constituting my Invention. The printing
rollers A (three of which are shown, but of which there may be any
greater or lesser number, a greater number than three being indicated
by the dotted lines at Figure 1) are carried in a frame consisting of two 2
side bars B tied together at the ends by stays C. The rollers, A are fixed
upon shafts D, which run in bearings secured to the frame B, and upon
one end of the shaft D tangent screw wheels or discs E are keyed or
otherwise fixed between the discs E and the side of the frame B. Other
discs Fare placed loosely on the shafts D, the outer sides of which
carry tangent screws gearing with the tangent screw wheels or discs E,
their inner sides being provided with teeth gearing with an endless pitch
chain G, which extends along the side of the framing B, and is sup-
ported upon pullies I situated at each end thereof. The tangent screw
and wheel or disc E is provided in order to afford facility for setting or
adjusting the printing rollers A on their axes to the positions required
by the pattern or patterns cut upon the rollers A, for by rotating the
tangent screw carried by the disc F (the disc F being meanwhile held
stationary by the pitch chain G) the tangent wheel E, shaft D, and
roller A arc turned on their axes and adjusted to any desired position
relatively with the other printing rollers. The pitch chain G also
imparts motion to the distributing and inking rollers I and J by gearing
with pinions a, b, fixed upon the axes thereof. The inking rollers J

page_text: revolve in troughs K (as seen more particularly at Figure 4, Sheet 1,
which is a vertical section on an enlarged scale of the arrangement of
printing, distributing, and inking rollers), which troughs K contain
the colouring fluid to be applied to the rollers A. While the apparatus
is printing the rollers J, A, I, and N revolve in the direction of the
arrows, and the scrapers or "doctors" L are provided to remove super-
fluous colouring fluid from the rollers J. Endless webs M of leather,
india-rubber, gutta percha, felt, American cloth, or other suitable material
are passed around the rollers I and N, by which the colour is removed
from the rollers J and deposited upon the printing rollers A.
To give uniform motion to all the rollers A, I, J, and N, the following
arrangement of gearing (as shewn more particularly at Figure 2) is
provided-Upon one end of the shaft D of one of the printing rollers A
a pinion O is fixed, "gearing with another pinion P carried upon a stud Q
fixed to the framing B. Formed upon the pinion P or fixed thereto is
a disc R, on the side of which is situated a pawl or stop S governed by
a spring, this being so arranged that a pin or projection c from the spur
wheel T will catch upon the pawl or stop S, and cause the disc R to
revolve when the frame B is being traversed in the direction of the
arrows (Figure 2). A bracket U is also situated upon the stud Q, having
its outer end provided with a countershaft d, upon each end of which
spur wheels V, V¹, are fixed, one of them V gearing with an intermediate
wheel W, and the other V¹ with a rack X situate above the apparatus,
and supported by brackets Y and a stay or girder Y'. The wheel V' is
held up in gear with the rack X by means of an arm Z, the lower end
of which is provided with a roller running upon a rail e, the arrange-
ment being such that the framing B and rollers may be clevated or
depressed without affecting the working of the herein-beforo described
gearing.
The fabric to be coloured or printed (indicated by the dotted lines x).
is unwound from the beam f, and after passing between the rollers Ø
and his stretched across the table i, and thereafter passes between the
rollers j and k.
In printing or colouring certain light fabrics it is preferred to provide
that portion of the axis between the rollersj with sharp pointed teeth or
pins, so that the fabric is caught by them and pulled through between
LL

page_text: between the pairs of rollers g, h, and j, k, the roller & should be made
slightly larger in diameter than the roller g, whereby the delivery end
of the fabric is pulled slightly in advance, and the portion upon the
table kept tightly stretched. Also the motion of the fabric through the
apparatus may be assisted by the employment of endless bands or sheets
passed around the rollers and k, and over the table i:
The table is covered with felt, cotton, wadding, gutta percha, leather,
cloth, or other suitable clastic material 7, and is supported upon any
number of frames or supports m, n, corresponding to the length of the
table employed, each pair of which frames or supports are tied together
by stay rods o. At each end of the table i, and bolted to the frames m, n,
brackets pare situated.
P
In operating this modification of my Invention now described the
printing or colouring operation is effected only in one direction, that is
to say, while the framing B and roller or rollers are being traversed in
the direction of the arrows (Figure 2). To raise the framing B and
keep the rollers A out of contact with the fabric whilst returning to
their starting point an arrangement of apparatus herein-after described
is provided. Brackets q are bolted to the sides of the framing B, as
shown, which brackets 7 carry shafts having levers 1, r¹, &, s¹, fixed to
their extremitics. The levers 7, 1, are provided at their lower ends with
rollers, which travel upon the top of the roller h, and upon a flanch
formed upon the brackets in line with the roller . The lower ends of
the levers 8, 8, are likewise provided with similar rollers 2, which run
upon a rail e situated above and parallel to the table i, which rail e also
guides the printing apparatus in a parallel course, as hercin-after
described. The axes of the rollers on the levers 7, ", are connected by
a link or connecting rod v, while the lever s¹ has an arm 1 set at an
angle, and arranged so to be acted upon by a stop y fixed to au
upright bar secured to the side of the bracket p.
and rollers A have nearly performed their journey in the direction of
the arrows the arm w upon the first lever s¹ encounters the stop y
situated at the end of the table, by which the arm w is depressed, and
the levers 1, 1, and s, s', thrown into the position indicated in dotted
lines at Figure 1 of the Drawings, in which position they are retained by
a stop fixed to the frame B; the frame B and rollers A are thus raised
clear of the fabric, in which position they are drawn back to their
starting point, where the other arm to of the levers is acted upon by.
When the frame B

page_text: the angled guide y', and the apparatus thereby lowered gradually to its
normal position. To keep the framing B and rollers A in position while
being traversed backwards and forwards guides are arranged, consisting
of brackets 1 (Figures 2 and 3) bolted to the side of the framing B, and
provided with guide rollers 2 (placed with their axes in a vertical
position), between which the rail e is situated, and whereby the printing
apparatus is prevented from deviating from a straight course.
The hauling arrangement, whereby the frame B and rollers are
traversed upon the table i, consists of a shaft 3 carried in bearings 4
secured to the framing m and operated by means of a handle 5, or by
steam or other power through the reversing motion pullies shown dotted
at the opposite end of the shaft. A spur pinion 6 keyed or otherwise
fixed to one end of the shaft 3 gears with an intermediate wheel 9,
which drives a spur wheel 9¹, upon the axis of which is fixed a pitch
chain wheel 10, the teeth of which gear with a pitch chain 11 extending
parallel with the table i and carried upon chain pullies 12 situated at
the extremities of the brackets 2. The ends of the pitch chain 11 aro
secured to the brackets 1, so that by operating the shaft 3 (and con-
sequently the gearing 6, 9, and chain wheel 10) in a right or left hand
direction the printing apparatus is traversed over the table i and fabric
laid thereon.
Figure 5 is a detail view showing the bracket y in vertical section,
and the relative positions of the pitch chain 11 and wheel 10. The
shaft 3 also operates the rollers gand (so as to present fresh portions
of the fabric to the action of the printing rollers A) by means of worm
or tangent screws 7 placed loosely upon the shaft 3, and gearing with
worm or tangent screw wheels 8 fixed upon the axes of the rollers
g and k. Hubs or bosses 13 are fixed upon the shaft 3, and are provided
with pawls 14 governed by a spring (as seen more particularly at the
detailed end views 15 and 16 of the tangent screws 7 and hub or
boss 13). The pawl 14 works into an internal ratchet on the end of
the tangent screw 7, and by this arrangement the tangent screw 7 is
caused to revolve only when the shaft 3 is rotated in the direction.
of the arrow at 15, that is to say, when the printing apparatus is being
traversed with the printing rollers out of contact with the fabric, the
tangent gearing being so calculated that the number of turns of the
shaft 3 necessary to traverse the printing apparatus back to its starting
point will also cause the necessary breadth of fabric to be drawn over

page_text: the table i so soon as the printing apparatus has arrived at the end
of its printing movement or stroke the shaft 3 is turned in the opposito
direction, when the printed portion of the fabric is withdrawn from the
table by the action of the rollers and and a fresh portion presented
to the action of the rollers A at the same time that the printing
apparatus is being returned to its starting point, the rollers A being
meanwhile lifted ont of contact with the fabric by the mechanism
herein-before described.
When the fabric to be printed or coloured is of the description known
as oil or floor cloth a margin or selvedge is left untouched by the
ground colour on each side of the web or piece. This margin may be
preserved during the printing operation, cither by causing it to pass
beneath a shield or by allowing it to overhang the printing table. In
removing the freshly printed fabric from the table, this margin of
untouched fabric is caught between the rollers j and %, and as the
rollers bear only upon this margin the freshly printed portion of the
fabric is uninjured by its transmission through or between the rollers j
and . To give the necessary gripping pressure to the rollers j levers
and weights 17 are provided and caused to act upon the bearings
thereof. Pressure may also be applied to the roller when such is
found necessary.
In traversing the printing apparatus on its return journey, that is to
say, in a direction contrary to that indicated by the arrows, Figure 2,
the printing rollers A and distributing apparatus remain stationary, that
is to say, they do not revolve, owing to the pawl and spring arrange-
ment applied to the disc R allowing the toothed gearing to rotate
without rotating the rollers A and distributing apparatus. The pin or
projection c on the spur wheel T coming behind the pawl or stop S
depresses and passes over it instead of catching on it and causing the
disc R to revolve, as is the case when the printing apparatus is traversed
in the direction of the arrows (Figure 2).
Figure 6 illustrates a modification of my said Invention which I
prefer to use when the apparatus is employed to lay one colour upon a
fabric or for " grounding" the same. The herein-before described
colour distributing rollers are dispensed with in this arrangement, and a
colour trough A fitted against the colouring or grounding roller B, a
scraper or
"doctor" C being provided to remove superfluous colouring
matter therefrom. A leading roller Ẹ is placed in front of the roller B,

page_text: and is employed to drive the roller B by means of the pitch chain F, and
gearing the pitch lines of which are indicated by the dotted lines a and b.
The friction of the roller B upon the fabric is increased or lessened by
clevating or depressing the frame G upon the journals or bearings of the
smaller roller H. When the frame B' is traversed in the direction of
the arrow the roller E by virtue of its friction with the fabric. revolves
in the direction of the arrow, and by means of the pitch chain F and
intermediate gearing a and b drives the roller B in the opposite direction
as indicated by the arrow. The roller B in revolving takes the colour
from the trough A and applies it to the fabric in the manner indicated
by the thick line marked c.' A brush or polishing roller may be
added to assist in smoothing the colour or grounding thus laid on, and
instead of driving the roller B by means of a leading roller E, it may be
driven by means of the apparatus_described with reference to Figures 1,
2, and 3.
'
Instead of driving the printing rollers and distributors by means of a
pitch chain as herein-before described they may be connected and driven
by' means of toothed or frictional gearing, and in lieu of employing a
pitch chain and wheel to traverse the printing apparatus; as herein-before
described, this object may be obtained by the employment of ropes or
chains wound upon a shaft or barrel or by other equivalent means, and
instead of printing at every alternate traversing of the machine, cach
traverso of the apparatus may be utilized and made to colour or print
the fabric as herein-after described with reference to Sheet 2 of the
Drawings.
•
- Figure 1 (Sheet 2) of the accompanying Drawings is a side elevation
of a printing machine constructed in accordance with the second
modification of my Invention..
The general arrangement of the machine illustrated on Sheet 2 being
nearly the same as that already described with reference to Sheet 1 of
the Drawings, it will be unnecessary to particularly describe any of the
parts but those which constitute the modification. By this arrangement
the movable levers and stops or guides by the action-of-which-the-
framing B and rollers A were under the first modification elevated and
depressed are dispensed with, and the carrying rollers O are secured to
-a-fixed-bracket D-bolted to the framing-B.-A-clutch_is_employed_for_
throwing the axis of the roller E in and out of gear with the worm
whcel F, &c., instead of traversing-the-printing apparatus by means of a

page_text: pitch chain as described with reference to Sheet 1; hauling ropes or
chains & arc wound upon a barrel K fixed to a separate shaft I, which
shaft I is actuated from the shaft H through the bevil wheels 1, 2, 3,
and 4, and countershaft L (seen more particularly in plan at Figure 2,
Sheet 2). The boss of the bevil wheel 2 which runs loosely upon the
countershaft L constitutes a clutch, and a similar clutch M is situated
upon the countershaft L and keyed thereto by a slip feather and groove,
or other means which will permit it to slide in and out of gear with the
clutch upon the bevil wheel 2. The clutch M is operated by a forked
lever N actuated by another lever from the clutch lever shaft O. By 1
this arrangement when the clutch M is placed in gear with the bevil
wheel 2, the clutch P is thrown out of gear with the worm wheel F,
and vice versa, thus preventing the possibility of traversing the printing
apparatus, and shifting the fabric at the same time, which might
accidentally occur if separate clutch levers were used. Under this 1
arrangement since the rollers rotate alternately in opposite directions,
two scrapers or "doctors" are necessary for each printing roller.
In operating this modification of my Invention a fresh portion of the
fabric R to be printed or coloured having been drawn over the table, tho
drawing rollers are thrown out of gear with the shaft H, and the barrel 2
shaft I put in gear therewith by means of the herein-before described
clutch arrangement. The printing apparatus is then drawn over the
table and fabric, and the required printing or colouring operation per-
formed as herein-before described.
In printing oil or floor cloth, instead of previously grounding the 2
fabric with the usual number of coats of grounding or monotone, one or
more of such coats may be dispensed with, and the pattern printed upon
such partially grounded fabrics, such printing of the pattern being
repeated a sufficient number of times to give the pattern any desired
thickness or body of colour, the fabric being dried between each printing 3
operation.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the system, mode, or manner in or under which the
same is or may be used or practically carried into effect, I would obscrve
in conclusion that by the use of the term “the mechanism" in the 3
second of the following claiming clauses I do not intend to claim, nor do
I hereby claim, such mechanism, except as operated automatically in
the manner set forth in the said Specification as constituting a part of

page_text: my said Invention. What I consider to be novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hercin-before in
part recited Letters Patent is,-
.
First. The general arrangement and construction of machinery or
apparatus whereby one or more colours is or are applied to or printed on
textile or other web fabrics, and either a monotoned or variegated
surface or pattern produced thercon by means of printing cylinders or
rollers acting upon the fabric stretched upon a table or platform, and
operating substantially as herein-before described and shown at Sheets 1
and 2 of the Drawings.
Second. The mechanism whereby the printing cylinders or rollers are
at times elevated and traversed out of contact with the fabric, operated
substantially as herein-beforo described and shewn at Sheet 1 of the
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Ireland, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day. of March One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
.
0
I hereby grant my fiat giving leave to the above-named William
Ireland to file in the Great Seal Patent Office, with the Specification to
which the same relates, the above-written Disclaimer and Memorandum
of Alteration.

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Ireland, of Buckhaven, in the County of
Fife, North Britain, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PRINTING TEXTILE AND SIMILAR FABRICS, AND IN THE MACHINERY
OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR."
Sealed the 29th December 1874, and dated the 10th August 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Ireland at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 10th August 1874.
I, WILLIAM Ireland, of Buckhaven, in the County of Fife, North
Britain, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING TEXTILE AND SIMILAR FABRICS, AND IN THE
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR," to be as follows, that is to
say:-
This Invention, which relates to improvements in printing, is adapted
for distributine colour, such as paint, on textilo or similar web fabrics

page_text: with the view of producing patterns or design thercon, or for producing
a one-coloured surface.
The Invention is specially applicable for printing the patterns of floor-
cloth.
The mechanism consists of one or more printing rollers carried in a 5
horizontal framework. Each printing roller is provided with a colour
trough and distributors; also with a scraper for regulating the quantity
of colour taken up and distributed to each printing roller.
In cases where more than one roller is employed, that is to say, where
a roller is used for each colour printed, the rollers aro geared together so 10
as to ensure their proper rotation and deposition of the colour at the
proper moment.
The framework with the printing roller or rollers is mounted upon a
slide situated over or at the side of the fabric upon which the colour or
colours are to be printed, and by moving it across the surface of fabric 16
by a rack and pinion, chains and rope, or other equivalent means, the
rollers print or deposit the colour thereon, a fresh surface of the fabric to
be printed upon being from time to time presented to the printing
rollers by winding or unwinding the fabric.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, 2
filed by the said William Ireland in the Great Scal Patent Office on
the 10th January 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
IRELAND, of Buckhaven, in the County of Fife, North Britain, Manu-
facturer, send greeting.
2
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
38th year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Ireland, Her special 3
license that I, the said William Ireland, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Ireland, my executors,
administrators, or assigns, should at any timo agree with, and no

page_text: others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PRINTING TEXTILE AND SIMILAR FABRICS, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
EMPLOYED THEREFOR," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
William Ireland, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Ireland, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is
to say :-
My said Invention, which relates to improvements in printing, is
adapted for distributing colour, such as paint, on textile or similar web
fabrics with tho view of producing patterns or designs thereon, or for
producing a one-coloured surface.
The Invention is specially applicable for printing the patterns on
floorcloth and other analogous purposes.
The mechanism consists of one or more printing rollers carried in a
horizontal frame. Each printing roller may be provided with a colour
trough and distributors, and also with a scraper or "doctor" for
regulating the quantity of colour taken up and distributed to the
rollers.
The frame and roller or rollers are caused to move over the fabric,
which is thereby coloured with one colour, or receives the impressions
..of_the_patterns-cut-upon-the-roller-or-rollers-in-more-than-one-colour.
An apparatus is also provided to elevate the frame and roller or rollers
from the fabric, so as to keep the roller or rollers out of contact there-
5 with when it is desired to traverse the machine back to its starting
point. This apparatus is however necessary only when printing in one

page_text: And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I
now proceed more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or manner
in or under which the same is or may be used or practically carried
into effect, reference being had to the annexed Sheets of Drawings, and
to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:—
Figure 1, Sheet 1, of the annexed Drawings is a sido clevation,
Figure 2 a plan, and Figure 3 an elevation at the driving end of ono
arrangement of the apparatus constituting my Invention. The printing
rollers A (three of which are shewn, but of which there may be any
greater or lesser number, a greater number than three being indicated
by the dotted lines at Figure 1) are carried in a frame consisting of two
side bars B tied together at the ends by stays C. The rollers A are
fixed upon shafts D which run in bearings secured to the frame B, and
upón one end of the shaft D tangent screw wheels or discs E aro keyed
or otherwise fixed. Between the discs E and the side of the frame B
other discs F are placed loosely upon the shafts D, the outer sides of
which carry tangent screws gearing with the tangent screw wheels or
discs E, their inner sides being provided with teeth gearing with an
endless pitch chain G which extends along the side of the framing B,
and is supported upon pullies II situated at each end thereof. Tho
tangent screw and wheel or disc E is provided in order to afford facility
for setting or adjusting the printing rollers A on their axes to the
positions required by the pattern or patterns cut upon the rollers A, for
by rotating the tangent screw carried by the disc F (the disc F being
meanwhile held stationary by the pitch chain G), the tangent wheel E,
shaft D, and roller A are turned on their axes and adjusted to any
desired position relatively with the other printing rollers. The pitch
chain G also imparts motion to the distributing and inking rollers I
and J by gearing with pinions a, b, fixed upon the axes thereof. The
inking rollers J revolve in troughs K (as seen more particularly at
Figure 4, Sheet 1, which is a vertical section on an enlarged scalo of
the arrangement of printing, distributing, and iuking rollers), which
troughs K contain the colouring fluid to be applied to the rollers A.
While the apparatus is printing the rollers J, A, M, and N revolve in
the direction of the arrows, and the scrapers or "doctors" L are provided
to remove superfluous colouring fluid from the rollers J. Endless
webs M of leather, india-rubber, gutta percha, felt, American cloth, or
other suitable material, are passed around the rollers I and N, by which

page_text: to assist the passage of light fabrics, such light fabrics may be stretched
upon a stouter fabric, such as floorcloth, and secured or laced thereto
at the edges, and in this condition passed through the printing appa-
ratus, after which they may be unlaced or detached from the stouter
fabric.
The table i is covered with felt, cotton wadding, gutta percha, leather,
cloth, or other suitable elastic material 2, and is supported upon any
number of frames or supports m, n, corresponding to the length of the
table employed, each pair of which frames or supports are tied together
by stay rods o. At each end of the table i and bolted to the frames
m, n, brackets p are situated.
In operating this modification of my Invention now described, the
printing or colouring operation is effected only in one direction, that is
to say, while the framing B and roller or rollers are being traversed in
the direction of the arrows (Figure 2). To raise the framing Band :
keep the rollers A out of contact with the fabric, whilst returning to
their starting point, an arrangement of apparatus herein-after described
is provided. Brackets q are bolted to the sides of the framing B, as
shewn, which brackets q carry shafts having levers r, r¹, 8, 8¹, fixed to
their extremities. The levers 7, r¹, are provided at their lower ends with
rollers which travel upon the top of the roller %, and upon a flanch
formed upon the brackets ? in line with the roller h; the lower ends of
the levers 8, s³, are likewise provided with similar rollers u which run
upon a rail e situated above and parallel to the table i, which rail e also
guides the printing apparatus in a parallel course, as herein-after
described.
The axes of the rollers on the levers ", "¹, are connected by a link
or connecting rod v, while the lever s' has an arm w set at an angle
and arranged so as to be acted upon by a stop y fixed to an upright
When the frame B and
bar z secured to the side of the bracket p.
rollers A have nearly performed their journey in the direction of the
arrows, the arm to upon the first lever s¹ encounters the stop y situated
at the end of the table, by which the arm wo is depressed, and the
levers 7, ¹, and 8, 8¹, thrown into the position indicated in dotted lines
at Figure 1 of the Drawings, in which position they are retained by a a
stop fixed to the frame B. The frame B and rollers A are thus raised
clear of the fabric, in which position they are drawn back to their

page_text: starting point, where the other arm w of the lever & is acted upon by
the angled guide y³, and the apparatus thereby lowered gradually to its
normal position. To keep the framing.B and rollers A in position while
being traversed backwards and forwards guides are arranged, consisting
of brackets 1 (Figures 2 and 3) bolted to the side of the framing. B,
and provided with guide rollers 2 (placed with their axes in a vertical
position), between which the rail e- is situated, and whereby the printing
apparatus is prevented from deviating from a straight course.
The hauling arrangement, whereby the framing B and rollers are
traversed upon the table i, consists of a shaft 3 carried in bearings 4
secured to the framing m, and operated by means of a handle 5 or by
steam or other power through the reversing motion pullies shewn dotted
at the opposite end of the shaft. A spur pinion 6 keyed or otherwise
fixed to one end of the shaft 3 gears with an intermediate wheel 9,
which drives a spur wheel 9', upon the axis of which is fixed a pitch
chain wheel 10, the teeth of which gear with a pitch chain 11 extending
parallel with the table i, and carried upon chain pullies 12 situated at
the extremities of the brackets p. The ends of the pitch chain 11 are
secured to the brackets 1, so that by operating the shaft 3 (and conse-
quently the gearing 6, 9, and chain wheel 10) in a right or left-hand
direction, the printing apparatus is traversed over the table i and fabric
laid thereon.
I
Figure 5 is a detail view shewing the bracket Y¹ in vertical section
and the relative positions of the pitch chain 11 and wheel 10. The
shaft 3 also operates the rollers and k (so as to present fresh portions
of the fabric to the action of the printing rollers A) by means of worm
or tangent screws 7 placed loosely upon the shaft 3, and gearing with
worm or tangent screw wheels 8 fixed upon the axes of the rollers g
and . Hubs or bosses 13 are fixed upon the shaft 3, and are provided
with pawls 14, governed by a spring (as seen more particularly at the
detailed end views 15 and 16 of the tangent screw 7 and hub or boss 13).
The pawl 14 works into an internal ratchet on the end of the tangent
screw 7, and by this arrangement the tangent screw 7 is caused to revolve
only when the shaft 3 is rotated in the direction of the arrow at 15, that
is-to-say, when the printing apparatus is being traversed with the printing
rollers out of contact with the fabric, the tangent gearing being so cal-
culated that the number of turns of the shaft 3 necessary to traverse the
printing apparatus back to its starting point will also cause the necessary

page_text: breadth of fabric to be drawn over the table i. So soon as the printing
apparatus has arrived at the end of its printing movement or stroke, the
shaft 3 is turned in the opposite direction, when the printed portion of
the fabric is withdrawn from the table by the action of the rollers g
and I, and a fresh portion presented to the action of the rollers A, at the t
same time that the printing apparatus is being returned to its starting
point, the rollers A. being meanwhile lifted out of contact with tho
fabric by the mechanism herein-before described.
When the fabric to be printed or coloured is of the description known
as oil or floor cloth a margin or selvedge is left untouched by the ground 1
colour on each side of the web or piece. This margin may be preserved
during the printing operation either by causing it to pass beneath a shield
or by allowing it to overhang the printing table. In removing the
freshly printed fabric from the table this margin of untouched fabric is
caught between the rollers j and k, and as the rollers ; bear only upon 1
this margin the freshly printed portion of the fabric is uninjured by its
transmission through or between the rollers ; and k. To give the
necessary gripping pressure to the rollers ; levers and weights 17 are
provided and caused to act upon the bearings thereof. Pressure may
also be applied to the roller / when such is found necessary.
In traversing the printing apparatus on its return journey, that is to
say, in a direction contrary to that indicated by the arrows, Figure 2, the
printing rollers A and distributing apparatus remain stationary, that is
to say, they do not revolve owing to the pawl and spring arrangement
applied to the disc R, allowing the toothed gearing to rotate without
rotating the rollers A and distributing apparatus. The pin or pro-
jection c on the spur wheel T coming behind the pawl or stop S depresses
and passes over it instead of catching on it and causing the disc R to
revolve, as is the case when the printing apparatus is traversed in the
direction of the arrows (Figure 2).
Figure 6 illustrates a modification of my said Invention which I
prefer to use when the apparatus is employed to lay one colour upon a
fabric or for "grounding "the same.
The herein-beforo described
colour distributing rollers are dispensed with in this arrangement, and a
colour trough A fitted against the colouring or grounding roller B, a
scraper or " doctor O being provided to remove superfluous colouring
matter therefrom. A leading roller E is placed in front of the roller B,
"

page_text: wheel F, & instead of traversing the printing apparatus by means of
a pitcli chain, as described with reference to Sheet-1, hauling ropes or
chains G are wound upon a barrel K fixed to a separate shaft I, which
shaft I is actuated from the shaft H through the bevil wheels 1, 2, 3,
'and 4; and countershaft L (seen more particularly in plan at Figuro 2, 5
Sheet 2). The boss of the bevil wheel 2, which runs loosely upon the
countershaft L, constitutes a clutch, and a similar clutch M is situated.
--upon the countershaft Land koyed thereto by a slip feather and groove
or other means which will permit it to slide in and out of gear with the
clutch upon the bevil wheel 2. The clutch M is operated by a forked 1
lever N actuated by another lever from the clutch lever shaft O. By
this arrangement when the clutch- M is placed-in-gear with the bevil
wheel 2 the clutch Pis thrown out of gear with the worm wheel F,
and vice versa, thus preventing the possibility of traversing the printing
apparatus and shifting the fabric at the same time, which might 1
accidentally occur if separate clutch levers were used. Under this
arrangement since the rollers rotate alternately in opposite directions
two scrapers or "doctors" are necessary for each printing roller.
In operating this modification of my Invention a fresh portion of the
fabric R to be printed or coloured having been drawn over the table 2
the drawing rollers are thrown out of gear with the shaft H, and the
barrel shaft I put in gear therewith by means of the herein-before
described clutch arrangement. The printing apparatus is then drawn
over the table and fabric, and the required printing or colouring
operation performed, as herein-before described:
"
In printing oil or floorcloth, instead of previously grounding the
fabric with the usual number of coats of grounding or monotone, onc
..or more of such coats may be dispensed with and the pattern printed
upon such partially grounded fabrics, such printing of the pattern being
|_ repeated a sufficient number of times to give the pattern any desired 3
thickness or body of colour, the fabric being, dried between each printing
'operation.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the system, mode, or manner in or under which the
same is or may be used or practically carried into effect, I would 3
observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original, and