IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING MACHINERY.
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Hird, of Horfield Lodge, Berkeley Road, Bishopston,
in the County of Gloucester, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING
MACHINERY.'
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Hird at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st March 1877.
JAMES HIRD, of Horfield Lodge, Berkeley Road, Bishopston, in the County of
Gloucester. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING MACHINERY."
This Invention relates to improvements applicable to cylinder printing machinery,
pneumatic apparatus being arranged in combination therewith for the purpose of
taking off the sheet when printed from the cylinder of the printing machine, which
apparatus deposits the sheet on the ordinary receiving board, thus dispensing with
hand labour. For this purpose a combined hollow lever and horizontal arm is
arranged to move to and fro upon an axis at the side, or otherwise conveniently
adjacent to the printing machine. The hollow horizontal arm carries a series of
perforated mouth-pieces or projections, which are caused to press upon the edge of
the printed sheet when it has to be removed from the surface of the cylinder, and
as the hollow arm set in motion by the machine moves away from the cylinder (the
air being exhausted therefrom) the arm makes a partial revolution, which enables it
to hold and carry and deposit the printed sheet upon the receiving board, a tap
worked by a lever being opened and shut, to admit and stop the air upon the sheet
being taken up and deposited.
The apparatus is so arranged as to be capable of adjustment for various sized
sheets of paper or cardboard.
The pneumatic mouth-pieces and apparatus connected therewith may either bo
worked from above or from below the cylinder of the printing machine.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Hird in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 27th September
1877.
JAMES HIRD, of Horfield Lodge, Berkeley Road, Bishopstown, in the County of
Gloucester. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING MACHINERY.”
This Invention relates to improvements applicable to cylinder printing machinery,
pneumatic apparatus being arranged in combination therewith for the purpose of
taking off the sheet when printed from the cylinder of the printing machine, which
apparatus deposits the sheet on the receiving board, thus dispensing with hand
labour. For this purpose a combined hollow lever and radial arm is arranged to
move to and fro upon an axis at the side, or otherwise conveniently adjacent to the
printing machine. This hollow lever is divided into three parts, with swivel joints,
so as to alter position or angle of the radial lever. Attached to this lever is a mouth-
piece, which is caused to press upon the edge of the printed sheet when it has to be
removed from the surface of the cylinder, and as the radial arm set in motion by the
inachine moves away from the cylinder (the air being exhausted therefrom) the arm
makes a partial revolution, which enables it to hold, carry, and deposit the printed
sheet upon the receiving board. A lever arranged in connection with the radial arm
opens a tap which admits or cuts off the air upon the sheet being taken up and
deposited.
The apparatus is so arranged as to be capable of adjustment for various sized
sheets of paper or cardboard.
The pneumatic, mouth-piece and apparatus combined therewith may either be
worked from above or below the cylinder of the printing machine.
And in order that my Invention may be clearly understood and readily carried
into practice, I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows an elevation, and Figure 2 a plan of so much of a printing
machine as will enable me to describe my improvements applied thereto.
Figure 3 shows a section of the tap arranged for an exhaust apparatus.
Figure 4, the swivelling socket for mouth-piece; and Figure 5, the swivelling
socket and pinion.
A is a toothed rack; B, pinion working in rack; C, radial arm; D, socket of
radial arm; E, mouth-pieco socket fitting telescopically into D; F, mouth-piece;
G, quadrant for regulating position of rack; A, H, slide for adjusting the length of;
stroke of radial arm C; J, tubular main shaft arranged across bed of machine,
connecting the socket and air tap K; K, the socket and tap for regulating supply of
air; L, lever connected to tap M; N, pins which the lever L (when the mouth-piece
is brought into contact with the cylinder) strikes the pin M and opens the tap K,
and allows the influx of air, which engages the paper then hanging on the
cylinder; N, a pin. When the lever is brought back to the receiving board the
lever touches the pin N and turns the tap off, thus allowing the paper to full on to
the board.
I will now describe the operation of the machine. By the use of an air
pump or other suitable means a vacuum is produced and maintained, the pump
is brought into connection with the hollow cross shaft J, which exhausts the air
from the radial arm C. A rack which fits into the socket of the quadrant G, by
drawing out the rack A, sets the portion of the radial arm D up or down, as
required, to take a large or small piece of paper. The radial arm C being brought
in contact with the paper on the cylinder, and the tap K being opened, the pump
draws out the air which sucks the paper against the mouth-piece. On the radial
arm C being drawn back the pinion B connected to the short arm D makes a portion
of a revolution, which carries the paper from the cylinder and deposits it on the
receiving board, as shown by dotted lines.

page_text: I would remark that the arrangement, position, and construction of the parts
may be greatly varied without departing from the nature of my Invention, at the
same time I do not intend to claim separately any of the parts which are well
known and in common use, but what I claim is, the improved arrangement and
application of self-acting pneumatic apparatus to printing machinery, in which the
pneumatic mouth-piece is arranged to make part of a revolution in moving towards
the cylinder to take the printed sheet therefrom, and then to turn in the reverso
direction to deposit it on to the receiving board, substantially in the manner herein
described and represented in the Drawings annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Hird, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Fourth day of September, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-seven.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by
the above-named James Hird
in the presence of
ARTHUR H. HUGHES,
Articled Clerk to H. H. Beckingham,
Solicitor,
Bristol.
JAMES HIRD. (L.S.)