IMPROVE- MENTS IN APPARATUS OR MEANS FOR PRINTING WOVEN FABRICS BY DLOCKS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Robertson, Foreman Printer to Messieurs
Archibald Orr, Ewing, and Company, of Levenbank Printworks, in the
County of Dumbarton, North Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS OR MEANS FOR PRINTING WOVEN FABRICS BY DLOCKS,
Sealed the 4th August 1863, and dated the 13th February 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Robertson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 13th
February 1863.
I, JAMES ROBERTSON, Foreman Printer to Messieurs Archibald Orr,
Ewing, and Company, of Levenbank Printworks, in the County of Dum-
barton, North Britain, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS OR MEANS FOR PRINTING WOVEN FABRICS BY
BLOCKS," to be as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention comprises improved apparatus or means of manipulating the
printing blocks used in printing woven fabrics, and improved apparatus or
means of keeping such fabrics in a uniformly stretched condition whilst being
printed, and has generally for object increased efficiency and economy in
working.

page_text: The improvements relating to the printing blocks are more particularly
designed to extend the printing of dresses, shawls, handkerchiefs, and the like,
by means of blocks of large size, by obviating the inconveniences hitherto
experienced from the bulk and weight of such blocks; and in carrying out
this part of the Invention the block is suspended in connection with a counter-
weight, which can be adjusted to balance as much of the weight of the block
as is not required in producing the impression. The suspending arrangements
are also such as to leave the manipulation of the block very completely under
the control of the printer, whilst they admit of his dipping the block in the
sieve or colour trough with ease and convenience.
In a conveniently practicable modification of the arrangements, the beam of
fabric to be printed is placed in the usual way beneath the printing table, and
the fabric drawn thence passes up to and round a horizontal roller at one edge
of the table. The fabric then passes over the slightly inclined surface of the
table, and afterwards over various guide rollers arranged to keep the printed
surface untouched through a space sufficient for drying it. It is when passing
round the first roller that the fabric receives the impression from the principal
block; the impression of the second or ground block (or blocks) being applied
in the usual way upon the inclined part of the table. The first printer stands
facing the first roller, and has on one side of him the colour sieve or trough.
At a little distance behind him there is situated the swivelling upright of a
crane, and an arm from this upright projects over him, and the printing block
is suspended from it in front of him. The arm is hinged to the upright,
and its end is held up by a rope or chain passing over a pulley in the upright
to a counter weight. The block may be suspended from a traveller capable
of moving along the arm. The crane being swung round to hold the block
over the sieve, the printer depresses the block into the sieve and takes up a
supply of colour. Having elevated the block he swings round the crane to
bring it over the fabric, and applying the front edge of the block to the line
of the fabric which happens to be exactly on the top of the roller, he presses
the block forward, thereby turning the roller and moving forward the fabric
with it, whilst at the same time imparting its impression to the fabric. A's
the front edge of the block separates from the fabric in consequence of the
line of the latter inclining downwards,. it comes upon a roller placed above the
fabric, and is thereby supported and prevented from tilting forward. Finally,
when the back edge of the block reaches the top line of the roller, the
printer lifts it up and swings it round to dip it in the colour for a fresh
supply.

page_text: Instead of the fabric being drawn forward and kept tight by means of
nipping rollers in the ordinary way, it is not subjected to any nipping action,
but passes freely over the various rollers, which guide it over the space for
drying it. At any convenient part, either above or below the printing table,
one or more of the guide rollers is mounted in a frame arranged to slide
easily in guides by the action of its own weight or of counterweights. Then
as the printing proceeds this sliding-roller frame descends or rises, as the case
may be, and takes up the slack of the fabric, keeping the fabric in a uniformly
stretched state. At intervals the fabric is drawn forward by the action of a
small winch and strap, the strap being passed round the ends of a convenient
number of the guide rollers, and this action returns the sliding-roller frames
to their starting positions.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said James Robertson in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 11th August 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
ROBERTSON, Foreman Printer to Messieurs Archibald Orr, Ewing, and Com-
pany, of Levenbank Printworks, in the County of Dumbarton, North Britain,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said James Robertson, Her special licence, that I, the said James
Robertson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said James Robertson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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
APPARATUS OR MEANS FOR PRINTING WOVEN FABRICS BY BLOCKS," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said James Robertson, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause

page_text: 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 James Robertson, 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 in writing, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings and
to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
My said Invention comprises improved apparatus or means for manipulating
the printing blocks used in printing woven fabrics, and improved apparatus
or means for keeping such fabrics in a uniformly stretched condition whilst
being printed, and has generally for object increased efficiency and economy in
working.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing the
same may be properly understood, I have hereunto appended two Sheets of
explanatory Drawings, to be herein-after referred to, and representing two
modifications of my improved arrangements. The same reference numerals
are used to mark the same or like parts in all the Figures in which they
occur.
Figure 1, Sheet 1, is a vertical section showing portions of two flats of the
building in which the printing operations are carried on; Figure 2, Sheet 1,
is a vertical section taken at right angles to Figure 1; and Figure 3, Sheet 2,
is horizontal section or plan of a portion of the details.
The improved arrangements for manipulating the printing blocks are shown
in these Figures 1, 2, and 3, combined with one modification of the improved
arrangements for stretching the fabrics; whilst a second modification of the
latter arrangements is shown in vertical section in Figure 4, Sheet 2.
The improvements relating to the printing blocks are more particularly
designed to extend the printing of dresses, shawls, handkerchiefs, and the like,
by means of blocks of large size, by obviating the inconveniences hitherto
experienced from the bulk and weight of such blocks; and in carrying out
this part of the Invention the block is suspended in connection with counter-
weights, which can be adjusted to balance as much of the weight of the block
as is not required in producing the impression. The suspending arrangements
are also such as to leave the manipulation of the block very completely under
the control of the printer; whilst they admit of his dipping the block in the
sieve or colour trough with ease and convenience.
In a conveniently practicable modification of the arrangements, which is
represented in Figures, 1, 2, and 3, already herein-before referred to, the

page_text: beam 1 of fabric to be printed is placed in the usual way beneath the printing
table 2, and the fabric 3 drawn thence passes up to and round a horizontal
roller 4 at the higher edge of the table 2. The fabric 3 then passes in a.
downward direction over the slightly inclined surface 5 of the table, and after-
wards over various guide rollers 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, arranged to keep the
printed surface untouched through a space sufficient for drying it. It is when
passing round the first roller 4 that the fabric receives the impression from
the principal block 12; the impression of the second or ground block (or
blocks) being applied in the usual way upon the inclined part 5 of the table.
The first printer stands on the platform 13 facing the first roller 4, and has
on one side of him the color sieve or trough 14 (supposed to be removed in
Figure 1). At a little distance behind him there is situated the swivelling
upright 15 of a light crane, which upright is pivoted in upper and lower cross
bars 16, forming with a pair of uprights 17 a framing fitted in between the
two floors 18, 19. An arm 20 jointed upon the swivelling upright 15 projects
over the printing table 2, passing over the head of the printer, and the
printing block 12 is suspended from it in front of him by means of a cord 21
attached by its ends to the arm 20, and passing round a pulley 22 fitted with
a swivel joint into the back of the printing block 15. From the points of
attachment of the cord 21 to the arm 20, cords 23 pass over pulleys 24 fitted
to the top of the swivelling upright 15, and down to counterweights 25; and
by these means more or less of the weight of the block is sustained as the
printer may find desirable.
Instead of adopting the arrangement shown, the block 12 might be sus-
pended from a traveller or small frame running on wheels on the crane
arm 20, or in any other equivalent manner. In using the apparatus the
crane arm 20 being swung round into the position in which it is shown in
Figure 2, to hold the block 12 over the sieve 14, the printer depresses the
block into the sieve and takes up a supply of color. Having elevated the
block 12, in which he is assisted by the descending counterweights 25, he.
swings round the block, moving with it the crane arm 20, so as to bring them
over the fabric into the position in which they are represented in Figures 1
and 3, and applying the front edge of the block to the line of the fabric
which happens to be exactly on the top of the roller 4, he presses the block
forward, thereby turning the roller 4, and moving forward the fabric 8 with
it, whilst at the same time imparting its impression to the fabric. As. the
front edge of the block 12 separates from the fabric 3 in consequence of the
line of the latter inclining downwards, it comes upon a roller 26 mounted in

page_text: brackets attached to the table 2, so as to be above the fabric 3, and the
block 12 is thereby supported and prevented from tilting forward. Finally,
when the back edge of the block 12 reaches the top line of the roller 4, the
printer lifts it up and swings it round over the sieve 14 to dip it in the color
for a fresh impression.
When it is desired to leave corners, centres, or medallions unprinted upon
by the block 12 to be afterwards filled up separately, the usual pieces of
oiled paper or cloth are applied to the fabric to prevent the block from
printing on these parts; and when these pieces have to be applied in such
positions that from the curve of the roller 4 they would be apt to fall off or be
displaced, they are fitted with fine wire hooks, which catch in the fabric and hold
them in position, but without in any way interfering with the printing block.
Instead of the fabric 3 being drawn forward and kept tight by means of
nipping rollers in the ordinary way,, it is not subjected to any nipping action,
but passes freely over the various rollers 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, which guide it
over the space for drying it. Below the printing table 2 one of the guide
rollers 8 is mounted in a frame 27, arranged to slide easily by the action of
its own weight, or with added weights, in guides formed for it in fixed
uprights 28. Then as the printing proceeds this sliding-roller frame 27
descends and takes down the slack of the fabric 3, keeping the fabric in a
uniformly stretched state. At intervals the fabric is drawn forward by the
action of a small winch 29 and strap 30, the strap being passed round the
ends of a convenient number of the guide rollers 9, &c., and this action
returns the sliding-roller frame 27 to its elevated or starting position. The
sliding-roller frame 27 may be arranged in any convenient position, and in
Figure 4 it is represented as placed above the printing table 2, and with its
action inverted, that is to say, to take up the slack of the fabric; it rises
by the action of counterweights 31 connected to the frame by cords passing
over pulleys overhead. Two or more of the sliding-roller frames may be used
for the same length of fabric.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention, and-the manner in
which the same is or may be performed, I have to state that I do not restrict
myself to the precise details herein described or delineated, but that what I
believe to be novel and original, and claim as the Invention secured to me by
the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,―
1. The printing of woven fabrics by means of blocks suspended, and with
their weight more or less counterbalanced, substantially as herein-before
described.

page_text: 2. The using of sliding-roller frames, arranged substantially as herein-
before described, for stretching woven fabrics which are being printed by
means of blocks.
3. The carrying forward of woven fabrics which are being printed by
blocks, by driving a number of the guide rollers, and without passing the
fabric between nipping rollers, substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Robertson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Tenth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
Witness,
EDMUND HUNT,
Patent Agent,
28, St. Enoch Square,
Glasgow.
JAMES ROBERTSON. (L.s.)