Improvements in Printing Machines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd June, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Apr., 1892-Accepted, 28th May, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Printing Machines.
I, THOMAS COULTHARD, of Cooper Road, Preston, in the County of Lancaster,
Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to continuous web printing machines of the class described
in the Specification of Toulmin and Bond's Letters Patent No. 14,248 of 1884 in
which a flat type table traverses to and fro horizontally under a series of revolving
impression rollers (or "cylinders") which are lowered when the paper passing
under them is to receive an impression from the type moving underneath in one
direction and raised clear of the type on the return movement of the type table in
the other direction.
.My improvements have for their object firstly to cause the peripheries of the
impression rollers to travel or move round at the same speed as the type table and
to this end I construct cach of the said rollers in two parts that is to say with a
central spindle or axis and an outer concentric sleeve or shell the said sleeve or
shell being surrounded with printers' blanket or other suitable material in the usual
way. The spindle is rotated at one of its ends by means of toothed wheel gearing
in the ordinary manner and the sleeve or shell is so fitted on the spindle as not to
be capable of moving round upon the said spindle too freely but to have an amount
of friction or drag imparted to it which I preferably effect by "grinding" the shell
on to its spindle or bearing so as to be a close fit thereon. The said spindle may
also be provided with a fast collar at one end of the sleeve and adjustable screw
nuts at the other which may be so regulated as to impart the required amount of
friction or drag on the ends of the sleeve. By the above described arrangement if
the outside diameter of the roller should be such that its rotating surface speed
does not exactly correspond with the speed of the traversing type table below the
bite between the type and the periphery of the sleeve or shell will cause the rotating
speed of the sleeve to be retarded or accelerated so as to accommodate itself to the
speed of the type table. On the other hand when the impression roller is raised
the friction or drag between the sleeve and its spindle will cause the said sleeve to
be rotated at its normal speed by the toothed wheel gearing and to carry forward
in the usual way the paper passing underneath it.
The second part of my improvements consists in an improved device for raising
and lowering the said impression rollers. I mount the end bearings of the rollers
in the usual way that is to say in a vertical slide provided witli a spring below to
raise and sustain the impression rollers above or clear of the type during the back
or return traverse of the type table.
Between each of the end bearings and springs I introduce a vertically arranged
lever or arm mounted at its lower end on a pivot stud or shaft the lower part of
the boss surrounding the pivot being in the form of an eccentric cam.
The upper
ends of the levers or arms are connected to suitable lever mechanism operated by
striking plates on the lower side of the traversing type table in such a manner that
accordingly as the cam levers or arms are moved in one direction or the other
the several impression rollers forming the series will be simultaneously raised or
lowered.
Dated this 92nd dox of Tune 1801
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per F. J. Brougham,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: .
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Printing Machines.
I, THOMAS COULTHARD, of Cooper Road, Preston, in the County of Lancaster,
Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
This invention relates to continuous web printing machines of the class described
in the Specification of Toulmin and Bond's Letters Patent No. 14,248 of 1884 in
which a flat type table traverses to and fro horizontally under a series of revolving
impression rollers (or "cylinders") which are lowered when the paper passing
under them is to receive an impression from the type moving underneath in one
direction and raised clear of the type on the return movement of the type table in
the other direction.
My improvements have for their object firstly to cause the peripheries of the
impression rollers to travel or move round at the same speed as the type table and
to this end I construct each of the said rollers in two parts that is to say with a
central spindle or axis and an outer concentric sleeve or shell the said sleeve or
shell being surrounded with printers' blanket or other suitable material in the usual
way. The spindle is rotated at one of its ends by means of toothed wheel gearing
in the ordinary manner and the sleeve or shell is so fitted on the spindle as not to
be capable of moving round upon the said spindle too freely but to have an amount
of friction or drag imparted to it which I preferably effect by "grinding" the shell
on to its spindle or bearing so as to be a close fit thereon. The said spindle may
also be provided with a fast collar at one end of the sleeve and adjustable screw
nuts at the other which may be so regulated as to impart the required amount of
friction or drag on the ends of the sleeve. By the above described arrangement if
the outside diameter of the roller should be such that its rotating surface speed
does not exactly correspond with the speed of the traversing type table below
the bite between the type and the periphery of the sleeve or shell will cause the
rotating speed of the sleeve to be retarded or accelerated so as to accommodate
itself to the speed of the type table. On the other hand when the impression roller
is raised the friction or drag between the sleeve and its spindle will cause the said
sleeve to be rotated at its normal speed by the toothed wheel gearing and to carry
forward in the usual way the paper passing underneath it.
The second part of my improvements consists in an improved device for raising
and lowering the said impression rollers. I mount the end bearings of the rollers
in the usual way that is to say in a vertical slide provided with a spring below to
raise and sustain the impression rollers above or clear of the type during the back
or return traverse of the type table. Between each of the end bearings and springs
I introduce a vertically arranged lever or arm mounted at its lower end on a pivot
stud or shaft the lower part of the boss surrounding the pivot being in the form of
an eccentric cam. The upper ends of the levers or arms are connected to suitable
lever mechanism operated by striking plates on the lower side of the traversing
type table in such a manner that accordingly as the cam levers or arms are moved
in one direction or the other the several impression rollers forming the series will
be simultaneously raised or lowered.
In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a side view partly in section of an
impression roller embodying my said improvements.
a is the central spindle or axis and the loose outer sleeve or shell. cc care
internal supporting discs or cylindrical bearings fast upon the spindle a. d is a fast
collar preferably in one piece with its adjoining bearing c. e is a tightening up nut
screw threaded upon the spindle a and fis another screw nut for locking the nut e
in position when adjusted. gg' are leather washers interposed between the ends of
the shell and the nute and fast collar respectively. is a toothed driving

page_text: pinion fast upon the shaft a. iii are annular cavities for retaining lubricant
between the bearings c c c and the loose sleeve or shell b. It will be observed that
by means of the screw nut e the required amount of friction or drag on the sleeve
or shell b may be regulated as required.
Fig. 2 is a sectional side view of so much of a printing machine of the kind here
inabove referred to as is necessary to show the construction and arrangement of my
said improved device for raising and lowering the impression rollers.
jj and represent the impression rollers; and the vertical slides
or blocks on one side of the machine, namely at that side furthest from the
spectator; and 11 springs for raising or lifting the slides or blocks k k and k¹¹and
with them the impression rollers and clear of the type during the back or
return traverse of the type tables m m¹. nn are cross shafts extending from side
to side of the machine which may be mounted in bearings in any convenient position
and these cross shafts n n answer as pivots to carry the levers or arms oo the said
levers or arms being provided with eccentric or cam-like heels p p which rest upon
the projecting plates 97 fast upon the slides or blocks kk. The upper ends of the
arms or levers oo are jointed to the side of a horizontal rod r the said rod being
jointed at each of its extremities near to the upper ends of the inverted pendulum
levers s mounted upon the fixed cross shafts or studs t t. As shewn in the
drawing the several parts are in the position which obtains when the striking plate v
on the type table m has pushed back the levers and the type tables m m² are about
to start on their return traverse the impression rollers jj being then raised or
lifted clear of the type table m as shewn whilst the impression rollers are in
their lowered position ready to meet the type on the table as the said table
moves under them in the direction indicated by the horizontal arrows. When the
striking plate v¹ has reached and pressed back the lever or arms the levers or
arms o o will have been pulled over (as indicated by broken lines) and the position
of the slides or blocks and and impression rollers jj and j'j' will have
been reversed as will be readily understood ready for the movement again of the
type tables in the opposite direction.
Although I have described and shewn the levers s¹àrranged at each end of the
machine they may obviously be arranged and actuated centrally that is to say
between the two sets of impression rollers.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
1. The improved construction of impression rollers or cylinders for continuous
web printing machines having flat type tables in which the periphery or outer part
of the roller or cylinder is separate from its spindle or axis with means for regulating
the amount of friction or drag between the said periphery or outer part of the
roller or cylinder and its spindle or axis substantially as described and shown in the
drawings for the purpose set forth.
2. The combination and arrangement of apparatus for raising and lowering the
impression rollers or cylinders of continuous web printing machines having flat type
tables substantially as described and shewn in the drawings.
Dated this 23rd day of April 1892.
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per F. J. Brougham,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant..