CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY USED IN PRINTING CALICOES, SILKS, PAPER HANGINGS, AND OTHER FABRICS
Year: 1842

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
STEPHEN BOURLIER, of Sherbon Street, Blandford Square, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Twenty-ninth day of December, in the sixth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
John Stephen Bourlier, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said John Stephen Bourlier, my exors, adñors, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said John Stephen Bourlier, my exors,
adiiors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England,
Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, the Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY USED IN PRINTING CALICOES, SILKS, PAPER HANGINGS,
AND OTHER FABRICS," communicated to me by a certain Foreigner residing
abroad; in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said
John Stephen Bourlier, shall cause a particular description of the nature of
the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said in part récited Letters
Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully
and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
John Stephen Bourlier, do hereby declaré that the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully
described and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference
being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters
marked thereon (that is to say):-
DESCRIPTION OF THE APPARATUS WHICH MOVES THE FRAME WHICH CARRIES
THE ENGRAVED PLATES OR BLOCKS.
This apparatus is shown separately at Figures 1, 2, and 3, Drawing No. 1.
Figure 1 represents a side view of two carriages, which are put in motion by
the axes 1, 2, 3, the axes 2 is common to the other two. Figure 4 shows
a carriage; 1* is a metal plate having holes therein on to which are fixed by
screws these engraved plates or blocks; 2, 2, 2, are screws fixed for regulating
the movement of the perforated plate upon the carriage or frame to keep the
engraved plates or blocks registered amongst themselves; 3, 3, are rods which
are pressed by the springs 4, 4; they are intended to press upon the ends of
the sieve, and keep it fixed during the time the color is taken from it.
Figure 5 is a plan of the perforated plates to which the engraved blocks
are fixed. These carriages which carry the blocks in no way differ from
those described in a Specification of a Patent granted to Mr. Lockett, of
Manchester, to which the improvements to be described may be applied,
by the aid of which they are put into operation; 31 is the table upon which
the impression takes place; 4' is the engraved plate or block; 5 is the color
sieve which is brought between the table and the engraved plate or block in
order to place it opposite to the latter, which rises to take the color. There
are then two movements to be given to the carriages, the first which carries
the engraved plates or blocks towards the color sieve placed between it and
the table, and the second movement which carries the block as far as the
fabric
upon the table after the color sieve is withdrawn. These two movements
which, in the machine of Mr. Lockett, are produced alternately in a quick
jerking movement by an excentric and a cam placed upon the same shaft,
are produced by the two combined cranks 4 and 5, which act without
interruption.
I will now describe the action of one of these carriages, as shewn at Figure 1,
which will equally apply to the action of the other. The crank 4 makes two
turns whilst the crank 52 is making one; the red lines show the toothed wheels
fixed upon these shafts, which give motion to them; .6' is a cross piece
moving in bearings at 7' upon the carriage 10; 8 is a connecting rod which

page_text: communicates motion from the crank 5 to the arm 6 of the balance or cross
piece 6, 6¹, to which the connecting rod is attached by a pin joint 8'; 9 is a
connecting rod by which the movement is transmitted from the crank 4² to
the other arm 6¹ of the cross piece 6, 61. In order fully to comprehend the
arrangement, I will suppose the crank 42 to be at rest and the other one 52
in action; it is clear that by the effect of this rotatory movement and the
action of the rod 9 upon the cross piece 6, 61, to which it is joined at 91, the
carriage 10 and the block which is fixed to it approach and recede alternately
from the table 31, but when the color sieve 5 is introduced between the block
and the table, the block does not receive any movement which carries it
towards the color sieve to charge it with color. But if, instead of leaving the
crank 4 stationary, I give it two turns during each turn of the crank 5', then
not only the plate or block 4¹ will fall back sufficiently to allow of the color
sieve 5 being put between that and the table, but the block will have a
movement which will carry it to the sieve to take the color, and that without
jerk or noise.
It remains to show how the pressure of the plate upon the color sieve
may be varied, and also upon the fabric when printed. The variation of the
pressure of the plate or block upon the fabric is obtained by acting on the
arms 6 of the cross piece 6, 6', by the aid of the screws 11 and 12 and
the piece 13, to which is joined the rod 8. The effect of moving this piece 13
towards the centre 71 of the balance or cross piece 6, 6¹ is to increase the
pressure of the plate or block 41 upon the table, at the same time it is
impossible to remove it from the centre without diminishing the pressure.
The variation of the pressure upon the color sieve is obtained by the displace-
ment of the other sliding piece 15. It results, from the form of this cross
piece or balance 6, 61, that when the block 4' is pressing upon the table 3¹,
as represented at Figures 1 and 2, the arm 6 is perpendicular to the rod 9 in
such manner that without sensibly varying the pressure of the plate upon the
table the sliding piece 15 may be moved, and if this displacement of the
sliding piece 15 has no effect upon the plates or blocks at the moment where
it presses upon the table, it is not the same when taking color from the sieve,
as will be seen by inspecting the Figure 8, which represents the arrangement
of the different parts of the machinery at the time that the plates or blocks 4¹
take the color upon the sieve 5. In the Figure 3 the arm 6 is perpendicular
to the rod 8, which corresponds to it. The arms 6, 6', are then in their turns
perpendicular to their respective connecting rods. The arm 6 at the time
of the when taking of the color from the color sieve takes place, and the
arm 6' at the moment when the impression takes place upon the table, then,

page_text: as the movements of each of the sliding pieces upon the arms of the balance
piece does not move the plates or blocks at the time when the connecting rods
are perpendicular to their respective arms, it follows that the pressure of the
plate or block may be varied upon the fabric to be printed without changing
the pressure upon the color sieve, and also the pressure upon the color
sieve may be varied without altering that of the plates or blocks upon the
fabric.
DESCRIPTION OF AN APPARATUS TO PREVENT AT DIFFERENT TIMES THE APPLI-
CATION OF THE ENGRAVED PLATE OR BLOCK TO THE COLOR SIEVE AND
UPON THE FABRIC TO BE PRINTED.
The apparatus to be employed usefully in the printing of handkerchiefs and
other articles which require in printing that the operation of some of the
engraved plates or blocks should be suspended during the time that other
blocks are producing their impressions. The action of this arrangement
is founded upon periodically shortening the connecting rods moved by the
crank, which turns more slowly. The effect of this shortening of the con-
necting rod is, that the blocks cannot come in contact with the color sieve and
with the fabric to be printed.
Figure 1, Sheet 2, is an end view of the apparatus applied to a carriage
which carries the engraved plates or blocks, and Figure 2 is a front view.
2 is the balance or cross piece joined to the carriage or frame; the sliding
pieces 3 and 4 are moved by means of the screws 5 and 6; 7 is a crank
which makes two turns whilst the other crank 8 makes but one; 9 is the
connecting rod by which the movement of the crank 7 is communicated
to the cross piece; 10 is the rod which is of a variable length, and which
communicates the motion of this crank 8 to the cross piece 2. Figure 3 is a
view of the connecting rod 10 separately; 11 is the principal part, which is
made hollow to receive the parts 12 and 13. This rod of variable parts
is shown separately at Figures 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8. In looking at the
Figures 3 and 6 the rod is either in its ordinary position or shortened accord-
ing to the action of the excentric piece 12 upon the sliding piece 13, which
is moved by either one side or the other of the excentric piece 12. The
Figure 3 represents the rod in its proper length for printing, and Figure 6 in
the position when shortened. It will therefore be seen that the position
of the piece 13, and consequently the length of the connecting rod 10, depends
upon the excentric 12.
I will now explain how this excentric piece 12 receives the alternate
rotation which produces the variation of length in the rod. To do this I will

page_text: refer again to the Figures 1 and 2, which show a carriage moved by two
shafts 18 and 19, each supplied with a crank 7 and 8. It will be seen that
the rod is lengthened when the arm of the excentric 12 is in the position
shown at Figure 3. It is necessary that I show how a periodical movement
is given to this excentric 12. This excentric 12 has an arm with a projecting
pin which rests in a groove in the upright bar 20, which moves freely between
two grooves; and not meeting with any obstacle in its progress, the rod
remains in a constant position either lengthened or shortened, but it is not
always thus. The projections 21 and 22 upon the bar 20 are arranged in
such manner that the projection 21 should strike when necessary upon the
dise 23, and the other projections upon the portion of the disc 24. If there
were only the disc 23, it is clear that the projection 21 would be pushed
back by the surface of the disc, and each of its movements would maintain
the excentric 12 in the position which would cause the shortening of the
rod 10, and consequently prevent the printing from taking place. The
disc 23 is that which prevents the printing from taking place. The disc
marked 24 presents, when desired, an obstacle to the movement of the pro-
jection 22, and causes the rod 20 to re-act upon the arm of the excentric 12,
and forces this excentric to take the position shewn at Figure 3, and conse-
quently determines the length of the rod which regulates the impression. But I
will suppose that it is desired to suppress the action of the blocks upon the color
frame or sieve and the fabric, and it will be seen what will be the arrangement
of the discs 23 and 24 to produce this effect. After what has been described
the disc which regulates the printing should have no action upon the pro-
jection 22, it should be as represented at Figure 11, so as not to present any
resistance to this projection, whilst the disc 23 should, on the contrary, present
to the projection 21 a striking part, which causes the excentric 12 to turn
and bring it into the position shewn at Figure 11. If, on the contrary, it is
required that the fabrics should be printed, the discs should be arranged
as shewn at Figure 12. It is evident that in order to be able to move, the
bar 20, the excentric piece 12 must present some resistance to be moved..
That resistance is obtained by the friction of the piece 12 upon its bearings,
furnished with leather for that purpose, or by the action of an angular tooth
moved by a spring, which tooth enters alternately into one of two notches
or grooves of the excentric piece 12 that present themselves at each position
of the two above described. The intermittent movement of the shaft 19 is
obtained as follows, and shewn in Figures 1, 2, & 13. 25 is a shaft which
carries a double toothed wheel 26, 27, shewn separately at Figure 14. This
wheel is composed of two wheels 26 and 27 joined together, the teeth of

page_text: which are separate, as shewn in the Figure. This wheel receives its move-
ment from a disc 28, 29, represented separately at Figure 10, which carries
a lateral tooth which takes into the wheel 26, and causes it to advance one
tooth each turn. The cylindrical part presents a notch or groove in which the
tooth of the wheel 27 passes. The cylindrical portion of the disc 29, in
taking into the portions of the teeth of the wheel 27, prevents the wheels 26
and 27 from moving. When the wheel 26 is not under the action of the
teeth 28, the number of the teeth of the wheels 26 and 27, combined with
the discs 23 and 24, determine the number of the successive action of the
engraved plates or blocks, and regulate the period at which those actions
shall take place; thus, in the Figure annexed, the number of the teeth being
eight, and the disc 23 not presenting any obstacle to the projections, it will
strike seven blows following, and one blow will be allowed to pass without
striking. This takes place ordinarily when printing handkerchiefs for the
plate or block which prints the groundwork. The disc 28, 29, is fixed upon
an axis 24' which passes through an opening in the arm 30, which has at its
other end an opening in which turns freely the shaft 19. 31 is a toothed wheel
fixed at the end of the shaft 24', this wheel takes into a wheel 32 fixed upon
the shaft 19. The arm 30, which carries the axis 24', allows of an adjust-
ment of the disc 28, 29, to cause it to approach in a proper manner the
wheels 26 and 27, upon the diameter of which and the number of teeth
depends the period which elapses between the times of printing. 33 is a lever
connected to the shaft or axis 25, and it is also fixed to the lever 30 to keep it
in its position when at work. The discs 23 and 24 should not be fixed upon the
shaft 25, for they are often put into motion whilst one of the projections 21 or
22 is engaged in the gaps of these discs. To avoid any evil result from thus
fixing the discs 23, 24, they are kept in their usual position by a spring, which
yields at the moment that one of the discs presses against the projections. A
stop fixed to the shaft 25, prevents the discs from turning in the opposite way
to that which is necessary to prevent breakage. The intermittent apparatus
above spoken of is employed in the following manner when printing handker-
chiefs with borders-Suppose with a machine of six plates or blocks it is
desired to print handkerchiefs of three colors, the same on the border as the
other part, I then employ three plates or blocks for the middle or ground part;
each of these plates are of about four or five inches in width, and of a length
equal to the width of the fabric to be printed, and at each of their extremities.
a portion is engraved to produce the longitudinal border, the three other
plates or blocks are used for the border transversely; the carriages which carry
the blocks will be supplied with an intermittent apparatus similar to that

page_text: above described. The discs 23 and 24 of the carriages, supplied with blocks
for the groundwork of the handkerchief, will be formed in such manner that
the printing will go on without interruption for each of these plates or blocks,
until that part of the fabric which should be worked with the transverse
border presents itself. The discs of the carriages which carry the plates
or blocks of the transverse border should be, on the contrary, so arranged as
to prevent the printing during the time that that part of the fabric reserved
for the middle presents itself, and they determine the application of the plate
or block at the moment when will be presented the interval left by the blocks
which have printed the middle or ground. These intermittent apparatus are
again employed, when the machine is so arranged as to print several times
with each plate or block upon the same part of the fabric. If it be desired
that only some of the blocks print a second time, then those which are not
required are so arranged with the disc 23 and 24, as to prevent them
doing so.
I will now describe an arrangement of machinery by which six plates or blocks
may be moved simultaneously. This machine is founded upon the same prin-
ciple as that for which Mr. Lockett, of Manchester, has taken a Patent. The
carriages, the tables, the color sieves, are the same, as also the mode of conducting
on the fabric to be printed; the only difference is, the mode of moving the car-
riage which carry the plates or blocks, and which is shewn in the Drawings
Nos. 3 and 4. The machine is shewn at the time when the printing is taking
place. 20, 20, is the framing of the machine; 21, 21, the tables upon which the
printing takes place. 22, 22, are the engraved plates or blocks fixed in their
carriages. 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, are the color sieves, which are placed between the
printing tables and the plates or blocks when the blocks are separated from them.
29 is a crank lever fixed upon the shaft 30; this crank lever moves, by the
connecting rods 31 and 32, the color sieves 26 and 27. 33 is another crank
lever of a similar description, and moves the color sieves 24 and 25. 34 is
a balance lever, which is put in motion by the crank lever 33, and moves the
color sieve 23. 35 is a similar balance lever for moving the sieve 28. On
the shaft 30 are two similar levers to those of 29, in order to hold the sieves
at each extremity; it is the same with the shaft which carries the crank
lever 33. 36, 37, 38, are wheels similar to those which move the carriages,
as shewn in the Drawing No. 1, they move the two carriages 39 and 40;
their connecting rods and cross pieces are not shewn, to avoid complexity in
the Drawings, but they are the same as those shewn in the Drawing No. 1.
41, 42, 43, are wheels to give motion to the two carriages 44, 45. 46, 47, 48,
are wheels to move the carriages 49, 50. 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, apparatus

page_text: to supply the color to the sieve with which they are in contact in their pas
sage; they are composed of a roller covered with cloth, which strikes the
surface of the sieve, and a second roller which turns with the first in an
intermittent manner; the distances of these rollers determine the thickness
of the bed of color which should be brought into the sieve; to each of
these rollers is a pinion, so that they may work simultaneously. 57, 58,
are intermediate wheels which connect together the three arrangements of
carriages. 59, 60, are cams which work the color sieve, in pushing alternately
the roller 61 placed at the end of the lever 62 fixed on the shaft 30. The
cam 60 is fixed to the wheel 48 with which it turns; the cam 59 is fixed
to another wheel 63, which takes into the wheel 48. 59, 60, 61, 62,
are corresponding parts to those last described, which move the sieves
23, 24, 25: The moving power may be applied to any one of the shafts
which move the carriages.
The Drawing 4 shews the mode in detail of conducting the fabric to be
printed. 63 is a crank pin which is regulated by the groove 64, according
to the quantity of fabric required to be brought forward to be printed. 65 is
a toothed rack, the teeth of which take into the wheel 65¹, and move in one
way only the wheels 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72; these four last are fixed
upon the shaft of the rollers 73, 74, 75, 76, which conduct the fabric. 77, in
Drawing No. 4, is a click upon the toothed wheel 651, which turns freely
upon the axis 78 fixed to the framing. 79 is a notched wheel fixed upon the
boss or nave of the wheel 66%; this wheel, which moves all the wheels
66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, is moved by the tooth or click 77, at the moment
when the separation of the block from the printing table permits the fabric
to be brought forward. 80 is a pulley having around it a metallic cord or
wire, which is attached at a fixed point at 81, and drawn by the lever 82,
to which a weight is suspended as shewn in the Drawing; the use of this
cord is to prevent the apparatus which conducts the fabric from going back,
and in causing the movement to take place in a suitable manner. 83 is a
lever with a conical end, it is used to raise the click 77 from the teeth of the
notched wheel 79, by acting upon a small arm which is fixed thereto. The
raising of the tooth 77 is to suspend its action upon the apparatus, which
conducts the fabric when it is required to apply a second time the process of
printing upon the same parts of the fabric with the same color. 84 is a collar
having two cross grooves run through successively by the piece 85, which is
at the end of the lever 83, in such manner that during one turn of the
collar 84, that is to say, that during the time that the whole of the plates
have one action upon the fabric, the cone 83 does not operate upon the tooth:

page_text: of the notched wheel, whilst during the following action of the plates or blocks
the cone is brought under the tooth and raises it, and thus prevents its action
upon the notched wheel, and thus prevents the fresh fabric from being brought
forward, and whilst the plates or blocks are again printing in the same places.
As has been before described, if it is desired only to print a second time some
of the colors, then the carriages of those plates or blocks which are not
intended to. print. again should have applied to. them the intermittent appa-
ratus described in Drawing No. 2, and.make use of the discs which shorten
the rods. once every two actions of the plates. The notched wheel 79 is
composed of two parts, in order that the one may, when required, be excen-
.trated to compensate for the irregularities at each turn of the wheel which can
take place by the wearing of the machine.
'
.
Figure 1, in Drawing No. 5, shews the color trough with the furnishing
rollers in detail. 1. is a roller covered with cloth which turns on an axis.
2 is another roller which serves as a doctor to the roller 1, and turns with it.
3 and 4 are supports for the rollers 1 and 2. 5 and 6 are screws to regulate
the distance between. the rollers 1 and 2. 7 is a small lever which is used to
raise the end of the roller 2, when it is required to put it in an oblique
position to the roller 1, and to compensate for the bending of the rollers
which would furnish a greater quantity of the color to the middle than to the
ends.
Figure 2 shews the arrangement of color troughs for three blocks of the
machine, and the mechanism which puts them in motion; the other three
blocks, are moved in the same manner. 1, 1, 1, are the printing tables.
2, 2, 2, are the color sieves. 3, 3, 3, are the inking rollers with their
brushes, which I have not thought it necessary to .shew in the general view
of the machine in the other Drawing. 4 is a wheel which gives motion to
the furnishing rollers 3, 3, by means of the endless band 5. 6 is a disc
similar, to the one, shewn at Figure 10 in Drawing No. 2; this gives inter-
mittent motion to the wheel 7, in a similar manner to what is described at
Figure 14, Drawing No. 2. 8 is a wheel which takes into the wheel 7,
and is fixed on the same shaft as the wheel 4, which turns the furnishing
rollers.
I will now describe an apparatus for regulating the stretching of the fabric
to be printed. In Drawings No. 3 and No. 6, 5 is a roller covered with the
fabric that is to be printed. ..6. is a break which presses upon the roller, and
produces the necessary resistance. This piece presses constantly on the sur-
face of the roller which is covered with the fabric to be printed, and opposes
a resistance independent of the changeable size of this roller. The break 6

page_text: carries at each end a lever, moving in bearings at 8, exercises upon the
roller 5 a pressure dependent on the weight. 9 is the roller which is covered
with the blanket, it has applied to it a similar apparatus to the one just
described. The fabric 10, after leaving the roller 5, passes over a small
cylinder 11 (shewn in the Drawings 6, where the apparatus is shewn sepa
rately), and then descends between holding jaws 12 and 18, after which it
passes over another roller 14, placed at the end of the lever 15. The jaws
12 and 13 press the fabric the whole of its width. The jaw 13 carries at
each of its ends a bent lever 15, and exercises upon the jaw 12 a pressure
regulated by the spring 16. It results from this arrangement that the fabric
cannot be strained from the jaws 12 and 13 to a greater extent than that
which results from the action of the spring 16; in fact there is an equilibrium
between the action of the spring 16 and the fabric 10' upon the lever 15, and
the drawing of the fabric 10₁ would not overcome the resistance of the
spring 16, without opening the jaws and relieving them from the pressure on
the fabric which would then pass without any resistance. By this apparatus
the fabric which crosses it presents a resistance which may be regulated by
a weight or by the tension of the spring 16, a resistance which can never be
overcome without suitably opening the jaws 12 and 13, which produces the
friction or stretching friction, that is the result of the equilibrium which exists
between the action of the spring 16 and the drawing of the fabric.
In Drawing No. 3 is a side view of a box or case for drying the fabric.
1 is a metal case over which passes the fabric when printed, it is heated by
steam. 2 is the opening through which the steams enters to heat the case.
4 is a pipe through which the condensed water passes away.
Having thus described the nature of the different parts of the machine, I
would remark, that although I have spoken of these different improvements
being applied to the machinery patented by Mr. Lockett, I do not confine
myself to such application, as they may be applied to other descriptions of
printing machinery; I lay no claim to any of the parts which have been pre-
viously used in block or surface printing. But what I claim is,―
First, the mode of using two crank shafts in place of one, for moving the
carriages which carry the blocks.
Secondly, I claim the mode above described of preventing at intervals the
application of the blocks upon the color sieve and the fabric, particularly
applicable to the printing of handkerchiefs and other fabrics which require the
application of several blocks without interruption.
Thirdly, I claim the arrangement of machinery by which the printing with
six blocks may be obtained simultaneously.

page_text: Fourthly, I claim the mode of regulating the stretching of the fabric in
printing machines.
And lastly, I claim the application to block and surface printing machines,
of a metal case heated by steam or other convenient means, over which the
fabric printed passes to be dried before it leaves the machine.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Stephen Bourlier, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-eight day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-three.