IMPROVE- MENTS IN PRINTING TEXTILE FABRICS AND OTHER SURFACES."
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Macdonald, of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PRINTING TEXTILE FABRICS AND OTHER SURFACES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Macdonald at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
26th June 1856.
I, DAVID MACDONALD, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING, TEXTILE FABRICS AND OTHER SURFACES," to be as
follows, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to an improved arrangement of machinery or appa-
ratus more particularly suited for printing on muslins, according to the
zincographic system, designs or patterns, to be afterwards embroidered
thereon, but it is also applicable for printing various devices or patterns upon
textile fabrics and other surfaces, according to either the zincographic or
lithographic systems.
In printing machines of the class to which this Invention refers, as ordinarily
constructed, the zincographic or lithographic plate or stone is traversed back
and forwards upon a horizontal frame, and is made to give an impression to
the fabric only when traversing in one direction, the return traverse being
performed without producing any impression. According to the present
Invention, however, the plate is made to give an impression during both
traverses.

page_text: In carrying out the Invention according to a convenient modification,
arrangements are made for printing two pieces of fabric at the same time, one
piece receiving successive impressions when the plate traverses in one direc-
tion, and the other piece receiving impressions when the plate traverses in
the other direction. For this purpose two pressure rollers and two counter-
pressure rollers are arranged. near. the centre of the framing. One piece of
fabric is drawn off a roller conveniently arranged near one end of the
framing, and is passed round beneath one of the pressure rollers, and up to a
receiving roller upon which it is wound up as it is printed. In like manner
the other piece of fabric is drawn off a roller at the other end of the framing,
and is passed round beneath the other pressure roller up to a separate
receiving roller. The plate which gives the impression passes along between
the pressure rollers and the counter-pressure rollers. When the plate is
passing in one direction the pressure roller nearest the side from which
the plate is starting is depressed, so that the plate passes in contact with
it, and imparts an impression to the fabric passing round it. The plate
passes on to the end of the machine, the other pressure roller being for the
time elevated, so that the plate does not touch the fabric. On the return,
however, of the plate, this last pressure roller is depressed, so that the fabric
passing round it now receives an impression, whilst the other roller is elevated
and its fabric is untouched. In this manner each piece of fabric receives an
impression alternately, and thus double the number of impressions are pro-
duced during a given number of double traverses of the plate as compared
with ordinary machines of this class.
In combination with the arrangements just described, self-acting damping
and inking details may be employed. According to one plan, an inking
roller supplied in any convenient way may be arranged midway between
the two pressure rollers, this roller being stationary, so that the plate passes
in contact with and receives ink from it in whichever direction it is traversing.
On each side of this inking roller is a damping roller or pad, arranged so
as to be elevated and depressed alternately, accordingly as the plate is traversing
in one direction or the other. According to another plan, similar self-acting
details may be arranged at each end of the framing or outside of the pressure
rollers, instead of in the centre between these rollers. By the adoption of
these contrivances textile fabrics and other surfaces can have patterns or
designs printed upon them in a much more rapid manner than hitherto, whilst
at the same time a less amount of manual labor is required.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said David Macdonald in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
26th December 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DAVID
MACDONALD, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Manu-
facturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
David Macdonald, Her special license that I, the said David Macdonald,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
David Macdonald, my executors, administrators, or 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PRINTING TEXTILE FABRICS AND OTHER SURFACES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said David Macdonald, 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 David Macdonald, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, 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 relates to an improved arrangement of machinery or
apparatus more particularly suited for printing on muslins, according to the
zincographic system, designs or patterns, to be afterwards embroidered thereon,
but it is also applicable for printing various devices or patterns upon textile
fabrics and other surfaces, according to either the zincographic or lithographic
systems.
In printing machines of the class to which this Invention refers, as
ordinarily constructed, the zincographic or lithographic plate or stone is

page_text: traversed back and forwards upon a horizontal frame, and is made to give an
impression to the fabric only when traversing in one direction, the return
traverse being performed without producing any impression. According to
the present Invention, however, the plate is made to give an impression during
both traverses.
In carrying out the Invention according to a convenient modification,
arrangements are made for printing two pieces of fabric at the same
time, one piece receiving successive impressions when the plate traverses
in one direction, and the other pieco receiving impressions when the plate
traverses in the other direction. For this purpose two pressure rollers and
two counter-pressure rollers are arranged near the centre of the framing. One
piece of fabric is drawn off a roller conveniently arranged towards one end of
the framing, and is passed round beneath one of the pressure rollers, and up
to a receiving roller upon which it is wound up as it is printed. In like
manner the other piece of fabric is drawn off a roller at the other end of the
framing, and is passed round beneath the other pressure roller up to a separate
receiving roller. The plate which gives the impression passes along between
the pressure rollers and the counter-pressure rollers. When the plate is pass-
ing in one direction the pressure roller nearest the side from which the plate
is starting is depressed, so that the plate passes in contact with it, and imparts
an impression to the fabric passing round it. The plate passes on to the
other end of the machine, the other pressure roller being for the time
elevated, so that the plate does not touch the fabric. On the return, however,
of the plate, this last pressure roller is depressed, so that the fabric passing
round it now receives an impression, whilst the other roller is elevated and its
fabric is untouched. In this manner each piece of fabric receives an impres-
sion alternately, and thus double the number of impressions are produced
during a given number of double traverses of the plate, as compared with
ordinary machines of this class.
In combination with the arrangements just described, self-acting damping
and inking details may be employed. According to one plan, an inking
roller supplied in any convenient way may be arranged midway between
the two pressure rollers, this roller being stationary, so that the plate passes in
contact with and receives ink from it in whichever direction it is traversing.
On each side of this inking roller is a damping roller or pad, arranged so
as to be elevated and depressed alternately accordingly as the plate is
traversing in one direction or the other. According to another plan, similar
self-acting details may be arranged at each end of the framing or outside
of the pressure rollers, instead of in the centre between these rollers. By

page_text: the adoption of these contrivances textile fabrics and other surfaces can
have patterns or designs printed upou them in a much more rapid manner
than hitherto, whilst at the same time a less amount of manual labour is
required.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I have
hereunto appended, and shall now proceed to describe, a Sheet of explanatory
Drawings, showing a mode of practically working out the same.
Figure 1 on the Sheet of Drawings is an end elevation, and Figure 2 is
a side elevation, of my improved printing apparatus as arranged for print-
ing from a zinc plate; and Figures 3, 4, and 5, are views of portions of the
details as detached. The framing of the machine consists of two side
standards A, connected by tie rods B (Figure 2, not shown in Figure 1). To
the inner sides of these standards A are bolted the two horizontal rail bars C,
upon which runs the carriage or traversing frame D mounted upon wheels E,
and having the zinc plate F fixed down upon it; the rail bars C project con-
siderably beyond the standards A in either direction, and they are connected at
each extreme end by a tie rod G (Figure 2), and are supported by standards H
(Figure 2), not shown in Figure 1. The standards A are formed with bearings
for the spindles of the two counter-pressure or supporting rollers I, which
rollers bearing upon the under side of the carriage D within the wheels E
enable it to withstand the printing pressure. Immediately above each of the
rollers I is a pressure roller J, the spindles of which pass through slots in the
standards A, and are carried in bearings in the upper ends of two vertical bars
or rods K, one on each side of the machine, outside the standards A. These
bars K pass down to a cross head L below, working in slots in the standards A,
and serving to bring down the roller J upon the plate surface and to raise it
off alternately. The cross head L is lowered so as to bring down the roller J
when required by the action of an eccentric fast upon a short longitudinal
shaft M (Figures 1 and 4) disposed horizontally in the centre of the machine
just below the rollers I, and carried in bearings upon two transverse horizontal
frame pieces N bolted to the side standards A, each directly below one of
the rollers I. The shaft M carries two eccentrics, one acting on each
cross bead L through a spindle O, the upper squared end of which works in a
socket in the frame piece N and receives the direct pressure of the eccentric,
whilst its lower end is screwed and tapped through a nut wheel P held by a
collar in a socket in the cross head L. The wheel P is a worm wheel, and is
actuated when necessary by a worm on a horizontal spindle Q carried upon the
cross head L and reaching to one side of the machine, where it is formed with
a squared end to receive a handle or key. The stroke of the eccentrics on the

page_text: shaft M is of course always the same, but the level down to which the pressure
rollers J have to be brought can be accurately adjusted by means of the screw
spindle O. Each pressure roller J is guided in the slots in the standards A
by sliding blocks R in which its spindles have bearings; to these blocks are
bolted inside the standards A, brackets S rising up to carry the taking-up
roller T and the tympan roller U, and also having bolted to them brackets V
to carry the delivery roller W. The fabric or material to be printed upon is
drawn off the roller W, and passes under the pressure roller J, and thence up
to the taking-up roller T, but between the roller J and the fabric there is, as
usual in similar machines, an endless tympan cloth, shown by dotted blue
lines at X in Figure 2, which passes round the roller J and the roller U; the
bearings of this roller U are made adjustable in slots in the brackets S, and the
tympan cloth can be stretched by means of the screws Y. These details rise and
fall with the roller J, and each roller J has in connection with it similar details,
which are distinguished by the same letters of reference. There are thus two
pieces of fabric or material to be printed upon, but the motion of these is in
opposite directions, the delivery rollers W being set towards opposite sides of
their respective rollers J. Friction appliances of any convenient kind may be
made to act on the rollers W to keep the material tight, and to prevent its
being drawn off too easily, and the rollers T may be driven so as to take up
the printed material by means of bells and pulleys in connection with the
rollers U, or in any other convenient way. The machine is driven by means of
the transverse horizontal shaft Z carried in bearings in the side standards A.
On one of the projecting ends of this shaft Z is keyed a pulley a to receive a belt
from an overhead shaft, connected with a driving shaft by details admitting of
the motion being reversed or stopped as may be required. The shaft Z carries
loosely upon it a drum b (shown also in elevation in Figure 4), in the inside of
which is cut or formed a helical or spiral groove, shown in dotted lines at c in
Figure 1. A stop, indicated by dotted lines at d, in Figure 1, is fixed on the
shaft Z and carries a roller or rollers working in the helical groove c, whilst a
friction strap e is applied to the outside of the drum b. Before the drum b
can be carried round, the stop d must pass from one end to the other of the
groove c, and in doing so it gives a longitudinal movement to the drum; this
longitudinal movement of the drum is imparted, by means of a collar and fork
connection, to a rack, e¹ (indicated by dotted lines in Figure 1, but seen in end
elevation in Figure 4), this rack being formed with an eye to move loosely
on the shaft Z, and being fitted with rods f, which work in eyes g fixed to
the frame pieces N and keep the rack from being carried round by the
shaft Z. The rack e' is in gear with a spur wheel h on the shaft M carrying

page_text: the eccentrics for depressing the cross heads L. The amount of longitudinal
movement of the drum vis calculated to bring into action one eccentric and
to take the other eccentric out of action, and as the movement is alternately
in opposite directions, the eccentrics are brought into action alternately, and
the rollers J are consequently lowered into action alternately. The rollers I
are driven by means of spur wheels i, fast on their spindles at one end outside
the standard A; these spur wheels i being in gear with a spur wheel j carried
upon the shaft Z. The spur wheel j is loose upon the shaft Z, as shown in
the section, Figure 3, but it is driven by a stop k upon the pulley a, this stop
acting upon a stop on the side of the spur wheel j. These parts are so
arranged, that on the motion of the shaft Z being reversed, it does not act
upon the spur wheel j until the stop k moves round to the other side of the
stop or to another stop on the wheel j, and this inaction of the wheel j lasts
a sufficient time to allow the shaft M to be shifted round, so as to alter the
positions of the eccentrics and raise the roller J which has just been acting,
and lower the other roller J which has next to come into action. Each
roller J is raised by the action of a blade spring acting upon the screw
spindle O, and supported by T-headed bolts m fixed into the frame piece N.
The carriage D is represented as having made a small portion of its traverse
in the direction of the arrow towards the right-hand end of the machine. It
is being driven by the roller I, and the left-hand pressure roller J is lowered,
and is pressing the material to be printed upon it. The friction of the plate
against the roller J causes the latter to turn, carrying with it the material
and the endless tympan X. The tympan turns the roller U, from which the
roller T is driven, so as to take up the material as it is printed. As the
carriage approaches the right-hand end of the machine an adjustable stop,
similar to the stop n, upon its side, comes in contact with a lèver similar to
the lever o, and shifts it, the movement being transmitted to the reversing
mechanism, so as to reverse the motion of the shaft Z. On the shaft Z-
commencing to turn in the opposite direction, it first, by means of the screw
drum b, shifts the eccentric shaft M, so as to bring down the right-hand
pressure roller J and elevate the left-hand one; by this time the stop k on
the pulley a will have come round, and will begin to drive the spur wheel j,
which will cause the rollers I to move back the carriage towards the left-hand
end of the machine, and the drum b will then turn without moving longitu-
dinally, the resistance of the friction strap e being overcome by the direct
Whilst the carriage
pressure of the stop d against the end of the groove c.
traverses towards the left-hand end of the machine the right-hand pressure
roller J is depressed, and it causes the material passing round it to receive an

page_text: impression. When either of the pressure roller J is raised off the plate
it remains without turning, and the corresponding roller T is consequentl
not driven, and takes up no more material until the pressure roller is agai
lowered, so that each impression commences exactly where the previous on
left off. Adjustable stops p are fixed upon the rail bars C, for the carriag
to come up against, to insure the carriages stopping at the exact spot wanted
the rollers I, if they have any tendency to drive it further, slipping roun
without doing so.
The machine is represented in the Drawings as furnished with self-acting
inking and damping details, which are arranged in the centre of the machine
between the two pressure rollers J. A series of blocks q are fitted into
slots in the side standards A, and are formed with bearings for the spindles
of four rollers », arranged one above the other. Ink is supplied to the
top roller r by a trough s, supported in blocks q at each side, and having a
slit along its bottom for the egress of the ink. Each roller imparts the
ink to the roller below it, the lowest roller imparting it to the zinc plate,
which causes it to rotate when passing under it, the motion being frictionally
transmitted from one roller to the other. The spindles of one of the rollers
is fitted with inclined discs t, and pins u are fixed in the framing in such a
manner as to cause the roller to reciprocate longitudinally as it rotates; this
motion assists the spreading of the ink in an uniform manner.
Loose on
cach spindle of the lowest roller there is a double-armed lever v, shown in
dotted lines in Figure 2, and in plan in Figure 5, and formed with bearings
at the outer ends to receive the spindles of two damping rollers or pads w,
lying one on each side of the inking roller. These rollers or pads w are made
of perforated metal or other suitable permeable material covered with flannel,
and water is introduced into them by flexible tubes a (Figures 1 and 5)
attached to their spindles, made tubular for the purpose, the other ends of the
tubes communicating with a small reservoir y (Figure 1). The pads w do
not turn round, but a slight oscillatory motion is imparted to them by means
of small levers ≈ (Figure 5) fixed upon their spindles. These levers z carry
pins, which work in slots in brackets 1, indicated by dotted lines in Figure 2,
and attached to a small frame, guided in eyes fixed to the inside of the side
standard, and worked back and forwards horizontally by an eccentric 2,
indicated by dotted lines in Figure 2, this back and forward motion causing
the pads w to oscillate on their supporting spindles. The eccentric 2 is on
the end of a short spindle passing through the side standard A, and having
keyed upon it outside the standard a pinion 3 (Figure 5), which is in gear
with one of the wheels i, whence the required motion is derived. In addition

page_text: to this oscillatory movement the pads ware made to move to and fro across
the zinc plate by means of inclined grooves 4 (Figure 5) in their ends, acted
upon by pins fixed to the lever v. The pins being fixed, the partial rotation
of the pads in either direction causes them to move longitudinally, as regards
their axes, upon the pins, their spindles moving in the ends of the lever v.
One only of the damping pads is in action at one time, namely, the one
nearest the end from which the carriage D is traversing, so that each increment
of the plate, after imparting its impression to the material to be printed, comes
in contact first with the damping pad before it reaches the inking roller. The
boss of the lever at each side of the machine projects through the side
-standard, and has fixed upon it outside the standard a lever 5, weighted so as
to press down whichever pad is in action. This lever 5 is linked to a bell-
crank lever 6, carried on a stud upon the standard, the other short arm of
which is jointed to the block R of one of the pressure rollers J; thus, as the
roller J rises or falls, it tilts over the weighted lever 5 in either direction, so
as to put into action the pad about to be required. Straps 7 are passed
below the spindles of the inking rollers r, and attached above to plates lying
above eccentrics or cams on a transverse horizontal spindle 8, working in
bearings in the top central parts of the standards A, and fitted with handles 9
outside the standards; thus by bringing down one of the handles 9, which
has the effect of turning up the eccentrics, the inking and damping details
will be lifted clear off the zinc plate when required.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I may observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict
myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to
describe or refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom without
deviating from the principles or main features of my Invention; but what I
consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured
to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,—
First, the system or mode of arranging and constructing lithographic and
zincographic printing machines, operating with flat stones or plates upon
fabrics or materials passed in contact therewith round rollers, wherein two
pressure rollers, each acting on a separate piece of fabric or material, are
arranged in connection with a single stone or plate, such stone or plate giving
impressions to the two pieces of fabric or materials alternately as it moves
alternately in opposite directions, as herein-before described; together with
the combination with such apparatus of the herein-before described self-acting
damping and inking details.

page_text: Second, the system or mode of giving a combined rotatory and endlong
or differential action to the ink conveying or supplying rollers, as herein-
before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said David Macdonald, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of December, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-six.
DAVID MACDONALD. (L.S.)