Improvements in Printing Machines.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Jan., 1890-Accepted, 22nd Feb., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Printing Machines.
I, HERBERT JOHN ALLISON, of 52 Chancery Lane, London, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention which has
been communicated to me from abroad by WILLIAM HENRY MORRIS, FRANK GOULD,
and GEORGE WINTHROP FAIRCHILD, Gentlemen, all of Oneonta, New York, and
WILLIAM HENRY ROBERSON; Gentleman, of Albany, New York, United States of
America, and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :→→
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine;
Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same;
Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section, at the line A A, of Fig. 1, with certain of
the parts omitted to expose other parts that would otherwise be hidden;
Figure 4 is a like section, at the line B B, of Fig. 1;
Figure 5 is a plan view of the frame and type-beds, with certain parts omitted to
expose underlying parts;
Figure 6 is a plan view of the frame and prime-moving mechanism ;
Figure 7'is a side elevation of one of the type-beds, its pendent, and its operating
cams;
Figure 8 is a front elevation of the same ;
Figure 9 is a detached detail of the mechanism for imparting motion to the paper-
feeding mechanism and for regulating the movement of the same;
Figure 10 is a detached detail of the mechanism for imparting motion to the inter-
mittently-rotating paper-feeding rollers;
Figure 11 is a longitudinal section of the ink-distributing mechanism ;
Figure 12 is a plan view of part of said ink-distributing mechanism ;
Figure 13 is a vertical longitudinal section of the knife-operating mechanism ;
Figure 14 is a plan view of the same; and
Figures 15, 16, 17, and 18 are detached details of the ink-distributing mechanism.
This invention relates to printing-machines for printing on a continuous sheet
of paper which is wound into a roll-form the printing being effected upon opposite
sides of said sheet in a continuous operation before any of the printed matter is
removed from the machine, and the continuous sheet being cut into smaller sheets
of uniform length by the machine which operates automatically to effect these
purposes; said machine being fitted to effect the printing from ordinary forms of
type, or from stereotype plates, in a very rapid and legible manner.
As shown in the drawings, 1 designates the frame of the machine, which is
preferably made in a rectangular form, having its side-pieces provided with a longi-
tudinal rib, 2, which forms a track on which the ink-distributing mechanism is
fitted to move in the manner hereinafter described; said frame is provided with
inner side-pieces, 3, which are arranged longitudinally therein, and are connected
by cross-pieces, 4, which are provided with guide-grooves, 5, which guide the
type-beds in their reciprocating movements.
A transverse driving-shaft, 6, is journalled in 'bearings centrally located in the
main-frame and has, at one end, a pinion, 7, which lies between, and meshes into.
pair of large gear-wheels, 8 and 9, mounted respectively on the transverse
shafts, 10 and 11, which are parallel to the shaft 6, and are also journalled in the
main-frame.
Two platens, 12, are arranged over the openings formed by the side-pieces 3
and cross-pieces 4, and are secured to the main-frame by bolts, 13, so as to be
vertically adjustable thereon.
Two type-beds, 14, provided with guide-strips which are fitted to move in the

page_text: guide-grooves 5, are fitted to reciprocate vertically in the openings formed by the
side-pieces 3 and cross-pieces 4; said type-beds are each provided with a hollow
pendent, 15, preferably made of vertically-separable sections in the form of an
inverted cone, with a dependent cylindrical-guide that is fitted to slide in a guide-
opening formed in a lower cross-piece of the main-frame; each of said pendents
is provided with vertically-slotted openings, 16, through which the corresponding
shaft of the pair of transverse shafts 10 and 11-passes so as to have secured
thereto a cam, 17, which is placed within said pendent and projects through
vertically-slotted openings, 18, formed in said pendent at right angles to the center
line of the shaft by which the type-bed is operated. A friction-roller, 19, is fitted
within the pendent to bear against the periphery of the corresponding cam, 17,
for the purpose of reducing the friction on said cam while the latter is effecting
an upward movement of the type-bed to produce an impression of the types upon
the paper. Each of said pendents is also provided with a pair of friction-rollers, 20,
which are pivoted to the opposite outer sides of the pendent near its lower end ;
said pair of friction-rollers are fitted to engage with a pair of cams, 21, secured
to the corresponding shaft-of the pair of shafts 10 and 11-for the purpose of
imparting a positive downward movement to the pendent and its attached type-bed ;
each of the latter is provided with depending-rods, 22, at its corners, which rods
pass through lugs on the main-frame and are surrounded by coiled-springs of
sufficient strength to sustain the weight of the type-bed, and between the latter
and the lugs of the main-frame said springs are interposed to relieve the cams of
part of their labor.
Ink-distributing tables, 23, are located at opposite sides of each of the type-beds,
and over said tables, carriages, 24, provided with a series of inking-rollers, 25, are
fitted to move so as to effect an even distribution of the ink over each of said
tables, and each of said carriages-in making the movement from one table to the
other of the pair to which it is assigned-will be carried over the face of the type
on the intervening type-bed in such manner as to effectually ink said type
preparatory to the taking of an impression therefrom. The carriages 24 are each
provided with wheels which are arranged to bear against the upper and lower
sides of the ribs 2 of the main-frame, which ribs form tracks on which said
carriages travel back and forth over the ink-distributing tables 23, and said ribs
prevent the carriages from rising while the latter are passing over the face of the
type from the side-pieces of each carriage there is a centrally depending-lug, 27,
which is connected to a rod, 28-of which there is one at each side of said
carriages so that the two carriages will move in unison, and said rods are con-
nected by links 29-to the movable end of a pair of swinging-arms, 30, whose
shaft is journalled in the lower part of the main-frame; motion is imparted
to said swinging-arms by means of a crank-wheel, 31, provided with teeth
which mesh into a pinion, 32, secured to the shaft 10; the wheel 31 is con-
nected - by a pitman 33- to one of said swinging-arms for the purpose of
vibrating the latter in the manner required for obtaining the reciprocating
movements of the carriages 24. Inking-rollers, 34, of which there is one
in each ink-distributing table 23, are so arranged that a small portion of the upper
side of said roller will come through the corresponding table to the level of
the upper surface of the latter, as shown in Fig. 2. Near each of said inking-
rollers there is an ink-well, 35, having an inclined floor, to which an adjustable
plate is attached by means of adjusting-screws in such manner that the lower
edge of the adjustable-plate can be adjusted up and down as occasion may require ;
in contact with the lower edge of each of said ink-wells there is a roller, 36,
having a ratchet-wheel on one end of its shaft, and into said ratchet-wheel a
pawl, 37, is fitted to engage, and said pawl is pivoted to an arm, 38, which is
fitted to vibrate on the shaft of the roller 36, so that, by each vibration of said
arm, a partial rotation of the roller 36 is effected to bring a fresh portion of said
roller, charged with ink, out from said ink-well; the several arms 38 are connected

page_text: -by a rod 39-to swing in unison. Adjacently to each ink-well a roller, 40, 15
journalled in the upper end of the arms of a tilting-frame, 41, which is pivoted
to the main-frame in such manner that the vibrations of said tilting-frame will
alternately carry the roller 40 in contact with the ink-well roller 36 and against
the inking-roller 34 to which it is assigned, and by which it is rotated; by this
alternating movement of the roller 40 fresh charges of ink are carried to the
inking-roller 34 to be distributed on the latter by its contact with the roller 40
and the other ink-distributing rollers which lie in contact with the inking-
roller 34; against one of said ink-distributing rollers of each set there is a short
roller, 42, fitted to bear in peripheral contact; said short roller has about one half the
length of the other distributing rollers, and it is loosely mounted on a shaft, 43, which
is held stationary and is provided with crossed screw-threads, into which a swivel-
fork, 44 is fitted to engage; said fork is pivoted to the roller 42, and is thereby
carried through said screw-threads in such manner that, when the fork has reached
the termination of a screw-thread that is inclined in one direction, said fork will be
automatically turned to follow the screw-thread having a reversed inclination, and
thereby said roller will be caused to move end wise in a direction reversed from that in
which it has last been moving; and by this reversed end wise movement of said roller
an even distribution of the ink is effected over the entire length of the inking-rollers.
To give the required movement to the tilting-frame 41, a horizontal rod, 45, is fitted to
move in bearings on the main-frame, and is connected to the upper end of a swinging-
arm, 46, which is pivoted to the main-frame; the lower end of said arm is provided
with a slotted-opening, 47, into which a stud, 48-on the pitman 33-engages to
vibrate said arm and thereby impart a reciprocating movement to the rod 45; the
intermittently
latter is provided with adjustable-sleeves, 49, which are fitted to engage
with friction-rollers on the tilting-frames 41 so as to tilt the latter for the purpose
herein before described. The roller 40 is normally held in contact with the inking-
roller 34 by the superior gravity of the opposite end of the tilting-frame 41, and from
this cause the latter will return to its normal position as soon as the adjustable-sleeves
are carried away from contact with the friction-roller on said tilting-frame. The rod 45
is connected, by a lever, 50-which is centrally pivoted to the main-frame-to one of
the rods 39, so that said rods-39 and 45-will move simultaneously, but in opposite
directions.
A roll of paper, 51, is carried on a shaft that is journalled to the main-frame at the
front end of the machine; the web of paper from said roll is carried between a pair of
continuously-rotating feeding-rollers, 52, which are journalled to the main-frame, and
to which motion is imparted by a pair of bevel-gears, 53, one of which is secured to
the lower roller of the said pair of feeding-rollers, and the other bevel-gear being
secured to a shaft, 54, having one end carried in a fixed bearing, and the opposite end
carried in a swinging-bracket which is pressed toward the main-frame by a
spring, 55, secured to the main-frame for that purpose; a friction-roller, 56, splined
to the shaft 54, is fitted to bear peripherally against the face of a disk, 57, secured to
the end of the shaft 10, and, in order to increase and diminish the speed of the
rollers 52-by correspondingly moving the friction-roller 56 nearer to, or farther
from, the center of the shaft 10-the hub of said friction-roller is provided with a
circumferential groove, 58, into which the forked end of an adjusting-screw, 59, is
fitted to engage in such manner that the rotations of said friction-roller will not be
interfered with; a nut, 60, which is held in place by a bracket, 61, engages on the
screw-thread of said adjusting-screw to effect the adjustment of the friction-roller in
the required direction. From the feeding-rollers 52, the web of the paper descends
in a loose unstrained condition to pass under a guide-roller, 62, by which it is kept
clear from the operating mechanism at the front end of the machine; from said
guide-roller the web of paper passes upwardly to a tension-device, 63, by which any
required degree of strain can be applied to the paper, so that after it has passed
said tension-device the paper will be in a smooth condition to receive the impression
from the type on the first type-bed, over which, and under the corresponding platen 12,

page_text: "
said paper is passed to the lower roller of a pair of intermittently-rotating feed-
rollers, 64, of which said lower roller is journalled in fixed bearings in standards, 65,
which are adjustably attached to the upper side of the main-frame; the upper roller
of said feed-rollers is journalled in bearings which are vertically-adjustable in said
standards for the purpose of obtaining a proper pressure on said rollers to effect the
feeding of the paper with certainty; after passing around said lower roller, and
.between it and the upper roller, said paper is carried over the first platen and then
over a guide-roller, 66, to pass between the lower face of the second platen and the
upper face of the second type-bed, and from thence it passes between a second pair of
intermittently-rotating feed-rollers, 67, which are in every respect similar to the feed-
.rollers 64 above described. For the purpose of imparting the required motion to the
feed-rollers 64 and 67, an intermittently-rotating longitudinal shaft, 68, is journalled
in bearings on the maiu-frame; a pinion, 69, secured to a circular shell, 70, which is
loosely fitted on the shaft 68, and said shell encloses a ratchet-wheel, 71, secured to
said shaft; a spring-pawl, 72, is pivoted to the shell 70 in such manner that when
said shell is turned in one direction said pawl will engage with the teeth of the
ratchet-wheel 71 and turn the shaft 68 in the same direction, but when said shell is
turned in the opposite direction the pawl 72 will slip over said teeth without effecting
any movement of said shaft. A vertically-reciprocating rack, 73, meshes into the
pinion 69, and a pitman, 74, connects said rack with an adjustable wrist-pin, 75,
which is adjustably-secured in the radial-slot of a disk, 76, secured to the shaft 11,
thereby an intermittently-rotative motion is imparted to the shaft 68; two
bever-goars,
chaft 69 on as to slide freely thereon. and so
that a gear will be near each end of said shaft; said gears are fitted to mesh
into corresponding gears. 78, secured to the shafts of the lower rollers of the two
.pairs of feed-rollers 64 and 67, so that the intermittent-motion of the shaft 68 will be
transmited to said rollers.
gear
Attache to the standards 65 at the rearmost end the machine, is a paper-
severing mechism which consists of a vertically-reciprocating knife, 79, which is
fitted to move in guides on said standards, and which coacts with a stationary-
cutter, 80, to effect a shearing-cut by which the web will be separated into sheets of
required size; racks, 81, are secured to said knife, and into said racks segmental-
rears, 82, are fitted to mesh; said segmental-gears are secured to a rock-shaft, 83,
which is journalled in the standards 65 last referred to; on the outer end of said
rock-shaft a bevel-gear, 84, is secured to mesh into a corresponding bevel-gear, 85,
which is splined on a longitudinal shaft, 86, so as to slide freely thereon; the 85
is retained in engagement with the gear 84 by means of a bracket, 87, which is
secured to the adjacent standard 65 in such manner that any movement of said
standard will effect a corresponding movement of the gear 85 on the shaft 86; on
one end of the latter an arm, 88, is secured, which arm is connected to a pitman, 89,
whose lower end is pivoted to a vibratile-lever, 90, which has one end pivoted to the
main-frame, and its opposite end is provided with a stud or roller, 91, that engages
in an eccentric-groove, 92, in a cam-wheel, 93, secured to the outer end of the
shaft 11; said cam-wheel is so arranged that its eccentric-groove will-through
the intervening mechanism-effect the reciprocating movements of the knife 79
in such manner that the latter will make its descending stroke and effect the
severing of the paper while it-the paper-is in a state of rest, and so that the
separations will occur at regular intervals to cut the sheets of printed matter into
pieces of uniform size.
The inking-rollers 34 are each provided with a sprocket-wheel, 94-indicated by
dotted lines in Fig. 11-and motion is imparted to said inking-rollers by an endless
chain, 95 whose course is indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2-which chain receives
its motion from a sprocket-wheel, 96, secured to the shaft 11, and said chain engages
with the sprocket-wheels 94 to impart the continuous rotatory-motion of said shaft to
said inking-rollers.
The mechanism for delivering the printed sheets, after they are severed from the

page_text: continuous sheet of the roll of paper, is old and well known, and it therefore requires
no description herein.
It will be seen that the web, or continuous sheet, of paper is fed through the
machine in such manner that one side of it will be presented for the reception of an
impression from the form of type on the first type-bed, and it is then turned back,
between the first pair of intermittently-rotating feed-rollers, to present its opposite
side for receiving an impression from the form of type on the second type-bed, and
in this manner the printing on both sides of the paper is effected before the web is
severed into separate sheets..
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is-
1. In a printing-machine for printing on both sides of a continuous sheet, the
combination, with the mechanism herein described for intermittently feeding the
paper through the machine, of the two platens, and two corresponding vertically-
reciprocating type-beds which are arranged to rise against the opposite sides of the
paper while the latter is held in a state of rest in the space between said platens and
type-beds, substantially as specified.
2. In a printing-machine, the combination, with two platens, two corresponding
type-beds, and mechanism-substantially as described-whereby said type-beds are
vertically-reciprocated at proper intervals, of the continuous feed-rollers, the guide-
rollers, and the intermittently-rotating feed-rollers, whereby the web of paper is
carried-upward and forward-between the first platen and corresponding type-bed,
then rearward between the first pair of intermittently-rotating feed-rollers, and thence
between the second platen and its corresponding type-bed to and between the second
pair of intermittenty-rotating feed-rollers, substantially as specified.
3. In a printing-machine, the combination of two platens, 12, two vertically-
reciprocating type-beds corresponding to said platens, continuous feed-rollers, 52,
mechanism substantially as described for regulating the speed of said feed-rollers,
guide-rollers, 62 and 66, tension-device, 63, and intermittently-rotating feed-
rollers, 64, substantially as specified.
4. In a printing-machine, the combination of the inking-roller carriages, 24,
provided with inking-rollers, 25, connecting-rods, 28, whereby said carriages are
connected together, links, 29, swinging-arms, 30, crank-wheel, 31, and pitman, 33, all
constructed and combined to operate substantially as specified.
Dated this 16th day of January 1890.
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.