Improved Method of and Apparatus for Polishing Printed Matter and the like.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 29th June, 1897-Accepted, 31st July, 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Method of and Apparatus for Polishing Printed Matter
and the like.
1, WILLIAM HENRY REYNELL TOXE, of 1335, Clearfield Street, in the City and
County of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, United States of America,
Printer, 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 :-
My invention relates to polishing, brightening, or glazing of printed matter
without the use of a varnish or other coating material, my object being to impart
a bright finish to printed matter, whether reading matter or pictures, and also to
remove surplus ink and thoroughly rub into the paper recently printed matter, in
this respect taking place of the generally used laborious and tedious operation of
placing the sheets between press boards and subjecting them to an intense pressure
in a standing press.
My invention is based upon the fact that printed matter can be polished;
brightened, and well rubbed into the paper by subjecting the printed sheets,
before the ink has become dry and hard, to the action of rubbers working over the
face of the paper in different directions, and my invention consists in the method
of polishing and brightening printed matter by subjecting it to such a rubbing
operation, first lightly and then progressively more energetic, and also in mechani-
cal devices adapted for carrying this method into operation, as well as for general
polishing, and which will be best understood as described in connection with the
drawings in which they are illustrated, and in which
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a polishing machine embodying my improvements,
and
Figure 2 a front elevation thereof.
A indicating the framing of the machine, B the feed board, upon which the sheets
are fed to the apparatus, C the shaft of a rotating drum D which, in the construc-
tion shown, serves as a support for the backs of the sheets being polished, and is
provided at one end with a gear wheel D¹. F indicates the carrier, which is made
up of flexible cords or chains passing around the drum D and around the carrier
sheave or sheaves E, the carrier being provided with grippers f f etc., arranged at
a proper distance apart and operating like the grippers of a printing machine
carrier. G is a spur wheel meshing with the spur wheel G and through it
driving the gear wheel D¹ and the cylinder D, said wheel G being secured to the
main shaft to which is also secured a pulley H' around which passes the driving
belt I. H indicates a drum secured to and rotating with the shaft II and around
which passes, in the construction shown, three belts, indicated at J, J and J2; the
belt J also passes around a pulley K' secured to a shaft K, to which shaft is also
secured a cylinder or brush K³ which lies across the face of the drum D pressing
upon it with a light pressure and rotating in the same direction to the rotation
of the drum so that the contacting faces move in opposite directions. The belt J
passes around a pulley L' secured to a shaft L to which shaft is also secured a
worm L which engages with a worm wheel Mona. .shaft M' secured in a
:

page_text: bearing M3 and operating a pulley M³ A similar pulley, indicated at M5, is
situated on the other side of the drum D and a belt M passes around the two
pulleys and across the face of the drum D. I prefer also to secure to the shaft L
a revolving cylinder or brush T lying like the similar cylinder or brush K² across
the face of the drum and pressing lightly against it. This cylinder or brush L
also revolves in the same direction as the revolution of the drum. The belt J
passes around, a pulley secured to a shaft to which shaft is also secured a
worm which meshes with a worm wheel m secured in a bearing m³ and to a
shaft on the end of which shaft is secured the pulley m³, a belt m passing
around this pulley and around a pulley m situated on the opposite side of the
machine. The helt m like the belt M passing across and resting lightly against
the face of the cylinder 1), the two belts being preferably operated in opposite
directions, as indicated by the arrows in the drawings. The shaft L also
preferably carries a revolving cylinder or brush operating like the similar
cylinders L and K. Around a pulley H³ on the shaft IT passes a belt N which
also passes around a pulley ( secured to the shaft O to which shaft is also secured
a drum 0² and a pulley 01. Around the pulley 01 passes a belt P which also
passes around a pulley Q¹ on a shaft Q, said shaft carrying a drum Q and around
the drums and a passes a broad belt R, which, by reason of the position of
the two drums conforms to the face of the drum D and by reason of the gearing
shown moves in the opposite direction to the face of the drum
S indicates the reception board for the polished sheets after they have passed
through the apparatus.
It will be noticed that the paper after leaving the delivery board B and before
it is deposited in the receiving board S is subjected to the action of three brushes
or cylinders, indicated at K³, L and each acting for a very short time on any
given part of the printed matter and that the printed matter is also rubbed in a
direction at right angles to the rubbing of the cylinders aforesaid by the belts M*
and m said belts also rubbing over the face of the printed matter in opposite
directions to each other. After the printed sheets have been subjected to the
action of these rubbing devices it then passes between the drum D and the belt R
and is subjected during a relatively considerable time to the rubbing of a polishing
part of this belt, which covers a considerable part of the face of the drum."
My improved method of polishing and brightening printed matter which consists
in rubbing, the printed face of the paper first with light and then with harder
pressure so as to polish and brighten the print before the ink has become dry may,
of course, be carried into effect irrespective of the mechanism used for applying
the process. With regard to the mechanism shown, I may state that the exact
construction of the apparatus as well as the number and arrangement of the
rubbing devices may be considerably changed without departing from the spirit 4
of my invention. The arrangement shown has been carefully devised and will
be found to give excellent results in practice and for the best results there should,
in all modifications, be provided, in combination with the carrier and supporting
surfaces for the printed sheets, two or more rubbing devices, one or more of which
move in a different direction or directions from the others, and all of which have 4
but a short and light contact with the printed paper at any one part, and a
rubbing belt situated on the delivery side of these rubbing devices and arranged
to maintain a longer, and relatively firmer contact with the printed surface.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I 5
claiin is-
1. The method of polishing and brightening printed matter which consists in
printing upon paper and then before the ink has become hard and dry rubbing
the surface of the paper and printed matter first with light and then with, harder
pressure.
2. In a machine for polishing printed matter, the combination with a carrier

page_text: and a support for the printed sheets, of two or more rubbing devices some of
which move in different directions from the others over the support and each
having but a short and light contact with the printed paper at any one part and a
rubbing belt situated on the delivery side of the rubbers aforesaid and arranged
to maintain a relatively longer and firmer contact with the printed paper.
3. In a machine for polishing printed matter, the combination with a supporting
druin and a carrier for feeding the printed sheets through the machine, of rubbing
rolls set across the drum and revolving in the same direction as the drum and
rubbing belts lying across the drum and moving at right angles thereto.
4. In a machine for polishing printed matter, the combination with a supporting
drum and a carrier for feeding the printed sheets through the machine, of rubbing
rolls set across the drum and revolving in the same direction as the drum,
rubbing bolts lying across ae drum and revolving at right angles thereto, and a
rubbing belt extending along and across the drum and moving in the opposite
direction thereto.
W SU
day or June 1897.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.