IMPROVEMENTS IN TYPOGRAPHIC PRINTING MACHINES
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Conisbee, of the Atlas Works, Herbert's
Buildings, Waterloo Road, in the County of Surrey, Engineer,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TYPOGRAPHIC PRINTING
MACHINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Conisbee at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 17th November 1871.
I, WILLIAM CONISBEE, of the Atlas Works, Herbert's Buildings,
Waterloo Road, in the County of Surrey, Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TYPOGRAPHIC
PRINTING MACHINES," to be as follows:-
This Invention is designed to increase the rapidity of printing and to
improve the quality of the work done by typographic printing machines
of the kind known as platten machines, and consists,―
Firstly. In actuating and looking up the platten as required through

page_text: the medium of two cams fixed on the main shaft which passes through
the platten stock.
Secondly. In giving to the distributing roller for distributing the ink
a lateral as well as a rotating motion by means of a pinion working in
gear with a diagonal or inclined rack, shrouds or guides being provided 5
for keeping the same in gear.
Thirdly. In giving motion to the arms which carry the vibrating
roller and inking rollers by means of segment wheels gearing into fixed
curved or radial racks.
Fourthly. In actuating or working the "doctor" roller through the 1
medium of a ratchet and pawl in conjunction with a tail piece working
in contact with a fixed incline or curved surface attached to one of the
fixed radial racks of the machine.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Conisbee in the Great Seal Patent Office ]
on the 17th May 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CONISBEE, of the Atlas Works, Herbert's Buildings, Waterloo Road, in
the County of Surrey, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the
thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Conisbee, Her special
licence that I, the said William Conisbee, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Conisbee,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and all times thereafter
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
IMPROVEMENTS IN TYPOGRAPHIC PRINTING MACHINES," upon the condition
"

page_text: (amongst others) that I, the said William Conisbee, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and seals, 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 calender months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Conisbee, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement thereof (that is to say) :-
This Invention is designed to increase the rapidity of printing and to
improve the quality of the work done by typographic printing machines
of the kind known as platten machines, and consists,―
Firstly. In actuating and locking up the platten as required through
the medium of two cams fixed on the main shaft which passes through
the platten stock.
Secondly. In giving to the distributing roller for distributing the ink
a lateral as well as a rotating motion by means of a pinion working in
gear with a diagonal or inclined rack, shrouds or guides being provided
for keeping the same in gear.
Thirdly. In giving motion to the arms which carry the vibrating roller
and inking rollers by means of segment wheels gearing into fixed, curved,
or radial racks.
Fourthly. In actuating or working the "doctor" roller through the
medium of a ratchet and pawl in conjunction with a tail piece working
in contact with a fixed incline or curved surface attached to one of
the fixed radial racks of the machine.
In the accompanying Drawings Fig. 1 is an elevation of the locking-
up side of a typographic printing machine embodying my improvements;
Fig. 2 is a central vertical section of the machine; Fig. 3 is an eleva-
tion of the machine on the reverse side to Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a front
elevation of the machine; Fig. 5 is a plan of the same; and Fig. 6 is a
back elevation thereof. The two cast-iron side frames a of the machine
are made of suitable height and length to suit the size of sheet to be
printed, and are fastened together at a suitable distance apart by means

page_text: of cross stays b. At the front or feeding end at the top part in each
frame a bearing c is formed which is bored out for the purpose of
receiving a cast-iron trunk or stock d, which is turned at each end to
enable it to work easily and semi-rotatively in the bearings c, the ends of
the trunk or stock being turned off flush with the outer faces of the t
bearings. Parallel with the axis of the trunk or stock d are four lugs e,
each having a plain hole formed therein. f is the platten of cast iron
rather larger than the sheet to be printed. One of its sides is planed
flat. The other side is provided with four bosses in which four collar
studs are screwed. The other ends of the studs fit into the plain
holes of the stock or trunk d and are fixed therein by jamb nuts f". All
round the edge of the platten is fitted a steel frame or tympan formed in
two pieces and jointed at the centre of each side of the platten, so that
each half can be used separately for the purpose of clothing the face of
the platten with cloth or paper in the usual way. At the lower edge of
the platten are firmly fixed two bearings in which a slotted bar h is
fitted for the purpose of receiving two frisket bars or grippers h¹ for
holding the sheet of paper to the face of the platten while the sheet is
being printed, and to hold it for the purpose of detaching it from the
type after it is printed. The frisket bars or grippers ¹ are actuated by
means of a tail piece * and stud h³ attached to the end of the slotted
bar h working in a variably curved shape /* fixed to the inside of one of
the side frames.
At the corner of the upper edge of the platten another bearing i is
fixed when required for the purpose of receiving a spindle to which is
attached a guide ³ formed of the shape of two sides of a square, each side
lying parallel with the sides and ends of the platten and lying close to the
face of the platten. One end of the spindle is provided with a tail piece
², which is worked by means of a cam fixed to the inner face of the
main spur wheel k, this bearing spindle, guide, and cam being used for
card printing only. The centre of the platten trunk or stock d is bored
out to enable a wrought-iron shaft to be fitted therein so as to rotate
freely. On this shaft ³, at one end is keyed a recessed cam k³ close to
the bearing, together with a sling ³ fitted with a roller which fits the
recess of the cam. The sling ³ is slotted and clips the shaft easily. To
the lower end of the sling (which is vertical) a connecting rod k* is fitted,
the lower end of which is attached to the arm of a bell-crank k³ fitted
on a shaft working in a bearing formed in one of the side frames a.
The other arm of the bell crank ³ is provided with a connecting rod k

page_text: the upper end of which is attached to an arm ď, formed on the platten
stock or trunk d. The cam k³, sling k³, bell crank ³, and connecting
rods and ke, are for the purpose of actuating intermittently and semi-
rotatively the platten stock d, and the platten f, in connection therewith
in the process of printing. At the other end of the shaft and close to
the bearing c, another cam 1, sling A, and roller ♬ are provided, the cam
being keyed on to the shaft k¹. The sling is provided with a connecting
rod (like the connecting rod * already described) the lower end of
which is attached by means of a stud , to the lower end of a vertical
bar, which is made square in section by preference, and works in a
planed groove formed inside the side frame a. Into the bottom part
of this bar a stud is rivetted, and at the top part of the inner side of
the side frame a another similar stud 18 is rivetted. On these two studs
is fitted a spiral spring of steel or other suitable material for the
purpose of sustaining the weight of the bar 1, when the cam / or roller 1,
or other parts in connection therewith become worn so as to ensure the
bar fitting the recess d' in the platten stock d, when the impression is
being taken, thus preventing slurring.
The locking-up and releasing cam 7 I prefer to make shrouded or
recessed as shown in Fig. 4. The upper end of the bar 1 is formed
slightly taper, and of steel hardened. In the stock or trunk & is formed
a corresponding recess d³ fitted with hardened steel of suitable form to
receive the end of the bar accurately. The cam l, sling ♬, connecting
rod ³, and bar, are for the purposes of locking up and firmly securing
the platten fwhen it is in the proper position to receive the impression,
and of releasing it after the impression is taken. On the same shaft ³,
and close to the locking-up and releasing cam, is keyed a spur wheel k
provided with a crank stud mat a suitable distance from the centre;
and on the other end of the shaft ³, and close to the sling k³, is keyed a
cast-iron disen provided with a crank stud m³ at the same distance from
the centre as the crank stud m in the spur wheel k. Both the studs are
provided with ordinary connecting rods m for the purpose of giving a to
and fro motion to the type table o, which is formed of cast iron, its lower
end being fitted on to a wrought-iron bar o³ fixed in the lower parts of
the two side frames a, so that the table can rock on the bar between
the side frames. The face on which the type is to be placed is planed
flat. The opposite or back side is provided with two bosses o* bored out
to receive a wrought-iron shaft p, and fixed firmly therein. The outer

page_text: ends of this shaft are turned to receive the ends of the two connecting
rods m³ last described for the purpose of giving a rocking or to and fro
motion to the table o by the rotation of the spur wheel k and disc n
fitted on the main shaft k'. In the space between the bosses o³ on the
table o and the connecting rods m² a segment wheel p' is fitted at each
side to work easily on the shaft p. Each of these segment wheels p¹ is
bolted to arms p³ of suitable form to receive at its upper end three
rollers p³ for the purpose of receiving ink and depositing it on the type.
In order to give motion to the segment wheels p' and arms p³ by the
action of the table o two radial racks p' having teeth downwards are
firmly fixed at the top part of the back end of the framing a, the curve
of the racks p' being an arc of equal radius at all points from the centre
of the axis of the table or bar o' on which the table rocks, and the pitch
line of the rack teeth p' coincides at the point of contact with that of
the segment wheels p¹, which are thereby made to gear in the racks.
On the back of the table o and nearly over the bosses o³ a frame or
frames 9 provided with four bearings is or are fastened. The two
bearings q¹ nearest the printing surface are made to receive a turned
cast iron or other metal roller q³, which I prefer to call a distributing
roller. The shaft at one end projects beyond the bearing, and is
provided with a pinion g' having a deep shroud or plate bevilled on the
sides next the teeth, and this pinion gears into a radial rack q" bolted to
the side of one of the fixed radial racks p✶ just described. The pinion
rack q³ is fixed diagonally or inclined to the action of the table o, the
shrouded pinion clipping the side of the rack q³, so that the lateral
action of the distributing roller q is governed by the diagonal position
of the rack q, while the rotative action of the roller is due to the
pinion q* being in gear with the teeth of the rack q°. The distributing
roller rack q forms an arc, whose radius is taken from the axis o' of the
table o, on which the table rocks to the pitch line of the pinion q* on the
distributing roller shaft q³ at its point of contact with the teeth of the
rack, the teeth of the rack being upwards. In the two other bearings r
in the same frame is placed a doctor roller ¹ provided with a doctor
knife and shell r³, forming an ordinary ink duct. In order to rotate
the doctor roller 7³ one of its journals outside the bearing & carries a
ratchet and pawl, together with a tail piece for carrying the
pawl, and on the other fixed radial rack on the same side a curved
shape is fixed of suitable form to enable the tail piece 7 to be
actuated by the rocking motion of the table, and also to enable the

page_text: doctor roller 1 to be actuated through the pawl for the purpose
of supplying ink to the forme of type on the table o after it has
been distributed by the rotative and lateral action of the distributing
roller q³.
For the purpose of giving primary motion to the machine, two
bearings & are formed in the side frames a nearly under the centre of
the main shaft ³, and in these bearings is fitted a crank shaft s¹ having
the crank throw central between the side frames a, the throw being
provided with a connecting rod and treadle & for the purpose of
working it by foot. On one end of this crank shaft is fixed a pinion &*,
which is geared in the spur wheel & just described. Pulleys (as shewn)
are also provided to fit the crank shaft s¹ to enable the machine to be
worked by steam power, likewise a fly wheel, as shewn, for the purpose
of equalizing the speed and for carrying the machine over the resistance
of the impression.
For the purpose of giving the desired action to the card printing
apparatus, the inner face of the spur wheel k has fixed on it a shape
or tappet, which by the rotation of the wheel k is brought into contact
with the arm or tail piece is attached to the spindle passing through the
bearing i, in such manner that when the platten fand the frame thereon
are in the proper position to receive the card to be printed the arm or tail
piece shall have the effect of releasing the card directly it is printed
and before the platten resumes its normal position, and thereby enable
the card to fall into a box placed to receive it, and also enable the
frame to resume its normal position in readiness to receive the next
card.
From the foregoing description it will be clearly understood that the
platten has only a partially and intermittently rotative action in order
to give time for feeding and delivering the sheets in a rapid manner, the
platten remaining quite stationary while feeding and also while printing,
and that the table has a continuously rocking or to-and-fro motion only.
Having described the construction of the machine, I will now describe
the process of printing therewith. The crank shaft s' being in the proper
position, the sheet of paper is laid on the platten f; the shaft is then
turned round, when the turning cam * places the platten in position
to receive the impression, just prior to which the locking-up cam / has
elevated the locking-up bar 1, thereby firmly fixing the platten in

page_text: position for printing, the object of this locking up being to prevent
any differential movement between the platten ƒ and table o at the
instant of taking the impression. After the impression has been taken
the locking-up cam by continued rotation releases the locking-up
bar P, when the turning cam k² returns the platten ƒ to its proper
position for receiving the next sheet as shown.
The inking and distributing apparatus act as follows:-The ink is
placed in the duct and the doctor knife adjusted. The machine being
turned, the roller frames or arms p³ rotate on the shaft p fixed in the
bosses of the table o, and the upper roller p³s is thereby brought in
contact with the top of the doctor roller r¹ at the same time as the
sheet is being printed. By the continued turning of the machine the
rollers p³ are made to pass over the distributing roller q³ and the ink
taken from the doctor is deposited thereon by the rotative and lateral
action induced by the gearing of the segment wheels p¹ into the fixed
radial racks p', and by the further turning of the machine the rollers ps
pass over the forme of type and deposit the ink thereon, the doctor roller
in the meantime receiving intermittent rotation for the purpose of
offering a fresh surface to the upper vibrating or taking-off roller p³
by the aid of the ratchet, pawl 7, and tail piece 78, being actuated by
contact with the curved shape 77 fixed to one of the radial racks as above
described.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I hereby declare that I do not
claim as of my Invention or the exclusive use of the several parts
herein-before described or referred to, except when the same are used
in and for my said 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. Actuating and locking up the platten through the medium of
cams on the main shaft as herein-before described.
Secondly. Passing the main shaft through the platten stock as herein-
before described.
Thirdly Giving to the distributing roller a lateral as well as a rotating

page_text: Fourthly. Giving motion to the arms which carry the vibrating roller
and inking rollers by means of segment wheels gearing into curved or
radial racks, as herein-before described.
Fifthly. Actuating the doctor roller through the medium of a ratchet
and pawl in conjunction with a tail piece working in contact with a fixed
incline or curved surface, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Conisbee, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.