Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Feb., 1888
Specification Accepted, 16th Mar., 1888
The object of my invention is the construction of a simple, durable, and easily
operated machine for printing, with rapidity and precision, in one or more colors,
such prepared fabrics as constitute the body or foundation web of floor and other oil
cloths.
Broadly stated, my invention comprehends the combination, in an automatic
machine, possessing a fixed bed upon which the fabric to be printed is laid and along
which it is caused to travel, of the following co-operating instrumentalities:-First,
an intermittently operating fabric-feed adapted to intermittently act upon the fabric
to be printed, and advance it along the printing bed; Second, feed-operating
mechanism for first advancing the feed engaged with the fabric a predetermined
distance, and for then occasioning the retreat of said feed disengaged from said fabric;
Third, a series of tumbling, oscillatory, or reciprocating reversing, block carriers,
equipped each as to its printing face with any preferred form of printing block;
Fourth, block carrier actuating mechanism adapted to alternately occasion the
the simultaneous descent of the block carriers upon the fabric on the bed, and the
simultaneous reversal and ascent of said block carriers from the bed against color-
supplying devices supported above the bed; Fifth, color-supplying devices supported
above the bed and adapted to supply color to the printing blocks; and, Sixth, suitable
mechanism for occasioning the concomitant and associated operation of the feed-
operating and the block-carrier-actuating mechanism.
My invention further comprehends the provision of means for maintaining the web
of fabric taut or under tension upon the bed ;-the provision of means for retaining

page_text: said fabric in its advanced position against possible retreat;-the provision of suitable
means for so timing the respective movements of the fabric-feed and the block-carriers
that the feed ceases to act to advance the fabric an instant before the block carriers
descend upon the fabric so advanced--the construction of a special color-supplying
device, one for each block carrier employed, embodying an intermittently-operated
endless apron combined with a tank, trough, or other receptacle to contain paint, and
provided with an elastic or resilient surface to cushion the printing block when
applied against it, and with a doctor for removing the surplus paint from the apron
after its passage through the trough and before its presentation upon said elastic bed,
and further supplied with suitable means for occasioning the interimittent travel of the
apron during the interval when the printing block has left its surface to descend upon
the fabric to be printed-and the construction of a special intermittently-operating
fabric-feed for acting upon one or both margins of the fabric along such part of its
extent as is for the time being beneath the block carriers.
Machinery embodying my invention in a practical form is represented in the
accompanying drawings and described in this specification, the particular subject-
matter claimed as novel being hereinafter definitely specified.
represented up against the color-supplying aprons, and the feed in its retreated
position.
Figure 3 is a right hand end elevational view of the machine represented in
figure 1.
Figure 4 is a left hand end elevational view of the machine represented in figure 1.
In figure 3, the block carriers are up against the color-supplying aprons, while in
figure 4 they are down upon the bed.
Figure 5 is a transverse, sectional, elevation through the machine represented in
figure 1 in the plane of the dotted line 2-2 of said figure 1, and sight being taken in
the direction of the arrows upon said line.
Figure 6 is a transverse, sectional, fragmentary elevation through a portion of the
machine of figure 1 in planes of the dotted line 3-3 of said figure 1, and sight being
taken in the direction of the arrows upon said line. The view is especially designed
to illustrate the feed cam, thè feed levers, and the transverse yoke between said
levers.
Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective detail of a portion of the main shaft, one of
the bevel spur wheels upon said shaft, and the lever for shifting said spur wheel.
Figure S is a side elevational view of a color-feed device which I prefer to
employ.
Figure 9 is a left hand end elevational view of the color-feed device of
figure 8.
Figure 10 is a longitudinal, vertical, sectional elevation through the bottom board,
pad board, and pad, of said color-feed device of figures 8 and 9.
Figure 11 is a fragmentary side elevational detail of a portion of one of the pairs of
fabric feed bars, in the position which said bars occupy when their connecting links are
straightened and the bars apart to the limit of their separation.
Figure 12 is a top plan view of a portion of one of the under feed bars of a given
pair of bars.
Figure 13 is a transverse sectional elevation through the bars of a pair of feed bars
and through one of their connecting links.

page_text: The frame-work is of any preferred character; and is conveniently composed of side
frames, which are designated by the letter A, and of a level bed a supported in a
horizontal plane between said side frames. B are a series of slotted standards,
vertically erected in consecutive opposite pairs from the respective side frames and
forming a fixed portion of the frame-work.
The frame-work as an entirety may be mounted upon pillow blocks or pedestals, or,
as is desirable in oil cloth manufacture, upon rollers or trucks so that the machine
may be readily moved. The bed may be made of any desired width, conveniently
that of a standard oil cloth fabric. Upon the feeding end of the bed is mounted a
tension or pressure roller C, under which the fabric fed upon the bed of the machine
is caused to travel. The gudgeons c of this roller are journalled in boxings ex free
for vertical movement in slotted roller-standards c² erected at each side of the bed.
This construction permits the roller to ride over fabrics of different thicknesses.
THE FABRIO FEED.
The fabric feed device which I prefer to employ is a draft or traction device
composed of two pairs of parallel-bar clamps, each pair preferably of about the length
of the bed, and one applied at each side of said bed. Each of these clamps is composed
of two feed bars D DX connected together by links d, pivoted, within recesses therein,
to the respective bars, so that the latter are connected after the well known manner of
the two members of a parallel ruler. The length of the bar-connecting links is such
that when said links are straightened and the bars in consequence apart the full limit
of their separation, as shown in figure 11, the distance between the opposing faces of
the bars is greater than the thickness of the thickest fabric intended to be fed.
The under face of the upper bar D is preferably provided with teeth, as shown, or
is notched, serrated, or roughened in any preferred manner. If desired, the upper
face of the under bar Dx may be similarly toothed or roughened. Each of the under
bars of each pair of feed bars, is conveniently provided with lateral basal flanges d*,
and the under bar of each pair is thereby adapted to be seated within longitudinally
extending grooved ways a*, figures 3, 4, 5, 6 and 14, formed along the lateral edges
of the bed in such manner that when the aforesaid under bars are within the aforesaid
ways the upper faces of said bars are flush with the carrying level or face of the bed.
d, figure 14, is a guard, a series of which are applied to the standards, to retain the

page_text: upper feed hars in proper position during their longitudinal movement. Assuming
the machine to be constructed for the printing of a web of fabric of some standard
width, the breadth of the bed is such that the edges of the fabric travelling over said
bed extend on each side between the respective feed bars of each pair of feed bars.
Traction simultaneously exerted, in the direction of the intended travel of the web
upon the bed, upon the two upper feed bars D of each pair, will, as is manifest,
occasion a forward deflection of the bar-connecting links and the descent of cach
upper feed bar toward the under feed bar with which it is connected and upon that
edge of the fabric which, for the time being, is between the bars of each pair, so as to
occasion the gripping of such edge between each pair of bars. Continued traction
similarly applied will occasion the advance of each pair of feed bars compressed
together, or in grip upon the fabric, through their grooved ways, and with them of
the said fabric, a distance equal to the advance movement of said bars.
A reverse thrust simultaneously applied to the two upper feed bars will occasion
the straightening of the links until, for convenience, they encounter shoulders d
formed upon the feed bars, and are thereby maintained at right angles to tlie bars,
having, of course, released their grip upon the fabric, in which position a continuance
of said reverse thrust will cause the retreat of each pair of bars in release upon the
fabric to their normal position, the fabric remaining in its advanced position.
The specific means by which this intermittent advance and retreat of the fabric feed
bars represented is occasioned is not of importance, and many devices can be
employed for the purpose.
I have found a suitable contrivance to be the following. E is a driving shaft
suitably housed, conveniently in hangers e, centrally beneath the bed and extending
in the direction of the length of the machine. This shaft is adapted to be driven by
one or more pulleys Ex, and near the delivery end of the machine is provided with a
fixed driven pinion e, and adjacent to said pinion with a loosely applied or rotatable
feed cam F, fixedly provided with a cam spur wheel Fx by means of which said feed
cam is rotated. The cam is circumscribed by a continuous cam groove of suitable
curvature to occasion, as hereinafter explained, the oscillation of a pair of feed
levers H.
G is a counter shaft suspended in hangers g in parallelism with the driving shaft
and, as shown, slightly above and to the left hand of said shaft. Upon the counter
shaft is mounted an eccentric hub or sleeve g*, figure 17, of the length of the feed
cam, and said sleeve is at its outer extremity formed or fixedly provided with a sleeve
pinion g which faces and is adapted to engage with the teeth of the cam spur
wheel F, and at its inner extremity formed or fixedly provided with a sleeve spur
wheel g³ which faces and is adapted to be engaged with the teeth of the driven
pinione. The eccentric sleeve, sleeve pinion, and sleeve spur wheel, being a
connected whole, are adapted for eccentric movement with or upon the counter shaft G
as an axis, and said counter shaft is so disposed relatively to the driving shaft that the
sleeve pinion g and sleeve spur wheel g³ can, at will, be engaged with or disengaged
from the cam spur wheel Fx and the driven pinion.e², and so disposed also that when
engaged they will remain in engagement.
is a handle, conveniently connected with the sleeve pinion, by the aid of which
the eccentric movement described can be imparted to said sleeve pinion and spur
wheel. As will be apparent, this device, which is in the nature of a back gear to
a lathe, has for its object simply the rotation or the rest of the feed cam,-engage-
ment effecting rotation and disengagement securing rest. The entire back gear
device described is simply one of convenience to permit of the ready throwing out
of action of the fabric-feed, when, for instance, it is desired to impart two
impressions of the blocks to the same face area of the fabric to be printed, without in
the interim between the impressions occasioning the advance of said fabric.

page_text: Hare two feed levers respectively oppositely pivoted upon fulcrum pins / to the
side frames of the machine, and as to their lower arms conveniently connected by a
transverse yoke 4*, figure 6, bridging beneath the feed cam and the back gear and
equipped with a cam fug ², conveniently in the form of a roller, engaged in the cam
groove of the feed cam F. As will be apparent, rotation of the feed cam will
occasion the forward and back oscillation of the yoke of the feed levers and with said
yoke of said levors.
The upper arms of the feed levers are respectively provided with internally
oppositely projecting adjustable lever pins h³, which are respectively engaged with
lever housings D2, figures 1, 2 and 11, respectively applied to the upper or draught
feed bars D of each pair of feed bars.
These lever housings D are conveniently made as vertical plates one erected from the
upper surface of each upper feed bar D2, and each housing is conveniently internally
triangularly recessed to present a reversing face d³ against which the lever pin of the
feed lever operating in connection with said housing exerts its thrust to occasion the
retreat of the pair of feed bars in question and also to present a draught face d',
included between the upper portion of the recess of the housing and the dotted
line 5-5 of figure 11, against which said lever piu acts to occasion the advance of
said pair of feed bars, and also an idle face d', included between the said line 5-5 and
the bottom of the recess, against which said lever pin, as the lever completes its
forward throw, runs idle without exerting any traction upon the feed bars.
It will now be understood that a half turn of the feed cam will occasion such a
backward oscillation of the upper extremities of the feed levers as will occasion the
retreat of both pair of feed bars, and that a further half turn will occasion such a
forward oscillation of said extremities of said levers as will occasion the advance of
both pair of feed levers a predetermined distance, being the desired limit of advance
of the feed bars, and equal to the breadth of the printing face of the block carrier.
The final completion of said forward oscillation of said feed levers is, as stated, without
effect upon the feed bars.
As will be hereafter explained, the driving shaft is the prime motor of the machine
as represented in the drawings, and, through connected instrumentalities, occasions by
its own rotation the ascent and descent of the block carriers, and therefore it is that,
as the feed cam is connected with and rotated by said driving shaft, there exists a
necessity for the provision of some such lost motion contrivance as the idle faces of
lever housings, in order to cause the feed to cease to act an instant before the block
carriers are caused to descend upon the fabric advanced by said feed. For, without
the provision of the idle faces, as the machine is organized, in as much as the feed
levers do not complete their forward oscillation until the feed cam completes that half
turn which occasions said advance, the fabric would be in movement by the feed even
after the printing faces of the printing blocks had commenced to graze its surface
and the instant before their ultimate pressure was imparted to them, with the result
that the pattern would be imperfectly printed and the colors smeared. It is, of course,
apparent that the necessity for the provision of the specific means above described for
so timing the respective movements of the feed and the printing block carriers that
the feed ceases to act to advance the fabric an instant before the block carriers descend.
upon the fabric so advanced, can be obviated by so forming the cam groove, or so
timing the movement of the feed cam itself that it ceases its action to occasion the
forward oscillation of the feed levers before the driving shaft completes its full rotation
necessary as hereinafter explained to occasion the ultimate pressure of the printing
block carriers upon the fabric, and therefore obvious that the idle faces are devices of
convenience.
A fabric feed such as the foregoing and made double so as to act upon both edges
of the fabric to be advanced, is such a feed as I prefer to employ. It is proper for me
to state, however, that other forms of fabric feeding device adapted to co-operate with
tumbling or reciprocating reversing block carriers can be substituted for said feed,
and also that it is quite possible, in connection with suitable tension regulating
contrivances and devices for preventing unintentional backward movement of the

page_text: fabric, to provide and operate the machine in connection with a fabric feed which acts
upon but one edge of the fabric, a single pair of feed bars, such, for instance, as
those described, being adapted to accomplish the feeding of said fabric.
FABRIC RETAINING DEVICES.
In order to prevent any possible backward movement of the fabric after it has been
fed or advanced, I prefer to provide at each side of the bed near the delivery end
thereof, a pivoted toe cam I, conveniently pivoted against cam standards i erected
from the side frames, the said cams being each controlled by a spring ix to maintain
them constantly in bite as to their cam faces upon the upper level of the margin of
the fabric. Of course these toe cams do not hinder the operation of the feed, as the
form of their acting faces is such that the fabric readily slips under them in one
direction, raising them and compressing their springs the fabric, however, as the
feed retreats, is by said cams, under stress of their springs, retained against backward
movement. It is of advantage to apply additional toe cams between the tension roller
and the first block carrier, but I have not considered it necessary to illustrate their
application.
Kare the block carriers, and K* any usual or preferred printing blocks which are
removably applied and secured to the faces of said carriers in any preferred
manner.
22
In speaking of the block carriers, I, for greater convenience, include the blocks,
which, of course, are the printing devices strictly as such, while the carriers are the
devices which carry and actuate them, and in the claims I employ the term " printing
block carriers to include both the carrier and the printing block or printing instru-
mentality per se. As all of these block carriers are of the same construction, employed
in any desired series, and operated simultaneously and similarly by simultaneously
operating and similar mechanical devices, it will be sufficient to describe the
construction and mode of operation of but one of them, it being, of course, under-
stood that although the machine represented in the drawings employs three block
carriers, fewer or a greater number than three can be employed.
The carrier proper K, is a plate of any preferred construction and material, wide
enough to extend across the breadth of any web of fabric the bed is adapted to receive,
and right angularly disposed with respect to that pair of slotted standards B in
connection with which it operates. Confining my description to the first seventeen
figures of the drawings, the block carrier is provided at its sides with a pair of
companion or counter-part tumbler plates k, which are in the nature of wings, webs,
or sides, erected, preferably at right angles to the plane of the face of the carrier, at
each side thereof. Each of these tumbler plates is provided with a carrier pivot
pin *, the said pins being in opposite alignment and being together the fulcrum or
pivotal axis with respect to which the carrier proper tumbles, oscillates, partially
rotates, or reverses in ascending and descending, performing a movement hereinafter
referred to in the claims by the qualifying expression reciprocating reversing."
Each of these tumbler plates is also provided with a pair of tumbler pin ways k¹ k²,
adapted in the ascent and descent of the block carriers to be respectively engaged
with tumbler pins 66 projecting internally, as shown in the drawings, from the
respective slotted standards with reference to which the block carrier ascends and
descends. The carrier pivot pins are conveniently of a diameter equal to the breadth
of the vertical slots on the standards B so as to fill said slots, and project outwardly
through their respective standards.
66

page_text: ways k² will be engaged with the tumbler pins 62. It will also be apparent that if the
carrier pivot pins are then caused to ascend through their slots in the slotted
standards, the carrier with which they are connected will be raised from off the bed,
and, by the engagement of its tumbler pins 62 with the pin ways k³, will be tumbled,
or partly rotated, or oscillated, until its tumbler pin ways engage with the tumbler
pins 6, and by said last named engagement will be further tumbled, partly rotated,
or oscillated until it, the said block carrier, has reversed itself, in which position of
reversal it will have completed its ascent. It will be also apparent that, if now the
carrier pivot pins are caused to descend, the reverse action of the tumbler pins and
pin ways in connection with said descent of the carrier pivot pins, will occasion the
reverse tumbling, partial rotation, or oscillation of the carrier until it has again
reversed itself and assumed its former position upon the bed.
The specific means by which the ascent and descent of the block carriers is occasioned
is not of importance, and many devices may be employed for the purpose. I have
found the following to be suitable contrivances for actuating the block carriers :-
Exterior to the outside faces of the standards the carrier pivot pins * are journalled in
pitman couplings l, of any usual or preferred construction, connected with the upper
extremities of carrier pitmans L which at their lower extremities are boxed upon the
wrist pins m of carrier cranks M respectively connected with the outer extremities of
transverse crank shafts N journalled beneath the bed, the inner extremities of which
shafts are armed with bevelled pinions n engaged with a bevelled spur wheel O
mounted upon and rotatable with the driving shaft.
It will be apparent that the rotation of the bevelled spur wheel O with the driving
shaft will occasion the reverse rotation of the bevelled pinions n with which it
is engaged and of their crank shafts N, and the consequent reverse throw of the
associated carrier cranks M and pitmans L. As, however, the engagement of the
bevelled spur wheel with the bevelled pinions is such that when the block carrier has
completely descended both of the cranks of said carrier are down and lying in the
same vertical plane, or in the position represented in figures 1, 4 and 5, it is apparent
that, although the cranks travel in opposite directions they will, when the block
carrier has ascended, both stand up in the same vertical plane, as shown in figure 3,
and, that, therefore, it is inconsequential that their respective rotations or throws
happen to be in opposite directions.
l
The pitman couplings are preferably provided with an adjusting bolt /*, or other
preferred adjusting device, by the aid of which an exact adjustment of the "stroke,"
so to speak, of the block carriers can be effected, and the block carriers caused to
impinge with a greater or less pressure respectively upon the fabric on the bed and
against the color-supplying devices.
In order readily to permit of the throwing out of action of any particular block
carrier, each bevelled spur wheel O is conveniently feathered upon the driving shaft
and provided with a bifurcated lever Ox, figure 7, suitably fulcrummed and con-
veniently engaged with a groove in or a collar upon the hub of the spur wheel, by the
throw of which lever the spur wheel with which it is connected can be slid along the
shaft out of engagement with the bevelled pinions in connection with which it normally
operates. Instead of the foregoing lever and feather contrivance, it is obvious that
any usual clutch contrivance may be feathered upon the shaft, and the spur wheel be
adapted to be run free upon said shaft in continuous engagement with its pinions
but inert to rotate them when its clutch, which is fixed upon the shaft, is out of
engagement with it, the said spur wheel.
Block carrier-actuating devices of the foregoing, or of any other preferred con-
struction, being arranged in series correspondent with the series of block carriers,
are, as is apparent, organized to alternately occasion the simultaneous tumbling
descent of all of the block carriers and their simultaneous tread upon the fabric on the
bed an instant after the said fabric fed forward has come to rest upon said bed, and
then the simultaneous tumbling ascent of said block carriers to their color-supplying
devices.

page_text: It will now be understood in what manner the driving shaft as the prime motor, and
its driven feed-operating devices and carrier-actuating devices, together act in pre-
determined association to occasion the intermittent operation of the fabric-feed and the
intermittent ascent and descent of the block carriers; and it is to be further under-
stood that the said associated operation is so timed that the fabric feed bars are
retreating out of engagement with the fabric to seize the fabric for a further advance
during the period when the block carriers aro ascending, and advancing with the
fabric in their grip during the period when the block carriers are descending
from their color-supplying devices to said fabric so fed forward to receive their
impression.
As will be apparent by a reference to the drawings, all of the block carriers of the
series employed, when upon the fabric, are respectively disposed apart a distance
exactly equal to the breadth of a carrier, and, as stated, each advance of the fabric
by the feed is a distance equal to the breadth of a carrier. It will therefore be under-
stood that the imprint of each block after the first, as said blocks are successively
caused to tread upon the fabric, will be made upon that surface area of said fabric
which has received the impression of said first block, and that, therefore, all of the
blocks serve in turn to print their part of a given pattern, or design to be printed,
in given colors upon said fabric.
THE COLOR FEED.
The gist of my invention residing in the combination in an automatic machine of
an intermittently operating feed acting upon the fabric to be printed, with a series of
tumbling, oscillatory, or reciprocating reversing, block carriers, and with color-
supplying devices adapted to supply color to said carriers, it is apparent that it is
not of the essence of the said invention, the gist of which, as stated, resides in the
combination of the three foregoing elements, in connection, of course, with suitable
mechanical means for occasioning their concomitant operation, what form of color-
supplying devices, broadly as such, are employed to supply color to the faces of the
said printing blocks, and many forms of color-feed may, in fact, he employed.
I prefer, however, to employ a series of independent color-feeds of the following
novel construction, one of which operates in connection with a given block carrier,
and which in series operate with the carriers in corresponding series, and which are
conveniently supported upon the slotted standards in connection with which said
carrier operates.
Each of these color feeds being of the same construction, I will describe but one
of them, it being the fact, as stated, that a series corresponding in number with the
series of block carriers is employed.
The color feed, figures 8, 9 and 10, consists essentially of an intermittently
operated endless apron P for supplying color, preferably but not necessarily formed
of a web of oil cloth or other fibrous or textile fabric, and travelling over parallel
rollers, one of which p is a driving roller to which motion of rotation is at intervals
imparted, and the other an idler or driven roller p* taking its motion from the belt.
The gudgeons p of each of these rollers are respectively contained in adjustable
boxes mounted in a pair of connected parallel side frames Q. The said frames are
adapted to be supported above the bed in any preferred manner, conveniently by
being connected to the slotted standards of the frame work, and they serve to contain
between them the bottom board g of a color trough combined with the apron, and
what I term a pad board q* over the under face of which is stretched a pad or
web of felting, rubber, or other preferred material, over which the active surface
of the endless apron travels after it emerges from the trough, and which serves as an
elastic or resilient surface for cushioning the printing block when pressed by its
ascended carrier against said apron upon said pad. The bottom board and pad
board are not necessarily separate boards, but it is convenient to make them so and
to connect them by bolts as shown in figure 10. In order to permit of the ready
application and removal of the pad 7, the latter is conveniently stretched lengthwise

page_text: All of the aprons are, as stated, intended to be intermittently and simultaneously
advanced in order to present a fresh coated surface to their printing blocks each time
the latter are elevated against them. The means by which this intermittent advance
of the aprons may be occasioned is not of importance, and many devices can be
employed for the purpose. I have found a suitable contrivance to be the following,
which I describe with reference to a single apron and as a single device, although it is
repeated with each apron of the series and is illustrated as double :-
Referring now especially to figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, and 15,-one of the
gudgeons of the driving apron roller is prolonged beyond its box pa and provided
with a fixed sprocket wheel j over which passes an endless sprocket chain J which, as
shown in figures 1 and 2, passes also over and is engaged with an upper idler sprocket
wheel bracketed off from the upper part of the slotted standard, and a lower idler
sprocket wheel bracketed off from the side frame in line below the upper sprocket
wheel. The sprocket chain passing over these three sprocket wheels traverses a
path which will be understood by a reference to figure 1, and is as to a portion of said
path parallel with and adjacent to the vertical slot in the standard.
It is apparent that motion imparted to said sprocket chain in the direction of the
arrows applied to it in figure 1, will occasion the rotation of the apron driving roller
with which it is connected in the direction of the arrows applied to said roller in
figures 1 and 8, or in that direction which is necessary to advance the apron from out
the trough across the face of the pad. The device which I employ for occasioning
B

page_text: this movement of the chain is a chain pawl j³ mounted upon or suitably connected with
the adjacent block carrier coupling 1, and controlled by a pawl spring, as shown in
figure 15. As the carrier pitman under consideration by reason of the throw of its
carrier crank is caused to ascend the chain pawl engages the sprocket chain and
occasions such movement of said chain as will cause the necessary advance of the
apron. The descent of the carrier pitman is without effect upon said sprocket chain
as the pawl slips loosely over it elevating its springs. The chains are shown as doubled,
two being applied to each apron driving roller one upon each side. It, will, therefore,
from a consideration of the movement of the carrier cranks be apparent that the
apron is advanced during the period when its block carrier is in the throw of its
cranks ascending, and that it is stationary during the period of the descent of said
block carrier and until after it leaves the surface of the apron. ·
Such being a description of the color-feed which I prefer to employ, it is apparent
that the angle at which the apron is set, so long as it is sufficient to afford, as stated,
in connection with the doctor and the sides a trough to contain liquid, is not
material, and that it is simply necessary to adjust the stroke of the carrier pitmans in
such manner that they will cause at the moment they complete their ascent a firm
pressure of their printing blocks against the under face of the color supplied apron
upon the elastic bed.
In conclusion it is proper for me to state that it is immaterial by what specific
mechanical means the tumbling, oscillation, partial rotation, or reversal of the block
carriers be occasioned, it being simply essential that they should be tumbled, partly
oscillated or partly rotated, or reversed, both in their ascent and descent; that it is
immaterial in what manner the mechanism for occasioning their ascent and descent be
applied to said block carriers, although the construction which I have represented is
that which I prefer that as stated it is possible to operate the machine with a feed
adapted to grip but one edge of the fabric, although it is preferable that the feed
should act upon both edges; that, as stated, it is preferable to apply some such
arresting devices as the toe cams to the feed end of the bed as well as to the delivery
end, in order to guard against the possible retreat of the fabric upon the bed before it
reaches the delivery end of said bed; and that other changes in mechanical detail
especially as relating to the block-carrier-actuating devices, the feed operating devices,
and the color apron operating devices can obviously be resorted to without departure,
from the invention.
In figure 18 I have represented a modified form of block carrier which is provided
with tumbler plates of considerable depth and weight, each of which is provided with
a single curved tumbler pin way k which is in continuous engagement with a single
tumbler pin projecting from the slotted standard. This block carrier is hung upon,
and turns with respect to carrier pivot pins * as in the case of the carriers first
described, but receives its movement of tumbling or reversal through the action of the,
two single tumbler pins in engagement with its curved pin ways. In the drawings
the tumbler plate nearest the eye, which is drawn in full lines, is represented in the
position which it occupies when the carrier is down upon the bed, while it is also.
represented in dotted lines with the carrier up against the color apron.
In the operation of this tumbling carrier the weight of the prolonged or extended
tumbler plates, or more strictly speaking, of that portion of said plates which is most
remote from the carrier and beyond the pivot pins causes said plates to serve as a
counterbalance to assist in the tumbling or reversal of the carrier. I simply instance
the foregoing construction as one of many possible modifications, any one of which,
will equally serve so secure the reversal or tumbling of the block carriers.
In figures 18 and 19 I have also illustrated a modified contrivance for operating the
color aprons, and which I describe with reference to a single apron, although it is to
be represented with each apron of the series.
One of the gudgeons p² of the driving apron roller is prolonged beyond its box p³,
and provided with a fixed ratchet faced clutch collar, and also provided with a sliding
ratchet faced clutch sleeve x the ratchet face of which is the reverse counterpart of
that of the fixed clutch collar. Intermediate between the ratchet faced clutch sleeve

page_text: and the box of the gudgeon, is interposed a sleeve spring 12, conveniently encircling
the gudgeon, and serving normally to maintain the clutch faces of the collar and
sleeve in contact. R is a clutch-actuating strap one extremity of which conveniently
secured to the wrist pin m of one of the carrier cranks of the block carrier in con-
nection with which the apron under consideration operates, the other extremity of
which is connected with a strap spring S connected with the frame work, and the
intermediate portion of which is wrapped once or twice about the clutch sleeve so as
to frictionally embrace the latter and occasion its rotation as the strap is drawn in
either direction.
The operation will be readily understood: Assuming the carrier cranks to which
the strap is secured at the top of its throw the descent of said crank to its lower-
most position will occasion such draught upon the strap as will rotate the clutch sleeve
in engagement with its collar, and consequently rotate the apron driving roller in the
direction of the arrow in figure 6, or that direction which is necessary to advance the
apron from out the trough across the face of the pad. The subsequent movement of
the carrier crank from its lowermost to its uppermost position and the consequent
slackening of the strap, will then permit the strap spring to take up the slack of the
strap, and occasion the free rotation of the clutch sleeve against the clutch collar, the
respective ratchet faces of said sleeve and collar being so formed as to slip over each
other during such action. It will therefore, from a consideration of the movement of
the carrier crank, be apparent that the apron is advanced during the period when its
platen is, in the throw of its cranks, descending, and that it is stationary during the
period of the ascent of said platen, and until after it leaves the surface of the apron.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare what
I claim is:
1. In an oil cloth printing machine, the following elements in combination :-first,
a bed upon which the fabric to be printed is laid and along which it is caused to
travel; second, an intermittently operating fabric-feed which acts upon the fabric to
occasion its intermittent predetermined advance-third, a series of reciprocating
reversing printing block carriers, which alternately simultaneously descend upon the
fabric to print it and simultaneously ascend against color-feeds; and, fourth, a series
of color-feeds which supply color to the printing faces of the block carriers ;
substantially as set fortb.
2. In an oil-cloth printing machine, the following elements in combination :-first,
a bed upon which the fabric to be printed is laid and along which it is caused to
travel; second, an intermittently operating fabric-feed which acts upon the fabric to
occasion its intermittent predetermined advance; third, fabric-feed-operating devices
which occasion the advance and retreat of the fabric-feed; fourth, a series of recipro-
cating reversing printing block carriers which alternately simultaneously descend upon
the fabric to print it and simultaneously ascend against the color-feeds; fifth, block-
carrier-actuating devices which alternately occasion the simultaneous descent and the
simultaneous ascent of the block carriers; and, sixth, a series of color-feeds which
supply color to the printing faces of the block carriers; substantially as set forth.
3. In an oil cloth printing machine, the following elements in combination :-first,
a bed upon which the fabric to be printed is laid and along which it is caused to
travel; second, an intermittently operating fabric-feed which acts upon both edges of
the fabric to occasion its intermittent advance, and which is composed of two pairs of
connected parallel feed bars; third, a series of reciprocating reversing printing block
carriers which alternately simultaneously descend upon the fabric to print it and
simultaneously ascend against color-feeds; and, fourth, a series of color-feeds which
supply color to the printing faces of the block carriers; substantially as set forth.
4. In an oil cloth printing machine, the following elements in combintion :-first,
a bed upon which the fabric to be printed is laid and along which it is caused to
travel; second, an intermittently-operating fabric-feed which acts upon the fabric to
occasion its intermittent predetermined advance; third, a series of reciprocating

page_text: reversing printing block carriers, which alternately simultaneously descend upon
the fabric to print it and simultaneously ascend against color-feeds; fourth, a series
of color-feeds which supply color to the printing faces of the block carriers, and
are each composed essentially of an endless apron operating in connection with a
color trough, substantially as set forth.
--
5. In an oil cloth printing machine,, the following elements in combination:
first, a bed upon which the fabric to be printed is laid and along which it is caused
to travel; second, an intermittently operating fabric-feed which acts upon both
edges of the fabric to occasion its intermittent advance, and which is composed of
two pairs of connected parallel feed bars; third, a series of reciprocating reversing
printing block carriers, which alternately simultaneously descend upon the fabric
to print it and simultaneously ascend against color-feeds; and, fourth, a series of
color-feeds which supply color to the printing faces of the block carriers and are
each composed essentially of an endless apron operating in connection with a color
trough substantially as set forth.
6. In an oil cloth printing machine, the following elements in combination:
first, a bed upon which the fabric to be printed is laid and along which it is caused
to travel; second, an intermittently operating fabric-feed which acts upon both
edges of the fabric to occasion its intermittent advance, and which is composed of
two pairs of connected parallel feed bars; third, fabric-feed-operating devices which
occasion the advance and retreat of the fabric-feed; fourth, a series of recipro-
cating reversing printing block carriers, which alternately simultaneously descend upon
the fabric to print it and simultaneously ascend against color-feed; fifth, block
carrier actuating devices which alternately occasion the simultaneous descent and
the simultaneous ascent of the block carriers; and sixth, a series of color-feeds
which supply color to the printing faces of the block carriers, and are cach
composed essentially of an endless apron operating in connection with a color
trough substantially as set forth.
7. In an oil cloth printing machine, the following elements in combination: first,
a bed upon which the fabric to be printed is laid and along which it is caused to
travel; second, an intermittently operating fabric-feed which acts upon both edges
of the fabric to occasion its intermittent advance, and which is composed of two
pairs of connected parallel feed bars; third, fabric-feed-operating devices which
occasion the advance and retreat of the fabric-feed; fourth, a series of reciprocating
reversing printing block carriers, which alternately simultaneously descend upon the
fabric to print it and simultaneously ascend against color-feeds; fifth, block-carrier-
actuating devices which alternately occasion the simultaneous descent and the simultane-
ous ascent of the block carriers; sixth, color-feeds which supply color to the printing
faces of the block carriers, and are each composed essentially of an endless apron
operating in connection with a color trough; and, seventh, apron-operating devices
which occasion the intermittent advance of the apron with respect to the color
trough substantially as set forth.
8. In an oil cloth printing machine, the following elements in combination:
first, a bed upon which the fabric to be printed is laid and along which it is caused
to travel second, an intermittently operating fabric-feed which acts upon both edges
of the fabric to occasion its intermittent advance, and which is composed of two pairs
of connected parallel feed bars; third, oscillatory levers which occasion the advance
and retreat of the feed bars; fourth, a series of reciprocating reversing printing block
carriers which alternately simultaneously descend upon the fabric to print it and
simultaneously ascend against color-feed; fifth, cranks and pitmans which occasion
the alternate ascent and descent of the block carriers; sixth, a series of color-feeds
which supply color to the printing faces of the block carriers and are each composed
essentially of an endless apron operating in connection with a color trough; seventh,
apron-operating devices which occasion the intermittent advance of the apron with
respect to the color trough; and, eighth, means, essentially, for instance, such as set
forth, for occasioning the concomitant action of the feed levers, the carrier cranks and
pitmans, and the apron-operating devices; substantially as set forth.

page_text: 3. In an oil cloth printing machine, the following elements in combination :-first,
a bed upon which the fabric to be printed is laid and along which it is caused to
travel; second, an intermittently operating fabric-feed which acts upon the fabric to
occasion its intermittent predetermined advance; third, a series of reciprocating
reversing printing block carriers, which alternately simultaneously descend upon the
fabric to print it and simultaneously ascend against color-feeds: fourth, a series of
color-feeds which supply color to the printing faces of the block carriers; and, fifth,
a tension roller substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
10. In an oil cloth printing machine, the following elements in combination :-first,
a bed upon which the fabric to be printed is laid and along which it is caused to
travel; second, an intermittently operating fabric-feed which acts upon the fabric to
occasion its intermittent predetermined advance; third, a series of reciprocating
reversing printing block carriers which alternately simultaneously descend upon the
fabric to print it and simultaneously ascend against color-feeds; fourth, color-feeds
which supply color to the printing faces of the block carriers; and, fifth, arresting
devices, essentially such as the toc cams, to prevent the accidental retreat of the fabric
after its advance; substantially such as set forth:
11. A fabric-feed device for an oil cloth printing machine, which acts upon the
edges of the fabric to be printed, and is composed essentially of two pairs of link-
connected parallel bars, substantially as set forth.
12. In an oil cloth printing machine, the following elements in combination :-first,
a bed upon which the fabric to be printed in laid and along which it is caused to
travel; second, ways formed in or applied to said bed; third, two pair of link-
connected parallel bars, one of the bars of each of which pair is adapted to travel in
the aforesaid ways; fourth, means, essentially such as the feed levers, which occasion
the intermittent reciprocation of the feed bars; and, fifth, means, essentially such as the
feed
cam, for occasioning the operation of the feed levers; substantially as set forth.
13. In combination with the feed bars, the lever housings provided each with a
reversing face, a draft face, and an idle face, the oscillatory feed levers, and means,
essentially such as set forth, for operating said levers, substantially as set forth.
14. A color supplying device or color-feed for the printing block of an oil cloth
printing machine, which is composed, essentially, of an endless travelling apron with
reference to which is mounted or superimposed a color trough, with respect to which
it, the said apron, travels, substantially as set forth.
15. A color supplying device or color-feed for the printing block of an oil cloth
printing machine, which is composed, essentially, of an endless travelling apron with
reference to which is mounted or superimposed a color trough with respect to which
it, the said apron, travels, and which is also provided with a cushioned, elastic, or
resilient surface with respect to which it also travels, substantially as set forth.
16. A color-supplying-device or color-feed for the printing block of an oil cloth
printing machine, which is composed, essentially, of an endless travelling apron with
reference to which is mounted or superimposed a color trough with respect to which
it, the said apron, travels, which is also provided with a cushioned, elastic or resilient
surface with respect to which it also travels, and which is also provided with a doctor
to remove surplus color from it the said apron, substantially as set forth.
17. A color-supplying-device or color-feed for the printing block of an oil cloth
printing machine, which is composed, essentially, of an endless travelling apron with
reference to which is mounted or superimposed a color trough with respect to which
it, the said apron, travels, which is also provided with a cushioned, elastic, or resilient
surface with respect to which it also travels, and which is also provided with a doctor
to remove surplus color from it the said apron,-in combination with means, essen-
tially such as set forth, which occasion the intermittent endless travel of the apron with
respect to the trough, clastic surface, and doctor, substantially as set forth.
18. A color-supplying device or color-feed for the printing block of an oil cloth
printing machine, which is composed essentially of an endless travelling apron which
as to its active face travels over a cushioned, elastic, or resilient surface, and which as
to its passive surface travels through a color trough provided with a doctor to remove

page_text: surplus color from it the said apron ; in combination with means, essentially such as set
forth, which occasion the intermittent travel of the apron with respect to the trough;.
with a reciprocating reversing printing block carrier; with a bed upon which the
fabric to be printed is laid and along, which it is caused to travel; and with an
intermittently operating fabric feed which acts upon the fabric to occasion its inter-
mittent predetermined advance upon said bed substantially as set forth.
19. The combination to form a color-supplying device or color feed; of an endless
travelling apron a pair of rollers over which said apron travels; adjustable boxings
with respect to which the rollers are journalled; a cushion, pad, or other elastic or
resilient surface, over which the active face of the apron travels; a frame-work for
supporting said pad and the adjustable boxes of the rollers; a trough combined with
said frame work, through which the passive surface of the apron travels and the floor
of which trough is composed of said passive surface of said apron ; and an adjustablė
doctor which serves to remove surplus color from the apron after its passage through
said trough, substantially as set forth.
Dated this Ninth day of JanÅD 1988