IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING PRESSES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Godfrey, of 90, Chancery Lane, in the County
Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING PRESSES."
Sealed the 20th May 1879, and dated the 3rd December 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Godfrey at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd December 1878.
Alfred Godfrey, of 90, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex. "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN PRINTING PRESSES."
This Invention relates to the construction of printing machines, and comprises a
more perfect and efficacious method of operating the platen in its travel to and from
the face of the type, of fitting the type frame to its bed, of adjusting the grippers,
of distributing the ink to the inking rollers and type, and of stopping and
starting the machine instantaneously by means of a novel description of friction
clutch apparatus.
For these purposes, in respect of the operation of the platen, I cause the travel
of the same to vary in velocity by means of a cam mechanism provided with
suitable connecting levers between the driving shaft and the platen, and so arranged
that as the platen closes on the impression its speed decreases and power increases;
the platen, instead of being instantly withdrawn from contact with the impression,
is caused to remain a short interval of time pressed against the same, thereby
allowing of more perfect work. By this arrangement all shock and jar to the
machinery and injury to the type is prevented, and less power is required to work
the machine.
Instead of the method hitherto in use for fitting the type frame to its bed by
means of screws, I attain the same end in a quicker and more reliable manner by
making the type frame of a wedge form, so as to slide into and tighten itself to a
certain degree in its bed.
I fix the grippers in position and release them by means of a hand lever actuating
an excentric shaft, which bears up against and tightens them, or by being with-

page_text: drawn from contact releases them and allows of their being adjusted by hand in
any required position, the grippers for this purpose sliding at their lower ends in a
hollow shaft or grooved, bed, through which also passed the excentric shaft
referred to.
My improvements in the method of supplying the inking rollers with ink consist
in the use of a separate roller for distributing the ink to the ink plate, which latter
I cause to revolve a short distance, say a quarter of a revolution, immediately after
each passage of the distributing roller over the same, thus causing the inking rollers
to be more equably supplied with ink. prefer to work the inking rollers direct
from the same mechanism which works the platen, but in such a manner as not to
be affected by or caused to vary in speed by the cam mechanism before mentioned,
but so that they run at a constant and unvarying speed.
I provide for the instantaneous stopping and starting of the machine at any
moment by mounting the fly wheel on the driving shaft in such manner as to turn
freely on the same, but without play. In close proximity to the fly wheel I fix on
the driving shaft a collar, projecting from which is a strap, which encircles a boss
projecting from the fly wheel. The said strap is fitted with a screw bolt and nut,
so as to engage or release the fly wheel from its hold or clutch. The method of
tightening up or slacking out the nut is by means of a hand lever which, when
pulled or pushed sidewise, actuates a lever attached to the nut of the screw bolt in
a manner similar to the use of an ordinary spanner.
I cause the ink to flow from the fountain with great regularity by means of a
platen arranged to equalize the pressure of the bolts over the entire face of the
steel scraper.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alfred Godfrey in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th May
1879.
ALFRED GODFREY, of 90, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex.
PROVEMENTS IN PRINTING PRESSES."
"
IM-
This Invention relates to the construction of platen printing machines, and
comprises a more perfect and efficacious method of operating the platen in its travel
to and from the face of the type, of fitting the type frame or chase to its bed, of
adjusting the grippers, of distributing the ink to the inking rollers and type.
For these purposes, in respect of the operation of the platen, I cause the travel of
the same to vary in velocity by means of a reciprocating vibrating cam mechanism,
provided with suitable connecting levers between the driving shaft and the platen,
and so arranged that as the platen closes on the impression its speed decreases and
power increases; the platen, instead of being instantly withdrawn from contact
with the impression, is caused to remain a short interval of time pressed against the
samo, thereby allowing of more perfect work. By this arrangement all shock and
jar to the machinery and injury to the type is prevented, and less power is required
to work the machinery.
Instead of the method hitherto in use of fitting the type frame or chases to its
bed by means of screws, I attain the same end in a quicker and more reliable
manner by making the type frame or chase of a wedge form, so as to slide into and
tighten itself to a certain degree in its bed, the same being released by means of &
lever turning on a fixed centre and forced over the surface of an inclined plane on
the top of the type bed, such handle being held in its normal position by means of
a spring; the handle is also used for raising the chase out of its bed. I fix the
grippers or frisket fingers in position and release them by means of a hand lever
turning an eccentric shaft, which bears up against and tightens them, or by being
withdrawn from contact releases them and allows of them being adjusted by hand
in any required position, the grippers or frisket fingers for this purpose sliding at
their lower ends in a hollow bar or grooved bed, through or adjacent to which also
passes the eccentric shaft referred to.
My improvements in the method of supplying the inking rollers with ink consist
in the use of a separate roller for distributing the ink to the ink plate, which latter
I cause to revolve a short distance, say a quarter of a revolution, immediately after
each passage of the distributing roller over the same, thus causing the inking rollers
to be more equally supplied with ink. I prefer to work the inking rollers direct
from the same mechanism which works the platen, but in such a manner as not to
be affected by or caused to vary in speed by the cam mechanism beforementioned,
but so that they run at a constant and unvarying speed.
I cause the ink to flow from the fountain with great regularity by means of
plates so arranged to equalize the pressure of the bolts over the entire face of the
steel scraper.
For the purpose of throwing off the impression I use a wedge placed between
the platen back and the platen; this wedge is moved up and down by means of a
suitable crank shaft and handle attached to the top, the wedge having a fork end;
between the fork I fix a screw; over the fork end of wedge I place a moveable
block, held in its place by a nut on the screw; the nut being screwed up or down,
so regulates the impression. To keep the platen in contact with the wedge I have
a bolt screwed or fixed into the platen, and passing through the wedge and the
platen back; on the end of this bolt I have a nut and washer, against which
impinges a spiral or other suitable spring.
Referring to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings,—
Figure 1 is a perspective side view of a platen printing machine according to my

page_text: Figure 2 is an enlarged front view of the chase, with lever or handle attached to
the same,
which is held in its normal position by a spiral spring.
Figure 3 is a side view of Figure 2, a portion of which is shewn in' dotted lines
through the runner rails.
Figure 4 is a detached view of my arrangement for fixing in position and releasing
the grippers or frisket fingers. This view shews the grippers or frisket fingers
released and resting freely on the platen.
Figure 5 is a view of the same arrangement, shewing the grippers or frisket
fingers in their fixed position.
Figure 6 is a detached view of my arrangement for the purpose of throwing off
the impression.
A is a reciprocating vibrating cam, which, in combination with the toothed gearing
B and connecting rod C, actuates the platen X in such manner as to cause it to
travel with a decreasing speed as it closes on the impression, and to dwell a short
interval thereon, and on the opening of the platen allowing an interval of rest for
the reception of the sheet to be printed. D is the chase; E is the handle or lever
which, when turned over the surface of the inclined plane F on the type bed G,
loosens the chase from its wedged position and allows of its being easily removed;
H is the spring by which such handle is held in its normal position directly over
the top of the chase; I is the eccentric spindle which, on being turned by a hand
lever at the J, either tightens the grippers or frisket fingers K, as shewn at Figure 4,
or slackens them so as to allow of their free fall on to the platen X, as at Figure 3.
When the grippers are set free by the same handle, they may be easily moved along
and adjusted in the frisket finger bar L. M is a lever fixed on to a projecting end
of the eccentric spindle I. It is provided with a friction roller N, which runs over
the inclined plane O at the outside of the machine, and causes the gripper frame to
turn, so as to elevate the grippers or frisket fingers from off the platen into their
place for the reception of a fresh sheet. P is the cam on the roller arm Q, so
shaped as to impart an intermittent vibratory motion to the ink distributing roller
arm R, allowing an interval of rest after the ink distributing roller has passed down
over the ink disc S, giving time for the ink plate to make any required portion' of
a revolution, say a quarter of a revolution, then moving the said ink distributing
roller back over the ink disc before the form rollers T come in contact with it, the
cam P then allowing another interval of rest for the roller to receive ink from the
ink duct U, which is so arranged that the roller can be inked its entire circunfer-
ence if necessary. V is the wedge placed between the platen back W and the
platen K. Y is the handle and crank attached to the wedge; Y¹ is the moveable
block; Y, the screw nut to raise or lower the block Y₁; K¹ is the bolt which
holds the platen and wedge and the platen back; K2, the nut, washer, and
spring.
Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in the different Figures of the
Drawing.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the method of carrying
the same into practical operation and effect, I would have it understood that I do
not limit myself to the precise details herein before described, as the same may be
varied without departing from the nature or principle of my said Invention, but
what I claim as novel and original and therefore secured to me under the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. The combination of the reciprocating vibrating cam with the toothed
gearing and connecting rod for working the same, so as to allow a dwell on the
type and a rest for the reception of the sheet to be printed, substantially as
described.
Second. The method of releasing the chase from its wedged position by means of
a horizontal lever or handle fixed to the type frame or chase, and working over an
inclined plane fixed or cast on to the top of the type bed, or vice-versa, such handle
being also utilised for lifting the type frame or chase out of the machine, substan-
tially as described.

page_text: Third. The method of slacking out or fixing in position the grippers or frisket
fingers by turning a spindle eccentrically away from or towards the frisket finger
bar, between which and the eccentric spindle the grippers or frisket fingers. are
placed, substantially as described.
Fourth. The method of causing the frisket finger frame to turn, so as to elevate
the grippers or frisket fingers from off the platen into their place for the reception
of the sheet, such being effected by the arrangement of a lever, one end of which
is fixed to the end of the eccentric spindle referred to, the other end being acted
on by an inclined plane fixed to the side frame of the machine, substantially as
described.
Fifth. The cam mechanism by which the ink distributing roller is actuated, so
that an interval of rest is allowed to the ink distributing roller after such roller has
passed over the surface of the ink plate, the ink plate making any required turn or
part of a turn during the said interval previous to the return travel of the said ink
distributing roller, substantially as described.
Sixth. The mechanism by which the throwing off the impression, and also the
sitting of the platen to take any thickness of card or paper by means of one screw
only.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Godfrey, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this 30th day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and seventy nine.
ALFRED GODFREY. (L.S.)