Improvements in Blankets for use in Printing on Fabrics, Paper, and other Surfaces.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Dec., 1897-Accepted, 19th Mar., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Blankets for use in Printing on Fabrics, Paper,
and other Surfaces.
I, JOSEPH ECKFORD RHODES, of 509, Columbus Avenue, in the City of Boston,
County of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, 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 :-
This invention has especial application to printing on fabrics, such as calico, for
example; to printing illustrations or so called half-tones on paper; and to printing
by the aid of a typewriting machine; but it is intended that the invention shall be
applied also to typographical, lithographic and general relief printing upon any
surfaco where my improved blanket will be of service.
In printing on fabric I attain by the employment of my blanket, first, an
increased sharpness of impression and a complete absorption by the fabric of the
ink; second, economy of power by reason of the adaptive quality and penetrating
character of the surface of the blanket, whereby less pressure is required; and
third, an increased speed of the printing machine by reason of the enhanced
frictional capacity of the surface of the blanket whereby danger of slipping is
practically obviated. Moreover the employment of my invention does away with
all necessity for the use of what is usually termed in fabric printing, the
"back-cloth."
As applied to printing the illustrations or half-tones, my invention has for a
principal object to produce improved results over what has heretofore been
accomplished, to such a degree as to render it practicable to print such illustrations
on the grades of paper used by the daily newspaper press, as well and successfully
as upon paper provided with a specially prepared hard surface.
In typographical printing, my blanket practically does away with the necessity
for underlaying the printing form or overlaying the cylinder or platen of the press,
as the blanket produced the necessary uniformity of printing surface and equaliza-
tion of contact or impression without such aid.
In applying the blanket to the cylinder of a typewriting machine the same
improvement in results is obtained.
În fabric printing my blanket is usually an endless band which is conducted over
or around the impression roll. In typographical printing the blanket is placed
between the paper and the cylinder or platen. In a typewriting machine it
surrounds and constitutes a part of the cylinder.
The invention consists in a thin sheet of rubber or analogous material having one
of its surfaces formed with a very large number of exceedingly small projecting
points, such points being quite near together, and each of said points or projections
being independent of all other points. These points may be so small as not to be
discernible to ordinary unaided vision, and are in a blanket of usual size many
thousands in number.
In the accompanying drawings -

page_text: Figure 1 is a sectional view showing my improved blanket applied to a fabric
printing press the press shown being of a common style used in printing on calico.
In this figure the projections or points are necessarily exaggerated in size.
Figure 2 is a plan view of a small portion of my improved blanket very much
enlarged.
Figures 3 and 4 are respectively sectional views taken on lines 3 and 4 in Fig. 2
still more greatly enlarged.
Figure 5 is a sectional view of portions of a cylinder and bed making a part of a
printing press for printing on paper, with my improved blanket applied to the
cylinder.
Figure 6 is a cross vertical section of the cylinder of a typewriting machine
having my blanket applied thereto. In Figures 5 and 6, as well as in Figu re 1
the points or projections are necessarily exaggerated in size.
In the different figures A represents my improved blanket, and A' the points or
projections integral therewith and on one of its surfaces.
In Figure 1 the blanket is in the form of an endless band extending around the
impression roll B. In this Figure C, C are the engraved rolls and D the calico to
be printed. It will be noticed that the usual back-cloth is omitted, as my blanket
renders it unnecessary.
In Figure 5 the blanket is secured to the periphery of the ordinary cylinder E of
a printing press, F representing the bed.
In Figure 6 the blanket is applied to the ordinary cylinder H of a typewriting
machine.
In all these figures the construction or formation of the surface of the blanket is
the same.
Although I do not confine myself to any particular shape of the points
or projections A¹, so long as said points are independent of each other so that each
has its individual contact and yields individually to pressure, I prefer that the
points should be larger at their bases than at their upper ends, and I consider on
the whole, as at present advised, that the best shape for these points is that shown
in the drawings, especially in Figures 2, 3 and 4. In these figures each point or
projection is of the shape of a four sided truncated pyramid or cone, or four sided
frustum, the top being substantially square. These projections or points are
quite near together but I prefer that their bases should not touch, and the arrange-
ment which I deem preferable is that shown particularly in Figure 2 in which the
points are arranged in diagonal parallel lines. It is also preferable that each point
should present a flat side to the flat side of the next point.
The effect of my improved blanket is to produce a yielding but perfect contact
and a complete absorption of ink. Each individual point makes its own individual
contact and yields or is compressed. independently of all other points, with the
result that all portions of the impression are brought out with proper relation to
each other. Thus when a massed or compact surface is presented, the points will
be correspondingly depressed by this massed impact, the resistance necessarily
increasing with the depression and compression, until they in turn present a
practically solid and unyielding resistance. This depression and proportionate
resistance vary with the shades or tints or lines of the plate or type or equivalent
so that each line is brought out in its proper degree, and an excellent and artistic
result produced. Moreover this contact is so automatically correct in its proportionate
resistance that an exceedingly sharp and distinct impression together with a better
absorption of the ink results, thus making it possible to obtain exceedingly artistic
effects upon cheap grades of paper or fabric. Slurring and dragging, such as
often result from the use of flat rubber, flannel or felt blankets or tympan sheets,
are avoided by use of this blanket.
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. A blanket adapted to be applied to the cylinder or platen of a machine for

page_text: printing on fabric, paper, or other surfaces, such blanket consisting of a sheet of
rubber or analogous material having a surface formed with numerous small
integral points or projections, substantially as set forth.
2. A blanket adapted to be applied to the cylinder or platen of a machine for
printing on fabric, paper or other surfaces, such blanket consisting of a sheet
of rubber or analogous material having a surface formed with numerous
small integral points or projections, each independent of and near
adjacent projections, substantially as described.
to the
3. A blanket adapted to be applied to the cylinder or platen of a machine for
printing on fabric, paper or other surfaces, such blanket consisting of a sheet of
rubber or analogous material having a surface formed with numerous small
integral points or projections larger at their bases than at their upper ends,
whereby the area of resistance in each projection is increased in proportion to the
compression of said projection, substantially as set forth.
4. A blanket adapted to be applied to the cylinder or platen of a machine
for printing on fabric, paper, or other surfaces, such blanket consisting of a sheet
of rubber or analogous material having a surface formed with numerous small
integral points or projections, each of the shape of a truncated pyramid or cone,
substantially as described.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.