Improvements in Color Printing Machines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application 28th Apr 1808
Complete Specification Loft 23ed lan 1907 Accented
24th An
1907
Complete Specification Loft, 23rd Jan 1907 Accepted, 24th Apr 1907
Improvements in Color Printing Machines.
I, VITTORIO TURATI of Nos. 23 to 29 Vin Bramante, Milan, in the Kingdom
of Italy, Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My improved color printing machine embodies in its general construction the
essential features of the usual printing presses with one impression cylinder and a
carriage arranged to reciprocate thereunder and carrying the printing table or bed,
but without the inking mechanism.
To the above elements are added, according to my present invention, a moistening
cylinder, mounted at that end of the machine which is farthest removed from the
impression cylinder, a transferring cylinder, mounted intermediate the said
moistening cylinder and the impression cylinder, and a heating and wiping cylinder,
journalled immediately above the transierring cylinder in movable hearings.
The three first named cylinders, that is to say, the impression, moistening and
transferring cylinders are arranged immediately above the line of travel of the
table or bed so that during the reciprocations of the latter the several cylinders
will in consecutive order act upon the surface reciprocated below them by the
movements of the carriage. One part of this surface consists of the colors which
are placed on the table or bed, and from which the color impressions are to be
made, and the other portion consists of a stoue or other plate upon which these
impressions are to be transferred by the transferring cylinder, to be subsequently
again transferred from the said plate unto, or imprinted upon, the paper carried by
the impression cylinder, all in a manner to be more fully hereinafter described.
The function of the moistening cylinder consists in moistening and, at the same
time, henting the hard colors each time the table or bed, in starting in its movement
towards the impression cylinder end of the machine and in returning into its
original position, passes below the moistening cylinder, the object being to thereby
render the colors softer so that the impressions therefrom may be more readily
taken off by the transferring cylinder. To this end the moistening cylinder is
covered with felt and mounted below a resorvoir from which a suitable liquid
solvent may be made to flow on to the said felt covering,
to be there evaporated
by the heat which is imparted to the moistening cylinder by means of steam
admitted into the interior of the said cylinder through its hollow journals. The
vapours thus emanating from the said cylinder will moisten and slightly soften the
surface of the colors on the table or bed.
Upon the table or bed passing under the transferring cylinder in the further
movement of the carriage towards the impression cylinder, the said transferring
cylinder will roll over the surface of the colors and will take a first impression
therefrom, and upon the table or bed in the return movement of the carriage again
passing under the said transferring cylinder, the latter will again roll over the
colore, registering exactly with the same, and will thereby receive a second
impression from the colors. Upon the return movement of the carriage, away
from the impression cylinder being continued, the other portion of the surface of
the table or bed, that is to say, the stone or other plate, will on its part pass under
the transferring cylinder and will receive from it the same impression which the
transferring cylinder previously received from the colors; and when the carriage,
after having, in the meantime, completed its return movement and having started

page_text: on its next movement towards the impression cylinder, again passes under the
transferring cylinder, the said stone or other plate will receive a second impression
exactly registering with the first one, from the transferring cylinder. On the
carriage continuing its movement and passing, with that portion of its table or bed
which contains the said plate, under the impression cylinder, the latter, with a
abeet of paper thereon, will roll over the surface of the said plate, thus causing
the impression on the latter to be imprinted on the paper carried by the impression
cylinder. The sheet of paper, after having received the impression as described,
is delivered on a delivery table in the usual manner and a fresh sheet is fed to the
impression cylinder. The carriage in the meantime returns to the other end of
the machine and the operations already described are repeate.].
The heating and wiping cylinder which as already stated, is mounted above the
transferring cylinder in movable bearings is alternately moved into contact with,
and withdrawn from, the transferring cylinder. It is heated by means of steam
introduced at its hollow journals and thereby heats the transferring cylinder so as
to better adapt the latter for taking on the color impressions. A wiping strip is
made to pass over part of the peripheral surface of the heating and wiping cylinder
between the latter and the transferring cylinder, so that every time when the
former cylinder is moved into contact with the last named cylinder the wiping
strip will remove therefrom the surplus color left thereon by the stone or other
plate.
Dated the 28th day of April 1896.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56 Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Color Printing Machines.
I VITTORIO TURATI of Nos. 23 to 29, Via Bramante, Milan, in the Kingdom
of Italy, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described aud
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to printing machines, and more especially to color printing
machines for use in printing in a number of different colors simultaneously at
each reciprocation of the table or bed of the machine. The object of my invention
is to provide improved means for obtaining cleaner and more quickly drying
impressions from the colors than has been possible heretofore and for taking a
greater number of such impressious, the said improved means permitting of the
colors being employed in a less soft state than heretofore, or, in other words,
making it possible to obtain clean impressions even from comparatively hard colors.
My invention, therefore, consists in the arrangement and combination of parts
more fully bereinafter described and shown in the accompanying drawings in
which:-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved color printing machine, one end
portion of the frame being partly broken away and other parts being omitted.
Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section on the line t-z-y-x of Figure 1,
some of the parts omitted in Figure 1 being here shown.
Figure 3 is a sectional plan on the line u--o--s of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a front elevation of the transferring and heating cylinders aud of
part of the wiping mechanism, one half of the heating cylinder being shown in
*ection.
Figures 4 and 4 are an end view and a transverse section, respectively, of some
of the cylinders shown in Figure 4.

page_text: Figure 5 is a dingram illustrating the transmission or movement four cho
transferring cylinder to the cylinder of the moistening mechanism.
Figure 6 shows the moistening mechanism partly in elevation and partly in
section.
Figure 6 is a transverse section of the moistening cylinder shown in longitudinal
section in Figure 6.
Figure 7 is a diagram explaining the movements of the table or bed of the
machine.
My improved machine embodies in its general construction the essential features
of the usual printing press with one impression cylinder and a carriage arranged to
reciprocate thereunder and carrying the usual printing table or bed, but it has no
inking mechanism. To the above elements are added, according to my present
invention, a moistening cylinder, designated in the drawings by W and mounted
at the end of the machine which is farthest removed from the impression
uylinder U, a transferring cylinder A, mounted intermediate the said moistening
cylinder and impression cylinder, and a heating and wiping cylinder B, journalled
immediately above the transferring cylinder A in movable bearings. L is the
printing table or bed which is reciprocated in the well known manuer by the usual
carriage. The threo first named cylindors, that is to say, the impression,
moistening and transferring cylinders, are arranged immediately above the line of
travel of the said table or bed, so that during the reciprocations of the latter the
several cylinders will in consecutive order, act upon the surface of the table or
bed I reciprocated below them by the movements of the carriage, the impression
and transferring cylinders acting upon the said surface by direct contact therewith,
whereas the moistening cylinder does not come into direct contact with the said
surface, but is slightly removed therefrom, so as to act thereon only indirectly, as
will hereinafter be more fully described. One portion of this surface consists of
the colors, which are placed on the said table or bed in the usual manner and from
which the color impressions are made, and this portion is designated in the
drawings by the letter g. The other portion of the said surface consists of a stone
or other suitable plate h upon which the said impressions are to be transferred by
the transferring cylinder A, to be subsequently again transferred from the said
plate, or imprinted upon, the paper carried by the impression cylinder U, all in a
manner to be more fully hereinafter described.
The function of the moistening cylinder consists in moistening and, at the same
time, heating the hard colors each time the table or bed, in starting in its
movement towards the impression cylinder end of the machine and in returning
into its original position, passes immediately below, but slightly removed from, the
moistening cylinder, the object being to thereby render the colors softer so that the
impressions therefrom may be more readily taken off by the transferring cylinder.
To this end the moistening cylinder is covered with felt and mounted below a
reservoir from which a suitable liquid solvent may be made to flow on to the said
felt covering, to be there evaporated by the heat which is imparted to the
moistening cylinder by means of steam admitted into the interior of the said.
cylinder through its hollow journals. The vapors thus emanating from the said.
cylinder in the narrow space between the latter and the surface of colors will
moisten and slightly soften the surface of the colors on the table or bed.
Upon the table or bed passing under the transferring cylinder in the further
movement of the carriage towards the impression cylinder, the said transferring
cylinder will roll over the surface of the colors and will take a first impression
therefrom, and upon the table or bed in the return movement of the carriage again
passing under the said transferring cylinder, the latter will again roll over the
colors, registering exactly with the same, and will thereby receive a second
impression from the colors. Upon the return movement of the carriage, away
from the impression cylinder, being continued, the other portion of the surface of
the table or bed, that is to say, the stone or other plate, will on its part pass under
the transferring cylinder and will receive from it the same impression which the

page_text: transferring cylinder previously received from the colore; and when the carriage,
after having, in the meantime, completed its return movement and having started
on its next movement towards the impression cylinder, again passes under the
transferring cylinder, the said stone or other plate will receive a second impression,
exactly registering with the first one, from the transferring cylinder.
On the carriage continuing its movement and passing, with that portion of its
table or bed which contains the said plate, under the impression cylinder, the latter,
with a sheet of paper thereon, will roll over the surface of the said plate, thus
causing the impression on the latter to be imprinted on the paper carried by the
impression cylinder.
The sheet of paper, after having received the impression as described, is delivered
on a delivery table in the usual manner and a fresh sheet is fed to the impression
cylinder. The carriage in the meantime returns to the other end of the machine
and the operations already described are repeated. The heating and wiping
cylinder which, as already stated, is mounted above the transferring cylinder in
movable bearings is alternately moved into contact with, and withdrawn from, the
transferring cylinder. It is heated by means of steam introduced at its hollow
journals and thereby heats the transferring cylinder so as to bettor adapt the latter
for taking on the color impression. A wiping strip is made to pass over part of
the peripheral surface of the heating and wiping cylinder between the latter aud
the transferring cylinder, so that every time when the former cylinder is moved
into contact with the last named cylinder the wiping strip will remove therefrom
the surplus color left thereon by the stone or other plate.
G is the framing of the machine, and G is a lateral frame or base provided
with standards B¹ having bearings for the main or driving shaft C. Mounted on
the latter are the flywheel Sch and the driving pinion N, the latter meshing with a
larger pinion on the crank shaft M. K is a crank provided on the end of the
shaft M and baving pivotted to it one end of a conuecting rod St, the other end of
the latter being fulcrumed on the rear axle of the usual carriage. The said
carriage consists, substantially, of the two lateral bars T best shown in Figure 1
and of three axles having the wheels P. Upon the driving shaft C being rotated,
rotary movement is imparted, through the pinions N and O, to the crank shaft M,
and the latter, through its crank K and the connecting-rod St, reciprocates the
carriage. To provide against tho said carriage sliding while being thus reciprocated,
its wheels Pare formed on one side with peripheral rack portions which engage
with, and travel on, corresponding rack bars i secured to the machine framing G
below. The said peripheral rack portions also mesh with other rack bara i¹ provided
above on the lower side of the table or bed L, the latter being thus supported on
the said peripheral rack portions of the carriage wheels and caused to reciprocate
in accordance with the direction in which the said wheels are rotated during the
reciprocations of the carriage.
The table or bed L on its part transmits rotary movement to the impression
cylinder U by means of lateral rack bars u, on the table or bed, engaging with a
peripheral rack portion of the said impression cylinder as best shown in Figures 1
and 2. Another rack bar u provided on one side of the said table or bed L (As
shown in Figure 2) meshes with a pinion rigid ou the one end portion of the
transferring cylinder A, thus causing the latter to be rotated at such periods of the
reciprocations of the table or bed when the said rack bar is in engagement with
the said pinion v.
toare standards erected on the base portion of the framing G
and serving as guides for the table or bed L.
The transferring cylinder A is mounted in bearings in the upper side portions of
the framing G, as shown in Figure 1, and has mounted above it in movable bearings
the heating and wiping cylinder B into which steam may be admitted through a
pipe entering one of the bollow journals, as best shown in Figure 4. Provision
is made for alternately lifting and lowering the said cylinder B and thus removing
the same from, and bringing it in contact with, the transferring, cylinder A. To
this end the said heating and wiping cylinder is journalled in bearings provided in

page_text: the free ends of two levers or arms rigid on the rock shaft f, means are provided
for transmitting movement to the said levers or arms. Mounted on the main shaft M
of the machine is the cam E having the two cam portions in no and mpo, as best
shown in Figure 1. These cam portions act upon a roller r provided on the free
end of a pivotted lever a, and the movements thus imparted to the latter are, by
means of a rod d, lever b and rod e, transmitted to the said levers or arms 1. Thus
when the roller r rides the lower cam portion mpo, the free ends of the levers or
arms will be in their lower position, whereas when the said roller rides the higher
cam portion m n o. the free ends of the said levers or arms I will be in their elevated
position. Figure 4 of the drawings shows but one of the levers or arms 7, that is
to say, the one mounted on the left hand end of the rock shaft f, but it will be
understood that the right haud end of the said rock shaft has rigidly mounted
thereon a similar lever arm carrying the other hearing of the heating and wiping
cylinder B, so that the two levers or arms will always move together in lifting or
lowering the said cylinder.
When the latter is in its lower position, as above described, it will be in contact
with, or bear upon, the transferring cylinder and will-by means of a wiping strip
passing around a portion of the cylinder B as hereinafter to be described-wipe the
surplus color off the transferring oylindor, wheren+, when the cylinder B is in its
elevated position, it will be removed from the transferring cylinder and the wiping
mechanisin will be out of action.
The said heating and wiping cylinder is preferably composed of a tube B covered.
on the outside with a layer of felt and having its ends closed by means of turned'
head pieces, through each of which passes a pipe r, the latter branching off
within the cylinder B in a number of connected smaller pipes, and, as shown.
These smaller pipes are provided at suitable distances apart with small apertures o',.
80 arranged that the apertures on the one branch pipe will begin where those on
the other cease. Thus, when steam is admitted through the pipes r¹, the same will
escape into the hollow cylinder through the apertures o' and will evenly heat the
peripheral portions of the said cylinder, and the latter in its turn will heat the
transferring cylinder A and the colors thereon.
Movement is imparted to the heating and wiping cylinder B from the transferring
cylinder A by means of the pinions zaud z', when the cylinders A. and B are in
contact with each other, whilst such transmission of movement ceases, when the
said pinions are lifted out of engagement upon the cylinder B being raised in the
manner herein before described.
The wiping mechanism is constructed and arranged as follows:-R is a delivery
roller from which the wiping strip is delivered to the receiving roller R', being
carried over the small guide roller s, thence around the heating and wiping
cylinder B and over another guide roller to the receiving roller R¹. At a
suitable distance below the guide roller to is journalled a felt-covered roller 8!
bearing against the wiping strip and thereby acting to wipe off the color collected:
thereon.
The winding up of the wiping strip onto the receiving roller R' is effected by
movement transmitted from a pulloy S mounted on an extension of the axis of the
impression cylinder U, by means of a belt running over a friction pulley F and by
means of a crossed belt running over a pulley mounted on the same shaft as tho
friction pulley F, the said crossed belt also running over a pulley S' mounted on a
journal extension of the receiving roller R'. The object of the said friction
pulley F is to provide for the varying circumferential speed of the roller R' due.
to the increase of diameter of the wiping strip accumulating thereon. It will, of
course, be understood that the wiping strip comes into action only when the
impression cylinder, during the return movement of the printing table or bed, is
rotated and while the heating and wiping cylinder B rests upon the transferring
cylinder A.
.
The moistening cylinder W is rotated from the transferring cylinder A by means.
of a chain passing over sprocket wheels provided on the axes of the said two

page_text: cylinders, as shown in Figure J. The moistening device, best shown in Figure 6, is
constructed, substantially as follows:-H is a receptacle provided with a cover or
lid and preferably mounted in a wooden frame such as R', the said receptacle
being adapted to be filled with a suitable liquid solvent. Below the said receptacle,
and at a suitable distance above the surface of colors on the table or bed
reciprocated thereunder, is journalled in suitable bearings the moistening
cylinder W. The latter is covered with felt and otherwise constructed in a
similar manner as alrendy described with reference to the heating and wiping
cylinder, being likewise provided with steam inlet and distributing pipes (as shown
in Figures 6 and 6) connected with a suitable source of steam supply not shown
in the drawings. Below the perforated bottom of the receptacle H and
preferably arranged to slide in a recessed guide therein is a plate E having
perforations adapted in a certain position of the spid sliding plate, to register
with the corresponding perforations of the said bottom D, a threaded end
extension of the said sliding plate passes through a suitable guide and is thero
provided with a nut n which admits of an axial adjustinent of the said sliding
plate E relatively to the bottom D, so that the flow of the liquid solvent through
the perforations may thus be regulated as desired. The solvent continuously
escaping from the said perforations is discharged in small drops on the felt
covering of the heated moistening cylinder W and is there evaporated, the vapors
thus created being cominunicated to the surface of colors and thereby caused to
moisten and slightly dissolve the latter.
i'
The general operation of the machine is as follows:-While the impression
cylinder U remains stationary, and during the time when a sheet of paper is
presented to the same, the printing table or bed L, with the surface of colors g
and the stone or other plate & thereon, moves from the position II at the rear end
of the machine (Figure 7) into the position I at the front end thereof. During
this movement the transferring cylinder A will roll over the surface of colors g
and will thereby take off a first impression of colors corresponding to the entire
picture or design etcetera to be reproduced.
The
Upon the movement of the table or bed being coutinued, the said transforring
cylinder A will roll over the surface of the stone or other plate and will thereby
trausfer on to the said stone or plate the color impression previously taken off from
the colors g. The table or bed L will now have arrived in the position I and will
proceed to return into the position 11. At the same time the impression cylinder U
with the sheet of paper fed thereto will rotate in the direction of the arrow.
stone or plate will first again pass below the transferring cylinder A and will
receive from the same the remainder of any color which may have been left
thereon; it will then pass under the impression cylinder and transfer the color
impression on to the sheet of paper, whereupon the latter will, in the usual and
well known manner, be seized by the delivery mechanism and delivered at the end
of the machine.
The machine above described possesses particular utility when employed for
printing from blocks of colora mounted on the table or bed of the machine in the
well known manner generally employed in polychromatic or mosaic printing, by
reason of the fact that in the machine described the moistening of the surface of
colors is not effected by direct contact therewith of the means for moistening and
by applying the solvent to the colors in a liquid state, but that the moistening
cylinder always remains at a distance from the surface of colors and that the
moistening is effected by heated vapors of solvent emanating from the moistening
cylinder in the space between the latter and the surface of colors. This results
in a more uniform and, at the same time, slighter but more efficient moistening of
the colors, so that rather hard colors may be employed to advantage and will give
very clean impressions. At the same time the wear of the colors is much less, so
that they will last longer and give a larger number of impressions than could be
obtained heretofore.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the samo is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
In a color printing machine, wherein polychromatic blocks are employed;
1. The combination, with an impression cylinder and a table or bed adapted to
reciprocate relatively thereto, of a moistening cylinder mounted above the line of
movement of the said table or bed, means for feeding a liquid to the said moistening
cylinder, means for heating the latter to evaporate the snil liquid, a transforring
cylinder mounted intermediate the said moistening and impression cylinders, a
wiping cylinder mounted above the said transferring cylinder, means for guiding
a wiping strip between the said wiping and trausferring cylinders and means
for intermittently moving the said wiping cylinder and wiping strip into and out
of contact with the said transferring cylinder, substantially as and for the purpose
described.
2. Tbe combination, with an impression cylinder and a table or bed adapted to
reciprocate relatively thereto, of a moistening cylinder mounted above the line of
movement of the said table or bed, means for feeding a liquid to the said moistening
cylinder, means for heating the latter to evaporate the said liquid, a transferring
cylinder mounted intermediate the said moistening and impression cylinders, a
wiping cylinder mounted above the said transferring cylinder, means for heating
the said wiping cylinder, means for guiding a wiping strip between the said wiping
and transferring cylinders and inoans for intermittently moving the said wiping
cylinder and wiping strip into and out of contact with the said transferring cylinder,
substantially as and for the purpose described.
3. The combination, with a table or bed adapted to reciprocate relatively to an
impression cylinder and to support a surface of colors, a moistening cylinder,
mounted above the line of movement of the said table or bed, means for feeding a
liquid to the said moistening cylinder and means for heating the latter, to evaporate
the said liquid in the intervening space between the said moistening cylinder and a
surface of colors to be mounted on the said table or bed, substantially as and for
the purpose described.
4. The combination, with a reciprocating table or bed, adapted to support a
surface of colors and a stone or other plate as described, of a device for moistening
the colors without coming into contact with thein mounted above the line of move-
ment of the said table or bed; and a transferring cylinder mounted above the line
of movement of the said table or bed so as to roll alternately over the surface
of colors and the stone or other plate during the reciprocations of the said
table or bed, provided with a wiping mechanism intermittently brought in contact
with the said transferring cylinder, substantially as and for the purpose described.
5. A moistening device consisting of the receptacle H, provided with adjustable
discharge openings, and the rotatable hollow cylinder W journalled below the
suid receptacle, the said cylinder being provided with an absorbent outer surface
to receive a liquid discharged from the discharge openings in the said receptacle
and with means for heating the said cylinder and distributing the heat therein to
evaporate the liquid, substantially as and for the purpose described.
6. The transferring cylinder A and the heating and wiping cylinder B mounted
above the same in such a manner as to admit of being moved into and out of
contact with the said transferring cylinder, substantially as and for the purpose
described.
7. The combination, with a reciprocating table or bed, adapted to support a
surface of colors and a stone or other plate as described, and with a moistening
device mounted above the line of movement of the said table or bed, of a trans-
ferring cylinder mounted above the line of movement of the said table or bed so as
to roll alternately over the surface of colors and the stone or other plato during the
reciprocations of the said table or bed, of a wiping mechanism intermittoutly

page_text: brought in contact with the said transferring cylinder, and of means for heating the
latter, substantially as and for the purpose described.
8. Mechanism whereby a film of solvent vapour upon the surface of the poly-
chromatic block is produced substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
9. The combination or arrangement and use of mechanism whereby a film of
color is removed from a polychromatic, or mosaic block of composition by means
of a transferring cylinder, is conveyed by such transferring cylinder to a stone, or
other suitable plate or surface, and is taken therefrom and impressed by the
impression cylinder on the paper, meaus for anfteuing the surface of the mosaic
blook by means of vapour, without actual contact with the mechanism supplying
such vapour and means for heating, cleaning and regulating, all substantially as
and for the purpose set forth and illustrated by the drawings.
10. The combination of mechanism substantially as described and illustrated.in
Figure 1.
Dated the 22nd dos of Ton 1907
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56 Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.