Improvements in Reproducing Written or Printed Matter, Drawings, and the like, upon Flat Surfaces, and Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Nov., 1889-Accepted, 17th Jan., 1891
Improvements in Reproducing Written or Printed Matter, Drawings,
and the like, upon Flat Surfaces, and Apparatus therefor.
I, JAMES BUDD, of 188, Penton Place, Walworth, in the County of Surrey, Manu-
facturer, 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 relates to an improved method of and apparatus for producing copies
of written or printed matter, drawings and the like.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a side elevation,
Fig. 2 is a transverse section (on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1) and Fig. 3 is a plan of
a machine constructed in accordance with the present invention.
Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the printing cylinder.
Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section on the line 5-5 in Fig. 3.
Figs. 6 to 11 are views of details hereinafter more particularly referred to.
The machine comprises a cylinder A (Figs. 1 to 5) which rotates in bearings a;
the latter being mounted to slide between vertical guides formed on standards a¹ bolted
to the framework of the machine. Each bearing is pressed down by a spring, a²,
against an adjustable stop, such as a³. The cylinder is flattened on one side; the
unflattened portion being covered with composition A¹ (Fig. 4). A novable bed B is
caused, by means of a rack and pinion b b¹, to slide to and fro between guides B* in
the framework of the inachine.
The rack 6 is bolted to a flange projecting from the bottom of the bed. The pinion b¹
is keyed on a shaft 62, which is rotated by a handle 63. The bed carries a lithographic
stone B', an inking slab B2 and the material to be printed on; the latter being fixed
in the space marked B³. On one side of the bed, an adjustable rack B is mounted in
a groove b+; the position of the rack in the groove being adjusted by means of set-
screws 6**. On the other side of the bed, a similar rack B³ is mounted in a groove 65,
and is adjusted by the set-screws 65*. The rack B engages with a spur-wheel A²
(Figs. 2, 3, 7 and 8) which is mounted to rotate independently on the shaft A* whereon
the cylinder A is keyed. The wheel A2 is furnished with a stop A' which is carried at
the end of the army of the pivoted lever Y. The stop projects through and, when in
action, is supported by a slot z cut in the wheel. The stop engages with a projection a³
on the cylinder A: it is normally held out of the path of the projection by a spring a®,
and is thrown into the path of the projection, against the resistance of the spring, by
an arm c keyed on one end of a shaft c' and engaging with the arm y' of the lever Y.
The shaft cl carried in bearings in the framework of the machine, and is operated
by the handle C; or, it may be operated automatically if preferred. The rack B³
engages with a spur-wheel A³, which is keyed to the shaft A*. The teeth of the
wheel A³ are cut away to coincide with the flattened portion of the cylinder A, as
shown in Fig. 9, so that the wheel A³ may be out of engagement with the rack B³
when the cylinder A is locked in its stationary position. A brake-dise A+ is keyed on
one end of the shaft A*. The brake-shoe a' is jointed to the end of a vertical rod as.
which is surrounded and pressed upwards by a helical spring a arranged between a
collar on the rod and a bracket a bolted to the framework of the machine, and through
which the lower end of the rod as extends. The upper end of the rod u³ passes
through a guide . The cylinder is held stationary whilst the bed travels in one
077

page_text: direction by a projection a2 on the inner side of the brake-dise; the projection being
retained between two stops a¹³ and a4 (Fig. 6). Each stop passes through the guide all
and the bracket a10, and is pressed upwards by a helical spring. The stop 13 is
depressed by the projection a2 at each revolution of the cylinder. The stop a is
furnished with a roller ab, which extends into the path of an inclined projection 16
(Fig. 2) on the movable bed B; the stop at being depressed by the projection a¹6
when the cylinder is required to rotate.
The lithographic stone B¹ is supported on a bed-plate D, whereof the under side is
provided at each end with two parallel inclined projections dd (Figs. 10 and 11).
Two bevelled blocks d lie under each pair of projections dd, and are forced
nearer together, so as to act on the inclined projections and thus raise the stone, by
set-screws ² d².
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-When the bed B is in the position
represented in the drawings, the cylinder A is locked by the stops a¹³ and a. The
stone Bi beating the matter to be reproduced, having been supplied with ink from the
slab B2, the operator turns the handle 63 in the direction indicated by the arrow -1
(Fig. 1), and thus causes the bed B to advance (the wheel A2 rotating idly on the
shaft A) until the stop Be carried by the bed strikes the stop B** bolted to the frame-
work of the machine. At the same time, the stop a¹ is depressed by the part a16
acting on the roller 15. The handle C is then moved in order to throw the stop a*
into action and thus lock the wheel. A2 to the cylinder A. The operator then turns
the handle in the reverse direction; thus causing the bed B to recede into its normal
position. During the return movement of the bed, the rack B4 (through the wheel A²
and intermediate parts) causes the cylinder A to make two complete revolutions.
The wheel A3 engages with the rack B5 immediately the cylinder begins to turn. The
brake A as a causes the cylinder to run at an even speed, and prevents back-lash
between the wheels A2 and As and the racks B and B5. During the first revolution,
the composition-covered surface A¹ of the cylinder is in contact with and takes an
impression from the stone B1: during the second revolution, it is in contact with and
transfers such impression to the glass or other material to be printed upon, and which
is fixed in the space marked B. The stop a then comes into action and locks the
cylinder. The glass or other material is then removed, a fresh sheet of glass or other
material substituted, and the series of operations previously described is repeated.
The surface A¹ of the cylinder A is preferably made of the following composition
2 lbs. 6 ozs. of gelatine, 6 lbs. 8 ozs. of glycerine, and 6 lbs. 8 oz. of hot water,
together with a few drops of carbolic acid for preservative purposes. The composition
should be boiled for half an hour; a small quantity of gutta-percha being added in
order to impart the requisite toughness.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I claim
1. The improved machine for producing on flat surfaces copies of written or printed
matter,. drawings and the like, constructed and operating substantially as herein
described.
2.. In a machine. of the kind referred to in the preceding claiming clause, and having
both the stone or other surface bearing the original of the matter to be copied and the
material whereon the copy is to be produced mounted on a reciprocating bed, taking,
in a single forward movement of the bed, an impression from the stone upon a
composition-covered roller and transferring such impression to the flat surface of the
material to be printed upon, substantially as herein described.
3. In a machine of the kind herein referred to, the combination, of a cylindrical
body formed with a flattened side and furnished with a covering of a semi-elastic
character for receiving an impression of the matter to be reproduced, with means for
imparting two revolutions to the said cylindrical body whilst the bed makes a single
. forward movement, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
4. In a machine of the kind herein referred to, the employment, as a covering for

page_text: the printing cylinder, of a semi-elastic composition prepared from the materials and
substantially in the manner herein described.
Dated the 4th day of November 1890.
G. G. M. HARDINGHAM,
191, Fleet Street, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.