IMPROVEMENTS IN PRESSES FOR PRINTING ANE EMBOSSING
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Merritt Gally, of Golden Square, in the County of Middlesex,
Mechanical Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRESSES FOR
PRINTING ANE EMBOSSING."
Sealed the 11th March 1879, and dated the 1st January 1879.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Merritt Gally at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st January 1879.
MERRITT GALLY, of Golden Square, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical
Engineer. ***IMPROVEMENTS IN PRESSES FOR PRINTING AND EMBOSSING."
My Invention relates to that class of printing presses commonly known as platen
presses.
The first part of my Invention consists in an improved construction of the
impression gear wheel by means of which great strength is secured to that part of
the wheel which is required to resist the strain of the impression with but little
increase either to the weight or expense of the wheel.
The second part of my Invention consists in the combination of inking rollers for
inking the formn, of such relative diameters as to break up, and as far as possible
obliterate, the deflective lines caused in the inking of surfaces by the repetition of
surfaces of rollers of nearly a uniform diameter.
The third part of my Invention consists in an improved construction of the cams
which give a period of rest to the platen for laying on the sheet to be printed.
The fourth part of my Invention consists in the peculiar construction of an
upright steam chest for hot embossing, and its adaptation to the bed of a printing
press.
The fifth part of my Invention consists in an improved construction of the link
and springs which control the movement of the platen, and the relative arrangement
of the working points to secure speed and steadiness of motion.
The sixth part of my Invention consists in the construction of a platen adapted
to the use of platea blanks for different kinds of work.
The seventh part of my Invention consists in the construction of a rubber or
other flexible blanket made in such manner as to secure an even yielding of its
surface under pressure.
The eighth part of my Invention consists in an improved construction of the
impression adjusting apparatus.

page_text: Fig. 1 represents a press to which the several improvements are adapted.
Fig. 2 is a side view of the impression gear wheel; Fig. 3 is a sectional view of
the same.
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the bed of the press with inking rollers.
Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the relative diameters of rollers for .inking large
surfaces on which a large amount of ink is required.
Fig. 6 is a diagram shewing the relative diameters of inking rollers for large
surfaces on which a less amount of ink is required.
Fig. 7 is a diagram showing the construction and principle of operation of the
cam as formerly used for giving a period of rest to the platen of the press and Fig. 7
shows the improved construction of the cam and the principle of its operation.
Fig. 8 represents the draw bar, crank, and stud or roller which operate in con-
nection with the cam of Figs. 7 and 7; also the improved construction of the
connection with the adjuster bar of the excentric adjusting sleeves.
Fig. 9 is a perspective of the bed of the press, having thereon the steam chest,
showing the steam pipe connections and the arrangement of cocks, &c., for leading
the steam in different directions through the steam chest.
Fig. 10 shows the construction of the improved link and springs.
Fig. 11 is a perspective of the platen with blanks and frisket fingers attached.
Fig. 12 is a perspective of the improved blanket; and a sectional view shewing a
modified construction.
Fig. 13 represents the platen rocker and rocker seat, and the improved arrange-
ments of the pivots for the link, showing the principle of the improved movement.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION.
In the large gear wheel, Fig. 2, the shaft of the press which sustains the force of
the impression is shown at W, and one of the impression cranks at T. This gear
wheel is usually made very heavy and cumbersome in order to secure sufficient
strength to carry the cranks over the impression centre. The fact is that only a
few of the teeth of the wheel are in use during the time for the impression, and that
the larger number of its teeth are used in simply moving the platen forward and
back to receive and deliver the sheet and to operate the inking rollers. Were there
no impression to be made a very light wheel would be sufficiently strong to
accomplish all the work, and greater speed could be attained in the operation of the
press, and less expense in the construction of the wheel.
To secure the desired end I make the body of the wheel light and only of
sufficient strength to fully accomplish all the work except the impression
For the impression very great power is required, and to secure comparativo
strength in the part of the wheel which is to receive the strain I use either one of
the following modes of construction :-
The first method is to cast on the side of the wheel a'seginent (L) which is allowed
to be the thickness of the crank (R) without interfering with the draw bars of the
press. This adds very much not only to the strength of the teeth which are to
perform the labor of making the impression, but also forms a strong connecting
portion with the crank (R) in the direction of the leverage.
My second plan I use when still greater strength is required. Instead of casting
the segment on the wheel I cast lugs S or other equivalent devices for holding in
place on the iron wheel a segment of steel or other metal of greater strength than
the material of the wheel. This segment I make fast with rivets or bolts so that it
becomes virtually a part of the wheel. The segment (L) is on that portion of the
wheel which is used for making the impression, and thus the desired end is attained
by the use of a small cheap steel segment, while an entire steel wheel wheel would
be very costly.

page_text: When large surfaces are to be inked by the inking rollers of the press the work
is liable to be defective when a number of rollers of nearly uniform diameters are
used. This arises from the fact that each roller in making a single turn on the face
of the form begins and ends on the same line, and as each succeeding turn of each
roller applies less ink than the preceding turn, the joining lines are very apparent.
I therefore make the inking rollers of different diameters which so breaks up these
lines as to practically obliterate them.
The rollers thus constructed in this mauner
are shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6.
Fig. 7 is a diagram showing the construction of the cams for giving a period of
rest to the platen as described in a Patent to Alexander Melville Clark, dated
February Third, One thousand eight hundred and seventy, and again shown in
Patent to Robert Coddington, dated May First, One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-two, both of which were from descriptions communicated by myself from
abroad, and which I here illustrate to show by contrast the improved cams of my
present Invention.
In the old style device, Fig. 7, the crank pin (T) is taking the course of the dotted
line designated by the arrow, while the line (B1, B3) shows the line of the draft of
the draw bar when the stud or roller t is in position shown. The platen, which is
connected with the draw bar at the point marked (B'), should now be held firmly
by the stud or roller t being firmly held by the camway, but it will be seen that
the direction of the camway is now nearly in line with the line of draft of the draw
bar, and a little wear in the camway or of the roller will allow the roller to slip
along the way faster than the movement of the cam, and therefore the platen is not
held steadily in position, but has, under high speed of the press, a jorking motion.
The improved cam of my present Invention is shown in Fig. 7". In the improved
cam (P) the centre part of the camway (d) through which the roller (t) moves
during the sweep.of the crank pin (I) between the line of impression (B1, B2,) and
its vertical position is constantly inclined in respect to the line of impression in an
opposite direction to the line of the draw bar. The cam being attached to the
crank pin or forming a part of the crank wheel, and the crank pin having its move-
ment in the slot of the draw bar, the roller (t) is held firmly by the sides of the
camway during its traverse, and the platen has no jerking or shaking motion,
even under very high speed of the press.
In Fig. 9 a steam chest e is shewn upon the face of the bed of the press to be
used for hot stamping and embossing. It has not been heretofore practicable to use
a steam chest for this purpose in connection with an upright bed, as there was no
means for preventing the dies on the upper portion of the chest becoming much
hotter than those below.
To secure an even temperature to the dies, or to be able to change the surplus
heat to different parts of the chest at will, I make the chest and its steam connections
of peculiar construction.
duct for the passage of the
Two pipes (V) and (V1) are
The two pipes (V, and V1)
form of a square with two
1, 2, 3, 4. The live steam
The exhaust passes out
The steam chest e is constructed with an internal
steam through it in the direction of the dotted line.
connected by unions with the steam chest at (h, h¹).
join each other at the rear of the bed, terminating in
stop-cocks on each of two sides of the square marked
enters by way of the pipe m between the cocks 2 and 4.
through the pipe n from the between the cocks 1 and 3.
When the cocks 4 and 1 are closed and the cocks 2 and 3 are open, the live steam
takes its course through the pipe (V) and goes immediately to the top of the steam
chest, spending its greatest heat in that portion of the chest while the condensed
steam passes out below through (V) to the exhaust pipe (1).
If the cocks 2 and 3 are closed, and the cocks 4 and 1 are open, the live steam
takes the opposite direction through pipe (VI) and spends its heat first upon the
lower portion of the chest, and following the course of the channel passes out through
pipe (V) to the exhaust pipe (n.).
By opening and closing the different cocks at will the chest may be kept at an
•

page_text: even temperature throughout, or the heat directed to different portions of the chest
at pleasure.
The bed (C) being the bed of a printing press furnished with chase lugs (7, 8,)
and chase latch (i), the steam chest is so constructed as to fit into the place of the
chase, and to be held by the chase lugs and chase latch in the same manner as a
chase.
In order to be able to readily remove the steam chest from the press when it is to
be used for printing, I place the unions (h, h,) at the lower edge of the steam chest,
and by disconnecting these the chest is easily lifted from the press by the handle (9)
which is made at the upper edge for that purpose. The steam chest is furnished
with a non-conducting backing between it and the bed (C) to prevent the heating of
the bed. Small vertical grooves are also made in the back of the chest which formn
air flues which aid in preventing heating of the bed (C).
Where steam cannot be readily procured for heating the chest (e) I make the chest
with vertical tubes passing through it which are open at top and bottom. These
tubes form flues into which I insert gas jets or other burners for heating the chest.
I direct the heat to different parts of the chest by raising and lowering the jets as
to their positions in the flues, or by increasing or diminishing the size of the jets for
different portions of the chest.
In the Patent for my Invention granted to Robert Coddington, May First, One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, a link and spring is described for controlling
the movement of the flaten of the pross. In the Patent referred to a single coiled
spring is wound upon the rod of the link, and in its action is compressed equally
with the draft of the rod. As the spring is necessarily short, and the rod having
considerable movement, the spring is liable to break, and there being only a single
spring in the device other parts of the press are endangered by the breakage.
In Fig. 10 I show an improved link for controlling the movement of the platen.
The rod M is the link proper; this is pivoted to a cross head K, which slides
upon two rods (V2), which are made fast at one end to the framework of the press.
Upon each of these rods is a spring, against which the cross head presses when it
slides upon the rods. If one of these springs becomes injured the device is still
operative, as the other spring still acts on the cross head, and the press continues
its proper operation safely until the injured spring can be replaced.
To make a spring of greater durability than a coiled metallic spring I place
together a number of rings of rubber or other equivalent material (R2), with
washers (X) between them. Each ring bears its proportion of surface pressure, and
thus bulging is prevented. The washers are made concave on each side, the concavity
curving between the centre and edge of the washer. This prevents the compression
of the ring from causing it to bind upon the rod on which both washer and ring
must slide freely. This construction of the washers also holds firmly in position
the outer edges of the rings. The springs thus constructed are very elastic, are of
great resisting power, and very durable.
In Fig. 13 an improvement is shown in the relative positions of the working
points of the link in respect to the positions of the platen rocker and rocker seat.
In the Patent of May First, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two,
already referred to, the old style link is described as being pivoted to a projection
from the platen bridge at (4), and pivoted at the other end to the framework of
the press at (5) in the plane of the face of the rocker seat, and tangental to the
curve of the rocker (). The reason for this arrangement was to have as little
slipping as possible of the rocker upon the seat during the rocking movement.
find however that this is not the best construction, especially in heavy machines, I
have therefore made the following improvement:
I
Instead of pivoting the link at (5) I pivot it at a point sufficiently above or
below the plane of the rocker seat to cause a line drawn from pivot to pivot of the
link, at the position of rest of the platen to form a cord to the curve of the rocker
crossing the curve at a point removed from the point of contact of rocker and rocker

page_text: seat. As the rocker rolls backward to its position of rest at (5) the combination
of parts thus arranged forms an eccentric clutch, which overcomes the momentum of
the platen, and stops the rocker at the desired point; the slight yielding of the
spring of the link prevents the stop from being too sudden.
In the Drawing, Fig. 13, the pivot of the link is shown at (0) below the old
position (). With this construction the press may be run at a speed nearly double
that with the former construction with perfect safety and steadiness of movement.
In Fig. 11 the frisket fingers or grippers (f) are pivoted in a plane in line with
the face of the platen (A³) in the usual position in order that the fingers may lie
flatly upon material of different thicknesses to be stamped or printed, and thus hold
it properly; and in order to be able to print or stamp such material without re-
adjusting the platen to the proper impression I construct the body of the platen
proper (H) with its face set back of the line of fingers sufficiently to receive between
it and them the thickest naterial to be printed or stamped, and provide the platen
with blanks of different thicknesses, doweled and screwed to its face to accommo-
date material of different thicknesses.
This construction is very desirable, for example, on such work as printing wooden
boards for packing boxes. It is also very desirable in being able to preserve a
"force" which is made up on the face of a blank for embossing, as the blank can
be removed and replaced by another without destroying the "force," which may be
used again after the press has been employed on other work.
In printing wooden boards and other thick substances the surface to be printed
is often very uneven, or may contain very hard knots or the like, and therefore very
difficult to print. To aid in this matter rubber blankets are often used on the face
of the platen, which will yield to the uneven material. A difficulty in the use of
such blankets arises from the fact that when pressure is applied to a large amount
Το
of the surface the blanket will yield more near the edges than near the centre.
overcome this defect I perforate the blanket, as shown in (B), Fig. 12; or I cor-
rugate the blanket, as shown by the cross section (B8). When pressure is brought
to bear upon the perforated blanket the material of the blanket is pressed in to the
perforations, and it yields evenly to the pressure. In like manner the material
of the corrugated blanket is pressed into the grooves of the corrugations.
As
In my Invention, for which Patent was granted to Alexander Melville Clarke,
February Third, One thousand eight hundred and seventy, the eccentric impression
adjusting sleeves are connected with the adjuster bar by a connecting piece, the
width of the bar projected towards the centre of the sleeve, as shown in Fig. 7.
it is necessary that the bar should be on the vertical line through the centra of the
sleeve when on the impression with its greatest power, in order that a sufficient
sweep can be given to the arc (F) for the several adjustments, the connection thus
constructed is subject to great strain, I improve this construction as shewn in Fig. 8,
by forming a brace at the back of the connecting piece, attaching the same to a
large part of the curve of the sleeve. The strain is not only thus distributed over a
large portion of the curve of the sleeve, but the direction of the strain on the con-
necting piece being nearly in line with the direction of the brace great strength is
given to the device, and the desirable position of the adjuster bar retained.
What I claim as my Invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,―
1st. The impression gear wheel having a segment cast thereon or attached to that
portion of the gear wheel which is used in carrying the press over the impression,
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
2nd. The combination of form inking rollers of different diameters, substantially
as and for the purpose specified.
3rd. The cam (P) either attached to the crank pin, or forming a part of the
crank wheel, and having a traverse for the stud or roller (t), constructed substan-
tially as shown.
4th. The combination with the draw bar (B), crank (T), and stud or roller (t) of
the camway (a, d,) arranged to form with the line of impression an angle opposite

page_text: to that of the line of the draw bar during the passage of the stud or roller (t) from (d)
to (a), substantially as specified.
5th. The steam chest having an internal duct, substantially as shewn, and inter-
changeable ports of entry and exit for the steam, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
6th. The combination with the steam chest of the system of pipes and cocks, sub-
stantially as and for the purpose specified.
7th. The combination with the bed of the press of the heated chest, having grooves
therein for the passage of air to prevent the heat from heating the bed, substantially
as specified.
8th. The combination with the bed of the press of the steam chest and chase
latch, substantially as specified.
9th. The combination with the bed of the press of the chest, having vertical flues
for heating the same with gas or other burners, substantially as specified.
10th. The combination with the link (M) of the cross head (K), rods (V), and a
spring for each rod, substantially as set forth.
11th. In a printing press a platen spring or springs formed of rings and washers,
substantially as specified.
12th. The combination with the rocker (%) of the link pivoted above or below
the plane of the rocker seat, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
13th. The platen constructed for the use of platen blanks, substantially as and for
the purpose specified.
14th. The elastic blanket, perforated or corrugated, substantially as and for the
purpose specified.
15th. The combination with the adjuster bar (A) the eccentric sleeve and
connecting arm of the stay brace, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Merritt Gally, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this First day of January, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-nine.
MERRITT GALLY. (L.S.)