IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE PREPARATION OR PRODUCTION OF PRINTING SURFACES
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Cunningham, of Beith, in the County of Ayr,
North Britain, Card Perforator, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
Sealed the 9th January 1855, and dated the 5th August 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Cunningham at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 5th
August 1854.
I, JOHN CUNNINGHAM, of Beith, in the County of Ayr, North Britain, Card
Perforator, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE PREPARATION OR PRODUCTION OF PRINTING SURFACES" to be as follows,
namely:
This Invention relates to a system or mode of reading off or producing
patterns for or upon the rollers or blocks used in printing ornamental fabrics.
One modification of the Invention is peculiarly applicable for the production of
pattern matrices, according to the system for which Mr. James Balie Graham
has recently obtained Letters Patent, and in which the printing surface is pro-
duced by depressing portions of a compound surface or mass made up of pins
or types. The pins or types are depressed by means of prickers or setting out
points; and, according to the present Invention, a row of eight or other con-

page_text: venient number of prickers or depressers are arranged in a frame, which is
depressible by a treadle, after the manner of the punches of the well-known
"piano" jacquard printing machine for perforating jacquard cards. A set of
stops or keys are arranged in connection with the prickers, in such a manner,
that on any of the keys being depressed the corresponding pricker will be caused
to descend with the frame, and so depress the corresponding pin or type in the
pattern surface beneath, whilst the remainder of the prickers will not be
pressed upon by the frame. The frame containing the mass of pattern pins or
types is made to shift at intervals beneath the prickers, so as to bring fresh
portions under their action, indices being provided to assist the operator in
shifting and adjusting the pattern frame. The operator places the pattern
before him, and reads off as much as corresponds to the eight pins for which
the apparatus is constructed; and, depressing such of the keys as are necessary,
he causes the frame to descend, whereupon the prickers push down the cor-
responding pins in the pattern surface; a shift of the pattern surface then takes
place, and the operator reads off a portion of the pattern extending over
another series of eight pins, and proceeds in this manner over the entire
surface. A similar arrangement of mechanism may be adopted for surface
printing rollers, wherein the pattern is produced in relief in metal upon a
wooden surface. The wooden roller is arranged on centres with its axis
parallel to the row of prickers, and the pattern is marked upon it by the
prickers in the manner already herein described, the roller being turned round
and adjusted when necessary by the aid of suitable indices. The same system
may be employed in marking or producing patterns upon any surface, and the
details may be varied in several ways; the Invention essentially consisting in
producing or marking the pattern by means of prickers, markers, or depressers
in connection with keys or stops, conveniently situated for the hand of the
operator. The shift required after each depressing action may either take
place in the pattern surface or in the depressing apparatus, or both may be
arranged to shift, one from right or left and the other back or forward, or by
turning round. This system may be adopted with advantage in printing
patterns of many colors, as it will give much more accuracy of register than
that secured according to the systems hitherto pursued, and the blocks or
rollers for all the colors may be produced independently and simultaneously,
with every certainty of their impressions fitting into and keeping register with
each other.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Cunningham in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
3rd February 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
CUNNINGHAM, of Beith, in the County of Ayr, North Britain, Card Perforator,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
John Cunningham, Her special license that I, the said John Cunningham,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Cunningham, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE PREPARATION OR PRODUCTION OF PRINTING SURFACES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said John Cunningham, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Cunningham, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, that is to say:-
My said Invention relates to a system or mode of reading off or producing
patterns for or upon the rollers or blocks used in printing ornamental fabrics.
Ono modification of this Invention is peculiarly applicable for the production
of pattern matrices, according to the system for which Mr. James Balio
Graham has recently obtained British Letters Patent, bearing date on or
about the Sixth day of February, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four,
and in which the printing or pattern surface is produced by depressing por-
tions of a compound surface or mass made up of pins or types. In carrying
out my Invention, in combination with or upon the base of Mr. Graham's
system, the pins or types which are to form the pattern matrix are depressed

page_text: by prickers or depressing points, a row of cight or other convenient number
of prickers or depressers being arranged in a. frame, which is depressible by a
treadle, after the manner of the punches of the well-known "piano" punching
machine for perforating jacquard cards. In the framic containing the prickers
or depressers, and in connection with them, a set of stops or keys are arranged
in such a manner, that on any of the keys being depressed, the corresponding
pricker will be held, and will be caused to descend with the frame, and so
depress the corresponding pin or type in the pattern matrix beneath, whilst
such of the prickers are not acted upon by the keys or stops will not, on the
descent of the frame, depress the corresponding pins in the pattern matrix.
The frame containing the mass of pattern pins or types is made to shift at
intervals beneath the prickers, so as to bring fresh portions within the sphere
of their action, indices being provided, by which the pattern frame may be
shifted and adjusted with accuracy. This part of the operation may be effected
by means of apparatus, consisting of a cast-iron frame of a suitable size and
height, and square, or of any other suitable form in plan. On the right and
left hand sides of the top of this frame are fixed, parallel to each other, two iron
bars or slides, upon which is set a rectangular frame, capable of sliding back
and forwards upon the bars beneath. This back and forward motion is effected
by means of a screw spindle, reying in bearings in the stationary frame, and
working in a nut on the under site of the moveable frame, an index being fixed
on the end of the screw spindle to enable the operator to make a shift with
minute accuracy. The sliding frame has fixed upon it two iron bars or slides,
lying at right angles to the slides on the stationary frame, and a third frame
is set on the slides upon the intermediate frame frame, being capable of moving
upon this last transversely, or from right to left, and vice versa. The interme-
diate frame has fitted to it an escapenient, worked by a treadle beneath, and
similar to that used in the piano machine for perforating jacquard cards, except
in being made duplex, or with details for working in opposite directions. This
escapement acts upon a rack on the (back) side of the third or upper moveable
fráme, this rack being capable of being shifted so as to be acted upon by either
escapement, and be shifted either to the right or to the left hand, as may be
required. This third or upper frame is moved by a spring or weight, arranged
so that the direction of its action, may be reversed, by means of a reversing
clutch, for example, or otherwise. In operating with this apparatus, the
pattern matrix frame is fixed upon the third or upper moveable frame, and the
apparatus for depressing the prickers is arranged so as to act upon it in this
position. The operator, having his pattern before him, then reads 'off' as much
of it as corresponds to the eight or other number of prickers for which the

page_text: apparatus is constructed; and, depressing the keys indicated by the pattern, he
causes the pricker frame to descend, whereupon the prickers depress the
corresponding pins in the pattern matrix. The pattern matrix is then moved
laterally, by means of the escapement and rack movement, in the frames,
upon which it is carried, in the manner already herein-before described.
This brings a fresh portion of the pattern matrix under the pricker frame,
and the operator, reading off another portion of the pattern extending over
another series of pins, causes the corresponding prickers to descend as before.
He proceeds in this manner to the end of that line in the pattern matrix,
on completing which he shifts the frames below, back or forwards, so as to
bring a fresh line under the pricker frame, and reverses the escapement
and rack action for the transverse movement. This enables him to operate
upon a second line of the pattern in the manner already described, and
he continues working thus from side to side until the entire surface of the
pattern matrix is brought into correspondence with the pattern. A similar
arrangement of mechanism may be adopted for operating upon surface-
printing rollers or blocks, wherein the pattern is produced in relief in metal
upon a wooden surface. If the object to be operated upon is a wooden roller,
it is arranged on centres with its axis parallel to the row of prickers, and the
pattern is marked upon it by the prickers in the manner already herein-before
described, the roller being turned round and adjusted when necessary by the
aid of suitable indices. The block or roller may be set on the shifting frames
Iready herein-before described in reference to the mode of operating on the
type pattern matrix, suitable modifications or additions being adopted in
particular cases. The same general system may be employed in marking out
or producing patterns upon any surface, and the details may be varied in
several ways, the Invention essentially consisting in producing or marking the
pattern by means of prickers, markers, or depressers working in connection
with keys or stops conveniently situated for the hand of the operator. The
shift required after each depressing action of the pricker frame may take
place either in the pattern surface or in the depressing apparatus, or both may
be arranged to shift, one from right to left and the other back or forward, or
by turning round. This system may be adopted with advantage in printing
patterns of many colours, as it will give much greater accuracy in " "register"
than that secured in the systems hitherto pursued; and the blocks or rollers
for all the colours may be produced independently and simultaneously with
every certainty of their several impressions fitting into and keeping register
with each other.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said

page_text: Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I may observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict myself to
the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to describe or
refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom without deviating from
the principles or main features of my Invention. But what I consider to be
novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the general arrangement and construction of machinery, apparatus,
or means to be used in the preparation or production of printing surfaces, as
herein-before described.
"
Second, the system or mode of producing patterns on surfaces or matrices
composed of types or pins built up into a regular mass or masses, wherein a
depressing apparatus, furnished with prickers or depressers, and corresponding
finger keys or stops, and arranged similarly to the well-known "piano
punching machine for perforating jacquard cards, is used for depressing
portions of the pins or types, in accordance with a set pattern, as hercin-before
described.
"
Third, the system or mode of pricking, marking, or producing patterns upon
plane or other surfaces by the aid of an apparatus similar to the " piano'
punching machine for perforating jacquard cards, such apparatus being
furnished with prickers, markers, or depressers, and corresponding finger
keys or stops, and being depressed upon the surface to be marked by means
of a treadle, or other mechanical equivalent, as herein-before described.
Fourth, the system or mode of producing patterns on surfaces or matrices
composed of types or pins built up into a regular mass or masses, and of
pricking, marking, or producing patterns upon plane or other surfaces, wherein
the operator is enabled to act upon eight or other convenient number of points
or units of the pattern at each stroke by means of a depressing frame worked
by a treadle, and furnished with prickers or depressers, and finger keys or stops,
as hercin-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Cunningham, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this First day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
JOHN CUNNINGHAM. (LS.)