Year: 1887

page_text: In consequence of certain clerical errors in the original Specification having been
amended by the Patentee with the consent of the Comptroller, the printed Specification
should be corrected to read as follows:-
PAGE 7.
Lines 19 and 20, strike out the words "than has hitherto been known."
Line 20, for
::
or adjustment," read of adjustment.
::
27, for "supplied," read applied.

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Aug., 1887
Complete Left, 25th May, 1888
Complete Accepted, 29th June, 1888
We, JOHN JORDAN, of 69 Rahere Street, Goswell Road, London, E.C. Stamp
Maker, and EBENEZER HOWARD, of Devereux Chambers, Temple, Shorthand Writer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our present Invention is based upon that numbered 2689 of 21st February in the
present year. It has reference more particularly to the class of printing presses or
machines designed for printing cards and similar articles, and has for its object the
production of a printing press or machine of simpler construction than heretofore.
In a printing press or machine having the improvements according to our Inven-
tion the framing of same comprises two uprights with a bed plate there-between.
Cast with, bolted or otherwise secured to one of the uprights aforesaid is a hollow
vertical cylinder with lateral extensions, into which hollow vertical cylinder fits a
hollow cam box or plunger the lower extremity of which is dove-tailed so as to engage
with the back of the chase in which the types are arranged. Said cam box or
plunger may be prevented from turning by means of a groove or channel cut
herein and a pin inserted in the hollow vertical cylinder aforesaid, or by other
equivalent device.
A main shaft supported by the uprights above referred to and working in bearings
passes through the hollow vertical cylinder and cam box or plunger aforesaid; and
attached to or forming part of such main shaft is a cam or are cams which being
within the cam box or plunger, impart, as the main shaft revolves, a reciprocating
motion to the plunger or cam box, thereby bringing the types into contact with, and
withdrawing same from the article to be printed upon. If desired, springs may be
employed to obtain with greater rapidity the retrograde motion of the plunger.
The inking table comprises a sheet of metal (preferably bent so as to form about
two-thirds of a hollow cylinder) fastened at the ends to two ribs or stays, and said
inking table is capable of lateral motion upon slides which form a portion of the
extensions of the said hollow vertical cylinder. Two arms or "roller gates" (one
of which is fixed rigidly to, or forms part of the main shaft, the other being a strap
head capable of revolving freely in a channel formed in an extension of the hollow

page_text: vertical cylinder aforesaid) are connected by means of rods or bars; a suitable number
of inking rollers are supported in slotted holes cut in' said arms and revolve freely
around the hollow vertical cylinder, alternately passing over the inking table and the
types. The inking table may be bent inwards at its lower extremities in order to
permit the rollers to pass freely from the types to the inking table.
For the purpose of more completely mixing or breaking up the lines, the inking
table may be caused to move laterally upon the said hollow vertical cylinder, and in
order to obtain the complete reciprocating motion of said inking table two revolutions
of the main shaft are required, so that the position of the inking table may be
changed once during each revolution of the roller arms. Said intermittent recipro-
cating motion may be imparted to the inking table by means of a grooved cam
secured to the main shaft, in which grooved cam takes a shuttle which is fitted into
one of the ribs of the inking table in such manner as to be capable of turning as a
swivel but other equivalent means may be employed to obtain the same result.
In order to regulate the motion of the cam box or plunger to suit cards, envelopes
or other articles, the material composing which is of different thicknesses, we provide
a wedge furnished at each end with a screw and mill headed nut and said wedge is
placed within the cam box or plunger in the path of the cam. By means of this
device the movement of the cam box or plunger may be adjusted to the greatest
nicety.
:
The inking rollers aforesaid may be kept in contact with the inking table by the
elasticity of the material of which said inking rollers are composed and in order to
secure a proper pressure of the inking rollers upon the types, we provide two lifters
or bearers extending from the back to the front of the machine and preferably sup-
ported on inclined brackets to permit of easy adjustment.
An automatic feed of cards or other articles to be printed may be obtained in the
following manner that is to say; the cards, envelopes or other articles which are to
be printed are placed upon the bed of the machine in front of and rest against a fence,
and between guides, which guides are made adjustable so as to admit of cards
envelopes or other articles to be printed upon of various lengths. The fence before
mentioned extends across the machine and is preferably triangular in section the apex
pointing towards the rear of the machine and the base being vertical and to the front
thereof. In the centre of the fence is a shield formed of a plate of metal capable of
being raised or lowered so as to admit of said shield being adapted to the thickness of
the cards or other articles to be printed, by preventing more than one card being
passed thereunder at the same time; the shield being held in its position by any
suitable means such for instance as a set screw.
The guides, which pass under the fence, rest upon the platen-which latter is a flat
piece of metal fitting into a recess formed in the bed plate of the machine-and extend
towards the rear of the machine, are so formed at the front ends as to suit the shape
or formation of the fence and are furnished with adjusting screws.
Said screws
perform the double function; firstly, of securing the guides in the desired lateral
position so as to adapt them to the length of the various cards or other articles to be
printed and secondly, they press the guides upon the platen thus preventing the
articles being printed from getting under said guides. The adjustable guides have
secured to their inner edges longitudinal strips of metal which press gently upon the
cards or other articles to be printed. A thin metal plate or pusher is attached to a
stud, which latter is caused by the mechanism hereinafter referred to, to move to and
fro in a slot cast in the bed of the machine. In its rearward motion, the pusher
impels the bottom card under the shield and carries it rearward between the guides on
to the platen, said pusher being of such width (that is from back to front) that the
front portion thereof remaining under the pack even in its most rearward motion
there is no liability to draw on the return motion the remaining cards or envelopes
out forwards; and this permits of the pusher being readily returned to its starting
position. The next rearward motion of the pusher carries another card rearward into
position for printing, thereby displacing the previously printed card or other article,
which operation is repeated with each revolution of the shaft.

page_text: The reciprocating motion of the said pusher may be obtained in the following
manner. A cam, keyed or otherwise secured to the main shaft, works in a strap
which is pivoted to the frame of the machine and has formed at its lower extremity a
socket into which fits (so as to be capable of turning) a fork, which spans and resis
upon a rocking shaft. Said rocking shaft is pivoted to the frame of the machine, and
has towards one extremity a longitudinal slot formed therein, in which rides a pin
attached to a slider working in dovetails fastened to the under side of the bed.
The
slider is provided with a longitudinal slot into which fits the stud, to which stud is
attached as before mentioned the pusher. The object of the longitudinal slot in the
slider is to provide a means for regulating the position of the pusher according to the
varying width (that is from back to front) of the cards, envelopes or other articles to
be printed the stud to which said pusher is attached being tapped to take a set screw.
From the foregoing description it will be seen that the revolution of the main shaft
will impart the desired reciprocating motion to the pusher.
When it is desired to print upon thin paper we detach the guides and also the
pusher with its stud, and attach to the slider a light metal frame with a similar stud.
Upon this metal frame is stretched and secured a membranous sheet, such for instance
as vellum, or smooth paper or the like; and, in order to retain the article to be
printed in position and prevent it from being lifted by the type we attach to the said
metal frame, grippers or frisket fingers" which (in their normal position being held
up by means of springs) are depressed as the metal frame is carried under the fence.
It will be obvious that a reciprocating motion will be imparted to the said metal frame
by the same mechanism which is used for operating the pusher. The article intended
to be printed is carried into the printing position where, owing to the formation of the
cam working in the said strap, it rests; it is then printed; and, on its return, is lifted
off and another substituted in the well known manner.
JAMES STEVENSON,
Gray's Inn Chambers,
20, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agent for Applicants.

page_text: Improvements in Printing Presses or Machines.
We, JOHN JORDAN of 69 Rahere Street, Goswell Road, London E.C. Stamp maker,
and EBENEZER HOWARD of Devereux Chambers, Temple, Shorthand writer, 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:-
Our present invention has reference more particularly to the class of printing
presses or machines designed for printing cards and similar articles, although its
essential principles are capable of general application; and it has for its object the
production of a printing press or machine of simpler construction than those hitherto
employed.
In order that our invention may be the better understood, we have appended the
accompanying four sheets of drawings in which Figure 1 is a front elevational view of
the device according to our invention, with the inking table removed, its position
however being indicated by dotted lines. Figure 2 is an elevation of the right
hand end of same with fly wheel removed. Figure 3 is a plan of the same. Figure 4
is a side view with the right hand upright removed. Figure 5 is a detailed view of a
hollow vertical cylinder, plunger, roller cariers and grooved cam. Figure 6 is a
vertical section of the same showing inking table. Figure 7 is a vertical section of the
plunger cam and adjusting wedge. Figure 8 is a sectional elevation of the fence and
shield. Figure 9 is a plan and sectional elevation of the shuttle. Figure 10 is a plan
and elevation of the guides. Figure 11 is a sectional elevation of the moveable
platen. Figure 12 is an end elevation and Figure 13 is a plan of a frame for use in
printing upon thin paper.
In a printing press or machine having the improvements according to our invention
the framing comprises two uprights J, J, with a bed J' therebetween. Cast with, or
bolted or otherwise secured to one of the uprights aforesaid, is a hollow vertical
cylinder L with lateral extensions, into which hollow vertical cylinder fits a hollow
cam box or plunger Q, the lower extremity of which may be dovetailed so as to engage
with the back of a chase S in which the types are arranged. Said cam box or
plunger may be prevented from turning by means of a groove or channel q' cut
therein, in which takes a pin inserted in the hollow vertical cylinder L aforesaid or by
other equivalent device.
A main shaft B supported by the uprights J J above referred to, and working in
bearings, passes through the hollow vertical cylinder Land cam box or plunger Q
aforesaid, and attached to or forming part of such main shaft is or are a cam or cams
which, being within the cam box or plunger Qimpart, as the main shaft revolves, a
reciprocating motion to the cam box or plunger Q, thereby bringing the types into

page_text: contact with, and withdrawing same from the article to be printed upon. Springs may
be employed to obtain with greater rapidity, the retrograde motion of the plunger.
The inking table N, Figures 2 and 6, comprises a sheet of metal, preferably bent 50
as to form about two thirds of a hollow cylinder fastened at its ends to two ribs or
stays n, n¹; said inking table being capable of lateral motion upon slides 1, which
form a portion of the extensions of the hollow vertical cylinder L.
Two arms or roller gates E, E' (one of which E, is fixed rigidly to, or forms part
of the main shaft B, the other arm E' being a strap head (Figures 1, 2, 3 and 5.)
capable of revolving freely in a channel formed in an extension of the hollow vertical
cylinder aforesaid,) are connected together by means of rods or bars M Figure 5.
A suitable number of inking rollers P are supported in slotted holes e e Figure 2 cut
in said arms E, E¹, and revolve freely around the hollow vertical cylinder, alternately.
passing over the inking table and the types. The inking table may be bent inwards
at its lower extremities as shown in Figure 2, in order to permit the rollers to
pass freely from the types to the inking table.
For the purpose of more completely mixing or breaking up the lines, the inking
table N may be caused to move laterally upon the said hollow vertical cylinder L.
Said intermittent reciprocating motion may be imparted to the inking table in the
following manner. The cam which is a ring keyed to, or cast with the main shaft B
has formed in its periphery two grooves or channels ce¹ Figures 1, 3 and 5, which
run parallel with each other for a distance proportioned to the "well" which
may be required of the inking table during the passage thercover of the inking
rollers. The grooves or channels c, c¹ then cross each other at the point y;
into these grooves or channels takes a shuttle 0 (shown in detail in Figure 9)
which is fitted into one of the ribs n¹ of the inking table in such manner as to be
capable of turning. The main shaft B with the cam thereon being revolved, the
shuttle travels along the grooves c c¹, passing from one groove to the other at each
revolution from left to right, and from right to left. The lower part of the shuttle O
is preferably of a semicircular forin, corresponding with the bottom of the grooves in
cam C, and having tapering ends so as to admit of its crossing from one groove in such
cam C to the other without overriding.
The above method of causing the reciprocating motion of the inking table is that
which we prefer, but the motion may be obtained by other equivalent incans.
In order to regulate the motion of the cam box or plunger Q to suit cards,
envelopes and other articles, the material comprising which is of different thicknesses,
we provide a wedge or inclined plane R Figure 7 furnished at each end with a
screw and milled headed nut, said wedge R being placed within the cam box or
plunger in the path of the cam b, and by means of this device the movement of
the cam box or plunger Qmay be adjusted to the greatest nicety.
The inking rollers P aforesaid may be kept in contact with the inking table N
by the elasticity of the material of which said inking rollers are composed; and
in order to secure a proper pressure of the inking rollers upon the types, we
provide two lifters or bearers K Figure 4, extending from the back to the front of
the machine.
Upon the spindles of the inking rollers are fitted small wheels or runners P, P:
Figures 5 and 6, which, in the course of the revolution of the main shaft B, are
brought into contact with the lifters or bearers K, and the inking rollers are
thereby pressed against the types in a well known manner.
We obtain the automatic feed of cards or other articles to be printed upon in
the following manner, that is to say the cards, envelopes, or other articles are
placed upon the bed of the machine, in front of, and rest against a fence U
and between the guides V, V, which guides are made adjustable so as to admit of
cards, envelopes or other articles of various lengths to be printed upon. The fence U
above mentioned extends across the machine and is preferably triangular in section,
the apex pointing towards the rear of the machine, the base being vertical and to the
front thereof. In the centre of the fence U is a shield u formed of a plate of metal

page_text: capable of being raised or lowered so as to admit of said shield being adapted to the
thickness of the cards or other articles to be printed, by preventing more than one card
being passed thereunder at the same time. Said shield may be held in its position by
any suitable means such for instance as a set screw.
The guides V. V. which pass under the fence U, rest upon the platen (which
latter is a flat piece of metal fitting into the bed plate J¹) and extend towards
the rear of the machine, are so formed at the front ends as to suit the shape or
formation of the fence U, and are furnished with adjusting screws. Said screws
perform the double function, firstly, of securing the guides in the desired lateral
position so as to adapt them to the length of the various cards or other articles to be
printed, and secondly, they press the guides V. V. upon the platen T, thus preventing
the articles being printed from getting under said guides. The adjustable guides V V
have secured to their inner edges longitudinal strips of metal, which press gently upon
the cards or other articles to be printed. A thin metal plate or pusher H is
- attached to a stud which latter is caused by the mechanism hereinafter referred to,
to move to and fro in a slot cast in the bed of the machine.
In its rearward motion the pusher H impels the bottom card under the fence
or shield, and carries it between the guides V, V, on to the platen T, said pusher H
being of such width (that is from back to front) that the front portion thereof
remaining under the pack, even in its most rearward motion, there is no liability to
draw out, on the return motion, the remaining cards or envelopes forwards, and
this permits of the pusher H being readily returned to its starting position. The
next rearward motion of the pusher H carries another card into position for printing,
thereby displacing the previously printed card or other article, which operation is
repeated with each revolution of the shaft B.
The employment of a plate H instead of the claw which is commonly used, possesses
great advantages, inasmuch as the plate in its extreme rearward motion remains
beneath the pack, and further, the plate with its stud is easily detached, and a
longer or shorter plate substituted; it also permits of the satisfactory automatic feed
of envelopes, and makes it more easy to feed automatically thin cards.
The reciprocating motion of said pusher H may be obtained in the following
manner. A cam D Figure 4 keyed or otherwise secured to the main shaft B, works
in a strap d, which is pivoted to the frame of the machine at e¹, and has formed
at its lower extremity, a socket, into which fits so as to be capable of turning a
fork e, which spans and rests upon a rocking shaft e¹. Said rocking shaft e¹ is
pivoted to the frame of the machine at F Figures 1 and 2 and has at one extremity
a longitudinal slot formed therein, in which rides a pin g attached to a slider 9,
working in dovetails G G, fastened to the under side of the bed J. The slider g is
provided with a longitudinal slot, into which fits the stud 11, to which latter is attached
as before mentioned the pusher H. The object of the longitudinal slot in the slider g
is to provide a means for regulating the position of the pusher H according to the
varying width, (that is from back to front) of the cards, envelopes or other articles
to be printed, the stud " to which said pusher H is attached being tapped to take
a set screw h. From the foregoing description it will be seen that the revolution of
the main shaft will impart the desired reciprocating motion to the pusher H.
When it is desired to print upon thin paper we detach the guides and also the
pusher H with its stud ", and attach to the slider g a light metal frame W
Figures 12 and 13, with a similar stud . Upon this metal frame W, is stretched
and secured a membraneous sheet, such for instance as vellum or smooth paper, or
the like, and in order to retain the article to be printed in position, and prevent it
from being lifted by the type, we attach to the said metal frame W, grippers or frisket
fingers which, (in their normal position being held up by springs) are depressed
as the metal frame is carried under the fence U. It will be obvious that a recipro-
cating motion will be imparted to the said metal frame by the same mechanism, and
in the same manner employed for operating the pusher. The article intended to be
printed is carried into the printing position, where, owing to the formation of the cam

page_text: working in the said strap, it rests; it is then printed and on its return is lifted off
and another substituted in the well known manner. The cam D is an eccentric,
and part of its periphery may be turned off so as to make it concentric with the main
shaft.
Now, in illustration of the movements of the various parts of the improvel press or
machine in accordance with our invention, we will assume that the fly wheel A which
is keyed upon the main shaft B, is being rotated, and that the inking rollers Pare
just upon the point of leaving the inking table. Then the relative positions of the
various parts will be as follows, that is to say. The shuttle O will commence to
inove laterally towards the point y where the grooves or channels in the cam C cross
each other, carrying with it in its travel the inking table N. During the interval in
which the rollers are off the inking table the plunger, or cam box remains
stationary, and allows the rollers P to pass over, and deliver ink to the types in the
chase S. As soon as the rollers leave the types, the pusher H, by means of a strap d
forked levere and rocking shaft e¹ is carried rearward under the fence U, pushing
rearward the bottom card, envelope or other article of a pack, into the printing
position.
It will be seen that a printing press made in accordance with our invention has an
extremely large inking surface in proportion to the size of the machine than has
hitherto been known, that the said press has an easy method or adjustment of
impression, simple and easy system of automatic feed for cards and envelopes, and
is a machine capable of ready conversion from a card and envelope printing machine
with automatic feed, into a paper printing machine with non-automatic feed, and vice
versa.
It will be obvious that the machine may be furnished with a treadle attachment, or
may be driven by power, and that an ink duct of the well known construction may
be supplied thereto.
Throughout the specification and in the drawings the type is shown face downward,
but it will be seen that the type may without altering the printing or inking mechanism,
be made to travel in any other direction than that described, though this would
involve some modification of the feeding mechanism.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we hereby declare
that what we claim is :-
First The improved printing press or machine substantially as herein set forth
and shewn in the accompanying drawings.
Second: In a printing press or machine an inking table N around which inking
rollers P and arms E E, are rotated such inking table N partly enclosing a hollow
cylinder (secured to or cast with frame of machine) within which hollow cylinder
is a plunger or cam box Q, with a chase S containing the types attached thereto, a
reciprocating motion being imparted to the said plunger by a cam on a main
shaft B passing through such hollow cylinder L and plunger substantially as
described and shewn.
:
Third: In a printing press or machine the combination of inking table N around
which inking rollers are rotated as described with mechanism for imparting to the
said inking table an intermittent reciprocating motion substantiaily as berein set forth.
Fourth In a printing press or machine the combination of adjustable wedge R,
cam b, plunger Q with chase S attached thereto substantially as described and shown.
Fifth In a printing press or machine the combination of the fence U, guides V,
with set screws the fence and guides being arranged as described so that said
guides may be held in any lateral position by means of the set screws and also thereby
pressed down upon the platen substantially as herein set forth.
Sixth The combination of main shaft B cam D strap d with forked lever ell
rocking shaft slider g and pusher H substantially as described and shown.
Seventh-In a printing press or machine the employment of a steel plate or
pusher H resting on bed plate J' and attached to a stud, so as to be readily removed

page_text: and a broader or thicker pusher substituted therefor with mechanism for operating
such pusher substantially as herein described.
:-
Eighth The combination of main shaft B cam D strap d with forked lever ell
rocking shaft slider g and frame W substantially as described and shown.
Ninth A printing press or machine so constructed and arranged that it may be
converted from a card printing machine with automatic feed into a paper printing
machine with non-automatic feed substantially as herein described in reference to
Figures 3, 12 and 13.
Tenth A printing press in which one shaft is employed to produce the impression,
to rotate the inking rollers and to propel the feeding mechanism, substantially as
described aud illustrated in the drawings.
JAMES STEVENSON,
Gray's Inn Chambers,
20, High Holborn, W.C.,
Agent for Applicants.