AN IMPROVED COLLECTING OR GATHERING TABLE FOR PRINTERS' AND BOOKBINDERS' USE."
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Thomas Howe, of Shacklewell, in the County of
Middlesex, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED COLLECTING OR GATHERING
TABLE FOR PRINTERS' AND BOOKBINDERS' USE."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Thomas Howe at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th October 1877.
WILLIAM THOMAS HOWE, of Shacklewell, in the County of Middlesex.
« AN
IMPROVED COLLECTING OR GATHERING TABLE FOR PRINTERS' AND BOOKBINDERS'
USE."
My Invention consists in an improved table to be used in the collection of the
various sheets of paper required for the formation of a book.
Hitherto the piles of printed sheets have been placed upon a long table at certain
distances from each other, collectors following one another, and picking up a sheet
from each pile. I have found by practical experience that this mode of proceeding
entails a great loss of time, as some of the collectors may work slower than the
others, thereby causing all those behind to be kept waiting.
My improvement consists in a table, by preference of a circular form, being fixed
upon an upright shaft passing through the centre, and which is caused to revolve at a
suitable speed by toothed wheels, a pulley fixed upon the shaft, or by any well-known
means, the ends of the shaft running in suitable bearings. This shaft might pass
through several stories, carrying a table in each one of them.
Again, the shaft may be kept fixed, and the table may be allowed to turn freely
upon the shaft, in which case the table itself would be made to revolve by any well-
known mechanical appliance, or could be pushed round by hand.
The several piles of sheets are placed upon this revolving table, with a collector
in front of each pile. As each pile arrives the collectors take off a sheet and place it
upon a suitable table or desk with guages placed by the side of the collector. By
this means no time is lost in waiting for any one of the collectors, as they work
[Price 6d1

page_text: independently of each other. If by accident one of them misses a sheet he has only
to wait till the pile comes round again.
One of the greatest advantages obtained by this arrangement is that the piles of
sheets are brought round to the collectors, instead of their having to walk to and
fro from each pile, thus causing a great saving in time and labour.
This table may also be employed in any trade or business where it is necessary to
collect successively from different piles.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Thomas Howe in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th
March 1878.
" AN
WILLIAM THOMAS HOWE, of Shacklewell, in the County of Middlesex.
IMPROVED COLLECTING OR GATHERING TABLE FOR PRINTERS AND BOOKBINDERS'
USE."
My Invention consists in an improved table to be used in the collection of the
various sheets of paper required for the formation of a book.
Hitherto the piles of printed sheets have been placed upon a long table at certain
distances from each other, collectors following one another and picking up a sheet
from each pile. I have found by practical experience that this mode of proceeding
entails a great loss of time, as some of the collectors may work slower than the
others, thereby causing all those behind to be kept waiting.
My improvement consists in a table, by preference of a circular form, being fixed
upon an upright shaft passing through the centre, and which is caused to revolve at
a suitable speed by toothed wheels, a pulley fixed upon the shaft, or by any well-
known means, the ends of the shaft running in suitable bearings. This shaft might
pass through several stories, carrying a table in each one of them.
Again, the shaft may be kept fixed, and the table allowed to turn freely upon the
shaft, in which case the table itself would be made to revolve by any well-known
mechanical appliance, or could be pushed round by hand.
The several piles of sheets are placed upon this revolving table, with a collector
in front of each pile. As each pile arrives the collectors take off a sheet, and place
it upon a suitable table or desk, with guages placed by the side of the collector. By
this means no time is lost in waiting for any one of the collectors, as they work
independently of each other. If by accident one of them misses a sheet he has only
to wait till the pile comes round again.
One of the greatest advantages obtained by this arrangement is that the piles of
sheets are brought round to the collectors, instead of their having to walk to and fro
from each pile, thus causing a great saving of time and labour.
This table may also be employed in any trade or business where it is necessary
to collect successively from different piles or heaps.
But in order that my Invention may be fully understood I will proceed more
particularly to describe the same by the aid of the accompanying Sheet of Drawings,
in which Fig. 1 shows a vertical section of my improved collecting or gathering
table, and Fig. 2 a plan of the same.
A is an upright shaft, turning freely in the plummer block B and toe step C; D

page_text: is the revolving table carried by the radial arms E, E, the inner ends of which arms
are fixed to the cast-iron chair F, keyed on to the upright shaft A; G, G, are stays
for strengthening the table; H, H, are tie rods attached at their lower ends to the
radial arms E, E, and at their upper ends to the plate I keyed on the shaft. The
table D is made in the form of a ring, with an open space at the centre for lightness,
but is sufficiently wide at the circumference to receive the several piles of printed
sheets J, J. The shaft A is made to revolve by means of the spur wheel K keyed
on it, and which wheel gears with the pinion L on the intermediate shaft M, driven
by the strap N running on the pulley O. The shaft M has its upper bearing in the
frame P, and its lower bearing in the toe step Q.
It will be readily understood that the table D might be allowed to turn freely
upon the shaft A, in which case the shaft would be fixed, and the table would be
made to revolve by any suitable means.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which the
same may be carried out, I would state that I do not limit myself to the precise
form of construction herein described, but what I consider to be new and therefore
claim as my Invention is, the employment of a revolving table for the purpose
herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Thomas Howe, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.