IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING MACHINES
Year: 1884

page_text: I, HENRY MARTYN NICHOLLS of 13 Grove place, Brompton Road, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING MACHINES to be as follows:
The printing machines to which my invention relates, are those known as
Perfecting machines, or that class in which both sides of the sheet are printed in
rapid succession.
The object of my invention is to prevent what is known as "set off" on the
surface of the material surrounding the second impression cylinder, by which it is
soiled with the ink of the first impression.
In order that my improvements may be clearly understood, I will describe the
same as applied to a perfecting machine of the class known as "web" printing
machines.
Before the web (which I will suppose to have been printed first on the under
side) reaches the second pair of printing cylinders, it is caused to pass between one.
or inore pair or pairs of rollers.
"
The upper roller of a pair, mounted in suitable bearings, is covered with India
rubber, or other suitable elastio material, and is caused to press the web against'
the lower roller, which is of metal or other suitable hard material, and which has &
Binooth surface; it is also mounted in suitable bearings, and is driven by gearing"
at the required speed.
The lower roller is supported above a tank, in which it is partly immersed; and
which tank is kept supplied with paraffin oil, or other suitable liquid. In the tank
below the roller one or more brush or mop roller or rollers is or are mounted, so as
to move in contact with its under surface, and geared so as to revolve in a reverse
direction to that of the surface of the roller. On the descending side the lower'
rollor is caused to pass an edge of leather, or other suitable elastic material, and
which is caused to press against the roller, while on the ascending side it is caused
to pass in contact with one or more pad or pads of 'soft material, which wipe back"
the liquid from its surface into the tank, and dry it.
As the web just printed on the under surface passes between the pair or pairs of
rollers, the ink "sets off" on to the surface of the lower roller, which, as it revolves,.
after passing the edge of leather and thereby removing some of the ink, is then
washed in the tank by the brush or mop rollers, and, on ascending, becomes freed
from the liquid, and is dried by the before named pads, and thus again meets the
under-side of the web with a clean surface.
1

page_text: I HENRY MARTYN NICHOLLS, of 13 Grove Place, Brompton Road, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING MACHINES," and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
Having in my provisional specification described the nature and object of my
said invention, I will now proceed more particularly to ascertain and describe the
manner in which the same is to be performed; reference being had to the
accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding
parts; and arrows indicate the direction of motion.
Fig. 1 represents a side elevation, partly in section, of the apparatus; the near
side of the tank in which the liquid is contained being removed.
Fig. 2 represents a transverse section of the same, taken through the centre.
Fig. 3 represents a plan of the same.
The apparatus consists of the following principal combinations:-
First, the roller a, and the necessary gear to keep it revolving.
Secondly, the tank b, in which the roller a is mounted, and which contains the
parts connected with the removal of the ink from the descending surface of the
roller a. The parts connected with the washing of the under surface of the roller,
and those connected with the drying of its ascending surface.
Thirdly, the roller c, which is caused to press the recently printed paper
against the upper surface of the roller a; and the gear for adjusting the same.
The roller a is fast on the shaft d, which is free to revolve in the bearings e e, in
the tank b; and which shaft can be driven in any convenient manner at the
required speed.
A strip of leather f, bevelled off on its upper edge, and supported by a steel
blade g, on the side next the roller a, is pressed against it by the flat bar h, which
again is pressed upon by the springs i i.
Underneath the roller a, a mop roller is supported in bearings 11, and is driven
by the chain m, which gears the wheels n and o together. p p represent pads of
cloth or other suitable material, which are pressed upon by the bar and which
bar is adjustable by means of the screws r r.
The roller c is mounted in lever bearings 88, which are free to turn on the
centres t t. uu represent levers by means of which the roller c can be pressed
with more or less force on the roller a.
The roller c is covered with a soft material such as cloth.
The roller a, which is of cast iron, is turned truly cylindrical and smooth.
The mop roller is covered with a thick covering of soft material, such as
flannel.
The mode of operation is as follows:-The paper marked w w, having just
received an impression on its under surface, and passing in the direction indicated
by the arrows (Fig. 2) between the rollers a and c, the roller a, being positively
driven, drives the roller c, and between them the paper is carried forward; and the
roller c, pressing hard, the ink "sets off" on the upper surface of the roller a, which

page_text: surface, as the roller continues to revolve, passes the edge of the leather f, which,
being pressed against the surface of the roller, removes part of the ink. As the
roller a continues to revolve, the surface at first in contact with the paper descends
into the liquid, such as paraffin, contained in the bottom of the tank. Here the
mop roller which is constantly drawn in the opposite direction to the roller a, by
the chain m, effectually washes the under surface of the roller free from ink.
the said surface still continues to move in the same direction the pads p p squeezo
the surface free from the liquid, and the surface of the roller, in a clean and dry
condition, again reaches the under surface of the printed paper, and so the process
is continued.
As
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
The general construction, combination, and arrangement of the several and
respective parts together forming my invention for preventing what is known as
"set off
on the surface of the material surrounding the second impression cylinder,
in that class of printing machines known as perfecting machines, substantially as
herein before described & shewn on the drawings.