Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Apr., 1887
Complete Left, 21st Jan., 1888
Complete Accepted, 23rd Apr., 1888
1, JULIUS GRETH, of 8 Quality Court, Chancery Lane, London, W.C. Artist, do
hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be as follows :-
This invention relates to the method of colour printing from my well-known mosaic
colour blocks, and is intended to facilitate and simplify the operation of printing from
such blocks.
In the arrangement hitherto made the forme and the colour block are placed on the
same plane, in the printing machine, and are caused to receive reciprocating motion
by toothed gearing, or rack and pinion.
My present invention consists in arranging the colour blocks and formes differently
to the foregoing.
In one arrangement the colour block is horizontal and caused to travel to and fro ;
the forme being cylindrical, and the axes of the cylindrical forme and blanket roller
being fixed.
.
In another arrangement the horizontal colour block is fixed, while the cylindrical
forme and blanket roller are caused to travel to and fro over the colour block.
In another arrangement the colour block or blocks is or are arranged upon the
circumferential surface of a cylinder, and the forme and blanket roller are also
cylindrical, and all three cylinders are caused to rotate relatively to each other, as
required.
In the latter arrangement the colour block or blocks is or are curved to fit the
cylinder, and a number of such colour blocks, applicable to various designs or pictures
may be so fitted, the impressions from which are successively taken, as the materials
to be printed are carried forward in the manner well understood.
The usual printing appliances, with obvious modifications, are fitted for adjusting,
taking up wear, and other necessary operations.

page_text: "
In the arrangements hitherto inade the forme and the color block are placed on the
same plane in the printing machine, and are caused to receive reciprocating motions
by toothed gearing, or rack and pinion.—My present invention consists in re-arranging
the colour blocks and formes. In one arrangement the color block is placed
horizontally and is caused to travel to and fro; the forme being cylindrical, and the
axes of the cylindrical formo and blanket roller are placed one above the other, so that
the forme cylinder which has to take up the color is below in contact with the color
block, and the blanket roller is placed perpendicularly over the formno roller, and in
contact with the forme roller to receive the print. The reciprocating motion may be
effected by toothed gearing, rack and pinion, or by rotary movement of coupled axles,
which bring the forme, the blanket roller, and the color blocks, in the exact position
relatively to each other, so that no variation may take place in the outlines, and the
backward movement corresponds with the forward movement and ensures a correct
register." The cylindrical formes are not limited to one kind of formne or process.
Any means which will produce a relief, or guarantee that only the required lines or
portions of the drawing will be covered with colors, will answer the purpose, but I
find it most convenient, when the original to be reproduced is in what is called "black
and white," without any other oil or water color. If a painting in oil color, a
negative has to be taken with a camera and lenses; but if the painting or drawing is
made in water color, the original itself is used direct, and brought in contact with
prepared photographic paper, and exposed to the light, to get a negative. Also a
lithographic stone or zinc plate may be prepared in the following manner. A thin
solution of gum arabic dissolved in water, and mixed with a little acid, and a portion
of black color only sufficient to give the gum a little color, and then with the hair-
brush spray over the stone or zine plate, a uniform fint analogous granulation and
then add the necessary stippling with the pen. Or the stone is only covered with
lines simple or crossed. When this is done and the plate is dry oil with somo litho-
graphic ink is used upon the stone or zinc plate and after soaking in the gum arabic
is washed away with water, and printing ink with a roller is applied to the stone as in
ordinary lithographic printing. The next operation is to print this kind of negative
over the photographic negative. Now this negative is brought in contact with another
prepared paper, with a chrome gelatine film, exposed to the light, and afterwards
developed with lithographic ink and turpentine, and then transferred upon a zinc

page_text: plate and etched in relief, or the zinc plate is prepared with an asphalte solution,
exposed directly to the light with the negative, and developed with turpentine. By
this method the original is reproduced absolutely without the medium of a lithographer
or engraver. Also the original can be printed on the back with black stipple work.
Any kind of reproduction of every description whatever and also direct from nature
can be printed similarly to photographs in natural colors, which problem is not yet
solved. A real picture is produced like the original itself, with regard to the color
blocks, one or two color blocks may be used, one being prepared to give the flat shades
and the ground colors, and the other the dark shades for finishing the picture. But
this last color block may be used with common ink to make outlines, letters &c.; or,
if a more difficult, and highly finished artistic work is wanted, a second printing of
two other colour blocks, or a third color block and key form nay be used.
The table on which the color blocks are placed must have a rising mechanism to
raise the surfaces of the color blocks to their proper level.
In another arrangement the horizontal color block is fixed, while the cylindrical
forme and blanket roller are caused to travel to and fro over the color block.
By this arrangement one or two color blocks can be used, with one or two forme
rollers which take up the colors and transfer them to the blanket roller, which is fitted
perpendicularly over the forme roller, but this arrangement may be carried out in
two different ways. By using one forme roller, the blanket roller has to travel with
it to take up the print. By using two color blocks both forme cylinders travel to and
fro', and use one blanket cylinder, which is fixed in the middle of the press to receive
the print. The raising of the color block table, and the levelling arrangements are
the same as in the machine first described.
In the last arrangement the color block or blocks is or are arranged upon the
circumferential surface of a cylinder, and the forme and blanket roller are also
cylindrical, and all these cylinders are caused to rotate relatively to each other, as
required.
The circumferential surface of the cylinder is made large, so that the curving of
the color blocks may be small. The color blocks are made in the usual way, and the
elastic character of the colors will accommodate the small curve of the block so as not
materially to disturb the relative positions of the colors. This method is only used
with very large pictures or with doubled size paper, or endless paper printed with a
great number of color blocks. The forme cylinders must be of the same size as the
color block cylinder, and also the blanket cylinder; all three being arranged in
horizontal positions perpendicularly over the other or color block cylinder, and the
forme cylinder horizontally, and the blanket cylinder under or over the forme
cylinder. The rotary movements of these 3 cylinders are best effected by coupled
axles. The levelling up movement of every color block must be uniform, and the
color blocks have to be levelled after they are placed on the cylinder.
And in order that my said invention may be particularly described and ascertained
reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of
reference indicate corresponding parts.
Fig. 1 is an elevation shewing one method of carrying out my invention, in which a
is the framing of the machine, 6 bare the color blocks, c c are ordinary inclines for
raising the blocks to their proper level as they wear away, d is a movable base plate
mounted on wheels or rollers e e, and working to and fro' by any ordinary means.
A rack is carried by the framing which actuates a toothed wheel fitted to the axle
of the forme cylinder f, and the same toothed wheel actuates another toothed wheel
fitted to the axle of the blanket cylinder g.
The reciprocating motion of the tablet d thus causes the forme cylinder and the
blanket cylinder g to revolve alternately in contrary directions for printing in a
manner well understood by those skilled in the art.
In Fig. 2. a novel method of imparting reciprocating motions to the tablet d and
color blocks is shewn. A disc m is fitted with a crank pin carrying a connecting
rod n, which drives the tablet d. Another crank pin m¹, and a similar crank pin on
the opposite end of the shaft, communicate motion to the forme cylinder and blanket

page_text: roller g. p is a hand-wheel fitted to a scrow for raising and adjusting the height of
the color blocks.
In Fig. 3 the color block 6 is fixed, and the frames is caused to travel to and fro',
carrying the forme-cylinder fand the blanket roller g over the color block b. a¹ is a
slot in the frame, a similar slot being provided on the other side, in which slides are
fitted to guide the frame s.
9
In Fig. 4 the blanket roller is mounted in fixed bearings, and the two frames s,
carrying the forme cylinders ff, are caused to travel simultaneously, in opposite
directions to and fro', over the color blocks bb, by means of right and left hand
screws tt, driven by drums r. h is the paper roll and the receiving roll for the
printed paper.
In Fig. 5 6 is a roller carrying the color block or blocks, is the forme cylinder,
g is the blanket cylinder, h is the roll of paper to bo printed, and is the receiving
roll for the printed paper.
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 :-
:-
1. In color or polychrome printing, the arrangement of the forme, cylinder and
color block, in such a manner that the colors are taken directly from the color block
to the forme, substantially as herein before described.
2. In color or polychrome printing the arrangement of one, two, or more formes
upon one cylinder, substantially as and for the purposes herein before described.
3. In color or polychrome printing, the arrangement of one, two, or more color
block or blocks upon one cylinder substantially as and for the purposes herein before
described.
4. In color or polychrome printive the arrangement wherchy the color blocks are.
4. In color or polychrome printing the arrangement wherchy the color blocks aro
caused to travel to and fro horizontally under the forme and blanket cylinders, sub-
stantially as hereinbefore described.
5. In color or polychrome printing the arrangement whereby the forme roller is
caused to travel to and fro, the blanket cylinder being on a fixed centre, substantially
as hereinbefore described.
6. In color or polychrome printing as aforesaid, preparing the original design by
stippling, graining or ruling to obtain a negative without a camera, or making
negative stippling, graining, or ruling on stone or zinc plate and transfer a negative
taken direct from the original, substantially as hereinbefore described.
7. The general arrangement and the several combinations of color blocks, formes,
cylinders, and rollers, constituting my improvements in color printing substantially
as herein before described.