IMPROVEMENTS IN AND MACHINERY APPLICABLE FOR VARNISHING, SIZING, OR GUMMING THE SURFACE OF SHEETS OF PAPER, AND IN PART FOR DRYING THE VARNISHED SHEETS."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Rawcliffe and Simeon Rawcliffe, of Liverpool,
in the County of Lancaster, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND
MACHINERY APPLICABLE FOR VARNISHING, SIZING, OR GUMMING THE SURFACE
OF SHEETS OF PAPER, AND IN PART FOR DRYING THE VARNISHED SHEETS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Rawcliffe and
Simeon Rawcliffe at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
6th April 1881.
WILLIAM RAWCLIFFE and SIMEON RAWCLIFFE, of Liverpool, in the County. of
Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND MACHINERY APPLICABLE FOR VARNISHING,
SIZING, OR GUMMING THE SURFACE OF SHEETS OF PAPER, AND IN PART FOR
DRYING THE VARNISHED SHEETS."
This process of varnishing is effected by means of a large revolving cylinder or
frame, upon which, round its periphery, are fixed raised blocks, each block nearly
the size of the sheet requiring varnishing. The sheets are attached to these blocks
by means of cramping pieces, which are worked by a cam or other mechanism, so
as to open at or near the point of extraction of the paper, and close after passing
the point at which the paper is attached. Below the cylinder is placed a smooth
india rubber or other suitable elastic roller of the same or a greater length than
the blocks on the cylinder or frame. This roller runs in the varnish or gum to be
applied, which is contained in a galvanized iron or other cistern or tank almost
enclosing the said roller. The bottom of this tank is preferably perforated, and
supplied with varnish or gum preferably from a higher level, rising up through
the perforations from a chamber below, the reservoir or cistern of varnish supplying
said chamber and tank by means of an inclined pipe, and keeping it at a nearly
uniform height. Above the cylinder we place a feeding board, upon which the
sheets are placed and fed one by one onto the block, past the gumming, sizing, or
varnishing roller to. the back, where they are taken off. Sometimes besides the
varnishing roller and trough we have a drying roller and trough. These are very
similar to the varnishing roller and trough, but are nearer the back, and are filled
with ether. The roller feeds the ether onto the fresh varnish; the result is that a
sort of vapour or steam flies off, leaving the varnish dry. This is only applicable
with ordinary spirit varnishes as far as we are aware.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Rawcliffe and Simeon Rawcliffe in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 6th October 1881.
WILLIAM RAWCLIFFE and SIMEON RAWCLIFFE, of Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND MACHINERY APPLICABLE FOR VARNISHING,
SIZING, OR GUMMING THE SURFACE OF SHEETS OF PAPER, AND IN PART FOR
DRYING THE VARNISHED SHEETS."
The object of this Invention is to provide a machine that will lay upon sheets
of paper or other flexible material a thin layer of varnish, gum, size, or other liquid
or semi-liquid substance evenly and expeditiously.
It is best described by aid of the accompanying Drawings, in which
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation.
Fig. 2 an end elevation partly in section.
Fig. 3, elevation showing gearing for actuating the machine.
A is the cylinder; B, raised part of periphery, on which the sheet is placed;
C, clamp for catching and holding the sheets; D, spreading roller; d, screw sockets
supporting D E, trough for supplying the varnish or other liquid to roller D;
e, chamber below trough; F, air-tight cistern or reservoir for liquid; f, brush on
edge of tin to prevent too great a flow of the liquid on roller D; G, inclined pipe
conveying liquid from F to E; H, feeding board; I, driving pulley; J, starting
handle; K, L, M, N, toothed gearing wheels; O, brake; P, P', spring catches;
S, stop on cylinder; R, cam on wheel L; T, support for trough E; t, screws;
U, guide brush; W, framing.
This process of varnishing is effected by means of a large revolving cylinder of
frame A, upon which, round its periphery, are fixed raised movable blocks B,
preferably of india rubber or other elastic material, each block rather larger than
the sheet requiring varnishing. The sheets are attached to these blocks by means
of clamping pieces C, which are worked by a cam or other mechanism, so as to
open at or near the point of extraction of the paper, and close after passing the
point at which the paper is attached, in the same manner as at present adopted in
printing machines. Below the cylinder A is placed a smooth india-rubber or
other suitable elastic roller D of the same or a greater length than the blocks B on
the cylinder or frame. This roller D runs in the varnish or gum to be applied,
which is contained in a galvanized iron or other cistern or trough E almost
enclosing the said roller. The bottom of the trough E is preferably perforated and
supplied with varnish or gum, preferably from a higher level, rising up through
the perforations from a chamber e below the trough. A movable brush f on edge
of trough E in close proximity to the roller D prevents too great a flow of the
liquid passing up with the roller. The reservoir or cistern F supplying the liquid
to the chamber e and trough E by means of an inclined pipe G, preferably fitted
with a cock, as shown, keeps it at a nearly uniform height. Above the cylinder
we place a feeding board H, upon which the sheets are placed and fed one by one
onto the block, past the gumming, sizing, and varnishing roller to the back, where
they are taken off.
The cylinder A has an intermittent motion to allow of the attendants placing
the sheet in position previous to varnishing, and at the same time withdrawing
the sheet when it is finished. The motion is communicated by means of toothed
gearing from the driving pulley I to the cylinder (the train is more clearly shown

page_text: in Fig. 3), the pinion K gearing into L, to which is attached a quadrant or wheel M
with teeth over about two thirds of its periphery.. The wheel M gears into
pinion N on cylinder shaft, thus allowing the cylinder A to remain stationary
between each operation for about one half the length of period it is in motion.
Instead of a quadrant other equivalent intermittent gearing can be used. The
cylinder is brought to a standstill by a brake O, which tightens on the edge of its
periphery when it completes each revolution, a raised projection on the cylinder
coming in contact with the lever of the brake, which is attached to the framing W,
and forcing it into action. When at rest the cylinder is prevented moving by two
spring catches P, P¹, one on either side of a stop for projection S attached to its
end, and a cam R on the wheel L depresses the catch P before the teeth of wheels M
and N come into gear, thus allowing the cylinder to begin another revolution. A
-toothed wheel on the shaft of the roller D gearing into teeth on one edge of the
cylinder A gives motion to the roller D at such times as the cylinder itself is in
motion. The roller D is supported on screw sockets d, by which its height can be
regulated to suit the thickness of material passing between the cylinder and roller,
and the trough E rests on a support T adjusted by screws t, whereby it can be
raised and lowered to any height as required for the removal of the roller D or
otherwise.
During the operation the sheet is securely held in position by the spring catch C,
and the guide brush U presses it to the cylinder until it comes in contact with
roller D. The block or raised portion of the cylinder B on which the sheet rests
we prefer to make of india rubber (though other compressible or elastic material,
such as cloth, will answer the purpose) somewhat larger than the size of the sheet
to be operated upon. It is attached to a thin piece of canvas, and is fastened
under a rod screwed under the edge of the cylinder at one end, and at the other on
a rod c, upon which it is wound up and can be removed at pleasure.
The driving pulley I is a friction pulley, and is thrown into and out of
gear with the machine by handle J, the driving strap being continuously in
motion.
We sometimes, in addition to the roller D and trough E already described,
arrange another and similar roller 3 and trough 4 nearer to the back of the
machine, with which, in the case where an ordinary spirit varnish has been used,
we apply ether over the newly varnished surface; this dries the varnish, a sort of
vapour or steam arising therefrom.
Having now described our Invention, and the best mode known to us of
carrying it into effect, we wish it to be understood that we do not confine or bind
ourselves to the exact details herein shown and described, as a workable but not
so convenient arrangement could be made oscillating or even reciprocating instead
of rotary, the parts could be widely varied in design, or mechanical equivalents
substituted without in the least departing from the real gist of the Inven-
tion, but that what we believe to be new and desire to protect under Letters
Patent is,-
1st. The varnishing, gumming, or sizing of sheets of paper by clamping or
otherwise attaching them to a smooth and preferably cylindrical surface, and
passing that surface over and against a roller revolving in a trough of the varnish,
gum, or size required, substantially as described.
2nd. The manufacture of machinery for varnishing, gumming, or sizing, sub-
stantially as herein described, no claim being made for any one part taken
separately or when used for a different purpose, but only when combined with the
other necessary parts to form a complete gumming, varnishing, or sizing machine,
substantially as set forth.
3rd. The mode of (and also the apparatus for) drying spirit-varnished sheets, in
which the varnished sheets are passed over the surface of a roller or its equivalent
revolving in a volatile liquid, such as ether, capable of combining with and

page_text: abstracting or evaporating with the liquid or non-setting portion of the varnish,
substantially as described.
In witness whereof, we, the said William Rawcliffe and Simeon Rawcliffe,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Fourth day of October, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
WILLIAM RAWCLIFFE. (L.S.)
SIMEON RAWCLIFFE.
(L.S.)