IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINT- ING APPARATUS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Foss, of 15, Aldgate, in the City of
London, Stationer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINT-
ING APPARATUS."
Sealed the 3rd November 1858, and dated the 29th August 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Foss at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
29th August 1853.
I, JOHN Foss, of 15, Aldgate, in the City of London, Stationer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN PRINTING APPARATUS" to be as follows:-
The object of this Tnvention is to combine suitable apparatus into
a hand printing instrument, and consists of a frame with a handle, in
which is placed a roller having thereon the "form" or printing surface
which is for the time being to be used. The frame is also arranged
to receive two inking rollers, which are drawn towards. the printing
roller by bands of vulcanized india-rubber or other convenient means,

page_text: such inking rollers being caused to come in contact only with the print-
ing "form
or surface. The apparatus may also be further combined
with an inking trough and roller to supply ink to the inking rollers.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Foss in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 28th February 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, 1,
JOHN Foss, of 15, Aldgate, in the City of London, Stationer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of August, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in
the seventeenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said John Foss, Her special
licence that I, the said John Foss, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Foss, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PRINTING APPARATUS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said John Foss, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Foss, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof (that is to say):
The object of this Invention is to combine suitable apparatus into a

page_text: hand printing instrument, and consists of a frame with a handle in
which is placed a roller having thercon the "form" or printing sur-
face which is for the time being to be used. The frame is also
arranged to receive two inking rollers, which are drawn towards the
printing roller by bands of vulcanized india-rubber or other convenient
means, such inking rollers being caused to come in contact only with
the printing "form" or surface. The apparatus may also be further
combined with an inking trough and roller to supply ink to the inking
rollers.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed
to describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1, is a back view of an instrument or printing apparatus
combined according to my Invention. Figure 2, shows a plan thereof.
Figure 3, shows a front view; Figure 4. a side view; and Figure 5,
is a portion of one of the end frames. A', A, are the inking rollers,
on to which ink is from tinie to time to be spread by passing them.
over an inking table on which ink is spread. B, is the printing roller.
the printing surface of which may be fixed or form part thereof, or
the printing surface may be moveable, and temporarily fixed when in
sc. D, is the handle by which the instrument is moved over the
surface to be printed. E, is a spring for retaining the printing roller
in the proper position. F, F, are set screws to regulate the position
of the axes of the inking rollers, and they are kept up thereto by bands
of vulcanized india-rubber, as shown. Figures 32, 33, 34, 35, 36,
and 87, show plans and end views of the inking rollers and the
printing roller. The apparatus or instrument above described has no
inking apparatus applied thereto.
I will now proceed to describe like printing apparatus arranged
suitably for having combined therewith ink trough and rollers for
keeping up a supply of ink to the inking rollers. Figure 6, shows
a side view of such an arrangement or combination.
is a plan thereof, part of the handle not being shown.
is a sectional view of the apparatus. Figures 9, and 10, show two
Figure 7,
Figure 8,

page_text: views of the roller M, and parts connected therewith; and Figures 11,
to Figure 31, inclusive, various views of the principal parts sepa-
rated from the other parts. The nature of each such view will readily
be understood by reference to them in the Drawing. G, is the
handle, fixed to the frame II, as is shown. J, wheels, which are
on the driving or main axis of the apparatus. These wheels J, are
coated with vulcanized india-rubber. J', is a cog-wheel fixed on the
axis of the wheels J; it takes into and gives motion to the pinion L³,
on the axis of the roller I, the axis of which turns in bearings in the
side framings. J², and J, are cams fixed on the axis of the wheels J,
which cause the roller M³, to be pressed against the roller L, by acting
on the rollers carried by the spring armis N, N'; and the axes of the
roller I, is carried by the arms N', N. The printing is performed by
the roller K, on which the printing form K', is formed or fixed.
K, K, are cams on the roller K. M, M, M, are inking rollers
covered with vulcanized india-rubber or composition as heretofore used.
O, are cranked lever arms to carry the axes of the frame P, of the
rollers M, M, and the axes of the rollers O¹, 0%. The supply of ink
is contained in the ink trough Q. The pressure of the rollers M', M²,
is regulated by means of the springs R, R, and S¹, S, S³, S', are set
screws for regulating the pressure of the inking rollers M, M, the
surface of the roller L, and the printing surface K. In order to
prevent the apparatus being moved backwards over the surface to be
printed the ratchet or catch T, is used, the catch being kept down
by the spring T. The ink trough Q, is pressed down by the screws
U, U³, on to the roller J, on the axis J, which forms the bottom of
the ink trough; and it is from this roller that the roller M, at intervals
receives ink, and transmits it to the surface of the wood or metal
roller L, and distributes it thereon, and the rollers M1, M2, receive the
ink from the surface L. The screw U, holds up ink box Q, to the
cross bar which carries the screws U, U. W W W W are
sliding pieces to hold the rollers acted on by the screws S¹, S*, S³, St.
The roller M³, is drawn towards the roller J, by means of bands of
vulcanized india-rubber, and that roller is moved away against. the
pressure of those bands by the cams J¹, J.

page_text: Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner
of performing the same, I would have it understood that I make no
claim to any of the parts separately, nor do I confine myself to the
details as shown and described; but what I claim are the combinations
of parts as herein described.
In witness whereof, 1, the said John Foss, have hereunto set
my hand and scal, this Twenty-eighth day of February, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-
Witness,
FRED HARRIS.
JOHN FOSS. (L.S.)