IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PRINTING TEXTILE FABRICS to be as follows
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION,
We THOMAS BRIGGS Manufacturer and EDWARD WEBB Manager both of
Richmond Hill Works Salford in the County of Lancaster do hereby declare the
nature of our invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PRINTING TEXTILE
FABRICS to be as follows:-
"
This invention has for its object improvements in the construction of machinery
or apparatus for printing a certain class of textile fabrics and consists mainly in a
combination of appliances to facilitate the printing and ornamentation of heavy
cloths or canvases made from jute, hemp or flax in such a manner as to preparo
them for use as carpets druggets, rugs and for other similar purposes.
One part of the invention relates to the arrangement and combination of rollers
and druins and their adjuncts constituting the printing machine and the other part
to the method of preparing and fixing the patterns or printing surfaces upon the
drums or rollers.
According to the first part of our invention we mount in a suitable frame and
upon one level a number of drums or rollers, equal to the number of colours it
is desired to print, these drums are connected together and driven at equni
speeds by means of bevil wheels mounted upon a shaft passing along one side of
the machine.
Upon these drums are fixed the various parts of the pattern in a manner to be
presently described.
Below the centre of these drums and geared to them by spur wheels are placed
the pressing rollers around which passes the travelling blanket.
This travelling blanket is intended to supply the place of the large cylinder in
the ordinary printing machine and with this object in view and to ensure its pre-
serving an even course and travelling perfectly straight, both edges of the blanket
are firmly attached to chains taking into the teeth of wheels fixed upon the ends
of the pressing rollers.
Upon one side and a little below the centre of each drum is fixed the color box
with its furnishing roller and doctor.
The cloth to be printed is placed upon the travelling blanket and in passing
successively under each of the printing rollers receives the various parts of the
pattern.

page_text: With regard to the second part of the invention one of the main objects is to
introduce an improved method of preparing and fixing upon the drums the different
patterns or printing surfaces in such a manner that they can be readily removed
or changed.
A further peculiarity and advantage is in employing such a material as to
prevent the possibility of damage to the patterns which would be exceedingly liable
to occur, if formed by the usual combination of metal, wood and felt.
To secure these advantages we employ a combination of india rubber and gutta
percha; a sheet of the former large enough to cover the periphery of the drum is
firmly attached by means of cement to a sheet of the latter the pattern after
being printed or traced upon the india rubber is cut out and the parts not
required to form the pattern are removed before the cement becomes hard, and
without injury to the gutta percha, which forms the foundation or back upon
which the pattern remains fixed. Or the patterns may be cut out or moulded and
afterwards attached by cement to the gutta percha. Patterns or printing surfaces
so prepared can be held in position round the drums by means of ordinary wood
screws and removed or replaced at pleasure and the diameters of the drums can be
perfectly adjusted by the introduction of one or more sheets of paper between the
pattern and the drum.
--
Other advantages of this method are as stated the non liability to damage by
the increased pressure of the pressing roller necessary in printing coarse fabrics, the
ease with which they can be furnished with a great body of colour and the
diminished cost of the labour in cutting or preparing them as compared with other
methods previously employed.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.***
We THOMAS BRIGGS Manufacturer and EDWARD WEBB Manager both of
Richmond Hill Works Salford in the County of Lancaster do hereby declare the
nature of our invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PRINTING TEXTILE
FABRICS and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
"
•
This invention has for its object improvements in the construction of machinery
or apparatus for printing a certain class of textile fabrics, and consists mainly in a
combination of appliances to facilitate the printing and ornamentation of heavy
cloths or canvases or felted or other fabrics made from jute, hemp flax or other
materials in such a manner as to prepare them for use as carpets, druggets, rugs,
and for other similar purposes.
One part of the invention relates to the arrangement and combination of rollers
and drums and their adjuncts constituting the printing machine and the other part
to the method of preparing and fixing the patterns or printing surfaces upon the
drums or rollers.
Such being the nature and object of our said invention we will now proceed to
describe in detail the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed
or carried into practical effect, and in order that the same may be clearly.
understood we have hereunto annexed a drawing illustrative thereof and have
marked the same with letters of reference corresponding with those in the following
explanation thereof.
The drawing represents a side elevation (drawn partly in section) of so much of
a printing machine made according to our invention as is necessary to illustrate
our improvements.
According to the first part of our invention we mount in a suitable frame ȧ, a
and upon one level a number of drums or rollers b, b equal to the number of colours
it is desired to print, these drums are connected together and driven at equal speeds
by means of bevil wheels c, c actuated by bevil pinions d, d mounted upon a shaft
e, e passing along one side of the machine.
Upon theso drums b, b are fixed the various parts of the pattern in a manner to
be presently described.
Below the centre of these drums b, b and geared to them by spur wheels or pre-
ferably driven by friction of contact only (as shown) are placed the pressing
rollers around which passes the travelling blanket g, g. This travelling
blanket g, g is intended to supply the place of the large cylinder in the ordinary
printing machine and with this object in view and to ensure its preserving an
even course and travelling perfectly straight, both edges of the blanket are firmly
attached to chains h, h taking into the teeth of wheels i, i fixed upon the ends of
the pressing rollers f, f.
Upon one side and below the centre of each drum is fixed the colour box k, k
with its furnishing roller l, and doctor m, m or the color may be furnished by
means of endless blankets as shown at ml ml

page_text: The cloth to be printed is placed upon the travelling blanket g, g and in passing
successively under each of the printing rollers or drums b, 6 receives the various
parts of the pattern.
When printing rugs we prefer that the last section of the machine should be
without pattern rollers or drums but provided with rims or flanges b¹, 6¹ (adjustable
laterally) for the purpose of printing a black or other line along the edges of the
fabric.
With regard to the second part of the invention one of the main objects is to
introduce an improved method of preparing and fixing upon the drums b, b the
different patterns or printing surfaces in such a manner that they can be readily 1
removed or changed.
A further peculiarity and advantage is in employing such a material as to
prevent the possibility of damage to the patterns which would be exceedingly
'liable to occur if formed by the usual combination of metal wood and felt.
To secure these advantages we employ a combination of India rubber with gutta
percha, or other suitable substance; a sheet of the former large enough to cover the
periphery of the drum is firmly attached by means of the cement to a sheet of the
latter, the pattern after being printed or traced upon the india rubber is cut out
and the parts not required to form the pattern are removed before the cement
becomes hard, and without injury to the gutta percha or other substance which
forms the foundation or back upon which the pattern remains fixed.
Or the patterns may be cut out or moulded and afterwards attached by cement
to the gutta percha or other back.
Patterns or printing surfaces so prepared can be held in position round the
drums by means of ordinary wood screws and removed or replaced at pleasure and
the diameters of the drums can be perfectly adjusted by the introduction of one or
more sheets of paper between the pattern and the drum.
Other advantages of this method are as stated the non liability to damage by
the increased pressure of the pressing roller necessary in printing coarse fabrics, the
ease with which they can be furnished with a great body of colour and the
diminished cost of the labour in cutting or preparing them as compared with other
methods previously employed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is
.
First the improved apparatus for printing textilo fabrics constructed sub-
stantially as herein before described and illustrated by the annexed drawing and
Secondly we claim the manufacture and use of printing surfaces for such
purposes by the combination of india rubber with gutta percha or other suitable
backing, substantially in the manner hereinbefore described.
GEORGE DAVIES,
Agent for the Applicants,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester.