IMPROVEMENTS IN TYPOGRAPHICAL PRINTING PRESSES
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Peter Armand Le Comte de Fontaine Moreau,
of the British and Foreign Patent Office, 4, South Street, Finsbury,
London, and 39, Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TYPOGRAPHICAL PRINTING PRESSES."-A commu-
nication.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Peter Armand Le
Comte de Fontaine Moreau at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with his Petition, on the 6th July 1853.
I, PETER ARMAND LE COMTE DE FONTAINE MOREAU, of the British
and Foreign Patent Office, 4, South-St, Finsbury, London, & 39, Rue
de l'Echiquier, Paris, do hereby declare that the nature of the Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TYPOGRAPHICAL PRINTING PRESSES" to be as
follows:-
The Invention consists in a certain combination of machinery so
as to give two or more impressions on the same side of a sheet of
paper, without being necessitated to displace it to fix the margin. The

page_text: impressions can be given in two or several different colours, as also in
deeper shades or hues of the same colour.
I produce the multiple impression on a common printing press
arranged for printing only one side either with a single pressure roller
or cylinder, making a revolution for each impression given on a separate
.form, each form being marked and inked by a set of rollers taking their
ink from different ink holders.
Or I operate with two or more cylinders, each cylinder corresponding
to a form, and each form being inked by a set of rollers receiving their
ink from ink holders properly disposed, the sheet passing from the first
to the second cylinder, and receives its impressions after one another,
two or more sheets being impressed simultaneously.
I can print vignettes with a press so arranged with one cylinder by
inking twice or more times the parts of the form where the vignettes
are placed, giving this double inking by additional rollers or portions of
rollers which touch the form only at the places where the vignettes are
to be raised up when their impression is not required.
By this combination I can print both sides of the sheets in several
colors or hues by a single passage of the said sheets on the printing
presses, using endless bands for that purpose.
By another part of the Invention I give a travelling motion to the
inking rollers besides the revolving one. I heat the ink holders to assist
the flowing and better distribution of the ink. I can replace the endless
bands which retain the paper by blades. I avoid the oscillating motion
of the pressure roller by fixing on its driving cog-wheel a sliding bolt,
which entering successively into the driving rack or frame keeps the
cylinder either steady or motionless.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Drawing I., Figure 1, side elevation of a power printing press, with a
single pressure roller A, for two colors.
N, N, N', N', inking rollers; the first touch the form D, D; the
second touch the form C, C, and I, I, ink holders."
Figures 2, 3, and 4, show means of fixing and shifting the marking

page_text: wo colors.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters' Patent,
filed by the said Peter Armand Le Comte de Fontaine Moreau in
the Great Seal Patent Office, on the 6th January 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
PETER ARMAND LE COMTE DE FONTAINE MOREAU, of. the British and
Foreign Patent Office, 4, South Street, Finsbury, London, and 39, Rue
de l'Echiquier, Paris, send greeting...
of
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria... by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of July, in the year,
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the seven-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Peter Armand Le Comte de Fontaine
Moreau, Her special licence that I, the said Peter Armand Le Comte
de Fontaine Moreau, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Peter Armand Le Comte, de Fontaine Moreau, 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, ex-
ercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN TYPOGRAPHICAL PRINTING PRESSES," communicated to me
from a foreigner residing abroad, upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Peter Armand Le Comte de Fontaine Moreau, 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 Peter Armand Le Comte de
Fontaine Moreau, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention,

page_text: and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof,
reference being had to the Drawings hereto annexed, and to the figures
and letters marked thereon, that is to say:---
The Invention communicated to me consists in constructing cylinder
printing machines so as to obtain two or more impressions on the same
side of a sheet of paper without making register at each impression.
Until now two or more separate workings have been required to print
two or more different colours on the same side of a sheet of paper;
thus, a sheet first printed black is taken off the machine, and the
register is re-made on the same or another machine, and printed with
another form in a different color. This second working requires as
much time as the first.
By the herein-after described improvements two or more impressions
are obtained on the same side of a sheet of paper without taking the
sheet from the cylinder, on which it is maintained by means of grippers
while it receives the different impressions.
1
Single cylinder machine for printing two colours:
Drawing 1, Figure 1, an upright longitudinal section of the machine.
Figures 2, and 4, views of the cylinder form table and grippers.
Figure 3, a transverse section of the machine.
A, Figure 1, is the cylinder; I, I', the ductors; N, N, N', N¹, the
inking rollers; M, M, the forni tables; C, C, and D, D, the forms;
T, the laying-on board. The register having been made on the
board T, the sheet is taken hold of at a, by the grippers of the
cylinder A, and is in its second revolution drawn up to b, where the
cylinder A, stops during the complete journey of the form table M, M.
The form table on its returning from left to right puts in motion the
cylinder A, which during this rotation prints the first colour on the
form C, C, occupying half the form table M, M. The latter continuing
its motion, the cylinder performs a second rotation, during which the
grippers still hold the sheet; a second impression is given on the
form D, D, which occupies the second half of the form table M, M.
During this second revolution the cylinder moves with the form table,
and the sheet of paper, after being printed twice successively, reaches i,

page_text: where it is released by the grippers. The sheet may also be released
from the cylinder A, either by means of a cylindrical brush B, or by a
set of hammers represented in Figure 2, Drawing II., or by the
arrangement shewn in Figure 7, Drawing I., and herein-after described.
If the two first means be employed when the sheet is separated from
the cylinder, it is conducted to the point of egress E, by the endless
tapes d. The brush or the hammers are kept apart from the cylinder
during the whole time of the first impression and part of the second:
They are put in contact with the cylinder at the moment that the sheet
is to be taken off. The brush receives its motion from the rotative
movement of the machine.
The rollers which serve to ink one of the forms do not touch the
type of the other form, by which another colour is to be printed, and
for that purpose they are slightly raised during the passage of the form
not to be inked by means of the lifts H, H, set on the sides of the
form table M, M, as shewn in Figures 3, and 4. The lifts H, H, are
provided in two different places with small inclined planes and with
elevated edges corresponding to the passage of the form under the
inking rollers; thus, for instance, the rollers N, N, which are to feed
the form D, D, with red ink, are raised during the passage of the
form C, C, by the small rings which carry the rollers N, N, passing
over the elevated edges of the lifts H, H. The other inking rollers
N', N', perform a similar motion simultaneously.
Double cylinder machine for printing two colours:
Drawing 1, Figure 5, is a longitudinal section of the machine. The
form table is, as hercin-before described, provided with two forms C;
and D, and with two sets of inking rollers N, N, and N', N', and two
ductors I, and 1'. A, B, are two cylinders. The cylinder B, receives
its motion from the cylinder A, by means of three toothed wheels c, d, e,
catching in each other. The cylinders A, and B, turn in the same
direction with the same speed and stop simultaneously. The drum F,
placed between the said cylinders puts them in communication. : The
intermediate wheel d, which cogs with the two large pullies c, and e, is
set on the axis of the drum F. The tapes G, and H, which carry the
sheet of paper pass round the two cylinders A, and B, and over the

page_text: drum-F, as shewn by the red lines in the. Figure. The cylinder A,-is
provided, with grippers as in ordinary machines. The sheet is taken
hold of by the grippers at a, during the stoppage of the cylinder A, and
is then printed with the first colour by the form D; the sheet being
released at ; by the grippers is drawn on by the tapes G, H, passing
over the drum F, and when' the sheet reaches k, the cylinders stop.
The form table returns, and as soon as it begins to move it again gives
motion to the cylinders A, and B; the sheet having reached k, passes
under the cylinder B, and is there printed with the second colour by
the form C; the motion continuing, the sheet is drawn on by the
tapes G, H, and the cylinders then return to their starting point, and
stop until another sheet is taken hold of, when the operation continues
as herein before described.
The inking rollers N, N', in this machine do not pass over the forms
of different colours, and are not raised, as in the herein first-described
machine: The rollers N, can only touch the form D, and the rollers N
the form: C.
This machine and the first herein-before described are applicable for
ruling: sheets for account and other similar books at the same time
with the letter press printing. Two forms are then required, one com-
posed of. straight lines supplied with the coloured ink required, the
other of type.
It
Single cylinder machine for printing borders or other ornaments:
Drawing II., Figure. 1, is a longitudinal section of the machine.
has one cylinder, which stops during the return motion of the form, and
is provided with two ductors, three sets of inking rollers, and a double
distribution of. ink for eacli form. The setting-off sheets are brought
in by endless tapes when the second side of the sheet is to be printed.
R, is the cylinder; M, the form table; c, and c', the two pages of the
form; E, E, the two ductors; A, A, A, A, B, B, B, D, D, D, three
sets of inking rollers. The rollers A, A, A, A, are fed by the ductor E,
and touch the form-allover. The rollers B, B, B, placed on the left
of the former touch-chiefly the ornaments or borders on the page.
The rollers D, D, D, set on the right side of the cylinder. R, receiving
the ink from. the ductor. E', touch only the woodcuts or borders of the

page_text: pages c, and c¹, when the form has passed on the other side of the
cylinder R.
It is to be observed, that the two first rollers A, A, after having fed
the form, take fresh supply of ink from the table before they again feed
the form.
The small rings of the first rollers pass over special lifts for the text
of the impression, at the same time that the small rings of the rollers B,
and D, pass over different lifts of the first set expressly for the orna-
ments or borders, and so disposed that they raise the rollers above the
forms at the places which are not to be inked.
The rollers B, and D, serving especially to ink ornaments or borders,
are arranged with shorter rollers which are made to slide on their axes,
and to be fixed according to requirement opposite the ornaments by
means of set screws.
Machine for printing both sides of a sheet with several colours by a
single passage of the sheet:
The principle of this machine is similar to that herein-before described
when speaking of that represented by Figure 1, Drawing I.; that is to
say,
the printing with two colours is successively obtained by two forms,
and one single cylinder performing one rotation for each colour, without
the sheet being released from the grippers which hold it; however, by
the said improvements the sheet, instead of being withdrawn from the
machine after having received the two first impressions, is made to pass
under a second cylinder, which gives to it two other successive impres-
sions by means of two other forms on its other side, during which
operation the grippers retain the sheet upon the cylinder until it is
carried out of the machine.
Figure 1, Drawing III., represents a longitudinal section of the said
machine, which is constructed similarly to ordinary machines for printing
on both sides, having two small cylinders set near to one another
provided with grippers, and rotating in an inverse, direction without
interruption. The cylinders are raised at intervals, as in the before-
described machines. In this case, however, they are raised as soon as
the printing of the two forms is effected in order to prevent them
touching the forms not to be printed. A pinion acting on a rack gives
motion to the form table, which movement is similar to that of the

page_text: ordinary machines for printing on both sides. The form table, as shewn,
has four forms A, B, C, and D; the two first forms A, B, serve for the
printing two colours on the first side of the sheet by means of the
cylinder E, and the forms C, D, serve for printing two colours
on the second side of the sheet by means of the cylinder F. The
machine is provided with three ductors and three sets of distributing
and inking rollers; the ductor G, serves to feed the form A, with
ink; the intermediate ductor H, feeds the two forms B, and C,
and the ductor I, placed on the left side feeds the form D. It is to
be observed that if the two colors of the second side are to be
different to those of the first side of the sheet, it will be necessary to
make use of a fourth ductor, which will be placed in a similar manner
to the ductor H, by placing it between the cylinder E, and the
ductor G; each of the ductors can be provided with ink of a different
colour, and by such means three or four colours can be printed.
Passage of the sheet to be printed-The grippers of the cylinder E,
takes hold at J, Figure 1, Drawing III., of the sheet to be printed,
and during the first rotation of this cylinder the sheet receives its
impression from the form A, and while the grippers retain the sheet it
receives its second impression during another revolution of the same
cylinder upon the form B. The two colours being printed on the first
side of the sheet, it is seized by the grippers of the cylinder F, at the
same point, and at the same time that it is released from the grippers of
the cylinder E, it is drawn in by the rotative motion of the cylinder F,
and turns with it three times without receiving any impression. During
these revolutions the forward movement of the form table being
complete, the retrograde motion begins, and the sheet is printed on the
second side upon the form D, by the fourth revolution of the cylinder F.
The sheet being still held by the grippers receives, besides, another
impression on the second side upon the form C, by a fifth revolution of
the same cylinder.
The cylinders E, and F, can be disposed so as to perform a greater
number of revolutions according to the number of colours they are to
print. In the generality of the printing machines the inking rollers
to the number usually of three or four, as represented in Figure 2,
Drawing IV., by the letters A, A¹, N, 'N¹, are set on fixed bearings,

page_text: and only have a rotative motion, which is given to them by the passing
of the form or inking table. It will be, therefore, easily understood
that with such arrangements the several parts of the form cannot be
uniformly inked on account of the rollers not having their surfaces
developped equally on the inking table; this causes defects in the .
impression well known to printers. These defects are obviated by
giving a rectilinear alternate motion to these rollers in an opposite
direction to that of the form table. This movement is obtained by
placing the axis of these rollers on moveable bearings a, b, a², b²,
Figure 2, which are placed on slides prepared purposely, and which
are put in motion by means of two connecting rods set on each side
of the framing; these connecting rods act by means of levers suitably
disposed and working with the machine.
Figure 2, Drawing II., which represents the arrangements for
producing the rectilinear alternate motion B, is one of the two connect-
ing rods attached by one of their extremities to the bearings of the
inking rollers, and at their other extremities to the top of the levers c,
moveable on their point of support a, and receiving a circular alternate
motion from the connecting rod D, set in movement by the machine.
The knife of the ductor is hollow, and in that recess a jet of steam
or of heated air is made to pass; each extremity of the knife is provided
with a tap, one for the ingress, the other for the egress, which allows
the heating of the knife to be continuous or intermittent; the ductor
can also be heated by means of a pipe set externally on its side, and
the steam or heated air will pass through that pipe.
The ductor can be set on an inclined plane parallel to the distributing
rollers, in order that the roller fed by it may perform the functions of
distributing rollers. I give the inking tables a cant parallel to the
rollers, to prevent their covering from being injured by the edges of
the table which touch them while passing.
To obtain the additional inking required for ornaments, as already
stated when describing the machine for printing borders and other
ornaments, and represented by Figure 1, Drawing II., short rollers or
parts of rollers N, N¹, Figures 2, and 3, Drawing IV., are employed.
Figure 2, represents a plan, and Figure 3, a transverse section of a

page_text: press drawn through the axis of one of the rollers. The small additional
rollers are moveable on their axes, and are adjusted by means of set
screws, in order that they should only pass over the ornaments. Thus,
when the other part of the form receive the ink only from the two
rollers, the ornaments receive it by three, four, or more rollers; the
small rings which carry these rollers move on lifts or suitable rails, so
as to raise them at the necessary places..
The use of endless tapes to maintain the sheets on the cylinder often
causes some inconvenience, especially when there is not much margin.
To avoid that inconvenience on the lower part of the cylinder a kind
of straight knife i, Figure 2, Drawing II., is applied close to its cir-
cumference, which serves to maintain the sheet when it leaves the
form, and keeps it from being smeared; a moveable hammer K, is also
placed above it, and serves to detach the sheet from the cylinder in
order to have it carried out by the tapes g, passing over the pullies h, h', h¹¹.
The hammer K, receives its motion at the suitable moment to enable
the point j, to touch slightly the roller, and to introduce itself under the
sheet. When this last has its register made on the table S, it is taken
up by grippers herein-after described, and is held between the cylinders
and the tapes e, by which it is conducted to the under part, where it is
pressed on the form; when the sheet continues to advance it is main-
tained by the knife i, and is afterwards detached from the cylinder by
the point j, at the moment it is released from the grippers. By that
contrivance the tapes employed between the rollers and the form are
obviated, and consequently all kind of work can be printed upon all the
forms, whatever be the dimensions of the pages or the smallness of
margin.
Figures 2, and 3, Drawing III., represent the method employed
for preventing the oscillating motion of the cylinder when stopped.
Figure 2, is a side elevation; and Figure 3, is a section through the
centre of the cylinder M; m, its axis is provided with a cog-wheel R,
with part of its teeth removed. This catches with the rack o, o, which
is a part of the form table; a bolt V, is placed against the front of the
wheel, and its lower part ends in a tooth V, catching with the notches of
the rack when the form table and the rack o, o, have performed their

page_text: complete motion. The bolt V, is held on the front of the wheel by the
small plates or guides p, and a slot cut in the centre for the passage of
the axis allows the bolt to ascend or descend. It is also provided
with two catches n, n', which are engaged within the ring i, fixed on
the vertical connecting rod u. This connecting rod is attached at its
lower end to one extremity of the motion beam X, which is provided
at its other extremity with arms, in order to receive from the axis of
the machine a slight intermittent motion by means of an excentric or
double cam y, touching it at each half revolution, one upwards and the
other downwards; this motion causes the connecting rod u, and the
ring U, to rise or fall. This last bearing on the catches n, or n¹, raises
or lowers the bolt V, and the tooth v, to gear or ungear in the rack o:
The tooth v, is double, that is to say, its upper part is elongated, and
its elongation enters the stop piece x, fixed on the framing when the
bolt V, is raised, and by such means the cylinder is maintained
motionless.
When the machine is intended to print several colours like the
machine represented in Figure 1, Drawing 1, the bolt V, is only made
to move when the form table has performed its journey, and in this
case the cylinder performing two rotations at each journey of the form
table, the bolt V, is put in motion only after each double revolution of
the cylinder; to prevent, however, any interruption in the catching of
the wheel R, with the rack o, o, the bolt V, is provided with several
teeth.
The grippers seen in Figure 1, Drawing I., are adapted for the
single cylinder machine for printing two colours, for the machine for
printing two colours on both sides of the sheet, and for the known
machine for printing on both sides with lifting cylinder. They also
serve for the double cylinder machine for printing two colours, and for
the machine for printing ornaments and borders. The grippers are
adapted in the same manner as for the single cylinder machine with
intermittent motion.
The Figures 5, 6, 7, Drawing II., represent several modes of
disposing the endless tapes for bringing the setting-off sheet or carrying
off the printed sheets.

page_text: Figure 7, Drawing I., is a transverse section of a cylinder represent-
ing a different mode of releasing the printed sheet to that represented
in Figure 1, of the same Drawing.
A smaller cylinder I, drawn by cog-wheels suitably disposed,
replaces the brush.
This cylinder is parallel to the cylinder A, and
similarly to it is provided with a notch throughout its length, in which
is set a rod e¹; it is also provided with grippers like the rod e, of the.
cylinder A, Figures 1, 3, and 4. The grippers of the rod e', take hold
of the sheet at c', when those of the first rod abandon it; the sheet
is then drawn by the motion of the cylinder I, in the direction shewn
by the arrow as far as K, where the grippers deliver it to the tapes d,
which carry it out of the machine.
The said improvements in the point holders, in the register points,
in the grippers, in the tapes and tape pulleys consist in replacing the
screws and keys serving to fix them at the required position by flat
springs seen in Figures 6, and 6A, Drawing I., and in Figures 5ª, 6,
and 7, Drawing II., placed within the said organs, and pressing on the
pulley bars which support them. These springs serve to fix them at their
proper position. Although the cylinder machines with an intermittent
motion only have been described, it will be easily understood that
cylinder machines with a non-intermittent or alternate motion will
produce the same results. Several coloured impressions can easily be
obtained on the same side of a sheet of paper by employing as many
cylinders as there are impressions required, and by causing the sheet to
pass from one cylinder to the other without being retained.
And having now described the Invention communicated to me, and
the best manner of putting the same into execution, I wish it to be
understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details of arrange-
ments of machinery herein-before described, as the same may vary,
provided the principle of the Invention be preserved. But what I claim
as new, and intended to be protected by the said Letters Patent, is,
The mechanical arrangements for obtaining several different coloured
impressions on the same side of a sheet of paper by means of a cylinder
holding the sheet in contact with its surface until all the said impres-
sions are obtained, and employing as many forms as there are colors

page_text: to be printed, as herein-before described and referred to in the various
Figures of the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Peter Armand Le Comte de
Fontaine Moreau, have hereto set my hand and seal, this
Sixth day of January, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-four.
L' DE FONTAINE MOREAU. (L.S.)