Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Nov., 1899-Accepted, 27th Jan., 1900
T, HENRY EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 6. Bream's Buildings,
Chancery Lane, in the County of London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to certain improvements in printing machines.
There is a great demand at the present time, particularly among the publishers
of newspapers, for machines that will not only print and perfect in the usual
manner, but also which will print in colors, such machines being used more
particularly for the production of colored illustrated supplements, and an attempt
has been made to supply this demand by providing the ordinary newspaper
printing machine with attachments for printing in colors. These attachments,
as practically used at the present time, are generally constructed by adding to an
ordinary newspaper printing machine of the perfecting type, a set or sets of
additional printing couples, one for each color to be printed. These couples are,
however, all designed and arranged to print on the same side of the web, and
consequently have their printing or plate cylinders arranged on one side of the
lead of the weh, and their impression cylinders arranged on the other side of the
lend of the web. Attachments so constructed, when added to the large presses
in common use-take up considerable space in the press-room, are expensive to
build, and, since they are adapted, by reason of their arrangement, to print only
in colors, must stand idle when the machine is not running on color-work.
Constructions have also been suggested, in which the printing machine is to
be provided with a number of sets of couples, say four or more, so disposed with
relation to each other, that the web or webs may be led to them in various ways.
In such constructions, by varying the web leads, and the sequence in which tho
web passes between the several couples, a machine is produced which is capable
of printing in colors with one or some leads of the web, and printing in black,
or perfecting, with other leads of the web. In all such machines, however, it
is necessary in changing from color to black, and vice versa, if all the couples are
to be used, to change the direction of rotation of some or all of the printing
couples, through or between which the web passes. That is to say, when the
machine is arranged to print in black or to perfect, the web runs in one direction
through the supplemental couples, and when the machine is arranged to print.
in colors, the web runs in the opposite direction through the supplemental
couples. Since, however, the impression cylinder of each couple is provided with
a wrapping or blanket, which is wound thereon in the direction in which the
cylinder is intended to rotate, the reversal of the direction of rotation of the
impression cylinder causes, or tends to cause, the blanket to unwind, or work

page_text: loose, under the heavy pressure it receives from the printing or plate cylinder.
The impression cylinder, therefore, must either be re-blanketed for each style
of printing, or else its effectiveness will very soon become seriously impaired, or
altogether destroyed, and exceedingly poor work will result.
Furthermore, in machines employing a double-wide cylinder, it is very desir-
able, for reasons well understood in the art, to have the printing plates staggered
on the plate cylinder, so that some portion of the plate cylinder will always be
running in contact with the impression cylinder, and this construction has been
adopted on the best machines of this character.
In double-wide machines employing staggered plates, and printing on a double-
wide web, if the direction of rotation of the printing couple be reversed, the im-
pressions cannot be made to fall properly on the opposite sides of the web, unless
a slitting mechanism be employed to slit the web, and, in addition, a compensating
mechanism be introduced to retard or increase the length of travel of one or both
portions of the web. Such constructions, however, produce a machine of con-
siderable complexity of mechanism, and are objectionable for that and other
reasons.
1t is the object of this branch of the invention to produce a perfecting machine
in which some of the sets of couples may be used, with slight adjustments, either
for printing in colors on one side of a web, or to perfect or print in black on both
sides of a web, and to do this without reversing the direction of rotation of the
impression member of said couples, a machine being thus produced in which the
full number of couples may be employed at all times, whether the machine be
running in colors or in black, which is particularly adapted for use with stag-
gered plates, and in which it is not necessary to re-blanket the impression cylinder
when the direction of rotation of the plate cylinder is reversed.
The second branch of the invention relates to constructions devised more
particularly to enable half-tone printing plates to be successfully printed from, in
fast printing machines, and, more particularly, those intended to print news-
papers.
Half-tone plates are now widely used for illustrative purposes, not only in
the finer classes of work, but also in newspaper work, where they have almost
entirely supplanted the old-style relief plates. They are prepared by photograph-
ing the object which it is desired to illustrate through a ruled screen, which
usually consists of two pieces of plate glass having fines ruled upon them, the
lines being filled with an opaque pigment. These pieces of ruled glass are placed
so that the lines on one plate cross the lines on the other plate, so as to produce
a fine network. The screen thus prepared is placed in a camera immediately in
front of the sensitive plate, and the picture is taken. The photographic image
on the negative is broken up into a grain, the tones being reproduced in the
negative by a multitude of very small dots. The screens are ruled with various
degrees of fineness, the degrees of fineness of the ruling determining the size
of dots or grain points, and also the excellence of the picture. If a fine picture,
containing a great amount of detail, and closely approximating to the original
in lights, shades, and intermedinte tones, he desired, very fine screens must be
used. If. on the contrary, a coarse, reproduction is all that is desired, much
courser screens can be used. The screens vary from, say, fifty-five lines to the
inch for coarse work, such as poster work, to one hundred and seventy-five lines
to the inch, and sometimes even more, for very fine half-tone reproductions.
The negative having been taken through the ruled screen, as above described.
is superposed on a sensitized zinc or copper plate, and the picture is printed
thereon. The plate is sensitized with a bichromate film, generally of albumen,
gelatine, gum, or fish-glue. The film, after being exposed under the negative,
is developed by washing away the parts which have been protected from the
light, the development being continued until the zine is laid bare between the
dots. The plate is then dried, and, in the case of fish-glue, which is the medium
now usually employed, the plate is heated until the glue is made sufficiently

page_text: hard to form a "resist" for acid. The plate is now etched until the dots are made
to stand in sufficient relief, so as to form a printing surface.
It will be understood that in making a plate as above described, if very coarse
screens are used, the etching can be continued much longer than if very fine
screens are used. It is, of course, clear that the longer the plate is etched, the
greater the relief in which the dots will stand, and, consequently, the better the
printing surface, from a typographic point of view, though not an artistic point
of view, since the coarse screens, as has been before stated, give resulting plates
with very little detail in the picture. If, on the other hand, it be attempted to
etch down a plate made with fine screens, so as to give it a high relief, tho acid
will undercut the dots, and the plate will be ruined.
It will be readily seen, that the problem of printing from plates prepared as
has been heretofore described, is wholly different to that of printing from a
relief surface such as type or stereotypes. With type and stereotypes, the printer
is dealing with surfaces of very considerable relief, whereas, in printing from half
tone plates, the relief, even in the coarsest plates, is exceedingly small. The
conditions in the press, therefore, which conduce to successful printing from sur-
faces in high relief, are not such as to produce successful prints in half-tone plates.
The finest half-tones are printed on special presses having inking devices which
are cutirely different to those used on ordinary presses, and constructed to give
an amount of evenness in the spread of the ink, which is not attainable in the
ordinary press. The cylinders are also specially constructed for keeping a steady
impression between them, in order to avoid any wear on the edges of the plates,
and also to ensure that the surfaces run together in perfect unison, so as to avoid
any wear on the plate, for it will be readily seen that if there is any drag between
the cylinders, the design which lies upon the surface of the half-tone plate, in a
succession of minute dots, will be wiped off or marred, and will show a black
smut mark wherever such marring occurs.
In newspaper work, however, it is not practicable to use special machines for
the half-tone plates, for reasons which are obvious, and it has been customary,
therefore, to mount the half-tone plates on a backing, and inset them in various
ways into the surface of the stereotype plates from which the paper is printed.
The result is that, because of the differences in conditions before noted, high-
grade half-tone printing has not yet been attained in newspaper machines.
Only plates produced with coarse screens can be used, giving pictures with little
detail, and even with these plates the pictures are blurred and indistinct, in-
stead of being sharp and clear. Another reason for the lack of success in print-
ing from half-tone plates in newspaper work, is to be found in the difference
between the impression surfaces which must be used for successful work with
stereotype and with half-tone plates. With stereotype plates, a blanket of more
or less softness is used, in order to compensate for inequalities in the plate, due
to variations in the height of the type from which the plate is cast, and other
slight unevennesses. A hard impression surface, however, is a practical necessity
for successful printing from halftone plates, as, with such a surface, the paper
picks up the ink clearly and sharply from the tops of the points of the plate,
while a a soft blanket allows the paper to be depressed, as it were, between the
points, and, at the same time, permits a slight drag or wiping action, which pro-
duces a blurred and smutted print. If, however, it be attempted to use as hard
a blanket as should be used with half-tone plates, with stereotype plates, a perfect
impression of the printed page would not result, because of the variations in the
stereos heretofore referred to.
Furthermore, there is an accuracy of gear-work on the special presses used
for printing with half-tone plates which is not necessary, and is, therefore, not
attained in presses designed to print from stereos, and any inaccuracy in the gears
which will permit any unevenness of running between the printing and im-
pression cylinders, will also cause a drag, and make a blurred picture.
It is the object of this branch of the invention to produce a printing machine

page_text: which shall combine the characteristics necessary for good half-tone printing
and good stereotype printing, so as to render it possible to produce a grade of
half-tone work in rapidly-running printing machines, which has heretofore been
regarded as practically impossible.
Another branch of the invention relates to certain improvements in inking
apparatus, and is more particularly directed towards improvements in inking
apparatus designed for use in connection with web printing machines having a
plurality of pairs of printing couples, said couples being capable of being arranged
to at times perfect a web, and also to print it in colors, or colors and half tone,
and, at other times, to perfect a plurality of webs, or print upon one side of the
web with half-tone plates and stereotype plates.
While, however, this branch of the invention is particularly adapted for the
use above stated, and is shown in connection with a machine constructed to effect
the results named, it has a much wider field of application. It is not, therefore,
to be limited to use with this particular style of machines, as it may be used with
any machine in which it is desired to change quickly from one colored ink to
another, or in which it is desired to blend or mix inks of different colors.
In some printing machines, and particularly in machines in which the couples
are at times used to print and perfect webs, and at times used to print in colors
on a web, it is, of course, necessary to change the color of the ink used, and to do
this as expeditiously as possible.
One of the objects of this branch of the invention is to produce mechanism by
which a change in the color of the iuk used can be rapidly effected, and to do
this with little or no change in the mechanism of the machine.
A further object of this branch of the invention is to produce an inking ap-
paratus in which a plurality of colors can be supplied to a single set of distributing
and form rollers, the colors being mixed or blended over the entire surface of
the rollers, and producing, by the blend, a different color.
In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and
in which like characters of reference indicate the same parts.
Figure 1 is a side view of a quadruple press embodying the invention, and with
the web leads so arranged that the machine will print in black on one side of
a web, and in colors on the other, or in black on one side and in colors and a
half-tone illustration on the other.
Figure 2 is a side view of the machine shown in Figure 1, but with the web
leads and adjustments so arranged that the machine will either perfect two webs
in black, or perfect one web, and print from half-tone and stereotype plates on
another.
Figure is a plan view of the construction shown in Figure 1, illustrating the
gears employed for operating the couples, and also the arrangement of half-tone
and stereotype plates.
Figure 4 is a section of the construction shown in Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a detail elevation, illustrating particularly the inking apparatus
and the devices for controlling the same.
In the embodiment of the invention chosen for illustration, which is, in its
general features, a machine of the ordinary quadruple type, 1 indicates the frame
of the machine, having the usual roll supports 2 for carrying the web rolls 3,
which supply the paper to the machine. Considering the couples at the lower
part of the machine, 5 indicates the printing or plate cylinder, and 6 the im-
pression cylinder of the first pair of couples, which act to print in black on one
side of the web, and 7 and 8 indicate the plate and impression cylinders which
print upon the other side of the web. The printing cylinders 5 and 7 are supplied
with inking mechanisms 9 and 10, which may be of any usual type, though they
will preferably be of the type described later in this specification.
Considering the couples at the upper part of the machine, 12 indicates a shaft
upon which a plate cylinder 13 is mounted. The impression member of the couple
of which the cylinder 13 forms a part, consists of an impression cylinder 14,

page_text: mounted upon the shaft 15, the shaft being mounted in the usual adjustable
boxes 15', the adjustmont being controlled by the screws 15. These two cylinders
are geared together by means of the gears 18 and 19, which are mounted upon
the shafts 12 and 15 respectively, and are operated from a train of gears 20, 21,
22, which train meshes with the gear on the impression cylinder of the second
couple, or derives its movement irom any other suitable rotating part of the
machine.
The printing member or plate cylinder 23 of the other printing couple, is
mounted on a shaft 24, which is located in suitable bearings in the machine.
The impression member of this couple consists of two impression cylinders 25,
26, which are mounted respectively on shafts 27 and 28. The shaft 27 is mounted
in adjustable boxes 29, the adjustment of these boxes being effected by the ad-
justment of set screws 30, 31, this construction being of an ordinary and well-
known character. The shaft 27 (see Figure 3) is provided on that end which is
furthest from the observer in Figure 1, with a gear 32, and on its opposite end
with a gear 3. The shaft 24 which carries the printing or plate cylinder 23,
is provided with a gear 34, which gear is located on that end of the shaft which
is furthest from the observer in Figure 1. This gear is secured to the shaft in
any suitable manner, as by a spline and set screw, and is made adjustable length-
wise on the shaft. The shaft 28 is mounted in adjustable boxes 35, the adjust-
ment of these boxes being effected by set screws 36 and 37, and has upon that end
which is lurthest from the observer in Figure 1 a gear 38. The shaft 28 is pro-
vided on its opposite end with a gear 39, which is or may be secured to the shaft
by a spline and set screw, and which is mado adjustable lengthwise on the shaft.
The gear 32 is in mesh with the gear 20 of the train before referred to, and
derives its movement therefrom.
Supposing that it be desired to arrange the machine to print in colors, as shown
in Figure 1, the shaft 28 is, by means of its adjustable boxes, lowered, so that
the impression cylinder carried thereby will be out of contact with the plate
cylinder 23, and the gear 39 is adjusted outwards on the shaft 28, so that it will
be out of mesh with the gear 33. The gear 34 is so adjusted on its shaft, that
it will be in mesh with the gear 32 on the shaft 27, which shaft, as before stated,
carries the impression cylinder 25, and out of mesh with the gear 38 on the
shaft 28. With this arrangement of the gearing it will be seen that the cylinders
25 and 23 will rotate in the direction indicated by the arrows in Figure 1. The
web W passing from the impression cylinder 8, and over the web guide 42, may,
therefore, be led directly between the plate cylinder 23 and the impression
cylinder 25, and receive a second impression on the same side as that imparted
to it by the cylinder 7. Passing from the cylinders 23, 25, over the web guide 43,
the web may be led between the cylinders 13 and 14, and receive a third im-
pression on the same side, after which it passes over the guides 44, 45, 46, and is
led to the folder, or to some point where it may be associated with another web
or webs coming from other printing couples.
If, however, it is desired to use the machine to perfect two webs, instead of
printing in colors on a single web, the shaft 27 is lowered by means of its ad-
justable boxes, so that its impression cylinder will be out of contact with the
plate cylinder 23, and the gear 34 is so adjusted on its shaft as to be out of mesh
with the gear 32, and in mesh with the gear 38. The shaft 28 is raised by means
of its adjustable boxes, until its impression cylinder is in contact with the plate
cylinder 23. The gear 39 is so adjusted on its shalt as to be in mesh with the
gear 33. With this arrangement of the machine, motion is imparted by the
gear 20 to the gear 32 and the shaft 27, which, in turn, by means of its gear 3:3,
rotates the gear 39, and the shaft 28. The gear 38 on the shaft 28 rotates the
gear 31, and the shaft 24 which carries the plate cylinder.
A second web roll is mounted on the upper pair of supports 2, and the web W
is led from the guides 45, 46, 47, and 43, between the parts of the couples 1:3
and 14, receiving an impression on one side, and, from the guide 49, between the

page_text: cylinders 23 and 26, by which it is given an impression on the opposite side.
From this couple it is led out of the machine into the folder, where it is or may
be associated with the web which is being printed by the first set of couples 5, 6,
7, and 8.
It will be seen that a machine thus constructed can be almost instantly
changed from a color run on one web, to a run on two wobs in black, and, when
in either adjustment, reversal of the direction of rotation of the operative im-
pression is not necessary, thereby avoiding the ill effects due to loosening the
blanket, or the necessity of re-blanketing.
In case the plate cylinder 2 carries staggered plutes, a slight adjustment of
these plates will be necessary, but this can be easily accomplished by well-known
agencies, which it is not necessary to illustrate or describe.
This branch of the invention may be carried into effect in various ways. A
convenient way of carrying it into effect is, as in the form shown, by substituting
for one of the printing couples of a quadruple press, a couple consisting of a singlo
plate and two impression cylinders. It is not, however, limited to uso in such
a press, but such couples may be substituted in any form of perfecting press.
Or, by adding a pair of couples, one of which consists of a single plato and two
impression cylinders, to the ordinary quadruple press, the same may be converted
into a sextuple press, having capacity for color printing.
In the description of the machine so far given, it is assumed that all the
couples are provided with the ordinary stereotype plates. When, however, the
machine is designed to carry out the second branch of the invention namely,
to print from both stereotype and half-tone plates, the ordinary stereotype plates
will be removed from the cylinders 8, 21, and 13. The cylinder 13 will be ar-
ranged so as to carry half-tone plates only, these plates being shown in plan in
Figure 3, and numbered 40. The stereotype plates on the cylinders 8 and 23
are cut away, so as to leave gaps or spaces, which will leave the web imprinted
as it passes between the couple. Said cut-away stereotype plates are shown on
the cylinder 23, at 41 in Figure 3. As has been indicated, similar cut-away
plates will be carried by the cylinder 8, and, of course, the cut-away spaces in
the plates on the cylinder 8 will register with the cut-away spaces in the plates on
the cylinder 23. As the web is led to the couple by which the half-tone printing
is to be done, these imprinted spaces will register with the impression to be de-
livered by the half-tone plates 40 carried on the printing member 13.
In the machine shown in the drawings, therefore, when arranged as described,
the web is printed by the couple 5, 6, on one side, it is then printed on the other
side by the couples 7, 8, and 23, 25, one of these couples, in this arrangement of
the machine, being arranged to print in colors. The web then passes onto the
couple 13, 14, carrying the half-tone printing plates, and half-tone impressions.
are placed upon it in the proper register.
When the machine is to be used to print half-tones, particular attention will
be paid to the gearing by which the cylinders 13, 14, are operated, the said
gearing being more carefully constructed, so as to produce a steady, even, and
smooth impression.
By arranging the half-tone plates on a separate printing couple, a single
organized machine is produced, which will print both from half-tones and stereo-
type plates, and which has all the advantages of the special half-tone press,
since, as will be readily seen, it is possible to regulate the inking, the packing
of the impression cylinder, and the gear work, in the way required by this
peculiar printing surface, and the pressure. Thus, all the conditions necessary
to produce a perfect half-tone print can be easily established, and this without
in any way affecting the efficiency of the couples which carry the stereotype
plates. As a result, half-tone plates made with screens of much finer ruling can
e used, than has heretofore been possible when the plates have been printed
on the same cylinder with the stereos, and far better printing results are attained.
While the half-tone couple has been shown in connection with other couples

page_text: in a quadruple press, it will, of course, be understood that it may be used in any
other form of press having any desired number of couples, since it is obvious
that a couple carrying only half-tone plates may be arranged so as to co-operate
with the stereotype plate carrying cylinders of any printing machine, it being
only necessary to cut away the plates where the half-tone impression is to fall.
While any form of inking mechanism may be used in connection with the
machine so far described, care being taken, of course, in the case of the holf-
tone couples, to provide such a mechanism as will give the distribution required
for such printing, the construction of this mechanism will preferably be that
shown in detail in Figure 5, which construction forms another branch of the
invention.
In the machine which has been chosen to illustrate the invention, the lower set
of couples, 5, 6, 7, 8, may be inked by any ordinary mechanism. Each of the
upper couples, however, is shown as provided with a single set of form and
distributing rollers, each set being arranged to receive its ink from a plurality
of sources. The single set of distributing and form rollers from which the printing
member 13 of the couple 13, 14, is supplied, is marked 50. This set of distributing
and form rollers may be variously arranged, but the arrangement shown, in
which two sets of rollers receive their ink from a single primary distributing
roller 51, is regarded as an efficient one, because of the excellent distribution
obtained thereby.
In the machine shown, the sources from which ink is supplied to the set of
distributing and form rollers, are two in number, and consist of fountains 52 and
53. These fountains are provided with the ordinary fountain rolls 54 and 55,
said rolls being operated by pawls 56 and 57. These pawls are carried on arms 58
and 59, these arms being carried on shafts 60 and 61. From the shafts 60, 61.
extend arms 62, 63, and these arms are connected by links 64, 65, to a rock
lever G6. The connections between the links 64, 65, and the rock lever 66. may,
if desired, he made detachable, aud the connection between link 64 and rock
lever 66 is so shown. This detachable connection is effected by forming the
lower end of the link 64 into an open sided loop, and closing the open side of
the loop by a set screw 67. The purpose of this detachable connection is to
render the fountain roll inoperative, as will hereinafter he described. The con-
nection need not, however, be detachable, but the connection between the link 64
and the rock lever 66 may be made in a manner similar to that by which the
link 65 is connected to the rock lever 66. If the connection is so made, the
fountain rolls may be made inoperative by throwing up the pawls 56, 57.
The lever 66 is operated through a rod 68, which may be operated in any
suitable manner, as. for instance, by the ordinary way-cam shaft, not shown.
the construction being such that the rock lever 66 will be operated, and the
fountain rolls 54 and 55 will be turned by their pawls.
Ink is transmitted from the fountain roll 54 to the primary distributing roll 51,
by means of a ductor roll 69. This ductor roll 69 is mounted in arms 70, which
are pivoted on studs 71 suitably mounted on the frame. One of these arms
forms a lever, and its end is connected by a link 72 to a rock lever 73, which is
mounted on a shaft 74 suitably located in the frame of the machine. The con-
nection between the rock lover 73 and the link 72. is preferably a detachable one.
In the present instance, this connection is made by forming one end of the link
with an open-sided loop or voke, and providing a set screw to close said side.
The rock lever 73 is operated by a rod 75, which may he operated in any suitable
way, as by the way-cam shaft before referred to. The ductor roll 69 is perferably
removably mounted in the ends of the arms 70, the arms being provided with
ordinary split bearings.
Ink is transmitted from the fountain roll 55 to the primary distributing
roll 51, by means of a ductor roll 76. This ductor roll 76 is mounted in arms 77,
which are secured to the shaft 74 of the rock lever 73. The arms 77 are also

page_text: preferably provided with split bearings, so that the ductor roll 76 can be readily
removed from them.
The printing member 23 of the other upper couple is shown as receiving its
ink from a set of form and distributing rolls 80, which are like those which were
described as used in connection with the couple 13, 14, the set of rolls receiving
their ink from a primary distributing roll 81. Two fountains 82 and 83 are
shown as so positioned as to deliver ink to the primary distributing roll 81, the
ink being carried from the fountains to the primary roll by means of oscillating
ductor rolls 84 and 85.
The fountains 82 and 83 are provided with fountain rolls 86 and 87. These
rolls 86 and 87 are operated in any desired manner, as from the way-cam shaft
before referred to, and by connections which are duplicates of those before de-
scribed in connection with the fountains 52 and 53. A detailed description of
these connections is, therefore deemed unnecessary. In the same way, the ductor
rolls 84 and 85 are operated by connections which are duplicates of those used to
operate the ductor rolls 69 and 76, and, for the same reason, a detailed description
of these connections is not deemed necessary.
The machine which embodies the invention is shown, in Figure 1, as arranged
to perfect a single web in black by the lower couples, and to print the same web
in colors by the upper couples. In this machine, the fountains 52 and 82 are
arranged to contain colored inks, and the fountains 53 and 833 are arranged to
contain black inks. With the machine printing in colors, as shown in Figure 1,
therefore, the ductor rolls 76 and 85 will be thrown out of operation in any
suitable manner, as by lifting them out of their bearings. The fountain rolls 55
and S7 will also be rendered inoperative by disconnecting their operating devices,
or by throwing up the spring pawls which operate on their ratchets. With this
arrangement of the parts it is obvious that the sets of distributing rolls, 51, 81,
will receive only colored inks, such inks only being supplied from the fountains 52
and 82.
Should however, it be desired to use the machine to priut in black only, the
ductor rolls 69 and 84 will be rendered inoperative, as by removing them from
carrying arms 70, and these arms will themselves be disconnected from the rock
lever 7. The fountain rolls for the fountains 52 and 82 will be rendered in-
operative either by throwing up their pawls, and removing their ductors from
their bearings, or, if desired, the links 64, 72, will be disconnected from the rock
levers 6 and 78. With this arrangement of the machine, there will be no ink
transmitted from the fountains 52 and 82 to the sets of distributing and form
rollers, and such rollers will receive their ink entirely from the fountains 53
and 83. It will be seen, therefore, that by simply throwing out either set of
ductors out of operation, change can almost be instantaneously made from one
colored ink to another.
It may sometimes be desired to produce a color by blending or mixing two other
colors, as, for instance, to produce a green by blending blue and yellow.
The invention is also adapted to effect this result. By putting blue in the
fountain 52, for instance, and yellow in the fountain 53, and allowing both the
ductors 69 and 76 to operate, the two colors will be mixed and blended on the
distributing rollers, and green will he produced and applied to the form rollers.
Various means may be employed to carry the invention into effect, and the
invention is not, therefore, to be limited to the specific form of devices shown
and described. Furthermore, while the machine shown is illustrated as having
only two sources of ink-supply for each of the upper printing couples, it is
obvious that more than two sources of supply may be utilized, if desired. So,
too, while in the present machine the lower set of couples is shown as receiving
their ink from a single source of ink-supply, it is obvious that a plurality of
sets of ink supply may be used with these couples also; or that a plurality of
Buch sets may be used with a single couple.
It is also to be understood, that while the invention is shown as applied to a

page_text: machine in which the printing couples are cylinders, it may be used with any
form of printing couple.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me from abroad, I declare that what I claim is:-
1. In a printing machine, the combination with a set of rotary perfecting
couples, consisting of a printing member and an impression member, of a second
set of rotary perfecting couples, one of which consists of a printing member and
an impression member, and the other of which consists of a printing member and
two impression members, means whereby either of the impression members of
this couple may be caused to coact with the printing member, and means whereby
said couples may be caused to perfect two webs, or to perfect and print in colors
on a single web, substantially us described.
2. In a printing machine, the combination with a set of rotary perfecting
couples, consisting of a printing member and an impression member, of a second
set of rotary perfecting couples, one of which consists of a printing member and
an impression member, and the other of which consists of a printing member and
two movable impression members, means whereby either of the impression
members of this couple may be moved so as to coact with the printing member,
and means whereby said couples may be caused to perfect two webs, or to perfect
and print in colors on a single web, substantially as described.
3. In a printing machine, the combination with a double-wide cylinder con-
structed to carry staggered plates, of two movable impression cylinders, means
whereby either of the cylinders may be moved into and out of contact with the
plate cylinder, and means for rotating the impression cylinders in opposite
directions, substantially as described.
4. In an organized printing machine, the combination with a frame, of two
lower couples mounted in the frame, said couples cousisting of a printing member
and an impression member, two upper couples mounted in the frame, one of the
couples consisting of a printing member and an impression member, and the
other couple consisting of a printing member and two impression members,
means whereby either impression member of this couple may be caused to coact
with the printing member, means whereby the set of upper couples and the set
of lower couples may be each caused to perfect a web, or the four couples way
be caused to perfect and print in colors on a single web, substantially as described.
5. In a printing machine, the combination with a set of rotary perfecting
couples, each consisting of a printing member and an impression member, of a
second set of rotary perfecting couples, one of which consists of a printing member
and an impression member, and the other of which consists of a printing member
and two movable impression members, the printing members of all the couples
being double-wide, and constructed to carry staggered plates, means whereby
either impression member of the last-named couple may be moved so as to co-act
with the printing member, and means whereby the several couples may be caused
to perfect a plurality of webs, or to perfect and print in colors on a single web,
substantially as described.
6. The combination with a pair of shafts carrying the printing and impression
members, of a printing couple, and having intermeshing gears, of a gear by which
these gears are operated, three shafts carrying respectively the printing and two
impression members of a second printing couple, and having gears thereon, means
whereby the operating gear may be caused to rotate the shaft of the printing
member of the last-named couple in opposite directions, and means whereby
either impression member of this couple may be caused to co-act with the print-
ing member, substantially as described..
7. The combination with the shafts 12 and 15 carrying printing and impression
cylinders, and having gears 18, 19, thereon, of an operating gear 20 in mesh with
the gear 18, the shaft 27 having gears 32, 33, the rear 32 being constantly in

page_text: mesh with the operating gear 20, shaft 24 carrying an adjustable gear 34, means
for moving the shaft 27, so that the cylinder carried thereby will be either in or
out of contact with the cylinder 23, a shaft 28 having an adjustable gear 39 and
a gear 38, said shaft carrying an impression cylinder 26, means for moving the
shaft 28 so that the impression evlinder 26 will be either in or out of contact with
the cylinder 23, means for moving the gear 39 into and out of mesh with the
gear 33, and means for moving the gear 34, so that it will be in mesh either with
the gear 32 or the gear 38, substantially as described.
8. In on organized printing machine, the combination with a pair of rotating
printing couples, the printing meruber of each couple being constructed to carry
relief plates, and the couples being arranged to print on opposite sides of a sheet
or web, the plates on the printing member of one couple being arranged so that
a blank or unprinted space or spaces will be left on the sheet or web, of a second
rotating printing couple, the printing member of which is constructed to carry
a half-tone plate or plates, said plate or plates being arranged to deliver an im-
pression on the blank spaces left by the plates on the first couple, substantially
as described.
9. In an organized printing machine, the combination with a rotating print-
ing couple, having stereotype plates thereon, the said plates being cut out at
certain parts, of a separate rotating printing couple carrying half-tone plates,
arranged to print in the cut-out spaces left by the first couple, substantially as
described.
10. In an inking apparatus, the combination with a printing surface, of a set
of distributing devices, a plurality of independent sources of ink supply, each
source being capable of supplying ink to the entire inking surface of the dis-
tributing devices, and means whereby each source of ink supply may be caused
to supply the entire amount of ink necessary for inking purposes to the dis-
tributing devices, substantially as described.
11. In an inking apparatus, the combination with a printing surface, of a
set of distributing rollers, a plurality of independent sources of ink supply, each
source being capable of supplying ink to the entire inking surface of the dis-
tributing rollers, and means connecting each source of ink supply with the dis-
tributing rolls, said means being capable of being rendered inoperative when
desired, substantially as described.
12. In an inking apparatus, the combination with a printing surface, of a
set of distributing and form rollers, a series of ink fountains, each fountain being
capable of supplying ink to the entire inking surface of the distributing rolls,
ductor rolls between the ink fountains and the distributing apparatus, and means
for rendering each ductor roll inoperative, whereby any fountain may be used
to supply the entire amount of ink necessary for inking purposes, substantially
as described.
13. In an inking apparatus, the combination with a printing surface, of a set
of form and distributing rolls, a plurality of ductora parallel to the ink receiving
rolls of the set and to each other. and a plurality of sources of ink-supply, with
which the ductors communicate, said sources supplying ink to the ductors through-
out their entire length, and means whereby the ductors may be caused to supply
ink severally and simultaneously to the distributing roll, substantially as de-
scribed.
14. In a printing machine, the combination with a series of couples which
can be arranged to print and perfect a web in colors, or to perfect a plurality of
webs, of a set of distributing and form-rollers acting to supply ink to the
printing member of one of the couples, and a plurality of sources of ink supply,
cach of which is arranged to supply ink to the entire surface of the distributing
rolls, substantially as described.
15. In a printing machine, the combination with a series of couples which can
be arranged to print and perfect a web in colors, or perfect a plurality of webs,
of a set of distributing and form rollers acting to supply ink to the printing

page_text: member of one of the couples, a plurality of ductors parallel to the ink receiving
rollers of the set and to each other, and a plurality of sources of ink supply with
which the ductors communicate, operating to supply ink to the ductors through-
out their entire length, substantially as described.
16. In a printing machine, the mechanism for printing a web on one side in
one color, and printing on the other sido in three colors, or for perfecting two
webs, substantially as shown in the accompanying drawings, and described in
the foregoing specification.
17. In a printing machine, the mechanism for printing a web on one side,
and printing it with two colors and with a half-tone illustration on the other
side, substantially as shown in the accompanying drawings, and described in the
foregoing specification.
18. In a printing machine, the mechanism for printing a sheet or web both with
stereotype plates and half tone plates, substantially as shown in the accompanying
drawings, and described in the foregoing specification.
19. In a printing machine, the inking mechanism substantially as shown in
the accompanying drawings, and described in the foregoing specification.
Dated this 8th day of November 1890.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.