Improvements relating to Web Paper Printing Machinery.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Sept., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 4th June, 1894-Accepted, 7th July, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Web Paper Printing Machinery.
I, ROBERT CUMMING ANNAND, of Cornwallis Street, South Shields, in the
County of Durham, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
Newspaper proprietors through pressure of news or advertisements find it
desirable to vary the size of their issue from time to time by increasing the number
of its pages.
A convenient enlargement for an ordinary newspaper of 4 pages is to make it
6 pages and for an 8 page to make it 10 or 12.
My invention consists of a cheap and simple mechanism which working in con-
junction with an ordinary 4 and 8 page newspaper machine will enable it to print,
associate and fold products consisting of 4, 6, 8, 10 or 12 pages. My invention is
applicable to new machines or machines already in use.
I add to the main press and at right angles thereto an auxiliary printing
mechanism capable of printing on both sides a web of paper half the width of
that printed by the main press. This supplemental printing mechanism I prefer
to be that form of press which only requires one stereotype cylinder, a single inking
device and one blanket cylinder. In this press the web is printed on one side at
one end of the stereotype cylinder and after passing around turning bars is printed
upon the other side at the other end of the same cylinder.
The main web and the supplemental web are made to meet in a folder where
they are operated upon and prepared for the market.
The main web of paper after being printed on both sides is led up to the top of
the longitudinal folder and in passing over it has its sides lapped or folded together
at the same time reducing it to half its width. The web is carried by the usual
drawing rollers in a perpendicular direction in between the cutting and folding
cylinders the axes of which are horizontal and at right angles to axis of the cylinders
of the main press.
The web from the supplemental mechanism after it has been printed passes in
between a pair of cutting cylinders forming part of the supplemental mechanism.
It is then carried by two sets of endless tapes forward to the cutting and folding
cylinders of the folder.
The printing and cutting cylinders in the supplemental machine are all arranged
parallel with the cutting and folding cylinders so that the supplemental web passes
direct into the folder.
When it is required to produce an issue of 6 pages 4 of the stereotype plates
are put in the main machine in duplicate and two in the supplemental machine in
duplicate.
When producing 6 pages in duplicate the cutting or perforating knife in the
supplemental machine is removed and the web is led forward to the cutting and
folding cylinders in the folder. One of the cutting and folding cylinders is half
the diameter of the other and half the diameter of the printing cylinders and it
makes two revolutions for one made by the cylinders of the main machine. This
small cutting cylinder has a wooden bar or bolster which co-acts with the cutting
blades in the larger cylinder. Protruding from this bolster and operated by a
stationary cam in the usual way are a set of withdrawing pins which enter into the
leading edge of the web after it has been severed by the knife, and carry it round
about half a revolution when they are withdrawn and at the same time a folding

page_text: blade situated in a longitudinal opening in the small cylinder, tucks the middle of
the sheet under a gripping blade and thus gives the sheet a transverse fold.
The web from the main press after passing over the longitudinal folder and
having its sides lapped or folded together is joined by the half web from the
supplemental machine and both pass down between the cutting cylinders and are
cut and folded together. When 12 page products are required one of the two
gripping blades in the large cutting and folding cylinder is removed. The pins in
the small cutting cylinder are made to withdraw only every alternate revolution.
By this means two six page products are collected on the small cylinder and folded
off it every alternate revolution producing a 12 page issue. Pasting devices of the
usual well known form are arranged so that a streak of paste is put at the proper
intervals on the webs of paper by which the product is pasted together at the back.
To produce 10 pages the supplement machine is made to run at half the speed of
the main web by change gearing. The small cutting cylinder is made to collect the
two four page sheets from the main web as in the arrangement for producing the
12 pages. The perforating knife is put in the cutting cylinders of the supplement
machine. This knife severs the supplement web into sheets of a page in length
and these are carried forward by tapes and are suitably timed so that their leading
edge is impaled on the pins of the small collecting and cutting cylinder and are
thereby carried round and folded in between the two four page sheets thus
producing a ten page product.
By putting a circular slitter in to the longitudinal folder the main web may be
slit in halves and the same mechanism above described will produce issues
of 8, 12, 16, 20 and 24 pages if the pages are made up half the size of the pages
referred to above.
Dated this Second dox of Santambor 1802
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Web Paper Printing Machinery.
I, ROBERT CUMMING ANNAND, of Cornwallis Street, South Shields, in the
County of Durham, Engineer, 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 :-
Newspaper proprietors through pressure of news or advertisements find it
desirable to vary the size of their issue from time to time by increasing the number
of its pages.
A convenient enlargement for an ordinary newspaper of 4 pages is to make it
6 pages and for an 8 page to make it 10 or 12.
My invention consists of a cheap and simple mechanism which working in
conjunction with an ordinary 4 and 8 page newspaper machine will enable it to
print, associate and fold products consisting of 4, 6, 8, 10 or 12 pages. My invention
is applicable to new machines or machines already in use.
I add to the main press and at right angles thereto an auxiliary printing
mechanism capable of printing on both sides a web of paper half the width of that
printed by the main press. This supplemental printing mechanism I prefer to be
that form of press which only requires one stereotype cylinder, a single inking
device and one blanket cylinder. In this press the web is printed on one side at
one end of the stereotype cylinder and after passing around turning bars is printed
upon the other side at the other end of the same cylinder.
The main web and the supplemental web are made to meet in a folder where
they are operated upon and prepared for the market.
The main web of paper after being printed on both sides is led up to the top of
the longitudinal folder and in passing over it has its sides lapped or folded together

page_text: t the same time reducing it to half its width. The web is carried by the
rawing rollers in a perpendicular direction in between the cutting and folding
ylinders the axes of which are horizontal and at right angles to axis of the
ylinders of the main press.
The web from the supplemental mechanism after it has been printed passes in
between a pair of cutting cylinders forming part of the supplemental mechanism.
It is then carried by two sets of endless tapes forward to the cutting and folding
cylinders of the folder.
The printing and cutting cylinders in the supplemental machine are all arranged
parallel with the cutting and folding cylinders so that the supplemental web passes
direct into the folder.
The annexed drawings show a combination of apparatus in accordance with my
invention.
Figure 1 is an elevation of supplemental printing mechanism together with
folding cutting associating and delivering cylinders.
Figures 2 and 3 show more of the detail connected with the folding cutting
associating and delivering cylinders.
After
The triangular former 1 and the rollers 2 and 3 together constitute a longitudinal
folder of well known type. Over this former there passes a continuous web of
paper which has already been printed on both sides in a printing machine which is
not shown upon the drawings. The paper passes over the former from above
downwards, its two edges are deflected and drawn together until finally they are
brought into contact whilst simultaneously a crease is formed along the middle of
the web by the pressure of the rollers 2 and 3. In place of being creased the web
may be slit longitudinally by a disc cutter as it enters upon the former 1.
leaving the rollers 2 and 3 the doubled web passes between the folding cutting and
associating cylinders 4 and 5. 6 is a roll from which a supplemental web of paper
of half the width of the main web is drawn, it passes between the blanket cylinder
and the impression cylinder 8 on which stereotype plates are mounted. The length
of these cylinders is double the width of the paper which passes between them.
The first passage of the paper beneath the stereotype cylinder occupies one half of
the length of the cylinder and on leaving the cylinder the paper passes down and
around turning bars and appliances 9 arranged in a well known manner and then
the paper again passes between the cylinders 7 and 8 and then occupying the other
end of the cylinders it is printed on the other side. 10, 10 are inking appliances.
11, 11 are cylinders which at 11* carry a cutting appliance and this divides the
supplemental web of paper transversely into separate sheets each of a length equal
to the semi-circumference of the stereo cylinder 8. The cutting appliance at 11x
can however be readily put out of operation by the removal of the knife when it is
not required. 12, 12 are rollers around which two sets of endless tapes pass, they
serve to carry forward the paper which has been printed by the stereo cylinder 8.
The two sets of tapes are at a short distance apart but near their lower ends they
are pressed together by the adjustable roller 13 and the paper then between them
is thus compelled to travel on at the same speed as the tapes. The tapes run at
the same speed as the surfaces of the cutting and folding cylinders 4, 5, the parts
being geared with the main printing machine in a manner to ensure this result.
The gearing which drives the supplemental stereo cylinder 8 is capable of change
and is so arranged that the cylinder may at will either be driven at the same
surface speed as the cutting and folding cylinders 4, 5 and the cylinders of the
main printing machine or at one half of this speed. 14 are points carried by the
cylinder they are arranged as will be presently explained so that they are
protruded from the surface of the cylinder during about one half of its rotation
and are withdrawn during the other half of the rotation. The arrangement is such
however that the pins 14 may be made to operate in this way either at every
rotation or they may be made to retire only at alternate rotations so that they then
remain protruded during about one and a half rotations of the cylinder 4 and then
15 and 15 are two knife blades
are withdrawn during about half a rotation.

page_text: carried by the cylinder 5, there is a corresponding recess 16 in the cylinder 4.
When either of the blades 15 comes round to and enters the recess 16 the paper
between the cylinders 4 and 5 is thereby cut through. When the cut takes place
the ends of the paper passing between the cylinders are securely held by the
points 14 on which the several thicknesses of paper are impaled and so the paper is
carried on and it becomes lapped around the cylinder 4 either partially or entirely
as the case may be. 17 is a folding blade adjustably fixed upon the cylinder 4;
upon the cylinder 5 are two corresponding gripping bars 18 and blades 19; the bar
is fixed upon the cylinder but the blade is pivotted upon it and is caused to open
away from the bar and to close against it as is hereinafter more fully described.
One of the bars 18 and its corresponding gripping blade 19 can be readily
removed when it is not required to operate.
At the time when the folding blade 17 on the cylinder 4 meets the bar 18 and
blade 19 on the cylinder 5, the blade 19 is open away from the bar 18 and the
blade 17 enters between them carrying in a fold of the paper which is upon the
cylinder 4; then as the rotation of the cylinders separates the blades, the blade 19
closes against the bar 18 and the fold in the paper is gripped between them. In
the further rotation of the cylinder 5 it carries with it the collected and folded
sheets now constituting the completed journal or like product, the pins 14 retiring
in due time. For convenience of delivery a delivering cylinder 20 is provided; it
is furnished with two sets of gripping bars and blades 21, 22, and there are corre-
sponding folding blades 23 on the cylinder 5. At about the point marked 24 the
gripping blade 19 releases the journal and it is taken by the gripping bar and
blade of the delivering cylinder. So the journal is doubled or folded on itself and
carried up over the cylinder 20 and round to the point 25 where it is released; it
then lies upon a slowly travelling endless apron or creeper 26 from which
the journals are lifted off from time to time or otherwise removed as may be
required.
When it is desired to produce an issue of twelve pages, with each page printed
on both sides, the stereo plates for printing eight of these pages are worked in the
main machine and print upon the main web and the plates for printing four of the
pages are worked in the supplemental machine and print upon the narrow supple-
mental web. The printing cylinders all run at the same speed, and the knife is
removed from the cutting appliance 11*. For a six page issue the printing
arrangements are similar to those for the twelve page issue, but duplicate stereo
plates are employed both in the main and the supplemental printing, in such manner
that one set of plates prints the six pages for one journal and another set of plates
prints the six pages for the next journal, and so on alternately.
For a ten page issue eight of the pages are printed in the main machine and two
pages are printed in the supplemental machine, which in this case is driven at half
speed and the cutting appliance 11* is provided with its knife.
Now we will proceed to trace the paper as it comes to and is manipulated by the
folding cutting and associating cylinders 4 and 5 and we will suppose in the first
instance that a six page issue is in progress. The parts being in the position
shown in Figure 1 the supplemental web has already been impaled on the points 14
and immediately the points will also impale the two thicknesses of the main web as
it descends from the folder 1, 2, 3. Almost simultaneously one of the blades 15
enters the recess 16 and both webs are cut through. The detached portions we
will not follow; they travel on and are finally delivered. The ends of the webs
impaled upon the points 14 are carried around about half of the circumference of
the cylinder 4. Then the folding blade 17 meets one of the gripping bars 18 and
its corresponding blade 19 whilst at about the same time the points 14 are with-
drawn and the webs are again cut the notch 16 having come round to receive one
of the knives 15. The gripping appliance now closes and carries away the paper
which by these operations has had a transverse fold formed in it extending between
the pages from top to bottom.
The journal is carried by the gripping appliance on the cylinder 5 until it arrives

page_text: at the point 24 or thereabout when the gripping appliance opens and the like
appliance 21, 22 on the delivering cylinder 20 takes it, carries it up over the
delivering cylinder and finally deposits it at 25 on the creeper 26 as already
explained.
Next suppose that a twelve page issue is in progress; all goes on as before up
to the time when for the six page issue the withdrawal of the points would take
place, but now in consequence of the altered adjustments of the apparatus, the
points are not withdrawn and the folding appliance which passes at this time is
inoperative. Consequently the webs of paper are lapped completely around the
cylinder 4 whilst the points 14 a second time penetrate the webs and in commencing
another revolution they carry on six thicknesses of paper impaled upon them.
When about half of the second revolution of the cylinder 4 has been passed over,
the points are withdrawn and the collected sheets are folded by the blade 17 acting
in conjunction with parts 18, 19. The product is then delivered in the same manner
as before. I would remark that associating sheets by lapping them around a
cylinder and causing them to be withdrawn at every alternate revolution is not in
itself novel and I do not claim it otherwise than as a feature in my novel combination
of mechanism and methods of working.
When a ten page issue is in progress, the doubled main web is first impaled on the
points 14 as described for the twelve page issue and it becomes lapped completely
around the cylinder 4 unaccompanied by any portion of the supplemental web; but
just when the points come round a second time a detached sheet of the supplemental
web is presented by the tape rollers 12, 12 and its leading end becomes impaled.
Immediately after the points again engage the main web and with the five
thicknesses which they now impale they pass on and after about half a revolution
the points are withdrawn and the folding appliance operates. The delivery in each
case takes place in a similar manner.
Issues of four pages and eight pages in each are made without the aid of the
supplemental printing mechanism.
In Figure 2 it will be seen that the points 14 are carried by arms on a shaft 28
which has its bearings in the cylinder 4; a spring in connection with this shaft tends
constantly to protrude the points. The shaft has another arm upon it and this
carries a roller 29. 30 is a cam piece mounted moveably upon the guides marked 31
and 32 but it can be held stationary by the pawl 33. When the cam piece is so
held, the roller 29 comes in contact with it during part of each revolution of the
cylinder 4 and this contact causes the points 14 to be withdrawn.
When the pawl 33 is lifted the spring 34 draws back the cam piece out of action.
On 32 however (which is the axis of the cylinder 5) is a cam 35 and this once in
each revolution acts against a roller 36 and so draws forward the cam piece 30 into
its operative position. Hence when the pawl 33 is lifted the points 14 are with-
drawn once in every alternate revolution of the cylinder 4. In this figure 15
shows one of the cutter blades, it is held between the two parts of a socket
piece 37, 37, let into the face of the cylinder.
The blade 15 has on either side of it a cushion of wood 38 pressed forward by
springs 39. In the cylinder 4 there is a corresponding wooden bolster 40 in which
is the groove 16 to receive the cutting blade 15.
The folding blades 17, 23, as is seen in Figure 3, are not fixed in the cylinders
by which they are respectively carried but to facilitate adjustment they are mounted
on shafts on which are quadrants 41; when truly set the folding blades are locked
fast by clamping screws passing through slots in the quadrants.
The gripping blades 19, 22 are also mounted on shafts carried by their respective
cylinders and in each case this shaft has on it an arm or cross head 42. One end
of the arm or cross head carries a roller 43 and the other end is operated on by a
spring 44. This spring keeps the roller 43 in contact with the periphery of the
5 stationary cam 45 which is so formed as to force the gripping blade up against the
corresponding gripping bar at the times required. At other times the spring 44
operates to hold the gripper open.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination of mechanism substantially as described for producing a
printed and folded journal or like publication, such combination consisting of a
cylinder printing machine printing on both sides a continuous web of paper;
a longitudinal folder which doubles this web laying one side of it upon the other,
thereby reducing the width by one half; a supplemental printing mechanism the
cylinders of which are arranged at right angles to those of the above mentioned
main machine and which supplemental machine prints on both sides a continuous
web of paper one half of the width of that printed by the main machine; transverse
cutting and folding cylinders which receive between them superposed the one on
the other, the longitudinally folded web from the main machine and the as yet
unfolded web from the supplementary machine; cutting appliances on the cutting
and folding cylinders which at intervals sever the superposed webs transversely;
and folding appliances on the said rollers which produce transverse folds in the
collected sheets so severed from the webs.
2. The combination substantially as described consisting of a cylinder printing
machine; cutting and folding cylinders which receive a continuous web from the.
said printing machine and cut and fold it transversely; a supplemental cylinder
printing mechanism which prints a continuous supplemental web; supplemental
cutters which at intervals sever transversely the supplemental web; carrying tapes
which convey the detached sheets forward to the folding cylinders; and suitably
controlled pins or retaining instruments on one of these cylinders capable of
being protruded and withdrawn; the whole so arranged that two lengths of
the main web and one length of the supplemental web are associated and folded
together.
3. The means substantially as described for the production of a six page journal
or like product consisting of a main machine printing on a continuous web four
pages in duplicate; a longitudinal folder which then folds this web longitudinally;
a supplemental printing machine printing on a narrow supplemental web two pages
in duplicate; and cutting and folding cylinders receiving the two webs, superposed
the one on the other and cutting and folding them transversely.
4. The means substantially as described for the production of a twelve page
journal or like product consisting of a main machine printing eight pages on a
continuous web; a longitudinal folder which then folds this web longitudinally; a
supplemental printing machine printing four pages on a narrow supplemental web;
and cutting and folding cylinders receiving the two webs superposed the one on the
other and cutting and folding them transversely.
5. The means substantially as described for the production of a ten page journal
or like product consisting of a main machine printing eight pages on a continuous
web; a longitudinal folder which then folds this web longitudinally; a supplemental
printing machine printing at a slower rate two pages on a narrow supplemental
web cutters which sever transversely the supplemental webs; conveying
instruments which bring forward intermittently the severed portions; and
transverse cutting and folding cylinders with instruments thereon; the whole so
arranged that first a length of the main web becomes lapped around one of the
folding cylinders then a length of the supplementary web and finally another length
of the main web; after which the folding cylinders operate to fold the whole
transversely.
6. The combination of mechanism substantially as described for producing a
printed and folded journal or like publication, such combination consisting of a
cylinder printing machine, printing on both sides a continuous web of paper,
a longitudinal folder which doubles the web laying one side of it upon the other
thereby reducing the width by one half and transverse cutting and folding cylinders
5

page_text: set at right angles to the printing cylinders which receive the longitudinally folded
web, and by cutting appliances sever it and then fold transversely the severed
sheets.
R. C. ANNAND.