Improvements in and relating to the Printing of Textile Fabrios.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 7th July, 1894-Accepted, 11th Aug., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Printing of Textile Fabrios.
I, HAROLD WILLIAM SANDERSON, of Chiswick in the County of Surrey,
Manufacturer of Paper Hangings, 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 improvements in and relating to the printing of textile
fabrics, and the objects of my invention are to print textile fabrics with much less
colour and with a different quality of colour so that a sharp outline of the pattern
printed on the fabric may be obtained from & printing roller having the pattern in
relief, and also that the pattern printed shall be more artistic and finished in
appearance, the colours of a better quality and the whole effect superior to textile
fabrics printed by means of raised rollers in the hitherto usual manner, and also to
enable textile fabrics to be printed on one machine, which objects I attain in the
manner hereinafter described.
"
means.
It has been customary to print textile fabrics with "colours," which "colours"
are comparatively "thin" or fluid; and in printing with such "colours
have been used whereby a plentiful supply of such "colours" reaches the printing
roller which has formed or raised on its periphery any desired pattern or design.
The consequence is that the designs hitherto printed on textile fabrics by means of
raised rollers are comparatively dull and not sharp in outline, and on account of a
comparatively large quantity of thin "colour" being supplied to the printing roller,
it has hitherto been practically impossible by means of a raised roller, to print
textile fabrics with a design having in its composition fine lines, stippled effects and
brush marks, nor has it been hitherto possible to get that rich and delicate effect
in solid, heavy work that I am enabled to produce by my invention, and in printing
textile fabrics, it has hitherto been necessary when using several coloured inks, to
print each of the colours separately.
This last named defect I overcome by means of a series of printing rollers all
printing on one drum in the manner hereinafter described, whereby I am enabled
to print several colours on one machine at the same time.
The former defects I overcome by supplying a comparatively small quantity of
printing ink, or lithographic ink sufficiently thinned down, to the printing roller,
said ink being of much thicker consistence and more suitable for fine work than the
"colours "hitherto employed. Said ink is supplied to the printing roller by means
substantially as shown in the accompanying drawing, which represents in side
elevation and partly in section the arrangement of the different parts.
In carrying my invention into practice I construct a pair of opposite side frames
of any suitable material having any desired shape or form, which side frames are
adapted by means of bearings to carry a shaft A upon which a suitably constructed
drum B is mounted. At a suitable part of said side frames I provide a pair of
opposite sliding bearings C, the arrangement of the slides being such that said
bearings C may be adjusted in any desired direction relative to the drum B. The
said bearings C serve to support a spindle E upon which a printing roller Fis
mounted which printing roller is formed or provided on its periphery with any
desired design engraved so as to leave the design in relief, or any required design
may be reproduced from the wood engraving or stereotype, electrotype or other
well known method, and mounted on the printing roller, or any suitable design
may be produced by any well known process such as zincograph and photo process
and mounted on the printing roller. In convenient proximity to the said printing
roller F, I provide a "duct" or "fountain" G which is adjusted with a suitable

page_text: or the
ink roller H adapted to be revolved as hereinafter described, and vibrator K, said
"duct" or "fountain" G is adapted to receive the printing ink or the lithographic
ink sufficiently thinned down, and for the purpose of regulating the supply of such
ink on to the ink roller, said "duct" H is constructed so that a "knife"
like L may, by means of set screws M, be set further from or closer to the said ink-
roller H so as to allow a greater or less quantity of such ink to be carried on said
revolving ink roller. Said roller H receives its rotating motion from the pitch
wheel or other suitable source, by means of suitable gearing in the usual manner,
and for the purpose of imparting vibratory movement to the vibrator K, I form
or provide one of the gear wheels referred to with an arm N by means of which
the rearwardly extending end O of the rocking frame P is depressed and conse-
quently the opposite end of said rocking frame which carries the vibrator K, is
raised until the said vibrator K comes in contact with the ink transmitting roller Q
so that comparatively only a small quantity of ink is transferred from the
"duct" G to the roller Q. For the purpose of obtaining an even distribution of
the ink on the roller Q, I provide two or more ink distributing rollers Q¹ and I
prefer also to cause the roller Q to vibrate in the direction of its length, and for
the purpose of inking the printing roller F, I provide two or more inking rollers R
which are in contact both with the ink transmitting roller Q and the printing
roller E as shown, and in order to further ensure an even distribution of the ink
on to the printing roller F, I prefer to provide one or more additional inking
rollers R' which receive their ink from the inking rollers R by means of one or
more intermediate rollers R².
The diameter of the printing roller F depends upon the length of the pattern or
design being printed, and in order that, within reasonable limits, a printing roller
of any desired diameter may be used, I provide the sliding or adjustable bearings C
as herein before described. The rollers Q, Q', R, R', R² are also supported in
adjustable bearings so that they may be adjusted and set to suit a printing roller
of larger or smaller diameter. The drum B serves to support the textile fabric S
whilst being printed, and in order that the pressure of the printing roller F against
the textile fabric' shall not injure the latter, and also so that all the fine lines may
be more readily printed, I dispense with the usual comparatively thick blanket or
felt which is wound around the drum, and fix to said drum any suitable thin
material, or if found requisite such thin material may be dispensed with so that the
surface thereof will be comparatively hard.
"
For the purpose of printing any required number of different colours, I provide
a relative number of printing rollers around the drum B each of which printing
rollers would have a separate "duct" or " fountain and rollers as described so
that a relative number of differently coloured inks may be used, and by causing
one or more coloured inks to be printed on portions of the textile fabric and the
like, which have been already printed with a differently coloured ink, it will be
evident that many requisite shades and colours may be obtained. Also any number
of arms N or their equivalents may be provided so that the vibrator K may have
imparted to it a relatively larger number of movements or vibrations, and the
rollers which come in contact with the ink may be made of any well known and
suitable material.
If desired, a suitable ground may be printed on the textile fabric before the
pattern or design is printed thereon, such grounding being printed in the same
manner as the design or pattern, the printing roller being plain or provided with
fine lines or stippled.
By the means hereinbefore described, the patterns or designs printed on the
textile fabric or the like, will be well defined, the designs may be made to represent
chromo-lithographic work, or letterpress work; and designs printed on textile
fabrics may be more delicate and permanent than the designs printed in the
hitherto usual manner by means of raised rollers; I am also by these means
enabled' to completely print textile fabrics on one of my machines thereby avoiding
the necessity of having to print each of the colours separately.

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 [
claim is :-
1. Textile fabrics having the pattern or design printed thereon by a printing
roller or printing rollers on which the design is raised or in relief, the said textile
fabrics being printed on a comparatively hard surface with printing ink, or litho-
graphic ink sufficiently thinned down, said ink being supplied to the printing
rollers aforesaid in small quantity as required by a vibrator or vibrators and inter-
mediate rollers for the purposes and substantially as set forth.
2. In a textile fabric printing machine, the combination of "ducts" G, ink
rollers H, which are adapted to receive rotary motion from any desired source by
means of suitable gearing, ink carrying rollers Q, ink distributing rollers Q¹, inking
rollers R, R', intermediate roller R, printing rollers F, vibrators K, each adapted
to be brought into contact with its relative carrying roller Q by means of an arm
or arms N, the rollers Q, Q, R, R', R and F being supported in adjustable
bearings, all adapted, arranged and operating for the purposes and substantially as
described and illustrated.
Dated this 7th day of July 1894.
HORN & SON,
Applicant's Agents.