AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR PRINTING
Year: 1821

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I; WILLIAM
CHURCH, formerly of Threadneedle Street, in the City of London, but now of
Nelson Square, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman, send greeting."
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Fourth did, by
His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of that part of the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland called England, bearing date at Westminster,
the Third day of July, in the second year of His reign, give and grant unto
me, the said William Church, my exors, admors, and assigns, His especial
licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said William
Church, my exors, admors, and assigns, during the term of years therein
mentioned, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and also in all His
Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad, my Invention of "AN IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR PRINTING;" in which said Letters Patent there is contained, a
proviso that, if I, the said William Church, shall not particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, and cause
the same to be inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent, that then the said Letters Patent, and all liberties and advantages
whatsoever thereby granted, shall utterly cease, determine, and become void.
as in and by the same, relation being thereunto had, will more fully and at
large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Church, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly
described and ascertained in and by the Drawings hereunto annexed, and the
following description thereof (that is to say) :-
My Invention consists in the three following particulars:-First, in an
improved mode of obtaining the pressure required for printing letter-press
from types or steriotype plates. Second, in a new arrangement of the inking
apparatus applicable thereto. And, thirdly, in a new mode of raising and
pulling down the frisket upon the tympan, and also of taking off the paper at
the same time. All which said improvements are herein-after particularly
described, reference being had to the Drawings and Figures annexed.
Figure 1 represents a perspective clevation of the press; A, A, A, is the
standards and framework; B is a lever turning on pivots that work in sockets
within the heads C, C, on the pillars of the frame. The end of the lever which
is uppermost, in this Figure is heavily weighted, and the lower end of the lever
is fastened by a hinge joint to the platen D. The platen is also furnished with
two hinge joints at E, E, which connect it with the table F, F. The ribs of
the table G, G, G, run upon antifriction rollers confined between two thin
bars of iron H, H, which rollers traverse upon the uper edge of the frame-
work A. I will now describe the action of these parts when put in motion,
and then proceed to shew how that motion is given. A rotatory movement
'being communicated by the winch to the rounce, the table is drawn forward in
the direction of the arrow J, it will of course move upon the rollers along the
top rail of the framework A towards the arrow K, in the progress of which,
by means of the connection of the lever B to the platen D at the hinge joint,
as above mentioned, the upper end of the lever B will fall in the direction of
the arrow L, while the other end will rise, and by its attachment to the
platen D will raise that up with it; the planten of course turning on the hinge
joints E, E, until the press comes into the position represented at Figure 2.
This Figure is a view of the press when the platen is up. M is a frisket;
D, the underside of the platen; P, the types; R, R, are two strong springs,
by which the hinge joints E, E, are connected to the table. These springs are
introduced only that the platen when pressed on the types may adjust itself
with more certainty to the length of the types or steriotype plates, and afford
an equality of pressure on the whole surface. Figure 3 is a section of the
press in the position of Figure 1, that is, with the platen down upon the table,
in the act of communicating the pressure by which the paper receives the
print of the types. Figure 4 is also a section of the press, but with the platen

page_text: thrown up, as Figure 2. (It may be remarked that in Figures 3 and 4 the
lower part of the standard is varied in form from that represented in Figures
1 and 2; this is caused merely by cutting off the lower parts of the pillars, and
placing strong claw feet in their stead, for the purpose of giving greater
stability to the machine, but is in no respect to be considered as a variation of
the mechanism.)
In Figures 3 and 4, a is the rounce, turned by means of a winch upon
its axis b. (Theso and the other parts, as far as they can be seen in
perspective, are shown by corresponding letters in Figures 1 and 2). c is a bar
of steel connected by a hinge joint to the bottom of the table F, F; at the
reversed end of this bar is a foot or projection, to the end of which the chain d
is attached, and passed round the periphery of the rounce as far as e, where it
is secured. f is another chain, cord, band, or catgut string fastened to the
rounce at one end, and to the hinder part of the table at the other, by means
of the rod 9 passing through the back plate h, where a spiral or worm spring is
applied for the purpose of relieving the strain of the chain or cord. Supposing.
the machine in the position of Figures 1 and 3, in order to raise the platen
from the table, the winch 6 must be turned in the direction of the arrow, by
which the foot of the bar c (in contact with the periphery of the rounce) will
be raised, and as the winch continues turning, the chain f winding round the
rounce will draw the table forward, at the same time the bar c will pass over
the rounce to its position in Figure 4. As the table begins to advance, the
platen (connected to it at the hinged joints E) is moved also, but this move-
ment raises the platen in the following manner :-The lever B, as above said;
turns upon pivots in the heads C, C, and is connected to the platen D by
means of the hinge joint i, so that as the platen by the advance of the table is
pushed forward, the lower end of the lever raises it, and by swinging upon the
two joints i and E, is, when the table has arrived at the front of the standard;
thrown into the position shewn at Figures 2 and 4. The paper is at this time:
laid between the tympan and frisket, when by turning the winch back again,
or in a contrary direction to that above described, the chain & draws back the
bar c, which causes the table F to return to its situation, as Figures 1 and 3;
at the same time the platen, by means of the hinge joint E, is turned over and
brought down, the lever B now hanging almost in a perpendicular direction.
The effective pressure commences when the foot of the bar acts against the
periphery of the rounce, and is complete when the bar strikes against the stop
or wooden block k, at which time the toe of the bar c, acting against the
periphery of the rounce, has caused the bar to drive the table F home, (which
by its connection at E, brings the platen down to meet it, and the lever B thus

page_text: approaching nearer to the perpendicular, exerts all the resistance that its pivots
and the pillar heads c, c, are able to bear, and communicates that force through
the joint i to the platen D, by which the effective pinch is given to produce the
impression of the types upon the paper. The rounce and axis being peculiarly
constructed, I will now proceed to describe its various parts. Figure 5, A, A,
is the axis upon which the rounce B slides round loosely; within the rounce
there is a socket C, in which a catch bolt D is introduced, shewn by dots, and
within the socket a worm spring is placed for the purpose of pressing out the
point of the catch bolt D; E is a cylindrical piece or collar acting on the side
of the rounce, fixed or cast on to the axis, and having a catch notch corre-
sponding with the catch bolt shewn by dots; F is a shoulder to keep the
rounce B to its place; G is merely a wheel to communicate' motion to the
inking apparatus, as will be hereafter more particularly explained.
1
Having now described the different parts of the rounce and axis, I will
explain their motions. In this Figure, the point of the catch bolt is represented
as being forced out of the socket by the spring into the catch notch of E, and
it will here be evident that if the handle H be turned in a direction for the
notch to act against the flat side of the bolt, that the rounce B will be carried
round by the revolution of the axle A. It is this motion of the rounce that
forces the table back to produce the impression, as above alluded to. The
impression being given, the table may be passed forwards again, assisted by the
reaction of the parts, and when it has arrived at its extreme distance, formed
as Figures 2 and 4, the inclined plane of the notch slips over the corresponding
inclined plane of the bolt, forcing the bolt back into the socket, and by this
means the axle and cylindrical piece or collar E, together with the wheel G,
may continue turning without affecting the position of the table, which it will
be hereafter shewn is necessary to the distribution of the ink. The contrary
turn being given to the handle F, the bolt will again slip into the notch as soon
as the notch is brought round to correspond with it, when the straight sides
of the bolt and notch coming together, the rounce B is again acted upon, and
the table carried backwards to produce the impression, as before described.
As these various contrivances in the rounce and axis are all connected
with the inking apparatus. I will now describe the manner in which I apply
the said inking apparatus to my printing apparatus, and the various improve-
ments I have made on the inking apparatus now in use. A, B, and C,
Fig. 6, are three inking rollers (there is another immediately behind C),
but which cannot be shown in this Figure, and is therefore referred to
in Fig. 8. D is the ductor commonly used, and which, as it is generally
employed, deposits the ink upon a feeding roller, and that upon a distri-

page_text: buting roller or surface; but one of my improvements upon the inking
apparatus consists in adding to the axis of a distributing roller B a small
apparatus for the purpose of procuring an alternating lateral motion in
a particular manner. This is effected by the following means:-E and F
are two screws upon the axle P, the threads of which differ in obliquity to
the plane of their axis, and are cut in different directions, commonly called
right and left handed, which screws are intended to turn in corresponding
female screws in the double nippers G, G, L, L, & in Fig. 7. These double
nippers are so contrived that only one pair is in operation at one time, and
consequently the roller B, as it revolves, will receive the lateral motion given
by that screw which is nipped. The contrivance which causes the alternate
nipping of the two ends of the double nipper is a small axis H, with two
pallets or pieces of flat metal J, J, fixed on to it, the one horizontally and the
other vertically, and so placed that the pin O, Fig. 6, on the shaft P, when
the screw E is advanced to its utmost extent, strikes' and turns over the axle
and pallets J 1, from its vertical to a horizontal position; & the other pallet
J 2 will at the same time turn from its horizontal to a vertical position. This
contrivance forces open the ends of the nippers G, G, at the same time that
the other ends L, L, of the nippers are permitted to close upon the screw F,
which then gives the contrary later motion in turn. By this contrivance a
more perfect distribution of the ink is obtained, and more uniformly com-
municated to the inking rollers C, C; a similar pin Q, as the screw advances,
coming in contact with the other pallet J 2 at L, L, strikes and turns it over,
as before described, and brings" the nippers G, G, in operation' with the screw
E for the purpose of giving the other lateral 'movement to the distributing
roller. I should here observe that in Fig. 6, R is the band wheel for giving
motion to the rollers communicating with the wheel G in Fig. 5, and the
reason that the rounce B, herein-before described at Fig. 5, is detached
from the shaft A, A, is that the wheel G may continue the motion of the
inking apparatus, even when the table is at rest. Fig. 8 is an end view of the
inking apparatus, its position with respect to the table being shewn in Figs. 3
and 4, and is intended to rest 'upon a seat or bracket S, seen in Figüres 1 and 2.
The ductor hangs on to the balance X, Fig. 8 (D' being the ductor roll), with
a small balance weight Y and a string Z leading to a treadle, by means of
which it will be readily seen that the printer will be enabled to cause a supply.
of ink at pleasure, for the weight keeps the ductor up from the roller till the
string Z is pulled, when of course it descends, and touching the roller under it
imparts a portion of ink thereto. In Figures 3 and 4 there are small iron
arms & extending above and beyond the table, for the purpose of lifting the

page_text: two inking rollers C, C, Figures 6 and 8.
When the table is. rolled forward.
the extending arms a pass under the axles of the inking rollers, and lif
them up so as to come in contact with the distributing roller B while the table
is at rest. It will be seen by Fig. 8 that the axles of these rollers work in
slits for the purpose of allowing them to rise as last described. By the table
passing in, the arms are withdrawn, and the inking rollers descend from the
distributing roller, so as to roll over the type and supply them with ink
Figure 9 represents the means by which I pull down and raise the frisket, and
which was not described in the other Figures for fear of confusing the Drawings.
This Figure represents the table, the platen and frisket being raised; the rising
of the frisket is effected by means of a convolute spring similar to a watch
spring coiled round the axis or joint of the frisket and tympan at A (where a small
spring or springs are seen projecting for the purpose of holding the paper on the
tympan), and its descending motion is obtained by means of a cord connecting
an excentric wheel at the joint A of the frisket and tympan, with another at
the joint B of the platen and table. It will be readily seen that a string
placed in the position of C, and fastened at each end to the said excentric
wheels, will perform the office required of pulling down the frisket when the
platen is falling over. At E is a contrivance for pulling off the sheet of
paper when the frisket is raised, but is better described by the full size
Drawings, Figs. 10 and 11.
Fig. 10 shews a small part of the frisket A broken off, with a back
spring B acting like the spring of a pocket knife. The shoulder C-prevents
the tongue D from going back to a greater angle than about forty-five
degrees, and therefore it will be seen that when the frisket is pulled down,
the point of the tongue D touching the platten (shewn at Figure 11) is
forced in, and slipping up the platen under the paper laid thereon, & at last
is shut close to the frisket, and kept there by the inclined plane of the spring
falling into the notch E, by which means the paper is held between the tongue
and the frisket so fast that when the frisket is raised it pulls of the paper
with it. When the frisket falls back against the rest F, the point G which
protrudes from it passes through a hole in the back of the spring B, and forces
out the tongue again ready for another operation, at the same time liberating
the sheet. In order more certainly to secure that the point of the tongue shall
pass under the paper, the plate of metal with a groove in it H, Fig. 11, and
shewn detached at Fig. 12, should be screwed to the bottom of the tympan in
such a position that the point of the tongue may be conducted up the platen in
that groove over which the sheet of paper lies. Fig. 13 shews the form of the
tongue D more perfectly. In the event of a greater power being required to

page_text: bring down the bar c, as at Fig. 3, than can be effected with perfect ease by
the winch 6 (a circumstance which I do not anticipate as probable). I then
place a strap of iron or a sliding ring round the bar near its foot, and connect
it to a treadle; by those means a slight pressure from the foot will be found
to assist the descent of the bar, and consequently to increase the pressure. Now
the mode of obtaining the pressure required for printing as above described,
the peculiar construction and arrangement of the inking apparatus, and the
contrivance for raising and depressing the frisket, and taking off the paper,
as are herein-before particularly explained, being to the best of my know-
ledge and belief entirely new, and never before used in these kingdoms, I
am desirous to maintain this my sole and exclusive right and privilege to the
same.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Church, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and twenty-two.
WILLIAM (L.B.) CHURCH.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Third day of January, in the
year of our Lord 1822, the aforesaid William Church came before our said
Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification aforesaid,
and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form above written.
And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the
Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Third day of January, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and twenty-two.