Year: 1885

page_text: I ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the county of Middlesex,
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a cominunication from
John Fannon Lash of Toronto Canada Gentleman) and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
The object of the invention is to design a machine by which letters and other
manuscript may be copied on a continuous web of paper with the greatest possible.
speed, and without any fear of the manuscript being smudged during the process
of copying, and it consists, essentially, of a machine in which the copying paper is.
first dampened and then carried between one or more pairs of rollers so adjusted
that the paper passing between them shall be properly wrung until no more
moisture remains in the said copying paper than is necessary to enable it to receive
the impression from the manuscript which is carried with the copying paper between
the pair of rollers, one roller in each pair of wringing and copying rollers being
preferably made of metal or some other hard unyielding material; the whole being
arranged and operated substantially as hereinafter more particularly explained.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of this improved copying machine, partially in
section to exhibit its interior construction.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of Figure 1.
A, represents the main or driving roller, provided with a spindle journalled in
the frame B.
C, is a crank-handle connected to the spindle of the roller A.
D, is a ringing-roller journalled in the frame B as indicated, and having its axis
Bubstantially parallel with the axis of the roller A.
The journal. boxes of this roller D, are carried in slotted passage ways made in
the frame B, and are adjusted by means of rubber or other elastic packing, a so
that its periphery may be readily adjusted to keep in contact with the surface of
the roller A.
E is a roller journalled in suitable boxes b, contained in slotted passage-ways.
made in the frame B, adjusted vertically in the same manner as the roller D, is

page_text: adjusted horizontally, so that the surface of the roller E may be held in contact with
the surface of the metal roller D. The roller E, is covered with cloth or other porous
material, so that it will gather moisture from the water contained within the pan F
within which the said roller revolves.
His what is termed the "printing roller" journalled in suitable boxes & beld
in the frame B in the same manner as the axle boxes of the rollers D and E.
I represents a web of copying paper extending from the paper-roll J, which is
carried on a spindle journalled in the frame B. It will be noticed that the web I,
after leaving the paper roll J, passes over a small roller K and then below a
similar roller L. Both the rollers-K and L are journalled in the arm M which is
pivotted at e to the frame B so that the rollers K and L may have a slight swinging
movement in addition to revolving on their axes during the passage of the paper I.
The roller K it will be seen supports the paper I. and prevents it dropping into the
water pan F while the roller L is located so as to hold the paper I down and cause
it to hug the surface of the roller E which it does from the point that it leaves the
roller L till it passes the contact point of the roller D, from which point it extends
around the roller, D, between it and the roller A and thence between the said roller
and the printing-roller H.
.
The rollers A, D, E and H, are either geared together or arranged in contact as
indicated in drawing so that the revolving of the roller A imparts a corresponding
motion to the other rollers; consequently when the crank-handle C is turned in the
direction indicated by arrows, the other rollers mentioned will also move so that
their joint action shall cause the web of paper I, to pass through them in the
direction indicated by arrow, the effect of which will be that the said paper is first
thoroughly soaked by being held in contact with the surface of the roller E partially
wrung by passing between the rollers, D. and E and then finally wrung entirely
free from any surplus moisture by passing between the wringing roller D. and main
roller A so that the said paper shall be in proper condition te receive impressions
from the manuscript which is passed between the printing-roller H and main roller A
with the surface of the manuscript in contact with the paper I..
a
In order to prevent the paper I from winding round the roller A. I provide
roller N. suitably journalled in the frame B and having bristles or rubber pro-
jections so as to present a flexible surface for acting against the paper, I, when
the roller N revolves, which it is caused to do at a higher speed than the roller A
from which it is driven by the strap or cord g as indicated.
O is a table on which the sheets of manuscript to be copied may be placed,
which sheets as they pass between the rollers H and A are copied on the paper. I
and are conveyed by the said paper over the roller N falling with it into a basket
placed for the purpose, or they may be gathered by the operator as they pass
through.
In practice it is found that the best result is obtained by making one roller in
each pair of rollers brought in contact with each other of metal or a hard unyielding
material, while its mate is made of yielding or slightly pliable material. With that
view I usually make the roller A of nickel-plated metal, or some other hard
and unyielding material, while I make the rollers D and H, of soft rubber or some
other yielding material, but of course the same general effect would be produced
were the rollers D and H made of hard unyielding material and the roller A made
of soft rubber or other yielding material.
If the surfaces of two soft rubber rollers are pressed together sufficiently tight
to wring or print a piece of paper carried between them it will be found that the
said paper will be constantly torn by the twisting action of the rubber rollers,
whereas by making one roller of a hard unyielding material its mate may be of a
soft yielding material without any twisting action being produced; consequently
paper carried between a hard and soft roller as specified will not be torn.
A feature of great importance in the construction of my machine is the fact that
the paper. I.is made to hug the roller E so that it will be thoroughly saturated over
its entire surface, while by locating the roller D at the point indicated the paper
I

page_text: though thoroughly soaked as mentioned, is perfectly wrung so that it will be
nearly damp enough to receive the impression from the manuscript carried between
the rollers H and A as before described.
P, is a water-cup connected with the interior of the pan F, so that the said pan
may be filled with water through the said cup P which may be also utilized as a
water gauge for indicating the height of water within the pan.
In order to prevent the handle C from being turned in the wrong direction I place
a ratchet pawl Q, which permits the roller A to be turned freely in the direction
indicated by arrow but prevents it being reversed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is
1. In a letter-copying machine in which the manuscript is copied on paper carried
between two revolving rollers, a roller E arranged to dampen the paper passing
round the roller A in combination with the said roller A and the roller D, arranged
to wring the paper on the roller A after it has passed the roller E.
2. The rollers A. D. and E the latter being dampened and arranged to act on the
paper I as specified in combination with the roller L arranged to make the paper I
hug the roller E substantially as and for the purpose specified.
3. The roller E, revolving in the pan F in combination with the rollers L and K
journalled in the pivoted arm M and arranged to act on the paper I, substantially
as and for the purpose specified.
4. In a copying inachine in which the manuscript is copied on a continuous web
of paper carried between rollers, the combination of a revolving roller N arranged
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
5. The damping roller E and main roller A, in combination with the wringing
roller D, arranged to hug the surfaces of the rollers E and A for the purpose of
forming a double wringer for the copying paper I as and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 20th day of December 1885.