Improved Rotary Printing Machine.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Dec., 1890-Accepted, 24th Jan., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Rotary Printing Machine.
I, JULES MICHAUD, of 96 rue d'Assas, Paris, France, 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 :-
This invention relates to an improved machine for printing works in one or in
everal colours on one or on both sides of the sheet, either for book work or for
newspapers, either ordinary or illustrated.
In the accompanying drawings:-
:―
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a machine embodying this invention.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing a modification of one part of the machine.
Fig. 3 is a plan view of the arrangement for changing the travel of the paper so as
to cause the web to pass twice or oftener between the same cylinders.
Fig. 4 is a transverse section of a printing cylinder and shows the segments or parts
of circles for securing the printing plates thereon.
Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of Fig. 4.
Fig. 6 is a plan view of the arrangement for changing the travel of one part of the
web of paper, so as to superpose it upon the other part.
The paper
from reel 1 (Fig. 1) passes over cylinder 2, called the blanket cylinder,
and is printed on one side by cylinder 3 carrying the printing plates, after which it
passes round the blanket cylinder 4 and is printed on the opposite side first by the
printing cylinder 5 and then by the cylinder 6. The web next passes to the blanket
cylinder 7 and is printed, still on the same side, by coming in contact with the
cylinders 8 and 9, after which it descends between the cutting cylinders 12 and 13
and passes to the folding cylinders 14 and 15.
The head of the sheet is then thrown out towards cylinder 15 by the blade 16, and
its centre is by the blades 18 caused to be seized by the blades 17 which carry it
forward, having received a first fold on cylinder 14.
The sheet carried forward by the blades 17 receives a second fold through the
blades 19, and the blades 20 of cylinder 21, and having received such second fold it is
released and descends between the guides 22 and the tapes 23, and then between the
tapes 23 and the guides 24 to the table, when it is pushed forward by the recipro-
cating plate 26 into the channel or tray formed by table 25 and the two cheeks 27.
The guides 22 enter grooves formed in the cylinder 21 so as to detach the sheet
from the latter.
It will be seen by the preceding description that the sheet is printed on one side by
the printing cylinder 3, then on the other side by the printing cylinders 5, 6, 8 and 9,
which may each be inked with a different colour, as a separate inking apparatus is
provided for each cylinder, and finally that this sheet after receiving two folds then
passes to the table 25 beside those previously delivered.
The printing cylinders 5 and 6 are in contact with the same blanket cylinder 4, but
I may as shown in Fig. 2 provide a separate blanket cylinder for each printing
cylinder, that is to say have a blanket cylinder 4' in contact with cylinder 5, and a
blanket cylinder 4 in contact with cylinder 6, so as to enable two "make readys" to
be effected separately. I may also adopt the same arrangement on the left hand of
the machine so that the printing cylinders 8 and 9 will each have a corresponding
blanket evlinder.
It will be seen that to ensure the paper being carried forward and prevented from
sagging between the cylinders 4 and 7, a roller 30 is provided, and in the "whites"
or blanks of the sheet, balls 49 of metal, india rubber or other suitable material, bear
on such roller; this roller 30 is driven by gearing at a surface speed slightly greater

page_text: Gan Ghat of the prinung cynnders, whereby the paper is always kept taut between
the cylinders 4 and 7, thus ensuring a perfect register.
On leaving blanket cylinder 7 the paper passes over a roller 31 against which balls
of metal; india rubber or other suitable material bear, such roller 31, like roller 30,
also being driven by gearing and at a surface speed slightly above that of the printing
cylinders.
I thus obtain a regular tension of the paper which is very necessary to produce a
correct register.
I may also if necessary employ a similar roller at the exit from cylinder 4 ; and
between the cylinders 4 and 7 I arrange tapes or a table to support the paper and
prevent it sagging.
The machine shown in the drawings is arranged to print one colour on one side
and four colours on the opposite side. It is evident that I may increase the number
of colours by causing the paper after it leaves cylinder 7 to pass to one or several
other blanket cylinders working in conjunction with one or several other printing
cylinders. I could also interpose between the cylin lers 2 and 4 one or several blanket
cylinders working in conjunction with one or several printing cylinders.
If necessary to print each side of the sheet in several colours I may also provide the
requisite number of cylinders and inkers for printing the first side of the sheet.
The machine described may be arranged to print two copies in its width; these
copies will then be separated on cylinder 21 by a dise 28 which projects into a groove
made in the middle of such cylinder.
If there are four pages of a publication in the development of the cylinder, in the
manner just described I obtain on the machine two copies, each of eight pages, folded
with two folds.
I may, if I wish, obtain on the machine one copy of sixteen pages composed of two
parts of eight pages superposed and folded together with two folds. For this purpose,
by means of a cutting disc 29 engaging a groove formed in the roller 30, 1 separate
the two parts of eight pages each; then one of the parts descends between the rollers 31
and the balls 32 serving to carry the paper along, whilst the other enveloping the
cylinder 7 will be carried to roller 33, when by the arrangement formed by the two
bars 34 and their supports shown in plan in Fig. 6, this web of paper after passing
round the rollers 35 and 36 and the cylinder 13 will be exactly superposed on the
other web, and they will descend together between the folders 14 and 15 (after having
been cut together) and will receive a first fold, then a second, and the reciprocating
plate will push into the receiving channel or tray a copy of sixteen pages.
If there are only two pages of a publication in the development of the cylinders, I
shall in the case just described obtain four and eight pages instead of eight and
⚫ sixteen.
I may with the same machine print, fold with one fold, and deliver copies of four
pages, each of the pages having the same dimension as in the preceding cases.
For this purpose the folding cylinders 14 and 15 must be regulated in relation to
the cutters 12 and 13 by means of gearing connecting them so that the head of the
sheet cut by the cylinders 12 and 13 is caused to correspond with the point 37
diametrically opposite the saw 38.. Then the head of the sheet descending between
the cylinders 14 and 15 is thrown out in the direction of the cylinder 15 by the
blades 39, and the middle is by blades 40 engaged with the blades 41 which carry it
forward folded. At the moment when the blades 41 pass the line of the centres of the
cylinders 14 and 12 they release the sheet which is seized by the side grippers 42.
After a complete rotation of the cylinders the grippers 42 gather a second sheet cut
and folded in the same manner as the first, then the two superposed sheets are released
by the grippers 42 under the action of the cam 48; the guides 22 which until now
have not engaged the grooves made in the cylinder 21 to receive them, enter such
grooves and remove the sheets from the cylinder, such sheets descending together to
the receiving table.
The sheet following immediately after the first sheet above referred to, that is to
say, the one of which the head was cut by the cylinders 12 and 13, is separated from

page_text: the latter sheet by the saw 38 entering the groove 50 of cylinder 14, is thrown out
towards the cylinder 15 by the blade 51, receives is fold by the blades 17 and 18, and
is then seized by the grippers 421, which afterwards gather a second, and the two
sheets descend as the former ones on to the table, after having been removed from the
cylinder 21 by the action of the movable guides 22.
When wide reels of paper are used on the machine the right and left copies are
separated at the moment of delivery by the cutting disc 28 which is lowered at such
moment.
In the case just described the folding blades 19 and 20 do not enter into operation ;
in the preceding cases-those of publications of 8 or 16 pages-the blades 40, 41, the
saw 28, and the grippers 42, 421, do not operate, it being easy to stop their action
either by shifting the cams by which they are actuated, or by removing the rollers on
the crank arms which bear against these cams.
The grippers 42 and 42' might release the sheet which they seize on their first
passago in front of the reciprocating plate, but it would then be necessary for the
latter to operate twice as quickly.
I may on this machine print in succession two colours on the same side of the sheet
with a single printing cylinder, one half of such cylinder serving for one colour, and
the other half thereof for the other colour.
For this purpose I employ reels of paper of a width corresponding to one copy, the
width of the cylinders being that corresponding to two copies.
The web of paper after being printed by passing between the two cylinders 2 and 3,
passes round roller 43, then over the bars 341, as shown in Fig. 3, and to roller 431,
and roller 45, and passes again between the cylinders 2 and 3 at the part adjoining
that where it passed previously, and it receives a second impression on the same
side.
It is only necessary that the inking apparatus corresponding to the cylinder 2 should
be divided into two parts, and for these two parts to contain different coloured inks, to
ensure the web receiving the two impressions in different colours. This combination
of the change of direction of the printed web with the inking of the printing plates
of a single cylinder in different colours to obtain impressions in different colours,
either superposed or not, I may apply to any kind of printing machine.
I may, by changing the direction of rotation of a group of cylinders and the
direction of the entrance of the paper between such cylinders, employ all the printing
plates to print one side only of a sheet; I may also employ two or three printing
cylinders to print on one side and the others for the opposite side.
Hitherto in machines constructed to receive several printing plates in the length of
the cylinders, the cylinders carrying such printing plates have had circles or rings
with two bevels arranged between the plates, against which circles or rings the plates
abut.
In the machine lescribed, which serves for colour printing, to obtain a true register
it is of great importance to be able to displace one or other of the printing plates
without moving the remainder. For this purpose instead of employing a circle or
ring with two bevels, I arrange segments of circles or rings 60 and 61 (see Figs. 4
and 5), each having a single bevel, such segments of circles correspording to one of
the printing plates. The segment of circle 60 has scrow-threaded holes with which
screws 62 and 63 engage, such screws also passing freely through plain or smooth
holes in the segment 61; the screws are of just the length of the width of the groove
formed in the cylinder, and in which the segments are situated, and they have a
square part at the centre which enables them to be rotated in either direction. Further,
the segments of circles 60 and 61 cannot become detached from the cylinder as they
are retained by the plates 66, 67, 68, which are fixed to the latter. If, therefore, the
screws 62 and 63, are turned in one direction or the other, the segment 60 will
be moved, and the printing plate bearing against such circle will be similarly
displaced.
In the same way the segment of circle 61 has two screws 64 and 65, engaging

page_text: screw-threaded holes theroin and passing freely through the segment 60, thus
permitting the displacement of the printing plate bearing against the segment 61.
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 improved printing machine for printing either on one side only or on both
sides of a sheet, constructed and operating substantially as described and shown in
the drawings.
2. The employment of a roller revolving at a surface speed higher than that of the
travel of the paper, and against which balls of metal, india rubber or other suitable
material bear in the "whites" or "blanks" of the impression, such arrangement
serving to ensure the keeping of the paper at a constant tension in its passage from
one blanket cylinder to another, and to thus obtain a correct register, substantially
as specified.
3. The arrangement of cutting, folding, and receiving mechanism for enabling the
delivery of copies of 16, 8 or 4 pages, substantially as specified.
4. The employment of movable segments or parts of circles corresponding to each
printing plate, so as to permit of the adjustment of one plate without displacing the
others, substantially as specified.
5. The combination of the arrangement described for enabling the direction of
travel of a web of paper to be altered so as to permit same to pass twice or
oftener between the two same cylinders-a printing cylinder and a blanket cylinder,
and of inking apparatus for the different parts of the printing cylinder, which
inking may be of a different nature or colour for each part, so as to enable several
impressions, either superposed or not, to be produced on the web by means of a single
printing cylinder and a single blanket cylinder, substantially as specified.
6. The combination of the arrangement whereby the travel of one part of a web of
paper is altered, with a folding and receiving apparatus for superposing the two
parts of the web after printing and to reunite and place one within the other different
parts of the same publication, and to cut, fold and deliver same, substantially as
specified.
7. The combination of the rollers and the balls for ensuring the tension of paper,
with one or more series of printing cylinders, substantially as specified.
8. The combination of the rollers and the balls for ensuring the tension of paper,
with the arrangement for altering the travel of the paper so as to obtain more than
one impression on the same side thereof by means of a single printing cylinder,
substantially as specified.
9. The combination of the parts or segments of circles enabling one printing plate
to be displaced without displacing the others, with the printing cylinders, substantially
as specified.
Dated this 8th day of December 1890
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.