IMPROVEMENTS IN CYLINDRICAL PRINTING PRESSES
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Davies, of No. 1, Serle Street, Lincoln's Inn,
in the County of Middlesex, and No. 87, St. Vincent Street, in the City
of Glasgow, Civil Engineer and Patent Agent, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CYLINDRICAL PRINTING PRESSES."-A communication
from abroad by Louis Théodore Verney, of Paris, France, Printer.
Sealed the 11th June 1867, and dated the 19th December 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Davies at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 19th
December 1866.
I, GEORGE DAVIES, of No. 1, Serle Street, Lincoln's Inn, in the County of
Middlesex, and No. 87, St. Vincent Street, in the City of Glasgow, Civil
Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CYLINDRICAL PRINTING PRESSES," (a communication to me
from abroad by Louis Théodore Verney, of Paris, France, Printer,) to be as
follows:-
The improvements which form the subject of the present Invention relate
particularly to those lithographic presses called "cylindrical," which they
render applicable for chemical printing from metal, thus giving a practical
solution to "metallography."
The cylinder of the press is enveloped by the plate of metal on which the
design to be printed is executed, whatever may be the nature of the drawing ;

page_text: this ground metal plate allows of the use of any of the chalks or inks employed
in lithography, or even of blacklead pencil, which may be used in place
thereof or in connection therewith, according to the effect desired; phosphoric
acid is employed as a preparation in whatever style the drawing may be
executed. The prepared metal is fitted for chemical engraving, that is, by
the same method as lithographic drawings, whether with the dry point or the
diamond, or whether it is the result of an acid destroying the effect of the
preparation, in which case the metal must be coated with a resisting varnish
and the design must be traced in such a manner as to remove the varnish
from all parts to be bitten in by the acid. The same result takes place on a
metal coated with a varnish sensitive to the action of light on which a photo-
graphic image has been produced, as with the blacklead pencil. These means
may be employed separately or in conjunction with other processes of chemical
engraving.
The cylinder press which forms the subject of the present Invention is
characterized by various novel combinations, the principal of which are as
follows: Firstly, the movement of the table which presents the paper to the
action of the printing cylinder; secondly, a special registering apparatus;
thirdly, an arrangement of rocking levers for moving the upper inking roller
alternately from one side to the other; fourthly, a rule or straight edge
intended to prevent the creasing or unevenness of the sheet of paper to
be printed whenever the pressure gives it a tendency to rise up; fifthly, a
movable continuous ink-distributing apparatus; and, sixthly, a movable web
which gives the necessary resistance at the moment of the impression.
The movement for the presentation of the sheet (which allows of a perfect
registering) is connected to that of the cylinder, but instead of a tablet only
the whole table moves; for this purpose two projections are arranged on the
table which at a given moment are caught by two other projections cast upon
two plates or discs mounted on the axis of the printing cylinders; a soon as
the sheet is taken hold of by the cylinder these projections escape each other
and the table returns to its original position to receive another sheet of paper.
The return of the table is effected by two levers actuated by two cams on the
exterior of the plates or discs before named.
The registering of the sheet of paper, when two or more colors are employed,
or when both sides of the sheet are to be printed, is effected as follows:-A
sliding rule or straight edge is guided by two square rods fixed on two pieces
of metal placed flat on the table; these two pieces are held on the table by
one end by means of a screw which passes through a slide, this screw being

page_text: loosened allows of the two pieces being set nearer to each other or further
apart, in order to regulate their width to the size of the paper to be printed;
at the other end of these two pieces are two other pieces which are displaced
equally, sliding on the first-named pieces, and are fixed by means of a set
screw according to the height which is necessary to gauge the paper. From
the two first-named pieces project two pins passing through the two square
rods which guide the sliding rule, the square rod being curved to pass over
two levers which serve to raise the sliding rule at the moment when the sheet
of paper is seized by the printing cylinder, and when it should be disengaged
from the two pins, the said levers being actuated at the right moment by two
cams fixed on the axis of the cylinder.
The inking of the rollers which supply the ink to the printing cylinder is
effected by means of an inking apparatus which travels to and fro from one
side to the other of the machine; this movement is effected by means of a bar
or roller in which are cut or formed a right and left hand screw; engaged in
one of the grooves of this screw, which is driven by an endless chain, the
inking carriage traverses from one side to the other of the press; when it has
arrived almost at the end of its course it actuates a lever which moves the
first roller (which receives the ink from the inking carriage) in a longitudinal
direction. A similar lever at the other side of the machine slides the roller
back again when the inking carriage arrives at the other side of the machine;
this to-and-fro movement of the first inking roller is intended to render the
inking more, uniform. To facilitate this displacement of the first inking roller
the inking carriage at the moment of its acting on the lever is raised by an
inclined plane placed on the cross bearer, which leaves the inking roller
completely at liberty.
The damping is operated and regulated by a small reservoir which contains
the requisite quantity of water and distributes it evenly from end to end of the
damping roller, being itself connected to the inking carriage and travelling
with it; the supply is regulated by a small tap. In order further to equalize
the effect of the damping roller the cylinder is furnished between the damping
and inking rollers with a bar or strip faced with sponge or other suitable
material, to which a reciprocating motion is imparted by pins working in
undulating grooves in two cams on the axis of the cylinder.
The automatic movement of the web which takes the paper through the
press is effected as follows:-The web (which passes between the printing
cylinder and the bed roller) is coiled on a drum; the revolution of the printing
cylinder and bed roller draws the web forward, and a spring recoils it whenever

page_text: the cylinder and bed roller are thrust slightly asunder, which happens the
moment after each impression; or (if preferred) the recoiling of the web may
be effected by a positive mechanical motion.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Davies in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
19th June 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
DAVIES, of No. 1, Serle Street, Lincoln's Inn, in the County of Middlesex,
and No. 87, St. Vincent Street, in the City of Glasgow, Civil Engineer and
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said George Davies, Her special licence that I, the said George Davies, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George
Davies, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thercafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS. IN CYLINDRICAL
PRINTING PRESSES," (a communication to me from abroad by Louis Théodore
Verney, of Paris, France, Printer, upon the condition (amongst others) that
1, the said George Davies, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the
Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Davies, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement in writing, and on reference to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings,
that is to say:-
The improvements which form the subject of the present Invention relate

page_text: particularly to those lithographic presses called "cylindrical," which they
render applicable for chemical printing from metal, thus giving a practical
solution to "metallography."
The cylinder of the press is enveloped by the plate of metal on which the
design to be printed is executed whatever may be the nature of the drawing;
this ground metal plate allows of the use of any of the chalks or inks
employed in lithography, or even of blacklead pencil, which may be used in
place thereof, or in connection therewith, according to the effect desired;
phosphoric acid is employed as a preparation in whatever style the drawing
may be executed. The prepared metal is fitted for chemical engraving, that
is, by the same method as lithographic drawings, whether with the dry point
or the diamond, or whether it is the result of an acid destroying the effect of
the preparation, in which case the metal must be coated with a resisting
varnish, and the design must be traced in such a manner as to remove the
varnish from all parts to be bitten in by the acid. The same result takes place
on a metal coated with a varnish sensitive to the action of the light, on which
a photographic image has been produced, as with the blacklead pencil; these
means may be employed separately or in conjunction with other processes of
chemical engraving.
The cylinder press which forms the subject of the present Invention is
characterized by various novel combinations, the principal of which are as
follows:-Firstly, the movement of the table which presents the paper to the
action of the printing cylinder; secondly, a special registering apparatus;
thirdly, an arrangement of rocking levers for moving the upper inking roller
alternately from one side to the other; fourthly, a rule or straight edge intended
to prevent the creasing or unevenness of the sheet of paper to be printed on
whenever the pressure gives it a tendency to rise up; fifthly, a movable con-
tinuous ink distributing apparatus; and, sixthly, a movable web which gives
the necessary resistance at the moment of the impression.
The movement for the presentation of the sheet (which allows of a perfect
registering) is connected to that of the cylinder, but instead of a tablet only
the whole table moves. For this purpose two projections are arranged on the
table, which at a given moment are caught by two other projections cast upon
two plates or discs mounted on the axis of the printing cylinder. As soon as
the sheet is taken hold of by the cylinder these projections escape each other,
and the table returns to its original position to receive another sheet of paper.
The return of the table is effected by two levers actuated by two cams on the
exterior of the plates or discs before named. The registering of the sheet of

page_text: paper when two or more colors are employed, or when both sides of the sheet
are to be printed, is effected as follows:-A sliding rule or straight edge is
guided by two square rods fixed on two pieces of metal placed flat on the
table; these two pieces are held on the table by one end by means of a screw
which passes through a slide, this screw being loosened allows of the two
pieces being set nearer to each other or further apart in order to regulate their
width to the size of the paper to be printed; at the other end of these two
pieces are two other pieces which are displaced, equally sliding on the first-
named pieces, and are fixed by means of a set screw according to the height
which is necessary to gauge the paper. From the two first-named pieces project
two pins passing through the two square rods which guide the sliding rule,
the square being curved to pass over two levers which serve to raise the
-sliding rule at the moment when the sheet of paper is seized by the printing
cylinder, and when it should be disengaged from the two pins, the said levers
being actuated at the right moment by two cams fixed on the axis of the
cylinder.
The inking of the rollers which supply the ink to the printing cylinder is
effected by means of an inking apparatus, which travels to and fro from one
side to the other of the machine; this movement is effected by means of a bar
or roller, in which are cut or formed a right and left hand screw, engaged in
one of the grooves of this screw which is driven by an endless chain, the
inking carriage traverses from one side to the other of the press; when it has
arrived almost at the end of its course it actuates a lever which moves the first
roller (which receives the ink from the inking carriage) in a longitudinal
direction. A similar lever at the other side of the machine slides the roller
back again when the inking carriage arrives at the other side of the machine;
this to-and-fro movement of the first inking roller is intended to render the
inking more uniform. To facilitate this displacement of the first inking
roller the inking carriage at the moment of its acting on the lever is raised
by an inclined plane placed on the cross bearer, which leaves the inking roller
completely at liberty.
The damping is operated and regulated by a small reservoir which
contains the requisite quantity of water and distributes it evenly from end
to end of the damping roller, being itself connected to the inking carriage and
travelling with it; the supply is regulated by a small tap. In order further
to equalize the effect of the damping roller the cylinder is furnished between
the damping and inking rollers with a bar or strip, faced with sponge
or other suitable material, to which a reciprocating motion is imparted

page_text: by pins working in undulating grooves in two cams on the axis of the
cylinder.
The automatic movement of the web which takes the paper through the
press is effected as follows:-The web (which passes between the printing
cylinder and the bed roller) is coiled on a drum, the revolution of the printing
cylinder and bed roller draws the web forward, and a spring recoils it whenever
the cylinder and bed roller are thrust slightly asunder, which happens the
moment after each impression; or (if preferred) the recoiling of the web may
be effected by a positive mechanical motion.
Such being the nature and object of the said Invention for "Improvements
in Cylindrical Printing Presses," I will now proceed to describe more in detail
'the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into
practical effect. And in order that the same may be distinctly understood I
have annexed hereunto a Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have
marked the same with figures and letters of reference corresponding with those
in the following explanation thereof, that is to say :-
Figure 1 in the annexed Drawing represents a front elevation of the press;
Figure 2 is a corresponding plan view as seen from above; Figure 3 is a side
elevation; Figure 4 is a longitudinal section; Figure 5 is a detached plan
view of the table as seen from above; Figure 6 is a transverse section taken
through the line 1-2 in Figure 5; and Figure 7 represents a modification
which may be made in the mechanism of the movable web.
moves.
The actuating mechanism for presenting the sheet, which allows of a perfect
registration, is connected with the movement, that is to say, the advancing of
the printing cylinder, but in this case instead of a tablet only the whole table
For this purpose there are connected to the table A two projections a
(Figure 5), which at a given moment are caught by two other projections b
cast on the two discs B mounted on the axle of the printing cylinder C (one
on each side). These discs are mounted in such a manner that they will
catch hold of the table on which the sheet of paper is placed and registered;
as soon as the said sheet is taken by the cylinder C the projections a and b
quit each other, and the table A returns to its original position to receive a
fresh sheet of paper. The return of the table is effected by two levers D and
D' and two cams c fixed on the exterior of the two discs B; these two cams c
are intended (as soon as the table A is free and is no longer held by the
projections b) to press on the end of the levers D which turn on points d fixed
on the frame H. The other end of the levers is attached to the levers D',
which themselves oscillate on a small gudgeon fixed in the lugs a¹ formed in

page_text: one piece with the table A; it is this arrangement which forces the table to
return to its original position, and to receive a forward and backward motion at
each revolution of the cylinder C. As regards the registration of the sheet of
paper in cases where it is desired to print several colors, or to print on both
sides of the sheet, and which require a perfect registration, a peculiar arrange-
ment which is mounted on the table A effects a very good result. This
arrangement comprises a sliding rule M which is guided between two squaro
bars m (Figures 5 and 6) fixed on the two pieces N which are placed flat on
the table A; these two pieces are held on to the table by one end by means
of a screw passing through a slot; this screw being unscrewed allows these
two pieces to be placed further from each other in order to regulate their
width according to the size of the paper to be printed. At the other end of
these two pieces N are two other pieces n which are movable, also sliding on
the pieces N, and are fixed by means of set screws according to the height
which is necessary for gauging the paper; upon the two pieces O fixed to the
pieces N are the two square bars m which guide the sliding rule M, and which
are themselves bent in order to allow the two levers Q (which oscillate on
points g) to pass under; these two levers serve to raise the sliding rule at the
moment when the sheet of paper is seized by the printing cylinder and
presser, and when it should be disengaged from the two points o fixed on the
pieces O and passing through openings made at each end of the rule M; these
openings are the same as those in which the square rods m are guided. At the
time of the first printing of the sheet of paper it is pierced with two small holes
by the points o when the sheet is placed on the table; the table then advances
and the cams c which are on each side of the cylinder C press upon the ends
of the two small levers Q, which oscillating on the point q raise the rule M,
force this rule to disengage the sheet of paper from the two points o, and thus
allow the sheet of paper to be drawn between the two cylinders. For the
second impression it is only requisite to place the sheet of paper on the
points o, making use of the holes formed therein during the first printing. The
rule M is made sliding in order that it may be lengthened or shortened
according to the width of the paper.
?
The third arrangement relates to the inking of the rollers which in turn
carry the ink on to the printing cylinder. The inking is preformed by an
inking apparatus moving backwards and forwards from one side of the
machine to the other; in the annexed Drawings these two movements are
effected by means of a cylinder E, in the surface of which are formed two
crossed screw threads or channels, that is, one right and one left handed; this

page_text: g
cylinder turns in supports fixed to the two pieces which support the printing
cylinder C, from which it receives its motion by a cbain passing round a
toothed wheel F keyed on the axis of the printing cylinder C, and a small
wheelf fixed by a screw on the screwed cylinder E. Engaged in one of the
channels of the screwed cylinder E the inking carriage G is caused by the
fact of the rotation of the screw to traverse the whole width of the machine.
Arrived almost at the end of its journey it meets a lever 9 which turns on a
point g fixed on the two supports of the cylinder C, forces this lever to
oscillate, and by that means pushes the first roller K (which receives the ink
directly from the carriage G) a certain distance towards the other side of the
machine. A similar lever placed at the other side pushes the roller K back
to its original position, and so on alternately; this displacement of the first
inking roller is effected in order to give a more perfect regularity to the inking.
This arrangement of the screwed cylinder E is shewn for example, but any
other movement capable of giving the inking carriage a similar traverse would
produce the same effect. To facilitate the displacement of the first inking
roller the inking carriage at the moment of its pressing against the end of the
lever g is raised by an inclined plane placed or formed on the tie rod, which
sets the inking roller completely at liberty.
The damping is effected and regulated by a small reservoir Y (Figures 1,
3, and 4) which contains the necessary water; it distributes the water from
one side of the press to the other, being connected in an intimate manner to
the inking carriage, and receiving consequently a similar traversing motion.
The water escapes therefrom in as small or large a quantity as may be desired
by means of a tube y furnished with a tap, which may be opened or closed at
pleasure. In this way the water is distributed to the damping roller with the
desired regularity.
In order to leave nothing to be desired, and to prevent the damping roller
from furnishing the water without distributing or equalizing the same, a
transverse rule or straight edge Z (Figures 1 and 4) is employed, being
furnished with a sponge or woven or felted fabric, and placed loosely between
the damping and inking rollers; this rule, the object of which is to constantly
equalize the damping, is provided at each end with a gudgeon, which gudgeons
enter the undulating grooves on the edge of the discs B in such a manner
that it receives a continuous to-and-fro motion. The automatic movement of
the web, which is arranged as shewn in Figures 1, 3, and 4, is composed of a
drum S, round which is wound the web which passes between the printing
cylinder C and the roller C, and which at the moment of taking the

page_text: impression is drawn forwards by the cylinders C and C¹, and is drawn back
again on to the drum S by the lever s, which is acted upon by the spring s¹ at
the instant when the two projections w forming part of the cylinder C raise
the latter in a slight degree; this movement may be modified, as shown at
Figure 7, in order to give it a more mechanical regularity. The drum S
being placed in the same position serves still to receive the web after the
impression, but the rest of the automatic mechanism is changed; for this
purpose there is fixed on the axis of the printing cylinder (and either inside or
outside the framing) a small cam I which acts at a given moment (that is to
say, when the proof is printed) on a bell-crank lever i vibrating on an axis i¹
fixed to the framing of the press; these bell-crank levers i are acted upon
by the cams I, and raise the two rods J connected to the levers J¹, which.
oscillate on centres j fixed on the framing. At the end of these levers J¹ are
attached two cords which are wound round the two small pulleys V keyed on
the axis S¹ at the two ends of tho drum S. It will be evident from the above
that with a very small movement of the cam I the bell-cranks i can be made
to oscillate, raise the rods J, and thus cause the longer arm of the levers J'
to which the cords are attached to describe a considerable curve, and thus
unwind the cords from the pulleys V, which forces the drum S to wind up all
the web, in order to unwind it again at the moment when the cylinders C and
C¹ draw the proof. In order to give it a still greater certainty of action the
'web may be fixed by both of its ends to the same drum which is made of a
-suitable proportion, so that it may be rolled and unrolled by the same motion.
Having now described the nature and object of the said Invention for
"Improvements in Cylindrical Printing Presses," together with the manner in
which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical effect,
I would remark in conclusion that I claim as the Invention communicated to
me by the aforesaid Louis Théodore Verney,-
Firstly, the use of cylinders allowing the employment of sheets of scraped
or granulated metal on which any of the crayons or inks used in lithography
may be employed, the prepared metal being adapted for chemical engraving
in the same manner as lithographic drawings.
.
Secondly, the mechanical combination for giving motion to the table.
Thirdly, the registering apparatus.
Fourthly, the arrangement of levers for moving the upper inking roller to
and fro.
.
Fifthly, the employment of a rule or straight edge placed near the cylinders
………………………………………………… of the nine which is hoing wrinted

page_text: Sixthly, the arrangement of the continuous ink distributing apparatus
which does not allow of the escape of ink.
Seventhly, the improvement in the damping apparatus consisting of a
movable distributing reservoir and a regulating straight edge or rule to which
a to-and-fro movement is imparted.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Davies, have hereunto set my
band and seal, this Nineteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
GEORGE DAVIES. (L.S.)