An Improved Multicolour Printing Machine.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Aug., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 27th Nov., 1891-Accepted, 2nd Jan., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Multicolour Printing Machine.
I, CRAVEN WILLIAM BURFORD of No. 548 Flinders Street Melbourne in the
Colony of Victoria, Printer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
The object of this invention is to enable printing to be done in two or more
colours at one impression from one single forme. It is specially intended for letter-
press printing and for the production of any printing where attractiveness is
required at moderate cost.
The present method of executing printing in more than one colour usually
requires a separate forme of type or other printing surface and a separate impres-
sion for each colour. A show-bill in four colours, therefore, usually requires the
preparation of four separate formes-four separate impressions being necessary to
perfect each copy making the work nearly quadruple the cost of a similar show-
bill printed in one colour. My machine would produce the same article in four
colours at a very slightly increased cost on the single colour work, as only one
forme and one impression would be required.
My invention consists in the addition to the single colour printing machines of
other complete inking systems, as many as required, so arranged that each system
will deposit its ink on that portion of the forme required to be shown in its
particular colour. This I accomplish by using inking rollers of sufficient girth to
completely cover at one revolution the largest forme the machine is constructed to
print, and by using generally one inking roller only for each colour. These inking
rollers are composed or built up of separate adjustable parts of various sizes
capable of being adjusted to ink only that part of the forme required with the
colour carried by each individual roller. These rollers are rotated by and kept in
their correct relative positions with the forme by means of a pinion gearing into a
rack attached to the table carrying the forme.
Each inking roller receives its supply of ink from an iron or other metallic
distributing drum immediately above it, having the ink well distributed on its
surface by means of a series of distributing rollers revolving in conjunction with
it. The colours will be supplied from ink "fountains," one for each colour,
extending across the full width of the machine and placed over the inking roller
conveying that colour to the forme, but in such a position as to leave all rollers
easily removable for sponging, etc. The ink fountains will be similar to those now
in use on ordinary cylinder printing machines. In the case where a special letter,
word, words, or design is required to be in more than one colour I cut away from
each respective direct inking roller so much of the composition as may not be
required for the inking of the special part intended to be marked by it. Thus, if
the letter A was required to be printed in, say, red and black-the legs of the letter
in red and the cross-bar in black-on the red ink roller there would be no com-
position on that part of the stock where the black cross-bar would otherwise touch
it; and on the black roller there would be no composition on such part where the
red portion of the letter would otherwise touch it; and so on with the other inking
rollers if the same letter were intended to be printed in three or four colours-I
would not leave any composition on any particular roller which would fall on or
come in contact with such portions of the letter as were intended to be inked by
another colour roller. Thus the black inking roller always rolls the black, the red
inking roller the red portions of the design, etc. and nothing else. This, however,
would not affect the subdivision of any ink fountain by means of the ordinary
transverse stops, if desired, in which case different sections of any one roller could

page_text: be utilised to deposit upon the type, etc. different coloured ink. The mechanism
for transferring the colours from the type or forme to the paper is similar to that
now in use on ordinary cylinder printing machines, but gives a considerably
increased travel to the table in order to bring the rearmost part of the forme
completely under and a distance beyond that rolling system which is situated
furthest from it on the machine.
The knife used for cutting the composition on the inking rollers has a transverse
or T-shaped guard projecting beyond the point of the blade to prevent it cutting
through the composition and coming into contact with the metal underneath. The
guard is curved to enable the knife to be used on either side as required.
Dated this Twenty-sixth day of June One thousand eight hundred and
C. W. BURFORD.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Multicolour Printing Machine.
I, CRAVEN WILLIAM BURFORD of No. 548 Flinders Street, Melbourne in the
Colony of Victoria Printer 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:-
The object of this invention is to enable printing to be done in two or more
colours at one impression from one "forme" of type, block or other printing
surface. It is specially intended for letterpress printing, for the production of
work where attractiveness is required at a moderate cost.
The ordinary method of executing printing in more than one colour requires a
separate forme of type or other printing surface and a separate impression for each
colour. A show bill in four colours therefore requires the preparation of four
separate formes, four separate impressions being necessary to perfect each copy,
making the work nearly quadruple the cost of a similar show bill printed in one
colour. By my invention I am able to produce the same article in four colours at
a very slightly increased cost on the single colour work, as only one forme and one
impression are required to produce each perfect copy.
My invention consists in the addition to the single-colour machines of other
complete inking systems, as many as required, so arranged that each system will
deposit its ink on that portion of the forme required to be shewn in its particular
colour. This I accomplish by using inking rollers of sufficient girth to completely
cover at one revolution the largest forme the machine is intended to print, and by
using (generally) one inking roller only for each colour. These inking rollers
consist, firstly, of a "stock
or body having slots to receive bolts or screw-clamps,
and secondly, of segmental inkers, secured on the periphery of the said stock by
means of said bolts or clamps in whatsoever position the said segments may be
required.
"
These segmental inkers I make in a number of sizes, to meet, as nearly as
possible, every requirement in printing by my system. They are cast in any
ordinary roller composition or material used by printers for transferring the ink
from the ink-distributing surface to the type or block, upon metallic or other rigid
bases, which latter are curved to the same arc as the roller stock, to which they
fit closely when placed for printing.
Referring to the accompanying drawings-
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a multi-colour printing machine constructed according
to my invention.
Fio 2 is a side elevation nonthe in santion, and

page_text: Fig. 3 is a plan of the inking attachment of said machine.
Fig. 4 is an end elevation of said inking attachment, with the rollers broken
away
in the centre for the sake of convenience.
Fig. 5 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the stock or body of one of the
inking rollers.
Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse section on line 6, 6, Fig. 5.
Fig. 7 is a vertical transverse section through part of one of the inking rollers,
illustrating the means employed for securing the inking composition or segmental
inker on the stock or body thereof.
Fig. 8 is a vertical transverse section on line 8, 8, Fig. 7.
The same letters of reference are used to indicate the same parts in all the figs.
A represents a roller-driving rack secured to the table of a printing machine
the travel of which has been extended sufficiently to allow the forme to pass well
clear beyond all the ink systems. I place a rack on each side of the type bed ;
these racks are also the impression cylinder racks. B, B represent the stocks of
the inking rollers in their working positions, supported by brackets b, b, bolted to
the side of the main frame C of the machine, so that when it is required to take
an inking roller out of the machine, the nut fastening its bracket is released, when
the bolt can be raised; thus the bracket is detached and the roller can then be
removed. Adjusting or set-screws, b', ', provide means for increasing or diminishing
the pressure of the roller on the forme. D, D, represent the mait. ink distributing
drums, rotated by means of pinions gearing into corresponding pinions on the
spindles of the inking rollers. These drums rest on adjustable bearings, d, d. and
in order to increase their effectiveness they have lateral motion imparted to them
by a lever, d', worked by an eccentric d', as shewn in Fig. 4.
E, E' represent iron distributing rollers. The right hand side of Fig. 2 shews
the near or "feed" side of the apparatus, while the left hand side shews the frame
cut away, exposing position of the various rollers connected with the ink systems.
F, F represent ductor rollers conveying ink from the ink fountain cylinders g, g,
and operated by the cams f, f, Fig. 2; whilst f¹, f', represent the spindles upon
which are secured the ductor roller levers f², f2. Rests, f³, f³, are provided to
support the ductor roller levers f, f2, when it is required to stop the ink supply.
H, H represent distributing rollers, and I a conjunctional roller to unite two ink
systems if desired. J, J represent brackets to accommodate fliers or ordinary
sheet delivery apparatus. a, a, represent the pinions of the inking roller stocks or
bodies, B, and u¹, a', represent the driving studs causing said stocks to maintain
their fixed relative positions and to rotate as the rack A moves when the machine
is put in motion. The inking roller stock B is in engagement with the stud a',
and therefore revolves in correct position relatively to the particular part of the
forme or type to be inked by it at each traverse of the table of the machine, the
composition obtaining a renewed supply of ink from the main distributing drum D
immediately above and in contact with it each time after the forme has passed
beneath it. I cause the ink cylinders 9 to rotate in their proper direction by
means of sprocket wheels g¹. I impart a lateral motion of about two inches to each
of the main ink drums D by means of the lever d¹, operated by the eccentrics d³
driven from the main fly wheel shaft of the machine. K, K, (Fig. 4) represents
the ordinary side frame of the printing machine below the line of the type bed.
939 represent the usual adjusting screws for regulating the flow of ink from the
ink troughs or fountains G.
The stocks or bodies B of the inking rollers are made of iron or other metal,
and their length and diameter are made to suit the particular size of printing
machine they are fitted for; and the same remark applies to all the other rollers.
and fittings. 62, 62 are interrupted spiral slots made in the stock or body B of
the inking rollers to admit of the insertion of clamps, 63, 63, as illustrated in
Figs. 7 and 8, in order to fasten the segmental inkers in any required position.
Rectilinear lines or gauge marks 6, 6, are provided to assist the operator in
finding by measurement the correct place for affixing the mounted composition.

page_text: The lines which run transversely to the axis are placed at fixed distances apart, as
for instance, half an inch or an inch; but the lines which coincide with the axis
I place at such a reduced distance apart as shall represent a fixed distance on the
circumference of the roller. Thus, as the inking composition and metallic base
together are about in. thick, I find that an inch on the exterior surface of the
composition is represented by in. on the face of the roller stock; therefore I
place the longitudinal lines in. apart.
Referring to Figs. 7 and 8, 5 represents the male screw engaging in a female
screw or nut 66, whilst represents a washer or clip through which the screw 7,6
is passed, so as to cause said clip to bite on the thin metallic or other base 68 of a
segment carrying the composition, 62, which deposits the printing ink on to the
type or forme. Other means for affixing the segmental inkers to the stocks or
bodies B may be employed in lieu of those just described, such as ordinary screws
and holes, grooves and dovetails, or a cement; but I prefer the design shewn here
as presenting the best facilities for the purpose.
-
By means of my invention and the use of my segmental inkers the printer is
enabled to ink independent lines lying either transversely to or parallel with the
axis of the impression cylinder of the printing machine. It is also easy by the
same means to print, in different colours, lines lying at right angles, or any angle,
to each other; to print simultaneously concentric circles of different colours (as
for instance an archery target); to print lines having letters of one colour with
shading of a second colour, and if desired a tinted background of a third colour;
and also to print many kinds of pictorial designs. With two printings almost any
desired effect could be obtained by the superposition of different colours, equalling
ordinary work on which several printings had been bestowed. This class of work
on my system infers cutting the composition to the pattern required.
In the case of close or intricate display, where a special letter, word, words or
design is required to be in more than one colour, I cut away from each direct
inking roller so much of the composition as may not be required on that particular
roller, and which if left on would be in the way. Thus, if the letter A were
required to be printed in say red and black-the legs of the letter in red and
the cross bar in black-on the red ink roller there would be no composition on
that part of the stock where the black cross bar would otherwise touch it, and
on the black roller there would be no composition which could come in contact
with the red portion of the letter; and so on with the other inking rollers if
the same letter were intended to be printed in three or four colours: I would
not leave any composition on any particular roller which would fall on or come
in contact with such portions of the letter as were intended to be inked by a
roller of another colour. Thus the black inking roller always rolls the black
and the red inking roller the red portions of the design, &c., and nothing else.
For ordinary show placard work consisting of plain lines, no cutting of compo-
sition is required; the segmental inkers being cast to certain standard sizes in
both length and depth, all that is required is to attach the proper sized inkers to
whichever stocks are carrying such colours as it may be desired to print the
placard in.
By means of my invention and the use of my built up segmental inkers the
printer can change at will the relative colour-display, reversing or transposing
the colours by exchanging the position of certain inkers. Thus, if after printing
a certain number of impressions of a show bill, it is required to print in red those
lines which were previously blue, and vice versa, all that the operator.need do is to
reverse the places of those two inking rollers, putting the blue roller where the
red one was and the red one where the blue roller was (having of course sponged
the previous ink off), when he will accomplish the object desired.
It will thus be seen that the inking rollers are composed or made up of detach-
able pieces of mounted composition of various sizes, capable of being adjusted on
geared stocks so as to ink only such part of the forme required to be inked with
the colour carried by each individual roller.

page_text: The mechanism for the "impression," or transferring the colours from the type
or forme to the paper, card or calico, is similar to that in general use on cylinder
printing machines, but gives an increased travel to the table or type bed, in order
to bring the rearmost part of the forme completely under and a distance beyond
that inking system which is situated farthest from the layer-on.
The knives and tools used for cutting the roller composition are various thin
gouges, penknife blades both straight and bent, also a knife with a transverse curved
guard, . The mould used for casting the segmental inkers is provided with a
core corresponding in diameter with the roller stocks, and in contact with this
core are held the shells forming the bases of the segmental inkers. Transverse and
vertical dividing accessories hold the shells or bases in proper position inside the
mould for casting.
Having now fully described the nature of my invention, and ascertained the
means by which simultaneous printing in colours from a single forme of type, etc.,
can be accomplished, the novel features for which I claim protection by Letters
Patent are
1. A printing machine in which the forme of type or other printing surface is
inked in various colours by the use of as many partially covered inking rollers as
there are colours required to be deposited, the composition on each inking roller
standing in high relief in such places on the main stock or body where it is intended
to fall on or come in contact with the particular type, types or block to be
inked; each such inking roller depositing on the type, etc., its own particular colour
in the proper place. The said inking rollers each being of sufficient girth or cir-
cumference to completely cover at one revolution any forme intended to be printed
on the particular sized machine for which the said inking rollers are constructed;
the whole being constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purposes
herein described and explained, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. In a multicolour printing machine, the employment of inking roller stocks
or bodies of iron or other material, so constructed as to be capable of having
attached to them and removed with facility, variously shaped pieces of inking
composition; such inking rollers being fitted with either one or two pinions to
cause the composition to return continually to its proper position upon the
type, etc., which it is designed to ink; substantially as and for the purposes herein
described and explained, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3. In a multicolour printing machine the employment of gauge lines marked
on the stocks or bodies of the inking rollers-not fixed measurements in them-
selves, but representing a greater fixed measurement upon the exterior surface
or main periphery of the inking roller; substantially as and for the purposes
herein described and as illustrated in Fig. 5 of the accompanying drawings.
4. In a multicolour printing machine the employment of segmental inkers of
various sizes as required, the same being cut to the pattern of the work if necessary,
and arranged to come into direct and close contact with the type or other surface
to be inked; said segmental inkers consisting each of a base of rigid material such
as metal, upon which is run or mounted the composition for depositing the ink on
the printing surface. Said segmental inkers being capable of being readily affixed
to or removed from the stocks or bodies of rollers intended to accommodate or
carry them; substantially as herein described and explained and as illustrated in
the accompanying drawings.
Dated this Seventh day of October One thousand eight hundred and
Bruery-one.
C. W. BURFORD.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.