IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING MACHINES OR PRESSES
Year: 1885

page_text: I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING MACHINES OR PRESSES" 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 adapt a well known method of sheet delivery,
employed in cylinder-presses whose cylinders rotate continuously, and in which the
sheet is delivered at the back of the press, under the feed-board, to a cylinder-press
whose cylinder rotates alternately in opposite directions.
The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of the parts
hereinafter particularly described.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of certain parts of an oscillating-
cylinder press, which embody this invention.
Figure 2 is a rear elevation of a portion of one side of the same, the feed-board
being removed.
Figure 3 shows in detail a portion of the gearing meshing with the impression
cylinder, and a single toothed ratchet and pawl for rotating the delivery-cylinder
or cylinders.
In the said drawings the several parts are respectively indicated by letters as
follows:-
A is a part of one of the main frames; and B is the impression-cylinder, which
is rotated in either direction by being geared to a rack upon the reciprocating bed,
not shown, which latter may be actuated in any of the well-known ways.
F is the feed-board, and C is the delivery-cylinder, or series of short cylinders
(preferably the latter, as shown) secured to a shaft c, journalled in the frames A
and carrying grippers g. The impression-cylinder B also carries the usual
grippers g¹.
The method of operating either of these series of grippers being well-known, is
not shown, as not essential to the invention.

page_text: C' is another delivery-cylinder, or series of short cylinders, secured to a shaft c,
also journalled in frames A. A series of tapes or cords d run upon the two
cylinders or series of short cylinders C, C¹.
Secured to the shafts c and c¹ are sprocket-wheels D and D'. Engaging the
sprocket-wheels D and D¹ is an endless chain D².
Secured to the impression-cylinder B is the cylinder-wheel B', gearing, as before
explained, with the rack upon the reciprocating bed, which is not shown. Running
loosely upon the shaft c, is a gear-wheel B2 carrying a ratchet-pawl b; and secured
to the shaft c is a ratchet b¹ having one tooth or notch only, as shown. The
diameters of the gears B1 and B2 are so proportioned that, whatever may be the
number of revolutions, or fraction of a revolution, the cylinder B may make in
one direction, the gear-wheel B2 will make an exact number of turns in each
direction without the fractional part of a revolution; so that the pawl b shall return
to drop exactly into the single notch of the ratchet b¹ at the point of reversal, and,
therefore, said wheel can commence its rotation without shock. The ratchet bi
having but one tooth, the grippers g and g¹ will always arrive in similar juxta-
position at the nearest point of contact of the cylinders B and C.
Two series of pressure-pulleys h, h¹ for holding the sheet in contact with the
cylinders or series of cylinders C and C, respectively, are secured to the shafts h²
and h³, journalled in the frames A. A series of tape or cord-pulleys h* are secured
upon a shaft h³ journalled in frame A; and a series of tapes or cords d' run upon
the cylinder or cylinders C¹ and the tape or cord-pulleys h*.
The fly fingers foscillate upon a shaft f¹ operated in any of the well known
ways. In the machine, of which the accompanying drawing shows a part and in
which the cylinder B, rotates freely upon an eccentric rock-shaft for an axis, the
fly fis preferably operated through a sector f³, engaging a pinion f* upon the
shaft f¹, and oscillating upon a stud f' secured to the frames A. Said sector
is operated by an inclined surface upon the reciprocating type-bed, indicated by
the dotted line, engaging a roller f¹³ carried on an arm of a bell-crank ƒ,
oscillating upon a stud f12 secured to the frame A, and by the connecting-rod fo
and spring f8.
The stop projects from the frames A, and the collar f' is adjustably secured to
the connecting-rod fo by a set-screw f10. The spring f will therefore force the
sector f³ in one direction, and the incline f1 compress the spring and force the
sector in the opposite direction.
E is a brake, partly encircling a hub H, upon the eccentrical rock-shaft R, upon
which the cylinder B runs, and similarly engaging a hub H¹ upon the shaft c. The
action of the eccentrical rock-shaft R, as operated to raise and lower the impression-
cylinder B, operates to clamp the brake E against the hub H¹ on shaft c, at the
proper time to absorb its momentum and bring it to rest at said time, thus
preventing the shaft c from overrunning the position at which the pawl b will drop
exactly into its notch in the ratchet 6. Said pawl will, therefore, commence to
move said ratchet and with it the cylinder C without shock at its next rotation.
As shown in this construction, the two cylinders, or series of cylinders C and C¹,
are used (instead of the series of cylinders C only) in order to adapt this method
of delivery to an oscillating-cylinder, taking the sheet at the top and having a
diameter too small to permit the fly f to have a radius or sweep sufficient to clear
the under side of the feed-board F. It is evident that such would be the case if
the sheet were taken directly from the delivery-cylinder, or series of cylinders C.
Whenever the cylinder B is of sufficient diameter to carry the feed-board F high
enough, the cylinder or series of cylinders C¹ and their shafts c¹ the sprocket-
wheels D, D³, chain D2, and tapes or cords & inay be dispensed with, and the fly f
be placed to receive the sheet direct from the cylinder, or series of cylinders C.
The operation of the mechanism, as shown and described, is as follows: The
sheet, being held after printing by the grippers g¹, is taken from them at their
common point of meeting by the grippers g, (the gear-wheel B2 being rotated by

page_text: and
the gear-wheel B¹, and the pawl b rotating the shaft c, and its cylinder, or series of
cylinders C carrying the grippers g.). The sheet is thus carried upward over the
cylinder, or series of cylinders C, to and upon the tapes or cords d, until the end of
the motion in the printing direction of the cylinder B has been reached. Upon the
commencement of the retrograde rotation of the cylinder B, and during the whole
of said rotation, the cylinder, or series of cylinders C, C' tapes or cords d, and tapes
or cords d', and consequently the sheet now lying face downward upon the tapes or
cords d remain at rest. At the commencement of another forward or printing
rotation of cylinder B, the pawl b engages the single notch of the ratchet b',
causes the cylinders, or series of cylinders C, C₁ again to rotate in the same
direction as at first, causing the sheet lying upon the tapes or cords & to pass under
the pressure-pulleys h', and down in front of the fly-fingers f. Upon its arrival at
the proper place upon the fly-fingers f, the latter are operated to carry the sheet
over and deposit it upon the fly-table or receiving-board G, in the usual way or by
means of the mechanism already described; in the meantime, the succeeding sheet
has been brought to lie upon the tapes or strings d. Thus, while the impression-
cylinder rotates alternately in opposite directions the cylinders, or series of
cylinders C, C rotate in one direction only, and remain at rest during the
retrograde rotation of the impression-cylinder B.
I do not confine myself to the method herein shown of operating the fly-fingers f
or the brake E, the latter being applicable only to that variety of cylinder press in
which the cylinder B rotates freely upon an eccentrical rock-shaft. The fly-
fingers and the brake E may each be operated in any well-known way.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
First In an oscillating-cylinder printing-press, the combination with an
impression cylinder B, of a gear-wheel B₁ rotating with said cylinder, and a
delivery-cylinder, or series of cylinders C carrying grippers g and intermittently
actuated by means of a gear-wheel B2 meshing with said gear-wheel B' and
running freely upon the shaft of said delivery-cylinder, or series of cylinders, said
wheel B2 carrying a pawl engaging a single-toothed ratchet secured to the shaft of
said delivery-cylinder, or series of cylinders, substantially as, and for the purposes,
set forth.
Second In an oscillating-cylinder printing-press, the combination, with an
impression-cylinder B, of a gear-wheel B' rotating with said impression-cylinder,
and engaging a gear-wheel B revolving freely upon the shaft of a delivery-
cylinder, or series of cylinders C, provided with grippers g, said gear-wheel B
carrying a pawl 6 engaging a single-toothed ratchet b' secured to the shaft of said
delivery-cylinder, or series of cylinders; a second delivery-cylinder, or series of
cylinders C', secured to a second shaft c' driven from the shaft of the first delivery-
cylinder, or series of cylinders, by a pair of sprocket-wheels D, D'; an endless
chain D² engaging both sprocket-wheels; and a series of cords or tapes & running
upon the said two delivery-cylinders, or series of cylinders, said delivery-cylinders,
or series of cylinders, being intermittently rotated, substantially as, and for the
purposes, set forth.
Third In an oscillating-cylinder printing-press, in combination with an
oscillating-fly f, one or more delivery-cylinders, or series of cylinders, inter-
mittently rotated by means of a single-toothed ratchet b' secured to the shaft of
one of the said delivery-cylinders, or series of cylinders; and a pawl b engaging
the single tooth of said ratchet, carried on a gear-wheel B2 running freely on the
shaft of one of the delivery-cylinders, or series of cylinders, and driven by meshing
with a suitable gear-wheel B₁ attached to said impression-cylinder, or its shaft or
axis, substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Fourth In an oscillating-cylinder printing-press, in combination with one or
more delivery-cylinders, or series of cylinders C, C¹ intermittently operated, an
automatic brake E actuated from any suitable part of the machine to absorb the

page_text: momentum of said delivery-cylinders, or series of cylinders, and bring them to rest
simultaneously with the impression-cylinder of the press, substantially as, and for
the purposes, set forth.
Fifth In an oscillating-cylinder printing-press, a sheet delivery, consisting of a
gear-wheel B¹, secured to the impression-cylinder B, engaging a gear-wheel B²
running freely upon the shaft of a delivery-cylinder, or series of cylinders C,
provided with grippers g, said gear-wheel B2 carrying a pawl b engaging a single
toothed ratchet 61 secured to the shaft of the said delivery-cylinder, or series of
cylinders; a second delivery cylinder, or series of cylinders C₁ driven from the
shaft of the first delivery-cylinder, or series of cylinders, by means of a pair of
sprocket-wheels D, D' secured to the shafts of said delivery-cylinders, or series of
cylinders; an endless chain D3 engaging said sprocket-wheels; a series of tapes d
running upon the said two delivery-cylinders, or series of cylinders; a series of
tape or cord pulleys h*; a series of tapes or cords running upon one of said
delivery-cylinders, or series of cylinders and upon the said series of tape or cord
pulleys; two series of pressure-pulleys h, h¹, and an oscillating fly f, all substantially
as, and for the purposes, set forth.