Improvements in Colour Printing Machines.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Oct., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 18th July, 1893-Accepted, 14th Oct., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
.Improvements in Colour Printing Machines.
I, JOHN LACEY DAVIES of Chipstead, Surrey, Civil Engineer do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention applies to colour printing machines in which the colour or colours
to be used are formed in a dry solid block and the surface of the latter is for each
impression wetted with turpentine or other solvent from a solvent roller supplied
with the turpentine so that a thin film of colour may be conveyed from the block
to the paper to be printed. This solvent roller has to be wiped after each run of
the machine. A machine of this character is described in the Specification of
Conisbees' Patent dated 13th Oct. 1887 No. 13874.
The turpentine or other solvent is according to my invention supplied by
capillary action device to the upper part of the solvent roller such as by contact
of the latter with a roller which receives its supply of turpentine from a piece of
flannel or wicks or the like which dip into a turpentine supply vessel. By this
capillary action an even constant and sufficient amount of turpentine is supplied
to the roller.
The roller is alternately wiped clean on one side or the other by means of a
wiping cloth on each side the solvent being as stated supplied to some part between
the parts to be wiped so that the solvent does not come in contact with the soiled
wiping cloths. These cloths are by preference of some length and are moved so as
to present a fresh surface each time. I prefer to provide at each side of the
solvent roller a wiping cloth passing over guide rollers coiling off one roller and
coiling on to another. To impart the required movement I according to one
arrangement mount the sets of rollers each in a frame which frames by cam action
or other suitable means are vibrated so that one wiping cloth is acting against the
solvent roller while the other is off. Each wiping cloth is at the same time by each
vibration by pawl gear shifted round the rollers so as to present a clean fresh
piece of wiping surface similar to the so called letting off and taking up motion
on a loom.
Dated this 18th day of October 1892.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Colour Printing Machines.
1, JOHN LACEY DAVIES of Chipstead, Surrey, Civil 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 applies to colour printing machines in which the colour or colours
to be used are formed in a dry solid block the surface of which for each impression
is moistened with turpentine or other solvent so that a thin film of colour may be
transferred or conveyed from the block to the paper to be printed. In the machine
described in the Specification of Conisbees' Patent dated 13 October 1887 No. 13874
the colour block is placed on a bed which is raised automatically in order to com-
pensate for the layer of colour removed from the block at each run of the
machine; the colour is transferred from the block to a cylinder which then

page_text: transfers it on to the paper which encircles another cylinder. Now in my inven-
tion I provide improved means for moistening the surface of the colour block so
that the latter can print on to the paper direct while the block is at each run of
the machine slowly raised by automatic appliances in the manner described in
Conisbee's aforesaid Specification or by any other suitable means such for instance
as those described in the Provisional Specification of my Patent application dated
1st December 1892 No. 22043.
The colour block is according to my invention moistened with turpentine or
other solvent by means of a roller which I call a solvent roller working over and
in intermittent contact with the colour block and having its upper part supplied
with the turpentine by contact with one or more rollers receiving supply of
turpentine from a piece of flannel or the like which dips into a turpentine supply
vessel. By this capillary action an even constant and sufficient amount of
turpentine is supplied to the roller and thence to the block. But in order to
ensure efficient action I have found that the solvent roller must be intermittently
wiped clean in certain parts.
The solvent roller therefore is wiped clean on alternate sides by means of a
wiping cloth on each side which cloths are moved so as to present a fresh surface
each time or at each run of the machine. The wiping cloths are mounted in
frames which receive vibrating or reciprocating motion so that one wiping cloth is
acting against the side of the solvent roller while the other is off. The
wiping cloths are by preference of some length coiling off one roller and on to
another.
The
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a part sectional side view of an
ordinary lithographic machine provided with such an arrangement. A represents
the ordinary printing cylinder and B the main driving shaft. The turpentine or
other solvent is contained in the supply vessel a and is by a piece of flannel bor
the like and by the rollers c and c' evenly supplied to the upper part of the solvent
roller d. The sides of the latter are alternately wiped clean by means of a
wiping cloth e on each side. The fresh turpentine in this manner does not come in
contact with the soiled parts of the wiping cloths. These cloths e are passed over
guide rolls ff, the two sets of rolls being mounted in frames g which by
cam on the driving shaft B and by the rod i with frame jare vibrated so that
one wiping cloth is acting against the solvent roller d while the other is off.
rod i is supported by the lever k and held up to the cam by the spring 1. Each
wiping cloth is at the same time at each vibration by means of the double ended
pawl n acting on one or other of the ratchet wheels o shifted round the guide
rollers ffff³, thus each time presenting a clean fresh piece of wiping surface;
the pawl n is free to rise and fall relatively to the frame g, the pawl having near
each end a pin, which pins work freely in slots in the frame j. The cloths e are
coiled off the rollers and coiled on to the rollers f³. The swinging frames g
and the solvent receptacle a are supported on the machine framing m. It will be
noticed that the connections between the swinging or vibrating frame j and the
frames gg are flexible or jointed to allow for a slight rise and fall of the swinging
frame j.
Figure 2 is a side view of another arrangement in which the cam h acts against
the lever that is adjustably connected to the rod ; the lever i works on the
same fulcrum pin i* as the lever l', to which the retractile spring / is connected.
The rod i is at the other end supported by the lever k, and on the fulcrum pin of
the latter is fixed a lever k¹ which by connecting rod vibrates the lever j around
the pin j. Laterally reciprocating motion is imparted from a pin on the lever j to
a slide which is guided on the plummer block or frame m for the solvent roller d.
To each end of the slide 2 is clamped or adjustably fixed a block ja with guide
rollers and for the wiping cloths e which coil off the rollers and coil on to
the rollers. The rollers fand fs are mounted on the framing or plummer block
bracket m.
The pawl motion for shifting the cloths e is effected from the upper
hammer headed end of the lever j by means of the rods n' adjustably connected

page_text: thereto and by the pawls n. The plummer block m is as shewn in the detail view
Figure 3 so constructed that the solvent roller with its gudgeons can be lifted and
laterally withdrawn without removing any other parts except the blocks j³ which
carry the rollers f¹³. Obviously the means for imparting vibrating or recipro-
cating motions and for shifting the cloths so as to present new wiping surfaces to
the solvent roller may be of many different forms.
According to this invention then I am enabled to print direct from the colour
block on to the paper. This I accomplish by the application of a roller which
imparts a film of solvent to the block in an efficient manner the said roller being
supplied with wiping appliances of the character described.
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. In colour printing machines printing on paper direct from the block of colour
substantially in the manner and by the means described.
2. In colour printing machines the application and use of a solvent roller
whereby the film of solvent is applied to the surface of the colour block the
said roller being cleaned automatically on alternate sides substantially as described.
3. In colour printing machines the mode of applying the solvent to a part of
the "solvent roller" intermediate between the two lateral wiping cloths which
alternately wipe one side of the roller or the other the cloths being shifted so as
to present clean wiping surfaces to the roller substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
f6
4. The application of solvent roller" over and in intermittent contact with
the colour block in combination with means for supplying said roller with solvent
and for wiping substantially as described and shown.
Date 10 1.1.. 1009
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.