Improvements in Rotary Web Printing and Folding Machines
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 5th May, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 4th Feb., 1893-Accepted, 18th Mar., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Rotary Web Printing and Folding Machines
I, ROBERT CUMMING ANNAND, Engineer, Cornwallis Street South Shields do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In web printing machines known as double width machines it has been found
in practice that when the printing cylinders and ink rollers are made beyond a
certain length the desired speed cannot be obtained without causing vibration of
the cylinders and rollers and producing defective printing. To obviate this defect
I construct my machine with an inner frame and set of bearings which carry the
axles of the cylinders and ink rollers and such other parts of the printing mechanism
necessary to make it a convenient and workable machine.
The stereotype, blanket, and ink cylinders may each consist of two or more
cylinders keyed on the same shaft or they may be formed of entirely separate
cylinders with independent axles so that the parts of the machine on each side of
the inner set of bearings may be made to revolve at the same speed or at different
speeds so as to form different sized printed products.
When my machine is required to print, associate and fold products consisting of
six pages I arrange it in such a manner that the stereotype plates for pages 1, 2, 5,
and 6 are placed in duplicate on the cylinders at one side of the inner frame, and
pages 3 and 4 are placed in duplicate on the cylinders at the other side of the inner
frame. Two webs of paper are used in this form of machine of a size suitable for
the product required.
After the webs have been printed on both sides a revolving paster of the form
well known, is placed in such a position that it deposits a streak of paste along the
middle of the main web. The other web, which in this case is half the size of the
main web, is passed around turning bars in the usual way so that one of its edges
is laid over the streak of paste in the centre of main web and associated with it.
Both webs pass on to a pair of cutting cylinders which cut the webs transversely
into the required lengths. The sheets next pass on to the folding mechanism which
may consist of reciprocating knives which strike the sheets in between sets of
revolving rollers carrying tapes in a manner well known. When the folding blades
descend to give the sheets the first longitudinal fold, the inner half sheet, which is
only attached to the other sheet by the fresh line of paste, is liable to get detached
and is not drawn into the fold of the main sheet. To insure that this does not
happen I make my folding knives with a series of sharp pins or teeth on their
edges that tuck the sheets in between the folding rollers. The pins or teeth on the
folding knives pass into or through the paper at first when they strike it and as
the knives descend they carry the sheets in between the folding rollers and prevent
the half sheet getting detached from the other sheet.
When a twelve page product is required, instead of putting on the six pages in
duplicate as above described, twelve single pages are placed on the machine in the
well-known way. A second paster is brought into action which deposits a streak
of paste upon the half web in such a position that when the first six pages, after
having been severed transversely from the web, pass round a collecting cylinder,
the second six pages are pasted to them. The product next passes on to the folding
apparatus where the first longitudinal fold is given by the folding knives with the
pins or teeth in the manner already described.
When printed products are required from the same machine varying in length
and also in breadth I arrange my machine so that the web is severed into sheets of
the required length before being printed. The web of paper is first passed through

page_text: between nipping or drawing rollers. These rollers are made to revolve by change-
wheels at different speeds to suit the sizes of product required. The web is next
led through between cutting cylinders. The circumference of these cylinders is
equal to the greatest length the machine will produce. When the web is passing
through between the cutting cylinders at the same surface speed as the cylinders,
the perforator in the cylinders will sever the sheets from the web without risk of
tearing. When the drawing cylinders are arranged to draw the paper at a less
speed than that of the surface of the cutting cylinders, at the time the sheet gets
nipped by the spring sides of the perforator, and before the perforator has got so
far round as to sever the sheet, the action of the mechanism is such as to cause the
sheet to break in an irregular way. To prevent this, I form a longitudinal slot in
the side of one of the cutting cylinders. To correspond with the slot I mount a
blunt knife preferably of wood, upon two arms which are keyed on an axle that
revolves at the same speed as the cutting cylinders. This knife is set so that as the
machine revolves it passes into the slot in the cutting cylinder and withdraws from
it again. Before the perforating blade comes round to cut the sheet, the web of
paper is held loosely between tapes so that pulling it back between the tapes will
not break the web. Just before the spring side of the perforator nips the sheet
against the other cylinder the blunt knife is arranged to tuck into the slot in
cylinder a loop of the web sufficiently large so that during the time the sheet is
held in the process of cutting the straightening out of this loop of paper gives
sufficient slack so that any risk of breaking the web is avoided.
With the view of reducing the number of parts connected with the delivery
arrangement of my machine I construct the last folding cylinder so that it forms
the delivery apparatus or rotary fly at the same time. When the sheet passes in
between the fast pair of folding cylinders a projecting folding blade in the first
cylinder tucks the middle of the sheet under a gripping blade in the second
cylinder. The sheet is carried round by this cylinder until its advancing edge is
brought over an apron of tapes when the grippers open and release the sheet. A
series of stationary stops or switches, which project into grooves in the cylinder
serve to stop the sheets at one particular spot so that they are collected in a manner
readily handled. The apron of tapes on which the sheets are laid is made to
advance at a slow speed just sufficient to prevent the sheets being piled too high
and fouling the apparatus. Near the rear edge of the folded sheet there are a
series of flat springs or switches the ends of which are fastened in recesses in the
cylinder. These springs are readily compressed into the recesses of the delivery
cylinder when passing the line of contact with the other folding cylinder and when
the sheet is laid against the stops these springs press it down so as to give clearance
for the following sheet.
TA
1
1000
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Rotary Web Printing and Folding Machines.
I, ROBERT CUMMING ANNAND of Cornwallis Street, South Shields in the
County of Durham, Printers' 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 :-
: My invention has reference to rotary web printing and folding machines.
When in these machines it is required to print associate and fold products
consisting of six pages, it is usual to use two webs of paper and to print upon one
of them, pages 1, 2, 5 and 6 and upon the other pages 3 and 4 as is well understood.
After the webs have been printed on both sides a revolving paster of the well
known form is placed in such a position that it deposits a streak of paste along the

page_text: middle of the main web. The other web which in this case is half the size of the
main web is passed around turning bars in the usual way so that one of its edges is
laid over the streak of paste in the middle of the main web and associated with it.
The webs pass on together to a pair of cutting cylinders which cut them
transversely into the required lengths. The sheets next pass on to the folding
mechanism consisting of reciprocating blades or knives which descend and strike
the sheets in between sets of revolving rollers carrying tapes thereby giving the
sheets their first longitudinal fold. All these operations and the apparatus or
appliances by which they are effected are well known and understood and form no
part of my present invention. When however the folding blades descend as above
mentioned so as to give the sheets their first longitudinal fold the inner half sheet
which is only attached to the outer sheet by the fresh line of paste is liable to get
detached so that it is not drawn into the fold of the main sheet. Now it is the
object of the first part of my invention to ensure that this detaching of the inner
sheet shall not take place and for this purpose I make the folding blades
with a series of sharp pins or teeth on the edges that tuck the sheet in between
the folding rollers. These pins or teeth pass into or through the paper when they
strike it and as the blades descend they carry the sheets in between the folding
rollers and prevent the inner half sheet getting detached from the outer sheet. In
the case of printing a 12 page product, a second paster is brought into play as is
well understood and deposits a streak of paste upon the half web in such a position
that when the first six pages after having been severed transversely from the web
pass round a collecting cylinder the second six pages are pasted to them in the
usual way. The product next passes on to the folding apparatus where the folding
blades having pins or teeth according to my invention descend and give the first
longitudinal fold.
This part of my invention will be fully understood on reference to Figures 1
and 2 of the accompanying drawings which are respectively a front and a side view
of folding rollers and a folding blade. a a are the rollers which are of the ordinary
construction. is the folding blade carried as usual by a rocking frame c so as to
descend at the proper time between the rollers a a. The blade b is provided with
pins or teeth as already described, the form and number of which may obviously be
varied. I show by way of example pins at the right hand portion of the blade and
teeth at the left hand portion.
When a machine is required to produce printed products which vary in length
and also in breadth I arrange it so that the web is severed into sheets of the
required length before being printed. The web of paper is first passed between
nipping or drawing rollers. These can be made by the use of change wheels to
revolve at any speed required to suit the particular size of product to be printed.
The web is next led between cutting cylinders the circumference of which is equal
to the greatest length the machine will produce. When the web is passing between
the cutting cylinders at the same surface speed as the cylinders the ordinary
perforator in one of the cylinders will sever the sheets from the web without risk
of tearing. But when the nipping cylinders are arranged to draw the paper at a
less speed than that of the surface of the cutting cylinders, then at the time the
sheet gets nipped by the spring sides of the perforator and before the perforator
has got far enough round to sever the sheet, the action of the mechanism is such
that the sheet is liable to break in an irregular way. Now the object of the next
part of my invention is to prevent this. For this purpose I form a longitudinal
slot or recess in the side of one of the cylinders and to correspond with this slot
I mount a blunt knife preferably of wood upon arms that are keyed on an axle
which revolves at the same speed as the cutting cylinders. This knife is set so
that as the machine revolves it passes into the slot in the cylinder and withdraws
from it again. Before the perforating blade comes round to cut the sheet the web
of paper is held loosely between tapes so that pulling it back between the tapes
will not break the web. Just before the spring side of the perforator nips the
sheet against the other cylinder the blunt knife tucks or pushes into the slot::a

page_text: sufficiently large loop of the web so that during the time the sheet is nipped
while the operation of cutting is being effected the straightening out of this loop
of paper which is then freed by the blade gives sufficient slack to avoid any risk
of the web being irregularly. broken.
This part of my invention will be fully understood on reference to Figure 3.
d is the reel containing the paper web e and ff are the nipping or drawing rollers
to which the web is led and from which it passes over the guide roller
9 to the
lower cutting cylinder and thence between this cylinder and the upper cutting
cylinder is the usual perforator or perforating blade in the cylinder i and 7
is the spring side of the perforator. m is the ordinary slot in the cylinder h into
which the perforator passes when they are opposite each other.
nn are the
ordinary tapes which carry off the separated sheets these tapes travelling as usual
at a slightly greater surface speed. than the cylinders and i so as to give the
necessary pull for separating the sheets when held by the perforator. is the
longitudinal slot or recess which I make in the cylinder and 9 is the blunt
knife which, at every revolution of the arms which carry it, passes into the slot
so as to tuck or push a loop of the web into it as shown in the figure. 8 represents
tapes bearing against the web as it passes up the cylinder the web being held
loosely between these tapes and the tapes n n.
The next part of my invention has for object to reduce the number of parts
connected with the delivery arrangement of the machine. With this object I
construct the last folding cylinder so that it at the same time forms a rotary fly
or delivery apparatus.
This part of my invention is illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, Figure 4 shows the
folding cylinders A B and C in the positions they respectively occupy when the
sheet has been folded once and carried to the top of the cylinder B the gripper D
of this cylinder being ready to let go at the instant the folding blade E tucks
the middle of the folded sheet under the gripper blade F of the cylinder C which
is the last folding cylinder and also according to my invention constitutes a rotary
fly or delivery apparatus. It will be noticed that when the cylinders A and B are
moved round to the extent of about another inch the cutting knife G will sever the
sheet H from the web I between these cylinders and the leaning end of the web
will become impaled upon the pins K and carried round upon the circumference
of cylinder B. Figure 5 shows the folding cylinders in the positions they respec-
tively occupy when they have so far revolved that cylinder A has carried the
web round upon the pins K until it has reached the strippers L which strip the
paper off the pins at the same time as the folding blade M in cylinder A tucks
the part of the web that has to form the middle of the next severed sheet in below
the gripper D of cylinder B. In the mean time the cylinder C has carried the
twice folded sheets to the delivery appliances. It has already been stated that
when the sheet H which has been folded by the cylinders A and B passes in
between the cylinders B and C the folding blade E in cylinder B tucks the middle
of the folded sheet under the gripping blade F of cylinder C. The sheet, now
twice folded, is carried round by this cylinder until its advancing edge is brought
over an apron of tapes N when the gripper F opens and releases the sheet. A
series of stationary stops or swiches P which project into grooves in the cylinder
iserve to stop the sheet always at one particular spot so that they are collected
in a manner readily handled. The apron of tapes N is made to advance at a
slow speed just sufficient to prevent the sheets becoming piled too high and fouling
the apparatus. Near the part of the cylinder C where the rear edge of each
successive folded sheet comes I place a series of flat springs or switches Q the ends
of which are fastened in recesses R in the cylinder C. These springs become
readily compressed into the recesses of the cylinder C when passing the line of
contact with the cylinder B. They afterwards spring out and push the rear edge
of the sheet clear of the surface of the cylinder and assist in pressing the sheet
back upon the apron N (or other receiver placed to receive the successive sheets)
when the leading edge of the sheet comes against the stops P.

page_text: 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 in respect of rotary web printing and folding machines is :-
1. In machines in which one printed sheet is placed within or upon another
printed sheet in order to be associated and folded therewith, the construction of
the blades or knives that effect the first fold with pins or teeth at their edges so
that when the said blades descend between the revolving rollers to produce the
fold the pins or teeth pass into or through the paper and thereby prevent the
inner sheet getting detached from the outer sheet, substantially as hereinbefore
described.
2. In machines which are required to produce printed products varying in length
and breadth, and are arranged to sever the web before being printed, the arrange-
ment substantially as hereinbefore described and represented in Figure 3 whereby
when the nipping or drawing rollers draw the web at a less speed than the surface
speed of the cutting cylinders any risk of the web being irregularly broken is
avoided.
3. Constructing or arranging the last folding cylinder substantially as herein-
before described with reference to Figures 4 and 5 so that it also constitutes a
rotary fly or delivery apparatus as set forth.
4. In a combined folding and delivery cylinder the employment of a series of
springs or switches substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to
Figures 4 and 5 which push the rear edge of the folded sheet clear of the surface
of the cylinder and assist in pressing it back upon a moving apron of tapes or
other receiver, as set forth.
Dated this 4th day of February 1893.
J. C. MEWBURN,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agent.