IM- PROVEMENTS IN PRINTING MACHINES
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Harrild and Horton Harrild, of Farringdon
Street, in the City of London, Manufacturers, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN PRINTING MACHINES."
Sealed the 4th June 1867, and dated the 5th December 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Harrild and
Horton Harrild at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 5th December 1866.
We, ROBERT HARRILD and HORTON HARRILD, of Farringdon Street, in the
City of London, Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING MACHINES," to be as follows:-
Our Invention consists, first, in improved sheet taking-off apparatus for
cylinder printing machines. This apparatus consists of an upper and a lower
transverse bar, one of which, say the lower, carries fingers or small blocks,
while the other is plain; the lower bar is connected near each end to an
endless travelling belt, strap, or chain, and the two belts, straps, or chains at
one end of their travel respectively pass over two pulleys on the ends of a
roller immediately in front of the cylinder, and at the other end of their travel
they pass over pulleys on a corresponding roller towards the front of the
machine; the upper bar is likewise connected near its two ends to. two similar
endless belts, straps, or chains passing in a similar manner round pulleys on a
roller at each end of their travel, their two rollers being placed, above the two

page_text: rollers of the lower belts and bar. The ends of the two bars move in guides
formed in side frames or brackets, and the belts are worked so that the two
bars receive between them the end of the sheet as it is given off by the
cylinder and carry it towards the front of the machine; one or both of the
guides may be pressed against by springs so that they hold the sheet more
securely; at a convenient point the upper bar rises up an incline and the
lower passes under a fixed transverse bar formed with blocks or stops
which take between the fingers or blocks on the lower bar, whereby the sheet
is prevented passing and falls upon a platform; at the same time a binged
plate, the forward end of which has been raised by the upper bar, falls upon
the sheet and keeps it even. We fit small pieces of metal or other material
at intervals upon the belts to take into corresponding recesses in the pulleys.
We also form guides or side flanges on the platform to keep the sheets in
position. The sheets are removed through the side frames before mentioned
or otherwise. Instead of imparting a continuous motion in one direction to
the belts they may have a reciprocating motion, or we use double action
grippers, arranged as hereafter described, having a reciprocating or a continuous
travel. For double feed cylinder printing machines the sheet as it is given off
by the cylinder may be carried up by tapes to the transverse bars or grippers,
which then act as before described; these tapes may be passed round rollers
driven by gearing. In order to adapt the cylinder for printing various sized
sheets we fit inside the cap or shield of the cylinder a block for opening the
grippers, which block has inclined edges and is capable of being shifted
according to the size of the sheet by means of a curved slot in the cap, and of
a tightening adjusting screw passed through the slot into the block; or this
block may be attached to one of the plummer blocks, which is then formed
with a curved slot.
Our Invention further consists of a double gripper constructed as follows:
A main gripper on a main gripper bar has hinged thereto a supplementary
gripper on a separate bar, which works in a slotted hole in the cylinder end.
The two grippers form as it were the two jaws of one double gripper. When
the sheet. is to be taken the hinged jaw or supplementary gripper is held from
the other jaw by a hook hinged to the plummer block of the cylinder bearings,
and is released as the cylinder revolves by a pin fixed in the cylinder; or the
hinged jaw may be held from the other jaw and again released at the required
times by any other convenient arrangement. The bar of the supplementary
gripper is connected to the main gripper bar by a link or links. This double
gripper is applicable both for taking the white sheet to be printed and for
taking off the printed sheet froin the cylinder as before described.

page_text: Our Invention further consists in constructing and fitting a frisket in
cylinder printing machines as follows:-The frisket is hinged at the back end
to the type table, while the front end is formed with lugs or projections which
work in guides at the sides; these guides are carried up above the level of the
inking rollers, so that as the type table is moved forward the frisket is caused
to rise at its front end to allow the "form" to be inked. On the return motion
of the type table the guides cause the frisket to resume its horizontal position
and it passes under the cylinder. The frisket is made slightly flexible to
enable it to follow the inclination of the guides.
Our Invention further consists in fitting above each inking roller, or as
many of them as may be desired, a rider or small roller set a little askew or
at a slight angle with the inking roller, so that as the inking roller revolves
the rider will distribute the ink more uniformly.
Our Invention further consists in the construction and employment in
cylinder printing machines of what we call a compound traverse wheel. This
wheel consists of the upper portion or section of what would be a large toothed
wheel, and of the lower portion or section of what would be a small toothed
wheel; these two portions or sections are concentric, having the same shaft
or axis, and form as it were one wheel; the upper, or larger portion gears
into the ordinary rack below the type table like an ordinary traverse wheel,
while the lower or smaller portion gears into the ordinary fixed rack at the
lower part of the machine. It is preferred to form the teeth of the smaller
portion about twice the breadth (that is to say, across the periphery) of those
of the larger portion...
By the employment of our compound traverse wheel great saving in space
is effected, rendering it unnecessary for the main spur wheel to be so large as
to project below the bed of the machine through the floor of the room.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Harrild and Horton Harrild in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 5th June 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, ROBERT
HARRILD and HORTON HARRILD, of Farringdon Street, in the. City of London,
Manufacturers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Har reign, did,

page_text: for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said Robert
Harrild and Horton Harrild, Her special licence that we, the said Robert
Harrild and Horton Harrild, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as we, the said Robert Harrild and Horton Harrild, our executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time, and at all times thereafter 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 PRINTING MACHINES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said Robert Harrild and Horton Harrild, or
one of us, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
our, or one of our, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
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 we, the said Robert Harrild and Horton Harrild,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed, that is to say:-
Our Invention consists, first, in improved sheet taking-off apparatus for
cylinder and other printing machines. This apparatus consists of an upper
and a lower transverse bar, one of which, say the lower, carries fingers or
small blocks, while the other is plain; the lower bar is connected near each
end to an endless travelling belt, strap, or chain, and the two belts, straps, or
chains at one end of their travel respectively pass over two pulleys on the ends of
a roller immediately in front of the cylinder, and at the other end of their
travel they pass over pulleys on a corresponding roller towards the front of
the machine. The upper bar is likewise connected near its two ends to two
similar endless belts, straps, or chains passing in a similar manner round
pulleys on a roller at each end of their travel, their two rollers being placed
respectively above the two rollers of the lower belts and bar. The ends of the
two bars move in guides formed in side frames or brackets, and the belts are
worked so that the two bars receive between them the end of the sheet as it
is given off by the cylinder and carry it towards the front of the machine.
One or both of the guides may be pressed against by springs, so that they
hold.the sheet more securely. At a convenient point the upper bar rises up
an incline and the lower bar passes under a fixed transverse bar formed with

page_text: blocks or stops, which take between the fingers or blocks on the lower bar,
whereby the sheet is prevented passing and falls upon a platform. At the
same time a hinged plate, the forward end of which has been raised by the
upper bar, falls upon the sheet and keeps it even.
:
This first part of our Invention is represented in Figures 1 and 2 of the
accompanying Drawings applied to a single cylinder printing machine. Figure 1
is a side elevation of the upper part of the machine with the side frame of the
taking-off apparatus removed, and Figure 2 is a plan of a portion of the machine
showing one half of the taking-off apparatus.
a is a lower and 6 an upper transverse bar; the lower bar a carries fingers or
small blocks, while the upper bar bis plain. The bar a is connected near each
end to an endless travelling belt c, and these two belts at one end of their
travel respectively pass over two pulleys d on the end of a roller e immediately
in front of the cylinder A; at the other end of their travel the belts c pass over
pulleys on a roller g. The upper bar bis likewise connected near its two
ends to two similar endless belts h passing in a similar manner round pulleys i
on a front roller j, and round pulleys k on a back roller 1; the two rollers j
and are placed respectively above the two rollers e and g of the lower belts
and bar. The ends of the two bars a and b move in guides marked
respectively m and n formed in side frames, and the belts are worked so that
these two bars receive between them the end of the sheet as it is given off by
the cylinder and carry it towards the front of the machine. o is a fixed
transverse bar formed on its under side with blocks or stops, which take
between the fingers or blocks on the lower bar a; this will be understood on
reference to Figure 3, which shows the relative positions of the bars a and o
when the former comes under the latter. The guide n of the bar b is carried
upwards at one part, as shown, so as to cause this bar to rise before the lower
bar reaches the fixed bar o. The lower bar a passes under the fixed bar as
before stated, and the sheet being prevented passing falls upon a platform p;
at the same time a plate 9 hinged at r to the side frames, and the forward
end of which has been raised by the upper bar 6 falls upon the sheet on the
platform p and keeps it even. We fit small pieces of metal or other material
at intervals upon the belts to take into corresponding recesses in the pulleys, or
we fit pins in the pulleys and form holes in the belts, as shewn at s for
the pins to take into. It is preferred to make the belts of steel. We also
form guides or side flanges on the platform to keep the sheets in position.
The sheets are removed through the side frames before mentioned or otherwise.
The rollers of the two sets of belts may be driven by any convenient gearing.
When it is required to clear the machine or to replace a "form" the taking- "

page_text: ,off apparatus is raised upon the front roller j, which thus forms an axis or
pivot for the two sets of. belts and parts connected therewith to turn upon.
Instead of imparting a continuous motion, in one direction to the belts they
may have a reciprocating motion, or we use double-action grippers arranged
as hereafter described, and as shewn in Figure 4, having a reciprocating travel.
This Figure is hereafter fully explained. For double feed cylinder printing
machines the sheet as it is given off by the cylinder may be carried up by
tapes to the transverse bars, which then act as before described, or to grippers.
In order
These tapes may be passed round rollers driven by gearing.
to adapt the cylinder for printing various sized sheets we fit inside the
cap or shield of the cylinder a block for opening the grippers to releaso
the sheet, which block has inclined edges and is capable of being shifted
according to the size of the sheet by means of a curved slot in the cap and of
a tightening adjusting screw passed through the slot into the block; or this
block may be attached to one of the plummer blocks, which is then formed
with a curved slot. This improvement is represented in Figure 5, which
'shows the inside of the cap or shield 6 of the cylinder. wis a block with
inclined edges and adjustable according to the size of the sheet by a curved
slot and a tightening screw y.
Our Invention further consists of a double gripper constructed as follows:-
It is applicable both for taking the white sheet to be printed and for taking
off the printed sheet from the cylinder; Figure 6 shows it applied for taking
the white sheet to be printed. A main gripper a¹ on a main gripper bar c',
has hinged thereto a supplementary gripper 6 on a separate bar d¹ which
works in a slotted hole e' in the cylinder end; A, represents a portion of the
cylinder end. The two grippers a', 6', form as it were the two jaws of one
double gripper. When the sheet f¹ is to be taken, which we prefer should be
from a fixed board, the hinged jaw or supplementary gripper b' is held from
the other jaw by a hook g¹ hinged to the plummer block of the cylinder
bearings, and is released as the cylinder revolves by a pin h¹ fixed in the
cylinder, and a spring then forces or draws down the hinged jaw b' upon the
other jaw, or the hinged jaw 6' may be held from the other jaw a' and again
released at the required times by any other convenient arrangement. The
bar d' of the supplementary gripper is connected to the main gripper bar c
by a link or links.
Figure 4 herein-before referred to represents our double gripper applied
for taking off the printed sheet from the cylinder. The form of the jaws a
and is slightly different to those shown in Figure 6. a' is the main jaw,
and the supplementary hinged jaw. The jaw a' is fixed to the travelling

page_text: belt or belts c passing round a roller e, the belt or belts and therefore the
gripper having a reciprocating motion towards and from the cylinder imparted
by gearing, the hinged jaw b' carries a pin h' which is caused to ride upon
an inclined guide at each end of its travel so as to take and release the sheet as
required. In the position shown the sheet is moving from the cylinder, and
the supplementary jaw 6' as it passes down the incline is lowered upon the
other jaw a', so as to take the sheet f¹ between them as they move from the
cylinder. The motion of the belt c can be stopped when required by raising.
the intermediate wheel of the gearing by an excentric j¹.
Our Invention further consists in constructing and fitting a frisket in cylinder
printing machines as follows:-The frisket is binged at the back end to the
type table as shown at Figure 7, in which C is the frisket binged at D to the
type table E, while it is formed with lugs or projections which work in guides
at the sides; these guides aro carried up above the level of the inking.
rollers F, so that as the type table is moved forward the frisket C is caused to
rise at its front end, as seen in the Figure, to allow the form to be inked.
On the return motion of the type table the guides cause the frisket to resume
its horizontal position, and it passes under the cylinder. The frisket frame
is made slightly flexible, preferably of steel, to enable it to follow the inclination
of the guides.
Our Invention further consists in fitting above each inking roller or as
many of them as may be desired, a rider or small roller set a little askew or.
at a slight angle with the inking roller, so that as the inking roller revolves.
the rider will distribute the ink more uniformly.
Our Invention further consists in the construction and employment in
cylinder printing machines of what we call a compound traverse wheel; this.
wheel is represented in Figure 8; it consists of the upper portion or section G
of what would be a large toothed wheel, and of the lower portion or section of
what would be a small toothed wheel H; these two portions or sections are
concentric, having the same shaft or axis I, and form as it were one wheel,
the upper or larger portion gears into the ordinary rack below the type table
like an ordinary traverse wheel, while the lower or smaller portion gears into
the ordinary fixed rack at the lower part of the machine. It is preferred to
form the teeth of the smaller portion about twice the breadth, (that is to say,
across the periphery) of those of the larger portion.
By the employment of our compound traverse wheel great saving in
space is effected, rendering it unnecessary for the main spur wheel to be so
large as to project below the bed of the machine through the floor of the

page_text: 'And having now described the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, we declare that we claim as our "Im-
provements in Printing Machines,"
First, constructing sheet taking-off apparatus with transverse bars on endless
travelling belts combined with other parts substantially as herein-before described
and represented in Figures 1, 2, and 3, of the accompanying Drawings.
Second, constructing sheet taking-off apparatus with double grippers
substantially as herein-before described with reference to Figure 4 of the
accompanying Drawings.
Third, the construction and employment inside the cap or shield of the
cylinder, or on one of the cylinder plummer blocks, of an adjustable block
with inclined edges for opening the grippers to release the sheet substantially
as herein-before described and represented in Figure 5 of the accompanying
Drawings.
Fourth, the construction and employment of double grippers for taking the
white sheet to be printed, arranged, and acting substantially as herein-before
described with reference to Figure 6 of the accompanying Drawings.
Fifth, constructing and fitting a frisket in cylinder machines substantially
as and for the purpose. herein-before described with reference to Fig. 7 of
the accompanying Drawings.
Sixth, fitting above each inking roller, or as many of them as desired, a
rider or small roller set a little askew or at a slight angle with the inking
roller, as and for the purpose herein-before described.
Seventh, the construction and employment of what we have herein-before
called a compound traverse wheel for the purposes herein-before described
and substantially as shown in Figure 8 of the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, we, the said Robert Harrild and Horton Harrild,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Fifth day of June, One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
ROBT. HARRILD.
(L.S.)
HORTON HARRILD. (L.S.)