IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING TEXTILE FABRICS AND OTHER SURFACES
Year: 1853

page_text: for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING TEXTILE FABRICS
AND OTHER SURFACES."
Sealed the 13th January 1854, and dated the 18th November 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Melville at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 18th November 1853.
I, JAMES MELVILLE, of Roebank Works, Lochwiunoch, in the
County of Renfrew, North Britain, Calico Printer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING
TEXTILE FABRICS AND OTHER SURFACES" to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to various improvements upon the printing
machinery for which I obtained grants of Letters Patent in the year
1852. In all the modifications of the machinery with which the
present Invention is connected, a drum or cylinder of large diameter
is used as the impression or printing surface. This large drum is
carried upon a horizontal spindle on suitable end standard framing,

page_text: >
each end standard projecting forward on the printing side to form
bracket supports for a longitudinal slide rest plate or bed. This bed
is planed and fitted up like the corresponding part of a slide lathe
with adjustable head stocks for carrying the surface printing roller or
cylinder. This printing roller is built up solid upon a short spindle,
the ends of which are centred so as to enable the roller to be accurately
turned in a lathe before fitting in for printing. The same end centres
answer to carry the roller during printing, one of the sliding headstocks
having a short adjustable centre like the following headstock of a lathe,
whilst the other one supports in a bearing one end of a correspondingly
centred spindle, which projects beyond the headstock and carries a
toothed pinion in gear with a large wheel fast on the main drum shaft.
The roller spindle is connected to this driving shaft by a "dog" or
adjustable catch plate as in a lathe, so that the setting of the roller is
facilitated on starting to work. When a piece is to be printed, the
slide rest and roller are set up to one end of their carrying plate or
bed, and the end portion of the device is thus printed. Then at the
next repeat of the pattern, the slide rest with its printing roller is
traversed along the supporting plate by a rack and pinion or other
traversing adjustment, and the operation thus proceeds throughout
the entire length of the-main-drum... On the front of the slide rest
plate is a serrated plate of metal, the serrations or stops on which
are set out to correspond to the "particular repeats in use at any given
time, a new serrated plate being screwed on at each change in the
repeat. It is this plate which facilitates the printer's setting of the
roller at each shift, a catch or detent being made to. fall into a. serration
from the slide rest to hold the roller at its proper set. The geared
spindle for driving the printing, roller is of considerable length to admit
of this longitudinal shift. for the repeats, the connection with the driving
pinion being by a groove and feather in the usual manner. By a slight
modification of this plan, the driving pinion may be a fixture on the
end of the gearing spindle, which may be run all along the front of
the drum and is grooved to suit the feather of a toothed pinion, the
first in a short train of gearing driving a short centred spindle con-
nected at one end of the printing roller. In this case the gearing

page_text: shaft is stationary, and the slide rest and its gearing slides along it at.
each repeat. To keep an accurate steady printing or impression
surface on the large drum, the bottom blanket is gummed or cemented
to the face or periphery of the drum, and the glazed cloth covering is
cemented down over this. This plan prevents slipping or distortion.
from the giving way of the impression surface under the printing
pressure. The outside of the glazed cloth also has a coat of gum or
adhesive matter to secure the piece being printed from slipping. The
same effect may be produced by short pins inserted into the drum at
intervals in longitudinal rows, so as to penetrate and prevent the giving
way or warping up of the drum's covering. In printing long lengths
of goods, as in carpeting, the different colours are laid on by a corre-
sponding set of surface rollers set one in advance of the other as
regards the revolution of the drum. Thus each color roller prints in
succession, and the apparatus being kept constantly working in the
same direction the forward revolution of the drum carries round the.
piece just so many. times as is necessary for the due repetition of
the impressions to saturate the piece.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Melville in the Great Seal Patent Office:
on the 18th-May 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
JAMES MELVILLE, of Roebank Works, Lochwinnoch, in the County of
Renfrew, North Britain, Calico Printer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date.the Eighteenth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
seventeenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and succes-
sors, give and grant unto me, the said James Melville, Her special
license that I, the said James Melville, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said James Melville, my executors,
administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,

page_text: 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
TEXTILE FABRICS AND OTHER SURFACES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said James Melville, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, 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 I, the said James Melville, do hereby declare
the nature of my 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 accompanying Draw-
ings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:
My said Invention relates to various improvements upon the printing
machinery for which I obtained grants of British Letters Patent in the
year One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two. In all the modifica-
tions of the machinery with which the present Invention is connected,
a drum or cylinder of large diameter is used as the impression or
printing surface. This large drum is carried upon a horizontal spindle
or suitable end standard framing, each end standard projecting forward
on the printing side to form bracket supports for a longitudinal slide
rest plate or bed. This bed is planed and fitted up like the corre-
sponding part of a slide lathe, with adjustable headstocks for carrying
the surface printing roller or cylinder. This printing roller is built up
solid upon a short spindle, the ends of which are centred so as to
enable the roller to be accurately turned in a lathe before fitting in for
printing. The same end centres answer to carry the roller during
printing, one of the sliding headstocks having a short adjustable centre
like the following headstock of a lathe, whilst the other one supports
in a bearing one end of a correspondingly centred spindle, which projects
beyond the headstock and carries a toothed pinion in gear with a large
wheel fast on the main drum shaft. The roller spindle is connected to

page_text: this driving shaft by a "dog" or adjustable catch plate as in a lathe, so
that the setting of the roller is facilitated on starting to work. When
a piece is to be printed, the slide rest and roller are set up to one end
of their carrying plate or bed, and the end portion of the device is
thus printed. Then at the next repeat of the pattern, the slide rest
with its printing roller is traversed along the supporting plate by a
rack and pinion or other traversing adjustment, and the operation thus
proceeds throughout the entire length of the main drum. On the
front of the slide rest plate is a serrated plate of metal, the serrations
or stops on which are set out to correspond to the particular repeats in
use at any given time, a new serrated plate being screwed on at each
change in the repeat. It is this plate which facilitates the printer's
setting of the roller at cach shift, a catch or detent being made to fall
into a serration from the slide rest, to hold the roller at its proper
set. The gearing spindle for driving the printing roller is of consi-
derable length to admit of this longitudinal shift for the repeats,
the connection with the driving pinion being by a groove and
feather in the usual way. By a slight modification of this plan, the
driving pinion may be a fixture on the end of the gearing spindle,
which may be run all along the front of the drum, and is ground
to suit the feather of a toothed pinion, the first cue of a of short train
of gearing driving a short centred spindle connected to the printing
roller at one end. In this case the gearing shaft is stationary, and
the slide rest and its gearing slides along it at each repeat. To
keep an accurate steady printing or impression surface on the large
drum, the bottom blanket is gummed or cemented to the face or
periphery of the drum, and the glazed cloth covering is cemented down
over this. This plan prevents slipping or distortion from the giving
way of the impression surface under the printing pressure. The out-
side of the glazed cloth also has a coat of gum or adhesive matter to
secure the piece being printed from slipping. The same effect be
produced by short pins inserted into the drum at intervals in longi-
tudinal rows, so as to penetrate and prevent the giving way or warping
up of the drum's covering. In printing long lengths of goods, as in
carpeting, the different colors are laid on by a corresponding set of
may

page_text: surface rollers set one in advance of the other as regards the revolu-
tion of the drum. Thus each color roller prints in succession, and the
apparatus being kept constantly working in the same direction, the
forward revolution of the drum carries round the piece just so many
times as is necessary for the due repetition of the impressions to
saturate the piece.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I
shall now proceed to describe the several Figures on the Sheets of
Drawings hereunto attached. Figure 1, on Sheet 1 of my Drawings,
is an end elevation of one modification of my machine as in working
order for printing shawls; Figure 2, on Sheet 2 of my Drawings, is
a corresponding longitudinal elevation of the machine, at right angles
to Figure 1, parts of the apparatus being shewn as broken away, and
in section; Figure 3, is a detail, shewing the slide rest carrier for
the printing apparatus, together with the slide bed thereof in trans-
verse section as supported upon an intermediate standard, with the
gearing for the color apparatus, and printing roller in end or side
elevation, corresponding to Figures 1, and 2, a segment of the large
cylinder being shewn with the printing roller in action upon it;
Figure 4, is a separate detail of a segment of the large drum or
impression cylinder, with the pattern printing roller, sieve or endless
color feed band, and color box, as disposed upon the slide rest carrier
in transverse section; Figure 5, is a detailed longitudinal elevation of
the printing roller, as arranged under a different modification, to be
actuated from the main cylinder by means of a continuous sliding shaft
and a single spur wheel; and Figure 6, is a similar detail, illustrating
a mode of supplying color from the reservoir box by means of surface,
feed, and distribution rollers instead of a sieve or feed band. The
main framing of this machine, as constructed according to the modifi-
cation delineated in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, consists of two open end
standards A, bolted down to the floor, and each carrying an adjustable
pedestal B, as end bearings for the main tubular shaft C, of the cylinder
D. The pedestals B, are planed on their soles and fitted to the tops of
the standards by means of bolts and slot holes, and each of them carries
at its back a projecting eye piece E, slotted laterally, and bored out at

page_text: the end to form a revolving joint with the end of the screw spindle F;
a nut bracket G, is bolted on to the standards behind, and through this
the screwed portion of the spindle F, is passed. Thus, by turning the
screw by a screw entered upon the squared edge H, the pedestal can be
traversed back or forward for the adjustment of the cylinder's periphery
up to the printing surface. The large cylinder is built up of cast iron
bosses I, to which the inner ends of eight cast iron arms J, are bolted,
the outer ends of these arms being connected to a set of segmental
pieces K, forming the carrying ram for the wooden shell or impression
surface L. To one end of this cylinder is bolted a set of segments, to
form a large spur wheel M, of fine pitch, and arranged to gear with a spur
pinion N, carried upon a longitudinal shaft O, running along the front
of the cylinder. The actuating power of the machine is communicated
to it through the main shaft C, from the left, where it is shewn broken
away in Figure 2, and the revolution of the main cylinder thus drives
all the rest of the printing movements through the wheel and pinion
M, N. Each main standard projects forward ast at P, to form bracket
supports for the longitudinal slide rest's bed' Q, which is also supported
at intermediate points by the standards R. This bed is planed on its
upper surface and fitted up like the corresponding part of a slide lathe,
having upon it a carrier S, with adjustable headstocks, T, U, for the
support of the wooden printing roller V. This roller is built up solid
upon a short spindle W, the ends of which are centred so as to enable
the printing surface carrying the device to be accurately turned to a
cylindrical form in the lathe before it is fitted into the machine for
printing; and the same end centres answer to carry the roller during
printing, the headstock U, having a short adjustable centre, like the
following headstock of.a lathe, whilst the other headstock T, has a brass
bearing X, on each of its vertical standards carrying a correspondingly
centred spindle for the support of the opposite end of the printing roller.
This latter spindle is capable of being set up by an end adjusting
screw Y, and it is connected to the printing roller spindle by a "dog".
or adjusting catch plate Z, as in an ordinary lathe, so that the printer
can easily set his roller on commencing an impression on the front
headstock spindle, and between the standards thereof is a spur wheel a,

page_text: in
gear with an intermediate carrier wheel b, running loose on a stud in
one of the standards; this latter wheel b, being arranged to gear with
another wheel c, also carried between the standards, but entered upon
the longitudinal shaft O. This shaft, which is carried in end bearings
d, in brackets bolted to the main standards, is grooved longitudinally
throughout its length, and the wheel c, is fitted upon it with a key
entering the groove, so that the wheel is compelled to revolve with the
shaft whilst it has at the same time freedom to traverse along the shaft
with the printing roller. The carrier wheel b, also gears with a bottom
wheel e, set loose on a stud in the headstock and made to drive a
wheel f, fast on the overhanging end of the spindle of the bottom
color-supplying roller g. This roller spindle is carried in bearings in
the standards h, of a separate adjustable bracket carrier, the base of
which is dovetailed to traverse upon the slide rest carrier S, at right
angles to the traverse of such carrier. The space comprised between
the standards of this upper carrier affords room for the color box i,
into which the roller g, dips, thus supplying color to the sieve or
endless feed band j; passed round the roller g, and up over the higher
small roller k, the spindle of which is carried in end bearings in the
tops of the separate standard pieces 1, which are entered at their
lower ends upon the spindle of the roller g, as a centre.
standards, are formed with projecting segmental pieces m, engaged
with screw studs in the standards h', so that the roller k, may be set
back or forward and held at any determined point, so as to press the
feed band j, with greater or less force against the printing roller. The
tension of the feed band is also adjustable by the upper thumb nuts 'n,
and a pair of thumb screws o; in front of the standards h, serve to
adjust the spreading clearing brush i, against the outer length of the
feed band, the ends of the brush being contrived to slide in inclined
grooves in the inner sides of the standards h. At p, are two wedge
catches fast on the ends of two spindles 7, set in bearings in the slide
rest carrier, and contrived so that by turning them more or less round
the bracket carrier of the color apparatus may be set up for printing
action as required. The necessary traverse for setting the printing
roller at the proper part of the slide rest table, for printing is obtained
The

page_text: by a which handler, fast upon a spindle s, carried in brackets bolted
to the slide rest carrier S, and having fast upon it a spur pinion t,
gearing with a longitudinal tooth rack u, bolted fast to the inside of
the slide rest table or bed a. And on the external front of the bed is
screwed fast a notched or serrated plate v, the serrations or stops on
which plate are set out to correspond to the particular repeats in use
at any given time in printing, a new serrated plate being screwed on
at each change in the repeat. At w, is a bracket piece screwed on to
the front of the slide rest carrier, and carrying a stud as the joint
centre for the catch a, the loose end of which has liberty to fall into
the notches of the plate. When a piece is to be printed in this
machine, it is stretched over the periphery of the large cylinder D, as
in the previous example, the ends of the fabric being held in the notch
or recess y, and the printing roller previously prepared is then shipped
upon the headstock centres of the slide rest apparatus. The adjust-
ment of the roller spindle is effected by a handwheel z, fronting the
operator, and fast on a transverse spindle carrying a bevil pinion an-
gearing, with a similar pinion on the outer end of the screw adjustment
for the shifting centre in the following headstock. The printing
roller is then set up to the end of the slide rest bed as in Figure 2,
and the end portion of the device or pattern is then printed as at 1.
Then for the next repeat of the pattern the handle is turned to
traverse the entire printing apparatus along the bed to a distance equal
to the width of the repeat, the screws F behind being turned slightly to
slacken off the large cylinder from printing contact. Or instead of this
plan of releasing the printing pressure, the same effect is more easily
attainable by bringing the slot or opening y of the main cylinder oppo-
site the printing roller, when the latter will, of course, be able to
traverse freely. The serrated plate v, serves as an accurate set for the
printing roller at the termination of the shift for the repeat, as the
catch a falls into a notch of the plate at the exact point intended for
the new position of the printing roller. The main cylinder is then again
set up into printing contact, and the operation goes on as before until
the whole number of repeats in the length of the cylinder have been
printed on, and this process is then continued with the rest of the

page_text: colors. Or instead of this mode of printing another plan may be
adopted when the pattern has several colors in it, that is, the color
apparatus only is shifted at each revolution. Under this modification,
when the main cylinder has made one revolution for the printing of
a repeat in one color, the machine is stopped and the color apparatus is
taken out from the slide rest carrier and a new color put in; and
this continues until all the colors in that repeat are printed. The
printing roller is then shifted to the next repeat. In the modification
of the printing roller apparatus in Figure 5, the driving pinion, actu
ated from the large wheel on the main cylinder, is a fixture in the
framing, and the longitudinal grooved spindle driving the printing
roller traverses through it. In this detailed Figure, A is the end
standard of the framing, having in it a bearing B, to receive the pro
longed journal boss of the spur pinion C, in gear with the large spur
wheel D, of the main cylinder. The printing roller E is fitted up and
centred as in the former example, being supported at one end on the
short adjustable centre of the following headstock F, and at the other
on a similar centre in the end of the grooved driving spindle G, which
rests in a bearing in the standard H, of the slide rest. The other por-
tion of the spindle G projects through the boss of the pinion C, and is
supported externally in suitable rests, its connection with the pinion
being by a feather in the latter fitting into the longitudinal groove. A
"dog" or adjustable catch I, is used for the connection between the
shaft G and the printing roller, and to the following headstock a cup
bracket J is bolted, to answer as a temporary rest for the roller
spindle end in setting it up. The fixed spur pinion K, on the shaft G,
drives the color apparatus. At each shift for the repeats the shaft G
traverses through the boss of the pinion C, the overhanging of the shaft
being sufficient to allow of this traverse. In the detail Figure 6, the
color supply is effected by means of surface rollers, instead of a sieve,
Here A is the printing roller, carried in centres in the same way as in
the former examples, B being the main cylinder. The color box is at
C, and the roller D dips into it, and carries up. color to the printing
surface of A. In printing long lengths of goods, as in carpeting, the
different colors are laid on by a corresponding set of surface rollers set

page_text: one in advance of the other as regards the direction of revolution of
the main cylinder, each roller and color apparatus being carried upon a
slide rest, as already described herein. Thus cach color roller prints in
succession, and the apparatus being kept constantly working in the
same direction, the forward revolution of the main cylinder carries
round the piece just so many times as is necessary for the due repetition
of the successive series of color impressions to saturate the fabric. To
keep an accurate steady printing or impression surface on the main
cylinder, the bottom blanket or the layer of soft material next to the
cylinder's surface is gummed or cemented to that surface, and the.
glazed cloth covering over this first layer is also gummed or cemented
down in a similar manner. This arrangement prevents the slipping or
distortion of the impression surface from the giving way of the surface
under the printing pressure. The exterior of the glazed cloth has also.
a coating of gum or adhesive matter to secure the piece itself from
shifting as it is being printed. A similar effect may be secured by the
insertion of short pins into the main cylinder in longitudinal rows, so
that they may penetrate and prevent the giving way or warping of the
cylinder's covering. By suitably arranging the feeding in and the
taking off of the fabric, the printing operation, as regards carpets and
other similar fabrics, may be made continuous; that is to say, a feeder
in of the piece stands on one side of the machine and attaches the
edge to the notched or recessed part of the main cylinder, and the
piece then being passed through the printing process as required, is
detached at its leading or front end on the opposite side of the main
cylinder, so as to bare a portion of the main cylinder for the putting.
on of a fresh piece on the feeding side. In this way the feeding in
of the blank piece may be simultaneous. It is to be understood that
in all the cases where the word "repeat" is herein-before used as
affecting the traverse or shift of the printing roller, the intention is
to express the repeating of the length of pattern comprised within the
longitudinal limits of the roller. It is also obvious that all or most
of the herein-before described arrangements are applicable for printing
fabrics laid on flat surfaces, whether such surfaces are horizontal, ver-
tical, or otherwise, and whether the printing roller and its slide rest

page_text: are made to traverse over the flat surface or the flat surface beneath or
in contact with the stationary printing roller.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used
or carried into effect, I may observe, in conclusion, that I do not
confine or restrict myself to the precise details or arrangements which
I have had occasion to describe or refer to, as many variations may be
made therefrom without deviating from the principles or main features
of my Invention; but what I consider to be novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in
part recited Letters Patent, is,
First, the general arrangement and construction of machinery, appa-
ratus, or means to be used for printing textile fabrics and other surfaces,
as herein-before described.
Second, the application and use in printing shawls and other fabrics
of a slide rest guide apparatus for guiding and regulating the action of
the pattern printing roller.
Third, the system or mode of connecting the slide rest printing appa-
ratus with the impression or main cylinder gearing by means of a
grooved shaft traverse movement.
Fourth, the system or mode of arranging the printing roller wherein
the lathe centres on which the printing surface is turned up are made
to answer as the working centres during the printing action.
Fifth, the system or mode of adjusting the position of the printing
roller at the repeat shifts by means of notched, divided, or serrated
plates set to correspond to the different repeats.
Sixth, the system or mode of adjusting or setting the printing roller
on commencing an impression, by means of a "dog" or adjustable
holder.
Seventh, the system or mode of printing, wherein all the colors in a
repeat are put in or printed in succession without shifting the printing
roller, by means of moveable color apparatus.
Eighth, the system or mode of printing carpeting and other fabrics
by means of printing rollers, corresponding to the several colors in the
repeat, set one in advance of the other in the direction of the main

page_text: cylinder's revolution, that revolution being continued until all the colors
are duly impressed upon or into the fabric.
Ninth, the system or mode of preventing distortion or warping up of
the impression surface of the main cylinder or other surface on which
the fabric to be printed is placed, by gumming or cementing down the
fabric coatings thereon, or by the insertion of holding pins.
Tenth, the application and use of slide rest guides for printing on flat
surfaces.
Eleventh, the system or mode of printing wherein the feeding in
and taking off of the fabric are conducted simultaneously, as herein-
before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Melville, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
JAMES MELVILLE. (L.S.)