Improvements in and Connected with Typographic and similar Printing Machines.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Nov., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 8th Aug., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 14th Sept.,
1
TRUVIDIUNAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and Connected with Typographic and similar
Printing Machines.
33
We, JOHN HENRY BUXTON Newspaper Proprietor, DAVIES BRAITHWAITE, Printer's
Engineer and MARK SMITH, Printer's Engineer, all of the "Manchester Guardian
Printing Works Manchester in the County of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to typographic and similar machines having a single
"impression" cylinder and in or by means of which a sheet of paper may be
imprinted on both its sides during its passage through the machine. Such a machine is
commonly known as a "Perfecting machine."
In the Specification and drawings to the Patent granted to us No. 16201 dated the
10th December 1884 we have described and illustrated certain Improvements in and
relating to "Perfecting machines." Our present Invention has reference to these
Improvements and has for its object to secure greater simplicity of construction, and
a more compact arrangement of the devices or apparatus for removing the sheet from
the impression cylinder after it has been printed upon one side; for reversing the sheet,
and for re-feeding it to the impression cylinder to be imprinted upon the other
side.
In carrying out our Invention we dispense with the re-feeding board described in
our former Specification together with its accessories and the devices for operating it.
Above the impression cylinder we mount rotary grippers enclosed within a series of
fixed metallic rings concentric with the path of rotation of the grippers. The axis
upon and with which the grippers revolve has fixed upon it a pinion gearing into
a wheel on the axis of the impression cylinder. The ratios of the wheel and
pinion may advantageously be two to one but any other convenient ratio may be
employed. Upon the same axis there is also mounted a second pinion which
gears into a wheel carrying a tappet. With the before mentioned ratio of the
impression cylinder wheel and pinion the ratio of the tappet wheel and the second
Prics &7

page_text: pinion will also be two to one. By this arrangement the tappet on the tappet wheel
engages with or operates the grippers at every alternate revolution only, that is to say,
at every complete revolution of the impression cylinder.
At one end of the rotary gripper there is a fixed plate or disc having a curved slot
concentric with the path of the gripper. In this slot there is a stud or finger which
may be secured in the slot at any desired position. At the same end there is attached
to the gripper shaft a lever arm or tappet which by coming into contact with the stud
in the slot, operates to instantaneously release the grippers and consequently also to
release the sheet of paper held by them. The position of the stud in the slot is
governed by the width of the sheets of paper to be imprinted. Light flat springs,
straps, tapes or equivalent supports may be mounted above or around each of the fixed
rings to hold or support the paper thereon during its reversal.
After one side of the paper has been printed upon the impression cylinder, it is
seized by the rotary grippers and carried by them around the fixed rings until
the free edge of the paper has arrived in a position to be seized by the grippers
of the impression cylinder when the rotary grippers are released by the stud in the
curved slot. The grippers of the following half of the impression cylinder then seize
the free edge of the paper which is now reversed, and its other side is imprinted in
the usual manner.
The sheet printed upon both sides is removed from the impression cylinder by a
rotary take-off motion which may be constructed and arranged as described in our
former Specification.
Dated this 21st day of November A D 1887
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
Agent for the Applicants.

page_text: We, JOHN HENRY BUXTON, Newspaper Proprietor, DAVIES BRAITHWAITE, Printer's
Engineer and MARK SMITH, Printer's Engineer, all of the "Manchester Guardian"
Printing Works Manchester in the County of Lancaster, 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 relates to Typographic and similar printing machines having a single
impression " cylinder and in or by means of which a sheet of paper may be imprinted
upon both its sides or surfaces during its passage through the machine. Such a.
machine is commonly known as and denominated a "Perfecting Machine."
In a machine to which these Improvements relate the impression cylinder has two
gaps, diametrically opposite to each other and in each of these gaps there is a set of
grippers. Upon the axis of the impression cylinder there is fixed a spur wheel. The
printing surface or surfaces, such as formes of type are carried upon a reciprocating
table upon which there is fixed a longitudinal rack which is so constructed and arranged
that its teeth are capable of gearing with the teeth of the spur wheel on the axis of
the impression cylinder. The impression cylinder is operated so as to be driven or
rotated through one complete revolution during the backward stroke of the recipro-
cating table and to remain stationary during the forward stroke. The sheet of paper
to be imprinted is fed to and gripped upon the impression cylinder. After being
imprinted on one side, the sheet of paper is removed from the cylinder, reversed, and
re-fed to the following portion of the impression cylinder by means of apparatus and
devices to be hereinafter described, and after being imprinted upon the other side it is
removed from the cylinder by means of a delivering apparatus. During the period
of rest of the impression cylinder therefore, a sheet of imprinted paper is fed to the
lower set of grippers by hand in the usual manner and at the same time a sheet of
paper which has already been printed upon one side is fed to the upper set of grippers
by the reversing and re-feeding apparatus and it follows that for every revolution
of the impression cylinder a sheet of paper is imprinted upon both its surfaces.
In the Specification and drawings to the Patent granted to us No. 16201 and dated
the 10th. day of December A.D. 1884 we have described certain Improvements in
perfecting Machines, and our present Invention bas reference to those Improvements
and has for its object to secure greater simplicity of construction, and a more compact
arrangement of the devices or apparatus for removing the sheet from the impression
cylinder after it has been imprinted upon one side; for reversing the sheet, and for
re-feeding it to the cylinder to be imprinted on the other side.
We have appended hereto three sheets of Drawings and hereinafter make reference
to the various Figures thereon. In each of the Figures similar parts or elements,
when they are represented, are distinguished by similar letters of reference.

page_text: Fig. 1 is a side elvation and Fig. 2 is an end elevation of a portion of a perfecting
machine having these Improvements applied thereto. Figs. 3 to 9 inclusive represent
various elements or details of these Improvements.
Above the Impression cylinder A we mount a set of rotating grippers B which
intermittently revolve in one direction within a series of fixed rings C, all of which
are concentric with the path of rotation of the grippers B. These fixed rings are
mounted or secured upon a bearer D₁ which is attached to and carried by the framing
of the machine. The spindle or axis upon and with which the grippers rotate
has secured to it a pinion D which gears with a wheel E fixed upon the spindle
or axis of the impression cylinder. The wheel E has twice as many teeth as the
pinion so that the rotary grippers make two complete revolutions for each complete
revolution of the impression cylinder. Upon the axis of the rotary gripper there is
also secured a second pinion F which-gears into a wheel G upon a fixed axis. This wheel
carries a tappet H and has twice as many teeth as its pinion and consequently the
tappet on the wheel makes one revolution for two revolutions of the rotary grippers.
As the tappet H operates the grippers B it results that as the gripper bowl and the
tappet coincide at alternate revolutions only, the grippers will be operated at every
second revolution only, and therefore also at every complete revolution of the
impression cylinder. Methods of operating grippers in printing machines are well
understood and are adopted by us. Thus, at the end of the gripper bar there is fixed
an arm carrying a bowl which at the desired moment moves over a fixed projection
or is operated by a cam, tappet or similar device. The grip of the grippers upon
the paper is maintained by known means such as a spiral spring or other equivalent
and similar device.
Upon each end of the rotary gripper shaft there is freely mounted a lever I which
carries a bowl J and upon one of the wheels on the impression cylinder shaft there is
fixed a cam K so that for every revolution of the impression cylinder a slight angular
motion is given to the levers I which are connected together by the rod L. The ends
of the levers opposite to the connecting rod I are connected by a cord or wire M
and the cam K is so constructed and arranged that the cord or wire M is moved just
before the impression cylinder stops so as to throw the free edge of the paper which
has just been released by the rotary grippers over the gap in the impression cylinder
in a position to be seized by its grippers.
At one end of the rotary grippers there is a fixed plate or disc N Fig. 3 having a
curved slot concentric with the path of the grippers. In this slot there is a stud or
finger O which may be secured in the slot in any desired position. At the same end
there is attached to the gripper shaft of the rotary grippers a lever, arm or tappet P,
which coming into contact with the finger O¹ operates to instantaneously release the
grippers and consequently also to release the sheet of paper held by them. The
position of the finger O¹ is adjusted so that the grippers are released when the free
end of the sheet of paper held by them arrives in a position to be seized by the
grippers of the impression cylinder. Light flat springs Q attached to the fixing G¹,
or equivalent straps, tapes or other supports may be mounted so as to press lightly
upon, or partly around, each of the fixed rings C, to hold or support the paper
thereon during its reversal. The combination and arrangement of elements and
devices iust described constitute the apparatus for removing the paper from the
impression cylinder after it has been imprinted upon one side, for reversing the
paper and for re-feeding it to the impression cylinder to be imprinted on the other
side.
The operation of this apparatus may be described with reference to the diagram
Fig. 4. The impression cylinder A has two imprinting surfaces 1 and 2. Assuming
that the impression cylinder A has come to rest during the forward stroke of the
reciprocating table of the machine, there will be a sheet of paper printed upon one
side on the rings which sheet has been removed from the impression cylinder grippers
by the rotary grippers during the previous revolution of the impression cylinder.
This sheet lies over the fixed rings with its edge in a position to be seized by the
grippers in the upper gap of the impression cylinder. Simultaneously, a plain sheet

page_text: of
paper
is fed to the grippers of part 1 of the impression cylinder. Upon the starting
of the impression cylinder the two sheets of paper are removed by its grippers, and
during the complete revolution they are imprinted, the plain sheet upon its outer
surface and the sheet already printed, upon one side, upon its other surface. The
reversal of the sheet by the reversing apparatus is consequent upon the action of the
rotary grippers B. These seize the sheet of paper by its leading edge, that is to say,
by the edge just released from the impression cylinder grippers, and carry it over the
fixed rings until its back edge is in a position to be seized by the impression cylinder
grippers when next they come round. The release of the paper at the proper moment
is effected by the finger O' in the curved slot as already described. The paper is
maintained in contact with the impression cylinder after its release by the grippers, by
means of the roller E¹.
An apparatus for removing the perfected sheets from the impression cylinder is
shown in the drawings Figs. 2, 4, 5 and 9. This is placed below the reversing and
re-feeding apparatus. R is a cylinder carrying the grippers S. A series of endless
tapes T. T. pass over and in contact with the cylinder R and around the rollers U. U.
The cylinder R is driven by means of a pinion V fixed upon its shaft. This pinion
has one fourth of the number of teeth contained on the wheel E and consequently
revolves four times for every revolution of the impression cylinder to the shaft of
which wheel E is fixed. Upon the shaft of the impression cylinder another wheel W
is fixed which gears into a second pinion X upon the shaft of the cylinder R. The
wheel and pinion W X have respectively such a number of teeth that X makes three
revolutions for every revolution of the impression cylinder and for every four
revolutions of the pinion V, therefore any given points upon each of the pinions XV
will coincide at every fourth revolution. The pinion X is loose on its shaft and is
provided with a long boss carrying the cam or tappet Y which operates a bowl Z,
fitted on an arm secured to the gripper shaft and therefore actuates the grippers.
Since a given point on the pinion X coincides with a given point on the pinion V once
only for every complete revolution of the impression cylinder, it is obvious that if
those two points are the cam Y and the bowl Z the gripper will be operated at the
like intervals. The cam is adjusted so that the grippers seize the leading edge of the
perfected sheet on the impression cylinder as soon as it comes within their range
and by its rotation carries the sheet upon the endless travelling tapes T T, from which
it is removed by the ordinary "fly" or "gate." If the grip of the gripper S is not
quickly released, it will tend to be carried round with them instead of being carried
forward by the tapes. This release is effected by the cam Y on the boss of the
pinion X, which is double acting as shown in Figs. 5 and 9. The cam has two swells
or projections of which the leading one X' opens the grippers to receive the perfected
sheet from the impression cylinder and the following one X2 to release the sheet
immediately on its leading edge passing between a roller Z' above the taking off
cylinder upon the tapes.
The grippers of the impression cylinder are released for the removal of the perfected
sheet by means of a fixed projection A¹ Fig. 5 against which a bowl carried by an
arm B fixed to the gripper shaft works at the proper time.
The grippers of the reversing apparatus may be carried by the discs C¹ or by
similar and suitable means. Since the impression cylinder is driven intermittently in
one direction only, that is to say, for one complete revolution at each backward stroke
of the table, and since the reversing and refeeding apparatus and the take off apparatus
are geared to and driven by the impression cylinder, it is obvious that these two
apparatus are operated by, and simultaneously with the impression cylinder and have
like periods of rest and motion.
The parts or elements in the machine which are not lettered and hereinbefore
referred to are such as are commonly employed in "Wharfedale" and other machines
of a similar type or description.
It will be understood that we do not limit ourselves to the precise construction,
arrangement and proportions of the various details or elements of the apparatus
herein before described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings as it will

page_text: be evident that these may be varied considerably without departing from our
Invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
(1) In a Typographic and similar perfecting machine; the combination of a
cylinder having two impression surfaces, with a reversing and refeeding apparatus
consisting essentially of a rotary gripper, fixed rings concentric with the path of the
gripper, gearing and devices for operating the gripper, and an adjustable finger for
releasing the gripper; and with a taking off apparatus consisting essentially of
rotating grippers, gearing and devices for operating the grippers, endless travelling
bands, and devices for releasing the grippers of the impression cylinder; substantially
as herein before described and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
(2) In a Typographic and similar perfecting machine; the combination of a
cylinder having two impression surfaces with a rotary gripper, fixed rings concentric
with the path of the gripper, gearing and devices for operating the gripper, and an
adjustable finger for releasing the gripper; substantially as hereinbefore described
and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
(3) In a Typographic or similar printing machine; a series or set of fixed rings
upon or over which the paper is laid for reversal after being removed from the
impression cylinder.
Dated this 24th day of July AD 1000
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
Agent for the Applicants.