IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN OR CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Atkinson, of Seaham Harbour, in the County
of Durham, Printer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING, AND
IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN OR CONNECTED
THEREWITH."
Sealed the 21st November 1854, and dated the 6th June 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Atkinson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 6th
June 1854.
I, DAVID ATKINSON, of Seaham Harbour, in the County of Durham, Printer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PRINTING, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN OR
CONNECTED THEREWITH," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of an improved method of printing from a cylinder
or cylinders upon which "transfers" have been placed. The paper, calico, or
other fabric which is to be printed, is first placed on a roller, and from thence
passed between an upper roller which has previously had the design or letter-
press transferred on to it, and a lower roller, covered with flannel or any other
flexible or clastic material. The paper or other fabric having by the above
means received the required impression, if intended to be used in short lengths,
is then passed under a cutter placed at a proper distance, which is caused to
descend at any required time, and to cut off the paper into any number of
lengths that may be necessary, and is finally passed into a convenient receiving

page_text: box, thus accomplishing the whole process by ono machine. The machine
is fitted with a self-inking apparatus, and is capable of printing a sheet of any
size in several colors at one time. Bed furniture, paper hangings, as well as
ordinary letter-press, may be printed by the above machine, and a great saving
of labour effected thereby.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said David Atkinson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 6th
December 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DAVID
ATKINSON, of Seaham Harbour, in the County of Durham, Printer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
David Atkinson, Her-speciál license that I, the said David Atkinson,
my executors, administrators, and assigns; or such others as I, the said
David Atkinson, executors, administrators, or 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, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN OR
CONNECTED THEREWITH," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
David Atkinson, 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 David Atkinson, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to bo
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement; reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My said Invention relates to an improved construction and arrangement of
lithographic or transfer printing press, for printing continuous lengths of paper

page_text: or other fabric, and to a cutting apparatus connected therewith, and consists
of an improved method of printing from a cylinder or cylinders upon which
"transfers" have been placed. The paper, calico, or other fabric which is to
be printed is first placed on a roller, and from thence passed between an upper
roller (which has previously had the design or letter-press drafted or trans-
ferred on to it) and a lower roller, covered with flannel or any other flexible or
clastic material. The paper or other fabric, having by the above means re-
ceived the required impression, if intended to be used in short lengths, is then
passed under a cutter, placed at a proper distance, which is caused to descend
at any required time, and to cut off the paper into any number of lengths that
may be necessary, and is finally passed into a convenient receiving box, thus
accomplishing the whole process by one machine. The machine is fitted
with a self-inking apparatus, and is capable of printing a sheet of any size
in several colors at one time. Bed furniture, paper hangings, as well as
ordinary letter-press, may be printed by the above machine, and a great saving
of labor effected thereby.
And in order that, my said Invention may be more redily understood, I
shall now proceed to describe the several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings
hereunto annexed.
Figure 1 of my Drawings represents a side elevation of my improved
continuous lithographic printing press; Figure 2 is a corresponding front
elevation of the same. Figure 8 is a detailed sectional elevation of the cutting
apparatus, which may or may not be used in connection with the printing
apparatus; according as the fabric is to be cut into lengths when printed, or
left entire in one web; and Figure 4 is a corresponding front view of the
cutting apparatus. A, A, are the main standards or supports of the rollers,
bolted on to a suitable bed plate or table, and united at their upper ends by the
transverse tie-bar B. The paper, calico, or other fabric which is to be printed"
is first placed on a roller C, and from thence passed between an upper roller D
and a lower roller E, covered with leather, gutta percha, india-rubber, calico,
flannel, felt, or other suitable elastic or flexible material.
The upper or
"transfer" roller D, which may be composed of lithographic stone, zinc, or
other substance capable of receiving and printing. "transfers," has previously
had the required design or letter-press "transferred" or draughted on to its
surface before being placed in the machine. The paper or other fabric,
by passing between rollers D and E, receives the required impression; the
necessary pressure being obtained from the two pressing screws F, F, which
are tapped through the transverse tic-bar B, bear at their lower extremities
upon the brasses G of the bearings of the printing roller. The self-
upper

page_text: inking apparatus consists of one or more inking rollers H, according to the
number of colors to be printed, which rollers are previously charged or coated
with ink before being placed in the machine, and when required for use and
dropped into the holding slots I by an attendant; by this means a sheet of
any size may be printed in several colors at one time. The inking rollers
may be covered with leather or inking composition, and are composed of lead
or other heavy substance, in order that their weight may cause them to
receive a rotatory motion from the "transfer" roller or cylinder. The transfer
roller is damped by a suitable damping roller J, situated in slots K on the
opposite side to the inking roller or rollers. The damping roller, which is
covered with flannel, felt, or other suitable absorbent material, is kept moist
by the small water reservoir L, attached to the transverse tie-bar B. This
reservoir is situated immediately above the damping roller, and is fitted with
one or more cocks M, which admit of a constant supply of water being con-
veyed to the damping roller, either in the form of drops or in thin streams,
as may be found requisite. The paper or other fabric, as fast as it is passed
between the rollers D and E, and received the required impression, is wound
on to a receiving roller M'; or, if intended to be used in short lengths, it is
passed between a pair of suitable cutters or knives, Figures 3 and 4, situated
at any convenient distance from the "transfer" roller. These cutters are
shewn detached from the printing machine in the Drawing, in order to illus-
trate the parts more clearly; but when required for use they are fitted into
the machine, by being bolted to the side standards A; or they may be fixed
permanently into the machine, and simply thrown out of action, in the manner
herein-after described, when not required for cutting. N is a fixed knife, fitted
into the frame O, and situated immediately beneath the upper moveable knife
or cutter P, which works in vertical guide slots, and is actuated by the forked
ends of the levers Q, Q. These levers work on fixed stud centres R, R, in the
supporting frame 0, and are actuated by the tappets or cams S, S, which are
fitted on to the ends of the axis of the "transfer" roller.
By this arrangement the web of fabric may be cut into lengths at every
revolution of the transfer roller, and these lengths are then deposited into a
suitable receiving box, convenient for that purpose. When the cutting appa-
ratus is permanently fixed in the machine, it may be thrown out of gear by
simply bringing the ends of the levers Q out of contact with the cams S, which
will then revolve freely without actuating the knife.
The machine may be worked either by hand, (as shewn in my Drawing,) or
by steam or other power, by simply fitting a pair of suitable driving pulleys on
the fly wheel shaft.

page_text: 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 would observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict
myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to
describo or refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom without
deviating from the principles or main features of my said Invention; but
what I consider 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 construction and arrangement of lithographic or transfer
printing machinery and the apparatus employed therewith, as herein-before
described.
Second, the system or mode of printing designs or letter-press on a con-
tinuous web of paper or other fabric, from "transfers" laid on or from writing
or designs drafted on to a cylindrical surface, in place of on a plane surface, as
in ordinary lithographic or zincographic printing.
Third, the application and use of the cutting apparatus, herein-before
described, in conjunction with my improved printing machine.
In witness whereof, I, the said David Atkinson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Fifth day of December, One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-four.
Signed and sealed by David Atkinson,
in the presence of
A. BETHUNE,
Incumbent of Seaham Harbour.
DAVID ATKINSON. (L.B.)