Improvements in Perfecting and like Printing Machines.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Oct., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 14th July, 1894-Accepted, 18th Aug., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Perfecting and like Printing Machines.
We, WILLIAM HENRY DAWSON and ALLAN PARKER DAWSON, of Ashfield
Foundry, Otley, in the County of York, and JAMES STOTT of the same place,
Printers Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of this invention is to construct and combine mechanism in connection
with the impression cylinders of perfecting printing machines in such a manner that,
tapes and the like hitherto used for carrying the paper through the machine are
dispensed with, and in lieu thereof, to pass the sheets of paper through the
machine by transferring them from one impression cylinder to the other, in a more
direct manner, with less liability of slipping than when tapes are employed; also
to afford better facilities for the attendant "making ready" by providing a freer
and better access to the impression cylinders, and to so arrange the machine, that
it may be used for printing two separate sheets for each revolution of the cylinders
and travel of the type bed or table to and fro.
In perfecting printing machines as hitherto constructed, it is well known, that by
the use of tapes for transferring the sheets from one cylinder to the other, the
tapes and necessary supports have been detrimental to the attendant getting to the
impression cylinders when "making ready" or for other purposes.
In carrying out this invention, we arrange and operate the type bed or table and
mount the impression cylinders in the usual manner, but rotate cylinders towards
the centre of the machine and not outwards as hitherto.
One of the impression cylinders is fitted with two sets of grippers and the other
with one set, each operated by cams or the like at determined points in the
revolution of the cylinders. Above the said cylinders are mounted two other
cylinders of smaller but proportionate diameters, each provided with a set of
grippers all the cylinders being rotated at the required speeds by suitable
gearing.
:
The grippers on the cylinders are so placed and operated that, the sheets as they
are fed to the machine are directly and positively transferred from one cylinder to
another at the requisite points in the rotation.
The paper or the like is fed to one of the impression cylinders, the grippers of
which secure and convey the edge of each sheet to a certain point in the rotation
of the cylinder, when the grippers are operated transferring it to the second
cylinder which gives the first impression, this cylinder conveys it to an additional
and smaller cylinder, which positively transfers it to another cylinder proportionately
larger in diameter, which passes it to the first mentioned cylinder with the unprinted
side of the sheet in position for receiving the second impression, after which it is
taken off in any convenient manner.
By arranging and rotating the cylinders in the manner described, no tapes
are required for carrying the sheets from cylinder to cylinder, therefore the
usual projecting supports and rollers are dispensed with, thus freeing the space
occupied by the extending tapes and supports, by which facilities are afforded for the
examination of and "making ready" of the impression cylinders and the time of
the attendant economised.
By constructing and mounting the cylinders in a manner so as to dispense with
the carrying tapes, the machine is more readily changed from one set of work to
another; the grippers extending the width of the cylinder taking either narrow or
wide sheets.

page_text: By fitting both impression cylinders with two sets of grippers, each cylinder may
be utilized for printing an impression on one side of a sheet only, thus enabling the
machine to print two sheets on one side for each revolution of the cylinders and
travel of the table or type bed to and fro; the sheet fed to one cylinder is
transferred to the other for receiving the impression and taken off by any suitable
means.
Dated this 13th day of October 1802
JOHN WAUGH,
Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Perfecting and like Printing Machines.
We, WILLIAM HENRY DAWSON, and ALLAN PARKER DAWSON, of Ashfield
Foundry, Otley, in the County of York, and JAMES STOTT of the same place,
Printers Engineers, 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 :-
The object of this invention is to construct and combine mechanism in connection
with the impression cylinders of perfecting printing machines in such a manner that,
tapes and the like hitherto generally used for carrying the paper through the
machine are dispensed with, and in lieu thereof, to pass the sheets of paper through
the machine by transferring them from one impression cylinder to the other direct,
and by intermediate cylinders so arranged that, there is less liability of the paper
slipping than when tapes are employed; also to afford better facilities for the
attendant "making ready" by providing freer and better access to the impression
cylinders, and to so arrange the machine, that it may be utilized for printing
two separate sheets of paper for each revolution of the impression cylinder and
travel of the type bed to and fro.
In perfecting machines as generally constructed, it is well known that by the use
of tapes for transferring the sheets from one cylinder to the other, the tapes have
not conveyed the sheets in a positive manner and the necessary supports have been
detrimental to the attendant getting to the impression cylinder when "making
ready" or other purposes.
In describing our invention in detail
Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of such portions of a printing machine as are
required to describe our invention added thereto, and
Fig. 2 is a similar view showing how our improvements may be applied in a
modified manner to accomplish our object.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts where they appear.
The impression cylinders A. and B. and type bed on reciprocating table under
the said cylinders, are mounted and operated in any ordinary mauner at the
required speed. The impression cylinder A. is fitted with two sets of grippers C.
and D. and the other impression cylinder B. with one set of grippers E. the
intermediate or transfer cylinders F. and G. being each provided with one
set of grippers H. and J. respectively. All the grippers are of the ordinary
description, operated by cams or the like such as those in ordinary use, fixed at
determined points to operate the opening and closing of the grippers at the proper
time in the revolution of the cylinders.
The impression cylinders A. and B. are mounted with the centres nearer together
than hitherto, the raised or printing surface S. of one cylinder on rotating, passing
into the low or depressed surface T. of the other, for the purpose of enabling the
respective grippers of the two cylinders being brought nearer and into such positions
that, the grippers of one cylinder B. may take hold of the sheet immediately before
or as it is released by the grippers of the cylinder A. thereby securing a perfect
register of all the sheets passing through the machine.

page_text: The sheets may be rea from a board to the grippers
of the circumference of the impression cylinder A. rotating in the direction of the
arrow, the said grippers securing the edge of the sheet, convey it to a point where
the circumferences of the two cylinders meet but do not touch at L. when the
grippers C. of impression cylinder A. liberate the sheet immediately the grippers E.
of the impression cylinder B. takes hold of the sheet, which then receives the first
impression on the sheet passing over the type, the cylinder continuing its course in
the direction of arrow, delivers the edge of the printed sheet to the grippers H.
of cylinder F. with the printed side next the circumference of same.
The last named grippers deliver the edge of the sheet to the grippers J. of
cylinder G. conveying the sheet in the direction of the arrow and delivering it to
the grippers D. of the impression cylinder A. with the unprinted side in position
for the sheet to receive an impression on passing over the type bed; the grippers D.
afterwards liberating the sheet to the grippers M. of small or "take off" grooved
cylinder N. from which it is removed by an ordinary flyer apparatus O. to the
support P.
By arranging and rotating the cylinders in the manner described, the sheets are,
fed from the board K. on to the low part or non-printing surface of an impression
cylinder and positively transferred from one impression cylinder to the other by
the grippers of one cylinder taking hold of the sheet immediately before or as it is
released by the grippers of the other cylinder without the aid of tapes, thus
dispensing with the usual supports, and thereby affording facilities for examination
of and "making ready" on the impression cylinder.
The cylinders are all driven at the requisite speed by suitable gearing secured in
the usual manner, and by arranging the cylinders and grippers in the manner
described; and the latter extending the width of the cylinders, it will be readily
seen by persons skilled in printing, that no alteration is required for different sizes
of sheets, thus reducing the time occupied in changing the machine when printing
one size of sheet to that of another size.
By fitting both impression cylinders with grippers arranged in the same positions
as shown on cylinder A. diametrically opposite to each other, each cylinder may be
utilized for printing an impression on one side of a sheet only, from two distinct
formes, thus enabling the machine to print two sheets on one side for each revolution
of the cylinders and travel of the type bed to and fro.
When the machine is arranged for this purpose a feed board similar to K. is
placed in a corresponding position above cylinder B. along with a similar "take
off" cylinder N. and flyer apparatus operated and mounted in a similar position.
The sheet fed to the low or depressed portion of one cylinder is transferred to the
raised or printing surface of the other cylinder at the point L. on the latter
cylinder it receives the impression, and is taken off by a cylinder N. and flyer
arrangement or other suitable means.
The machine may be arranged as shown by Fig. 2 in which case the impression
cylinders A. and B. and the intermediate or transfer cylinders F. and G. are
mounted and operated in the manner as before described, the cylinders rotating in
the direction of the arrows, the raised or impression surface of one cylinder rotating
in the low or depressed surface of the other cylinder.
According to this arrangement the sheets are fed from the board K. to the
grippers Q. of small rotating cylinder R. which positively transfer the sheet to the
grippers C. and raised or printing surface of the impression cylinder A. the sheet
receiving its first impression on cylinder A. which is then conveyed to the grippers J.
on cylinder G. then to the grippers H. of cylinder F. and by the latter to the
grippers E. on the raised or printing surface of the impression cylinder B. for
receiving the second impression on the opposite side of the sheet on the return
stroke of the table and type. The sheet is then transferred to grippers D. and
low portion of cylinder A. then it is transferred to the grooved cylinder G. a
second time and removed therefrom by flyer apparatus O. of the ordinary description
to the flyer board P.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
-claim is,
1. In a printing machine the combination of two impression cylinders A. and B.
with two intermediate or transfer cylinders F. and G. each cylinder mounted and
arranged with grippers substantially in the manner as shown and described for the
purpose as herein before set forth.
2. In a printing machine the combination of two impression cylinders arranged
and mounted in a manner for the raised or printing surface of one cylinder to rotate
within the low, depressed or non-printing surface of the other cylinder bringing the
grippers nearer together for enabling those on one cylinder to take hold of the
sheet immediately before or as it is liberated by the grippers of the other impression
.cylinder.
3. In a printing machine the combination of two impression cylinders mounted
and arranged with grippers for receiving and afterwards delivering the sheet from
the low or depressed surface of one cylinder to the raised or printing surface of the
other or vice versa substantially in the manner as hereinbefore described.
Dated this 13th day of Jul. 1904
JOHN WAUGH,
Agent.