IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PRINTING
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Joseph Larmuth, of Salford, in the County of
Lancaster, Machinist, and John Smith, of the same Place, Machinist,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR
PRINTING
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Joseph Larmuth
and John Smith at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 3rd September 1855.
We, THOMAS JOSEPH LARMUTH, of Salford, in the County of Lancaster,
Machinist, and JOHN SMITH, of the same Place, Machinist, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPA-
BATUS FOR PRINTING" to be as follows:-
Our Invention refers to a hand machine for printing small surfaces, such as
hand bills, labels, &c. The paper or other material to be printed is placed
upon a table, on which is also the coloring matter. From the one to the
other of these the printing surface is caused to travel, and the impression is
effected by means of a lever, to which it is affixed or connected. Thus I fix
a box containing type (with the face downward) to a lever capable of turning
upon a centre horizontally, and also of moving upward and downward. By

page_text: the former of these motions the printing surface is brought over the ink. A
similar movement in the other direction will then carry the inked type over the
paper, and the printing is effected by pressing the lever downward. Or, by
another arrangement, I use an independent lever for giving the impression so
as to gain greater power. The inking apparatus employed may be a flat
surface, or the type may pass over a roller supplied with color regulated by a
doctor or scraper.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Joseph Larmuth and John Smith in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 3rd March 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, THOMAS
JOSEPH LARMUTH, of Salford, in the County of Lancaster, Machinist, and JOHN
SMITH, of the same Place, Machinist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said Thomas Joseph Larmuth and John Smith, Her especial license that we,
the said Thomas Joseph Larmuth and John Smith, our executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Thomas Joseph Larmuth
and John Smith, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PRINTING," upon the condition (amongst
others) that we, the said Thomas Joseph Larmuth and John Smith, by an
instrument in writing under our 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 Thomas Joseph Larmuth and John
Smith, 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 and accompanying Drawing, that is to say :-

page_text: Our Invention refers to a band machine for printing small surfaces, such as
hand bills, labels, &c. The paper or other material to be printed upon is placed
upon a table, upon which is also a substance supplied with the coloring matter.
Between these the printing surface is caused to alternate, and the impression
is effected by means of a lever, to which it is affixed or connected.
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 is a side view of the apparatus, a
part of the framing being removed in order to expose certain parts; Fig. 2 is
a plan view, the lever and type which it carries being removed; and Fig. 3
is a cross section of that part of the apparatus which supplies the colour.
Upon a cast metal table a is formed a boss b, within which is a stud c mounted
so as to be capable of turning freely. This stud is provided with a fork at its
upper end, carrying a lever d by means of a centre pin e. The said lever is
therefore capable of turning thereon vertically, and of moving in a circular
direction by the turning of the stud c in its boss, during a portion of which
movement it is supported by means of a roller f running upon a circular
rail
9. The under part of the lever d is provided with a box h, within which
is mounted, and secured by screws or other ordinary means, the type or block
from which the impressions are to be obtained. Within the table a is a
recess k, within which is situate a roller 1, covered with the materials usually
employed in constructing inking rollers, and in connexion therewith is another
roller m within a recess n, to which the ink is admitted by opening a cover o.
In contact with the roller m a doctor p, capable of being adjusted backward
or forward in order to regulate the supply of printing material. The roller
is mounted in bearings, which are formed as slots, thereby admitting of its
advancing towards or receding from the roller m. The paper or other sub-
stance to be printed upon is placed upon an elastic bed q, the correct position
being regulated by an adjustable piece r, during which the workman turns the
lever d round so as to cause the types to pass over the roller 1, the effect of
which will be its advance within its slotted bearings into contact with the
roller m; and a further motion of the lever causing this to turn, a supply of
color will be effected. The lever being now brought back, the roller / will be
caused to turn in the reverse direction, but without communicating that motion
to the roller m, as it will be withdrawn therefrom by moving backward in its
slotted bearings. The lever is then brought onward until the type is situated
above the elastic bed 9 and paper or other material thereon, and being
raised upon its centre pin e is brought down with sufficient force to effect the
impression. In order to determine the extent of circular motion of the lever,
a stop is adapted to the stud c, which arrives in contact with a portion of the
boss b; and for the purpose of gaining a certain amount of elasticity in the

page_text: pressure, so that the type may be flat upon the paper, there are washers of
india-rubber or other such material placed between the nut of the stud c and
the table a, as at t. The roller is not confined within its slotted bearings,
but is capable of moving transversely therein. As the type therefore passes
over its surface, it is caused to move in that direction, and thus present a more
extended portion of its periphery.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of our said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, we desire it to be
understood that we do not confine ourselves to the exact construction or
arrangement shewn; and we would remark, that if desired, a supplementary
lever may be adapted to that above described, whereby a cam or eccentric
may be employed to effect a greater amount of pressure; that which we claim
as secured to us under the above in part recited Letters Patent being, the use
of an arrangement in which the printing surface carried by a radial lever is
caused to move from the colouring matter to the substance to be impressed.
In witness whereof, we, the said Thomas Joseph Larmuth and John
Smith, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this First day of
March, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-six.
THOMAS JOSEPH LARMUTH. (L.S.)
JOHN SMITH.
(L.S.)