IMPROVEMENTS IN OB CONNECTED WITH PRINTING MACHINES OR APPARATUS
Year: 1882

page_text: "
LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the
County of Middlesex Gentleman for an invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
OB CONNECTED WITH PRINTING MACHINES OR APPARATUS Communicated
to him from abroad by Edwyn Anthony of Lincolns Inn Barrister at Law
at present residing at No 20 East 16th Street in the City of New York
United States of America
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said John Henry Johnson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th June 1882.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR CONNECTED WITH PRINTING MACHINES OR
APPARATUS" Communicated to me from abroad by Edwyn Anthony of Lincolns
Inn Barrister at Law at present residing at No 20 East 16th Street City of
New York United States of America
The said Invention consists firstly in printing on two rolls of paper by means of
three forme bearing cylinders a portion of the formes being necessarily duplicated
and a portion of them not necessarily so. And secondly in placing the formes on
the forme bearing cylinder or cylinders in several portions. I will describe the
Invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The formes are distributed among three cylinders A. B. O (Figs 1 to 5). On
two of them A. B the formes for printing one side of the web are placed There
must be a duplicate set of these formes so that each cylinder has on it the same
number and kind of formes. The formes for printing the other side of the webs,
are placed on the cylinder C and they need not be duplicated. The formes do not
extend all round the cylinder but occupy one half (as in Figures 1, 4 and 7) or one
third (as in Figure 2) or one fourth (as in Figure 3) or any other aliquot part of
the circumference. For printing each roll impression cylinders D D, are placed
round the cylinder C; and their number (for each roll) must be whatever multiple
the whole circumference of the cylinder C is of the part of it occupied by the
formes. Thus if the formes occupy ½ of the circumference, there must be two

page_text: impression cylinders for each roll; if a third, 3; if a fourth, 4; and so on. From
any impression cylinder to the next the web is carried by a conveying roller (or
rollers) E E the distance of travel of course being adjusted so that no part of the
web is printed on twice. One side of each web is thus continuously printed on
by the cylinder C. By this arrangement two advantages are obtained
(1) Type instead of Stereotype may be placed on the cylinder C thus enabling
one side of the paper to be printed entirely from typo.
(2) Moore room is obtained for placing on the formes and less inking apparatus
is needed than when the formes occupy the whole surface of the cylinder. The
circumference of the cylinder C is made the least multiple of the breadth of :
the formes which will render it large enough for type to be placed thereon and
this multiple will of course vary with the size of particular papers.
Since the formes on cylinders A and B are duplicates of one another in general
it will be more convenient to have them stereotyped. Moreover only one inking
apparatus is required for each of those cylinders and there is plenty of room for
placing the formes on them. Hence usually it is better for the formes to go all
round these cylinders as shewn in Figures 1, 2. 3. Occasionally it may be useful
to make them larger as illustrated by Figure 4. Here the formes go one third
round cylinder A and one fourth round cylinder B.
By using only one roll, taking off half of the formes and passing the one roll
under all the impression cylinders, a paper may be printed of half the number of
pages which are printed when two rolls are used. Thus if Figure 2 is printing a
4 page paper, Figure 5 will be printing a 2 page paper. Only one roll (No 2) is
used; and only one forme is put on the cylinder A and a duplicate on the
cylinder B; or the two may be placod on A, and none on B or vice-versa.
The course of the webs is apparent from an inspection of the diagrams.
Web No 1 passes between the forme-bearing cylinder B and the impression
cylinder (or cylinders) G; it thus receives a continuous imprint on one side. Next
it passes between the forme bearing cylinder C and impression cylinders D getting
a continuous impression on the other side; and finally issues at H completely
printed on both sides. Its after course depends on the cutting folding and other
mechanism.
Similarly web No 2 pass passes between C and impression cylinders D, D. and
thence between A and G issuing completely printed at L. In figure 5 A prints
half of one side the web and B the other half of the same sido.
Heretofore in web printing machines when the formes occupy only a part of the
circumference of a cylinder they have been placed either altogether as in fig 6 or
divided into two equal portions as shown in Figure 7. By the methods herein-
after described they can be divided into three or more portions which may be
equal or unequal And the methods about to be explained are applicable to
various ways of printing besides those herein before described. Into whatever
number of portions the formes may be divided the circumference of the cylinder
must be made some multiple of the sum of the arcs occupied by the formes. Call
this multiple n and let m denote the number of portions on the cylinder. Then
when the portions are equal, m and n may be any numbers whatever; when the
portions aro unequal, m and n may be any numbers prime to one another (i e may
be any two numbers which are not divisible without remainder by any the same
number) Thus in Figure 8 n = 3 m = 4 in Figure 9 n = 2 m = 3 in Figure 10
n=5m 7 in Figure 11 n = 2 m = = 5 and in Figure 12 n = 3, m = 4 the
several portions being equal or unequal at pleasure whenever n and m are prime
to one another.
Impression cylinders n in number for each roll must be placed round the forme
bearing cylinders and the web passed under each of them the distance of travel
from one impression cylinder to the next being fixed in the manner bereinafter
shown-Thus in Figure 9 there must be two impression cylinders in Figure 10 five
and in Figure 12 three for each roll, The letters a, b, c, d &c. denote the m portions
and also express the breadth of each portion, It is clear that if the web issue from

page_text: the last impression cylinder continuously printed on, every revolution of the type
cylinder will print on it each of the m portions repeated n times-When the
portions are equal in breadth the different ways in which the portions may be
made to appear on the web are usually very numerous, In practice however one
or other of two particular orders, is the most useful, These two orders are a. a.-
(n times) b. bn times) c. a-(n times) &c. and a, b, c, d.—a, b, c, d. &a
The order a.a.-b. b.—c. c.—can always be produced whatever m and n may be
the portions however must all be equal and placed round the cylinder at equal
intervals from one another in the order, a, b, c, d (contrary to the direction of
motion). The interval between any two consecutive portions will clearly be equal
to n-1. times the breadth of any one of them-If the distance of travel of the
web from each impression cylinder to the next is now taken equal to the arc of the
circumference of the forme bearing cylinder between the points in which the said
two impression cylinders touch it plus the breadth of one portion (i. 6 plus th
of the circumference of the forme bearing cylinder) the web will issue from the
last impression cylinder printed on in the order a. a-(n times) b. b-(n times) &c.-
For example in Figure 9. a. b. a. being all equal and placed at equal intervals in the
order there shown and the distance of travel being taken equal to the arc P Q
plus 1/6th of the circumference the web will come out a. a. b. b. a. a. a. a. b. b. c. c.—
In figure 10 a. b &c being equal and placed as shown and the travel being taken
equal to the arc PQ + ¼ of the circumference the web will come out a. a. a. a. a.
b. b. b. b. b. c. c. c. c. c. d. d. d. d. d. e. œ. œ. œ. œ. ƒ. ƒ. ƒ.ƒ.ƒ
th
The web can always be brought out in the order a. b. c. a b. c.- &c whether the
portions be equal or unequal and whatever numbers n and m may be provided they
are prime to one another (ie cannot be divided without remainder by any, the same
number) The order of the portions on the cylinder can be found as follows.-
Write them down in order as above put a cross over the first over the n + 1th
over the 2n+1, over the 3n+1, and so on until m of them have been so
marked. Then place them on the cylinder in the order thus shown (contrary to
the direction of motion) the interval between each such successive portion being
taken equal to the sum of the breadths thus indicated. If the distance of travel
from each impression cylinder to the next be now taken equal to the arc of the
circumference of the forme bearing cylinder contained between the points in which
the said two impression cylinders touch it plus 1/nth of the circumference of the
forme-bearing cylinder the web will come out printed in the order a. b. c. d-
a. b. cd &c, For example n=7, m=5.

page_text: and the distance of travel = arc P. Q+% of the circumference of forme bearing
cylinder. To sum up the results are
The order a. a-bb-&c. is possible for all values of m and n but the m
portions must be all equal to one another
The order a. b. c-a. b. c.-&c. is possible for all values whatever be the relative
breadths of the portions but m and n must be prime to one another. When m
and n are prime to one another and the portions are also equal the web printed
on can be brought out in the order a a.-b. b-&c or in the order a. b. c.-a. b. c
- &c. As before stated when the portions are equal there are a variety of orders
in which the portions may be impressed on the web, When the portions are
unequal only one order is possible namely a b c d―a b cd-&c
The distances of travel given above of the web from one impression cylinder
to the next are not the only possible ones. I shall now show how to find all the
possible distances and also how to obtain on the web all the possible orders of
the m portions.
In figure 13 let B be any impression cylinder and C the one under which the
web next passes Then if the web come out as in figure 14, b denoting the imprint
of the portion a by the impression cylinder B, c the imprint of the same portion
by the impression cylinder C and p the distance between the two imprints. Then
PRQ (the distance of travel of the web from P to Q must equal arc P. Q. + breadth
of a + p.
If the positions of b and c are interchanged then P. QR must equal arc P. Q
+ circumference of type cylinder minus the breadth of a +p Thus c before b
Distance are + a (no internal between 6 and c)
= are + 2 a (interval of 1 breadth of a between 6 and c)
intona
b before c
Distance = arc + circumference
and so on.
a, (no interval between b and c)
2 a, (interval of 1 breadth of a between b and c)
3 a, (interval of two breadths of a between b and c)
4a,(interval of three breadths of a between band c)
It is clear that the distance P. R Q given by the above formula may always be
increased by a distance equal to the circumference of the type cylinder or to any
multiple thereof and when the distance P. R. Q exceeds that of the circumference it
may be similarly reduced until it becomes less than the circumference.
To fix the distances for any particular order consider any one portion a
Figure 15-and suppose that the n cylinders print it on the web in the positions
shown in the diagram by a₁ az az a &c Numbering the cylinders from 1 to n in
the reverse order to that in which the web passes under them, suppose the
portion a' is printed by cylinder No. 1 then we can have the ono next succeeding
it namely a printed by any one of the remaining -1 cylinders α, the next to a,
by any one of the remaining n-2 cylinders and so on, so that for the same order
there are numerous ways of fixing the distances, Suppose, in the diagram, the
suffixes represent the number of the cylinder that is that a, is printed by No. 3
and so on Then (by the preceding)
Travel of web from N. 1 N

page_text: For example consider the two orders before referred to Firstly the order a. a. a.
-(n times) b. b. b. Here we can have α αα b₁ b₁———α α b¸—³¸ b₁
so that one arrangement (the one before given) is with the distance between
successive impression cylinders equal to the arc + a (is are +1th of the
circumference) and another arrangement is arc +
th of the circumference-
And these two are the only arrangements in which the quantity added to the arc
is the same for all the impression cylinders.
Next consider the order a b c da bo d& Here we can have α, b c d—
abcd &c or a b c d a b c d &c so that one arrangement is with the
distance between successive impression cylinders equal to the arc + ½ of the
circumference (since a + b + c + &c = % of the circumference) and another
is are +th of the circumference, And these two are the only arrangements in
which the quantity added to the arc is the same for all the impression cylinders.
All the arrangements remain the same whether a, b, c, &c are equal or unequal,
By interchanging the suffixes of the letter a and with the help of the formule
given in connection with Figuras 13 and 14 all the possible arrangements of the
distance of travel for any particular order can be written down-For instance take
the case of n = 3 m = 4 and the order a a abbba a odd d
Here there are six different arrangements because there are six ways of
arranging the suffixes 1. 2. 8-They are exhibited in the following table, each
column representing one arrangement.—
This table (and similar ones for other values of n) is true whatever number m
may be and it likewise holds for the order a b c d a bod-provided the value of a
is properly chosen-Thus order a. à a—b b b-&c a equals 1th of the circum-
ference for the order a. b. c. d-&c α = of the circumference (whatever m
may be so long as it is prime to n which it must be to make this order a possible
one).
As before remarked the two orders a. a-b b-c. c; a b o—a b c-&c are
perhaps the only ones of use in practice; any other possible order may be
obtained as follows, Let A, D (figure 15) be a length of web equal to the
circumference of the forme bearing cylinder and on which therefore m n portions
can be printed And let A L be divided into equal parts A. B. B. C C. D. &c so
that each of them is just long enough to have n portions printed on it And again
let each of them A B. B. C. C. D. &c be divided into n equal parts. Each of these
last parts will then be the right length for having any one portion printed on it,
Suppose the portion a printed by No 1 impression cylinder in the place indicated
by the figure, It is clear that the portion (call it b) placed on the forme bearing
cylinder next following a (contrary to the direction of motion) will be printed on
the web in the place indicated by the figure-Similarly for the portion (call it c)
next to b and so on, Now consider any of the spaces A. B. B. O &c (say B. C.)
by suitably fixing the travel of the web as hereinbefore explained any one of the m
equal portions a, b, c &c, may be printed on the space -Similarly any one of
them may be caused to be printed on the space y and so on, Thus we can fill up
then spaces which make up B. C. with all possible selections of the m portions
a, b, c &c (any one or more of them may be repeated any number of times and of
course one or more must be repeated if m is less than n) Then with any filling
up of B. C. the portions may be placed in any order on the forme-bearing cylinder,

page_text: In this way all possible orders are obtained for when once the order of the portions
on the cylinder is fixed, and also the order of the filling up of the web on any
space equal to 1 of the circumference, the positions of the portions on the
remaining part of the web are also determined, If the space B. C. be filled up in
all possible ways sometimes the same order will be repeated one or more times
because different fittings up of B. C. sometimes produce the same order on the web
-For example, if n = 4 m = 3 then the following fittings up of B. C. (a a a a)
(b. b. b. b) (c. c. c. c) (a a a b) (b. b. b c) (c. c. c a) produce the same order on the
web, A similar remark applies to the arrangement of the portions on the cylinder,
for example any arrangement and another the same only in the opposito direction
will bring the web printed on in the same way except as regards its direction of
motion.
In all the preceding a " portion " may consist of one two three or any other
number of formes and the formnes must be placed with a slight interval between
successive ones so that the web may be printed with suitable margins and the "arc
occupied by the formes" and similar expressions mean such spaces plus suitable
margins
All the foregoing also applies to the case of cutting before printing the interval
between successive sheets at the time of printing being added to the various
distances herein before given
P
If n impression cylinders be placed round a forme-bearing cylinder we can print
either by using all of them (the formes occupying th part of the circumference)
or by using only some of them say p of them (the formes occupying / part of
the circumference) If n be not a multiple of p the distances of travel (or some of
them) between successive impression cylinders must be different when p cylinders
are used to what they are when n cylinders are used.-But when n is a multiple
of p the distances may remain the same and by properly fixing them, when
printing with p cylinders only any n-p of the cylinders selected can be left out
When the order on tho web is abcd-abcd-m may be anything when printing
from either p cylinders or n cylinders provided it is prime to n when n are used
and to p when p are used but when the order is a a a—b b b—then m must be the
same for p as it is for n In both cases fix the distances of travel are fixed so that
any the same portion is imprinted at equal intervals on the web by the impression
cylinders which are to be omitted when printing from 2 cylinders only-For
example supposeo n = 6 m = 5 and that the order is to be, a b c d e a b—And
suppose when printing with three cylinders only we omit to use cylinders 2. 4
and 5, Here when the six are used the web must come out a b c d e a, b c d e,
abcdeabcde a b c d e a, b c d e a b c d e az b c d e.
The other three cylinders may print the a's without suffixes in any way Let
No 1 print the first unsuffixed a, No 3 the second and No 6 the third, Then by
the preceding rules
Distance of travel from No 1 to No 2 1/4 of aim
5
0 =
With these arrangements if the cylinders 2. 4 and 5 are caused not to make an
imprint on the web and twice as many formes are placed on the forme-bearing
cylinder as when the whole 6 are used the web will be continuously printed on by
the three cylinders supposing it takes the same course that it did when the six
were usod The number of portions (i e. m) may be anything whatever (provided
it is prime to n) and the portions may be equal or unequal in breadth nor need m
have the same value when three cylinders are used that it has when six are
employed.
Similarly the distances are fixed when the order is a a a-bbb-c. c c-but in
this case m must be the same when p cylinders are used that it is when n are,

page_text: Figures 16. 17. 18 and 19 will help to illustrate these remarks C is the forme
bearing cylinder 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6 the impression cylinders and T T &c the carrier
rollers which convey the web from one impression cylinder to the next In
figure 16, 6 impression cylinders are used the formes occupying 1/6th of the circum-
ference in figure 17 four impression cylinders are used 17th of the circumference
being taken up by the formes, as 6 is not a multiple of 4 the distances of travel of
the web from P to Q cannot be the same in both cases In figure 18 three cylinders
are used for each roll and (6 being a multiple of 3) the same arrangements from P
to Q can be adopted in both figures 16 and 18.
3
4
5
6 =
The web will then come out a a a-Figure 16 and a ba ba b-figure 18
In figure 19 three rolls are used, each employing two cylinders, The distances
may be the same as in figure 17
1
the arrangement is r
2
3 =
3
4 =
4
5 =
5
6 =
Then the web will come out abo-abo-in figure 17 and a b c d e f in figure 19.
The formes in figure 19 are placed in five portions not all equal, They must be
arranged on the cylinder in the manner hereinbefore explained, Since 6 is a
multiple of 2 the distances might have been fixed so that the distances of travel in
Figures 11 and 14 should be the same.
5 6 =
All the foregoing methods of placing the formes apply whether the two sides of
the web are printed by different cylinders or both sides by the same cylinder In
the former case the arrangements for the distances of travel are made separately
for each cylinder and then the travel of the web from the one forme bearing
cylinder to the other is fixed so that the pages on each side shall properly back one
another In the latter case (ie the formes for both sides on one cylinder) it in clear
that the web may be reversed in any way and any number of times in its passage
from impression cylinder to impression cylinder, All that is necessary being that
each side of the web shall pass under the same number of impression cylinders-
The formes must be arranged round the cylinder as hereinbefore explained n
denoting the number of cylinders used for printing one side of the roll (so that 2n
will be the number for each roll) Then the travel for all the cylinders which print
one side of the web can be fixed by the methods hereinbefore given and then by
the same methods the travel for the cylinders for the other side, subject to the web
being properly backed and to the distances previously fixed for the other side.
Details of the cutting folding inking mechanism &c are not given because those
parts may be constructed in any suitable Way.
In all the preceding, when it is stated that the formes must make up an aliquot
part of the circumference of the cylinder I mean that the space so taken up plus
proper margins must be an aliquot part thereof
All the foregoing also applies to the case of cutting before printing the aliquot
part then becoming the space taken up by the formes plus proper margins plus

page_text: whatever distance there may be between successivo sheets at the time they are
printed.
I do not claim the method of printing by putting the formes on an aliquot part
of the circumference of the cylinder and placing around a corresponding number of
impression cylinders, because that device is disclosed in Greene's provisional British
Specification No 1845 year 1853 and Bond and Fosters British Specification No 774
year 1871, Nor do I claim the method of printing on two rolls by placing the
formes on three cylinders those on two of them being duplicates of one another
because that device is shown in Bodmer's British Specification No 12741 year 1849
also in De Witte's Specification No 12998 year 1850 and in Buchhols Specification
No 13453 year 1851.
What I do claim as the invention to be secured to me by Letters Patent is tho
following.
First The combination of three forme bearing cylinders (the formes on two of
them being duplicates of one another) whereof the circumference of one or more of
them is some multiple of the portion occupied by the formes, impression cylinders
being placed around equal in number for each roll to the aforesaid multiple; and the
webs passing under all the impression cylinders substantially in the manner and for
the purposes hereinbefore described and illustrated.
Second-The combination of a cylinder on which formes (whether of type
stereotype or a mixture of both) are placed in three four five or more distinct
portions (the arcs occupied by the said portions being all equal) with impression
cylinders and carrier rolls.substantially in the manner and for the purposes
herein before described and illustrated.
Third The combination of a cylinder on which formes (whether of type stereotype
or a mixture of both) are placed in two three four or more distinct portions (the
ares occupied by the said portions not being all equal) with impression cylinders
and carrier rollers substantially in the manner and for the purposes hereinbefore
described and illustrated.
Fourth-The printing by means of the same machine from various numbers of
formes substantially in the manner and for the purposes hereinbefore described and
illustrated
In witness whereof I the said John Henry Johnson have to this my complete
Specification set my hand and seal this sixteenth day of June One thousand