IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PRINTING FROM ENGRAVED PLATES
Year: 1883

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LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincolns Inn Fields, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR PRINTING FROM ENGRAVED PLATES communicated to him
from Henri François Marcilly and Utzschneider and Co all resident at Paris
in the Republic of France
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd August 1883.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PRINTING FROM ENGRAVED
PLATES" A communication to me from Henri François Marcilly and Utzschneider
and Co all resident at Paris in the Republic of France
This invention relates to improvements in Apparatus for printing from Engraved
plates and it consists in the employment of an automatic inking and scraping or
wiping apparatus hereinafter described.
For printing impressions on textile fabrics or which are intended for transfer
for ceramic work the nature of the inks and colours used necessitates the
employment of Scrapers which cause the ink to enter the depressions and at the
same time wipe the surface of the plate.
According to this Invention an automatic inking apparatus is employed with or
without a scraper which enables this class of printing to be successfully performed
by means of a suitably constructed press as hereinafter described.
The inking Apparatus consists of a chamber formed by two plates hereinafter
described placed across the press above the table or imposing stone and near the
cylinder between two cheeks connected by a bolt and which form part of spring
boxes the vertical stems of which have a vertical motion imparted to them at the
proper time by means of a lever worked by a cam on the shaft employed to impart
the necessary to and fro motion to the table or imposing stone supporting the
engraved plate.

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One side of the inking apparatus consists of a thick longitudinal wall or plate
cast with two ends provided with lugs serving to connect it by a joint or hinge to
the spring boxes herein before described
The other side is composed of a relatively thin metal plate or bottom provided
with rollers which when they meet with a projection provided for the purpose on
the edges of the carrier of the press cause the bottom of the vessel containing the
ink to open and allow the ink to flow out on to the engraved plate. When the
rollers are moved away from the projections; owing to the engraved plate having
passed beyond the inker; holical springs applied laterally from each side close the
bottom of the inking chamber. In place of the Springs, levers with adjustable
counterweights may be employed which enable the power applied in effecting the
closing to be regulated.
The wiping or scraping of the plate is effected at the same time as the inking.
For this purpose a thin plate or blado is employed it being secured by a cross bar
and bolts to the front part of the thick plate forming the side of the ink chamber
herein before described the said thin plate acts as a scraper or wiper which removes
the excess of ink and throws it back into a small trough provided for its reception
at the end of the imposing stone. The said scraper may however be fixed at any
other convenient or suitable part of the press.
In order to maintain the proper degree of fluidity of the ink or colours
employed a gas pipe and jets are arranged near the bottom of the inking chamber
and one or more jets are also arranged underneath the engraved plate for the
purpose of heating the latter.
The scraper may be attached to an independent cross bar in place of being
carried by the inking apparatus as in the arrangement hereinbefore described.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Henry Johnson in the Patent Office on the 2nd February
1884.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON of 47 Lincoln's Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PRINTING FROM ENGRAVED
PLATES a communication to mo from Henri François Marcilly and Utzschneider
and Company all resident at Paris in the Republic of France
This Invention relates to improvements in machinery or apparatus for printing
from engraved plates and it consists in the employment of automatic inking and
scraping or wiping apparatus as hereinafter described.
The operation of printing from engraved plates of metal is usually performed
according to one of two different methods. In printing works of art and the like
a special ink is employed and the wiping is performed by means of cloths or rags
but in obtaining impressions on textile fabrics or which are intended for transfer
for keramic work the nature of the inks and colours used necessitates the employ-
ment of scrapers which cause the ink to enter the depressions and at the same
time wipe and clean the surface of the plate.
In the absence of efficient mechanical arrangements it has not heretofore been
found possible to perform this class of printing satisfactorily except by inking the
plates by hand.
According to this Invention an automatic inking apparatus is employed in
combination or not with a scraper whereby this class of printing can be
mechanically performed by means of a suitably constructed press as hereinafter
described.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to
the several figures on the annexed sheet of drawings the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a side elevation of a press arranged
for printing Keramic transfers according to this invention.
Figures 2 and 3 represent details drawn to a larger scale in elevation and section
respectively of the automatic inking apparatus combined with a scraping or wiping
device as hereinafter explained.
The improved inking apparatus employed according to this invention is arranged
across the press above the table or imposing stone indicated at D and near the
printing cylinder shown at X, figure 1. The said apparatus is supported by two
cheeks J connected by a tie bolt or distance piece a and forming part of two spring
boxes A connected to vertical stems or rods having a vertical motion imparted to
them by a lever B worked by a suitably timed cam C (figure 1) on the shaft
employed to transinit motion to the table or imposing stone D carrying the
engraved plate indicated at b.
The ink or colouring matter is contained in a trough or receptacle E (figures 2
and 3) one side of which is formed by a thick plate El arranged between the
cheeks J and capable of turning on a bolt or centre m so as to be adjusted and
maintained at any desired angle by means of set screws vv acting upon a projection m
on the plate E'. The other side and lower part of the ink trough is composed of a
thin metal plate E the ends of which are bent at right angles or provided with
lugs such ends or lugs passing through alots or openings in the plate E¹ and being
connected by a joint at c with lugs cast on the latter plate. The plate E is also
provided with arms or brackets carrying rollers & which when the inking apparatus
is in action rest upon the travelling table D as hereinafter described. A thin plate
or blade acting as a wiper or scraper is bolted to the back of the plate E¹ being
secured in position by means of a bar f' and bolts F. Springs e (figure 2) arranged

page_text: at each end of the trough and attached to the plates E¹ and E' cause the lower
edge of the plate E to press against the side of the blade fand prevent the ink or
colour from escaping except when the inking apparatus is operated as hereinafter
described.
When the inking apparatus is in the position indicated in figure 2 it is main-
tained out of action until the table D has moved in the direction of the arrow y to
the position indicated by dotted lines in the same figure. The inking apparatus is
then lowered by the action of the cam C and the table D begins to move in the
direction indicated by the arrow z whereupon the rollers d are acted upon by
inclined surfaces on the said table D and cause the plate E to turn upon the
joint at c and allow the ink to escape between the lower edge of the said plate E³
and the blade as indicated in figure 3. The apparatus is maintained in this
position with the rollers & bearing on the edge a¹ of the table D so that the ink is
thus allowed to flow on to the plate b until the entire surface of the latter has
passed under and been inked by the inking apparatus.
When the plate b has travelled the requisite distance under the inking apparatus
the rollers & are released and the cam C elevates the whole inking apparatus so as
to allow the plate E² to close the orifice at the bottom of the trough and prevent
any further flow of ink until the engraved plate b has been drawn under the
printing cylinder X and the time comes for inking the plate 6 for another
impression.
The plate is wiped or scraped, during the inking operation by means of the
blade which scrapes off or removes all superfluous ink or colour and causes it to
be deposited in a trough G provided for the purpose at the end of the table D as
shown in figure 3.
In order to maintain the ink or colouring matter sufficiently fluid-a.. gas pipe.g.
with jets may be provided near the bottom of the trough E being connected with
a suitable gas supply pipe by a flexible tube at t figure 1. The engraved plate 6
may be heated in like manner by means of one or more parallel pipes H arranged
underneath the table D.
-
It is evident that the blade or scraper f instead of being attached to the inking
apparatus as hereinbefore described may be carried by an independent cross bar or
other suitable part of the machine. In this case the bottom of the trough E must
be closed by prolonging the plate E' sufficiently to enable it to meet the lower
edge of the plate E or by any other equivalent arrangement. Levers with
counter weights or other equivalent devices may also be employed to operate the
plate E for the purpose of closing the bottom of the trough in place of the springs e
herein before described.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein.before in part
recited Letters Patent is:
In machinery for printing from engraved plates the employment of apparatus for
automatically inking the plates the said apparatus being constructed and operating
substantially as bereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
In witness whereof I the said John Henry Johnson have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal this first day of February One thousand
eight hundred and eighty four.