Improvements relating to Printing, Folding, and Delivery Machinery.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Printing, Folding, and Delivery Machinery.
I, GEORGE RICHARD WILLIS, of 30, Cromwell Road, Brighton, in the County
of Sussex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
This invention relates to that class of printing-machinery in which several
webs, after printing, are taken to V-shaped "formers," in order that each web
may receive a
longitudinal fold, such webs being delivered either so folded, or
with one or more additional folds; and the invention consists in an arrangement
of formers so that the floor space occupied by the machine will be less than
heretofore, and the production and delivery of the products, such as a four, six,
eight, or other paged product, either single or in duplicate, and duly inset when
necessary, will be simplified.
In carrying out my invention, I mount the formers" one above another in
suitable supports between printing mechanisms, and so arrange them that the
webs will be led downwards over the formers.'
دو
The printing cylinders will be parallel to one another, and the rollers con-
cerned in producing the longitudinal fold will be placed horizontally, and at
right angles to the printing cylinders.
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The formers" may point towards the same or opposite ends of the whole
machine, as preferred.
The "formers" will of course be provided with their appropriate folding and
delivery mechanisms, and there will be at least two printing mechanisms, one
on either side of the "formers," but there may be more, as desired.
By means of the arrangement of "formers" above described, with the requisite
printing mechanisms, duplicate four, six, or eight paged products may be pro-
duced, while ten or twelve paged products may be obtained with three printing
mechanisms, and fourteen or sixteen paged products can be obtained with four
printing mechanisms; so that a machine with four printing mechanisms and
two formers may be used for producing a great variety of products in a
simple and successful manner.
"
"
In connection with my invention, collecting mechanism, as now well known,
may also be used.
1011
1900
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements relating to Printing, Folding, and Delivery Machinery.
I, GEORGE RICILARD WILLIS, of 30, Cromwell Road, Brighton, in the County
of Sussex, Engineer, 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:-
In newspaper and pamphlet printing, the printing mechanism is often com-
bined with slitting, associating, folding, cutting, delivery, and other mechanisms,
so that a printed web of paper may be cut into sheets, associated when necessary,
folded, and delivered as a folded product ready for distribution.
A machine of this class with only one printing mechanism, has obviously only
a limited output, and the output was at first increased by increasing the number
of machines.
A number of machines of this class will obviously take up a large amount of
space, requiring a large building to accommodate them, and many suggestions
have been made from time to time to economize space.
Further, newspaper proprietors demand a machine which shall be able, with
the minimum of adjustment, to turn out a considerable diversity of products.
For these purposes, it has been proposed to combine two or more printing
mechanisms in one machine with folding mechanism, each printing mechanism
being arranged to print on a separate web of paper, such webs being led to one
or more folding mechanisms provided with V-shaped "formers," whereby, with
the assistance of folding rollers, a longitudinal fold has been given to the web
before the sheet is cut off, and preparatory to one or more additional folds being
(if desired) given by means of tucking blades and folding rollers, or in any
other convenient manner, the folded papers being then delivered to suitable
delivery mechanism.
Amongst other arrangements, it has been proposed to employ four printing
mechanisms and two folding mechanisms in one machine, but the folding
mechanisms have been somewhat crowded up, and so placed as to be difficult of
access for repairs, when necessary and for other purposes..
Now my invention consists in a novel arrangement of machine of a compact
and useful character, in which all the parts are so situated as to be readily avail-
able for repairs and working, and in which a four-page, a six page, or an eight-
page product may be produced singly or in duplicate, or products varying from
a ten-page to a sixteen-page product may be produced singly, all the various
products in which there are inside sheets having the same properly "inset."
In the accompanying drawings I have shewn, at
Fig. 1, in diagrammatic form, so much of a printing machine as is necessary
to illustrate my invention.
Fig. 2 is a front view of the formers.
1, 2, 3, 4, represent four printing mechanisms, the mechanisms 1 and 3 being
at one end or side of the machine, and mechanisms 2 and 4 being at the other
end or side of the machine, all the printing cylinders in the machine being
parallel to one another.
Each of these mechanisms, which is represented in the drawings by two
circles 5 and 6, one of which represents an impression cylinder, and the other a
type cylinder, is provided with a roll or web of paper (not shown), the usual inking
mechanisms (also not shown), and series of guide rollers, tension rollers, and other
necessary and usual accessories, which need not be further specified. The print-
ing mechanisms it will of course be understood are of the type adapted to print
both sides of the web.

page_text: Printing mechanism 3 is, in addition, provided with a rotary slitter 7 for slit-
ting the web longitudinally, for the purpose to be presently explained, but it is
obvious that the other mechanisms may have slitters, if desired.
The web of paper appertaining to each printing mechanism is numbered with
the same number as the mechanism, and the direction of travel is indicated by
the arrows.
The printing mechanisms are so arranged that they can be run together, or
separately, as desired, and in connection with either or both of the folding
mechanisms, as desired.
As the machine will be more particularly described as producing a six-page
product in duplicate, webs 1, 2, and 3 are indicated by full lines, while the course
of web 4, when in use, is indicated by dotted lines only, as not being required
for the special product in, view.
8 and 9 represent two V-shaped "formers" of the usual type, arranged one
above the other in the centre of the machine, having one pair of printing
mechanisms on one side, and the other pair of printing mechanisms on the other
side, the centre lines of the formers being opposite the centre lines of the webs of
paper.
These formers" may be arranged to face or point in the same direction, or
in opposite directions so long as they are placed one above the other, and in
such a manner that the webs may be led downwards over the formers.
10 and 11 are the folding rollers in connection with the two "formers," 8 and 9
respectively, and these rollers are at right angles to the printing cylinders.
If a six-page product in duplicate can be produced by this machine, it is
obvious that a lesser product, that is, a four-page product in duplicate, can also
be produced,, webs 1 and 2, or 1 and 3, or other combination of 2 webs, being used
for the purpose, and each web being conveyed to a separate former.
To produce a six-page product in duplicate, webs 1, 2, and 3, may be used, as
before mentioned. For a six-page product, an extra half-sheet is required, and it
is desirable in any case to "inset these extra two pages. This "inset" will be
supplied from web 3, which will be slit longitudinally by the slitter 7, and one
half of the web 3 will be carried to, and associated with, web 1. The other half
web will be associated with web 2, when the product is to be duplicated, the
associated web and half web in each case being conveyed to different formers.
It will be seen in the figure that web 1 is being guided to former S, and that the
half web 3 is meeting it at the same former.
The web 2 is being taken to former 9, where the half web 3b meets it. In each
case, the half web passes to the former underneath the whole web, and thus be-
comes inset when the first fold has been effected.
But a great diversity of products may be obtained by this arrangement of
machine; thus for instance, an eight-page product in duplicate may be produced.
In this case, webs 1 and 2, or 1 and 3, will go to former 8, and webs 3 and 4, or 2
and 4, to former 9.
To produce a single ten-page product, webs 1 and 2 and a half web 3, may be
employed, and taken to one or other of the formers, as may be desired.
A twelve-page product may also be obtained with this machine, any combina-
tion of three whole webs, such as 1, 2, and 3, being used with one former.
For a fourteen-page product, whole webs 1, 2, and 4, and a half web 3,
will be used, while for a sixteen-page product all four whole webs will be employed,
the webs in both cases being conducted to one former, where they will be asso-
ciated and folded with the longitudinal fold.
By the arrangement of machine above described, the folding mechanisms are
conveniently placed in such a manner that the attendant or mechanic can easily
get at them in case of repairs being required, or for other purposes, and, further,
the products are all properly "inset" when required.
Although the arrangement shown is most convenient in all respects, I may
modify it to the extent of placing three printing mechanisms on one side of the

page_text: pair of formers placed one above the other, and one printing mechanism on the
other side, without departing from the nature of my invention; or I may employ
a pair of formers placed one above the other, with one printing mechanism on either
side.
The delivery mechanisms may be of the usual character, delivering at the side
of the machine, but as these mechanisms form no part of this invention, they are
not shown in the drawings.
The sheets will be cut from the web preferably after the first longitudinal fold
has been given.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is—
1st. A web printing and folding machine as herein shown and described, and
consisting of the combination of a pair of printing mechanisms at one side or
end of the machine, another pair of printing mechanisms at the other side or
end of the machine, and a pair of V-shaped
former" folding mechanisms
arranged one above the other, and between the two pairs of printing mechanisms,
the points of the said "formers" being opposite the centre lines of the webs of
paper.
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2nd. In a web printing and folding machine, the combination of two V-shaped
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formers placed one above the other, with printing mechanisms arranged as
follows, that is to say,—one or more printing mechanisms on one side of the formers,
and one or more printing mechanisms on the other side of the formers, the print-
ing mechanisms being parallel to one another, with their centre lines opposite
the points of the formers, all as set forth.
Dated this 16th day of November 1800