Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Nov., 1886.
Specification Accepted, 18th Jan., 1887.
I, GEORGE DOWNING, of 8 Quality Court, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a side view of the bed and platen of a
printing press with a part of the supporting frame; showing also the parts which give
motion to the platen, a side view of the chase-latch for holding the chase in position
against the bed of the press, and a part of the ink-distributing apparatus.
Fig. 2 is a side view of the platen in position for receiving the sheet; Fig. 3 shows
the several parts of the chase-latch enlarged and disconnected from each other, the
base being partially in section, and Fig. 4 is an outline side view showing a modified
construction of the improved distributing device.
Fig. 5 is a view partly in section, transversely of so much of the inking apparatus
of the press as is necessary to illustrate the longitudinal reciprocating distributing
device.
Fig. 6 is a similar elevation, partly broken away, of a modified form of distributer
roll.
Fig. 7 is an end or face view of the crank wheel and connections by which the
reciprocating movement is imparted to the ink-distributing roll.
The platen B is supported by rockers C which rest on rocker-seats K ; and thus far
is similar to the construction shown in one of the former patents of the said Merritt
Gally. For controlling the movement of this rocking platen, I have usually employed
a yielding spring connecting device pivoted at the extremity of the rocker nearest the
bed and to the frame of the press at the rear end of the rocker-seat, and in addition to
such constructions it has been my custom to use rigid arms projecting from the rockers
and provided with lugs which together with the rear ends of the rocker seats formed a
sliding "lock" for holding the platen in position exactly parallel to the face of the bed
during the time of producing the impression.

page_text: In the present case I do away with the complicated devices above mentioned and
use in connection with the rocker a simple rigid connecting link I as shown in the
drawing, Fig. 1; and which is at right angles to the face of the rocker-seat when the
platen is on or very near the impression. The toe of the rocker is flattened so as to
slide on the rocker-seat K as the impression is taken. The movement for the actual
impression being slight, the change in position of the link L does not practically
change the relative parallel positions of the platen and bed. As the platen recedes
from the face of the bed to receive the sheet to be printed or the article to be impressed
the movement is at first practically a slide, and then a rolling or rocking movement to
the position shown in Fig. 2.
In Figs. 1 and 2 an ordinary crank-and-draw-bar construction is shown as the parts
for directly giving motion to the platen and these are duplicated, one for each side of
the press. The link L may be single, placed between the sides of the press, or two
may be employed, one for each side.
It will be seen that during the impression three points, pin I, the pivot of link L to
the rocker, and the flattened toe of the rocker, govern the position of the platen; and
that an accurate working of the press is secured. As the link L is at right angles to
the plane of the rocker-seat, at the time of the impression, or nearly so, and the pivot
of link L forming the attachment of the link to the rocker forms the fulcrum between
pin I and the flattened toe of the rocker at e³, neither extremes of the rocker can be
depressed or lifted, and the impression must therefore be directed and accurate.
For holding the form against the bed of the press I have formerly used a chase-
latch operated by means of a shaft having in connection therewith an eccentric pin
which works in a slot in the lever end of the latch. In connection with the eccentric
I have used a shaft extending to the side of the press and there squared at its end to
be operated by means of a wrench or key. In some presses the arrangement of the
machinery at the sides of the bed is such that this chase latch can not be used. Beside
this, it is more desirable for the pressman to be able to operate the chase-latch from
his position in front of the press.
I have therefore devised the construction shown in the present case Figs. 1 and 3.
The device is shown as operative in Fig. 1 and its peculiar feature is that the operating
shaft is in line with the latch and projects towards the front of the press, the end which
is operated by the key or wrench being between the upper edge of the chase (S) and
the ink distributing cylinder C². In this position it is readily reached by the press-
man in his ordinary position at the press, and is applicable to many presses on which
the old style can not be used. The end of the operating shaft of the latch is either
squared or slotted or otherwise shaped to adapt it to a wrench handle or key. The
several parts of this latch device are shown enlarged in Fig. 3. The latch a has its
lever end e bent at right angles to the body of the latch and is slotted at f to
receive the eccentric pin g of shaft 6. The base c is shown as having three bearings.
The central bearing is for the pivot of latch a and the two others shown in section
are for supporting the shaft b.
The devices applied to the rocker motion of the press may be used for either the
bed or the platen or for both as either bed or platen may be made movable, or both.
may have motion as the case may require.
In Fig. 1, three-form inking rollers 1, 2, 3, are shown in contact with two
distributing cylinders C³, D. Two-slide-ways c and d are shown in the frame work
of the press. In these slideways it is customary to place the composition distributing
rollers of the press; and I have usually driven only the cylinder C by means of the
positively moving machinery of the press, depending upon the friction or adhesion of
the composition distributing roller, having its bearings in slot d³, to drive cylinder D³
and apply the ink to form roller 1. This construction and arrangement of cylinders
and rollers appears to be somewhat defective from the fact that if the distributing
roller in slide d' is not made of extra tough composition and thoroughly seasoned, it is
liable to tear or to become too soft from heat produced by friction. I obviate this
difficulty by the construction shown in the drawings. Instead of placing the journals
of distributor a³, in the slideway d and allowing the distributor to touch both

page_text: cylinders C, and D' simultaneously, I place roller a³ in a vibrating frame e', which is
pivoted at, and allow the roller to touch first one cylinder and then the other
alternatively. I produce the movement of franie et by means of the bar pivoted to
the frame e as at t and connect this bar to or operate it in connection with,
some regularly moving part of the press. In Fig. 1 the bar is shown as yoked
onto, or pivoted to, the fountain-ductor-roller frame or its motor, which has a
movement regularly for each entire movement of the press.
I connect the bar with the ductor movement for two reasons; first, it forms a
convenient operative attachment having a regularly occurring movement; and
secondly, it produces the movement of frame e* at a time most advantageous in the
process of distribution and application of ink. It will be seen by examination of the
drawings, that during the time the ductor roller is taking ink on the fountain-roller s³,
the distribution of the ink previously applied to cylinder C³ is going on and thoroughly
distributed ink is applied to the roller a from cylinder C³.
As the ductor roller d' leaves the fountain to apply the additional undistributed ink
to cylinder C, the roller a³ leaves cylinder C² and is carried by its frame e to cylinder
D', from which it does not return to cylinder C² until ductor d³ returns to the fountain-
rollers. No ink therefore can reach cylinder D until it has first been thoroughly
distributed. The distribution of each fresh application of ink to cylinder O³ is made
while the inking rollers 1, 2, 3, are inking the form on the face of the bed at R, so
that no undistributed ink can reach the form-inking rollers. The construction as
described allows me to drive both cylinder 0 and cylinder D³ by movement of the
machinery of the press. Gearing is shewn in partial view for both cylinders in Fig. 1.
The movement of bar is shewn in Fig. 1, as produced by means of the cam
wheel E' and fountain ratchet-lever F. It may be more directly produced by
projecting bar down to the cam wheel H, having reciprocating motion given to it
directly by the cam as shewn in Fig. 4.
The bar may otherwise be connected with lever F' by pivoting at V, as shown by
the dotted lines.
The roller frame et may be pivoted directly to the frame work P but is shown as
pivoted to a slide y which is set in position by means of the set screw n³.
The slide y is duplicated, one slide for each side of the press. This construction
provides for easy application of the device to presses already in use having the slide-
ways d'. The adjustability of the slides y also provides for perfectly lining the roller a³
as to the distributing cylinders C3, D3, and also for making allowance in the movement
of roller a³ for shrinkage of its composition..
The form inking rollers 1, 2, 3, are shewn in the drawings, 1 on cylinder D³, and
2, 3, on cylinder C. A greater number of cylinders may be used having one or more
form rollers to each. The gist of the invention requires that there be at least two
distributing cylinders, and to each cylinder a form-inking roller or rollers.
The letter B, Fig. 5 indicates one of the ink-distributing rolls of the press, placed
in the slot C² of Fig. 1. The roller C, which is journaled so as to be in contact with
roller B³, has extended journals a, a passing through the framework P, P. One end
of the journal, as a has grooves cut therein or collars thereon, so as to engage with the
teeth of the sector m, which is pivoted to arm J'.
The arm or bracket J is supported on the fixed hub J³ which surrounds the shaft a³,
and is held to said hub by a pin v, in such manner that the arm or bracket J' may
oscillate on said hub J³.
The shaft S³ may be any convenient rotating shaft of the press, and bears at its
end a crank disk K. A slotted plate Z is secured to the outer face of the disk K³, by
a screw and washer, as at m³, or by any equivalent device, the pin n entering the slot
in the plate.
The plate Z carries a wrist pin b, to which the pitman rod n' is pivoted at one end,
the other end of said pitman being pivotted to the oscillating sector m, at one side of
its pivotal centre.
The rotation of shaft S drives disk K', and on the face of this disk the plate Z and
its wrist pin may be adjusted so as to give any desired throw to the pitman n*. The

page_text: pitman will oscillate the sector m through a greater or lesser arc, the teeth on said
sector engaging the rings a and thus causing the roll C to move longitudinally
through a greater or lesser distance. The swinging of bracket J* on its hub prevents
cramping of the pitman rod n*.
Should the roll. C be made with rings, as at C Fig. 6, the throw of the shaft may
be readily adjusted to suit the width of the rings, which is a great convenience in
chromatic printing.
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 as my
invention is :-
1. In a press having a bed or platen to which a rocking motion is given, the
combination with the rocker and its rocker seat, of the connecting link for controlling
the movement of the rocker, the link being at right angles to the face of the rocker
seat or nearly so, when in position for the impression.
2. The combination with the rocking bed or platen, of the rocker and its rocker
seat, the controlling link and the impression draw-bar; the link being pivoted to the
part having the rocking motion at a point intermediate between the toe of the rocker
and the connecting pivot of the draw-bar.
3. The combination with the rocking bed or platen, of the curved rocker and its
rocker seat and the controlling link; the toe of the curved rocker being flattened, to
produce a direct sliding movement of the bed or platen for the impression.
4. The combination with the impression crank and draw-bar; of the rocking bed or
platen provided with the rocker and its rocker seat, and the pivoted controlling link ;
the link so connected to the rocker as to be deflected backward from a vertical position
during the backward rolling movement of the rocker.
5. The chase-latch having its lever end turned at right angles with the body of the
latch, and provided with a shaft and operating eccentric, the shaft placed parallel with
the body of the latch.
6. The chase-latch having a slotted projection at right angles with the lever portion
of the latch, and provided with an eccentric device for operating the latch.
7. The chase-latch having a projection from its side to be operated upon by a device
constructed and adapted to be worked from a position in front of the pivot of the
latch.
8. The combination with a plurality of distributing cylinders in a printing press,
from all of which the form inking rolls receive their ink supply, of a distributor roll
alternately engaging said cylinders.
9. The combination, in a printing press, of a plurality of distributing cylinders, with
all of which the form rolls come in contact for their ink supply, a distributing roll
adjustable relatively to the distributing cylinders, and mechanism substantially as
described, by which said distributing roll is brought into contact alternately with the
distributing cylinders.
10. In a printing press in which a plurality of form inking rolls take their ink
separately from a plurality of distributing cylinders, and in combination therewith, a
distributing roll (as a³) and its carrier, connected with a moveable part of the press; by
which said distributing roll is brought alternately into contact with the distributing
cylinders at each complete movement of the press.
11. The combination with the form inking rolls, (as 1 and 2), and the distributing
cylinders C, D, which separately supply said inking rolls, of the roll a³ hung in the
frame, and a connection therefrom to the ductor roll frame by which roll a³ is brought
alternately into contact with the rolls C and D³, as setforth.
12. The combination, in a printing press of the character described, of the
distributing cylinders C and D, both positively driven from the moving parts of the
press, of the distributor a, and a connection substantially as described, to the moving
parts of the press, by which roll a³ is made to engage alternately with the rolls
C' and D'.
13. The combination with the frame having positively driven distributing cylinders
C, D, and slot d³, of the slide y adjustable in said slot, the frame e pivoted thereto,

page_text: the roller a supported in said frame, and mechanism substantially as described, by
which frame e and its roll are rocked on the pivots of said frame, as set forth.
14. The combination with the ink distributing roll of a printing press, of an
extended journal having projecting rings, and an oscillating gear engaging said rings,
substantially as described.
15. The combination with the ink distributing roll having an extended journal
provided with rings, of an oscillating gear engaging said rings, a pitman, and an
adjustable crank by which the oscillation of the gear may be regulated, substantially
as described.
16. The distributing roll having an extended journal provided with rings, a bracket
journaled concentric with said roller journal, and a gear engaging the rings mounted
on the said bracket, said gear having pitman connection with a rotating part of the
press, all in combination, substantially as described.
17. The combination with the distributing roll having a longitudinal reciprocating
movement and a mechanism for producing said reciprocating movement of an
adjustable crank by means of which the movement may be regulated, substantially as
specified.