CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY, APPLICABLE TO PRINTING ON CALICO OR OTHER WOVEN FABRICS COMPOSED WHOLLY OR IN PART OF COTTON, LINEN, WOOL, OR SILK
Year: 1823

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
PALMER, of Lothbury, in the City of London, Paper Hanger, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Fourth did, by
His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of that part of the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland called England, bearing date at Westminster, the
Fifteenth day of July, in the fourth year of His reign, give and grant unto
me, the said William Palmer, my exors, admors, and assigns, His especial
licence, full power, sole privilege' and authority, that I, the. said William
Palmer, my exors, admors, and assigns, during the term of years therein
mentioned, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of
CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY, APPLICABLE TO PRINTING ON CALICO OR
OTHER WOVEN FABRICS COMPOSED WHOLLY OR IN PART OF COTTON, LINEN, WOOL, OR
SILK; in which said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso that if I,
the said William Palmer, shall not particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, and cause the same
to be inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent, that
then the said Letters Patent, and all liberties and advantages whatsoever
thereby granted, shall utterly cease, determine, and become void, as in and
by the same, relation being thereunto had, will more fully and at large
aniear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Palmer, do hereby declare that the improvements I have invented
are herein set forth and explained, reference being made to the Drawings
hereunto annexed.
Drawing 1, Fig. 1, shews an elevation of the right-hand side of a machine
in which are comprised the said improvements.
Drawing 2, Fig. 2, shews an elevation of the left-hand side of the same
machine, the moving parts being placed in a different position.
Drawing 3, Fig. 3, shews a plan or bird's-eye view of the same machine ;
the position of the moving parts correspond with Fig. 2.
Drawing 4 contains detached parts of the macbine.
The wedges are
Drawing 1, Fig. 1-A, A, A, shews the frame, which is of cast iron.
B shews the smoothing roller frame. C, D, are two smoothing rollers, and
E is a fixed smoothing bar. F is the drum; a is the axis on which it revolves.
G is the platten of iron covered with printing cloth. is an inclined plane;
a similar one is placed on the opposite side of the machine. Upon each of
these is placed a wedge c, for supporting the platten G.
partly racked, and are moved by the shaft and pinions d, to raise or lower the
platten. H is the calico to be printed. I is the endless web of fustian. J is
a roller mounted on a stand (a part only being seen), over which and the
drum F the web I is stretched.
e is one bar of a locking frame; a similar
one is coupled to it at each end; it turns freely on the axis a. K is a plain
wheel placed between the bars of the locking frame e, and fixed to the axis of
the drum a. f is a lever which turns on the screw g. The lower end of this
is formed into a portion of a spiral, as shewn in dotted lines, and this, when
moved by the upper end, is wedged or locked to the edge of the plain
wheel K. L is a stop rest or arc of iron fixed to the frame A. h, i, are two
moveable stops fixed on the rest L. M is a standard fixed to the frame A; a
similar one is fixed on the opposite side: these carry part of the machinery.
N is one arm of the principal crank; a similar one is placed on the other side
of the machine. j is the neck of the same; it reaches across the machine and
unites the two arms. O is one arm of the parallel crank; a similar one is
placed on the opposite side of the machine. kis the neck of the parallel
crank, which reaches across the machine and unites the arms. / is a short
axis moving in brasses on the standard M; a similar one is placed in the
opposite standard.
These are perforated, and have a pulley fixed in them to
admit the cord m to pass; the pullies are seen at g, Drawing 3, Fig. 3.
P, Q, Drawing 1, Fig. 1, are two bars called crank bars, forming a part of
the cranks N, O. These are connected together by a rod o; similar bars so

page_text: u is
connected are to be found on the opposite side of the machine. R is the arm,
and p is the shaft or axis of the driving crank; the axis reaches across the
machine, and is there united to a similar arm. S is a driving rod, connecting
the driving crank with the principal crank; a similar rod is on the opposite
side of the machine. 9, r, s, are three axes reaching across the machine, and
working in brasses fixed on each side of the frame A. t, v, are two lifting
arms fixed to the axes q, r; two similar arms are fixed on the other ends of
the axes. T is a flat bar forming one side of the parallel frame; a similar bar
is placed on the opposite side of the machine. These are connected by cylin-
drical rods which reach across the machine; they connect the two flat bars
and enter the upper sides of the arms t, v, forming a rectangular frame.
another lifting arm fixed on the axis S, with a fixed pin or stud attached to
the upper end; a similar one is placed on the other end of the axis. w is a
sliding frame resting on the cylindrical rods of the parallel frame.
y is the
colouring roller. a, a, the two doctors. is the colour dish; each is attached
to the sliding frame. I is the block carriage attached to and sliding on the
neck of the principal crank and flat bar 3, to which is attached the block 2
by a screw and nutt. 3, the flat bar. 4 is a sliding piece of oak, with
a brass edge at the bottom. This has a notch cut in it to prevent the
pointer bar coming in contact with it; it is united to one side of the block
carriage, and it slides between two parallel pieces of iron fixed to the front
of the sliding frame w, which forms what I call the guiding groove, when the
machine is at work. 5 is a wooden bow attached to the sliding piece 4 by a
screw. 6 is the cord of the bow, which is coiled once round the pulley wheel
of the colouring roller. It is attached at one end to the sliding piece 4, and at
the other end to the bow, where it may be tightened by a thumb screw. m is.
an endless line of gut made fast to a tongue in the centre of the block car-
riage, Fig. 4; this passes both ways over the two pullies in the angles of the
principal crank at 8, 8, Drawing 3, Fig. 3, see also Fig. 7 and Fig. 8;
then over the two pullies in the axes 7, 9, 9, Fig. 3; next. over the two
pullies on the outside of the axes 10, 10, see Drawing 1, Fig. 1; and,.
lastly, under the two pullies 11, 11; but in order to obtain friction on
the pulley 11, left hand of the machine, the cord should be coiled completely
round it; it then unites under the machine and becomes an endless cord; the
pullies 10, 10, & 11, 11, are carried by brackets fixed to the frame A. 12 is
a shaft, forming a center for one of the pullies 11, and also for the shifting
wheel 13, to which it is fixed, and has its bearings on the bracket of the
pulley 11, and the center of an iron plate or stop rest 14, fixed to the smoothing
roller frame B. 15 is a spring clip formed of two bars, coupled together at the

page_text: bottom by screws, and at the top by a fork and screw; it turns freely on the
shaft 12, having within the bars the plain shifting wheel 13. 14 is a circular.
iron plate or stop rest. 16, 16, Drawing 2, Fig. 2, are two moveable stops,
which are fastened to the stop rest 14, at à distance from each other according
to the width of the printing block, Drawing 1, Fig. 1. 17 is a segment of a
toothed wheel: fixed on the short axes of the principal crank l. 18' is a similar
segment fixed on the axis s..these gear into each other. 19 is the fly wheel
connected to and working with the driving crank R. 20 is the stand, for the
fly wheel. 21, Fig. 2, is a bent lever, fixed to the principal crank arm N, to
which is suspended a rod 22; the lower end of this rod is connected to another.
lever 23, upon which is the weight to balance the machinery. 24, Fig. 1, is
the driving handle; 25 is a supporting roller fixed to each of the armis u; 26.
is a leaning bar fixed to each of the arms v, and 27, Fig. 3, is a bar fixed to
the platten at each end; this reaches across the machine over the calico; 28.
is a pointer; 29 is a short pointer; 30, 31, are the darts. At 32, Fig. 2, is
seen the cavity in the paralel frame to receive the studs of the lifting arms u;
the opposite bar as the same cavity. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of one of the
inclined planes, with its racked wedge and pinions; these being fixed aud
situated within the frame of the machine on each side, they can only be seen
in dotted lines in Fig. 1. 36 is a thin plate of iron fixed to the inclined plane
to keep the wedges from shifting laterally. Fig. 6 represents a plan of the
spring clip 15, with its forked lever 33, and the plain wheel (13). The
upper ends of the clip are formed into. inclined planes on the outer sides, as
shewn at (37, 37), and the two inner sides of the forked lever 33 are likewise
formed as inclined planes or wedges; therefore when the fork lever is turned
upon its center pin, the inclined planes of the fork will act as wedges upon the.
inclined planes of the clip, and force it into the position shewn in dotted lines
38, 38, which will lock it to the plain wheel (13), by which means they may
be all moved together.
may
Having enumerated the various individual parts of the machine, I shall now
endeavour to explain how the whole is applied to printing, taking a piece of
calico for an example. If the calico has not been previously printed, it must
be placed very smoothly upon the roller c, and passed under the roller D, and
over the drum F, and upon the endless webb of fustian I, to which it be
fastened. It must then be advanced by turning the drum F, until the end is
placed upon the platten G. This may be effected in the following manner :-
Supposing the frame e to rest upon the stop h, the upper end of the lever f
must be raised, and the lower end being a portion of a spiral will be locked to:
the periphery of the plain wheel K, and then the whole may be moved until:

page_text: the frame e comes in contact with the stop i. The frame may be released
from its hold by merely drawing back the lever f, which will unlock it, and
then it may be returned to the stop h, to repeat the operation. The handle 24
is then to be turned in the direction of the darts 30, 31; and the driving
rod S will bring down the printing block 2; in consequence of its connection
with the principal crank neck j, until it assumes the position shewn in
Drawing 2, Fig. 2, in which Figure the driven crank is represented as passing
under its center, and thereby effecting the necessary pressure upon the printing.
block, leaving its impression upon the cloth. When the principal crank
descends, the segment 17, acting in the teeth of the segment 18, causes it to
turn the axes s, and also the lifting arms u fixed to it. The paralel frame T
is at the same time drawn downwards by the action of the pins or studs on the
upper ends of the arms u; but when it has descended a certain way, the studs
leave their hold of the frame bar T, and the bars 26 take a bearing on the
rollers 25. One of the cavities in the bars T, into which the studs of the
lifting arms u enter, may be seen at 32, Drawing 2, Fig. 2. The opposite
bar has a like cavity. When a second impression has to be effected, the
action of the drawing handle is to be continued, and the printing block will be
raised from the calico; at the same time the arms u will rise also, and convey:
the paralel frame T, with the sliding frame w, and the colour rollers. Y, x, x,
under the surface of the printing block, and furnish it with colour. The block:
here represented will cover only one third of the width of the calico, which'
here measures three quarters of a yard over, therefore when the block is raised
from the calico, the handle of the fork 33 is to be turned down, which will
cause the two sides of the spring clip 15 to approach each other, and hold the'
plain wheel 13 fast between them, and then the whole may be turned together-
in the direction required, the distance being limited by the stops placed on the
rest 14. By this means the block 2 will be shifted or moved laterally on the
principal crank neck j, a distance equal to its width, carrying with it the'
sliding frame and coloring rollers, by means of the sliding piece 4 and guiding.
groove 34, and the operation of printing may be repeated. The block is again
furnished with color, and being again shifted, the printing is repeated a third
time, which will cover the whole width of the piece, and then the calico is to
be advanced by the drum F being moved a distance equal to the length-
of the printing block, that distance being determined by the space between
the stops h, i, which of course should be adjusted before the printing
is begun. When the calico has been printed, and is to receive another color,
it should be laid in folds upon the floor, and the end of the piece brought up

page_text: on the endless webb and the gauge marks on the cloth placed at the pointers
by hand, and the operation proceeded in as before described, only that the
workman should be careful that at each advance of the cloth the guage marks
correspond with the pointers; but to afford facility to the workman I recom-
mend the cloth to be passed behind the bar E, over the roller c, and under
the roller D, and the guage marks made to correspond with the pointers.
Should one side of the cloth appear to be less advanced than the other, the
hand should be placed on the cloth at the opposite end of the roller D, and the
plain wheel moved in the advancing way. If the cloth be too much on one
side it may be shifted by stroking the hand upon it sideways, for which purpose
the cloth may be brought back a little by turning the drum. At the first time
of printing, the long pointer should be adjusted and directed to the guage mark
on the cloth made by the first impression; this will enable the workman to
discover any inaccuracy that may take place in the advancing of the cloth.
When a repetition of printing on the same cloth is to be performed, short
pointers, similar to that shewn at 29, must be adjusted so as to point to the spots
where the guage marks of each impression across the piece are to be placed.
When a block the whole width of the calico is to be used, a wider block car-
riage must be applied, and the block fastened by two screws and nuts. The
block carriage must be prevented from shifting laterally; a split ring fixed
against it upon the principal crank neck on each side will effect this purpose;
of course in this case the use of the endless cord and pullies will be omitted,
the split ring omitting the pulley. Fig. 8 shews the formation of them. The
parallel position of the block and carriage are maintained by the parallel crank,
which for this purpose is connected to the principal crank by the connecting
rods o, and the connecting bars 35. The flat bar 3 is merely for the purpose
of giving strength to the principal crank neck when pressure is required, and
being morticed at both ends into the bars 35, travels in a parallel position also ;
without it the carriage would be carried up and immediately connected to the
parallel crank neck above. it; but in this case it is unnecessary. (See
Drawing 4, Fig. 4.) The pulley upon which the endless line of gut is coiled
being fixed to the shaft which is moved by the plain wheel 13, and the line
being united to the tongue within the block carriage, causes the line to draw
the printing block the proper distance at each motion of the plain wheel 13.
To repeat this part of the operation it is merely necessary to raise the handle of
the fork lever 33, and the plain wheel will be released from the clip 15. The
coloring roller is made in the usual way, and has its bearings in brasses
at each end of the sliding frame, receiving colour from the dish suspended

page_text: A pulley
beneath it, and having a brass roller on each side acting as doctors.
is fitted on the end of the spindle of the colour roller, by which means it is
turned when actuated by the gut 6, of the bow 5, which is coiled round it.
The same marks of reference always apply to the same parts in the several
Drawings; when the parts are duplicate, the same mark applies to both. And
in order to identify and distinguish the improvements I have invented, I hereby
declare that I claim,-
Firstly, the application of the driving crank and driving rods, for the purposes
of raising the printing blocks and giving pressure thereto.
Secondly, I claim the application of the principal crank and the parallel
crank; the first for supporting the block carriage and block, and the second
for preserving the parallel position of the block.
Thirdly, I claim the application of a cord or a chain for the purpose of
shifting the block carriage and block.
Fourthly, I also claim the combination and connection of a block carriage
with a sliding roller frame, by means of a sliding piece and guiding groove, by
which combination when the one is moved laterally the other moves also.
Fifthly, and lastly, I claim the application of a bow and pulley, as combined
with a block carriage and a color roller frame, by which combination a con-
tinual connection is maintained between those parts in every position.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Palmer, party hereto, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and twenty-four.
Inrolled the Fifteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and twenty-four.