IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING PRESSES
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Earle Henry Smith, of the City of New York,
in the United States of America, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN PRINTING PRESSES."
Sealed the 21st April 1871, and dated the 26th January 1871.

page_text: In the cheapest construction of machine I arrange the levers in front
of the platen, but they may be otherwise located.
In the inking apparatus the inking rollers are attached to levers
pendant from vibrating arms fixed upon a rock shaft placed behind the
type bed and under an ink distributing plate arranged above the type
bed.
In the simplest form of the Invention a rod or rods are carried from
a lever on the rock shaft and impression mechanism to a foot pedal, by
a downward thrust of which the type are caused to be inked, and the
"impression" given, while a spring, or their gravity, brings the parts
back; but in more expensive styles I employ additional gearing.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Earle Henry Smith in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 14th July 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EARLE
HENRY SMITH, of the City of New York, in the United States of
America, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Earle Henry Smith, Her special
licence that I, the said Earle Henry Smith, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Earle Henry Smith,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain, and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PRINTING PRESSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Earle Henry Smith, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands..and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
+
L

page_text: Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,, and
cause the same to be filed- in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters.
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Earle Henry Smith, 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, reference being made to the Drawing here-
unto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to
say) :-
Fig. 1 is an elevation representing a style of press for cards and small
circulars, and Fig. 2 is a similar view exhibiting a more expensive plan;
and adapted more particularly for a heavier class of work.
The improvements relate chiefly to the impression mechanism and the
inking apparatus, and to the combination and arrangement of the same,
and various parts thereof, with the object of securing directness of
action with simplified construction and reduced cost.
The machine or press may be made entire, as seen in Fig. 2, or for
convenience of transportation is divided into the press proper and the
stand; the latter in such case is to be of wood or metal, as desired.
A indicates the sides of the main frame sustaining the various parts
"form." It is
of the press; B is the type bed for receiving the type or
arranged in the press at an angle with a vertical line, and may be cast
in one with the sides A, Fig. 1, or supported in position by connection
to the fixed cross beams, the ends of which are secured to the sides at C,.
Fig. 2 D is the platen, and is secured to a frame d³, parts or legs of.
which reach down to fulcra E¹; for the purpose of operating the platen
to force it against the "form" with the required pressure I use the.
combination of levers, sometimes called the "progressive levers," or
'toggle." One of said levers is represented by an arm I on a shaft K,
and the other is represented by an arm or connection G-to connect with.
the platen. The plan shown in Fig. 2 admits of the arrangement and
use of these levers in front of the platen and in line with the center
thereof, but when the demand for additional strength involves the use.
of two sets of levers, their arrangement is illustrated in Fig. 1, there the
connectors G are made fast to a platen cross beam E (seen in end view),
which platen beam extends quite across the platen from side to side,
$

page_text: to a corresponding arm I on the shaft K. A desirable arrangement of
said connectors is to have them inside of the main frame, whereby they
are protected from accidental injury. To said platen beam at its mid
length a ball is made fast, which sets into a socket made to receive it
at the center of the platen.
The inking apparatus consists of distributor plate L (which is arranged
at angle with the horizon), the inking rollers 1, 1, bearers 2, 2, the levers 8
to which the ink rollers are connected, and the arms M.
"
To render it practicable to give a heavier or lighter impression over
the whole or any part of the form I make either the platen or the bed
adjustable one to the other. The adjustable bed is illustrated in Fig. 2,
where it is seen in dotted lines in front of the cross beams (c), to which
it is connected by the central screw bolt 3 (dotted). The bed is adjusted
for the "impression' by screws 4 (dotted) that pass through the
cross beams (c). The adjustable platen is seen in Fig. 1, where the
screws at 4 pass through the platen frame d₁, and it may also be
adjusted by making the fulcra E' movable toward or away from the
bed. The roller bearers 2 are permanently fastened to the bed B. The
distributor plate L, as represented in Fig. 2, turns on a pin set in a
bracket 6, also made fast to the type bed. And this group of parts are
therefore permanently connected, so as to preserve their relation to the
form, whatever may be the position of the bed. The inking rollers
have their bearings in journal carriers 7 pivotted to the ends of the
pendant levers 8 that are hung to the extremities of the ink roller
arms M. Short arms N are fixed to the arms M directly or through the
medium of a shaft, and to these are connected the rods M', one at each
side of the press, which rods are hooked directly to the foot pedal R.
In Fig. 1 the toggle levers are moved by an extra treadle rod S, not
required in plan of Fig. 2; in the former Figure the press is shown
entirely open, and in the latter in the act of opening. I contemplate
making the inking apparatus of Fig. 1 independent from the press
proper, for attachment to printing presses usually inked by hand; when
so made brackets O, to which the parts of the inking apparatus are
attached, are made separate from the type bed, and secured thereto by
thumb screws 9.

page_text: The operation may be described as follows:-When the treadle is
raised, the press is open, as in Fig. 1, for the reception of the sheet to
be printed, and when the same is inserted and the treadle started down-
ward the rollers 1 move upward, ink the form, and thence traverse the
5 distribution plate L, as the press is closed by the act of bringing all
three of the connecting points a¹, b', c³, in a direct line. Pressure is now
relaxed upon the treadle, when it rises by the force of the spring 10, the
press opens, the arms M move downward, imparting a thrust to the
pendent levers causing the rollers to hug the plate closely, and ensuring
adherence of the ink thereto. The ink plate L is revolved by a pawl »
at the end of a lever Q', which engages in teeth on the under side of the
ink plate, and is actuated by a pint on the arm N. U represents a
weight to counterbalance the arms, ink rollers, and levers.
The Invention is susceptible of many variations under one or more of
the divisions of claim.
In one modification the shaft K is caused to revolve instead of
rocking; in such case the connectors for working the platen are
arranged on the outside of the frame, the arms N become cranks,
and the ink roller arms receive their motion from that of the platen;
and gear and balance wheels are introduced as circumstances or the
requirements of the work to be done shall indicate.
What I claim as my Invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent
is,
The combination of a stationary type bed inclined from a vertical
line, an ink distribution plate inclined from a horizontal line, and
vibrating ink roller levers carrying inking rollers in a press substantially
such as described.
The combination with the stationary inclined bed and the inking
apparatus described, or any equivalent therefor, of a vibrating platen
provided with a system of levers which exert a pressure by having
their points of connection brought into line, substantially as shown and
described.
The combination with the arms M, the connectors G, and the platen of
the platen beam, having the ball joint or its equivalent between the
platen and beam.

page_text: The general combination of the math by pe v
platen arms M, travelling ink rollers and distribution plate, substantially
as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Earle Henry Smith, have herc-
unto set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of June, A.D. One |
thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
us set 1OTTH.
In witness whereof, I, the said Earle Henry Smith, have herc-
unto set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of June, A.D. One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
EARLE HENRY SMITH. (L.S.)
Witnesses,
G. EMMERMANN,
CHAS. H. SMITH,
119 & 121, Nassau St., N. Y.