Improvements in and relating to Printing Machines.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Feb., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 18th Nov., 1892-Accepted, 14th Jan., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Printing Machines.
I, JAMES MCALEESE, of 18 Rosehall Street, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Litho-
grapher, do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to and comprises a new or improved construction,
or arrangement and combination of the parts of a horizontal rotating cylinder
zincograph printing machine for printing from zinc plates, and its essential fittings
of paper receiving platen cylinder, and inking and damping rollers and other
accessory fittings for actuating these and which latter are susceptible of considerable
modification.
The improvements consist under one arrangement, in the arrangement and use of
a large horizontal printing cylinder mounted by its central motive shaft in journal
bearings on two strong side main frames to rotate clear of the floor, and having its
outer cylindrical surface made strong and divided into three main spaces with longi-
tudinal gaps between them. One of the spaces would preferably be a third or so
of the circumference and made large enough to take in a zinc plate or plates as
long or wide in the circumferential direction as the largest sized sheet desired to be
printed in the machine, or any lesser sized plate may be fixed on this part of the
cylinder, the cylinder being considerably longer than the plate, so as to have rims
on its outer edges beyond the plate for regulating when the inking and damping
rollers would rotate or work on the surface of the plate; and the zinc plate would
be fixed at its ends by screw clips fitted within the gap at the ends of this printing
circumferential surface so as to stretch and securely fix it firmly over this. About
another third part of the circumference of the cylinder in advance of the aforesaid,
would form a smooth turned inking surface, so as to receive the ink from a set of
service rollers intermittently as this came round to them, these receiving their ink
from the delivery roller of an ink trough. Another portion of the circumference
of the cylinder, behind the zinc printing plate portion, and in advance of the inking
section would be fitted with a damping blanket surface secured by screws and longi-
tudinal bars in the two gaps of the cylinder, between it and the printing and inking
surfaces respectively. At about forty five degrees up from the floor and through
the centre axis of the printing cylinder the axis of a paper receiving and pressing
or platen cylinder would be mounted in the same frames, and of about the same
length and about two thirds or a half the size of the circumference of the large
cylinder, having a solid part of the circumference for receiving the paper as long
as the printing part of the circumference of the printing cylinder, that is, equal to
about a third of the printing cylinder and the longest sheet required to be printed
circumferentially in the machine. This platen cylinder would thus have a good
long gap in it to give a pause for the receiving and registering of the paper, and
would at one edge be fitted with clips on a spindle to receive and grip the paper as
it was fed in, one sheet at a time, from a pile on a horizontal table above, and at a
considerable angle as say sixty degrees down tangentially to the paper cylinder and
clips over a feeding board. This platen paper cylinder would be fitted in its
bearings to be driven intermittently by a segmental wheel from a spur wheel on the
axis of the printing cylinder, so that the surfaces of these cylinders would rotate at
the same speed, and in towards each other at the top to take the paper in to be
printed where the cylinders touch on each other tangentially, and also be fitted to
give the necessary pressure on the plate surface of the printing cylinder at this
part. The printing cylinder would be driven by a pinion on the first motion shaft
preferably carried in bush bearings in the same frame under the platen cylinder,
and would actuate all the other shafts of the machine by spur wheels or chains and

page_text: chain wheels or other equivalent where the shafts require to rotate in sequence
with the printing cylinder, or when this is not required to synchronise they may be
driven by bands. At each revolution of the platen paper cylinder it is stopped
where the teeth is left out in its driving segmental wheel, to give a pause for the
insertion of each new sheet of paper to be printed and the following or other equiva-
lent setting gear is employed to ensure the proper registration of each sheet of
paper, and the accurate starting of the wheels. This gear consists of a square or
other lateral pin or stud fitted at one end of the paper cylinder, and a vertical lever
fitted at its lower end on an eccentric hand rotated shaft, and reciprocated by an adjust-
able slide rod connected to it between the eccentric and its free end, the other end of
this rod would have an antifriction pulley on it, and work radially out and in on a cam
on one end of the printing cylinder shaft, so as to raise this slide rod out radially at
the proper time when the paper cylinder was stopped, to cause the free end of the lever
to take on to the lateral pin in, and turn the platen cylinder to the proper position to
receive the paper, and also for the teeth of the wheel on the printing cylinder
taking into those of the segmental wheel on the paper cylinder, and so that the
sheet of paper would register properly on the printing zinc plate. When the platen
cylinder was desired to be stopped, the eccentric shaft would be turned by hand
half a turn or so to take the oscillating lever down out of action, and also raise
another lever, which by a link would bring a gab lever up to embrace the lateral
pin and hold the platen cylinder from turning, but in proper position for starting it
again to be turned by the wheel on the printing cylinder when the eccentric hand
shaft was again turned for that purpose. The ink serving or distributing rollers
three, four, or more in number, would be mounted in slotted bearings in the upper
ends of oscillating side frames bound together by transverse rods, and a fulcrun
rod at its lower end, preferably mounted in a separate portable part of the side
frames at the front side of the printing roller opposite to that on which the sheets
of paper were inserted and printed. A transverse shaft would be mounted below
and inside this on the main frame so geared by spur wheels or chains and chain
wheels as to make one revolution for that of the printing cylinder; and on this
shaft would be mounted adjustable cams to work on antifriction rollers on the
oscillating frame of the ink serving rollers, so as to bring these into action only
when the ink serving or distributing surface part of the cylinder was passing them
and take them back to receive ink from the serving roller of the ink trough. A
spring or springs might work this oscillating frame in one direction while the cam
worked it in the other direction; and the portable frame of this inking arrangement
would be so made as to be easily disengaged and removed to allow room in front of
the printing cylinder for putting on and securing and adjusting the zinc plates. At
the back and lower part of the cylinder, a transverse water or liquid trough would
be fitted with a damping blanket or other roller working in it, with an oscillating
pilot or service blanket roller over it in front mounted on an oscillating frame, and
actuated by cams or otherwise from the before mentioned cam or other shaft to
bring this moving damping roller into action to damp the blanket surface of the
printing cylinder. At the upper part of this printing cylinder a set of three
damping rollers would be fitted, two of them being mounted in slotted bearings so
as to work over the damping part of the cylinder by their own weight, and the
third one working on and over these, and having guide rollers on the outer ends of
their spindles which work on flanges on the outer ends of the cylinder, with gaps in
these flanges to allow the damping rollers only to come down to damp the zinc
plate before it reaches the ink receiving and spreading rollers and receive moisture
from the damping surface of the printing cylinder, but be raised out of action
while the ink receiving and distributing surface is passing under them. Between
these damping rollers and the platen cylinder two, three, or other number of
corresponding sets of three ink spreading rollers would be similarly mounted in
slotted bearings in the side frames with guide rollers on them working over other
flanges on the ends of the printing cylinder with corresponding gaps in them which
would allow these inking rollers to come down as the serving inking surface part of

page_text: the cylinder came round to give them ink which they would spread on to the zinc
plate, but would be raised out of action on that part of the cylinder having the
damping blanket secured on it. Each sheet of paper fed into the machine as before
described would be gripped by the clips fitted in the gap at the entering part of the
platen cylinder as it was stopped for that purpose at each revolution, and be moved
on so as to be printed between the platen surface of this cylinder and the zinc plate
surface of the printing cylinder and be delivered out on to the receiving table or
tray carried on the frame of the machine a little under and behind the platen
cylinder and printing cylinder.
Dated the 10th
1000
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Printing Machines.
I, JAMES MCALEESE, of 18 Rosehall Street, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Litho-
grapher, do hereby declare the nature of my invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement in writing, reference being had to the accompanying 2 sheets
of drawings, that is to say :-
This invention has reference to and comprises a new or improved construction,
or arrangement and combination of the parts of a horizontal rotating cylinder
zincographic printing machine, for printing from zinc plates, and its essential
fittings of paper receiving platen cylinder, and inking and damping rollers and
other accessory fittings for actuating these, and which latter are susceptible of
considerable modification.
And in order that my said invention and the manner of performing or carrying
the same into effect or practice may be properly understood, I have hereunto
appended two explanatory sheets of drawings in which the same reference letters
are used to indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where shown.
Figure 1 on Sheet 1 is a side elevation of a rotating cylinder zincographic
printing machine with the paper feeding table P, P, as broken away at z, and as
fitted with one arrangement of my improvements.
Figure 2 is a plan of the same corresponding to Figure 1, but with a great part
of the whole broken away at the centre Z and the table P, P', as removed.
Figure 3 is a detached sectional end view of the paper pressing or platen hollow
roller or cylinder C.
Figure 4 on Sheet 2 is a sectional end view of the printing cylinder A, showing
the mode of fixing the zinc plate on it; and Figure 5 is a corresponding elevation
of one side and end of the same cylinder.
Figure 6 is an end view with the side frame removed, of the printing cylinder A,
and the paper feeding on and pressing cylinder C, all in position as looking from
the opposite side of the machine to that shown in Figure 1, and showing the
improved detail mechanism for feeding the ink to the ink rollers d, to do, and
damping rollers K, to K, and locking mechanism G for stopping and releasing the
paper cylinder.
Referring to these drawings:-The improvements consist under this construction,
in the arrangement and use of a large horizontal printing cylinder A, mounted by
its central motive shaft A', in journal bearings on two strong side or end main
frames B, B¹, to rotate clear of the floor level 1-1 of the foundation to which
these frames would be secured by broad flanges B, and having its outer cylindrical
web surface made strong with open ring ends A", and divided into three main
sections A2, A3, A4, with longitudinal gaps a, a', a", between them, all as seen
particularly in Figure 4 and 5. One of the sections as A2, would preferably
be about a third or so of the circumference and made large enough to take in a

page_text: zinc plate 6 or it might be plates as long or wide in the circumferential direction
as the largest sized sheet desired to be printed in the machine, or any lesser sized
plate may be fixed on this part of the cylinder, the cylinder being considerably
longer than the plate and gaps a, a, a, so as to have rims A" and projecting
segments 33 on its outer edges beyond the plate b, for regulating when the inking
and damping rollers would rotate off or work on the surface of the plate b; and the
zinc plate b would be fixed at its ends by long gripping screw clips b¹, 6", fitted
within the gaps a, a', at the ends of this printing circumferential surface A², so as
to stretch and securely fix it firmly over this by screw bolts and nuts ² passed
through the ends of the clip and secured at their inner ends by eyes to bars 6³,
passed through the two ends A", of the cylinder A, or it might be equivalent studs
or hooks, fixed to the interior web A or ends A" of the cylinder. These screw
bolts and nuts 2, also allow of shifting the plate b, as well as tightening it to
register the design transferred on it with the paper, when printing in various
colours. About another third part A³ of the circumference of the cylinder A, in
advance of the aforesaid A2, would form a smooth turned inking surface, so as to
receive the ink from a set of service and distributing rollers d', d", d², intermittently
as this came round to them, these receiving their ink from the fixed delivery
roller d' at the mouth of an ink trough d. Another portion A', of the circum-
ference of the cylinder A, behind the zinc printing plate portion A², and in
advance of the inking section A³ would be fitted with a damping blanket surface e,
secured by screws and longitudinal bars at e, in the two gaps a, a, of
the cylinder A, between it and the printing and inking surfaces A2, A³,
respectively. At about forty-five degrees up from the floor and through
the centre axis of the printing cylinder A, the axis shaft C¹, of a paper
receiving and pressing or platen cylinder C, would be mounted on the same side
frames B, B', and of about the same length, and about two thirds or a half size of
the circumference of the large cylinder A, having a solid part C2, of the circum-
ference for receiving the paper as long as the printing part of the circumference of
the printing cylinder, that is equal to about a third of the printing cylinder and the
longest sheet required to be printed circumferentially in the machine, as shown
more particularly in Figure 3. This platen paper cylinder C, would thus have a
good long gap or idle space in it from e¹, to c¹, to give a pause for the receiving and
registering of the paper, and would at one edge be fitted with a bar clip c or it
might be clips fulcrumed on a spindle c² to receive and grip the paper p by the
action of a spring c³, as it was fed in, one sheet at a time by hand over the feed
table P, P, from a pile on the horizontal table P above, and at a considerable
angle, as say, sixty degrees down at P nearly tangentially to the paper cylinder C,
and clips c, over the feeding board P. This platen paper cylinder C, would be
fitted in its bearings C", to be driven intermittently by a segmental wheel or a
wheel D, with a gap or absence of teeth in it at Cx, mounted on the axis C¹as
shown in Figures 6, from a spur wheel D' on the axis A¹ of the printing cylinder A,
so that the outer acting surfaces of these cylinders A, and C, would rotate at the
same speed, and in towards each other at the top to take the paper in to be printed
where the cylinders, touched on each other tangentially, and the cylinder C, be
fitted to give the necessary pressure on the plate surface of the printing cylinder A
at this part, by helical springs C2, or other equivalent fitted over the bushes C¹¹
with regulating pressure pinching screws C³. The printing cylinder A would be
driven by a pinion D", gearing into the wheel D¹, and mounted on the first motion
shaft E, of the machine preferably carried in bush or other bearings in the side
frames B, B, under the platen cylinder C, and would be actuated by belt pulleys
from any adjacent motive power shafts, not shown in the drawings, so as to actuate
all the other shafts of the machine by spur wheels or chains and chain wheels or
other equivalent where the shafts require to rotate in sequence with the printing
cylinder A, or when these are not required to synchronise they may be driven by
bands. At each revolution of the platen paper cylinder C, it is stopped where the
teeth are left out of its driving segmental wheel D, as seen Cx in Figure 6, to give

page_text: a pause for the insertion of each new sheet of paper p to be printed; and the
following or other equivalent setting gear is employed to ensure the proper regis-
tration of each sheet of paper, and the accurate starting of the wheels.
The setting gear consists of a square or other lateral pin or stud f fitted at one
end of the paper cylinder C, shown in this instance as projecting from the driving
wheel D of the cylinder C, and a vertical lever f¹ fitted at its lower end on the
eccentric 2 of a hand rotating shaft F, and reciprocated by an adjustable slide
rod f³, connected to it at fx, between the eccentric and its free end which acts on
the pin f, the rod f³ being actuated in one direction by a spring f". The other
end of the rod f³ is guided in a slide recess or other equivalent in the fixed frame B
and has an antifriction pulley on it, which works radially out and in on a cam ƒ³,ƒ³,
on one end of the printing cylinder shaft A', so as to raise or press out this slide
rod f³, radially at the proper time when the paper cylinder C was stopped, to cause
the free end of the lever f¹, to take on to the lateral pin fin, and turn the platen
cylinder C, to the proper position to receive the paper, as shown in Figure 1, and
be stopped and locked in that position by the locking mechanism G, as shown in
Figure 6; and also afterwards for the teeth of the wheel D³, on the printing
cylinder A taking into those of the segmental wheel D, on the paper cylinder C,
and so that the sheet of paper would register properly on the printing zinc plate.
When the platen cylinder Ĉ was desired to be stopped for any length of time, the
eccentric shaft F, would be turned by hand a quarter turn or so by the hand
lever F, through the crank and connecting rod F", F2, the lower end of which
rod I would actuate the shaft F by the lever F³, to take the oscillating lever f
down out of action from the pin f. A loose lever G', on the other end of the
shaft F, which by a lever gi and link or slot connection 9* would actuate the spring
stop catch gl to stop and embrace the lateral pin g, and hold the platen cylinder C
from turning, but in proper position to receive the paper, as indicated in Figures 3
and 6, and for releasing and starting it again, to be turned by the wheel D¹, on the
printing cylinder A, when the eccentric shaft f2, was again turned for that purpose
to be actuated by the rod f³ and cam f³, f. The locking mechanism consists of two
spring bolts g,g, guided in lower and upper plates 93, the helical springs always
forcing them upwards when free to do so. When the platen cylinder C, stops as
described at the place C* where there are no teeth in its wheel D, the cam
part f comes round and causes the rod f³ to shift the lever f¹, to act on the pin f
and bring the pin g, on a pulley or continuation C₁", of the cylinder C, to glide
over the upper end of the spring catch g2 and come against the stop pin ", and be
locked between the two spring bolts 91, 92, and fix it in position for receiving each
sheet of paper p, as indicated in Figure 3, where a recess a³, in the edge periphery
of the cylinder A comes round, and by an antifriction roller and lever c¹ allows
the spring on the grippers to catch the lower edge of the paper, just before
the cylinder C is turned, to bring the teeth of the wheels D, D', into action. This
bringing of the wheels into action is effected by the highest projection f³, of the
cam causing the lever f¹, as before stated, to turn the barrel by the lateral pin f
just after and while the lever G¹ has been depressed by a lateral pin G" in the end
of the barrel A, to release the catch g" to allow the pin g to pass on as the camƒ³
comes round to put the wheel D, into action with the wheel D', and so take round
the paper to be pressed on the zincographic plate b. For this nice adjustment of
the setting of the platen roller C, to receive the paper, and for starting it
again, the vertical arm of the lever f¹ is made in two parts for adjustment by
pinching screws fill, to regulate the position of the roller C, so that the cam f, in
its motion would cause this lever 1, to shift the roller C by the pin f to the
required position. Or by another arrangement the pin fx, connecting the rod f³
to this lever f', might shift in a radial slot in the rod f¹, so as to cause the
cams, to shift the lever f¹, less or more. The ink serving and distributing
rollers d¹, d, two, three, four, or more in number, are shown as mounted in slotted
bearings in the upper ends of oscillating side frames H, bound together by
transverse rods at H¹, and a fulcrum rod at H", at its lower end, preferably

page_text: mounted in a separate portable frame part I, of the side frames bolted together by
stays at I, at the front side of the printing roller A. opposite to that on which the
sheets of paper are inserted and printed, so as to slide or traverse on wheels on
guide sole plates at B. A transverse shaft J would be mounted below and inside
this on the main frame so geared by sprocket wheels and chains J¹, J2, as to make
one revolution for that of the printing cylinder A, which has a similar chain
wheel J mounted on it; and on this shaft is mounted adjustable cams J³, to work
on antifriction rollers H³, on the oscillating frames H, of the ink serving
rollers, d¹¹, d, so as to bring these into action only when the ink serving or distributing
surface part A of the cylinder A was passing them, and take them back to receive
ink from the feed serving roller d' of the ink trough d. The weight of the rollers
or a spring or springs might work this oscillating frame H, H, in one direction, while
the cams J, worked it in the other direction, preferably to take the rollers out of
action, while the segments A2, A4, of the cylinder A, were passing them and at this
time receiving ink through the rollers d', d", the distributing rollers d, having
metal or weighted rollers d³, over them to press them against their inking
surface A³. As shown in Figure 6 the ink delivering or service stationary roller d',
is turned to take the ink from the ink trough d by an oscillating ratchet pawl d³,
taking into the teeth of a ratchet wheel on one end of the roller d', and actuated by
a reciprocating rod guided at its lower end in a fixed bracket d¹ and having an
antifriction roller on its lower end riding over a cam keyed on one end of the
shaft J, so as to deliver the ink on to the service roller when brought up against
it, a helical or other spring always brings back the ratchet pawl d³, and keeps the
roller end of the rod against its cam d. A spindle 12 is passed through the
frames I, I, with a hand lever I³ at either side for taking this inking frame H, and
rollers d², d, out of action by pins or small cams 14, secured on the spindle 12.
The portable frame I, 11, of this inking arrangement would be so made as to be
easily disengaged by securing catches 1", and removed outwards to allow room in
front of the printing cylinder A, for putting on and securing and adjusting the
zinc plates b, all as before described. At the back and lower part of the cylinder A,
a transverse water or liquid trough K, is fitted with a damping blanket surface or
other roller K¹ working in it, mounted on an oscillating frame of lever arms K³, on
the spindle K³, and may have an oscillating bearing pilot or service blanket roller
over it in front, as dotted in at K", and preferably actuated by a lever K4, acting
on a cam or segmental surface K', as indicated in Figures 4 and 6 to bring this
moving damping roller K, into action to damp the blanket surface.e of the
segment A, of the printing cylinder A, as seen more particularly in Figure 4.
At the upper part of this printing cylinder A, a set of two or it may be three
damping rollers h, h, are fitted, mounted by their end spindles in slotted bearings h",
in the side frames B, B¹ preferably with a weighted or metal roller ', over them,
so as to work over the damping part e, A¹ of the cylinder, and having guide
rollers on the outer ends of their spindles which work on segmental flanges h³,
round the segmental parts A³, on the outer ends of the cylinder A, as seen more
particularly in Figure 4, and 5, to keep these rollers off the inking surface A³, and
with long gaps between these flanges h³, 13, to allow the damping rollers only to come
down to damp the zinc plate before it reaches the ink receiving and spreading
rollers, and receive moisture from the damping surface A, e, of the printing
cylinder A, but be raised out of action by the segments ³, while the ink receiving
and distributing surface A³ is passing under them. Between these damping rollers hh
and the platen cylinder C, two, three, or other number of corresponding sets of
three ink spreading or serving rollers i are similarly mounted in slotted bearings h¹¹
in the side frames B, B', with intermediate metal or weighted guide rollers i on
them, the rollers i, having turned metal segmental flanges 2, working over other
segmental flanges 3, on the ends of the printing cylinder A, with corresponding
spaces or gaps between them on the ends A" which would allow these inking rollers
to come down as the serving inking surface part A³ of the cylinder A came round
to give them ink which they would spread on. to the zinc plate b, but would be raised

page_text: out of action on the part A, of the cylinder A, having the damping blanket secured
on it, when the segments 13 came round to raise them out of action. Each
sheet of paper p fed into the machine, as before described, would be gripped
into the clip or clips c fitted in the gap c' at the entering part of the platen
cylinder C as it was stopped for that purpose at each revolution, and be moved on
so as to be printed between the platen surface c², c of this cylinder C, preferably
covered with tympan rubber or other yielding material c, and the zinc plate
surface b, of the printing cylinder A, and be delivered out on to a receiving table
or tray below, not shown in the drawings, carried on the frame of the machine, a
little under and behind the platen cylinder C, and printing cylinder A, or be taken
away by hand.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
First. The construction or general arrangement and combination of the parts of
a horizontal rotating cylinder zincographic printing machine, with shifting and
securing zinc printing plate fittings, platen paper cylinder with its stopping and
starting fittings, and inking and damping rollers and their engaging and disengaging
fittings, all substantially as herein described in reference to and shown in the
accompanying drawings.
Second. In a rotating cylinder zincographic printing machine, the mode of and
means or mechanism for securing the zinc plates by their ends so as to stretch,
shift. set, and fix, them on the surface of the cylinder, substantially as and for the
purpose herein described in reference to and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Third. In a rotating cylinder zincographic printing machine, the mode and
means of setting and stopping the platen cylinder for receiving the sheets of
paper in proper position for registering design on plate and then starting cylinder
in proper gear again, substantially as herein described in reference to and shown in
the accompanying drawings.
Fourth. In a rotating cylinder zincographic printing machine, the construction
and fitting of a damping surface or segment on the cylinder for receiving water
from the supply trough and rollers and giving off same to a set of damping
plate rollers, substantially as herein described in reference to and shown in the
accompanying drawings.
Fifth. In a rotating cylinder zincographic printing machine, the mode and means
of fitting ink receiving and distributing rollers on an oscillating frame mounted on
a shifting or traversing frame carrying the ink supply vessel and roller in front of
the main frame and printing cylinder, substantially as and for the purposes herein
described in reference to and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Sixth. In a rotating cylinder zincographic printing machine, the mode and means
of putting the damping and inking rollers into and out of action on their respective
damping and inking surfaces by projecting segments on the printing cylinder,
substantially as herein described in reference to and shown in the accompanying
drawings.
Dated the 17th November 1892.
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.