IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING FLOORCLOTHS OR OILCLOTHS AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Adolphe Louis Klein, of Lancaster, in the County of
Lancaster, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING FLOORCLOTHS
OR OILCLOTHS AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Adolphe Louis Klein at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th March 1880.
" IMPROVE-
ADOLPHE LOUIS KLEIN, of Lancaster, in the County of Lancaster.
MENTS IN PRINTING FLOOR-CLOTHS OR OIL-CLOTHS AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED
THEREFOR."
First. In carrying out my process I use a modification of the ordinary compound
calico printing machine, that is, a machine which is fitted up for printing with both
engraved cylinders and raised surface printing rollers. The cylinder printing rollers
are usually made of copper, and are those which are engraved or indented, the
same as those used in calico printing. The surface printing rollers are those which
have the design raised or standing in relief, and are usually made of wood; they
are cut or formed with type, in the same manner as the blocks used for block
printing. Surface roller printing is used both in calico, paper hanging, and floor
cloth printing.
In the compound printing machine employed for printing textile fabrics, such as
calicoes, it is usual to print the outline and finer portions of the pattern or design
in one or two or more colors by means of engraved cylinders, and then to fill in
the broader parts or patches of the colors (to complete the design), which are
printed in with the surface rollers.
According to my Invention I only use one engraved or indented cylinder for
printing the ground or cover, composed of dots and lines only.
-This cylinder-must_be_worked_in_the_first_"nip," and fitted up with all the
necessary appliances for "pitching" and printing.
I print by means of this first roller with the color of the same shade as the plain
ground, so that the raised pattern formed by dots and lines of thick color of the
same shade of color as the plain ground produces a raised pattern or "ground" or
cover" which has the appearance of "block work."
"
The whole of the ground may be printed in this manner, but I prefer to leave
blank spaces of plain ground for the colors to fall into to form the pattern of several
colors, according to the design.required.
The rest of the rollers are all surface printing rollers for putting in the pattern or
design.

page_text: They may be arranged to work in the remaining “nips," and are fitted up with
the necessary appliances for surface printing, the arrangement of the colors printed
being left to the judgment of the workman; but according to my method I prefer
to work those colors which are heaviest (or of the greatest specific gravity) as near
to the first or engraved cylinder roller as is practicable, according to the character
of the design or pattern to be printed.
The compound printing machine thus arranged is a new combination, and has
not heretofore been used or known in oilcloth printing.
Secondly. The oil color which I use for printing with is short, free, and thick, so
that when it is delivered upon the cloth it does not pull or drag, but remains in
the position in which it is delivered upon the surface. It is composed of the
following ingredients, which are subject to modifications in the proportions as
experience suggests. I prefer to mix the oil colors as follows:-I first grind the
pigment with raw linseed oil, and then make it up to the required stoutness or
consistency, and then add about a quarter of a pound of "patent dryers." The oil
must be boiled "extra stout." If too thick it may be let down to the required
consistency with turpentine mixed with a little raw linseed oil.
This consistency of color is only used when printing with the engraved or
indented roller or cylinder.
For printing with the raised surface rollers the same composition of color may be
used, but it must be considerably reduced in thickness, or the ordinary colors may
be used for printing with the surface rollers.
16
Thirdly. The success of my improved process depends greatly upon the manner
in which the cylinder roller is engraved or indented. It may be engraved either
'straight round" or "spiral" (terms well known to engravers to calico printers),
but I prefer it to be engraved "straight round." The dots and lines must be
engraved in such a manner upon the cylinder that it will "furnish" with the thick
color which I employ, and will deliver it freely upon the cloth.
To ensure this I cause a small vacuum to be formed at the point of contact
between the large dots and the cloth, and I obtain this vacuum in the following a
manner-Instead of employing the ordinary "dot" or "pin" used in engraving,
which is of a plain conical form terminating in a point at the bottom, I slightly
curve the sides, and I form a small rounded air cup at the bottom, and I cut four
lines in the bevilled sides leading from the surface to the air cup at the bottom, the
said lines commencing at a little below the surface of the copper and extending to
the entrance of the small air cup at the bottom of the "pin." From the surface of
the copper to the commencement of these four lines the orifice is slightly counter-
sunk, and the sharp edge left from the countersinking is rounded off in order that
it may not cut or otherwise injure the material whilst in the act of printing.
66
The color which I use (as above stated) is thick, and when furnished to the roller 4
by the "furnisher" in the color box is forced into the "pin" or indent. The
furnisher" has not the power to force the color beyond the bottom of the cone on
account of its thickness, and partly because the cup at the bottom contains air,
which becomes thus imprisoned and partially compressed by the thick color.
The "pin" having received its due amount of color is carried round by the 4
revolution of the cylinder and pressed upon the cloth in the "nip," and the color
carried by the "pin" is deposited upon the cloth at the point of contact where the
vacuum is caused. This vacuum is created by the pressure of the cylinder upon
the cloth in the "nip," owing to the wet color driving away all the air which was
between it and the cloth at the point of contact.
The moment this point is passed by the revolution of the cylinder the imprisoned
air in the cup at the bottom of the "pin" rushes up the lines cut in the conical
sides of the "pin" to fill the vacuum caused at the point of contact, and at the
same time aids in delivering the color from the "pin" on to the cloth. The
peculiar formation of this "pin" is one of the most important features of my 5
Invention.
5

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Adolphe Louis Klein in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th
September 1880.
"
ADOLPHE LOUIS KLEIN, of Lancaster, in the County of Lancaster. IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PRINTING FLOOR CLOTHS OR OIL CLOTHS AND IN APPARATUS
EMPLOYED THEREFOR."
First. In carrying out my process I use a modification of the ordinary compound
calico-printing machine, that is, a machine which is fitted up for printing with both
engraved cylinders and raised surface printing rollers. The cylinder printing rollers
are usually made of copper, and are those which are engraved or indented the same
as those used in calico-printing.
The surface printing rollers are those which have the design raised or standing
in relief, and are usually made of wood; they are cut or formed with type, in the
same manner as the blocks used for block printing.
Surface roller printing is used both in calico, paper hanging, and floorcloth
printing.
In the compound printing machine employed for printing textile fabrics, such as
calicoes, it is usual to print the outline and finer portions of the pattern or design
in one, two, or more colors by means of engraved cylinders, and then to fill in the
broader parts or patches of the colors (to complete the design), which are printed
in with the surface rollers.
"
According to my Invention I only use one engraved or indented cylinder for
printing the ground or cover composed of dots and lines only. This cylinder must
be worked in the first "nip," and fitted up with all the necessary appliances for
pitching and printing.
I print by means of this first roller with the color of the same shade as the plain
ground, so that the raised pattern formed by dots and lines of thick color of the
same shade of color as the plain ground produces a raised pattern of "ground" or
cover" which has the appearance of "block work." The whole of the ground
may be printed in this manner, but I prefer to leave spaces of plain ground for the
colors to fall into to form the pattern of several colors, according to the design
required.
The rest of the rollers are all surface printing rollers for putting in the pattern
or design.
They may be arranged to work in the remaining "nips," and are fitted up with
the necessary appliances for surface printing, the arrangement of the colors printed
being left to the judgment of the workman; but according to my method I prefer
to work those colors which are heaviest (or of the greatest specific gravity) as near
to the first or engraved cylinder roller as is practicable, according to the character
of the design or pattern to be printed.
The compound printing machine thus arranged is a new combination, and has
not heretofore been used in oilcloth printing.
Secondly. The oil color which I use for printing with is short, free, and thick, so
that when it is delivered upon the cloth it does not pull or drag, but remains in
the position in which it is delivered upon the surface. It is composed of the
following ingredients, which are subject to modifications in the proportions as.
experience suggests. I prefer to mix the oil colors as follows:-I first grind the.
pigment with raw linseed oil, and then make it up to the required stoutness or
consistency, and then add about a quarter of a pound of "patent dryers." The oil
must be boiled "extra stout." If too thick it may be let down to the required

page_text: consistency with turpentine, petroleum, or naphtha mixed with a little raw
linseed oil.
This consistency of color is only used when printing with the engraved or
indented roller or cylinder.
For printing with the raised surface rollers the same composition of color may
be used, but it must be considerably reduced in thickness; or the ordinary colors
may be used for printing with the surface rollers:
"
33
Thirdly. The success of my improved process depends greatly upon the manner
in which the cylinder roller is engraved or indented. It may be engraved either
"straight round
or "spiral" (terms well known to engravers to calico printers),
but I prefer it to be engraved "straight round." The dots and lines must be
engraved in such a manner upon the cylinder that it will "furnish" with the thick
color which I employ, and will deliver it freely upon the cloth.
To ensure this I cause a small vacuum to be formed at the point of contact
between the large dots and the cloth, and I obtain this vacuum in the following
manner-Instead of employing the ordinary dot or "pin" used in engraving,
which is of a plain conical form terminating in a sharper slightly rounded point
at the bottom (as shown at Fig. 1 in the annexed Drawing), slightly curve the
sides at a, a, as shown at Fig. 2, which is an enlarged sectional view, and I form a
small rounded air cup b, b, at the bottom, and I cut four lines c, c, in the bevilled
sides leading from the surface to the air cup b, b, at the bottom (see also plan view,
Fig. 3), the said lines c, c, commencing at a little below the surface of the copper
and extending to the entrance of the small air cup b, b, at the bottom of the "pin."
From the surface of the copper to the commencement of these four lines the orifice
is slightly countersunk, as at d, d, and the sharp edge left from the countersinking
is rounded off in order that it may not cut or otherwise injure the material whilst
in the act of printing.
"
The color which I use (as above stated) is thick, and when furnished to the roller
by the "furnisher" in the color box is forced into the "pin' or indent. The
furnisher has not the power to force the color beyond the bottom of the cone on
account of its thickness, and partly because the cup at the bottom contains air
which thus becomes imprisoned and partially compressed by the thick color.
The "pin" having received its due amount of color is carried round by the
revolution of the cylinder and pressed upon the cloth in the "nip," and the color
carried by the "pin" is deposited upon the cloth at the point of contact where the
vacuum is caused.
This vacuum is created by the pressure of the cylinder upon the cloth in the
"nip," owing to the wet color driving away all the air which was between it and
the cloth at the point of contact. The moment this point is passed by the
revolution of the cylinder the imprisoned air in the cup at the bottom of the "pin"
rushes up the lines cut in the conical sides of the "pin" to fill the vacuum caused
at the point of contact, and at the same time aids in delivering the color from the
pin" onto the cloth. The peculiar formation of this "pin" is one of the most.
important features of my Invention.
"
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention, together with
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical
effect, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my Invention,―
First. The improvements in the process of printing floor cloths or oil cloths, as
herein before particularly described.
Secondly. The construction and employment for such process of a compound
printing machine provided and fitted up for printing with both engraved cylinders
and raised surface-printing rollers at one and the same time, as hereinbefore
described.
Thirdly. The peculiar manufacture or preparation of the oil color for such
printing, as hereinbefore described, and

page_text: Fourthly. The new form or construction of "pin" for forming the "dots" with
the improved oil color, as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the Drawing
annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Adolphe Louis Klein, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
ADOLPHE LOUIS KLEIN. (L.S.)