IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY, APPARATUS, OR MEANS FOR ENGRAVING OR PRODUCING PRINTED SURFACES
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Glen, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Engraver, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY, APPARATUS, OR MEANS FOR ENGRAVING OR PRODUCING PRINTED
SURFACES."
Sealed the 7th May 1861, and dated the 10th November 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Glen at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 10th
November 1860.
I, JOHN GLEN, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Engraver, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY, APPARATUS, OR MEANS FOR ENGRAVING OR PRODUCING
PRINTED SURFACES," to be as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to the arrangement and construction of machiney or
apparatus for engraving the copper or other rollers which are used for printing
calicoes and other fabrics so as to obtain by self-acting means the impression
of the "mill" or impressing roller on the copper or metallic cylinder, in the
predetermined order or distance asunder. According to one modification of
these improvements the overhanging arm which is jointed to, and extends out-
wards from the laterally traversing "carriage" in which the "mill" or engraving
roller is arranged is connected by means of an adjustable screw link to a lower
lever which is supported by a double bracket forming a portion of the front
part of the carriage.. Thus the carriage and pillar with the overhanging arm
and lower lever form a rectangular frame carrying the mill, to which an inter-

page_text: mittent vertical motion is imparted as well as the ordinary lateral traversing
movement. The self-acting vertical motion of the mill is derived from a
horizontal shaft arranged in front of the machine, and driven at one end by
means of gearing, which is actuated by the driving pulley. This shaft has
fast to it a wheel which gives motion to an eccentric, which is supported in
the outwardly extending bracket, and is arranged beneath the lower lever.
The rotatory motion of the eccentric alternately rises and depresses the mill,
and the necessary force on the downward motion of the mill to impress the
copper cylinder is obtained by means of a weight or weights attached to the
outer end of the lower lever. The screw link which connects the lower lever
to the overhanging arm provides for the shortening or lengthening of the lift,
so that the elevation and descent of the mill may be accurately adjusted to
suit the different sizes of patterns to be engraved. The mill when arranged
in its supporting frame has attached to one of its extremities a small rocking
lever, from the free end of which a string or cord is carried over a contiguous
pulley, the end of the string or cord having a weight attached to it. The
moment the mill is raised from the cylinder the lever is drawn over by the
counterweight so that the mill is then brought by this partial rotation into the
proper position for its descent on to the cylinder at the precise spot where the
repeat of the design is required. This action of the mill is arranged so as to
be reciprocal with the rotatory motion of the eccentric, and act at the moment
of the ascent of the mill. These mechanical arrangements, obviate the necessity
of constant personal attendance on the machine as well as extending its general
utility in most kinds of cylinder engraving with the mill.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Glen in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th
. May 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
GLEN, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Engraver,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Glen, Her special license that I, the said John Glen, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John

page_text: Glen, my executors, administrators, or 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY,
APPARATUS, OR MEANS FOR ENGRAVING OR PRODUCING PRINTED SURFACES," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Glen, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my hand' and seal, or
under the hand and seal of one of them; should particularly describe and
ascertain, the, nature of the said 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 John Glen, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
My said Invention relates to the arrangement and construction of machinery
or apparatus for engraving the copper or other rollers which are used for
printing calicoes and other fabrics so as to obtain by self-acting means the
impression of the "mill" or impressing roller on the copper or metallic
cylinder, in the predetermined order or distance asunder. According to one
modification of these improvements, the overhanging arm, which is jointed to
and extends outwards from the laterally traversing "carriage" in which the
"mill" or engraving roller is arranged is connected by means of an adjustable
screw link to a lower lever which is supported by a double bracket forming a
portion of the front part of the carriage. Thus the carriage and pillar with
the overhanging arm, and lower lever form a rectangular frame carrying the
mill, to which an intermittent vertical motion is imparted as well as the ordinary
lateral traversing movement. The self-acting vertical motion of the mill is
derived from a horizontal shaft arranged in front of the machine, and driven
at one end by means of gearing which is actuated by the driving pulley.
This shaft has fast to it a wheel which gives motion to an eccentric, which is
supported in the outwardly extending bracket, and is arranged beneath the
lower lever. The rotatory motion of the eccentric alternately raises and
depresses the mill, and the necessary force on the downward motion of the
mill to impress the copper cylinder is obtained. by means of a weight or
weights attached to the outer end of the lower lever. The screw link which

page_text: connects the lower lever to the overhanging arm provides for the shortening
or lengthening of the lift, so that the elevation and descent of the mill may be
accurately adjusted to suit the different sizes of patterns to be engraved. The
mill when arranged in its supporting frame has attached to one of its extremi-
ties a small rocking lever from the free end of which a string or cord is
carried over a contiguous pulley, the end of the string or cord having a weight
attached to it. The moment the mill is raised from the cylinder the lever is
drawn over by the counterweight so that the mill is then brought by .this
partial rotation into the proper position for its descent on to the cylinder at
the precise spot where the repeat of the design is required. This action of
the mill is arranged so as to be reciprocal with the rotatory motion of the
eccentric, and act at the moment of the accent of the mill. These mechanical
arrangements obviate the necessity of constant personal- attendance on the
machine as well as extending its general utility in most kinds of cylinder
engraving with the mill.
And in order that my said Invention of improvements in machinery, appa-
ratus, or means for engraving or producing printed surfaces, may be properly.
understood, I shall now proceed to describe the Figures on the explanatory
Sheet of Drawings which I have hereunto appended for the purpose of showing
certain modifications under which my improvements may be judiciously
carried out in practice, that is to say,-
Figure 1 on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings is a partially sectional
elevation of a portion of a machine for engraving copper or other rollers,
and showing my improvements applied thereto; Figure 2 is a plan corres-
ponding to the parts delineated in Figure 1.
ner.
The framing A is that portion of the engraving machine on which the
carriage B traverses laterally to and fro, the motion of which is obtained
from the screw shaft C, which is actuated by spur gearing in the usual man-
The pillar D of the carriage has fitted to it an adjustable bracket piece
E, which moves up and down in guides formed in the pillar D, and is adjusted
to the required height by means of the hand wheel F. This hand wheel is
fitted to the upper end of a vertical screw which passes through a nut on the
back part of the bracket E. The front part of the bracket forms a bearing
to receive the spindle of the overhanging lever G, which carries the supporting
'frame H of the mill I. The lever G has fitted to it the moveable screw link
J, which connects it to the lever K; this lever is centred on a pin which is
'supported in a projecting part of the carriage C, and at its outer extremity it
carries a moveable counterweight L. On the front part of the carriage C is
cast a pair of brackets M, through the inner parts of which is passed the

page_text: horizontal shaft N, that derives its motion from the driving end of the ma-
chine. Keyed to the shaft N is a wheel O, which is in gear with the inter-
mediate wheel P, and this wheel gives motion to the wheel on the transverse
spindle R. On this spindle is keyed a cam S, the rotatory motion of which
causes it to raise the tappet T, and so communicate a vertical reciprocatory
movement to the lever K. The spindle R and its connected parts are
arranged so as to be readily shifted from its bearings when an alteration in
the size of the wheel Q, or a different cam S, or other detail, is required.
The metal roller U to be engraved is arranged on the mandril in the usual
manner, and the pressure of the mill I upon its surface is regulated by the
position of the counterweight L, which draws down the lever K, and with
it the lever Gr. As the roller U rotates it' imparts a corresponding motion to
the mill, the relievo lines of which are impressed in the roller. But the
instant the mill has made a complete rotation it must be raised from the roller,
or the pattern would be continued round the roller, and when this is not
desired my improvements provide for the ascent and descent of the mill at
regular intervals. This is effected by means of the cam S, the rotatory
motion of which lifts the levers K and G, and so raises the mill from off the
surface of the roller U. The movement of the roller U continues during
the time that the mill is kept up by the cam, so that upon its descent the
impression is made upon another part of the roller; the distances these
impressions are asunder, being regulated by the gearing of the machine,
which causes the roller to rotate at a given speed according to the number of
figures to be impressed thereon. These intermittent movements of the mill,
combined with the lateral motion of the carriage, causes the surface of the
roller to be impressed at regular intervals with the design imparted from the
mill. An arrangement is also provided to ensure the mill commencing its
impression at the corresponding part of the design each time that it descends
on to the roller. By means of the screw link J the distance between the
levers G and K may be varied so as to regulate with the utmost nicety and
accuracy the time which the mill is in contact with the roller. So also by.
moving the tappet T along the lever G the eccentric may be caused to only
slightly raise it at each rotation, and so cause a rapid rise.and.fall of the mill,
or a prolonged contact with the roller as the peculiarities of the pattern may
require. On the journal of the mill I is fixed a small vertical lever V, to
the upper end of which is attached a string W, the other end of which is
connected to a weight. The string passes over a pulley which is carried on a
stud projecting laterally from the lever G, the weight attached to the string is
passed down the vertical tube X, which forms a guide for it. As the mill I

page_text: is moved round upon its axis when in contact with the copper or other roller
U, the lever V moves from the vertical towards a horizontal position in a
backward direction. When the impression of the mill is completed on the
roller, and the lever G is raised prior to repeating the pattern from the mill,
the weight attached to the string W draws back the lever V to its normal
position, and the mill is in readiness for making another impression. To pre-
vent the lever V from passing beyond the required position a pin is fixed in a
slotted plate Y, which is arranged behind the lever V so that the mill is
always brought back to the same position preparatory to its descent on to
the roller for making another impression. In lieu of a cord and weight to
bring back the lever V a helical spring may if preferred be used for the pur-
pose. In this way the elevating and descending motion 'of the mill is accom-
plished by self-acting mechanical means so as to dispense with manual attention
for performing this part of the engraving process, and enable one workman to
attend to two machines simultaneously, thus effecting considerable economy as
well as accuracy of workmanship.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe in conclusion, that what I consider novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First, the system or mode of imparting an intermittent motion to the mill
or other similar detail used in machines for engraving printing rollers, by
means of the self-acting mechanical arrangement or combination of parts
herein-before described and delineated in the accompanying Drawings, or any
mere equivalent therefor.
Second, the system or mode of communicating a rotatory movement to the
mill so as to cause it to return to a given position each time it is raised from
off the roller, by means of the mechanical arrangement connected to the mill
as herein-before described and shown in the accompanying Drawings, or any
mere modification of the same.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Glen, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eighth day of May, One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-one