Improvements in and relating to Multi Colour Letter Press, Pictorial or other similar Printing Machines.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Apr., 1899-Accepted, 14th May, 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Multi Colour Letter Press, Pictorial
or other similar Printing Machines.
We, JOHN ADAM GLEDHILL, of 13, Charles Street, off Oxford Road, Manchester,
Printer's Engineer, JOHN DUNCAN MOVEAN, of Blake House, Lees, near Oldham,
Physician and Surgeon, JOHN HENRY GEORGE TRESTON, of 42, Dover Street,
Chorlton-on-Medlock, Manchester, Cotton Salesinan, and GEORGE CHARLES
CHALLENGER, of 57 and 58, Long Millgate, Manchester, Musical Instrument Maker,
all in the County of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
Our invention relates to improvements in and relating to multi colour letterpress
printing machines more particularly the class or type of machines known as cylinder
machines.
The objects of our invention are the attainment of three primary or principal
features, the two latter are improvements in and upon the subject matter of an inven-
tion and Letters Patent granted to John Adam Gledhill one of the applicants herein
and one Jushua Charles Whitney being numbered 19711 and dated 7 Sept., 1896, for
"improvements" in and relating to letter press printing machines.
Firstly our object is to provide a means or arrangement or tappit mechanism which
is adapted to operate the inking rollers i.e. the rollers which are well known and roll or
ink the type, by means of which tappits are arranged in position relatively thereto, so
as to admit of ready and easy adjustment in connection with the machines of this class
or type.
Secondly an important feature of our invention is the employment of a series or
number of telescopic tappits in connection with or operating the rollers known as the
inkers i.e. rollers which are well known, and for the purpose of transferring the inks or
colours on to the inking cylinder by which means any portion of the surface of the
inking cylinder may be provided with an assigned portion of inks or colours by the
adjustment of the parts or tappits relatively to each other, and
Thirdly, the employment of or a combination of a composition roller with the rings
or discs referred to in the aforesaid Specification No. 19711, and the inking cylinder
whereby we are enabled to use or employ rings or discs of bard material or substance,
such as wood or metal, in substitution for the composition rings or discs mentioned in
the said specification by which means we are enabled to obtain from or transfer on to
the inking cylinder, a solid colour and a more even flow of ink than was possible or
practicable with the use of composition rings or discs.
In order that our invention may be clearly comprehended we have hereunto annexed
several sheets of drawings in which like letters of reference throughout the various
figures therein shewn indicate like parts.
Figure 1 represents a side view of a cylinder printing machine shewing the
application of our invention thereto.
Figure 2 is a plan of Figure 1.

page_text: Figure 4 is a drawing or a side elevation shewing our adjustable tappit mechanism
or quadrant drawn to an enlarged scale detached from the machine.
Figure 5 is an end view of Figure 4.
Figure 6 is a plan of Figure 4.
Figures 7, 8, 9, and 10 are drawings of elevation section and plan respectively
drawn to an enlarged scale shewing the telescopic tappit detached from the
machine.
Figure 11 is a drawing shewing three circular pieces or sections of the telescopic
tappit mechanism detached from the series or number of pieces used in such
construction or contrivance.
Figure 12 is a side elevation of the relative positions of the inking and ducter
rollers, which view represents the ducter roller Q taking ink from the cylinder whilst
the ducter roller S is actuated by a tappit or may be transferring ink to the travelling
table R.
Figure 13 is a front elevation of Figure 12.
Figure 14 is a figure similar to Figure 12 but shewing the ducter roller Q tappit
actuated whilst the roller S is taking ink from the cylinder.
Figure 15 is a front elevation of Figure 14.
According to our construction and as shewn in the drawings, herewith we mount on
an oscillating shaft a a tappit carrier or quadrant 6 to which shaft is imparted a rocking
motion and is actuated by means of a suitable lever or levers and connecting rod which
latter is connected to the underside of the carriage carrying the forme. On the said
quadrant b we mount or fix curved pieces or tappits f, f, f, which tappits are placed
in connection with, or in engagement with the inking rollers g, g', g², g³ by means of
connecting rods h, h1, h2, h3 at the lower part of which rods are respectively pro-
vided with bowls i, i, 12, 13 which bowls are supported in fork ends j,j,j, j³ which are
screwed into the rods h, h1, h2, h3 the upper parts of the rods h, h1, h2, h3 have open ends
or slots k, l, 2, 3, in which the shaft ends of the rollers g, g', g², g³ extend or pass and
which shafts are also supported in the fixed slotted frame.
At the inking end of the machine, or on the inking cylinder shaft m, we mount a
circular piece or telescopic tappit arrangement, which is built up of circular pieces
segments or sections n, also a central body piece or plate o. the circumference of the
sections n, are at convenient parts thereof provided with extended peripheric
surfaces n³, extending in length one fourth of the circumference i.e. the whole
circumference being divided into four parts, one part of such circumference forms a
tappit piece or part projecting above the surface of the circular disc arrangement, as
shewn in Figures 8, 9, 10 and 11 as the whole of the said pieces or segments are
secured together by means of a stud p and screw threaded nuts p¹ and 72. The said
built up circular tappit just described, admits or allows of each segment or part com-
posing the whole of the said tappit mechanism to be adjusted relatively to each other
by unscrewing the nuts p³, and 22 on the stud p, i.e. either of the three sections or
segments on each side of the body piece or plate o, may be turned or adjusted
relatively to each other as shewn in Figures 1, 7, 12 and 14, i.e., the three segments
or parts on each side of the body or central piece o, see Figure 10. In Figures 9 and 11
the segments are shewn detached from each other or disconnected in order to better
explain this arrangement. In Figures 7 and 10 the segments, i.e., one series are
turned or adjusted to the position shewing their greatest extent of adjustment, i.e.,
three fourths of the circumference of the built up disc forms an extended tappit
from R to S in the direction of the arrows. Figures 7, 13 and 14 the remaining one
fourth of the circumference from S to R forms the smaller diameter of the one series
of three pieces of the built up disc, the tappit being provided on the quarter of the
opposite series of three, i.e., opposite to the smaller diameter, see Figures 10 and 15
which arrangement as herein shewn in the above named figures would when arranged
in connection with the inking apparatus as shewn in Figure ] operate the conveniently
arranged runners on the shafts of the inking rollers, t, t, or t², as occasion may require,
to remove the surfaces of such tappit actuated inking rollers from the surface of the
inking cylinder, m¹, i.e., if the tappits as adjusted around three fourths of the

page_text: circumferences of the built up disc were in engagement with the larger diameters of
the runners of an inking roller, the surfaces of such inking rollers would not be in
contact with the inking cylinder see Figures 12, 13, 14 and 15, but would only be
in contact with the surface of the ink cylinder to the extent of one fourth, i.e.,
from S to R, where a tappit is not provided, as at that part which is equal to the
diameter of the built up disc, and which built up or segment disc is also of the same
diameter as the ink cylinder, m³, and the runners on the inking rollers being of the
same diameter as the inking rollers themselves consequently allows - when the runner
is engaged with the part S to Rthe inking rollers,t, 11, 12, as the case may be,-to come
in contact with the cylinder as shewn more particularly in Figures 1, 12, and 14.
29
The inking cylinder, m³, the ink rollers, t, t1, t2, the ring rollers, u, u¹, u², carrying
wood or metal rings v, v1, v2, and the distributing rollers, w, w¹, w², are arranged or
supported in standards or frames x, but the cylinders y, y¹, y, are carried or supported
in the sliding frame or standards z, which latter cylinders are in engagement with
their respective ink ducts, 21, 22, 23. The frames is adapted to slide or move on the
V-shaped slides A of the machine frame, the object of which sliding standard is to
provide for or allow of the easy removal or adjustment of the sets of distributing rings
or ink rollers u, v, t, respectively the said frame is caused to slide by means of tooth
pinion wheels B working in a fixed rack C on the frame side, and which wheels are
mounted on a shaft D supported or carried by the frame, which shaft may be
operated or worked by hand by means of the handle E. The distributing rollers, 20, 201, 202,
are actuated or given thereto the usual lateral or sliding motion by means of the
usual or well known mechanism consisting of an eccentric disc F, connecting
levers G, G¹, and shaft H which shaft is caused to oscillate about its axis, thus
imparting the usual sliding motion to the distributing rollers w, w¹, w², as the
shaft H terminates with a forked lever I', which works between collars J, J¹, and J³,
on the shafts of the distributing rollers.
At the underside of the cylinder m', are provided two ducter rollers Q and S the
offices of which rollers are to take or receive inks or colours from the cylinder m¹,
transferred thereto by rollers t, t, and t, respectively. The shafts of the said
rollers Q and S are provided with runners see Figures 13 and 15 which engage with
and are actuated by the revolving tappits n¹, suitably, or in such a manner so that the
roller Q shall only receive and take from the cylinder m¹, the stripes of inks or colours
transferred to and partly around the cylinder m¹, by the rollers t, and t¹, received
from the rings, v, vl, which is for the purpose of inking letter press K² but the
roller S-the shaft of which is also provided with runners see Figures 13 and 15-is
suitably actuated by the tappits so that the said rollers shall receive and take only
the ink or colours which is transferred to the cylinder by the roller t2, which roller
transfers a solid colour or band lengthwise of the cylinder m¹, which latter ink or
colour is for the purpose of inking the ends K K¹, of a border surrounding the letter-
press work and taken from a solid ring or roller v2. The said rollers Q and S are
caused to transfer their inks or colours respectively to the travelling table R of the
machine which table passes underneath, which rollers Q and S are actuated by means
of the telescopic tappit arrangement provided on the motion shaft T2, which
telescopic or adjustable tappit arrangement is similar to the tappit mechanism
provided on the cylinder shaft m. The tappits in this arrangement are suitably
adjusted relatively to each other so as to conveniently actuate the rollers Q and S
through the medium of the connecting rods or levers U, U1, U2, and V, V1, V2, i.e.
so as to depress the said rollers and cause them to come in contact with the surface
of the table R when it is desired to transfer thereto their inks or colours, in order to
be taken therefrom and transferred at their proper periods to the forme on the
carriage or forme bed by the inkers g, g¹, g², and g³.
The operation of our invention or the parts or improvements above described is as
follows:-
According to the Figure 1 as herein shewn, three of the rollers i.e. g, g¹, g² are
shewn elevated or lifted from the forme, and the rollers g³ on the forme, as the larger
diameters of the bowls of the connecting rods h, h¹, h², are arranged so as to ride or

page_text: run on the tappit f, on the quadrant (see Figures 1 and 2) thus the rollers g, 9², 9²,
are inoperative, but the roller g³ is represented in the act of inking the forme, but
essentially and particularly the end lines K and K¹ of a border surrounding the letter-
press. The roller g³ is provided and adapted especially for the purpose of inking the
end or lines K, K¹ of a border, consequently the said roller 93 must be
actuated suitably so as to ink the lines or parts K, K¹ for which reason
to allow or admit of
we provide tappits so arranged on the quadrant, as
of the
the roller gs being operated through the medium
rod h³, which
position of tappits are clearly shewn in Figs. 2 and 6, i.e. when the roller, g³
is inking the border part K, the tappit f, is actuating the rollers g, g¹, g²
through the medium of their rods h, h¹, h² respectively, thus lifting the aid rollers
from the border part K, but when the rollers g, g¹, g² are operative or inking the
letterpress K2 i.e. other than the border K and the roller g³ is actuated or lifted by
the tappit f¹, thus the said roller g³ then becomes inoperative, the operations just
described illustrate the action of the tappits and rollers during the travel of the
carriage in the direction of the arrow, see Figure 2 on the return stroke or travel of
the carriage, the tappit f2, actuates the rollers g, g¹, g² as in the case the tappit f thus
allowing the roller g³ in like manner to ink the border K¹.
The tappits f,f¹, and f, may be slid or moved within the grooves 61, 12, of the
rocking quadrant piece b accordingly as may be desired to operate the border roller g
or letterpress inking rollers g, 91, 92 to accommodate the various dimensions of formes
which may be used. As shown in the drawings Figure 12 represents the position of
the composition inking roller t¹, in the act of inking the cylinder m³, as the tappits
are not acting on the larger parts of the runners, which is the position of the two
rollers t, t, whilst the bottom inking roller is inoperative, that is, the tappits are
operating on the larger parts of the runners of the said roller t² see Figure 1, 12, and 13.
When the roller t2, is not inking the cylinder m¹, it is in the act of receiving inks or
colours from the solid ring roller as shown in Figures 12 and vice versa see Figure 14
the runners on the said rollers t, t¹, are arranged relatively to the tappit discs on each
side of the inking cylinder m¹, so that when the roller 2 is in the act of inking the
cylinder m¹, the two rollers and t¹ are receiving their inks or colours from their
rings or discs v, v₁, thus the three front rollers t, t¹, and 2 are movable in their
bearings when actuated by the tappits on the discs on each side of the cylinder m³,
and maintained in normal contact with cylinder m¹ by springs L. The distributing
rollers w, w¹, w², being moved laterally by the mechanism before described receive
their inks from the ink-cylinders y, y', y² which latter receive their inks from the ink
ducts 1, 2, 3 which said ink cylinders are rotated by chain gearing M and chain gear
wheels N, on shaft of ink cylinder y² as shewn in Figures 1, 2, and 3. The said
rollers w, w¹, and w² also transfer their inks to the rings v, vl, and v² and consequently
to the rollers t; t¹, and, t2, accordingly as the latter may be actuated by the
tappits N.
As shewn in the drawings Figures 1, 2, 12, and 14 the rollers t, t¹, are shewn in
the act of inking the cylinder m¹, consequently stripes of colour P, which may be
variously distributed according to the position of the rings, v, v¹, on the ring
rollers, u, u¹, respective rollers, t, and t¹, and then transferred on to the surface of
the cylinder m¹, the said stripes of colour may then be transferred on to the travelling
table R by the roller Q as shewn in the drawings Figures 12 and 13, the roller Q is
shewn in the act of taking the said stripes of colour from cylinder m¹, but Figure 14
shews the said position in dotted lines of said roller Q in the act of transferring the
said stripes of colour to the table R, through the medium of the telescopic or
adjustable tappit T arranged about the disc T¹ mounted on the motion shaft T
similar to the telescopic arrangement as provided on the cylinder shaft m, and the
levers, U, U1, U2 but it will be observed in Figures 12 and 13 that the tappits n¹,
from S to R are not actuating the runners on shaft of said roller Q but in Figures 14
and 15 the tappits n' from S to R are actuating the runners on shaft of said
roller Q.
The roller t2, which is provided for the purpose of receiving the border colour is

page_text: shewn in Figures 12 and 13 in the act of receiving its inks or colours from the
rings v2, which are placed in contact with each other lengthwise of the roller U2 so
as to form a solid roller such roller 2 being actuated by the tappits n¹, but the
roller S which is a border roller for receiving from the cylinder m', the ink or colour
transferred thereon by roller 12, is moved away from the cylinder m', by the action
of the tappits n¹, but in Figures 14 and 15 the said roller is shewn in the act of.
giving ink or colour to, and the roller S is shewn in the act of receiving from
the cylinder m¹, ink or colour transferred thereon by said roller t, as the runners
on the shafts of the rollers, and S are not actuated by the tappits n¹. The
roller S is moved towards the cylinder m!, and on to the table R by the action of
the telescopic or adjustable tappit T and the levers V V1 V2 accordingly as the said
levers may be actuated by the telescopic or adjustable tappit arrangement on the
shaft T, but in Figure 12 the roller S is shewn in dotted lines transferring the inks
or colour received from cylinder m¹ to the table R, such as a band of ink or
colour P2 as shewn in Figure 2. It will be manifest from the foregoing description
that when the roller Q is receiving ink or colour from cylinder m², the roller S is
always removed from contact with the cylinder, and vice-versa consequently the said
rollers Q and S are periodically operated suitably by means of the tappit on cylinder
shaft m and the tappits on shaft T2, at convenient or proper periods in order that the
rollers Q and S shall receive from the cylinder m², stripes of inks or colours and a
band of ink or colour, and to transfer the said inks or colours respectively to the
table R.
The whole of the ink rollers, y, y¹, y², may be moved with their ink ducts or inking
apparatus by turning the handle E which works the pinion wheels B, B, in the fixed
racks C, C, and causes the standard or support Z to slide on the slides A, A, of the
frame, which arrangement admits of the easy removal or adjustment of the rollers
in the front bracket x when required.
The inks are taken from the table by the inking rollers g, g¹, g², g³, as the inking
table passes thereunder, and the inks or colours are taken from and transferred
to the forme by the rollers g, g¹, g², g³, when actuated by the tappits f, f¹, f, in the
manner as before described.
In the event of employing several colours on one ring roller the inks or colours
would then pass from the ducts or compartments, a separate duct being provided for
each ring or disc employed for separate colours, the ink or colour thus passes on to
the ring rollers through the medium of the distributing rollers w,w¹ from the rings
and then transferred on to the composition rollers t, t, the inks or colours are then
transferred from thence to the ink cylinder m², as before described which will thus
be provided with stripes of colours transferred from the rings, the two end rings are
adapted to ink the cylinder with the colour for the sides of the border of the forme.
The roller being adapted to place colour or ink on to the ink cylinder m¹ for the
purpose of inking the end lines K, K¹ of the border which colour must be the same
colour as supplied to the two outer rings-thus the ink cylinder is provided with inks
or colours P and P2 for the letterpress and for the border work such inks or colours
being transferred to the ink table are taken therefrom by the inking rollers g,g¹, g², 9³,
and transferred to the forme when actuated by the tappits f, f¹, f, as hereinbefore
fully described.
This invention it will be observed and as shewn in the drawings, is illustrated in
the act of producing letterpress or other printed matter or work in various colours,
and in straight lines, with a border and at one impression and known to printers as
straight line printing, each of the illustrations or representations P and P¹ representing
But it is obvious
different colours i.e. blue, red, green, or any other desired colour.
that works, printed matter, characters, or letterpress printed matter, or characters and
letterpress, may be produced in various colours by means of our invention which is
more particularly or generally known as
The latter work may be
pictorial work.”
accomplished by the use of two formes, which use is well known in the printing
trade e.g. in the line printing, as in the case where blocks of type or characters are
inserted and required to be printed in colours different from the other parts of the
66

page_text: same lines in which such types or characters are situate, i.e. where blocks or
characters form part of lines, then in such cases the blocks may be printed in one
forine at one operation, and the remainder, parts, or portions of matter intercepting
the lines may be printed in a second forme, at another operation, thus the object of
producing pictorial work may be accomplished by the well known method of cutting
out the formes at the parts required in order that the matter in each forme may be
line printed in their various and respective colours according to the number of and
colours used by the rings V₁ as the case may be.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In combination with rocking quadrant piece b, carrying tappit pieces f, f', ƒ²,
the rods h, h1, h2, h3, and inking rollers g, g¹, 92, 93, whereby the said rollers are
tappit actuated, the rollers g, g', 92, being actuated so as to ink the letterpress of the
forme only the roller 93, to ink the end lines of a border as K, K', substantially as
and for the purposes herein fully set forth and described.
2. In combination the rollers g, g', g², g³, the rocking quadrant piece b, and tappit
pieces, f, and f2, which are adjustable within slots or grooves on the face of the
quadrant piece b, whereby the tappits may be adjusted to operate the rollers so as to
ink the letterpress in various colours and a border surrounding the letterpress in one
colour as and for the purposes herein set forth.
3. The rocking quadrant piece b, with the adjustable pieces or tappits f, f¹‚ƒ³,
and for the purposes herein set forth.
as
4. In combination one or more inking rollers t, the telescopic or segment tappit
disc as shewn in Figures 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and the ink cylinder m', whereby the parts
or segments may be adjusted or arranged about their axes so that any part or portion
of the ink cylinder may be covered with ink accordingly as the tappits are adjusted
about their axes as and for the purposes herein fully set forth.
5. The circular telescopic pieces or tappits n, which may be one or more as shewn
in Figures 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, as and for the purposes herein set forth.
6. In combination one or more ring rollers u, u¹, or the rings v, vl, composition
rollers w, w', and ink cylinder m', whereby by the use of the composition roller next
to the ink cylinder we are enabled to employ discs or rings of hard material and
thus attain clear or solid inking as and for the purposes herein set forth.
7. The rings of wood or metal or other hard material as and for the purposes herein
fully set forth.
Dated this 25th day of March 1899
J. H. BUTTERWORTH & Co.,
Rochdale, for the Applicants.