IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PRINTING WOVEN OR OTHER FABRICS OR TISSUES
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Henry Birkbeck, Engineer and Patent Agent,
of 34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
FOR PRINTING WOVEN OR OTHER FABRICS OR TISSUES."-A communication
from abroad by Leon Malzard, Engraver, and Edouard Leopold Dulac,
Printer, both of Paris, in the Empire of France.
Sealed the 19th September 1860, and dated the 23rd April 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Henry Birkbeck,
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 23rd April 1860.
I, GEORGE HENRY BIRKBECK, Engineer and Patent Agent, of 34, South-
ampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby.
declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS FOR PRINTING WOVEN OR OTHER FABRICS OR TISSUES," to be as
follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in machinery or apparatus
for printing woven or other fabrics, such as shawl pieces or continuous weavings,
paper, or other tissues in one or more colours. For this purpose the framing
of the machine has toothed racks mounted thereon capable of adjustment, upon
which a carriage is caused to travel to and fro by suitable gearing; this carriage
carries the printing rollers and apparatus for supplying them with color, and

page_text: motion is given to tho printing rollers by toothed wheels or pinions fixed on
their axes, taking into the toothed racks fixed on the framing as the carriage
is moved to and fro across the machine. The carriage is furnished with a
series of printing rollers and apparatus for supplying color thereto, according
to the different colors to be printed, one or more of which may be printed at
one operation. Each printing roller receives its color from an endless band
passing over rollers mounted on the carriage, motion being given to one of the
rollers by a toothed pinion taking into the tooth wheel on the axis of the
printing roller. The color as it is received from the colour trough is distributed
over the surface of the endless band by a roller resting thereon, or by other
suitable means, and after the printing operation, the pinions are raised out of
gear by means of moveable racks with inclines acting to raise the axes, so as
to lift the endless bands from the surface of the printing rollers, and also
to close the apertures to the color trougls, and thus shut off the supply of
color and arrest the action of the rollers during the return movement of the
carriage; circular, or other brushes may be applied so as to clean the printing
rollers during their return movement. The actions of the printing rollers aro
pressed down by weighted levers, which are capable of adjustment to regulate
the pressure on each to suit the color being printed; the rollers carrying the
endless bands may also be adjusted by elevating screws under the bearings of
their axes.
The material or tissue whilst being printed is supported on a table, which is
raised and lowered by the movement of the printing apparatus; the carriage
when it arrives at the end of its movement, after the printing operation, acts
on a lever connected with a rack, which gives motion to excentrics upon
which the table rests, so as to lower it in order to prevent its being acted
upon by the printing rollers during the return movement of the carriage,
which again acts by another lever upon the racks and excentrics to raise the
table into a position for the next printing operation. The table is formed with
a groove or grooves for frames of different dimensions. The shawl piece or
other fabric to be printed is placed and securely held by gum or otherwise
apon a waxed cloth, which is supported or carried by an iron or other frame,
which is caused to slide or travel under the printing apparatus by means
of racks and pinions; a. ratchet or divided wheel and driver being employed
to give a regulated amount of movement to the frame after each printing, so
as to bring a fresh surface under the printing apparatus.
By this arrangement of apparatus, shawls or other articles may be printed with
great accuracy, and the printing rollers may be of such a diameter, and engraved
so as to print a quarter or corner at one operation. When printing fabrics or tis-

page_text: sues in continuous lengths, the fabric is secured whilst printing to a waxed cloth,
having eyelet holes at equal distances apart, which are placed over registering
pins carried by the supporting frame or table as it moves under the printing
apparatus, or the selvages of the waxed cloth before described may be fixed to
light chains wound upon a roller, and a forward movement given to the cloth
after each printing by an axis and pinions with pins or projections thereon,
which take into or between the links of the chain; a divided ratchet and
driver being employed to give a regulated amount of movement thereto.
When printing paper hangings by the apparatus before described, the
selvidges are held down by pressing plates, and registering pins are employed to
determine the amount of mount after each printing.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Henry Birkbeck in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 23rd October 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
HENRY BIRKBECK, Engincer and Patent Agent, of 34, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lanc, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent bearing dato the Twenty-third day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said George Henry Birkbeck, Her special licence that I, the said
George Henry Birkbeck, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said George Henry Birkbeck, my executors, admi-
nistrators, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PRINTING,
WOVEN OR OTHER FABRICS OR TISSUES," a communication to him from abroad by
Leon Malzard, Engraver, and Edouard Leopold Dulac, Printer, both of Paris.
in the Empire of France, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
George Henry Birkbeck, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-,
ticularly 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

page_text: 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 George Henry Birkbeck, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-:
.
This Invention has for its object improvements in machinery or apparatus
for printing woven or other fabrics, such as shawl pieces or continuous pieces
of woven fabric or paper or other tissues in one or more colors. For this
purpose the framing of the machine has toothed racks mounted thereon
capable of adjustment, and upon which a carriago is caused to travel to and
fro by suitable gearing. This carriage carries the printing rollers and appa-
ratus for supplying them with color, and motion is given to the printing rollers
by toothed wheels or pinions fixed on their axes, taking into the toothed racks
fixed on the framing as the carriages move to and fro across the machine.
The carriage is furnished with a series of printing rollers and apparatus for
supplying color thereto, according to the different colors to be printed, one or
more of which may be printed at one operation. Each printing roller receives
its color from an endless band passing over rollers mounted on the carriage,
motion being given to one of the rollers by a toothed pinion taking into the
toothed wheel on the axis of each printing roller. The color as it is received
from the color trough is distributed over the surface of the endless band by a
roller resting thereon, or by other suitable means, and after the printing
operation the pinions are raised out of gear by means of moveable racks with
inclines acting to raise the axes, so as to lift the endless bands from off the
surface of the printing rollers, and also to close the apertures to the color
troughs, and thus shut off the supply of color, and arrest the action of the
rollers during the return movement of the carriage. Circular or other brushes
may be applied to the carriage so as to clean the printing rollers during their
return movement. The axes of the printing rollers are pressed down by
weighted levers, which are capable of adjustment to regulate the pressure on
each to suit the particular color being printed, and the rollers carrying the
endless 'bands may also be adjusted by elevating screws under the bearings of
their axes. The material or tissue whilst being printed is supported on a
table, which is raised and lowered by the movement of the printing apparatus;
the carriage when it arrives at the end of its movement, after the printing
operation, acts on a lever connected with a rack, which gives motion to an
excentric upon which the table rests, so as to lower it in order to prevent its
being acted upon by the printing rollers during the return movement of the

page_text: carriage, which again acts by another lever upon the racks and excentrics to
raise the table into a position for the next printing operation. The printing
table is formed with a groove or grooves to suit frames of different dimen-
sions. The shawl piece or other fabric to be printed is placed and securely
held by gum or other suitable adhesive material upon a waxed or other pre-
pared cloth, which is supported or carried by an iron or other frame, which is
caused to slide or travel under the printing apparatus by means of racks and
pinions, a ratchet or divided wheel and driver being employed to give a
regulated amount of movement to the frame after each printing, so as to bring
a fresh surface under the printing apparatus.
By this arrangement of apparatus shawls or other articles may be printed
with great accuracy, and the printing rollers may be of such a diameter and
engraved so as to print a corner or quarter at one operation. When printing
fabrics or tissues in continuous pieces or lengths the fabric is secured whilst
being printed to a waxed or suitably prepared cloth having eyelet holes on
each selvage at equal distances apart, which are placed over registering pins
carried by the supporting frame or table as it is moved from time to time'
under the printing apparatus; or the selvages of the waxed or prepared cloth
before described may be fixed to light chains wound upon a roller, and a
forward movement given to the cloth after each printing by an axis and
pinions with pins or projections thercon, which take into or between the links
of the chain, a divided ratchet and driver being employed to give a regulated
amount of movement thereto.
When printing paper-hangings by the apparatus before described tho
selvages are held down by pressing plates, and registering pins are employed
to determine the amount of movement after each printing.
And in order that the Invention may be most fully understood I will proceed
to describe the Drawing hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a printing machine or apparatus con
structed according to this Invention; Figure 2 is a plan of the same; Figure 3
shows a side view of the carriage A on a larger scale; Figure 4 shews tho
apparatus for raising and lowering the table D; Figure 5 shews a. side view of
the divider D'; Figure 6 shews part of one of the racks. L' acting to put
in and out of gear the rollers L, which carry the endless cloth; Figure 7
shews part of a waxed or suitably prepared cloth, having eyelet holes at the
selvages at equal distances apart; Figure 8 shews a similar cloth, the selvages
in this arrangement being connected to two. Vauconson or other suitable light

page_text: chains or bands with pinions and axes for taking up the cloth uniformly. a is
the framing of the machine, the two upper sides 6 of which are furnished with
racks on which the carriage A of the printing apparatus travels to and fro;
6', 6', aro adjusting screws to raise or lower and thus adjust the position of tho
frame b; D is an iron table, which is raised and lowered by means of the
rack F connected to the tumblers or weighted levers G, as shewn, causing the
four pinions and excentrics E to make a partial revolution when the carriage A
arrives at either end of its movement. In order to ease or equalise the force
of the motion of the table D, it is provided in the centre underneath with a
counterbalance weight or lever H; I is a groove or recess formed in the
table D to admit of frames of different sizes being used.
The carriage A, shewn separately on a larger scale at Figure 8, carries a
series of printing rollers K, made of wood, copper, metal, or other suitablo
material engraved in relief, and there are toothed pinions K' fixed on the axes
of the rollers K, which take into the teeth of the conducting racks C, as the
carriage A moves to and fro across the machine. Circular brushes (not shown
in the Drawing) are applied to the carriago A, which come into action by
means of tumblers to cleanse the printing rollers K during their return move-
iment without printing. L are rollers carrying endless bands M with one or
more colors, and actuated by the rollers K during the printing operation, after
which, when the carriage reaches the end of its course, the rollers L are dis-
engaged by the racks L' (Figure 6), and remain stationary during the return
of the carriage to the starting point; N, N, are spreading or distributing
rollers, which distribute the color evenly upon the endless cloth M as it is
supplied from the funnel or trough O, which may be made of copper, glass, or
any other suitable material. The color trough O is carried by the support R,
and is furnished with a regulating cock P, which is closed by the lifting of the
endless band or cloth M, when the rollers L are raised by the disengaging
rack L', Figure 6, before described; Q are weighted levers, which press upon
the axes of the engraved or printing rollers K, by which the requisite pres-
sure is given to each roller, as required for each particular color being
printed; X, X, are adjusting screws to the journals of the rollers L to
regulate the position of the endless bands or cloths M. The carriage A thus
arranged is moved in the following manner :-S, S, are hooks fixed at each end
of the carriage A, to which the two ends of the band or chain T is attached,
and passing under the carriage and over the grooved pullies U. By giving
motion to the fly wheel V in one direction or the other, the carriage A is
moved to and fro across the machine, the forward movement of the carriage A
causes the toothed wheels K' on the axes of the engraved rollers K, to engago

page_text: with the teeth of the racks C, and thus cause the rollers to print their designs.
as they travel over the material supported upon the table D; the toothed.
wheels K' also give motion to toothed pinions on one of each pair of the
rollers L, to actuate the endless bands or cloths M and the color distributing
rollers N. On arriving at the end of its movement the carriage A comes in
contact with the tumbler or weighted lever G, the movement of which lowers
the table D, and by reversing the movement of the carriage A, the action of
the rollers L and N will be suspended by the racks L' acting to raise the
pinions on the rollers L out of gear with the toothed wheels K', and thus
prevent any impression during the return movement of the carriage A to the
starting point when it comes in contact with the tumbler or weighted lever G',
which again raises the table D into position to recommence the printing..
Figure 2 shews the carriage A in its course. a, a, are iron frames furnished
underneath with two racks placed on each side of the frame b³, which is moved
by a horizontal shaft C' with a divider D', and spring catches (shewn sepa-
rately at Figure 5), the regulated movement of which is exactly adapted to
the moveable division slides fitted on the frame, and which is adjusted by
means of a light spring according to the size of the engraved designs.
For printing shawls moveable frames of wood are used, mounted or bound
with iron perfectly square, and placed together, upon the frames of which I
have spoken above, and having a tightened waxed or suitably prepared cloth
stretched thereon, upon which the shawls to be printed are stuck or secured
with gum or other suitable adhesive material, and by placing a second frame
furnished with points and perfectly square like the preceding one, and on
which the shawls have been previously fastened and stretched. The material
being thus fixed passes successively under the printing rollers as many times
as the division requires till its printing is finished.
To print the borders of shawls two small waxed or prepared cloths are used
fitted at the top, and at each end of the table D, held stationary by two plates
of wood and iron attached to the frame, and upon which the waxed or pre-
pared cloths are nailed. These same plates serve to attach bands of waxed
or prepared cloth to preserve the borders or separations of the shawls, which.
are full and deep, from contact with the printing rollers. Machines con-
structed according to this Invention may have printing rollers of various
sizes, and by having the carriage A sufficiently large, shawls may be printed
in quarters and with good corners.
For printing long lengths or piece goods of every description, they are to
be stuck or secured as above stated for shawls upon waxed or suitably pre-
pared cloth with fixed divisions (represented by small metal eyelets in Figure 7).

page_text: which are placed upon corresponding points fixed on each side of the table D
at the distance required by the size of the material to be printed, and between
which the engraved rollers K pass when printing. By the position of the
machine (Fig. 2) and of the frames a', it will be easily seen that the fabrics
or tissues are printed crosswise, both shawls and piece goods. Reference has
before been made to the fixing of the fabrics or tissues whilst being printed to
a waxed or suitably prepared cloth, and I would here remark that it is a very
important feature in this Invention, as it not only furnishes the means of
printing one or more colors at a time, but it also allows the color or colors
first printed to dry without varying, or causing the fabric to shrink or vary in
its superficial dimensions, and admits of the additional and successive printings
of different colors to complete the pattern or design with the certainty of the
correctness of each separate printing, and thus avoids any derangement of the
design to which successive printings have heretofore been very liable and
difficult to accomplish; and it should be understood that by these improve-
ments an indefinite number of colors may be printed at longer or shorter
distances apart without any risk of there ever being any confusion or derange-
ment between them, which gives to the design printed by this process a
clearness and superiority over those generally employed.
Figure 8 shews a waxed or prepared cloth mounted on two Vauconson or
other suitable light chains having uniform divisions, and carried by an axis with
a crank handle fitted at each end, with two conducting pinions having projec-
tions which take into the links of the chain, the other end being kept stretched
by a roller with a ratchet, on which the waxed or prepared cloth is rolled.
This apparatus is provided with a divider D' (Figure 5), to regulate the
motion of the cloth proportionably to the extent of the printing left on the
fabric or tissue by the printing rollers K beforo described, proportioned to
the matching or registering of the design. With the machinery or apparatus
previously described, not only may fabrics be printed, such as stuff's of all kinds,
oil cloths, leather, mohair, chain thread, silk, wool, or cotton, but also tinted or
painted papers, for which purpose the process is similar to that employed for
printing woven fabrics, except that the waxed or prepared cloth in divisions
is not required, and the size of the printing rollers are adapted to print at one
revolution only the width of the paper, leaving as is usual a margin on each
side of the paper by means of hollow or recessed parts left on the printing
rollers at the corresponding parts of the side of the design. The first roller,
called the printing or impressing roller, is furnished with matching points,
which in printing indicate the matching or registering of the length of the
corresponding parts of the design, and the first passage of the printing roller

page_text: allows the change to take correctly by inserting the fixed points on the table D
in the matching or registering points left on the paper by the first passage of
the printing roller. All the other colors one or more at a time are cor-
rectly printed in succession by the aid of the registering points, that is to say,
by the indicated points given by the printing rollers and by the points fixed on
the impression table D of the machine. In order to hold the paper properly
stretched during the passage of the printing rollers, and to prevent its being
torn, the carriage A in passing presses upon two properly fitted pressing plates
fitted to the sides of the table D. For woven fabrics the colors should be
allowed to dry between each successive printing, which may be correctly done
by the aid of the matching or registering points previously described.
Machinery or apparatus constructed according to this Invention, should be
adapted in size to the particular kind of printing it is intended to perform,
and I would remark that the arrangement of the parts may be varied without
departing from the nature of the Invention.
Having thus described the nature of the Invention, and the manner of
putting the same into practice, I would have it understood that I do not
intend to confine myself to the exact details herein described so long as the
peculiar features of the Invention be retained; but what I claim is, the
arrangement of machinery or apparatus for printing woven or other fabrics or
tissues in one or more colors as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Henry Birkbeck, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.