IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CHARGING. HAND PRINTING BLOCKS WITH COLOR
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark of the firm of A. M and
W. Clark of 53, Chancery Lane, in the county of Middlesex, Patent Agents,
for an invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CHARGING. HAND
PRINTING BLOCKS WITH COLOR A communication from abroad by James
Hutchison of Newark in the County of Essex and State of New Jersey,
United States of America, Designer
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th April 1882.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK of the firm of A. M and W. Clark of 53 Chancery
Lane in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agents, "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR CHARGING HAND PRINTING BLOCKS WITH COLOR." [A communication from
abroad by James Hutchison of Newark in the County of Essex and State of New
Jersey, United States of America, Designer.]
In the hand printing of oilcloths or paper bangings as heretofore practised, it
has been necessary to apply the blocks used to a color cushion or pad once for
every different color printed, and these repeated operations made oilcloths or paper
hangings and other prints containing numerous colors very expensive.
The object of this Invention is to furnish a new and improved apparatus for
charging the printing block with several colors at the same time, thereby lessening
the number of impressions required to produce a pattern of many colors and thus
reducing the cost of the print, oilcloth, paper hanging, &c.
The Invention consists of a box containing as many rollers as there are separate
patterns on the printing block, these rollers cach dipping in separate color boxes
and mounted on shafts provided at the ends with friction rollers on which a frame
rests for carrying the printing block. By moving this block over the rollers the
distance of one pattern field, each pattern will be provided with its colors, and thus
a number of colors can be applied on the block in one operation.

page_text: For example, if the pattern of the oil cloth or paper hanging is to consist of a
series of ornaments contained in a series of squares, a block provided with two
square raised portions placed diagonally thereon and containing the engraved or
raised patterns, is used, in connection with coloring apparatus consisting of a flat
box having the sides projecting slightly above the ends. This box contains two
color cups each adapted to receive a coloring roller made of type metal or other
suitable material and each mounted on independent shafts journalled in the sidos
of the box and having friction rollers of the same diameter as the color rollers at
each end. These color rollers dip into the colors in their respective color cups and
their relative position corresponds to that of the engraved or raised patterns on the
block. A fraine rests on the friction rollers and upon this frame rest projections
on the block when the block is being charged with color. The length of the color
rollers is exactly equal to the length of the sides of the raised portions of the
block and the inner ends of the color rollers must be on the same right line. The
block having been placed on the frame, the latter is moved in the direction at right
angles to the shafts of the color rollers a distance exactly equal to the length of the
raised faces of the block. The friction of the frame on the friction rollers causes &
rotation of the color rollers whereby the color will be deposited on the blocks. For
instance, if the one cup contains a red color and the other cup contains a green
color, the pattern on the one portion or face of the block will be colored red,
-and-the-pattern-on-the-other-portion-or-face-will-be-colored-green-both-in-the-saine-
operation.
The box may contain a greater number of shafts, say four with two color rollers
on each dipping into corresponding color cups each containing a different color, the
construction being otherwise the same as just described. The rollers on one shaft
are opposite to the free or blank spaces of the adjoining shafts and the ends of the
rollers are also on right lines. The rollers are arranged according to the arrangement
of the portions containing the patterns of the block which in the example. are
disposed chequerwise. The block is thus provided with eight colors in ono
-operation-and-the-eight-colors-are-transferred-on-the-oil-cloth, paper, &c,-in-one-
operation, whereas heretofore eight operations were required.
Both devices described may be modified as circunstances and the patterns may
require, and the number of color rollers and the number of different colors may be
varied as may be required.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Soal Patent Office on the
26th October 1882.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK of the firm of A. M. and W. Clark of 53 Chancery
Lane in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agents "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR CHARGING HAND PRINTING BLOCKS WITHI COLOR A communication from
abroad by James Hutchison of Newark in the County of Essex and State of New
Jersey, United States of America, Designer
In the hand printing of oil cloths or paper hangings as heretofore practised it
has been necessary to apply the blocks used to a color cushion or pad once for
every different color printed, and these repeated oporations inade oil cloths or paper
hangings and other prints containing numerous colors very expensive. The object
of this Invention is to provide a new and improved apparatus for charging the
printing block with several colors at the same time, thereby lessening the number
of inpressions required to produce a pattern of many colors, and thus reducing the
cost of the print, oil cloth, paper hanging, &c.
The Invention consists of a box containing as many rollers as there are separate
patterns on the printing block, these rollers each dipping in separate color boxes
and mounted on shafts provided at the ends with friction rollers on which a frame
rests for carrying the printing block. By moving this block over the rollers the
distance of one pattern field, each pattern will be provided with its colors, and thus
a number of colors can be applied on the block in one operation.
In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved coloring.
apparatus for hand printing blocks provided with eight color rollers. Figure 2 is a
cross sectional elevation of the same and the corresponding printing block.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the block to be used with the same. Figuro 4
is a plan view of the improved coloring apparatus for hand printing blocks
provided with two color rollers. Figure 5 is a cross sectional elevation of the
Same with printing block applied thereon. Figure 6 is a perspective view of the
block to be used with the same. Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding
parts in all the figures.
For example, if the pattern of the oil cloth or paper hanging is to consist of a
series of ornaments contained in a series of squares, the block A Figure 6 provided
with the raised portions B B¹ containing the engraved or raised patterns C C' is
used, in connection with the coloring apparatus shown in Figures 4 and 5. This
apparatus consists of a flat box D having the sides E projecting slightly above the
ends F. This box contains two color cups G G¹ each adapted to receive a coloring
roller H H made of type inetal or other suitable material and each mounted ou
independent shafts J J journalled in the sides of the box D and having friction
rollers K K of the same diameter as the rollers H H' at each end. These coloring
rollers H H dip into the colors in their respective color cups G G¹ A frame L
rests on the friction rollers K K', and upon this frame the projections M of the
block A rest when the block A is being provided with color, the distance from the
surface of the engraved or raised pattern to the bottom of the projections M being
equal to the thickness of the frame L. The length of the rollers H H' is exactly
equal to the length of the sides of the portions B B of the block A. and the inner
ends of the rollers H H must be on the same right line, as shown by the dotted
line in Figure 4. The block A having been placed on the frame L, the frame is
moved in the direction at right angles to the shafts J J' a distance exactly equal
to the length of the rollers, that is, a distance equal to the length of the square
parts B B. If the portions B B are oblong, the block A is moved a distance
equal to the length of the parts B B. The friction of the frame L on the friction

page_text: rollers K K¹ causes a rotation of the rollers H H whereby the color will be
deposited on the blocks. For instance, if the cup G contains a red color and the
cup G¹ contains a green color, the pattern C on the portion B will be colored red,
and the pattern C on the portion B¹ will be colored green, both in the same
operation.
The box D shown in Figures 1 and 2. contains four shafts J, on each of which
there are two color rollers H dipping into corresponding color cups G each con-
taining a different color, the construction being otherwise the same as just
described. The rollers on one shaft are opposite to the free or blank spaces of
the adjoining shafts and the ends of the rollers are also on right lines as shown.
The rollers are arranged according to the arrangement of the portions B² con-
taining the patterns C³ of the block A². The block A³ is thus provided with
eight colors in one operation and the eight colors are transferred on the oil cloth,
paper, &c, in one operation, whereas heretofore eight operations were required.
Both devices described may be modified as circunstances and the patterns inay
require, and the number of color rollers and the number of different colors may be
varied as may be required. The portions B2 of the block A are preferably made
one quarter as large as the portions B B' of the block A, but may be made the
same size; in the latter case the blocks would be too large, the customary size of
these blocks being 9 by 9 inches.
Having described the nature of the said Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is.
1st In an apparatus for coloring the patterns of hand printing blocks, the
combination with a box of a series of shafts and of coloring rollers mounted
thereon, the rollers on one shaft being opposite the blank or free parts of the
adjoining shafts and the ends of the rollers being on right lines substantially as
described.
2nd An apparatus for coloring the patterns of hand printing blocks made
substantially-as-herein-shown-and-described with as many color rollers as there are
subdivisions or separate patterns on the block as set forth for the purpose of
transferring two or more colors to the block in one operation, as set forth.
3rd In an apparatus for coloring the patters of hand printing blocks as many
color rollers and corresponding color cups as there are subdivisions or separate
patterns on the block, substantially as herein shown and described and for the
purpose set forth.
4th In an apparatus for coloring the patterns of hand printing, blocks, the
combination with the box D of two or more shafts J, two or more color rollers H
thereon, and two or more color cups G, the friction rollers K and the frame L,
substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.
5th In an apparatus for coloring the patterns of hand printing blocks, the
combination with the box D having sides E higher than the ends F, of two or
more shafts J, two or more color rollers H, two or more color cups G, the friction'
rollers K and the frame L, substantially as herein shown and described and for the
purpose set forth.
In Witness whereof I the said Alexander Melville Clark have hercunto set
my hand and seal this twentieth day of October. A.D. 1882.