Improvements in Platen Printing Machines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 31st July, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 2nd May, 1892-Accepted, 4th June, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Platen Printing Machines.
We FREDERICK HARRILD of the firm of Harrild and Sons of Fleet Works,
Farringdon Street in the City of London, Printing Machine Manufacturers, and
JOHN FREDERICK BUCKLAND of the same place, Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
-
In platen printing machines as hitherto constructed there is only one impression
platen and therefore while this platen and the type bed are receding from each
other after an impression has been taken the machine is as it were inoperative.
Now according to this invention we make the type bed double, that is to say we fix
two beds back to back and we employ two impression platens opposite the two beds
respectively, and we so work these platens that while the one is receding from the
corresponding bed after receiving the impression the other is advancing towards its
bed to receive the impression. We thus obtain by the addition of a few parts a
machine capable of turning out double the work of an ordinary platen machine.
The second platen can be worked by means of a cam on the same shaft that actuates
the first platen, this cam being connected by a rod to a crank on a shaft in the second
platen.
For the purpose of inking the formes on the two type beds we employ two sets of
inking and distributing rollers at right angles to each other, so that as the roller
wing oscillates in the usual manner the one set of rollers is taking the ink and
distributing it on the ink table while the other set is inking the forme, the action of
the two sets being alternate.
In order to lock cach platen while it is taking the impression we have at each end
of the frame a lug which arrests the platen when this has reached the position for
taking the impression and we employ a lever which is then brought up against the
piece carrying the platen so as to hold or lock it against the lug. This lever is
mounted on a rocking shaft and is actuated by a cam on the spur wheel shaft, this
cam moving another lever fixed to the rocking shaft. The end of the lever that
works against the cam may have a tumbler fitted in a slot for regulating the throw
of the lever to compensate for any wear.
In order to provide for altering or throwing off" the impressions, and either of
them independently of the other, we connect two rods to a crank or cranks on the
excentric shaft that passes through the oscillating piece carrying the type beds, the
two rods passing respectively to the two ends of the machine.
Each rod passes
through a guide fixed to the rocking shaft on which the corresponding platen is
pivoted. Opposite the end of this rod is an adjustable screw carried excentrically
by a disc which can be turned axially in a boss on the frame. As the piece
carrying the type beds oscillates, the rods come alternately against the adjustable
screws and by screwing the screw at either end of the machine inwards or outwards,
the corresponding rod will come in contact with it sooner or later as the case may
be and thus cause the type bed to move more or less forward; the amount or
degree of impression can thus be varied. If it is required to "throw off" the
impression at either side the disc above described is turned round so as to move the
screw out of line with the rod; the rod therefore does not come in contact with
the screw and the type bed is not drawn forward to give the impression.
The machine can be worked either by one treadle or by two treadles, one at
each end.

page_text: The arrangements described for locking the platen and for altering or throwing
off the impression are also applicable to single platen machines.
Data: 21st day of In.1. 1901
J. C. MEWBURN,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Platen Printing Machines.
We, FREDERICK HARRILD of the firm of Harrild and Sons of Fleet Works,
Farringdon Street, in the City of London, Printing Machine Manufacturers and
JOHN FREDERICK BUCKLAND of the same place, Engineer, 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 :-
In platen printing machines as hitherto constructed there is only one impression
platen and therefore while this platen and the type bed are receding from each
other after an impression has been taken the machine is as it were inoperative.
Now according to this invention we make the type bed double, that is to say, we fix
two beds back to back and we employ two impression platens opposite the two beds
respectively, and we so work these platens that while the one is receding from the
corresponding bed after receiving the impression the other is advancing towards its
bed to receive the impression. We thus obtain by the addition of a few parts a
machine capable of turning out double the work of an ordinary platen machine.
The second platen can be worked by means of a cam on the same shaft that actuates
the first platen, this cam being connected by a rod to a crank on a shaft in the second
platen.
For the purpose of inking the formes on the two type beds, we employ two sets
of inking and distributing rollers at an angle to each other so that as the roller
wings oscillate in the usual manner the one set of rollers is taking the ink and
distributing it on the corresponding ink table while the other set is inking the forme,
the action of the two sets being alternate.
When cach platen has reached the position for taking the impression it is
arrested or stopped by a lug against which the tail of the platen-piece comes.
In order to provide for altering or for "throwing off " the impressions, and either
of them independently of the other, we connect two rods to a crank or cranks on the
excentric shaft that passes through the oscillating piece carrying the type beds, the
two rods passing respectively to the two ends of the machine. Each rod passes
through a guide. Opposite the end of each of these rods is an adjustable screw
carried by a disc which can be moved by a suitable appliance. As the piece
carrying the type beds oscillates, the rods come alternately against the adjustable
screws and if the screw at either end of the machine be screwed inwards or out-
wards, the corresponding rod will come in contact with it sooner or later as the case
may be and thus cause the type bed to move more or less forward; the amount or
degree of impression can thus be varied. If it is required to "throw off" the
impression at either side the disc above described is moved so as to move the screw
out of line with the rod; the rod therefore does not come in contact with the screw
and the type bed is not drawn forward to give the impression. This arrangement
for altering or throwing off the impression is also applicable to single feeder platen
machines in which case only one of the rods with a corresponding screw carried by
a movable disc will be employed.
The machine can be worked either by one treadle or by two treadles one at each
end, or it may be worked by steam or other power.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a side elevation and Figure 2 a front
elevation of a two feeder platen printing machine constructed according to our
invention.

page_text: a a¹are the two type beds carried back to back in a frame b which has the usual
oscillating or vibrating motion upon a shaft or axis at c. This motion is com-
municated to it in the ordinary manner by means of rods & connected at one end to
a transverse shaft e which passes through the oscillating frame band at the other to
the crank pins ff one of these being carried by the toothed wheel and the other
by the cam disc on the same shaft i as the wheel g. The wheel is driven by a
pinion on the driving shaft k. are the two platens. The platen / is worked
in the usual manner; that is to say it is carried by a piece m which is mounted on
a rocking shaft n and has a crank arm p carrying a roller or truck 7 which is acted
upon by a camr formed on the inner face of the wheel g. The platen at the
other end of the machine is similarly mounted on a rocking shaft n' and has a crank
arm pl which receives motion from a rod S the opposite end of which carries a
roller or truck q' which is acted upon by a cam in the disc h, this disc being
carried by the same shaft i as the wheel gas has been already stated. The rod
is slotted at S¹ to allow of the shaft i passing through it. The platen is shown as
receiving the impression, and the platen in the position for taking the white sheet.
ttare lugs or stops one at each end of the machine against which the tail of the
corresponding platen piece comes and by which it is arrested when the platen has
reached the position for taking the impression. In order to provide for holding
either platen out of work if required without stopping the operation of the other
platen there is at each end of the machine a pivoted catch piece u which is normally
in such a position as seen at the left hand of Figure 1 that the tail of the platen
piece will clear it but the catch piece can be moved when required into the
position seen at the right hand of Figure 1 so as to hold the platen out of work;
this movement of the catch piece is given by means of a spring plate v
caused by an excentric w actuated by a handle x to act on the tail of the catch
piece.
A and A' are the two sets of inking and distributing rollers for inking the formes
on the two type beds a a' respectively, and B B₁ are two corresponding inking
tables. The two sets of rollers are carried at an angle to each other by the roller
wings CC which are connected together by the transverse shaft (and are caused
to oscillate in the usual manner owing to the oscillating motion of the frame b which
carries it combined with the action of the connecting rod D which is pin-jointed at
one end to the frame of the machine and at the other end to an arm E on one of the
roller wings.
FF are the two rods which as hereinbefore described provide for altering either
of the impressions as desired independently of the other or for "throwing off" either
of them in case of need. These rods are connected at one end to one end or part of
a crank G G on the transverse shaft e and each of them at its other end passes
through a guide H. Opposite this end of the rod is an adjustable screw I carried
by a disc J. The normal position of the screw and its carrying disc is seen at the
left hand of Figure 1. Each disc with its screw can be moved so as to shift the
screw out of line with the rod F and this movement is preferably given by lifting
the disc into the position seen at the right hand of Figure 1 by turning a handle K.
When the screw I is in line with the rod F the rod comes against it as the type
beds oscillate and by acting upon the crank G fixed to the shaft e and thus giving
a turning movement to this shaft an excentric e¹ on the shaft causes the corre-
sponding type bed to move more or less forward whereby the required amount or
degree of impression is effected; this degree is varied as found desirable by more
or less screwing up or unscrewing the screw I so as to cause the rod F to come in
contact with it sooner or later and thereby give a greater or less forward movement
to the type bed. When on the other hand it is required to throw off the impression
the screw I is lifted as seen at the right hand of Figure 1 and the rod F then passes
into a hole in the disc at L and is not acted upon. M M are two supplementary
rods attached to the other end of the crank G G on the shafte and working through
guides P P. When the disc and screw are in the position seen at the left hand of

page_text: Figure 1 the rod M passes through a hole in the disc and is inoperative, but when
the disc and screw are in the position seen at the right hand of the figure and the
rod F has to pass into the disc as above described the rod M comes against a full
part of the disc and is thereby caused to act on the crank G and give a partial turn
to the shaft e so as to move the type bed from the platen. We thus render the
working of one end of the machine independent of that of the other.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim in respect of platen printing machines is :-
1. The combination in one machine of two type beds and two impression platens
opposite the two type beds respectively, the platens being so worked that while the
one is receding from the corresponding bed the other is advancing towards its bed,
substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. In a machine having two type beds and two platens as referred to in Claim 1,
the arrangement or mechanism whereby the requisite movements are given to the
two platens from the saine shaft, substantially as herein before described.
3. In a machine having two type beds and two platens as referred to in Claim 1,
two sets of inking and distributing rollers carried by the same roller wings for
inking the formes on the two type beds respectively, substantially as herein before
described.
4. The arrangement or means for altering or for "throwing off" the impressions
in either a two-feeder platen or a single-feeder platen machine, substantially as
hereinbefore described.
5. The combination of parts substantially as hereinbefore described and repre-
sented in the accompanying drawings constituting a two-feeder platen printing
machine working as set forth.
Dated this 30th day of A nril 1809
J. C. MEWBURN,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agent.