IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTATORY PRINTING MACHINES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Lloyd Wise, of Chandos Chambers, Adelphi, in
the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTATORY
PRINTING MACHINES." A communication from abroad by Messieurs Pierre
Alauzet and Company, of 15, Rue des Halles, Paris, France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Lloyd Wise at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th October 1878.
WILLIAM LLOYD WISE, of Chandos Chambers, Adelphi, in the County of Middle-
sex, "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTATORY PRINTING MACHINES." (A. communication
from abroad by Messieurs Pierre Alauzet and Company, of 15, Rue des Halles, Paris,
France.)
This Invention has reference to the construction of rotatory printing machines
and comprises improved arrangements for inking the type or forme, operating the
set-off sheet, and folding the printed sheets.
Each type cylinder is provided with two sets of inking apparatus, each set having
a separate ink duct or trough, distributing rollers, and two inking rollers. For
operating automatically the set-off sheet (by which is meant the sheet of paper or
other suitable substance, such as felt or cloth, interposed between the side already
printed of a sheet of paper and the second impression cylinder) the following
arrangement is employed:-In bearings in a suitable frame are fitted two horizontal
reels a short vertical distance apart. The frame is able (except when fixed by a
catch) to be moved in a rotatory sense on its axis, which is equidistant from the
axes of the two reels. To each reel axis is keyed or fixed a spur pinion. One of
the reels having been provided with a set-off sheet of suitable length, the frame is
fixed with that reel uppermost by means of the catch already mentioned. Then
the free end of the set-off sheet is passed partly round the second impression
cylinder, and thence on to the empty or lower reel. When the machine is put in
motion the set-off sheet passing from the upper reel partly round the second
CD 32

page_text: impression cylinder is gradually wound on to the empty or lower reel: When the
lower reel has received the whole of the set-off sheet the catch is disengaged, the
reel frame turned so as to bring the now filled lower reel into the upper position;
then the frame is again securely fixed in position, the free end of the set-off sheet
on the upper reel then being passed partly round the second impression cylinder to
the lower and empty reel as before, and so on continuously. The set-off sheet is
wound off the upper reel by the pull exerted by the second impression cylinder,
and is caused to pass on to the lower reel at an equal velocity by means of a toothed
wheel driven from the machine putting in motion an intermediate pinion between
it and the pinion on the axis of the lower recl. By friction gear applied to the
intermediate pinion that pinion is caused to revolve at a speed just sufficient to
keep taut the successive spiral layers of the set-off sheet on the lower reel as the
sheet passes from the second impression cylinder.
For cutting and folding an arrangement of three cylinders is employed in con-
junction with endless travelling tapes on rollers, and with a folding knife having an
upward and downward motion. The paper having been twice folded by passing
between the two upper folding cylinders and between one of them and the third or
lower main folding cylinder, is then folded at right angles to the folds already
formed by the folding knife, pressing the paper down between two other folding
cylinders arranged below the said knife.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said William Lloyd Wise in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th April
1879.
WILLIAM LLOYD WISE, late of Chandos Chambers, Adelphi, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, now of 7, Whitehall Place, in the City of Westminster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ROTATORY PRINTING MACHINES." A communication from abroad by Messieurs
Pierre Alauzet and Company, of 15, Rue des Halles, Paris, France.
This Invention has reference to the construction of rotatory printing machines,
and comprises improved arrangements for inking the type or form, operating the
set-off sheet, and folding the printed sheets.
Each type cylinder is provided with two sets of inking apparatus, each set
having a separate ink duct or trough, distributing rollers, and two inking rollers.
For operating automatically the set-off sheet (by which is meant the sheet of paper
or other suitable substance, such as felt or cloth, interposed between the side already
printed of a sheet of paper and the second impression cylinder) the following
arrangement is employed. In bearings in a suitable frame are fitted two horizontal
reels a short vertical distance apart. The frame is able (except when fixed by a
catch) to be moved in a rotatory sense on its axis, which is equidistant from the
axes of the two reels. To each reel axis is keyed or fixed a spur pinion. One of
the reels having been provided with a set-off sheet of suitable length, the frame is
fixed with that reel uppermost by means of the catch already mentioned. Then
the free end of the set-off sheet is passed partly round the second impression
cylinder, and thence on to the empty or lower reel. When the machine is put in
motion the set-off sheet passing from the upper reel partly round the second
impression cylinder is gradually wound on to the empty or lower real. When the
lower reel has received the whole of the set-off sheet the catch is disengaged, the
reel frame turned so as to bring the now filled lower reel into the upper position;
then the frame is again securely fixed in position, the free end of the set-off sheet
on the upper reel then being passed partly round the second impression cylinder to
the lower and empty reel as before, and so on continuously. The set-off sheet is
wound off the upper reel by the pull exerted by the second impression cylinder,
and is caused to pass on to the lower reel at an equal velocity by means of a toothed
wheel driven from the machine putting in motion an intermediate pinion between
it and the pinion on the axis of the lower reel. By friction gear applied to the
intermediate pinion that pinion is caused to revolve at a speed just sufficient to
keep taut the successive spiral layers of the set-off sheet on the lower reel as the
sheet passes from the second impression cylinder.
For cutting and folding an arrangement of three cylinders is employed in con-
junction with endless travelling tapes on rollers, and with a folding knife having an
upward and downward motion. The paper having been twice folded by passing
between the two upper folding cylinders and between one of them and the third or
lower main folding cylinder, is then folded at right angles to the folds already
formed by the folding knife pressing the paper down between two other folding
cylinders arranged below the said knife.
Referring to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings,-
Fig. 1 is an outline side elevation of a rotatory printing machine according to
this Invention.
Fig. 2 is an end view of portions of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a detached view illustrating the arrangement of the folding apparatus.
A is the reel of paper to be printed, which travels up to the folding cylinders in
the direction indicated by the arrows.
B, B', are damping rollers covered with felt, between which passes the sheet to
be printed.
C, C¹, are troughs or vessels containing water, in which the peripheries of the
1
D
1

page_text: D,D', are overflow tubes of the troughs C, C¹, such tubes being raised or lowered
by means of a screw and nut arrangement, so as to immerse the peripheries of the
damping rollers more or less as may be necessary.
E, E, are pressure rollers, which are caused to press against the damping rollers
B, B¹, and allow of the paper receiving the desired degree of dampness according to
the amount of their pressure against the said damping rollers.
F is the first impression cylinder covered with cloth (étoffes).
G is the first type cylinder which carries the form or surface to be printed from
(planches gravécs).
His the upper ink duct, which, by a series of distributing rollers & supplies the
two inking rollers a, a', which ink the form.
H¹ is the lower ink duct similar to the upper one, and supplying ink in a similar
manner to the inking rollers b, b', which ink the same form as the inking
rollers a, a'.
I is the second impression cylinder.
J is the second type cylinder which carries the form or surface for printing the
sheet on its return or second side, and is inked by two sets of inking rollers
supplied in the same manner as those of the first type cylinder G. Hence the type
cylinders are inked each by two sets of inking rollers, which arrangement forins a
special feature of the present Invention. Such double inking may be carried out
in the modified form illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 of the Drawings where only one
ink duct (H, H¹) is used in connection with each type cylinder; and the inking
rollers a, a, and b, b', respectively are arranged so that they may be moved from
and returned accurately to position against the type cylinders, and ink rollers or
cylinders ("tables à encrer") by the following arrangement:-Referring to Fig. 5,
which shews the inking rollers a, a', 1, 2, are sliding blocks or parts carrying the
axes of the respective rollers a and a¹. In gear with each block or part is one end
of a lever, the lever 3 being in gear with 1, and the lever 4 with 2; 3* and 4*, are
the fulcra of the respective levers, their upper ends have jointed to them screwed
rods 5 and 6. The screws are respectively right and left handed; 7 is a nut, by
turning which the upper ends of the levers may be caused to approach or recede
from each other, thus moving the blocks or parts 1, 2, (and consequently also the
rollers a, a,) from or towards the cylinder G and ink roller or cylinder S*. The
ends of the sliding blocks or parts 1, 2, are made so as by meeting to determine the
maximum movement of the respective rollers a, a, towards the cylinder G and ink
roller or cylinder S*. By the use of such or equivalent mechanical means for
removing the inking rollers to and from the type cylinders and the other ink rollers
or cylinders (tables à encrer) as described, much time and trouble are saved. The
ink ducts may be supplied with ink by a pump or pumps in either of the above-
described arrangements.
With reference to the method of operating the set-off sheet, N is a reel on which
is wound the long sheet of paper, felt, cloth, or other suitable material constituting
the set-off sheet, such reel being fitted so as to revolve in bearings fitted to the
frame ; O is another reel fitted to the reel frame in a similar manner to the
reel Ni is the central axis on which the reel frame may be made to revolve or
turn bodily in a rotatory sense, it being kept in a fixed position, and released
therefrom by means of a suitable catch.
The apparatus for operating the set-off sheet is driven from the machine by the
spur wheel / engaging in the pinion ¹. On the same axis, and near to the pinion h¹,
is fitted a pinion (which I will call v) driven through friction gear by the pinion h¹,
and engaging, as the case may be, either with the pinion on the axis of the reel O,
thereby causing the reel O to revolve on its axis, or with the pinion ? on the axis
of the reel N when this reel is lowermost, thereby causing the reel N to rotate on
its axis.
From the reel N (as shewn) the free end of the set-off sheet is passed partly
round the second impression cylinder I, and thence on to the empty or lower reel O.
The set-off sheet is wound off the upper reel by the pull exerted by the second

page_text: impression cylinder I, and is caused to pass on to the lower reel O at an equal
velocity by means of the pinion v (not shewn) driven through friction gear so as
not to be in absolute connection with the pinion h¹, but 'so as to slip as required
according to the velocity of the reel O. The friction mechanism may be arranged in
connection with the pinion & instead of the pinion h¹.
When the lower reel O has received the whole of the set-off sheet the catch
before mentioned (not shewn) is disengaged, the reel frame turned so as to bring
the filled lower reel O into the upper position, or, in other words, the position shown
occupied by the reel N, which reel will then occupy the lower position, with its
pinion in gear with the pinion v, when the reel frame is again securely fixed in
position by means of the catch, the free end of the set-off sheet p on the upper reel
(which is now 0) being passed partly round the second impression cylinder I to the
lower and empty reel (which is now N) as before, and so on continuously.
A result similar to that given by the pinion v, fitted with frictional gear, may
be otherwise obtained, as, for instance, by an automatic compensating movement by
two continuous cones inversely inclined, or by a pulley actuated by the face of a
rolling disc, and insensibly approaching the centre, as is practised in weaving.
The sheet, printed on both sides, travels in the direction shown by the arrows,
and arrives at the folding cylinders K, L, (Fig. 3). At a (the point of contact
(génératrice de contact) of the cylinders K, L) are on the cylinder K a gripper or
pincer which holds the sheet the whole length of said cylinder, and on the cylin-
der L pushers which push the sheet into the said gripper or pincer. At b on the
cylinder L is a cutter (scie) which cuts the sheet throughout its width in the
usual way. At 61 on the cylinder K is a groove corresponding to the position of
the cutter (scie) fixed at b. At e on the cylinder K are ordinary gripper or pincer
pushers. At e on the cylinder M is the corresponding gripper or pincer.
The printed sheet is rolled on the cylinder K, having been cut by the cutter
(scie) b when this latter was opposite the corresponding groove b². The end of the
sheet descends perpendicularly, and meets the tapes d, d, which carry it along until
the cylinders are in the position shewn in Fig. 3, a corresponding with a', and the
first fold being formed at this point by the gripper or pincer at a. In this relative
position of the cylinders the sheet occupies the position indicated by the line thus
The end of the sheet continues descending on to the tapes d, d, as
shewn, until the gripper or pincer a arrives in front of the tapes d. From this
point the gripper or pincer carries in its movement from right to left the once
creased paper, one part being against the cylinder, the other or lower part being
that shewn as resting on the tapes d, and which now returns in an opposite direc-
tion, or, in other words, is drawn from right to left. Thus the sheet is doubled to
the right of the gripper or pincer a.
When the gripper or pincer a comes in contact with the cylinder M the gripper
or pincer e next following comes in contact with the cylinder L, but no effect is
produced thereby; on the contrary, when the gripper or pincer a arrives at the
horizontal diameter (at the point b', Fig. 3), then e and e' correspond or are in
contact, and a second fold (folding the sheet into four) is formed at the point of
contact of K with M. The gripper or pincer el draws along the sheet thus folded,
the fold first made (having arrived at the position 6¹) now tending to approach the
end of the sheet which is still travelling from the tapes d, d, and the other end,
which still envelopes the lower right portion of the cylinder K, and which is cut as
soon as b and b' are in contact, and a and a¹ are opposite one another on the same
horizontal diameter.
Therefore the gripper or pincer el carries along the sheet which takes the form of
a V of which the branches keep closing in and of which the lower point or apex
(the gripper or pincer) travels from right to left carrying along the sheet previously
detached by a cut from the original sheet.
The sheet, cut and folded as described, is taken between the cylinder M and the
tapes c, c', which support it, and assist it to close completely, then and as soon as
the gripper or pincer e' arrives at the lower point, it opens, the folded sheet passes

page_text: between the cylinder M and the lower tapes, which conduct it underneath the
knife c.
The up-and-down movement of the knife c is effected by means of an eccentric
fitted to the axis of the cylinder M, so that when the sheet has been brought
beneath the knife by the tapes the knife descends, thereby pushing down and
folding the sheet, and causing it to pass between the rollers f, which conduct it
thus folded into a suitable receptacle.
Having described the nature of the said Invention as communicated to me as
aforesaid, and the manner of carrying it into practical effect, I hereby declare that
what I claim as secured to me under the Letters Patent herein-before in part
recited is,―
11
1. The method, substantially as described with reference to the accompanying
Drawings, of combining two sets of inking rollers or apparatus with each "type"
(or printing surface) cylinder.
2. The method, substantially as described, of arranging and operating the set-off
sheet.
3. The improved folding apparatus, constructed, arranged, and operating sub-
stantially as shewn and described.
4. The combination of parts constituting the improved printing machine, con-
structed, arranged, and operating substantially as described and shewn.
4
In witness whereof, I, the said William Lloyd Wise, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
W. LLOYD WISE: (L.S.)