IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS AND METHOD OF PRODUCING LITHOGRAPHIC IMPRESSIONS, AND IN THE APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Simmons, of 289, Holborn, and George
Walter Simmons, of 7, New Turnstile, Holborn, both in the County of
Middlesex, Lithographic Printers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MEANS AND METHOD OF PRODUCING LITHOGRAPHIC IMPRESSIONS, AND IN
THE APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH."
Sealed the 29th August 1865, and dated the 12th May 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Simmons and
George Walter Simmons at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 12th May 1865.
We, GEORGE SIMMONS, of 289, Holborn, and GEORGE WALTER SIMMONS,
of 7, New Turnstile, Holborn, both in the County of Middlesex, Lithographic
Printers, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MEANS AND METHOD OF PRODUCING LITHOGRAPHIC IMPRESSIONS, AND
IN THE APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH," to be as follows:-
Our Invention consists in producing lithographic impressions of a more
clear and distinct appearance than has hitherto been obtained by the well
known method. We propose to dispense entirely with the scraper, which in

page_text: passing the work beneath is apt and frequently does stretch the work, and
especially in colour printing prevents the proper registering of the colours.
Again it is well known by those in the trade that many stones are broken by
being (almost imperceptibly) uneven, by rigid pressure of the scraper.
Now we propose to employ two, three, or more rollers of equal dimensions,
either of hard wood, leather, brass, iron, or even steel; these rollers are set
in suitable bearings, their lower surfaces being on the same plane; these
rollers we cover with gutta percha, india-rubber, felt, cotton, flannel, or other
such material as will give a slight flexibility to the surface of each roller. It
is thus evident that as the work passes these rollers it receives the equal
pressure of the whole number, and brings off a more clear and even im-
pression than by the old method of the scraper; and it will be found in
practice that when a stone is once set it will be next to impossible to break
it. We also dispense with the ordinary "tympin," as the work passes the
rollers freely and cleanly, and the work can be done with much greater
speed and with more certainty. It is certain that by these means the work
cannot shift nor elongate by its several passages in colour printing. For
chromo-lithography this method of working will be found of the greatest
importance.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed 2
by the said George Simmons and George Walter Simmons in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 11th November 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, GEORGE
SIMMONS, of 289, Holborn, and GEORGE WALTER SIMMONS, of 7, New Turn-
stile, Holborn, both in the County of Middlesex, Lithographic Printers, send 2
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing. date the Twelfth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight. hundred and sixty-five, in. the twenty-eighth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant 3
unto us, the said George Simmons. and George. Walter Simmons, Her special
licence that we, the said George Simmons and. George Walter. Simmons, our
executors, administrators, and assigns,, or such others as we, the. said George
Simmons and George Walter Simmons, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time 3

page_text: 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 Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS AND METHOD OF PRODUCING LITHOGRAPHIC
IMPRESSIONS, AND IN THE APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH," upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said George Simmons and George Walter
Simmons, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under our, or their hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one
of us or them, should particularly 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 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 Simmons, on behalf of myself
and the said George Walter Simmons, 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 :-
Our Invention consists in producing lithographic impressions of a more
clear and distinct appearance than has hitherto been obtained by the well
known method. We propose to dispense entirely with the scraper which in
passing the work beneath is apt and frequently does stretch the work, and
especially in colour printing prevents the proper registering of the colours
correctly. Again it is well known by those in the trade that many stones are
broken by being (almost imperceptibly) uneven, by the rigid or unyielding
pressure of the scraper..
Now we propose to employ two, three, or more rollers of equal dimensions,
either of hard wood, leather, brass, iron, or even steel; these rollers are set in
suitable bearings, their lower surfaces being on the same plane. These rollers
we cover with gutta percha, india-rubber, felt, cotton, flannel, or other such
material as will give a slight flexibility to the surface of each roller. It is
thus evident that as the work passes these rollers it receives the equal
pressure of the whole number, and brings off a more clear and even im-
pression that by the old method of the scraper; and it will be found in
practice that when a stone is once set it will be next to impossible to break
it. We also dispense with the ordinary "tympan," as the work passes the
rollers freely and clearly, and the work can be done with much greater
speed and with more certainty. It is certain that by these means the work

page_text: cannot shift nor elongate by its several passages in colour printing. For
chromo-lithography this method of working will be found of the greatest
importance.
And in order that our improvements may be most fully understood and
readily carried into practice, we will proceed to describe the Drawing here- 5
unto annexed.
ני
press having apparatus applied thereto arranged in accordance with our im-
provements.
a, a, are two pressure rollers which we prefer to be of metal, although we
do not confine ourselves thereto. The rollers a, a, are supported and revolve in
bearings formed in the bracket or support 6 fixed or attached in any convenient
manner to the cross bar or follower c; al, a', are auxiliary pressing rollers, which
serve to adjust the surface of the rollers a, a, to the surface of the stone, should
it be uneven, the rollers a¹, a¹, being capable of adjustment in their bearings
by means of set screws; d is the roller which moves the bed e, with the stone
thereon, to and fro underneath the rollers a, a, au impression being taken in
its movement in either direction. Fly wheels may be applied on each end of
the roller d, if desired, to assist in carrying the bed and stone through the
press. By substituting the rollers a, a, for the ordinary scraper, the ordinary
tympan is dispensed with, a sheet of leather, feit, or other suitable material
being laid upon the paper whilst passing it through the press to take an im-
pression from the stone. Or a leather or other sheet may be passed under the
rollers a, a, the ends of the sheet being attached to and suspended by a cord
passing over a pulley placed above the centre of the press to serve as a self-
acting tympan between the rollers a, a, and the stone when required.
By the
use of the pressure rollers a, a, the "backing" of lithographic stones with
plaster, as commonly practised, is dispensed with owing to the comparatively
Sinall amount of pressure required. Considerable time is economized as so
few motions are required, compared with those of ordinary lithographic presses;
and the printer can work with much greater cleanliness by dispensing with the
greasy tympan and scraper.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention, and the manner of
carrying the same into practice, we would have it understood that we do not
confine ourselves to the exact details herein shown and described, but what we
claim is, the application of two or more pressure rollers a, a, to lithographic

page_text: presses arranged in the manner herein described in place of the ordinary
scraper, whereby more clear and perfect lithographic impressions are obtained.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Simmons, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Tenth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
GEORGE SIMMONS.. (L.s.)
Witness,
J. G. TONGUE,
Patent Agent,
34, Southampton Buildings, W.C.