Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 6th July, 1887
Complete Left, 6th Apr., 1888
Complete Accepted, 11th May, 1888
I EDWARD WEBB of 62 Great Cheetham Street Manchester in the County of
Lancaster Manager do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the construction of a machine for printing in various colors
by the process known as "block printing," the object of the invention being to effect
such printing by automatic mechanical means.
A suitable frame provided with a fixed table carries in vertical slides above the same
the bearings of a horizontal shaft, which latter forms the axle on which is mounted a
roller. This roller is not of a cylindrical form but is made with as many plane faces
as there are blocks to be used, Say for example for a six color machine it has six
faces, or is of a hexagonal form. To each of these faces is fixed a suitable printing
block, which blocks are so arranged that one impression of each block in succession
upon the same place on the fabric will produce the perfect pattern.
This roller which I will call the "block printing roller," has an alternate rising and
falling motion given to it by a crank pin and link actuated by the main driving shaft ;
upwards to take the color onto its uppermost surface from the color furnishing roller
(hereinafter described) and downwards to give the impression from its lower surface
onto the floor cloth or fabric beneath.
At each angle of the hexagonal block printing roller is a pin, and on the frame are
provided guides in which these pins move, the said guides being provided with hinged
gates or "shunts" which guide the roller straight and prevent it from revolving
during its descent, and on its ascent come in the way of the pins and cause the block
printing roller to make one sixth of a turn so as to present a fresh block or surface to
the furnishing roller and at the same time bring a fresh block opposite to the printing
table.
Above the "block printing roller" and parallel thereto the color "furnishing"
roller is mounted in fixed bearings, but so as to be capable of revolving, it is also
made with six flat sides fitted with color "pads" and it is provided with a ratchet
wheel actuated by a pawl mounted on a ratchet lever, the latter being connected
by a link to a forked lever in the fork of which runs the axle of the block
r
"

page_text: printing roller
as before described, so that at each sixth of a revolution of the
latter roller a corresponding movement is given to the former or "furnishing" roller
so that it presents a fresh color surface or "pad" to each block as it comes up to be
"furnished."
In order to supply the proper color to each "pad" there are fixed to the frame in
connection with the "furnishing" roller six color troughs, each of which is provided
with a distributing roller which takes the color from another roller running in the
trough and lays it onto the "furnishing" roller.
And as it is necessary that each distributing roller should only give its color to its
own particular block, and shall not come in contact with any of the others, each
distributing roller is mounted on a spring or weighted carrier, and in connection
therewith a cam is provided for each roller.
These cans are so formed and arranged that each one only permits its own
distributing roller to come into action during one sixth of the revolution, that being
the time at which its own particular block is in a position to receive its color, and
holds up out of action during the other five sixths of the revolution.
The oil cloth or other fabric to be printed passes from the batch between two feed
rollers, then over the printing table and then over another roller at the other side;
and as it is necessary that the cloth should remain stationary during almost the whole
of a revolution of the printing roller, that is whilst the six colors are being printed
upon the same length, and then that it should be moved exactly the breadth of one
block before the next impression commences a corresponding intermittent motion is
provided.
One end of the distributing roller (or a plate in connection therewith) is fitted with
a pin which once in each revolution of the former comes against a lever which is
connected by a chain or link to a weighted ratchet lever which actuates a ratchet
wheel on the axis of the lower feed roller and the diameter of this roller and the length
of the stroke of the ratchet or pawl are so proportioned as to give the exact length of
feed required. A locking bolt is provided which holds the feed roller immovable
during the time that the six impressions are being made, but is released just at the
moment before the feed commences.
In order to keep the cloth perfectly tight the second roller at the back of the
table is made slightly larger in diameter than the feed roller, or it moves at a slightly
increased speed, and it is driven by an endless band or chain so that it always has
a tendency to pull the cloth forward ratcher faster than the "feed" gives it out,
and hence it is kept always in a state of tension.
Dated this 5th day of July 1887

page_text: Cloths and other Fabrics.
I EDWARD WEBB of 62 Great Cheetham Street, Manchester in the County of
Lancaster Manager 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 :-
This invention relates to the construction of a machine for printing in various
colors by the process known as "block printing," the object of the invention being to
effect such printing by automatic mechanical means.
The nature of my said invention and the manner in which the same is to be
performed or carried into practical effect will be readily understood on reference.
to the annexed two sheets of drawings and the following explanation thereof.
On sheet 1 of the drawings Fig. 1. is an elevation of one end of a block-printing
machine made according to my invention and adapted to print floor cloths in five
colors. Fig. 2 is a partial vertical section thereof.
On Sheet 2. of the drawings Fig. 3 is an elevation end of the machine to Fig. 1.-
Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating the relative positions of the cams and distributing
rollers hereinafter described and Fig. 5 is an elevation of a modified form of the
cloth feeding apparatus.
The machine is constructed as follows.
A suitable frame a provided with a fixed table b carries in vertical slides c, e above:
the same, the bearings d of a horizontal shafte which latter forms the axle on which is
mounted a roller f. This roller is not of a cylindrical form but is made with at least.
as many plane faces as there are blocks to be used.
Say for example for a six color machine it has at least six faces or is of a hexagonal
form..
In the drawing (which represents a five color machine) the roller is shown with
six faces one of which is only used as a pad or "smash" to soften or blend the colors
after printing.
To each of these faces, excepting the last is fixed a suitable printing block g.which
blocks are so arranged that one impression of each block in succession upon the same
place on the fabric will produce the perfect pattern.
This roller (which I will call the "block-printing roller") has an alternate rising
and falling motion given to it by a crank pin h and link i, actuated by the main
driving shaft upwards to take the color onto its uppermost surface from the color
furnishing roller (hereinafter described) and downwards to give the impression from
its lower surface onto the floor cloth or fabric beneath. At each angle of the hexagonal
block printing roller, or preferably at each angle of a plate attached thereto or to
the shafte is a pin 7, and on the frame a are provided guides m in which these pins
move, the said guides m being provided with hinged gates or "shunts"
n, n which
guide the roller straight and prevent it from revolving during its descent, and on
its ascent cause the block printing roller f to make one sixth of a turn so as to present
a fresh block or surface g to the furnishing roller and at the same time bring a fresh
block opposite to the printing table.
.:
}

page_text: This motion is clearly illustrated by Fig. 2. The plate k is shown, in its highest
position or that in which the upper block g (see Fig. 1) receives its color from the
furnishing roller.
As this plate descends (with the block printing roller f) the pin passes the gate n
without difficulty by tilting it up into the position shown by dotted lines. The two
lowest pins and, then pass into the locking guides m² m² so as to hold the block g
steady whilst the impression is being given as hereinafter described.
As the plate rises again the pin coming underneath the gate n cannot pass; and
as the plate continues to rise it is thereby caused to make a partial revolution and
bring the said pin into such a position as will allow it to pass the gate n¹ thus opening
it (see dotted lines) and complete the sixth part of a revolution of the plate k and
roller by entering the vertical guide m.
The gate n' returns by its own weight to its original position leaving the way clear
for the descent of the pin. In order to made the roller f work steadily in the slides c
I suspend each block or bearing d by a chain d' (see Fig. 3) passing over a pulley d
and provided with suitable counterbalance weights (not shown on the drawing). The
front part of the chain is removed for clearness of illustration.
Above the block printing roller f and parallel thereto the color "furnishing" roller o
is mounted in fixed bearings, but so as to be capable of revolving; it is made also
with six flat sides fitted with color "pads" p, and it is provided with a ratchet wheel q
actuated by a pawl mounted on a ratchet levers, the latter being connected by a
link to a forked lever in the fork of which works the shaft e or a pin or bowl
carried by the link i which actuates the "block printing roller" as before
described, so that at each sixth of a revolution of the latter roller a corresponding
movement is given to the "furnishing" roller o so that it presents a fresh color
surface or "pad" p to each block g as it comes up to be "furnished."
In order to supply the proper color to each "pad" p there are fixed to the
frame a in connection with the "furnishing" roller o five color troughs each of
which is provided with a distributing roller w which takes the color from another
roller running in the trough and lays it onto the "furnishing" roller o.
And as it is necessary that each distributing roller w shall only give its color
to its own particular block g, and shall not come in contact with any of the others,
each distributing roller is mounted on a spring or weighted carrier or lever a, and
the axis of each distributing roller carries a disc y running on the edge of a cam =
of which there are five (see also Fig. 4).
These cams are so formed and arranged that they only permit the distributing
rollers to come into action during one sixth of the revolution that being the time at
which each particular pad is in a position to receive its own color, and holds them up
out of action during the other five sixtlis of the revolution.
This arrangement will be seen on reference to Fig. 4, the cams and discs being
shown in the position they assume at the commencement of distributing their
respective colors.
The oil-cloth or other fabric to be printed passes from the batch I, between two
feed rollers 2, 2, then over the printing ttale . and then over another roller 3 at the
other side and as it is necessary that the cloth should remain stationary during
almost the whole of a revolution of the printing roller that is, whilst the several
colors are being printed "seriatim" upon the same length, and then that it
shoud be moved exactly the breadth of one block before the next impression com-
mences, a corresponding intermittent motion is provided.
On one end of the distributing roller (or a plate 4 in connection therewith see
Fig. 3) is fitted with a pin 5, which once in each revolution of the former comes
against a lever 6, which is connected by a chain 7 or a link to a weighted ratchet
lever 8 which actuates a ratchet wheel 9. on the axis of the lower feed roller 2,
and the diameter of this roller 2, and the length of the stroke of the ratchet or pawl 10
are so proportioned as to give the exact length of feed required. A spring locking
bolt 11. is provided which takes into a notched plate and thus holds the feed
roller 2, immovable during the time that the five impressions are being made, but is

page_text: released in the following manner just at the moment before the feed commences.
Another pin 12 provided on the plate 4 which at the right time comes in contact
with a lever 13 the other end of which is connected by a link 14 to a lever 15 attached
to the locking bolt 11.
In order to keep the cloth perfectly tight the second roller 3 at the back of the
table is preferably made slightly larger in diameter than the feed rollers 2, and it is
driven by an endless band or chain 16 therefrom so that it always has a tendency to
pull the cloth forward rather faster than the "feed" gives it out and hence it is kept
always in a state of tension.
In the modification illustrated at Fig. 5. the ratchet lever 8 is cranked as shown,
and its lower end is connected by a link, 17, to the crank pin h of the main driving
shaft.
And in order to prevent it from actuating the ratchet wheel 9 whilst the printing
operation is taking place I provide a curved guide 18 upon which a pin projecting
from the pawl 10 rests. This guide 18 is carried by a vertical sliding rod or bar 19
which rests on a cam 20 in the edge of which there is a notch cut which at the
proper moment allows the guide 18 to fall and let the pawl 10 drop into gear with the
ratchet wheel 9.
In this case the spring locking bolt 11 is withdrawn by means of a tappet or
wiper 21 revolving with the cam 20, the shaft of which is driven by toothed
gearing 22 from the main driving shaft i.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what 1
claim is :-
First. The general construction and arrangement of the apparatus constituting a
machine for printing floor cloths and other fabrics in several colors by means of blocks
substantially as hereinbefore particularly described and illustrated by the drawings
annexed.
Secondly. I claim in a block printing machine the use of a block printing roller
(having at least as many faces as there are blocks to be used) in combination with
a fixed table and with means for alternately raising and lowering the said block roller
and partially revolving the same between each movement.
Thirdly. I claim in a block printing machine fitted with a block printing, roller,
having several faces to which the blocks are attached and which has a rising and
falling and partially revolving motion given to it, the combination with the said
block printing roller, of a revolving furnishing roller having a corresponding number
of faces each fitted with distributing apparatus for furnishing its respective color
thereto, and having an intermittent revolving motion given to it corresponding with
the movement of the block printing roller.
Fourthly. I claim the combination with a block printing roller having a rising and
falling and an intermittent revolving motion imparted to it of means substantially as
herein described and illustrated by the annexed drawings for intermittently moving
the cloth the exact width of the block after each series of blocks has been printed.
Fifthly. I claim in a block printing machine for printing several colors the combina-
tion with an intermittently revolving furnishing roller fitted with several pads and
several color distributing rollers of cams so formed and arranged as to ensure each
pad receiving only its own particular color, substantially as herein before described and
illustrated by the drawings annexed.