Improvements in Machines for Printing in One or More Colours.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 15th June, 1891-Accepted, 18th July, 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Printing in One or More Colours.
I, CHARLES JOSEPH VIEUXMAIRE of 56 Rue de Lancry, Paris, 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 cylinder printing machines there have always heretofore been employed
grippers fixed on the cylinder itself which requires the use of tapes and other
devices for seizing the printed sheet at the moment when the grippers are opened;
in addition, a further inconvenience consists in that the sheet to be printed, if it is
to be in several colours requires several registers, which are liable to cause
misprints.
My present invention has for its object to obviate these defects by dispensing
with the grippers on the cylinders, as also the tapes and other devices, and
replacing them by two chains carrying transverse grippers which carry the sheet
of paper along and hold it while it is being printed upon in one or more colours by
the cylinders of the machine, and which only release the sheet after the impression
is completed.
In cylinder lithographic or typographic machines I employ in addition a new
arrangement whereby their length is reduced by automatically raising the distri-
buting rollers of the following colours for allowing of the passage of the forme
from the preceding color.
I will proceed to describe my said improvements with reference to the accom-
panying drawings in which Fig. 1 shews the side elevation of a cylinder printing
machine arranged specially for zincographic and typographic printing combined.
Fig. 2 shews a plan, Fig. 3 shews an end view and Figs. 4 and 5 an enlarged detail
of the travelling chains with transverse grippers.
The machine is driven by pullies A fixed on the shaft a. A pinion fixed on the
same shaft imparts to the connecting rod c and consequently to the toothed
wheel C a rectilinear to and fro motion by means of the toothed wheel B carrying
a crank pin. The wheel C, which gears with a rack d fixed to the base of the
framing and also with the rack t fixed to the underside of the carriage D carrying
the formes s, Fig. 3, will consequently impart a to and fro motion to such
carriage D, which is supported and guided in its motion by rollers E E.
The printing cylinders F are actuated by toothed wheels gearing with racks e on
the carriage; for preventing their backward motion at the moment when the
carriage returns, levers g g Figs. 1, 3 and 7 actuated by a rod r receiving motion
from a cam G, gear with a stop h on a disc fixed on the axis H of the cylinder, the
wheel being connected to its shaft by ratchet and pawl gear, v, as shewn at
Fig. 8 so as to render it loose thereon in one direction.
The raising of the distributing rollers i is effected by a cam U which, by means
of a rod u, actuates levers I which in raising simultaneously at the required
moment the series of distributing rollers allow the preceding forme to pass
underneath, without coming in contact with the color thereof. Pitch wheels J
fixed on the printing cylinders as also other pitch wheels j support a double pitch
chain K carrying transverse grippers k; these, when arriving at the cylinders F,
pass into recesses or grooves L formed in the latter in order to allow of their
passage at the place where the formes pass.
The paper sheets are guided during their travel by endless travelling aprons V
carried by rollers / driven by the pitch chains, until the paper arrives at M, when a
fixed cam or incline m bearing upon a lever n actuating the gripper k will cause

page_text: this to open, whereupon the sheet, being released, will fall on to the surface N
while the gripper, being acted upon by the springs p, will at once close again.
O are the inking rollers, which can be raised at will by means of levers q;
o are moistening rollers.
As, for zincography, the cylinders require to be slightly yielding, I provide over
their bearings springs Q pressing them down; when using the machine for typo-
graphic printing the bearings are held down by screws P, but when it is to be used
for zincography, the screws are loosened, so that the cylinders can be pressed back
by the said springs.
"
Screws Rare provided for forming adjustable stops against which the bearings
are pressed by the screws P, when it is desired to adapt the machine again for
typography. S S are the inking apparatus and doctors of ordinary construction,
to which motion is imparted in any known manner.
In the case of a perfecting printing machine, the pitch chains K carry on the
parts XX a projection y' shewn in dotted lines at Figs. 5 and 6, which allows the
chain, when in the reversed position for printing on the reverse side, to engage with
the notches L of the other cylinders.
.
The machine as above described operates as follows for printing on one side in
two colors.
ولا
The operator, placing his sheet on the table X Fig. 1, waits till one of the
grippers k, in passing, has its jaws opened by the fixed cam or incline whereupon
he places the end of the sheet (indicated by the dotted line. Fig. 6) in the jaws,
and these, on closing again after passing beyond the cam y, will seize the paper and
carry it round the cylinder F so as to receive the first impression, the gripper being
contained in the groove L of the cylinder during this time. The gripper then
carries the sheet up again and horizontally over the travelling apron V, to the
second cylinder, round which the paper will be again carried for receiving the
second impression with a different color on the same side.
The sheet then rises again to M where the gripper is opened by the cam m,
causing the paper sheet to be released and this will then fall upon the table N,
being printed on one side with two colors. It will be readily understood that for
printing in more than two colors, it is only necessary to provide the requisite
number of cylinders, inking and distributing rollers.
It is obvious that the above described arrangement of travelling chains with
grippers for holding the paper is also applicable to machines printing in one color
only.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. In machines for printing in one or more colors, the use of two endless
travelling chains carrying grippers for holding the paper sheets while being
printed upon, and serving in lieu of the ordinary tapes and holding devices,
substantially as described.
2. In cylinder machines for printing in several colors, the use of means for
automatically raising the ink distributing rollers for the purpose of reducing the
length of the machine substantially as described.
3. The combination in printing machines of the several devices referred to in the
preceding claims substantially as described.
Dated this 15th day of June 1891.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.