Improvements in Inking Apparatus for Printing Presses.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd May, 1899-Accepted, 11th Nov., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Inking Apparatus for Printing Presses.
I, EUGENE SEMPLE BRADFORD, a Citizen of the United States, residing on 77th,
Street, near 5th Avenue, in the City of Brooklyn, in the County of Kings and
State of New York, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
nvention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to an inking apparatus for printing presses and particu-
arly for those of the rotary plate type, and comprises improvements in devices
for inking the plate prior to its presentation to the impression cylinder of the
press.
My invention stated in general terms, consists of an apparatus for inking plates
in printing presses when constructed and arranged in substantially the manner
hereinafter described and claimed.
The nature and characteristic features of my present invention will be more
fully understood from the following description taken in connection with the
accompanying drawings forming part hereof, in which
Figure 1, is a front elevation of a portion of a printing press containing an
inking apparatus embodying main features of my present invention.
Fig. 2, is a longitudinal sectional view of the inking apparatus, showing the plate
and impression cylinders in side elevation.
Fig. 3, is a top, or plan view of Fig. 1.
Fig. 4, is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view on the line a-x, of Fig. 3,
illustrating the means for adjusting the extent of travel of the inking rollers over
the plate.
Fig. 5, is a side elevational view partly sectioned of, Fig. 4.
Fig. 6, is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the inking fountain,
inking roll and scrapers.
Fig. 7, is an underneath plan view of the scrapers with their cover plate
removed; and
Fig. 8, is a detail view of a holder for one of the scrapers.
Referring to the drawings the printing press to be employed in conjunction
with the inking devices of my present invention, is provided with an impression
cylinder A, and a plate cylinder B, both suitably journaled in bearings in the
frame-work C, of the machine. The bearings a, of the impression cylinder are
preferably supported in vertical guides a, and a spring s, and a set-screw s¹, are
provided, whereby the position and pressure of the impression cylinder are readily
and efficiently adjusted. The inking fountain of my invention consists of a
tank a², preferably of the form shown in the drawings and having an open front
in which is placed an inking roller b. The inking roller b, turning in the direc-
tion of the arrow prevents the escape of ink at the front of the tank and a scraper
or doctor 1), is provided for cleaning or removing the surplus ink from the
roller b, before it comes into contact with the printing plate B₁, of the cylinder B,
and preferably at a point above the inking fountain so that the ink scraped off or
held back thereby, will not fall outside the tank a². This scraper consists pre-
ferably of a series of similar elements arranged longitudinally along the inking
roller b, such elements comprising the blades d, secured by screws d', in the
slots d², formed in the edges of the sliding plates or holders d³, which are arranged

page_text: side by side against a suitable supporting plate d, and are held against the same
by screws or bolts d³, fastened to the supporting plate, and passing through
slots d, in the respective sliding plates or holders d. The supporting plate
forms the roof of a cover d, for the tank a, and this cover is pivoted as at d³
to the tank proper, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 6, whereby when the
cover is swung back the inking scrapers as well as the tank are rendered acces-
sible for cleaning and other purposes, and particularly the scrapers can be easily
replaced. The supporting plate ds, carries at its outer end a plate &, which is
fastened thereto by screws 0, or other suitable means. The plate d, is provided
with holes, receiving the stems of screw-rods d¹², which serve for adjustment of
the respective sliding plates or holders . Each of the screw-rods 2, has a
handle or wing d³, whereby it may be manipulated, and the stem of the screw-
rod enters the tapped hole 4, in the plate. The springs d¹³, encircle the
stem of each screw-rod d2, and serve normally to hold the scrapers d, in contact
with the inking roller b, and yet to permit the scrapers to retreat from the roller
should the ink contain lumps or impurities. Thus by the action of these screw-
rods, any one or more of the blades d, may be entirely withdrawn from the
inking roller or made to bear with the desired degree of pressure thereon. The
actual pressure of the blades upon the inking roller is, however, effected by the
springs d, so that there is no possibility of the screw-rods being so manipulated
as to bring a direct and positive pressure on the same, such as would be injurious
to the blades and the inking roller surface. Furthermore by this construction
any one of the blades may be removed together with its supporting plate d³, and,
if desired, a new blade may be inserted at any point. Moreover, the several
springs act independently to bring all the blades into effective and uniform contact
with the inking roller, notwithstanding differences which may exist in the con-
dition of the respective blades or of the various parts of the inking roller b.
Beneath the holders ³, of the scrapers d, is provided a plate or cover 20, which
extends from the scraper & proper to the outer end of the cover d, as fully illus-
trated in Figs. 2 and 6, of the drawings. This cover plate 120, serves to protect
said holders, and their accessories against injury and is especially adapted to
prevent said holders from being soiled by the ink, which by becoming hard thereon
would prevent the movement of the individual holders ³, and thereby the
scrapers d.
The inking roller b, is journaled in bearings 61, in the tank a², of the machine,
and its shaft b², is provided with a gear-wheel b³, driven through the intermediate
gear-wheels 4, 5 and 66, whereof the wheel, is loosely journaled on a sleeve 67,
and is driven from the gear-wheel 66, which meshes with the main gear wheel B²,
so as to cause said inking roller b, to be driven in towards the underside of the
scrapers . The sleeve 7, carrying the gear-wheels and 5, is provided with
a clutch 20, adapted to prevent rotation of the inking roller, in a direction
opposite to that indicated by the arrow in the drawings, which rotation would
occur if the main gear wheel B2, of the printing press was accidentally rotated
in a direction opposite to that indicated in the drawings.
e and e¹, represent the transfer inking rollers which convey the ink from the
roller b, to the plate B', carried on the cylinder B. The transfer inking rollers e
and e, are respectively secured to the shaft e² and e³. These shafts are journaled
in boxes fitted in the upper ends of the cranks e, which are pivoted to a fixed part
of the machine by the shafts e5. On these shafts e, at one end of the rollers e
and el, are also arms e, in the upper ends of which are fitted swivel-boxes e,
the crankset, and the arms e, being fixed to the shafts c. f. represents arms
pivoted at f, to the frame of the machine, and provided with friction rollers or
projections f, which fit a cam-groove f, in a drum fs, secured to the main shaft B³,
of the machine. f, represents rods pivoted at fo, to the inner ends of the arms f,
and which pass through the swivel-boxes e, on the outer arms e. The rods f³.
are provided with inner nuts f, and outer nuts f8, and between the respective
nuts and the boxes e, are springs fe. The formation of the cam-groove f³, is such

page_text: at when the plate is passing in front of the transfer inking rollers e and e', they
ill be drawn over against the plates by the movement of the arms f, and the
ods f. These rods 5, being connected to the transfer inking rollers e and e¹,
hrough the medium of the arms e, shafts e, and cranks e*.
The continued movement of the cam-drum f*, moves the transfer inking
ollers e and el, away from the plate B', after the latter has been inked, and for a
while holds them in an intermediate position between the printing or plate
ylinder B, and the inking roller b, and then through the proper formation of the
cam-groove f, the transfer inking rollers e and el, are moved into contact with
he inking roller b, and when inked and the plate has come around again, are
noved back into contact with the plate B¹.
By loosening the set-screw g, as illustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, securing the
cam-drum f, to the shaft B3, the said drum may be shifted, whereby the transfer
inking rollers e and el, can be readily brought into engagement with
portion only of the plate B¹, of the cylinder B.
a certain
It will be understood that there will be a fixed amount of movement of the
transfer inking rollers e and e¹, by the cam-drum f, throughout the operation of
the machine, that is, the cam drum will always move the transfer inking rollers e
and el, and hold them in their respective positions whether in contact with the
plate B, or away from the cylinder B, while the machine is running, but it some-
times happens that a smaller plate than usual is being printed from, or that a
plate with a portion of its surface only engraved is being printed from, and at
such time it is desirable to move the transfer inking rollers from the plate as
soon as the engraved surface has been inked, thus saving the ink.
For the purpose of removing the transfer inking rollers e and e¹, from the plate
as soon as the engraved surface has been inked, while allowing the same cam-
drum f, to remain on the machine and move the transfer inking rollers e and e¹,
from the printing cylinder to the inking roller and to their intermediate position,
are employed arms h, loosely pivoted at f', with the arms f, and their inner ends
connected to the shafts & and e³, of the inking rollers by means of the rods h¹, as
illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3. The inner ends of the arms h, are also provided
with friction rollers, which bear against the periphery of the cam-drum f.
The periphery of the cam-drum ft, is provided with two grooves h" and n¹, of which
the groove, is expanded at the bottom. Engaging the groove ³, are a number
of blocks, the grooves h³, extending entirely around the wheel and the blocks
being held to any desired adjustment in the groove by means of screws h³, passing
through the blocks and jamming against the bottom of the groove, as illustrated
in Figs. 4 and 5. The friction rollers h2, are in the path of the blocks h', and
the arms h, are connected to the arms e20, which are secured to the shafts e, of
the transfer inking rollers e and el, as illustrated in Fig. 3. It will be understood
that when the blocks *, come against the rollers h², the transfer inking rollers e
and e, will be shoved back away from the plate printing cylinder B. This move-
ment is but slight, but it is sufficient to carry the rollers out of contact with the
plate B. This movement takes place while the transfer inking rollers would
otherwise be held in engagement with the plate by means of the cam f³, as
describe.l, and the rollers are permitted to be thus moved in the opposite direction
to that in which they are held by the cam, by reason of the described connection
letween the swivel boxes e, and the arms f, that is, by means of the rods f³, sur-
rounded by the springs f. The outer springs f³, are compressed slightly by the
0 foregoing movement of the transfer inking rollers through the blocks . By the
use of these blocks any desired amount of the plate surface may be inked no matter
how small, as the blocks may be so adjusted as to remove the transfer inking
rollers from the plate almost immediately after they are brought into contact with
the plate. The combined length of the blocks is such as to hold the transfer
5 inking rollers beyond the plate cylinder after they have been moved away, until
the cam-drum f*, arrives at a position whereby it moves the transfer inking rollers
back to their intermediate position between the inking roller b, and the plate
.

page_text: cylinder B. Two transfer inking rollers have been shown and described with
their respective mechanisms for inking the plate B¹, but it is evident that one
roller alone might be used for the same purpose if found sufficient for any class
of work.
The groove n, of the cam drum f', performs no useful function with respect to
the inking apparatus previously described, but its purpose and function are
explained in the British Letters Patent No. 10810 dated May 23rd 1899, wherein
the wiping and polishing apparatus for the plate are described and claimed. It
is shown in the drawings of the present application solely for the purpose of
illustrating that the cam drum f, may be used not only in conjunction with the
plate wiping and polishing apparatus but also in conjunction with the inking
apparatus of a plate printing machine.
e
The operation of the machine is as follows:-Upon the shaft 133, being set into
rotation the inking roller b, revolves in the tank a², and receives ink upon its
periphery. The ink is evenly spread and lumps removed by means of the
scrapers d, and is transferred at proper intervals of time to the transfer inking
rollers e and e¹, which through the cam drum ft, and intermediate mechanism are
caused to approach the roller b, to receive ink therefrom. The rollers e and e',
are then caused to assume an intermediate position between the roller b, and the
plate cylinder B, until the proper moment of time when the cam drum f, causes
the rollers e and e', to approach the cylinder B. During the movements of the
rollers e and e', the plate cylinder B, revolves and as the rollers
and approach said cylinder, the plate B, carried by the cylinder arrives
at a position in which it can be inked and comes into engagement with the
rollers and e¹, and receives ink therefrom. The subsequent rotation of the
shaft B, and plate cylinder B, serves to carry the plate B¹, to successive positions
where it may be wiped and polished and then presented to the impression
cylinder A. During this rotation of the cylinder B, and plate B', the cam
drum f, will return the transfer rollers first, to their intermediate position and
thereafter to the position at which they may again receive ink from the inking
roller b. As hereinabove set forth the movement of the transfer rollers and ef
toward the plate cylinder B, may, when desired, be temporarily stayed by inter-
posing the blocks h, between the arms h, of the rollers e and e', and the periphery
of the cam drum f, so that the plate cylinder B, may rotate more or less further
so as to present a portion or portions only of the plate B¹, to the transfer rollers e
and e', when the blocks, travel from between the arms h, and the drum ft.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and objects of
my invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is: -
1. In a machine of the character described, a rotatable plate cylinder, transfer
inking rollers, an inking cylinder, a drum adapted to be secured to a shaft and
having a cam engaging arms controlling said transfer inking rollers and holding
the same in yielding contact with either a plate of said cylinder or said inking
cylinder, substantially as and for the purposes described.
2. In a machine of the character described, a rotatable plate cylinder, an inking
cylinder, a cam-drum mounted on a shaft, arms engaging the cam of said drum
and provided with rods carrying coiled springs compressed and released by the
action of said cam, and a rock-shaft actuated by said springs and carrying crank-
arms, said arms provided with transfer inking rollers, the construction being such
that the transfer inking rollers by the actuation of said cam-drum are swung into
contact with a plate of said cylinder or with said inking cylinder or caused to
occupy an intermediate position between said plate cylinder and inking cylinder,
substantially as and for the purposes described.
3. In a machine of the character described, a shaft carrying a rotary plate
cylinder, transfer inking rollers, a drum mounted on said shaft and provided
with a cam-groove, blocks adjustably connected with and located in a groove of

page_text: drum, said blocks adapted to shift said rollers Out of
id cylinder, when said cam-groove tends to press said rollers into contact with
cylinder, substantially as and for the purposes described.
In a machine of the character described, a shaft carrying a rotary plate
nder, transfer inking rollers, a drum mounted on said shaft and having blocks
stably connected with said drum and adapted to shift said rollers out of
tact with the plate of said cylinder, substantially as and for the purposes
cribed
. In a machine of the character described, a rotary plate cylinder, a cam drum
ustably mounted on a shaft, inking rollers, armis carrying rollers engaging
groove of said cam drum, rods pivotally attached to said arms and carrying
ral springs adapted to force with the required degree of pressure said inking
lers against the plate of said cylinder, substantially as and for the purposes
sdribed.
6. In a machine of the character described, a rotary plate cylinder, a drum
itably mounted on a shaft, blocks adjustably connected with said drum, inking
llers, means actuated by said blocks to shift said inking rollers, and means con-
ected with the block actuated means for forcing said inking rollers with required
ressure against the plate of said cylinder, substantially as and for the purposes
escribed.
7. In a machine of the character described, a tank, an inking roller, and means,
ubstantially as described, having separately adjustable devices engaging with said
oller, substantially as and for the purposes described.
8. In a machine of the character described, a tank, an inking roller and a
craper having separately adjustable yielding blades engaging the surface of said
roller, substantially as and for the purposes described.
9. In a machine of the character described, a tank, an inking roller and a
scraper having independently movable blades engaging said roller and springs
for pressing said blades toward said roller, substantially as and for the purposes
described.
10. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a tank and
an inking roller, of a scraper having independently movable blades engaging
said roller, springs for pressing said blades toward said roller, and screws for
withdrawing the blades from said roller, substantially as and for the purposes
described.
11. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a tank and
an inking roller, of a scraper comprising a supporting plate, sliding plates mounted
on said supporting plate, movable blades detachably mounted in said plates,
springs for pressing said blades toward said inking roller, and means, substantially
as described, for separately adjusting said springs so as to regulate the pressure
of said blades against said inking roller, substantially as and for the purposes
described.
12. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a tank and
an inking roller, of a scraper comprising a supporting plate, sliding plates mounted
5 on said supporting-plate, movable blades detachably mounted in said plates, and
adjustable spring devices for pressing said blades towards and regulating their
pressure against said inking roller, substantially as and for the purposes described.
13. In a machine of the character described, a tank and an inking roller, a
scraper frame pivotally secured to said tank, and a scraper having spring con-
50 trolled movable blades adapted to engage said roller, substantially as and for the
purposes described.
14. In a machine of the character described, an ink fountain, comprising a tank
an inking roller, a scraper having independently detachable and adjustable blade
adapted to engage said roller, and a cover plate for said scrapers and their acces
55 sories, substantially as and for the purposes described.
15. In a machine of the character described, an ink fountain roller, a transfe
inking roller, a plate cylinder, mechanism, substantially as described, by whic

page_text: the transfer inking roller is moved from said ink fountain roller to the plate
cylinder, and mechanism, substantially as described, for moving said transfer
inking roller from the plate cylinder in opposition to said mechanism which
moved said transfer inking roller to said plate cylinder, substantially as and for
the purposes described.
16. In a machine of the character described, an ink fountain roller, a plate
cylinder, a transfer inking roller, mechanism for moving the transfer inking
roller from said ink fountain roller to said plate cylinder, and mechanism for
moving said transfer inking roller away from said plate cylinder, in opposition
to the mechanism which moved said transfer inking roller to said plate cylinder,
said mechanism consisting of a pivoted arm connected to the transfer inking roller,
a drum, and blocks adjustably secured to said drum, substantially as and for the
purposes described.
17. In a machine of the character described, an ink fountain roller, a rotary
plate cylinder, a transfer inking roller, mechanism for moving said transfer
inking roller from said ink fountain roller to said plate cylinder and mechanism
for moving said transfer inking roller away from said plate cylinder in opposition
to the other mechanism and consisting of a pivoted arm connected to said transfer
inking roller, a drum having a grooved periphery and adjustable blocks fitting
the groove of said drum, substantially as and for the purposes described.
18. In a machine of the character described, a roller for applying ink to a
cylinder plate, mechanism, substantially as described, for moving the roller
into contact with said plate, and mechanism, substantially as described, for
moving the roller out of contact with the plate in opposition to the first mentioned
mechanism, substantially as and for the purposes described.
19. In a machine of the character described, a roller for applying ink to a rotary
plate cylinder, means for moving said roller into contact with said plate, com-
prising pivoted arms, a cam for moving said arms, rods connected with said arms,
a second arm connected with a transfer inking roller and with which is connected
said rod, and springs placed between said second arm and nuts on said rod, sub-
stantially as and for the purposes described.
20. In a machine of the character described, a roller for applying ink to a
plate, mechanism for moving said roller into contact with said plate by a spring
pressure, and mechanism for moving said roller out of contact with said plate,
in opposition to the first mentioned mechanism and consisting of a pivoted arm
connected to said roller, and a drum having adjustable blocks secured to its
periphery and adapted to engage with said arm, substantially as and for the
purposes described."
21. In a machine of the character described, an ink fountain roller, a transfer
inking roller, a plate cylinder, and mechanism for moving said transfer inking
roller from said ink fountain roller to the plate cylinder, consisting of arms et
and e, rods f, and springs fo, substantially as and for the purposes described.
22. In a machine of the character described, an ink fountain roller, a transfer
inking roller, a plate cylinder, means for moving said transfer inking roller from
said ink fountain roller to said plate cylinder, comprising arms e, e6 and 20, a
cam f3. rods f and springs f, and means for moving said transfer inking roller
away from said plate cylinder in opposition to the other mechanism, and which
consists of arms h, connected with said transfer inking roller, a drum f, and
adjustable blocks h', substantially as and for the purposes described.
Dated at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this 23rd day of March A.D. 1899.