Year: 1898

page_text: We, LEONARD UPCOTT GILL, of 170, Strand, Publisher, and ALFRED GEORGE
BRADLEY, of The London and County Printing Works, Drury Lane, Printing Manager,
both in the County of London, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The invention is applicable to perfecting machines and also to single side printing
machines in which latter case the second side of the sheet will be printed in another
machine.
The invention consists firstly of an improved apparatus for automatically feeding
from a roll any required length of paper to form a sheet and for cutting off such
sheet from the web and delivering it to travelling feeding grippers which carry the
separated sheet to the grippers of the impression cylinder and the invention consists
secondly of an improved arrangement of delivery apparatus for receiving the printed
sheets and delivering them to a receiving box without the use of "flyers."
In carrying the invention into effect we mount a roll of paper on a non driven shaft
as usual; the paper from the roll is passed between a pair of continuously driven
draw off rollers and then through a guide to between a pair of feed rolls, a loop of
slack paper being left between the draw off rollers and the feed rolls. The upper
feed roll is raised at intervals after having fed a certain length of paper as hereinafter
described and such feed is stopped during the cutting off of a sheet and until the
travelling feeding grippers have delivered the separated sheet to the impression
cylinder grippers.
One draw off roller and one feed roll are covered with rubber or other frictional
material and one of each is driven by gearing whilst the others of such rollers are
rotated by friction.
The driven draw off roller receives its motion by suitable gearing preferably from a
cone which latter is driven by a reverse cone through the intervention of a friction
wheel whose position lengthwise between the cones can be regulated by a screw.
The last mentioned cone receives its motion from a cam shaft by suitable gearing
and said cam shaft is driven from the "counter" shaft by chain gear or otherwise.
The driven feed roller receives its motion by gearing from a shaft which receives an
intermittent motion (by ratchet gear from a crank on the counter shaft) and the
gearing is so arranged as to cause the feed rolls to deliver at each action the length
of paper required for the smallest sheet. Other suitable arrangement of gearing
may however be employed for the above purposes.
The cam shaft has fixed thereon counter cams which act on counter levers fixed
to a shaft which by levers and connecting rods gives to and fro motion to the travel-
ling feeding grippers.
A cutting apparatus is placed between the feed rolls and the upper end of the feed
table at which latter point is a pair of rotating guides between which the paper
passes.
The cutting apparatus is timed to cut off the sheet of paper when the exact
length required has been fed forward, the travelling feeding grippers remain

page_text: stationary during such cutting operation and then move to carry the separated sheet
forward to the impression cylinder grippers, the paper being drawn through smoothing
plates and fingers.
In addition to carrying the counter cams the cam shaft has fixed thereon a step or
cone cam which acts to feed forward any extra length of paper required beyond that of
the minimum sized sheet.
The feed rolls first feed forward the length of paper required for the minimum
sized sheet, the upper feed roller is then raised to release the paper, the travelling
feeding grippers, which have returned to their rearward position, sieze the paper, and
are then moved forward by one or other parts of the step or cone cam and carry the
paper forward a certain distance according to the extra length required of sheet
beyond the minimum size, The travelling feeding grippers then come to rest
and the upper feed roll is lowered, the lower feed roll being at rest at such
time.
The paper is thus firmly held by the travelling feeding grippers and the feed rolls
whilst these parts are at rest at which time the cutter is caused to sever the sheet
from the web of paper.
The travelling feeding grippers are then caused to move forward to deliver
the sheet to the impression cylinder grippers. At each end of their motion the
travelling feeding grippers are opened, to enable them to receive and deliver the
sheet, whilst they are normally kept closed by a spring or springs acting on
the movable jaw carrying the grippers.
Whilst the travelling feeding grippers are returning for a fresh sheet and for
a short time after such motion the feed rolls are operated to feed forward the length
of
paper required for the minimum sized sheet, and the operations are repeated as
before.
The forward counter lever is adjustable on its shaft so as to enable a projection
thereon to be placed in position over any portion of the step or cone cam or entirely
free therefrom according to the size of sheet required, but such forward counter lever
is of course always in position to be operated by the forward counter cam.
The printed sheet is delivered from the impression cylinder grippers to between
pairs of travelling margin tapes, one set of which passes around the impression
. cylinder and suitable guide and tension rollers, whilst the other set passes around
other guide rollers, one of which is driven by friction from the impression cylinder.
These tapes deliver the printed sheet to between pairs of transferring tapes passing
around rollers mounted in a movable frame and two of these latter rollers are geared
together and receive rotary motion alternately in one direction and then in the other
by suitable gearing operated by the travelling type bed.
The sheet transferring frame is, by suitable connections from a cam or eccentric on
the.counter shaft, moved first into position to receive the printed sheet from the
impression cylinder grippers, and then into position to deliver the printed
sheet to travelling delivery grippers, which are moved to and fro by levers and
connections from the cam shaft. These travelling delivery grippers are kept
normally closed, but are opened at their rearward position to receive a printed sheet,
and again at their forward position to deliver the printed sheet to the receiving
box.
The sheet transferring frame is provided with an adjustable bar fitted with
stops, said bar being fixed in position to arrest at the proper point the travel of
any sized sheet for the time being printed, and it receives from the impression
cylinder tapes, the forward edge of the sheet and delivers to the delivery grippers
the rear edge of such sheet, thus bringing the rearward edge of any size sheet
into proper position to be siezed by the delivery grippers.
The travelling delivery gripper frame, just before opening the grippers at the
forward end of its motion, acts to raise delivery or freeing fingers above the forward
edge of the printed sheet; the delivery grippers then suddenly open, the freeing
fingers immediately fall to free the printed sheet from the delivery grippers, and
projections on the frame of the latter push the printed sheet into the delivery box.

page_text: Just as the delivery gripper frame arrives at its forward position, a projection thereon
acts to pull back a "knocker-up," which is acted upon by a spring so that when
released it shall knock up the pile of printed sheets in the receiving box against an
adjustable side-lay."
66
Improvements in Frinting machines.
We, LEONARD UPCOTT GILL, of 170, Strand, Publisher, and ALFRED GEORGE
BRADLEY, of The London and County Printing Works, Drury Lane, Printing
Manager, both in the County of London, 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:-
The invention is applicable to perfecting machines and also to single side printing
machines, in which latter case the second side of the sheet will be printed in another
machine.
The invention consists, firstly, of an improved apparatus for automatically feeding
from a roll, any required length of paper to form a sheet, and for cutting off such
sheet from the web and delivering it to travelling feeding grippers, which carry the
separated sheet to the grippers of the impression cylinder; and the invention con-
sists, secondly, of an improved arrangement of delivery apparatus for receiving the
printed sheets and delivering them to a receiving box, without the use of
* flyers."
Our invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, in which Figs. 1 and 2'
are opposite side views of our improved printing machine.
Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section, Fig. 4 is a rear view and Fig. 5 is a cross
section, of the apparatus for regulating the feed of paper from the web.
Fig. 6 is a plan and Fig. 7 is a side elevation, drawn to a larger scale than that of
the other figs., of the delivery box and apparatus for delivering the printed sheet
thereto, Fig. 6 being drawn in a plane parallel, with the floor of the delivery.
box.
Fig. 8 is a vertical section of parts for receiving the printed sheet from the im-
pression cylinder and delivering it to the travelling delivery grippers.
Figs. 9 and 10 are sectional elevations of the cams and counter cams and levers for
feeding the required length of paper to the travelling feeding grippers.
Fig. 11 is a sectional elevation showing cam and lever which cause the supply roller
to convey ink from the ink duct roller to the inking table.
Fig. 12 is a sectional elevation of cam and lever for operating the frame for trans-
ferring the printed sheet to the take-off grippers.
Fig. 13 is a sectional elevation of cam and lever for opening the travelling feeding
grippers.
Fig. 14 is a sectional elevation of cam and lever for raising the upper feed
roller.
Fig. 15 is a plan and Fig. 16 an end view, drawn to a larger scale, of the mechanism
for operating the travelling feeding grippers, Fig. 16 being drawn in a plane, parallel
with the floor of the feeding table, and
Fig. 17 is a back view of the sheet-transferring frame, being drawn in a plane
parallel with the back of said frame.

page_text: A is the frame of the machine, B the driving shaft, C the counter shaft, B¹ C₁ gear
wheels communicating motion from shaft B to shaft C, D the mechanism for shifting
the driving belt to and from the driving pulley, which is of an ordinary character and
needs no special description, E the roll of paper, F the cutter lever, G the feed table,
H the impression cylinder, which receives its motion from the type bed I as usual, J
the inking table, K the inking rollers, L the distributing rollers, M the ink duct and
roller, N the delivery table or box, O the usual means for locking the impression
cylinder while inking up, P the levers for giving the to and fro motion to the type
bed and inking table. B2 represents the fast and loose pulleys on the driving
shaft. B.
We do not propose to give a full description of all the ordinary movements
of the machine, as such are well known and form no part of our invention.
In carrying the invention into effect, we mount a roll of paper E on a non-driven
shaft E¹ mounted in the frame A with capability of ready removal and replacing, as
usual. The web of paper E2 from the roll E, is passed over the draw-off roller b¹ and
between that and the draw-off roller b, both of which rollers are continuously driven
as hereinafter described; the paper passes from these rollers b b¹ to between a pair of
guide plates a, and thence between a pair of feed rollers c c¹, a loop E³ of slack paper
being left between the guides a and the draw-off rolls b b¹. The upper feed roll c
is raised at intervals, after having fed a certain length of paper, as hereinafter
described, and such feed is stopped during the cutting-off of a sheet and until the
travelling feeding grippers & mounted on a shaft d, have delivered the separated
sheet to the impression cylinder grippers H¹ which are operated in the usual manner.
One draw-off roller b and one feed roller c are covered with rubber or other frictional
material, and the draw-off roller b and feed roll c¹ are driven by gearing (see
Figs. 4 and 5) as hereinafter described, whilst the roller b¹ and roll care rotated
by friction.
The driven draw-off roller b receives its motion preferably from a cone e by means
of a pair of bevel wheels ff¹ carried by a spindle mounted in brackets A¹ A², which
also respectively carry the draw-off rollers 6 b¹ and cones e e¹. The bevel wheel f
gears with a similar bevel wheel f³ mounted on the spindle of the draw-off roll b,
whilst the bevel wheel f¹ gears with another bevel wheel mounted on the spindle of
the cone e; this latter is driven by the reverse cone e¹ through the intervention of a
friction wheel e², whose position lengthwise between the cones, and consequently the
speed of the cone e, can be regulated by means of a screw e³. The cone e¹ receives its
motion from the cam shaft g (which latter mounted in brackets A³ on the frame A)
preferably by means of bevel wheels g¹ g² mounted on a shaft g³ and gearing with bevel
wheels g and go mounted on the cam shaft g and cone e¹ respectively, and said cam
shaft g is driven from the counter shaft C by chain gear g', or otherwise.
The driven feed roll c¹ receives its motion by gearing as shown at Figs. 2, 4 and 5.
A toothed wheel c² is mounted on the spindle of the driven feed roller c¹ and gears
with an idle wheel c³, which receives notion from a toothed wheel c mounted on a
shaft, c, which is given an intermittent motion by a pawl and ratchet c", see Fig. 1,
the pawl lever being connected by a rod c7 to a crank c8 on the counter shaft C, and
this gearing is so arranged as to cause the feed rolls c c to deliver at each action,
the length of paper required for the smallest sheet. Other suitable arrangements of
gearing may however be employed for the above purpose.
The cam shaft g has fixed thereon counter cams h h¹, see Figs. 4, 9 and 10, which
act on counter levers h² h³ fixed to a shaft h4 mounted in the brackets As of the
frame A, and which, by levers h³ and connecting rods he, give to and fro motion to the
travelling feeding grippers d.
A cutting apparatus F is placed between the feed rolls c c¹ and the upper end of
the feed table G, at which latter point is a pair of rotating guides i i¹ mounted in the
frame A; the lower guide ¹ receives its motion by a strap 2 passing round it and
round the reverse cone e¹, and the upper guide i rotates by friction with the lower
one. The paper passes through these guides to the travelling feeding grippers d. The

page_text: cutter lever F is caused, by means of a crank pin F1 on the cam shaft g working in
a cam groove F2 on the block F³ connected by a rod F to the cutter lever F, to cut off
a sheet of paper E* when the exact length required has been fed forward; the
travelling feeding grippers d remain stationary during such cutting operation and
then move to carry the separated sheet forward to the impression cylinder grippers H¹,
the paper E being drawn between the smoothing plate and fingers d³, see Fig. 3.
In addition to carrying the counter cams h h¹³, the cam shaft g has fixed thereon a
step or cone cam h7, which by its action on the counter lever h², causes any length of
paper required beyond that of the minimum sized sheet, to be fed forward.
The feed rolls c c¹ first feed forward the length of paper required for the minimum
sized sheet, the upper feed roll c is then raised to release the paper by means of
levers j fixed to the spindle j2 mounted in the brackets A¹, such spindle having fixed
thereon at one end a lever 1 connected to one end of a rod j³, the other end of
which is jointed to one end of a lever, which is fulcrummed at to the frame A, and
which at its other end carries a wheel or roller 1, which is acted, upon by means of a
cain 7 on the cam shaft g (see Figs. 1 and 14). The travelling feeding grippers d,
which have returned to their rearward position, are opened by the means hereinafter
described, and seize the paper, and are then moved forward by one or other parts of the
step or cone cam 7 and carry the paper forward a certain distance according to the extra
length required of sheet beyond the minimum size. The travelling feeding grippers
d then come to rest, and the upper feed roll c is pressed down by springs at each
end thereof, the lower feed roll c¹ being at rest at such time.
The paper E2 is thus firmly held by the travelling feeding grippers d and the feed
rolls c c whilst these parts are at rest, at which time the cutter is caused, as herein-
before described, to sever the sheet E from the web E². The travelling feeding
grippers are then caused to move forward to deliver the sheet E* to the impression
cylinder grippers H¹. At each end of their motion the travelling feeding grippers
are caused to open, to enable them to receive or deliver the sheet E', by means of a
cam on the cam shaft g; this cam acts on a roller d on one end of a rod do, whose
other end is pin-jointed to one side of a bar fulcrummed at both ends on its inner
side to projections 8 on the feeding table G. This bar d' receives, under the action
of the can d, a partial rotation on its fulcrums, and so presses on a lever do on
the end of the travelling feeding gripper axle d¹; at the same time the smoothing
fingers d³ are lowered on to the smoothing plates d². These travelling feeding
grippers are normally kept closed by a spring or springs do acting on the gripper
axle d', see Figs. 1, 15 and 16. Whilst the travelling feeding grippers d are.
returning for a fresh sheet, and for a short time after such motion, the feed rolls ce¹
are operated, as hereinbefore described, to feed forward the length of paper required
for the minimum sized sheet, and the operations are repeated as before.
The forward counter lever h² is adjustable on its shaft h* so as to enable a
projection 8 thereon to be placed in position over any portion of the step or
cone cam or entirely free therefrom, according to the size of sheet required,
but such forward counter lever h² is of course always in position to be operatedⓇ
by the forward counter cam h.
The printed sheet E is delivered from the impression cylinder grippers H₁ to
between pairs of sets of travelling margin tapes k k¹, one set of which passes around
the impression cylinder H and suitable guide and tension rollers k³, whilst the
other set passes around other guide rollers k, kb, k, one k² of which is driven by
friction from the impression cylinder H. These sets of tapes kk¹ deliver the printed
sheet E to between pairs of sets of transferring tapes 112 passing round rollers 13 (+
15 16 mounted in a movable frame pivoted at 17 to an extension A* of the frame A,
and two of these latter rollers 13 15 are geared together by pinions 18 19 and receive
rotary motion alternately in one direction and then in the other through a pulley (10
mounted on the axle of the roller 15; this pulley receives motion by means of a
crossed cord from a pulley 112, which is mounted on the shaft of a pinion (13
gearing with a rack (14 on the underside of the type bed I, see Fig. 2.

page_text: The sheet-transferring frame. is moved round its pivot 17, first into position, as
shown at Fig. 8, to receive the printed sheet E from the tapes k¹, and then into
position, as shown at Figs. 1, 2, 3, to deliver the printed sheet E to travelling
delivery grippers m, by means of links 15 connected to levers 16 fixed to a shaft. 117
mounted in the extension A¹. This shaft (17 is partially rotated by a crank s fixed
thereon and pin-jointed to a rod (10, which receives, at the proper time, a to and fro
motion by means of a roller (20 mounted thereon operated by a cam 21 on the counter
shaft C, see Figs. 1 and 12.
The travelling delivery grippers m, which are fixed on a shaft m¹ mounted in the
gripper bar, carried by guides m² on each side of the delivery table N, receive their
to and fro motion, by means of levers and connections m³ m³, from a crank m³ on the
cam shaft.g, see Fig. 2. These travelling delivery grippers are kept normally closed
by a spring m (see Figs. 6 and 7) acting on the gripper shaft m¹, but are opened at
their rearward position, to receive a printed sheet, by means of a projection m7 on the
delivery table N partially rotating a crank m¹ fixed on the end of the gripper
shaft ; the grippers are again opened at their forward position, to deliver the printed
sheet to the receiving box N, by means of another projection m³ on said box N acting
on crank ms.
The extension A carrying the sheet-transferring frame is provided with an
adjustable bar o fitted with stops o¹, said bar o being fixed in position to arrest, at the
proper point, the travel of any sized sheet for the time being printed, and it receives
from the impression cylinder tapes, the forward edge of the sheet and delivers
to the travelling delivery grippers m, the rear edge of such sheet, thus bringing the
rearward edge of any size sheet into proper position to be seized by the travelling
delivery grippers m.
The frame is also provided with adjustable guide plates o², which assist to guide
the printed sheet as it rises between the tapes 12. A projection m10 on the frame
of the travelling delivery grippers m, just before the grippers open at the forward
end of its motion, acts on a projection m¹ on a finger shaft m12 to raise the delivery
or freeing fingers m¹³ above the forward edge of the printed sheet; the delivery
grippers m then suddenly open, the freeing fingers m¹³ inmediately fall to free the
printed sheet from the delivery grippers m, and projections on the frame of the
latter, push the printed sheet into the delivery box N. Just as the delivery gripper
frame arrives at its forward position, a projection m15 thereon, acts to pull back a
"knocker-up" p, which is acted on by a spring p¹, so that when released it shall
knock up the pile of printed sheets in the receiving box N against an adjustable
" side-lay" n¹.
°
Fig. 11 shows the cam M on the counter shaft C for raising, by means of levers M²
and crank M³, the ink supply roller M for conveying ink from the ink duct roller M
to the distributing rollers L. The ink duct roller M is rotated by a pulley M on the
counter shaft C, by means of a cord M passing round pulley M5 and also a pulley M
on the ink duct roller shaft.
We would here remark that the details of construction of the apparatus herein
described may be varied without departing from the peculiar character of our
invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim, is:
1. The combination with a printing machine, of apparatus for automatically feeding
from a roll any required length of paper to form a sheet, and for cutting off such
sheet from the web and delivering it to travelling feeding grippers, which carry
the separated sheet to the grippers of the impression cylinder, substantially as herein
set forth.
2. The combination with a printing machine, of an improved arrangement. of
delivery apparatus for receiving the printed sheets and delivering them to a

page_text: receiving box printed side upwards, without the use of flyers, substantially as herein
set forth.
3. The combination with a printing machine, of the peculiar arrangement of
automatic paper feeding apparatus and of printed sheet delivery apparatus,
substantially as herein set forth.
L
10LL 1
1000
HARRIS & MILLS,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.