CERTAIN IMPROVE- MENTS IN PRINTING
Year: 1838

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, CARL
AUGUSTUS HOLM, of Mincing Lane, in the City of London, Engineer, and JOHN
BARRETT, of Vauxhall, in the County of Surry, Printer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Twentieth day of December, in the second year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said Carl
Augustus Holm and John Barrett, Her especial licence, full power, sole privi-
lege and authority, that we, the said Carl Augustus Holm and John Barrett,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said
Carl Augustus, Holm and John Barrett, our executors, administrators, or
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no other, from time to time
and at all times during the term of years therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and
the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, our Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PRINTING;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso
that we, the said Carl Augustus Holm and John Barrett, or one of us, shall
cause a particular description of the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's
High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the
same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: are fully described and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof,
reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures
and letters marked thereon (that is to say) :-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS No. 1 and 2.
In order to make more inteligible, or in order to point out in what consists,
properly speaking, we Invention, and in order to make the Drawings more
inteligible, we have left out the greatest parts of what inventors have already
employed, and only show what is absolutely necessary to make the Drawings
understood. Both in the superficial and sectional view the same letters deno-
minate the same pieces. a, a, is the type table; b, b, is the platen, put in
motion in the usual manner by a double knee-lever; c, c, is the moving frame,
at the extremity of which is fastened the frisket d, d, provided with very light
iron ribbonds, and with a paper cut out in the usual manner, on which the
paper which is to be printed is laid; at the other.extremity of the frisket the
inking rollers e, e, :are:fastened, and outside of the nearer:still to the extremity,
the distribution :rollers .f, f, tone.or:more in number, as may be required; g, y,
is an inking table placed at the end or extremity of the type table a, on which
the ink is distributed by the forward and backward motion of the distribution
roller; h, h, is the doctor, which is moved and receives the ink from the trough
in the usual manner common to other. printing presses.; j, j, are two small
cylinders on which a setting-off sheet is wound, passing from the one under
the platen to the other, so as to allow of the sheet being successively unwound
from the one on the other during the printing process, and without stopping
the machine or press; k is a blanket passing under the frisket frame, and in-
tended to support the paper, particularly folio, intended for printing, and to pre-
vent it from falling through the frame till the printer has had time to drop the
flappers or dropping pieces m, m, down upon the edges of the sheet, in order to
keep it stretched during the printing process; is a small iron rod sown in the
edge of the blanket in order through its weight to keep the blanket always
strotobod
The sheet intended for printing is laid on the frisket d, d, fastened as 3
already said to the frame c, c, together with inking, distributing, and feeding
rollers; the frame is then pushed. by the printer in between the platen and the

page_text: type table. The inking rollers have then passed over the types and on the
inking table 9, 9, to receive fresh ink, and at the same time the distribution
rollers have passed first over the inking table, distributing the ink, and then
on the doctor to take a new portion of ink to distribute it on the inking table
during the return motion. When the frisket frame in this manner has passed
in under the platen and over the types, the printing is effected in the usual
manner; this done, the frame is again drawn out, and the printed sheet taken
off. Through this new motion of the frame fresh. ink has again been given to
the types, and also been distributed on the inking table ready for the next
printing stroke. The press shewn in the Drawing No. 2 differs from the one.
shewn in the Drawing No. 1 only so far that at each end of the type table an
inking table is placed, and also that at each end or extremity of the frame.c, c,
there is fastened a frisket, the inking, distributing, feeding rollers e, e, e, f, f,
being fastened in the middle between these friskets, as shewn in the Drawing.
The printing operation with this press is so far a double one that at each end
of the press a man alternately lays on and takes away the sheet, and gives
the printing stroke. Of the improvements shown in this press, whereof the
several and different separate parts are already known
our invention,
we only claim as
First, to fix the distribution and feeding rollers in a moveable frame,
whereby every time that this moveable frame is pushed forward and backward
the ink is supplied and distributed over an inking table or surface placed at
one or both ends of the type table. The distribution rollers shewn in the
Drawing serve jointly as feeding rollers, but they may also be made separate
and more numerous; distribution rollers may also be adapted if thought
necessary or advisable.
Secondly, to adapt to the platen two small rollers on which the setting-off
sheet is wound up.
Thirdly, the adaption of a blanket to support the sheet intended for printing
till the flappers. or dropping pieces have had time to catch the edges of the
sheet in order to hold it extended during the printing operation.
Fourthly, the adaption, in hand presses, of inking tables or surfaces for
the, distribution of the ink, fixed at one or both ends of the type table.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING No. 3.
a, a, are two fixed platens, supported and fastened with nuts to the iron bars
b, b, passing on both sides of the machine, and united at their lower end by
the iron cross c, on which and on a screw e fastened in it the lower end of the
knee-lever d, d, rests. The upper end of the double knee-lever rests against a
moveable iron frame ff, united to another moveable iron frame y, g, by means

page_text: of an iron bar h, h, passing on each side of the machine. The lower end of this
bar also works in the iron cross c, c, and is kept in its proper position by it;
jj, are two type tables on which the forms are put. These type tables
are supported by the iron frames f and 9, which give to these forms an
upward vertical motion, so that they meet the platens a, a, every time the knee-
levers are pulled; h, h, is an horizontal iron bars that acts upon the knee-lever
d, d, and gives to it its erect position by means of that crank lever / fastened
on a revolving shaft r, works against the friction roller m fastened to the iron
bar k; on the shaft r the cam n, n, is also fixed; this kam brings back the hori-
zontal bar, and with it the knee-lever, to the position shewn in. the Drawing;
0, 0, are the inking rollers, and p, p, the distributing rollers; t, t, are the two
inking tables, provided as in the other Drawing with doctors and inking
reservoirs; v is a cylindrical counterpoise balancing the moveable frames.
THE PRINTING PROCESS.
The paper or stuff intended for printing is wound up upon the wooden
cylinder a, then brought under the superior fixed platen, then over the wooden
cylinder y, whereby it is turned over and brought under the lower fixed platen
to the two feeding or regulating rollers z, z, and firmly to the scissors a*, where
it is cut in the dimensions required. As shewn in the Drawing, the crank
lever is so constructed that the knee-lever, and, consequently, the two move-
able type tables, are stationary during the time the inking rollers passes
backward and forward over the types, and only are put in motion the moment
these rollers have returned to the inking tables. The mechanism necessary to
move the the inking apparatus and the scissors are not shown in the Drawing,
as the may be vary'd very much, and would only make the Drawing confused.
In this machine we claim as our Invention,-
First, to print on paper or stuffs on one or both sides with two or more
vertically placed moveable forms on typi table against two or more vertically
fixed immoveable platens. (It is clear that on the same principle the platens
may be made moveable, and the type table or forms fixed,) which
also claim.
we
Secondly, the application of scissars and feeding (in conjunction with) or
regulating rollers to machines that print on what is called continuous paper,
whereby the paper is brought to the scissors and cut to any dimensions
required, all of which is regulated by the machine itself.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Nos. 4 and 5.
One of the greatest difficulties in printing, particularly in machine printing,
is the imperfect mode in which the inking process is effected, and particularly

page_text: so where any any blank pages occur. This deficiency is perfectly obviated by
the simple inking apparatus hereunder described. Drawing 4, a, a, a, are the
distribution rollers, as usual laid in an angle across the inking table, but
differing from the usual ones in the mode that their bearings are arranged, for
while the one bearing b, b, is fixed, the other bearing o, o, is moveable, and
give thereby to the rollers an oscillating motion every time that either the
inking table or the rollers are moved backward or forward. On that end of
the rollers, where they lay in the fixed bearing, there is adapted a spring
d, d, d, or counterpoise, which pushes the rollers from one to two inches longi-
tudinally every time that the rollers leave the inking table. By this traverse
and oscillatory motions united the distributing rollers are made to distributed
the ink crossways over the inking table, as shewn in the Drawing, in that if
the ink was put even in one of the corners of the inking table f, f, ƒ, ƒ, it
would soon be spread all over its surface, and this, whether it is the inking
table or the frame 9, 9, that effects the alternating motion. The Drawing
No. 5 is a modification of the same system of inking. The distributing
rollers e, e, e, e, are here supported on two double-armed levers a, a. The arms
of one of these levers are shorter than those in the others, so that they will
allow of the rollers being laid in the usual angle across the inking table f, f.
These lever arms are supported and united by an iron rod c, c, on which they
are fixed, so that both have together a vertical motion, but the longer one a
liorizontal one; besides the horizontal motion is given to the lever alternatively
on both sides by the transverse motion of the distributing rollers across the
inking table. The counterpoise b receiving its motion from the machine,
serves to give a vibrating motion to the levers, and thereby to elevate or
depress alternatively the arms of the levers at the same time or by the same
notion, setting alternatively the distributing rollers on both sides of the rod
c, c, in contact with the inking table. By these two united vibrating and
traversing motions the ink is spread out crossway all over the inking table f, f,
as clearly shewn in the preceding Figure.
What we claim are the modes herein described of combining parts into
Description of an improved manner of printing by means of an alternating
moveable form against one or more cylinders laying in fixed bearings, whereby
it is possible to print both during the forward and backward motion of this
form. As most of the moving parts of this press resembles those in other
machine presses, no more is slicwn in the different Drawings than what is

page_text: absolutely necessary to comprehend the manner in which the paper is brought
under the different printing cylinders, and from them in such a manner that it
is possible to print against these several cylinders both during the forward
and the backward motion of the form. As the principle is the same through-
'out all the figures the same letters are made to denote the same parts: a, a,
is the alternating moveable type table, provided with two inking tables, and
with a rack c, c, on each side of the machine, by which a backward and
forward motion is given to the printing cylinders, the cogs on their extremities
catching in the cogs of the rack for every motion of the table. b, b', b, bs, are
three different printing cylinders; d is the paper ready for printing laid on
feeding tables of sheet iron c, c; and g, g, are drop-down rollers that fall down
on the edges of the paper, and thereby carry it to the endless tape f,f, and
"h, h, are feeding drums; m, m, are the inking rollers; o, o, are moveable
hinges or tongues fastening to the feeding tables; they are made to follow
the movement of the drop-down rollers è and g. These hinges have small
holes cut out of their edges in three different places, as shewn at n. in the
Figure 5, to allow the endless tape to pass. When these hinge pieces o drop
down with the rollers e and g, they allow the paper to pass under the different
printing cylinders; but when they rise again with the rollers e and g; after the
sheet is printed, they oblige the sheets to pass under them, with the endless tape
going always one way over the rollers k and i, k, k, k, f, to the receiving tables.
Having now described the different parts shewn in the Drawings, we will
only remark that the movement of the endless tapes are the same throughout
all the machine, and therefore easily understood. Figure 6 has only one
printing cylinder; the paper is carried in and out by means of three endless
tapes, one in the middle and one at each end, passing first under the printing
cylinder b, and then over the roller e, e. Another endless tape passes outside,
and upon this tape, under the printing cylinder, over the rollers f, f, and finally
over the rollers n, m, n, n. Between these two endless tapes the paper is carried
under the printing cylinder to the endless tape k, i, going, as already said,
always one way towards the receiving table. The tape carries the paper
under the feeding table to p, where the receiving table is, so that if a sheet is
stroked in at d', it will come out at p' on the receiving table Figure 7 is a
machine with two printing cylinders; round the rollers b, h, e, an endless tape
passes here, and another endless tape passes outside and upon this in such a
manner that if we begin at n the tape will pass over f, under the cylinder b,
over the rollers 9, 9, under the cylinder 62, over the roller f' to the rollers
m, n, on the other end of the machine. Between these two endless tapes the
paper is carried under the printing cylinders towards the endless tapes h, h,

page_text: and k, f, that carries the paper, as said already, to the receiving table.
Figure 8 is a machine with three printing cylinders; round the cylinder b, and
the rollers and e, the cylinder 63, and rollers h² and e, and the cylinder b¹
and rollers e, e, there passes three series
ss tapes; round and outside all
these endless tapès another endless tape, es, between which series of tapes
the paper is carried under the several printing cylinders and to the receiving
tables p, p, p, and as already shown, so that, beginning at n', the tape passes
over f, under b, over g, to f'; again under the cylinder 6' and over f'; round
g', under 63; and over.f" to the roller n². Figure 9 is a machine with four
printing cylinders. In this Figure, as in the three preceding ones, endless
tapes passes round the four series of cylinders and rollers b, h, e, b', h¹; e',
b, h, e, and b³, h³, e; and outside and around all these tapes another
endless tape passes, and carries, as already said, the paper under the several
printing cylinders and to the receiving tables, so that begining at n¹ the latter
tape passes over f; under b; round g, over f', under the cylinder 6', over the
two rollers g, g; under the cylinder 6', over f2, round g³, under b³, over f³,
and finally to n³.
What we claim in this machine is, the mode of combining the parts as
herein described, but do not claim the separate parts.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING No. 7.
The different Figures in the Drawing are modifications in the manner of
applying the colour in block printing. In Figures 1, 2, 3, elastic rollers take
the colour from cylinders or surfaces on which it has been spread, and passing
under the blocks, communicate the colour to them. In Figure 4 elastic rollers,
by the motion given to them by the frame in which they are fixed; press a
web to which colour has been supplied in the usual manner against the blocks,
and thereby gives them a colour. a, a, a, are the engraved blocks fastened
to iron platens; these platens are suspended or sliding in a horizontal frame;
this frame is moved vertically, and the blacks are arranged in the frame in
such a manner that they may be adjusted according to the pattern; b, b, is an
iron frame in which the elastic colour rollers are fixed; c, c, c, are the im-
pression tables over which the cloth passes; the table is also covered with one
or more layers of flannel to give the surface an elasticity; d; d, are rollers, on
the periphery of which small wire pegs are driven; these pegs serve to prevent
the cloth from stretching during the impression; round these rollers an
endless web passes; that serves to feed the cloth from the roller f, on which it
is wound up; e, e, are the elastic rollers fixed in the iron frame b, b; x is a
counterpoise that always keeps the cloth stretched. In Figure 1 the elastic

page_text: rollers e, e, e, take the colour from a cylinder g, on which it has been distributed
in the usual manner from the colour trough, and passing under the blocks
communicate the colour to them. In Figure 2 the elastic rollers e, e, e, in the
frame passing over the surface of the small colour trough i, i, takes up the
colour. This trough is provided with flanches, on which a web is fastened of
such a suitable texture that the colouring matter may be forced through it by
means of the pressure from the colour reservoir k, regulated by the cock in
the pipe h. In Figure 3 the elastic rollers e, e, e, take up the colour from a
surface or imperviable web on which it. has been spread in the usual manner
by means of a cylinder and a tiering brush ; s, s, are the colour trougli, and
k, k, fixed boards against which the web is pressed. The web is wound up
upon the two rollers m, m, and always kept stretched by the weight o and p
suspended to strings passing round the extremities of the rollers m, m, when
the frame b, b, is put in motion, so that the elastic rollers passing under the
block to distribute the colour upon them, the web is also put in motion by
means of a string at 1, which lifts the weight o, when the counterpoise p,
through its weight, makes the web pass over the surface k, k, and over the
rollers n, n. The web receives them, as already said, a fresh layer of colour by
means of the cylinder and tiering brush r; when, by the return motion of the
frame with the elastic rollers, the web is drawn the other way, it distributes
the colour on the elastic rollers. The web is stationary so long as the rollers
pass under it to take up the colour from it, and during the time that the
rollers pass under the blocks to distribute the colour to them the web receives
a new layer of colour, as already described.
In Figure 4 is shown the other modification of this colouring apparatus, as
shown in the Figure. The elastic rollers e push the colouring web under and
against the block by acting on the reverse side of it, as will be shewn.
The colouring web is fastened by one. of its ends at the iron rod n, and the
other end, after passing under the roller e fixed in the moveable frame b and
along the fixed cord k, is wound up on the roller m, being always kept
stretched by the counterpoise p, as shewn in the other Figures. When the
moveable frame is put in motion, the elastic rollers of course follow this
motion, and act against the reverse side of the colouring web, so that the
weight p is raised and the web unwound from the roller m, when the roller e
passes under the blocks a and turns the coloured side of the web upward
against the block, and thereby distributing the colour on it."
Figure 5 shews how it is possible, by adding another printing cylinder
and another set of engraved rollers to the modern cylindrical calico-printing
machine, to print on both sides of the stuff. Let us suppose that it is a usual

page_text: printing cylinder, and B, B, B, the usual engraved rollers, with their colouring
troughs k, k, k, another printing cylinder D, with its engraved rollers 9, 9, 9,
is then placed as shewn in the Figure, and the stuff is carried from the
rollere round these cylinders, as shewn by the arrows in the Figure, and
becomes printed on both sides.
What we claim as this part of the Invention are, the modes of combining
apparatus to supply color to blocks in block printing. See Drawing No. 7.
What we claim is, the mode of printing two sides of paper, calico, or other
fabric, as above described in respect to Figure 5.
In witness whereof, the said Carl Augustus Holm, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of June, One thousand eight
hundred and thirty-nine.