Improvements in and relating to Impression Surfaces for Printing Machines.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Aug., 1898-Accepted, 8th Oct., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Impression Surfaces for Printing
Machines.
I, WILLIAM HENRY REYNELL TOYE, of 616, Sansom Street, in the City and County
of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, United States of America, Printer,
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 :-
My invention relates to the impression cylinders or platens used in connection
with cylindrical or flat bed printing machines and has for its object to provide an
impression surface at once sufficiently elastic to automatically correct irregularities
in the type, plate, or stone, and sufficiently hard to be substantially free from the
tendency of the type to form matrix like depressions in the impression surface. A
notable advantage of my construction being that it enables the printers to effect
their "make ready" in a shorter time and with less attention to absolute accuracy
than is ordinarily the case.
To the above ends my invention in a broad sense consists in providing an impression
cylinder or platen with a surface covering of compressible and elastic material over-
laid by a sheet of hard and smooth surfaced elastic metal. For the best results I
cement the layer of compressible and elastic material to the back of the metal sheet
so that they together make up one sheet of packing material and preferably I make
up the elastic layer of a sheet of rubber incorporating and reinforced by some less
compressible and extensible material as a layer of felt or still better layers of wire
cloth.
Reference being now had to the drawings in which my invention is illustrated and
in which
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of an impression cylinder constructed in accord-
ance with my invention taken as on the section line x-x of Fig. 2.
Figure 2 is a cross-section of the impression cylinder taken as on the line y-y of
Fig. 1.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section through one part of the periphery of the cylinder
taken as on the section line -v of Fig. 2.
Figure 4 is a longitudinal section through the periphery of an impression
cylinder showing a special construction of the elastic and compressible layer,
and
Figure 5 is a plan view on a larger scale showing the construction of wire cloth
used in connection with this elastic and compressible layer.
A indicates the impression cylinder secured, as shown, on a shaft B, the cylinder
illustrated being one embodying two impression surfaces and provided. with two
diametrically opposite recesses CC in its face. D D etc., indicate hooks secured on
one of the longitudinal sides of the recesses C. E E are rollers journalled at the
ends of the recesses C and provided with a series of hooks E¹ E¹ etc. E2 E2 indicate
ratchet wheels secured to the rollers E, and E3 E3 (see Fig. 2) indicate pawls adapted
to engage and hold these ratchet wheels. The rolls, it will be noticed in Fig. 1, are
provided with outwardly extending ends E adapted to be engaged by a wrench or
other device by which the rolls can be turned. F.indicates a layer of elastic and

page_text: compressible material, such as a sheet of indiarubber or felt or any generally equiva-
lent substance. I have found advantage in making this elastic and compressible
layer, as indicated in Fig. 4, of a sheet or sheets of wire cloth, as indicated at F1,
covered and incorporated in a layer of rubber. The value of the elastic and com-
pressible qualities of the rubber being enhanced by the elasticity and strength of
the wire cloth. To a considerable, though less degree, this advantage is secured by
incorporating in the rubber a sheet of felt or other material less compressible than
rubber and which will counteract its tendency to spread laterally. G indicates a sheet
of hard smooth surfaced metal, preferably sheet steel, which is secured over the
elastic layer on the face of the roll or platen and forms the impression surface proper.
It is of course necessary that both the elastic and metal layers should be tightly
held to the surface of the roll, and while this may be accomplished in any convenient
way I have found it convenient to form one edge of the metal plate G. with the
turned down portion G¹ having in it holes corresponding to the hooks D, said
turned down portion being inserted in the recess E and. hooked on to the hooks D;
the other end of the metal sheet is then hooked on to the hooks E¹ on a roll E and
the roll turned so as to draw the sheet tight against the surface of the impression
cylinder; the pawl and ratchet E3 E2 holding it in the desired position and with the
necessary tension.
The full advantage of my invention is only attained when the metal sheet and
elastic layer are cemented together so as to form in effect a single packing layer which
is applied to the cylinder or platen.
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 I
claim is
1. An impression cylinder or platen for a printing machine having its surface
covered with a compressible elastic layer overlaid by a sheet of hard and smooth
surfaced elastic metal.
2. An impression cylinder or platen for a printing machine having its surface
covered with a compressible elastic layer of rubber incorporating a less compressible
and extensible material overlaid by a sheet of hard and smooth surfaced elastic
metal.
.
3. An impression cylinder or platen for a printing machine having its surface
covered with a compressible elastic layer of rubber incorporating a layer or layers of
wire cloth overlaid by a sheet of hard and smooth surfaced elastic metal.
4. An impression cylinder or platen for a printing machine having its surface
covered with a compressible elastic layer overlaid by and cemented to a sheet of hard
and smooth surfaced elastic metal.
5. As a packing layer for printing cylinders or platens a sheet of hard and smooth
surfaced elastic metal backed by and cemented to a layer of elastic and compressible
material.
6. As a packing layer for printing cylinders or platens a sheet of hard and smooth
surfaced elastic metal backed by and cemented to a layer of elastic and compressible
material made up of rubber incorporating a layer of less compressible and extensible
material.
7. As a packing layer for printing cylinders or platens a sheet of hard and smooth
surfaced elastic metal backed by and cemented to a layer of elastic and compressible
material made up of rubber incorporating a layer or layers of wire cloth.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.