IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING PRESSES
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING PRESSES."--A com-
munication from abroad by Frederick William Griffith and George
Philip Byrne, both of the City and State of New York, United
States of America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 18th November 1875, pursuant to the 9th
Section of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL SOME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents.
Southampton Buildings In
Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting.

page_text: ments; Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line x, x, Figure 3; Figure 3
is a front elevation; Figure 4 is a rear elevation; Figure 5 is an enlarged
view of a portion of Figure 1; Figure 6 is an enlarged view, partly in
section, of part at Figure 3; Figures 7, 8, 9, shew details of the said
Invention Figure 10 is an enlarged view of a part of Figure 1; and
Figure 11 is an enlarged view of a part of Figure 4.
.
A represents a cylinder of suitable dimensions, which is supported on
the usual side standards B of the press frame by extending the cylinder
hubs at both ends, and resting the square outer ends of the same in
corresponding slots and fastening caps in the standards. The cylinder
is thereby retained rigidly in a stationary position, while the central
shaft A' of the same, passing through the entire length of the tubular
hub so extended, is made to revolve by means of a toothed wheel C,
which gears with a pinion D on the driving shaft E. The portion of the
cylinder hubs F between the side frames or standards and the cylinder
is turned round to be used as a shaft to the roller frame G, to which
revolving motion is imparted by a bevil wheel H at its outer face that
gears by an intermediate bevil pinion I with the bevil wheel d on the
inner face of the cog wheel C on the revolving cylinder shaft A'. The
spindle, on which the bevil pinion I turns is supported on the cap J.
of the cylinder hub, the pinion being removable to allow the roller
frames G, G, connected by rods K, K, or by a similar transmission
gearing at the opposite side to be placed in variable position. By this
location of operating mechanism the roller frame is revolved in the
reverse direction to the driving gear wheel. The inking rollers L are
set in the usual manner into spring acted bearings composed of the
roller frame G, and pass around the surface of the stationary cylinder A,
distributing the ink on its surface to a very fine grain.
The cylinder is constructed with the chase bed at the ordinary angle
and in the ordinary location in front, and with flanges or sides M on
each side of the bed at right angles to the axis of the cylinder. These
sides are grooved parallel with the face of the bed, and the grooves
terminate at their lower extremities in a stop or seat N as shown.
Between these sides and in the grooves therein the chase is held and
rests on the seats at the bottom of the grooves; thus while the chase
may be readily removed it is securely held without springs or clamping

page_text: devices, and the downward motion of the inking rollers tends to still
further secure it in position, as will be herein-after described.
The ink is partially distributed before it reaches the cylinder or the
inking rollers by means of three revolving rollers at the rear of the press.
The upper roller O is a reciprocating and revolving roller, the second P
a medium connecting roller, and the lower one Q the driving roller set
below and in close contact with the connecting roller P, and driven by a
belt R passing around a pulley S on its shaft and around the wheel T. The
roller O is simultaneously revolved and reciprocated from side to side by
the exterior lug and spiral groove of its shaft, or by any other suitable
device. Its shaft journals are placed in bearings that slide in horizontal
V. g grooves of the standards. The springs hold the roller O snugly
against the inking rollers during the passage of the same, and when the
rollers have passed force the shaft journals against the stop pins f³ in
the opening of the groove, thus bringing the roller to its original
position before its contact with the inking rollers.
The medium connecting roller P revolves in bearings fastened in a
forward extending frame V, which slides in grooves below the line of the
roller O. This frame V is provided with antifriction rollers W, which
come in contact with the cam edge X at the outer extremity of the
roller frame G which holds the rollers L. By this pressure of the roller
frame the roller P is forced backward so as to suspend its contact with
the roller O in anticipation of the necessary backward motion of the
roller O by the inking rollers, and when the inking rollers have passed
the roller the spiral springs Y at sides of the frame force the roller P
into contact with the roller O; but although the roller P is separated
from the roller O during this passage of the inking rollers its contact is
maintained with the roller Q, which is stationary, and is the driving
roller of the inking mechanism. This interval of separation between
the roller O and the roller P is at the time when the roller Q will take a
fresh supply of ink from a suitable fountain.
The operation of the said rollers is as follows:-Suppose the inking
rollers to be at the top of the cylinder the motion is applied and the
three rollers O, P, Q, taking motion from the latter, commence the work
of distribution and maintain their triple contact until the inking rollers
have descended over the form and are ascending the rear section of the

page_text: cylinder, when the rim X of the roller frame G strikes the rollers W on
the sliding frame V. This pressure suspends the contact of P with O
immediately the inking rollers engage O and take a fresh supply of
distributed ink.
When the rim X has passed the wheels W and the inking rollers have
passed O simultaneous by the springs Y force P and the springs f
force O forward into their normal position of triple contact, which since
the touching of the roller rim on W has been maintained only between
P, and Q, is resumed by the three rollers O, P, Q, and continued until
in another revolution of the press the roller frame touches W.
The downward motion of the inking rollers over the front part of the
cylinder and when inking the form helps to press the chase firmly in its
seats at the bottom of the grooves.
'
The platen frame A³ with its platen B¹ swings in the ordinary
manner on arms A² pivoted to the lower portion of the standards. The
motion is imparted to it by a crank disc in connection with the cog shaft.
The platen B' is made adjustable and provided with a guide frame C',
that works by means of springs acted or weighted guide rods in cylin-
drical or other supporting sockets D¹, which are either fastened firmly or
pivoted to the arms of the platen frame.
The fingers a¹ of the guide frame C¹are so constructed with slots,
bearings and set screws that they may be brought with perfect accuracy
to any position on the platen and held at the same time firmly in
position against any motion, either in a lateral, upward, or downward
direction.
Extension arms E¹ with friction rollers at the ends are applied to the
guide frame in such a manner that the flanged sector cams F¹ on the
right and left wheels of the cylinder shaft A' engage the arms E¹ and
hold the guide frame stationary while the platen is descending, keeping
it suspended long enough to allow the printed sheets to pass off below
the same.
On the release of the sector cams F¹ the guide frame is
carried back to the platen by means of springs or weights of the guide
rods.
The printed sheets are conveyed from the platen B¹ by means of

page_text: and a lower driving roller J' having a belt connection with a pulley on
the driving shaft to a suitable receptacle to be deposited therein. These
tapes are situated in or nearly in a plane with the platen.
The sheets may by this arrangement be fed with great rapidity to the
press, as the operator is relieved from the work of taking out the printed 5
sheets by the action of the sheet conveying tapes.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondents, and the manner of performing the
same, I wish it understood that I claim,—
First. The combination of the roller frame G, provided with cam 10
edge X laterally sliding, connecting roller P, and longitudinally recipro-
cating changers O for suspending contact of the latter with the former
during the passage of the inking rollers against the changer O, con-
structed and operating in the manner above specified.
Second. The combination with the platen B, platen frame A³, and 1
guide frame C¹ of the conveying tapes G¹, arranged in or nearly in the
same plane as the platen, as above specified.
Third. The combination of the receiving and driving roller Q, recipro-
cating revolving roller O, and intermediate connecting roller P with the
roller frame G, rollers L, and stationary distributing cylinder A, con- 2
structed and operating in the manner above specified.
Fourth. The combination with the stationary cylinder A, having a
chase bed with grooved flanges, which are in a plane at right angles to
the axis of the cylinder, and terminate in seats for supporting the chase
of the inking rollers L and frame G, which revolve over the chase and 2
tend to retain and force it into place between said flanges, in the manner
above specified.
Fifth. The adjustable platen B¹ combined with the guide frame C¹and
socket guide rods D', as and for the purpose specified.
Sixth. The arms E' and cams F¹ combined with the guide frame, as 3
and for the purpose described.
Seventh. The combination of the roller frame G, gear wheel H,
shaft A³, gear wheel and single intermediate pinion I, connecting the

page_text: shaft and roller frame, so that said roller frame will revolve in the reverse
direction to the driving gear wheel, in the manner above specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of November,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.
Witness,
HY. JA. NoONE.
WN. ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.)