Improvements in the Introduction and the Delivery of Sheets of Paper to and from either Continuous or Intermittent Printing or other Machines.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Dec., 1890-Accepted, 7th Feb., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Introduction and the Delivery of Sheets of
Paper to and from either Continuous or Intermittent Printing
or other Machines.
I, JULES MICHAUD, of 96 Rue d'Assas, Paris, France, Engineer, 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:-
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a vertical section illustrating the invention.
Fig. 2 is a vertical section showing the apparatus applied to a machine for
gumming or coating.
Fig. 3 is a vertical section showing the invention applied to a rotary printing
machine.
Fig. 4 is a vertical section showing the invention applied to a machine for
printing on one side only from a flat forme or lithographic stone.
Fig. 5 is a similar view to Fig. 4 but shows the feed as being effected from above
instead of below the cylinder as in the former case.
Fig. 6 is a vertical section showing the invention applied to a printing machine
fitted with an automatic paper feed apparatus.
Fig. 7 is a similar view to Fig. 6 and shows the machine fitted with the automatic
feeding apparatus only.
Referring to Fig. 1, a cylinder 1 carries at its ends two wheels over which pass
endless chains or bands 2, which also pass over two other wheels 3 both mounted on
the same shaft the endless chains or bands carry plates placed opposite each other
and to which are fixed rods serving to support a system of grippers 4, which under
the action of cams open to seize and then, to release the sheets. 5 is a table from
which the sheets are fed and 6 the table to which they are delivered.
The following is the operation of the apparatus:
The sheets are fed from the table 5, stops or fixed points on such table regulating
their position. When one of the sets of grippers mounted on the chain or band
approaches the sheet, such grippers open under the action of a cam so as to seize
the head of this sheet. The ends of the shaft carrying the grippers enter two
bearings 7 secured to the cylinder, and two caps 8 of these bearings both mounted
on the same shaft and actuated by a cam are lowered on to the shaft and fix it
securely on the cylinder during the whole time it is in contact therewith; the
grippers having seized the sheet carry it forward, and then at the moment
when the latter meets the stops or abutments 9, they open and deliver it to the
table 6.
Although the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 and the following figures are fitted with
only two sets of grippers 4, because the development of the chain is double that of
the cylinder, I may make the chains of sufficient length to permit them to carry
three, four or a greater number of sets of grippers.
Fig. 2 shows the application of the apparatus above described to a machine for
gumming or coating; 11 and 12 are two rollers serving to apply the coating to
the sheet they are in contact with. the roller 13 which dips into the bath 14,
a blade 15 bearing against such roller to limit the quantity of the material which it
takes up.
In machines for gumming or coating there is only one roller for applying the
coating to the sheet, and it is therefore necessary to cause the cylinder which
carries the sheet to make several revolutions so as to correct the irregularities there
may be in the roller.

page_text: I have thought of applying several rollers to the sheet, either employing a
separate feed roller taking the coating from the bath for each spreading roller, or as
shown in Fig. 2 arranging two spreading rollers in contact with the same feed roller,
whereby I obtain an even spreading of the coating, while only causing the cylinder
carrying the sheet to make one revolution.
In Fig. 3 the apparatus is applied to a rotary printing machine; the cylinder 16
carries the printing plates or zincos, if it is for lithographic printing, and the
rollers 17 are inkers or dampers as the case may be.
Fig. 4 shows the application of the invention to a machine for printing on one
side only from a flat forme or lithographic stone; the sheets are fed from tablé 18,
carried forward by the grippers 20, brought into contact with the forme or
stone 21, printed, and then delivered on table 19; in this press the feed table is
beneath the cylinder. Fig. 5 shows the application of the invention to a machine
in which the feed is from above the cylinder; 22 is the feed table and 23 the
delivery table.
I may combine the system described with apparatus for automatically feeding
paper to printing or other machines.
Fig. 6 illustrates a printing machine fitted with a paper feed apparatus: The
pile of paper is placed on table 24, the height of which is adjustable, and which is
fowered so that the top sheet is level with the top of roller A upon which the
balls B bear. The lever C reciprocates and actuates bar 25, which carries at its
end a ball E of metal or of india rubber. Several levers C and several bars 25 may
be provided. The metal or india rubber balls bear on the paper with the weight
of the bars and if necessary of an adjustable weight F. They are mounted so as
not to rotate as they advance towards the cylinder, and on the contrary to rotate
when they withdraw therefrom. By this means it follows that in advancing they
carry the top sheet of the pile-of paper with them. Upon the pile of paper bear
two or three blades G fixed to rings sliding freely upon the rods H, and the action
of theso-blades, which resemble-blades-of-a-penknife, is to ensure_the_balls_I
-only carrying one of the sheets forward at a time. Such sheet is carried up
to roller A and the balls B are lowered upon it, and as roller A revolves
the sheet is carried between the tapes which lead it to cylinder 26" and thence to
cylinder 27.
E
I may supply the paper automatically to cylinder 27 without passing first-to
-cylinder-26.
The table 24 rises automatically as the paper is removed.
The chains or bands 30 pass round the cylinder 27 and also round pulleys or
pinions 31. 28 is the printing cylinder and 29 the delivery table.
I may also employ any other system of automatic feed, the sheets being separated
from the pile by suction or by any other suitable means.
Fig. 7 represents the same machine fitted with the feed apparatus only. The
sheet would then be seized by the grippers 32 of cylinder 27, which would carry
it forward for printing and then deliver it to any form of mechanical delivery
apparatus.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that
what I claim is :-
1. The application to printing, coating or other machines, of a new system for
effecting the introduction, conveying and the delivery of sheets, consisting in the
employment of movable grippers, which seize the sheet and convey and support same
without releasing it until it arrives at the delivery apparatus.
2. The combination of the apparatus covered in the preceding claim with the
cylinder of either a continuous or intermittent flat printing machine.
3. The combination of the sheet conveying apparatus with the cylinder of either
a continuous or intermittent typographic, zincographic, gumming, coating or other
cylindrical-machine.

page_text: 4. In printing, coating and other machines the combination of the automatic
feeding apparatus described with the means for conveying the sheets covered in
claim 1.
5. The combination of the automatic feeding apparatus with the printing apparatus
of a cylindrical typographic, zincographic, lithographic machine, or machine for
gumming or coating, substantially as specified.
Dated 1: 101 1.
1000
ALLISON BROS.,.
Agents for the Applicant.