Improvements in and relating to Automatic Wipers and Polishers for Plate Printing Presses.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Nov., 1895-Accepted, 21st Dec., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
Improvements in and relating to Automatic Wipers and Polishers
for Plate Printing Presses.
I. JUDAH TOURO ROBERTSON, a citizen of the United States of America, of
86 Trinity Place, in the City, County and State of New York, one of the United
States of America, Gentleman, 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 improvements in automatic wipers and polishers for
plate printing presses and more particularly to that class of wipers and polishers
in which an engraved plate is automatically wiped and polished by a traveling
beit.
It has been demonstrated from practice that roller wipers and polishers are
the most effective, but the tendency of all roller wipers and polishers is to wipe
out and remove the ink from the engraved lines of the plate. Various forms of
wiper and polisher belts have also been employed, and these generally in com-
bination with rollers which press against the engraved plate through the belt.
In all these, however, so far as I am aware, the belt leaves the plate in a line
concentric with the periphery of the roller which holds said belt in contact with
said plate, and the action of the belt is the same in effect, and open to the same
objections as the roller wipers and polishers, namely, wiping out or removing the ink
from the engraved lines.
The object of my invention is to overcome this objection and produce an
automatically operated wiper and polisher belt which will not wipe out or remove
the ink from the engraved lines and which will thoroughly and effectually wipe and
polish the plate.
With this object in view, my said invention consists in certain novelty in the
construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the same, all of
which I will now proceed to point out and describe, reference being had to the
accompanying drawings, in which-
The figure is a vertical longitudinal section of my said invention, showing the
same applied to a rotary press, only such parts of the press being shown as are
necessary to a full understanding of the invention, the frame of the press being shown
only in outline, and partly broken away.
As the wiper and polisher are duplicates of one another and their operation is the
same, the description of one will apply to the other, and the same letters of reference
will be used to designate like parts.
Referring to said diawings-the numeral 1 indicates the rotary plate c inder
of a plate printing press. 2 are the main pressure or wiping and polisher rollers,
which are mounted on shafts 3 parallel with the shaft of the plate cylinder and
journaled in bearings 4 radially adjustable to or from the plate cylinder, whereby
said rollers may be adjusted to give the wiper and polisher belts greater or less
pressure on the plates carried by the plate cylinder. The bearings 4 are formed
in brackets 5 attached to portions of the frame and adjusted by means of
adjusting screws or bolts 6 and set screws 7. The rollers 2 may be constructel in
any suitable manner, such for instance, as an iron core covered by rubber or other
soft and flexible material.
8 are smaller auxiliary rollers located on opposite sides of the main rollers. Said
rolleis 8 are also radially adjustable to or from the plate cylinder and are mounted

page_text: on shafts 9 parallel with the shaft of said plate cylinder; said shaft being journaled
in bearings 10 formed in brackets 11 securel to the frame by the adjusting screws
or bolts 12 and set screws 13. By this construction the auxiliary rollers may be
caused to bear with greater or less force or not at all, upon the plate carried by the
plate cylinder.
18 are
14 are driving rollers mounted upon shafts 15, also parallel with the plate cylinder
shaft, and journaled in bearings 16 formed in boxes 17 secured to the frame.
adjustable tension rollers having their shafts 18° journaled in bearings 19 in
brackets 20 secured to the frame by adjusting screws or bolts 21 and set screws 22.
23 are endless wiper and polisher belt, which are mounted on and extend around
the trains of rollers above described, and are interposed between the rollers 2 and 8
and the plate cylinder.
The wiper and polisher belts are formed of any suitable flexible material, such as
cloth, blanket, or leather faced with any good wiping and polishing material made
as thin and flexible as possible, for the thinner the belts the better the results.
24 are adjustable rider rollers mounted on shafts 25 journaled in bearings 26
formed in brackets 27 secured to the frame and adjusted by means of adjusting
screws or bolts 28 and set screws 29, said rollers bear against the driving roliers
with the belts between the same so as to insure the movement of the belt at the
same speed as the driving roller and main pressure rollers.
30 is the main driving gear for the plate cylinder, and is mounted upon a
shaft 31. 32 is a larger gear also mounted upon the shaft 31 and gearing with
gears 33 and 34 mounted on the shafts of the main pressure rollers and the driving
rollers. The direction of rotation of the gears, roilers and belts is indicated by
arrows.
Said
It will thus be seen that the rollers 2 aid in driving the belts, but their power 18
principally exerted to effect the wiping and polishing. The direction of movement
of the belt it will be noted is cutrary to the movement of the plate and cylinder.
35 are cleansing pads suitably supported from the frame by arms 36. Over
these pads press cleaning cloths or rags 37 are fed from one drum 38 to another 39
by a suitable pawl and ratchet movenient 40 or other suitable means.
cloths or rags engage and clean the belts and remove the ink from the same.
4. is a polished steel plate supported from the frame by an arm 42. Said plate
engages the polisher belt before it reaches the engraved plate and gives it
smoothness and polish. A scraper may also be used in connection with the belts.
The construction of the cleaning pads, polishing plate and scraper need not be more
particularly described, as their construction and operation will be readily
understood.
From the above description the operation of my invention will be apparent; the
belt is driven by the rollers and the main pressure rollers being independent of
this belt thus have all the good effects of a roller, wiper and polisher, while
the belts, passing along on opposite sides of the points of contact of the main
pressure rollers and plate, and gradually approaching and leaving the surface of
said plate, either at a tangent, in a straight line, or in a reverse curve to the curve
of the portion of the rollers in contact with the plate, are prevented from wiping out
or removing the ink from the engraved lines of the said plate, at the same tine
thoroughly and effectually cleaning, wiping and polishing the same.
The main pressure rollers are the principal cleaning medium and may be
adjusted to exert any required pressure upon the plate through the interposed
belt.
The auxiliary rollers on each side of the main rollers may also be adjusted as
required, to cause the same to bear with a slight pressure on the plate, or not at
all, thus enabling the belt to approach and leave the surface of the plate more or
less gradually.
In connection with the above-described wiping and polishing devices I may also
employ mechanism to give the rollers a longitudinal movement on their axis, or an
oscillating movement across the face of the plate, whereby the wiper and polisher

page_text: belts will have a substantially crossways or zigzag rubbing action on the plate, as
well as a rotary movement.
It will be seen that by my invention I get in effect all the advantages of a roller
wiper and polisher, and at the same time prevent the device from wiping out or
removing the ink from the engraved lines.
I have described my invention as applied to a rotary steam plate printing press,
but it is apparent that the same may be used with a flat bed press.
I am aware that roller wipers and polishers have heretofore been used, and that
belt wipers and polishers combined and operated by rollers have also been used, and
I do not claim broadly a belt wiper and polisher combined with rollers.
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, 18:-
1. In an automatic wiper and polisher for plate printing presses, the combination
with a traveling belt, of a roller to force the belt against the plate at the point
where the greatest wiping action is to take place, and means acting to hold the belt
in contact with the plate for a distance on each side of the point of greatest wiping
action and then to lead it gradually away from the plate, substantially as shown
and described.
2. In an automatic wiper and polisher for plate printing presses, the combination
with a traveling belt, of a roller to force the belt against the plate at the point
where the greatest wiping action is to take place, and means acting to hold the belt
in contact with the plate for a distance beyond the point of greatest wiping action
and then to lead it gradually away from the plate, substantially as shown and
described.
3. In an automatic wiper and polisher for plate printing presses, the combination
with a traveling belt, of an adjustable pressure roller to force the belt against the
plate at the point where the greatest wiping action is to take place, and adjustable
guides acting to hold the belt in contact with the plate for a distance on each side
of the point of greatest wiping action and then to lead it gradually away from the
plate, substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 19th day of November 1895.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.