IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING PRESSES, PARTLY APPLICABLE TO OTHER MACHINES
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Coddington, of New York, in the United
States of America, but at present of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PRINTING PRESSES, PARTLY APPLICABLE TO OTHER MACHINES."-A com-
munication from abroad by Merritt Gally, of Rochester, Munroe
County, State of New York, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Coddington at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 1st May 1872.
I, ROBERT CODDINGTON, of New York, in the United States of
America, but at present of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING PRESSES, PARTLY APPLICABLE TO OTHER MACHINES,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in that class of printing presses
for which Letters Patent were granted to Alexander Melville Clark,.
bearing date the 3rd day of February 1870, No. 322.

page_text: The Invention relates, 1st, to a device for setting in motion or
rendering inoperative the inking rollers of the press, and consists in
such a construction of the devices as shall allow the operator to
throw the inking rollers into or out of gear with their operating
mechanism for inking the form, or so as to leave them on the dis-
tributing cylinder as occasion may require at any time during the
movement of the press.
The Invention relates, 2ndly, to the inking roller carriage, and
consists in an improved relative arrangement of the different parts,
and in an improved construction of journal boxes in connection with
spring rods, also in an improved arrangement of boxes and bearings.
The Invention relates, 3rdly, to the frisket fingers, and consists in
the use of a device. for depressing the-same upon the face of the
platen in order that the fingers may be easily and accurately set to
different required positions.
The Invention relates, 4thly, to a device for locking down the front
of the platen rocker when forms are worked at or near the top or bottom
of the platen.
The Invention relates, 5thly, to the impression adjusting apparatus,
and consists in the use of an arc and sliding set latch in combination
with the device for adjusting the impression, for the purpose of holding
the said device in position.
1
The Invention relates, 6thly, to the fast and loose pulleys by which
machine power is applied to the driving shaft of a printing press or any
other machine which requires sometimes to be driven by machine and
sometimes by manual or foot power. It consists in such a construction
and attachment of the pulleys as shall enable the same to be readily
removed out of the way and leave but a slight projection of the driving
shaft when the machine is out of work or is to be operated by hand or
foot power.
The Invention relates, 7thly, to the means of fixing or locking the
chase, and consists in the use of a clasp operated by a crank or eccentric
arranged in a convenient and accessible position.
The Invention relates, 8thly, to the well fountain, and consists in so
constructing the same as to allow of its easy removal for cleaning and
readjustment.

page_text: The Invention consists, 9thly, in combining the changer and ductor
of a printing press, and obtaining a change and also an oscillating feed
movement by means of one single device.
The Invention consists, 10thly, in an improved construction and
arrangement of ink fountain, roller, ratchet, and pawl.
The device by which the inking rollers are thrown out of gear consists
of a lever, one extremity of which works in a cam groove on the driving
wheel carried on the main shaft by which the lever is oscillated at each
revolution. To the cther end of this lever is jointed a hook connection
having a catch which engages with another lever forming a connected
compound lever which gives motion to the inking rollers of the press.
When the hook connection is disconnected from the second lever, the
first lever may continue to be moved by the cam groove without giving
motion to the second lever; so far, these parts resemble the device
employed in the Letters Patent above referred to.
According to the present Invention the hook connection is furnished
with a projecting guard for ensuring an unfailing connection with the
lever when the book is allowed to drop into position by the movement
of a cam employed for connecting and disconnecting the said hook and
lever. This cam is pivoted to the framing of the machine, and its face
comes in contact with a counter face on a projection of the hook, and
when the cam is rocked upon its pivot the hook is thrown into or out
of gear with the stud of the lever, and so long as the cam is held in
position after relieving the hook the latter will be prevented from ṛe-
connecting with the lever during its movements back and forth by the
sliding of the projection or counter cam on the said cam. The latter
is operated by means of a rod or cord reaching to a position convenient
to the hand of the operator. To the end of the rod or cord is a
handle which draws through a socket attached to the framework of
the press and on which handle is a projection forming a latch for
holding the rod in position after it has been drawn out. Thus the
handle may be worked at any time during the movement of the press.
whenever the hand of the operator is most at liberty, and the connection
or disconnection will not be made until the proper time, which is an,
important result not as yet attained.
In the roller carriage yoke shaped rods for the springs of the inking
rollers are used, the said rods being similarly shaped to those described

page_text: in the said former Letters Patent, but they have an entirely different
position and are differently connected with the framing of the carriage.
Instead of projecting in front of the rollers and being made fast to
the carriage as in the former case, they are placed behind the rollers and
slide through bearings in the body of the carriage. The roller journal
boxes instead of being made to slide upon the rods are made fast to
them and slide in bearings on the frame of the carriage, which bearings
may be provided at one or both ends of the journal boxes. The bearing
in the journal box which receives the roller journal is located at one
end of the journal box, so that by sliding the journal box towards the
front of the carriage, the roller journal bearing which is closed by the
journal box bearing when the roller is in place, will be opened to
allow of the roller being removed and replaced at will. Thus arranged,
straight or yoke shaped rods may be used with the journal boxes, as
desired.
It is found desirable when setting the frisket fingers into a position
corresponding with the margin of the sheet on the platen to be able
to depress or bring back the fingers upon the face of the sheet while
the platen is thrown back. For this purpose a lever is pivoted to the
framework of the press and connected with the frisket finger bar
through a spring rod and swivel eye. A lug on the lever engages
with a corresponding lug on the framing and supports the lever, and
when the latter is raised the fingers will be brought back upon the
face of the platen so that they can be set easily and accurately, and
when set free will return immediately to their working position.
The device for locking down the front of the platen rocker, when forms
are worked at or near the top or bottom of the platen, consists in a lip or
lug cast on the inside of the front end of the rocker, in such a position
that it will take under a projecting lug fixed to the frame inside the
front end of the rocker seat.
In the said former Letters Patent the device for adjusting the impres-
sion is held in place by means of a latch in form of a conical-headed
bolt, but instead of this I use a fixed are corresponding with the sweep
of the adjuster bar, and a sliding latch capable of being fixed at different
positions upon the face of the arc, which may be marked with a gra-
duated scale, so that the movement of the latch can be made according
to accurate calculation.

page_text: The fast and loose hand pulleys are made detachable from the driving
shaft, the fast pulley being furnished with a socket for the end of said
shaft, to which it is made fast by a set screw. Projecting from the
boss of the fast pulley is a stud for the loose pulley to run on. In this
manner a printing press or any other machine may be run with or
without power without a long projection of the driving shaft in case the
pulloys are removed.
The chase is held against the bed by means of a clasp pivoted to tho
frame of the press. This clasp is flanged or slotted; and is worked by
means of a crank pin carried on a shaft, the end of which projects from
its bearing and is squared to receive a key or wrench for working the
device. The shaft may extend to the side of the press within easy reach
of the operator.
The well ink fountain is made to slide in and out of the framework of
the press, and is secured in place by thumb screws. The guage or cut-off
is attached to a movable cross bar, which is held in place by screw bolts,
so that when it is desired to clean the fountain for a change of ink it
may be readily slid out of the press, and the guage be removed and
re-adjusted with facility.
The combined changer and feed roller is placed in a frame which both
vibrates and slides upon a rod, to which frame is attached a lever
carrying a friction wheel at its extremity, which works in a groove in the
periphery of a cam wheel. On the plain part of the cam the groove
takes a sinuous course, which by acting on the friction wheel slides the
frame with the roller from side to side upon the said rod, and produces a
motion for changing the ink upon the distributing cylinder. Through
the cam or shaped portion of the periphery of the cam wheel the groove
is central and straight, so that the roller has no sliding motion, while it
vibrates back to the ink fountain and again to the distributing cylinder,
to which the ink is always applied midway between the ends.
The vibrating frame and lever carrying the friction roller aro mado
relatively adjustable to allow for shrinkage of the combined changer and
feed roller, or to prevent the latter applying ink to the distributing
cylinder when not required.
Upon the inside of the cam wheel is pivoted a pawl, which as the
-wheel revolves turns a ratchet attached to the journal of the fountain

page_text: In a slot in the cam wheel is a set bolt, which being set in different
parts of the slot will cause the pawl to turn the ratchet more or less as
desired, or it may be made to pass the ratchet without turning when no
feed of ink is needed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Robert Coddington in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 31st October 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
CODDINGTON, of New York, in the United States of America, but at
present of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by. Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-fifth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors give and
grant unto me, the said Robert Coddington, Her special licence that
I, the said Robert Coddington, my executors, administrators," and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Robert Coddington, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PRINTING PRESSES, PARTLY APPLICABLE TO OTHER MACHINES," a communication
to me from abroad by Merritt Gally, of Rochester, Munroe County,
State of New York, United States of America, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Robert Coddington, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one of their hands and scals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to
be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of
the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Coddington, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same

page_text: "
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that
is to say):-
This Invention relates to improvements in that class of printing
presses for which Letters Patent were granted to Alexander Melville
Clark, bearing date the 3rd day of February 1870, No. 322.
.
The Invention relates, 1st., to a device for setting in motion or
rendering inoperative the inking rollers of the press, and consists in such
a construction of the devices as shall allow the operator to leave the
rollers on the distributing cylinders, or to set them in motion as occasion
may require, and to operate the devices for so doing at any time during
the movement of the press. .
The Invention relates, 2ndly., to the inking roller carriage, and
consists in an improved relative arrangement of the different parts, in
an improved construction of journal boxes in connection with spring
rods, also in an improved arrangement of boxes and bearings.
The Invention relates, 3rdly., to the frisket fingers, and consists in the
use of a device for depressing the same upon the face of the platen in
order that the fingers may be easily and accurately set to different
required positions.
The Invention relates, 4thly., to a device for locking down the front of
the platen rocker when the "form" is worked at or near the top or
bottom of the platen, and to the apparatus for governing the movements
of the rocker of bed or platen, and allowing the forward sliding move-
ment of the latter for making the impression; said apparatus consisting
in the use of a connecting link so connecting the rocker with the body
of the machine as to govern the position of the rocker during its move-
ments. Also the same provided with a spring for allowing a direct
movement of bed or platen for making the impression.
The Invention relates, 5thly., to the impression adjusting apparatus,
and consists in the use of an arc and sliding set latch in combination
with the device for adjusting the impression, for the purpose of holding
the said device in position.
The Invention relates, 6thly., to the fast and loose pulleys by which
machine power is applied to the driving shaft of a printing press or any

page_text: According to the present Invention the hook connection 6 is furnished
with a projecting guard 6' for ensuring an unfailing connection with
stud c¹ when the hook is allowed to drop into position. The hook 6 and
stud c' are connected or disconnected by means of a cam & pivoted at o
to the press framing, whose face comes in contact with the counterface
of a curved projection 6³ on b. When cam d is rocked on its pivot,
hook is disconnected from stud c', as shown in dotted lines, and so
long as the cam dis held in that position, hook 6 will be prevented from
reconnecting with stud c' during its. movements back and forth by the
sliding of b³ on d. The latter is operated by means of a rod ď³ or cord
reaching to a position convenient to the hand of the operator. Attached
to is a handle e-which draws through a socket e' attached to the
framework of the press. e' is a catch one to act as a latch to hold cam d
in position after handle e has been drawn. Thus handle e may be
worked at any time during the movement of the press whenever the
band of the operator is most at liberty, and the connection or discon-
nection will not be made until the proper time, which is an important
result not as yet attained.
Figure 3 is an end view of the inking roller carriage. B are the
inking rollers; fare yoke-shaped rods for the springs of rollers B,
the said rods being similarly shaped to those described in the Specifica-
tion of the said former Letters Patent, but they have an entirely different
position, and are differently connected with the framing g of the carriage.
Instead of projecting in front of rollers B and being made fast to
carriage g as before, they are placed behind the rollers and slide through
bearings in framing of the carriage. The roller journal boxes h
instead of being made to slide upon the rods f are fixed to them and
slide in bearings 9" on frame 9. A bearing g' may be provided either at
top or bottom (or both) of boxes h. The bearing h³ in the journal box /
which receives the roller journal ³ is located at one end of journal
box h, so that by sliding the latter towards the front of the carriage the
opening ', which is closed by the bearing g' when the roller is in place,
will be opened to allow of the roller B being removed and replaced at
will. Thus arranged, straight rods may be used instead of the yoke-
shaped rods fif desired.
Figures 4 and 5 -represent end and perspective views of the inking
rollers of the same travelling roller carriage provided with riders, and the
arrangement of their journal boxes to receive the same. B are the

page_text: inking rollers as before; B' are the riders; B³ are the journal boxes for
the riders. In the perspective view the inking roller, rider, and journal
box, are shown detached from the carriage. B³ is the set screw for setting
the rider journal box in position for securing proper pressure of the
riders upon the inking rollers, or for relieving them from pressure or
contact, as the case may require. The object of the use of riders upon
the inking rollers is to furnish the rollers with a constant supply of ink
while passing over large “forms."
The difficulty in the way of applying riders to a travelling carriage has
been, firstly, on account of the weight of common riders, and, secondly,
on account of no method having been devised for attaching and ad-
justing them to the variable positions of the rollers. To accomplish tho
desired result the rider journal box is attached to the roller journal box h
by fitting the rider box by dovetail or rebate to a projecting part of the
roller journal box. The rider is set in respect to the roller by means of
the set screw B³, and this relation of rider and roller will be maintained
as the position of the roller is governed, entirely by its journal bearing.
In order to avoid excessive weight in the riders I construct them of thin
tubing, making them as light as possible. In this manner riders may bo
applied to the rollers of a travelling carriage with results as favorable as
when used with stationary rollers, where no difficulty has arisen in their
application.
Figure 6 is a perspective view of the platen, showing the clutch lever
for depressing the frisket fingers upon the face of the platen. It is
found desirable when setting the frisket fingers C into a position corre-
sponding with the margin of the sheet on the platen D to be able to
depress or bring back the fingers upon the face of the sheet while the
platen is thrown back. For this purpose a lever i is pivoted to the
framework of the press and connected with the frisket finger bar j,
through a spring rod j¹ and swivel cycj³. A lug on lever i engages ;
with a corresponding lug on the framing and supports lever i, and
when the latter is raised the fingers C will be brought back upon the
face of the platen D so that they can be set easily and accurately, and
when set free will return immediately to their working position.
Figure 7 shows the device for locking down the front of the platen
rocker when the "form" is worked at or near the top or bottom of the
platen. k is part of the platen rocker having a lip or lug &¹ cast on the
inside of its front end in such a position that it will take under a

page_text: projecting lug, fixed to the frame of the press inside the front end
of the rocker scat ³.
Figure 8 represents the appliance required for governing the move-
ments of the rocker of bed or platen shown, applied in Figure 9. R, S,
is the spring connecting rod; S, being the spring rod proper, and R the
barrel laid open in Figure 8, showing the enclosed spring. The rocker
k is pivoted to the connecting rod S, at ; and the barrel of the
connecting rod is pivoted to the body of the machine at /. 'In the said
former Letters Patent the rocker is described as having a toothed
segment meshing into a rack at the side of the rocker seat, the position
of the rocker during its rocking movement being governed by the teeth
of segment and rack.
According to the present Invention no rack or segment is used, but in
line with the rocker seat and tangential to the curve of the rocker the
connection R, S, is pivoted at one extremity to a projection of the rocker
k, and at the other extremity to the body of the machine as above-
mentioned. The tension of the spring is sufficient to cause the
connection to remain rigid during the rocking movements of the rocker,
and during this motion the rocker maintains its proper position, being
governed by the length of the connection. As the rocker is rocked
backward to its position in Figure 1, the line of the connection forms the
chord of the arc of the rocker face. The rocker face is smooth, as also
the rocker seat, therefore the rocker must have a slipping as well as
rocking motion upon the rocker seat, but as this slipping movement is
slight and constant the movement of the rocker is steady and regular,
while the spring connecting rod serves to allow of the forward sliding
for the impression which takes place after the rocker has been brought
to the position shown in Figure 8, and which movement causes the lug
k' on the rocker to take under the lug on the rocker bed as abovo
described.
Figure 10 is a side view of the plate used either as bed or platen,
showing the graduated arc and sliding set latch for adjusting the impression.
In the said former Letters Patent the curved wedge or eccentric sleeve /,
on the trunnions or journals of the platen for adjusting the impression,
is held in place by means of a latch in form of a conical headed bolt,
but instead of this I use a fixed arc m corresponding with the sweep of
the adjuster bar n, and a sliding latch m³ capable of being fixed at
different positions on the face of the arc m, which is provided with a
°
'

page_text: dovetailed groove in which works the head of a bolt on the latch m².
The are may be marked with a graduated scale, so that the movement of
the latch can be made according to accurate calculation; n' is a spring
bolt engaging with latch m² to hold bar n in any position desired.
12
Figure 11 shows a modified and improved construction of the eccentric
sleeve, and an improved combination and arrangement thereof with
the graduated arc and sliding set latch also, as shown in Figure 9.
Instead of the eccentric wedges or sleeves of the improved adjuster being
placed or fixed on trunnions extending from the supporting bridge of
the impression plate, and contained within the eyes of the draw bars L,
the curved wedge or eccentric sleeve is now mado elongated and extends
through the bridge from side to side; is the sleeve placed in bearings
in the bridge. A loose shaft N' passes entirely through the sleeve 1, and
projects from each end sufficiently to pass into the bearing formed by
the draw bar L. The catch handle is attached directly to the elongated:
sleeve instead of to a cross bar, as in Figure 9. It will be seen that by
this construction and arrangement not only the use of the cross bar is
avoided, but on account of greatly reduced friction in the moving bearing
of the eye of the draw bar L, the wedge or sleeve is held much more
casily in place by the set latch.
Figure 12 represents an improved method of mounting fast and loose
pulleys on the main shaft of a machine. The fast pulley E and loose
pulley F are made detachable from the driving shaft A', pulley E being
furnished with a socket for the end of said shaft to which it is made fast
by a set screw o. Projecting from the boss of pulley E is a stud p for ?
the loose pulley F to run on. In this manner a printing press or any
other machine may be run with or without power, without a long
projection of the driving shaft in case the pulleys are removed.
Figure 13 represents the chase lock in side view and cross section on
a larger scale than the other Figures. The chase r is held against the 3
bed G by means of a clasp a pivoted at s¹, and having a slot & in which
works a crank pin t carried on a shaft t¹, the end of which projects from
its bearing and is squared to receive a key or wrench for working the
device. The shaft may extend to the side of the press within easy reach
of the operator.
Figure 14 is a side view of the adjustable well ink fountain, which is
made to slide in and out of the framework of the press, and is secured in

page_text: place by thumb screws u. The guage or cut-off H is attached to a
movable cross bar H, which is held in place by screw bolts E passing
through a fixed support H. When it is desired to clean the fountain
for a change of ink it may be readily slid out of the press and the guage
be removed and re-adjusted with facility.
Figure 15 represents an end and lateral view of the combined ductor
or ink feed roller and changer or distributor which is placed in a
frame v', which both vibrates and slides upon a rod ³, and to which
frame is attached a lever w carrying a friction wheel w³ at its extremity,
which works in a groove in the periphery of the cam wheel x. On the
plain part ³, x³, x³, of the cam the groove takes a sinuous course, which
by acting on the friction wheel to slides the frame o' with the roller o
from side to side along rod ³, and produces a motion for "changing" the
ink upon the distributing cylinder I. Through the shaped portion ³, 20ª, 20²,
of the cam wheel the groove is central and straight, so that the roller v
has no sliding motion whilo it vibrates back to the ink fountain roller K
and again to the distributing cylinder I, so that the ink is always applied
to the latter midway between its ends. The frame v³ and lever w are
made relatively adjustable to allow for shrinkage of the combined
changer and feed roller v, or to prevent the latter applying ink to the .
distributing cylinder I when it is not required. This is effected by
jointing the lever wo to the frame and providing a set screw w³ or its
equivalent to regulate the relative position of the lever w.
'
;
Figure 16 represents the device for operating the ink fountain roller K,
showing a side view and cross section of the same. Upon the inside of
the cam wheel is pivoted a pawl y which, as the wheel revolves, turns
a ratchet z attached to the journal of the fountain roller K. In a slot
in the cam wheel is a bolt stop y' which, being set in different parts
of the slot, will cause the pawly to turn the ratchet = more or less, as
desired, or it may be made to pass the ratchet without turning it when.
no feed of ink is needed.
Having described the nature of the Invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim as the Invention
to be protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,---
· 1st. The projecting guard 6' of hook connection 6, substantially as
and for the purpose specified

page_text: 2ndly. The cam & in combination with the counter cam 2 of hook
connection b, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3rdly. The combination of cam d, counter cam b³, and draw rod or
-cord d', substantially as and for the purpose specified.
4thly. The catch handle e, in combination with rod or cord for
securing the same, substantially as set forth.
5thly. The curved spring rods f, when arranged in the body of the
roller carriage behind the rollers, substantially as set forth.
6thly. The sliding journal boxes in combination with bearing or
bearings g, and with spring rods straight or curved, substantially as 1
set forth.
7thly. The sliding journal boxes & in combination with bearing or
bearings g', forming a closed journal bearing for an inking roller
journal, which may be opened by sliding the journal box, substan-
tially as set forth..
8thly. The lever i in combination with spring rod for depressing
the frisket fingers upon the face of the platen while setting them,
substantially as set forth.
;
9thly. The clutch "", "", for supporting the lever i while in position of
rest, substantially as set forth.
10thly. The combination of a lip or lug on the platen rocker, with
à corresponding lug on the rocker seat , the whole constituting a
device to hold down the front of the platen rocker, substantially as set
forth.
1
11thly. The connecting link, connecting the rocker and body of the 2
machine, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
12thly. The connecting link as above, provided with a spring for
allowing the direct movement of the rocker during the impression,
substantially as set forth.
13thly. The arc m and sliding latch m³ combined, substantially as 3
and for the purpose specified.
14thly. The arc m when furnished with a graduated scale for
accurately setting the slide m³, substantially as set forth.

page_text: 15thly. The tight pulley E, with projecting stud p for the loose
pulley F, and socket for the end of the main shaft of the machine,
whether such machine be a printing press or any other machine to
which it may be desirable to apply this improvement, substantially as
herein-before specified.
ML