Improvements in Feed Apparatus of Calico Block Printing Machines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd May, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Feb., 1892-Accepted, 5th Mar., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Feed Apparatus of Calico Block Printing
Machines.
I WILLIAM WESTWELL, of 28 Frederick Street, Accrington in the. County of
Lancaster, Calico Machine Printer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in appliances for feeding and delivering
to a calico printing machines the material on which the design is to be printed or
blocked and the object is to feed the material to the printing cylinder of the
machine without creases and in a perfectly smooth condition and I attain this
object by the employment of carrying rollers or cylinders which carry endless
chains provided with pins by the use of which and a carrying and stretching table
the material is fed to the machine in a smoother and better state for receiving the
impression of the block or printing cylinder, and also with greater rapidity and
precision than can be obtained when feeding by hand as heretofore.
According to this my invention the calico or other material is carried on lags or
chains provided with pins at intervals of their length and one of such chains is at
each side of the material which with the chains is wrapped around a carrying beam
placed in suitable position near to the feed apparatus.
Near to, and preferably below the beam, is a cylinder or drum at each of which is a
chain wheel carrying endless chains also provided with pins at intervals of their
length. The endless chains pass partly around the cylinder or drum thence under
a taking up roller, free to slide up and down in its bearings, over a second and
small cylinder or drum and chain wheels along a stretching table provided with
screw adjustment whereby different widths of material may be stretched and finally
over a delivery roller which delivers the material to the printing cylinder of the
machine; the chains passing forward over guide pulleys and under a second taking
up roller similar to the first, thence to the starting point on the first mentioned
cylinder or drum. The guide pulleys and taking up rollers are partly covered
with rubber or other soft substance to prevent damage to the pins of the chains.
The action is as follows:-
The first cylinder or drum is driven with an intermittent motion and the
attendant when the drum stops pulls or draws off the beam a length of material,
say one yard circumference, such length being indicated by the pins, the length
which is drawn off is fixed to the pins on the endless chains and is drawn by them,
stretched and delivered to the printing cylinder of the machine when the cylinder
or drum restarts it moves one yard, when by the intermittent motion it again stops
long enough for the attendant to draw off the beam another yard of material and
attach same to the endless chains and so on. The carrying rollers or cylinders are
always in motion and to provide for the intermittent motion of the first cylinder
or drum the endless chains are made of greater length than is required to pass over
the several devices above mentioned, and the taking up rollers or compensating
rollers herein described serve to take up any slack of the chains and to hold same
tight on the chain wheels.
In some cases I find it advantageous to run the first cylinder or drum without
intermittent motion, and such drum then draws the material direct from the carrying
beam.
Day of May 1001.
WALTER BRIERLEY,
Central Chambers, Halifax, Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Feed Apparatus of Calico Block Printing
Machines.
I WILLIAM WESTWELL of 28 Frederick Street, Accrington, in the County of
Lancaster, Calico Machine 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in appliances for feeding and delivering
to a calico printing machine the material on which the design is to be printed or
blocked, and the object is to feed the material to the printing cylinder of the
machine without creases, and in a perfectly smooth condition, and I attain this
object by the employment of carrying rollers, or cylinders which carry endless
chains provided with pins by the use of which, and fitting and stretching tables the
material is fed to the machine in a smoother and better state for receiving the
impression of the block or printing cylinder, and also with greater rapidity and
precision than can be obtained when feeding by hand as heretofore.
According to this my invention, the calico or other material is carried on lags or
chains provided with pins at intervals of their length, and one of such chains is at
each side of the material, which with the chains is wrapped around a carrying beam
placed in suitable position near to the feed apparatus.
Near to, and preferably below the beam is a cylinder or drum, at each end of
which is a chain wheel carrying endless chains also provided with pins at intervals
of their length. The endless chains pass partly around the cylinder or drum, thence
under a taking up roller free to slide up and down in its bearings, over a second
and small cylinder or drum, and chain wheels along a stretching table provided
with screw adjustment whereby different widths of material may be stretched, and
finally over a delivery roller which delivers the material to the printing cylinder of
the machine; the chains passing forward over guide pulleys and under a second
taking up roller similar to the first, thence to the starting point on the first
mentioned cylinder or drum. The guide pulleys and taking up rollers are partly
covered with rubber or other soft substance to prevent damage to the pins of the
chains.
The action is as follows:-
The first cylinder or drum is preferably driven with an intermittent motion,
and the attendant when the drum stops, pulls or draws off the beam a length of
material, say one yard, such length being indicated by the pins, the length which
is drawn off is fixed to the pins on the endless chain and is drawn by them,
stretched, and delivered to the printing cylinder of the machine; when the cylinder
or drum re-starts, it moves say one yard, when by the intermittent motion it again
stops long enough for the attendant to draw off the beam another yard of material,
and attach same to the endless chains, and so on. The carrying rollers or cylinders
are always in motion, and to provide for the intermittent motion of the first
cylinder or drum, the endless chains are made of greater length than is required to
pass over the several devices above mentioned, and the taking up rollers or com-
pensating rollers herein described serve to take up any slack of the chains, and to
hold same tight on the chain wheels.
In some cases I find it advantageous to run the first cylinder or drum without
intermittent motion, and such drum then draws the material direct from the carrying
beam, where it is carried on chains.
Such being the nature and object of my said invention, the following is a complete
description of same, reference being made to the accompanying drawings forming a
part of this Specification, in which :-
Fig. 1 (Sheets 1 and 2) is a side elevation of my improved apparatus for purpose
aforesaid.

page_text: Fig. 3 is an end sectional elevation on line A. B. of Fig. 2 (Sheet 4).
Fig. 4 is a detail of part of Fig. 1 (Sheet 1) drawn detached in order to more
clearly shew its construction.
Fig. 5 is an end elevation of one link of the endless chain, drawn about
full size.
Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the apparatus for giving intermittent motion to
the drums & chains.
Fig. 7 is an end view of one lag or link of the chain on which the material is
carried and wrapped around the beam.
Fig. 8 is a plan view of the lags or chains shewn by Fig. 7.
Fig. 9 is side elevation of Fig. 8.
According to this my said invention, the calico or other material 1 to be operated
upon, is carried on a beam 2 provided with a "weighting" or "letting off" motion,
of any ordinary and well known construction, such as 3, and the calico or other
material 1 passes from the beam 2 to a fitting table 4, being guided and kept at
the required lateral tension by the spiked discs or wheels 5 carried at the ends of
the fitting table 4.
The fitting table 4 consists of two parallel rails or guides 6-6., which guides or
rails 6-6 are carried on the slide beds 7-7, so that the width of the fitting table 4
can be adjusted and regulated by turning the hand wheel 8 which operates the
bevel gear 9, and screwed shafts 10, so bringing the guides or rails 6-6 nearer to,
or moving them further from each other, so that the table is regulated to the width
of material 1 under operation, and the same is always in a state of tension. Sliding
in each of the grooves 11 in the rails or guides 6-6 is an endless chain 12 which
passes over the table 4, thence over the large drum or cylinder 13 under the
taking up roller 14, over a stretching table 15, and thence over and part way
round the delivery roller 16 which runs in contact with the printing cylinder or
drum of an ordinary calico printing or blocking machine, and the calico or other
material carried on the chain 12 is printed or blocked, and removed from the
chain 12, which then passes over the guide pulleys 17-17 under the taking up
The chain 12 consists
roller 18, and large drum or cylinder 13 to the table 4.
of a series of links, each link having a pin or spike 19 which pierces the calico
or material 1, and the links are numbered at intervals of say one foot, and if say
the fitting table 4 is three feet long, a yard of the calico I will require a definite
number say for example ten-links so that the attendant will measure one yard
of the material 1 as it passes over the table 4, and will then press it down on to
the pins 19, and fix it on the ten links (as hereinafter described) which are equal
to one yard in length, the wooden rollers 20"-20" being for the purpose of
nipping and holding the material 1, and if requisite to stretch the same by turning
such rollers 20-20 in a reverse direction, or backwards by hand wheel.
When only one pair of chains 12 are employed the attendant fits the material 1
on the fitting table 4 onto the said chains 12, the edge of the material as far as the
selvage line, or to the first printed line, being placed between the jaws 43
(see Fig. 5) and the pin 19 also protrudes through the material, the jaws 43
being closed by the attendant moving a rack 44 (see Fig. 4) along the table 4, the
said rack engaging with the wheel 45 turns the latter on its threaded shaft 46, and
moves the jaw 43 on its hinge 47 so tightly nipping and holding the material 1,
which is so held until nearing the delivery end 16 of the feed when the wheel 45
comes in contact with a rack similar to 44 only placed above the wheel 45, so that
the latter is turned in a reverse direction, and the jaws are opened, the piece 1
being released and only held by the pins 19 which (see Fig. 5) are supported by
small spiral springs 49, that when the links of the chain 12 comes in contact
with the printing cylinder, the pins are depressed by compressing the springs 49
and so the piece or material 1 is released.
In order to allow the attendant the necessary time to fit the material 1 on
to the chain 12 as described, an intermittent motion is given to the drum or

page_text: cylinder 13 and chains 12 by the clutch 20 driven from the pulley 21 by strap,
or chain and pulley 22, on a square shaft 22ª, or working on a long key bed,
so that when the projection 24 (see Fig. 6) comes in contact with the part 23,
the half of the clutch 20 is forced into contact with the half clutch 25, thereby
giving motion to the cylinder 13 and chains 12 part of a revolution, and when
the part 24 slides off 23, the clutch 20 is by the spring 26 drawn back, or open
to its normal position as shewn, and the cylinder 13 and chains 12 remain
stationary until the operation is repeated. The rollers 14, 18 are free to rise
and fall in the slots 27 of the standards 28, so as to take up the slack of the
chains 12 and piece 1. The stretching table 15 is in like manner to the table 4,
adjusted by means of worm gear, and screwed shafts 30 operated by the hand
wheel 29. The hand wheel 32 and bevel gear 33-33 are for the purpose of
moving laterally the stretching table 15, so as to adjust it to the printing
cylinder and bring the material in correct position therewith.
The hand wheel 34 and screwed shaft 35 are for the purpose of sliding the
uprights 36-36, and table 15, and delivery roller 16 nearer to or further from
the printing cylinder.
The material 1 passes from the stretching table 15, and roller 16, onto an
ordinary printing machine, and is printed.
By the application and use of only one pair of endless chains 12-12 the apparatus
requires an intermittent motion for reasons set forth, but by the use of two pairs of
endless chains, i.e. the extra pair used in combination with 12-12, I can dispense
with the intermittent motion, and run the "feed" continuously to the printing
machine, as hereinafter described.
I employ chains or lags constructed of a series of links such as 37--37 which
consist of a piece of metal 37 bent at right angles, or of section, the upper part
having holes 38 formed through them for the passage of the pins 19 on the
chains 12, and on the outer edge of each of the links, is hinged at 39 the metal
clip 40, the upper edge of which is serrated as at 41 for the purpose of nipping and
holding the selvage or edge of the material 1, the pin of the hinge 39 being slightly
eccentric, so that the clip 40 remains closed as shewn, unless pressure is applied to
the finger 42 of the clip 40, and when the extra chains are employed the material 1
is fitted onto such chains on a fitting table such as 4, and the material 1 and chain
are then wound on the beam 1, and pass from thence through the feed apparatus
in the manner above described, excepting that the intermittent motion is dispensed
with and the links of the second chain bearing corresponding numbers to the first
chains 12, so that the attendant can guide and fix the links of the second chains on
the first chain 12 whilst the machine is in motion, the pins 19 passing through the
holes 38 in the links bearing corresponding numbers to those on the links of the
chains 12.
When the second chain is employed, the action is similar to that hereinbefore
described excepting that in lieu of placing the selvage edge of the material in the
jaws 43, the outer edge of the second chain and the clip 40 is held by such jaws
and the piece is released (on delivery to the printing cylinder) from the second
chain by the fingers 42 coming in contact with a projection on the table 15 so opening
or turning the clip on its hinge 29.
In order to keep the calico or other material 1 in true position, and straight,
that is with the warp and weft threads at right angles, I connect each chain 12-12
(see Fig. 3) by means of the cross bars 50 spaced at intervals apart, such bars
being fixed to corresponding links of each chain. Below the bar 50 is a second
bar 51 in which are fixed the pins 52 which pass through along slot or hole in the
first bar 50. At each end of the bar 51 is an internally chased or threaded
boss 53, through which passes the screwed or threaded pin 54 fixed to the lower
side of the top bar 50, and at the lower end of the pin 54 is fixed the small gear
wheel 55 which comes in contact with a short rack on the first or fitting table 4,
so that the wheel 55 is moved round, or revolves and so raises the lower bar 51
and pins 52 until the latter protrude through the slot in the top bar 50, and into

page_text: the calico or material 1, and the latter is prevented from being drawn or pulled
faster at one side than at the other, and is kept in a straight position until
delivered from the delivery roller 16, a rack such as 56 on the table 15 (see Fig. 3)
revolving the wheels 55 in a reverse direction, and so lowering the cross bar 51
until the pins 52 are withdrawn from the calico or material 1, and the latter is
liberated and free to pass to the printing machine.
In order to allow the cross bars 50-51 to accmomodate themselves to the varying
widths of material that may be under operation, each bar is made in two pieces,
one piece sliding telescopically into the other, so that the bars automatically
lengthen or shorten as the chains 12 are moved further from or nearer to one
another (see detail, Sheet 5).
If the pins 19 of the chains 12-12 are brought in contact with any rollers, such
for instance as 17-17-14, the latter are covered with rubber or other soft material,
so that the pins are not damaged.
By the use of apparatus as herein described calico or other similar material can
be fed or delivered to a printing machine, so that the several colours are all printed
in correct position or relation to one another, the piece passing through the machine
as often as desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and object of my
said invention, and in what manner the same is to be employed, I declare that
what I claim is :-
(1) The general construction, arrangement, and combination of parts constituting
my improved apparatus for feeding or delivering calico or other similar material to
an ordinary calico printing machine as herein described, and substantially as
illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
(2) Chains consisting of a series of links, constructed, and operated, and operating
in the manner herein set forth, and substantially as illustrated by Figs. 1. 2. 3. and
5 of the accompanying drawings.
(3) Chains or lags consisting of a series of links constructed, and operating, and
operated as and for the purpose herein described, and substantially as illustrated
by Figs. 7, 8, and of the accompanying drawings.
(4) The chains or links 12. 12 telescopic cross bars 50-51, wheels 55, and racks
such as 56, all in combination, and as and for the purpose herein described, and
substantially as illustrated by Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings.
(5) The parts 20, 25, 24, 23, and 26, all in combination, operated, and operating
as and for the purpose herein described, and substantially as illustrated by Fig. 6
of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 1st day of Feb 1900
WILLIAM WESTWELL,
By his Agent, Walter Brierley,
Bank Chambers, Waterhouse Street, Halifax.