Year: 1885

page_text: I, HERBERT JOHN ALLISON, of the firm of Allison Brothers, of 52 Chancery
Lane, London, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agents, do hereby declare the
Dature of this invention, which has been communicated to me from abroad by
The Duplex Printing Press Company, of Battle Creek, Michigan, United States of
America, 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:-
Figure 1, is a side elevation of my improved printing press, showing the paper
in position to be printed.
Figure 2, is a top plan view of the same with the paper removed.
Figure 3, is a central vertical section through the press, on the line x, x, Figure 2,
showing the paper in position to be printed.
Figure 4, is a transverse vertical section of the same, on line 3, 3, Figure 2, the
paper being removed to more clearly show the construction.
Figure 5, is a detail of the rollers and their gearing.
Figure 6, is a detail view of the ratchet and pawl.
Figure 7, is a side elevation, partly in section, of a modification of the press, and
Figure 8, is an end view of the loop-forming rollers, and their attachments.
This invention relates to improvements in printing presses, and it consists in the
construction and novel arrangement of parts, hereinafter described, and pointed
out in the appended claims.
In the accompanying drawings:-A designates the frame-work of the press
having made upon it the horizontal ways A₁, A¹. B is the bed-plate, having
secured to its under surface the rabbetted clips b, b, which reciprocate upon the said
ways. The form is secured to the centre of the upper surface of, and reciprocates
with, the bed-plate.
C is a horizontal rack-bar secured to the upper surface of the bed-plate, near one
side, within the main frame A.
D is the main or driving shaft, having upon it the disc d, upon which is a wrist
pin d'; ₫ is a connecting rod or pitman which is pivoted both to the wrist pin,

page_text: and to the under surface of the bed-plate B, so that the rotation of the disc on the
shaft, reciprocates the bed-plate. Any other ordinary and suitable mechanism may
be used to reciprocate the bed-plate.
E is a transverse roller bearing the roll of paper X. The said roller is journalled
in the main frame at the opposite end of the machine to that bearing the bed-
plate.
F is a transverse roller journalled in the main frame near its top, and carrying
on one side, within its bearings, a gear wheel f, as shown.
G is a transverse roller journalled in the main frame to the outer side and
somewhat lower than the roller E, and g is a pinion thereon, meshing with the
gear wheel f.
His a roller journalled in the main frame, vertically below the roller G, which
it equals in diameter, and h is a pinion thereon, meshing with the pinion g. The
rollers Hand G are just far enough apart to receive and bite between them the
sheet of paper x from the roll X. The rollers F and G, are similarly situated in
relation to each other.
I is the impression cylinder journalled in the main frame a proper distance above
the bed-plate B and having upon it a pinion i which meshes with the rack-bar C.
J, J, are four vertical clips T-shaped in cross section, two of which are secured
to the inner surface of each side of the main frame, at equal distances from a
bearing of the impression cylinder.
K, K, are reciprocating bars having longitudinal grooves T-shaped in cross
section, so as the travel on the clips J and provided on their facing edges with the
vertical racks k, lc.
,, are pinions on the impression cylinder, each of which lies between the two
racks K, K, at its side of the machine, and meshes with both.
L, L¹, are similar transverse rollers; the roller L having bearings in the bars K,
on one side of the impression cylinder, and the roller L¹ having bearings in the
bars K at the opposite side of the same.
It is evident that when the bed-plate and rack-bar C are reciprocated by the
pitman d², the said rack-bar will alternately reverse the motion of the pinion i,
and the impression cylinder. The pinions ¹, i¹, will consequently cause the rack-
bars K on each side of the impression cylinder to travel in opposite directions, and
will reverse their motions at equal intervals of time, with the machine operating
at a uniform speed.
M, M', are transverse rollers journalled in the the main frame at equal heights;
the former, below and outward from the roller L, and the latter holding the same
relation to the roller L'.
N is a transverse guide bar secured to the main frame above the roller L, as
shown. If desired a roller may be substituted for the guide bar. The guide bar is
adjustable longitudinally, with reference to the machine, so as to bring the paper
at the right point under a stationary cutting device, and at the same time preserve
its tension.
O is a shaft journalled in the main frame above the roller F and having a gear
wheel o which meshes with the gear wheel f. 0¹, o¹, are collars or discs on the
shaft O near its ends.
The edges of the collars and the surface of the roller F are just sufficiently far
apart to receive and bite the paper passing between them; the motion conveying
it away from the machine. The collars may be adjustable longitudinally on, and
are situated near, the ends of the shaft O so as not to pass over and smear the
printed side of the paper.
The course of the sheet, web or strip from the roll X, is-below the roller H,
thence up and between said roller and the roller G, thence over the latter and
between it and the roller F, it descends from the roller F, passes under the
roller M, and thence ascends and passes over the roller L³, whence it descends and
passes under the impression cylinder I; ascending thence it passes over the
roller L, and descending passes below the roller M. It then ascends and passes

page_text: over the guide bar or roller N, whonce it runs between the roller F and discs o¹ on
the shaft O, which discs are of equal diameter to the roller H or roller G.
The rollers F and G feed the paper toward the form, and the roller F and
discs o¹ convey it away from the same; thus the roller F aids in performing both
acts simultaneously, and hence the tension of the paper is always kept the same.
Any inequality of the roller F will affect the delivery, in exactly the same
manner as it does the feed, and the paper will feed evenly and with the same
tension. The rollers L, L', are the feed rollers proper, for the form and impression
cylinder, but the roller F feeds the paper toward the form and is actuated by the
following mechanism.
P is a ratchet wheel secured to the extended journal of the rollor F and con-
trolled by the spring pawl p pivoted on the main frame. Pl is a ratchet wheel,
similar to the wheel P and secured to the journal of the roller F, outside of the
latter wheel.
Qis a pinion turning loosely on said journal outside of the ratchet wheel P¹ and
having a disc g fixed to its inner face. On an extension from the upper edge of
said disc is pivoted a pawl q¹ which co-acts with the ratchet wheel P¹, the said
pawl being controlled by a proper spring.
R is a gear wheel on the extended journal of the main shaft D which is turned
by a driving pulley 7 from any proper source of power. The gear wheel R meshes
with a gear wheel S of one half its diameter, secured to a shaft S', which has a
bearing in the main frame A, and carries at its outer end a disc s having a wrist
pin 8 on its outer face.
The
T is a vibrating lever pivoted at t on a bracket t¹ bolted to the outer surface of
the main frame. The lower arm of said lever has a longitudinal slot into which
the wrist pin s¹ enters, so that the rotation of the disc a vibrates the lever T.
upper arm of the lever has formed on its end a rack U, made on an arc of a circle,
having the pivot t for its centre. The said rack engages the pinion Q and turns
the same back and forth as it vibrates.
When the pinion Q is turned in the opposite direction to that in which the
pawls p and q engage, the former pawl holds the ratchet wheel P and the latter
pawl slips over the ratchet wheel P¹, consequently the roller F does not rotate and
the paper is not fed toward the form. When the motion of the rack is reversed
the pawl q engages the ratchet wheel P¹, and the roller F is turned and feeds the
paper. The lever and wrist pin are so arranged that the roller F does not rotate
while the form is reciprocating below the impression cylinder, but rotates at, or
near, the end of each forward and backward movement of the bed plate. The
paper, consequently, is not fed toward the form when the bed-plate is passing under
the impression cylinder.
When the bed-plate reciprocates inward, the roller L' ascends and the roller L
descends by the action of the described mechanism. The loop of paper between said
rollers is consequently carried inward between the form and cylinder and an impres-
sion taken. The roller F then feeds the paper a proper distance toward the form
to make another loop between the rollers L, L, and comes to rest. The bed-plate
then reciprocates outward, the cylinder and rollers L, L' reverse their action, and
an impression is taken on the outward reciprocation of the form.
The diameter of the gear wheel S is only one-half that of the gear-wheel R, so
that the former makes two revolutions to one of the latter; hence as the bed-plate
is reciprocated back and forth during one rotation of the gear wheel R the gear
wheel S will rotate the roller F twice during the said double reciprocation, the
mechanism being so arranged that these rotations will occur at or near the same
time that the bed-plate reverses. The intervals of rest of the roller F occur at the
time that the bed-plate is passing under the impression cylinder and the paper is
being printed by the co-action of said cylinder and the form.
The impression cylinder and rack-bars K being actuated by the rack-bar C, must
necessarily reverse their motion in the same manner and at the same time as the
bed-plate, and as the rollers L, L¹, are carried by the rack-bars K, the loop of paper,

page_text: formed by said rollers and the impression cylinder, will also have its motion
reversed.
At the end of each stroke of the bed-plate, the roller F will move the sheet x,
from the roller X, a sufficient distance to afford sufficient unprinted paper to receive
an impression from the form, on the return stroke of the bed-plate. Thus the bed-
plate and cylinder co-act to print the paper, with each movement inward and
outward of the former. Without the forwarding action of the roller F the loop of
paper formed by the rollers L, L, and the cylinder would be merely reprinted, as
the bed-plate reciprocated.
V is a transverse cutter blade secured to the arms of the main frame above the
paper roll, and V¹ is a similar transverse cutter blade, having its lower end rigidly
secured to the upper end of a reciprocating bar W; which passes through the
directing brackets w, w¹, secured to the main frame, and has pivoted to its lower
end a friction roller w which rests upon the edge of the cam Y, secured to, and
rotating with, the main shaft D and provided with the radial shoulder y; as the
cam rotates the bar W and cutter V₁ are lifted until the roller w³ comes to the
shoulder Y, then they fall and the cutter V₁ severs the paper against the cutter V.
Figures 7 and 8, represent a modification of the invention: In this, the main
frame, impression cylinder, form, bed-plate and ways for the same to move upon
are similar to those before described. The method of feeding the paper into and
out of the machine, is also the same.
The roller H is however done away with in this modification, the sheet x feeding
between the rollers F and G.
The rack-bars K are not used, the rollers L, L', having their ends journalled in
rectangular blocks 1, 2, which travel up and down in the vertical slots 1, 1, in the
main frame. To effect this the transverse rollers 12, are journalled in the main
frame having passing around them, the cords 13, 13, the ends of which are secured to
the rollers L, L¹, as shown.
The said cords have their other ends secured to the pulleys 14, 1, on the shaft 1³,
journaled in the main fame, which has on its ends the pinions engaging the
curved racks 7 on the pivoted lever 1, the said lever is vibrated by the engage-
ment of the curved rack P on its lower end with the pinion u on the short shaft u¹
journalled on the main frame. This shaft is alternately rotated in opposite directions
by the partial gear wheel u³, and the rack u³ on the bed-plate.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. In a printing press, the combination with a reciprocating bed-plate, and an
impression cylinder, of vertically moving, and alternately reciprocating rollers,
adapted to form a loop of paper in connexion with the impression cylinder,
substantially as specified.
2. In a printing press, the combination with a bed-plate adapted to have the
form secured thereto, and reciprocating on the main frame of the press, and an
impression cylinder rotated alternately in opposite directions by the motion of the
bed-plate; of two rollers situated at equal distances on each side of the impression
cylinder, reciprocating vertically in opposite directions to each other, actuated
by the reciprocations of the bed-plate and adapted to form a loop of paper from the
feed mechanism around themselves and the impression cylinder, and pass the said
loop between the impression cylinder and the bed-plate, substantially as specified.
3. In a printing press, the combination with the reciprocating bed-plate adapted
to have the form secured thereto and provided with a horizontal rack, and the
impression cylinder having a gear wheel secured upon it, which gear wheel, meshes
with and is actuated by the rack on the bed-plate; of the four vertically recipro-
cating rack-bars actuated by pinions on the ends of the impression cylinder, and
the two rollers which have bearings in and reciprocate with the rack-bars on each
side of the impression cylinder, and are adapted to form a loop of paper with the

page_text: latter, which loop passes between the form on the bed-plate and the cylinder when
the same are rotated, substantially as described.
4. The combination with the main frame and impression cylinder I; of the
rollers E, F, G, H, M, M², adjustable guide bar or roller N, the shaft O, provided
with the collars o¹, the reciprocating rollera L, L', and the rack-bars K reciprocated
by the pinions ,, on the ends of the impression cylinder, substantially as
specified.
5. In a printing press the combination of the reciprocating bed-plate, provided
with a horizontal rack, the impression cylinder provided with the pinion i meshing
with said rack, the vertically reciprocating rack-bars, and the rollers L, L¹, with
the rollers E, F, G, H, M, M¹, the adjustable guide bar or roller N, and the shaft O
provided with the collars o¹, substantially as specified.
6. In a printing press, the combination of the reciprocating bed-plate, provided
with a horizontal rack, the impression cylinder having a gear wheel upon it,
actuated by said rack, and provided at its ends with pinions of equal size, the four
reciprocating rack-bars actuated by said pinions, the reciprocating rollers having
bearings in the rack-bars, and mechanism, substantially as described, whereby the
web of paper may be intermittently fed to the impression cylinder, and adapted to
feed equal quantities of the web at or near the ends of the reciprocations of the
bed-plate, as set forth.
7. In a printing press the combination with the reciprocating bed-plate, the
impression cylinder actuated thereby the reciprocating rollers actuated by the
Inotion of the bed-plate and the feed mechanism acting intermittently and only when
the bed-plate and cylinder are not printing, of the automatically reciprocating bar
carrying a transverse cutter at its upper end, which cutter acts with a stationary
cutter secured to the main fraine, substantially as specified.
8. The combination with the reciprocating bed-plate, the impression cylinder
actuated thereby, the vertically reciprocating loop rollers and feed actuating
mechanism, constructed substantially as described; of the feed rollers F and G, and
discs or collars o¹, the feed roller G and disc o' being equal in diameter and both
co-acting with the roller F, the former, to draw the web from the roll, the latter
to draw the same out of the machine, the discs and rollers thus forming an auto-
natically compensating tension mechanism for the web, substantially as specified.
Dated this 8th day of December 1885,
ALLISON BROS,
Agents for the Applicant.