IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR FINISHING PRINTED SHEETS OF PAPER
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Joseph Gill, of No. 50, Upper Sackville
Street, in the City of Dublin, Bookseller and Publisher, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR FINISHING PRINTED
SHEETS OF PAPER."
Scaled the 1st December 1874, and dated the 4th June 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Joseph Gill at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 4th June 1874.
I, HENRY JOSEPH GILL, of No. 50, Upper Sackville Street, in -the
City of Dublin, Bookseller and Publisher, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR FINISHING PRINTED
SHEETS OF PAPER," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to improvements in machines in which printed
sheets of paper are passed between polished metal cylinders for the
> purpose of pressing and finishing the said paper, and is as follows:-
First. I use metal cylinders made to revolve by means of cog wheels
or otherwise, and hollow inside, for the admission, when necessary, of

page_text: steam or other heating material through the axles. I place the cylinders
side by side in suitable framework, so that a vessel hereafter described
to contain fluids capable of dissolving printer's ink and cleansing fluids,
such as water, may be applied or affixed beneath each cylinder. Pressure
to be given to one cylinder against the other by means of levers or
otherwise. The sheets of paper to be rolled and finished are fed in
between the upper portions of the cylinders and delivered at the bottom
by suitable appliances, such as a table around which revolves an endless
web of strong textile material and curved pieces of wood or metal to
guide the paper in the proper direction. When the surfaces of the
revolving cylinders emerge from the vessels hereafter described one or
more dry rollers or pads fixed to the framework may be used to finish
tlie cleaning and drying of the cylinders.
Second. Beneath the cylinders so arranged I apply or affix vessels of
metal, wood, glass, or of a combination of 'these, or similar materials for
the purpose of containing fluids capable of dissolving or saponifying the
printer's ink "set-off" on the cylinders from the printed sheets of paper
pressed between them. I make the vessels somewhat longer than the
cylinders, and some inches narrower than their diameter, so that the
lower portions of the cylinders may fit loosely but accurately into them.
The vessels are formed wider at the top than at the bottom. In a portion
of each end of the vessels I insert strong glass, so that by seeing through
it the accurate adjustment of the rollers, rubbing pads, and scrapers,
hereafter mentioned, against the surfaces of the cylinders may be facili-
tated when the vessels are raised up to the cylinders by means of levers,
screws, or other appliances attaching the vessels to the framework, so
that they may be lowered or raised at pleasure. I divide the vessels
lengthwise into three or any number of compartments by means of par-
titions rising from the bottom to a suitable height, so that the upper
edges of the partitions may be at a short distance from the cylinders
when the edges of the vessels are raised so as almost to touch them.
In the compartments of the vessels, and revolving in or attached to
their sides, I place soft rollers or stationary rubbing pads, the upper
portions of which come into contact with the revolving cylinders, and
the lower portions of which dip into the fluids contained in the vessels.
Along the upper edge of each partition, and along that edge of each
vessel which is opposed to the motion of the surface of the cylinder as
it emerges from it, I fix scrapers capable of removing moisture, such as
strips of vulcanised india-rubber, or other suitable material.

page_text: Third. In one or more of the compartments into which the vessels
above described are divided, I introduce fluids capable of dissolving or
saponifying printers' ink, such as solutions of soda or potash, or spirits
of turpentine. In the last compartment of each vessel I use preferably
water.
Fourth. The stationary rubbing pads used in the aforesaid vessels I
make preferably as follows:-I take bags or envelopes made of strong
calico or other textile material, somewhat longer than the cylinders, and
four or any number of inches in breadth. I stuff these bags with pieces
of sponge, and along cach side of the pad thus made I place a flat or
curved piece of wood, metal, or similar material, to press it into a
proper shape and hold it firmly; such pieces of wood, &c., ending at
each end in a square knob or axle, made to fit to the side of the vessel
by means of a groove or otherwise. By this arrangement the sponge,
surrounded by a protecting envelope of textile material, dips into the
fluid and the upper portion of it, always wet or moist, presses against the
revolving cylinder. A second piece of calico or similar material may be
placed over the pad and kept in its place by being pressed against the
side of the pad by the flat or curved pieces of wood, &c., already
mentioned, so that the piece of calico, &c., may be easily removed and
replaced by a fresh piece, and thus save the fixed covering of the sponge
from being quickly worn out.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Joseph Gill in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 2nd December 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
Joseph Gill, of 50, Upper Sackville. Street, in the City of Dublin,
Bookseller and Publisher, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Henry Joseph Gill, Her special licence,
that I, the said Henry Joseph Gill, my executors, administrators, and

page_text: assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry Joseph Gill, 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 5
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINES FOR FINISHING PRINTED SHEETS OF PAPER," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Henry Joseph Gill, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the 1
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 Henry Joseph Gill, do hereby declare i
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings
making a part of this Specification.
My Invention relates to improvements in machines in which printed 2
sheets of paper are passed between polished metal cylinders for the
purpose of pressing & finishing the said paper.
Hitherto considerable difficulty has been experienced in hot pressing
printed paper, soon after having undergone the printing process, as the
fresh ink from one sheet "set off" on the cylinders is apt to defile the 2
succeeding one. It is to obviate this difficulty that my Invention is
designed; it is as follows:-
I use metal cylinders, preferably of chilled cast iron, made to
revolve side by side in suitable framework and cast hollow, for the
admission of steam or other heating material through the journals. 30
Pressure is applied to the bearings of one cylinder by levers or other-
wise, so that it may press tightly against the other, or against the sheets
of paper inserted between them. The motion of one cylinder is thus
communicated to the other when not otherwise geared together.
Beneath each cylinder, and enclosing the lower part thereof when in 3
position, I place a vessel or trough wider at the top than the bottom,
this. shape giving more room for the delivery of the printed sheets of

page_text: paper after hot pressing. These vessels are made preferably of iron and
usually have a strong piece of glass inserted in cach end so that by
seeing through it the accurate adjustment of the rubbing pads here-
after described, and the proper level of the fluid may be regulated when
the vessels are raised so as to enclose the bottoms of the cylinders.
This raising of the troughs can be performed by screws H, as in the
accompanying Drawing, attached to the frames, and with their ends
working in socket bearings in the rests on which the vessels are placed, or
by any other appliances, such as levers or vertical racks fastened to the
bottoms of the rests, worked by pinions having hand wheels and ratchets
and pauls on their spindles, as in each particular case may be found most
convenient; I have lately tried the last-mentioned plan and find it very
satisfactory in practice. Along the flanged edge of each vessel opposed
to that portion of the cylinder that in revolving emerges from the vessel
I apply (preferably by screw clamps, as shown in the Drawings, a
scraper of vulcanized india-rubber or other similar substance adjustable
to allow for wear. When the vessel is raised to the proper working.
height it is pushed with the scraper attached gradually towards the
cylinder (by screws G in the Drawing or otherwise) until the scraper
presses against the cylinder with sufficient force to prevent any
moisture passing between scraper and cylinder when the latter revolves.
In each of the troughs I insert longitudinal pads or bags of calico or
other strong porous cloth, loosely stuffed with picces of sponge or other
similar substance; these pads are preferably three in number and are
arranged in such a manner that their upper surfaces press against the
revolving cylinders, while their lower are immersed in the alkaline fluid.
There are numerous ways of arranging them; one of which I have
found very successful, but to require occasional careful adjustment, is
shown in Fig. 2, where the pad is held in the slot in a bar working in
vertical guides at each end of the trough, and packed up below so as to
hold it against the cylinder by packings L.
Another, and what I think will prove the most convenient plan, is
shown in a larger scale in Figs. 4 and 5, where three bars G₁are con-
fined in three vertical equidistant guides, as shown in the right hand
side of Fig. 2, and are packed up or adjusted vertically by springs. Cast,
welded, or otherwise joined, to the bar, is the plate R, held in position
by springs S, having two series of longitudinal slits T, T. The pads are
placed on these plates and secured by a series of loops passing through

page_text: the slits S, and tightly encercling the rods W threaded through them:
They are thus kept constantly pressed against the cylinders by means of
springs S, S.
The further explanation of the Drawings are as follows:-Fg. 1 is
side elevation, and Fig. 2 a section, the left hand half through the
centre of the machine, and the right hand close to the end. A, A, are
the cylinders; B the feeding table, which can be of any suitable con-
struction; C, C, weighted levers pressing the cylinders A¹ against the
driving cylinder A; E, E, the vessels or troughs narrower at the bottom
than the top, so as to give more room to the paper as it emerges
from between the cylinders; F, the pads; G, screws for adjusting the
vessels E horizontally, and the scraper edge against the the cylinders;
H, H, screws for adjusting the vessel E vertically; I the clamps for
clamping the india-rubber J between the lip of the trough and the strip
K, so that as the edge of the scraper J wears it can be cut off and
readjusted; L, packings for adjusting the laths on which the pads F
are fixed; P, a series of pointed wires arranged on laths with their
points bearing against the cylinders, so as to detach any paper sticking
to said cylinders and guiding it to descend the delivery table O.
°
The manner of working is as follows:-The sheets of paper are passed
from the table B between the cylinders A, and thence out by the spout
O. As the cylinders revolve the ink set off on the cylinders from the
printed paper is moistened by the alkaline liquor in passing over the first
pad is partially wipped off by the 2nd, and still more by the third.
Any liquid or dirt still adhering to the cylinders is then scraped off by
the india-rubber scraper, leaving the surface pure and dry for further
use.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and particu-
larized the same in such manner that others will be enabled to carry
my improvements into effect, I claim as my Invention,―
1st. Placing polished metal cylinders side by side horizontally for the
purpose of applying beneath them vessels containing a saponifier or
solvent of printers' ink, for the purposes herein described.
2nd. Applying or affixing vessels beneath polished metal cylinders for
the purposses of introducing alkaline or other liquids into them for the
purposes herein described,

page_text: 3rd. Applying alkaline or other solvents or saponifiers of printers'
ink to the surfaces of cylinders while employed in finishing printed
paper, for the purposes hercin described and substantially as hercin
described.
4th. Applying to the surfaces of cylinders employed in finishing
printed paper india-rubber scrapers, substantially as herein described.
5th. Using rubbing pads made of sponge, &c., made and arranged,
substantially as herein described and for the purposes herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Joseph Gill, have here-
unto set my hand and scal, this Twenty-eighth day of November,
in the year of our Lord 1874.