Improvements in or relating to Methods of Printing, and Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Mar., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 18th Dec., 1896-Accepted, 20th Feb., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Methods of Printing, and Apparatus
therefor.
I, JOHN EDWARD THORNTON, of Rokeby, Oldfield Road, Altrincham,
Cheshire, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The improvements forming the subject of this invention relate to the methods
of printing, and apparatus therefor; and the object is to provide improved means
or methods for printing very rapidly, and more conveniently than hitherto possible,
upon stiff materials, such as cardboard, tin plates, wooden boards, and similar
substances; and also relates to improved apparatus to be used in printing such
surfaces; the improved means, methods, and apparatus may also be utilized for
printing upon more flexible materials, such as paper, fabrics, and other
substances.
In carrying out the invention I utilise a flexible printing surface, from which
the required design is transferred to the materials to be printed. For the sake
of brevity these materials are hereinafter described as sheets, webs, or strips.
The system is applicable for transferring designs from flat surfaces (analogous
to lithographic or collotype printing), or from raised surfaces (analogous to
letterpress printing).
Hitherto lithographic printing has been produced from flat surfaces such as
lithographic stones, or sheets of zinc secured on a flat reciprocating bed of a
printing machine, and collotype printing has been produced from a gelatine surface
supported upon a flat glass slab, secured in the machine in a similar way. This
method is rather slow in operation.
In certain cases lithographs have been produced by securing a curved zinc plate
(bearing a lithographic or collotype design) to a rotating cylinder, and in such
cases the plate covered only a section of the rotating cylinder, the remaining two
sections being utilized for the inking and damping tables. The objection to this
system is that the design has always to be transferred to a flat zinc plate, which
there is some little difficulty in curving satisfactorily, and also that, by reason of
the fact that it only occupies a portion of the cylinder circumference, the rapidity
of printing is necessarily slower than if the cylinder was smaller and the plate
completely encircled it; but it is practically impossible to encircle a cylinder with
a zinc plate satisfactorily, unless the plate is divided into two portions to enable it
to be attached to the cylinder, and therefore it has hitherto been necessary to place
it on a section of a large cylinder as already described.
For letterpress printing the rigid stereotyped or electrotyped relief plates have
been either secured to a flat reciprocating bed of a machine, or else when made to
completely encircle a rotating cylinder they have had to be divided into two
portions in order to enable them to be secured to the cylinder.
By my invention I use a flexible plate or band for the printing surface, and
rotating cylinders to support it. These work in conjunction with rotating
impression cylinders, and rotating inking and damping devices, such as are well
known.
For flat surfaces such as are used for lithographic or collotype work, I make the
printing surface of any suitable material, such as stout paper, parchment, thin

page_text: cardboard, leather, celluloid, extremely thin sheet metal, or other flexible materials,.
and these I coat with gelatine, or similar substances or compositions thereof, such
as are commonly used for coating the glass plates used in the collotype process.
The design is duly transferred to this flexible printing surface and rolled up,
etched, and otherwise treated in the usual manner.
For a letterpress printing surface I first take a mould from the flat forme of
type or other raised surfaces, such as is usual for producing stereotyped plates, and
into this I pour when liquid, or force by pressure, a composition or mixture of
gelatine and glue, which may be mixed with a substance for hardening it, or may
be treated with such substance after the plate has been removed from the mould.
Suitable substances are formaldehyde, alum, or chrome alum; or the bichromates
of potash or ammonia may be used, provided that the plate is afterwards exposed
to light to cause it to become insoluble. These plates may be made harder by
mixing plaster of Paris, cement, sand, or other suitable materials with the gelatine
or glue. The plates may be formed of any other suitable substances, such as
india-rubber, gutta percha, celluloid, cellulose, paper pulp, &c.
The printing surfaces such as described are secured to the rotating cylinder of
the machine in any suitable manner; for instance, the cylinder may be provided
with grippers to grip each end of the sheet, and screws or other suitable means of
tightening or stretching the sheet around the cylinder; or the plate may be
provided with holes at one or both ends, to enable it to hook on to pegs upon the
cylinder, and a convenient way of forming the ends of the sheet where these holes
are, is to grip the sheet between a tin or other metal strip bent over thus U, which
may further be secured to the printing surface by cement, rivets, or other means,
the said strip having boles punched right through it at intervals; another method
is to pass the ends of the flexible printing surface through a slotted rod, or a rod
divided into two halves, or provided with a clamp, then by turning the rod (which
is held by a ratchet and pawl), the printing surface is properly stretched.
The rotating cylinder may have the edges of the gap within it slightly rounded
or lowered below the surface of the cylinder, in order to prevent the edges of the
flexible printing surface, where it bends over the edges of the gap wearing unduly
at those points, and also in order to make the printing surface meet the impression
cylinder with a gradually instead of a suddenly applied pressure as they rotate.
The inking apparatus is constructed as usual in rotary printing machines, and
consists of rotating drums, rollers, and distributors with a suitable ink fountain.
For collotype work it is often desirable to use inks of different consistency, and
for this purpose I use as many separate sets of inking devices as may be required,
each set applying ink of a different nature, and by this means I get perfect inking
with a high rate of speed; which is impossible with collotype machines as hitherto
constructed.
For lithographic or collotype work I use the usual kind of rollers. The damping
apparatus consists of rotating cylinders and rollers, in conjunction with a water
trough, spray, or other means for supplying the moisture.
For letterpress work I substitute ordinary letterpress inking rollers and remove
the damping apparatus; and I may use inks of different consistency, each applied
by a different set of inking apparatus, in cases where it may be necessary, such for
instance as when printing illustrations along with descriptive matter.
A machine such as described can be used for printing separate cut sheets, either
of rigid or flexible substances as already described, which are fed into the machine
in the usual manner; or it may be used for printing upon a web which is paid off
from a reel.
My invention further relates to means for printing long lengths or strips, and
provides a more compact machine than has hitherto been possible. For instance,
in producing a number of consecutive designs or pictures different from each other,
On a long band or strip, it has been hitherto necessary to have the diameter of the
printing cylinder at least equal to the length of the strip; or where a flat bed was
used this had also to Le equal to the length of strip; and in cases where this was

page_text: not possible the strip had to be joined, or printed at more than one operation ;
therefore, large and expensive machines were often necessary.
Under my invention I use a long flexible printing surface of sufficient length to
carry a complete set of the different designs (or more than one set if desired).
I join the two ends of this printing surface so that it forms an endless band, and
I suspend this endless band around a supporting cylinder, which may be of any
suitable small diameter. The impression cylinder may also be of small diameter,
and instead of placing the patching or making ready upon this printing cylinder,
as is usual, it may be placed on the back of the printing surface band; thus a large
impression cylinder is not required.
By another method I may attach the patching or making ready to a paper or
other suitable kind of band, which may be suspended around the aforesaid small
diameter impression cylinder.
For preventing either the printing or impression band from slipping, and for
securing proper register, various means may be adopted; for instance, the edges of
the band may be perforated, and engage with pins upon the surface of the printing
and impression cylinders; or the said bands may be gripped between their
respective cylinders and friction rollers or adjustable friction discs, each cylinder
being suitably geared to its friction roller or discs. The whole set are further
geared together, so that the impression and printing cylinders rotate in unison.
By the system and apparatus herein before described the design is transferred
direct from the flexible printing surface to the sheet of cardboard, tin, paper, or
other material to be printed; but if preferred, an intermediate transferring roller
of rubber or other suitable material may be used, such as is often used in tin
printing machinery where a reciprocating flat bed carries the printing surface.
Dated this 16th dar of Vanch 1806
J. E. THORNTON.
Improvements in or relating to Methods of Printing, and Apparatus
therefor.
1, JOHN EDWARD THORNTON, of Rokeby, Oldfield Road, Altrincham, in the
County of Chester, Manufacturer, 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 is designed for the printing-more rapidly and conveniently than
at present-upon stiff materials such as card board tin plates wooden boards and
similar substances though it may also be applied to the printing of paper fabrics
and other materials.
In carrying out the invention I employ a flexible printing surface passing over a
roller or rollers by which the required design is printed upon the material and it is
applicable for printing from flat surfaces (analogous to lithographic or collotype
printing) or from surfaces raised in relief (analogous to letterpress or typographic
printing).
Hitherto lithographic printing has been produced from flat surfaces such as
lithographic stones or sheets of zine secured on a flat reciprocating bed of a
printing machine, and collotype printing has been produced from a gelatine surface
supported upon a flat glass slab, secured in the machine in a similar way.
method is rather slow in operation.
This
In certain cases lithographs have been produced by securing a curved zinc
plate (bearing a lithographic or collotype design) to a rotating cylinder, and in
such cases the plate covered only a segment of the periphery of the cylinder the

page_text: remainder being utilized for the inking and damping tables. This system is
objectionable on account of the design having always to be transferred to a flat zinc
plate which it is difficult to get curved satisfactorily and also by reason of the plate
covering only a portion of the periphery of the cylinder the printing is slower than
if the plate completely encircled a smaller cylinder. It is however impracticable
for the zinc plate to encircle the cylinder unless divided into two portions to enable
it to be properly affixed to the cylinder and it has therefore been considered
necessary to place it upon a segment of a large cylinder.
For letterpress printing the rigid stereotyped or electrotyped relief plates have
been either secured to a flat reciprocating bed of a machine, or else when made to
completely encircle a rotating cylinder they have had to be divided into two
portions in order to enable them to be secured to the cylinder.
My invention comprises the use of a flexible band or plate for carrying the
printing surface, and rotating cylinders to support it. These work in conjunction
with rotating impression cylinders, and rotating inking and damping devices, such
as are well known.
It will be fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1. Sectional elevation showing flexible band.
Fig. 2. Side elevatiou showing modified arrangement of inking rollers.
Fig. 3. Sectional elevation with flexible or elastic roller.
Fig. 4. Sectional elevation showing arrangement for securing single zinc or
collotype or other printing plate to cylinder.
To prepare a flat surface from which to print I take a sheet of stout paper
parchment cardboard leather celluloid, thin sheet inetal or other similar flexible
material and I coat such flexible sheet with gelatine, or similar substance
or composition thereof capable of receiving the matter or design to be printed
which is transferred thereto "rolled up" "etched," and otherwise treated in the
usual manner.
To prepare a relief surface from which to print I first obtain a matrix from the
flat form of type or other raised surfaces and into it I pour when liquid or force
by pressure a composition or mixture of gelatine and glue. The gelatine and glue
may be mixed with any suitable material to harden it or may be treated with such
substance after the plate has been removed from the matrix suitable substances for
this purpose are formaldehyde alum or chrome alum or the bichromates of potash
or soda may be used provided that the plate is afterwards exposed to light to
render it insoluble. These plates may be made harder by mixing with the gelatine
and glue, plaster, cement, sand or other suitable material. Or they may be made
of other suitable materials such as rubber, gutta-percha, celluloid, cellulose, paper
pulp or the like.
The printing surfaces thus prepared are secured to the rotating cylinder of the
printing machine in any suitable manner.
Referring to Fig. 1 a compact machine is constructed and the printing surfaces
are carried by an endless band A passing over the printing roller B and between it
and the impression roller C. The dotted line 'D above the impression roller
indicates the paper band for carrying the "patching" or "make ready" which is
carried up over the rollers E E or it may be run inside the printing band as
indicated by the dotted lines d. The ink is supplied to the printing surface A
around the roller B by the distributing rollers f from the trough F and the surface
is damped by a damping roller G which is supplied with water by the distributing
rollers g from the trough H. A machine thus constructed with a flexible band
carrying the printing surface will be very serviceable for producing a number of
consecutive designs or pictures differing from each other, on a long band or strip.
The flexible printing surface A is of sufficient length to carry a complete set of the
different designs (or more than one set if desired). The impression cylinder C is
also of small diameter and instead of placing the patching or making ready upon
this impression cylinder as is usual I prefer to place it on the back of the printing
surface band; thus a large impression cylinder is not required.

page_text: In Figs. 2 and 4 the printing surface A is secured to the periphery of a
cylinder B by means of bars K. Each of the bars K is provided with a longitudinal
slot or clamp into which the ends of the material carrying the prepared surface A
are inserted and this is stretched and secured by turning the bars K and winding
the material around them. Small spring pawls or catches & prevent it becoming
loose. The edges of the cylinder are rounded the printing surface A being cut or
unduly worn where it turns over, and also in order to make the printing surface
meet the impression cylinder with a gradually instead of a suddenly applied.
pressure as they rotate.
In Fig. 3 another form of machine is shown for printing upon sheets of tin or
other material with a very rigid surface. The printing surface is applied to the
cylinder B' and between it and the impression cylinder C is interposed a rubber
covered cylinder B. The design is transferred from the cylinder B' to the
cylinder B by which it is printed upon the tin plate. The ink may be applied to
the printing surface on the cylinder B' as shown in either Fig. 1 or Fig. 2 or by
any other suitable means.
For collotype work it is often desirable to use inks of different consistency and
for this purpose I use as many separate sets of inking devices as may be required
each set applying ink of a different nature as shown in Fig. 2 either set of inking
apparatus may be withdrawn or removed when not required for use. By this means.
I get perfect inking with a high rate of speed, which is impossible with collotype
machines as hitherto constructed.
For letterpress work I substitute ordinary letterpress inking rollers and remove
the damping apparatus; and I may use inks of different consistency, each
applied by a different set of inking apparatus, in cases where it may be necessary,
such for instance as when printing illustrations along with descriptive matter..
Apparatus such as described may be used for printing separate cut sheets, either
of rigid or flexible substances as already described, which are fed into the
machine in the usual manner; or it may be used for printing upon a web which
is paid off from a reel.
For preventing either the printing or impression hand from slipping, and for
securing proper register, various means may be adopted; for instance the edges of
the band may be perforated and engage with pins upon the surface of the printing
and impression cylinders. Or the printing and impression cylinders may be
provided with rubber rings let in at their edges or rubber or other discs may be
secured to their ends between which the bands may be gripped as the cylinders
rotate.
The printing and impression cylinders B and C are preferably geared together
as shown in Fig. 2.
Having now particularly described the nature of the said invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. Apparatus for printing with a flexible surface constructed and arranged
substantially as described and shown with reference to either of the figs. of the
drawings.
2. In apparatus for printing the combination with printing and impression
cylinders such as A and B of flexible printing surfaces attached to and carried by
an endless band round the printing cylinder between it and the impression cylinder
whereby a number of designs in consecutive order may be printed before they
repeat substantially as described.
3. In apparatus for printing the combination with a printing cylinder of small
diameter relative to the printing surface of a flexible plate and printing surface
(either flat or in relief) which completely or almost completely encircles the
cylinder and is secured thereto in one piece substantially as described and shown.
4. A cylinder printing machine capable of being readily altered at will to print
from flexible plates with flat designs thereon (such as collotype) to flexible plates
with relief designs (such as letterpress) by removing one form of plate and the

page_text: damping apparatus and replacing the same by another or vice versa substantially
as described and shown.
5. In apparatus for printing the combination with a printing cylinder and an
impression cylinder of a separate band for carrying the "patching" or "make
ready" substantially as described and shown with reference to Fig. 1.
6. In apparatus for printing such as described the combination of rubber rings,
discs or other friction devices upon the ends of the cylinders to grip the edges of an
endless band carrying the printing surfaces substantially as and for the purpose
described.
Dated this 17th day of December 1896.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6, Bank Street, Manchester, Patent Agents.