IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING AND BOOK-BINDING " MACHINERY Commu- nicated him
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING AND BOOK-BINDING
"
MACHINERY Commu-
nicated to him from abroad by Henry P. Feister and Rudolph M. Hunter
both of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd January 1883.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING AND BOOK-BINDING
MACHINERY Communicated to me from abroad by Henry P. Feister and Rudolph
Hunter both of Philadelphia Pennsylvania, United States of America
"
This Invention relates to printing presses and also to combined printing and
binding machines; and comprises the arrangement of two impression cylinders
with an endless chain of type-form carriages, the said cylinders being so arranged
as to print from alternate type carriages, that is to say, one cylinder printing from
the type not printed from by the other cylinder, and a suction device arranged
between the said cylinders, through the agency of which the paper, after it has
been printed upon one side by one cylinder, is transferred to the other cylinder
whereby it is reversed to be printed upon the opposite side, the said suction device
being adapted to operate intermittently, so as to hold the paper only for an instant
and prevent the drawing of its printed surface over the suction plate; it also
comprises details of construction as more fully hereinafter set forth.
The said Invention also comprises improvements in the mechanism described in
the Specification of a former Letters Patent dated April 18. A.D. 1882 N° 1865,
and partly relates to the means by which the sheets of paper are transferred from.
one cylinder to the other and reversed, the said means being. substituted for the
nippers and auxiliary mechanism described in the said former Specification.
One object of this Invention is to provide suitable means by which the paper

page_text: sheets may be reversed by the aid of such apparatus and currents of air,
without being blurred or smutted.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of an improved printing and binding machine
constructed according to this Invention, part of the type form carriages and the
inking cylinder being removed
Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the mechanism, through the agency of
which the paper is transferred from one cylinder to the other.
to run.
Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating the relative arrangement of the various parts
Figure 4 is a side elevation of the suction mechanism, detached
A is the frame of the
Figure 5 is a cross section on the line X X of Figure 2.
machine. B is an endless detached guide-bed secured to the said frame, and upon
which the rollers b, carrying the endless chain of type-form carriages C, are adapted
These carriages Care provided with the type forms c and upon one or
both sides with rack C₁ which engage with the teeth D₁ and E¹ on the two
impression cylinders D and E, and from which the said type carriages receive their
motion. These said impression cylinders are two in number and are respectively
provided with impression sui faces d and e, and also with spaces and e¹. The
impression surfaces are provided with "make readies" and are equal in number to
the number of type-form carriages C, the surfaces d print from every alternate
carriage C and the surfaces e from the carriages omitted, therefore each of the
impression cylinders prints from one half of the entire number of type-form
carriages.
The forward end of each of the impression surfaces d and e, is provided with
nippers F adapted to hold one end of the paper sheets and cause them to be carried
around by the said impression cylinders and between them and the type on the
carriages. These nippers may be actuated by arms f carrying on their ends
friction rollers, cams G and H, and springs f. P P' are guides to prevent the paper
,sheets from being blown away or falling away from the make readies.
L is a roll of paper which is guided in a continuous sheet to the feed
rollers J, J by the rollers K. The said feed rollers may consist of a series of
notched discs bolted together, by which their feed surfaces may be increased or
diminished. From the feed rollers the paper is fed, under the knife I2 upon the
table I and against the stop 1'. The knife then cuts the paper off into a sheet
and, as the impression surface & comes round, the pin I¹ strikes the arm of stop I¹
and raises it clear of the paper sheet L at the same time the arm runs off the
cam G whereby the nippers are drawn down by the spring f, and catch the end
of the sheet and carry the same with the rotating cylinders. Each impression
surface d receives a sheet of paper as it passes the table I. The sheet is then
carried down the guide P₁ which prevents its displacement, passes over the type c
of one of the carriages C which has been previously inked by the inking cylinder Q
and is printed upon one side. It is then carried up, being prevented from falling
away from the surface d by the guide P, and is drawn in front of the suction
plate m upon the ribs or fins (to prevent blurrng) of the air box M through
which plate air is constantly or intermittently sucked, the sheet is arrested in its
upward movement by an adjustable stop m² and at the same instant it is released
by the nippers F through the agency of the cam G. The paper is held by suction
close to the perforated suction plate or surface m and the end of the said sheet
which at the bottom hangs over the end of the air box is drawn toward the
cylinder E as shown in Figure 2 and rests against guide fingers to prevent the
edge of the paper being turned up under the bottom of the said air box. When
the sheet is being drawn up before the suction plate the air may be shut off
thereform by the valve plate M¹ whose surface is provided with holes or slots, and
the valve M, but the instant the paper is raised the proper height and released, the
valve plate M and valve M² rise opening the air ports whereby the sheet is
sucked against the plate m and its lower end drawn over against the cylinder E
where it is caught by nippers F. The instant the sheet is caught by the nippers

page_text: of the cylinder the suction ceases, and a blast of air is forced out of the box M,
blowing the paper from the suction plate until it has been drawn away clear of
the same to prevent smutting of the wet ink. If desired the blast may be dis-
pensed with, and the suction shut off by the valve plate Mani valve M² or the
valves may be shut off and the partial vacuum in the box M changed to pressure,
but I prefer the alternate suction and blast. In Figure 2 the position of the
various parts is shown just as the blast has be put on, and the sheet is blown
away from plate m. The valve plate M¹ may be operated by an arm M³
secured to a rock shaft M* passing through the box M and provided on its outer
end with a crank or arm M³. Connecting the arm M³ and one arm of a bell-
crank M is a bar M. The bell-crank M is actuated by a cam 02 secured upon
the shaft O which carries the fan N, and the intermediate gear wheel D² which
engages with the gear wheels D¹ and E', and operates the entire machine. If
desired the fan may be driven by another shaft, but the arrangement shown makes
the machine more compact.
The suction and blast are controlled as follows:-
There are three ports N', N2 and N³ opening into the top of the box or
chamber M and before which a valve N reciprocites to connect any two of the
said ports. Of these ports N' is alternately a blast and suction port, N2 is always
a blast port, and N³ is always a suction port. The valve N' alternately connects
ports N' N and N' N³ and is reciprocated or rocked by a rock shaft N³ provided
on the end with an arm No, to the end of which is hinged the reciprocating bar N
guided by the bearing N8 the said bar N' is provided on its end with a roller
which works against a cain 01 secured to the shaft O. The port N' communicates
with the atmosphere the port N' with the periphery of the fan chamber, and the
port N³ with the eye of the fan chamber The arrows in full lines indicate, the
direction of the currents of air when there is a pressure in the box M and the
arrows in dotted lines indicates the direction of the currents when there is a partial
vacuum in the box M.
As the paper is drawn down and about clear of the plate m, the valve plate M¹
and valve M2 are close'l by the cain 02, and instantly the cam O' shifts the valve N
connecting the ports N1 N2 and allows the fan N to create a partial vacuum in the
box M. The instant the next sheet is brought into position, the valve plate M
opens its ports and the sheet is sucked against the plate m, when the nippers F of
the cylinder E have caught it the valve N is shifted to the position shown in
Figure 2 whereby an air blast is driven directly into the chamber M.
While I prefer the combined actions of blast and suction yet it is evident that I
may use either one alone, by dispensing with either the valve N' or valve plate M'
and valve M2, any other suitable mechanism may be used to operate these air valves,
and the valves themselves may be made in various ways without departing from
the nature of this invention.
The cylinder E carries the sheet a second time over the type carriages and it is
printed on the opposite side. After being printed on both sides, the sheet is
carried up a short distance released from the nippers by a continuation of the
cam H and is carried away from the cylinder by tapes or bands R which encircle
the cylinder E and roller 7. The sheet then passes between the bands R R¹, and
the bands R' R2 to the fly frame T which folds the sheets down upon the table T¹.
To this end of the machine I sometimes attach binding, folding and trimming
mechanism as described in the said former Specification.
I do not limit myself to the particular construction hereinbefore described as it
may be modified in various ways and any well known folding and trimming devices
may be used.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondents and the manner of performing the same I wish it understood
hat I claim in a printing machine.
First. Two impression cylinders provided with a series of impression surfaces
and "make-readies," in combination with an endless chain of type-form carriages,

page_text: mechanism for feeding the paper to the impression surfaces of one cylinder, and
means for automatically transferring the said paper from one of the said impression
cylinders to the other after it has been printed on one side, substantially as set
forth.
Second. Two impression cylinders provided with a series of impression surfaces
and spaces, in combination with means for feeding sheets of paper to the surfaces
of one of the said cylinders, an endless chain of carriages adapted to carry the type-
forins, means for automatically transferring the said paper (after it has been printed
on one side) from one of the Faid impression cylinders to the other cylinder which
takes it again to the type-formis and causes it to be printed on the other side, and
means for receiving and binding the sheets into book-form, substantially as set
forth.
Third. Two impression cylinders provided with a series of impression surfaces
and spaces, and an endless chain of carriages adapted to carry the type-forms, one
of which cylinders prints from every alternate type-form, and the other from those
omitted by the first cylinder, in combination with means for feeding paper sheets
to the impression surfaces of one cylinder, a suction delivery and feed for transferring
the said sheets of paper from one cylinder to the other, after they have been printed
on one side.
Fourth. Two impression cylinders provided with a series of impression surfaces
and spaces the said surfaces being furnished with automatically acting nippers or
equivalent devices for holding the paper, and an endless chain of type-form carriages,
one of the said cylinders printing from every alternate type-form or carriage and
the other printing from those omitted by the first cylinder, in combination with
mechanism for feeding paper sheets to one of the said cylinders and means for
automatically transferring the said paper from one of the said impression cylinders
to the other after it has been printed on one side.
Fifth Two impression cylinders provided with a series of impression surfaces
and spaces, the said surfaces being furnished with automatically acting nippers or
equivalent devices for holding the paper, and an endless chain of type-form
carriages, one of the said cylinders printing from every alternate type-carriage and
the other printing from these omitted by the first cylinder, in combination with
mechanism for feeding paper sheets to one of the said cylinders upon which the
sheets are held by the nippers, a suction plate adapted to receive and hold the
sheets after they have been printed on one side and feed them to the other
cylinder, mechanism for actuating the said nippers upon one cylinder to release the
paper when before the suction plate, and mechanism for causing the nippers on the
other of the said cylinders to clamp.the paper, draw it from the suction plate, and
cause it to be printed on the other side, and means for creating suction, substantially
as set forth.
Sixth The combination of the cylinders D and E having surfaces & and e and
spaces d' and e¹, the type-form carriages C, the nippers F and means for actuating
the said nippers, the suction box M having a suction plate m, the fan N or equivalent
device and an air trunk, substantially as described.
means
Seventh-The combination of the cylinders D and E having the surfaces d
and e and the spaces d' and e', the type-form carriages C, the nippers F,
for actuating the said nippers, the suction box M having the suction plate m, the
adjustable stop m¹ and air fan N, substantially as specified.
Eighth The combination of the cylinder E having the surfaces e and spaces e¹,
the nippers F, means for actuating the said nippers, the endless bands or tapes R, R
and R2, supported upon band-wheels, and means for receiving and binding the said
sheets into book-forin, substantially as specified.
Ninth. The combination of the cylinders D and E having the surfaces d
and c and spaces d' and e', the type-form carriages C, the nippers F, means for
actuating the said nippers, the suction box M having a suction plate m, the fan N,
the guides P and P¹, means for feeding the paper sheets to one cylinder and means
for delivering the said sheets to the other cylinder, substantially as specified.

page_text: Tenth-The suction box arranged between two impression cylinders and
provided with a perforated suction plate having fins or ribs upon which the paper
rests to prevent blurring, substantially as described.
Eleventh Two impression cylinders provided with a series of impression.
surfaces and spaces and an endless chain of carriages adapted to carry the type
forms, one of the said cylinders printing from every alternate type-form and the
other printing from those omitted by the first cylinder, in combination with an air
box arranged between the said cylinders having one of its faces perforated and
means operating intermittently for creating a partial vacuum or pressure in the
said box by which means the sheets are fed from one cylinder to the other after
being printed on one side.
Twelfth Two impression cylinders provided with a series of impression surfaces.
and spaces and an endless chain of carriages adapted to carry the type forms, one:
of the said cylinders printing from every alternate type form and the other printing
from those omitted by the first cylinder, in combination with an air box, meaus
for creating a vacuum therein, and valved orifices opening from the said air-box
and adapted to cause intermittent suction through the said orifices by which
means the sheets are fed from one cylinder to the other without blurring or
smutting after being printed upon one side.
Thirteenth Two impression cylinders each provided with a series of impression.
surfaces and spaces and an endless chain of type-form carriages one of the said
cylinders being adapted to print from. every alternate carriage and the other
printing from those omitted by the first cylinder in combination with an air
box having a perforated face a valve intermittently actuated for controlling
the orifices of the said box and means actuated intermittently for creating a partial
vacuum or pressure in the said air-box by which means the sheets are fed from
one cylinder to the other without smutting after having been printed on one side.
Fourteenth Two impression cylinders provided with a series of impression
surfaces and spaces, the said surfaces being furnished with automatically acting
nippers or clamps to hold the paper sheets, and an endless chain of type-form
carriages, one of the said cylinders printing from every alternate type carriage and
the other printing from those omitted by the first cylinder in combination with a
feed-table or equivalent device from which the paper is fed to one of the said
cylinders and upon which the sheets are held by the said nippers, an air box
provided with a suction surface the intermittently acting valves for controlling the
suction or passage of air through the said suction surface by which the said sheet
of paper is held for a period of time only sufficient to allow the nippers upon the
other cylinder to clamp the lower edge of the said sheet the suction surface then
releasing the said paper the mechanism for actuating the nippers upon one cylinder
to release the paper when before the suction surface and the mechanism for causing
the nippers on the other of the said cylinders to clamp the paper and draw it from
the said suction surface without smutting and cause it to be printed upon the other
side and means for creating currents of air through the said suction surface and
air box.
Fifteenth The combination of the cylinders D and E having the surfaces d
and e and the spaces d' and e¹ the type-form carriages C the nippers F means for
actuating the said nippers the suction or air box M having perforated surface m
the valve plate M' or equivalent device, the fan N and means for intermittently
actuating the said valve plate, substantially as specified.
Sixteenth The combination of the cylinders 1) and E having the surfaces d
and e and the spaces d'and e' the type-form carriages C the nippers F means for
actuating the said nippers, the suction or air box M having the perforated surface m
the valve plate M' the arm M³ the shaft M* the cam O' and connecting mechanism
substantially as described.
Seventeenth--The combination of the cylinders D and E having the surfaces d
and e and the spaces and e¹ the type-form carriages C the nippers F means for
etuating the sid nippers the air box M having the perforated surface m the

page_text: ports N1 N2 and N³ valve N* or equivalent devices and the fan N substantially as
specified.
Eighteenth-The combination of the cylinders D and E having the surfaces d
and e and the teeth D¹ and E' the nippers F means for actuating the said nippers,
the type-form carriages C the air box M the ports N' N° and N³ means for
alternately connecting two of the said ports for creating a suction or blast in the
said air box, the fan N the shaft O and the intermediate wheel D² substantially as
set forth.
Nineteenth-The combination of the cylinders D and E having the surfaces d
and ethe type-form carriages C the nippers F means for actuating the said nippers
the air box M having the perforated surface m the valve plate M¹ or equivalent
device the ports N' N² and N³ the valve N or equivalent device the fan N and
mechanism for actuating the said valves substantially as specified.
Twentieth-The combination of the cylinders D and E having the surfaces d
and e the type-form carriages C the nippers F means for actuating the said nippers
the air box M having the perforated surface m the valve plate M' means for
intermittently actuating the said valve plate the fan N and the adjustable stop m¹
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Twenty first The combination of the cylinders D and E having the surface d
and e and the nippers F means for actuating the said nippers the type-form
carriages C the air box M having the perforated surface m the valve plate M¹ and
valve M² the fan N and means for actuating the said valves to control the currents
of air through the surface m; substantially as and for the purpose, specified.
In witness whereof I the said William Robert Lake have hereunto set my
hand and seal this twenty third day of January in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
M PODT TAD Gal