Improvements in Machinery for Printing Fabrics.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Mar., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 1st Dec., 1890-4ccepted, 31st Jan., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Printing Fabrics.
We, EMILE SAMUEL, and ANDRÉ SAMUEL, trading as La Société Cousins of
Neuville sur Saône, (Rhone), in the Republic of France, Manufacturers, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to that class of printing machinery in which the fabric to
be printed on is stretched upon a table and the mechanism carrying the printing
roller travels lengthwise over the fabric which remains stationary during the
printing operation.
The fabric to be printed with one or more colours is first stretched smoothly or
without creases on a long flat table parallel to the plane of two racks combined with
flat rails on the right and left hand sides of the table.
The printing mechanism is constructed with two parallel vertical frames con-
nected by transverse rods or bars and carrying sundry rollers in addition to the
engraved or printing roller the said rollers being perfectly parallel to one another
and perpendicular to the length of the table.
This printing mechanism is carried by four travelling rollers or small wheels
rotating freely upon four eccentric journals on the ends of two shafts. The rollers
run on the rails at the sides of the table and a double lever enables these shafts to
be rotated through one quarter of a revolution. When the lever is in a certain
position the rollers enable the teeth of the driving pinions to gear with the racks.
The machine is then in position for travelling over the fabric in order to perform
the printing operation. On the other hand when the lever is moved into another
position the four rollers are lowered simultaneously relatively to the printing
mechanism which is then raised sufficiently to remove the pinions out of contact
with the racks and raise the printing roller out of contact with the fabric to be
printed. The printing mechanism can then be freely shifted or moved along the
table and the furnishing cloth and printing roller can be rotated if required in order
to clean them or apply the colours. This arrangement of the travelling rollers also
enables the printing mechanism to be thrown out of action instantaneously in case
anything goes wrong.
Motion may be imparted to the driving shaft by a crank or by a grooved pulley
and endless cord or by a small dynamo applied on the shaft or by any other suitable
driving mechanism.
The motion of the driving shaft is transmitted by suitable gearing such for
example as an endless screw or worm and worm wheel to two propelling pinions
gearing with the racks and thus communicates to the entire printing mechanism
a travelling, movement parallel with itself carrying the said mechanism from one
end of the racks to the other and consequently over the entire length of fabric
stretched on the table. It is found that good work can be done with the machine
even when the table is travelled over at the rate of about 30 feet per minute.
The movement of the driving shaft is transmitted at the same time by other
gearing to a roller provided with pins which engage with the endless cloth which
carries the colour from the colour trough to the printing or engraved roller. This
pin roller is of exactly the same diameter as the travelling rollers which themselves
are of a diameter equal to the pitch line of the propelling pinions which however
rotates in the opposite direction to the pin roller.
The axis of the printing roller which roller may be of any diameter provided that
its circumference is a multiple of the pitch of the racks is provided with a pinion
which gears with the same rack as the propelling pinions.
By means of this arrangement the surface of the printing roller travels over the

page_text: fabric without any slip or friction of its engraved surface either at the part of the
said surface in contact with the fabric or at the part in contact with the furnishing
cloth.
The printing mechanism is capable of working with any number of engraved
rollers of different diameters as the peripheral speed of these rollers is invariably
equal to the speed at the periphery of the travelling wheels or rollers and to that of
the furnishing cloth or pin roller.
The endless cloth which transfers the colour is guided by a series of rollers. One
roller draws the cloth under the colour in the trough. Other rollers adjusted by
means of set screws enable the tension of the cloth to be regulated and regulate the
quantity of colour supplied.
Other rollers whose axes are carried by small slides are adjusted by screws with
set suits enabling the furnishing cloth to be put properly in contact with the
printing roller.
The hinder end of the printing mechanism carrying the printing roller and the
two cloth rollers is hinged on a shaft carried by the other part of the frame. Set
screws limit the amplitude of its motion and prevent the engraved roller from
touching the table or the fabric thereon when the printing mechanism is raised by
means of the eccentric journals of the travelling wheels.
These adjusting screws can be quickly adjusted by means of a shaft with two
worms. This shaft may be provided with a slide or indicator showing the positions
that may be occupied by the two adjusting screws. During the normal working
hinged part carrying the printing roller and two furnishing cloth rollers rests upon
the fabric to be printed on. The printing roller is thus enabled to accommodate
itself to any slight irregularities in the surface of the table or of the fabric without
being moved out of contact with the furnishing cloth.
There is consequently no danger of too little colour or too much colour being
supplied as the printing roller always exerts the same amount of pressure on the
fabric and retains the same contact with the furnishing rollers or cloth.
The pressure of the printing roller on the fabric can be diminished by increasing
the tension of the furnishing cloth or it may be increased by adding weights in any
suitable manner. The printing roller is brought into its proper position with
precision by the aid of screw stops. As many printing machines may be employed
as there are colours or one machine may be caused to apply the different colours in
succession all the parts being readily accessible for cleaning.
Dated this 1st day of March 1200
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Printing Fabrics.
We EMILE SAMUEL and ANDRÉ SAMUEL trading as La Société Samuel Cousins
both of Neuville sur Saône (Rhône) in the Republic of France, Manufacturers,
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 :―
Our invention relates to that class of printing machinery in which the fabric to be
printed on is stretched upon a table and the mechanism carrying the printing roller
travels lengthwise over the fabric -which remains stationary during the printing
operation.
The invention consists in improvements in the arrangement and combination of
the parts as hereinafter described whereby the machinery is rendered more accurate
and efficient in its action than the mechanism heretofore employed.
And in order that our said invention may be fully understood we shall now

page_text: proceed more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to
the several figures on the annexed sheet of drawings the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents in longitudinal elevation a
printing machine constructed according to this invention. The machine is
illustrated in plan and partly in horizontal section in Figure 2. and in end
elevation partly in vertical section in Figure 3.
The piece of fabric or material to be printed on in one or more colours is first
stretched smoothly or without folds or wrinkles, upon a table at A the horizontal
surface of which is carefully levelled or adjusted so as to be truly parallel to the
plane of two toothed racks B combined with planed or flat rails C on the right and
left hand sides of the table A and extending from one end of the latter to the
other.
The printing mechanism is constructed with two parallel vertical frames a
connected by transverse rods or bars and carrying sundry adductor and other
rollers in addition to the engraved or printing roller marked K the axes of the
said rollers being perfectly parallel to one another and at right angles to the
length of the table A.
This printing mechanism is carried by four travelling rollers or small wheels D
rotating freely upon four journals Q arranged eccentrically on the ends of two
shafts R R'. The rollers run on the rails C and levers S enable these shafts R R
to be rotated through about one quarter of a revolution. When the levers are in
the position indicated at S Figure the rollers D are so placed as to enable the
teeth of the driving pinions H to gear with the racks B. The machine is then in
position for travelling forward in the direction of the arrow in order to perform
the printing operation the printing roller K being lowered so as to be in contact
with the fabric. On the other hand when the levers. S are moved into the
position S Figure 1 the four rollers D are lowered simultaneously relatively to
the printing mechanism which is then raised sufficiently to remove the pinions H
out of gear with the racks B and to raise the printing roller K out of contact with
the fabric on the table at A. The printing mechanism can then be freely shifted
or moved backwards or forwards along the table and the furnishing cloth
(indicated at 6) and printing roller K can be moved or rotated as required in order
to clean them or apply the colours. The printing roller is also enabled to be
brought accurately over the place on the fabric where the printing is to be
recommenced in order to cover the whole of the piece. This peculiar arrange-
ment of the rollers D enables the printing mechanism to be thrown out of action
instantaneously in case anything goes wrong with the machine. In fact when the
parts are in the elevated position described the printing mechanism cannot act even
when the driving shaft G continues to rotate. This driving shaft G may receive
motion from any suitable motor mechanism such as a crank or a grooved pulley
and endless cord or as represented in the accompanying drawing from a small
dynamo Z whose armature is directly attached to the shaft G.
The rotary motion of the shaft G is transmitted by suitable gearing such for
example as a worm c and worm wheel d to a shaft H2 on which are fixed two
pinions H gearing with the racks B. The motor thus communicates to the entire
printing mechanism a travelling movement parallel with itself carrying the said
mechanism from one end of the racks to the other and consequently over the entire
length of fabric stretched upon the table A. It is found that good work can be
done with the machine even when the table A is caused to travel at the rate of
about 30 feet per minute. The rate of travelling motion is regulated by the speed
of the shaft G.
The movement of the shaft G is transmitted at the same time by other gearing
to a roller I Figures 1 and 2 provided with pins engaging with the endless cloth b
which carries the colour from a colour trough J to the engraved or printing
roller K. This pin roller I is of exactly the same diameter as the travelling

page_text: rollers D these rollers being of a diameter equal to the original diameter or
pitch line of the propelling pinions H which rotate in the opposite direction to the
pin roller I.
The axis of the printing roller K which roller may be of any diameter provided
that its circumference is a multiple of the pitch of the toothed racks B is provided
with a pinion H' which gears with one of the said racks. By means of this
arrangement the surface of the roller K is caused to travel over the fabric when the
printing mechanism is working without any slip or friction of its engraved surface
either at the part of the said surface in contact with the fabric or at the part in
contact with the furnishing cloth. This result which is of considerable importance
is obtained by means of the improved construction and arrangements hereinbefore
described and forms one of the essential conditions for the efficient working of the
machine.
The printing mechanism is capable of working with any number of engraved
rollers which may be of different diameters provided that the peripheral speed of
these rollers is equal to the speed at the periphery of the travelling wheels
or rollers D and to that of the furnishing cloth or pin roller I.
The endless cloth which transfers the colour runs on guiding (and tension
rollers I L M N O P. The roller L draws the cloth under the colour in the
trough J. The rollers M N adjusted by means of screws with adjusting nuts m n
Figures 1 and 2 enable the tension of the cloth to be regulated and serve to
produce a squeezing action which regulates the quantity of colour to be supplied
by causing the excess to fall back into the trough. The axes of the rollers O P
are carried by sliding bearings adjustable by screws with adjusting suits o p
enabling the furnishing cloth to be properly adjusted in contact with the printing
roller K.
The printing roller K and the two cloth rollers OP are carried by a frame Y
capable of rocking on the shaft R. Stop screws T are employed to limit the
amplitude of its vibration or rocking motion and cause the engraved roller K to
be lifted out of contact with the table A or the fabric thereon when the printing
mechanism is raised by rotating the eccentric journals of the travelling wheels D as
herein before described.
These screws T can be quickly and simultaneously adjusted by rotating a
transverse shaft Figure 2 provided with two worms engaging with worm wheels
on the screws T. This shaft may be provided with a slide or indicator acting as a
gauge showing accurately the positions that may be occupied by the two adjustable
screws or stops T. During the normal working of the machine the hinged or
moveable frame Y carrying the printing roller K. and the furnishing cloth rollers
has a certain freedom of motion being supported by the printing roller which
bears upon the fabric or material on the table A. The printing roller K is thus
enabled to accommodate itself automatically to any slight irregularities in the
surface of the table or of the fabric without being moved out of contact with or
changing its position relatively to the furnishing cloth.
P
There is consequently no danger of too little colour or too much colour being
supplied to the material as the printing roller exerts a uniform pressure on the
fabric and remains in the same position relatively to the furnishing cloth rollers O P.
This arrangement of the printing roller constitutes another important feature of
the invention.
The pressure of the printing roller K on the fabric can be diminished by
increasing the tension of the furnishing cloth for example and may be increased by
the application of weights or the like. The printing roller K is enabled to be
brought into its proper position with precision by the aid of screw stops X being
also adjustable transversely by means of screwed sleeves U Figure 2.
As many
printing machines or mechanisms may be employed as there are colours or one
machine may be caused to apply all the different colours in succession all the parts
being readily accessible for cleaning.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
1. The arrangements and combinations of parts constituting the improvements
in printing machines in which the printing roller travels over the fabric to be
printed on which remains stationary upon a fixed table substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
2. In a printing machine of the class hereinbefore described a furnishing cloth
roller I arranged to rotate with a peripheral speed equal to that of a propelling
pinion or pinions H gearing with a stationary toothed rack or racks B in
combination with a printing roller K whose peripheral speed is equal to that of
the cloth roller L and is also equal to that of the horizontal displacement or
travelling movement of the printing mechanism the said printing roller being
driven by a pinion or pinions H₁ gearing with the same rack or racks all in the
manner and for the purpose substantially as hereinbefore set forth with reference to
the accompanying drawings.
3. In a printing machine of the class herein before described a pin roller or
cylinder I (capable of driving the furnishing cloth) of a diameter equal to that of
the travelling rollers D the latter being of a diameter equal to that of the pitch
line of a propelling pinion or pinions H gearing with a stationary toothed rack or
racks B in combination with a printing roller K of any suitable diameter rotating
with a pinion or pinions H¹ gearing with the same rack or racks all in the manner
and for the purpose herein before set forth with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
4. In a printing machine of the class hereinbefore described the arrangement of
the printing roller K carried by an independent frame or support which also
carries the furnishing cloth rollers O. P the said support being hinged to the main
frame on an axis R¹ in combination with screw stops T in such a manner as to
enable the said printing roller to automatically accommodate itself to any
irregularities in the surface to be printed on without changing its position relatively
to the furnishing cloth rollers substantially as hereinbefore described with reference
to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 1st day of December 1890.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
Agents.