Improvements in Multi-colour Printing Machines.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 25th July, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 25th Apr., 1890-Accepted, 31st May, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Multi-colour Printing Machines.
We, EUGENE CAUSSE, Merchant, AUGUSTE STALIN, Printer, and CHARLES CONRADS,
Accountant, all of 2 Boulevard de Strasbourg, Paris, in the Republic of France, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows reference being had to
the accompanying two sheets of drawings and to the letters and figures marked
thereon, that is to say :-
The printing machines heretofore used in typography and lithography for printing
in several colours usually have a single printing cylinder and a single inking
apparatus, the latter being divided or not, according to circumstances, into several
adjustable parts or compartments. In order to obtain an impression in four colours
for example, in such a printing machine it is necessary to pass the sheet of paper
two or four times through the machine, according as the inking apparatus is divided
or not into two parts; each passage through the machine requiring a change of the
inking apparatus.
According to our invention we employ two printing cylinders and a single imposing
table; one of these printing cylinders makes two complete revolutions during the
forward movement of the imposing table, and the other printing cylinder two
revolutions during the backward movement thereof, whereby four different colours
for example may be printed on the same sheet of paper with inking appliances divided
into two compartments only, and an exactly similar impression on two double
sheets.
In our arrangements of machinery the imposing table passes when going in one
direction, under one printing cylinder, and when going in the opposite direction
under the other printing cylinder, and receives, in the example given, four colours
when going in one direction and the same number when going in the opposite
direction, whilst in the ordinary well known machines the imposing table only receives
colour when going in one direction.
We also sometimes employ a special arrangement of the two printing cylinders by
placing between them a third cylinder the object of which is to convey the sheet of
paper from the first printing cylinder to the second; so that the sheet of paper, printed
with one, two or more colours during its passage between the first printing cylinder
and the imposing table, receives a fresh impression of one, two or more colours on the
same side during its passage between the second printing cylinder and the imposing
table.
In the drawings hereto annexed, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a
machine constructed in accordance with our invention for printing in several colours
at one operation.
Figure 2 is a
imposing table.
cross section showing the means of transmitting motion to the
Figure 3 is a plan of the imposing table with two coloured sheets of paper after
passing under the printing cylinders.
Figures 4 and 5 show two ink distributing rollers.
Figures 6 and 7 show the rails which act on the friction rollers carried on the ends
of the ink distributing rollers.
Figures 8 and 9 are detail views of an ink trough and ink delivery roller.
Figure 10 shows one of the separating leads for dividing the ink trough into
separate compartments.
Figure 11 is a sectional elevation of a similar machine but with a paper transferring
cylinder placed between the two printing cylinders and

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Figure 12 is a plan of the imposing table of the same machine.
The printing or impressing cylinders a and b, Figures 1 to 10, are mounted
like the lifting printing cylinders of ordinary printing machines. Each cylinder
is furnished with the usual arrangement of pincers for seizing and holding the paper.
One of the cylinders is arranged for working during the forward movement of
the imposing table and the other during the backward movement thereof. They
are both mounted on a common frame c-and as near to one another as possible so
as to require the shortest possible stroke of the imposing table d.
The cylinders a bare furnished with conducting cords or tapes e ele, the cords-
or tapes e conducting the printed sheets respectively to the receivers ff' placed at the
ends of the frame...
-
The imposing table d runs upon two series of rollers d² placed in two lateral
slides d¹. It has fixed thereon in the usual way the typographic forms or litho
graphic stones D D with spaces between determined by the distance apart of the
printing cylinders a b.
At one of the sides of the imposing table d, or on both sides thereof as shown in
Figure 2, we form or fix a rack or racks 9 intended to gear alternately with the
toothed wheels a mounted respectively on the ends of the printing, cylinders
and b, so that the to and fro movements of the imposing table d produce inter-
mittent rotary movements of the said printing cylinders a and b.
a
Rectilinear alternating motion is imparted to the imposing table d by means of the
mangle rack and pinion j; the latter is keyed on a shaft 2 connected with the
driving shaft by means of a universal joint k¹ or otherwise. The shaft is guided
in its vertical movements whilst passing from the upper to the lower side of the
rack and vice versa by the long slot in the guide
The stops which limit the to and fro movements of the imposing table are
actuated by means similar to those employed in ordinary machines for printing in
colours, that is to say by means of cams 12 and which receive their motion from two
shafts n m connected to the driving power by the series of toothed wheels m² m²,
nn² and m³, the latter wheel being in. direct or indirect connection with the driving
shaft (Figure 2).
The inking is effected by two inking apparatuses o o¹ placed very close together,
the ink distributing rollers p p q receive the ink from cylindrical distributing
tables, and the whole is symmetrically arranged in relation to the transverse axis of
the machine.
To print in four colours, which we have taken as an example, the ink troughs o o¹
are respectively divided into two compartments by leads and in each compartment
is placed a colour different from that in the next compartment. The ink dis-
tributing rollers are also divided into two parts corresponding to the divisions of
the ink troughs as are also each of the intermediate rollers from and including the
ink taking off rollers.
The number of compartments of the ink trough may be increased by increasing
the number of separating leads. These ink troughs are generally made in one piece
but they may be made in several pieces, each piece being fitted with adjusting screws
to adjust it to the taking off rollers.
To prevent the ink distributing rollers p p¹q q' from delivering ink to the type or
stones on the imposing table except at the required places the ends of the axes of
these rollers are provided with friction rollers which roll on the upper edges of the
side bars u u' (see Figures 6 and 7) placed at the sides of the imposing table and
which bars have elevations and depressions formed on their said upper edges which
raise or lower the said ink distributing rollers at the proper times as they pass
under them.
The feeding tables s s¹t t' are placed as usual for each of the printing cylinders a
and b.
The action of the machine is similar to that of ordinary machines for printing in
1.1.1.
41.

page_text: tables in the usual manner, these sheets pass on successively and are printed by
the type forms or stones, as the case may be, on the imposing table d, and are finally
delivered and stored on the receivers ff'.
Each of the sheets has thus received four colours; if a further passage through the
machine is necessary, a fresh impression of four colours is similarly effected, but in
this case the juxtaposed colours are printed first in order to obtain the necessary time
for drying and also to avoid the marblings which often appear when two freshly spread
tints are superposed.
In the arrangement shown in Figures 11 and 12, which is suitable for either
typrographic or lithographic multicolour printing, the printing cylinders a and b have
between them the intermediate cylinder V, the object of which is to take the sheet
of paper from the printing cylinder a and to present it to the printing cylinder bin
such manner that if the impression has been made on the right hand page for
example by the cylinder a, it will also be made on the right hand page by the
cylinder b.
As in the arrangement shown in Figure 1 the imposing table d is divided into three
parts of which the first and third receive the forms of printing type or lithographic
stones D D', and the second forms the space between such forms of type or
lithographic stones necessitated by the distance apart of the printing cylinders.
The inking tables are placed at the ends of the frame and are fed by inking
troughs and taking-off, equalizing and distributing rollers of ordinary.construction.
Dated this. 25th day of July 1889.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Multi-colour Printing Machines.
We, EUGÈNE CAUSSE, Merchant, AUGUSTE STALIN, printer, and CHARLES CONRADS,
Accountant, all of 2 Boulevard de Strasbourg, Paris, in the Republic of France, 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, reference being had to the two sheets of drawings annexed to the
provisional specification filed with our application for a patent, and to the letters and
figures marked thereon, that is to say:
11
The printing machines heretofore used in typography and lithography, for printing
in several colours, usually have a single printing cylinder, and a single inking
apparatus, the latter being divided or not, according to circumstances, into several
adjustable parts, or compartments. In order to obtain an impression, in four colours
for example, in such a printing machine, it is necessary to pass the sheet of paper
two or, four times through the machine, according as the inking apparatus is divided
or not into two parts; each passage through the machine requiring a change of the
inking apparatus.
According to our invention, we employ two printing cylinders and a single
imposing table; one of these printing cylinders makes two complete revolutions during
the forward movement of the imposing table, and the other printing cylinder two
revolutions during the backward movement thereof, whereby four different colours,
for example, may be printed on the same sheet of paper, with inking appliances
divided, into two compartments only, and an exactly similar impression on two double
sheets.
In our arrangements of machinery the imposing table passes, when going in one
direction, under one printing cylinder, and when going in the opposite direction,
under the other printing cylinder, and receives, in the example given, four, colours

page_text: when going in one direction, and the same number when going in the opposite
direction; whilst in the ordinary well known machines the imposing table only
receives colour when going in one direction.
It will be seen that in multicolour printing machines, constructed with our
improvements applied thereto, the abovementioned manipulation of the inking
appliances and of the distributing and inking rollers, is not required, and
consequently the loss of time required thereby, in the ordinary machines, is
obviated.
We also sometimes employ a special arrangement of the two printing cylinders.
by placing between them a third cylinder, the object of which is to convey the
sheet of paper from the first printing cylinder to, the second; so that the sheet of
paper, printed with one, two, or more, colours during its passage between the first
printing cylinder and the imposing table, receives a fresh impression of one, two,
or more, colours on the same side during its. passage between the second printing
cylinder and the imposing table. By this arrangement a register is rendered
-unnecessary.
In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a machine
constructed in accordance with our invention for printing in several colours at one
operation.
Figure 2 is a cross section showing the means of transmitting motion to the
imposing table.
Figure 3 is a plan of the imposing table with two coloured sheets of paper after
passing under the printing cylinders.
Figures 4 and 5 show two ink distributing rollers.
Figures 6 and 7 show the rails which act on the friction rollers carried on the ends
of the ink distributing rollers.
Figures 8 and 9 are detail views of an ink trough and ink delivery roller.
Figures 10 shows one of the separating leads for dividing the ink trough into
separato compartments.
Figure 11 is a sectional elevation of a similar machine but with a paper trans-
ferring cylinder placed between the two printing cylinders, and Figure 12 is a plan
of the imposing table of the same machine.
The printing or impressing cylinders a and b, Figures 1 to 10, are mounted like
the lifting printing cylinders of ordinary printing machines. Each cylinder is
furnished with the usual arrangement of pincers for seizing and holding the paper.
One of the cylinders is arranged for working during the forward movement of the
imposing table, and the other during the backward movement thereof. They are
both mounted on a common frame c, and as near to one another as possible, so as to
require the shortest possible stroke of the imposing table d.
The cylinders a are furnished with conducting cords or tapes e eles, the cords
or tapes e conducting the printed sheets respectively to the receivers ƒƒ¹ placed at
the ends of the frame.
The imposing table d runs upon two series of rollers d² placed in two lateral
slides d'. It has fixed thereon in the usual way the typographic forms, or lithographic
stones D D', with spaces between determined by the distance apart of the printing
cylinders a b.
At one of the sides of the imposing table d, or on both sides thereof as shown in
Figure 2, we form or fix a rack or racks intended to gear alternately with the
toothed a b¹ mounted respectively on the ends of the printing cylinders a and b, so
that the to and fro movements of the imposing table & produce intermittent rotary
movements of the said printing cylinders a and b.
Rectilinear alternating motion is imparted to the imposing table d by means of the
mangle rack and pinion j; the latter is keyed on a shaft 2 connected with the
driving shaft k by means of a universal joint ², or otherwise. The shaft k is guided
in its vertical movements, whilst passing from the upper to the lower side of the
rack and vice versa, by the long slot in the guide k¹.
The stops; which limit the to and fro movements of the imposing table, are

page_text: actuated by means similar to those employed in ordinary machines for printingdin
colours, that is to say by means of canis and which receive..theirnmotion from
two shafts m n connected to the driving power by the series of toothed wheels m!.m²,
nn and m³, the latter wheel being in direct, or indirect, connection with the driving
shaft (Figure 2).
The inking is effected by two inking apparatuses o o' placed very close together;
the ink distributing rollers p p¹ qq' receive the ink froin cylindrical distributing
tables, and the whole is symmetrically arranged in relation to the transverse axis. of
the machine.
To print in four colours, which we have taken as an example, the ink troughs o
are respectively divided into two compartiments by leads, and in each compartment
is placed a colour different from that in the next compartment. The ink distributing
rollers are also divided into two parts corresponding to the divisions of the..ink
troughs, as are also each of the intermediate rollers from and including the ink taking-
off rollers.
The number of compartments of the ink trough may be increased.by.increasing
the number of separating leads. These ink troughs are generally made in one piece
but they may be made in several parts, each part being fitted with adjusting sorews.to
adjust it to the taking-off rollers.
.
To prevent the ink distributing rollers p p q q¹ from delivering ink to the type
or stones on the imposing table, except at the required places, the ends of the axes
of these rollers are provided with friction rollers which roll on the upper-edges of
the side bars u u' (see Figures 6 and 7) placed at the sides of the imposing table, and
which bars have elevations and depressions formed on their said upper.edges, which
raise or lower the said ink distributing rollers at the proper times as they pass, under
them.
The feeding tables & stare placed as usual for each of the printing cylinders a
and b. The tables are provided with points corresponding to those of the
cylinders a b.
The method of putting the machine into action is similar to that of ordinary
machines for printing in black, the operatives supply. sheets of paper to the printing
cylinders ab over the tables tt' in the usual manner; these sheets pass on successively
and are printed by the type forms or stones as the case may be, on the imposing
table d, and are finally delivered and stored on the receivers ƒƒ³.
Each of the sheets has thus received four colours. If a further passage through the
machine is necessary, a fresh impression of four. colours is similarly effected; but in
this case the juxtaposed colours are printed first in order to obtain the necessary, time
for drying and also to avoid the marblings which often appear when two freshly
spread tints are superposed.
In the arrangement shown in Figures 11 and 12 which is suitable for either
typographic or lithographic multicolour printing, the printing cylinders a and b have
between them the intermediate cylinder V, the object of which is to take the sheet of
paper from the printing cylinder a and to present it to the printing cylinder b. in
such manner that if the impression has been made on the right hand page for
example, by the cylinder a, it will also be made on the right hand page by the
cylinder b. This machine is therefore in reality a retiration or second form machine
transformed into a double machine in white.
As in the arrangement shown in Figure 1, the imposing table d is divided into
three parts, of which the first and third receive the forms of printing type, or
lithographic stones D D', and the second forms the space between such forms of
type, or lithographic stones, necessitated by the distance apart of the printing
cylinders.
The inking tables are placed at the ends of the frame and are fed by inking troughs
and taking off, equalizing, and distributing rollers of ordinary construction.
The machine being constructed for printing all the sizes in double, the sheet
first passes under the first cylinder a where it receives two, four, or eight, colours
according to the arrangement of the printing. form or stone. _ It is then taken by the

page_text: intermediate cylinder V which turns it and conducts it under the third cylinder b
where it receives another impression on the same face.
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 :-
First In a multicolour printing machine the combination of two printing or
impressing cylinders a and b arranged on the same frame cc with a reciprocating
imposing table d, an inking appliance for each cylinder, and mechanism for trans-
forming the reciprocating movements of the imposing table into rotary movements
of the said printing cylinders in such manner that one of the said printing cylinders
makes two complete revolutions during the movement of the imposing table in one
direction, and the other of the said printing cylinders makes two complete revolutions
during the movement of the imposing table in the opposite direction, substantially as
hereinbefore described, and illustrated in Figures 1 to 10 of the drawings.
Second In a multicolour printing machine the combination with the two printing
or impressing cylinders a and b of the inking troughs o o', each divided into two
or more compartments, each compartment to contain a different coloured ink, the
inking rollers p p' g g', and the necessary intermediate rollers all divided to correspond
with the divisions of the inking troughs, in such manner that the two type forms,
or the two lithographic stones D. D₁, as the case may be, with which the imposing
table d is provided, are coloured with a given number of colours equal to the total
number of divisions of the said inking troughs during the forward movement
of the imposing table, and with a similar number of colours during the backward
motion thereof, substantially as herein before described, and illustrated in the drawings.
Third In a multicolour printing machine with two printing or impressing
cylinders ab acting in the manner hereinbefore described, the rails u u³ connected
to the sides of the imposing table, and having elevations and depressions formed on
the edge thereof for the purpose of effecting the alternate raising and lowering of
the said printing or impressing cylinders and of the distributing or inking
rollers p p q q', substantially as hereinbefore described, and illustrated in the
drawings.
Fourth In a multicolour printing machine the printing or impressing cylinders a
and arranged to be raised alternately out of gear with the actuating rack of the
imposing table, the said imposing table d actuating, during its forward movement,
one of the said printing or impressing cylinders, and during its backward movement,
the other of the said printing or impressing cylinders, the inkers oo and their
rollers, the feeding tables s s't t₁, the conductors e e¹³, the receivers ff and the
raising and lowering bars u u', combined, arranged and operating substantially as
herein before described, and illustrated in the drawings.
Fifth In a multicolour printing machine the printing or impressing cylinders a
and arranged to be raised alternately out of gear with the actuating rack of the
imposing table, the transmitting cylinder V, the imposing table d actuating, during
its forward movement, one of the said printing or impressing cylinders, and during
its backward movement, the other of the said printing or impressing cylinders, the
inkers o o and their rollers, the feeding table s, the conductors e e¹ e², the receiver ƒ,
and the raising and lowering bars u u', combined, arranged and operating sub-
stantially as herein before described, and illustrated in Figures 11 and 12 of the
drawings.