Improvements in Collotype and similar Printing Machines.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Jan., 1899
Complete Specification Left. 23rd Nov., 1899--Accepted, 23rd Jan., 1900
Improvements in Collotype and similar Printing Machines.
I, ALFRED COE, of Church Bank, Bradford, in the County of York, Photographer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus or machines for collotype
and other printing in which it is necessary to apply two inks of different con-
sistency such as what is generally known as collotype printing, and its object
is to facilitate the process.
In one way of applying my invention to a cylinder machine I employ a
reciprocating carriage having an inking plate or slab at each end and a space for
the collotype plate between them. The inking slab on the feed side is charged
with ink for the second inking and that on the delivery side with ink for the
first inking. The first inking rollers normally lie close to the cylinder and the
stroke of the carriage is such and the collotype plate and inking slabs are of
such a relative size that when the collotype plate passes from beneath the cylinder
after being printed from it passes completely beneath and in contact. with the
first inking rollers recently. charged with ink by the inking slab immediately
preceding the plate. The carriage then dwells sufficiently long to allow the
first inking rollers to be moved over the plate and more or less onto their -inking
slab then back again over the plate into their normal position. The carriage
then moves to the opposite end. of its stroke, the plate once more passing under
the first inking rollers. The second inking rollers normally lie upon rotating
ink feeding rollers or their equivalent located near the end of the machine out
of reach of the carriage and commence to move towards the carriage at preferably
about the same speed as the carriage is moving when the latter has completed a
third of its stroke more or less so that by the time the carriage reaches the end
of its stroke the rollers have completely passed over the plate to a position close
to the cylinder. The rollers are then passed to and fro over the plate and on and
off their inking slab at preferably about twice the speed at which they were
moved before. The carriage then commences its reverse movement and at the
same time the rollers their return movement at their original speed, that is to
say, about the same as that of the carriage. Each of the sets of rollers may be
passed more than the above number of times over the plates.
The runners at each end of the two sets of inking rollers are not in the same.
vertical plane and lifting pieces are provided on the carriage with inclined ends
adapted to engage the runners and lift the inking rollers clear of the inking
slabs of the other rollers when the latter pass beneath them. Jockey rollers
may be provided over the first inking rollers and a distributing plate bearing
upon them is located above.
The carriage may be reciprocated by a cam of suitable form on each end of a
cross shaft so arranged through the medium of links and levers that one cam
moves the carriage in one direction and the other cam in the other direction.

page_text: The first inking rollers may be reciprocated by levers vibrated by means of
links driven by a sector wheel on the cam shaft.
The second inking rollers may be actuated by a suitable cam through the
medium of levers and links.
The mask is preferably not attached to the cylinder but passes beneath the
cylinder with the paper or the like receiving the impression and is then moved
back to its original position whilst the plates are being inked. In this case
springs may be used to assist in operating the mask as well as keep it under
tension. Suitable means are provided for accurately returning the mask to
position.
Dated this 21st day of January 1899.
VORT BELE OF FUIFICATION.
Improvements in Collotype and similar Printing Machines.
I, ALFRED COE, of Church Bank, Bradford, in the County of York, Photographer,
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 relates to improvements in that class of cylinder printing
machines in which it is usually necessary to apply two inks of different con-
sistency such as what is generally known as collotype printing, and its primary
object is to increase the speed.
To apply my invention to a cylinder machine I employ a reciprocating carriage
having an inking plate or slab at each end and a space for the collotype plate
between them. The inking slab on the feed side is preferably charged with ink
for the second inking and that on the delivery side with ink for the first inking.
The first inking rollers normally lie close to the cylinder and the stroke of the
carriage is such and the space for the collotype plate and the inking slabs are
of such a relative size that when the collotype plate passes from beneath the
cylinder after being printed from it passes completely beneath and in contact
with the first inking rollers recently charged with ink by the inking slab
immediately preceding the plate. The carriage then dwells sufficiently long to
allow the first inking rollers to be moved over the plate and more or less onto
their inking slab then back again over the plate into their normal position.
The carriage then moves to the opposite end of its stroke, the plate once more
passing under the first inking rollers. The second inking rollers commence to
move towards the carriage at preferably about the same speed as the carriage is
moving when the latter has completed a third of its stroke more or less so that
by the time the carriage reaches the end of its stroke the rollers have completely
passed over the plate to a position close to the cylinder. The rollers are then
passed to and fro over the plate and on and off their inking slab at preferably
at about twice the speed at which they were moved before. The carriage then
commences its reverse movement and at the same time the rollers their return
movement at their original speed, that is to say, about the same as that of the
carriage.
To fully describe my invention, reference is made to the accompanying sheets
of drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar figures of
reference indicate corresponding parts in each of the views.
Figure 1, is a side elevation of my improved machine.

page_text: Figure 2,
a plan view of the same.
Figure 3, is a view of the feed end of the machine, and Figure 4, is a view of
the opposite end. In the three latter figures the feed table and the top inking
slab hereinafter referred to are omitted so as to show the parts beneath.
To carry out my invention I employ an ordinary cylinder 2 fitted with the
usual grippers for laying hold of the paper which is fed on to a feed table 3 and
the front edge passed between the grippers before they are closed in the ordinary
way. The cylinder 2 is actuated by its spur wheel 4 engaging the rack 5 upon
the reciprocating carriage 6 having an inking slab 7 at the feed end charged with
ink for the second or light inking and a slab 8 at the other end charged with
ink for the first inking. The carriage is reciprocated in guides 9 in the side
frames 10 by the vibrating arm 12 the upper end 13 of which is pivoted between
the lugs 14, 14 on the carriage, and its lower end is pivoted to the arm 15 on the
rocking shaft 16 below. The arm 12 is coupled to the arm 11 by the connecting
rod 17. The arm 11 is mounted upon the shaft 18 and is vibrated by its anti-
friction roller 19 engaging the cam race 20 in the cam 21 mounted on the shaft 22.
This cam is constructed to give a dwell in the movement of the carriage at both
ends of its stroke sufficiently long enough in duration to allow the inking rollers
to pass over the plate whilst it is stationary in the manner hereinafter described.
The plate is fixed by quoins or wedges in a metal holder which fits between
the inking slabs 7 and 8 and is capable of vertical adjustment by the corner
screws 25 upon which it rests.
The first inking rollers 26 are mounted in slides 27 on each side which are
reciprocated in the grooves 28 in the top of the frame by the links 29 coupling
them to the top of the arms 30 mounted upon the rocking shaft 31 and vibrated
by the connecting rods 32 connecting them to the cranks 33 upon the inter-
mittently rotated shaft 34. The broken lines 30 and 30b (Figure 1) represent
the arms 30 in mid-stroke and at the opposite end of their stroke. The shaft 34
is operated by the sector wheel 35 on the shaft 22 engaging the wheel 36, and a
plain part 37 free from teeth is provided upon such sector wheel to engage the
locking piece 38 on the wheel 36 and hold such wheel stationary until the plain
piece is passed. The wheels are so arranged that when the dwell takes place
the rollers 26 are close up against the cylinder 2. When the plate passes from.
beneath the cylinder on that side it receives its first inking by passing in contact
with the rollers 26 then lying close to the cylinder. During the dwell at the
end of this stroke of the carriage the arms 30 are vibrated and the rollers are
passed to and fro over the plate and are then brought to rest again close to the
cylinder and the carriage again moves the plate beneath them.
When the plate appears on the other side of the cylinder the rollers 40 for the
second inking move towards it at the same speed as the plate and by the time the
plate is brought to rest at the opposite end they have moved completely over it.
and are close against the cylinder. Whilst the plate dwells at this end the
rollers 40 are passed quickly to and fro over it at approximately twice the speed
of their previous movement and when the plate commences its return movement
the rollers move over it approximately at the same speed as the plate and back
onto their inking slab 7.
The rollers 40 are mounted in slides 41 working in the guides 28 and are
coupled by the links 42 to the top of the arms 43 on the rocking shaft 44. The
arms 43 are vibrated by the continuously but variably rotating cranks 45 coupled
to them by the connecting rods 46. The shaft 47 upon which these cranks are
fixed is variably rotated by the arrangement separately shown in elevation in
Figure 5 and in plan by Figure 6. The sector wheel 50 on the shaft 22 engages
the spur wheel 51 on the shaft 47 and drives it to impart the slower motion
thereto but as soon as the sector 50 disengages the wheel 51 the sector 52 engages
the pinion 53 on the shafts 47 and imparts a complete revolution to it at an
increased speed before it becomes disengaged therefrom and the sector 50 and
the wheel 51 again become engaged. The rollers 40 are shown at mid-stroke

page_text: and the broken lines 53 and 53b (Figure 1) represent the arms 43 at each, end
of their stroke.
J
Jockey rollers 60 and distributing rollers 61 are preferably mounted over the
rollers 26 and these are arranged at each stroke to move in contact with an
inverted inking slab 62 supported by the adjustable studs 63 from the attach-
ments 64 sécured to the side-frames..
* . .
..
If a mask is used it is not attached to the cylinder but is supported upon a
flexible band 70 (Figure 1) on each side. The ends of these bands are connected.
to two spring rollers 71 and 72 fitted with internal spiral springs under tension
and the spring of the roller 71 is either stronger or is under greater torsion
than that of the roller 72. A flexible band 73 is also wound upon the roller 71
in the opposite direction to the band 70 and its free end is carried round the
guide pulley 75 and connected to the end of the carriage G...When the carriage
travels' in the direction-of-the arrow Figure 1 the band.73. turns the roller 71 in
the direction of its arrow consequently the bands .70 are unwound off 71. and
are wound on to the roller 72 thus carrying the mask with it. But on the reverse
movement of the carriage the band 73 is free to move with it and is re-wound
on the roller 71 and at the same time the bands 70 are drawn off the roller 72
and wound on to 71 by reason of the stronger spring of the latter. thus moving
the mask at the same speed as the carriage and cylinder. Instead of winding
the mask on to the rollers 71 and 72 they may be dispensed with and it may be
moved in an extended state in each direction by suitably arranged springs or
weights.
The side frames 10, are connected together by stays 80. The shaft. 22 is driven
by its spur wheel 82 engaging the pinion-83 on the driving shaft 84.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. In a printing machine of the type specified the combination with a recipro-
cating plate carriage having an inking slab at each end and reciprocated in such
a way that there is a period of rest at each end of its stroke, of inking rollers
constructed and arranged to move to and fro over the plate each time it is brought
to rest, substantially as herein shown and described.
2. In a printing machine of the type specified the combination with a recipro-
cating plate carriage, of second inking rollers arranged to move to and fro over
the plate whilst the plate is moving towards and away from such rollers and
arranged to move to and fro over the plate at an increased speed whilst the latter
is stationary, substantially as herein shown and described.
3. The combination with the reciprocating inking rollers, of jockey rollers and
distributing rollers and an inverted inking slab with which they move in contact
whilst being reciprocated over the plate.
4. A flexible mask detached from the cylinder and mounted upon flexible
bands controlled by the movement of the carriage and suitably arranged springs
or weights, substantially as herein shown and described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 21st day of November 1899.
DRACUP & NOWELL,
Patent Agents, Bradford.