IMPROVE- MENTS IN PRINTING MACHINES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Senior Hope of 31 Elliotts Row, St Georges
.
-
Road, Southwark in the county of Surrey for an Invention of IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PRINTING MACHINES.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Senior Hope at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st September 1882.
WILLIAM SENIOR HOPE of 31 Elliotts Row, St Georges Road, Southwark in
the county of Surrey. IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING MACHINES.
The improvements which form the subject of this Invention relate to Perfecting
Printing Machines of the kind in which there are two cylinders mounted side by
side, working alternately, the one descending and rotating to make an impression,
while the other ascends, and refers to a class known under the style of Tape
Cylinder or drop bar Machines. The Invention can however also be applied to
Machines worked partly by grippers and to existing machines where the cylinders
do not rise and fall, also to Machines with one Cylinder.
The objects of my Invention are the following.
First. The equal travel of the Type under the cylinder whilest taking the
impression. This is effected by means of a rack fixed to the table or tables. This
rack is driven by a Pinion which revolves round it and the pinion is held in gear
by means of a cam, is fixed on a shaft parallel with the driving shaft and is
carried in a frame which works from the centre of the main driving shaft of the
machine.
Secondly. Delivery of the printed sheet on a table or board over the outer form
outside the cylinders and not as heretofore on a board or table between the
2 cylinders.This is effected by an improved arrangement of the tapes which
carry the sheet to be printed.
Thirdly. A more steady ascent and descent of the cylinders. This is effected by
mounting their axes in bearings fitted in eccentrics worked by means of a cam
which rotates once to each sheet printed. The cylinders in my invention make
one or more revolutions to each sheet printed.
Fourthly. An improved adjustment of the inking and distributing roller carriages
by which means various sized rollers may be worked as required. This is effected
by making the carriages of such a shape as to admit moveable bearings, each to be
of a thickness to suit the size of roller required and these bearings can be held in
their place by a screw, lever or other suitable means.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Senior Hope in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
28th February 1883.
WILLIAM SENIOR HOPE of 31 Elliott's Row St George's Road, Southwark, in
the County of Surrey, " IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING MACHINES
"
The improvements which form the subject of this invention, relate more
particularly to perfecting printing machines, of the kind, in which there are two
cylinders, mounted side by side, working alternately, the one descending and
rotating to make an impression, while the other ascends, and refer to a class known,
under the style of tape, cylinder,, or drop bar machines.
The invention can however also be applied to machines worked partly by
grippers, and to existing machines where the cylinders do not rise and fall, also to
machines with one cylinder.
The equal travel of the type under the cylinder whilst taking the impression, is
effected by means of a rack fixed to the table, or tables, and driven by a pinion
which revolves round it. The said pinion is held in gear by means of a cam, which
is fixed on a shaft, parallel with the driving shaft, and is carried in a frame, which
works from the centre of the main driving shaft of the machine.
The printed sheet is delivered on a table or board over the outer form, outside
the cylinders, and not as heretofore on a board or table between the two cylinders
This is effected by an improved arrangement of the tapes which carry the sheet to
be printed.
A more steady ascent and descent of the cylinders is effected by mounting their
axes in bearings, fitted in eccentrics, worked by means of a cam which rotates
once to each sheet printed.
Another part of my invention relates to an improved adjustment of the inking
and distributing roller carriages, by which means various sized rollers may be
worked as required. This is effected by making the carriages of such shape as to
admit moveable bearings, each to be of a thickness, to suit the size of roller
required.
My invention relates to the construction of certain parts of the mechanism for
effecting the said objects and consists.
First. In the mechanism for moving the type tables by means of a rack, or racks,
fixed to same, and driven by a moveable pinion, or pinions, revolving round the
said rack or racks.
Secondly. In the arrangement of the tapes, whereby the sheet after being
printed on both sides can be delivered outside the cylinders on a table, and not
between the cylinders as has been the case hitherto with perfecting machines
with tapes.
Thirdly. In the mechanism used for raising and lowering the cylinders
alternately.
Fourthly. In the carriages for the inking and distributing rollers.
The dotted
In order that my invention may be more fully understood I will now proceed to
describe the same with reference to the accompanying Drawings.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved printing machine.
lines indicate the direction which the sheet travels, in order to pass under the
cylinder, and to be delivered, printed on both sides, on the delivery table.
"
Figure 2 represents a side elevation of the rack for moving the table and
consists of the rack frame, and the rack teeth and is fixed to the type tables.
The pinion a is fixed on the main driving shaft, and geared into pinion b.
running on a spindle as shewn in Figures 2 and 3 The pinion b is advantageously

page_text: double the width of the pinion a, therefore only part of the teeth of pinion b are
engaged with pinion a. or there may be two pinions as shown. The other part of
the pinion 6 is geared into the rack teeth, and by means of the moveable frame g,
which carries the spindle of pinion b, the latter can rise and fall, being nevertheless
kept in gear with pinion a. As soon as the pinion a, is turned by the driving
shaft, it rotates pinion b, and the latter being in gear with the rack teeth, moves
the rack until it reaches the ends of the rack teeth, either at x or y. After having
rounded the end, it drives from the other side, and moves the tables in an opposite
direction, and so on.
When the pinion b. is driving in the lower part of the rack teeth it is pressed
into gear by means of the weighted lever o. The end of this lever is connected by
a link, with a cam, of a suitable shape, which exerts a pressure on the lever as soon
as the pinion b has reached the point x, and thereby raising the pinion 6, until it
has worked round the end, and is in gear with the upper part of the rack teeth.
In order to keep the pinion b, in gear when working into the upper part of the
rack teeth a loose pulley B. B. is fixed on the spindle which carries a pinion b.
The loose pulley B. B. presses against the outside border of the rack above and
against a raised strip of metal round the rack teeth.
By this arrangement, the pinion is bound to remain, always in gear, and is also
prevented from becoming too deeply geared with the rack teeth.
By means of this stationary rack as described, a more steady travel of the tables
is obtained, and the vibration caused in cases where movable racks are employed
is entirely avoided. By this arrangement also, room is gained below the tables for
bringing in centre bearings, which ensure a better impression of the type.
In order to deliver the sheet outside the cylinders, on a table, I employ drums,
and rollers, over which the sheet travels, by means of tapes, as shown in Figures 4
and 5.
The sheet enters the machine between the drums 1 and 2, is then carried round
the cylinder A, and the drums, as shewn by the dotted lines of the Drawing up to
the point x. Here the tapes divide, returning round rollers, to the starting point
and leaving the sheet free. The latter however being carried down in an exact
vertical direction, is taken up by the next set of tapes running round rollers at
the point y. This set brings it round the cylinder B where it receives the second
impression. Then it travels round the drum N° 6, and is carried by the same set
of tapes, up to the point w, where this set divides, again leaving the sheet free.
The sheet however being now in an exact horizontal position, is carried to the
point z, and is here taken up by a third set of tapes running round rollers, and
both sides of point z. This set carries the sheet up to point v, where it is delivered
on a table.
In order to obtain the alternate rise and fall of the cylinders whilst they are
rotating, I mount their axes in bearings as shown on Figure 1, fitted in eccentric
cranks. Each of these cranks CD is connected by a link, A¹ B¹ with another
crank cd, mounted on spindles below, on each of which a crank is mounted, and
these two cranks c, d, are connected by a frame, in which a suitably shaped cam
works, which rotates once to each sheet printed, raising thereby the eccentric
cranks C and D alternately, bringing the cylinders down on the type, when they
have to perform the impression or raising the cylinders when the type tables are
returning. The cylinder A is shewn lowered and is making the impression, whilst
cylinder B is raised, to enable the type, to return without touching the cylinder.
It will be seen that the rod B₁ connecting crank C with the smaller crank c
mounted on its spindle form as nearly as possible a straight line, and the same will
be the case when the end of crank D is raised. The connecting rod A' and the
small crank d mounted on its spindle will also form as near as possible a
straight line.
By this arrangement the cylinders are kept down firm on the type whilst they
are making the impression, all vibration is avoided, and a more distinct impression
is ensured,

page_text: In order to regulate the impression, the links A and B¹ connecting the eccentric
cranks C, and D with the smaller cranks c and d are provided with screws g, gl
advantageously at the top ends. These links can thereby be lengthened or
shortened to the greatest nicety. If they are shortened the cranks will not be
able to rise as high as before and consequently the cylinders will not come so far
down on the type when making the impression. The opposite will be the case
when the links are lengthened.
The improvements in the inking, and distributing roller carriages consist in an
arrangement which allows the use of various sized rollers. The shape of the
carriages are the same as those generally used.
However the bearings are made much wider allowing of the insertion of another
moveable bearing ff. Fig 6 from the top or side. The latter are provided with
flanges on each side, to which a screw, lever, or other suitable means, are attached,
whereby they are kept in their places.
The outside measurement of all the moveable bearings will be always the same.
The bearing part itself however will be sometimes wider, sometimes narrower
according to the thickness of the roller which is to be used.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and in what manner the
same is advantageously performed I would have it understood that what I
claim is:-
First. In perfecting, single, or other letter-press printing machines, the employ-
ment of an endless rack, on the table, or tables, the reciprocatory motion being
imparted thereto by a pinion, which at the end of the stroke will round the end,
and engage with the upper or lower teeth, substantially in the manner and for
the purpose herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
Second. The means and apparatus as herein before described and illustrated, for
effecting the delivery of the sheets, outside the cylinders, and in the arrangement
of the tapes therefor, and specially applicable to what are known as perfecting
printing machines.
Third. The means of, and apparatus for, effecting the rise and fall of the cylinders
in what are known as perfecting printing machines, as herein before described and
illustrated on the accompanying Drawings.
Fourth. The employment of moveable bearings, or carriages, in letter-press
printing machines, for the inking and distributing rollers, whereby rollers of larger
or smaller size, with their carriages, may be inserted in the frame, substantially in
the manner and for the purpose herein before described and illustrated.
.In witness whereof I the said William Senior Hope have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Twenty eighth day of Febuary in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
WILLIAM SENIOR HOPE (L.S.)
.Witness.
JAS FRED
PHILLIPS
of the firm of Phillips & Leigh
22 Southampton Buildings W.C.