IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR " PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Walter Richard, John Richard, and Walter
Miller Richard, of the Firm of Miller and Richard, and all of
Edinburgh, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Walter Richard, John
Richard, and Walter Miller Richard at the Office of the Com-
missioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the 26th November
1870.
We, WALTER RICHARD, JOHN RICHARD, and WALTER MILLER
RICHARD, of the Firm of Miller and Richard, and all of Edinburgh, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MEANS OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN MACHINE PRINTING," to be as follows:-
-
The object of the improvements is to facilitate the removal and
delivery of the printed sheets of paper from the cylinders or other
printing surfaces. For this purpose in place of employing the ordinary

page_text: tapes we employ surfaces in pairs carried by shafts or bars and capable,
by one of each pair opening and closing upon the other, of acting as
nippers or fingers, or as we call them "flying grippers," to take hold of
the respective sheets of paper in succession as they come from the
printing surface, and then by movement given to these nippers or
grippers of delivering them to a table or other receiver.
One, or it may
be both, of each pair of these nipping surfaces acting to take hold of
the sheets of paper is provided with india-rubber or other suitable elastic
material adapted to facilitate an elastic holding on the paper. The
pairs of nippers or flying grippers are capable of being slided on their
respective bars and of being set by set screws or other suitable means
at distances apart adapted to the size of the sheets of paper for the time
being printed. The bars carrying the respective parts of the pairs of
nippers or grippers are supported by arms operated by tappets or such
like means so that they may come into position capable of being varied
to the size of sheet of paper for the time under operation, and so as to
take a sheet of paper from the printing surface and carry it to the
receiving table or surface. These bars are also actuated with capability
of variation for the opening and closing of the nippers for the holding
and releasing of each sheet of paper by tappets or such like means as
required. These flying grippers act in unison with other grippers
holding the sheet of paper on the printing surface, which other grippers
are also operated by cam or tappet surfaces for their opening and closing
at the proper times.
.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, 2
filed by the said Walter Richard, John Richard, and Walter
Miller Richard in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 25th May
1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WALTER
RICHARD, JOHN RICHARD, and WALTER MILLER RICHARD, of the Firm 3
of Miller and Richard, and all of Edinburgh, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the
thirty-fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc- 3
cessors, give and grant unto us, the said Walter Richard, John Richard,

page_text: and Walter Miller Richard, Her, special licence that we, the said Walter
Richard, John Richard, and Walter Miller Richard, our executors;
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we,. the said Walter
Richard, John Richard, and Walter- Miller. Richard, our executors;
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR
APPARATUS EMPLOYED, IN, MACHINE PRINTING," upon the condition (amongst
others) that we, the said Walter Richard, John Richard, and Walter
Miller Richard, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under our or their hands and seals, or under the hand or seal
of one of us or them, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal- Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent..
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said John: Richard and Walter Miller
Richard, on behalf of ourselves and the said Walter Richard, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner, the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, thereof, that is to say :—
The object of the improvements is to facilitate the removal and
delivery of the printed sheets of paper from the cylinders or other
printing surfaces. For this purpose in place of employing the ordinary
tapes we employ surfaces in pairs carried by shafts or bars, and capable
by one of each pair opening and closing upon the other of acting as
nippers or fingers,, or as we call them "flying grippers," to take hold of
the respective sheets of paper in succession as they come from the
printing surface, and then by movement. given to these nippers or
grippers of delivering them to a table or other receiver. One or it may
be both of each pair of these nipping surfaces or "grippers" acting to
take hold of the sheets of paper is provided with india-rubber or other
suitable elastic material adapted to facilitate an elastic holding on the
paper. The pairs of nippers or "flying grippers" are capable of being
slided on their respective bars, and of being set by set screws.or other
quitable means at distances apart adapted to the size of the sheets of

page_text: bosses or bearings B². Upon the shaft C are applied two or it may be
more arms D which are capable of being slided thereon and of being set
at the positions required by means of set screws D' in order to adapt
their position to different sizes of sheets of paper. Upon the rod C is
also affixed the arm E, the outer end of which is connected by pin joint
to one end of the link E¹, the other end of which is jointed at E³ to thẻ
framing of the machine. There are also other arms ea to the shaft C,
the outer end of each of which is formed with bosses to receive and
support the shaft F with capability for that shaft rocking in those
bearings. Upon the shaft F are fitted two or other number of bent
arm G, the ends of which acting with the ends of the other arms D on
the shaft C act as nippers, fingers, or grippers, and we call them "flying
grippers" to take hold of the sheets of paper as they come from the
printing cylinder and deliver them to a receiving table or surface.
These arms G are capable of being slided to the desired position on the
shaft F and of being fixed as required by set screws G³ so as to place
them in proper relation with the arms D, and so that both the arms D
and the arms or fingers G may be adapted to the width of the paper for
the time being printed. The ends of the arms D acted on by the outer
ends of the arms or fingers of the grippers G are covered with india-
rubber or other suitable substance in order that they may thereby the
better hold on to the paper received between them. The closing of the
outer ends of the arms G of the " grippers" on the other arms D of
them is effected by means of the spiral spring F³, thereby producing an
elastic grip between the ends of the parts G and D capable of being
varied in degree. The opening of the parts G of the grippers is effected
by means of the wiper N attached to or formed on the boss B2 of the
lever B¹ acting on the arm N¹ affixed to the shaft F. When this action
takes place the ends of the parts G are removed from bearing against
the parts D, as shown by Figure 4. When this takes place they are
held open by means of the pawl or catch H, which then catches on to
the shaft C. For this purpose that catch H hangs from a stud H¹
projecting from the arm H² affixed to the shaft F. As these " grippers'
are moved to the printing cylinder to take therefrom a sheet of paper
6 the pawl or catch H is disengaged and the parts G of the grippers are
allowed to close on the parts D, and this is effected by the wiper or
tappet L then acting on the outer end of the pawl or catch H. The
wiper or tappet L is fitted on the end of the cylinder shaft so as to
revolve with that shaft, and it is capable of being set by a set screw or
"

page_text: 6.6
"
otherwise so as to afford facility for varying its time of action. The
object of the connecting rod E' acting on the arm E is to produce a
partial rotation of the rod or shaft C during the movement of that rod
or shaft C from the cylinder to the point at which the "grippers" G, D,
open to lay down the respective sheets of paper, so that when these
grippers" G, D, are at the cylinder to take hold of a sheet of paper
the position of the pieces G will coincide with a radial line drawn
through the centre of the cylinder or nearly so, and when they are at
the point where they release the respective sheets of paper the position
of the pieces G will be almost vertical, thereby allowing the paper to
be freely delivered from them. It is necessary when these "grippers'
G, D, take hold of a sheet of paper that the ordinary cylinder grippers
which had held the sheet, upon the cylinder should then open and so
release it, and it will be necessary to adapt the time of releasing of the
paper from these ordinary grippers so that. it may take place at various
positions in the circumference of the cylinder dependent upon the size
of the sheets of paper for the time being printed. This releasing is
effected by means of the cam S (Figures 6 and 7). The short arm R
formed upon the end of the cylinder gripper shaft T is carried round
with that cylinder, and when the small inclined piece R' comes over
the projecting part of the cam S the shaft T receives a portion of a turn,
and so opens the grippers and releases the sheet. The cam S is held in
its place by means of a gland 8' which is fitted to the circular part of
it, and is made to grasp it firmly by means of the screw 5. This gland
is prevented from turning along with the cylinder by means of the pin V :
which is made fast in the pillow block cover. The cam S is made so
as to allow the cylinder shaft to work freely through it, and by loosening
the screw 5 in the gland S¹ it may also be turned round to and fastened
at any part of the circle, and so open the grippers at any part of the
cylinder's revolution which may be required to suit the size of paper
for the time operated upon. The whole of the apparatus is actuated
from a stud M² acting as a crank pin, such stud or pin being connected
to one end of the connecting rod O, the other end of which is connected
to the sborter arm of the lever B. The stud M³ is formed with a T piece
to pass into a corresponding circular groove in the plate M², an arrange-
ment which affords facility for the stud being removed to various
positions in the circle, and thus of varying the time of the "grippers
approaching the circumference of the cylinder and also of adapting the
action to the taking of a larger or smaller sheet of paper.
"

page_text: The times of operation of this apparatus are arranged so that the
grippers G, D, approach the cylinder and open to receive the sheet of
paper at the moment the sheet approaches them, they then close upon
the sheet of paper and recede, taking it with them, and at the end of
their traverse they again open and lay the sheet upon the table or
receiving board with the fresh printed side uppermost, when they again
return to the cylinder for another sheet as before. By these means
tapes and other appliances commonly used are rendered unnecessary.
Having thus described our Invention, and means which we adopt
in carrying the same into effect, we would have it understood that we
do not confine ourselves to the precise form or arrangement of details
or the time or position of action of the parts as shown and described, so
long as the peculiar character of the Invention be retained; but what
we claim is, the adaptation or combination of parts for facilitating the
removal and delivery of printed sheets of paper as printed in printing
machines, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Richard and Walter Miller
Richard, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Seventeenth
day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand eighteen
hundred and seventy-one.
JOHN RICHARD.
(L.S.)
WALTER M. RICHARD. (L.S.)