Improvements in Rotary Printing Machines.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Feb., 1889.
Complete Specification Left, 13th Nov., 1889 -Accepted, 21st Dec., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Rotary Printing Machines.
I, JULES MICHAUD, of 96 rue d'Assas, Paris, France, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
One of the objects of the improved rotary printing machine is to enable a
continuous web of paper to be printed with either "perfecting work," that is to
say upon both sides of the sheet, or with work in two or three colours on one side
only, that is to say by printing each of the two or three colours on the same
side of the sheet, one of the impressions, in the case of three colours, being
obtained by the aid of the cylinder which previously served to "perfect."
A greater number of colours may be printed on such machine by the addition
of other impression cylinders.
The machine further permits the cutting and folding of the printed copies,
while avoiding the soiling which results from the contact of the tapes with the
engravings, and of the mechanical delivery of the sheets whether folded or not.
Fig. represents a view of the complete machine when it serves to deliver
either sheets folded in two folds, or sheets which are not folded.
One of the most important features which this machine possesses is the par-
ticular arrangement of the inking apparatus.
An examination of the top printing cylinder, which is more particularly
intended to carry engravings, will show that besides the transmitting rollers,
three metallic inking tables a, b, c, are employed of which 2, (and c), have
a to and fro movement imparted to them. The contact rollers and, are
in contact with table b; the rollers and are in contact with table c
to further increase the contact I employ additional rollers and d, which
receive ink from the tables and e, either through the contact roller d', and
transmitter el, as indicated on the left hand side, or through two transmitters ³
and, as indicated on the right hand side of Fig. J.
The part serving to support each of the contact rollers is constructed so as
to enable the pressure of the roller upon the plate and upon the inking table
to be adjusted with great nicety.
Figs and show such part, Fig. 6 being a front elevation and Fig. 7 a
side view.
The axis mounted in the frame and which supports the part is eccentric,
so that by turning it in one or other direction the pressure of the roller upon
the plate is regulated, and the axis is then firmly secured by tightening the
nut . The nut i not being tightened the party is free upon the axis, and
the pressure of the roller upon the inking table is regulated by tightening or
loosening screw, which bears upon a fixed point of the frame; when the pres-
sure is well adjusted the nut is tightened and fixes the roller.
To remove the roller it is only necessary to loosen nut on one side, then.
raise plate, thus, by allowing the shaft of the roller on one side to shift, per-
mitting that on the other side to leave its bearing or support; the shaft of the
roller being removed from one of its bearings, and the other bearing being
free it is easy to remove the roller. In replacing the roller the screw
give the exact position it occupied and there will be no necessity to adjust it
again.
will
The paper when printed passes directly to the cutting and folding cylin
ders and between which it descends, is cut, and thrown off in the direction
of the cylinder & by the blades ; it then receives a first fold by the folding

page_text: blades and, is carried forward folded by the cylinder, receives a second
fold by the blades o and o, and then carried forward by the gripping blade o
of cylinder p, which releases it between the threads g.
When the paper leaves the third cylinder it has received two parallel folds,
and it may then be directed to a delivery table, if the two parallel folds suffice.
The same arrangement is naturally applicable to any number of parallel folds,
it only being necessary to add as many cylinders as it is required to give
additional folds.
The blades which are situated near where the cutting of the paper is
effected, are actuated by a cam and open after the cut is made, so as to force
the paper which has just been cut and is not yet folded, away from the folding
cylinder 7.
These blades m replace the false folding blades which in certain machines
ensure the separation of the sheets and prevent the sheets from resting on the
second cutting cylinder; they have the very great advantage of enabling this
false fold to be abolished, as same could not be used for superior work.
The operation of the folding blades and n', o and o, is effected by the
action of cams upon rollers fixed to cranks keyed on the rods carrying the blades.
By placing the cams upon movable parts only presenting themselves for
actuating the rollers, every 2 revolutions, and by putting on the cylinder kat
the two ends and near the cutting point the pieces, which are brought to bear
on the edge of the sheets and hold them on the cylinder k, I may thus combine
two sheets on such cylinder and fold them together by means of the grippers
anda, o and o'.
In the drawing shown in Fig. 1 as an example of my machine. I have sup-
posed that the printed sheets are to be cut twice during each rotation of the printing
cylinders, the cutting and folding cylinders are therefore of half the diameter
of the printing cylinders.
It is evident that the cylinders might be either of the same diameter as the
printing cylinders, or of a diameter equal to an exact fraction of same, without
in any way effecting their action.
When the sheets are to receive a fold at right angles to the axis of the print-
ing cylinders, they are led by cords above rollers the axis of which are at
right angles to those of the cylinders, and by a knife are caused to engage
between such rollers over which pass cords which conduct the sheets either to
the delivery, or over rollers for effecting the following fold.
If these cords are, with the object of not soiling the sheets, only arranged so
as to bear upon the blank spaces between the printed matter, they do not make
the fold sufficiently perfect, and to overcome this great disadvantage 1 have
thought of beginning the folding of the sheet before it arrives over the knife
(Figs. 2, 3, and 4), the latter only then serving to force down the two parts of
the sheet one against the other, and to force them between the rollers s, t.
To effect this I arrange in the path of the paper a roller u (Fig. 4) having a
Above this
groove corresponding to the fold which the sheet is to receive.
roller is a disc which engages the groove, (Figs. 3 and 4).
It will be seen that when the paper passes between the disc y and the
roller it will receive the fold in the groove of the latter, so that as above
stated the knife will then only serve to close and to deliver the folded sheet.
I may replace the disc y by a fixed blade or a blunt point to force the paper
into the groove of the roller.
I have constructed the machine so as to permit of the mechanical delivery of
unfolded sheets when this is necessary.
In this case the sheets are cut by the cutting cylinders A, B, which I have also
supposed to be of half the diameter of the printing cylinders, but which might be
of the same diameter as such cylinders, in order to cut, at will, once only per
revolution of the cylinders, or twice, by pitting two knives on these cylinders.
when desired to separate the impressions taken during a single revolution of the
printing cylinders."

page_text: The sheets cut by the cutting cylinders A, B. are taken alternately by the
grippers D and E of the accumulating cylinder C.
The grippers D and E are actuated at each revolution of the accumulating
cylinder C by a fixed cam F, so as to each take at each revolution a sheet corre-
sponding to the half of the development of the printing cylinders.
When the grippers I have taken four sheets a cam G mounted on a movable
piece actuates the grippers D, causing them to open, when the sheets pass be-
tween the roller H, I, and descend between the tapes passing over these two
rollers, and are then deposited upon one of the delivery tables by the flyer M
actuated by a cam N.
In the same way when the grippers E have taken four sheets, the cam G
actuates such grippers so as to cause the sheets to enter also between the
rollers . I, and the flyer M deposits them upon the second delivery table.
The movable part J is mounted upon the same axis as a lever K actuated by a
It will be seen that with such arrangement the following results may be
produced-
By varying the ratio of the revolutions of the shaft carrying the cams L and
M, the number of sheets that it is desired to deliver together may be varied.
With the arrangement of grippers D and E and the flyer M, two different
impressions taken during a single rotation of the printing cylinders will be de-
livered separately and without mixing same, which is a very important result to
obtain.
This same arrangement permits, by only effecting a single cut for each
rotation of the printing cylinders, and by suppressing the action of one of the
two grippers, of the delivery of large sheets having the full development of the
printing cylinders.
In the drawing shown in Fig. 1 I have indicated an arrangement for actuating
the winding of the reel of paper serving to prevent the impression made on one
side of the paper to be printed upon, from dirtying the blankets of the other
impression cylinders while the paper is receiving ifs impressions on the other
side.
This reel of paper, which I call the set-off web, is arranged at 0, and the paper
after passing over the second cylinder P, which carries the blanket, is rewound
upon a mandrel Q placed upon two cylinders R and S. having a rotary move-
ment which they transmit to the mandrel Q upon which the paper is wound.
The cylinders R and S must be driven at a slightly greater speed than that of
the printing cylinders, so as to ensure the set-off web being always in tension.
This excess of speed which it is indispensable to employ, has however the dis-
advantage of producing the rupture of the set-off web, in order to avoid which
I actuate the cylinders R, S, by a belt T, with a tension roller U, so as to pro-
duce the tension of this belt necessary for actuating the cylinders It, S, while
permitting the belt to slip to avoid the breaking of the paper.
Another improvement which I have made in this machine, and which is
applicable to all continuous web machines, consists in an apparatus serving to
remove from the paper any dust which may be thereon, while it ensures the
even tension of the web as it unwinds, in spite of any irregularities in the reel.
This latter arrangement has the advantage of enabling the machine to work at
A bar 1
a very high speed without having to fear the breaking of the paper.
(Fig. 1) either faced or not with metal or fabric, is fixed to two levers and under
the action of springs constantly bears upon the reel 2, no matter what its
diameter is. The dust that the bar 1 causes to fall is received in a receptacle 4.
The other side of the paper rubs against a bar 6 fixed on two bars 7, and which
springs 8 force against the paper. Two stops 9 limit the movement of the
levers when the paper is not led into the machine.
.
A second bar 10 operating under the action of springs 11, which are supported
by their levers 7, is also brought to bear against the paper; a receptacle 12
receives the dust. The continuous web then passes round rollers 13 and 14 and
is led into the machine,

page_text: It will be seen that by this arrangement according to whether the tension of
the web of paper is higher or lower, the levers 7 turning on the pivot 15 will be
lowered or raised, and that the bars 6 and 10 bearing against the web will
prevent it puckering and will maintain the tension.
If it is only desired to maintain the tension without removing dust, this can be
effected by replacing the bars by rollers, or by employing an arrangement similar
to that shown in Fig. 5, in which the paper is caused to pass round rollers which
it raises or lowers, and which have a tendency to return to their original posi-
tion either under the action of springs or by their own weight.
I have shown in Fig. 8 an arrangement enabling perfecting printing or
two or more impressions on the same side of the sheet to be effected at will, in
a single machine, by employing for the latter purpose the cylinders which serve
to " perfect for producing the second impression.
The following is a description of such arrangement:-
1 is a driving pinion.
2 an intermediate wheel gearing with the printing cylinder 3; 4 an inter-
mediate wheel gearing with the wheels of the printing cylinder 3 and of the
impression cylinder 5; 6 is an intermediate wheel connecting the printing
cylinders 7 and 8 together.
The reel of paper is arranged at 9 or 9 according to whether the printing is te
be perfect or upon one side only.
The web after passing round the impression cylinder 10 is printed by cylinder 3,
follows the path indicated in full lines, and is printed on the other side between
cylinders 5 and 7, then receives a third impression on the same side as the
second, between cylinders 8 and 11.
The travel of the paper results from the direction of rotation of the cylinders,
as shown by the full arrows.
If the wheels 2 and 4 are arranged at 2 and 4*, (the driving pinion 1 still
revolving in the same direction) the cylinders 3 and 10 will be caused to revolve
in the opposite direction to what they did previously, as shown by broken
arrows, then place the reel of paper at 9*; "the path of the web is indicated
by broken lines, and it will be seen that the direction of retation of the cylinders,
causes the sheet to present the same side to each of the three printing cylinders,
and that consequently it may receive impressions in three colours on the same
side if the ink ducis contain different colours.
Dated this 14th day of February 1889.
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Rotary Printing Machines.
1, JULES MICHAUD, of 96 rue d'Assas, Paris, France. Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
One of the objects of the improved rotary printing machine is to enable a
continuous web of paper to be printed with either perfecting work," that is to
say, upon both sides of the sheet, or with work in two or three colours on one
side only, that is to say, by printing each of the two or three colours on the same
side of the sheet, one of the impressions in the case of three colours being
obtained by the aid of the cylinders which previously served to perfect."
A greater number of colours may be printed on such machine by the addition
of other impression cylinders.
The machine further permits the cutting and folding of the printed copies.
while avoiding the soiling which results from the contact of the tapes with the
engravings, and of the mechanical delivery of the sheets whether folded or not
In the drawings accompanying the provisional specification of this applica-
tion:

page_text: The complete
IC SCI YGS To ever
either sheets folded in two folds, or sheets which are not folded.
One of the most important features which the machine possesses is the par-
ticular arrangement of the inking apparatus.
An examination of the top printing cylinder which is more particularly intended
to carry engravings, will show that besides the transmitting rollers, three metallic
inking tables a, b, c, are employed, of which 2, (6 and a) have a to and fro move-
ment imparted to them. The contact rollers and , are in contact with
table b; the rollers and dare in contact with table ; to further increase the
contact I employ additional rollers and, which receive ink from the tables
and e, either through the contact roller d', and transmitter c¹, as indicated on the
left hand side, or through two iransmitters e and e³, as indicated on the right
hand side of Fig. 1.
The party serving to support each of the contact rollers is constructed so as to
enable the pressure of the roller upon the plate and upon the inking table to be
adjusted with great nicety.
Figs. 6 and show such part, Fig. 6 being a front elevation and Fig. 7 a side
view.
The axis f mounted in the frame and which supports the party is eccentric, so
that by turning it in one or other direction the pressure of the roller upon the
plate is regulated and the axis is then firmly secured by tightening the nut h.
The nut not being tightened, the party is free upon the axis, and the pressure
of the roller upon the inking table is regulated by tightening or loosening
screw, which bears upon a fixed point of the frame; when the pressure is well
adjusted the nut is tightened and fixes the roller.
To remove the roller it is only necessary to loosen nut i on one side, then raise
plate, thus, by allowing the shaft of the roller on one side to shift, permitting
that on the other side to leave its bearing or support; the shaft of the roller
being removed from one of its bearings, and the other bearing being free it is
easy to remove the roller. In replacing the roller the screw will give the exact
position it occupied and there will be no necessity to adjust it again..
The paper when printed passes directly to the cutting and folding cylinders /
and between which it descends, is cut, and thrown off in the direction of the
cylinder by the blades m; it then receives a first fold by the folding blades a
and ³, is carried forward folded by the cylinder 7, receives a second fold. by the
blades o and o, and then carried forward by the gripping blades of cylinder p
which releases it between the threads 4.
When the paper leaves the third cylinder it has received two parallel folds,
and it may then be directed to a delivery table, if the two parallel folds suffice.
The same arrangement is naturally applicable to any number of parallel folds.
it only being necessary to add as many cylinders as it is required to give addi-
tional folds.
The blades me which are situated near where the cutting of the paper is effected,
are actuated by a cam and open after the cut is made, so as to force the paper
which has just been cut and is not yet folded, away from the folding cylinder /.
These blades m replace the false folding blades which in certain machines
ensure the separation of the sheets and prevent the sheets from resting on the
second cutting cylinder; they have the very great advantage of enabling this
false fold to be abolished, as same could not be used for superior work.
The operation of the folding blades and n', and o, is effected by the action
of cams upon rollers fixed to cranks keyed on the rods carrying the blades.
By placing the cams upon movable parts only presenting themselves for actuat-
ing the rollers, every 2 revolutions, and by putting on the cylinder kat the two ends
and near the cutting point the pieces, which are brought to bear on the edge of
the sheets and hold them on the cylinder k, I may thus combine two.sheets on
such cylinder and fold them together by means of the grippers and n',
o and o¹.
In the drawing shown in Fig. 1 as an example of my machine, I have supposed
that the printed sheets are to be cut twice during each rotation of the printing

page_text: In the drawing shown in Fig. 1, I have indicated an arrangement for actuat-
ing the winding of the reel of paper serving to prevent the impression made on
one side of the paper to be printed upon, from dirtying the blankets of the other
impression cylinders, while the paper is receiving its impression on the other side.
This reel of paper, which I call the set-off web, is arranged at 0, and the paper
after passing over the second cylinder P, which carries the blanket, is rewound
upon a mandrel Q placed upon two cylinders R and S, having a rotary move-
ment which they transmit to the mandrel Q upon which the paper is wound.
The cylinders R. and S must be driven at a slightly greater speed than that of
the printing cylinders, so as to ensure the set-off web being always in tension.
This excess of speed which it is indispensable to employ, has however the dis-.
advantage of producing the rupture of the set-off web, in order to avoid which
Tactuate the cylinders R, S, by a belt T, with a tension roller U, so as to pro-
duce the tension of this belt necessary for actuating the cylinders R, S, while
permitting the belt to slip to avoid the breaking of the paper.
Another improvement which I have made in this machine, and which is
applicable to all continuous web machines, consists in an apparatus serving to
remove from the paper any dust which may be thereon, while it ensures the
even tension of the web as it unwinds, in spite of any irregularities in the reel.
This latter arrangement has the advantage of enabling the machine to work at
a very high speed without having to fear the breaking of the paper. A bar !
(Fig. 1) either faced or not with metal or fabric, is fixed to two levers, and
under the action of springs 3 constantly bears upon the reel no matter what its
diameter is. The dust that the bar 1 causes to fall is received in a receptacle 4.
The other side of the paper rubs against a bar 6 fixed on two bars 7, and
which springs S force against the paper. Two stops 9 limit the movement of
the levers 7, when the paper is not led into the machine.
A second bar 10 operating under the action of springs 11, which are sup-
ported by their levers 7, is also brought to bear against the paper; a receptacle 12
receives the dust. The continuous web then passes round rollers 13 and 14 and
is led into the machine.
It will be seen that by this arrangement according to whether the tension of
the web of paper is higher or lower, the levers 7 turning on the pivot 15 will
be lowered or raised, and that the bars 6 and 10 Bearing against the web will
prevent it puckering and will maintain the tension.
If it is only desired to maintain the tension without removing dust, this can be
effected by replacing the bars by rollers, or by employing an arrangement
similar to that shown in Fig. 5, in which the paper is caused to pass round rollers
which it raises or lowers, and which have a tendency to return to their original
position either under the action of springs or by their own weight.
"
I have shown in Fig. San arrangement enabling perfecting printing or
two or more impressions on the same side of the sheet, to be effected at will, in
a single machine. by employing for the latter purpose the cylinders which
serve to perfeci" for producing the second impression.
The following is a description of such arrangement:
1 is a driving pinion.
-
2 an intermediate wheel gearing with the printing cylinder ; 4 an inter-
mediate wheel gearing with the wheels of the printing cylinder and of the
impression cylinder 5: 6 is an intermediate wheel connecting the printing
cylinders 7 and 8 together.
The reel of paper is arranged at 9 or 9, according to whether the printing is
to be perfect. or upon one side only.
"
::
The web after passing round the impression cylinder 10, is printed by
cylinder 3, follows the path indicated in full lines, and is printed on the other
side between cylinders 5 and 7, then receives a third impression on the same
side as the second, between cylinders S and 11.
The travel of the paper results from the direction of rotation of the cylinders,
as shown by the full arrows.

page_text: arrows.
If the wheels 2 and 4 are arranged at 2 and 4, (the driving pinion 1 still
revolving in the same direction), the cylinders 3 and 10 will be caused to
revolve in the opposite direction to what they did previously, as shown by broken
I then place the reel of paper at 9 the path of the web is indicated
by broken lines, and it will be seen that the direction of rotation of the cylinders,
causes the sheet to present the same side to each of the three printing cylinders,
and that consequently it may receive impressions in three colours on the same
side, if the ink duets contain different colours.
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. The arrangement of machine described and shown in Fig.1, sheet 1, of the
drawings.
2. The arrangement of inking apparatus with three inking tables, of which
two are movable, each acting directly upon two contact rollers, and with two
other rollers receiving ink either by the intermediary of a transmitter taking
ink from one of the contact rollers, or by the intermediary of two transmitters of
which one takes the ink directly from one of the inking tables.
3. The arrangement of supports and adjusting devices for the contact rollers
of the inking apparatus, substantially as described and shown in Figs. 1 and 2,
Sheet 2 of the drawings.
4. The arrangement described for beginning the fold of a sheet of paper during
its travel, the two parts of the sheet being brought together subsequently.
5. The arrangement described for employing one of the cutting and folding
cylinders to collect several sheets and to fold them together when thus collected.
6. The arrangement of a collecting cylinder with two sets of grippers to enable
the collection and the perfect separation of two different impressions effected
during the same rotation of the printing cylinders, this same cylinder also per-
mitting of the delivery of large sheets of the size of the development of the
printing cylinders.
7. The arrangement of a continuous discharging reel or web, actuated by a
belt and a tension roller, so as to regulate the tension of the belf in order to
allow same to slip, while ensuring the actuating of the cylinder on which the
wel is rewound.
S. The application of bars and rollers, either movable or mounted upon mov-
able parts, of wood, metal or other material, and provided or not with a fabric,
such bars or rollers rubbing against the surface of the paper before same receives
its impression, and serving as tension devices to prevent irregularities in the
tension of the paper, and avoid breakages which would otherwise occur during
the unwinding of the reel when working at very high speeds.
9. The employment of the tension devices described in the, preceding claim
for removing dust from the surfaces of the paper.
10. The employment of tension rollers, substantially as described and shown
in Figs. 5 and 6, Sheet 1 of the drawings.
11. The construction of machine described, whereby a machine having any
number of printing cylinders, may by changing the direction of rotation of one
or more of such cylinders also change their functions, that is to say, they may
be employed to print at will on either side of the sheet of paper so as to convert
a perfecting machine, into a machine for producing impressions in several
colours on the same side of the sheet.
Dated this Bith day of November 1880
ALLISON BROS..
Agents for the Applicant.