Improvements in Printing Machines.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Apr., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 26th Nov., 1894-Accepted, 16th Mar., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in 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:-
The present improvements have for their object the application of folding
apparatus to flat printing machines, printing either on one side only, or on both
sides and which are known as perfecting machines. The latter are machines in
which two forme plates come in contact with two printing cylinders, and print the
recto and verso of the same sheet.
The whole of the arrangements I will now proceed to describe are equally as
applicable to machines printing on one side only as to perfecting machines, and
I shall therefore describe them only as being applied to the latter, but I also claim
their application to machines printing on one side only.
In Fig. 1 of the drawings, I is the first impression cylinder, and 2 the second
impression cylinder; on leaving this cylinder, the sheets are carried forward by
the tapes usual on these machines, over a pair of rollers 3 on which they receive a
first fold by the blade 4. The sheets having received the first fold are conveyed
by tapes over the rollers 5, 51, and receive a second fold by the knife or blade 6,
after which tapes convey them to the receiving table, on which they are delivered
by a flyer 7.
I may impart a larger number of folds to the sheet before delivering it to the
receiving table.
To form the folds I may employ any of the known mechanical means used in
rotary machines and particularly by producing the folds by causing the sheet to
pass over surfaces such that the fold is effected by itself, without the aid of knives
or blades. In Fig. 9, Sheet 6 of the drawings, at 60 I have shown an apparatus of
this description which forms a second fold. I may also allow the sheet to pass out
freely without the assistance of the flyer 7.
In Fig. 2. I have shown how the machine is arranged in the case where no tapes
are employed for detaching the sheet from cylinder 2.
In this case the sheets after being printed are detached from the cylinder 2 by a
cylinder 8 provided with grippers, then delivered to a set of tapes as before and
carried forward over the rollers 3, between which they receive the first fold.
When the first fold is to be parallel to the impression cylinders,
adopt the
arrangement shown in Fig. 3, in which the delivery cylinder 8 carries a folding
blade 10; the sheets carried forward by the grippers 12 receive their first fold by
the folding blade 10 coming in contact with the blade 11 of cylinder 9; they are
then carried forward on the cylinder 9, and afterwards delivered to a set of tapes
which carry them forward over rollers 13 between which they receive a second fold
at right angles to the former.
If the second fold is to be parallel to the first, it will be effected by the contact
of a second folding blade provided on cylinder 9, with another blade mounted on
a third folding cylinder.
In order that the fold produced by the cylinders 8 and 9 may always be at the
middle of the sheet, no matter what the size of same may be, the cylinder 8 is so
constructed that the grippers 12 are movable and may be made to occupy the
necessary position.

page_text: The construction of this cylinder is described in the Specification of my previous.
Patent No. 1635 dated 30th Jany. 1890. This cylinder is marked 19 on Fig. 5,
Sheet 2, of the drawings accompanying the Specification of such prior Patent.
I may employ rollers 64 ou cylinder 2, such rollers being coated with any
suitable substance for preventing such cylinders becoming soiled.
In the arrangement shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the sheets are all intended to be
folded immediately after having been printed.
In Fig. 4, I have shown how the machine may deliver sheets which are folded
or unfolded sheets.
The sheets after passing between the rollers 14 and 15 engage a set of tapes 16
which carry them over the folder. The two rods 18 and 19 over which pass the
tapes 16 are mounted on arms 17 and may be raised to the position shown in dotted
lines at 18 and 191, so as to expose a table 20 on which the unfolded sheets will be
received.
Fig. 5 is a side view, Fig. 6 an end view, and Fig. 7 a plan view of another
arrangement for rendering the folder independent of the machine.
The printed sheets are deposited by a flyer 21 on to a table 22. If the folder is
stationary unfolded sheets will thus be delivered, while in the other case the
blade 23 being lowered engages the sheets as they are received between rollers 24
placed below an opening formed in the table, thus giving a first fold, and a second
fold is afterwards imparted thereto between the rollers 25, and subsequently further
folds if necessary.
In order to ensure the sheets occupying exactly the same position on the table
when they are struck by the folding blade 23, I place on such table two stops 26
and 27 (shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7) at right angles to each other, and which
actuated by cams 52, by means of a set of levers 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, will at the
inoment when the sheets fall on the table, have a movement in the direction of the
arrows (Fig. 7), so that the sheet pushed in one direction by the stop 26, and in
another direction by the stop 27, will be caused to occupy a given position exactly
and which will be the same for all the sheets in succession.
In perfecting machines it is often the practice to employ off-set sheets, that is to
say auxiliary sheets which by being interposed between the sheet to be printed
and cylinder 2, prevent the blanket with which the latter is covered from becoming
soiled by contact with the fresh ink.
I construct machines in which by means of, an arrangement of tapes the sheet
after being printed and the off-set sheet are separated from each other and are
mechanically delivered each at a different point.
In Fig. 8, I have shown the means which I employ for thus separating the off-
set sheet and the printed sheet, and deliver the former mechanically, while the
other passes to the folder.
•
33, is the table on which the off-set sheets are fed, and pass between the sets of
tapes 35 and 36 which pass with them up to the flyer 39, which delivers them ou
the table 38. The printed sheets are situated on the cylinder 2 between two sets
of tapes which carry them up to the folder.
The first set of these tapes passes over the cylinder 2, the rollers 40, 41, 42,
43, 44, and returns to the cylinder 2.
The second set of tapes passes over the cylinder 2, rollers 40, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49,
50, 37, and returns to the cylinder 2.
In the same way as in the case shown in Fig. 5 for a machine without off-set
sheets, I could deliver the printed sheet by means of a flyer on to a different table
to that on which the off-set sheet is delivered, then fold this printed sheet after
having adjusted its position.
In Fig. 9, I have shown the application of the off-set sheets to a machine with a
delivery cylinder 8 which is at the same time a folding cylinder. With this
arrangement the off-set sheet fed from table 33 and carried along by the tapes 35
and 36, is delivered on to the table 38, whilst the printed sheet after having received.
a fold between cylinders 8 and 9, receives a second fold by descending over the

page_text: surface 60 to which it is delivered by tapes, then a third between the rollers 61 and
is delivered at 62.
Dated this 9th day of Anril 1894
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Printing Machines.
I, 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 performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement,
reference being had to the drawings filed with the Provisional Specification and the
a Iditional sheet of drawings accompanying the present Specification :-
The present improvements have for their object, the application of folding
apparatus to flat printing machines, printing either on one side only, or on both
sides and which are known as perfecting machines. The latter are machines in
which two forme plates come in contact with two printing cylinders, and print the
recto and verso of the same sheet.
The whole of the arrangements I will now proceed to describe are equally as
applicable to machines printing on one side only as to perfecting machines, and
I shall therefore describe them only as being applied to the latter, but I also claim
their-application to machines printing on one side only.
In Fig. 1 of the drawings, filed with the Provisional Specification 1 is the first
impression cylinder, and 2 the second impression cylinder; on leaving this cylinder
the sheets are carried forward by the tapes usual on these machines, over a pair of
The sheets having
rollers 3 on which they receive a first fold by the blade 4.
received the first fold are conveyed by tapes over the rollers 5, 51, and receive a
second fold by the knife or blade 6, after which tapes convey them to the receiving
table, on which they are delivered by a flyer 7.
I may impart a larger number of folds to the sheet before delivering it to the
receiving table. To form the folds may employ any of the known mechanical
means used in rotary machines and particularly by producing the folds by causing
the sheet to pass over surfaces such that the fold is effected by itself, without the
aid of knives or blades. In Fig. 9, Sheet 6 of the drawings, at 60 I have shown
un apparatus of this description which forms a second fold. I may also allow the
sheet to pass out freely without the assistance of the flyer 7.
In Fig. 2 I have shown how the machine is arranged in the case where no tapes
are employed for detaching the sheet from cylinder 2.
In this case the sheets after being printed are detached from the cylinder 2 by a
cylinder 8 provided with grippers, then delivered to a set of tapes as before and
carried forward over the rollers 3, between which they receive the first fold.
When the first fold is to be parallel to the impression cylinders, I adopt the
arrangement shown in Fig. 3, in which the delivery cylinder 8 carries a folding
blade 10; the sheets carried forward by the grippers 12 receive their first fold by
the folding blade 10 coming in contact with the blade 11 of cylinder 9; they are
then carried forward on the cylinder 9, and afterwards delivered to a set of tapes
which carry them forward over rollers 13 between which they receive a second
fold at right angles to the former.
If the second fold is to be parallel to the first, it will be effected by the contact
of a second folding blade provided on cylinder 9, with another blade mounted on a
third folding cylinder.
In order that the fold produced by the cylinders 8 and 9 may always be at the

page_text: middle of the sheet, no matter what the size of same may be, the cylinder 8 is so
constructed that the grippers 12 are movable and may be made to occupy the
necessary position.
The construction of this cylinder is described in the Specification of my previous
Patent No. 1635 dated 30th Jany. 1890. This cylinder is marked 19 on Fig. 5,
Sheet 2, of the drawings accompanying the Specification of such prior Patent.
I may employ rollers 64 on cylinder 2, such roller being coated with any suitable
substance for preventing such cylinders becoming soiled.
In the arrangements shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the sheets are all intended to be
folded immediately after having been printed..
In Fig. 4, I have shown how the machine may deliver sheets which are folded
or unfolded sheets.
The sheets after passing between the rollers 14 and 15 engage a set of tapes 16
which carry them over the folder. The two rods 18 and 19 over which pass the
tapes 16 are mounted on arms 17 and may be raised to the position shown in dotted
lines at 18 and 19¹, so as to expose a table 20 on which the unfolded sheets will be
received.
Fig. 5 is a side view, Fig. 6 an end view, and Fig. 7 a plan view of another
arrangement for rendering the folder independent of the machine.
The printed sheets are deposited by a flyer 21 on to a table 22. If the folder is
stationary unfolded sheets will thus be delivered, while in the other case the
blade 23 being lowered engages the sheets as they are received between rollers 24
placed below an opening formed in the table, thus giving a first fold, and a second
fold is afterwards imparted thereto between the rollers 25, and subsequently further
folds if necessary.
In order to ensure the sheets occupying exactly the same position on the table
when they are struck by the folding blade 23, I place on such table two stops 26
and 27 (shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7) at right angles to each other, and which actuated
by cains 52, by means of a set of levers 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, will at the moment when
the sheets fall on the table, have a movement in the direction of the arrows (Fig. 7),
so that the sheet pushed in one direction by the stop 26, and in another direction
by the stop 27, will be caused to occupy a given position exactly and which will be
the same for all the sheets in succession.
In perfecting machines it is often the practice to employ off set sheets, that is to
say auxiliary sheets which by being interposed between the sheet to be printed and
cylinder 2, prevent the blanket with which the latter is covered from becoming
soiled by contact with the fresh ink.
I construct machines in which by means of an arrangement of tapes the sheet
after being printed and the off-set sheet are separated from each other and are
mechanically delivered each at a different point.
In Fig. 8, I have shown the means which I employ for thus separating the off-set
sheet and the printed sheet, and deliver the former mechanically, while the other
passes to the folder.
33 is the table on which the off-set sheets are fed, and pass between the sets of
tapes 35 and 36 which pass with them up to the flyer 39, which delivers them on
the table 38. The printed sheets are situated on the cylinder 2 between two sets
of tapes which carry them up to the folder.
The first set of these tapes passes over the cylinder 2, the rollers 40, 41, 42,
43, 44, and returns to the cylinder 2.
The second set of tapes passes over the cylinder 2, rollers 40, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49,
50, 37, and returns to the cylinder 2.
In the same way as in the case shown in Fig. 5 for a machine without off-set
sheets, I could deliver the printed sheet by means of a flyer on to a different table
to that on which the off-set sheet is delivered, then fold this printed sheet after
having adjusted its position.
In Fig. 9, I have shown the application of the off-set sheets to a machine with a
delivery cylinder 8 which is at the same time a folding cylinder. With this

page_text: arrangement the off-set sheet fed from table 33 and carried along by the tapes 35
and 36, is delivered on to the table 38, whilst the printed sheet after having
received a fold between cylinders 8 and 9, receives a second fold by descending
over the surface 60 to which it is delivered by tapes, then a third between the
rollers 61 and is delivered at 62.
In Fig. 3 I have shown a machine in which the sheet after having been printed
on one side by cylinder 1.and on the other by cylinder 2, is seized by the grippers.
of a cylinder 8 which in this case is a folding cylinder.
In order that the, fold which this cylinder has to produce in the printed sheets.
may be effected exactly at the point where it ought to occur, it is necessary that
the sheets in their passage from one cylinder to another should not slip, and to
obtain this they must never be left entirely free. For this purpose it is necessary
that when the grippers of cylinder 2 are raised, the grippers of cylinder 8 are
brought to bear on the sheet; this is difficult to ensure absolutely in practice..
A slight delay in the raising of one set of grippers, when the other set is lowered,
results in the tearing of the edge of the sheet.
So as to overcome this difficulty and to enable the set of grippers A (Fig. 10 of
the drawings filed with the present Specification) of cylinder 2 to be raised slightly
before the set of grippers B of cylinder 8 are lowered while at same time ensuring
the carrying forward of the sheet on cylinder 2 during this short interval, I place
opposite a certain number of the grippers A, two, four or more fixed points or pins C
upon the bar upon which the grippers bear to hold the sheet. Opposite these
points or pins the grippers are recessed as shown at D in Fig. 11, or are formed.
with a hole corresponding to the pin.
When the grippers A descend upon the sheet to seize it, the pins C penetrate
the paper, and when the grippers A subsequently rise to permit the sheet to pass.
from cylinder
to cylinder 8, the pins C hold the sheet against cylinder 2 until
the grippers of cylinder 8 detach it there'rom.
1 may impart a movement to the pins to cause them to rise and pierce the paper
when the grippers are lowered so as to form clean holes.
So as to avoid any displacement of the sheet in its passage from cylinder 1 to
cylinder 21 may similarly in the same manner fix points or pins opposite a certain
number of the grippers of cylinder 1. In Fig. 10 the crossing of the grippers for
permitting the passage of the sheet from cylinder 1 to cylinder 2 is shown in dotted-
lines, and it will be seen that the sheet will be held by the points or pins on.
cylinder 1 until the grippers A of cylinder 2 detach it therefrom.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
In a printing machine :-
1. The combination of parts for effecting the impression, with an apparatus for
folding the printed sheets, substantially as described.
2. The combination of parts for effecting the impression, with a cylinder for the
delivery of the sheets and a folding apparatus, substantially as described.
3. The combination of parts for effecting the impression with a sheet delivery
cylinder which also serves as a folding cylinder and of the other folding organs or
parts, substantially as described.
4. The combination of parts for effecting the impression, and apparatus for
delivering unfolded sheets if desired either by hand or mechanically, with folding
apparatus, substantially as described.
5. The combination of the parts for effecting the impression, and of apparatus
for mechanically delivering the printed sheets, with apparatus for ensuring the
correct position of the sheets delivered and a folding apparatus, substantially as
described.
6. The combination of parts for effecting the impression, and of apparatus for
mechanically delivering the sheets or not and for folding same, with apparatus for

page_text: supplying to the printing machine off-set sheets which are subsequently removed
from the machine either by hand or mechanically, substantially as described.
7. The combination with those machines of the construction claimed in the
preceding claims in which sets of grippers are employed on the printing or folding
cylinders, of pins or points serving to hold the sheets upon the cylinders during the
opening of the grippers, substantially as described.
Dated this 26th day of November 1894.
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.