Improvements in or Applicable to Printing Machinery.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Jan., 1887
Complete Left, 6th Oct., 1887
Complete Accepted, 8th Nov., 1887
Improvements in or Applicable to Printing Machinery.
I, STEPHEN WOOD of 130 Peasley Cross Lane, St. Helens, in the County of
Lancaster, Printer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
An apparatus to be combined with Letterpress and Lithographic Printing
machines of that class, having impression rollers or cylinders, for taking off the
printed sheets and their delivery on a receiving board, and consists of a series of two
three or more sets of grippers, or gripper frames carried by two bands, either of links,
chain or other suitable materials, to which the ends of the gripper frames are attached
or combined with, round two shafts or axis, on which are fixed pulleys or suitable
wheels for the bands to travel on. One shaft is placed near the top centre of impression
cylinder of printing machine and has keyed on or otherwise secured a toothed
wheel, which is actuated by being in gear with a toothed wheel of same diameter as
impression cylinder, to which it is fixed, or secured on shaft of same, and thereby
giving motion to the bands that carry the grippers. The second shaft is placed some
distance in front of and parallel or thereabouts with first mentioned one. The gripper
frames are at equal distance from each other and so placed as to meet grippers of
impression cylinder when revolving which are caused to open and release the printed
sheet as the travelling grippers impinge, holding, and moving forward with it; each
set of grippers taking a sheet consecutively or in turn, and on reaching the front
shaft, or any other desirable point, depositing it on the receiving board.
The hearings of one or both shafts have slots in them for adjusting, and, are secured
by set screws to two arms or brackets which are fixed to either side of printing
machine.
E
1
1003

page_text: I, STEPHEN WOOD of 130 Peasley Cross Lane, St. Helen's in the County of
Lancaster 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 statenient :-
The object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for taking off the printed
sheets from letter press, or lithographic printing machines, and delivering them on to
a receiving board.
:
It is best described by aid of the accompanying drawings, in which,
Figure 1, is an elevation of the taking off apparatus as applied to a letter press
printing machine.
Figure 2, is a plan of the same.
Figure 3, is an enlarged view of the travelling chain or band, and a mode of
opening and closing the grippers for taking off the sheets.
Figure 4, is an elevation of the apparatus, as applied to lithographic printing
machines.
Referring first to Figures 1, 2, and 3.
A is the impression cylinder of the machine constructed in the ordinary manner,
and supported in standards B. CC are the frames of the machine. Under the
cylinder A, the inking table and type reciprocate. D D are endless chains or carriers,
which are carried on discs or pulleys E E arranged on each side of the apparatus.
The pulleys are keyed or otherwise secured to the shafts FF which are mounted on
brackets G G. One or both of these shafts are preferably mad eadjustable for
tightening the chains or straps by means of bolts and slots H, in the frame H' of the
apparatus, or if desired by means of blocks sliding in grooves in the frame (see
Figure 4). Extending between the chains or straps D, are gripper shafts I I, and
gripper bars J J provided at equal distances apart on the said chain. The ends of
these gripper bars J J are secured to the chains and are provided with arms which
are journaled to gripper shafts I. On the gripper shafts are mounted the grippers.K K
which are closed against the gripper bars J by means of springs, such as india-rubber
or steel springs. For the purpose of opening the grippers at the proper moment
I provide inclined surfaces or stops L attached to the frame H or in other convenient
manner. The gripper shafts I are provided with arms M, which impinge against the
surfaces L and thus open the grippers ready to receive a printed sheet from
the cylinder A. The grippers preferably remain closed except when opened by the
surfaces L. One set of pulleys E are placed above the impression cylinder, and its
pinion N engages the spur wheel of the said cylinder. O is the delivery board for
receiving the sheets. Pare guide rollers for supporting the chain.
The taking off apparatus I have illustrated on the drawing is provided with three
sets of grippers, placed at equal distances apart on the carrier, so that each set of
grippers take every third sheet from the impression cylinder, and deposit it on the
delivery board.

page_text: A sheet is supplied to the impression cylinder printed and carried on its periphery
in the ordinary manner. The motion of the impression cylinder also supplies motion
to the carriers D through the spur wheel and pinion N. Each set of grippers aro
placed in such a position on the carrier, that one set is open ready to receive the sheet
at the proper moment. As the cylinder A rotates the sheet is released therefrom,
and the travelling grippers close and grip the sheet, carrying it forward to the
delivery table Q. Each set of grippers thus consecutively grip, the sheet and carry
it forward. On reaching any desirable point, the arm. M. engages the surface L, thus
opening the grippers and releasing the sheet which then falls on to the delivery
board O. I prefer, however, that the grippers open at or near the front shaft, and the
delivery board O placed beneath to receive the sheets as they fall. The table O is
made adjustable so that a sheet of any size may fall directly thereon, when released
from the grippers. For the purpose it is supported on guides or brackets P and can
be moved forwards or backwards as required. The pinion N is shown on the drawing
about half the diameter of the spur wheel, it may, however, be made the same, or
any other convenient size.
When the apparatus is used for lithographic printing machines, the chains or
carriers D are arranged as shown in Figure and travel in an opposite direction to
those on a letter press machine, the grippers being also reversed. The impression
cylinders of litho-machines are invariably larger than those in letter press machines.
I therefore prefer to provide two sets of grippers.K only. The paper is fed on to the
impression cylinder from the table R, and afterwards carried by the travelling grippers
in the direction of the arrow, and deposited on the delivery board O, the grippers
being preferably opened for this purpose near the guide rollers S.
In other respects
the parts are essentially the same as before described. Corresponding parts in all the
figures are marked with like letters.
It must be distinctly understood that I do not limit myself to the exact details
herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, as the same may be
modified without materially altering the nature of the invention.
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 taking off apparatus for lithographic printing machines, the arrangement of
the endless chains or carriers D carried on pulleys E and S and provided with two or
more sets of grippers K which alternately sieze a sheet and convey it to the delivery
board O, substantially as described, with reference to Figure 4 of accompanying
drawings.
2. The improvement in taking off apparatus for letter press printing machines
which consists in the combination of endless chains or carriers D, with three or more
sets of grippers arranged at equal distances apart and constructed so as to seize a sheet
alternately and deliver it on to the delivery board O, substantially as described with
reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3, of the accompanying drawings.
3. In a taking off apparatus for printing machines the combination with endless
chains or carriers D.of guide rollers for supporting the said carriers, substantially as
described.
4. The arrangement and combination of the various parts forming my improved
taking off apparatus for letter press and lithographic printing machines, taken as a
whole substantially as and for the purpose described.
cins den day of October 11.
STEPHEN WOOD.
Wm. P. Thompson & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool,
Agents for completing the Patent.