Improvements in the Production of Prints by Photography, or by Photography Combined with Typographic or other Printing, and in Apparatus for the Purpose.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Jan., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 15th Oct., 1895-Accepted, 30th Nov., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Production of Prints by Photography, or by
Photography Combined with Typographic or other Printing, and
in Apparatus for the Purpose.
I, WILLIAM FRIESE-GREENE of 39 King's Road, Chelsea in the County of
London, Photographer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has reference to the production of prints wholly or partly by
photography and its chief object is to effect a very rapid production of copies
adapted for use as illustrated supplements, newspapers or magazines or for other
purposes where a large number of copies of the same picture, design or other
object is required.
The invention comprises a special construction of photograph printing machine,
also special ways of making up the negatives from which the photographic prints
are to be produced by means of the machine; and also the production of prints by
photography combined with typographic or other printing.
In my machine the photographic prints are produced upon a continuous band or
strip of sensitized paper or other sensitized material which is caused to travel very
rapidly but intermittently through the machine a print being produced thereon after
every intermittent movement. Between the intermittences in the movement of
the band a plate which has an up and down movement comes upon the band and
steadies it by pressing it lightly against the negative and a time shutter for
admitting light is rapidly opened and shut, or alternatively the current to an
electric arc lamp is for a fraction of time switched on, no shutter being employed
in this case.
The construction and operation of the machine is based upon the proper timing
relatively to each other of the three movements above described that is to say the
intermittent movement of the sensitized band, the up and down movement of the
pressing plate and the movement of the shutter, or alternatively the switching on
or off of the current to the electric lamp.
These movements can be produced by any suitable means and preferably from
one shaft driven by an electro motor or otherwise. I will proceed to describe
by way of example one arrangement for carrying the invention into effect :-
The band of sensitized paper is contained on a roller or drum and its leading end
is carried over a guide roller and then under the pressing plate which constitutes
the top of the dark chamber the shutter being fitted in the bottom of this
chamber. The paper on leaving the dark chamber passes over a guide roller, then
under a roller carried by swinging arms, then over another guide roller and
thence to a winding up roller. The swinging arms derive their motion from
excentrics on the driving shaft and at every swing in the one direction their roller
pulls forward the sensitized, band the length required for one print. The pressing
plate moves on or in vertical guides and is operated by links from transverse rods
which receive a to and fro motion from rods connected to excentrics or cranks on the
driving shaft. The shutter is worked from one end of a lever the other end of
which passes through a slot in a rod to which to and fro motion is imparted from
the driving shaft. On the slotted rod are two springs bearing against the lever

page_text: at its two sides respectively. As the rod moves to and fro these two springs press
alternately against the lever and tend to move it but the lever is held by a catch
and therefore the spring becomes compressed; when however the rod reaches a
given point a piece that it carries releases the catch and the compressed spring then
immediately acts on the lever and consequently upon the shutter. The lever and
shutter are acted upon once for every movement of the rod in either direction. An
electric or other good light is arranged outside the shutter.
In the alternative case in which a shutter is not used and the current to an
electric lamp is rapidly switched on and off the switch can be readily worked from
the driving shaft.
The negative is placed between the sensitized band and a transparent support.
It may either be a negative obtained by photography or a negative otherwise
produced with opaque and translucent parts the translucent parts representing the
design or picture to be produced or vice versa. Or the negative may consist partly
of a photographic negative and partly of a negative or negatives otherwise
produced; for example the main or central part of the negative may be a
photographic negative while the outer parts may consist of portions having
translucent parts to represent ornamental or other borders, letter press or other
desired matter, so that the photographic prints produced by the machine would
each consist of the central picture and the surrounding matter. This way of
making up a compound negative that is to say with a central or main negative and
surrounding or supplementary negatives is a feature of my invention, and all, any
or none of the negatives may be photographic negatives.
A good way of producing negatives otherwise than by photography for use in my
machine is to prepare paper with sulphate of iron, write or print the desired matter
with citric acid or other acid, hydrochloric for example, on the paper when dry,
and then immerse the paper when dry in pyrogallic acid, or other material which
will make all parts of the paper black except those to which the citric acid has
been applied.
Another way of producing negatives otherwise than by photography is to perforate
the required design or matter in a sheet of opaquo material.
Sometimes instead of employing a negative I focus a picture, reduced or enlarged,
upon the sensitized paper by means of a lantern.
When it is required to print photographs on both sides of the sensitized paper
the machine is made double and the paper after being printed on one side as
herein before described is conducted to the second portion of the machine and
printed on the other side; this second portion should be the reverse of the first,
that is to say the shutter will be at the top and the pressing plate and negative at
the bottom.
It is not essential for the parts of the machine to be arranged so that the
sensitized paper passes through it in a horizontal position as above described as
they may be arranged so that the paper passes through it in a vertical position.
Further when it is not practicable or convenient to produce the entire picture
by photography I combine with the photograph printing machine means for printing
upon the paper typographically or in other like manner. This can be effected by
arranging that sections of the sensitized paper shall not be exposed to light during
the production of the photographic print and by subsequently or previously printing
upon these sections by a type cylinder or otherwise before exposure to light, the
type cylinder and accessory devices being preferably worked from the same driving
shaft as the intermittent feed movement of the sensitized band.
Dated this 16th day of January 1895.
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56 Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.

page_text: Improvements in the Production of Prints by Photography, or by
Photography Combined with Typographic or other Printing, and
in Apparatus for the Purpose.
1, WILLIAM FRIESE-GREENE of 39 King's Road, Chelsea in the County of
London, Photographer, 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 :-
This invention has reference to the production of prints wholly or partly by
photography, and its chief object is to effect a very rapid production where a large
number of copies of the same picture, design, letterpress, or other object is required.
The invention is particularly applicable to the printing of illustrated newspapers,
catalogues, wall papers, and the like. In applying it for example to the printing of
newspapers, the usual heavy initial expense of printing machinery is saved, the
use of type or stereos is dispensed with, and the expense of printing ink is also
obviated.
According to my invention a number of copies from the same negative or negatives
are rapidly printed by photography upon a continuous band or strip of sensitized
paper or other sensitized material caused to travel intermittently through a chamber
in which a negative or negatives are placed, a fresh section of the sensitized
material and the negative or negatives being temporarily exposed to the light in the
said chamber after each intermittent movement of the band which is steadied
during the exposure whereby the negative or negatives become photographed upon
the said section. The negative or negatives are, in fact, employed according to
this invention for commercial and other machine printing in lieu of the ordinary
stereos, blocks or type, and in combination with sensitized material, the printing
being effected upon the paper by means of light passing through the negative.
The invention comprises a special construction of photographic printing machine
combining means for giving intermittent motion through the machine to a band or
strip of sensitized paper or other sensitized material, means for temporarily exposing
to light after each intermittent movement of the said band a fresh section of this
band and the negative or negatives from which the print is to be taken, and means
for steadying the section of sensitized material during the exposure.
In the accompanying drawings:-
:-
Figure 1 is a side elevation, with the upper light box in section, of a photographic
printing machine constructed in accordance with my invention in the preferred form,
and adapted for producing prints upon both sides of the paper or other sensitized
material.
Figure 2 is a section of the machine on the line 2-2 of Figure 4.
Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 4.
Figure 4 is a plan of the machine with the upper light box j and the top of the
compartment a removed.
Figure 5 is a detail view in perspective on a larger scale, showing more
particularly the arrangement of the shutters.
Figure 6 is a detail view, also on a larger scale, showing more particularly the
stop device for the feed rollers.
Figure 7 is a side elevation of the machine in its preferred form for producing
prints upor only one side of the sensitized band.
Figure 8 is a perspective view of a compound negative.
Referring first to Figures 1 to 6, a a represent the outer casing of the machine;
it is divided by a vertical partition b into two chambers a' a², in which respectively

page_text: the sensitized band is printed on its upper and lower faces. The casing a and
partition b have narrow slots c c c to give passage to the sensitized band; d is the
sensitized band; it enters the casing a by the slot c at the left-hand of Figure 2,
passes horizontally through the chambers a¹ a², then between the feed or drawing
rollers ef, from which it preferably goes direct to the necessary tanks for
developing and fixing. The band d is preferably sensitized in a bath immediately
preceding the point where it enters the machine, or a roll or reel of paper
previously sensitized may be employed. The rollers ef, receive an intermittent
rotary motion, as hereinafter described, so as to give an intermittent feed to the
sensitized band. g g are the two negatives from which the prints are to be
obtained by means of light; they are carried respectively in frames h h', which fit
into guides as shown in the sides of the chambers a' a². The first negative g is
above the sensitized band d so as to become reproduced upon the upper face of
same, and the second negative g' is below the band so as to become reproduced
upon the under face. ; and are respectively upper and lower enclosed light
boxes for lighting up intermittently the chambers a¹ a² respectively as hereinafter
described. In these boxes are incandescing electric lamps k k. In the top of the
chamber a' and in the bottom of the chamber a² are apertures opening into the
corresponding light boxes jj, and in each of the boxes jj is a plate having
apertures corresponding with the apertures 1, but the plates may be dispensed
with; m² m², m³ m' are two pairs of time shutters in each light box for alternately
opening and shutting the apertures 1 in the box as hereinafter described. n n' are
pressing plates or boards in the chambers a¹ a² respectively; they are preferably
faced with felt or other like material; they receive an up and down movement as
hereinafter described, so as to press against and steady the band d during its
exposure to the light.
The construction and operation of the machine is based upon the proper timing
relatively of each other of the intermittent movement of the rollers ef that feed the
sensitized band, the opening and closing of the time-shutters m² m² m³ m², and the
up and down movement of the pressing or steadying plates n n¹. The action is
that the rollers ef first give the band an intermittent feed; then, while the band is
stationary, the plates n n¹ move against and steady it, and then the time-shutters
open, after which the shutters close, the steadying plates recede, and the feed rollers
give another feed, and so on.
The manner in which these movements are given will now be described. The
figures (except Figure 5) show the various parts in the positions they respectively
occupy when the feed is about to take place.
wheel v.
p is the driving shaft, which may derive its motion from an electro-motor or
otherwise. ช is a pinion on the shaft p, gearing with a wheel r. On the wheel r
is a crank pin s, connected by a rod t to, an arm u, mounted loosely on the axis of
a toothed wheel v. The arm u carries a pawl w to engage with notches x x in the
As the wheel rotates the crank pins and rod t impart a swinging or
oscillating motion to the arm u and its pawl w, so that the pawl alternately imparts
a partial rotary motion to the wheel v by means of one of the notches, and then
recedes and engages with the next notch x, ready for giving the next intermittent
motion. The wheel v gears with a pinion y, fixed on the shaft of the feed roller f.
The pinion y has as many teeth as are comprised between two notches x x of the
wheel v, so that it receives one complete revolution for one intermittent partial
revolution of the wheel ". The feed roller f, therefore, receives one complete
revolution, and in conjunction with the roller e, which it drives by friction feeds
the sensitized band an equivalent distance; the circumference of the roller should,
therefore, be equal to the amount of feed required at each intermittent movement.
In order to prevent the wheel y and roller ƒ from travelling too far at each
intermittent movement the following device is adopted :-On the end of the roller f
is a rubber faced projection y', which, at the end of each revolution of the roller,
comes against a stop piece y2, as seen in Figure 6, which shows these parts on a
larger scale. The piece y is attracted to this position by the spring y³. The

page_text: piece 2 is pivoted to a fixed part at y', and has a tail y³, which is pushed back to
the position shown in full lines in Figure 1 by the pawl w every time the arm u
moves back, ready to give another movement to the wheel v. The pushing back of
the tail y draws down the piece y2 clear of the projection y¹, so that the latter can
pass it, and the wheels y and roller rotate. As the pawl w in its return or driving
motion is moving clear of the tail y³ the spring y³ returns the piece y' to position
for meeting the projection y¹.
The opening and closing of the time shutters is effected by means of a cam z fixed
on the shaft of the wheel r. A roller A on the lower end of a bar B runs on the
cam z, and is kept pressed in contact therewith by a spring C. The bar B therefore
receives an up and down movement from the cam; this movement is transmitted by
a lever D to another bar B1, which is thus caused to move down and up as the bar B
moves up and down. The upper end of the bar B aud the lower end of the bar B¹
are each connected by two links E E to spindles F F extending across the
chambers a¹ a², and as the bars B B' move up and down the spindles are consequently
caused to rock. Each of the spindles carries arms G G' forked at the ends so as to
engage with pins H H (see Figure 5) on the shutters m³ m³ respectively in the
corresponding light box. The pins on the arms G engage with the shutters m², and
the pins on the arms G' with the shutters m³. The shutter m' in each box is
connected to the shutter m³ by a strap J (Figure 5) and the shutter m² to the
shutter m by a similar strap J. It will be readily understood that as the
spindles F F rock, the shutters m' and m² in each box will first close up over
the corresponding aperture 1, and the shutters m³ and m' over the other aperture,
and then open so as to allow the light to pass through the said apertures.
The up and down motion of the pressing or steadying plates n n¹ is effected by
means of a cam K fixed on the shaft of the wheel r. A roller L on the end of an
arm M runs on the cam K, and is kept pressed against same by the action of the
springs N N (Figure 2). The arm M is fixed to a transverse shaft P, and this is
connected by an arm P* and a rod Q to an arm M' on another transverse shaft P¹.
The transverse shafts P P¹ pass through the chamber a'. The rod Q is connected
by a liuk R to an arm M' on a transverse shaft P2, and also by a rod Q₁ to an
arm M³ on a transverse shaft P³. The shafts P2 P3 pass through the chamber a²;
the shafts P P P3 P3 carry fingers S S adjustably situated at the back of the
plates n n¹ respectively. It will readily be understood that as the arın M is moved
in and out by the action of the cam K and springs N N, all the shafts P P1 P2 P3
will be caused to rock, and that in their rocking movement the fingers S S will first
come against the plates n n' and push them against the band d, so as to press this
against the negatives g g¹ respectively, and then draw the plates n n' away from
baud, and thereby release the latter.
From the description hereinbefore given it will be understood that every section
of the band d, equivalent in length to one intermittent feed, is first printed on the
upper face froin the negative g, and then on the lower face from the negative g',
and that while one section is being printed from the negative g¹ the next following
section is being printed from the negative g. When with the machine above
described it is required to print on only one side of the sensitized strip, one or other
of the chambers a' is not supplied with a negative, or alternatively the electric lamps
in the light box of one of the chambers are switched off.
If it be required to construct a machine capable of printing only on one side of
the sensitized band the machine is made single instead of double, as herein before
described. Figure 7 is a side elevation illustrating the single machine. It will be
understood without further explanation.
The negatives employed in the machines may either be negatives obtained by
photography, or negatives otherwise produced, with opaque and translucent parts
representing the design or picture to be reproduced, or vice versa. Or a negative
may consist partly of a photographic negative and partly of a negative or negatives
otherwise produced; for example the main or central part of the negative may be
a photographic negative, while the other parts may consist of portions having

page_text: translucent parts to represent ornamental or other borders, letterpress, or other
desired matter, so that the photographic prints produced by the machine would
each consist of the central picture and the surrounding matter.
Referring to Figure 8, which will serve to illustrate the manner in which a
compound negative is made up as above explained, let g represent the central or
main negative, say for example a negative photographic picture, and g² a supple-
mentary negative not photographic in the form of an ornamental border with opaque
and translucent parts. The pictures produced in the machine by means of this
compound negative will each consist of the central main picture and a border
corresponding with the transluceut parts of the negative 9².
A good way of producing negatives otherwise than by photography for use in
the machine above described is to prepare paper with sulphate of iron, to write or
print the desired matter with citric or other acid, hydrochloric for example, on the
paper when dry, and to then immerse the paper when dry in pyrogallic acid or other
material which will make all parts of the paper black except those to which the
acid has been applied.
Instead of employing a negative in the machine a picture can be focussed in a
reduced or enlarged form upon the sensitized paper by means of a lantern.
When it is not practicable or convenient to reproduce the entire picture by
photography, part of it can be printed typographically or in other like manner.
This can be effected by preserving parts of the sensitized band from exposure to
light during the production of the photographic print, and subsequently or previously
printing upon the said parts by a type cylinder, or otherwise, before exposure to
light.
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 :-
1. The printing or reproducing by means of photography of a number of copies
from the same negative or negatives, by causing a band of sensitized material to
travel intermittently through a chamber in which a negative or negatives are
placed, and temporarily exposing a fresh section of the said sensitized band and the
negative or negatives to the light in the said chamber after each intermittent
movement of the sensitized band the band being steadied during the exposure,
whereby a photograph from the negative becomes reproduced upon the said section,
all substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. The combination in a photographic printing machine substantially as herein-
before described of means for giving intermittent motion through the machine to
sensitized material, means for temporarily exposing a fresh section of the sensitized
material to the light after each intermittent movement, and means for steadying
the said sensitized material during the exposure, as and for the purpose set forth.
3. In a photographic printing machine, the combination, substantially as herein-
before described with a chamber through which sensitized material is caused to pass
intermittently, of an enclosed box containing a lamp, apertures for the passage of
light from the said box to the said chamber, time shutters for closing and opening
the said apertures, and steadying plates to press upon the sensitized material while
the shutters are open and the sensitized material is exposed to the light, substantially
as and for the purpose set forth.
4. In a photographic printing machine, the combination substantially as herein-
before described of two chambers through which successively sensitized material
travels intermittently, an enclosed box containing a lamp on the upper side of the
one chamber, an enclosed box containing a lamp on the under side of the other
chamber, apertures for the passage of light from the said boxes to the respective
chambers, time shutters for closing and opening the said apertures, and devices for
steadying the sensitized material during exposure, whereby the said sensitized
material is printed upon one face in the first chamber and upon the other face in
the second chamber, as set forth.

page_text: 5. The improved photograph printing machine, whether in its double or single
form, constructed and working substantially as hereinbefore described and
represented in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 15th day of October 1895.
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.