IMPROVED AUTOMATIC SHEET REGISTERING APPARATUS FOR PRINTING MACHINES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention of
"IMPROVED AUTOMATIC SHEET REGISTERING APPARATUS FOR PRINTING
MACHINES." A communication from abroad by Thomas Max Vieillemard,
of Paris. France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th December 1880.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co., Patent
"IMPROVED AUTOMATIC SHEET
Agents, Southampton Buildings, London.
REGISTERING APPARATUS FOR PRINTING MACHINES." [A communication from
abroad by Thomas Max Vieillemard, of Paris, France.]
My Invention relates to an automatic apparatus for ensuring the proper
registering or correct laying of the sheets in printing machines.
In printing copies of chromolithographs for instance, where several colors are
used, and consequently as many impressions are required as there are to be colors
in the finished work, it is absolutely necessary, if a good result is to be obtained, to
place or lay the sheets very accurately upon the cylinder, that is to say, the sheets
must occupy exactly the same position thereupon for each impression or passage
through the machine.
Now however careful the operator may be an absolute regularity of the laying
is unattainable by the methods hitherto in use.
According to my Invention instead of placing the sheet by hand upon needles
or points I employ a mechanical device applicable to printing machines of all
kinds.
The sheet, upon the edge of which triangular notches or marks have been
produced by mechanical means; is pushed by hand against abutting or guiding bars
or pieces of triangular sectional form whose position corresponds to that of the said
marks or notches, and the number whereof varies according to the size of the
Don Bra

page_text: cylinder, thus very nearly the same position is attained each time the sheet is
placed upon the cylinder.
To definitely ensure its being placed in an absolutely correct manner needles are
used, which needles, as well as the abutting bars above mentioned, are operated
mechanically and enter holes previously formed in the sheet in number corre-
sponding to that of the needles.
When the sheet is laid on the abutting bars the needles, whose points are
elongated, enter the holes on the sheet, and cause it to assume its place on the
cylinder with great exactness. At this moment the pincers or claws usually
employed for such purpose act and press the sheet upon the cylinder, and before the
latter begins its movement the needles are lifted.
By the above description it will be readily understood that the continuous
attention of the operator is not necessary, as the sheets can very easily and rapidly
be placed against the abutting bars, and the needles will automatically correct its
position.
Each abutting bar is mechanically operated by an arm connected or hinged
thereto by means of a small rod or link, and keyed upon a shaft rotating in
bearings upon the frame of the machine.
A pincer or claw placed behind the abutting-piece and descending by its own
weight holds the sheet, whilst the needles are descending.
The said needles are furnished with set-screws, so that their position can be
adjusted with exactness. They are actuated by arms keyed on a shaft parallel to
the shaft of the abutting bars, and supported like the last-named shaft; these arms
are jointed to the needles by rods.
The two shafts carry each at one end an arm or crank attached to a rod which
receives motion by the passage of the platen or table or from a cam on the main
shaft so arranged as to raise and lower the abutting pieces and needles at the
proper times.
1 may however employ other devices for exactly regulating the position and
working of the said needles.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
15th June 1881.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent
Agents, Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVED AUTOMATIC SHEET-
REGISTERING APPARATUS FOR PRINTING. MACHINES." A communication from
abroad by Thomas Max Vieillemard, of Paris, France.
"
My Invention relates to an automatic apparatus for ensuring the proper
register" or correct laying of the sheets in printing machines.
"
In printing copies of chromo-lithographs, for instance, where several colors are
used, and consequently as many impressions or " pulls are required as there are
to be colors in the finished work, it is absolutely necessary in order to obtain a
good result to place or lay the sheets very accurately upon the cylinder, that is to
say, the sheets must occupy exactly the same position thereon for each impression
or passage through the machine; but, however careful the operator may be, an
absolute regularity of the laying is unattainable by the means hitherto in use.
According to my Invention, instead of placing the sheet by hand upon needles
or points, I employ a mechanical device or mechanism which is applicable to
printing machines of all kinds. This mechanism is illustrated in the accompanying
Drawing, in which,-
Figures 1 and 2 are transverse sections on different planes of the said mechanism,
and
Figure 3 is an underside face view of the same.
Figure 4 is an elevation of the said mechanism.
The sheet, upon the edge of which triangular notches have been produced by
mechanical means, is pushed by hand against abutting or guiding bars or pieces A
of triangular form in transverse section. The position of these bars A corresponds
with that of the notches on the paper, and the number of the said bars varies
according to the size of the cylinder. Very nearly the same position of the sheet
is attained by these means each time the sheet is placed upon the cylinder.
To definitely ensure the sheet being placed in an absolutely correct manner I
employ the needles or points B, which, as well as the abutting bars A, are operated
mechanically. These points enter holes previously formed in the sheet, the number
of these holes corresponding to that of the said needles or points.
When the sheet is laid on the abutting bars A, the points or needles B enter the
holes in the sheet, and cause the latter to assume its proper position on the cylinder
with great exactness. At this moment the grippers, fingers, or pincers usually
employed in printing machines seize the sheet, and before the cylinder commences
its movement the needles or points are lifted.
From the above description it will be readily understood that the continuous
attention of the operator is not necessary, as a sheet can very easily and rapidly
be placed against the abutting bars, and the needles will automatically correct its
position.
Each abutting bar is mechanically operated by an arm C connected or hinged
thereto by means of a small rod or link D, and keyed upon a shaft E, which rotates
in bearings F in the brackets F secured upon the frame G of the machine.
A gripper or pincer H placed behind the abutting bar and descending by its
own weight holds the sheet whilst the needles or points B descend. The said
needles are furnished with set screws I, so that their position can be accurately
adjusted in all directions. They are actuated by arms J keyed on a shaft E¹
parallel to the shaft E, and supported in a similar manner.
Each of these arms J
is connected with the needle carrier or holder by a rod K. The shaft E carries at

page_text: one end an arm or crank L, and the shaft E' carries an arm or crank M; these
arms are attached to rods which receive motion by the passage of the platen or
table, or from a cam on the main shaft so arranged as to raise and lower the
abutting pieces and needles or points at the proper time.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by 5
my foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it
understood that I do not confine myself to the precise means above described for
regulating the position of the needles or points, and that I claim in a sheet-
registering apparatus for printing machines,―
First. The triangular automatic abutting or guiding bars A in combination with 1
the grippers or pincers H, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
Second. The automatic adjustable needles or points adapted to enter perforations
previously made in the sheets to ensure the perfect register of the same on the
cylinder, substantially as set forth.
Third. The combination of the abutting bars A and the needles or points B in 1
the manner and for the purpose above set forth.
Fourth. The mechanism consisting of the parts shown in the accompanying
Drawing, constructed, combined, and operating substantially as and for the purposes
specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
T
Lond
2