Improvements in Multicolour Printing-presses.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Jan., 1895-Accepted, 29th June, 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Multicolour Printing-presses.
A communication from THE STECHER LITHOGRAPHIC COx., of Rochester,
County of Monroe, State of New York, United States of America,
Machinists.
ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, 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 :-
This present invention has for its object to provide a machine adapted to print
upon a web of paper, pasteboard, or similar material, from several forms, and
preferably in different, colours, which web may be, afterwards severed into sections
or pieces, preferably adapted for making knock-down boxes, or cartons, though
capable of being used for other purposes, and to these and other ends, it consists
in certain improvements in construction and combinations of parts, all as will be
hereinafter fully described.
In the accompanying drawings:-
:-
Figure. 1 is a side elevation of a machine or press constructed in accordance with
this invention..
Figure 2a view of the opposite side.
Figure 3 a detail of the supply-roll and brake.
Figure 4 a longitudinal-sectional view of the machine.
Figure 5 a cross-sectional view.
Figure 6. an enlarged side clevation of one of the inking devices.
Figure 7.a. section on the line y-y of Figure 8.
Figure 8 a detail view of one of the inking rollers and its bearing, the devices for
adjusting the latter being shown in section.
Figure 9 a sectional view on the line zz of Figure 7.
Figure 9 a sectional view on the line a-b of Figure 1.
Figure 10 a section on the line c-d of Figure 9.
Figure 11 a cross-sectional view of one of the impression cylinders carrying the
printing form.
Figure 12 a longitudinal sectional view of one end of the same.
Figure 13. a perspective view of one of the printing form cylinders showing the
adjusting devices for the form.
Figure 14 a sectional view on the line e-f of Figure 5.
Figure 15 a sectional view on the line g- of Figure 1.
Similar reference numerals in the several figures indicate similar parts.
The main frame of the machine is composed of side pieces 1 i connected by
suitable tie rods or bolts 2 and resting upon and secured to a base frame or casting 3.
4 indicates. a cross-shaft supported in suitable bearings 5 in the main frame carrying
the main cylinder or cylindrical platen 6 arranged between the sides of the frame.
Upon the outer end of the shaft 4 is arranged a large gear wheel 7 and meshing with
this gear-wheel is a gear 8 on a shaft 9 which latter is also provided with a
belt pulley 10 and fly-wheel 11 and actuated from a suitable prime mover.
13 indi-
cates a frame mounted upon the base frame 3 at one end of the machine having
upon its upper end a shaft 14 upon which the roll 15 of paper or cardboard to, be
printed is mounted; the web 16 of said paper extending under a suitable guide-
pulley or roller 17 over a small scraper 18 and another guide-pulley 19 thence

page_text: around the cylinder or platen 6, (around the periphery of which the cylinders
carrying the printing forms are disposed), and through suitable tension and
severing devices, as will be presently described. Upon the end of the shaft 14,
carrying the roll of paper is a suitable pulley or drum 20 having a groove in its
periphery receiving one end of an arm 21 through which passes a threaded shaft 22
having a handle 23, and by operating the latter the shaft 14 and roll of paper may
be moved back and forth in its bearings in the frame 13 to provide for the end wise
adjustment of the roll and properly position the web on the cylinder 6. The lower
end of the arm 21 operates in a longitudinal groove in a stud 24 and is thereby
steadied, and pivotted upon the stud 24 is a lever 25 suitably weighted and
connected to a brake strap 26 passing over pulley 20 and secured to the frame 13
as shown in Figures 2 and 3 thereby giving the necessary tension to the paper web,
while permitting its lateral adjustment as described.
In the present embodiment of this invention there are shown five printing
cylinders or type forms arranged around the main cylinder or platen 6 adapted to
print upon the web in five colours or in any less number, but it will be understood
that a greater or lesser number of forms could be employed if desired, and as these
forms and their inking devices are all similar, a description of one of them will
suffice.
For convenience of description I will term the cylinders on which the forms from
which it is desirable to print, type-cylinders, though, as further ou explained, the
forms are preferably etched zinc plates, and each contain the part of the complete
matter that is to be printed in a single colour.
Each of the type-cylinders is mounted upon a shaft 27 adjustably supported in
bearings 28 in the main frame, which bearings are capable of vertical adjustment
by means of adjusting screws, as shown, and upon the outer end of said shaft is a
dise 29 to which is connected a gear 30 by means of bolts 31 operating in suitable
slots in the gear and permitting a slight rotary movement to provide for the rotary
adjustment of the type form independently of the cylinder 6, and of the other type
cylinders. The shaft is further provided with a collar 32 in one end, and at the
opposite end with a nut 33 for clamping the cylinder securely to it, and set nuts 34
are arranged on the shaft next the bearings 28 by means of which the longitudinal
adjustments of the cylinders can be accomplished as will be understood. The
printing or type cylinders are composed of a central core piece 35 encircling the
shaft 27 and provided with two or more circumferential undercut grooves 36 and
with a longitudinal dovetailed groove 37, and arranged over this core are preferably
two semicircular sections 38, held in position by screws 39 engaging blocks 40
fitting the grooves 36, and capable of a slight rotary motion on the core 35. The
proximate sides of said sections 38 are arranged at an angle with each other
between which operates a sliding wedge or key 41, its outer periphery being
flush with the sections 38 while its inner side is provided with a dovetail projection
fitting the groove 37 in the core 35. A gear 42 is arranged between the
collar 32 on the shaft and the cylinder through which operates a suitable screw 43
screwing into the end of the wedge 4!. The printing form 44 preferably of
etched zinc, or, if desired, a stereotyped form, is secured around the cylinder
with its ends fastened to the sections 38 of the cylinder by screws 45, as shown
in Figure 11, and after being thus secured is tightened by operating the screw 43
which will draw the wedge 41 longitudinally of the cylinder, separating the
sections 38, their attached blocks 40 sliding in the grooves and causing the surface
of the printing plate or form to fit the cylinder tightly. The surface of the
wedge 41 being flush with the outer surface of the cylinder making a smooth
support for the form, which is necessary to ensure good work. It will be under-
stood that larger or smaller printing forms may be employed by the use of
different sized cylinder sections 38, and to permit this, it is of course, necessary
that the inking apparatus of each of the cylinders be adjustable and this is
accomplished in the manner now described.
Secured to the side pieces 1 of the main frame and preferably forming cap plates

page_text: for the recesses in which the bearings of the type cylinders operate, are castings
or frames 46 provided with ways on their inner sides in which slide castings or
frames 47 carrying the inking apparatus and adjustable by means of screws 48
connected by bevelled pinions 49 through a shaft 50 for causing the simul-
taneous vertical adjustment of the two frames, the ends of said shaft 50 being
squared for the application of a wrench. In each of the said castings 47 are
arranged ways for receiving bearing blocks 51 which are vertically adjustable by
means of set screws 52 and each of these blocks is provided with an inwardly
projecting boss 53 in which operates the shaft of the ink roller 54 one of said
ink rollers being arranged on each side of the centre of the type cylinder to
which it belongs.
Mounted upon the sleeves 53 are radius arms 55, their upper
ends being split and capable of being tightened around the sleeves, by screws 56 as
shown in Figures 7 and 8 while the lower ends of said arms are provided with
cylindrical apertures in which are arranged sleeves or bushings 57, having eccen-
trically arranged apertures in which the ends of the ink rollers 58 are located, said
sleeves being secured in any position of rotary adjustment by means of a securing
plate 59 mounted on the arm 55 and engaging the roughened outer edge as
shown in Figure 9. The inking rollers 58 are adapted to apply ink to the surface
of the type form or cylinder and by means of the bushings 57 their surfaces
may be adjusted relative to the surface of the rollers 54 to compensate for any
shrinkage and the radius arms 55 will ensure their proper position relative to
the rollers 54 as will be understood even when type-cylinders of different sizes
are used.
Arranged between the bearings 51 are loose bearing-blocks 60 (see Figures 5
and 14) in which an inking roller 61 has its bearing; said roller being provided
with a gear 62 at one end meshing with the gear 42 on the type-cylinder and also
with gears 63 arranged on one end of each of the rollers 54 as shown particularly
in Figure 1. The upper portions of the bearing blocks 60 are slotted for the
accommodation of the ends of a roller 64 resting upon the surface of the rollers 54
and permitted a free longitudinal movement caused by a travelling distributing
roller or vibrator 65 arranged upon a double threaded shaft 66; said roller 65
receiving ink from a vibrating roller or ductor 67 supported upon arms 68 attached
to a rock shaft 69, the latter being provided with an arm 70 having a slotted lower
end, which latter is oscillated by a slide or cross-head 71 provided with a pin 72
operating in the slotted end of the arm; said cross-head being provided with
pins 73 and moved back and forth by a cam 74 arranged on the end of the shaft 27,
as shown in Figures 5 and 6. The ductor-roller 67 is adapted by means of the
devices just described to be brought in contact with a roller 76, the latter operating
in an ink-well 77 and moved intermittingly, through a rock arm 78 carrying a
pawl 75 and connected by a pitman 79 with a crank-pin 80 arranged on the cam 74
or otherwise connected to the shaft of the type-cylinder. The shaft 66 it will be
understood is prevented from longitudinal movement but as motion is communicated
to the roller 64 and by this to the roller 65 the latter will, as it rotates, carry both
said last-mentioned rollers back and forth distributing the ink evenly upon the
rollers 54 from which by rollers 58 and 61 the ink is deposited upon the type-
cylinders.
From the above it will be seen that the rotary adjustment of the various type-
cylinders can be accomplished by the slotted connection between the gears 3 and
the collars 29 on the type-cylinder-shafts, and that the longitudinal adjustment of
the shafts and type-cylinders can be accomplished by means of the set nuts 34, so
that the proper register on the paper or pasteboard web can be readily accomplished
and the several colours or forms printed in proper position. At the rear end of the
machine, shown at the right in Figures 1 and 4, and at the left in Figure 2 is
provided a device for giving tension to the paper and preventing its wrinkling on
he impression cylinder, and also causing the printed portion to be presented
properly to the severing devices, consisting in the present instance of a roller 81
ver which the paper passes and a shaft 82 having collars 83 thereon operating to

page_text: press the paper or web tightly upon the roller 81 the shaft 82 being arranged in an
eccentric bushing 84 supported in a supplemental frame, 85, so that the pressure;
between the roller and the collars may be adjusted as desired; set screws 86
serving to bind said bushings after being adjusted. These two shafts are provided
with intermeshing gears 87 driven from a gear. 88 on a stud 89 the last-
mentioned gear being driven from a gear 90 on a shaft 91 upon which is located
a helt-pulley 92 driven by a belt 93 from a similar pulley 94 on. the main
driving shaft 9; the gears being so proportioned that the roller 81 and collars 83
(which latter constitute in effect a roller) are driven. at a slightly greater surface
speed than that of the main impression cylinder, so that the paper will be drawn
taut all the time and a slight tension exerted on it. Just beyond these tension
rollers and journalled in suitable bearings in a frame 95 are two rollers 96 and 97,
the former being preferably of metal and solid and the latter having suitable
cutting and scoring projections or ridges adapted to cut and score the web on'
proper lines to make folding boxes or cartons for instance, and beyond these
are two rollers 98 and 99 connected for simultaneous rotation by gears 100: The
boxes 101 for the rollers 99 are supported. upon springs 102 (see Figure 10)
and capable of vertical motion; said springs serving normally to separate the
rollers, but arranged over the boxes 101 is a shaft 103 having at opposite ends,
cams 105 operating upon the boxes and. serving,, when the shaft. is rotated in one
direction, to depress the boxes and bring the rollers into contact.. The end of the
shaft 103 is provided with an arm 104. adapted to be actuated by a crank-
pin 106 on a gear 107 attached to the roller 97 as shown in Figure 1 gears 108
transmitting motion to the rollers 98 and 99 and operating them. at a greater
surface speed than the movement of the web, from which, it will be seen that, when
the rock shaft 103 is moved to bring the rollers 98 and 99 into contact, the
previously cut and scored web will be grasped and drawn outward, separating
the box blanks, for instance from the web and delivering said blauks at the end
of the machine separately, so that they may be readily stacked and folded and the
small pieces of pasteboard that may be adhering to them readily shaken off. The
scoring and separating devices are driven from the main gear wheel 7 through the
medium of the double gears 109 110 the latter meshing with a pinion 111 and the former
connected adjustably to it by means of bolts 112 as shown in Figure 1. and meshing
with the main gear 7. Both the gears 109 and 110 are mounted upon an adjustable
stud 113 operating in a slot in an arm 114 pivotted at 115 to the main frame and
said arm is adapted to be secured by a bolt 116 operating through its lower slotted
end. This arrangement not only permits the removal of the cutting and scoring
apparatus, but also permits its proper adjustment or alignment with regard to the
web, and the variations of its speed relative to the main impression cylinder, by the
substitution of other gears for gears 109 and 110 the vertical adjustment of the latter
being readily accomplished.
The operation of the whole machine will now be apparent..
The forms being placed. upon the type-cylinders in the manner described. and by
the various adjustments of the parts caused to register properly so as to print
successively in several colours if desired upon the web or material, then as the web
is printed and held under tension by the devices described, it is severed into blanks,.
which may consist of plain sheets instead of folding boxes if desired and the rapidly
revolving discharging rollers 98 and 99 serve to tear the blanks apart and deliver
them at the end of the machine..
While only five type-cylinders have been shown it is obvious that a greater or
lesser number could be employed, or, if desired, to use only two or more of these
shown, the others could be thrown out of operation by the rotation of the shafts 50
raising the whole inking devices from the surface of the impression roller, and then,
by means of the adjusting screws operating on the bearings of the type-cylinders
not used, lifting them.
This machine though particularly adapted for printing from more or less flexible
etched zinc sheets is well adapted for using rigid stereotype plates if desired,

page_text: attached to what I have termed type-cylinder, by means here described or other
equivalent means.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion as communicated to me by my foreign correspondents and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a printing machine the combination with the main frame having the. radial
recess the main cylinder and the type-cylinder supported in bearings adjustable in
said recess of the removable cap-piece extending across the recess in the main frame
the movable slides on the cap-pieces and inking device supported in the slides and
adjusting devices for moving the slides on the cap-pieces connected for simultaneous
operation whereby the inking device can be bodily adjusted on the cap-pieces or
removed bodily with them substantially as described.
2. In a printing machine the combination with the main cylinder and the gear
connected thereto of the type-cylinder its shaft having two gears one of them
adjustable independently thereof and engaging the gear on the main cylinder an
inking apparatus adjustable independently of the type-cylinder and having a gear
engaging the other gear on the shaft whereby the type cylinder may be adjusted
relative the main cylinder without moving the inking apparatus substantially as
described.
3. The combination with a web-printing machine of the web-severing rollers, a
pair of rollers moving at greater surface speed than the web the springs for
separating them the rock shaft having the cams the arm connected to said shaft
and the crank pin on one of the severing rollers for engaging said arm and
bringing the rollers together intermittingly to grasp the web substantially as
described.
4. In a printing-machine the combination with the main frame the main cylinder
having the gear and the plurality of printing cylinders having gears adjustably
connected thereto and meshing with the main gear of the rotary severing devices
the pivotted arm 114 the relatively adjustable gears adjustably mounted on said
arm one of them engaging the gear on the main cylinder and the other actuating
the severing devices substantially as described.
5. In a printing machine the type or printing cylinder composed of the central
core-piece having the longitudinal groove and the segmental outer portions
adjustable thereon the wedge sliding on the core-piece and engaging the segmental
parts and the printing-form fastened to said segmental parts substantially as
described.
6. In a printing machine the type or printing cylinder composed of the central
core-piece having the circumferential grooves the blocks in the grooves and the
segmental parts connected to the blocks the wedge supported upon and movable
longitudinally of the core-piece engaging the segmental parts and the printing form
secured to the segmental parts substantially as described.
7. In a printing machine the type or printing cylinder composed of the core-
piece having the circumferential and longitudinal undercut grooves the blocks in
the circumferential grooves and the segmental parts connected to the blocks the
wedge sliding in the longitudinal groove in the core-piece and engaging the sides
of the segmental parts the screw for moving it and the type or printing form
connected to the segmental parts and extending around the cylinder substantially
as described.
8. The combination with the type cylinder an ink-roller and the bearings
therefor having the bosses of the radius arms on the bosses the eccentric sleeves in
the radius arms and the inking-roller journalled in said sleeves substantially as
described.
9. The combination with the type cylinder and frames 46 arranged over it of
the frames 47 sliding thereon the ink-rollers 54 journalled in said frames the
rollers 58 secured thereto the rollers 61 and 64 movable independently of the frame
and ink distributing devices the adjusting screws connecting frames 46 and 47 and

page_text: connections between them for causing their simultaneous operation substantially as
described.
10. In a printing, machine the type or printing, cylinder composed, of the central
core-piece the movable segmental outer parts thereon a printing form secured to
said parts and means for causing the relative movements of the segmental parts to
stretch and hold the form substantially as described.
11. In a printing machine the type cylinder composed of the central core-piece
the segmental parts movable thereon the adjustable wedge between them and the
printing form connected to the segmental parts and adapted to be clamped and
supported by the wedge substantially as described:
Dated this 28th day of December 1894.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.