Improvements in Platens for Printing Presses.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Oct., 1899-Accepted, 6th Jan., 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Platens for Printing Presses.
I, THEOPHIELD DANGLADE OAKLEY, Printer, of No. 526, Elm Street, of the
City of Cincinnati, County of Hamilton and State of Ohio, United States of
America, 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:-
One of the principal objects of my invention is a multiplying platen. By the
use of the same, I am enabled to save much time, labor and expense, as will be
hereinafter apparent.
The several features of my invention and the various advantages resulting from
their use conjointly or otherwise, will be apparent from the following description
and claims.
In the accompanying drawings making a part of this application, and in which
similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
Figure 1 represents a front view of a platen illustrating my invention, and
provided with the usual packing and rules (guides) for enabling the paper to
be printed to register correctly, with that form of type from which the said paper
is to be printed.
Figure 2 is an edge view of the top of the platen, viz., of that edge which is
at the top, in Figure 1.
Figure 3 is an elevation of the inner face or side of the rear piece or portion
of the platen.
Figure 4 is an elevation of the rear side of the front piece or portion of the
platen. It is to be understood that the sides shown in these Figures 3 and 4
face each other, when these two portions of the platen are interlocked.
Figure 5 is a cross vertical section of the platen. This section is taken in the
plane of the dotted line 5, 5, of Figure 1. That face of the section is shown
which, in Figure 1, faces toward the right.
Figure 6 is an elevation of the inner face of the rear portion of the platen,
being a view similar to that shown in Figure 3, but having certain of its pro-
jecting parts modified as hereinafter specified.
I will now proceed to describe my invention in detail. In the first place, I
provide a foundation piece A. This piece is adapted to be suitably located in
the press and to remain there as a constituent part of the latter. In the second
place, I provide an acting platen piece B. This piece B is to be carried by the
foundation or bed piece A, and I provide means to carry this purpose into effect.
Such means may be varied. I herein illustrate a preferred kind of such means
and also adapt these means to admit of the ready adjustment of the piece B to
place in connection with the foundation piece A, and of the ready withdrawal
of the piece B from the piece A. Thus the front surface of the piece A is pro-
vided with grooves C, of a wedge shaped form, the lower portion of these grooves
being narrower than the top. These grooves are also in cross section or in end
view of a dovetail form.

page_text: On the rear side of the front piece B, I provide dovetail projections D, sub-
stantially as shown. The projections are respectively adapted to enter the dove-
tail recesses C and fit therein after the manner of dovetailed joints. Thus the
piece B can be readily united to the piece A by bringing the lower edge of
piece B near to the upper edge of piece A, and then inserting each dovetail B
into its adjacent recess C, and then dropping the piece B down, until the dove-
tail projections D are fitted closely in place within their respective recesses C.
The pieces A and B will then be united as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 5.
In order that the platen piece B may rest perfectly true upon the piece A,
I provide projection E upon the piece A. These projections E may take the
form of studs as in Figure 6, or the form of elongated projections, .e. ribs, as
shown in Figure 2. The form shown in the last named Figure is the preferred
one. Of course the piece B might rest directly and flatly upon the piece A.
Theoretically there could be no objection to such an arrangement and con-
struction, but practically I have ascertained that it is difficult to plane both of
the adjacent surfaces of the pieces A and B perfectly true. Therefore when
applied flatly face to face, and subjected to that pressure to which a platen is
customarily subjected, some part of the platen pieces B would spring, more or
less, out of a true plane. Furthermore, in the expansion and contraction to
which the piece is subjected, the extended flat surfaces get out of true planes.
Also any expansion of the dovetail projections and the edge of their recess would
operate to throw the front surface of the platen out of true. The projections E
extended to a proper elevation obviate this difficulty. They prevent any rocking
of one piece on the other. The dovetail projections I may be fixed on the
piece A and the recesses C may be formed in the piece B, but while such an
arrangement (being a mere reversal of parts) is the same in principle as that
first described, it is objectionable, because it compels me to make my piece B
much thicker than I otherwise would do. The bed piece A is of ample thickness
to receive the recesses C, without injurious diminution of its strength or
efficiency.
.
The projections E may be located on the piece B instead of on the piece A.
But they are preferably located on the piece A, because that piece remains
stationary, and it becomes a matter of indifference whether it is somewhat heavier
by reason of the added weight of the projections E. But in the case of the
piece B, as this is the one to be lifted and moved, the lighter it can be made con-
sistent with efficiency, the better. Therefore the projections E had best be
formed with the piece A.
I provide a suitable device to prevent the piece B from accidentally slipping
out of place on the piece A. A. very convenient description of such device con-
sists of the springs H and the details K. These springs H are preferably fixed
at H2 as shown to the rear side of the platen-piece B, and extend upward and
then over the top of the bed piece A, in the form of a hook handle H³. Each
spring has an opening H. Detents or studs K are fixed in the upper portion
of the front surface of the bed piece A. When the piece B is made to engage
with the piece A, each detent K comes opposite its adjacent hole H* of a spring H,
and is then received in said hole, through the elasticity of the spring continually
pressing toward the bed piece_A. When the operator desires to disengage the
piece B from the piece A, the handle-hook H3 affords suitable means for moving
back the springs II, thereby disengaging them from the detents K, and for then
lifting the piece B out of engagement with the piece A. The piece B may be
carried by the handles H³. The handles also, serve as a convenient means for
reinstating the piece B in connection with the piece A.
The piece B is provided with the customary bales or clamps M, M, respectively
hinged at M², substantially as shown. These bales or clamps M, M, are for the
purpose of properly fixing to the platen, the paper placed on the platen to form
the tympan, and to serve as a basis for overlaying and cutting out to improve
the quality of the press work.

page_text: In the illustrative Figure 1, R indicates paper forming the tympan and held
by the bales or clamps M, M. On this paper are set (usually by paste or glue)
the guide sticks or pieces S, whereby the paper or like article to be printed, as
held in the correct position, for being printed, and while receiving the im-
pression. Further description of this common and well known set of guides S
is unnecessary.
There are many classes of regular work, of a constantly recurring nature.
Among such may be mentioned the bills of fare of restaurants, and of hotels,
labels, certain kinds of advertising matter, and the like. In such classes of work,
it is customary for printers to keep the form of type standing. In such events.
with the kind of platen now in use, suppose an order is received to print a
certain number of copies of such recurring work. The type form for the same
is ready, but another job is in the press, and the tympan of the platen in such
press is fixed for the job now on. Now before I put the recurring job on, I
must tear off from the platen the tympan, or make ready and guide, as the latter
is often termed, and make up a new tympan to suit the form already heretofore
prepared and now to be printed. But by means of my invention, I can save the
tympan already in the press for further use. I take off the whole sectional
top, ie. the piece B and its accompanying parts, together with the make-ready
and guide. Then I place on the platen bed A remaining in the press, another
sectional top piece B with its parts, and having the make ready and guide already
previously prepared and used, when I printed heretofore some recurring work
of this kind. Thus I am enabled to save work hitherto done, and obviate the
necessity of repeating the work now, or hereafter on and for the same kind of
job. I am enabled to economize in the number and kind of hired help. I need
to employ fewer mechanics, and have boys to do much of the work thus simplified.
I am also thus enabled to reduce the labor necessary in printing such jobs, to
a large extent.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. A sectional platen having a bed-piece A. and a front piece B and dovetailed
connections, for enabling them to be securely interlocked, separated and adjusted
at the will of the operator, a spring H, and connections between the bed and
front pieces for enabling the piece B to be held stationary by the spring, and
handles H3 of the springs, substantially as described.
2. A sectional platen having a bed piece and a front piece slidable thereon,
and dovetail connections, for enabling them to be held together, slid, and separ-
ated, spring for locking the front piece on the bed piece, and the binding or
bale pieces, M, pivoted at the ends of the front piece and adapted to embrace the
impression sheet, substantially as described.
3. A sectional platen having a bed-piece A and a front piece B and dovetail
connections for enabling them to be securely interlocked, separated and adjusted
at the will of the operator, a spring H, and connections between the bed and
front pieces for enabling the piece B to be held stationary by the spring, the
binding or bale pieces M pivoted on the front piece and embracing the edges
thereof, and handles H³ of the springs, substantially as described.
4. A sectional platen, being a combination of a bed piece having dovetail
recesses, projections E, studs K, piece B having dovetail projections, spring H,
having holes H therein, handles H³ of the springs, substantially as described.
Dated this 16th day of October, 1899.
THEOPHIELD DANGLADE OAKLEY