CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PRINTING CALICOES AND OTHER FABRICS
Year: 1824

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MATTHEW
BUSH, of West Ham, in the County of Essex, Calico Printer, send greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King George the Fourth,
by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Seventh day of October, in the fifth year of His reign, did,
for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Matthew Bush, His especial licence that I, the said Matthew Bush, my
exors, admors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Matthew Bush, my
exors, admiors, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England,
Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PRINTING CALICOES AND OTHER
FABRICS;" in which said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso obliging
me, the said Matthew Bush, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be
inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent
(as in and by the same), reference being thereunto had, will more fully and
at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Matthew Bush, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and

page_text: the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly described and
ascertained in manner following (that is to say):-
My aforesaid Invention consists in the use and employment of certain small
and short rollers or cylinders, having designs or patterns either indented or
engraved, or otherwise formed in relief upon their circumferences; the said
rollers or cylinders I denominate repeating printing cylinders or rollers, and I
mount the said printing cylinders or rollers in a frame or carriage, and provide
them with a suitable colour reservoir or trough and furnishing apparatus for
the purpose of covering or furnishing them with the required colour, and I
cause, by the aid of suitable machinery, the said printing cylinders or rollers,
together with their appropriate colour troughs and furnishing apparatus as
aforesaid, to roll or travel across or upon the surface of a piece of calico or
other fabric (which is desired to be printed) with a sufficient degree of pressure
to print a stripe or slip of the said design or pattern upon such fabric or piece
of goods equal in extent to the length of the figured or engraved part upon
the printing cylinder or roller, after which operation I advance or move either
the piece of goods or otherwise the frame or carriage containing the printing
cylinder or roller, with its appendages as aforesaid, in a direction parallel to the
axis of the printing cylinder, a distance equal to or corresponding exactly with the
length of the engraved or figured part upon the printing cylinder, (that is, when
the figure or pattern is required to join correctly, as in printing garment pieces,)
and I then repeat the printing of another stripe or slip in a manner similar to
the first, and so on until the entire piece has been printed. But in printing
a style of work, which by calico printers is termed after-grounding, or
grounding off the grass, I move the repeating printing cylinder or otherwise
the piece of goods the required distance, to put in the after ground in a proper
manner without regard to its being moved exactly equal the length of the
engraved part upon the printing cylinder, as will be herein-after explained. By
my said Invention of employing small or short printing cylinders or rollers,
and repeating the impressions upon the piece of goods, a considerable saving
may be effected in the expence of engraving over the methods at present
known and in use for the printing of calicoes or other fabrics.
Having thus far ascertained in a general manner the nature of my aforesaid
Invention, I will describe the manner of performing the same, as follows:-
Figs. 1, 2, 3, upon the Sheet 1 of Drawings, which are hereunto annexed,
represent three different views of a printing machine adapted to the use of my
aforesaid repeating printing cylinders with indented or engraved surfaces, and
where the printing is supposed to be performed in narrow portions or slips, as
aforesaid, in a direction across the breadth of the piece of calico or other

page_text: goods, and the impressions are supposed to be repeated at the proper distances
throughout the length thereof. Fig. 1 represents a cross section of the machine;
Fig. 2, a side section; Fig. 8, a horizontal plan; and Figs. 4 and 5 shew
detached parts of the same. Note, the same characters or letters of reference
denote corresponding parts upon the Figures whenever they occur. A shews
the printing cylinder; its pivots are mounted so as to turn in bearings in a
frame a, a, which frame also supports the colour trough and furnishing
apparatus, as will be herein-after more particularly explained with reference to
the Figs. 4 and 5 upon the Sheet I. of Drawings, and the upper part of the
frame a, a, has a square arm or spindle 6 proceeding from it, which is adapted
to slide up and down without shake, through a square collar or socket c formed
in the centre of a sliding frame or carriage B. This carriage is adapted to
slide steadily and without shake backwards and forwards in angular fittings
at d, d, formed on the stationary frame of the machine. The upper side of the
carriage B has two brackets e, f, arising from it to carry the pivots or fulcrums
of the compound or double lever g and h. The uppermost lever his loaded at
its extremity with the weight i, whilst the lever g bears upon the uppermost end
of the spindle 6 of the frame a, a, for the purpose of creating a sufficient pressure
to make the cylinder print upon the surface of the piece of goods. C shows the
printing table, over which the calico or piece of goods is strained or extended.
The printing table is made as flat and true as possible, and is firmly attached
at its two extremities to the stationary and frames L, L, of the machine; it is
also supported in the middle of its length by a vertical pillar k. The edges
of the printing table, beyond where the printing is performed, are rounded, as
shown in the Fig. 1. The priuting is performed upon an endless blanket or
felt in the ordinary manner; the said blanket or felt passes over a series of rollers
in the following order :-Supposing it to begin at the roller 1, which is situated
against the pillar k, beneath the printing table, it passes under the roller 2,
where it returns and embraces about one half of the circumference of the
larger roller 3. It then passes over the rollers 4, 5, 6, 7, 8;-9, and 10, and
returns to the roller 1, where it is united into an endless webb: The piece of
calico or other fabric desired to be printed is first wound upon the roller 12,
passed over the roller 2, where it meets with the blanket before mentioned.
It then turns round the roller 8, beneath the said blanket, and over the
roller 4. It then proceeds across the surface of the printing table C, where it
receives the impression, as will be herein after described, and passes over the
roller 5, from whence it descends, along with the blanket, to the roller 6,
where it quits the blanket'; and, after proceeding over the rollers 13, 14, 15,
and 16, it hangs down in the form of a loop, and has a sliding roller 17

page_text: bearing with its weight in the said loop. The piece of printed goods after-
wards passes over the roller 18, which is placed so as to bear in contact with
the blanket aforesaid. By this means it is nipped or held sufficiently firm to
prevent the weight of the roller 17 from drawing it back, although the weight
of the roller 17 will always tend to keep the piece in a sufficient degree of
tension over the various rollers. From the roller 18 the piece of printed
goods is suffered to fall down loosely into a box or case, in order to be removed
from the machine. The requisite sliding motion of the carriage B, with its
appendages of levers, printing cylinder, and furnishing apparatus, is performed
by the revolution of the crank D, through the medium of the cermecting rod E,
which is jointed to the carriage, as shewn in the Plate, Fig. 3; and the extent
of the sliding motion of the said carriage is determined by the radius of the
crank D, which radius is capable of being increased or diminished at pleasure
by the aid of a screw 1, which is connected with the crank pin, as shewn by
dotted lines in the plan, Fig. 3. By this means the machine may be adapted
to print fabrics of different widths. The advancing movements of the piece of
calico or other goods, together with the felt or blanket across the surface of
the printing table, is performed to the exact extent or distance required by a
revolving motion of the roller 3, which motion is communicated at proper
intervals to the said roller by the cogs or toothed sectors m and n, which are
formed on the periphery of the wheel F, engaging with the teeth of the
wheel G, which is fixed upon the axis of the roller 3 on the outside of the frame
of the machine, as shewn in the Fig. 2. The wheel F is fixed upon an axis,
supported in two bearings, one of which bearings is formed in the end frame L
of the machine, and the other is fixed to the upright pillar k. The wheel F
is caused to revolve in equal periods with the crank D, being connected by
suitable wheelwork with the axis N of the crank. This wheelwork is not
represented in the Drawing, as it would depend upon the place and situation
of the crank; but the arrangements of the wheel work must be such that the
toothed sectors in & n upon the wheel F will be engaged with the teeth of the
wheel G (for the purpose of advancing the blanket and piece of calico across
the table C, as aforesaid) during the period that the sliding carriage B is near
the extremity of its motion, and whilst the crank D is passing the pitch, as it
is usually termed; and in order that time may be allowed for such advancing
motion of the blanket and piece of goods, the radius of the crank is made
sufficiently long to cause the sliding carriage B and printing cylinder to move
backwards and forwards to an extent considerably greater than the width of
the piece of goods which is required to be printed, by which means the
printing cylinder passes over the edges or selvedges of the piece on both sides,

page_text: and rolls up inclined planes of metal or other substance having an even sur-
face, which are screwed down upon the printing table C at each end thereof,
as shewn at Z, in the Figs. 2 and 4; and it is during the period that the
printing cylinder A is bearing upon and rolling by the motion of the crank
over the inclined planes or pieces Z that the toothed sectors are operating to
turn the roller 3, and advance the blanket and piece forwards sufficiently to
print another width or slip of the pattern. In the machine shewn by the
Figures upon the Sheet I. of Drawings, the roller 3 is supposed to be of such
a diameter as to require to make an exact half revolution, in order to move or
advance the piece of goods in a proper degree to repeat the printing; but the
extent of movement which will be required will, in all cases, be exactly equal
to the length of the printing roller at the engraved part thereof. The said
advancing movement of the blanket and piece of goods requires to be per-
formed with extreme accuracy, for which purpose the sectors m and n, as well
as the wheel G, are provided with adjustable teeth or cogs 0, 0, at the points
where they begin to act, and also at the points where the action terminates.
These adjustable teeth are fixed by screw bolts to the side of the said wheels,
as shewn at 0, 0, in Fig. 2, and they are made to project out beyond the
diameter of the other cogs, in order that they may meet each other in the
manner of wipers before the fixed cogs begin to operate, by which means the
said cogs will be more certain to strike in and engage with each other in a
proper manner.
Figs. 4 and 5, upon the Sheet I. of Drawings hereunto annexed, will serve
to explain the manner in which the small printing cylinder or roller aforesaid
is mounted in its frame and furnished with colour. These two Figures
are drawn to a scale of twice the size of the Figures 1, 2, and 8, upon the
same Sheet. The printing cylinder A is turned cylindrical throughout the part
where the design or pattern is engraved upon it, beyond which point it is
turned down to a cone, diminishing in size nearly to the diameter of its
pivots, as shewn in the section of the machine, Fig. 1, and also by the
dotted lines in the Fig. 5. The pivots of the said cylinder are adapted
to turn in bearings formed at the lower ends of the frame a, a, being
kept tight by a bearing strap, furnished with a cross key or wedge. The
colour trough is composed of two end pieces H, H, of a triangular form, which
are united firmly together into a kind of frame by four cross bolts marked r,
having nuts on the outsides. The inclined edges of the end pieces are grooved,
in order to receive the inclined sides or plates I, I, as shewn in the Fig. 5.
The end pieces H, H, I usually make of wood; and I form conical cavities at
the lower part, which cavities are fitted exactly to the conical ends of the

page_text: printing cylinder, so as to bear upon the upper part thereof, and prevent the
escape of the colour from the trough at that part. I make the said end pieces
thicker in the middle, so as to form vertical ribbs, which are adapted to slide
up and down between the two cheeks of the frame a, a, as seen in Fig. 5;
and by having the screws t, t, through the cross bar of the frame a, a, as scen
in Figs. 1 and 4, I am enabled to press the colour trough upon the printing
cylinder in proportion as the conical cavities wear away. The side plates I, I,
are inserted into the grooves in the end pieces, and are pressed down sufficiently
upon the cylindrical surface of the printing cylinder by the aid of screws 8, s,
which pass through two of the cross bolts r, r; by this means the colour is
prevented from escaping from the trough, except such as may be carried down
or conveyed in the engraved lines or pattern upon the surface of the printing
cylinder during its revolution, which is occasioned in the act of printing. By
this construction of the sides and ends of the colour trough the surface of the
printing cylinder is wiped or cleaned from colour, leaving it only in the engravel
lines of the pattern; but if any excess of colour should pass by the fittings
of the ends or sides of the colour trough aforesaid, it will be cleaned by
the one or other of the steel blades or plates marked v, v, in Fig. 4, which
plates are usually called by the calico printers doctors. They are constructed
with streight edges in such manner as to bear with a slight pressure against
the surface of the printing cylinder, and are mounted upon pivots at their
extremities, which turn in small brackets w, w, screwed to the sides of the
frame a, a, as seen clearly in Figs. 2 and 5, the pivots being retained in their
places by keys, so that the doctors may be easily removed, in order to wipe the
edges, when any quantity of colour is found to have accumulated upon them;
and the pressure of the edges against the surface of the printing cylinder may
be increased or diminished at pleasure by the screws x, x, which pass through
slight levers or arms proceeding from the said doctors near their pivot or centre
of motion; the screws a, a, aro adapted to bear against the frame a, a, and
when turned so as to force the upper ends of the said levers or arms away
from the frame, they cause the edges of the doctors to bear harder against the
surface of the printing cylinder, and vice versa. In general I find it adviseable
to apply other screws for the purpose of forcing or springing the edges at the
extremities of the doctors against the conical ends of the printing cylinder, in
order to insure the perfect cleaning of the ends thereof. The disposition of
these screws are seen at the part v, v, Fig. 4; they are tapped through holes in
a bar of metal, which is affixed to the cylinder frame a, a, and their ends are
adapted to press against the back of the doctor blades so as to force them into
contact with the conical ends of the cylinders; these screws are also shown at

page_text: v, v, Fig. 10, Sheet II. The colour is introduced into the colour trough so
as to rest upon the upper part of the printing cylinder, and a furnishing or
distributing roller K, covered with blanket or felt, is situated in the colour
trough, with liberty of rising and falling slightly so as to bear with its weight
upon the surface of the printing cylinder. Thus, when the printing cylinder
is caused to revolve by passing over the pieces of cloth in the act of printing,
the roller K will revolve also by the friction against its surface, and will
effectually press the colour into the engraved lines upon the circumference of
the printing cylinder, so as to furnish the same with colour in a proper manner
to enable it to print. The two colours which are applied, one on each side,
are for the purpose of cleaning or scraping the printing cylinder as it moves or
revolves in either direction, the said apparatus being adapted to print both in
going and returning across the piece, as will be hereafter described in
explaining the operation of the printing machine, which takes place as
follows:-
Suppose the machine to be in the situation shewn by the Figure 2, and the
sliding carriage B, with its appendages, to be in the act of moving in the
direction shewn by the arrow in Figure 2, carrying along with it the printing
cylinder, with its colour trough and furnishing apparatus. The pressure of the
weight i, acting with the double or compound lever, as aforesaid, will cause
the printing cylinder to revolve and leave impression upon the piece of goods,
the colour being furnished to the cylinder in a regular manner during its revo-
lution at the upper side thereof, as herein-before described, during the period
that the cylinder is in the act of printing the plain part of the wheel F. is
passing by the teeth of the cog-wheel G, and therefore produces no effect upon
the said wheel; but by the time that the printing cylinder has passed off the
edge of the piece of goods and blanket, and has arrived upon one of the
inclined planes Z, as before mentioned, the cogs or teeth of one of the sectors
m or n, upon the wheel F, begin to engage with the teeth of the wheel G, and
thus turn the wheel G and roller S, and advance the endless blanket and piece
of goods across the printing table C; the piece of goods being drawn off
upon the roller 12, and kept in a sufficient degree of tension by the friction of
a cord and weight applied upon the rollers in the usual manner. This motion
of the blanket and piece takes place whilst the crank D is passing the pitch or
centre, and therefore is operating to move the sliding carriage B very slowly,
so as to allow time for the entire number of teeth of one of the sectors m
or n to pass by and turn the wheel G.and roller 8 one half of a revolution
before the printing cylinder has descended from the inclined plane Z, so as to
come again upon the piece of goods in a proper position to be passed across

page_text: the piece a second time, and thereby print another slip or stripe of the pattern
joining correctly with the first printed; thus the printing cylinder, together
with its colour trough and furnishing apparatus, will continue to traverse back-
wards and forwards across the piece of goods, and print it in both directions,
the blanket and piece of goods being caused to advance the proper distance, as
aforesaid, during the time that the printing cylinder is working up and down
the inclined plane Z at each end of the printing table. In some cases it may
be found advisable to cover the pieces Z with a blanket, or other similar
elastic substance, for the printing cylinder to pass over.
If the printing
cylinder should be found to leave a stronger impression on one side than the
other, its axis may be adjusted or inclined slightly in either direction by the
screws q, q, which pass through the centre piece of the carriage B, and press
against each side of the socket through which the spindle 6 of the printing
cylinder frame a, a, slides, as shewn in Figure 1. In some cases the inclined
planes Z may be dispensed with, and instead of which the printing cylinder,
with its appendages, may be raised or drawn up at the proper instant at each
end of its course by any convenient means, and held in such position during
the period that the blanket and piece of goods are advancing across the
printing table; it may then let down so as to be in a proper situation for
printing a second slip of the pattern, and so on.
Figures 6 and 7, upon the Sheet 11. of Drawings hereunto annexed, represent
two views of a printing machine adapted to the printing of shawls or handker-
chiefs with borders, being provided with one of my improved repeating printing
cylinders or rollers, with its appropriate colour trough and furnishing apparatus.
Note, in this machine the printing cylinder is supposed to have the pattern or
design formed in relief upon its circumference, or its prominent characters, in order
to produce that description of work which is termed by calico printers (surface
printing). In this case the color is furnished or applied upon the surface of
the printing roller in a different manner to what I have already described, as
will be herein-after particularly explained. A shews the printing cylinder; it
is mounted upon pivots in a frame a, b, which frame also supports the colour
trough and furnishing apparatus; the part or spindle 6 is made square, and is
adapted to slide correctly up and down through a socket c, formed in the
middle of the carriage B, which carriage is made to slide without shake
between angular fittings formed upon the edges of the frame d, d. This frame
is supported upon four strong pillars, two of which are seen at L, L, in Fig. 7;
these pillars rise up from the ground, and are united at the top in pairs by
bars or rails M, M, formed to angular groove, as seen at 7, 7. In these grooves
the lower end of the projecting parts e, c, of the frame d, d, are adapted to

page_text: slide backwards and forwards, such sliding movement being in a direction at
right angles or perpendicular to the sliding motion of the carriage B before
mentioned. C shews the printing table; it is formed square and of sufficient
dimensions to spread at one time the largest sized shawls or hankerchiefs which
are desired to be printed. This printing table is made true and flat upon its
upper surface, and has a strong tube P, P, projecting downwards from its
under side in the centre thereof, which tube is bored true and is adapted to fit
correctly, and without shake, over a stationary column or pillar k, which is
firmly secured to the ground in such manner that the printing table C is
capable of being made to revolve upon the pillar k as an axis of motion,
carrying along with it the various rollers which contain and conduct the blanket
or felt, and also the piece of calico or other fabric desired to be printed. The
said rollers are mounted upon pivots turning in bearings or supports affixed to
the printing table, as shewn in the section, Fig. 7. In this machine the
blanket is not formed into an endless web,.as described for the last machine,
but is first wound upon the roller 1, from whence it passes to the upper side
of the roller 2, where it meets with the calico or piece of goods which is
brought over the rollers 18 and 14 from the piece roller 12; the calico and
blanket then proceed together over the roller 8, and pass across the surface of
the printing table C, the blanket being undermost; and after the printing has
been performed upon the piece of goods, as will be hereafter described, the
blanket and piece turn over the roller 4, and operate from each other, the
blanket passing over the rollers 5 and 6 to the roller 7, where it is finally
wound up, as will be herein-after explained, after which the piece of printed
goods descends to the roller 15, passes over the small rollers 16, 17, 18, 19,
20, 21, 22, and 23, by which time the colour has become sufficiently dried to
admit without injury of the piece of printed goods being finally wound upon
the roller 24, in order to be removed from the machine. Note, the rod lines
in the Figure 7 will serve to explain clearly the course of the piece of calico
or other fabric as above described. The colour is furnished upon the surface
of the printing roller in the following manner :-Q, Q, represent the colour
trough; it is divided by partitions in such manner that the colour is retained in
the two outer compartments, being those in which the colour rollers I, I, are
adapted to revolve; the surface of these rollers is covered with felt or other
soft material. H, H, represent two furnishing or distributing rollers; they are
also covered with several thicknesses of blanket or other yielding substance, and
are for the purpose of receiving the colour from the colour rollers I, I, (with
which they are in contact) and distributing or furnishing it upon the surface
of the printing roller-A; for this purpose one of the pivots of the printing
roller is provided with a small cog wheel, which communicates by means of

page_text: two immediate wheels on each side with cog wheels, which are fixed upon the
axes of the two furnishing rollers H, I, at the same time that the furnishing
and colour rollers are connected by cog wheels. By this arrangement, when
the printing roller A is caused to revolve by its motion over the surface of the
piece of goods in the act of printing, it communicates motion by the interven-
tion of the said cog wheels to the two furnishing rollers H, H, and also to the
colour rollers I, I, by which action the colour rollers carry up from the colour
trough a portion of colour on their surfaces and communicate it to the fur-
nishing rollers, and they in their turn deposit it upon the printing roller, the
colour rollers being prevented from taking up too much colour by having strait
edges or adjustable rulers of metal bearing slightly against their surfaces,
somewhat in the manner of the doctors herein-before described. In speaking
of the first machine, the use of the two colour rollers and two furnishing
rollers is to insure a better distribution of colour over the surface of the
printing roller. Note, the cog wheels, which are fixed upon the axes of
the printing and furnishing rollers, as aforesaid, must be of the same rela-
tive diameters as the relative diameters of the rollers themselves, in order that
the circumferences of the various rollers may be caused to move with the same
actual velocity, so as to prevent any rubbing or sliding of the surfaces which
are in contact over each other. When the printing is performed with a roller
having the design or pattern formed in relief upon its circumference, it only
requires to bear with a slight pressure upon the piece of goods, in order to
produce a good impression; this is effected by the weights or rings of metal i,
which are placed upon the upper part of the spindle 6 of the printing roller
frame. g shews a lever or handle which moves upon a center affixed to the
sliding carriage B; it is for the purpose of raising the under surface of the
printing roller up clear of the piece of goods when required, in which position
it is retained by the spring catch h. I will describe the operation of the
machine, supposing it to be in the act of printing a piece of goods in the form
of shawls or handkerchiefs, having an ornamented border or margin round
each, which said borders I usually print with one of my aforesaid repeating
cylinders or rollers throughout the entire piece of goods; and I afterwards begin
by a second operation, and with a suitable printing cylinder or roller to print
the centres of the said shawls or handkerchiefs, or what is usually called the
filling. I will first describe the manner of printing the borders, which
operation is performed as follows:-Suppose the machine to be in the
position represented by the section, Fig. 7, where the blanket and piece of
goods is represented as strained across the printing table C, and the sliding
carriage B is brought into contact with a fixed stop or stud s, at the left-
hand end of the sliding frame d, d; the sliding frame d, d, which supports

page_text: the carriage B, as aforesaid, is supposed to be retained by a stop in the
position shewn by the Plan, Fig. 6, the printing table C being prevented from
turning round upon its axis, as aforesaid by a spring catch or stop r (which is
affixed to one of the stationary pillars L) seizing a stud upon one of its
corners, as shown in Fig. 6. In this situation the spring catch h before
mentioned is withdrawn from the lever g, and the printing roller is let down
upon the surface of the piece of goods; the printer then turns the handle D,
whose pinion operates upon the toothed rack. E, which is attached to the
sliding carriage B, and by this means the printing roller A is caused to roll
or travel over the piece of goods (carrying its colour trough and furnishing
apparatus along with it as aforesaid, and thereby the printing of one side of
the border of the shawl or handkerchief is effected, the sliding carriage B
being regulated in its range of motion by coming into contact with the fixed
stop t at the right-hand end of the frame d, d. The printer now raises the
printing roller up by its lever g, so as to be clear of the piece of goods, in
which position it is retained by the spring catch h, as aforesaid, and by turning
the handle D in a contrary direction he causes the sliding carriage B, printing
roller, and appendages, to return to its original position at the left hand of the
machine; the printing table with its appendages as aforesaid, is now turned
round upon its axis or pillar k one fourth of a revolution, at which part it is
retained or locked fast. by the spring catch or stop r, before mentioned, seizing
one of the studs upon its corners as aforesaid. In this situation the printing
roller is let down upon the piece of goods, and is caused to roll or travel upon
the surface of the same, in order to print another side of the border; the mitre
or joinings of the said borders at the corners being performed in the usual
manner, by the aid of the pieces of oilskin, which are termed cuts, laid on at
the proper places by a lad; in this manner the four sides or slips composing
the border of a shawl or handkerchief are printed. This being done the printer
raises the printing roller up clear of the piece of goods, and catches it up by
the spring h; he then proceeds to advance the blanket and piece of goods
forward in the direction of the arrow shewn in Fig. 7, in a sufficient degree to
form another shawl or handkerchief; to effect this he turns round the blanket
roller 7 by its handle G, seen in Figure 7, which operates to wind up the
blanket upon the circumference of the roller, and draws it, together with the
piece of goods, across the printing table C, the blanket and piece coming in
an equal degree off the rollers 1 and 12 before mentioned, which rollers are
caused to turn with considerable friction (in order to keep the blanket and
piece in a sufficient degree of tension) by the operation of the weights wand
cords v, which pass round pulleys fixed upon the axis of the said rollers. The

page_text: roller 7 is prevented from recoiling by the operation of a ratchet wheel, which
is fixed upon the end of its axis, and is provided with a click, affixed to the
edge of the printing table. The piece of goods is caused to wind upon the
roller 24 by the aid of an endless strap or belt 25, which passes round a pulley
or rigger upon its axis, and also round a pulley upon the axis of the blanket
roller; thus the rollers 7 and 2+ are caused to turn together, although the
endless strap 25 will slip in a certain degree upon the rigger if the piece
of goods should become strained too tight. By this arrangement the printer
is enabled to advance the piece of goods the proper distance to print the
borders of a number of shawls or handkerchiefs throughout its entire length;
having done which, he either proceeds to print or border several pieces in the
like manner, or otherwise to wind the blanket, together with the bordered
piece of calico or goods, back on to their respective rollers 1 and 12, in order to
commence printing the middle or filling of the shawls or handkerchiefs, which
is performed as follows:-He first removes the printing roller A, with its
appendages. and substitutes in its place another printing or surface roller
(with its appendages, adapted to the design or pattern of the filling, or other-
wise he substitutes one of my repeating printing cylinders, with its appendages,
as described with reference to Figures 4 and 5, Sheet I., engraved so as to be
suitable for the pattern or design of the filling. After the machine is thus
prepared the printer brings into a proper situation upon the printing table C,
one of the square borders which had been printed by the previous operation,
and the lad who lays down slips of oilskins called cuts upon the two cross
borders, in order that the printing cylinder or roller in the act of printing the
filling may pass partially over the printed borders without injury to them, and
by that means insure a good joining of the filling to the said borders. In this
state the printing cylinder or roller is adjusted by sliding the frame d, d, in its
angular grooves 1, 1, until it is in the proper place to begin to print the
first portion or slip of the filling; this sliding motion of the frame d, d, is
performed by the printer in turning the handle F, which is fixed upon an
axis m, extending the entire length of the frame d, d, and turning in bearings
affixed to the said frame. The axis m is furnished with a pinion n at each
end thereof, which pinions are adapted to work into toothed racks o, o,
affixed to the rails M, M, of the stationary pillars L, L. The printing of the
first slip or portion of the filling is now performed by turning the handle D,
and thus moving the printing cylinder or roller over the piece of goods until
the carriage B arrives at the proper place at the right-hand end of the
frame d, d; the printing cylinder is then raised up clear of the piece of goods,
and by means of the handle D is returned to its original position, after which the

page_text: sliding frame d, d, is moved in its grooves 1, 2, by means of the handle F, to
the exact distance for repeating the printing of another slip of the filling
pattern, which printing is performed by turning the handle D, as aforesaid.
The distance of the side motion of the frame d, d, is determined by two palls
or clicks p, p, acting against the teeth or stops formed upon the edges of
plates or racks q, q, which are firmly fixed to the stationary rails M, M. The
teeth or steps of these racks are formed at such a distance apart as to correspond
exactly with the length of the engraved or figured part upon the printing cylinder
or roller, and the clicks p, p, are caused to bear steadily against the steps of
the said racks (during the act of printing) by the operation of the weights a,,
which are attached to cords y, y, passing over pulleys in such manner as to
tend constantly to draw the sliding frame d, d, with its appendages, forward
in the grooves 1, . In some cases I employ a machine for printing bordered
shawls or handkerchiefs, by means of my aforesaid repeating printing cylinder or
roller, wherein the printing table does not require to revolve, as before described,
but remains stationary. In this construction, the frame which carries the pivots
of the printing roller, with its appendages of colour trough and furnishing appa-
ratus, is connected with the sliding carriage B by means of its spindle b sliding
through a cylindrical socket in the centre thereof, in such manner that the
printing roller frame, with its appendages, may be caused to revolve upon the
cylindrical spindle 6 as a vertical axis of motion, such revolution being per-.
formed one fourth at a time by means of a wheel fixed upon the top of the
spindle having four no:ches cut in its circumference, into which notches a spring
catch or detent is adapted to fall. This machine is provided with a sliding
carriage and a sliding frame moving at right angles to each other, as herein-
before described with reference to the Figures 6 and 7 upon the Sheet 11, of
Drawings. The manner of printing the borders of shawls with this machine
is as follows:-Suppose the printing roller to have been moved or rolled over
the piece of goods so as to print one side of the border for a shawl or hand-
kerchief, the printing roller frame, with its appendages, after being raised up
clear off the piece of goods, is to be turned round upon its cylindrical spindle
one fourth of a revolution, as above mentioned, after which tho printing roller
being let down may be moved or rolled along so as to print another side of the
border, being at right angles to the former; it is then to be raised up again
and turned one fourth more, in order to print the third side of the border in a
direction parallel to the first, and in like manner the four sides composing the
entire border may be printed. Thus the sliding carriage and the sliding frame,
which are at right angles to each other, as above described, are used in succession
to move or roll the printing cylinder over the piece of goods, the extent of their

page_text: motions being regulated by means of adjustable stops, against which they are
brought to bear at each end of their course, the corner being joined by means
of oilskin cuts laid on by a lad, as above described. In this machine, with a
stationary printing table, the filling or middle pattern of the shawls or hand-
kerchiefs may be printed in the same manner as I have already described with
reference to Figures 6 and 7, Sheet 11, (but the blanket upon which the print-
ing is performed will admit of being formed into an endless web, as described
with reference to the Figs. 1, 2, 3, upon the Sheet I. The piece of calico or
other goods will also admit of being carried through the machine in the
manner described in the last-mentioned Figures.
Figures 8 and 9, upon the Sheet II. of Drawings hereunto annexed, will serve to
explain a construction of printing machine provided with one of my said repeating
printing cylinders or rollers. This machine is particularly adapted to a
description of work which is known to calico priuters by the term after-grounding.
or grounding off the grass, viz', the printing of various designs or patterns upon
pieces of calico or other fabrics after they have been printed by the ordinary
methods and undergone the process of whitening or bleaching. Fig. 8 represents
an end section of the machine, and Fig. 9, a front view drawn partly in section.
A shews the printing cylinder; it is mounted in a frame a, b, and is provided
with its colour trough and furnishing apparatus similar to what I have herein-
before described with reference to the Figures upon the Sheet I. of Drawings
hereunto annexed. The frame a, b, is also connected with a sliding carriage B,
which is capable of moving steadily between the angular bars d, d, of the
stationary framing, and is provided with a weight i, and compound lever g, h,
similar in every essential part to the machine above referred to. C shews tho
pressure or table roller upon which the printing is performed (instead of upon
a flat table, as I have herein-before described). The roller C is partly encom-
passed by the endless blanket, which circulates round the rollers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,
and 8, in the direction shewn by the arrow in the section, Figure 8.
12 repre-
sents the piece collar upon which the printed calico or other goods desired to
be after-grounded is first wound in a regular and even manner; from this
roller the piece of goods is conducted over the rollers 13 and 14, and cross the
small table or platform c to the table roller C, where it lies over the endless
blanket, and after being printed or after-grounded, as will be herein-after
described, it proceeds along with the blanket over the rollers 1 and 2, at which
part it quits the blanket, and passes away in succession over the rollers 15, 16,
17, 18, 19, & 20, where it is delivered from the machine, as will appear by
the red line in Figure 8, which represents the course of the calico or piece of
goods through the machine. In the Figure 9 the piece of goods is represented

page_text: as having a striped pattern or design already printed upon it, only three strips of
which pattern are shewn in the Figure, in order to explain the manner of putting
in the after-ground with my repeating printing cylinder, which is represented
at A as engraved with two stripes of design or figure at a proper distance
assonder to fall in the spaces between the pattern which is supposed to be
already printed upon the piece of goods. The table roller C has a fast and
loose pulley D and E upon one end of its axis, round which an endless strap
or belt e is supposed to pass for the purpose of communicating a rotatury
motion from any suitable prime mover to the said table roller, and thereby to
advance the blanket and piece of goods forwards over the various rollers
aforesaid in the direction shewn by the arrow in Fig. 8; by this advancing
motion the piece of goods passes along with the blanket between the table
roller C and printing cylinder or roller, which is continually furnished with
colour as aforesaid; by this means the piece of goods receives the impression,
and as the piece of goods is kept continually in motion the printing is performed
regularly from one end thereof to the other. During the time that the piece of
goods is thus passing the person who attends the machine is situated in front
and observes attentively if the pattern strikes in regularly between the stripes
or patterns already printed upon the goods, and if he observes any irregularity
he is enabled before it arrives under the printing roller to stretch or adjust the
piece with his fingers upon the table c, and by that means he can put in after-
grounding in a very regular manner; if any thing should go wrong he can stop
the machine in an instant by moving the sliding barf, f, endways, which will
operate to move the endless strap e on to the loose pulley D. The attendant
is also provided with another means of adjusting or regulating the piece of
goods in its passage through the machine, which is as follows:-The roller 14,
over which the piece of goods passes, is furnished with very minute points pro-
jecting from its surface near the ends, which points are adapted to take into
the calico or fabric in a sufficient degree to enable the roller 14, if moved or
slided endways in its bearings, to carry the piece of goods along with it; such
end sliding movement of the roller is effected by the aid of a small lever m,
moving upon a fixed centre in the middle and formed to a fork at the upper-
most end, capable of embracing a grooved collar upon the end of the spindle
of the roller 14, the opposite end of the lever m being connected with a nutt
or boss n, into which nut a screw is adapted to work in such manner
that if the screw is turned round in either direction by the small cranked handle
o, o, which works in slationary bearings attached to the framing, such motion
will cause the nut n to move or travel upon the screw to or from the frame of the
machine, and by moving the other extremity of the lever m, it will slide the

page_text: .
roller 14 endways in its bearings as aforesaid. The piece roller 12 bas a similar
and simultaneous end sliding motion communicated to it by means of the
lever p, which turns upon a fixed centre in the middle, and is connected
with the nut n at the outer extremity exactly in the same manner as the
lever m. After the entire piece of goods has been passed once through the
machine, and one width of the after-grounding printing, the printing roller A is
raised up by the levers g and h, and the piece wound back upon the roller
12, or otherwise brought to its original position by being wound upon another
roller, so as to be placed in the machine again in the situation of the roller 12,
after which the sliding carriage B and printing roller, with its appendages,
is moved endways exactly to a proper distance to put in the next piece or
stripe of after-grounding, and so on throughout the whole width of the piece
of goods. The extent of motion each time of the carriage B is supposed to be
governed by the palls or clucks t, v, hooking into the teeth of the fixed
racks w, w, the sliding carriage being kept steady during the act of printing
by the operation of the weight a. One extremity of the table roller C has
a coy wheel fixed upon it, which engages with the teeth of a pinion turning
in collars or sockets affixed to the stationary framing of the machine, as seen
at r, Fig. 9; the axis of this pinion is bored through in order to receive the
axis or sliding spindle s. One extremity of this spindle is connected by a
coupling box with the axis of the printing cylinder A, and it is either
formed to a square or cylinder, having a fillet upon it throughout the entire
length, so as to be capable of sliding freely endways through the hole in
the axis of the pinion r, but without being at liberty to turn round indepen-
dantly of the said pinion. By this arrangement the table roller C is caused
to give motion in a regular manner to the printing cylinder, although the
printing cylinder is moved in the direction of its axis at intervals in order to
put in the after-rounding. I sometimes employ a screw to move the sliding
carriage B sideways at the proper intervals. This machine, like those herein-
before described, is capable of being used either with engraved printing
cylinders or with surface rollers, having designs or patterns in relief upon
their circumferences.
Fig. 10, upon the Sheet II. of Drawings which is hereunto annexed, will
serve to explain another application of my aforesaid repeating printing
cylinders or rollers adapted for the purpose of putting in after or grass
groundings. In this construction the repeating printing cylinder, which is
marked A, is supposed to be perforated through its axis, and fitted so as to be
capable of sliding with accuracy upon the surface of a cylindrical axis or
mandrills, s, which said mandrill may be supposed to be introduced into a

page_text: cylinder printing machine of the ordinary description in place of the long
engraved printing cylinder which is generally employed in those machines;
or it may be supported in bearings in a machine such as is shewn in Figs. 8
and 9, being situated in the position of the axis s in Fig. 9. The axis or
mandrill 8, s, has a fillet or rib projecting from it which enters a groove
formed inside the cylinder A, whereby the said cylinder is prevented from
turning round, upon the mandrill, although it is at liberty to be moved along
upon the mandrill for the purpose of bringing it into the exact situation for
putting in the after. ground in the manner herein-before described with
reference to Figs. 8 and 9, Sheet II.; when the printing cylinder A. has been
moved into its proper place upon the mandrill, it may be secured by means
of the two clamping pieces or stops.t, t, being brought against its two ends,
and fastened by the aid of the four clamping screws seen in Fig. 10. r repre-
sents a pinion upon the end of the mandrill, the pitch diameter of which is
equal to the diameter of the printing roller A. This pinion is supposed to
work into the teeth of a cog wheel which is fixed upon the end of the
pressure or table roller. The use of this pinion and wheel is to oblige the
circumference of the printing cylinder to move with the same velocity as the
circumference of the table roller, which could not otherwise be depended
upon from the comparatively small surface of the printing cylinder. which is in
contact with the surface of the piece of goods. v, v, represents a bar. of
metal which is supposed to be fixed to the colour trough or printing roller
frame. This bar has screws through it for the purpose of bending or forcing
the extremities of the docter blades against the conical ends of the printing
cylinder, so as thereby to free them from any superfluous colour and prevent
them soiling the goods. The pressure or table roller of this machine may
either be situated above the printing roller, with the colour trough and fur-
nishing apparatus beneath, in the manner of ordinary cylinder printing
machines, or it may be disposed as shewn in Figs. 8 and 9, which latter
method I consider as preferable in practise, since it gives the printer a better
opportunity of observing the progress of his work, which is particularly neces
sary in putting in after-grounds as aforesaid.
Having already described the nature and application of my said Invention
of. Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Printing Calicoes or other
Fabrics in such manner as to enable persons conversant with works of a similar
nature to put them in practice, I do hereby declare that I consider my claim
to consist in the general use and employment of the aforesaid repeating
the
printing cylinders or rollers, as marked A in the various Figures upon
annexed Drawings), and which are adapted to move or travel over the piece of

page_text: calico or other fabric, carrying along with them the colour trough and
furnishing apparatus as aforesaid, so as to print or repeat the impression
from the circumference of the said printing cylinder or roller upon the piece
of calico or other fabric, as herein-before described. I have represented,
with reference to the annexed Drawings, three different machines wherein my
aforesaid improvements are applied; but I am aware that my repeating
printing cylinders or rollers may be applied and put in motion in a variety of
ways which must be left to the discretion of the workman or persons adopting
the same.
There are many parts shewn in the annexed Drawings, and
described, which are known and in use with calico printers, and I therefore
make no claim to them, they only having been introduced in this my Specifi-
cation to explain clearly the application of my improved repeating printing
cylinders or rollers as above stated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Matthew Bush, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand night hundend
MATTHEW (L.S.) BUSH.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Seventh day of April, in
the year of our Lord 1825, the aforesaid Matthew Bush came before our
said Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to
the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Seventh day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and twenty-five.