AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR PRINTING ON GLASS AND. OTHER MATERIALS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Davies, of No. 1, Serle Street, Lincoln's Inn,
in the County of Middlesex, and No. 87, St. Vincent Street, in the
City of Glasgow, Civil Engineer and Patent Agent, for the Invention
⚫ of "AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR PRINTING ON GLASS AND.
OTHER MATERIALS."-A communication from abroad by Isaac Lewis Miles,
of Charlestown, Massachusetts, United States of America.
Sealed the 5th January 1867, and dated the 8th August 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Davies at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
8th August 1866.
I, GEORGE DAVIES, of No. 1, Serle Street, Lincoln's Inn, in the County of
Middlesex, and No. 87, St. Vincent Street, in the City of Glasgow, Civil
Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR PRINTING ON GLASS AND
OTHER. MATERIALS," (a communication to me from abroad by Isaac Lewis
Miles, of Charlestown, Massachusetts, United States of America,) to be as.
follows:-
The apparatus consists, firstly, of a box or case, in the top of which are.
three parallel slots, the middle slot being the shortest. Across an opening in
one side of the box extends a pin, to which is hung a lever, the inner end of
the latter being confined vertically to the lower end of a block which is
arranged to slide up and down in an opening in the centre of the top of the
box. In the upper end of the block is a dovetailed recess or groove, in which
fits a dovetailed projection at the under side of a plate, the latter resting on

page_text: On
the top of the box, and having a curved or rounded upper surface, to which is
secured a curved form of elastic type. At opposite sides of the plate are
adjustable strips or ways, the upper edges of which are curved to correspond
to the curvature of the face of the form of types, and are level or nearly
level with the surface of the latter. On the curved edge of each way is
secured a strip of gum elastic or other material, which will serve the purpose
described hereafter. Each of the ways is provided with two projections which
extend through the outer slots and between two parallel strips or clamps, the
former being secured to the under side of the top at right angles to the slots
and the latter sliding on projections at the side of the box, and being main-
tained in contact with the projections first above named by set screws.
the top plate at one side of and parallel to one of the ways rests an adjustable
strip or guide, the upper edge of which projects above that of the way, the said
guide being secured in the position to which it may be adjusted by a thumb-
screw projecting through the central slot, and having on the lower end a nut
which bears against the under side of the top plate. The outer end of the
lever is depressed and the plate and its type are raised so that the surface of
the latter may be coated with ink or other desired composition, after which
the plate is depressed until it again rests on the top of the box. The strip or
guide is adjusted to such a position that it will serve as a guide, against which
one edge of the plate of glass or other material is caused to bear, thereby
determining the positon of the printed matter on the said plate. The sheet of
glass or other material to be printed on is held so that it may rest near one
of its edges on the top, and near the end of the ways; the operator then
gradually depresses the highest edge of the glass so as to move or roll it over
and in contact with the curved ways without permitting it to slide on or to
be elevated free from contact with the said ways, the glass as it is thus
moved being brought in contact with the inked surface of the elastic type,
from which an impression is thus taken. If a plate of glass be pressed on to a
flat bed of elastic type, so as to receive at once the entire impression, the latter
is apt to be blurred and irregular unless the glass is perfectly flat, which is
rarely the case. When rolled over the curved surface of the type however, as
above described, a clear and otherwise,perfect impression is obtained, as many
practical tests have demonstrated. When it is desired to print on a curved
plate of glass or other material, or on a cylindical object, the curved plate is
removed and a flat plate having a flat form of type is secured to the block
straightways, the upper edges of which are even with the face of the flat
form of type are also substituted for the curved ways. The object to be
printed on is then rolled on the ways over and in contact with the type, so s

page_text: to receive an impression therefrom, the gum elastic on the ways preventing
the article from slipping and the guide insuring the printing of the article at
the proper point, as before described. In a modification of the above two
side frames are secured to a base plate, and in the former turn the journals
of two parallel shafts, to which are secured rollers. To the face of the lower
roller are secured two adjustable curved ways, the edges of which are
covered with strips of gum elastic, and between the said ways is secured a
form of elastic type, the surface of which is curved and level with the edges
of the ways; on this roller at right angles to the ways is also secured an
adjustable guide, and to each of the frames is secured a horizontal guide, the
upper edge of which is level with the upper edges of the ways. The upper
roller consists of, or is covered with gum elastic or other suitable elastic
material, the surface of the said roller being a short distance from that of the
form of type, and on one end of the shaft is a pinion which gears with a cog
wheel on the end of the lower roller shaft, the pinion and wheel being so
proportioned that when the shafts are turned the surfaces of the two rollers
shall move at the same speed. In the side frames at one side of the lower
roller turn the journals of inking rollers, which are so arranged as to apply
the ink or other material to the surface of the type when the latter is carried
past them. In brackets secured to the side frames turns a shaft, to which
are secured a hand lever and two plates, and in the latter turn the journals of
two parallel rollers, for a purpose described hereafter. A rotary motion is.
imparted to each of the rollers, and as the guide is brought towards the upper
roller a plate of glass or other material is placed on the ways with one edge
against the said guide. As the plate is carried between the two rollers the
top roller presses on the upper surface of the same and holds it firmly against
the ways, while the elastic type is brought against the lower surface of the.
plate, and prints the design on the same. As the plate passes between the
rollers it slides into the guides which maintain it in a horizontal position while
being printed and hold it after it is discharged from the rollers. If desired
the surface of the top roller instead of being plain may be covered with
numerous small elastic projections; the said projections yielding so as to
accommodate themselves to irregularaties in the plate and yet retaining &
firm hold on the same, so that it is effectually prevented from slipping. When
it is desired to print the glass on both sides at the same time a printing roller
is substituted for the top roller, and a second inking roller is secured at the
side of the new roller.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Davies in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th February 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
DAVIES, of No. 1, Serle Street, Lincoln's Inn, in the County of Middlesex,
and No. 87, St. Vincent Street, in the City of Glasgow, Civil Engineer and
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand, eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said George Davies, Her special licence that I, the said George Davies, my.
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George
Davies, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND
APPARATUS FOR PRINTING ON GLASS AND OTHER MATERIALS," (a communication to
me from abroad by Isaac Lewis Miles, of Charlestown, Massachusetts, United
States of America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
George Davies, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Davies, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement in writing, and on reference to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings,
that is to say-
This Invention relates to a mode or process of and to machinery or appa-
ratus for printing on plates of glass, earthenware, metal, slabs of marble,
wood, and other material, and for printing the surfaces of rounded or cylin-
drical objects of similar materials.
On reference to the accompanying Drawing, Figure 1 is a sectional eleva-
tion of an apparatus for carrying out the improved mode of printing on glass

page_text: and other materials; Figure 2, a plan view; Figure 3, an inverted plan view;
Figure 4, an end view looking in the direction of the arrow, Figure 1;
Figure 5, a sectional elevation of a modified apparatus; Figure 6, an end
view looking in the direction of the arrow, Figure 5; Figure 7, a detached
sectional view showing some of the parts in a different position, and Figure 8
a modification of part of the apparatus.
On reference to Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, A is a box or case, in the top B of
which are three parallel slots a, a, b, the middle slot 6 being the shortest. Across
an opening in one side of the box extends a pin c, to which is hung a lever C,
the inner end of the latter being confined vertically to the lower end of a
block D, which is arranged to slide up and down in an opening in the centre
of the top B of the box. In the upper end of the block D is a dovetailed
recess or groove, in which fits a dovetailed projection d at the under side of
a plate E, the latter resting on the plate B, and having a curved or rounded
upper surface, to which is secured a curved form ✗ of elastic type. At
opposite sides of the plate E are adjustable strips or ways. F, FL, the upper edges
of which are curved to correspond to the curvature of the face of the form X
of types, and are level or nearly level with the surface of the latter. On the
curved edge of each way F, F¹, is secured a strip e of gum elastic or other
material, which will serve the purpose described hereafter. Each of the
ways F, F, is provided with two projections f,f, which extend through the
slots a, a, and between two parallel strips or clamps 9, 9, 9', g', the former
being secured to the under side of the plate B at right angles to the slots a,
and the latter sliding on projections i, i, at the side of the box, and being
maintained in contact with the projections f,f, by set screws h, h. On the
plate B at one side of and parallel to the ways F¹ rests an adjustable strip or
guide H, the upper edge of which projects above that of the way; the said
guide being secured in the position to which it may be adjusted by a thumb-
screw projecting through the slot b, and having on the lower end a nut
which bears against the under side of the plate B. The outer end of the lever C
is depressed and the plate E and its type are raised so that the surface of the
latter may be coated with ink or other desired composition, after which the
plate is depressed until it again rests on the top B of the box. The strip H
is adjusted to such a position that it will serve as a guide, against which one
edge of the plate of glass or other material is caused to bear, thereby deter-
mining the position of the printed matter on the said plate. The sheet Y of
glass or other material to be printed on is held in the position shown in
Figure 4, so that it may rest near one of its edges on the top and near the
end of the ways F, F¹; the operator then gradually depresses the highest

page_text: edge of the glass so as to move or roll it over and in contact with the ways
F, F, without permitting it to slide on, or to be elevated free from contact
with the said ways, the glass as it is thus moved being brought in contact
with the inked surface of the elastic type, from which an impression is thus
taken. If a plate of glass be pressed on to a flat bed of elastic type, so as to
receive at once the entire impression, the latter is apt to be blurred and
irregular unless the glass is perfectly flat, which is rarely the case. When
rolled over the curved surface of the type however, as above described, a clear
and otherwise perfect impression is obtained, as many practical tests have
demonstrated. The importance of covering the ways F, F, with gum elastic
or other material having a tendency to prevent the glass from sliding on the
ways will be understood without explanation. When necessary the plate E
may be readily detached from the block D by sliding it sideways, so as to
withdraw the dovetailed projection d from the recess in the block to make
way for another plate with a different form of type. When it is desired to
print on a curved plate of glass or other material, or on a cylindrical object,
the curved plate E is removed and a flat plate having a flat form of type is
secured to the block D straightways, the upper edges of which are even with
the face of the flat form of type are also substituted for the curved ways F, F.
The object to be printed on is then rolled on the ways F, F¹, over and in
contact with the type X so as to receive an impression therefrom, the gum
elastic on the ways preventing the article from slipping, and the guide H
insuring the printing of the article at the proper point, as before described.
In the modification shown in Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8, A is a base plate, to
which are secured two side frames B and B', and in the latter turn the
journals of two parallel shafts C and C', to which are secured rollers D and F.
To the face of the lower roller D are secured two adjustable curved "ways"
a, a', the edges of which are covered with strips e of gum elastic, and between
the said ways is secured a form of elastic type X, the surface of which is
curved and level with the edges of the ways. On the roller at right angles to
the ways a, a¹, is secured an adjustable guide 6, and to each of the frames B,
B', is secured a horizontal guide c, the upper edge of which is level. with the
upper edges of the ways a, a', when the latter are in the position shown in
Figure 5. The roller F consists of or is covered with gum elastic or other
suitable, elastic material; the surface of the said roller being a short dis-
tance from that of the form of type X, and on one end of the shaft C¹ is a
pinion d which gears with a cog wheel d¹ on the end of the shaft C, the pinion
and wheel being so proportioned that when the shafts are turned the surfaces
of the two rollers D and F shall move at the same speed. In the side frames.

page_text: at one side of the roller D turn the journals of inking rollers e, e, f, which are
so arranged as to apply the ink or other material to the surface of the type X
when the latter is carried past them. In brackets secured to the side frames
turns a shaft g, to which are secured a hand lever h and two plates i, i, and
in the latter turn the journals of two parallel rollers n, n, for a purpose
described bereafter. A rotary motion in the direction of its arrow is imparted
to each of the rollers D, F, and as the guide 6 is brought towards the roller F
a plate Y of glass or other material is placed on the ways a, a', with one edge
against the said guide. As the plate is carried between the two rollers the
roller F presses on the upper surface of the same and holds it firmly against
the ways a, a, while the elastic type is brought against the lower surface of
the plate and prints the design on the same. As the plate passes between the
rollers it slides on to the guides c, c, which maintain it in a horizontal position
while being printed, and hold it after it is discharged from the rollers. If
desired the surface of the roller F instead of being plain may be covered
with numerous small elastic projections, as shown in Figure 8, the said pro-
jections yielding, so as to accommodate themselves to irregularities in the plate,-
and yet retaining a firm hold on the same, so that it is effectually prevented
from slipping. When it is desired to print the glass on both sides at the
same time a printing roller is substituted for the roller F, and an inking
roller is secured at the side of the new roller, in the position shown in dotted
lines, Figure 5. When the plate of glass is not wide enough to rest on the
guides c, c, it may be supported on rollers y, y, turning in the side frames,
and placed as shown in red lines, Figure 5, one or more adjustable guides or
rings, against which the edge of the plate bears, being secured to each roller.
When a bottle or other cylindrical body is to be printed the shaft g is turned
by means of the handle h to the position shown in Figure 5; the bottle is.
then placed on the rollers n, n, and the shaft g is turned to the position shown
in Figure 7, so that the bottle will be brought against the ways a, a¹, and
will be caused to revolve in contact with the type ✗, as the latter is carried
past it; the shaft g is then turned to its first position, the bottle is removed,
and another is deposited in its place, and printed in a like manner.
It will be evident that the process and mechanism described are applicable
to the printing on rigid plates of different materials, such as glass, earthen-
ware, metal, and slabs of wood and marble; and that they are also applicable
to printing on the rounded surfaces of objects made of the same materials.
Having now described the nature and object of the said Invention for "An.
Improved Mode of and Apparatus for Printing on Glass and other Materials,"
together with the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed

page_text: or carried into practical effect, I would remark in conclusion that I claim as
the Invention (communicated to me by the said Isaac Lewis Miles),-
Firstly, transferring an impression from a form of elastic type having a
rounded surface to a plate or slab of glass or other material, by rolling the
same over and in contract with ways arranged adjacent to and having a cur-
vature corresponding with that of the face of the form of type, as described.
Secondly, transferring an impression from a form of elastic type to the
rounded or curved surface of an object made of glass or other material, by
rolling the same over and in contact with ways arranged adjacent to the
said form of type, as set forth.
Thirdly, the combination of the form of elastic type with ways covered with
elastic material, as and for the purpose described.
Fourthly, the adjustable guide H in combination with the ways F and F1
and the form of elastic type X.
Fifthly, the adjustable plate E in combination with the ways F, F¹.
Sixthly, the combination of the revolving roller D, its elastic type and ways,
and the roller F (Figures 5 and 6).
Seventhly, the combination of the revolving roller D and its elastic type
with the within-described inking apparatus (Figures 5 and 6).
Eightly, the moveable rollers n, n, in combination with the roller D and its
elastic type.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Davies, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
ARADAN
GEORGE DAVIES. (L.S.)