IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR EMBOSSING AND FOR PRINTING ON EMBOSSED MATERIALS,
Year: 1881

page_text: 1
LETTERS PATENT to Thomas John Palmer, of 10, Letterstone Road, Fulham,
and Charles Ferdinand Dietrich, Engineer, of 85, Shrubland Road, Dalston,
both in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR EMBOSSING AND FOR PRINTING ON EMBOSSED MATERIALS,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas John Palmer and
Charles Ferdinand Dietrich at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on
the 8th January 1881.
THOMAS JOHN PALMER, of 10, Letterstone Road, Fulham, and CHARLES
FERDINAND DIETRICH, Engineer, of 85, Shrubland Road, Dalston, both in the
County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR EMBOSSING AND
FOR PRINTING ON EMBOSSED MATERIALS, ADAPTED FOR MURAL DECORATION,
BOOK COVERS, AND OTHER USES."
Our Invention relates in the first place to the production of printing or
embossing rollers adapted for embossing or for printing on embossed materials.
The printing surfaces of these rollers are produced by casting from the original
engraved roller by means of the stereotyping process the pattern or design to be
printed. This is effected by enclosing the said engraved roller in a cylindrical
mould and obtaining therefrom a cast in plaster of Paris or other suitable
composition in parts or sections; then, when these are hardened and trimmed as
required, they are inserted in the mould and the intended printing roller (which is
somewhat smaller in diameter than the interior of the said plaster casting) is
introduced into the mould, and a casting in ordinary type metal or other suitable
alloy taken from the internal surface of the said plaster casting on the outer
surface of the said intended printing roller, thereby forming thereon a printing
surface corresponding in pattern or design with that on the engraved roller.
In order to obtain on each respective roller only the requisite stereotyped parts
of the design or relief, strong paper or cardboard is previously embossed with the
relief and those parts are cut out which are to appear on the printing roller. Then

page_text: this stencilled paper or cardboard is pasted on the plaster casting, care being taken
to keep the identical parts of the design in their proper place. The metal casting
is now taken, when all those parts or places covered by paper or cardboard will
lie deeper on the printing roller than those where the metal can reach the plaster
casting.
The printing surfaces of all the printing rollers required for any particular
pattern or design can be produced by changing the paper or cardboard stencils
according to the parts of the design intended to be on the printing roller. The
printing rollers so produced or stereotyped are to be corrected as far as may be
necessary by hand in the ordinary way.
Our Invention relates in the second place to the continuous printing of any
required number of colours or embossed fabrics and materials, and consists in the
combination and arrangement of apparatus for the purpose herein after described.
On a base plate are fixed on each side of the machine a rack with a
longitudinal V groove formed in it, by means of which the frames carrying the
several printing rollers, and also the colour apparatus can be moved and adjusted
to their required distances apart according to the design or repetition of the same.
In these frames are also mounted a series of rollers arranged for carrying in a
horizontal line and another series for distending as required an endless blanket, on
which the material to be printed is carried in a horizontal direction so as to be
brought under each printing roller in succession. The two end frames and one
intermediate frame are stationary, the rest being adjustable, as above stated.
The upper frames carry adjustable plummer blocks to admit of printing rollers
of different diameters being used as required; they also carry brackets for the
support of the colour troughs and rollers and parts connected therewith. The
colours are delivered to the printing rollers by means of an endless blanket driven
by the printing rollers, in contact with which are supplying rollers of equal
diameter, such last named rollers being covered with gutta percha, which is
rendered plastic, and on which is produced an exact copy in relief of the design
already on the material to be printed, and when the gutta percha is hardened the
parts not required to impart colour to the printing roller are cut away.
The registering of the material to be printed is effected by means of a roller,
which is a roller for producing a complete embossing or is the exact counterpart of
the fabric or material in relief to be printed.
If the design on the material is repeated, for instance, every twenty four inches,
and the embossing roller has a circumference of twenty four inches, it is clear that
the distance between the registering roller and the first printing roller must be
twenty four inches from centre to centre and also between the first and each
succeeding printing roller. These adjustments are effected by means of the racks
and pinions above referred to.
When embossing and printing are to be done at the same time the frame
carrying the registering roller is to be placed in front of that which carries the
blanket leading roller from which the material will pass immediately to the
printing rollers.
The registering and the printing rollers are provided with registering pins in the
usual way.
=
For blending printed colours or shades we insert between the several printing
rollers as far as required other rollers of the same diameter and moving with the
same speed. On the surface of these intervening rollers we fix with shellac, gutta
percha, or other binding material, pieces of felt corresponding in form and size
with those parts of the printed fabric the colours of which have to be blended.
These pieces of felt are kept moist as required by means of turpentine or other
solvent.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Thomas John Palmer and Charles Ferdinand Dietrich in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th July 1881.
THOMAS JOHN PALMER, of 10, Letterstone Road, Fulham, and CHARLES
FERDINAND DIETRICH, Engineer, of 85, Shrubland Road, Dalston, both in the
County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR EMBOSSING AND
FOR PRINTING ON EMBOSSED MATERIALS, ADAPTED FOR MURAL DECORATION,
BOOK-COVERS, AND OTHER USES."
Our Invention of "Improvements in Apparatus for Embossing and for Printing
on Embossed Materials, Adapted for Mural Decoration, Book Covers, and other
Uses," relates in the first place to the production of printing or embossing rollers
adapted for embossing or for printing on embossed materials.
The printing surfaces of these rollers are produced by casting from the original
engraved roller by means of the stereotyping process the pattern or design to be
printed. This is effected by enclosing the said engraved roller in a cylindrical
mould, and obtaining therefrom a cast in plaster of Paris or other suitable
composition, in parts or sections, then when these are hardened and trimmed as
required they are inserted in the mould, and the intended printing roller (which
is somewhat smaller in diameter than the interior of the said plaster casting) is
introduced into the mould, and a casting in ordinary type metal or other suitable
alloy taken from the internal surface of the said plaster casting on the outer surface:
of the said intended printing roller, thereby forming thereon a printing surface
corresponding in pattern or design with that on the engraved roller.
In cases wherein the original engraved roller is not used we take a "cliché"
from the fabric to be printed, fasten this "cliché" round a plain roller, and then
proceed as just described with reference to the engraved roller.
In order to obtain on each respective roller only the requisite stereotyped parts
of the design or relief, strong paper or card-board is previously embossed with the
relief, and those parts are cut out which are to appear on the printing roller. Then
this stencilled paper or cardboard is pasted in the plaster casting, care being taken
to keep the identical parts of the design in their proper place. The metal
casting is now taken, when all those parts or places covered by paper or cardboard:
will lie deeper on the printing roller than those where the metal can reach the.
plaster casting.
The
The printing surfaces of all the printing rollers required for any particular
pattern or design can be produced by changing the paper or cardboard stencils
according to the parts of the design intended to be on the printing roller.
printing rollers so produced or stereotyped are to be corrected as far as may be
necessary by hand in the ordinary way.
Our Invention relates in the second place to the continuous printing of any
required number of colours on embossed fabrics and materials, and consists in the
combination and arrangement of apparatus for the purpose hereinafter described.
On a base plate are fixed on each side of the machine a rack with a longitudinal
V groove formed in it, by means of which the frames carrying the several printing
rollers and also the colour apparatus can be moved and adjusted to their. required
distances apart according to the design or repetition of the same. In these frames
are also mounted a series of rollers arranged for carrying in a horizontal line, and
another series for distending as required an endless blanket, on which the material
to be printed is carried in a horizontal direction so as to be brought under each

page_text: printing roller in succession. The two end frames and one intermediate frame are
stationary, the rest being adjustable as above stated.
The upper frames carry adjustable plummer blocks to admit of printing rollers
of different diameters being used as required; they also carry brackets for the
support of the colour troughs and rollers and parts connected therewith. The
colours are delivered to the printing rollers by means of an endless blanket driven
by the printing rollers, in contact with which are supplying rollers of equal
diameter, such last named rollers being covered with gutta percha which is rendered
plastic, and on which is produced an exact copy in relief of the design already on
the material to be printed, and when the gutta percha is hardened the parts not
required to impart colour to the printing rollers are cut away.
The registering of the material to be printed is effected by means of a roller
which is a roller for producing a complete embossing, or is the exact counterpart
of the fabric or material in relief to be printed.
If the design on the material is repeated, for instance, every twenty four inches,
and the embossing roller has a circumference of twenty four inches, it is clear
that the distance between the registering roller and the first printing roller must
be twenty four inches from centre to centre, and also between the first and each
succeeding printing roller. These adjustments are effected by means of the racks
and pinions above referred to.
When embossing and printing are to be done at the same time or successively,
the frame carrying the registering roller is to be placed in front of that which
carries the blanket leading or guiding roller, from which the material will pass
immediately to the printing rollers.
The registering and the printing rollers are provided with registering pins in
the usual way.
For blending printed colours or shades we insert between the several printing
rollers as far as required other rollers of the same diameter and moving with the
same speed.
On the surface of these intervening rollers we fix with shellac, gutta percha,
or other binding material, pieces of felt corresponding in form and size with
those parts of the printed fabric the colours of which have to be blended.
These pieces of felt are kept moist as required by means of turpentine or other
solvent.
Instead of using the said printing rollers for this purpose the ordinary printing
rollers may be employed by applying to them the said pieces of felt.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention we will proceed to describe
more particularly in what manner the same is to be performed by the aid of the
accompanying Drawings, in which are represented the parts of machinery or
apparatus above referred to.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figures 1, 2, and 3 are a side elevation, plan, and end view of the machine,
shewing the arrangement for printing purposes; Figures 4 and 5 represent in plan
and longitudinal section the apparatus for producing the printing rollers. In these
several Figures the same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
In order to produce the printing rollers we use a cylinder B, Figures 4 and
this cylinder is composed of two halves, joined or united by the flanges B¹, and by
bolts so as to form a cylindrical interior. This cylinder stands in a foot F, and has
a cover A. Both foot and cover are fitted tightly to the cylinder B; this foot and
the cover have each a central hole for the insertion of a shaft. The cover is open
between its arms, as shewn in Fig. 4.
;
After the two parts are joined to form the cylinder B, and the same is mounted
on its foot, we insert in its centre a shaft, and over this shaft we place a metal
roller E; this roller may be either the identical roller by which the embossing of

page_text: -
the material to be printed was produced, or a plain roller of the required diameter
is substituted. When a plain roller is used we proceed as follows:-
We take a complete section of the pattern of the material to be printed, and
paste, glue, or fasten it in any convenient manner on a flat and even surface; from
this section we take a "cliché" in papier-maché in the well known manner
employed in stereotyping; this paper "cliché" is now fastened or cemented round
the plain roller, and its surface is slightly oiled. This roller E so prepared is
inserted over the centre shaft in the cylinder B; we now divide the space between
the roller E and the cylinder B by enclosing a third part of this space between two
partitions of plastic clay inserted parallel to the axis of the roller, and put on the
cover A. In the hollow segment formed between the said clay partitions we cast
the following composition:-Three parts of finest plaster well mixed in a dry state,
with one part of its weight of carbonate of lead or finely powdered plumbago.
This mixture is either simply slaked with water, or, to give greater hardness or
slower setting, either alum or borax is previously dissolved in the water.
To prevent the formation of air bubbles in the casting it is advisable to use a
funnel with a large spout or tube, and long enough to reach the bottom of the
cylinder B, and to cast the plaster composition through this funnel, withdrawing or
lifting the funnel gradually as the mould fills.
After this first cast has become hardened the cylinder B is opened; the plaster
cast is taken out, trimined, and planed at the sides, and then restored to its proper
place in the cylinder. This plaster cast now forms one side; for the next cast (for
the other side) clay is used as before, a second cast is inade, as above described,
taken out, trimmed on the side where it took the impression of the clay, and set in
its place again; then the third cast is made, the two previous castings forming
now the sides for this cast.
These three castings C form now a complete concentric case or mould to the
roller E, having on their inner surface the pattern of the material or fabric to be
printed in relief.
This plaster mould C has now to be slowly dried, and when dry and hardened
those parts which are not intended to receive colour or to print from the printing
roller to be produced are covered in the following manner :-
From clichés in papier-maché taken, as previously said, from the embossed
material, those parts are cut out which have to appear deeper or sunk in the
printing roller, and those sections are pasted on the corresponding places of the
design on the inner surface of the plaster cast; then the whole surface is brushed
over with plumbago and inserted in the cylinder B. The centre shaft is put in
place, the roller which has to receive the stereotyped cast or shell is heated to
about the same degree of heat as is required by the melting heat of the metal to be
employed, and is then inserted over the centre shaft in the plaster mould, the
cover A is laid on, and either common type metal or other suitable composition of
light fusible alloys is cast in the space between the mould C and the roller E, by
which the printing shell or jacket is produced.
According to the thickness of the papier-maché clichés it is obvious that the
shell D cast round the roller may be made more or less thick; it will correspond
(allowing only for the contraction of the metal) to the thickness of the cliché laid
round the roller for taking the plaster cast. As the papier-maché cliché is prin-
cipally composed of tissue paper it offers the means not only of regulating the exact
thickness of the shell D, and with it the whole diameter of the printing roller, but
also allows even for contraction of the metal in cooling.
By the same means of producing printing rollers, as above described, we produce
rollers for rolling and embossing plastic materials for the use of wall decoration and
similar purposes. In this case we spread on a flat and even metallic surface a layer
of slaked plaster of Paris mixed with carbonate of lead.
When this layer is dry and hard its surface is made quite even and straight by
scraping and rubbing with glass paper. On this surface the pattern is.drawn and

page_text: engraved, and from this engraving we take a papier maché cliché, and afterwards
proceed in the same way as above described with reference to printing rollers.
The second part of our Invention consists in the continuous printing on a
horizontal line of any number of colours or shades on embossed fabrics or
materials.
.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation, Fig. a plan, and Fig. 3 a front elevation of the
machine, shewing the arrangement for printing purposes.
On a common foundation A, A, are bolted on each side rails l. These rails have
on the upper part a ratchet o, and on the outside a V groove m; a V plate n is
fitted in this groove m and kept in place by the bolts v. The plate n is pressed
against the rail 7 by the set screws a, so that the frames G are secured and kept in
proper position required by the work to be done. A shaft p carrying on each end a
ratchet wheel q, and having on the working side of the machine a key head, allows
the frame work and all that it carries to be moved forwards or backwards in a
parallel direction.
As the distances between the portions B, C, C¹, C¹¹, C¹¹¹, &c., Fig. 2, depend
entirely on the length of design or length of repetition of the design on the material
or fabric (or what amounts to the same thing), of the diameter of the printing
rollers, it is obvious that the distances between the printing rollers must be
variable. Of the standards or frames of the machine, those marked A, A¹, and G¹
are stationary, all the others are moveable.
The frames F carry rollers a, the frames G, G¹, G₁, &c., rollers P, and spanning"
rollers b, and all these rollers together carry an endless blanket D, which receives
its motion by the action of the rollers R, R¹, R¹¹, &c., and the rollers P. The
rollers P are driven by the principal shaft y and the bevil wheels z and t. The
bevil wheels z. can be shifted on their shaft according to the required positions of
the printing apparatus C¹, C, C, and the portion B of the machine.
The blanket D is bordered on both sides by a leather or gutta percha strap v,
Fig. 1 and 3, of well known shape, and this strap runs between the leading or
guiding rollers of the spanning apparatus w, Fig. 1, for the purpose of keeping the
blanket from travelling sideways. In order to effect this, a sufficient number of
these spanning or leading or guiding apparatus are placed along the machine in
convenient places. On the frames G¹, G", &c., are mounted the frames M, which
carry the sliding plummer blocks i and the blocks h inserted in grooves in the
frames, as shewn in Fig. 1. The blocks h form a nut for the set or pressing screws.
As according to the length of design or pattern, the rollers R and S are of different
diameters to suit the different lengths, the blocks i and h must be adjustable to
such diameters. R¹, R¹¹, &c., are the printing rollers; S, S¹, S¹, &c., counter rollers,
the construction and function of which are hereinafter described.
On the frames M are fastened the brackets N on which is a plate w, which carries
a moveable framework I. This framework with the moveable upper part J
contains the colour apparatus.
L is the colour trough, d is a roller immersed partly in the colour. This roller
is of the same length, or rather a little less than the width of the fabric to be
printed. A small roller e with set screws on its bearings regulates to some extent
the quantity of colour which the roller d carries upwards against the endless
blanket g, which blanket is led or guided by the rollers and spanned by the
roller which is adjustable by set screws:
The blankets g are likewise provided with border straps and leading or guiding
rollers in the same manner as the blanket D described above.
A doctor or scraper k adjustable by set screws, regulates the quantity of colour
which the blanket is to deliver to the rollers R', R", R", &c.
The blanket g receives its motion by the rollers S and R. The two rollers c
and d are connected by wheels r, r¹, Figures 1 and 3. The rollers c and d are
moved by the action of the blanket.

page_text: The rollers S, S¹, &c., are constructed as follows:-
They are (including a jacket of gutta percha or in some cases of india rubber) of
the same diameter as the corresponding printing rollers R¹, R¹¹, &c.
As the colour is to be transferred from the blankets in the concavities of the
printing rollers, in cases wherein the material is to be printed has a high relief, the
rollers S are surrounded with a jacket of gutta percha, and by warming the surface
of the gutta percha by means of hot water, the gutta percha is made slightly but
sufficiently plastic to receive the impression in relief of the rollers R¹, &c., by letting
the two rollers S and R¹ run together. The rollers S become the counterparts of
the rollers R¹, &c., and as these rollers are geared together by toothed wheels, and
are of equal diameter and running at equal speed, it is clear that the identical parts
on their surfaces must always meet in their revolutions. By letting the blanket g
run between these rollers, the colour on the blanket is conveyed into the concavities
of the rollers R¹, &c. For low relief a jacket of india rubber on the rollers S is
sufficient to convey the color from the blanket into the concavities of the printing
roller.
1
The apparatus or portion B, Figures and 2, has for its object the registering of
the material to be printed.
The roller R in the portion B is a perfect roller, that is to say, the whole design
of the embossed fabric is on its surface, so that this roller can be used even for.
embossing.
If the design on the material repeats itself, for instance, every twenty four inches,
and the embossing roller has consequently a circumference of twenty four inches,
it is clear that the distances between the rollers R and R¹ must be twenty four
inches from centre to centre, and also between R¹ and R¹¹, R¹¹ and R¹¹¹, and so on.
How this result is obtained is shewn above.
The roller R in portion B, Figures 1 and 2, can be raised as required by the
action of worm wheels c and screws.
All the rollers R, R', R", &c., as also the rollers S, are constructed in the
following manner, see section of roller R in Fig. 2 :—
The rollers can turn freely and also be shifted sideways on their shafts. These
shafts have only on the working side of the machine a shoulder for bearing on the
plummer blocks on the side of the gearing. The shafts pass in full thickness through
the plummer blocks, as shewn by i, and on this side a collar e, e, with set screws
replaces the shoulder. By this means the shafts can be drawn out from the gearing
side, the rollers move freely and can be readily and quickly changed. The rollers
c and d in frame I can be constructed in the same manner, although there is no
special necessity for this.
To secure and fasten the rollers on the shafts, loose heads b, b, are placed on both
ends. These heads are provided with set screws working against the head of the
rollers, and others working on the shafts, as shewn in Fig. 1.
After the rollers R are placed or adjusted in a straight line to the motion of the
material to be printed, the heads b, b, on one side of the rollers are fastened by the
set screws on the shafts, then the rollers are turned or set so that all indentical
parts of the design (say the beginning of the pattern on each roller, which beginning
is marked by a registering pin on the roller) are exactly in the perpendicular line
through the centre of the roller downwards. This done, the rollers are now secured
in position by the set screws in the heads b, b. These heads may have a key sliding
in the key groove a, a, as shewn in Fig. 2, but this key groove is not required
except in cases where heavy pressure is used.
The fabric or material to be printed has to be registered. For this purpose a
line is drawn or marked on the material corresponding relatively to the pattern
with those points on the rollers marked as previously stated by a pin.
The roller R in portion B, Fig. 1 and 2, is now raised and the material brought
under this roller in such a manner that its registering pins will fall exactly in the
line marked on the material. The roller is lowered and the machine set in motion.

page_text: The pin of the next printing roller will fall in the pinhole produced by the first
roller, and so forth. As the whole process takes place on a horizontal plane, and
as it is easy to observe whether the motion and printing is regular, any irregularity
in motion of the material or other parts can be readily adjusted.
In order to prevent lateral motion or turning up of the material after leaving
the registering, it is led or guided, as also the following printing rollers, by endless
india rubber, leather, or other straps k moving with the same speed as the material,
or in some cases, according to the thickness of the material, with a slightly greater
speed. These straps are put in motion by the pulleys Q and T. The rollers or
pulleys T carrying the straps can be shifted according to the width of the
material to be printed, and are fastened on their shafts by set screws.
In cases wherein the blending of printed colours or shades is required, we use for
this purpose one of the portions or apparatus C" or C, with the following
modification-On places where the colour is to be blended we give the roller (say
R) no printing surface, but fasten in such places with shellac or other cement, thick
and soft pieces of felt of such shape as the parts to be blended require. By filling
the trough L now with turpentine or other suitable solvent, according to the nature
of the colour required for the printing, this solvent is conveyed by the blankets g
to the felt pieces on the roller R, and these felt pieces touching the printed
fabric make the colours flow slightly one into the other. Part of the colour is
taken off by the felt pieces and conveyed to the blanket on its return to the
trough L, where it passes between the rollers d and c. The roller d in this case
is surrounded with a felt jacket to convey the solvent to the blanket. Instead of
the roller e there is substituted a circular brush driven from one of the shafts of
the rollers c or d. Any inconvenient surplus of colour on the blanket being given
by its passage between the rollers c and d to the felt jacket on d, and this colour
being continually brushed off into the trough, this keeps the blanket g sufficiently
clean for the work. If the solvent in the trough becomes too much charged with
colour it is drawn off and replaced by a clean one. A filtering of the coloured
solvent makes it clear enough for further use on the same shades of colour.
For embossing and printing at the same time or successively, the same machinery
as described for printing is to be used in the following manner :-
We place the apparatus or portion B before A', and lengthen the ratchets o
accordingly. We follow the same principle as herein before described in relation to
the required distance between the rollers R', R", &c., but we give the roller R in
portion B exactly double or triple the distance from roller R'. The apparatus
carrying the blanket D is placed behind B, that is between B and C.
The roller R in portion B being a complete embossing roller, is used now for
embossing such materials as do not require a very great pressure in order to produce
a raised pattern on their surface. If the material to be pressed or embossed is
required to have a plain back we use a smooth counter roller P; if the embossing is
to be in relief on one side and hollow on the other, there is used a counter roller P,
either with a metal or gutta percha jacket having the design in relief on its surface
and being constructed as above described.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, we hereby declare that what we claim as of our
Invention is,
First. The production of printing and embossing rollers in the manner herein-
before described, for the purpose of printing on or embossing plastic or other
suitable materials.
Secondly. The general arrangement and combination of the parts of a machine
for the continuous printing on embossed fabrics or materials moved forwards on a
horizontal line of any required number of colours or shades, as herein before
described.
Thirdly. The conveying of the colour from a blanket to the surface of the
printing roller by means of an embossed counter roller, as hereinbefore described.

page_text: And, Lastly. The arrangement and combination described for successively
embossing and printing on ligneous, and fibrous, or other suitable materials, for
the production of wall decorations, panels, book covers, and other articles, as
hereinbefore described.
.
In witness whereof, we, the said Thomas John Palmer and Charles Ferdinand
Dietrich, have hereunto set our hands and seals, the Sixth day of July, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty-one.
Witness to both signatures,
WILLIAM SPENCE,
8, Quality Court,
Chancery Lane.
THO. J. PALMER.
(L.S.)
CHARLES F. DIETRICH. . (L.S.)