Year: 1888

page_text: I, MURRAY HINCKLEY SPEAR, of 16 Charterhouse Buildings, in the City of
London, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of the present invention is to devise a machine which will repeat as often
as may be necessary a particular number or sign on either or both sides of a sheet of
paper, and always place it in the same position relatively to the edge of the paper.
I accomplish this in the following manner :-
I preferably employ two parallel shafts and to these is imparted in any convenient
manner a positive motion, the motion of the upper shaft carrying the printing
cylinders or platens or both is transmitted by spur pinions to the lower and parallel
shaft carrying platens or printing cylinders or both and which revolves in an opposite
direction to the upper shaft.
The actual printing will take place when the cylinder and platen come into juxta-
position and grip the paper between them, then by altering the angular position of the
printing cylinder and platen upon the shafts or sliding them laterally upon the same
the printing can be arranged to take place at any part of the feed, and at any position
relatively to the edge of the
paper.
It is to be observed that one or more figures may be printed on each sheet either
on one or both sides; it being only necessary that the type of the printing cylinder
shall coincide with the platen at the exact moment of printing.
The proportion to their entire revolutions that the shafts move varies according to
the length of the feed, but they can never exceed a full revolution, however in the
majority of cases they do not accomplish a full revolution, but as it is necessary that
they should do so before the next feed commences I have devised suitable
supplementary mechanism for completing the revolution.
On the shaft to which the throw crank is fixed, but at its opposite end is fixed
a cam 50 mounted on the shaft that it acts on the end of a pivotted arm, and depresses
a lever at a given moment.

page_text: This lever is provided with notches or equivalent to which is attached one end of a
cord passing over a pulley, to its other end being attached a weight which serves to
keep the cord in a state of tension.
The pulley is preferably mounted loose upon the lower of the two parallel shafts
which is turned by a pawl pivotted upon the pulley engaging with the ratchet teeth
fixed on the shaft, the motion of the latter turning the spur wheel and completing the
revolution of the shafts.
The proportion of the revolution that the cam acting upon the lever makes up
depends upon the length of the lever on which it acts and consequently the position at
which the cord is fixed thereto.

page_text: I, MURRAY HINCKLEY SPEAR, of 16 Charterhouse Buildings, in the City of
London, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described. and ascertained in and by the
following statement:
The object of the present invention is to devise a machine which will repeat as often
as may be necessary a particular number or sign on either or both sides of a sheet of
paper, and always place it in the same position relatively to the edge of the paper. I
accomplish this in the following manner :-
I preferably employ two parallel shafts and to these is imparted in any convenient
manner a positive motion, the motion of the upper shaft carrying the printing
cylinders or platens or both is transmitted by spur pinions to the lower and parallel
shaft carrying platens or printing cylinders or both and which revolves in an opposite
direction to the
upper shaft.
The actual printing will take place when the cylinder and platen cono into juxta-
position and grip the paper between them, then by altering the angular position of
the printing cylinder and platen upon the shafts or sliding them laterally upon the
same the printing can be arranged to take place at any part of the feed, and at any
position relatively to the edge of the paper.
It is to be observed that one or more figures may be printed on each sheet either
on one or both sides; it being only necessary that the type of the printing cylinder
shall coincide with the platen at the exact moment of printing.
The proportion to their entire revolutions that the shafts move varies according to the
length of the feed but they can never exceed a full revolution, however in the
majority of cases they do not accomplish a full revolution, but as it is necessary that
they should do so before the next feed commences I have devised suitable
supplementary mechanism for completing the revolution.
On the shaft to which the throw crank is fixed, but at its opposite end is fixed a
cam so mounted on the shaft that it acts on and depresses a lever at a given
moment.
This lever is provided with notches or equivalent to which is attached one end of a
cord passing over a pulley, to its other end being attached a weight or its equivalent
such as a spring which serves to keep the cord in a state of tension.
The pulley is preferably mounted loosely upon the lower of the two parallel shafts
which is turned by a pawl pivotted upon the pulley engaging with the ratchet teeth
fixed on the shaft, the motion of the latter turning the spur wheel and completing the
revolution of the shafts.
The proportion of the revolution that the cam acting upon the lever makes up
depends upon the length of the lever on which it acts and consequently the position
at which the cord is fixed thereto.

page_text: In the accompanying drawings:
Figs. 1 and 2 are elevations of opposite sides of sufficient of the machine for the
purpose of illustrating my invention. Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 are views of detached
portions of the same hereinafter described."
The framework may be of the ordinary construction. The shaft W to which the
throw crank A is connected may be driven from the main shaft of the printing
machine or by any suitable means.
Pivotted upon a slide block which can be moved in the slot A¹ of the crank A by
means of the screw A² for the purpose of altering the length of travel imparted, is an
arm B formed at its outer end into a rack B¹ supported by means of a bracket B
pivotted on the feed shaft D the rack gearing with a pinion C attached to the grooved
pulley Cmounted loosely upon the said feed shaft upon which is fixed a ratchet
wheel D with which engages a pawl C2 carried by the pulley C. A friction disc c
carrying a projection c¹ is mounted loosely on the shaft D being pressed against the
ratchet wheel by means of a coiled spring on the shaft. The projection as shown
clearly in fig. 4 engages with a groove in the hub of the pawl C² in such manner that
it throws the latter into or out of gear with the ratchet wheel at each motion of the
pulley Cthus avoiding the noise which would be caused if the pawl were allowed to
slip over the teeth of the ratchet wheel.
To the pulley C is secured one end of a wire or equivalent rope E which passes
by the guide pulleys F and G to the pulley H around which it is coiled once or twice.
To the other end of the rope E is attached a weight or spring placed in any suitable
position to give to it, the said rope, the required tension.
The pulley His mounted loosely upon the shaft I on which is fixed the ratchet
wheel with which engages a pawl H¹ pivotted upon the pulley H.
As shown clearly in figure 6 on the opposite end of the shaft I is keyed a spur
pinion J gearing with another spur pinion K keyed on the shaft I running parallel
to and on a lower level than the shaft I. As represented clearly in the transverse
section figure 5 and detached elevation figure 6 on these shafts are adjustably mounted
the printing cylinders and platens M and N at such relative positions upon their
respective shafts that at each feed of the paper they come into juxtaposition and print
the sign or number in the same position relatively to the edge of the paper and upon
either or both sides thereof. To employ any one of the printing platens shown as a
printing cylinder all that is necessary is to cement or otherwise secure a rubber or
equivalent type-letter to its face.
The action of this portion of the machine is as follows:-
The motion given to the arm B by the throw crank A is imparted by the pinion C
to the pulley which in turn communicates its motion to the shaft D by the pawl (2
engaging with the ratchet wheel D¹.
The amount of movement imparted to the shaft D determines the distance the
paper is to be fed forward by the feed roller and wheels D2 at each stroke of the
machine, the said feed as previously explained being capable of adjustment by
altering the position of the arm B upon the crank A; the feed takes place when the
arm B is moving in the direction of the arrows. When the arm B is moving in the
direction opposite to that indicated by the arrows that is to say during its return
stroke it revolves the pulley C but without the shaft D as the pawl C² at tlie time slips
over the ratchet D'.
.
The motion of the pulley C is imparted by means of the rope E to the pulley H,
and to the shaft 1 by the pawl H₁ engaging with the ratchet wheel I'. The motion
of the shaft I carrying the printing cylinders or platens or both, is transmitted by the
spur pinions J K to the lower and parallel shaft L carrying platens or printing
cylinders or both, and which revolves in an opposite direction to the shaft I the latter
only moving in one direction by means of the pawl H₁ which on the return motion of
the pulley slips upon the ratchet wheel I'.
The actual printing will take place when one of the cylinders and one of the
platens come into juxtaposition and grip the paper between them; but by altering
the angular position of the said printing cylinder and platen upon the shafts or

page_text: sliding them laterally upon the same the printing can be arranged to take place at
any part of the feed, and at any position relatively to the edge of the paper.
It is to be observed that by the before described apparatus one or more figures may
be printed on each sheet either on one or both sides, it being only necessary that the
type of the printing cylinder shall coincide with the platen at the exact moment of
printing.
The proportion to their entire revolutions that the shafts I and L move under the
influence of the pulley H pawl H and ratchet wheel I varies according to the
length of the feed, and in the majority of cases they do not accomplish a full revolu-
tion, which they can never exceed but as it is necessary that they should complete a
full revolution before the next feed commences I have devised the following supple-
mentary mechanism for completing that part of a revolution which may have been
left incomplete by the before mentioned mechanism.
On the shaft W to which the throw crank A is fixed, but at its opposite end, is
fixed a cam O, as seen in figure 2, so mounted on the shaft that it acts preferably on
the anti-friction roller P¹ of and depresses the lever which is pivotted at one end
to the frame-work of tho machine. This depression of the lever Q takes place at
the moment the arm B has finished its operative or power stroke and at which
time consequently the shafts I and L are at rest. This lever Qis provided with a
collar Q which is adjustable thereon and to which is attached one end of a cord R
coiled once or twice upon the pulley S, to its other end being attached a weight R¹
or a spring which serves to keep the cord in a state of tension.
The pulley S is preferably mounted loosely upon the shaft L which is turned by
the pawl S, pivotted upon the pulley, engaging with the ratchet wheel L¹ fixed on
the shaft the motion of the latter turning the spur wheels J K and completing the
revolution of the shafts L before left incomplete as before explained.
The proportion of the revolution that the cam acting upon the lever Q makes up
depends upon the effective length of the lever on which it acts-that is to say upon
the position at which the collar Q₁ is secured thereon-thus if the travel of the arm B
is shortened, the effective length of the lever must be lengthened which is
effected by moving the collar Q nearer to the outer or free end and further from
the fulcrum Q of the lever. The oxtra effective length of the lever Q thus secured
will impart a greater length of travel to the cord R and consequently a greater
portion of a revolution to the shafts 1 L. The alteration would be in the contrary
sense if the travel of the arm B were lengthened.
It is to be observed that the ratchet wheels I¹ and L' are preferably constructed
with only one tooth each these being sufficient for the purposes for which they are
applied.
This invention can be used in combination with an ordinary printing machine or
separately.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
1. In a machine such as described the method of causing the type and impression
cylinders or equivalent to perform one complete revolution for every feeding action of
the machine such method consisting (a) in the employment of mechanism to turn the
said cylinders during the actual feed of the paper and (b) in the employment of
separate mechanism to complete the partially performed revolution during the
interval which elapses between the termination of one feed of the paper and the
commencement of the next substantially as and for the purpose described.
2. In a machine such as described the combination with the shafts carrying the
type and impression cylinders or equivalent of pulleys mounted loosely on the said
shafts and carrying pawls adapted to engage with ratchet wheels fixed on the said
shafts substantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.

page_text: 3. In a machine such as described the combination with pulley (cord E pulley H
pawl Hand ratchet wheel and gear wheels J K for imparting rotation to the
type and impression cylinders during the feed, of cam O, lever Q, cord R, pulley S,
pawl and ratchet wheel L for completing the partially performed revolution of
the said type and impression cylinders substantially as and for the purpose described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
provided
4. In a machine such as described the combination with cam O of lever
with a collar Q' to which is attached the cord R and which may be adjusted on the
said lever according to the amount of motion it is desired to impart to the pulley S
substantially as described.
5. The herein described complete apparatus for printing a number or sign upon
each of a number of consecutive sheets of paper in such manner that the said number
or sign shall occupy the same relative position on all the sheets substantially as
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 12th day of December 1888.
MURRAY H. SPEAR.