CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OB APPA- RATUS APPLICABLE TO OR EMPLOYED IN PRINTING
Year: 1824

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAB
PARKIN, of Baches Row, City Road, in the County of Middlesex, Merchant,
send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Fourth did, by
His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of that part of the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland called England, bearing date at Westminster,
the Fifteenth, day of May, One thousand eight hundred and twenty-four, in
the fifth year of His reign, give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Parkin,
my exors, adñiors, and assigns, His especial licence, full power, sole privilege
and authority that I, the said Thomas Parkin, my exors, admors, and assigns,
during the term of years therein mentioned, 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 OB APPA-
RATUS APPLICABLE TO OR EMPLOYED IN PRINTING;" in which said Letters Patent
there is contained a proviso that if I, the said Thomas Parkin, shall not
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under
my hand and seal, and cause the same to be inrolled in His Majesty's
High Court of Chancery within four calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letiers Patent, that then the said Letters Patent,
and all liberties and advantages whatsoever thereby granted, shall utterly cease,
determine, and become void, as in and by the same, relation being thereunto
had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Thomas Parkin, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention of
Certain Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus Applicable to or Employed
in Printing, is particularly described and ascertained in and by the two
annexed Sheets of Drawings, and in the following description thereof (that is
to say):
Fig. 1, on the Sheet I. of the Drawing, shews a longitudinal section through
the machine, taken at about the dotted line in the Fig. 2; but the pulley
wheel L, bevelled wheels O, O, P, and the parts connected with them, are
drawn in full. I have omitted in this Figure a part of the framing, and some
small parts of little importance, in order to explain more clearly the construc-
tion of the machine.
Fig. 2 shews an end view or elevation of the machine taken at the right-
hand end of the Fig. 1. (The roller o, its bracket & pulley, and parts con-
nected with the segment 7 being omitted, and the roller 20 being shewn only
in dotted lines.)
Fig. 8 shews a plan or horizontal view of the machine, supposing the
triangular frame T, T, with most of the work which it carries, to be removed.
Fig. 1, on the Sheet II. of Drawings, shews a side elevation of the train for
putting the machine in motion. (Note, the same letters of reference are
used for corresponding parts on all the Figures).
R and S, Fig. 1, Sheet I., which I will call the upper and lower frames, are
the main frame of the machine. They form one piece, in the shape of an
oblong square frame, extending the whole length of the machine, and are
supported on pillars. There is one of these frames ou each side of the machine,
as seen in the Fig. 2, and they are held firmly together by the cross frames
or braces 60, seen in the Figs. 1 and 2. A is a cylinder which gives the
pressure on the paper; it is mounted in bearings sliding up and down between
two pillars or uprights connecting the upper and lower frame R and S, which
bearings are prevented from working out endways by two screws passing
through the said upper and lower frames, and let into the bearings; by these
screws also the cylinder may be raised or depressed at pleasure to vary the
pressure. The lower part of its circumference is covered by (what I call) an
endless blanket or cloth i, shewn in the Fig. 2, which passes round the
rollers B, B, and C, made of wood or metal, but I prefer metal. D is the
type carriage, to which is fixed the rack E, being one of two racks taking into
the teeth of wheels 93 on the axis of cylinder A. It runs (in its motion
backwards and forwards) on the friction rollers a, mounted in the frame b,
which travel on a projecting rib or ledge formed in the lower frame S, seen
at a in the Fig. 2. F is one of two racks, there being one on each side of the 4

page_text: machine; and in one of the said racks there is another of greater length
attached with its teeth upwards, as seen in plan Fig. 3.
The racks F are
supported on small rollers 5, having their pivots fixed into them, which run on
a rib or ledge formed in the upper frame R, seen also in the Fig. 2. At 5
this rack is moved by taking into the teeth of the wheel on the cylinder A, and
consequently moves in an opposite direction to the rack E and type carriage.
I is the pointing table; it runs on rollers e, Fig..1 and 2, fixed to brackets
'shewn at 95 and 94, where the rollers are dotted in the Fig. 3. It is formed
of wood or other suitable material, having grooves or slits cut in it (as shewn
in the Plan) in which lie the pointing plates 8. The pointing plates consist of
small plates of metal having narrow slits cut in them, as seen at 8 in the plan,
Fig. 8, and points projecting upwards from their ends, as seen in the Fig. 1.
At 8 they are fixed by screws passing through their small slits to studs or
square pieces of metal lying in the grooves or slits in the pointing table, as seen
in the Fig. 1, where one of these studs is shewn by dotted lines. By this
means the pointing plates can be moved backwards or forwards to accommodate
themselves to different sized sheets. The studs or square pieces of metal are
screwed fast into the pointing frame h, underneath the pointing table. There
are three slits cut on each side of the pointing table, in either of which the
pointing plates can be laid, according to the breadth of the sheet of paper.
When it is required to move a pointing plate from one slit to another, it is first
unscrewed and taken off its stud; the stud or square piece is next unscrewed
and taken out from the pointing frame, and being dropt into the desired slit is
screwed there into the pointing frame (which has a hole in it under each slit
to receive the screw of the stud); the pointing plate is then laid on the top
of the stud and screwed to it, as above described.
Figure 4, on the Sheet I., is a horizontal view of the pointing frame h, sup-
posing it detached from the pointing table. The pointing frame h moves on a
hinge at the end farthest from the cylinder. The other end of the pointing
frame carries on each side a small roller 6, which rests on the stationary piece of
metaln, shaped at one end with an inclined surface. This piece of metal n pro-
jects from the lower part of a bracket shewn at 85 in the Fig. 8. m is a pulley
over which is suspended the weight k; it is on the same axis with a segment
of a wheel or crooked lever 7, connected with the pointing table by a chain
fastened to the boss on its axis. To the extremity of this segment is attached
another chain going over the pulley I, and fastened to a hook on the axis of
the little roller o. The pointing table I is drawn forwards at particular periods
by means of the bar or rail p, which connects the racks F, F (as seen also in
the Fig. 1 and 3), coming against a small lever 4, projecting from the axis of

page_text: the pulley q, from which a cord passes round the pulley », and is attached to
the pointing table by a hook, or otherwise the pointing table is drawn forwards
by these means about two inches, and is retained so until the bar p and small
arm a attached to it pass from under it and suffer the weight (which is drawn
up by the advance of the table) to react and restore it to its original position.
When the pointing table is thus drawn forwards the roller 6 in Fig. 1 descends
the inclined surface of the piece of metal n, and thus brings down the pointing
plates 8 in their grooves or slits, so that the points rest beneath the surface of
the pointing table. The table also in its motion draws forwards the cord or
chain on the boss of the segment 7, and thus raises the said segment in a
sufficient degree to suffer the roller o attached to it (by the chain going over
the pulley 2) to slide down the slit in its bracket, seen in Fig. 1, and bear upon
the surface of the table. This bracket slides backwards and forwards in a
groove seen at 99, Fig. 3, in order to adjust its distance from the front edge of
the pointing table, so as to accommodate itself to sheets of different widths.
The use of these various motions will be herein-after described. M is a small
frame mounted upon rollers which run on the plate N, guided by ribs on that
plate, as seen in the Figs. 1 and 2. In the upper part of this small frame is
fixed the composition ink roller s, and over this, and in contact with it, several
small metal rollers, the use of which is to equalize the ink or the roller s in
turning round upon it by its friction. The whole of this apparatus I denomi-
nate the ink distributor, and its operation is as follows:-The large pulley
wheel L, Fig. 2, being put in motion from the driving power (through the
bevelled wheels O, O, and P, partakes of its reciprocating motion, and makes
about one revolution alternately cach way. A band goes round this pulley and
passes over the small pullies 1 and 2, as seen in Fig. 2, the two ends of which
band are attached to the carriage M, the circumference of the wheel L being
equal or nearly so to the breadth of the inking table Q, between the ink
boxes c and d, seen in Figs. 2 and S. It will appear evident that each revolu-
tion of the wheel will produce a corresponding motion of the ink distributor
from one side to the other of the table. Thus the ink rollers will continue
travelling backwards and forwards, touching alternately the two ink boxes,
and distributing the ink it collects from them over that part of the table Q
which its breadth covers, and from which part of the said table the inking
roller takes its supply of ink, and on returning from the end of the machine
to meet the type distributes the ink on the whole surface of the inking table
over which it runs, and so at either end of the machine. The inking table
Qis fixed steadily to the frame, having grooves or passages cut out at its
sides, as seen in the plan Fig. 3, to allow the passage to and fro of the rack E.

page_text: ff, are inking rollers made of composition, supported by hooks screwed
into the under side of the cross bars p, pª. u, u, are also composition
inking rollers, supported on stationary brackets, so that the type carriage in
its passage to and fro must pass under them. The rollers u, u, receive no
supply of ink from the inking tables, but before beginning to print they are
covered lightly with ink, and then their office is simply to insure every part
of the type being sufficiently inked, in case any part of it should not have been
so inked by the rollers f. f, and may in fact be denominated regulating
rollers.
Having now described the principal parts separately, so as to explain their
action, I will now describe the continued action of the machine. Supposing the
machine in a position ready for starting, or, as it is called technically, at the
return, the extremity 9 of the rack E would be at the dotted lino 10, Fig. 1,
and the right-hand end or bar p* of the sliding rack at the other end of
the machine, the inking rollor f* attached to it being beyond the extremity of
the inking table, and the bar p would be in the dotted position shewn in
Fig. 1, close behind the lever 4, on the axis of the pulley 9. A sheet of
paper is first laid on the pointing table; the wheel II being then put in motion
in the direction shewn by the arrow in the Fig. 1, the rack G, with the type
carriage D and its rack E, will begin to travel towards the right-hand end of
the machine, and will, through the medium of the wheel on the axis of the
cylinder A. produce a corresponding degree of contrary wise motion in the
sliding rack F. As soon as the machine starts the bar p moving to the left will
strike the lever 4 of the pulley 9, and in passing under it draw the pointing
table I forwards about two inches, so as to deliver the paper between the
biting roller v and roller w. At the same time, by the before described
means, the pointing frame h and pointing plates 8, which it carries, fall so as
for the points to quit the sheet, previously to which the roller o (by means of
the segment 7, pulley 1, &c., hereiu-before described) has run down the slit in
its bracket and fallen on the end of the sheet of paper, in order to keep it
steady. After the falling of the points the pointing table remains in this
advanced position (in order to allow time for the biting roller v to come round
and seize the paper firmly with one edge of its flat side) during the time that
the rack moves on about 3 inches more. This is effected by the small arm x
projecting from the bar p, which passes under the lever 4, and sustains it, but
as soon as this arm quits the lever 4 the weight & reacts and restores the
pointing table, &c. to its original position. Having delivered the sheet of
paper in between the biting roller vand the one under it, the racks E and F
then continue to move on in opposite directions, during which time, in con-

page_text: sequence of this contrary motion, the ink roller f meets the surface of
the type, and proceeds over it towards the inking table Q to receive
a fresh supply of ink. The machine then continues to move on until
the type meets the under side of the cylinder A, by which time the
front edge of the paper has arrived also under the cylinder, and the
sheet begins to receive its pressure. After the paper has received its pressure
it is conducted from under the cylinder (as will be herein-after described),
and the machine continues to move on (the type carriage D to the right
while the sliding rack F moves to the left, carrying its ink roller f over the
inking table Q), until the extremity 9 of the rack E has arrived under the
center of the cylinder A, the bar p being in the same position at the left-hand
end of the machine as the bar p* was in at the right on starting, and the
bar p being in the dotted position behind the lever 4*. By this time the
wheel H has performed one revolution, and begins to turn in a contrary
direction (by means of a crank and sector), as will be herein-after described.
A sheet is now laid on the pointing table at the right-hand end of the machine,
and a similar operation takes place from this side, and so on, as long as the
process is continued. During the time that the parts above described are
performing their action in order to give the impression, the distributor M
is travelling across the inking table Q, and distributing upon it ink to be
taken up by the inking roller f, which is effected in the following way:-When
the machine is in the proper position for starting, the carriage M of the
distributor will be at the right-hand end of the inking table, seen in Fig. 2,
the circumference of the composition rollers being in contact with the face
of the ink box d. When the wheel H is put in motion, as above described,
the large pulley wheel L will begin to turn round in the direction shewn by
the arrow Fig. 2, and draw the carriage or frame M to the left by the cord
which passes over the pulley 1, and is attached to the said carriage. The
circumference of the pulley wheel L being exactly equal to the distance which
the distributor passes over from one ink box to the other, it follows that the
distributor, thongh travelling faster than the rack G, will perfortu a given
portion of its motion in the same period of time that the rack G will perform
a corresponding portion of its motion. Thus when the rack G has performed
half its motion and arrived in the position seen in the longitudinal section
Fig. 1, the ink distributor will also have performed the half of its motion,
and be in the same position shewn in the Fig. 2. As tho rack F and its
inking rollers ff, move to the left in the Fig. 1, the ink distributor will
continue travelling to the left in the Fig. 2, leaving the part it has gone
over inked to supply the inking roller f until by the time the rack has

page_text: performed its whole motion, the, ink distributor will have arrived at the left-
hand end of the table in Fig. 2, and the composition rollers receive a new
supply of ink by coming in contact with the face of the ink box c. The pulley
wheel L then has its motion reversed, and a similar operation takes place
from left to right, and so on,
The conveying of the sheet of paper to be printed from the pointing
table where it is first laid on under the cylinder to receive the impression,
and thence up to the platform 82, dotted in Fig. 1, where it is received
in its printed state, is effected by three systems of endless cords or bands
as follows: A cord is attached to the bar p, as seen in the Fig. 1,
which passes over the roller 12, under the roller 18, over the roller 10,
and thence over the roller 14, where it meets the endless blanket passing
round the roller B, and passes with it under the cylinder. A, over the
roller 16, over the roller w, and under the roller 18, round the roller 20,
and is attached finally by its other end to the bar p". There are five of these
endless cords or bands in the breadth of the machine which he in nicks or
grooves in the rollers above mentioned, and can be shifted as the nature of
the form to be printed may require it, so that the cords shall always fall in
the blanks between and outside of the pages. There are also corresponding
nicks in the biting rollers u, v, to admit of the free passage of the cords
under them; a second endless cord passes round the rollers 21 and 28, the
inner cord touching the circumference of the' roller 22, as seen in the Fig. 1;
a third endless cord passes over the rollers 24 and 25, the outer cord touching
the circumference of the roller 22. These rollers are all carried in brackets
projecting from the triangular. frame T, as will be seen by the Fig. 1. The
rollers 21, 24, 23, 25, are driven by cords passing over small pulleys on their
axes (as seen in Fig. 2) in such manner as to give the cords the motion shown
by the arrows in Fig. 1; and round the pulley V, mounted on, the same axis
as the pulley (shewn in Fig. 2), which receives its motion from the main
pulley 87 on the shaft of the fly wheel W. Corresponding cords pass. round
the rollers on the other side of the triangular frame, which rollers have a
similar office, and are driven in the same manner. When a sheet is required
to bo printed it is laid on the pointing table I, on which it is drawn forward
(as herein-before described), and delivered. in between the biting roller v
and roller w; it then passes along the cords towards the roller 14. At this
period the knife j, which hangs upon a centre (as seen in the Fig. 1) fixed to
a bracket projecting from the frame T or otherwise, and which knife in its
habitual position rests with its edge nearly touching the cords passing from
the roller to the roller 14, is raised about th of an inch by means of a

page_text: piece of metal shaped at either end like a wedge coming under it, or a
stud projecting from it, as may be most convenient. This wedge is fixed
to the sliding rack F, and consequently when the sheet is going in (as
above described) from the left-hand end of the machine, will come under the
knife from right to left. It is made of sufficient length to keep the knife up
until the sheet is secured firmly between the rollers B and 14. The place of
this wedge on the sliding rack F must be determined by the distance the rack
has to travel before the sheet comes up to the edge of the knife. In this
machine it is placed about 8 inches back from the bar p, and its corresponding
one at a similar distance from the bar p*, but it would be better to make it to
slide on the side of rack F, so as to adjust its distance according to the size of
tho paper. The sheet, having passed through the rollers B and 14, proceeds
from the cords and blanket i under the cylinder, receives its impression, and
then passes on between the rollers B and 16 (the knife being down, nearly
touching the cord, prevents it from following the said cord over the roller w*) and
it passes therefore up between the knife * and stationary guide 11 (the use of
which is to prevent it from following the endless blanket), and is received
between the rollers 80 and 81, carried up between the cords 26 and 27
between the rollers 28 and 29, and is delivered finally on the platform 82 on
the left, where it is received by a workman. The cylinder A communicates
its motion to the roller C by means of two pair of small bevelled wheels, seen
at 33 in the Fig. 2; these bevelled wheels being all of the same diameter,
the roller C will move exactly at the same rate as the cylinder A. The biting
roller v is turned by a small intermediate wheel 46, seen in the plan Fig. 3,
receiving its motion from the rack fixed to the upper side of one of the racks F,
and working into the tooth of a small cog wheel on the axis of the biting
roller v.
The roller w would turn round by the action of the cords 90, in
common with the rollers 12, 13, &c., herein-before described; but, as it is
necessary that it should move with the same velocity as the biting roller v,
It is turned by a small cog wheel on its axis, working into the teeth of a
wheel 71, on the axis of the said biting roller. The machine is put in motion
by the train of wheelwork, crank, &c., seen in Fig. 2, Sheet I., and in the Fig. 1,
Sheet II. W, in these Figures, is the fly wheel; it is put in motion by the
handle or winch 30, and turns in the direction shewn by the arrow Fig. 1,
Sheet II. The shaft of the fly wheel turns in bearings screwed on to the frame
13, 13, seen in both the views, having on it a pinion 52, taking into the
teeth of the wheel 33 on the crank axis 51; the crank axis is supported in
two upright standards 34, cast upon the two side frames 31, 31. X is a
toothed sector; it is made with an arm X* going up like a prolonged radius,

page_text: nearly as high as the top of the machine, and swings on the axis 35, one end
of which rests in a bearing or collar in the upright standard or frame Y, and
the other end in the triangular frame T, as seen in the Fig. 2, Sheet I. The
end of the crank rod 36, Fig. 1, Sheet II., embraces the arm X* like a fork,
as seen in the end view, Fig. 2, Sheet I., and is fixed to it by a center pin
going through them both. Thus when the fly wheel is turned round the crank
70 will communicate its motion to the sector ✗, and produce for every
reciprocation of the sector a revolution of the cog wheel Z, working into the
teeth of the sector. On the axis of this wheel Z is the wheel H, which com-
municates its motion to the machine through the bevelled wheels P and O, O,
as I have already described. On the axis of the fly wheel is the large pulley
wheel 87; this pulley drives the pulley U, and pulley V (fixed on the same axis),
from whenco cords proceed to the small pulleys on the axes of the rollers 23,
25, &c., as I have already described. The ink boxes c, d, have slits cut in their
front surfaces through the thickness of the metal, as seen by the dotted lines
in the plan, Fig. 3, Sheet I., and the slide C has also holes or slits cut in
it at the same height, so that by pushing it in more or less the supply of
ink may be regulated or cut off altogether. The endless blanket has its
two ends united, as seen in the Fig. 2, Sheet I., each end being secured by
sewing or otherwise to bars 40, 41, and the two bars being then laced
together, as seen in Fig. 2, so that the blanket can be tightened or slackened
as occasion may require. The ends of these bars 40 and 41 slide up and down
against the inside of the triangular frame T, and thereby have a tendency to
prevent the blanket from working endways.
Having now described the nature and operation of this machine, so as to
enable persons conversant with works of a similar nature to put it in practice,
it remains for me to state what I consider as constituting my Invention, and I
do hereby declare that my Invention of improvements in printing consists in tho
application of the crank and other machinery herein-before described, so as that
the said crank and other machinery may cause or produce a simultaneous and
reciprocating motion in the type carriage D, and in the frame constituted by
the racks F, and the cross bars p & p®, which supports or carries with it the
inking rollers and f; that is, whilst the said crank and other machinery
cause the said type carriage to move towards the right hand, they at the same
time cause the said frame *
and inking rollers f and f* to move
towards the left hand, and (vice versa); and as the said machinery may be
greatly altered and modified, I lay claim to all such modifications of machinery
which may be employed for producing the same effect. I also lay claim to the

page_text: rollers v, v, which I have herein-before described, and have denominated the
biting rollers, and also to the roller o, as forming part of my Invention, and
constituting an improvement in conjunction with the pointing table, herein-
before described in the process of printing, by which the sheet of paper to be
printed is with more certainty carried over the types, and by which better
register is produced. And I lastly declare, that I lay no claim under this
Patent to the inking apparatus, as herein-before described, as being employed
for the purpose of distributing the ink, in the first instance, over or upon the
inking tables Q, because the said inking apparatus is already the subject of
a Patent granted to me by His Majesty in the year One thousand eight
hundred and twenty-one; neither do I lay claim to, as forming any part of my
Invention, any of the individual parts of the machine herein-before described,
otherwise than as I have before mentioned; nor do I claim the application of
my said Invention to any other species of printing than that of letter-press and
book printing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Parkin, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and twenty-four.
THO (L.B.) PARKIN.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Fourteenth day of September,
in the year of our Lord 1824, the aforesaid Thomas Parkin 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 Fourteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and twenty-four.