IMPROVEMENTS IN LITHO- GRAPHIC AND ZINCOGRAPHIC CYLINDER PRINTING MACHINES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Henry Gardner, of West Harding Street,
Fetter Lane, in the City of London, Printing Machine Manu-
facturer, and Joseph Bickerton, of Oldham, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LITHO-
GRAPHIC AND ZINCOGRAPHIC CYLINDER PRINTING MACHINES."
Scaled the 9th November 1869, and dated the 14th May 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Henry Gardner
and Joseph Bickerton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 14th May 1869.
We, CHARLES HENRY GARDNER, of West Harding Street, Fetter
Lane, in the City of London, Printing Machine Manufacturer, and
JOSEPH BICKERTON, of Oldham, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN LITHOGRAPHIC AND ZINCOGRAPHIC CYLINDER PRINTING MACHINES," to be as
follows:-
The first improvement relates to apparatus for damping lithographic
stones and zincographic plates. In this apparatus a cylinder or roller
of the sponge generally known as india-rubber sponge or of like material
is used, to which water or other fluid is supplied externally or through
a perforated hollow tube forming the axis of the roller. A bed or sheet

page_text: of india-rubber sponge or similar material is placed in such position
with respect to the roller that at cach motion or stroke of the machine it
comes in contact with the sponge roller, and allows it to run upon the
sponge bed or sheet. By this contact the sponge roller receives an
equalized moisture, and distributes the same to the lithographic stone or
zincographic plate.
The next improvement relates to the pointing or register of litho-
graphic and zincographic machines, and consists in fixing the points in
a moveable or adjustable bar connected with the cylinder instead of in
the cylinder itself. The bar can be made to slide or to work on pivots,
so that the paper can be withdrawn from the points more readily.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Henry Gardner and Joseph Bickerton in
the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th November 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, wc, CHARLES
HENRY GARDNER, of West Harding Street, Fetter Lanc, in the City of
London, Printing Machine Manufacturer, and JOSEPH BICKERTON, of
Oldham, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said Charles Henry Gardner and Joseph
Bickerton, Her special licence that we, the said Charles Henry Gardner
and Joseph Bickerton, our exccutors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as we, the said Charles Henry Gardner and Joseph Bickerton, our
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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LITHOGRAPHIC AND ZINCOGRAPHIC CYLINDER PRINTING MACHINES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that we, the said Charles Henry Gardner
and Joseph Bickerton, our executors or administrators, by an instru-,
ment in writing under our, or their, or one of our or their hands and

page_text: scals, 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 we, the said Charles Henry Gardner and
Joseph Bickerton, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof,.
reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the letters
and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
The first improvement relates to apparatus (used in lithographic and.
zincographic printing machines) for damping lithographic stones and
zincographic plates. In this apparatus a cylinder or roller of the sponge-
generally known as india-rubber sponge or of such like spongy material
is used, to which water or other fluid is supplied either externally or
through a perforated hollow tube forming the axis of the roller. A bed,
sheet, or slab of india-rubber sponge or similar spongy material is placed
in such position with respect to the roller that it is brought by the
motion or stroke of the machine in contact with the roller, which is thus
allowed to run upon the bed slab or sheet. By this contact the
moisture of the roller is equalized, and the roller afterwards distributes
the moisture to the lithographic stone or zincographic plate.
The next improvement relates to the points or registers of lithographic
and zincographic machines, and consists in fixing the points in a
removeable or adjustable bar connected with the cylinder instead of
placing such points directly in the cylinder itself. The bar can be made
to slide or to work on pivots, so that the paper can be withdrawn from
the points more readily.
The accompanying Drawings exemplify the mode in which our
Invention is carried into practical effect.
Figure 1 is an elevation, and Figure 2 a transverse section of a portion
of a lithographic or zincographic printing machine, sufficient thereof
being shewn to illustrate the first portion of our improvements.
a is a damping roller used to apply moisture to the lithographic stone
or zincographic plate; this roller is mounted by its axis or journals c in
bearings cast with or fixed to the general framework B of the machine.

page_text: b, b, is a bed or slab of india-rubber sponge fitted into a tray d capable
of sliding or working horizontally in the framework B with the motion
of the machine, being actuated by connections with the driving shaft,
and being on the frame or carriage which carries the lithographic stono
or zincographic plate. At each ordinary motion of the machine the
bed is brought under, and comes into contact with the roller a, which
revolves by frictional contact therewith, and the moisture or liquid
thereon becomes equalized or uniformly distributed over the surface of
the roller, and as in the continued motion of the machine (that is to say,
the continuous travel of the carriage holding the bed 6 and the litho-
graphic stone or zincographic plate) the bed b travels away from the
roller a, and the lithographic stone or zincographic plate is brought
under the roller a, the roller a coming in contact with the stone or plate
damps the surface thereof. A is tho ordinary printing cylinder of the
machine.
In respect of this part of our Invention we wish it to be understood
that we are aware that damping rollers working on or against beds and
subsequently working on or against lithographic stones or zincographic
plates for the purpose of damping them have before been used, but such
rollers and beds have not hitherto been formed of, nor covered, nor faced
with india-rubber sponge or similar spongy material, and the novel and
distinctive feature of this part of our Invention consists in the employ-
ment of india-rubber sponge or such like spongy material for forming,
covering, or facing damping rollers and the beds which come in contact
with damping rollers.
Figure 3 is an elevation, and Figure 4 a transverse section exemplifying
the second portion of our Invention.
A is the printing cylinder, supported in the framework B of the
machine in the usual manner. Ordinarily the register points are let into
and held by the cylinder itself, so that when such points are worn the
cylinder has to be removed, whereas according to this Invention thic
register points ff, are placed or mounted in a detachable or removeable
bar g, which bar is placed in a longitudinal recess in the cylinder A. The
cylinder is formed with this recess, or the recess may be cut or formed
in the cylinder. The bar g is held in the sides g* of the recess, that is to
say, in the ends of the cylinder, by screws m or other like removeable or
adjustable attachments; the points f,, are fitted or mounted in such bar,
and held by nuts n, n. When the points are worn or require to be

page_text: adjusted or changed the bar can be withdrawn by undoing the screws or
other attachments by which the bar is held in the recess of the cylinder.
m*, m*, are caps, which are screwed over and cover the ends of the
bar g.
In carrying out the first part of our improvements sometimes instead
of making both the damping roller, and the bed against which it works of
india-rubber sponge or such like spongy material, we make (or cover)
only the roller of (or with) such sponge or spongy material, while the bed
on which it works is made of other substance, such as the material
hitherto ordinarily used in damping apparatus of lithographic and
zincographic cylinder printing machines; or the roller may be of such
other or ordinary material or material hitherto used, while the bed on
which it works is made of or covered with india-rubber sponge or similar
spongy material.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same may be performed, we declare that we claim,—
First. The employment of a damping roller or cylinder formed of or
covered with india-rubber sponge or such like spongy material, working
substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.
Second. The employment of a bed sheet or slab formed of or
covered or faced with india-rubber sponge or like spongy material,
substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.
Third. The fixing or placing of the register points in a bar mounted
in or connected with the cylinder, substantially in the manner and for
the purpose described.
In witness whercof, we, the said Charles Henry Gardner and Joseph
Bickerton, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Fifth day
of November, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-nine.
Witness to both signatures,
E. DE PASS,
68, Fleet Street, London.
(L.S.)
C. H. GARDNER.
JOSEPH BICKERTON. (L.S.)