Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Mar., 1887
Complete Left, 7th Dec., 1887
Complete Accepted, 13th Jan., 1888
We, FRANZ XAVER HÖLZLE, and CARL SPRANGER of Brunnstrasse 9 Munich,
in the Regency of Bavaria, Germany, Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
For
The
This invention relates to platen printing presses and consists in rendering them
capable of printing in two colours without change of the inking mechanism.
this purpose the colour-table is made in two corresponding parts, one for each colour.
For printing in one colour only, the two parts may be approached so as to form one
table or the space between them may be filled up with a bead for the same purpose.
The various colour-rollers and distributing rollers are also made in two parts adapted
to be fixed together for single colour printing in the same manner, as the table.
receptacles for the colours are preferably arranged above the respective halves of the
colour plate, the colours being carried down to the table by means of a roller divided
as above described and pivoted in the end of rocking lever arms. To grind and
distribute the colours over their respective parts of this roller, the lever carries also a
grinding roller which presses upon the first, the two being caused to revolve by means
of a fixed tooth rack gearing into a pinion on the shaft of one of them, and revolving
the said pinion, when the lever arms are raised or lowered; the grinding roller also
receives during its course, a longitudinal reciprocating motion by any suitable
mechanism for the better distribution of the colour on each part of the feed roller.
Over the platen (or over the form) is arranged a revolving frame carrying or
operating the paper and pivoted at its centre; between each pressing of the platen,
this frame is caused by suitable mechanism to make a half revolution, so that the
portion of the paper, which was at the one pressure impressed by the part of the form
inked, with one colour, is, on the next pressure, printed by that part of the form
inked by the other colour and vice versa, thus without shifting of the colour mechanism
the sheet is printed with a couple of complete two-coloured prints for every two
impressions of the platen.
To adjust the platen for harder or lighter impressions, I form the platen of a smooth
upper plate attached to a lower supporting plate by four or more pins at the corners
fixed to the upper, and projecting into the under plate and adapted to be secured, when

page_text: the plates are set in position by set screws, at the corners or sides are also arranged
wedges adapted to be set according to certain marks so as to increase or diminish the
distance between the two plates.
The introduction and removal is continuous as with every other platen press, the
main point, of course being an exact introduction for the printing of two colours.
For this purpose, a device is arranged on the platen consisting of a guide rod fastened
on each side of the platen in revolvable bearings or eyelets. In this rod are arranged
revolvably and adjustably two perpendicular pins and one pin bent round rectangularly,
the former serving as adjusting marks in the longitudinal axis of the platen, the latter
for the perpendicular line thereto.
By loosening the eyelet screws the guide rod is correspondingly shifted forward or
backward in the adjusting marks and may be set fast. The shaft is provided with
springs. Thus cach sheet can be exactly and securely introduced so that after the
revolution of the platen the second colour print is effected exactly at the corresponding
place of the first. As soon as the platen descends, the elastically pressed guide rod
abuts against a projection of the frame and is thereby retained until the platen ascends
again.
.

page_text: Improvements in Platen Printing Presses.
We, FRANZ XAVER HÖLZLE and CARL SPRANGER of Brunnstrasse 9 Munich in the
Regency of Bavaria, Germany, Manufacturers 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:-
This invention relates to platen printing presses and its object is to enable said
presses to print in two or more colours a number of impressions or pulls in an equal
number of printings. Heretofore in printing in two or more colours, the paper was
first printed in one colour, then the colour rollers etc. changed and the paper again
printed with the second colour, the number of impressions made by the press being
equal to the number of copies multiplied by the number of colours."
The following is a description of the invention as designed for the printing of two
colours. The platen is provided with devices for holding as many sheets as there are
colours to be printed and either the form or the platen, or the sheet holder thereon is
caused to rotate or otherwise move in such a manner as to bring the sheets successively
under the impression of that part of the form corresponding to each colour so that in
a number of impressions equal to the number of colours, an equal number of complete
prints are obtained, each printed in all colours.
The machine hereafter described is adapted to print in two colours upon the platen
proper is pivoted a flat plate or frame capable of rotation about the centre of the
platen, and with this plate is combined suitable mechanism whereby the said plate is
rotated automatically for 180° for each impression, whereby the sheets of paper on the
frame change places, each being printed during the second impression by that part of
the form by which the other was printed during the previous impression. The inking
mechanism is in two parts adapted to ink the two parts of the form with different ink.
The said inking mechanism and frame aforesaid are also adapted to be combined so
that impression in one colour may be taken in the improved press in a manner similar
to an ordinary platen press.
Referring to the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of the press with parts in position to receive the
sheets to be printed.
Fig. 2 a plan view thereof showing rectangular platen.
Figs. 3, 4 and 5 illustrate a modification in which the platen consists of two parts.
Fig. 6 is a detail view,
Figs. 7, 8 and 9 views illustrating the frame with circular platen and machine
comprising same.
Figs. 10 and 11 illustrate a modification.
Fig. 12 a detail view and Fig. 13 a sectional view of one of the colour rollers.
a is the colour table pivoted at a' in the known manner and capable of rotation
when desired by the toothed rim, is the colour receptacle or ink trough a roller
receiving colour from the trough a roller receiving ink from 6-3 an iron roller

page_text: grinding and equalizing the colour on the roller 62. The rollers 63 being carried
down as the table ascends by the lever system shown in Fig. 1. teeth in the rim of the
roller 2 gear into the rack and the rollers 2 and 3 are revolved thereby, they are
also provided with a relative end wise motion in any well known manner. In the
improved press the ink trough, rollers and table are adapted to be parted in the middle
and so to form two separate but corresponding series, one for each colour. The
construction of the rollers is indicated in Fig. 13, the inking table may be made in
two corresponding halves adapted to be moved to and from each other on a cross
bar a or may be fixed thereto, and a flap or filling up plate inserted between them
when the press is to be used as an ordinary platen press for printing in one color.
The table may also be made in two separate discs each adapted to rotate separately
during the printing in the same manner as a single ink table in ordinary platen press
printing.
same.
The platen is arranged to be revolvable or it is provided with a revolvable frame
which may be round, square, or of other convenient form, it being equal in size to the
platen and divided by a broad central bar into two equal parts. The centre of this
bar carries a gudgeon rotating in a suitable bearing in the plater or support of the
The frame may however in place of this gudgeon be revolvably supported in
other ways. The frame is covered with cloth or suitable material and it carries also
a suitable device for fixing the sheets of paper in position, said device being preferably
that shown in detail in Figs. 10 and 11 adapted to hold the sheet as soon as the platen
is moved towards the form or bed. The turning of the frame or of the platen
respectively is preferably performed in two movements, a quarter revolution being
made during the movement of the platen into contact with the form, and the remaining
quarter revolution during the return movement thereof from the form. This turning
of the frame or platen may be operated in various ways, for instance, the gudgeon
is connected to a tooth wheel m (Fig. 2), the said wheel gearing with the rack the
latter guided under the platen and held projected towards one side thereof by a spring;
the outer projecting end of the rack carries a small wheel, adapted when the platen
moves towards the form to arrive upon a nose on the frame, whereby the rack is
pressed back and the frame r rotated. The tooth wheel m is not rigidly connected to
the gudgeon pui is adapted to rotate the latter in one direction by means of a
ratchet wheel and pawl in a known manner. After the rack ¹ passes over the nose #,
the rack and pinion m return to their previous position under influence of the spring
upon the rack, but the frame remains in the position given to it, that is to say
revolved for a quarter revolution from the position shown in Fig. 2. The printing of
the first impression is effected with the frame in this position. On return of the
platen from the form, the rack ¹ is again depressed by the nose and the framer is
further rotated for a quarter revolution. When the platen moves towards the form
for the second impression, the frame is again rotated a quarter revolution and the
sheet receives the impression in a contrary manner to the first impression, that is to
say, that part which was before printed with, for instance, black is now printed with,
red, and vice versa.
In the modification shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the gudgeon is arranged as a short
shaft carrying a bevelled wheel gearing with a bevelled wheel on shaft W. i is a
shaft carrying an excentric which operates on the roll g' connected to the sliding
block y¹. which carries the pins y2 y3. The shaft W carries a siar or spoke wheel Wi
with four radial arms. The shaft is caused to rotate continually thereby raising and
lowering the block y'. The parts having the position shown in Fig. 7, the platen
moves forwardly, the lower arm of the wheel star abuts against the pin y, and the
shaft W and consequently the shaft. and frame rare rotated thereby. Subsequently
the block y' is depressed so that when the platen returns the upper arm of the wheel
star meets the pin y² and the shaft. W and consequently the shift and frame rare
further revolved thereby.
The arrangement is simplified by making the platen and platen frame circular, in
this case the frame may be supported by a central gudgeon or shaft as before mentioned,
or the arrangement shown in Figs. 10 and 11 may be employed. In the platen is

page_text: arranged a circular groove R¹ into which engage the pins S having conical points,
and serving to secure the frame on the platen and as means for the accurate holding of
the frame during the printing. Conical pits are provided in the groove R¹ at the four
points 1. 2. 3. 4. and the pins S are pressed elastically into said pits. When for
instance the frame is turned (by hand for instance by the handles enclosing the
pins S.) the points of the pins slide out of the conical pits, and after revolution of 90°
or 180° fall into pits thereunder, thus indicating the sufficient revolution of the frame
and at the same time securing the frame in the position required.
The following is a description of the means for securing the paper upon the platen
frame. On the cross bar of the frame are revolvably secured two rods e el provided
with clastic fingers (Fig. 6) which pass across the opposite rod and are pressed
downwards to the frame by spiral springs on the said rods eel. In this case it is
supposed that two sheets are inscried, one at each return of the platen, so that sheets
inserted are always first printed by one of the colours for instance the black, and,
during the next impression by for instance the red, and thereafter removed consecu-
tively as they arrive in that part of the frame next to the operator. Therefore the two
rods ee must be independently operated and preferably automatically, this is effected
by bending the one end of each rod to form a lever (Fig. 6). On the platen is
arranged a pine so thai on the revolution of the frame, the downwardly directed
lever arrives against this pin and is deflected thereby so that the corresponding
rode is moved and the respective sheet may be removed, and a fresh one inserted.
After introduction of the fresh sheet the frame commences to revolve and the lever e
slides off the pin and the paper is held fast. As the paper holding contrivance
projects above the general level of the platen frame, the central bar between the forms
must be lower in proportion to enable the platen frame to be pressed down onto the
form.
To enable the sheets to be adjusted on the platen frame, a rod is pivoted to the
platen on each side. This rod is longitudinally and revolvably adjustable and carries
two pins adapted as longitudinal guide pins, and one rectangularly bent pin t¹
serving as a side mark, and adjustable longitudinally on the rod. The rod is
adjustable to and fro by screwing up upon the pins", spiral springs on said pins
hold the rod with the points normally pressed on the platen frame.
When the platen
descends the rod arrives against the detent upon the frame and is held up thereby
during the printing, falling again on return of the platen. The raising of the rod
may likewise be arranged by causing a tooth wheel revolved by a weight to engage
with a toothed sector on the rod and raise the latter when the platen moves towards
the form.
Since in narrow machines there may not be sufficient space to enable the platen or
frame to be revolved, the platen may be made in two parts as shown in Figs. 3, 4
and 5. One of these parts a is placed higher than the other a' but in a parallel
plane so that the latter may pass under the former in changing the places of the two
parts. The higher frame is supported by springs ßß, so that when the platen arrives
against the form, the higher frame is depressed to the plane of the lower and both are
then printed equally.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In platen printing presses, the combination with two or more sets of inking
apparatus, and forms adapted to be inked thereby, of a device for holding two or
more sheets of paper or the like whereby the said sheets may be brought successively
under the printing of each form substantially as set forth.
2. In platen presses the combination with a platen of a frame revolvable thereon
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3. In platen presses, the combination with a platen of two or more sheet holders a a¹
adapted to be moved over one another as and for the purpose set forth.

page_text: 4. In platen presses the combination with a separable colour table of separable
rollers substantially as set forth.
5. The combination with a platen, and sheet holder revolvable thereon, of two or
more rods having leverse and adapted to secure the sheets on the holder,
together with pine on the platen for the purpose set forth.
6. In platen presses the combination with a platen of a rod revolvable thercover
and displaceable longitudinally thereof, with pins on said rod substantially as and
for the purpose set forth.
F. X. HÖLZLE.
C. SPRANGER.
By Herbert & Co..
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C.,
Agents to Applicants.