IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING MACHINES to be as follows
Year: 1884

page_text: I, CHARLES DENTON ABEL, O. N° 28, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Co. ulting Engineer and Patent Agent do hereby
declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING MACHINES
to be as follows:-
"
According to this invention the paper, whether it be taken in continuous length
from a reel, or whether it be fed in separate sheets, is in its whole course through
the machine held rigidly between two pairs of endless tapes, bands or cords, one
pair at each side margin, which are caused to travel at the same speed as the
printing and pressing surfaces, are kept in tension by tightening pullies, and are
pressed together with the paper gripped between them by means of a number of
rollers caused to bear upon them by weights or springs. Thus the paper, instead
of being folded partly round the impression cylinder and of being held thereto by
tapes or grippers, is caused to inove tangentially to the impression cylinder between
it and the forme cylinder or between it and a flat forme, as the case may be. Also
the inking apparatus, consisting of the ink duct and the dipping and distributing
rollers, is all mounted on a framing separate from the machine itself so that it can
be moved away therefrom, or brought up to it. When it is brought up to its place
for use with the machine, it is adjusted by screws so that the last set of distributing
rollers are made to bear with such pressure as is required against the inking
cylinder or the forme cylinder of the machine. By thus making the inking
apparatus removeable, all its parts are rendered accessible, and the ink can be
changed when required. In many cases, it is of advantage to make the forme
cylinder and the impression cylinder change places, as when it is desired to print on
the reverse side. As the forme cylinder is less in diameter than the impression
cylinder to allow for the depth of the forme, it is necessary to make up this increase
of diameter in converting the forme into the impression cylinder, and conversely to
reduce the diameter of the impression cylinder when it is to be used as a forme
cylinder. For this purpose, each of the two cylinders is made of the diameter
suitable for acting as the forme cylinder, and is fitted with a cylindrical shell put
[Price 6d1

page_text: on in halves, so as to make it up to the size necessary for acting as impression
cylinder. These half shells are secured on the body of the cylinder in the same
way as the forme, and the ends of the covering blanket or fabric are secured in one
of the joints of the two half shells. For cutting the sheets, a knife arranged to
slide radially within the cutting cylinder is made by means of a cam to protrude at
one part of the revolution so as to cut the sheet wound round the cylinder, and by
suitable gearing this cam may be made to act only once in every two, three or more
revolutions, so as to cut simultaneously two, three or more convolutions of the paper,
thus separating it into two, three or more sheets.

page_text: "
I CHARLES DENTON ABEL of 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane,
Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent, do bereby declare the nature of
the said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING MACHINES a communication
to me from abroad by La Stè P. Laffitte et Cie Paris France 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 certain improvements in printing machines and consists
of First A new mode of conducting the paper through Printing Machines by means
of movable grippers..
Hitherto in all printing machines either of the rotary or flat kind, endeavours
have been made to cause the paper to adhere or apply itself to the cylinders as
much as possible in such a manner that the paper thus supported forms part so to
speak of the machine thus preventing the formation of pleats, folds or creases,
Thus in rotary machines the paper is carried into the machine only by the
adherence of the paper on the cylinders and as endless paper is employed it follows
its course through the machine without much difficulty, only a few guide tapes
being necessary for the purpose. When paper in sheets is employed such as in the
case of flat printing machines, the paper is registered" on the cylinder which is
provided with fixed grippers which seize the paper on one of its sides only,
carrying it round with them and forcing the paper to apply itself against the
cylinder which it encircles more or less completely.
"
This mode of procedure which has always been adopted has several serious
objections, without absolutely possessing the required advantage which is to
prevent the paper from forming pleats or being creased. It causes stain spots and
waste sheets, prevents exactness or precision in the junction marks when several
colours are used and retards the rapidity of the "taking off" especially in machines
using paper in sheets.
The moving grippers of this invention obviate these objections and effect many
other advantages as will be afterwards explained, and they may be varied in shape
and construction in many ways without altering their principle; that which is now
described as an example is formed by two double endless bands A, A', Figures 1, 2,
and 3 of the annexed drawings made of any suitable material and sufficiently wide
to take the paper B between the two and hold it tightly nipped or pinched between
a series of loose rollers C, C¹, between which they pass carrying the paper along
with them, or it may be effected by any other system which would not affect or
alter the present principle.
As the moving grippers are actuated at D, D¹, by the machine at the same rate
as the printing cylinders P, O, themselves, the paper which it conducts and holds
firmly stretched and nipped on both of its sides, from its entry to its exit from the
machine does not require to be wrapped or encircled round the cylinders for the
purpose of being held or maintained; on the contrary the paper separates itself
from the cylinder in a regular and careful manner and forms a line always at a
tangent to the cylinders with which it has contact only at the line of junction of

page_text: the printing cylinder P with the cylinder O carrying the forme (Stereo) exactly as
a bar of iron passes through the two cylinders of a rolling mill.
By this means there are no waste sheets because the paper has no other contact
but that necessary for its impression; and no difficulty is experienced in obtaining
a good register and an exact junction line when several colours are used simul-
taneously, because the paper is never abandoned in the machine but is on the
contrary conducted and maintained up to the time of its leaving the machine.
Finally there is no delay in rapidity of "taking off" as one sheet follows the
other in the movable grippers without stoppage. No sheet is left stationary in its
course the movable grippers having absolutely the same speed as the machine
itself. The impression cylinders - being also entirely free and disengaged permits
the workman to easily effect the most delicate operation of making ready for press.
The movable grippers can never be destroyed by the friction of the impression
cylinders as in the case of Rotary Newspaper machines which can only draw the
paper into the machine by reason of this very friction which prevents them from
receiving and printing any other paper but newspapers; this being an important
consideration in favor of the present invention.
The movable grippers may be actuated in various ways which would not change
the principle of the present invention, nor is it affected by the material used in its
construction but it is essential and necessary that it has the same speed as the
printing cylinders.
In Figure 3 is shown one mode of actuating the movable grippers. It is
composed of grooved pullies D, D', having the same diameters as the printing
cylinders P, O, in the grooves of which take two auxiliary pullies E, E¹ half the
diameter of the first mentioned pullies.
The tapes or bands which constitute the moving grippers pass between these
pullies and are thus actuated and drawn along at the same rate as the printing
cylinders. The pullies E, E¹ may be made more or less eccentric and more or less
pressed against the pulley D so as to exert more or less pressure and adherence on
the tapes or bands of the moving grippers. A counterweight on grooved rollers
which may be regulated at will is placed along the length of the bands or tapes
at H or at any other suitable position allowing the tightening or the loosening of
the tapes or bands to be regulated and consequently compensated automatically.
In Figure 3 only one couple of printing cylinders is shown, that is to say, one
pressure cylinder P and one forme or stereo cylinder O; but it is obvious that the
foregoing description referring to one couple of cylinders equally refers to the case
where 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and several other couples or series of printing cylinders are
placed in position in consecutive order. The moving grippers passing between the
cylinders conducts and supports the paper in a position always tangent to the
cylinders no matter what their number may be until it leaves the machine, the
paper being printed upon on one side or on the other according as to whether
the inkers are arranged at R or at R¹ thus forming the obverse and the reverse.
The moving grippers may also be applied to flat machines although in this case
it will be required to adhere a little closer to the pressure cylinder in consequence
of the flat surface of the printing forme O Figure 4 but this does not affect any of
the results above mentioned with reference to the cylinder machines.
As a further advantage the moving grippers permits the employment on all
machines either rotary or flat, of paper either in sheet or in endless (web) form,
and in the latter case a greater speed may be used and a delivery obtained hitherto
unknown and which the rotary machines have been unable to attain except for the
production of newspapers alone.
Secondly Movable and Portable Inkers with Cylindrical and Multiple Tables.
In all systems of printing machines either rotary or flat, hitherto known, the
inkers are fixed and immovable and form an integral part of the machine itself,
which renders the working difficult and costly through the loss of time and loss of
iuk especially when coloured inks are used.

page_text: The present inker on the contrary is absolutely independent of the machine and
is movable and portable because it can be taken from one machine and carried and'
adapted to another according to the requirements of the work in hand.
For this purpose the inker is constructed on an independent frame which carries
all its working parts and its gear in such a manner that when the frame is removed
all its parts and gear is removed with it. When in consequence of the size of tho
machine its weight is very great, the under part of the frame carries rollers on
which it rolls like an ordinary truck.
The machine is arranged so as to receive the inking frame and to support it
firmly and by means of a simple transmission arrangement consisting of an
intermediate gear wheel or other means, the motion of the machine at once
actuates all the working parts of the inker which become for the moment an
integral part of the machine. The operation of removing the inker and placing it
in position is rapidly effected and only takes a few minutes to perform.
In Figure 5, is shown as an example, one arrangement of movable inker, but it is
obvious that this arrangement may be varied and modified according to the kind
of machine to which it may be applied without in any way affecting the principle
of a movable and portable inker.
A frame A has its lower part resting on rollers C, C¹, its sides are formed by a
surface terminated in a dovetail E, E, and they abut and wedge into the frame of
the machine F arranged for that purpose.
The small frame A is firmly supported against the frame F with which it now
forms part, by two eccentric cylinders or rollers G¹ G¹ which support it along its
whole length and force it to press against the frame F; also by four tightening
screws H, H, which butt against the frame F in a hollow I, I¹, arranged for the
purpose also forcing the frame A to adhere to the frame F at the same time
preventing it from shifting in any direction through the grip of the tightening
screws at I, r.
The frame A carries all the working parts and accessories of the inking gear
JJ being the "ductor" and reservoir which are regulated in the ordinary manner,
K being the "taker" which may be advanced or withdrawn a certain distance so
as to increase or decrease the quantity of ink taken which it transmits to a first
cylindrical table L on which two distributors M M¹ having a to and fro movement,
level, distribute and transmit it to two other cylindrical tables L' L" on which the
ink is levelled by two feeders N, N₁, which finally transmit it to four inking rolls
or cylinders P, P₁ P, P which communicate it to the forme or stereo on the
printing cylinder O.
It will be observed that the parts of the inking gear may be easily increased in
number and the inkers may have three tables, several distributors and at least four
inking cylinders.
The operation of removing this movable inker is simple, convenient and rapid.
For this purpose the tightening screws H, H¹ are released and the eccentrics G₁ G¹
lowered, the frame A descends by its own weight thus detaching itself completely
from the frame F of the machine, the frame A is then pulled forward and the inker
with all its parts and accessories rolling on the rollers c c¹ leaves the machine and
may be instantly replaced by another inker of another colour or by new or fresh
inking gear previously prepared with scarcely any loss of time or stoppage of the
machine.
The preceding description refers more particularly to the inking gear of a rotary
printing machine and having the inker underneath, but the same principle may be
applied to cylinders or inkers at the upper part, as also and particularly to all
known kinds of flat machines and others.
Thus for inking from above, the frame A, Figure 6, turned upside down, presses
and supports itself by the upper frame F of the machine by the same means as
before tightening screws etc but in the reverse position. But should the frame A
be too heavy to be taken out of the machine and carried by hand, as it is now
impossible to run it along. the floor on rollers, the frame F of the machine'is so
:-

page_text: arranged that, the frame A may be taken out on rollers C, C¹, either to the left
or to the right in the direction of the length of the machine leaving the printing
cylinder exposed.
As regards its application to flat machines it is most easily effected and rests on
the same principle of momentary connection to the frame by means suitable to each
kind of machine and may be infinitely varied. But in this case the advantages of
its application are still more numerous because these inkers having cylindrical
tables instead of flat tables, they take up considerable less space than the latter
in which the to and fro motion requires a double extent of space which is entirely
lost.
The distribution of the ink on the flat tables is also very imperfect and it is
almost impossible for the workman to regulate his inking cylinders as they all.
operate by their own weight only.
By the present invention of inovable inkers with cylindrical tables applied to
flat machines, an enormous space which is at present occupied by these machines
will be economised. A regular and nearly perfect distribution is obtained and an
inking touch which the workman can regulate with the greatest precision. If two
workmen are placed side by side on the same machine with two different inks it
will be possible to print in two colours instead of in one, and by placing two
workmen on both of the sides of the machine, four colours may be printed
simultaneously on an ordinary flat retiration machine which is impossible with the
fixed inkers at present in use, at the same time not occupying more space than
these machines take up at present.
Thirdly Combination of cylinders serving as Pressure Cylinders or as Forme
Carrier Cylinders.
In all existing rotary printing machines, there are two distinct kinds of cylinders
viz the cylinders which carry the forme or stereo. and those which receive a
wrapping or envelope for the purpose of pressing the paper to be printed against
the Formes or Stereos of the first named cylinders but their functions and purpose
are absolutely distinct and separate.
The present cylinder can be used alternately and when required as a Sterco
cylinder or as an impression cylinder. It is therefore a combination cylinder and
is an entire novelty in the printing art, as also is the moving grippers and the
movable and portable inker before mentioned.
In order to obtain this result all the advantages of which will be seen later on,
the Stereo cylinder (which in consequence of the thickness of the Stereo plate must
necessarily be smaller in diameter than the presser cylinder) must be capable of
acting or operating as a presser cylinder in its turn and for this purpose it is
encircled by a metallic envelope or cover which can receive the flannel wrapping
and make it of the required diameter as the two coupled presser and stereo cylinders
must always be of exactly the same diameter as each other.
In Figure 7 the stereo cylinder O is encircled by two stereos A A¹ supported by
catches C, C, Cu, C. In order to transform this stereo cylinder into a presser
cylinder, the stereos are replaced by two semi circular plates of metal B, B', turned
down and highly polished which are affixed to the cylinder by the catches C, C',
C, C, but care being taken that the thickness of these semi circular plates
and consequently the diameter of the cylinder when provided with its flannel
wrapping E and the thickness of said wrapping be so calculated as to be exactly
similar in diameter to the cylinder when carrying the stereos. The flannel
wrapping is secured or fastened by the ordinary means in the groove G provided
for that purpose in each cylinder.
In this way each of the cylinders may be used either as a stereo cylinder or as a
presser cylinder as required.
The advantages gained by this interchangeable arrangement added to those
derived from the improvements above mentioned consist in being enabled in future
to arrange the cylinders of a printing machine in such a manner in consecutive
order either vertically or horizontally in series of couples, all kinds of colours may

page_text: be printed either on the obverse and the reverse, or on one side only and with
endless (web) paper or with sheets by the same machine all perfectly at the will of
the operator.
In effect supposing a series of six couples of combination cylinders are arranged
horizontally by way of example as at A, A, A and B, B', B", etc Figure 8, each of
these combination cylinders may be made either presser or stereo cylinders.
The moving grippers seize the paper E at its entry into the machine at C, C¹, and
conducts and supports it firmly through the whole length of its course between
the cylinders of the machine of which it has the same speed as already explained
until it leaves the machine at ff. It is obvious that the paper will be printed on
one side or on the other according as to whether the cylinders are made to form
stereo or presser cylinders the movable and portable inkers being of course placed
opposite to each stereo cylinder.
In Figure 8 the first four lower cylinders are arranged as stereo cylinders
B, B, B, B", corresponding to the presser cylinders, the four movable and
portable inkers being placed beneath the four stereo cylinders, and the last two upper
cylinders A, A', are arranged as stereo cylinders the two corresponding lower
cylinders B, B¹ are arranged as presser cylinders with the two upper inkers H, H
placed opposite to the two stereo cylinders A, A¹. The paper passing through this
machine would be printed on the obverse side in four colours and and on the other
or reverse side in two colours.
"
By arranging the machine in another way and according to the result required it
can be made to print in six colours on one side only, or five on one side and one on
the other, or four on one side and two on the other, or three on each side and so on
according to the number of couples of cylinders.
The improvements above described applied to various working parts of printing
machines are brought together constituting a mode of printing at a tangent which
is entirely new and distinctive.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
The principles of the improvements herein before described in the various working
parts and accessories of printing machines in black and in colours viz:-
1 The new moving grippers which ensure the regular passage of the paper
through printing machines of all descriptions.
2 The new system of portable and movable inkers with cylindrical multiple
tables for all descriptions of printing machines.
3 The new combination cylinder which may be transformed from a presser
cylinder into a Stereo cylinder and vice versa at pleasure.
The whole is applicable to all printing machines both rotary or flat and
constituting as a whole a new mode or method of printing at a tangent hitherto
unknown and superior in its results and in all points of view to all or any of the
systems at present in use.
The 20th day of March 1985