Machine for Printing Floorcloth and similar Material by Means of Flat Blocks.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Jan., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 21st Oct., 1890-Accepted, 20th Dec., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Machine for Printing Floorcloth and similar Material by Means
of Flat Blocks.
THOMAS DALE Engineer 200 High Street Kirkcaldy Scotland do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The chief feature of my invention is the employment of one or more cylinders with
piston or pistons operated by compressed air, steam, water or other fluid but pre-
ferably the former in connection with the aforesaid flat blocks with their necessary
valves & valve motions with the view of dispensing in part or in whole with the usual
gearing shafts & cams.
Secondly in the employment of similar cylinder or cylinders with the necessary
attachments for giving longitudinal motion to the linoleum or other fabric being
printed.
In carrying out my invention I employ a table of any suitable construction upon
which the material to be printed is placed and above the table transverse beams or
rails firmly supported at either end to these rails are attached the cylinder or
cylinders according to the number of blocks to be used, one cylinder and piston may
operate several block or each block may be operated by one cylinder or if the block
is very wide it may have two or more cylinders, or the cylinders may be attached to
a sole plate or frame which is either attached to the rails or may slide upon them;
when the printing blocks to be used are of less width than the material to be printed
as is the case with the usual printing blocks at present in use in hand printing, then
the sole plate & cylinders will be made to slide upon the beforementioned rails, so as
to travel across the material to be printed.
The cylinder for operating the block is inverted, the piston works in it freely and
the lower end of the piston rod or trunk is attached to the platen for receiving
& holding the printing block. The platen may be guided so as to register correctly,
by the rod or trunk working through the bottom of cylinder, or cylinder cover only,
but I prefer to employ suitable guides formed by an extension of the frame to which
the cylinder is attached.
The down motion of the piston is produced by admitting the compressed air or
steam to the upper side of the piston and the upward motion may be produced by
admitting the air to the lower side & so on alternately but I prefer to produce the
upward motion by means of a spring.
Any suitable valve and valve gear may be used worked by the reciprocating parts
of the machine.
When blocks of a less width than the width of the cloth are used I employ a
cylinder & piston for giving the frame carrying the blocks the necessary transverse
motion; to the piston rod of cylinder is attached a crosshead furnished with catches,
catches or pins are likewise provided on the framing & these being released in
conjunction with the valve motion alternately as each impression is made upon the
cloth, cause the blocks to traverse the cloth.
The inking arrangement consists of a tray or frame holding the color pad which
slides in suitable guides, attached to the framing carrying the cylinders; the pad is
furnished with color as it passes under the block by means of a color trough, inking
roller & doctor roller, which are suitably adjusted :
Or the inking arrangement may consist of a color trough, inking roller & doctor
roller attached to the sliding tray or frame so that the inking roller in passing under
the block, applies the color without the intervention of a pad; in this arrangement
the block does not need to descend to take the color & has only one reciprocating
movement for each impression made upon the cloth.

page_text: The motion for drawing the inking arrangement below the block & removing
it, is obtained by levers from the cross head of the traversing cylinder, if the
traversing cylinder is not applied a small cylinder and piston are provided for this
purpose.
The motions for valves are duplex, the motions of the printing cylinder regulating
the traversing cylinder (or inking cylinder as the case may be) and the motions of
the traversing cylinder controling that of the printing cylinder.
On the arrival of the frame carrying cylinders at either side of the cloth, after it
has been printed right across a lever reverses the valve motion & the frame is made
to travel back in the same way but with the motions reversed.
For moving the cloth in the direction of its length, I also employ one or more
cylinders & pistons, the cylinder for this purpose is preferably placed below the
printing table, with cross head the width of table & stops on guides at the sides of
table, these stops are made adjustable to suit any width of block. Grips are provided
for laying hold of the edges of the cloth, or the cylinder may be used for giving
motion to a card roller & endless chain, in the usual way.
I have in connection with these cylinders small hydraulic cylinders with pistons or
plungers for controlling the action of the larger cylinders, these may be regulated by
differential valve gear.
COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION.
Machine for Printing Floorcloth and similar Material by Means
of Flat Blocks.
I, THOMAS DALE, of 200 High Street, Kirkcaldy, North Britain, 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 chief feature of my invention is the employment of one or more cylinders
with piston or pistons operated by compressed air, steam, water, or other fluid, but
preferably the former, in connection with the aforesaid flat blocks with their necessary
valves and valve motions with the view of dispensing in part or in whole with the
usual gearing shafts and cams; and secondly in the employment of similar or the
same cylinder or cylinders with the necessary attachments for giving longitudinal
motion to the linoleum or other fabric being printed.
In carrying out my invention I employ a table of any suitable construction, upon
which the material to be printed is placed, and above the table transverse beans
or rails.
Firmly supported at either end to these rails are attached the cylinder
or cylinders according to the number of blocks. One cylinder and piston may
operate several blocks, or each block may be operated by one cylinder, or if the
block is very wide it may have two or more cylinders. Or the cylinders may be
attached to a sole plate or frame which is either attached to the rails or may slide
upon them.
When the printing blocks to be used are of less width than the
material to be printed as in the case with the usual printing blocks at present in
use in hand printing, then the sole plates or frames and cylinders will be made
to slide upon the before-mentioned rails, so as to travel across the material to be
printed.
The number of sole plates or frames with cylinders and blocks depend on the
number of colors to be printed, one block being required for each color. The
particular case described below and illustrated on the accompanying drawings is a
machine with two blocks for printing two colors.
In order that my invention may be properly understood and readily carried into
effect I have hereunto appended two explanatory sheets of drawings, in the several
figures of which corresponding parts are marked with the same letters of reference.
Figure 1 is a front elevation.

page_text: Figure 2 is a part elevation and part vertical section of the machine for printing
Hoorcloth and similar material; while
Figures 3, 4, and 5 are detailed views of the same.
The cylinder with piston for operating the block are shown at 1, Figures 1 and 2.
The lower end of the piston rod is fixed in a crosshead 2, Figures 1 and 2, which
works in proper guides in the frame 3, Figure 2. Two arms or levers 4 Figure 2
are attached to this crosshead by means of links 5, and the lower side of said levers
are connected with the platten or block holder 7 by means of two other links 6.
These links are provided with adjusting screws having right and left hand threads
for altering the length of the links so as to increase or diminish the pressure of
the block on the cloth as hereinafter described. The block holder consists of a
plate working in V-guides 7' in an extension of the frame for ensuring a regular
and accurate motion of the block.
The arms or lovers 4, Figure 2 are keyed upon sbafts 8 and 9 supported in suitable
journals on the front and back of the frames, and these levers are so arranged in
connection with the links that when the block is down upon the cloth in the act
of printing, the pressure of the block upon the cloth is increased to any degree
required above the pressure actually upon the piston. This is accomplished by
altering the lengths of the links 6 by the adjusting screws.
The lower links 6 are attached to the platten by means of pin joints 6', the eye
of the joint upon one side as shown at a-may be made oval so as to allow of
the block being lifted on one side earlier than upon the other side to prevent any
sucking action, and the looseness of the joint may be taken up by a spring.
The downward and upward motions of the piston are obtained by admitting and
exhausting the compressed air, steam, etc. above and below the piston by means of
a suitable valve; the valve motion is obtained by a tappet rod 10, worked by an
arm 11, moveable with platten; the arm reverses the valve on arriving at the top
and bottom of its stroke by striking the tappets 12 and 13. At each alternate stroke
when the block is being furnished with color from the pad, another tappet 14 is
thrown into gear by the rod 15 attached to the pad lever 30, so that the valve
reverses at half stroke. This is shown in detail in Figure 3. ¹ is a lever attached
to the rod 15, which strikes the forked lever c, having its fulcrum at d supported
by the bracket e secured to the frame. The single end of forked lever c engages the
tappet 14 supported upon the tappet bar 10 in such a way as to come into gear with
the arm 11 when the pad is in under the block.
To the tappet rod is attached a piston 1ª working in an oil cylinder 16 to prevent
a too sudden action of the piston, and to allow time for the block to make a firm
impression upon the cloth; and above the main cylinder may be placed an oil
cylinder 17 for ensuring a steady motion of the machine.
The furnishing is done by means of a pad 18, ranning upon rails 9, and coming
under the block at each alternate stroke of the piston. Brackets 20, are fixed upon
the frames for carrying these rails, and also for carrying the tiering arrangement.
The tiering arrangement consists of a color box 21 fixed to the brackets 20, with
a color roller 22, a doctor roller 23, which is made adjustable by sliding bushes and
screws attached to the brackets, and a distributing roller 24; the latter is provided
with a toothed wheel fixed upon the end of it which is driven by a rack fixed upon the
side of pad, not shown on the drawings. The distributing roller drives in turn
the doctor and color rollers.
Or the pad may be dispensed with, and the color box, doctor, and distributing
roller may be supported upon a moveable frame and made to pass under the block
and furnish the block while the latter remains stationary; in this arrangement the
block requires to make only one stroke for each impression made upon the cloth.
When the pad is used the reciprocating and traversing motion is given to it by
a set of multiplying levers worked by the shaft 8, and will be understood by
reference to Figures 1, 2, 4, and 5.
There is a double clutch 25 sliding upon the shaft 8, which is prevented from

page_text: turning upon the shaft, and is compelled to turn with it by a fixed key 25' in the
clutch, sliding in a groove or key-way in the shaft. In the centre of this clutch
is a loose lever 26, the end 261 of which is made to move one way or the other
according to which end of the clutch is brought into gear with its other end. The
end 26' of this lever is connected by a link to a short lever 27, Figures 1 and 2,
keyed upon a second motion shaft 28. Upon this second motion shaft are keyed
longer levers 29, which drive the levers 30 that actually give the traversing motion to
the pad 18. The latter levers are loose upon the first motion shaft S, and at their
lower end they are connected by a rod 31 to the sides of the pad.
The position of the clutch is determined by the following simple arrangement :-At
one end of the clutch 25 is a forked lever 32 which throws it in and out of gear. The
lever is actuated by a cam 33 revolving upon a small shaft supported upon a bracket
attached to the frame; the cam is driven by a pinion 34 from a wheel 35 running
loose upon the clutch shaft. This wheel is driven round by a ratchet which is cast
with it, the ratchet being worked by a pawl 36 attached to a collar fixed upon the shaft.
The action of this arrangement is as follows:-The block has risen half stroke after
having made an impression upon the cloth, and the right-hand end of clutch 25 is in
gear with the lever 26. As the block continues to rise, the clutch moves the lever
inwards, this movement carries the pad under the block, and when the block is at the
top of its stroke the pad is full in. At the same time the pawl 36 attached to the
collar fixed to the shaft 8 is drawn back until it engages the ratchet. The block now
commences to descend in its downward stroke, and the wheel 35 on clutch shaft S
which drives the cam 33, revolves and drives round the cam until the block meets the
pad, making a half stroke, during which half stroke the shaft 8 revolves through 30°
or of a circle; the cam does not during this operation move the clutch lever 32.
The block having taken a color from pad, rises, until it again reaches the top of its
stroke, and immediately it commences to descend it continues to drive round the
wheel which revolves the cam. At this point it acts on the clutch lever so as to
reverse the clutch and bring the left-hand end into gear with the lever 26, causing it
to move the lever outwards and draw the pad from under the block. When the block
has descended half stroke the pad is entirely clear, and the cam still revolving, throws
out the clutch, so that the left-hand end is released, and the right-hand end is again
put into gear. The block continues still to descend, and the clutch (in gear at the
right-hand end) opens, until the block has descended and printed the cloth. During
this entire downward stroke the shaft 8 has revolved through an angle of 60° or of
a circle, so that the wheel 35 during the half and full strokes has been driven
through 90° or of a circle, and as wheel 35 and pinion 34 on cam shaft are pro-
portioned as four is to one, the cam has made exactly one revolution, and is in the
same position as when the movement here described was commenced. After having
printed the cloth the block ascends, closing the clutch, until at the half stroke,
when the block is clear of the pad, it comes into gear and begins to move the
lever inwards again as at first mentioned.
The gearing for traversing the frames consists of a quadrant 37, or quadrants,
keyed upon the back horizontal shaft 9. This quadrant gears into a spur wheel 38
running loose upon the axle 39 at the back. This spur wheel is attached to a bevel
wheel 41 (also running loose on axle) by a clutch box arranged so that only during
the upward stroke of piston does the spur wheel drive the bevel wheel round."
In order that the frames shall travel the exact distance so as to bring the block to
the proper position for printing the impression, I provide a locking arrangement,
which consists of a pin 59 attached to the frame, which is forced into holes 60 in the
beams by means of a spiral spring. During the downward stroke of the piston as
the quadrant 37 is being turned up, the pin 59 is lifted out of the hole by means
of the inclined plane 61 on the quadrant. Before the frames have reached the
succeeding position the inclined plane has ceased to act on the pin, so that when
it reaches the succeeding hole in the beam it is forced into it, and thus the frame
is locked in the proper position.

page_text: Upon the axles 39 and 40 at the back and front of frames are keyed wheels 42,
upon which the frames run. These wheels are provided with teeth working in racks
fitted to the beams, for keeping the frames always parallel to the cloth.
The bevel wheel 41 gears into a pinion 42 upon the back end of a cross-shaft 43.
Upon the front end of this shaft is keyed a mitre wheel 44, which gears into a pair of
mitre wheels 42" upon the axle 40 supporting the frames at the front. These mitre
wheels are loose upon the axle and drive the axle through a clutch sliding on a fixed
key. The position of this clutch and the consequent direction in which the frames
are made to traverse, is determined by a clutch lever 45 attached to a cross-bar 46.
The cross-bar has a lever keyed upon each end which is thrown to the right or
left by toothed wheels 48 attached to the beam upon each side of the printing table.
The toothed wheels are worked as follows:-A pin 49, and a rod 15 are fixed upon
one or more of the levers 30 giving motion to the color pad. When the frames have
traversed the cloth to be printed, and as the lever moves to draw the pad clear of the
block to allow it to print the impression nearest the edge on either side of the cloth,
this pin or rod as the case may be, according to which side the frames are on, trips up
a lever 51 attached to a bracket fixed to beam. A rod 50 is attached to this lever,
which draws down a catch 55 at its upper end. The catch works in a ratchet wheel
fixed to the toothed wheel 48 above-mentioned. By this means the clutch lever
is reversed, and so reverses the traversing motion alternately at each side, causing
the frames to travel continuously from side to side of the cloth.
Two strokes of the pin or rod are required to throw the clutch out of gear with one
wheel and into gear with the other wheel.
The first stroke of the pin or rod releases the clutch from one wheel and brings it
to a central position between the two mitre wheels, so that the frames do not traverse,
but remain stationary; the second stroke throws the clutch into gear with the
opposite wheel, and the frames then traverse in the opposite direction with the first
full stroke of the blocks. Thus the blocks make two impressions at each side of the
cloth while the frames remain in the same position.
For travelling the cloth which is being printed longitudinally, there is a card
roller 57 resting upon brackets 58 at the back of the printing table. Upon the shaft
of this roller is keyed a worm wheel, and there is an index wheel, cut with notches,
pitched to suit the size of the pattern being printed. A catch or catches fit into these
notches to keep the roller in position.
Pitch chains pass round the card roller at each end along each side of the printing
table and over the feed roller at front end. These chains are furnished with points
for laying hold of the cloth, the cloth being pressed down upon them by small rollers
attached to the printing table.
The worm wheel is driven by a worm, and the worm shaft may form the crank
shaft of a small engine having one or more cylinders. The starting valve of this
engine is controlled by an attachment to one of the printing frames; the same
attachment releases the catch from its notch and allows the card roller to revolve.
Another arrangement for working the card roller is as follows:-
Instead of the worm wheel, a lever or levers are employed, worked direct by a
cylinder or cylinders. The lever is loose upon the shaft of card roller and works the
roller round by means of a pawl and ratchet.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. The arrangement of parts forming as a whole the machine for printing floor-
cloth, or similar material, substantially as described and illustrated on the accom-
panying drawings.
2. The application of a piston driven by steam, compressed air, or otherwise,
working direct in connection with printing blocks for printing floorcloth and similar
naterial without the intervention of cams or toothed gearing.

page_text: 3. The arrangement of levers and links as described, for obtaining the requisite
pressure, and for regulating the pressure upon the blocks.
4. The arrangement of levers and reversible clutch as described, for giving the
traversing motion to the color pad.
5. The arrangement of gearing as described for giving the traversing motion to the
frames.
Dated this 20th day of October 1890.
BOTTOMLEY & LIDDLE,
154, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicant's Agents.