IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING PRESSES AND IN PRESSES FOR CERTAIN OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1834

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPHI
SAXTON, of Sussex Street, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanician, send
greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King William the Fourth,
by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date
at Westminster, the Twenty-fifth day of September in the fifth year of His
reign, did, for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Joseph Saxton, His especial licence, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said Joseph Saxton, my exors, adiñors and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Joseph Saxton, my exors, adñiors, or assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-
Tweed, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING PRESSES AND IN PRESSES
FOR CERTAIN OTHER PURPOSES;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a
proviso, that I, the said Joseph Saxton, shall cause a particular description
of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be inrolled in Elis said Majesty's High Court of Chancery
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being there-
unto bad, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Joseph Saxton, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention and
improvements, and the manner in which the same are to be performed, are
fully described and ascertained in and by the following description thereof,
reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the figures,
letters, and numbers marked thereon (that is to say):-
My Invention and improvements consist, first, in the use of a flexible or
elastic plattin instead of a rigid or inflexible plate of metal as a plattin;
secondly, in the application of pressure to such flexible or elastic plattin by
means of a liquid or aeriform fluid in manner herein described; and, thirdly, in
the arrangement of machinery in printing presses, copying presses, and litho-
graphic and zincographic presses for the purpose of applying such pressure to
such flexible or elastic plattin. The object and effect of using a flexible or
elastic plattin with a pressure by means of a liquid or aeriform fluid are, that
the plattin is equally pressed or acted upon over its whole surface, and which
may therefore be employed in any position to press upwards, downwards, or
sideways. The said flexible or clastic plattin is to be of the necessary size for
the press in which it is to be used, as in the case of the ordinary plattin and
is to be a thin plate of brass or other suitable metal varying in thickness from
that of a sheet of foolscap paper to about half an inch, according to the dimen-
sions of the plattin and of the vacant spaces between the columns or pages of
types or figures, technically in printing called "the white." The mode of
application of the said flexible or elastic plattin and of the pressure by means
of such liquid or aeriform fluid will be best shewn by the description of the
machinery delineated in the Drawing hereto annexed, which I shall now
particularly describe, by which any competent workman will readily be able to
carry my Invention into effect.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 represents an elevation of a printing press with my improvements
applied thereto; Figure 2 is a plan of Figure 1 with part of the middle of
the tympan and table broken away, in order to shew the situation of some of
the parts below them; Figure 3 is a transverse section of some of the parts
taken at the dotted line between the in Figure 2; Figure 4 is a plan of

page_text: consist of two parallel bars having each a longitudinal groove formed in their
upper surface which act as guides to the carriage that carries the form of type;
these two ribs, together with the two side rails c, c, &c., the six transverse
beams d, d, &c., and a cross bar b', I prefer being of cast iron and formed in one
piece; e, c, &c., is the carriage on which the form of type is placed. This carriage
consists of the horizontal plate or bed f, f, &c., and of the longitudinal pieces g, g,
&c., which slide in the grooves of the ribs, and the bed is further strengthened
by the transverse beams h, h, &c., all which I likewise prefer to be cast in one
piece. This carriage is run under and withdrawn from beneath the plattin by
turning the barrel i, the axes of which revolve in suitable bearings affixed to
the press frame as shown by dotted lines at Figure 2. The strap kaflixed to
the lengthening arm k', being that by which the carriage is run in, and the
straps 7, 7, affixed to another lengthening piece l', ', being those by which the
carriage is drawn out. It should be stated that the barrel i is not made fast
upon its axle, but the axle is capable of turning a short distance within the
barrel, say about one-sixth of a revolution, both in the running in and drawing
out of the carriage before the barrel is caused to turn, the object of which will
be hereafter described. On the axle of the barrel i is allixed the toothed
pinion m, which takes into and turns the toothed wheel n, turning on the stud
o, affixed to the side rail c. To the wheel n is affixed a circular plate p,
having a notch cut in its periphery; q is a lever having its fulcrum at 7; on
one end of this lever 9 is hinged the detent s, which falls into the notch in the
circular plate p, as will be hereafter described; t is a connecting rod attached
to the other end of the lever q. This connecting rod moves the arm t¹ and
with it the axis w, on which are mounted the arms v, v, carrying the register
points, and which axis turns in the bearings w¹; the register points rise
through the wooden table a, a, &c., and tympan y, y, &c. The table a is
supported by the transverse beams X", &c., of the head of the press X, X, &c.,
as is shown in Figures 1 and 3. On the axle of the barrel i is fixed the
arm z, which comes alternately against the stop 2, 1, affixed on the spokes of
the barrel; and on the axle of the barrel is affixed the winch or handle A for
working the press, and which at the same time also moves the arm B. This
arm B carries a stud, which in its revolution pushes up the diagonal sliding
rod c, which moves through guides D, D, affixed to the press frame. On the
upper end of the sliding rod C is formed the toothed rack E, which takes into
and works the toothed segment F, affixed upon the axis G, which turns the
plug of the cock II. The cock and plug are so formed that they will alter-
nately admit water (which is the fluid I prefer in this case) from the pipe I,
and permit it to flow in upon the flexible plattin and then to stop or cutt off

page_text: such flow of water, and at the same time open a passage from above the
plattin, in order that the water may flow off by the pipe J. The peculiar
construction of this cock will be hereafter described. On the rod C is placed
the helical spring K; one end of which is affixed to the rod and the other end
to the framing of the press. The object of this spring is to draw back the
rod C when released and thereby turn the plug of the cock. On the under
side of the rod C is formed a nitch at the point L, which catches against the
lower guide D at that point, and thereby the rod C is retained in the position
shewn in Figure 1 so long as is required. On the bed f is affixed the stud M,
which comes in contact with the cranked and bent lever N, which has its
fulcrum at N¹. By this means the rod C is lifted out of its catch or notch at
L, and the spring immediately pulls it down and thereby opens the cock H, in
order that the water may flow in above the plattin. At that end of the press
head which is next to the carriage when drawn out from under the plattin is
placed a cylinder O, O, &c., revolving in bearings attached to the press head;
the diameter of this cylinder is equal to the distance between the upper side of
the table and the under side of the plattin, and at the other end of the press
head is placed in similar bearings a revolving axis carrying three pullies
P, P, P, (Fig. 2,) each of the same diameter as the cylinder. The ends of
the tympan are fastened to two wooden bars or stretchers Q and R; and at
that end of the carriage next to the plattin, when the carriage is drawn out, is
hinged a frame S, S, &c., and which is retained in a horizontal position by
means of stops under the hinges abutting against the carriage, in order that it
may pass in and out under the plattin without touching it; but when the
carriage is drawn out in the position shewn in Figs. 1 and 2, the end of the
frame may rise and come in contact with the bottom of the cylinder to prevent
any oblique strain of the straps.
The use of the cylinder pullies, stretchers, and frame is to stretch the
tympan and pass it under the platten upon the types, and again to draw it out
and lay it evenly upon the table, to effect which purpose the two broad straps
T, T, are fastened to the rising end of the frame S, and to the stretcher Q,
passing around the cylinder O. The length of the straps will be rather more
than the semi-circumference of the cylinder, in order that the stretcher Q may
lie clear of the form of type, when under the plattin, and allow the paper to
be accurately applied upon the form.
Three narrow straps o¹, o', &c., are fastened to the other stretcher R; they
are brought over the three pullies P, P, P, and pass under the plattin, and are
made fast with proper tension to the frame S, near its hinged end, and thus the
tympan is kept uniformly stretched in all parts of its course.

page_text: A sheet of paper laid upon the tympan is kept in contact with it, during its
course by means of two, three, or more frisket tapes Q', Q¹, Q¹, (Fig. 2,)
according to the number of pages of type in the form, which are made fast to
the stretcher Q, and wound upon a cylinder U, turning in bearings elevated
above the end of the table.
These tapes are kept in a proper state of tension by means of a weight V
hanging on a tape W, which winds around a pulley at one end of the cylinder U
and thus the paper is held between the tapes and the tympan during its pas-
sage under the plattin, and its withdrawal therefrom; the tapes also perform
the office of lifting the paper off from the types as the carriage is drawn out
after the impression has been made.
I now proceed more particularly to describe my improvements on the
plattin. X shews the inflexible or resisting head of the press, which is supported
in its place by the four pillars Y, Y, &c., which have screw bolts through
them, in order to retain the parts securely together, and there are additional
screws bolts Z, Z, &c. for the same purpose, by which the pressure transmitted
from the plattin to the type on the bed f is resisted, as will be evident on
inspecting the drawing. The frame or inflexible head of the press is composed
of the cast iron plate X', having the strong ribs X", X", &c., on the top of it,
and I prefer that these ribs and the plate should be cast in one piece. In the
Figs. 3, 4, and 5, 1 is the flexible plattin, having its under surface or face
which gives the impression, flat and smooth; the face of this plate or plattin 1
is shewn in plan at Fig. 4, it is held up in its proper position by four springs
2, 2, 2, 2, which also assist in lifting the plattin off the type when the water is
flowing away; 3 is a flexible bag, which I usually make of waterproof cloth or
leather made waterproof, which is made fast to the head of the press by means
of the quadrangular frame 4, which is bound fast on the edges of the water-
proof cloth or leather by means of the screws 5, 5, &c., and thus the whole
inclosure is made water-tight; 6, (Figs 3 and 6,) is the opening in the plato
of the head for the passage of the water into and out of the inclosure.
I now proceed to describe the construction and action of the detent s in
falling into and rising out of the notch in the periphery of the circular
plate p. The detent s turns on a stud fixed in the end of the lever q; near.
the detent are two stops 7 and 8 also fixed in that lever, the stop 7 holds the
detent in a vertical position, while the upper part of the periphery of the plate p
is travelling from left to right, and the stop 8 allows the detent to take an
oblique position, in order that it may rise out of the notch when the plate
turns in the reverse way, the intention of this motion of the detent is that the
register points shall be suddenly thrust up through the table and tympan at

page_text: the moment the tympan comes to a state of
ne vue SSTTT
work that turns the plate must be so arranged that the plate shall never make
an entire revolution.
Figure 6 represents a section of the cock II, showing a curved waterway
in the plug, by the turning of which the water is allowed to flow into the
inclosure by one pipe, and out through the other at any convenient part in the
inflexible plate X', of the head X, as at 11, Figure 1; a small stop-cock must
be placed, to be occasionally opened, to allow the escape of any air which may
have entered the inclosure.
Having described the nature of my improvements in printing presses, I now
proceed to describe the manner of action. It will, however, in the first place,
be desirable to remark, that the degree of pressure to be given to the plattin
is to be regulated by the height and pressure of the column of the fluid in
the supply pipe I, and the quantity of pressure may be regulated according
to the nature of the work to be performed; but as the nature of the pressure
of fluids is well understood, it will not be necessary to go into any descrip-
tion thereof; and I would further remark, that it may be desirable to
have the pipe J ten or more feet long, in order to insure
quick flow
of the water from above the plattin. The lower end of this discharge pipe
may be placed in a vessel of water to prevent the entrance of air. The press
being in the position shewn in Figure 1, a sheet of paper is to be laid upon the
tympan in such manner that the register pins will penetrate about the middle
of the sheet, the winch A on the axis of the barrel i is then to be turned in the
direction of the arrow, Figure 1, in order to run in the carriage e and with its
form of type. The first part of the motion of the handle will cause the arm
to travel a distance from the stop to the other stop without turning the
barrel i; by this motion the detent s is raised out of the notch formed in the
circular plate p, and thereby elevates that end of the lever q which depresses the
other end of it, together with the connecting rod t, and consequently withdraws
the register points. The continued motion of the winch A causes the barrel i
to run the carriage e in, and on the stud M, on the side of that carriage, coming
in contact with the vertical part of the lever N, it lifts the notch in the rod C
off from the detaining guide D, when the spring on that rod instantly pulls it
down and opens the cock to admit the flow of water into the inclosure above
the plattin, in order to give the required impression. The winch A is then to
be turned in the opposite direction in order to draw out the carriage with the
form of type upon it; the first part of the motion of the handle for this purpose
will move the arm the distance from the stop to the other stop, without
moving the barrel i; at the commencement of this movement the arm B will

page_text: come into contact with the end of the rod C, and push it upwards, which will
close the passage of the cock leading from the pipe I, and open it to the pipe J,
the water or other fluid will then be at liberty to flow off from the inclosure
above the plattin, the plattin will then be raised by the springs 2, 2, 2, 2, aided
by the atmospheric pressure. The notch in the rod C will then again catch at the
point L, and on the carriage being completely drawn out the detent s will fall
into the notch of the circular plate p, and the spring s¹ under the other end of
the lever q, will raise up the register points. The paper which has received
its impression is now returned to the position from which it started and is to be
removed, and a fresh sheet substituted, and the handle A again turned, in order
to run in the carriage with its form of type, and to produce a repetition of the
operations.
Another modification of my Invention as applicable to printing presses, is
made by fastening a flexible metallic plate and waterproof bag to the under-
side of the plattin of the ordinary printing press, in the manner shewn in
Figure 4, leaving a small space, say an eighth of an inch, between the ordinary
plattin and the flexible bag and plate, and filling the space with water or other
liquid, the use of which would be to equalize the pressure all over the surface
of the types, when the plattin is forced down by the ordinary screws, levers, or
other means. In applying my improvements to the lithographic press, I
modify the carriage e to receive a stone instead of the form of type, and I omit
the register points with the apparatus for moving them, and I also omit the the
frisket tapes; and when the stone is much smaller than the flexible plattin I
place blocks around the stone to produce an even surface, and thus prevent any
undue bending of the flexible plattin. And I sometimes screw down upon the
bed of the carriage a quadrangular frame, including a flexible plate and bag as
before described, leaving a space of about an eighth of an inch between the
plate and the bed, which I fill with water, for the purpose of affording uniform
resistance in case of irregularity in the thickness of the stone, or in case of
printing from fragile substances. In order to apply my flexible plattin to a
press for copying letters, I affix it underneath an inflexible metal plate, as
shewn in Figure 7 at 9; this metal plate I connect by screw bolts and nuts
at each side, with another inflexible plate 10 beneath it, leaving a space
between the two plates underneath the flexible plattin sufficient to introduce a
portfolio, with several thicknesses of paper placed above and below the writing,
and the damped tissue paper which is to receive the copy, as shewn lying upon
the plate 10. In case of taking impressions from stone, the space between the
two plates must be increased; but in case of taking impressions from zinc
plates, the same machine as is used for copying letters may be employed, and

page_text: the bottom plate or bed 10 may also be provided with a flexible plate, and bag,
and fluid, in which case printing might be effected by this form of press, from
thin glass, porcelain, and other substances. I can bring on the pressure of the
fluids, either by connecting the flexible plattin with a column thereof, or other-
wise, by employing a force pump, as shewn in Figure 7, to which may be
added a lever to increase the pressure.
I do not mean or intend hereby to claim as my improvements or Invention
any of the parts of the machine or machines, presses, or letter copying machine,
herein delineated or described, nor do I mean or intend to limit myself to the
employment of any particular material or materials in the construction thereof,
but to use any which are fit and proper for the purposes intended; but I do
hereby claim the use and application of a flexible or elastic plattin in manner
herein-before described, the application of pressure thereto in printing presses,
copying presses, lithographic presses, and zincographic presses, by means of a
liquid, or aeriform fluid, in manner herein also described, and the arrangement of
the machinery or parts of the said presses as herein described, for the purpose
of applying such pressure of a liquid or aeriform fluid to such flexible or elastic
plattin.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Saxton, have hereunto set my
band and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of June, One thousand eight
hundred and there