IMPROVEMENTS IN LETTER PRESS PRINTING MACHINERY."
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Augustus Applegath, of Dartford, in the
County of Kent, Printer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LETTER PRESS PRINTING MACHINERY."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Augustus: Applegath
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 17th October 1853..
I, AUGUSTUS APPLEGATH, of Dartford, in the County of Kent,
Printer, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN LETTER-PRESS PRINTING MACHINERY" to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in letter-press
printing machinery, where the printing is performed on both sides of
the paper, and consists of arranging or combining machinery in such
manner that three "forms" are used, two similar "forms" for printing
one side, and one "form" for printing the other side; hence two im-
pressions are taken by the machine from one of the "forms" for each
impression taken from either of the other" forms." For this purpose the

page_text: three "forms" used may either have a reciprocating motion, or they may
be on cylinders, and have continuous rotatory motion. When the three
"forms are to have a reciprocating motion it is preferred that they
should be on the same table, the two similar "forms" being towards
the ends of the table, and the third "form" in the middle. Each of the
end "forms" passes to and fro under a printing cylinder, having
suitable tapes and apparatus for conducting the paper to and from the
"form;
"and the third "form" is by the same motion of the table
caused to pass under two printing cylinders, and to give off its in-
pression to the paper alternately, which is printed on the other side by
one of the other two end "forms; "the "forms" in their to and fro
motion being inked in the ordinary manner. When a continuous
rotatory motion is preferred the three "forms" are fixed on three
cylinders, two of them having like "forms" for printing one side of
each two sheets of the paper, and the third to print the other side of
each sheet of paper. The "forms" are inked in the ordinary manner,
and the paper is conducted to and from the "forms" by tapes and
cylinders placed between the cylinders on which the "forms" are fixed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Augustus Applegath in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 17th April 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I
AUGUSTUS APPLEGATI, of Dartford, in the County of Kent, Printer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
seventeenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Augustus Applegath, Her
special licence that I, the said Augustus Applegath, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Augustus
Applegath, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any

page_text: ime agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully night
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LETTER PRESS PRINTING MACHINERY," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Augustus Applegath, by
an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly
lescribe 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 I, the said Augustus Applegath, do hereby
declare the nature of the 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 (that is to say):
"
This Invention has for its object improvements in letter-press printing
machinery, where the printing is performed on both sides of the paper,
and consists of arranging or combining machinery in such manner that
three "forms are used, two similar "forms" for printing one side, and
one "form" for printing the other side; heuce two impressions arc taken
by the machine from one of the "forms" for each impression taken
from either of the other "forms." For this purpose the three "forms"
used may either have a reciprocating motion, or they may be on cylin-
ders, and have continuous rotatory motion. When the three "forms"
are to have a reciprocating motion it is preferred that they should be
on the same table, the two similar "forms" being towards the ends of.
the table, and the third "form" in the middle. Each of the end "forms"
passes to and fro under a printing cylinder, having suitable tapes and
apparatus for conducting the paper to and from the "form;" and the
third "form" is by the same motion of the table caused to pass under
two printing cylinders, and to give off its impression to the paper alter-
nately, which is printed on the other side by one of the other two end
"forms;" the forms in their to and fro motion being inked in the ordinary
manner. When a continuous rotatory motion is preferred, the three
"forms" are fixed on three cylinders, two of them having like "forms"

page_text: for-printing one side of each of two sheets of the paper, and the third
to print the other side of each sheet of paper. The "forms" are inked
in the ordinary manner, and the paper is conducted to and from the
"forms" by tapes and cylinders placed between the cylinders on which
the "forms" are fixed.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, I will proceed to
describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1, is a side elevation of a rotary perfecting machine, which
prints two sheets at each revolution of the type cylinder; Figure 2,
is an end elevation of the same. The letters of reference apply to
each Figure. A, and B, are the type cylinders, which may be of any
convenient size; they are supposed here to be one hundred inclics in
circumference: the type or form is fixed upon them in type holders,
similar to those used at the "Times" vertical machines, either in
single columns or in pages, as may be best suited to the work to be
printed. The distributing surfaces are fixed opposite to the forms of
type, and ink is supplied to them in the usual manner by the vibrating
roller, from the colour box Y, which may be placed in any convenient
position. a, a, a, &c. are the iuking rollers, which revolve in their
carriages w, w, and are drawn into contact with the type and distri-
buting surfaces by means of india-rubber springs, as shewn in the
diagram. Figure 3, wx, wx, arc bands of iron or gun metal which
partly confine the inking rollers as usual in fast machines. C, C, C, C,
are the four paper or impressing cylinders, having toothed wheels in
gear with the type cylinder, and they are half its diameter. D. D, D.
&c. are the conveying drums, to be made of such diameters and placed
at such distances as may carry the sheets of paper from the cylinder
A, to the perfecting cylinder B, so as to meet the type at the exact
point of time to make register; two of the drums have adjustable
bearings. E, E, E, E, are the feed boards and feed rollers; motion is
given to the upper feed rollers by the wheel L, which is in gear with
one of the drum wheels, and it must be of the proper diameter to drive
the surface of the feed drum at the same rate as the drums and paper

page_text: cylinders; the feed drums have also connecting wheels. The dropping
rollers v, v, are worked in the ordinary manner by the usual cams on
the wheels F and F*, which connect with a small wheel s, one fourth
of their diameter, so that F and F revolve once for four revolutions of
the drunis and impression cylinders. Sheets laid upon the upper feed
boards are first printed at A, and then pass in the direction of the
arrows to the cylinder B; they then proceed through the rollers G, G;
towards H, H; but as the rate of produce is too great for one "taker
off," the printed sheets are alternately discharged at H, H, and at G, G,
in the following manner :-The levers or arms I, I, move upon pins
at r, and have upon their rollers two sets of endless tapes p, p, to which
motion is given by bands from one of the drums at the upper roller H,
and which is connected with the lower roller by small wheels.
When the arms I, I, are in the position shewn in Figure 1, the sheet
passes on from the rollers G, G, and' issues at H, H; but when the
next sheet arrives at G, the arms I, I, are raised by strong india-rubber
springs; the cam o, which before kept them down by its full part having
moved on to its lesser diameter, which permits the arms to rise about three
inches, leaving a clear passage for the sheet, which then issues at G, G,
and is received by the "taker off" and laid upon its heap. The cam o, has
upon its spindle a wheel which works into a small wheel o*, one fourth
of its diameter. Sheets laid upon the lower feed boards are first printed
at A, and then pass in the direction of the arrows to B, and are discharged
perfected at n; the lower feed drums receive motion from the wheels
, t, which are in gear with the drum wheels; the wheel t upon the
drum spindle must be of the proper diameter to drive the feed drum at
the same rate as the other drums, and the lower wheels F and F;
have the usual cams, which move the dropping rollers v. v, and arc
driven by small wheels 8, s, in the manner of the upper feed boards;
admitting the rate of motion in this machine to be the same as that
which produces "good work" at "the Times," the type cylinders will
make three thousand revolutions per hour, and six thousand sheets, or
twelve thousand impressions. The perfection of this machine would
be when working "taper" type, or letter having it sides slightly
inclined, and with wood engravings made to the proper curve; it.also

page_text: prints stereotype and ordinary type, arranged segmentally, as at "the
Times." Figure 6, is a diagram, representing a rotary perfecting
machine, by which four impressions are obtained at each revolution of
the central type cylinder, which has upon it the type of the "outer"
form, or that which contains the wood engravings, when such are
required. The cylinders at the ends of the machine have upon them
the inner form and a duplicate; the various parts are similar to those
already described in Figures 1, and 2, and the course of the sheets is
indicated by the red lines and arrows. By this quadruple arrangement
the utmost produce attainable from one set of wood engravings is
secured, together with a superior distribution and supply of ink, there
being ample space for four inking rollers to "touch" the form, each
being equally well "distributed." At the Times" rate, this machine
will perfect twelve thousand sheets, or twenty-four thousand impressions.
If necessary, connecting or register wheels may be fixed upon the
spindles of the type cylinders, which may be "produced "three or four
fect, in order to approach the machine on either side. Figure 7, is
a diagram of a double action flat or plano-cylindric machine; and
Figure 8, is a diagram of the usual book machine, as patented by me
about One thousand eight hundred and twenty-three, which serves to
explain the present improvement. In cither Figure A, A, and B, B, are
the impressing cylinders; and C, C, are the forms of type; D, D, the
conveying drums, with the usual tapes and other appurtenances; and the
various motions in each are produced in the usual manner. In Figure 7,
the central type is what is termed the "outer" form, and it usually
contains the wood cuts, and the type at the ends of the machine are the
inner form and a duplicate of it; as the three type tables move back-
wards and forwards in the usual manner, it will be evident that the
central form prints both advancing and returning, and thus performs
nearly double duty. In Figure 8, the whole lineal motion is about
forty-seven inches, but in Figure 7, the motion is rather more, or fifty-
seven inches, in order that the whole form may pass under two inking
rollers for each impression. Such a machine, properly constructed,
may yield from two thousand to thousand five hundred perfect sheets
nor hour

page_text: Iaving thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner of performing the same, I would have understood that I make
no claim to any of the parts separately; but what I claim is,-
First, the combination of machinery described, with reference to
Figures 1 and 2, and the diagram, Figure 6.
And, secondly, I claim the combination of machinery described by
reference to Figures 7.
In witness whereof, I, the said Augustus Applegath, have here-
uuto set my hand and scal, this Fifteenth day of April, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
S. CARPMAEL.
AUGS APPLEGATH. (L.S.)

page_text: the outer or wood cut form passes under the perfecting Cylinder B. and prints, it has perheted a sheet, as it passed in contact
with A when it moved in this direction
and thus the outer form does double duty. The motion of the Cylinder and the
backward and forward motion of the & forms of type are given by racks and wheels in the usual manner, and if the Im.
pressing Cylinders require to be elevated, while the type passer under them, at the times they are not required to print, their
devation may be performed in any of the usual methods