IMPROVEMENTS IN CALICO-PRINTING MACHINES
Year: 1884

page_text: I, THOMAS MOKILLOP, of Strathclyde Print works, Glasgow, in the county of
Lanark, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CALICO-PRINTING MACHINES," to be as follows:-
In printing such fabrics as scarfs or "serongs" which have transverse borders it
is usual so to print the fabric that a blank space is left between each scarf on which
the pattern of the border is subsequently printed by hand blocks. In some cases
the transverse border has been printed in calico-printing machines specially adapted
for the purpose, but in general such machines are only capable of printing patterns
of a length depending on the size of bowl required.
The object of my Invention is to permit of the printing any determinate lengths
of patterns with cross borders, and this end I attain by fitting in connection with
ordinary calico-printing machines simple mechanical devices which operate at
proper intervals to withdraw the garment printing rollers from contact with the
fabric in order that the requisite lengths of pattern may be printed, and the blank
spaces may be left between them, and to bring the border printing roller or rollers
into contact with the parts of the fabric on which the blank spaces are left.
For this purpose, I fit on a shaft, by preference, below and parallel to the axis of
the bowl, a wheel or pulley at the centre or at each end of the machine, upon the
periphery of which pulley I fit two strips of metal or other material to serve as
patterns strips which by acting either directly or through levers upon connecting
rods attached to the spindles or mandrels of the printing rollers withdraw them in
proper sequence from contact with the fabric. One strip is fitted near one edge of
the pulley and extends almost entirely round it, and this strip, by acting on a roller ·
on the arm of a bell-crank or other lever connected to each border printing roller,
serves to keep such rollers out of contact with the fabric, while in the interval of
space between the ends of the strip, the arm of the bell-crank drops to the periphery
of the wheel and permits of the action on the printing roller shaft of springs which
at that interval press the roller into contact to print the transverse border. The
second strip is fitted near the other edge of the pulley, and in length and position
corresponds to the interval between the ends of the first strip; and this second
strip serves by acting through a lever connected to each garment printing roller to
raise such rollers from the fabric in order to leave the blank spaces for the border,
the rollers during the remainder of the revolution of the pattern wheel, being in

page_text: 6
contact and printing the body of the scarf or other article. In lieu of a single pattern
strip being fitted for each kind of printing rollers a number of pattern strips of
shorter longth may be fitted in the perimeter of the wheel or pulley, and in each.
case the strips may be movable, adjustable and interchangeablo in order to provide
for the printing of patterns of slightly different lengths. In order however to
permit of the printing of patterns of any required length, I drive the pattern wheel
shaft from the mandrel of any one of the printing rollers through intermediate
geared wheels or "change whools" by which means any desired velocity of the
pattern wheel shaft relatively to that of the printing rollers. may be obtained; and
the devices which raise the printing rollers may thus be made to act at any desired 1
regular intervals while the fabric passes continuously round the bowl.
Instead of fitting pattern strips on a wheel or pulley as described the desired
action may be obtained by means of pattern grooves formed in the periphery of the
wheel, or by cam surfaces on a rotating disc driven by intermediato gearing from
the bowl shaft, or by the use of equivalout mechanical devices.
1

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION,
I, THOMAS MCKILLOP, of Strathclyde Print Works, Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN CALICO-PRINTING MACHINES," and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
In printing such fabrics as scarfs or serongs which have transverse borders it is
usual so to print the fabric that a blank space is left between each scarf on which
the pattern of the border is subsequently printed by hand blocks. In some cases
the transverse border has been printed in calico printing machines specially adapted
for the purpose, but in general auch machines are only capable of printing patterns.
of a length depending on the size of bowl employed.
The object of my invention is to permit of printing any determinate lengths of
patterns with cross borders, and this end I attain by fitting in connection with
ordinary calico printing machines simple mechanical devices, which operate at
proper intervals to withdraw the garment printing rollers from contact with the
fabric in order that the requisite lengths of pattern may be printed, and the blank
space may be left between them, and to bring the border printing roller or rollers
into contact with the parts of the fabric on which the blank spaces are left.
In the accompanying drawings which serve to illustrate my invention, figure 1
is an end elevation and figure 2 a side elevation in outline, of a calico printing
machine to which my improvements are applied.
I fit on a shaft A, by preference, below and parallel to the axis b, of the bowl B,
a wheel or pulley C at the centre or as shown at each end of the machine, upon the
periphery of which pulley I fit two strips D, E of metal or other material to serve
as pattern strips which by acting either directly or through levers F F and G G
upon connecting rods H and I, attached to the spindles or mandrels J, K, of the
printing rollers L, M, withdraw them in proper sequence from contact with the
fabric which passes round the bowl B.
One strip D is fitted near one edge of the pulley C and extends almost entirely
round it, and this strip, by acting on a roller f on the connecting rod H of one arm
of a bell crank or other lever F connected to the transverse border printing roller,
or to each of such rollers when there are several, serves to keep such roller or rollers
out of contact with the fabric; while in the interval of space between the ends of
the strip D, the roller f and arm of the bell crank F drop to the periphery of the
wheel and permits of the action on the printing roller shaft J of springs j, which
at that interval press the roller L into contact with the fabric to print the
transverse border.
The second strip E is fitted near the other edge of the pulley C, and in length
and position corresponds to the interval between the ends of the first strip D, and
this second strip E serves by acting through a lever G connected to each garment
printing roller M, through the small roller f¹ and connecting rods I, to lower such
roller or rollers from the fabric in order to leave the blank space for the transverse
border, the roller M, during the remainder of the revolution of the pattern wheel C

page_text: being in contact and printing the longitudinal borders and body of the scarf or
other article. The usual drag roller N is fitted to apply the necessary tension on
the fabric and keep it in contact with the bowl.
In lieu of a single pattern strip D and E being fitted, for each kind of printing
rollers, a number of pattern strips of shorter length may be fitted in the perimeter of
the wheel or pulley C, and in each case the strips may be movable, adjustable and
interchangeable in order to provide for the printing of patterns of slightly different
lengths. In order however to permit of the printing of patterns of any required
length, I drive the pattern wheel shaft A, from the mandrel of any one of the
printing rollera such as M through intermediate geared wheels or "change
wheels" 0, 0, 0, by which means any desired velocity of the pattern wheel shaft
relatively to that of the printing rollers may be obtained; and the strips or devices
which raise the printing rollers may thus be made to act at any desired regular
intervals while the fabric passes continuously round the bowl.
Instead of fitting pattorn strips on a wheel or pulley as described, the desired
nction may be obtained by means of pattern grooves formed in the periphery of the
wheel, or by cam surfaces on a rotating diso driven by intermediate gearing from
the bowl shaft, or by the use of equivalent mechanical devices.
'
For simplicity of description and illustration I have shown my invention applied
to a calico printing machine having a single garment printing roller M, and a single
transverso border printing, roller L. My invention is however equally applicable
to machines in which any ordinary number of printing rollers are employed..
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claiin.is
1. The combination of parts constituting the improved devices for acting on the
printing rollers of calico printing machines substantially as herein described:
2. The employinent of a pattern wheel (0) to act directly or through levers on
the printing rollers of a calico printing machine and bring them into and out of
contact with the fabric as and for the purpose set forth.
3. The arrangement of "change wheels" in combination with, the pattern
wheel (C) as means of varying the duration of contact of the printing rollers in a
calico printing machine substantially as set forth.
AA