Improve- MENTS IN PRINTING MACHINES
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James William Mercer, of Upper North Street,
Poplar, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "Improve-
MENTS IN PRINTING MACHINES."
Sealed the 30th December 1873, and dated the 16th July 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James William Mercer
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 16th July 1873.
I, JAMES WILLIAM MERCER, of Upper North Street, Poplar, in the
County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING MACHINES," to be as follows:-
The Invention has for its object improvements in platen printing
machines, whereby they are rendered more completely self-acting and
more efficient than heretofore, and the first part of my Invention relates.
to that class of printing machines in which the platen is caused to move
vertically to and from the type bed,

page_text: Heretofore the type bed has been on the upper side of a portion of a
cylinder serving the purpose of an inking table, and the inking roller
arms have been mounted on an axis of motion placed in the centre
of such cylinder, and has been caused to move to and fro so as to carry
the inking rollers over such portion of a cylinder and over the type
bed.
According to my Invention, however, instead of employing only a
portion of a cylinder for the inking table, I use a complete cylinder,
except where the type bed and the ink fountain are situated, and I cause
the inking roller arms to completely revolve on their axis in the centre
of the cylindrical inking table, whereby I obtain a continuous rotary
motion of the inking rollers. The platen is as heretofore worked by a
crank or a cam, so as to move it vertically to and from the type bed.
Instead however of feeding the sheets of paper to the machine by
passing them in between tapes or ribbons as heretofore proposed I feed
the paper to the machine and deliver the printed sheets from the machine
by self-acting means operating by the aid of pneumatic power. For
this purpose I arrange a frame or table to slide to and fro in suitable
guides or supports by means of connections from any convenient moving
part of the machine. The guides or supports for this frame or table
are suitably guided, and by other connections are caused to rise and fall
at the times required to receive a printed sheet of paper from the
pneumatic mechanism, and to deliver a blank sheet thereto.
The arrangement of pneumatic mechanism I propose to adopt consists
of four sets of primary tubes placed at right angles to each other, and
working within sockets or tubes formed for them in suitable cross heads
or frames. Each set of primary tubes communicates with the opposite
set, but is independent from the other sets at right angles thereto.
These primary tubes are connected in sets to other tubes carried by or
forming gripper frames, across which, and communicating therewith, are
other tubes which are suitably perforated. These cross tubes are mounted
with capability of being shifted in position on the other tubes to enable
them to be readily adjusted to various sizes of sheets. This arrange-
ment of pneumatic tubes forms four different feeders and deliverers,
and whilst one set is feeding a blank sheet, the opposite set is delivering
a printed sheet,

page_text: The primary tubes are acted upon by springs to force them outwards,
except when otherwise acted upon. The frames carrying the primary
tubes are mounted centrally of the cylindrical inking table, and have a
rotary motion so as to bring the various feeders in position one after the
other to receive a sheet of paper, to hold it during the printing, and to
deliver it after the printing has been effected.
The action of the feeding apparatus is as follows:-Supposing an
impression is being given, the platen by pressing on the uppermost
feeder presses down the uppermost set of primary tubes, and thereby
compresses the air in the two sets of tubes communicating with each
other, by which means the lowermost feeder is caused to deliver the
printed sheet therefrom on to the receiving portion of the traversing
table. The table is then caused to slide, so as to bring the pile of blank
paper under the lowermost feeder, whilst the platen is still pressing upon
the uppermost one; the table then rises and presses the pile of blanks
against the lowermost feeder, and thereby delivers a blank sheet thereto,
which sheet is retained in position on the feeder by the partial vacuum
created in the tubes by the springs acting to press the two sets of com-
municating primary tubes away from each other. After the platen has
risen sufficiently high the feeders are caused to rotate on their axis so
as to bring a fresh pair into position for delivering one sheet of paper.
and receiving another, and for holding a third in position whilst the
printing is being effected.
In applying the pneumatic feed to that class of printing machines
patented by Samuel Cropper on the 14th day of March 1871, No. 675,
I arrange the apparatus as follows:-I mount on the moveable platen
with capability of turning thereon sockets or guides, through which
tubes are passed; these tubes are connected with other tubes in a some-
what similar manner to that before described to form a pneumatic
gripper frame. These tubes also communicate with a pump or bellows
operated at the required times by connections from any suitable moving
part of the machine. The blank paper is supported on a spring table.
or support carried by arms which are weighted to hold them up to their
normal position.
The first-mentioned tubes are connected to arms which are mounted
on a suitable axis, and are caused at the desired times by means of a
or otherwise to move the fooder into nosition for raceixing a shoot

page_text: of paper from the pile of blanks, and for carrying the sheet of paper
into position for printing and holding it whilst the impression is being.
given thereto.
The paper after the printing thereon has taken place and the gripper
frame begins to move away from the type is blown off the gripper frame
into a suitable receptacle by the action of the air pump or bellows'
before referred to.
Instead, however, of mounting the tubes forming part of the gripper
frame in sockets as before described, they may have rollers mounted
thereon, which rollers are guided in suitable fixed cam slots or guides,
and motion is given to the gripper frame by means of a lever acted upon
by a cam, or having a cam groove formed therein to work on a fixed stud
or projection. Links connected to the gripper frame have other rollers
mounted in the same cam slots or guides, and by means of a rod con-
necting them together serve to carry and operate a sheet of vellum or
other suitable material properly weighted, the weight being guided in
vertical slots or guides so as to effect the downward motion of the sheet
of vellum or other material, and keep it suitably strained. In this case
the sheet of blank paper is taken from the pile of paper by the gripper
frame, and is then in the motion of such frame conducted against the
sheet of vellum or other material, whereby extra security in the feed is
obtained. The sheet of vellum and the gripper frame travel together
up the guides with the sheet of paper between them to the position
for the impression being given thereto. On the downward motion of
these parts after the impression has been given the sheet of vellum
continues its downward motion, whilst the gripper frame travels away
therefrom at a given point, the sheet of printed paper being blown
off the gripper frame so as to fall into a suitable box or receptacle.
The sheet of vellum or other material, in addition to assisting in
guiding the printed paper into the box or receptacle therefor, is also
useful to enable the proof to be examined. For this latter purpose the
attendant will simply require to unhook the sheet of vellum or other
material from the supporting rod and pull it up so as to lay it on a table
fixed over the top of the platen.
And in order to obtain extra rollings of the form in platen machines
between the runnings of the inking rollers over the inking table without
diminishing the speed of the machine, I cause one of the inking roller

page_text: arms to be connected with the operating link by means of toggle levers,
to the centre joint of which the operating link is connected, one of such
toggle levers being connected at a suitable point to the inking roller
arm, whilst the other toggle lever is connected to a fixed point. Thus
in the action of the machine the toggle levers are caused to be twice
straightened out and twice folded towards each other for every impression,
thereby causing the inking roller to run four times over the type before
taking a fresh supply of ink from the inking table. By forming one of
the toggle levers somewhat in the form of a bell crank, and by shifting
the connection of the operating link in such additional limb, I am
enabled readily to change from four rollings of the type as before
described to two, and vice versa. Or by employing a fixed cam, slot,
or groove somewhat the form of the letter J to act upon a roller
fixed to the operating lever, I am enabled by shifting the position of
such fixed cam, slot, or groove, and of the roller on the operating lever
to change the number of rollings of the type as before described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James William Mercer in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 16th January 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
WILLIAM. MERCER, of Upper North Street, Poplar, in the County of
Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said James William Mercer, Her special
licence that I, the said James William Mercer, my executors, ad-
ministrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James William
Mercer, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an In-

page_text: vention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING MACHINES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said James William Mercer, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe 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 James William Mercer, 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 thercof, reference being had to the
Drawings hereunto annexed and to the figures and letters marked
thereon, that is to say :-
The Invention has for its object improvements in platen printing
machines, whereby they are rendered more completely self-acting and
more efficient than heretofore, and the first part of my Invention relates
to that class of printing machine in which the platen is caused to move
vertically to and from the type bed. At Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and
8, I have shown the mode in which I propose to carry out this part of
my Invention.
Figure 1 is an end view; Figure 2 is a vertical section; Figure 3 is
partly a longitudinal elevation and a longitudinal section of a printing
machine arranged according to the first part of my Invention; and
Figures 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, are detail views of the pneumatic feeding a
arrangement.
Heretofore the type bed has been placed on the upper side of a portion
of a cylinder, serving the purpose of an inking table, and the inking
roller arms have been mounted on an axis of motion placed in the centre
of such cylinder, and have been caused to move to and fro so as to carry {
the inking rollers over a portion of a cylinder and over the type bed.
According to this part of my Invention however, instead of employing
only a portion of a cylinder for the inking table, I use a complete
cylinder a, except where the type bed 6 and the ink fountain c are
situated, and I cause the inking roller arms d to completely revolve on 3
their axis e in the centre of the cylindrical inking table a, whereby I
obtain a continuous rotary motion of the inking rollers d', around the

page_text: inking table a, and over the type bed b and ink fountain roller c. fis the
platen, which is as heretofore guided so as to move vertically to and
from the type bed 6, and is worked by links g² connected to a crank
pin g¹, fixed in a disc g, keyed on the shaft or axis h, which receives
motion from the shaft or axis e by means of the toothed wheels e¹ and h¹.
The inking roller arms d are each provided with a large boss d², on
which is keyed a toothed wheel d³, which receives motion from a toothed
wheel h² on the axis h. By these means a continuous rotary motion is
communicated to the inking roller arms d.
Instead however of feeding the sheets of paper to the machine by
passing them in between tapes or ribbons, as heretofore proposed, I feeḍ
the paper to the machine and deliver the printed sheets from the machine
by the aid of pneumatic power. For this purpose I arrange a frame or
table to slide to and fro in suitable guides or supports 2, and to rise
and fall at the times required to receive a printed sheet from the
pneumatic mechanism, and to deliver a blank sheet thereto. This I
effect in the following manner :-On the axis h I fix a cam h³, and on
the supports of the table or frame i I mount a cranked lever ³, on the
The
short end of which is a roller 2, which is operated by the cam h³. upper
end of the cranked lever is by a link connected to the frame or table i.
Thus in the rotary motion of the cam h³ the frame or table i is first
brought into position immediately under the pneumatic feeding arrange-
ment, at which time the short end of the cranked lever will rest against
a stop, when in the further rotation of the cam h³ the table or frame i
will be raised to deliver a blank sheet to the pneumatic feeding arrange-
ment, after which the table or frame i will be caused to fall, and then to
slide in the guides ¹ to the position shown in the Drawings to receive a
printed sheet, and so on.
The arrangement of pneumatic feeding mechanism I propose to adopt
consists of four sets of primary tubes k, k, k¹, k¹, l, l, l', l', placed at
right angles to each other, and working within sockets or tubes formed
for them in suitable cross heads or frames m, m.
Each set of primary
tubes communicates with the opposite set, but is independent from the
other sets at right angles thereto. These primary tubes, k, k, k¹, k², l, I, Pª, I',
are connected in sets to other tubes n, n', carried by or forming gripper
frames. Across these tubes n, n', and communicating therewith are other
tubes o, o, which are suitably perforated or provided with slotted
openings o, and in order to render these tubes o, o', capable of adjust-

page_text: ment on the tubes n, n¹, to suit different sizes of sheets I connect each
of them to a tube n², which is dropped into one or other of the openings nº
formed in the tubes n, n³, and these tubes n² are passed through glands
or stuffing boxes n³, through which they may be slidden, as desired,
whilst the tubes 0, 0¹, may be fixed in any desired position on the
tubes n, n¹, by set screws o³ passing through rings o' fixed to the
tubes o, o¹, and fitting on the outside of the tubes n, n¹. The tubes n, n¹,
are closed at n³, and the tubes o, o¹, are each closed at the end opposite
to that to which the tube n² is fixed, in order to prevent the passage of
air through the openings n³ into or out of the tubes n, n¹. This arrange-
ment of pneumatic tubes forms four different feeders and deliverers, and
whilst one set is feeding a blank sheet the opposite set is delivering a
printed sheet.
The primary tubes k, k, k¹, k¹; l, 1, 1, 1, are acted upon by springs p
to force them outwards, except when otherwise acted upon by the platen
or by the pile of paper on the table i. The cross heads or frames m are
mounted centrally of the inking table a on the bosses d², and fit suffi-
ciently tightly to cause them to revolve therewith until they come into
contact with a moveable stop (not shown), that is to say, a quarter
revolution, they then rest during the remainder of the revolution in
order to enable a gripper frame to receive a sheet of blank paper from
the table or frame i, and to enable another gripper frame to hold a sheet
of paper in position during the printing process. A lever acted upon by
a cam (not shown) then acts to raise the moveable stop and permit of the
cross heads or frames m again moving a quarter revolution, when the
moveable stop is again brought into action by a spring; I do not,
however, confine myself to this arrangement of parts for driving the
cross heads or frames m.
The action of the feeding apparatus is as follows:-Supposing an
impression is being given, the platen, by pressing on the uppermost
feeder, presses down the primary tubes k¹, k², and thereby compresses
the air in the two sets of tubes k, k, k¹, k¹, by which means the lower-
most feeder is caused to deliver the printed sheet therefrom on to the
receiving portion of the traversing table i; the table i is then caused to
slide so as to bring the pile of blank paper under the lowermost feeder, a
whilst the platen f is still pressing upon the uppermost one; the table
i then rises and presses the pile of blanks against the lowermost feeder,
and thereby delivers a blank sheet thereto, which sheet is retained in

page_text: position on the lowermost feeder by the partial vacuum created in the
tubes by the springs pacting to press the two sets of communicating
primary tubes k, k³, or l, l, away from each other. After the platen has
risen sufficiently high the feeders are caused to rotate on their axis a
quarter revolution, so as to bring a fresh pair into position for delivering
one sheet of printed paper and receiving another, and for holding a third
in position whilst the printing is being effected.
The second part of my Invention relates to the application of a
pneumatic feed to that class of printing machines patented by Samuel
Cropper on the Fourteenth day of March One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-one, No. 675, which by slight modifications is also applicable
to other machines of a similar class. This part of my Invention is shewn
at Figures 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22. I
arrange the apparatus as follows:-On the moveable platen a I mount,
with capability of turning thereon, sockets or guides b, through which
tubes c are passed; these tubes c are connected with other tubes d, d³,
within which are passed tubes e, e¹, through glands or stuffing boxes d²,
so as to enable the tubes e, e¹, to be shifted in position to suit different
sizes of paper. These tubes e, e¹, are connected to other tubes f, f¹,
provided with glands or stuffing boxes f³, see Figures 19 and 20, to
enable the tubes f³, f', to be adjusted to suit different sizes of paper.
This arrangement of parts thus forms a pneumatic gripper frame of
a somewhat similar character to that before described. The tubes c also
communicate with a pump or bellows g, which is operated at the required
times by a cam h acting upon a roller carried at the end of a lever
keyed on a shaft or axis i, on which is also keyed a lever & connected by
a link with the pump or bellows g.
The tubes c are connected by a ball and socket, or other suitable joint
c', to arms ¹ keyed on an axis j, on which is also keyed a lever j³, which,
by a connecting rod ³, is connected to the upper end of a lever k
working freely on the shaft or axis k. The lower end of this lever k¹ is
provided with a roller, which is also operated by the cam h. By these
means the pneumatic feeding apparatus is moved at the required times
into the position shewn at Figure 12 to receive a sheet of paper from the
pile of blanks, and for carrying it into the position shown at Figure 9
for printing and holding it whilst the impression is being given thereto.
The communication between the tubes c and the pump or bellows g is
formed through one of the arms j³, as shewn in the Drawings, and the

page_text: cam h is that ordinarily employed by the aforesaid Samuel Cropper to
operate the moveable platen of his machine, whilst the axis k is that
employed by him as the axis of his moveable platen, by which means
the pneumatic feeding apparatus herein described is capable of ready
application to such machine.
The blank paper may be supported on a spring table or support
carried by arms which are weighted to hold them up to their normal
position, but I prefer the arrangement shown in the Drawing, in which
case the blank paper is supported on a slide / capable of travelling on a
fixed frame . The slide is acted upon by springs 1 to press the paper
forward towards the pneumatic gripper frame to deliver a sheet of paper
thereto, but in order after such delivery to facilitate the free movement
of the gripper frame the slide is drawn backwards by means of a
friction clutch & acting on the slide 7. This friction clutch is by a link
1 connected to a lever mounted loosely on the axis j, and operated
by a cam or tappet & keyed on the axis of the cam h. The friction
clutch is capable of slipping on the slide at the moment when the
pneumatic gripper frame is pressing on the pile of blank paper, but it
travels there with at other times.
The paper after the printing thereon has taken place and the gripper
frame begins to move away from the platen is blown off the gripper
frame into a suitable receptacle by the action of the air pump or
bellows g.
Instead however of mounting the tubes forming part of the gripper
frame in sockets, as described with respect to the second part of my
Invention, I dispense with the tubes c, and according to the third part
of my Invention, which is represented at Figures 23, 24, 25, 26, and 27,
I connect the tubes e, e¹, to a frame e² provided with rollers e³ guided in
fixed cam slots or guides m, and I give motion to the gripper frame by
means of levers j³ connected thereto by links j', j³, suitable passages
being made in the levers and links j³, j³, and in the frame e³ to
form a communication between the pump or bellows 9 and the
tubes d, d¹, and e, e¹. The links are also provided with rollers je to
work in the cam slots or guides m. In the Drawings illustrating this
part of my Invention I have employed similar letters of reference to
indicate parts of a like character to those employed according to the
second part of my Invention.

page_text: It will be seen on reference to Figure 26 that the parts f, f¹, are
not in the form of tubes, as in the previous arrangement, but are
provided with passages f* to form communications between the
tubes c, e¹, and the perforated gripper tubes f³, f, and that the
tubes f³, f, in this arrangement are fixtures on the parts f, f', and
do not slide therein, as in the former arrangement. The links j* are
connected together by a rod 17, which serves to carry a sheet of vellum,
or other suitable material n, properly weighted by means of a weight n'
fixed thereto, and travelling in slots or guides m³, so as to effect the
downward motion of the sheet of vellum or other material and keep.
it suitably strained. In this case the sheet of blank. paper is taken
from the pile of paper by the gripper frame, and is then in the motion
of such frame conducted against the sheet of vellum or other material n,
whereby extra security in the feed is obtained. The sheet of vellum
and the pneumatic gripper frame travel together up the guides with
the sheet of paper between them to the position for the impression
being given thereto. On the downward motion of these parts after.
the impression has been given the sheet of vellum continues its down-
ward motion whilst the gripper frame travels away therefrom, when
it arrives at the curved portion of the guide or slot m the sheet of
printed paper being blown off the gripper frame so as to fall into a
box or receptacle "..
The sheet of vellum or other material n in addition to giving.
additional security in the feed and assisting in guiding the printed
paper into the box or receptacle is also useful to enable the proof; to
be examined. For this latter purpose the attendant will simply
require to unhook the sheet of vellum or other material n from the
supporting rod 7 and hook it on to a rod j³, or, as described in my
Provisional Specification, it may be laid on to a table fixed over the
top of the platen. In this arrangement the table for the blank paper
is supported by weighted arms q³ mounted on an axis of motion q; and
in order to remove the guides 1* out of the way of the gripper frame, as
the latter moves to and fro in its guides, I employ a lever p connected
to the lever q¹ by a link p', and cause the outer end of the lever Ρ to
be acted upon by the under side of the type bed frame or slide, so that
when the parts are in the position shown by the full lines in the
Drawings the gripper frame will be free to travel to and fro without
coming in contact with the guides 1*; but when the type bed o has.

page_text: completed its backward motion, and the face thereof stands in the
position of the red line in Figure 23, the end of the lever p will be
allowed to rise by the curved portion o¹ of the type bed frame into the
position shewn by the dotted lines, when the table will be in position,
as shewn by dotted lines, to deliver a blank sheet to the gripper
frame.
The fourth part of my Invention relates to means for obtaining extra
rollings of the form in platen machines between the runnings of the
inking rollers over the inking table without diminishing the speed of the
machine. One mode in which I carry this portion of my Invention into
effect is shown at Figures 28 and 29. a is one of the arms for operating
the inking rollers b, each of which arms is connected to the inking roller
frame by a link c; one of these arms a I connect to the operating
link d by means of toggle levers e, f, in the following manner :—The
roller operating arms a are fixed on the shaft g, to which is also fixed the
lever h. The upper end of the toggle lever e is pin-jointed to the bracket
or standard i, and this toggle lever is formed in two parts, fixed rigidly
together, the lower part of which is provided with a slot e¹. When the
operating link dis pin-jointed to the upper end of the slot e¹, as shewn
in the Drawings, the toggle levers e, f, will be twice straightened out
and twice folded towards each other for every impression, thereby causing
the inking rollers to run four times over the type before taking a fresh
supply of ink from the inking table, but by pin-jointing the operating
link d to the lower end of the slot e¹ I am enabled readily to change
from four rollings of the type, as before described, to. two, and vice
versa; or by employing a fixed cam slot or groove ; somewhat of the
form of the letter J, as shewn in Figures 30 and 31, to act upon a
roller k¹ fixed to the operating lever k, which is fixed on the shaft or
axis g, I am enabled when the cam slot j is in the position shewn by the
full lines in Figure 30 to cause the inking rollers to run four times over
the type before taking a fresh supply of ink from the inking table, and
by shifting the cam slot ; to the position shewn by the dotted lines in
Figure 30 I am enabled reddily to change from four rollings of the type
to two. This fourth part of my Invention is applicable to the class of
machine patented by the said Samuel Cropper, as aforesaid, and to
similar classes of machines.
I would here remark that I have not thought it necessary in the

page_text: all the parts of complete machines, but have confined myself to shewing:
so much of each as would enable me to describe the mode in which I :
apply my improvements thereto.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the mode
in which I propose to carry the same into effect, I would have it under-
stood that what I claim in respect to platen printing machines is,-
+
First. The mode of constructing the inking table and the giving a
continuous rotary motion to the inking rollers around such inking table
and over the "form" and ink duct, in manner substantially as herein
shewn and described with reference to the first part of my Invention.
Secondly. I claim the pneumatic feeding mechanism for taking a
blank sheet and holding it during the printing operation, and delivering
the printed sheet therefrom, constructed, arranged, and operated in
manner substantially as herein shewn and described with respect to the
first part of my Invention.
Thirdly. I claim the employment of a table or frame, constructed and
operated in manner substantially as shewn and described with respect to
the first part of my Invention, to deliver a blank sheet to the pneumatic
feeding means and to receive a printed sheet therefrom.
Fourthly. I claim the arrangements of pneumatic feeding and
delivering apparatus, constructed and operated in manner substantially
as herein shown and described with respect to the second and third parts
of my Invention, such arrangements being shewn as applied to the class
of machine patented by Samuel Cropper, as aforesaid, and being
applicable by slight modifications to other platen printing machines.
Fifthly. I claim the use of a sheet of vellum n, or other suitable
material, arranged and operated to assist in the feeding and delivery of
the paper, and to facilitate the inspection of the proof, in manner sub-
stantially as herein shewn and described with respect to the third part
of my Invention.
Sixthly. I claim the modes of providing for extra rollings of the type
or "form" between the runnings of the inking rollers over the inking
table, and of being enabled readily to change to the ordinary amount of
rolling, in manner substantially as herein shewn and described with
respect to the fourth part of my Invention, such arrangements being

page_text: generally applicable with slight modifications to platen printing
machines.
In witness whereof, I, the said James William Mercer, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.