IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR LETTER-PRESS PRINTING
Year: 1844

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Third day of October, in the eighth year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Newton, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority,
that I, the said William Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
and such others as I, the said William Newton, my executors, administrators,
or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to timo
and at all times during the term of years therein mentioned, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the
Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and in all Her Majesty's Colonies and Planta-
tions abroad, and in the Islands of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and
Man, an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR LETTER-PRESS
PRINTING," being a communication from a Foreigner residing abroad; in
which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso obliging me, tho said
William Newton, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, par-
ticularly to describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be
inrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited

page_text: Letters Patent, as in by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more
fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Newton, do hereby declare that the nature of the said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference being
had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon (that is to say):-
This improved machinery for printing from types, or what is commonly
called letter-press printing, is constructed to act upon a rotary principle, and
is designed to carry successive sheets of paper through the press with con-
siderable rapidity, and without stoppage or interruption, by continuous rotary
movements of the parts which take in and conduct the paper, and pass the
sheets severally in succession over a fixed table, and form a bottom, by which
the required impressionis are obtained, the inking rollers being worked over the
types in the intervals between the time that each printed sheet of paper leaves
the form and the next blank sheet in succession comes on to the form to
receive its impression.
In the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1 is an elevation of one side of the
machine complete; Fig. 2 is also an elevation, shewing that end of the
machine which is at the right hand of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation
taken longitudinal through the machine just within that side frame, which is
seen in Fig. 1, the frame in this Figure being removed; Fig. 4 is also a
longitudinal section taken through the machine near the further side frame,
looking in the same direction as Figures 1 and 3; and Fig. 5 is a horizontal
section taken through the machine a little above the level of the stationary
form of types in all which Figures the respective letters of reference point
out the same parts of the machine. A, A, A, is the outer frame of cast iron
or other suitable material. On the two sides of this frame is mounted an axle
or shaft B, to which are affixed the wheels C, C, C, with arms that carry the
rollers D, D, D, D, D, D, by which the sheets of paper severally. are con-
ducted through the machine and printed in their progress. The form of
types secured in the chase E, E, is made fast upon the bed F, which bed
extends across the machine, and is affixed to the side frame. The driving
power is applied by a winch or other means to the main driving shaft G, on
which there is a pinion taking into a large toothed wheel H, on the end of the
shaft B, seen in Fig. 2. Hence the rotary motion of the driving shaft causes
the carrier wheels C, C, C, to revolve and to carry round the series of printing
rollers D, D, D. Upon the end of the axle of each of these printing rollers

page_text: there is a pinion I, I, I (see Fig. 4), all of which take into a D-formed rack
K, K, K, fixed to the inner part of one of the side frames A; consequently, as
the carrier wheels go round, the rollers D will be all made to revolve upon
their axes.
The axle of each of theso rollers turns in blocks, seen at a, a, a, in
Fig. 1, and shewn by dots in Fig. 4, which blocks are capable of sliding in
slots b, b, b, formed in the arms of the carrier wheels C. A stud C is attached
to the outer part of each of these blocks on the further side of the machine, as
shewn by dots in Fig. 4, which studs slide in a D-formed groove d, d, d, mado
in the inner part of the further side frame A, as represented in Fig. 3 and 4,
but which groove is partly indicated by dots in both these Figures, as the
wheel C partially hides it. After the rollers D have passed round the upper
or circular portion of the frame, the studs c severally descend into the straight
horizontal part of the groove & below, by which their blocks carrying the axles
of the rollers are made to slide inwards in the slots b, that is, toward the centro
of the wheel, thereby conducting the rollers out of the circulars course, at which
time the pinions I take into the straight horizontal part of the D-formed rack
K. The object of this deviation of the rollers from their circular course is,
that the rollers may, as they travel round, pass with an equal pressure in a
straight horizontal direction over the form of types E, E, to obtain the
impression upon the sheet of paper, which pressure is regulated by the ad-
justing screws that attach the studs c to the blocks a. In this machine there
are four boards L, L, L, L, for feeding in four several sheets of blank paper
as the rollers pass round, each board lying upon a stationary bracket affixed to
the framework. Let it be supposed that a sheet of paper is placed upon L',
its edge being brought down against a hook-formed stop e, extending from the
bracket. As the roller D' comes, round and arrives near the edge of the sheet
of paper, the spring clip f will be opened ready to take hold of the edge of
the sheet. In order to understand perfectly the action of the clips that
take hold of the paper, I must refer to the detached Fig. 6, which represents
a portion of a semi-circular or horseshoe-formed piece attached to the inner
side of the frame A, and shewn by dots in Fig. 1. This horseshoe piece
is seen edgeways at M, in Fig. 2, hanging upon a stud g at the upper
end of a bent lever N, which lover is mounted loosely upon the shaft B
as its fulcrum at the outside of the frame, and shewn partly by dots in Fig. 1.
This lever has a pin or tooth h set in its side, which takes into an excentric
groove i, i, i, formed in the back of the wheel O, mounted loosely upon a
stud j, fixed in a bracket at the outer part of the frame, the eccentric
groove being represented by dots in Fig. 1. As the wheel O is driven round
by the rotation of the wheel J upon the end of the revolving shaft B, the

page_text: excentric groove i, i, i, through the tooth h, causes the lever N to vibrate,
and consequently to shift the position of the horse-shoe piece M to and fro
short distances in circular directions, the piece M being guided by slots k,
and screws (seen in Fig. 6), which attach the horse-shoe piece M to the
frame. The object of this movement of the horse-shoe piece (as will soon
be perceived) is to bring certain parts occasionally into operation by which
the clips or fingers f, f, f, are opened and closed. Upon the face of the
horse-shoe piece there are affixed several blocks m (see Fig. 6), each having an
excentric groove n cut through it, which groove is intended as the rollers pass
round to act occasionally upon certain of the pins p set in short levers or
crank arms at the ends of each of the shaft P, whereon the clips f are
fixed (as seen in Figures 2 and 3). The shafts P are severally mounted in
the end plates of, and pass through, the rollers D, one end of the shaft
extending and carrying the crank arm q, with its pin p, as seen in Fig. 3.
The shaft P is held by the friction of a spring r, and must now be considered
to be in the position corresponding with open clips; but when the pin p passes
through the excentric groove n of the block m the crank arm q, with the
shaft P, will be slightly turned, and the clips thereby closed down upon
the edge of the sheet of paper. In order to release the edge of the sheet of
paper from the stop e, preparatory to its being taken hold of by the clips f,f,f,
the end of the feeding board L' is to be slightly raised, which is effected by
the following means:-A treble armed lever Q, Q, Q, is mounted and moves
freely on the outer end of the shaft B, its upper arm is short, and its end
is to be acted upon by a pin s, set in the face of the wheel 0; the ends
of the horizontal arms of this lever lie under the moveable portions of the
feeding boards L' and L (see Fig. 1). Now as the wheel O revolves at
the time that it is necessary to lift the edge of the sheet of paper over the stop
of L', the pin s comes into operation against the top of the lever Q, and
by moving it back causes the lever to vibrate, and the end of one of its
horizontal arms to raise the jointed end of the feeding board L', so that the
edge of the sheet may be lifted and taken hold of by the clips as described.
The rotary process of the carrying wheels causes the roller D to turn upon
its axis, which is effected by the toothed wheel I taking into the rack K
as before stated, and by so revolving to wind the sheet of paper round its
periphery, in which state the paper is brought round the machine to the form
of types E below, and in passing over the form the sheet receives the print
by the pressure of the roller D, which pressure is determined by the adjust-
ment of the stud c. The sheet having being thus printed is now to be
discharged from the machine, which is effected by first opening the clips or

page_text: fingers. This is done by the pin p on the crank arm q, connected to the
clips on the shaft P, in each roller D, coming into contact with a cam piece
t, fixed to the side frame, as shewn by dots in Fig. 1. This cam, therefore,
as the roller D passes it by acting upon the pin p, and crank arm q, forces
open, the clips f, f, f, and releases their hold of the edge of the sheet at the
moment when it is to be drawn out of the machine. The edge of the sheet
is now to be taken hold of by clips u, u, u, mounted upon horizontal transverse
bars R, R, which are worked in the following manner:-The bars R, R,
carrying the clips are attached by joints to two rocking lever arms v, v, fixed
upon a shaft S as their fulcrum below. In order to draw the sheet of paper
away from the roller on to the fly board T, after the clips have taken hold
of it, the bars R, R, with the clips, must be drawn back, which the rocking
movements of the levers v, v, will effect by means hereafter explained. The
bars R, R, carrying the upper and lower series of clips are connected by
joints at w, w, which enable them to open and shut as jaws, and when open
to receive the edge of the sheet of paper between the clips, and when shut
to pinch or clip the edge of the sheet firmly. For the purpose of opening the
jaws of the clips when about to take hold of the sheet, a stud a, affixed to
the side of the under jaw of the bars R, works against a piece y, fixed to
the frame (seen in Fig. 5). On the bars being moved inwards the stud x
passes over the piece y fixed to the frame, which, by raising the stud æ, forces
the jaws open, and when the bars R recede the said stud a passes under the pieco
y, which consequently keeps the jaws closed, and the sheet firmly held. This
movement of the bars with the clips is guided by another pin in the side of
the bar, which moves in a groove formed in a block U, see Fig. 4, attached
to the frame, and which groove opens the clips, when they have carried the
sheet on to the fly board. The means whereby the rocking levers supporting
the bars R are worked is now to be explained. Upon the main driving shaft.
G a disc is fixed, seen at W, in Fig. 1, in which an excentric groove is formed
to receive a pin set into a sliding rod X. This rod is by a joint and lever
attached to the end of the rocking shaft S, consequently as the disc goes round
be pin working in the eccentric groove, will cause the sliding rod X to move
to and fro, and thereby to give vibratory actions to the rocking levers v, v, and
hence move the bars R with the clips u, u, in and out, for the purpose of
Irawing off the sheets of paper successively after they have been printed. As
he sheets come from the rollers D a current of wind is caused to blow upon
hem, which is supplied through a pipe (a) at the back of the machine, and
conducted by two descending branches having lateral openings. The sheets
is they severally fall upon the fly board are kept down by moveable holders

page_text: (b, b) which, previously to the descent of each sheet, are turned sideways from
the fly board by the following means:-The holders (6) are formed by bent
arms affixed to and extending from the tops of vertical shafts (c) mounted in
brackets (d) affixed to the frame as shewn in Figures 2, 3, and 4. The lower
ends of these vertical shafts are each attached to a long spring (e) affixed
under the bed or table F, and upon each of the springs there is a stud (f)
which is acted upon by a cam on the driving shaft G as it revolves. This rotary
cam keeps the springs (e) and the vertical shafts (c) and holders (b, b,) de-
pressed, except at the time that a sheet of paper is to be laid on the fly board,
when a smaller radius of the cam allows the springs to rise with the vertical
shafts and holders, and in rising the shafts are turned partially round by a pin
fixed in the bracket acting in an inclined groove cut in the shaft (e), as shewn by
dots in Fig. 4, by which means the holders are raised and turned off the fly board.
The fly board T is not permanently fixed to the frame of the machine, but is
made fast to a transverse bar (9), suspended by two vertical rods (h, h) sliding
in sockets (i, i) affixed to the side frames, as shewn in Figures 2 and 4. From
the under part of this bar (9) a vertical rack (k) extends downwards, which
takes into a toothed pinion upon the axle of a ratchet wheel (1), mounted
upon a stud set in the stretcher bar of the frame, seen in Fig. 2. Round the
barrel that connects the pinion and ratchet (1) together, a weighted cord (m)
is wound, by which the bar (g) and fly board T are constantly pressed
upwards; but they are prevented from rising by a holding pawle (n), which
takes into the ratchet wheel. As the sheets of paper gradually accumu-
late upon the fly board, it is necessary that the board should be gradually
depressed. This is done by the action of the holders (b, b), which as they are
brought down upon the pile of sheets by the force of the cam, as described,
press upon the paper with a force sufficient to overcome the balance weight of
(m), and thereby drive back the barrel and the ratchet wheel (1) by which
the bar (g) and the fly board T are made to descend. There is a hand lever (p)
attached to the stretcher bar, in which is a pin for lifting the pawle (n) out of
the ratchet teeth of the wheel (!) when the fly board is required to be raised.
I now proceed to describe the the inking apparatus, that is, the means
whereby the form of printing types receives its supply of ink previously to
giving the impression. The ink trough is shewn at Y under the machine, at
the end of which trough there is a ductor roller held up by spring rods,
as shewn in Figures 1 and 2. This ductor roller turns loosely upon the dead
axle (9), and on the same axle there is a loose pulley (1) carrying an endless
band (s), which band also embraces a corresponding pulley fixed on the main
driving shaft G.
Any convenient differential gear connecting the ductor

page_text: roller with the pulley (7) may be employed for giving from that pulley
suitable rotary motion to the ductor roller, so that it shall deliver the required
supply of ink to the feeding or supplying rollers. Upon the main driving
shaft there are affixed a pair of band pullies (t, t), and a corresponding pair of
band pullies (v, v) turn upon an independent axle at the hinder part of the
machine, as shewn in Fig. 1. Over these pullies on each side of the machine
there are distended endless bands or chains (u, v), which conduct several pairs
of ordinary inking rollers (w, w) from the distributing surface of the drum Z
over the form of types. The ink is communicated from the ductor roller on
the axle (7) to the distributing drum Z by the ordinary means through certain
intervening rollers, which spread the ink in a sufficient quantity uniformly
upon its periphery. The distributing drum is made to revolve by a pinion
upon the shaft of one of the feeding rollers (a), which pinion takes into a
toothed wheel (y) on the distributing drum, and lateral reciprocating move-
ments are given to this distributing drum by inclined planes formed at its
end, working against small antifriction wheels set in the sides of the frame.
Thus the ink is supplied to the drum Z, and by the twofold motions, rotary
and lateral, the ink is uniformly spread over its periphery, so that as the
successive pairs of inking rollers (w, w) pass over the drum they may be
enabled to take up uniform supplies of ink, and as they are carried round by
the endless bands or chains (v, v) deposit the required supply of ink on the
form of types after every impression has been given to a sheet of paper.
Having now described the course of operation by which one sheet of paper
placed upon the feeding board L' is taken into the machine, wound upon the
roller D', carried round by that roller, and brought on to the form of types F',
where it is printed, and afterwards discharged on to the fly board T, I proceed
to explain the order in which the sheets are taken into the machine at the
several other feeding boards L, L³, and L. As the wheels C, C, carrying the
several rollers D, D, D, revolve, the roller D (having discharged on to the fly
board T a sheet of printed paper, supposed to have previously wound upon it
in the way described) proceeds up to the feeding board Le and takes in its
sheet of blank paper; then the roller D³, having also discharged its printed
sheet on to the fly board T, proceeds onward to the feeding board L, and the
roller D in like manner, after discharging its printed sheet on to the fly board
'T, passes round to the feeding board L* to be supplied with a blank sheet, the
roller D³ taking on the next blank sheet from the feeding board L', and so on.
It is to be observed, however, that the apparatus for working the clips or
fingers which take hold of the paper is only to be brought into action when
a roller is about to take in the sheet; consequently, the cam piece m in the

page_text: horse-shoe picce M, with its excentric groove n (see Fig. 6), which acts upon
the pin p in the crank arm 7 upon the end of each roller (seen in Figures
2 and 5), must be moved out of the way of the pin p as the roller passes.
To effect this, the stud or tappet h moving in the excentric groove i of the
wheel O (see Fig. 1) comes round, and by shifting the position of the bent
lever N shifts the horse-shoe piece concentrically a sufficient distance, which
enables the pin p to pass without being acted upon by the cam m, n; but
when the roller is to take on the sheet, the bent lever N and the horse-shoc
piece M must be brought into the position just described; now in taking in
the sheet from the feeding board I the same provision is not made for lifting
up its edge as was described in reference to L', but the hooked stops e, e, e
(see Fig. 2), at that part are attached to a transverse rod, acted upon by a
lever and vertical arm (2, 2), seen in Fig. 1, which, being lifted by the rising
of the horizontal arm of the lever Q, described before, cause the stops e to be
depressed and the edge of the sheet to be presented to the clips in the roller
D, and taken hold of without obstruction. The stop at the feeding board L³
does not require this precaution, and the stop at L is the same as at L', the
edge of the sheet being lifted by the rising of the hinged end of the board
when acted upon by the lever Q. It is only necessary to notice that the
arrangement of the several pairs of inking rollers (w, w), and the times at
which they are passed over the form of types, is regulated by the mechanism,
so that the types may be inked immediately after the roller D has passed and
obtained the impression, and before another roller D has reached the form.
Having thus fully described the nature and operation of my rotary printing
press, I desire it to be understood that I claim therein as new, and secured to
me under the above in part recited Letters Patent,―
Firstly, the constructing of a rotary printing press, furnished with a series
of carrying and printing cylinders, say six, cight, or any other convenient
number, which cylinders are provided with clips for taking hold of the blank
sheets of paper and carrying them round by a continuous rotary motion in the
same direction, and so arranged that when they arrive at the form of type
they shall be conducted over it in horizontal directions in the way herein
described.
Secondly, the arrangement and combination of the inking apparatus, by
attaching the boxes in which the gudgeons of the inking rollers run to endless
bands, as shewn, for the purpose of carrying them under and over the form
and bringing them into contact with the distributing roller, whilst the other
evolutions of the machine are going on without interruption.
Thirdly, the manner of working the fingers, that is, opening them and

page_text: closing them upon the sheets by the action of the sliding horse-shoe piece,
and the cams or guides thereon operating on studs as described.
Fourthly, the manner of governing the sliding boxes in the arms of the
carrier wheels which conduct the printing rollers by means of the groove and
the adjustable studs, or by any other arrangement of parts by which the same
end may be attained by equivalent means.
Fifthly, the arrangement of the parts connected with the clips for taking
the sheets from the cylinders and depositing them on the fly board, by which
the clips are opened and closed and made to move in and out, for the purpose
of taking and depositing the sheets.
Sixthly, the construction and mode of operating with the feet or holders for
keeping down the studs, and causing them to perform the motions described.
And lastly, I do hereby declare that I do not intend by the descriptions
herein given to limit myself to the precise form or arrangement of the
respective parts, but I claim the right to vary these as I may find convenient,
so long as I do not depart from the general features or principles upon
which my improvements are dependent, but attain the same ends by means
substantially the same.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Newton, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-five.
WILLIAM (L.S.) NEWTON.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the same Third day of April, in the
year above mentioned, the aforesaid William Newton came before our Lady
the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification aforesaid,
and all and every thing therein contained, in form above written. And also
the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the Statute
in that case made and provided.