Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Feb., 1886.
Complete Left, 8th Nov., 1886.
Complete Accepted, 25th Feb., 1887.
I ALEXANDRE MARIE MARCILLY, of 28 Rue Madame, Paris in the republic of France,
Printer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the construction of a new or improved machine for printing
from copper plate engravings whereby the cleaning or wiping of the plate is effected
under very advantageous conditions as regards the quality of the work which has to
be executed without lengthening or otherwise increasing the stroke of the carriage and
without decreasing the speed of production; that is to say, that contrary to that which
has heretofore been the practice, the cleaners or wipers do not all commence operating
at the same end of the plate and they have each a separate motion which can be altered
when required, for example, supposing the cleaning or wiping operation is to be
effected by two dry rags and two wet rags, if the first dry rag commences to clean or
wipe at the top of the plate, the second rag will commence at the bottom and in a like
manner the wet rags will each commence operating from opposite sides.
Whilst the plate is passing below the cleaners or wipers, the latter have imparted to
them an undulatory motion produced by a special guide with which each of them is
provided and which allows of each cleaner or wiper being guided according to the
requirements of the work. These guides not being fixed upon the machine, may be
replaced as many times as required for one or several of the rags.
The said rags are wound directly above the cleaning or wiping bands upon two
hobbins placed one above the other and occupy a very limited space which enables the
attendant to control the operations without being interfered with by cumbersome
parts or pieces.
With the exception of the special parts peculiar to this machine it is like most
printing machines constructed of a carriage to which a to and fro motion is imparted
between two frames over which is arranged a cylinder or pressure roller serving to
give the necessary pressure for drawing off the proofs. This machine is also provided
with an inking reservoir, an inking table and with feeding and inking rollers.
Upon the carriage is arranged a block so mounted as to be capable of having a
longitudinal motion and furnished with claws serving to hold the engraved plate.

page_text: Across the machine and above the parts over which the plate passes when the
carriage is in motion, are arranged cross bars supporting flexible bands under which
pass the cleaning or wiping rags wound at each of their ends upon the bobbins also
fixed upon the cross bars.
The ends of each cross bar are furnished with two horizontal rods resting upon
bearings upon which they can slide. Each bearing is held by two uprights or pillars
connected at their basis and sliding longitudinally within the frame of the machine so
that they can ascend and descend when required.
Levers having central pivots are placed below the said uprights or pillars between
some of the cross bars and produce a rocking motion causing one of the cross bars to
he lowered when the other rises and vicê versâ the former being raised when the latter
is lowered.
The supports of two of the cross bars are in contact at their lower ends with cams
which when in operation cause the cross bars with which they correspond as well as
the whole of the parts which they support to alternately ascend, descend or remain
stationary. The parts or pieces operating the rocking motion of the cleaners or
wipers may according to the requirements of the construction be replaced by the
following arrangement.
The cleaners or wipers are alternately raised by a T-shaped piece the ends of the
cross bar of which support bearings and the lower part of whicli abuts at the required
time against a piece fixed to the carriage or they may be actuated by a jointed
mechanism also actuated by the carriage.
The hereinbefore described cams as well as another eam having for object to raise
the inking rollers at the same time as the cross bar connected with them when they
have passed over the plate, are all set in motion by a shaft or endless screw to which
a motion is imparted by one of the usual gear wheels. In these two cases, the
bearings slide between two fixed uprights or pillars instead of being fixed upon
moveable pillars.
Adjusting screws serving to regulate the height of the cleaning or wiping bands are
placed at the inner ends of each cross bar, they each act upon a moveable plate upon
which is fitted the cleaning or wiping band.
Upon the carriage and at the side of the block are placed if required bands provided
with suitable corrugations. Perpendicular rods fixed next to the cross bars come into
contact with these bands so as to follow their outlines when the carriage is in motion,
while springs are provided which cause the cross bars to always return to the same
point. These two combined actions enable the cross bars and consequently the rags
which they carry to pass over the plate in an undulating manner corresponding to the
corrugations of the bands employed. This mode of regulating the course of the
cleaners or wipers enablos a rag to finish cleaning or wiping the plate with an
undulatory motion different from that with which it commenced the operation.
When the amount of work effected by one or several of the cleaners or wipers
requires to be increased, it is sufficient to dispense with the use of the corresponding
lever or levers of one or several cleaners or wipers so that the cleaners or wipers left
operating may pass twice over the plate in a reverse direction.
The parts of the rags passing over the plate require to be gradually replaced by
freshi ones, and this operation is effected by means of a ratchet wheel mounted upon
the spindle of the lower bobbin. Each time that one of the cross bars is raised the
support of the pawl abuts against the end of a screw independent of the said cross bar
and which is regulated as may be required in order to replace the rags more or
less promptly by fresh ones.
Two damping rollers are mounted at each end of the block and are raised when
passing under the wet rags so as to come into contact with them and supply them with
the necessary moisture.
The operation of the machine is as follows:
At the moment that the block or table carrying the plate as it issues from below the
cylinder, the carriage continuing its travel towards the ink reservoir two of the cross
bars will be lowered together with the inking rollers. The plate first passes under the

page_text: inking rollers which spread ink thereupon, then under the rag mounted upon the first
named cross bar which causes the ink to enter the hollow parts of the engraving and
subsequently under the rag of the second named cross bar which commences to clean
or wipe the said plate. The carriage then reaches the end of its travel and is brought
back in the opposite direction, while at the same time the two said cross-bars are
raised together with the inking rollers, and another cross-bar is lowered by reason of
the rocking motion before described, the plate being then subjected to the cleaning or
wiping action of the rag belonging to the last named cross-bar before returning to the
starting point mentioned above and such cleaning or wiping action commences at the
opposite side to that which has already been operated upon. The plate will then pass
below the end cross-bar which is gradually lowered during the operation above
described. The travel of the carriage being completed when the same is reversed the
end cross-lar is lowered and the next cross-bar raised, the plate passing then under
the rag of the end cross-bar which completes the cleaning or wiping operation by
acting again on the side opposite to that operated upon by the preceding rag. In
order to draw a proof the plate is finally passed under pressure below the cylinder;
and the operation above described is recommenced for each fresh proof required.
By the arrangement above described carefully executed work is produced; if
however it is desired to produce ordinary work only, the general arrangement could
be simplified by dispensing with the cleaners or wipers placed between the inking
rollers and the ink reservoir. The machine would be thus proportionately shortened
and produce more work in proportion to the decrease in the length of the travel.
G. F. REDFERN,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: A New or Improved Machine for Printing from Copper Plate
Engravings.
I, ALEXANDRE MARIE MARCILLY, of 28, Rue Madame, Paris, in the Republic of
France, Printer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
This invention relates to the construction of a new or improved machine for
printing from copper plate engravings whereby the cleaning or wiping of the plate
is effected under very advantageous conditions as regards the quality of the work
which has to be executed without lengthening or otherwise increasing the stroke of the
earriage and without decreasing the speed of production, that is to say, that contrary
to that which has heretofore been the practice, the cleaners or wipers do not all
commence operating at the same end of the plate and they have each a separate action
which can be altered when required: for example, supposing the cleaning or wiping
operation is to be effected by two dry rags and two wet rags, if the first dry rag
commences to clean or wipe at the top of the plate, the second rag will commence
at the bottom and in a like manner the wet rags will each commence operating from
opposite sides.
Whilst the plate is passing below the cleaners or wipers, the latter have imparted to
them an undulatory motion produced by a special guide with which each of them is
provided and which allows of each cleaner or wiper being guided according to the
requirements of the work. These guides, not being fixed upon the machine, may he
replaced as many times as required for one or several of the rags.
The said rags are wound directly above the cleaning or wiping bands upon two
bobbins placed one above the other and occupy a very limited space which enables
the attendant to control the operations without being interfered with by cumbersome
parts or pieces.
In order to enable my invention to be fully understood I will proceed to describo
the same by reference to the accompanying drawing in which figure 1 is a longi-
tudinal elevation of a machine constructed according to my invention for printing
from copper plate engravings. Figures 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, are detached views of some
of the parts of the machine. Figure 7 is a transverse section on the line X X of
figure which represents a plan of the machine. Similar letters in all the figures
represent similar parts.
With the exception of the special parts peculiar to this machine it is like most
printing machines constructed of a carriage to which a to and fro motion is imparted
between two frames over which is arranged a cylinder or pressure roller serving to

page_text: give the necessary pressure for producing the proofs. This machine is also provided
with an inking reservoir, an inking table and with feeding and inking rollers.
Upon the carriage is arranged a block so mounted as to be capable of having a
longitudinal motion and furnished with claws serving to hold the engraved plate D.
Across the machine and above the parts over which the plate passes when the
carriage is in motion, are arranged cross bars T', T2, T3, T, Ts, supporting flexible
bands E under which pass the cleaning or wiping rags F wound at each of their ends
upon the bobbins G, G, also fixed upon the said cross bars. One of the said cross
bars is shewn drawn to a larger scale in end view at figure 3 and in cross section at figure 4.
The ends of each cross bar are furnished with two horizontal rods X X resting upon
bearings H upon which they can slide. Each bearing is held by two uprights or
pillars J connected at their bases and sliding within the frame of the machine so that
they can ascend and descend when required.
Levers I having central pivots are placed below the said uprights or pillars between
the cross bars T, and T³, and between the cross bars T, and Ts, and produce a
rocking motion causing one of the cross bars to be lowered when the other rises and
vice versa, the former being raised when the latter is lowered.
The supports of the cross bars T2, and T5, are in contact at their lower ends with
cams K, and K', respectively, which cams, when in operation, cause the cross bars
with which they correspond as well as the whole of the parts which they support to
alternately ascend, descend or remain stationary.
The parts described and shewn for effecting the rocking motion of the cleaners or
wipers may according to the requirements of the construction, be replaced by the
following arrangements shewn in figures 5 and 6 which represent elevations drawn to
a larger scale of the said alternative arrangements for effecting the rocking motion of
the cleaners or wipers. As shewn in figure 5, the cleaners or wipers may be
alternately raised by a T-shaped piece, the ends of the cross piece of which support
the bearings H H whilst the lower part of the T-shaped piece abuts at the required
time against a projection fixed to the carriage.
In figure 6, the cleaners or wipers are shewn arranged to be operated by jointed
levers which are actuated by the carriage.
The horizontal rod a from the carriage is jointed at and follows the to-and-fro
movements of the said carriage. At the point e is jointed a vertical piece d which is
connected to the lengthened part of the lever I at e. By this arrangement it is obvious
that when the rod a is pushed forward, as shewn in dotted lines, the piece d lowers
the lever I, the bearing H is lowered at the same time, and the bearing His raised ;
the contrary movement takes place when the rod a is drawn back by the carriage.
The cams K, K as well as the cam L which serves to raise the inking rollers U at
the same time as the cross bar T' when they have passed over the plate, are all set in
motion by a shaft M or endless screw to which a motion is imparted by one of the
usual gear wheels of the driving mechanism. In these two cases, the bearings slide
between two fixed uprights or pillars J instead of being fixed upon movable pillars as
herein-before described and shewn in figure 1.
Adjusting screws Y serving to regulate the height of the cleaning or wiping bands
are placed at the inner ends of each cross bar, they each act upon a movable plate Z
upon which is fitted the cleaning or wiping band.
;
Upon the carriage and at the side of the block Care placed, as required, bands N
provided with suitable corrugations as illustrated in figure 2 which is a plan of the
said block and corrugated hands. Vertical rods fixed to the cross bars T come in
contact with these bands so as to follow their outlines when the carriage is in motion
while springs 3, figure 7 are provided, which cause the cross bars to always return to
the same point. These two combined actions enable the cross bars, and consequently
the rags which they carry, to pass over the plate in an undulating manner corre-
sponding to the corrugations of the hands employed. This mode of regulating the
course of the cleaners or wipers allows a rag to finish cleaning or wiping the plate
with an undulating motion different from that with which it commenced the operation.

page_text: When it is required to increase the amount of work performed by one or several of
the cleaners or wipers it is only necessary to dispense with the use of the corre-
sponding lever or levers of one or several of the cleaners or wipers, so that the
cleaners or wipers shall pass backwards as well as forwards over the plate.
The parts of the rags passing over the plate require to be gradually replaced by
freshi ones,
and this operation is effected by means of a ratchet wheel R mounted upon
the spindle of the lower bobbin G as shewn in figure 3. Each time that one of the
cross bars is raised, the support 0 of the pawl comes against the end of the screw P
which is independent of the said cross bar and which is regulated as required in order
to replace the rags more or less promptly by fresh ones.
Two damping rollers S S¹ are mounted at each end of the block C and are raised
when passing under the wet rags so as to come into contact with them and supply
them with the necessary moisture.
The cleaning or wiping band which has a two and fro movement E consists of two
parts one of which marked 1 in figures 3 and 4 of the drawings is of wood, metal or
other like material and the other marked 2 is flexible; 4, 4 represent rollers over
which moves the carriage B of the machine; 5 in figure 7 is a toothed rack for moving
the carriage along; 6 represents the frame of the machine; 7 cross-bars of the frame
of the machine; 8 is a pinion one of which is mounted on the shaft of each cam K
and Kand in which engages the screw or worm on the shaft MI; 11, 11, are guides
for the inking rollers.
The operation of the machine is as follows:-
At the moment that the block or table carrying the plate D issues from below the
cylinder, and the carriage is continuing its travel towards the ink reservoir V, the
cross bars T and T3 will be lowered together with the inking rollers U. The plate
first passes under the inking rollers which spread ink thereupon, then under the rag
mounted upon the cross bar T which causes the ink to enter the lines of the
engraving, and subsequently under the rag of the cross bar T3 which commences to
clean or wipe the said plate. The carriage then reaches the end of its travel and is
brought back in the opposite direction, while at the same time the two cross bars T
and T are raised together with the inking rollers and the cross bar T is lowered by
reason of the rocking motion before described, the plate being thereby subjected to the
cleaning or wiping action of the rag belonging to the cross bar T before returning
to the starting point mentioned above, and such cleaning or wiping action commences
at the opposite side to that which has already been operated upon. The plate will
then pass under the cross bar T which is gradually lowered during the operation
above described; the travel of the carriage being completed when the same is
reversed, the cross bar T is lowered and the cross bar T raised, the plate passing
then under the rag of the cross bar T5 which completes the cleaning or wiping
operation by acting again on the side opposite to that operated upon by the preceding
rag. In order to draw a proof the plate is finally passed under pressure below the
cylinder and the operation above described is recommenced for each fresh proof
required
By the arrangement above described carefully executed work produced; if
however it is desired to produce ordinary work only, the general arrangement could
be simplified by dispensing with the cleaners or wipers placed between the inking
rollers and the ink reservoir. The length of the machine would be thus propor-
tionately reduced and perform more work in proportion to the decrease in the length
of the travel.
From the foregoing description it will be seen that by my invention the cleaning
or wiping operations commence alternately at each end of the plate. Suitable curves
or sweeps are given to each cleaner or wiper when working and facility is afforded for
modifying the said curves or sweeps.
The rags whereby the cleaning or wiping operations are effected are stored in a
small space and the cleaning or wiping operations of one or several of the cleaners or
wipers can be repeated when required.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declaro that what I claim is :-
1. In a machine for printing from copper plate engravings the use of twin cross-bars
having an independent transverse action and connected by a rocking mechanism for
moving them in a vertical direction.
2. In a machine for printing from copper plate engravings the use of bearings
upon which the cross bars slide the said bearings having a vertical sliding motion.
3. In a machine for printing from copper plate engravings the use of levers having
central pivots and arranged so as to operate upon the bearings in order to alternately
raise and lower them.
4. In a machine for printing from copper plate engravings the employment of cams
operated by an endless screw or worm and acting upon the bearings in such a manner
as to cause then to ascend descend or remain stationary as required as shown in
figures 1 and 7, or the arrangements of levers for the same purpose as shewn in
Figures 5 and 6.
5. In a machine for printing from copper plate engravings the use of bobbins
mounted upon the cross-bars and upon which are wound the cleaning or wiping rags
or material.
6. In a machine for printing from copper plate engravings the herein described
arrangement of ratchet wheels and parts for operating the same, the said ratchet
wheels being each mounted upon the spindle of one of the bobbins of cach cross bar
and serving to effect the gradual renewal of the rags or material used.
7. In a machine for printing from copper plate engravings the use of corrugated
bands which can be changed when required each of the said bands serving for one of
the cleaners or wipers.
8. The improved machine for printing from copper plate engravings hereinbefore
described and represented in the accompanying drawings.
G. F. REDFERN,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agent for the Applicant.