Improvements in or relating to Printing Machines for Printing in One or More Colours.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Apr., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 20th Jan., 1900-Accepted, 24th Mar., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Printing Machines for Printing in One
or More Colours.
FRANZ RICHARD EMIL KOEHLER, 20, Bawtree Road, New Cross, S.E., Agent,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In the surface of an iron table 6' x 2' (larger or smaller) whose lengthsides are
provided with racks, move one to four or more cylinders of equal diameter-
they are cogwheeled-unconnected-and placed in equal distances in the centre
of the machine.
The cylinders are fixed in an iron frame, which runs in groves of iron-
guides.
The cylinders are provided with the printing plates, designs or types and are
feeded by means of composition rollers from the color apparatus, which runs
above each cylinder, containing one or more color compartments, so much as
it may be required by the picture or type poster to be printed.
The printing table is likewise fixed (but movable) in the centre and the
cylinders passing to and fro to the ends of the machine deposit on the paper of
the printing table the colors, each in his destined place.
Printing plates, stereotypes, photo engravings, composition or special prepared
linoleum types and plates are used.
The paper passes over rollers from one end of the machine over the printing
table to the other end and twice or thrice beneath the printing table to and
fro and receives if pictures or types a finishing impression of a shade plate
mounted stable cylinder, which is fixed on the end of the machine.
The same mecanism can be altered vice versa, that the cylinders are stable
and fixed, but revolving in the centre and the printing table passing to and
fro beneath the cylinders.
To obtain by both mecanism equally two complete finished picture or type
impressions in as many colors as required,---one with the to- and one with the
fro movement.
Dated this Twenty-sixth of April 1899.
FRANZ RICHARD EMIL KOEHLER.
Improvements in or relating to Printing Machines for Frinting in One
or More Colours.
I, FRANZ RICHARD EMIL KOEHLER, 20, Bawtree Road, New Cross, S.E., Agent,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is
Price 8d.1

page_text: to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:--
This invention relates to improved means and apparatus for printing pictures,
bill-posters, wall-paper, and the like in several colours at one operation instead
of by a series of separate operations, one for each colour, as heretofore practised.
The invention consists essentially in the employment of a series of successively
acting printing rollers equal in number to the number of colours it is desired
to apply to the picture, bill-poster or the like to be produced, that is to say a
separate roller for each colour. But in some cases each of such rollers may
carry several colours or shades of colour arranged circumferentially at different
parts of the length of each roller, as for example, when certain colours occur only
in certain parts or lines of a picture or design. Each of these successively acting
printing rollers has formed on its cylindrical surface a printing surface or surfaces
corresponding in shape to the part or parts of the picture, bill-poster or the like
which is or are to be printed in a particular colour, and each such roller is
provided with inking devices for applying that colour to that surface or to
those surfaces of the roller. These printing rollers are so arranged in relation
to a platen or impressing surface and are so geared thereto that when a piece
of paper or other material intended to be printed upon is carried along between
such impressing surface and the printing rollers, the latter, as they revolve in
unison with the impressing surface, successively print on the paper or other
material these parts of the design which are to be in colours, the first roller
that the paper comes in contact with printing the grey parts for example, the
second roller the green parts for example, the third roller the yellow, brown and
red parts for example and so on, the whole series of colours being printed
during one passage of the paper or other material through the machine.
For example, the circumference of the successively acting printing rollers
may be say one half, one quarter, one eighth, or other aliquot part of the
effective impressing surface of the machine.
Instead of the abovementioned series of rollers being arranged to print direct
on to the paper or other material they may be arranged to act as inking rollers
which deposit the various colours on appropriate parts of a printing surface (an
engraved plate, or type, for example) which latter transfers the colours to the
paper or other material at one operation.
The accompanying drawing illustrates, somewhat diagrammatically, how the
invention may be applied (by way of example) to a printing machine such as
that known as a Wharfedale" for example, the figure showing such a machine
in side elevation.
16
"
represents the side frame of a "Wharfedale printing machine, the
flat reciprocating table or impressing surface moved to and fro in guides on
the side frames by means of the traversing spur wheel gearing into the fixed
rack and into the rack e on the underside of the table b, the traversing spur
wheel being moved to and fro by the crank f on the main spur wheet g, and a
connecting rod in the usual well known manner. i represents the colour
printing rollers abovementioned forming the essential feature of the present
invention they are placed as close to one another as may be convenient, are
mounted in suitable side frames j, and each has a sour wheel which gears with
a rack fixed to the reciprocating bed or impressing surface of the machine
and also an inking apparatus of any suitable well known construction for
applying the appropriate coloured ink to the roller. Each of these rollers i has
formed upon or fixed to it a printing surface which may consist of a stereotype,
a photo engraving, type composition, indiarubber or any other suitable material
which may be applied to the rollers in any convenient or suitable manner,
and having the shape of the part of the design to be printed which corresponds
to the colour which the particular roller is intended to print on the paper or other
material,

page_text: It will now be understood that when the bed or impressing surface b is caused
to reciprocate to and fro the rack / imparts a backward and forward rotatory
motion to the rollers i and that a piece of paper, for example, placed upon the
impressing surface and carried thereby beneath the rollers i, will receive from
each such roller in succession an impression in the colour or colours proper to
that particular roller, the printing surfaces on each roller being of course so
placed that its impression shall register correctly with the impressions on the
paper, or other material, of the other printing rollers i so that when the print
is complete no colour shall overlap another. In the drawing five printing rollers
are shewn, each intended to give a different coloured impression, and it will
be obvious that the paper or other material will receive the impressions from
these five rollers during a single passage through the machine. The number of
rollers and consequently the number of colours may of course be varied according
to requirements within reasonable limits.
By making the bed or impressing surface b, carrying the sheet of paper to
be printed on, move so far outwards that when at the end of its stroke a space is
left between the end of the paper and the centre of the first roller equal to
or somewhat greater than the circumference of one of the rollers i the latter are
allowed to make a complete revolution before the paper reaches the first roller
and this enables a second, and therefore a more perfect inking of the rollers
to be effected than when they are only inked once for each impression.
The machine may be arranged so that an impression is taken while the im-
pressing surface is travelling in one direction (that shown by the arrow for
example) no impression being given during the motion in the reverse direction.
In that case suitable means should be provided for lowering the impressing
surface or raising the rollers i during the backward motion in order to prevent
the rollers printing on that surface when there is no paper or other material on
it. But the machine may be arranged to print both at the forward and backward
movement of the impressing surface, the paper being fed in at both ends of the
machine, and in that case it is not necessary to either lower the impressing
surface or raise the printing rollers.
In some cases the paper or other material to be printed on may be supplied to
the machine from a reel p.
It is obvious that instead of the impressing surface being moved under the
printing rollers as described the rollers may be moved over the impressing
surface, the frame carrying the rollers being adapted to slide to and fro in
suitable guides over a fixed impressing surface.
The arrangement shown may be modified in the following manner:-i, instead
of being printing rollers printing direct on to paper or other material, may be
inking rollers cach transferring its own particular colour or colours to the
surface which then becomes a printing surface and transfers its colours to
paper or other material passing under an impressing roller for example, at
either end of the machine. Each reciprocation of the surface produces a com-
plete picture or print having at least as many colours as there are rollers
operation.
in
It will be obvious that by suitably arranging the diameters of the printing
(or inking) rollers, or by repeating the printing surfaces on them, a number
of complete small pictures or impressions, each having the full number of
colours, may be produced at each stroke of the impressing surface. It will also
be obvious that the printing (or inking) rollers may be easily and quickly
exchanged for others of larger or smaller circumference (but always an aliquot
part of the impressing or inking surface) as may be required. And the racks,
printing table, etcetera, may be extended or reduced in length accordingly. Also
that when a picture is required to be printed in a greater number of colours
than can he conveniently provided at one time in one apparatus, it may be
printed at two operations of the same or another apparatus, any convenient number
of colours being printed at each operation,

page_text: It will also be obvious that my invention may be economically applied to
existing printing machines of various kinds.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
First. The improved means for printing in several colours at one operation
which consists in submitting the paper or other material to be printed upon
to the action of a series of printing rollers acting in succession, each of which
rollers is charged with one or more of the colours of the desired picture or
impression, and is adapted to deposit the said colour or colours in its or their
proper place or places on the picture or impression, substantially as described.
Second. The improved means for printing in several colours at one operation
which consists in submitting the paper or other material to be printed upon
to the action of a printing surface receiving the colours from a series of inking
rollers acting in succession, each of which is provided with devices for charging
it with one of the colours of the picture or impression, and is adapted to deposit
the said colour or colours in its or their proper place or places on the printing
surface, substantially as described.
Third. In a machine for printing in several colours at one operation a reci-
procating flat impressing surface and a series of printing rollers rotating in
unison with the reciprocations of the said impressing surface, each roller being
provided with devices for charging it with one or more of the colours of the
picture or impression, combined and operating substantially as described.
Fourth. In a machine for printing in several colours at one operation a
stationary impressing or printing surface and a series of travelling and rotating
printing or inking rollers by which a complete printing operation is effected by
the to and fro travel of the said printing or inking rollers, substantially as
described.
Fifth. In a machine for printing in several colours at one operation a series of
inking rollers each provided with devices for charging it with one or more of the
colours of the picture or impression, a printing surface receiving the colours
from the inking rollers and transferring them to the paper or other material
to be printed upon, and an impressing surface, combined and operating sub-
stantially as described.
Sixth. In a machine for printing in several colours at one operation the
impressing or printing surface bin combination with printing or inking rollers i,
the circumference of which are aliquot parts of or equal to the effective length
of the said impressing or printing surface b, substantially as described.
Seventh. In a machine for printing in several colours at one operation the
impressing or printing surface in combination with interchangeable printing
or inking rollers of various circumferences which are always an aliquot part
of or equal to the effective length of the said impressing or printing surface b,
substantially as described.
Eighth. In a machine for printing in several colours at one operation a
reciprocating flat impressing or printing surface and a series of printing or
inking rollers rotating in unison with the reciprocations of the said impressing
or printing surface, by which a complete printing operation is effected by the to
and fro movements respectively, substantially as described.