Improvements in Steel Plate Printing Presses.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Apr., 1894-Accepted, 2nd June, 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steel Plate Printing Presses.
A communication by EUGENE SEMPLE BRADFORD, of 776, Euclid Avenue,
St. Louis, State of Missouri, United States of America, Inventor.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster and 323 High Holborn in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, 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 improvements in plate printing presses, whereby the
paper to be printed is more readily and accurately fed to the printing plates, and
the printing plates more readily cleaned and inked, whereby it is possible to print
rapidly and with great distinctness.
Referring to the accompanying drawings which form a part of this
Specification:-
Figure 1 is a top plan view of the machine, with one corner thereof broken
away.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the machine, showing a part of the frame cut
away to show the impression cylinder and operating devices connected therewith.
Figure 3 is an end view of the impression cylinder.
Figure 4 is a detailed side elevation of the clutch for the ink rolls.
Figure 5 is a side elevation of the machine, showing the opposite side from that
shown in Figure 2.
Figure 6 is a detached side elevation of the ink fountain and the rollers and
their attachments.
Figure 7 is a detailed side elevation of the machine taken on the line 7-7, of
Figure 1.
Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view, taken on the line 8-8, Figure 1.
Figure 9 is a transverse, sectional view, taken on the line 9-9, Figure 1.
Figure 10 is a detailed side elevation of the mechanisms for operating the
wiping ribbons.
Figure 11 is a detailed plan view of the upper part of the lever which operates
the wiping ribbons.
Figure 12 is a plan view of the wiper frame upon which the wiping ribbon is
mounted.
Figure 13 is a plan view of the pins for holding the ribbon spools on the wiper
frame.
Figure 14 is an end elevation of the rock-shaft which actuates the wiping
mechanisms that wind the ribbon from one spool to the other spool, showing a
portion of the vibrating lever secured thereon.
Figure 15 is a detailed section taken on the line 15-15, of Figure 14.
Figure 16 is a plan view of the gripping mechanisms which clamp and hold the
paper on the impression cylinder.
Figure 17 is a perspective view of the engraved printing plate.
Figures 14 to 17 inclusive are on a somewhat enlarged scale as compared with
the view shown in the other figures.
Figure 18 is a side elevation of the wiper frame and its attaching devices.
Figure 19 is a top or plan view of the parts shown in Figure 18.

page_text: Figure 20 is a transverse sectional view, taken at the line 20-20, Figure 18,
looking down.
Figure 21 is a side elevation of the wiping-frame, and its operating devices,
showing their connections.
A is the frame of the machine which supports the different parts thereof.
B is the feeding board from which the paper is fed to the impression cylinder C.
C is the impression cylinder which receives the paper and carries it to the printing
cylinder where it is printed. D is the printing cylinder on which the engraved
plates F are placed. The blank paper to be printed is placed upon the feed-
board B, and as each sheet is moved forward, the finger c, which is pivoted within
the impression cylinder C, clasps one edge of the blank sheet against the edge of
the impression cylinder.
The fingers care centrally pivoted to a lever c¹ and carry on their rear ends a
small roller b, which passes back into a recess n, when the lever c' is thrown back,
which movement, of the finger c releases the paper and also depresses the finger c
within the impression cylinder below its circumference, so that it will not strike
against the printing-plates when the impression cylinder is revolved to bring the
paper in contact with the printing plate to be printed. This movement of the
finger c is accomplished by means of the lever c¹ to which the finger c is centrally
pivoted, being rigidly secured to a shaft d', suitably journalled in the impression
cylinder. There is also rigidly secured to the shaft d' a lever d, at the lower end
of which is pivoted a rod d, to which is pivoted a lever f, which lever carries two
projecting pins e and e¹, and is centrally pivoted to the interior of the impression
cylinder at f. There are also attached to the frame A, pins h, h' which are
adjustable in the slot i, i.
When the impression cylinder C is in operation and the paper has been carried
nearly to the point where it should come in contact with the printing cylinder D,
the pin el projecting from the lower end of the lever f, strikes the pin h¹ causing it'
to vibrate, and through the operation of the rod and the levers d and c¹ causes
the finger c to be withdrawn from the periphery of the feeding cylinder C and
moves the roll b back into the recess n bringing the gripping end of the finger c
within the circumference of the impression cylinder, where it remains until it
has passed the printing cylinder D, and the printing or engraving has been
accomplished, at which time the pin e at the upper end of the lever strikes the
pin h, which reverses the movement of the finger c and withdraws the roller /
from the recess n and causes the finger c to again seize bold of the edge of the
paper. There is a pin m adjustably secured within the slot m' in the frame A.
When the paper to be engraved has been carried around by the impression
cylinder C and passes the printing cylinder D, it is desired to transfer it to the
delivery cylinder C. At this point the pin e' attached to the lower part of the
lever strikes the pin m and withdraws the finger c from its hold upon the paper,
moving the opposite ends of the finger c up into the recess n under the periphery
of the impression cylinder C as above stated. The paper then passes into contact
with the delivery cylinder C', and at the same time, by the operation of the
mechanisms secured to the delivery cylinder C', similar to the mechanisms above
described which are within the impression cylinder C, the finger attached to the
delivery cylinder C₁ seizes hold of the printed paper, and as the cylinder revolves,
it is carried around to the position desired where a pin k¹ in a slot k³, strikes the
mechanism connected with the finger c pivoted within the cylinder C4, causing it
to let go of the paper, when it is dropped into a suitable receptacle.
In Figure 8 is shown a device for keeping one end of the printed paper from
dragging, after it is released from the impression cylinder C, by means of the
finger being disengaged from it, and after the finger c in the delivery
cylinder C has seized it and before all the paper has passed into the delivery
cylinder C'.
This device consists of an idler pulley I, suitably journalled in the frame A,
and around which passes a tape I', which passes over the impression cylinder C and

page_text: round the idler pulley I, and from thence around the delivery cylinder C¹. The
ylinders C and C' are driven by gears M' and M' respectively.
E is an ink fountain pivoted at one end to the post E. This fountain is shown
s triangular in its form, having a bottom and two sides, its larger end being filled
with the ink roll H journalled on arms H', on each side of the ink roll. The ink
ountain is made adjustable with reference to its position to the roll H by means of
metal strip I, pivoted at one end to an ear depending from the bottom of the tray
ear its center, and having the other end slotted and secured to the post E¹ by a set
crew. The ink rolls are driven by the gear-wheel M that drives the printing
cylinder D, so that the same uniform motion is given to the ink rolls as to the
printing cylinder.
The
O is a cam operated by the gear-wheel N, which meshes with the gear-wheel_M.
Against this cam O is pressed the bell-lever R, pivoted on the post S¹ at s.
lever R is held in contact with the cam by the spring S, also secured to the post S¹
The lower end of the
at one end, while the other end presses against the lever R.
lever R is pivotally attached to the lever R. The lever R' is pivoted to the
lever R, while the lever R is rigidly connected to a shaft or spindle T, on
the end of which is a pinion U, which meshes with the rack-bar V. The rack-
bar V is rigidly secured to the frame V, which supports the ink roll H, and this
frame is dove-tailed into the bottom of the frame A of the machine, so as to allow
the frame supporting the ink roll H with the ink roll to move in and out of contact
with the ink roll J. The extent of this motion is regulated by means of the cam O,
thus regulating the supply of ink to the remaining ink rolls. The ink rolls are
journalled in the frame in the usual manner of such rolls, and motion is communicated
to them by gear-wheels. The gear-wheel operating the roll H meshes into the
gear operating the roll J, and that in turn meshes into both the gear wheels
that operate the rolls K and K', the rolls K and K¹ being in contact with
the printing plate F¹ on the printing cylinder D, each one receiving ink from
the roll J, with which they are in contact, and the roll J receiving its ink from the
roll H, which takes the ink from the ink fountain. The roll K is operated by a
shaft Kas shown in Figure 4, at the end of which is a small disk k. On this disk
and near its circumference, is a pink. The gear wheel M turns a shaft M' on the
end of which is a small disk M from which projects a pin m³, so arranged on the
disk that, when the wheel M is in motion, the pin m³ will strike the pin K³, thereby
giving motion to the ink roll K.
The object of this method of communicating power to the ink rolls, is to render
it possible to detach the ink rolls from the frame of the machine, whenever it is
necessary, which cannot readily be done if the gearing of the ink rolls are connected
in the ordinary manner with the remainder of the gearing in the machine.
The ink rolls K, K' and J are mounted on posts A, of the machine. These
-posts are dove-tailed into the main frame of the machine, as shown in Figure 2, so
that the rolls and the posts can be readily removed without disturbing the
remaining parts of the machine.
The printing cylinder is driven by the gear-wheel M. The circumference of the
cylinder is constructed so as to admit of the printing plates F¹ being clamped to it
in the usual manner. The circumference of the printing cylinder D, with the
printing plates F¹ added to it, is the same as the circumference of the gear-
wheel M, and the impression cylinder C is of the same circumference as the
printing cylinder D with the printing plates added. The printing cylinder D
is hollow, and is heated by steam introduced through the hollow shaft o from the
steam pipe A2, the steam filling the cylinder and passing through the shaft o and
escaping.
An air-tight connection is made between the steam pipe A' and the shaft o in the
following manner:
The pipe A is stationary and the cylinder and shaft o revolve on the end of the
steam pipe A; there is a sleeve p at the end of the shaft o, on the outer end of
which is a screw cap W, the outer end of the sleeve being threaded, and the inner

page_text: end of the screw-cap, so that the cap can be screwed tightly onto the sleeve. The
top of the screw-cap W has a circular opening through which the pipe A³ passes;
the sleeve p revolves with the shaft o; there is a packing p₁ upon which, and
between it and the top of the cap, there is a metal gland W, of the shape shown
in Figure 9. The object of this gland is to compress the packing when the cap is
screwed onto the sleeve. The printing plates F' are carried on the printing
cylinder D, around to the wipers Z, by which the surplus ink is wiped from them.
There are three wipers shown in the drawings, but the invention is not limited to
any particular number of wipers. These wipers are alike in construction, and are
secured in bearings in suitable brackets secured to the main frame A, and they are
driven from the shaft o, by means of a bevelled gear-wheel 1, mounted on the shaft o,
which meshes with the bevelled wheel 2, which turns a vertical shaft journaled in
the bracket A' bolted to the frame A. At the other end of this shaft is a bevelled
gear-wheel 3, which meshes with the bevelled gear-wheel 4, on the shaft journalled
in the cross-piece also secured to the main frame. At the other end of this shaft is
mounted a bevelled gear-wheel 5, which meshes with the bevelled wheel 6, that
operates the shaft 7, to the lower end of which is rigidly secured the wiper frame 12,
so as to rotate with the shaft. The bevel gear-wheel 6 is secured to the shaft 7 by
a pin in the gear-wheel, which fits in a longitudinal groove in the shaft 7, by means
of which the gear and shaft turn together and the shaft 7, can be vertically
adjusted by means of a nut 37.
8 is a sleeve surrounding the shaft 7, and is rigidly secured to the bracket 36,
which in turn is rigidly secured to the cross piece 35, of the main frame A. At the
lower end of the sleeve 8 and mounted thereon is a gear-wheel 9. The gear-wheel 9
is secured on the sleeve 8 by a nut 10.
11 is a coiled spring on the shaft 7, the object of which is to regulate the pressure
of the cloth on the printing plates F¹, and keep the cloth and plates in contact.
This spring 11 presses against the wiper frame at the one end, and against the
sleeve 8 at the other, and the pressure of the spring is regulated by the nut 37.
By turning the nut 37, which is screw-threaded on the upper end of the shaft 7,
in one direction, the shaft 7 is raised, thereby lifting the wiper frame; by turning
the nut in the opposite direction, the shaft 7 is lowered, the spring around the lower
part of the shaft forcing the wiper frame down in position, but the length of the
shaft below the sleeve through which it passes and in which it does not turn by
reason of the spline and groove is adjusted by the nut 37.
The wiper frame 12 is made of metal and has four upright arms 12¹ in
which there are bearings for holding the spools 13 and 14 which carry the
wiping cloth.
13 is a hollow spool containing the cloth which is used in wiping the printing
plates, and from which, when the machine is in operation, the cloth is unwound and
passed around under that part of the wiping frame in contact with the plate F',
and is wound upon the spool 14.
15 and 16 are pins, which are shown in Figures 13 and 19. These pins are
grooved for the purpose hereinafter stated, and are inserted through the spools 13
and 14, and have their bearings in the upright arms on the frame 12. The cloth
is wound upon the spool 13, and the pin 15 is inserted through the spool, and is
secured at one end by the head of the pin, and at the other end by the nut 19, the
pin passing through bearings in the arms of the frame 12. The spools 13 and 14
are caused to revolve with the pins 15 and 16 by means of short pins 17 and 18,
which are passed through the spool, their ends projecting into the slots in the
pins 15 and 16, causing the pins 15 and 16 to act as the axles of the spools. The
gear-wheel 9, which is on the sleeve 8 of the wiper shaft 7, meshes with the gear-
wheel 20, which is rigidly secured to the shaft 21. There is also secured to the
shaft 21, a worm 22, which operates in turn a small gear-wheel 23, that is secured
on the pin that passes through spool 14, and serves as its axle. The lower end of
the shaft 21, which carries the gear-wheel 20 and the worm 22, has bearings in the
boss 24, which is rigidly secured to one of the upright arms of the wiper frame 12.

page_text: When the gear-wheel 20 is revolved, the worm 22 turns the small gear-wheel 23,
and thereby turns the spool 14 and winds the cloth upon it from the spool 13,
thereby passing the cloth under the wiper frame 12, bringing fresh cloth beneath
it to wipe the printing plate. The cloth is not fed continuously but intermittently.
To accomplish this intermittent feeding of the cloth from spool 13 to spool 14, a
pin 25 is attached on the gear-wheel 9, so that it will come in contact with a
depending pin 26 which is pivoted to an arm which projects at right angles from an
oscillating shaft 28, on the end of which is secured a vibrating lever 27. This.
pin 26 moves loosely through an ear attached to the frame, as clearly shown in
Figure 21, which serves as a guide to hold the pin in position as it is vibrated by
the oscillation of shaft 28. The vibrating lever 27 is secured to the end of the
shaft 28, as shown in Figure 15, that is, the end to which the lever 27 is applied.
is split, so that the screw 29' being screwed into the end of the shaft, will spread
it and impinge it within the lever 27, which passes over the end of the rock.
shaft 28. The rock-shaft 28 has a bearing in standard 29, which is rigidly secured
to the frame A of the machine. At the lower end of this standard 29 there is
pivoted a bent lever 31, to which are pivoted the rods 30 and 31' which are
also pivoted to the vibrating lever 27, which is rigidly secured to the rock-
shaft 28.
32 is a drum mounted on the shaft o so as to revolve with it. This drum has, on
its periphery, lugs or projections 33, 33¹ which are mounted in grooves on opposite
sides of the periphery of the drum 32, but not in the same vertical plane. These
lugs or projections serve to vibrate the bent lever 31, which is pivoted to the lower
end of the standard 29, and through the instrumentality of the connecting rods 30
and 31, oscillate the rock-shaft 28, and bring the pin 26 which is attached to an
arm on the rock-shaft 28 in contact with the pin 25 on the gear-wheel 9 and stops
it, thereby causing the gear-wheel 20 by its revolution with the wiping frame to.
turn its shaft and turn the spool 14, winding the wiping cloth thereon, but when
the rock-shaft is turned, disengaging the pins, the gear-wheel 9 being loose on the
sleeve 8, it will not rotate the gear-wheel 20, and the spool 14 will not turn on its
axis till the pins again come in contact. The revolution of the wiper frame with.
the cloth, and the motion of the printing cylinder carrying the printing plates
beneath the wiper frame and cloth, give two motions of contact between the wiper
cloth and the printing cylinder, thereby completely wiping the ink from certain
parts of the printing plate, which is caused largely by the ability of the wiper
plate shaft having a vertical sliding or yielding motion, regulated by a spring
by which the pressure of the wiping cloth upon the printing plate can be varied,.
in such a way that it is possible to do very superior work in this plate printing
press.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me.
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:
1. The combination in a rotary printing press, of an impression cylinder, a
centrally pivoted gripper finger pivoted to a vibrating arm, one end of said finger
projecting through the periphery of the cylinder to grip the paper against the
cylinder, the other end moving in a guide slot within the cylinder to cause the
gripping-finger to hold the paper when the arm to which the finger is pivoted is.
thrown into a certain position, and to recede within the cylinder when thrown in
another position; the vibrating arm to which the gripper finger is pivoted vibrating
within the cylinder; and suitable mechanisms connected to said vibrating arms
and operated by the pins or lugs on the frame outside of the cylinder to vibrate
it at fixed, definite periods by the revolution of the cylinder, substantially as
specified.
2. In a plate printing press, the wiper frame 12 having arms upon which are
mounted rolls for carrying the wiper cloth which revolves with the wiper plate;
and gear-wheels and shaft carried on the wiper frame and rotating one of the

page_text: spools which are mounted on the wiper frame and a shaft on which the wiper frame
is mounted, whereby the wiper frame and cloth is rotated, and the cloth fed from
one spool to the other, substantially as specified.
3. The combination with a wiper frame of a plate printing press, mounted on the
end of a revolving shaft; of the driving mechanisms mounted on the wiper frame
for winding the cloth from one spool to another on the wiper frame; of a rock-
shaft connected with a drum on the shaft of the machine, and means intermediate
of said shaft and the gearing which feeds the cloth to feed it intermittently beneath
the wiper frame, as specified.
4. In a plate printing press, the wiper frame; spools mounted on said frame and
revolving therewith to carry the wiper cloth; the shaft 7 to which the wiper
frame is attached; a sleeve surrounding said shaft and through which the shaft is
adjustable vertically but which revolves with the shaft; a spring between the
sleeve and the wiper frame; and means for adjusting the shaft through the sleeve,
substantially as specified.
Dated this 9th day of April 1894