IMPROVE- MENTS IN PRINTING MACHINES
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Robert Johnson, of Dean Terrace, Ealing,
and Peter Martin Shanks, of Grove Cottages, Lower Holloway,
both in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PRINTING MACHINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Robert Johnson
and Peter Martin Shanks at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 17th October 1872.
We, JOHN ROBERT JOHNSON, of Dean Terrace, Ealing, and PETER
MARTIN SHANKS, of Grove Cottages, Lower Holloway, both in the
County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said In-
vention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING MACHINES," to be as follows:-
Our Invention consists of various improvements in the construction of
presses for typographic printing, whereby we obtain greater perfection
in the work done, greater rapidity of impression, economy of space
occupied by the machine, and simplicity of the parts combined with
economy in the cost of construction.
The bed or table for the reception of the form is placed horizontally,
as in the ordinary hand press, and the platen is caused to move verti-

page_text: cally to or from such bed or table, as in the best constructed automatic
platen presses.
The platen is formed of two plates more or less nearly parallel to each
other, their relative position being determined by screws by which a
perfect impression is obtained. It is fitted with a tympan and frisket,
so that the same system of "overlays" to obtain perfect impressions
may be employed as in the ordinary hand press. This is effected by the
tympan and frisket, which are hinged together as usual and capable of
removal from the platen, being adjusted on the platen by means of
register pins or studs by which they can be restored after removal to
their true position with respect to the form.
The type bed as has already been stated is horizontal, but instead of
the inking table being placed in the same plane it is bent round in the
form of part of a cylinder, which extending on each side of the type
bed forms an arch upon which such bed or table rests, such bed or table
being formed in a horizontal plane parallel to the tangent at the summit
of such arch, a very short distance below such tangent. It is by
this arrangement of the type bed or table and the inking table that the
great economy in the space occupied by our machine is effected, so that
a much larger area of inking table than is usual in such machines can
be obtained for the perfect distribution of the ink without extending the
arca occupied by the machine.
The distribution of the ink and the inking of the form are effected in
the usual way, except that the rollers are moved by a shaft in the centre
of the cylinder formed by the curved nature of the inking table, and by
a simple reciprocating motion in a curve parallel to the surface of the
cylinder, the only deviation from which is during the inking of the
form, which is to the extent, as a maximum, of the versed sine of the arc
of the circle forming such cylinder cut off to form the type bed or
table.
The ink is contained in a trough, and is fed to one of the recipro-
cating rollers of the inking apparatus by a cylinder and scraper. But
the construction of this cylinder is novel, inasmuch as instead of holding
the ink upon its surface in a layer more or less thick according to the
set of the "doctor" or scraper, the surface of such cylinder is engraved
in a similar manner to a printing roller used in calico printing to cover
the surface of a piece of cloth with a "pad" or uniform tint of colour,

page_text: "
or it may be engraved with spiral grooves or with other lines separated
from each other by an extremely thin "land or uncut surface to
support the scraper which acts as a "doctor" to remove all the ink from
the surface of the roller but that which is contained in the engraved
hollows.
The feed is automatic, and in this respect forms one of our principal
improvements. The paper is supplied from a continuous roll, but not
continuously as has heretofore been the case in circular presses, but by
a reciprocating motion, so as to supply the paper while the platen is in
motion, and to remain stationary during the interval of the impression.
After receiving such impression the paper is carried forward by tapes or
rollers, and is cut to the proper length by any of the well-known modes
of effecting this, or by two blades after the paper is clamped and held
stationary to receive the impression.
The paper may also be cut up longitudinally by means of circular
cutters mounted with capability of adjustment on a shaft, preferably
one of those carrying the feed rollers.
The roll of paper is carried by the main frame, and rests upon a roller
or rollers mounted on the axes of radial arms which are fixed to the
main frame, whilst the outer ends of such radial arms carry another
roller which rests upon the first pair of feed rollers.
Motion is communicated from the first pair of feed rollers to the
roller at the outer end of the radial arms, and thence by a band or other
suitable means to the roller or rollers on which the roll of paper rests,
by which means the paper will be drawn off from the roll as may be
required. If desired however, instead of employing the automatic feed
apparatus as before described, any of the usual feeding and taking-off
appliances may be employed in this machine in lieu thereof.
The machine may be driven by a treadle and crank shaft, or by a
pulley giving motion by gearing to a shaft on which are mounted crank
discs which give the reciprocating motion to the platen, whilst a rack or
racks fixed to the platen frame give the required motions to the inking
roller arms, and another rack or racks fixed to the main framing give
motion to the feed apparatus.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Robert Johnson and Peter Martin Shanks
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 17th April 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, Jonn
ROBERT JOHNSON, of Dean Terrace, Ealing, and PETER MARTIN SHANKS,
of Grove Cottages, Lower Holloway, both in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by l【cr
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said John Robert Johnson and Peter
Martin Shanks, Her special license that we, the said John Robert
Johnson and Peter Martin Shanks, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said John Robert Johnson and Peter
Martin Shanks, our 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
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING MACHINES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said John Robert Johnson and Peter
Martin Shanks, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under our or their hands and scals, or under the hand and seal of
one of us or them, 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 Scal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Peter Martin Shanks, on behalf of
myself and the said John Robert Johnson, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to bo performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say :-
Our Invention consists of various improvements in the construction of
presses for typographic printing, whereby we obtain greater perfection

page_text: in the work done, greater rapidity of impression, economy of space
occupied by the machine, and simplicity of the parts combined with
economy in the cost of construction.
The bed or table for the reception of the form is placed horizontally
as in the ordinary hand press, and the platen is caused to move vertically
to and from such bed or table, as in the best constructed automatic platen
presses.
The platen may be formed of two plates more or less nearly parallel
to each other, their relative position being determined by screws, by
which means a perfect impression may be obtained. It is fitted with a
tympan and frisket, so that the same system of " overlays" to obtain
perfect impressions may be employed as in the ordinary hand press.
This is effected by the tympan and frisket, which are hinged together
as usual and capable of removal from the platen, being adjusted on the
platen by means of register pins or studs by which they can be restored
after removal to their true position with respect to the form.
The type bed, as has already been stated, is horizontal, but instead of
the inking table being placed in the same plane it is bent round in the
form of part of a cylinder which extends on each side of the type bed,
such bed or table being formed in a horizontal plane parallel to the
tangent at the summit of the arch formed by such cylinder, and a very
short distance below such tangent. It is by this arrangement of the
type bed or table and the inking table that the great economy in the
space occupied by our machine is effected so that a much larger area of
inking table than is usual in such machines can be obtained for the
perfect distribution of the ink without extending the area occupied by
the machine.
The distribution of the ink and the inking of the form are effected in
the usual way, except that the rollers are moved by a shaft in the centre
of the cylinder formed by the curved nature of the inking table, and by
a simple reciprocating motion in a curve parallel to the surface of the
cylinder, the only deviation from which is during the inking of the
form, which is to the extent as a maximum of the versed sine of the
are of the circle forming such cylinder cut off to form the type bed or
plate.
The ink is contained in a trough, and is fed to one of the recipro-
cating rollers of the inking apparatus by a cylinder and scraper. But
the construction of this cylinder is novel, inasmuch as instead of holding

page_text: the ink upon its surface in a layer more or less thick, according to the
set of the "doctor" or scraper, the surface of such cylinder is engraved
in a similar manner to a printing roller used in calico printing to cover
the surface of a piece of cloth with a "pad" or uniform tint of color,
or it may be engraved with spiral grooves or with other lines separated
from each other by an extremely thin "land" or uncut surface to
" doctor
support the scraper, which acts as a
to remove all the ink
from the surface of the roller, but that which is contained in the
engraved hollows.
12
The feed is automatic, and in this respect forms one of our principal
improvements. The paper is supplied from a continuous roll, but not
continuously, as has heretofore been the case in circular presses, but by
a reciprocating motion, so as to supply the paper while the platen is in
motion, and to remain stationary during the interval of the impression.
After receiving such impression the paper is carried forward by tapes or
rollers, and is cut to the proper length by any of the well-known modes
of effecting this, or by two blades after the paper is clamped and held
stationary to receive the impression.
The paper may also be cut up longitudinally by means of circular
cutters mounted with capability of adjustment on a shaft, preferably onc
of those carrying the feed rollers.
The roll of paper is carried by the main frame, and may rest upon a
roller or rollers mounted on the axes of radial arms which are fixed to
the main frame, whilst the outer ends of such radial arms carry another
roller which rests upon the first pair of feed rollers.
Motion may be communicated from the first pair of feed rollers to the
roller at the outer end of the radial arms, and thence by a band or other
suitable means to the roller or rollers on which the roll of paper rests,
by which means the paper will be drawn off from the roll as may be
required; but the mode herein-after described and shewn in the Draw-
ings is that which we prefer. If desired however, instead of employing
the automatic feed apparatus as herein described, any of the usual
feeding and taking-off appliances may be employed in this machine in
lieu thereof.
And in order that our said Invention may be more clearly understood,
and readily carried into effect, we will proceed, aided by the accom-

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is an end view; Figure 2 is a longitudinal section on the
line 1, 1, of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a partial side elevation; Figure 4 is
a horizontal section on the line 2, 2, of Figure 1; and Figure 5 is a
horizontal section on the line 3, 3, of Figure 1, showing a printing
machine arranged according to our Invention.
a, a, is the main framing of the machine; bis the type bed or table,
which is placed horizontally, as in the ordinary hand press; and c is the
platen which is caused to move vertically to and from such bed plate or
table, as in the best constructed automatic platen presses.
The platen may be formed of two plates more or less parallel to each
other, their relative position being determined by screws, by which
means a perfect impression may be secured, as is well understood. It
is fitted with a tympan and frisket in order that the same system of
overlays may be employed to obtain perfect impressions as in the
ordinary hand press. Instead however of forming the platen, as above
described, of two plates it may be formed of only one plate, as shown
in the Drawings, in which case however careful fitting is required.
The tympan and frisket (not shown in the Drawings) are hinged
together as usual, but instead of being fixed to the platen they are
capable of removal therefrom, and are adjusted thereon by means of
register pins or studs, by which means they can be restored after removal
to their true position with respect to the form.
The type bed is, as before stated, horizontal, but instead of the inking
table & being placed in the same plane it is bent round in the form of
part of a cylinder extending on each side of the type bed b. The bed
or table is formed in a horizontal plane parallel to the tangent at the
summit of the arch formed by the cylindrical inking surface, and a very
short distance below such tangent. It is by this arrangement of the
type bed or table 6 and the inking table d that the great economy in the
space occupied by our machine is effected, so that a much larger area
of inking table than is usual in such machines can be obtained for the
perfect distribution of the ink without extending the area occupied by
the machine.
The distribution of the ink and the inking of the "form" are effected
in the usual wav excent that the inking and distributing sollen

page_text: are moved by a shaft in the centre of the cylinder formed by the
curved nature of the inking table. This shaft, as hereafter described,
gives a simplo reciprocating motion to the rollers e, e¹, in a curve parallel
to the surface of the cylinder or inking table d, the only deviation from
which is during the inking of the "form," which is to the extent as a
maximum of the versed sine of the arc of the circle forming such cylinder
or inking tablo d cut off to form the type bed or table.
The inking and distributing rollers e, e', are mounted in frames e³,
which are provided with rollers e³ to run on the upper and under side of
flanges or ribs d' formed on or fixed to the cylinder or inking table d.
These frames e² are provided with curved tail pieces, projections, or con-
necting rods e also formed in an are of a circle struck from the centre
of the cylinder or inking table d. These tail picces e' are at their ends
pin jointed to the ends of levers" fixed on the shaft or axis f, on which
shaft are also fixed other levers . These levers ƒ are pin jointed to
the upper ends of links g, which at their lower ends are pin jointed to
levers mounted on studs or axes h fixed in the end frames of the
machine, and these levers are moved in one direction by the rising
and falling of the bowl or pulley h*, and in the other direction by the
counterpoise on the armis h³, by which means a to-and-fro motion at
the times required is given to the inking and distributing rollers e, e¹, to
cause them to pass over the inking table d and type bed b. The
rollers e are those by which the "form" is inked, but the rollers e' act
simply as distributing rollers, and do not ink the type, the slots there-
fore in the frames in which the axes of theso rollers e' work, are not
cut sufficiently deep to permit these rollers to descend on to the type,
but are deep enough to allow the rollers e' to be held down to the inking
table when passing over it. The rollers e, e', are acted upon by
springs e*, as shown, to keep them up to their work.
The ink is contained in a trough i, and is fed to one of the recipro-
cating rollers e¹ by a cylinder and scraper acting to regulate the
quantity of ink delivered to the cylinder, as will be well understood.
This trough and cylinder are supported by levers 23 mounted loosely
on the shaft or axis f, and suitably counterbalanced by a weight ** to
cause the trough i and cylinder to rise to any required height. This
may be regulated by placing a stud or pin in one or other of the holes i*.
Thus by varying the height to which the cylinder and trough i shall
rise the cylinder is caused to remain a shorter or longer time in

page_text: contact with a roller e¹, and thereby give off more or less ink to the
roller e as required.
In the to-and-fro motion of the trough i and cylinder rotary motion
is given to the cylinder ¹ by means of toothed racks fixed to the
inking table d, and taking into toothed pinions fixed to the axis of the
cylinder .
The distribution of the ink may also be effected by substituting for.
part of the circular table d a roller, to which rotary motion is given by
a band from any suitable part of the machine, such roller having upon
its surface one or more distributing rollers e¹, e', with or without a
waving action. These rollers may all be mounted upon arms like the
trough and cylinder i, and the ink received from the latter becomes
distributed by the motion of the extra roller and of the rollers e', e¹, the
ink being communicated to the inking rollers e when they come in
contact with the rollers e', e'. The construction of this cylinder & is novel,
inasmuch as instead of holding the ink upon its surface in a layer more
or less thick according to the set of the "doctor or scraper, the
surface of such cylinder is engraved in a similar manner to a printing
roller used in calico printing to cover the surface of a piece of cloth
with a "pad" or uniform tint of color, or it may be engraved with
spiral grooves or with other lines separated from each other by an
extremely thin " land" or uncut surface to support the scraper,
which acts as a "doctor to remove all the ink from the surface of
the cylinder or roller i¹, but that which is contained in the engraved
hollows.
"
Motion may be communicated to the machine by means of a treadle,
as is well understood, or motion may be communicated thereto by means
of a strap or band from a steam engine, or other motive power acting
upon a drum or pulley fixed on the shaft or axis j. On this shaft or
axis are fixed crank discs or cams, which act upon trucks or
rollers c¹ carried by rods or bars c³, which at their upper ends carry the
platen c. The upper parts of these rods or bars c² are formed round to
fit sockets or guides a fixed to the end frames of the machine, and the
lower parts are formed open, as shown, or in other suitable way to fit
closely the shaft or axis j, which thus forms an extra guide to each of
such rods or bars c². The rollers * being fixed to the rods or bars c
partake also of their motions, and therefore, as before described, give

page_text: C
motion to the inking and distributing rollers e, e'; and in order that a
small fly whcel may serve instead of a large one, and for convenienco
of arrangement, we mount a small fly wheel loosely on the shaft
or axis j, and we fix thereto a pinion j³, which is driven at a high|
speed by the gearing j, j³, and 7%, the latter being fixed on the
shaft j.
The feed is automatic, and in this respect forms one of our principal
improvements.
According to our Invention the paper is supplied from a continuous
roll k, but not continuously, as has heretofore been the case in circular
presses, but by a reciprocating motion, so as to supply the paper while
the platen is in motion, and to remain stationary during the interval of
the impression. The roll of paper is carried by the main frame, as shown,
and the paper is led therefrom to between a pair of damping rollers 1, 1,
which are by preference formed hollow, and are supplied with water by
a funnel passed into the hollow axes of such rollers. This funnel is
shown in connection with the upper of such rollers. These rollers / aro
formed and covered in any suitable manner to permit of the water con-
tained therein percolating through the substance thereof, and evenly
damping the paper passing between them. These rollers 1, 1, rest upon
another roller m, and the paper is conducted from between the lower
roller and roller m to a roller n, partly around which it passes, and is
thence led to the under side of the roller m, whence it is conducted to
between the rollers or wheels o, o, from which it is passed to between
the shears or cutters p, p'. Around the rollers m, n, are passed suitable
endless tapes or an apron m³ to cause the feed motion given to the
roller 1 to be communicated to the roller m, and to assist in conducting
the paper. The roller m is mounted in slotted bearings, so as to enable
a suitable tension to be put upon the tapes or apron m' by a spring m*
acting to draw the roller m in a direction away from the roller n.
Around the roller "* other endless tapes or bands are passed, which run
under the rollors m and n to and around the lower rollers or wheels o to
assist in combination with the tapes or apron m³ to conduct the paper in
the course required.
A feed motion is communicated to the roller n, and therefore to the
paper in the following manner: The rollers l, m, n, and o are all carried
0

page_text: the axis of the roller n is mounted at each end a toothed pinion n',
which pinions take into and receive motion from toothed racks n³ fixed
to the end frames. These pinions n' are fixed to sleeves or hollow
axes n fitting the axes of the rollers n, and capable of sliding endwise
thereon, in order that the moveable half clutches n' which are fixed to
the sleeves or hollow axes n³ may be capable of being moved in the
following manner towards and from the half clutches 25, which are fixed
to the axes of the rollers n. Two projections n' are pin-jointed levers n³,
which grasp collars on the sleeves n³, and at their outer ends have cach
mounted thereon a truck or pulley n³, which is acted upon in the descent
of the platen and parts carried thereby by a fixed cam n° to cause such
lever n to be moved outwards as required to separate the two half
clutches, and thereby regulate the feed of the paper; thus as the platen
rises motion is given by the racks n to the pinions n', but the two half
clutches will slip on each other without communicating motion to
the roller n, but in the descent of the platen rotary motion will be given
to the rollern until the trucks or pulleys n³ come against the cams nº,
when the half clutches n' will be moved away from the fixed half
clutches, and thereby stop the motion of the roller n, and conse-
quently the feed. By raising or lowering the position of the cams nº
the feed may be varied as desired. Springs n act to force the moveable
half clutches n* towards the fixed half clutches n³, except when other-
wise acted upon, as above described.
In order further to secure the accurate position of the paper at the
moment of impression the frisket is provided with projecting springs,
which are acted upon by the "chase," or by projections from the type
bed to cause them to clip the paper firmly a little before and during
and a little after the moment of impression, as will be well understood.
The endless tapes or bands passing around the rollers n* and lower
rollers or wheels o are not absolutely necessary when feeding a con-
tinous sheet of paper through the machine, but while assisting such feed
they also enable the continuous sheet of paper to be dispensed with,
and enable us to feed paper already cut into sheets to the machine by
any well-known or suitable feeding arrangement. One mode however of
feeding such separate sheets is shown by the dotted lines at the left hand
of Figure 1, in which case A represents a bracket supporting a table A',
upon which a pile of paper is placed. The bracket A also carries arms B
provided with slots, in which is mounted a roller C. The table A is

page_text: also provided with a hinged support A³, which supports cach sheet of
paper until the roller * rises to nip the paper between itself and the
roller C; then on the descent of the platen and feeding rollers the paper
will be conducted between the endless bands before described, and fed
through the machine.
link p³, the lower end of which
P,
The shears or cutters p, p', are arranged and acted upon as follows to
sever the paper into sheets after it has received the impression:-The
lower shear or cutter p is fixed to the frame p*, whilst the upper one p
is mounted upon an axis of motion at one end thereof with capability
of moving towards the fixed cutter p. One end of the shear or cutter p'
is pin jointed to the upper end of a
is pin jointed to the end of a lever p³ mounted on a shaft or axis p'. On
the shaft p is also fixed another lever p, which is pin jointed to a
link po, also pin jointed to a lever or arm p' mounted upon a stud or
axis p³ fixed to one of the end frames. Thus as the platen descends the
arm or lever p' comes against a fixed stop p°, which raises such arm or
lever p', and thereby causes the shear p' to descend towards the shear
and sever the paper transversely. The shear or cutter p' is again raised
in preparation for a fresh cut by means of a spring, as will be well
understood. The frame p* with the cutters and parts carried by such
frame are capable of turning with the shaft p* in its bearings in the
frame, so as to enable the cutters to be adjusted as may be required at
any distance from the rollers o, which may be effected without altering
the relative position of the parts p, p², p², and p³. To effect this adjust-
ment the lever p³ is loosened upon its shaft, and the frame p* is loosened
from the frame c*, when the frame p* and parts carried thereby can bo
readily adjusted and fixed in any desired position. If desired on the
axes of the rollers o a pair of circular shears o' may be mounted to sever
the paper longitudinally, as may be required.
Having thus described the nature of our said Invention, and the mode
in which we propose to carry the same into effect, we would have it
understood that what we claim as our Invention is,―
First. The combination with automatic platen printing presses of
the character herein shown and described of a moveable self-adjusting
frisket and tympan, in manner and for the purpose substantially as hercin
described.
Second. We claim the employment in combination with automatic

page_text: printing presses of a curved inking table d, arranged in manner and for
the purpose substantially as herein shown and described.
Thirdly. We claim the mode of forming the inking cylinder », sub-
stantially as and for the purpose herein described.
Fourthly. We claim the employment in combination with automatic
platen printing presses of automatic apparatus for feeding a continuous
sheet of paper thereto, and of apparatus for cutting the paper into sheets,
in manner substantially as herein shown and described.
Fifthly. We claim the general arrangement and combination of
automatic platen printing presses, in manner substantially as herein
shown and described, with or without the automatic feed and cutting
apparatus herein shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Peter Martin Shanks, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of April, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
three.