IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR BLENDING DIFFERENTLY COLOURED PRINTING INKS AND PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Lawrence Mc Cready, of the City and
State of New York, United States of America, now of No. 8, South-
ampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR BLENDING DIFFERENTLY COLOURED PRINTING INKS AND
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Lawrence
M Cready at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 12th December 1871.
I, THOMAS LAWRENCE M° CREADY, of the City and State of New
York, United States of America, now of No. 8, Southampton Buildings,
London, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR BLENDING DIFFERENTLY COLOURED PRINTING INKS AND
FORMING SHEETS THEREOF, AND FOR DIVIDING AND SHAPING THE SAME," to be as
follows:-
My said Invention relates to apparatus to be employed in the pre-
paration of compound sheets or blocks of divers coloured printing inks,

page_text: whereby a many coloured impression may be produced by one operation
of the press, as described in the Specification of an Invention for which
former Letters Patent have been obtained, bearing date the 1st day of
June, A.D. 1871, No. 1461.
For blending the different colored inks and forming sheets thereof I
use a box or tray provided at the bottom with a sieve. The said box is
square, oblong, or of any other convenient form, and it is provided with
a number of moveable partitions whereby the box or tray is divided into
compartments, the number and size of which may be increased or
diminished at pleasure. The different coloured inks used to form the
sheet or cake are reduced to fine powder, and each colour is placed in a
separate compartment of the box. For instance, if desired to blend
blue, green, yellow and brown, four compartments will be required, one
for the blue powder, one for the green, one for the yellow, and one for
the brown. The said box is placed over a pan or other suitable receptacle
provided with means for heating the same. When the sieve box has
been properly filled with the various coloured powdered inks, as above
described, it is gently agitated to cause them to fall through the sieve
into the receptacle below. When the proper quantity of powdered ink
has been received in the said receptacle it is heated and then cooled.
By this means I obtain a solid cake or sheet of ink of the required
different colours.
If required, I provide the sieve with a sliding bottom which is with-
drawn to allow the powdered inks to drop into the aforesaid receptacle.
It is necessary that the sheets or cakes of ink should be divided or cut
into portions of such sizes and shapes as may be required to form the
compound block from which the many coloured impression is to be
produced. For this purpose I place the cake or sheet to be cut upon a
table of suitable size and shape to support it properly. This table has
an upright frame whereon are carried two pullies, over which is passed
an endless wire. This endless wire has a continuous rapid motion around
the pullies. The cake or sheet of ink is pressed against the said wire,
and is thereby quickly and smoothly cut into portions of the required
shape and size.
Any lateral motion or vibration of the wire is prevented by a steel
guide plate, and the said wire is kept free from adhering particles of

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Lawrence M° Cready in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 11th June 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
LAWRENCE M CREADY, of the City and State of New York, United
States of America, now of No. 8, Southampton Buildings, London, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the
thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Lawrence M Cready, Her
special licence that I, the said Thomas Lawrence M° Cready, my execu-
tors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas
Lawrence McCready, my 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 APPARATUS FOR BLENDING DIFFERENTLY
COLOURED PRINTING INKS AND FORMING SHEETS THEREOF, AND FOR DIVIDING AND
SHAPING THE SAME,' upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Thomas Lawrence M° Cready, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, 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 Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
"
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Lawrence McCready, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawing forming a part of this Specification :—
My said Invention relates to apparatus to be employed in the prepara-
tion of compound sheets or blocks of divers coloured printing inks,

page_text: whereby a many coloured impression may be produced by one operation
of the press, as described in the Specification of an Invention for which
former Letters Patent have been obtained, bearing date the 1st day of
Tune AT 1971 No 1164.
Figure 1 is a plan of an apparatus for forming blocks or sheets of
various coloured inks according to my Invention; Figure 2 is a front
elevation of the same; Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section on the
line x, x, Figure 1; Figure 4 is an elevation of a machine for shaping
the said blocks.
For blending the different coloured inks and forming sheets thereof I
The said box is
use a box or tray provided at the bottom with a sieve.
square, oblong, or of any other convenient form, and it is provided with
a number of movable partitions whereby the box or tray is divided into
compartments, the number and size of which may be increased or
diminished at pleasure. The different coloured inks used to form the
sheet or cake are reduced to fine powder, and each colour is placed in a
separate compartment of the box.
In Figures 1, 2, and 3, a is a box of any suitable size provided at the
bottom with a sieve a¹ whose meshes are more or less fine as required;
b, c, d, are three movable upright partitions placed within the box a.
These partitions may be arranged in any required position in the said
box. Each different coloured ink is placed in one of the partitions 1, 2,
3, or 4 of the sieve, as above described. For instance, if it is desired to
blend blue, green, yellow, and brown, the blue is placed in the first
partition 1, the green in the partition 2, the yellow in partition 3, and
the brown in partition 4. The box a has a pan placed within a drawer e,
or is set over a pan or other receptacle. When the sieve box a has been
properly filled with the various coloured powdered inks, as above
described, it is gently agitated to cause them to fall through the sieve
into the receptacle below. When the proper quantity of powdered ink
has been received in the said receptacle it is heated and then cooled.
By this means I obtain a solid cake or sheet of ink of the desired
different colours.
If required, I place under the sieve a¹ a sliding plate f which prevents
the falling of the powdered ink into the receptacle e while the box a is

page_text: being filled, but is withdrawn to allow the ink to fall into the said
receptacle when the box is agitated as above described.
It is necessary that the sheets or cakes of ink should be divided or
cut into portions of such sizes and shapes as may be required to form the
compound block from which the many coloured impression is to bo
produced. For this purpose I place the cake or sheet to be cut upon a
table of suitable size and shape to support it properly. This table has an
upright frame whereon are carried two pullies over which is passed an
endless wire. This endless wire has a continuous rapid motion around
the pullies. This part of my Invention is clearly illustrated in Figure 4.
g is the table properly braced to give it the requisite firmness and
immoveability. It is preferably constructed as shown, but may be
modified as circumstances require. is the upright frame erected on the
said table; i is a pulley or wheel with a concave circumference and
whose shaft is supported to revolve freely in suitable bearings on the
upper part of the frame h; j is another similar pulley or wheel at the
lower part of the frame h; is the endless wire of brass, silver, steel, or
other suitable metal tightly stretched over and between the pulleys or
wheels i, j, and passing through the table g; his an arm extending
from the frame h and provided at its outer end with a plate h³ of steel
or other metal, through which the wire k passes; m, m, are steel scrapers
so arranged that as the said wire passes through them they will scrape
from it all adhering particles of ink, thus keeping it clean and bright;
n is a belt through which a rotary motion is communicated to the wheelj
either by hand, steam, or other power. The block of solid ink or colour
to be cut is placed on the surface of the table g resting against the
wire k immediately beneath the arm h¹. The wheel j is then set in rapid
motion and imparts a continuous rapid motion to the wire k. The
aforesaid block is pressed against the moving wire, and will be thereby
cut to any required shape and size. As the wire k passes through the
scrapers m any particles of ink adhering to it are removed. The steel
plate keeps the wire steady and prevents any lateral motion of the
same.
Having thus fully described my said Invention and the manner of
performing the same, I wish it understood that I claim,-
First. The apparatus for blending the differently coloured inks, and

page_text: Second. The apparatus for shaping the said blocks or sheets con-
structed and operating as herein set forth..
1
.T
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Lawrence M° Cready, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of June, in the
year of our Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy-two.
77 1.
" .30
4641
Vitness,"
GEORGE HASELTINE,
8, Southampton Buildings,
London.
•
T. L. M CREADY. ' (L.S.)