Improvements in Mounting Beds for Printing Plates.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 27th June, 1893 -
Complete Specification Left, 25th Nov., 1893-Accepted, 6th Jan., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mounting Beds for Printing Plates.
I, WILLIAM PANTER 29 Laurel Grove, Penge Surrey Printers Overseer do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
I now
My object in this invention is to improve on the existing methods for the mounting
of all kinds of printing plates for printing. My invention consists of a perfectly
true metal block of the requisite thickness with lines scored on the upper side for
guidance in laying down plates. The under side is a series of light ribs with solid
bosses at intervals. Through each boss I drill a hole about 3" diameter. The
holes are then countersunk and tapped and a screw with a flat head fitted.
proceed to make the clips for fastening the printing plates to the bed. These
consist of circular pieces of metal with lips projecting, the under side of the clips
have shoulders which fit into the countersunk parts of the holes in the bed. Holes
are drilled in the clips through which the screws, before mentioned, passes into the
bed. When the printing plate is laid in position on the bed the clips are turned to
the right until the lips grip the edges of the stereo or other plate, the screws are the
tightened which keeps the plate firm and rigid until worked off. To remove the
plate a very slight turn of the screws is all that is necessary. I do not limit myself
to the exact form of clip as it can be very much varied. The clips instead of
turning on a centre could be made with a slot and move in a straight direction.
They can be made to stand a little above or flush with the surface of the bed.
am aware that metal beds with metal clips have been used before, but with diagonal
grooves with small clips or catches running therein. These clips are very frail and
unreliable, they sometimes come loose in the working and cause great damage.
These clips or catches have screws fitted which move bodily along the grooves.
my invention the clips only move the screws remaining stationary. By this means
I am able to use a much stronger screw thereby gaining great strength. All my
clips are movable so that plates out of square can be registered.
Dated this 27th day of June 1893.
I
In
WILLIAM PANTER.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mounting Beds for Printing Plates.
1, WILLIAM PANTER of 29 Laurel Grove, Penge, Surrey, Printer's Overseer
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 has for its object to improve the means for securing stereo and
other printing plates on mounting beds and will be best understood by reference to
the accompanying drawings in which ;-
Fig. 1 is a plan of a portion of a printing bed and securing devices constructed
according to this invention said portion being sufficient to accommodate two printing
plates only one of which is shown in this figure.
Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and
Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one of the securing-clips.
Like letters represent like parts throughout the drawings.

page_text: A is the mounting bed whose upper surface may be scored or marked with longi-
tudinal and transverse lines as at A' to guide the operator in laying the printing
plates B truly or square thereon. The underside of the bed A. as shown in Fig. 2
may be of cellular construction so as to reduce its weight and provided with ribs A'
and bosses. A³ the former for giving the bed the necessary rigidity and the latter
drilled and tapped for receiving the screws C.
D are the clips each of which consists of a boss D₁ having an arm D³ extending
radially from it. Each clip-boss D¹ is drilled completely through for the passage
of the shank of its screw C, and recessed at its upper side to receive the head of
said screw as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The arm D' of each clip is preferably
made at its inner part thinner than at its outer part or extremity so as to give it a
certain amount of spring; at the underside of its outer extremity the arm is bevelled
as at D³ so that it may properly engage with the bevelled edge B¹ of the printing
plate B.
The upper surface of the bed A. is countersunk for receiving the clip bosses D¹
as shown in Fig. 2 to such a depth as will leave a little space E between the
opposite surfaces of the bosses D₁ and bed A or screw-receiving bosses A³. If
desired, leather or equivalent washers may be placed in the spaces E so as to act
frictionally upon the bosses D¹ to prevent the clips D accidentally shifting after
they have been adjusted for securing a printing plate B on to the bed A.
In securing a printing plate B on the bed A, the clips D, which have previously
been released by unscrewing the screws C are turned so that their bevelled
faces D overlap the bevelled edges B¹ of the plate B after which all the screws
are tightened, thereby pressing the arms D³ on to the plate B and firmly securing
suid plate on the bed A. For tightening the clips D the screws C are turned in
such a direction that through the friction between the contiguous surfaces of the
screw heads and clip-bosses, will tend to force the clip-ends D³ more firmly against
the edges of the printing plates; thus when right-handed screws C are used the
clips D incline in one direction in relation to the printing plate and in the opposite
direction when left-handed screws are used. If desired however both right and
left-handed fastenings may be provided on the same bed A. The upper surface
of each screw head is preferably flush with the upper surface of the clip D this
latter surface being slightly above the face of the bed A and below the face the
printing plate B as is also the upper surface of the thicker part of clip-arm D³ as
shown in Fig. 2.
All the clips D being adjustable, plates other than rectangular may be readily
secured to the bed A and moreover the printing plates may be secured on the bed
in an inclined position.
The apparatus illustrated in the accompanying drawings is represented at
somewhat less than its actual size, the portion shown being sufficient to accom-
modate two octavo printing plates for which purpose it is provided with two distinct
sets of tightening screws and clips, but it will be readily understood that by
removing the central row of tightening screws and clips a printing plate of
approximately quarto size may be secured to the same bed.
The bed A may be constructed for accommodating one or more printing plates
of any desired size and any desired number of fastening screws and clips may be
applied to each printing plate.
The before described apparatus may be modified without departing from the
spirit of the invention; for example the clips D instead of being pivotted to
the bed A may be slotted so as to be capable of longitudinal adjustment and if
desired all except their operative ends may be flush with or below the upper surface
of the bed A.
Having now particularly described and illustrated the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I wish it to be understood that
I am aware that metal mounting beds having metal clips adjustable in diagonal or

page_text: these devices as distinguished from the screws before described have been laterally
adjustable along with the clips, and that I make no claim to any such device or
laterally-adjustable screw but what I claim is ;-
1. The combination with a mounting bed of a pivotted clip such as D and
tightening screw substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
2. The combination with a mounting bed of a pivotted clip such as D and
tightening screw the former having a boss fitting into a recess in the mounting
bed and the latter passing through said boss substantially as described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3. The combination with a mounting bed of an adjustable clip and a tightening
screw adjustable only in its axial direction substantially as described.
4. The combination with a mounting bed of a pivotted clip and screw which
for securing the clip is turned in such a direction that the friction between the
screw and clip will tend to tighten the clip against the printing plate substantially
as described.
5. The combination with a mounting bed of a pivotted clip such as D screw
and leather or equivalent washer between the bed and clip substantially as and for
the purpose described.
Dated this 14th day of November 1893
WILLIAM PANTER.
W. P. Thompson & Boult,
Agents for the Applicant.