IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO MACHINERY FOR LETTER-PRESS PRINTING
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William James Ingram, of the Strand, in the City of
Westminster, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO
MACHINERY FOR LETTER-PRESS PRINTING."
Sealed the 15th September 1877, and dated the 11th April 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William James Ingram at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th April 1877.
WILLIAM JAMES INGRAM, of the Strand, in the City of Westminster, Gentleman.
"IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO MACHINERY FOR LETTER-PRESS PRINTING."
This Invention relates to that class of printing machinery in which the printing
surfaces are curved, and are attached to a rotating cylinder, and the paper to be
printed on is a continuous web of several hundred yards long.
The first improvement relates more particularly to a novel or improved mode of
preparing the impression cylinders for printing cuts or illustrations that are inter-
mingled with the text. It has been found that the dark parts of cuts require a
tighter nip or greater pressure to produce a good impression than the lighter parts,
and to effect this object it has been found necessary to pack the back of the stereotype
or eloctrotype plates by laying behind or under them, at such parts as require packing
up, one, two, or more sheets of paper until the proper effect of printing is produced.
This is called "underlaying." It is also frequently necessary to pack the impression
surface in a similar manner and for a similar purpose, and this is effected by pasting
on to the surface of the impression cylinder one or more thicknesses of paper, as
may be required. This is called overlaying, and when covered up by the ordinary
impression blanket, this overlaying will give the desired extra pressure at all thoso
parts where it is required. In order to facilitate this overlaying in cylinder printing
machines, I turn down the impression cylinders rather smaller than usual, and I
adapt to the surface moveable copper plates bent to the proper curve. These curved
copper plates are capable of being removed with facility from the surface of the
impression cylinder and of being as easily replaced. When it is desired to prepare
the machine for printing and to overlay the impression surface for printing the cuts
or illustrations, I place under the curved copper plates two or more sheets of paper,
then (when the surface is covered with the usual blanket) I take an impression on
paper of the form with the illustrations or cuts therein.

page_text: If I find it necessary to overlay some of the dark parts, or to reduce the pressure
on some of the light parts, I remove the curved copper plates from the impression
cylinder and overlay or cut away any such parts of the print as appear to require
such operations. When the "overlay" is completed, I replace the curved copper
plates on the impression cylinder, having first removed the sheets of paper that had
been placed under it to pack it up to the proper height. The impression blanket
may then be secured in its place, and the cylinder will then be ready for work.
It is necessary to underlay stereotype or electrotype plates, because it is found
practically impossible (without taking enormous trouble) to obtain these plates of
uniform thickness throughout. As any variation in the thickness of the plates will
cause them to print badly, it becomes necessary to pack up or "underlay" all
such parts as are thinner than others. This is done by pasting pieces of paper
at the back of the plate, but in order to find out where this packing or underlaying is
required, it will be first necessary to obtain a proof of the plate on paper. It is found
very inconvenient to do this in the printing machine itself, and it consumes much
time to fix and unfix the plates. To obviate these objections I employ a proving
press specially constructed for the purpose of taking proof impressions from the
curved plates. This press is provided with a curved bed and curved platen to fit
the plates, and when a proof from a plate is required, preparatory to underlaying it,
the curved plate before being secured on the type cylinder of the printing machine
is placed in the proving press. A proof is then taken, and from it will be scen
the parts where the curved plate requires to be underlaid. When this underlaying
operation has been performed, the curved plates may be secured in their places
in the printing machine, and the overlaying having been also completed, the
operation of printing may commence.
The next improvement relates to an improved arrangement for washing or cleaning
the form of type or printing surface, and consists in mounting below the printing or
typo cylinder two or more rollers covered with brushes or some spongy substance or
inaterial which is capable of imbibing turpentine, alkaline lye, or other chemical
agent, which will act on and dissolve the ink. There is also another roller or rollers
similarly constructed, so as to imbibe water for the purpose of washing away thic
chemical agent when it has done its work. All these rollers are mounted in bearings,
beneath the type cylinder, and are driven from the moving parts of the printing
machine, which when the cleansing apparatus is used may be driven slowly by hand
so that the surfaces of the rotating cleansing rollers may bear against the face of the
type and remove the ink therefrom.
The next improvement relates to the folding apparatus which is usually adapted
to printing machines of this class for the purpose of folding the printed sheets as
they are delivered from the impression cylinder. The folding apparatus is liable to
derangement from various causes, and the object of the present improvement is to
enable the attendant to suddenly throw this apparatus out of gear without stopping
the printing mechanism, which will go on printing as before, the only difference
being that the sheets will not be folded, but will be deposited on a table in an un-
folded state. To this end I adapt a take-off apparatus above the folder, and so
arrange the vibrating carrier which receives the printed sheets from the impression
cylinder that it may be raised above the level of the folder, so that instead of
directing the printed sheets into the folder they are diverted to the take-off, whereby
they will be deposited on a table placed there to receive them. To assist this opera-
tion, a blast of air from a perforated pipe is made to act on the printed sheet as it is
issuing from the machine and is travelling forward.
When the tail of the sheet passes out beyond the blast pipe it is knocked down:
on to the table by a pair of vibrating arms which are worked from any convenient
part of the mechanism. The perforated blast pipe is supplied with air by a fan or
blower, placed at the lower part of the machine, and kept constantly in motion by a
band and pulley driven from any convenient part of the mechanism.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
tho said William James Ingram in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th
October 1877.
WILLIAM JAMES INGRAM, of the Strand, in the City of Westminster, Gontleninn;
"IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO MACHINERY FOR LETTER-PRESS PRINTING."
This Invention relates to that class of printing machinery in which the printing
surfaces are curved, and are attached to a rotating cylinder, and the paper to bo
printed on is a continuous web of several hundred yards long, which after being
printed upon is subdivided into sheets by a cutting device, so that the separate
sheets may be delivered from the machine and subsequently folded, if desired.
The first improvement relates to a novel or improved mode of preparing the im-
pression cylinders for printing cuts or illustrations that are intermingled with the
text. It has been found in practice that the dark parts of cuts require a tighter
nip or greater pressure to produce a good impression than the lighter parts, and to
effect this object it has been found necessary to pack the back of the stereotype or
electrotype plates by laying behind or under them, at such parts as require packing
up, one, two, or more sheets of paper, until the proper effect of printing is produced.
This is called "underlaying." It is also necessary to pack the impression surface in
a similar manner, and for a similar purpose, and this is effected by pasting on to the
surface of the impression cylinder one or more thicknesses of paper, as may be required.
This is called "overlaying," and when covered up by the ordinary impression blanket
this overlaying will give the desired extra pressure at all those parts where it is
required. In order to facilitate this overlaying in cylinder printing machines, Ì turn
down the impression cylinders rather smaller than usual, and I adapt to the surface
moveable copper plates bent to the proper curve. These curved copper plates aro
capable of being removed with facility from the surface of the impression cylinder,
and of being as easily replaced.
In the accompanying Drawings Fig. 1, Sheet 1, is a side elevation of part of
cylinder printing machine with this improvement adapted thereto; a is the type or
printing cylinder, and b the impression cylinder.
Fig. 2 is a tranverse section of part of the periphery of the impression cylinder b,
detached and drawn upon an enlarged scale.
It will be seen that the periphery of the impression cylinder 6 is divided into
three sections or parts, and that the lengths of blanket c are secured at one end to tho
impression cylinder, and by the other to a rod or roller d, which is capable of being
turned on its axis for the purpose of tightening up or releasing the blanket, as is
well known. Beneath the blanket, and between it and the surface of the cylinder, is
placed the thin sheet of copper e, e, seen best in Fig. 2, and indicated by the thick
black line.
When it is desired to prepared the machine for printing, and to overlay the im
pression surface for printing the cuts or illustrations, I place under the curved copper
plates e, two or more sheets of paper; then (when the surface is covered with the
usual blanket) I take an impression on paper of the form with the illustrations or
cuts therein, in order to see where, if any "overlay" is required. If I find it
necessary to overlay some of the dark parts, or to reduce the pressure on some of
the light parts, I remove from the impression cylinder 6 the curved copper plates e;
together with the sheet of paper beneath them, and at all such parts of the impression
surface as appear to require such operations. I attach to the under side of the copper
plates by paste or otherwise pieces of paper of size corresponding to those parts of
the cuts or print which appear to require making up. When the "overlay" of the
copper sheets or plates is completed, I replace the curved copper plates on the im-
pression cylinder, having first removed the sheets of paper that had been placed
under them to pack them up to the proper height to take the trial impression. The
impression blanket c may then be secured in its place, and the cylinder will then be

page_text: ready for work. In order to save time the three plates of copper e may be removed
from the cylinder, and the "overlay" applied to all simultaneously, and then all may
be replaced on the impression cylinder. By thus attaching the overlay to plates
which may be removed with facility from the impression cylinders instead of
attaching the overlay direct to the cylinder as heretofore the operation of overlaying
is very much facilitated.
It is necessary to "underlay" stereotype or electrotype plates, because it is found
practically impossible (without taking enormous trouble) to obtain these plates of
a uniform thickness throughout. As any variation in the thickness in the plates
will cause them to print badly, it becomes necessary to pack up or "underlay" all
such parts as are thinner than others. This is done by pasting pieces of paper at
the back of the plate, but in order to find out where this packing or underlaying in
required, it will be first necessary to obtain a proof of the plate on paper. It is
found very inconvenient to do this in the printing machine itself, and it consumes
much time to fix and unfix the plates. To obviate these objections I employ a
proving press specially constructed for the purpose of taking proof impressions from
the curved plates. This press is shewn in end elevation at Fig. 3, Sheet 1. Fig. 4
is a plan view of the sanic with the curved or concave platten removed. The press
is provided with a curved bed f, and a curved or concave platten or impression
surface to fit the plates. Near the four corners of a curved bed f are short steel
studs which are of exactly the same length as the printing plate h ought be thick,
so that when the concave platten comes down on to the studs, it should just come into
contact with the face of the plate. When a proof from a plate is required preparatory
to underlaying it, the curved plate before being secured on the type cylinder of
the printing machine is placed in the proving press, as shewn at h, Fig. 3, and
after being inked, a sheet of paper is laid over it and the studs f¹, f¹. A proof is
then taken, and from it will be seen the parts where the curved plate / requires to
be underlaid. When this underlaying operation has been performed, the curved
plates may be secured in their places in the printing machine, and the overlaying
of the impression cylinder having been also completed, the operation of printing may
h
commence.
The next improvement relates to an improved arrangement for washing or
cleaning the form of type or printing surface. This improvement is shewn at Fig. 1.
It consists in mounting below the printing or type cylinder u, a roller or rollers i
covered with brushes or some spongy substance or material which is capable of
imbibing turpentine, alkaline lye, or other chemical agent which will act on and
dissolve the ink. There is also another roller or rollers ; similarly constructed for
the purpose of wiping off or removing from the printing surface the chemical agent
when it has done its work. All these rollers i and j are mounted in bearings beneath
the type cylinder, and revolve on their axes by friction of contact with the cylinder,
but they may, if desired, be driven from any convenient moving part of the printing
machine, and when the cleansing apparatus is used, the printing cylinder may be
moved round slowly by hand, so that the surfaces of the rotating cleaning rollers i
and j may bear against the face of the type on the cylinder a and remove the ink
therefrom. For the convenience of throwing these rollers i and j in and out of gear
when required, the bearings in which they are mounted may be adapted to arms k,
one on each side of the machine. Each of these arms is mounted on a shaft l,
carried by the framing, and it is provided with a tail lever ¹, which is connected by
a long rod to a bell crank lever m, connected by its opposite end through a rod m³
to the short end of a hand lever n. When it is desired to bring the cleansing rollers
ij, into contact with the type or printing cylinder, the hand lever n must be
depressed and brought into the position shown in Fig. 1, where it may be held for
any length of time by inserting a pin or peg into a hole in the curved bar o. When
it is desired to withdraw the rollers i and from the type or printing surface of the
cylinder a, the pin or peg must be drawn out of the hole in the curved bar o, and the
hand lever n allowed to rise into the position indicated by the dotted lines n³,
Fig. 1.

page_text: The next improvement relates to the folding apparatus which is usually adapted
to printing machines of this class, for the purpose of folding the printed sheets as
they are delivered from the impression cylinder. The folding apparatus is liable to
be temporarily put out of order from various causes, and the object of the present
improvement is to enable the attendant to suddenly throw this apparatus out of
gear without stopping the printing mechanism, which will go on printing as before,
the only difference being that the sheets will not be folded, but will be deposited on
a table in an unfolded state. To this end I adapt to the folding frame a take-off
apparatus which is placed above the folding mechanism, and is so arranged in
relating to the other parts that the sheets may be suddenly directed into the take-off
without the nocessity of stopping the machine.
Fig. 5, Sheet II., represents in elevation the delivery end of a printing machine,
also the graining and external parts of the folding mechanism, together with the
devices for transferring the sheets from the printing machine to the folding machine,
or otherwise. The printed sheets of paper are carried forward in a constant stream
as indicated by the thick dotted line in the figure. The continuous but partially
severed web, passes first between the rollers 2, 1, and from thence to the smaller
rollers q, q, which travel slightly faster than the holding rollers p, p, and therefore
complete the separation of the partially severed paper, which is then carried into the
nip of a pair of rollers 7, 7, mounted at one end of a vibrating frame 7.
?'
When the folding mechanism is in order, and commences to work, the vibrating
frame will be in the position shewn by dots in Fig. 5. It will then deliver
a printed sheet to the rollers 8, 8, of the folding mechanism; it will then rise
up and deliver a sheet to the rollers 8¹, s², of the folding mechanism, and will
thus continue to deliver a sheet alternately to the rollers s¹ and 81, the vibrating
frame moving up and down for the purpose. The vibration or up-and-down motion
of the frame is effected by means of the vertical slotted rod t which is connected
to an excentric t¹, shewn by dots in Fig. 5, and is provided at its upper end with a
slot, in which rests a pin or stud projecting from the side of the vibrating frainor;
this pin always lies at the bottom of the slot while the apparatus is at work, and
therefore as the vertical rod t is moved up and down by the excentric, it carries with
it the frame r. If the folding apparatus should get out of order, and it be desired
to suddenly throw it out of gear, this can be effected by lifting the hand lover u
from its normal position indicated by the dotted lines u¹ in the figure to the
position drawn on the figure. The hand lever u is connected by the link to
an arm v¹, to the outer end of which is jointed the vertical slotted rod v². A pin or
stud projecting from the side of the frame enters the slot at the upper end of the
rod, so that when this latter is lifted up by means of the hand lever u, it will
carry up the frame into the position drawn in the figure, and by that means bring
the rollers,, opposite to the rollers w, w, of a taking-off apparatus x, x, which is
placed above the rollers.
It will now be understood that the vibrating frame r, which receives the printed
sheets from the printing machine, may be raised above the level of either of tho
folders, so that instead of directing the printed sheets into either folder, they are
diverted to the rollers zu, w, of the take-off, whereby they will be deposited on a
table placed there to receive them. To assist this operation, a blast of air from a
perforated pipe y is made to act on the printed sheet as it is issuing from the
rollers x, x, of the take-off, and is travelling forward.
When the tail of the sheet passes out beyond the blast pipe y, it is knocked down
on to the table by a cord or string attached to a pair of vibrating arms s, which are
worked by a cam s¹, which acts on a lever connected by the rod 23 to the tail of
the lever z. The perforated blast pipe is supplied with air by a fan or blower placed
at the lower part of the machine, and kept constantly in motion by a band and
pulley driven from any convenient part of the mechanism, but is not shewn in
the Drawing.
Having now described the nature of my Invention of "Improvements Applicable
to Machinery for Letter-press Printing," and explained the manner of carrying the

page_text: same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited
Lotters Patent, I claim,―
First. Adapting to the impression cylinder the copper plates e, e, which, when
required, may be removed from the cylinder in order to receive the overlay and be
then re-attached to the cylinder, as and for the purpose herein set forth.
Second. I claim the device shewn at Figures 3 and 4, and above described
for the purpose of taking trial impressions of the curved printing surfaces, so that
the latter may be properly prepared with "underlay" before being placed on or
attached to the printing cylinder.
Third. I claim the adaption to the type or printing cylinder of the cleaning rollers i
and j, together with the gear for throwing the same into and out of operation, as and
for the purpose herein set forth.
Fourth. I claim the combination with the folding mechanism of a take-off
apparatus so arranged that the sheets as they issue from the printing machine may
at any moment be diverted into the take-off apparatus and be deposited in an
unfolded state on a table without stopping the printing machine, instead of passing
into the folding mechanism.
In witness whereof, I, the said William James Ingram, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Tenth day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.