An Improved Composition for Letterpress Printers' Inking Rollers.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Nov., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 21st Dec., 1895-Accepted, 7th Mar., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Composition for Letterpress Printers' Inking Rollers.
WILLIAM MURRAY 61, Dale Street, S.S. Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
Printer, and JAMES SPEIRS 396, Argyle Street, Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, Watchmaker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
Our said invention relates to "inking rollers and is composed of gelatine,
glue, glycerine, glucose, and mythalated spirits, in certain proportions, this
composition roller can be used for printing on types, or plates, or blocks, the said
composition will last and give a perfect distribution without being a reistance to
the machine from eight to twelve months and exclude dust during that time
without being cleaned or washed. A roller of this composition has been worked
and tested by us privately for nine months, during that time it kept a uniform
elasticity, and did not shrink, after working for the said time mentioned it can
be remelted and cast again equal to new by adding more glycerine, it is not
affected by chance of temperature, and can be made cheaper than the ordinary
composition.
Dated this 23rd day of November 1895.
WILLIAM MURRAY and
JAMES SPEIRS,
Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Composition for Letterpress Printers' Inking Rollers.
WILLIAM MURRAY, 61, Dale Street, S.S. Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
Printer, and JAMES SPEIRS, 396, Argyle Street, Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, Watchmaker, 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 :-
Our said invention relates to "inking rollers,” and is composed of gelatine, glue,
glycerine, glucose, and methylated spirits, in certain proportions. This composition
roller can be used for printing on types, or plates, or blocks, the said composition
will last and give a perfect distribution without being a resistance to the machine
from eight to twelve months, and exclude dust during that time, without being
cleaned or washed. A roller of this composition has been worked and tested by
us privately for nine months, during that time it kept a uniform elasticity, and
did not shrink. After working for the said time mentioned it can be remelted
and cast again equal to new by adding one third more glycerine. It is not affected
by change of temperature. The following are the proportions for one hundred-
weight, 71 lbs. 15 oz. of glycerine, 32 lbs. gelatine, 4 lbs. glucose, 4 lbs. glue,
1 oz. methylated spirits.
The gelatine, and glue, are soaked in cold water from one to two hours
[Price 8d.]

page_text: according to their quality, the water is then decanted and the gelatine, and glue,
are left to soften for from 10 to 12 hours. Then the gelatine, and glue, are cut
up in pieces and put into a steam or glue boiler & stirred till melted. Then
add glucose, glycerine, and methylated spirits, after the ingredients are
thouroughly dissolved which takes from 20 to 30 minutes, it is then ready for
casting into the required form but it is better to be cast into blocks, or sheets, and
left to season for from 4 to 6 hours as rollers cast immediately after the composition
is made are liable to shrink a little. Before casting a roller the pin, or stock,
should be heated to let composition adhere more firmly. This composition can be
kept for future use without losing any of its qualities.
Having now particularly described and accertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :
1. A roller made of this composition lasts from nine to twelve months
without being cleaned or washed, which means considerable economy, as when
rollers are cleaned or washed it produces a skin on the surface which makes the
ink fail to adhere properly, therefore producing unequal distrubition. Also, when
cleaned or washed with spirits of turpentine as they usually are, or any other
spirit, the dust adheres in great quantity which clogs the ink, and obliterates the
printing.
2. This composition roller keeps a uniform elasticity, which will be understood
by the following:-It does not shrink with cold, nor does it expand with heat,
when rollers shrink they fail to ink the type equally, and when they expand.
It causes a greater resistance to the machine.
3. The object achieved by using methylated spirits in the manufacture of this
composition is, that it absorbs the moisture which is left in the gelatine and glue.
By absorbing the moisture it produces a roller which is almost free from blown-
holes. When blown-holes occur in a roller we often see a letter, and sometimes a
word not printed owing to such holes.
4. This composition can be remelted and cast equal to new by adding one third
more glycerine; and it can be kept for any length of time without losing any of
its qualities.
Dated this 20th day of December 1905.
WILLIAM MURRAY,
61, Dale Street, S.S. Glasgow, and
JAMES SPEIRS,
396, Argyle Street, Glasgow.