Improvements in or relating to Platen Presses.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Dec., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 11th Sept., 1895-Accepted, 12th Oct., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Platen Presses.
1, GEORGE EASTWOOD, of 36 and 37 Cow Cross Street, London, E.C.
Newspaper Manager and Patentee of the Presto Stereotype Matrix Machine and
Flong, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
My invention has reference to platen presses and relates more particularly to
platen presses employed for pressing a flong into a type forme so as to produce a
mould or matrix for stereotyping; the improvements are however in whole or in
part applicable to platen presses used for other purposes as for example platen
printing presses.
In the production of stereotype plates for newspaper work saving of time is of
great importance and the object of the first part of my invention is to effect a
substantial saving in the time occupied in running the type forme on to the bel of
the press and in then bringing down the platen so as to impress the flong and
produce the mould or matrix, the flong being either carried by the platen or laid
upon the forme.
With this object 1 employ a tray preferably made of thin sheet
metal upon which the forme is placed. This tray has attached to it preferably to
a flange at the back, strong springs which tend to draw it into position under the
platen. Further I employ one or more strong springs which are put in tension
when the platen is raised the platen being retained in the raised position by
one or more suitable catches or stops; these springs when free to act cause the
platen to descend rapidly to the type forme. And I arrange that the release of
the platen shall be effected by the tray when this with the forme reaches its position
under the platen. Preferably the spring or springs that bring down the platen
are attached to one end of a chain or chains or the like the other end of which is
attached to the shaft which in presses of this type is ordinarily rotated manually
by means of radial lever arms so as to lower and raise the platen by means of
toggle levers or otherwise.
The operation is as follows:-The platen is raised by means of the lever arms
and while this is being effected, the chain winds round. the shaft and puts the
spring or springs in tension. A stop then holds the platen in the raised position.
The tray is drawn out from below the platen on to the feed table the springs
attached to the tray being thus, put into tension; and the tray is then held on the
feed table by one or more catches. The type forme from which the matrix is to be
obtained is then secured on the tray or the forme may be made up on the tray in
which case the springs should be temporarily disconnected therefrom. When the
tray with the forme is ready and a flong with or without a blanket has been placed
thereon, the tray catches can be released. The tray with the forme is immediately
drawn by the springs into position under the platen the passage of the tray
instantaneously releases the stop that holds up the platen, the platen then under the
action of its springs descends rapidly and presses the flong upon the forme, and a
inal or finishing pressure can then be given by means of one or more of the
ever arms.
In order to allow the water. to flow away when a wet forme is used I construct
the press so that the type bed has a slight downward inclination from front to
back or I provide means such as lifting screws whereby the front of the press can
when desired be slightly raised to give any required inclination to the bed.

page_text: Openings should be made in the flange of the tray before described in order to
let the water run freely from the tray, instead of its being left to evaporate on the
beated type bed.
It is known that in pressing a material between two parallel surfaces whether such
material be a flong to be moulded into a matrix or a sheet of paper to be printed,
or a substance to be compressed, the-pressure produces a slightly less effect at and
near the centre than at and near the exterior of the material under operation.
Attempts have already been made to overcome this.drawback in the case of printing
presses by forming the platen with a slight convexity at the centre, but this does
not altogether meet the difficulty unless the press is always used to print from
formes of one given size for which the convexity is appropriate.
Now according to another part of my invention I take a thin tray or sheet such
as that herein before described and I thicken it gradually, on one face, from near
the exterior edges to the centre and this I preferably effect by depositing silver or
other metal thereon by the electro plating process. This enables me to produce a
sheet which while being perfectly flat on the one face is on the other face very
slightly convex the convexity being greatest in the centre and becoming gradually
less and less until it reaches a vanishing point preferably near the edges of the
tray or sheet. These trays or sheets I place below the type forme in a stereotype
matrix platen press or in a platen printing press with the result that when the platen
comes down upon the forme the type at and near the middle being very slightly
held up by the thickening of the tray the impression obtained is perfect; while in
the cases of presses used for other purposes the trays or sheets are placed below
the substance to be pressed with the result that the pressure effected by the platen
is equal over the entire surface of such substance.
Tnd shin 19th day of Duaomber 1801
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56 Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.
1.
Improvements in or relating to Platen Presses.
I, GEORGE EASTWOOD of 36 and 37 Cow Cross Street, London E.C..
Newspaper Manager and Patentee of the Presto Stereotype Matrix Machine and
Flong, 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 reference to platen presses, and relates more particularly to
platen presses employed for pressing a flong into a type forme so as to produce a
mould or matrix for stereotyping; the improvements are, however, in whole or in
part applicable to platen presses used for other purposes, as, for example, platen
printing presses.
In the production of stereotype plates for newspaper work saving of time is of
great importance, and the object of the first part of the invention is to effect a
substantial saving in the time occupied in running the type forme on to the bed of
the press, and in then bringing down the platen so as to impress the flong
and produce the mould or matrix, the flong being either carried by the platen or
laid upon the forme. With this object, according to this invention, a tray is
employed, preferably made of thin sheet metal, upon which the forme is placed.
This tray has attached to it, preferably to a flange at the back, strong springs,
which tend to draw it into position under the platen. Further, one or more strong
springs are employed, which are put in tension when the platen is raised, the platen
being retained in the raised position by one or more suitable catches or stops.
These springs, when free to act, cause the platen to descend rapidly.to the type

page_text: .
forme. And it is arranged that the release of the platen shall be effected by the
tray when this with the former reaches its position under the platen. Preferably
the spring or springs that bring down 'the platen are attached to one end of a
chain or chains, or the like, the other end of which is attached to the shaft, which
in presses of this type is ordinarily rotated manually by means of radial lever arms,
so as to lower and raise 'the platen by means of toggle levers or otherwise.
The accompanying drawings represent a platen press constructed according to
this invention; and adapted for the production of moulds or matrices for stereotyping.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of the press; Fig. 2 a back elevation; and Fig. 3
a horizontal section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the
tray with a type forme thereon; a a represent the frame of the press; bis the bed
"upon which the tray and type forme res during the pressing operation; c is a
range of gas-burners for heating the bed b;d is the platen, which can be raised
and lowered as required. It is shown as provided with toggle levers e e e¹e', the
ends of which are rounded, one end working in sockets in bosses ff, which are
screw-threaded internally, and engage with a right and left handed screw g fitted
with hand lever arms for turning it. The upper ends of the upper toggle
levers ee work in sockets in the press head i, and the lower ends of the lower
ievers el e¹ work in sockets on the platen d; k is a feed table; is the tray herein-
before described, upon which the type forme is placed; m represents the forme.
The tray and forme are seen in 'Figure 1 in their outside position, that is to say
upon the 'table k. The same figure shows, in dotted lines, their position when
below the platen; nn are strong springs, one end of which is attached to the
press frame at pp, and the other end to bands qq, by which they are connected
to a flanger at the back of the tray ; q'q' are rollers over which the bands pass;
ss are other strong springs, one end of which is attached to the press frame at t,
and' the other end to the lower ends of chains uu, whose upper ends are attached
to the shaft of the screw g. The drawings show the platen d in the raised position,
the raising being effected by turning the shaft g by means of the hand levers hh.
The platen is held in the raised position by means of the stops vv, which come
against one of the lever arms hat each end of the shaft These stops are
centred at wow, and are themselves sheld by pieces x, one arm of each of which
projects beyond the longitudinal line of the tray l.
9.
The operation is as follows:The platen d is raised by means of the lever
arms hh, and while this is being effected the chains u u wind round the shaft g and
put the springs ss in tension. The stops vv (of which there may be two, as shown,
For only one) then hold the, platen in the raised position. The tray is drawn out
from below the platen on to the feed table k (into the position seen in full lines in
Fig. 1), the springs n n attached to the tray being thus put into tension; and the
tray is then held on the feed table by 'one or more catches y y.
The type forme ทะ
曹
from which the matrix is to be obtained is then secured on the tray, or the forme
may be made up on the tray, in which case the springs n n should be temporarily
disconnected therefrom. When the tray with the forme is ready, and a flong, 'with
or without a blanket, has been placed' thereon, the tray catches yy can be released.
The tray with the forme is immediately drawn by the springs n n'into- position
under the platen (the position seen in dotted lines' in Fig. 1); it strikes against a
"buffer z, and is caught and steadied by the catch 2. The tray in running back-
wards under the platen strikes the pieces x, and thereby instantaneously releases
the 'stops that hold up the platen; the platen then, under 'the action of its
springs ss, descends rapidly and presses the Hong upon the forme, and a final or
finishing pressure can then be given by means of one or more of the lever armsh h.
A 'A' are doors at the front and back of the platen for the purpose of enclosing the
space between the platen and the bed b, and thereby preventing the escape of heat.
In lieu of the springs nnland the bands 99 the tray may be run intol position by
hand; but in this case 'it is 'desirable to provide anti-friction'rollers on the feed
table k.
In order to allow the water to flow away when a wet forme is used, the firess is

page_text: constructed so that the type bed has a slight downward inclination from front
to back, or means are provided, such as lifting-screws, whereby the front of the
press can, when desired, be slightly raised to give any required inclination to the
bed. In Fig. 1 a plate B is shown inserted between the press frame at front and
the foundation plate C, for the purpose of giving this inclination. Openings DD
should be made in the flanger of the tray l, in order to let the water run freely
from the tray instead of its being left to evaporate on the heated type bed.
It is known that in pressing a material between two parallel surfaces, whether
such material be a flong to be moulded into a matrix, or a sheet of paper to be
printed, or a substance to be compressed, such for example as cotton seed in an oil
press, the pressure produces a slightly less effect at and near the centre than at
and near the exterior of the material under operation. Attempts have already been
made to overcome this drawback, in the case of printing presses, by forming the
platen with a slight convexity at the centre, but this does not altogether meet the
difficulty, unless the press is always used to print upon formes of one given size,
for which the convexity is appropriate.
Now, according to another. part of this invention, a thin tray or sheet is used,
such as that shown in Fig. 4 and hereinbefore described, and it is slightly thickened
at and near the middle on one face, the thickening gradually diminishing from the
centre towards the exterior edges. This thickening is preferably produced by
depositing silver or other metal thereon by the electro-plating process. This
enables a sheet to be produced which, while being perfectly flat on the one face, is on
the other face very slightly convex, the convexity being greatest in the centre, and
becoming gradually less and less until it reaches a vanishing point towards the
edges of the tray or sheet. Fig. 5 represents a tray or sheet thickened or formed
with a convexity as described. These trays or sheets are placed below the type
forme in a stereotype matrix platen press, or in a platen printing press, with the
result that when the platen comes down upon the forme, the type at and near the
middle being very slightly held up by thickening of the tray, the impression
obtained is perfect; while in the case of presses used for other purposes, the trays
or sheets are placed below or above the substance to be pressed, with the result
that the pressure effected by the platen is equal over the entire surface of such
substance. The trays or sheets will not require the flanges shown in Fig. 4, unless
they are to be used in a platen press working as herein before described for
producing moulds for stereotyping.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. In a platen press for producing moulds or matrices for stereotyping the
employment of a tray to receive the type forme, and of one or more springs
connected with the said tray to draw it and the type forme into position under the
platen, substantially as and for the purpose herein before described.
2. In a platen press the combination with the platen of one or more strong
springs, which are put in tension when the platen is raised, and of one or more
catches to retain the platen in its raised position, so that when the springs are
free to act they cause the platen to descend rapidly, substantially as and for
the purpose hereinbefore described.
3. In a platen press having the combination referred to in Claim 2, a provision
whereby, in a press for producing moulds for stereotyping, the release of the
springs, and the consequent automatic descent of the platen, are effected by the
running of the type forme into position, substantially as and for the purpose
herein before described.
4. In a platen press for producing moulds for stereotyping, a tray to receive the
type forme constructed with a flange at back for the purpose set forth, and with
an opening or openings in this flange to allow water to run freely from the tray as
hereinbefore described.

page_text: 5. The manufacture and employment in a platen press of a thin tray or sheet,
one face of which has a very slight convexity, substantially as and for the purpose-
hereinbefore described.
6. The improved platen press constructed and operating substantially as herein-
before described with reference to Figs. 1, 2, and 3.
Dated this 11th day of September 1895.
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 & 56 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.