Improvements in Printing Machines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Oct., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 14th July, 1892-Accepted, 1st Oct., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Printing Machines.
We, HENRY SMITH CROPPER, Engineer, and WILLIAM MIDDLETON, Printer,
both of Great Alfred Street, Nottingham, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
"
Our invention consists of an improved method of operating the inking rollers in
printing machines. Hitherto the inking rollers pass backwards and forwards over
the "form of type, and it not infrequently happens that they take off some
portion of the ink in returning which they had put on in the forward movement.
By our invention we not only obviate this defect, but we so improve the inking of
the "form" as to enable us to work with a much lighter impression than would
otherwise be practicable.
In order to carry our invention into effect, we make the roller trucks with four
or more sided stems. On the type-bed, below the "form" of type, (on the left side
facing the operator,) is fixed a double cam plate, which acts in a two-fold manner;
first, it causes the rollers to turn over to the extent of one or two squares of the
stems of the roller trucks, and, second, it gives to the rollers a lateral movement
to the right hand, so that when they pass over the type on their return motion,
they present a different inking surface to the "form." Having arrived near the
end of their upward motion, the roller trucks are operated by another cam on the
right hand of the type-bed, which gives them a lateral movement to the left, and
thus puts them in a position to repeat the movement described above.
The foregoing description relates only to platen printing machines, but our
invention is applicable to every class of printing machines.
nd his 10th dox of Ontchou 1801
HENRY S. CROPPER,
WILLIAM MIDDLETON,
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Printing Machines.
We, HENRY SMITH CROPPER, Engineer, and WILLIAM MIDDLETON, Printer,
both of Great Alfred Street, Nottingham, 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 invention consists of an improved method of operating the inking rollers in
printing machines. Hitherto the inking rollers have been caused to pass backwards
and forwards over the "form" of type, and it not infrequently happens that they
take off some portion of the ink in returning which they had put on in the forward
motion. By our invention we not only obviate this defect, but we so improve the
inking of the "form" as to enable us to work with a much lighter impression than
would otherwise be practicable.
In order to carry our invention into effect we make the roller trucks with four.
or more sided stems. On the type bed below the "form" of type (on the left side
facing the operator) is fixed a double cam plate which acts in a two fold manner.
First, it causes the rollers to turn over to the extent of one or two squares of the
stems of the roller trucks, and second, it gives to the rollers a lateral movement

page_text: to the right hand, so that when they pass over the type on their return motion,
they present a different inking surface to the "form.".
Having arrived near the end of their upward motion, the roller trucks are
operated by another cam on the right hand of the type bed, which gives them a
lateral movement to the left and thus puts them in a position to repeat the move-
ment described above.
The foregoing description relates only to platen printing machines, but our
invention is applicable to every class of printing machines employing inking
rollers.
And in order that our said invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect, we will proceed, aided by the accompanying drawings, more
.11
Figure 1. is an elevation representing the upper part of the type bed frame
carrying the "form" and the inking slab or disc of a platen printing machine of
the character generally known as the "Cropper."
Figures 2 and 3 are elevations of some of the parts shown in Figure 1 drawn to
a larger scale.
Figure 4 is an end view of parts shown in Figure 2, and
Figure 5 is a cross section view of parts shown at Figure 3.
a represents the upper part of the type bed frame carrying the "form" a¹ and
the inking slab or disc b; c is an inking roller the axis of which is carried in the
end d of an arm, which is operated so as to cause the said inking roller to traverse
to and fro over the inking slab or disc and over the "form" a¹ in the usual
manner. The inking roller c, in addition to the said ordinary motion to and fro
over the inking slab and "form" has a short lateral motion and a partial rotary
motion imparted to it in the following manner for the purpose hereinbefore referred
The type bed frame a has the usual rail a² on each side thereof, upon which
run the trucks c¹ c³ of the inking roller.
to.
"
The truck c¹ has a plain round boss cl*, whilst the truck c' has either a square
or a many sided boss *. The inking roller c travels over the "form in the
direction of the arrow, and when it has cleared the "form" a¹, the truck c² comes
into contact with an incline e fixed on the lower end of the left rail a' and is
traversed with the roller c into the position indicated by the dotted lines in
Figure 3, in addition to which the many sided boss c* thereof, by coming against
the end of the incline e, is turned over to the extent of one or more facets of the
truck boss c*, as shown in the sectional view Figure 5.
When the partial rotary and lateral motions take place, the roller is lifted
slightly above its running surface so as to enable it to move without injury.
The roller c now returns over the "form" and, as will be understood from the
foregoing description, occupies a different position in relation to the type from
that which it occupied in its downward motion, and after having passed upwards
over the "form," the truck e' is brought into contact with the incline fixed on
the upper end of the right rail a', which causes the said truck and its roller to
revert to its original position when the roller c is ready for a repetition of the
movements described.
We have not thought it necessary to describe the application of our invention
to other classes of printing machines, as by the aid of the above description a
competent mechanic will readily adapt the same to other classes of printing
machines.
Having now particularly described and ascertained 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. In printing machines, the combination therewith of means whereby the inking

page_text: rollers have a short lateral motion and a partial rotary motion imparted to them
when free of the "form," substantially as herein shown and described, and for the
purpose stated.
2. In printing machines, the combination of an inking roller having a truck with
a plain cylindrical boss at one end and a truck with a faceted boss at the other
end, an incline at one end of one rail of the type bed to act upon the faceted boss
and its accompanying truck to give a partial rotary motion and a short lateral
motion to the inking roller and a re-adjusting incline at the opposite end of the
other type bed rail, substantially as herein shown and described and for the purpose
stated.
D
1000
H. S. CROPPER,
WM. MIDDLETON,
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.