IMPROVEMENTS IN COLOR PRINTING PRESSES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Bristow Hunt, of Serle Street, Lincoln's Inn, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
COLOR PRINTING PRESSES." A communication from abroad by George
Washington Woodside, Samuel Eugene Gumpert, and Jacob David Wolf, all of
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America.
Sealed the 18th November 1879, and dated the 21st May 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Bristow Hunt at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st May 1879.
BRISTOW HUNT, of Serle Street, Lincoln's Inn, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN COLOR PRINTING PRESSES." (A communication
from abroad by George Washington Woodside, Samuel Eugene Gumpert, and Jacob
David Wolf, all of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America.)
This Invention relates to certain improvements in or attachments to printing-
presses, whereby the latter are adapted to the automatic production of chromatic
printing, that is, printing in two or more colors.
The Invention will be described as adapted to an ordinary cylinder printing-press
the impression cylinder carrying the sheet or sheets of paper to be printed, and
acting in conjunction with a reciprocating type-bed in a manner well known to
those skilled in the art.
The cylinder has the usual transverse recess, through which extends the shaft
carrying the gripping-fingers, the operation of which at the proper intervals is
effected through the medium of fixed pins, which act upon the arms of a bell-cran
lever secured to one end of the shaft, the opposite end of which carries a crank the
pin of which is connected to a spring, the tendency of the latter being to maintain
the shaft in either of its extreme positions. This mechanism is common to ordinary
cylinder-presses, and forms no part of the present Invention.
Above the cylinder is the feed table or platform on which the sheets to be printed
are laid preparatory to being gripped by the said fingers; this table or platform
consists in the present instance of three endless belts 1, 2, 3, each of which passes
round a pair of rollers located at suitable distances apart, the rollers being so geared
together that the surfaces of the three belts will travel at a uniform speed and in
the same direction.

page_text: There is sufficient space between the belt 2 and the belts 1, 3, for the reception
and free lateral movement of two pairs of rods, which are guided in the side frames
of the press, and in connection with end strips form a frame to which a lateral reci-
procating movement is imparted by means of a cam on a shaft, the latter receiving
its movement by means of bevel-gearing from the shaft of the impression-cylinder,
while the cam acts on the frame through the medium of a lever.
The rods of the frame carry a series of parallel strips 4, 5, 6, 7, and to bearings in
the side frames of the press in the rear of and above the impression-cylinder are
adapted rollers 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, round which pass a series of narrow endless belts 14,
another series of narrow endless belts 15 passing round the impression cylinder,
thence with the belts 14 round the pulleys 9, 8, thence round one of the pulleys of
the belt 3, and finally round a pulley 16.
Other rollers serve to support these series of belts, and prevent the sagging of the
same.
On the front end of the frame is a slotted strip and a shaft, the latter having a
series of fingers and being acted upon by a spring, the tendency of which is to
maintain the lower ends of the fingers in contact with the edge of the strip. The
shaft also carries at one end an arm which, under the circumstances described herein-
after, is acted upon by a segmental rib on the end of the impression cylinder. The
ends of the fingers, and also of the gripping-fingers, are enlarged for a purpose ren-
dered apparent hereinafter.
The operation of the above described mechanism is as follows:-The frame and
the said fingers being in a certain position, a sheet of paper is laid on the belts
1, 2, 3, between the strips 4, 5, of the frame, the lower edge of the strip of paper
resting against the ends of the first set of the last mentioned fingers. As the
cylinder moves, the shaft carrying the gripping fingers is released, and the fingers
spring round the first set of these fingers, grasping the end of the strip of
paper.
The movement of the cylinder continuing, the enlarged ends of these fingers act
on the enlarged ends of the other fingers and press the latter backwards, so that
they will not interfere with the free movement of the strip of paper with the
cylinder. Just as the latter fingers are released from the control of the former
fingers, the arm on the shaft is brought under the influence of the segmental rib on
the cylinder, so that the released fingers are held up clear of the strip of paper as
the latter is carried around by the cylinder. When the strip has passed from under
the fingers however, the end of the rib will have been reached and the arm will be
released, thereby permitting the released fingers to spring back again to their former
position.
The strip of paper is carried around by the cylinder, and printed upon in the
usual manner; but instead of being delivered after the printing operation to a fly
or other discharging device, the strip of paper, as soon as it is released by the gripping-
fingers, is caught between the first of the series of belts 14, 15, as they pass around
the pulley 9; these belts carry the sheet around, and finally deliver it again onto
the feeding platform or table formed by the belts 1, 2, 3.
While the sheet was being printed however, the frame was moved laterally to
another position, so that the first set of belts 14, 15, now coincides with the space
between the bars 5, 6, of the frame, into which space the printed sheet is fed by the
said belts, the lower edge of the sheet striking against the second set of fingers.
The frame is then moved laterally in a direction contrary to that above mentioned
until it again assumes its former position, when the printed sheet is in condition for
being grasped by the second set of the gripping fingers and carried round on the
cylinder so as to be presented to a second printing-forin, by which a second color is
imprinted upon the sheet. The sheet thus printed is delivered to the second set of
belts 14, 15, and by them conveyed to the space between the bars 6, 7, of the frame,
which is reciprocated so as to present the sheet to the third set of gripping fingers,
by which the sheet is carried round so as to receive the third imprint, and the

page_text: operation is repeated until the desired number of colors have been printed upon
the sheet, when it is delivered to the usual fly or other discharging device.
The upper rods of the frame carry plates or strips which span the spaces between
the adjacent belts 1, 2, 3, and serve by their friction upon the sheet to still further
retard the same, and prevent the action of the belts from crumpling the said sheet
when its forward movement is arrested.
It should be understood that fresh sheets of paper are being supplied at regular
intervals by the attendant, who places the sheets on the feed platform or table
between the bars 4, 5, of the frame. This single feeding operation however is all
that is required even with the most elaborate work, as the succeeding adjustments
are all effected automatically.
It will be evident that the number of sets of fingers, the number of bars 4 on the
frame, and the number of belts 14, 15, will depend entirely upon the number of
different printing surfaces with which the press is provided, a greater or less number
being used as required.
The Invention may be applied to any of that class of printing presses in which
gripping-fingers and delivery-tapes are used.
By making the feed table or platform of the press in the form of a series of end-
less belts, not only are spaces afforded for the passage of the transverse rods of the
frame, but the moving surface of the feed-table is reduced, so that there is not that
tendency to crumple the sheet when its front end strikes the stop which might
result if the sheet rested throughout its entire length upon a moving apron.
The strips 4 of the frame during the lateral movement thereof strike the edges of
the sheets in advance, and thus bring them into a position parallel with the strips,
thereby ensuring the proper adjustment of the sheets before they are gripped by
the fingers.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Bristow Hunt in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st November
1879.
BRISTOW HUNT, of Serle Street, Lincoln's Inn, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN COLOR PRINTING PRESSES." (A communication
from abroad by George Washington Woodside, Samuel Eugene Gumpert, and Jacob
David Wolf, all of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America.)
This Invention relates to certain improvements in or attachments to printing-
presses, whereby the latter are adapted to the automatic production of chromatic
printing, that is, printing in two or more colors.
On the accompanying Drawings Figure 1 represents a longitudinal vertical
section of sufficient of a cylinder printing press to illustrate the application of the
Invention thereto, Figure 2 being a plan view of the same; Figs. 3 to 5 are
detached views of parts of the press; and Figures 6 to 11 views illustrative of the
operation of the apparatus.
The Invention will be described as adapted to an ordinary cylinder printing press,
the impression cylinder of which carries the sheet or sheets of paper to be printed,
and acts in conjunction with a reciprocating type-bed in a manner well known to
those well skilled in the art.
. The cylinder has the usual transverse recess d, through which extends the shaft b
carrying the gripping fingers d, the operation of which at the proper intervals is
effected through the medium of fixed pins e, which act upon the arms of a bell-
crank-lever e' secured to one end of the shaft b, the opposite end of which carries a
crank the pin of which is connected to a spring e², the tendency of the latter being
to maintain the shaft in either of its extreme positions. This mechanism is common
to ordinary cylinder-presses, and forms no part of the present Invention.
Above the cylinder is the feed-table or platform on which the sheets to be printed
are laid preparatory to being gripped by the fingers d; this table or platform
consists in the present instance of three endless belts f, f', and f, each of which
passes round a pair or rollers located at suitable distances apart, the rollers being so
geared together that the surfaces of the three belts will travel at a uniform speed
and in the same direction.
There is sufficient space between the belt f1 and the belts f and f2 for the recep-
tion and free lateral movement of two pairs of rods i, i, which are guided in the side
frames of the press, and in connection with end strips y form a frame B, see Fig. 5,
to which a lateral reciprocating movement is imparted by means of a cam D on a
shaft E, the latter receiving its movement by means of bevel-gearing h from the
shaft of the cylinder A, while the cam D acts on the frame B through the medium
of a lever F, as shown in Fig. 3.
The rods of the frame B carry a series of parallel strips G, G1, G2, and G³, and
to bearings in the side frames of the press in the rear of and above the cylinder A
are adapted rollers j, j', j,j³, and j, round which pass a series of narrow endless
belts M, passing round the cylinder A, thence with the belts J round the pulleys j¹
and j, thence round one of the pulleys of the belt f2, and finally round a pulley m,
as shown in Figure 1.
Rollers n serve to support the belts J and M, and prevent the sagging of the
same.
On the front end of the frame B is a slotted strip P and a shaft s, the latter
having a series of fingers t and being acted upon by a spring u, the tendency of
which is to maintain the lower ends of the fingers t in contact with the edge of the
strip P. The shaft 8 also carries at one end an arm v, which under the circum-
stances described hereinafter, is acted upon by a segmental rib w on the end of
the cylinder A. The ends of the fingers t, and also of the gripping-fingers d, are

page_text: enlarged, as shown in Figs. 2, 4, 7, and 8, for a purpose rendered apparent herein-
after.
The operation of the above-described mechanism is as follows:-The frame B
being in the position shown in Figure 2, and the fingers d and t in the position
shown in Figure 6, a sheet of paper is laid on the belts f, f', and f2 between the
strips G and G of the frame, the lower edge of the strip of paper resting against the
ends of the first set x of the fingers t. As the cylinder A moves in the direction of
the arrow, the shaft b, carrying the gripping fingers d, is released, and the fingers
spring round in the direction of the arrow, as shown in Fig. 7, the first set y of
these fingers grasping the end of the strip of paper.
The movement of the cylinder continuing, the enlarged ends of the fingers & act
on the enlarged ends of the fingers t and press the latter backward, as shown in
Fig. 8, so that they will not interfere with the free movement of the strip of paper
with the cylinder. Just as the fingers t are released from the control of the fingers
d, the arm von the shaft s is brought under the influence of the segmental rib won
the cylinder, as shown in Fig. 9, so that the released fingers t are held up clear of
the strip of paper as the latter is carried around by the cylinder A. When the strip
has passed from under the fingers however, the end of the rib w will have to be
reached, and the arm v will be released, thereby permitting the fingers t to spring
back again to the position shown in Figure 6.
The strip of paper is carried around by the cylinder, and printed upon in the
usual manner; but instead of being delivered after the printing operation to a fly
or other discharging device, the strip of paper, as soon as it is released by the
gripping fingers d, is caught between the first of the series of belts J and M as
they pass around the pulley j¹; these belts carry the sheet around, and finally
deliver it again onto the feeding platform or table formed by the belts f, f³,
and f2.
While the sheet was being printed however, the frame B was moved laterally to
the position shown in Fig. 11, so that the first set of belts J and M now coincides
with the space between the bars G¹ and G2 of the frame, into which space the
printed sheet is fed by said belts, the lower edge of the sheet striking against the
second set x¹ of the fingers t. The frame B is then moved laterally in a direction
contrary to that above mentioned until it again assumes the position shown in Figure
2, when the printed sheet is in condition for being grasped by the second set y' of
the gripping fingers d and carried round on the cylinder A so as to be presented to
a second printing-form, by which a second color is imprinted upon the sheet. The
sheet thus printed is delivered to the second set of belts J, M, and by them con-
veyed to the space between the bars G and G³ of the frame B, which is reciprocated
so as to present the sheet to the third set y² of gripping-fingers d, by which the
sheet is carried round so as to receive the third imprint, and the operation is
repeated until the desired number of colors have been printed upon the sheet, when
it is delivered to the usual fly or other discharging device.
The upper rods i of the frame B carry plates or strips which span the spaces
between the adjacent belts f, f', and f2, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, and serve by
their friction upon the sheet to still further retard the same, and prevent the
action of the belts from crumpling the said sheet when its forward movement is
arrested.
It should be understood that fresh sheets of paper are being supplied at regular
intervals by the attendant, who places the sheets on the feed platform or table
between the bars G and G¹ of the frame B. This single feeding operation however
is all that is required even with the most elaborate work, as the succeeding adjust-
ments of the sheet are all effected automatically.
It will be evident that the number of sets of fingers d and t, the number of bars
G on the frame B, and the number of belts J and M will depend entirely upon the
number of different printing-surfaces with which the press is provided, a greater or
less number than that shown in the Drawings being and as required.

page_text: The Invention may be applied to any of that class of printing-presses in which
gripping fingers and delivery tapes are used.
By making the feed table or platform of the press in the form of a series of
endless belts, not only are spaces afforded for the passage of the transverse rods
of the frame B, but the moving surface of the feed table is reduced, so that there
is not that tendency to crumple the sheet wheu its front end strikes the stop
which might result if the sheet rested throughout its entire length upon a moving
apron.
The strips G of the frame B during the lateral movement of the frame strike the
edges of the sheets in advance, and thus bring them into a position parallel with the
strips, thereby ensuring the proper adjustment of the sheets before they are gripped
by the fingers d.
Having now described the nature and object of the said Invention, together with
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical
effect, I would remark in conclusion that I claim as the Invention communicated to
me by the above named George Washington Woodside, Samuel Eugene Gumpert,
and Jacob David Wolf,-
First. The combination of the gripping devices of a printing press with a recipro-
cating frame B and with devices, substantially as described, whereby the sheet after
having been once printed is returned to the frame, which shifts the sheet laterally,
so that it is again presented to the gripping devices, but in a different position
laterally in respect to the printing surface or surfaces, the same face of the sheet
however being presented for receiving the impression.
Second. The combination of the cylinder A and its gripping devices, the laterally-
reciprocating frame B, and the carrying belts J and M.
Third. The combination of the cylinder A and its gripping devices with a reci-
procating frame B having strips G, G³, G3, G4.
Fourth. The combination in a feed table or platform of a series of short endless
belts ff, f, with transverse friction plates or strips, which span the spaces between
the adjacent belts.
And, Fifth. The combination of the gripping fingers d, having enlarged ends, with
the fingers t, having ends similarly enlarged.
Each and all as hereinbefore set forth, and as illustrated on the accompanying
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Bristow Hunt, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-first day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
DDICTAT TITTAA