Autographic Copying Apparatus.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Jan., 1899-Accepted, 17th June, 1899
Autographic Copying Apparatus.
I, LOUIS MARTIN, of 8, Rue du Simplon, Lausanne, Switzerland, Inventor, 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:
The present invention relates to an autographic copying apparatus designed
to reproduce a great number of copies in a very rapid manner of hand writing or
typewritten matter executed on paper treated with stearin, and it comprises such a
simple method of operation that it can be employed by everybody.
The accompanying drawing which is given by way of example illustrates one
form of construction of the invention.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus. Figure 2 is a front elevation, and
Figure 3 is a plan of the same. Figures 4 and 5 are enlarged sectional views show-
ing the arrangement of the frames m, n. and other parts hereinafter referred to.
Figure 6 shows the frames m, n and the inking roller raised above the table.
C
The parts that constitute the autographic copying apparatus are as follows:-
A table of special construction. A treadle (where no other suitable motor is
available) may be employed to operate the whole apparatus by acting upon a
fly wheel a upon whose axle there is fixed a pulley b (or pinion) gearing through
the belt c (or a gear wheel) with the eccentric c that operates a vertical lever f and
a horizontal lever g both hereinafter described. An endless web z which is
kept stretched by means of two parallel rollers o and o¹, serves by means of an
intermittent rotary motion to bring the sheets of paper under the frame n and
thence on to a table w on which they are piled according as the printing proceeds.
The vertical lever f is fixed at its lower end by means of a hinge to a cross piece
of the table which serves as a support. It carries at one third of its height a
roller that works in the groove of the eccentric, and at its upper end it is
provided with a joint for connection with the arm of the inking roller t which is
covered with gelatine and to which it imparts to and fro motion.
The horizontal lever g is shorter than the fore-going lever, and it is supported
by means of a hinge at about the middle of a leg of the table, and it carries its
eccentric roller h at the opposite end. About the middle of this lever g there is
jointed with slight play a forked support the two arms of which rise above and
outside of the two edges of the table and slide between two guide rollers j and j
fixed to the latter. These arms are secured at their ends to the two ends of the
framing m which is intended to support the frame n of the original sheet and the
inking roller t, which parts are thus alternately raised and lowered by the lever g.
The arm of the inking roller is also formed at its end of fork shape and is
provided at its two ends outside and a little above the axis of the inking roller,
with a guide roller working in a straight groove inside and along the frame m.
By the alternate operation of the two levers f and g, the inking roller describes
an exact rectangle in its movement. A pressure spring 7 (Figure 2) having a
regulating screw, tightens the joint of the lever and of the support which has

page_text: a play of 2 cm. and produces the desired pressure of the inking roller upon the
original. A hand lever L (Figures 1 and 3) which is bent at an angle at the lower
end and is supported on a hinge on the same axis as the lever g, serves when it is
drawn backwards to fix it in the hook A, to prevent sudden impression during the
operation by the fact that the lower end opposes the complete descent of the sup-
port k. This hand lever is to be also placed in this position during the stoppage
of the machine. The framing m supports the inking roller by means of the two
guide rollers of the arm u at a height of 4 cm. during the return of the said
roller to the rear, and presses it upon the original that rests on the web and the
table during impression, when the roller moves forward.
The framing m carries under it another frame m having two flexible sides and
the two ends in the shape of clasps serving to receive and hold the frame », under
which the original sheet is fixed by means of another small iron frame m²
(Figs. 4 and 5) held in a groove in said frame by means of hooks or in any
suitable way..
The flexible frame permits the frame and therefore the original sheet to be
separated one centimeter away from the inking roller when it is raised and whilst
it is making its return stroke; without said separation the inking roller would
tear the sheet. During the movement of impression the frame n and the original
sheet rest on the web and the table to receive pressure from the inking roller;
the flexible frame pressing against the framing mallows the latter to be completely
brought close to said frame n. The frame is the only part which has to be
moved from the machine for the purpose of changing the original sheet; it is
slipped into position from the side. An inking disc q transfers the ink to the
roller during the rearward return movement of the latter. This disc is held in
suspension by means of a support that is provided with a regulating screw
and is bent at an angle by means of a hinge which allows of inverting it. A
flexible fingers fixed on the right hand leg of the fork , imparts at each forward
stroke a circular motion of one fourth, or one third, of a revolution to the disc in
order to insure the distribution of the ink over the whole length of the roller.
The intermittent motion of the web serving to convey the sheet whilst the frame
is lifted, is imparted to the left roller o by means of a small cord z. The latter,
attached to the vertical lever f near the plate of the table, extends around a small
grooved pulley arranged under said table; thence said cord extends to the end
of the left hand roller o, and into and around a suitable groove thereon so that
the end of the cord is freely suspended, said end carrying a small weight of about
250 grm. When the vertical lever moves towards the table, the web and the two
rollers around which it extends remain stationary, because the weight of the
cord z descends by simply causing said cord to slide in the groove of the roller o,
the cord being released and but a slight tension being produced on it. At this
moment the operator places upon the web to the right of the frame, the sheet of
paper to be printed.
2
On the other hand, when the vertical lever moves away from the table, it pulls
the cord and the tension thus produced will be increased by the weight, whereby
said roller o and the web will be actuated. Thus the web brings the sheet of paper
under the frame where said web stops together with said sheet at the desired
place for the purpose of being printed.
On the following movement of the web, the same sheet after being printed drops
on to the table w, whilst a fresh sheet comes under the frame, and so forth. A
marginal table y adapted to slide at will on the right hand of the table, serves
to receive the necessary paper for pulling off and for regulating the laying on of
the sheets. Finally a drawer is employed for stirring up the ink by means of
another hard roller that serves to add the requisite ink to the inking disc if the
cup which is pierced at its base and which may be fixed upon said disc does not
furnish sufficient ink. According to the requirements of the case, the machine
may be completed by accessories which will allow by means of a roll of paper of
causing the paper strip to advance automatically and of cutting it into sheets on

page_text: leaving the place of impression. In this manner the laying on of the sheets will
be dispensed with. For this purpose the roll of paper being provided with a
central spindle, may be held upon the right hand roller o¹ between two slotted
uprights that are adapted to be fixed to the edges of the table, and the strip of
paper is drawn by the left hand roller o upon which another roller to be provided
would exert the desired pressure.
There may also be provided a shear or cutting device which would be operated
by the lever g and which would cut the strip of paper into sheets of the desired
length that could be adjusted by the play of the cord.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
-
(1) An autographic copying apparatus designed for reproducing a large number
of copies of handwritten or typewritten matter, written on paper treated with
stearin, characterised by an eccentric operated from a treadle by means of a
shaft carrying a fly wheel and two belt pulleys, by two oscillating
levers operated by the said eccentric by means of rollers which are
carried by said levers and which work in a groove of a suitable form
in said eccentric, one of said levers which is arranged vertically producing by
means of a fork shaped lever jointed at its upper end the rolling motion of a
roller for the purpose of printing, whilst the other lever, arranged horizontally,
raises the said roller during its return movement; by an endless web upon which
the sheets of paper to be printed are placed in succession and which is set in
operation by the aforesaid vertical lever and by a counter-weight, in such a
manner as to stop whilst the inking roller is executing its forward movement, by
a third lever adapted to be operated by hand and which allows of raising the
roller and the frame that contains the original sheet, during motion, for the
purpose of stopping the printing, the apparatus being capable of being provided
with an arrangement that shall allow of employing paper in the roll for printing
purposes, as set forth.
(2) An autographic copying apparatus substantially as above described and
shown in the accompanying drawing.
ROBERT E. PHILLIPS, Assoc. M. Inst.C.E., M.I.Mech. E.,
Chartered Patent Agent,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Associate Agent.