1,006,627. Printing apparatus. A. G. WARREN. May 15, 1963 [Feb. 16, 1962], Nos. 5979/62 and 27128/62. Heading B6C. Marks for the guidance of sewing machinists and/or punching operators are printed on shaped components necessary for the manufacture of boots, shoes or handbags by a machine in which a horizontally disposed lithographic plate with its printing surface facing downwards is slid horizontally over damping and inking units to a position above a support upon which the component to be printed is lying, whereupon the inked plate is moved downwardly into contact with the component. The machine shown comprises a plate 13, Fig. 1, supported above the ground by four vertical supports 2. The plate mounts a work support assembly 5, an inking unit 6, a damping unit 7 and a plate carrier assembly 12. The latter comprises a saddle 64 (Fig. 4) having depending walls 64b terminating in bearers 63b, Fig. 3, slidable upon rod-like arms 11 extending along the length of the machine. The walls 64b carry members formed with dovetail slots 66 each of which is engaged by a pin at the upper end of a crank arm 81 which is pivoted at 84 to the base plate 1 of the machine. Through the inter-engagement of a pin 82 carried near the circumference of a wheel 83 with a slot 81a in each arm 81 the saddle is caused to move horizontally from the position shown in Fig. 1 to a position astride the assembly 5 whenever the wheels 83 are rotated from their shown position. The plate P is held printing surface downwards in a unit 69 which is hingedly connected at 70, Fig. 5, to the top of the saddle 64 and fills, when horizontal, an aperture 67 therein. The plate is tensioned in the unit 69 by a roller 77 rotatable through interengaging screw-and-nut mechanism 80, 79. Depending from one side edge of the top of the saddle 64 is a rack 34 which, through the engagement thereof with gear-wheels 69 and 30 secured to the spindles of respective water and ink forme rollers 52 and 25, ensures damping and inking of the plate as the saddle moves towards the assembly 5. The latter comprises a sloping plate 14 upon which is -supported a layer of compressible material, e.g. foam rubber 16, and a layer of soft material 17 which may be leatheroid. This latter layer is apertured with a shape identical to that of the component to be marked, such aperturing together with the provision of dowel pins 15, which are secured to the plate 14 and protrude upwardly to pass through, in the printing position of the plate P, the material 16, the layer 17 and holes 68 in the top of the saddle 64, ensures accurate registration of each component relative to the printing plate. From its position astride the assembly 5 the saddle 64 is lowered to press the plate P on to the component therebeneath, thus effecting an imprint thereon. The saddle 64 is then raised and returned to its initial position as viewed in Fig. 1, the return movement being at a sufficient height above the plate 13 to enable the plate P to clear the inking and damping units 6 and 7. This rise and fall of the saddle simultaneously with its movement longitudinally of the machine is effected by pivoting the parallel rod-like arms 11 about a pivot pin 10 secured at one end of the frame of the machine. At the other frame end the arms 11 are joined by a cross-member 98, Fig. 6, which is adjustably connected to a vertical rod 92 pivotally attached at its lower end to a first order lever 94. The inner end of this lever carries a follower 95 in contact with a cam 93 secured to a wheel 88 having interrupted teeth. The wheel 88 is in toothed engagement with a wheel 87 fixedly mounted on the shaft 86 to which the wheels 83 are secured. In operation an electric motor 89 continuously drives the wheel 88 and associated cam 93. Accordingly the saddle 64 is moved from the position of Fig. 1 to a position astride the assembly 5 by the crank arms 81. At the latter position the tooth interruption on wheel 88 causes the saddle to rest whilst the contour of the cam 93 at this position allows the parallel arms 11, and hence the saddle itself, to drop downwardly to effect printing. Continuous rotation of the wheel 88 ultimately ensures re-engagement of the wheels 88 and 87 whilst the came causes the rod 92 to rise. The saddle is therefore removed from the assembly 5 and returned in an elevated path to its initial position. Both the inking and the damping units 6 and 7 are mounted in box-like structures freely slidable in a vertical direction in guides mounted on the plate 13. The inking unit comprises a trough 19, screw-adjusted fountain blade 28, fountain roller 24, fixed transfer roller 26, adjustable transfer roller 27 and ink forme roller 25. The rollers are gear-driven from the rack 34 and the forme roller 25 is catch-held in slidable bearing mounts. A manually operable lever 36 is provided to lower the inking unit from the path of the plate P when required. This lever, movable by a knob 41, is held in its uppermost position, for forme roller engagement with the plate P, by a platform provided in a gate attachment to the machine frame. The gate also has a platform at a lower level to hold the lever when the unit has been lowered. Pressure adjustment of the unit against the plate P is effected through actuation of two bolts 37. The damping unit comprises water forme roller 52, adjustable and fixed transfer rollers 56 and 54 and fountain roller 51. The latter rotates in a fountain 49 supplied from an inverted bottle 50. The roller 52 is mounted in catch-held slidable bearings and the rollers of the unit are driven from the rack 34 through interconnected gears. Height adjustment of the unit is effected by actuation of screws 46.