US2408143A - Apparatus for multicolor printing with electro lines of force - Google Patents

Description

P 24, 1946- w. c. HUEBNER APPARATUS FOR MULTICOLOR PRINTING WITH ELECTRO LINES OF FORCE Filed Jan. 15, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet l \NYENTDF? ATTORNEY p 4, 1946. w. c. HUEBNER 2,408,143

APPARATUS FOR MULTICOLOR PRINTING WITH ELECTED LINES F FORCE Filed Jan. 15, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 4- 51 0 43 III I 37 44 11 4 l so 13 22 38 41 i 1 460 i l 4 72 I76 44 3 l Il k g 80 1 14 if,

I NV E N T on FI g 3 WIN/run C. Hueiwcr ATTURNEY Sept. 24, 1946. w. c. HUEBNER APPARATUS FOR MULTICOLOR PRINTING WITH ELECTRO LINES OF FORCE Filed Jan. 15, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 lNvEN-rnR WlY/fCL/W G. l /uelr/zer EJY TTDFQNEY.

Patented Sept. 24, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR MULTICOLOR PRINTING WITH ELECTRO LINES OF FORCE 9 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in printing apparatus and is particularly adapted to be embodied in a multi-color printing apparatus.

This application although it discloses certain subject matter disclosed per se in my copending application Serial No. 518,469, filed of even date herewith, does not claim herein such subject matter per se as the same is claimed in said copending application.

Inasmuch as the present invention, as do those disclosed in my prior patents, 1,820,194 of August 25, 1931, and 2,224,291 of December 10, 1940, contemplates transference of ink, as hereinafter defined, to the paper or other ink-receiving surface or material without mechanical pressure or substantial mechanical pressure at the zone of transfer, the terms printing, "impression and corresponding terms are, for brevity and conciseness, to be herein understood as being the nearest appropriate terms and that the same may or may not include actual slight mechanical pressure or contact between the ink-conveying and ink receiving surfaces or materials, notwithstanding usual dictionary definitions to the contrary.

With the foregoing understanding of the term printing, an object of the invention is to provide in a printing apparatus a novel and improved combination of means for applying by electrostatic or electronographic and/or magnetic lines of force ink or other coloring fluids to the successive image areas only of a movable image carrying member and then transferring the same by electrostatic or electronographic and/or magnetic lines of force from said successive image areas to correlated successive areas of the print receiving material to print the image on the latter,

More specifically, an object of this invention is to provide improved apparatus for applying ink to the members of printing couples having the desired printing images thereon and then from said members to the ink or print-receiving material by passing areas of each of said members successively through two fields of force so arranged that the lines of force, at one field, are effective in a direction toward the image-provided surface of said member to apply the ink thereto and, at the other field, the lines of force are eifective in a direction away fromthe imageprovided surface of said member and toward the print-receiving material, each of said fields being further characterized by the fact that it has two effective poles of opposite polarity, slightly spaced and between which, in close proximity to both, the image-provided member passes.

Still another object-of the invention is to provide a multi-color press wherein the print-receiving material, either in the form of sheets or a web is supported and conveyed by an endless belt to the several printing stations and is driven independently of but in timed relation with the printing members of the couples.

Other objects of the invention will more clearly appear from the description and claims hereinafter following.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation showing conventionally a four color press incorporating the invention, parts being broken away to illustrate certain details of construction. Figure 2 is an end, broken, elevational view, upon an enlarged scale, but omitting the feed belt features. Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view corresponding to line 33 of Figure 2. And Figure 4 is a part elevational view and part longitudinal sectional view of one of the cylinders illustrating details of construction of the means for creating an induced field of force, the section corresponding to line 4-4 of Figure 3.

The present invention contemplates an apparatus for printing which is an improvement on those shown in my hereinbefore referred to patents. The invention proposes applying ink or other coloring fluids to the successive image areas only of a movable image carrying member by electrostatic or electronographic and/or magnetic lines of force created by one electrical circuit and then transferring the same from said successive image areas to correlated successive areas of the print receiving material b electrostatic or electronographic and/or magnetic lines of force created by a second and separate electric circuit.

An aspect of the invention is to have the movable image carrying member which is electrically insulated from both electrical circuits provided with image areas that are permeable to lines of force and non-image areas which are impermeable thereto. This may be accomplished by coating the non-image areas with suitable material that is impermeable to lines of force while leaving the image areas free of said coating material. Then the ink or other coloring fluid will be transferred by the lines of force created by the first electrical circuit from an ink discharging element to the image areas only of the image carrying member. The ink discharging element may be in the form of a blade or a comb or other suitable 3 construction arranged at an angle to the horizontal to provide a flow of the ink toward the free edge thereof. The ink discharging element cooperates with an ink attraction element electrically connected in circuit with it but separated from the discharge element by the movable image carrying member. Magnets may be operatively associated with the attraction element to function in conjunction therewith or to act separately therefrom. The ink or other coloring fluid which is deposited on the image areas onl of the movable image carrying member is then transferred from said areas to correlated successive areas of the print receiving material by lines of force created by the second and separate electric circuit. The print receiving material passes between the image carrying member and a supporting mmeber and is supported by the letter. A repulsion element or blade is operatively associated with the image carrying member and an attraction element or blade is operatively associated with the supporting member, with said elements or blades electrically connected in the second and separate electric circuit but separated by the supporting member, the print receiving material and the image carrying member, wherefore lines of force passing across the gap between said blades pass through both members and the print receiving material. The supporting member may also have operatively associated therewith magnets for creating a magnetic field of force extending through both members and the print receiving material and acting to transfer the ink or coloring fluid from the image areas to the successive areas: 01' said material. The print receiving material instead of being supported directly by the supporting member may be arranged on a traveling conveyor, such as a belt, which in turn is supported by the supporting member. The use of the conveyor, such as a belt, is particularl advantageous in conjunction with a multicolor press such as a multicolor straight line press that employs a plurality of similar printing couples arranged in a straight line, since the belt can be driven independently of the image carrying members but in timed relation therewith.

Irrespective of whether the printing apparatus comprises a single printing couple or a plurality of printing couples it will be understood that the movable image carrying member of each couple and the print receiving material have predetermined timed relative movement to present successive image areas of the image carrying member of each couple to correlated successive areas oi the print receiving material.

Although the movable image carrying member and the supporting member of each couple may take various forms, the embodiment of the invention herein disclosed for purposes of illustration has said members of each couple in the form of cylinders in which the respective blades or elements and magnets are located.

In said drawings, and referring first to Figure 1, a four color straight line press is shown, the same having a main base or frame with four sets of uprights or standards II-II for the four different color, printing couples, each 01' which includes two cylinders, as hereinafter described.

Supported within the main frame, I0, is an endless feed belt 12 which runs over four idlers l3 and H and is adapted to be driven by any suitable means, not shown, in timed relation with the rotation of the cylinders of the printing couples and particularly the image carrying cylinders by any conventional means. The feed belt 12 may be kept taut as b the idlers 14 which are supported in adjustable bearing 15 as shown. The upper portion of the belt passes; between the cylinders of each printing couple in supporting contact with the cylinders B as will be understood and travels in the direction indicated by the arrow a.

In the drawings, the print-receiving material or paper I5 is shown as of endless'or web form passing from the suppl roll I! -to the take-up roll I8 which may be spaced a suificlent distance from the last printing couple to provide for the drying of the printed matter on the print receiving material as will be understbod in the art, but it will be understood that, by reason of the endless feed belt '12, the press may also be adapted for sheet feeding by employing suitable sheet feeding, registering, and gripping means on the belt which latter means, however, are not shown herein but, constitute a separate invention.

Inasmuch as the printing couples are the same at each of the four stations of the press, except as to the usual diiferences in the color-separation press plates, :1 description of one only of the printing arrangements will suifice, reference now being had to Figures 2, 3 and 4.

Supported in the frame members Ill of the press are upper and lower, non-rotatable hollow sleeves l|-Ii axially disposed with reference to the upper and lower cylinders A and B respectively. Afiixed to the sleeves I II I are collars I 2-I2 at each end of each of the cylinders. Mounted on each of said collars I2 is a ball race I3 and to these are secured the respective cylinder ends 14-44 so that, as will be evident, the

cylinders may rotate freely about the fixed sleeves I I-'-I i. The two cylinders in this instance are rotated at the same speed by the cooperable gears 15-45 but it will be understood that the supporting cylinders B do not have to rotate in timed relation with the cylinders A, particularly where the independently driven endless conveyor belt 1 is employed for feeding the print receiving material since the cylinders B function as supporting idlers for the belt.

Detachably mounted on each of the cylinder ends I4 is an insulating ring IS, the latter being adapted to be locked with its corresponding end I4 by a plate I! provided with dowels I8 inserted within corresponding dowel holes I9 and 20 in the ring I 6 and cylinder end I4, respectively. Each of said plates I1 is provided with a hub 2| rotatable on and slid-able lengthwise of the sleeve II so as to permit removal of the rings I6 and the plates carried thereby as will be evident. In the case of the upper or ink-conveying cylinder A, the cylindrical plate 22 thereof will be provided on the outer surface thereof with the desired images to be printed as indicated conventionally at 23, In the case of the lower or supporting cylinder B, the cylindrical plate 24 will have a smooth, plain surface, the function of which is to support the feed belt I2 to maintain the paper H5 or other material carried thereby in proper position to be printed while passing through the field of force hereinafter described.

As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the print-receiving element I6 may be paper, cloth, or other textile, certain metals, or any other material, either in sheet or web form, capable of receiving and retaining thereon a printed image or text. It is further to be understood that the term image" as used herein contemplates words, letters, delineations, drawings, pictures, illustrations and any other representation, singly or in combination, and which may be reproduced on the print-receiving material.

To provide a controlled and conditioned supply of ink (as hereinafter defined) to the ink-conveying cylinder A, the following described construction is preferably employed. Positioned above and extending lengthwise of the cylinder A is a container 25 of preferably cylindrical form and to which the ink is supplied from a suitable main tank, not shown, through the supply pipe 26. The container 25 is mounted within a heatretaining casing or box 21 having a pivoted lid 28 to permit access to the interior and removal of the container 25. Within the casing 21 are one or more, preferably electric heating elements 29 so that the temperature may be kept substantially constant and at the desired degree, depending upon the character of the ink being used for any particular job,

In this connection, it is to be understood that the term ink is used herein to include not only ink as commonly used in the art but also pigmerits, coloring matter. paints and all other fluid consistency materials that may be employed for creating an impression or coating or lamination. Depending upon the work to be accomplished, such ink may be of many different compositions provided the same are adapted to be acted upon by the particular lines of force in effect at the two zones or fields of ink transference, as hereinafter described.

The assembly of container and casing may be supported on the press frame as by the brackets 30. Along the bottom of the container 25 is a longitudinally arranged series of closely spaced discharge nozzles 3l3|, each provided with a control valve 32. To insure a steady, uniform discharge of the ink through the nozzles, air pressure may be employed, the air entering the container 25 through pipe 33, the latter being in communication with pressure gauge 34.

The ink from nozzles 3| is deposited on a dis-, charge blade or plate 35 supported by brackets 36 carried b the press frame 18. Said discharge blade 35 may be of toothed or comb formation at its lower edge, as shown; with a straight knife edge; a series of needles, or formed with a series of fine channels arranged normal to the lower edge. To maintain the desired fluidity of the ink as it traverses the blade 35, the latter is preferably provided along the under side thereof with a strip electric heater 31.

To cause the ink to be deposited on the surface of the cylinder A. a strong field of force is created in the zone along the lower edge of the blade 35, said field of force being created by electrical energy preferably by the means about to be described. The terms field of force or electrofield of force are used throu hout the specification and claims in the same sense as generally employed in writings on electrical and magnetic phenomena to indicate the field, zone, or sphere within which electronic, electrostatic and electromagnetic forces are sufficiently active or powerful to act upon and effect transference of the ink from one surface to another across an air gap. The terms lines of force or electro lines of force are likewise used to indicate the forces themselves acting in a definite path and direction in effecting the transference of the ink. As will be understood, therefore, where the terms field of force, electro field of force and related terms are employed herein, unless otherwise specifically qualified, such terms refer generically to either electronic, electrostatic, or magnetic fields of force or to any combination thereof.

Referring now more particularly to Figures 3 and 4, there is extended through the center of the cylinder A, an insulator hollow tube 38 supported in the fixed sleeves ll-Il. Straddling the tube 38 at relatively close intervals substantially the entire length of the cylinder A on the interior thereof, is a series of U shaped magnet cores 3939. These are securely clamped to the tube 38 by a suitably notched, preferably plastic. bar 40 which in turn is secured to the tube 38 by screws 4I--4l. Each of the cores 39 is provided with right and left windings or spools 42-42 and all connected to a suitable source of electric current as will be understood.

Extending lengthwise of each of the series of left and right spools 42 and secured to the respective sets of ends of the cores 39 by screws 43-43 are two special shaped magnetic field bars 44-44. Each of the latter is formed with a partial cylindrical outer surface 45 disposed closely adjacent the inner surface of the plate 22. The bars 44-44 are further so designed that the same are formed with more or less knife-like edges 46-46 extended toward each other and leaving only a relatively narrow gap therebctween extending lengthwise of the cylinder A directly radially inward of the lower edge of the discharge blade 35, As will be apparent, a very concentrated magnetic field of force extending the work-length of the cylinder plate 22 may thus be produced and in such close proximity to the discharge blade 35 as to induce transference of ink from the latter to the surface of the plate 22 throughout such areas of the latter that permit transmission of the lines of force, that is, the image areas 23 as hereinafter described. Secured to and extending the length of the tube 38 is what may be termed an attraction blade 41. The latter is secured to the tube 38 by angle plates 48 and screws 49, the latter being extended to the interior of the tube 38 and in electrical circuit with a high potential rod or conductor 50 45 disposed axially within the tube 38. The attraction blade 41 is extended radially between the sets of magnet spools 42 to a sharpened edge disposed closely adjacent the inner surface of the cylinder plate 22, directly in line with the discharge blade 35 and closely adjacent the magnetic field bar edges 46, as shown. It will be recalled that the cylinder A and the attraction element or blade 41 are electrically insulated from each other and from the apparatus.

The attraction blade 41 and the discharge blade 35 are electrically connected in circuit with a high potential source of electrical energy, electronic and/or electrostatic as disclosed in my said Patent 2,224,391 and in such manner that 60 the induced lines of force pass in a direction from t e discharge blade 35 toward the attraction blade 41. As will be apparent, powerful lines of force are thus effective in a concentrated narrow zone to draw or impel the ink from the blade 35 onto the outer surface of the plate 22 of the cvlinder A as the latter is rotated between the two blades. except as to such non-image areas of the plate 22 as are constituted to neutralize or intercept the lines of force.

To accomplish the latter effect, the plate 22 may be constituted to have its image areas per-- meable to lines of force and its non-image areas impermeable thereto. This can be done by covering the non-image areas on either or both sides of the plate with suitable material that is impermeable to lines 01 force. In my referred to copending application Serial No. 518,469 the image carrying member is disclosed as having the image areas formed thereon for either relief, intaglio, Or planographic printing and the image carrying member in the present disclosure similarly may have the image areas formed in accordance with the type of printing desired, 1. e., relief, intaglio or planographic.

In the specific disclosure selected for illustrative purposes the image carrying member is of the type employed for relief printing, i e., the image areas are raised with respect to the nonimage areas. The plate 22 will preferably be of iron and the desired image areas 23 thereon may be etched in relief in a well known manner. The relief image areas may then be covered with nonconducting material and the plate then immersed in an electrolytic bath and a thin layer of brass deposited in the recessed or non-image areas of the plate, whereupon the non-conducting material on the image areas is removed. The brass coated areas thus act as insulation, neutralizing or intercepting areas to the lines of force.

This procedure applies where suitable ingredients are added to the ink, for instance, various compounds that respond to magnetic lines of force. However, where electrostatic and/or electronic lines of force are used for inking the image areas selectively, any suitable metal plate may be used such as copper, zinc, or alloy metals and, instead of using a brass deposit in the nonimage areas, a chemical compound may be used. Ink deposited on the image areas 23 of the cylinder plate 22 is conveyed by the cylinder A as it rotate to the printing zone between the two cylinders A and B where the print-receiving material 16 has the ink deposited thereon corresponding to the inked image areas.

It will be understood that when the image carrying member is constructed for intaglio or planographic printing then the image areas will be depressed relative to the non-image areas or will be flush with the non-image areas as is well known in the art. In either case it will be understood that the image areas are permeable to lines of force while the non-image areas are coated with a suitable material that is impermeable to lines of force. In fact the present invention has particular utility where -the image carry'ing members are formed for intaglio or planegraphic printing, since it facilitates the deposition of the ink directly on the depressed image areas or on the flush image areas and assures that the ink will not be deposited on the nonimage areas and avoids the necessity of employing dampening rollers or blankets for such purpose, thus simplifying the construction of the printing apparatus which is a decided advantage in the case of a multi-color press employ ing a plurality of printing couples.

At the printing zone an arrangement generally similar to that previously described for depositing the ink on the image areas, is employed except that the lines of force are directed in the opposite direction with reference to the surface of the cylinder A, that is, radially outward of the cylinder A and radially inward with respect to the cylinder B, it being recalled that said cylinders A and B are electrically insulated from each other and from the apparatus while the repulsion and discharge blades or elements are electrically insulated from said cylinders and from the apparatus but are electrically connected in circuit with each other and to a source of high potential electric energy. The magnetic and electronic and/or electrostatic means within the cylinder B are the same as the corresponding means of cylinder A and need not be re-described. A repulsion blade IE0 is disposed within the cylinder A and secured to the insulator tube 38 by the screws 4| and the blade I60 and blade 41 within the cylinder B are connected in circuit. As will be understood, the entire plate 24 of the cylinder B will be entirely free of any insulating or intercepting areas so that the lines of force may function throughout the entire area of the cylinder plate 24.

While the drawings indicate an appreciable visible space between the print-receiving material 16 and the surface of the cylinder A, in actual practice the spacing will vary depending upon the particular type of printing desired but ordinarily will be approximately three or four thousandths of an inch.

It will be observed that the ink discharge blade or element 35 and its cooperating attraction blade or element 41 are connected in one circuit to a source of high potential electric energy while the discharge or repulsion element or blade I60 and its cooperating attraction blade or element 41 are connected in a second and separate circuit to a source of high potential electric energy. The cylinders A and B are electrically insulated from both of these circuits; in other words, ink is transferred from the blade 35 to the cylinder A by the lines of force of a field of force createdby one electrical circuit and then is transferred from the cylinder A to the print receiving material by the lines of force of a second and separate field of force created by a second and separate electrical circuit. The image carrying cylinder A being electrically insulated from both of these circuits does not act in opposition to or does not interfere with either field of force. Hence the ink can be applied to and transferred from the same cylinder by electro lines of force without detracting from the quality of the reproduced image on the print receiving material. When the present improvements are employed in a multi-unit press as shown without mechanical contact between the image-carrying cylinders and the image-receiving material, it is evident that the several colors may be applied during a single pass of the paper or other material through the press and without the necessity of drying between each color application. It will further be evident that the press may be used to apply complete layers or laminations at the several stations by utilizing what may be termed solid image areas on the cylinders A and eliminating the impermeable non-image areas.

As will also be apparent to those skilled in the art, many important advantages result from the means and process of the improvements described. Among them may be mentioned the use of much lighter parts than possible in printing presses requiring heavy pressure to lift the ink from the printing plate to the paper or the like; the absence of wear on the printing plate with consequent unlimited life and length of editions; clean and unsmeared impressions; the elimination of make ready, and the adaptability of the means and process to any of the types of prepared printing surfacesor forms whether relief, intaglio, or planographic.

Although there has been shown and described what is now considered the preferred embodiment of the invention, the same is merely illustrative and all changes, modifications, and adaptations thereof are contemplated as come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. In printing apparatus, a movable member having: image areas permeable to electro lines of force and non-image areas impermeable thereto, a member for supporting print receiving material between it and, said movable member; means for inking said image areas while maintaining the non-image areas free of ink and comprising an ink discharge element located on one side of said movable member, means for supplying ink to said element, an attraction element located on the opposite side of said movable member, means for connecting said elements to a source of high potential electric energy to create a field of force with the lines of force thereof intercepted by the impermeable non-image areas but passing through the permeable image areas and acting to deposit ink on said image areas; and means for transferring the deposited ink from said image areas to said material and comprising a repulsion element operatively associated with said movable member and located on one side of said material, an attraction element operatively associated with said second member and located on the opposite side of said material, and means connecting said repulsion element and said last mentioned attraction element with a source of high potential electric energy to create a field of force in which the lines of force pass through the permeable inked image areas of said movable member and act to transfer the ink from said image areas to correlated areas of said material.

2. In printing apparatus, a movable member having image areas permeable to electro lines of force and non-image areas impermeable thereto, a member for supporting print receiving material between it and said movable member; means for inking said image areas while maintaining the non-image areas free of ink and comprising an ink discharge element located on one side of said movable member, means for supplying ink to said element, an attraction element located on the opposite side of said movable member, means for connecting said elements to a source of high potential electric energy to create a field of force with the lines of force thereof intercepted by the impermeable non-image areas but passing through the permeable image areas thereof and acting to deposit ink on said image areas, electromagnetic means located on said opposite side of said movable member for creating a magnetic field of force with the lines of force thereof intercepted by the impermeable non-image areas but passing through the permeable image areas and acting to deposit ink from said discharge element on said image areas; and means for transferring the deposited ink from said image areas to said material and comprising a repulsion element operatively associated with said movable member and located on one side of said material, and an attraction element operatively associated with said second member and located on the opposite side of said material, means connecting said repulsion element and said last mentioned attraction element with a source of high potential electric energy to create a field of force, and electromagnetic means operatively associated with said second member to create a field of force, the lines of force of both last mentioned fields of force passing through the permeable inked image areas on said movable member and acting to transfer the ink from said image areas to correlated areas of said material.

3. In printing apparatus, a movable cylinder having image areas permeable to electro lines of force and non-image areas impermeable thereto, a cylinder for supporting print receiving material between it and said movable cylinder; means for inking said image areas while maintaining the non-image areas free of ink and comprising an ink discharge element located externally of said movable cylinder but adjacent to the periphery thereof. means for supplying ink to said element, an attraction element located internally of said movable cylinder in operative association with said discharge element, means for connecting said elements to a source of high potential electric energy to create a field of force with the lines of force thereof intercepted by the impermeable non-image areas but passing through the permeable image areas and acting to deposit ink on said image areas; and means for transferring the deposited ink from said image areas to said material and comprising a repulsion element mounted internally of said movable cylinder, an attraction element mounted internally of said supporting cylinder, and means connecting said repulsion element and said last mentioned attraction element with a source of high potential electric energy to create a field of force in which the lines of force pass through the permeable inked image areas of said movable cylinder and act to transfer the ink from said image areas to correlated areas of said material.

4. In printing apparatus, a movable cylinder having image areas permeable to electro lines of force and non-image areas impermeable thereto, a cylinder for supporting print receiving material between it and said movable cylinder; means for inking said image areas while maintaining the non-image areas free of ink and comprising an ink discharge element located externally of said movable cylinder and adjacent to the periphery thereof, means for supplying ink to said element, an attraction element located internally of said movable cylinder in operative association with said discharge element, means for connecting said elements to a source of high potential electric energy to create a field of force, electromagnetic means mounted within said movable cylinder and operatively associated with said attraction element for creating a magnetic field of force, the lines of force of both fields of force being intercepted by the impermeable non-image areas but passing through the permeable image areas and acting to deposit ink on said image areas; and means for transferring the deposited ink from said image areas to said material and comprising a repulsion element mounted within said movable cylinder, an attraction element mounted within said supporting cylinder and operatively associated with said repulsion element, means connecting said repulsion element and said last mentioned attraction element with a source of high potential electric energy to create a field of force, electromagnetic means mounted within said supporting cylinder and operatively associated with said last mentioned attraction element and acting to create a magnetic field of force, the lines of force of both said last mentioned fields of force passing through the permeable inked image areas of said movable cylinder and acting to transfer the ink from said image areas to correlated areas of said material.

5. In printing apparatus, a frame, a movable member having image areas permeable to electro 1 1 lines of force and non-image areas impermeable thereto, a member for supporting print receiving material between it and said movable member; means for supporting said members in said frame and for electrically insulating said members from each other, from said frame and the apparatus; means for inking said image areas while maintaining the non-image areas free of ink and comprising an ink discharge element located on one side of said movable member, means for supplying ink to said element, an attraction element located on the opposite side of said movable member, means electrically insulating said attraction element from said members, means for connecting said elements to a source of high potential electric energy to create a field of force with the lines of force thereof intercepted by the impermeable non-image areas but passing through the permeable image areas and acting to deposit ink on said image areas; and means for transferring the deposited ink from said image areas to said material and comprising a repulsion element operatively associated with said movable member and located on one side of said material, an attraction element operatively associated with said second member and located on the opposite side of said material, means electrically insulating said repulsion element and said second mentioned attraction element from said members, and means connecting said repulsion element and said last mentioned attraction element with a source of high potential electric energy to create a field of force in which the lines of force pass through the permeable inked image areas of said movable member and act to transfer the ink from said image areas to correlated areas of said material.

6. In printing apparatus, a frame, a movable cylinder having image areas permeable to electro lines of force and non-image areas impermeable thereto, a cylinder for supporting print receiving material between it and said movable cylinder; means for mounting said cylinders in said frame and electrically insulating the same from each other and from said frame; means for inking said image areas while maintaining the non-image areas free of ink and comprising an ink discharge element located externally of said movable cyllinder and adjacent to the periphery thereof, means for supplying ink to said element, an attraction element located internally of said movable cylinder, means electrically insulating said attraction element from said cylinder and said frame, means for connecting said elements to a source of high potential electric energy to create a field of force with the lines of force thereof intercepted by the impermeable non-image areas but passing through the permeable image areas and acting to deposit ink on said image areas; and means for transferring the deposited ink from said image areas to said material and comprising a repulsion element mounted within said movable cylinder, an attraction element mounted within said supporting cylinder, means electrically insulating said repulsion element and said second mentioned attraction element from said cylinders and said frame, and means connecting said repulsion element and said last mentioned attraction element with a source of high potential electric energy to create a field of force in which the lines of force pass through the permeable inked image areas of said movable member and act to transfer the ink from said image areas to correlated areas of said material.

7. In printing apparatus. a frame, a movable cylinder having image areas permeable to electro 1 material and comprising a repulsion element lines of force and non-image areas impermeable thereto. a cylinder for supporting print receiving material between it and said movable cylinder; means for mounting said cylinders in said frame and for insulating the same from each other and from said frame; means for inking said image areas while maintaining the non-image areas free of ink and comprising an ink discharge element located externally of said movable cylinder and adjacent the periphery thereof, means for supplying ink to said element, an attraction element. mounted within said movable cylinder, means for connecting said elements to a source of high potential electric energy to create a field of force, electromagnetic means mounted within said movable cylinder and adjacent said attraction element for creating a, magnetic field of force, the lines of force of both fields of force being intercepted by the impermeable non-image areas but passing through the permeable image areas and acting to deposit ink on said image areas, means electrically insulating said attraction element and said magnetic means from said cylinder and said frame; and means for transferring the deposited ink from said image areas to said mounted within said movable cylinder, an attraction element mounted within said supporting cylinder and operatively pulsion element, means connecting said repulsion element and said last mentioned attraction element with a source of high potential electric energy to create a field of force, electromagnetic means mounted within said supporting cylinder and adjacent said second mentioned attraction element for creating a magnetic field of force, the lines of force of both said last mentioned fields of force passing through the permeable inked image areas of said movable cylinder and acting to transfer the ink from said image areas to correlated areas of said material, and means electrically insulating said repulsion element, said second mentioned attraction element and said second mentioned electromagnetic means from said cylinders and said frame.

8. In printing apparatus, a movable member having a surface to be inked, porting ink receiving material movable member; means for hiking said surface of said movable member and comprising an ink discharge element located on one side of said movable member adjacent said surface, means for supplying ink to said element, an attraction element located on the opposite side of said movable member, means for connecting said elements to a source of high potential electric energy to create a field of force with the lines of force thereof passing between said elements and through said member and acting to deposit ink on said surface of said movable member; and means for transferring the deposited ink from said surface to said materialand comprising a repulsion element operatively associated with said movable member and located on one side of said material with said movable member between it and said material, an attraction element operatively associated with said second member and located on the opposite side of said material with said second member between it and said material, and means connecting said repulsion element and said last mentioned attraction element with a source of high potential electric of force in which the lines of force pass through said members and said material and act to transa member for supbetween it and said associated with said reenergy to create a field fer the ink from said surface of said movable member to said material.

9. In a multicolor straight line printing apparatus, a plurality of printing couples each comprising a movable cylinder having an image on its periphery, a supporting member operatively associated with but spaced from the periphery of said cylinder, and means operatively associated with said cylinder and supporting member for creating an electro field of force the lines of force 10 ripheral speed thereof.

wnmaM c. HU'EBNER.

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