USRE178E - Improvement in printing presses - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES I' PATENT l 'OFFICE-g IMPROVEMENT IN PRINTING PRESSES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 1,8511, dated November 10, y12340; Reissue No.' I 78, dated ySeptember 1,7, 1850.

To all u hom 'it may concern Be it known thatV I, STEPHEN P. RUGGLES, have invented new and useful Improvements in Printinglresses. These improvements, the principles thereof, the application of said principles by which the same may-be distin guished from vother inventions of asimilar character, together with such parts or combi nations as I claim to be my invention, I have herein set forth in the following description and accompanyingdrawings, herein referred to, which, taken in connection, form my specif ication. v

My printing-machine possesses one principal or distinguishing feature which causes it to differ from all others heretofore used, and which consists in inverting the types or arranging them with their letters or faces downward, instead of the usual mode of disA osing the same. It has always been supposer that, should types be so arranged, the operation of the press would easily derangeA them and cause them to fall from the case in which they are usually lockeIL7 But my experience has proved this not to be the case where propel' care is previously taken to prepare the form. The types will remain in their'places and paper can be printed with as much and greater facility than on a com mon press, andv by thus inverting the types I am enabled to arrange the operative parts of my machinein amore simple manner and to more advantage than I otherwise could. y Figure] of the accompanying drawings is a top View of my machine. Figs. 2 and 3 are side views; Figs. 4 and 5, end views; Fig. 6, a vertical longitudinal section and Figs. 7, 8, 9, &c., represent parts in detail which will be hereinafter described. l

l A, Figs. l, 2, 4, and 5, represents the iiywheel of the press, constructed of the usual form and suitable size, and. attached to the drivingshaft B. Thejournals of this drivingshaft restand revolve in suitable boxes or bearings eonnected or'attached to each sideof the framework C C (l, the said frame being constructed of cast-iron and properly shaped to support the operative parts of the machine thereto attached. The driving-shaft B and ilywheel A are revolved in the case of small presses for printing bills by a `treadle,`D, Fig. 2, (on which the operative presses his foot,)

having arod, E, connecting the same to a crank, `F, on each extremity of the shaft B; or, in

pinion, G, Figs. 3 and 5, on the shaft B engages withy a oogged wheel, H, placedon another shaft, I. A round bolt or pin, K, passes y through the wheel H into a circular plate, L, at

its side, vand (on) shaft I. (See Fig. 7.7) When the wheel H is revolved, the pin K meets one end of a pitma-n, M, Fig. 6, which is hollowed K out to receive it, forcing said pitman forward,

and at the same time Vstraightening or bringing'into a'perpendicular line with each other ih 'e toggles or progressive levers N O, to which said pitman is joined. The foot of the lower toggle, O, rests in a suitable step in the top of the stationary cross-beam Q, while theupper toggle, N, is connected by a proper joint tothe lower sideof the platen R, Fig. 6, Two upright pillars, S S, Figs. 2, 3, Snc., connect the cross-beam Q to another upper crossbeam, T, being so arranged or having a certainportion of one of its ends eilt out, as represented vby dotted lines .at U,Fig.r1,"so as to be easily swung round at any time into the position represented by the dotted lines. The bed B is placed immediately under and in contact with the cross-beam T, and is hinged at two corners, V V, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, to the top of standards X, projecting from the frame-work U (J, so'as to beeasily turned up in the position denoted by the dotted lines, Fig. 6, andwhen broughtba-ck again to a horizontal situation it is therein sustained by `four ears, Y Y Y, Figs. 1, 2, andg, projecting from the plate of the bed and resting on the tops of standards Z Z Z Z. The chasea a, in which the type b, Fig.` 6, 4is locked, is a plain rectangular metallic frame similar to those ordinarily used by printers, and is secured by screws or in any con venientmanner to the surface of the bed.

FromV the above it will be easilyseen that the impression is given when the toggles are straightened by the action of the pin K on the end of the pitman", which it forces forward, at

the same time raising the end of the pitman during a portion of the revolution of the pin K until the'pitmauisbrought into a horizontal position, when the revolution of the pin still going onthe end ofthe pitman'rises still 'that when the pitm'an drops downward it mayv fall freely to its former position. It first falls on the circular connectingportion of the shaft, and as the shaft revolves still farther it gradually leaves the pitman untilit drops therefrom and descends to its lowest position. Directly above the platen is the tympan-plate, which consistsl of a rectaigular plate of metal, c, Fig. 6, resting on the bars Id d of a rectangular carriage, d d,

Figs. 1 and 6, and e e, Figs. 4 and 5, which is suitably supported on rails or ledges secured to the sides ot' the frame, so as to be pushed forward and drawn backward, for the purpose of carrying the sheet of paper to be printed under the types for their action thereon, and also to withdraw the same after it is printed, and to carry the rollers which lay the ink upon the surface of the type. vThe tympanplate c is kept in place by two or more small pins projecting downward from each end-of the same, and entering loosely into circular holes drilled in the top of each of the side-rails of the carriage d d, as shown in Fig. 6, Where one of the pins or guides, f, represented by dotted lines, is seen projecting from the lower surface of the plate and passing into the rail d. When the platen is raised by the toggles, its upper surface comes in contact with the lower surface of the tympan-plate and yraises sa-id vtympan-plate, with the sheet of paper thereon, to the types, the guides or pins f rising at the same time in their respective holesin the rails.v When the platen descends, the plate falls also until it meets and rests on the carriage, las before mentioned, and is drawn back or out from between the platen and form to receive another sheetof paper to be printed. The blanket is placed on the upper surface of the tympan-plate c in the usual way, and a tympan or a rectangular metallic or wooden frame (represented in section at g g, Fig. 6) covered with thin cotton or other suitable cloth surrounds the tympanplate, the cotton cloth serving to cover the blanket to keep the same in position and to receive the sheet of paper to be printed on its upper surface.

Having thus described the machinery which produces the impression, I now proceed to explain that which operates the tympan-carriage d d, before mentioned. A cam, h, Figs. 3, 6, and 7, is placed on the shaft I, and under the same is a roller, i, attached to the side of a bar or piece of metal, k, which has an elongated slot, l, through vwhich the shaft I passes, the shape of the piece k and its slot l being represented in Fig. 8. To the lower endof the piece k an arm, m, is hinged by a proper joint, the said arm being secured to and projecting from a horizontal shaft, n, Fig. 6, by means l or" a circular plate, o, flxed on said shaft, and to which the arm m' is secured lby screws and nuts, the heads of which screws are shown at p p, Fig. 6. From the center of the shaft n a bent arm, q, rises, and is connected with the tympan-carriageby alink, r, and a projection, s, therefrom. When the revolution of the shaft,` to which the cam h is attached, causes the Iportion t w thereof to press upon the roller t', it depresses said roller, and consequently the arm k, at the same time turning the shaft n in its bearings and causing the arm g to press forward the tympan-carriage, so as to Acarry. the sheet of paper between thev platen and form.. Then, while the impression is being given by the toggles, the portion c w of the cam h (whichis an-arc of a circle whose center is in the axis of the shaft I) is broughtin contact with the roller t', producing n'o depressionV of thel same, but causing said roller to preserve astationary position until the revolution of the shaft n brings the portion c w in contact with the rolleri, which permits said roller andthe bar k to ascend, while 'thc tympancarriage is drawn back with the printed sheet.v

The power which draws back the tympan- Icarriage consists of a weight, attached to `one end of a chain or belt, y, passing over a pulley, z,the opposite end of said chain or belt, y, being ailxed to the top of the arm q. The portion t to of the cam his an arc of a circle whose center is in the axis of the shaft I,

'and' while the same is in contact with the roller i it neither raises nor depresses the same, and during the interval ot' time the operative supplies a new sheet of paper to the tympan-carriage. The machinery which oper- 'ates the tympan-carriage being described,the

next part of the press which comes under our notice is that by which the paper is supplied and removed. A cam, od, Figs. 2 4, and 9, is placed on the shaftI. A bent rod, b c d', having one portion b c Vbent at right angles to the other part c d', and its extremity b resting on the periphery Vof the cam a', is attached at itsend d to the extremity of a horizontal shaft, c c', Figs. 1 and 2, revolving in suitable bearings in thetops of standards ff. An inclined table, g hf, Figs. 2 arid 6, and g h h g, Fig. 1, is affixed to the shaft e e', the table having its lowest end, g', made sharp or angular and slightly curved or bent upward, as seen in section, Fig. 6, and suitably covered with tin or a plate of metal. 0n this table the sheet to be printed is laid, and while the end b of the lever b c d is in contact with the point t" of the cam the impression is just commencing, Then, while the toggles are acting to raise and lower the platen, the portion i j of the cam a is revolving in contact with the endb of the lever b c d', and as the said portion t" j is the arc of a circle it neither raises nor depresses the end b of the lever,

and consequently the .table g' h, Fig. 6,'remains stationary and the workman lays the Y sheet thereon. Though he may not commence to lay the sheet on the table until this moment, Yet he can perform the same operationl at the same moment the sheet isdrawn from the tablc by the Afrisket; and while the table remains stationary, or the end b of the lever b c d is in contact with` the are itj, the impression is given and the tympan-carriage withdrawn from under the platen and form. Then, as the .cam a' revolves, the eccentric and contines it to the tympan, (and which will be hereinafter described,) performs its' ndice, and the tympan-carriage carries the sheet between the platen and form. During the period of time it takes the machinery to perform the said operation the circular por-y tion k' l' ofthe cam a. is in 4contact With the end b of the lever, producing no motion of the same. While the cam revolves still farther, or the eccentric part thereof from l to i is in contact or rolls against the end b of the lever, the lever and end g of the table are raised upward a short distance, so as. to enable the tympan-carriage,after the impres' sion is given, to return from betweeny the platen and form with the printed ,sheet and permit the sheet to pass underneath the table without coming in contact with the same. At the same time the frisket passes over the table, as hereinafter described, so as to remove the sheet of paper on the table at the return of the carriage. Atthe moment the end b of the lever b c d passes thepoint j of the cam a. in its passage from j- `to k', the

end b begins to descend, carrying down at.

the same time the end g of the table gh, Fig. 6, toward the surface of the tympan, so as to cause the under side of the table g h', at the end of the operation, io bea-r upon the upper surface of the sheet of paper ythen on. the tympan, and just described as having been printed. The plateof metal which covers the lower side of the table g h has its lower surface ronghened, or has a number ot' small wire points projecting therefrom which enter into thc paper, and as the tympan-carriage moves in or back between the platen and form with the succeeding sheetV to be printed the points above mentioned prevent the printed sheet of paper from being carried between the platen and form, and cause it to drop into the box or receptacle m', attached to the rear of the tympan-carriage. (See Fig.'l Ii.) Tlms it will be seenthat the sheet,wl1en lying in the box m', exhibits the printed side upward, so-as to be immediately under the inspection. of the pressman, and it' any irregularity in the operation of printing has occurred his eye can easily detect the same.

The pile of paper from which the sheets to be printed are taken is laid` on a table, n', Figs. 1, 3, 4, attached to the side of the press. The

machinery above alluded to, which takes the sheet to be printed and draws it away from the upper surface of the table g h, Fig. 6, (when the tympan-carriage is moved with the ,same between the platen and t`orm,) is thus described.: A cam, o', (see Figs. 2 and 4,) is

placed on the shaft T, and between said cam and the cam af, before described, is a pieceA of metal or bar lw. whose lower end is forked so as to straddle the shaft I, as the said bar `w Vmoves up or down, where the fork and shaft are-represented, the former by dotted- .'lines. (SeeFig. 10.)

ings, on lthe top of a strut, z', attached to thc= frame of the press. An angular or bent bar, y(t2, is attachedto the opposite end of the shaft ycz b2 c2,Fig. l, (composed otthin bars or strips of metal b2 c2 b2 c,

their ends by hinges c2 c2, and transversely by vcross strips e2f2, Fig. 1, and cross-wires, g2 `h2,) is attached to the inner side of the tympan g g by hinges i2 i2, so that it can easily be .raised to the position denoted by red lines in Fig. 2. A spring, )'2 k2, is coiled around the wire g2, having one end, jz, fastened to lthe wire and the other to the rectangular tympan-A frame q (1. This spring presses the frisltet` down upon the sheet ot' paper on the tympan. plate. The lower sides of the cross-strips c2 f2 should be roughened, or have small wire points inserted therein,so as to catch into the sheet ot'- paper when the tympan-carriage starts toward the't'orm with the sheet to be: printed, andV by the pressure ofthe spring jil L2, conne and draw said sheet of `paper from Ithe table g h. When the'tympan-carriage returns with the printed sheet, the under sur@ face ofthe bent top d? ot' the frisket meets the upper surface of the angular bar a2 and risesthereon into the position denoted byl red lines in Fig. 2, or until the point 1J of the cam o comes in contact with the roll v. Then as'Y the roll e travels from p to t', Fig. .10, the barw', and of course theangularbar a2, will be lowered. down so as to drop the cross-bar e2,

'upon the sheet of paper;'andv the 4points on.

the under side of the same, catching therein, draw the paper from the table g.h when the tympancarriage starts forward,` and thus the operations of the machinery which carries the paper under the types to be printed and then removes it therefrom after the same t is completed are effected. The inkin-g apparatus is thus described: l2 l2, Fig. 6, are two inkingrollers of the ordinary kind attachedl A .fr-isket, b2 c2 d2, Figs. 1 and .2, and b2- connected together at'` other and together.

these rollers pass under the face of the type and communicate ink thereto, and when the sheet of paper to be printed is between the platen and form, the inking-rollers rest on the surface of. the great distributing-cylinder m2,

,a suitable connecting wire or spring, s2, is attached, proceeding from thence to the upper end of the lower toggle, as seen in Fig. 6. When the toggles fall back to an inclined pol sition with each other, they draw the roll n? from the fountain-roller up to the surface of the distributing-cylinder m2, and when they are straightened or brought into a line with each other to give an impression, the roller n2 falls back upon the fountain-roller o4. There is a cone or set of variable pulleys, t2, on the end of the driving shaft B, Figs. 1 and 3. From thence a band passes to and around another set of pulleys, n2, on the extremity of the shaft of the distributing-cylinder m2, giving motion to said cylinder. In the rear of the pulleys t2, and xed on the drivingshaft B, there is another pulley or cone of pulleys, v2, from which a band, 102, passes to and around another set of pulleys, mz, Figs. 3.and 4, affixed to the side ofy frame, but moving loosely on their `center-pin, fastened to and projecting from said frame. One extremity, y2, of a rod, y2 z2, is connected to the outside of the pulley x2 by a screw, so as to have a crank-motion at this end. The other extremity, z2, of the rod is Ijoined to one end of a rightlangular lever, a b3 c3, moving on a fulcru1n,.b3, FigsJ, 3, 6,12, on the top ofal A standard, d, Fig. 3. The arm b3 c3 of the bent lever a3 b3 c3 has a series of holes drilled through it, as represented in Fig. 12, through either of which at pleasure thebent end e3 ofa y rod,e2f3,can bcinserted. Theother end, f3, of the rod e3 f 3 is joined to the horizontal shaft g3,

which shaft slides or vibrates longitudinally back and forth in its bearings, the said vibrationv being caused by the revolution of the pulley .r2 and intervening machinery, con- Sisting of the rod y2 z2, the bent'lever a3 b3e3, and connecting-rod e3 f3, acting upon each The shaft g3 has notches or spaces @"3 3i-fut ont of the same, which receive the sides k3 k3 of the frame o2, Fig. 11, as the same is brought up from the fountainroller to the distributing-cylinder, and thus,l

ast-he shaft g3 has a longitudinal vibration, the same is imparted to the roller n2, which distributes the ink laterally on the surface of the cylinder m2. Theshaft p2 is so fitted in its bearings as to be moved longitudinally back and forth in a corresponding manner with and bythe shaft g3. A belt, Z3, Fig. 2,

. passing from a cone of pulleys,m3, on theshaft I, to and around another, set of pulleysfns, Figs.

1, 2, 4, on the sh aft ot' the fountain roller, gives motionv to said roller, and a long rod, o3, Fig. 3, passing along the side of the frame,- capable of being slid back and forth longitudinally inf its bearings, g3 g3, and having` its end p3 bent downward, and on being pushed in contact .with a ratchet-wheel, r3, on the other extremvity of the shaft of the fountain-roller, stops said roller from revolvingwhenever necessary. Thefountain-rolleris constructed somewhat different from those generally used, inasmuch as the whole of its surface is cut4 into line parallel or spiral grooves. (See Fig. 13.) Thethickness of the stratum of ink upon the same is regulated by the depth ofthe grooves in the fountainroller, and the quantity for sheets of different size by the speed of the rpfountaineroller.4 A plate, s3, Figs. 1 and 6,

serves to prevent the escape of any ink, ex-

cepting that which passes into the grooves or `indentatiousi of the fo untai n-roller.

This plate is pressed toward the fountain-roller by a series of screws, t3 t3 t3, Figs. 5 and 6, tapped in to the under side of the fountain and operating against the plate s?. Instead of vtluting or grooving the fountain roller, as above men-V tioned, it may have its surface indented by in each case the ink shall be on the cylinder in parallel rings or strips, so thatwhen the surface of the roller n2 comes in contact with the fountain-roller and is pressed against the same the ink will be imparted to the same in short and very thin parallel strips. By this arrangement the ink is laid on the roller m2 and distributed much more perfectly and rapidly vthan by the common fountain. The end of the pitman M rests when in action on a bent piece of metal, a3, Fig. 6, joinedA at one end to the driving shaft B, and having a longrod, o3, attached to its other extremity. A knob, w3, enables the pressman to lower the piece of metal ua that the pitman rests on, and thus depress the pitman so that the pin K shallnot act thereon, and thus throw ott' the impression whenever necessary. A notch, m", in the rod. v3, resting on the staple `yi, sustains the rod c3 and the pitman, when the latter is raised so as to bring the pin K in contact with the end l vibrates the treadle and puts the machinery in motion, while with his hands he supplies the press with the sheets of paper or cards to be printed. A press constructed in the above will also operate equally well, requiring one attendant, thus creating a great reduction ot' labor. From the peculiar arrangements of the machinery the average speed equals twelve hundred impressions each hour, and the convenience of placing and removing a form, or inspecting the same during the time the press is in operation is very great. In comparing this with the common hand-press, it is found that it will print twenty sheets, cards, or labels with one operative in the same time that four are done by two persons, and with a much greater uniformity of color than printing where the types are inked 'by hand.

In the body of the foregoingr specification I have not so pointedly stated the ofce and useful operation of the thin bars or strips ot metal b2 c2 b2 c2, and the cross strips cz f2, the former of which is fastened to said bars. These parts, and more particularly the cross-strips ez fz, are indispensable to the snccessful operation of my machine, as they hold the sheet closely and firmly to the tympan, which is supported by the platen, until it is entirely drawn or disengaged from the types. rIhis device operates in an entirely different manner from an ordinary frisket, inasmuch as it holds the sheet rigidly to the tympan supported by the platen; and without this or some y equivalent mechanical arrangement sheets with smaller margins could not be disengaged from the types either by the ordinary 'frisket or any other known means. shall therefore make a specific claim to this device.

I claim- 1. A platen raised and lowered by machinery, substantially as combination with the movable tympan-plate on which the sheet of paper is placed, and the bed supporting the type with their faces downward, the whole being arranged and operating together substantially in the manabove described, in-

ner and for the purpose herein explained and set forth.

2. Supplying the press with paper and Yremoving the same after itis printed into a box, m', Fig. 6, attached to the tympan-carriage, by means of a vibrating table, g h operated by a cam, a', Fig. 4, on the shaft I, Figs. 4 and 6, in combination with a frisket constructed as above described, connected to the frame g g of the tympan-plate, and pressed down upon said plate by a spring, jl k2, and raised when the tympan-carriage recedes with the printed sheet by means of acam, o', Fig.2, on the shaft I,through the intervention of a bar, w', with aroller, o shaft y' and angular piece of metal a, the whole being arranged and operatin g together substantially as hereinabove explained and set forth.

3. Grooving or channeling the fountainroller, or-plate under the same, in the manner and for the purpose above mentioned.

4. The peculiar combination of machinery for the lateral vibration of the distributingroller, said combination consisting of the pulleys v2 on the shaft B, band wz, pulleys wz, rod y2 z2, lever ai' b3 c, rod e3 f3, shaft g3, and distributing roller-frame 02, the whole being arranged and operating together substantially in the manner and for the purpose abovementioned.

5. The use of the side strips c2 d2 c2 d", and crossstrips c2 j", or either of them, in combination with a tympan supported by the platenplate, the said combination forming a pair of nippers, as it were, for rigidly holding the sheet, however small the margin may be, until it is eifectually free or disengaged from the form after an impression is produced.

In testimony that the above is a true description of my said invention and improvements, I have hereto. set my signature this 25th day of July, in the year 185i).

STEPHEN I?. RUGGLES.

Witnesses:

EZRA LINCOLN,

ROBERT L. HARRIS.

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