[Fig. 370 and 370* enlarged] (216 kB)

[Figs. 370], [370*] represent three distinct printing cylinders of copper, or other suitable material, A, B, C, with their necessary appendages for printing three different colours upon the fabric as it passes through the machine: either of these cylinders A, B, or C, may be employed as an embossing cylinder, without performing the printing process, or may be made to effect both operations at the same time.

The fabric or goods to be operated upon being first wound tightly upon a roller, that roller is to be mounted upon an axle or pivot, bearing in arms or brackets at the back of the machine, as shown at D. From this roller the fabric a a a a is conducted between tension rails, and passed under the bed cylinder or paper bowl E, and from thence proceeds over a carrier roller F, and over steam boxes not shown in the drawing, or it may be conducted into a hot room, for the purpose of drying the colours.

The cylinders A, B, and C, having either engraved or raised surfaces, are connected to feeding rollers b b b, revolving in the ink or coloured troughs c c c; or endless felts, called sieves, may be employed, as in ordinary printing machines, for supplying the colour, when the device on the surface of the cylinders is raised: these cylinders may be furnished with doctors or scrapers when required, or the same may be applied to the endless felts.

The blocks have adjustable screws g g, for the purpose of bringing the cylinders up against the paper bowl, with any required degree of pressure: the cylinder B is supported by its gudgeons running in blocks, which blocks slide in the lower parts of the side frames, and are connected to perpendicular rods i, having adjustable screw nuts.

The lower parts of these rods bear upon weighted levers k k, extending in front of the machine; and by increasing the weights l l, any degree of upward pressure may be given to the cylinder B.

The colour boxes or troughs c c c, carrying the feeding rollers b b b, are fixed on boards which slide in grooves in the side frames, and the rollers are adjusted and brought into contact with the surface of the printing cylinders by screws.

If a back cloth should be required to be introduced between the cylindrical bed or paper bowl E, and the fabric a a a, as the ordinary felt or blanket, it may, for printing and embossing cotton, silk, or paper, be of linen or cotton; but if woollen goods are to be operated upon, a cap of felt, or some such material, must be bound round the paper bowl, and the felt or blanket must be used for the back cloth, which is to be conducted over the rollers H and I.

For the purpose of embossing the fabric, either of the rollers A, B, or C, may be employed, observing that the surface of the roller must be cut, so as to leave the pattern or device elevated for embossing velvets, plain cloths, and papers; but for woollens the device must be excavated, that is, cut in recess.

The pattern of the embossing cylinder will, by the operation, be partially marked through the fabric on to the surface of the paper bowl E; to obliterate which marks from the surface of the bowl, as it revolves, the iron cylinder roller G is employed; but as in the embossing of the same patterns on paper, a counter roller is required to produce the pattern perfectly, the iron roller is in that case dispensed with, the impression given to the paper bowl being required to be retained on its surface until the operation is finished.