MECHANICS AND USEFUL ARTS. &7 



pile. The cutting apparatus is of admirable simplicity and beauty, and 

 cuts wet paper as infallibly as dry. 



It will be seen from this description how remarkably simple is the 

 machine. There is no backward or "reciprocating motion," as it is 

 termed by the mechanics ; nothing but a simple forward revolution of 

 the type and printing cylinders. The speed at which these cylinders 

 may be made to revolve would seem to be only limited by the rate at 

 which the printing paper may be unwound from the roll ; and this is 

 obviously very great. At the experimental trial observed by us, the 

 papers were thrown off at the rate of seventy -five per minute. This 

 number we judged could be easily doubled, and it was the conviction 

 of the inventor that it could be quadrupled without difficulty. If so, 

 the machine would print at the rate of eighteen thousand newspapers 

 per hour. 



But whatever may be found to be the exact capacity of this press in 

 its printing power, its cheapness and simplicity of construction, and its 

 ability to perform an uncommon amount of work with the attention of 

 a single man, are very remarkable. If it shall turn out that there are 

 no hindrances or inconveniences arising from the new mode of setting 

 type upon small cylinders, and in the mode of unrolling the paper 

 adopted by Mr. Wilkinson, we do not see but this press must mark an 

 era in the art of printing. When the paper can be taken from a roll 

 revolving with the utmost rapidity, and printed upon both sides at a rate 

 limited only by the revolutions of the roll, it would seem that the art of 

 printing could go no farther as respects rapidity of action. 



Montague's Improved Press. A new press has also been invented 

 by Mr. Montague, of Pittsfield, Mass., which is highly recommended on 

 account of its cheapness of construction and effective working. It is a 

 cylinder press with an oscillating motion to the bed, and prints two 

 sheets to each revolution of the cylinder, the motion of which is sus- 

 pended while the bed passes back. It will run off from 600 to 800 

 sheets per hour, and is sold from $500 to $700, depending on size. 



Improved Lithographic Press. An improved press for lithographic 

 printing has been invented by H. C. Spaulding, of Hartford, Connec- 

 ticut. The object accomplished by the improvement consists in giving 

 a uniform and forcible impression to all parts of the stone with the ex- 

 penditure of but a very small amount of power. The arrangement of 

 Mr. Spaulding for effecting this object is this : a wood or metallic air- 

 tight chamber or tub, containing water or other fluid, with its bottom 

 or one side composed of india rubber, or some other water-proof 

 elastic or pliable material, is used to give the impression ; said cham- 

 ber being furnished with a tube and plunger, and the pliable bottom 

 or side of the chamber serving as a tympan. By applying pressure to 

 the plunger, an equal amount of pressure is transmitted by the water 

 or fluid to every part of the tympan, and by using a small plunger an 

 immense pressure may be obtained with a small expenditure of power. 



Lewis' Improved Press. This is a hand press invented by Dr. John 

 Lewis, of Buffalo, N. Y. One of suitable size to print a half sheet of 

 letter paper weighs 115 pounds, is 9 inches wide, 14 long and 12 high. 

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