PRINTING MACHINE 



661 



tapes in the eight vertical frames until its vertical edges correspond with the position 

 of the form of type on the printing cylinder. Arrived at this position its vortical 

 motion is stopped by a self-acting apparatus provided in the machine, and it begins to 

 move horizontally, and it is thus carried towards the printing cylinder by the tapes. 

 As it passes round this cylinder it is impressed upon the type, and printed. It is then 

 carried back horizontally by similar tapes on the other side of the frame, until it 

 arrives at another desk, where the ' taker off' awaits it. The fingers of the machine 

 are there disengaged from it, and the ' taker off' receives it, and disposes it 

 upon the desk. This movement goes on without interruption ; the moment that one 

 sheet descends from the hands of the ' layer on,' and being carried vertically down- 

 wards begins to move horizontally, space is left for another, which he immediately 

 supplies, and in this manner he delivers to the machine at the average rate of two 



1690 



sheets every five seconds ; and the same delivery taking place at each of the eight 

 cylinders, there are 16 sheets delivered and printed every five seconds. 



It is found that by this machine in ordinary work between 10,000 and 11,000 per 

 hour can be printed ; but with very expert men to deliver the sheets, a still greater 

 speed can be. attained. Indeed, the velocity is limited, not by any conditions affecting 

 tha machine, but by the power of the men to deliver the sheets to it. 



In case of any misdelivery, a sheet is spoiled, and, consequently, the effective per- 

 formance of the machine is impaired. If, however, a still greater speed of printing 

 were required, the same description of machine, without changing its principle, would 

 be sufficient for the exigency ; it would be necessary that the types should be sur- 

 rounded with a greater number of printing cylinders. 



It may be right to observe that these surrounding cylinders and rollers, in the case 

 of ' The Times ' machine, are not uniformly distributed round the great central drum ; 

 they arc so arranged as to leave on one side of that drum au open space equal to the 



