104 Wood'^s tnhins: Machi, 



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ne. 



It is well krloWn that the increased demands made upon the press, 

 by the eager thirst for knowledge, and the general spirit of compe- 

 tition, that characterize the times, have caused the power of steam 

 to be called to its aid, to obtain dispatch and cheapness of produc- 

 tion. The Steam Press, however, though a proud trophy of modern 

 art, from its great size and enormous cost, could be used only in the 

 greatest establishments, and by men of large capital ; while, at the 

 same time the general inferiority of its work, which almost necessa- 

 rily resulted from its great despatch, limited its use chiefly to the 

 printing of newspapers. A machine was still wanting, that should be 

 available to the common printer, that would enable him to work at 

 less cost, and to compete with his more opulent neighbor. This de- 

 sideratum was attempted to be supplied by some contrivance that 

 might be applied to the common hand-wrought printing press, in such 

 a way as to cause it, by its own action, to ink the form of type by means 

 of a roller, when worked by one man. Several attempts had been 

 made for this purpose, both in this country and in Europe, but hith- 

 erto without success : the different machines being either too defi- 

 cient in the proper distribution of the ink necessary to good work — 

 occasioning too great an obstruction to the action of the press, to al- 

 low of its being worked by a single person — or requiring too great 

 an alteration of its construction, to admit of general use. 



In this machine, these objections have been overcome; and it is 

 thought that it will be found to be well adapted to the purpose for 

 which it is intended. It is applicable to any of the hand-wrought 

 presses in common use ; requires no additional motion on the part of 

 the workman ; and but a slight increase of muscular power. 



The machine being placed on the side of the press, opposite to 

 that on which the workman stands, the axis of the handle of the press 

 (called the rounce), is lengthened a few inches on that side, and a 

 bevel-toothed wheel placed upon it, for the purpose of giving motion 

 to the machine. This is the only alteration necessary to be made in 

 the press ; and, except a couple of fastenings attached to its frame, 

 to hold the machine firmly in apposition with it, is the only connexion 

 between them. 



On the front side of the machine is a shaft, having at one end a 

 bevel-toothed wheel, which is worked upon by that on the end of the 

 rounce ; in the middle, a barrel to which is attached a strap, which 

 winds up a weight that propels the inking roller ; and at the other 

 end a spur-wheel, which gives the motion to the rollers, necessary 

 for distributing the ink thereon. 



