Roworth’s press

This was the first real improvement on the common press in use up to the close of the eighteenth century. The spindle in this press is entirely plain, and works at its upper end in a socket at the head of the press, and in its lower at a cup on the upper side of the platen. On a shoulder at the upper end of the spindle is a circular collar of steel, about eight inches in diameter, the upper surface of which forms at opposite sides of the spindle two similar inclined planes, rising rapidly at first and gradually descending in inclination. In the head of the press are fixed two solid rollers or studs of steel, which, as the spindle is turned (about one-third of a revolution by a lever at the off side of the press) act upon the inclines so as to bring the platen down with constantly decreasing velocity and increasing force until it reaches the type. The platen recovers itself by a weighted lever. It is strengthened by fastening to its upper side an iron piece almost the size of the entire platen in the “two pull” presses which had been formerly in use.—Abridg. Specif. Printing, i. 22.