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INVENTOR OF NEWSPAPER PRESS |
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| The beginnings of the modern, Web-Fed Newspaper Press |
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This patent model rotary perfecting press was made by Philadelphia's William Bullock in 1863. Two years later, he constructed his first model for his local paper, the Philadelphia Inquirer. Bullock's invention represents the beginning of the modern, web-fed newspaper press, which works from curved, stereotype plates and prints on both sides of the paper in one pass through the machine. It achieved the speed of rotary printing, and by feeding from a continuous roll of paper, it eliminated the laborious hand-feeding required by presses like Hoe's rotary press. Bullock's press was capable of delivering, per hour, about 10,000 flat sheets printed on both sides. Unfortunately, William Bullock did not enjoy the profits from his innovative invention. In 1867, he died as a result of injuries sustained when he got caught in the gears of his press.
William Bullock ( 1813 - April 12, 1867 ) was an American inventor whose 1863 invention of the web rotary printing press helped revolutionize the printing industry due to its great speed and efficiency. A few years after his invention, Bullock was accidentally killed by his own web rotary press.
Bullock was born in Greenville, New York in 1813. Orphaned at an early age, he was raised by his brother. In his youth, he worked with his brother at as a machinist and iron -founder, and his fascination with books led him to acquire much knowledge of mechanics. At age 21, he was running his own machinery shop in Savannah, Georgia. At this time, Bullock invented a shingle -cutting machine, but his business went broke when he was unable to market it.
While in Georgia Bullock married Angeline Kimball and had seven children with her. When his wife died in 1850, he married Angeline's sister Emily, who bore him six children.
Bullock returned to New York and designed such devices as a cotton and hay press, a seed planter, and a lathe cutting machine. He also invented a grain drill, which won him a prize from the Franklin Institute in 1849. Shortly after this, he became involved in the newspaper world, and began working as and editor for a Philadelphia newspaper, The Banner of the Union . |
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