rounce
The handle by which the bed of a hand press, holding the form of type, etc., is run in under the platen and out again.
rounce: the handle that moves the printing press bed
The rounce is the crank handle attached to a hand printing press that moves the bed (the flat platform holding the type form) back and forth beneath the platen, the flat pressure plate that comes down to make an impression. A printer grabs the rounce and pulls it toward them to draw the inked type under the descending platen, then pushes it away to extract the printed sheet. This back-and-forth motion is the mechanical core of operating a platen press by hand.
The rounce typically consists of a wooden or iron handle mounted perpendicular to a gear or cam mechanism that converts the rotational force into the linear motion needed to slide the bed. On a common wooden hand press like a Gutenberg or Columbian press, the rounce pivots at a fixed point and is long enough to give the operator mechanical advantage; typically 12 to 18 inches in length, it allows one person to move a heavy bed laden with type and paper without excessive strain. The handle is often shaped with a grip or knob at the end.
Handling a rounce requires steady, even pressure. If the operator jerks it too quickly, the type or paper can shift mid-impression, causing blurred or uneven printing. If pulled too slowly, the impression may be incomplete. Wear on the pivot point or the gear teeth that engage the rounce mechanism will cause it to stick or slip partway through the stroke, ruining the print. The handle itself can crack or split if made of wood and subjected to repeated violent pulling, or become bent if it strikes an obstacle during the pull-back motion.
The word 'rounce' likely derives from the French word 'rounce' or an older Germanic root related to turning or rotating; it appears in English printing terminology by the 18th century. Other terms for similar mechanisms include 'pull' or 'lever' in some regional traditions, but 'rounce' remains standard in English-language printing history and museum contexts.
The rounce is specific to manual platen presses and is not found on cylinder presses, which use continuous rotation, or on modern powered presses. Understanding the rounce and its geometry is essential for anyone restoring or operating a historical hand press, since a worn or incorrectly adjusted mechanism will not produce consistent, high-quality impressions.