Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1845-03-07
Science and sRrE.
WONDERFUL INVENTION.
american Literary Agency,

D, VPUtCfj0O E(UCe, TCO > lC4O. }
.aNASTATIC PRINTLNG-LM ORT.ANT
INTENTION.
About five weeks since, had an opportunity
of seeing practical experiment in this new and
extraordinary process but as the patentee's ar
engagements we're not then completed, he did not
wish to have the invention prematurely announc-
ed. The practical detas-or as much of them
as are expIained-are given in the Art Union
for February. The invention is even more
wonderful, and certainly more important. than
that tor reproducing line engravings, as descrlb-
ed in the January number Of the same Journal.
1t is sufficient to say here, that the writer having
desired copy to be made Of page Of news
paper, with three illustrations on wood the in
yentor engraving the page, type, cuts, and all,
and gave him six copies in less than TEN min
utes; the zinc plate thus engraved being capable
of producing 10000 impressions, and then OF
being re-engrayed, ad mfnitum Thus an octa-
vo volume, with wood or steel engravings, to
any extent may be reproduced in two or three
days, or less; and hundreds of thousands struck
off, equal, in all respects, to the original, The
importance of this great discovery can scarce be
overrated it is next to that of printing itself
Stereotypmg will now be entirely suspended
The new process is almost infinitely cheaper
more simple and more permanently effective. II
original works, Of course, the types must be frs
set up, and the plates first engraved the adyant.
age would be, in the cheap and endless multiple
cation of copies. But for reprints of foreign
works the facility afforded will be immense. We
shall soon see how those improvements fulfil the
promise they hold out.
The " Art Union" thus describes the nature
of the invention, and the mOduS operGn6.
The principal merit claimed by the proprie
tors of this patent are, in the first place, the
method of repeating, in low relief (somethin!
like photographic printing surlace) the trace
Of an engraved wood block or copper plate from
cut or engraving from such block or plate, il
such a manner as Immediately to yield impress
sions which are not in any way to be distin
guished from those drawn on the original engrav
ed surface This is effected by means of acids
diluted to various degrees of strength, which ac
upon those parts of the plates remaining unpro
tected by the ink, and so leave the printing sur
face very slightly in relief. Another chief meri
of the invention, is, the successful prevention O
the spreading of the ink under any degree c
pressure; whereby the finest lines and shapes
edges are repeated with singular precision. An
other extraordinary result of the invention is, tn
restoration of the ancient or injured engraving
or etchngs not, be it understood, as regards tn
paper, but faded through carelessness, or defac
ed by accident-such engraving can be perfect
restored by having every line and touch refresh
ed with new ink, so as to give the work, with al
its details, as if fresh from the wood or copper.
To describe, briefly the preparation of plat
l or cylender, let us suppose newspaper abou
to be reprinted by this means. The sheet
f first moistened with diluted acid and placed be
e tween sheets of blotting paper in order that tn
t superhuous moisture may be absorbed. TIL
= ink neutrazes the acid, which is pressed OF
n from the blank space only, and etches them {
d way. In all cases where the letter press is
a recent date, OF not perhaps older than half
S year. few minutes suffice for this purpose
9 The paper is then carefully placed upon the plat
e with which the letter press to be transferred
G in immediate contact, and the whole passed III
), der press, on removal of which, and on careful
g ly disengaging the paper, the letters are foun
c to reverse on the plate, which is then rubbe
IS with preparation of gum, after which the lie
n tiers receive an addition of ink, which is immed
Is ately incorporated with that by which they al
5, already formed. These operations are effecte
IS in few minutes. The surface of the pla
$ is bitten, in very slight degree by the acid al
o on application of the ink, it is rejected by II
l. zinc, and received only by the letters, which a
n charged with ink by the common roller used
s. hand printing Each letter comes from Il
ID press as if it had been imprinted by type meta
ID and the copies are fac SMILES which cannot
distinguished from the original sheet. Jour"
Or Of Commerce,
r. ANOTHER INVENTION