Casco Bay breeze. [volume] (South Harpswell, Me.) 1901-1917, 1905-06-15
MAKING POSTAGE STAMPS.
shs Printing Subject to the Most Careful
and Constant Iusp.e&ion.


The Printi.g Subject TO an. Nor c.,.s.,
and Constant I.spsetien.
Tne first mechanical process in the
manufacture Of a postage stamp is the
sutung, or engraving. OF the die. This
- piece OF steel Of the finest quality,
on the polished surface Of which man
slowly and patiently cuts, line by line,
tne portrait or other emblem which has
Deen adopted for this particular stamp.
a steei engraving is what Is called an
lncised plate; that is, every line which
10 10 show In the finished print Is cut
into the surface instead Of being left in
relief, as in wood engraving.
The die which the engraver cuts is a
negatives" In other words, reversal
OF the design which the stamp will
show. The reason for this soon be-
comes apparent.
When the die Is finished and proofs
show It to be satisfactory, 1t is hard
ened and fixed In the bed OF powerful
press. Over II is then passed a steel
roller, the circumference Of which Is
several times-perhaps four times-the
diameter Of the die. Immense pressure
Is applied, so that every line on the
surface Of the die is impressed upon
the surface Of the roller as many times
as the circumference Of the roller is
larger than the area Of the die. In
this way four perfect copies Of the die
are reproduced on the roller, but re-
versed. Each Of these impressions is
a positive"
This roller Is now hardened in turn
in order that II may transmit the i'm
prcssions once more. this time to the
plate from which the actual printing
is to be made. This plate is also of
steel. The size is sufficient to print a
whole sheet Of stamps-from 200 to 800
at a single impression.
Into the surface of this plate the i'm
preston on the roller is forced by great
pressure, once for each stamp in the
subsequent sheet, and then the plate
is hardened. These impressions are
negatives, so that tile prints from them
the stamps themselves-will be posi-
tives.
The reason for all this preliminary
work Is most interesting. In the first
place, printing could not be done from
a single die, because OF the vast guam
titles Of stamps required. IN the second
place, it could not he done from the
roller, because on that the lines are in
relief instead Of being incised: and in
the third place, it would not be feasible
to have several dies, or n urge num-
Der of them, engraved, both because
the expense would be prohibitive and
because no two would be absolutely
oil l-n TI.n q
certain that every stamp of n certain
lot is exactly like every other of the
same lot-a great safeguard against
counterfeiting.
When three printing plates have
been made, they are all fastened to the
bed of special printing press. When
the machinery is started the first plate
is linked, then automatically linked I'm.
til II is like a mirror. The wiping re-
moves all the ink except what clings
in the lines OF the 200 duplicate en-.
cravings which dot the surface.
Over the plate is laid sheet OF
dampened paper, the plate is slightly
warmed in Order to-permit the ink tc
swell, and heavy pressure is applied
Meanwhile the second plato is receiv.
ing its ink, and then the third comes
into play; each is, ut n given moment,
undergoing n different process from
either of the other two. This has
wrought great saving OF time over
the old process Of printing by hand
When the printed sheets are dry they
go to the cumming machine. in which
they pass between a dry roller on one
side and one moistened with mucilage
on the other. From these rollers they
are cast out, wet sid up, upon an end.
less webb, which carries them through
a steam-heated box.
They come out dry. ready for the
perforations which permit them to be
torn apart easily. These are very
easily made by passing the sheets be
tween one cylinder studded with steel
pins and another perforated with holes
to match the pins. The two act to
gether like the jaws of a conductors
punch.
The last process is pressing the
sheets by hydraulic power TO counter.
act the tendency to curl, which is inn
parted by the mucilage.
The printing Of stamps, like the
printing OF gold and silver certificate,
and bank-notes, Is subject to the most
careful and constant inspection.
Every sheet OF paper Is counted be
fore II Is delivered to the printer; and
before he goes home ut night he must
return exactly the same number OF
sheets either OF perfect stamps OF
spoiled paper: and no seconds" OF
samples are given away to VISITORS
Edward wIIliston Frentz, in Youths
Companion.