The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1905-08-09
..4E POSTAGE STAMP
HOW IT Is MADE BY UNCLE aAAAA0
EXPERT WORKMEN.

f70W u - MADE BY ONCIE SAS9Se
EXPERT WORKMEN.
Whe Manufacturing Process From
the Engraving OF the Steel Die Il
the Finished Gummed, Pressed and
Perforated Printed Sheet.
The first mechanical process in thu
manufacture Of postage stamp Is the
cutting, or engraving. Of the die. This
is a piece Of steel Of the finest quality
on the polished surface Of which a man
slowly and patiently cuts, line by line
the portrait or other emblem which
has been adopted for this particular
stamp. A steel engraving is what Il
called an incised plRte-that is, every
line which is to show in the finished
print Is cut into the surface instead ID
being left in relief, as in wood engrav-
Ing.
The die which the sngraver cuts ID q
''negative;" in other words, a reversal
OF the design which the stamp will
show. The reason for this soon bo
comes apparent.
When the die Is finished and proofs
show it to be satisfactory 1t Is hard
ened and fixed in the bed Of a powerful
press. Over it is then passed steel
roller, the circumference Of which Ia
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 iG
larger than the area Of the die. In this
way four perfect copies Of the die are
reproduced on the roller, but reversed.
Each of these impressions Is a "posi-
tive"
This roller Is now hardened in turn
In order that it may transmit the i'm
pressions 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 q
whole sheet of stamps from 200 to 300
at 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
La hardened. These impressions are
negatives, so that the prints from them
the stamps themselves-wil be posi-
tives.
The reason for all this preliminary
work Is most interesting. In the first
place, printing could not be done from
single die because of the vast guam
titles Of stamps required. In the Sec
ond place, it could not be done from
the roller, because on that the lines are
I'M relief instead >of'ebeing incised, and
In the -,thifds place, 1t would not be
feasible to have several dies or large
number of. them engraved, both be-
cause the expense would be prohibi-
live and because 40 two would then be
absolutely alike. The present system
makes it certain that every stamp Of
a certain lot is exactly like every 9th
or of the same lot-a great safeguard
against counterfeiting.
When three printing plates have been
made they are all fastened to the bed
Of a special printing press. When the
machinery is started the first plate In
linked, then automatically wiped until
it is like a mirror. The wiping removes
all the ink except what clings in the
lines Of the 200 duplicate engravings
which dot the surface.
Over the plate Is laid a sheet Of
dampened paper, the plate is slightly
warmed in order to permit the ink to
swell, and heavy pressure is applied.
Meanwhile the second plate Is receiv-
ing it's ink, and then the third comes
into play, SO that, although all three
are on the same press, each is at q
given moment undergoing a different
process from either of the other two.
This has wrought a 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 dry
roller ON one side and one moistened
with mucilage on the other. From
these rollers they are cast out, wet
side up, upon an endless web, which
carries them through a steam heated
box.
They come out dry, ready for the
perforations, which permit them to bo
torn apart easily. These are very easi-
iy made by passing the sheets between
one cylinder studded with steel pins
and another perforated with holes to
match the pins. The two together act
like the jaws of a conductors punch.
The last process is pressing the sheets
by hydraulic power to counteract the
to curl, which is impaired By
the mucilage.
The printing of stamps, like the print
ing of gold and silver certificates and
bank notes, is subject to the most care
full and constant inspection.
Every sheet of paper is counted be-
fore 1t is delivered to the printer, and
before he goes home at night he must
return exactly the same number Of
sheets, either Of perfect Clamps or
spoiled paper, and no seconds" or
are given away to visitors.-
Williston Frentz in Youths