AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR BURNISHING PHOTOGRAPHS, CARDS, AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for
the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR BURNISHING PHOTOGRAPHS,
CARDS, AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES."--A communication from abroad by
Tosanh Ranker Bass of Bangor Maine United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 28th April 1874.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR BURNISHING
PHOTOGRAPHS, CARDS, AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES," to be as follows:-
:-
This Invention relates to improvements in that class of burnishing
machines for photographs, cards, and the like, in which the article to be
burnished receives its polish by being fed over the surface of a non-
rotating burnishing tool. I am aware that the general principle upon
which these machines operate is described in the Specification of Letters

page_text: Patent, No. 2684, A.D. 1872; but the present Invention relates
particularly to certain peculiarities of construction whereby these
machines may be more cheaply and conveniently produced, and more
easily and satisfactorily operated.
The first part of the said improvements consist in making the
burnishing edge or tool by which the polish is given removable from
the plate supporting it, so that it may be readily removed if scratched or
otherwise injured. I do this by grooving the plate under the feed roll
and inserting a bar of polished metal, which may be removed at
pleasure, said bar being fitted to the groove in the plate.
The second part of the said improvements consists in substituting for
the metalic bar a strip of glass or similar material having a highly
polished surface, said strip likewise being made to fit the groove in the
plate.
The third part of the said improvements consists in giving a slight
endwise vibration to the feeding roll of the machine. This motion is
communicated by the roll to the card or other article, giving to it a
slight motion lengthwise of the burnishing tool, as well as across it, as
common, assisting it in its passage through the machine, and decreasing
its liability to tear or break. I effect this object by means of a cam
cut in the roller at either end, or by excentric groove cut in its periphery
or in that of its shaft or arbor, and operated by a pin working therein
and attached to the stationary part of the machinery. This endwise
vibration may be so modified as to give in addition a sidewise vibration
so as to give a rubbing motion to the card over the tool.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 28th October 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, 3
Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, a
Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting.

page_text: of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give.
and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special licence
that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert Lake, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with.
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN
IMPROVED MACHINE FOR BURNISHING PHOTOGRAPHS, CARDS, AND OTHER LIKE
ARTICLES," a communication to me from abroad by Joseph Parker Bass,
of Bangor, Maine, United States of America, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one of their hands and scals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
-
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawing forming a part of this Specification.
This Invention relates to improvements in burnishing machines for
photographs, cardboard, and similar articles, in which machines the
article to be burnished receives its polish by being fed over the surface
of a burnishing tool. I am aware that the general principle upon
which these machines operate is described in the Specification of
Letters Patent, No. 2684, A.D. 1872, but my present Invention rclates
particularly to certain modifications of these machines.
I am also aware that certain variations have been made in the con-
struction of these machines, such for instance, as making the burnishing
tool removable from the supporting plate, and supplying independent
feeding mechanism for passing the card through the machine.
Also that other changes, such as giving to the burnishing tool a
slight oscillating movement under the feed roll, have been described,

page_text: therefore I do not claim any of these devices to which reference is made
in the Specification of the said former Patent, No. 2684, nor do I
claim polishing machines in which the picture or other article is passed
between two rolls geared or otherwise connected, as I am aware that
this device is old, the rolls being in some instances so arranged that one
revolves with greater velocity than the other, or what is the same thing,
their velocities are equal while the rolls are of different diameters, the
effect being to give a rotary friction upon the surface of the card. I
regard these devices simply as modifications of the old two-roll press,
whereas in my machine the tool communicating the polish to the card or
picture is non-rotating.
My present Invention consists in giving to the feeding roll a slight
endwise vibration over the burnishing tool. The surface of this feeding
roll being slightly rough this motion is communicated to the card or
picture, giving to it a rubbing or to-and-fro motion over the burnishing
tool in addition to its movement across it. This result is effected by any
suitable mechanical contrivances, and preferably by that shewn in the
Drawing, of which Figure 1 is a perspective view, and Figure 2 a partial
elevation of a machine constructed according to the present Invention.
The roll a is shown as having cams or cam surfaces b, b, cut at each
end, against which bear pins c, c, attached to the standards d, d, of the
machine, so that as the said roll revolves the pins force it into a
vibratory motion in addition to its rotary motion. The same result may
also be accomplished by a grooved cam cut either in the periphery of
the roll, as shewn in dotted lines e (or of its arbor), a pin fattached to
the stationary part of the machine working in the said groove.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto put my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of October,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four
Witness,
HENRY JAMES NOONE,
8, Southampton Buildings,
London.
W. ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.)