A New or Improved Method of and Apparatus for Obtaining Multiple Copies of Writing and other Delineation.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Aug., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 19th June, 1889-Accepted, 27th July, 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Method of and Apparatus for Obtaining
Multiple Copies of Writing and other Delineation.
I, BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS of 23 Southampton Buildings in the County
of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, a
communication to me from abroad by Horace Baldwin Thompson of 574 Monroe
Street, Brooklyn in the County of Kings and State of New-York, in the United
States of America, Commercial Traveller, to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a novel method of obtaining from a single writing or
other delineation many copies thereof upon other sheets of paper, etc., and the
process consists in first placing the characters upon a stencil or transfer sheet, then,
through the employment of two rollers, causing, said transfer sheet to be brought
into contact with a strip or sheet of paper to receive the impression.
A sheet of paper which is intended to be formed into the stencil sheet is placed
between two sheets, impregnated or covered with a composition of divisible anilit/
or carbon or similar substance with the prepared faces of such sheets against each
face of the stencil sheet. Then with a pencil or stylus point tracing with sufficient
pressure on one of the prepared sheets the characters desired, such characters will be
transferred in aniline, etc., on the upper side of the sheet straightforward, and from
the under aniline sheet, such characters will be transferred on the underside of the
sheet in the reverse; and such sheet being of suitable nature to admit will be
impregnated and saturated in and through its thickness from side to side thereof
with the aniline in lines corresponding to the demarkations of the stylus.
The transfer sheet of the character desired may also be produced by placing the
sheet between the two aniline sheets or ribbons and striking against same with type
face, etc., in which event practically the same result is accomplished and a sheet of
the same character and adaptability is produced. Again, the transfer sheet may be
produced by the formation of a series of perforations or abrasions, such as may be
produced by the employment of the well known perforating electric needle pen or by
the Cyclostyle pen well known in the trade, behind which sheet is placed a pad
impregnated with aniline or ink. Or another manner of preparing the stencil is by
coating a sheet of paper with a gelatine preparation to which the matter to be
duplicated is transferred after being written with an aniline ink. The stencil sheet is
preferably wrapped around the transfer roll and as it were made one with it and
constituting its outer periphery and presenting its side having the characters in the
reverse outward.
A coil of paper on which it is intended to transfer copies from the stencil sheet is
passed from its roll under a guide roll or rod in a liquid tank and thence it passes
to and between squeezer rolls whereby the moisture in the sheet is equalized and
passing thence and through and between the rolls an imprint in aniline or other
divisible substance forming the characters on the transfer sheet, is imparted to the
paper strip the roll serving as a rest and body upon which the paper strip lies and
against which the transfer sheet bears. And on a continued feed of the paper strip
and rotation of the rolls, another portion of the strip is presented to the operation of
the transfer sheet and receives another imprint and so on until the required number
has been obtained or the transfering material on the sheet has been expended.
As has been particularly described, the transfer sheet has an impression on each side
thereof, the lines thereof on each side being coincident on one side presenting the
characters in straightforward or positive, while on the other side, such characters are
on the reverse or negative; but a transfer sheet may be produced by placing the
sheet above the online sheet with the aniline sheet against the underside thereof.

page_text: Then either a pencil or stylus, etc., marking out the characters in position, the same
are on the underside of the sheet in the reverse, which when brought in contact
with sheets to receive the copies in the manner described, will impart a number of
copies or transfers, as great as, in many instances, are required. And the stencil
sheet is not confined to any particular one of the forms herein described.
Dated this 20th day of August 1888.
B. J. B. MILLS.
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Method of and Apparatus for Obtaining
Multiple Copies of Writing and other Delineation.
I, BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS of 23 Southampton Buildings, in the County
of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, a
communication to me from abroad by Horace Baldwin Thompson, of 574 Monroe
Street, Brooklyn, in the County of Kings, and State of New-York, in the United
States of America, Commercial Traveller, 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 accompanying drawings, and to the figures and
letters marked thereon:-
This invention relates to a novel method of obtaining from a single writing or
other delineation, many copies thereof upon other sheets of paper, etc., and the process
consists in first placing the characters upon a stencil or transfer sheet, then, through
the employment of two rollers, causing said transfer sheet to be brought into
contact with a strip or sheet of paper to receive the impression.
A sheet of paper, which is intended to be formed into the stencil sheet, is placed
between two sheets impregnated or covered with a composition of divisible aniline
or carbon or similar substance, with the prepared faces of such sheets against each
face of the stencil sheet. Then with a pencil or stylus point tracing, with sufficient
pressure, on one of the prepared sheets the characters desired, such characters will be
transferred in aniline, etc., on the upper side of the sheet straightforward, and from
the under aniline sheet such characters will be transferred on the underside of the
sheet in the reverse; and such sheet, being of suitable nature to admit, will be
impregnated and saturated in and through its thickness from side to side thereof with
the aniline in lines corresponding to the demarcations of the stylus.
The transfer sheet of the character desired may also be produced by placing, the
sheet between the two aniline sheets or ribbons and striking against same with type
face, etc., in which event practically the same result is accomplished and a sheet of
the same character and adaptability is produced. Again, the transfer sheet may be
produced by the formation of a series of perforations or abrasions, such as may be
produced by the employment of the well known perforating electric needle pen, or by
the Cyclostyle pen well known in the trade, behind which sheet is placed a pad
impregnated with aniline or ink. Or another manner of preparing the stencil is by
coating a sheet of paper with a gelatine preparation, to which the matter to be
duplicated is transferred, after being written with an aniline ink. The stencil
sheet is preferably wrapped around the transfer roll, and as it were made one with it.
and constituting its outer periphery and presenting its side having the characters in
the reverse outward.
A coil of paper, on which it is intended to transfer copies from the stencil sheet, is
passed from its roll under a guide roll or rod in a liquid tank, and thence it passes to
and between squeezer rolls, whereby the moisture in the sheet is equalized, and
passing thence and through and between the rolls, an imprint in aniline or other
divisible substance forming the characters on the transfer sheet, is imparted to the
paper strip, the roll serving as a rest and body upon which the paper strip lies and

page_text: against which the transfer sheet bears. And on a continued feed of the paper strip
and rotation of the rolls, another portion of the strip is presented to the operation
of the transfer sheet and receives another imprint, and so on until the required
number has been obtained, or the transferring material on the sheet has been
expended.
As has been particularly described, the transfer sheet has an impression on each
side thereof, the lines thereof on each side being coincident, on one side presenting
the characters in straightforward or positive, while on the other side such characters
are on the reverse or negative; but a transfer sheet may be produced by placing
the sheet above the aniline sheet, with the aniline sheet against the under side
thereof. Then either a pencil or stylus, etc., marking out the characters in position,
the same are on the underside of the sheet in the reverse, which when brought in
contact with sheets to receive the copies in the manner described, will impart a
number of copies or transfers, as great as in many instances are required, and the
stencil sheet is not confined to any particular one of the forms herein described.
By the aid of the machine constructed according to the present invention, im-
pressions from a stencil or transfer sheet may be obtained on a continuous web or
roll of paper. After the impressions are made, the web or roll of paper is cut into
sheets. Any number up to several hundred impressions may be made by the use of
the machine.
In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine in which
the improvements are shown, the impression being made on the paper C as it passes
between the rollers A and B.
Figure 2 is a front elevation thereof.
Figures 3 and 4 are parts in detail hereafter referred to.
A is a roller, made of composition, rubber, or other suitable material, and is used
to carry the stencil or original from which the impressions are made. A convenient
form of making this roller is as shown in figure 3, there being a cloth saturated with
ink passing around the periphery of the roller A, and having the ends attached to
two small rollers set inside the larger roller, parallel with its axle. These small rollers
may be turned back and forth, so that the cloth can be wound on the one, and then
on the other. This cloth will carry ink enough to make many hundred impressions.
Another way of making the roller A is to have simply spring catches on its surface
to catch a stencil with a sheet of cloth or paper saturated with ink underneath.
B is also a roller, preferably made of metal, and is used to carry the paper Con
which the impressions are made. D and E are two small rollers which are set by
thumb screws to rest with pressure against each other, and are intended to remove
surplus water when the paper is too wet, as in the case where analine is used for ink,
and to keep the paper from buckling when used dry. H is a pair of shears used to
paper C after the impressions are made.
cut the
K and L are two small rollers which carry the paper C to the shears H. By means
of a belt 6 attached to a small pulley wheel e on the roller K and to a pulley wheel p
on the roller B the rollers K and L are caused to revolve rapidly, and the paper
accumulated during the operation of the shears H, is taken up after the shears have
opened. is a trip working on a fulcrum secured to the casting R, and is used to
force the blade of the shears H to close and cut the paper. C is a web of paper on
which the impressions are made. w is a small guide roller set in the pan Y, and
is for the purpose of leading the paper C through a moistening liquid, when necessary
to dampen the paper. Y is a pan set in the table to hold a liquid. g is a can secured
to the axle of the roller A, and is used to move the trip f. All the rollers are
parallel to each other, and are journalled in the castings R. T is a table or stand, on
which the castings are secured. The shears H are screwed to the castings R in front
of the rollers K and L, and are made with a bevel piece on the pivot end of the
moving blade, so that when the end n of the trip f is forced down by action of
the cam g, the opposite end of the blade closes and severs the paper.
In figure 3 the rollers which carry the saturated cloth are shown at n¹ and n".
M is a crank attached to the axle of the roller B. The revolution of the roller B

page_text: causes the roller A to turn by virtue of friction. On the trip f is a small spring m,
which presses against the axle of the roller K when the cam g raises the end of the
trip f. The pressure of the spring m against the axle of the roller K, causes the
rollers K and L to remain stationary until the spring m is released from contact
with the axle of the roller K. As the rollers K and L are stopped until after the
cam has passed the end u of the trip f, the paper C is cut perfectly straight.
As soon as the cam 9 passes beyond the end u, the trip drops back, and the shears
are opened by means of the spring s.
The operation of the machine is as follows:
A roll of paper with a roller through the centre, is set in the casting and the
end led into the pan Y under the roller w, between the rollers D and E,
through the rollers A and B, through the rollers K and L, and lastly between the
blades of the shears H. A stencil or original being placed on the roller A, over an
ink sheet, the crank M is turned. When the stencil on the roller A comes in contact
with the
paper
C as they pass between the rollers A and B, the ink is forced by the
pressure between the rollers A and B, through the stencil, and an impression is made
on the paper C. The cam 9 being properly adjusted on the axle of the roller A,
the point will engage with the end u of the trip f and force the end n down and
close the shear blade H and cut the paper. As soon as the end u of the trip fis
raised, the spring m presses against the axle of the roller K and causes the rollers K
and L to stop while the blade H of the shears operates. As the paper C will
accumulate between the rollers B and K while the shears are moving, the rollers K
and L are arranged to operate rapidly by means of the belt 6 passing around the
pulleys e and p, and connecting the rollers K and B, so that when the trip fis
thrown back to its normal position and the pressure released from the axle of the
roller K, the rapid revolution of the two rollers K and L carry the slack paper
through the shear blades before the cam g again comes in contact with the trip fand
the shears H close again. When a sheet containing aniline is placed behind the
stencil, water is used in the pan Y. The paper C in this case becomes wet and the
surplus water is thrown back as it passes between the rollers D and E.
The requisite amount of pressure between the rollers D and E and the rollers A
and B is regulated by thumb screws. Figure 4 shows by dotted lines the shears when
closed. As the rollers A and B continue to move while the rollers K and L are
stationary, the belt 6 will slip, and in this way the machine does not stop. Where
it is necessary or desirable to print a letter head or other similar matter with each
impression of the stencil, the arrangement shown in figures 3 and 5 may be employed.
Here may represent a spring pressed electro-type or other type block containing the
matter of the letter-head to be printed. The spring presses this block outward
into the path of an inking roller x, whereby the type is inked by each revolution of
the roller A. The inking roller however is sufficiently far from the surface of the
roller A to avoid inking the stencil and paper thereon. It will be readily seen that
when, as the roller rotates, the type block a comes opposite the roller B, it will be
pressed inward against the action of spring a', and will print the desired letter-head or
similar matter at the proper place on the paper which is passing between the rollers A
and B.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The process and apparatus for obtaining multiple copies of writing and other
delineation upon the continuous web or roll of paper, and cutting the same into sheets,
substantially as herein shown and described.
2. In an apparatus for copying writings and other delineations, the combination of
the roller A for carrying the stencil or original, the roller B for carrying the paper on
which the impressions are made, and a cutting device, substantially as described.
3. In an apparatus for copying writings and other delineations, the combination of
the roller A for carrying the stencil or original, the roller B for carrying the paper

page_text: on which the impressions are made, the roller K, and a cutting device, substantially
as described.
4. In an apparatus for copying writings and other delineations, the combination of
the roller A for carrying the stencil or original, the roller B for carrying the paper
on which the impressions are made, the rollers K and L for leading the paper, and
the shears H, substantially as described.
5. In an apparatus for copying writings and other delineations, the combination of
the roller A for carrying the stencil or original, the roller B for carrying the paper
on which the impressions are made, the rollers K and L for leading the paper, the
paper C, and the shears H, substantially as described.
6. In an apparatus for copying writings and other delineations, the combination of
the roller A for carrying the stencil or original, the roller B for carrying the paper
on which the impressions are made, the stencil or original, and the shears H,
substantially as described.
7. In an apparatus for copying writings and other delineations, the combination of
the roller A for carrying the stencil or original, the roller B for carrying the paper
on which the impressions are made, the stencil or original, the paper C, the trip f for
moving the shear blade, and the shears H, substantially as described.
8. In an apparatus for copying writings and other delineations, the combination of
the roller A for carrying the stencil or original, the roller B for carrying paper on
which the impressions are made, the rollers K and L to lead the paper, the shears H for
cutting the paper, the rollers D and E to keep the paper from buckling, the paper C,
the stencil or original, and the shears H, as described.
9. In an apparatus for copying writings and other delineations, the combination of
the roller A for. carrying the stencil or original, the roller B for carrying the paper
on which the impressions are made, the rollers K and L for leading the paper, the
shears H for cutting the paper, the paper C, the stencil or original, the trip f for
moving the shear blades, the rollers D and E for the purpose of keeping the paper
from buckling, the castings R, the pan Y, the roller w to lead the paper into the pan
and through the water, and the table T, all substantially as described and for the
purpose set forth.
Dated this 19th day of June 1889
Dated this 19th day of June 1889.
B. J. B. MILLS.
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents.