Improvements in Self Inking or Colouring Printing Surfaces.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 13th July, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 13th Apr., 1889-Accepted, 13th July, 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Self Inking or Colouring Printing Surfaces.
A communication to me from abroad by JOHN WILLIAM CHARLES COVEN SCHIRM,
of Breslau, in the Empire of Germany, Professor.
I, EDMUND EDWARDS, of the firm of Edwards and Co., Patent Agents and Engineers,
of 35, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to an improved method of preparing self colouring printing
surfaces by which is obviated the necessity for inking cushions, pads, and rollers to
ink the surface before printing which have hitherto been indispensable in the use of
printing plates, wood cuts, types, metal engravings, rubber stamps and the like.
Printing by the use of my improved self colouring or inking printing plates, is
considerably simplified as no contact is required to be made between the plate and an
inking device.
The improved mode of preparing self colouring or inking printing plates consists
in forming the type or printing plate of a composition consisting essentially of what
is known as vegetable gelatine and glycerine. To this composition I add a colouring
substance capable of readily giving up its colour. This composition in a state of
concentrated solution, is cast into a suitable matrix prepared from an original type,
type plate, engraving or the like, in the usual manner well known and practised in
the art of printing. After the composition bas set, the printing plate is taken out of
the matrix or forme, ready for use, and it only needs to be fixed upon the face of a
wood or metal plate, or roller or a hand stamp or the like and on applying a moderate
pressure, the composition will give up the colour contained in it and a print will be
obtained without the use of any inking device. The printing plate is used exactly in
the same manner as other printing plates, hitherto known and in use, the sole difference
being that no ink is required to be applied to the types or plate.
The printing plates, stamps, and the like, thus obtained also have an important
advantage over those composed of glue and glycerine, in possessing a superior and
extraordinary resistance, enabling sharp-lined copies even of the most delicate lines
to he printed and further they only begin to become soft at a temperature of
70° Réaumur, while those made of animal glue and glycerine are subject to rapid
wear and
tear and begin to decompose even at the moderate temperature of
22° Réaumur.
The wear and tear of the self inking printing plate is so trifling that a large number
of prints can be obtained before a renewal of the plate becomes necessary. The
composition, moreover, is so cheap and the mode of preparing or casting the printing
plates so simple and easy that a more frequent renewal of the printing plate can be
effected, without materially impairing the considerable advantages offered by the
improved self colouring printing plates described.
DL: 19:1. L.... 1000
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Self Inking or Colouring Printing Surfaces.
A communication to me from abroad by JOHN WILLIAM CHARLES COVEN SCHIRM,
of Breslau, in the Empire of Germany, Professor.
I, EDMUND EDWARDS, of the firm of Edwards and Co., Patent Agents and
Engineers, of 35, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex

page_text: do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, that is to say:-
This invention relates to a new and improved method of preparing self inking or
colouring printing surfaces, which obviate the necessity of inking cushions, pads, and
rollers, to ink the types before printing, as has heretofore been indispensable in
the use of printing plates, woodcuts, types, metal engravings, rubber stamps and
the like.
Printing by the use of the new and improved self colouring printing plates, is
considerably simplified as no further contact has to be made between the plate and an
inking device.
This new mode of preparing self colouring printing plates consists in forming the
type or printing plate of a composition consisting essentially of what is commercially
known as vegetable gelatine (Agar-Agar) and glycerine, to this composition being
added a colouring substance which readily yields up its colour. This composition in
a state of concentrated solution, is cast in a suitable matrix prepared from an original
type, type plate, engraving or the like, in the manner well known in the printing art.
After the composition has set, the printing plate is taken out of the matrix or form
ready for use, it only needs to be fixed on the face of a wood or metal plate, or roller,
or a hand stamp or the like, and on applying a moderate pressure, the composition
will yield up the colour contained in it and a print will be obtained without the use
of any inking device. The printing plate is used exactly in the same manner as other
printing plates, hitherto known and used, the sole difference being, that no ink is
required to be applied to the types or plate.
The printing plates, stamps, and the like, thus obtained also offer a conspicuous
advantage over those composed of glue and glycerine, in possessing a superior and
extraordinary resistance, enabling sharp-lined copies even of the most delicate lines.
to be prirted by their use, and further they only begin to become soft at a temperature
of 70° Réaumur, while those made of animal glue and glycerine are subject to
rapid wear and tear and begin to decompose even at the moderate temperature of
22° Réaumur.
The wear and tear of the self inking printing plate is so trifling that a large number
of prints may be obtained before a renewal of the plate will become necessary. The
composition, besides, is so cheap and the mode of preparing or casting the printing
plate so simple and easy to perform, that a more frequent renewal of the printing-
plate can be made without materially impairing the considerable advantages offered
by this new and improved self-inking or colouring printing surface.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what 1
claim, is:-
A new and improved method of forming self inking or colouring printing surface
by the use of a composition essentially consisting of vegetable gelatine (Agar-Agar)
and glycerine, to which composition a colouring substance is added which readily
yields up its colour, such composition being cast into a matrix prepared in the ordinary
way from the original type-plate or the like, the printing plate thus obtained being
ready for use after the mass has set and yielding up its colour on applying a moderate
pressure, substantially as described.
Dated this 13th day of April 1889
EDWARDS & Co.,
Agents for the Inventor.