Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for Copying Documents, Drawings, and the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by NOEL PONSOLLE, of 19, Rue Cambon, Paris, France,
Manufacturer.]
Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for Copying Documents,
Drawings, and the like.
I, WILLIAM GEORGE HEYS, of 70, Market Street, Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
This invention relates to copying apparatus of that type in which a sheet of
damp gelatine or similar substance is used to effect the printing or multiplication
of the documents or the like. One of its chief objects is to provide means for keep-
ing the gelatine constantly and uniformly damp.
The improved apparatus is provided with a tank or cistern to contain water.
Fitted within the upper part of the cistern so as to be in contact with the water
underneath, is a slab of porous stone, composition, or other suitable material which
absorbs the water constantly and becomes soaked, the supply of water being main-
tained in the cistern in any suitable manner. A suitable stone or composition
which may be employed consists of a mixture of 90 parts of plaster of Paris, 3 parts
of sulphate of baryta, 5 parts of sodium chloride, and 2 parts of silicate of alumina.
The porous slab and the tank with which it is combined is mounted upon a suitable
framework within the apparatus, and is capable of having a limited vertical motion
imparted to it, as for example, by means of cams mounted upon rods extending
across the apparatus below the movable frame, these rods having angular motion
imparted to them in any convenient manner.
For
Surrounding the porous stone or slab and attached to the apparatus in any suit-
able manner is a frame for carrying the sheet of gelatine which extends across the
stone. This latter may be forced up against the gelatine to any desired extent and
give any required degree of tension. The sheet of gelatine may be secured in its
carrying frame in any suitable way and by means of any suitable devices.
example, its edges may fit within grooves or recesses in the frame and be held by
bars or rods secured in place by screws, or the edges of the sheet may be thickened
or beaded and provided with their own retaining devices. The frame is so attached
to the apparatus as to be capable of easy removal.
Convenient marks, guides, or indicators may be combined with the gelatine
holding frame or other convenient part of the apparatus to facilitate the printing
and to ensure it being in the proper position. Such a guide may consist of a
movable rod or ribbon capable of being moved to and secured in any desired
position.
Dat Th
141f March A TY 1802

page_text: Improvements in and relating to pparatus for Copying Documents
Drawings, and the like.
I, WILLIAM GEORGE HEYS, of 70, Market Street, Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to copying apparatus of that type in which a sheet of
damp gelatine or similar substances such as gelatinised parchment, paper, or tissue,
is used to effect the printing or multiplication of the documents or the like. One
of the chief objects of the present improvements is to provide means for keep-
ing the gelatine constantly and uniformly damp.
I will describe these improvements, as "communicated to me by my foreign
correspondent, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which;--
Figure 1 represents a vertical transverse section of the improved apparatus:
Figure 2, a front elevation: and
Figure 3, a plan in which the cistern and damping stone are supposed to be
lifted away.
In each of the figures similar letters of reference are employed to denote similar
details of construction.
The devices for the constant humidification of the gelatine sheet film or tissue
(hereinafter called the gelatine sheet), consist primarily of an artificial porous
stone contained within a cistern.
It is preferred to compose the artificial stone or
table P by a mixture of the following materials and preferably in the proportions
indicated.
Plaster of Paris
Sulphate of baryta
Sodium chloride
Silicate of alumina
Water
-
90 parts
3 parts
5 parts
2 parts
a sufliciency
It
The stone or table may be cast upon plate glass or otherwise and is found to be
very porous and to present a perfect smooth and uniform impression surface.
may be provided with a flange or shoulder which, when the apparatus is in use,
The stone
can rest upon the upper edge of the cistern C, charged with water.
resting in contact with the water will, because of its capillarity, become saturated
with moisture which is thus fed or supplied to the gelatine sheet W, stretched upon
the upper surface of the stone, and maintains the necessary damp condition of the
sheet for the desired number of impressions.
The supply of water to the cistern may be made or renewed as may be required
by means of a funnel, the tube of which can enter the cistern at one corner where
the local part of the stone P may be broken away or absent for the purpose. The
water may of course, be supplied by other means.
means
all
The cistern C which contains the stone P is arranged upon a lower frame A, and
can have vertical movement imparted to it for the purpose of its adjustment by
of four
of
are operated by means
cam quadrants S which
a
screw R R at the end of
adjusting nut and
horizontal slide Tin
which there are two openings t t embracing two arms L L which are respectively
fixed upon the shafts ss upon which also the four cam quadrants are fixed, two
upon the opposite ends of each shaft. The greater the upward movement of the
cistern, the greater pressure it will exert upon the gelatine sheet and the reverse,

page_text: so that the tension of the sheet may quickly be adjusted by means of the nut and
serew R K. The cistern is supported upon the framing E.
Around the cistern there is a movable frame D the four walls of which are
externally provided with channels to receive the edges of the sheet of gelatine.
These edges can be held by means of the reglets d and binding screws d¹ or other-
wise. For instance, the edges of the gelatine sheet may be furnished with hems or
thickened parts which may be traversed or held by the binding screws d', and in
this case, the fastening of the gelatine sheets over the stone will be facilitated.
The frame D may easily be removed from the apparatus when desired. In use,
it is fixed so as to rest upon the base of the apparatus by means of four gudgeons G
or screwed pins, two of which are placed at each end of the frame. The screwed
parts of the gudgeons drop into corresponding slots or notches cut vertically in
When it is
the frame E, where they may be locked by means of the nuts g.
desired to open the apparatus, two of these nuts at opposite ends are loosened when
the remaining two act as hinges or pivots, and, when the cistern and frame A have
to be removed, all four of the nuts are loosened.
Convenient marks guides or indicators may be combined with the frame holding
the gelatine sheet or with other convenient part of the apparatus to facilitate the
printing and to ensure its being held in the proper position. Such a guide may
consist of a movable rod or flexible ribbon capable of being moved to and secured
in any desired position. The rod or ribbon may be fixed by a hinged slide at one
of its ends upon one of the sides of the frame and when used, it is folded over to
the opposite point where it can be engaged by a hook upon a screw by means of
which it can be tightened. The rod or ribbon may be provided with points
destined to engage with holes made for the purpose in the sheets to be printed.
This facilitates corrections after the first impression.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:
--
1. In copying apparatus of the type set forth, an artificial porous stone or table
contained in a cistern holding water in contact with the stone, the stone or table
constituting a support for the gelatine sheet and a means for keeping it constantly
moist, substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the accompany-
ing drawings.
2. In copying apparatus of the type set forth, devices for raising and lowering
the stone or table P and consisting of the adjusting screw and nut R, the slide T,
the arms L L, the shafts ss, and the cam quadrants S S, constructed and arranged
substantially as herein before described and as illustrated by the accompanying
drawings.
3. In copying apparatus of the type set forth, the hereinbefore described means
and appliances for securing the gelatine sheets in position and consisting of hems
or thickened edges on the gelatine sheets whereby they may be more readily secured
by reglets or otherwise, substantially as hereinbefore described.
4. In copying apparatus of the type set forth, a table P consisting of an artificial
porous stone, constructed substantially as herein before described.
5. In copying apparatus of the type set forth, the combination and arrangement
with the table P, its containing cistern and surrounding frame, of marks guides
or indicators, constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this 29th day of September A.D. 1898.
W. E. HEYS & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.