Method of Producing the same.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Jan.. 1888
Complete Left, 15th Feb., 1888
Complete Accepted, 23rd Mar., 1888
Method of Producing the same.
A communication from abroad by GEORGE C. SETCHELL, of Norwich, Connecticut,
United States of America, Manufacturer.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both in
the County of Lancaster, and 323, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
The impression die consists essentially of a rectangular block of preferably fusible
metal, having located therein and projecting therefrom punches of hard metal. The
impression faces are in the same plane and extend through the said block preferably
flush with its rear-face. The projecting portions of the punches conform in shape,
size, and relative position to the centres and outline of the desired letter.
:
The method of producing the impression dies consists briefly in first cutting and
outlining a type block to form a die holder, second of forcing into the cut-away,
portions of said block, hard metal punches conforming in size and shape to the said
cut away portion, third of pouring molten metal around the shanks of the said
punches, fourth of removing the said die holder.
Dated this 2nd day of January 1888
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Method of Producing the same.
A communication from abroad by GEORGE CASE SETCHELL, of Norwich, New London,
County and State of Connecticut, U.S.A., Manufacturer.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S. M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and G, Bank Street, Manchester, both in
the County of Lancaster and 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, 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:-
The said invention is in that class of dies used for impressing desired figures in or
on the surface of such semi-solid substances as wool, papier-maché, compressed
leather &c., and is especially useful in the production of wood printing types. Said
invention will therefore be described as applied to such use.
Solid steel, hand-cut dies have been tried heretofore for this particular purpose, with
a moderate degree of success but, when the endless variety of styles demanded by the
market is considered, the enormous expense to be met has prevented such dies from
coming into practical use for the purpose named. The object in this present invention
is to provide a die which shall embody the strength and sharpness of outline of solid
steel dies, but which may be quickly produced without the use of skilled labor
required in the production of such hand cut dies.
Two sheets of drawings are annexed hereto in order to illustrate the invention more
clearly, in which figure 1 is a perspective view of a complete die of the new con-
struction and figure 2 a-detached view of the steel center section which forms an
important feature of said die.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal, sectional, view through the center of the die shown in
figure 1, and figure 4 is a cross section on line -- of the same figure. In
figure 5 is shown a variety of untrimmed types together with the respective steel
centers necessary to produce such forms.
Figure 6 is a perspective view of one of the die, holders (hereinafter described),
having placed in position thereon the steel ribs and center punch which are to form
the raised operative portions of the complete die. Said figure 6 is intended to explain
the method of securing said steel portions when about to pour in the metal for the
supporting block. Figure 7 shows the same placed within a flask or mold and ready
for the molten metal.
Figure represents a finished type and figure 9 illustrates a simple machine for
using dies of the new form to produce type blanks.
Said die may be briefly described as a block of type metal, or similar alloy, having

page_text: set therein steel punches conforming in size, shape, and relative positions to the form
of type which it is desired to make.
It has not, as a rule, been found practicable to press back or "upset" the entire
surface of a block at a single operation, to leave the complete raised letter, but it has
been found that it is practicable to both outline the letter by die portions of general
rib form, and to impress the centers and those acute angular portions which, heretofore,
have been trimmed by hand after the greater part of the letter has been cut on so
called pantograph machines employed for the purpose. In the production of this new
form of die, such pantograph machines have been called into use and, with their help
a simple plan has been perfected which will be described in detail, and by means of
which metallic impression dies are capable of being produced identical in outline with
the patterns from which they are made. Blocks of type wood, after having received
an impression from such a die, may then be placed in the pantograph machine and the
surplus stock around the letter quickly routed off, leaving a perfect type with sharp,
clean edges, angles and curves requiring no hand finishing.
Referring now to the drawings, it will be noted that a die for producing a gothic
letter A to explain said invention has been made use of. The reference letter a indi-
cates a steel plate having one edge shaped to conform to that portion of the letter
which is to be recessed or pressed back from the printing face of the type. These
plates a vary in shape according to the letter to be made, several different forms being
shown in figure 5, and are of such height that they project above the face of the sur-
rounding block of type metal ba sixteenth of an inch or thereabouts. That portion of
plate a which is enclosed and embraced by the surrounding metal is preferably
drilled or cut away as at c so that said metal may enter and assist in retaining the
plate in proper position. dd represent strips of thin sheet metal, corresponding in
height with plates a and shaped to conform to the outline of the letter.
When about to make a die for any particular letter, as for instance the A here
shown, a block of type wood is placed in a pantograph machine and a very small
cutter run around the outline and central portions of said letter. These outlined
blocks (which have been hereinafter termed die-holders) are substantially like the
untrimmed type-blanks y in figure 5, when they leave the pantograph machine.
Within the narrow channel which marks the outline of the letter, the strips of sheet
steel d are entered, and within the recessed central portion, plate a is placed. These
steel portions are then pressed firmly down into the said die-holder (sec figure 6) and
the device thus formed is enclosed by walls e, which are securely clamped about it to
form a mold to receive the molten metal.
After pouring and cooling the type metal, the walls e are removed and the die-
holder pulled off from the face of the metal block, leaving the complete die with steel
portions projecting as in figure 1.
It will now be obvious that if the die thus formed is pressed into a block of wood
the imprint made by the projecting portions will be identical with the impressions in
the die-holder used to support the steel portions in the mold, as above described. The
blocks thus impressed (which have been termed type blanks) may then be placed in
the same machine which cut the original die-holder and the surplus stock quickly
trimmed off, leaving the type as in figure 8, ready for printing.
The letter A is a good example of the perfection which may be reached by the new
method, as it shows a very acute angle and several approximately square corners in
the depressed center which have heretofore always been trimmed out by hand, so far as
my correspondent is familiar with the art of Wood Type making but, with the new
form of impression dies such angles are as easily made as circles, right lines or open
angles.
Referring to the sectional figures 3 and 4, it will be noted that the steel portions
which are to perform the punching or impressing, extend through the block of type
metal b so that they may find a solid backing in the press instead of depending
entirely on the surrounding type metal for support. Said type metal is only intended
as a cheap means for retaining the steel portions in their proper positions and for
holding them in the press or machine in which they are used.

page_text: In order to establish a system which will dispense with the separate adjustment of
the several dies of a font which, otherwise, would vary in width, it is preferable to
make the mictal blocks of all the dies of a font of the width of the W or widest letter.
The punches and ribs are then located relative to one edge of the block, and occupy
inore or less of the face of said block, according to the letter. When any die so
formed is placed in the press and a piece of type wood is also placed against a suitable
strip or gage on the bed of the press (as in figure 9), said wood and die register,
perfectly without further adjustment.
The several essential steps necessary to the successful production of a die of the new
construction may be summed up as follows:-
First A desired type is outlined, on ordinary type-wood in a type cutting machine,
and the center trimmed out.
:-
Second Thin ribs bent to proper shape are adjusted in the outline channels, and
steel punches fitted into the central depressions.
Third The device thus formed is placed in a mold and molten metal poured in to
support and retain the steel portions.
Fourth-The wooden die-holder is removed from the die.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention,
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. An impression die, consisting of a rectangular block of fusible metal having.
located therein and projecting therefrom punches of hard metal (whose impression
faces are in the same plane) and extending. through said block flush with its rear face;
the projecting portions of said punches conforming in shape, size and relative positions
to the centers and outline of the desired letter; all being combined substantially as and
for the purpose specified.
2.The within described method of producing impression dies of the class referred
to, consisting of first, cutting and outlining a type block to form a die-holder as
described, second of forcing into the cut-away portions of said block hard metal
punches conforming in size and shape to said cut-away portions, third of pouring
molten metal around the shanks of said punches and, fourth of removing the said
die-holder.