AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR RULING PAPER AND OTHER LIKE SHEETS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred John Parker, of Broadweir, in the City of Bristol,
Printer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR RULING PAPER
AND OTHER LIKE SHEETS."
Sealed the 5th December 1876, and dated the 16th June 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred John Parker at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th June 1876.
ALFRED JOHN PARKER, of Broadweir, in the City of Bristol, Printer.
IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR RULING PAPER AND OTHER LIKE SHEETS."
" AN
This Invention relates to an improved apparatus for ruling paper and other
like sheets, and consists in mounting upon a bed or foundation, which may be
hollow and contain drawers for holding the necessary articles, such as pens, paper,
supply of ink, or the like, a frame capable of a rising motion in a circular direction
by hand. The frame has on each of its sides a rib or fillet, on which a carriage
can be run to and fro; this carriage has a fall flap, in which the ruling pens aro
arranged and pinched by thumb-screws at the respective distance apart for marking
the paper over which they are moved. At one end of the bed is an ink reservoir,
in which extra pans for various coloured inks can be inserted, so that the pens may
dip into the respective colours as desired, the dip being governed by a rod on the
fall flap running down an incline when it arrives at that end in what may be
termed the back travel of the carriage the pens rising out of the reservoir. On
the return or forward travel the roller on the bar rides up the incline. I provide
a strip of wash leather between the reservoir and the paper to be ruled, on which
the pens touch to clean their points and to ensure a flow of the ink on to the paper,
which is held in position in sheets superposed that as each one is ruled it can be
released by the lift of the frame directly the pens have cleared it, the pen carriage
being then returned while the movable frame is in an elevated position. As the
carriage, which is pushed or drawn back, is reaching the end of its travel in that
direction the frame is lowered to pinch the paper and to permit of the dip of the
pens into the reservoir or reservoirs, the frame being thus brought into position
for the pens to come into contact and rule the paper when the frame is pushed or
drawn in the forward or reverse direction.
The fall-flap penholder can be interchangeable to facilitate the fitting of the pens
for special rulings.

page_text: The paper is held at the edge nearest the reservoir by grippers, which are capable
of rising with the lift of the frame to release the top sheet.
The gripper frame acts as a head gauge and the side frame as a side gauge, the
two being at right angles to keep the paper square.
Instead of the pens taking their dip from the reservoir they may be fed from
above; in that case the reservoir is dispensed with.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alfred John Parker in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th
December 1876.
ALFRED JOHN PARKER, of Broadweir, in the City of Bristol, Printer.
IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR RULING PAPER AND OTHER LIKE SHEETS."
<< AN
This Invention relates to an improved apparatus for ruling paper and other like
sheets, and consists in mounting upon a bed or foundation, which may be hollow
and contain drawers for holding the necessary articles, such as pens, paper, supply
of ink or the like, a frame capable of a rising motion in a circular direction by hand.
The frame has on each of its sides a rib or fillet, on which a carriage can be run to
and fro; this carriage has a fall flap, in which the ruling pens are arranged and
pinched by thumb-screws or secured by spring wedges affixed to the pens at the
respective distance apart for marking the paper over which they are moved. At
one end of the bed is an ink reservoir, in which extra pans for various coloured inks
can be inserted, so that the pens may dip into the respective colours as desired, the
dip being governed by a roller or rod on the fall flap running down an incline
when it arrives at that end in what may be termed the back travel of the carriage
the pens rising out of the reservoir. On the return or forward travel the roller on
the bar rides up the incline. I provide a strip of washleather between the reservoir
and the paper to be ruled, on which the pens touch to clean their points and to
ensure a flow of the ink on to the paper, which is held in position in sheets super-
posed that as each one is ruled it can be released by the lift of the frame directly
the pens have cleared it, the pen carriage being then returned while the moveable
frame is in an elevated position. As the carriage which is pushed or drawn back
is reaching the end of its travel in that direction the frame is lowered to pinch the
paper and to permit of the dip of the pens into the reservoir or reservoirs, the frame
being thus brought into position for the pens to come into contact and rule the
paper when the frame is pushed or drawn in the forward or reversed direction.
The fall-flap penholder can be interchangable to facilitate the fitting of the pens
for special rulings.
The paper is held at the edge nearest the front gauge by grippers, which are
capable of rising with the lift of the frame to release the top sheet.
The gripper frame acts as a head gauge and the side frame as a side gauge, the
two being at right angles to keep the paper square.
Instead of the pens taking their dip from the reservoir they may be fed from
above; in that case the reservoir is dispensed.
My Invention is clearly represented in the annexed Drawings.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a ruling apparatus of a portable form suitable
for jobbing printers, stationers, and others; the apparatus may, however, be made
of any size to take sheets of paper of. large dimensions.
A is the foundation or bed above the top, at the sides lengthwise of which are
lift strips B, B, to carry a sliding frame C, which can be moved along from end to
end by hand upon the side strips. The rise and also the fall of the strips B, B, is
governed by an end piece or flap D hinged to the bed A and having the side strips
pinned loosely to it at one end of the apparatus, and similarly pinned to another
Hap E hinged at the other end of the bed, so that the two side strips move in a
parallel manner in a circular direction by the lift and fall of the end flaps. Upon

page_text: the bed A 19 a slab F, upon which the paper in sheets to be ruled is laid, a ledge G
at one end serving, in conjunction with a side ledge, as gauges for preserving the
evenness of the superposed sheets after they are laid upon the slab. The side gauge
is adjustable by thumb-screws a, a, to permit of different sizes of sheets of paper to
be placed in and also to regulate the distance the first ruled lines shall be from the
edge. The sliding frame C, which moves upon the side strips B, B, is of skeleton
form, and has hinged to a hollowed part of it a holder H for carrying a series of
ruling pens b, b, two of which are shown at Figure 2, upon a back strip J, which
can be laid upon the front edge of the holder H and be held there by a spring or in
other convenient manner. The pens thus fitted can be at any distance apart either
as single pens or as double or treble pens for ruling two or three lines close together,
as is required for some rulings. If the lines of the rulings have to be of the same
width or to fixed distances, I purpose soldering or otherwise attaching a series of
pens b, b, upon a back strip J, as in Figure 3, in order that they may all be fitted in
the holder H at one time, or the pens may be held in position by a top plate c and
thumb-screws, as in Figure 1. The bottom edge of the holder at one side rides
upon a fillet or rib K attached to one of the side strips B, and an adjustable cam
piece L, shown separately in Figure 4, causes the holder and the pens to rise at a
given spot to clear the paper, and thus regulate the length of the lines should it be
necessary to stop them short of the length or width of the paper, as is sometimes
required. In other cases the pens would be lifted by the cam when they arrive at
the bottom edge of the paper. The paper when placed upon the slab has its front
or top edge pressed upon by spring grippers or stud pins d to hold the superposed
layer tight and more particularly the top sheet to prevent it moving should any
undue pressure be put upon it by the pens which might drag the sheet along, which
must of course be avoided. These grippers are upon the head gauge G, and are
adjustable in order to escape any portion of the paper over which the pens have to
move. Between the head gauge and the hinged flap D at that end is a single or a
double pan M as reservoirs for different coloured inks as desired, into which the
pens dip when they arrive at that end and become charged for the next ruling.
Near the same end of the bed at one side is a curved arm N, against which a bowl
or roller e on the end of a projecting arm P on the holder H comes into contact and
becomes pressed down, the roller running under the curved end which depresses the
pens into the reservoir or reservoirs. The pens rise out of the colour on the return
travel of the sliding frame by the action of a spring f fitted for the purpose. The
lift of the pens just clears the top of the pan, and as the holder moves back the
tips of the pens ride upon a strip of washleather g on the head gauge to be cleaned
and to ensure the flow of ink or colour from each and all of them for the proper
marking or ruling of the paper. Q, Q, are drawers in which a supply of pens and
bottles of colour and other requisites can be kept. In action, supposing the paper
to be placed upon the slab and the pens properly adjusted, an attendant slides the
holder and its frame to the reservoir end of the apparatus; he then with one, say
his right, hand draws or slides the holder and frame back upon the side strips to
bring the tips or points of the pens clear of the reservoir and over the washleather.
He then with, say, his left hand pushes the hinged flap down, which lowers the
side strips with the holder and frame upon it to bring the tips of the pens 6 into
contact with the leather g. He then draws the holder frame to the back or other
end of the apparatus, and the pens mark or rule the lines upon the paper as they
travel over it. The attendant then pulls up the hinged flap to raise the side strips
and with them the pens above the level of the paper, while with his left hand he
removes the top or ruled slicet of paper to enable a repeat of the operation to be
effected again and again, according to the number of sheets which have to be ruled.
h, h, are holes in the holder to receive other colour or ink reservoirs which can be
used instead of the end reservoirs or in conjunction when, say, more than two inks
or colours have to be used at the same time. These reservoirs R are little cups with
top flanges i, i, as in Figure 5, to rest upon the tops of the holes, and I charge the
ruling pens by spongy cords or woollen threads j,j, one end of each of which dips in

page_text: the reservoir, the other end being led into the groove of the pen to feed the tip
which marks the paper by capillary attraction, or the pen cords may receive their
supply from a piece of flannel laid across them, the flannel being furnished with ink
or colour from other cords.
Figure 6 is a view (perspective) of one of my paper ruling apparatus with the
sliding frame and penholders in the back position, the side strips and hinged flaps
being up to maintain the pens above the level of the paper; and Figure 7 is a
similar view of the same apparatus with the flaps and side strips down, and the
the
to mark the lines thereon.
pens travelling over and upon paper
In these views all the pens are supplied with ink or colour by cords j, j, from
reservoirs in the holder, the end reservoir or pan M being dispensed with. In order
that the pens may bear upon the paper the attendant presses the holder to put the
pens into contact.
Figures 8 and 9 are views of a single and a double ruling pen respectively with
springs at their backs to enable them to be fitted into or on to the edge of the
falling flap of the holder, as before referred to.
Instead of pens and ink or colour being used the markings may be effected by
pencils or metallic points, such as lead for parchment and other like material.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that I claim―
_ Firstly: The apparatus, the parts being combined as shown in Figure 1 of the
annexed Drawings, in or by which paper in sheets can be ruled or marked with
lines, as described.
Secondly. The apparatus shown in Figures 5 and 6, and its application for ruling
or marking paper or other substances in sheets with lines, as set forth.
Thirdly. I claim fitting or arranging a sliding frame upon rising and falling side
strips when such are used in combination in the manner described in apparatus
employed for ruling or marking lines upon paper or similar substances with or by
pens or other marking appliances.
Fourthly. I claim the employment of ruling pens, as described, in paper-ruling
apparatus when such pens are fed or charged with ink by spongy cords or woollen
threads.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred John Parker, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of December, One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-six.
ALFRED JOHN PARKER. (LS.)