Improved Apparatus for Producing Lines or Bands of Paint, Ink, or Distemper.
Year: 1886

page_text: Improved Apparatus for Producing Lines or Bands of Paint, Ink,
or Distemper.
We THOMAS HEIGHWAY, of 19, John Dalton Street, Manchester, in the county
of Lancaster, Painter and Decorator and JAMES SMITHIES, of 160 Oldham Road,
Tonge, Middleton, in the county of Lancaster, Decorative Artist, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our improvements consist of arranging movable templates connected by means
of adjustable arms or levers after the manner of parallel rules; thus obtaining at
will any required width of line or band; and dispensing with the necessity of the.
portions of the stencil plate usually left in at intervals to hold the sides together.
The templates are made of sheet copper, zinc, vulcanite, or other suitable
material, or a light framework with paper or other thin material secured thereto
by suitable means.
These said templates open or close parallel to each other by means of the aforesaid
arms or levers, and when adjusted to the required width, are secured by screws or
other simple mechanical appliance. The space thus formed between the templates
makes a long unbroken stencil, and in order to obtain the greatest possible length
the aforesaid arms or levers are so shaped as to remain near the ends at whatever
width the templates are opened. The stencilling is done by the ordinary method,
or by rollers adapted for the purpose.
When more than one line is required, three or more templates on similar
principles can be used, by which two or more lines of equal or unequal widths can
be stencilled at one setting.
The framework can also be utilized for fixing ordinary stencils thereto, and thus
holding the same in lieu of pins.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Producing Lines or Bands of Paint, Ink,
or Distemper.
We, THOMAS HEIGHWAY, of 19 John Dalton Street, Manchester, in the county
of Lancaster, Painter and Decorator, and JAMES SMITHIES, of 160 Oldham Road,
Tonge, Middleton, near Manchester, in the county of Lancaster, Decorative Artist,
do hereby declare the nature of our invention for PRODUCING LINES OR BANDS Or
PAINT, INK, OR DISTEMPER, and in what, manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of our invention is to obtain a long uninterrupted stencil which can
be readily adjusted to produce a line or band of any required width not exceeding
the maximum width attainable by the apparatus. The ordinary methods of
producing lines or bands are (1) by means of straight edge and fitch or "pencil"
(2) by means of a cut paper stencil and a stencil tool. The disadvantages of these
methods are to the (1) when the line or band exceeds half an inch in width it
requires each edge to be cut in separately and then filling in between afterwards,
which entails loss, both of time and uniformity of tint. (2) a cut paper stencil
requires to be either very short or to have pieces of the paper, called "ties" to be
left in to hold it 'together, in which case either only a little can be done at once in
the first instance, or blank spaces are left in the second instance which require
going over again; both cases presenting the same features of loss of time and loss
of uniformity of tint.
The improvements in our Invention consist of affixing light frames to straight
paper templates, and connecting the said frames together by means of arms or
levers after the manner of a parallel rule, but differing from the same by the arms
or levers being semicircular'on plan, for a purpose hereinafter mentioned.
These templates can be readily secured at any required distance from each other
not exceeding the maximum width of their opening by means of thumbscrews
applied 'to the arms or levers and working on the pins or screws which act as
hinges for the said arms or levers.
It will thus be seen that a long stencil is formed, unbroken by any ties or spaces
whatever and the stencil thus formed, being rigid, is more easily applied than by
the ordinary method, and is also much cleaner, having no cross pieces of paper to
hold it at each end, which, by the usual method are necessary to hold the sides
together; and often cause the work to smear.
The advantage of this our Invention is greatest when used for lines or bands
exceeding half an inch in width, as both a great saving of time and a more uniform
effect is obtained. In producing lines or bands with this apparatus on distemper
grounds the difficulty usually experienced by the suction of the ground is obviated
and the color can be put on thicker than usual, thus obtaining a more even tint.
The apparatus is shewn in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing; which shews
it set for an average width of line; Fig. 2 representing it open to its maximum
width. It consists of two, straight paper templates A A. (Fig. 1) affixed with glue

page_text: or other ordinary adhesive material to light wooden frames or laths B B which are
placed parallel to each other and connected by the equal semicircular arms or
levers C. C hinged at F and D. This connection, being on the principle of the
parallel rule, it follows that the templates remain parallel to each other at what-
ever distance they are opened, and, when so opened, may be secured by the two
thumbscrews D. D. working on the pins E (see enlargement in Fig. 3) which are
formed with ordinary wood-screw heads and with fine threads.
The other ends of arms or levers are hinged on pins F. F. formed also with
ordinary wood-screwheads and the other ends riveted see Fig. 3. These four
pins E E F F are held secure and rigid by clamps G (Fig. 3) formed of wire with
the ends turned down and driven in with the grain of the wood so as to lie in the
groove in the screw head as shewn in Fig. 4; this being to prevent the pins
turning and wearing away the timber.
The arms or levers and thumbscrews are of brass; and the four pin hinges
previously described in detail are iron.
The method of affixing the paper templates is shewn in Fig. 5. The paper
which is ordinary stencil paper is previously brushed over with raw linseed oil, or
so-called "patent knotting" and allowed to dry; in the usual manner of treating
stencils, so as to prevent the softening of the paper when used as a stencil.
A piece of paper rather larger than the apparatus is taken and cut in halves
lengthwise with a sharp knife and straight edge on glass, and the cut edges are
placed together and the paper is pinned down on a board or table with the pins P
(see Fig. 5). The connected framework (b) is now to be opened just wide enough
to allow a small margin (c) of say about half an inch on each template when fixed
and the thumbscrews are screwed down. The back of the frames are now coated
with glue or other ordinary adhesive material and planted on to the paper, placed
as beforesaid; so that the adjoining cut edges are between the frames; and, when
dry, the paper as indicated by the dotted lines is cut away. It is not necessary
that the line formed by the cut edges should be exactly parallel to the long edges
of the framework, as they will still open uniformly even if such be not the case.
It will be seen on reference to Fig. 5 that the ends of the frames and templates,
unlike parallel rules, are not flush when the apparatus is closed. The reason for
this will be seen in Fig. 2, where the apparatus is open to its fullest extent, in
which case there is a certain loss of available length caused by the circular motion
of the opening frame. To reduce this loss the frames are so put together that they
shall be flush when open at half their full extent, as shewn in Fig. 1,
The reason for the arms being semicircular on plan is also seen in Fig. 1 where
the dotted lines joining the ends of the arms cut off the length of line which would
be lost at each end if the arms were straight as in the ordinary parallel rule,
To work with the apparatus a chalk line is struck as usual, denoting one edge of
the required line. Only one edge need be struck. The templates being open to
the required width are secured by the thumbscrews, and being placed with the
one edge of one template on the struck line, are ready for the stencilling which is
done in the ordinary way and with the ordinary tools.
To clean the apparatus the screws are taken off; when the paper becomes easily
accessible.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is
(1.) The application of the principle of the ordinary parallel rule for the pro-
duction of adjustable stencils for straight lines or bands.
(2.) The use of semicircular arms or levers to connect the adjustable templates so
as to give a greater available length of stencil than by the use of straight arms
or levers.
(3.) The use of a thumbscrew or thumbscrews to secure the adjustable templates
in position when set to the right width.

page_text: (4.) The placing the templates so that the ends shall be flush when the apparatus
is opened to an average width 80 as to save loss of available length when the
apparatus is opened more than half way.
(5.) The use for hinges in this apparatus of pins with ordinary circular wood-
screw heads, with the usual groove in the same.
(6.) The securing of the said pins by means of wire clamps affixed in the timber
so as to lie in the grooves of the screw heads.
Dated this and dow of November 1886
THOMAS HEIGHWAY.
JAMES SMITHIES.