IMPROVEMENTS IN STEREOTYPING
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Pearce, of 58, Riversdale Road, Highbury New
Park, Islington, in the County of Middlesex, Stereotyper, and Edward Hughes,
of 3, Anstey Road, Cambria Road, Camberwell, in the County of Surrey,
Printer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEREOTYPING."
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Pearce and Edward
Hughes at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th February
1880.
GEORGE PEARCE, of 58, Riversdale Road, Highbury New Park, Islington, in the
County of Middlesex, Stereotyper, and EDWARD HUGHES, of 3, Anstey Road,
Cambria Road, Camberwell, in the County of Surrey, Printer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
STEREOTYPING."
This Invention has for its object improvements in stereotyping.
In the process of stereotyping now commonly in use a mould in paper is obtained
from the face of the type set up in form, and from this mould the stereotype
plate is cast. In producing the mould several sheets of moist paper previously
prepared with suitable cementing material are laid upon the type, and care is
taken to cause the paper to conform accurately to the face of the type. The typo
is then placed on a hot metal plate by which it is somewhat highly heated; the
heat causes the evaporation of the moisture from the paper mould which is not
removed from the type until it is thoroughly dry. Now this heating process is
very injurious to the type, so that the type becomes unfit for use and has to be
melted when it has been used only for a few times in the stereotyping operation.
Now according to our Invention we do not place the type upon the hot plate, but
we remove the paper mould from the face of the type whilst the mould is in the
moist state. We lay upon the hot plate an even layer of fine sand, and upon
this a sheet of tissue paper. The moist mould as it is taken off the type is placed
face downwards upon the tissue paper, and over the mould several thicknesses of
blanket are laid. Weights are placed upon the blanket to keep the mould from
changing its form during the drying process, or, by preference, the blanket is
strained upon a wooden frame, and this is brought down over the mould when it
is upon the sand bed, and so the blanket is caused to press sufficiently firmly upon
the mould. The mould is kept upon the sand until it is thoroughly dry, and it
is afterwards made ready for casting in the usual manner. Other pulverulent
matter may be used in place of sand, but sand has been found to succeed well.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Pearce and Edward Hughes in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 27th August 1880.
GEORGE PEARCE, of 58, Riversdale Road, Highbury New Park, Islington, in the
County of Middlesex, Stereotyper, and EDWARD HUGHES, of 3, Anstey Road,
Cambria Road, Camberwell, in the County of Surrey, Printer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
STEREOTYPING."
This Invention has for its object improvements in stereotyping.
In the process of stereotyping now commonly in use a mould in paper is obtained
from the face of the typo set up in form, and from this mould the stereotype plate
is cast. In producing the mould several sheets of moist paper previously prepared
with suitable cementing material are laid upon the type, and care is taken to cause
the paper to conform accurately to the face of the type. The type is then placed
on a hot metal plate by which it is somewhat highly heated; the heat causes the
evaporation of the moisture from the paper mould which is not removed from the
type until it is thoroughly dry. Now this heating process is very injurious to the
type, so that the type becomes unfit for use and has to be melted when it has
been used only for a few times in the stereotyping operation. Now according to
our Invention we do not placo the type upon the hot plate, but we remove the
paper mould from the face of the type whilst the mould is in the moist state.
lay upon the hot plate an oven layer of fine sand. The moist mould as it is takon
off the type is placed upon the sand, face upwards, and over the mould about ten
thicknesses of flannel and a perforated plate or other suitable weight is placed upon
the blanket to keep the mould from changing its form during the drying process.
The mould is kept upon the sand until it is thoroughly dry, and it is afterwards
made ready for casting in the usual manner. Other pulverulent matter may be
used in place of sand, but sand has been found to succeed well.
Wo
In practically carrying out our Invention we use a cast iron bed or bath about
1/4 inch thick, heated on its under side by rows of small gas jets placed at such a
distanco apart as to give an approximately uniform heat to the bed; in practice we
have the rows of burners about six inches apart. Upon the top of the bed is
placed a layer of fine sand to the depth of about 1/4 of an inch or more.
Before placing the paper mould upon the bed we level the surfaco of the sand
by passing a straight edge to and fro over it. The sand should be heated only
to such an extent that the several layers of paper, of which the paper mould is
composed, shall not tend to separate from one another.
In practice we heat the sand to about 212° Fahrenheit. After the paper mould
has been prepared upon the type surface we strip it from the type, commencing at
one end, and by that end drawing it off from the type. We then place the paper
mould, face uppermost, on to the sand, and above the mould place about ten
thicknesses of blanket, and on the top of the blanket a perforated plate of metal.
The perforations allow of the escape of steam. In about a minute and a half the
paper mould will be dried and ready for use.
In place of the paper mould being placed face uppermost on to the sand as
above described, it might be placed face downwards on to it, a layer of tissue paper
being in this case interposed between the sand and the face of the paper mould,
we however prefer to place the mould face uppermost on the sand, as above
described.

page_text: Having thus described the nature of our Invention and the manner of performing
the same, we would have it understood that we claim the process, substantially as
herein before described, for drying paper moulds used for stereotyping.
In witness whereof, we, the said George Pearce and Edward Hughes, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-sixth day of August, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
DE DAR