IMPROVE- MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR ENAMELLING MOULDED AND OTHER SURFACES
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields,
in the County of Middlesex, and of 166, Buchanan Street, in the City
of Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR ENAMELLING MOULDED AND OTHER SURFACES."-A
communication from abroad by Robert Marcher, of New York, in the
United States of America, Manufacturer of Prepared Mouldings and
Oval Frames.
Sealed the 28th February 1862, and dated the 29th October 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
29th October 1861.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, and of 166, Buchanan Street, in the City of Glasgow, North
Britain, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY POR ENAMELLING MOULDED AND OTHER SURFACES,"
a communication from abroad by Robert Marcher, of New York, in the
United States of America, Manufacturer of Prepared Mouldings and Oval
Frames, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a peculiar construction and arrangement of

page_text: machinery or apparatus for applying enamel to the surface of wood mouldings
in the process of preparing them for gilding, as well as for the purpose of
making an enamelled surface upon all materials capable of being treated in
this manner.
The essential features of this Invention consist in the employment of a
plate, the lower edge of which is formed or shaped the reverse of the
transverse form of the moulding to which it is applied, when such plate
is made self-adapting to the surface of the moulding whilst being traversed
longitudinally over it. Also in the employment of a hopper or other
suitable receptacle to contain the enamelling composition, having the lower
edges of the two end plates thereof formed or shaped the reverse of the
transverse form of the moulding to be enamelled, such moulding constituting
at the same time the bottom of the hopper or receptacle. The general con-
struction of the apparatus consists of a long bed or table for supporting and
guiding a carriage containing the hopper or composition receptacle, and for
holding by means of suitable "dogs" the strip of moulding or other article to
be enamelled, one of such "dogs" being adjustable for the purpose of enabling
different lengths of mouldings to be fitted into the machine. The hopper is
held inside the carriage by means of set screws, which admit of its being
raised, lowered, or adjusted laterally, as required. This hopper is open at the
top and bottom, and is provided at its. lower edge with internal flanges, which
project below the under edges of the moulding. Two adjustable plates are
fitted into the ends of the carriage of sufficient width to fit accurately therein,
but so as to slide up and down freely, and at the same time to fit close between
the ends of the hopper and the ends of the carriage. The lower edge of these
plates is of a form the reverse of the moulding to be coated or enamelled,
there being one set of such plates for each kind of moulding. In enamelling
or coating a long length of moulding by this apparatus, the hopper is filled or
partially filled with the necessary composition in a semi-fluid state, which is
prevented from running out at the bottom by the surface of the moulding,
which passes below the hopper and at the ends by the plates above referred to.
The carriage is now moved along the moulding, and as the surface of the
latter constitutes the bottom of the hopper, it follows that the composition will
coat in succession every part of the surface. As the carriage with all its
appendages is simply held down by gravity, and the lower edges of the plates
before mentioned simply rest on the surface of the moulding by gravity, and
as there is sufficient play left between the under surface of the moulding and
the internal flanges in the hopper, the whole is permitted to rise as the edge
of the front plate meets with the resistance presented by the adhesion of the

page_text: coating of enamel, and this it is that determines to a certain extent the thick-
ness of the coating left. The sole purpose of the ways on the bed or table is
to support or hold the apparatus when at rest, and when adjusting the parts,
and to relieve the edges of the moulding from the duty of guiding the carriage
longitudinally.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 29th April 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
and of 166, Buchanan Street, in the City of Glasgow, North Britain,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Henry Johnson, Her special license that I, the said John
Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, or assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR ENAMELLING MOULDED AND OTHER SURFACES,"
a communication from abroad by Robert Marcher, of New York, in the
United States of America, Manufacturer of Prepared Mouldings and Oval
Frames, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Henry
Johnson, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my band and seal, or under the hand and seal of one of them, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in
the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Henry Johnson, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following

page_text: statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
The said Invention relates to a peculiar construction and arrangement of
machinery or apparatus for applying enamel to the surface of wood mouldings
in the process of preparing them for gilding, as well as for the purpose of
making an enamelled surface upon all materials capable of being treated in
this manner.
The essential features of this Invention consist in the employment of a
plate, the lower edge of which is formed or shaped the reverse of the
transverse form of the moulding to which it is applied when such plate is
made self-adapting to the surface of the moulding whilst being trasversed
longitudinally over it. Also in the employment of a hopper or other suitable
receptacle to contain the enamelling composition, having the lower edges of
the two end plates thereof formed or shaped the reverse of the transverse form
of the moulding to be enamelled, such moulding constituting at the same time
the bottom of the hopper or receptacle. The general construction of the
apparatus consists of a long bed or table for supporting and guiding a carriage
containing the hopper or composition receptacle, and for holding by means of
suitable "dogs" the strip of moulding or other article to be enamelled, one of
such dogs being adjustable, for the purpose of enabling different lengths of
mouldings to be fitted with the machine. The hopper is held inside the
carriage by means of set screws, which admit of its being raised, lowered, or
adjusted laterally as required. The hopper is open at- the top and bottom,
and is provided at its lower edge with internal flanges which project below the
under edges of the moulding. Two adjustable plates are fitted into the ends
of the carriage, of sufficient width to fit accurately therein, but so as to slide
up and down freely, and at the same time to fit close between the ends of the
hopper and the ends of the carriage. The lower edge of these plates is of a
form the reverse of the moulding to be coated or enamelled, there being one
set of such plates to each kind of moulding. In enámelling or coating a long
length of moulding by this apparatus, the hopper is fitted or partially fitted
with the necessary composition in a semi-fluid state, which is prevented from
running out at the bottom by the surface of the moulding which passes below
the hopper, and at the ends by the plates above referred to. The carriage is
now moved along the moulding, and as the surface of the latter constitutes the
bottom of the hopper, it follows that the composition will coat in succession
every part of the surface, as the carriage with all its appendages is simply
held down by gravity, and the lower edges of the plates before mentioned
simply rest on the surface of the moulding by gravity, and as there is sufficient

page_text: play left between the under surface of the moulding and the internal flanges in
the hopper, the whole is permitted to rise on the edge of the front plate, meets
with the resistance presented by the adhesion of the coating of enamel, and
this it is that determines to a certain extent the thickness of the coating left.
The sole purpose of the ways on the bed or table is to support or hold the
apparatus when at rest, and when adjusting the parts, and to relieve the edges
of the moulding for the duty of guiding the carriage longitudinally.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose I shall
refer to the several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in both Figures.
Figure 1 of the Drawings represents a perspective view of the improved
apparatus; and Figure 2 is a transverse vertical section of the same.
A represents a table or bench of a length sufficient to receive the mouldings
or other articles to be enamelled, the said bench being provided with two
parallel ways (a, a,) the upper surface of one being formed with a groove (a')
to receive and guide a tongue (all) attached to the apparatus for laying the
composition. This apparatus, represented at B, consists of a carriage for
carrying the composition, such as is used for enamelling, having the top and
bottom open, and the two ends cut out to a sufficient extent to receive the
largest mouldings which may be required to be enamelled. The lower part
of the sides terminate in flanches (b, 6,) which rest on the ways (a, a,) one of
them having the guide piece (a") projecting from its under face. Within
this carriage there is a box or hopper (C) of nearly the same length as the
inside, but narrower, and with the top and bottom open. It can be raised or
lowered, and moved to one side or the other as may be required by means of
screws (c, c, c, c,) tapped into the sides of the carriage, the ends of which grip
the sides, so that by turning these screws the said box or hopper can be
liberated for adjustment, and then firmly held in position. The two sides of
this hopper are generally of unequal width, one being deeper than the other,
and there should be several of them to suit different sized mouldings. The
bottom edges of the two sides terminate in flanches (d) extending below the
moulding, one under the rebate, and the other under the inner edge of the
moulding, as represented. There are two plates D, D¹, of sufficient width to
fit in the ends of the carriage, so as to slide up and down freely, but yet
making a close fit between the ends of the box (C) and the ends of the
carriage (B). The lower edge of these plates is of a form the reverse of the
moulding to be coated or enamelled, as represented, there being one set of
such plates for each kind of moulding. These plates are adjustable towards

page_text: and from the surface of the moulding by means of set screws (e, e, e, e,) tapped
into the ends of the carriage, and formed with collars to embrace ears (9,9, 9, 9,)
projecting from the upper ends of the plates. F represents a piece of moulding
secured in place above the table (A) by means of suitable dogs; at one end
the "dogs" may be permanent, but at the other they should be adjustable, and
may be constructed as exhibited in the Drawings. Two pieces (i, i,) are
attached to the top of the table, forming a dovetail groove between them, to
which is fitted a sliding piece (k) forked at its rear end. The "dog" (m) is
attached to this sliding piece (k), and its forward end is suitably formed to
hold the moulding when driven into it. After the moulding has been driven
against the stationary "dog" at the other end, the "dog" (m) is driven in and
held firmly in place by a wedge (1) forced down between the forks of the
slide (), which are thereby forced outward against the sides of the dovetailed
groove, and so hold the "dog" firmly in place. The operation is as follows :—
The moulding to be enamelled being secured in place, and the carriage
brought to one end, the plates D, D', are set down by the screws (e), so as to
press lightly upon the moulding whilst the carriage rests on the ways (a, a,)
there being sufficient space left between the flanches (d, d,) and the under
part of the moulding to allow for the intended thickness of the enamel to be
put on the upper or moulding surface. The composition to be applied is
put in the box or hopper (C) in a semi-fluid condition, which is prevented
from running out at the bottom by the surface of the moulding at the sides by
the sides of the hopper (C), and at the front end by the plate (D¹), which,
simply forms one end of the hopper, that being its sole function; and the
material is also prevented from escaping at the front end by the plate D', which
while the carriage is at rest, acts as one end of the hopper (C). The carriage
is then moved forward to the other end of the moulding, and as the surface of
the moulding constitutes the bottom of the hopper, the semi-liquid material
coats in succession every part of the surface. The lower edge of the plate (D),
which before starting was set in contact with the surface of the moulding, when
in motion determines the thickness of the coat of enamel to be left on the
surface of the moulding. As the carriage with all its appendages is simply
held down by gravity, and the lower edge of the plate (D) simply rests on the
surface of the moulding by gravity, and as there is sufficient play left between
the under surface of the moulding and the flanches (d, d,) of the hopper, the
whole is permitted to rise as the edge of the plate (D) meets with the resistance
presented by the adhesion of the coating of enamel on the surface of the
moulding, and this it is that determines the thickness of the coating left. The
passage of the edge of the plate (D) not only equalizes the thickness of the

page_text: coating, but smoothes the surface, and as it rests on the surface by gravity
alone, it is self-adapting to accommodate itself to any irregularity in the surface
of the moulding, whether longitudinal or transverse, as it is moved from end
to end. To fill up all the pores of the wood, and to obtain a smooth surface
suitable for gilding, or for other purposes, it is necessary to apply several coats
of the composition, which is done by repeating the operation; but if the
flanches (d, d,) are employed, and in setting the hopper (C) on the moulding,
sufficient space is not left between these flanches and the under face of the
moulding to give the amount of play required for the ultimate thickness of the
enamel, then care should be taken to reset the plates (D, D',) at the end of
each movement if required, so that their lower edges shall just touch the
surface when the carriage rests on its ways. It may be well to add that the
thickness of each coat of enamel will depend upon several circumstances, viz.,
the consistency of the composition, which, however, should not be varied
much, the thickness of the lower edge of the plates D, D', and the weight or
pressure of the carriage relatively to the width of the mouldings, so that the
operative in moving the carriage may at pleasure increase the pressure with
his hand, or the carriage may be made heavier.
When
There are some modifications of this machine which may be suggested, and
certain parts substituted for others; thus, instead of the box (C) formed in
one piece, two plates formed like the sides of (C) may be substituted.
such plates are used, the points of the screws (c) instead of merely pressing
against the sides, as at present, should be connected to them by passing
through and holding by a pin and washer, or like contrivance on the inside, so
that while setting up the plates a shoulder turned on near the point would
take the pressure, and on unscrewing, the plates would be drawn back by the
washer and pins on the inside. It will be obvious from the foregoing that the
sole purpose of the box or hopper is to apply the composition to the surface to
be enamelled, and that the object of having two plates (D, D',) instead of only
one, is to admit of using the hopper as a means of applying the composition
to the surface to be enamelled. And it will also be obvious that the sole
purpose of the ways is to hold the apparatus when at rest and when adjusting
the parts, and to relieve the edges of the moulding from the duty of guiding
the carriage longitudinally. And although the best results will be attained by
the employment of all the parts in connection, as above described, I do not
wish to be understood as limiting my claim to such use in connection, as
some parts of the said Invention may be used to advantage without others.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said

page_text: Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe in conclusion, that what I consider to be novel
and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1st, the general construction, arrangement, and combination of apparatus
for enamelling moulded and other surfaces, substantially in the manner
herein-before described and illustrated by the Drawings.
2nd, the application and use to and in the enamelling of moulded surfaces
of a plate, the lower edge of which is shaped the reverse of the transverse
form of the moulding to which it is applied, such plate being also self-adapting
to the surface of the moulding during the longitudinal traverse along it,
substantially as herein-before described.
3rd, the application and use of a hopper for containing the enamelling
composition, having the lower edges of the end plates thereof formed or
shaped the reverse of the transverse form of the moulding, such moulding
constituting the bottom of the hopper, substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this my
Specification hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day
of April, One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)