IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING PLATES FOR PRINTING AND THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Albert Sauvée, Civil Engineer, of 22, Parliament Street,
Westminster, in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN PREPARING PLATES FOR PRINTING AND THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED
THEREFOR."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Albert Sauvée at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th May 1880.
ALBERT SAUVÉE, Civil Engineer, of 22, Parliament Street, Westminster, in the
County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING PLATES FOR PRINTING
AND THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR.'
""
My Invention refers more specially to the process of preparing those plates for
printing made according to the Patents, No. 1422, dated 9th April 1879, and
No. 2649, dated 1st July 1879, and in the apparatus required to produce the
same.
In the first part of the process, as described in the above mentioned Patents, a
mould is taken with Jannin's cement, and then a thin sheet of celluloid is pressed
into the mould at a certain temperature.
To reproduce all the fine lines in engraved blocks or in a forme of type, etc., it is
most important that the pressure in some cases should reach up to 2000 lbs. on the
square inch, at the same time the stroke of the hydraulic press should never
exceeds of an inch.
The press which forms part of this Invention is somewhat similar to an ordinary
hydraulic press, but with several improvements. The stroke of the piston never
exceeds of an inch, and I replace the hand or steam driven pump by a steel rod
of a very small diameter, say, about 14 inches, which I force into the liquid by
means of gearing worked by a large fly-wheel. The bottom slab of the press is
mounted on a strong hollow bed, which can be completely pulled out from the press
on two rails when it is required to lay on the mould or to remove it after obtaining
the plate.
Through this bed I can inject, by turning on taps, steam or water, the steam
being at the temperature of about 120° centigrade (the temperature necessary to

page_text: soften the celluloid), or cold water may be admitted when it is required to cool the
bed after the celluloid is pressed.
The top slab of the press has a travel of about 3 or 4 inches, and it is worked by
means of a large horizontal fly-wheel. The frame which carries the top slab
can also be heated or cooled by steam or water, the same as the bottom bed. Of
course both the steam or cold water pipes must be of a flexible kind to allow of the
moving up and down of the top slab and also of the horizontal movement of the
bottom slab on the rails.
In connection with this press I use a boiler heated by fuel or gas, and as soon as
the temperature in the boiler exceeds 120° centigrade the damper is nearly closed
or the gas turned down, at once reducing the temperature to the required degree,
which is a most important point in the manufacture or production of celluloid
plates, as beyond that temperature the celluloid is deteriorated in quality.
Another improvement consists in two perforated rack gauges, which I use when
taking the mould from the original engraved block or forme of type, etc. By the
use of these gauges I secure a perfectly uniform thickness of the mould, as when
pressed the excess of cement can run through the notches and the holes in the racks.
One or more screwed tie-rods work through the holes in the rack, by which means
the distance between the racks may be regulated when operating on different sized
engraved blocks, formes of type, etc.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Albert Sauvée in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st
November 1880.
ALBERT SAUVÉE, Civil Engineer, of 22, Parliament Street, Westminster, in the
County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING PLATES FOR PRINTING AND
THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR."
My Invention refers more specially to the process of preparing those plates for
printing made according to the Patents, No. 1422, dated 9th April 1879, and
No. 2649; dated 1st July 1879, and in the apparatus required to produce the
same.
In the first part of the process, as described in the above mentioned Patents, a
mould is taken with Jannin's cement, and then a thin sheet of celluloid is pressed
into the mould at a certain temperature.
To reproduce all the fine lines in engraved blocks or in a forme of type, it is most
important that the pressure in some cases should reach up to 2000 lbs. on the
square inch, at the same time the stroke of the hydraulic press should never
exceed of an inch.
The press which forms part of this Invention is somewhat similar to an ordinary
hydraulic press, but with several improvements. The stroke of the piston never
exceeds of an inch, and I replace the hand or steam driven pump by a steel rod
of a very small diameter, say, about 1 inches, which I force into the liquid by
means of gearing worked by a large fly-wheel. The bottom slab of the press is
mounted on a strong hollow bed, and can be completely pulled out from the press
on two rails when it is required to lay on the mould or to remove it after obtaining
the plate.
Through this bed I can inject, by turning on taps, steam or water, the steam
being at the temperature of about 150° to 160° centigrade (the temperature
necessary to soften the celluloid), or cold water may be admitted when it is required
to cool the bed after the celluloid is pressed.
The top slab of the press has a travel of about 3 or 4 inches, and it is worked by
means of a large horizontal fly-wheel. The frame which carries the top slab can
also be heated or cooled by steam or water, the same as the bottom bed. Of course
both the steam or cold water pipes must be of a flexible kind to allow of the moving
up and down of the top slab, and also of the horizontal movement of the bottom
slab on the rails.
In connection with this press I use a boiler heated by fuel or gas, and as soon as
the temperature in the boiler exceeds 150° to 160° centigrade the damper is nearly
closed or the gas turned down, at once reducing the temperature to the required
degree, which is a most important point in the manufacture or production of
celluloid plates, as beyond that temperature the celluloid is deteriorated in
quality.
But in order that my Invention may be more clearly understood I will proceed
to describe the same by the aid of the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, in which
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of the hydraulic press; Fig. 2, a sectional plan of the
same; and Fig. 3, a vertical section showing the construction of the top and
bottom slabs.
A is the piston of the press working in the cylinder B, and having a stroke of
about of an inch. To the top end of this piston is fitted the bed C carrying the
bottom slab D, which can be completely pulled out from the press on the two
rails E, E, when required by means of the handle F. The small steel rod G is
forced into the liquid by means of the screw H working through the nut I and
operated by the fly-wheel J. In order to raise the bottom slab D for exerting the

page_text: requisite pressure, the steel rod G is forced into the liquid as described, thus forcing
a certain quantity of the liquid into the cylinder B, and thereby raising the piston A
and with it the bottom slab D.
The top slab K has a travel of about 3 or 4 inches, and is worked by means of a
large horizontal fly wheel L attached to the top of the screw M. It is carried by
the two guide rods N, N, which work through the top part of the head of the press.
O is a pipe for the admission of steam to the bottom slab. The steam travels
around the partitions P so as to thoroughly heat the slab and passes through the
outlet pipe Q. The top slab may be heated in the same manner, and the two slabs
may be cooled when required by admitting cold water. Qis the outlet pipe for
the top slab. The pipes travel in a slot R in the bracket S which is fitted to the
frame of the press.
Having now described the nature of my Invention and the manner of carrying
the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that what I claim as new is,-
First. The production of blocks of celluloid for printing by means of the hydraulic
press contructed as herein described and shown in the Drawings.
Second. The construction of the hydraulic press in which the ordinary hand or
steam pump is replaced by the small steel rod G worked by the fly-wheel J, and the
top and bottom slabs of which press may be heated to the requisite temperature or
cooled, substantially as herein described and shown in the drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Albert Sauvée, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this 1st day of November, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty.
A. SAUVEE. (L.S.)