IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING SURFACES OR PLATES FOR PRINTING MUSIC AND OTHER PRINTED MATTER
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Michael Alissoff, of St. Petersburg, Russia, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING SURFACES OR PLATES FOR PRINTING
MUSIC AND OTHER PRINTED MATTER."
aled the 13th April 1877, and dated the 12th February 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Michael Alissoff at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th February 1877.
MICHAEL ALISSOFF, of St. Petersburg, Russia. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING
SURFACES OR PLATES FOR PRINTING MUSIC AND OTHER PRINTED MATTER."
The main object of my Invention is to rapidly and economically produce surfaces
or plates for printing music, an object which I attain in the manner which I will
hereafter describe:-
At the present time there are in use two processes, principally for the preparation
of plates for printing music. The first is similar to that used in the production of
ordinary printed matter, that is, the different signs or types used in musical typo-
graphy are set one after the other, so as to compose a complete musical stave. As
cach sign, however, is divided into several characters this work is very tedious,
and requires in the compositor so much practice and attention that a printing
plate for music prepared in this way is very expensive.
The second process consists in engraving the notes on soft metallic plates,
and although this process is greatly facilitated and simplified by the use of special
tools and punches it necessitates the employment of skilled and highly paid en-
gravers, and demands constant attention on their part in order to prevent
mistakes. In this case, also, it is difficult to correct minor errors, and those of
greater importance, such, for instance, as an omission or a defective arrange-
ment of the bars necessitates the re-engraving of the page in which they occur.
The process which I employ greatly facilitates and simplifies the work, and is as
follows:-The staves, notes, and other signs used in music, preferably from three to
four times the usual size, are first printed on sheets of unsized paper, which are
either transparent or translucent, and these sheets are then cut up and the staves,
Dmine G71

page_text: and notes, and signs are arranged in type-cases, like ordinary metallic types. The
composition is then set up by simply pasting on a suitable background first the
staves, then the notes and signs, in accordance with the manuscript which is to be
printed.
When the paper on which the notes and signs are printed is not perfectly trans-
parent, these notes and signs should be affixed with a gum which has the property
of rendering the paper on which they are printed transparent, in order to render
visible the staves over which they are pasted.
Vignettes and other ornamental matter with which it is desired to embellish the
sheet are also printed upon strips of similar paper and applied in the same way.
After the sheet has been properly prepared it is photographed, being reduced to the
desired size by the camera, and from the negative the design is printed on stone by
the usual photo-lithographic process; or, when printing plates for use in an ordinary
press are required, they are produced by any of the usual photo-relief or photo-
engraving processes.
I prefer to use as a background a sheet of glass, or other transparent material,
behind which I place a sheet of paper ruled closely with vertical and horizontal
lines, which act as a guide to the compositor, and much facilitate the proper spacing
of the bars and the regular disposal of the notes and musical signs on the staves.
A few of the small and simple characters required might be cut or stamped
directly from black or coloured paper, but the greater number of characters will of
course have to be printed upon the strips of paper as described.
Among the advantages of my Invention may be mentioned the following:
First. The characters used being three or four times the size of ordinary musical
signs, they can be handled with great facility.
Second. Errors in composition can be readily corrected by removing from the
background the strip or strips of paper on which the error occurs.
Third. Stereotype plates of any required size can be produced after the composi-
tion is once set up.
Fourth. Highly ornamented lithographic titles or vignettes may be used on the
sheet of music.
Fifth. The printing of music may be carried on without incurring the expense
involved in the purchase of a stock of metallic signs and characters, or engraver's
tools and punches, and as the work can readily be performed by women or children
the employment of high salaried compositors or engravers is rendered unnecesary.
The Invention may be applied to the production of elaborate and ornamental
title-pages for books or other works besides music, and to any works in the pro-
duction of which costly engraved plates have now to be used, such as maps, charts,
and so forth.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Michael Alissoff in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th
August 1877.
"
MICHAEL ALISSOFF, of St. Petersburg, Russia. IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING
SURFACES OR PLATES FOR PRINTING MUSIC AND OTHER PRINTED MATTER."
The object of my Invention is to rapidly and economically produce surfaces or
plates for printing music, an object which I attain in the manner and by the means
and process which I will hereafter describe, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawing.
At the present time there are in use two principal processes for the preparation
of plates for printing music. The first is similar to that used in the production of
ordinary printed matter, that is, the different signs or types used in inusical
typography are set one after the other, so as to compose a complete musical stave.
As each sign, however, is divided into several characters this work is very tedious,

page_text: and requires in the compositor so much practice and attention that a printing plate
for music prepared in this way is very expensive.
The second process consists in engraving the notes on soft metallic plates, and
although this process is greatly facilitated and simplified by the use of special tools
and punches it necessitates the employment of skilled and highly paid engravers
and demands constant attention on their part in order to prevent mistakes. In
this case also it is difficult to correct minor errors, and those of greater im-
portance, such, for instance, as an omission or a defective arrangement of the bars,
necessitates the re-engraving of the page in which they occur.
The process and means which I einploy greatly facilitates and simplifies the work,
and is as follows:-The staves, notes, and other signs used in music (preferably from
three to four times the usual size) are first printed on sheets of unsized paper, which
are either transparent or translucent, and these sheets are then cut up and the
staves, such as shown in Fig. 1 of the Drawing, and notes and signs, some of which
are shown in Fig. 3, are arranged in type-cases, like ordinary metallic types. The
composition is then set up by simply pasting on a suitable background (A, Fig. 1,)
first the staves, then the notes and signs, in accordance with the manuscript which
is to be printed.
When the paper on which the notes and signs are printed is not perfectly
transparent, these notes and signs should be affixed with a gum which has the pro-
perty of rendering the paper on which they are printed transparent in order to
render visible the staves over which they are pasted.
Vignettes and other ornamental matter with which it is desired to embellish the
sheet are also printed upon strips of similar paper and applied in the same way.
After the sheet A. has been properly prepared it is photographed, being reduced to
the required size by the camera, and from the negative the design is printed on
stone by the usual photo-lithographic process; or, when printing plates for use in an
ordinary press are required, they are produced by any of the usual photo-relief or
photo-engraving processes.
I prefer to use as a background (A) a sheet of glass or other transparent material,
behind which I place a sheet of paper ruled closely with vertical and horizontal
lines, which act as a guide to the compositor, and much facilitate the proper spacing
of the bars and the regular disposal of the notes and musical signs on the staves.
A few of the small and simple characters required might be cut or stamped
directly from black or colored paper, but the greater number of characters will of
course have to be printed upon the strips of paper, as describod.
Among the advantages of my Invention may be mentioned the following :-
First. The characters used being three or four times the size of ordinary musical
signs, they can be handled with great facility.
Second. Errors in composition can be readily corrected by removing from the
background the strip or strips of paper on which the error occurs.
Third. Stereotype plates of any required size can be produced after the compo-
sition is once set up.
Fourth. Highly ornamental lithographic titles or vignettes may be used on the
sheet of music.
Fifth. The printing of music may be carried on without incurring the expense in-
volved in the purchase of a stock of metallic signs and characters, or engraver's tools
and punches, and as the work can readily be performed by women or children, the
employment of high salaried compositors or engravers is rendered unnecessary.
The Invention may be applied to the production of elaborate and ornamental
title-pages for books or other works besides music, and to any works in the
production of which costly engraved plates have now to be used, such as maps,
charts, &c.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and object of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed or carried out
in practice, I hereby declare that I claim as my Invention,―
First. The improved means or type for the printing of music, consisting of the

page_text: strips of transparent paper or material carrying the various signs and characters,
such as herein-before described, as and for the purpose set forth.
Second. Tlie within described process of producing surfaces or plates for printing
music, that is to say, by pasting or securing upon a suitable background strips of
transparent paper or material carrying the notes, signs, or other characters, and
from the sheet thus prepared producing a printing surface by photo-lithography,
photo-relief, or similar process, as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Michael Alissoff, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.