IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING
Year: 1846

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
WILLIAM SIEVIER, of Upper Holloway, in the County of Middlesex, Gentle-
man, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Twelfth day of May, in the
ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Hei heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Robert William Sievier, my exors, admois, and
assigns, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I,
the said Robert William Sievier, my exois, admors, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Robert William Sievier, my eñois, adññors, or assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully mught
make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of
Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING;" in which
said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said Robert William
Sievier, shall cause a particular description of the nature of my said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of
Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of
the said in part recited. Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference
being-thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Robert William Sievier, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully
described and ascertained in and by the following Statement thereof, reference
being had to the Drawing hereunto annexeil, and to the figures and letters
maiked thereon (that is to say).
The Invention-consists of certain means hereafter described of making
blocks for printing fabrics or surfaces, and to facilitate the description thereof
I will divide the Invention into four parts .-
Fust, a mode of make a block in separate pieces, so as to give to the face
of such block any pattern that its ai rangement may be capable of.
Secondly, a mode of ananging a block from a series of small pieces, and a
method of colouring such block for printing.
Thudly, a mode of ananging a pattern on a block composed of many
similar pieces, so that when any suitable material is cast, moulded, or pressed
into it, a block or printing surface will be produced, or such pattern suiface
may be employed to obtain a casting, which is to be used as a mould.
Fourthly, my Invention consists of another mode of making a mould or
mati ix, in which blocks for printing may be cast, moulded, or pressed, and
such blocks may afterwards be used for pinting patterns on letter press
_Figure 1. A represents a block_for_ordinary purposes It consists of a
piece of wood or metal made in any shape desuable for the pattern, and of
thickness to give a necessary strength according to its size. Figure 3. F
shows a small block or type, on a larger scale than Figure 1, which block or
type is capable of being placed upon the front or face of the block Figure 1,
as shewn by the red color, so as to form a pattern. G points out the holes
which are made in each of the squares formed by the intersecting lines, and
by which the small block or type, Figure 3, is attached to the face of the
block B, there being a small spring f on the stem of the small block to retain
it in its place. Figure 4 represents a side view of Figure 1. Figure 2 is
another block, slightly different in form, for painting the warp of teny or
looped fabrics, such as Brussels can pet, velvets, &c, so that when such fubiic
is woven the pattern shortens or comes together, and forms an appearance
Similar to that of the block Figure 1 Figure 5 is a side view of Figure 2.
The operation of these blocks is as follows.-I first set a pattern, say the red
color, after that has been printed I remove the small blocks that have printed
the red, and set another color, say blue, then the blocks for any other color,
until the whole is completed and punted on the waip or other surface where
the pattern may be requned A series of blocks made up by an arrangement

page_text: such as shewn at Figures 1 and 2 may be used to complete the same fabric;
but one is here mentioned in which the small blocks are to be changed for
cach different color, in order the better to point out that one block, such as
Figures 1 and 2, may be made applicable for any pattern or number of
colors.
The second part of the Invention is shewn at Figure 6, which shews a
mode of ananging and also of applying color to a block. II, II, is the frame-
work, through which pass the wires K, having an eye at one end and a small
block to receive the color at the other, as seen at M and N I ale spiral
spings, which always have a tendency to force the small blocks downwards.
One of these blocks is seen on an enlarged scale at Figure 6 N' shows a
pin passed through the wire to furnish a resistance to the spring I to enable
it to push down the small block. L are cords or wires attached to Jacquard
apparatus, in the well known manner, to draw the Figure, which may be cut
upon the cards, so that by its action any of the small blocks can be elevated.
0, 0, 0, are coloring rollers, which move along two bars W, W, W, which
are fixed side by side at any required distance Rare two doctors or flaps
that fall on the surface of the roller, which doctors or flaps can be set at
any point from the roller by the set sciews S (see enlarged views, Figure 7),
so as to regulate the quantity of color the roller may require on its top
surface as it takes it up from the trough which holds the color, as is well under-
stood. P is any suitable material put round the rollers to take up the color.
O is a Voller or bowl, which works on the bais W and W, W, to carry
the color box and 1oller along it. U is an end view of the box or trough
containing the color T. X is a table, upon which the cloth, yarn, or other
material is laid to be stamped. Y, a suitable bed for the cloth to lay upon,
such as india rubber, oilcloth, gutta percha, or any other non-absorbent
material. Z, the cloth, yarn, or any other body required to be stamped with
a pattern, the rollers 0, 0, 0, moving out of the way at the time of
stamping. The operation of this part of my Invention is as follows.-The
frame II, II, Figure 6, is made of any length and width the pattern may
require (if made for long patterns of course it would suit any of shorter
dimensions), and it is firmly fixed in its position by the screws 0 0,0 0,
to a framework, which is here omitted to shew the method of inking or
colong The Jacquard apparatus, to which the cords L are attached in the
ordinary manner, is placed above the printing table, and cards are cut to suit
the pattern to be printed. It will requie a separate card cut for each color,
which number would have to be doubled provided the coloring rolleis pass
backwards and forwards, as the colors in such instance would reverse their

page_text: order; or a card must be put on the Jacquard apparatus to raise every one of
the small blocks, and the rollers would all pass under without touching them
The action of this part of my Invention is as follows.-Suppose you required
the red color to be used, the Jacquard apparatus would be set in motion and
the card that was cut to elevate its action all the blocks, excepting those
which were to be colored red, would be brought into use, and the the small
blocks that did not require the red would be raised out of the way, and those
which were to form the red pattern would remain down. The coloring roller
-would-then-be-made to pass in the direction of the arrow, coloring as it went
along all the small blocks that come in conjunction with it The Jacquard
apparatus is again put in motion, and the next card passes round the cylinder
of the machine to bing all the small blocks out of the way, excepting say, the
blue, the roller for which is then put in motion, as was the red, and so on to
any number of colors desired to finish the pattern The whole of the smail
blocks are then let down and form a printing surface, when the table X must
be caused to rise in any convenient manner to bring the work to be printed in
contact with the surface of small blocks upon which the color has been laid.
The small blocks used may be figured or not, as desired
The third part of my Invention is shown at Figure 8, where 1 represents
the top of a fiame Figure 10 is a side view of the same, showing the top
and bottom side of the same frame, as is shewn by the point and feather of
the auow, which top and bottom side is perforated with a number of holes
_opposite to one another, so that a wine, as shown at (10) Figure 9, may be
male to pass though each hole At one end of the wire is attached by
casting, soldering, or otherwise, a small piece of metal, which forms a block o
type, or this block or type may be made out of the solid metal by rolling
oi stamping, which block or type may be of any size or form required. The
wire to which this block is attached must be bent at the opposite end in the
form as shewn at Figure 3, and it may or not have an eye made out of the
wire at the top for the convenience of pulling any one of the blocks or types
up when required This turned-down piece forms a spring to prevent in some
measure the movement of the small blocks or types, except when some little
force is used. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 1epresent part of a pattern drawn upon the blocks
when the small blocks 2 are put together, so as to make one uniform
surface. To put this part of my Invention into operation, the frame 1,
Fig. 8 & 10, containing all the small blocks or types, with their wires attached
thereto, are laid on a flat surface so as to push all the ends of the wires
exactly to one lovel, so that the blocks or types may be arranged as a flat
sur`ace. The pattern then required is diawn or painted upon it with any

page_text: material which will adhere. The block or fi ame is then put upon its side, or
laid at any convenient angle, and all the colors excepting one, say the red, is
pushed backward about one eighth of an inch or more
A small quantity of
tallow or any suitable substances is then rubbed upon the block, which will fill
up any interstices which may be between the types or blocks, after which a
mould is made with plaster of Paris, or any other material which will form a
matrix of the pattern (or the block may be made to make the matrix itself).
In this matrix, metal, gutta percha, or any other material suitable, may be cast
to form a block for printing. This block or cast must be trimmed up, as
is the case with all castings, and it is ready for use. The frame 8 is then
submitted to the same operation, videlicet, that of making the small blocks or
typos level, and the color, say blue, is next to be cast. All that is necessary
Is to push all the blocks or types away, excepting the blue, and then to cast
as before, the same process being repeated until casts are obtained cor-
esponding with the number of colors required.
Figure 12. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, are five small blocks having a device upon them,
and Figure 21 a letter. Figures 18, 14, 15, 16, 17, shew the manner in which
the first-named five small blocks can be formed into figuies or patterns These
blocks or types are set and arranged to a pattern in the framing of wood or
metal as seen at 7, Figure 13; see also at the sectional side view, Figure 18,
which fiaming has a number of set screws placed on its side 8*, 8*, 8*, 8*.
Figure 18 shows the frame, with the figured and blank types or blocks
ananged 9, 9, 9, 9, are four moveable pieces of metal having flat sides, and
of a greater height than the types or small blocks which have the device
upon them, and which they inclose. These four sides can be made to
approach each other by turning the set screws 8 so as to hold firmly
together the small blocks or types. Figure 19 is a blank type to fill the
spaces where there is no device required, which must be longer than those
having a letter or pattern indented upon them. Figures 22, 23, 24, shew
Llocks which may be of the size of three or four small blocks, and the dotted
pait in Figure 25 the increase of size of the pattern when they are placed
together.
The use to which I put this fourth part of my Invention is as follows:-
The small blocks or types, the upper part of which are indented, engraved,
cast, or punched of sufficient depth to allow (when à cast or impression is
made from them) a relief of sufficient height to print a pattern by the usual
methods adopted for block and letter-press printing These blocks are then
aanged in the frame, as mentioned above, Figures 13 and 18, 7, 7, 7, 7, in
the form cf any device or pattern, with the blank types or blocks between
ธ

page_text: them, but if for letter-press they must be arranged as when read after print-
ing, see Figure 20, and the blank types; blocks, or spaces must be longer than
the lettered types, so as to give sufficient depth when the cast or impression is
made from them, that the parts between the letters may not take any of
the ink on color below that part of the block or type which is to make
the pattern or impression when the blocks or types are arranged so as
form patterns in a similar way to Figures 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, that set
-screws-8,-8,-8*, 8*, are screwed so as to press the side pieces 9, 9, 9, 9,
against the small blocks or type, and hold them firmly together I then cast
or press into the surfaces of such pattern any suitable metal, plaister, cement,
gutta percha, or other substance I may think desirable, to make a block to
print from. When it is removed I print from it in the ordinary manner of
block printing. The type for letter-press printing, when composed, is placed
in a framing in the same manner, and screwed firmly together by the set
screws 8*, 8*, 8*, 8*, and the cast or impression is taken in metal, gutta
percha, or any suitable substance, to form a block or stereotypo to print
from. In the making of any of the types or blocks before enumerated, when
metal casts are to be taken from them, I prefer the use of copper; but I do
not confine myself to any particular material.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I would wish it to be understood that I do
not-confine-myself_to_the_details_as_herein described so long as the peculiar
character of either part of my Invention be retained; but what I claim is,―
First, the mode of constructing or combining surfaces for printing, as
described in respect to Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5
Secondly, I claim the mode of constructing and combining numerous similai
pieces into a block or printing surface, and moving such pieces in order to
apply thereto, as described in respect to Figures 6, 6, and 7
Thudly, I claim the mode of making a surface composed of numerous
similar pieces, and allowing of several blocks being cast or formed therefrom,
according to the number of colors required to be printed, as described in
espect to Figures 8, 9, 10; and,
And fourthly, I claim the mode of combining type being ornamental," or
other devices or letters sunk therein, so as to take a casting or block thereupon.
suitable for printing, as described in respect to Figures 13 to 25 inclusive.
Jn witness whereof, I, the said Robert William Sievier, have hereunto
set my hand and scal, this Twelfth day of November, in the year of our
Loid One thousand eight hundred and forty-six.
(LS) R. W SIEVIER

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twelfth day of November,
in the year of our Lord 1846, the aforesaid Robert William Sievier came
before our said Iady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the
Specification aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and spe-
cified, in form above witten. And also the Specification aforesaid was
stamped according to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Twelfth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-six.