Improvements in the Construction of Backing Blocks for Stereotype and Electrotype Plates.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Sept., 1889-Accepted, 26th Oct., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Backing Blocks for Stereotype
and Electrotype Plates.
I HARVEY DALZIEL of 16 Loudoun Road, St. John's Wood, London, N.W.,
Printer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention is for facilitating the making up of electrotype or stereotype plates
into sheets ready for the Printing Press; and also to save the machinists time in making
ready the plates for good printing, and to ensure a better and cleaner result all through
the printing of such plates.
The prosent practice in the printing trade is to place the plates on a large number
of square metal blocks (sometimes 12 or more to a page), and to attach the same to
the blocks by movable catches, which often slip out of place, causing damage to the
machine or bad printing.
I now propose to provide what may be termed expanding backing blocks, which
will admit of the attachment thereto of stereotype or electrotype plates of various
sizes.
To this end, I provide backing blocks of a given size, and divide the same into two
parts diagonally. These two parts, which are wedge shaped in plan view, I cast with
ribs near their rectangular edges, which are undercut to form clips or catches.-The
blocks, which, for lightness, are cored out on the underside, I form to carry say a
12mo. pago, and when the stereotype plate is laid on the face of the divided block, it
will be gripped in place by giving a slight endway movement to one of the blocks.-
The position of the half blocks relatively to each other, and to the plate which they
carry, will be firmly secured by wedging up the same in the chase in the usual manner.
The pages thus secured I arrange upon the printing table in groups of four, eight, or
more, as the case may be.
The above described construction of backing block I fit for the reception of a
larger plate, by inserting, between the divided parts, a suitably shaped filling piece,
which will lie snugly in contact with the inclined sides of the divided block. When
thus enlarged, the block will carry say, an 8vo. page, and the clips or catchos will hold
the plate down upon the expanded block.
11
nou
.
1040
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Backing Blocks for Stereotype
and Electrotype Plates.
I HARVEY DALZIEL, of 16 Loudoun Road, St. John's Wood, London N.W.,
Printer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
The object of this invention is to facilitate the making up of electrotype, stereotype
or other printing plates, into sheets ready for the printing press, and to secure them
firmly in place with a proper facial adjustmont, which ensures the production of good
and clean impressions throughout the printing operation.
A common practice in the printing trade, is to mount the plates or fix them
temporarily on wood backing, which is liable to warp, shrink, or swell, and destroy
the level setting of the plates. Plates thus permanently mounted are very bulky to

page_text: warehouse, and plates temporarily mounted are subject to considerable damnga oach
time they are screwed or nailed on, and also in taking off.
Another common practice is to place the plates on a number of oblong and square
metal blocks packed closely together (sometimes 12 or more for a page), and to attach
the same to the blocks by removable brass clips or catches.-These clips or catches
often become loose, and rising level with the face of the stereotype plate, cause marks
on the margins of the paper being printed, interfere with the register, and produce
bad printing.
I now provide lncking blocks which are capable of lateral and longitudinal
expansion, and which will admit of the attachment thereto of stereotype or electro-
type plates of various sizes and proportions, the clips or catches being in one with
tho parts composing the block, or permanently secured thereto.
The manner of carrying out my invention is shewn in the accompanying drawings,
but it will bo obvious that the details admit of modification, without departing from
the essential features of the invention.
Fig. 1 shews in plan view, a simple form of expanding block.
Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same, taken in the line 1, 2, of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a plan viuw, showing the backing block expanded longitudinally and
laterally, the amount of expansion being indicated by the dotted lines, which represent
the outline of Fig. 1.
Figs. 4 show a series of filling pieces adapted for enlarging the divided backing
block.
Fig. 5 is a plan view of a four ago forme made up in the chase ready for application
to the bed or table of the printing pre-s.
Fig. 6 is a plan view of a modified form of the expanding block, and
Fig. 7 is similar view shewing the backing block expanded laterally and
longitudinally by the introduction of two filling pieces.
Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, which illustrate the simplest form of expanding
block, it will be seen that the block is divided diagonally into two parts.-A A aro
the halves of a backing block, which is made up of two triangular or wedge-shaped
pieces, the diagonal division providing for the lateral and longitudinal expansion of
the block, to suit various sizes and proportions of stereotype or other printing plates.―
The divided block 1 propose to make of certain standard sizes; thus, for example,
the block, when put together, as shown at Fig. 1, may conveniently be suited to
receive a foolscap 8vo. stereotype plate, or its measurements may be larger or smaller
to correspond to any other well known size of plate commonly used by printers.
By preference, I make these backing blocks of cast iron, coring them out at their
under surface for the sake of lightness. On their face, and near their outer edges,
I form undorent ribs or projections a, which serve as fixed clips or cutches for
gripping the edges of the plates and retaining them firmly in position on the block.
The position of the half blocks relatively to each other, and to the plato which they
carry, will be firmly secured by wodging up the same in the chase in the usual manner.
The pages thus secured in the chase I arrange, for the printing press, in groups of
four, eight, sixteen, or more or less, as the case may be.
This is illustrated at Fig. 5, which represents four pagos locked up in a chase D.
The above described construction of backing block I fit, for the reception of a
largor plato, by inserting between the triangular pieces A A, a suitably-shaped filling
pieco.
This is illustrated in Fig. 3, where B is the filling piece, made preferably of metal,
cored out on its under surface, and formed with parallel sides to lie snugly against
tho diagonal sides of the divided block A. The ends of this filling pioco aro chamfered
so as to make good the rectangular outline of the expanded block, and thoroby provido
a support for the entire back of the plate. Instead of coring out the filling piece at
its back, it may be lightened by coring it out at its sides.
The clips a a, on the parts A A, will serve effectually to grip the larger plato, as in
the first example.

page_text: It will now be understood that the divided block is equally well suited to receive
any one of the filling pieces of Figs. 4, their respective proportions being such as will
correspond with some well known or approved size of stereotype or other printing
plate. I am thus enabled to provide for the expansion of the backing block by the
simple addition of one filling piece.
A modification of the invention, better suited for large pages, is illustrated at
Figs. 6 and 7, where A A are two blocks, which take the form of right angled
triangles, and are made with under cut projections a a near their outer edges.-B, Fig. 6,
is a third block, having the form of an isosceles triangle, and fitting snugly between
the blocks A A. This blocks B is made, like the blocks A A, with short clips or
catches bb, and the three blocks together form a complete backing for the stereotype
plate and serve to hold it firmly in place.
By introducing two filling pieces, CC, between the triangular pieces A. A and B,
as shewn at Fig. 7, the block is expanded longitudinally and laterally, and a backing
is thus provided for a larger plate. These filling pieces are formed with clips cc, at
their outer side edges, to give the requisite side grip to the plate. The shape of theso
filling pieces, it will be seen, is such as to ensure, with the triangular pieces A A
and B, a firm backing for the whole surface of the printing plate.
In the illustrated examples of my invention, it will be seen that all that is needed
to produce the result just mentioned for different sizes and shapes of printing plates,
is to change the filling pieces, the angular pieces which form the block, in its normal
size, being always retained to form a portion of the expanded block.
The chief advantage which follows from the use of my invention, is the facility
which it affords to the printer in backing his stereotype plates, and in " making ready"
on machine for printing,-an economy in time of no less than thirty per cent. having
been effected. In addition to this, the number of pieces required for use is materially
decreased, and the disadvantages pertaining to the old system of backing are entirely
removed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
For the backing of stereotype platos and like printing surfaces, the divided
backing blocks with fixed clips or catches, which blocks are capable of expansion
longitudinally and laterally, by means of suitably shaped filling pieces, to receive
and hold printing plates of various sizes, as described.
Dated this 3rd day of September 1889.
NAI
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.