An Appliance for Facilitating the Moistening of Copying Paper.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Jan., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 27th Oct., 1892-Accepted, 3rd Dec., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by FORREST M. PRIESTLEY, of Denver, Colorado,
United States of America, Manager.]
An Appliance for Facilitating the Moistening of Copying Paper.
I, PHILIP ALEXANDER THOMAS, of Cornwall Buildings, 35 Queen Victoria
Street, in the County of London. Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an appliance for rapidly and uniformly moistening
the pads, cloths or blotters applied to moisten sheets of paper in order that they
may receive copies of manuscript. For this purpose a shallow rectangular box
of sufficient size to receive the largest pads, cloths or blotters that have to be
moistened is made, preferably of metal plate, with a lid which is preferably hinged
to it at one side. To the under side of the lid is fixed a flat sponge or equivalent
absorbent material such as layers of porous fabric kept in place and protected
by a perforated plate and through the lid is a funnel mouthed hole by which ou
the lid being closed water can be poured into the sponge or other absorbent,
which being thus wetted moistens the pads, cloths or blotters contained in the
box below by its contact with them.
The pads cloths or blotters are preferably protected and stiffened at their ends
by metal strips or clamps by which they can be easily lifted out of the box and
otherwise manipulated.
Dated this 27th day of January 1892.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Appliance for Facilitating the Moistening of Copying Paper.
I, PHILIP ALEXANDER THOMAS of Cornwall Buildings, 35 Queen Victoria
Street, in the County of London, Engineer 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:—
This invention relates to an appliance for rapidly and uniformly moistening the
pads, cloths or blotters applied to moisten sheets of paper in order that they may
receive copies of manuscript. For this purpose, a shallow rectangular box of
sufficient size to receive the largest pads, cloths or blotters that have to be
moistened is made, preferably of metal plate, with a lid which is preferably hinged
to it at one side. To the under side of the lid is fixed a flat sponge or equivalent
absorbent material, such as layers of porous fabric, kept in place and protected by
a perforated plate, and through the lid is a funnel mouthed hole by which, on the
lid being closed, water can be poured into the sponge or other absorbent, which,
being thus wetted, moistens the pads, cloths or blotters contained in the box below
by its contact with them.
The pads cloths or blotters are preferably protected and stiffened at their ends
by metal strips or clamps by which they can be easily lifted out of the box and
otherwise manipulated.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings is a perspective view of my improved
appliance when it is opened.

page_text: Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the lid or cover.
Fig. 4 is a portion of the section Fig. 3 drawn to an enlarged scale.
1 is the pan or body of a blotter bath adapted to receive the cloths or blotters,
and provided with a lid or cover 2 which may be hinged thereto at 3. On the
inner or under side of the lid or cover 2 is secured a liquid containing reservoir or
fluid receptacle 5, consisting of a sponge or other suitable material adapted to
absorb and hold the liquid with which the cloths, blotters or pads are to be
moistened. This receptacle is so placed that when the cover or lid is closed. the
reservoir rests upon the cloths or blotters in the pan 1 and moistens them, their
absorption being assisted by the gravity of the liquid in the receptacle.
For supplying the receptacle with moistening liquid a funnel shaped piece 6
having aperture 7 is secured to the cover 2. In the Huid receptacle is shewn.
sponge 9 as the upper absorbent portion, and blotters 10 below the sponge to
prevent liquid from passing too quickly. 11 is a diaphragm of porous fabric
through which the liquid passes to the pads in the pan below.
Beneath the diaphragm 11 is a supporting plate 15 which is perforated as shewn
in Fig. 1 to permit the liquid to pass to the pads below. This plate supports and
secures the receptacle as shewn in Fig. 3 and on an enlarged scale in Fig. 4. 16 is
a flanged bracket or rim surrounding the receptacle and secured to plate 15 by a
flange which projects under the upturned edge 18 of that plate. This rim 16 can
then be secured to the cover by soldering to the downwardly projecting rim or
lip 19 or otherwise.
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:
1-An appliance for facilitating the moistening of copying paper substantially as
described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
2-In an appliance such as is above referred to, the combination of a tray
containing the pads, cloths or blotters, with a lid having a funnel inlet on its upper
side, and on its under side a receptacle for absorbent material held by a perforated
plate substantially as described.
Dated this 27th dan of Datahan 1802
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant..