Improvements in or relating to Means or Apparatus for Marking or Branding Soap, Hats, Boots, Shoes, and other Articles in a Permanent and Conspicious Manner.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Apr., 1887
Complete Left, 19th Jan., 1888
Complete Accepted, 24th Feb., 1888
Improvements in or relating to Means or Apparatus for Marking or
Branding Soap, Hats, Boots, Shoes, and other Articles in a
Permanent and Conspicious Manner.
I, EMMA BOOTHROYD, of 7, Saint Peter's Road, Leicester, in the County of
Leicester, Gentlewoman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
This invention relates to means or apparatus for marking or branding articles in a
permanent and conspicious manner. It is particularly applicable for marking or
branding blocks, bars, sheets, or tablets of soap with the maker's or retailer's
initials, name, address, mark, brand, advertisement, plain or artistic device, or any
other matter, either during or after the process of manufacture, but may also be used
for marking or branding other materials such as the linings of hats, boots, shoes,
portmanteaus, boxes, and numerous other articles.
Hitherto the names, letters, advertisements, and other marks or brands upon soap
have been moulded, cast, or pressed on the outer surface during the process of
manufacture, or slips or strips of material containing the desired mark or information
have been inserted inside the blocks or tablets of transparent soap during or after
its manufacture, or in the case of transparent soap, the initial has been cut through
by means of thin metal blades; or else type with sharpened edges or faces have
been employed. All these methods are open, more or less, to the objection that the
marks or brands are liable to be soon erased, blurred, obscured, or defaced, or when
the initial is cut through the soap with metal blades, after it has been in use for
sometime is liable to fall in pieces where so marked.
Now my invention is designed to obviate these objections, and to provide simple,
ready, and effective means or apparatus for indelibly marking or branding soap and
other articles during or after their process of manufacture with any initial, letter,
figure, name, address, advertisement, plain or artistic design or device, or any other
mark, or combinations of them, either with or without the use of dyes or colouring
matter, and it consists in perforating or puncturing the bar, block, sheet, or tablet of
[Price 8d1
3

page_text: soap or other material with any desired number of needles or pins arranged in the
shape of the letter, figure, word, device, mark, or brand intended to be made in the
soap or other material. These needles or pins may be of any required length and
thicknesss, and may be mounted in any suitable manner in a sliding bar or crosshead
working in framework. To the crosshead a reciprocating motion (intermittent or
otherwise) may be imparted by a treadle arrangement or from any other convenient
source of power. When preferred the needles or pins may be fixed in position, and
the reciprocating motion imparted to the soap or other material being operated upon.
The bar, block, sheet or tablet of soap is retained in position by any suitable device on
a fixed, moveable, or travelling table or support, arranged above or below the needles
or pins, and the parts of the apparatus or mechanism are so arranged that the position
of the material with regard to the puncturing or perforating needles or pins can be
adjusted or regulated so as to permit of them passing either entirely through or to
any desired distance or depth in the material under operation. In order to steady the
perforating needles or pins when in operation, they may be made to pass through
suitable guides prior to entering the material.
When it is desired to mark or brand the name, letter, device, or advertisement in
one or more colours, the perforating needles may either previous to, during, whilst, or
after passing through (or both) the material be coated, covered, or passed into or
through one or more dies contained in a suitable tank or tanks; in which case, as the
needles are forced into, through, or withdrawn from the material under operation the
colouring matter is removed from the needles or pins and absorbed by the material
thereby leaving the dye in or around the holes, and giving a clear, permanent, and
conspicious mark or brand. In some cases or when preferred, instead of arranging
the needles to pass through or into the dye, the material may be first punctured or
perforated as above described, and then carried, forward and passed under one or
more boxes or other receptacles (arranged on the herein before mentioned framework)
having its or their bottom or bottoms or under surfaces perforated with one or more
holes of any desired size and shape. In the perforated box or boxes is or are placed
one or more sponges saturated with the required dye or dyes, and a presser or plunger
(operated simultaneously with or independently of the perforating needles) is employed
for squeezing or forcing the colouring matter out of the sponge or sponges, and
through the hole or holes into the material. On the presser being withdrawn the
sponge will absorb any surplus colouring matter left on the bottom of the receptacle
or on the material.
DJ L
1
2 A1007

page_text: Improvements in or relating to Means or Apparatus for Marking or
Branding Soap, Hats, Boots, Shoes, and other Articles in a
Permanent and Conspicious Manner.
I, EMMA BOOTHROYD, of 7, Saint Peter's Road, Leicester, in the County of
Leicester, Gentlewoman, 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 means or apparatus for marking or branding articles in a
permanent or conspicious manner. It is particularly applicable for marking or
branding blocks, bars, sheets or tablets of soap with the maker's, vendors, or others
name, initials, address, mark, brand, advertisement, plain or artistic device, or any
other matter, either during or after the process of manufacture, but it may also be
used for marking or branding other materials, such as the linings of hats, boots, shoes,
portmanteaus, boxes, and numerous other articles. And its object is to provide
simple, ready, and effective means or apparatus for indelibly marking the above
named articles, and when employed for the marking or branding of soap it consists in
first perforating or puncturing the bar, block, sheet, or tablet with any desired
number of fine needles or pins arranged at suitable distances apart in the shape of the
letter, figure, word, device, mark, or brand intended to be made therein, then raising,
forcing, and depositing in such perforations a small quantity of colouring matter, and
finally, compressing the soap to shape after the withdrawal of the needles.
Although in the accompanying drawings I have shown a machine specially designed
for the marking or branding of soap, yet, I wish it to be distinctly understood that,
the machine with very slight alterations may be adapted for marking or branding
other materials, such as, the linings of boots, shoes, and other articles. But when the
machine is employed for such purposes, it may be found advisable to dispense with
the herein after described hinged doors H, and also instead of forcing the colouring
matter into the perforations, to allow the end of the needles to dip into the colour
after their descent through the material, and on their return or upward stroke to wipe
themselves in and around the perforations.
In the drawings hereunto annexed Fig. 1. is a sectional elevation; Fig. 2. a part
side elevation, and Fig. 3. a part sectional plan on line a, a, fig. 1. of a machine
constructed according to this invention,
Fig. 4. a part sectional elevation showing a 'modified way of imparting motion to
the branding apparatus.
Like parts in all the views are marked with similar letters of reference.
A is the framework of the machine in or on which are provided the slides a a,
a¹, a², bearings a³, and table a'. In the slides a a are mounted so as to work freely
up and down the crosshead B to which the needles C are attached as hereafter

page_text: described. . In the slides a¹ a¹ the ends of the lower guide plate c work freely, and in
order to prevent the plate from being displaced therefrom as it is moved downwards
to its work, it is provided with ends or projections c² arranged at right angles to the
plate so as to project upwards into the slides as shown in the drawings. To the plate c
are also fixed the rods or bars c³ (encircled by the spiral springs c¹) which are made
to pass through suitable holes in the crosshead. The rods are provided with lock
nuts co for adjusting and regulating the relative position of the plate c to the cross-
head B. These rods are not only employed for steadying the plate when in
operation, but by allowing the lock nuts c³ to come in contact with the upper portion
of the crosshead, when the latter is raised the plate will be carried with it. In the
slide a² is made to work a carrier D to which is fixed the means for conveying the
colouring matter to the article under operation as will be hereafter described. The
carrier D is adjustably connected by means of rod d and nuts d¹, d², to a lug or
projection b formed on or attached to the crosshead B so that the carrier and
crosshead work simultaneously together.
To the underside of the crosshead or plunger B is attached, (by means of screwed
projections e passing into and through the slot holes 6 and held in position by nuts e¹)
so as to be capable of adjustment laterally, the plate E hereafter called the needle
holder. To the needle holder is fixed by screws another plate e² provided with a
number of countersunk holes corresponding with the number of needles (to be
employed. The needle holder is preferably made in two parts as above described to
facilitate the changing or varying the number of needles employed.
C are the needles for puncturing or perforating the material, preferably made of
steel of any required length and thickness, but I have found when made of about
twenty-two wire guage satisfactory results may be obtained. These needles may or
may not be pointed at one end, and are provided with tapering heads at the other.
The heads are made to fit loosely into the countersunk holes in plate & through which
the needles are passed as shown. When the crosshead is forcing the needles through
the material under operation, the heads are pressed against the needle holder E, but as
soon as the crosshead commences to rise for withdrawing the needles, the tapering
heads are drawn down into the countersunk holes in plate e² and thus return with the
crosshead. The needles C are arranged at suitable distances apart (say a sixteenth or
three-thirty seconds of an inch or more apart) in the plate e in the form of the letter,
mark, figure, or other device to be marked or branded in or on the material, that is to
say, if it was desired to mark the article with the letters E. B. L., the outline of such
letters would be formed in the plates c, c² and e² by drilling or punching a series of
holes the same size as the needles (through which the latter are passed as shown)
at or about a sixteenth or three thirty seconds of an inch apart. The plates c
and care employed for the purpose of guiding and directing the needles as they
are being forced through the material. The plate e' is fixed to the plate e in any
suitable manner, and by placing the plate e, say at or about a half or three quarter's
of an inch or more above the plate c and attaching it to the rods c³ greater rigidity is
given to the needles as they are passing into and through the soap whereby better
work is produced.
с
In the table at and also in the plate e is or are cut or formed one or more
rectangular or other holes a and c slightly larger than the size of the mark or
brand. The former is covered with a piece of perforated zinc or other gauze
which is let into the table, whilst the hole in plate c is covered by the plate c'. The
needles on emerging from the article or material under operation pass into the per-
forations in the gauze and thence into the tank K. The gauze is employed for
preserving the under surface of the soap level, and it also prevents the colouring
matter from spreading too much.
The required vertical reciprocating motion (intermittent or otherwise) is imparted
to the crosshead B from a cam g (keyed or otherwise secured on the shaft G) through
a loop 62 formed in the upper end of the connecting rod 63 which is fixed to the
crosshead as shown. A rotary motion may be given to the shaft G by a treadle,
hand wheel, pulley, or their equivalent from any suitable source of power.

page_text: When the machine is employed for marking or branding a bar or tablet of soap on
its sides and ends in addition to its face, I employ three doors H which are hinged
respectively to the front and two sides of the framework A as shown at Figs. 1, 2,
and 3. These doors are also utilized for holding the bar or tablet in position. To
each door is fixed a plate h in which may be cast or otherwise formed letters, type,
and other marks for branding the sides. Type, letters, and other marks may also be
cast or formed on the back and on plates a and c in addition to holes for the needles C.
In order to give motion simultaneously to each door, they are attached to the sliding
band or frame I by means of the levers i and connecting rods i¹. To the frame 1 an
up and down sliding motion is imparted from a second set of cams J on the shaft G
through rods provided at their upper ends with runners 2. The cams J are so
arranged and timed that the crosshead remains stationary until the doors H have
fallen into the position indicated by dotted lines at Fig. 1. After the doors have been
closed the paths of the cams J are concentric with the shaft in order that the needles
may descend and pass through the tablet or bar, and when they (the needles) have
been raised again to their original position, the cams J are made (by means of pro-
jections j³) to further depress the rods j¹ thereby slightly pressing the doors inwards
for the purpose of compressing the bar or tablet to its finished shape. Afterwards the
doors are raised from the table to the position shown in drawings.
In some cases and when preferred the crosshead may be connected to and actuated
by a fulcrumed lever I' as shown at Fig. 4. instead of the cams as just described.
When this is the case the frame I is connected by suitable rods to the crosshead B ;
and the doors are held open by the levers i and frame I. But as soon as the cross-
head and frame commences to descend then the doors H fall by their own weight into
a vertical position. As the frame continues its downward stroke it is made to act
upon the inclined portion 3 of the doors so as to gradually force them inwards
towards the soap until it is compressed to the required shape.
The mechanism for supplying the colouring matter to the material or article under
operation is as follows:-
Below the table at is preferably arranged within the framework A a well or tank K
into which the colouring matter is placed. In this portion of the framework the
slide a² is located and in it works the carrier D connected to the crosshead as above
described. On the carrier D is fixed a plate k preferably surrounded by a piece of
india rubber to act as a kind of pump bucket. The india rubber, or other elastic
or flexible material projects both above and below the plate k whereby a recess is
formed on the upper side thereof for receiving and raising the colouring matter,
whilst the portion of the india rubber projecting below the lower surface of the plate
is notched in one or more places and acts as an agitator for stirring up any sediment.
that may have settled at the bottom of the tank. That is, at each downward stroke of
the bucket the india rubber beyond the underside of the plate is made to come in
contact with the bottom of the tank, and the liquid and air (if any) enclosed within
the walls of the india rubber projection is forced therefrom by the downward com-
pressing motion of the plate k through the notches into the tank, thereby stirring up
the colouring liquid.
But when it is desired to mark or brand the name, letter, device, or advertisement
in more than one colour, then the perforating needles C may either previous to,
during, whilst, or after passing through the material be coated, covered, or passed
into or through one or more dyes contained in a suitable tank or tanks. These tanks
may be arranged either above or below the table, and as the needles are forced into,
through, or withdrawn from the soap the colouring matter is removed from the
needles and absorbed by the material, thereby leaving the dye in or around the holes
and giving a clear, permanent, and conspicious mark or brand.
In some cases and when preferred, instead of arranging the needles to pass through
or into the colouring matter, the soap may be first punctured or perforated as herein
described, and then carried forward and submitted to the action of the bucket k, or
passed under one or more boxes or other receptacles (arranged on the hereinbefore
mentioned framework) having its or their bottom or bottoms or under surfaces

page_text: perforated with one or more holes of any desired shape. In the perforated box or
boxes may be placed one or more sponges saturated with the required dye or dyes,
and a presser or plunger (operated simultaneously with or independently of the
perforating needles) is employed for squeezing or forcing the colouring matter out
of the sponge or sponges and through the hole or holes into the material. On the
pressure being withdrawn the spong will absorb any surplus colouring matter left
on the bottom of the receptacle or the material.
The colouring matter I prefer employing for the marking or branding operation on
ordinary kinds of soap such as yellow, mottled, or curd, is a little blue power (such as
is used for laundry purposes) or manganese dissolved in water, but for transparent
soaps, the ordinary laundry starch dissolved in water will be found to give good
results. Any other suitable kind of colouring matter may be employed.
The operation of the machine is as follows:-The needles C having been arranged
in position and attached to the crosshead B as described-the soap is then placed in
and J,
position upon the table a³, and motion is imparted to the shaft G and cams
or fulcrumed lever I¹ from any convenient source which causes the crosshead B,
needles C, guide plates c and c, doors H, and frame I to descend and close onto the
article or material under operation in the order herein described. The crosshead,
needles, and guide plates travel together until the plate c comes in contact with the
plate or other suitable stop (which is arranged about level or nearly so with the
upper surface of the soap) and it is held there whilst the crosshead, by compressing
the springs e, continues its downward stroke until the needles have passed through
the soap. When the needles have passed through the article and have been raised
again to the position shown in the drawings, the projections j³ in the cams J are made
to act on the runners and from thence through the rods j¹, frame I, levers i, and
connecting rods on the doors H, whereby the latter are moved inwards for com-
pressing the bar or tablet to shape. As the crosshead descends it carries with it the
carrier D and bucket k, and imnierces the latter in the colouring or branding matter
or liquid in the tank, and on the withdrawal of the needles from the soap by the
upward movement of the crosshead a sufficient quantity of the colouring or branding
matter is carried up by the bucket and forced into the perforations. This pumping
or forcing operation is accomplished by the upper edge of the india-rubber wall
comingiin contact with the underside of the table a before the crosshead B has com-
pleted its return stroke. After the return of the crosshead to the position shown in
the drawings, the frame 1 is further depressed for compressing purposes prior to the
doors H being raised for the removal of the marked block.
I would have it understood that in some cases the needles may be made a
fixture and the table may not only have an up and down motion given to it, but
may also be made to travel horizontally.
In conclusion I would have it understood that I am aware that names, letters,
advertisements, and other marks or brands upon soap have been moulded, cast, or
pressed on the outer surface during the process of manufacture, also that slips or
strips of material containing the desired mark or information have been inserted
in the centre of blocks or tablets of transparent soap during or after manufacture,
and in the case of transparent soap the initial has been cut through by means of
thin metal blades, or else type with sharpened edges or faces have been employed
but to none of these methods do I lay any claim as they are more or less open to
the objection that the marks or brands are liable to be soon erased, blurred, obscured,
or defaced, or where the initial is cut through the soap with metal blades, after it
has been in use for sometime it is liable to break or fall in pieces where so marked.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
:-
First. The method of indelibly marking or branding soap by machinery such as
herein described, arranged to first puncture or perforate the soap with a number of
fine needles or pins placed at suitable distances apart in the form of the desired mark

page_text: or brand, then raising, forcing, and depositing in such perforations a small quantity
of colouring matter, and finally compressing the soap to shape after the withdrawal of
the needles, substantially as herein set forth.
Second. A machine such as herein described for marking or branding soap and
other articles or materials, in which a number of fine perforating needles or pins are
arranged at suitable distances apart in the form of the desired mark or brand, said
needles being made to work through one or more guide plates and attached to a
crosshead (mounted in slides) to which a vertical reciprocating motion is imparted
from cams or their equivalents, and arranged to operate (as described) in conjunction
with one or more hinged doors, and mechanism such as described for raising, forcing,
and depositing the colouring matter in the article under operation, substantially as
herein set forth and illustrated.
Third. In a marking or branding machine such as herein described, the combination
of a vertical reciprocating crosshead such as B, fine perforating needles or pins such
as C, and parts connected therewith, with the mechanism for raising, forcing, and
depositing the colouring matter in the material under operation, said mechanism
consisting of a suitable tank such as K in which a reciprocating receiver or bucket
such as k is attached to a carrier, such as D (working in slides) said carrier being so
connected to the crosshead that when the latter has completed its return stroke and
the needles withdrawn, the contents (or a portion thereof) of the bucket has been
deposited in the material or article under operation, substantially as herein set forth
and illustrated.
Fourth. The marking or branding machine as a whole constructed, arranged, and
combined substantially as herein described and illustrated.
Bignon day of vanuary 1000.
EMMA BOOTHROYD.
By W. Fairburn Hart,
i, East Parade Leeds,
Agent.