IMPROVE- MENTS IN MACHINE RULING
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Thomas Price, of Bow Street, in the
County of Middlesex, Machine Ruler, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINE RULING.”
Sealed the 12th February 1875, and dated the 19th August 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Thomas Price
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 19th August 1874.
I, JOSEPH THOMAS PRICE, of Bow Street, in the County of Middlesex,
Machine Ruler, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINE RULING," to be as follows:-
Hitherto machine ruling has been effected by pens held by a bar or
frame, and the paper to be ruled has been drawn or passed under or
against the pens. It is now contemplated to produce the rulings by the
outer edges or surfaces of discs or circular plates or rollers inked by one
or more feeders supplied from a trough or troughs with ordinary or any
approved ruling or printing ink. The said discs, plates, or rollers to be
of metal, wood, or any suitable material, and their edges or rims to be

page_text: shaped, engraved, or formed to produce broad, or narrow, or other lines,
plain, dotted, waved, or of any desired fancy or ornamental pattern. The
feeders to be of flannel or other suitable material.
It is convenient that the inking material in the troughs be kept at an
uniform level by means of one or more reservoirs placed at the side or
otherwise, according to circumstances.
Ruling machines constructed or fitted with the above appliances are
capable of being used separately or fitted to or in combination with type
printing machinery or apparatus, and may be driven or worked either by
a handle at the side, or by a treadle, or by steam, and (it is apprehended)
will produce the lines or rulings more continuously and satisfactorily
than the ruling machines hitherto in use.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Joseph Thomas Price in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 19th February 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
THOMAS PRICE, of Bow Street, in the County of Middlesex, Machine
Ruler, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Joseph Thomas Price, Her
special licence that I, the said Joseph Thomas Price, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Joseph Thomas
Price, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
“IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINE RULING," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Joseph Thomas Price, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their

page_text: hands and seals, should, particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Joseph Thomas Price, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-.
Hitherto machine ruling has been effected by pens held by a bar or
frame, and the paper to be ruled has been drawn or passed under or
against the pens. It is now contemplated to produce the rulings by the
outer edges or surfaces of discs or circular plates or rollers inked by one
or more feeders supplied from a trongh or troughs with ordinary or any
approved ruling ink. The said discs, plates, or rollers to be of metal,
hard wood, or any suitable material, and their edges or rims to be shaped,.
engraved, or formed to produce broad, or narrow, or other lines, plain,
dotted, waved, or of any desired fancy or ornamental pattern. The
feeders to be of flannel or other suitable material, the same as in ordinary
ruling machines.
Ordinary writing inks or such as are commonly used for ordinary
machine ruling may be employed, and it is convenient that the inks
in the troughs. be kept at an uniform level by means of one or more
reservoirs placed at the side or otherwise, according to circumstances.
Ruling machines constructed or fitted with the above appliances are
capable of being used separately or fitted to or in combination with type
printing machinery or apparatus, and may be driven or worked either by
a handle at the side, or by a treadle, or by steam, and (it is apprehended)
will produce the lines or rulings more continuously and satisfactorily
than the ruling machines hitherto in use.
The accompanying Drawing shews diagrams or sketch views illustrating
the Invention
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation or side view, and Figure 2 a plan of
the improved apparatus.
Figures 3 and 4 are an elevation and plan of certain parts drawn full
size.

page_text: a, a, and b, b, are two pairs of ordinary grooved hard wood rollers;
and c, a brass or other metal or hard wood cylinder or roller with plain
even surface; d, d, strings passing round the rollers a, a, and over c;
and e, e, strings passing round the rollers b, b, and over c. Between
the strings d and e the papers to be ruled are fed in from a feeding
board f. The above-mentioned rollers, or some of them, are made to
work properly together by gearing not represented in the Drawing.
g is a round rod or bar lying in and easily removeable from bearings in
the side framing (not shewn), and on the rod are loosely threaded or
placed the several ruling discs or plates h, which have holes through
them somewhat larger than the diameter of the rod g. Each disc h has
a guide i consisting of or furnished with two cheeks or plates between
which it is free to move loosely, but is thereby kept upright or nearly
so, the guides being adjustable (for position) upon a fixed bar k by
screws or clips. The discs are inked by ordinary flannels 1, l, supported
by a carriage consisting of bars m, n, and o, and fed by the
troughs p, p.
The reservoirs for supplying the troughs are not shewn, but any con-
venient arrangement for maintaining an uniform level of the ink in the
troughs may be employed.
The discs being inked on their edges in the manner stated transfer,
print, mark, rule, or produce continuous lines on the paper fed into the
apparatus between them and the roller c, by bearing with their own
weight and rolling upon the surface of the paper. 8, 8, are a pair of felt
covered rollers with calico or other convenient belt or wiper t passing
round them, for cleaning the surface of the roller c in the places where
it may become inked by the discs in the absence of the paper to be ruled.
The rollers 8 are made to bear against the roller c by a system of
weighted levers u, or any other convenient equivalent may be substituted.
One of these rollers is furnished with a friction strap at one or both ends
(not shewn), or any convenient substitute for retarding its action, so as
to produce or allow of a slip or wiping action of the belt t.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be and may be performed, I claim,―
Firstly. Machine ruling and apparatus therefor, by or involving the
employment of discs or circular plates or rollers for transferring printing,

page_text: marking, ruling, or producing lines on to paper or other material to be
ruled.
Secondly. The combination with the foregoing of a metal or hard wood
cylinder or roller as the resistance upon or against which the paper or
material may bear while being ruled.
Thirdly. The application of a wiper or cleaner to the lastly mentioned
cylinder or roller.
Fourthly. The loosely mounting the discs upon a rod or bar, and the
application of guides for maintaining their upright or nearly (practically)
upright position when in use.
And, Lastly. The general combination and arrangement of parts, as
represented in the Drawing and herein-above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Thomas Price, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of February, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.