IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR HOLDING AND MELTING THE COMPOSITION USED IN THE HEKTOGRAPHIC OR OTHER SIMILAR DRY-COPYING PROCESS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Reuben Corsham, of Stoke Newington, in the County
of Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
HOLDING AND MELTING THE COMPOSITION USED IN THE HEKTOGRAPHIC OR
OTHER SIMILAR DRY-COPYING PROCESS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Reuben Corsham at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th December 1881.
REUBEN CORSHAM, of Stoke Newington, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR HOLDING AND MELTING THE COMPOSITION
USED IN THE HEKTOGRAPHIC OR OTHER SIMILAR DRY-COPYING PROCESS."
This Invention relates to improvements in apparatus for holding and melting
composition, such for example as that described in the Specification of a Patent
granted to John Guy Wilson, bearing date the Thirteenth day of November,
A.D. 1878, numbered 4606, and relating to a process and apparatus for dry copying
now known under the name of the "Hektograph" and other designations.
Heretofore it has been customary to execute the writing, drawing, or other
delineations intended to be copied with a special ink on a sheet of paper, and to lay
the same face downward on the upper surface of the composition contained in a
plain shallow tray. After laying a short time on the composition the sheet of
paper is removed leaving a reversed copy of the original on the composition.
A number of copies may be printed off this reversed copy on to separate sheets of
paper, according to the quality and strength of the ink employed. When the
desired number of copies have been taken off, the reversed copy is washed off the
composition in order to prepare the surface for the reception of another reversed
original. Now it is well known that this washing process is both troublesome and
wasteful, as the composition has to be washed away each time to a depth at least
equal to that to which the ink bas penetrated.
The apparatus forming the subject of the present Invention has for object the
avoidance of the trouble of washing, and of the waste of composition above

page_text: referred to. It consists essentially of a water-tight box made of tin, zinc, or other
suitable material, with a more or less shallow tray or recess in its upper part
containing the composition; the lower part of the box forms a hollow chamber or
compartment, which may be filled at pleasure with hot or cold water or other
suitable liquid, for the purposes to be hereafter described.
The copies are taken from the composition in the usual way, and when these are
finished the hot water or other liquid is poured into the hollow chamber or com-
partment below the tray or recess containing the composition, whereby the latter is
melted and the ink remaining in the composition becomes absorbed therein. The hot
water or other liquid is then withdrawn from the lower chamber through a suitable
opening commanded by a cap, plug, tap, or other suitable device, and the com-
position is allowed to cool; after which the surface may be wiped over if
necessary with a damp sponge to remove any slight filin or scum, and the
composition is then ready for another printing or copying operation.
Cold water may be poured into the chamber after the hot water has been
withdrawn in order to facilitate the setting of the composition, and in some
cases, as for example in hot climates, iced water may be used to keep the said
composition cool and firm.
The compartment to receive the water or other liquid may be arranged in
various ways with reference to the tray, and may be formed in one therewith or
separately therefrom, as may be preferred.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Reuben Corsham in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th June
1882.
REUBEN CORSHAM, of Stoke Newington, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR HOLDING AND MELTING THE COMPOSITION
USED IN THE HEKTOGRAPHIC OR OTHER SIMILAR DRY-COPYING PROCESS."
This Invention relates to improvements in apparatus for holding and melting
composition, such for example as that described in the Specification of a Patent
granted to John Guy Wilson, bearing date the Thirteenth day of November,
A.D. 1878, numbered 4606, and relating to a process and apparatus for dry copying
now known under the name of the "Hektograph" and other designations.
Heretoforo it has been customary to execute the writing, drawing, or other
delineation intended to be copied with a special ink on a sheet of paper, and to lay
the same face downward on the upper surface of the composition contained in a
plain shallow tray. After laying a short time on the composition the sheet of
paper is removed, leaving a reversed copy of the original on the composition.
A number of copies may be printed off this reversed copy on to separate sheets of
paper, according to the quality and strength of the ink employed. When the
desired number of copies have been taken off, the reversed copy is washed off the
composition in order to prepare the surface for the reception of another reversed
original. Now it is well known that the washing process is both troublesome and
wasteful, as the composition has to be washed away each time to a depth at least
equal to that to which the ink has penetrated.
The apparatus forming the subject of the present Invention has for object the
avoidance of the troublo of washing and of the waste of composition above referred
to. It consists essentially of a water tight box made of tin, zinc, or other suitable
material with a more or less shallow tray or recess in its upper part containing the
composition; the lower part of the box forms a hollow chamber or compartment
which may be filled at pleasure with hot or cold water or other suitable liquid, for
the purposes to be hereafter described.
In the annexed Drawings Figure 1 is a plan, and Figure 2 a longitudinal section
of an apparatus constructed in accordance with the Invention.
A is the water tight box; B, the tray or recess in its upper part; C, the
composition contained therein; D, a screw plug through which the water or other
liquid may be introduced into the box A. This screw plug D is by preference
placed in the bottom of a separate compartment B₁ of the tray or recess B, which
serves to receive any excess of water or other liquid that may run over at the
plug D, so as to prevent the same from coming in contact with the composition C
contained in the tray or recess B; E is a screw plug, tap, cap, or other suitable
device for drawing off the water or other liquid from the box A when requirod.
The copies are taken from the composition C in the usual way, and when these
are finished the hot water or other liquid is poured (through the opening for the
screw plug D) into the hollow chamber or compartment formed by the box A
below the tray or recess B containing the composition C, whereby the latter is
melted and the ink remaining in the composition becomes absorbed therein. The
hot water or other liquid is then withdrawn from the lower chamber through the
opening commanded by the screw plug E or other suitablo device, such as a cap or
tap, and the composition C is allowed to cool, after which the surface may be
wiped over if necessary with a damp spongo to remove any slight film or scum,
and the composition is then ready for another printing or copying operation.

page_text: Cold water may be poured into the chamber after the hot water has been
withdrawn in order to facilitate the setting of the composition, and in some cases,
as for example in hot climates, iced water may be placed in the chamber or
compartment below the tray or recess B to keep the said composition cool and
firm..
The compartment to receive the water or other liquid may be arranged in
another way with reference to the tray or recess, and may be formed in one
therewith or separately therefrom, as may be preferred. For example, in Figure 3
of the Drawings the tray B is shown separate from the box A being merely placed
on the top thereof.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to or may be carried into effect, I would have it understood
that I make no claim to the dry-copying process above referred to, or to the use
and application of the before mentioned composition nor to the tray for holding
the same as they are all well known, but what I do claim is,―
The apparatus consisting of the water tight box A combined with the tray or
recess B, substantially as herein before described and illustrated in the several
Figures of the Drawing and for the purposes herein specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Reuben Corsham, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Sixth day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty two.