Improvements in Types and Blocks for Printing.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Nov., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 6th Aug., 1889-Accepted, 7th Sept., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Types and Blocks for Printing.
I, THOMAS CHARLES THOMPSON of the Britannia Mills, Lower Moseley Street
Manchester in the County of Lancaster, Printer's Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to blocks and types to be employed for printing in ordinary
printing machines and presses, and it has for its object to effect a reduction in the
cost of the types and blocks and to enable them to be produced in a much shorter
time than at present.
These Improvements consist in forming the printing surface of the type or block of
a layer of comparatively tough elastic material which may be cast or moulded and
readily cut, such as the composition of glue and glycerine or treacle of which ordinary
printer's rollers are made. A layer of the composition may be mounted upon paper,
strawboard, calico or similar material which in its turn is mounted upon a wood or
metal foundation, or the layer may be mounted direct upon the foundation, so that
the upper surface of the composition is type-high. The required letters or design is
cut through the layer of composition, preferably by means of a rotary cutter and the
surrounding composition is then stripped from the foundation. In some cases the
designs or letters may be cast or moulded in a comparatively thin layer and there-
after mounted upon the foundation with their printing surface type-high.
The printing surface is in all cases formed of the comparatively thin layer of
composition mounted type-high upon a suitable foundation or backing, and the design
or letters may be in intaglio or relief and may be printed from in an ordinary printing
machine or press in the ordinary manner.
D 1 1 1
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Types and Blocks for Printing.
I, THOMAS CHARLES THOMPSON of the Britiania Mills Lower Moseley Street
Manchester in the County of Lancaster, Printer's Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to bo
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This Invention relates to blocks and types to be employed for printing in ordinary
typographic printing machines and presses, and it has for its object to effect a
reduction in the cost of such types and blocks and to enable them to be produced in
a much shorter time than at present.
These Improvements consist in formning the printing surface of the type or block of
a layer of comparatively tough and elastic material which may be cast or moulded and
be readily cut or otherwise similarly shaped.
The material which I use for the purposes of my Invention is the composition of
glue and glycerine or treacle or other similar composition such as is or may be
employed in making ordinary inking rollers for printing machines. A layer of this
composition may be mounted upon paper, strawboard, calico, or similar material
which is thereafter mounted upon a wood or metal foundation, and in either case it is
so mounted that the upper surface of the composition is type-high.
A convenient method of producing the printing surface is to cast the composition
upon its foundation or backing in a suitable mould. According to this method the
foundation or backing is first placed in the mould and the composition (which has
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page_text: been previously melted or liquified) is then poured therein. When the composition
has cooled it is removed from the mould and is ready for the formation of the letters
characters or devices which it is desired to print. These are sketched stencilled or
otherwise indicated on the surface of the composition which may if desired be
previously chalked to take the outlines more clearly. The composition is then cut
through along the outlines of the characters letters or devices and the surrounding
composition is removed; or instead of removing the surrounding composition, the
parts of the composition forming the letters characters or devices may be removed so
as to form the printing surface either in intaglio or in relief, according to the effect
desired in printing. To facilitate the removal of the superfluous composition in cases
where the nature of the foundation would cause it to adhero tenaciously, a sheet of
brown or similar paper may be previously cemented upon the foundation and the
composition be cast upon the paper surface.
In some cases the letters characters and devices may be cast separately in a com-
paratively thin layer of the composition and be thereafter mounted upon a suitable
foundation for printing with their surfaces type high.
Instead of cutting out the letters characters or devices by means of a knife or
cutter as herein before described, they may be cut out by means of dies or punches
having cutting edges formed to the required shapes.
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 :-
Printing types and blocks for use in ordinary typographic printing machines and
presses, constructed substantially as hereinbefore described
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
Agent for the Applicant.