Improvements in or relating to Printing Photographs, especially 'Blue Printing," and in Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Nov., 1888
Complete Specification Left. 13th Aug., 1889-Accepted, 2nd Nov., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Printing Photographs, especially
'Blue Printing," and in Apparatus therefor.
"8
I, ARTHUR RICHARD BROWN of The Park, Harrow in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the method of and apparatus employed
in photographic printing. The objects of my invention being to make a portable
apparatus for photographic printing, and one more simple, cheaper, and much lighter
than the frames at present used. At the same time to take out creases from a crumpled
tracing, and also to enable two different tracings to be printed at the same time with
one apparatus.
I effect this result by means of an air or fluid pressure cushion or bag, preferably
made of india-rubber or some such material, in combination with clips for stretching
the tracing, thus doing away with the heavy plate glass usually employed. The
sensitive paper is kept tight against the tracing by means of the air bag.
The clips for taking two prints at once may form a rectangular frame open front and
back. If one tracing alone is being printed it is then desirable to have pieces of
webbing or canvas etc. to form a back to the frame.
The frame when used is made in such a manner that it can quickly be taken apart
and rolled up with the bag.
The air bag can if necessary be used with only a drawing board or card board to
form a back for the bag, and the tracing pinned or fixed by means of clips to the
board.
Also the bag can be used by itself for taking prints of letters from a letter book or
any book printed on one side, with a clip or its equivalent to hold the edge of the
page down whilst printing.
The construction of the clips or frames as will readily be understood may be con-
siderably varied but I will describe some of the more likely forms.
Where a drawing board is used simple spring clips may be employed in place of
drawing pins for fastening the paper to the board. Where the drawing board is
dispensed with and a frame of some kind has to be used 1 prefer to employ light
wooden longitudinal rods, say for example three with cross bands of webbing where
required though in many instances the webbing can be entirely dispensed with. The
papers are fastened by the ends and for this purpose I employ any convenient form of
preferably steel spring clips which may extend across the whole length of each end or
inay be divided or several entirely separate clips may be employed, however I prefer
for this construction to employ a single long clip at each end and so arrange it that
the papers having been turned over a metal or other rod can be slipped in under the
clips which are sufficiently strong to prevent back-sliding; by this arrangement the
papers are sufficiently firmly stretched and the inflation of the bag will take out any
unevenness and also place the two papers in intimate contract.
If desired a complete open frame may be made jointed at the corners preferably by
hinges with removable pins, a suitable groove or recess passes round this frame and
spring clips are so placed that when the papers turn round the rods are inserted in
the groove hoth rods and papers are securely held. Instead of using clips the frame
work may be divided at the groove and when the rods and papers are inserted therein
the divided portion of the frame may be brought together in any convenient manner
as by screws and thumb nuts.
Instead of the bands of webbing above mentioned a sheet of canvas or equivalent,

page_text: paper or the like may be used; and instead of the drawing board a sheet of card or mill
board can be employed.
Where it is desired to take two prints at once it will be understood that the bag is
inserted in any suitable frame or clips and lies between the two sets of papers so that
both are stretched as required.
Dated this 17th day of November 1888.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Printing Photographs, especially
"Blue Printing," and in Apparatus therefor.
I, ARTHUR RICHard Brown of The Park Harrow in the county of Middlesex,
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 :-
The objects of my invention being to make a portable apparatus for photographic
printing, and one more simple, cheaper, and much lighter than the frames at present
used. At the same time to take out creases from a crumpled tracing, and also to
enable two different tracings to be printed at the same time with one apparatus.
I
effect this result by means of an air or fluid pressure cushion or bag, preferably made
of india-rubber or some such material, in combination with clips for stretching the
tracing, thus doing away with the heavy plate glass usually employed. The sensitive
paper is kept tight against the tracing by means of the air bag.
The clips for taking two prints at once may form a rectangular frame open front
and back. If one tracing alone is being printed it is desirable to have pieces of
webbing canvas, etc., to form a back to the frame. The frame when used is inade in
such a manner that it can quickly be taken apart and rolled up with the bag.
The air bag can if necessary be used with only a drawing board or card board to
form a back to the bag and pinned or fixed by means of clips to the board. Also
the bag can be used by itself for taking prints of letters from a letter book or
any book printed on one side, with a clip or its equivalent to hold the edge of the page
down whilst printing. The construction of the clips or frames as will readily be
understood may be considerably varied but I will describe some of the most likely
forms.
Where a drawing board is used simple spring clips may be employed in place of the
drawing pins for fastening the paper to the board. Where the drawing board is
dispensed with and a frame of some kind has to be used I prefer to employ light
wooden longitudinal rods, say for example three, with cross bands of webbing where
required though in many cases the webbing can be entirely dispensed with. The
papers are fastened by the ends and for this purpose 1 employ any convenient form
of preferably steel spring clips which may extend across the whole length of each ond
or may be divided or several entirely separate clips may be employed, however I prefor
for this construction to employ a single long clip at each end and so arrange it that
the papers having been turned over a metal or other rod can be slipped in under the
clips which are sufficiently strong to prevent back sliding; by this arrangement the
papers are sufficiently firmly stretched and the inflation of the bag will take out any
unevenness and also place the two papers in intimate contact. If desired a complete
open frame may be made jointed at the corners preferably by hinges with removeable
pins, a suitable groove or recess passes round the frame, and spring clips are so placed
that when the papers turned round the rods are inserted in the grooves both rods and
papers are securely held. Instead of using clips the frame work may be divided at
the grooves and when the rods and papers are inserted therein the divided portion of
the frame may be brought together in any convenient manner as by screws and thumb
nuts. Instead of the bands of webbing above mentioned a sheet of canvas or

page_text: equivalent, paper or the like, may be used; and instead of the drawing board a sheet
of card or mill board may be employed. Where it is desirable to take two prints at
once it will be understood that the bag is inserted in any suitable frame or clips and
lies between the sets of papers so that both are stretched as required.
A further modification of my invention may be formed by dispensing with the air
cushion or bag and in its place using a sheet of card board, or thin wooden board or
its equivalent, which is bent and pressed into the back of the frame, after the tracing
has been stretched and held in the frame, so that the spring of the card or other board
presses the sensitive paper against the tracing in the same manner as the bag; the
card board is made a little larger than the inside of the frame and a groove is formed
in the back of the frame to prevent the card board slipping out of its place. Or
instead of the card board a wooden board with a pad preferably made of felt or its
equivalent is inserted in the back of the frame and held in its place, pressing hard
against the tracing, by means of springs or hooks; the felt pad is in this case
preferably made thicker at the centre than at the sides in order that it may exert an
equal pressure over the whole surface of the tracing.
In the drawings.
Figures 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6 and 7, sheet 1, represent the complete apparatus for taking
two prints at once. The frame consisting of four pieces of wood marked A., after
being joined together, is placed on a table or board and the first tracing to be copied
laid on it, as in figure 5, the tracing being represented by the dotted line, the slip of
wood marked B. is pressed into the groove thus stretching the paper, as in figure 6,
the bag with a sheet of sensitive paper on either side is placed on the tracing and the
second tracing laid over the whole, the pieces marked C. are pressed on, as in figure 7,
a little air is now blown into the bag which as it inflates presses the sensitive paper on
either side closely against the tracings the frame is then hung up preferably in a
diffused light and prints or copies are taken equally well on either side. Figure 1.
represents the frame complete ready for printing, the bag being shown dotted.
Figure 2 is a side view of the frame showing the bag inflated. Figures 3 and 4 show
how the frame is jointed to allow of its being quickly taken apart. Figures 8. and 9.
in sheet 2. show how a card board wooden board or its equivalent, also how a felt pad
and board may be used instead of and for the same purpose as the bag or air cushion
with the same frame as in figures 1 and 2. Figures 10 and 11 are modifications of
the frame where spring clips are used to hold the stretching slips of wood in their
places. Figures 12. and 13. show a modification of the frame where spring clips in
combination with a rod are used. Figure 14 shows a divided frame in combination
with rods, screws, and nuts. Figure 15 represents a drawing board and the tracing
pinned down with drawing pins, the bag being shown by the dotted lines; of course
slips of wood or some other form of clip would be preferable to pins for fixing the
tracing to the board. Figures 16 and 17 represent the frame formed as described of
three pieces of wood and bands of webbing; the tracing is here held by its two
ends which are rolled round rods and inserted in the clip; the bag is shown by dotted
lines.
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 :-
1. A frame for stretching and holding papers, tracings, or other matter for the
purpose, as described, of photographic printing or copying.
2. An india-rubber or its equivalent air or fluid pressure cushion or bag for the
purpose of pressing sensitive paper against tracings or matter to be copied or photo.
printed.
3. A pad made thick at the centre and tapered away on all sides, of felt or other
suitable material, for use with apparatus for photographic printing, or copying
tracings or other matter.
4. The use of a card board wooden board or its equivalent for the purpose of holding
and pressing sensitive paper against tracings or matter to be copied or photo. printed,

page_text: in combination with a suitable apparatus for stretching and holding the same, as
described.
5. The use of a drawing board or other board in combination with means for holding
the tracings or matter to be photo. printed, as described.
6. The general combination of parts forming my improved apparatus for photo-
graphic printing substantially as shewn and described.
Dated this 12th day of August 1889.
ARINUR R. DROWN.