Improvements in or relating to Blotting Pads.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Mar., 1899-Accepted, 29th Apr., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Blotting Pads.
I, OTTO RIECK, of No. 83, Bach Strasse, Hamburg, in the German Empire
Manufacturer, 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 present invention refers to improvements in or relating to blotting pads
which invention has for its purpose to produce a blotting pad permitting com-
paratively long strips or bands of blotting paper to be employed which blotting
paper is wound on a roller after being used.
I will now proceed to more fully describe my invention, reference being had
to the accompanying drawings, in which
Fig. 1 shows a side elevation of a blotting pad made according to the present
invention.
Fig. 2 is vertical longitudinal section of the blotting pad, the blotting paper
being removed.
Fig. 3 shows a side elevation of a modified construction of the blotting pad.
Fig. 4 is a plan of Fig. 3.
Fig. 5 illustrates in side elevation a second modified construction of the
blotting pad, and
Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the blotting pad shown in Fig. 5 shewing its body
reversed the blotting paper being removed.
C
The blotting pad consists of an elastic lower curved body piece a of sheet metal
and the upper body piece c, provided with the knob or handle 6. The frame formed
by the two body pieces a and c supports in its interior the rollers for the blotting
paper. The two body pieces a and c are secured together by means of screws d,
which penetrate short projections provided at each corner of the upper and lower
body pieces at either end of the blotting pad. The upper body piece e possesses
lateral projections or flaps e bent down and provided with curved slots f so as to
support the axles 9 9 of the blotting paper rollers therein. These blotting.
paper rollers
and are provided at one end and near same, with annular
grooves permitting the rollers to be inserted into the slots f. Ratchet wheels h
are mounted on the other end of the rollers and capable of being rotated by
means of milled heads i or the like. Two pawls 7 and 1 are pivoted on one of the
lateral flaps e so as to engage with the ratchet wheels h and prevent an automatic
unintentional rotation of same or the blotting paper rollers respectively.
Springs tend to secure the constant engagement of the pawls with their respec-
tive ratchet wheels. These spring influenced pawls and further ensure the
stretched condition of the blotting paper m running externally across the curved
body piece a. The rollers g and g₁ are of square cross section and are provided

page_text: •
with a longitudinal slot to permit the free ends of the blotting paper to be
secured therein.
The blotting pad is employed in the following manner: After the front end
of the blotting paper is inserted in the longitudinal slot in the roller shown on
the left hand side in Fig. 1 the roller g is rotated by means of the milled head i
in the direction indicated by the arrow, thereby winding the blotting paper on
said roller g. The other end of the blotting paper is inserted in the longitudinal
slot in the roller gl shown on the right hand side in Fig. 1, for which purpose
it is drawn outwards through the aperture left between the upper and lower body
piece across the curved external surface of the lower body piece a, and through
the aperture left between the upper and lower body piece at the right hand side
in Fig. 1, from whence it passes to the roller g¹ to be secured in the longitudinal
slot of same as mentioned before. The screws d securing the upper and lower
body piece together extend right across the blotting pad. Between the short
projections on either side of the upper and lower body piece which support the
screws in position hollow anti-friction rollers o pivoted on said screws are arranged
to permit a direct and easy pulling of the blotting paper through the apertures.
As soon as that portion of the blotting paper m at the external curved surface
of the lower body piece a is rendered unfit for further use, the pawl is dis-
engaged from the ratchet wheel h and the roller g' is turned sufficiently to replace
the unfit blotting paper by a fresh length of paper, whereupon the pawl is re-
leased and the blotting pad ready for further use.
In the modification illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 the upper and lower body
pieces are formed in one piece. Supporting brackets e' care provided at either
end of the lower portion of the body piece at the front and rear of the latter.
Slots f' for the axles of the blotting paper rollers are provided in said brackets e¹ e²
as shown in Fig. 3. The milled-heads h¹ h in connection with the two
axles may be arranged at different ends as shown in Fig. 4. The manner of
employing the blotting pad according to this modified construction is identical
with that described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2, the various constructional
and actuating parts being constructed in a similar manner, with the exception
of the modifications described above.
In the modification illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 the supplying roller is dis-
pensed with, the blotting paper m being wound on the body p of the blotting pad
which is made of elastic material, preferably metal. One end of the blotting
paper m is secured to the body p of the blotting pad in any well known manner.
The body p is provided with a supporting bracket or projection bent inwards
from the curved portion of the body p, as shown in Fig. 5. In the centre of
this projection a bolt is secured having a screw threaded nuts, suitably provided
with a milled head for facilitating screwing by hand. At either side of said bolt
studs uu¹ are secured to the bracket r, which studs serve for engaging with
corresponding slots in the side part of the handle 3. The handle carrying
the knob, is secured to the bracket r by screwing the nut s tight, the bolt having
previously entered a vertical slot in the side part of the handle ³, thereby press-
ing the bracket and grip piece ³ tightly together, the studs u u¹ simul-
taneously serving for securing the relative position of the two parts. It is
obvious that the arrangements of parts just described with regard to the front
of blotting pad is repeated at the rear, the various parts on either side being
identical in construction. The grip piece ³ carries the roller for winding the
used blotting paper thereon, this roller being actuated by a pawl and ratchet
arrangementy by means of a milled head to in the manner described before
After the blotting paper covering the lower side of the body p is rendered
unfit for further use, the screw bolts is loosened thereby enabling the body p
to be reversed so that the top layer of fresh blotting paper will now be at the
bottom, whereupon the handle is again secured to the body by screwing
tight the screw s. The used blotting paper is then wound on to the roller as
before described. Fig. 6 shows the body p reversed with regard to Fig. 5.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
1) A blotting pad comprising an upper and lower body piece with knob con-
nected together so as to leave an aperture between, the upper body piece having
side flaps bent down which form bearings for two blotting paper rollers, these
rollers being supported in such a manner that the blotting paper may be wound
from one roller to the other, it passing through the apertures between the upper
and lower body pieces and across the curved surface of the lower body piece; a
spring-actuated pawl and ratchet arrangement, the latter possessing a milled head
to facilitate its turning by hand, preventing an unintentional rotation of the
rollers, substantially as set forth.
2) A blotting pad the body of which is made in one piece, the lower curved
portion having side flaps at each corner turned up so as to form bearings for the
blotting paper rollers substantially as set forth.
3) A blotting pad the body of which may be made in one piece, having the
blotting paper wound around said body the free end of the paper being wound
on a roller supported in the handle in connection with studs and a bolt with
screw nut and milled head on a side flap of the body turned inwards ensuring
a tight connection of the body to the handle carrying the roller and pawl and
ratchet arrangement for the used blotting paper, simultaneously permitting by
loosening the screw, the separation of the body from the grip piece, so as to
reverse the body of the blotting pad, substantially as set forth.
4) A blotting pad having its parts arranged constructed and adapted to operate
substantially as described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2, 3 and 4, and 5 and 6
respectively.
Dated this 23rd day of March 1899.
B. REICHHOLD,
International Patent Office, 24, Luisen Strasse, Berlin, N.W., Germany,
Agent for the Applicant.