CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING FROM TYPE BY ELECTRICITY
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Hawkins Simpson, of Kilmeena, near Westport,
in Ireland, Esquire, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
PRINTING FROM TYPE BY ELECTRICITY."
Sealed the 7th October 1864, and dated the 9th April 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Hawkins Simpson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 9th April 1864.
I, JOHN HAWKINS SIMPSON, of Kilmeena, near Westport, in Ireland,
5 Esquire, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING FROM TYPE BY ELECTRICITY," to be as follows:-
The object or purport of my Invention is to effect the printing by typo-
electric telegraphs, such as Bonellis, with no more than three wires, instead of
five wires, which is the smallest number that can be used according to the
typographic forms and arrangements hitherto adopted; that is, I place and
arrange the types to be printed from in horizontal position, (as thus, U,

page_text: and so forth, or vice versa (Q), in lieu of an upright position (as thus,
A BC) as heretofore practised. Hence no more than the three electrio
wires need of necessity be used to print with. Letters or types of the ordinary
forms may be used, except in the case of letters, the perfect outlines of which
cannot be obtained from the "printing comb" from the ordinary forms of types
with three wires, in which cases I use types of modified forms, or types
representing conventional signs, as for illustration merely, say, in the Roman
characters, U, W, X, Y, Z, in which case I should prefer to use type of such
modified character, as this, for illustration,
N, for
UWXYZ, or other conventional signs, for which purpose I cast or make
type with letters and characters of said forms and shapes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Hawkins Simpson in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 8th October 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HAWKINS SIMPSON, of Kilmuna, near Westport, in Ireland, Esquire, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said John Hawkins Simpson, Her special licence that I, the said John
.Hawkins Simpson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said John Hawkins Simpson, 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 "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING FROM TYPE BY ELECTRICITY,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Hawkins Simpson,
my executors or- administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain. the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same

page_text: was to be performed, 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 John Hawkins Simpson, 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 (that is to say) :-
My Invention for "Certain Improvements in Printing from Type by
Electricity has for its object and purport to effect the printing, by typo-
electric telegraphs, such, as for illustration merely, Bonellis, with no more
than three wires or points, instead of five wires or points, which is the smallest
number of wires hitherto adopted, so as to clearly develope the forms of the
letters, characters, or figures according to the typographic forms and arrange-
ments hitherto adopted; that is, I place and arrange the printing types,
under which term I include types of all kinds, in a horizontal position, as
thus,, and so forth, or vice versa, Q, in lieu of the ordinary
upright position, as thus, A B C, as heretofore employed, so that no more
than three electric wires or points need of necessity be used to print with.
Letters, or type, or figures of the ordinary forms in relief or intaglio may be
used, except in the case of letters or figures the perfect outlines of which
cannot be obtained from the ordinary forms of type by the use of three wires
or points only, in which case I use types of modified forms, or types repre-
senting conventional signs, as for illustration merely, say, in the Roman
characters, M X Y Z, in which cases I should prefer to use type of such
modified form, as this, for illustration, = X >N, or other
conventional signs, for which purpose I cast or make type with letters and
characters of the said forms and shapes. By the use of type thus placed I
cause the letters to be printed with fewer interruptions of the electric current
than are unavoidably produced in printing from type placed upright, as
hitherto used, while the length of contact between the transmitting points of
the wires and the metallic type allows sufficient time for the electric current
to flow and transmit the marking to the receiving station.
Having now fully described and set forth the nature and object of my said
Invention for "Certain Improvements in Printing from Type by Electricity,"
together with the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the same into.
practical effect, I would remark in conclusion, that I hereby declare my
Invention to consist in and I claim,-

page_text: Firstly, the placing of type in a horizontal position for printing from by
electricity.
And, secondly, the printing from type by electricity, as herein-before set
forth and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Hawkins Simpson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
-Witness,
JOHN HAWKINS SIMPSON. (LS.)
CHARLES S. BAKER,
Clerk, General Patent Company, Agents,
. 71, Fleet Street.