Year: 1896

page_text: WALLACE STEVENS HAMPSHER, Mount Vernon, West Chester County, State
of New York, U.S. occupation, Head Clerk, or Manager of Department in
Publishing House, 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 object of the invention is to provide a new and improved dampening device
designed for use in press copying and arranged to enable the operator to conveniently
moisten the sheets used in press copying, so that the said sheets are in proper
condition for work.
The invention consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the same,
as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claim.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this
specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts
in both figures.
Figure 1 is a sectional perspective view of the improvement, and Fig. 2, is a
reduced sectional side elevation of the same as arranged under the copying press
for removing the surplus moisture from the sheets.
The improved dampening device is provided with a tray A adapted to hold
moistening liquid, such as water and in the tray is placed a block B, made of wood
or other porous material and extending with its top a suitable distance above the
level of the liquid contained in the tray, as indicated in the Fig. 2. Sidewise
motion of the block B within the tray A is prevented by transverse guiding
strips C, secured on the bottom of the tray and placed a suitable distance from the
sides thereof, as plainly indicated in the drawings, it being understood, however,
that the said strips do not prevent the liquid from passing to block B. On the top
of the latter are placed the sheets D to be moistened, the said sheets being
preferably of canvas, but blotting paper and the like may be used.
Now it will be seen that the liquid contained in the tray A is, by capillary
attraction of the block B, passed upon the sheets D, so that the latter are
moistened. When it is desired to use the sheets D in the copying press, a presser
plate or cover E is first placed upon the sheets and pressed downward, so as to
squeeze out any surplus moisture contained in the sheets, and this surplus moisture
flows down into the tray back to the liquid contained in the tray. The said cover
or presser plate E is made with its opposite sides inclined or tapered toward its
outer edges, and when in use the lower portion of said incline faces of said cover

page_text: will stand, as seen in Fig. 2, slightly below the upper edge of the marginal rim of
the pan A, so that water may be poured upon said inclined faces of the cover so as
to run down into the pan and fill the same without necessitating the removal of the
cover and without disengaging the canvas sheets held under the same. If desired,
one of the sheets D may be extended over the side of the block B to pass down
into the liquid contained in the tray, so that the liquid is drawn up by capillary
attraction in the sheet instead of the block, and the latter consequently may be
made of a non-porous material.
The guides C do not extend up above the block B, so that they are not engaged
by the cover E when the sheets are pressed down as were said guides arranged to
project above the said block they would be likely to be bent over by contact with
the said cover E.
In order to properly press the cover E, I prefer to place the entire dampening
device under a copying press F of the usual construction, so that the operator upon
screwing down the plate F engages and presses the cover E, so as to properly
squeeze out any surplus moisture contained in the sheets D. If desired, the sheets Ď
placed upon the block B may be directly moistened by pouring water over the said
sheets and then applying the plate E and squeezing out the surplus water contained
in the sheets, in the manner above described.
The cover E being narrower than the pan A, admits the air freely, which by
drying the block, and sheets when not in use, prevents molding.
It will be seen that this device is very simple and durable in construction, and
enables the operator to quickly and conveniently moisten the sheets D, so that the
latter are in proper condition for use in the copying press.
Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure
by Letters Patent-
1st. The application of the combination of pan, porous block, and lid or cover.
2nd. The pan with the strips for holding the porous block in place.
3rd. The porous block to be used as a means of dampening cloths by capillary
attraction.
4th. The lid as used for the purpose of squeezing out surplus water, the beveled
edges of the lid for admitting the putting of water in the pan, without removing the
lid, and to admit of its being stood on edge when not in use.
5th. The making the lid smaller than the pan, that the air may dry the block;
and the cloths when not in use, and so prevent molding..
Dated this Twentieth day of March 1896.
WALLACE STEVENS HAMPSHER.