Year: 1887

page_text: 1, PETER JAMES CAIRNS, of 754 Republic Street, Cleveland, Ohio, United States
of America, 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 :-
My invention relates to improvements in copying machines, and the object is to
produce a machine which will take the place of an ordinary copying press and its
appurtenances, and simplify and cheapen the method or process of copying manuscript,
type writing, and so forth.
To this end the invention consists in a suitably formed water reservoir provided
with a wick of absorbent material, the edge of which extends outside of the reservoir
and by capillary attraction conveys the fluid out of the reservoir and moistens the
paper sufficiently to take an impression, with a roller following after the wick to do
the pressing, the whole being mounted in a suitable frame and having a handle for
controlling the machine.
In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my improved
machine in operative position on a book. Fig. 2 is a cross section showing the wick
down as in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a cross section with the wick raised and out of use.
Fig. 4 shows the reservoir without the wick and the cover raised to disclose the
longitudinal opening beneath.
A is the frame of the machine shaped preferably as shown and having a handle a to
operate it.
B is the water reservoir substantially cylindrical in cross section and having an
opening b at one side. A flange or lip b¹ extends laterally from this opening at an angle
to the axis of the reservoir and hinged cover 63 closes over the opening and lip as
shown.
C is the wick designed to occupy the length of the reservoir and of sufficient width
to extend beyond the lip a short distance as seen in Fig. 2, so as to moisten
the paper as it passes over it, while a portion is constantly immersed in the fluid
in the reservoir. Pins d on the lip serve to hold the wick in its position, and
screw studs e e passing through slotted openings in the cover and having thumb
nuts ee are employed to clamp the cover upon the wick. In this way I can

page_text: regulate the flow of fluid through the wick and make it more or less free and open
according to the needs of the work, or can shut the flow entirely off. The reservoir
is further provided with pivots g at its respective ends at one side of its centre so as to
throw the greater weight of the reservoir on the side where the wick projects and
insure its contact with the surface of the paper when in use, and substantially
ballancing the reservoir when it is thrown back out of use. Stops h, located at about
the axial centre of the reservoir, serve to limit the throw of the reservoir in either
direction by coming in contact with the frame at either side of the pivot point, and a
spring catch i, having a slot i¹ for adjustment on the frame engages the stop h and
holds the reservoir in the postion seen in Fig. 3. The pivots or journals g and the stops h
are so arranged with reference to the projecting wick that the wick will be raised or
lowered in respect to the sheet according as the reservoir is in one or the other of the
extremes of its oscillation.
A blotter or other sheet of stiff material is usually placed under the paper to be
copied as shown at K, Fig. 1, to provide a firm even surface.
I might without departing from the spirit of my invention use two or more wicks,
and other changes in the structure showing equivelent mechanism might be adopted.
It will also be observed that the opening in the side of the reservoir for the wick
and the pivots and the stops at the ends are so disposed in relation to each other that
the reservoir at no time is in a position to expose the opening to the flow of the water.
L represents a screw plug in an opening in the reservoir through which the water
therein is replenished. This opening may be dispensed with and the water introduced
through the slot containing the wick, or it may be located elsewhere as shall be found
most convenient.
The cover need not be hinged as the thumb nuts are sufficient to hold it in place, and
a clamping strip alone might be used. In that case the side of the reservoir could be
extended over the slot.
A blotter is usually placed under the sheet to be copied and another blotter outside
the book upon which the roller may be run to be dried.
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. In a copying machine, a supporting frame, a roller and a fluid reservoir pivoted
in the frame in advance of the roller and having a wick fed by the reservoir for
moistening the paper, substantially as set forth.
2. In a copying machine, a frame and a fluid reservoir provided with a wick and
constructed to oscillate within fixed limits in said frame, substantially as set forth.
3. In a copying machine a reservoir provided with an opening along one side with
a wick extending through said opening and a clamp to regulate and control the flow
of fluid through the wick, substantially as set forth.
4. In a copying machine a reservoir provided at one side with a lip, a hinged cover,
and a wick held between the lip and cover and projecting beyond the same, substan-
tially as set forth.
5. In a copying machine, a frame, a reservoir pivoted eccentrically in said frame
and stops within which the reservoir has limited oscillation, substantially as set forth.
6. In a copying machine a frame provided with a roller in combination with a
fluid reservoir having a wick for moistening the paper, said reservoir being constructed
to have the wick lifted out of working position, substantially as set forth.
1
2160
CM 1007