IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR GIVING SURFACE FINISH TO PAPER, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO COPPER-PLATE AND ADDED PRINTING AS ALSO TO EXPOSSING
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Bagster, of King's Road, Gray's Inn,
London, in the County of Middlesex, Printer and Publisher, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR GIVING SURFACE
FINISH TO PAPER, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO COPPER-PLATE
AND ADDED PRINTING AS ALSO TO EXPOSSING "
Sealed the 22nd May 1860, and dated the 23rd November 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Bagster at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
23rd November 1859.
1, BENJAMIN BAGSTER, of King's Road, Gray's Inn, London, in the County
of Middlesex, Printer and Publisher, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR GIVING SURFACE
FINISH TO PAPER, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO COPPER-PLATE AND
THER PRINTING, AS ALSO TO EMBOSSING," to be as follows:-
The improvements relate to forming the pressing surfaces of cylinders or
segments of cylinders to which alternating motion is given adapted to admit
of the paper operated upon being singly or otherwise placed between two con-
nected polished surfaces for surface finish, another or other being introduced
in succession as one is withdrawn, by which facility is given in operation, and
by preference I operate upon single sheets of paper, thereby admitting of
higher speed being employed. For embossing the plates or surfaces employed,
or one of them will have thereon the figures or configurations desired to be
imparted. The lower plate may serve as a bed plate, or a separate plate may
be employed for that purpose. The motion to the segments is obtained from

page_text: a rotary action, operated by steam or otherwise, and the two segments or
segmental surfaces ares o operated, that whatever motion is imparted to the
one is also given to the other. When hot pressing is required, the polished
surfaces are heated by steam, or by enclosed jets of gas placed under the bed.
The improvements also relate to the application of such segmental surfaces
with alternating motion to printing and other processes, facility being given
by its double action, so that both ends of the machine or press can be
employed at the same time.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Benjamin Bagster, in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd May 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, BENJAMIN
BAGSTER, of King's Road, Gray's Inn, London, in the County of Middlesex,
Printer and Publisher, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of
Her reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Benjamin Bagster, Her special licence that I, the said
Benjamin Bagster, my executors, administrators and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Benjamin Bagster, 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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR GIVING SURFACE FINISH TO PAPER,
WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO COPPER-PLATE AND OTHER PRINTING, AS
ALSO TO EMBOSSING," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Benjamin Bagster, 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 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 Benjamin Bagster, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows a longitudinal, and Figure 2, a transverse section of parts
of apparatus arranged according to my Invention, sufficient to enable a work-
man to adapt the same. a, b, are two portions or segments of cylinders,
affixed respectively to axes a and b, by which they are supported, so as to
turn in bearings, which may be adjustable in a suitable framing, which I have
not thought it necessary fully to show. The two segments and bare connected
together, so that whatever movement is given to one segment may be simul-
taneously given to the other by means of the links c, c, which are connected
together by pin joints at c', whilst their other ends are respectively connected
by pins c² to the segments a and b; but this method of obtaining simultaneous
action to the segments a, b, may be varied. d is the main or driving axis
upon which is affixed the drum or pulley d, which receives motion by means
of a strap or band from a steam engine or other suitable power; and upon
this axis dis also affixed a pinion d, which takes into and gives motion to the
wheel e upon the axis e', and this wheel e also takes into and drives the
toothed wheel upon the shaft or axis f, and upon which is also affixed the
compound pinion g, having two sets of teeth (1) and (2). The teeth (1) are
adapted to take into the teeth (3) of the segment a, whilst the teeth (2) are
adapted to take into the teeth (4) of that segment, so that that segment may
be caused to make partial rotations in one or the other direction, according to
which surface (1) or (2) of the wheel g is for the time in operation, and this
change of relative position of the wheel g is effected by the sliding endways of
the axis f, and this end way motion is obtained by means of the lever h, which
turns upon the axis, whilst it embraces the neck f2 of the axisf', and at
the other end is controlled in its movement by passing within the cam groove
formed in the surface of the drum e², and this cam course is so formed, that
during its revolutions, it will successively, by means of the lever h acting on

page_text: the axis f¹, cause the wheel g by acting on the teeth (3) to move the segments
for a partial rotation in the direction of the arrow z, and then for a time hold
the pinion g between the two sets of teeth (3) and (4), and then move it into
contact with the teeth (4) to cause the segments to make a partial rotation in
the opposite direction, when the wheel g will again be shifted for a time into
a position intermediate of the teeth (3) and (4), and then back into contact
with the teeth (3), and so on successively. But the method of obtaining the
alternate notion to the segments may be varied. The apparatus as shown is
adapted to be used for the pressing of single sheets of paper, which are placed
between the bed plate i and the platej. The bed plate i is supported so as to
be capable of travelling on bearings affixed to or formed in the main framing
as moved to and fro by the action of the segments a, b, and the plate j is con-
nected to the bed by links k, one at each side, and the plate is provided
with horns j,j, by which it is alternately raised at one and then the other
end by the action of the segment & thereon, to admit of sheets of paper being
introduced between that plate and the bed plate i. Figure 3 shows the parts
in the reverse position to that indicated by Figure 2, by which their move-
ments will be better understood; Figure 4 shows separately the cam course of
the surface of the wheel e2. The paper may be introduced in single or other
number of sheets, folded or otherwise, and may be introduced and withdrawn.
successively from the opposite sides as the parts assume the respective
positions indicated by the Figures 2 and 3. The surfaces of the bed i and
plate may be polished, or other plates may be applied thereon having the
desired surface polish, or with surfaces embossed to the figures or con-
figurations desired to be imparted. When hot pressing or embossing is
required, the plate i may be formed hollow, for the admission of steam by
suitable flexible or jointed pipes, or heat may be imparted to the bed plate i
by jets of gas, the pipes of which are supplied from suitable flexible or other
tubes adapted to admit of the motion given to the plate i.
Apparatus with alternating surfaces of the character explained is also
applicable to copper, steel, plate, and other printing and pressing processes
facility being given by its double action for the employment of both ends for,
filling and taking out the work. And a workman acquainted with the
requirements of such description of machinery will, from the description
already given, readily make those variations and adaptations necessary for
the application of the Invention to when copper or steel plate, or other
printing is to be effected, or increased quantities of paper are to be pressed
at the same time between the surfaces a and. b.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, I would have it

page_text: understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details referred to, as
they may be varied without departing from the peculiar character of the
improvements; but what I do claim is, the adaptation, combination, or
arrangement of means or apparatus to be used in giving surface finish to
paper, and in the processes of copper plate and other printing and embossing,
substantially as explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Bagster, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
Witness,
WILLIAM BROOKES,
73, Chancery Lane, London,
Patent Agent.
B. BAGSTER. (L.S.)