IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING LETTERS AND FIGURES ON METAL AND IN MATERIALS TO BE USED THEREWITH
Year: 1883

page_text: ETTERS PATENT to William Phillips Thompson Fel Inst P. A of the
Liverpool and London Agency for Foreign Patent Solicitors 6 Lord Street
Liverpool in the county of Lancaster Civil Engineer for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING LETTERS AND FIGURES ON
METAL AND IN MATERIALS TO BE USED THEREWITH " a communication to
him from abroad by Edward Everett Wood jun', Manufacturer of Northampton
in the county of Hampshire and state of Massachusetts United States of
America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Phillips Thompson
L
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th March 1883.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON Fel. Inst. P.A. of the Liverpool and London
Agency for Foreign Patent Solicitors 6 Lord Street Liverpool in the county of
Lancaster Civil Engineer. ". IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING
LETTERS AND FIGURES ON METAL AND IN MATERIALS TO BE USED THEREWITH,"
a communication to me from abroad by Edward Everett Wood jun Manufacturer
of Northampton in the county of Hampshire, and State of Massachusetts United
States of America.
This invention relates to improved method and apparatus for etching letters and
figures on metal by the use of acid, whereby the time usually required to complete
such etching and the expense thereof are greatly reduced and better results are
obtained.
A stamp stand made according to this invention is adapted to be worked in
conjunction with an improved method of etching upon metals. The base of the
stamp-stand has two holes therethrough through which screws are put to secure it
to any convenient bench or table.
A stamp-plate supporting-block is pivoted to the face of the base by a screw so
that it may have its free end swung to different positions on said base.
A stamp plate having a shank on which a screw-thread is cut, is supported
mainly by the block, the latter being bored longitudinally to receive said shank.
The top of block is slotted, and within and between the vertical walls of said
D

page_text: slot, a nut on shank of the stamp-plate is adapted to operate, for the purpose of
giving said shank and the stamp-plate a longitudinal movement.
Two adjusting and plate-setting screws are carried in nuts which are. secured to
the rear side of stamp-plate whose lower ends bear on base of the stamp-stand
and whereby said stamp-plate may be securely fixed in any desired position and be
adjusted in a vertical plane.
An adjusting screw rotatible in a nut secured to the base has a plain head-
connection with the side of block whereby the latter may be swung to any desired
degree over the face of the base to vary the face line of the stamp-plate and that
of the letters and figures upon it.
A work-guide and support is adjustably secured to the end of base just below
and in front of the stamp-plate by screws which pass through slot-like holes in
parts of said guide which bend down over the end of said base. Said guide is
provided with one or more grooves running in a line with the face of the plate:-
The said stamp-plate has secured to the face thereof a suitable plate bearing on its
face such letters, or figures, or both, as it may be desirable to reproduce upon
metallic articles such as cutlery saws, edge tools and other similar objects.
The figure-bearing plate may be made of metal, wood, or of some material of an
elastic nature, so that it be adapted to serve the purpose as hereinafter described.
That part of the metallic surface of the article on which said figures and letters
are to be reproduced from said stamp is covered with a thin coating of gum-guiac
or other suitable acid-resisting varnish, and having by the use of a soft pad of cloth
or leather, applied a moist coat of potash or other alkaline solution to the face of
said letter-stamp, the gum-covered surface of said metallic article is pressed against
said stamp by resting its edge in one of the grooves on the guide and swinging its
side against said stamp, causing the alkaline covered letters thereon to be brought
in contact with the gum on the said article whereby the form of said letters is by
said alkali, eaten into the gum on the metal, and said gum is so completely removed
thereby from the metal that the application of acid to that part of the surface
from which the alkali has removed the gum, results in forming and fixing the
stamp-figures on the metal, after which the remaining gum is cleared off in the
usual way.
The above-described method of producing the figures on metal through the
gummed surface thereof together with the operation of the stamp-stand greatly
simplifies the production of such figures on metals by the use of acid since it
entirely obviates the employment of ink, ink-press, heating, burnishing, turpentine,
et-cetera, as usually practised.
It will be understood that the face of the stamp-plate and that of the letters and
figures it bears, can be adjusted in all requisite directions to bring the same to such
a position as will enable the operator to reproduce the letters upon the right place
upon the article and so present the face of the stamp that a perfect impression will
be produced on the gummed surface.

page_text: '
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Phillips Thompson in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 12th September 1883.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON Fel. Inst. P.A. of the Liverpool and London
Agency for Foreign Patent Solicitors 6 Lord Street Liverpool in the County
of Lancaster Civil Engineer "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING
"
LETTERS AND FIGURES ON METAL, AND IN MATERIALS TO BE USED THEREWITH
A communication to me from abroad by Edward Everett Wood, jun. Manufacturer,
of Northampton, in the County of Hampshire and State of Massachusetts, United
States of America.
This invention relates to improved method and apparatus for etching letters and
figures on metal by the use of acid, whereby the time usually required to complete
such etching and the expense thereof are greatly reduced, and better results are
obtained.
Fig. 1, is a perspective view of the machine showing thereon in dotted outline, a
knife in the position in which it is held on the machine when it is stamped.
Fig. 2, is a section of the lower end of the spring-plunger and the letter plate
holder.
In the drawing, d, is the base, and A, the arm of the machine, and on the end of
the latter is a spring-barrel c, through which the plunger b, passes. A spiral spring
within the barrel c, operates in the ordinary way, to throw said plunger up after it
has been pressed down. A letter-plate holder e, is secured to the lower end of the
plunger b, in which is a dove-tail groove to receive a dove-tail rib on the letter-
plate v, whereby said plate is held up and allowed to move horizontally in said
holder. Said rib on plate v, is notched as shown, so that a spring o, on the under
side of holder e; may engage in said notches and hold the letter-plate in any
position to which it may be moved over the knife, to place the letters where it
may be desired thereon.
The knife is supported in a flat position on two spring supports 2 and 3.
Support 2 is attached to the end of a bolt 8, and the latter is held in a post 5, by
a screw 9, and post 5 is secured to a carriage 15, which is adapted to receive the
screw 10, in its end; the latter being adapted to turn in a lip on the rear side of
the base d. Thus by turning screw 10, the support 2 is moved transversely under
plate v, and by loosening screw 9, said support is moved to the right or left under
said plate. The support 2 is of the form of support 3, from the bolt 8 outward,
having an upper spring-leaf or end, through which a screw 4 passes, bearing
against its under half, whereby said upper leaf is given a certain incline to com-
pensate for the transverse pitch of a knife-blade, and provide for so setting it that
its upper side will be parallel with the face of the latter stamp w which is secured
to plate v, with a sheet of felt, soft rubber, or gum n or other elastic material
interposed between the latter plate w, and said plate v. Said letter plate is
preferably of rubber or cork or other elastic yielding material, which causes it to
easily adapt itself to the surface of the knife when pressed against it.
The support 3 is adjustable by screws 10 and 4 in like manner to support 2, and
in addition thereto is adjustable vertically as follows.
Block 55, in which bolt 8 is secured by screw 9, slides in post 5¹, and an arm 6
on said block engages with the screw 7, which works vertically in said post, and
the latter is set on the carriage 15, which is moved back and forth by the screw 10
connected therewith. Thus by turning screw 7, support 3 is moved up or down, to
compensate for the taper shape of a knife-blade, so that the latter will be adjusted
|longitudinally to have its surface parallel with the face of the letter plate w.

page_text: A pin 11 is placed in each of supports 2 and 3, against which the edge of the
knife is borne to cause it to come to a proper line under the stamp or letter-plate.
That part of the metallic surface of the article on which said figures and letters
are to be reproduced from said stamp is covered with a thin coating of gum-guiac
or other suitable acid-resisting varnish.
A box 12 rests on base d, under the letter-plate w, in which is a pad 13,
saturated with an alkaline or potash paste or solution. A cover 14 (partly broken
away) serves, when the machine is not in use, to prevent evaporation of the
contents of box 12.
In using the machine upon blades which have received their gum-coating, adjust
the supports to the blades, press down the plunger b, bringing the letter-plate
against the pad 13, let the plunger rise up, place the knife on the supports 2, 3,
press the letter-plate against it upon its gummed surface, let the plate spring away,
and remove the knife, and repeat the operation.
The form of the letters on plate wis by said alkali eaten into the gum on the
metal, and said gum is so completely removed thereby from the metal that the
application of acid to that part of the surface from which the alkali has removed
the gum, results in forming and fixing the stamp-figures on the metal, after which
the remaining gum is cleaned off in the usual way.
The above described method of producing the figures on metal through the
gummed surface thereof, together with the operation of the machine, greatly
simplifies the production of such figures on metals by the use of acid, since it
entirely obviates the employment of ink, ink press, heating, burnishing, turpentine,
et-cetera, as usually practised.
Having now described the invention as communicated to me, I wish it to be
understood that what I claim under the Letters Patent is :-
1. The within described improved method of etching figures on metal, which
consists in applying to a metallic gummed surface, a stamp moistened with
an alkaline solution to form figures through the gum, and then applying acid
to the figured surface of the metal, and finally washing off the surplus gum,
whereby the figures on the stamp are reproduced on the metal.
2. In a machine for stamping or producing letters or figures on metal, the use of
an elastic figure-bearing plate formed preferably by the insertion of an elastic
or yielding material between the letter plate (w) and the stamp plate (v),
substantially as described and shown.
3. The machine substantially as herein described and shewn for stamping letters
or figures on metal preparatory to their being etched with an acid, in which
the metal blade is supported on adjustable supports over a saturated pad, and
the letters impressed from an adjustable plate attached to a shank moving in a
guide and controlled by a spring or nut.
In witness whereof I the said William Phillips Thompson have hereunto set
my hand and seal this twenty third day of July in the year of our Lord
one thousand eight hundred and eighty three.