IMPROVED MEANS FOR SECURING, FASTENING, OR 'LOCKING UP TYPE AND OTHER PRINTING SURFACES IN CHASES' FOR PRINTING PURPOSES, AND OF SECURING WHAT ARE KNOWN AS FORMES "UPON THE PRINTING TABLES
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Conisbee, of Herbert's Buildings, Waterloo
Road, in the County of Surrey, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVED
MEANS FOR SECURING, FASTENING, OR 'LOCKING UP TYPE AND OTHER PRINTING
SURFACES IN CHASES' FOR PRINTING PURPOSES, AND OF SECURING WHAT ARE
KNOWN AS FORMES "UPON THE PRINTING TABLES."
Sealed the 30th July 1867, and dated the 7th February 1867..
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Conisbee at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with bis Petition, on the
7th February 1867.
I, WILLIAM CONISBEE, of Herbert's Buildings, Waterloo Road, in the
County of Surrey, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVED MEANS OF SECURING, FASTENING, OR LOCKING UP' TYPE AND OTHER
PRINTING SURFACES IN CHASES' FOR PRINTING PURPOSES, AND OF SECURING WHAT
ARE KNOWN AS FORMES UPON THE PRINTING TABLES," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improved means of securing, fastening, or
"locking up" type and other printing surfaces in chases for printing pur-
poses, and of securing what are known as "formes" upon the printing tables.
In securing type and other printing surfaces in the chase for printing pur-

page_text: 45
poses according to the ordinary method, the type and other printing surfaces
are composed and set up in the form of a page, and placed within a metal
frame called a chase, strips of parallel wood or metal (called "furniture") are
placed next the sides of the type blocks or other printing pieces required to
be "locked up," a space being left between such strips of wood or metal and
the inner side of the chase or frame. A tapering or wedge-shaped piece of
metal called a "side stick". is placed at the side, and another similar piece
called a "foot stick" is placed at the foot of the page, leaving a taper-
shaped space between the "side stick" and the chase, and another similar
space between the "foot stick and the chase. Pieces of hard wood (called
quoins") are then placed in the respective taper-shaped spaces, and
driven by means of a heavy mallet and "shooting stick "from the widest parts
of such respective spaces towards the narrowest parts of the same, and the
type or other printing surface is thereby "locked up." The method above
described is found objectionable in practice, especially in the printing of fine
bookwork and in color printing (in which great accuracy is required), owing
to the difficulty of regulating the force of the blows in driving up the quoins
in the process of "locking up," the body of the type and other printing surface
being distorted in form, while the chase is often broken by the quoins being
over driven; on the other hand, if the quoins are not sufficiently driven, the
type and other printing surfaces and the furniture become loose. In order to
effect the "locking up" of the type and other printing pieces in such manuer
as to avoid the defects arising from the system above described, I employ
tightening bars constructed of steel, iron, or other suitable material, and fitted
or provided with screws (made of steel by preference, one bar of the same
length as the page being used at the side of the page as a "side stick," and
another bar, equal in length to the width of the page, being employed at the
foot of the page in place of the "foot stick." The face of each bar is planed
or filed or otherwise made quite flat on the side to be placed next the page
or furniture. The bars are drilled and tapped or screwed or otherwise pre-
pared in two or more places to receive screws having hexagon shaped or other
suitably formed heads for enabling the screws to be turned; such screws
serving instead of the quoins, and enabling the furniture, type, and other
printing surfaces to be "locked up" in a more accurate and efficient manner
as herein after explained. The type and printing surfaces constituting the
page having been placed in the "chase," together with the wood or metal
furniture herein-before described, I place in the space between the "furniture"
and the inner face of the chase the adjustable bars I have described, in

page_text: such manner that the heads of the screws are made to press against the inner
faces of the chase, thus pressing the flat faces of the adjusting bars against
the "furniture," and thereby tightening the page of type and other printing
surfaces, the requisite pressure being given by turning the screws backwards
so as to unscrew them out of the tapped holes. Otherwise in some cases
instead of tapping the bars and fitting the screws as above described I
construct the bars in such manner as to admit of their being fitted or
furnished with moveable nuts, in such manner as to admit of pressure being
applied at any part of the side and foot of the "page" of type and other
printing surfaces, substantially in the manner described, and admitting of being
used in chases of various proportions in the process of printing. In some cases
where it is desired to set up a small page within a large chase the arrange-
ment of the adjusting bars may be modified by placing two bars back to back
such bars being provided with screws having hexagonal or other suitable
heads, centre parts, or nuts so arranged as that by turning such heads, centre
parts, or nuts the bars may be caused to recede from or approach each other,
thereby either "locking up" or unlocking the type and other printing pieces
as required. Adjusting bars arranged substantially as described may be
conveniently employed instead of the quoins ordinarily made use of for
securing the chase and its pages (which combination of parts when set up.
is termed a "forme" on to the printing table of the printing machine.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Conisbee in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
7th August 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CONISBEE, of Herbert's Buildings, Waterloo Road, in the County of Surrey,
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Conisbee, Her special license that I, the said William Couisbee,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
William Conisbee, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter

page_text: '
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 "IMPROVED MEANS OF
SECURING, FASTENING, OR LOCKING UP' TYPE AND OTHER PRINTING SURFACES IN
CHASES FOR PRINTING PURPOSES, AND OF SECURING WHAT ARE KNOWN AS
⚫FORMES UPON THE PRINTING TABLES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said William Conisbee, 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
inimediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Conisbee, 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 :-.
In
This Invention has for its object improved means of securing, fastening, or
"locking up" type and other printing surfaces in "chases " for printing purposes,
and of securing what are known as "formes" upon the printing tables.
securing type and other printing surfaces in the chase for printing purposes
according to the ordinary method, the type and other printing surfaces are com-
posed and set up in the form of a page and placed within a metal frame called a
chase, strips of parallel wood or metal (called "furniture") are placed next
the sides of the type blocks or other printing pieces required to be "locked up,"
a space being left between such strips of wood or metal and the inner side
of the chase or frame. A tapering or wedge-shaped piece of metal called a
"side stick" is placed at the side, and another similar piece called a "foot
stick is placed at the foot of the page, leaving a taper-shaped space between
the "side stick " and the chase, and another similar space between the "foot
stick" and the chase. Pieces of hard wood (called "quoins ") are then placed
in the respective taper-shaped spaces, and driven by means of a heavy mallet
and "shooting stick" from the widest parts of such respective spaces towards
the narrowest parts of the same, and the type or other printing surfaces thereby
"locked up." The method above described is found objectionable in practice,
especially in the printing of fine book work and in color printing (in which
great accuracy is required) owing to the difficulty of regulating, the force
of the blows in driving up the quoins in the process of "locking up," the
body of type and other printing surface being distorted in form while the

page_text: chase is often broken by the quoins being over driven; on the other hand
if the quoins are not sufficiently driven the type and other printing surfaces
and the furniture become loose. In order to effect the "locking up" of the
type and other printing pieces in such manner as to avoid the defects arising
from the system above described, I employ tightening bars constructed of steel,
iron, or other suitable material and fitted or provided with screws (made of
steel by preference), one bar of the same length as the page being used at
the side of the page as a "side stick," and another bar equal in length to the
width of the page being employed at the foot of the page in place of the
"foot stick." The face of each bar is planed or filed, or otherwise made quite
flat on the side to be placed next the page or furniture. The bars are drilled
and tapped or screwed, or otherwise prepared in two or more places to receive
screws having hexagon-shaped or other suitably formed heads for enabling
the screws to be turned, such screws serving instead of the quoins, and enabling
the furniture, type, and other printing surfaces to be." locked up" in a more
accurate and efficient manner as herein-after explained. The type and printing
surfaces constituting the page having been placed in the "chase," together
with the wood or metal furniture herein-before described; I place in the
space between the "furniture" and the inner face of the chase, the adjustable
bars I have described, in such manner that the heads of the screws are made
to press against the inner faces of the chase, thus pressing the flat faces of
the adjusting bars against the "furniture," and thereby tightening the page
of type and other printing surfaces, the requisite pressure being given by
turning the screws backwards so as to unscrew them out of the tapped holes.
Otherwise in some cases, instead of tapping the bars and fitting the screws
as above described, I construct the bars in such manner as to admit of their
being fitted or furnished with moveable nuts, in such manner as to admit of
pressure being applied at any part of the side and foot of the " page of
type or other printing surfaces, substantially in the manner described, and
admitting of being used in chases of various proportions in the process of
printing. In some cases where it is desired to set up a small page within a
large chase, the arrangement of the adjusting bars may be modified by placing
two bars back to back, such bars being provided with screws having hexagonal
or other suitable heads, centre parts, or nuts so arranged as that by turning
such heads, centre parts, or nuts, the bars may be caused to recede from or
approach each other, thereby either "locking up" or unlocking the type and
other printing pieces as required. Adjusting bars arranged substantially as
described may be conveniently employed instead of the quoins ordinarily
"

page_text: made use of for securing the chase and its pages (which combination of parts
when set up is termed a "forme") on to the printing table of the printing
machine.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, I will now proceed to
more fully describe the manner in which the same may be conveniently carried
into effect, reference being had to the accompany Sheet of Drawings, and to the
letters marked thereon.
Fig. 1 is a side view shewing a side stick constructed according to my
Invention; Fig. 2, a plan of the same; and Fig. 3, an isometrical view
shewing a foot stick according to my Invention without the ribs 6, shewn in
Figs. 1 and 2.
a is the tightening bar constructed of steel, iron, or other suitable material,
and formed by preference with strengthening ribs b (as in Figs. 1 and 2),
and projections or bosses C as shewn, although such ribs and projections or
.bosses are not essential as the tightening bar a may, if preferred, be made
larger in cross section, thus dispensing with the necessity for the strengthening
ribs and projections or bosses in question; d is the face of the bar which is
intended to be placed next the page or furniture, and which is planed or
filed or otherwise made quite flat as previously mentioned; e are screws
tapped into the tightening bar a, and formed with hexagonal shaped pointed
heads for enabling the screws to be turned, such screws serving instead of
the quoins ordinarily employed, and enabling the furniture, type, and other
printing surfaces to be "locked up," as herein-before described..
Fig. 4 is a plan shewing an arrangement which may be advantageously
employed where it is desired to set up a small page within a large chase.
a, a, are two tightening bars of similar construction to those already described
with reference to Figs. 1, 2, and 3; e are screws tapped or screwed at both
ends, the threads being respectively right-handed and left-handed; f are
hexagonal heads, centre parts, or nuts formed with or attached to the central
parts of the screws in such manner as that by turning the hexagonal heads,
centre parts, or nuts f; the bars a may be caused to recede from or approach
each other as previously explained.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same may be conveniently carried into effect, I would have it understood
that I do not confine or limit myself to the precise forms or details described
and shewn as the same admit of being more or less modified without departing
from the distinctive features of my Invention, with reference to which I claim the
improved means of securing, fastening, or "locking up" type and other printing

page_text: surfaces in "chases" for printing purposes, and of securing what are known
as "formes " upon the printing tables, substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Conisbee, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witness,
W. LLOYD WISE,
Office for Patents,
Chandos Chambers, W.C.
W. CONISBEE. (LS.)