AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR PRO- DUCING STEREOTYPE PLATES
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Vincent Newton, of the Office for Patents, 66,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex. Mechanical Draughtsman,
for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR PRO-
DUCING STEREOTYPE PLATES."-A communication from abroad by Stephen
Davis Tucker, of New York City, United States of America.
aled the 12th January 1864, and dated the 5th August 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Vincent Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 5th August 1863.
I. ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON. of the Office for Patents. 66. Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex. Mechanical Draughtsman, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR
PRODUCING STEREOTYPE PLATES," to be as follows:-
The present process of stereotyping for the use of the newspaper press
is as follows: The moulding material is composed of several layers of paper
pasted or glued together. and while in a moist state this material is laid on the
type form. which is usually heated. The paper is beaten in with a brush,
and thus forms the matrix into which the metal for forming the stereotype
plate is poured.
In the improved process which forms the first part of the present Invention.
the moulding material used is soft paper or dry pulp of such a thickness that
(under pressure) a sufficient depth will be ensured to the hollows or counters
[Price 8d.]

page_text: to produce a good casting. To obtain the mould a sheet of dry paper or paper
pulp of a soft or spongy character is laid on the form of type to be copied, and
upon the layer of paper a sheet of steel. brass, or other hard substance is placed.
and the whole is passed between pressing rollers. A matrix is thus produced,
and from it a stereotype plate is obtained in much less time than by the process
now used.
As a modification of the apparatus, a sheet of india-rubber or hard and soft
rubber combined may be employed in place of the metal sheet above mentioned.
or the rollers may be covered with india-rubber, so that the surface thereof
shall be hard and yet elastic. and thereby cause the paper to take a sharp
impression of the type.
The second part of the Invention relates to an arrangement of mechanism
for shaving the back or under side of stereotype plates so as to make them
perfectly smooth. The plate is placed face downward on a curved bed, and
secured thereon by clamps. A shaving knife is fixed to an oscillating frame
turning in bearings on uprights. these hearings being exactly in the centre of
the circle of which the bed forms a segment. The knife can be raised and
lowered by adjusting screws. and adjustable stops are adapted to gauge the
thickness of the plates. The knife being brought to the proper position to
take a shaving off the plate. il is forced over the plate by means of a windlass
or other suitable mechanism provided with pinions which gear into toothed
segments on the lower edge of the oscillating frame. The knife is then
slightly raised and the frame drawn back, its weight being counterbalanced by
the tension of a spiral spring, so that it will remain in either position. The
knife is then brought slightly lower than before, and again passed over until
the plate is reduced to the desired thickness. In the above-described machine
the knife acts in a curved direction, but the shaving of the under side of the
plates may be effected by moving the knife transversely of the plates. In this
case the knife is curved to correspond to the curve of the plates, and the plates
are placed on the curved bed of the machine as before. The knife holder
slides over and is guided by the bed, and is moved backward and forward over
the plate by a windlass or other mechanism, the pinions of which gear into
racks attached to either side of the knife holder. Instead of the plate being
held by cramps and the knife brought down to it by the regulating screws as
in the former machine, the plate may be merely laid on the curved bed against
an abutment, and after the knife has taken a cut the plate is lifted off and the
knife is run back. A piece of hard paper is then laid under the plate and the
knife passed over as before, and so on until the proper thickness is obtained.
The first described machine is best suited for large thick plates and the last

page_text: machine for small thin plates; of course the knives of both these machines may
be operated by power if desired.
The third part of the Invention relates to the bevilling of the edges of
stereotype plates. The plate after being shaved on the under side is placed face
upward upon a curved table and against movable guide pins. The plate is
secured in this position by screw cramps which slide in two rebated grooves
that run across the face of the table at right angles to each other, so as to bring
the cramps to bear on plates of all sizes. One side of the table is arranged
for a straight plane to run on, while the adjoining side is similarly arranged for
a curved plane. Thus two sides of the plate may be bevilled without its being
moved. The plate is then turned half way round and the two other sides are
bevilled in the same manner. The planes have two handles, as this arrange-
ment is more particularly designed for large thick plates. For bevilling small
thin plates a similar table and planes are used, but the plates are held by one
hand and the planes are moved by the other. In this machine there is also a
curved table and straight plane. A groove is made across the face of the table,
and into this groove a movable abutment is fitted to receive the thrust of the
plate while being bevilled with the straight plane. A similar groove is made
at right angles to the above, into which is also fitted a movable piece to take
the thrust of the curved plane.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alfred Vincent Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 5th February 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
VINCENT NEWTOs, of the Office for Patents. 66. Chancery Lane. in the County
of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-three. in the twenty-seventh year of Her
reign. did. for Herself. Her heirs and successors. give and grant unto me,
the said Alfred Vincent Newton. Her special license that 1. the said Alfred
Vincent Newton, my executors. administrators. and assigns, or such others
as 1. the said Alfred Vincent Newton. 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

page_text: TYPE
of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "AN IMPROVID MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING STEREO-
PLATES." being a communication from abroad, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I. the said Alfred Vincent Newton. by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said lavention, 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 Alfred Vincent Newton. do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention. and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement. reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say): -
The present process of stereotyping for the use of the newspaper press is as
follows: The moulding material is composed of several layers of paper pasted
or glued together, and while in a moist state this material is laid on the form
of type, which is usually heated. The paper is beaten with a brush into the
interstices between the types, and thus forms the matrix into which the molten
metal for forming the stereotype plate is poured.
In the improved process which forms the first part of the present Invention
the moulding material used is soft paper or dry pulp of such a thickness that
(under pressure) a sufficient depth will be ensured (in the hollows or
counters") to produce a suitable matrix for a good casting. To obtain the
mould a sheet of this dry paper or paper pulp of a soft or spongy character is
laid on the form of type to be copied, and upon the layer of paper a sheet of
steel, brass, or other hard substance is placed, and the whole is passed between
pressing rollers or otherwise submitted to pressure, so as to obtain an intaglio
impression of the form of type. A matrix is thus produced. and from it a
stereotype plate is obtained by casting in much less time than by the process
now used.
As a modification of the apparatus, a sheet of india-rubber or junction
rubber," that is. hard and soft rubber combined, may be employed in place
of the metal sheet above mentioned, or the rollers may be covered with this
"junction
or combined hard and soft rubber, so that the surface thereof shall
be hard and yet elastic. and thereby cause the paper to take a sharp impression
of the type.
The second part of the Invention relates to improved arrangements of
mechanism for shaving the back or underside of stereotype lates

page_text: In the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1, Sheet I., is a side elevation. and
Fig. 2 is an end elevation of an arrangement of machinery for shaving the
under side of curved stereotype plates in the direction of their curve, for which
purpose a straight shaving knife is employed.
The curved bed of the machine is seen at A, A, and upon this the plate
B is placed face downward, and is secured by the cramps C, C. The shaving
knife D is fixed to an oscillating frame E. supported in bearings on the two
uprights F. F. The axis of these bearings coincides with the centre of the
circle, of which the bed A forms an are or segment. The knife D can be
raised and lowered by the adjusting screws G, G. which admit of its being set
with great nicety and accuracy. II, II. are adjustable stops, against which
the knife is brought at every forward motion. This arrangement is made in
order that a series of plates may be reduced to the same uniform thickness.
The knife, when brought to the proper position to take a shaving off the plate,
is forced over it by means of a hand wheel 1 keyed on the shaft K. On this
shaft K (see Fig. 1) a pair of spur pinions is mounted. which gear into
toothed segments M. M. on the lower edge of the oscillating frame, and
thereby drive that frame. The knife D. having completed a traverse along the
stereotype plate, is slightly raised. and the frame is drawn back, its weight
being counterbalanced by the tension of a spiral spring N, so that it will
remain in either position. The knife is then brought down slightly lower than
before, and is again passed over the plate. and the operation is repeated until
the plate is reduced to the desired thickness. In the above-described machine
the knife D acts in an arc.
1 will now describe another form of machine for shaving the back or under
side of stereotype plates, in which the knife acts in a direction parallel with the
axis of the circle. of which the curved bed forms an arc or segment.
Fig. 3. Sheet II., is a side elevation, and Fig. 4 is an end elevation of this
modified form of machine in which a curved knife is used. In this instance
the plate is placed on the bed A of the machine, which has a curved surface,
as seen in Fig. 4. B is the knife-holder. which slides over and is guided by
the bed, and is moved backward and forward over the plate, as in the other
machine. by means of the hand wheel C on the shaft D. The pinions E, E,
on the shaft D gear into the straight racks F. F. attached to either side of the
knife-holder B. which is actuated thereby. Instead of the plate being held by
cramps. and the knife being brought down to it by the regulating screws, as
in the former machine. the plate may be merely laid on the curved bed against
an abutment G, and after the knife has taken a cut the plate is lifted off
and the knife is run back. A piece of hard paper is then laid under the plate

page_text: and the knife is passed over as before. and so on until the plate is reduced to
the proper thickness.
The first-described machine is best suited for large thick plates, and the last-
described machine for small thin plates. Of course the knives of both these
machines may be operated by power if desired.
The third part of the Invention consists of suitable mechanism for bevilling
the edges of the stereotype plates.
In Sheet .. Fig. 5 is a plan, Fig. 6 an end elevation, and Fig. 7 is a
longitudinal section of a curved table and plane for bevilling the edges of the
plates; Fig. 8 represents the straight plane detached. A is a curved table,
upon which the plate B. after being shaved down or reduced to its proper
thickness by either of the above-described machines, is placed face upward, and
is made to abut against the moveable guide pins C. C. The plate is secured
in this position by the screw cramps D. D. which are capable of being moved
in the two rebated grooves E. E. that extend across the face of the table at
right angles to each other. so as to admit of bringing the cramps to bear on
all sized plates. One side of the table is arranged for a straight plane (Fig. 8)
to run on. while the adjoining side is similarly arranged for a curved plane F.
Thus two sides of the plate may be bevilled without it being moved. The plate
is then turned half way round, and the two other sides are bevilled in the
same manner. The planes have two handles. as this arrangement is more
particularly designed for large thick plates. For bevilling small thin plates a
similar table and planes are used, but the plates are held by one hand and the
planes are moved by the other. This form of plane is shewn at Fig. 9. which
is a plan view of the table with the plate thereon, and the plane in use: Fig. 10
is a cross section of the same; Fig. I is a longitudinal section of a curved
table and straight plane adapted to this purpose; Fig. 12 represents a curved
plane detached. A is the curved table: B is the straight plane; and C is the
plate which is being operated upon: D is a groove made across the face of
the table, and into which a moveable abutment E is fitted to receive the thrust
of the plate while being bevilled with the straight plane; and F is a similar
groove made at right angles to the other groove D. and into which is also
fitted a moveable piece to take the thrust of the curved plane G.
Having now described this Invention of an improved mode of and apparatus
for producing stereotype plates, and having explained the manner of carrying
the same into effect, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, I
claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid,--
First, the use of the dry moulding material for forming the matrix by the
aid of pressure, in the manner above set forth.

page_text: Second. I claim the apparatus herein shewn and described for shaving the
backs and bevilling the edges of the stereotype plates, and thereby reducing
them to their proper thickness, form, and dimensions.
In witness whereof. 1. the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal. this Third day of February. in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
A. V. NEWTON. (L.S.)