Two Colour Self-inking Alphabet (Index) Lettering Machine and Pad for Lettering Alphabets in Two Colours at One Operation in Account Books, Letter Books, and other Books, or in Slips or Sheets, either for Commercial or General Purposes.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Nov., 1886.
Complete Left, 24th Feb., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 20th May, 1887.
Two Colour Self-inking Alphabet (Index) Lettering Machine and
Pad for Lettering Alphabets in Two Colours at One Operation
in Account Books, Letter Books, and other Books, or in Slips or
Sheets, either for Commercial or General Purposes.
FREDERICK FRENCH 49 British Street Bow Road, London E. Stationer do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows
This machine consists of a wooden wheel (made of a suitable diameter and sub-
stance to suit various sizes of Account Books, and for different sizes of Indexes) with
the surface grooved to a depth sufficient to take the letters, which are of India Rubber
and arranged round the surface of the wheel in the abovementioned groove, the wheel
is mounted on a spindle and fitted to a suitable handle. On the side of the wheel is
a projecting boss with a groove, to which boss is fastened an elastic spring, which
being wound round the boss by the operation of the wheel in printing an impression
of the alphabet, causes the wheel to return to its original position on the completion of
each operation. At the back of the wheel is a drum, or small wheel, divided into a
fixed number of spaces on its surface. In each space is fitted a pad, charged with ink
in alternate colours which being caused to revolve round the large wheel bearing the
letiers during the operation of taking the impression of the alphabet, supplies the
letters with ink, each pad being made to correspond with the position of certain letters.
This drum, or wheel, is made to revolve on a spindle which fits into a groove, or slot,
made in the arms which carry the printing wheel, and is held in position by two elastic
bands. This wheel is removeable at will, should it be considered desirable to feed the
printing wheel from the pad. This pad consists of a number of divisions corre-
sponding with the letters on the surface of the printing wheel. Each division of tho
pad is charged with ink in alternate colours, and by passing the printing wheel once
over the pad, the printing wheel is ready to give an impression of the alphabet in red
and black, or any two colours which may be desired. The pads are fitted into a box
alongside, and with each pad is a scale marked for cutting an index to match the
letters on the wheel, which may consist of Twenty four, Twenty five, or Twenty six
letters, or any number of letters that may be desired.
Dated this Thirtieth day of November 1886.

page_text: Two Colour Self-inking Alphabet (Index) Lettering Machine and
Pad for Lettering Alphabets in Two Colours at One Operation
in Account Books, Letter Books, and other Books, or in Slips or
I, FREDERICK FRENCH of 49 British Street, Bow Road, London, E., Stationer 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:
The main object of my invention is to provide a method of lettering alphabets for
account books, letter books, diaries, or other books, that is more accurate and rapid
than the methods heretofore commonly employed for such purpose, by printing in two
or more colours at one operation.
In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation and Figure 2 is a plan
of the apparatus which I employ to effect the said object.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section and Figure 4 is a plan of an inking pad, which
may be employed in connection with the said apparatus as hereinafter explained.
Similar letters of reference denote similar parts throughout the drawings.
A is a wheel made of wood, metal or other suitable material, and having its
periphery grooved and divided by transverse notches into a number of equal divisions,
as shewn in Figure 1. Types formed of Indian rubber, or other suitable material,
and representing the letters of the alphabet are affixed on the said divisions around
the wheel as shewn in Figure 2.
On one side of the wheel A is a projection or boss B and a metal circular cam
path Cis recessed into or formed upon the other side of the said wheel. The said
cam rises gradually from the side of the wheel A for nearly the whole circle when it
descends again with a sharp slope to the lowest part, or commencement.
The wheel A is mounted on a spindle D, the said spindle being fitted in two metal
arms E, E', which are fixed in a suitable handle F.
At the back of the wheel A and between the arms E E¹, is a drum or small wheel H
divided by transverse ridges into a number of equal spaces or divisions on its
periphery. The said divisions correspond with the aforesaid divisions on the wheel A
and are fitted with alternately red and black inking pads, which are charged with ink
of these colours. The drum H revolves on a spindle fitted in a sliding carriage I,
which rests on two inwardly projecting ledges, one on each arm E, E. The carriage I
is held in position by a catch I* working on a pin in the arm E, and fitting into a

page_text: slot or notch on the arm E¹. Attached to the back of the carriage I is a rod J, sur-
rounded by a helical spring K which enters a tube I affixed to the arms F, E. This
spring K exerts sufficient pressure to keep the inking drum or wheel H in its proper
position, in such contact with the letters on the periphery of the wheel A, as to supply
each letter with colour.
The ridges in the wheel H entering the notches in the wheel A, ensure the wheels
being always in their proper relative positions.
In place of the said rod J spring K and tube L, 1 may employ elastic bands for
holding the wheel H in position against the wheel A, such elastic bands being
attached in any suitable manner to the carriage I and armis E, E, but in practice I
prefer the former arrangement.
As
Two or more of the divisions on the wheel A at the end of the alphabet are
preferably left blank, and to ensure the said wheel, when the handle is held horizon-
tally, being always in the right position to start, a flat spring G is fixed at one end to
the inside of the arm E, while the other end bears upon the circular cam path C.
the wheel A revolves the end of the spring is gradually pushed outwards by the cam,
until it just passes the highest point, which corresponds with the end of the alphabet,
the wheel being now lifted off the paper, the spring sliding down the sharp slope
automatically completes the revolution of the wheel and brings it to rest at the starting
position. In place of this arrangement of cam and spring I may employ a boss upon
the side of the wheel A, provided with a groove within which an elastic spring is
wound by the rotation of the said wheel when printing, the spring returning the
wheel to the starting position, but in practice I prefer the arrangement shown in the
drawings.
If the inking wheel H be removed to renew the ds or for cleaning, the inking
pads shewn in Figures 3 and 4 may be employe... The said pad consists of a trough
having a series of inking pads charged alternately with red and black ink over
which the wheel A is passed once for each impression. Alongside the pad a scale is
marked for cutting the leaves of a book to form an index to match the letters on
wheel A and such index may consist of twenty-four, twenty-five, twenty-six, or any
number of letters that may be desired.
In place of the catch I* for retaining the carriage I with the wheel H, between
the arms E, E', I sometimes form a short slot in a projection on the inner side of
each of the said arms. These slots are parallel with the arms and open at the end
towards the spring K, to receive the projecting ends of the spindle on which the
wheel H revolves, and to remove the said wheel it is only necessary to pull it back
until it is clear of the slots.
It is obvious that my apparatus may be employed to print in three or more separate
colours at one operation, or that only one colour may be used, and that in place of
letters of the alphabet, numerals or any other desired signs or devices may be
used.
Indexes may be printed by my machine upon the cut edges of books, or upon
sheets, or separate slips. Each revolution of the wheel prints a complete index, having
all the letters accurately spaced and in a straight line with each other. It is always
ready to start without any adjustment and one supply of ink to the wheel His
sufficient for from fifty to one hundred impressions, so that the machine can be used by
unskilled persons with every great accuracy and rapidity.
The size of the wheel A is proportioned according to the length of the particular
index or series of letters or signs, which it is required to print.
I wish it to be understood that I do not in practice necessarily confine myself to the
exaci details of construction herein set forth, provided that in all cases the essential
features of the invention be retained, but having now particularly described and
ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, 1 declare that what I claim is :-
(1.) The combination of parts forming the apparatus for printing any desired
series of letters, numbers or signs, such as indexes for account and other books, in two

page_text: or more colours at one operation, substantially as herein described and shewn, with
reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings, or any mere modification
thereof.
(2.) The inking pad for use in combination with the said apparatus, in place of the
wheel H, substantially as herein described and shewn with reference to Figures 3
and 4, of the accompanying drawings.
ary 1007.
AMBROSE MYALL,
21, Cockspur Street, London, S.W.,
Agent for the Applicant.