Improvements in Portable Letter Copying Presses.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Feb., 1894-Accented, 16th Feb.. 1395
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Portable Letter Copying Presses.
We, JOHN MARSHALL of 62 Buchanan Street in the City of Glasgow,
Insurance Manager, and EMILE JAMES RICHARD BERGER, of 39 Blythswood
Drive in the City of Glasgow, Insurance Superintendent, 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 :-
Our invention relates to portable letter copying presses of the type in which a
flexible copying book is used and pressure is applied for copying letters by rolling
the book around a roller within a flexible band and subjecting the latter to tensile
strain; and the object of the present improvements is to render such apparatus
more reliable, and convenient in use as well as self-contained and better adapted to
apply for any length of time the requisite tension and pressure for the production of
legible copies.
In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation, Figure 2 an end
elevation, Figure 3 a longitudinal section, and Figure 4 a transverse section of the
improved letter copying press which is composed of a cylindrical casing A having
fitted on its ends caps B, B' adapted to carry a central core C or roller C¹. One end
of the core C is cylindrical and is fitted to revolve in the cap B which is rigidly fixed
to the casing whilst the opposite end of the core is screw threaded, cast solid to the
cap or keyed thereon and fits a screwed orifice in the cap B', the cap B' which is loose
and free to revolve being retained in position on the casing A by the head D' of a
pin D screwed into the end of the core C, a similar screw pin D being provided to
retain the core C in place in the opposite end cap. The core C may either constitute
the roller or as is preferred it is covered or enclosed by a wooden shell or barrel C'
of volute form in cross section. The letter copying book E is made flexible and, in
using the copier, it is placed within an endless band F of rubber cloth or other
material impervious to moisture the said band being passed through a slit G in the
casing A and secured to the roller preferably by being slipped over the core C and
fastened between the core and wooden roller C₁; whilst a rod H of steel or like
material is passed through the loose end loop of the band F and retained therein
by a semi-cylindrical shell I to which it is secured by end screws i.
In the operation of the apparatus the letter or letters to be copied is or are
placed in the flexible letter book in the ordinary way, the pages being damped
preferably by means of moistened cloth sheets, the book is inserted within the
endless band F and the cap B' turned by means of spokes or grasping pro-
truberances or knurled edges formed thereon' whilst the cap B or opposite end of
the casing A is held by like means, the roller being thereby turned to wind the
endless band and flexible copying book upon it. When the loose loop end of the
band reaches the slit G in the casing it is prevented from passing through by
the shell I, or by the rod H if the latter be made longer or larger than the slit, and
the continuance of the torsion or turning action of the roller applies great tension
to the endless band whereby suitable pressure is brought to bear upon the book
How wound on the roller the letter or letters being thereby copied as in an ordinary
screw press.
In order to obviate any need for maintaining the tension and pressure
for any length of time by hand, ratchet teeth J are formed on the flange of the
cap Bi with which a catch or bolt K fitted to slide in a groove in the casing A is
caused to engage to lock the apparatus when it is desired to retain the cap and
roller in the wound up position with the pressure applied to the copying book.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. A portable letter copying press the several parts of which are constructed
arranged and combined substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. In a portable letter copying press of the class set forth the combination with
a slit casing and a winding roller within it of an endless band adapted to carry a
flexible letter book substantially as described.
3. In a portable letter copying press of the class set forth the provision of devices
substantially as berein described for locking the press under tension or pressure.
Dated this 15th day of February 1894.
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
62, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agents.