A NEW OR IMPROVED METHOD OR MEANS OF, AND APPARATUS FOR, CLEANSING TYPOGRAPHICAL CHARACTERS OR FORMS OF TYPE AFTER BEING USED IN PRINTING
Year: 1841

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MILES
BERRY, of the Office for Patents, 66; Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Civil Engineer and Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Eighth day of September, in the fifth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Miles Berry, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority,
that I, the said Miles Berry, my executors, administrators, and assigns, and
such others as I, the said Miles Berry, my executors, administrators, or
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times during the term of years therein mentioned, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and
the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, an Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED
METHOD OR MEANS OF, AND APPARATUS FOR, CLEANSING TYPOGRAPHICAL CHARACTERS
OR FORMS OF TYPE AFTER BEING USED IN PRINTING," being a communication from
a Foreigner residing abroad; in which said Letters Patent is contained a
proviso obliging me, the said Miles Berry, by an instrument in writing under
my hand and seal, particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of the

page_text: said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, and to
cause the same to be inrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery
within six calendar months next and inmediately after the date of the said in
part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being there-
unto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Miles Berry, do hereby declare that the nature of the said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference being had to
the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon
(that is to say):-
This New or Improved Method or Means of, and Apparatus for, Cleansing
Typographical Characters or Forms of Type after being used in Printing, has
been communicated to me by a Foreigner residing abroad, in nearly the
following words:-
Hitherto typographical characters have been cleansed by means of brushes
wetted with a solution of ordinary potash, or what may be termed carbonate
of potash, and other alkaline matters. The types thus treated very soon loose
the fineness of their shape, their edges wearing off, and their faces becoming
rapidly destroyed by the friction of the brushes, the dirt produced by the ink,
and mostly by the sand contained in potash as generally sold.
The improved mode of cleansing is as follows:-1 pour a solution of common
potash or soda on quicklime; the liquid becomes hot in consequence of the
heat produced by the combination of the carbonic acid with the lime, and by
that of the quicklime with the water. I throw the liquid thus prepared on
the face or surface of the types by means of a double-action pump, and the
types are thus cleansed with expedition and very perfectly. To proceed with
economy the liquid must be brought back again on the quicklime and again
filtered. By this means all the dirt arising from the ink becomes separated,
and the clean liquor descends in the reservoir, where it may be used again and
again. In order that the said Invention may be more fully understood and
easily put in operation, I have represented in the annexed Drawings an
apparatus which is to be employed for the cleansing of types by the improved
method. Fig. 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of the apparatus complete.
Figures 2, 3, and 4 represent detached parts of the filtering apparatus, the
same letters indicating the same parts in all the Figures. A, A, represent a
wooden framework supporting the box B, wherein the cleansing of the types
takes place. This box is formed by a bottom and four sides, three of which
are fixed, the fourth opens on hinges, as a double folding door; it is open at

page_text: top. C is a frame with journals projecting laterally, supported in bearings
fastened to the bottom of the box. This frame is bent up at its lower
extremity to retain the form or page of types placed thereon, and may be
elevated in an inclined position to the proper height by means of a pawle
turning on a hinge joint at the bottom of the box, the point of which pawlo
enters into one of the notches cut on the under part of the frame. D is a
pipe, the end of which is inserted into the box B, and by its inclination
carrying off the liquid from the box to the pan hereafter described; this pipe
is provided with a cock. E is a double-action pump with two suction pipes
a, b, the lower ends of which respectively are inserted into the reservoir or
tanks F and G. These pipes are also provided with cocks to allow the liquid
contained in either tank to be raised when required. F is a tank into which
the pure solution of potash and soda, obtained as hereafter stated, is in the
first place deposited. The tank G contains pure water, which is used for
rinsing the types after they have been cleansed by the alkaline solution. His
the sphere of a ball-and-socket joint in the discharge pipe I, allowing the
branch descending from the sphere to be directed at will to any part of the
form of types. L is a frame or case of cast iron with projecting ledges to
receive the flanges of the inner pan M, which is open at bottom, and allows
the solution to drop into the tank below. N is a plate of perforated metal
resting on small ledges projecting from the inner surface of the pan M; this
plate carries at its bottom a metallic cloth c, c, forming a bag or pocket which
is used for filtering the liquid (as shewn in the detached horizontal view,
Fig. 2). O is a second filter, resting likewise on rims projecting from the
inside of the pan M; this second filter is formed by a metallic ring d, d, with
a conical orifice narrower at bottom than at top of a second ring e, e, equally
conical and fitting exactly into the first, and of a metallic cloth f, the circular
edge of which is introduced between the two rings, and they are pressed tight
together for the purpose of holding the cloth f when in their places, as shewn
in the vertical section, Fig. 3, and in plan at Fig. 4. On the second filter is
placed wood ashes or fine sand, such as is generally employed for filtering
water. The form of types, blocks, or other printing surfaces to be cleansed is
to be placed on the inclined frame C, the doors of the box B are then closed,
and the cock of the pipe D opened. On the plate N is then placed quick-
line and carbonate of soda or potash in successive layers, and nearly of
equal thickness. Water is to be poured upon this in a sufficient quantity to
obtain a solution of a proper strength according to the effect to be produced.
A carbonate of lime is thus formed, which remains on the upper and lower
filters, and the potash or soda in solution running through the lower aperture

page_text: of the pan M drops into the tank F below. Instead of using the carbonate
of potash or of soda in a solid state, it may be diluted previously in water, and
this solution is then to be poured upon the quicklime, the rest of the operation
being conducted as above stated. The liquid which has passed through the
plate N is filtered again on passing through the bag O before it falls into the
tank F. The heat produced when the lime takes hold of the carbonic acid
contained in the carbonate of soda or potash employed is turned to account
by means of the jacket formed by the outer case L, as it becomes therefore
unnecessary to warm the detersive solution, the pans being closed by a cover,
as represented in the Figure, to retain the heat. When a sufficient quantity
of solution of potash or soda has thus been obtained, the operation of cleansing
the types may be performed in the following way-The cock of the pipe a
dipping into the tank F is opened, that of the tank G being closed, the pump
is set in motion, and the liquid raised by the pump is directed in a proper
manner through the pipe I by moving the ball and socket, or articulated
sphere H, so as to direct the jet to the part required. The liquid dashed on
the types absorbs the printing ink and runs off by the pipes D, which brings
it back on the filter N. The liquor being again decomposed by the action of
the lime falls on the second filter, on which it leaves the black and soap
formed by the decomposition of the ink, and the liquor purified drops into the
tank F, whence it is again drawn up for a subsequent operation. When the
liquid discharged from the box B becomes so loaded with greasy matters that
it cannot be purified before it drops into the tank F it is a sign that the lime
is saturated; a fresh quantity of lime must then be added to decompose the
saponaceous compounds formed. The calcareous soap remains on the filters
as well as the lampblack, while the potash and the soda employed become
liberated again, and the operation is continued. When the form of types has
been sufficiently washed with the alkaline solution, the pipe a leading to the
tank F is shut, and that 6 proceeding from the tank G is opened, and pure
water is poured on the frame, which completes the operation. It will be
understood that before the rinsing the cock of the pipe D must be closed, and
a cock of an exit pipe opened to allow the water to escape from the box B.
This pipe must be inserted in the lower part of the said box B, but does not
require to be represented in the Drawing.
In witness whereof, 1, the said Miles Berry, have hereunto set my hand
and scal, this Nineteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-two.
MILES (L.s.) BERRY.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the same Nineteenth day of January,
in the year above mentioned, the aforesaid Miles Berry came before our Lady
the Queen in IIer Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification aforesaid,
and all and every thing therein contained, in form above written. And also
the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the Statute
in that case male and provided.
Inrolled the Twenty-eighth day of January, in the year above written.