Writing and the like.
Year: 1889

page_text: Writing and the like.
I EMILE KLABER of Holborn Viaduct Hotel, Holborn London W.C. in the
County of Middlesex Merchant do hereby declare the nature of this invention,
a communication to me from abroad by Augustus David Klaber of 1" Courtland
Street, New York in the United States of America, Merchant and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
This invention relates to that class of apparatus for obtaining multiple copies of
writings, drawings and the like in which a stencil is made by the action of writing
upon a paper in conjunction with a backing specially adapted to produce a stencil
in the lines of writing by perforation abrasion or adhesion such stencil being used
for the producing of copies by the application of ink in any well known manner such
as in cyclostyle or similar processes.
Such apparatus have been heretofore more or less deficient, costly or unsatisfactory
as means for obtaining good copies of autographic writing and it is the object of the
present invention more particularly to construct a cheap and satisfactory apparatus
for said purpose.
Backings of emery paper or emery cloth or of sand paper which have been
heretofore used are difficult and unpleasant to write upon and also unsatisfactory
in results. File or rough cut metal backings are expensive if made large enough
to back a whole sheet of paper and have usually been made of depth sufficient only
for a few lines of writing, the paper having to be shifted for such few lines.
Also a sheet of silk gauze such as is used in flour bolting machines has been used
without being in any way specially prepared as the backing aforesaid, sometimes
being stretched with more or less tension by a frame or other well known stretching
device over a smooth undersurface or platen.
Waxed porous paper has been placed over said backings and also stretched in a
frame thereover and the writing has been made direct upon said waxed paper by
means of a stylus.

page_text: The silk or fabric when loose or when stretched as heretofore mentioned being
fastened at the edges only, its meshes or threads have a tendency in either case to
follow the point of the stylus in its movements by which the wax is scraped
from the waxed paper and the latter is torn or abraided by the stylus in the lines
of the writing and the stencil made in either case is not sufficiently good for
practical purposes.
It is also necessary to press heavily when writing with the stylus upon the waxed
paper so that the wax may not only be removed but that the paper itself may be
perforated in the lines of the writing, thus causing the writer fatigue and giving the
writing an unnatural appearance.
To obviate these defects altogether I fasten the silk or other fabric overall onto
the platen or underplate by means of glue or any suitable cementing material but
preferably thin glue by which the fabric becomes over all a practically stationary
and immovable surface to the platen and cannot follow the stylus to the detriment of
the stencil and wear of the silk or fabric each minute projection and intervening
depression being held immovably in their original positions.
A surface is thereby made to which the wax will adhere with the slightest
pressure of the stylus in the lines of the writing so that a lead pencil may be used
in place of the hard stylus hitherto generally used.
prefer to attach the platen to the bed of any suitable stencil stretching and
printing frame (such as is used for stretching the stencil paper in any of the well
known stencil processes), by fastening to the underside of the aforesaid platen a
certain number of screw,bolts to pass through corresponding holes in the bed of the frame
and be secured by nuts so that the platen may be easily removable from the frame for
renewal when necessary of the fabric facing.
To give additional strength to the fabric facing to enable the same to be stretched
evenly over the entire surface of the platen and to prevent the same from becoming
loose and ultimately torn at the edges, the latter should be folded over the edges
of the platen onto the back being there also secured by the glue or cementing
medium aforesaid.'
In all waxed paper stencil processes in writing with a stylus direct on the waxed
paper the wax is more or less removed and the paper abraded by the point of the
stylus, said was collecting at the point of the same, thus impeding free and easy
writing. The paper is further.more or less likely to thus become torn; rendering
the stencil useless.
To obviate this drawback I arrange above the waxed sheet a piece of thin smooth
silk or other suitable material and write upon the latter. Said piece of silk may, if
sufficiently porous be used as an ink pad. In place of silk 1 sometimes find it
convenient to use a sheet of smooth porous paper which afterwards may be made to
act as a stencil protector and ink pad as aforesaid.
By writing on said sheet of silk or unwaxed paper, placed and stretched over the
waxed porous paper the additional advantage is obtained that the two sheets may be
stretched in the frame at one and the same operation and the silk or unwaxed
porous paper not needing to be removed for the purposes of inking the stencil and
taking copies, there is but one stretching of the waxed stencil paper and this before
the writing is done. There is no re-stretching of the stencil after it is made as
was heretofore necessary to fasten in the ink pad which tended to damage the stencil
by stretching and tearing it at the lines of writing.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
In means for obtaining copies of autographic writing, drawings and the like.
1. A hard plate or platen of suitable material having a covering of textile
fabric attached overall to its surface substantially as and for the purpose set
forth.
2. The combination of a platen having fastening bolts and nuts for the purpose

page_text: described, of a fabric fastened overall onto the surface of said platen and folded
over the edges onto the back thereof substantially as and for the purpose set
forth.
3. A hard plate or platen, a textile fabric, loose or fixed thereon and a waxed
porous paper on said fabric in combination with a sheet of unwaxed silk, paper
or other suitable material over said waxed paper for receiving writing substantially
as and for the purpose set forth.
4. The combination of a frame, a platen detachable therefrom, a fabric fastened
over all onto said platen, a waxed porous paper and a sheet of unwaxed silk, paper
or other suitable material fixed in said frame with said waxed paper at one operation,
said unwaxed porous paper being to receive writing and act as ink pad substantially
as set forth.
5. In means for obtaining copies of autographic writing, drawings and the like
in which waxed porous material is employed to form a stencil the placing of an
unwaxed porous silk, paper or other suitable material over said waxed paper to receive
the writing and thereafter act as ink pad for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 23rd day of January Lo09.
HERBERT & Co.,
18, Buckinglum Street, Strand, London, W.C.,
Agents to Applicant.