IMPROVEMENTS IN SURFACE BLOCK PRINTING
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Augustus Applegath, of Dartford, in the County of
Kent, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SURFACE BLOCK
PRINTING."
Sealed the 17th January 1860, and dated the 14th November 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Augustus Applegath at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,, with his Petition, on the
14th November 1859.
I, AUGUSTUS APPLEGATH, of Dartford, in the County of Kent, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SURFACE
BLOCK PRINTING," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in surface block printing.
For these purposes the machinery is arranged to work with blocks or printing
surfaces, suitable either for printing one quarter or one half of a handkerchief
at each impression, and whether a quarter or half block or surface is used it
is mounted on an axes in its centre in such manner that, after an impression
has been taken on a piece of fabric, the block is turned on its axis, and a
like impression taken. If it be a quarter block, it will have printed half of
each of a handkerchief, whilst if it be a half block, it will have printed a
complete handkerchief. Or, in place of such half or quarter block being
arranged to rotate on an axis, the block may remain in its normal position,
the table and fabric being then caused to make a quarter or half turn after.
receiving the first set of impressions; and, in place of making each quarter or

page_text: each half block of one piece, it is constructed of a plate of metal at the back,
with holes therein to admit of several pieces being fixed thereto, so as by
their combined impressions to produce a quarter or a half of the whole
impression of which the surface of a handkerchief is to consist, and each of
the pieces thus used is to have on it and be capable of printing a device
suitable for producing "corners,"
corners," "side borders," "centres," "fillings," or
"blotches," and other objects. When printing with several colors, the
machinery is arranged to work with a series of quarter or half blocks, cor-
responding in number with the number of colors which in succession are
caused to give off their impressions on to the fabric.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Augustus Applegath in the Great Seal Patent Oflice on
the 14th May 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, AUGUSTUS
APPLEGATH, of Dartford, in the County of Kent, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Hér heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Augustus Applegath, Her special licence that I, the said
Augustus Applegath, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others às I, the said Augustus Applegath, 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 ëxpressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SURFACE BLOCK PRINTING," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said Augustus Applegath, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing 'under my, or their, or one
of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, 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 Augustus Applegath, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to he per-

page_text: formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in surface block printing.
For these purposes the machinery is arranged to work with blocks or printing
surfaces, suitable either for printing one quarter or one half of a handkerchief
at each impression, and whether a quarter or half block or surface is used it
is mounted on an axis in its centre in such manner that after an impression
has been taken on a piece of fabric, the block is turned on its axis, and a
like impression taken. If it be a quarter block, it will have printed one half
of each of a handkerchief, whilst if it be a half block, it will have printed a
complete handkerchief. Or, in place of such half or quarter blocks being
arranged to rotate on an axis, the block may remain in its normal position,
the table and fabric being arranged to make a quarter or half turn after
receiving the first set of impressions; and in place of making each quarter or
each half block of one piece, it is constructed of a plate of metal at the back,
with holes therein to admit of several pieces being fixed thereto, so as by
their combined impression to produce a quarter or half of the whole
impression of which the surface of a handkerchief is to consist, and each of
the pieces thus used is to have on it and be capable of printing a device
suitable for producing "corners," "side borders," "centres," "fillings," or
"blotches," and other objects. When printing with several colors, the
machinery is arranged to work with a series of quarter or half blocks, cor
responding in number with the number of colors which in succession are
caused to give off their impressions on to the fabric.
Figure 1, Sheet I, is a plan of a machine to print with two quarter blocks;
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same; Figure 3 is an end view of the
color sieves..
A, A, are the blocks affixed by screws to the revolving carriages B, B,
which are connected with the travelling frame C by pins and nuts so that they
may be occasionally moved around their axes; D, D, is an iron frame moveable
across the bearing bars E, E, which have V-edges to suit the brass bearings
x, ; F, F, are standard frames which carry the bars E, E; G, G, is the
main frame supporting two plain bearing bars E*; I, I, are two spindles
(connected by wheels) and having cams upon them, the bearings of which are
not shewn, and which serve to elevate the carriages H, H, and the printing
table N, and also the various rollers M, O, P, Q, which guide the cloth; M*
is a roller to tighten the printing cloth.
R is a table
or board having upon it several layers of soft woollen, faced with waterproof
Figure 3 shews the mode of supplying the color to the blocks.

page_text: cloth, upon which the colour is tiered in the usual manner; the sieve table
R is hinged to one side of the frame D, and when colour is to be imparted
the sieve table is raised into contact with the block by the handle w; when
the table is let down it is supported by light iron links affixed to the other
side of the frame D; thus, when the blocks are made to traverse; the sieves
accompany them. When the printing table N is raised the block gives the
impression by being struck with a maul in the usual manner, and four such
impressions (the block being made with a quarter of a pattern upon it, and
receiving a quarter revolution between each) will print a design equal in size
to that of the hankerchief; motion is given to the cloth, &c., by a handle M
on one of the rollers M, and the superfluous colour which passes through may
be removed by washing and rubbing the japanned surface cloth P at the
standard boards P*, so that it may return clean and dry. The rollers P, P,
appertain to the jappaned cloth, and the rollers O, O, to the silk or other
material which is to be printed, which is seen at O*.
Figure 4, Sheet I., is a plan of a machine to print four blocks, having the
half of a pattern upon them; Figure 5 is a side elevation of the same; and
Figure 6 is an end view of the color apparatus.
A, A, are the blocks connected with the frame C, which travels upon the
bars D, D, fixed to the standard frames E, E, at the end E*; the standards
are not connected by a cross frame in order to permit the boy who moves the
travelling block frame C to pass in between them. The impressing blow is
given by the malls or hammers fixed on the spindle ; a handle Z* serves to
move the hammer spindle. N is the printing table (made in this case to
receive the half of a hankerchief) and it is supported upon the frame G, G,
which passes through the upper floor to the ground or under floor as shewn.
The four-post frame G is firmly connected with the circular iron plate a, which
revolves in another plate 6 fixed to the under side of the floor, having a circular
recess in which the upper plate and the four-post frame revolve, they being
steadily guided either by four friction pieces c, c, or by four pullies. The
bottom of the frame G is furnished with a centre pin d, which acts in an oil
-cup in the lever e, which is hinged at one end and guided at the other by a
strong foundation plate f fixed to the ground or under floor; a light bar or
stout wire g connects the end of the lever e with a handle g* in the upper floor,
by which the four-post frame and the table and cloth rollers may be elevated
when the printing blocks are successively brought over the table to be printed;
the passage of the cloth, &c., is indicated by the arrows, and the cleaning of
the japanned cloth is performed by a boy at i who stands upon a foot board h
within the frame G, a sufficient distance between the two floors being supposed;

page_text: is a bracket fixed to the frame G for the upper rollers, and m is also a
brachet to carry the lower rollers, and a light wicker basket to receive the
printed work. The colour is imparted to the blocks in the following manner :-
At Figure 6, A is an end view of a block; n, n, are the color sieves or pieces
of waterproof cloth, which are connected with a light iron frame o moveable
upon the wooden frame p, which is hinged at the end px, and rests at the other
end upon cams q, q, by which it can be occasionally raised so as to bring the
sieves nearly into contact with the blocks; q* is a wooden roller which passes
from one side of the frame p to the other, and is furnished with four
sets of small projecting teeth or cams, a part of the roller being left plain,
upon which the light wooden levers r, r, rest when not in action; the levers r,r,
are separately hinged at the ends p*, and when the roller q* is caused to
revolve by its handle the levers are raised (by the small cams upon 9*) in
succession, whereby the sieve cloths over them are brought into contact with
the blocks in the manner of a wave, and the colour is effectually given to all
parts of the block; the levers are entirely covered with a piece of japanned
cloth which has a few layers of soft woollen beneath it at the part corres-
ponding with the blocks; the sieve frame o is furnished with a handle
by which it can be drawn towards p*, to be teered after each impression;
s* are brushes or padded straightedges, which assist in equalizing the colour,
but are not shewn in the plan.
Figure 7, Sheet II., is a plan of a series of quarter blocks in combination
with a printing table the full size of a handkerchief. A, A, are the blocks,
of which there may be two sets, one set forming the corners and general design,
and the other set to put in other ornamental work in the "filling" or middle
part; they are mounted upon a frame C, which travels upon the bars D, and
receive colour in the manner already described at Figure 6, except that there
are two sets of sieves n, n, and elevating levers p, p, and two cam rollers q
which are connected by wheels, so that the color is imparted to both sets of
blocks at the same time.
Figure 8 shows a side elevation of the upper part of the revolving four-post
frame G. The printing table has upon it a moveable plate or disc K equal in
size to half the design, and which serves to raise that side of the cloth which
is then to be printed, so that the other and lower side of the cloth may be
clear of the next block, which otherwise would have to be separated much
wider, as shewn in Figure 1. The printing table N is guided by the frame G,
but it rests upon the cams I, I, which are connected by wheels K, K. When
the table is to be moved one quarter round it is lowered by the cams, and
Figures 9 and 10 shew how the disc may be still kept in its proper position for

page_text: receiving the impression of the blocks. The printing table N may either be a
plate of iron or made with ribs at a, a; it has a central hole with four slits or
gaps at right angles to receive a pin b, which is securely fixed to the disc;
whereby the disc can be brought to the centre of the printing table under the
printing and japanned cloths and retained by the hand wheel c in a central
position when the table is moved; it is then replaced in its normal position.
The cloth rollers M, M, are connected to the main frame G, and the
table must be lowered sufficiently for the disc to be clear of the line of cloth
upon the rollers. The impressing blows may be given in the manner shewn
at Figure 4.
Figures 11 and 12 shew how the blocks may be affixed to the travelling
frames C, C. A, A, in Figure 11 represent stout pieces of mahogany which
carry the two printing blocks. a, a, are hinges, and b, b, iron plates screwed
to the mahogany bed, and which serve to fix it to the travelling bed by thumb
screws; in Figure 12 there is one bed made to carry a half block, and the
hinges are longer. The hinges permit the block to be turned over for inspec-
tion or brushing. Each block is supposed to be furnished with a metal back
plate, as herein-after described at Figure 14. Figure 13 shews a convenient
latch for stopping the travelling frame C as cach block arrives in the proper
place for giving its impression. The cross bars of the travelling frame Care
made to project beyond the bearing bars D, and 6 is a bolt or latch made to
move upon the pin c which secures the latche to the bar; d is a spring fixed
upon the guide plate e, which is secured to the bottom of the bar by screws;
is a pin by which the latch may be depressed; and g is part of the latch
which projects under the bar to prevent the latch from being raised too far by
the spring. The latch must be fixed on the bar so as to stop .the block
centrical to the printing table, and in Figure 1 two latches must be used, as
the block prints on two places of the table.
Figure 14 is a plan of one of the quarter metal back plates which has sets
of holes (arranged in triangles) corresponding with short steady pins fixed in
the backs of the various blocks or parts of a design, by means of which their
places on the back plates may be changed, so that an object block which has
printed in the corners of a handkerchief may be removed to print upon the
centre, and another corner piece substituted, and so on as to the other parts,
the intention being to permit a permutation of the constituent parts of a
handkerchief to alleviate in some degree the enormous expence of (entire) new
patterns, and also to impress such combined ebjects at one operation instead
of printing each by a separate impression as now practised.
In Figure 14 a represents the centre of a handkerchief, and one of the

page_text: four corners; the three holes at a are to receive the steady pins of a block,
having upon it a design, which being repeated by four impressions will form a
complete central object (composed of flowers or of any other device). The
three holes at z are to receive the steady pins of a corner piece, which will be
repeated in each corner; the holes at ƒ and g will permit the use of ornament
in those parts of the handkerchief, while the holes at c will receive what is
techically called "the filling," which may be made to print in a plain colour, or
it may be interspersed with small flowers or other objects. The holes at d
and e are to permit the use of a double or two borders. The lines connecting
the holes are merely to exemplify their triangular positions; and the plate
may be perforated with many other holes, through which screws may pass
into the blocks, or they may be secured to the plates by any other suitable
In the corners of the back plate shewn at Figure 14; there are holes
w, w, which may serve to receive T-headed screws, by which the back plates
and the printing blocks upon them may be securely held to the mahogany beds
shewn in Figures 11 and 12, care being taken that the point at the corners a
of the back plate may be precisely over the centre of the intended handker-
chief upon the printing table, whether quarter or half blocks are to be used;
when the latter, the back plates must be made equal to two quarters, and
in all cases the blocks must be carefully guaged or turned to a uniform
thickness.
In witness whereof, I, the said Augustus Applegath, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
AUGS. APPLEGATH. (L.S.)