AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND MEANS. FOR OBTAINING WRITINGS AND DESIGNS FOR PRINTING AND OTHER PURPOSES BY MEANS OF ELECTRICITY
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Browne, of the Firm of Browne and Company
Patent Agents, of 5, Southampton Buildings, Holborn, in the County of
Middlesex, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND MEANS. FOR
OBTAINING WRITINGS AND DESIGNS FOR PRINTING AND OTHER PURPOSES BY
MEANS OF ELECTRICITY." A communication from abroad by Gabriel Phillipe
Louis Bellet and Charles Henri Olivier Hallez d'Arros, both of Paris, France.
Sealed the 27th June 1879, and dated the 1st January 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Browne at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st January 1879.
ALEXANDER BROWNE, of the Firm of Browne and Company, Patent Agents, of
5, Southampton Buildings, Holborn, in the County of Middlesex. "AN IMPROVED
MODE OF AND MEANS FOR OBTAINING WRITINGS AND DESIGNS FOR PRINTING AND
OTHER PURPOSES BY MEANS OF ELECTRICITY." A communication from abroad by
Gabriel Phillipe Louis Bellet and Charles Henri Olivier Hallez d'Arros, both of
Paris, France.
The object of this Invention is to obtain by means of electricity autographic
stencillings of writings or designs capable of being reproduced either by lithography
or on metal similar to that obtained by means of acids.
In order to effect the above, a small Rhumkorff coil is employed, arranged as
follows: A metal plate is united to one of the poles by means of a wire, and the
other pole is connected to the core of an ordinary black lead pencil or suitable
point by means of a very fine wire. On the said metal plate is stuck by means of
gum a very thin sheet of paper or other suitable material previously dipped in
water containing sea salt. The induction coil is then set in action and the design
it is required to reproduce is drawn on the paper attached to the metal plate with
the aforesaid pencil or point, by which means the two poles are brought together
and the electric spark darts continuously from the point of the pencil or points and
produces on the thin paper or other material small holes corresponding with the
design executed. The metal plate should be placed on some insulating substance.
The design or writing thus furnished, the metal plate is dipped in water and the
paper carefully removed. The stencilling thus obtained, it is easy to transfer it on
to stone by inking a sheet of paper with transfer ink and then placing the stencil
thereon and covering it with a sheet of white paper and pressing it sufficiently for

page_text: the ink to pass through the holes in the stencil. A lithographic proof is thus
obtained which can be transferred in the ordinary way.
This transfer can be made
on zinc, by which a typographical stereotype may be obtained. In order to obtain
an engraving or etching on metal by means of this Invention it is necessary to
proceed as follows:--
A well polished copper plate is covered with a very thin layer of varnish in the
same way as that which is used for acting upon with acids. On this varnish is
stuck a sheet of thin paper or other suitable material as before described, and upon
executing the writing or design thereon with the electric pencil or point arranged
as before described the electric spark will penetrate the paper and varnish at the
same time and leave the metal bare at all parts touched by the pencil or point.
The plate is then dipped in a nitric acid bath of 20°; the acid will attack the metal
where not covered with varnish, and after two or three minutes immersion an
engraved plate is obtained from which a great number of copies can be produced
exactly similar to etchings obtained by engraving on metal.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Browne in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st July
1879.
ALEXANDER, BROWNE, of the Firm of Browne and Company, Patent Agents, of
5, Southampton Buildings, Holboru, in the County of Middlesex. "AN IMPROVED
MODE OF AND MEANS FOR OBTAINING WRITINGS AND DESIGNS FOR PRINTING AND
OTHER PURPOSES BY MEANS OF ELECTRICITY." (A communication from abroad by
Gabriel Phillipe Louis Bellet and Charles Henri Olivier Hallez d'Arros, both of
Paris, France.
The object of this Invention, is to obtain by means of electricity autographic
stencillings of writings and designs capable of being reproduced either by litho
graphy or on metals similar to that obtained by means of acids.
In order to effect the above a small Rhumkorff coil is employed, arranged as
follows: A metal plate is united to one of the poles by means of a wire, and the
other pole is connected to the core of an ordinary black lead pencil or suitable point
by means of a very fine wire. On the said metal plate is stuck by means of gum a
very thin sheet of paper or other suitable material previously dipped in water con-
taining sea salt. The induction coil is then set in action, and the design it is
required to reproduce is drawn on the paper attached to the metal plate with the
aforesaid pencil or point, by which means the two poles are brought together, and
the electric spark darts continuously from the point of the or pencil point, and
produces on the thin paper or other material small holes corresponding with the
design executed. The metal plate should be placed on some insulating substance.
The design or writing thus finished, the metal plate is, dipped in water, and. the
paper carefully-removed. The stencilling thus obtained, it is easy to transfer it on

page_text: A shews a Grenet bi-chromate of potash battery; the zinc is fixed at the end of
a toothed rack. worked by a pinion, and small handle to make or break contact
thereof with the.liquid..
B, Rhumkorff coil; b, b, binding screws to connect the poles of the primary
current; d, end of the central core of soft iron; e, ring fixed at the end of coil; f,
metal plate for replacing the ordinary trembler; g, screw for regulating the intr-
ruptions of circuit; h, disc of hardened indian rubber fixed at the other end of the
coil. This disc carries at its contre a small piece of brass i which receives by the
wire the induction current direct from the coil; g¹, regulating screw working in a
small pillar which receives the induction current delivered by the pole c by means
of the wire y. C, ordinary black lead pencil, the end j being sharpened and the
other end trimmed, as shewn; l, clamp of hard indian rubber or other insulating
material fixed at the end of the pencil; mn, metallic brush for establishing contact
with the pencil and the wire of the coil; ", pencil holder; D, insulated copper
plate; o, cross, forming a spring, on which is fixed the metal plate for making the
electric contact. As will be seen, on an ordinary coil is fixed (at that side opposite
to the trembler) a small apparatus to prevent the operator from receiving shocks of
electricity. This apparatus is very simple, and consists only of a small piece of
metal fixed in an insulated support h and a screw g', the end of which can be
brought nearer to the piece of metal at will, this being in communication with the
coil by the wire x, the pole c and the pillar of the screw g¹ being also joined by
the wire y with the coil by means of the pole c creates an induced current, by
which is obtained a secondary spark, produced between the point of the screw g'
and the piece of metal i. This secondary spark prevents any kind of shock in the
apparatus, thus having obtained an important object, allowing the pencil to touch
the metal plate without causing electric sparks; it is only when the point of the
pencil is in direct contact with the paper stuck to the plate that the spark is pro-
duced, and at that time the sparks cease between the point of the screw and the

page_text: small button of metal. This essential arrangement allows drawing or writing to be
represented on the paper by a number of small strokes thereon; the paper will be
found to be perforated when it is taken off the metal plate. When the drawing is
finished (if the paper has been stuck), the plate must be dipped in water and the
sheet of paper taken carefully off; the doors p, pl, of the desk are then opened, in
one side of which is a plate of zinc q for inking, and in the other side a fabric q¹ is
stretched on a moveable frame; on this fabric is placed the stencil obtained by
means of the voltaic pencil, the fabric is then inked by means of the roller, after
which a sheet of paper is placed beneath the frame and pressure is exerted thereon
by means of the roller The sheet of paper with the impression thereon is
removed and replaced by another, and so on. The impressions can be produced also
in the following manner, but in this case the desk will not hand two doors opening
laterally, but one door and one compartment:-On a dabber covered with cloth
(previously inked by means of the roller or with a brush) is placed a fabric of fine
thin transparent silk on a frame on which the stencil has been placed, and on the
top of the said stencil a sheet of paper; pressure is exerted by means of the roller 11.
The ink penetrates the silk and comes through the strokes of the stencil, which is
reproduced on the sheet of paper. The rollers and for the time being are
placed on two forked supports S, S¹, and can be placed in the desk. It is under-
stood that in the first arrangement the stretching frame moves ou the axis T.
that part of the desk opposite to the metal plate is placed a blotting pad
Having thus described the nature and object of the said Invention, and the
means of carrying the same into practical effect, I would remark in conclusion that
what I claim is,-
Ou
First. The mode and means of obtaining writings and designs by means of elec-
tricity for printing and other purposes, substantially as described, and represented
in the Drawings..
Secondly. The improvements applied to the Rhumkorff or other induction coils,
substantially as described and shewn for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof; I, the said Alexander Browne, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Thirtieth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
ALEX, BROWNE. (L.S.)