Improvements in Printing Blocks and Rollers.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Jan., 1893-Accepted, 8th Apr., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Printing Blocks and Rollers.
I, FREDERICK BECк, of 334 Seventh Avenue, in the City and State of New
York, United States of America, Manufacturer, 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 :--
The said invention relates to improvements in printing blocks and rollers intended
to be used for printing ornamental designs upon wall papers, woven fabrics, oil
cloths and other like manufactures. Such blocks and rollers have heretofore been
made by carving in relief on the face of the block or roller in the material of
which the surface is composed, the desired design, or by cutting out from suitable
material the desired design and fastening the same by pins to the body of the block
or roller; and such blocks or rollers have also been made by outlining the orna-
mental design upon the block or roller with pieces or strips of brass or copper set
edgewise into the body of the block or roller and projecting above its surface, and
filling in the outline with pieces of wood or felt of the size and shape to fit the
spaces between the metal strips.
I have heretofore invented and made public a method of producing printing
blocks or rollers, which consists chiefly in coating the body of the roller with a
substance such as an oxidized oil composition suitable for receiving and trans-
mitting color in the operation of printing, cutting therein in relief the desired
ornamental design, depositing upon the surface of the composition by electrical
deposition a metal surface, and removing from the printing surface of the design
by grinding, or otherwise, the metal surface, thus exposing an oxidized oil substance
of the desired pattern and comformation suitable for printing and supported at
every point by a continuous metal wall.
By my present invention, I produce an ornamental printing surface which is so
stiff as to be sufficiently durable for printing upon fabrics, and with great economy
of time and expense in the production of the printed surface as compared with any
method heretofore known.
In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this Specification,―
Figure 1 represents a roller having in relief therein a desirable ornamental
pattern which it is desired to print upon the fabric. It may be assumed that a
section has been taken from the roller and spread out flat with the side bearing the
design uppermost. The said figure may, therefore, be taken as representing either
a section of a flattened roller or of a block.
Figure 2 represents a sectional view of the flattened section of a roller or of a
block shown in Figure 1.
A cylindrical base, a, is made of wood, metal, or any other suitable material,
and is covered with a composition suitable for receiving and transferring color
such as a composition consisting of oxidized linseed oil, bitumen stearin mixed
with wood fibre, flock, ground cork or other suitable material. The composition
can be moulded upon the base, and afterwards cut, planed or moulded down to
the required thickness, or the composition having been made of the required
thickness, may be applied to the base in sheets, the latter method of application
being preferable, and is fixed to the base by a waterproof cement, such as varnish,
bichromated gelatine or glue. The composition should be of that degree of
hardness, whether moulded upon the base or applied in sheets, as that it may be
cut readily with a knife, but so as to retain sharp edges. On the surface thus
prepared, the desired ornamental design is transferred or drawn, and the super-
fluous material filling the lines of the design is cut away leaving only the forms, d,
intended to be used as printing surfaces. The edges of the design should be cut

page_text: with a bevel or slant from the top downward and outward, as illustrated in
Figure 2, making the base of each part of the design somewhat broader than the
printing surface. The pattern which now appears in relief is covered with two or
three coats of a suitable varnish, c, which, in part, remains upon the upper
surface of the design, and in part falls down the sides of the design to the base,
thus firmly holding the material of the design to the base and forming an
unbroken film over the entire surface. The varnish also strengthens and supports
the material on the base against sidewise pressure, not only when the block is in
use for printing, but also when the face is being rubbed off as hereinafter described.
The varnish should preferably be waterproof, if water colors are intended to
be used in printing, and a suitable varnish is made of wood, spirit or methyl
alcohol and shellac. The face of the design is now rubbed off with pumice stone,
or removed by any suitable method, thereby exposing a printing surface suitable
for receiving, carrying and transferring colors. The application of the varnish
not only firmly fixes the material of the design to the base, but acts as
strengthener or brace to the material, maintaining it in an upright position without
binding of metal, and at the same time permits the printing surface to retain its
elasticity.
a
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. As a new article of manufacture, a printing roller or block having the
printing surface projected above the surface of the base, in relief thereon, and the
sides of the printing surface strengthened and supported by a coating of varnish
or equivalent substance, substantially as described.
2. As a new article of manufacture, a printing roller or block with the printing
surface made of a composition consisting of an oxidized linseed oil, bitumen stearin,
mixed with wood fibre, flock, ground cork, or other suitable material in relief upon
the block or roller and strengthened and supported by a coating of varnish or
equivalent substance, substantially as described.
Dated this 17th day of January 1893.
ALLISON BRUS.,
Agents for the Applicant.