AN IMPROVED LETTER-COPYING PRESS
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jules César 'Alexandre Bouillotte; of Paris, in the
Empire of France, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED LETTER-COPYING
PRESS."
Sealed the 6th May. 1856, and dated the 12th November 1855...
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION:: left by the said Jules César Alexandre
Bouillotte at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
.Petition, on the 12th November 1855.
7
I, JULES CESAR ALEXANDRE BOUILLOTTE, of Paris, in the Empire of France;
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED LETTER-
COPYING PRESS" to be as follows:-
This new copying press is composed of two wooden or metal plates, between
which is placed the book that is to receive the copies of letters or other
writings from which a copy is to be kept. The lower plate carries on
each side & at suitable intervals two solid metal supports or posts; those
two couples of supports catch the pivots of two levers, which may be kept
Between
in two extreme positions, the one vertical, the other horizontal.
those two articulated levers, & in the centre of the press, there is a vertical
rod, terminating at the top in a ring, & the lower part of that rod is
fastened on the upper plate, so as to allow that vertical rod to get a quarter
of a circular motion in order to press or to withdraw two small arms on that'
rod at the extremities of the levers when the latter are placed horizontally,

page_text: which serves to keep the upper plate raised for the removal from or introduction
of the register between the two plates, as is generally done when it contains
the papers to be copied; it then suffices to give a quarter of a turn to the
central vertical rod for liberating the two levers; they may then be raised.
Now, as those levers have their pivots placed eccentrically, it follows that in
performing the latter movement the eccentric parts of those levers press the
register between the two plates, so as to force the writing put into contact
with one or more wet leaves to be traced as usual.
This copying press is extremely simple, of great cheapness, works well, &
thus may be used for mercantile purposes, as well as for the reproduction of all
sorts of writings and drawings.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Jules César Alexandre Bouillotte in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 12th May 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JULES
CESAR ALEXANDRE BOUILLOTTE, of Paris, in the Empire of France, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the
year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Jules César Alexandre Bouillotte, Her special licence that I, the
said Jules César Alexandre Bouillotte, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Jules César Alexandre Bouillotte,
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 expressed, 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 "AN IMPROVED LETTER-COPYING
PRESS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Jules César
Alexandre Bouillotte, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Jules César Alexandre Bouillotte, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
My Invention relates to the construction of a letter-copying press, which
consists of two wooden or metal plates, and four uprights, disposed by two
opposite to one another, so as to admit the journals of two jointed bevelled
levers between them. The said levers are made to assume two different
positions; one vertical, for effecting the pressure; the other horizontal, for
releasing the book. A vertical rod is adjusted at the centre of the upper plate,
with the upper part forming a ring, whilst the lower part is fitted so as to
allow the rod to describe a quarter of a revolution; the said rod being
provided with two arms that may revolve above the two levers when the latter
are down, thus supporting the upper plate in a raised position, and allowing
the book to be taken off or put between the two plates. On causing the rod
to revolve back from the centre, the two small arms are made to release the
two levers, which may then be raised to a vertical position, and give the
necessary pressure on the book laid between the two plates.
On the annexed Sheet, of Drawings, which illustrates the Invention,
Fig. 1 is a horizontal projection or plan of the improved copying press;
Fig. 2 is a side vertical projection, shown on the side of the uprights or guides
of the upper plate; Fig. 3 is a vertical section, made parallel to Fig. 2, and
in which the book is shown under pressure; Fig. 4 shows the same section,
the book being no longer under pressure. From the Drawings it may be seen
that the copying book a is laid on the plate b, on which the uprights c are
secured by means of screws; between the said uprights c may be moved both
the upper plate d and the levers e, the latter having their journals inserted
into the entreme ends of the uprights c. The journals are so disposed as the
heels c' of the levers e may press on iron reglets d', fitted in a groove on the
upper part of the plate d, as the levers are raised to the vertical position.
The said heels c' are rounded only towards the center side of the press, in
order to allow the depressing of the levers e (Figs. 2 & 4) and the raising of
them (Fig. 3), and thus release & press the copying book. Moreover, at the
centre of the press and of the upper plate a rod f is adjusted on a small metal
disk g, secured to the plate by means of screws. The upper end of the rod is
a ring, and the lower end is inserted into the disk g, and pinned beneath it so
as the rod may effect a quarter of a revolution. The rod f is provided with
two projections f' (Fig. 4), which on the revolving of the rod f will slide,"
rising up the rounded parts of the leverse when these are depressed. This

page_text: circular motion of the rod f raises the upper plate d, and the book a is thus
completely released and may be withdrawn. Each of the four uprights c is
provided besides with small brackets c", on which the lever sides rest. The
result is, that the pressure on the centers of the levers e, effected by the enlarge-
ment f' of the rod f, keeps the plate d raised.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which
the same is or may be carried into effect, I wish it to be distinctly understood
that I do not confine myself to the precise details herein described, as such
may be varied or modified without departing from the principle of action
thereof, likewise I do not confine myself to the strict figure or form of the
apparatus or portions of the apparatus as herein described; but what I
claim is novel, and therefore as being secured to me by the herein-before
in part recited Letters Patent, is, the construction of a copying press intended
chiefly to copy letters. The characteristic principle of the Invention con-
sisting, in the application of a means of giving the desired pressure by
merely depressing or raising some special pieces, such an arrangement
permitting to obtain copies of writings and drawings of every description and
of any desired size...
In witness whereof, I, the said Jules César Alexandre Bouillotte, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this 8th day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
J. BOUILLOTTE. (L.S.)