Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Dec., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 18th Sept., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 26th Oct., 1888
I CARL JOHAN WENSTER, of Upsala, in the Kingdom of Sweden, Bookbinder do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an apparatus for facilitating the hand gilding on the back
of books.
Hitherto the application by hand of gilt titles and other ornaments on the back of
books has been effected simply by holding the book firmly in the one hand and
pressing the stamp with the other on the back of the book turned upwards.
Owing to the convexity of the back a large experience and considerable ability
have been necessary lest the stamp should slip during the operation, thus causing the
gilding to become cloudy, besides a steady application of the stamp along the convex
back of the book entails rather hard work for the hand. Moreover, the titles could
not in most cases be applied either symmetrically on the back of the books with
relation to the central line or (if a number of volumes were to be provided with titles)
exactly at the same height, as their place of application must always be estimated
only by the eye. Finally it may easily occur that the gilt title or ornament may be
placed obliquely on the back, if the stamp be not conducted exactly at right angles to
the same. When gilding the back of big unwieldy books by hand, the bookbinder
have formerly used a block press into which the book was inserted, but none of the
above inconveniences has been avoided thereby, the book has only been better
secured.
The above mentioned inconveniences may however be overcome by using an
apparatus as hereinafter described which comprises a press, the lower longitudinal
borders of which are bevelled and one of the said borders united by means of a
hinge joint with the bevelled longitudinal border of a plate, so that the press is
pivoted on the hinge joint. In this way the gilding of the back of a book inserted
in the press can be effected by turning first the press on the hinge joint so as to
incline it towards the plate and then applying the stamp steadily against the back of
the book and finally turning the press round the hinge-joint while holding the hand
LD013

page_text: with the stamp in the same position as before. In this way all the parts of the back
situated under the stamp are obliged to get successively into contact with the latter
without the workman altering the position of his hand and consequently no slipping
of the stamp or fatigue of the hand can take place. The plate should preferably be
provided with an opening traversed by a bolt secured in the work table, so as
to secure the plate to the latter, but so as to be pivoted on the bolt, and thus
the book can be turned in every direction in the horizontal plane. The press can on
its ono sido he provided with a device for facilitating the application of the title and
ornaments horizontally on the back, symmetrically and at a given height. This
apparatus consists of a socket movable along the side of the press, for instance on a
slide bar and which socket can be fixed in the desired position by means of an
attachment screw. This is clasped by a vertical slot made in a bar, which may be
adjusted in the vertical direction and retained in its adjusted position by a nut
clasping the screw. Through the top of this bar, adjustable both in the horizontal
and in the vertical direction, a ribbon, preferably graduated, is passed running at
right angles to the longitudinal direction of the press, which ribbon should have at
one end a little weight holding it tolerably strained across the back of the book while
inserted in the press.
By means of this device the gilt title or ornaments can always be applied
perfectly horizontal on the back of the book, in-as-much as the ribbon, being placed
at right angles to the longitudinal sides of the press, will also be placed at right
angles to the back of the book secured in the press, so that the book-binder
needs only to place this ribbon on the back of the book in order to be able to see how
to apply the stamp. Further, if a number of books is to have for instance the same
title on the back, the bar may be adjusted in horizontal direction, so that the one edge
of the ribbon gets exactly over the spot on the back of the book, where the title is to
be applied, whereafter, when applying the title on the following books inserted
successively in the press, one needs only to fold the ribbon over the back of the book
for determining accurately where the gilding is to be applied.
Lastly it is always possible, owing to the graduation of the ribbon, by placing it
over the back of the book inserted in the press, to find the central line of the back, so
as to be able to apply the gilding symmetrically on the back with relation to the
central line.
It is obvious, that the apparatus above named can also be adapted to a common
block-press, although it first in combination with the pivoting press described above
forms a complete apparatus for hand gilding.
Dated this 29th day of December 1887.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Apparatus for Use in Gilding or otherwise
Ornamenting the Backs of Books.
I, CARL JOHAN WENSTER, of Upsala, in the County of Upland, Sweden, Book-
binder, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to he particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :—
This invention relates to an apparatus for facilitating the hand gilding on the back
of books. Hitherto the application by hand of gilt titles and other ornaments on the
back of books has been effected simply by holding the book firmly with the one hand
and pressing the stamp with the other on the back of the book turned upwards.
Owing to the convexity of the back a large experience and considerable ability have
been necessary lest the stamp should slip during the operation, thus causing the
gilding to become cloudy. Besides a steady application of the stamp along the convex
back of the book has hitherto entailed a considerable amount of hard work for the
hand. Moreover the titles could not in most cases, be applied symmetrically on the
back of the books with relation to the central line nor (if a number of volumes were to
be provided with titles) exactly at the same height, as the position thereof must always
be estimated only by the eye. Thus it may easily occur that the gilt title or ornament
may be placed obliquely on the back, if the stamp be not conducted exactly at right
angles to the same.
When gilding the back of big, unwieldy books by hand, they have formerly used a
block press into which the book was inserted but none of the above mentioned
inconveniences has been avoided thereby the book has only been better secured.
The above mentioned inconveniences may however be overcome by using an
apparatus as hereinafter described. The said apparatus is shown in the accompanying
drawing in which figure 1 is a front elevation.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section and ⚫
.
Figure 3 is a cross section. The apparatus consists of a press a, the lower
longitudinal edges of which are bevelled and one of the said borders united by
means of a hinge joint to the similarly bevelled longitudinal edge of a plate c. so that
the press is pivotted on the hinge joint. In this way the gilding of the back of a
book inserted in the press can be effected by turning first the press on the hinge joint
so as to incline it towards the plate c and then applying the stamp steadily against
the back of the book and finally turning the press round the hinge joint while holding
the hand with the stamp in the same position as before.
In this way all parts of the back situated under the stamp are obliged to come
successively into contact with the latter without the necessity for the workman to
alter the position of his hand, and consequently preventing any slipping of the stamp
and fatiguing of the hand.

page_text: The plate should preferably be provided with an opening traversed by a bolt
secured in the work table, so as to secure the plate to the latter, however so as to be
pivoted on the bolt, and thus the book can be turned in every direction in the
horizontal plane. The press on its one side can be provided with a device for
facilitating the application of the title and ornaments horizontally on the back,
symmetrically and at a given height. This apparatus consists of a socket & movable
along the side of the press, for instance on a slide bar e and which socket can be
fixed in the desired position by means of an attachment screw f. This is clasped in
a vertical slot made in a bar g which may be adjusted in the vertical direction and
retained in its adjusted position by a nut clasping the screw. Through the top of
this bar, thus adjustable both in the horizontal and in the vertical direction, a
ribbon, preferably graduated, is passed running at right angles to the longitudinal
direction of the press, which ribbon is preferably provided at one end with a weight k
for holding the said ribbon strained across, the back of the book while inserted in
the press.
By means of this device the gilt title or ornaments can always be applied perfectly
horizontal on the back of the hook, in-as-much as the ribbon being placed at right
angles to the longitudinal sides of the press, will also be placed at right angles to the
back of the book secured in the press, so that the book-binder needs only to place
this ribbon on the back of the book in order to be able to see how to apply the stamp.
Further if a number of books are to be provided with the same title on the back,
the bar may be adjusted in the longitudinal direction, so that the edge of the ribbon
is exactly over the spot on the back of the book, where the title is to be applied, then,
when applying the title on the following books inserted successively in the press it is
only necessary to fold the ribbon over the back of the book when the position of the
gilding will be accurately determined.
It will always be possible, owing to the graduation of the ribbon, by placing it over
the back of the book inserted in the press to find the centre line of the back so as to
be able to apply the gilding exactly in the centre.
It is obvious that the apparatus above described can also be adjusted to a common
block-press, although in combination with the pivotted press above described it forms
a complete apparatus for hand gilding.
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
First. An apparatus for use in band gilding or otherwise ornamenting the backs
of books consisting in a press (a) and a plate (c) hinged together and both provided
with a bevelled longitudinal edge.
Second. An apparatus for use in hand-gilding or otherwise ornamenting the backs
of books consisting of a press (a) with a socket (d) movable along its sides, which
socket is provided with a bar (g) adjustable vertically and having a ribbon (i)
which is preferably graduated and movable at right angles to the longitudinal
direction of the press.