IMPROVEMENTS IN STAMPED LEAD PENCILS, AND IN APPARATUS FOR STAMPING THE SAME AND OTHER VARNISHED ARTICLES
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields,
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STAMPED LEAD PENCILS, AND IN APPARATUS FOR
STAMPING THE SAME AND OTHER VARNISHED ARTICLES." -A communica-
tion from abroad by Joseph Reckendorfer, of the City, County, and
State of Now Val Tidon
ROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 22nd February 1872.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STAMPED LEAD PENCILS, AND IN APPARATUS
FOR STAMPING THE SAME AND OTHER VARNISHED ARTICLES," a communication
to me from abroad by Joseph Reckendorfer, of the City, County, and
State of New York, United States of America, to be as follows:-
The first portion of these improvements relates to a mode of forming
the gilt stamp impressed upon the surfaces of varnished wooden lead

page_text: stamping varnished surfaces, by pressing leaf metal, or bronze powder,
or other gilding material by means of a heated die into the varnished.
surface, whether of a wooden lead pencil or other article, and it has refer-
ence to the construction of the die head or stock, and to the method of.
heating the same, in such manner as to produce and maintain an equable
heat, which will cause the die to act with regularity and uniformity to
produce stamps of the desired quality and style. On the lower end of a
vertical sliding bar is fastened the head to which the die is attached.
On the lower part of the frame under the die are formed dovetailed ways,
between which is placed a piece carrying the bed in which the pencil or
other article to be stamped is placed, and capable of sliding vertically
in the said ways.
The die head or stock is made of metal and is cast hollow, with a channel
running through it somewhat like a horse-shoe in shape. To one end of
the head is fastened a bracket or block forming part of the head, and
containing a continuation of this channel. Upon the top of the block
is secured a tube or reservoir, into the bottom of which a channel opens.
through a hole or aperture formed in the top of the block. This channel
also opens into the reservoir, not directly, but through a vertical tube,
which extends up some distance into the reservoir. Below the tube and
directly under the rear channel is placed a gas burner, held to the head:
by a bracket, and communicating with the gas supply through flexible
tubing, which will permit it to rise and fall with the head. In lieu of
the gas burner other suitable means for imparting heat to the rear
channel may be used. The top of the tube or reservoir is closed by
a suitable cover, through which a thermometer is inserted in such
manner that its bulb or lower part shall be immersed in or surrounded
by the liquid or fluid in the reservoir.
The reservoir is more especially designed to contain a liquid, by means
of which the proper degree of beat is imparted to the head and thence
to the die. The action of the heat on the head is as follows:-If the
reservoir and channelled head be filled with a liquid, which should rise
at all times above the top of the small vertical tube before referred to,
and then the gas burner under the rear channel be lighted, the liquid
in this place becoming heated and consequently lighter will rise. The.
liquid from the head replaces this liquid, and in turn is replaced by
liquid taken from the reservoir. The liquid will therefore circulate.
continuously from the bottom of the reservoir into and through the

page_text: head and again into the reservoir, a constant circulation being thus
maintained.
In the above description of the Invention the heating agent named
is a liquid. But in lieu of liquids air or other fluids may be used.
In case it is desired to use air, this can be done by providing a blower,
the current of heated air proceeding through the channelled head will
heat the same. The temperature of the air can be ascertained by means
of the thermometer, which will be surrounded by the heated air dis-
charged into the reservoir. In this case the circulation is in a direction
the reverse of that followed when liquids are used. An aperture is of
course formed in the reservoir for escape of the air.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 25th July 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
35th year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors give,
and grant unto me, the said John Henry Johnson, Her special license
that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Henry Johnson,
my executors, administrators, or 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 "IMPROVEMENTS
IN STAMPED LEAD PENCILS, AND IN APPARATUS FOR STAMPING THE SAME AND
OTHER VARNISHED ARTICLES," a communication to me from abroad by
Joseph Reckendorfer, of the City, County, and State of New York,
United States of America, upon the condition (amongst others) that

page_text: I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should parti-
cularly 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 John Henry Johnson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say:-
:―
The said Invention relates, first, to a mode of forming the gilt stamp
impressed upon the surfaces of varnished wooden lead pencils and other
varnished articles of bronze powder instead of the gold leaf or leaf metal
usually employed for the purpose, and is based upon the application of
the bronze powder to the varnished surface without the interposition of
any sizing, and then the impressing of this bronze coated unsized
varnished surface with a die properly heated, which stamps the bronze
in the pattern desired into the varnished surface, a clean and perfect
impression being thus produced, while the bronze powder is maintained
in such condition that all of it, excepting that stamped in by the pattern
die, may be brushed off from the pencil without trouble, and so as to
leave a clean cut and perfectly defined stamp.
A bronze powder is employed which possesses sufficient adhesivo
power to adhere to the pencil without any sizing. A very finely ground
and powdered bronze will be found to answer this purpose.
The machinery used is similar in arrangement to that employed in
stamping with leaf metal.
The process is as follows:-The operator on the press dips the pencil
in the bronze powder contained in the receptacle before him, gives one
end of it a slight tap on the table to remove the superfluous powder, and
then stamps the bronze coated surface with a properly heated dic.
As above stated the powder should be of such nature as to adhere to
and form a complete coat upon the varnished surface of the pencil.
without the use of an intermediate layer of sizing. When sizing is used

page_text: the powder soon fills up the fine lines of the die, whereby poor, indistinct,
and bad looking impressions are produced on the pencil, and much time.
is required in order to properly clean the die.
The die should be moderately heated for less than is required when
leaf metal is used. It is preferred to employ a machine or press in
which the die is heated by circulating water or other liquid, the head
to which the die is attached being constructed in such manner that the
temperature of the circulating liquid can be ascertained by a thermometer,
whereby the heat can be exactly regulated to the required degree for
the die. When the die is not warm enough the varnished surface of
the pencil is not properly softened or melted to allow the bronze powder
to be incorporated with and to adhere to the same; while if the die be too
hot the varnish being unduly melted will penetrate through the bronze
film or coat, and consequently a little of the varnish together with some
of the bronze powder will adhere to the face of the die. During the
continued use of the die this compound of melted varnish and powder
gradually accumulates on the die, thereby destroying the sharpness and
distinctness of the lines and ultimately clogging the die entirely.
In the former case the "stamp" shows simply as an indentation on
the pencil, without being properly gilded; in the latter case it presents a
smeared uncleanly appearance, which may even make the pattern of the
die entirely unrecognizable. Care must therefore be taken to properly
regulate the temperature of the die, which can be done by means of the
thermometer. By this process only sufficient of the bronze powder
adheres to the pencil to properly cover that part of the same to which
the stamp is applied, and all the rest which drops off can be used over
again on account of the bronze being in a powdered condition, thereby
effecting a great saving in material.
The pencil after being stamped and cleaned can receive a thin coat of
varnish, the "gilt finishing" coat so called, to protect the stamp from
tarnishing.
Although the process is described with special reference to the
manufacture of wooden lead pencils, it is also applicable to the stamping
of other varnished surfaces.
The second portion of this Invention relates to presses for gilt
stamping varnished surfaces, by pressing leaf metal, or bronze powder,
or other gilding material by means of a heated die into the varnished

page_text: Secondly. A lead pencil bronze stamped and then varnished, sub-
stantially as herein described, as an article of manufacture.
Thirdly. The combination with a channelled die head or stock of a
reservoir, communicating with the said channelled head, substantially
as shown and described, to admit of the continuous circulation through
the head of the various liquids that may be placed in the reservoir when
subjected to the action of a gas flame or other heating agent, as and for
the purposes specified.
Fourthly. The combination with the reservoir and die head or stock
communicating with one another, substantially in the manner herein
described, of a thermometer applied to the same, substantially as and
for the purposes shown and set forth.
Fifthly. A die head for stamping presses chanelled or made hollow
to receive a liquid or fluid, through the medium of which the die is
heated in combination with a gas flame or other heating agent applied
to the said head for the purpose of raising the liquid or fluid therein
contained to the proper temperature, substantially as and for the
purposes shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this
my Specification set my hand and seal, the Nineteenth day of
April One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)