An Improved Method of Manufacturing Sheet Metal Signs.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Nov., 1889-Accepted, 25th Jan., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of Manufacturing Sheet Metal Signs.
1, RICHARD ALFRED BUSCH (Manufacturer) Trading as Saupe & Busch 29
Jordanstrasse, Dresden in the Empire of Germany 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 :-
This Invention consists of an improved method of producing embossed metal
advertizing signs or designs of sheet metal, with the words or representations of any
object or objects in relief, and the representations receiving a printed coat of varnished
color to cover the embossed object.
Instead of the ordinary methods adopted and that have been proposed in making
cmmbossed sheet metal signs or designs and also that of casting Iron types, I form by
my Invention a complete stamp made of one piece of metal in the following manner,
A mould of plaster is made to the size of the sketch or design, which is brought
on to this plaster mould and the letters and objects cut out by means of a style, so
that they appear as if in relief on the surface of the mould. After this, a sand
mould is prepared and a casting made from it of iron. The plaster mould as described
being of one piece is very easily worked, and the cost of producing such complete
iron punches or stamps is but small and they are capable of being worked to a very
lurge extent. I am aware that it has been proposed to form letters and designs cut
out of sheet zinc and by means of a sand mould forming the punch of cast zinc
which is found in practice to become soon worn and that it is impossible to stamp
large quantities of plates with a zinc casting which is so unendurable. By using an
Iron punch I can stamp 100,000 plates without requiring a fresh punch-Whereas if
a zinc casting were used several punches would be required-I do not propose to use
steel punches with engravings but iron or steel ones with the letters and representations
in relief.
1 propose to form the matrix by a sheet of strong paste-board from which the
advertisement or design is cut out by means of a saw or other approved means the
remaining part of the paste-board is then pasted on a second sheet of pasteboard and
this matrix will he found to serve the working of a large number of plates.
Although I have before described the method of making a solid iron punch I only
propose to use a punch so constructed when I require to make a very large quantity
of the metal plates and in case of only desiring to manufacture an ordinary number
of plates I construct my punch according to the following manner; I cut out my
letters or designs in sheet brass by means of a saw or other suitable appliance and
attach them on to a sheet of metal by means of cement in such a manner that they
shall represent the whole of the design of the metal plate which I desire to
emboss.
These individual letters objects or designs are not formed as ordinary type and have
no spaces iron cbases or screws needed but are simply attached to a sheet of metal
and the punch is complete. This punch is afterwards fixed to the table of an
embossing press by means of wax when the stamping of the plates may be proceeded
with. I wish it to be understood that this is the ordinary method which I propose to
use although I may as before stated cast my punch in solid iron.
The Matrix would in this case be likewise made of pasteboard as above described.
The metal sheet is then placed in a suitable position upon the aforesaid punch

page_text: and every thing being prepared the Matrix having been fixed with wax to the stamp
the stamp is lowered down whereupon the designs letters and representations will be
embossed on the sheet metal plates.
By using pasteboard for the Matrix the outlines of the designs and letters will be
produced much sharper and better than if India Rubber or Lead be employed and
this result is obtained with one single blow. It is not necessary to lower down
the stamp two or three times as in the case when using India Rubber or Lead for
the Matrix.
The varnishing of the embossed metal plates is done in the same way as with flat
metal sheets. The varnish being perfectly driel the color is applied to the surface of
the letters and designs by means of a roller which is formed of a frame having a
wooden roller mounted upon it-this roller would be thickly coated with a mixture of
glue and treacle. In use the Roller would be first uniformly covered with Litho-
graphic Varnish Color and then rolled to and fro over the embossed letters and
designs until the entire surface of the same is perfectly covered.
When the letters have to be produced in various colors there will be as many metal
stencils needed as the different colors are to be produced upon the metal plate. These
metal stencil plates are of very thin metal and the letters to be colored are cut out
by means of a saw. The use of a zine cliché is avoided for the plates forming the
signs being made of strong metal and laying closely one in the other there is no
possibility of the embossed letters or design getting flattened the metal plate being
strong enough itself to withstand the slight pressure given by the roller.
By my method of printing letters I do not depend upon the aid of impressions taken
from a lithographic stone as this method is somewhat tedious and the embossed letters
are liable not to be covered by the printing which is frequently the case by some of
the systems at present in nse when the printing fails to fit the embossment.
With reference to the coloring of the object or objects designed (in contradistinction
to letters formed upon the metui sign) and to be produced the procedure employed
by me is somewhat similar to that adopted in Lithography, and consists in taking
impressions on paper specially prepared for the purpose from drawings executed on
Lithographic Stones, these impressions have afterwards to be carefully adjusted over
the flat space where the embossed representation has to appear, or over the already
raised representation, and when effected the said impression is pressed and taken on
to the embossed portion of the plate by a slight pressure or blow of the embossing
machine the paper is then moistened and stripped off when the colored portions of the
impression are left firmly attached to the object or design.
In practice I take first one color from the lithographic stone on to my transfer
paper and wait till it is dry and then take another color on to the same paper and
so on till all the colors are upon the transfer paper which I wish to put upon the
design which is formed upon my metal sign I then transtor these colors from the paper
to the metal plate as before described this enables me to put all the colors on to the
"Designs" upon the metal sign at one and the same time.
Although have here explained the methods by which I propose to color my
metal signs I wish it to be understood that these processes form no essential part of
my invention as I believe they have been in use for a long time. The Metal Plates
aro then painted over with a transparent durable varnish whereby great brilliancy
is given to the colors and the plates are made to stand exposure to the weather and as
soon as dried are ready for use.
The method of manufacture just described refers to plates of which quantities
have to be executed but would be varied somewhit if but one or a small number of
plates were required and in the latter case the plates would by preference be made of
zine and the letters raised to about a quarter of an inch in height and the plates
may be of one piece of sheet metal up to a certain size say about 80" x 40" but in
extra large sizes they would be composed of different sheets and combined by means
of soldering together or otherwise.
These single plates if required to appear as in a frame instead of having a simple

page_text: edging or beading formed around same would be first stamped and afterwards nxed to
the frame which is stamped separately.
For the single plates the punch may or would be composed of individual letters
fixed on to a sheet of metal. These letters are first cut out of wood by means of a
saw then cast by a brazier.
The Matrix for these single plates may be formed by a sheet of linoleum or other
suitable means.
Having a reserve of individual letters in stock I am able to use them for any
plates as I likewise may to a certain extent use those ordinary brass letters for forming
different punches without needing to cut out new letters. I am thus enabled to
compose a punch of any character of letters either in straight or curved lines which
cannot be done when letters are fixed individually to a square base. It will thus be
seen that in the course of business I amass together a large number of individual
letters of all charactors which enables me to produce my punches in a very
economical manner.
In order that the nature of my said improvements may be more fully understood I
will now proceed to describe the various figures on the sheet of drawings hereunto
annexed all of which figures are marked with the like letters of reference throughout.
Figure 1. Shows a mould of plaster formed in one piece upon which the design is
in the first instance sketched traced or transferred from the original drawing and
then sharply cut out to a certain depth by means of a style or other tool or tools so
that it appears well in relief and from which a sand or other mould is taken and a
casting obtained therefrom in iron or other like hard metal which forms a type body
or an entire and complete punch.
Figure 2. Exhibits another form of punch such as I generally purpose to use in
producing my embossed metal signs and which is composed of individual brass
letter A. A. cut out of sheet brass by means of a saw or otherwise shaped and then
attached or secured by cement to a flat sheet or base of metal B.
Figure 3. Is a longitudinal section showing the letters A. A. so connected and as
in relief in the iron plate and
Figure 4. Shews the detached letters or characters A. A. cut or stamped out before
being mounted on the metal bed as shown at Figure 3 and not having any block or
base.
Figure 5. Shews an embossed metal sheet in its entirety after undergoing the
various processes of stamping coloring varnishing and drying and as ready for use.
Figure 6. Is a small roller as required by preference to be used.
I am aware of the specification of Letters Patent No. 10746 of 1887 granted to
Alois Winkler and I wish it to be understood that I do not claim anything described
and claimed therein.
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
Claim 1. My improved method of producing embossed letters and designs or
representations of objects on sheet metal so as to appear in relief and where the
representation or design to be embossed is exceedingly complicated I take and employ
in the first instance a mould or plaster cast in one piece to receive the design to be
cut or raised up prominently and from which when executed a sand or other mould
is taken and a casting produced therefrom in iron steel or other suitable metal thus
forming a solid punch of either iron steel or similar hard metal in place of zinc and
by the employment of a matrix formed as before described of pasteboard or other
light material interposed and applied in manner herein described instead of using
sheets of india rubber or such like material.
Claim 2. In producing simpler forms of embossed metal signs the use in the metal
punch of individual brass letters cut or shaped out of brass instead of zinc which is
so unendurable and then fixed or otherwise secured in relief on to a metal bed.

page_text: Claim 3. The use or employment of a matrix formed by a sheet of strong paste
board linoleum or other substance from which the advertisement or design is suitably
cut out the remaining part of the paste board being then pasted on a second sheet of
pasteboard to serve the working of a large number of plates and to cause the outlines
of the lettors and designs to be inuch sharper than horetofore produced.
Dated this Seventh day of November 1889.
5
RAYNER & CASSELL,
37, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.