Improvements in Letter-copying Apparatus.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 16th June, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 16th Mar., 1894-Accepted, 28th Apr., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.'
Improvements in Letter-copying Apparatus.
I, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN FULLER of 16 Great Eastern Street, in the County
of London, E.C. Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
(a communication to me from Ernest Feige, of Saginaw, in the State of Michigan,
United States of America, Desk Manufacturer) to be as follows
This Invention relates to Improvements in Letter-copying Apparatus, and the
invention consists of the novel features of construction and combination of parts
hereinafter described and set forth.
The apparatus consists of an apparatus for copying letters and similar documents
by pressure, the said pressure being obtained by a lever operated by the foot which
lever is connected by a link or rod with the movable platen in such a manner that
the depression of the foot causes the said platen to descend.
The apparatus is enclosed in a suitably designed cabinet or casing which
preferably has drawers therein for the reception of the oil sheets &c., used in the
operation of copying. Within the said casing are fulcrummed two levers which
are connected at their forward ends by a cross bar, so as to move together. The
said cross bar has a treadle thereon upon the upper face of which is mounted a
shoe in which the foot of the operator is placed. The said levers are connected by
a rod or link with a horizontal bar on either side of the apparatus which in its turn
is connected to the movable platen by screwed rods or bolts having nuts thereon.
The said nuts and bolts allow of the vertical adjustment of the movable platen
above the fixed platen so as to accommodate a thick or thin book in the press,
springs being employed surrounding the said bolts to support the movable platen.
After the depression of the foot lever the treadle is again raised by means of a
counter-weight upon each of the side levers in rear of the fulcrums.
The operation of the press is as follows
The book having the letter therein is placed between the movable and fixed
platens and the treadle depressed, thus producing a perfect copy instantaneously.
In type-written documents or when a longer pressure is required, the said pressure
is accomplished in the following manner :-
The shoe upon the treadle before mentioned, turns upon a pivot to a slight extent,
thereby enabling a pawl upon the said shoe to engage in a toothed rack fixed on
the casing, thus allowing the treadle to be retained in its depressed position for any
length of time.
Dated this 16th day of June 1802
HORN & SON,
Applicant's Agents.
Improvements in Letter-copying Apparatus.
I, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN FULLER, of 16 Great Eastern Street, in the County
10 of London, E.C. Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
(a communication to me from Ernest Feige, of Saginaw, in the State of Michigan,
United States of America, Desk Manufacturer), and in what manner the same is to
Pred 1

page_text: be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to Improvements in Letter-copying Apparatus, and the
invention consists of the novel features of construction and combination of parts
hereinafter described and set forth.
The invention consists of an apparatus for copying letters and similar documents
by pressure, the said pressure being obtained by a lever operated by the foot which
lever connected by a link or rod with the movable platen in such a manner that
the depression of the foot causes the said platen to descend.
The apparatus is enclosed in a suitably designed cabinet or casing which
preferably has drawers therein for the reception of the oil sheets &c., used in the
operation of copying. Within the said casing are fulcrummed two levers which
are connected at their forward ends by a cross bar, so as to move together. The
said cross bar has a treadle thereon upon the upper face of which is mounted a
shoe in which the foot of the operator is placed. The said levers are connected by
a rod or link with a horizontal bar on either side of the apparatus which in its turn
is connected to the movable platen by screwed rods or bolts having nuts thereon.
The said nuts and bolts allow of the vertical adjustment of the movable platen
above the fixed platen, so as to accommodate a thick or thin book in the press,
springs being employed surrounding the said bolts to support the movable platen.
After the depression of the foot lever the treadle is again raised by means of a
counter-weight upon each of the side levers in rear of the fulcrums.
In order that my invention may be more readily understood, reference is made
to the accompanying drawings, wherein like letters indicate corresponding parts
throughout the several figures:-
Figure 1, represents my improved copying apparatus in front elevation.
Figure 2, represents a side elevation thereof.
Figure 3, represents a sectional side elevation of the case, with the internal
fittings removed so as to show the mechanism.
Figure 4, represents a plan view of my invention.
Figure 5, represents a detail of my invention on an enlarged scale.
In carrying out my invention I construct a casing A of any suitable material and
design, which casing is provided at about its upper end with a fixed platen C. At
a suitable point on each side within said casing, I fix a bearing-block D each of
which blocks supports a lever E, the outer ends of which levers E are connected
by means of a cross-bar F so as to move simultaneously. To the said cross-bar is
fixed a treadle G upon the upper face of which a suitably constructed shoe H
is pivotally attached at I in such a manner as to be capable of being turned thereon,
if required. The extent of such turning movement being limited by means of a
pin passing through a slot K in a projecting pawl or the like L. The levers E
Ꭻ
are connected by means of a tie rod M with horizontal bars N, which bars N are
each connected at their ends to a movable platen O by means of links Q. The
upper ends of said links Q are screwed and provided with suitable thumb- or wing-
nuts R and the said platen O is held against the under side of the wing nuts R, by
means of springs S, so that the normal distance between the fixed and movable
platens may be regulated. The casing A is also provided with drawers B and a
fid X.
The operation of the press is as follows:-
The book, having the letters therein, is placed between the movable and fixed
platens O and C respectively, and the treadle G depressed, whereby the movable
platen O will be caused to descend on the book, the pressure thereon depending
upon the pressure exerted on the treadle. If the pressure is required to be
maintained for a comparatively long period, the shoe H is turned on its fulcrum I,
when the projecting pawl L will engage with one of the teeth-on the toothed
rack T, which is fixed to the case A, thereby retaining the whole mechanism in its
place until said pawl is released. The inner ends of the levers E are provided or

page_text: formed with a counterpoise U so that the movable platen will normally be retained
on its uppermost position.
To the side of the case A, I hingedly attach a shelf V which may be folded
down as shown or raised up and retained in its raised position by means of a hinged
bracket W.
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 :-
A copying apparatus consisting in combination of a case A, fixed and movable
platens and respectively, which movable platen O is adapted to be depressed
by the action of the foot, and retained in its depressed position by means of a
pawl or the like L and rack T, a hinged shelf V, hinged bracket W, and lid X,
all for the purposes and substantially as described and illustrated.
Dated this 16th day of March 1894.
HORN & SON,
Applicant's Agents.