A NEW OR IMPROVED TYPOGRAPHIC FORME FIXING APPARATUS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Francisque Theodore Marie Ange Guyon, of Saint
Brieux, Department of Côtes du Nord, Empire of France, Pressman, for
the Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED TYPOGRAPHIC FORME FIXING
APPARATUS."
Sealed the 13th March 1868, and dated the 20th September 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Francisque Theodore
Marie Ange Guyon at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 20th September 1867.
I, FRANCISQUE THEODORE MARIE ANGE GUYON, of Saint Brieux, Department
of Côtes du Nord, Empire of France, Pressman, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED TYPOGRAPHIC FORME FIXING
APPARATUS," to be as follows:-
The fixiforme or forme fixing apparatus, the subject of this Invention, will
render great service to typography by avoiding the losses of time now
experienced. The use of machines is now nearly general, and the prodigious
results thereby obtained are well known, but the stoppages for fixing the formes
are incontestably too great. Before the Invention of machines wooden blocks
and wedges were used but these pieces varying with the temperature and being
frequently carried away by the rollers which occasioned serious damage were
later replaced by cast-iron wedges. Each change of forme requires a wedge

page_text: more or less long, thence the necessity of having an assortment of 20 to 25 pieces
and wedges.
Struck with these inconveniences I have invented a mechanism which unites
all the advantages and every convenience for rendering the fixing of formes of
all dimensions more rapid, easier, and more economical. This apparatus
which is of cast iron, and to which I give the name of a typographic fixiforme,
permits the instantaneous securing with the greatest firmness and with as
much simplicity as precision the iron frames or formes of all sizes or "formats."
In one word the "fixiforme" can be shortened to 5 inches and lengthened to
any extent.
On the accompanying Sheet of Drawing forming part of this my Provisional
Specification A, B, C, D, indicate the machine table. The side A, B, is the
part of the imposing stone against which the forme a, b, c, d, is to be applied.
The side C, D, is the part which serves as fulcrum to the wedge which is
to fix the said forme a, b, c, d. Hitherto the forme was held on the imposing
stone by pieces of wood or iron rods varying in length according to the size
of the formes to be fixed, and arranged on the three faces of the forme in such
a manner as to prevent its displacement either forward or to the left or right
(see Fig. 2). By my method, as shewn on the Drawing, all these keys and
wedges are suppressed, and with the pieces J, K, I can instantly fix the formes,
no matter what their size. Supposing the forme a, b, c, d, (Fig. 1) is to be
fixed on the imposing stone A, B, C, D, I take the piece K and enter its
two tenons in two holes made in the piece E to receive them. The piece K
thus fixed can already neither move to the right or to the left or rise. This
piece being adjusted I take J, and finding the notch or groove into which I can
insert the end of K, I introduce it. At this moment the forme is almost
secured, but with the key of the ink block of the machine I tighten the screw
V, and thus force the whole to fit together with such firmness that it is
impossible to displace the forme in any direction without first loosening the
screw.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Francisque Theodore Marie Ange Guyon in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 19th March 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANCISQUE
THEODORE MARIE ANGE GUYON, of Saint Brieux, Department of Côtes du 3
Nord, Empire of France, Pressman, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Francisque Theodore Marie Ange Guyon, Her special licence that I, the
said Francisque Theodore Marie Ange Guyon, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Francisque Theodore Marie Ange
Guyon, 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 NEW OR IMPROVED TYPOGRAPHIC
FORME FIXING APPARATUS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Francisque Theodore Marie Ange Guyon, my executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly 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 Francisque Theodore Marie Ange Guyon,
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:-
The "fixiforme" or forme fixing apparatus, the subject of this Invention,
will render great service to typography by avoiding the losses of time now
experienced. The use of machines is now nearly general, and the prodigious
results derived therefrom are well known, but the stoppages for fixing the
formes are incontestably too great. Before the Invention of machines wooden
blocks and wedges were used, but these pieces varying with the temperature
and being frequently carried away by the rollers (occasioning serious damage)
were later replaced by cast-iron keys or wedges. Each change of forme
requires a chock or key more or less long, and hence the necessity of having
an assortment of at least 20 to 25 pieces and wedges.
Struck with these inconveniences I long sought a system which might
replace all this collection of wood, or iron wedges, or chocks. After many
trials I have invented a mechanism which unites all the advantages and every
convenience for rendering the fixing of formes of all dimensions more rapid,
easier, and more economical. This cast-iron apparatus, to which I give the
name of "fixiforme," permits the instantaneous securing of iron frames or

page_text: formes of every size ("format") with the greatest firmness and with as much
simplicity as precision. In one word the "fixiforme" shortens to 5 inches
and even less, and lengthens to any desired extent.
My object of avoiding the losses of time daily experienced by printers and
of facilitating the putting in register is attained by the above-mentioned
apparatus, the construction and arrangement of which I will now proceed to
describe, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of Drawing forming
part of this my Specificatian, and to the figures and letters of reference
marked thereon.
A, B, C, D, indicate the bed or table of a printing machine; the side A, B,
is the part of the table against which the forme a, b, c, d, is to be applied;
the side C, D, is the part which serves as fulcrum to the chock, key, or wedge
which is to fix the said forme a, b, c, d. Hitherto the forme has been held
on the machine table by pieces of wood or cast-iron rods varying in length
according to the size of the frames to be fixed and arranged on the three faces
of the forme in such a manner as to prevent its displacement either forward
or to the left or right (see Fig. 2.) By my method, as shewn on the Drawing,
all these chocks and wedges are suppressed, and with the pieces J, K, I can
instantly fix the formes, no matter what their size ("format"). Supposing
the forme a, b, c, d, (Fig. 1) is to be fixed on the machine table A, B, C, D,
I take the piece K and enter its two tenons in two holes made in the piece E
to receive them. The piece K thus fixed can already move neither to the
right or to the left or rise; this piece being adjusted I take J and finding
the notch or groove into which the extremity of K can enter I introduce it.
At this moment the forme is almost fixed, but with the key of the ink block
of the machine I tighten the screw V, and thus force the whole to fit together
with such firmness that it is impossible to displace the forme in any direction
without loosening the screw for this
purpose.
In witness whereof, I, the said Francisque Theodore Marie Ange
Guyon, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of
March, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-eight.
GUYON, FRANCISQUE THEODORE M. A. (L.S.)