IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Wicks, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Wicks at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th August 1880.
FREDERICK WICKS, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MATRICES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF
STEREOTYPE PLATES."
This Invention, which relates to improvements in the manufacture of matrices
for the production of stereotype plates, has for its object to diminish the time at
present incurred in the production of such plates, and thereby to effect economy in
the use thereof.
In manufacturing stereotype plates according to this Invention I use for the
matrix a paper formed of extremely fine and long fibre, so that these fibres in the
said paper become not only closely compacted together, but by extending across a
larger area cause the paper to approximate the condition of a textile fabric in the
quality of continuity. Another quality of the said paper to be used for the
purposes of this Invention is, that it shall have sufficient elasticity as not to be cut
or destroyed by the impression of the types thereinto, also that its degree of
elasticity shall be such that it permanently retains a sufficiently deep impression of
the type as to produce a clean and sharp printing surface on the stereotyped plate.
I have found paper made from the fibres of manilla grass suited for the purposes of
my Invention, but I do not limit myself in the practice of my Invention to the use
only of paper made from manilla grass fibres, as other paper formed of sufficiently
fine and long fibres, and having the qualities of elasticity herein before described,
may be used. Paper made from asbestos fibres may also be used for the purpose of
this Invention, and in every case, whichever of the papers hereinbefore described is
used, it is preferred that the paper be lined or backed with a layer of textile fabric,
such as calico or linen.
In using the material herein before described for the manufacture of matrices,
sheets thereof are at once pressed by means of rollers, or plate presses, on to the
surface of types which are to be stereotyped. The impression is at once and
permanently produced by this operation upon the sheets of paper hereinbefore
described, and the matrices thereby made are, without any further treatment, ready
for use.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Frederick Wicks in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th
February 1881.
FREDERICK WICKS, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MATRICES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF
STEREOTYPE PLATES."
.
My said Invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of matrices for
the production of stereotype plates, and has for its object to produce such plates in
much less time than is occupied in producing them in the manner as hitherto
practised, and thereby to effect economy in the production thereof, the said
Invention at the same time, owing to the process of making the matrices according
to the said Invention, being a dry process, enabling the matrices to be taken or
formed without the necessity for baking the mould and heating the types, as is
customary in the ordinary wet process.
In manufacturing matrices for the production of stereotype plates according to
my Invention, I use for the said matrices a paper or matrix material formed of
extremely fine and long fibre, so that these fibres in the said paper become not only
closely compacted together, but by extending across a comparatively large area
cause the paper to approximate the condition of a textile fabric in the quality of
continuity. Another quality of the said paper or matrix material to be used for
the manufacture of matrices according to this Invention is, that it shall have
sufficient elasticity to prevent its being cut, or destroyed, by the impression of the
types thereinto, and also that its degree of rigidity shall be such as to enable the
said paper or matrix material to retain a sufficiently deep impression of the type to
produce a clean and sharp printing surface on the stereotyped plate. I have found
that a paper or matrix material made from the fibres of manilla grass is suited for
the purposes of my Invention, but I do not limit myself in the practice of my
Invention to the use only of paper or matrix material made from manilla grass
fibres, as paper or matrix material formed of sufficiently fine and long fibres, and
having the qualities herein before described, may be used, and for purposes of
strength it is preferred that the paper or matrix material be lined or backed with a
layer of textile fabric, such as calico or linen.
In using the paper or matrix material hereinbefore described for the manufacture
of matrices, sheets of such material or paper in a dry state are at once pressed by
means of rollers or plate presses on to the surface of the types which are to be
stereotyped. The impression is at once and permanently produced by this
operation upon the dry sheets of material or paper hereinbefore described, without
the application of heat, and the matrices thereby made are without further
treatment ready for use for the production of stereotype plates.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood I now proceed
more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or manner in or under which the
same is, or may be, used or practically carried into effect.
By experiments and trials, I have found that the most suitable fibres, having
.regard to economy, for making the paper or material for the production by the dry
process. of matrices according to my Invention are the finest manilla hemp fibres,
-together with strong cotton or linen fibres, to give softness to the material. The
respective quantities of the manilla hemp and cotton or linen fibres may be varied
according to the qualities of the particular fibres under treatment, but in all cases
it is desirable to preserve the extremest possible length of fibre, and to use no more

page_text: size than is absolutely necessary for the purpose of holding the fibres together.
The materials are treated in a paper making machine as ordinary paper pulp is
treated in making ordinary paper, except that the said materials are made into
extremely thick paper, but the web of matrix material on coming from the paper
making machine must not be compressed in the process of drying and finishing. If
it is found difficult to make the matrix material thick enough to receive the
requisite impression of the type, the material may be backed with a layer of soft
calico pasted on to the back of the said material, preferably in the web, and using
as little paste as possible, which paste must not be of the nature of glue, but must
be of a yielding nature when dry; common flour paste I have found to answer the
purpose. It is advisable after making the matrix material, to wash the surface to
be impressed with a weak paste or size sufficiently to paste down fibres that may
be projecting from the surface, so that these fibres will by this means be prevented
from adhering to the metal cast into the mould formed of the said matrix material,
and flaying off the surface of the mould when the same is removed from the casting.
In making the matrix, the matrix material in a dry condition is placed upon the
face of the types of which a stereotype is to be made, and a thick layer of soft
material, such as blanket or felt, is laid upon the said matrix material. This
blanket is preferably thicker than that used in making ordinary matrices by the
wet process. The type, matrix material, and blanket are then passed under a heavy
roller or other means of giving a sufficient pressure to cause the types to be impressed
into the dry matrix material to form the matrix. This pressure will require to be
greater than that used in taking impressions for ordinary matrices by the wet
process. The act of rolling over the aforesaid blanket or felt, or the like soft
inaterial laid upon the matrix material on the type, owing to the thickness of the
said blanket, or the like, would tend to cause it to pucker up, and thereafter
to crease the dry moulding material in such a way as to make it useless. To
prevent this, I place on the top of the said blanket, or the like, a thin sheet
of steel, or similar hard or rigid material, the effect of which is to produce
a dead weight pressure upon the said blanket or the like, and so prevent puckering
or creasing.
I do not confine myself to the use of manilla hemp as a basis for the matrix
material, as any long fibre possessing the requisite qualities of manilla hemp,
namely, sufficient strength and fineness, and elasticity sufficient to prevent its being
cut or destroyed by the impression of the types thereinto, and of which a paper or
matrix material will be produced of a degree of rigidity and thickness such as to enable
the matrix material to retain a sufficiently deep impression of the type to produce a
clean and sharp printing surface may be employed for the purposes of my
Invention; such, for example, as flax or fibrous Japanese paper stuff, but in any
case the fibre employed must be prepared essentially as herein before described, or
so as not to weaken it or reduce its length, and so also that the matrix material
made therefrom shall be sufficiently open in texture, and of such degree of rigidity
as to make it sufficiently yielding to pressure to take and retain a sharp impression
of the types in making the mould.
In stating that the matrix is in a dry condition I wish it to be understood that
I do not mean that the said material must be chemically dry, but that it is so dry
as that the amount of moisture in the composition will not cause the generation of
steam when the molten metal is poured into the mould.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the system, mode, or manner in or under which the same is, or
may be, used or practically carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that
what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to me by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is,-
The improvements in the manufacture of matrices for the production of
stereotype plates, consisting in the employment in the manufacture of the said

page_text: matrices of a material of long and fine fibres treated essentially as hereinbefore
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Wicks, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fourteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
DAGDICK WICKS (19)
(ST) SOM