Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd May, 1888 .
Complete Specification Left, 16th Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 30th Mar., 1889
I, WILLIAM HASTIE, 162 Hospital Street, Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as
follows, that is to say :-
My said Invention has for its object to construct copying presses in an improved,
simple, and inexpensive manner. As made according to one modification my
improved copying presses are conveniently portable; whilst other modifications are
well adapted for general office use and for large sizes.
My improved portable press comprises a bottom board or plate and an upper
board or plate or platen between which the letter-copying book is to be placed.
The platen is provided with strong metal pins projecting from the middles of its
opposite onds; and these pins work in guide slots formed in lugs fixed to and pro-
jecting up from the bottom board or plate. On pins on the same lugs there are
centered two lovers, which are connected at their outer ends by a cross bar which may
be made in the same piece with them. The levers have curved slots formed in them
at a little distance from their centres and the pins of the platen project through these
slots. The slots in the levers are shaped eccentrically and so that when the levers
are in a vertical position the platen is by means of its pins held at its greatest distance
above the bottom board or plate. As the levers are turned down by means of their
cross bar or handle they bring to act on the platen pins parts of the edges of the
slots which are gradually nearer the centres and these edges acting wedgeways on the
platen pins press down the platen in a sufficiently forcible manner for the copying
operation. When the levers are turned down the whole press assumes an extremely
compact form, for putting into a travelling bag or box; or it may be very conveniently
carried by means of the cross bar as a handle.
When the press is made larger or stronger for office use it is fixed on a table or
stand, and the levers with the eccentric or wedge-action slots are connected to a
treadle or to a hand lever fitted to the stand.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.

page_text: Improvements in Copying Presses.
I, WILLIAM HASTIE, of 162, Hospital Street, Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Engineer, 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, that is to say :-
My said Invention has for its object to construct copying presses in an improved
simple and inexpensive manner. As made according to one modification my improved
presses are conveniently portable; whilst other modifications are well adapted for
general office use and for large sizes.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing the same may
be properly understood I hereunto append a sheet of explanatory drawings to be
hereinafter referred to and showing.my improvements.
Figures, 1, and 2, on the accompanying sheet of drawings, are, respectively, a plan
and an end elevation of one modification of the-portable press as in its closed con-
dition. Figure, 3, is an end elevation showing the press as opened. Figures, 4, and, 5,
are respectively, partial side and end elevations showing details. Figures, 6, and 7, 1
are end elevations showing a second modification of the press as opened and as closed
respectively and figure, 8, shows a modification suitable for office use. In these
drawings the same reference numerals are used to mark the same or like parts where
ever they are repeated.
The
My improved portable press as shown in figures, 1, to 5, comprises a bottom board
or plate, 10, and an upper board or plate or plates, 11, between which the letter-
copying book, 12, is to be placed. The bottom plate, 10, and the platen, 11, are, by
preference, made of wood bound or strengthened by angle pieces, 13, 14, of steel or
other metal, at the ends. Strong metal pins, 15, cast in a piece with the angle
pieces, 13, project from the middles of the opposite ends of the platen, 11%; and
these pins, 15, work in guide slots formed in lugs, 16, cast in a piece with and
projecting up from the angle pieces, 14, on the bottom plate, 10. On pins, 17,
cast on the lugs, 16, there are centered two levers, 18, 19, which are connected at
their outer ends by a cross bar, 20, made in the same piece with them.
levers, 18, 19, are held on the pins, 17, by screws, 21, and have curved slots formed in
them at a little distance from their centres, the pins, 15, of the platen, 11, projecting
through these slots. The slots in the levers, 18, 19, are shaped eccentrically and
so that when the levers are vertical (figure, 3,) the platen, 11, is by means of its
pins, 15, held at its greatest distance above the bottom board or plate, 10. As the
levers, 18, 19, are turned down by means of their cross bar or handle, 20, they
bring to act on the platen pins, 15, parts of the edges of the slots which are gradually
nearer the centres and these edges acting wedgeways on the platen pins, 15, press
down the platen, 11, in a sufficiently forcible manner for the copying operation.
When the levers, 18, 19, are turned down the whole press assumes an extremely
compact form (figures, 1, and, 2,) for putting into a travelling bag or box; or it may
be very conveniently carried by means of the cross bar, 20, as a handle.

page_text: In the modification shown in figures, 6, and 7, the extent of lift of the platen
is considerably increased by having two eccentric slots in the end of each lever, 18, 19,
instead of only one as hereinbefore described each lever being in this case centered
on pins, 22, which work loose in the slots in the lugs, 16. Pins, 23, cast in a piece
with the angle pieces, 14, of the bottom plate, 10, are provided to work in the
additional eccentric slots of the levers, 18, 19.
The plate, 10, and platen, 11, in the press shown in figure, 8, are made of metal
the angle pieces, (13, 14,) being dispensed with, and the bottom plate, 10, being fixed
to table, 24. The levers, 18, 19, with the eccentric or wedge action slots are
connected to and actuated by a treadle, 25, through a forked connecting rod, 26,
the levers, 18, 19, being in the form of handles merely to assist in starting or
releasing the press.
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 :-
1-The combination and arrangement of parts constituting my improved copying
press, substantially as herein before described and shown in figures, 1, to 5, of the
accompanying drawings.
2-The combination and arrangement of parts constituting my improved copying
press substantially as hereinbefore described and shown in figures, 6, and, 7, of
the accompanying drawings.
3-The combination and arrangement of parts constituting my improved copying
press substantially as hereinbefore described and shown in figure, 8, of the accom-
panying drawings.
4 The device for lifting and depressing the platen of a copying press and con-
sisting of the eccentric slots in the levers and the pins on the platen arranged and
operating substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this Fifteenth day of February 1889.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.