IMPROVEMENTS IN SHOW-CARDS, TABLETS OR SIMILAR ARTICLES
Year: 1884

page_text: I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SHOW-CARDS, TABLETS OR SIMILAR
ARTICLES" to be as follows:-
My invention relates to show cards, panels, signs, tablets, and analogous articles..
These articles as now generally constructed of paper, pasteboard or cardboard,
though of considerable thickness, possess but little rigidity, are easily torn or broken,
are liable to warp, and when embossed, do not at first possess that sharpness of
outline which is desirable, nor retain that originally imparted.
The object of this invention is to so construct these articles that they shall
possess greater stiffness and strength so as to endure longer, that they shall not
warp, and that when embossed they shall exhibit a sharpness and distinctness of
outline not heretofore attained.
To this end my invention consists essentially in combining with the imprinted
material a thin sheet of metal and subsequently embossing the compound sheet so
formed as hereinafter fully described.
The material on which the design or illustration is to be imprinted may be of
paper, pasteboard, cardboard, textile fabrics, leather, or veneer, and is pasted, glued
or cemented to the surface of a thin sheet of zinc, tin, iron, brass or copper, or any
other metal possessing the desired qualities. The rear side of said metal sheet is
preferably covered, either before or aftor its union with the imprinted sheet, with
paper or other material and this covering may also carry a design or illustration or
printed matter the same as, or differing from, that on the face side,
The sheet so prepared is then embossed in the usual manner. The design or
illustration only may be embossed, or the border or margin only, or both may be
so treated as the nature of the case will determine. In the construction of show-
cards the border or margin may be embossed to form a frame of any desired outline
or design, and the said margin suitably printed to correspond therewith. This
frame may be made as plain or as elaborate as desired and may be bronzed, or
printed in several colors, as may be determined by the design of the frame. The

page_text: design or illustration, whether embossed or not, is surrounded preferably by a mat
struck up from the sheet. The so completed article may properly be said to be
mounted and framed.
The central design or illustration is embossed in all cases where the margin is
not embossed to form or represent a frame.
It is preferred for some purposes to use paper for the central design and any
textile fabric or leather for the border. The advantage of this construction is that
the border or frame can be enibossed to a greater extent than when paper is used,
since the said materials are of a more yielding or elastic character, and that the
central design retains all the advantages due to its being printed on paper. Instead
of using a metal sheet of the same size as the paper carrying the design, a sheet of
larger size may be employed so as to provide a metal margin or frame extending
beyond the paper, either on two sides only or on all sides thereof. This metal
margin is ornamented in any manner of which metal is capable and results are
thereby obtained which it is not possible to secure when the margin is covered
with paper. The said margin may be gilded, lacquered, painted or plated, or in
case brass is used or any other metal not easily tarnished, the same may be polished
or roughened to produce any ornamental effect desired. Since the metal sheet used
is necessarily thin (to secure the desired result in embossing the central design) its
margin is struck up in the form of a frame or the said margin is corrugated,, or
is embossed with such a design as will serve to impart thereto the necessary
rigidity.
The construction just described in which the ornamented metal margin surrounds
the central embossed design may be modified by leaving the central design
unembossed. This construction possesses the same characteristics as the one above
referred to as regards the ornamented metal margin and the metal reinforce to the
material carrying the design.
Instead of combining a sheet of metal with the imprinted material, a frame of
metal may be employed; that is to say, a sheet of metal having its central part cut
out.
When this is used the combined paper and metal margin will be embossed
and the central design may or may not be so treated.
'
The employment of thin metal sheets permits paper of much less thickness to be
'used, and the compound sheet is, therefore, thinner than the sheets of cardboard,
pasteboard or paper now used. This compound sheet of thin metal and of
relatively thin paper firmly adherent thereto gives excellent results when embossed.
Greater sharpness of outline is secured and the original sharpness of outline is
always retained. A more perfect and more durable article is therefore produced,
and the small details of a design may be represented with greater exactness than
has heretofore been possible.
Any hollow part or parts of the back, whether of the framing or the central
design, may be filled in with any light material, such as sawdust and glue, paper
or wood pulp, and the entire back, or as much thereof as necessary, covered by
paper or a thin wood pulp board, to give a finish to the same.
By the use of this embedded metal sheet or plate it is possible to use textile
fabrics for carrying the design, picture or illustration, and when silk is used a very
superior show card or panel may be produced.

page_text: Improvements in Show-cards, Tablets, or similar Articles.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SHOW-CARDS, TABLETS, OR SIMILAR
ARTICLES and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
My invention relates to show cards, panels, signs, tablets and analogous articles.
These articles as now generally constructed of paper, pasteboard or cardboard,
though of considerable thickness, possess but little rigidity, are easily torn or broken,
are liable to warp, and when embossed do not at first possess that sharpness of
outline which is desirable, nor retain that originally imparted.
The object of.this invention is to so construct these articles that they shall
possess greater stiffness and strength so as to endure longer, that they shall not
warp, and that when embossed they shall exhibit a sharpness and distinctness of
outline not heretofore obtained.
To this end my invention consists in combining with the imprinted material a
thin sheet of metal, and subsequently embossing the compound sheet so formed as
hereinafter fully described.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a show card embodying my invention.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross-section of the same.
Figure 3 shows the front and back partly separated from the metal sheet, after
having been united thereto.
Figure 4 represents a modified form of the metal sheet.
Figure 5 is a cross-section of a show card in which the metal sheet is larger than
the material carrying the design.
Figure 6 is a cross-section of a show card in which the metal sheet is combined
with two kinds of materials.
The material b on which the design or illustration is to be imprinted may be of
paper, pasteboard, cardboard, textile fabrics, leather, or veneer, and is pasted, glued
or cemented to the surface of a thin sheet a of zinc, tin, iron, brass or copper, or
any other metal possessing the desired qualities. The rear side of said metal sheet
is preferably covered, either before or after its union with the imprinted sheet,
with paper or other material c and this covering may also carry a design or
illustration or printed matter the same as, or differing from, that on the face side.
The sheet so prepared is then embossed in the usual manner. The design or
illustration only may be embossed, or the border or margin only, or both may be
so treated, as the nature of the case will determine.
In the construction of show cards the border or margin may be embossed to
form a frame d of any desired outline or design, and the said margin suitably
printed to correspond therewith. This frame may be made as plain or as elaborate
as desired and may be bronzed, or printed in several colors, as may be determined
by the design of the frame. The design or illustration f whether embossed or not

page_text: is surrounded preferably by a mat e struck up from the sheet. The article so
completed may properly be said to be mounted and framed.
The central design or illustration is embossed in all cases where the margin is
not embossed to form or represent a frame.
It is preferred, for some purposes, to use paper for the central design and any
textile fabric or leather for the border. The advantage of this construction is
that the border or frame can be embossed to a greater extent than when paper is
used, since the said materials are of a more yielding or elastic character, and that
the central design retains all the advantages due to its being printed on paper.
In Figure 6, i represents the metal sheet, k the textile fabric or leather, and m
the paper.
Instead of using a metal sheet of the same size as the paper carrying the design,
a sheet of larger size may be employed (see Figure 5) so as to provide a metal
margin or frame h extending beyond the paper, either on two sides only or on all
sides thereof. This metal margin is ornamented in any manner of which metal is
capable and results are thereby obtained which it is not possible to secure when
the margin is covered with paper. The said margin may be gilded, lacquered,
painted or plated, or in case brass is used or any other metal not easily tarnished
the same may be polished or roughened to produce any ornamental effect desired.
- Since the metal sheet used is necessarily thin (to secure the desired result in
embossing the central design) its margin is struck up in the form of a frame or the
said margin is corrugated, or is embossed with such a design as will serve to
impart thereto the necessary rigidity.
The construction just described in which the ornamented metal margin surrounds
the central embossed design may be modified by leaving the central design
unembossed. This construction possesses the same characteristics as the one above
referred to as regards the ornamented metal margin and the metal reinforce to
the material carrying the design.
Instead of combining a sheet of metal with the imprinted material, a frame of
metal may be employed; that is to say, a sheet of metal having its central part
cut out as illustrated in Figure 4. When this is used the combined paper and
metal margin will be embossed and the central design may or may not be so
treated.
The employment of thin metal sheets permits paper of much less thickness to be
used, and the compound sheet is, therefore, thinner than the sheets of cardboard,
pasteboard, or paper now used.-This compound sheet of thin metal and of
relatively thin paper firmly adherent thereto gives excellent results when embossed;
greater sharpness of outline is secured and the original sharpness of outline is
always retained. A more perfect and more durable article is, therefore, produced,
and the small details of a design may be represented with greater exactness than
as heretofore been possible.
Any hollow part or parts of the back, whether of the framing or the central
design may be filled in with any light material g such as sawdust and glue, paper
or wood pulp, and the entire back, or as much thereof as necessary, covered by
paper or a thin wood pulp board, to give a finish to the same.
By the use of this imbedded metal sheet or plate it is possible to use textile
fabrics for carrying the design, picture or illustration, and when silk is used a very
superior show card or panel may be produced.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is
First. A show card, tablet or the like consisting of a sheet of paper or equivalent
material, carrying a design or illustration, united to a plate of thin metal and
embossed, substantially as described.
Second. A show card, tablet or the like consisting of an imprinted sheet of
relatively thin påper, or equivalent material, constituting the face, united to a plate

page_text: of thin metal and embossed to correspond with, or as indicated by the printed
matter on said face, substantially as described.
Third. A show card or tablet or the like consisting of an imprinted sheet of
relatively thin paper, or equivalent material, constituting the face, united to a
plate of thin metal, and having the imprinted margin or border embossed in the
form of a frame, the whole constituting a combined show card, mount and frame,
substantially as described.
Fourth. A show card, tablet or the like consisting of an imprinted sheet of
relatively thin paper or equivalent material, constituting the face, united to a plate
of thin metal, the imprinted margin or border being embossed in the form of a
frame, and the design within the frame being embossed on lines indicated by the
same, the whole constituting a combined show card, mount and frame, substantially
as described.
Fifth. A show card, tablet or the like, consisting of a sheet of paper or equivalent
material carrying an embossed design or illustration united to a plate of thin metal
larger than the said paper, the metal margin of the said plate being struck up or
embossed; the whole constituting a combined show card, mount and frame sub-
stantially as described.
Sixth. A show card, tablet, or the like, consisting of a sheet of paper, or
equivalent material carrying a design or illustration, united to a plate of thin metal
larger than the said paper, the metal margin of the said plate being struck up or
embossed, the whole constituting a combined show card, mount and frame, sub-
stantially as described.
Seventh. A show card, tablet or the like, consisting of a sheet of paper, or
equivalent material carrying a design or illustration, united to a plate of thin
metal, the margin or broder of the said plate being embossed in the form of a frame
and the hollow parts of the back filled with wood pulp or equivalent material,
substantially as described.
0
Eighth. A show, card, tablet or the like consisting of a sheet of paper or
equivalent material, carrying a design or illustration united to a plate of thin
metal covered by a suitable backing and embossed, substantially as described.
Ninth. A show card, tablet or the like, consisting of a metal sheet, united to a
central sheet of paper carrying a design or illustration and to a border or margin
of textile fabric or leather the margin or border of the whole being embossed in
the form of a frame, substantially as described.
Tenth. A show card, tablet or the like, consisting of a sheet of relatively thin
paper, or equivalent material, constituting the face, united to a plate of thin metal,
said paper and metal being embossed, substantially as described.
Dated this 2nd do of Santamba 1002
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.