Improvements in Apparatus for Moistening Paper and Absorbent Compositions therefor.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 10th May, 1898-Accepted, 13th Aug., 1898
Improvements in Apparatus for Moistening Paper and Absorbent
Compositions therefor.
A communication by FRED LYNN FAIRBANK and THEODRIC NEWTON CANTRIL,
both of 1104, Owings Buildings, Chicago, in the County of Cook and State of
Illinois, United States of America, Merchants.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both
in the County of Lancaster, 118, New Street, Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, & 322, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil 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:-
The object of this invention is to provide a device of simple, strong and durable
construction for moistening and pressing paper preparatory to its use in a copying
press and is designed to receive one or more blotter pads or cloths and to hold the
same in a smoothly pressed condition and retain sufficient moisture to dampen any
number of blotters or cloths placed therein and retain the blotters or cloths in
proper condition for use for a comparatively great length of time.
Heretofore a tray adapted to retain a block of wood, or other porous material,
and a cover or plate adapted to lay flat on the top surface of the block in the tray
have been used in combination with a copying press in such a manner that the cover
or plate could be supported in a vertical position by means of a transverse strip.
fixed to the bottom of the tray near its end and therefore the further object is to
provide a cover that is weighted with a porous material to serve as a press so that
no extraneous weight or press need be used.
The object is further to provide a cheap and durable composition that will
absorb a large quantity of moisture and vet retain its shape and not soften.
The invention consists in certain details in the construction of the blotter bath
and in the composition for lining the same, as hereinafter set forth. pointed out
in the claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the complete device and in open position.
Figure 2 shows a longitudinal section of the same.
Referring to the accompanying drawings, the body of the bath is seen to be
composed of a sheet metal pan A. preferably reenforced by a wire A2 around its top
and having a transverse partition B near its one end about half as high as the
sides of the pan to produce a compartment from which water placed in the bottom
of the pan will be excluded so that when the end of the cover and weighty porous
material is upended to be supported by the end of the pan and the partition, as
shown in Figure 1. the porous matter combined with the metal cover will not
absorb water. The bottom of the nan from the said partition to the opposite end
is filled with the absorbent material hereinafter described. on a level with soid
portition.
The top is composed of a flat metal part C, having its edges bent downwardly

page_text: and a layer of the absorbent material under it level with the down-turned edges.
A knob or handle D is attached to its top near one end and its other overlaps the
partition B. When it is desired to raise the cover the said- knob or handle is
grasped and the one end elevated. The remaining end will rest against the
partition B and the end of the pan and thus be held in an upright position.
The absorbent composition is composed of the following ingredients in about
the following proportions:-
Plaster of Paris
Charcoal pulverised
Sulphur
Salt
Water
Cement
.
60 parts
5
2
40
"
"
"
"
5 53
All the ingredients excepting the salt are placed in a suitable vessel or machine
and well mixed into a plastic state by stirring and the salt in a granular state
then added and distributed through the mass by stirring or kneading. The com-
position is then placed in the pan and cover and the surfaces made smooth so that
they will overlay each other as required to moisten paper between them when dried
and hard. The particles of salt dissolve and the substance thereof is absorbed by the
remaining solids to aid in hardening the composition and to produce minute cells
and increased porosity to adapt the composition for absorbing and distributing water
evenly to paper placed between the two parts. The particles of charcoal and
sulphur also aid in producing porosity and adapting the composition for the pur-
poses contemplated."
In practical use the absorbent composition is moistened and then the blotters
or cloths are placed in the pan on top of the porous and moist filling therein and
the metal cover and weighty porous matter carried thereby over the matter that is
to be moistened and pressed over them. It is obvious that by capillary attraction
from the composition the same will be moistened and that the weight of the cover
will press the blotters or cloths out smooth and exclude air so that the moisture
will not be quickly carried off.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is:-
:-
1. The herein described composition of matter, comprising plaster of Paris,
charcoal, sulphur, salt, cement and water in about the proportions stated, sub-
stantially as and for the purposes set forth.
2. A blotter bath comprising a pan having a transverse partition near one end,
⚫an absorbent composition having a flat top surface placed in the pan, a metal
cover for the pan having a heavy absorbent filling that has a smooth surface and is
adapted to overlay the absorbent in the pan and the cover and absorbent therein
adapted to stand on end in the vacant end of the pan, as and for the purposes stated.
3. An absorbent composition for blotters bath consisting of plaster of Paris,
charcoal and water in about the proportions stated.
4. A blotter bath, comprising a pan, an absorbent composition having a flat top
surface placed in the pan and a cover fitted to the pan and an absorbent composition
having a flat surface combined with the cover, for the purposes stated.
T
ת
1000
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.