IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF POSTAGE STAMPS AND OTHER LABELS, AND POR REPRODUCING DESIGNS ON PAPER OR FABRICS, AND IN THE PREPARATION OF ENGRAVED SURFACES TO BE USED THEREFOR
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 58, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF POSTAGE STAMPS AND OTHER LABELS,
AND POR REPRODUCING DESIGNS ON PAPER OR FABRICS, AND IN THE PREPARATION
OF ENGRAVED SURFACES TO BE USED THEREFOR."- A communication from
abroad by Eugène Bordes, junior, Engraver, of 29, Boulevart St.
Martin. Paris.
Sealed the 21st April 1868, and dated the 25th October 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
25th October 1867.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 58, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM.
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF POSTAGE STAMPS AND OTHER
LABELS, AND FOR REPRODUCING DESIGNS ON PAPER OR FABRICS, AND IN THE
PREPARATION OF ENGRAVED SURFACES TO BE USED THEREFOR," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of postage and
other stamps, and generally for the multiplication of all kinds of designs on
tickets or labels applicable for trade marks or otherwise, as also for printing
any subjects or designs on paper or fabrics used for purposes of ornamentation

page_text: or decoration requiring to be reproduced in indefinite quantities in a short
space of time and at a low price.
The improvements consist, 1st, in an improved process of engraving by
means of which a design in relief is obtained on a cylindrical surface for
producing typographic impressions, the colors employed being indelible, which
result can only be obtained in copper plate engraving on plane surfaces and
with non-continuous impressions. For this purpose I obtain a relief surface
by first making a sunk engraving of a postage stamp, for example, on a steel
roller, the surface of which is then reduced all round the engraved part, so as
to cause the latter to project on the roller thus prepared; the roller is applied
on a large copper cylinder, when by pressure combined with a rotary motion
imparted the copper is caused to enter the sunk engraved portion of the steel
roller. This operation is repeated as often as necessary, so as to produce a
certain number of relief engraved surfaces on the copper cylinder. I term
the engraved part of the ste, roller a stamp or punch as by it. the relief
surfaces are reproduced. When the roller bears several engraved designs
the impressions on the copper cylinder are produced by the rotation of said
roller. In the above process the relief surface on the copper cylinder is more
or less unequal according as the graver has produced the corresponding sunk
part, but for obtaining delicate impressions I commence by making a positive
relief engraving on the roller, which is then applied by pressure on a second
roller for obtaining a negative engraving therefrom, the sunk parts being
formed by the reliefs of the first roller, which are thus all of the same depth.
I then by means of pressure and a rotating motion transfer this engraving
on to a copper cylinder, as before, for obtaining relief surfaces of equal depth
similar to those of the first roller. The surfaces of these rollers are roughened
in order to prevent their slipping when applying the pressure. In this
manner I multiply the proofs until the whole surface of the cylinder is
covered.
This improved process of engraving thus consists, 1st, in obtaining a relief
engraving baving all the artistic finish desired, from which a perfectly identical
sunk engraving is obtained; 2nd'y, in the application of this sunk engraving
which reproduces, with mathematical exactness the lines of the graver, and
forms a typographic relief surface on any suitable cylindrical surface of copper,
brass, steel, or other metal.
The second part of the Invention relates to apparatus for the manufacture
of postage stamps or labels. The chief feature in this apparatus is that the
impression instead of being produced by flat plates as usual is effected by the
aid of printing cylinders engraved in the manner before described. The same

page_text: machine may both at once perforate, print, and gum the continuous paper
surface.
In the Drawings annexed I have represented two distinct apparatus, one
for perforating and printing the continuous paper and the other for gumming
the reverse side, but it will be understood that the two apparatus. may be
combined in one. These operations may be effected in two ways, thus I
may either commence by gumming or by perforating or printing the paper.
Figure 1 shows a front view of the apparatus for perforating and printing
the paper; Figure 2, a plan of same; Figure 3 shows a front view of an
apparatus for gumming the reverse side of the paper'; and Figure 4 a plan
The same letters serve for all the Figures.
of same.
In the printing and perforating operations the continuous paper is wound
off the cylinder a and drawn through between the two cylinders b, c. The
cylinder 6 carries as many steel points as there are holes in the cylinder c
in which the said points are received, they being disposed all around the
stamp so as to perforate the paper, the small pieces of which fall into the
cylinder c¹, the latter being hollow, and are afterwards removed as required..
The paper after being perforated passes immediately between the cylinders
d, e; d being the pressing cylinder, and e the relief engraving or design
to be printed. The printing is thus effected typographically, the inking of
the cylinder being operated by a series of rollers f transferring the color from
cylinder g. On each side of the cylinder 9 are adjustable studs (acting as cams)
for raising the ink box h by increasing or diminishing the number of which
a more or less abundant supply of ink is obtained. Four small rollers i, i, i, i,
serve for distributing the ink on the cylinder g. The impression is produced
by the pressure of the cylinder d on the engraved roller e the presser being of
hard material. The pressure is produced either by the aid of screws with
india-rubber washers or with levers the same as the perforating cylinder. The
paper after being printed passes over the cylinder j, which is hollow and heated
by steam for drying the paper, it being afterwards wound on to a roller.
The principal features of this apparatus are, first, the simultaneous printing
and perforation of the continuous paper by means of a cylinder engraved in
relief, printing typographically with indelible ink; secondly, perforating the
paper by passing it between two cylinders acting as stampers, and then drying.
it by means of a steam drum or forced current of air. The apparatus shown.
paper is made like a
at Figures 3 and 4 for gumming the reverse side of the
copper-plate printing machine, with a cylinder provided with an endless cloth
and drying apparatus. The paper is taken from cylinder k between the two
cylinders l, m. On cylinder is engraved a very fine ground work, while

page_text: cylinder m turns over a trough a filled with a gummy liquid, the rollers o
serving to supply the gum to said cylinder; a scraper p afterwards removes all
the gum except that retained by the engraved surface. As the paper is already
perforated before entering this apparatus, in order to prevent the gum from
passing through the perforations and adhering to the endless cloth of the presser,
I adapt an endless band of cotton fabric between the paper and the endless
cloth, which band has a lengthened traverse sufficient to dry it with the aid
of a ventilating apparatus. This arrangement is shown in blue color in the
Drawing, it passing over rollers independent of the machine and fixed in a
wood framing. The paper after receiving the gum passes on to the hollow
cylinder heated by steam, where it is immediately dried and thence wound off
on to a roller.
The combination of these two apparatus working either together or separately
for printing by means of typographic rollers or cylinders, engraved in the
manner before described, as also for perforating and gumming the paper in
continuous lengths by a series of simultaneous operations, results in a greatly
accelerated production of stamps or labels or designs to be reproduced on
paper or fabrics in lengths by means of the improved process of relief engraving
of this Invention.
This Invention thus consists in- the improved manufacture of post and other
stamps or labels as before described, it being understood that I reserve the
right of applying this method of engraving for printing labels or tickets used
for the various purposes of commerce.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 24th April 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of October, 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 Alexander Melville Clark, Her special licence that I, the said Alexander
Melville Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said 'Alexander Melville Clark, my executors, administrators, and

page_text: 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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF POSTAGE STAMPS AND
OTHER LABELS, AND FOR REPRODUCING DESIGNS ON PAPER OR FABRICS, AND IN THE
PREPARATION OF ENGRAVED SURFACES TO BE USED THEREPOR,"
" a communication
to me from abroad by Eugène Bordes, junior, Engraver, of 29, Boulevart St.
Martin, Paris, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alexander
Melville Clark, 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 Alexander Melville Clark, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings here-
unto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to
say):
This Invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of postage and
other stamps, and generally for the multiplication of all kinds of designs on
tickets or labels applicable for trade marks or otherwise, as also for printing
any subjects or designs on paper or fabrics used for purposes of ornamentation
or decoration requiring to be reproduced in indefinite quantities in a short
space of time and at a low price.
The improvements consist, 1st, in an improved process of engraving by
means of which a design in relief is obtained on a cylindrical surface for
producing a typographic impression, the colors applied being indelible, which
result has only hitherto been obtained in copper-plate engraving on plane
surfaces and with non-continuous impressions. For this purpose I obtain a
relief surface by first making a sunk engraving of a postage stamp, for example,
on a steel roller, the surface of which is then reduced all round the engraved
part, so as to cause the latter to project on the roller. Thus prepared the
roller is applied on a large copper cylinder, when by pressure combined with a
rotary motion imparted the copper is caused to enter the sunk engraved portion.
of the steel roller. This operation is repeated as often as necessary so as to
produce a certain number of relief engraved surfaces on the copper cylinder.

page_text: I term the engraved part of the steel roller a stamp or punch as by it the
relief surfaces are reproduced. When the roller bears several engraved
designs the impressions on the copper cylinder are produced by the rotation of
said roller. In the above process the relief surface on the copper cylinder is
more or less unequal, according as the graver has produced the corresponding
sunk part, but for obtaining delicate impressions I commence by making a
positive relief engraving on the roller, which is then applied by pressure on a
second roller for obtaining a negative engraving therefrom, the sunk parts being
formed by the reliefs of the first roller and are thus all of the same depth. I
then by means of pressure and rotary motion transfer this engraving on to a
copper cylinder as before for obtaining relief surfaces of equal depth similar to
those of the first roller. The surfaces of these rollers are roughened in order
to prevent their slipping when applying the pressure. In this manner I
multiply the proofs until the whole surface of the cylinder is covered.
This improved process of engraving thus consists, 1st, in obtaining a relief
engraving having all the artistic finish desired, from which a perfectly identical
sunk engraving is obtained; 2ndly, in the application of this sunk engraving
which reproduces with mathematical exactness the lines of the graver, and
forms a typographic relief on any suitable cylindrical surface of copper, brass,
steel, or other metal.
The second part of the Invention relates to apparatus for the manufacture
of postage stamps or labels. The chief feature in this apparatus is that the
impressson instead of being produced by flat plates as usual is effected by the
aid of printing cylinders prepared or engraved in the manner before described.
The same machine may both at once perforate, print, and gum the continuous
paper surface.
In the Drawings annexed I have represented two distinct apparatus, one
for perforating and printing the continuous paper, and the other for gumming
its reverse side, but it will be understood that the two apparatus may be com-
bined in one. These operations may be effected in two ways, thus I may
either commence by gumming or by perforating and printing the paper.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows a front view of the apparatus for perforating and printing
the paper; Figure 2 a plan of same; Figure 3 shows a front view of an
apparatus for gumming the reverse side of the paper; and Figure 4 a plan of
same. The same letters serve for all the Figures.

page_text: 6 carries as many steel points as there are holes in the cylinder c in which the
said points are received, they being disposed all round the stamp or label so as
to perforate the paper, the small pieces of which fall into the cylinder c, the
latter being hollow and are afterwards removed as required. The paper after
being perforated passes immediately between the cylinders d, e; d being the
pressing cylinder, and the relief engraving or design to be printed from.
The printing is thus effected typographically, the inking of the cylinder being
operated by a series of rollers f transferring the color from cylinder g. On
each side of this cylinder g are adjustable studs acting as cams for raising the
inking box h by increasing or diminishing the number of which a more or
less abundant supply of ink is obtained. Four small rollers i, i, i, i, serve for
distributing the ink on the cylinder g, the impression: being produced by the
pressure of the cylinder d on the engraved roller e, which presser is made of
hard material. The pressure is produced either by the aid of screws with
india-rubber wasliers or with levers: the same as for the perforating cylinders.
The paper after being printed passes over the cylinder j which is hollow and
beated by steam for drying the paper, it being afterwards wound on to a
roller.
The principal features of this apparatus are, 1st, the simultaneous printing
and perforation of the continuous paper by means of a cylinder engraved in
relief, printing typographically with indelible ink; 2ndly, perforating the paper
by passing it between two cylinders acting as stampers, and then drying it by
means of a steam drum or forced current of hot air. The apparatus shown
at Figures 3 and 4 for gumming the reverse side of the paper is made like a
copper-plate printing machine with a cylinder provided with an endless cloth
and drying apparatus. The paper is taken from cylinder k between the two
cylinders l, m. On cylinder is engraved a very fine mottled or other ground
work while cylinder m turns over trough m filled with a gummy liquid, the
roller o serving to supply the gum to said cylinder; a scraper p afterwards
removes all the gum except that retained by the engraved surface.
paper is already perforated before entering this apparatus, in order to prevent
the gum from passing through the perforations and adhering to the endless
cloth of the presser I adapt an endless band of cotton between the paper and
the endless clotb, which band has a lengthened traverse sufficient to dry it
with the aid of a ventilating apparatus. This arrangement of endless apron is
shown in blue color in the Drawing, it passing over rollers independent of the
machine and fixed in a wood framing. The paper after receiving the gum
passes on to the hollow cylinder 9 heated by steam, where it is immediately
dried and thence wound off on a roller.
As the

page_text: The combination of these two apparatus working either together or
separately for printing by means of a typographic roller or cylinder engraved
in the manner before described, as also for perforating and gumming. the
paper in continuous lengths by a series of simultaneous operations results in a
greatly accelerated production of stamps, labels, or designs on paper or fabrics
in lengths by means of the improved process of relief engraving of this
Invention.
. "Having described the nature of this Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The improved process of relief engraving as herein-before described.
Secondly. I claim the apparatus for producing printing (by the aid of the
engraved surface of this Invention) and gumming postage stamps and other
labels, or for producing designs on continuous sheets of paper or other material,
all in the manner herein-before described and as represented in the Drawings
annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of April in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
A. M. CLARK. (L.S.)