Improvements in the Manufacture of Printing Surfaces and in · Patterns for Casts in Molten Metal and Plastic Material.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Nov., 1886.
Complete Left, 5th Aug., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 6th Sept., 1887.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Printing Surfaces and in
· Patterns for Casts in Molten Metal and Plastic Material.
We BENJAMIN OLDFIELD, Mechanic, and WILLIAM OLDFIELD, Decorator, both of
Cross Cheaping, Coventry, in the County of Warwick, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
:-
The chief object of the present invention is to supersede, or render unnecessary, the
preparation of the costly wood blocks generally used in printing, and from which it
is now customary to produce stereotype plates.
To provide printing surfaces according to our invention, we sketch or mark out
upon a sheet of paper or other suitable material, the pattern or design which it is
desired to reproduce. The paper thus marked is cut through on the lines of the
pattern; it is then fixed on a suitable backing, and after being well dried, is placed in
the iron frame generally used for moulding stereotype plates.
The mould is then filled with molten metal, preferably type metal, which quickly
cools without damaging the paper pattern surface, and a permanent printing plate is
produced, from which any number of impressions may be taken.
If desired, plaster of Paris or other plastic material can be run into the paper
pattern, or the usual paper used in stereotyping can be beaten into the pattern in the
ordinary way.
In this case the plaster of Paris mould, or the beaten paper pattern mould, would be
placed in the iron frame, and casts obtained in the usual way.
In lieu of casting the printing plate from the paper pattern prepared as above
described, we may produce the printing surface in paper or other suitable material by
drawing the design upon the same, and then cutting it out and mounting it upon a
Price 1

page_text: suitable backing. We thus obtain the pattern in relief at one operation. This plan
of preparing printing surfaces we employ when a limited number of impressions is
required.
Besides using our invention for the preparation of printing surfaces, we may also
make use of it for the preparation of patterns from which castings may be made in
iron, brass, or other metals. Thus, for example, if it is desired to cast a name plate in
brass, it will only be necessary to cut the letters of the name in paper, and, having
mounted them upon a suitable backing, to take from the paper a cast in plaster or
other plastic material in the manner already described. The plaster cast thus formed
can be used as a pattern for the sand mould in which the brass name plate is cast in
the ordinary way.
Dated this 5th day of November 1886

page_text: Improvements in the Manufacture of Printing Surfaces and in
Patterns for Casts in Molten Metal and Plastic Material.
We BENJAMIN OLDFIELD, Mechanic and WILLIAM OLDFIELD, Decorator, both of
Cross Cheaping, Coventry in the County of Warwick 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 chief object of the present invention is to supersede or render unnecessary the
costly wood blocks from which it is customary to produce stereotype plates for the
printing of posting bills, paper hangings, and floor cloths.
In order to provide printing surfaces according to our invention, we sketch or mark
out upon a sheet of paper, pasteboard, or equivalent material, the letters, pattern, or
device it is desired to reproduce as a printing surface.
The paper thus marked we cut through on the lines of the letters, pattern, or device,
after the manner of a stencil plate, and this pattern we mount on a backing of paper
or equivalent material.-When the pattern thus prepared is well dried, we place it in
an iron frame, such as that commonly used for casting stereotype plates.
We then fill the mould with molten metal, preferably type-metal, which, without
damaging the paper pattern surface, produces a permanent printing plate, from which
any number of impressions may be taken.
When it is desired to reproduce the pattern in relief in the stereotype plate, we run
Plaster of Paris or equivalent plastic material into the paper pattern, or the usual
paper used in stereotyping may be beaten into the pattern in the ordinary way, and
from the mould thus obtained, casts in metal may be produced in the usual manner.
In lieu of obtaining the printing plate from the mould prepared as last described,
we may use the paper or cardboard pattern as the printing surface, and we thus
obtain the pattern in relief at one operation. This plan of working will serve when a
small number only of impressions is required to be taken.
Besides using our invention for the preparation of printing surfaces, we also use it
for the production of patterns from which castings may be made in iron, brass, or
other metals. Thus, for example, if it is desired to cast a name plate in intaglio in
brass, we cut out the letters of the name in paper, and mount them on a suitable
backing, as already explained. From this pattern we take a cast in plaster, and from
the plaster cast, we obtain a sand mould, in which the brass name plate may be cast.
The intaglio plate thus obtained we first face up, then fill up with wax, and polish
in the usual manner. This mode of producing name plates admits of the letters being
ornamented on their face in an economical manner. Thus, supposing it is desired to
ornament the face of the letters with a scroll device, we cut out this device in paper,
and place it upon the paper pattern, so that when the metal casting is produced, the
face of the letters present to view the applied ornament in relief.--On the application,
therefore, of the wax filling to the plate, a rich ornamentation of the letters will be
produced, and that at a comparatively small outlay of skilled labour.

page_text: By forming the pattern with two or more thicknesses of cardboard after the manner
last described, it will be understood that variations in the character of the
ornamentation of the cast plates may be introduced. Moreover, by cutting out a
portion of the pattern in one thickness of cardboard, mounting it on another, and then
completing the cutting out the remainder of the pattern through the two thicknesses,
the liability of any of the delicate portions becoming displaced will be avoided.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim is :-
1. The manufacture of printing surfaces from, or by, types cut out from sheets of
paper, pasteboard, or equivalent material, and backed as above set forth.
2. Producing patterns for castings in the manner and for the purpose above set
forth.