New or Improved Apparatus to be Employed in the Production of Letters, Inscriptions, and Designs on Enamelled Surfaces.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 4th June, 1887
Complete Left, 16th Feb., 1888
Complete Accepted, 23rd Mar., 1888
New or Improved Apparatus to be Employed in the Production of
Letters, Inscriptions, and Designs on Enamelled Surfaces.
1 BENJAMIN BAUGH of No. 288 Bradford Street Birmingham in the County of
Warwick Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as
follows:-
My invention has reference to the production of letters inscriptions and designs on
enamelled surfaces by the stencilling process and consists of the improvements
hereinafter described in stencil plates and apparatus whereby the stencilling process
is expedited and letters inscriptions and designs produced with an accuracy unattain-
able by the ordinary process of stencilling.
2
In order that my invention may be the better understood I remark that in ordinary
stencil plates certain parts called " centres ог centre bits" such for example as the
interior of the letter O the interior of the loop of the letters P and R and the like
are supported in their places by slender strips or "ties" of the card or sheet metal
of which the stencil plate is made the letters made by the use of such stencil plates
being defective in consequence of the interruptions of the continuity of the O or other
letter by the said "ties."
In the metallic stencil plates used for the production of letters inscriptions and
designs on enamelled surfaces the centres or centre bits are usually not connected
with the other parts of the letter by ties the stencil plate not being provided with
centres or. centre bits. After the stencil plate without centre bits has been laid
horizontally on the enamelled surface on which say the letter O is to be produced the
centre bit of the O is placed in position by the workman and the stencilling is effected
through the stencil plate with the loose centre bit. As the exact position of the
loose centre bit depends on the accuracy of the workman's eye and as in removing
the loose centre bit there is risk of disturbing the enamel powder which has been
dredged on the enamelled plate as well as danger of some of the powder on the
centre bit falling from it during its removal this the ordinary process necessitates
for the production of satisfactory results great skill and care on the part of the
workman.

page_text: To facilitate the stencilling process and to secure uniform and accurate results I
employ centres or centre bits and appliances the parts of which are constructed and
arranged in the following manner.
I connect the centre bit to the stencil plate by means of a light vertical frame of
thin sheet metal. This frame may either be of an arched form or consist of two
uprights and a cross piece. This frame is fixed by soldering or otherwise to the
stencil plate over the letter requiring a centre bit. The centre bit is fixed to the
bottom of a vertical stem which takes into a vertical tube depending from the middle
of the frame. The stem of the centre bit is capable o fa limited sliding motion in the
depending tube which motion is limited by a pin on the. stem working in a slot in
the tube. A coiled spring presses the stoni of the centre bit downwards and
the centre bit is in its normal position at a slightly lower level than the stencil plate.
When the stencil plate is in position on the enamelled plate the centre bit takes
the same level as the other part of the stencil plate but is pressed upon the enamelled
plate by the spring described.
In using a stencil plate having centro bits supported in the way described the
dredging of the powdered enamel on to the stencil plate is not sensibly interferred
with by the frames supporting the centre bits the height of the frames permitting
the powder to fall practically with as great uniformity on the stencil plate as
when loose or detached centre bits are employed.
By the use of centre bits supported according to my invention uniformity of
result is obtained together with great rapidity in manipulation.
My invention is applicable to stencil plates built up of separate letters or parts as
well as to stencil plates made of one sheet of metal.
The application of my invention to inscriptions and designs differs in no essential
respect from its application to a letter as herein before described.
Dated this Fourth day of June 1887.
W. T. WHITEMAN,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: New or Improved Apparatus to be Employed in the Production o1
Letters, Inscriptions, and Designs on Enamelled Surfaces.
I BENJAMIN BAUGH of No. 288 Bradford Street, Birmingham in the County of
Warwick, Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of my Invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
My invention has reference to the production of letters, inscriptions and designs on
enamelled surfaces by the stencilling process and consists of the improvements
hereinafter described in stencil plates and apparatus whereby the stencilling process
is expedited and letters inscriptions and designs produced with an accuracy unattain-
able by the ordinary processes of stencilling.
In order that my invention may be the better understood I remark that in ordinary
stencil plates certain parts called "centres" or "centre bits" such for example as the
interior of the letter O, the interior of the loop of the letters P and R and the like,
are supported in their places by slender strips or "ties" of the card or sheet metal of
which the stencil plate is made, the letters made by the use of such stencil plates
being defective in consequence of the interruptions of the continuity of the O or other
letter by the said "ties."
In the metallic stencil plates used for the production of letters inscriptions and
designs on enamelled surfaces the centres or centre bits are usually not connected
with the other parts of the letter by ties the stencil plate not being provided with
centres or centre bits. After the stencil plate without centre bits has been laid
horizontally on the enamelled surface on which say the letter O is to be produced the
centre bit of the O is placed in position hy the workman and the stencilling is effected
through the stencil plate with the loose centre bit. As the exact position of the loose
centre bit depends on the accuracy of the workman's eye and as in removing the
loose centre bit there is risk of disturbing the enamel powder which has been
dredged on the enamelled plate as well as danger of some of the powder on the .
centre bit falling from it during its removal this the ordinary process necessitates
for the production of satisfactory results great skill and care on the part of the
workman.
To facilitate the stencilling process and to secure uniform and accurate results I
employ centres or centre bits and appliances the parts of which are constructed and
arranged in the following manner.
I connect the centre bit to the stencil plate by means of a light vertical frame of
thin sheet metal. This frame may either be of an arched form or consist of two
uprights and a cross piece. This frame is fixed by soldering or otherwise to the
stencil plate over the letter requiring a centre bit. The centre bit is fixed to the
bottom of a vertical stem which takes into a vertical tube depending from the middle
of the frame. The stem of the centre hit is capable of a limited sliding motion in

page_text: the depending tube which motion is limited by a pin on the stem working in a
slot in the tube. A. coiled spring presses the stem of the centre bit downwards
and the centre bit is in its normal position at a slightly lower level than the stencil
plate.
When the stencil plate is in position on the enamelled plate the centre bit takes the
same level as the other part of the stencil plate but is pressed upon the enamelled
plate by the spring described.
The supporting frame itself may be made elastic in place of using separate elastic
stems for carrying the centre bits.
For the purpose of illustrating the application of my invention to a stencil plate
for the production of letters on an enamelled surface I have represented in the
accompanying drawing a portion of a stencil plate having the letters B, O and e cut
in it, the letter B having two centre bits, the letter O one long centre bit and the
letter e a short centre bit, the said centre bits being carried by and connected to the
stencil plate according to my invention.
Figure 1 represents in plan and Figure 2 in side elevation a stencil plate of the
kind described to which apparatus constructed according to my invention is applied.
Figure 3 represents an end elevation partly in cross section of the stencil plate,
centre bits and the centre bit supporting apparatus applied to the letter B.
Figure 4 represents an end elevation partly in cross section of the stencil plate,
centre bit and centre bit supporting apparatus applied to the letter O and Figure 5
represents an end elevation partly in cross section of the stencil plate, the centre bit
and the centre bit supporting apparatus applied to the letter e.
u is the stencil plate and e is the light vertical rectangular (or arch shaped) frame
of thin sheet metal crossing the stencil plate at the part where the centre bits of the
letter B are to be supported. The bottoms of the uprights of the frame care
soldered to the stencil plate a at b, b; fare the two centre bits of the letter B fixed
to the bottoms of the vertical stems h, h the said stems h, h sliding in the depending
tubes i, i fixed to the cross bar of the frame c. By means of a coiled spring k in each
of the tubes bearing upon the stems the said stems are pressed downwards into
the positions represented so that the centre bits f, carried by them are at a slightly
lower level than the stencil plate a. The motion of the sliding stems carrying the
centre bits is limited by the cross pins or pieces on the said stems working in slots
at m in opposite sides of the depending tubes i, collars or enlargements n at the
bottoms of the said depending tubes preventing the stems being pressed downwards
beyond the positions represented.
l
The supporting frame for the centre bit 2 of the letter O is marked c² and is
constructed as described with respect to the supporting frame c of the centre bits
of the letter B excepting that only one depending tube i and sliding stem h are used.
The supporting frame of the small centre bit of the letter e may be of the kind
described with respect to the centre bit of the letter O but for this centre bit and
other small centre bits I prefer to use a spring frame of the kind represented in
connection with the said centre bit f³. The construction of this frame is best seen
in Figure 5. It consists of two rectangular pieces p, p. the outer vertical limbs of
which are soldered to the stencil plate a and the inner limbs are soldered to the centre
bit. The drawing represents the centre bit in its normal position, that is, supported
at slightly lower level than the stencil plate but when pressure is put upon the
centre bit it is brought to the same level as the stencil plate the rising of the centre
bit causing the separation of the upper parts of the inner limbs of the elastic frame.
I support the centres or centre bits of the letters P and R and other letters of the
stencil plate requiring single centre bits in the manner hereinbefore described with
respect to the letters O and e.
a
In using the stencil plate provided with the centre bit supporting apparatus
according to my invention the stencil plate is placed or laid on and pressed down
upon the enamelled plate, the centre bits
taking the same level as the other
part of the stencil plate, the coiled springs in the tubes, being compressed and
the elastic limbs of the frame p, p being raised and brought into a state of tension so

page_text: that the centre bits are pressed firmly upon the enamelled plate with a gențle pressure..
Should the enamelled plate be slightly concave the elasticity of the support of the
centro bit causes the said centre bit to be pressed closely into the concavity of the
said plate and the sharpness of the outline of the stencilling is thus preserved. The
dredging of the powdered enamel on to the stencil plate having centre bits supported
in the ways described and represented is not sensibly interfered with by the frames
supporting the centre bits, the height of the frames permitting the powder to fall
practically with as great uniformity on the stencil plate as when loose or detached
centre bits are employed.
By the use of centre bits supported according to my invention uniformity of result
is obtained together with great rapidity in manipulation.
My invention is applicable to stencil plates built up of separate letters or parts as
well as to stencil plates made of one sheet of metal.
The application of my invention to inscriptions and designs differs in no essential
respect from its application to letters as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the
accompanying Drawing.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention
and the manner in which the same is to be performed I declare that I claim as my
invention.
Supporting the centres or centre bits of stencil plates employed in the production
of letters inscriptions and designs on enamelled surfaces by means of apparatus
constructed substantially as herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawing the said apparatus consisting essentially of light vertical frames fixed to
and crossing the stencil plate over the letters or parts of the inscription or design
requiring the centres or centre bits or their equivalents, the said centres or centre
bits being connected directly to clastic supporting frames or to yielding appliances
carried by the supporting frames for the purposes and substantially as described and
illustrated.
Dated this Fifteenth day of February 1888.