IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES PRODUCED BY THE A com- ELECTRO-DEPOSITION OF METAL, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR."
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES PRODUCED BY THE
A com-
ELECTRO-DEPOSITION OF METAL, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR."
munication from abroad by James Walker Tufts, of Medford, Massachusetts,
Tinited States of America.
Sealed the 2nd August 1878, and dated the 17th June 1878.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th June 1878.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent
Agents, Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF ARTICLES PRODUCED BY THE ELECTRO-DEPOSITION OF METAL, AND IN APPARATUS
THEREFOR." A. communication from abroad by James Walker Tufts, of Medford,
Massachusetts, United States of America.
Articles produced by the electrotype process have always a rough or ragged edge,
caused by the unequal deposition or building up of the metal at the edge of the
mould, and considerable time is required to file off this ragged edge in order to
give the article the desired finish.
This Invention has for its object to economize or save the time heretofore required
to finish the edge of an electrotype, and thereby simplify and cheapen the manu-
facture of articles produced by the electrotype process, and the said Invention
comprises the employment of a mould provided with a projecting lip or ridge
extending around the edge or outline of the figure of the article to be produced, and
with a similar lip or lips extending around the edge of the figure of any openwork
design to be formed therein, in order that the electrotype made from such mould may
have a groove or grooves in its face corresponding with the lip or lips of the mould,
which will necessarily involve the formation of a corresponding ridge or ridges on
the back of the electrotype. The ridge or ridges thus formed, and also, if desired,

page_text: a portion of the remaining or plane surface of the back of the electrotype, are sub-
sequently removed by planing, grinding, or other mechanical means, to the bottom
of the groove or grooves froin the rear side. By these means the article contained
within the boundary line formned by the groove surrounding it is liberated from the
contiguous waste metal, and may be removed therefrom in a finished state, the
open work portion, if any, being simultaneously produced in the same manner.
The said Invention also comprises the filling of the whole or a portion of the
groove or grooves of the electrotype that are to be cut into from the back with soft
metal or other suitable substance, which serves to support the edges of the electro-
type article during the process of liberating it from the surrounding waste metal,
and thus prevent the production of a burr or rough edge by the action of the
cutting tool, the temporary filling being subsequently removed by melting or
otherwise.
In the accompanying Drawing,―
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a mould for making electrotypes in accordance
with this Invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of an electrotype produced
therefrom; Figure 3 is a section on the line x, x, Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the rear side of the electrotype shown in
Figure 2, illustrating the manner in which the article is liberated in a finished state
from the surrounding waste metal.
Figure 5 is a section drawn to an enlarged scale, illustrating the manner in which
the whole or a portion of the groove or grooves of the electrotype is temporarily
filled with soft metal or other suitable substance to prevent the formation of a burr
or rough edge in the operation of removing the article from the surrounding waste
metal.
Figure 6 is a view of a comb made by the electrotype process in accordance with
this Invention.
A, Figure 1, represents a mould for making a comb by the electrotype process.
This mould, which may be formed of wax or other suitable material in any well-
known manner, is provided on its face with a projecting lip or ridge b, which extends
entirely around, and forms the outline or boundary of the figure of-the article to bé
produced by the electrotype process. The mould A, which may or may not be
provided with an ornamental design c, is then suspended in the decomposing trough
containing the necessary solution, and connected with the battery in the usual
manner, and allowed to remain until a sufficient thickness of metal has been
deposited thereon. The clectrotype B, Figure 2, thus formed, when detached from
the mould A, will be provided with a groove & (the exact counterpart of the lip b)
extending entirely around the contour of the comb, a corresponding ridge e being
necessarily formed on the back of the electrotype, as seen in Figures 3 and 4. This
ridge e, and, if desired, a portion of more or less thickness of the remaining or plane
surface of the back of the electrotype, is then removed by planing, grinding, or
other mechanical means, by which the bottom of the groove d is cut into along its
entire length from the rear side of the electrotype, as seen in Figure 4, thus liberating
the comb from the surrounding waste metal C in a finished state.
The labor heretofore required to fill or finish up the edges of the electrotype is
thus entirely saved, and if a portion of the plane surface of the back of the electro-
type is acted upon by the cutting tool in the operation of cutting into the groove,
as above described, the surface will be left smooth and even, instead of in a rough
or granular state, as would otherwise be the case.
Where openwork is to be produced, the edges of the design in the mould are
provided with lips, similar to that shewn at b, so that the portions of the electrotype
to be removed are each surrounded by a groove, similar to that shewn at d, which
when cut into from the back, as above described, liberates the enclosed piece, and
thus produces the openwork design, at the same time that the electrotype articio
itself is liberated from the surrounding waste metal.
i
In practice I prefer to fill the groove d, or a portion thereof, with soft metal f, as
in Figures 4 and 5, or other suitable substance, such as resin or plaster, which serves

page_text: to support the contiguous edges of the article during the operation of removing it
from the surrounding waste metal C. By these means all liability to the production
of a burr or rough edge by the action of the cutting tool is entirely avoided. Any
portion of this filling which may adhere to the edges of the article is to be subse-
quently removed by melting or otherwise. This filling of the grooves may however
be dispensed with if desired.
After the comb D has been removed from the waste it is shaped by suitable dies,
which give it the form seen in Figure 6, and it may then, if desired, be electro-
plated with some other metal to render it more ornamental.
From the foregoing it will be seen that by the use of this Invention articles of
various forms may be economically produced in a finished state, and it is evident
that the moulds may be provided if desired with ornamental designs, either sunken
or in relief.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to mo by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,
First. In the manufacture of articles.by the electrotype process, the deposition of
metal upon a mould provided on its face with a projecting lip or ridge extending
around the edge or outline of the figure of the article to be produced, and with a
similar lip or lips around the edge of the figure of any openwork design to be
formed therein, as and for the purpose above set forth.
Second. The making of a finished article by the herein-described method, con-
sisting in the production of one or more grooves in its face and one or more corro-
sponding ridges on its back by means of a suitable mould, and liberating from the
surrounding waste metal the article in a finished state, and producing any open-
work design to be formed therein by removing the ridge or ridges from the back of
the electrotype and cutting into the bottom of the groove or grooves in its face, as
above set forth.
Third. The method of supporting the edge or edges of the article and preventing
the formation of a burr thereon while it is being liberated from the surrounding
waste metal by filling the whole or a portion of the groove or grooves of the electro-
type with soft metal or other suitable substance, as above described.
"
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
117M DAPT TATT