AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR BORDERING ENVELOPES, PAPER, AND CARDS
Year: 1862

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Henry Richard Summons at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 22nd
July 1862.
I, HENRY RICHARD SUMMONS, of Navarino Terrace, Dalston Road, in tho
County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR BORDERING ENVELOPES, PAPER, AND CARDS," to
be as follows:-
This Invention consists of an improved apparatus, by aid of which
envelopes,. paper, and. cards may be furnished, with a bordered black or orna-
mental edge with greater rapidity and regularity than by the means at present
adopted for such purposes.
I propose to fix on the surface of a bar of wood a metallic plate, the surface
of which is provided with a series of indentations or serrated edges equidistant
to each other. These serrated grooves are to be cut in an angular form, that
is to say, they should form a right angle at or near the centre of the metallic
plate, and the envelopes, paper, or cards are to be placed or laid down on the
metallic plate, with their edges abutting against the edges of the stops which
the vertical faces of the indentations afford, and by means of which a numerous
series of envelopes, cards, or paper may be placed in such a position that their
edges shall be respectively and equably parallel to each other; or in lieu of a
plate, I propose to lay and fix on the board a series of angular-shaped slips
or pieces, the edge of one overlapping the edge of the next, so as to form a
series of serrated surfaces similar to those presented by the serrated plate.

page_text: In addition to the serrated edges I propose as an auxiliary to the aforesaid
means of keeping the articles in position, to employ a series of narrow slips of
card, metal, or other material fixed and inserted on the surface of each sloping
groove, and underneath the next or higher edge of the serrated groove, in such
manner that the edges of these slips shall just overlap the edges of the
articles to be bordered as they are placed in the grooves, so as to hold them
down more securely during the process of arranging the series. Each side of the
bar or board is furnished with a narrow hinged flap, which is opened during
the foregoing process, but which is closed over the edges of the board on
which the articles have been placed, so as to press upon their corners and
(aided by thumbscrews or other pressure) to hold them down while the process
of bordering takes place by means of brushes, as is ordinarily done. It will
then be necessary to change the position of the envelopes or other articles in
order to expose their opposite edges or borders to the action of the brush. I
propose to place under the edges of the articles, and on each side of the
serrated plate previously to shutting over the flaps a slip of metal, in order to
form a bearing surface for the flaps, and prevent the articles being pressed
down on to the board itself, which would crease or damage the envelopes,
cards, or paper.
The serrated edges may be cut in any desired form according to the shape
of the article to be bordered. They may be set at any required angle, or on
the square, that is to say, the grooves may be cut perpendicularly across the
plate, or they may be cut in curvilinear grooves, and at any required distance
apart in order to suit any outline and width which it is desired to give to
the margin of the envelope, paper, or card to be bordered.