Improvements in the Method and Apparatus for Producing Copies of Designs, Drawings, Music, Printing, and such like.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Feb., 1892
f
1. Complete Specification Left, 11th Nov., 1892-Accepted, 17th Dec., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method and Apparatus for Producing Copies
of Designs, Drawings, Music, Printing, and such like.
I, WILLIAM ALISON KER, of 6 Miller Terrace, Rutherglen, Glasgow,
Designer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the method and apparatus for producing
copies of designs, drawings, music, printing and such like.
In carrying out the invention, I use a glass, porcelain cardboard or like suitable
plate, upon which wax, mixed or not with black-lead, is run or placed. The design,
drawing lettering, musical composition, printing, or the like, is drawn, cut or stamped
on the plate. The plate with the drawing or the like on it, is or may be dusted or
coated with black-lead, or its equivalent, and is then put or inserted into an electro-
lysing bath and a thin film of copper or other suitable metal is deposited on the
plate. The plate is then removed from the bath, the wax melted off, and the thin
skin of copper or other metal, with the drawing or design on it, is backed with lead,
cement, or other suitable backing, in the same manner as an electrotype.
The plate can now be used for printing or multiplying copies of the design,
drawing, etc.
In the case of music printing, instead of drawing the music by hand on the wax
plate, a machine is used for stamping the notes, signs etc., on to the wax. The
machine consists of an arrangement of travelling bars, similar to that of a panto-
graph engraving machine, which is fitted on a table. Instead of having a stylus
or tracing point as in the engraving machine, I fit on the travelling bar a small
lever, which can be lifted up and down. This lever carries at its end a stamp or
punch or a cutter for making the notes and lines in the wax.. The stamps or
cutters are interchangable. The lever is normally pressed upwards by a spring.
and the notes, lines etc. are made by pressing down the lever. In some cases, the
lever may be done away with and a carrier, having a spring to press it upwards, be:
used. The carrier can be so made, as to hold different stamps or punches.
For printing, the type can be set up and the waxed plate be pressed down on the
type so as to take an impression therefrom.
Dated this 10th day of February 1892.
:
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
Glasgow and London, Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method and Apparatus for Producing Copies
of Designs, Drawings, Music, Printing, and such like.
I, WILLIAM ALISON KER, of 6 Miller Terrace, Rutherglen, Glasgow,
Designer, 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in the method and apparatus for producing
copies of designs, drawings, music, printing and such like.
In carrying out the invention, I use a lead cardboard, or like suitable plate but
by preference a lead plate, upon which wax, mixed or not with black-lead is run or
placed. The design, drawing, lettering, musical composition, printing or the like,
is drawn, cut or stamped on the plate. The plate with the drawing or the like on
it, is or may be dusted or coated with black-lead, or its equivalent, and is then put
or inserted into an electrolysing bath and a thin film of copper or other suitable

page_text: metal is deposited on the plate. The plate is then removed from the bath, the wax
melted off, and the thin skin of copper or other metal, with the drawing or design
on it, is backed with lead, cement, or other suitable backing, in the same manner
as an electrotype.
The plate can now be used--for printing or multiplying copies of the design,
drawing etc.
In the case of music printing, instead of drawing the music by hand on the wax
plate, a machine is preferably used for stamping the notes, signs, etc., on to the
wax. The machine consists of an arrangement of travelling bars, similar to that
of a pantograpli engraving machine which is fitted on a table. Instead of having
a stylus or tracing point as in the engraving machine 1 fit on the travelling bar a
small lever, which can be lifted up and down. This lever carries at its end a stamp
or punch or a cutter for making the notes and lines in the wax.
The stamps or
cutters are interchangeable. The lever is normally pressed upwards by a spring,
and the notes, lines etc., are made by pressing down the lever. In some cases, the
lever may be done away with, and a carrier, having a spring to press it upwards,
be used. The carrier can be so made as to hold different stamps or punches.
For printing, the type can be set up and the waxed plate be pressed down on
the type, so as to take an impression therefrom.
And in order that my said invention may be properly understood, I have hereunto
appended an explanatory sheet of drawings, whereon:-
Fig. 1 shows in side view a pantograph machine and table on which the wax plate
is placed and music notes or signs stamped out.
Fig. 2 shows a device for adjusting the level of the lead plate before pouring
wax on it.
Fig. 3 is a view of a waxed plate, with musical notes or signs cut or stamped in
the wax.
Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the compound plate, Fig. 3.
Fig. 5 is a view of the spring carrier for holding different stamps or punches for
making the notes or lines in the wax.
Referring to the drawings,:-
a is the lead plate, which is of any suitable size. This plate is first placed on
the small adjustable pillars of the device c and is then adjusted perfectly level by
screwing the upper parts of said pillars up or down. A spirit level is placed on
the plate to aid in the perfect adjustment. When the plate a has been levelled,
melted wax is poured on to the centre of the plate and allowed to spread evenly.over
its surface. When the wax has properly cooled, the plate a is, if music is to be
done, placed upon the table d of the punching machine. This machine consists of
travelling bars e, f, g, which are carried on wheels running on rails. The
travelling bars e, f, g, are connected by a central travelling bar i. The arrange-
ment of travelling bars, wheels etc., is precisely similar to that of a "pantograph”
engraving machine. At the end of the central bar is hinged a small lever j,
which carries on it a spring carrier . The spring carrier which is split at its
lower end has a screw nuc on it. By screwing or unscrewing the nut 7 the slits
can be widened or narrowed so as to be made to grip and hold different punches or
cutters in a similar manner to a chuck. The notes or signs are stamped upon the
plate by pressing down the punch with the finger against the action of the spring m.
When the notes or signs have all been punched and the staves drawn, the wax n of
the plate appears as in Fige. 3 and 4.
The surface of the wax is now dusted over with black lead and the compound
plate is immersed in an electrolysing bath in which a thin film of copper or other
suitable metal is deposited on its surface. When a sufficient deposit has taken
place, the plate is removed from the bath, the wax melted off, and the thin skin of
copper or other metal with the drawing or design on it is then backed with lead or
other suitable backing in the same manner as an electrotype. The copper plate
can now be used for printing or multiplying copies of the music, design,
drawing etc.

page_text: In the case of drawings or writings, it is not necessary of course to place the
wax plate in the pantograph machine as the work is done by hand.
If desired, the music may also be punched or stamped on the waxed plate
by hand.
If a cardboard plate is used instead of a lead one it is, preferably, covered with
black lead.
When the notes or designs are being punched or cut in the wax the latter is
preferably subjected to a slight heat.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The method of producing copies of designs, drawings, music, printing and the
like consisting in first taking a plate and covering its surface with wax, then
drawing, punching, or cutting the designs or the like in the wax, and subsequently
taking an electrotype of the design or the like thus produced, substantially as
herein before set forth.
2. In producing copies of designs, music, drawings, etc., the application and use
of a plate covered with wax on which the design etc. is drawn, cut, or stamped,
substantially as hereinbefore set forth.
Dated this 10th day of November 1892
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
Glasgow and London, Agent.