Year: 1886

page_text: I ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication from
Robert Baumann of Cherbourg in the Republic of France) to be as follows:-
.
Hitherto most letters used for signs or signboards have been made of metal or
wood; and these letters are very expensive because of the hand labour and the
material employed. Besides they are subject to frequent repairs as heat will soon
deform the metal ones and crack or warp the wooden ones.
This invention has for its object the manufacture of a new kind of letter or
character of a very low price with none of the above mentioned defects.
These letters or characters are made of plaster of Paris mixed with tow. The
tow has for its object to give the whole a greater resistance and bind the material
better together once the plaster has set and is dry.
The operation of the manufacturing these letters or characters is the following:
The mould or form of the letter or character to be made is covered inside with a
thin layer of plaster of Paris and this is covered with a layer of flax, hemp, tow,
jute or the like before the plaster has set, this layer of fibre is then covered with
another of plaster and so on until the required thickness is attained. The first
layer of plaster of course forms the outer surface.
It is understood that alabaster mortar, cement &c. can be used instead of plaster
of Paris or that tissues or fabrics may be used instead of fibrous material without
deviating from the principle of this invention.
To fix these letters on walls or boards holes for screws can be made in the letter
or sockets can be fixed in the letter during the running in of the plaster.
When the letter is finished it is immersed in a bath of silicate of soda or
potassium and is then covered with a coat of any suitable paint such as white
lead or zino white or the like to distemper it. Afterwards according to the occasion
it may be painted, silvered, or gilt.
ດດ.
1000

page_text: signs or signboards..
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention (a communication from
Robert Baumann of Cherbourg, in the Republic of France), and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
Hitherto most letters used for signs or signboards have been made of metal or
wood; and these letters are very expensive because of the hand labour and the
material employed. Besides they are subject to frequent repairs as heat will soon
deform the metal ones and crack or warp the wooden ones.
This invention has for its object the manufacture of a new kind of letter or
character of a very low price and with none of the above mentioned defects.*
These letters or characters are made plaster of Paris mixed with tow. The
tow has for its object to give the whole a greater resistance and bind the material
better together, once the plaster is set and is dry.
The operation of the manufacturing these letters or characters is the following;
.The mould or form of the letter or character to be made is covered inside with a
thin layer of plaster of Paris and this is covered with a layer of flax, hemp, tow,
jute or the like before the plaster has set, this layer of fibre is then covered with
another of plaster and so on until the required thickness is attained. The first
layer of plaster of course forms the outer surface.
It is understood that alabaster, mortar, cement &c can be used instead of plaster
of Paris or that tissues or fabrics may be used instead of fibrous material without
deviating from the principle of this invention.
To fix these letters on walls or boards holes for screws can be made in the letter
.or sockets can be fixed in the letter during the running in of the plaster.
When the letter is finished it is immersed in a bath of silicate of soda or
potassium and is then covered with a coat of any suitable paint such as white
lead or zinc white or the like to distemper it. Afterwards according to the occasion
it may be painted, silvered or gilt.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent and in what manner the
same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
The manufacture of letters, characters or other signs consisting of layers of
plaster of Paris, alabaster, cement or equivalent between which are interposed
layers of tow, flax, hemp or other fibrous binding material substantially as and
for the purpose specified.
Dated this 20th dex of Ontober 1986