IMPROVE- MENTS IN PRESSES FOR PRINTING OR ENDORSING AND EMBOSSING
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John James Davis, of Percival Street, Clerkenwell,
in the County of Middlesex, Die Sinker, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PRESSES FOR PRINTING OR ENDORSING AND EMBOSSING."
Sealed the 4th May 1858; and dated the 17th December 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John James Davis at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
17th December 1857.
I, JOHN JAMES DAVIS, of Percival Street, Clerkenwell, in the County of
Middlesex, Die Sinker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRESSES FOR PRINTING OR ENDORSING AND EMBOSSING," to
be as follows:-
My improvements in presses for endorsing and embossing relate to those
presses used principally for embossing or printing addresses on letter paper,
envelopes, endorsing papers, &c., and consist in so arranging parts that one
movement of the lever, or other first mover, will cause the descent or motion
of the printing or impressing surface, by which that surface will be inked,
while another movement of the first mover also causes the descent or motion
of the printing or impressing surface, and the printing or embossing will be
effected.
For this purpose I mount the lever of the press on an arbor carrying a
double cam, so that when the hand lever is moved from its position of rest the
one cam acts on the slide carrying the die or printing surface, causing it to
descend for the purpose of embossing or printing; but when such lever is

page_text: moved in the opposite direction it also causes a like motion of the dio or
printing surface by the other cam. With this other motion, however, a change
takes place in the pad or surface receiving the pressure of the die or printing
surface. This recipient of the pressure is mounted on a shaft, which by the
latter motion is caused to make half a revolution, and so turns it upside down,
by which means an inking or colouring pad is presented to receive the pressure
of the die or printing surface when it descends, which thus becomes inked or
coloured. In order to cause the motion of the ink pad, another cam placed
on the lever shaft or arbor comes into action in this direction of its motion.
When the levor is released, the die or printing surface rises by the tension of
its springs in the ordinary manner. When the cam moving the pad retires, a
spring causes the return motion of the shaft carrying the pad, which is imme-
diately reinverted, so as to present a pad to receive the pressure of the printing
surface for the printing, or a counterpart of the die, if for embossing, which
printing or embossing is effected by the opposite motion of the hand lever, as
described. The cam moving the pad acts on the short end of a lever, the
opposite enl of which carries teeth gearing into a pinion on the pad shaft.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John James Davis in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
17th June 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
JAMES DAVIS, of Percival Street, Clerkenwell, in the County of Middlesex,
Die Sinker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John James Davis, Her special licence that I, the said John James
Davis, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
John James Davis, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PRESSES FOR PRINTING OR ENDORSING AND EMBOSSING," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said John James Davis, my executors or admi-

page_text: nistrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John James Davis, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
My improvements in presses for printing or endorsing and embossing relate
to those presses used principally for embossing or printing addresses on
letter paper, envelopes, endorsing papers, &c., and consist in so arranging parts
that one movement of the lever or other first mover will cause the descent or
motion of the printing or impressing surface, by which that surface will be
inked, also that another movement of the first mover causes the descent or
motion of the printing or impressing surface by which the printing or embossing
will be effected.
For this purpose I mount the lever of the press on an arbor or axis, carrying
a double cam, so that when the hand lever is moved from its position of rost
in the one direction, the one cam acts on the slide carrying the die or printing
surface, causing it to descend for the purpose of embossing or printing; also,
that when such lever is moved in the opposite direction it causes a like motion
of the die or printing surface by the other cam. With this other motion,
however, a change takes place in the pad or surface receiving the pressure of
the die or printing surface. This recipient of the pressure is mounted on a
shaft, which by the latter motion is caused to make half a revolution, and so
turns it upside down, by which means an inking or coloring pad is presented
to receive the pressure of the die or printing surface when it descends, which
thus becomes inked or colored. In order to cause the motion of the ink pad,.
another cam placed on the lever shaft or arbor comes into action in this direc-
tion of its motion. When the lever is released, the die or printing surface-
rises by the tension of its springs in the ordinary manner.
When the cani
moving the pad retires, a spring causes the return motion of the shaft carrying.
the pad, which is immediately reinverted, so as to present a pad to receive
the pressure of the printing surface, or a counterpart of the die if for emboss-
ing; the embossing or printing is then effected by the opposite motion of the
hand lever. The cam moving the pad acts on the short end of a lever, the
opposite end of which carries teeth gearing into a pinion on the pad shaft.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of a single-armed press, arranged and
constructed according to my Invention; Fig. 2, an end view of the same; and
Figure 3 a transverse vertical section, showing the action; Fig. 4 shows an
arrangement of a double-armed press. a is the base of the press of iron or
other suitable material; b, an arm, also of iron, bolted firmly or otherwise
secured on a; the upper part of 6 forms a guide for the cylinder g of the
press which carries the stamping die h; on the axis dis mounted a hand lever c
and double cam c and e'. This lever c when moved acts upon the cylinder or slide
9 of the press in either direction of its motion, causing the die h to receive the
ink by the one motion, and by the other to effect the printing or stamping. Tho
slide y consists of a cylinder which rises and falls in a vertical direction in the
り
guide of arm &, and is depressed by the pressure of either of the cams o and c':
The pad m consists of a block of wood or other material, fitted with an inking
surfacer and stamping surfaces on opposite sides; it is mounted on an axis
n, fitted in bearings q in the interior of the base a of the press, sufficient space
being left for it to revolve freely in its bearings g; an opening t also being
made on the upper surface of a to present the inking and stamping surfaces
7, 8, alternately to the action of the die h. In using the press the hand lever c
is first moved on its axis d to the left, as seen at Fig. 3, which motion causes
the part o of the double cam which is to effect the inking to como in contact
with and bear upon the slide g, which descends so that the die h fitted at the
bottom of slide 9 may receive ink from the pad m placed underneath. Fig. S
shows the pad m turned one quarter of a revolution in its bearings 9, and in the
course of its motion to present the inking surface r to the die h; this is effected
as follows: A cam & is mounted on shaft d, on the outside of arm b, which
acts upon the short end of a lever l, whose fulcrum l' is a stud fixed to the
arın 6 of the press; this lever l has at its lower extremity a segunent of teeth
P gearing with a pinion o mounted on the pad shaft n. The band. lever c
being moved in the proper direction causes the cam k to come in contact with,
the lever 1, which is thereby moved on its fulcrum at 1', and imparts motion to
the toothed segment p at its lower extremity; this motion is communicated.to
the pinion o and pad shaft n, thereby turning it half a revolution, so as to
present the inking surface r of pad m to the dich for effecting the inking.
When the hand lever c is released the arm / returns to its original position by
means of a spring i attached to one end of the toothed segment p,
which bas
a constant tendency to move the segment in a backward direction, and con-
sequently to return, the pad m to its original position. The lever c is now

page_text: moved in the contrary direction, or to the right-hand, as seen in red, Fig. 2,
the cam acting on the slide or cylinder 9 causes it to descend and exert
pressure of contact on the stamping or printing surfaces of pad m. This
movement of the lever c is effected without the cam k acting in any way upon
the short end of lever l, one part of the cam surface k being so formed as to
permit of the motion of the lever c & arbor d without its coming in contact
with or actuating in any way the lever l, pinion o, or pad shaft n, the pad m
alone being turned when the lever c is moved to the left-hand for effecting the
inking action, as before described. When the lever c is released, the die h
is again forced back by the action of spring ; which has a constant ten-
dency to force the slide g to its highest position. The ink, which is fluid, is
contained in a reservoir or metal box r·let into the body of the pad m; the
top or cover of this reservoir is perforated thickly with small holes for the ink
to pass through into several thicknesses of cloth or other material secured
immediately over the reservoir r, which soak up and distribute the ink when
pressure is applied thereto by the die h. For this purpose I find that a thick-
ness of sponge introduced between perforated plates, with a slight spring
having a tendency to separate them, is of advantage, the outer perforated plate
being covered with cloth to distribute the ink on the die or other instrument.
The ink is introduced at a suitable orifice furnished with a suitable screw cap.*
The impressing surfaces of the pad m is likewise formed of thicknesses of
cloth or leather, suitably fitted to the pad m to afford sufficient resistance to
the pressure of the die h, the paper or other substance to be impressed or
stamped being introduced by hand between the die h and the surfaces of the
pad m; during the latter descent of the die the printing, or impressing,
or embossing will be effected. Instead of the cloth or leather surface sa
counterpart of the die h may be fitted to pad m, if the press is to be used for
embossing, &c., as well understood. The die h is fitted to slide to a limited
extent in cylinder g, being constantly projected by a spring, which, as well
understood, improves the stamping action. Instead of an engraved die, type
may be set up and applied for the purpose of printing.
Fig. 4 represents a double-armed press arranged according to my Inven-
tion, shewing the press with a slide 9 rising and falling in grooves u and u',
but having all the parts actuated and regulated as described, with reference to
Figs. 1, 2, and 3, but with two double cams, mounted separately on the shaft
d of lever c, for producing the inking and stamping action; the lever in this
case returns to its position by means of the force of the spiral springs vand v'
affixed to the shaft d and slide 9; the other parts are identical in action and

page_text: principle with those described, with reference to Figs. 1, 2, and 3; I will not
therefore repeat the description of its action.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I wish it to bo understood that what I claim as my
Invention, to be protected under the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent, is, the arrangement and construction of printing or endorsing and
embossing presses, in which the pad or part that receives the pressure of the
dio or stamping instrument is caused to present alternately or otherwise, at each
descent of such die or impressing instrument, one surface whereby the ink or
color is applied, and another by which the impression required is imparted, as
herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John James Davis, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
Witness,
JOHN JAMES DAVIS. (L.S.)
WILLIAM CLARK, Patent Agent,
53, Chancery Lane, London.