US20081A - Method of preparing stereotype-plates - Google Patents

Description

J. MAOBLHBRAN. METHOD or PREPARING STEREOTYPB PLATES.

Patented Apr. 27, 1858.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JNO. MCELHERAN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 20,081, dated April 27, 1858.

invention, and Fig. 2 a detail view.

This invention relates to a new process of preparingtypographicprinting-surfaces, whereby the setting and distributing types, as heretofore in use in printing, is eflectually superseded.

The natureof this inven tion consists in using letter-dies for the purpose of impressing them into the surface of a plate, the plate, or the material with which the plate is covered, being softer than the material of which the dies are made, and thearrangement heingsuch thattbe letters will all be sunk to a uniform depth in order that a cast or electrotype may be taken of said plate, forthe purpose of printingtherefrom on a letter-press: Theplate, as already stated, may either be of a material as hard or harder than the dies, and covered with a softer rnaterial--as, for instance, beeswaxand the dies be sunk into and through the wax to the surface of the plate, or the plate may be of a softer material than the dies-the former of zinc, for instance, while the latter may be made of steel-and the device for pressing down the dies be such that each die will penetrate anniform distance into the plate. "For certain species of work the letters may be engraved in also, or sunk in the dies, so that the impression in the soft material with which the plate is covered will produce a counterpart of each letter, which is raised or in relieve with regard to the plate. In this case a plaster cast is to be taken previous to the'stereotyping or electrotyping. The accompanying drawings represent one of the numerous devices which may be employed to embody the principle of this invention.

The letter-dies are arranged on the outer ends of a series of arms or spokes, 1 2 3 4, as seen in Fig. 2, which represents a bottom view of the outer portion of one of. these arms. These arms may either be slightly elastic and fastened to a central disk, 5, from which they radiate, or they may be jointed to said disk and held up by means of springs. The arms with the disk revolve upon a central pivot, 6. The plate7, upon which thcletters are to be impressed, isarranged upon a block,13, which is liable to be moved laterally by meansof a screw-rod, 9, between the way's88, the proper distance between each two successive letters. The ways 8 8 are attached to a block, 14, which can be moved by means ot'a screw-rod, ll, between the ways 10.10, for the purpose of movin g the plate longitudinally the proper distance between each two successive lines of letters.

The arms carrying the letter-dies that are required to be impressed upon the platefortlie purpose of forming the words and sentences of the text are successively-brought over the slots in the upright saddle-piece 12, and then pressed downward so as to make the impression into the plate. This may be done either by hand or by pedal action, or byany other suitable mechanicaldevice. The width of the slot s corresponds to the width of the arms 1 2 3, and its depth is such that when the arm touches the bottom of the slot the letter-die has just penetrated the proper. distance into the plate or the coatingof the plate. After one letter has thus been impressed upon the plate the plate is moved laterally the proper distance betweentwo successive letters, and another arrn, with its corresponding letter-die, is brought over the slot and is pressed'downward. When aline hasbeen completed the plate is moved longitudinally the reuuisitedistance between two lines of letters by means of the screw-rod 11, and the operation of stamping the letters upon the plateis thus continued. The lateral motions of the plate may. be per formed in various ways. In the annexed drawings the device shown consists in a screw, 9, to which one .or more revolutions or part of a revolution isimpartcd. It may also be efiected automatically by means of suitable devices. (Not represented'in the accompanying drawm s.

i lhza spoke-disk may be so arranged that it can be removed and replaced by another with but little loss of time, using one disk for each set of letters. Such a set may be composed of capitals, small letters, stops, Italics, 820.

The advantages of tbisinvention are'ra'pidity of action and great saving of time and; labor in comparison to the usual method of setting Q and distributing type, which labor is here altosuch a substance as will readily take and preservetheir impressions and-allow a stereotype of electrotype to be madethereof, either directly or by means of an intermediate plaster cast, whereby the ordinary process of setting and distributing the types is dispensed with, andbut one set of typesis used, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have sFg'ned my name to this specification before two subscribing witnesses.

Witnessesz. JOHN MGELHERAN.

A. POLLAK,

JOHN S. HOLLINGSHEAD.

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