US3270666A

US3270666A - Stencil with barrier layer between the stencil and the adhesive

Info

Publication number: US3270666A
Application number: US394796A
Authority: US
Inventors: Breverman David
Original assignee: MARK FAST MARKING SYSTEM Inc
Current assignee: MARK FAST MARKING SYSTEM Inc
Priority date: 1964-09-08
Filing date: 1964-09-08
Publication date: 1966-09-06
Anticipated expiration: 1983-09-06

Description

Sept. 6, 1966 D. BREVERMAN 3,

STENCIL WITH BARRIER LAYER BETWEEN THE STENCIL AND THE ADHESIVE Filed Sept. 8, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIGZ.

Sept. 6, 1966 D. BREVERMAN STENCIL WITH BARRIER LAYER BETWEEN THE STENCIL AND THE ADHESIVE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 8, 1964 FIG .7.

United States Patent 3,270,666 STENCIL WITH BARRIER LAYER BETWEEN THE STENCIL AND THE ADHESIVE David Breverman, Los Angeles, Calif assignor to Mark- Fast Marking System, Inc, Los Angelles, Calif, a corporation of California Filed Sept. 8, 1964, Ser. No. 394,796 11 Claims. (Cl. 101128.2)

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Serial No. 268,942, filed March 29, 1963, entitled Stencil Device, now abandoned.

This invention relates to stencil devices, more particularly stencil assemblies such as are used in conjunction with a hand stamping implement for printing on packages, etc.

Hand stamping devices are in general well known, as for example in the shipping of packages from a manufacturing companys shipping department wherein there are a large number of packages being directed to a single receiver, it is customary to prepare and make a stencil which includes the name and address of the consignee or the purchaser. Such a stencil is preferably of the type employed in duplicating processes and is used to imprint on each of the packages comprising a single order or at least all of the packages and parcels which are to be sent to the one customer.

Such stencils are of the type which can be prepared on a typewriter, such stencils being commonly known as mimeograph stencils. At the time the stencil is prepared it is preferable that an invoice, bill of ladin-g, shipping order, or other record be put behind the stencil to receive a record of to whom the order is sent. In the present state of the art stencils of the type which are used to perform this stencil preparation and record keeping function are relatively thick and somewhat cumbersome to use in a typewriter since they normally utilize a 2 to 3 ply assembly in addition to the backing sheet. Some such stencil assemblies employ a separate carbon sheet while others utilize a stencil sheet with carbon formed on the rear surface thereof. When a carbon back stencil material is used it is typical that a separate strip of pressure-sensitive adhesive tape be attached across the top front of the stencil material with a portion of the tape extending above the top edge of the stencil sheet. To the exposed tape there is affixed a carbon sheet and backing sheet. When the backing sheet is removed the stencil sheet and carbon and the exposed tape can be adhered to the record when the stencil is being cut. This type of adhesive arrangement places the adhesive material substantially in contact with the carbon reproducing material and allows a migration of the solvents and plasticizers from the adhesive into the carbon and vice versa. This has a tendency to discolor the adhesive material such that when it is used to adhere the stencil to other paper work an adhesive residue which is dark in color sometimes remains on the paper after the stencil is removed therefrom. Additionally the migration of the materials from the carbon backing to the adhesive destroy the advantageous properties of the pressure sensitive adhesive material and cause it to be poor in releasing from the record paper to which it has been adhered.

Hand printers for use in conjunction with stencils of the type described above are common but most possess certain distinct disadvantages. Common types of such printers are the well known type which utilize a felt ink pad with gravity flow. Such printers must be rocked to allow the ink to flow through the stencil and it is diflicult to obtain an evenly printed impression. One meaningful disadvantage of this type of printing assembly as well as other types utilizing pads of difierent material is that ink will typically flow from the edges of the pad leaving a ice dark frame around the printed area and causing an appearance which is messy and not neat.

Among the seevral objects of the present invention may be noted the provision of an improved stencil sheet assembly for use in preparing invoices, etc. and for subsequent use with an inking device, the stencil sheet being sufiiciently thin and flexible for use in a typewriter during preparation of the invoice; and the provision of an improved stencil assembly having a carbon area on a stencil sheet and an adhesive for securing the stencil sheet to an article (and for securing a backing sheet to the stencil sheet) wherein the oils in the carbon area and the stencil sheet are barred from migration to the adhesive. Generally, a stencil assembly of this invention comprises a single sheet of stencil material with a carbonized area formed on the back face thereof, which area is limited to the portion of the stencil material which is to be used in the imprinting operation. A stripe of pressure-sensitive adhesive extends across the top edge of the stencil sheet along the rear surface thereof but spaced from the carbonized area. To this pressure-sensitive material there is adhered a backing sheet for storage protection of the carbonized area and the pressure-sensitive adhesive. Provision may be made, as will appear, for preventing migration of oils in the stencil sheet to the adhesive. Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the constructions hereinafter described, the scope of the invention being indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which several of various possible embodiments of the invention are illustrated,

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a hand printing device in its presently preferred embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a view in elevation of the printing device, partly in section on line 22 of FIG. 1, the printing device having a cover and stencil on it;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective exploded View of the components making up the printing head of the hand printing device as shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a stencil assembly made in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a partial view in perspective showing the components of the stencil assembly of FIG. 4; and

FIGS. 6-10 are fragmentary perspective sections of modified stencil assemblies of the invention, with thicknesses greatly exaggerated.

Although not limited thereto, the hand printing device shown herein is particularly suited for use with the improved stencil assemblies which forms a part of the present invention and accordingly will be described in combination therewith. As described hereinabove, one of the primary problems in connection with hand stenciling devices presently known to the art is the tendency for the ink carrying portion of the printing device to leak around the edges and past the stencil to the paper or other material upon which the impression is being made. Additionally, stencil assemblies of the type heretofore known to the art are cumbersome in use since they employ two or three sheets of material in addition to the backing sheet which is typically removed upon use of the stencil. If the thickness of the stencil assembly does not occur due to the thickness of the various plys it is often present by the thickness of the material used to connect the plys of the stencil assembly. That is, it is common to employ a separate strip of adhesive material which is placed on the upper edge of the stencil assembly. When this is done the adhesive strip is relatively thick and stiff.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 a presently preferred embodiment of a hand printing device, designated in its entirety by the reference charcater A. FIGS. 4 and 5 show a stencil assembly made in accordance with this invention, and FIGS. 6l0 show various modifications thereof.

Referring now to FIGS. 13, the hand printing device includes a handle 10 which also serves as the ink reservoir.

The handle is a hollow member formed of deformable material such as polyethylene plastic. The handle has a flat end surface 11 and a neck 12 which is male threaded for connection to the head assembly of the printing device. The head assembly, generally designated 14, includes a pad 15, a grid 16 and a body 17. The body 17 is formed of material which is substantially rigid in the configuration shown, such as molded plastic. The body and the head assembly are generally rectangular in the planar configuration and are substantially rectangular in cross-sectional configuration as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The body 17 is of substantial thickness and has in its rear wall 18 a threaded opening 19 for attaching body 17 to neck 12 of the handle 10. Extending downwardly from the top surface 20 of the body 17 are a plurality of channels 21 in the body which are relatively narrow-elongate grooves. Channels 21 communicate with the opening 19 from the rear surface of the body. Ink can thus flow from the reservoir within the handle 10 through the neck 12 into the channels 21 which are spaced apart along the upper surface of the head. Mounted upon the upper surface 20 of the head is the grid 16 which is porous and which serves to disperse the ink supplied to the channels over the complete surface of the grid and thus into the complete area of the back surface 23 of the pad 15. The pad is of rectangular configuration and substantial uniform thickness, its rectangular dimensions being similar to those of the body 17. The cellular portion 25 of the pad is formed of an open cellular material such as cellular elastomeric material, synthetic rubber, polyurethane, foamed vinyl or other flexible cellular materials, which materials are resistant to solvents present in the ink which will flow through the pad. Along the edge surfaces 26 of the pad and along the adjacent areas of the front and back surfaces of the pad, such as shown at 27, there is formed a barrier 30 of skin which is impervious to the passage of ink. The barrier 30 is formed by affixing to the edge surfaces and the adjacent upper and lower surf-aces of the pad at the peripheral portion thereof a flexible coating or sealant material by bonding or other suit-able process. In the presently preferred embodiment, the edges and adjacent surfaces approximately to a width of one-eighth inch are dip sealed with a flexible sealant such as buna or neoprene cement. The pad can also be molded with an impervious skin which is removed except from the edges and adjacent areas.

This sealing barrier 30 assumes the configuration of the material upon which an impression is being made and acts as a seal to the passage of fluid from any portion of the pad except the surface portion within the margin formed by the peripheral portion 27 of the sealing barrier 30. A layer of cloth 28 or other suitable porous material through which the ink may readily flow is then placed over the upper surface 31 of the pad 15 and sealed to the edges of the pad and into the space between the lower surface 23 of the pad and the grid 16. The cloth covered pad 15 is then sealed to the upper surface of the body 17 by a suitable adhesive such as rubber or epoxy. The pad can be utilized without the cloth covering although such as used in the presently preferred embodiment.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, the stencil assembly B made in accordance with the present invention is shown to comprise a sheet 41 of relatively thin single-ply stencil material of suitable type known as mimeograph stencil tissue well known to the art, which when struck with a typewriter key forms a passage through the stencil material conforming to the configuration of the impression made by the typewriter key. On one face 43 of the stencil sheet 41 constituting its back face, there is provided an area 45 of carbonized material which is rectangular in configuration but of smaller dimension than the sheet 41 so that a margin of the stencil sheet free of carbon is provided all around the carbonized area 45. The carbonizing material used may be, for example, any one of various well-known commercially available carbonizing inks.

A stripe of pressure-sensitive adhesive 47 extends across the back face 43 of the stencil sheet adjacent one of the long edges thereof. This stripe is relatively narrow and, since carbonized area 45 is offset from said edge, this stripe is located within the confines of the uncarbonized area of the back face. Thus, the pressure-sensitive adhesive material is spaced from the carbonized area. thin coating of the pressure-sensitive adhesive is applied, and the stripe of adhesive may be approximately onesixteenth inch in width whereas the margin between the carbonized material and the upper edge of the stencil sheet is approximately three-eighths of an inch, for example. The pressure-sensitive adhesive used may be, for example, a water soluble latex type material which is not affected by ink solvents or plasticizers utilized in the stencil carbons. One such adhesive found to be particularly suitable is a mixture of natural latex rubber and neoprene latex, which mixture resists impregnation by the oils in the stencil paper. A suitable backing sheet 49 of protective paper material is adhered to the rear surface of the stencil sheet 41 by means of the adhesive 47. The adhesive coating is sufficiently thin and is aflixed without the addition of a separate ply of paper material in order that the stencil assembly is thin throughout its area and is substantially equal to a two-ply thickness including the backing sheet over its entire area. The backing sheet is merely a protective release paper which is retained in association with the stencil sheet until the latter is needed for use. The stencil sheet 41 is then removed from the backing sheet, adhesive 47 remaining on the back of the stencil sheet 41, and by means of the adhesive is aflixed to a record sheet such as an invoice or bill of lading such that the name and address or the like cut into the stencil is reproduced on the record sheet.

The stencil sheet is then removed from the invoice and applied to the upper surface of the printing head of the hand printing device A as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 for printing on packages, parcels, etc. The adhesive may be used to adhere the stencil sheet to the border of the pad, and the sheet tends to cling to the face of the pad.

In operation, ink is placed in the reservoir provided by the handle 10 of the assembly A. The stencil sheet 41 is afiixed to the upper surface of the printing pad. The handle may be squeezed if necessary to inject ink into the pad 15 and the device is ready for use. In use, it is necessary merely to press it against the material to which the impression is to be applied. No rocking action is necessary and perfect contact with the surface being imprinted is not essential; thus making the device fast and easy to use.

Thus, the present invention provides an improved stencil sheet which is only one-ply when in use, making it more easily usable and eflicient. The carbonizing on the stencil sheet is visible through the sheet (the tissue from which the stencil sheet is made providing for this) to show the area in which the stencil should be cut. However, the carbonized area is spaced at a substantial distance from the adhesive coating to prevent any migration of materials between the adhesive material and the carbonizing material. The hand-printing device provides an improved construction and prevents the flow of ink to any undesired area.

FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of the stencil sheet assembly of the invention. The stencil sheet is again designated 41 and has afiixed in a rectangular area on its back face a carbonizing material 45 which is preferably spaced from the margins of sheet 47 as shown. In this embodiment of the invention a separate barrier layer 51 is provided along the upper margin of the back face 43 of sheet 41 spaced from the upper margin of the carbonizing material 45. The material of barrier layer 51 is an oil resistant material such as neoprene, acrylic copolymers, vinyl, alginates, starch, methyl cellulose, synthetic rubber compounds, polyethylene coatings, other oil resistant polymer or resin materials, etc. As shown in FIG. 6, the material is applied as a coating on the stencil sheet along the upper margin of the back face. The pressure-sensitive adhesive 47 is applied to the oil-resistant barrier coating 51, the adhesive being narrower than the coating 51 and out of contact with the stencil sheet 41 due to the presence of barrier layer 51. This separation of sheet 41 and adhesive 47 prevents migration to the adhesive of carbonizing material and the oils normally used in manufacturing the stencil sheet 41 to give it its stencilizing properties. In this regard, it will be understood that the stencil sheet is made, for example, by impregnating the stencil tissue with a composition comprising castor oil, oleic acid and nitrocellulose. Such stencil oils may destroy the desired tackiness of the adhesive and diminish its ability to clearly pull away from the backing sheet, an invoice or the like. Also, the barrier layer prevents carbonizing material or oil from migrating from the stencil sheet 41 to the adhesive and thence being transferred by the adhesive to the record sheet to which it is attached and discoloring the record sheet. This discoloration should be avoided, particularly when the stencil sheet is used on a record sheet such as an invoice or the like which is to be sent to a customer.

FIG. 7 discloses another manner of applying a barrier layer physically to separate the stencil sheet 41 and adhesive 47. In this embodiment, an oil-resistant material 53 of the type previously described for coating 51 is adhered to both surfaces of stencil sheet 41 along its upper margin and extends around the upper edge of sheet 41. The oil-resistant material .at 53 may be applied by dipping the sheet 41 in the oil-resistant material. In other respects the FIG. 7 embodiment is the same or similar to the stencil assembly of FIG. '6.

Another stencil assembly having an oil resistant barrier layer is illustrated in FIG. 8. In this embodiment the barrier is designated 55 and comprises a strip of oil resistant paper or plastic material adhered to the upper rear edge of stencil sheet 41. The adhesive 47 is applied to the back face of barrier strip 55 and comes away from backing sheet 49 with the barrier strip.

FIG. 9 illustrates a still further embodiment of the stencil sheet assembly of this invention having a barrier layer for preventing migration of oil from the stencil sheet 41 to adhesive 47. In FIG. 9 the barrier is designated 57 and is a strip of oil-resistant paper or plastic adbored by suitable adhesives to the upper edge of both the front and back faces of stencil 41, extending around the upper edge of the stencil sheet. Adhesive 47 is secured to the barrier strip 57 on the back face of stencil 41.

In FIG. 10 a stencil sheet assembly is shown wherein the stencil sheet 41 has an area along its upper edge designated 59 which is substantially free of the oil and other stencilizing materials normally applied to this sheet during its manufacture. The area 59 is impregnated with an oil-resistant material such as neoprene, acrylic, vinyl, synthetic rubber combinations of these coatings, etc. which bars migration of oil from the stencil material or carbonizing layer on this sheet into the upper edge of the stencil sheet. Adhesive strip 47 is secured to the upper back face of stencil sheet 41 in the area 59 containing the barrier material. The adhesive 47 should be spaced from the lower edge of the barrier material.

It will be understood that the barrier layers shown in FIGS. 6-9 and the barrier zone 59 shown in FIG. 10 are such as not substantially to interfere with the flexibility of the stencil sheet.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not-in a limiting sense.

What I claim is:

1. A stencil sheet assembly comprising a single-ply sheet of stencil material which contains an oil, said stencil sheet having a carbonizing material on a first area of one face thereof constituting its back face, the sheet being adapted for striking on its front face within the confines of the area on its back face to convert it into a stencil and simultaneously make a carbon copy via said coating of carbonizing material, said sheet having a barrier layer of material at a second area of the back face and a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive on the barrier layer spaced from the carbonizing material, and a backing sheet attached to the stencil sheet by said adhesive, the barrier layer preventing migration of oil from the stencil sheet to the adhesive.

2. A stencil sheet assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the stencil sheet is rectangular and the barrier layer and adhesive layer are located along an edge of the back face of the stencil sheet, the second area being free of the carbonizing material.

3. A stencil sheet assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein the barrier layer is a coating.

4. A stencil sheet assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein the barrier layer is a separate piece of material which is adhered to both the back and front faces of the sheet of stencil material at said edge of the sheet of stencil material.

5. A stencil sheet assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein the stencil sheet has an area substantially coeX- tensive with the second area of the back face which is free :of the stencilizing material, the barrier comprising an oilresistant material impregnated in the area free of the stencilizing material.

6. A stencil sheet assembly comprising a relatively thin sheet of stencil material having a coating of carbonizing material over a first localized area of one face thereof constituting its back face, a second localized area of the back face being free of the carbonizing material, said sheet being adapted for striking on its other face within the confines of said first area to convert it into a stencil and to make a carbon copy via said coating of carbonizing material, said sheet further having a coating of pressuresensitive adhesive at its said back face Within the confines of said second area, the carbonizing coating being spaced from the adhesive coating to prevent any migration of materials between the carbonizing coating and the adhesive coating, and a backing sheet backing the back face of said sheet of stencil, the latter being adhered to said backing sheet by said adhesive, the stencil sheet together with the adhesive being adapted to be pulled away from the backing sheet and then adhered by said adhesive to a record sheet for imprinting of the stencil sheet to stencilize it and simultaneously to make a carbon copy on the record sheet, and then being removable together with the adhesive from the record sheet, said sheet of stencil material being a thin sheet of stencil tissue paper impregnated with a stencilizing composition which contains an oil, and said sheet of stencil material having a barrier layer of a material resistant to penetration by said oil under the adhesive.

7. A stencil sheet assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein said barrier layer is a coating.

8. A stencil sheet assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein said barrier layer is a separate piece of web material adhered to said sheet of stencil material.

9. A stencil sheet assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein said web material is an oil-resistant paper.

10. A stencil sheet assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein said web material is an oil-resistant plastic film.

11. A stencil sheet assembly comprising a relatively thin sheet of stencil material having a coating of carbonizing material over a first localized area of one face thereof constituting its back face, a second localized area of the back face being free of the carbonizing material, said sheet being adapted for striking on its other face within the confines of said first area to convert it into a stencil and to make a carbon copy via said coating of carbonizing material, said sheet further having a coating of pressure-sensitive adhesive at its said back face within the confines of said second area, the carbonizing coating being spaced from the adhesive coating to prevent any migration of materials between the carbonizing coating and the adhesive coating, and a backing sheet backing the back face of said sheet of stencil, the latter being adhered to said backing sheet by said adhesive, the stencil sheet together with the adhesive being adapted to be pulled away from the backing sheet and then adhered by said adhesive to a record sheet for imprinting of the stencil sheet to stencilize it and simultaneously to make a carbon copy on the record sheet, and then being removable together with the adhesive from the record sheet, said sheet of stencil material being a thin sheet of stencil tissue paper impregnated with a stencilizing composition which contains an oil, and impregnated in the region where said adhesive is applied with an oil-resistant material.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 747,861 12/1903 Deckert 11736.4 1,929,601 10/1933 Miner 282-28 1,971,629 7/1934 Topf 101128.2 1,975,488 10/1934 Trull et al 101-125 2,177,768 10/1939 Carscallen 101128.2 2,203,280 6/1940 Heath l01128.2 2,557,875 6/ 1951 Kerr. 2,581,153 1/1952 Wallich 101128.4 2,919,642 1/1960 Mooney 101125 2,970,931 2/ 1961 Gum binner 101-1282 X 2,976,802 3/1961 Mason 101128.1 3,067,673 12/1962 Anderson 10l128.2 3,094,342 6/1963 Weber. 3,162,116 12/1964 Weber 101128.1

DAVID KLEIN, Primary Examiner.

WILLIAM B. PENN, ROBERT E. PULFREY,

Examiners.

NATHANIEL HUMPHRIES, HARLEIGH P. EWELL,

Assistant Examiners.