US740352A - Process of producing plates for printing. - Google Patents

Description

No.740,352. PATENTED SEPT. 29, 1903.

' H. P. ARM PROGBSS 0P PRODUCING PLATES FOR PRINTING.

' APPLICATION FILED AUG. 21, 1901.

10 MODEL UNITED STATES.

Patented September 29, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

HIRAM PHELPS ARMS, OF WEST HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-THIRDS TO EDGAR C. LINN, OF WEST HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

PROCESS OF PRODUCING PLATES FOR'PRINTING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 740,352, dated September 29, 1903.

' Application filed August 21, 1901- derial No. 72,821. (No specimens.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HIRAM PHELPS ARMS, a

Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of Producin g Plates for Printing; and my preferred manner of carrying out the invention is set forth in the following full, clear, and exact description, terminating with claims particularly specifying the novelty.

This invention relates to a process for formin g high-relief plates for typographical printing, and it is particularly adapted for forming plates for printing in colors with crayon edects on common type-presses.

By prior lithographic processes the conceptions of the artist are reproduced upon stone by the aid of photography and also are delineated directly upon stone withlithographic ink or crayon. Both of these methods necessitate the exercise of particular skill in the manipulation of various instruments and chemicals employed and require the use of a slow lithographic press for printing, as the conceptions are not etched and reproduced on the stone in high relief.

- By previous engraving processes the conceptions are reproduced upon metal plates by the aid of photography and also are deline ated upon surfaces prepared on metal plates by the application of granular material made to adhere to the plate by the action of heat. These methods necessitate the employment of chemicals in preparing the plates,which raise the cost, increase the labor, and, while they 1 plate retainv the particles 3 of acid-resisting produce etched plates in high relief which may be used in typographical presses, the.

delineations cannot be altered and changed at will and numbers of accurately-registering ofisets cannot be easily obtained.

The object of this invention is to provide a simple, cheap, and. rapid process of forming metal printing-plates that has such procedure that the artist may give full expression to his conceptions directly upon the metal surfaces of the-plates, which will thus receive the impress of his individuality and that will permit the artist to'freely erase, correct, and alter the delineations and take off as many 36011.

rately-registering offsets as desired directly surface 2 mechanically produced by sand apfrom the key-plate for forming the colorplates.

. Figure l of the drawings represents a conception being delineated with an etching-resist directly upon the mechanically-grained surface of a dense metal plate. Fig. 2 represent-s a small section of a plate before it has been grained. Fig. 3 represents a section of a plate with the surface grained. Fig. 4 represents the application of resist to portions of the grained surface of a plate. Fig. 5 represents a section of the plate with the grained portion of the surface that is not protected by the primary resist removed by the etchingacid. Fig. 6 represents a section of the plate with the surface still further etched. Fig.7 represents the section of the plate with the surface that is unprotected etched deeper. The grained portions of the sections of the plates shown in these views are greatly magnified. Figs. 8, 9, and 10 show sections of the plate magnified still more, illustrating the manner of protecting the points which have been protected by the primary resist by the strengthening-resist until the plate has been etched to the required depth.

In carrying out this process the conception of the artist is delineated by strokes, lines, or stippling with the 'ordinary lithographic crayon or ink, containing lampblack and grease or similar acid-resisting materials, di-

rectly upon the plate 1, preferably zinc, that is perfectly level and has a uniform granular 5 plied by an ordinary graining-machine.

The projecting grains on the surface of the materials that are abraded from the delineating-crayon 4,and of course when the strokes or lines are light but little crayon will be abraded the conception delineated directly upon it in crayon is without further preparation immersed in a rather Weak solution of nitric acid for a short time, perhaps half a minute. The lampblack and grease of the crayon form a sufficient resist for this short immersion in the weak acid-bath that accomplishes the in the etching-bath.

preliminary etching, so that the conception is reproduced in a very light relief upon the plate. In fact, the relief at this stage is so light as to be hardly noticeable tothe eye.

The plate is removed from this preliminary bath and dried under a gentle heat, and then a resistin g-powder,preferab1y dragons-blood, is spread upon it. Particles 5 of this powder adhere to the particles of crayon and strengthen the resisting capacity of the crayon, and after the superfluous powder is shaken off the plate is immersed in the etching-bath for approximately one minute. After removing and thoroughly drying acidresisting powder is sprinkled upon the plate and brushed of1 in one direction with a fine brush, preferablya camels-hair brush. After heating the plate hot and allowing it to cool it is again sprinkled with resisting-powder. This is brushed off in a different direction. The heating and cooling of the plate and the sprinkling of powder are performed fourtimes,each time the powderbeingbrushed off in a different direction. As a result of this the resisting-powder is banked on each side of the minute particles of metal that have been protected from the action of the acid beneath the grains of crayon, and so protects the raised points that the acid will not eat under them when the plate is again immersed The plate is then immersed in the etching-acid approximately from four to six minutes, according to the judgment of the etcher. After drying the plate is again heated, powdered, and brushed four times, as before, and then immersed in the acid approximately from five to six minutes, as desired. The plate is then dried and preferably rolled with proof printing-ink, heated, powdered, and brushed four times, as before,and immersed in the acid-bath approximately from seven to eight minutes, according to judgment. The plate is then dried, trimmed, and mounted on a block type high and is ready to use in the ordinary printing-- are cut to the size of the original and dampened with turpentine free of all greasy matter. The chalk covered proofs are then placed upon the grained metal surfaces of the color-plates and put in a proof-press and an impression in chalk is taken. The turpentine that has been used to dampen the plates evaporates, leaving a clear impression of the original drawing, upon which the artist proceeds to draw for the color as necessary. The color-plates are then treated in exactly the same manner as the original key-plate. As the surfaces of the plates are not chemically prepared and there are no films to handle, the ofiset impressions are exact copies of the original, so that the colors will register accurately. I

In the practice'of this process the minute quantity of lampblack or other fatty matter contained in the crayon forms the first resist for the etching mordant, thus enabling the etcher to retain the lightest tones of the conception until the relief is sufficient to receive the powder which forms the secondary resist and strengthens the crayon primary resist. This fact allows the reproduction of conception in crayon efiects without originally drawing the conception upon paper and by photographic methods transferring it to the plate. These plates, which will accurately register, may be used on any ordinary printing-press.

I claim as my invention 1. The herein-described process of forming high-relief plates for typographical printing, which consists in delineating the conception to be reproduced with an etching-resist directly upon a mechanically-grained surface of a dense metal plate, subjecting the plate with the conception thus delineated without further treatment to a bath containing an etching solution and lightly etching the surface of the plate, then removing the plate from the bath and repeatedly strengthening the primary etching-resist by the addition of resistingpowder and immersing the plate with the primary resist thus strengthened in the etchingbath until the plate has been so etched that the conception stands in high relief, substantially as described.

2. The herein-described process of forming high-relief plates for typographical printing, which consists in delineating the conception to be reproduced with an etching-resist directly upon a mechanically-grained surface of a dense metal plate, subjecting the plate with the conception thus delineated without further treatment to a bath containing an etching solution and lightly etching the surface of the plate, then removing the plate from the bath and repeatedly strengthening the primary etching-resist by the addition of acid-resisting powder and immersing the plate with the primary resist thus strengthened in the etching-bath until the plate has been so etched that the conception stands in high relief, inking the key-plate thus produced, taking ofisets from the key-plate in proof-ink, dustingthe proofs before dry with red powder, impressing the red-powdered proofs (11- In testimony whereof I have hereunto subrectly upon the metal surfaces of meehaniescribed my signature this the 21st day of Auallygrained plates, delineating upon the gust, A. D. 1901.

plates the parts desired to be printed by the 1 HIRAM PHELPS ARMS. individual plate, and etching these plates the Witnesses: 7

same asthe key-plate, substantially as de- NEWTON L. COLLAMER,

scribed. FANNIE R. FITTON.

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