US931738A - Apparatus for backing electrotype-plates. - Google Patents

Description

G. E. DUNTON.

APPARATUS FOR BAGKIN G ELECTROTYPE PLATES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 5. 1907.

93 1 ,738. Patented Aug. 24. 1909.

4 SHEETSSHEET 1.

G. E. DUN TON APPARATUS FOR BACKING ELEOTROTYPE PLATES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 5, 1907.

Patented Aug. 24, 1909.

G. E. DUNTON. APPARATUS FOR BACKING ELEGTROTYPE PLATES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 5. 1907 G. E. DUNTON.

APPARATUS FOR BACKING ELECTROTYPE PLATES. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 5. 1907.

93 1,738. I Patented Aug. .24. 1909.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

GEORGE E. DUNTON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

APPARATUS FOR BACKING ELECTBOTYPE-PLATES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

I mlicationfl'led August" 5, 1907. Serial'No. 387,208.

To allwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonen' E. DUNTON, residing at New York city, county of'New York, State of New York, a citizen of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Backing Electrotype-Plates; and I do doclare the following to bea full, clear, and exact descri ti-o-n of the invention, such as will enable ot "ers skill'ed' in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in ap aratus for backing electrotype plates.

lectrotypeshavebeen backed by placing the cop er'shells in backing pans, pouring the mol ten backing metal over the shells, and allowing it to set, but hot to become cold, then placing the pan, backing and shell in a press and forcing the platen down on the back of the hot plate; This has a tendency to force the copper shell or face of the plate down on to the bottom of thebacking pan and force out any ine ualities in said shell and is very objectionable owing to the fact that the pressure flattens out the letters along the edges of the plate.

In backing u electrotype shells, by the ordinary method s, considerable difficulty has been ex erienced in producing perfectly straight evel faces or printing surfaces as owing to the shells being so thin and delicate, or from inequalities in the texture of the copper, they become distorted. during the process of backing showing inequalities known as shrinhages or indentures and often other serious defects. These defects are usually taken out by pounding on the back of the plate, the exact spot having been previously marked, which when done with the utmost care even by expert skilled workmen, at a great loss of time, damages the printing surface to suchan extent that it is very often rendered useless.

The object of myinvention is-to obviate these and-other disadvantages by applying a well defined and regulated measure to the backing within the confines o a closed receptacle, which with its closure or cover has previously been heated to an even tem eratu-re with the backing'metal. Forcing a ditional metal into said receptacle while the metal is fluid. Maintainingthe pressure during the cooling process so that the entire surface ofthe backing will be forced evenly against the copper shell and the plate be free from all inequalities and imperfections and thereby produce an electrotype late that has an pven', solid and perfectly evel printing suraee.

A further object oi my invention is to-provide ana paratu's which is simple, inexpen sive and dhrable in-construction and easy to operate.

The metal is-heated to a molten state in the melting pot of afurnace; The platen of a Ipress or the closure or cover of a box or er receptacle or a plate oi metal is swung into and allowed to float on the surface of said molten metal until it is of the same term perature as said molten metal, said platen, closure or cover or plate isthen'removed and Patented Aug. 24, I9.

a backing pan containing a metallic shellthe i back of which has been washed or flowed with a soldering flux of muriate of zinc re duced with water which has been slightly ammoniated is then covered witha very thin sheet of solder foil and is placed in, or floated" on the molten metal in the melting pot until the solder melts and forms a thin coatin over and adhering to'the back of the metallic shell. This process which is known toelectrotypers as tinning the shell, can be carried on over a separate gas heated table. If done this way the tinned shellis then placed on the backing pan and allowed to remain the melting pot until the solder begins to lose its bright luster, or oxidize, molten metal is then poured over the back of the shell to Weigh it down after which the pan and shell are lifted out of the melting pot and placed on the backing stand where enough additional metal is poured over the back of the shell to fill the pan even with the to of the rim or tothe desired thickness.

W ile the metal of the backing'is still in a molten or fluid state, the previously heated closure, platen or cover of the press-1s forced down onto said'backing until it rests upon the rim of the pan or within the rim of the pan or rests upon set screws, by this means any desired thickness of plate may pe obtained, while not departing from the Idea of maintaining a closed box. The density of the lead forms the basis of the backing metal supplemented by the ressu-re exerted by the force of the screw, whi e the pan, shell'closure, 0r platen or cover are hot and the metal is molten and elastic it exerts an equal pressure upon the backing and metallic shell which 18 distributed evenly throughout the face of the shell'against the surface of the pan, dlsplacing any steam or gas which may have generated under the shell, thus permitting every portion of the surface of said shell to be forced evenly against the surface of the receptacle with which it comes in' contact. The steam or gas produced under the shell while backin up is useful in that while it is not desire to have it hold any portion of the superficial area of the shell from the pan in whole or in part, it is of service in sup portin" the blanks and built up portions while t e shell is under ressure. The blanks can also be supported y filling the recesses with a paste composed of any suitable material such for instance as a compound of flour, ypsum and powdered pumice stone. To stilTfurther augment the possible pressure and to maintain a constant degree up to the cooling point of the metal I inject or force additional metal intothe box or receptacle by means of pressure, which may be exerted by meansjof a pump placed at any convenient point, or by any other means preferabllly on the platen or cover or the deslred res t may be obtained by sim le gravity, that is, pouring additional meta ,i'ntoa lip or jetty raised above the platen o'r, cover, providing means to shear the jet off before removing the platen. The metal is cooled or set under pressure. The cooling should commence at the pan and be transmitted through the shell beginning at the face of shell and extending through the platen cover or closure of the box. By this means whatever shrinkage may occur in the backing will follow to the last point that cools the back of the plate. This cooling may be accomplished by different methods, preferably by a blast of air from a pressure blower'conducted to the underside of the receptacle through suitable pipes. After the metal has become perfectly set or hard, the plate is removed from the pan by unscrewing the wheel of the screw removing the cover or platen and the plate is washe or cleaned by any suitable means.

There is an advant e in tinning the shells previous to applying t e backing metal, also 1n doingthe tinning upon a se arate and independently heated table. irst it expediates the-work by eliminating the 0 eration of melt-ingthe s'older over the bac of the metallic shell u on the backing pan as any number of shel s may be tinned in ad Vance of the backing and the operation at the metal pot is confined wholly to the heating of the shell (to the temperature of the metal) and pouring the metal onto and over the shell, Second, after the shells are tinned the muriate of zinc which adheres to the back of the shells in small dissoluted patches, owing tov the evaporation of the water in which the muriate was previously dissolved, by the application of heat sufficient to melt the solder, may be washed off the back of the shell with water before the shell is placed on the backing pan to receive the metal.

Otherwise this excess of muriate of zinc which will floaton the top of the molten metal which has been poured over the shell, must be removed or skimmed off to keep the surface oftlre metal bright and clean. If this muriate of zinc is allowed to remain on .the surface of the metal, the platen or cover will solder or adhere to the metal, upon being pressed down onto and. in contact with the surface of the metal, and considerable difli culty will be experienced in separating the cast from the platen or cover when the metal has become cooled or set.

In the drawings which illustrate my apparatus:Figure 1 is a side view, Fig. 2 an end view in e evation, Fig. 3 a top plan view of the backing stand and press, with the platen removed,.Fig. 4 a top plan view of the removable platen. Fig, 5 a longitudinal sectional viewof the platen and backing pan. Fig. 6 a detail sectional view of a portion of the platen and the pump. Fig. 7 a sectional view of the melting pot showing the platen,

or closure inserted therein. Fig. 8 a sectional view of the melting pot showing the receptacle and plate or shel inserted therein. Fig. 9 a sectional view showing the receptacle with the backing thereon in a molten state on the backin stand ready to have pressure applied. ig. 10 is a sectional View showing t e rece tacle or backing pan, the shell with the mo ten metal backing thereon and a heated platen applied thereto and a ump.

Referring to the drawings in w ich like numerals of reference denote like parts throughout the several views: 1, re resents the frame of the apparatus supporte on legs 2, and rovided with a melting pot 3, having a suita le furnace 4, below the same, a backin pan stand 5, having set screws 6 preferab y four in number, 7 being lock nuts for locking said set screws after they have been adjusted to the desired position.

8, is a backing pan or receptacle which is designed to be placed on and leveled by the set screws 6, an is provided with a handle or bail 9, at each end.

The platen 10 of the press 11, constitutes the cover or closure for the backing pan and comprises a plate having recesses 12 at each 'end .to allow for the bails 9 of the backing pan, a boss 13 at the center having two inks 1.4 pivoted thereto. A pump 15, is seated in a recess 16 in the upper surface of the platen said recess 16 being of sufficient size to allow of a horizontal movement of the pump therein. The ump 15 is pivoted on a olt 17, extendin a ve the upper surface of the platen 10, or the urpose of allowing it to be moved horizontally in the recess 16, said pump comprising a cylinder 18', having a contracted openin 19 at the bottom, a handle 20 designed to e gras ed by the hand for the pur ose-of swinging the ump around to shear o the teat of metal'le t on the back of 81,738 til.

the east. The pistbn 21 6f the pump is mcunted inthe cylinder 18 and the" upper endo'f'thepiston rod 22is pivoted-by means of apin- 23in an elongated slot 24- in the pump handle 25; I

Thepress 1 comprises a yoke 26, ivo'ted to alug projectinglaterally from the rame of the a paratu's by means of a bolt 27, said yoke eing provided at its end with a slot 28, and 29 is a link screw threaded at' its outer end and pivoted to 9. lug projecting from the frame of thea'pparatusand provided with a flange 30, on which the yoke is designed to rest and a screw nut 31 engaging the screw threads of the link locks said link to the yoke. A screw 32, having a hand wheel 33, is carried'by the yoke 26, and the lower end of the said screw is provided with an enlargement 27 which is designed to press against the boss of the platen. By the use of the ivoted yoke the screw, hand wheel and yo e can be swung back out of the way when not in use.

The laten is placed on and removed from the bac ing pan and inserted into the molten metalin the furnace by means of a block and tackle 34, having a hook 35 which engages with thelinks 14, of the laten said block and tackle being supported by an overhead trolley 36.

The means for cooling the electrotype comprises a pipe 37 having a flat fan shaped nozzle 38, with an elongated mouth 39, which is placed under the backing pan, said ipe 37 designed to have cold air forced theret' rough by a centrifugal blower 37*, or other suitable air forcing device, and to deliver said air against the bottom of the backing pan at a high pressure. A gate or valve 40 is provided in the pi e 37 to regulate the quantity of air passingt erethroug i The operation is as follows :-The backing pan having been placed in position resting on the leveling screws and leveled the copper plate or shell is laced therein and covered with a backing oi molten metal to the requisite thickness, and the platen having been previously heated is lowered b the screw onto and into said molten bac ing and at the same time the pump is operated and additional molten metal is forced into the back ing pan onto the molten metal backing, a blast of cold air is then forced against the underside of the backing pan and when the plate has become sufficiently cool to handle without breaking, the teat is sheared off by swinging the pump around the pressure is released by turning the hand wheel of the press, releasing the link from the'yoke and swinging the yoke and platen back out of the way when the cast now well cooled is removed from the pan and cleaned and finished in the usual way.

Althou h I have shown the pum located on the p aten and the additiona molten metal is designed to be int'r'oduced' into the pump may be located on theffurnaee or in themetal ot' and the additional metal introduced triiugh'the'sid'e of the an and through an orifice between the p aten or cover and pan.

I do not desire to be understood as limiting m If 'to-t'he'specific details as herein descri ed as it is manifest that variations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention and improvements, I therefore reserve the right to all such variations and modifications as properly fall within the scope of my invention and the terms of the following claims.

I claim 1. In an apparatus for backing electrot pe plates, a receptacle for containing the p ate and backing, a closure for the receptacle provided with means for forcing metal into said receptacle, means for causing pressure to be exerted on said closure and means for removing excess metal on the back of the cast, substantially as described.

2. In an apparatus for backing electrot pe plates, a receptacle for containing the p ate and a backing of molten metal, a press, a heated platen designed to close said receptacle and be pressed against said molten backing by said press and means on said platen for forcing additional metal into said receptacle and onto said backing, substantiallyas described.

3. In an apparatus for backing electrotype plates, a receptacle for containing the plate and backing, means for pressing said backing and forcing additional metal thereon, and means for cooling said plate and backing com rising a pipe thereunder havin a flat nozz e and means for forcing air t rough said nozzle, substantially as described.

4 In an apparatus for backing electrot e plates, a receptacle for containing the p ate and backing, means for pressing said backing and forcing additional metal thereon, and means for cooling said plate and backing comprising a pipe thereunder having a nozzle with an elongated mouth and means for forcing air through said pipe and nozzle, substantially as described.

5. In an apparatus for backing electrot e plates, a receptacle for containing the p ate and backing, a press, a closure designed to be mounted on the backing and to close said receptacle and be pressed upon by said press, a pum .mounted on said closure for forcing meta into said rece tacle and means for removing excess meta on the back of the cast' while said metal is under pressure, substantially as described.

6. In an apparatus for backing electrotiype plates, a receptacle for containing the p ate and backing, a ress, a closure designed to be mounted on t e backing and to close said receptacle and be pressed upon by the press, a horizontally movable pump mounted on said closure designedto remove excess metal on the back of the cast while said metal is under pressure by the pump, substantially as described.

7. In an apparatus for backing electrot e plates, a receptacle for containin the p ate and backing, a ress, a closure esigned tov be mounted on t e backing and to close said receptacle and be pressed upon by the press, a horizontally movable pump mounted on said closure designed to remove excess metal on the back of the cast while said metal is under pressure by the ump and means for 15 cooling said plate and ackmg comprising a pipe and means for forcing. cooling means through said pipe, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE E. DUNTON. Witnesses:

W. J. LOVELOCK,

GEO. P. .WILLIAMSON.

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