USRE5766E - Improvement in apparatus for enameling photographs - Google Patents

Description

UNITED I NATHANIEL WESTON, OF SAN FRANCISCQ CALIFORNIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATUS FOR ENAMELENG PHOTOGRAPHS.

Speciication forming part of Letters Patent No. 72138, dated December 10, 1867,: reissue No. 5,085, dated October 1, 1872; reissue No. 5,766, dated February 17, 1874; application led January 7, 1874.

To clt whom it may concern:

Be t known that I, NA'I'HANIEL WESTON, of the city of San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in an Apparatus for Enameling Cards, Pictures, &c.; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, that will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improved apparatus for enaineling pictures, cards, and other surfaces of thin plates, cards, or paper.

Before my improved apparatus was devised this work of enameling was performed bylaying the card or sheet to be enameled face upward upon a block, which was usually supported in a tray, which served to catch the surplus or overtlowing enamel or gluten. After the enamel was poured upouthe card or picture, a glass plate was pressed upon the upper surface of the card, so as to spread the enamel or gluten uniformly over the card or plate surface. This glass plate was held n position by hand until the enamel or gluten sets suihciently to permit of its being removed from the block, after which a weight was placed upon the glass to preserve the pressure until the enamel should become hard. The block upon which the picture, card, or plate was placed would soon warp, so. as to make its surface unevcn, thus leaving spots or portions of the enameled surface thicker than others, owing to the impossibility of obtaining an equal pressure upon all parts of the card, and, besides, the process, as then conducted, required the attention of two persons to perform it cor- V rectly.

My improvement consists in the employment of two plates, the upper one of which must be of glass, while the lower one can be of metal, glass, or other thin substance, between which the picture, card, print, or sheet is pressed, and also iu the employment of two clamps for binding the two plates together With the card between them, while the enamel is hardening, instead of the weight heretofore used. I also provide a convenient rest for steadying the glass plates while pressing them together, so that one person can perform the labor instead of two.

In order to mere fully illustrate and explain my invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specication, in which- Figure 1 is a side view of my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view.

G is the tray, inside of which the fonr blocks or supporting-legs F are placed, and D is the block which is placed upon and supported by the blocks or legs F. B is the thin plate, which I place upon the block D. This plate can be made of glass, metal, or other material that will not warp or bend readily. The card, sheet, or plate to be enanieled being placed upon the plate B face upperinost, and the gluten or enamel poured upon it, l place the plate B'upon the card, and, by pressing upon it, spread the enamel out thinly and evenly over the surface of the card. A is a horizontal board, which is hinged at one end to'a wall, A, or other upright, and which is provided With a hinged leg, A so that the whole may be turned up against the wall, out of the way, when it is not needed, and let down when it is required for use. Any forin of rest, such as a lixed standard, or the wall of a room, can he used in place of the hinged board. While pressing upon the upper glass B', iu order to spread the enamcling substance, the plates are steadied by placing the edge of the upper glass against the edge of the horizontal board A thus preventing it from slipping upon the picture, Which would spoil the h'nish, and consequentl y the card.

By using the rest, the services of one man are dispensed with, as heretofore one person was required to steady the glass while the other pressed down upon it. The hinged board or rest A, wit-h its leg A can be dispensed with when the weather is warm, as the en amel substance will set soon enough to avoid the necessity of a steadying mechanism; but in cold weather, when the enameling substance chilis quickly, the restis necessary. When the enamelin g substance has been properly spread by pressing, I take two or inore clamps, E E, similar to clothespins, and clamp them upon the plates opposite each other, so as to hold the plates together With the picture, card,for print between them. The plates can then be placed tc one side, and allowed to remain until the enamel is hard. C C are two weights, Which will be used in cold Weather when the plates require to stand awhile, in order to let the enamel harden. One of these Weights is placed ou the board A, and the other on the upper plate B An elastic ban'd, H, then unites the two weights, so as to keep the edges of the plates against the edge of the board A While the clamps are being applied.

The chief feature of my invention consists n the employment of the two plates between Which the print or picture is pressed so as to insure a uniform surface, and prevent air-spots. and blisters, and the clamps for holding them together, the other parts being used as necessity requires. q 7

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure -by LettersPatent is 1 The combination of the two plates B B' and clamps E E, substantially as and for the v purpose above described.

2. The combination of the hinged board A 'hing'ed leg A, or equivalentreshwith the tray Gr, post F, block D, and plates B B', substantially as and for the purpose above described.

3. The combination of the plates B B' With the board A having hin ged leg A or equivalent device, substantially as and for the purpose described. .r

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 6th day of September, 1873.

NATHANIEL 'WEsToN. L. s.]

XVitnesses:

F. O. VVEGENER,

O. MILTONRIGHARDSON.

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