US1964599A - Photo-engraved printing plate and method of producing the same - Google Patents

Description

June 26, 1934. v. E. ROYLE 1,964,599

PHOTO-ENGRAVED PRINTING PLATE AND METHOD OF PRODUCING THE SAME Filed May 28. 1932 ATTORNEYS Patented June 26, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFHCE PHOTO-ENGRAVED PRINTING PLATE AND METHOD OF PRODUCING THE SAME 14 Claims.

This invention relates to a photo-engraved printing plate and method of producing the same, and particularly to plates having the periphery of the engraved surface in the form of an ellipse or oval.

An object of the invention is to provide a method which will eliminate the free hand tooling of the plate and bring about a more accurate positioning and centering of the subject to be outlined by an ellipse or other oval boundary.

Another object of this invention is to produce an engraved plate with positive designations for determining the major and minor axes of the ellipse desired.

Another object is to produce an engraved plate having means thereon which will coincide with the major and minor axes designations of the elliptical subject on the plate, so that the plate may be readily and easily located on an ellipsograph lining attachment arranged to coact with a routing machine, such as described and claimed in Letters Patent No. 1,226,912 dated May 22, 1917, which machine will finish the plate by providing any number of decorative border lines disposed in parallel relation, as well as rout the plate and bevel the edges, even by an unskilled operator.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 represents a face view of a subject to be reproduced on the plate;

Fig. 2 represents a side elevation showing the subject to be reproduced and the photographic apparatus partly in sectionillustrating the position of the screen and the sensitized wet'plate upon which the subject is to be photographed;

Fig. 3 represents a face view of the sensitized plate developed and showing the subject photographed thereon;

Fig. 4 represents a face view of a glass plate upon which the wet film from the negative has been transferred;

Figs. 5 and 6 represent, respectively, front and back views of a cutout mat having an elliptical opening therein, together with major and minor axes designations 0f the opening;

Fig. '7 represents a face view of the cut-out mat having its front disposed against the wet film on the glass plate in position for scribing and cutting the film on the line of the opening in the cut-out mat;

Fig. 8 represents a view similar to Fig. 4 with the film which bounded the elliptical portion of the subject stripped from the glass plate;

Fig. 9 represents a face view of a sensitized metal plate having the subject printed thereon from the film on the glass plate;

Fig. 10 represents a similar view with the cut-out mat registering with the elliptical film on the plate and the edges of the plate scribed with the major and minor axes corresponding to the major and minor axes of the elliptical film;

Fig. 11 represents a face view of the plate showing a portion of the surface thereof routed adjacent the elliptical edge of the subject, and

Fig. 12 represents a print made from the finished plate. a

In the method of producing engraved printing plates now in common use, the subject is photographed on a'wet plate, developed'to permanentize it, and while still wet it is treated in the usual manner and transferred to a glass plate to form a reverse negative. A transparent templet or mask of celluloid is cut to the desired form and placed upon the film to center the subject and the film out along the peripheral edge of the templet. The film outside the cut is then stripped from the plate and the templet removed. After the film has been dried it is then printed on a metal plate s having a sensitized surface. The sensitized plate having the subject printed thereon. is then developed, treated to harden the surface and etched in the usual manner. After the plateis etched the transparent elliptical templet is again used as a guide for outlining the subject engraved on the plate, which outline is scratchedlightly on the plate to form a guide for the hand engraver to follow with a gravers tool. This'outline must then be made permanent by cutting a deep groove in the plate by the engraver, which operation is a free hand operation and therefore requires unusual skill to follow the scratched line on the plate. By this method no aligning means are employed and the subject on the engraved plate is often out of center, irregular and unbalanced. Furthermore, this style of finishing the plate by hand graving is costly and uncertain of quality.

My invention contemplates a more accurate positioning and centering of the subject to be outline-d in the form of an ellipse or other oval, eliminating all guesswork and unbalanced and lopsided ellipses or ovals. Referring to the draw ings, the subject which is to be reproduced on a photo-engraved plate is denoted by 1, the photographic apparatus by 2, the screen by 3, and the glass plate by 4 having a sensitized surface 5. This form of photographic apparatus and method of reproducing the subject on a sensitized plate is of the well known type. 7

After the subject has been exposed to the sensitized surfaced plate, the plate is developed in the usual manner to form a permanent negative film 6, shown in Fig. 3, which film, when dry is coated, with a stripping collodion such as a solution of rubber or other similar material to protect and strengthen the original film so as to permit its being removed from the original negative glass. After the stripping collodion has dried the negative is immersed in a weak solution of acetic acid to dissolve the thin albumen film on which the original negative collodion was flowed, and the negative with its stripping collodion may be floated off or easily removed from the original negative glass. While the negative is still wet and pliable, it is laid with its upper surface or face in contact with a larger and thicker glass plate 7, so that the subject may be reversely transferred thereto. One of the purposes of turning the negative is of course to reverse the subject, thereby correcting the reversal which took place through the lens of the photographic apparatus 2. While only one negative is shown on the glass plate 7, it has been found advantageous to transfer a plurality of negatives to a single glass plate, thereby expediting the further progress of the work. The glass plate 7 with the film thereon may now be manipulated to accurately position and center the subject as well as determine the diameters of the major and minor axes required for the finished engraving.

A cut-out mat 8, see Figs. 5 and 6, composed of thin metal, such as zinc, aluminum, or other suitable material having an opening 9 therein of predetermined size is arranged to correspond to the periphery of the engraving desired. This opening 9 has cut in its edges diametrically opposed notches 10, 11 to designate the points of the major axis of the elliptical opening, and similar notches 12, 13 to mark the position of the minor axis of the ellipse. The cut-out mat 8 is also provided adjacent its edges and on the face 14 (Fig. 5) with vertical lines 15, 16 which register with the notches 10, 11 and horizontal lines 17, 18 arranged to register with the notches 12, 13 of the opening 9. The reverse side 19 (Fig. 6) of the cut-out mat is also marked with vertical lines 20, 21 adjacent its edges to designate the major axis of the opening and horizontal lines 22, 23 toposition the minor axis of the opening. The lines 20, 21 also register with the notches 10, 11, while the lines 22, 23 coincide with the notches 12, 13 in the opening 9.

The cut-out mat 8 is now placed with its face 14 against the wet film 6 on the glass plate 7, so that the opening 9 will expose the desired amount of the subject to be engraved. The film is now scribed around the opening and notches with any sharp pointed instrument (not shown) which will cut the film. Upon removing the cutout mat 8 from this position, shown in Fig. 7, the portion of the film surrounding the line of the cut may now be skinned or stripped from the glass plate 7 leaving only the elliptical portion of the film on the glass plate, as shown in Fig. 8. By reason of the film being cut at the notches, projections 24, 25, 26, 27 will be formed therewith to designate the axes of the elliptical film. When the film has been dried and hardened, it is then placed against a sensitized surface of a plate 28 of metal, such as copper, or the like, and the subject printed thereon by the usual exposure to light. The plate 28 with the printed subject thereon is then developed and treated to harden the sensitized surface, so that it may be etched in the usual manner. After the plate has been etched, it is scribed with center lines as shown at 29, 30 which designate the major axis and at 31, 32 which determine the minor axis of the subject etched on the plate. These center lines 29, 30 are located by placing the cut-out mat 8 with its face 19 against the plate to register with the projections 24 to 27 inclusive fitting the notches 10 to 13 inclusive and by lining the projections 24, 25 and lines 20, 21 with a straight edge (not shown). Likewise the straight edge is placed on the projections 26, 27 and lines 22, 23 to locate the center lines 31, 32 on the edge of the plate 28. While I have shown and described a means of scribing the center lines on the edge of the plate by the use of the cut-out mat 8, I wish it also understood that the lines may be scribed by omitting the mat and lining the oppositely disposed projections with the straight edge, thereby bringing the center lines, if necessary, in close proximity to the projections on the edge of the engraved surface. These center lines serve to position the plate when used in connection with an ellipsograph lining attachment, such as that shown in Letters Patent No. 1,226,912 dated May 22, 1917, which attachment may be set to out border designations uniformly on the engraving. This attachment may also be used in conjunction with a routing machine of any well known or approved type, for routing the surface of the plate 28 surrounding the elliptical engraving, as partly shown in Fig. 11, thereby presenting only the engraved surface for printing in the usual manner. When the engraved surface is lined with the border or borders, the projections 24 to 27 inclusive may be removed by the lining tools.

Thus it will be seen from the foregoing that this method is simple, effective and readily accomplished by even an unskilled operator. Furthermore, the particular advantages are that the subject may be accurately positioned or centered and provided with temporary axes designations before the subject is printed or etched on the printing plate, and the plate etched with the major and minor axes designations projecting outwardly from the peripheral edge of the subject.

What I claim is:

1. A photo-engraved printing plate having a subject etched thereon, the peripheral edge of said etched subject being of elliptical or oval form and provided with predetermined axial designations formed integral with the peripheral edge of the subject for aligning and centering the plate on a lining or routing machine.

2. A photo-engraved printing plate having a subject etched thereon, the peripheral edge of said etched subject being of elliptical or oval form and provided with predetermined axial designations formed integral with and extending outwardly from the peripheral edge of the subject for aligning and centering the plate on a lining I or routing machine.

said etched subject being of elliptical or oval form and provided with radially disposed projections formed integral with the peripheral edge of the subject and designating the major and minor axes of the elliptical or oval subject for aligning and centering the plate on a lining or routing machine.

5. The method of producing engraved printing plates of elliptical or oval form which includes the following steps: producing a negative of the subject on a film, transferring the film while Wet to a transparent plate, cutting the wet film on said plate to the desired form including axial designations and stripping the edges of the film from the plate outside the out, drying the film on the plate to harden it, associating the filni on the plate with a sensitized surfaced metal plate and printing the subject on said sensitized surface, developing the sensitized surface of the plate to permanentize it, and etching the printed surface of the plate.

6. The method of producing engraved printing plates of elliptical or oval form which includes the following steps: producing a negative of the subject on a film, transferring the film while wet to a transparent plate, placing a cutout mat on the Wet film, said mat being provided with an opening and axial designations therein of dimensions corresponding to the boundary of the engraving desired, cutting the wet film on the plate to the opening and axial designations in the mat, removing the mat from the film on the plate and stripping the edges of the film from the plate outside the cut, drying the film on the plate to harden it, associating the film on the plate with a sensitized surfaced metal plate and printing the subject on said sensitized surface, developing the sensitized surface of the plate to permanentize it, and etching the printed surface of the plate.

"I. The method of producing engraved printing plates of elliptical or oval form which includes the following steps: producing a negative of the subject on a film, transferring the film while wet to a transparent plate, placing a cut-out mat on the wet said mat being provided with an opening therein of dimensions corresponding to the boundary of the engraving desired, said opening having means on its edge to designate the axes of the opening, cutting the wet film on the plate to the opening and means in the mat, removing the mat from the film on the plate and stripping the edges of the film from the plate outside the cut, drying the film on the plate to harden it, associating the film on the plate with a sensitized surfaced metal plate and printing the subject and axial designations on said sensitized surface, developing the sensitized surface of the plate to permanentize it, and etching the printed surface of the plate.

8. The method of producing engraved printing plates of elliptical or oval form which includes the following steps: producing a negative of the subject on a film, transferring the film while wet to a transparent plate, placing a cut-out mat on the wet film, said mat being provided with an opening therein of dimensions corresponding to the boundary of the engraving desired, said opening having means on its edge to designate the axes of the opening, cutting the wet film on the plate to the opening and means in the mat, removing the mat from the film on the plate and stripping the edges of the film from the plate outside the cut, drying the film on the plate to harden it, associating the film on the plate with a sensitized surfaced metal plate and printing the subject and axial designations on said sensitized surface, developing the sensitized surface of the plate to permanentize it, etching the printed surface of the plate, and scribing the outer edges of the plate to register with the means on the etched surface.

9. The method of producing engraved printing plates of elliptical or oval form which includes the following steps: producing a negative of the subject on a fdm, transferring the film while wet to a transparent plate, placing a cut-out mat on the wet film, said mat being provided with an opening therein of dimensions corresponding to the boundary of the engraving desired, said opening having diametrically opposed means on its edge to designate the axes of the opening, cutting the wet film on the plate to t .e opening and means in the mat, removing the mat from the film on the plate and stripping the edges of the film from the plate outside the cut, drying the film on the plate to harden it, associating the film on the plate with a sensitized surfaced metal plate and printing the subject and axial designations on said sensitized surface, developing the sensitized surface of the plate to permanentize it, and etching the printed surface of the plate.

10. The method of producing engraved printing plates of elliptical or oval form which includes the following steps: producing a negative of the subject on a film, transferring the film while wet to a transparent plate, placing a cut-out mat on the wet film, said mat being provided with an opening therein of dimensions corre sponding to the boundary of the engraving desired, said opening having diametrically opposed means on its edge to designate the axes of the opening, cutting the wet film on the plate to the opening and means in the mat, removing the mat from the film on the plate and stripping the edges of the film from the plate outside the cut, dryingthe film on the plate to harden it, associating the film on the plate with a sensitized surfaced metal plate and printing the subject and axial designations on said sensitized surface, developing the sensitized surface of the plate to permanentize it, etching the printed surface of the plate, and scribing the outer edges of the plate to register with the means on the etched surface.

11. The method of producing engraved printing plates of elliptical or oval form which includes the following steps: producing a negative of the subject on a film, transferring the film while wet to a transparent plate, placing a cutout mat on the wet film, said mat being provided with an opening therein of dimensions corresponding to the boundary of the engraving desired, said opening having notches on its edge to designate the axes of the opening, cutting the wet film on the plate to the opening and notches in the mat, removing the mat from the film on the plate and stripping the edges of the film from the piate outside the cut, drying the film on the plate to harden it, associating the film on the plate with a sensitized surfaced metal plate and printing the subject and axial designations on said sensitized surface, developing the sensitized surface of the plate to permanentize it, and etching the printed surface of the plate.

12. The method of producing engraved printing plates of elliptical or oval form which includes the following steps: producing a negative of the subject on a film, transferring the film while wet to a transparent plate, placing a cut-out mat on the wet film, said mat being provided with an opening therein of dimensions corresponding to the boundary of the engraving desired, said opening having notches on its edge to designate the axes of the opening, cutting the wet film on the plate to the opening and notches in the mat, removing the mat from the film on the plate and stripping the edges of the film from the plate outside the cut, drying the film on the plate to harden it, associating the film on the plate with a sensitized surfaced metal plate and printing the subject and axial designations on said sensitized surface, developing the sensitized surface of the plate to permanentize it, etching the printed surface of the plate, and scribing the outer edges of the plate to register with the notches on the etched surface.

13. The method of producing engraved printing plates of elliptical or oval form which includes the following steps: producing a negative of the subject on a film, transferring the film while wet to a transparent plate, placing a cut-out mat on the wet film, said mat being provided with an opening therein of dimensions corresponding to the boundary of the engraving desired, said opening having diametrically opposed notches on its edge to designate the axes of the opening, cutting the Wet film on the plate to the opening and notches in the mat, removing the mat from the film on the plate and stripping the edges of the film from the plate outside the cut, drying the film on the plate to harden it, associating the film on the plate with a sensitized surfaced metal plate and printing the subject and axial designations on said sensitized surface, developing the sensitized surface of the plate to permanentize it, and etching the printed surface of the plate.

14. The method of producing engraved printing plates of elliptical or oval form which includes the following steps: producing a negative of the subject on a film, transferring the film while wet to a transparent plate, placing a cut-out mat on the wet film, said mat being provided with an opening therein of dimensions corresponding to the boundary of the engraving desired, said opening having diametrically opposed notches on its edge to designate the axes of the opening, cutting the Wet film on the plate to the opening and notches in the mat, removing the mat from the film on the plate and stripping the edges of the film from the plate outside the cut, drying the film on the plate to harden it, associating the film on the plate with a sensitized surfaced metal plate and printing the subject and axial designations on said sensitized surface, developing the sensitized surface of the plate to permanentize it, etching the printed surface of the plate, and scribing the outer edges of the plate to register with the notches on the etched surface.

VERNON E. ROYLE.

Images