UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. GEORGE EAST WOOD, OF LONDON, ENGLAND. MANUFACTURE OF FLONGS FOR PRODUCING MATRICES FOR STEREOTYPING, SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 542,847, dated July 6, 1895. Application filed February 28, 1895, Serial No. 539,468, (No specimens.) Patented in England November 27, 1893, No. 22,732, and in France December 4, 1893, No. 234,529. To all, whom it may concern. In carrying out the invention the composi Beit known that I, GEORGE EAST WOOD, of tion or paste is preferably applied to the bibu London, England, have invented certain new lous paper by means of a brush and in a warm and useful Improvements in the Manufacture state. It is then allowed to dry, and when it of Flongs for Producing Matrices or Molds for is dry the flong is complete and can be kept 55 Stereotyping, (for which I have obtained a in stock in the dry state for practically any patent in Great Britain, No. 22,732, bearing length of time. date November 27, 1893, and a patent in In practice I find it desirable to face both France, No. 234,529, dated December 4, 1893.) sides of the paper with the composition, be of which the following is a specification. cause by So doing I avoid any tendency of the The flongs hitherto employed for the pro paper to Warp while drying. It is also well duction of matrices or molds for stereotyping to apply a second coat of the composition have generally been made of two or more thin after the first coat is dry. When this flong is sheets of blotting-paper or other bibulous pa to be used the face upon which the mold is to per with a facing composed of one or more be produced is preferably smoothed with sand sheets of tissue-paper and a backing composed paper; but this is not essential. This face is of one or more thick sheets of blotting-paper then slightly damped with water or with the and sometimes a layer of muslin behind this. composition by means of a sponge or other The Whole of this flong has been impregnated Wise, and it may then be covered with one or With a composition or paste, the nature of more sheets of tissue, or other suitable paper, which has somewhat varied, but it has gener damp or dry. Then it is preferably rubbed ally been a mixture of glue or gum, flour, with French chalk or other suitable material starch, whiting, and borax or alun. When it which will absorb superfluous moisture. The is required to produce a matrix or mold with flong thus prepared is placed upon the type 75 25 one of these flongs, the moist flong is put upon or in a frisket or frame, and is then sur the type-form, beaten into the type with a rounded by heated air for a few seconds, so as brush, and then rolled; or Sometimes the beat to just soften the composition and render it ing is dispensed with, in which case the roll plastic. When in this state it is pressed upon ing has to be effected under great pressure. the form by means of a platen press. The 8 Then the matrix thus taken is put, together mold is thus taken and becomes at once fixed. With the type-form, into a hot press in order It will be understood from the foregoing to dry, and it is necessary to cover the back description that my flong is a dry flong with of the matrix with one or more layers of the composition or paste on the face. When blanket in order to absorb the moisture; or if the flong is used the blotting or other paper 35 the type is not heated the matrix is stripped does not contain moisture; but the composi off it and instead of being put into a hot press tion or paste, after being slightly damped, as it is put into an oven or box of hot sand to above described, becomes sufficiently softened dry. All these operations are slow and the by the heated air or by contact with the form resulting matrix or mold is often more or less (when this is heated) to enable a perfect mold go 40 imperfect, besides which the flong must be to be taken by the press. kept in a damp condition some time before it The special composition or paste which I can be used. preferably employ for facing the bibulous pa Now the present invention consists in the per consists of treacle or other saccharine manufacture of a flong from one thick sheet liquor, glue, flour, whiting, borax, and Water. 95 45 of blotting-paper or other bibulous paper I do not limit myself to any particular pro faced on one or both sides when dry with com portions, but Irecommend that the amount of position or paste. The invention also com treacle used should be about one-twentieth, by prises a special composition or paste for the weight, of the combined weight of the other purpose, the said composition or paste being ingredients employed, exclusive of water. Oo So one that will dry, consolidate, and harden The following proportions are given, by Way upon the Surface of the paper. of example, being those that I consider best:

3. 542,847 treacle, four to five ounces; glue, eighteen composition, substantially as hereinbefore ounces; flour, six ounces; whiting, four described. pounds; borax, one to two ounces, and water 2. A flong for producing matrices or molds 25 sufficient to make the composition of the con- for stereotyping consisting of a thick sheet of 5 sistence of cream. bibulous paper having a normal unimpreg In making the above composition the glue nated interior and having on its face a coat should be dissolved in water, the flour boiled ing of a dry paste composed of a saccharine in water into a thick paste, and the whiting liquor, glue, flour, whiting, borax, and water 3o mixed with water. These three ingredients, in approximately the proportions specified. Io with their water, are then well mixed together 3. A composition for coating the bibulous and heated to boiling-point in a suitable ves- paper of flongs used for producing matrices sel, a bain-marie or water-bath being prefer- or molds for stereotyping, the said composi ably employed. Theborax and treacle, either tion consisting of treacle, glue, flour, whiting, 35 previously mixed together or not, are then borax and water in approximately the propor I5 added to the mixture, together with sufficient tions specified. water to make the composition of the consist- In witness whereof I have hereunto signed ence of cream, my name in the presence of two subscribing What I claim, and desire to secure by Let- witnesses. ters Patent, is- GEORGE EAST WOOD. 2 o 1. A flong for producing matrices or molds Witnesses: for stereotyping consisting of a thick sheet of THOMAS L. WHITEHEAD, w dry bibulous paper having on its face a dry ROBERT.M. SPEARPOINT,