Documents Relating to Printing Patents

Andrew Campbell (1821-1890) was an American inventor and manufacturer of printing presses, president of the Campbell Press Company of Brooklyn, New York. In 1853 where he invented the press-feeding machine while employed by A.B. Taylor & Co. In 1861, he built the Campell Country Press which was used nationwide by newspaper publishers. In 1866, Campbell built the first press that printed, inserted, posted, folded, and cut in one continuous operation. He held 50 patents and is also credited with other labor-saving machinery such as hat manufacturer, steam engine, tools, lithographic machinery and electric appliances.

Stephen Davis Tucker (1818-1902) was a mechanic and inventor who worked for R. Hoe Company. In 1861 Tucker of New York had filed for a patent (No. 1304) in England for “Improvements in Printing Machinery.”

R. Hoe and Company began in 1805 with the partnership of brothers Peter Smith and Matthew Smith who were brothers, and Robert Hoe, an English emigrant. Initially, they specialized in the manufacture of wooden hand printing presses. The company then made high-speed printing presses. The company became known as an innovator in the printing press business making the single large cylinder press, the two-revolution press, double cylinder press, large cylinder perfecting press, small cylinder inking machine, copper-plate copying press, type cases and stands, stereotype blocks, paper ruling press, all the related tools used in the printing business along with a foundry for casting type

A British law known as the Patent Amendment Law of 1852 required the reprinting of patents issued by the Office of the Commissioners of Patents from 1623 to 1852 (in total 12,997 applications). The new law required revenue stamp duties on patents. The patents covered minor to major changes concerning printing presses, engraving, lithography, color processes, printing on fabric, paper, packages and other media.