Friel imprinter on a C&P

I have a new style C&P with a Friel imprinter attachment.

In the space of a 10x15 chase, a smaller one is present. with each cycle of the press the chase moves to one of three sequential positions, from bottom to top.

it is an early 1900’s option originally intended for printing and numbering checks.

I’ve only found reference to one in a 1907 online edition of the “American Printer and Lithographer”, Volume 75

I have the feeling that this one may be the only one which has yet to be converted back to a simple press.

Do you have one of these or know of any left?

thanks,
Ben

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Log in to reply   7 replies so far

Ben:

That’s a very interesting system. I have never seen one like it in my 50+ years of scrounging through old shops and letterpress investigation. Is the “step” adjustable?

Does it still operate as intended? If so, it would be great to set it up and create a video you could share and to document its operation.

John Henry

This would be a good machine as it is for running business cards , save a lot of setting work for long runs of varying names or styles on common stock !
Was this built on the base parts of the c and P or was it converted by the people on the label ? I ask as there appears to have the chase lock missing , and most adaptions have the chase system incorporated as part of the design , the lack of the lock would imply you were not goimg to use it with a conventional chase for printing .
Are the holes for fitting the chase lock even there ?

Wow! I’ve been operating and studying and repairing C&Ps for over fifty years and I never saw or ever heard of this attachment before. Wow.

Looks interesting and very well engineered. By all means please do document it’s existence and operation via video. I would love to see this in action.

However, I cannot imagine any practical application for it in this day and age, but it sure would be interesting to see it functioning…

Thanks for posting these photos.

- AR

Hello,
I’ve seen them in Check Printer shops.
Used for 3 on a sheet ‘ledger checks’
Advantages- one type form, regular numbering machine…(no need for skip 3 numbering machines)
Looks like a nice press.
Thanks for posting
James ‘Mac’ McGraw

Just when you think you’ve seen everything someone comes up with something like this, Alan i’ve never seen this on a c&p either, like skiyou said they are used for check printing, i’ve seen a press made for this before but i think it was called a mcadams, it printed one form 3 times on a sheet advancing the form each time it prints.

John,
I am unsure if it is adjustable, It currently cycles into three positions before resetting, but it would make sense that the throw could be adjusted.
It is in excellent condition and runs like a dream.

Peter,
It is based off a C&P and from what I can tell no steps were skipped in the manufacture of the press itself. There are holes for the chase lock (bolt hole and spring tension hole) These machined holes lead me to believe that it was converted by Friel after the press was fully completed. If they had a contract with C&P it seems like they’d forgo any unnecessary steps, like cutting threads into a cast piece.

I appreciate the interest.

I’ve decided to list this press for sale so check the Classifieds!

http://briarpress.org/35084