BAA
 

AMERICAN DICTIONARY OF
 

B
 

THE second letter of the alphabet, is one of
those which are not most used, although in
biographical works and cyclopaedias it gen¬
erally requires as much space as any other.
In them b. frequently stands for born. It
represents the seventh note in the musical scale, and
among the Romans sometimes stood for the number 300,
and with a dash over it for 3,000.

Baar-Sortiment (Ger.).—In Germany, a jobbing-
house in miscellaneous books which keeps an assort¬
ment of the standard works, tastily bound, and gener¬
ally sells them at the same net prices as the publishers
themselves. The latter, in many cases, do not carry
their books bound, but issue them in paper covers.
The former sells only for cash.—Caspar.

Bab cock, Nathan, who is one of the oldest living
manufacturers of printing-presses in this country, was
born in Westerly, R. I., on November 19,1824. He was
brought up on a large farm in Stonington, Conn., where
he acquired a robust constitution, industrious habits and
such education as was afforded by the common schools
of that time. At the age of fifteen he went to Westerly,
R. I., where he remained for two years, and received

the somewhat better
training given by the
schools of that place.
In May, 1842, he was
apprenticed to the ma¬
chinist's trade in War¬
wick, R. I., and re¬
mained there thirteen
years, during which he
passed through the
progressive steps of
apprenticeship, jour¬
ney work and contract
work. In 1855 he,with
C. B. Cottrell, estab¬
lished the firm of Cot-
trell & Babcock to
carry on a general ma¬
chine business. Cir-
NATHAN BABCOCK.                    cumstauccs, liowcver,

soon led to the manu¬
facture of printing-presses, and this so grew on their
hands that all the energies of the firm were given to
this special branch of machine-building. In 1880 Mr.
Babcock sold out his half-interest and retired from the
firm. In 1882 he associated with Charles B. Maxson and
George P. Fenner in organizing the Babcock Printing-
Press Manufacturing Company, of New London, Conn.
Both of these gentlemen are young, skillful and ener¬
getic. Mr. Maxson is president of the company and is
favorably known all over the country. Mr. Fenner, the
superintendent, is an inventor and organizer of note.

Babcock Printing - Presses. — These presses,
which cover a number of styles, are manufactured at
New London, Conn. They are all large cylinders, with
the exception of the Artifex, a lithographic machine.
They range from medium to quadruple super-royal,
and are distinguished for ease in running, the termina¬
tion of the motion at each end without jar, the facility

32
 

with which the form can be reached without lifting and
the stiffness with which the form and cylinder come to¬
gether, thus securing a very rigid impression. The
styles which have been out for some years are the Reg¬
ular, the Country and the Standard, and more lately
the Optimus and the Dispatch.

Back.—This is used in bookmaking in several dif¬
ferent senses. 1. The back of a type is that part which
has no nick, and which, of the four sides of the stalk,
is the nearest to the top. 2. In imposition it is the
margin at the side of the page of type which is farthest
from the wide margin. 3. In bookbinding it is the
part where the principal fold is and where the cover is
attached. It is also the part of the cover between the
two hinges, and is generally slightly rounding.

Back Board.—In a wooden hand-press, a board or
boards so placed as to defend the ribs from dirt and to
make a convenient shelf for the pressman.

Back Boxes.—A term applied to the unoccupied
boxes of an upper case, generally the upper ones, but
in England sometimes the lower ones, which are cov¬
ered up by the galley.

Back Mark.—A mark upon the laying-on board of
a printing-machine.

Back Pages.—The even or verso pages of a printed
sheet; the last pages of a book.

Back Side of the Form.—That part of the form
which touches the imposing surface or bed of the press.

Back Stay.—The piece which prevents the bed of
a press from running out too far.

Back Up.—To reverse the motion of a machine.

Backing. — 1. In electrotyping, filling the shell
with metal, so as to make it solid. The film, as de¬
posited in the battery, is extremely thin, varying from
the thickness of the finest tissue paper to that of an or¬
dinary newspaper. To be used, it must be supported
by a considerable thickness of solid metal. The copper
will not adhere directly to the type metal or electrotype
metal resembling that used in type without an amal¬
gam. This is frequently obtained from zinc upon
which muriatic acid has been poured. The fluid thus
resulting is placed evenly over the back of the shell
with a brush. After this is done tin solder is applied
in the shape of a powder over the film, which is then
lowered to the surface of the pot containing the back¬
ing-metal. The heat gradually extends itself to the
shell and the solder, and when the latter is fused the
shell will be tinned all over the back, and ready to rC'
ceive the fused type metal. When this is done melted
metal should be poured over the shell and amalgam
until it is thick enough, which is considerably thicker
than it is at last to appear when prepared for the press.
It is then ready for trimming and finishing. The proc¬
ess described is that used in England ; the American
method will be described under Electrotyping. 2. In
printing, doing the second side of a sheet. 3. That part
of binding which consists in getting the back into its
true shape and forming the groove for the cover to rest
in. The back is always a little thicker than the sheets
away from the back, as the fold in each signature is