The History of Sterling Toggle and Plate Mounting Systems

In 1876, a German clockmaker, Ottmar Mergenthaler, invented the Linotype Machine. The machine revolutionized the printing industry, as it enabled operators to create one line of type at a time, hence the term “linotype”. The linotype operator would enter text on a keyboard and the machine would assemble the necessary type to produce one line of text. The line of type would then be cast to form a lead slug. The type would then return back to the magazine to be re-used. The operator would insert the lead slugs into a chase and use quoins to lock the slugs. The chase would be placed into the press to be printed.

The invention of 11pt electro printing plates did away with the need to set type. Printers mounted the new electro plate on top of wood. This was a very time consuming task, as it took a lot of skill and patience to register the die in place. Wood is fibrous and extremely porous. It cannot stand up uniformly under normal impress. It is also subject to variation in size and climatic changes. For these reasons, wood cannot maintain accurate register. This objection to wood as a mounting material is common knowledge, and we use it only to illustrate the progression to the use of metal bases. The adaptation of metal bases with a plate-clamping device was a natural development.

A new invention called the PMC Warnock Plate Mounting System consisted of a steel base with diagonal grooves. Printers were able to lock the printing plate into position using the steel base and hook. This system had great benefits as it drastically reduced set up time. However, it was extremely heavy and the press operators regularly complained about back aches. It was also costly to manufacture.

In 1902, John Quiggan filed patent 1,480.300. for a lightweight honeycomb base. Mr. Quiggan had no formal engineering education. He was an innovative thinker and very mechanically inclined. A catch was inserted into the honeycomb to lock the plate in place. This system had many benefits to as it was light, quick and less costly than the PMC Warnock Plate Mounting System. In 1920, Mr. Quiggan signed an agreement with the E.W. Blatchford Company, a division of N.L. Industries. For each catch that was sold, John Quiggan would receive a royalty of .075 per catch and .025 per square inch of honeycomb base.

The Vice President of EW Blatchford Company was Al Monaco. Al and his team of engineers spent many years developing the new Blatchford Catch and Honeycomb Base System. Once the design was perfected, it took the skills of the supervisor Gus Peterson, a tool and die maker, another year for the factory to tool up. Finally, after many years, the E.W. Blatchford Company was now able to offer its lightweight Honeycomb Plate Mounting System to the industry.

Al was now looking for sales people to sell his new product. In 1944, at the end of World War II, Al hired William (Bill) Horne, Master Technical Sergeant, USMC to help promote this product. Bill’s sales territory was the East Coast. Printing was booming in Manhattan especially on Varick Street in New York City. At times, Bill would spend the entire day calling on customers all located in the same building. He was able to convince one customer after another to invest in the Blatchford Lightweight Honeycomb. Although shy in nature, drive, determination and strong business ethics allowed Bill to be promoted to sales manager, V.P. of Sales, partner and when Al Monaco retired, sole proprietor.

In its heyday, the E.W. Blatchford Company was producing 5000 catches per week and 50 Honeycomb Chases. In 1950, a competitor called the Printing Machinery Company (PMC) began producing another type of honeycomb chase. Through the years, the owner of PMC, Lee Augustine and Bill began to develop a special friendship. Although fiercely competitive, both men had admiration for one another and found that they both had more in common then apart. Over lunch one day in Ohio, Bill convinced Lee to manufacture his products in his factory in Brooklyn. The two men formed a partnership that day that would last until Lee passed away.

In 1976, Mrs. Augustine, who was a concert pianist sold the Sterling Toggle division of the PMC Company to Bill & Irene Horne. Irene joined her husband in the newly formed business as her children were now grown. Together through hard work and determination, they built a successful business. However, offset printing was slowly making letterpress printing obsolete. Bill realized the demise of letterpress printing and changed the design of the toggle hooks to accommodate a new trend foil stamping and embossing.

Today, Sterling Toggle is managed by the Horne Family children, Debbie & Bill Jr. We manufacturer foil stamping, embossing and die cutting equipment throughout the world. We continue to grow and be successful as we live by the basic principals our parents taught us, that honesty, integrity and hard work equal success.