Method of making fully etched type-carrier elements

Claim 1

The method of forming from metal stock a one-piece type-carrier element of the kind having a center portion and a plurality of arms extending therefrom, each arm having a printing surface and an oppositely disposed impact surface, the printing surface including integral print characters, comprising the steps: coating both surfaces of the metal stock with photoresist material; forming images defining the overall outline shape of the carrier element in the photoresist on one surface of the metal stock, hereinafter referred to as the impact surface thereof and defining first stage characters on the other surface of the metal stock, hereinafter referred to as the printing surface thereof, the images being in register; removing photoresist to expose the metal stock except for that photoresist on the impact surface covering the carrier element shape and that photoresist on the print surface covering the first stage character shapes, and photoresist, if any, on both surfaces of the metal stock selected to facilitate handling during fabrication; forming second stage character images defining selected print characters in the photoresist remaining on the printing surface first stage character areas without further exposure of the photoresist on the impact surface; etching the exposed metal stock on the impact surface only to a predetermined depth; etching the exposed metal to a predetermined depth on both the impact and the printing surfaces of the metal stock; removing the remaining photoresist material from the printing surface except for that which defines the second stage print characters; and further etching the exposed metal on both the impact and printing surfaces until breakthrough occurs whereby the element and the print characters thereon are formed and any remaining metal stock immediately adjacent the element is completely removed except for any portions selected to facilitate handling.

Claim 2

The method of forming from metal stock a one-piece type-carrier element of the kind having a center portion and a plurality of arms extending therefrom, each arm having a printing surface and an oppositely disposed impact surface, the printing surface including integral print characters, comprising the steps: coating both surfaces of the metal stock with photoresist material; forming images defining the overall outline shape of the carrier element in the photoresist on one surface of the metal stock, hereinafter referred to as the impact surface thereof and defining first stage characters on the other surface of the metal stock, hereinafter referred to as the printing surface thereof, the images being in register; removing photoresist to expose the metal stock except for that photoresist on the impact surface covering the carrier element shape and that photoresist on the print surface covering the first stage character shapes, and photoresist, if any, on both surfaces of the metal stock selected to facilitate handling during fabrication; forming second stage character images defining selected print characters in the photoresist remaining on the printing surface first stage character areas without further exposure of the photoresist on the impact surface; etching the exposed metal stock on the impact surface only to a predetermined depth; etching the exposed metal to a predetermined depth on both the impact and the printing surfaces of the metal stock; removing the remaining photoresist material from the printing surface except for that which defines the second stage print characters; and further etching the exposed metal on both the impact and printing surfaces until breakthrough occurs whereby the element and the print characters thereon are formed and any remaining metal stock immediately adjacent the element is completely removed except for any portions selected to facilitate handling.

Claim 5

The method of any preceding claims 1, 2 or 3 in which image formation is by means of exposure of selected portions of the photoresist material to radiation and the removal of selected areas of photoresist is by selective solvent removal.

Claim 6

The method of any of the preceding claims 1, 2 or 3 in which the metal stock is precipitation hardened steel.

Claim 7

The method of any of the preceding claims 1, 2 or 3 in which the steps thereof are preceded by a step to form a ring-like concave printing surface area in the metal stock.