Method for intaglio printing and selectively alterable inking plate therefor

Claim 1

In a method for intaglio printing, the steps of A. providing an intaglio inking plate having a surface and means for producing different prescribed patterns of shallow depressions in said surface, said inking plate comprising a body having a plate surface with an aperture therein, a plurality of separately-movable bars in said aperture, each bar having a flat end, each flat end being movable between a first position flush with said plate surface and a second position depressed a small distance below said plate surface, the combination of all of said ends of said bars entirely blocking said aperture with substantially no spaces therebetween, B. producing a first prescribed pattern of depressions in said surface, including positioning a selected combination of said bars with the ends thereof in said first position flush with said surface and the ends of the remaining bars in said second position depressed from said surface, C. filling said depressions with ink, D. transferring an ink pattern from said pattern of filled depressions to a transfer surface, E. altering said surface to provide a second prescribed pattern of shallow depressions therein including positioning a different selected combination of said bars with the ends thereof in said first position flush with said surface and the ends of the remaining bars in said second position depressed from said surface and then F. repeating steps C and D.