Letterpress printing ink

A non-petroleum base newspaper letterpress printing ink comprising a blend of Gilsonite (uintaite) flakes and tall oil fatty acid together with carbon black pigment. The proportions of the Gilsonite and the tall oil fatty acid may be varied, as viscosity requirements change due to differences in press speeds, newsprint characteristics, and the like. The ink thus has readily adjustable viscosity, together with an enhanced flow and penetration characteristics, while being extremely economical to manufacture.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
Printing inks, particularly letterpress newspaper printing inks which have 
a non-petroleum base, which are environmentally acceptable, while 
providing reduced misting with extra mileage and good quality. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Discussed in a PRIOR ART STATEMENT being submitted separately. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
According to the present invention, a non-petroleum base letterpress ink is 
formulated from carbon black pigment and a blend of Gilsonite (uintaite) 
with tall oil fatty acid. The resultant printing ink provides an ink 
having enhanced viscosity, flow and penetration characteristics, while 
being exceptionally economical to manufacture. As a result, the ink is 
highly suitable for printing at contemporary press speeds, is quick drying 
and, thus, avoids the conventional problems of "offset" and "strike thru".

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
The present ink, having a non-petroleum base, is without dependence upon a 
diminishing petroleum supply, is environmentally acceptable and 
competitive in cost with the materials used in commercial letterpress and 
offset inks. 
Procedure 
70 Parts by weight of FA-1 grade tall oil fatty acids are heated with 30 
parts of ZECO 11 A grade Gilsonite from Ziegler Chemical Corporation at 
300.degree. F. After solution of the solid Gilsonite, the blend is cooled 
and filtered. After the blend is made, carbon pigment is dispersed within 
the blend with a Morehouse Mill. The "Elftex" carbon black pellets were 
ground to a National Printing Ink Research Institute grindometer reading 
of one (1). Viscosity adjustment can be made by adding small amounts of 
tall oil fatty acid as a final step if necessary. This ink had the 
following physical properties: 
EXAMPLE I 
A. Formulation of "ANPA-247" Letterpress Ink: 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
PERCENTAGE 
MATERIAL SOURCE by WEIGHT 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
ELftex - 8 Cabot Corporation 
10 
Carbon Black 125 High Street 
Boston, MA 02110 
70/30 FA-1 Gilsonite Arizona Chemical Corporation 
87.8 
Blend Wayne, NJ 07670 
Milori Blue Toner 910B 
Dainichiseika Color & 
2.2 
Chemical Company 
20 Hook Mountain Road 
Pine Brook, NJ 07058 
TOTAL 100 
which breaks down to: 
Carbon 10.0% 
Toner 2.2% 
Gilsonite 
26.3% 
Tall Oil 
61.5% 
Fatty Acid* 
TOTAL 100.0% 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
*FA-1 Tall Oil Fatty Acid, specified as follows: 
Product Characteristics Specification 
Typical Lot 
Color, Gardner, 1963 9 max 5 
Acid Value 190 min 
194 
Saponification Value 197 
Iodine Value 131 
Composition: 
Moisture, % Less than 0.1 
Ash, % Less than 0.001 
Rosin Acids, % 5.0 max 
4.5 
Unsaponifiables, % 3.0 max 
2.7 
Fatty Acids Total, % 92.8 
Fatty Acid Composition: 
Linoleic, Non-Conjugated, % 34 
Linoleic, Conjugated, % 9 
Oleic, % 44 
Saturated, % 5 
Other Fatty Acids, % 8 
Specific Gravity, 25.degree./25.degree. C. 
0.906 
Weight Per Gallon, 25.degree. C., Lbs. 
7.53 
Viscosity, Gardner-Holdt, 25.degree. C. 
A 
Viscosity, SUS, 100.degree. F. 100 
Flash Point, Open Cup, .degree.F. 400 
Fire Point, Open Cup, .degree.F. 440 
TYPICAL PROPERTIES OF CABOT FURNACE PROCESS 
CARBON BLACKS FOR PRINTING INK APPLICATIONS 
Oil (DBP) 
Surface Area 
Particle 
Absorption 
Tinting 
Volatile 
Fixed 
Nigrometer 
(N.sub.2 S.A.) 
Size cc/100 grams 
Strength 
Content 
Carbon 
Fluffy Pellets Index m.sup.2 /gm 
Millimicrons 
Fluffy 
Pellets 
Index 
% % 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
ELFTEX .RTM. Pellets 
90 75 27 -- 123 99 1.0 92.5 
ELFTEX .RTM. Pellets 115 
90 66 27 -- 115 100 1.0 92.5 
ELFTEX 8 90 85 27 103 -- 100 1.0 99.0 
ELFTEX 12 93 45 37 95 -- 73 1.0 99.0 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
The above data in no way constitute a specification or certification for 
any particular shipment or shipments, but simply represent typical values 
based on analyses of spot samples from actual recent production of these 
grades. 
MOGUL, BLACK PEARLS, REGAL, ELFTEX, STERLING, and VULCAN are registered 
trademarks for carbon blacks manufactured by Cabot Corporation 
B. Physical Properties of ANPA-247--Example I: 
______________________________________ 
Inkometer Tack (400 RPM) 
2 
Viscosity, Brookfield 25.degree. C. 
43.2 Poises 
NAPIRI Grindometer 0 
Flow 45.degree. Inclined Plane 
6 Inches/Minute 
______________________________________ 
C. Environmental Data: 
Gilsonite has been the subject of long term animal studies which indicate 
it is a non-toxic organic substance which is noncarcinogenic. In 
accordance with Section 710.4 of the Toxic Substances Control Act, 
Gilsonite, as a naturally occurring mineral, is automatically included in 
the initial inventory. The Chemical Abstract Registry Number is 
12002-43-6. 
D. Comparison with Commercial Letterpress Inks: 
The Harrisburg Patriot and Evening News showed ANPA-247 ink to print well, 
to be low-misting, and to have high mileage. Laboratory tests at ANPA/RI 
for rub off, viscosity and tack, shown in the following table, point out 
the differences between it and standard letterpress ink, as used at The 
Patriot and Evening News. 
It was noted at The Patriot that the inks were quicker drying than the 
standard news inks and did not dirty the pipe rollers on the press, as did 
conventional slow drying inks when high press speeds are used. Rub off of 
dried inks on the hands and on the other newspapers in a stack is another 
property which is minimal. 
______________________________________ 
RUB-OFF, VISCOSITY, TACK OF ANPA-247 - Example I 
(Andersson and Sorenson Rub Tests) 
Brookfield 
Inkometer 
Viscosity Tack 
INK Rub-off % Poises 400 R.P.M. 
______________________________________ 
ANPA-247 0.52 43.2 2.0 
Standard Ink 
2.53 31.5 1.75 
______________________________________ 
EXAMPLE II 
A. Formulation of ANPA-247B Letterpress Ink: 
The foregoing Example I refers to runs on regular letterpress. The 247B 
ink, which was made to run on an Anilox press, was formulated as follows: 
______________________________________ 
% by 
MATERIAL SOURCE WEIGHT 
______________________________________ 
Elftex Pellets 115 Carbon 
Cabot Corporation 
18.1 
Black Pigment 125 High Street 
Boston, MA 02110 
Gilsonite (Zeco 11A) 
Ziegler Chemical 
16.4 
& Mineral Corp. 
P.O. Box 455 
Great Neck, NY 11021 
FA-1 Grade Tall Oil Fatty 65.5 
Acids 100.0 
______________________________________ 
These formulations increase mileage of the ink significantly, compared to 
commercial letterpress ink. 
The ANPA-247B blend can also be used for offset inks. An ink with about 20% 
carbon content and the remainder being the above-described blend, has been 
printed successfully on a Goss Urbanite offset press. 
B. Comparison with Commercially Available Oil Base Inks: 
The Easton (PA) Express, when running ANPA-247 non-petroleum ink, had 
pointed out that the mileage for the ink was very good. By their 
estimates, it was at least 30% better. Consequently, a sample of their 
regular production oil base ink was obtained and a comparison was run on 
the two inks on a Hoe Letterpress. 
Each ink was run on about 900 lbs., or one roll of paper, and the amounts 
of ink were weighed before and after the run to determine the amount 
consumed. The same plates and impression pressures were used. ANPA-247 
produced 35% more pages per pound at a comparable solids print density of 
0.98, which is the density used at The Express. 
It is apparent from the above formula tabulation that the amount of 
Gilsonite in the ink may be varied from about 16% to about 25%. If the 
Gilsonite content is reduced significantly, strike thru and smearing of 
the newsprint are accentuated. If the Gilsonite content is increased 
significantly above 25%, viscosity will increase to the extent that poor 
flow and uneven lay or coverage will result in printed copy. Also, less 
mileage will ensue, since the amount of pigment will need to be reduced in 
order to allay the increased viscosity, inasmuch as pigment content 
increases viscosity. Thus, reduction in pigment content would decrease 
mileage. 
EXAMPLE III 
______________________________________ 
Carbon black pigment 
17% 
Gilsonite (uintaite) 
18.6% 
Tall oil fatty acid 
64.4% 
______________________________________ 
The foregoing example was used at Allentown Call, providing a fluid ink for 
printing at higher speeds with good results. 
In printing with contemporary high speed presses, which may produce 80,000 
impressions per hour, one cannot use inks which require oxidation or 
drying so as to prevent smear. The present ink is adapted to have a 
special viscosity, enabling it to be absorbable in contemporary newsprint. 
The Gilsonite ingredient enhances the viscosity, such that there is less 
penetration into the newsprint fibers while eliminating smearing. The 
Gilsonite may be obtained commercially at $0.11 per pound. The letterpress 
ink may be formulated, so as to have a viscosity in the range of 20-500 
poises. Operating at press speeds of 50,000 impressions per hour, it was 
found that the ink having a viscosity of 90 poises did not dry fast 
enough. Ink viscosity of approximately 35 poises was approximately 
correct. In addition, the "flow" characteristics of the ink, that is, the 
ability to flow over the plate surfaces while covering the dots on the 
plate, is a critical parameter. It is found that at a plate temperature of 
25.degree. C. (77.degree. F.), enough Gilsonite must be employed to retard 
the flow within a sufficient range. 
Flow characteristics and viscosities of various ink formulations have been 
determined, as follows: 
______________________________________ 
Formulation % 
______________________________________ 
FLOW IN INCHES 25.degree. C. (77.degree. F.) 
Ink 287B 283 247-1 
276 293 
______________________________________ 
FA-1 66.2 64.14 56.4 66.1 70.1 
Carbon 9.5 17.02 19.8 16.2 12.3 
ZECO 11A 24.3 18.54 23.8 17.7 17.6 
______________________________________ 
TIME, MINUTES 
Ink 287B 283 247-1 
276 
______________________________________ 
1 61/8 3 11/8 33/8 91/4 
2 81/4 41/8 17/8 43/4 121/4 
3 93/4 5 23/8 53/4 143/4 
______________________________________ 
BROOKFIELD VISCOSITY 
The lower limit of viscosity and upper limit of flow has not been 
determined to date. The ink appears to have less strike-through even at 
low viscosities and a long flow length versus petroleum inks. 
Principal advantages of the ink include the capability of printing at high 
press speeds, the low cost of formulation and the elimination of 
petroleum. The ingredient, Gilsonite, may be fed to animals and indeed, 
fatty acids are edible. 
It is found that letterpress and offset inks having a viscosity in the 
range 20-over 1000 poises may be suitable. The over 1000 poises ink would 
be the upper limit when the inking cylinder actually contacts a reservoir 
of ink. Ink of such viscosity would be difficult to pump in some modern 
press usage. The ink viscosity is related, of course, to the density of 
the newspaper stock and the thickness of the page, as well as press speed. 
A low viscosity letterpress and flexographic ink formulated for fast drying 
and decreased set-off onto other sheets of paper in the folded newapaper 
is: 
EXAMPLE IV 
______________________________________ 
Carbon black pigment 
12.3% 
Gilsonite (uintaite) 
17.6% 
Tall oil fatty acid 
70.1% 
100% 
______________________________________ 
EXAMPLE V 
______________________________________ 
Material Percentage 
______________________________________ 
70/30 Fatty Acid/Gilsonite 
75.3 
Carbon Black (115 Pellets) 
6.1 
Toner 0.8 
FA-1 Fatty Acid 17.8 
______________________________________ 
Manifestly, various proportions of the Gilsonite and tall oil fatty 
ingredients may be employed without departing from the spirit of invention 
.