Improvements in or relating to the Method and Means of Obtaining Facsimile Copies of Typed, Written, or similar Matter.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 8th June, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 30th Mar.. 1896-Accepted, 8th July, 1896
PROVIDIUNAL DITTICATIVA.
Improvements in or relating to the Method and Means of Obtaining
Facsimile Copies of Typed, Written, or similar Matter.
I, WILLIAM MOSES WILLIAMS, of Attleborough Road, Nuneaton in the County
of Warwick, Schoolmaster, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of this invention is to produce copies of typed, written or.manuscript
matter in quantity, without the necessity of using a stencil, without inking in the
manner usual at present and therefore without drying the ink of the copies.
order to produce this result I prefer to employ three kinds of sheet.
In
(1) A sheet coated with a vehicle such as a mixture of gelatine, glycerine and
water with which is incorporated a suitable aniline or other dye.
(2) A sheet of paper coated with the double sulphate of iron and ammonium
alum or some other substance possessing the property of rendering the surface of
the gelatine sheet impervious to the aniline colour within. it, when brought in
contact with it for a few seconds.
if
.. (3) A sheet of tissue paper coated with a substance such as hereinafter specified
having the property of neutralizing the hardening effect of the alum, or other
substance on gelatine, and of softening the surface of the gelatine sheet so as to
allow the dye contained in the gelatine sheet to give impressions on paper
pressed on the surface. This tissue sheet must also have the iproperty of yielding
some of its coating to sheet No. 2 when the surface of the two sheets are placed
face to face and an impression or inscription is made, on the tissue paper either
with a typewriter or by means of a style, a corresponding impression. from the
coating of sheet No. 3 being transferred on to. sheet No. 2. The coating of
sheet No. 3 may consist of various combinations.such as a mixture:of.common soap
with excess of a suitable acid such as tartaric.
The required impression having been made on No. 2 sheet, this: sheet is placed
in contact with No. 1 sheet for a few seconds and then removed. The parts of
the gelatine sheet not acted upon by the double sulphate of iron and ammonium.or
other hardening agent thus acquire the property of giving impressions to sheets
of ordinary paper pressed on them, all parts of the surface, except the writing,
having been rendered impervious to the colouring matter.
'
It will be understood that modifications may be made, without (departing from
the spirit of my invention, for example;-sheet No. 1.,may have its surface
hardened in advance, an ordinary sheet of paper being substituted for No.:2, but
in this case the impression from the tissue paper received by the ordinary sheet
must he stronger; or, if copying is required.from manuscript the original may be
prepared (without No. 3 sheet) by writing on No. 2 sheet with a suitable ink, for
example the solution of tartaric acid and gum, sugar or the like.
✰ Dated this 8th day of June 1895.
:
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Method and Means of Obtaining
Facsimile Copies of Typed, Written, or similar Matter. .
1, WILLIAM MOSES WILLIAMS, formerly of Attleborough Road, Nuneaton, in
the County of Warwick, now of 15 Granville Road, Middlesbrough, in the County
of York, Schoolmaster, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
The object of this invention is to produce copies of typed, written or manuscript
matter in quantity, without the necessity of using a stencil, without inking in the
manner usual at present and without drying the ink of the copies. In order to
produce this result I prefer to employ three kinds of sheet...
(1) A sheet coated with a vehicle such as a mixture of gelatine, glycerine and
water or some other jelly-like or viscous medium, with which is incorporated a
suitable aniline or other dye. For example the vehicle on this sheet may be composed
of one part by: measure of a solution of gelatine (eight ounces of gelatine to
thirteen ounces of water) added to 3 parts by measure of glycerine, in which the
dye is dissolved in a quantity dependent on its character and the intensity of colour
desired.
(2) A sheet of paper coated with the double sulphate of iron and ammonium
alum (say commercial "iron alum") or some other substance possessing the property
of rendering the surface of the gelatine or jelly-like sheet impervious or less than
usually pervious to the aniline colour within it when brought in contact with it
for a few seconds. The coating for this sheet No. 2 may be obtained by making a
saturated solution of commercial iron alum in cold water, preferably but not
necessarily with the addition of a little sugar.
(3) A sheet of tissue paper coated with a substance such as hereinafter specified
having the property of neutralising the hardening effect or tendency of the alum
or other substance on the gelatine or jelly and of softening the surface of the
gelatinous sheet so as to allow the dye contained in the last mentioned sheet to
give impressions on the paper if pressed on the surface. This tissue sheet must
also have the property of yielding some of its coating to sheet No. 2 when the surface
of the two sheets are placed face to face and an impression or inscription is made
on the tissue paper either with a typewriter or by means of a style, a corresponding
impression from the coating of sheet No. 3 being transferred on to sheet No. 2.
The coating of sheet No. 3 may consist of various combinations such as common
soap with or without a suitable acid such as tartaric acid, or phosphoric acid
(sirup) added to soap which has been dissolved in an alcoholic solution of caustic
potash. For example, if one pound of good hard soap, four ounces of the best
soft soap, and methylated spirit sufficient to work the two into a soft paste, are
mixed together, and one and a half ounces of caustic potash dissolved in six ounces
of methylated spirit are added thereto, a coating well suited for sheet No. 3 will
result. There should preferably be a suitable dye in this coating to render.an
'impression therefrom readily visible, and phosphoric acid may be added to this
medium.
The required impression having been made on No. 2 sheet in the form of
coating material transferred from No. 3 sheet, the former (No. 2) sheet is placed
in contact with No. 1 sheet for a few seconds and if necessary damped on the back
whilst there, although if sheet No. 1 is moist enough (and it can readily be made
so by damping its surface) no damping of sheet No. 2 is needed; the latter is then
removed. The parts of the gelatine or jelly-like or viscous sheet not acted upon
by the double sulphate of iron and ammonium alum or other hardening agent, thus
acquire the property of giving impressions to sheets of ordinary paper pressed on

page_text: them, all parts of the surface, except the writing, having been rendered 'sufficiently
impervious to the colouring matter to prevent it from coming through them during
the short period the operation occupies.
.
It will be understood that modifications may be made without departing from
the spirit of my invention, for example;-sheet, No. 1. may have its surface >
hardened in advance, by incorporating the double sulphate of iron and am nonium...
alum or the like with it, an ordinary sheet of paper being substituted for No. 2,
but in this case the impression from the tissue paper received by the ordinary
sheet must be stronger; or, if copying is required from manuscript the original
may be prepared (without No. 3 sheet) by writing on No. 2 sheet with a suitable
ink, for example a solution of an alkaline carbonate or other salt, or tartaric or
phosphoric acid, and gum, sugar or the like; this in operation will be the equivalent.
of the softening medium carried on No. 3 sheet..
The medium herein before referred to as employed to neutralize the hardening
tendency exerted by the double sulphate of iron and ammonium alum or the like,
and in addition to soften the gelatinous or jelly-like sheet need not be employed
for the latter purpose in all cases; for instance the gelatinous sheet if not too
stiff and hardened in places as described by an iron alum surface carrying the
record, but left in a soft condition in other parts will not need any softening to
render it fit for printing from.
If any stain or exuded patch of dye exists on the gelatinous or jelly-like or
viscous sheet (owing to excessive dampness of the atmosphere or carelessness in
working) it may be entirely removed from the sheet by laying on the latter a
sheet of paper slightly damped with methylated spirit.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I make no
claim to a perforated stencil-plate or to any apparatus or method involving such a
stencil, but what I claim is ;—
1. A copying apparatus in which a gelatinous viscous or jelly-like sheet
containing the colouring medium to impart the copies is more pervious to that
contained medium at parts corresponding to the matter to be copied than at
other parts.
2. In copying apparatus a gelatinous viscous or jelly-like sheet containing the
colouring medium to impart the copies and made more pervious to that contained
medium at parts corresponding to the matter to be copied than at other parts by
the treatment of the latter with a hardening medium.
3. In copying apparatus the employment in combination with a dye-impregnated
gelatinous viscous or jelly-like sheet of a sheet bearing on parts of its surface the
matter to be copied and presenting on its other parts an agent capable of decreasing
the perviousness of parts of the gelatinous sheet substantially as and for the
purpose described.
4. In copying-apparatus of the kind described a sheet treated with a double
sulphate of iron and ammonium alum or a like agent, on which the matter to be
copied is applied in a medium which will neutralise the effect of said agent upon
or soften the gelatinous viscous or jelly-like sheet.
5. In copying-apparatus a gelatinous viscous or jelly-like dye-impregnated sheet
of the kind described treated at or about its surface with an agent such as a double
sulphate of iron and ammonium to decrease the normal perviousness of the
gelatinous sheet for the purpose described.
6. In copying-apparatus the combination with a gelatinous viscous or jelly-like
dye-impregnated sheet of the kind described of a sheet on which the matter to be
copied is applied in a medium which will restore the normal perviousness of the
gelatinous sheet or increase it beyond the normal substantially as and for the
purpose described.
7. In copying-apparatus of the kind described a transfer-sheet such as sheet No. 3
aforesaid substantially as and for the purpose described.

page_text: 8. An ink or writing medium of soap and alcoholic solution of caustic potash
with or without tartaric or phosphoric acid for use in obtaining facsimile copies of
writings and the like.
9. An ink or writing medium of an alkaline carbonate or other salt or tartaric
or phosphoric acid and gum sugar or the like for use in obtaining facsimile copies
of writings and the like.
·Dated this 30th day of March 1896.
WILLIAM MOSES WILLIAMS.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicant.