Improvements in the Ornamenting of Glass, and Applying it to the Covering of Walls, Ceilings, and other Architectural Purposes.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Apr., 1886.
Complete Left, 13th Jan., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 15th Feb., 1887.
Improvements in the Ornamenting of Glass, and Applying it to the
Covering of Walls, Ceilings, and other Architectural Purposes.
I, WILLIAM WALKER, of Moss Farm, Stoneycroft, near Liverpool, in the County
Palatine of Lancaster, Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ORNAMENTING GLASS, AND APPLYING IT, TO THE
COVERING OF WALLS, CEILINGS AND OTHER ARCHITECTURAL PURPOSES" to be as follows
(that is to say):
This Invention consists in a peculiar mode of ornamenting sheets of glass so as to
imitate Marble, Stone, Wood and so forth, with or without the addition of arbitrary
desesigns, first being printed or otherwise formed thereon; to adapt them to the
covering of walls ceilings or other surfaces.
To apply this Invention to (say) sheets of glass, on which it is desired to imitate
slabs of varigated coloured marble, the sheets are placed in a horizontal position and
floated on the upper surface with pure water, or with water containing a solution of
ox gall, alum, gum, albumen or other mucilage, according to the wish of the operator,
to make the colours of the pattern soft or solid. The colours, of the required shades,
are then applied in a dry powdered state, by being thrown, or dusted, or allowed to
fall into the liquid surface, as taste may dictate, but not necessarily covering the
whole surface; when most of the colours used will at once sink through the film of
water onto the surface of the glass, but those of light gravity taking a little longer
time to fall, in which event it may be of advantage to partially, or entirely evaporate
the moisture, to bring the less ponderable colouring matter into contact with the
surface of the glass; In which case, it is preferred to have that side of the glass
previously coated with ox gall, gumarabec, or other suitable vehicle to receive the
colouring matter and hold it down, when the evaporated film of water is replaced by
another.
When the colours are in solution they can be arranged by the aid of a soft brush,
feather, or other instrument, by oscillatory movements of the plates, the colours will
blend and soften. Then a little more water may be added, when the whole surface is

page_text: dusted over, to the required thickness with finely powdered plaster of Paris, Portland,
Roman, or other cement, or combination thereof, by means of a sieve, or in any other
convenient way, when in a very short time they will be ready to apply to the walls,
ceilings and so forth. Or the plaster of Paris or Cement may be mixed with isinglass,
butter-milk, skimed milk, gluten, gum, gelatin, albumen, or other mucilage, applied
in a fluid state, of about the consistency of cream, and if desired can be stained of any
required tint, to form the back grounds of the patterns.
In some cases it is preferred to apply the colours to the surface of the glass in a
dry state and then applying the water, either alone, or in combination with a vehicle,
as before described, in which case the operation and results are much alike, and the
plaster or other cement backings are applied in the same manner.
These ornamental plates can be produced with great rapidity at comparatively small
cost, and are attached to the walls and so forth, by embedding them in cement or
plaster, or they may be secured in position by means of plain, or ornamented headed
nails, driven, or screwed into slips of wood inserted in, or securely attached to the
walls or ceilings, in which case, thin slips of cork, or light wood or other suitable
material may be interposed between the edges of the plates, and soft elastic washers
of cork, India rubber, soft leather or other suitable material may be placed under the
heads of the nails.
When it is desired to produce arbitrary figures, they are applied in the first instance
to the surface of the glass, either by printing with elastic type, stencil plates, transfers
or hand painting, the colours used being applied in a moist state mixed with varnish,
oil, size or other mucilage and allowed to dry before the plates are treated as before
described.
Glass plates treated according to this Invention are by no means so fragile as
would be generally supposed and their durability beyond question and variety endless
as no two are alike. They may be used for forming partitions, for panels and other
purposes.
In formning partition walls, a light framework of wood can be used, with the plates
planted on each side of the frame and plaster, cement, or concrete may be run in
between the backs of the glass plates.
The backs of the plates may be covered with paper or coated or saturated with a
suitable material to protect the colours and backs from damp or other injury.

page_text: Improvements in the Ornamenting of Glass, and Applying it to the
Covering of Walls, Ceilings, and other Architectural Purposes.
I WILLIAM WALKER, of Stoneycroft, near Liverpool, in the County Palatine of
Lancaster, Consulting Engineer, 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 (that is to say) :-
This my said Invention consists in a peculiar mode of ornamenting sheets of glass,
so as to imitate Marble, Stone, Wood and so forth, with or without the addition of
arbitrary designs, first being printed or otherwise formed thereon, to adapt them to
the covering of walls, ceilings and other surfaces.
To apply this my Invention to (say) sheets of glass, on which it is desired to imitate
slabs of varigated coloured Marbles, I place the sheets in a horizontal position and
then float the upper surface with pure water, or with water containing a solution of
ox-gall, alum, gum, albumen, or other mucilage, according to my wish to have the
colours of the pattern soft or solid, I then take the colours of the required shades
(by preference selecting such pigments as are not effected by sulphurated hydrogen,
light or other casual influences) and apply them in a finely powdered and dry state,
throwing or dusting, or allowing them to fall onto the liquid surface, as taste may
direct, but not necessarily, covering the whole surface, when most of the colours used
will at once sink through the film of water onto the surface of the glass, but those
of light gravity taking a little longer time to fall, in which event, it may be of
advantage to partially, or entirely evaporate the moisture, to bring the less ponder-
able colouring matter into contact with the surface of the glass: In which case, I
prefer to have the sides of the glass previously coated with ox-gall, gum, a weak
solution of silicate of soda, or other suitable mucilage to receive the colouring
matter and hold it down. The evaporated film of water I then replace by another,
when (by preference) the whole, or part of the surface is dusted over with finly
powdered dry plaster of Paris to fix the colouring matter, or the dusting may
be applied before the second film of water is applied. When the colours are in
solution they can be arranged on the surface of the glass, by the aid of a soft brush,
feather or other instrument; or by oscillatory movements given to the plates, by which
means the colours may also be blended and softened. A little more water may then
be added, I then dust over the whole surfaces with finely powdered plaster of Paris,
Portland, Roman or other cement, or combination thereof, by means of a sieve, or in
any other convenient way, which finally fixes the figuers as then formed.
In a very short time the plates will be ready to apply to the walls, ceilings and so
forth-Or the backing of plaster of Paris, or Cement may be mixed with isinglass,
buttermilk, skimed milk, gluten, gum, gelatine, albumen, or a weak solution of silicate
of soda, or other mucalage and applied in a fluid state of about the consistency of
cream and if desired may be stained of any required tint, to form the back grounds
of the patterns.
In some cases I apply the colours to the surface of the glass, in a dry state and then
apply the water, either alone, or in combination with a vehicle as before described; in

page_text: which case the operation and results are much alike; the plaster or other cement
backing being applied in the same manner.
I attach the plates to the walls and so forth by imbeding them in cement or
plaster. Or I secure them in a position by means of plain, or ornamented headed nails,
driven, or screwed into slips of wood, inserted in, or securely attached to the walls,
or ceilings and in some cases I interpose thin slips of cork, or light wood, or other
suitable material between the edges of the plates. I also place soft elastic washers of
cork, India rubber, or other suitable material under the heads of the nails; or they
may be secured in position by means of grooves, or rabbets formed in or on the
framework made to receive the edges of the plates.
When I desire to produce arbitary figuers, I apply them in the first instance to the
surface of the glass, either by printing with elastic type, stencil plates, transfers, or
hand painting, the colours used being in a moist state mixed with varnish, oil, size, or
other mucilage and allowed to dry before the plates are treated as herein before
described.
In some cases, in addition to the ordinary pigments I employ portions of leaf gold
and silver, metal foils, metallic ores and other suitable substances in grain, or powder
for imitating metallic strata ores and so forth.
The backs of the plates may be covered with paper, or any suitable fabric; or they
may be coated, or saturated with a suitable material to protect the colours and backings
from damp or other injury.
In constructing (say) a partition wall, I prefer to use a light frame work of (say)
timber and on each side thereof to plant the ornamented glass plates, held in position
by means of the plain, or ornamented headed nails, or by inserting the edges of the
plates into grooves or rabbets formed in, or on the frame work, but in most cases I
prefer to use the nails, as by that means an unbroken surface may be got and the
wood concealed and protected, and if desired the nails may be removed after the work
is dry. In the building of the wall I first place the frame work in position, then
attach the first row of plates in position on each side of the bottom of the frame I then
run in plaster, cement, or concrete so as to fill up the space between the plates to
within a little distance off their upper edges. I then fix the next tier of plates on
each side of the frame immediately above and then proceed as before with the con-
creting, having first allowed sufficient time for the plaster or concrete to set, and so on
with each tier. These walls, or partitions, may be formed with panels, pilasters or
columns and so forth as will be readily understood by any ordinary skilled mechanic.
The outline of the frame-work being constructed to coincide with the design.
The ornamental plates treated according to this my invention are produced with
great rapidity at a comparatively small cost, and are by no means so fragile as might
he supposed and excepting accidental or wilful damage their durability beyond question.
They are of great beauty and their variety endless, as no two are alike. They may
be used for paneling and inlaying furniture, partitioning and a great variety of orna-
mental and useful purposes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare what I claim is:
--
First. The peculiar mode of ornamenting and figuring glass, substantially in the
manner herein before described and set forth, or any mere modification of the same.
Second. The use of the said ornamented glass plates as applied to mural and other
architectural purposes as hereinbefore described and
Lastly. The construction of walls or partitions with glass plates, substantially in
the manner and for the purposes hereinbefore described, or any mere modification
thereof.
WILLIAM WALKER.