IMPROVED MEANS OF PRODUCING TRANSPERS AND BLOCKS FOR LITHOGRAPHIC AND OTHER PRINTING
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas James Denne, of Phoenix Works,
Cambridge Road, Mile End, and Henry Billingsley, of Brandon
Road, Victoria Park, Hackney, both in the County of Middlesex,
for the Invention of "IMPROVED MEANS OF PRODUCING TRANSPERS AND
BLOCKS FOR LITHOGRAPHIC AND OTHER PRINTING."
Sealed the 9th November 1869, and dated the 18th September 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas James Denne
and Henry Billingsley at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 18th September 1869.
We, THOMAS JAMES DENNE, of Phoenix Works, Cambridge Road,
Mile End, and HENRY BILLINGSLEY, of Brandon Road, Victoria Park,
Hackney, both in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVED MEANS OF PRODUCING TRANSFERS AND
BLOCKS FOR LITHOGRAPHIC AND OTHER PRINTING," to be as follows:-
To prepare a printing block from a photographic negative we take
an ordinary negative and coat it with a mixture of the following

page_text: materials: Gum resin, bichromate of potash, and distilled water; when
the film is dry we expose the negative to the action of light and produce
a picture more or less raised according to the strength of light and
shade in the negative, we then plunge it into hot water and the non-
solarised portion dissolves away; the negative is now ready for the stereo
or electrotyper.
For photo-lithographic printing we coat thin paper with a mixture of
bichromate of potash, gum arabic, and distilled water; when dry we
expose this paper under a negative, which when sufficiently done we
remove from the pressure frame, and we cover the surface with a ground-
work of litho tint produced on or from the stone or plate; we then
plunge it into warm water to remove the free gum and ink, and then
transfer the picture on to a clean grained stone in the ordinary way for
printing from.
For copying a photographic or other picture without a camera and
lens or by drawing, we coat a sheet of thin paper with chloride of
sodium, the strength of which is immaterial, this we hang up and dry;
we next float it on a bath of nitrate of silver of a strength of about
60 grains to the ounce of water in summer and about 100 grains in
winter; when dry we expose it under whatever we wish to copy, and
when sufficiently printed a picture is obtained on the paper (reversed);
we then plunge the paper into a bath of hyposulphite of soda (strength
immaterial) which fixes the picture; the paper is then well washed and
dried; from this we can print as by the ordinary photographic printing
process; or we can print transfers, to throw down ou stone, and print
from as by the photo-lithographic process described. To aid this process
it is advisable according to the state of the atmosphere to focus by a glass
light down upon the object being copied from.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas James Denne and Henry Billingsley in the 3
Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th March 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, wе, THOMAS
JAMES DENNE, of the Phoenix Works, Cambridge Road, Mile End, and
HENRY BILLINGSLEY, of Brandon Road, Victoria Park, Hackney, both
in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
3

page_text: other printing blocks can be produced and used in the usual way in
printing machines.
Having thus far explained our means and method for producing a
printing block we therefore desire to claim under this head of our In-
vention, the employment of and the mixture on a glass negative as
before described for the purpose of enabling a printing block to be
produced.
The second part of our Invention refers to the employment of a
mixture spread upon paper, and the means hereafter described in treating
such paper to produce a picture, from which photo-lithographic copies
can be taken. We employ a mixture composed of the following
ingredients:-Bichromate of potash, gum arabic, and distilled water; the
paper when coated with this mixture is allowed to dry, and is placed
under a negative and a copy printed on it; when it is sufficiently done
we cover the surface of the picture thus taken with a groundwork of
litho-tint produced on or from a stone or plate; it is then floated on
warm water to remove the free gum and ink, and the picture can then
be transferred on to a stone to be printed from in the ordinary manner.
We claim under this head of our Invention, the mixture herein-
before described for the purpose of producing photo-lithographic pictures
or designs as mentioned.
The next part of our Invention relates to a means or process of pro-
ducing negative copies of pictures and designs without the use of a
camera and lens. We coat a sheet of thin paper with chloride of sodium
and allow it to dry; we next float it on a bath of nitrate of silver of a
strength suitable for the purpose, say, about 60 grains to the ounce of
water in the summer months, and 100 grains in winter; when the
paper thus prepared is dry we expose it under whatever we wish to copy
in a frame, and so produce a reversed or negative picture on the pre-
pared paper; when this is sufficiently printed we plunge it into a
bath of hyposulphite of soda which fixes the picture; it is then washed
and dried, and from the negative thus obtained we can print positive
pictures in the ordinary photographic printing frame in the usual way.
Or we can print transfers to throw down on stone, and print from as by
the photo-lithographic process before described. To aid this process we
have at times thought it advisable according to the state of the
atmosphere to focus by a glass light down upon the object copied
from.

page_text: Having now described the nature of the third and last part of our
Invention, we claim specially producing negative copies of pictures,
and designs upon paper from which positives can be printed in the
manner and by the means substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas James Denne, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of March, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
Witness,
H. GARDNER,
166, Fleet Street,
London.
1. 3.