IMPROVEMENTS THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER FOR BANK NOTES, CHEQUES, BONDS, RECEIPT AND POSTAGE STANDO AXT ATHED OTMTT AD INGAD 11 MONTO
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Shaw Lewis, of Boston, Massachusetts,
United States of America, now of No. 8, Southampton Buildings,
London, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER FOR BANK NOTES, CHEQUES, BONDS, RECEIPT
AND POSTAGE STANDO AXT ATHED OTMTT AD INGAD 11 MONTO
"
IN
Sealed the 5th January 1872, and dated the 19th September 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Shaw Lewis
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 19th September 1871.
I, SAMUEL SHAW LEWIS, of Boston, Massachusetts, United States
of America, now of No. 8, Southampton Buildings, London, Gentleman,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER FOR BANK NOTES, CHEQUES, BONDS, RECEIPT
AND POSTAGE STAMPS, AND OTHER SIMILAR INSTRUMENTS," to be as follows:-
In practising my Invention I first take the paper, cut it in sheets of
suitable size, and float each sheet on a bath or solution of from twenty

page_text: to forty grains of nitrate of silver to one ounce of water, for from ten
to thirty seconds, according to the strength of the bath, then hang it up
to dry in the dark. When dry I expose it to the light, whereby the
colour of the paper changes from white to gray, the depth of the
shade being dependent upon the time of the exposure. When the
paper has assumed the desired shade I soak the same in water for a few
minutes, then take it out and place it in a bath or solution composed
of one quart of water to two ounces of hyposulphite of soda, allowing
the paper to remain in this solution for from ten to fifteen minutes; I
then wash it in clean water and hang it up to dry. By these means a
paper is obtained of a uniform gray colour, but if it is desired to give
to the paper a variegated surface I float the sheets on a bath of nitrate
of silver as above, and after having dried them in the dark I cover them
up with an openwork fabric such as lace or tulle or any perforated
material, and expose them to the light as above stated. By the open-
work fabric the light is stopped off from portions of the paper, and such
portions remain white while the exposed portions turn gray. When
the paper has assumed the desired shade I soak it in water, and
afterwards in a solution of hyposulphite of soda, as above described.
By this process a paper is obtained which can be used with great
advantage for bank notes, cheques, bonds, receipt or postage stamps, or
other documents or instruments of value. The design or words
required to designate the same may be produced either by printing
with ordinary printers' ink, or in the case of a cheque, partially by
printing and partially by writing with any suitable writing fluid; and
if an attempt is made to alter any part or parts of the printed or
written characters, the surface of the paper becomes discoloured, and
the stamp, cheque, or other instrument is spoiled and rendered unfit
for use.
My paper may be used in all cases where it is desirable to have a
surface to receive words, figures, or other characters printed or written
with ordinary ink, and forms a perfect safeguard against any change of

page_text: Office on the 18th March 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, SAMUEL
SHAW LEWIS, of Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America,
now of No. 8, Southampton Buildings, London, Gentleman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the
thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Samuel Shaw Lewis, Her special
licence that I, the said Samuel Shaw Lewis, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Samuel
Shaw Lewis, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times.
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of
Great Britain, and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER FOR BANK
NOTES, CHEQUES, BONDS, RECEIPT AND POSTAGE STAMPS, AND OTHER SIMILAR
INSTRUMENTS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Samuel Shaw Lewis, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Samuel Shaw Lewis, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :—
In noctising my Invention I first talo the nanor out it in alinate C

page_text: "
suitable size, and float each sheet on a bath or solution of from twenty
to forty grains of nitrate of silver to one ounce of water for from ten
to thirty seconds according to the strength of the bath, then hang it up
to dry in the dark; when dry I expose it to the light, whereby the
colour of the paper is changed from white to gray, the depth of the
shade being dependent upon the time of the exposure. When the
paper has assumed the desired shade I soak the same in water for a few
minutes, then take it out and place it in a bath or solution composed of
one quart of water to two ounces of hyposulphite of soda, allowing
the paper to remain in this solution for from ten to fifteen minutes; I
then wash it in clean water and hang it up to dry. By these means a
paper
is obtained of a uniform gray colour, but if it is desired to give
to the paper a variegated surface I float the sheets on a bath of nitrate
of silver as above, and after having dried them in the dark I cover them
up with an openwork fabric such as lace or tulle or any perforated
material, and expose them to the light as above stated.
By this
openwork fabric or perforated material the light is stopped off from
portions of the paper, and such portions remain white while the exposed
portions turn gray. When the paper has assumed the desired shade I
soak it in water, and afterwards in a solution of hyposulphite of soda as
above described. By this process a paper is obtained which can be
used with great advantage for bank notes, cheques, bonds, receipt or
postage stamps, or other documents or instruments of value. The
design or words required to designate the same may be produced either
by printing with ordinary printers' ink, or in the case of a cheque
partially by printing and partially by writing with any suitable writing
fluid; and if an attempt is made to alter any part or parts of the
printed or written characters the surface of the paper becomes
discoloured and the stamp, cheque, or other instrument is spoiled and
rendered unfit for use.
1
My paper may be used in all cases where it is desirable to have
a surface to receive words, figures, or other characters printed or
written with ordinary ink, and forms a perfect safeguard against
fraud, any change in such printed or written matter being immediately
detected.

page_text: .
claim, the improved paper and process of preparing the same sub-
stantially as herein described for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Shaw Lewis, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, January 22nd,1872.
Witness,
W. ROBT. LAKE.
S. S. LEWIS. (L.S.)