IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRO- DUCTION OF CARBON AND OTHER PERMANENT PHOTOGRAPHIC PICTURES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Lambert, of the City of Bath, in the County of
Somerset, Photographer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRO-
DUCTION OF CARBON AND OTHER PERMANENT PHOTOGRAPHIC PICTURES.”
Sealed the 22nd June 1877, and dated the 11th January 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Lambert at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th January 1877.
HENRY LAMBERT, of the City of Bath, in the County of Somerset, Photographer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF CARBON AND OTHER PERMANENT PHOTO-
GRAPHIC PICTURES."
My Invention has reference to the production of photographic pictures of the
kind called carbon or permanent photographs, in which photographs the picture is
produced in carbon or other permanent pigment instead of silver.
My said Invention consists of the improvements herein-after described in pro-
ducing the said photographs, by which improvements great economy in time, labour,
and material is effected.
As the photographic tissues herein-after referred to are well known articles of
commerce, I do not think it necessary either to describe the same or the ordinary
method of using them.
.
I will describe the production of a photographic picture by the use of the said
tissues, as used according to my Invention:-I take a piece of one of the said
tissues (the said tissues being manufactured to produce pictures of different tints)
and spread it out on a flat surface, the face of the tissue being upwards. .I coat the
said surface of the tissue with a permanent, transparent support, consisting of a
mixture of Canada balsam and normal collodion. When the said transparent sup-
port is set or dry on the tissue, I sensitize the tissue in a bath of salt of chromium
in the usual way.
When the said sensitized tissue is dry I print upon it in the
ordinary way from any negative, and upwards I immerse it direct from the
printing frame in hot water and proceed to develope without any other support
than that applied before the tissue was made sensitive to light: When the develop-
ing of the print is complete I wash it with a solution of alum; and with this same
support transfer or mount the print direct from the developing bath to its final
support, or mount without waiting for the print to dry. The operation is now
[Price AdI

page_text: complete and the print is seen in its true or non-inverted aspect with a glazed
surface given by the permanent support. For the final support I prefer white or
tinted enamelled card made waterproof by clear varnish or normal collodion, and I
size with gelatine that side on which the print is to rest; but I do not limit myself
to this mount as the print may be mounted on various other substances, such as
opal, china, glass, paper, or plaster of Paris. The permanent transparent support
does not leave the tissue during sensitizing or developing or afterwards, but
remains a permanent part of the picture. There is no risk of the blistering or
reticulation of the tissue which occur in the ordinary method of using the said
tissue.
From the description herein-before given it will be understood that I do not use
any temporary support whatever during the developing and mounting of the print,
such as is required in the ordinary method of developing carbon or permanent
photographic pictures.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Lambert in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th June
1877.
HENRY LAMBERT, of the City of Bath, in the County of Somerset, Photographer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF CARBON AND OTHER PERMANENT PHOTO-
GRAPHIC PICTURES,"
My Invention has reference to the production of photographic pictures of the
kind called carbon or permanent photographs, in which photographs the picture is
produced in carbon or other permanent pigment instead of silver.
My said Invention consists of the improvements herein-after described in pro-
ducing the said photographs, by which improvements great economy in time, labour,
and material is effected.
As the photographic tissues herein-after referred to are well known articles of
commerce, I do not think it necessary either to describe the same or the ordinary
method of using them.
I will describe the production of a photographic picture by the use of the said
tissues, as used according to my Invention:-I take a piece of one of the said
tissues (the said tissues being manufactured to produce pictures of different tints)
and spread it out on a flat surface, the face of the tissue being upwards. I coat the
said surface of the tissue with a permanent transparent support, consisting
essentially of a mixture of Canada balsam and normal collodian, as herein-after
explained. When the said transparent support is set or dry on the tissue, I
sensitize the tissue in a bath of salt of chromium in the usual way. When the said
sensitized tissue is dry I print upon it in the ordinary way from any negative, and
afterwards I immerse it direct from the printing frame in hot water and proceed to
develope without any other support than that applied before the tissue was made
sensitive to light. When the developing of the print is complete I wash it with a
solution of alum, and with this same support transfer or mount the print direct from
the developing bath to its final support, or mount without waiting for the print to
dry. The operation is now complete and the print is seen in its true or non-
inverted aspect with a glazed surface given by the permanent support. For the
final support I prefer white or tinted enamel card made waterproof by clear varnish
or normal collodion, and I size with gelatine that side on which the print is to rest,
but I do not limit myself to this mount as the print may be mounted on various
other substances, such as opal, china, glass, paper, or plaster of Paris. The per-
manent transparent support does not leave the tissue during sensitizing or develop-
ing or afterwards, but remains a permanent part of the picture. There is no risk of
the blistering or reticulation of the film of the tissue which frequently occurs in the
ordinary method of using the said tissue.

page_text: . Having explained the nature of my Invention I will now proceed to describe the
manner in which the same may be performed.
I take a piece of tissue on which a photographic picture is to be printed and coat
it with a permanent transparent support in the following manner:-The tissue may,
either be made sensitive to light by being immersed in a bath of bichromate of
potash or ammonia as is well understood before or after the permanent transparent
support has been applied to it. In applying the said support I lay the sensitized or
unsensitized tissue upon a flat surface, the face of the tissue being upwards. I take
a piece of cardboard a little larger than the piece of tissue to be operated upon. I
cut from the said cardboard a piece nearly equal in size to the piece of: tissue, the
cardboard from which the piece has been so cut constituting a flat frame. I gum-
one side of the inner edge of the cardboard frame to the extent of about one quarter
of an inch, and then place it together with the central piece which had been cut.
from it upon the tissue, the gummed frame lying upon the marginal portions of the
tissue, and the central piece of cardboard or that part which had been cut away.
from the cardboard frame lying upon the other portion of the tissue. The whole is:
exposed to pressure until the cardboard frame is firmly attached to the tissue. I;
then remove the central piece of cardboard, and the tissue with the cardboard frame:
gummed to its marginal portions constitute a very shallow trough into which I pour:
the permanent transparent and flexible support, the bottom of the said trough con-
sisting of the surface of the tissue. When by the evaporation of the solvent; the;
transparent flexible support has become dry or hardened, the tissue is sensitized (if
it has not been previously sensitized) by a solution of bichromate of potash or
ammonia in the usual way. The cardboard frame which forms the sides of the
shallow trough is cut away, that is, the bottom of the trough consisting of
sensitized tissue coated with the transparent flexible support cut out of the card-
board frame, and may be cut up into the sizes required for printing. The printing,
on the said tissue is effected in the ordinary way from glass or other negatives. On
removing the impressed tissue from the printing frame, I immerse it in warm water-
to which a little ammonia has been added (two drops of ordinary commercial.
solution of ammonia to twenty ounces of water answers very well) and develop the
picture by the said warm water without any other support besides the permanent.
transparent support. When the development of the print is completed it is washed
with a weak solution of alum, and I transfer it with its support to its final mount.
without waiting for the print to dry.
i
In order to mount the print I take a piece of glass or white cardboard of larger
size than the print and I pass the said piece of glass or cardboard under the print,
immersed in the water. I lift the print out of the water on the said piece of glass,
or cardboard with its surface or developed side upwards, and I place in it a dish of
clean water, but in doing so I invert it, that is, I turn the surface or developed side
downwards, and let the print float off the glass or cardboard, the permanent trans-,
parent support being uppermost. I then take the final mount and pass it under the
print in the water. I adjust the print to the required position on the mount, and
then lift the said mount with the print upon it out of the water and allow it to dry,
on the mount. If the print when lifted out of the water.does not lie quite flat on
the mount it may be made to do so by gently passing a soft camel-hair brush over
it. The process is now completed and the print is seen on the mount with its true
or non-inverted aspect with either a glazed or dead surface, according to the kind of
mount used. For the final mount or support I prefer white or tinted enamelled
cardboard made waterproof on one side by clear varnish or normal collodion, 'ori
other transparent waterproofing material. I prefer to size with gelatine that side
of the cardboard on which the print is to rest. I do not however limit myself to
any particular method of mounting the print, as it may be mounted on various,sub-
stances, such for example as opal, china, glass, paper, plaster of Paris, or ivory.
The permanent transparent flexible support does not leave the tissue during
sensitizing or developing, or afterwards, but remains a permanent part of the
fiuished picture. There is no danger of the blistering or reticulating of the tissue,

page_text: which commonly occurs in the ordinary method of using it. It will thus be under-
stood that I do not use any temporary support whatever during the developing and
mounting of the print, such as is required in the ordinary method of developing
carbon or permanent photographic pictures. It may however be sometimes con-
venient to pass a piece of glass or cardboard under the print during the course of
development in order that the development may be the better observed and stopped at
the proper time. The use of a piece of glass or cardboard passed under the tissue
in the water also facilites the removal of the back or paper part of the tissue. But
I wish it to be distinctly understood that these uses of glass or cardboard, although
sometimes convenient, are not necessary to the practice of my Invention, and that
when glass or cardboard are used as described their function is in no respect
analogous to that of the supports required in the ordinary method of developing
carbon or permanent photographic pictures.
When it is wished to have a dead or unglazed surface to the print I prepare an
enamelled or white card by coating cardboard with collodion, thickened to the
required degree with zinc white, or other permanent white pigment. The card
covered with the pigmented collodion is allowed to dry. The print when mounted
upon this card has a dead or unglazed surface. In place of zinc white, finely ground
starch may be added to the collodion with like effect.
The permanent transparent flexible support herein-before referred to is composed
as follows:-
Canada balsam
Castor oil
Turpentine varnish
Plain collodion
-
6 drams,
one ounce,
one ounce,
seventy ounces.
These are mixed together and thoroughly incorporated by agitation, and when
the mixture has cleared either by subsidence or by filtration through cotton wool it
is fit for use. If the tissue is to be made sensitive to light after the support has
been applied to it, then the turpentine varnish must be omitted, the composition of
the support remaining in other respects the same. I do not however limit myself to
a permanent transparent flexible support of the above composition, but I have
found the above composition to answer well in practice.
Having now described the nature of my Invention and the manner in which the
same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to.
the precise details herein described, as the same may be varied without departing
from the nature of my Invention, but I claim as my Invention the improvements in
the production of carbon and other permanent photographic pictures herein-before
described, that is to say, coating sensitized or unsensitized tissue used in the pro-
duction of carbon and other permanent photographic pictures with a permanent
transparent flexible support on which the tissue is supported during the printing,
developing, transferring, and mounting of the picture, whereby the temporary sup-
port ordinarily used is rendered unnecessary, and the production of the said carbon
and other permanent photographic pictures much facilitated, substantially as
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Lambert, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
Witness,
AARON MOON,
Family Grocer,
11, Fountain Buildings,
Bath.
HENRY LAMBERT. (L.S.)