IMPROVEMENTS IN APPLYING PRINTED DESIGNS TO STONEWARE AND OTHER POTTERY
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Miller, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark North
Britain for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPLYING PRINTED DESIGNS
TO STONEWARE AND OTHER POTTERY,"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Miller at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd August 1883.
JAMES MILLER, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPLYING PRINTED DESIGNS TO STONEWARE, AND OTHER
POTTERY,"
This Invention has for its object, to obtain improved results in applying printed
designs to stoneware and other pottery, and at the same time to reduce the
expenses and diminish the waste attending the processes hitherto employed.
In carrying out the Invention in the case of stoneware, which is only once fired,
the designs printed on paper in the ordinary way, are transferred to the unfired
articles by applying the paper upon their surfaces, but the articles are cold or only
slightly warmed, instead of being heated to the extent found necessary with the
ordinary process. After the printed paper has been closely and evenly applied to
the articles, it is rubbed on the outer surface with a pad or sponge saturated with
naptha, benzene, spirit of turpentine, paraffin oil, or other suitable volatile liquid
which will dissolve the oleaginous or other medium or vehicle of the pigment with
which the design has been printed. The liquid passing through the paper softens
the ink or pigment of the printed design and causes the design to be transferred to
the pottery or earthenware with an extremely small amount of pressure and
rubbing, and in a very complete manner. As soon as the design has been transferred
to the ware the paper can be at once easily stripped off, without requiring the
washing and rubbing off which ordinarily involves considerable risk of injury to
the design and to the ware. The volatile solvent or softening liquid, which
facilitates the transference of the design to the ware, also has the advantage of
causing the medium or vehicle of the pigment to be more easily and completely
evaporated off the surface of the ware, and consequently when the design has been
dried on the ware the glaze subsequently applied flows uniformly and smoothly

page_text: over the entire surface and is uniformly absorbed so as to present no unevenness
after the ware has been fired.
The improved mode of transferring printed designs herein before described, may
also be advantageously applied to pottery in the biscuit or fired state; and its
application in this way will render unuecessary the operation of passing the ware
through a muffle or hardening-on kiln ordinarily required for burning the oil out
of the pigment.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
--
the said James Miller in the Patent Office on the 1st February 1884.
JAMES MILLER, of Glasgow in the County of Lanark, North Britain "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPLYING PRINTED DESIGNS TO STONEWARE AND OTHER POTTERY
My said Invention has for its object to obtain improved results in applying
printed designs to stoneware and other pottery, and at the same time to reduce
the expenses and diminish the waste attending the processes hitherto employed.
In practically carrying out any Invention in the case of stoneware which is only
once fired, the designs, printed on paper in the ordinary way, are transferred to the
unfired articles by applying the paper upon their surfaces, but the articles are cold
or only slightly warned, instead of being heated to the extent found necessary
with the ordinary process. After the printed paper has been closely and evenly
applied to the articles by the usual rubbing manipulation, it is next lightly rubbed
on the outer surface with a pad or sponge saturated with naphtha, benzene, spirit
of turpentine, paraffin oil, or other suitable volatile liquid which will dissolve the
oleaginous or other medium or vehicle of the pigment with which the design has
been printed. I find paraffin oil to be convenient in use and very satisfactory in
its results. The liquid passing through the paper softens the ink or pigment of
the printed design, and causes the design to be transferred to the pottery or
earthenware with an extremely small amount of pressure and rubbing and in a very
complete manner.
The
As soon as the design has been transferred to the ware or clay article, and
the volatile liquid has been applied as hereinbefore described, the paper can be at
once easily stripped off, leaving the pigment or color adhering to the ware.
volatile solvent or softening liquid, which facilitates the transference of the design
to the ware, also has the advantage of causing the medium or vehicle of the
pigment to be more easily and completely evaporated off the surface of the ware;
and consequently when the design has been dried on the ware the glaze subsequently
applied flows uniformly and smoothly over the entire surface, and is uniformly
absorbed so as to present extremely slight if any unevenness after the ware has been
fired.
The improved mode of transferring printed designs hereinbefore described may
also be advantageously applied to pottery in the biscuit or fired state; and its

page_text: application in this way will render unnecessary the operation of washing the
transfer paper off the ware, and also that of passing the ware through a muffle or
hardening-on kiln, ordinarily required for burning the oil out of the pigment.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention and the manner of
performing the same I have to state that I do not restrict myself to the precise
details hereinbefore described, but that what I believe to be novel and original
and claim as the Invention secured to me by and in terms of the hereinbefore in
part recited Letters Patent is :-
The application of a volatile liquid in applying printed designs to stoneware and
other pottery, the said liquid being used substantially in the manner hereinbefore
described.
In Witness whereof I, the said James Miller, have hereunto set my hand and
seal this thirty-first day of January in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty-four.
JAMES MILLER (L.S.)