Improvements in Transfer Sheets for Manifold or Duplicate Writing or Printing.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Apr., 1899-Accepted, 27th May, 1899.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Transfer Sheets for Manifold or Duplicate Writing
or Printing.
I, JOHN ONESIMUS FOSTER, residing at No. 24, South 9th Street, Newark, in the
State of New Jersey, United States of America, Clergyman, 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:-
The object of the present invention is to dispense entirely with separate sheets,
and to coat the back of one sheet with a material that is transferred to the prepared
surface of the next sheet, in order that the first sheet may be written upon by a
pencil or otherwise and form the original and the second sheet is a duplicate of
the writing of the first, thereby dispensing with any intermediate sheet. I pre-
pare the back of the first sheet and the surface of the second sheet, so that there
is an offset from the back of the first sheet to the surface of the second sheet, and
the materials preferred by me as hereafter described, are such as to be substantially
waterproof, and if the transfer writing should become obscure through the presence
of moisture, it is restored to sharpness when the material is dried; and by making
use of three, four, or more sheets, the back of one being coated with the transfer
material and the adjacent surface of the other being coated with the receiving
material, any desired number of copies can be duplicated and it is only necessary
to tear off or remove these copies in succession.
While the present improvement is especially adapted to railroad and express
work it is not in any way limited, but can be employed for ordinary correspondence
and can be used upon typewriters or printed upon, a duplicate or duplicates
being produced by the impression upon the original, whether that impression be
made by the types in the typewriter, by a pencil, pen or otherwise.
In carrying out this present invention I place on the back of the original sheet
white or light colored clay, chalk, or similar material in a pulverulent condition
and caused to adhere by suitable material, and upon the surface of the second
sheet a contrasting color is employed and with a surfacing material that is slightly
adhesive, so that the pressure upon the original sheet causes the magnesia, clay
or other material to be transferred to the surface of the second sheet, and to adhere
to the same firmly; and the materials preferably employed by me, as hereafter
set forth, are not easily influenced by moisture; hence the transfer becomes
permanent and reliable, and where the second sheet has a backing similar to the
first sheet, a transfer can be simultaneously made therefrom to a third sheet having
a prepared surface, and so on any desired number of transfers or manifold writing
or printing can be simultaneously effected.
In the drawing, I have illustrated a number of the sheets, and it is to be under-
stood that the surface of sheet 1 is to be writtten upon or printed, and that the
back surface a of this first sheet is prepared with the transfer material and the

page_text: front surface 6 of sheet 2 is prepared with the receiving material, and where more
than one copy is to be made simultaneously, the back surface c of the second sheet 2
is also prepared with transfer material similar to the back of sheet 1, and the
surface d of the third sheet 3 is to be prepared with the receiving material, and the
surface e with the transfer material, and so on, any desired number of sheets
can be prepared and employed; and while it is true that the first sheet 1 might
have a receiving surface so that all the sheets would be alike, I find it generally
advantageous to make the first sheet 1 with a plain surface adapted to a pencil
or pen or to be printed upon by typewriting or otherwise.
The transfer material may be composed of magnesia, clay, bronze powder, or
I find that
other material having more or less color in a pulverulent condition.
china clay is well adapted to this purpose and the same is mixed with an adhesive
substance. I have found that about two per cent. of glue and about three per cent.
of shellac form a very good material for causing the light colored
to the back of the sheet,
pulverulent material to adhere together and
and caoutchouc or India rubber, I resin, or similar.material may be added;
and it is generally preferable to dissolve the shellac in ammonia and to mix the
materials in a hot condition to a consistency of cream and then to apply such
material to the backs of the sheets and when the same becomes dry it is adapted
to the transfer work before mentioned.
If it should be found that the light colored pulverulent material rubs off upon
the hands or smears, the proportion of adhesive material 'can be increased. If,
on the other hand, it is too hard for easy transfer, the proportion of glue or other
adhesive material may be lessened, and this transfer material may be applied
with a brush or by a roller to the backs of the sheets.
The receiving surfaces of the sheets are to be of a dark or contrasting color to
the transfer material, or vice versa. They may be black, brown, purple, red, blue,
green or other color contrasting with the transter material, and the film or receiving
coating is advantageously composed, in addition to the coloring matter, of resin,
steric acid, paraffin, Japan wax, or resin and beeswax, such materials being melted
together and applied to the surfaces of the sheets.
I find that paraffin three parts, caoutchouc, in the comminuted form, rubber
cement, one part, resin and steric acid in about equal parts, produce a good receiv-
ing surface when applied hot to the surface of the paper and laid on evenly by
rollers, brushes, or otherwise. Tissue paper can be easily prepared as the receiving
film, care being taken to fill in fine perforations and to coat the entire surface of
the paper with uniformity. If the sheet with the receiving upper surface or
film is also to be used as a transfer sheet, as illustrated at 2, 3 and 4, the backs cf
such sheets are coated with the light colored transfer material before mentioned.
When the first sheet is written or printed upon, the pressure at the lines of the
printing, writing, or drawing, causes the transfer material from the back of one
sheet to adhere firmly to the adjacent surface of the next sheet, and when the
sheets are separated the transfer or manifold writing can be easily read by the
contrast between the material that is caused to adhere from the back of the first
sheet upon the surface of the second sheet; and so on, where there are more than
two sheets made use of. And it will be found that the light colored coating upon
the back of one sheet is substantially removed upon the lines of pressure to the
adhering surface of the receiving film, and the transfer is not liable to become
smeared or obliterated, and if water is applied or an effort made to wash off the
record, sufficient of the light colored transfer material will be found adhering to
the receiving surface to become legible after such surface dries.
I remark that a small per cent. of bichromate of potash or tannic acid mixed into
the solution for the transfer surface, renders the glue insoluble, so that the same
cannot easily be washed off and that the adhesive character of the glue is not
materially interfered with.
I do not limit myself to the ingredients herein described, as the same may be
varied according to the circumstances of use.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
First In manifold writing a sheet prepared with a light colored transfer
material upon the back, and a second sheet prepared with a darker colored receiving
surface, that is sufficiently adhesive to receive and hold the material transferred
from the back of the first sheet to the surface of the second sheet by pressure
upon the surface of the first sheet by a pen, pencil, types, or otherwise, substantially
as set forth.
Second: In manifold writing a sheet of paper adapted to being written upon
and having a coating upon the back of pulverulent light colored material caused
to adhere by a mixture of adhesive material, in combination with a second sheet
having a surface of adhesive material to which the material from the back of
the first is caused to adhere by the pressure in writing, printing or drawing, sub-
stantially as set forth.
Third A transfer coating for the back of a first sheet in manifold writing,
consisting of light colored material in a pulverulent condition and an adhesive
material, mixed therewith and applied at the back of the sheet, substantially as
set forth.
Fourth A transfer coating for the back of a first sheet in manifold writing,
consisting of clay in a pulverulent condition and an adhesive material, such as
glue, mixed therewith and applied at the back of the sheet, the glue being rendered
substantially waterproof by bichromate of potassium, tannic acid or similar
material, substantially as set forth.
Fifth A receiving surface for a sheet in manifold writing, consisting of a
wax and resinous material adapted to receive and hold pulverulent material from
the back of the first sheet, substantially as set forth.
Sixth A manifold sheet coated on both surfaces, the one surface having an
adhesive material, such as a wax or resinous material and the other surface having
a coating of pulverulent material in a contrasting color and adhesive material to
hold the coating upon the back of the sheet, substantially as set forth.
Seventh In manifold writing a sheet of paper adapted to being written upon
and having a coating upon the back of pulverulent material having more or less
color and caused to adhere by a mixture of adhesive material, in combination
with a second sheet having a surface of adhesive material of contrasting color to
which the material from the back of the first sheet is caused to adhere by the
pressure in writing, printing, or drawing, substantially as set forth.
Eighth A manifold sheet coated on both surfaces, the one surface having
an adhesive material, such as a wax or resinous material, and the other surface
having a coating of pulverulent material and adhesive material to hold the coating
upon the back of the sheet, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 4th day of Apr
HARRIS & MILLS,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents
HARRIS & MILLS,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents