A NEW PROCESS OF PROTECTING THE SILVERING OF LOOKING GLASSES
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to François Vouillon, of 12, Princes Street, Hanover
Square, Gentleman, for the Invention of "A NEW PROCESS OF PROTECTING
THE SILVERING OF LOOKING GLASSES."-A communication.
Sealed the 28th July 1854, and dated the 9th February 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said François Vouillon at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 9th
February 1854.
I, FRANÇOIS VOUILLON, of 12, Prince's Street, Hanover Square, Gentleman
do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "A NEW PROCESS OF PRO-
TECTING THE SILVERING OF LOOKING GLASSES" to be as follows:-
The Invention communicated to me consists in the following process of
covering the outside silvered surface and edges of looking glasses.
I apply thereon a layer of a siccative varnish, after which several thicker
coatings of the same, and on them when dried a thin coarse tissue is laid, the
adhesion of which is obtained by means of several coatings of the same varnish,
which being dried are then covered with a coat of varnish having caoutchouc
for basis. The whole is finally covered with paint of suitable thickness
and color.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed by
the said François Vouillon in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th
August 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANÇOIS
VOUILLON, of 12, Princes Street, Hanover Square, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of February, in the year of our Lord

page_text: One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
e said François Vouillon, Her special license that I, the said François
Vouillon, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said François Vouillon, 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 "A
NEW PROCESS OF PROTECTING THE SILVERING OF LOOKING GLASSES," communicated
to me by a foreigner residing abroad, upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said François Vouillon, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, 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 François Vouillon, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say :-
The Invention communicated to me consists in covering the back of the
silvering and edges of looking glasses with a tissue made to adhere, and ren-
dered waterproof by means of varnish and paint, and sometimes of caoutchouc,
as herein-after described.
I place the glass to be operated upon with the non-silvered side flatwise on
a table, which for glasses of large dimensions should be made to pivot, so as
to allow of being inclined at will. I then pour upon the silvering or tinning,
common varnish diluted with half its weight of essence of turpentine, and
cause it to circulate over the whole of the glass whilst inclining it from side to
side. I allow the excess of varnish to flow off, and let the coating that
remains dry in the open air. Two days after putting on the first coating, I lay
on another coating of varnish alone by means of a camel hair brush. I repeat
this operation three or four times, during which it is not necessary to keep the
glass in a flat position, but it may be set on its feet.
I afterwards place the glass on an even surface, and set over the varnish a
thick muslin tissue with wide meshes, and large enough to cover all the glass
and edges. The muslin tissue should be ironed out before being set over the
varnish to remove the folds, and care should be taken in applying it to stretch
it out so as to avoid the formation of folds. I pour upon the muslin varnish

page_text: diluted with half its weight of essence of turpentine, which will cause the tissue
at once to adhere to the previous varnish coating. I then allow the excess of
varnish to run off, and when the coating is quite dry, I apply with a soft
brush a concentrated solution of caoutchouc. The caoutchouc enters the pores
of the stuff, and forms one body with the varnish.
When the layer of caoutchouc is dry, which takes two days to effect, I pass
a layer of varnish over it, then two or three successive layers of oil paint of the
ordinary kind employed for house painting, and of the required color.
When the various matters set on the glass are dry, they acquire a hardness
capable of resisting friction, humidity, and the action of noxious gases.
This covering also prevents the running of the silver or tin occasioned by
the heat of the solar rays or other causes.
It is well to cover the edges of the glass in the same manner as the silver or
tin, by which I obtain a greater durability of the preparation thereon, and a
better preservation of the glass from humidity.
Collodion or gutta percha might be employed as a substitute for caoutchouc.
The use of caoutchouc may be dispensed with if the glass were not intended to
be sent over the sea. In case the caoutchouc be dispensed with, I operate in a
similar manner as described, except however, instead of diluting the varnish
for causing the tissue to adhere to the glass with essence of turpentine, I
employ undiluted varnish, that is to say, varnish of the ordinary consistence.
Instead of muslin, tissues of a stronger texture, such as thread, horsehair, or
flexible metallic wove tissues, may be employed.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention and the manner of
putting the same into execution, I wish it to be understood that I do not con-
fine myself to the precise details herein laid down; but what I claim is,-
The protecting the silvering or tinning and edges of looking glasses with an
air and water proof covering, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said François Vouillon, have hereto set my
hand and seal, this Eighth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
W. A. GILBEe.
F. VOUILLON. (L.S.)