IMPROVEMENTS IN PHOTO- MECHANICAL PRINTING, AND THE REPRODUCTION OF DESIGNS
Year: 1869

page_text: In the Matter of Letters Patent, granted to ERNEST EDWARDS, of
6, Lincoln Terrace, Willesden Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Photographer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PHOTO-
MECHANICAL PRINTING, AND THE REPRODUCTION OF DESIGNS," bearing
date the 8th December 1869, No. 3543.
MEMORANDUM OF ALTERATION proposed to be filed by the Patentee,
the said Ernest Edwards, in the Great Seal Patent Office with the
Specification to which the same relates according to the Statute in
that case made and provided.
WHEREAS Her Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters Patent,
under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, bearing date the 8th December One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-nine, did grant unto me, the said Ernest Edwards, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, the sole privilege of making,
using exercising, and vending my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PHOTO-MECHANICAL PRINTING, AND THE REPRODUCTION OF DESIGNS," within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
[Price 8d.]

page_text: сце Iste ΟΙ Man, during the terin of fourteen years thence next
ensuing :
And whereas, in pursuance of a proviso in the said Letters Patent
contained, I, the said Ernest Edwards, did cause an instrument in
writing, under my hand and seal, particularly describing and ascertaining
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed to be duly filed in Her Majesty's Great Seal Patent Office :
And whereas, since the filing of the said Specification, I have ascer-
tained that by the omission of certain words, and the misplacement of
certain sentences therein the meaning of parts of the said Specification
is rendered obscure.
And whereas, I am desirous for the better protection of my rights in
the said Letters Patent to alter such parts of the said Specification.
NOW KNOW YE, that by and with the leave of Her Majesty's Attorney-
General, and for the reasons aforesaid, I, the said Ernest Edwards, do
hereby alter the parts following of the said Specification as the same
appears in the print of the Specification, No. 3543 of the year 1869, as
issued under the direction of the Commissioners of Patents, that is to
say:-
"
"
On page 3 of the said printed Specification in line 9 I insert the
word "third" instead of the word "fourth." On page 3 of the said
printed Specification in line 19 I insert the word "I" after the word
that,"
," and the words "Ernest Edwards my' after the word "said,"
and in line 20 of the same page I insert the word "my" after the word
"under," and in line 26 of the same page I insert the word "I" after
the word "that," and the words "Ernest Edwards" after the word
said," and in line 27 of the same page 1 insert the word "my" after
the word "of," and in line 32 of the same page I substitute the word
"and," for the word "or," and I insert the word "it" after the
words "obtained on," and I substitute the word "parts" for the word
'part," and on page 4 in line 2 I substitute the word "bear" for the
word "nar," and in line 26 before the word "upon" I insert the words
"Printing from a film of bi-chromated gelatine which has been acted on
by light and subsequently moistened has not been found on account
"of the nature of such a film, to give satisfactory results, either as
regards numbers, or vigour, or firmness of line, besides showing a
certain grain; but gelatine may be rendered hard and insoluble, and
"converted into a very tough and durable substance by treatment with
"
"

page_text: alum, and by other means; and I have discovered that after such
treatment it still retains its property of being acted on by light, &c.,
and has, moreover, been converted into a substance which has all the
qualities of stability, depth, and firmness necessary for a good printing
plate, while the surface has been rendered completely free from grain."
And on page 4 in line 29, I omit the comma "," after the word "ammonia."
and on page 4 in line 34, 1 omit the words "printing from a film of
bi-chromated gelatine which has been acted on by the light and subse-
quently moistened, has not been found on account of the nature of
"such a film to give satisfactory results either as regards numbers, or
vigour, or firmness of line, besides showing a certain grain; but
gelatine may be rendered hard and insoluble and converted into a
very tough and durable substance by treatment with alum, and by
other means.
And I have discovered that after such treatment it still
<<
page
"retains its property by being acted on by light, &c., and has moreover,
"been converted into a substance which has all the qualities of stability,
depth, and firmness necessary for a good printing plate, while the
surface has been rendered completely free from grain." And on
5 in line 8, I insert the word "be" before the word "submitted."
after the word
and on page 5 in line 11, [insert a semicolon";
"after the word
"light," and in line 12 I omit, the semicolou ";"
"appear," and in line 14. I substitute the word "where" for the
word "were," and on page 6 in line 6, I substitute the word "then" for
the word "there," and in line 8 I substitute the word "albumenized'
for the word "albumencised;" and in line 13 of the same page: I sub-
stitute the word "vigour" for the word "injoin," and on the same page
in line 17, I substitute the word "ink" for the word "sink," and in
line 30 of the same page I substitute the word 'have" for the word
"hath."
And in order that the effect of the present Memorandum of Alteration
may be clearly shewn and understood I will proceed to repeat the said
Specification as proposed to be hereby altered.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE FRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ERNEST
EDWARDS, of 6, Lincoln Terrace, Willesden Lane, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give

page_text: and grant unto me, the said Ernest Edwards, Her special licence that I,
the said Ernest Edwards, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as 1, the said Ernest Edwards, 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 aud 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 PHOTO-MECHANICAL
PRINTING AND THE REPRODUCTION OF DESIGNS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Ernest Edwards, 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 Ernest Edwards, 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 :-
This Invention relates to the method of printing which is based on
the principle that when a suitable surface is coated with bi-chromated
gelatine, and an image obtained on it by light, the parts so acted on by
light refuse to absorb water but take greasy ink, those that have not
been acted on by light and remain unaltered absorb water and refuse
the ink, and those that have been partly acted on by light partly absorb
the water and partly refuse the ink. The difficulties that have been met
with in carrying this principle into practice have been the obtaining of
a surface of gelatine that would bear the requisite pressure and strain
in the inking and in the pulling of the proofs, and that would allow any
number of proofs to be pulled without showing deterioration; further,
in obtaining freedom from grain; further, in obtaining firmness of lines;
and further, in obtaining depth and vigour in the shadows of the prints.
Now this Iuvention relates to improved modes of obtaining such
printing surfaces, and to improved modes of printing therefrom, whereby
the difficulties referred to are overcome, and consists of,-
First. Of a method of hardening the gelatine film previous to the
image being obtained on it, whereby firmness of line and freedom from

page_text: all grain is obtained, and an unlimited number of impressions may be
printed from one plate without any loss of quality.
Second. Of a method of inking. both as regards the description of
roller and composition of the ink, whereby the risk of tearing the
gelatine film by the use of the ordinary ink and rollers is got rid of.
Third. Of a method of pulling the proofs, whereby a very small
amount of pressure is required, and the breakage of plates is avoided.
Fourth. Of a method of obtaining depth and vigour in the shadows,
and of obtaining prints of more than one tint from the same plate.
Fifth. Of a method of obtaining prints with margins, so as not to
require subsequent mounting.
Sixth. Of the general system of operations, in the manner and for the
purposes described.
In carrying these my improvements into effect I proceed as follows:-
Printing from a film of bi-chromated gelatine which has been acted on
by light and subsequently moistened, has not been found, on account
of the nature of such a film, to give satisfactory results, either as regards
numbers, or vigour, or firmness of line, besides showing a certain grain ;
but gelatine may be rendered hard and insoluble and converted into a
very tough and durable substance by treatment with alum and by other
means; and I have discovered that after such treatment it still retains
its property of being acted on by light, &c., and has moreover been
converted into a substance which has all the qualities of stability, depth,
and firmness necessary for a good printing plate, while the surface has
been rendered completely free from grain. Upon a surface of metal,
wood, stone, glass, porcelain, slate, or enamel, clean and free from grease,
I place a layer of gelatine, gum, albumen, fibrine, or compounds of these
substances, one or more of them hardened and rendered insoluble in
water by means of ammonia, alum, and other varieties of alum, chrome
alum, tannin, chlorine, or any of the other substances that are known
to have the property of tending to produce insolubility of gelatine,
gum, albumen, fibrine; this layer is rendered sensitive to light, either
during its preparation, or subsequently by treatment with a chromate or
bi-chromate. The sensitive layer thus obtained is to be submitted to
the action of light and washed in water, a second layer of the insoluble
gelatine is applied, and the operation repeated till the plate is again
sensitive to light; after exposure under a negative till all the details

page_text: appear the plate is freed from bi-chromate by washing in water, and is
ready for printing, or it may be dried and placed on one side for future
use. Where the plate is of glass light may be allowed to act on the
reverse side of it till the image has almost disappeared. Where a
few copies only are required to be printed the first coating may be
omitted, or the sensitising and exposure to light of the first coating
may be omitted. It is not possible to fix the quantity of alum or other
substance to be added to the gelatine, as this varies with the sample and
description of gelatine used, but it is to be understood that it is to be
such a quantity as will render the gelatine film after being dried
insoluble in boiling water. When it is desired to print from the plate
it is thoroughly wetted and placed in a press in which the pressure is
vertical, I prefer to use an ordinary printing press, the plate having
been freed from superfluous moisture, the image appears on the surface
of the gelatine in relief and depression, the depressed parts being the
shadows, and the raised parts the lights. It is necessary to obtain a
sufficient amount of pressure in the shadows without much more
pressure on the lights, or without so much as to risk the breaking of
the plates; to effect this a mould is made by warming a sheet of gutta
percha, placing it on the plate and pulling the press, the mould being
arranged that it falls each time exactly in its place. The plate may as
an additional precaution against breakage be bedded in gutta percha,
other materials besides gutta percha may be used, such as leather, india-
rubber, paper, paper pulp.
The mould having been obtained, and the pressure adjusted, the plate
has to be inked. In ordinary lithography there is a great adhesion to
the plate, both from the ink and the roller, which applied to this process
results in the tearing up of the gelatine film; to obviate this, and also
to obtain a finer surface, 1 use rollers or dabbers made of india-rubber,
and I use lithographic ink thinned down with tallow and olive or other
oil, avoiding as far as possible the use of lithographic varnish or boiled
oil. The plate having been properly inked a piece of paper is placed
on it, the mould or matrix laid on the top, and the whole submitted
to pressure for a sufficient time to
peeled off to receive the impression.
albumenised may be used, and the
albumenized, varnished, or otherwise
inked up, if the ink has been mixed too stiff, it will only adhere to the
allow the paper which is then
Paper either plain, enamelled, or
prints after printing may be
enamelled. When a plate is

page_text: deepest shadows, and requires the addition of a thinning agent before
it will adhere to the half tones. I take advantage of this fact to
procure prints of one or more tints from one plate and to obtain greater
depth and vigour in the shadows as follows:-Two or more inks are
prepared of different degrees of stiffness and of the same or different
colors; the stiffest is first applied which adheres only to the deepest
shadows, the next stiffest is then rolled in, which does not affect the
ink already on the plate, but which also adheres to the half tones, and
so on. In like manner a ground may be prepared in colours by chromo-
lithography and an impression placed on this or the reverse, or several
plates may be used for printing from, as in lithography. Where it is
desired to obtain prints with margins which shall not require sub-
sequent mounting a mask preferably of thin paper is cut having an
opening the size of the finished prints; after inking this mask is laid
on the plate and the paper or mount on which the impression is to be
made over it. The press is pulled and the print has the required
margin, the mask is then removed, and the plate is again ready for
inking. Prints on paper in suitable pigments may also be used for
enamelling and burning in the ordinary way in which prints on paper
are used for these purposes.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ernest Edwards, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
(Signed)
ERNEST EDWARDS. (L.S.)
And I, the said Ernest Edwards, do hereby declare that this Memo-
randum of Alteration is not such Memorandum of Alteration as will
extend the exclusive right granted by the said Letters Patent, and that
(Signed) ERNEST EDWARDS. (L.S.)
And I, the said Ernest Edwards, do hereby declare that this Memo-
randum of Alteration is not such Memorandum of Alteration as will
extend the exclusive right granted by the said Letters Patent, and that
these presents shall not extend the said exclusive right in any way
whatever.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ernest Edwards, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of April, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
Witness,
CHARLES JAMES WINTERSGILL,
22, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane.
ERNEST EDWARDS. (L.s.)

page_text: I hereby grant my fiat, giving leave to the above-named Ernest
Edwards to file in the Great Seal Patent Office. with the Specification
to which the same relates, the above-written Memorandum of Altera-
tion, dated this Twenty-fourth day of May One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-one.

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ernest Edwards, of 6, Lincoln Terrace, Willesden
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Photographer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PHOTO-MECHANICAL PRINTING, AND THE REPRODUCTION
OF DESIGNS."
Sealed the 31st May 1870, and dated the 8th December 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ernest Edwards at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
8th December 1869.
I, ERNEST EDWARDS, of 6, Lincoln Terrace, Willesden Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Photographer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PHOTO-MECHANICAL PRINTING, AND
THE REPRODUCTION OF DESIGNS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improved modes of producing by means of
light surfaces for printing from with greasy inks, and to improved modes
of printing therefrom, and to improved modes of preparing designs for
reproduction.

page_text: Upon a surface of metal, stone, glass, slate, or other suitable sub-
stance I place a layer of gelatine, gum, albumen, fibrine, or compounds
containing these substances, hardened and rendered insoluble in water by
means of ammonia, alum, or other varieties of alum, or tannin, or other
suitable substances; this layer is rendered sensitive to light either
during its preparation or subsequently by treatment with a chromate
or bi-chromate; upon the surface thus obtained an image is printed by
means of light in any of the well-known manners; after exposure the
plate having been well washed with cold water is ready for inking with
greasy ink and printing from. In the preparation of the plate in order
to obtain a greater adhesion of the printing layer to the surface on which
it is to be placed I sometimes first coat this surface with gelatine, gum,
albumen, fibrine, or compounds containing these substances, which have
been rendered insoluble as above described, or which have been rendered
insoluble by light, or which have been rendered insoluble both as above
described and by light; or I first coat this surface with Canada balsam,
or with other suitable adhesive substance.
In
In printing from plates thus obtained I use greasy ink containing a
much larger proportion than usual of grease, or the ordinary greasy inks
may be used. In charging the plate with ink I use a roller or dabber of
india-rubber, or the ordinary rollers or dabbers may be used.
printing I use a press in which a rolling pressure is obtained by the
plate itself giving the motion to a roller in its passage through the
press. Sometimes I use hand pressure, the requisite pressure being
given by the hand with any suitable substance on the back of the
material on which the impression is to be taken, or any of the ordinary
methods of obtaining pressure may be used. And I sometimes print
from different plates, as in chromo-lithography, and sometimes I print
on paper previously colored by lithography, or by other means.
Another part of this Invention is, that I coat sheets of glass, collodion,
or other suitable transparent or semi-transparent substance with a layer
of such material as will not admit of the passage through it of the
actinic rays.
Upon the plate thus prepared a design is made by the
removal in parts altogether or partially of the non-actinic layer, or by
suitably altering its color, or by these means combined. From the
plate thus produced I obtain prints by any of the ordinary photographic
processes, or by means of the
greasy ink process above, described.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Ernest Edwards in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 7th June 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ERNEST
EDWARDS, of 6, Lincoln Terrace, Willesden Lane, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundrod and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Ernest Edwards, Her special licence
that I, the said Ernest Edwards, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Ernest Edwards, 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
PHOTO-MECHANICAL PRINTING AND THE REPRODUCTION OF DESIGNS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that the said
,
, executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under , 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 the said
'
do hereby declaro
the nature of said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
This Invention relates to the method of printing, which is based on
the principle that when a suitable surface is coated with bi-chromated
gelatine or an image obtained on by light, the part so acted on by light
refuse to absorb water but take greasy ink, those that have not been
acted on by light and remain unaltered absorb water and refuse the ink,
and those that have been partly acted on by light partly absorb the
water and partly refuse the ink. The difficulties that have been met

page_text: with in carrying this principle into practice have been the obtaining of
a surface of gelatine that would mar the requisite pressure and strain in
the inking and in the pulling of the proofs, and that would allow any
number of proofs to be pulled without showing deterioration; further,
in obtaining freedom from grain; further, in obtaining firmness of lines;
and, further, in obtaining depth and vigour in the shadows of the prints.
Now this Invention relates to improved modes of obtaining such
printing surfaces, and to improved modes of printing therefrom, whereby
the difficulties referred to are overcome, and consists of,―
First. Of a method of hardening the gelatine film previous to the
image being obtained on it, whereby firmness of line and freedom from
all grain is obtained, and an unlimited number of impressions may be
printed from one plate without any loss of quality.
Second. Of a method of inking, both as regards the description of
roller and composition of the ink, whereby the risk of tearing the
gelatine film by the use of the ordinary ink and rollers is got rid of.
Third. Of a method of pulling the proofs, whereby a very small
amount of pressure is required, and the breakage of plates is avoided.
Fourth. Of a method of obtaining depth and vigour in the shadows,
and of obtaining prints of more than one tint from the same plate.
Fifth. Of a method of obtaining prints with margins, so as not to
require subsequent mounting.
Sixth. Of the general system of operations in the manner and for
purposes described.
In carrying these my improvements into effect I proceed as follows:-
Upon a surface of metal, wood, stone, glass, porcelain, slate, or enamel,
clean and free from grease, I place a layer of gelatine, gum, albumen,
fibrine, or compounds of these substances, one or more of them, hardened
and rendered insoluble in water by means of ammonia, alum, and other
varieties of alum, chrome alum, tannin, chlorine, or any of the other
substances that are known to have the property of tending to produce
insolubility of gelatine, gum, albumen, fibrine, this layer is rendered
sensitive to light either during its preparation or subsequently by treat-
ment with a printing from a film of bi-chromated gelatine which has
been acted on by light and subsequently moistened, has not been found,
on account of the nature of such a film, to give satisfactory results,
either as regards numbers or vigour or firmness of line, besides showing

page_text: a certain grain; but gelatine may be rendered hard and insoluble and
converted into a very tough and durable substance by treatment with
alum, and by other means; and I have discovered that after such treat-
ment it still retains its property by being acted on by light, &c., and has,
moreover, been converted into a substance which has all the qualities of
stability, depth, and firmness necessary for a good printing plate, while
the surface has been rendered completely free from grain, chromate, or
bi-chromate. The sensitive layer thus obtained is to be submitted to the
action of light and washed in water, a second layer of the insoluble
gelatine is applied, and the operation repeated till the plate is again
sensitive to light after exposure under a negative till all the details
appear; the plate is freed from bi-chromate by washing in water, and is
ready for printing, or it may be dried and placed on one side for future
use. Where the plate is of glass light may be allowed to act on the
reverse side of it till the image has almost disappeared. Where a few
copies only are required to be printed the first coating may be omitted,
or the sensitising and exposure to light of the first coating may be
omitted. It is not possible to fix the quantity of alum or other sub-
stance to be added to the gelatine, as this varies with the sample and
description of gelatine used, but it is to be understood that it is to be
such a quantity as will render the gelatine film after being dried
insoluble in boiling water. When it is desired to print from the plate
it is thoroughly wetted and placed in a press in which the pressure is
vertical. I prefer to use an ordinary printing press; the plate having
been freed from superfluous moisture the image appears on the surface
of the gelatine in relief and depression, the depressed parts being the
shadows and the raised parts the lights. It is necessary to obtain a
sufficient amount of pressure in the shadows without much more pressure
on the lights, or without so much as to risk the breaking of the plates;
to effect this a mould is made by warming a sheet of gutta percha,
placing it on the plate and pulling the press, the mould being arranged
that it falls each time exactly in its place. The plate may as an
addition precaution against breakage be bedded in gutta percha;
other materials besides gutta percha may be used, such as leather, india-
rubber, paper, paper pulp. The mould having been obtained and the
pressure adjusted the plate has to be inked. In ordinary lithography
there is a great adhesion to the plate both from the ink and the roller,
which applied to this process results in the tearing up of the gelatine
film; to obviate this, and also to obtain a finer surface, I use rollers or

page_text: dabbers made of india-rubber, and I use lithographic ink thinned down
with tallow and olive or other oil, avoiding as far as possible the use of
lithographic varnish or boiled oil. The plate having been properly
inked a piece of paper is placed on it, the mould or matrix laid on the
top, and the whole submitted to pressure for a sufficient time to allow
the paper, which is there peeled off, to receive the impression. Paper
either plain, enamelled, or albumenised may be used, and the prints
after printing may be albumenised, varnished, or otherwise enamelled.
When a plate is inked up if the ink has been mixed too stiff it
will only adhere to the deepest shadows, and requires the addition of a
thinning agent before it will adhere to the half tones. I take advantage
of this fact to procure prints of one or more tints from one plate, and to
obtain greater depth and injoin in the shadows as follows:-Two or
more inks are prepared of different degress of stiffness and of the same
or different colors; the stiffest is first applied, which adheres only to the
deepest shadows; the next stiffest is then rolled in, which does not affect
the sink already on the plate, but which also adheres to the half tones,
and so on.
In like manner a ground may be prepared in colours by
chromo-lithography, and an impression placed on this, or the reverse, or
several plates may be used for printing from, as in lithography. Where
it is desired to obtain prints with margins which shall not require sub-
sequent mounting a mask, preferably of thin paper, is cut, having an
opening the size of the finished prints; after inking this mask is laid on
the plate, and the paper or mount on which the impression is to bo
made over it. The press is pulled and the print has the required
margin, the mask is then removed, and the plate is again ready for
inking. Prints on paper in suitable pigments may also be used for
enamelling and burning in the ordinary way in which prints on paper
are used for these purposes.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ernest Edwards, hath hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixth day of June, in the year of our Lord