IMPROVEMENTS IN PAINTING, VARNISHING, AND WHITEWASHING
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Henry Balmain, of Huyton, near Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PAINTING, VARNISHING, AND WHITEWASHING."
Sealed the 22nd January 1878, and dated the 7th November 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Henry Balmain at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th November 1877.
.
WILLIAM HENRY BALMAIN, of Huyton, near Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PAINTING, VARNISHING, AND WHITE-
WASHING.
"
My Invention relates to a method of rendering paints, varnishes, whitewashings,
and temperings luminous, and consists in the introduction into ordinary paints,
varnishes, or washes of a phosphorescent substance, by which means the object to
which the paint, or varnish, or wash is applied is made visible in the dark and more
or less capable of imparting light to other objects.
In applying my Invention to a watch or other timepiece, for example, I varnishi
or paint the face with the phosphorescent paint before putting on the figures
or letters, and so render it legible through the night without the aid of external
light.
In the case of a railway or other carriage the interior, or a portion of it, being
painted with phosphorescent paint or varnish it is rendered sufficiently luminous to
obviate the necessity for lamps in passing through tunnels or other dark places.
In the case of railway engines or the ends of trains passing into tunnels or other
dark places, sufficient warning notice may be given by painting the front and back
with the said phosphorescent varnish.
In the case of buildings, rooms, passages, and exterior places, phosphorescent paint
being applied partially or wholly, sufficient light for many purposes may be pro-
duced for an entire night, or the twilight may be prolonged for a time, which may
admit of very useful applications.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Henry Balmain in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
30th April 1878.
WILLIAM HENRY BALMAIN, of Huyton, near Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PAINTING, VARNISHING, AND WHITE-
WASHING."
"
My said Invention relates to a method of rendering paints, whitewashes, and
temperings luminous, and consists in introducing into ordinary paints, varnishes, or
washes a phosphorescent substance or substances, either alone or in conjunction with
colors, or with white substances as a body, by which means the object or article to
which such paint, or varnish, or wash is applied is itself rendered visible in the
darkest place, and more or less capable of imparting light to other objects so as to
render them visible also. The phosphorescent substance which I have found most
suitable for the purpose is a compound obtained by simply heating together a
mixture of lime and sulphur, or carbonate of lime and sulphur, or some of the
various substances containing in themselves both lime and sulphur, such, for
example, as alabaster, gypsum, and the like, with carbon or other agent to remove
a portion of the oxygen contained in them, or by heating lime or carbonate of lime
in a gas or vapor containing sulphur. The phosphorescent substance obtained in
this or in any equivalent manner may be applied in various proportions and with
different paints, varnishes, or washes, according to the object in view or the effect
which it is required to produce, the exact nature of the mixture, and proportions of
the ingredients used being determined by the judgment and experience of the artisan
employed to carry out the work. I have found the best results obtained by mixing
the phosphorescent substance with a colorless varnish made with mastic or other
resinous body and turpentine or spirit, making the paint as thick as convenient to
apply with a brush, and with as much turpentine or spirit as can be added without
impairing the required adhesiveness. Good results may however be obtained with
drying oils, spirit varnishes, gums, pastes, sizes, and gelatine solutions of every
description, the choice being varied to meet the object in view, or the nature of the
article in hand.
The mode of applying the paint, varnish, or wash will also depend upon the cir-
cumstances of the case. For example, it may be applied by a brush, as in ordinary
painting, or by dipping or steeping the article in the paint, varnish, or wash, or a
block or type may be used to advantage, as in calico printing, ordinary printing,
and the like.
For outdoor work or wherever the surface illuminated is exposed to the vicissi-
tudes of whether or to injury from mechanical contingencies, I find it desirable to
cover it with glass; or if the article will admit of it, to glaze it over with a flux, as in
enamelling, or as in ordinary pottery, and this may be accomplished without injury
to the effect even when the flux or glaze requires a red heat for fusion.
Among other applications of my said Invention which may be enumerated it is
particularly advantageous for rendering. visible, clock or watch faces and other indi-
cators, such, for example, as compasses, and the scales of barometers or thermo-
meters during the night, or in dark places during the daytime.
.
In applying the Invention to these and other like purposes
may use either
phosphorescent grounds with dark figures, or dark grounds and phosphorescent
figures or letters, but I prefer the former.
In like manner there may be produced figures and letters for use on house doors
and ends of streets wherever it is not convenient or economical to have an external
source of light, sign posts, and signals, and names or marks to shew entries to
avenues, or gates, and the like.
The Invention is also applicable to the illumination of railway carriages by
painting with phosphorescent paint a portion of their interior, thus obviating the

page_text: necessity for the expense and inconvenience of the use of lamps in passing through
tunnels.
It may also be applied externally as warning lights at the front and end of
trains passing through tunnels, and in other similar cases; also to ordinary carriages,
either internally or externally; as a night light in a bedroom or in a room habitually
dark the application has been found quite effectual, a very small proportion of the
surface rendered phosphorescent affording sufficient light for moving about the room
or for fixing upon and selecting an article in the midst of a number of complicated
scientific instruments or other objects.
The Invention may also be applied to private and public buildings in cases where
it would be economical and advantageous to maintain for a short time a waning or
twilight so as to obviate the necessity for lighting earlier the gas or other artificial
light.
It may also be used in powder mills and stores of powder, and in other cases
where combustion or heat would be a constant source of danger, and generally for
all purposes of artificial light where it is applicable.
In order to produce and maintain the phosphorescent light full sunshine is not
necessary, but on the contrary is undesirable. The illumination is best started by
leaving the article or surface exposed for a short time to ordinary daylight, or even
artificial light, which need not be strong, in order to make the illumination continue
for many hours, even twenty hours, without the necessity of renewed exposure.
The advantages of the Invention consist in obtaining for the purposes of daily
life a light which is maintained at no cost whatever, is free from the defects and
contingent dangers arising from combustion or heat, and can be applied in many
cases where all other sources of light would be inconvenient or incapable of appli-
cation.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent is, the employment in paints, varnishes, or washes of phos-
phorescent substances, either alone or in conjunction with other substances, in order
to render such paints, varnishes, or washes luminous, substantially as and for the
purposes herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Henry Balmain, have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal, the Twenty-ninth day of April, One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
WILLIAM HENRY BALMAIN. (L.S.)