IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF PRINTING SURFACES ON ZINC OR STONE FOR THE PURPOSES OF PRINTING AT LITHOGRAPHIC HAND PRESS OR MACHINE
Year: 1884

page_text: Machine.
I, WILLIAM DICKES, artist, of 75 Loughborough Park, Brixton, London, S. W do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION
OF PRINTING SURFACES ON ZINC OR STONE FOR THE PURPOSES OF PRINTING AT
LITHOGRAPHIC HAND PRESS OR MACHINE to be as follows:-
I make a drawing on Zinc, or through an etching ground on Zinc, in the usual
way, or a transfer on Zinc from drawings or engravings on Stone, Copper, Steel,
paper, or other material.
I then "prepare
" and "roll up" the drawings or transfers, with specially strong
& drying, Transfer Ink, or deposit a protecting covering on the lines drawn through
the etching ground.
Having cleaned the etching ground away
I next gently etch the exposed surface of the Plates, more or less deeply, with
nitric, sulphuric, or other suitable Acid; further protecting the lines from the action
of the acid, if needed, by molten Resin or other protecting material.
This done, I charge the bitten spaces, and hollows between the lines, with a
strong decoction of nut galls. Clean off, prove, and print at Lithographic hand
press, or Lithographic Machine, in the usual manner, the paper receiving the
ink from the now raised lines, by pressure. The operation of printing thus
acquiring an increased mechanical characteristic, as well as the ordinary chemical
characteristics of Lithographic, or Zincographic Printing.
2. I make drawings or transfers on Zinc, suitable for printing, in the manner
described in No 1, but instead of using nut galls, I charge the etched blank spaces,
& the non-printing hollows between the lines of work, with a covering having the
character of Lithographic Stone. The plate so far completed, I finish for Litho-
graphic Hand-press, or Lithographic machine, printing in the manner usually
adopted for Lithographic purposes as in No. 1.
3. I prepare drawings or Transfers on Zine, as in No 1 & 2; but instead of
charging the lowered blank surfaces, the intermediate spaces between the work, as
therein described, I use a varnish hardening on exposure, or a resinous gum, not

page_text: affected by water, affixing this by heat, applied above or below, or depositing it
from a solution in alcohol æther or other volatile vehicle.
This also, when thus treated, is ready for completion & printing, in the manner
described in No 1 & 2.
4. I cover a smooth surface of Zinc, or stone, with granulated resin dissolved in
spirits of wine.
On the surface thus covered, I paint with Brunswick Black, or other acid-resisting
material, copying the various forms and powers of tint, commencing with the
darkest, in the black design; or if required for colour printing, with the darkest
power in any given colour of the design to be reproduced.
I then etch with acid between, i.e after, each power of tint that has been painted.
For example, first painting the darkest power, I follow with acid. Removing the
acid when it has done its work, I paint the second power of tint, and again follow
with acid; and so on, power by power, till the whole is completed.
(On cleaning off it will be seen, that the first painting or "stopping out," has
protected the original perfect surface of the Zinc or stone. This will print solid.
The second "stopping out exhibits a granulated surface, printing lighter than
the solid, first. The third painting or stopping out" a still lighter tint, and so
on till the most delicate tints of black or colour, are shewn in gradation.)
Having completed the whole, I clean off, "Roll up," and charge the lowered
broader surfaces, and small intermediate spaces of the Zinc, in the manner, and
with the material, described in Nos 1, 2, 3. I treat the stone as described in No 3.
The Zinc Plate, or Stone, are now ready for Litho Press, or machine.
1. I claim in Nos 1, 2, 3, 4 of these "Improvements," the production of non-
printing surfaces on the broader corroded parts, and between the raised lines or
dots, or other printing work, in Zinc Plate drawings, or Transfers, or Engravings;
making these Zinc Plates capable of yielding the finest work, in very long numbers,
printing in the manner of Lithography, at the Lithographic hand-press, or Litho-
graphic machine. To the exclusion of the much more costly, beavy, unwieldy, and
difficult to be stored material now used, i.e Lithographic Stone.
2. I also claim in No 4, the production of a granulated, & graduated printing
surface, on Zinc or Stone, easy, rapid, and artistic in execution, also capable of
being worked at the Lithographic Press or Machine. And, using Zinc, dispensing
with the use of costly and cumbersome Lithographic Stone.
Dated thi. 04th

page_text: Foove purposes and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
I make a drawing, or an etching, or a transfer on a Zinc plate, in the usual
manner.
I then "
'prepare" the plate, and "Roll up" but with strong ink, also in the
usual manner.
I next gently etch the exposed surface of the plate more or less deeply with a
suitable acid.
This done I cover the bitten spaces, and hollows between the lines, ie the non
printing surfaces with a covering having the character of Lithographic stone,
or with other suitable material having kindred properties to Lithographic Stone.
To produce this covering I prefer to use a dilute solution of Silicate, which I pour
over the surface of the plate & dry.
The resulting film will be found to possess such qualities as will allow clean
printing of the lines in the design if treated in the usual Lithographic manner, &
may be printed at hand Litho press, or machine.
(2) Or having drawn or transferred on the Zinc plate & gently etched, all as
above described, I prepare the bitten spaces, i.e the non printing surfaces with a
strong decoction of nut galls, thinly gum over; wash out with turps; roll up; and
afterwards print in the usual manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
(1) I claim in these improvements the production of non printing surfaces
in combination with raised lines for Zincographic printing, the result being that
the finest work need not clog spread or thicken, and that it becomes capable of
yielding very large numbers,
(2) And as a further result the diminished use of the more costly, unwieldy,
and difficult to be stored material now in use, Lithographic Stone.
WILLIAM DICKES.