IMPROVEMENTS IN DECORATIVE TILES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Savillion Van Campen of the City, County, and State
of New York, United States of America for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS
IN DECORATIVE TILES
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Savillion Van Campen at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th September 1883.
SAVILLION VAN CAMPEN of the City County and State of New York, United
States of America, "IMPROVEMENTS IN DECORATIVE TILES
"
In carrying out my invention I make a tile designed for ornamental purposes
entirely out of paper having an embossed surface which is colored to imitate
pottery tiles.
Upon the paper or pasteboard which is to form the face of the tile, is produced
in relief some figure or design, by any suitable embossing process-To the back of
the embossed paper is applied by cement or other adhesive substance, a sheet of
smooth, stiff paper or light pasteboard. Over the entire embossed surface is spread,
in an even manner, a thin coat of sizing which is allowed to become perfectly dry
before the tint or color is given to the tile.
In preparing the color bath, a sufficient quantity of sizing is mingled with the
color liquid to give it the viscidity required to prevent it from flowing too readily
when applied to the surface of the paper. After the sizing is dry I immerse the
tile in the coloring liquid, and then lay it down in a horizontal position, so that the
color will flow naturally over its embossed surface. When the color is perfectly.
dry I apply to the surface a thin coat of varnish.
Instead of immersing the tile in the coloring liquid as mentioned, it may be laid
upon a flat surface and the color run upon it. In either case only a certain
amount of the coloring matter will be retained on its surface and as it will
naturally flow into the depressed portions, the figures in relief will have a lighter
tint, and pleasing gradations of color will be effected similar to those produced in
the most expensive pottery tiles.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Savillion Van Campen in the Patent Office on the 17th March
1884.
SAVILLION VAN CAMPEN, of the City county and State of New York, United
States of America "IMPROVEMENTS IN DECORATIVE TILES
"
My invention relates to the production of a decorative tile as an article of
manufacture for wainscoting, panels, boxes, and articles of furniture, and for
general ornamental purposes; and the object of my improvement is the economical
manufacture of an attractive tile out of cheap material and by a simple process,
which will resemble and serve the same end for decorative purposes as those made
from clay dust.
In carrying out my invention I make the tile entirely of paper, with relief
designs on its surface, which are colored, treated with size, and finished to imitate
the surface of pottery tiles.
Upon the piece of paper which is to form the face of the tile is first produced in
relief the ornamental figure or design required. This may be accomplished by any
one of the present well-known methods of embossing. The figure or design for the
tile having been formed in relief on the paper, the paper is then secured by some
adhesive substance, to a sheet of smooth paper or light pasteboard which forms a
backing and gives it the necessary thickness and strength. Over the entire relief
or face surface I then apply a thin coat of size, spreading it smoothly and uniformly
over the same, which is allowed to become perfectly dry before the tint or color is
given to the tile. In preparing the color bath for the tile, a sufficient quantity of
size is mixed with the coloring liquid to give it the proper degree of viscidity, so
as to prevent it from flowing too readily over the paper when it is applied thereto.
After the previously applied coat of sizing is perfectly dry I dip or immerse the
tile in the color bath, and remove it in a manner to allow it to retain as much color
as possible on its face surface. I then lay it in a horizontal position, so that the
coloring liquid will be free to flow naturally over its irregular surface. Instead of
immersing the prepared paper in the color bath, as just described, it may be laid
in a flat position, and the coloring liquid be poured or flowed over its surface-In
either case the sheet will retain on its surface all that it is capable of, and the
natural tendency of the liquid, if left undisturbed, will be to flow off in some degree
from the raised portions, and settle in the lower or sunken parts of the surface,
thus producing gradations of color, resembling brush shading. When the color is
dry, I apply a coat of varnish.
In some cases I submit the tile thus colored, to the action of heat, to hasten the
drying of the color, and render the surface harder; but the desirability of this step
depends upon the use to which the tile is to be put. For the general forms of
ornamentation the baking of the tile is unnecessary.
Tiles manufactured from paper by this process are inexpensive in construction,
and are adapted for use in nearly all the forms of decoration where pottery tiles
are now employed, such as ornamental wainscoting, boxes, panels for furniture,
and in the form of plaques, and decorative articles for household ornamentation.
I claim-
1. As a new article of manufacture, a decorative tile made of paper and finished
in color in imitation of pottery tiles, as set forth.
2. The process herein described of making decorative tiles of paper which
consists in first producing designs in relief on a sheet of paper, spreading over the
relief surface a coat of size, and then flooding the surface with a coloring solution,
as set forth.

page_text: 3. The process of manufacturing paper tiles, consisting in producing figures in
relief on a sheet of paper, securing the same to a backing of smooth paper, coating
the relievo-surface with size, and flowing over it a coloring solution containing
size, and then applying a coat of varnish, as set forth.
In Witness Whereof I, the said Savillion Van Campen, have hereunto set my
band and seal, this first day of March, in the year of our Lord, 1884.
CAVILLION WANY
CUMDEN 1-1