IMPROVE- MENTS IN PRODUCING PRINTING SURFACES BY THE AID OF PHOTOGRAPHY."
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Winstanley, junior, of Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Photographer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PRODUCING PRINTING SURFACES BY THE AID OF PHOTOGRAPHY."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Winstanley at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 2nd
February 1866.
I, DAVID WINSTANLEY, junior, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Photographer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PRODUCING PRINTING SURFACES BY THE AID OF PHOTOGRAPHY,"
to be as follows:-
If an indentation be made into a flat plate of metal or other substance,
and there is then introduced vertically into this indentation the end of a piece
of wire having a pointed or conical termination, it will be seen that the
particular portion of the wire which is exactly in the general plane of the
surface of the indented plate has a diameter which is determined by the
depth of the indentation into which the wire has been introduced, that is to
say, if the indentation be but slight, that portion of the wire which is on a

page_text: level with the general plane of the plate is near to the apex or smallest
diameter of the cone, and if the indentation be comparatively deep, the portion
of the wire then in the general plane is nearer to the base of the cone, and
therefore has a larger diameter.
This fact forms the basis of my present Invention. It is well known to
photographers that when a layer of bichromated gelatine is exposed in a
proper manner under a negative to the chemical action of light, it becomes
insoluble in proportion to the extent to which it has been acted upon that
light; hence when after this operation it is immersed in hot water some
portions are dissolved, and a picture in relief upon the plate or surface
supporting the gelatine is produced. Metallic or other reverses or intaglios
have also been obtained from these gelatine reliefs by processes already well
known.
According to my Invention I propose to take a rectangular, circular, or
other suitable framework, containing or filled with a number of conically
pointed wires bound together by mechanical, electrical, or other suitable
appliances, and place it upon one of the before-mentioned gelatine reliefs or
metallic or other intaglios, and by then loosening the wires and allowing them
to fall, or by mechanically pressing or magnetically attracting them into the
depressions or on to the uneven surface of the relievo or intaglio picture, I
obtain a reverse of that picture in a series of tapering points or cones, which
may then be bound firmly together by mechanical, electrical, or other suitable
means. This uneven surface of points or cones is then to be planed, filed,
ground, or otherwise cut or abraded or acted upon until the terminations
of the wires are all reduced to or near to one general plane, and I
thus have a picture the lights and shades of which are represented by
dots, points or marks of a diameter greater or less, according to the
elevations or depressions of the relievo or intaglio from which the
uneven surface was produced. This surface may now be used to obtain
pictures in opaque or printing ink in the same way as block printing
is done. The resulting picture will possess gradations of tone or shade
produced by dots of greater or less diameter, and will be "positive" and
correct, or "negative" and reverse, according as a relief or intaglio was used
in the former process. The wires used may be made of any metal or alloy,
or may for some purposes or in some cases be replaced by elongated strips of
any other suitable material, and in shape may be such as to present when cut
nt right angles to their length a section bounded by a circle, an ellipse, a
triangle, a rectangle, a hexagon, or other suitable figure. The frame to hold
the wires may be of any size or shape best adapted to
the subject of the

page_text: intended picture, and may be constructed of metal or other suitable material,
preferably, however, of steel having a thin internal casing of lead. The
binding of the wires may be effected either mechanically by screws, levers, or
wedges (preferably, however, by screws), electrically by the use of an induction
coil, and calorifically by partial fusion or by expansion. Of these methods,
however, I prefer the mechanical. In order to hold the tapering extremities
in their proper positions during the cutting or grinding process, lead or type
metal or other suitable material may be cast amongst then and melted out
after the operation. For the economy of the wires (which for convenient use
would be better if pointed at both end) casts or impressions in type metal or
other suitable material may be taken from them, which when ground or cut
to the proper extent might be used for printing by the "copper-plate"
method, or which without being ground or cut might be used to obtain casts or
impressed fac-similes in type or other metal or material of the original
uneven surface of the wires. These fac-similes might then be easily cut or
ground into a plane for the purposes of ordinary "block printing," and the
pointed wires could be used again an indefinite number of times for obtaining
the uneven surface from the gelatine reliefs or metal intaglios. The foregoing
method relates exclusively to the production of a variety of shades by dots of
different magnitudes. A method for obtaining gradations of tone or shade
by dots differing in number and not in magnitude may be based upon the
foregoing. If we take the plate as prepared for block printing in dots of
different magnitudes, and upon this press a multitude of very fine wires, in
the same manner as the pointed wires are pressed on to the relief or intaglio,
we shall on binding them together obtain a surface in which lights and shades
are represented by greater or less numbers of dots having the same size. This
surface may be planed, cut, or ground, or casts or impressions in reverse or
fac-simile may be taken from it, as in the method before mentiond, and used
for obtaining pictures or impressions by the "block printing" method or
engravings by the "copper-plate" method.
SPECIFICATION. in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said David Winstanley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
1st August 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME,. I, DAVID
WINSTANLEY, junior, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Photographer,
send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said David Winstanley, Her special licence that I, the said David
Winstanley, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said David Winstanley, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PRODUCING PRINTING SURFACES BY THE AID OF PHOTOGRAPHY," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said David Winstanley, 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 David Winstanley, 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 in writing, that is to say:-
If an indentation be made into a flat plate of metal or other substance,
and there is then introduced vertically into this indentation the end of a piece
of wire or other material having a conical or pyramidical or other pointed
termination, it will be seen that the particular portion of the point, cone, or
pyramid which is exactly in the general plane of the surface of the indented
plate has a diameter which is determined by the depth of the indentation into
which the end of the wire has been introduced, that is to say, if the indenta
tion be but slight, that portion of the wire which is on a level with the general
plane of the plate is near the apex or smallest diameter of the cone, and if the
indentation be comparatively deep, the portion of the wire (or rather its pointed
termination) then in the general plane will be nearer to the base or largest
diameter of the cone or pyramid forming such termination. In performing
the above experiment it is necessary that the vertical elevation of the cone or
pyramid (that is to say, a straight line drawn from the centre of its base to
its point,) should measure at all events as much as the deepest portion of the
indentation into which the aforesaid cone or pyramid is introduced. The fact
here mentioned forms the basis of my present Invention, by which I am
..

page_text: enabled to produce by the aid of photography printing surfaces in which the
lights and shades are represented by accumulations of dots equal in number
but differing in magnitude, or equal in magnitude but differing in number..
The method of producing the gradations in the latter way I will hereafter
describe; that they may be produced in the former way will be evident from
the following explanation:-The horizontal section of a cone or pyramid is
bounded by a circle, triangle, rectangle, or polygon, the vertical section by an
isosceles triangle. If we make a horizontal section immediately above the
base its circle, triangle, rectangle, or polygon will have a diameter possessing
measurable magnitude (unless, indeed, the cone itself be invisible). If, however,
the section be made immediately below the apex the diameter of the
resulting circle, triangle, rectangle; or polygon will be immeasurable on
account of its infinitestimal minuteness. From this we perceive that by
properly adjusting the dimensions of our cone or pyramid we may, by making
a vast number of horizontal sections, real or imaginary, obtain a series of
circles, triangles, rectangles, or polygons descending from one having aný
given magnitude with the most perfect gradation to another having no
measurable or visible magnitude at all. It is well known in photography
that when a layer of bichromated gelatine or other suitable material or
mixture is exposed in a proper manner under a negative photograph to the
chemical action of light its parts are rendered more or less insoluble in pro-
portion to the extent to which they have been acted upon by that light;"
hence when after this operation such a film or layer is immersed in hot water
or other proper solvent those portions which have not been acted upon by
light are dissolved out, and a picture standing out in relief upon the plate or
surface supporting the gelatine or other material is the result. Such pictures
are known in photography as "pictures in relief," "photo-relievo" pictures,
"gelatine reliefs, &c." The method of producing them was devised some years
ago, is well known, and therefore not claimed in the present Patent. The
chief characteristic of these pictures is that all gradations of light and shade
in the negative photograph from which they were produced are faithfully
represented by corresponding thicknesses of gelatine (or other material).
These pictures thus obtained by photography form the basis upon which in
my present Invention I work, and by availing myself of the facts I have
already mentioned concerning the cone or pyramid I obtain
166
printing
surfaces" from them, and therefore "by the aid of photography" metallic or
other reverses or "intaglios" have also been obtained by a variety of means
from these reliefs, and together with their mode of production are likewise
well known in photography..

page_text: According to my Invention I take a rectangular, circular, or other suitably
shaped framework of iron, brass, or other suitable metal or material containing
or filled with a number of wires or other strips of metal or other hard or rigidl
material, each having a conical, pyramidical, or other pointed termination, and all
bound or secured or held together by mechanical or other suitable appliances or
means, and I place the surface of points thus obtained upon one of the before-
mentioned gelatine or other reliefs or metallic or other intaglios; I then loosen the
wires, and by allowing them to fall or by mechanically pressing or magnetically
attracting or by vibration or other means cause them to descend into. the
depressons or on to the uneven surface of the aforesaid relievo or intaglio
picture, and by this means I obtain a reverse of such picture in a series of
points conical or pyramidical or otherwise. The greatest depth of the mould
(that is to say, of the gelatine relief or metal intaglio,) must be the same as the
perpendicular elevation of the isosceles triangle produced by the vertical section
of the cone or pyramid forming the point of the wires. All the points of the
wires must be uniform in size and shape. The descent of the wires I
have accomplished most easily by simply causing a gentle vibration of
the whole apparatus, whereupon they readily fall into their proper places.
The framework of wires is now turned upon its side, so that the wires
are in a horizontal instead of a vertical position. The relief or intaglio
After the
during this operation is of course kept in contact with them.
operation it may be carefully removed without in the slightest degree altering
the position of the wires, which may then be secured firmly together by
mechanical, calorific, or other suitable means.
If it were attempted to bind the wires together without first separating
the relief or intaglio from them the picture would be destroyed, because
the wires when bound together occupy less space than when loose, and
the movement of the wires in the process of binding would either cause their
own destruction or derangement, or the destruction of the gelatine or other
relief or metallic or other intaglio. The removal of the frame and wires from
the relief, &c. is therefore necessary for the preservation of the picture, and
is readily accomplished as already directed by turning the whole carefully upon
its side, and then carrying away the relief or intaglio. The wires are originally
placed in the frame horizontally, and are caused to take up the least space
they will fall into by gentle vibration. The clamp in the frame is then screwed
down from above until it just touches them; nearer to each other than this it
is obvious they cannot fall when again laid horizontally for the removal of the
relief or intaglio, but they can be forced nearer together when pressure is
applied. The application of pressure to the wires must take place in due

page_text: proportion from two sides of the frame, or a properly distorted negative must
be employed, else a distortion of the picture will certainly ensue upon binding
the wires in one direction only. The uneven surface of cones, pyramids, or
other points thus obtained is now to be planed, filed, ground, or otherwise cut
or abraded or acted upon until the terminations of the wires are all reduced to
or near to one general plane. The result will be a picture the lights and
shades of which are represented by dots, points, or marks of a diameter
greater or less according to the elevations or depressions of the relief or
intaglio from which the uneven surface was produced. This surface may now
be used to obtain pictures (that is to say, copies of itself) in opaque or
printing ink by the method known as typographical or block printing. The
resulting picture will possess gradations of tone or shade produced by dots of
greater or less diameter, and will be "positive" and correct, or "negative"
and reverse, according as an intaglio or relief was used in the former process.
The wires used may be made of any metal or alloy, or may for some
purposes or in some cases be replaced by elongated strips of any other hard or
rigid material, and in shape may be such as to present when cut at right
angles to their length a section bounded by a circle, an ellipse, a triangle, a
rectangle, a hexagon, or other suitable figure. The frame to hold these wires
may be of any size or shape best adapted to the subject of the intended,
picture, and may be constructed of metal or other hard or rigid material,
preferably however of metal. The material of which the frame and the wires
are respectively composed should not be alike, inasmuch as when any difficulty
is experienced in binding the wires by mechanical means they may be firmly
bound by calorific means; thus brass expands when heated more than iron
does; hence, if the wires are of brass and the frame is of iron, the wires
however tightly bound when cold will become more so by simply heating.
It is better however to have them made in the reverse way, that is, to
say, the frame of brass and the wires of iron, because then they can b
easily screwed whilst hot, and will be more firm on cooling to a temperature
at which some of the subsequent manipulations may be more easily conducted.
The binding of the wires may be effected either mechanically, as by screws,
levers, or wedges (preferably however by screws), or calorifically (as by partial
fusion or by expansion), or they may be held by a foreign substance adhering t
to their outer terminations. Of these methods, however, I prefer the
mechanical. In order to hold the tapering extremities in their proper position
during the cutting or grinding process, lead or type metal or other suitable
material may be cast amongst them and melted out after the operation. For
the economy of the wires (which for convenient use are better when pointed

page_text: at both ends) casts or impressions in type metal or other suitable material
may be taken from them, which when ground or cut to the proper extent may
be used for printing by the "copper-plate" method, or which without being
ground or cut may be used to obtain casts or impressed fac-similes (in any
more fusible or plastic material) of the original surface of the wires. These
fac-similes may then be easily cut or ground into a plane for the purposes of
ordinary "block printing," and the pointed wires can be used again an
indefinite number of times for obtaining the uneven surface from the gelatine
or other reliefs or metallic or other intaglios. The grinding or cutting of these
stereotypes I have done by workmen accustomed to similar operations. The
method of operating suggests itself at once to an intelligent workman, has no
novelty, and is not claimed in the present Invention. The foregoing method
relates exclusively to the production of a variety of shades by dots equal in
number but differing in magnitude.
My method for obtainining gradation of light and shade by dots equal in
magnitude but differing in number is based upon the foregoing, and is as
follows: A plate as prepared for block printing by the method already
described or as prepared for copper-plate printing is used in this method, I
prefer, however, to use a plate as prepared for copper-plate printing, in which
the impression has considerable depth, and which plate has been ground from
behind until every point is just represented by a hole. By pushing the fine wires
through these holes I obtain a deeper cut and better printing plate. Upon
this plate a frame containing a multitude of very fine wires is placed, and
an impression of the surface of the plate is obtained in them in the same way
as the impression is taken in the pointed wires from the relief or intaglio.
Upon binding these wires together we obtain a surface in which the lights and
shades are represented by greater or less numbers of dots having the same
size. This surface may then be planed, cut, or ground, or casts or impressions
in reverse or fac-simile may be taken from it, as in the method before men-
tioned, and used for obtaining pictures or impressions either by the "block
printing" or by the "copper-plate" method. Stereotyping from the wires
may be accomplished by laying the surface of them into a box of fused type
metal with proper precaution, the result will be of course a reverse.
instead of the points being introduced into the type metal the bases are so
introduced, then the type metal when cold will serve as a cushion to prevent
the descent of the wires when pressure or percussion is applied from above.
In this way stereotyping in fac-simile may be accomplished by a method
already well known and extensively practised, in which a plastic material is
introduced by pressure or percussion into the interstices of the surface to be
If

page_text: stereotyped. This plastic material is then baked and type metal cast into the
mould so produced in order to obtain the final stereotype.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention for
"Improvements in Producing Printing Surfaces by the aid of Photograpby,"
together with the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or
carried into practical effect, I would remark in conclusion that I claim as my
Invention the production of plane printing surfaces (from reliefs or intaglios
produced by the aid of photography) by means of a number of pointed wires
applied and used substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein-
before more particularly described and set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said David Winstanley, junior, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
D. WINSTANLEY, JUNIOR. (L.B.)