A METHOD OF IMITATING CARVINGS IN WOOD
Year: 1852

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by George William Ley at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition. and
Declaration, on the 3rd November 1852, pursuant to the 9th
section of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, 1,
GEORGE WILLIAM LEY, of Grand Parade House, Brighton; in the
County of Sussex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of my
said Invention of "A METHOD OF IMITATING CARVINGS IN WOOD," and
in what manner the same is to be perforined, to be particularly de-
scribed and ascertained in and by the following statement (that is
to say):
The nature of my Invention consists in a method of. attaching
shavings of wood to the surface of a plastic material by the pressure of
metal or wood moulds, similar to those used in manufacturing papier
maché ornaments; and my Invention is performed or carried into
effect as follows:-I take a certain quantity of gutta percha in a
manufactured state, in pieces of convenient size, and heat and knead.
them at the same time, either by passing them through heated metal
rollers or in a heated mortar with a pestle, and while in this state of.
partial fusion I gradually sift over the surface a certain quantity of

page_text: dry bog peat dust or turf dust, repeating this operation and kneading in
the dust with the gutta percha, so as completely to mix or incorporate
the one with the other. The proportion of dust to gutta percha will
lepend upon the purpose to which the material is to be applied and the
pressure to which it is to be subjected, as well as the heat at which
the material is to be worked. For general purposes I prefer the pro-
portion of about one part of gutta percha to three parts of peat or
turf dust. I find that small or delicate mouldings require a greater
proportion of gutta percha than larger mouldings, and that it is de-
sirable, when a fine or sharp impression is wanted, to treat the material
at rather a lower temperature than when used for ordinary work.
I then take this material in a heated or plastic state, and press it into
a metal or wood mould, such as described above, with sufficient force
to obtain an impression of the moulding. When the material is cool
I trim and remove it from the mould, and apply a conting of liquid
india-rubber cement, and repeat this coating, if necessary, once or twice,
allowing each coating to dry between. I next take some shavings of
an ornamental or other wood, produced by an ordinary steel plane or
scraper, and having applied on one side of them a similar coat or
coatings of liquid india-rubber cement, I place these shavings with the
cemented surface downwards upon the moulding, arranging them so
that they shall match each other as nearly as possible, and be of
sufficient length and breadth to enter into the hollows of the moulding,
at the same time taking care to make the grains of the shavings to
run one way. I then proceed to press the moulding, now covered
with shavings, as before, whereby it becomes perfectly developed, and
resembles carving in wood. If, upon removing the moulding, any
imperfection in the covering should be seen, I apply a second or even a
third covering of shavings in the same manner as in the first, and it is
expedient sometimes to color the moulding the tint of the shaving
about to be applied. I find the shavings are conveniently obtained by
first cutting the wood into blocks of from one to two inches broad, and
then soaking them in water for some time, and the shavings may be
flattened by slight pressure between sheets of paper or pasteboard.
I do not confine myself to the particular details of this method, but I

page_text: claim as my Invention the imitation of carvings in wood by cementing
shavings of wood upon the moulded plastic material, and in the manner
above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George William Ley, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Third day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two.
GEORGE WILLIAM LEY. (L.S.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
above-named George William
Ley in the presence of
J. W. MIRFIELD,
9, Bedford Row,
Middlesex.