IMPROVEMENTS IN ORNAMENTAL PRINTING. AND IN APPARATUS Therefor
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Alfred Wünsch, of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ORNAMENTAL
PRINTING. AND IN APPARATUS Therefor.”
"
LETTERS PATENT to Edward Alfred Wünsch, of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ORNAMENTAL
PRINTING. AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR.”
Sealed the 15th August 1879, in pursuance of an Order of the Lord Chancellor,
and dated the' 3rd February 1879.
Lanark, North Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ORNAMENTAL
PRINTING. AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR.”
Sealed the 15th August 1879, in pursuance of an Order of the Lord Chancellor,
and dated the' 3rd February 1879.
Sealed the 15th August 1879, in pursuance of an Order of the Lord Chancellor,
and dated the 3rd February 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Alfred Wünsch at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd February 1879.
EDWARD ALFRED WÜNSCH, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ORNAMENTAL PRINTING, AND IN APPARATUS
THEREFOR."
This Invention has for its object the production of ornamental printing effects in
a novel and economical manner, and is advantageously applicable to a great variety.
of fabrics and materials.
The Invention consists principally in compressing between two plies or folds of
the fabric ór material to be printed, a fabric or material bearing the coloring or
mordanting or discharging matter in' a manner to produce the desired ornamental
effect, two impressions being thus obtained at once. Any cotton or other lace or
lace-like textile fabric having an open pattern formed in it by the action of the
loom or lace machine, or otherwise, may be used in carrying out the Invention,
such printing material, as it is hereinafter termed, being saturated or impregnated
with coloring or mordanting or discharging matter, and then put or passed between
the plies of fabric or material to be printed. The two plies of fabric or material to
be printed with the printing material between them are subjected to ⚫pressure
either by being passed between rollers covered with rubber or other elastic
material, or in any other convenient and effective manner.
The printing material may be in a piece of the same length as each of the pieces
to be printed, or of a different length, or it may be in the form of an endless web,
and be led in a continuous manner through the coloring or mordanting or dis-
charging matter, then between rollers adjusted to act on it with a suitable pressure
so as to express superabundant matter next with the two plies of fabric to be
printed between the printing or pressing rollers, and finally after becoming
separated from the printed fabric or material, down to the coloring or mordanting

page_text: or discharging matter again. The pieces of fabric or material to be printed may
be unwound from rollers at the entering side, and wound on rollers at the other
side; and in the case of the printing material being in an endless web, the rollers
for one of the pieces are arranged within the circle or course of such endless web.
Instead of the printing material being of cotton or other lace or openwork fabric,
it may be of a fabric or material originally made close, but with an ornamental
_pattern_subsequently formed on it by cutting out portions of it or perforating it in
any convenient way. Or parts-of the-printing-material, when of a close-texture: or
character, may be stopped. out or prevented from printing by applying pieces of
paper or thin rubber or sheet metal, or other suitable material, either on such
material after it has been charged with coloring or mordanting or discharging
matter, or on the fabric or material to be printed. Also, such applied pieces of
material may be charged with one or more colors or matters different from that
with which the main printing material is charged, so as at one printing to produce
particolored effects, which although necessarily of a simple or rude character, are
likely to be more prized in some markets than printed effects of a more elaborate
and costly character. The modes just described of preventing parts of the printing
material from printing and of introducing particolored effects, are also applicable
when the printing material is lace or any other openwork fabric, and afford a
means of superadding effects of form and variety of color to the pattern of the
lace.
The printing material may be of the full width of the fabrics or materials to be
printed, or it may be composed of a number of strips or separate pieces of any
convenient form which may be charged with the same, or with different colors or
mordants or discharges. A length or an endless web of the printing material may
be of the same pattern throughout in one or more repeats, or it may be made up of
short lengths of different patterns. Thus, for example, a piece for printing a
length to form a dozen handkerchiefs may be made up so as to print each of the
dozen handkerchiefs of a different pattern.
The improved processes hereinbefore described may be combined with dyeing
processes, either by printing with resists or other suitable matters before dyeing, or
by printing suitable coloring or mordanting or discharging matters on previously
dyed fabrics. The improved processes may also be combined with ordinary roller
printing, the fabric to be printed being first printed in the ordinary way, with a
ground or other pattern, and then having effects superadded by means of the lace
or other printing material; or the fabric may be first printed in the ordinary way
with blank spaces, as is done for being supplemented by block printing, and such
blank spaces may be printed on by means of the printing material instead of
blocks.
Some of the improvements hereinbefore described are applicable when printing
only one ply or fold of fabric or material at a time.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Edward Alfred Wünsch in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
26th August 1879.
EDWARD ALFRED WÜNSCH, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ORNAMENTAL PRINTING, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR."
My said Invention has for its object the production of ornamental printing
effects in a novel and economical manner, and is advantageously applicable to a
great variety of fabrics and materials.
And in order that the nature and novelty of my said Invention or improve-
ments may be fully and properly understood, as also the best modes and means or
apparatus I am at present aware of for putting the same into effect or practice, I -
shall now proceed to describe the same with reference to the Figures on the Sheet
of Drawings which I have hereunto appended for that purpose, the reference
letters and numerals indicating the several parts, and the arrows the direction of
motion of the rollers and fabrics where shown in the Figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a sectional elevation shewing the
general arrangement of the main or essential parts of a machine or apparatus for
carrying out my said Invention; and Figure 2 is a vertical section illustrating a
modification of the same.
My said Invention consists principally in compressing between two plies or folds
of the fabric or material to be printed (as A and A¹, Figure 1), a fabric or material
(such as B) bearing the coloring, or mordanting, or discharging matter in a manner
to produce the desired ornamental effect, two impressions being thus printed at
once on the said two plies or web fabrics A and A'. Any cotton or other lace or
lace like textile fabric may be used as the "printing material "B, the same having an
open pattern formed in it by the action of the loom or lace machine, or otherwise,
and being saturated or impregnated with coloring, or mordanting, or discharging
matter, and then put or passed between the plies of fabric or material A and A¹ to
be printed. These two plies of fabric or material A, A', to be printed with the
'printing material
B between them are subjected to pressure either by being
passed between rollers (as C, C³, preferably) covered with rubber or other elastic
material, or in any other convenient and effective manner.
«
"
The printing material B may be in the form of an endless web B, and be led in
a continuous manner through the coloring, or mordanting, or discharging matter,
then between rollers (as D, D¹) adjusted to act on it with a suitable pressure, so as
to express superabundant matter next with the two plies of fabric (A, A¹,) to be
printed between the printing or pressing rollers C, C, and finally, after becoming
separated from the printed fabric or material, back to the coloring, or mordanting,
or discharging matter again.
The pieces of fabric or material (A, A',) to be printed may be unwound from
rollers at the enterance side and wound on rollers at the other side; and in the case
of the printing material (B) being in an endless web the rollers for one of the
pieces (A, A',) being printed may be arranged as shewn in the case of the roller C¹
within the circle or course of such endless web. The main frame carrying the
working and guide rollers and other fittings of this arrangement consist of two
open side cheeks or frames I, I, secured by transverse rails or tie bars I¹ at the
proper distance apart to carry the several rollers in suitable bush or other journal
bearings or brackets.
The length of the rollers is made slightly greater than the
width of the two webs of fabric A, A¹, to be printed, as well as that of the web of
printing material or fabric B, which may be about the same width and is passed
aloug with and between the two webs A, A', and the pressing rollers C, C¹, as
before mentioned, so as to impress or print its pattern on these webs A, A', on each
side of it,

page_text: The color or other printing matters are placed in a color box E, above which is
the pair of color expressing rollers D,.D1, before referred to, the same being erected
in the front of the machine.some considerable distance in front of the pressing or
printing rollers C, C'. The printing web material B, made of lace or other such
like open pattern fabric which will absorb the color and give it off again, is con-
ducted over-the-guide-roller b, down through the bath of color E, and up through
between-the-rollers-D, D¹, which will press out all superfluous coloring matter.
When-the-printing fabric B is made in the form of an endless web it is conducted
on through between the pressing rollers C, C, and back over upper and lower
guide rollers 61, 62, carried in bearing brackets in the supplementary back frame I¹¹,
thus leaving a large open space b* for conducting away the under fabric A' within
the back part of the endless printing web B. The two fabrics A, A', to be printed
are supplied from the rolls or beams A1, A2, carried in bearings in the frame I
above and below the rollers C, C', through which they are led above and below the
printing web B, which there prints them, and from which they are led up to the
dyeing room, the upper one A direct, and the lower one A¹ carried with its under
or unprinted surface up over a guide roller a' near the top of the opening 6*, so as
to hang in a long loop to enable it to be twisted at right angles and carried away
out through the one side of the frame I¹, and large loop of the endless web D up
to the drying room. Or otherwise this lower printed fabric A may be sufficiently
dried to be wound up within the large loop or open space b*. The pressing or
printing rollers C, C, and color expressing rollers D, D¹, may be covered or sheathed
with india rubber or other elastic or soft material, as blanket or paper, or be
mounted with spiral or other springs to give a slight yielding effect and soften the
pressure given to the top rollers C and D by the hand regulating screws c¹ and ď
fitted in their bush bearing carrying brackets c, d. The printing material B is
preferred to be used as an endless web, as shewn and described, for the purpose of
practically carrying out my said improvements to the greatest possible range of
usefulness in the continuous printing of the beautiful and elaborate designs of
woven and other fabrics in webs, and which has heretofore been done by expensively
engraved copper printing rollers. This printing endless web B may be made of
the length of one complete pattern when that is a long one, or of two or more
repeats of the same pattern when these are short, as for handkerchiefs, or of a set
or number of various short patterns, as of a dozen different designs of handkerchiefs
or all the different parts of a dress for ladies, so that the webs after being printed
could be cut off into such lengths cr sets of patterns without waste of cloth.
Figure 2 shews a section of a slightly different arrangement of the saturating
color box E and fittings connected therewith from that shewn in Figure 1.
According to this modification the printing material or web B is conveyed over
the guide roller b, under a second guide roller b' within the color or printing liquid
in the bath E so as to be fully saturated therewith, and then passed through two
small additional squeezing-rollers-D",-D2, which will express the greater part of the
superabundant coloring matter from the printing material B before it reaches the
second pair of expressing rollers D, D', which would for some "printing material" B
have the effect of regulating the amount of saturation or depth of color left in the
material B for printing. The rollers D1, D2, may be fitted with punching screws
or springs for regulating the degree of pressure desired to be given to the web or
material B passing through between them. I have not shewn any gearing or means
of driving these several pressing or printing rollers C, C', and color expressing
rollers D, D¹, as this is a well known requirement in roller printing machines, but
it will be understood that these require to be driven at the same surface speed, so
that they may draw the fabrics through them all at the same speed indicated by
the arrows, so as to prevent straining or bagging of the fabrics. Various other
arrangements of these rollers and the guiding rollers may be adopted, and the con-
struction or arrangement of the frame and gearing modified to suit the particular
'printing material" B, and the effect sought to be obtained..which can be varied
very much to give all kinds of fancy or figured effects, according to the nature and

page_text: style of the pattern, printing fabric, or material B employed. Although the
printing material" B has been described or used in the form of an endless web of
one pattern or various lengths of pattern they may be made in lengths or pieces of
the same length as the piece of fabric to be printed. And further, the printing
material B may be of the full width of the fabrics or materials A, A³, to be printed,
or it may be composed of a number of strips or separate pieces of any convenient
form, which may be charged (as described) with the same or with different colors,
or mordants, or discharges.
Instead of the "printing material "B being of cotton or other lace or openwork
fabric it may be a fabric or material originally made close, but with an ornamental
pattern subsequently formed on it by cutting out portions of it or perforating it in
any convenient way. Or by another modification or improvement parts of the
printing material B, when of a close texture or character may be stopped out or
prevented from printing by applying pieces of paper, or thin rubber, or sheet metal,
or other suitable material, either on such material B after it has been charged with
coloring, or mordanting, or discharging matter, or on the fabric or material A, A', to
be printed. Also such applied pieces of material may be charged with one or more
colors or matters different from that with which the main printing material B is
charged so as at one printing to produce particolored effects, which although
necessarily of a simple or rude character are likely to be more prized in some
markets than printed effects of a more elaboarate and costly character. The modes
just described of preventing parts of the printing material B from printing and of
introducing particolored effects are also applicable when the printing material is
lace or any other openwork fabric, and afford a means of superadding effects of
form and variety of color to the pattern of the lace.
رو
My improved printing processes herein before described may be combined with
dyeing processes, either by printing with "resists or other suitable matters before
dyeing, or by printing suitable coloring, or mordanting, or discharging matters on
previously prepared fabrics. These improved processes may also be combined with
ordinary roller printing, the fabric A, A, to be printed being first printed in the
ordinary way with a ground or other pattern, and then having effects superadded
by means of the lace or other printing "material" B; or the fabric A, A¹, may be
first printed in the ordinary way with blank spaces, as is done for being supple-
mented by block printing, and such blank spaces may be printed on or over by
means of the printing material B instead of blocks.
Some of the improvements hereinbefore described are applicable where printing
only one ply or fold of fabric or material B at a time.
In using a printing material B, say of a Nottingham lace curtain in accordance
with these improvements, I obtain the following new or improved results and
varieties of effects :-
Thus by passing the said "printing material" B through a bath E of color, as
aniline or other coloring liquid, so as to thorougly saturate and impregnate it there-
with, and then passing it through the apparatus, all substantially as described, I
obtain a double impression of the exact lace pattern upon the fabric A and A' being
printed, whether these are unbleached, bleached, dyed, or printed, and whether these
fabrics are made of cotton, linen, jute, silk, wool, paper, or any other such or suitable
material for receiving an impression.
By saturating the said printing material B in a bath E of acetate of alumina,
acetate of iron, or other mordants, I obtain an impression of the lace pattern in
such inordants, to be afterwards dyed in the usual manner, and producing the
effect of a coloured lace pattern upon a white or other ground in any of the mordant
colors.
By saturating the said printing material B with citrate of soda or other "resists,"
and afterwards "padding" or dyeing in the usual manner, I obtain the effect of a
white lace pattern upon a colored ground.
1.
By saturating the same material with lime juice or other acid and printing upon

page_text: a previously dyed cloth, I discharge the color of that cloth, and obtain thus by a
different process the effect of a white lace pattern upon a colored ground:
By applying the process as last_enumerated to dyed Turkey red cloth (which I
believe has not heretofore been done), I obtain the effect of a white or coloured lace
pattern upon a Turkey red ground. This I consider quite a novel feature of my
Invention, and capable of an infinite variety of applications, especially for eastern
markets, for which-the-original-lace, lappet, and figured muslin patterns of native
manufacture-can-thus-be -reproduced with an accuracy and natural appearance
hitherto unattained.
By impressing or printing the said saturated material B by any of the said
processes of printing, stopping, or discharging as a coat upon any suitable printed
surface (subsequently heated in the usual manner), I obtain a great variety of novel
effects, such as, for instance, the combined effect upon one and the same surface of a
lace border shown on a printed calico dress, and this I also consider quite a novel
feature of my said Invention.
Having thus enumerated some of the new or improved results and varieties of
effects obtained from a single printing material B, namely, an ordinary Nottingham
lace curtain, by means of my process of saturation with different color producing or
chemical combinations, I shall now indicate some of the other "printing materials" B
which may be similarly applied.
The various shapes or discs of paper, india rubber, sheet metal, or other material
herein before, referred to, and proposed to be used in combination with any of the
processes herein before mentioned, may be applied dry for the purpose of producing
blank spaces, which may be subsequently printed with the said saturated discs, thus
affording the means of producing variegated effects and coloring and sectional
spaces and borders for handkerchiefs and shawls in almost an infinite variety of
ways. A sufficiently level space of the printing web B is left at B¹ between the
color expressing rollers D, D¹, and the pressing printing rollers C, C¹, to allow of the
feeding in or laying on of the intercepting pattern dises, sheets, or short webs
between the printing web B and fabric A to be printed, all as stated.
I desire to state that although I have indicated sufficient combinations and effects
to shew the nature and working of the Invention, and what it is capable of pro-
ducing, yet the variety of effects, patterns, and styles possible to be executed by
these improvements is so great that they are only capable of being fully ascertained
and developed by continued practice of the Invention.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the mode and means
or apparatus for carrying the same into effect or practice, I would observe in con-
clusion that I do not restrict myself to the precise details of construction or
arrangement of the means or apparatus I have had occasion to describe and show,
as these may be varied to suit circunstances, and the various kinds of fabrics or
materials to be printed, and the character of the ornamental or other effects required;
neither on the other hand do. I. desire to claim the mere laying on of colors or
mordants by rollers or otherwise on to the surface only of such like printing fabric
or material B, as this may have been tried or done before; but what I consider novel
and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore
in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. The printing of one side of one or two plies at a time of woven fabrics or
other web or sheet surface material (as felts or papers), as A, A¹, by a saturated
fabric or material (as B) within a bath of color or other printing matter having the
superabundant matter pressed out of it before being passed over or between the
fabrics to be printed and pressing rollers (as C, C), all substantially as herein
described under the several modifications in reference to and shewn in the accom-
panying Drawings.
Second. The printing of woven or other fabrics (as A, A¹,) by a web of lace or
other printing material (as B) saturated in a bath of the coloring matter, all sub-
stantially as herein described in reference to the Drawings, and in contradistinction
.

page_text: to the more complex modes and means heretofore used for merely serving or laying
on the color to the surfaces of such like printing webs.
Third. The printing of white and colored lace or other ornamental pattern effects
on Turkey red fabrics by a lace or other printing web (as B) saturated in a bath of
the discharge printing matter, all substantially as herein. described.
Fourth. The use of color intercepting, perforated, or pattern discs, sheets, or webs
of various materials placed between the said color saturated printing web or material
(as B) and the fabric to be printed for producing additional variegated effects,
either sequentially or irregularly, according to taste or the requirements of the
design, all substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Alfred Wünsch, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty sixth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
EDWARD ALFRED WÜNSCH. (L.S.)