IMPROVEMENTS IN PRODUCING RAISED PRINTING SURFACES
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Eugène Boileau, of Holford Place, in the Parish of
Clerkenwell, and County of Middlesex, Typographical Engraver, for the
DRAD"
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRODUCING RAISED PRINTING SURFACES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Eugène Boileau at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 9th
February 1854.
I, EUGENE BOILEAU, of Holford Place, in the Parish of Clerkenwell, and
County of Middlesex, Typographical Engraver, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRODUCING RAISED PRINTING SUR-
FACES" to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to produce plain and colored ornamental
designs upon paper and other materials by the use of types, which will admit
of being arranged in various ways to produce different patterns, but possessing
somewhat the same character.
The chief advantages which this Invention affords to the printer (inde-
pendantly of the facility which is presented of varying the pattern) are, first,
that a pattern in one color with cross lines, such as a plaid, can be printed from
a raised surface at one operation instead of two, the lines being ordinarily
produced by "rules," which at one printing will only give lines running in one
direction; secondly, that in color printing a more brilliant effect than here-

page_text: tofore may be obtained, inasmuch as the colors may be applied without crossing
each other, and thus each color will throughout its surface retain its primitive
appearance. In order to produce a raised surface from which to print a plaid
pattern in one color I form a type containing the outer lines of two sides
of a square, and all the inner lines included in the pattern, and by repeating
this type I am enabled to produce a raised printing surface, the pattern of
which may be modified according to the taste of the printer by varying the
mode of arranging the types. To print the same pattern of plaid in colors I
form types with a given portion of the pattern on their surface, and other types
with another given portion, and so on, according to the elaborateness of the
pattern and the number of colors designed to be reproduced, making the set of
types represent the complete pattern; and having set up the several kinds of
type in different chases, but according to one given arrangement, I work off so
much of the pattern as cach contains in different colors on the same material,
whereby I reproduce the complete pattern in various colors, as desired.
By the above example the general application of the Invention will be
readily understood.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Eugène Boileau in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th August 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EUGENE
BOILEAU, of Holford Place, in the Parish of Clerkenwell, and County of Mid-
dlesex, Typographical Engraver, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
mc, the said Eugene Boileau, Her special license, that I, the said Eugene
Boileau, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Eugene Boileau, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PRODUCING RAISED PRINTING SURFACES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Eugene Boileau, by an instrument in writing under my hand

page_text: and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, 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 Eugene Boileau, 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,
reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the letters and
figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
The object of this Invention is to produce plain and colored ornamental
designs, chiefly of the kind known as checks and plaids, or tartans, upon paper
and other materials by the use of types, which will admit of being arranged in
various ways to produce different patterns, but possessing the same general
character.
The chief advantages which this Invention affords to the printer (inde-
pendently of the facility which is presented of varying the pattern) are, first,
that a pattern in one color with cross lines, such as a plaid, can be printed from
a raised surface at one operation instead of two, the lines being ordinarily pro-
duced by "rules," which at one printing will only give lines running in one
direction; secondly, that in color printing a more brilliant effect than here-
tofore may be obtained, inasmuch as the colors may be applied without crossing
each other; and thus cach color will throughout its surface retain its primitive
appearance. In order to produce a raised surface from which to print a plaid
pattern in one color I form a type (in the way ordinarily practised by type
founders) containing the outer lines of two sides of a square, and all the inner
lines included in the pattern, and by means of repeats of this type I am enabled
to produce a raised printing surface, the pattern of which may be modified
according to the taste of the printer by varying the mode of arranging the types.
To print the same pattern of plaid in colors I form types with a given portion
of the pattern on their surface, and other types with another given portion, and
so on, according to the claborateness of the pattern and the number of colors
designed to be reproduced, making the set of types represent the complete
pattern and having set up these several kinds of type in different chases, but
according to one given arrangement, I work off so much of the pattern as each
contains in different colors on the same material, whereby I reproduce the
complete pattern in various colours, as desired.
In the accompanying Drawing I have given a series of illustrations shewing
some of the varieties of pattern that may be produced by different arrangements
of certain types, and by the application of various colors.

page_text: These patterns are produced by one, two, and four printings respectively.
Fig. 1 is a pattern in one color, produced by combining several types, like
that shewn detached at A.
Fig. 2 is a pattern in two colors, it being a repeat of Fig. 1, with a ground
printed upon it from a form of types of the kind shewn detached at C. In
order to complete a border to this pattern or to produce simply a border of this
pattern, as shewn at Figures 3 and 4, I employ types of the kind shewn
detached at B, which by being inserted as at B, Figures 3 and 4, effect the
requisite junction between the types A in their inverse positions.
Fig. 5 is a pattern obtained by two printings from line types D and ground
types E. The ground type F is required where narrow types B are introduced
into the pattern. The difference between the types A and D, it will be seen is
very slight, but yet sufficient to produce very different effects when composed
into a pattern.
When I desire to produce in colors the pattern shewn at Fig. 2, instead of
using the type A, I cast a series of types, which will together make up the
device contained on the face of the type A. Thus I form the three types G, H,
and I, and by setting them up into three separate "forms," and printing from
them in black, green, and red colors respectively, and also from the type C,
which forms the blue ground, (preserving at the same time a careful register,)
I obtain the pattern shewn at Fig. 6. To produce in four colors the pattern
shewn at Fig. 5, I cast a type L, and use with it the types H and I, whereby
I obtain the pattern Fig. 7. Fig. 8 differs slightly from this pattern by the
filling in with color of the small squares of light produced by the main lines of
the design, stopping short of the crossing points. This filling in is effected by
the use of a type K.
From the above-mentioned examples, and also by reference to Figures 9, 10,
and 11, it will be understood that any variety of colors or design of ground
dictated by the taste of the printer may be employed in producing patterns
from the compound types.
I will now refer to the Figures which illustrate the mode of producing
diagonal patterns according to my Invention. Fig. 12 is a diagonal pattern
in one color, composed solely of types M; and Fig. 13 is a similar pattern, but
with a ground printed on it from types, similar to that shewn at M*.
Fig. 14 is a border pattern, composed of types N and O, each of which
carries a quarter of the device contained on the type M; and Fig. 15 is a similar
border pattern with a ground filling.
To produce the pattern of Fig. 12 in colors I form three types P, Q, and R,
which together form the complement of the device contained on the one type

page_text: M. By printing from four "forms" composed of these three types and the
type M, in black, green, red, and blue respectively, the pattern shewn at
Fig. 16 will be obtained. The types S and T are for producing variations in
the pattern, as exemplified by the other illustrations. If thought desirable the
effect of the patterns may be heightened by the use of bronze powders applied
to the ink impress when wet, or to an imprint of the pattern, or a portion of
the pattern, in any well-known adhesive varnish.
The above remarks with reference to the accompanying illustrations will
serve to shew the scope and bearing of the Invention, which it will be under-
stood is applicable to the production of an endless variety of compound or
repeat patterns of the nature of checks, plaids, or tartans and tweeds. Printing
surfaces thus obtained may be employed for printing ornamental
papers, calico,
oil and moleskin cloths, and other fabrics, or stereotype copies may be taken to
print from.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improvements in
Producing Raised Printing Surfaces," and explained the manner of carrying
the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that, under the above in part
recited Letters Patent, I claim producing printing surfaces in relief, in the
manner and for the purpose above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Eugene Boileau, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Ninth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
5
66, Chancery Lane.
E. BOILEAU.
(L.S.)