A New or Improved Method of Decorating the Surfaces of Articles Made of or from China, Earthenware, Glass, and Stoneware, also the Surfaces of Articles having Enamelled Metal Surfaces.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 19th July, 1892-Accepted, 17th Sept., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Method of Decorating the Surfaces of Articles
Made of or from China, Earthenware, Glass, and Stoneware, also
the Surfaces of Articles having Enamelled Metal Surfaces.
1, LEWIS THOMAS SWETNAM, 16 Ricardo Street, Middleport, Burslem, Staffs.,
Ceramic-ware Decorator, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be perforined, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
This my invention has reference to an improved method or methods of decorating
enamelled metal surfaces, and the surfaces of articles made of or from china,
earthenware, glass and stoneware, and I will now describe my said invention, so
that any intelligent person or persons acquainted with the decoration of ceramic or
glass ware, may be able to carry the said invention into practice.
I first make a negative of the design, drawing, portrait or painting by photo-
graphic means the same size as it is required to be on the article to be decorated,
the said negative must be full of contrasts for forming a gelatine relief therefrom by
either of the well known processes, swelled gelatine or carbon printing, and I
develope the said relief in the usual manner on a sheet or. slab of plate glass, the
dark shades of the picture being the thick parts, and the light shades the thin parts
of the gelatine relief, in the carbon printing method, photographic negatives that
are weak in contrasts being very unsuitable for forming gelatine reliefs therefrom.
I then make a mould from the gelatine relief while it is damp, by pouring on the
said relief plaster of paris in a liquid or semi-liquid state, or by pressing the, said
relief against warm or softened gutta-percha, or by the electrotype process, if the
mould is made in plaster of paris the gelatine relief may have a thin coating of any
suitable oil spread over its surface to prevent the plaster sticking to the said relief,
besides which it ensures the plaster separating more easily from the said gelatine
relief, this plaster mould having been dried is made impervious to oil or water by
soaking the said mould for a suitable length of time in a suitable quantity of
bichromated gelatine, and afterwards exposing the said mould to the action of
actinic light for a suitable length of time so as to make the said mould hard and
durable, the mould is then laid face downwards, and the back of the mould planed
or otherwise made true with the face of the white parts of the design.
If only a few prints or impressions are wanted they may be obtained from the
plaster mould, but if several impressions or prints are required from the same mould
the said mould can be reproduced in metal by the electrotyping process.
"
To obtain a copy from the impression in the mould the design or picture in the
said mould is first coated or covered with any vitrifiable colour or colours prepared
from metallic oxides or earths mixed with evaporative oils, resinous gums &c., and
then covered with printers " transfer paper, known to the trade as sized paper,
upon this paper I lay a slab or plate of planed steel with flat surfaces, or a slab or
sheet of plate glass, the mould with its covering or coverings is now pressed in any
suitable manner, so that any surplus colour is squeezed out from between the
"transfer" paper and the mould into grooves made or sunk about half of an inch deep
into the surface of the mould, and about an inch from the outer edge of the design
or picture in the mould, having been pressed a suitable length of time the mould is
uncovered, the "transfer" paper is peeled up having the design in colour or colours
on its surface, the said "transfer" paper is then trimmed; that is the unnecessary
or waste paper and colour round the edges of the "transfer" paper is cut away, the
"transfer" paper with the design on its surface is then placed on the surface of the
ware, the "transfer" paper is then rubbed on its back surface so as to transmit

page_text: the design or picture from the "transfer" paper on to the-surface of the ware, the
"transfer " paper is then washed off or sponged away leaving the portrait, picture
or design on the surface of the ware in colour or colours, the ware is then fired, and
may be afterwards tinted or decorated according to taste in any suitable manner
and by any suitable means.
For reproducing drawings, designs &c. of the same size, I first make the design
or drawing on transparent paper or ground glass, this positive drawing is printed
from on to a sheet of sensitized (bichromated) gelatine, this sheet of gelatine when
soaked in cold water will give a relief similar to that before described, the high
'parts on the surface of the gelatine sheet being the dark shades, and the low parts
the light shades of the design or picture, and from which gelatine relief a mould
may be made as hereinbefore described.
In all moulds, especially those in which the design is on a white ground, I cut a
groove about an inch from the outer edge of the design, so that any excess of colour
or colours can rim or pass into such groove, and so prevent such colour from passing
or running on to such mould and soiling the same.
The back surfaces of the metal or plaster mould having been planed true, the
said mould is then ready for use. Vitrifiable colour or colours ground to a fine
powder are mixed with volatile oils and gums, to the consistency of cream or a little
thicker, I am unable to give any exact consistency, because colours used.in
decorating pottery are very variable in their properties, some colours being heavy
in comparison with their bulk, while other colours are light in comparison with their
bulk, and their colouring or staining powers are widely different, colours made from
oxide of cobalt seem to intensify greatly when fired, and some colours lose from
10 to 15 per cent. of their strength, and if fired more than once in an oven will
.sometimes lose a half of their original strength.
C
It will thus be understood that it is very difficult to give any precise formula, as
each colour has to he mixed to suit its peculiar properties, and the class of ware.
Such moulds as herein described, being used.in the following manner. A suitable
quantity of the prepared colour is first placed in the mould and spread evenly over
its face, a smooth straight rule of glass or steel is then drawn across the face of the
mould to remove any excess of colour, a piece of pottery tissue is then laid or
placed above the colour on the face of the mould, I then place a slab of vulcanite
or other suitable material of sufficient size on the back of the tissue," and then a
planed steel plate, or slab of plate glass on the slab of vulcanite, the whole is then
pressed in a suitable press for a suitable length of time, when the mould has been
removed from the press, the plate or slab of plate glass, the vulcanite slab, and the
"pottery tissue" with the colour on it are removed from off the face of the mould,
an impression or copy of the design or picture will be found on the face of the
"pottery tissue," if colour has any tendency to stick in the mould a suitable quantity
of oil should be rubbed or sineared on the surface of the mould to prevent the colour
sticking to the mould, the edges of the transfer paper are then trimmed, by cutting
away all unnecessary paper outside of the design or picture. To obtain an
impression from the said transfer, the transfer paper with the design on its surface
is placed with its face or front side on to the surface of the ware, rubbed on its
back surface in any suitable manner so as to transmit the design from the transfer
paper on to the surface of the ware, the transfer paper is then sponged or washed
off the surface of the ware in the usual manner.
The ware after the decoration on its surface is completed may be fired in a kiln
to evaporate the oils &c., glazed and fired again in an oven, or the ware may be
fired in an enamel kiln, the heat required being usually a cherry red or rose colour
according to the colour or colours used.
The design, portrait or photograph on the surface of the ware may be tinted in
colours, or made prominent by touches of colour, or colours and gold to suit the
taste of purchasers, or the said design, picture or photograph may be left on the
surface of the ware as a monochrome.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is,
The method or methods of first forming a gelatine relief from the photographic
negative of a design, drawing or painting, then making a mould of plaster of paris
or other suitable material from the gelatine relief, rendering the said mould if made
from plaster of paris or similar material impervious to oil or water by soaking the
said mould in bichromated gelatine, then exposing such mould to the action of
actinic light so as to make the said mould hard and durable, planing the back of the
said mould true with the face of the white part of the design upon its surface, then
preparing a "transfer" by first spreading a suitable colour or colours on the face
of the mould, removing any excess of colour by any suitable means, and then
placing a piece of pottery "tissue" of suitable shape and size above the colour on
the face of the mould, a piece of vulcanite or other suitable material of suitable
shape and size on the back of the "tissue," and a planed steel plate or other
efficient material on the vulcanite or other sheet, submitting the whole of them to
pressure in a press or in any other suitable way, after which the plate glass and
other packing is removed from the face of the mould and the "transfer" paper
peeled up, which "transfer paper" is intended for use in transferring the design,
drawing or painting from its surface on to the surface of ceramic and glassware, and
to the surface of articles having their surfaces enamelled, in the manner and for the
purpose as herein substantially described and set forth.
2ndly. The mode or method of reproducing drawings, designs &c. of the same
size, by first making a design or drawing on transparent paper or ground glass, then
printing from the said positive drawing on to a sheet of sensitized (bichromated)
gelatine, then soaking the gelatine sheet in water to obtain a "relief" similar to
that before described, making a mould of plaster of paris or other suitable material
from the gelatine relief, rendering the said mould impervious to oil or water by
soaking the mould in bichromated gelatine, exposing such mould to the action of
actinic light so as to make such mould hard and durable, planing the back of the
mould true with the face of the white part on its surface, then preparing a
"transfer" as herein substantially described, for use in transferring the design,
drawing or painting from its surface on to the surface of ceramic ware, glassware
and to the surface of enamelled articles in the manner and for the purpose as herein
substantially described and set forth.
1000
JOHN NEWTON,
Longport, Staffs., Agent for Applicant.
JOHN NEWTON,
Longport, Staffs., Agent for Applicant.