IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING RELIEF PRINTING SURFACES
Year: 1884

page_text: 1, HENRY RAFTER, Artist, 1 Kingswood Place, Dacre Park, Lee, Kent, do hereby
declare the nature of my Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING RELIEF
PRINTING SURFACES" to be as follows:-
The principle of this Invention the prior conception of which I claim, consists
in combining "process," for relief printing surfaces with "wood engraving."
In the first place the surface of an ordinary wood block, metal plate or other
suitable surface, undergoes a preliminary engraving either by machinery, or hand,
whereby it receives certain "tints and grounds" required for a proposed drawing
or work of art. These well known aids to artistic effect will be understood by
reference to Fig. 1 in diagram, which represents these "tints and grounds" on an
enlarged scale.
The black lines in Fig. 1 mechanically represent so many ridges, or reliefs, and
the spaces between them so many furrows, or cavities, these are shown, also on an
enlarged scale in Fig. 5, which represents them in vertical section.
After the surface of the block has been thus treated the object of the process for
relief printing surfaces, is to raise up and create in these furrows, and cavities,
left by the preliminary engraving, certain matter, substance, or material, which
being artistically disposed, and distributed, over the block will in conjunction with.
the said "tints and grounds" represent in "proofing" the outlines, shadows, and
general features, of the drawing, or work of art. Fig. 3 represents this.
The "lights, clearing, and cleaning," are then executed by engraving. Fig. 4
representing the finished work.
I make use of, in part, of the process, already patented in the two following
expired Patents, as a factor in the practicability of my Invention.
A.D. 1860, 21 Sept. N° 2309. An improved mode of producing relief printing
surfaces.
A.D. 1864, 15 Sept. N° 6641. Producing relief printing surfaces.
The furrows or cavities already mentioned as being left between the ridges, or
reliefs, by the preliminary engraving of the "tints and grounds" (see Fig. 1) are
tilled, under pressure, with a material, such as pulverized chalk, oxide of zinc, &c.
which is forced into an exact level with the top of these ridges, or reliefs, producing
a "prepared surface" apparently similar with the original surface of the block.
uniform and polished. In the enlarged vertical section Fig. 6 the black parts
represent the material, pressed into the cavities.

page_text: "s
This "prepared surface" is then ready to receive the artistic work" which
will principally consist of the outlines, shadows, and general features, of the
drawing, or work of art, as distinguished from the "tints and grounds."
This is either drawn direct on the prepared surface, or transferred, photographed,
or otherwise projected on it. Inks, or other suitable mediums, being used which
wherever applied will harden or protect the surface of the material pressed into
the cavities, Fig. 2 will represent the artistic work on the prepared surface.
The rest of the material in the cavities, not having its surface hardened, or
protected, can then be brushed, or wijed, away. Whereupon the "tints and
grounds" will appear in equal relief with the "artistic work" represented by the
hardened, or protected parts, the " tints and grounds" terminating or rather being
merged in the "artistic work "wherever the latter crosses or covers them. See
Fig. 3.
A thorough hardening of the material left in the cavities can now be made, with
either fluid silex, wax, varnish, or any suitable medium.
If the "artistic work" is executed by "etching," intaglio engraving, photo
lithography, photo zincography, or similar methods. It is necessary to procure an
impression of the same in transfer ink on transfer paper, then coat the impression
with an adhesive medium and lay it on the "prepared surface" under pressure
until the adhesive medium has dried. Damp and remove the transfer paper,
leaving the impression in transfer, ink on the " prepared surface," this ink will
protect those parts that are not to be removed in the subsequent brushing, or
wiping. In this last operation the "material" will require damping.
By means of the well known effect of light acting on a film of gelatine sensitized
by bichromate of potash, I spread a sensitized film of gelatine on the " prepare
surface," and exposing it under a negative obtained from the "artistic work." I
retain the parts acted on by the light, by brushing away after damping the film,
and "material," unacted on thereby leaving the "artistic work" in equal relief
with the "tints and grounds."

page_text: I, HENRY RAFTER, Artist, 1 Kingswood Place, Dacre Park, Lee, Kent do hereby
declare the nature of my Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING RELIEF
PRINTING SURFACES, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
"
The principle of this Invention, the prior conception of which I claim, consists
in combining process" for relief printing surfaces, with "wood engraving."
In the first place the surface of an ordinary wood "block," metal plate, or other
suitable surface, undergoes a preliminary engraving either by machinery, or hand,
whereby it receives certain "tints and grounds," required for a proposed drawing,.
or work of art. These known aids to artistic effect, will be understood by reference
to diagram, Fig. 1, representing these "tints and grounds."
The black lines in Fig. 1, mechanically represent so many ridges, or reliefs, and
the spaces between them so many furrows, or "cavities," these are shown in Fig. 5,
which represents them in vertical section.
"
After the surface of the "block" has been thus treated, the object of the
"process," for relief printing surfaces, is to raise up, and create, in these furrows,
or cavities," left by the preliminary engraving, certain matter, substance, or
"material," which being artistically disposed, and distributed, over the "block,"
will in conjunction with the said "tints and grounds," represent in "proofing,"
the outlines, shadows, and general features, of the drawing or work of art, Fig. 3
represents this.
The "lights, clearing, and cleaning," are then executed by engraving, Fig. 4
represents the finished work.
I make use of, in part, of the process, already patented, in the two fullowing
expired Patents, as a factor in the practicability of my Invention.
A.D. 1860, 21 Sept. N° 2309. An improved mode of producing relief printing
surfaces.
A.D. 1864, 15 Sept. N° 6641. Producing relief printing surfaces.
The furrows, or "cavities," already mentioned as being left between the ridges,
or reliefs, by the preliminary engraving, of the "tints and grounds, (see Fig. 1)
are filled under pressure, with a "material" such as pulverized chalk, oxide of
zinc &c., which is forced into an exact level with the top of these ridges, or reliefs,
producing a "prepared surface," apparently similar with the original surface of the
"block" uniform, and polished.
In the enlarged vertical section Fig. 6, the black parts represent the "material"
pressed into the cavities.
This "prepared surface" is then ready to receive the "artistic work" which will
principally consist of the outlines shadows and general features of the drawing, or
work of art, as distinguished from the "tints and grounds."
This "artistic work" is either drawn direct on the "prepared surface" with an
ink composed of lampblack and gluten, using sufficient water to allow the ink to
flow freely from the pencil. Or the "artistic work" can be transferred, photo-
graphed, or otherwise projected on the." prepared surface," with transfer ink, or
other suitable medium, so that wherever applied the surface of the material pressed
into the "cavities," will be hardened, or protected. Fig. 2 represents the "artistic
work" on the "prepared surface."
The rest of the "material" in the "cavities" not having its surface hardened or
protected, by the ink, or suitable mediuin, can then be brushed, or wiped, away,
whereupon the "tints and grounds" will appear in equal relief with the "artistic

page_text: "
work" represented by the hardened or protected parts, the tints and grounds"
terminating or rather being merged in the " artistic work" wherever the latter
crosses or covers them see Fig. 3.
A thorough hardening of the "material" left in the cavities can now be made
with fluid silex, wax, varnish, or any suitable medium.
If the "artistic work" is executed by "etching, intaglio engraving, photo
lithography, photo zincography, or similar methods, it is necessary to procure an
impression of the same in transfer ink, on transfer paper. Then coat the impression
with an adhesive medium and lay it on the "prepared surface" under pressure
until the adhesive medium has dried. Damp and remove the transfer paper,
leaving the impression, in transfer ink, on the " prepared surface." This ink will
protect those parts that are not to be removed in the subsequent brushing or
wiping. In this last operation the "material" will require damping.
The artistic work may be projected on the "prepared surface" by means of the
well known effect of light acting on a film of gelatine sensitized by bichromate of
potash. By spreading a sensitized film of gelatine, on the "prepared surface" and
exposing it under a negative obtained from the "artistic work." The parts acted
on by the light can then be retained by damping, and brushing away the film, and
"material," unacted on, thereby leaving the artistic work in equal relief with the
" tints and grounds.
:
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 substantially as above described of obtaining a printing
surface by engraving the tints and grounds and producing the rest of a drawing by
distributing material in the spaces between the lines of the engraving, and
"inter alia" filling up with a composition, then obtaining the artistic design upon
this in a substance that will protect or harden the filling composition and finally
removing the composition not protected by the design.
Dated this 96th day of March 1881