IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING PRINTED IMPRESSIONS OF NATURAL AND OTHER OBJECTS
Year: 1884

page_text: ALFRED STEPHEN KING Surveyor, &c. Lower Bracondale, Norwich I do hereby
declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING PRINTED
IMPRESSIONS OF NATURAL AND OTHER OBJECTS, to be as follows:-
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My invention consists of a process for printing, lithographing, zincographing, &c,
plain & in colors, branches & sprays of trees, shrubs, plants, flowers Ferns, &c with
thick thin stalks as Hollies, Firs, Pines Oaks, Ivies, &c by means of transfer
& other inks colors applied to the object directly through the medium of
prepared coloured &c papers or materials, of an elastic or other suitable nature,
according to the object to be printed,-by soft & elastic pads pressed mechanically
above & below-The object is next placed between an elastic or other suitable
transfer paper or material & by means of soft & clastic pads applied by
mechanical pressure above & below the ink &c is printed on the transfer
ready for litho: stones, &c for plain colored work.
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paper, &c,
My invention is applicable for Designing, illustrating Natural History books, &c,
Wall paper printing, &c.

page_text: ALFRED STEPHEN KING Lower Bracondale, Norwich, Surveyor I do hereby
declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING PRINTED
IMPRESSIONS OF NATURAL & OTHER OBJECTS and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:―
My invention consists of a process of nature &c, printing, which I style Kings
Elastic medium process of nature &c printing whereby I print directly from
natural & other objects previously coated with any substance-transferable by
impression on to an elastic surface or medium & from thence to any desirable
printing surface.
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The objects I print from consist of Branches & Sprays of trees, Shrubs plants &
foliage with thick thin stalks, veins, &c Carvings, mouldings, &c in whole or
partial relief & any objects with irregular surfaces into the interstices & contour
of which the clastic medium can penetrate.
Where objects having irregular form are too delicato to be printed from direct,
I make matrices from them in suitable materials & then take casts, & after coating
the latter with the requisite printing substance print with the said casts on to the
medium.
The coating of the objects prior to printing from them I effect by :-(1) the
application by mechanical pressure of a dressed or coated elastic or other surface
(2) by immersing or dipping them in a suitable liquid dressing or dressings-
(3) by painting them with the required substance (4) by powdering, &c as
circumstances dictate.
The coating materials or, dressings consist of Transfer ink in liquid & other
forms, paints, oils, acids powders gums, &c, & combinations of same according to
the needs of the case.
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The mechanical pressure for obtaining a print from the coated object on to the
elastic medium I regulate to suit the character of the object to be printed from-
Pads of various degrees of softness elasticity, or elastic bags containing air
water, &c, or any fine & soft substance, being applied by mechanical pressure,
either above below the object as required, but in every case so as to force the
elastic medium to every part of the contour of the object from which a print is
desired Where necessary confining apparatus is used to prevent the elastic pads,
bags, &c from extending by pressure, except into the interstices of the object.
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My elastic medium consists of any elastic or semi-elastic material as respectively
India rubber & Gutta Percha in thick thin sheet form (in some cases a thin
tissue sufficing) of various degrees of pliancy & elasticity, according to the
character of the object to be printed from & of taking from thence the printed
& more or less mechanically shaded impress of the required details, & on being

page_text: withdrawn recovering its normal shape, so as to afford means of taking one or
more prints from the medium either directly on to a litho: stone, &c, or transfer
paper for same or on to any paper, surface, or material as required.
For enlarged prints, the elastic medium must be stretched in frame after being
printed upon, the stretched print being transferable as required.
For reduced prints the elastic medium must be stretched in frame before being
printed upon & released afterwards, when the reduced print can be printed or
transferred from it.
My printing I generally effect in the following way, which represents the process
for printing from both sides of the object :-
I lay in the bottom of the press a suitably soft or firm pad & on this a sheet of
the elastic medium, either held in a frame or not as requisite, I next place the
object, which has been properly coated, on the medium, placing a further sheet of
medium over the object I next place a top pad, & then apply sufficient mechanical
pressure to force the medium into every interstice & contour of the upper & under
surfaces of the object I then carefully remove the pressure, & find the required
impress on the medium.
I next transfer by pressure one or more prints from the elastic medium to litho :
stone, &c direct, or to transfer paper or other printing surface as required.
In some cases it is necessary to specially contrive means to hold the object so as
to ensure steadiness & freedom from damage while the elastic medium is applied――
This can be done by embedding part of the object in wax, &c, or by securing it in
a variety of other ways.
Every separate description of object requires some modification in the method of
procedure, stated above, but in all cases where the surfaces are so irregular that
paper cannot be pressed into their contour without splitting, I believe my medium
indispensable for a detailed print.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention & in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
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Not printing direct from the natural or other object, on to stone & non-elastic
paper or material But what I do claim as my true invention is the using of an
elastic medium which when applied by soft elastic pressure, takes & receives,
in the natural, enlarged, and reduced sizes, as heretofore described, mechanically
shaded prints or impressions from natural & other objects with irregular contour,
suitably dressed for the purpose-The print on the medium being by pressure
transferable either direct to litho: stone, &c, or to ordinary transfer paper for
litho & other similar purposes, & other paper & printing surfaces for other
requirements.
The 10th of Docombo- 1881