Improvements in Inks for Printing, Stamping, and the like.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Jan., 1892-Accepted, 20th Feb., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Inks for Printing, Stamping, and the like.
I, CHARLES MICHAEL HIGGINS, of 168 and 170 Eighth Street Brooklyn, in the
County of Kings, and State of New York, in the United States of America,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS
IN INKS FOR PRINTING, STAMPING AND OTHER PURPOSES, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
My invention applies more especially to inks for typewriting or other manual or
automatic printing machines, either for saturating the ink ribbons, or for use on the
inking pads, rollers or other inking devices, and also for use with rubber hand
stamps, or for all similar or analogous uses where a long-lasting or non-drying ink
is required.
The problem of my invention is to provide an ink having a true oily vehicle, yet
holding in perfect solution a dense coloring matter soluble in water, such as the aniline
colors; so that such ink when used on the inking device, whether pad, ribbon or
roller, will be practically non-drying thereon and not susceptible to atmospheric
moisture, and yet when printed on the paper will not smut on contact with the
fingers, as is the case with the glycerine inks and notwithstanding these moisture-
resisting qualities will yet give a good press copy when subjected to the copying
press.
To this end my invention consists essentially in the combination of carbolic acid,
or its equivalent creosote, with some fixed, or nearly fixed oil or fat, preferably
castor oil, or oil of cassia, or both as hereinafter fully set forth.
I have discovered that castor oil is a peculiar exception among the fixed oils, in
having no action whatever upon soft or hard rubber, whereas all the other fixed
vegetable or animal oils attack it vigorously. I have also discovered that oil of
cassia or cinnamon bark is a like exception among the essential oils in having no
perceptible action on rubber, whereas the other spice oils, such as that of cloves,
allspice, and even cinnamon leaf attack the rubber energetically. Carbolic acid
and its substitute creosote, while readily soluble in and miscible with oils and fats,
has I find, likewise, no action upon rubber and is a great solvent for the aniline
colors, and bence when added to a fixed oil, it greatly promotes the solution of the
coloring matter in such oil, which without it would hold little or none of the
coloring matter, whereas the fixed oil, on the other hand, completely counteracts or
neutralizes the highly volatile character of the carbolic acid and prevents it from
drying up, and causing the ink to harden as would soon occur, if carbolic acid or a
strictly volatile oil alone constituted the vehicle and solvent of the ink.
The carbolic acid, or creosote, has another very important function in this
compound besides increasing the solution of the coloring matter in the vehicle viz.,
that of greatly improving the copying qualities of the ink, as an ink composed of
coloring matter dissolved in carbolic acid and a fixed, or nearly fixed, oil will give
a very quick and strong press copy, and yet will not be susceptible to atmospheric
moisture when on the inking device, nor will it be subject to smutting or off-setting
when printed, as in the case with glycerine inks. On the contrary my improved
ink appears to dry or set immediately by absorption in the paper when printed, yet
is entirely non-drying in a mass or film on the printing device, which are the most
important qualities heretofore sought for in this class of inks.
The oil of cassia, or other spice oils, while technically volatile, as is well known,
are the least volatile of the series and may be regarded as practically fixed for the
reason that in a mass or film they do not dry and are all great solvents for aniline
An ink made,
colors, as set forth in my former British Patent No. 15858, of 1890.

page_text: however, with a spice oil alone would not give as good, or as quick a press copy
as one made with the addition of carbolic acid or creosote, which is the main
feature of my present improvement. Furthermore an ink made with spice oil, and
carbolic acid as the sole vehicles would be quite expensive, whereas by the addition
of castor oil, the vehicle is greatly cheapened without its solvent power being much,
if any impaired, and its non-drying quality is improved, which is another important
feature of my present invention. Hence for all purposes where a very dense solu-
tion of coloring matter is not required, I prefer to use a large proportion of castor
oil with a small proportion of carbolic acid and oil of cassia, which mixture is
particularly adapted for rubber stamps, as none of these ingredients has any action
on rubber and yet forms a comparatively cheap vehicle and solvent, fully as cheap
and efficient as the generally used glycerine, and at the same time far superior to
it in being water-proof and non-smutting, which is quality which has been very
much desired in stamping inks.
Where a much stronger solution is required such as in copying inks for type-
writers, or similar uses, only a small proportion of the castor oil may be used, and
a larger proportion of the oil of cassia or other highly solvent oil with the carbolic
acid or creosote, or for this purpose the castor oil may be omitted altogether, and
any other fixed, or nearly fixed, and solvent oil or fat may be used in connection
with the carbolic acid, preferably oil of cassia or some other of the spice oils.
I therefore do not confine myself to any fixed proportion of the coloring matter,
the fixed oil and the carbolic acid or creosote, as these may vary considerably
according to the different purposes required, and hence I will give several practical,
yet varying formulas for different purposes. For example, for an ink for rubber or
other stamps, I take say four fluid ounces of castor oil, and add to this one fluid
ounce each of carbolic acid and oil of cassia and when these are thoroughly mixed
together I dissolve in the same, one ounce avoirdupois of methyl violet, green
crystals, or other coloring matter according to the color desired. This vehicle will
dissolve most of the aniline colors cold, assisted by simple stirring or agitation, but
it may be heated if desired to make the solution quicker.
Where a stronger solution is desired, such as for typewriting ink, the proportions
may be varied as follows:-Four ounces of castor oil, two ounces of oil of cassia,
two ounces of carbolic acid and two to four ounces of methyl violet, or other
aniline color according to the density of solution required. Where very strong
colored solutions are desired it will be best to mix the carbolic acid and the oil of
cassia, or its equivalent, together, and then add and dissolve the aniline color therein,
and when the solution is complete, then slowly add and stir in the castor oil which
will combine and mix perfectly, whereas almost any other of the fixed oils would
precipitate the color.
I prefer to use the carbolic acid in the pure or crystal form, which will readily
melt and dissolve in the oils, but other qualities may be used, and if creosote is used
as a substitute, I prefer to use the true pure white quality free from water, which
will readily mix with the oils without any separation or deposit. Creosote will
give nearly the same effect as the carbolic acid, but I prefer to use the crystalline
carbolic acid.
My improved ink may also be used for coloring leather, or other fabrics, as well
as for all kinds of printing or stamping.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A printing or stamping ink composed of a fixed, or nearly fixed oil or fat
combined with carbolic acid, or its equivalent, and a coloring matter substantially
as herein set forth.
2. A printing or stamping ink composed of carbolic acid or creosote combined
with a fixed, or nearly fixed, oil and an aniline color dissolved therein, substantially
as herein set forth.

page_text: 3. A printing or stamping ink composed of carbolic acid, or creosote, castor oil.
and a coloring matter substantially as herein specified.
4. A vehicle for oily inks consisting of castor oil, an essential oil, and carbolic
acid, or creosote substantially as herein set forth.
5. A vehicle for oily inks consisting of castor oil, oil of cassia, and carbolic acid
or creosote, substantially as herein specified.
6. A printing or stamping ink composed of castor oil, oil of cassia, creosote or
carbolic acid, and an aniline color dissolved therein substantially as herein set
forth.
Dated this 22nd day of December 1891.
CHARLES MICHAEL HIGGINS.