AN IMPROVEMENT OR IMPROVEMENTS IN ORNAMENTING METALLIC SURFACES
Year: 1884

page_text: I CHARLES FREDERICK HIRONS of Birmingham in the County of Warwick
Electro Plater and Gilder do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for
" AN IMPROVEMENT OR IMPROVEMENTS IN ORNAMENTING METALLIC SURFACES " to
be as follows:-
My invention consists of the process or combination of processes herein after
described for ornamenting metallic surfaces whereby metallic surfaces having
ornaments coloured or partly coloured and little affected by wear or the atmosphere
are produced.
In ornamenting a metallic surface according to my invention I first produce the
design or pattern by pressure between rolls or by stamping or by a press or by
chasing or otherwise those parts of the design or pattern which are to be coloured
being by preference embossed or in relief. I use paints or colours made adhesive
and prepared in the manner hereinafter described which paints or colours will
readily adhere to metallic surfaces and I apply the several paints or colours to the
parts to be coloured or tinted separately and stove them separately For example
I apply to all the parts to be coloured, say green the required paint or colour and
then stove the article so as to harden and fix the said paint or colour. I next apply
to all those parts of the design which are to be coloured say brown or yellow the
necessary paint or colour and again stove the article so as to harden and fix the last
applied paint or colour and in this way proceed until all the parts of the design or
pattern requiring to be coloured have been coloured or painted with the desired
colours. By this method of treatment the several colours are prevented from
running into each other by the stoving operation The uncoloured or untinted
parts of the metallic surface ornamented in the way described may afterwards be
electro plated or otherwise finished and the unpainted parts of the design or pattern
protected from tarnishing by a coating of lacquer or other protecting coating. Or
the metallic surface may be electro plated before the application of the colours. In
making the paints or colours which I apply to the metallic surface in the manner
described I grind the pigment or paint with linseed oil the least amount of linseed
oil being used with which it is practicable to grind the paint. To this ground

page_text: paint about half its bulk of mixing varnish is added together with a few drops of
spirit varnish This colour or paint adheres readily to the metallic surface and is
applied hardened and fixed in the manner before described.
The stove in which the ornamented articles are stoved is heated to a temperature
preferably of about 120 degrees of Fahrenheit's thermometer.
My invention is applicable to the ornamenting among other articles of waiters
cups, butter dishes, finger plates for doors, panels of coal vases, fancy curtain links
fancy brassfoundry and jewellery made of silver German silver Britannia metal
tin plate copper and brass.

page_text: I, CHARLES FREDERICK HIRONS of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Electro Plater and Gilder do hereby declare the nature of said invention for "AN
IMPROVEMENT OR IMPROVEMENTS IN ORNAMENTING METALLIC SURFACES" and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
:
The object of my invention is the ornamentation or colouring of metallic
surfaces, so as to produce or form in color representations of objects, ornaments or
surfaces, rich in tone and varied in character, and which when produced, the
coatings are perfectly hard approaching the character of an enamel or deposit; so
that by my process or combination of processes hereinafter described, objects may
be represented upon plain, or surfaces in relief, by means of colors, which when
applied by successive paintings with alternate or intermediate stovings or dryings
become almost indestructable, while at the same time the colors when judiciously'
applied give tone, richness and relief of character to the objects or surfaces
painted—The surfaces so ornamented, colored or partly colored is little affected
by the atmosphere.
In ornamenting metallic surfaces according to my invention, I first produce the'
design or pattern by pressure between rolls or by stamping or raising in relief or
by chasing or otherwise-Those parts of the design. or pattern which are to be
colored being by preference embossed or in relief I use paints, colors or pigments
made adhesive and prepared in the manner hereinafter described, which paints or
colors will readily adhere to metallic surfaces; and I apply the several paints,
pigments or colors to the parts to be colored or tinted separately and stove them
separately; for example, I apply to all the parts to be colored, say green, the
required paint, pigment or color, and then stove the article, so.as to fix and harden
the said paint, color or pigment-I next apply to all those parts of the design
which are to be colored say brown or yellow, the necessary paint or color, and
again stove the article, so as to fix and harden the last applied paint, pigment or
color, and in this way proceed until all the parts of the design or pattern requiring
to be colored or coated or partially coated with the desired colors-The degree of
coloring or the number of coats applied depends upon the opacity or transparency
required to be imparted-By this method of treatment, the several colors or
coatings are prevented from being blurred or running into each other, by the stoving
operation The temperature of the stove is gradually raised from a lower to a
higher temperature, after the introduction of the painted surfaces which are to be
fixed or hardened.
The uncolored or untinted parts of the metallic surfaces ornamented by the
laying on of colors, in the way as described, may afterwards be electro-plated or
otherwise finished and the painted or unpainted parts of the design or pattern
protected from tarnishing or wear by a coating of varnish or lacquer, or other
protective coating.
When the ground or field of the article to be ornamented with colors is electro-
plated, this is preferably effected prior to the laying on of the colors and
intermediate dryings as described.
In making the paints or colors which I apply to the metallic surface in the
manner described, I grind the pigment or paint with linseed oil, the least amount
of linseed oil being used with which it is practicable to grind the paint--To this
ground paint, about half its bulk of mixing varnish is added together with a few
drops of spirit varnish-This color or paint adheres readily to the metallic surface
and is applied, hardened and fixed in the manner before described.
;

page_text: The stoves in which the ornamented articles are stoved is heated to a temperature
preferably of about 120 degrees of Fahrenheit's thermometer.
The surfaces ornamented or illuminated in colors by the process or combination
of processes of stoving each coloring separately as described, produces hardened or
burned deposits of paints or colors having the appearance of an enamel almost
indestructable, while retaining all the character and beauty of the color employed.
My invention is applicable to the ornamenting or coloring of waiters, cups,
butter dishes, finger plates for doors, panels or panellings for coal vases, cabinet
work and other objects, fancy curtain links and brass foundry goods in general,
music racks, hat stands, jewellery, electro plate, and other ware and various other
articles made of Silver, German Silver, Brittania metal, Tin plate, Copper other
metals and alloys.
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 :-
First The improvement or improvements in ornamenting or illuminating
metallic surfaces hereinbefore described; that is to say, applying successive
paintings or successive coatings of paints with alternate or intermediate dryings
or stovings for hardening or burning, which is effected by being introduced into a
heated chamber, the temperature of which is gradually raised-The process or
processes for the laying on and fixing of the colors by each coloring being stoved
separately, is conducted and carried out in the way and for the purpose as
described.
Secondly Producing burned or hardened enamel-like deposits of paint or color,
upon metallic surfaces by the process or combination of processes as described.
Dated this twenty-ninth day of October 1884.