IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING FLOOR AND OTHER CLOTHS
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Weston Wells, of Windmill Lane, Cam-
berwell, in the County of Surrey, Floor Cloth Manufacturer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING FLOOR AND OTHER CLOTHS."
Sealed the 18th July 1854, and dated the 18th February 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Weston Wells
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
18th February 1854.
I, BENJAMIN WESTON WELLS, of Windmill Lane, Camberwell, in the County
of Surrey, Floor Cloth Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING FLOOR AND OTHER CLOTHS
be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to obtain what is known as solid work in the
printing of floor cloths and other fabrics, such as table covers, ornamented with
oil, turpentine, or varnish colors. This I propose to effect by imparting first.
an impression with blocks alternately on the cloth to be printed, and on to a
pad, and when the pattern is completed taking up the color from the pad by a
block ribbed with parallel lines and pressing this block on to the printed cloth.
By this means I am enabled to spread the colors, and thereby completely hide
the ground, and at the same time remedy any deficiencies which might have
occurred in the transfer of the colors to the cloth.
A more smooth and perfect impression may be obtained by the use of a
second ribbed block, the counterpart of the first, that is, having raised surfaces

page_text: corresponding to the sunken surfaces of the first block, which second block may
either impart color or pressure only to the printed cloth. Or, instead of printing
the cloth direct from the pattern blocks, I propose to use ribbed blocks or other
analogous blocks for taking up the color from the pad on which a perfect
pattern has been printed, and thereby I impart the impress of the pattern to
the cloth.
By the application of this Invention, I am enabled to avoid the necessity for
two sets of blocks, and consequently double printing at present adopted for
covering the ground or producing solid work.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Benjamin Weston Wells in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 18th August 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, BENJAMIN
WESTON WELLS, of Windmill Lane, Camberwell, in the County of Surrey,
Floor Cloth Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Benjamin Weston Wells, Her special licence that I, the said Benjamin
Weston Wells, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Benjamin Weston Wells, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING FLOOR AND OTHER CLOTHS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Benjamin Weston Wells, by
an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Benjamin Weston Wells, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to

page_text: be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement (that is to say) :-
The object of this Invention is to obtain, when printing floor cloths or other
fabrics, such as table covers, ornamented with oil, turpentine, or varnish colors,
that kind of impression of the pattern known in the trade as "solid work." In
carrying out this Invention I prefer to operate upon two or three pieces at a time;
but when working only upon one piece, I employ a pad at starting, and impart
with the several pattern blocks, which together complete the design, alternately
an impression to the cloth which is intended to be covered with the pattern,
and, an impression to the pad which is placed adjacent thereto. The colors I
use are those ordinarily employed in the manufacture of floor cloths, and the
mode of imparting the colors to the printing blocks is by pressing them upon
pads, tables, or other smooth surfaces covered with wet color. When the
imprint of the design is completed by applying the blocks successively in
the usual way, the ground of the cloth will, as in all ordinary printing, shew
between the spots of color which make up the pattern. In order to cover the
ground, and at the same time make good any deficiencies which may chance to
exist in the imprint on the cloth, I press down upon the pad which contains
the imprint of the perfect design a block, the under surface of which is ribbed
with parallel lines, and the inverted impress of the pattern thus obtained on
the ribbed surface of the block I bring into contact with the pattern on the
cloth, and by heavy blows or pressure applied to the back of the block I spread
the moist colors on the cloth, and thereby completely hide the ground and at
the same time remedy any deficiencies which may have occurred in the transfer
of the colors from the pattern blocks to the cloth. After the ribbed block has
taken up sufficient color to produce a good impression of the pattern upon it,
the use of the pad is no longer required. Floor cloths printed after this manner
may be made to imitate Brussels carpet very closely, by ribbing the blocks
with straight parallel lines, for the lines of paint formed by the pressure of such
blocks will give the effect produced by the lines of loops in the carpet.
A more smooth and perfect impression may be obtained by the use of a
second pressing block the counterpart of the first, that is, having raised surfaces
corresponding to the sunken surfaces of the first block, which second block
may impart color or pressure only to the printed cloth. When two or more
pieces are worked together, the pad may be dispensed with, for the ribbed
block may borrow color from the several pieces, and so obtain a good impres-
sion of the pattern, which it must continue to retain in order to ensure
good sound work.
As a modification of the above-described process of obtaining solid work, I

page_text: also propose to employ two pressing blocks, the straight or wavy lines or dots
on the face of one of which will fall between or just over the edges of those on
the other. These blocks I apply alternately to a pad, sieve, table, or cloth,
containing an impression in moist colors of the complete design intended to be
transferred to the cloth, and the impression received on to the blocks I transfer
to the cloth or other fabric in the manner before explained. In this: case,
however, the impression on the pad, sieve, or table, will require to be constantly
renewed with fresh color by the ordinary printing blocks.
By the application of this Invention, it will be understood that I am
enabled to avoid the necessity for two sets of pattern blocks, and consequently
the double printing at present adopted for covering the ground or producing
solid work..
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of Improvements in Print-
ing Floor and other Cloths, and described the manner of carrying the same into
effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited Letters
Patent I claim imparting pressure to the printed pattern of floor and other
cloths, while the colors are in a moist state, by means of a block or blocks con-
taining a counterpart in colors of the printed pattern, whereby solid work is
obtained, and the necessity for a double set of pattern blocks, and consequently
double printing from pattern blocks, is avoided.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Weston Wells, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Fifteenth day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
S. H. WELLS,
30, Upper Harley Street,
London.
B. W. WELLS. (L.S.)