IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ORNAMENTAL, DECORATIVE, AND OTHER CLASS OR GLASS-WARE
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Hewitt, of 71 Queen Street, in the City of
London, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
ORNAMENTAL, DECORATIVE, AND OTHER CLASS OR GLASS-WARE."-A com-
munication from abroad by Rice. Williams Harris, of Calais, in the Republic of
France.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said James Hewitt at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st December 1881.
JAMES HEWITT, of the City of London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF ORNAMENTAL, DECORATIVE, AND OTHER GLASS OR GLASS WARE." A commu-
nication from abroad by Rice Willians Harris of Calais in the Republic of France.
This Invention relates to improvements whereby novel and special ornamental
or decorative effects can be produced in glass and glass ware by applying to such
glass while the same is in a state of semifusion more or less finely divided metallic
pieces or particles in combination with certain salts or alkalies, enamels or
calcareous substances and in some cases inflammable oils or fats the whole being
welded or secured together by heat and then blown or moulded to the desired
shape. Or instead of the said metallic particles or other substances, mixtures of
crystals of metallic nitrates and chlorides may be applied to the semifused surface
of the glass, the whole being afterwards subjected to the action of carbonic acid
gas, and then blown or moulded to the desired shape.
In order to apply and combine the metallic particles and other substances to and
with the glass, the metal, which may be copper, iron, zinc, or antimony for example,
in its crude, reguline or other suitable state is reduced to pieces or particles of
[Price dl

page_text: These
the required size by grinding, rasping, trituration, or other suitable means.
pieces or particles are then mixed with a salt such as chloride of sodium or with an
alkali such as caustic soda for example, enamels (composed of the materials usually
employed for the production of enamels, care being taken that the proportions of
such materials be regulated to suit the temper of the glass to which they are to be
welded) or calcareous substances and in some cases with inflammable oils or fats,
such as paraffin for example. These metallic pieces or particles, enamels, or
calcareous substances which may be used either singly or any two or more together
but always in combination with a salt or alkali are then placed in moulds and the
glass to be ornamented is applied thereto while the said glass is in a state of
semifusion and the whole is then submitted to a strong heat so as to complete the
attachment of the metallic or other substances to the glass. A thin coat of glass
is or may be then superposed so as to enclose the metallic and other substances
between the two thicknesses of glass. The articles are then moulded or blown
into the form required and submitted to the ordinary annealing process, after
which they are, for some purposes, ready for use without further manipulation, and
for other purposes, are polished or otherwise finished.
In order to apply and combine metallic nitrates and chlorides to and with the
glass, a piece of glass metal is gathered from the melting pot on the end of a glass
maker's ordinary blowing iron, and is fashioned or shaped roughly into the form
technically called a ball, which is then rolled in a mixture of the crystals of a
metallic nitrate and chloride, such as for example, nitrate and chloride of silver,
placed in suitable moulds or vessels. The crystals attach themselves to the
semifused mass of glass, which with the crystals adhering thereto is then subjected
to the action of carbonic acid gas. In some cases before being subjected to the
action of carbonic acid gas, the mass of semifused glass with the aforesaid crystals
adhering thereto may be "cracked"-by-immersion in water, and then reheated
and subjected to the action of the carbonic acid gas as before. After having been
subjected to the action of carbonic acid gas, the ball or mass of glass with the
crystals of metallic nitrate and chloride adhering thereto is reheated and blown
or moulded or otherwise formed in the usual way into the object it is desired to
produce.
The colour of the ornamentation thus produced is dependant upon the metal
the nitrates and chlorides of which are employed. The nitrates and chlorides are
mixed in proportions according to the depth of colour required, a preponderance of
chloride deepening or darkening the colour, and a preponderance of nitrates
weakening or lightening the colour. Various shades, gradations, or varieties of
colour may be produced even in the same article by employing the appropriate
metallic nitrates and chlorides, or mixtures thereof, for example, the nitrates and
chlorides of silver produce a yellow colour, those of gold a purple colour, and so forth.
The above described methods of ornamenting or decorating glass are applicable
to a great variety of purposes, such as for example, vases, drinking glasses, bottles,
wall decorations, such as panels and dados, ornamental window glass, tiles,
plaques, door furniture, and generally to all purposes to which ornamental glass
can be applied, and to which the peculiar effects produced by the means above
described are applicable or suitable.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention and the manner in
which the same is to or may be carried into effect, I would have it understood that
what I claim as the Invention to be secured by Letters Patent is :-
First. The manufacture of ornamental or decorative glass ware, by applying
to ordinary white or coloured glass metallic pieces or particles, enamels, or
calcareous substances, either singly or two or more together, in combination with
salts or alkalies, substantially as hereinbefore described.
Second. The manufacture of ornamental or decorative glass ware, by applying to
ordinary white or coloured glass, mixtures of metallic nitrates and chlorides in the

page_text: crystalline form, and submitting the mass, while in a state of semifusion, to the
action of carbonic acid gas, substantially as hereinbefore described.
In witness whereof, I the said James Hewitt, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Thirty-first day of December, in the year of our Lord, One
thousand, eight hundred and eighty-one.
JAMES HEWITT. (L.S)
Applicant.