Improvements in or relating to Moulds for Forming Relief Orna- mentation on the Walls and Ceilings of Rooms, Book Covers, Cards, and other like Plastic Materials.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Nov., 1899-Accepted, 23rd June, 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Moulds for Forming Relief Orna-
mentation on the Walls and Ceilings of Rooms, Book Covers,
Cards, and other like Plastic Materials.
I, WILLIAM HENRY HENAY, of No. 17, Schuyler Street, Boston in the County of
Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, United States of America, Gentleman, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained, in and by the following
statement:-
-
This invention relates to moulds adapted to be used for forming relief ornamenta-
tion on objects of various kinds, such as walls and ceilings of rooms, and on port-
able articles such as book-covers, and cards for use in advertising, or for business
purposes on which ornamented inscriptions are placed by means of this invention.
The invention is an improvement on the mold described in prior Letters Patent
No. 1640897, said mold being composed of a flexible reticulated sheet and a flexible
filling in the meshes of portions of the sheet and embedding or covering said
portions, forming practically smooth surfaces at both sides of the mold, said filling
being arranged to expose portions of the sheet and permit the passage of plastic
material therethrough to the surface to be ornamented. The material thus deposited
has the form of the exposed portions of the sheet, and constitutes relief orna-
mentation.
The present invention has for its object, first, to so improve the mold as to
make it capable of producing designs of greater delicacy and intricateness than
heretofore, and secondly, to enable the reticulated sheet and its flexible filling to
be put upon the market in a protected condition as a mold-blank adapted to be
conveniently converted into an operative mold by an art worker, who is enabled by
my improvement to purchase the mold-blank, and complete the mold for his own
use by making portions of the filling permanent and removing other portions
of the filling, in accordance with the design he desires to produce. The invention
consists in the improvements which I will now proceed to describe and claim.
Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,--
Figures 1, 2, and 3 are perspective views representing different stages of the
operation of making the mold-blank.
Figures 1 and 2 are enlarged sections, respectively on lines 1-1, Figure 1,
and 2-2, Figure 2.
Figure 2b is a view similar to Figure 2, showing an intermediate step.
Figure 3 is a view in perspective of the protected mold-blank.
Figure 3 represents an enlarged section on line 3-3, Figure 3.
Figure 4 represents an enlargel sectional view of the protected mold-blank
resulting from the steps illustrated by the preceding figures.
Figure 5 represents a view similar to Figure 4, showing the protecting sheets
partially removed from the mold-blank.
Figure 6 represents a completed mold.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures,

page_text: In carrying out my invention, I proceed as follows: On a bed b of marble,
glass, or other suitable material, I spread smoothly a backing sheet of paper,
which has been moistened on both sides. On this backing sheet, I spread a
reticulated sheet c, which is preferably of the same size as the backing sheet,
and is preferably composed of threads of fibrous material, such as cotton or silk,
interwoven to form a mesh of any desired fineness. When patterns of somewhat
intricate and delicate design are to be produced, I find it desirable to use a textile
fabric, such as screen or bolting cloth, the threads of which are relatively fine and
form a fine mesh. The reticulated sheet c is preferably treated with protective
material, such as oil, white lead, or varnish, to insure durability and prevent the
displacement of the threads during the subsequent treatment to which the sheet
is subjected, care being taken to avoid filling spaces of the sheet with the said
protective material, which should simply saturate or coat the threads, without
adding appreciably to their bulk.
While the reticulated sheet is resting on the backing sheet, a plastic filling d
is forced into its meshes, said filling being forced through the meshes into close
contact with the backing sheet, the outer surface of the filling d being formed
by scraping off the surplus material to form a face which is substantially flush
with the outer surfaces of the threads of the fabric.
The filling should be capable of readily absorbing the liquid binder herein-
after referred to, and of adhering firmly to the threads of the reticulated sheet.
It should also be capable of adhering to the backing sheet, and also to the facing
sheet hereinafter referred to, with sufficient firmness to prevent the peeling off
or detachment of said sheets until the mold is ready for use; and at the same
time, it must freely release said sheets when they are moistened preparatory to
stripping the mold. It is important, moreover, that the filling be soluble in water,
for a reason hereinafter explained. I have used with good results for this filling
an absorbent consisting of a mixture of dry white lead and clay, in equal parts,
together with a solution of glucose and flour paste, the whole forming a plastic
composition capable of being readily forced into the reticulated sheet, the glucose
and paste forming a cement which is soluble in water.
After the filling d has been formed as above described, and while it is soft and
plastic, I apply a facing sheet e of moist paper to its outer surface. The three
layers thus connected are then subjected to pressure by rolling or otherwise,
and are then dried. The product is a protected mold-blank, which can be kept
in stock by dealers and can be utilized by the art worker in the manner described
hereinafter, the said product comprising a recticulated sheet lying uniformly
embedded in a sheet of plastic composition and protected on either side by paper
adhering to the surfaces of the compound sheet of reticulated material and
composition.
When it is desired to complete the mold. the facing sheet e is removed, said
sheet readily stripping from the mold when slightly moistened. The upper
surface of the composition is thus exposed, presenting a firm, smooth, and uniform
ground. The composition is protected during the operation of removing the
facing sheet and during the subsequent operations, by the backing sheet, which
at this time adheres closely to the composition. A design adapted to the nature
of the reticulated sheet can now be drawn with pencil or charcoal, directly on
the outer surface by any of the usual methods, or by photography. Owing to the
relative strength of the filling composition, due to the presence of an adhesive
material in it, such as the glucose and flour paste, the filling is capable of sus-
taining without injury, any pressure required in drawing or otherwise applying the
design to its outer surface, this protection being augumented by the backing
sheet, which adheres to the filling during the operation of applying the design to
its outer surface.
All the outlines of the design, together with the broader masses and shadings
are then treated with a suitable adhesive binding liquid, applied with a pen or
brush, said liquid being of such character as that when applied to the filling it

page_text: will permeate the parts of the filling to which it is applied, and render the same
practically insoluble by water. I have used with satisfactory results, a solution
of shellac. I have also used coach varnish, and may use any other material
which is sufficiently liquid to be readily applied with a brush or pencil and is
sufficiently adhesive to render the parts of the filling which it touches insoluble in
water, as above stated. After the binding liquid has dried, the backing sheet a
is slightly moistened, and stripped from the mold-blank, both surfaces of which
are then exposed. All portions of the filling not rendered insoluble by the binding
liquid can now be washed out with warm or cold water, the result being the
formation of openings in the filling, through which openings portions of the
reticulated sheet are exposed, said openings permitting the design of the mold
to be reproduced upon any surface against which the mold may be placed, by
forcing plastic composition, paste, or color, with a brush or knife or other suitablo
instrument, onto the surface to be decorated. Before the mold formed as above
described is used to any considerable extent, I prefer to treat its back with a
coating of oil or varnish, to increase the durability of the mold.
The mold thus produced is both flexible and durable, and is capable of con-
forming accurately to undulation and inequalities in the surface to be ornamented,
without the liability of bridging over portions of said surface, between two points
between which is a recess or hollow, this result being due to the extreme flexibility
obtained by the use of a reticulated sheet of textile fabric.
Besides the advantage of extreme flexibility and pliability obtained by the use of
textile fabric, I obtain a more firm and intimate union between the filling com-
position and the fabric, the said composition adhering more tenaciously to the
textile threads than to the meshes of a sheet of wire cloth.
It will be seen that the protected mold-blank, above described is not liable to
injury by ordinary usage in handling and shipping, so that there is no obstacle on
this score, to its extensive use. The completed molds above described are easily
operated, presenting a uniform surface to receive the operating composition,
and conforming closely to the surface to be decorated, as already stated. These
molds can be operated effectively in producing ornamentation upon cloth,
wood, plaster, paper, paint, or glass grounds, and are easily cleansed
when not in use. Molds of minute detail, or those of broader and bolder
character, for larger decorative work, can be produced with great facility, my
invention presenting to the general decorator or art worker a durable, practical
medium, capable of effective results at moderate expense.
The life of the molds can be extended almost indefinitely by proper care in
protecting the filling composition and the reticulated sheet from the friction of
the operating knife or brush, by a coating of suitable varnish from time to time,
as circumstances may require.
I do not limit myself to the particular composition here described as the filling
composition, and may variously modify the same without departing from the
spirit of my invention.
While for various purposes, such as flexibility and capability of firm and intimate
union with the filling composition, I prefer textile fabric of fibrous material for
the reticulated sheet, and have claimed the same hereinafter as one of my present
improvements, I desire it to be understood that I do not limit myself to a
reticulated sheet made of fibrous material, as other features of my invention
herein described will co-operate advantageously with a reticulated sheet made of
wire as described in my former patent. For example, a filling composition having
as a component part a binding ingredient such as a solution of glucose or flour
paste or both, will give the completed mold the desired firmness and strength,
enabling it to be drawn upon, whether used with a reticulated sheet of fibrous
material, or of metal. Also, the mold-blank protected by backing and facing
sheets may have its reticulated portion of fibrous material, or of metal, without
departing from the spirit of this part of the invention.

page_text: It will be seen that the filling above described, comprising a suitable absorbent
such as a mixture of dry white lead and clay, and a cement which unites the
particles of said absorbent to each other and to the reticulated sheet, said cement
being soluble in water, is particularly useful because it is sufficiently tough to
be flexed and to be acted on by a pencil or other means used in outlining a
design on the filling, without liability of crumbling; hence, a mold-blank embody-
ing my invention is both flexible and durable, and is adapted to readily absorb
a binding liquid to make portions of the filling insoluble and permanent.
Another point in which this invention is an improvement on the mold described
in said prior Patent No. 1640897 is, that when the mold described in said patent
is in the form of a blank, the filling is not flexible, but on the contrary is brittle.
The present invention, when in the form of a mold-blank has a flexible filling,
not a brittle one, and said filling is therefore not disturbed in its relation to the
reticulated sheet, during transportation or handling. The flexible protecting
layers permit the flexible reticulated sheet and the flexible filling to yield in
transportation or when being handled, without disturbing the relations between
the filling and the sheet. In the patent above referred to, the sheet when in
the form of a mold-blank, having, as above stated, a brittle filling, could not be
readily transported and handled, even if provided with protecting layers for the
reason that such handling is liable to disturb the brittle particles of the filling
which would then be liable to be removed, or fall out when the protecting layers
are removed.
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:
1. As an article of manufacture, a protected mold-blank comprising a flexible
reticulated sheet of fibrous material, a flexible dissoluble filling in the meshes of
the sheet, said reticulated sheet and filling constituting the mold-blank, and a
flexible protecting layer detachably secured to the mold-blank.
2. As an article of manufacture, a protected mold-blank comprising a flexible
reticulated sheet of fibrous material, a flexible dissoluble filling in the meshes of
the sheet, said reticulated sheet and filling constituting the mold-blank, and two
flexible protecting layers detachably secured to the mold-blank and covering both
sides of the same.
3. As an article of manufacture, a mold of the character specified, comprising
a flexible reticulated sheet, and a flexible filling inserted in the meshes of portions
of the sheet and composed of a composition in which powdered material is bonded
or united by a soluble adhesive.
4. As an article of manufacture, a mold of the character specified, comprising
a flexible reticulated sheet composed of fibrous material, and a filling composition
which adheres firmly to the threads of the sheet and is soluble in water.
5. As an article of manufacture, a mold-blank composed of a flexible reticulated
sheet, and a flexible filling comprising a suitable absorbent, and a cement which
is soluble in water, said cement uniting the particles of the absorbent to each
other and to the reticulated sheet.
Dated this 1st day of November 1899.
WILLIAM HENRY HENAY.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.