AN IMPROVED METHOD OR PROCESS OF OBTAINING IMPRESSIONS FROM ENGRAVINGS IN VARIOUS COLOURS, AND "APPLYING THE SAME TO EARTHENWARE," PORCELAIN, CHINA, GLASS, AND OTHER SIMILAR SUBSTANCES
Year: 1831

page_text: TO ALL PERSONS TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we,
JOHN POTTS, RICHARD OLIVER, and WILLIAM WAINWRIGHT POTTS, all of New
Mills, in the County of Derby, Engravers to Calico Printers, and Co-partners,"
send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King William the Fourth did, by
His Letters Patent under the Greal Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Seventeenth day of September, in the second year of His
reign, give and grant unto us, the said John Potts, Richard Oliver, and
William Wainwright Potts, our executors, administrators, and assigns, His
special licence that we, the said John Potts, Richard Oliver, and William
Wainwright Potts, our executors, administrators, and assigns, during the term
of years therein mentioned, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, our
Invention of "AN IMPROVED METHOD OR PROCESS OF OBTAINING IMPRESSIONS FROM
ENGRAVINGS IN VARIOUS COLOURS, AND "APPLYING THE SAME TO EARTHENWARE,"
PORCELAIN, CHINA, GLASS, AND OTHER SIMILAR SUBSTANCES;" in which said Letters
Patent there is contained a proviso, that if we, the said John Potts, Richard
Oliver, and William Wainwright Potts, should not particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of our said Invention, and in what' manner the same is to
be performed, by an instrument in writing under our hands and seals, and
cause the same to be inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within
six calendar months then next and immédiately after the date of the said
Letters Patent, then the said Letters Patent, and all liberties and advantages

page_text: whatsoever thereby granted, should utterly cease, determine, and become void,
as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, may more fully and at
large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, we, the said
John Potts, Richard Oliver, and William Wainwright Potts, do hereby declare
that the nature of our said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to
be conducted and carried into effect, are described and clearly shewn by the
Drawings contained in the Sheet hereunto annexed, and the following
description, that is to say:-
Figure 1 in the annex'd Drawing is a front elevation, and Figure 2 a side
view of a seven-eights printing machine, of the description and construction
generally used by calico printers, with such additions and adaptations as are
used by us for the purpose of effecting our said method or process; and the
said machines are exhibited in the annexed Drawing and here described solely
for the purpose of shewing, with greater clearness and perspicuity, the said
additions to and adaptations of the said printing machine, and the manner in
which our said method or process is conducted and carried into effect. The
scale to which the several Figures are drawn on the annexed Sheet is marked
on the Sheet, and we have used throughout the same characters or letters
of reference to denote the same parts in all the different Figures in which the
same characters or letters occur.
A, A, Figure 1 and 2, as an iron frame, one of the sides of which only is seen
iu Figure 2; B and G, Figure 2, are levers, forming component parts of the
compound lever B, G; the lever B works on the fulcrum C, and the
lever G on the fulcrum H, supported by the headstock I, which is firmly
attached to the iron frame A, A; the ends of the short arm of the lever B, and
of the long arm of the lever G, are connected by moveable joints or pivots D, F,
to the opposite end of the coupling shaft E. A compound lever of exactly the
same description, and with similar bearings, is attached in a similar mode to the
other side of the iron frame. J, J, Figure 1, are the heads of the two cast-iron
levers G, and carry the cast-iron cylinder L, L, the body of which, as used by
us, is hollow; the cylinder is fixed on a wrought-iron shaft, which passes
through its centre, and the ends of which work in the steps of brass or other
metal M, M. The steps slide in grooves in the heads of the levers, one of
which is seen in Figure 2, and can be raised or lowered at pleasure by means of
the adjusting screws N, N. O, O, is an endless blanket of the kind used by
calico printers, and passes under the cylinder L, L, and also passes over and is
extended and guided by the carrying rollers P 1, P 2, P 3, P 4, the first of
which is carried by brass steps attached to the heads of the levers J, J, and the

page_text: others by suitable bearings fixed on the wooden frame Q, Q; the situation of
the carrying rollers and the line in which the blanket travels are best seen in
Figure 2. R is an engraved copper roller, the size of which is regulated by the
pattern engraved on it. S, S, is a mandrel of wrought iron, which passos
through and is accurately fitted in the roller R, to which also is adapted in
size and as used by us; it is made hollow (being perforated from end to end by
a cylindrical pole of uniform diameter), in order that it may be heated by the.
admission of steam, or otherwise, internally. The ends of the mandrel are
reduced so as to form two shoulders, and work in grooves cut in the iron
frame A, A, and one of the ends is mounted on a two-foot power wheel T, to
which the moving power is applied to work the machine. This is usually done
by a spur pinion mounted on a shaft, which works in brass steps carried by
arms projecting from the front of the frame A, A, one of which is shewn in
Figure 2, and on which said shaft is also mounted a wheel, connected with a
revolving shaft by an endless band in the usual manner. U is a metal trough
or box, to contain the colouring fluid intended to be used, and as used by us,.
has a double bottom to admit of its being heated by the introduction of steam,.
or otherwise. This colour trough or box is fixed on the board or shelf V, which
rides on two wrought-iron carriers W, W, which move at one end on pivots
fixed in the inner sides of the frame A, A, and can be raised or lowered at
pleasure by the adjusting screws X, X, acting at the other ends. Y is a
wooden roller, called the furnishing roller, and fixed on a wrought-iron shaft, the
ends of which Z, Z, work in grooves cut in the surfaces of the ends of the
color box U, so that the roller itself may revolve in the colour box and take up.
a portion of the colouring fluid, wherewith it furnishes the engraved roller R,
undor which it is placed, and against which it works. The furnishing roller in
machines used by calico printers is generally covered with flannel, but we
prefer it without; the size of the furnishing roller is regulated by the size of
the engraved copper roller, to which the color is to be furnished. A is a brass
spur wheel, keyed on one end of the shaft of the furnishing roller Y, and works.
into a similar wheel b, koyed on the corresponding end of the mandrel S, S.
c is a steam pipe, connected at its upper end with a pipe from the boiler, and
at its lower end with a brass valve d, through which the steam is admitted to
the inside of the mandrel; e is a second pipe, branching from the pipe e, and is
supplied with steam from it, and by opening the stop-cock f, conducts the steam
to the inside of the chest formed by the double bottoms of the colour box U.
The valve g admits the condensed and superfluous steam to pass from the end
of the mandrel, opposite to that where the steam enters, into the pipe h, by
which it passes away, and which has also a stop-cock, not shewn in the Drawing.

page_text: In like manner the condensed steam is passed away from the double bottom of
the colour trough U, by the pipe i, which communicates with the pipe h. To
prevent the escape of the steam before it'enters the mandrel, the end of the
valves. d and g, which fit into the ends of the mandrel, are turned conical
about two inches, and the insides of the ends of the mandrel are 'turned corre-
spondently to receive them; a groove is also turned in the said ends of the
valves to allow of packing, if required. j, j, are two curved arms or guards. of
iron, one end of each of which is fixed to the frame of the machine, and the
other terminates in a nut, which receives a' screw k; the points or ends of these
screws work against projections from the valve 'd and g, that when the screws
áre tightened, the brass valves may be firmly pressed and retained in their
places l. Figure 2 is one end of an instrument called the doctor or straight
édge, part of which can only be seen in this elevation, the rest being concealed
by the headstock, and its situation designated in the Drawing by dotted lines.
It consists of a plate of metal, equal in length to the engraved roller employed,
and ground nearly sharp at the upper edge. This plate is placed between two
parallel plates of metal, so that the ground edge may protrude about an inch
beyond the other plates, and the three plates are firmly united by screws.
From each end of the doctor projects downwards a lever m. n is a cord
attached to the lower end of each of the levers of the doctor. (as shewn in
Figure 2), it passes over the pulley o, carried by a pivot on the upper arm of
the lever G, and sustains a counterpoise p. The doctor is supported by two
projecting pivots, which work freely in centres attached to the insides of the
frame A, A, and which centres may be moved to and fro, either horizontally
or vertically, so as to adjust the situation of the doctor to the diameter of the
engraved roller employed. The adjusting apparatus cannot be seen in the
annex'd Drawing, nor is it necessary here to describe it, the same being
commonly applied to calico printing machines, and familiar' to the makers of
such machines. By means of the counterpoises and cords the levers are elevated,
and the edge of the doctor depressed, so as to bear closely against the face of
the engraved roller and scrape away the superfluous colour which the latter
may receive from the furnishing roller. Figure 3 is a front elevation, and
Figure 4, an end elevation of a machine for sizing the paper intended to be used
in obtaining impressions. r, Figures 4 and 5, is a sizing trough, part of the
front side of which is cut away; as seen in profile at Z, Figure 4; to the upper
surfaces of the ends of the trough are attached the iron headstocks S, S, as
best shewn in Figure 4; the trough is fastened by bolts;; or otherwise, to a
common lathe, bench, or other suitable bearer. t; (Figure 3.) is a wooden
roller, covered with flannel or machine blanket, and fixed on a shaft w, which

page_text: works in the sides of the sizing trougl, and is set in motion by any suitablé
power; v is a similar roller, resting on and receiving motion from the roller t.
The roller has an axis, the ends of which work under the metal steps w, w,
these steps move in slots in the beadstock of the sizing machine, one of which
is seen in Figure 4, and may be raised or lowere:l' at pleasure by the screws
,, so that the roller v may be made to press more or less closely on the
roller t, on which it rests; y is a copper roller, resting on and receiving
motion from the roller v, and receives the paper when sized; each end of
the axis of this roller is placed between, and at liberty to work up and down;
between two oblique spindles or rods Z, which are fixed in the headstocks S, S.
...We shall now proceed to describe the method in which our said improved
method or process. is performed. We use paper of the same nature as that
generally used by manufacturers of earthenware and glass. (by which terms,
whenever they occur herein, we include and intend to designate carthenware,
porcelain; china, glass, and other similar substances), as the medium by which
patterns in colours are to be transferred to the articles intended to receive the
saine; "this paper is obtained by us from the manufacturer in sheets of indefi-
nite length, in order that a large quantity may be impressed by one continuous
operation. In the first place, we prepare this paper by sizing in the manner
following:-The sizing machine being supplied with size of the kind generally
émployed for this purpose in such a quantity as' may sufficiently furnish the
under roller, that roller is set in motion, and in its revolutions takes up the size
from the trough, a portion of which it imparts to the roller, which is made to re-
volve by the action of the first roller upon t; when, by these means, the blanket
coverings of the two last-mentioned-rollers are saturated with the size, the end
of the paper is introduced by the open part Z2 of the size trough between the
sizing rollers, the end of the paper being brought perfectly straight and even
to the rollers to prevent creasing. The end of the sheet being passed-between
the rollers, is brought up behind the second sizing roller v, and appearing again
between that roller and the copper roller y, is brought up on the face of the
latter, on which it will then continue to be lapped in successive layers until
the machine is stopped or the supply of paper exhausted. As the diameter
of the roller y increases by the layers of paper it receives, its axis rises between
the spindles, so as to adjust its situation to its varying diameter. When the
required quantity of paper is thus sized, the receiving roller y is -taken off
the spindles, and is placed behind the cylinder of the printing machine, in the
situation shewn by the dotted circle y, Figure 2, where it is supported by
centre points (1, 2, Figure 1,) projecting from the inner sides of the frames A, A,
and which, by means of an adjusting screw connected. with one of them, are

page_text: brought to bear tightly against the ends of the axis of the roller y, which
are turned concave to receive them. In the meantime, the printing machine
may have been prepared for working as follows:-A sufficient quantity of the
coloring matter, which is the same as is generally used by manufacturers of
earthenware or glass, and is prepared in any of the usual modes, having been
put in the colouring trough U, and the engraved roller, with its mandrel, and a
furnishing.roller of a corresponding size, having been placed on their respective
bearings, in manner herein-before described and represented in Figure 1, the
engraved roller and colour box are heated by the admission of steam to the
mandrel and to the double bottom of the colour box. The supply of the steam
is furnished by the steam pipes, and is regulated or varied by the stop-cocks as
may be required, in order to maintain such a degree of hent as will render
the coloring matter sufficiently liquid for working. The cylinder being then
slightly raised by the screws N, N, the paper is brought from the paper roller
between the cylinder and engraved rollers, and fastened straight and even to the
blanket, as shewn in Figure 1. The cylinder is then lowered and suffered to
press with its own weight on the engraved roller. We find this pressure
sufficient, but if required it may be increased by placing weights on a plank.
carried by the long arms of the levers B, as shewn in Figures 1 and 2.
The moving power being now applied to the machine by the power wheel T,
or other adequate means, the mandrel revolves, with the engraved roller fitted
on it, in the direction of the bent arrow, Figure 2, and by means of the
spur wheels a and b, gives a contrary motion to the furnishing roller, which in
its revolutions takes up the coloring fluid and imparts the same to the engraved.
roller. The superfluous colour is scraped off by the doctor before the engraved
roller comes in contact with the paper, which then receives the impression, and
takes up the colour retained by the sunk pattern on the roller R; the paper, as
it receives the impression, is carried on by the blanket until it passes over the
carrying roller p 4, when the end of the paper is detached from the blanket,
and the continuous sheet suffered to fall down, and is cut away in portions
as required.
In applying the impressions thus obtained to earthenware or glass to
which the patterns or designs are intended to be transferred, we cut out from
the paper a piece of the dimensions and figure adapted to the surface to which
it is to be applied, and it is then applied to the surface in the method or
methods now in ordinary use. When the pattern or design required is such
as cannot be conveniently engraved on a copper roller or by a cylinder machine,
we adopt a flat plate on which the pattern or design is engraved, and we
obtain impressions on paper therefrom by means of the machine in general

page_text: use among calico printers, and known by the name of the flat press, and
which, as it is commonly known and used, it will not be necessary here to
describe, except so far as regards the apparatus adapted for heating the plate.
This we effect by substituting for the plank or board on which the copper-plate
is commonly placed in calico printing, an iron box or steam chest of dimensions
adapted to the engraved plate to be used. This box or chest receives steam
from a steam pipe, and parts with the condensed steam by a waste pipe,
similar to those herein-before described as used by us with. the cylinder.
machine, except that inasmuch as the said steam chest has a backwards
and forwards motion, the steam and waste pipes must have crank motions
to follow the movements of the steam chest. The coloring matter used
with this flat press may be heated in the colour box with double bottoms
of the same description as that used in the cylinder machine, or by any other;
similar means. The paper is sized and applied in the same manner as hercin--
before described, and in all other respects the process resembles that performed
with the flat press by calico printers. The advantage of our improved method'
or process over that at present used by manufacturers of earthenware and glass.
is best shewn by contrasting the said respective methods. According to the
method now in use, whatever patterns or designs are required are engraved
on a flat plate of copper, which when required to be used is placed on a flat
slab under which is a stove, which is fired. The plate being thus heated, the
coloring material is rubbed over the plate until the engraved pattern or design
is sufficiently filled, the greater portion of the superfluous colours is then
scraped off by a pallet knife, applied by hand, and the remaining superfluities
are cleaned away by rubbing the plate with a dabber covered with leather.
A shect of paper of the size of the plate is then laid over it, and the whole is
passed between rollers, by the pressure of which the impression is produced.
By this process a single impression of the size of the plate employed can only
be produced by each successive operation, and as it is wholly or principally
performed by hand, a much greater expenditure of time and labor is required
to produce any considerable quantity of impressions than is required by our
said improved method or process, whether the cylinder machine or the flat
press be used.
Having thus described our said improved method or process as practised by
us, we do hereby declare that we do not claim as of our Invention all or any
part or parts of the said machines or implements we have described, the same.
having been by us described solely for the purpose of more clearly explaining
the nature and mode of practising our said Invention; and we do not claim as
of our Invention the process of obtaining impressions in colours by means of

page_text: the machines or implements we have described, generally or otherwise, than for
the particular purpose; of applying such impressions to earthenware, porcelain,
china, glass, and, other similar substances, and we do not claim as being by.
itself, or as a detached, process, a part of our Invention, the mode of applying
impressions in colours to earthenware, porcelain, china, glass, and other similar
substances for the purpose of transferring such impressions to the same sub-.
stances respectively. But we claim as of our Invention -the method or process,
considered as ono, entire process, of obtaining impressions in various colours
from engravings, to be applied to carthenware, porcelain, china, glass, and other.
similar substances by the employment and adaptation, in the manner hercin-
before set forth, of the machines or implements herein-before described respec-s
tively, and the application of such, impressions to earthenware, porcelain, china,-
glass, and other similar, substances; and we declare that the size, proportions,,
and other particulars of and relating to the machines and implements employed.
by us, as aforesaid, admit of various modifications, all capable of producing the
same effect, and may be varied, at the discretion of the constructor, according
to the nature of the work to be performed.
•
In witness whereof, we, the said! John. Potts, Richard Oliver, and
William Wainwright. Potts, have. hereunto set their hands and seals,.
this Fourteenth day of March, One thousand cight hundred' and
JOHN (L.S.) POTTS.
RICHARD (L.S.) OLIVER.
WILLIAM WAINWRIGHT (L.s.) POTTS..
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Fourteenth day of March, in
the second year of the reign of His Majesty King William the Fourth, the
said John Potts, Richard Oliver, and William Wainwright Potts came before
our said Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the instrument.
aforesaid, and all and everything therein contained and specified, in form
above written.. And also the instrument aforesaid was stamped according
to the tenor of the Statute. made in the fifty-fifth year of the reign of His
late Majesty King George the Third.
the Sixteenth day of March. One thousand eight hundred and