IMPROVE. MENTS IN THE PREPARATION OR TREATMENT OF FABRICS OR MATERIALS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF VARIOUS USEFUL ARTICLES
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Clark, of 53, 'Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer and Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVE.
MENTS IN THE PREPARATION OR TREATMENT OF FABRICS OR MATERIALS FOR THE
MANUFACTURE OF VARIOUS USEFUL ARTICLES."-A communication from
abroad by Rufina Nöggerath-Temmerman, Widow, of 29, Boulevart St.
Sealed the 10th May 1867, and dated the 13th November 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Clark at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 13th
November 1866.
I, WILLIAM CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION OR TREATMENT OF FABRICS.
OR MATERIALS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF VARIOUS USEFUL ARTICLES," to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to an improved process of hardening or stiffening and
metallizing various materials for the manufacture of various useful or fancy.
articles, such as baskets, boxes, trays, vases, hand screens, portfolios, toilet
and other such like articles. I submit the materials to the following
operations:-1st, the materials herein-after enumerated which may be open
or close fabrics are submitted to a preliminary preparation in order to render.
them suitable for being metallized or simply hardened and colored; 2ndly,
the prepared material is hardened bydrying and moulded before receiving the
Price 8d.]

page_text: color or tinting or it may be metallization; 3rdly, the article is painted or
immersed (if necessary and in certain cases) in a dye bath for the purpose
of coloring it; 4thly, the whole surface of the moulded and stiffened article
is then coated with a suitable varnish or gumlac preparatory to its metalli-
zation; 5thly, the article after being varnished as above mentioned is
galvanized or metallized by any known chemical or electrical means in
imitation of metal; 6thly, after cleaning the surface of the galvanized article
it is subjected to heat in an oven or otherwise in order to destroy the textile
material forming the foundation and extracting all moisture which would be
liable to injure the metal on the exterior; the article may now be dipped in
a finishing bath for gilding, silvering, or bronzing it. The fabrics I employfor
the purposes of this Invention may be open-knitted lace or net fabrics of any
material or design. I may also employ open or closed fabrics made from
horse and other hair, esparto, and generally of all animal and vegetable
textile matters. The metallization of the vegetable and other matters
necessitates a preliminary preparation, which consists in hardening and pro-
tecting them from the effects of the metallizing or galvanizing process. For
this purpose I steep the materials in a solution of silicate of potash or immerse
them in a solution of size, resin, pyroligneous acid, pyrolignite of iron, gum,
creosote, salt, or other products serving to envelope or enclose the materials
and give them the necessary degree of hardness or stiffness. After leaving
this bath the fabrics are placed in a mould previously prepared of the form of
the article to be produced. This mould which gives the desired form to the
material should be previously coated with a fatty or soapy matter to facilitate
the removal of the article from the mould when the dressing above described
is dry and sufficiently hardened. The article so formed is afterwards
impregnated with a thin varnish or gumlac. This varnish may hold any
suitable color in solution, and if it is desired to simply color or tint the
hardened article without metallizing it, such as for blinds, mantelpieces,
window fittings or hangings, hat trimmings, and other dress or toilet articles
for the above applications the articles mayremain in the condition described,
or they may be further metallized and galvanized. The articles thus coated
with thin, varnish are metallized or galvanized with any suitable metal by
known processes, as in electric or chemical baths, or otherwise. After leaving
a copper bath the articles require to be heated in an oven before being placed
in a bath of silver, the heat being as great as possible, but short of that
sufficient to cause the copper to crack or blacken. This operation is intended
to destroy the vegetable tissue enclosed in the metal, and to extract the
moisture which would conduce to the production of verdigris. The same
;

page_text: products,previous to being placed in the gold, silver, or other bath should be
cleaned with a brush or in an acid bath for the purpose of removing all the
superfluous metal in order to render the subsequent silvering or gilding as
perfect as possible.
Another part of this Invention consists in producing these imitations of gold
and silver by diluting gold, silver, bronze, and other powders in white varnish,
or by sprinkling the powders in a dry state with a sable brush on the materials
coated with the first layer of varnish before it is dry; these imitations may
serve in certain cases as a substitute for the metallizing or galvanizing process
above referred to. I also sometimes apply on the silvered or imitation
silvered products a coat of varnish of a slightly yellow tint for the
giving them a gold lustre.
purpose of
I also claim the application of metallic powders (either mixing them with
varnish or sprinkling them in a dry state on the article before the painted or
varnished surface is dry) in combination with sculptors' varnish or other thin
varnish or gumlac which forms a conductor of electricity during the metalli-
zation of the fabrics or materials in the galvano-plastic bath. The metallic
dust so applied may serve as a substitute for the plumbago generally used,and
assist the deposit of copper in the galvanic bath.
Thus I may 1st, apply the metallic powders, bronze, copper, and others, on
the fabric or material before they are galvanized.
2ndly, I may simply apply the powders by dusting or sprinkling the
materials instead of metallizing them.
3rdly, not only ornament and metallize open or close fabrics or materials,
but the Invention may be further applied for the ornamentation of plain or
perforated paper in imitation of lace and other kinds of statuettes and other
plaster articles in the manner before described.
The Invention thus consists in preparing, ornamenting, and metallizing or
galvanizing fabrics and other materials with a view to the production of
various ornamental and useful articles which by the aid of the several
operations herein described are made to resemble open metalwork in
appearance. The said articles may sometimes be simply colored of
any tint
or tints desired, in which case they are not metallized, and serve especially
for toilet articles, hangings for rooms or furniture, objects of art, and similar
purposes; I also reserve the right of ornamenting or inetallizing paper,
plaster, and other materials by the above-described processes.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Le:ters Patent, filed
by the said William Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
11th May 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, 1, WILLIAM
CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer and
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date. the Thirteenth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successo: s,give and grant unto me,
the said William Clark, Her special licence that I, the said William Clark,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the suid
William Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IMPROVE
MENTS IN THE PREPARATION OR TREATMENT OF FABRICS OR MATERIALS FOR THE
MANUFACTURE OF VARIOUS USEFUL ARTICLES," a communication to me from
abroad by Rufina Nöggerath-Temmerman, Widow, of 29, Boulevart St.
Martin, Paris, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William
Clark, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same wasto
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 William Clark, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, thereof (that is to say):-
:-
This Invention relates to an improved process of hardening or stiffening
and metallizing various materials for the manufacture of various useful and
fancy articles, such as baskets, boxes, trays, vases, hand screens, portfolios,
toilet and other such like articles. I submit the materials to the following
operations-1st, the materials herein-after enumerated which may be open
or close fabrics are submitted to a preliminary preparation in order to render
them suitable for being metallized or simply hardened and colored; 2ndly,

page_text: the prepared material is hardened by drying and moulded before receiving
the color or tinting or it may be metallization; 3rdly, the article is painted
or immersed (if necessary and in certain cases) in a dye bath for the purpose
of coloring it, the most practicable method being to stretch the fabrics on
large frames and apply the color with a brush; 4thly, the whole surface of
the moulded and stiffened article is then coated with a suitable varnish or
gumlac preparatory toits metallization; 5thly, the article afterbeingvarnished
as above mentioned is galvanized or metallized by any known chemical or
electrical means in imitation of metal; 6thly, after cleaning the surface of the
galvanized article it is subjected to heat in an oven, or otherwise, in order to
destroy the textile material forming the foundation, and extract all moisture
which would be liable to injure the metal on the exterior, after which the
article may be dipped in a finishing bath for gilding, silvering, or bronzing it.
The fabrics I employ for the purposes of this Invention may be open-knitted
lace or net fabrics of any material or design. I may also employ open or close
fabrics made from horse and other hair, esparto, and generally of allanimal or
vegetable textile matters. The metallization of the vegetable or other matters
necessities a preliminary preparation, which consists in hardening and pro-
tecting them from the effects of the metallization or galvanizing process.
For this purpose I steep the materials in a solution of silicate of potash (and
this I particularly claim), or immerse them in a solution of size, resin,
pyroligneons acid, pyrolignite of iron, gum, creosote, salt of benzoin, or
other products serving to envelope or enclose the materials, and give the
necessary degree of hardness or stiffness.
As a hardening agent I may also employ chloride of lead, a solution of
galipot in spirits of wine, caseine, or the following:-1st, one part of quick-
lime and five parts of water; 2ndly, mix five parts in weight of albumen
(white of egg) in a decomposed state, that is, when about to become putrified
with one part of milk of lime above-mentioned. Instead of applying the
above as primary coatings I may use a cheap varnish in lieu of the same.
After leaving the bath the fabrics are placed on a mould previously prepared
of the form of the article to be produced; this mould which gives the desired
form to the material should be previously coated with a fatty or soapy matter.
to facilitate the removal of the article from the mould, when the dressing
above described is dry and sufficiently hardened. The article so formed is
afterwards impregnated with a thin varnish or gumlac, or with what I terin a
neutral varnish to receive the metallized surface. This varnish may be mixed
with plumbageif desired or may hold any suitablecolor in solutionifitisdesired
to simply color or tint the hardened article without metallizing it, such as for

page_text: blinds, mantelpieces, window fittings or hangings, hat trimmings, and other
dress or toilet articles. For the aboveapplications the articles may remaininthe
condition described, or they may be further metallized and galvanized. When
the articles are to be metallized I may also apply the metallic powders on the
conducting varnish in order to accelerate thedeposit of copper(bronzepowder,
for example) before submitting them to the galvano-plastic process. The
articles thus coated with thin varnish are metallized or galvanized with any
suitable metal by known processes, as in electric or chemical baths, or other-
wise, being previously heated to ensure success in the operation. Afterleaving
a copper bath the articles require to be heated in an oven before being placed
in a bath of silver, the heat being as great as possible, but short of that
sufficient to cause the copper to crack or blacken it. Thisoperationisintended
to destroy the vegetable tissue enclosed in themetal,and toextractthemoisture
which would conduce to the production of verdigris. The same result may be
attained byimmersing the material alreadycoated with silicateof pyroligneous
acid, for example, the same being the case with the colored materials. For
colored materials I also mix alcohol or essence of turpentine with the silicate
for a similar purpose, and also to increase their suppleness. The same
products previous to being placed in the gold, silver, or other bath should
be cleaned with a brush or in an acid bath for the purpose of removing all
the superfluous copper, in order to render the subsequent silvering or
gilding as perfect as possible.
The following are the modes I employ by preference for metallizing the
materials: I dissolve nitrate of silver in ether or alcohol and immerse the
hardened and shaped material therein, afterwards removing it and allowing
the liquid to drain off; I next prepare a solution of about three ounces of
phosphorus per quart of sulphuret of carbon, and when the article is placed
in the nitrate of silver bath I pour the phosphorus solution into a vessel
which I place at the bottom of a box; I then suspend thearticleso prepared as
above described by platina wires to hooks attached to the lid of said box,
which is then closed hermetically for about two hours; it is then transferred
to the phosphorus bath, so as to cause the conversion of the salt of silver to
a metallic state. A porcelain weight is attached to the article in the bath
(but metal must not be used for this purpose) where it is allowed toremainfor
about 48 hours. I employ uitrate of silver in preference, but I reserve the
right of using all other salts suitable for producing the metallizationbytheaid
of galvanoplasty, such as coloredsalts combined with copper, thatisall metallic
salts which by their combination or by a metallic combination will pre-
cipitate a metal on or in the material under treatinent. In this manner by

page_text: immersing the imaterial in various metallic solutions I produce colors
varying according to those of the precipitates employed. The preliminary
treatment being repeated two or threo times before placing the articles
in the bath. Paper may also be metallized by the same processes.
Another part of this Invention consists in producing imitations of gold and
silver by diluting gold, silver, bronze, and other powders in white varnish, or
by sprinkling the powders in a dry state with a sable brush on the materials
coated with the first layer of varnish before it is dry. I may also apply in a
similar manner powdered white or black glass, woollen flock, sand, rice, and
various ornamental matters. I immerse the articles intended for forming
baskets or cups in melted wax. I also intermix beads in the open fabrics and
further in some cases mix colored powders with the silicate herein-before
mentioned. These imitations may serve in certain cases as a substitute for
the metallizing or galvanizing processes above referred to. I also sometimes
apply on the silvered or imitation silvered product a coat of varnish of a
slightly yellow tint for the purpose of giving them a gold lustre.
I also claim the application of metallic powders (either mixing them with
varnish or sprinkling them in a dry state on the article before the painted or
varnished article is dry) in combination with sculptors' varnish or other
thin varnish, benzoin, or gumlac, which form conductors of electricity during
the metallization of the fabrics or materials in the galvanoplastic bath.
The metallic dust so applied may serve as a substitute for the plumbago
generally used, and assist the deposit of copper in the galvanic bath.
I may thus, 1st, apply the metallic powders, bronze, copper, and others
by sprinkling them on the fabric or material before being galvanized.
2ndly, I may simply apply the powders by dusting or sprinkling the
materials instead of metallizing them.
3rdly, I not only ornament and metallize open or close fabrics or
materials, but the Invention may be further applied for the ornamentation
of plain or perforated paper in imitation of lace and otherwise of
statuettes and other plaster articles for the purpose of ornamentation or
metallization in the manner herein-before described.
Having described the nature of this Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, preparing, ornamenting, and
metallizing or galvanizing fabrics and other materials with a view to the
production of various ornamental and useful articles which by the aid of the
several operations of this Invention herein described are made to resemble
open metalwork in appearance. The said articles may sometimes be simply

page_text: colored of any tint or tints desired, in which case they are not metallized,
and serve especially for toilet articles, hangings for rooms or furniture,
objects of art, aud similar purposes.
I also reserve the right of ornamenting or' metallizing paper, plaster, and
other materials by the above-described processes.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Clark, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Tenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven..