IMPROVEMENTS IN THE REPRODUCTION OF DRAWINGS, PATTERNS, DEVICES, OR DESIGNS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE REPRODUCTION OF DRAWINGS, PATTERNS, DEVICES, OR DESIGNS." A com-
munication from abroad by La Société Henri Pellet et Compagnic, of Paris,
in the Republic of France.
Sealed the 17th May 1878, and dated the 6th December 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th December 1877.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. IMPROVEMENTS IN THE REPRODUCTION OF DRAWINGS, PATTERNS,
DEVICES, OR DESIGNS." A communication from abroad by La Société Henri
Pellet et Compagnie, of Paris, in the Republic of France.
This Invention relates to the reproduction upon paper, wood, fabrics, metal,
porcelain, and other materials, of drawings, patterns, devices, or designs; and it
consists in the use of a peculiar liquor or solution for preparing the surface upon the
paper or other material, and in reproducing any required drawing, pattern, device,
or design thereon by the agency of light.
The liquor or solution employed according to this Invention may be prepared in
various ways, of which the following examples are given as types, the proportions
of the liquids being given in cubic inches, and of the solid substance in drains
(avoirdupois):-
1st Type Perchloride of iron at 15° Reanmé 1/ cubic inch

page_text: To these solutions dextrine, gelatine, gum, isinglass, albumen, glycerine, and other
similar substances may be added, for the purpose of thickening them.
4th Type Perchloride of iron at 45° Beaumé, about 1/10ths of a cubic inch.
Water, 6 cubic inches.
The surface of the article or object upon which the direct reproduction is to be
effected is first impregnated with the solution of the type or types selected, and
then placed in an alkaline bath, when the peroxide of iron will be deposited. The
surface is then rendered sensitive, either immediately or after drying, by solutions
of citric or oxalic acid, which may be thickened, if desired, by the addition of any
one or more of the substances above specified.
5th Type-Citric or tartaric acid, about 4 drams,
Perchloride of iron at 45° Beaumé, about 1/10ths of a cubic inch.
Ammonia, in variablo quantities, according to the proportion of the
substances employed.
Water, 6 cubic inches.
The liquor or solution according to this last formula may however vary and be
thickened, as above mentioned.
The surface of the article or object upon which the direct reproduction is to be
effected is impregnated with it, and the process is then continued in the following
manner:-
:-The sensitive surface of the paper, for example, is exposed to the light
underneath a tracing, the drawing on which is to be reproduced, or underneath a
piece of lace or other object, as the case may be, placed in a bath of a yellow
prussiate. The parts corresponding to the black lines on the tracing, for example,
become blue, and the parts exposed to the light remain white. The surface is then
washed and placed in a bath composed of dilute acids, and then rubbed with a
brush or plug of cotton. The blue colour which was formed by the preceding
operations will stand out clearly on the white ground of the paper; the surface is
then washed and dried. The paper may be previously coloured.
For taking out false lines or marks an ink or liquor is employed, containing,-
Oxalic acid, 11¹/ drams.
Potash, about 10 drams.
This ink or liquor should be acid, and it may or may not be thickened.
The conventional tints are laid on in the usual way upon the finished drawing.
If the original drawing or plan is coloured these colours will be reproduced by a
more or less dark blue. Upon this bluc, however, the true color of the object
represented may be reproduced. For this purpose it will be simply necessary to
add rose or red colour, for example, with the ink above specified and lay it over the
blue; on drying the blue colour will disappear and give place to the particular
'colour which has been added.
Paper prepared according to this Invention is very sensitive and durable.
This process is applicable to the reproduction of drawings or designs upon wood
in substitution for the preliminary drawing for the engraver, and to various other
purposes of the same nature, as will be well understood.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th
May 1878.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE REPRODUCTION OF DRAWINGS, PATTERNS,
DEVICES, OR DESIGNS." A communication from abroad by La Société Henri Pellet
et Compagnie, of Paris, in the Republic of France.
The said Invention has reference to the reproduction upon paper, wood, fabrics,
metal, porcelain, and other materials of drawings, patterns, devices, or designs; and
relates to the use of peculiar liquors or solutions for preparing the surface upon the
paper or other material upon which the required drawing, pattern, device, or design
is to be reproduced by the agency of light.
The liquors or solutions employed according to the said Invention may be pre-
pared in various ways, of which the following examples are given as types, the
proportions of the liquids being given in cubic inches, and of the solid substances in
drains (avoirdupois):-
First Type Perchloride of iron at about 45° Beaumé, about 1/; cubic inch.
Oxalic or citric acid, about 3'/, drams.
Water, about 6 cubic inches.
Second Type. Perchloride of iron at about 45° Beaumé, about 9/16ths of a cubic inch.
Citrate of soda or citrate of potash, about 4'/, drams.
Water, about 6 cubic inches.
Third Type.-Citrate of iron, or the ammoniacal citrate of iron, about 2¹ drams.
Water, about 6 cubic inches.
These 3 types of the liquor or solution may be mixed; the proportions of the
substances specified may also be varied.
To these solutions dextrine, gelatine, gum, isinglass, albumen, glycerine, or other
gummy or mucilaginous substances are in all cases added.
Fourth Type. Perchloride of iron at about 45° Beaumé, about 4/10ths of a cubic inch.
Water, about 6 cubic inches.
The surface of the article or object upon which the direct reproduction is to be
effected is first impregnated with the solution of the type or types selected, and
then placed in an alkaline bath, when the peroxide of iron will be deposited. The
surface is then rendered sensitive, either immediately or after drying, by the employ-
inent of solutions, either of citric or of oxalic acid, with the addition of any one or
more of the gummy, mucilaginous, or like substances, herein-before referred to.
Fifth Type. Citric or tartaric acid, about 4 drams.
Perchloride of iron at about 45° Beaumé, about 1/10ths of a cubic inch.
Ammonia, in variable quantities, according to the proportion of
substances employed.
Water, about six cubic inches.
The liquor or solution according to this last formula may however vary, and is
to be thickened by the addition of one or more of the gummy, mucilaginous, or
other like substances herein-before referred to.
The surface of the article or object upon which the direct reproduction is to be
effected is impregnated with it, and the process is then continued in either of the
cases before referred to in the following manner:-The sensitive surface of the
paper (for example) is exposed to the light underneath a tracing, the diawing on
which is to be reproduced, or underneath a piece of lace or other object as the case
may be, and placed in a bath of yellow prussiate. The parts corresponding to the
black lines on the tracing (for example) become blue, and the parts exposed to the
light remain white. The surface is then washed and placed in a bath composed of
dilute acids, and then rubbed with a brush, or with a plug or piece of cotton. The
blue colour which was formed by the preceding operations will stand out clearly on
the white ground of the paper; the surface is then well washed and dried. The
paper may be previously coloured.

page_text: For taking out false lines or marks an ink or liquor is employed containing,-
Oxalic acid, about 11+ drams.
Potash, about 10 drams.
This ink or liquor should be acid, and it may be either thickened or not, as
required.
The conventional tints are laid on in the usual way upon the finished drawing.
If the original drawing or plan is coloured the colours will be reproduced by a
more or less dark blue. Upon this blue however the true color colour of the object
represented may be produced. For this purpose it will be simply necessary to add
rose or rod colour (for example) with the ink above specified and lay it over the
blue On drying the blue colour will disappear and give place to the particular
colour which has been added.
Paper prepared according to this Invention is very sensitive, and the impression
is-durable.
This process is applicable to the reproduction of drawings or designs upon wood
in substitution for the preliminary drawing for the engraver, and to various other
purposes of the same nature, as will be understood.
An important feature in the Invention consists in the addition of gummy,
mucilaginous, or like substances to the liquors or solutions for preparing the surface
of the paper or other material upon which the required drawing, pattern, device, or
design is to be reproduced by the agency of light, the advantages of which addition
will be understood from the following observations:-If a solution of a salt of iron
containing an organic acid be taken and exposed beneath a plate a paper insuffici-
ently sensitive for practical purposes will be obtained. Moreover, if this paper is
employed in this condition without a solution of ferro-prussiate of potash the lines
may certainly be found to be blue, but the ground adjoining these lines will also be
tinged with blue colour, and very inferior proofs will be obtained, which are-of no
commercial value. If in order to remedy this defect it is attempted to remove the
remainder of the iron by acids the whole will become of a darker tint, and in fact
the result will be that the blue lines will appear upon a ground of blue of a some-
what lighter shade. If ou the contrary a certain quantity of gummy or mucilaginous
substances are employed which must be modified to suit the quality of the paper
very clear results will be obtained; and if the proportion of gummy or mucilaginous
substance is purposely altered by introducing an insufficient quantity in the first
place, and afterwards adding a sufficient quantity, a striking gradation will be
obtained, which will be apparent, and the result finally produced will be due in
the case of paper coated with liquor sufficiently thickened to the fact that the
colors upon it are exhibited under a sufficiently protective coating, formed by the
gummy or mucilaginous substances, which will be subsequently removed in the
acid bath.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, I
would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is, effecting the reproduction of drawings, patterns, devices, or
designs by the employment of the before-mentioned compounds in conjunction with
the action of light, substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this my
Specification set my hand and woel this Twenty-seventh day of May One