IMPROVE- MENTS IN PRODUCING FACSIMILE COPIES OF WRITINGS, DELINEATIONS, AND THE LIKE, IN BLACK INK
Year: 1884

page_text: "
I, FREDERICK FRIEND, 1, Sulyard Street, Lancaster, in the County of Lancaster,
Wesleyan Minister, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PRODUCING FACSIMILE COPIES OF WRITINGS, DELINEATIONS, AND THE
LIKE, IN BLACK INK" to be as follows:
I prepare a stencil paper, by coating a very thin paper with a solution of
carbolic acid, various gums, and spirit varnish; to the writing side of which
stencil paper I afterwards apply another acid,-by preference chromic acid.
I then trace, on the stencil paper, the lines to be copied, with an ordinary
writing or drawing pen, dipped in a solution of hydrate of soda or potash, which
may or need not be colored.
When the writing is dry, the stencil is floated on clean water, for a few minutes,
and as soon as the waterproofing is displaced, by the action of the water on the
hydrate, the stencil is dried.
To the written side of the stencil paper is then applied a small quantity of
the printing or copying fluid or ink, composed of one part strong iron liquor,
(Liq: Ferri Perchlor: Fort:) two parts tannic acid, and six parts glycerine,―or
these proportions may be varied.
The stencil is then laid, with the written side downwards, on a smooth absorbent
pad.
.
On the upper side of the stencil is then placed the sheet or sheets of paper to be
printed upon, by preference unsized paper;-and, with a suitable press, such as
an ordinary copying press; and, by repeating the application of the printing fluid,
each time after forty or fifty copies have been taken; any number of facsimile
copies of the original writing or delineation may be produced, in a brilliant and
permanent black.

page_text: "
and in what
I FREDERICK FRIEND 1, Sulyard Street Lancaster Wesleyan Minister do hereby
declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRODUCING FACSIMILE
COPIES OF WRITING, DELINEATIONS, AND THE LIKE IN BLACK INK
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :—
I prepare a stencil paper by coating a very thin, highly sized, and well rolled
paper with a waterproof substance or substances. This may be done by various
methods but I prefer the following. With a soft brush or by any other suitable
means I apply to one side of the paper two or three coats of varnish made of one
part of shell lac; 4 parts methylated spirit or wood naphtha; 2 parts spirit of
nitre, and one fourth of one part of glycerine.
These substances are well mixed together before being applied, and each coat
after being applied upon the paper must be well dried by gentle heat. The paper
is then dipped in a dilute solution of bi-chromate of potash or if preferred chromic
acid combined with glycerine and methylated spirit, in the proportions of, say,
1 grain of the acid to 1 oz glycerine, 4 oz. methylated spirit, and 24 oz water.
After being well dried again without heat I apply to the other_i.e. the writing
side of the paper one-thin coat composed of one part lac, or gamboge (or the two
combined) one eighth of one part glycerine, and 8 parts methylated spirit. This
coating is then allowed to dry..
The proportions of both waterproofing varnishes are variable, and require to be
adapted to the quality of the paper used for the purpose, the closer the texture and
the heavier the sizing of the paper, the less will be the proportion of gum necessary
to render it waterproof. Upon the writing side of this prepared paper I write or
draw with an ordinary writing or drawing pen charged with a strong caustic
solution composed of one part of hydrate of soda or potash dissolved in 2 parts of
archil or other vegetable coloring fluid: to which is added one twentieth- of one
part of a mixture of glycerine and water in equal proportions.
When the writing etc. is dry the stencil paper is floated for a few minutes on
a bath of clean water, the writing side being upwards and care being taken to
keep this side dry, and when the varnish has been displaced from the stencil
paper where the writing &c has been traced, the paper stencil is carefully dried by
being placed between two sheets of blotting paper.
To the written side of the paper stencil (after slightly damping it again on the
other side) is then applied a light and even coating of the ink or printing fluid
composed of one part strong iron liquor (Liqui: ferri: perchlor: fort) 2 parts
tannic acid and 8 parts glycerine. These proportions, may be varied but I find
those given the best. The advantage of this printing fluid over others is that it
does not dry and clog the pad and stencil as all other black printing fluids have

page_text: been found to do after a longer or shorter time, and that it is not necessary to
apply any chemical substance to the paper to be printed upon to obtain a black
impression.
The stencil with the written and inked side downwards is then evenly laid on a
smooth pad, on the surface of which a small quantity of the printing fluid has
previously been spread. I prefer the following mode of making the pad and
placing the stencil upon it.'
The pad is made of a few sheets of good blotting paper, cut to the required size,
that is, to a size slightly larger than the surface covered by the writing, but smaller
than the stencil paper, and covered with a piece of satin, the back of which has
been coated with a waterproof substance, such as a solution of indiarubber or
preferably the oil mixture or compound used for making artificial leather or
American cloth used for table covers and technically known as "table baize."
The satin covering overlaps the blotting paper on each side and is stretched
smooth and glued or otherwise securely fastened at all sides to the wooden or other
backing or foundation of the pad. The pad thus covered is preferably surrounded
by a light frame which may be made of wood or metal and which clamps the edges
of the satin covering and is securely fastened to the backing of the pad by screws
or otherwise. This frame should not project above the upper surface of the pad.
The stencil paper is stretched in a sort of tympan or moveable clamping frame
that fits around the pad above described. This frame may be made of wood or
zinc and should be so constructed as to clamp the edges of the stencil firmly and so
that it can be removed and replaced as frequently as required without injury and
in precisely the same position. I use for the purpose a pair of frames made of two
pieces of sheet zinc having an opening cut in them corresponding to the shape and
size of the pad with slips of American cloth pasted on the inside, and fastened
together, when the stencil paper is put between them, with small screws and
butterfly nuts.
The stencil held in this frame being laid on the pad, the paper to be printed upon
is placed on the stencil, and a platen made of a smooth metal plate corresponding
exactly to the size of the soft pad (and carried by a backing. or sheet of inillboard
or other suitable inaterial hinged at one edge to the foundation of the pad so as to
ensure accurate register therewith) is brought down on the paper.
With a suitable press such as an ordinary copying press, the printing fluid is
forced through the fibrous stencil where the waterproofing is removed and
by repeating the application of. the printing fluid to the pad after each batch of
60 to 80 successive copies have been taken a great number of facsimile copies of
the original writing or delineation may be procured with the saine stencil, the
impression in a few hours becoming a brilliant and permanent black. The stencil
may be preserved for obtaining further copies at a subsequent time.
An unsized paper is preferred for printing upon, but any paper may be used if
slightly damped. One or two copies should be taken in the first instance on
blotting paper.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I would state that
the preparation of the stencil paper, the composition of the writing fluid, the
elastic pad and the means of holding the paper stencil herein before described
form the subject of another application for Letters Patent dated February 3rd 1885
and I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to the use thereof
although such are in my opinion the best that can be employed, and I would
observe that I am aware of the patents granted to Zuccato Nos. 1963-1872,
No. 1078-1874, No. 3150-1874, No. 394-1876, and 1115-1876 for producing
facsimile copies of writing etc, by the method known as the papyrographic process,
and I declare that I make no claim to such method or process generally but what
I do claim is
1st The method herein described of producing facsimile copies in black ink
of writings, drawings etc, such method consisting essentially in the employment

page_text: in the manner described of the printing fluid composed substantially of the
ingredients herein specified.
2nd The manufacture of a printing fluid composed substantially of the ingredients
herein specified for use in the ordinary papyrographic printing process.