A New or Improved Method of Preparing Drawings and Photographs for Reproduction
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Apr.. 1894
Complete Specification Left, 4th Feb., 1895-Accepted, 30th Mar., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Method of Preparing Drawings and Photographs
for Reproduction.
We, IGNATIUS JOSEPH RUBIE, Physician, and JOSEPH EDWARD MAC MANUS,
Journalist, both of 49 Lichfield Grove, Church End, Finchley, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention has for its object a new or improved method of preparing
drawings and photographs for reproduction by the ordinary and known processes
of lithography, photolithography, zincography, and other processes of reproduction
of drawings and photographs for purposes of book, magazine, newspaper and other
illustrations, whereby a variety of line, grain, texture tint, and shade is mechanically
imparted to the drawing or photograph.
For this purpose we use a plate or series of plates of metal, wood, glass,
porcelain, earthenware, xylonite, papier-mache or other substance of sufficient
hardness and rigidity, upon the upper surface or surfaces of which are engraved,
etched, cast, indented, or embossed, or otherwise produced in relief lines, stipples
and hatchings of the character used by engravers and lithographers in the
reproduction of pictures and corresponding to the variety of line, tint, texture,
grain and shade that it is required to reproduce in the reproduction of the drawing
or photograph.
The paper or medium upon which the drawing is to be completed, or upon which
the photograph is taken is of such consistency that when it is laid on the upper
surface of one of the plates and rubbed with pencil or crayon or other marking
substance, the line or grain or hatching of the plate is produced on the paper, the
marking substance marking only those portions of the paper which correspond to
the elevations of the plate beneath, and leaving practically untouched those
portions corresponding to the depressions of the plate.
The preparation of the drawings and photographs for reproduction consists in
placing the paper or medium upon which the drawing or photograph is to be made
or completed, upon one or several plates in succession and rubbing or drawing
with pencil, crayon, or marking substance the drawing or photograph in those
portions thereof where it is required to produce the character of line hatching or
stipple of the plate beneath. Thus by a suitable alteration of the character of the
plate beneath a variety of tint, texture, shade, grain, and line is given to the
drawing or photograph, which is then reproduced by any suitable method.
Dated this 3rd day of April 1894.
CASTLE SMITH,
Invention" Office, 54, Fleet Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicants.

page_text: A New or Improved Method of Preparing Drawings and Photographs.
for Reproduction.
We, IGNATIUS JOSEPH RUBIE, Physician, and JOSEPH EDWARD MAC MANUS,
Journalist, both of 49 Lichfield Grove, Church End, Finchley, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
Our invention has for its object a new or improved method of preparing
drawings and photographs for reproduction in black and white and colours, by the
ordinary and known processes of lithography, photolithography, zincography,
photogravure and other processes of reproduction of drawings and photographs
for purposes of book, magazine, newspaper and other illustrations, whereby a
variety of line, grain, texture, tint and shade is mechanically imparted to the
drawing or photograph.
For this purpose we use a plate or series of plates of metal, wood, glass,
porcelain, earthenware, xylonite, hardened gelatine, papier-mache or other
substance of sufficient hardness and rigidity, and indent or serrate the surface or
surfaces thereof to produce in relief lines and dots, by engraving, etching, casting,
embossing, milling by chemical agents or otherwise.
The size of these lines and dots or serrations and the spaces between them may
differ on each plate or surface thereof or at various points on each of the surfaces
of said plates to any desired extent in order that a variety of textures and grain
may be produced upon the drawings or photographs prepared by the aid of them
for reproduction, whilst to facilitate the variation of the tint and shade with the
same texture and grain the dots and lines or serrations are formed with tapering
sections or their upper surfaces inclined or curved.
The upper or medium upon which the drawing is to be made or completed, or
upon which the photograph is taken is of such consistency that when it is laid on
the upper surface of one of the plates and rubbed with pencil or crayon or other
marking substance, the line or grain or hatching of the plate is produced on the
paper, the marking substance marking only those portions of the paper which are
pressed against part or whole of the upper surfaces of the elevations or serrations
of the plate beneath, and leaving practically untouched those portions corresponding
to the depressions of the plate. A material adapted for this purpose is a thin
paper having a firm smooth surface such as French tracing paper which may be
strengthened when found desirable by a backing of metal foil or equivalent non-
clastic material or composition either in the form of a deposit or made adherent by
gum or the like but it will be obvious that many other types of paper such for
instance as certain lithographic transfer papers and even other materials as metal
foil may be used, the manipulation and marking material being varied as found
desirable or necessary.
In preparing a drawing according to our invention the paper or other material is
for convenience stretched on a frame over the plates the under surface of the paper
touching the upper surface of the plate and the tinting, tones or texture are drawn
in position by one or other of the drawing substances. By shifting the plates the
direction of the lines or dots can be varied at will: by change of plates the textures
may be multiplied indefinitely. The tone can be altered by varying the pressure
of the pencil a light stroke pressing the paper or other substance against the thin
edge of the line or apex of dot, heavier pressure causing it to be carried against
the receding bevelled or curved surface and thus the resulting markings on the
paper or other medium will be at will, a series of small and large dots or of thin

page_text: and thick lines which can be photographed directly or if done on transfer paper
can be transferred in the usual way. An outline drawing can thus be filled in with
any variety of texture, tint or tone that is desired.
In the case of photographs where the reproduction is by photo-mechanical means,
the photograph is done in faint blue on the paper which is drawn upon as in the
case of outline drawings, otherwise the treatment is the same as in outline
drawings.
For colour work, transfers of outlines, or photographs of the drawings having
been made on a number of sheets of paper or other substance the textures and
tones for the various colours are produced on separate sheets as required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is:-
(1.) The process of preparing drawings and photographs, upon a plate or plates
having roughened or serrated surface or surfaces, for reproduction by lithography,
photolithography, zincography or other processes substantially as described.
(2.) In the preparation of drawings and photographs for reproduction the use of
a plate or a series of plates having its or their surfaces roughened or serrated, the
serrations being of tapering sections or provided with inclined, bevelled or curved
upper surfaces substantially as and for the purposes described.
(3.) In the preparation of drawings and photographs for reproduction as claimed
in Claim 1 the use of paper having a backing of metal or equivalent non-elastic
material or composition substantially as and for the purposes described.
Dated this 4th day of February 1895.
6:
CASTLE SMITH,
Invention" Office, 54, Fleet Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicants.