A NEW OR IMPROVED PROCESS FOR PRODUCING COPIES OF WRITINGS DRAWINGS AND OTHER DELINEATIONS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Michael Farmer of Chelsea in the County of Middlesex
for an invention of A NEW OR IMPROVED PROCESS FOR PRODUCING COPIES
(Void by reason of the Patentee having neglected to file a Specification.
in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent.);
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Michael Farmer at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st March 1882.
"A. NEW OR IMPROVED'
MICHAEL FARMER of Chelsea in the County of Middlesex
PROCESS FOR PRODUCING COPIES OF WRITINGS DRAWINGS AND OTHER DELINEATIONS
"
The Invention has for its object a new or improved process for producing copies
of writings, drawings and other delineations in permanent black or other
colored inks.
" for which
Heretofore in the process and apparatus known as the "hektograph'
Letters Patent were granted to J. G. Wilson dated November 13. 1878. No. 4606
or in other like apparatus a mass or surface composed of gelatine, glycerine and
water is employed to receive the transfer from the original writing or drawing
which latter is written or otherwise executed in a highly concentrated aniline ink,
and the copies are produced by pressing paper on to the transfer which gives off a
number of copies without the necessity for applying any fresh ink thereto, but
after a few copies are taken, the ink, gradually becoming exhausted, produces
fainter and fainter prints; and in order to obtain by this process as many copies
as possible it is necessary to use a colored ink such as red or purple as only a few
prints can be obtained from black aniline ink as such ink after giving off two or
three fairly black copies gradually becomes weaker and gives off only grey
copies.
According to another process for which Letters Patent were granted to Otto
Selm dated October 18. 1880 No. 4248 a sheet of paper or other material coated

page_text: with gelatine is employed to receive the transfer from the original writing or
drawing but in order to prepare such gelatine coated sheet to receive the transfer
it is necessary to immerse it in water for a few minutes and afterwards to sponge
it in order to remove the excess of moisture therefrom after which it is strained
in a suitable frame; the original writing or drawing is made in an ink which
notwithstanding the presence of moisture on the gelatine coated sheet is capable
of being transferred to such sheet and afterwards of receiving ordinary lithographic
or printers ink to produce the copies which ink is applied thereto by means of a
roller in a similar manner to that employed in inking a lithographic stone; the
presence of moisture on the gelatine coated sheet prevents the latter ink from
being deposited on such sheet at any other places than those covered by the
transfer from the original writing or drawing, copies of which can then be
produced by passing an inking roller over the said transfer and then pressing a
sheet of paper thereon by the hand or by passing a roller over the same.
After a few copies have been taken by these means, the gelatine surface becomes
partially dried and it is necessary again to moisten the same after which a few
more copies can be taken and so on.
This method of working is however troublesome on account of the necessity for
the use of a stretching frame and for soaking the gelatine coated sheet and for
subsequently at intervals applying moisture to the same in addition to which the
roller is liable on account of the partial drying of the sheet to deposit ink thereon
at other places than those desired.
Now by my Invention I avoid all these inconveniences. For this purpose I
employ a composition of a similar character to that of the "hektograph" but
somewhat harder and with a less proportion of glycerine therein, this composition
can be applied to a sheet of paper or other material or it can be filled into trays
like the "hektograph;" I produce the original writing or drawing with an ink
which will readily adhere to the composition and I transfer the original writing
or drawing to the surface of the said composition without previously moistening
the latter as it is of such a character as readily to receive the ink from the original
and yet to enable a roller covered with stiff printers or lithographers ink to be
passed over it without depositing ink thereon except at the parts covered by the
ink transferred thereto from the original. In obtaining copies I pass the printers
or lithographers inking roller over the composition and then press a sheet of paper
thereon by hand or by a roller passed over the same.
After the desired number of copies have been obtained the transfer is washed off
the composition in readiness for a new application.