IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF VARIOUS ARTICLES WITH SURFACES IN IMITATION OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF MARBLES, OR SIMILAR ORNAMENTAL MATERIALS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Ford and Lewis Ford, both of the City of
Gloucester, Manufacturers in Slate and Marble, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF VARIOUS ARTICLES WITH SURFACES
IN IMITATION OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF MARBLES, OR SIMILAR ORNAMENTAL
MATERIALS."
Sealed the 19th January 1864, and dated the 27th July 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Ford and Lewis
Ford at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition,
on the 27th July 1863.
We, FREDERICK FORD, and LEWIS FORD, both of the City of Gloucester,
Manufacturers in Slate and Marble, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF VARIOUS ARTICLES WITH
SURFACES IN IMITATION OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF MARBLES, OR SIMILAR ORNAMENTAL
MATERIALS," to be as follows:-
Our Invention consists in the mode herein-after described of enamelling the
surfaces of terra cotta or earthenware so as to represent different kinds of
marbles, and is applicable to the manufacture of chimney pieces, columns,
wall linings, and other articles requiring a similarly ornamented surface.
The terra cotta or earthenware is moulded to the required form, baked, and
rendered smooth on the surface, it is then covered with a coating of paint of
the colour imitating the ground colour of the required marble, such paint

page_text: being prepared in turpentine, with copal varnish added. This coating is to be
dried. Other colours resembling those in the required marble are then to
be prepared with turpentine and copal varnish in about equal quantities, and
these colours are to be separately thrown on to water contained in a suitable
vessel, so that the colours may float on the surface of the water. These
floating colours are or may be stirred or blown, so as to cause them to
represent the required vein of marble, and the painted terra cotta or earthen-
ware is gently dipped therein with the coloured surface downwards, to which
the floating colours are thereby caused to adhere. The coloured ware is then
dried by means of heat, until the colours on the surface thereof are sufficiently
hard; it is then cooled and varnished with copal varnish, and again dried and
hardened by means of beat, and after being cooled the surface is polished by
means of pumicestone, or other polishing material. The varnishing and
polishing may be repeated to the extent required. Colours prepared in water
may also be substituted for the varnish colours for the veining thereof, such
colours intended to represent the veins of marbles are then ground in water
with a little gum arabic or similar ingredient added and applied to such
painted surface by means of a brush or otherwise, the subsequent processes of
drying, hardening, and polishing being carried on as in the former case.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Frederick Ford and Lewis Ford in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 26th January 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, FREDERICK
FORD and LEWIS FORD, both of the City of Gloucester, Manufacturers in
Slate and Marble, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year of
Her reign, did, for Ilerself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said Frederick Ford and Lewis Ford, Iler special license that we,
the said Frederick Ford and Lewis Ford, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as we, the said Frederick Ford and Lewis
Ford, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the

page_text: Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS. IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF VARIOUS ARTICLES WITH SURFACES IN IMITATION OF DIFFERENT
KINDS OF MARBLES, OR SIMILAR ORNAMENTAL MATERIALS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said Frederick Ford and Lewis Ford, by an
instrument in writing under our hands and seals, or under the band and
seal of one of us, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of
the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to 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 we, the said Frederick Ford and Lewis Ford, do
hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, that is to say):
Our Invention of "Improvements in the Manufacture of various Articles
with Surfaces in Imitation of different kinds of Marbles, or similar Ornamental
Materials," consists in the mode herein-after described of enamelling the
surfaces of terra cotta or earthenware, so as to represent different kinds of
marbles, and is applicable to the manufacture of chimney pieces, columns,
wall linings, and other articles requiring a similarly ornamented surface.
The terra cotta or earthenware is moulded to the required form, baked, and
rendered smooth on the surface, it is then covered with a coating of paint of
the colour imitating the ground colour of the required marble, such paint being
prepared in turpentine with copal varnish added. This coating is to be dried.
Other colours resembling those in the required marble are then to be prepared
with turpentine and copal varnish in about equal quantities, and these colours
are to be separately thrown on to water contained in a suitable vessel, so that
the colours may float on the surface of the water. These floating colours aro
or may be stirred or blown, so as to cause them to represent the required vein
of marble, and the painted terra cotta or earthenware is gently dipped therein
with the colored surface downwards, to which the floating colors are thereby
caused to adhere. The colored ware is then dried by means of heat until the
colors on the surface thereof are sufficiently hard; it is then cooled and
varnished with copal varnish, and again dried and hardened by means of heat,
and after being cooled the surface is polished by means of pumicestone, or
other polishing material. The varnishing and polishing may be repeated to
the extent required. Colours prepared in water may also be substituted for
the varnish colors for producing the above-named effect of veining; such
colors (intended to represent the veins of marbles) are in such cases ground
in water with a little gum arabic or similar ingredient added and applied to

page_text: such painted surface by means of a brush or otherwise, the subsequent
processes of drying, hardening, and polishing being carried on as in the
former case.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, we hereby declare that what we claim as !
of our Invention is, the mode herein-before described of enamelling the
surfaces of articles composed of terra cotta or carthenware by means of
floating colors applied thereto, such surfaces being afterwards dried, varnished,
and polished in the manner described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Frederick Ford and Lewis Ford,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, the Twenty-fifth day of
January, in the year of our Lord One thusand eight hundred and
sixty-four.
Witness,
HENRY BELCHER,
Accountant, &c.,
Falkner St., Gloucester.
FREDERICK FORD. (L.S.)
LEWIS FORD.
(L.S.)