An Improved Process of and Apparatus for Printing on Brittle Sur- faces such as Glass, Crystal, Porcelain and the like."
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Nov., 1897-Accepted, 18th Dec.,
1897
"An Improved Process of and Apparatus for Printing on Brittle Sur-
faces such as Glass, Crystal, Porcelain and the like."
We, ANTONIO MACARIO and CAMILLO SCUVERO, both of No. 11, Via Gaudenzio
Ferrari, Turin, in the Kingdom of Italy, Manufacturers, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to bo
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to the methods and apparatus for printing (including
such processes as typography, lithography, chromo-lithography, calcography,
zincography, photo-typing and the like) with a view to rendering such methods
and apparatus applicable to brittle materials, such as glass, crystal, china, terra-
cotta, enamelled metal and the like, and enabling impressions to be produced
thereon in one or more colours, vitrifiable or otherwise, with great precision,
rapidity and economy.
It is well known that means have long since been devised for printing upon
solid materials of almost every description, not excluding such hard and polished
bodies as sheets of tin-plate or the like. The attempts made to print upon brittle
substances, such as above mentioned have not so far, however, met with any
success; and the same may be said of materials (such as enamelled metal) the
superficial covering or crust of which is apt to crack under somewhat considerable
pressure. Yet the advantage that would result from rendering articles of this
description, capable of being decorated by direct printing, no matter in what
form, would be so great, that the want of it has long been keenly felt in the
manufacturing industry.
"
Many, indeed, have been the enquiries and experiments made with the object
of decorating brittle bodies otherwise than by hand; especially where vetrifiable
colours (pigments or enamels) are used, which, on being exposed to the action of
heat, or baked," acquire an extremely pleasing appearance, while becoming
at the same time permanently and unalterably fixed. With a view to attaining
this end, the cold and hot processes of transferring impressions, previously made,
upon specially prepared paper, photographic processes, and projection upon gela-
tine, sensitive to the light, have been tried with more or less success: only partial
results both incomplete and uncertain in their effects were obtained, and such
of the methods devised, as were eventually applied to practical purposes-either
singly or in combination--had at best to be confied to small-size decorations or
miniature ornaments, especially where polychrome ornamentation was concerned.
The principal methods in connection with which the decoration of brittle
materials with vitrifiable colours or pigments has proved successful to a limited
extent, are as follows: calcography or copperplate engraving: lithography and
chromo-lithography; and printing by means of gelatine plates.
The three first methods always require the specially prepared paper to be applied
several times over to the article to be decorated. Clearly, therefore, it is im-

page_text: possible to obtain good impressions, especially of polychrome designs, of somewhat
large dimensions, seeing the enormous difficulty of applying the successive sheets
of paper precisely in the requisite positions; of extending them over, and making
them adhere perfectly to, the surface of the article to be embellished; and of
subsequently removing them without spoiling the design by either carrying off
portions of previous impressions or leaving particles of objectionable matter in
the picture in course of formation. The consequence is that vitrifiable polychrome
decoration has almost exclusively been confined, hitherto, to toilet sets and like
articles or utensils of small size, where great precision and finish are not abso-
lutely necessary. As to the last of the methods above enumerated viz. gelatine
printing, it will be readily understood that it is almost solely applicable to the
permanent or ineffaceable reproduction of photographic views.
It was therefore most desirable that a method for decorating brittle bodies with
vitrifiable or non-vitrifiable colours, combining the advantages of promptness,
precision and economy, should be devised, and made applicable to articles of
any, but more especially large, size; vitrifiable colours being, of course, preferred.
Obviously, such a method as that would be capable of applying to an almost in-
definite variety of purposes in the manufacturing industry. Thus it would enable
stained glass to be supplied for the building and cabinet-making trades, for the
decoration of walls or partitions, the manufacture of glazed advertising boards,
tombstones and so on, and the articles thus ornamented, in addition to possessing
the incontestable superiority of beautiful appearance, would present the unique
merit of being incapable of undergoing any change or decay, no matter in what
situation or under what conditions they may be placed; no exposure to the sun
or to inclement weather being apt to affect them.
Now the object of this invention is to perfect the existing methods of printing,
so as to enable impressions to be produced with one or more colours, vitrifiable
or otherwise, even upon brittle substances; and admitting of the whole process
being carried out with that readiness, expedition, accuracy and economy which
the successful performance of industrial operations demands.
Any printed matter or design that may be produced by any of the ordinary
methods of printing may, according to the present invention, be transferred to any-
one of the brittle substances mentioned above, whether it be obtained from ordinary
type, set up in a chase or forme, a stereotype-plate or block, a lithographer's stone-
slab, a calcographic plate, or the like. All these, for the sake of brevity, will
hereinafter be included in the term "generatrix"; and the improvements we will
now describe substantially consist in (1) the provision of what will hereinafter
be termed "the supporting vehicle," being a bed or pillow prepared with gelatine,
molasses, Indiarubber or any other substance equivalent in its effects, and inter-
posed between the generatric and the article to be printed upon, and (2) in its
employment for the reception of the drawing or decoration from the generatrix
and then transferring the same upon the brittle body to be decorated by means of
a substance which is capable of being transferred from one of these parts to the
other.
The most convenient form to be given to the supporting vehicle for printing
upon articles having a plane or nearly plane surface (say a glass plate or the like)
is that of a cylinder or roller, which, more than any other shape, will facilitate
its employment and ensure precision in its operation. The design (or the like)
is printed off direct from the generatrix on to the said supporting vehicle, which
is, for the purpose, rolled upon or against the said generatrix, under suitable
pressure; and the impression thus obtained is then transferred from the supporting
vehicle on to the article to be decorated, the vehicle being, to this end, revolved
as before, on or in contact with the said article. The generatrix should previously
have been "charged” by well known means, i.e. coated with a substance capable
of readily adhering to the supporting vehicle or roller, which will receive such
substance from the generatrix and readily yield it up to the body to be decorated;
this being effected under far less pressure, comparatively speaking, than is gener-

page_text: ally used in transferring printing of this description, since in the present case
brittle articles have to be printed on. This substance should preferably consist
of a fatty medium ("essence") well known in the trade, or contain such substance
as a main ingredient; or other similar substance or varnished-say lithographers'
varnish, for example possessing similar properties and producing equivalent
effects, may be employed. The yielding and elastic nature of the substance (such
as treacle or the like) of which the roller is formed, or with which it is coated
in conjunction with the smoothness of its surface, enables it to take over the
impression from the generatrix with perfect accuracy in the minutest details,
and to yield up the whole with equal precision to the article to be decorated, even
though the surface of such article should not be perfectly smooth, as not un-
frequently happens in the case of glasses, decanters and similar glass or crystal
goods; the pressure required to attain this result being comparatively slight,
as already stated.
cn.
Surfaces other than level or nearly level will but in few cases have to be printed
Should this, however, happen to be the case, it may be advisable to alter
the shape of the supporting vehicle, so as to suit it to the surface which is to
receive the impression. In printing upon a cylindrical surface, for example, a
flat vehicle will prove very suitable; and the impression will then be obtained
by reversing operations, viz. by rolling the article to be printed upon against
the flat bed from which it is to take over the impression, which such bed has
previously received from a suitable generatrix or under a press by means of
a flat generatrix or beneath a generating roller or otherwise. Or a roller-
shaped bed or "vehicle," as first described, may be rolled against the
cylindrical surface, in which case it should of course, be moved in lines
concentric with the said surface instead of along a straight line as in the case of
a plane surface.
In either case, all the operations necessary for the practical performance of
this printing process may be carried out either by suitable mechanical appliances
or by hand; and the generatrices, also, may be charged by hand or by machinery
at will.
When the impression has been obtained upon the plates, or upon articles other
than flat or level, through a suitable fatty medium or the like, and before the
latter substance becomes dry, the said articles are liberally charged with the
5 usual powdered vitrifiable colours of the desired tints and shades, which the trade
supplies in a suitable degree of fineness. Then they are allowed to dry, and, after
this, they are cleaned, the colouring powder being removed from all parts of its
surface unoccupied by the impression or design, while of course, it remains on the
parts covered with printing; and lastly the impressed and coloured articles are
baked in the usual manner, whereby the final fusion of the colours is effected.
It will thus be seen that, by this method, a design, yarying in colour in the
several parts of its surface, may be obtained at one operation. To this end it is
only necessary to apply differently coloured powders to its several points or com-
partments after having printed off the uncoloured ground work at a single stroke,
by the aid of a fatty medium or the like; while for more complicated printing or
more expsneive pictures--whose price justifies the taking of more than one im-
pression, operations may be conducted in the manner usual in chromo-litho-
graphy, viz: several successive impressions may be made in different colours,
the colour applied by each impression being properly fixed or bound before the
next impression is proceeded with; it being understood, of course, that each of
the impressions should be produced in accordance with the method' hereinabove
described.
Where increased intensity or depth of colouring is desired, instead of making
the initial compression merely with pure fatty medium, in its colourless state,
5 such medium should previously be mixed or kneaded with the desired colour,
and then the impression may be re-charged with powder of the same colour as

page_text: described above. Besides, whenever necessary superposed impressions may be
taken, as in chromo-lithography, especially for the purpose of obtaining the more
delicate shades of the tints or colours employed.
Articles thus produced, after having been baked in muffle-furnaces or other
suitable apparatus, wherein a perfect fusion of the colours has been effected, will
prove as incapable of fading or decaying as those hand-painted glass or other
works of art which have remained intact for centuries; and, whilst fully doing
justice to the artistic merits of the originals they reproduce, they combine the
advantages of rapid and easy manufacture and of a cost-price consistent with a
production on a sufficiently large scale to meet the requirements of the market.
A course similar to that hereinabove indicated may be adopted in producing
decorations in non-vitrifiable colours; in which case, however, the generatrices
should be charged simply with such substances as are ordinarily used in printing
on paper, and the powdered colours employed should be non-vitrifiable. Im-
pressions, thus obtained, may then be permanently fixed by being covered with a
film or coating of one of the protecting varnishes that are to be found in commerce
ready-made. These varnishes may be transparent or opaque, as required, and
according as the impression-in the case of glass or crystal articles--is to be
produced on the exposed front surface or at the back (the latter being generally
the case where plate glass has to be dealt with).
The accompanying drawing is intended only as an illustration of the applica-
tion of the improved method of colour printing (or enamelling) to practice. The
said drawing shows a perspective view of one of the ordinary lithograph-presses,
modified to suit the requirements of the present invention.
It will, however, be obvious that, from the foregoing description, any printing
machine builder will be able, without the aid of the drawing, to apply the in-
vention to any type of machine, by simply providing the same with a bed or
supporting-vehicle "either cylindrical or other shape, as an intermediate device
between the "generatrix" (block or roller) and the article to be decorated.
"
B is the stationary frame or bench of the machine, C is the sliding carriage
of the same, adapted to reciprocate longitudinally in the said bench, either through
the medium of toothed wheels such as Ii, operated by means of the crank handle
---M' either by hand or by some suitable mechanism. To the carriage Care
secured the generatrix G and the plate L to which the design from the generatrix
is to be transferred. These parts are arranged on the carriage one behind the
other in the longitudinal direction, so that their upper surfaces are perfectly
level. Two standards P1 P2, projecting from the bench R, to about half its length,
serve to guide the carriage, one half of the stroke of which is performed ahead of
the said standards, and the other half, in the rear thereof; the joint lengths of
the parts G and L representing one-half of the carriage-movement. The said
standards support a roller (or supporting vehicle), R, adjustable both as to height
and pressure by the usual appliance of sliding bearings r, guided in vertical slots
fwhich are provided for the purpose in the standards, and are adjusted by means
of set-screws, springs or the like. Another crank, M², operating through the
medium of one of the ordinary lever-arrangements, or of a ratchet-wheel and
pawl, without necessitating any change in the position of the bearings r in their
guiding slots may serve to move the roller R into contact with the upper surfaces
of G and L; while in order to move it out of contact with this surface, either
the frame-work formed by the two standards P1 P2 may be raised, or the carriage
may be lowered in the bench B; this being feasible at any time and no matter
with what object, but more particularly during the receding movement or rear-
ward stroke of the carriage.
The operation of the machine is as follows:-
By means of the lever M¹ and of the toothed gearing I i, the carriage is brought
to the end of its forward stroke to the right, when the generatrix G will become
entirely exposed and free from contact with the supporting vehicle P In this

page_text: situation, then, the generatrix' is properly charged or coated with fatty medium"
or the like, by means of ordinary inking or distributing rollers, which may be
operated by hand-the generatrix being meantime kept stationary as long as may
be necessary or, preferably (and according to the usual practice), by means of
suitable mechanism, located in front of the standards P₁ P; in which case the
arrangement may continue in operation without any necessity of arresting the
carriage. Any usual automatic device may serve to hold the inking or spreading
rollers in the desired position whilst they are performing the function assigned
to them. The moment the spreading of the medium is completed, however, the
said rollers are raised, and during the completion of the carriage-movement, re-
tained in the elevated position; being, by such means, allowed to act upon the
generatrix G only. The advancing carriage will now cause the generatrix charged
with its supply of fatty (or oily) matter, to pass under the supporting vehicle R,
which, under suitable pressure, applied to the bearings by means of the set-screws,
will take over from the generatrix the material constituting the design; and,
continuing its rotation, will immediately transmit the same to the plate L to be
printed upon.
As the carriage reaches the end of its stroke, the printing oper-
ation is completed and the impressed plate L is removed, while the carriage is sent
back to its initial or rear position and a fresh plate is inserted, so that it may
receive the next impression.
The Machine may be rendered double acting by arranging a second set of inking
rollers behind the standards P P and placing another plate at the rear end of
the carriage-path, as soon as the first plate has been removed. By such means,
an impression may be obtained also during the rearward stroke and the vehicle R
need not then be moved away from the generatrix G and plate L during the
return of the carriage. In this case, too, the handle M2 and the mechanism
connected therewith may be dispensed with.
Where increased speed of printing is an object, or where it is desired to produce
several successive (say, polychrome) impressions, a machine of a more perfected
type, and one fitted with means for properly regulating the relative positions
of G and L, will naturally be preferred, so that the impression may be readily
transferred in its proper relation to the position and diameter of the plate L and
accurately superposed in the successive impressions, and so, also, that waste of
time may be reduced to a minimum. Thus any of the various types of automatic
printing presses may be resorted to, including the very rapid and precise rotary
machines; for, it is clear that the present invention is applicable to all such
machines, by the simple insertion of the intermediate supporting vehicle.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
(1) A process for rapidly, accurately and economically printing upon brittle
surfaces (glass, crystal, porcelain, terra-cotta, enamelled metal-surfaces, or the
like), preferably with vitrifiable colours; the main feature of such process being
that, by means of a supporting "vehicle" or transferring bed, pad or pillow, (such
as R), interposed between the "generating" plate, bearing the design, and the
article to be decorated, the design is transferred direct from the generating plate
to the supporting vehicle and from this vehicle to the article to be printed upon.
(2) In the process referred to in the first Claim, the previous coating of the
generating plate with a suitable substance ("fatty essence," lithographer's varnish
or the like), either colourless or coloured beforehand, and adapted to be readily
and fully yielded up to the supporting vehicle and transferred from such vehicle
to the article to be decorated; this transfer being effected by comparatively slight
pressure.
(3) For carrying out the process referred to in the first Claim, apparatus where-
in, between the generating plate (G) and the surface to be decorated (L), there is

page_text: inserted a supporting vehicle (or transferring bed or pillow), coated with an
elastic substance (such as gelatine treacle, india-rubber or the like).
Dated this 12th day of November 1897.
HASELTINE LAKE & CO.
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.
Agents for the Applicants.