AN IMPROVED METHOD OF PRODUCING SURFACES BY THE AID OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Walter Bentley Woodbury, of Craven Cottage,
"
Fulham, in the County of Middlesex, Photographer, for the Inven-
tion of "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF PRODUCING SURFACES BY THE AID OF
PHOTOGRAPHY."
Sealed the 31st January 1871, and dated the 4th August 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Walter Bentley Wood-
bury at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,.
on the 4th August 1870.
I, WALTER BENTLEY WOODBURY, of Craven Cottage, Fulham, in the
County of Middlesex, Photographer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF PRODUCING SURFACES BY THE
AID OF PHOTOGRAPHY," to be as follows:-
These improvements consist, firstly, in the combination of a gelatine
relief produced photographically by well known means from a negative
of a sketch, design, or drawing in black and white, and the obtaining
therefrom a reverse in any soft metal by hydraulic, screw, or other

page_text: '
pressure, to be afterwards used as an engraved plate for printing from in
fatty opaque inks as in the present method of engraving. If necessary
an electrotype may afterwards be made from the soft metal plate.
Secondly. In an improved method of obtaining a granular surface,
such as would give an ink holding ground, where the negative possesses
merely gradations of light and shade. This I accomplish by means of
adding to the gelatine and bichromate (instead of colour in a fine state of
subdivision as used in the carbon process) a coarse granular substance or
powder of the same description; this will produce a relief having the
necessary qualities for producing such ink holding ground. In some
cases I partially dry the gelatine relief and dust over it a coarse powder,
such as emery, which, while the relief is in that state, will adhere only
to the portions representing the dark portions of the design, and will
consequently give to the plate pressed therefrom a corresponding granular
effect, which is usually wanting in. such plates as now produced, but
which is necessary to a successful result.
The third part of my Invention consists in an improved method of
producing direct from the gelatine relief itself by pressure in contact
with other substances such as cardboard, leather, papier maché, páper,
&c., designs in those materials, and in the particular method of preparing
such gelatine reliefs, which is done as follows:-A film of gelatine
colour and bichromate is exposed under a photographic negative or
positive, and the exposed side is brought into contact under water with.
a sheet of copper, steel, or zinc, and the two surfaces pressed in close
contact to exclude the water. It is then placed in hot water which will
remove the greater portion of the gelatine, and then dried. This plate
when passed in a press will reproduce the design on the cardboard,
leather, or other substance, and where paper is pressed in contact
therewith will produce a design similar to that known as a water mark.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, 3
filed by the said Walter Bentley Woodbury in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 2nd February 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WALTER
BENTLEY WOODBURY, of Craven Cottage, Fulham, in the County of
Middlesex, Photographer, send greeting.
3

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing dato the Fourth day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself,. Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me; the said Walter Bentley Woodbury, Her special
license, that I, the said Walter Bentley Woodbury, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Walter Bentley Wood-
bury, my.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,
usc, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"AN IMPROVED METHOD OF PRODUCING SURFACES BY THE AID OF PHOTOGRAPHY,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Walter Bentley
Woodbury, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing.
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 tlic date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Walter Bentley Woodbury, do hereby
declare the nature of the 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)
These improvements consist, firstly, in the preparation of a gelatine
relief produced photographically by well known means from a negative
of a sketch, design, or drawing in black and white, the outlines and
shading being produced in lines or dots (or both) without washes or half
tints, and the obtaining from such gelatine relief when dried a reverse in
any soft metal by hydraulic, screw, or other pressure, such plate to be
afterwards used as an engraved plate for printing from.in fatty opaque
inks as in the present method of printing from ordinary engraved plates;
if necessary an electrotype may afterwards (where large numbers of
prints are required) be made from the soft metal plate..
Secondly. In an improved method of obtaining a granular: surface;
such as would give an ink-holding ground where the photographic
negative possesses merely gradations of light and shade in contra-
distinction to the mere black and white lines and dots before mentioned:

page_text: This I accomplish by mixing with the gelatine and bichromate (instead
of color in a fine state of subdivision as used in the carbon process) a
coarse granular substance or powder of the same description, that is to
say, a granular substance or powder that will take the place of the color
as now used to prevent too deep an action of light into the bichromatised
gelatine; this when acted upon by light transmitted through the
negative will produce a relief having a granular surface and possessing
the necessary qualities for producing an ink-holding ground. In some
cases I partially dry the gelatine relief and dust over it a coarse powder
such as emery, which while the relief is in a semi-dried state will adhere
only to the parts representing the dark portions of the design, and will
consequently give to the soft metal plate produced by pressure therefrom
à corresponding granular effect, which is usually wanting in such plates
as now prepared, but which is necessary to a successful result when
printing with the fatty opaque ink. Or I give the plate two coatings of
the granular gelatine mixture, the first holding a finer and the second
a coarser powder, the latter after washing holding only the coarser grains,
which represent the deeper blacks of the picture.
The third part of my Invention consists in an improved method of
producing direct from the gelatine relief itself by pressure in contact
with other substances or materials (such as cardboard, leather, papier
maché, paper, &c.) designs on these materials, and in the particular
method of preparing such gelatine reliefs, which I effect as follows:-
A film of gelatine color and bichromate is exposed to the action of light
under a photographic negative or positive, and the exposed side of the
said gelatine film is brought into contact with a sheet of copper, steel, or
zinc under water, and the two surfaces are pressed in close contact to
exclude the water; the plate with the gelatine surface adhering to it is
then placed in hot water, which will remove the greater portion of the
gelatine, leaving the design in relief on the surface of the plate; it is
then dried, and this plate when passed through a press in contact with
the cardboard, leather, or other substance or material will reproduce the
design thereon, and when paper is pressed in contact therewith it will
produce by compressing the fibres a design similar to that known as a
water mark.

page_text: or carried into practical effect, I wish it to be distinctly understood that
I claim as my Invention,-
Firstly. The use of metal blocks (obtained from gelatine reliefs of
subjects in black and white or where no half tones exist for the purpose
of printing from in fatty opaque inks, as in the ordinary process of
engraving, also in the use of electrotypes from the said blocks where
large numbers are required.
Secondly. The same method of producing a plate for engraving from,
but substituting the granular relief as stated to produce the half tone
necessary in subjects which are not composed of mere black and white
lines or dots, but contain what are known as half tones.
Thirdly. The method herein-before described of obtaining such dry
granular gelatine reliefs from a subject in half tone, the effect of the.
lighter or darker tones being represented by the greater or less quantity
of granular material left in the relief after washing.
Fourthly. The use of the gelatine relief itself for the production by
pressure into other materials of ornamental designs thereon.
And, lastly, the use of the metal plates bearing the gelatine relief
attached as above described to roll or press in contact with paper to
produce a design similar to that known as a water mark.
In witness whereof, I, the said Walter Bentley Woodbury, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this First day of February, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
onc.