Improvements in Photographic Films.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 10th June, 1899
Complete Specification Left, 12th Mar., 1900-Accepted, 14th Apr., 1900
Improvements in Photographic Films.
I, GUSTAVE MACAIRE, of Nightingale Road, Rickmansworth, in the County of
Herts, Consulting Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention. to be
as follows;-
This invention has reference to photographic films and its object is to pro-
duce a film without grain. These films can be used instead of glass plates for
taking negatives from which enlargements may be made to any required size.
Enlargements made according to my invention may be readily transferred or
affixed to any desired surface for advertising or other purposes. Enlargements
have hitherto been impracticable in films of this character on account of the
transference to the gelatine of the grain of the support which on enlarging
has the result of spoiling the effect of the picture.
These films will be found particularly useful for film cameras and for cine-
matograph negatives and positives as they can be made in any length and are
cheaper than celluloid and will not burn: thus rendering cinematographs per-
fectly safe.
It is possible to obtain equally sharp impressions from either side of the film :
which will be found useful for carbon and process work.
The positive made upon these films can be used for "crystoleum" work
without any preparation.
-4 :
According to my invention I take a sheet of any suitable backing paper and
by any convenient means or apparatus I coat it with a mixture of barium sul-
phate and gelatine. When this coat is dry I apply a second coat thereon, this
consisting of gelatine rendered insoluble in any ordinary way. I. next apply
a coating of a suitable wax, for example bees wax, in solution in benzene,
naptha or other solvent. When the solvent has evaporated I apply a collodion
film upon the wax layer and finally an outer coating of gelatine, casein or the
like carrying the sensitizing material.
This improved film may be exposed, developed and finished in the usual way,
and may then be transferred to glass to serve as a negative or to any desired
iron or other surface for purposes of advertisement or the like. In order to
effect this it is only necessary to moisten the film and cause it to adhere to
the surface by placing the gelatine face inwards thereon and applying pressure.
The paper backing may then be readily stripped off leaving the film adhering
firmly and evenly to the said surface.
The film above described may or may not, as desired, be strengthened after
exposure and finishing by a surface layer of gelatine applied thereto in the
well known way.
My invention is particularly adapted for advertising or decorative purposes,
since the difficulty hitherto experienced of enlarging transfers of the kind in
question due to the grain of the paper backing is obviated and it is possible
to enlarge the picture to any required dimensions without spoiling the effect.
In employing my improved film for decorative or advertising purposes I

page_text: transfer it in the manner above described to the particular surface, say a painted
iron plate for railway advertising, and after stripping off the paper backing I
varnish it to heighten the effect and preserve it from the weather.
Dated this 10th day of June 1899.
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
I, GUSTAVE MACAIRE, of Nightingale Road, Rickmansworth, in the County of
Herts, Consulting Chemist, 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;-
-
This invention has reference to photographic films, and its object is to pro-
duce a film which, without the employment of a glass plate or carrier, shall
be free from grain and possess other advantages as hereinafter explained.
Films of this class have hitherto, as is known, been mounted either upon glass
or upon carriers or backings of paper or other material, and when backings
of the latter class are employed it is impossible to produce satisfactory enlarge-
ments of photographs taken upon the films, or pictures suitable for projection,
on account of the transference of the grain of the backing to the gelatine of the
film, which on enlargement or projection has the effect of spoiling the picture.
Now by my invention I am able, while still retaining the advantages of the
paper backing, to produce a film entirely free from grain, and from which
satisfactory enlargements to any desired size, or pictures entirely suitable for
kinematographic or lantern projection can be obtained.
The improved films are particularly useful for film cameras and for kine-
matograph negatives and positives, since they can be made in any length, and
in the preferred construction are cheaper than celluloid, (though celluloid may
be employed in their manufacture if desired, as hereinafter described). Further,
the improved films in their preferred construction are entirely uninflammable,
and thus render kinematographic projection perfectly safe.
It is possible to obtain equally sharp impressions from either side of the
film, which will be found useful for carbon and process work. Further, the
positive made upon the improved films can be used for "crystoleum" work
without any preparation.
According to my invention I take a sheet, band or reel of backing paper,
which should be of good manufacture and made from pure rag pulp. Upon
this I spread by any convenient means or apparatus (such for example as the
machines employed in the manufacture of fancy papers, which are so well known
as to require no further description) a coating, or it may be two or more coat-
ings of a mixture of gelatine and barium sulphate, the gelatine being rendered
insoluble by chrome alum or other suitable agent. Or instead of gelatine for
this coating I may use any other suitable colloidal substance capable of being
rendered insoluble. Or I may first apply a coating or coatings of a mixture
of soluble gelatine or other suitable colloidal substance, and barium sulphate,
and when this is dry, superpose thereon a coating of insoluble gelatine or in-
soluble colloidal substance. After allowing the coating last applied to dry, I
apply an impermeable coating of wax, rubber, gum, resin or the like dissolved
in benzine or other solvent, and after allowing the solvent to evaporte I apply
a coating of collodion, or by preference alternate coats of collodion and gelatine

page_text: or casein until the desired thickness has been obtained. This may be effected
by dissolving the gelatine in water or casein in alcohol. The gelatine or casein
should be rendered insoluble in water by the addition of a suitable agent such
as formalin. The outermost coating should contain the sensitizing material
or serve as the carrier therefor.
There is a special advantage in applying alternate coats of collodion and
gelatine or casein in the manner above described, since I thereby.obviate any
stretching of the film lengthwise or transversely.
I prefer films having upper coatings of collodion and gelatine or casein as
described above the impermeable layer above referred to, but I may employ
celluloid in place of the coats of collodion and gelatine or casein. For this
purpose I may apply one or more coats of celluloid upon the impermeable layer,
according to the thickness desired. The celluloid will be applied in solution in
a suitable medium such as acetate of amyl and acetone with benzine. The outer
layer is sensitized as before.
The paper backings which I employ are by preference black or of non-actinic
color. This has the great advantage of enabling rolls of film to be introduced
in broad daylight into or removed from film cameras, and in the case of packets
of film of preventing the daylight passing through the paper or other backing
of a film exposed thereto and injuring the films behind. Halation, which is
so serious a matter in producing photographic images for enlargement and the
like as hitherto upon glass backings, is also thus prevented.
Any suitable apparatus may be employed for applying the various coatings
to the paper backing, and when these have all been applied the band or sheet
may be cut up into sizes suitable for the requirements of the photographic trade.
The improved films, after being exposed in the camera upon their backing,
may be stripped therefrom and developed, intensified, reduced in intensity,
fixed, washed and finished just as if they were upon glass, so that it is possible
to readily follow and control the progress of these various operations and thus
obtain greatly improved results.
After washing and finishing the exposed film I prefer to pass it into a solu-
tion consisting of glycerine 5 per cent., formalin 5 per cent., water and alcohol.
The film is then placed upon the original paper backing, which may be retained
for the purpose, and allowed to dry in the air; this will impart perfect rigidity
and smoothness to the film. When it is dry it may be again stripped from the
backing, and the result is a perfectly bright and rigid film entirely free from
grain.
The improved films are particularly adapted for advertising and decorative
purposes, since the difficulty experienced hitherto of enlarging transfers such
as are required for the purpose, and which difficulty is due to the transference
of the grain of the paper backing, is obviated. In employing my improved film
for advertising or decorative purposes, it is only necessary to moisten the film
and cause it to adhere to the desired surface, say a painted iron tablet, by
placing the gelatine face inwards thereon and applying pressure. The paper
backing may then be stripped off, leaving the film adhering firmly and evenly
to the surface. The film should then be varnished.
My improved film may if desired be strengthened after exposure and finishing,
by a surface layer of gelatine applied thereto in the well-known way.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. The method or process of making photographic films which consists in
applying upon a paper backing a coating of a mixture of a colloid substance,
such as gelatine, and barium sulphate, said colloid being either applied in the
insoluble state or being afterwards covered with a coating of insoluble colloid,
then applying a coat of wax, rubber, gum, resin or like impermeable material

page_text: and then applying a coating of collodion, casein, gelatine or the like, or by
preference alternate coatings of one or more of same, the outer coating being
the sensitized coating, substantially as and for the purpose described.
2. In the production of a photographic film upon a paper backing, the appli-
cation upon said backing of a colloid substance such as gelatine together with
barium sulphate, said colloid being either applied in the insoluble state or being
subsequently covered with a coating of insoluble colloid whereby when the film
is stripped from said backing it is free from grain, substantially as described.
3. The method or process of producing a photographic film which consists
in applying upon a paper backing a colloid substance such as gelatine, together
with barium sulphate, said colloid being either applied in the insoluble state
or being subsequently covered with a coating of insoluble colloid, then apply-
ing a coating of wax, rubber, gum, resin, or like impermeable material and
then applying a coating or coatings of celluloid, the outermost coating being
sensitized all substantially as and for the purposes described.
4. In the manufacture of photographic films of the kind described, the em-
ployment of barium sulphate in combination with an insoluble colloid substance
substantially as and for the purpose described.
5. The manufacture of photographic films substantially as described.
Dated
this
4th day of Alarch 19100
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.